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McPherson Sq (Blue, Orange)
Farragut North (Red)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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If you're in the mood for some really great upscale soul food, I don't really know that you can find a better place in DC. The decor is friendly and warm and they have a really great bar with some nice happy hour specials.
Had the fried chicken with potatoes and collard greens, because seriously what else would you get? It was really excellent and even though I eat a lot, this place really fills you up. Had a split a desert with my date, but glad I did because that was great too. As long as you don't think Popeye's is the end all-be all, this place always does the trick...
When I lived in the DC area, my girlfriends and I would always get together at the best restaurants. Since Georgia Brown's came highly recommended, we decided to give the Sunday Brunch Buffet a try.
I really wanted to fall in love with this place. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed. I recall the food as being luke warm and just OK. Perhaps I have a skewed view because we opted for the brunch rather than dinner. Either way, I can't say that I would be in a hurry to return.
On the upside, the service was absolutely wonderful. Everyone from the hostess to the servers exude true Southern Hospitality.
People thought this was:
One of my all time favorites in DC! Fried breaded chicken livers are so good as are the black eyed pea cakes.
Great ambiance for lunch or dinner with friends as well as for business. The wait staff is always seasoned and very professional. The food is just so darn good there and has been consistent for the more than 15 years I have been going there.
I like to celebrate occasions there.
I usually opt for the valet parking and I would recommend making a reservation.
OOh yeah, Fried Green Tomatoes, try 'em! The sweet yams/potatoes (?) were quite good as well, complements any meat dishes pretty well.
This place is a little more upscale, but the food is well worth it. My colleague and I came here after a long day of bureaucratin', and were rewarded with one and a half seats at the bar. We were next to a rather large couple, tourists perhaps, and gained the 1/2 seats we needed after they left. Service wasn't great, but they were pretty busy during dinner service. Had to wait a while to get my beer, but after that it was smooth sailing. Best soul food I've had, but must admit that I'm rather inexperienced in the soul-ful department. Would def. go back tho, for those fried green tomatoes.
Had heard a lot about this place and was glad to finally be able to give it a whirl. Smaller space than I expected but nicely laid out.
Pro's:
Fried Green Tomatoes - Being from the Northeast this is a dish I relish whenever visiting a "southern" destination. These were quite good. My only complaint was that the tomato itself wasn't quite ready for prime time or the slices were too thick. But the breading and accompanying sauce/relish more than made up for it.
Crab Bisque - My friend chose for her app. She said it was excellent. I'm not a fan so I'll take her word for it
Fried Chicken - I loved the fact that the pieces were small enough that you could eat without getting covered in grease yet more than satisfying. Perfectly cooked and the coating...oh so good. I asked to substitute the collards with mac and cheese...smart move on my part! The smashed spuds were good but nothing I haven't had before.
Louisiana "Devil" Shrimp - My friend ordered this dish. Shrimp stuffed with crabcakes, served over mac and cheese. She LOVED it..once again, I took her word for it.
Nothing in the line of desserts was what we wanted at that moment so we skipped.
Con's - Our waiter. He acted like he was doing us a favor. Totally distant and not into his job (or at least our table). When the server came with our dinners she at first had 1 fried chicken dinner and a 1/2 fried chicken dinner. Took her a few minutes to figure it out but she eventually did and was quite sweet about it. He comes over a few minutes later and asks "what happened"....hmmmm not really my job to tell him what he did wrong. Then the check came and it lists everything we did order, plus the 1/2 fried chicken entree. We finally flag the waiter down and I thought he was going to argue with me on it.
GB's is an interesting place. It obviously has a loyal DC clientele and I could see that those patrons received a bit more attention while the tourists were more of an after thought. I had a bit of a problem with that. Will I go again given the opportunity...yes? Will I be upset if the opportunity never arises...not so much.
Finally, a restaurant that lived up to my expectations, and I had pretty high ones.
I am taking off a star because service was so-so (our waiter was nice and friendly when he's at our table, but we had a hard time finding him a few times, and all four of us had empty drinks for a long time and he never came around. We had to flag him down) and they overcooked the pork loin (we asked for medium, it was very well done).
Otherwise the food was amazing!!! I had a taste of both the She Crab Soup and Deviled Eggs, both are YUMO. Another friend got fried green tomatoes and it looked really good too. Next time I want to try the fried catfish. For entrees I got the Devil Shrimp and OMG, one of the best dishes I've ever had, and it's partly because the mac and cheese that came with it was soooooooooooo good. You got three big shrimps filled with lump crab meat, and a chipotle sauce on top. The sauce is a little spicy which is perfect! My fiance got the pork loin special, it was ok, but overcooked as mentioned before. But the candied yam that came with it was really really really good! Another friend got Charleston Perlau, which is huge and looked good. I didn't taste it but he said it was really good. Btw, all their shrimps (except devil shrimp entree) are head-on, but they can cut off the head if you request it when you order.
Drinks we got peach martini (it was ok, I couldn't taste the alcohol), mai tai (that was strong, but I don't like rum so it was ok). The peach/honey butter and biscuits were amazing too.
I would definitely go back to try more things. Everything on the menu looks great and yummi. And honestly, I don't consider myself that big of a fan of southern cooking.
We went to Georgia Browns for restaurant week, and I was excited for some southern cooking. Each dish I had was amazing. Southern fried chicken and fried green tomatoes. These staples of southern cuisine were spot on. The small amount of sugar in the chicken crust creates an amazing light and crispy coating that kept the meat moist.
Why am I giving a bad review ? The two dishes that my fianceé had were inedible. Here first course consisted of over cooked and dry lobster hush puppies. The main course was a deep fried rabbit that was so over cooked, no meat remained. The hard crust on the outside completely killed the rabbit.
My advice on this restaurant is to stick with the basics. The standard menu items including pork chops, chicken, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp and grits were all winners. Avoid some of the more "exotic" foods.
People thought this was:
Went here for the Sunday buffet. It was a bit early for a long island but it was pretty good regardless. The selection was decent but the food was awesome. Never was a grits fan until I had them here. The buffet is pricey so come hungry. They also let you order a dish to take home after you're done eating.
People thought this was:
I have serious love for this place, the food, no matter what I've had has always been incredibly good. Consistently excellent quality no matter if its lunch or dinner...which is not always the case in many restuarants.
The price is certainly in line with the quality of service and food.
One thing...I think the servers all speak with fake southern accents. I had trouble listening to the last server...or maybe I just get servers that are actually from the south.
Anyway, I've always been here with reservations but I know lunchtime is packed in the waiting area...so I think reservations are probably a good idea.
People thought this was:
Outstanding service, our waiter was Julius and he as fabulous. Went with some friends after happy hour Thursday night at the Jefferson Hotel (which I also highly recommend). The Georgia Brown's appetizer sampler with catfish fingers, fried green tomatoes and some other goodies was divine. I ordered the red snapper with lump crab meat...YUM! Oh and also a side of the macaroni and cheese. Big thumbs up!
People thought this was:
Fried Green Tomatoes $10 for two pieces of tomatoes
Southern Fried Chicken $20
comes with mash potatoes and collard greens and gravy
Fried Green Tomatoes is nothing more than mayonnaise and battered fried tomatoes, worth $6 not $10
Southern Fried Chicken was nothing more than glorified KFC with gravy that was lacking salt and tasted more like water. collard greens had no flavor. chicken had no flavor.
Service was excellent and polite (from host to waiter).
Restaurant on the noisy side. Dress is business casual.
Total meal with appetizer + tax + tip = $40
Be warn that there are many dishes running around $30 - $40. Mine was on the cheap side at $20.
More Foo Foo than quality dishes.
Would I return - NO !
reviewed Oct 2009
If you want chowdah- you go to New England
If you want Italian- you go to North Beach or the North End (haven't tried any other city 'hoods, but I'm open to suggestions)
If you want Mexican- you go to your Mexican friend's mom's house because she makes the best tamales.
If you want Southern- you can start in Washington D.C. and work your way down.
Once the Boston family contingent arrived for my cousin's graduation, she led us over here for our first communal meal. To be honest, I was excited and skeptical. Georgia Brown's, you say? What is this, some kind of diner? Oh wait, the entire Boston contingent drives a BMW, nothing but the best for them.
There are certain cultural foods that make me nervous. Basically all the ones that could potentially have shellfish in them. I saw Forrest Gump. I know how many dishes you can make with shrimp. Those little suckers will sneak up when they can- ready to bring on my nemesis anaphylaxis.
Although the grim reaper was probably hanging around, I managed to avoid his grip. We started off with Fried Green Tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I could eat them with almost anything. I've always wanted to try Fried Green Tomatoes (the dish, not the movie), and I was glad I sampled them here. If you have more than 4 people- definitely get 2 orders. They are quite tasty and you don't want to have to stab someone with your fork to get more. Or maybe you do.
The dinner decision was harder. On the one hand, I knew that any sort of healthy eating was going to go right out the window on this vacation, so I wanted to pace myself. On the other hand, if you're in a place called Georgia Brown's and you just had Fried Green Tomatoes, how can you NOT get Fried Chicken? In the end, the second hand won out (tick tick tick), and the Fried Chicken was ordered, although our lovely waiter let me substitute grits for the mashed potatoes. All I can say is YUM, and oh my god, there goes my bikini body. It was delicious.
The service was fabulous, and the decor was really neat. The seaweed like decorations on the ceiling made me think I was back home surfing- because when I surf I'm usually underwater.
If you're looking for a unique establishment in the D.C. area, I would recommend it.
People thought this was:
I came here on Thursday and went for dinner. It was pretty packed and I didn't make any reservations but it only took us about a 30 min wait. There is a bar next to it so you can get some alcoholic beverages. A beer is $6.50 per glass.
There are two different breads that were given to us one was corn bread and the other one is some other type of white bread style. I didn't really like the corn bread that much but hey it's free!
For our dinner we had 1 devil shrimp which was $29.00. We also got 1 Fried Chicken which was $20.00. The fried chicken taste pretty good it was a little bit on the small side and I wasn't really expecting it to be that small. Our server told us that we shouldn't order an appetizer because the fried chicken and the devil shrimp will be enough for us to eat. Boy was she wrong, I was starving after my meal.
The devil shrimp wasn't my favorite, unlike most yelpers here. I didn't like the sauce that was all over it to me that flavor was strong and not that good. I would suggest not to order this and instead try there fried chicken with maybe some appetizer.
People thought this was:
We sat across from Young Jeezy!! He was very nice..lost a ton of weight!!!
Anyway..this was our FIrst Night in DC..we had reservations here...as soon as you sit down they bring a plate of warm buscuits and cornbread w/ peach apple butter..freaking GREAT! for Apps we order the crab cakes and friend green tomatoes...both were really good..althoug I would have prefered 2 orders of the crab cakes. My entree was the Deviled Louisiana Shirmps..which is shrips stuffed with crab cakes ontop of a bed of mac and chesse and spinach..VERY GOOD!!! A friend order the salmon your way....salmon looked to fresh...str8 out the sea!!!! The dessert was not as great..peacan pie..yuck!! but the presentation of desserts was really good. Oh yes..and out waitstaff was FAB!! The prices are a little much for the quantity of food..its about right for the quality!
ONE STAR EXPLANATION:
Visit Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009
My Brunch-date and I had just finished getting massages at Piaf Salon and Day Spa this Sunday morning. What we were unaware of at the time, was that in a few short hours the streets would be littered with patrons protesting on the Capitol and Mall for gay rights to marriage. Well, we soon found out when we stepped out of the salon, only to realize that the parked car, surrounded by protestors, was going NO WHERE! Well, what is there better to do than eat, and trust me... I was hungry... So, I've heard about this Georgia Brown's for years now, but didn't want to be duped by a sub-par restaurant selling pseudo-Southern cuisine at outrageous prices. And, I'm from Texas/Lousiana... I KNOW real southern food, and I know it doesn't take more than 5 dollars to make fried chicken and fried shrimp for two. Anyway, I digress... Swayed by the sounds of live jazz, a place to sit, and the potential presence of french toast or beignet's we ducked and dove and shuffled our way through the crowd to Georgia Brown's outside seating. Service... Abysmal... 15 minutes to get a simple drink. Server: completely unabashed to show us that he didn't care what we wanted as individual guest, because (If we didn't know) EVERYONE ELSE got their main dishes to go, so that's the way I was going to be relegated to order... Thank you Sir, for putting ME in my place! Now, I'm by no means the quiet and soft-voiced southern belle others profess to be. So, when I attempt to get your attention and you feign deafness... It's just RUDE! No refills on drinks... even after I chased him down TWICE to ask for a drink for my brunch-date. Did we forget? *shrugs* for a $96 dollar brunch check for two, the entire experience was unbelievably HORRENDOUS. Now, to put the One in ONE STAR review....
Adjacent to Georgia Brown's lie an army's arsenal worth of port-a-potty's. LMAO. This is funny already. Ok... So, after the protestors have disembarked... A port-a-potty waste management truck arrives and proceeds to EMPTY these WASTE PODS! Now, what do you think happened? A real life rancid stench, smell and atmosphere to mirror my experience!! And, did management apologize? NO. Did they offer free meals or discounts? NO! Did they care? No! At the very least they could have compensated their guest, and sought the appropriate reimbursement fees from the waste company if they were not given prior notice. But, no. The server, if I could find my receipt I would publish his name here for EVERYONE to avoid was abysmal and rude! And, the rancid aftermath was a testament to the value of this eatery! The management obviously doesn't care! So, by all means... If you are looking for live jazz and better service... Try 701's, Marvin's, Creme Cafe (which is O.K., but MUCH BETTER than this eatery). Stay clear of this place, for your wallet and mental health!
People thought this was:
I stumbled in here last night, quite drunk, but I do remember the meal.
This was the best southern food I've had in DC. The space is gorgeous and modern and the host and staff were terrific. We started with fried green tomatoes. They were perfectly crispy with a nice remoulade sauce. For entree, we had the Carolina Gumbo and the Devil Shrimp. Both were outstanding. The gumbo was on par with what I used to love when I lived in NOLA. And it was decently spicy. My wife's shrimp were also terrific, with what might have been the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted.
We didn't stay for dessert, but we will certainly return for the famed brunch,
Soul-food heaven! My boyfriend and I went to Georgia Brown's on our first night in D.C. and it was a great experience from start to finish. We were whisked into the warm, low-lit dining room, and immediately presented with a basket of warm corn bread and biscuits. While we reviewed our menus and chatted, R&B music played softly in the background, which gave the restaurant a hipper-than-expected vibe. Since this native NY-er doesn't eat a lot of Southern food, I had a lot of questions for our waiter, who couldn't have been more patient or pleasant. I ordered the grilled salmon with roasted fingerling potatoes and seasonal vegetables (green beans, asparagus, and red peppers simmered in a delicious broth). The salmon arrived covered in a cream sauce (not as advertised) so when I asked if I could send it back, this was taken care of swiftly and without any issues. The new plate I got was sauce-free and simply yummy. My boyfriend got the vegetarian sampler--fried green tomatoes, red rice, and other southern classics, and he enjoyed every bite. For dessert, we shared an apple cobbler that was just the right combination of warmth, crunchiness, and sweetness. Pleasantly full, we then took an evening stroll to see the White House by night. Georgia Brown's had put us in a warm and happy D.C. state of mind!
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I'm on 16 and K and my homes Moe is on Vermont and K and in the middle is Georgia Brown's. And that's precisely why we've ended up here so many times. I stick to the same dishes when I come here...I tried to venture and I promptly scurried back in.
The faves:
fried green tomatoes - everyone's favorite!
seasonal beet salad
(who ever knew i liked beets? I'm as surprised as you are!)
Louisiana "Devil" Shrimp - Tender Gulf Shrimp stuffed with Georgia Brown's Crab Cakes, served with sautéed Spinach, Macaroni and Cheese, and a Sweet and Spicy Chipotle Sauce
(YUM YUM YUM this is my usual)
Georgia Browns Crab Cake -Atop sweet Corn Cream with sautéed Spinach and garnished with crispy Sweet Potato Chips
I tried the pan-bronzed halibut ONCE and I didn't enjoy it at all. It was very tough and the fixins that go with it did not go together at all for me :( I felt weird afterwards too...that can't be good, right?
They changed the shape of their cornbread to reflect the likeness of a corn cob which I found...unnecessary. In fact, I think it tasted better muffin-shaped.
It gets pretty crowded, even the bar (it's not that big) so reservations are a good idea. Service has always been very good, some of the best I've experienced in DC. Fast, attentive and they go all the way with packing up your food, they throw in biscuits and cornbread too. A HUGE plus!
Although the food is a bit overpriced, all the other things combined with the food make for a great experience.
People thought this was:
I came here for the famous Sunday jazz brunch, based on a friend's recommendation. I've never tried Southern food before eating here, but I have to say I am impressed! Exceptional standouts were the eggs benedict, grits and pecan pie. The chocolate fountain was also a nice touch and made me feel like a kid again.
You get to pick an entree for Act Two, so I chose the gumbo. It had a very nice seafood flavor and was filled with shrimp and okra. However, it was salty and I had to drink like 4 glasses of water to quench my thirst afterward. It was delicious though.
Service was great, my coffee cup was kept filled throughout the meal and dirty dishes were promptly removed. The jazz band provided pleasant background music, that contributed to the restaurant's warm and home-like atmosphere. Try to get a table towards the back if you can. My friend and I were seated about 20 feet away from the band and it was a bit loud.
$36 is a bit pricey for brunch, but considering that you can take home your entree, it's like getting two meals for the price of one. Plus, Southern food is very hearty so I didn't really eat anything else the rest of the day. This is a worthwhile dining experience that I would recommend trying at least once. It's certainly an enjoyable way to start off a Sunday.
My boss recommended this place to me, as I'm from Seattle and this was my first trip to Washington DC. The food was excellent, the server was extremely knowledgeable, and I found the atmosphere really outstanding. I hate ice tea, but their house peach ice tea was terrific. I highly recommend this place, as something different, and completely enjoyable!
People thought this was:
Three stars because the price of this upscale Southern cuisine establishment simply puts it with the rest of the South's great hole-in-the-wall restaurants. There is nothing in the setting of the restaurant that sets it apart from your typical, metropolitan restaurant. The service is decent but neither memorable nor great. The food is overall fine but flavors are somewhat overmixed at times, particularly with accompaniments.
Most tables around, I observed, are overwhelmingly served the fried chicken, though if you ask the staff, the Devil Shrimp or Crabcake dishes are their specialties.
Unless you do not want to venture outside of the DIstrict, this place is second best to other more plain (and cheaper) southern restaurants just south in Virginia.
I was expecting FABULOUS food from this establishment. I'm so disappointed! The ONLY thing "good" was the cornbread. Started with the "famous" she-crab soup ... I don't know if it was sitting around before it got to me ~ but it was cold and was not as good. I didn't think the soup lived up to it's reputation. Then...for my entree - the fried chicken. This was absolutely flavorless and the gravy was missing somthing ... oh yeah, taste! For the cost of the fried chicken ~ I could've eaten a heck of a better meal at KFC! Utter disappointment.
That was me --my friend ordered the pork dish and it was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to salty. She had to send it back (that's how bad it was!!!) The server explained it away as being "brined" and therefore "salty." I've brined my turkey and chicken and NEVER EVER had it coming out that salty -- and DRY! How can anything BRINED be DRY??!!! HMMMMmmmmmm.....
I never go back to this place nor would I recommend it to anyone AND will think TWICE about going to a restaurant that my friend who recommended this place recommends in the future!!!
IF you're looking for good "southern" food .... this is NOT the place!
SIDENOTE: I don't understand how this place got 4 -5 stars from some of the yelpers ... maybe they had a different chef in the kitchen the night I went...????
Gumbo! Man oh man was it good! The rice was perfectly cooked, the dish itself had plenty of chicken and sausage, and the spicing was spot on, minus a bit of heat that was remedied easily, to taste, with some Crystal Hot Sauce.
Desert was a Banana Bread Pudding that was to die for.
I took guests visiting DC to Georgia Browns for dinner. I had told them how great the food is there. I was very disappointed. The fried chicken was awful. The breading was non-existant and the meat DRY. The deviled eggs were like rubber and the she crab soup had lumps of uncooked flour. I was so embarresed. Its too bad, they used to be good.
Ms. Brown, what has happened to you? Two years has passed since I had the pleasure of first meeting you, and you've really let yourself go. I realize I revisited you during your extended Restaurant Week, but it was Restaurant Week last time, too, so no excuses.
You haven't aged well; your hush puppies are dry and boring, your duck and mushroom soup is watered-down, and your fried chicken doesn't live up to its reputation.
So much for Southern hospitality; the RW menu was pared down for the extension. We were really looking forward to those deviled eggs.
Ho hum.
At least the macaroni and cheese is tasty, the fried green tomato is still as I remembered, and you are serving your greens with pepper vinegar. Our server also ameliorated an unfortunate dessert situation and was generally quite affable.
I'm willing to give you another try, you old housewife, but next time let's try to reignite that spark.
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I ate at Georgia Brown's last night as part of DC Restaurant Week, and it was so good that I ate… Read more »
Date Visited: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Time of Day: Late Lunch
*Note: I am writing this review a month after I visited but this place is so memorable, I can still taste the mouthwatering food.
After years of hearing about how awesome this place is, I decided the perfect time to finally visit would be as a gift to my Mom for Mother's Day. My Mom had been aching to go for 20+ years (which is far too long), so I made reservations for us to go the day before Mother's Day so as to avoid the crowd. I was a little worried there would be limited options for me. I am recently vegetarian and growing up with two southern parents, I know that the southern cuisine doesn't necessarily cater to vegetarians.
I was pleasantly surprised. There were actually vegetarian options on the menu!!! I ordered the vegetarian sampler which consists of a fried green tomato, Carolina red rice, sauteed spinach and their famous black eyed pea cake. One word: scrum-dilly-umptous!!!! I have not shut up about that black eyed pea cake since. Usually fried foods have a lingering taste of grease that ruins the flavor of the actual food. Not the case here. Word to the wise: If you plan on getting the Carolina rice, make sure to ask for a glass of water. The rice has a little kick to it that will keep you honest!
The service was great as well. That weekend was graduation weekend for Howard University so there were several graduates and their families there. Even though the place was full, my mother and I never felt neglected. The wait staff was very attentive and knowledgeable about the items on the menu. I appreciate when a waiter/waitress has actually eaten the food at the restaurant and can tell you what it tastes like in their own words rather than some rehearsed promotional babble.
So after our experience here, I am definitely my Mom's favorite kid (always was). If you live in DC or are visiting the DC area and enjoy southern cuisine, definitely make a visit to Georgia Brown's. You won't be sorry.
4.25 Stars. Came here for Valentine's Day and had a lovely time, which in itself is sort of surprising. I am not normally a big fan of the 'Big V Day' for several reasons. 1) Restaurants see it as an excuse to offer overpriced prix-fixe options. 2) Price-gouging florists 3) Corny songs 4) Certain products made especially for Valentine's day (underwear built for 2 comes to mind) make me want to find the manufacturer and throttle them. When I go to CVS I half expect to see Tide Detergent: Special Valentine's Edition! Now w/ Heart Shaped Bubbles!!
What does this have to do w/ Georgia Brown's? They manage to handle V-day in a way that pleases everyone. There was a prix-fixe menu but the regular menu was also available. Off to the side there was a chocolate fountain. Despite the fact that the restaurant was fully booked, the service was some of the best I've ever had and I imagine it's this way all the time. The waitress was congenial, bantered a little, made great menu suggestions and absolutely did not rush us through. She did not get a weird look on her face when we opted not to order wine or when I got half my appetizer wrapped to go. When we finished our meal, she delivered a single long-stemmed red rose to take home.
We ordered the deep fried chicken livers to start and I ordered the shrimp and grits as an entree while he ordered the roast chicken. The chicken livers were served warm and crunchy on the outside and the plate was heaping full. The boy got this liver/brussel sprouts/yuck look on his face after one bite and to be honest, I thought they could have been better, flavor-wise. My entree, however, was downright fantastic.
Six enormous shrimp (heads on) lay nestled on a bed of grits with green beans and carrots. I think there might have been some other stuff on the plate too but all I remember is that those cheesy, creamy, melt-in-your mouth grits were the best I've ever had. The shrimp were amazing as well, perfectly juicy and well seasoned. I had a bite of the roast chicken and though we both agreed that it wasn't quite on par with the sublime shrimp and grits, they know how to do chicken here. The flesh is moist and deeply tender right down to the bone while the skin stays crisp. I wonder what their secret is - my roast chicken never comes out so perfectly oozing with juices.
We finished with the peach cobbler, which was decent but unmemorable. For those grits alone, however, I will have to come back.
People thought this was:
Oh gosh, I really wanted to like this place based on the reviews and reputation. I know people who swear by G. Brown's, and I had gone in with high expectations. As the stars indicate, I was not impressed.
First of all, the food. Fried green tomatoes were good, but Acadiana's are better. My entree was good, but the mac and cheese that came with it was some of the worst I have ever had. Poor flavor, not creamy, and room temperature. I don't think I have ever left mac and cheese on the plate. My husband's catfish was ok, but we've both had better. Dessert (peach cobbler) was so laden with crumble, sugar, and sauce that the peaches were barely identifiable. Husband and I both grew up a little further south and know our low-country food. This was not it. But everybody else in the restaurant seemed to dig it, so maybe this place is a little more geared towards Northerners?
Saving graces: my drink was wonderful, and the service was spot-on. Never felt rushed, yet we were in and out of dinner in about an hour.
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Ok, their fried chicken is the best fried chicken I've ever had. Also, I'm a big fan of their peach honey butter. I tried one fish dish there and was pleased, but not overly excited. Their lobster appetizer was served with a very undercooked crunchy grain. I should have sent it back.
As for their brunch, they have a very lovely jazz ensemble perform during brunch. You get an entree, and a buffet of items to enjoy. My friend was particularly pleased with their eggs benedict.
I would definitely give this place a try if you want to sample some Southern food.
I'd always wanted to try Georgia Brown's Sunday Jazz Brunch but was a little wary of paying $34.95 + tax + drinks. Then my birthday came around and I decided a special occasion merited a little splurge. It turned out to be well worth it.
Brunch is split up into three "acts": Act I is the buffet, which includes a meat carving station (ham, roast beef, turkey), omelet station, bacon, sausage, potatoes, grits, biscuits and gravy, and the most amazing french toast I've ever had. There was also a table of salads and fruit which I completely skipped over. Act II is ordering an entree off the menu, which most people take to go. I got my usual fried chicken and mashed potatoes with collard greens. Act III is the dessert buffet, which includes pies, red velvet cake, brownies, a chocolate fountain with lots of different things to dip (pretzels, rice krispie treats!, marshmallows..).
Given the richness and heaviness of the food, I was only able to make two trips to the buffet and one to the dessert table. I didn't order anything to drink besides a diet coke. I didn't want any alcohol or coffee otherwise impeding my ability to fully avail myself of the buffet offerings. In tallying the cost of the day's gluttony, I have to say that $34.95 is a pretty good deal. Factoring out the cost of the entree, which last time I checked was $16, the buffet comes to only $18.95, which is reasonable. I would definitely go again.
A couple things I noticed - when we arrived at noon, the place was packed. The crowd noticeably thinned after the 1pm hour, so I would definitely plan a later reservation to be able to linger over your food and not be stared at hungrily by the crowds at the door waiting to be seated.. Also, the jazz band is nice but LOUD. If you want to have a conversation, ask to be seated away from them.
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Georgia Brown's was the restaurant of choice for one of this week's business lunches- the kind that always start to tend toward the awkward when the guys have said all they can say about what's going on in the wonderful world of sports and the girls have started up their own chatter, or are sitting silently, swirling the straws in their water glasses.
We did the introductions over an appetizer sampler of fried green (or were they red?!) tomatoes stuffed with cream cheese, fried catfish fingers and tartar sauce, andouille sausage, and a heavy helping of fried chicken livers, unfortunately in which not one of us had particular interest. When we'd taken those tomatoes about as far as they could go, someone wondered aloud what the curly cues winding above us might be, and I commented that for sure the decor was meant to emulate the experience of dining under a big country tree... then the next 2 minutes passed in silence... sports talk rose and fell... thumbs twiddled... and thank God, the entrees arrived to save us.
My halibut came out flaky and light, well complimented by a cranberry chutney (just enough!), charred asparagus, and the surprisingly interesting flavor and texture of hominy grits. My colleagues relished in their fried catfish and plump pork chops with heaps of squash and sweet yams; and meanwhile, the guy with the corporate card sang the praises of his standard fried chicken salad. Our service was polite and refined, drinks were always refilled before hitting the ice, and the food came out at a perfect temperature.
Most worthy of mention are the peach tea, orange butter and biscuits, fried green tomatoes, white fish, and hominy grits. For next time I've already decided on the lamb shank.
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FINALLY i had a chance to check out the much talked about Sunday brunch. It is virtually impossible to get a table for it if you are not planning a month in advance. I knew my cousin would be in town a month a ago so ... voila i made a reservation on Open Table. They have live jazz music which is nice background - although try not to sit right next to it like we did. You could sit outside but then you don't hear it at all.
You sure will not be leaving hungry. There is a sizable savory and sweet buffet and you have a list of entrees to chose from to eat there or take home. So you actually get a second meal out of that brunch. And for the prices of $36.95 one would hope so. One note of caution, drinks - coffee, mimosa etc. - are NOT included. I think they should at least include one free one considering the price!
I love Georgia Brown and the brunch was no disappointment. There is an egg station where you can have a custom made omlette or scrambled eggs etc. there are eggs benedict, meat carving station, French toast, potato salad, sausage and bacon, fruit and salads... and then the sweets - cobbler and pecan pie, pumpkin pie, fruit cakes etc. As I said you will not leave hungry. When we headed out with our take out entree we knew we would not be eating them that night but would have to wait until tomorrow.
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Great Southern food! Love the fried green tomatoes, crab cakes, Carolina Gumbo, shrimp and grits,… Read more »
So, one of my friends from out of the country was in town the other day, and he wanted to try solid Southern food. Having heard great things about this place (including the rumor that President Obama had graced its tables before), I gave it a shot. Sad to say, it shot back.
The decor and ambiance is definitively upscale. Which is weird for me, since when I think of Southern food I think of homey, comfortable and welcoming. Georgia Brown's, in my opinion, while nice, is none of those things.
For appetizers, we got fried chicken livers and the scallops. The scallops were pretty good, if tiny. Especially in comparison to the heaping plate of fried chicken livers, which was ridiculous to behold. I mean, seriously. Like 1000 chickens had to give up their lives for our plate of livers. And liver is a heavy organ to eat, so is anyone REALLY going to want a heaping mound of them... and deep fried?! Re taste, they were fine, though I've had infinitely better, and usually increased quantity means you should be wary. Very wary. That was definitely the case here.
For entrees, we got the shrimp and grits and the fried chicken. The chicken, despite the raving, reminded me of Popeye's.... except with less flavor. The mashed potatoes were fine, though undersalted and underbuttered. One taste of the collared greens, however, revealed where all the excess salt had gone.
All in all, not impressive, especially for the steep prices. Next time, I'll seek my soul food somewhere else, thank you very much.
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I went here for a girl's night about a year ago and still remember the fun and deliciousness we had. The only reason I have rarely been back (or wouldn't think about going back) is the price. It was just *a little* more than I'd like to pay for food I can cook at home: pork chops (that's what I got), mac & cheese, etc.
I must say, the decor of this place is FANTASTIC and it was very lively when we went - a Tuesday or Wednesday night. I can't remember what my girlfriends ordered, but we all tasted a bit of each other's dishes and we were very pleased.
The service was top notch. My friends were late so they didn't seat me at a table, but I remember that the Hostess kept checking in with me so I didn't feel like they didn't care about my comfort.
The drinks were very good here too. DC-expensive, but tasty and we had no complaints. We also all dessert - it was fantastic.
Two notes: We joined the e-mail list right before going because we got a free appetizer (Saved us some $$). I don't mind doing this because then I just un-subscribe if I don't want anymore e-mails.
If you REALLY like the food here, the website has some of the recipes of their menu. I can't believe they do this. VERY GENEROUS. I frequently go to a restaurant and think to myself that I want the recipe (for example, even last night when I ate at Faccia Luna - I was wondering what the parts were for the bruschetta ingredients!). Personally, I've printed them already before they realize what they've done and remove it from the website.
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Let me preface this review by saying something... I love southern food. Honestly. So I rolled into this place knowing that this wasn't going to be your average sort of soul food restaurant, done up to appear posh in the Washington nightlife.
Atmosphere was great (Tavis Smiley sat next to my table!), the price of food was average for downtown DC (which is to say expensive). I had catfish fingers for an app, and while the breading was great, the fish and slaw it was served with was average at best.
...But then, out of unholy goodness, came my main dish, a pork chop served with yams and collard greens. This, literally, was the best pork chop I have ever eaten... tender, moist, perfectly seasoned. I savored every bite. The 5 stars are JUST for this pork chop. Yams = perfect, I don't even like yams and I could recognize that these were special. And the collard greens had little delicious pieces of bacon, or some other crunchy thing in it that made it incredible.
Screw the slow service on a saturday night and the overpriced drinks and appetizers... I'm going back for that pork chop.
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We went to the famous Georgia Brown's Brunch and it was good. The buffet was pretty good, but there were little things that were a let down. First the jazz, wow was it loud, oppressively so. We couldn't hear ourselves talk which made for awkward conversation with our dining companions. Second, the carving stations, the meat was dry. I expect this from a meh buffet but if I'm paying $30+ for the buffet I expect moist meat offerings. Third, and this one is just personal preference, but I ordered a mimosa and the OJ had pulp. Eww do i really want pulp with my Champagne? Not really!
Service was good, I enjoyed the sweets. But really it wasn't worth the hype. Good but not great.
As Thanksgiving orphans, my sister and I had a long lunch here last Thursday. I doubt that Georgia Brown's special menu reflects their regular cooking but I wasn't that impressed, although the Thanksgiving buffet seemed to be very popular (prix fixe $36.95 which includes an appetizer, an entrée and buffet appetizers and sides). Here's a short run-down:
-The fried green tomato was in fact just a slice of green tomato, breaded, fried, and served with remoulade.
-The fried turkey was pretty much like a slightly juicer roast turkey, although they did not provide any skin which was disappointing.
-The sides were unexceptional, save for the delicious and wonderfully fluffy whipped potatoes and the collard greens with bacony bits. I was disappointed that the candied yams were undercooked.
-The highlights of the desserts were the red velvet cake and the brownie, where the former hinted at cocoa and the latter was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The bread pudding smelled a bit like play-doh.
The service was great and attentive, and the food was prompt. For such a successful and popular restaurant, I was surprised to find the decor slightly outdated and a little worn (particularly the scratches on the walls leading to the bathrooms--how does that even happen?). All in all, Georgia Brown's is okay but, by my gauge, not a must-visit.
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Spinach- so good, but its kinda hard to mess up fresh sauteed spinach.
Black Eyed Pea cakes- were sweet? Wasn't expecting that- they were an entree, not a dessert. Weirdly enough, as a dessert, it would have been tasty, like adzuki bean paste, but as an entree it was blah, i ate it anyway to soak up the 2 vodka tonics I had. The black eyed pea cakes are vegan (confirmed with the chef).
Mi amigo got the pate appetizer and ate half my plate. He didnt expect the pate to be cold and hardly touched it. He decided not to make any waves and just eat the cost, but the waiter saw that he didnt touch it and went ahead and took it off the check, awwwwesome.
The service was superb, friendly, helpful and attentive. Went on a Thursday evening and got seated right away. It would have been nice to have some more vegan options, but I've learned not to expect this especially from a soul food restaurant, and I didnt want to deny my friend his soul food experience. They were really helpful as far as letting me know what was in everything.
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Brunch was average. You're really paying for the service, atmosphere and the take home portion of the meal. The buffet is very boring. Tiny selection. The food isn't hot. No soul in the entrees. No passion in the desserts. When I hear prix-fixe buffet, I think Vegas buffets. The owners should get out there and see how it's done.
I don't think I'll be back. Just not worth it.
GOD this breaks my heart to write this review...
i was hoping and PRAYING this experience would be a foodie treat but alas..it failed me.
came here last weekend for my dear friends birthday dinner. an intimate dinner of 5 ladies all salivating for some down home southern cooking. and after scouring the online menu, i knew exactly what i wanted!! either the southern fried chicken classic or a combo of two appetizers.
when we arrived the hostess was gracious and seated us when the whole party was there, you cannot be seated without your whole party! i was a little disappointed in the location of our table, they sat us in the corner of the restaurant right next to the grill and service station at this odd shaped U style table. it felt like we were on The View and the whole restaurant was our audience. not cool....
our server came around, filled our waters and dropped off some kick ass cornbread muffins and buttermilk biscuits. i forgot his name but he was unmemorable to begin with. he couldn't take ea joke and when asked for a wine recommendation he picked out a Riesling that was sweet and not complimentary to our dish. i mean, it was a fuckin good Riesling but when the whole table orders fried chicken or some other heavy dish you could at least delve into ur little brain and offer a red or a oakey white.
we as a table ordered the fried chicken, the halibut, some gumbo style dish and i got a combo of the scallop app and the fried green tomatoes. my two apps were fairly decent. the scallops tasted like crabcakes..which i honestly think it was because i know what a damn scallop should look/taste like. and the fried green tomatoes were literally just breaded and quick fried.
the rest of the food. salty, overly dry, not that great....
the dessert saved the meal. the pecan pie was AMAZING. the cobbler...could have gone without.
the company i had that night was irreplaceable and really was the reason we came out that night. i had a fabulous time despite the subpar food/service.
would i come back? hell to the double NO
would i come back if someone else was paying? NNNOOOOO...and trust me people, when THIS chicka refuses a free meal at a place??? you NO it aint worth your time!!!
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Washington, DC
Category: Southern
Washington, DC
Category: American (New)
Washington, DC
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Adams Morgan
Category: American (Traditional)
Washington, DC
Category: American (Traditional)
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