The Red Hen

1822 First St NW, Washington
(202) 525-3021

Recent Reviews

Manuel Valverde

Highly recommend

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Simon Lloyd

We were bowled over by this place. We got there at 4.45pm as a walk in and were sat straight at the bar. Get there early if you want a seat! The food was absolutely outstanding, but Andrew the lovely bar waiter was the highlight of the night for us. He was so warm. informative and professional. Very much recommended.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Gerald Russell

This restaurant needs to update their walk in policy for the bar. It is first come first serve, which sounds great. But they don’t keep a list of who came in first so when multiple groups are waiting they have to fight for seats when they open up. Awful experience.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 4

Service: 1

Millennial Max

Great experience! The staff were friendly and offered great recommendations. 5/5, 10/10, good stuff. The lighting was warm, and everyone was having a good time. Not a noisy place.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Viraj Master

Super fun, boisterous, loud, Italian place. Nice vibes. We had a party of 12, young kids and adults, and had a set menu. Huge amounts and food for sure. You will not leave hungry.I thought the food was very good, not great.However, the service was better than great, I mean it was really great. For example, when the 5 year old only wanted pasta with butter, the staff immediately and graciously got it.I would absolutely go back again, for the experience.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Tejal Thakkar

This is the best restaurant in DC. The food delivers everytime with inventive pastas, appetizers, and desserts. It's so cozy and homey inside, and the service is impeccable. You will always walk away feeling so

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Whipped Ricotta

Sean Ryan

Top restaurant in DC. Friendly bar staff, welcoming environment, and delicious food!

M C.

I love the ambiance of this restaurant. The food was tasty, the chef is bold in the pairing of bold & interesting flavors. A friend and I shared the linguine and the beef ribs. Both were delicious in distinctively different ways. The staff is super kind and helpful. Reservations are recommended, we got lucky and sat at the bar. The bartender Andrew helped to make the night enjoyable as well.

Sarvesh Shah

Good Italian food! The ricotta bread and burrata salad were delicious. They made us vegetarian version of their famous Rigatoni and that was also good! Tiramisu was a bit underwhelming but everything else is pretty good. If you don't have a reservation, def do a walk in at 5pm. There was already a long line when we came at 5pm and it gets filled up quickly! The hype is real!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Burrata Salad, Whipped Ricotta, Tiramisu, Mezzi Rigatoni

Mike B

10/10. Atmosphere was quaint and service was amazing. Feels a lot like a neighborhood restaurant with elevated cuisines. We got their ricotta toast and burrata for an appetizer; highly recommend both but the ricotta toast is delicious. We shared the rigatoni and squid ink linguini. Both were probably some of the best Italian dishes we’ve had.Veronica was our server and she was fantastic. She was attentive, genuine and knowledgeable of the menu. Oh and dessert was delicious (Tiramisu and Affogato).Reservations are difficult to come by so book far in advance or show up unannounced and sit at the bar (first come first serve). We will be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Squid Ink Pasta, Whipped Ricotta

Nikki Mwaura

I think I didn’t order well and want to come back to re-review this spot. Absolutely charming Italian spot with the range of late workers at the bar, friends catching up, and families gathering. I ordered the mafalde (mushroom porcini pasta) and unfortunately found it to be on the bland side. I ordered the grilled rustic bread and anchovies and it was such a dream blend of flavors and carbs I would highly recommend. I also got the carrot cake by the recommendation of my server and it was good but the ginger gelato it’s paired with made it DELICIOUS. I got the I shall be warm ( a mezcal drink) and I did not like it at all, I should’ve stuck with wine. I want to give this place another try because I feel like it has gems I just didn’t try.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Nikki M.

I think I didn't order well and want to come back to re-review this spot. Absolutely charming Italian spot with the range of late workers at the bar, friends catching up, and families gathering. I ordered the mafalde (mushroom porcini pasta) and unfortunately found it to be on the bland side. I ordered the grilled rustic bread and anchovies and it was such a dream blend of flavors and carbs I would highly recommend. I also got the carrot cake by the recommendation of my server and it was good but the ginger gelato it's paired with made it DELICIOUS. I got the I shall be warm ( a mezcal drink) and I did not like it at all, I should've stuck with wine. I want to give this place another try because I feel like it has gems I just didn't try.

Niranjana S.

I've heard so much about this place and couldn't wait to go! It was worth the wait. We got the whipped ricotta crostini, burrata, cacio e pepe arancini, rigatoni, and wild mushroom mafalde. The cacio e pepe arancini was definitely the star of the show! Tons of vegetarian options and there was ability to substitute too if the dish wasn't vegetarian. This was not your typical italian food but was delicious nonetheless!

R A

The Red Hen is yet another incredible and well known DC restaurant. They serve the best fresh pasta in town, with a familiar menu of staple yet elevated Italian dishes. The atmosphere is perfect for a date night or a simple family outing. You will not be disappointed! We’ve gone here a few times and find that their service and food remain perfect. We’ll be back soon enough, especially for the whipped ricotta toast. Reservations drop a month in advance at midnight. Beware, they sell out rather quickly. My only complaint is that their bathrooms need some serious renovations. For such an incredible restaurant, I’m shocked at how run down they were.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano, Whipped Ricotta

Lindsey Stiles

Finally ate here this weekend and am so glad I did! They have amazing gluten free pasta and were able to make a few non gluten-free dishes into gluten free versions, which was very appreciated. Would highly recommend!Dietary restrictions: Gluten free options

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Burrata with Grilled Asparagus Salad Salami Toasted Sesame Oregano Vinaigrette & Breadcrumbs, Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano

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