I heard that The Fainting Goat was closing this week via The Washingtonian. I was sorry to hear that and when a friend picked this U Street eatery to meet prior to seeing David Cross at the Lincoln Theater, I thought it would be a a nice way to say goodbye to an establishment that had been such a U Street corridor mainstay.First off, I'm not greeted with a "hello" or "welcome" or any other pleasantries by the person who sat me, I was greeted with "An automatic service fee of 20% will be added to your check." I assumed this was the automatic tip. It was not. It was in addition to the tip.*(NOTE: Let me preface the rest of the review with the declaration that I am absolutely not a snooty foodie and my tastes are pretty mainstream. But the food and drink have to not only be worth the price I'm paying for them, they have to, well, taste good.)I then thought, well the service must be really attentive. It was not. I wouldn't say it was subpar but it was more like the goodwill of Republican politicians in that it was nonexistent. No big deal, I thought, I checked out the menu online so there were some drink options I thought looked pretty inter---- nope. Not on the QR code-accessed menu where you had your choice of half a dozen or so "craft cocktails," some $9 beers, or other spirits...if they were in stock (many weren't).Like the drink menu, the food menu was also lacking so I thought I would get one of the pizzas I saw online. Again, nope. I had my choice of three options or build my own. I built my own with spinach, mushrooms, prosciutto and cheese. Thin crust, I thought, would be a bit easier on my waistline. Cool.Not only was the pizza overcooked, it just didn't taste good. At least not up to the standard of a "U Street Mainstay" as the Washingtonian dubbed it.So when you couple the substandard (or totally absent service) with the borderline mediocre menu selections plus the new mandatory 20% "because we're a trendy hotspot on U Street" fee, The Fainting Goat closing it's doors is not putting itself out of its misery so much as relieving our misery.My experience at The Fainting Goat reminded me of an incident many years ago when a terrible employee resigned while I was in the process of submitting paperwork to fire her (of which she was not aware; she thought she was awesome.); by the Wednesday of her last week when she simply wasn't contributing at all, I told her to just go ahead and leave. That's my advice to The Fainting Goat as well: You're doing nobody any favors by staying if this is the best you can do.*UPDATE: After this review was posted, I was informed by a savvy friend that the 20% Service Fee is due to a new law voted on by DC residents in November 2022 to phase out tip credit over the coming years. However, new law or not, that doesn't excuse the lacking menu or service.
Ka L.
Just a cocktail - Hopscotch. A bit sweet for my taste but still good. Nice casual atmosphere with friendly service. Not specular but also not necessary.
Kelson N.
I came here for brunch yesterday. I truly give this place a 3.5 but I'll default to 4 stars. It was a neat place with flavorful food but I think they were extremely busy or understaffed. It took nearly 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge me at the host station (unattended). I did not have a reservation but they were extremely gracious in getting me a table and letting me sit (huge positive). The alternative to the tables were the bar seats. I ordered the burger and steak and eggs. The steak was undercooked and the burger was overcooked. I still ate it because I was hungry and it still tasted good. I'd recommend a different cheese besides American cheese. When American cheese chars, it leaves a disgusting taste in a person's mouth. The bottomless brunch is pretty cool. It's the first time I've had a white cranberry Mimosa. A new fave. I'd like to try this place again but maybe when it's not so busy.
Leslie A.
Food? nothing special. Extras overpriced. 20% service included. No Wi Fi. Sorry. No return
C
Good food. Great service. Great drinks. Great location and super nice eclectic venue with lots of space and super clean and well taken care of.Why only 4 stars and not 5?We thought the menu needed a bit more variety and the prices a bit too high. Pizza (bar pie) and cheese fondue was good.We do recommend dining there at least once.BTW parking in the area can be horrible and some meters do not work.Parking: Parking can be baf. Allow extra time for that and some places will try to rip you off. Be careful and take your time
930clarkg
Good food. Great service. Great drinks. Great location and super nice eclectic venue with lots of space and super clean and well taken care of. Why only 4 stars and not 5? We thought the menu needed a bit more variety and the prices a bit too high. Pizza (bar pie) and cheese fondue was good. We do recommend dining there at least once. BTW parking in the area can be horrible and some meters do not work.
Raymond B.
I visited this establishment from brunch and really had an amazing time. The food was good and the drinks continued to flow. I didn't like the seasonal sangria was very sweet but the mimosa and Bloody Mary did the job. They have a plethora of food options to choose from and everything is so flavorful. For brunch the price was very reasonable and I would recommend anyone to give this place a try. I had the Benedict work French fiends and it was soooooo good. Only thing is I wish there was a little more protein on the plate. I would definitely recommend giving this establishment a go for your next Sunday Funday
Melissa Shafer
Came here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised by a pub trivia night. Food was great, happy hour drinks were delicious. The service was very kind and efficient. I also loved the vibe of this place, hard to describe but pretty hipster. Excellent experience all around.
HL Lowy
Cool setting and cool vibe in the District. Hip and current selection but a tad limited. Friendly service at a busy place. Looks to really be the place for brunch cocktails. Go try one for yourself.
camilletH8511LJ
Fainting goat was so accommodating to us. Allowed us to celebrate our friends brunch birthday and have the best brunch ever. Food was amazing (Caesar toast and eggs in pergatory) and the staff was so friendly and went out of their way to accommodate us. Ambiance and the setting was beautiful. Can’t wait to return!
Had such a great time here on my birthday for brunch! Our waiter, Johnathon, was super friendly and we never felt like we were being rushed! We felt really welcomed and not rushed, so we will be back!
Siena F.
I have been to Fainting Goat twice and have had wonderful experiences both times. Their bottomless brunch deal is pretty solid -- $22 for endless mimosas, sangrias and other specialty drinks for 1.5 hours. They're super on top of filling your drink up so you definitely get your money's worth. The waiters were very attentive, answered any questions we had and checked in on us (as well as made sure we got topped off at the end of our time slot). The only reason I took off a star is because the food portions are pretty small for the price. I got waffles (which were tasty), but it was essentially two small waffles with 2 diced strawberries & like 3 blueberries for $18. With the amount of alcohol you're drinking the food does NOT combat your intoxication, so maybe eat a small snack before you go to brunch :)Will definitely be back though, because the drink deal and atmosphere are just too good to pass up!
Justin C.
This was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. To begin, our table was ready ~5 minutes after when our initial reservation was made for. Because of this, the manager offered us a free round of drinks and was very accommodating to our large group. The staff was also willing to increase the size of our reservation from 7 to 9 people with no issues.The food and drinks were incredible. They have a large selection of drinks including various mimosas (my personal favorite was the strawberry). Additionally, the Sammy Croquet entree (pictured here) included a terrific poached egg that was very filling. The service was also outstanding, as our waiter was always stopping by to see if any of our group members needed a refill or was hungry for more food. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant and feel it is one of the best brunch spots that DC has to offer!
Nnamdi Obiako
Had brunch here with a friend and we both enjoyed it. Food was really good. I ordered steak and eggs, which is not on the brunch menu but they can make it for you of you request it and they have steak. The bottomless mimosas were also really good. The white cranberry mimosa was a welcomed surprised.
Jonah Lawson
Came for brunch… the food and drinks were amazing! My palate was blown!
I heard that The Fainting Goat was closing this week via The Washingtonian. I was sorry to hear that and when a friend picked this U Street eatery to meet prior to seeing David Cross at the Lincoln Theater, I thought it would be a a nice way to say goodbye to an establishment that had been such a U Street corridor mainstay.First off, I'm not greeted with a "hello" or "welcome" or any other pleasantries by the person who sat me, I was greeted with "An automatic service fee of 20% will be added to your check." I assumed this was the automatic tip. It was not. It was in addition to the tip.*(NOTE: Let me preface the rest of the review with the declaration that I am absolutely not a snooty foodie and my tastes are pretty mainstream. But the food and drink have to not only be worth the price I'm paying for them, they have to, well, taste good.)I then thought, well the service must be really attentive. It was not. I wouldn't say it was subpar but it was more like the goodwill of Republican politicians in that it was nonexistent. No big deal, I thought, I checked out the menu online so there were some drink options I thought looked pretty inter---- nope. Not on the QR code-accessed menu where you had your choice of half a dozen or so "craft cocktails," some $9 beers, or other spirits...if they were in stock (many weren't).Like the drink menu, the food menu was also lacking so I thought I would get one of the pizzas I saw online. Again, nope. I had my choice of three options or build my own. I built my own with spinach, mushrooms, prosciutto and cheese. Thin crust, I thought, would be a bit easier on my waistline. Cool.Not only was the pizza overcooked, it just didn't taste good. At least not up to the standard of a "U Street Mainstay" as the Washingtonian dubbed it.So when you couple the substandard (or totally absent service) with the borderline mediocre menu selections plus the new mandatory 20% "because we're a trendy hotspot on U Street" fee, The Fainting Goat closing it's doors is not putting itself out of its misery so much as relieving our misery.My experience at The Fainting Goat reminded me of an incident many years ago when a terrible employee resigned while I was in the process of submitting paperwork to fire her (of which she was not aware; she thought she was awesome.); by the Wednesday of her last week when she simply wasn't contributing at all, I told her to just go ahead and leave. That's my advice to The Fainting Goat as well: You're doing nobody any favors by staying if this is the best you can do.*UPDATE: After this review was posted, I was informed by a savvy friend that the 20% Service Fee is due to a new law voted on by DC residents in November 2022 to phase out tip credit over the coming years. However, new law or not, that doesn't excuse the lacking menu or service.
Just a cocktail - Hopscotch. A bit sweet for my taste but still good. Nice casual atmosphere with friendly service. Not specular but also not necessary.
I came here for brunch yesterday. I truly give this place a 3.5 but I'll default to 4 stars. It was a neat place with flavorful food but I think they were extremely busy or understaffed. It took nearly 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge me at the host station (unattended). I did not have a reservation but they were extremely gracious in getting me a table and letting me sit (huge positive). The alternative to the tables were the bar seats. I ordered the burger and steak and eggs. The steak was undercooked and the burger was overcooked. I still ate it because I was hungry and it still tasted good. I'd recommend a different cheese besides American cheese. When American cheese chars, it leaves a disgusting taste in a person's mouth. The bottomless brunch is pretty cool. It's the first time I've had a white cranberry Mimosa. A new fave. I'd like to try this place again but maybe when it's not so busy.
Food? nothing special. Extras overpriced. 20% service included. No Wi Fi. Sorry. No return
Good food. Great service. Great drinks. Great location and super nice eclectic venue with lots of space and super clean and well taken care of.Why only 4 stars and not 5?We thought the menu needed a bit more variety and the prices a bit too high. Pizza (bar pie) and cheese fondue was good.We do recommend dining there at least once.BTW parking in the area can be horrible and some meters do not work.Parking: Parking can be baf. Allow extra time for that and some places will try to rip you off. Be careful and take your time
Good food. Great service. Great drinks. Great location and super nice eclectic venue with lots of space and super clean and well taken care of. Why only 4 stars and not 5? We thought the menu needed a bit more variety and the prices a bit too high. Pizza (bar pie) and cheese fondue was good. We do recommend dining there at least once. BTW parking in the area can be horrible and some meters do not work.
I visited this establishment from brunch and really had an amazing time. The food was good and the drinks continued to flow. I didn't like the seasonal sangria was very sweet but the mimosa and Bloody Mary did the job. They have a plethora of food options to choose from and everything is so flavorful. For brunch the price was very reasonable and I would recommend anyone to give this place a try. I had the Benedict work French fiends and it was soooooo good. Only thing is I wish there was a little more protein on the plate. I would definitely recommend giving this establishment a go for your next Sunday Funday
Came here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised by a pub trivia night. Food was great, happy hour drinks were delicious. The service was very kind and efficient. I also loved the vibe of this place, hard to describe but pretty hipster. Excellent experience all around.
Cool setting and cool vibe in the District. Hip and current selection but a tad limited. Friendly service at a busy place. Looks to really be the place for brunch cocktails. Go try one for yourself.
Fainting goat was so accommodating to us. Allowed us to celebrate our friends brunch birthday and have the best brunch ever. Food was amazing (Caesar toast and eggs in pergatory) and the staff was so friendly and went out of their way to accommodate us. Ambiance and the setting was beautiful. Can’t wait to return!
Restaurantji Recommends
Had such a great time here on my birthday for brunch! Our waiter, Johnathon, was super friendly and we never felt like we were being rushed! We felt really welcomed and not rushed, so we will be back!
I have been to Fainting Goat twice and have had wonderful experiences both times. Their bottomless brunch deal is pretty solid -- $22 for endless mimosas, sangrias and other specialty drinks for 1.5 hours. They're super on top of filling your drink up so you definitely get your money's worth. The waiters were very attentive, answered any questions we had and checked in on us (as well as made sure we got topped off at the end of our time slot). The only reason I took off a star is because the food portions are pretty small for the price. I got waffles (which were tasty), but it was essentially two small waffles with 2 diced strawberries & like 3 blueberries for $18. With the amount of alcohol you're drinking the food does NOT combat your intoxication, so maybe eat a small snack before you go to brunch :)Will definitely be back though, because the drink deal and atmosphere are just too good to pass up!
This was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. To begin, our table was ready ~5 minutes after when our initial reservation was made for. Because of this, the manager offered us a free round of drinks and was very accommodating to our large group. The staff was also willing to increase the size of our reservation from 7 to 9 people with no issues.The food and drinks were incredible. They have a large selection of drinks including various mimosas (my personal favorite was the strawberry). Additionally, the Sammy Croquet entree (pictured here) included a terrific poached egg that was very filling. The service was also outstanding, as our waiter was always stopping by to see if any of our group members needed a refill or was hungry for more food. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant and feel it is one of the best brunch spots that DC has to offer!
Had brunch here with a friend and we both enjoyed it. Food was really good. I ordered steak and eggs, which is not on the brunch menu but they can make it for you of you request it and they have steak. The bottomless mimosas were also really good. The white cranberry mimosa was a welcomed surprised.
Came for brunch… the food and drinks were amazing! My palate was blown!