Loved the ambiance. Very interesting decor. Wish I had sat near the fireplace. Service was awesome and attentive Food made us all happy but you have to get the bouillabaisse and the duck fat old fashioned were my favorites. Great presentation
Steven T.
This fine dining restaurant in DC is serving up some of the best French cuisine in the area. Started off with their Octopus, Foie Gras, and La Bouillabisse de Pierrette (seafood soup). For the main course we got the Sea Bass, Duck Breast, and Filet Mignon Rossini. For dessert I got the Macaron with a poached pear and caramel. Everything was absolutely amazing. I don't eat French food often, but this has been the best French food I have had. The only thing I was not a fan of was the Foie Gras. It was so rich that it almost made it unenjoyable. Aside from that, it was great food! Service was also top notch as well. Great spot for an anniversary or special date night.
D'Lontae S.
Walked into this beautiful restaurant with an open mind and left with a highly satisfied palette and an experience to remember. L'Avant Garde has top tier ambiance. I walked in and was met with great service, attitudes and a roaring fireplace. The table settings, decor and art all were the perfect starters to a delicious evening. Even though I was 19 minutes late (with a warning), the hostess greeted me with kindly and brought me to my table next to the fire place. Louis, my server, was prompt, talked highly of the dishes, and made sure everything was up to standard. Thank you for your professionalism and help. Drinks: Un Bordeaux Sour- Top three cocktail I have ever had. Strong, flavorful, and refreshing. If anything, it was art in a glass. Food: Baguette and Butter- I've never been to France, but this opening bread item was more satisfying than I anticipated. Beef Tartare- This is a large serving of beef tartare. A little more than I was expecting. I'd recommend it for a group, because it was hard for me to finish on my own. Diver Sea Scallops- gorgeous presentation, perfectly cooked, and is the best scallop dish I have ever had. Le Filet Mignon- Simple, tender, perfectly cooked, and is probably top 2-3 steaks I have ever had. (Do you see a trend?) Duck Breast- The duck dish probably had the most explosion of flavors. It was fun and colorful. The duck was just mouth watering. I didn't love a lot of the extra components in the dish. The gala apples are better for show and something else wasn't very appetizing, but cabbage and sauce was amazing. Overall, this establishment was amazing. I'd be interested to see if they will have daily specials or change the menu. 9.5/10
Jake B.
We visited L'Avant Garde to celebrate our anniversary. It's in a nice location. The service was great, greeted by several staff upon walking in and our server Eric took good care of us. We enjoyed all of our food and drinks. I really liked the sauces that came with the steak and also my first drink, Visiting the Neighbors (not pictured). The vibe/decor is cool, each section of the place has a different feel. Yes, it was pricey, but we went for a special occasion. Would recommend for a romantic date night.
Zac Cohen
This place has really gone down in quality in recent months. Used to be one of the best. Sad.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Sandra T.
This used to be undisputedly my FAVORITE French restaurant in the DMV area. I was happy when they temporarily closed down to do a renovation (back room would be freezing cold and could use a remodel). I went back as soon as they reopened to find out the entire menu has changed and worse the chef had left. I was so disappointed with every dish we ordered that I did not finish a single course. Grilled octopus app was overcooked and crunchy. Sea bass tasted like it was just boiled; very bland. Cocktails were also nowhere near as good as the past. Did not care for the strawberry dessert either (bring back the macaroon and soufflé). New chef clearly is not up to par. Will not be returning anymore sadly. Service was also very poor. Go to Marcels for a much better dining experience.
Alexander Michaud
Last night, my wife and I went out to celebrate some good news, and L'Avant-Garde provided the perfect meal for the occasion. The experience started off beautifully when, sensing that we would have been a been cramped at the initial table we were assigned, the hostess happily offered us a table in a less crowded section without us having to ask. As others have noted, Abdel is an incredibly charismatic, knowledgeable, and helpful waiter. At various points in the meal both the manager and the owner came to check on us, but we had only great things to say: the duck breast and the sea bass were outstanding. My cocktail was lively and my wife's glass of wine was of a quality that is rarely found in the selection a restaurant is willing to pour by the glass. The ambience is chic without being pretentious or high-concept. We will absolutely be coming here to celebrate again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
michele c
Celebrated my husbands birthday. Everything was great. The fireplace was really cozy. Food was amazing. Best truffle risotto that I ever had. The lobster appetizer was so full of flavor. The fish, scallops and the beef were superior. Drinks were on point and paired well with the food. The souffle was so light and tasty. The entire French meal was amazing! Will definitly go back soon.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Porcini and Black Truffle Risotto, Seared Branzino with Duck Foie Gras Artichoke Barigoule with Poultry Jus, Sourdough Toast with Unsalted Butter
Robert Jansen
We went for a celebratory dinner as I recently acquired French citizenship. Our experience was fantastic! From the moment we walked in to end of our culinary experience, we felt like royalty. The service was excellent. Our servers, the manager and even one of the owners were so attentive making sure we were happy at every course. Chef Sébastien Giannini is one of the finest Chefs in Washington. Each course was true authentic French. He hails from Toulon and we know that city very well. His dishes take us back there. We have found our favorite French restaurant in Washington. We can't wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Karim Maalouf
Dining at L’avant-garde exceeded expectations. I was served by Abdel who was kind and attentive, responding to each of my questions with a smile on his face, thanks a lot Abdel!I ordered the Chataudbriant, an exquisite steak cooked to perfection. It looked mouthwatering and tasted even better!The wine was served by Samantha, her recommendation paired perfectly the steak. Thank you Samantha :)For desserts, I had the raspberry macaron - from looks to texture to taste, it was extraordinary!I absolutely recommend L’avant-garde for a Michelin-worthy experience.Here you experience the of best of the best DC has to offer.
Very excellent. Polished, friendly and professional service. Great food. The chicken entree particularly noteworthy. Looking forward to returning.
William C.
This place by no means is bad, I do not think anything on their menu could be classified as bad, well, maybe their foie gras over celery, but the dishes are good, but for the hype and the prices they are extremely underwhelming. People who say they have had their best meal in life here clearly have not traveled to France I'm afraid. First the good, the service was phenomenal. We had a party of four and our server (do not remember his name) was outstanding. Nothing bad to say about our service. The cocktails are very good as well, although extremely overpriced, but so is everything now in DC so just roll with the punches. The ambience is nice, very romantic setting, this place is perfect for a nice date, you're just gonna spend more than you should and there are better places in DC. Now the dishes: octopus, very nice, risotto (from the main section) very tasty, foie gras, absolutely tasteless and instantly forgettable. I think there is better foie gras at a grocery store than the one here, it is that sad, and none of the flavors compliment each other. For these prices I want something that makes me say, "damn, this is some good ass foie gras, pricey but worth it. The scallops were delicious, the filet mignons were good but not outstanding, and the pommes frites and the pommes puree were so flavorless considering they are supposedly fried in some delicious ingredient that I forget what it is now because McDonalds fries have more flavor, and maybe that's an unfair comparison, but any seasoning would have been nice. Before you judge me as an average pain in the ass American, my family is from France and I expect perfection from a place like this if you are charging perfect Recession-minimum-wage taxation-without-representation DC prices. The only thing that I can say that blew us away and is worth every penny is the Chocolate suffle, that is worth whatever the hell it cost. If you charge $50 for that it's worth it, I don't mind paying $50 per dish if it tastes good as hell. Sadly, this place is not it. There are at least two other spots in the vicinity that are better. It costs us after tip over $650 for four to have a nice meal, spend a nice time, with less than memorable food except for that dessert. From others reviews it looks like that dessert is from another spot, which would make sense unfortunately. Oh, and I was still hungry , did I forget to add that part? Go somewhere else.
Abdelkader Sebih
This place is a gem. We had a truly enchanting dining experience.From the first step inside, the ambiance was nothing but captivating, exuding an elegant yet cosy atmoshpere, once seated we were greeted with two glasses of the finest champagne. But the star of the show is a menu that is masterful display of culinary finesse paired with a great wine. The service deserves its own accolade - attentive, knowledgeble, and gracious.Thank you for a memorable evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
zachary zurich
Food was generally good. The heat was not working properly and we were seated in a back room like a patio so the place was freezing. They asked if they could bring us a drink on the house. We asked for hot tea. The tea was Luke warm boardering on room temperature. Which was about 67. We waited about an hour and a half for dinner to arrive. I had the fish which was nice but steak was my first choice but I like steak medium and the waiter said the chef will only make it medium rare so I ordered the fish. When I got the bill they charged us for the tea which they offered for free. I didn't bother to ask them to take it off because it was only $6 and I was freezing and I'd been there two hours. All in all not a fun date night. Other than the cold most of the problems I would say I can attribute to the service and the general attitude of the restaurant. I tipped 15% but probably should have tipped even less. The table next to us was unoccupied and the patio was half empty we asked if we could combine the table next to us so we could sit next to each other as we were both freezing the waiter said he would check and never got back to us. He also didn't bother to check on us at all during our meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Liz Wagner
Not the spot for a date night. Food is very good, service was great; our server was so kind and good at his job. But these days, when you pay over $200 for a date night, the ambience has to be better. It was SO cold in there (your customers are more likely to be grumpy if it’s cold, just fyi). The food got cold quickly. The chairs we were sat at were too low for the table. We were right next to the server station which is like lifting the third wall. The environment in general is giving elevated airport. Not romantic, or warm and inviting, not comfortable. Not unique. It’s just not the place for an expensive romantic date. It’s more for like, take your grandparents out or take your clients out for a decent meal.
Loved the ambiance. Very interesting decor. Wish I had sat near the fireplace. Service was awesome and attentive Food made us all happy but you have to get the bouillabaisse and the duck fat old fashioned were my favorites. Great presentation
This fine dining restaurant in DC is serving up some of the best French cuisine in the area. Started off with their Octopus, Foie Gras, and La Bouillabisse de Pierrette (seafood soup). For the main course we got the Sea Bass, Duck Breast, and Filet Mignon Rossini. For dessert I got the Macaron with a poached pear and caramel. Everything was absolutely amazing. I don't eat French food often, but this has been the best French food I have had. The only thing I was not a fan of was the Foie Gras. It was so rich that it almost made it unenjoyable. Aside from that, it was great food! Service was also top notch as well. Great spot for an anniversary or special date night.
Walked into this beautiful restaurant with an open mind and left with a highly satisfied palette and an experience to remember. L'Avant Garde has top tier ambiance. I walked in and was met with great service, attitudes and a roaring fireplace. The table settings, decor and art all were the perfect starters to a delicious evening. Even though I was 19 minutes late (with a warning), the hostess greeted me with kindly and brought me to my table next to the fire place. Louis, my server, was prompt, talked highly of the dishes, and made sure everything was up to standard. Thank you for your professionalism and help. Drinks: Un Bordeaux Sour- Top three cocktail I have ever had. Strong, flavorful, and refreshing. If anything, it was art in a glass. Food: Baguette and Butter- I've never been to France, but this opening bread item was more satisfying than I anticipated. Beef Tartare- This is a large serving of beef tartare. A little more than I was expecting. I'd recommend it for a group, because it was hard for me to finish on my own. Diver Sea Scallops- gorgeous presentation, perfectly cooked, and is the best scallop dish I have ever had. Le Filet Mignon- Simple, tender, perfectly cooked, and is probably top 2-3 steaks I have ever had. (Do you see a trend?) Duck Breast- The duck dish probably had the most explosion of flavors. It was fun and colorful. The duck was just mouth watering. I didn't love a lot of the extra components in the dish. The gala apples are better for show and something else wasn't very appetizing, but cabbage and sauce was amazing. Overall, this establishment was amazing. I'd be interested to see if they will have daily specials or change the menu. 9.5/10
We visited L'Avant Garde to celebrate our anniversary. It's in a nice location. The service was great, greeted by several staff upon walking in and our server Eric took good care of us. We enjoyed all of our food and drinks. I really liked the sauces that came with the steak and also my first drink, Visiting the Neighbors (not pictured). The vibe/decor is cool, each section of the place has a different feel. Yes, it was pricey, but we went for a special occasion. Would recommend for a romantic date night.
This place has really gone down in quality in recent months. Used to be one of the best. Sad.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
This used to be undisputedly my FAVORITE French restaurant in the DMV area. I was happy when they temporarily closed down to do a renovation (back room would be freezing cold and could use a remodel). I went back as soon as they reopened to find out the entire menu has changed and worse the chef had left. I was so disappointed with every dish we ordered that I did not finish a single course. Grilled octopus app was overcooked and crunchy. Sea bass tasted like it was just boiled; very bland. Cocktails were also nowhere near as good as the past. Did not care for the strawberry dessert either (bring back the macaroon and soufflé). New chef clearly is not up to par. Will not be returning anymore sadly. Service was also very poor. Go to Marcels for a much better dining experience.
Last night, my wife and I went out to celebrate some good news, and L'Avant-Garde provided the perfect meal for the occasion. The experience started off beautifully when, sensing that we would have been a been cramped at the initial table we were assigned, the hostess happily offered us a table in a less crowded section without us having to ask. As others have noted, Abdel is an incredibly charismatic, knowledgeable, and helpful waiter. At various points in the meal both the manager and the owner came to check on us, but we had only great things to say: the duck breast and the sea bass were outstanding. My cocktail was lively and my wife's glass of wine was of a quality that is rarely found in the selection a restaurant is willing to pour by the glass. The ambience is chic without being pretentious or high-concept. We will absolutely be coming here to celebrate again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Celebrated my husbands birthday. Everything was great. The fireplace was really cozy. Food was amazing. Best truffle risotto that I ever had. The lobster appetizer was so full of flavor. The fish, scallops and the beef were superior. Drinks were on point and paired well with the food. The souffle was so light and tasty. The entire French meal was amazing! Will definitly go back soon.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Porcini and Black Truffle Risotto, Seared Branzino with Duck Foie Gras Artichoke Barigoule with Poultry Jus, Sourdough Toast with Unsalted Butter
We went for a celebratory dinner as I recently acquired French citizenship. Our experience was fantastic! From the moment we walked in to end of our culinary experience, we felt like royalty. The service was excellent. Our servers, the manager and even one of the owners were so attentive making sure we were happy at every course. Chef Sébastien Giannini is one of the finest Chefs in Washington. Each course was true authentic French. He hails from Toulon and we know that city very well. His dishes take us back there. We have found our favorite French restaurant in Washington. We can't wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dining at L’avant-garde exceeded expectations. I was served by Abdel who was kind and attentive, responding to each of my questions with a smile on his face, thanks a lot Abdel!I ordered the Chataudbriant, an exquisite steak cooked to perfection. It looked mouthwatering and tasted even better!The wine was served by Samantha, her recommendation paired perfectly the steak. Thank you Samantha :)For desserts, I had the raspberry macaron - from looks to texture to taste, it was extraordinary!I absolutely recommend L’avant-garde for a Michelin-worthy experience.Here you experience the of best of the best DC has to offer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very excellent. Polished, friendly and professional service. Great food. The chicken entree particularly noteworthy. Looking forward to returning.
This place by no means is bad, I do not think anything on their menu could be classified as bad, well, maybe their foie gras over celery, but the dishes are good, but for the hype and the prices they are extremely underwhelming. People who say they have had their best meal in life here clearly have not traveled to France I'm afraid. First the good, the service was phenomenal. We had a party of four and our server (do not remember his name) was outstanding. Nothing bad to say about our service. The cocktails are very good as well, although extremely overpriced, but so is everything now in DC so just roll with the punches. The ambience is nice, very romantic setting, this place is perfect for a nice date, you're just gonna spend more than you should and there are better places in DC. Now the dishes: octopus, very nice, risotto (from the main section) very tasty, foie gras, absolutely tasteless and instantly forgettable. I think there is better foie gras at a grocery store than the one here, it is that sad, and none of the flavors compliment each other. For these prices I want something that makes me say, "damn, this is some good ass foie gras, pricey but worth it. The scallops were delicious, the filet mignons were good but not outstanding, and the pommes frites and the pommes puree were so flavorless considering they are supposedly fried in some delicious ingredient that I forget what it is now because McDonalds fries have more flavor, and maybe that's an unfair comparison, but any seasoning would have been nice. Before you judge me as an average pain in the ass American, my family is from France and I expect perfection from a place like this if you are charging perfect Recession-minimum-wage taxation-without-representation DC prices. The only thing that I can say that blew us away and is worth every penny is the Chocolate suffle, that is worth whatever the hell it cost. If you charge $50 for that it's worth it, I don't mind paying $50 per dish if it tastes good as hell. Sadly, this place is not it. There are at least two other spots in the vicinity that are better. It costs us after tip over $650 for four to have a nice meal, spend a nice time, with less than memorable food except for that dessert. From others reviews it looks like that dessert is from another spot, which would make sense unfortunately. Oh, and I was still hungry , did I forget to add that part? Go somewhere else.
This place is a gem. We had a truly enchanting dining experience.From the first step inside, the ambiance was nothing but captivating, exuding an elegant yet cosy atmoshpere, once seated we were greeted with two glasses of the finest champagne. But the star of the show is a menu that is masterful display of culinary finesse paired with a great wine. The service deserves its own accolade - attentive, knowledgeble, and gracious.Thank you for a memorable evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was generally good. The heat was not working properly and we were seated in a back room like a patio so the place was freezing. They asked if they could bring us a drink on the house. We asked for hot tea. The tea was Luke warm boardering on room temperature. Which was about 67. We waited about an hour and a half for dinner to arrive. I had the fish which was nice but steak was my first choice but I like steak medium and the waiter said the chef will only make it medium rare so I ordered the fish. When I got the bill they charged us for the tea which they offered for free. I didn't bother to ask them to take it off because it was only $6 and I was freezing and I'd been there two hours. All in all not a fun date night. Other than the cold most of the problems I would say I can attribute to the service and the general attitude of the restaurant. I tipped 15% but probably should have tipped even less. The table next to us was unoccupied and the patio was half empty we asked if we could combine the table next to us so we could sit next to each other as we were both freezing the waiter said he would check and never got back to us. He also didn't bother to check on us at all during our meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Not the spot for a date night. Food is very good, service was great; our server was so kind and good at his job. But these days, when you pay over $200 for a date night, the ambience has to be better. It was SO cold in there (your customers are more likely to be grumpy if it’s cold, just fyi). The food got cold quickly. The chairs we were sat at were too low for the table. We were right next to the server station which is like lifting the third wall. The environment in general is giving elevated airport. Not romantic, or warm and inviting, not comfortable. Not unique. It’s just not the place for an expensive romantic date. It’s more for like, take your grandparents out or take your clients out for a decent meal.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5