Imperfecto

Imperfecto lives up to its name. It offers interesting and even experimental food which is not quite perfect. It takes you in a journey, and these can be tough some time. We went for restaurant week, and did the prefix menu which made the dinner affordable. We enjoyed the burrata, even if we wouldn't call it delicious, mostly for its it mix of textures and flavors. The lamb terrine was wonderful, but the pasta reminded me of modern art, where you can't be quite sure if you enjoy it. The truffle gave it a weird flavor.Service was great, the atmosphere was upscale (we felt underdressed as tourists), and I'd definitely would want to go back if I was in town. More detailed review at https://www.marga.org/foodblog/2025/02/dining-in-dc-imperfecto/

I've been to Imperfecto several times for friends' birthdays, and it's always a delight. This time, I visited on a chilly Sunday night when the restaurant had a quiet, intimate ambiance, with a few groups enjoying their evening.As always, the service was top-notch. The hostess and bartenders were warm and welcoming, setting a great tone for the night. Our waiter was attentive, quickly guiding us through the menu and explaining the dining options with ease.We opted for the à la carte selections--the branzino, lamb, prawns--paired with Old Fashioned cocktails. Each dish was beautifully presented and packed with flavor, showcasing the kitchen's attention to detail. The meal was nothing short of exceptional, as I've come to expect from Imperfecto.Whether it's a special occasion or just a night out, this place never disappoints!

Last night, we experienced the Chef's Table at this establishment. We have dined at several Michelin Star restaurants in and around DC, but sadly have to put this near the bottom of this list. Upon entering, you are directed to the communal table just to the left of the host stand. The table can seat up to 12 people, but was only half filled for our evening. This experience is significantly more expensive than the rest of the a la cart restaurant (pre-paid at $265/pp not including tax or gratuity) and being so close to the host stand and the main door was off putting to us. We felt it should've been in a more isolated area to give it a more exclusive feel rather than putting the table on display in the middle of everything as if to say "hey fellow patrons, look at these guys...!" As far as the menu which had just been switched out and only a few days old, portion sizes were more than adequate, but was for the most part lack luster and very fish heavy for January. Which is fine, but just felt redundant after a few courses. Every item on the amuse was extremely salty, especially the mushroom soup, but thankfully wasn't that way throughout the rest of the meal. If my husband and I had to pick a favorite course, I don't know that we could. Not a single plate stood out to us. It was all just meh to ok! We were sent home with a "goodie bag" as most restaurants of this caliber will do. We were told it was a Venezuelan breakfast. The bag consisted of a breaded pastry, a chocolate bar and a shot of an oat milk drink. The drink was chilled so we knew to put that in the refrigerator once getting home. This morning I attempted to eat the pastry, but after taking a bite realized it was filled with diced ham and other meats. We had not been told what was inside the pastry and left it out all night, so it was not safe to eat and ended up trashing it. I was a little irritated by that, but can see how that may have been our fault as well. Final thoughts: It's always fun to experience a Chef's Table and we enjoyed ourselves as we always do, but did not feel this lived up to the standards of other starred establishments. Are we glad we went? For an evening out, sure! Would we return? No! Not until the experience and the price point are more aligned.

Absolutely Incredible Experience!From the moment we walked in, the service was impeccable--attentive, warm, and truly world-class. The highlight of the evening was the truffle lamb, which was beyond tender and bursting with rich, earthy flavors. Every bite melted in my mouth--an absolute masterpiece.Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the chocobanana dessert arrived. The perfect balance of indulgent chocolate and sweet banana made for the ultimate finisher to an unforgettable meal.This Michelin-starred gem exceeded all expectations. A must-visit for any food lover! Can't wait to return.

4.5 stars for the Chef's Table and 4 stars overall for this West End spot.I've been to Imperfecto a couple times now. Located on 23rd Street between L and M, this Michelin star restaurant is rather unique as the Michelin star is specifically for the Chef's Table meal, which takes place in the center of the restaurant near the kitchen. I won't go much into the other a la carte portion, but I'll just say I was ready to try the Chef's Table.We arrived at the restaurant for our reservation (Chef's Table is always at 7pm), the host took our coat and sat us down, and the waiter leading the evening brought my friend and I a couple Old Fashioneds to start. The Old Fashioned was quite good and also a strong precursor before the wine pairing we would have with our meal.After bringing us out a sparkling wine to start, the wait staff brought us out a little tray with several amuse-bouche options. Each option was pretty good, but the mushroom soup (bottom left of picture) was my favorite out of the bunch on the cold winter night. We then had two appetizers that were pretty solid, including one that you eat with your hands. I can't remember the particular names because we never received a menu. While the descriptions given by the waiter for each dish was great, it would have been nice to have something written to remember later.After finishing our openers, we moved on to what I believe I remember was a fish main, a non-beef main, and then two beef mains (one of which I believe was wagyu). Each dish was fairly solid (I especially liked the non-beef main), but nothing stood out as being absolutely 5-star amazing.Overall, Imperfecto's Chef's Table did live up to the Michelin Star hype. A couple nits from me (including for the separate a la carte option) keep it from getting a 5 star, but overall I did have a very pleasant dining experience.

This review is specifically for the chefs table. Understandably some items may be nitpicking. But when you are charging $250 a person for the experience I feel like it should be much more buttoned up. We had read about the new Michelin star for the Imperfecto chefs table and decided to try it out. We arrived about 10 minutes early, walking in right behind the first group and before anyone had been seated (this comes up again later).We got led to a long wooden table beside the host/check in stand. Interesting set up because everyone is at the same table. A little strange to be seated at the same table as everyone else but not a big deal. Our seating was for 7:00PM. Around 7:05 a group of 3 came to be seated but was thrown off by the close seating and asked to be seated somewhere else (can't say I blame them). Around 7:15 the host came to the first couple and apologized for the delay and offered them free mocktails (didn't acknowledge us at all even though we walked in at the same time). Around 7:25 everyone was informed we are waiting for one more group. At 7:30 another group was seated at a completely separate table. And then that table was immediately server. While our table still waited. The first course was 5 small items served on a tray. The staff "presenting" the plates seemed very unrehearsed and mine was placed upside now. No big deal. All items are great. Though my wife's was served with a yellow sauce that was extremely spicy and mine tasted like pure mayonnaise. This was about how the rest of the night went. Good tasting food but wildly inconsistent. Appearance, portion size and more. A couple of times the main waiter would come out and present a portion of the upcoming dish. Like the uni for a dish. Or the clay baked rabbit for another. He then came out and said "the next dish comes with truffle, would you like it shaved?" So we said sure. (Then got charged $50 a person at the end of the night. Previous Michelin restaurants had offered the add ons as well as the price that comes with them prior to service. I'm sure this was intentionally deceitful, but definitely felt like we got tricked).Overall the food was great. But half the restaurant got the exact same plating so seemed weird to be a chefs table experience. They may just be working out the kinks but everyone at the table agreed that the whole night seemed like they forgot someone was coming and panicked. PS. The deserts are INCREDIBLE and basically saved the entire night.

I've been here several times and enjoyed myself immensely each visit. The food changes a bit each time we eat here so come quick if you want to try something anyone has written about recently. The Cochinillo (suckling pig) was incredible and a must try! The Madai Crudo got rave reviews from the table and the falafel was the best I've ever had. All the food has been great but these have been the standouts. The service is impeccable and the ambiance is very cozy. I've enjoyed many of their cocktails and desserts. This is a place to visit in the West End.

Great brunch spot with delicious food and good portions. Started off with complimentary drink of roasted oat milk with sesame seeds. We each got an entree and shared the pumpkin french toast. We all enjoyed are dishes and left full and happy. The tiger prawns Diablo is not really spicy though if you were hoping for actual heat but it was still delicious. The sourdough that came with the mussels and tiger prawns was great as well and we asked for more to soak up the delicious sauces! They did not skimp on the mussels either. The fries that came with the mussels was tasty but it's more roasted potatoes shaped like a fry and breaded so it's not your typical french fries. Service was great too! Will definitely come back.

Came here for a private party- a 40th birthday celebration- and LOVED the glamorous, eclectic vibe! When we entered there were hostesses wearing lamp shade headdresses serving cocktails, and then inside the servers were glammed with feather boas and the like. The whole evening was on our feet, which made for nice mingling, and they even had a small carpeted dance floor.The menu for the night was likely custom, but covered a variety of vegetarian and meat options- mushroom and kale soup and mushroom tarts were among my favorites. Probably my favorite part was how creative and beautiful the mocktails were- which is very rare! Folks ordered mocktails and asked the bartender to add alcohol! Their menu is typically not vegan friendly, though, and generally very meat heavy- not ideal for vegetarian/vegan audiences.

From start to finish, an excellent experience. Tasting menu for everyone and we were off to the races. First a taste of mushroom soup. Then the dishes came out at a good pace. The service was impeccable from wine recommendations to explaining the dishes more than once when asked. The soaring ceiling and beautiful decorations made for a perfect setting. Highly recommend. Get the truffle upgrade if you're feel likensolirg