Central Michel Richard

The manager was so nice! He came over to all tables more than once. The waiter was super slow and inattentive. However, the manager offset him by asking if I liked my tuna burger– and was so concerned that I didn’t. It was really good– but I almost didn’t order it because the waiter described it as «ahi tuna that was pressed together in a seal vac bag with some other stuff.» However– it looked good so I took a shot and it was really good! The tuna was well cooked and the manager came over to offer a little wine pairing :)
The atmosphere was nice– the hostess put us at a tiny table and the place was empty and she wouldn’t accommodate another table.
So– if you credit the chef and manager– great experience. Everyone under them was so disappointing!

Regarding the Restaurants Vibe — I almost thought it was semi Formal– but people come in with jeans and t shirts. Service wasn’t the best but the waiter was nice but still had to manage more tables than average. Took a while to get refills on drinks. Food took too long to come out. Didn’t come out at the same time as the other members of the table. Wasn’t hot, it was tepid. Tartare was mediocre. Lamb chops lacked flavor.
All in all — this restaurant is not all that it was made out to be. Just a place for a burger fries and a beer perhaps the fried chicken?

I rarely visit a restaurant twice, especially for the same exact meal, but Central makes me want to deviate from my norm!
I checked out Central for restaurant week, and it was hands down, one of the best meals, and food experiences, that I’ve had in the district. First off, we lucked out by getting seated in the chef’s room, where there’s 3 tables, all with a perfect view of the kitchen. Definitely request this table/​room, because the experience is totally worth it! We were treated to complimentary cheese puffs courtesy of the chef, and they are *addictive* — they are perfect, airy, little bites of cheesy dough that melt in your mouth. Next, I had the tuna tartare which was presented on a bed of guacamole, and served with a cheese stick. It was gone within minutes flat! While all of the above was delicious, nothing compares to the fried chicken — it is *everything* it is touted to be — crispy, not oily, tender, flavorful chicken — it was heavenly, and is alone worth going back to Central for. The dessert was my second favorite — the kitkat bar is not to be missed — layers of chocolate, and cake, and sauce — all work together to make a delectable dessert.
Central is definitely a must try for anyone’s district restaurant list!

We had reservations for 915pm on a Tuesday so the restaurant wasn’t too busy. A hip place to go, we ordered cheese puffs and a large Caesar salad with goat cheese. The salad was fantastic. We shared it but I honestly could have gotten my own– that’s how great it was. The cheese puffs were good too, who doesn’t love cheese. The service was pretty good though they could have filled my drink a little quicker given the restaurant wasn’t that full but it was good all around.

It may be because I don’t think french food is all that special, it may be the thin sheen of pomposity that covers everything inside, or the too high prices for average food, but this was nothing special for me — and certainly not worth what I paid. A bright spot was our server, who was great — he was pompous too, but played it with some irony, which I found to be funny. My food was fine, and the food I had of others I would describe as fine as well, just not awesome or even great. I encountered so many great dining options while I was in DC for this trip and after eating here I was bummed that I missed a better meal elsewhere in town. I would not recommend this place.

In Chicago, ketchup is verboten on hot dogs and in France, mayo is a MUST on burgers. Who decided that? Well, if you order a burger at Central, that’s what you get: mayo on your burger. And some weird flat croûton. Maybe the menu should say what’s on it, because I know I hate being surprised when I expect one thing and get another. Oh, and they operate on island time, so if you’re in a rush, don’t go here.

We had dinner here recently with my daughter. I had always wanted to try a restaurant of Michel Richard ever since I saw him featured on PBS at his Georgetown restaurant Citronenne, and in fact had promised to take Ju— there as a graduation dinner present but the restaurant burned down several years ago.
We were in DC visiting our daughter and she enthusiastically agreed that we should take her to Central. The restaurant is more of a bistro format than an elegant venue, with blond wood tones throughout and no tablecloths with banquette seats against the walls and comfortable chairs on the other side of the table. Our waiter was very friendly and did a fair job of describing the menu items. Menu items are pricey. He did however incorrectly describe the lamb chops as loin even after going to check (they were rib).
My wife and daughter split the goat cheese Caesar salad, and I had the night’s special as an appetizer, a soft shell crab stuffed with lump crabmeat, fried in a light batter (? beer) and served on an avocado purée. The salad was very nice, but my crab was spectacular.
For entrées, we had the grilled loup de mer, the rotisserie chicken, and the lamb chops. The fish had a side of arugula salad, with nice grill marks on the skin and cooked to perfection. The chicken was moist and flavorful, not surprisingly so as other reviewers have raved about how great the fried chicken is here, so I expected the rotisserie chicken to up to the same standards (it was). I had the lamb chops, 4 rib chops cooked to requested medium rare, served with a stripe of mint hinted curry yogurt. For an up charge of $ 3.00, I opted for the creamed spinach side to replace the pea shoots, and that is the only thing that was a little disappointing, as it arrived luke warm with a little too much nutmeg seasoning.
I alluded to pricing being a little steep, with $ 21.00 for a single soft shell crab, and $ 34.00 for the fish and $ 32.00 for the lamb (before the aforementioned up charge for the spinach). The chicken was $ 25.00. However, you get what you pay for; prefect cooking, pleasing presentation and marvelous taste. We had no room for dessert, which I will have to sample next time.

Not sure why Central is rated a top 20 restaurant because my brunch experience here was sub– par. Waiter was so busy he hardly visited our table (which was in the middle of the room so he was always passing but walked by very hurriedly so we couldn’t get his attention). Food was not prepared well. Brunch options were limited. I’ll come back (maybe) for the true dinner experience but probably not anytime soon.

I’ve been to this place three or four times but this is my first time reviewing it… why is that? Because some places are so good I feel like it’s a given. If a friend asks me «Is Central Michel Richard a good brunch spot?»
The answer in my head is something like this «*scoff* Is Central a good brunch spot? Well OF COURSE it is!»
Today a friend asked me to choose a brunch place. I always feel immense pressure to choose the perfect place since I eat out so much. So whenever that happens I choose this place as a safe default (here or Nopa Kitchen + Bar around the corner). If I bring them here I CANNOT mess up. Great ambiance (including outdoor seating) and I’ve never had a bad meal. So I recommend you do the same if you have say… out of town guests, or your parents or coming, or you just want to impress someone with your awesome restaurant recommending powers.
The weekend brunch is extremely busy… so even I recommend getting reservations. (and I’m a person who truly believes she can take her chances, walk up to any busy place and just wait it out. Seriously, I don’t recommend that here)
So what’s good?
You can do whatever you want… everything is good… okay no I REALLY want you to order the fried chicken and waffles. IT IS GREAT! Crispy. Juicy. Flakey. Chicken… light batter. It’s wonderful. It’s definitely a nicely elevated version of this down home, soul food dish.

Best $ 25 lunch ever. Amazing 5-​star food, three courses, fast efficient service, for dirt cheap.
I got the gazpacho, salmon, and passion fruit mousse. Portion size was comparable to what I would expect from a ritzy restaurant (aka on the small size but impeccably put together and omg delicious) but the price point make it a party in my mouth. The salmon entrée as a stand alone cost $ 24. Gazpacho was outstanding in flavor. I could have done without the dessert as I was full after two courses but damn it was good.
I was in and out in 30 mins. Can’t beat that! The place was HOPPING at 1 pm. All reserved but they squeezed me in.

A regular lunch hangout for business lunches. And you cannot go wrong, I’ve never had a business contact be disappointed.
I’m addicted to bread… there, I said it (well typed it, but it’s all the same), and out loud for everyone to know. The cheese puffs, they are my favorite, I could probably just eat them, I probably have filled up on them before and not been able to eat my actual lunch. Lunch is usually one of the burgers, but not beef, you pick tuna, lobster, they are all delicious.
I should also mention the fresh squeezed lemonade, between the bread and the lemonade, I’m not sure how I eat any of my lunch.
The parking can be terrible, don’t drive, taxi it. The service is fast, especially during lunch. But make sure to make reservations, it is busy.

3.5 stars
I came here for wine and dessert on a Friday night. They only allow parties of 2+ on the patio so I had to sit at the bar being that I was one tonight. The waitress was very helpful and even offered me a few different wine tastings.
I ordered a red wine and the napoleon which was very flaky and fresh and large. It was a great dessert! The wine was okay. Napoleon 4 stars and the wine 3 stars.
Don’t let them pack your food to go. It came back a horrible mess and my waitress said it is complicated to pack desserts. I really wanted to just pack it myself and actually she took my dessert away early since I wanted the box but not to pack right away since I was still nibbling. It was just a series of small nuances that left me feeling like it fell short of 4 stars.

Happy from beginning to end! We came here to celebrate a birthday and had a reservation for 6:30pm on a Saturday night and when we arrived at 6:25pm we were seated right away.
Everything we ordered was delicious. I honestly can’t think of a complaint for anything we ordered besides that it put us into a food coma afterwards.
Starters: Cheese puffs that melts in your mouth and the bacon onion tart, yum!
Main entrees: Salmon with Zucchini, Fennel and Ginger & the Michel’s Fried Chicken. Both cooked perfectly.
Sides: Mac and cheese, creamy spinach and mushrooms. The sides were a lot and they are for sharing. We didn’t know this so we ended up taking most of this home.
Dessert: Celebratory cake. This might be my favorite cake of all time. All my favorite things in one small cake. It’s coated with a hard chocolate shell, topped with fruits, whipped cream, chocolate chips and a tiny macaroon. On the inside was more fruit, something crunchy and ice-​cream! SO. AMAZINGLY. GOOD. And it came with a sparkler! Very beautifully presented.
Good ambiance with a casual feel. Staff was the friendliest and wished my friend a happy birthday multiple times. I definitely recommend this place for a nice dinner.

Man, I’m bummed. I had made a reservation for eight people a month ago to celebrate a graduation, and guaranteed the reservation with a credit card. Just yesterday I went to the website to check the menu, and found that the day I’m celebrating graduation happens to be Mother’s Day. For the occasion, Central updated the price of their menu from the normal $ 27 brunch to a $ 45 per person brunch– for the exact same menu.
I called to ensure that as my reservation was made far in advance of this change and I was not given notice, they would still honor the $ 27 menu. They would not. That forced me to cancel and left me without any reservations the day before my party. On principle I have to review this restaurant poorly because that is not how reservations work nor how restaurants should treat their customers. Very disappointed.

With a girlfriend visiting the city for the first time, I knew I had to finally give Central a try and I was very happy I did. From start to finish, the service for our brunch was incredible. Our server was sweet and the manager who helped her along the way made sure we were enjoying our time. Incredibly attentive! Our glasses (both coffee & mimosas) were never empty for more than a minute. A+ service!
On to the food… Central offers a prie fix menu for $ 27 per person. With this you have an array of options to choose from. I decided on the Blueberry Pancakes, Eggs Benedict and Hazelnut Panna Cotta. Note: Come with an appetite! Portions are very large! You will get a bang for your buck!
When the blueberry pancakes arrived I was surprised at the portion! It looked like a full meal and it was absolutely delicious! The pancakes are cooked plain and they drizzle the top with a blueberries and blueberry sauce. There was also a crumble of what looked like graham cracker. Whatever it was, it was so delicious I didn’t leave anything on my plate! YUM! I can’t wait to have them again. When the second course arrived, I was afraid I wouldn’t have any room to fit the eggs Benedict, but I made it happen. Reminder: Portions are FULL portions. I received two eggs perfectly poached. I wasn’t a huge fan of the potatoes it came with, but that was quickly overlooked when I had a bite of my benedict.
We waited and drank our coffee and mimosas ($ 15 for unlimited) until we were finally ready for dessert. I am a huge fan of anything hazelnut, so I didn’t have to think twice when ordering the Hazelnut Panna Cotta. Delicious to the very end!
I was insanely happy after leaving Central. I was satisfied and so happy I got a bang for my buck! I will be coming back again when family and friends visit.

Central has been on my list for a while.
Decided to go for sunday brunch.
Made reservation in advance. Promptly seated. Seat very close to door but it wasnt cold so didnt mind.
Server was friendly and helpful. 3 couse menu for 27. Add bottomless for 15.
Mimosas were very good. More oj than most places.
Gf got choc chip pancakes, croque madame and hazelnut panna cotta.
I got goat cheese caesar salad, chicken and waffles and lemon eggceptional.
Excellent variety. Salad was excellent. Fresh and tangy dressing. Lots of cheese. Chicken and waffles was one of the better ones ive had. Panko crusted chicken. Melt in mouth mashed potatoes. The waffles were a little too sweet. But great dish.
Desert was a perfect end. Very tart lemon dish.
The décor is simple and modern but warm and inviting. Ill be back for dinner for sure.

Considering all the wonderful reviews this place raves of; I found this place to be nothing more than mediocrity.
My friend and I dined here on the notion of having some sort of real dining experience. We found that the flavors really conflicted with the dishes or simply lacking something with what we ordered.
I ordered the filet mignon special and my friend got the lamb shank. Both sound amazing on paper and flavorless on our plates. We ate what we ordered, but seriously how does lamb and steak lack flavor? The vegetables that came with the dishes didn’t help their cases either.
Service wasn’t immaculate. We saw him periodically and he didn’t exactly have a ton of personality. It was almost like he hated being there. He wasn’t rude or anything — just like the food — he lacked character too.
The ambiance of the place probably had the most draw out of the entire experience. I liked the layout of the restaurant and the music they were playing. I couldn’t help to think they had stolen my playlist and decided to play it over the speakers.
The restaurant has great vibes, but just not great food. It kills me to say that. They need to make some changes in the kitchen to really make it completely on the same page.

Went here for dinner last night and had a great experience.
We arrived a little while early and capped off happy hour. The bar had a great happy hour menu offering many of the restaurants most popular items, and happy hour also runs until 7:00 which I thought was great at many places cut off at 6:00.
With coats checked we were offered any our preference of table, and settled into one by the kitchen. I really like when restaurants recognize that they aren’t full and let you chose your preferred seats.
The décor is very cool. Everything had a yellow sunny hue to it because of the lighting, and the restaurant is very open. There are no pictures on the walls, which is actually quite nice, and everything is bright. The women’s lavatory is almost entirely pink, and I thought it was absolutely charming in a girly sort of way.
Our server introduced himself immediately, and the entire time we were there he was polite, funny, attentive, and really added to the experience,
We started off with the cheese puffs and calamari, and also ordered a bottle of Muller-​Thurgau which is the German pseudo equivalent of a Pinto Grigio. The calamari was excellent, and not the slightest bit chewy. It comes naked with olives and a spicy olive oil/​pesto that was very enjoyable. The cheese puffs are light and airy, but almost seemed like a snack food. They’d be great for happy hour though.
Dinner was hanger steak for my dining partner, and duck confit for me. The hanger steak was very tender for that particular cut, and exceptionally well seasoned. It also comes with their signature fries which are crispy, well seasoned, and delicious. The duck was the epitome of the perfect confit, and fell away from the bone. The fat was rendered off the skin which made the duck incredibly succulent, and it comes over spätzle which is like the love child of gnocchi and dumplings. We also ordered Brussel sprouts which were not even the slightest bit bitter, and creamed spinach which we agreed was best creamed spinach we have ever eaten.
The waiter suggested the Snowman for dessert. It was a special which included vanilla ice cream covered in light meringue on top of whipped cream and raspberry sauce – and it all looks like a snow man. Not only was it adorable (see photo) but it was light, delicious, and the perfect way to top off our meal.
Also, I don’t know why so many restaurants have gotten away from valets but I am happy to see that Central still offers this.
I think this place is worth their price point (which is considerably reasonable), and just an overall nice dining experience.

*** Restaurant week review***
Central Michel Richard is one of the more established restaurants in DC and one that has been on my list for awhile. I used this past restaurant week as the opportunity to dine there, without blowing our budget. One entrée usually costs around 20+ so three courses for 35 is a good deal in my opinion.
We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and were seated immediately. The space is smaller than I anticipated but they use their space well. Their dining room has great views of their open kitchen which I enjoy watching. We were greeted and given our menus and wine/​beer/​cocktail list. I opted for a glass of the Albarino (white) and my husband ordered a glass of Riesling. Our server was patient while we looked over the menu. This is what we ordered: I ordered the goat cheese caesar salad, fried chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, and crème brûlée; he ordered the Thai Chicken soup, fried chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, and chocolate lava cake. Bread was brought to our table while we waited. Our food came at a good pace, and I did not feel rushed. When our first course arrived, I was already excited (watching the kitchen did nothing to calm my excitement). My salad was light and refreshing; the goat cheese was not overpowering. He liked his soup; the flavors were bright and you could tell the spices were there without being overwhelmed by the heat. The fried chicken was delicious! He and I were both impressed with the entire dish. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the breading was crispy and flavorful. We were so full we thought we couldn’t make it to dessert but we powered through. Thankfully for us, the dessert portions were the right size and delicious. Great way to end the meal.
Service was very good throughout our meal. They work at teams and we were well attended too. It’s definitely a splurge but overall a great restaurant experience.

Went there friday night around 9pm without a reservation. Street parking nearby was plentiful, but perhaps this was due to post-​blizzard lack of crowds. Walked in an immediately got two seats at the bar. The bartender was very very good: Attentive, informative, personable, knowledgable. We got a few drinks and the bartender asked us if we’d like some bread, which I like, because sometimes you get bread but don’t intend to eat it and then it goes to waste.
The bread alone is almost worth a visit. The crust was wonderfully crunchy, the, uh, bread itself was soft and hot and very tasty. Really excellent bread.
For food my date had half a dozen oysters. I had the fried chicken and ordered a side of brussels sprouts. The fried chicken was really excellent — light a flaky without being greasy. The mashed potatoes that came with the chicken was also excellent, very tasty, although there just a small amount spread around the chicken. The sprouts were not enjoyable, they were a bit soggy and not very tasty, which was surprising considering how everything else was so top-​notch.
I will certainly be back. The place itself has a nice casual feel and a diverse crowd for people watching.

Very good service with forgettable food. I had their salmon and it was ok. My date had the risotto. The risotto was very one note in its flavor and after 3 bites you wanted to have something else. The dessert is pretty disappointing. Coco sala’s dessert is much better and at a better price point. You’re getting charged for the ambience and service, not really for great taste.

We came here for restaurant week after reading some good reviews on the place. The server was very nice and attentive and gave us everything we needed, even on a busy night, so no complaints there.
We started with the Thai chicken soup and boudin blanc. The Thai chicken soup was very good on a cold night, but it was a bit over salted. The boudin blanc was fantastic. It was stuffed with chicken and foie gras and was the perfect saltiness to go with the sweet flavor from the apples served with it.
For the main course we had the fried chicken and vegetable pearl pasta risotto. The fried chicken was fantastic. Very crispy and very juicy inside and the mashed potatoes served with it were delicious. The vegetable pearl pasta risotto was good, nothing to really write home about. We also had their Mac n chz side and it was phenomenal. So cheesy and gooey with a nice crunchy crust on top.
We finished with chocolate lava cake and cheesecake which were both perfectly done.
I would highly recommend going for restaurant week, but the prices are a bit high for a regular night out.

Great restaurant as a first timer! Yes I was here for restaurant week but I still wanted to come here. I started with the goat cheese Caesar salad with was delicious and different. The creaminess of the goat cheese took it to another level. For my entrée I had the cheeseburger and fries. I wish the fries had some rosemary and thyme which would of taken it to another level. However the burger was amazing. So juicy and tender with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, cheese and bacon with a brioche bun. For dessert, I had the chocolate lava cake which was nice warm.
They had a lot of tasty adult beverages but I couldn’t partake in it. I had a mocktail which was pretty tasty. I loved our server Amber. She was knowledgeable and helpful.
I will definitely be back!

This review is totally based on restaurant week dinner menu.
Dnt go there expecting that u will get a lot of food options. Not even a little bit of expectation. There is nothing u actually want to order from that menu. horrible and very cheap options. I had the fish and it was not even good as you would get a fish dish from Chinese carryout. So it really disappointed me and I will not be back for any reason.
Good things are the regular menu Seamed good and the dessert was out of the world. i love the sausce that was on the side of the dessert and I love the celebration concept too.
Go there for a only dessert but Dnt even step in for restaurant week or any promotion. I mean you can if you Dnt care about money and free advice.
Server was in rush but still polite service and hostess didn’t know anything about restaurant hour. I am not sure if she knows where she was at that moment (USA or in Europe).

I happen to dine here every now and then with it being so close to where I work and it is always a nice treat to do so. Central Michel Richard is a modern American bistro with a French twist boasting fine dining on it’s delicious food with creative dishes, apps, and drinks. The inside is very modern and trendy and upon walking in, you can’t help but notice the giant stacks of oversized plates towering next to the smiling host staff/​stand. In the second back half of the restaurant you can see inside the kitchen, open kitchen, which is something I always enjoyed looking at while I dine. And I got to say, I love the bathrooms here are stellar, dimly lit, with all sorts of cool colors, you may forget you are actually in a restaurant.
The food:
Bread to start– Amazing, homemade, fresh, and warm bread that really has that rustic flavor makes this stand out from other places, always a winner in my book.
Cheese Puffs (Gougers) — Small bite sized, cheesy bread bites, great for sharing… or not! I could eat these all day.
French onion soup– Cheesy, hot, and delicious, everything you’d want in an onion soup.
Michel’s fried chicken– Their most popular dish, and I agree! Generous portions of crunchy juicy fried chicken, the breading is what makes the dish along with the mustard dipping sauce. Warning: this is sure to stuff you so decide beforehand if you really want to tackle all of it!
Burgers– All homemade, even the bun, great burger, not the best but definitely not unfulfilling.
Tartare of Filet Mignon– I usually shy away from any tartare personally but if I had to eat one, this would be it, tremendous flavor packed into this you will be glad you ordered it if tartare is your thing.
This place seems to get packed quick so bank on making some reservations, even for lunch one time I was greeted to an empty restaurant and had to resort to the bar. The staff is always friendly which adds to the overall experience of the place. I definitely recommend coming here for more important occasions, celebrations, or dates you want to impress. Check it out!

DC’s casual American bistro with a state of hustle and bustle to its lively dining room and bar. There’s a lot of French– inspired dishes in their menu. We enjoyed the lobster burger, frisée salad and mussels.
It was very energetic that night!

So, this spot is a bit on the boohjie side. Fashioned as American cuisine with a bit of French flare. The greeters are pretty spectacular. The server is nice… seems that she might be better in a Corp setting rather than serving tables. I had the Ahi Tuna burger which taste like a turkey burger though still very good. My daughter had the salmon (and complained though BOTH bites) as it was tiny – with a big price. Overall, for ambiance, drinks and hanging with an older crowd of pre and post retirees this place is not bad. It wouldn’t be a place where I say «I can’t wait to go back». Rather this is a place where I just happen to be in the area and was able to grab a table. Mildly overrated in my humble opinion.

I’ve been to this place many many times, for both lunch and dinner. I’ve never been disappointed with the way they’ve cooked my steak, though a couple of times when I’ve gotten something different off of the menu, I didn’t think the entrée always made sense. This last time, I had ordered a steak tartar, which consisted of raw filet, diced into small pieces, and mixed with some sort of vinegary sauce. I liked the concept, but I didn’t think that the sauce really worked with the meat. It was hard to eat a lot of it without feeling like it was too rich.
Both times here, I’ve also ordered wine, which has been pricey, but I’ve liked their wine selection. One of the times, the server accidentally spilled wine on my husband, but they were really professional and nice about it — offering to pay his dry cleaning bill, and offering us free dessert. I love the dessert here as well, though their main cake dessert is a bit rich and very large — layers of cake with ice cream. I usually gravitate towards their crème brûlée and chocolate mousse.
Service is usually fast during a weekend night, but when we came the day before Thanksgiving, it was a bit slow (probably because it was understaffed).

Disclaimer: I’ve never been for dinner, but their brunch is AWESOME.
$ 27 for three of their courses is a steal and we all loved what we got. Service was solid and it’s just a really nice dining room.
Get the chicken and waffles for sure, though people at my table also loved the eggs benedict.

My husband and I came here for dinner after walking 8 miles through the Capitol and several museums. The barstools were anything but comfortable, but they felt like magic to us. Also, purse hooks. Woohoo!
We were early, so we had drinks at the bar. We probably could have been seated earlier had we asked, but drinks sounded like a good idea. The bartender was great, pouring me samples of wines until I found one I liked. $ 50 later, we sat down for dinner.
Our server, Edwin, took great care of us, offering his thoughts on dishes and going out of his way to help me pick a third glass of wine. We wanted calamari but feared anything that wasn’t fried, but he assured us it would be good, and it was. I got the $ 35 pre-​theatre dinner, which was a very good value. The salad was so good that my carnivore date wouldn’t let it go to waste; the veggie risotto was super tasty and not overly creamy as risotto often is; and sorbet did not disappoint. I particularly appreciated the graham cracker crumbs hidden beneath the scoops of sorbet, which my husband promptly stole as soon as I mentioned them. Doh!

Came here for my birthday on a weeknight and hands down this place is the crown jewel of DC. My bf and I ordered the cheese puffs, hangar steak, and fried chicken, and a bottle of wine to share. My steak was divine– they perfected what a rare steak should really taste like. That and the peppercorn gravy made for easily one of my top 3 favorite steaks of all time. We got the celebration cake which was such a nice way to end the meal, even though both of us were stuffed. It says it’s for two, but really the cake could easily feed four. What you think is a chocolate cake is actually a vanilla custard layered cake encased in a chocolate shell. The best part was cracking it! Yes, the restaurant is a little pricey, but well worth the experience.

Stopped in for a boozy brunch via online blog website on a Sunday afternoon. Patio was packed but the inside was dead — this is definitely a seasonal trend. Hostess didn’t even ask us if we wanted outside. When we inquired she said it might be a wait — ok fine — then we were actually seated right away, lucky us!
Brunch is a prefix 3 course with $ 10 extra for bottomless mimosa, Bellini, or Bloody Mary. You have to order all three courses at once — and their are no descriptions.
Menu options were mediocre. I went with the salad, eggs Benny, and French toast. My friends had gazpacho, corn beef hash, and the mousse dessert. Food was okay — nothing to die over but reasonably portioned. Service was fast for the food but SO SLOW for drinks, especially for the bloody Mary’s which are made at the bar.
The manager was extremely urgent to clear our places and our drinks were seldom refilled. Oh well — it was bottomless brunch.
Not a brunch to rave over. But decent and fair prices — could be better for DC. Waiting for more drinks was the worst part — we kind of felt neglected in the corner. Although, I understand the patio was super busy! If you want to drink more heavily, don’t order the marys.

I came here for Sunday brunch with a friend. For $ 27, you get three courses. A steal, given the location and the fame of the chef.
The winner was the pancrepes. I got the blueberry, which was fluffy and light. The powdered sugar didn’t overpower the pancrepes. I loved that it was served with fresh blueberries, rather than being reduced down to syrup. My friend also raved about the gazpacho as incredibly light and refreshing.
We both got the spicy lamb sausage. While the flavor was just right, most of the sausages were overcooked and dry. Quite unfortunate given how the one sausage that was done well was perfectly juicy and packed with flavor. Lastly, I thought that the Pear Almondine was too much one texture. I missed the flaky pie crust, as the filling was tad undercooked and the crust just barely starting to form.
I debated giving 4 stars for the pancrepes, but the service was terrible. It took me 5 minutes to get a waiter to refill my «bottomless» mimosa. I thought that the point of bottomless mimosa is how the waitstaff goes around filling it without having to be tracked down. Furthermore, one of the waitresses spilled coffee on the table when she was pouring. I would have thought, given the caliber of this restaurant, that she would have wiped it before leaving. She just said «oops» and left. She also didn’t split our bill the way we wrote down for her and just seemed so hurried.
I hope my next visit will be much more pleasant than this one. I expected a lot given the rave reviews by the other Unilocalers!

I would call Central Michele Richard French/​American cuisine-​the best of both worlds.
We were seated immediately for our 6:30 reservation. The bread basket was so good. Very crunchy on the outside, super soft on the inside.
My tito’s dirty martini was great.
Hubs and I shared a few dishes:
French Onion Soup-​not the best I’ve ever had but very good. A little too much garnish on top.
Fried chicken-​like everyday else says, amazing! Really crispy. And the mashed potatoes it comes with were the creamiest I’ve ever had.
Filet mignon tartar –We got the entrée portion (about 3 oz) and it was really filling. The meat was fresh and the dish overall was beyond flavorful.
We ended with the infamous chocolate bar which did not disappoint.
I would definitely come back here when I’m in the DC area.

Food is five star and service is four star. For dinner I highly recommend getting seafood but this review is going to be about their burger that I have had for both dinner and lunch.
Most recently, I got the burger during restaurant week (for some strange reason the burger had a $ 5 up charge but fancier dishes did not!). Regardless, I chose the burger anyways but since I have had it before, I chose not to do the 3 courses (it is HUGE!).
At lunch, this place can be quite the scene. There are power lunches abound and you can often see agents doing restaurant sweeps and talking on their fancy ear pieces. However, if you go for lunch just get the burger. It is probably the best burger in DC. They apparently use filet mignon meat and cook it to perfection. Even the bun is painstakingly created with the perfect amount of butter and toasting.
The fries are also delicious but you can easily split an order of fries with your lunch partner. The medium cooked burgers have a good amount of pink which I really liked. If you like yours well cooked you may want to order a level above what you normally get.
The service can be slow, especially during lunch hour since it gets packed. But just get the burger, it will more than make up for it ;).

My boyfriend and I had dinner here in celebration of my birthday. This is a brasserie that serves both American and French food, and has won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef. Chef Richard calls it, «my American bistro, with a French accent.»
We had a wonderful table directly in front of the kitchen, so we got to see the action (which we love). Service was interesting; we were attended to by at least three servers throughout the course of our meal. Our first server put in our orders for salads and then we never saw her again. Our second server brought us bread and our appetizers, then fled away like Cinderella at midnight. Our third server brought us our entrées and dessert. It was like a tag team operation and while all of them were perfectly polite, it was a strange dance of servers.
I ordered a frisée salad with bacon and poached egg. It was divine. I absolutely loved my salad. I thought all the flavors worked harmoniously and goodness, the poached egg. It was small and delicate but just so delightful. Honestly, if I had just ordered frisée salad alone, I would have been a pretty happy camper.
I opted for the iconic Michel’s fried chicken, which is Central Michel Richard’s signature dish. Southern style fried chicken inspired from KFC (hence the extra crispy texture which is actually made from old bread crumbs, raw chicken shavings, chicken stock, and milk) that sits on a fabulous potato purée. The chicken skin is crispy, meat is juicy, and did I mention the potato purée? It’s amazing. But to me, the potato purée was more amazing than the fried chicken, which was essentially a more expensive, less unprocessed, «elegant» fast food dish. I guess it’s hard for me to be crazy about one $ 25 fried chicken no matter how you try to put it on a pedestal.
My boyfriend ordered the other iconic dish of Central Michel Richard, lobster burger. Unfortunately, his lobster was undercooked and overall, he was a little disappointed given the hype and smell of this burger. We also shared a plate of mac and cheese, which was decent enough but nothing too extraordinary.
+Frisée salad with bacon and poached egg: $ 15
+Michel’s fried chicken: $ 25
+Lobster burger: $ 30
+Mac and cheese: $ 9
For dessert, we decided to share the celebration cake. It’s an ice cream/​sponge cake with tons of fruit encased in a crunchy chocolate shell. Best of all, it’s topped with a sparkling candle that looks like a mini-​4^th of July at your table. We broke open the chocolate shell and ate the ice cream/​sponge cake housed inside. To our delight, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries tumbled out. The cake is also topped with more strawberries and blackberries. It’s a great birthday cake to share amongst your table. Since it was just the two of us, we barely made a dent in the cake and since it was an ice cream cake, we couldn’t take it to go.
Overall, a 3.5 star experience.

I have a weird thing against places that have the name of the owner or chef in the name of the restaurant. Other than that random pet peeve I had a great experience at Central.
What started as a couple of drinks led to lingering conversation at the bar, and then eventually a casual dinner, still seated at the bar. This was because all of the tables were full the whole time, but honestly I think we wouldn’t have had as good of a time if we weren’t there chatting it up with the bartender and server. From what I could see, the rest of the place is a very upscale atmosphere and I found it to be a bit stuffy. Give me a bar stool any day!
Cocktails: I had the Sanguine L’Orange, which was a super refreshing blend of Aperol, vodka, and blood orange. Though it was freezing cold outside, the drink made me feel like I was on a beach vacation somewhere. The cocktails are $ 14, which typically is way more than I’d like to pay for a cocktail, but I have to admit it was lovely.
Food: The bartender assured us that their burger is one of the best around. I can never say no to a well-​made burger, so I went with that and fries for $ 18. Again, pretty expensive but a better deal than the cocktail as it was huge and very filling. The meat was perfectly medium rare, with a lot of gooey cheese melted on there (for an extra $ 1), and though I don’t typically like thick cut fries, these were amazingly crispy on the outside and steaming hot on the inside.
Definitely not a daily go-​to because of the long wait for tables, formal atmosphere, and high prices, but a wonderful way to spend an evening in DC!

If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. Everything about this dining experience was perfect.
We arrived a few minutes before our 9pm reservation. They have a pre and post theater price fixe menu that caught my eye. So we paid the $ 8 valet parking fee and headed inside. There were many people dining outside and the restaurant was quite busy inside.
We were seated directly infront of the open kitchen. It was incredible. I barely looked at my sweet fiancé because I was just so interested in watching the massive kitchen and lots of cooks working and plating. It was awesome. Like food network in real life!
For drinks I ordered a glass of Cava. I enjoyed that the waiter brought over the bottle so I could see it before he poured. And he let me have a nice gulp before filling my glass. Nice touch.
We ordered 2 starts plus our 3 course price fixe. Here’s the rundown of the food.
Gourgeres: Fancy cheese puffs. Like awesome popovers but smaller and cheesier.
The Soft Shell Crab special: A beautiful crab stuffed with even more crab tempura battered and fried atop delicious guacamole. This was heaven. Massive portion. Everything about it was perfect.
I had the friseé au lardon salad with a poached egg and my honey had the yellow tomato gazpacho with burrata. Both of these were delicious.
My fiancé had the salmon. They were even kind enough to ask how he would like it cooked. He ordered it rare and it was perfectly cooked. The vegetables paired with it were crisp and delicious and the sauce was to die for.
I had the fried chicken. I feel like I needed to say a prayer before I tried it because it just looked like it was plated by Gods. I can’t get over how incredible this dish was. Perfectly cooked and crispy, atop smooth and creamy mashed potatoes, drizzled with creamy mustard sauce. I almost cried. By far the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.
Desserts were also spectacular. I had the fancy kit kat and my fiancé had the pistachio and raspberry tart. Mine was perfectly chocolatey and had great texture. And my fiancé’s was the perfect mix of sweet and tart.
Service was impeccable. Our glasses were never empty and our empty plates didn’t stay on the table for more than a minute.
This meal was a dream. I can’t wait to visit DC again so I can try more things from the menu.

Un lieu festif, une belle atmosphère de fête, avec un bar énorme, une belle cave à vin, une carte imaginative et classique à la fois, une cuisine généreuse, goûteuse, un bon rapport qualité prix. Bref un charme fou, à l’américaine biensûr ! Le chef est d’origine française, et on sent une vraie signature dans la cuisine.