Downtown Outdoor FINE Dining in DC

[Busboy]

So, I'm racking my brains for a (semi-) fine dining reaturant -- someplace with a little starch in the tableclothes and crystal glasses in the back in case we order a Bordeau -- within the DC city limits for a (semi-) spontaneous nice meal tomorrow night, and I'm coming up blank. I know Marcel's (at the upper edge of what we'd like to spend) has a couple of tables, but I assume snagging one this late date is, at best, a crapshoot. I like Cashions, but would like to kick up a step from there, or at least hold it in reserve. Experiences at those places near the White House have been underwhelming. And we're probably in a Euro-food mode, so Indique and Bombay Club are out.

[i know I'm being picky, but after living a month someplace where every restaurant -- from dive to Michelin-starred -- has a patio, terrace or streetcorner, I'm a little frustrated. Heck, I admit DC cooking is better than Athens, but they do have a better way of dining.]

[mnebergall]

Panache at Conn. Ave. and Desales has outdoor dining, and well starched tablecloths.

[Busboy]

Are they any good? I don't know anything about them except their logo and their name seem kind of corporate.

Edited September 23, 2004 by Busboy (log)

[Nadya]

So, I'm racking my brains for a (semi-) fine dining reaturant -- someplace with a little starch in the tableclothes and crystal glasses in the back in case we order a Bordeau -- within the DC city limits for a (semi-) spontaneous nice meal tomorrow night, and I'm coming up blank.   I know Marcel's (at the upper edge of what we'd like to spend) has a couple of tables, but I assume snagging one this late date is, at best, a crapshoot. I like Cashions, but would like to kick up a step from there, or at least hold it in reserve.  Experiences at those places near the White House have been underwhelming.  And we're probably in a Euro-food mode, so Indique and Bombay Club are out. 

[i know I'm being picky, but after living a month someplace where every restaurant -- from dive to Michelin-starred -- has a patio, terrace or streetcorner, I'm a little frustrated.  Heck, I admit DC cooking is better than Athens, but they do have a better way of dining.]

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Both McCormick & Schmick and Smith & Wolenski have outdoor seating in summer. You may want to call and check if they still do.

Bistro Bis has four tables on the patio that I know for a fact are open. The glitch here is that you cannot reserve them - first come, first served, baby. Although if you telephone and ask nicely, you never know.

La Tomate on Connecticut has a patio on the back street away from traffic of Conn. Ave. White tablecloth, hostess speaks Russian, what's not to like?

Don't know if you consider Mimi's in Dupont a fine dining establishment...but patio is still open.

Morton's across the street from Mayflower hotel has a cunningly concealed terrace on the second floor of this concrete monstrosity of a building.

Edited September 23, 2004 by Nadya (log)

[mnebergall]

Are they any good?  I don't know anything about them except their logo and their name seem kind of corporate.

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I've eaten there 3-4 times and I don't get the feeling that they are "corporate." And I like the food. Fairly extensive hot and cold tapas menu and some decent entrees.

[morela]

Citronelle

Equinox

Tabard Inn (great backyardy thing)

Le Paradou

Poste

Hmmm,

Rays (that one table out front from time to time )!

Persimmon in Bethesda

Cashions

Palena

I wonder if City Zen has outdoor seating...

I guess the Wilson Bridge and the river smells aren't that appealing

Edited September 23, 2004 by morela (log)

[DonRocks]

Tom Sietsema's Dining Guide (new version coming out in about a month) is excellent for this type of information. I just ran out to the car and grabbed mine, and perusing the (enormous) Outdoor Dining list, I see these that might be of interest to you (rattled off without much thought):

Bardeo, Bistro Bis, Buck's, Cafe Atlantico, Cafe 15, Cantina Marina, Circle Bistro

David Greggory, Equinox, 15 ria, Galileo, Gerard's Place, Kinkead's, La Fourchette

Les Halles, Melrose, Michel Richard Citronelle, Montmartre, Ortanique, Sea Catch

Seasons, Signatures, Taberna del Alabardero, Zaytinya

[iamthestretch]

Kinkeads? Only if "outdoor" means "in a mall atrium."

(edited to add: And Buck's? Really?)

Edited September 23, 2004 by iamthestretch (log)

[Tweaked]

Tom Sietsema's Dining Guide (new version coming out in about a month) is excellent for this type of information.  I just ran out to the car and grabbed mine, and perusing the (enormous) Outdoor Dining list, I see these that might be of interest to you (rattled off without much thought):

Bardeo, Bistro Bis, Buck's, Cafe Atlantico, Cafe 15, Cantina Marina, Circle Bistro

David Greggory, Equinox, 15 ria, Galileo, Gerard's Place, Kinkead's, La Fourchette

Les Halles, Melrose, Michel Richard Citronelle, Montmartre, Ortanique, Sea Catch

Seasons, Signatures, Taberna del Alabardero, Zaytinya

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The patio at Zaytinya is very nice. Lots of tables, lots of umbrellas...don't think they have starched tablecloths

[JennyUptown]

Bardeo only has the windows that open and there are two tables. Nothing outdoors, just the feel of outside.

Where are 15 ria's outdoor tables??

[iamthestretch]

Where are 15 ria's outdoor tables??

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Like all of DC's other outdoor tables, on the sidewalk, with a great view of passing traffic on a major road. (Rhode Island Ave. in this case, I think.) With the honorable exception of Melrose, which sunk its patio to create at least the illusion of seclusion, outdoor dining options frankly s-u-c-k in this town. All you're debating is how far you're gonna be from the kerb.

(I had a German friend who always used to look up into the cloudless summer sky as we were sitting at Cafe Berlin sucking down Weihenstephan and city bus fumes and say wistfully: "What this town needs is a proper beer garden, yes?" Personally, I propose siting it on the Mall. On top of whichever site they're eyeing up for a memorial to the Gipper.)

[Busboy]

The patio at Zaytinya is very nice.  Lots of tables, lots of umbrellas...don't think they have starched tablecloths

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What's the ambience there outside? One of the reasons we were looking somewhat upscale is that we'd like to ooze into our seats and not emerge for quite some time. You know, where they don't even bring the menu until you're half-way through your first drink. I'd like to try Zaytinya, but the thought of waiters trying to rush me through dessert so that JennyUptown, Al Dente and all the other hipsters queued up at the door can take my table is a little off-putting.

[Busboy]

(I had a German friend who always used to look up into the cloudless summer sky as we were sitting at Cafe Berlin sucking down Weihenstephan and city bus fumes and say wistfully: "What this town needs is a proper beer garden, yes?"

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Amen to that. (Although I don't mind a little traffic) Or, a couple of pedestrian-only streets and squares lined with cafe's and the odd swell spot. In Crete, I was impressed by the skill with which they ripped the roofs and guts out of old townhouses (really old. 1500's) and turned them into multi-level terrassed restaurants. We can hope...

[8Track]

Busara has a really nice garden, which is isolated from the street. The late lamented Tahoga used to have a great one as well. Haven't seen who's in that space in a while -- do they still have the garden? If you're not picky about food, Iron Gate has a great patio -- very medieval. Straits of Malaya has a lovely rooftop.

[morela]

MARCEL'S

[Busboy]

Busara has a really nice garden, which is isolated from the street.  The late lamented Tahoga used to have a great one as well.  Haven't seen who's in that space in a while -- do they still have the garden?  If you're not picky about food, Iron Gate has a great patio -- very medieval.  Straits of Malaya has a lovely rooftop.

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Iron Gate: great date restaurant...when you're 22 and don't know much about food. If they'd put a decent chef in that place I'd eat there every week.

[DonRocks]

(edited to add: And Buck's? Really?)

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stretch-a-roo,

After a visit last night, I can answer your question: nope, no outdoor tables at Buck's.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[bilrus]

Not quite in DC, but 2941 has a very nice, large patio overlooking a lake.

[rbh]

Like all of DC's other outdoor tables, on the sidewalk, with a great view of passing traffic on a major road. (Rhode Island Ave. in this case, I think.) With the honorable exception of Melrose, which sunk its patio to create at least the illusion of seclusion, outdoor dining options frankly s-u-c-k in this town. All you're debating is how far you're gonna be from the kerb.

(I had a German friend who always used to look up into the cloudless summer sky as we were sitting at Cafe Berlin sucking down Weihenstephan and city bus fumes and say wistfully: "What this town needs is a proper beer garden, yes?" Personally, I propose siting it on the Mall. On top of whichever site they're eyeing up for a memorial to the Gipper.)

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But in 15 Ria's case, at least it's a fenced in patio - and not just sidewalk seating with at most a theater rope separating the sidewalk traffic from the tables (a la Gordon Biersch, Mimi's, etc).

[Busboy]

Thanks to all for their suggestions. In a rare and unexpected fit of parental affection we decided to bring the kids out with us Friday night. In part, because they have outgrown all clothing which might have been appropriate for Marcel's, and in part because they would have (despite out best efforts) likely not have been adventurous for Zatineya or Atlantico, we decided to try Osteria Galileo.

Osteria bills itself as a "casual neighborhood restaurant" and we put it to the test, showing up looking pretty darn casual, clearly not ready for a serious Galileo experience.

As if underdressed kids lurking amongst the swells in Galileo's bar weren't enough to raise the hostess' well-waxed eyebrows, I immediately mispronounced the name of the place (in Greece, where I have been travelling, the word is "esteatorio" and I somehow combined that with "osteria" to create a brand new and completely meaningless word) and asked them for a table on their small patio, none of which were set. After much hustle by the floor staff, during which time my son whispered "Dad, they hate us," we got a table with some starched linen and real silver and an extremely reserved waiter.

At some point -- I think in between the initial martini and our extended foray into the world of well-priced by-the-glass wine offereings -- the waiter warmed up and fear that we would have one of those evenings that many have complained about hear and elsewhere -- snotty service because we weren't important -- dissipaited. We didn't look nearly so underdressed outside, and the kids were in a charming mood. Besides, we kept working Rocks' name into our conversation whenever anyone official was nearby.

The menu was dramatically shorter than the on-line menu -- enough so that the website feels misleading. The kitchen was dreadfully slow, as well; slow enough the waiter apologized for it without us prompting. Nonetheless, what food was available was as promised: inexpensive, hearty, and good. We ran through the chickpea soup with garlic croutins, eggplant bruschetta, farfelle with a meat ragout, sausage with rosemary-cream sauce and cold filet with balsamic and grilled vegetables. What you see is what you get there, and what we saw looked good. And, though 21st Street is not exactly a people-watching paradise, it was nice to be outside for dinner. Between the patio, the food and the now-friendly waiter, the whole thing felt very European, in the non-pretentious sense.

In deference to the kids, we skipped dessert, and left the patio to DCMark and his wife, Delphine who arrived just as we were leaving for what I hope was an experience as pleasant as ours.

A side note, though: given the limited menu, the slow service and the lack of other diners, I have to wonder how serious this venture is right now. It would be too bad if Roberto shuts it down but, especialy in light of his other problems, Osteria looks like a short-time deal. That would be too bad.