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Lima Restaurant & Lounge
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (New) Latin American, Bars, American (New) [Edit]
1401 K St NWWashington, DC 20005
(202) 789-2800
- Nearest Transit:
-
Mcpherson Sq Metro Station (Blue, Orange)
Metro Center Metro Station (Blue, Orange, Red)
Farragut North Metro Station (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 2 am
Fri 4 pm - 3 am
Sat 5 pm - 3 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
253 reviews for Lima Restaurant & Lounge
Review Highlights
"you must visit for happy hour in the spring."
(in 30 reviews)
"The chilean sea bass was amazing as well."
(in 9 reviews)
"Lima has the best house music in town."
(in 16 reviews)
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253 reviews in English
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Review from Shaady F.
Washington, DC
12/8/2011
always hoppin, always sexy. i love this place on saturday nights.
its a hair gel explosion of euro trash, classy zazz, and beautiful people. The outdoor patio is always bangin. The food is spectaculicious, and Iranians run des shet. I LOVE IT. Great for people watching. I go there JUSt FOr PEOPLE WATCHING. Dress to impress though. no sneakers or any of that elementary school sheet. Dress shoes and Noo athletic wear. If you don't look good-you won't get in. There can be a line sometimes but thats just because its super cool.
It's usually more of a sausage fest---which is the only bad thing...
well dressed people... always packed, great headliners, persian explosion, fun dance floor, nice VIP area called "VETRO". They bring really good djs. On thursdays 'GLOW' brings a headliner like 'shahram' from deep dish, morgan page, Pleasurekraft, Roger Sanchez, ........ i like. i buy. sometimes the cover charge is 20 dollars. other times there is none. other times cover charge is just for the menses in the benzes. they do have valet. be careful when parking because you might get a ticket.
I have been a club rat for 10 years. When I graduated from the club rat kingdom, I enlisted in the classy once a week outings. Once a month I make it a point to go to LIMA. In all these years, there has been a lot of club turn over.... but time and time again... every time i pass LIMA LOUNGE, I see the party hoppin, bangin babes, stylish slots, and a plethora of persians. and in my book---all these things means five stars baby! -
Review from Joshua J.
Gainesville, FL
2/7/2012
I'm not sure if I've ever had such a strange, unpleasant time at a night club. Four female friends and I walked there on a recommendation from the front desk staff at our hotel; apparently one of the other hotel staff knows the owner or something.
Upon arriving, I could just tell that Lima was trying real hard to look like a real dance club a la South Beach, Vegas, or L.A. The ladies had free entrance, but there was a $20 cover for guys. Alright, I understand this is downtown D.C., but $20 cover ANYWHERE is kind of ridiculous and a bad start to the night.
We got in and went straight to the coat check room...$3 per item. Seriously? My friend who paid, gave the attendant $10 for 3 items, then the attendant turned around and started helping other customers. Where was that $1 in change, you might ask. That's a good question, because my friend had to stand there and wait a few minutes before she could even get the attendant's attention again. Assumption of tips is never smart or courteous.
It's Saturday night, so naturally the place is packed and we finally nudge our way up to the bar for some drinks. We finally got them and in the first few minutes, at least a third of the drink was running down my arm from being bumped and jostled. This place was tiny. There was no good way to navigate from the front door to the dance floor without cramming yourself between dancing, drunk customers and spilling at least some of your drink. Not to mention that the drinks were really weak anyway.
We get to the dance floor and immediately realize there are two strange additions to this club that really started to piss us off. The first is a giant metal bell hanging by the DJ stand that, apparently, just any drunken fool can walk up to and start banging on. This bell was LOUD, even over the pulsing, ear-ringing music. No one seemed to ring it on beat with the music and, even if they did, it was way too piercing and loud to make anyone enjoy it. Secondly, there are these strange devices aiming down from the ceiling that make me think of fire extinguishers, but that blast fog and cold air, instead. Not in a cool way. Every girl I saw around me when those things went off (at seemingly random times, by the way) got this terrified look on their faces and scrambled to keep their hair from blowing all over the place. What the hell is the point of these things?!
Now onto the DJ: Just terrible. Boring, trite music that had no ounce of creativity to it. Very typical electro/rave beats, but no good hooks. Didn't even play some of the more popular songs and remixes that similar clubs play. Not to mention the weird breaks between songs where it got really quiet and everyone just seemed to look around, expecting something else to start playing. He kept yelling out something about his "new track" and that he is "from Miami." Being from Florida, I've been to enough Miami dance clubs to know that by touting his origins, this guy was doing a major disservice to the city's dance clubs.
Other details: TONS of older, super douchey guys just preying on the females in the crowd (I know, this really isn't unique to this club, but it didn't help). One in my party had her ass randomly grabbed while getting a drink at the bar. Incredibly dirty dance floor that went from super sticky in some parts to insanely slick and dangerous in others. At one point, there was even a staff member with mop and bucket in the MIDDLE of the dance floor. Not sure what he was mopping, but I don't think it did any good and was incredibly awkward.
All in all, it was a terrible experience. At least my friends and I managed to laugh about it all the way home. I can say that, without a doubt, next time we're in the D.C. area looking for good night life, we will NOT go anywhere near Lima. -
Review from Linn C.
Washington, DC
12/13/2011
This place was loud, trashy and the people who worked there were incredibly rude.
I did not eat there, just went for a party/drinks, but I can guarantee that I will never, ever return. -
Review from Sargeant T.
Washington, DC
1/15/2012
Good music, amusing clientele. They are due for a renovation.
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Review from Jamila T.
Columbia, MD
11/15/2011
This review is for the restaurant:
I checked out this restaurant for a friends birthday. The restaurant is upstairs and our group of 5 were seated by the window. So yes... it was pretty exciting to see the Occupy DC protestors and their entourage of police escorts stroll by. *blank stare. Anywho...
Before I get into the details, the gist of my review is that the food was pretty good. Cons would be food was kind of greasy, and I think it was overpriced. If you get an app, main course and alcohol your bill will be $60 with tip. Our service was slow, I'm guessing because it was very busy late Saturday night. It took forever to get through the check process and they don't split checks here, so bring your cash if youre with a big group...
My appetizer of the glazed pork ribs... deliciouso! The meat was tender and literally fell off the bone. You get two huge ribs... enough to split with a friend. A couple other people got the lobster appetizer... of course I tasted it... delicious too. Can't go wrong with that selection either.
Main course was the chicken... it came with rice, black beans and fried plantain chip thingys. I was so full from my appetizer that I barely made a dent into the chicken dinner, so I had plenty leftovers. -
Review from CHRISTOPHER F.
Arlington, VA
1/4/2012
Way too trendy but cool outdoor seating for happy hour even though the drinks are overpriced
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Review from Les D.
10/22/2011
This is a review for the restaurant. There is also a popular bar in Lima.
This is a very large restaurant with three stories. The dining is primarily on the upstairs floor with a nice view over K St. Lovely warm bread with a rosemary butter. Scrumptious. Lima is known for their ceviche. Not a big fan, but we had the tuna ceviche and it was quite delicious.
Ordered the chilean sea bass and the churrasco steak entrees. They were excellent. Churrasco cooked to order. I'm actually not a fan of the churrasco concept. Why have flat iron steak and rice when there could be steak and frites to be had? But, Lima served a very, spicy flavorful steak and some buttery rice and rich root veggies. A really nice plate. The sea bass was equally delicious. Creamy sauce. Moist, flaky fish. Finished with a passion fruit creme brulee. Brulee is such a boring dessert, but the tart flavor of passion fruit helped this sorry dessert actually delightful. Service was prompt and precise.
Two issues that could stand improvement. Seating is a little cramped. I don't mind the cozy feel, but big fellas might find the space a little tight. And, I always feel like I pay a premium when I'm dining along K St. That's not a Lima issue, more of a DC issue. Nevertheless, I think my experience and the wonderful food have warranted five stars. A restaurant must make me want to go back to get five stars, and I want to return to Lima. -
Review from Brian H.
Washington, DC
12/23/2011
Went on a Tuesday night for my birthday. LIke Ultrabar, great experience with all the staff. Front door guys were helpful getting in and when we ready to leave and stumble into a cab. Bartender on the main floor was awesome and his girlfriend was hanging out and helped us to the down stair dance floor. Little pricey for cocktails but will go back and have to give the place a try during the weekend.
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Review from Kimberly K.
Washington, DC
7/21/2011
Skank-o-Rama.
Seriously, a girl can't take a piss in this joint without splashing a hooker. I was worried that the dress I wore to this place was too skimpy, yet when I got there I felt overdressed. I've seen newborn babies wearing more clothes than the hos wear here. What is this world coming to? Pretty soon women's evening fashion will devolve into pasties and a strategically placed pop tart.
Anyhoo, there was no cover charge the night I went, so things started off on a good foot. We went down into the basement first and as we walked down the stairs, it was as if everyone stopped to stare and assess whether or not we were cool enough to pay attention to. Ick. Great bathrooms! They're big and full of neon lights, huge mirrors and polished floors. Guess that makes it easier to clean up all the sweat, vomit and lost dignity afterward. The music was crappy and too loud down there so we went upstairs with the quickness.
Ah, the main floor. Chicks with skin-tight "fuck me" dresses and boobies hanging out everywhere. Dudes wearing cheap double-breasted suits that probably came out of Vanilla Ice's closet. And the music? Oh, the poor, poor music. It was all that fake, cheesy, wannabe Euro pseudo techno that even German people wouldn't have liked in 1993. Double ick.
Thank God for the upstairs! Nothing but pulsating hip-hop and handsome black men with high cheek bones and large bulges. Mmm, bulges. Yes fellas, we lookie, and we likey.
The drinks were expensive. Well, the one I bought was. The rest of my drinks were purchased by a strapping young Nelly look-alike with bad intentions- my type of guy indeed.
Lima is big and beautiful, and you'll end up having fun here, I think. If nothing else, you've always got skanks to mock and bulges to gawk at. -
Review from Agustin A.
Silver Spring, MD
12/16/2011
We had a great time here! Bartenders were nice, all the staff was quite helpful. If you like Electronic music then you will enjoy it. I'm not sure if I will ever had dinner here, but I will definitely come back for more music!!
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Review from Courtney W.
Washington, DC
10/16/2011
I will definitely be going back to Lima. Everything that we ordered was delightful, from the lime butter to the manchego and olive platter to our entrees to the wine. The highlight for me, however, was definitely the ceviche sampler. We tried the coconut-pineapple ceviche, the curry ceviche, and the salmon one. All were delicious and incredibly fresh.
The only thing that I didn't love about Lima was its upstairs restroom. You have to walk down and through a long office-like corridor before reaching the restroom, and once you get there it feels like... an office restroom. -
Review from Chinita A.
Washington, DC
Updated - 8/8/2011
Wanna please your European/Eastern European/South American newfound foreign friends? Take them to Lima---on Thursday NIGHTS!!! I was finally able to experience Club Glow by talking to these Brazilian dudes (lets be honest, they came talking up to us). It was their last night in DC and wanted to know where the best place to party is. I suggested Lima for their musical tastings and I'm 99.9 percent sure I impressed them. By the time we arrived (1245ish??), cover was $20---for EVERYONE. One of our sweet newfound Brazilian friends paid for the 3 of us, you do the math.
We only spent an hour there because, like all newfound foreign friends, it started to get a bit creepy and sloppy. So for that, I STILL had a blast! Place was packed but not packed in that imma-smack-a-bitch kinda way. Crowd was definitely easy on the eyes which i can't say for all the other nights I've been to Lima.
If you don't want to pay cover, go to http://www.clubglow.com. However, the pass is only good for before 11pm.
P.S. for those who don't know, its alllllll house music and while i cant dance to it and usually i get bored after awhile, Club Glow takes care of that with some international and legit DJs!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/20/2010
Been here a few times and had fun. First time was after trying Tattoo Bar (a bust) over the summer.… Read more »
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Review from Arshan S.
Silver Spring, MD
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The fact that Lima has been able to survive at it's current location for so long is in itself a testament to what good spot it is. The fairly recent renovations and the introduction of Vetro has revived the place as well. My rating is based strictly on Limb night and not Lima restaurant, because i have never eaten there.
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Review from Dallas C.
Alexandria, VA
10/19/2011
Came here to eat for a birthday party, and the food did not look good and it didn't smell good either. The desert had some type of plastic looking thing and the cake tasted old.
The drinks are great!
After dinner, we went to Vetro. The crowd is full of ugly women and want to be Jersey Shore men. The music was lame too. So we decided to go downstairs to Lima and it was worse. It was full of people dancing like they had seizures, bachlorette parties with women who should be grateful a man decided to marry them, and old people who are having mid life crises. Otherwise the bar service was great and the crowd I was with made the best of it. -
Review from Rachel M.
9/17/2011
I went to this place for an office lunch and as soon as I stepped in I immediately felt like it would be a better night venue. Like Jeff P., I felt that it had a very South Beach vibe with the modern decor and lime green and black color scheme.
We had calamari for a starter and it was nothing special. I followed it up with a grilled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries. While good, it was nothing special, though the presentation is very nice.
Being the middle of the day, the place was quite empty, yet our waitress was quite short with our group. She didn't seem to appreciate the fact that we were chatty and then she required our entire group's attention when she could have just told one part of the table. She also asked us if we wanted our appetizers out before the rest of our meal. Uh....what? I thought appetizers came out before the main meal unless the patron requested otherwise.
I think I'll stop by for happy hour out of the convenience of location, but definitely won't be back for lunch anytime soon. -
Review from Donna J.
Silver Spring, MD
6/24/2011
IF I COULD, I'D GIVE LIMA NO STARS.
WHY?
Went here last night for Laidback Luke. Paid $20/ticket plus fees online. Couldn't even breathe where LL spun because of the amount of people shoved in. Took a step outside to take a breather on the sidewalk away from the smokers. Bouncer stamps us, we try to walk back in and the bouncer says they aren't letting people in anymore. WHY WOULD YOU LET US OUT THEN!? We stood there yelling at the bouncers for a good 40 minutes as they told us to move, but we refused. LIMA was eventually shut down. Too bad they pocketed my money as well as the people who paid 30-80 bucks just to be kicked out!! WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.
DON'T EVER GO TO LIMA. PERIOD. -
Review from Nicole W.
Laurel, MD
7/18/2011
Sensual, Sexy, and Mouth Watering would be three words I would use to describe Lima Restaurant and Lounge on K St. NW. I was first invited here for a friend's birthday dinner one Monday night and was quite pleasantly surprised to find this small, but ultra sexy resturant/lounge offer the tastiest Peruvian food I have ever had.
After slurping down my last mojito I prepared to leave the restaurant when my friend politely informed me that Mondays was salsa night and we had to stay for the free Salsa lesson at 9PM. Okay cool FREE Salsa I can do that right..WRONG!!
The class showed me how severely lacking I was in knowledge of the basic one, two, salsa steps, however, it was soo much fun and the instructor was so patient that we all decided to stay when the lesson ended at 10PM and the restaurant opened into an official "lounge" and the reaaaal Salsa experts hit the floor.
I don't think I've ever had so much fun on a Monday night in my life. It certainly didn't hurt that the bar was open to women for free rail drinks from 9PM TO 11PM.
Bring your dancing shoes and visit Lima on a Monday night! -
Review from Tim W.
Arlington, VA
6/23/2011
Are you looking for a Friday/Saturday night atmosphere on a Tuesday?!
I was looking for a party spot for a Tuesday night... And to my surprise, I found it at LIMA!
Go before 11pm and you get in FREE. If you go after, it is a $20 cover. The dance-floor was jumping. DJ SAAM was tearing up the hottest songs. Everyone was enjoying themselves. The drinks were flowing and I never had to wait for a strong drink.
I would recommend LIMA to anyone that really wants to let it go on a Weekday. -
Review from Janine G.
I didn't have high expectations after reading all the reviews, I guess there's a reason I waited a year to try this place out (work a block away)...
I called in to do a take out order on this 105 degree weather day, fabulous. Fausto picks up very quickly, explains I can use the 15% off yelp coupon for my takeout order, great. Ordered a Ceviche Naturale (see the pic I uploaded) and 3 Mini Arepas with Guacamole. He said to be there in 10 minutes, I arrived a few minutes early, it was coming out of the kitchen as I walked in, very fast! Either the owner or GM (Gustavo) greeted me promptly as I walked in, he was pretty nice, a little sketchy, but nice. He entered the yelp 15% discount very quickly for me and this is where it got weird. I didn't tip on the takeout (am I supposed to?) and that's where he became strangely serious, he would talk to me but with his back to me "have a great day, keep in the cool, etc etc". Am I imagining this? Regardless, it didn't entirely take away from how initially treated me.
Get to my desk, start digging into the ceviche and noticed the fish is very hard, my guess is that he uses expensive Chilean Sea Bass for ceviche. It was pretty tasty. I wished the chunks were smaller so the fish would cook more evenly, some pieces were 5 mm and some an inch long. Wished I would have got more lime juice too, the to go packaging prevents the fish from continuing to cook, all the juice drops down to the outer edges...so I had to let it cook more at my desk for 10 more minutes.
The Arepas were decent. The homemade arepas I've had in the past and at Arrieros in DSS/WDC were much thinner and larger and not so heavy. Maybe this is the fusion version, regardless, I won't order it again (I did finish them though). The guacamole on the other hand is good.
All in all, the place is a-okayListed in: McPherson Square Lunch Eats!
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Review from Tracy K.
7/26/2011
I'm not a huge club-goer anymore, but I still know what is cool and what isn't. I'm not sure if there was something we missed that Saturday night, but it was packed with people in the 40-50 year-old range, making our group feel completely out-of-place. SUPER awkward. I'm not kidding when I say we saw this older Asian guy in khakis, a white button-up shirt (tucked in) with a Nikon around his neck wandering around...and he wasn't the photographer. We tried hard to dance and blend in, but it wasn't happening. No amount of alcohol could have helped us that night. After about an hour, we gave up and left.
I can't even explain how weird it was. -
Review from dre t.
Silver Spring, MD
8/21/2011
I've been to Lima a handful of times in the late night, for the most part it's a nice club but nothing that will blow you away. I've gone on Monday's which is usually like a Latin night which is nice and yes no cover charge. I've also gone on other days like Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and it's a nice spot to check out every once in a while.
2 things that upset me about this lounge was charging a cover charge with out advertising it especially on a weekday. Another issue I found was that some of the door men were douche bags on some nights. You have to be tight as a doorman I understand that but you also have to respect customers who come to your establishment and are willing to spend money that show you the same respect, we are not high school kids coming to start trouble. It seems like if your not a hot girl or a normal here you could get treated like shit waiting to get in even though the guys are the ones dropping the money at the clubs for the most part lol.
Overall I think it's a good spot even though you will find the same issues I mentioned at most clubs you can't really change things. I have not tried any food items at Lima but the drinks are made well and the bartenders are usually pretty good at serving you in good time. The cost of drinks is about what you would pay in any DC club/lounge so nothing is crazy here. Just be careful and read the schedules on the site and you should be good. -
Review from Jeff P.
Wilmington, DE
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'll keep this review short and sweet. The wife and I stayed the weekend in a hotel across the street, so naturally we dipped into Lima for a Happy Hour drink. The exterior (in the summer) is very South Beach with funky couches, and lounge chairs. The interior carries on the hip Miami feel with modern decor, and some down right stylish bar stools. For D.C. the drinks were cheap, so we each had two. I had to indulge my inner Sam Axe, and have a mojito despite the $3 Guinnesses. BTW, What is the plural of Guinness? Guinnessi? Guinnesseses? Anyway, I digress. The mojitos were expertly crafted by our bartender, who initially carded the two of us. Does it mean I am old when I enjoy being carded? Or is it that my hot wife looks younger than she is, so I get lumped in and asked as well?
My mojito contained the perfect combo of rum, mint, simple syrup, lime, and club, and my wife's white wine was good enough for her to order a second glass. We did order a snack, as well. We had the arepas which were served with a side of guac. Honestly, they may have been the best arepas I have ever had. Not greasy at all, perfectly cooked, and slightly sweet from the corn. I could have ordered five more plates, but restrained myself. The creamy guac added the needed contrast. A+ dish, indeed.
Lima looks to be a club as well with a large space in the basement including some Miami like fountains and water effects. I dug the atmosphere, and I bet this place can pack em in later in the evening. I know my experience here was extremely limited, but I truly enjoyed every aspect- food, atmosphere, service on all levels from the host standing out front, to the bar staff, and the drinks. I would definitely return, and would give Lima a whole hearted recommendation to fellow visitors to DC. -
Review from Melissa W.
Washington, DC
8/22/2011 Seated via OpenTable
As a restaurant, great ribs, terrible Pisco Sour.
Having extensive experience with Peruvian cuisine, I was dissapointed that this place did not live up to its name, (Lima = capital of Peru of course). I took a friend to try their first Pisco Sour and was shocked to find that they didn't even beat in the egg white! We ended up with a nasty film of white guck in our mouths. The service was really bad, mostly because it gets so crowded. The best bet might be to go on an off night. The design of the restaurant is cool though, three levels, and some glass floors that let you see down into other levels. I would recommend they try to perfect their latin american dishes and maybe turn down the music a bit down in the club area, because their dj's turn the music up WAY too loud for comfort. -
Review from Isabel A.
Alexandria, VA
6/14/2011
Got a Living Social deal to Lima earlier this year and finally used it last night.
The evening was gorgeous and we enjoyed the outside seating and happy hour specials. They only have two wines by the glass on special during happy hour but both the sauv blanc and the malbec were very nice, especially at $5 a glass. The pours were generous too!
The food specials are not a huge discount off of the regular food pricing but the quality of the food was great. The tuna ceviche was excellent. I personally would have preferred it be less oily (I believe it had sesame oil in the recipe) but the tuna was super fresh and delicious. The grilled calamari was excellent and fresh as well. The tostones were nice although a bit dry - but they're served with salsa, which made them extra tasty.
The salsa classes on Mondays are great. The instructor was a lot of fun! The steps were fun and pretty easy to follow. I love to dance but don't really do choreography that well. I felt very comfortable with the different levels in the class and the group of guests enjoying the free classes made me feel at ease. Everyone was there to dance - it was not a meat market - thank goodness!
All in all, the experience was great and I'd definitely go back for happy hour and dancing.Listed in: Best Happy Hour - DC Area
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Review from Mariel J.
11/8/2011
I had a family dinner at Lima on a Saturday night around 7pm. Though the downstairs is a somewhat loud and trendy bar, the upstairs had a really nice and relaxed feel for dinner, while maintaining the same cool decor. The food is a little expensive, but everything was very tasty. I love their ceviche, and the short rib we had was good as well!
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Review from Tamara M.
7/17/2011
I was thoroughly impressed with the food here at Lima. All this time I have dismissed it because it doubles as a club. But then again, so many other restaurants in the city does as well. I ordered the Mediterranean Grilled Arato with the head attached lol. Hey, it's all about presentation right? It was served with grilled veggies (eggplant, red onion, zucchini, yellow squash and red bell pepper. Let me tell you, this dish had bursts of flavor. I actually sat there until I finished this mega sized fish. It was fresh, and hot and perfect. For appetizer, yeah I should have started the review with that, was a tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil mixed with a vinaigrette dressing. Seriously hit the spot with that. I had a glass of Malbec from Argentina that completed the meal.
I really enjoyed the decor and spaciousness of the place. This is a place I will not only recommend to my friends but also, put it at the top of my list of "must eats" along with some of my other four star joints.
Well done Lima. Well done.. -
Review from E G.
Washington, DC
11/5/2011
I decided to go to Lima with a friend because I had sampled their Ceviche at an event and really liked it. I didn't get the Ceviche this time but I ordered the salmon which was pretty good. The corn tamal was decent but veggies it came with were just ok though. For food and service I would give it 4 stars.
But then I had to use the bathroom.... we had a somewhat early dinner reservation on the top floor in the dining room. There were 2-3 tables there besides us when I went to the bathroom and we were the first or second party to be seated. I walked into the bathroom and both stalls were gross. They looked like they were never properly cleaned from the night before. And that's just disgusting. There's no way a couple of tables made the womens' bathroom that dirty in an hour, because as far as I know they're not open for lunch. And as I was leaving I went to the downstairs bathroom, and while slightly cleaner, I'm sure it wasn't cleaned from the night before either.
I'm not sure I'd go back to eat at a restaurant that cant keep its restrooms clean before guests even arrive. Maybe it was a fluke and the cleaning staff called in sick or something, I don't know. I certainly hope it doesn't equate to the cleanliness of their kitchen. I just searched DC restaurant health inspections online and the restaurant wasn't even listed... which tells me absolutely nothing unless they're registered under a different name.
I would probably give this place a second chance. But if the bathrooms are just as dirty, then you can bet I'd change my rating, and not come back. -
Review from Neha S.
5/5/2011
There is a trick to enjoying Lima.. get there before the others do.
This was my second time at Lima. The first time, I was so taken aback by the plastic around me that I nearly spilled my drink all over myself.
This time, we got there at 7:00 on a friday and it was mostly empty - thank god. We ordered the naturale ceviche on the recommendation on the server. Excellent. Mmm mm.. little heavy on the onion.. but its ok, I was with my hubby.. if I was on a date, I might pick around it though (hah)
We also enjoyed the ribs and the wings. Everything had a nice pow of flavor. The mojito was a bit disappointing.. def not strong enough for me and a tad too sweet.
The outdoor patio is nice, but since we were hiding from the people, we sat inside. -
Review from Juliet S.
6/17/2011
Very impressed by the chic, outside dining area, friendly and attentive staff, amazing drinks, and prompt service.
Unimpressed with overall quality of food and inside atmosphere/vibe.
A friend of my husband's had a birthday dinner here recently. For a group of 15+, the staff was more than accommodating and made sure that we never had to wait long for our food or drink refills.
The downstairs has a feeling something akin to a trying-to-be-swanky hotel lobby...just didn't match the very cool outside lounge-y feel. When we moved upstairs for our meal, our table (tucked away in the back, I'm supposing because we had such a large group) must have been in the cooooldest part of the entire establishment. I hate having to shiver through dinner! Another off-putting thing was the news playing in the background...highlighting a child abduction case. Um, thanks for the up-to-the-minute reporting, but we didn't come out to catch our fill of MSNBC.
The drinks were absolutely marvelous (caiparinhas and passion fruit mojitos especially - YUM city) but the food left a little something to be desired. My swordfish was nicely cooked but was lacking in seasoning and the real wow factor. My husband's filet mignon was not nearly as good as I would have expected - too much on the chewy side. However, the ceviches were INCREDIBLE. We had the 3-sampler appetizer ($20) of curry, tuna, and crab/avo and were very impressed. The tuna definitely won us over with the tangy citrus infusion that just made each bite so divine.
In all, Lima has some strong points to it, but I think its best reserved as a place for drinks and appetizers. -
Review from Michele M.
Laurel, MD
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Go upstairs if you want to dance to anything that's not latin music.
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Review from Lily M.
5/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went here on a Tuesday night. I like how everyone was dressed up and ready to dance the night away. There were 3 levels (the top floor played more Latino music; the bottom floor played techno for a while, then Hip Hop/Pop music). The only thing I didn't like was my bartender. She forgot to give us the credit card back, so we had to drive all the way back to get it. Also, for the price of drinks, they barely had any alcohol in them.
I enjoyed my time here. -
Review from Brian B.
2/26/2011
I'm not going to dis Lima because it definitely has its niche. It's just not my scene, frankly. I need more livestock, overweight coke-addicted strippers and dynamite to truly feel comfortable in a drinking establishment, but hey, that's just me.
So, here are a few of my observations:
1. 20 American dollars for valet parking. Walk or take the metro if you plan on coming here. There's no cover, so I guess that offsets the money for the valet. Then again, drinks are expensive, so that unravels the no cover thing. Throw in techno, techno, and more techno (I felt like I should have brought my Dr. Seuss hat and some glow sticks), as well as some Snooki wannabes wearing leopard print cocktail dresses dancing on tables, and now you're really starting to feel impending doom. Take into account a very friendly crowd and you'll start to feel better. Hide in a corner and watch the *ladies* dance and you're going to be O.K.
2. Huge space! In fact, if you're a little tipsy you're going to get disoriented fast. There's the main level with a big dance floor and adjoining bar; a basement with nice bathrooms, a coat check and another dance floor; and an immense upstairs dining and dancing area. Speaking of upstairs, L.M. and I went up to check it out because it's supposed to be the "hip hop" area. However, there were about 50 tables set up without a single customer, yet the wait staff was running around with their panties in a bunch. I guess there was a private event being held or something. Anyway, if you want to dance to hip-hop, call ahead before you leave.
3. Lima has a legendarily strict dress code, and I gotta give the patrons some props for being so well-scrubbed. However, since coming here last night was a last-minute decision after some H ST pub crawling, I was not prepared. I rolled in wearing jeans, dirty shoes and a long-sleeve t-shirt with a hole in it and they let me in for some reason. Perhaps it was because I was surrounded by the beautiful L.M. and her sizzling knockout friends. Nah. We both know it was because I'm just a goddamn schmoooove son of a bitch.
4. They have a roped off "VIP" area just off the main dance floor. I don't understand the appeal of this, nor do I understand what constitutes a VIP. (Someone willing to pay stupid amounts of cash just to sit behind a velvet rope, stare at chicks he's never going to land, and tell the waitresses that he's a big deal in Japan, maybe?) Last night, there was some J.C. Penny's suit wearing guy sitting stoically in a chaise sipping a cocktail while some bleached blonde performed what looked to be a choreographed interpretive dance routine right in front of him. It was tacky and exaggerated, and she was really taking it seriously. I decided to mimic her every move, and while everyone else thought it was funny, J.C Penny's suit guy started to disembowel me with his eyes so I ran away to the bar.
5. Ah, the bar. I'll give Lima some more props. Despite how crowded the place was, the bartenders were efficient and professional. I ordered a vodka on the rocks and a glass of water for L.M., and when I came back an hour later and ordered another vodka, the bartender also poured me another glass of water even though I didn't order one. That was a nice touch. Note to DC bartenders: do this.
So, if getting dressed up for a night of cocktails and shaking your money-maker is your scene, you're gonna do alright at Lima. I'll stick to insect-infested dive bars, but again, that's just me. -
Review from Emil A.
Washington, DC
7/3/2011
Lima is a lounge that attempts successfully to be exclusive enough to have wealthy foreigners flock here every weekend. The atmosphere is nice and they have 3 levels plus a patio to vary the music.
I recently returned to Lima for dinner and was impressed with the food offerings. I had heard they weren't great, but our table had everything from the cheese plate to the salmon and sea bass. Everything was surprisingly wonderful-- yet also pricey. For atmosphere during dinner-- you definitely know you are in a club, but the customer service was definitely better than their club area. We did experience problems with the valet and the GM quickly came to alleviate the problem.
Still, the overall Lima experience isn't for me so i'll put it at 3 Stars -
Review from Sonia B.
Beechhurst, NY
7/15/2011
I always have fun when I go here.
Multiple floors. -
Review from Thugnificent M.
Washington, DC
Updated - 2/12/2011
Are you kidding? "Nawh dog cant let u in with those shoes." "No jeans son." "Got a sweater on? Nawh gotta be in a suit."
Jersey shore meets Persian town. Why does the man at the front only button the two botton ones on his shirt. How come persian girls think they're latina or black?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/25/2010
Lima has potential but as of right now I'd avoid it. It's 3 floors but people only go downstairs.… Read more »
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Review from Miriam O.
ASTORIA, NY
7/1/2011
Cute lounge / club for house music. Came here with friends a few times on Club Glow on Saturday nights. I had a great time each time.
If you are looking for a house club in DC this is the place to be. Lima has three floors. The basement usually has a DJ. The atmosphere is nice, not crowded, and the crowd is nice and professional. There is a patio area which is nice to get away from the music and chat with people.
Overall, a great place for drinks, dancing and a LOAD of house music :))) !!! -
Review from D F.
San Francisco, CA
7/2/2011
Excellent wine list, delicious food in a stylish atmosphere. Crowded towards midnight. House music done well.
I like it. -
Review from Juan G.
5/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good spot to go out for night life. Very Chill spot, also pretty fun and safe.
Drinks are set at regular DC night prices. Next to a few other sports so allows for some bar hoping.
The crowd is more of an adult crowd, 25-35 ish. Good mix of people.
Has an outdoor patio area. Usually filled up with the smoking crowd tough. -
Review from Lia M.
1/30/2011
I really enjoyed my night at Lima. I went on a Saturday night (no cover before 11) and had a great time. The main floor pretty much clears out after 11 or so - house music on the bottom floor and hip-hop/reggaeton on the top floor, along with the VIP section.
I mostly stayed on the bottom floor - I love house music and the DJs were great. Crowd was very international and somewhat dressy, though there were definitely people in jeans. The bottom floor also has coat check ($3 per item) and restrooms (with an attendant).
Went to the top to check it out - super packed and the crowd was a little younger. Walked into the hall before the VIP area - another coat check, plus a case filled with chocolates, cigarettes, and mini toiletries (you know, in case you are going home with someone and forgot your mints). Also, the rose guy was there for a little bit, which always sketches me out , but I guess some people are into that.
Drinks were awful ($9 for a mixed drink). I would think a club would want you to be drunk. After two for me and three for my friend, we were still sober and gave up. Never had any issue getting to the bar or the attention of a bartender.
Valet is $20 or the garage next door is $15 for parking, if you can't get street parking.Listed in: Pick Up My Girls & Hit the…
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Review from FRANCHESKA A.
Alexandria, VA
5/1/2011
I guess this place is ok, depends the day off t week u go, IS not my scene off people. I dislike a place where guys are just trying the over due themself, i mean by that is who can buy the most drink o who can spend the most money I THINK IS STUPID, that do not impressed me..
THE music is a good the best is that there is valet parking n u car wen u ready to go u never wait more than 5 minutes
