Immigrant Food

Updating my review to 5 stars after an incredible restaurant week visit! Immigrant Food really set themselves apart by offering two RW menus, one at $40 and one at $55. The $40 was an incredible value with a diverse array of offerings and none of the usual skimping restaurants due during RW.Everything I ate was truly spectacular! The chicken lemongrass dumplings with a yuzu dip were an awesome starter, as were the bao buns. The branzino was DELECTABLE. The perfect crispy crunch from the skin, incredibly moist, well seasoned, and a huge portion, I took half of it home. It also comes with a generous plate of brussels sprouts that were to die for.Finished it off with alfajores and a cappincino. Everything I ate was delicious and amazing.While my cocktails were just okay, I still have to rate 5 stars for the amazing service. Super friendly, attentive, and focused on hospitality and customer service. Was able to switch out a cocktail without a problem and generally enjoyed what I had.We came on a Saturday around 630pm. It surprisingly wasn't too busy but the ambience was really nice. Not too loud, nice music, and good vibes.I will be back again and again and again!

I can't say enough good things about this place. The food is amazing -- both the lunch and dinner menus-- the staff is so kind and attentive, and I love the overall concept. Immigrants really do make America great !The times I've been for lunch, I've gotten the heritage bowl; the hearty Jamaican and Indian fusion never disappoints!Tonight I went for dinner for the first time and it was such a cozy and wonderful experience! We got the sampler with tequeños (delicious. Only wish they were bigger so we could have more to love jaja), bao buns, and dumplings. We also got the roasted shishito peppers, mussels , lamb skewers, and branzino. Every single dish was great. I also got the cocktail that was similar to a passion fruit pisco sour-- so delicious! The happy hour menu looks to be a great value, so I'll be coming back for that!

I recently visited Immigrant Food, and while the ambiance and customer service were commendable, I found the food to be underwhelming given the price.The Shakshuka stood out as a well-balanced and flavorful dish, and the Alfajores dessert also had a delightful taste. However, the Poke Bowl was a major disappointment. I was informed it would be made with fresh salmon, but instead, it was served with smoked salmon of questionable quality, it tasted like low grade, farm raised smoked salmon. As someone who loves fresh salmon and doesn't mind smoked, this fell far short of expectations.Additionally, the latte was cold and lacked foam, as if fresh milk had been poured straight from the fridge into the coffee. If that's the concept of their latte, it's not what I would expect.Overall, while there were some highlights, the experience was not impressive enough for me to return.

An absolutely amazing experience. This gem is connected to Planet Word (which is one of DC's coolest museums). It features a variety of dishes from a variety of cultures. The short rib with polenta was hands down our favorite. Everything though is amazing. Wings were another standout as was the friend chicken. Everything is also reasonably priced for DC. Please try this place you won't regret it

We had not planned on eating at Immigrant Food. We pivoted from a LOUD establishment a block away. Immigrant Food is a relaxed place where you don't have to talk over the music or the folks sitting around you. We asked the the music be turned down a notch and our request was immediately handled. The wait staff was very attentive and our water glasses were ALWAYS full. We ordered the Lamb Skewers, the Branzino and the Short Ribs. If there was a competition between the dishes we all won!! The dessert is something really special. The Chocolate Globe is a chocolate lovers dream. If you just go for dessert, this is the dessert to get. Just don't try to eat this alone, it is meant to be shared. The diversity of the menu is its strength. Do not miss this gem.

Attached to the Planet World museum, Immigrant Food is not to be missed. This cozy but vibrant spot is serving up inventive bites alongside welcoming, thoughtful service. We came for brunch on a Saturday and found the menu to be more than approachable for all dietary preferences. Everything was flavorful, fresh and beautifully plated. We'll definitely be back!

The menu looked really interesting and I wasn't sure what I wanted to get because I wanted it all.I ended up getting the chicken and shrimp gumbo and churros. I liked that the gumbo was light and had a good amount of meat. It had a nice combination of meat, rice, and fresh vegetable. I like that the meat didn't feel unhealthy or oily. It tasted like it had a curry flavoring and it was as very tender. It tasted like it was slow cooked or maybe pressure cooker. The shrimp was minute baby shrimp. I asked for house and they said it was already included and spicy. It tasted a little flat to me in that end. I think of it was spicy the dish would have been elevated.The churros were just ok to me. a they were kind of hard and chewy and I ate them fairly quickly after picking them up. The wait for the food wasn't too long.

This restaurant has a great location. The service is good. While the menu looks interesting, I've never been really satisfied eating here, despite giving the place a few tries. I really like the concept: taking "immigrant food" and giving a new spin to the comfort foods of many different countries. In practice however, the food is adequate at best (as opposed to something new or delicious that makes you crave more). The first time I went here I got a Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich for $15, which frankly, is overpriced, especially for what you you get. In subsequent times, I tried other items on the menu. Everything I've gotten has been nicely presented, but nothing triggered a "this is so good!" reaction from me. I think the restaurant is great, the staff is great, but my tastes just don't respond to the food here. That shouldn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance though!

Literally left another terrible restaurant and happened upon Immigrant Food down the street. The vibes were immediately great. We were greeted upon arrival, the music is good, and the space is so cute! We ordered the Mediterranean platter, chicken wings, pupusas, the burger, and chicken parm and all shared. It was delightful. Every dish was delicious and we had enough to take home for a second meal. The mint lemonade was a 10/10. Our servers were kind, attentive, and had good recs. Couldn't have had a better time here and will be back with more company soon!

An absolute gem of a place!! Catchphrase: Immigrants make America great! To which I obviously and selfishly agree a hundred percent. But seriously, even though it was towards the end of the day and already fairly empty, it felt cozy, comfortable and had pleasant music playing. Cute décor of the bar bench. And last but not least, the staff was super-charming, attentive and gave great advice. The gazpacho was such a wonderful delight of flavors, cold and a perfect starter. The Asian cauliflower did not have to fear competition: Half a cauliflower just cooked to perfection and presented with green plantain puree, peanuts and coconut crust was absolutely delicious! And the bill comes in a passport booklet to leave some comments in - if there had been a pen!Put it in may DC collection and will definitely come back when back in DC ...