minibar by José Andrés

What a night. What an experience. Chef Jose Andres has masterfully crafted a gastronomical culinary masterpiece that will take you from frozen to hot from savory to sweet to crispy to smooth. Every bite you will take on a journey that you have to taste, touch, see, smell, and hear to believe. Prepare your senses and bring a friend and open your mind for what Mini Bar has to offer. This is truly one of the best dining experiences I have experienced in my lifetime. Everything about this dinner is precision come to life. From the cocktails, mocktails, linens, restroom, and the service. Everything is precise and perfect. You will not find better staff, better atmosphere, or better food. Discussing each bite with my partner was truly such a core memory for me. Experiencing the twists and turns of each bite. The joy that was in each presentation. Watching each meal be crafted before us. Truly it felt like a religious experience. I cannot recommend making this culinary journey enough. Come experience.

This place is a must try if you are into fine dining!! I was lucky to have put my name on the waitlist and got called the day of.Of course as a 2 Michelin star restaurant you know you're going to get a great meal with great service. Mini bar far exceeded my expectations of fine dining. You are sitting with 11 other people watching the chefs prepare your course in front of your eyes. You're able to ask questions while they are plating and they are more than happy to answer any questions. It is so incredible the coordination they do to serve and take away your plates it's really a sight to see It was truly an experience!

This was one of the best meals of my life. I really didn't know want to expect, but I was blown away. Everything was so imaginative, thoughtful, and delicious. The chefs and staff explained every dish and even how some of the more fantastical elements were accomplished including a silicone mold of a cauliflower floret to mold a cauliflower mousse. I agree with other reviewers that this is a much of a show as it is dinner. I did feel pleasantly full after two and a half hours. If you can believe it, the service actually outshone the meal. I have never experienced this level of attention at a restaurant. They notice everything. Each course receives a fresh plating and new set of cutlery. They noticed I held my fork in my left hand and began playing my silverware on my left side while leaving all the other diners with right hand placements. After the meal was finished, they allowed us to linger, drink coffee and ask questions about the meal. I doubt I'll ever make it back here, but this was truly special. The wine pairing was excellent and I enjoyed learning about all of the choices from the sommelier.

What can I say other than it was exceptional. It's an amazing experience. Not a meal, an experience. Yes it's expensive and yes, it's worth it. An unforgettable night of food, service, drinks, and fun. It's so fun being in the kitchen and the chefs were all so kind and interactive. Went with my husband for my birthday and we will forever talk about this wonderful night.

Front of house experience, which included the back of house, made for an incredibly unique and interesting evening! It has been on my DC bucket list since I was a server at the restaurant up the street in 2005! We enjoyed the conversation with the chefs and our hosts who graciously tolerated our questions. Amazing food and cocktail service!! Thank you for sharing your genius with the world, Jose! I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Solo diner review for Saturday, August 17What a wonderful night of quiet luxury. I've been to a few Michelin restaurants and wanted something special for my birthday celebration. minibar did not disappoint. While other Michelin experiences have had peaks and valleys this was just beautiful all the way through.I opted for the dinner with standard wine pairings and there was not a sour note all night. The dining experience itself was comfortable and moderately communal for the 11 of us at our seating. It was comfortable speaking with your neighbors about the dishes and your thoughts. My neighbors had a gluten allergy on one side and a dietary restriction from pork on the other. The dishes with substitutions came out with brief explanations about what had been changed and why. It was very thoughtful.Highlights of the evening included the watermelon margarita to start (juicy and sweet and salty), the beet butterfly (creative presentation), pumpkin tart (flash frozen and served to each guest on a spatula), and squab and huckleberry (rich and delicious). They did include a special birthday dessert, candle, and card to recognize me. It was perfect -- not a big deal, but not forgotten.Bar seats were very comfortable with hooks or small tables for handbags and a foot rail under the bar. One gigantic bathroom, but with only 12 diners at a time it was no issue. Volume was quiet, but not awkward. Staff were highly attentive without being intrusive. Highly recommend for a once in a lifetime meal/special occasion.

I visited minibar by José Andrés to celebrate my anniversary with my husband, and this place truly excels in creating a magical and unforgettable dining experience. The customer service is outstanding, making us feel special from the moment we walked in. The time flew by because we were having such an incredible time.Every dish was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. The experience at the counter with a small group of people made it even more enjoyable and intimate.One of my favorite parts was that we prepaid for dinner, so we didn't have to deal with the check at the end of the meal. For me, this is a fantastic service and added to the overall great experience.Highly recommend minibar by José Andrés for anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion or just enjoy an exceptional dining experience!

What an amazing experience! Parking nearby and other garages for DC. They open right at 5 pm so if you have a reservation, you won't be able to enter until then. There are 2 entrances, the minibar entrance and the barmini entrance. We ended up at the barmini entrance but someone walked us over to the correct one. Once we entered into the sitting area, we were greeted and they took our jackets. We sat and relaxed for a couple minutes before being sat at the Chef's counter. They start you off with some bubbly and have a book for you to sign for the evening you're there. The Chef's will work and put finishing touches right in front of you and you can ask any questions you'd like. Honestly, there's a good bit of the Michelin restaurants where there's a handful of items I didn't like but I loved every course at minibar. This was easily my favorite 2 star Michelin I've been to. Each course was delicious and you get a little treat to take home as well.

We ate here for our anniversary on Jan 11th, 2024. Jose Andrés is someone we respect immensely - he's an imaginative chef and an even better human being, so we were thrilled to score a coveted reservation. I don't think I have the words to express how magical this experience was. I can only say that it was amazing, and I can't wait to go back if I'm lucky enough to get in again. We chose to add the wine pairing, and the sommelier's selections really accentuated our courses. There are 12 counter seats facing the open kitchen so you can watch the magic happen. The group of 12 is split in half, and both sections have their own dedicated wait staff. During your visit, you will not have to ask for anything. The staff works together seamlessly. If you've ever seen The Bear, you know what to expect here. Your chefs and wait staff watch the faces of their guests and adjust on the fly. The staff was also accommodating about food allergies and did their best to substitute ingredients when they could. We felt incredibly special and cared for on our special occasion.And now for the food. There wasn't a single course we didn't love, but standouts for me were the Scallop, Miso, and the Toad in the Hole . I'm including a picture of the souvenir menu we received that matches the courses we ate to the wines we drank. Tea was served after our meal with the dessert courses, and they included a little something extra to commemorate our anniversary. We each left with a small container of three milk breads, which we ate the following morning with our coffee. Months later, I fondly remember how lovely this experience was. Despite the high bill, I don't regret anything, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you, minibar, for making our anniversary dinner a spectacular experience.

This is the most delicious, most creative and most expensive meal I have had, so good! I have tried The Inn At Little Washington years ago and some one star Michelin restaurants, but I think minibar is definitely on the top!