Zest Bistro

I must’ve eaten the portobello sandwich at least 20 items in the past 2 years. I just heard the restaurant closed and I’m completely bummed.

I wish I can give them 0 stars!!!
We came in for a lunch as a group. Let’s just say, we had to take our food to go. And it took the waitress to charge our cards 20 minutes. Goods came out mediocre and blah.
We wasted 2 golden hours waiting for our food and waiting to pay. NEVER NEVER EVER AGAIN!

Here’s the dish! After living in Southeast for a year, I’ve become obsessed with Barracks Row. I tend to patronize Alexandria a lot, just because I can get my city and suburbia living all on Route 1, but I was recently reminded about this very happening scene in Southeast. A few Sundays ago, I met a friend for brunch at Zest Bistro (located at 735 8^th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20 003), and I had an enjoyable experience there. Zest Bistro boasts a quaint, little patio and larger open-​concept dining room, which, as you may know, I’m a huge fan of. I was a bit surprised when I arrived for our 1:30 p.m. reservation, and the restaurant was nearly empty (maybe only 10 other diners there at the time). My experience has been that when a restaurant is empty, usually the food or service (or both) isn’t that great. I definitely would not put Zest Bistro in that category of restaurants, but it was not the bustling brunch scene I’ve grown accustomed to in the D.C. area.
As I waited for my friend to join me, I used this time to ask our server, Matt, about some things on the menu – primarily grits. While Matt was a Midwesterner (someone whose opinion of grits I normally would not trust), he had spent some time in Savannah, Ga., working at a restaurant where he ate grits daily, which immediately upped his grits street cred. After our pretty length conversation (about 5 minutes talking about grits alone because they are that serious to me) in which I learned their grits were probably a bit more thicker than I like mine, I narrowed my choices down to to the Chorizo Breakfast Tacos ($ 11.95) and the Chesapeake Benedict ($ 15.95).
Matt mentioned that he thought the portion of the tacos was a bit on the smaller side, and because of that, he always ordered a side of grits with that entrée. Since I had already decided not to go the grits route, I ordered the Chesapeake Benedict, which features very moist lump crabcakes, poached eggs (which I substituted for eggs over easy), toasted sourdough bread and is served with applewood smoked bacon, spinach and basil hollandaise, homefries, and fruit salad. I also ordered the Crimson Fizz ($ 7), which is a delicious concoction of pomegranate juice, Cava sparking wine, and grenadine and nice contrast to my traditional brunch beverage, the mimosa. My friend ordered the Zest Breakfast ($ 9.95), which includes eggs anyway you like them, applewood smoked bacon, homefries, toast, and fruit salad, along with a Spicy Bloody Mary ($ 8), which indeed had a kick.
I consider myself a professional bruncher, and while the food at Zest Bistro was good, I didn’t find myself overly ecstatic about it. Their patio and open dining room with views of the kitchen were probably what most excited me about the dining experience, in addition to the fact that it’s probably the only brunch I’ve ever attended where I didn’t have to wait for a table. Their service was excellent, which I would expect from a restaurant that isn’t bustling during a weekend brunch. Our server was very attentive, and while I waited for my friend, two other people who weren’t our serve came over to check on me.
I have a few theories as to why Zest Bistro isn’t as packed as other restaurants during brunch. For starters their menu is a bit too simple. It doesn’t feature anything I would consider a signature dish for a restaurant, but instead, is filled with a bunch of items I could make from the comfort of my own home for much less. Their lack of a bottomless option for beverages might also be a culprit. While I enjoy my sparkling beverages, there was no way I was going to order more than one Crimson Fizz at that price. The food scene in the city is amazing, and you have to stand out to to get noticed. Zest Bistro plays it safe. Being safe isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but safe doesn’t get you a packed restaurant during prime brunching hours. I would still recommend the Zest Bistro, especially if you don’t have the time or patience to wait for a table at another restaurant.
Until next time, folks. Keep dishing!

We had lunch here and all three of us enjoyed our meals. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and it was the best chicken sandwich that I have ever had. My wife and son had the portobello sandwich and loved it as well. Service was friendly and excellent, drinks were always full. Very nice atmosphere.

I have been here twice now and I really enjoy the food and the service. My only complaint is both times we were there it was so cold. Both times we had to hurry and eat and get out so we could warm up.

I loved the location of this neighborhood restaurant, but probably won’t be back to Zest. I tried it for brunch, and was underwhelmed. The menu was limited and I was not really itching to try the shrimp and grits. Side note: I’m particular about my grits since I’m from the South, and I still haven’t found a place in DC that hit the mark.
I ended up ordering something simple: eggs any style, bacon, toast, and potatoes. The meal was, in a word, basic. You’re probably wondering, how earth shattering can this dish be? I’d argue that high quality bacon, great toast, delicious preserves, and crispy, well-​seasoned potatoes can make all the differences. Unfortunately, Zest had none of that. While the potatoes weren’t soggy, they definitely were not crispy either. I think i tasted salt and pepper. And yeah, the bread (toast) that came with it wasn’t Wonder Bread, but who would serve that in a restaurant anyway? The preserves were not memorable.
I ordered one mimosa — I think it was $ 8 but don’t quote me on that. It wasn’t bad, a little too heavy on the oj for my taste. More like oj with a couple of «shots» of champagne. I prefer champagne with a splash of oj. Overall, won’t come back for brunch and not really inspired to try it for dinner.

I wasn’t overly impressed.
It was small portions and expensive mimosas for brunch options.
A group of us came and were seated right away without reservation.
The décor is sleek and clean…

American fare.
I came here yesterday for an early dinner where I sat on the patio.
The interior is nice, and the patio is cute though it doesn’t hold many tables. Only 4 or so in front of the restaurant, then on the side of the restaurant it holds a couple of more. I sat at the table where the window of the restaurant opens up. I was getting a glimpse of the inside while enjoying the view on the outside.
I feel this place is quaint, but the menu seems to be a bit underwhelming, though reasonably priced. For my meal I ordered the leg of lamb sandwich which comes with obviously lamb meat, sauteed onions, feta inside pita bread and a side of their house fries. It hit the spot, but as delicious as it sounds — it lacked the flavor I was expecting.
My server was Dominique. She was nice and pleasant. I didn’t have to track her down at all, but there were some times during my visit that were spotty and I had to wait extended periods of time for her to visit me back. The extended periods didn’t seem necessary considering it wasn’t that busy at the time of my visit.
I don’t know if I would be running back here to visit, but if you want to simply have a drink and a sandwich with a patio view — this fits the bill.

My hubby works in DC nearby and we decided to give this place a try for lunch. We went around noon and there were a few people in there, but, not a lot.
I had the broiled crab cake sandwich and he had the cheddar burger. Both came with fries and I asked what kind of seasoning were on the fries. Thyme and rosemary, not garlic. Which is awesome. The crab cake sandwich wasn’t formed as an actual cake, it smooshed down when I went to cut it. Which was okay, I had a fork!
Hubby said that the burger was cooked great, medium well and it tasted good.
The server guy is awesome. I don’t remember his name, but, he’s an older guy and knew what he was doing.
We’ll go back there in the future!

**Stop 4 of 4 of DC Metro Food Tours Capitol Hill**
Last stop on the food tour to try the delicious Bread Pudding. Unlike the other places we went to, we were actually chatted up by our server. The interior of the place is very modern, with good lighting and a long bar. Of all the places on the food tour, this would be the one I would be most inclined to revisit.

Went here for brunch this Sunday with a group of friends. Considering all the great brunch options in DC, I would not go back. I had the Challah French Toast, which was made with regular– and marginal at that — bread, not challah. I asked the waitress if it was challah and she said it was, despite the fact that it was clearly not. My friends who had the benedicts and breakfast tacos liked their meals, but the portions were small. Additionally service was marginal at best. We asked the waitress, who said she worked there for over a year, what she would recommend or what people like and she had nothing to say. I would recommend opting for one of Eastern Market’s many other — and much better — brunches.

Zest Bistro does not serve earth shattering good food but they do make pretty tasty/​homey dishes. I’ve been here twice for dinner and I always leave feeling satisfied. Surprisingly the restaurant was completely empty when we stepped in for dinner this past weekend which makes me wonder if they will be around much longer. Maybe it was the holiday lull, but they should really capitalize on the fact that they are so close to Rose’s and Rose’s has no tables!
Anyway we started off our meal with the salmon poke. Best dish I had all evening. How can you say no to salmon grade sushi sitting on a bed of seaweed salad with wonton chips? You really can’t so order the Salmon Poke. FYI it’s pronounced Po-​KAY. Not poke, like you poke someone. My fiancé made that mistake and I laughed at him.
For entries I ordered the blackened salmon which came with a heap of potatoes and kale. I personally hate kale so I can’t speak to that but the salmon and the potatoes were well cooked and tasty.
My fiancé ordered the Mixed Grill which has a bunch of meat and seafood sitting on top of green beans and potatoes. He enjoyed his meal but the portion size looked bit small to me.
We finished with a brownie sundae which was disappointingly cold. A few seconds in the microwave would have made a world of difference.
Considering how empty the restaurant was our waitress wasn’t that attentive. Call me a traditionalist but she also didn’t offer a taste to my fiancé when she brought out the wine. Overall, Zest Bistro is worth a try but don’t expect amazing mind blowing food.

Zest is AMAZEballs! Awesomely good place to dine at. My sisters and I stopped through for lunch here after a bridal fitting. Stepped into the place and were seated immediately with a hearty smile and welcome from Nicole!
Ambiance while we were there was quiet, place was well lit and everything was clean and sanitary.
Food selections are very well priced and a variety is always good on the menu. Nicole was our server as well and her service was excellent. She never skipped a beat while serving our table of five by herself. AND she was working the bar at the same time!
The food itself was so delicious and well seasoned a la Top Chef quality!!! Bravo Zest Bistro! Try it. You’ll be pleased.

Small menu but done well. Wonderful lighting, and decorum. Great little spot to grab a Happy hour burger and beer or a main course with a date.

Loud and busy and also pricey. Got the mixed grill and I enjoyed it. The croquet mashed potatoes were a cool twist on a classic.

I never have anything short of a solid dining experience at Zest. Tucked away at the very end of Barracks Row, it’s definitely overlooked due to Matchbox, Ted’s, and Cava being on the same block. However, I’d argue that Zest is better than any of those places.
I’ve come here for brunch and lunch multiple times. Their food is 100% quality. The service is awesome as well. I came with a party of 5 and accidentally made my reservation for the wrong day. However, they were able to accommodate me. Our waiter was really on top of things and made sure to attend to us with full attention.
I’ve had both the chicken sandwich and the shrimp and grits. But were excellent. The chicken sandwich is very unique, with pickled onions and an amazing sauce. The shrimp and grits were creamy and delicious as well. My friends rave about the benedict with the basil hollandaise.
For desert, my friends and I split the blueberry and lemon poppy bread pudding. This is a great dessert. Just the right amount of sweet. It’d be even better complimented with a dollop of iced cream.
Zest is a quintessential Bistro American restaurant. Quality food, affordable prices. I’ll be back!

We stopped by this charming little restaurant for Friday night dinner, with reservations made in advance. However, I wouldn’t say reservations are critical because the restaurant was nowhere near full capacity.
After submitting our drink orders, I inquired with our server and she confirmed that the Mediterranean Penne Pasta is vegan after checking with the kitchen. However, as I was facing the kitchen area, I noticed the kitchen staff plop down a marinara pasta plate sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Our server walked up to receive it and sternly shook her head and it was quickly re-​made without much of a fuss. Whew.
As for the pasta plate, it was competent, although not especially memorable. The olives, preserved lemon, artichoke hearts, and kale were indeed noticeably present and well-​cooked and seasoned, but not completely amazing. I happily consumed most of my meal for sustenance’s sake as there were aspirations to seek out a couple of alcoholic beverages after dinner. Our server was quite attuned and prompt and everyone else seemed to be fairly satisfied with their selections.
I suppose this is good spot café-​like spot to grab some grub if you’re not one for massive crowds or foreign inventive cuisine. So «A-​OK» it is then!

Overall I was not pleased with my experience here at Zest. The food is terrible as well as the service. One thing I noticed is how understaffed this place is… you would think on a Saturday night there would be more servers.
I would not recommend this place at all.

What happened to this place? I used to come here for happy hour after work during the summer of 2013. Fast forward to last week, when I came back, for another happy hour. I was very disappointed in the food.
First, the good. The happy hour specials are pretty good for the area. $ 3 fries and onion rings, $ 4 calimari, and $ 6 burger ($ 7 if you want cheese). Also, they have about 4 beers on draft for $ 4 a pint, which is a decent hh deal.
Now…I used to come here and order the burger, and get a side of onion straws. Well, now the burger is a lot smaller than it used to be, and the onion straws, which used to be absolutely delicious, are onion rings, which looked to be out of the frozen aisle at your supermarket. You don’t even get a dipping sauce for them anymore. I’ll probably give this place one more chance in a couple months to see if they go back to their old ways– if not, it looks like I have to find a new place on barracks row for happy hour.

Lamb sandwich was a delightful symphony of flavors and textures in my mouth. Get the lamb sandwich! I also really enjoyed that they offered the option of fries or salad — I hate it when restaurants slather on a bunch of fries there.
Bread pudding had the taste of hot egg and burnt toast. DO NOT GET BREAD PUDDING.
Overall, nice restaurant in the area. Not spectacular but not terrible.