The Most Delectable French in Washington

Bistro Cacao

★★★★☆ 4.2 (815) • $$$

"Recently came here for brunch, it was absolutely divine, the highlight for me were the escargot, they had a zesty and garlic taste to them, I love me some smoked salmon so the entree was great!! Service was very amazing, our host Maria took really great care of us!! Would have loved to try their pastry basket but it took so long and came after we had already ate, other than that it was a really great experience for me."

Chez Billy Sud

★★★★☆ 4.2 (398) • $$$

"For a Christmas dinner, we enjoyed a delightful meal at Chez Billy Sud in Georgetown. This cozy French bistro boasts an impressive wine selection, and we savored every sip. The squash soup was a comforting start, and the classic beef bourguignon was simply divine. We ended with an amazing crème brûlée, the perfect sweet finish to a memorable evening. The staff was quite friendly and helpful, especially with answering our questions about gluten-free options."

Le Diplomate

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$

"I came here years ago, when it was new and super trendy. It was amazing back then, but I haven't been back until last weekend, for a pre-theater brunch. I wasn't sure how it would age - it can be hard for a place to stay so good for so long! But let me tell you, it was just as good as before! The food was delicious, our server was lovely and perfectly attentive without being annoying, and the interior is timeless. We had the steak tartare to start, which was divine. I had the mussels which were probably the best I've ever had, and my husband had the duck confit - to die for. It was such a lovely meal, we won't wait years to return!"

Le Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.9 (24)

"Excellent dining experience! Had a reservation for 7 people and we were sat right away. The appetizers were delicious, especially the snails in the parsley butter. Dip your bread in that butter and you won't be sorry. All the entrees were great however, the star was the duck confit! The service was wonderful and very attentive. The restaurant is cozy, inviting and charming. We have been here for brunch as well which was also a treat. This restaurant will continue to be on our list!"

Cafe Renaissance

★★★★☆ 4.2 (375) • $$$

"1/23/24: absolutely lovely date night spot. we shared the french onion soup and it was AMAZING, highly rec this. i got the chicken with mushroom sauce. hub got veal. he loved his entree. when i go back im gtg the french onion soup and not sharing! their drinks were really good. i got the french 75 and husband got the french martini. fab service by all. they def give a lot of space for yall to talk. they wont rush the dinner.we already talked about coming back."

Mele Bistro

★★★★☆ 4 (562) • $$$

"Some people dole out stars based on an ideal. That's fine. I grant stars based on how well a restaurant achieves what it is trying to do. Mele Bistro was a stunning discovery and a beautifully executed French & Italian place. I will be back.First, the food was mouthwatering and precisely prepared. The blackened sea bass was cooked perfectly. I both wanted to devour and savor it over an hour. I appreciated the lightness of the wilted spinach and the warmth of the shared bread. The spice trio with olive oil was a delightful touch. The overall ambiance was incredibly charming and relaxing. How many people begin a menu detailing over an entire page in small font how the selected ingredients are tailor-made for health and taste? The staff and owner were incredibly friendly. As I said at the outset, we will return as soon as possible."

Bar a Vin

★★★★★ 4.6 (67) • $$

"My partner and I were out and about in Georgetown for our anniversary, and we wanted to wrap up the outing with drinks at a romantic bar - Bar a Vin proved to be just what we had in mind. Associated with the neighboring Billy du Sud restaurant, it was a little confusing to find because I didn't see a name for the building, but it seemed to match the address, and once inside I recognized it from Yelp descriptions and photos. There's a romantic, dimly lit front room with several comfy couches and armchairs, and a fireplace; sadly it was 60 degrees in December so no roaring fire. The bar area is nice, with plenty of seating and high tables, but my partner and I wanted to cozy up on a couch so we took our drinks back to the front room to enjoy the warmth of candlelight in lieu of the fireplace. As far as those drinks, Bar a Vin has a great wine and cocktail menu - the beer offerings are limited, albeit eclectic. I ordered the Armagnac Old Fashioned while my partner got a Cloture en Pierre. We were both very pleased with our drinks and upon tasting the drink chosen by the other, also very glad that the order wasn't reversed. My Old Fashioned was very good - I've never had the Armagnac version before and its a great substitute for whiskey. The Cloture was sweet and spicy but for me that was not in a good way; the Liquore delle Sirene overpowered the drink or maybe the mix with the other ingredients just wasn't right for me.I would love to come back on day that's actually cold so I can experience the fireplace. The cocktail menu has a lot of interesting NA options and I'd want to try them for sure."

La Piquette

★★★★☆ 4.2 (258) • $$$

"La Piquette is one of those rare restaurants that hits a perfect trifecta of great food, service and ambience. The food was authentic French, comparable to some of the best food I've had in Paris. There were four of us and each one of us enjoyed all three courses we ordered. That's 12 dishes total and they hit it out of the park on all 12. Can't remember the last time that happened. The service was everything you might want it to be: attentive, friendly and efficient, but without being intrusive. And the atmosphere was lively without being oppressively loud."

Le Sel

★★★★☆ 4 (49)

"My husband and I came here for a date (rare these days with several little kiddos!) and were excited for some fine French food. We immediately were impressed with the decor. Classy and refined but not stuffy. We especially enjoyed the dark blue and white prints adorning the walls. Our food was mostly great. We had the French onion soup, the steak frites, and the catch of the day (which was rockfish on lavender butter potato puree with some other goodies). My husband requested medium rare for the steak but it arrived completely cooked through. Despite this, the steak had incredible flavor and was still quite tender, but it was a definite miss that it was overcooked. The fish was very lovely and the French onion soup was divine (isn't it always?!). Drinks are also great. Decent selection of wines and cocktails, from which we sampled both. My only big gripe is with the speed of service. Our waiter was quite nice but disappeared for astoundingly large periods of time. We eventually flagged down a busboy for our check after waiting about 15 minutes after finishing with no one in sight. If you have time to kill, though, not such a big deal."

Bistrot Du Coin

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"Amazing French food for a reasonable price. The duck is amazing and the wine list is extensive."

Baby Shank

★★★★☆ 4.2 (111)

"My husband and I were in the area so we stopped at this place for brunch. The food to the customer service was 5 stars. Everyone was very friendly and attentive and service was fast. The bar area and dining area both have greenery on the ceiling and it was very cute. The music was nice but not too loud so we were able to have a conversation in a normal voice. The only thing I didn't like was the truffle fries but I will definitely be returning to try dinner and we would definitely do brunch here again. Parking is tight but that's to be expected in this area."

La Bonne Vie

★★★★★ 5 (9)

"La Bonne vie just opened a couple of weeks ago, and figured we'd check it out, and I'm so glad we did.It's super cozy and cute inside and the service was absolutely wonderful. We started by sharing the beet and burrata salad and I'm still thinking about it now. It was really well balanced and flavorful. My husband had the duck for dinner and raved about how well cooked it was and just tasty. I had the Parisian gnocchi and it was delightful. I always except gnocchi dishes to be heavy but this was light and delicious. Lastly, we shared the berry pistachio tart. It was more of a pistachio tart with a few berries on top. I loved it, but my husband was hoping for more berry! I'd highly recommend checking out La Bonne Vie for delicious, quality food"

Del Ray Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (906) • $$

"Very first thing to notice about this establishment is that it is inside a house, super cute location! I love that its setting really sets it apart from other restaurants. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, parking appears to be plentiful albeit street parking. We were immediately greeted once going inside, and also promptly served by our waiter. They have an extensive brunch and lunch menu alike. Average prices for a restaurant in this area. Portion sizes were not massive which I really appreciated, but perhaps others might want multiple items from the menu if extra hungry. I couldn't decide what I wanted, so I requested my server surprise me with his favorite sandwich. He chose the croque monsieur and I was very happy with this option. Thanks for a great lunch today, Del Ray Cafe!"

Vin Sur Vingt

★★★★☆ 4.2 (80)

"Had a fabulous time at Vin Sur Vingt!! Came around 6 with a friend for dinner. We had a reservation but the restaurant was empty so it'd be easy to walk in and there was plenty of space at the bar.We were seated immediately and our waiter came over quickly. We had a few questions on wines and were trying to decide between the two orange wines on the menu as those are our favorites. Our waiter was really kind and let us try both and we ended up getting a bottle. The wine was DELICIOUS we were so pleased.They have a ton of really reasonably priced bottles which is nice and an extensive list of wines by the glass. For food I had a variation of a croquettes madam with pesto and it was fabulous, decadent, and filling. The sandwiches come with fries or salad (I got both) and everything was delicious. The salad was fresh, well seasoned and tasty, and the fries have a really unique seasoning, also really tasty.The atmosphere is great. Dimly lit and quiet enough to chat. Great for a girls dinner/catching up with friends.The service overall and our waiter was stellar! Super attentive and friendly. Can't wait to come back."

Fig & Olive

★★★★☆ 3.6 (955) • $$$

"Came here for my friend's birthday and to check out restaurant week. We came in a party of 8 and had a reservation. We were seated right away and loved the decor of the restaurant. It's very spacious and they have a really good playlist. The restaurant week menu has really great portion sizes. We were not that impressed with the taste of the food. I will say I really enjoyed the wild mushroom croquette but the chicken Milanese tasted like eating an upside down fried chicken salad. There was a little sauce on the bottom but there wasn't enough to really tell what the flavor of it was. I got the dark chocolate mousse for dessert but was disappointed because the texture reminded me more of pudding. My friend's lemon olive cake was good but she thought it tasted a little too salty in certain bites. The best part of the meal was the bread they brought up with a little olive oil on it. The overall experience was only okay. I was hoping the food would could come out a little sooner than it did. I probably wouldn't eat here again by choice but the service is really nice and maybe someone else would like it. The overall consensus from my group was a little disappointment."

Le Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.8 (4)

"I gave this restaurant 5 stars only for the staff and hospitality because everyone there was so great. I only tried the french onion soup and it wasn't that great, the cheese seemed to have an Italian seasoning and broth way too salty."

Fontaine

★★★★☆ 3.8 (908) • $$

"Beautiful, quiet enough that it does not disturb the conversations happening at the surrounding tables. The food presentation was done with precision. My first bite had given me butterflies. There's no need to add anything to the dish. The Chef, and his staff magically matched the food and its decorum. A hidden gem on one of the side streets in Oldtown. I'll definitely will be returning. The food, the place, the workers come together quite majestically. I was in the mood for something different, and this was simply wonderful."

Bistro Provence

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (248) • $$$

"Really delicious. It was a little worried after reading some of the reviews but so happy we decided to come. The owner and Chef works right in the kitchen by the tables. Everything is made with such care. We had a server who was maybe a year there? So welcoming! The lamb was so flavorful. The apple desert wasn't too sweet, so yum. We could've had the scallop asparagus risotto appetizer as an entrée."

Café du Parc

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (507) • $$

"Stopped here for lunch after a morning tour of the White House. It is a large restaurant and we thankfully were quickly seated despite not having a reservation. The restaurant has cute French bistro vibes.I really enjoyed my moules frites and thought it was a pretty large portion. My family members ordered burgers and they all enjoyed them. Service was just fine.This restaurant is one of the better lunch options near the White House and I'm glad we found it!"

Le Refuge Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (279) • $$$

"I was searching for a French restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday and came across Le Refuge. Although it wasn't available on the typical reservation platforms, the website mentioned calling for reservations. Luckily, I had no trouble securing a same-day reservation.The restaurant is intimate, with charming French decor that gives it a cozy, romantic feel. The staff was incredibly friendly, and we were seated at a lovely window table, which added to the atmosphere.We started our meal with the soup of the day and a fresh salad. For the main course, I had the Dinner Special Seared Tuna, which was perfectly thick-cut and served with a delicious bordelaise sauce and black pepper. My wife chose the Shrimp Provençal, and the seasoning was absolutely amazing.Both dishes were fantastic, and we couldn't have asked for a better dining experience. If you're looking for a special place to celebrate or enjoy a romantic evening, Le Refuge is a must-visit!"

Pastis

★★★★☆ 4.3 (164)

"Came back for Pastis' brunch during Restaurant Week. We were lucky to get a table reservation at 1:15 pm on a Sunday when we called in earlier in the day at like 12 pm (luck was definitely on our side). We had mimosas at the bar while we waited for our table and the bartenders were very friendly despite the restaurant being very busy. Once we sat down our server was also so sweet, constantly checking in on us. Now because it was restaurant week I decided to try something new which included their passion fruit scallops and creme brûlée. Both were really good, not sure that I would order the scallops again and my sister ordered the steak tartare and said her stomach hurt shortly after. Now I've had their burgers before so I was excited to get it again. The only thing that wasn't so great for me was the fries seemed overcooked they were super crunchy. Our mimosas were tasty however the espresso martini I was not really a fan of. I still need to come back and check out their pancakes. I love the low lighting and vibes that the restaurant gives off so I'll definitely be back."

All Day by Kramers

★★★★☆ 3.9 (140) • $$

"I love Kramers bookstore and their restaurant is a great addition to the place. So many great options and loved the breakfast served all day. The eggs were creamy and delicious and got the chocolate cake at the end of the meal which was HUGE. A lovely little spot to eat after book-shopping"

2941 Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"In general, it's an exceptional place to have dinner. And it is also a stunning wedding venue! It's such a rare find, with its breathtaking indoor and outdoor spaces, complete with waterfalls and koi ponds that create an enchanting atmosphere.A huge thank you to Michelle Marquez for her incredible support throughout the entire planning process. She provided us with all the information we needed and connected us with amazing vendors like our minister Jeffrey Maszal and Nesh photography, making our wedding celebration truly seamless. Sam and the entire restaurant team were outstanding--true professionals every step of the way.Chef Bertrand Chemel's culinary skills truly elevated our special day. Our guests were absolutely delighted with the hors d'oeuvres, in addition to excellent wines and cocktails.We are so grateful to the whole team for making our wedding day unforgettable! We highly recommend 2941 to anyone looking for the perfect wedding venue."

Brasserie Liberte

★★★★☆ 4 (546) • $$

"Nice American French place. I got the Coq Au Vin which is chicken with mashed potatoes, carrots and onions. It was surprisingly good. All dark meat chicken. There were some pieces I ate that I did not enjoy like cartilage etc because I couldn't see them covered in the sauce. Overall it was cooked well as the chicken was coming off the bone. Service was ok. FYI- They charge 20% gratuity to all orders. Ambiance is relaxed but very loud on a Saturday night."

Bistro Du Jour

★★★★☆ 3.8 (243) • $$

"A nice pick for an affordable but still upscale dinner. Their food is delicious with large portions and their service is was very accommodating. The restaurant is small, dimmed pretty dark in the evening, is quiet, and there is one single-stall bathroom which acquired a line at several points throughout the night. Would recommend a reservation. A good date night spot."

La Bonne Vache

★★★★☆ 4.4 (102)

"Wow, easily 5 stars! This is exactly the type of places I love! The atmosphere is excellent, walking in is like on the corner in an adorable neighborhood, casual but also special. It really feels like you stepped into a cafe in France. Now to the food, magnifique! Everything we tried was delicious! Loved all the small plates to share and the shaved ribeye baguette was so tasty! Or server was so sweet and made our drinks wonderful,l neighborhood gem of a restaurant."

Matisse

★★★★☆ 3.8 (94) • $$$

"I stopped by for dessert and coffee. This was a quaint place with pleasant staff. I highly recommend!"

Patisserie Poupon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (389) • $$

"Long-standing authentic French patisserie plucked from Paris to DC. Fresh, simple, understated"

Michele’s

★★★★☆ 3.5 (101)

"Michele's is a nice restaurant in a great venue. Eaton DC is a multi-faceted hotel that offers a modest number of hotel rooms, work space, a dope roof top lounge/club, and one of DC's most popular Speakeasy's (Allegory). We went to grab a nice dinner before going to the aforementioned Allegory. Michele's is a solid restaurant. The menu is limited but what we had was good. She had the salmon and I had the crab cakes. Neither was great but good. The Charbroiled Oysters were delicious but you only get 4. I'd rather they up the price from $16 to $20 and give us two more. Michele's is located in the front of Eaton, so in the winter months, you may have to keep your jacket on because it gets a little cold if you're seated near the door like we were.Service was good, even though our server was also one of the bartenders doing dual duty. Again, as far as casual hotel restaurants go, Michele's is definitely a nice dining experience, however, if you're not staying at Eaton or going to Allegory, it's not special enough to make the busy DC trip."

Cafe Colline

★★★★☆ 4.1 (118) • $$$

"I don't get out much to locations with French cuisine so Cafe Colline was different. We really didn't expect French, we were thinking cafe! But boy oh boy, what a succulent surprise!As per usual, we were out almost at sunset and hit up Cafe Colline, something we thought of a while back but never really saw the menu. Only knew from the ratings they were up there. Parking was easy, street side and in the back, plenty to find. Seating in Colline was hard however but luckily they have outdoor seating and it's a beautiful weather at the end of the summer.The host and waitress were very kind and attentive which always makes these outings even better. Menu came out and to our surprise, they're all french style dishes. I was thinking Cafe with sandwiches and crepes and coffee and tea. We ordered some escargot for starters, then cote de porc, moules frites, basque cheese cake, and mango sorbet at the end.I'm not much into escargot but this dish potentially changed my mind on the these little critters. The butter, the mix of herbs and some other ingredients I can't identify, maybe some sort of liver pureed, just amazing flavor there. The pork loin was cook perfectly with the side of mashed potato, all on point. The mussels were just okay for me. Very different type of broth versus say an Italian style broth but still delicious.The desserts rounded everything off nicely as we enjoyed the night outside. There's not much more I can say but we enjoyed the night, the setting, the food, it all came together nicely. And man, I could go back for more of those escargots."

Le Desales

★★★★☆ 4.2 (269) • $$$

"Nice diverse menu that mixes French bistro with Japanese sushi of all things. Sat at the bar and of course the service was spot on. They do have a specific bar menu that included frog legs and a few other items. They do have a wood fire grill which made the place smell great. Nice pleasantly noisy place with a crowd of hotel people, locals, and families having a good meal. Was hungry. Had the side salad with kale as a starter. The bistro burger and the onion frites were almost too much burger cooked perfectly."

Maison Cheryl

★★★★☆ 3.9 (120) • $$$

"My recent experience at Maison Cheryl was absolutely delightful. They were doing a special limited menu (apparently the chef rotates seasonally and likes to try new things) and was fantastic from start to finish. Our first course was a beet citrus salad which included goat cheese and was based around this lovely roasted beat flavor that tied everything together really well. With a small bit of honeycomb on top, the salads overall flavor profile hit all the right notes. We paired the salad with a fried green tomato dish that had a perfect cream sauce. I've had overly fried tomatoes before but these were light and really flavorful. For entrees we got an order of the bay scallop + shrimp orecchiette which was highlighted by the unexpected but very good corn forward flavor. The serving size a little too large for me, but leftovers are never a real problem. In addition we had a salmon and mussel dish where the broth it was set in blew my mind. Cooked perfectly, both the salmon and mussels were great, but I could have enjoyed just a bowl of the broth with a loaf of bread. Being so full for the dessert I'm not sure if I truly appreciated the chocolate cake or cheesecake as much as I could have, but they were both a very nice conclusion to the meal. Our server was very attentive to us the entire night, never leaving us waiting or wanting for a single thing. The restaurant itself is situated in a cute part of Arlington, and really matches the vibes of sophistication with a lot of comfort. I am excited for my next culinary adventure here!"

LCD - La Côte D'Or Café

★★★★☆ 3.7 (217) • $$$

"We came here for restaurant week, our son is running on a I want to try French food kick. They had two menus for the event and they were cool about trading between the two. Apps:Pate - okay seasoning could've been strongerFrench Onion Soup - Very good Cesar Salad - okay pretty standardMains:Bavette steak - (peppercorn sauce) This was a classic play on steak frites Cooked perfectly the sauce was well seasoned and overall very nicely done. This is what our 10yo ordered and he housed it all. Chicken Cordon bleu: this is what my wife ordered. Overall it was okay but it was not a good as the steak. Arguably could've had more seasoning. Rack of lamb: my choice this was also solid the mustard and herb crust was nicely balanced. The cook was perfect just slightly past the point of the fat rendering so it was just how I like it. Desserts: Chocolate mousse Apple tart ProfiterolesOf all of these, hands down the chocolate mousse was the best. Service was decent nothing over the top but they were generally pleasant and timing for food was good. Atmosphere was pleasant. We would definitely be back should we be in the area."

Julii

★★★★☆ 4.3 (593) • $$$

"Great food and ambiance. It's fun to sit by the bar if possible. Best to go in the day time. The windows are large and it is bright! They also make great craft cocktails. Get the old fashion! They smoke the drink and put pomegranate seeds on the side to add for a different taste."

Rosemary Bistro Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (76)

"I was greeted warmly right away as I entered the establishment and seated in the outdoor area; I ordered the classic muscles, which were cooked very well. The sauce at the bottom could use some work. It was a bit bland to be honest, I'm not sure what it needed. it could've used a bit more flavor. The service was good and everyone seem to enjoy themselves. Overall, I had a good time."