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Cafe Montmartre
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Vietnamese French, Vietnamese [Edit]
1625 Washington PlazaLake Anne Plaza
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 904-8080
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Cafe Montmartre
Review Highlights
"Just sit outside whenever that happens."
(in 5 reviews)
"Then I had the crab quiche and that was really very good."
(in 2 reviews)
"I love the creme brulee."
(in 3 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Darren G.
Reston, VA
10/26/2011
A pleasant little café on the lake side with good views and friendly service. Definitely a good choice on a warm night where you can sit outside and enjoy local culture and occasionally live music from the Plaza nearby. The price makes it a destination for special occasions only.
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Review from Cheryl L.
What an interesting, interesting location... My GPS guided me to an apartment complex, and I illegally parked in a Residents Only area, because I had no idea where I was. I walked towards the lake as instructed, and people stared at me outside of their apartment window. This was quite awkward.
I kept walking and walking along the lake, and then suddenly I began approaching a row of restaurants on the first floor of some apartments... Where did that even come from???
So I must say that I was impressed with their pastas-- they were cheesy, yet light. A contrast from something like Olive Garden, where the first few bites are pure creamy goodness, and then every bite after that goes downhill as you start tasting absolutely nothing but heavy cream and cheese. I would actually rate the pastas at Cafe Montcartre a solid 3.5 stars.
Calamari was badly battered-- the batter was falling off the calamari with each stab of my fork. Calamari was soggy, and not crispy whatsoever. I'd skip that appetizer.
Another thing that kind of left a negative impression in my mind was that they added my bill up wrong. Good thing I checked! -
Review from Victoria T.
Sterling, VA
1/27/2012
Overpriced for such average Vietnamese food.
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Review from D R.
Los Angeles, CA
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Avoid at all costs.
I waited 20 minutes for a server ... even telling her twice that I wished to place an order, and was dismissed both times. One owner stopped by to ask if I would move to another table in the event that a larger group wanted mine. The other owner walked up just as I was packing up to leave without having even been offered a glass of water. I explained to her that I was leaving because of the total lack of service. She apologized in a way such that it was clear that she's made this apology before. -
Review from Edward C.
Fairfax, VA
5/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
****3.75 stars****
An interesting little place this is.
It's a Tuesday evening, and the story begins with us not really being able to find the darn place. See, our GPS led us to the parking lot of a neighboring apartment complex. After getting quizzical and unfriendly glares from the residents, we proceeded to drive around the block looking for the restaurant. No dice. Our best guess was that the restaurant is located in this hidden, run-down plaza named Lake Anne something or other.
So we parked our car, grabbed our http://restaurant.com gift certificate, and decided to walk this odd little plaza (complete with smelly lake, run down drug/grocery stores, and empty storefronts.
Sooner or later we found the place, on the first floor of an apartment complex, facing a "Flair for Hair" salon.
We were the only ones there, save 2 other tables. More people showed up later on, mostly locals it looked like.
We sat outside in some rather pedestrian looking white plastic patio furniture, which didn't seem to coincide with the pricier menu we were handed. I sort of expected to at least be sitting in less dusty and dirty plastic chairs while eating $7 spring rolls.
Anyway, we ordered the calamari, seafood linguine, and beef stroganoff. After handing the server our http://restaurant.com certificate, we were promptly told they couldn't accept our gift certificate. They only accepted certificates dated before 4/9, and unlikely albeit too coincidentally, ours was dated 4/10. We were told http://restaurant.com was completely at fault, and awkward silence ensued as we just blankly all stared at the waitress and nothing happened for what seemed like at least a minute.
Well we ate anyway, since we had already ordered (the waitress eventually told us she called http://restaurant.com and there was nothing she could do, but offered up one of their own http://restaurant.com codes for us to use).
The food? I have to say, it tasted pretty fresh. Probably fresher than I honestly was expecting (given the empty dining room), but don't get fresh confused with good. I mean, it all tasted ok, but I definitely felt it was overpriced. To be picky, the calamari was soft and fresh, but the breading was a little thick and the sauce runny. It was ok, nothing memorable. My pasta was fresh, the seafood (3 shrimps, calamari, mahi mahi) was fresh. It was all ok. The beef stroganoff, however, wasn't that great. The beef was a bit stringy.
In all, this is one of those meals where it was OK, filling, and rather fresh. But, when the bill comes, the experience doesn't translate correctly into how much you owe on the tab.
The server was nice and did offer us 10% off due to the mistake. +1 stars for that. But still, at around $60 out the door for basically 2 places of noodles, it's a bit pricey. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't return -- especially since I live so far away and won't drive all the way out to Reston just to eat there again.
**Update: Later that week, I emailed http://restaurant.com about what happened. They told us it was their policy to honor all outstanding certificates regardless of whether or not a restaurant has cancelled their partnership with the website or not. http://Restaurant.com also said that all restaurants should know this policy, and they would contact the restaurant to remind them. Interesting, hm? -
Review from Les D.
6/26/2011
Curious to see others had trouble finding this place. Such was my case. GPS is not very reliable. So, here're the directions. Turn south on Village Rd. from Baron Cameron. Turn left onto N. Lake Shore Dr. Then immediately right into the parking lot. A convenience store is on the right. Keep walking south past the buildings and to the edge of Lake Anne.
Why so difficult to find? Lake Anne development was built as an extraordinary planned community. Not a far stretch from communities like Robert Owen's New Harmony, IN. A mere glimpse of the architecture will signal that Lake Anne is indeed a very different place. The intent was to preserve communal strength. A byproduct is that shops are hard to find. There's little to no signage.
When you locate Cafe Montmartre, you're in for a nice treat. I had a wonderful brunch of an omelet and the fixings. Do go when the weather is fit and sit outside to enjoy the fountain, view of the lake, and the tranquility. Also, the Reston museum is directly across from CM. Stop and give it a tour. Great place to take visitors. They also have a nice dining room. Menu is not extensive, but has a lot of favorites. -
Review from Robbie M.
Alexandria, VA
12/1/2011
The food at Cafe Montmartre is good to average. I had the grilled shrimp salad tonight t. I liked the apples in the salad so it wasn't so ordinary but I was appalled that they put sliced American Cheese in the salad. How tacky! Especially when the salad cost $19. They could have used realy cheese. Really.
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Review from James L.
9/29/2010 1 photo
Located in the quaint Lake Anne complex, Café Montmartre serves up casual French cuisine as well as offering a limited Vietnamese menu Wednesday through Friday. I cannot attest to the authenticity or flavor of the Asian menu, but the few times I've been to Café Montmartre for brunch the food and service has always been good. Since this place has a nice waterfront view of Lake Anne in Reston, VA it tends to get very busy during the weekends, and especially when the Reston farmer's market is operating in the parking lot next to the shops and restaurants. The patio often receives a nice breeze and the deck umbrellas provide more than enough shade during the daytime, except for the feet especially if you are wearing flip-flops or sandals.
Meals usually start off with warm mini-baguettes with pats of butter, and surprisingly the coffee served at brunch is also hearty and strong. I'm kind of a traditionalist at brunch, so I stick with Eggs Benedict. Fresh slices of fruit accompany poached eggs and ham perched atop of toasted English muffins with Hollandaise sauce drizzled on top. The prices here are about 10%-15% higher than at most places, but I do enjoy the view while dining so it's worth it to me. This is definitely a great date spot or just to enjoy a leisurely brunch with friends and family. -
Review from Mitch R.
Vienna, VA
11/18/2010
4 1/2 stars
Yeah, this place is awesome especially considering the price.
Went for dinner with my girlfriend and I have to say I love Lake Anne anyway but this is just over the top for this area.
Appetizer was great (tomatos and mozarella) as was the carafe of wine which was surprisingly affordable.
I had the Steak Frittes sandwich, cooked medium rare and my girlfriend had the trout. My sandwich was OUT OF THIS WORLD good. The steak was large and thick, cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was put ontop of a fresh baked baguette. My girlfriends dinner was flavorful and not overcooked.
The only thing I was very disappointed with was the dessert. We ordered the chocolate mousse which came in a small dish, and an even smaller portion but they charged $6.95 for it. This honest to god wasn't even 3 ounces of mediocre chocolate mousse. Complete rip-off.
The service was great, the ambiance was great, and it is always nice to walk around this shopping center and around the lake.
I will definitely return. -
Review from Gary M.
Alexandria, VA
12/5/2010
Food was just ok, but they had the worst musicians in the world. Played and sang at unbelievable high volume throughout dinner. The y were off key and oblivious to the fact they were in a small restaurant and not a stadium.
I don't go to a French restaurant to hear some amateur musicians without any shread of talent wailing in Vietnamese.
A total disaster. Go anywhere else!
Also hugely overpriced. -
Review from Mary P.
Woodbridge, VA
8/11/2011
This was my first time at a French restaurant, it was okay (good not great but not gross). I ordered the Sandwich au Jambon (ham sandwich) and it came with a small (plain) side salad. I liked the relaxing atmosphere, and their drinks (martinis). The prices are reasonable and the service was good. I really liked the fact that you can sit outside on the patio with your dog.
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Review from U D.
Reston, VA
5/26/2010 3 photos
My first encounter with Cafe Montmarte was one lovely Saturday morning where I had no expectations. I love pleasant discoveries like this. All I wanted that morning was to sit in the sun and enjoy the Lake Anne view.
I asked the waitress what was their speciality dish and she pointed me to the quiches and pates. And both were excellent choices, in portion and taste. What was especially nice, is the perfect crispness of the baguettes, lightly crusty on the outside, and soft airy inside.
The crab quiche was excellent balance of sweet crab meat and egginess (if that is a word).
After that encounter, I have returned there to host a small birthday brunch. Even though it was a brisk morning and I initially was bummed that we had to eat inside, it was completely the perfect setting. To my surprise they had decorated each table with bright sunny daffodils which was perfect for the occasion. In addition, as a special request they baked a fruit tart for us girls a nice alternative to a heavy cake. After speaking with the owner through out the event, she was very accommodating to our needs and requests.
I would certainly host future events there. -
Review from Leila S.
Astoria, NY
10/28/2006 1 photo
French cuisine with a few Vietnamese quirks - fusion food? No. Globalization at its best? Totally.
Cafe Montmartre is a casual little bistro at the shore of Lake Anne, offering plenty of fresh seafood dishes, classic grilled food, and a special Vietnamese menu (Wednesdays-Fridays only). It provides a great change to the usual cookie cutter chain restaurant - the meals are absolutely delicious and the staff is always very friendly and pleasant. The owner, who is of Vietnamese descent, loves to introduce herself to customers and makes sure that your experience there is the best that it can possibly be.
There is plenty of outdoor seating here, perfect for accomodating large parties or having a romantic rendezvous in its jazzy and refined ambiance overlooking the water. Inside there is a fully stocked bar with the best of spirits and wines; they have a very unique martini menu and selective wine list. My recommendation? Everything except the chocolate martini... I wanted it to be good, I really truly did. My two dearest loves together, chocolate + alcohol = pretty disappointing. Something about it just didn't mix here.
As for food, I've never had anything to complain about and I've been here a thousand times. The best of the best, however, would be any of their fresh fish dishes, spring rolls, escargot, caesar salad, and the best treat of all... CREME BRULEE! It is simply to die for. If anything, come here just for the creme brulee and perhaps some espresso. It's that good.
One star off for being a bit too pricey for its class. Otherwise, this is a true local gem to enjoy.Listed in: Sweet tooth satisfactions
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Review from Mia K.
Baton Rouge, LA
11/24/2006
Mia skips work and gets paid again!! Ok, so Cafe Montmarte is where the planning stages took place.
After a brilliant lunch filled with delicious golden calamari and the best tuna sandwich I've ever had - how could I go to work? I just wanted to bask up the sun on the "shores" of Lake Anne.
The cafe is situated in a quaint shopping center with bistros lining the sidewalk right in front of the "lake" which looks more like a giant swimming pool. It's very reminiscent of something you'd find hidden in an "off the beaten path" sort of place in continental Europe.
That being said, the atmosphere is great, especially on a warm spring day when you can sit outside underneath the umbrellas and people watch, while sipping on your wine (or in my case water with extra lemon) and enjoying a leisurely lunch. The servers are very sweet and pay attention to your every need. I will definitely skip work to dine here again (with Leila of course!).Listed in: DC baby!!
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Review from Bob S.
Reston, VA
6/10/2010
Awful
lunch . Had spinach salad. Spinach, palm hearts, tomato, 1/2 spoonful of goat cheese $9.97.
Wife had pasta with Cajun sauce and chicken.
School lunch cafeteria quality meals, no wonder why the place is always half empty.
Service was decent.
don't waste your time of money on this one -
Review from Kevin S.
Silverdale, WA
12/22/2008
I was taking a box of books to sell to the used bookstore next door, but I was starving for lunch. I happened upon this bistro and decided to give it a shot without any prior research (gasp - the horror!).
I was very pleased with my lunch at Cafe Montmartre. It's a very French menu with baguettes and quiche and pate. I had the potato leek soup and it was very good. I don't know why I was expecting more of a chowder or a bisque, but it was a clear broth with potatoes and leeks. In any case, it was pretty tasty. Then I had the crab quiche and that was really very good.
Atmosphere-wise, the restaurant is very bright with large windows facing Lake Anna. There are no booths, but they have about a dozen four-top tables that could be pushed together for a larger group. There's also a full bar and what looked like a good selection of martini's. It was tempting to give one a try, but I needed to sell my books and get back on the road.
The service was attentive, friendly, and helpful.
The prices are higher than what I normally pay for lunch, but that's partially due to having the soup and the quiche. The quiche came with a side salad that had very crisp, fresh, delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and greens. Their house dressing is home-made, and the waitress was happy to check the ingredients for me to make sure there was no MSG (I have an allergy to MSG, and it tends to be a common ingredient in ranch-type dressings).
Overall, I really liked my lunch there and I would go back again. -
Review from Michelle W.
Reston, VA
4/1/2007
This is a neighborhood place with an awesome vibe. Brunch is always a pleasure and their sandwiches and salads are great too.
The Vietnamese specials are delicious and it's a joy to be able to eat Vietnamese and French food in the same place. Salade Nicoise? Vietnamese Spring Rolls? Pho? Calamari? Pate Sandwich? You can get any of these things at Montmartre.Listed in: Reston Rulez
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Review from Julio H.
New York, NY
9/10/2006
Quaint bistro at the original Reston Town Center in Reston, Virgina.
I say original as there is a "newer" Reston Town Center about 1 mile away but this is the original that was built when Reston as a planned community was constructed in the '60's.
Cafe Montmartre is one of about 4 restaurants in the Plaza area bordering Lake Anne.
3/4's of the year when the weather is warm, the outside sitting area is the place to eat if you want a relaxing, picturequese setting though they should upgrade the plastic/vinyl chairs and tables used for outside seating.
The food is good (not very good or excellent). The Montmartre Burger or French sausage over pasta is what I generally order.
The prices are ok, slightly more expensive then the quality of the food would suggest but you are paying somewhat for the locale.
The clientele is generally the liberal (politically speaking) set of Northern Virginia/Washington DC or just plain locals that find it convenient and accessible to walk to the plaza.
For those that feel the American Dream is not complete without matching Hummers in the driveway, the New Reston Town Center is nearby.
During winter months, traffic drops off significantly though I have not noticed any negative drop in quality of their servings during those months. -
Review from Julian V.
Good place, not so much great. If you live in Reston, or if you're around the area, I'd really recommend this place for a change of pace. Don't expect the best french food. The location is pretty awesome, it definitely has a european vibe to it.
The place gets a little slammed on fridays, and when they get slammed the food tends to suffer a little bit, but for the most part, the food is pretty on point.
Oh, and watch out for Vietnamese open mic night which happens like once a month. Just sit outside whenever that happens.
Foodwise:
- Pate was a bit off, but usually good.
- Escargot is surprisingly tender. Very delicious.
- Bread was good, but I've heard it's sometimes cool so make sure you ask for warm bread.
- Skip the crabcake sandwich special. It's boring, and I may have had better crabcakes from costco.
- The trout is usually good. The more recent time I'd been here, it was a bit too buttery (you would think this to be a good thing, but trust me it wasn't).
- Avoid the steak sandwich. It's a tough cut of meat. -
Review from GA G.
Reston, VA
3/19/2011
Cafe Montmartre is a delightfully urban chic french and vietnamese restaurant. Little pricey, but it is worth it to try out their authentic vietnamese dishes and creme brulee!
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Review from Frank W.
Great Falls, VA
7/1/2009
I went here for luch and the food was ok and so was the service.
Nice outdoor seating spot but the furniture needs to be replaced. The bread was not fresh and the lunch menu did not have any good deals.
$16 lunch special of sea scallops and shrimp over pasta seemed expensive. -
Review from Philip J.
Reston, VA
1/25/2011
I live on Lake Anne. This is a favorite family restaurant. Brunch ( Sat & Sun 'til dinner) is eggs benedict or quiche. Both are good. My granddaughter always gets the escargot (I got her to try one on a dare) and the grilled chicken pasta. I look at the specials. I ordered the entrecote (steak) once and loved it. Other reviewers have mentioned the view and the luxury of outdoor dining with NO TRAFFIC NOISE! I want to recommend the desserts. The napolean is to die for. The most delicate puff pastry with a delicious filling. I love the creme brulee. The cheese cakes are good as well as the fruit offerings. Dessert costs almost as much as an entree, which runs the bill up a bit. But it is worth it. I usually spend $100 - 150 for a group of four. Not busy for Saturday or Sunday brunch.
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Review from Earl H.
Reston, VA
8/26/2010
An enduring Lake Anne classic. While not everything is perfect, the quiche and pate are exceptional.
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Review from Lynn S.
1/9/2008
A local spot on the Lake Anne waterfront that offers dining outdoors in nice weather. They serve just average fare, but it's fresh and reasonable, around $15 an entree at lunch. The menu includes grouper, tilapia, trout and chicken, as well as a more reasonable individual pizza, hamburger, or salad nicoise for lunch. They also offer Vietnamese specials like Hanoi Beef Noodles or Shrimp Dumplings (not especially good, with more pork than shrimp) and spring rolls. Service is slow, but pleasant.
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Review from Kelly W.
Reston, VA
6/10/2010
Love coming here for the lovely outdoor seating. The food is good, service as well. No complaints, and i've been there over ten times.
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Review from Constance C.
Washington, DC
5/28/2009
Another parent-approved place in Reston! Mom loved her spicy sausage linguine and Dad kept sneaking bites off her plate. Dad declared his veggie and ham omelet delicious so we were very relieved. So relieved that I don't remember much about our food. I guess I had a decent pate sandwich and I remember stealing some of my husband's fries, which were crispy and lightly seasoned.
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Review from Shawn H.
Germantown, MD
6/3/2008
Pretty good for Reston! I like the outdoor seating. The Salad Nicoise was not so hot but my co-workers really enjoyed their sandwiches. So much for eating healthy! ;-)
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Review from paul r.
Reston, VA
5/15/2010
Just got back from our first visit. We are new Restonians & are trying as many restaurants as possible. This one was fantastic--great service, great atmosphere. Please try the quiche! It was fantastic--we had the crab one. The steak sandwich was slightly above average, but the martinis were delicious & very reasonably priced.
