Le Refuge Restaurant

Without writing a book ...Best French Restaurant in the Northern Virginia region...Best food ... the staff are Pro's ! I understand that the owner sent them all off to France to train ! They are not in your face but then again seem to know right away (visual clues ?) that you need attentionRestaurant is smallish and inviting ...Just go ... make reservations ... hard to just "walk in"

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!

This is one of our favorite local spots in our town. It's not pretending to be some fine dining French place - this is the home cooked delicious country restaurant in burgundy vibe and food. It is absolutely perfect for a cold winter night. Alex and I try to come for the first snow every year and this was no exception. We always get the sautéed calamari, the cassoulet and a bottle of red wine to top it off! This time we tried this wine and it was sensational!*note: I am not a huge fan of red meat and I'm a "cute"erian aka don't like eating cute creatures and the cassoulet is to die for. I just pretend that I have no idea what's in it!! Haha

Le Refuge has been around since 1983 and is considered OT Alexandria's oldest French restaurant.I came here for a birthday celebration with advance reservations; we were seated right away by the windows that were strewn with lights and cute holiday decor - the restaurant itself is very intimate, cozy, and totally has that romantic vibe! Definitely a nice place for a date night or a small get-together.We ordered:+Soupe a L'oignon Gratinee - baked onion soup with swiss cheese+Stuffed Mushrooms - warm mushrooms caps, stuffed with crabmeat and dressed with mustard cream sauce; these were served lukewarm, so I wished that these were served piping hot; the mushrooms were generously filled with crab, but the appetizer itself was just bland in taste+Filet de boeuf sauce Roquefort - filet mignon with a creamy Roquefort sauce; the filet was a little tough, and the roquefort sauce was a bit bland and not as strong-forward as I expected+a Beef Wellington - the steak was a medium rare+a creme brulee - the sugar was burnt, so this was a bit difficult to eat/finishThe restaurant also offers prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner, which seem like a great deal.Service was friendly and attentive.Metered street parking can be found around the restaurant.+lukewarm appetizers+bland entrees+burnt creme brulee+friendly service+metered street parking available

Wonderful French cuisine in a beautifully decorated restaurant. The service was excellent and the food could not have been better. I thoroughly enjoyed the beet salad followed by chicken with a delicious mustard sauce and a side of scalloped potatoes. Hope to return someday!!!

Really solid food and super cute atmosphere. Highly recommend the escargot and the duck breast which is on the special menu - so tasty and the sauces were incredible. Coq au vin was just okay though.. a bit salty and overcooked. Other than that a great place to eat!!

What a lovely spot! You can tell it's a mom and pop shop and I love that! Support your local businesses!!! Had dinner with a friend here recently and cannot wait to come back. Our server was funny and helped us decide what we wanted. He was very attentive and there if we needed anything. We shared a French onion soup and it was hearty! So good. I ordered the tilapia which was so flavorful yet healthy and light. My friend ordered the duck and she loved it! Looked delicious -- she was deciding between that or the scallops and our waiter said "for sure the duck!" Everyone is so nice there! Highly recommend checking it out.

A good menu. We've eaten here a lot over the years. Everything is good. Service is excellent . A little cramped for seating but no one seems to mind.

Wanted to love this place but my god, everything was sooooo salty. Onion soup base wasn't rich enough. And bread was a miss with foiled butter packets. Please start using an inhouse compound butter!Ambiance was cute and cozy. Waiter was charming.

The food at Le Refuge was excellent and the service was outstanding. The restaurant itself is cute and intimate with a long time loyal patrons. Overall great experience and will return!