Roof Terrace Restaurant

This might be the place to come if you want to impress. Most of the folks seem to come before the show downstairs. Too bad the show was bawdy burlesque. If you're able to snag a reservation at the Terrace Rooftop note they the hours are reliably 5-8 pm. The tables next to the windows are only for donors. I got the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. Staff constantly refilled our water glasses which was nice. A gentleman walked around with a bread basket of two types of bread that was amazing. The butter for the bread also was soft salty and spreadable. We ordered the pumpkin cheesecake which came with caramel sauce and berry sauce, which we also enjoyed.Really excited and proud that my son treated me to a fine dinner here on his first time living and working alone. Want to come back when he works in his dream job further ahead in his professional pursuit. Very memorable.

We chose the Rooftop Terrace Restaurant to celebrate my birthday before attending an event, and while the experience had its highlights, it left room for improvement.The views and atmosphere were stunning, and the service was excellent--every staff member went above and beyond to make the evening special. The convenience of the restaurant being located in the Kennedy Center is a huge plus. We frequently attend events here, and being able to head straight downstairs for a performance is a big draw.As for the food, it was a mixed experience. The clam chowder was thin, and my cup only had three clams. The braised short rib had great flavor but was unfortunately dry, though the mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side were delicious. My husband's salmon was overcooked, which dried it out. The standout of the meal was the pumpkin spice cheesecake, which was absolutely delicious.Despite the food inconsistencies, we'll return for the convenience and the lovely atmosphere. I hope the food quality improves to match the rest of the experience.

For what it costs to eat here the experience should have been lots better. The service was abysmal. The staff allowed nused glasses and plates to collect on our small table and we finally had to move them to the floor. They didn't pick them up until the end of our meal. That's also when they decided to refill our water glasses. We also weren't thrilled that they decided to serve our salads with the main course. My Berkshire Pork Ribeye was tasty but the cut was disappointingly thin and overcooked. Of the side dishes, the dijon polenta cake and broccolini were cold while the charred shishitos were missing entirely. The only thing we could taste from the crème brule was its sugary coating. The only reason we came here was that someone had bought out Tazza before we put in our reservation. We came away extremely disappointed and realizing that we need to get our reservations in earlier.

We visited to catch a showing of Clue and were fortunate enough to secure a 5 PM reservation, though the show didn't start until 7:30 PM. We were first in line and were seated promptly with a great view of DC and VA. As the restaurant started to fill up, we took our time ordering and never once felt rushed.We started with a seafood chowder, which was excellent, filled with hearty chunks of fish. My wife had a salad that she thoroughly enjoyed. For the main course, I ordered a delicious rockfish, and my wife chose the chicken, both of which were fantastic. Our server was super friendly and attentive, offering us fresh bread multiple times throughout the meal. We wrapped up with an Irish coffee and dessert, both of which were a perfect end to the meal.Highly recommended as a pre-show dining experience!

Came to the Rooftop Terrace restaurant before a show last week- I've eaten at the bar a few times and enjoyed the experience, and if you're going to dine here, that's what I'd recommend. This time left a lot to be desired. It was difficult to get our server's attention, and the prices are genuinely shocking (I remember seeing shortribs for $62). One of the cheapest items was a plate of French fries for $15. I understand most of the appeal is the convenience of dining right upstairs before the show, and I could probably forgive the prices for that, but during our meal, we saw a MOUSE run by our table legitimately SIX TIMES. None of the staff appeared to notice or care that there was a mouse running across the ground, and it made me feel a little queasy about eating the rest of our meal. In the future I will likely stick to a drink downstairs.

Arriving early for a show at the Opera House, I decided to make a stop at the Roof Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center. The idea was to enjoy a drink from the bar and take in the stunning views from the rooftop.The bartenders, Angelo and Christian, were outstanding. They made sure my drinks were on point, especially their seasonal Tres Agave Old Fashioned. This delightful concoction of Organic Anejo Tequila, Agave Syrup, Orange, Bitters, and Cherry Ice was a true delight for my taste buds.To my surprise, when I wanted to explore the roof terrace, the staff provided a wonderful to-go container for my drink. This thoughtful gesture allowed me to sip on my drink while taking in the breathtaking views of Washington, DC.

Amazing service, lovely location but sub-par food. Ordered steak frites: fries were not crisp, lacked seasoning. Same for steak. Beautiful cut but no flavor. My wife enjoyed a vegetarian soup but the overall restaurant and its open floor gave the feel of a cafeteria rather than elegant dining at the Kennedy Center.

Great service from Alex! from start to finish. What an amazing experience. This place is sooo beautiful. This was our first time actually having time to dine before a show at the Kennedy Center. The Chilled Seafood Platter was plentiful and shareable. The grilled Caesar Salad was perfectly seared. The Rockfish was perfectly cooked, buttery and delicious. The Apple Pecan Cobbler was super fluffy with perfectly sweet and spiced apples. Oh and how could I can't forget about the complimentary birthday champagne. Everything was seriously mmmm mmm good.The venue is really nice and has a classy vibe. Not one complaint. The service and the quality of the food was fantastic. I can't wait to check out their Sunday brunch. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to grab dinner before a show.

Merhzad is truly the beating heart of this place, we went back again because of him ! The food has been consistent with flavorful and healthy options, plus a kitchen that accommodates our GF DF needs. He also tweaks the our cocktails for us to make them not sweet. We ordered both fishes / caesar salad / fries / cosmo cocktails / and the strawberry rhubarb crumble (the ice cream was better than the cobbler to be frank). The way the breadbasket comes around and the attentiveness of staff plus ambiance does make it feel like a fine dining experience (which is also reflected in the cost- anywhere with multiple entree's being $40 and up falls into that category). Still wish the curtains wouldn't be closed to the view and those VIP patrons would wear sunglasses or just sit elsewhere, but we'll be back !

Conveniently located food option if you're going to a show at the Kennedy center. We were able to get reservations a week before around 6 PM for an 8:00 show. The service was great all around. From the hostess, to our waitress and bread guy...top notch. Very attentive, made good recommendations and patient as we navigated the menu.The food was a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. Here's what we had- the salmon tartare was delicious! So good! Would absolutely go back for this. - the cheesecake was delightful for me! Not too sweet, and the blueberry compote was a good addition.- for mains: I had the salmon dish, he had the chicken. Both were very average in taste, but very filling. The ambiance was pretty decent. I expected to have more of a view, but those seats are reserved forA higher tier of Kennedy center donors.Overall, it was a lovely experience and great way to start your evening before going to a show. -