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Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Took my parents to Tallula and had a great meal. If you come in here hoping to be satisfied with just an entree you'll be disappointed. We had multiple courses, which is pricier but the way to go here. We had some cheeses and the fried oysters to start, great choice!
For the entree we all had fish, which I believe is their specialty here? The red snapper was the best. I had cod, which is not the tastiest fish, but they did a good job flavoring it with bacon and lentils without being overpowering. At Tallula, the flavors are subtle and different, not in your face and familiar. The wines were great too and how could I forget dessert? Go for the almond cake and belgian waffle.
Before coming to Tallula, I was trying to get into a popular steak place. I am happy we "ended up" at Tallula for something different.
I've been to EatBar too, which is a nicer bar with great drinks and bar food with a twist.
Walking into Tallulah, you're definitely impressed by the ambiance of the place. The decor and layout are great, and I like the fact that you can sit in one section surrounded by the wine racks. We sat at the kitchen, which was a fun experience.
Our server was friendly, helpful and attentive. Being able to sit and watch the kitchen cook the dishes and do all of the prep work was fun and nice entertainment between the dishes and our conversation. Plus it allowed us to get a sneak peak at the dishes we were interested in ordering.
The restaurant week deal was pretty good. You get an appetizer, salad or pasta as your first course, a pasta or main dish as your second course, and then a dessert.
The wife ordered the oysters for her first course, which were very good, except for the fact that she almost broke her tooth on a small pearl that was left in one of them. I has the gnocchi with boar meat which was very good... a little peppery, but good.
For the main course we both got the lamb shank. The lamb was cooked well, but it was missing a little flavor on the meat. It could have been better seasoned. The marrow in the bone was great though. The kale, white bean and chorizo it sat on was also quite good.
For dessert we had a Belgian waffle, which could have benefited from more ice cream rather than the one little scoop they gave us. We also had banana cheesecake which was very good.
The wine list was good and well rounded. There were wines from all over, including some local wines. The wine list was very overpriced though, compared to other restaurants.
The food was good, but it wasn't worth the high prices they put on the dishes. If it wasn't for restaurant week, I probably would have been very disappointed with my bill.
I went here for Restaurant week. I will sum it up in a single sentence then elaborate:
Overpriced, but amazing food.
If not for restaurant week, I'm not sure the cost would be justified for the food. We're talking $25 entrees and up. This is a huge bargain for Restaurant week at $35 a person however, and I would put this at the top of anyone's list for a place to try for DC Restaurant week.
The interior is very pretty, they space the tables far apart and have a very nice intimate cove like area surrounded by walls of wine for smaller dinner parties, then have very beautiful booths with a nice fountain in the middle for larger dinner parties.
The service was very good, the presentation excellent for all the dishes. All 3 courses were amazing, from the generous serving of duck to the delicious Belgian waffle.
A good deal they offer is half-glass wines..this way you can pair wine with each course without committing to a large glass. Their wine selection was very good, very diverse.
I would also recommend their adjacent EatBar, it is much cheaper and offers great beers with great bar food. Their burger is very very good.
I would give it 5 stars but the high cost of the regular menu won't allow me to.
Mmmmmhhhh.... and the meal at Tallula was 24 hours ago and I am still mmmmhhh!
I am already a fan of the adjacent Eat Bar and came here yesterday as part of Restaurant Week. I had tuna tartar with a sesame cracker that was just amazing and the sesame cracker added just a kick of flavor to it. My friend had oysters and really enjoyed them as well. My main course - hangar steak with leaks and fingerling potatoes - was tender and full of flavor. The steak was actually medium rare just as I had ordered it. A pleasant surprise! My dessert... pumpkin bread pudding was not too sweet, a nice combination of flavors.... Yes, the meal was really an all around success. The staff was super friendly, the waitress checked in on a just the right amount of times... The nice thing about Tallula is also that it is not so noisy! Some of the downtown restaurants are so loud you end up yelling at each other across the table... not here! I really can only recommend it!
My husband and I went here last night to celebrate his good fortune at work. Everything was top notch -- the wine list, the service and most importantly, the food. We started with the cheese plate -- then moved onto the fillet for him and the bacon and lentil crusted cod for me -- divine! The desserts are special and if you stay late enough you will receive the fabulous hot, fresh donuts.
The only drawback is that the parking is far from ample -- street parking you must be careful as to not park in Zone 6 , so be prepared to walk. Otherwise, this restaurant is the total package of ambiance, great cuisine and service - a very special place.
Realy nice place. Great wine selection and was really impressed by their Cod plate. The cheese and meat platters are a little small though. I'll definitely go back
I had a fabulous brunch here with my parents before I headed back to Chicago Sunday. The atmosphere is very welcoming. I love the fountain in the room's center. Our server was friendly and was definitely familiar with the menu. They brought out the donut holes before the meal and they were amazing. My mom joked that she wanted to cancel her order and get a whole plate of these. I got the potato and leek frittata and cheese grits. Both were outstanding! The fritatta was moist and full of goodness. The grits were in a cheese similar to the ones used for a really good mac & cheese. The portion sizes on both of these were stellar. I would recommend sharing the grits, because MAN, they are hearty. I was not able to finish the last bite of my frittata because of this. I will be back. Oh yes.
It had been a while since I'd had Tallula's amazing benedict so we went there this past Sunday. death dying and destruction my friends.
They Took. The Jalapenos. Out of the Hollandaise!! RAWR. It's also no longer on a fried green tomato, but I'll let them get away with that since they're not in season right now. It also doesn't come with that nice fresh tasty salad that it used to come with AND on top of everything, they brought mine out without any hollandaise at all! due to extremely slow server on a very not-busy Sunday, I had to wait several minutes before she could be flagged down to bring me a side of the stuff. Which was actually very tasty and I enjoyed being able to control the amount I put on.. Point is - it's just as tasty as everyone else's benedict now. There's absolutely nothing special about Tallula that will make me choose it over someplace else. (except maybe the cheesy grits but I'm not gonna go there just for that)
Add the less interesting menu to the polite but super-slow and honestly kind of daft server (the way her eyes widened every time we asked a question about the menu.. not a good sign), and I'm pretty sure they upped the price of the Graham Beck Brut, it's $10 now..?? I could swear it was only $8 last time I went.. Also what's the deal with the 3-egg breakfast?? One of my fellow diners asked if he could just have 2 eggs and the server gave him a wide-eyed "sure!" and then 3 eggs came out anyway.
I'm sad to give them a 2-star rating, but the "meh. I've experienced better" just says it for this place.
I've only been here for brunch, but it's amazing. I go there for the eggs benedict (it's got… Read more »
Tallula has a small parking lot and is located in an out of the way residential neighborhood with various nearby streets having restricted parking, nonetheless, if you're willing to walk a block or 2, you'll find a spot.
Tallula has an attractive "date place" decor with various areas that make this fairly large place, seem a bit cozier however the high open ceilings might make it a bit noisy. On my Tuesday night visit, the place was bustling with a nice crowd of well dressed young professionals. We opt'd to sit at the bar, which has it's own "snackie" style menu.
The food menu sadly is simply poorly thought out and unremarkable at best. We ordered olives and fries as a starter. The olives arrived steaming hot in a bowl. Who eat hot olives with a glass of wine? The fries arrived, in small quantity, thin, no sauce and as well unremarkable.
We then order 2 baby burgers and a pork taco. Perhaps classic bar food, but they were presented poorly, lacked any real flavor and the quantity was again unremarkable.
I continue my quest to find decent food in the barren DC landscape, for the moment, Tallula is simply, well, unremarkable. Go for a drink if you must, but skip the food.
This place has a great open kitchen concept. The ambiance here is cozy and warm. There wine list is wonderful and the desserts are delicious. I had a great petite syrah with a coffee torte and pistachio ice cream.
The parking is horrendous and is limited to a tiny little lot next to the restaurant.
It's a tad expensive for me, but it's worth the money. Go here if you plan on splurging a little bit.
I guess I'm giving practically the same review, but I feel compelled to express my idiocy. Despite my previous two trips where I was utterly disappointed, I decided to come back for Restaurant Week. I know, wtf is wrong with me. The problem is, is that it all started out so great. I mean I hate HATE the seating arrangements, I had to hear some awkward first date that made me think about stabbing myself in the brain with a steak knife just to make it stop. Its just too close, they pack you in like cattle and its not comfortable.
The mixed drinks are awesome. They do a great job of those here. The wine list is good but totally overrated, its just pretty standard and there's no real deals there, so that's just ok. The food this time around was above average! YAY! Finally they live up to their potential. The appetizers were good, nothing special, but the scallops were cooked perfectly, and they used to have a problem cooking things right, so I'm excited about that. The mains were 50-50, my steak was cooked a perfect medium-rare, it was almost beautiful. My partner's salmon was dangerously undercooked with pretty nasty flavors.
Then, the worst. We waited for our dishes to be taken. 15 minutes later someone did take them. About 40 minutes later, we're both pissed off trying to flag anyone down for just the fucking dessert menu. WTF?!?! By then, I'm getting hungry again and tired. The annoying thing is, they see were pissed, come by and snake an empty wine glass from our table and wait another 10 minutes before getting us the dessert list.
The desserts were just ok. And when I got the check, based on me looking pissed and me not being "understanding" or some shit of how hard it is to overcharge people on food and then give them shitty service, she kind of just drops it on the table and stomps off. I got comped a glass of dessert wine (13 dollars), but that doesn't make up for the fact that I go in for dinner at 700 and get home (less than a mile away and by car) at nearly 1000. It wasn't a 7 courser, this was unacceptable and I WILL NEVER GO BACK EVER AGAIN. Shame on me for going back, but seriously, just a poorly run outfit. There are some parts that seem so promising, but there's absolutely no follow through, and they never, ever learn. PASS!
I really really really wanted to love this place. I live close by and wanted it to be my local bar… Read more »
I am VERY upset I did not get any of the nutella glazed donuts that were mentioned in another review with my brunch. It might have made my review more positive. I was not a fan of the design. I don't love the open kitchen concept and there was too much going on outside my cozy booth. I would preferred to sit outside or in the front, more quiet section.
Ordered the fruit/yogurt appetizer, which was enjoyable, although I am not a fan of melon and yogurt. Would have preferred more berries, although I understand they are not seasonally appropriate at this time. (I dined here Columbus Day weekend 2009)
Unimpressed with my main course, a Gruyere and spinach omelet and even less impressed with the potatoes. I live in the neighborhood and I feel the food at both Tallula and EatBar has gone down hill lately. Not sure why, but the menu offering were more appealing in years/months past. Hopefully they'll come around again.
If I hadn't had a gift certificate I probably would have passed on brunch here.
2 stars for the food. An extra star for the nutella-glazed donuts they brought out before brunch, and for exceptionally good service.
2 people go to brunch. 2 people are so enticed by the cheeseburger that they decide not to share 2 entrees. 2 people wished they shared 2 entrees.
The burger was really fried. Like, you could press down on the patty and it would release a plate full of oil. The fries had to have been double fried.
The service was great. We were the first to show up at 11 am, and the staff was friendly and attentive. My boyfriend ordered the burger, not knowing there would be cheese on it. Now, the burger was so fried that the cheese peeled right off. But it wasn't good enough...he wanted an "untainted" burger. Knowing this was his mistake, the asked the waiter to just order a third burger, agreeing to pay for the first one. They brought him out a new burger, and didn't charge us extra. That alone is worth the extra star.
I came here after 12 hours sleep. I ate the entire burger. I went home to sleep for 2 more hours. And then I prayed that my arteries would survive.
I went to Tallula the other night for a birthday dinner - the food was yum, the service and the atmosphere not so much. The real problem here was the volume - it is just really loud so this is not a great place for a group or for a date.
First, we ordered appetizers which were both delicious, but a bit small (we easily finished 2 plates between 3 people and probably all could've had more). We then had to ask for bread and the waitress brought it, but we didn't have plates for it because our small plates had been taken when they cleared the appetizers. The entrees were delicious and a good size. The desserts were also really good and smaller, but not in a bad way.
I've been to Tallula before for brunch and didn't have the service and noise problems, and the food was equally delicious. I wish you could get the Eat Bar menu in the main dining area as well. I know it's "high end," but the food all comes out of the same kitchen. Parking is another issue here - especially on the weekends.
Tallula is like a great old friend. I feel the same way about other restaurants in DC, Cashion's Eat Place for one, Tabard Inn, another. You always know you are going to be able to truly enjoy a meal whenever you stop by. My meal last evening was no exception. And, since I hadn't been to Tallula since the inception of EatBar, I thought I would reacquaint myself with the new more formal menu.
If you know me, you know the first thing I go for at a restaurant is a cocktail. My opinion on cocktails, the more bubbles the better. Luckily, Tallula had a fantastic bubbly cocktail called the "Movie Star," with very delicate hints of cranberry, vanilla, and ginger. No flavor was overwhelming, instead all co-mingling to create a nice, refreshing drink.
I won't lie, when it was time for food, I experienced a slight pang of disappointment that the Amuse Yourself menu was no more! (I guess it gives me an excuse to try the smaller bites on the menu at Eat Bar, though.) I began with the Yellowtail Carpacchio and I knew something delicious was coming, because even our server got a bit excited when I ordered it. Light, delicious and complemented with fantastic summer flavors of gazpacho and basil, there literally was not a speck left on the plate. The gazpacho was perfect for sopping up with the table bread.
For my entree I went with a small serving (love this option!) of the potato gnocchi. This was served with braised kid goat (!) and spiced with cinnamon. Each bite smelled like Thanksgiving, cinnamon is just such a cozy spice. If you love a flavorful gamey meat, this is definitely a great option. It was definitely a treat for more than one sense!
Meanwhile, on the people watching front, I feel like Tallula is a prime spot for first dates, http://Match.com meet-ups, etc. I definitely spied more than one couple doing the awkward first introduction thing! Plus, it's the perfect set-up. Grab drinks at EatBar and if you really like your date, sit down to a full meal at Tallula. The service was very leisurely, if you were on an awkward first date, it might have been TOO leisurely for some, but I suggest hitting up Tallula, as I did, with a great friend who you are due for some catching up with.
I live right down the street from here and have always been wanting to check it out. Wound up heading there for brunch with some girlfriends and had a really good experience. From the little donuts they give you at the table to the constant refill of our coffees and water, I was happy with their service. As for the food, I had the french toast and a side of bacon and everything had great flavor.
While I'm not deducting any stars, the only thing that surprised some of us is that they had no skim or low fat milk - which we wanted for our coffee (well that was really my request). But not a big deal since I typically drink my coffee black.
Overall good experience and I am curious to finally go there for dinner.
Another disappointing brunch here.
I and five of my close friends went here for brunch yesterday. And we were all disappointed.
Service--thumbs down.
Bread"basket"--half a piece of a nice dense poppy-seed bread each, no refills offered or given---which would have been fine if we had not waited so long for our food.......
Food---SMALL SMALL portions. I had the suckling pig ($15) and the wee medalion of pulled pork was on what was approximately 1/4 a cup of grits. Seriously--grits are gruel--not expensive, they could have at least filled my stomach up with grits. The meat was tasty, but yet again sparse.
My friend ordered the french toast which was literally just 2 pieces of average looking french toast for 8 dollars. That is a HIGH markup on bread. No bacon, no sausage, no fruit salad even.
The best deal here seemed to be the 3 eggs anyway entree--which came with 3 eggs, home fries, bacon or sausage, and 2 pieces of (abet thin) toast for 8 dollars.
Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch---two meals in one---so it shouldn't fill me up like only half of one normal meal. After brunch I should feel food coma--and I did not from here. For the money, I didn't think it was a great value. I can make an exception for small portions when I get a foodgasm--but I didn't---so it was just regular old food, small portions for the price.
I wasn't blown away. I took the waiters recommendation for the soup and grilled cheese at brunch. I… Read more »
So I went here for Restaurant Week. It's right next door to a sister bar called Eat Bar where you can wait if you happen to show up early for your reservation.
The place is nice, very modern American decor. They have a fairly solid Restaurant Week menu. At least a half dozen options for each course. I started with the potato gnocchi, and I should have made it my entree too. That was some damn good pasta, all moist and fluffy and melt in my mouth good. It was served with braised goat. The goat was surprisingly delicious as well.
We went through a cheap bottle of red that served us pretty well. I ordered the steak for dinner, but I should have ordered the duck. The duck was delicious, but the steak was dry. It was cooked rare and still really dry. Moderately flavorless. I should have just had more gnocchi. Seriously.
Dessert was fantastic. I ordered the trifle, she got the chocolate brownie cake, but I made her switch because the cake was a serious chocolate explosion in my mouth. I can't recommend it enough if you like chocolate cake with an average density equal to carbonized tungsten.
My friend had been building this place up, but it wasn't that hot. I was moderately pleased. Still, for Restaurant Week, probably worth it.
Went to Tallula for brunch today. We placed our reservation through Open Table and had a special request to sit outside. When we arrived the table was ready to go! Props to Tallula for making that happen!
The food was very good. They started by providing a complimentary hot donut for each person at the table. Everyone was glowing after enjoying it.
Some favorites included the suckling pig and eggs benedict.
I will go back to Tallula again!
Tallula offered me one of the best meals I've had in weeks in this area.
Getting there was a little bit of an issue--it is located in a slightly more residential area away from the main area of Clarendon. I took the metro to Clarendon and then grabbed a taxi over to the restaurant. It would have been a short drive if the cab driver would have got off the phone and listened to where we told him to... but that's another story.
The atmosphere inside was very warm and cozy. There were dark curtains separating areas of the restaurant, a tall wine rack acting as a wall, comfy upholstered chairs in a seating area in the front and tall booths with cork tables--offering privacy to dining couples.
After being seated, the sommelier came over to our table and made an excellent wine suggestion. She was very helpful without being pushy and listened to what we wanted instead of pushing the most expensive wines.
For dinner I had the duck breast--which is a favorite thing of mine that I always order when available. They didn't overcook it here, which I appreciated (I like it medium rare) and it was beautifully presented. The duck came with a smoky sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, fig, and a root vegetable. It was craveable. Thinking about it now I want to go back and get it again. We also ordered some of their cheeses before the meal. The blue cheese was okay, but we also got a lavender cheese that was amazing! The food here is great and I am glad I tried it.
My one and only complaint about this place was the service. They were over-attentive. It became a joke at my table as my friend and I began counting how many different people approached our table (5) and betting on who would come out next. Sadly the chef never showed up...
Five different people came over to the table to ask us how the meal was--and they were very awkward about it. It was a Saturday night and if I were on a date it would have been even more annoying how many times our conversation was interrupted. Our actual waiter was also way too eager with the water. He placed it on the far side of the table and then every time I took a sip he was back--reaching OVER my food and filling the water.
Maybe it was just that particular night, but the service needs some serious refinement. The food was good enough though for me to overlook that and I will be returning. Eat Bar next door looked full of happy people too--maybe next time I'll head over there for after dinner drinks.
Love the Amuse Yourself "2 biters". The steak tartare is great. Burger is awesome, ceviche is also very good.
The main courses here are a bit hit and miss. Most tend to be over-sauced and too heavy for my liking (and I love rich food).
Great wine selection. I love that I can do half glasses, so I can basically order a half glass for the 5 or 6 Amuse Yourself's I order and have a custom made and unique wine paring!
Wow, I've never been so compelled to hurry home and write a review. I would have gotten to yelp sooner if we weren't forced to wait 30+ minutes between visits from our server. I had originally planned to give 2 stars (+1 for the food), but the service was so bad, I really had no choice here.
I'll start with the food - a group of 5 of us went for brunch. The french toast was tasty - the 2 slices of sourdough came with both syrup and apple butter. However, one of the pieces was slightly burned. No big deal, though. I sampled their ham and egg sandwich, which was pretty bland and probably could do without the lettuce. The omlette was probably the best looking item from our group, with plenty of toppings. Home fries were good, but also bland. Overall, pretty typical for an "upscale" brunch spot.
Now the narrative (skip to the last paragraph for tl;dr):
Had reservations made on open table and sat down before 11:30. Knew we were in trouble when our drink order took almost 10 minutes to come out. Our waiter was nice and polite, but never stopped by our table. They were pretty full, but there were still a couple tables left open. After we ordered our food, it took a full 30 minutes before our plates came out (for freaking eggs and french toast, yikes).
45 minutes from sitting down, our plates arrive, that is, most of them arrive. They are missing one plate (eggs with sausage), and then mess up the other egg dish by sending it out with bacon instead of sausage. We had to alert the bus staff since our waiter was nowhere to be found. He finally appeared, and quickly said the missing dish would be comped, so crisis averted. That is, until we wanted some salt and pepper.
Why there was no salt or pepper on any of the tables was beyond me - particularly considering this is eggs/home fries food that generally needs additional salt. After waiting around another 5 minutes or so, we were able to grab a manager who lent us a salt/pepper shaker. He promptly took it back after we ate; I guess another person in the restaurant also had the same crazy request as us.
After eating, we waited another full 10 minutes before our table was cleared, and after waiting almost another 10 minutes for our waiter, who never arrived, we had to grab the manager again to get our check. Our waiter arrived with the check, realized the one dish was not removed, and then had to go back and recalculate the bill. After returning with the bill, we noticed that we were charged for the extra sausage brought over to fix the original messed up egg order. We decided collectively that the $4 would not be worth attempting to locate the waiter again. Not bothering to even locate our guy, we handed the bill to the manager.
So, over an hour and a half later, we were finally able to leave. The total bill was $100 for 5 people - mimosas were $8.25, coffee was over $3, most main dishes were $8-10, and side dishes were $4. The entire meal was pretty overpriced, particularly the drinks.
I really don't understand how the service could have been so botched. From checking the reviews, it seems like their brunch is a major draw. I can appreciate a weeded waiter - but ours had no sense of urgency nor did he perform the simple act of just walking by the table, making sure things were OK, or apologizing for the excruciatingly long waits. This isn't Denny's - people are paying $25+ per person to eat freaking eggs, I've gotta expect more, particularly from a place with 4 stars on yelp. If this is the kind of brunch you're looking for, I recommend going to Evening Star Cafe in Alexandria, instead. As for me and our group, we will never be returning here, and will make sure we don't recommend it to any of our friends.
I like to claim Tallula as "my" restaurant to my friends. Meaning (a) I should always be consulted when considering it and (b) I should also always be invited. :) The food here is amazing and the service has always been great for me. I had a birthday party here two years ago and really, it's one of the most memorable ones I've had. Tallula does top notch martinis, has interesting wine choices, and the food just doesn't get much better. When I ate beef, their short ribs were my favorite. Now that I'm focusing on seafood in my diet, a whole new world at Tallula has opened up. I would challenege anyone to make better scallops than they turn out.
Now that I've raved, I'm starting to wonder who I can convince to go there tonight.........
I really didn't think the price matched the food quality in the main dining section of the bar. My boyfriend and I each got an appetizer, each ordered an entree and split 2 sides (which clock in at 5 dollars each, extra), no alcohol and the bill was almost $100!!!
The appetizers were good - but tiny. (I had the scallops, and remember wondering if they were supposed to be cold, because they seemed more like lukewarm...)
My boyfriend's entree, a steak cut, was delicious - and much better than the Pork entree I got - the Pork just didn't have enough flavor for my liking.
Also - charging for sides is kind of ridiculous IMO when you are paying over 20 for the entree...and to boot, 5 dollars for asparagus and another 5 dollars for mashed potatoes is just kind of ridiculous - especially because they weren't anything out of the ordinary and they were def. on the smaller side as well!
I would prob come back (and will post an update if I do) - but only to go try out the Eat Bar/Wine Bar attached, would never sit-down dine here again.
If you're meeting a friend for dinner, make sure you know which side of the massive curtain you're meeting them on. Apparently Tallula has two sides: super fancy and expensive vs. casual and moderately priced. I was fortunate to meet my friend on the right side of the tracks and it was overall a cool spot to hang out. The ambiance is kinda dark, but a good, casual place to go to.
Can't say the waitstaff is super nice, but nothing horrible happened. Just a borderline pretentious feel. But definitely a place to try and see for yourself.
You know how sometimes you have this idea that someplace is really much better than it actually is? Well, I guess that's how I feel about Tallula. I always think of this place as my go-to dining option in my neighborhood, but it's actually not as impressive as I would like it to be.
There's always something a little off...usually, it's the main dish for me. I always find something amazing in appetizer/amuse bouche section but I'm not sure why I find the main meal lacking. I think they just aren't as imaginative as they could be. I also probably think the expectations I have skew my experience. Perhaps, I'm being too hard on Tallula.
Given my penchant for apps, I find EatBar more to my liking.
While I'm not happy that Whitey's is gone, Tallula is an excellent replacement. We've been there… Read more »
I came here with the SO for our Valentine's Day dinner and was quite pleasantly surprised. They didn't note on their website or on OpenTable that they would have a prix fixe menu for that weekend, so I was a bit caught off guard when the waiter told us it would be one. I tend to stay away from prix fixe menus because I usually don't order dessert and i like to have many choices. Having said that, I now must say that Tallula put together an excellent menu for this occasion. ($50/pp)
We both had the oyster tasting for apps and the beef strip for the entree. They also gave us some canapes before the apps, which were quite yummy giving us a preview of what was to come for the rest of the meal. The oysters were pretty good, nothing too, too crazy. But the best course of the night was the steak. PERFECTLY cooked and absolutely delicious. It was very tender and not chewy at all. It came on a bed of mashed potatoes, a drizzle of brown sauce, sauteed onions, and a poached egg. We both licked our plates clean. It was thoroughly satisfying. For dessert, they offered cheesecake and chocolate w/ vanilla ice cream. They actually ran out of cheesecake and gave us a citrus tart instead. Both were a pretty good ending to a great meal.
I officially love this place. The boy did good.
This restaurant combines a laid-back atmosphere with a sophisticated menu. Its bar, "EAT BAR" contains lots of interesting and well-priced small plates. I feel that Tallulah is a bit overpriced, but then again it delivers food that really satisfies everyone. Its a great solution for fine dining in Arlington for those nights when you don't want to have to go into the city. Reservations are recommended.
EAT BAR hosts a popular happy hour on Thursdays. The Smithsonian Young Benefactors often frequent Talullah/ Eat Bar.
Went here early Oct I think, had about 10 people and got a large table in the the cute front private space enclosed by a huge wall of bottles of wine. The doors were open for a lovely breeze, colors are very warm.
I had the baby burgers (would rather call them mini burgers), scallops and rabbit pappardelle. All were delicious! I also got to try the duck dish, so tasty - I really liked the sweet flavor of the mini pancake with the duck.
I loved the scallops, especially for the flavor you get when you combine the frothy butter, pea sauce and the creamy risotto-like stuff - it was like the sweet butter taste from a homemade rice crispy treat, but more subtle.
Rabbit was nice, no overpowering flavors. Our waiter was great, I wanted to try the pop rock martini but they ran out of pop rocks so I got the drink on the house. Cheers
My friends and I have a standing date for Sunday brunch. We started this thing about two months ago, so there are plenty more restaurants to visit and Yelp reviews to write. But so far, the only place I've absolutely raved about is Tallula. I can't wait til the 'rents come to visit. We are totally doing brunch at Tallula.
Usually, we're a party of six for brunch, but on this particular day, only four of us could go. Two of us arrived just before 11:00, and we were among the first in line waiting for Tallula to open its doors. Our dining companions were running a little late, so we waited for them in the comfy little seating area near the door. When one more arrived, the host offered to seat us while we waited for the last person to arrive. I thought that was pretty nice. We're so used to milling around near the front and waiting for our "entire party to arrive" (blah, blah, blah) before most places will seat us. (Needless to say, my friends and I aren't always the most "punctual" people in the world--especially on Sundays.)
We were immediately served some illy coffee, much to my delight (I'm sure it's the equivalent of Starbucks to most Italians, but I do like it and wish I could find it more often). I was also happy that my coffee cup was never empty throughout the course of the meal, and considering how quickly I was drinking it, our server had quite a task in keeping up with my caffeine consumption.
Tallula wasn't exactly busy during our meal, but most of the tables were occupied by the time we left. The service was great, though. Orders were taken as soon as the fourth member of our party arrived. The food came out quickly, and here's where I really started loving this place.
When I read the menu, I was intrigued by Tallula's take on Eggs Benedict--they replace the traditional English muffin with a fried green tomato. And, let me tell you, I couldn't have been more pleased with my choice. It was DELICIOUS. The tomato added just enough sweet/tart flavor to the dish. It was delicately breaded and not at all greasy. This was definitely the best Eggs Benedict I've ever had, and I've sampled this dish at quite a few places.
I also ordered a side of home fries, which were served in a cereal-sized bowl. They were crispy, well seasoned, and not too greasy. The home fries came with a little bowl of ketchup on the side. I'm not exactly sure what Tallula did to the ketchup, but it definitely had a little tangy zesty goodness that you won't find in that tired old bottle of Heinz you'll get on the table at most places. There were probably enough potatoes in the bowl for two people, but I admit that I managed to scarf them down almost entirely unassisted (What can I say? I do love my potatoes!).
Another thing I loved about Tallula, especially in comparison to some of the other places we've visited for brunch, is that we didn't have to shout over blaring music or other loud patrons in order to hear each other. It definitely wasn't museum-quiet, but we were able to carry on a conversation over a leisurely meal, without some of the distractions we have at some places. That fountain in the middle of the dining room, the bright sunlight flooding in through the windows and a skylight, and those plush velvety booths helped make it a tranquil, relaxing setting for brunch.
Best of all, the bill didn't break the bank. I really thought I'd be shelling out a lot more, given the quality of the food and service, but I only ended up paying about $15, which is less than I've spent on brunch at some of the other, lower quality places we've visited.
***4.5 stars***
Tallula's service and food is top notch. They have the most extensive wine list ever and we went through two bottles of what is now my favorite wine of the moment - 2007 Anton Bauer "Gmörk" Grüner Veltliner (Austria). It's a crisp and sweet white.
This was intended to be a happy hour turned light dinner. We dined al fresco - note: the red bench up against the glass with pillows lining the back is super comfy.
Tallula has a series of five amuse bouche items - "two-biters" that you can order as an appetizer or just as finger foods - priced from $2.25 to $3.50 per piece. I highly recommend the Duck Mezzaluna - it was served as a petite duck taco filled with duck leg confit mixed with a spicy chipotle sauce. The flavors really popped. I was in heaven. The Risotto Fritter is excellent as well - crispy on the outside filled with a carrot and green curry risotto on the inside. I know it sounds strange but it really works. Lastly, I had the Beer Battered Corn Dog. Tallula's fancy chorizo sausage corn dog is a major improvement over its street food staple brethren - no contest. These tiny morsels will leave you wanting more.
My main was actually the Diver Scallop appetizer ($14). The scallops were perfectly seared on the outside, slightly underdone on the inside. Both scallops were sweet and tender. My eyes rolled to the back of my head with each bite. Just a few cons: I could have done without the vanilla butter foam. The small bed of Yukon risotto was okay - I think the potatoes were intended to be undercooked but they tasted crunchy and raw to me.
I have yet to have a dinner entree or sit inside at Tallula. That will be the next visit.
I had a very nice brunch here this morning. $8 for an omelette (w/bacon and cheddar) and home… Read more »
My review of this locale is the epitome of 'dining experience' reviews. I say this because my 3-star review is based solely on one factor that made the food, service and decor worthy of a 3 - sitting at the table located directly behind the host station.
I cannot remember anything about the food or service or decor because all I remember is freezing my a$$ off. I went in mid-November and remember thinking, "For the love of God, I hope nobody else enters this restaurant." Because every time the front door swung open, my napkin on the table would flap in the wind.
The food and service were good enough that I told myself I would return when the weather was warm. I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and decor and didn't want to ask for a new table at the time because we had a party of 4 and nobody else was as distracted by the breeze.
I'll be sure to go again in a few weeks and update this review so that they can get 4 or 5 stars if they otherwise deserve it.
Girlfriend and I decided to eat here while we were out tonight. Parking was a royal pain - their lot is small and they only have a couple of spaces out front, but you can go around the corner on Pershing street and park in the dry cleaner's lot in the evening.
Anyway. I thought they did a good job with the decor. The atmosphere was nice, but not exactly formal; I didn't get any odd looks for being in jeans. The staff was very friendly, and the service was excellent.
The seasonal menu is interesting, a good idea. We started with the short rib croquettes and mini burgers. The croquettes were...strange. Not what I would have done with short ribs, and there was too much bay in the seasoning. I don't think I'll order them again. The mini burgers suffered the same bay overdose (to a lesser degree), but the onion marmalade is good, and the beef tasted fine.
My duck was very good; the chanterelle mushroom accompaniment got to be a bit much by the end of the meal, but the pumpkin pancakes and pearl onions were a great touch. The duck itself tasted great and was cooked perfectly.
I'm not sure what to make of her venison. The meat itself was great, and the parsnips it came with were done wonderfully, but the pecan risotto was just...well, a failure. It was too sweet, and the texture was just awful - chunky and crunchy, like they ran some pecans through the food processor and poured an onion reduction over them. Overall it was good, but if you're going to have something called risotto in the dish, it should resemble risotto at least a little bit.
The wine list is good, but overpriced. $14 for a glass from a $30 bottle? Come on, guys. Plus, I just realized they gave us the wrong year.
Bottom line: Good food overall, good wine, great service, but the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Good for drinks and appetizers, maybe brunch, but I don't think we'll do a full-blown dinner there again.
I always get stuck in the EatBar so that's all I can comment about.
The bar menu is interesting and the Mini Burgers are a must have item. Portions are small but the food is tasty. They have a very nice selection of beer and wine but it's pricy. $15 for a glass of wine is too much.
Oh Tallula, you've been in my bookmarks for oh so long! To celebrate my true last day on the boat (yes my office is... was... in a boat), a coworker took me here. I wanted to love it, I really did... but I just didn't. It was good, I would truly give it 3.5 stars if I could.
We actually walked from Virginia Square metro b/c it started as a nice evening (turned into rain before we got there), but it really wasn't far from the Clarendon stop, definitely walkable. The decor didn't blow me away, I appreciated the fountain in the middle and the sacrificing of what could be table spaces for ambiance. But the rest left me wanting... only so much you can do to get rid of that warehousey feeling.
Now the important part: the food and the service! We had reservations, so thankfully there was no wait. Everything was pretty quick, getting drinks, getting bread, putting in orders. Serious kudos for the water fillers, my water never got even 1/2 empty before it was filled again, but my fellow diner had tea and his tea sat empty most of the meal until I asked the waitress for more!
I'm a sucker for scallops... once I see them on a menu its hard for me to see anything else. This is the first time I've ever actually eaten the foam I see so often on fancy cooking shows (uh oh... that statement sounds way to redneck... sometimes you can't deny your upbringing!). The scallops were cooked perfectly and their accompaniment of asparagus and tesa (thick bacon), chard, and ginger emulsion were yummy. I think it could have honestly gone without the chard, though it did provide a bit of bitter to the dish. Everything else worked perfectly together and I savored it. The biggest problem? It was a pretty small serving and I was hungry again a few hours later, sad when it costs so much! My dining companion had the mini burger (not the best he said), the mini duck taco (delicious!), the crab pot sticker (meh), and the corn dog (so good!).
The waitress overall was really cold and uninterested and the big prices paired with little food is what brings the rating down to 3.5. But I can't just do 3.5, so despite its drawbacks I'll let the flavor push it up the extra .5.
I really dig Tallula. During a recent brunch visit, I tasted both the bangin' Eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes and the Ricotta and Sour Cherry Pancakes; both were delicious. They get mad extra points for serving Illy coffee. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I want to drink about ten cups of this nectar, which is not always a great idea. My only real complaint is that there are no salt and pepper shakers on the table, and when you ask for them, you get this weird two-in-one contraption that is awkward and doesn't go with the rest of the "feel" of Tallula. Just put salt and pepper on the tables!
Anyway, something surprising is that Tallula is one the best places to watch the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl, you say? A friend suggested going here a few years ago, and I thought that seemed like a horrible idea. Turns out, you get to watch the game on multiple TVs with a very small crowd, drink $1 PBR drafts (which adds to the oddness, considering that this is a wine bar), and chow down on team-inspired foods (the first year was fish tacos for Seattle and pierogies for Pittsburgh). I'm not sure what they would serve if the Redskins were in the Super Bowl, but fortunately for them, I doubt they will have to make that decision anytime soon.
All this, and I don't think I've ever even had the wine. Sure to add another star!
Came here for brunch a few Sundays ago, and it was pretty good and affordable. The dishes were unique and well prepared. I ordered hte grilled cheese which was an interesting cheese sandwich with grilled Cuban bread and side salad. I definitely appreciated the salad.. I got the tomato soup to complement the sandwich and that was probably not necessary. Potatoes were okay, grits with cheddar were good, and my friends like their french toast and eggs benedict with fried something. our other friend got their award winning burger which she said was not all that and kind of dry. Either way, for a brunch place that we don't need to leave the commonwealth for, it was a winner!
Yes, this off-the-Clarendon-path eatery has become somewhat of a "Where the hip people go" in town. Do not let this discourage you. Sure you might be muscling up to the bar with the Bush girls, but what a bar it is! The wine list is off the chain comprehensive, and yes, you can take a bottle home if you like what you drink. The beer list is also inspiring.
Once you get a table (take my word, make reservations via Open Table), you'll really be treated to some of the best, and shockingly affordable haute cuisine in town. If you can, sit at the chef's table at the bar near the kitchen. You might be treated to a surprise treat from the chef! The tapas-style appetizers are great, including the beer battered corn dog and the ceviche. I've heard that there are no better scallops anywhere (if you like scallops) and I know for certain that the spare ribs are melt-in-your-mouth good.
The atmosphere is groovy and the volume is not terribly high. The waitstaff is uber competant and friendly to boot. I've been fortunate enough to have eaten here more than 5 times. So what else is there to say? Do yourself a favor and dig on Tallula
As I mentioned in my EatBar review, I said I was going to do a review of this place. So, here it is.
I picked this place on a whim because we read a novel about a book club where the women always drank wine. I heard this place had opened up where Whitey's was and was dying to try it out.
We ordered a bunch of "Amuse Yourself" appetizers. I would call them American tapas. Since there were seven of us, we got a bunch. For the table we ordered two of the baby burgers, risotto fritters, corn dogs and ceviche. The risotto thingies and the burgers were my favorites since they came with truffle inclusion.
We ordered a few bottles of wine, too. Our server was very knowledgeable of the extensive wine list and was quick to suggest some vino to the girls in the group who weren't that familiar with different styles and vineyards.
A while back a friend of mine asked the WaPo food critic for restaurant recommendations for a nice occasion and this was one of his two suggestions. Since we went with his other recommendation that night, I made a note of the name and went to Tallula recently with a few close friends for my birthday. It did not disappoint.
We easily made reservations earlier that afternoon. The decor and atmosphere were very charming and it was exactly the type of place to go with good friends for good food and good conversation.
Our waiter was very patient (like I said, I'm indecisive) and he was really helpful in answering our questions. We shared some of the "Amuse Yourself" appetizers -- our favorites were the baby burgers and the crab pot stickers. The pulled pork BBQ one was the only thing that disappointed any of us at all that night.
I ordered the scallops as my entree and they were absolutely incredible. My mouth is watering as I type this. I definitely plan to go back to Tallula, and I can already foresee my stress when choosing between ordering them again and trying something new (which judging from my friends' delight in their choices, will certainly be fantastic as well). I'll keep you posted on how I manage to resolve that conundrum... I suspect the solution will involve numerous visits back to Tallula.
Update 01/20/2008:
I've had brunch here a few times and I think it's now my favorite place in the area for my favorite meal. Creative, delicious dishes and extremely affordable!
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