Amazing. The vibes: amazing. The food: amazing. The drinks: amazing. The waitress Brianna and the security: amazing. We had a time and would def. Go back. 5/5 ⭐️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
mp409
You would never expect this on top of an AC hotel but this intimate venue was perfect. Jazz night on a Tuesday, not crowded, indoor/outdoor rooftop. Just had drinks but what a cheery spot that is laid back and caters more to guests of DC than to 'employees'. Give it a try.
A Decent Perspective
Alex was an expert class sever he provided me with all the details about the seasonal decor and a top tier explanation on the menu. I would highly recommend you ask for him. 10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Phil Blakers
Had a wonderful night, beautiful music, great food and lovely staff. What an amazing venue, we'll definitely be back. Thoroughly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Noreen Qamar
The Sky Called, and She’s Wearing Heels😍
If rooftop royalty had an address, it would be Ciel. I showed up on a Thursday evening for happy hour and instantly felt like I’d stepped into a champagne-soaked daydream. The view? Flawless. The lighting? Flirtatious. The vibe? Think “I don’t chase, I attract” with a side of skyline.
The cocktails were dangerously pretty — the kind you order “just for the photo,” but end up finishing because they taste even better than they look. The crowd was serving main-character energy — polished, social, and ready to mingle under those golden hour lights.
The service was as smooth as the music, and every corner screamed Instagram moment. Ciel isn’t just a rooftop — it’s a mood, a look, and a lifestyle.
💄 Come dressed to impress — this isn’t your casual drink spot, it’s your “I’m the vibe” moment.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Nicole Jennings
Beautiful view. Lots of seating. Music was nice. Excellent service
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Elmer Vasquez
I see a lot of bad reviews lately within the last 3-2 weeks. Have you taken action to not let that repeat again ?
Edward Holland
The staff are incredibly rude and the place is filthy! Drinks are fine, views are unimpressive.
First time to Ciel and I thought the ambiance and views were so lovely. Our waiter Alex was fantastic and efficient. I went there, invited by a friend to meet up with other friends that were visiting from out of the country. We met at 6pm and on the website it read that they were to close at 12 Midnight. Alex served us our last round of drinks and the bouncers came and hovered over us telling us we needed to leave. Time check, 1050pm! We assured them that on the site it read closing time was midnight and they replied in a snarky way that they decide on what to close. We just felt, unnecessarily, rushed out. Unfortunately, I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Nuria Morfa
What was supposed to be a special night turned into one of the most humiliating and terrifying experiences I’ve ever had, and on my birthday, no less. I was at Ceil Downtown with my husband, simply trying to enjoy a nice evening. He was smoking a Cuban cigar, something the staff actually helped us light. Moments later, without warning or explanation, they kicked him out. No discussion. No justification. Just targeted and removed, aggressively and publicly. The only thing he was doing was exactly what they had just helped us do. It made absolutely no sense, until it became painfully clear that this wasn’t just about a cigar. It was racist, plain and simple. We weren’t being loud, disrespectful, or disruptive. We were calm, polite, and celebrating. And yet, we were treated with suspicion and hostility, like we didn’t belong there. I was left standing there, shocked and alone, afraid and confused, trying to process how a night of joy had suddenly turned into a moment of fear and humiliation. No one should be treated the way we were and certainly not because of the color of their skin. Ceil Downtown should be ashamed of how they handled this. The staff’s behavior wasn’t just unprofessional, it was discriminatory, degrading, and deeply wrong. If you care about respect, safety, or basic human dignity, I urge you: do not support this place.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Marlon Cruz
I was on my wife birthday smoking a Cuban cigar and this racist man start pulling me outside thru the elevator infront of my wife putting her nervous without any caused or telling why? We will come back tomorrow to get an excuse with a decent explanation.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Y K
Unfortunately, very certain our whiskey drinks were watered down. To the manager’s credit he did “upgrade” our scotch drinks but those also tasted watered down. Even more unfortunate because we were here as a group enjoying the establishments location and atmosphere. Service, was very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Brittany D
I am writing to formally report a very unprofessional experience I encountered with one of your security guards on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Unfortunately, he refused to provide his name, but I can describe him as tall, slim, with a “cruddy” haircut, positioned by the right-side elevator. As the bar was closing, this guard was noticeably aggressive and rude toward multiple guests. While in the elevator, he began yelling at my cousin after a minor comment and even attempted to approach her in a hostile manner. Rather than deescalating the situation, which is a fundamental responsibility of his role, he escalated it further with aggression and hostility. Myself and other guest on the elevator were trying to calm him down. When I asked for his name, he refused to provide it. I then spoke with another guard in the lobby and requested the security manager. The manager, Milton, came down promptly, conducted himself with professionalism, and sincerely apologized for the incident. Another guard also mentioned that this was not the first complaint regarding this particular individual, which is deeply concerning. As a security guard, one’s primary responsibility is to maintain safety and deescalate tense situations not inflame them with yelling, intimidation, or unprofessional remarks. Telling paying guests, “You should’ve left early if you didn’t want to get stuck waiting for the elevator and I’m not responsible for grown 30 year olds,” is entirely unacceptable and unprofessional. Your employees’ personal emotions and egos should never interfere with their duties. As a first-time visitor, this incident left me with a very poor impression of your establishment. I strongly urge the company to hold this guard accountable and take appropriate action, up to and including termination. Safety, professionalism, and respect should always be the top priorities for your team.
Bad/creepy vibes from the management
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Amazing. The vibes: amazing. The food: amazing. The drinks: amazing. The waitress Brianna and the security: amazing. We had a time and would def. Go back. 5/5 ⭐️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
You would never expect this on top of an AC hotel but this intimate venue was perfect. Jazz night on a Tuesday, not crowded, indoor/outdoor rooftop. Just had drinks but what a cheery spot that is laid back and caters more to guests of DC than to 'employees'. Give it a try.
Alex was an expert class sever he provided me with all the details about the seasonal decor and a top tier explanation on the menu. I would highly recommend you ask for him. 10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Had a wonderful night, beautiful music, great food and lovely staff. What an amazing venue, we'll definitely be back. Thoroughly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Sky Called, and She’s Wearing Heels😍
If rooftop royalty had an address, it would be Ciel. I showed up on a Thursday evening for happy hour and instantly felt like I’d stepped into a champagne-soaked daydream. The view? Flawless. The lighting? Flirtatious. The vibe? Think “I don’t chase, I attract” with a side of skyline.
The cocktails were dangerously pretty — the kind you order “just for the photo,” but end up finishing because they taste even better than they look. The crowd was serving main-character energy — polished, social, and ready to mingle under those golden hour lights.
The service was as smooth as the music, and every corner screamed Instagram moment. Ciel isn’t just a rooftop — it’s a mood, a look, and a lifestyle.
💄 Come dressed to impress — this isn’t your casual drink spot, it’s your “I’m the vibe” moment.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Beautiful view. Lots of seating. Music was nice. Excellent service
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
I see a lot of bad reviews lately within the last 3-2 weeks. Have you taken action to not let that repeat again ?
The staff are incredibly rude and the place is filthy! Drinks are fine, views are unimpressive.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Rude staff, dirty, and RUN DOWN
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
First time to Ciel and I thought the ambiance and views were so lovely. Our waiter Alex was fantastic and efficient. I went there, invited by a friend to meet up with other friends that were visiting from out of the country. We met at 6pm and on the website it read that they were to close at 12 Midnight. Alex served us our last round of drinks and the bouncers came and hovered over us telling us we needed to leave. Time check, 1050pm! We assured them that on the site it read closing time was midnight and they replied in a snarky way that they decide on what to close. We just felt, unnecessarily, rushed out. Unfortunately, I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
What was supposed to be a special night turned into one of the most humiliating and terrifying experiences I’ve ever had, and on my birthday, no less.
I was at Ceil Downtown with my husband, simply trying to enjoy a nice evening. He was smoking a Cuban cigar, something the staff actually helped us light. Moments later, without warning or explanation, they kicked him out. No discussion. No justification. Just targeted and removed, aggressively and publicly.
The only thing he was doing was exactly what they had just helped us do. It made absolutely no sense, until it became painfully clear that this wasn’t just about a cigar. It was racist, plain and simple.
We weren’t being loud, disrespectful, or disruptive. We were calm, polite, and celebrating. And yet, we were treated with suspicion and hostility, like we didn’t belong there. I was left standing there, shocked and alone, afraid and confused, trying to process how a night of joy had suddenly turned into a moment of fear and humiliation.
No one should be treated the way we were and certainly not because of the color of their skin. Ceil Downtown should be ashamed of how they handled this. The staff’s behavior wasn’t just unprofessional, it was discriminatory, degrading, and deeply wrong.
If you care about respect, safety, or basic human dignity, I urge you: do not support this place.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I was on my wife birthday smoking a Cuban cigar and this racist man start pulling me outside thru the elevator infront of my wife putting her nervous without any caused or telling why? We will come back tomorrow to get an excuse with a decent explanation.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Unfortunately, very certain our whiskey drinks were watered down. To the manager’s credit he did “upgrade” our scotch drinks but those also tasted watered down. Even more unfortunate because we were here as a group enjoying the establishments location and atmosphere. Service, was very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
I am writing to formally report a very unprofessional experience I encountered with one of your security guards on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Unfortunately, he refused to provide his name, but I can describe him as tall, slim, with a “cruddy” haircut, positioned by the right-side elevator.
As the bar was closing, this guard was noticeably aggressive and rude toward multiple guests. While in the elevator, he began yelling at my cousin after a minor comment and even attempted to approach her in a hostile manner. Rather than deescalating the situation, which is a fundamental responsibility of his role, he escalated it further with aggression and hostility. Myself and other guest on the elevator were trying to calm him down.
When I asked for his name, he refused to provide it. I then spoke with another guard in the lobby and requested the security manager. The manager, Milton, came down promptly, conducted himself with professionalism, and sincerely apologized for the incident. Another guard also mentioned that this was not the first complaint regarding this particular individual, which is deeply concerning.
As a security guard, one’s primary responsibility is to maintain safety and deescalate tense situations not inflame them with yelling, intimidation, or unprofessional remarks. Telling paying guests, “You should’ve left early if you didn’t want to get stuck waiting for the elevator and I’m not responsible for grown 30 year olds,” is entirely unacceptable and unprofessional. Your employees’ personal emotions and egos should never interfere with their duties.
As a first-time visitor, this incident left me with a very poor impression of your establishment. I strongly urge the company to hold this guard accountable and take appropriate action, up to and including termination. Safety, professionalism, and respect should always be the top priorities for your team.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
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