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Michel Richard Citronelle
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
3000 M St NW(between N 30th St & N Thomas Jefferson St)
Washington, DC 20007
Neighborhood: Georgetown
(202) 625-2150
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Formal (Jacket Required)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
215 reviews for Michel Richard Citronelle
Review Highlights
"the tasting menu was incredible."
(in 34 reviews)
"We had the Promenade Gourmande with wine pairings."
(in 14 reviews)
"amazing lobster burger and the best cosmos."
(in 19 reviews)
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215 reviews in English
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Review from Kayvon P.
Palo Alto, CA
1/21/2012
Fantastic meal and ambiance and look forward to dining here many more times again whenever my love and I return to the DC area.
What I've Had: Cauliflower Soup, Scallops w/Foie Gras, Lobster Tail, Lamb (in many ways), Chocolate Degustation, Napolean
Like I said - WHAT a meal. The cauliflower soup might have gotten my gf hooked on fine dining soups. Amazing presentation, textures, tastes, and just AMAZING. the scallops with the foie gras and chestnuts was really out of this world as well. I almost licked the plate at this fine dining establishment it was so good!
My gf's lobster tail was one of the best I've ever had - so moist, so buttery, SO MUCH MEAT that I honestly think this was an absolute steal price wise. My lamb...wow. So many different cuts and presentations and textures. Just a fantastic entree that really cooked the lamb perfectly in many different ways. It is hard enough to nail lamb in ONE way, let alone a handful.
The desserts were solid (nothing out of this world) although I definitely enjoyed my chocolate degustation for sure. My gf's napolean could have been better and was a bit difficult to eat and if there was one thing that didn't work, it was this. But other than that, the entire meal was near perfection!
Our waiter was super French which was awesome! He didn't even let me order a cheese plate TO START the meal (the French only allow it after a meal and before dessert) but there was no way we were going to be able to have room for that AFTER our apps/entrees...etc. Beautiful restaurant with a very friendly lounge/bar/staff and the open view into the kitchen is great as well. Highly recommend this Michel Richard restaurant (his best) if you are in the DC area.Listed in: Best Fine Dining Dinners
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Review from Deborah N.
Columbia, MD
I had a great, delicious burger and fries here at their bar. The best burger and fries I ever ate. I was already planning family outings, booking holiday reservations. It was love.
But, sadly, about 2 hours after my last bite my stomach began some awful rumblings. Other unpleasant symptoms followed. You know where I'm going with this?... -
Review from Kati F.
Washington, DC
My girlfriend and I have longed to have the opportunity to have dinner at Citronelle. Anytime it occurs to us to get a reservation, they're booked solid for weeks. Sigh... So, picture it...Restaurant Week (RW) 2012. We're browsing Yelp and Open Table to find something amazing we haven't tried before when, what?, there's a reservation open at Citronelle! Yay! I, not believing my amazingly good fortune - finding reservation here and during RW, made the reservation immediately.
We went home after work to change into even more appropriate dinner clothes - because, we have an appropriate combination of restaurant knowledge and home training and realize that even though we wear business attire to work, something a notch or two up was required. After dressing and fluffing, we headed to Georgetown.
Upon arrival, we were notified that the reservations we had were for the dining room downstairs and not for the RW menu. So, we could go down and order off the regular menu or wait, probably two hours according to the hostess, to be seated at one of the 8 tables serving the RW menu. After a bit of deliberation, we decided to wait it out. Leaving our cell number with the hostess, we headed to the streets of Georgetown to amuse ourselves.
15 - not 120 - minutes later, we received a call notifying us that a table was ready, so we headed back and took our seats. Before I get into the specifics of our dinner, I want to state that our server was outstanding. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful with any and all questions. He, unlike the restaurant, would have gotten a 5-star review. The rest of the meal was lack-luster to say the very least. The restaurant week menu consisted of literally 6 items - two options for appetizer, 2 for main, 2 for desert. That is all.
Given the extremely limited selection, our order was as follows: goat cheese Caesar salad/celery soup to start, salmon main for us both, and chocolate mousse/raspberry caramel sundae for dessert. Sadly enough, the best course was definitely the appetizers. The soup was perfectly prepared and wonderful. Creamy, flavorful, and I ate every bite. The goat cheese salad was good as well. The presentation was excellent and the flavors too were solid. After the appetizers though, the meal took a distinct turn south. The salmon, when it arrived, had been cooked too quickly - albumin leeching out the sides of both pieces - and the entire presentation was just tacky. There was so much stuff piled on top of the fish that I could barely see it. It was clearly an attempt to distract the diner from the fact that it wasn't planned or executed well. I suffered through mine, but my girlfriend sent hers back. What she got in return was edible, but again, underwhelming. Mushroom-coated baked fish is something I would expect from the Golden Corral when they're trying to sass it up a bit on a Friday night. Definitely not from a Michelin rated French restaurant during RW.
Finally, dessert. Mine, again - the caramel - was good. Fairly hefty layers of each ingredient, but the combination of the raspberry and caramel was excellent. My girlfriends, again, was disappointing to say the least. She ordered the chocolate mousse, which arrived in a chocolate baking cup with Coco Puffs - yes, literally from the box Coco Puffs - on top (see uploaded photo). She promptly scraped them to the side and devoured the mousse underneath. After seeing what looked like other, more interesting, drink options on other tables, we ordered two cocktails with our dessert as well. These two cocktails arrived with alcohol soaked raspberries and cherries and were easily the best aspect of our evening - and likely the only thing which may inspire a return trip.
To summarize, I'm absolutely certain this restaurant is outstanding and has earned every accolade afforded them, but, on my visit, those skills were not on display. My advice - Take down your Michelin Stars and James Beard Award before serving your patrons baked chicken during Restaurant Week. -
Review from Miss T.
Fairfax, VA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Quite, private...almost luxurious. And parking on the street right outside...shhhhh, keep it to yourself!!!
The Tasting Menu was a hit, almost filling and exquisite. Purposeful and sublime. Every dish had something on it that raised an eyebrow. I looked inquisitive the entire night! lol
Citronelle is an experience...that I'd like to revisit. -
Review from Mary S.
Fairfax, VA
2/5/2012
Took my twin daughters there for their 21st bday as they had eaten there on their prom night and had never stopped talking about the experience. The experience was quite amazing...we got to meet the Chef who was charming (and took pics), we sat at a table overlooking the kitchen and the food was INCREDIBLE! The Chef does the most amazing presentations...it is all quite magical. We are vegetarians and it was no problem...it was all magnificent. We had cauliflower soup, pearl pasta risotto, vegetable tasting, chocolate degustation, lemon meringue, crepes suzette, snowman and celebratory cakes with giant sparklers...all was incredible! Obviously this is an expensive place but I found it was well worth it for such a special occasion. They treated us very well. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Food is amazing! Come hungry!
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Review from A E.
Rockville, MD
1/28/2012
They gave me a call to say that they have cancelled my reservation because apparently "they had forgotten that they are closed on Monday"! Isn't that great customer service??
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Review from Don M.
Washington, DC
11/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was expecting to be blown away... turns out I've had better for cheaper. At least I didn't leave hungry, though; the portions were straight up enormous.
On the plus side, Madeline Albright (aka Madame Secretary) and Sir Patrick Stewart (aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard) dined with us (ok, not with us, but near us). The dishes were beautiful, too. But since it's you can only order prix fixe, you kinda get screwed unless you really, really, REALLY like desert. 4 people = 4 deserts + petit fours. I mean, come on, what century is this?
So today, Richard's temple to innovative cuisine feels more stuffy and outdated today than edgy and avant garde. Gotta respect the impact it had on the D.C. dining scene, but I'd suggest going elsewhere if you're looking for a really "wow" meal. -
Review from Nina P.
Alexandria, VA
12/31/2011
I feel really torn about giving Citronelle 3 stars. But the main course was just completely off. the steak was just overdone and had no flavor. my friend's lamb was better, but the apps are what stood out. the seafood ones especially. My one piece of advice to anyone going is to think long and hard about your main course choice and ask questions about the options. Appetizers, amuse bouche, palette cleanser, the service, sitting next to the wine cellar, $25 glass of Bordeaux that was AMAZING and totally worth it, make me recommend Citronelle to anyone for sure, at least to try it once.
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Review from Tim R.
Gaithersburg, MD
12/5/2011
We ended up 50/50 on the main courses. Wife had a fish dish that was not delish. I had a braised short rib that was tasty. Fish had a sauce that didn't work for either my wife or the guest sitting next to her. The short rib was served on flat noodles that stuck together. Made it little difficult to eat. Appetizers were tuna tartare and a vegetable risotto. Dessert was either a cheese cake or carrot cake. Appetizers and dessert were both better than the main.
This was a company dinner in one of their private rooms so the experience was different from eating in the dining room. I don't know exactly how expensive it is, but I assume that it's on the higher end. The quality isn't up to the price. -
Review from Lee F.
Germantown, MD
10/26/2011
Ok,
You should be prepared to be amazed when you visit this wonderful restaurant.
The dress is formal and you'll know why when you see anything on a plate.
This can only be explained as true art on a plate. From the every sensation they prepare for you, to the exquisite plating design, they leave absolutely nothing to the imagination.
Its almost hard to eat as you are destroying true beauty. The only thing that allows me is knowing the next dish served will be as amazing if not more so.
While its a little pricey, I recommend you save up and go, even if once to celebrate something special, or to even celebrate going to eat here.
I have been here 3 times and amazed each time.
The Chateaubriand is to die for and I couldn't recommend it anymore.
Please do yourself a favor and put this on your list. I know I can only dream of going back, hopefully sooner then later. -
Review from Kirsten C.
Liberty Lake, WA
1/31/2012
Exquisite dining experience. Chef Michel made my night by spending time with our table of 2 and making us feel most welcome. Each course was a culinary master piece and a surprise on your pallet. I can not wait to visit DC again and experience Citronelle!
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Review from King Y.
Arlington, VA
11/20/2011
Honestly, I was kinda disappointed. One of the dishes was garnishes with plastic fake ice. Really? How pretentious can you be?
Some dishes were better, some weren't. Service was attentive, but overall, I was not impressed. -
Review from Sheeva G.
12/7/2011 1 photo
Michel Richard Citronelle is just outstanding. I came here on my recent DC trip with my amazing bf and this experience was so memorable. The restaurant is gorgeous and we were able to sit on a higher tier of the restaurant that looked over some tables and the kitchen. They had a darling private room with a small table in the back of the restaurant that was so intimate; coincidentally President Obama and his wife had eaten in that room the night before :). My favorite part was that this restaurant was formal so men were required to wear jackets, which I loved. Our main server was very French with the stereotypical French snobbery but it made the evening enjoyable.
They brought us the most amazing and beautiful amuse bouche in the beginning. Then we started with cauliflower soup and scallops with foie gras and chestnut risotto. Un-be-lievable. The soup was perfection and pretty much anything with foie gras (in my opinion) is phenomenal. Then we had the lobster and the lamb. My bf and I both agreed that it was the best lobster we've had. It was an entire tail with an amazing sauce and was accompanied with this fried rice dish (didn't really fit with the lobster, but delicious anyways). The lamb (similar to Fifth Floor in SF) had multiple cuts and creations, and was to die for. Before I get to the desserts, I need to mention how amazing the bread was. It was very simple but so fresh and it melted in your mouth. After that, we had the chocolate degustation and the napoleon. The napoleon wasnt my favorite, but the chocolate degustation was outstanding. The petit fours were so delicious too. Everything about this place was beautiful, from the wine to the food, to the ambiance. Believe or not, this restaurant is comparable to Gary Danko and my bf would definitely agree :). I cannot wait to go back to this restaurant with my love for another amazing evening.Listed in: The Faves
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Review from Reno F.
Esparto, CA
12/27/2011
The 3 course was really 6, it was the single greatest meal I have ever seen and tasted. There is something to be said about a truffle being shaved directly onto your risotto in front of you. Culinary perfection, I will be back.
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Review from C B.
Washington D.C., DC
1/23/2012
Citronelle has topped my restaurant wish list for a couple of years now, so it was with great zeal that I visited the restaurant. I have to say the food was an absolute delight (especially the desserts), but the overall experience was terrible. The server was very condescending and uninformed. Little changed when I mentioned this to a superior. Our party was seated and left unattended for 20-25 minutes with only water and not even a wine list to occupy ourselves. When I had to find the waiter and ask him for the "pleasure" of his attention (and a wine list, finally) it seemed too difficult for him to be bothered with us. I had to ask a chef to bring a bread basket and later he balked at my asking for an oyster fork (he actually told me "we do not have any oyster forks here". Really? Then don't serve oysters). The service cast a shadow over what would have been an delicious dinner. I actively discourage my clientele, friends, and you from eating here.
Also, the decor is outdated and stuffy; even for Georgetown. -
Review from N R.
Glen Ridge, NJ
1/21/2012
The food is beautiful. Amazing. The crowd however is not. Our anniversary meal was made much less enjoyable by the loud children nearby (why they weren't chastised and why they were even seated and to whom they were related, one must wonder). With no dress code (jacket alone for men doesn't help much) and no standards for decorum, an evening here is an expensive roll of the dice.
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Review from Doug S.
Waldorf, MD
12/11/2011
My girlfriend and I went with another couple last night for a Christmas dinner together. We all got the 3 course pre fixe menu, but shared all the dishes. All of the appetizers were amazing and much larger than I was expecting. The oyster shooters and escargot dish were the standouts here though. For dinner, one couple shared the short ribs, I got the lamb, and my GF got the duck. The lamb was definitely the best, but all of it was great.
Dessert was the fig dish, snowman, sorbets, and napoleon. All were delicious, as was the petit fours.
Obviously a little on the pricey side (270 + tip per couple with two drinks each), but one of the best dining experiences I have had.
The waiters were excellent and even comped each lady one drink! -
Review from Phil M.
Bethesda, MD
12/7/2011
I had heard so much about this fabulous restaurant I had to try it, so my wife and I splurged on a dinner there. The food was wonderful in presentation and flavor. The wine steward was extremely helpful in selecting what would be best to complement our selection. It was a real treat, and has inspired us to try some of the other top restaurants in the region eg City-Zen, The Inn at Little Washington, Blue Duck Tavern, etc. But back to Citronelle: the only drawback was the slightly snobbish waiter who served us, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.
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Review from Charles M.
Washington, DC
8/17/2011
If it were not for the fact that dinner for my wife and I cost just over $750, I would be more inclined to give Citronelle three stars.
However, realizing that we could have enjoyed two nights at Marcel's or three at Rasika rather than one at Citronelle makes both my wife shake our heads in disappointment.
There are many of things that are "good" at Citronelle. The food? Yes. The staff? Yes. The atmosphere? Yes.
However, none are truly great. The layout lends itself to many tables being in the staff's routes, which means you will get bumped several times. They did not enforce the dress code, so the "gentleman" sitting at the adjacent table was in a short sleeve button down. No jacket and no tie. On a Friday night.
Again, the food is pretty good and their plating is exceptional. However, uplighting soup and the overuse of LED lights are gimmicks that prove a necessary distraction when compared to the true quality of the food, which is by no means in compare to other establishments in the United States at this price point or reputation.
In retrospect, I am glad we both did the seven course Promenade Gourmande menu. This way we have no regrets and know that aside from a small tasting at the bar when needing a snack and trapped in Georgetown, we will dine elsewhere.
Final note - when dropping more than $350 a person between food and wine, charging $14 for sparking water, which can and should be made in-house for free, simply annoys. -
Review from Pj M.
Glenarden, MD
12/5/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Best meal that I ever had in my life! Most times at fancy smancy french restaurants, you don't get enough food. Not the case with Citronelle. Our three course meal left us almost too stuffed to eat desert.The service was lovely and they treated us lie we were the only people there. I highly recommend!
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Review from Jessica D.
Gaithersburg, MD
7/19/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I went here with a date before catching a show at the Kennedy Center. A quick note-- this is not a cheap place. We spent over $300 on dinner for two people, and could easily have spent more. This is Georgetown, after all.
All the staff, from the valet and host, to the server and sommelier, were exceedingly polite and well-mannered. I wish all restaurant staff conducted themselves with such poise, but then again, most restaurants don't execute nearly this well.
We started with drinks-- I had a lemon drop which seemed a bit *too* tart for me. It tasted like it was made with a lemon vodka rather than limoncello. My date had a glass of wine on the recommendation of the sommelier.
We had a three course meal, I started with a foie gras salad and had duck as my entree. Both the salad and the duck were done perfectly. I was so pleased with the outcome of my meal-- it was worth every penny.
My partner had the asparagus three ways, which she thoroughly enjoyed, save for the asparagus soup served in a tall shot glass. It had a nice flavor, but drinking soup from a glass was an experience that neither of us could get past. She had the salmon for her entree, and considering how picky she can be with her seafood, I think it's a testament to how well done the dish was-- she absolutely loved it.
We teased the waiter a bit about wanting to do a three course dessert, as well, and he was kind enough to bring out multiple things for us to try-- chocolate degustation, the rubber ducky in his bath (complete with a lit sparkler), sorbet and a few other things I can't even remember. On top of all that, we had some delicious petits fours. The dessert was easily the highlight of the meal.
My one complaint is that we didn't leave ourselves enough time to finish our meal and get to the Kennedy Center by 7:30 (our dinner reservations were for 6:00 and we were on time). Still, that's hardly the fault of the restaurant staff, and I look forward to coming back to Citronelle in the future. -
Review from High F.
Alexandria, VA
10/13/2011
one word sums up the food here...DAMN!!!!
after reading all these reviews, i was really skeptical about paying all this money for food. I've gotta admit, although expensive, the presentation, service, and quality were all worth it.
it's so expensive, that most of us will only come here once in our lives.
if you just come here once, just get the tasting menu.
it cost $190 for a 10 course meal. realize, it's a french restaurant, so each plate is french size quantities.
The bread is good, and unlimited. don't fill yourself up on bread early, because when the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th course comes around, you're pretty full and can't enjoy it as much.
everything is expensive. expect to pay $14 for a large bottle of water, $14 for alcoholic drinks. Soda wasn't too bad ($3).
if you come with the mindset expecting to pay a lot of money for great food, you'll enjoy it. you can easily pay over $250 per person.
I eat out...a lot. this is the most expensive by far, but is also the best restaurant i've eaten at in the DMV area.
it hurt the pocketbook, but i'm already wanting to go back.... -
Review from Vonetta Y.
Washington, DC
5/12/2011
I can see why Citronelle is consistently called one of the finest restaurants in Washington, DC: extremely impressive cuisine, wine, and levels of service. More on that last one, but I'll start with the food:
Since the appetizer I had escapes me right now, I'll move onto the entree. R and I split one of the house specialties, the beef short ribs, braised for THREE DAYS, but still a beautiful deep red. We figured it couldn't have cooked on more than 100 degrees to keep the color and stay so soft and melty. The peppercorn sauce gave it a hint of almost a beef jerky sorta, and oh, just so tender, I really could have cut it with a butterknife (I was going to try, but I figured the server would look at me funny). The short ribs came with the most delightful potato creation of fried, thin crisps with essentially very mashed potatoes in between. Wonderful!
I'm struggling to remember what I had for dessert (I KNOW, so not like me), but only because I hardly ate any of it because I was so full from the ribs. They did, however, give us these petit fours with a little bar of sugar that said "Congratulations" -- so sweet! (No pun intended.)
The chocolate-covered grapes get their own paragraph. R practically swallowed one whole, but I took my time, biting into one right down the middle. I stopped.
"What's wrong?" R asked.
"I think I just had an orgasm," I said.
If only the whole world could be made of those chocolate grapes.
Anyway, I can't give it five stars because, though we were blown away by the food, the service was a little uptight and the atmosphere is a bit stuffy. I, for one, think it's extremely possible to service amazing food without pretention. However, it was absolutely the best place for an engagement dinner, so come if you have something huge to celebrate!Listed in: Best meals of my life.
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Review from Jaye V.
4/12/2011
I happened to be in a very sad mood due to tragic events when I was taken here for my anniversary, and I am so glad we didn't cancel. I have wanted to go to Citronelle for the past 9 years, and it really cheered me up.
My boyfriend had requested to sit next to the windows, which was honored - and which I really enjoyed. The whole wall is glass that looks over into the kitchen - where everything was so calm and organized, with tons of chefs/cooks.
What really cheered me up, though, were the amuse bouche and the first courses we selected. They were SO playful that they made me giggle, especially considering the brief descriptions on the menu. For example, I ordered a lobster "caviar" pasta (or something akin to that). What came out was a large Citronelle-personalized caviar tin, filled with what looked like osetra caviar. They were really beads of pasta dyed in squid ink, and when you tapped on it with the side of a spoon, you broke through a crispy layer into a buttery chunky lobster mixture with a runny quail egg inside. Amazing. I have to say that the small courses were the best part of the night, better than the main courses. I'd like to go back and just order several of them.
Service was high end, of course, although there were a couple of minor errors - but it was cute/neat to see that the maitre d' noticed these things right away and was on top of the other waiters, reprimanding them when needed.
Finally, I love to take the opportunity to order classic cocktails at upscale restaurants, knowing the bartender will not only know how to make them, but will make them beautifully. And true to form, s/he made a terrific sidecar. I needed it. -
Review from Ellen O.
New York, NY
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a great meal at Citronelle when I was in DC on vacation two weeks ago. Service from my captain and waiters was excellent (friendly and attentive). Service from the woman sommelier--not as good (never checked on us once we selected our bottle of wine).
We had the Tasting Menu (Promenade Gourmande), and were able to make substitutions to it without any problem. Food was excellent. We found the famous short ribs to be the weakest dish of the evening.
Did have to reject two tables before I gave up and accepted the third table--really hate playing "Goldilocks", but hate when restaurants seeing two women think it's okay to give us bad tables (Table #1 was right behind the host stand so we could see the colorful computer screen all evening; Table #2 was next to a clearing stand and behind a column which would have blocked our view of the open kitchen; Table #3 was closest to the restrooms which fortunately were behind curtains)--this is why I didn't give them 5 stars. -
Review from Judy C.
Los Angeles, CA
6/2/2011 3 photos
A special experience but definitely an expensive treat for my bday last year. One of my favorite meals and worth at least one visit.
Michel Richard is a talented artist, and I adore his French creations. His food is intelligent and charming. He plays with colors, texture, and shapes as if he's having fun in the kitchen. Every dish said more than its lesser description on the menu, and I loved that element of surprise. The food was beautiful in presentation, full of flavor, and generous in its portions. My eyes and stomach were equally satisfied.
Each finger-sized appetizer came out as if designed by a skilled craftsman. My favorite innovation was the squid ink-dyed pasta balls looking like a strange black cavier. Once you break the top, you find a hidden layer of lobster in cream sauce underneath. Surprise! The entree of braised short ribs consisted of generous slabs of meat and would gratify your unpretentious hungry man who wants a solid hefty dish. Given Richard's pastry background, dessert was not surprisingly fun. A fruit pizza covered with white chocolate shavings. A gelato pyramid scheme of various choco-vanilla based flavors. Add some pizazz with a sparkling flambé to center the cookie pieces surrounding it.
A beautiful multi-tired seating area with a well-lit kitchen behind a glass wall for all patrons to see the masters at work. Waiters always stood closeby to deliver our next course with impeccable timing. Overall, the place did have somewhat of a stuffy feel because of its patrons, but that dissolved after the first bite. It was as if with each dish, Michel Richard was telling me, forget about the patrons - enjoy the food and let's have some fun. -
Review from Casey K.
2/14/2011
This review is for the LOUNGE at CINTRONELLE, because I sadly cannot afford the real thing. But this was DELICIOUS! I didnt even know they had a "lounge menu" until my friend came into town and said she wanted to check it out. We had a fantastic meal and fantastic drinks and for the 2 of us it was under $100 total. The atmosphere is very chill, there are probably 10 small tables as well as chairs at the bar to sit that are above where the restaurant is located.
DRINKS: she got the SIDECAR, which was served in a martini glass and very good & i got the PROVENCE & TONIC which had lavendar syrup, gin, absinthe and a few other treats - definitely unlike any drink I had ever tasted and you could definitely taste the lavendar; i really enjoyed it!
FOOD: we split the crab tart for an appetizer, which was very good - but not large and probably my least favorite thing that we tried. For our main course we split the tuna burger which was aboslutely AMAZING! I dont know how they made it, but it was fantastic. We also got a side of the fries, which were also very good in their own right!
All in all a great place to go for a semi-quiet, fun nice dinner -
Review from Anna B.
Washington, DC
1/19/2012
overrated
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Review from Doug Y.
Minneapolis, MN
5/16/2011
EGGS-CEPTIONAL LEMON MERINGUE.
My wife and I ate in the Lounge and had a great meal, but really felt this desert was a stand-out. Basically, delicious lemon meringue masquerading as eggs! Half cracked-open chocolate shells with a white meringue "white" and a lemony "yolk". One of the "eggs" was cracked open on the plate. Lemon was tart and beautifully offset by the sweet, but not too sweet, meringue. We've never seen so much care taken in the presentation of a desert. If you only have $12 to spend at Citronelle, spend it on this! -
Review from Ferdinand A.
Vienna, VA
12/11/2011
service was ok, food all right i guess.. hated the lobster burger... best thing was the potatoe soup... had 2 bottles of Kruger which was half our bill... but yes the burger wad still bad even with alll that alchool.. 4 ppl our bill was $1700.00 think next time we have a bday we'll go somewhere else
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Review from A N.
Arlington, VA
5/30/2011
A real treat. The only dinner experience that has topped this was at The French Laundry. Superb food, flawless service, and exquisite wine. World class.
We ordered the 3 course meal and we were very satisfied. We had assistance from the sommelier for our wine selections. The lobster pasta for the first course is a must...I'm still dreaming of it. A poached egg, hollandaise, lobster, and some sort of black pasta beads on top very reminiscent of caviar. We ordered the braised short ribs with peppercorn gravy for the entree, which was so tender it sliced like butter...really. The creme brulee for desert was not as impressive as everything else, but the 2000 Tokaji Disznoko we paired with it was out of this world.
This is the place to go for a splurge or special occasion; a true tour-de-force of fine cuisine. -
Review from Gregg M.
My girlfriend and I went here with a couple of friends for dinner. Her review is the last one previous to mine. We had the Promenade Gourmande with wine pairings. Damn! It was one pricey meal! Despite the sticker shock, I felt that I got my money's worth.
First, the service was strong throughout the evening. Pablo was attentive and knowledgeable about the each course that was served. However, one critique item would be that since we got the wine pairing with the meal, it would've been nice to have the sommelier provide a little background on the wines being served and why she paired it with each respective course. The wines were all exceptional, but the 2003 Pessac-Leognan was my personal favorite. The wine pours were generous
Second, the food was sinfully good and served in generous portions for a tasting menu...
Amuse Bouche was a mushroom "tartare" and mushroom "espresso" served in a real egg shells lit up with miniature "klieg" lights. Visually, it was a flashy beginning to our meal. However, the taste of the food was not outdone by the bells and whistles of its presentation.
Razor Clam-Mussel Chowder...if I had to make a meal out of one bowl of soup, this would be it! Rich and creamy lobster bisque covered the wonderful shellfish.
Tomato tartare...beautiful presentation, nicely seasoned tomatoes, tartare-style.
Halibut in a lobster-saffron broth...a flavorful dish, but the halibut was over-seared which resulted in it being a bit dry and tough. A shame because I love fresh Alaskan halibut.
Lobster Burger....served with potato chips, the burger was an truly tasty, whimsical twist on the traditional burger and potato chips.
Lamb in a jalapeno-cumin sauce...I love lamb. This was the second or third best course of the evening. The lamb was tender and juicy and was complemented nicely by the jalapeno-cumin sauce.
72 hour braised short rib...this was my favorite course. I love braised foods and especially beef short ribs. Extremely tender...while I wouldn't necessarily say it was cut with a fork tender, it certainly was sliced with ease by a butter knife.
Cheese...three flavorful, bold choices...sadly I can't remember the types of cheese, although all three were from cows milk.
Eggs-ceptional Lemon Meringue...I'm not a dessert guy but I certainly can appreciate a dessert done well with originality. This was one such dessert! Lemony and rich without being over-sweet. It was perfectly sized and really looked like an egg.
Chocolate bar with pistachio ice cream and sauce...this reminded me of an uber-chocolatey and rich Twix bar. Very good dessert.
Finally, Petit fours...a variety of four small sweets...the chocolate-covered/dusted grape was the standout.
All told, it was great dining experience...probably a 4.75 star place, one of the best I've had in this area. This is definitely not a place I could afford to go to on a regular basis, but it's definitely worth consideration for a special occasion.Listed in: My Favorite Places I've…
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Review from Alison A.
Arlington, VA
5/8/2011
Everything tasted good, some dishes better than others (lobster, calamari risotto were very good). I give Citronelle 3 stars because if someone spends over $500 for dinner for 2, I expect to be "wowed" a bit more. This means: not spilling some of the sparkling wine down the glass as it is poured at the table, covering up the obviously stale drywall fix in the bathroom, replacing some of the dated and burned-out lights in the dining room, etc. I think this restaurant can easily be a 5-star rating but it seems like they just don't care. Food = 4 stars, ambiance = 2 stars, service = 3 stars.
I hope the next time we decide to drop $500+ on a meal (it won't be here), but I hope I don't feel like we made a poor decision. -
Review from Ashley O.
Los Altos, CA
2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Four words: best steakhouse hands down.
With that being said, here's why it is the best. Service is excellent. I ordered a flute of champagne and the server would literally pour, wait for the bubbles to settle, then pour again. This went on for some time, until my flute was full with champagne, and not half full of bubbles. I admit that it was a little awkward waiting during the pouring, but no other restaurant has offered such meticulous service.
Now onto the food - it is SUPERB. For appetizers, I had the Split Pea Soup. For main entree, I shared the Short Ribs with black truffles. They were out of this world. The ribs were so tender that they melted in your mouth. I was already kind of full from the soup but the ribs were so good that I had to ignore satiety signals and march forth. I've never had a better steak in my life, I even took my leftovers home (to Los Angeles) after my visit to DC. The ribs were also served with stacked wafers filled with mashed potatoes in between the layers - it was the perfect accompaniment to the meal.
The menu here is expensive, but the food and dining experience were definitely worthwhile. I am looking forward to the next time I'm in DC to eat here again. Until then, I'll be dreaming of those Short Ribs in my sleep. No, seriously. -
Review from Aboud Y.
Cambridge, MA
4/18/2011
I ate one of the top 10 meals of my life here. Sooooo good! Everything was well-made and beautifully presented. Service was impeccable.
The standouts for me were my lamb chops (the best I've ever had) and dessert which was other worldly.
I highly recommend. -
Review from Joe S.
Washington, DC
12/1/2011
First things first. I ate here for their Thanksgiving buffet, so this isn't your average experience. But I will speak first on the food and drink. The wine we selected was delicious, and their wine selection is second to none. The food was amazing, no doubt in my mind or anyone I saw around us. Service was incredibly attentive and knowledgable. The sommelier came over as soon as he saw my friend open the wine menu, and knew each bottle in their cellar intimately. On to the slightly negative. The layout is, as some other reviews have said, not ideal. You run into servers and other guests quite easily (yes, it was a buffet, but still, things were a bit tight). And, the dress code was NOT enforced. A gentleman next to us was in jeans, no belt, and a button-down, untucked. No tie, no jacket. And they let his son play his Nintendo DS with volume all the way up the entire meal. I was sitting closest to the child, and it almost ruined the entire experience for me. Given what was paid for the meal, and the overall atmosphere and regale this place is known for, I was disappointed by that. I would love to be able to afford to go in there on a normal evening and see how things go. Hopefully with respect from our fellow diners!
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Review from Michael J.
Washington D.C., DC
1/31/2011
This is the most money I've ever spent on a meal. It was also one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.
I'd heard things about the restaurant because if it's sterling reputation, and it definitely lived up to its top billing. I took out my long-time girlfriend for her birthday, and per my request, they had delivered flowers to my table. Happened without a hitch.
My favorite drink is an old fashioned, and while these drinks can vary in taste because of how they're made, mine was fantastic.
We literally tried a bit of everything on the menu, and all of it was wonderful. The staff was even kind enough to bring out a cupcake with a sparkler on top for my girlie. A SPARKLER, people!
I'll be as blunt as possible, here. If you can't give a place like this five stars and enjoy the experience, then you're just not a "five star" person. I'll be back... once I win the lottery or cash out my 401k. -
Review from Aimee L.
Hayward, CA
I went here with a group of coworkers while we were in town on business. Since we were a group of 11 we called to make reservations and were informed we needed to rent a private room and have a pre-set menu. With it being restaurant week and every restaurant in the area wouldn't take reservations for a large group or they were booked we decided to go ahead and rent the private room. We were so not disappointed!
The room was downstairs and way in the back so we didn't have people walking by all the time. The mood was set with dimming lights, but not too dark. There was mood music set. We were greeted with our waiter taking our coats then immediately pouring our wine.
I started with the Citronelle salad. It was delicious, but I wouldn't order it on my own as it had beets and I'm not a fan of beets. Then I had the lobster begula pasta. It was AH-MAZING! I still can taste it! The appetizer is served in a caviar dish with crystals on the plate. The caviar dish is layered with a poached egg, lobster with a yummy sauce, then topped with the risotto pasta made to look like caviar. My favorite of the night. Then I had the pork tenderloin that was so easy to cut into and perfectly cooked. Others at the table had the sablefish and it looked delicious. Wish I could have tried both. Then I finished it off with the vanilla bean napolean. Yum yum yum! Everything about the meal, ambiance, and company was great! -
Review from Chris C.
Arlington, VA
10/19/2010
Outstanding service. Great food.
Our party of 3 celebrated my mother's birthday here a few years back. We enjoyed the set 3 menu. The items (both good and bad) that stood out were the following. A kobe beef entree that my sister had (+$65 off the tasting price) was not worth it. A little too fatty with not much to eat. It wasn't the melt in your mouth good fat but rather indigestible fat. I had something called 'the mosaic'. I dream about it. It was abalone displayed scattered between brightly colored sauces. My mom had a squid ink with pasta pearls. Delicious.
We each ordered an item off the dessert menu along with a cake that they prepared. Don't skimp on dessert here. Order off the menu! The cake was covered by thin gold foil. It looked so extravagant. My mom really enjoyed that along with the huge sparkler (the candle).
Michel Richard walked about the kitchen and talked to his guests. He looks like a french Santa Claus.. cute. -
Review from art f.
Annandale, VA
2/12/2011
Hard choice between 4 and 5 stars. Food is definitely a 5. A surf and turf mosaic of very thinly sliced raw beef and sushi was amazing to view - and very tasty. A tuna napoleon was also a work of art - and delectable. Entrees of venison and duck were perfect - and very well portioned. Dessert was a compilation of 4 chocolates - most appealing was a whimsical but decadent chocolate ice cream bar.
So 4 or 5 stars? The service was a tad snooty, and the valet parking was strange to say the least - you need to pay at the hotel reception, they need to input a large amount of keystrokes into their system and add tax to $12 - - given the size of the Cintronelle bill one might expect if not free parking the charge to be conveniently added to the check or at least attended to by the restaurant.
This is a place worth going. How often you're inclined to pay for such a meal obviously depends on your wallet and priorities.
