Overall: One of the best meals I've had in DC for price point! Menu is unique, diverse, and every dish brought a new flavor to the table.
Kathy W
The menu and pictures online looked great so we went there on Saturday only to find out they don't serve the regular menu. We decided to try the brunch menu anyway since we drove from afar and food was not impressive. Wish they were more flavorful.
Ace HBK
My favorite restaurant in DC and unfortunately thry are now closed. Definitely find where Chef Tim works now as his food is awesome. Also, thry had the best bartender!!
Bradford Pace
Chef Tim Ma is creme "fresh" delivering original dishes at Kyirisan.
Abbie Bresnahan
Went to an event in the area and decided to stop in after seeing their menu online. What we did not know what that it was restaurant week which meant there was a special set menu that you could choose courses from. The group that I was with did not see anything that we were interested in on the menu. The drinks seemed pretty pricey compared to other local bars. My boyfriend usually enjoys mixed drinks and can drink pretty much an liquor without a chaser or mixer... but whatever the bartender recommended, he said was the worst drink he has ever had and could barely drink the small glass. We ended up getting food and more drinks elsewhere.
Jared Bieschke
Cool, busy, good patio. Gracious and friendly staff. Food is hit or miss. Try the scallops.
Tim C.
This French fusion restaurant is just off the U street strip and is a personal candidate for a hidden gem. A friend from out of town and I went for an early dinner on a Friday and the place was empty and we decided to sit at the bar. This was a great choice because before it turns to real dinner time you can grab a happy hour dinner special which allows you to get two dishes of anything on their menu for $27 (~2/3 portions). So we ordered 4 total dishes and dug in. We had the tofu gnocchi, the pan seared scallops with thai basil ice cream (weird but great), the duck confit and I forgot the fourth but upon looking at their menu online, I can't find it, and in reality doesn't seem like a huge loss. Of those three my least favorite was the duck, it was good but very, very sweet, and I would not have been able to eat a full portion on my own. The scallops over risotto were perfectly cooked and the risotto and ice cream perfectly balanced each other between sweet and savory and heavy and light--we were skeptical but would 100% recommend. Finally the gnocchi, I was also skeptical because, you know, tofu, but it was my favorite dish by far and can't say enough about it--this is what I would get if I went back and I am lamenting getting a reduced portion size. The bartender was friendly and chatted with us an appropriate amount, was prompt with our drinks, and even gave us complimentary champagne when he heard we met as best man and maid of honor just a couple months prior. The décor is also very cool, very angular, pointed and a little on the smaller side. Would definitely recommend though, not sure why it doesn't get more press, I will absolutely be back.
Holly L.
Huge shame this place will be closing down forever next week. I had never been before and regretting it now. We made reservations for Off menu week. They were nice enough to let us keep our reservation despite being 30 minutes late. Parking is terrible around that area but that's no fault to the restaurant. The portions are large! Well, they are large when compared to other shared meal dinners in DC. For two people, we were full with 3 shared dishes. We ordered the fried okra (a little sour, but spicy and flavorful), Red curry sea bass (delicious though I wish they put some rice or bread for us to enjoy the sauce), and the lamb chops. The lamb chops were on the off menu and it was phenomenal - beautiful presentation and delicious! And I don't even really like lamb. I may go back one more time before they close for good :(
Richard Ingebretsen
Very cool and unique place with small but interesting brunch menu. Dishes are all pretty standard for brunch, but with fun twists that add a lot of flavor. Blueberry pancakes and the pork belly hash were fantastic and the Lobster Benedict looked delicious.
Mytia Wright
Went here for brunch. Nice prices and it wasnt crowded. Brian our server was a delight, answered all of our questions and had wonderful energy!
Oh my goodness. Make sure you try the new brunch biscuits. If you only have one day left to live, make sure you get one of these in your mouth.
Maryann C.
My second time to Kyrisan and I was not disappointed. Be aware that this is more like tapas-style dining and not somewhere to expect a 3-course meal. I would recommend going with 3-6 people to be able to order a good amount off the menu to try what they have to offer. I most recently visited with myself and 5 friends, and we ordered one of each of everything off the savory menu and it was a good amount - we weren't stuffed, but it was a decent portion. There was nothing we had that I disliked and I would say that in general, the food is thoughtful, interesting, and vibrant. Some favs are the chicken wings, the prawns, the okra, and the scallops - although again, I thought everything was flavorful and enjoyed the whole meal as far as the tastes go. If I could give a 4.5 stars, I would but am rounding down for a few reasons: - I am not used to paying this price for the portion provided, but I would say that you're mainly paying for the presentation and creativity - The duck confit was kinda a strange plating. It was a chunk of the meal and the sauce splattered on a large plate. It didn't seem as well presented or vibrant as all of the other dishes - I'd love some more starch options or even the option to buy rice. The sauce that the prawns were in was incredible and I really wanted to hold onto it but wouldn't have had anything to munch on it with. The duck would have been great with rice too ... but then again, I just love rice! As for the service and the atmosphere - I really can't complain here either and couldn't have asked for anything much better. The waiter (not sure what his name was but he seemed bi-racial white/asian) was attentive, friendly, and helpful, and my friend and I kept commenting on the decor saying that we'd love for our apartments to have the same aesthetic lol. I would definitely recommend to small groups or for a date!
Tatiana Dzekon
We got 4 dishes and there was absolutely no color on the plate—just brown, greasy food. The fried okra and the duck confit just tasted like burnt food doused with sauce. Really surprised by the good reviews.
matt gibbs
My first visit here was right when they opened, and they were amazing and scored 5 stars. Every time since has been slightly worse. I still reccomend them, but on my most recent visit I was underwhelmed. Some dishes were fantastic, some mediocre, and a couple we did not like. Overall, they still deserve 4 stars.
Overall: One of the best meals I've had in DC for price point! Menu is unique, diverse, and every dish brought a new flavor to the table.
The menu and pictures online looked great so we went there on Saturday only to find out they don't serve the regular menu. We decided to try the brunch menu anyway since we drove from afar and food was not impressive. Wish they were more flavorful.
My favorite restaurant in DC and unfortunately thry are now closed. Definitely find where Chef Tim works now as his food is awesome. Also, thry had the best bartender!!
Chef Tim Ma is creme "fresh" delivering original dishes at Kyirisan.
Went to an event in the area and decided to stop in after seeing their menu online. What we did not know what that it was restaurant week which meant there was a special set menu that you could choose courses from. The group that I was with did not see anything that we were interested in on the menu. The drinks seemed pretty pricey compared to other local bars. My boyfriend usually enjoys mixed drinks and can drink pretty much an liquor without a chaser or mixer... but whatever the bartender recommended, he said was the worst drink he has ever had and could barely drink the small glass. We ended up getting food and more drinks elsewhere.
Cool, busy, good patio. Gracious and friendly staff. Food is hit or miss. Try the scallops.
This French fusion restaurant is just off the U street strip and is a personal candidate for a hidden gem. A friend from out of town and I went for an early dinner on a Friday and the place was empty and we decided to sit at the bar. This was a great choice because before it turns to real dinner time you can grab a happy hour dinner special which allows you to get two dishes of anything on their menu for $27 (~2/3 portions). So we ordered 4 total dishes and dug in. We had the tofu gnocchi, the pan seared scallops with thai basil ice cream (weird but great), the duck confit and I forgot the fourth but upon looking at their menu online, I can't find it, and in reality doesn't seem like a huge loss. Of those three my least favorite was the duck, it was good but very, very sweet, and I would not have been able to eat a full portion on my own. The scallops over risotto were perfectly cooked and the risotto and ice cream perfectly balanced each other between sweet and savory and heavy and light--we were skeptical but would 100% recommend. Finally the gnocchi, I was also skeptical because, you know, tofu, but it was my favorite dish by far and can't say enough about it--this is what I would get if I went back and I am lamenting getting a reduced portion size. The bartender was friendly and chatted with us an appropriate amount, was prompt with our drinks, and even gave us complimentary champagne when he heard we met as best man and maid of honor just a couple months prior. The décor is also very cool, very angular, pointed and a little on the smaller side. Would definitely recommend though, not sure why it doesn't get more press, I will absolutely be back.
Huge shame this place will be closing down forever next week. I had never been before and regretting it now. We made reservations for Off menu week. They were nice enough to let us keep our reservation despite being 30 minutes late. Parking is terrible around that area but that's no fault to the restaurant. The portions are large! Well, they are large when compared to other shared meal dinners in DC. For two people, we were full with 3 shared dishes. We ordered the fried okra (a little sour, but spicy and flavorful), Red curry sea bass (delicious though I wish they put some rice or bread for us to enjoy the sauce), and the lamb chops. The lamb chops were on the off menu and it was phenomenal - beautiful presentation and delicious! And I don't even really like lamb. I may go back one more time before they close for good :(
Very cool and unique place with small but interesting brunch menu. Dishes are all pretty standard for brunch, but with fun twists that add a lot of flavor. Blueberry pancakes and the pork belly hash were fantastic and the Lobster Benedict looked delicious.
Went here for brunch. Nice prices and it wasnt crowded. Brian our server was a delight, answered all of our questions and had wonderful energy!
Restaurantji Recommends
Great Food, Staff and Atmosphere.
Oh my goodness. Make sure you try the new brunch biscuits. If you only have one day left to live, make sure you get one of these in your mouth.
My second time to Kyrisan and I was not disappointed. Be aware that this is more like tapas-style dining and not somewhere to expect a 3-course meal. I would recommend going with 3-6 people to be able to order a good amount off the menu to try what they have to offer. I most recently visited with myself and 5 friends, and we ordered one of each of everything off the savory menu and it was a good amount - we weren't stuffed, but it was a decent portion. There was nothing we had that I disliked and I would say that in general, the food is thoughtful, interesting, and vibrant. Some favs are the chicken wings, the prawns, the okra, and the scallops - although again, I thought everything was flavorful and enjoyed the whole meal as far as the tastes go. If I could give a 4.5 stars, I would but am rounding down for a few reasons: - I am not used to paying this price for the portion provided, but I would say that you're mainly paying for the presentation and creativity - The duck confit was kinda a strange plating. It was a chunk of the meal and the sauce splattered on a large plate. It didn't seem as well presented or vibrant as all of the other dishes - I'd love some more starch options or even the option to buy rice. The sauce that the prawns were in was incredible and I really wanted to hold onto it but wouldn't have had anything to munch on it with. The duck would have been great with rice too ... but then again, I just love rice! As for the service and the atmosphere - I really can't complain here either and couldn't have asked for anything much better. The waiter (not sure what his name was but he seemed bi-racial white/asian) was attentive, friendly, and helpful, and my friend and I kept commenting on the decor saying that we'd love for our apartments to have the same aesthetic lol. I would definitely recommend to small groups or for a date!
We got 4 dishes and there was absolutely no color on the plate—just brown, greasy food. The fried okra and the duck confit just tasted like burnt food doused with sauce. Really surprised by the good reviews.
My first visit here was right when they opened, and they were amazing and scored 5 stars. Every time since has been slightly worse. I still reccomend them, but on my most recent visit I was underwhelmed. Some dishes were fantastic, some mediocre, and a couple we did not like. Overall, they still deserve 4 stars.