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Farmers & Fishers - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
3000 K St NWFountain Level
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 298-0003
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
297 reviews for Farmers & Fishers
Review Highlights
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"The waterfront is a great place to drink." In 83 reviews -
"We had the crab dip, which was awesome." In 25 reviews -
"Chocolate covered bacon lollipops (so good." In 6 reviews
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297 reviews in English
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Review from Scott L.
Fairfax, VA
7/14/2011
I actually came here on my first date with my girlfriend so this place stands out to me for that reason. The location is definitely great. Not only is the restaurant near Georgetown but it's also right by the waterfront so it's nice to take a stroll before or after your meal.
We tried the chocolate-dipped bacon lollipops -- it wasn't my thing but maybe it's something you could enjoy. I had the farmhouse crispy-skin duck breast. I don't have duck very often so I might not be the best judge but I thought it tasted very good.
Our server was very nice and attentive. I reserved a table right by the large windows so we could enjoy the view of the water fountain in front of the restaurant. Unfortunately, the fountain was drained that night so it wasn't much of a view. The overall experience of the restaurant was really good though. -
Review from Francis K.
Odenton, MD
2/24/2012
The food was ok, the service was really slow and the selection is really not that impressive. It is a nice concept but the experience was definitely not a memorable one.
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Review from Amber J.
Washington, DC
4/11/2011
Good location, decent food, HORRIBLE service.
The first time I came here the service was so bad that the manager gave us a coupon to come back for apps and drinks on the house. So when we went back to use that coupon, you would think that it would be a better experience but it was actually even worse.
A waiter did not even come greet us for 20 minutes after we were seated; it took an hour for him to take our order after he took our drink order; we ordered wine and he brought us the bottle, placed it on the table with the cork still in it, and didnt retrun to uncork the bottle....ever. I had to take the bottle to the bar and have them open it for us. The food took about an hour to get there and came out so staggered. It was just ridiculous.
I will not be retruning and don't recommend it unless you have all night to dilly-dally around waiting for subpar food. -
Review from Hue K.
2/16/2011 2 photos
3.5 stars-Brunch review
Trust me on this...
When you go buffet, you feel better if you get stuffed with items known/seen to be expensive at other restaurants or grocery stores. Once you score something fancy, then u can fill yourself with usual stuff like bacon, french toast, even biscuits..
Strategy is.. how to get your money worth.. $25..
1. Get egg Benedict with crab meat. This is easily $15 at most restaurants. Skip the English muffin and double up crab meat.
2. Get a bowl of soup. small bowl. very tasty. don't fill yourself up with soup though.
3. Get a few slices of ham or whatever they are slicing..
4. bite size of carrot cake and chocolate cake and cream pie. Not Great but much better than one you get from most grocery stores.
5. Crab dip: tasty but Extremely heavy .. so just try a bite, not a bowl.
6. Please no salad. .. not when you come here for buffet.
Like Dana z. said, it's hit and miss.. I wouldn't come here during brunch if you want good seafood dish. Just one fish dish and some pasta with seafood (or mussel) available.Listed in: Brunch
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Review from N A.
Alexandria, VA
4/12/2011
WORST DINING EXPERIENCE EVER!!!
I have never written a review on Yelp but today I made an account just so that I could let everyone know how horrible of a restaurant this place really is. It was honestly the worst dining experience of my life and it's a shame because the food is actually decent.
We got to there at about 8pm and there was about a 30 min wait, not too bad and I am not complaining because we had not made reservations. We waited at the bar and had a few drinks and we were seated at around 9pm. This is when the fiasco began...
Our waiter (who was completely clueless) came over to our table and started explaining something about the menu, but we could not understand a single word he was saying. We ended up ordering the gauc and chips as the appetizer and since my boyfriend and another one of our friends was at the bar he said he would be back in a bit to take our order. He came back about 15 min later to take our order and he was totally confused about the menu. One of our friends wanted to order the crab cakes and he literally had to repeat his order 3 times and continuously point at the menu until he FINALLY understood what he wanted. My boyfriend ordered a fish sandwich and my other friend and I ordered the steak and fries. We didn't want the vegetable of the day so we asked to substitute the veggies with mashed potatoes and assumed our order was taken care of.
We then ordered 2 cokes and 2 waters and another round of white sangrias....the cokes didn't come out for 30 minutes and we had to ask THREE times until we finally got them. Even then, our own waiter didn't bring it out...it was brought out by another water along with a glass of ice that was filled up halfway with water because the ice had melted. The rest of us were then served warm water in glasses that were chipped around the rim, we actually had to be careful not to cut our lips on the glasses. Oh, and we never got our sangrias.
It was now 9:45...45 minutes after we had been seated and ordered and we STILL did not have our appetizer. All it was was a simple guac and chips!!! they even make the guac table-side so how could it possibly take so long!? The manager finally showed up a the table with the chips and avocado and other ingredients to make us our guac...only to discover that the avocados were not ripe enough so she had to go back to the kitchen to get another avocado. This took another 10 minutes and at this point we were all just super frustrated. She came back to the table finally and made our guac and said she would take care of it and that we wouldn't be charged for it and also said she would be back with our sangrias. At this point we thought our night would start improving...yea right!!!! she did bring us our sangrias....but two red wine sangrias!!
So we waited for another 20 minutes...it was after 10 at this point. Still no dinner...our waiter randomly showed up at the table with a glass of white sangria, set it down at the table and ran off before we could say anything. At this point we had two glasses of red sangria and one of white, how that makes any sense, I have no idea. The manager came back to the table to check up on us, when we pointed out the sangria mix up she basically said it was OUR fault and that we didn't specify what we wanted. Another manager showed up at our table when we complained that we still had not received our dinner and said that we needed to be patient because we had put in our order only 15 min ago...SERIOUSLY??!?! it had been over an HOUR!!!
So finally....after we had been sitting around for over an hour, our dinners came out. My boyfriend and his friend's food came out right, except the fries were soggy and the food was lukewarm but what really put us over the edge was that my food and my friends food came out wrong!!! we had both ordered steak and fries with mashed potatoes substituted for the veggies of the day...i somehow got a ribeye steak with mashed potatoes and she got a rare steak with only mashed potatoes. When I pointed out ot the waiter that our food was wrong he had the audacity to tell ME what I had ordered and that he would send the manager over. At this point we were fed up and all got up and left. The couple sititng next to us had been there for almost 30 minutes and had not received their appetizers yet...we wished them luck.
At this point our night was completely ruined and we ended up at Five Guys up the street since pretty much everything else was closed and I must say fast food has never tasted so good!!
This place is a waste of time and money and has by far the WORST service I have ever experienced. Save yourself the money and the time and don't go to this poor excuse for a restaurant. You would seriously think a restaurant on the waterfront would have better service. NEVER AGAIN!!! -
Review from cath e.
Arlington, VA
4/2/2011
The food was delightful. Echoing the experience of other reviewers, they were out of a lot of things - practically the entire dessert menu, for one - when we went but the things we ordered were pretty terrific.
The service, on the other hand, was abysmal. Our waiter reached levels of apathy and indifference that I didn't think possible! As a former waitress, I definitely understand that servers are human and have bad days too - but this was inexcusable. He didn't know the menu, he didn't know what the kitchen was out of, and we kept waiting waiting waiting for everything (including little things like water!). We resorted to flagging down hosts and other waiters to get silverware, refills, and clarification about what was on the menu. I ended up leaving the smallest tip I can remember leaving - practically criminal for a service industry veteran.
If you go, make sure you have no other plans for the day because it's going to take 20 minutes for your water to arrive. -
Review from Dana Z.
1/23/2011
Who doesn't LOVE a BRUNCH BUFFET???
It's honestly not the best brunch buffet ever... sadly the food has that mass-produced generic feel to it. Some of the items were even cold when I sat down to eat. I'm thinking maybe their regular menu might be a better choice when it comes to quality.
A few comments about brunch...
-The mimosas are ultra pulpy. Not really my thing... a little is okay. These were borderline overkill pulp
-The bacon is freakin the BOMB.
-French toast, eh
-The taco bar is a cool idea in theory. But again, it was mass produced and sitting out for a while and wasn't all that good.
-Desserts were yum.
- Wings were very yum.
Overall kinda just hit and miss. But it's a good place to bring that guy friend you have that can eat for hours and not gain any weight. -
Review from Tiffie L.
3/14/2011 1 photo
As a die hard fan of Founding Farmers, I do not make it out to Farmers & Fishers too often. I came here once before and today returned when a friend wanted to grab an early dinner. Farmers & Fishers operates under the same concept as FF, so of course, the food is wonderfully fresh!
Farmers & Fishers is definitely less crowded and I enjoyed the menu. There are pizzas, pastas, salads, tacos, and of course meats/seafood. I think the appetizers and salad options at FF are probably better, as I did not see anything that really caught my attention.
I ordered the Baja Style Fish tacos (3 in one order), which was awesome. They were tender and crisp and topped with some mango salsa. It came with a side of salsa as well. My friend tried the Chicken, Apple and Goat Cheese tacos. Honestly, I couldn't taste the apple, but it was still great!
The server was friendly and patient (we took a while to get settled down as we were trying to get quarters for the parking meter) and made sure to refill our water often. I enjoyed my time at Farmers & Fishers and would like to drop by again soon! -
Review from Katie L.
Bethesda, MD
4/12/2011
My experience at Farmers & Fishers was a total disappointment. I wanted to take my cousin out to dinner for her birthday and she chose this place due to it's philosophy of serving fresh, organic, sustainable food. I totally agree with that philosophy but someone should tell the chefs here that even though you serve great ingredients, you still have to make them taste good!!!
I reluctantly ordered a $12 cocktail (it was a celebration after all) and it was delicious though expensive. We started with the mussels with bacon and blue cheese and we should've just stopped right there and not ordered anything else. The mussels were served in creamy, hot broth and were absolutely delicious. We were enjoying everything at this point...then our entrees came...about 3 minutes after our appetizer was delivered. Fail.
I ordered the cowboy chicken and I got a bland, greasy chicken breast with an ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure it wasn't even seasoned with salt and pepper. This was all served over the "vegetable of the day" which was actually a nasty mess of shredded carrots, celery and unidentifiable white vegetable cooked long enough to make them mushy with a vaguely cinnamon flavor. I thought the vegetable of the day would've been some fresh asparagus or zucchini or broccoli. That mess they served was gross and bizarre and I have no idea how people actually eat it without complaining. I asked our server to substitute something else because I wasn't feeling it and he brought me steamed broccoli (with too much pepper) which he later charged me $4 for. How does that make sense?
My cousin ordered the ahi tuna salad which is listed as an entree salad but definitely wasn't big enough to be an entree and instead of a tuna steak, it came with weird bits of tuna already cut up and sort of mushy. She said it was decent but by the end of the meal, was just as disappointed as I was.
Our server was very nice but not at all knowledgeable about the menu when we asked for recommendations. Overall, we left and were just kind of bummed out. We had high expectations but the bland chicken, strange veggies, and not feeling as if we got our money's worth was just a huge disappointment. I don't think anyone could convince me to go back here, not even the promise of a free meal. Such a shame. -
Review from Mary K.
Silver Spring, MD
3/30/2011
I like the decor and the space. But for a restaurant that focuses on sustainable farming and using high quality products they don't justify the quality with the flavor.
Came here because my office was having our retreat, each of us ordered a dish and shared family style, so each of us had the opportunity to try a little bit of everything. The best thing was probably the fish taco.
My coworker who raves about Brussels sprouts encouraged me to try them. I tried them, wasn't a fan at all and then she tried them and was surprised they weren't good. I tried everything else, wasn't too great.
I ended up trying to give Brussels Sprouts a second try by buying a $5 bulk bag from Costco and Googling a recipe and I realized how great Brussels Sprounds really are and how badly Farmers and Fishers messed up.
Verdict: Overpriced Hype. -
Review from Sophia P.
Washington, DC
Updated - 11/30/2010
Yikes! I rescind my prior 4-star review! My friends and I went back a week ago and had the worst experience ever, hands down. It was one bad thing after another. Unfortunately for them, I could have handled that. But the most disappointing part was the way the management handled it. Pretty sad.
First, it took more than 15 minutes to even be approached by a server. We were starving. (In hindsight, I don't know why we chose to the furthest restaurant to get to. Probably a dumb move on our part.) Eventually someone took our drink order, but evidently it wasn't technically OUR server so she couldn't take our food order. (I don't blame the servers for not wanting the neglected table. I wouldn't either but at this point we were still giving them the benefit of the doubt.)
It's not worth it to sit here and type out the laundry list of complaints we have against this place. I've worked for a lot of restaurants and I just don't get the feeling that this one is the kind that would read customer reviews and even care to fix their issues.
Let me just say that we politely made it clear to two different managers that we just wanted to order our dinner. (Seriously we were reeeeally hungry at this point.) Neither of them did anything about it and neither of them apologized. One of them actually brought us the check and we were sure she was going to say SOMETHING nice or at least explain the situation. Nope. She goes, "Well, here's your check." To which I said, "Thanks." She said, "You're welcome" and walked away. She didn't say it in a snarky way, but we still thought it was a pretty fitting way to end the night.
EDIT:
Haha it's closed.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/3/2010
In addition to the food, I really enjoyed the service and the atmosphere. It's a nice restaurant… Read more »
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Review from Serena B.
3/23/2011
I didn't even know until I arrived that Founding Farmers is its sister restaurant, but all the better.
A few of my dinner companions arrived early for a drink at the bar and enjoyed the plethora of options for delicious cocktails. I was off alcohol for the day, but had a glass of sweet tea. It wasn't as good as I've had at Founding Farmers, but it was still satisfying.
Once we all arrived, we were seated promptly at a table close to the windows. I can't wait til spring comes and they have the fountain back on, I can imagine it will be much more popular here during the summer. I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake sandwich, the market price for the day was $16 so that seemed reasonable. I was not a fan of the coleslaw, it was too vinegary and lacked flavor. My friends also enjoyed their dishes: spicy tuna salad, mussels and linguine, and sweet potato dumplings (be advised it was a bit fru-fru).
There didn't appear to be a printed dessert menu, but our waitress told us the menu (it was mostly cakes- carrot cake, chocolate cake and maybe another one) and I was intrigued by the cookie platter. It included a chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, shortbread, peanut butter and a coconut macaroon. The cookies were decent, but nothing too special. I probably could have done without.
I will definitely come back again as I enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was delicious. It would be a good option for out-of-town guests too. -
Review from Jeffrey S.
Arlington, VA
I wanted to like this place. I really did. It had all the promise of a 5 star review; prime G'town waterfront location, welcoming & comfortable ambiance, and a generous food & drink menu. But in the end, my experience at Farmers & Fishers was nothing to write home about... but definitely something to Yelp about.
I was there recently to celebrate a good friends 40th birthday. Our reservations were at 5pm on a Saturday night. We were a large party of about 17 and were seated shortly after arriving. Our server took our drink order while we reviewed the menu. All of our drinks came out with the exception of my girlfriends glass of wine. After a kind reminder to another server, her drink was finally delivered about 20 minutes late. Perhaps it was a a premonition but that's when things started to slowly go downhill.
We put our food orders in. Our server was meticulous in capturing our order and the seating assignment to insure our food was delivered to the correct person. It was restaurant week in DC and a few of us took advantage of the fixed menu while others opted to order from the regular dinner menu. Our server came back to reconfirm our orders not once, not twice, not three times... but four times! It became quite the joke at our table. And just to be fair, we had two unexpected guests show up that were not on the original reservation. But nevertheless, he seemed a little confused and obsessed with the seating assignments for food placement.
It took some time but I think he finally had it figured out. Or did he?
So let's fast forward. TWO HOURS LATER.
No food. Limited drink refills. Our server, the "Unicorn" as we aptly nicknamed him (often spoken of but rarely seen) came back with the restaurant manager to confirm our food order yet AGAIN. She was visibly frustrated. We overheard him tell her that we somehow screwed up the ordering when our two extra guests arrived. Um, really? Is it that hard to simply punch in two additional entrees? Don't try and place the blame on your customers especially when your customers are sitting right behind you.
With our water glasses empty, we kindly asked the the manager if we can get refills. She obliged and came back to personally fill our glasses. She also apologized for the wait. She explained that there was some confusion in the kitchen because it was a large order and some of our food got delivered to another table. She then looked at me and said, "And you originally ordered the crab cakes?". I replied, "No, I ordered the salmon and that has never changed." She apologized and assured us that it was all straightened out.
Within a few minutes, our food was delivered! Servers galore came marching in with our plates of food! I whispered to the table, "Now let's see if they know what food goes where." The first server come to the table and exclaims, "So who had the Clams, Garlic, Bacon and Linguine?!". Another server says, "I've got a Steak and Fries!".
Unbelievable. After two and a half hours of waiting and five order/seating confirmations, the servers ended up calling out the food for us to claim. Why even bother obsessing about the process when the system clearly is not being used? It was a huge waste of time and effort that unfortunately permeated throughout the entire meal. And to make things worse, we were missing one entree! In fact, that entree did not come out until halfway through our dinner. We had flagged down the manager to ask her where it was. She seemed visibly upset and hurried back to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later his food finally arrived although most of us were pretty much done eating at that point.
Oh yeah, the food... well given the horrible service, I honestly can't recall whether the food was excellent or horrible. I ordered the Salmon (Simple Style). I suppose that it was just "okay". It certainly wasn't memorable. I will say that the drink I ordered, the "Organic Cucumber Delight" was amazing. Was it $12 amazing? Possibly.
In the end management was proactive and didn't charge us for the one entree that was delivered late. And they didn't automatically add gratuity to our check for our large party. Was it enough to make up for the unacceptable service? No. And quite frankly, if you don't care about me as a customer, then why should I care about you as a restaurant?
So it's suffice to say that I will won't be coming back. -
Review from Paul H.
Washington, DC
1/29/2011 1 photo
Went here for restaurant week
The MD crab dip app was A+ and my steak and fries meal was amazing. I will definitely be back -
Review from Marc H.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 11/8/2010
It had been about 9 months since I last visited Farmer's and Fishers and I must say this place has improved significantly since then.
I had a meeting with some partners of mine and requested to be sat in one of the cabana style booths in front of the open kitchen. While we eventually ended up ordering entrees, we only thought we'd be ordering some drinks and maybe a couple of appetizers. The service couldn't have been better. While many places would have been irritated with us taking up one of the booths and not really ordering food, our waitress was more than happy to let us sit there, with laptops and all, and talk shop until we eventually decided to order food.
The only thing I can comment on is the Hawaiian Ribeye... wow. If you like the rendition they do at Houston's you gotta try this one. So good. Someone else ordered the grilled salmon, with the salt and pepper preparation, along with an order of spinach and they were raving about how good it was. You know you're doing something right when a simple piece of fish, unsauced, along side spinach with garlic makes someone rave about the food. That's a testament to the quality of ingredients Farmers and Fishers uses.
We had great service, they were 100% accommodating when we weren't really there to eat, and when we finally did order food the quality was fantastic. Oh and the bar scene was bustling and the place was pretty much packed on a Wednesday night. Can't ask for much more than that!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2010
Some history and clarification before we proceed.
1) Agraria has nothing to do with Farmers and… Read more »
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Review from Jenna R.
Austin, TX
2/6/2011
Quite possibly the WORST service I have ever had at a restaurant.
We were meeting up with a couple there, and they made it before we did and therefore already had put their drink order in when we arrived. Literally while I was sitting down at the table, the waiter came by and asked what I wanted to drink... ummm, I don't even know where the menu is yet, hold on buddy! My boyfriend kindly asked fro a few minutes so we could look over the choices.
15 minutes later - no waiter. I get the attention of another waiter and ask if we can get ours to come by for our order. This waiter asked what we wanted and then walked off.
5 minutes later - our original waiter shows up, repeats the drink order we gave to the other guy and then walks off.
5 minutes later - our drinks arrive.. well, almost. He brought two of the three orders as he had forgotten one of them. But before he'll give me my drink, he decides he now wants to card me. Perfectly fine as I'm many years into being legal, but thought the timing was weird - and off-putting as he didn't card my boyfriend as well.
We look over the menu and I decide on a pasta dish (heads-up, I'm vegetarian). I notice that the pasta dish, while listing the ingredients and obviously has no meat, doesn't have the vegetarian symbol next to it. When our waiter finally shows up again, I ask him why and am informed that all pasta dishes save one use chicken stock... weird, but whatever - so I'll have the one vegetarian pasta dish. But, no luck, they don't have it today.
So not sure what I can even get at this point, I kindly ask him what he would recommend. Chuckling, he says: "well, you can get the garden salad. I'll even put oil on it for you" WTF?! Are you KIDDING me?
I completely understand if you think my eating habits are "funny", but I am your customer!! You need to be nice! I ended up finding that they have a vegetarian pizza and ordered that. Food showed up 30 minutes later.
Our water glasses were never refilled, he was super slow in service, he MOCKED my eating habits, and was never to be found when we needed to place our order. HORRIBLE place. -
Review from K L.
Washington, DC
4/2/2011
Yikes, what happened here? I used to love this place- nice sophisticated atmosphere, yummy farm to table food, great service. Yet when I visited a few weeks ago, it was ala Disney World or TGI Fridays.
The tables are covered in plastic tablecloths? What? I don't want to eat a $30 entree off a piece of plastic- this isn't Five Guys. Our waiter left mid-meal to "do something important"- she was folding napkins. The salads were so overdressed they were hardly eatable. The crab dip was super greasy.
Sadly, I will not return and I highly suggest you don't either. -
Review from Jeff C.
Alexandria, VA
1/7/2011
Just get the crab dip. It's delicious.
The fish tacos were good too. But the crab dip was just something else. -
Review from Jen K.
Arlington, VA
1/23/2011
This review is for the 2011 Restaurant Week Brunch. 3.5, but I round up.
Buffet for $20.11? uhh have you seen my tagline? tasty brunch options with something for everyone. i won't get too specific since i'm sure the buffet menu changes, but crab artichoke dip was delish and the poached eggs still had yolky middles! not bad for a buffet poached egg. the cheesy grits were AWESOME (per my southern fried boyfriend). i'd skip the starchy dishes (even though i do love rice-a-roni). korean fried chicken was more like sweet and sour chicken with mushy batter (oh bonchon, how you've spoiled me). definitely save room for dessert. all of them. i was particularly keen on the carrot cake. coffee was yummy and endless. HOWEVER, where was my cheese pizza farmers and fishers? where. is. my. pizza.
Down Side: Overpriced drinks. According to their OpenTable profile page, "The Hurricane is the signature cocktail on the bar menu..." the boyfriend, a connoisseur of tiki beverages, was not impressed. Too tart, not enough alcohol. And for $14?? really?? i know it's georgetown waterfront, but come on. if its signature and $14, it better be amazing or come in a punch bowl.
Service: usually i don't think servers at buffets totally merit a great tip. they just clear your plates. these servers were on point, good about refills and re-supplying your silverware so you don't need to use the same ones over and over again. i would point out that once the check came, the attentiveness was not as consistent and we started to get the "we need this table" vibe. but they weren't rude or pushy, so it's cool. considering it was a g-town restaurant, hostesses were friendly and unpretentious.
Ambience: Great! We got a nice, BIG booth for just the two of us. Cute yet trendy - they did a good job of mixing "down home" type decor with some metropolitan flair. The only inconvenience is that the old skool plastic coated picnic table cloth kept shifting with us as we scooted in and out of the booth. -
Review from Tu-van L.
9/7/2010
***3.25 stars***
Restaurant Week Summer 2010 Review.
Overall, great RW deal, pretty good food (though not mindblowing) for what you get, great drinks menu (alcoholic and non), laid back location.
The RW menu included an order of cheese flatbread pizza for the table, an appetizer, entree, and (I think) dessert. And all of those are full-sized portions too, the size you would normally get when you order off the menu.
I didn't order off the RW menu but a few people from my lunch party did. I was amazed with how much food they got - the portions were huge with all the courses they got.
I ordered the chicken tacos topped with apples and goat cheese. The flavors were pretty tasty and surprisingly good with the combination of flavors. Since two other dining companions also ordered tacos, I was able to try the fish tacos (tasted bland and pan fried) and pork carnitas (mushy and not so stringy but flavorful). We planned well sharing those, and everyone liked the chicken ones the best (between that and the pork are my favorites).
I mainly wanted to go here for the chocolate-covered bacon, so of course I had to order that. I missed getting some when the Yelp Elite event was here many moons ago, so I was relieved to see it on the regular menu and had to make it a point to try it. And like the sister Founding Farmers restaurant, they do their bacon well. Thick, smoky, flavorful, and it complemented very well with the hand-dipped chocolate. Just be sure when you order it you have others who want to try some - an order comes with six pieces.
A more laid back, fresh feel ambiance and menu to the Founding Farmers counterpart - solid food and relaxed atmosphere on the Georgetown waterfront. A refreshingly laid-back atmosphere that's a great addition to the going-out scene of the area. -
Review from Grace L.
Bethesda, MD
5/17/2011
I love this place. The location is awesome! Right near the Potomac River at the Waterfront in Georgetown, which is very lively at night!
The service has been great every time I have gone there, and their homemade ginger ale is amazing! I love their concept of serving fresh, sustainable, organic cuisine as well!
I will definitely continue to go back. -
Review from Andrew K.
Washington D.C., DC
4/7/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I love its location first of all; being right near the waterfront, it was great to enjoy the sunset over the Potomac River after eating and take slow nice drags on a cigarette.
The service was surprisingly very good. The host quickly seated us, and the waitress did a great job accommodate our needs. She explained the fresh catch of the day succinctly, and the soup of the day as well as other side details. Food was brought out fairly quickly, and she checked up on us frequently if we needed anything.
Food itself was satisfying, albeit a little salty. The guacamole (with the chips) was too strong on the salt, and my mahi-mahi could've used less salt. My friend had no problem with his ravioli dish, but the fish taco bread texture was seriously lacking; it felt too grainy and rough on my tongue. Nonetheless, the fish was made very well, and the vegetables that came along with my dish tasted spectacular.
Based on skimming the other reviews, it seems that service is a hit or miss here. For me, it was a definite hit, and I'd love to come back here when I'm in need of some quality food, particularly fish. -
Review from Sogol G.
Updated - 1/23/2011
We were invited back to the restaurant last week and had a much better experience this time.
We went there for the restaurant week. The food was amazing and the portions were well adjusted. We were super happy with the service and our table by the window without the table cloth was great.
Our server was very nice and attentive.
I still believe the height of the chairs are short for the tables (I am 5'3" and my husband is 5'10" and we both thought that chairs could be more comfortable) but nothing that we couldn't deal with.
We had a great night and will go back again.
I appreciate the management attention in my review and wish them good luck.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/21/2010
Liked the bar didn't like restaurant. Bar stools were short for the height of the bar countertop.
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Review from Denise F.
1/22/2011
I went here for restaurant week for lunch. I got the fish tacos and the chocolate cake with a nice hot tea because it was like 15 degrees outside!
The fish tacos were so good. The chocolate cake was a pretty decent size for a restaurant week dessert. The ice cream was yummy!
I love tea. The waiter brought out a list of teas with very exciting titles and couldn't choose. I asked my waiter Denis D who struggled a little to explain what the sunrise tea consisted of and if it was good. I went with a lavender tea which was fantastic. It came out in a HUGE tea pot.
The service was kind of slow for us since we had to get back to work. After we explained this to our waiter he made sure we would leave on time. :)
Over all pretty good experience. The atmosphere is so chill and laid back. I will be back when the weather is warmer. :) -
Review from Marjee C.
Burke, VA
I enjoyed my food there, as did everyone in our party. However, the service was crazy bad.
We waited for our reservations for a while at the bar. I ordered wine and my glass smelled awful. It smelled like fish, which totally ruined my $12 glass of wine.
We ordered an appetizer that was sort of flung at our group and the server ran away. We had no plates, utensils, or napkins. We had to track someone down for these items. That server came back to fling some plates at us and ran away. Still no utensils or napkins. I ended up taking some from an empty table because they were not even that busy.
I was excited by their cocktail list (now creeped out by their wine glasses), but they were underwhelming.
I also really wanted to try their dessert, but the waiter just took it upon himself to close our tab after dinner. We were sitting there, ready to order dessert and he brought our check by. Not even an offer for coffee. That is such an amateur waiter move, it blows my mind. He kept forgetting details about our order so I guess I should not be surprised. He didn't understand the notes he wrote on his pad so we had to help him make sense of them.
Again, I liked the food I ate there. I t was good. But there are a lot of places in Northern Virginia that serve better food for better prices. We were looking for an evening out in DC. I really felt like it was a disappointing night spent with friends from out of town. This place does not deliver on the buzz it was getting. Totally disappointing. -
Review from Jon H.
1/10/2011
Had the grilled cheese burger and fish tacos. The fish tacos = ridiculously good and tender,crisp, fresh.
The grilled cheese burger is heaven. Its a burger, and with two grilled cheeses. So freaking ridiculous, heart-stopping, melty good.
Other than that, I think this place inflates how busy they are by making you wait while theres like 10 open tables. But service is pretty good (but can be hit or miss, much like Founding Farmers), and prices are decent. Special mixed drinks on the menu are pretty good. -
Review from Krissy R.
Arlington, VA
1/29/2011 2 photos
Very delicious. Unique options, great service, and amazing food. I actually ate at Farmers and Fishers for the first time tonight, and I loved it so much I am motivated to write a review already. I had the chance to try a lot of different items (because I was there with a large party and because it is restaurant week).
Tonight I tried the following, and everything was delicious: garden salad, cheese pizza, ahi tuna appetizer, crab cakes, filet mignon with mashed potatoes, carrot cake, and pan fried chicken. I also tried a few cocktails (there are tons of choices) and they were wonderful. The bartender took the time to explain the drinks to us and was very friendly. He took his time making the drinks and didn't rush us.
The food came out piping hot, and the ingredients were of great quality and freshness. I sat at a great table by the front window (facing the fountain outside). I liked small details, like: the silverware (very interesting and different), the glasses, the water jars for each table, and the crazy hand dryers in the bathroom. Prices are really reasonable considering the location, the portion sizes, and the atmosphere. I'll definitely be back! I took pictures of the food and will post them as well. -
Review from Robert H.
Washington, DC
9/1/2010
I hate writing a negative review but the experience was just ruined. I have enjoyed their sister restaurant Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom before it got too popular. So I decided to give this place a try.
The food was good but hard to enjoy after the experience.
The experience:
10 minutes to be seated after the party arrived, at a half empty restaurant.
45 minutes for drinks, because a large party superceeded us (For $12 drinks it better be worth it)
Food comes before drinks
Bread comes with dinner
30 minutes for water, the waitress who brought the water, not our main waitress said "This is the best tasting water you will EVER have", plopped the water on the table and left.
The manager did comp our round of drinks but it didnt make up for the experience. If you are understaffed, make it right. Atleast send the ice teas out or get us bread.
This place has potential but just got caught off guard that night. But it could have been managed better. -
Review from Kelly M.
Washington, DC
4/9/2011
When I first moved up to DC, and when Groupon first launched, I couldn't be more excited to try this pace with my 50% off deal, formally known as Agraria. We sat outside and everything was good. Maybe I was just excited, having moved to a new city and maybe I just really WANTED to like it because after returning to what is now Farmers and Fishers, I was appalled. Here goes nothing:
We got there early and sat the bar to order some cocktails. The bartender was a complete train wreck, talking loudly to other customers (maybe they were her friends?) about her one night stands. While shaking drinks, alcohol was spraying all over people at the bar: disaster.
We sat down to a wobbly table and were never served any water. Honestly we didn't even know who our server was. It seemed like a zoo in there. By the time our food actually arrived (dishes came 15 minutes apart), we had lost our appetites. The overpriced food was average. I felt bad for the table who was just seated next to us. It took them 20 minutes to be greeted and they looked outright lost and confused.
Overall, not only will I never return, but I will warn any one who plans to go there. I should have known though... The waterfront is semi disgusting anyway! -
Review from Kylie B.
Boston, MA
2/15/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Wow, what a great location! I love being in different cities and hopping in a cab and saying, in an unsure voice, the address you'd like to go to. Then, you end up there after worrying if the cabbie understood and find it is a very well trod, perhaps tourist trap destination.
I am assuming, from the look of this multi-tiered, fountained, boardwalk locale that K St. is just like that!
Right on the river with a long on windows. Nice choice of beer (they have Allagash, what what, go Maine!) with wine and cocktails -- about $9 per glass for the Merlot.
Food was all good, though the chef seems to love goat cheese. It is on a lot of different foods, but it could have been heavier on my chicken, apple, and goat cheese tacos, actually. Don't be scared, chef, pile it on! Tacos has a nice spice to them and I had plenty to eat. The crab dip appetizer (or reason for going there) was nice, though I could've used slightly less burn on my ciabatta. Honestly, I'm just being picky. But, keep in mind that it changes the crab taste a bit, so if you're sensitive just specify!
Loved the Pecan Sweet Potato mini-pie best! Go give the North Dakota Farmers your love (they own it!)! -
Review from Ja'Bette L.
Germantown, MD
7/14/2010
I've got a "DC Half Off" Coupon that's burning a hole in my pocket for this place. I'm dying to check this place out again. If you like great, fresh food, this place is for you. I don't do D.C. too often, mostly because I'm too lazy to drive the 20-plus miles to hang out like some teenager with no cares in the world. However, this place is an exception; Especially in the summer time.
Who doesn't want to chill on the waterfront on a sunny day, eating fresh ingredients, drinking wine, and for a moment forget about your daily grind, crazy co-workers and boss, and all the other crap us adults put up with on a daily basis??? It's a great little getaway, even if just for a day or few hours. -
Review from Kim D.
Washington, DC
1/21/2011
Restaurant Week review - Bf and I have been trying to get together with some friends but were unable to drag them for dinner. No worries - a quick trip on the Circulator got us down to the Waterfront a little before our reservation. We were taken right away and seated in a great booth. The menu we previewed online looked tasty, and we were particularly looking forward to the cheese pizza that was supposed to grace everyone's table.
Our server seemed hurried but not too rushed to tell us about the restaurant and menu, and several fish options available to us. I ordered a Blackberry Julip, as I believe I've had one at Founding Farmers a long time ago and liked it. Bf got a Sasparilla.
Coming up behind our server was another server with a pizza. An entire pizza for the two of us. Suddenly, the bf and I were dare I say it - glad that our friends couldn't make it. More pizza for us. Oh how I love a doughy crust! It was awesome.
As we were finishing up, our first course came out - I got the MD crap dip with toasted ciabatta, and bf was good and got a salad. He said the salad was good, lots of varied greens and veggies. The dip was good but rich, and I regretted not getting the butternut squash soup instead, since I just ate half a pizza. Seeing that I couldn't finish, our server offered to box up the rest of my dip, AND provided me with additional bread. This is going to be great leftovers, horray!
Main course time, and I'm already stuffed - and I got the Steak and fries. Bf was good (again) and got the mahi mahi with the horshradish crust. Steak is cooked to my liking, fries are tasty and served with a side of ketchup, what more could I ask for? Nothing... except maybe a bit of that fish and his veggie medley. He spared a bite, but not much else for me...
Dessert was either chocolate cake or carrot cake. We each got a slice - my carrot cake was small but very good, and bf's chocolate was on the larger side but rich.
For restaurant week, they gave us full sized portions for each course - I wasn't expecting that. Certainly not after an entire pizza! It was a great value and for the first time in a long time, the service out was outstanding.
I'd been a little nervous going here after reading the reviews of bad service (and having my own issues at their sister restaurant Founding Farmers on NUMEROUS occasions).
In short, I was relieved that I didn't have to micromanage my meal. Thank you so much for a wonderful dinner! -
Review from Angela P.
Potomac, MD
11/6/2010
I disagree with others that say this place was unremarkable. Decorations alone and seating choices-I say that already stands on its own. I love how this place changes up the menu and how the server has a story about each item. Really appealing dishes with layers of flavor.
Don't go in there where high expectations (pompous) but instead an open mind. Let the experience itself guide you. -
Review from Maxwell W.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2011
UPDATE: They sent us free vouchers for appetizers, which we made a meal out of so I guess they fixed the issue.
We had a reservation for 8pm. We left at 8:52.
Don't come here. It's not worth it. -
Review from IH K.
Portland, OR
7/22/2009
I whole heartedly believe in conscientious eating and was super-impressed with Agraria's mission to support sustainable agriculture. I was SO impressed that when asked to choose a dinner spot to the going away party I was being coerced to attend (my own going away, mind you) I selected Agraria. I'm still a bit mortified by having to take responsibility for this choice.
I dragged a gaggle of friends here, to include a few yelpers (see their reviews below). There's not so much I can add-on to their reviews. My duck and Michael's steak were both brown all the way through - clearly not the medium doneness we had requested. I had actually gone as far as clarifying for our waitress what shade of pinkness I meant when I said "medium." I probably wouldn't have minded the overcooked meat much, but the seasoning was underwhelming and the sauce was beginning to congeal when it reached our table.
However, since my focus was to hang out with my friends and swing back some booze, I was willing to let the food disaster go. BUT THEN, I asked for absinthe w/ the sugar shabang. What did I get? A sugar rimmed shot glass of absinthe. Seriously? Is this an Absinthe drop shot? I didn't want to fuss, so I just sipped (very carefully) until our waitress announced an "absinthe demonstration" where a "specialist" would make the exact drink I had ordered, but did not receive. For goodness sake, there was a freaking "specialist" on hand and the waitress continued to pretend she didn't understand my original order. I had her correct my drink, but we were still charged for it.
Needless to say, selecting Agraria pushed my non-foodie friends to second guess the foodie status they've bestowed on me. I was shamed :( -
Review from Kevin L.
6/25/2009
I can't speak to what Agraria was like prior to its recent makeover and relaunch, but I -can- say with authority that based on my brief experience here Tuesday night with a friend, it shows extreme promise.
For starters, the space is fresh, fun, and airy. With the vast majority of the restaurant contained by floor-to-ceiling windowed doors that open up toward the fountain at the end of Washington Harbor, it's almost like being outside, without actually. For those that prefer dining al fresco proper, there's also an expansive patio with giant umbrellas for limited shade from the sun.
Given that it was late on a Tuesday evening, it's no surprise we were able to saunter up and have the bar pretty much to ourselves. Joe makes a solid Old Fashioned (interestingly, sans the typical orange slice or maraschino cherries. No complaints - it was strong and well-balanced. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I was feeling good after the one.
It appears that their food model is subject to the same challenges as that at Founding Farmers, Agraria's sister restaurant. Love the concept of fresh, sustainable food. Not so big on the being out of popular food items because others have ordered it all day long -- in our particular case, the calamari appetizer. I get it. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
Definitely a joint I'd be willing to stop by for a lunch on the patio, enjoying the white noise of the fountains, and sipping on a cocktail. Looking forward to more, now that I know where it is. -
Review from Lydia M.
Burke, VA
Updated - 7/31/2009
MUCH BETTER!!!
After my initial review, I was contacted by a gentleman named Neil, who I believe is a partner in the restaurant group. I was pleased that he addressed my concerns and offered me a gift card for a future visit. Mind you, I had spent about $65 on my previous visit and was shocked to find a $100 gift card in my mailbox. This was MORE than generous!
I have a friend that works 2 blocks from Agraria and decided to drop by and give them another go... Well, I'm pleased to say that Agraria has stepped their game up!
We started with the onion rings and sliders w/ fries... PERFECT! Both were flavorful and served promptly. My Watermelon Creole Punch was so refreshing that I had two!!! As an entree, I selected the crabcakes again. The crabcakes were amazing and the rice a roni, which lacked flavor on the previous visit, was absolutely delicious. I was not so pleased with the string beans which appeared overcooked and lacked the vibrant green coloring.
Our server, Berto was very accomodating and friendly. Apparently there was a large party and our entrees took longer than normal to arrive. The restaurant did not appear to be full, so I think that is something the restaurant needs to work on a bit...
Overall, I was quite pleased and am thankful for the opportunity to have given Agraria another try!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2009
Have you ever looked at a menu and made your decisions only to find that they werent available or no… Read more »
Comment from Neil N. of Farmers & Fishers 7/13/2009
Lydia Thank you SO much for taking the time to share your… More » -
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Review from Michael H.
Long Beach, CA
7/13/2009
The waterfront is a great place to drink. Not eat. Unfortunately, Agraria fits this pattern completely. [Update: Farmers & Fishers IS the same ownership as it was when it was Agraria. When you have to change the name in order to try and distance yourself from your past customers' bad experiences, you know there's a major problem.]
Agraria has wonderful cocktails, poor service and abysmal food. I had the "steak medallions," which I ordered medium, which turned out to be skirt steak cooked far far too long (it was practically jerky) and slathered in A-1 steak sauce. (I've never eaten A-1 before. My girlfriend told me that was what it was. I always thought that smell was what they used to clean the tables in mediocre restaurants.) It was inedible. Others also complained about grossly overcooked food. As far as I'm aware, the only person at our table of over 10 who was quite happy with her food was the person who ordered beef ribs, but then again, those are pretty difficult to overcook.
There was a major disconnect between our server, who was very nice, and the runners and bussers, who were completely incompetent. The food came out randomly and was brought to the table haphazardly. The drinks were forgotten altogether or very late (like an hour or so). Our server took many things off the bill without being asked, but at the same time, the meal was something of a disaster.
Finally, the cocktails are terrific: The watermelon whatever it was was awesome. Unfortunately, the menu does not say what's in any of the drinks, and you may wait forever for them so it may be a mixed bag. I'd suggest that, if you go here, you go to the bar only. -
Review from Kathleen M.
Atlanta, GA
10/20/2008
Everytime I come down to the Waterfront, I realize I like it less and less. It's just so not my scene. And it's a shame, really, because it's a beautiful area that certainly has a lot of potential. I can handle it during the week, but on weekend nights it turns in to a total shitshow.
I came to Agraria to staff a work party so I basically had to sit at the front of the restaurant and answer questions, ask people to sign in, pass out nametags, etc. I had met the various managers before the evening began and they were all very welcoming and helpful: exactly what you'd expect good restaurant managers to be.
As my coworker and I settled in for the longhaul, I realized I hadn't had dinner and so I decided to check out the menu. There were lots of tasty looking options: fried green tomatoes, grilled cheese with tomato soup, scallops, etc. I ended up ordering the paella, which was pretty good. Nothing absolutely spectacular about it, but it was tasty. My coworker's steak tartare looked awesome.
The restaurant itself is beautiful and I really liked the layout. Large open bar at the front with quieter dining areas toward the back. It unfortunately does not have water views, but they've obviously taken that into consideration and designed a beautiful space.
As I said, I'm not one to ever make a special trip to the Waterfront, but if I somehow ended up there again, I'd head to Agraria over any of the other snooty options. -
Review from Sahar R.
Updated - 11/15/2010
**FOOD AND DESSERT REVIEW**
After my first review, Farmers and Fishers invited me back. You can tell the restaurant was truely interested in pleasing its customers when they ask for a redo. My issue the time I went was with the service and botched food. However, since I know how great the food at Founding Farmers is I knew this place had potential.
So on a warm November day, the type of day you expect crowds on the Georgetown waterfront, we come in right before a hockey game. Being a little tight on time, we focused on the important meal basics: alcohol and sugar. Luckily, I was assigned the attentive waiter who was the one who noticed us and got us our other waiter's attention the last time. It was less crowded and seemed to be more in order. We ordered drinks (my all time favorite Dark n' Stormy) and desserts. Let me explain why I love the Dark n' Stormy here. They make their own ginger beer. It's the freshiest tastiest drink ever. There is clearly alot of thought that goes into their bar menu and a variety of drinks that you can not find elsewhere. I am not sure if I remember a dark n stormy in a glass that large a glass here, but I am not complaining.
Then we ordered the soft serve ice cream and mini pies. I love the idea behind the mini pies. Basically you could have your own pie eating contest and not look like a pig. They are perfect individual sized pies and you can order each at $3 or so. I had the key lime and contemplated the peanut butter caramel one.
The manager did stop by to thank us, and hoped all was going well. This was a much better visit, let's hope for more warm days so I can visit!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/28/2010
I love Founding Farmers, and thought I would have a great experience here since it is the same… Read more »
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