Circle Bistro
1 Washington Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-293-5390
Neighborhood: Foggy Bottom/West End, Downtown
Cuisines: Modern, Breakfast, American
Opening Hours:
Open Monday through Thursday 7:30 to 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, and 5 to 10 PM, Friday 7:30 to 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, and 5 to 11 PM, Saturday 8 to 10 AM and 5 to 11 PM, and Sunday 8 to 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and 5 to 10 PM.
Nearby Metro Stops: Farragut West, Foggy Bottom-GWU
Price Range: Moderate
Dress: Upscale Casual
Noise Level: Intimate
Reservations: Recommended
Website: http://www.circlebistro.com
Best Dishes:
Potato-crusted oysters with bacon-chive crème fraîche; roasted-beet salad with walnut vinaigrette; lamb rib eye with ratatouille and olive tapenade; duck with celery root, spinach, and orange; brownie sundae with espresso ice cream and candied walnuts.
Price Details:
Lunch appetizers, $7 to $10; entrees, $12 to $17.
Dinner appetizers, $7 to $18; entrees, $19 to $27.
Brunch entrees, $9 to $16.
Three-course pre-theater menu (served until 7 PM), $35.
Cuisine: After a rocky year, the kitchen seems to have stabilized with the arrival of Ethan McKee, a veteran of Equinox and Rock Creek at Mazza, whose French- and Mediterranean-influenced American menu runs to plates such as wild Alaskan halibut with chorizo, Swiss chard, and saffron butter.
Mood: Deciding where to sit can be hard. Will it be the teeming lounge, where you can nibble on snacks such as fries with fines herbes mayonnaise, or the conversation-friendly dining room done in shades of orange, yellow, and cream?
Best for: The Kennedy Center–bound—there’s a $35, three-course pre-theater meal from 5 to 7.
Best dishes: Crisp potato-crusted oysters with bacon-chive crème fraîche; roasted-beet salad with arugula and walnut vinaigrette; lamb rib eye with ratatouille and olive tapenade; duck with celery root, spinach, crispy leeks, and orange; a deconstructed brownie sundae including a dense, fudgy wedge of cake, house-made espresso ice cream, and candied walnuts.
Insider tips: There are lots of deals, including half-price cocktails, beer, and wine at the bar Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 7:30 and free bottomless mimosas at Sunday brunch.
Service: ••
Open Monday through Friday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Saturday for breakfast and dinner, Sunday for breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Moderate to expensive.