Prime Rib

 

53

107

Luan N.

Chicago, IL

I'm not much of a prime rib type of guy, especially because it looks so bloody and raw.  At least with filet mignon or rib eye you have seared sides to hide the bloody mess.  But, I have to admit this 4-5 week aged prime rib was tasty.  
This is a real stuffy place.  I believe many politicians and dignitaries frequent this jacket and tie establishment.  I don't know how it is now, but when I went all the servers were male.  If you're a prime rib connoisseur, I believe this is worth trying.

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0

13

David T.

Milpitas, CA

I love prime rib, when my friend told me about it.. I was skeptical because I've had some good prime rib.. home made and restaurant.  We were all in town visiting and prime rib came up in the conversation.  My mouth watered from memories of melt in your mouth prime ribs in the past.  My buddy suggests we should all go to THE Prime Rib.  I was all for it!
The decor was old school steakhouse from the 40s to 60s era. and it seems to be an expense account type of clientele entertaining the capitol city's movers and shakers. Guys must wear a jacket to be admitted.
About six of us went and four of us order the prime rib.  Of the four..2 of them were tall slim girls.  It was a 32 oz. prime rib on the bone!! The restaurant had something about there own aging process of the meat and it's like aged for 5 weeks in there own place or something like that.
Well folks, indeed this place was the king of prime ribs. Every bite was ecstasy! Melt in your mouth goodness.  This place in my mind is now the best prime rib I have ever had.  And the two girls that ordered the prime rib? well they killed most of it! I was shocked.  I have to say service was ok and of course pricey but it's a steakhouse what do you expect.  I will go back next time I'm in DC

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5

21

Emily M.

Washington, DC

I went to Prime Rib for a business dinner and had a fairly good dinner there. I say "fairly good" because, while I loved the decor and general ambiance there were some definite missteps that I was surprised to see here.

Pros: Fabulous jazz duo playing during dinner and I love the traditional "clubby" steakhouse feel. Also, the service was knowledgeable and (for the most part) unobtrusive. For example, my dining companion and I spent a good hour at hour table over scotch prior to our meal where the waiter just left us alone to chat and sip. That was quite nice.

Cons: First, though I made my reservations with the indication that this was a business meal, I think the waiter had the impression that the dinner was for something else. My dining companion was significantly older than myself and while I understand that the "May-December" thing may be common in DC, I was put off by the waiter trying to get me to share my meal and drinks with my client. Trust me, it was awkward.

Second, I ordered my NY Strip rare, but it came out about medium to medium rare, at best (barely light pink throughout with a weird texture to it--like it had been sitting under a heat lamp too long). When I asked that it be taken back, the waiter basically argued with me, asking me to cut it at a different point than I had and then saying that the meat was rare, just not "extra rare." Extra rare? I wasn't asking "blue rare" or some cold nasty barely cooked steak or anything. Rare means rare--seared on the outside, blood red, slightly warm and velvety on the inside--and I expect a steakhouse to know that. It was strange.

When I finally received my replacement steak (cooked "extra rare") it was absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked. Grilled asparagus with hollandaise sauce and mashed potatoes on the side (both quite yummy) made the dinner complete.

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8

6

A.J. L.

McLean, VA

An old school restaurant in every sense of the word, it's where you go to see the Washington elite dine.  I first took my parents there for their anniversary a few years ago and they loved it so much they always want to go back when they are in town.  It's a bit on the pricey side, but the food has never disappointed.

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5

36

Melanie Y.

Gaithersburg, MD

Another lunch outing with Boss and coworker.  They definitely know how to pick a restaurant.  This restaurant is known for its prime rib which I haven't yet had the nerve to eat one.  It just looks sooo fatty, but they definitely enjoyed it very well.  I had ordered the salmon dish and the portion is pretty generous.  The ambiance is more of a rustic feel to it, very dark and somber and you can see the prime ribs cooking away in a clear glass off to the side of the restaurant.   Overall a good experience.

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9

30

Eurry K.

Washington, DC

After borrowing a failed reservation from a friend, some friends and I dropped in for a Restaurant Week dinner. Luckily I looked up with restaurant and found out that there is a dress code. Yeah. Jackets. Business attire. Stuffy type... but  it's a fun reason to get randomly dressed up.

Once we got there, the amazing decor of the restaurant immediately induced ooohs and aaahhs. Black walls, thin gold moldings, big puffy black chairs, live jazz trio (including a piano and cello!) and a black and white picture of Clark Gable. After being seated, we noticed that most of the clientele consisted of white-haired men with white shirts and ties (albeit, due to Restaurant Week, there were a couple of younger patrons scattered throughout).

We all ordered the prime rib as our main entree and creme brulee as dessert. I started out with a roasted tomato soup, which was creamy and savory-sweet. So good... and comforting after a walk in some frigid temperatures. The prime rib was sizable and quite yummy. I opted for some fresh ground pepper on top, which enhanced the flavors substantially. Tender, juicy, and pink. Gosh, it was good. The accompanying sides, which consisted of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach were also pretty darn good. The potatoes had a hint of blue cheese, which I loved. The creamed spinach was notably fresh and the spinach flavor was surprisingly left intact. Unfortunately, the creme brulee was a bit hit or miss. Two of us ended up getting badly curdled creme brulee while my other two friends received a creamy and consistent dessert. Curdled creme brulee sucks... to say the least.

Nice service. The waiters were attentive and friendly. Drinks were frequently refilled, although not in an intrusive manner.

I'll save this place for a special occasion. Hopefully the dessert is cooked more thoughtfully next time.... honestly. Just because it's Restaurant Week doesn't mean the dessert chef should be passing the Restaurant Week dessert to the cook who doesn't know how to temper eggs properly.

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Elite '08

14

55

Asieh S.

Silver Spring, MD

My company took us here for our holiday dinner.  I have very mixed feelings about the whole experience.  Overall I didn't think the food was that amazing, but I was hypnotized by the ambiance and the traditional decor.    

The wine selection was great, and while I didn't order a cocktail everyone was raving about theirs.  Seeing that I was in an old school joint I decided to go with an old school appetizer.  I can't say I've been to too many restaurants that offer Clams Casino so I decided to give it a try.  It was good nothing to write home about.  

One of the things I didn't like was how our waiter pushed food on us.  You order your main course and the side dishes are separate.  I ordered lamb chops and green beans with tomatoes.  The next thing I knew one of my co-workers had 2 additional sides he did not order and I somehow managed to have mashed potatoes in front of me.  When I told the waiter I didn't order that he said he must have written it down wrong and the asked if I wanted to keep it.  I was more than happy to keep it due to the amount of wine I consumed.

I do think however that it might be a practice of theirs because the next day after speaking to several people they said they ended up with more dishes than they requested as well.  I'm sure they charged us for it and I'm sure the server got his tip based on how much the entire bill was.

I found that tactic to be a bit sleazy and crass.

I'd go there again, but only if someone else was paying.

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0

14

Carrie B.

Washington, DC

As strange as this sounds, as a vegetarian, the Prime Rib is my favorite steakhouse.  I order the extraordinary house salad and I'm actually full after eating it!  Its way different from most steak joints where you get a teeny side salad if you want greenage only.  They also have a lot of sides to choose from and their bread pudding is the best I've had in DC.  

I would also agree with the other Yelpers that the wine list is exceptional and this is not the place to go if you want to stick to your diet.  It is dressy; men must wear jackets and the decor is swanky if a bit dated.  The gentleman that plays piano is great entertainment at lunch and dinner.  I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that doesn't mind getting a little dressed up and dropping a little extra cash.

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Elite '08

44

181

Jess j.

Washington, DC

Come here with a group of 20 something girlfriends and just get creepily leered at all night long (sometimes a girl just needs a big hunk of juicy meat- but this was more than we bargained for :)...Prime Rib definitely draws an older stuffy crowd- we should have known when we discovered "jackets were required." This place is like man heaven, stuck in the 80's. Funny art deco art on the walls, all dark decor with giant black leather overstuffed chairs...and to top it off there are always a number of "fat cats" smoking cigars at the bars with too young girls at their sides dressed in cocktail attire.

Now on to the food- the prime rib was absolutely delicious! Although I usually go for the fillet Mignon at steak joints, I was swayed by the super cheesy waiter to go with their specialty- and I was absolutely not disappointed. Juicy, flavorful and way too much for me to ever dream about finishing on my own. If only the ambiance and decor was a bit more with the time, I think I could come here a bit more frequently (only on business of course so I could expense that $$$ shit!)- but then again, the clientele in their target market keeps coming back so they must be doing something right!

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Elite '08

45

38

Paul W.

Takoma Park, MD

Just about everything here is just like a slice of iconic Manhattan, produced consistently, and with a great jazz duo to boot. (Disclaimer: I used to be the pianist here for three years back in the 1990s.)

Food: Excellent and generally very bad for you, health-wise, so this is something to really revel in, wallow in, absorb into your very cells -- because your body won't be able to tolerate it frequently (not to mention your wallet). My favorites are the prime rib (natch) and the blackened swordfish. The caesar salad is not super-classic, but it is fantastic anyway because of the garlic and pepper in the dressing. Just wonderful tasting. The romaine is always carefully picked over and just a little cool.

Wine list: Fantastic. Just come to sit at the bar for wines by the glass. They were among the first places in DC to push Joseph Phelps (which you can get easily at Scheiders on Capitol Hill). The bartenders are knowledgeable, real wine lovers themselves.

The crowd: Fancy/swanky set with occasional delusions of political power. A watering hole for Republicans (especially at lunch), it becomes distinctly bi-partisan at dinner. I've seen lots of celebrities there. But the cool thing: the regulars. There are people who come here once or twice a week, and have been doing so for a decade or longer. (Some people can handle this kind of living more frequently than I can, I guess ... ). This gives the place a really friendly, clubby feel. Lots of love in the room.

Speaking of love: If you want to swank some evening, call way ahead and ask for table 42. That's the deuce by the piano. (Double-check this with the maitre d', as they may possibly have changed the table numbers, but I don't think  they'll do such a nutty thing.)

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1

13

Erin H.

College Park, MD

Okay, so this place is ALWAYS written up as one of, if not THE best steakhouse in DC. To be honest, eh, I've had better. Don't get me wrong, I did have a nice cut of meat on my plate, but I've had waaay better sides and desserts elsewhere.

I did love the decor of the place. It's like you're stepping back in time to the 1940's, or at least that's how I see it. (And no, I'm not just referring to the more aged, political crowd that frequents the place.) Leopard print carpet, everything black and gold, you get the picture. Nice. Really great service. I'm big on service. If it sucks, I definitely won't come back.

So I would eat here again, but I'll probably venture on to Ray's first.

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16

31

Rebecca J.

VA

I really enjoyed The Prime Rib.  We were about a half hour late for our reservation on a Saturday night - NO PROBLEM!  We still got seated right away.   Very courteous and attentive staff.  Tasty apple martinis, good bread, AWESOME salad with delicious house dressing, great steak.  Good sides.  They had the BEST cheesecake I think I have ever had - with strawberries on top!  I would love to eat here again in the future.

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0

12

Rachel W.

Arlington, VA

I went here with a group of 8 for Restaurant Week.  Generally I consider RW to be a crap-shoot with most places offering lower quality food and service due to the crazy amount of business they get and the low prix fixe price.  Despite the odds stacked against it, I had a great night.  We got seated late, but all of the staff apologized profusely and we ended up having great service the rest of the evening, even with the large group/RW.  My meal was excellent, I can't tell you how much I loved the meatfest that was my prime rib.   The atmosphere is amazing as well, with the clubby feel of the leopard print carpet and art deco decor.  It's nice to see everyone out in their finest.  When we finished the owner caught us on our way out and offered a free drink to make up for our long wait to be seated.  He sat down at the bar next to me and talked about sports and celebrities while I sipped some lovely champagne (ie, not the low brow stuff).  When I mentioned a song I had wanted to hear on the piano, he requested the song for me and sat back down to chat some more.  Considering that all this happened during Restaurant Week, I'd imagine the service and food to be perfect at any other time.  All in all a really great experience.

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0

6

Bruce D.

Washington, DC

DO NOT GO...So I can get reservations.  THE BEST restaurant downtown.  Was there on Saturday night where the VALET is free and the friendly Matre'd whisked us to our table.  Had the BEST fresh blue crab delivered from Baltimore daily.  Then had the steak aupoive ...done perfectly and so juicy.  Then the Strawberry Romanov  for desert.  

The price is cheaper that most moderate restaurants downtown..  When you throw in the FAB live music you feel like you are in another place and time.

DO NOT GO

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Elite '08

19

62

Rachel K.

Rockville, MD

Fancy shmancy and all that hee-haw.  How nice is it to just get super dressed up, get to the restaurant and realize that half of the people are even MORE dressed up?!  Gentlemen- don't forget the jacket AND tie because you will be supplied with both or asked to leave.

From the leopard carpet to the black leather to the pianist and cellist in the middle of the dining room, The Prime Rib is all about show.  As a product of the 80s, I'm not so into the decor, but the service MORE than made up for it.  Enter Lumiere - complete with the overly tight collar, French accent, and snooty opinions on the menu. I was so all about it.

I was also loving paying (or being treated by mom) $30 a person for a $100 meal.  Go restaurant week!  So we both opted for the roasted tomato soup over the house salad.  Maybe the best tomato soup I've ever had.  Not too creamy, not too thin, but just right.  I did catch a glimpse of my neighbor's house salad and took note that it was actually quite large and appeared to be full of goodness.  No meat with dairy for  me so "Lumiere" recommended the imperial crab over the flounder.  Now I didn't fully realize that this dish is actually like a fancy crab salad - as in, lots of mayo and egg and creaminess.  This is not exactly my favorite style, so I was not so impressed.  I imagine that if you go for that type of flavor, you'd enjoy this.  Mom opted for the prime rib and was greeted with a half of a cow that completely filled her plate leaving little to no room for the garnish.  I trusted her that it was of super high quality.     Third course, we both opted for the creme brulee and were extremely pleased.  Great canalized top with an almost flan-like under-layer.  YUM!

Didn't love how close our tables were.  You literally had to pull the table out so the person against the wall could get out.  At least the service was so great, they did that for you.  If yelp would let me, I'd go with 3 1/2 stars, but as we only use positive integers I'll give them the extra shove up for the RW prices.

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3

21

Kevin M.

Arlington, VA

Stuffy, expensive and a much older crowd.  Jacket and tie required!  Right up my ally!

I love the Prime Rib!  We go occasionally with family and we are never paying when we go so I can't necessarily expect my friends to try it out, but nonetheless, you won't be disappointed!

All of the appetizers are great.  We always get potato skins, which I love and the crabcake appetizers are out of this world.  The steak is amazing.  I would rank it above Ruth Chris, Capital Grille and Charlie Palmer.  

The Prime Rib is a rare dining experience that should be enjoyed at least once.

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368

434

Jennifer S.

Arlington, VA

Prime Rib tends to draw an "older" crowd with men donned in suits (as per the dinner dress code) with far more men than women (when I've been). Surrounded by black walls, black leather seating, leopard print carpeting and gold trim, the place has style. So much style, in fact, that you have to think "expense account" in order to dine here. Capiche?

Okay, so the place is swanky. So now you are wondering, does the food live up? Yes it does. The sides are the best: asparagus with hollandaise sauce, sauteed string beans and au gratin potatoes. My favorite apps are the jumbo lump crab cakes and this tomato, onion and feta salad. The entree portions are big, BIG - enough to share with plenty of sides. The lobster I tried to finish, without any luck, was 4lbs. Now that's a lobstah!

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2

58

Nicole F.

Washington, DC

Went during restaurant week and was surprisingly impressed.  Surprising because I haven't had a lot of success with restaurant week in the past and had just about written it off until we dined here.   Had the house salad and imperial crab.  The crab was lump meat and not too creamy with mayo, etc.  It was fantastic.  The house salad was also good - just not sure it is worth 10 bucks.  But, the idea of restaurant week is to get customers to want to come back...I definitely will be going back to The Prime Rib.  Plus, the ambience is cool and it's fun to people watch.

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18

112

Elizabeth P.

New York, NY

Thanks to my friend's loaded uncle, we were recommended to come to this place... him of course calling it a "Steak and potatoe kinda place"

righhhhht.

so, be warned.  Dress up.  enjoy your evening.  GREAT STEAK!  can i say that again?  GREAT FREAKING STEAK!

and don't worry, your wallet won't be crying too hard (if you're from new york, at least.)  My Filet Mignon was $34.95 and tender as can be.  I'm seriously planning a trip BACK to DC JUST to go here. (i'm not serious, but i'm definitely going back there any time i am in DC)

Also, just to note.  it was a cold night, we were tired, and the doorman offered a private chaufer to our hotel, which we accepted. cushy, leather-interior cadilac with courteous driver complimentary (of course we tipped a lot, but still, it's the thought that it's free that counts)

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105

145

Maggie B.

Alexandria, VA

This is where a lot of K Street deals get did.... as Missy Elliot would say. Not really as swanky as business formal. Gentlemen: if you're not sporting a coat, they will sport one for you.

As far as steak houses go, it's no better or worse than the rest. I do love the prime rib with roquefort cheese. Same ol' a la carte sides as anywhere else. If you want the politico scene, go here. If you want to save some duckets and have a really good streak, go to Ray's.

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