Tabard Inn Restaurant

A truly lovely time! Opted for Tabard after my usual go-to in Chinatown went takeout only, and was not disappointed. The food was fresh, the mocktails were delicious, and the atmosphere was quite warm and romantic - perfect for our date night. Service was phenomenal, the outdoor heater above our table on the upper floor patio kept us warm during our meal (and they even offered us blankets if we were too cold, which was super sweet) and while we opted not to get desert, the after dinner coffee was strong and delicious. Highly recommend for a lovely little date night in DuPont Circle.

I had no idea this place was so good! The cocktails were amazing - especially the savory Sakura special seasonal cocktail. It's not often you find a perfectly balanced savory cocktail like this.

The food:
We loved the onion tart, oysters, and hamachi crudo appetizers. Also the bread service with the porcini butter - holy smokes!!! We paid for a second serving of that.
For entrees we loved the scallops, chicken, and pork chop.
Dessert faves were the semifreddo and soufflé cheesecake.

Ambience:
I was surprised by how cute and quaint this place was. The lounge could probably use an update but the main dining room was beautiful.

Lovely gem 💎 you should know about and def grab a lunch there / amazing hidden spot with so many wonders inside. Food is excellent - huge portions / I would give a small tiny minus for a … coffee ☕️- not expecting an Italian quality, however it would be nice to enjoy this God’s beverage in this amazing restaurant 🥰🤩

We loved their donuts and sweet potato soup. The entrees were so so omelet was pretty bland and the donuts on the chicken were a bit sour taste.

I have been procrastinating writing this review because, overall I love the Tabard. I have been coming to the Tabard since August of 1980 (that’s not a typo).

It is understandable that in that span of time the menu and food quality have fluctuated from ethereal to mediocre as chefs come and go. However, ambiance, service, and drinks remarkably maintain premium quality over time. Though, there was the incident of the rookie server who dumped an entire bowl of hot gumbo on my friend’s sister’s lap at a celebration dinner in June 2011.

I have not been to the Tabard since before the beginning of my posting Google reviews in June of 2019, until two weeks ago, when, coincidentally, the host of the gumbo spill incident dinner was in town on business, suggesting dinner at the Tabard. It still has the same funky vibe, engaging, focussed wait staff, and terrific drinks. The bartender accommodated my Negroni recipe - 1 part gin, .75 part Campari, .25 part sweet vermouth, shaken on rocks, strained into a short stem glass. Oddly, the bar did not have orange twist, and twist of lemon worked fine.

Early in the ordering process, in conversation with our server, she caught my ear with the mention of words I dread hearing: ‘new chef.’ Long Island Blue Point Oysters with Kimchee-Pickled Ginger Granita seemed like a safe bet appetizer to me, which turned out to be true. The Oysters were fresh, having clean, crisp, and refreshing flavor. With the complex K-PGG: the spicy tanginess of the Kimchee - the sweet zestiness of the Ginger - the coolness of the Granita, all engaging with the brininess of the LIBPO, and Sauvignon Blanc to drink, the appetizer was a flavor jamboree.

I should have stopped with the appetizer. My Steak Frites entree, on the other hand, was disastrous. I couldn’t believe it came from the same kitchen. It was thin, tough, and gristly. The sauce was equally disgusting. I discreetly removed the cartilage from my mouth, camouflaged it on another plate, concentrated on the flavor of the Cabernet I ordered with the entree, and conversation with my friend.

Here’s an observation that speaks to the Tabard ambiance, in my opinion and experience: we noticed no one in the dining room was on their phones. I think that is a distinction of white tablecloth fine dining compared to casual dining and below. People were there to enjoy each other’s company.

I had a delightful dining experience at Tabard in Washington DC. The French menu was exceptional, and the employees, especially John and Arvin, went above and beyond to make our evening special. The star of the night was the executive chef, Matthew, whose culinary skills were truly outstanding. His kindness and talent shone through in every dish. I highly recommend Tabard for a memorable and delicious dining experience.

The Tabard was interesting, kinda mazey with places to eat in different areas. We chose to eat outdoors, which eclectic look in nature a cross between the secret garden and a fairy tale, just a little spooky. However, the wait staff was friendly,kind, and attentive.
My friend and I had the donut, which was a donut. We both had a chicken and waffle, which appearance was lovely, yet a little underwhelming in taste. My friend had to keep adding salt and pepper. It was a unique take on chicken and waffle. They used the thigh and mixed with chunks of bacon. It was a pleasant time.

We had the most enjoyable dinner in recent memory. That says a lot since we eat out at least once or twice a week. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable, like what fine dining restaurants should be but becoming increasingly rare. I would characterize the food as tasty and adventurous. The chef came up with different way to challenge our taste buds, and we liked them mostly. We were told that the chef came from CA, and that explains the Asian influence in the cooking. We also enjoyed the ambiance and lighting of the dining room, perfect for a date night.