Garrison

Garrison serves seasonal American cuisine along Barracks Row. Best known locally for his cooking at Poste Moderne Brasserie, Chef Rob Weland brings us this new restaurant that has received high acclaim early on, with special emphasis on freshly baked breads and creative vegetable dishes. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

Zest Bistro

This neighborhood American bistro "with a twist" is the creation of Capitol Hill resident Amanda Briggs. Amanda and her husband had long dreamed of creating a hip, warm and welcoming space in the neighborhood that caters to the diversity of Hill professionals while remaining friendly and accessible to families. Add great food and exceptional service to the equation and Zest Bistro fills a niche for creative American food on the Hill. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

District Commons

District Commons celebrates American cuisine and all its global influences with flair, originality, and cool comfort on Washington Circle. Passion Food Hospitality's newest venture showcases seasonal, sustainable seafood, locally grown fruits and vegetables, house baked artisanal breads and pastries - all make for a classic American tavern updated for 21st century taste. Closest Metro is Foggy Bottom.

Coastal Flats

Coastal Flats is a casual 1950s coastal Florida inspired seafood house located in the heart of Fairfax Corner. Inside, a hand-carved mermaid and 200 fish swim from vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. Custom-designed mirrors and a mural of a tropical port adorn the walls. Inside is an all-booth dining room, and when the weather cooperates, there’s seating on the back porch.

Ardeo + Bardeo

Last date I was here: 2/12/2011

Restaurant: Ardeo + Bardeo (http://www.cardeobardeo.com)

Location: Cleveland Park

Total Rating: 3.85
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: This modern American bistro and wine bar received a face lift in November 2010 and combined the two separate spaces into one for the relaunch from the team that brings you other DC highlights such as 701 and Rasika. Executive Chef Nate Garyantes has crafted a menu which features cured meats, soups and salads, savory snacks, seasonal vegetables dishes and brick oven baked flatbreads. Closest Metro is Cleveland Park.

We went to Ardeo + Bardeo for our Valentine's dinner. It is a very easy walk from the metro and as soon as we arrived, the loud buzz from the packed dimly lit restaurant greeted us. We were escorted upstairs on the "Bardeo" side of the house and seated in a small two top. The wine selection is quite generous and the specialty cocktails looked tasty as well. The menu has a selection of meats and cheeses to pizzas, pastas and main entrees. The small bites are indeed small and might be best to order at least two for sharing. Overall, the food was flavorful and the portions were on the smaller side. We had enough room to share a dessert at the end. I would recommend this place for groups to sit at the bar or communal table or for the casual date night.

What I ate:

Scallop Schnitzel

with bay scallops, young red cabbage, walnuts

Lobster and whole wheat spaghetti

with royal trumpets and squash

Heirloom apple cobbler
rum raisin ice cream

Plus Keith ate:

Seven hour braised leg of suckling pig
served with cheddar grits, blackeyed peas, redeye gravy, peanuts

The Caucus Room

Last date I was here: 08/17/2010

Restaurant: The Caucus Room (http://www.thecaucusroom.com/)

Location: Penn Quarter

Total Rating: 4.05Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: The Caucus Room was inspired by a vision to create a first class dining institution where Democrats and Republicans could come together over a great meal. This American steakhouse has served many politicians over the years and is know around town for their power lunches. Closest Metro Station is Archives/Naval Memorial.


It is Restaurant Week in our Nation's Capitol again, and I had the lovely opportunity to try the Caucus Room for lunch with my coworkers. We picked this restaurant for its reputation and close location. Upon our arrival, we were seated right away at a large table to fit our party of 8. It was not that crowded and the wait staff was very attentive taking all orders right away. We noshed on the fresh sourdough rolls as we waited (not long) for our first course. The options for the RW menu were either a salad of mixed greens or a smoked gazpacho. It was great to eat out with the large group because everyone ended up ordering each of the items, so I was able to at least see the different choices. The main entree choices were a sockeye salmon filet, oven roasted half bone chicken, or broiled flat iron steak. The portion sizes were quite larger than expected for lunch and even though it did not come with any sides, we ordered some broccoli for the table to share. One con that took away from the full score of 5 points, was that those who ordered the steak were not given the option of temperature preference. Comments shared were that the meat was a little too pink for the majority's taste. Although it is typical for some fine dining restaurants to not offer this option, leaving the discretion up to the chef, I agreed with my colleagues that it would have been nice to at least been able to have their preference in order the enjoy the meal better. On the other hand, flavors were bright and seasonal, and service was on par. For dessert, the options were between a raspberry sorbet with chocolate sauce or a chocolate mousse in a chocolate tulip cup drizzled with raspberry sauce. Again, lovely presentation of the desserts so much that some did not want to break their chocolate cups! Overall, everyone enjoyed their meal and some even declared they would go back for dinner. Make easy reservations to The Caucus Room on CityEats.

What I ate:

Mixed Greens Salad

with diced yellow peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes and a citrus vinaigrette

Oven Roasted Half-bone Chicken Breast

served with roasted grape tomatoes and a summer squash puree

Chocolate Mousse in a Chocolate Tulip Cup
served with a raspberry sauce

Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill

Last date I was here: 05/08/2009

Restaurant: Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill (http://www.tobykeithsbar.com/)

Location: Bricktown, Oklahoma City, OK

Total Rating: 3.85

Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 3

Summary: Leave it to country music legend Toby Keith to create a restaurant that offers great food and the best live music in Oklahoma City. Named after Toby’s hit single “I Love This Bar,” this exciting venue offers a real down-home experience. With 12,000 square feet and seating for 450 guests, the restaurant’s emphasis will be on great home-style food. Chef Brad Johnson has assembled a true down home menu that is sure to leave you adjusting your belt buckle. Decorated with over 100 pieces of Toby Keith memorabilia including signed guitars, platinum records and clothing Keith wore in videos, this restaurant provides a fun atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.

I tried this place with some co-workers as we were in town for a conference. Since they do not take reservations, we had to wait 45 minutes for a table, but were able to sit at the bar and order a drink while we waited. We were then seated upstairs in one of the “Redneck Loveseats” that had a prime view of the musical stage. The band that night was pretty good - Brandon Clark Band - and we were seated just as their set began. Patio seating was also available outside. The food was fairly proced for the large portions and tasted pretty good. My chicken was cooked perfectly - seasoned right and juicy. They had many confort food items on the menu as well as a decent selection of beers. In addition to live music, big screen televisons were scattered throughout for those sports fans. Overall, I enjoyed this place and was neat to try some Oklahoma cooking.

What I ate:

Grilled Chicken Breast

An 8 oz. grilled chicken breast topped with bacon, ham, BBQ sauce and Monterey Jack cheese.

Served with Mashed potatoes - made with Red skin potatoes, sour cream, butter, roasted garlic, green onion, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper; Sauteed Mushrooms with shallots and butter; and jalapeno corn bread.

Charlie Palmer Steak

Last date I was here: 02/23/2008

Restaurant: Charlie Palmer Steak (http://www.charliepalmer.com/steak_dc/home.html)

Location: Capitol Hill

Total Rating: 4.45
Food: 5, Price: 3, Service: 5, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Providing a unique dining experience of world-class cuisine and fine wine in a spectacular setting is precisely what Charlie Palmer Steak offers on historic Capitol Hill. Offering only the finest cuts of artisan meats, game, fish and fowl, prepared in Palmer’s progressive American style, Charlie Palmer Steak also features a notable wine cube housing over 3,500 bottles (over 10,000 on the premises) of exclusively American wines from every U.S. state. In addition, the space offers a unique opportunity for patrons: three private dining rooms, and a rooftop terrace for events for up to 400 guests, with spectacular views of the Capitol. Closest Metro is Union Station.

I had dinner there with a medium sized party of seven. it was a little tricky to get to at first, because the restaurant is on the corner of a building and there is only valet parking available. The service was excellent, and after our long meal the manager offered to escort us up to the rooftop terrace to view the night horizon of the monuments. Even though it was about 38 degrees outside, it was wonderful and we truly enjoyed it. A little pricy for the regular spot, but I would definitely recommend this place for any special occasion.

What I ate:

Tuna Tar-tar

Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Angnolotti

shaved almond, almond froth, haricot vert, dandelion

Trio of Creme Brulee

classic vanilla, orange, bitter sweet chocolate, roasted peanut foam, crisp hazelnut biscotti

Plus Keith ate:

Oysters on the Half Shell

Ribeye “Cowboy cut”

Hen of the Woods Mushrooms

Sautéed Spinach

Truffle Twice Baked Potato

Yukon Gold Potato Puree