Little Pearl

We wanted a nice but lower key place to celebrate our wedding anniversary; someplace that felt a little luxurious but not too fussy and Little Pearl seemed to fit the bill. Reservations were easy to make online for the conservatory. The decor is sleek and beautiful but not too stiff because you are surrounded by garden views outside and potted plants inside. There were six to seven small plates, each gorgeous to look at and delicious, all plated with great care in different kinds of bowls that artfully complemented the food being served. Admittedly, my husband said he was still hungry after our meal but that was not unexpected. The staff are all very friendly and it's a small space so you will likely hear repeat presentations of the plates, but to me it was a reminder of professionalism and good execution. Our table and menus sported happy anniversary messages, we were genuinely greeted by every staff member we passed, and the take-home bags with cookies and oat milk were a fun touch.

Have been dying to try their other restaurant Pineapples and Pearls, and accidently ended up here on a random last min reservation near me. Was pleasantly surprised with everything.Very nice, unexpected pairings. I love when individual wine/drink flavors don't nessecarily excite you, but the combination really blows your mind. This place knows what they are doing with food and drink. Savor it and you will have a blast. Looking forward even more to trying their other restaurant.

Please put this place on your list for special occasions! Food and service is top notch (don't forget to order the caviar course!) and ambiance is very romantic and pretty. Kind of felt like being at an event or wedding dinner inside garden/green house. Came here on a Saturday night as a group for a birthday dinner and we all left full and content. Service is friendly with good explanations of each of the courses. We got the caviar course (which was my favorite!) in addition to the prixe fixe menu which consisted of the angel eggs (so airy! Feels like you're eating a cloud), fried cheese, summer fruit, coconut crusted prawn (generous portion size), pork with cornbread and collards (tasted great but a tad salty for me. Loved the cornbread), 75 day donut (amazing! My 2nd favorite item), and dark chocolate mousse (coconut made it very refreshing). They brought out a little chess cake with a candle as a birthday treat! They also give you an oatmeal cookie with a glass of oat milk to take home which was a great breakfast for me the next day (or a midnight snack if you prefer). Drinks tasted great.The vegan menu consisted mostly of vegetables which is fine but a bit disappointing imo since it didn't seem to match in quality/creativity with the omnivore menu. I would have expected more mix ins of some type of plant based protein, mushrooms, etc. which is why I'm rating this a 4/5. The menu is seasonal so perhaps worth reassessing at a different season with a vegan friend- but I still highly recommend you give this place a try for a special occasion!

We came to Little Pearl to celebrate an early Valentine's Day and we had a wonderful time. The setting is casual but upscale at the same time. The service was excellent and the food was wonderful. We enjoyed every dish of the seven course fix priced menu. We didn't get the wine pairing, but the table next to us did, and the pours were substantial (plan on taking an uber home). The textures and tastes of each dish were well thought out and complementary. This was one of the better Michelin 1 Star restaurants we have dined at and for this level of dining the price was quite reasonable.

I revisited Little Pearl again in September for my boyfriend's birthday and my sentiments still stay the same. I can honestly name Little Pearl as one of my favorite restaurants in DC. From the ambience to the amazing service. The menu was different and just as enjoyable as my first time. The staples including the Angel Eggs and the oatmeal cookies with oat milk as a to go treat were also lovely to have again. I absolutely see why Little Pearl continues to maintain its Michelin star. I look forward to going back again!

The Little Pearl offers a unique 7-course tasting menu. We were lucky to get seated in the "conservatory" which feels like a pretty, dimly lit greenhouse. The service was very attentive throughout the dinner. Some of the food was surprising. For example, the deviled eggs ("Angel Eggs") were actually savory meringues. We had never had anything like that before. Additionally, the melted cheese course (Aged White Cheddar Fondue) was both savory and a subtly sweet dessert at the same time. The pork and clams course was one of the best! The meat was perfectly cooked, and the clams were delicious. The one course I did not enjoy was the funnel cake. The funnel cake was not crispy or hot enough. I feel like they tried to be very unique with this one, but it did not hit the mark. Everything else was really great, though! I would definitely come back.

As a Michelin Star restaurant, I knew that I was set to have an extravagant and bespoke experience dinning here. Round after round and course after course were a hands down a complex aromatic exploration of culinary ingredient-play!! From the Angel Eggs (interesting play on devilled eggs), Coconut Crusted Australian Prawn, Crispy Potatoes and Seafood Remoulade, Black Olive Financier and Aged White Cheddar Fondue plus much more... EVERYTHING was delicious.My close friend took me to Little Pearl to celebrate my birthday - and I could not have had a better time. There were many birthdays being celebrated that evening - which I believe is a testament to just how special their curated and elevated dining experience is!!Ethan was our server for the evening, and we really could not had asked for a better experience - all thanks to him and their rest of the team at Little Pearl.

We were able to get a reservation for a late dinner on Saturday. Near barracks row, we didn't have too much trouble finding parking (definitely make sure you read the street signs).We were sat pretty quickly in the beautiful enclosed patio. It was a little cold as i was right by one of the doors but overall not too bad. It was intimate and quiet. I opted for the wine tasting (Mother of Pearl) for $150. They have two kinds of wine pairings, one for $85 (less known wine) vs iconic classics for the $150.My husband had two cocktails, the Pork & Lychee in a glass and the Milk & Cereal. The Pork & Lychee was definitely interesting but I more preferred the Milk & Cereal and loved the glass it came in. I really enjoyed the meal as a whole and didn't run into anything I didn't like. I asked for the Caviar addition as well. My and my husband were full by the end of it and flavor profile as well as coat value, I would say this is one my higher rated Michelin restaurants that I have been to.Would definitely recommend!

One of the best meals I've had in DC...Went there the other night w/ my BFF for her bday. She had a very generous gift certificate. This place is super special. It's kind of hidden - tucked up into a little park that's part of Hill Center. You enter and are immediately greeted by a cheerful hostess. We were seated immediately (ahead of our reservation), but sadly, a private party was taking up the entire conservatory - the one room with windows! Our room was small w/ no windows - the only 'not great' part of the meal. But - who cares! The food was the star of the show -- well, that, and the impeccable service. This 7 course, $118 meal was totally worth every penny. The courses aren't huge - but you're more than full when you leave. The creativity that goes into every course - the presentation, the delectable treats - oh la la! ! My friend is a pescatarian, & they readily accommodated her (she had that in the rez & our server double confirmed it before we started our culinary journey). First course - the "angel eggs " an incredible, melt-in-your-mouth experience w/ meringue molded like the whites of the egg topped with a divine eggy mixture. Wow. Next up: fried shiitake croquettes w/ a scrumptious cheesy sauce. 3rd course: local farm's "summer fruit" - tiny fresh tomatoes, slivered peaches, nuts, a fig purée, & more --- good grief, it was like sunshine-summer-joy in your mouth. 4th course: coconut crusted Australian prawn - the absolute meatiest, largest shrimp I've ever had, billed as a play on the head chef's childhood snack (!! I just had PBJ!!). 5th (main) course: perfectly cooked halibut over roasted veggies - all covered w/ some kind of decadent creamy sauce. This dish came w/ the most perfect, tiny corn muffins & I think fried zucchini (I cant remember). 6th: oh-so-rich "75-Day Donut" - did I say rich??? A savory donut oozing w/ melty manchego...this one a play on the sous chef's childhood snack (who ARE these people?!$?). Last-but-not-least: to-die-for dark chocolate mousse w/ "a whole lotta coconut." WOW. This tiny bowl was crammed w/ so much flavor - some kind of cookie thing at the bottom under all that mousse - the server telling us to dig all the way down to get a full sense of the entire dish. PUHLEASE....so good. That's it. Magical night. Cannot wait to return.

Had a wonderful dinner at Little Pearl for my birthday! We were warmly greeted by the staff And taken to our table which had my name on it, so cute! If you have a food intolerance or allergy, this restaurant is super accommodating and don't make you feel like you're missing any part of the menu.Course 1 - Angel Eggs and Jimmy Red Cornbread & Foie Gras. The texture of the angel eggs threw me off as it reminded me of styrofoam but was actually a light meringue. I preferred a normal egg but I guess it's what they are known for. I much preferred the cornbread and foie gras- tasty little bite full of flavor.Course 2 - Coconut crusted Australian prawn. Great presentation and flavor although I found the shrimp to be cold Course 3 - Crispy potatoes & seaweed remoulade with poached kusshi oyster - creative concept on a salad, fresh and light, impeccable and unique flavors, one of my favsCourse 4 - 48 hr short rib paired with beans and oxtail tamale. My favorite course- the prime rib was tender and soo good. The oxtail tamale was an unexpected favorite. Course 5 - Black Olive financier & aged white cheddar fondue- This was probably my least favorite of the courses, too creamy and rich Course 6 - Poached pears, Sauternes & bay leaf funnel cake - didn't love it, didn't hate it- unique concept on a carnival funnel cake and A not-too-sweet way to end the meal.10/10 would come back again for a special occasion. There were some wow's and some things I didn't care for but overall service and experience was something I'd come back for.