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Last Sunday I met my parents and mon ami gabi for a quick dinner. I thought I had been there before, but nothing felt familiar. The restaurant is supposed to be a moderately fancy french bistro. The inside definitely has a very nice charm and the black and white checkered floor really does have the French bistro feel to it.
I like that they bring out a whole baguette to start, it was pretty tasty bread. For a starter i went with the ONion soup. How can you go wrong with that. It was definitely the best french onion soup I Have had in this country (i dont order it a lot, so dont chastise me) -- the other two best soups were in Paris and Quebec.
Following the soup, I went with the daily fish special which was halibut wrapped in bacon served over a white bean, tomato and swiss chard stew (though, i think they lied about the chard, there was a tiny piece).
Overall, the meal was very pleasant, but I dont think I would call it a place that I would eat at all the time. They seemed to have awesome steaks on the menu, which was probably their specialty, but I opted for the lighter meal of fish.
My wife and I are such big fans of the La Vegas location in the Paris Hotel, that we were thrilled to visit thie location in Bethesda. Although this particular location does not evoke the same feeling of being in Paris as does the one in Las Vegas, it is still awesome. I do like that when enter the place, there is still a good French vibe.
As for the food. It is excellent. Steak Frites are obviously the staple and I usually go for the classic Steak Au Poivre. However, on my more daring occasions, I have ordered the Steak Bordelaise or the Steak Roquefort. I would be remiss if I didnt give a shout out to their Country Style Pâté, which is a family favorite (just not mine). When I order apps, its going to be Oysters Du Jour.
SETTING: Two visits.
DECOR:
Polished and pressed.
SERVICE:
Trained, Talented & Tasteful
ENTREES:
Asparagus Quiche - okay. Perhaps a bit on the dry side for me though. Simple, thin, buttery crust.
VERDICT:
Will continue to inquire within.
I've heard of this restaurant for a few years now but never had the chance to try it till last Friday. Oh, la la haha. I am total fan. We didn't even realize that it was also restaurant week last week but we didn't end up ordering from the menu. Instead we picked whatever appetizers we wanted and 2 big entree meals plus one dessert and were pretty full by the end. The total cost was about $30 including tip and tax which is not too shabby considering that restaurant week menu is $35 plus tip and tax so we saved AND had a great dining experience. Now that's my kinda foodie trip. =P
Ok, so we ordered a whole bunch of appetizers: les Escargots de Bourgogne , Mussels Marinière and Baked cheese. I love escargots! They are about the only thing that I would eat that's not considered normal and always force them upon my friends who never tried them and converted them. I just tell them - think of them as mushrooms. hehe. They were hooked. =D The mussels were steamed in a lovely cream wine sauce that was sooooo goood! mmm.. Now for the baked cheese - I admit I'm not a fan of cheese but this was one thing I was so glad that we ordered! The brie was set in a puree tomato sauce and baked till melted. Then out came this yummy gooey dip dish perfect with toasted french baguette or bread roll. Oh my, it was sooo good!!
My one friend ordered the special of the day - Fruit de Mer - (a seafood combo of oysters and shrimp with two salads on the side - one was crab asparagus avocado dip that I LOVE LOVE and I forget the other) I'm a sucker for anything avocado - def very good - too bad it came in a small container. would've inhaled the whole thing myself if I didn't have to share that. =P
I ordered the Steak Bordelaise in medium for my entree. The steak came out a bit on the red side but oh my it was juicy and tender with a lovely red wine sauce and cameralized onions. mmmm. I was about full when the entree came (always seem pointless loading up in bread but I LOVE BREAD - hehe) so pack the rest up for hubby. He gulped it down in mins when I brought it home - so good.
Of course I had to save room for the dessert which we ordered one dessert - profiteroles. Oh my - the dish came out with three profiteroles (which was perfect - one for each of us) with chocolate drizzled all over it and instead of a yummy custard for the center - it was a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream ( i may be too presumptious to say that it could be french vanilla - haha - who knows) =P it was good - too good. This is something that I may want to recreate in my own kitchen at a later time. =D
A huge total recommendation for this one! I took off one star bc the service could be better. There were alot of bustling but still seems slow -could be bc of restaurant week too. I love though how I was greeted on the phone in french as well as the waiters being able to speak french. I 'm glad that was a criteria at the restaurant bc after all, it should set the right mood being in a french restaurant. either way, c'est magnifique et tres tres bien =D
Mon Ami Gabi......french, sophisticated, elegant..... the service is outstanding. Friendly and professional. Have to mention the graceful movements of the personnel, the continuous smile and good manners.. so nice.
First come to your table is a delicious and crunchy baguette; warm, inside a paper bag accompained by jam and butter... pretty cool eh? We went for brunch , sunday morning, outdoor seating... I do like the menu a lot. Interesting dishes that I don't use to get for brunch.
Well, this time I keep myself traditional and I order scrambled eggs and green salad. Which is not in the menu. Have to say it wasn't outstanding and little salty, and I didn't get salad, but potatoes and vegetables frittata instead... well, doesn't make any sense considering my general impresion and I'll skip my food this time.
Also because what I saw in another tables as well as what my friend ordered looks delicious.. She order the Seafood crepe....a thin crepe (authentic french) filled with shrimps, in a creamy cheese sauce and covered with sautted scallops. nice presentation, tasty flavor and huge amount of food. My friend looks so happy.
the hand-cut fries of the adjacent table capture our attention, original presentation, yummy look,.. so bad we didn't had time to get some.
I really see the menu out of standards preparations which is always welcome.
I go to DC once in a while and I'm so happy Mon Ami Gabi is just 10 min walking from my bus stop. It deserves to be my last DC stop before I leave.
opps, just last thing.. I do like this place for a lunch/brunch with friends, with your partner or with your closest family. Not sure about dinner and I don't see it for a date.
I finally took the opportunity of Restaurant Week to come here. It's been on my bookmark for a while. The establishment is modern and roomy with traditional french decor. The service was attentive and the meal was leisurely paced.
The amuse bouche was a couscous arrangement alongside a baguette and rich butter. You definitely want to pace yourself, because you can certainly overdose on the baguette and butter alone. My choice of appetizer was the chicken pate. A generous serving of pate that was very buttery and had wonderful flavors. The spicy red wine mustard, sweet and sour cornichons, and pearl onions accoutrements were nicely complementary in flavors. My date had the warm brie appetizer that was also excellent. The creamy melted cheese had a firm hearty flavor and the grilled garlic was soft to spread on the crostini. My entree was the steak frites. A good cut of savory meat with a herb butter sauce served with a side of crunchy frites. The temperature of the meat came out as expected with a nice red center. My date had a beautiful thyme seared salmon on a bed of orzo and spinach with creamy lemon butter sauce. The salmon had a good grilled crust but was juicy and succulent. Our dessert choices were the warm bread pudding and flourless chocolate cake. The bread pudding had a really nice caramel sweetness and the chocolate cake was rich and decadent.
My wine choice was the Crozes-Hermitage 2006. An excellent Rhone red wine made with predominantly Syrah grapes. A beautiful nose with hints of spices and fruits, medium tannin structure and acidity, and dark berries flavor.
Overall, an excellent foray and I will definitely be back to check out the braised shortribs I saw on the daily menu board. I'm impressed by the generous RW portions. This is definitely one of the best RW picks for me.
The location for Mon Ami Gabi is the real selling point - it is right at the hub of Bethesda activity, and has the nice outdoor seating. You definitely get the sense that you are at a themed French restaurant rather than an authentic French place, but I can't complain about the food, it is quite good. And if you are going to a movie at the artsy theater nearby, or need a place to eat before an event afterwards, this is a great place to have an elegant start to the evening.
That said, this is not a particularly unique dining experience, so if you are looking for a culinary experience that is creative or even mold-breaking, this is not your place. This is a good place for the person who knows the 2-3 entrees they regularly order at a restaurant, and wants to have one of those items at a convenient, nice restaurant.
I destroy liver like alcoholism.
So count me in. Their chicken liver mousse is great, especially on the awesome french bread they bring to every table.
For an entree, I get the steak...either "classique" (french for "classic") or "au poivre" (french for "let's put pepper on this steak and charge more"). Both are good choices. The steaks are thin--french style--so don't order it too well done.
The desserts are great as well. You can't go wrong with the apple tart thing (not really called that, I forget the real name), the creme brulee or the cream puff thing.
Check it out!
What a pleasant surprise!
I am starving and cold, and don't even know the name of this place or what kind of food they serve when I bust through the doors looking for nourishment at 10 PM. Luckily, my gut feelings thrust me in the right direction. The tables are all taken up by thirty-something couples and some groups, so my friend and I sit at the bar.
A quick glance at the menu and I notice the alcohol selection is larger than the food selection, although both have a lot of variety. I make the bold choice of *...drum roll...* a hamburger. My friend was a little more adventurous and went with the cheese plate.
The hamburger looks expensive, tastes expensive, and comes with expensive-looking baby pickles. I will let the reader decide if $12 for a hamburger is expensive. It is delicious.
The really awesome part is the serving of steak fries that comes with the burger. The serving is bigger than the burger, and I can eat these little not-too-greasy potato shreds for hours. I must look out of place in this seemingly classy joint, because I dump the fries out on a napkin and eat them like I'm at McDonald's. No problem, the staff turn out to be regular people, just like me. I don't know if I can say the same for the patrons.
Speaking of the staff, our bartender Amanda is awesome! She is talkative, funny and has really great rapport with all her customers. The other bartender used to work over near where I live in Odenton, and he is really nice, too.
For dessert, I order the profiterole (see the picture, feel the desire). It's three scoops of ice cream topped with something like fried dough, which is in turn topped with chocolate sauce. When you look up "heaven" in the dictionary, there is a picture of this dish, right beside Eva Mendes.
After I indulge in the profiterole, the two nice ladies seated on my right want a spoon to try it. I can't part with the smallest bit of this treasure I have in front of me, so the bartender orders them each a complimentary scoop! How thoughtful!
Best part? One of the ladies doesn't finish her profiterole, so when she leaves, I eat it!
I will definitely come here again, and this time I will get a table to get the whole dining experience, although I am already thoroughly impressed just from sitting and eating at the bar. They have live music and clean bathrooms! What more could I want in a place I had no idea existed until my stomach steered me here?
Boy, there just isn't a lot of love for Mon Ami Gabi among Yelpers. But I had another good experience here today.
I had lunch with three co-workers. All three of them chose from the Restaurant Week menu (Mon Ami extended it for a 2nd week). As appetizer they had french onion soup, but each had a different entree: salmon with spinach salad, cheeseburger w/ Brie and fries, mussels w/ fries. I went for a special: an open faced mushroom sandwich with a poached egg, side salad and fries. We were all pleased with our dishes.
For dessert we each had a profiterole with an amazing chocolate sauce. I might go back just for that.
Plus, our server was super nice. Overall, a solidly good meal.
Some times it seems that there are lots of restaurants in Bethesda, but not that many good ones.
Mon…
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Enjoyed a late XMas Eve dinner before heading out of town. It was packed with families and holiday music tickled our ears. I chewed accordingly to the beat of the songs while people-watching through the window.
As customary, we attacked the shredded carrot spread/slaw that I usually mentioned to others as a French version of kimchi w/no spiciness. We devoured this with no bread. Since hubs delighted in sauerkraut and I was a fan of kimchi, MAG's orangy goodness was a comforting start for the evening.
I wished for something minty so a mojito was on its way and the hubs enjoyed a glass of Louis Bernard 2006 red wine. The bartender must've been in a festive mood because my green drink was super-hero powerful. Wow, Merry Christmas to me. As for the red wine (I'm not a novice nor am I a connoisseur), it paired well with our chicken entrees. Like their steaks and pork, the chicken classics were tasty.
And OMG the frites. I appreciate how these scrumptious goodies are a combination of thinly cut fries and potato chips morphed into this MAG creation. I'm a starch fan.
But the finale were two desserts not printed on their current menu. I had the spice cake topped with caramel and, I believe, a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. The hubs chose bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A pic of my gratifying treat is found in their business profile http://www.yelp.com/bi...
With our bellies full, we were ready for the holiday drive - actually HE was ready for the drive and I was looking forward to the road trip. Bless the better half.
MAG's service was friendly, timely and efficient as usual. A regular favorite local spot.
I love my pork at Mon Ami Gabi of Bethesda. The slow-braised pork shank is my must have when I am… Read more »
It was almost exactly a year ago that I was here and still, I think about it all the time. On my 25th birthday, I was working in Bethesda and my mother took me out to dinner here.
We didn't have a reservation but were seated right away, with a smile. The waiter came by with the wine list and ran us through the specials. I remember it well -- he said roasted duck and I knew what I had to have. The wine that was recommended with it was a perfect match. My mother had the swordfish, I believe.
The dinner was fantastic. It was the atmosphere that makes me remember is most. People were happy to be there. It was decorated in a way that reminded you of an old smoking bar where men sit around with a scotch and a cigar. Slightly pretentious but somehow still laid back.
I remember this place and that is saying something. It's a meal and atmosphere that you will remember.
Good Service, Good Food. What more do I need to say?
They have the best french toast ever!
Okay so the waiters don't speak French. It's okay. They are still very helpful.
This is one of my favorite restraurants in Bethesda. The decor is warm and inviting, and makes you feel like you're in Europe. The prices are average, I'd say, for Bethesda, but the portions are quite large. The steak frites are to die for, and their roast chicken is great. I also love all their desserts. As nice as it is, they're also very kid-friendly, with crayons and paper on the tables so the kids can draw and color. I love it here!
Good, but not great.
Came here for Bethesda restaurant week and the prix fixe looked enticing enough to try.
I started off with the chicken liver mousse, which came out as an enormous block on my plate. They should've given me an extra loaf of bread to wipe it all up. It tasted alright, but sometimes less is more. Give me more flavor in a smaller serving, so it doesn't feel like I'm eating five cans of fancy feast.
The steak was cooked to my liking, with a bleu cheese dressing. Again, nothing mind-blowing, but a solid meal. The frites were delicious, and I proceeded to eat every single one, but I'd say the ones at Les Halles were better.
I bookended my prix fixe with another serving of mousse - chocolate this time. Sweet lord was it rich! Almost sickeningly so. I ate that all down as well, of course, and then instantly developed three cavities.
The waiter throughout the night was extremely friendly and attentive. The two girls and one gay guy I was with were absolutely smitten with him and proceeded to corral him over to our table at the end and give his life story and family heritage. But again, he did this all with a sincere enthusiasm.
One of the most surprising parts of the night was a coupon at the end of my meal for a free steak frites meal ($20 value!!). Will I be back for my free meal? You bet! And if I find myself roaming around Bethesda, I might consider this place. I just wouldn't make a pilgrimage to it.
Restaurant Week Visit:
Had a reservation for lunch and came in a little late. Lots of paid and free parking in the local area. Served initially with a baguette and some coffee. Waiter definitely gave me a lot of refills so service was attentive. We ordered French onion soup, salad for appetizer, mussels and salmon for main course. Everything was well prepared and seasoned well. The mussels were very lightly cooked in wine sauce and apple. The salmon was lightly grilled and served with spinach and orange and grapefruit slices.
We enjoyed our meal and the ambiance. It had a cafe, bistro feel and feltvery lively. Didn't care for the French fries but they were ok.
Would I go again... yes.
Disclaimer: I'm a tightwad with stars; that could really be a 3.5/4 so don't be discouraged. Read on.
Went here for the first time on a first date, so I was nervous anyway. I had checked out the menu of a bunch of places beforehand (yes, im that nerdy) and came up with a few choices from which i made my date chose. For completeness, my top three were mon ami gabi, jaleo, and assagi.
I liked the style of the place--elegant without being stuffy but the tables were a little close together. i was on the bench side of the table, and practically on top of the elderly four-some next to us. We heard quite a lot of their conversations--the coffee was cold, Stella broke her hip, where the best $5 dinner deals are, etc.
I think it was clear we were on a first date (I hate that) so the servers were attentive but not intrusive, which I appreciated. They placed a whole baguette, whipped butter and some molded cous-cous thing on our table with no explanation. Needless to say, tearing into a whole baguette with my hands wasnt the most lady-like thing i did all night but whatever. The bread was good.
Pretty mediocre wine-by-the-glass selection, but i went with the house malbec i think. could have been a pinot noir. wasnt memorable. We both ordered seafood; I got thyme grilled salmon on a bed of orzo and spinach which was amazing. The salmon was perfectly cooked. He got the scallops, which looked pretty good, but I wasnt about to start picking off his plate, so I dont know how they tasted. No dessert for us, we went elsewhere for another drink and more awkward date conversation.
I live right in downtown Bethesda, so would go back, if only for convenience sake. Or if i get a jonesin' for crepes, which is possible. Overall, very good food, and a nice date-spot but not my favorite place on the block.
Mon Ami Gabi had OK food, OK wine but terrible service. While our waiters all spoke French, the food seemed more American and even a bit Mediterranean.
Also don't be deceived by the menu out front - they have an extensive brunch/lunch menu, but the dinner menu is much smaller (read: one page.) If you are not an olive fan, be sure to ask if olives come on your salad or entree - they were on everything we ordered.
Overall this place had decent food, good outdoor seating, nice waiters, but they were extremely slow and inattentive.
If my waiter had spoken French, like those who waited on some other Yelpers, I might have added a third star just for the hell of it.
OK, here we go. I was frustrated by the wine list for starters. It listed the regions of France. Fine. And then listed the varietals of grapes found under each of those regions. Fine. And then under THAT, listed the wines by chateaux names. Fine. But it DIDN'T tell you the varietal of grapes contained in each wine, and the waiter - who didn't even look old enough to drink wine - had absolutely no clue about wine or his restaurant's wine list. So nobody in the room knew whether we were ordering a malbec or a merlot. I know what I like, but I'm not an expert. You KNOW your wine ordering experience was bad when you simply had to point and say "I guess I'll take THAT one".
The french onion soup I had was boring and overly sweet. The potatoes that came with my friends' steaks were so thin, it's like they couldn't decide whether they wanted to be french fries or potato chips. Not a good fence to be on, as they are either soggy chips or really greasy fries. One friend got plain old potatoes with her fish. I tasted them and they were bland as hell. I also tasted a friend's steak: Meh.
The bread that came to the table in the beginning, along with the kicky little accompanying dish of sweet grated carrots were fresh and good, as was the trout. That's where the second star was awarded.
Surely Bethesda can do better. Although more pricey, a similar (and slightly better) alternative Big French Bistro waaaaaaay downtown is Les Halles.
Met up with my cousin for dinner here last night. She had been many times while it was my first visit to the Bethesda location.
We started with the chicken liver mousse, which was good. Then I had the Hangar steak, while she ordered the Filet au poivre. We both ordered medium rare. Mine was perfect while hers came out way over cooked. We sent it back, and they brought out a new one. At that point I was donewith my meal.
My steak was perfectly cooked, seasoned nicely with merlot butter. It was tender & flavorful. It was also a bargain at $17.95. My cousin's filet was bland, and she said it was usually very good but not last night. Too bad considering it cost $29.95. I didn't care for their frites. Their fries with very thin unlike the traditional fries served with steak frites. They weren't very crispy and I much prefer the traditional version served at places like Les Halles.
The service was not so great. The server took awhile to greet our table. He never checked back to see how our food was, and we had to flag him down about the over cooked steak. He never checked back after that until much later when he dropped off the check.
I would go back again. It's a good bet if you have a steak craving. I wouldn't expect anything spectacular, but a decent standy-by.
2 words: steak frites. 2 more: get them.
Even though Mon Ami Gabi is kind of expensive and full of yuppies (it's Bethesda after all) the food is really tasty.
AND it's next to a great independent movie theater and mediocre ice cream shop.
Thought I'd give it another try - wished I did not. Came for dinner. Crappy service with crappier food to boot. The steak is so thin, they should just call it bulgoggi! The frites are so thin they are no better than kettle chips. I had the steak frite at Les Halles and it was waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy better.
Dont be fooled by the nice looking "french bistro paris feel" outdoor sitting or dinning room. The place looks toooo good for the food they serve. Super deceptive!
The hot bread that they serve here is great. However, the same cannot be said about their food or… Read more »
I really wish that Mon Ami Gabi were closer to my place, because I could see doing brunch here on a much more frequent basis if it weren't such a haul to get there. Then again, considering it's creamy, buttery, starchy French food... maybe it's safer that it's so inconvenient. That's a lot less good food sticking to my waist!
Walking into MAG feels like stepping into a cozy French cafe that's been blown out to gigantic proportions. The racks of wine bottles, the smartly uniformed wait staff bustling about, and the cramped seating situation all serve to enhance the authenticity of the experience.
The food continues the theme of French-ness as well. We were almost immediately provided with a crusty loaf of baguette with butter and jam upon being seated. Our cute, professional server took our orders as we finalized them (which took quite awhile because of how large the selection was!) and returned shortly with the bubbly, citrus-y mimosas we'd ordered. They also have a Bloody Mary bar that sounded interesting, but I wasn't in the mood to try it out.
If you enjoy simple steamed artichokes with drawn butter and a dash of lemon, MAG's won't disappoint. I've had better, but this artichoke was plenty to share as a starter among three or four, and it's way better than I could make at home.
I had the Bethesda Restaurant Week lunch for $12 of the mixed salad appetizer and mussels entree. The salad was served with crostini slathered with olive paste which was very savory - the salad itself was light and fresh and served as a great match against the creamy white wine sauce the mussels were served in. Although the mussels couldn't hold a candle against the ones at La Chaumiere, for the price they were quite reasonable.
I can't say I'd go out of my way to come back here, but if I'm in the neighborhood and itching for a great brunch, I wouldn't hesitate to walk into MAG again. I don't know if it was a function of being Restaurant Week, but the place was packed - reservations would be wise.
The best french fries or "frites" as they say in France. I really enjoy Mon Ami Gabi because they are consistent and deliver a fine experience. My only complaint is that the noise level is high and there's definitely a lot of hussle and bussle.
I enjoyed the frites, pear and blue cheese salad and the thyme crusted salmon with orzo pasta. Profiteroles for dessert. No complaints in the food department. The service has been consistently knowledgeable and friendly. Maybe that's why there is always a very long wait.
I would say Mon Ami Gabi is one of my Bethesda favorites. I will go back again for sure.
Its difficult to know how to rate Mon Ami Gabi. Mon Ami Gabi has great food over a MAJORITY of visits. This is probably the restaurant I visit most often in Bethesda, every other week, and the range of experience is highly varied. I've had pretty much everything at some point, and seen every season's menu change since they opened. I based my rating on the fact that on a good night when service is great (RARE) and they don't overcook the steak or make other errors, the food can really be fantastic. True bistro comfort food in a pleasant setting- its not sophisticated or complicated, but its exactly what one craves for a bistro visit. Some of soups and specials have been sublime in the last few years. The problem is the following - you have roughly a 33% chance of having food issues (usually because of the service staff delays or errors) and a 75% chance of having awful service. While the managers at this place are really great and generally fix the problems, it is a hassle to have to send back steaks, or ask for managers to fix orders. My experience over the last five to six years has been that three out of four waiters in this restaurant are clueless - clueless as to meat preparation, the ingredients of specials, the preparation, the wine list- and have attitude to go with their lack of knowledge, which is disturbing. They are not attentive to the very simply but specific requests you make, and food is served cold, lukewarm, overcooked - often as a result of the service staff timing. I ask my guests not to even bother asking detailed questions about the menu or preparations, or wine -because some of the responses have been mind-boggling over the years. The service goes from awful to absolutely abysmal if you are truly unlucky and land one of the five or six waiters who absolutely seem to be bothered by having to work at this establishment, making for very grudging service. These are the ones who answer back after making errors - and tell you "steak can't be cooked medium rare to rare - it has to be one or the other" or argue about the soup you didn't order (the only solution I found is just to avoid these waiters by special request). When the food is prepared as it is supposed to - not oversalted, not overcooked, not sitting under a heat lamp forever, not brought to the table at the same time as your appetizer and salad, or left to get cold, - when this happens, its a perfect meal. The reason I keep going back is that as a repeat customer I have finally worked out the methods for increasing my chances of a great food experience with good service. But most visitors may run into the problems again and again and it should not have to be so hard to get good service and warm food that is delivered to your table before it is overcooked under heat lamps, or cold. If your first experience is not good, give it a second or third chance.
The primary problem at Mon Ami Gabi, in my view, is the uncaring and untrained wait staff - otherwise great location, great food, and great management. The potential for a great meal makes it always worth revisiting.
Way to go Bethesda Restaurant Week for convincing one Restonite, two Arlingtonians and two DC-ers to convene for lunch in Bethesda. The RW deal for lunch was $12 for an appetizer and entree or entree and dessert. Not everyone took advantage of the deal since there were so many great options on the regular menu. I, of course, did.
The soup du jour was a butternut squash with bleu cheese. Sweet and creamy. I was very satisfied with my choice. I also had the steamed mussels in white wine cream and bacon sauce served with frites. Mmm, mmm, good.
I will definitely go back if I'm in the neighborhood.
Steak Classique.
Don't get a menu. This is a one-item restaurant. Chicken is bad. Fish is average.
Go hungry. Leave so happy.
A great spot.
It has become more "Americanized" in the last two years - I guess the Bethesda crowd can't handle authentic French, but it is a great spot. Four quick points:
1. the steak the steak the steak. My friend said on Saturday it was the best she had ever had in her life. And she knows her food.
2. the wine - take a trip into the unknown - they offer lots of things you may not have had before and could love.
3. the staff - well trained, almost as good as the classiest NY Daniel Bouloud spot. Almost.
4.the starters - quiche lorraine as it was meant to be.
Went here for a work event (wine tasting/dinner) this week, so I do not know the price of things. (Sorry.)
First, Julian, the manager (?) was great. He went through a quick lesson on French wines, and we were served 2 whites and 2 reds. We had a dedicated server who kept the wine glasses full (hello!!) .
I had the butter lettuce salad. Very fresh and yummy. My entree was the seared scallops with cauliflower puree and wilted spinach. Oh my goodness. Super delicious. Cooked perfectly and all elements were full of flavor and went together wonderfully. For dessert, I had the creme brulee, which was very good. Wished I tried the flourless chocolate cake - that looked yummy too!
I would highly recommend this place. Being from Chicago, the headquarters of the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group is here - including Mon Ami Gabi. I never have been to the Chicago one, but I will definitely make plans to do so really really soon!!
Thanks, Julian and staff!
Mmmm...Mon Ami Gabi. Your burger with brie, is good enough for me.
Let's start off by saying I don't think this is *that* authentic and the waiters don't speak a lick of french, but that's fine. Just wanted to put that all out there. Given that, I thought the food here was pretty darn yummy. I always like to scope out good French restaurants for my parents to visit while they're in town, and again, though not authentic, I think this place has very good food. I had the steak and fries. Someone else had the salmon which was also good, and someone else raved about the chicken - which look dry and plain to me, but they said it was good. I also had some sweet wine that was absolutely delicious. I'll definitely go again.
I went to Mon Ami Gabi for dinner with a friend yesterday evening. The maitre d' was quite friendly, as was the wait staff. Service was quick and gracious, and was good at checking to see if we needed/wanted anything without being overly solicitious.
The interior is really quite lovely, with pretty warm colors contrasting with the dark mahogony wood, the two dining rooms are separated by a mahogony wine rack, and it creates a welcoming environment. They were having some sort of Apple festival, so the restaurant was decorated with apples all around the perimeter of the room, as well as having some special apple entrees and deserts on the menu.
Speaking of apples, our dinner began with a wonderful demibaguette, accompanied with couscous and apple butter. Although we couldn't taste the apple in the apple butter, it was still quite good, and the demibaguette was perfect.
I had the french onion soup, which although I thought it was pricey when looking at the menu, comes in a huge portion. It was sweeter then I am used to, but it was really quite good.
My dining companion and I both had the fish and chips (pomme frites), which was a very thin, large piece of cod fillet, and very thin ribbon fries that seemed to be a hybrid between classic french fries and potato chips. The cod was absolutely delicious, definitely among the best fried fish that I've had. The frites started of being very good while they were hot, but as they cooled, they kind of lost their appeal.
We ended our meal by splitting profiteroles, vanilla ice cream topped with pastry topped with chocolate, and that was very, very good.
All in all, Mon Ami Gabi is a perfectly lovely restaurant where I would be comfortable taking a date, a client, my parents, etc. I wouldn't necessarily come here for a first date as the formal, fancy environment might scare someone off, but otherwise, it's pretty darn top notch.
It was our dear, devoted intern that reminded me about this place. We were talking about the Bethesda Row Cinema, and she told me "Oh, you've GOT to try this great French restaurant called Mon Ami Gabi! The steak frites are wonderful!"
"That's a good idea," I replied. "However, it's more like French-style food, since they're run by Lettuce Entertain You. You know, that big Chicago superchain of restaurants."
Her jaw dropped. But that's okay. I had a similar reaction when my dad told me pro wrestling was faked. The Hulkster FAKING IT? Lies... all lies!
The interior felt steakhousey. Lots of Oakwood trim and lots of bottles of wine against the walls. Surprisingly, they didn't seat us at one of those setups where you've got the long bench on one side, lined up with 15 smaller tables and chairs on the other side (God knows there was plenty of this seating here, which I absolutely hate). We got a nice, cozy table in the corner (in fact, if I ever bring a date here, I'm going to try to get this same table again).
First up, escargot. I only had these once, about 17 years ago, and my coworker never had them at all, so we figured we'd just split an order. Turns out neither one of us cared for them, but that didn't have anything to do with how they were cooked (the garlic butter was very, very tasty!), more like we just didn't like snails. They have a good selection of apps, such as country pate and duck mousse, and they give you a complimentary baguette with butter regardless.
As for the main course, I think what MAG does is take traditional French bistro favorites, and just run with those. Nothing like calves brain or cassoulet. Hangar steak and frites is clearly the star of the show, and you can get it several different ways here. I got the Steak Roquefort, which was steak with bleu cheese sauce. My coworker got the Steak Bordelaise, which came with caramelized onions and red wine sauce on top. They have seafood and other dishes there, but for some reason, steak just stands out. Also, they have a list of weekly specials (like duck confit on Sundays), but if you're hankering for the specials, you've got to reserve the special in your reservations. Quantities are limited.
The steaks were great. I would have loved for my steak to have had more bleu cheese sauce, but it was very tasty. Meat was cooked medium rare as requested, and very tender. (I've seen complaints, mostly on other review sites, that MAG had a track record of overcooking beef, but it wasn't a problem tonight). The frites are strange. Have you ever ate those potato sticks you get at the grocery store? Imagine those on steroids. Very crisp and very puffy. But we both left stuffed, and for $20 per plate, it was a good value for the money.
The verdict: I liked it a lot, and the food was great. Having said that, I have no idea when I'll be here next. For me, it's out of the way, and there's no escaping the fact that it's clearly an American creature, and clearly a chain restaurant at that. It just had that whole corporate feel. With so many other actual French restaurants in DC (that are closer to me) with real French staff, it almost defies logic that I'd come back here when the real deal is closer. Oh, and I overheard the guy next to me remark "yeah... we've got a lot of Americans buried over there. We saved their asses twice." Yeah, this place don't cater to the international crowd, methinks.
Note: a word about booze. Their wine selection was quite extensive, but a bit expensive too. Wanna know why it's this way in Montgomery County restaurants? Read on: http://www.washingtonc...
Gorgeous sunny Saturday, a couple empty tables outside of Mon Ami. So a friend and I decided- why not soak up the beautiful weather and eat outside? We walk into the restaurant (at 25% capacity mind you) and ask the host for a table outside to which the manager replies, "I'm sorry we can't sit you outside. We are in between lunch and dinner right now".
Me: "What do you mean, the kitchen is closed?"
Him: "No, the kitchen is fully open, we just can't seat you outside. The people already outside are just finishing up. We can only serve you in this one section to my left, or at the bar."
Me: (still not comprehending) So...you're saying we can't sit outside even though there are available tables...AND the kitchen is fully operational...
Him: "Correct"
AU REVIOR!!!
Okay...so I haven't actually eaten here, but the crappy rating is due to their snobby attitude and unwillingness to accommodate their customers.
A group of friends and I rolled large to Mon Ami Gabi last weekend during Bethesda's restaurant week. I thought the restaurant week menu offered plenty of good options. I ended up grabbing the salmon served atop of pile of risotto which was pretty much money in the bank (now bear in mind that I was also rocking the majority of a bottle of French wine at the time as well). I ended up tasting most of friends food whenever they left to use the restroom, and dang! it was all good too. The service was above average but we were hoping for a rich French accent which we didn't get. Anyways, I plan to go back to try the lunch menu sometime soon.
I have been here several times for lunch and it is always delicious. I usually order the house salad with goat cheese, the steak sandwich with frites, and for dessert, the profiteroles. I have also sampled the pate, the scallops, and the shrimp, all of which are amazing. Quaint, slightly boisterous setting, with great service. They serve red wine mustard and tiny pickles with the brie which is yummy and classic.
My favorite things:
- Their brunch is close to perfection! Delicious. It fills up quick, so don't sleep in too late!
- They have plenty of outdoor seating!
- Their steak is to die for and unique!
- Other things to do: catch a movie at the very cool Bethesda Row Cinemas around the corner; get some unbelievable ice cream at Gifford's next door; walk off that food coma with a stroll down the Capital Crescent Trail.
It's Saturday afternoon in Downtown Bethesda. An atypical, but welcome warm day in mid October calls to us to take our beloved four-legged friends with us to the Bethesda Arts Festival.
After tangling in the masses for hours, we sat ourselves at nice little bistro table facing Woodmont Avenue and were instantly greeted. (Maybe we were suppose to go to the hostess stand first?) We were given the Brunch menu, but it offered a reasonable amount of a la carte lunch items.
I opted for the asparagus and mushroom quiche which was tasty, but not filling. I was eying my neighbors pomme frittes, which looked thin and crisp and were served in a metal tumbler, just the way I like them! My friend had the sandwich du jour, which was pork and while she said it was good, she took most of it home. Both of our dishes were served with a bed of lettuce (not your typical greens, but I don't recall the name of this kind). It had a citrus-type dressing on it. Both entrees were $9.95 each.
I'd like to come back, as Anna T. suggested, for Happy Hour. Dinner entree prices are a bit steep, but the atmosphere is appealing. I'm looking forward to trying the escargot next time.
There will be a next time.
This is a great French bistro right in the middle of Bethesda that provides excellent service and great food, though the price is a bit on the high side.
The atmosphere and decor of the place is what you would expect from any French bistro, with lots of wood on the walls, tiled floors, and tables packed in really tight.
Every time I have visited, the server was either French or putting on a really bad accent. Sometimes the service is a bit French (e.g. unattentive and snobby), but most of the time it's quite good.
I'm a huge escargot fan, so I always get it as an appetizer when we go, and it's some of the best that I have had. Make sure you get extra bread to sop up that wonderful garlic butter ;) Entrees here are a bit on the high side pricewise, but they're definitely tasty and up to par with other French restaurants in the city. Dessert is a definite must here!
Overall, great food and reasonable service for a slightly high price, but definitely recommended.
the food is ok, not great, not even extraordinary. on the other hand the quality is consistent, day in day out. over a year ago their portions used to be huge and some of the dishes were somewhat outdated. i think the menu underwent a change, a reengineering of sorts, and the refresh was anything but negative, a tad smaller portions, some new items, a little more hip. still the quality is middle of the road. my kids love the place though - very kid friendly, either with or without the kid menu. a decent place to bring a date if you contemplate going to the movies by the landmark theater down the street.
i will end this review on a bad note: the bread is absolutely crap, but served warm, which hides the crappiness of it.
Bethesda, MD
Category: Spanish
Chevy Chase, MD
Category: American (New)
Bethesda, MD
Category: Restaurants
Bethesda, MD
Category: Restaurants
Chevy Chase, MD
Category: French
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