Fred & Stilla

This restaurant is a gem of DC based on quality of food, service, price points and experience. Hubby and I came for a staycation. We loved the global concept. Cocktails were delicious. All of their wine was very reasonable on taste and price point, nothing (other than champagne) was over $60 for the bottle. The food was delicious and the portions were delicious. I especially loved the octopus appetizer. Can't wait to come back. Our server José made the best recommendations and was the perfect balance of giving us time to enjoy our experience while also taking care of all of our dining needs.

My husband and I split the pierogis, spring rolls, and suya chicken. The suya chicken was a STAND OUT. It was absolutely delicious, the sauce on it was amazing. Highly recommend! The pierogis were a beautiful presentation, but weren't my favorite honestly. The filling was a bit too liquid-y, I'm used to a more firm texture at other places. The pomegranate was great though! The spring rolls were yummy as well. Would recommend!Ambiance- 5/5 stars! It's decorated well and so fun in there! The food- 4/5 stars. Service- 4/5 stars

Ambiance 3 starsService 3 starsFood 4 starsFood was good but service was a bit slow.

Terrible. Waste of time and gas. Being a local, I am used to having great restaurant experiences in hotels. This was not the case here. The restaurant is inside the Ven hotel. I did some research and knew they validated valet parking if you were only there to eat at the restaurant so that was very convenient. When I entered the hotel, immediately there is a flight of stairs. The hotel lobby is beautiful. That's where the positive experience ended. I went into the restaurant and saw people sitting around in the restaurant, but no one was at the host stand. This is going to end up being quite a long review so, let me just get to the bullets:- I had to flag someone down to get sat. - I was told that there was a limited menu and that there isn't even supposed to be an option to make a lunch reservation. - My order was taken at the bar. Then I was told I could sit anywhere. - I ordered a lobster roll. Then I was told they didn't have any lobster, further restricting and already measly menu. - I asked for sliders, but I was told they weren't good so, I ordered the burger with truffle aioli and truffle fries. - After my food came, my fries had no truffle, and I had no truffle aoili, just regular mayo. - After sitting around for 10 minutes and no one coming back to the table to check on me , I finally walked back to the bar where there was different guy and asked for a refund. Then I got my parking validated and explained what happened to the woman at the desk. There was no offer to correct anything that happened. Don't waste your time.

This restaurant is in a hotel. The decor is chic and modern. It's a bit hot sitting in the sun near the windows, which don't have curtains, so keep that in mind. There weren't a lot of people there so we got quick service. I ordered the Korean fried chicken and waffle. The chicken was crispy and flavorful. I enjoyed the sauce. It was tangy but went well with the sweetness of the syrup. The waffle was freshly made. The portion was large. I enjoyed the experience eating at Fred & Stilla.

It's a great feeling to travel the world through food. The menu is inspired by the surrounding embassies. It allows for you to have food from multiple regions of the world. The food is delicious and served fresh. The service is timely. The environment can be intimate and cool for a group. It's situated in a hotel and it does not have the hotel feel or vibe.

Fred & Stilla is an endearing restaurant with windows perfect for people watching during your meal. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and they weren't terribly busy so they had two bartenders working the bar and serving tables, which was a mistake as I'll detail later. Our server/ bartender was friendly and helpful in navigating the menu. We opted for the spring roll and Korean chicken as appetizers, the butternut squash soup and lamb as entrees, and the apple pie creme brulee cheesecake for dessert. Our server did an admirable job attending to our drinks but we noticed that each stage of the meal took an inordinate amount of time. It is my suspicion that the food was prepared but our server lost track of time or was swamped at the bar because our appetizers and entrees were a smidge over lukewarm when they were served. The flavors were pretty good with the lamb being a definite standout. The brussel sprouts were tasty with candied cranberries but the sprouts weren't cooked through and had a crispy exterior but a soggy inedible interior. I just ate the crispy portions and left the rest of the spongy mess to the side.The apple pie creme brulee cheesecake for dessert was an interesting one. My one gripe was that the apples should have been diced finely so that the texture of the apples didn't overwhelm the crust of the cheesecake. It was *this* close to being perfect. I would return to give them another chance because I think they're a tweak or two away from being a great restaurant.

I really wanted to give this a 5, but consistency in quality of dishes was not there. I'd come back for the Kenyan curry though. When I first came, I got the curry from Kenya (I believe) and it was DELICIOUS!! I loved it. Wasn't like anything I tasted and very flavorful with the right consistency. But then i came back a second time and got the octopus, the poutine, and 2 beef dishes. The poutine was the best tasting out of the 4 dishes we ordered... Octopus was overcooked and way too chewy (in a bad way). The 2 beef dishes needed a lot more salt. Love the concept of this restaurant but would probably stick to only 1-2 dishes.

Our meal was a solid 3.5, so I rounded up. Cocktails were delicious (fyi: Aloe Hola is perfect and the Brasserie Special is good if you like sweet drinks), tomato bisque was good but not great, and our entrees (Swordfish w/ Peas & Rice and Aji Panca Costilla) were both solid. This wasn't the best meal I've had, but it was seasoned well and the portions were generous. The space is hip-looking, but located inside a family-friendly hotel and pretty empty around 8pm on a Tuesday. We had lots of seating options, including a balcony patio that allowed us to enjoy the nice weather while avoiding street level. Service was casual and not especially attentive, but all our needs were met. All in all, I'll come back to try more on the menu.

Loved it- not all hotel lobby restaurants are created the same. Eclectic menu in a cool quiet setting- complete with an active bar. I enjoyed my small meal with two cold draft beers. Attentive and thoughtful service. A great find.