We had been to Amazonia recently and thoroughly enjoyed it so I figured Causa, would be even better - wrong. The food was disappointing for over $400 for 2 people (no alcohol). And I’m a foodie who enjoys fancy restaurants with tasting menus. But this really fell short.The dinner began with a tiny tea towel that they pour warm water over so it pops up to a hand towel, which is neat. The first tiny bites were all good, and then it went downhill from there. One dish consisted of potatoes and some kind of dip. I’d refer to the menu so I could name these dishes, but I don’t have it here. The potato dish was unappetizing from appearance, like we were given a plate of rocks with some pieces of their version of clay that you should not eat, and the potatoes and dip certainly didn’t taste great either. There were even cold potatoes on the bottom of a dish. Who wants to eat cold potatoes? I know they are honoring the food of Peru with the purple potatoes, but it should taste good.Another dish, arroz la tacnena, had bits of octopus under some dried grass-like substance with other foods included which was also not tasty.The servers were all nice, but the time between dishes was too long. And the stories attached to each dish were also too long. I’d rather read the stories then have to wait for the server to stop telling the story before I can eat.Its location down an alley is a bit odd, however there are other restaurants down the alley too. A parking lot is down the alley but charges a minimum of $25. Be careful not to put Amazonia in your navigation app. It might take you to the zoo.Save your money and eat upstairs at Amazonia. The food is much better. Try the skewers (like salmon belly or filet mignon), scallops with cheese (unbelievably fabulous), and desserts. It was all very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Aditya Singh
Amazonia is a great bar/restaurant. Daniel was a great server and recommended great veggie options. The food and drinks came out promptly with great presentation and the upstairs staff was all really friendly. Can’t say the same for the downstairs hostess who wouldn’t let me go up to Amazonia without asking her and then couldn’t find my reservation after asking me the details 3 times and not being able to pull it up. After she pulled it up she said none of my party was there even though everyone but me was there. Maybe it’s a communication thing between upstairs and downstairs but for such an expensive restaurant, the hostess shouldn’t try and fight you as you’re walking in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pisco Sour De Amazonia, Chocolate Brownie, Fried Rice
M JOY
Was looking for a special experience and left hungry and frustrated. It honestly was hard to enjoy the food because the menu was unique in presentation and ingredients and the server could not be bothered to provide any assistance. We love Peruvian food and we were very much looking forward to eating here. The atmosphere was lovely, but we did not feel welcome and weren't able to figure out how to order and what to order that would provide a good meal under $1,000.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Gabriele Giaquinto
A trip to Peru, from the coast to the Andes Mountains. This is the hot ticket in town, so you better make reservations well in advance. I really enjoyed their menu, especially the escabeche and macambo (so good I wanted to lick the bowl...). There is the option of getting a whole fish prepared in a variety of ways. I skipped this part. For red wine I liked a glass of cachapoal (ask the staff the story behind this wine). Top notch service. If you get bar seating, you can watch the chefs preparing the fish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Max Ballo
Causa provides an incredible experience for anyone looking for something truly different. The flavors of each dish are tasteful and unique. This place exceeds expectations and cannot recommend this tasting experience enough!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott Miller
Amazonia review: I was really excited to try this establishment; sadly, this experience did not live up to my excitement.Hosts: The best part of the experience. Happy, friendly, informative, and kind. We were 45 minutes early, and we were quickly informed too early, so we grabbed a drink next door.Service: Inattentive at best; ignoring at worst. After waiting patiently, we had to wave for attention multiple times. Sitting at 10:15, we were first informed that the kitchen closes in about 35 minutes, which is good information - but it would be better to say hello and see if we wanted something to drink.Cocktails: The reason for the 3 stars on the "food" - very great. Pisco sour with the "Causa" on top was lovely. I started with one of the seasonal, herby drinks that was tasty.Food: Unseasoned. The steak needed salt at a minimum. My ceviche had wonderful components, but nothing tied it together. I am not going for "value" at a restaurant like Amazonia, but the portion was rather small.Overall, I can't recommend Amazonia. Maybe Causa is the better experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Jay Patel
Came here for after dinner drinks and it was amazing. The bar gives rainforest/tulum vibes and the cocktails were amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Shih
Causa is definitely one of the best dining experiences in DC. The service is attentive and eager to explain every detail of the dish that is being served. The food is perfectly prepared and offers unique and interesting flavors. Cocktails are excellent as well. Excellent all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brian Shutka
Prepare to pay a lot then leave hungry. Small portions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
Pedro O.
I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in. The staff was warm and inviting, and so was the decor and fragrances. I detected a hint of incense and palo santo. I recommend the hearts of palm salad, the Causa, and scallops to warm up. The fish was superbly executed, but the name of the fish escapes me. We had ours served cold (dry aged?) with the Rocoto sauce which was mild yet fantastic. The pisco sour coctail enhanced the flavors for me. My overall impression was that all flavors are somewhat mild but not boring, everything tastes super fresh; and like one at our table mentioned, you can almost taste every single ingredient but in a good way.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops a La Parmesana, Tiradito, Pisco Sour De Amazonia, Chocolate Brownie
Everything about Causa is stunning. The bar upstairs, Amazonia, has knowledgeable bartenders who create pieces of art that taste as good as they look. The staff is attentive, the food is delicious, and the level of detail in everything they do is unrivaled.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cam Oleary
Lengthy review here. My wife and I came into Causa on a Thursday at 5pm. This is obviously close to still working time and I had to do something important for work that could not be done via phone. The host was not helpful at all about getting on the wifi (I asked her about the password because the QR code was not working and she said she didn’t know). I then asked politely and apologetically if I could bring my laptop in the dining room real quick and open it up or if my wife could begin the meal process without me as I go find a coffee shop. She was rude to both my wife and I, and not accommodating at all. If she was nice about it and just said we have a no laptop rule in the dining room and gave me helpful advice on a place where I could connect to WiFi then I would have been fine with that, but she was not nice and professional… also I would have been fine with my wife starting the meal without me, but she also said that was not allowed… does she realize she is in the service industry and we are the clients lol? It is a Thursday at 5pm, it’s not like I am coming in on a Saturday night and asking for wifi treating the restaurant like a cafe, she needs to understand I need to do my job still just like she needs to do hers, and she clearly needs a lesson on hospitality. So I was frustrated on her being rude and not helpful, but I stepped outside and made a call to cover my butt at work, that’s fine and I came back in and was ready to start the meal process, because of course it is required we both start together. First thing the host shows us is the “fish market” that many people like to take pictures of because of the expensive fish. Hunny, I could also go to Whole Foods and take pictures of the fish market there but I don’t do that lol. This spiel from a “Michelin” restaurant process should be skipped in my opinion, no one cares… ok beyond this whole weird interaction with the host, let’s get into why I gave it a 4/5. Our waiter and bartender were awesome and made it a nice experience after the host, the food was good and beautiful and the drinks as well. I will say American Michelin star restaurants just simply don’t compare to those of Europe…. Causa is better then rose luxury in Eastern market, which also has a Michelin star and I think is on the same price point per meal. Last weird critique, you can kind of judge a Michelin star restaurant based on their bathrooms, and this one is nothing special, obvi probably working with limited space.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pisco Sour De Amazonia
R Daniel Austria
We had a reservation on the rooftop of Amazonia for dinner. If you offer a dinner option for the rooftop, you should offer a the same experience as indoor. The staff was overwhelmed on the rooftop. For example, after dropping off the food, they left immediately without providing utensils to serve the shared plates. There was no one from the restaurant around and we could not find anyone to provide help. If they only offered drinks and snacks only for the rooftop, the service would be appropriate.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Angela Massiel Encarnación Montero
Great experience ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ensalada de Chonta, Ensalada, Patacones Es, Lomo Saltado de
Analis A
Very good but my husband left hungry. Not the best chicha morada that I've had.
We had been to Amazonia recently and thoroughly enjoyed it so I figured Causa, would be even better - wrong. The food was disappointing for over $400 for 2 people (no alcohol). And I’m a foodie who enjoys fancy restaurants with tasting menus. But this really fell short.The dinner began with a tiny tea towel that they pour warm water over so it pops up to a hand towel, which is neat. The first tiny bites were all good, and then it went downhill from there. One dish consisted of potatoes and some kind of dip. I’d refer to the menu so I could name these dishes, but I don’t have it here. The potato dish was unappetizing from appearance, like we were given a plate of rocks with some pieces of their version of clay that you should not eat, and the potatoes and dip certainly didn’t taste great either. There were even cold potatoes on the bottom of a dish. Who wants to eat cold potatoes? I know they are honoring the food of Peru with the purple potatoes, but it should taste good.Another dish, arroz la tacnena, had bits of octopus under some dried grass-like substance with other foods included which was also not tasty.The servers were all nice, but the time between dishes was too long. And the stories attached to each dish were also too long. I’d rather read the stories then have to wait for the server to stop telling the story before I can eat.Its location down an alley is a bit odd, however there are other restaurants down the alley too. A parking lot is down the alley but charges a minimum of $25. Be careful not to put Amazonia in your navigation app. It might take you to the zoo.Save your money and eat upstairs at Amazonia. The food is much better. Try the skewers (like salmon belly or filet mignon), scallops with cheese (unbelievably fabulous), and desserts. It was all very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Amazonia is a great bar/restaurant. Daniel was a great server and recommended great veggie options. The food and drinks came out promptly with great presentation and the upstairs staff was all really friendly. Can’t say the same for the downstairs hostess who wouldn’t let me go up to Amazonia without asking her and then couldn’t find my reservation after asking me the details 3 times and not being able to pull it up. After she pulled it up she said none of my party was there even though everyone but me was there. Maybe it’s a communication thing between upstairs and downstairs but for such an expensive restaurant, the hostess shouldn’t try and fight you as you’re walking in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pisco Sour De Amazonia, Chocolate Brownie, Fried Rice
Was looking for a special experience and left hungry and frustrated. It honestly was hard to enjoy the food because the menu was unique in presentation and ingredients and the server could not be bothered to provide any assistance. We love Peruvian food and we were very much looking forward to eating here. The atmosphere was lovely, but we did not feel welcome and weren't able to figure out how to order and what to order that would provide a good meal under $1,000.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
A trip to Peru, from the coast to the Andes Mountains. This is the hot ticket in town, so you better make reservations well in advance. I really enjoyed their menu, especially the escabeche and macambo (so good I wanted to lick the bowl...). There is the option of getting a whole fish prepared in a variety of ways. I skipped this part. For red wine I liked a glass of cachapoal (ask the staff the story behind this wine). Top notch service. If you get bar seating, you can watch the chefs preparing the fish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Causa provides an incredible experience for anyone looking for something truly different. The flavors of each dish are tasteful and unique. This place exceeds expectations and cannot recommend this tasting experience enough!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazonia review: I was really excited to try this establishment; sadly, this experience did not live up to my excitement.Hosts: The best part of the experience. Happy, friendly, informative, and kind. We were 45 minutes early, and we were quickly informed too early, so we grabbed a drink next door.Service: Inattentive at best; ignoring at worst. After waiting patiently, we had to wave for attention multiple times. Sitting at 10:15, we were first informed that the kitchen closes in about 35 minutes, which is good information - but it would be better to say hello and see if we wanted something to drink.Cocktails: The reason for the 3 stars on the "food" - very great. Pisco sour with the "Causa" on top was lovely. I started with one of the seasonal, herby drinks that was tasty.Food: Unseasoned. The steak needed salt at a minimum. My ceviche had wonderful components, but nothing tied it together. I am not going for "value" at a restaurant like Amazonia, but the portion was rather small.Overall, I can't recommend Amazonia. Maybe Causa is the better experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Came here for after dinner drinks and it was amazing. The bar gives rainforest/tulum vibes and the cocktails were amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Causa is definitely one of the best dining experiences in DC. The service is attentive and eager to explain every detail of the dish that is being served. The food is perfectly prepared and offers unique and interesting flavors. Cocktails are excellent as well. Excellent all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Prepare to pay a lot then leave hungry. Small portions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in. The staff was warm and inviting, and so was the decor and fragrances. I detected a hint of incense and palo santo. I recommend the hearts of palm salad, the Causa, and scallops to warm up. The fish was superbly executed, but the name of the fish escapes me. We had ours served cold (dry aged?) with the Rocoto sauce which was mild yet fantastic. The pisco sour coctail enhanced the flavors for me. My overall impression was that all flavors are somewhat mild but not boring, everything tastes super fresh; and like one at our table mentioned, you can almost taste every single ingredient but in a good way.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops a La Parmesana, Tiradito, Pisco Sour De Amazonia, Chocolate Brownie
Restaurantji Recommends
Everything about Causa is stunning. The bar upstairs, Amazonia, has knowledgeable bartenders who create pieces of art that taste as good as they look. The staff is attentive, the food is delicious, and the level of detail in everything they do is unrivaled.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lengthy review here. My wife and I came into Causa on a Thursday at 5pm. This is obviously close to still working time and I had to do something important for work that could not be done via phone. The host was not helpful at all about getting on the wifi (I asked her about the password because the QR code was not working and she said she didn’t know). I then asked politely and apologetically if I could bring my laptop in the dining room real quick and open it up or if my wife could begin the meal process without me as I go find a coffee shop. She was rude to both my wife and I, and not accommodating at all. If she was nice about it and just said we have a no laptop rule in the dining room and gave me helpful advice on a place where I could connect to WiFi then I would have been fine with that, but she was not nice and professional… also I would have been fine with my wife starting the meal without me, but she also said that was not allowed… does she realize she is in the service industry and we are the clients lol? It is a Thursday at 5pm, it’s not like I am coming in on a Saturday night and asking for wifi treating the restaurant like a cafe, she needs to understand I need to do my job still just like she needs to do hers, and she clearly needs a lesson on hospitality. So I was frustrated on her being rude and not helpful, but I stepped outside and made a call to cover my butt at work, that’s fine and I came back in and was ready to start the meal process, because of course it is required we both start together. First thing the host shows us is the “fish market” that many people like to take pictures of because of the expensive fish. Hunny, I could also go to Whole Foods and take pictures of the fish market there but I don’t do that lol. This spiel from a “Michelin” restaurant process should be skipped in my opinion, no one cares… ok beyond this whole weird interaction with the host, let’s get into why I gave it a 4/5. Our waiter and bartender were awesome and made it a nice experience after the host, the food was good and beautiful and the drinks as well. I will say American Michelin star restaurants just simply don’t compare to those of Europe…. Causa is better then rose luxury in Eastern market, which also has a Michelin star and I think is on the same price point per meal. Last weird critique, you can kind of judge a Michelin star restaurant based on their bathrooms, and this one is nothing special, obvi probably working with limited space.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pisco Sour De Amazonia
We had a reservation on the rooftop of Amazonia for dinner. If you offer a dinner option for the rooftop, you should offer a the same experience as indoor. The staff was overwhelmed on the rooftop. For example, after dropping off the food, they left immediately without providing utensils to serve the shared plates. There was no one from the restaurant around and we could not find anyone to provide help. If they only offered drinks and snacks only for the rooftop, the service would be appropriate.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Great experience ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ensalada de Chonta, Ensalada, Patacones Es, Lomo Saltado de
Very good but my husband left hungry. Not the best chicha morada that I've had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5