This was a great experience in a cozy spot with a great view of the kitchen. It a ways fun to try lots of little dishes and we especially loved the yube dessert and sweet potato dish.It’s a small restaurant and can be quite intimate/loud but they check vaccine cards and ID at the door.
arun varughese
Overall a good place to try Asian food with fresh ingredients and strong flavors at a high price. The service is excellent but they charge 20% service fee which makes the restaurant feel expensive.The quantity of their items are big and not small portions like generic high end restaurant.Chicken - This was one of the best chicken I have had and probably the most money I have spent on chicken. It tastes like sweet and sour chicken but the smell, flavor and cook is perfect. The quantity is about half chicken though.Scallion pancakes - This was a disappointment. It was too oily and had a weird flavor. I have tried similar dishes in other Asian places and have had better ones for cheaper. This can be avoided and not worth the price.Matcha mocktail - Really decent to clear the palate.
Raphael Tisch
Magpie and the Tiger was a fantastic dining experience from the jump. The restaurant defines small and intimate dining. Everyone is essentially "eating in the kitchen". Seated chef's table, our server was outstanding, friendly, and very attentive - plus we got to chat with the chefs a little. MatT is a family-style dining experience, so come with a few friends to try everything! We ordered the sweet potato!, scallion pancakes!!!, crab, fried chicken!!!!, and beef rib!!!!. All were delicious and elevated. I can't praise the chicken enough. Crunchy, spicy, sweet (pairs very well with the mango rice beer!) And the rib is a masterclass in umami and perfectly cooked beef. While short, the soju list is delicious. Highly recommended. Geonbae! Reservations are a must, so check often for availability.
Julian Aidan
Great. Between the NA drinks, scallion focaccia, tteokbokki, mountain of fried chicken and ube dessert we were absolutely spoiled, and the interior is as cute as the food is delicious. They even had cookies for pride!
Duff Bashaw
Amazing meal. Exceptionally good and the service was perfect. Highly recommended!
Nancy R.
Magpie and the Tiger is a small location that packs big flavors. The restaurant itself seats only twenty or so diners and is decorated in a clean and modern fashion. You can see the kitchen and watch the chefs in action as you eat. The dishes we had were all very tasty. Many were nice and spicy, some even leaving my lips tingling pleasantly after I finished the course. The refreshing salmon sashimi was set in a broth of gochujang and topped with crunchy slivers of pear and cucumber. The corn tempura was light and crispy at the same time. My favorite dish was the rice cakes which were amazing. The sauce was also gochujang and really paired well with fried garlic and shallot crispies sprinkled on top. The Korean chicken was also very crispy and is always enjoyed. I was surprised how much I liked the purple yam donut. I thought it would be bland but it was not and the powdered sugar was just the right amount to lend additional sweetness without making me choke on the dust. There were no cocktails on offer when we dined which would have made a nice accompaniment to the dinner. Stall parking is available right around the corner which is a real plus. The staff could not have been more friendly.
Anita A.
Sadly pretty disappointing. Celebrated a friend's birthday and they did nothing to acknowledge it. Expensive and not worth the hype sadly.
Pat H.
5/5 - highly recommend. It's difficult to get a reservation, but it's worth it. A nice spin on Korean food. The food is excellent, and the service is great. If you can sit at the counter and witness Chef Jang and his team work their magic, don't pass it up. All the dishes were amazing - our favorites starred below: Goguma Twigim Scallion Focaccia* Crispy Cheese potato salad* Dotori-Muk Kkangpoongi* Lobster guksu* Whole rib Kalbi*** Ukranian Honey Cake Ube Dessert We'll be back soon!
Howard G.
Delicious! Everything was so original yet familiar. Gotta try the potato salad and Lobster noodles! Kalbi was fork tender. This is not a place to miss
Claire Miller
Magpie and the Tiger is my new favorite date spot. My husband and I plan to go once a month. Upon arrival our second time, the staff welcomed us like we were old friends. The attention to detail is spectacular. This restaurant is the perfect combination of cozy and classy. Everything feels thoughtful and intentional. The potato salad is my favorite dish in DC. As someone who doesn't drink, I will thrilled by the number of delicious mocktails. Though small in size, Magpie and the Tiger makes a big impression. Can't wait to go back!
The food is amazing, the staff is friendly and accommodating, and the ambiance is cozy and romantic. On top of that, the chef and kitchen staff have a passion for their work and watching them in action is as enjoyable as watching a live performance. I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Magpie and the Tiger!
Rachel P.
The Magpie and the Tiger is a welcome addition to the Petworth neighborhood and to the Asian food scene here in DC! Service is good; prices are on the higher side. The townhome turned restaurant gives it a tight, yet cozy vibe, which requires you to make reservations way in advance. There simply wouldn't be space for you to stand in the restaurant if you didn't have one. The goguma twigim (sweet potato), lobster ginger-scallion noodles, and the Ukrainian honey cake stand out as the most memorable dishes from my visit. I personally liked the matcha sunset drink but think it would be improved if they also offered it as a cocktail. FYI the menu is small and there are actually only three entrees on the current menu: the lobster noodles, the galbi, and the fried chicken Kkanpungi. The new alcohol menu includes pine soju, but we were surprised to see that the price was for a 2 oz. instead of a bottle. Just something to keep in mind if you try their drinks menu.
Jericho Taguas
Went at peak time on a Saturday night. Went with 5 total people. Easy check-in, they just need your ID and Vaccine card. Super friendly staff and the service was great. We ended up ordering everything except for dessert and every course was on-point or amazing. Can't go wrong with anything here, there's something for everyone. :)
Jess
This food was too good that it should be against the law. Holy hell, everyone needs to come here.My favorite dish was the rice cake dish but literally everything we had was killer!Jheneal was also the best waitress I’ve ever had!
Brad Ross
TLDR: Fantastic modern take on traditional Korean cooking. Tiny restaurant so reservations are a must. Come for the whole rib Kalbi and mala tteokbokki.Vibe: 5/5. Magpie operates out of a nondescript, all black storefront without any signage (we happened to walk right passed it while looking). Inside is best described as cozy yet welcoming. The dining room consists of 8-10, 2 top tables in relatively close proximity to each other. We were the largest party that night with a group of 5, occupying 2 of those tables with the 5th person on the end. The dining area is directly adjacent to the open kitchen, so you can peer inside the kitchen in anticipation for your meal. There is only a single shared gender bathroom in the entire restaurant, however waiting never seemed to be much of an issue.Service: 5/5. From arrival to settling the bill, the staff at Magpie we're phenomenal. Our waitress did a fantastic job pacing our meal and removing plates when we finished a course (critical due to the confines of our small tables) and refreshing our wine glasses when we moved from bottle to bottle. Magpie provides a living wage to all their employees which automatically adds a 22% gratuity to your bill which we had no problems paying.. We opted to get one of everything on the menu to share amongst our group of five in order to get the full experience. We ended up loving everything! We are devout Korean food lovers and having these fresh takes on traditional Korean cuisine made the meal fun and exciting. Highlights included the whole rib Kalbi, which came out on the largest short rib bone I have ever seen. It was perfectly marinated and tender beyond belief. The mala tteokbokki also stood out, as the fresh rice cakes from Annadale Catering we're super thick and perfectly chewy. This paired with the mala made for a unique but unforgettable experience. I highly recommend grabbing a group of your closest Korean food loving friends and making a date to slay the menu at Magpie!
This was a great experience in a cozy spot with a great view of the kitchen. It a ways fun to try lots of little dishes and we especially loved the yube dessert and sweet potato dish.It’s a small restaurant and can be quite intimate/loud but they check vaccine cards and ID at the door.
Overall a good place to try Asian food with fresh ingredients and strong flavors at a high price. The service is excellent but they charge 20% service fee which makes the restaurant feel expensive.The quantity of their items are big and not small portions like generic high end restaurant.Chicken - This was one of the best chicken I have had and probably the most money I have spent on chicken. It tastes like sweet and sour chicken but the smell, flavor and cook is perfect. The quantity is about half chicken though.Scallion pancakes - This was a disappointment. It was too oily and had a weird flavor. I have tried similar dishes in other Asian places and have had better ones for cheaper. This can be avoided and not worth the price.Matcha mocktail - Really decent to clear the palate.
Magpie and the Tiger was a fantastic dining experience from the jump. The restaurant defines small and intimate dining. Everyone is essentially "eating in the kitchen". Seated chef's table, our server was outstanding, friendly, and very attentive - plus we got to chat with the chefs a little. MatT is a family-style dining experience, so come with a few friends to try everything! We ordered the sweet potato!, scallion pancakes!!!, crab, fried chicken!!!!, and beef rib!!!!. All were delicious and elevated. I can't praise the chicken enough. Crunchy, spicy, sweet (pairs very well with the mango rice beer!) And the rib is a masterclass in umami and perfectly cooked beef. While short, the soju list is delicious. Highly recommended. Geonbae! Reservations are a must, so check often for availability.
Great. Between the NA drinks, scallion focaccia, tteokbokki, mountain of fried chicken and ube dessert we were absolutely spoiled, and the interior is as cute as the food is delicious. They even had cookies for pride!
Amazing meal. Exceptionally good and the service was perfect. Highly recommended!
Magpie and the Tiger is a small location that packs big flavors. The restaurant itself seats only twenty or so diners and is decorated in a clean and modern fashion. You can see the kitchen and watch the chefs in action as you eat. The dishes we had were all very tasty. Many were nice and spicy, some even leaving my lips tingling pleasantly after I finished the course. The refreshing salmon sashimi was set in a broth of gochujang and topped with crunchy slivers of pear and cucumber. The corn tempura was light and crispy at the same time. My favorite dish was the rice cakes which were amazing. The sauce was also gochujang and really paired well with fried garlic and shallot crispies sprinkled on top. The Korean chicken was also very crispy and is always enjoyed. I was surprised how much I liked the purple yam donut. I thought it would be bland but it was not and the powdered sugar was just the right amount to lend additional sweetness without making me choke on the dust. There were no cocktails on offer when we dined which would have made a nice accompaniment to the dinner. Stall parking is available right around the corner which is a real plus. The staff could not have been more friendly.
Sadly pretty disappointing. Celebrated a friend's birthday and they did nothing to acknowledge it. Expensive and not worth the hype sadly.
5/5 - highly recommend. It's difficult to get a reservation, but it's worth it. A nice spin on Korean food. The food is excellent, and the service is great. If you can sit at the counter and witness Chef Jang and his team work their magic, don't pass it up. All the dishes were amazing - our favorites starred below: Goguma Twigim Scallion Focaccia* Crispy Cheese potato salad* Dotori-Muk Kkangpoongi* Lobster guksu* Whole rib Kalbi*** Ukranian Honey Cake Ube Dessert We'll be back soon!
Delicious! Everything was so original yet familiar. Gotta try the potato salad and Lobster noodles! Kalbi was fork tender. This is not a place to miss
Magpie and the Tiger is my new favorite date spot. My husband and I plan to go once a month. Upon arrival our second time, the staff welcomed us like we were old friends. The attention to detail is spectacular. This restaurant is the perfect combination of cozy and classy. Everything feels thoughtful and intentional. The potato salad is my favorite dish in DC. As someone who doesn't drink, I will thrilled by the number of delicious mocktails. Though small in size, Magpie and the Tiger makes a big impression. Can't wait to go back!
Restaurantji Recommends
The food is amazing, the staff is friendly and accommodating, and the ambiance is cozy and romantic. On top of that, the chef and kitchen staff have a passion for their work and watching them in action is as enjoyable as watching a live performance. I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Magpie and the Tiger!
The Magpie and the Tiger is a welcome addition to the Petworth neighborhood and to the Asian food scene here in DC! Service is good; prices are on the higher side. The townhome turned restaurant gives it a tight, yet cozy vibe, which requires you to make reservations way in advance. There simply wouldn't be space for you to stand in the restaurant if you didn't have one. The goguma twigim (sweet potato), lobster ginger-scallion noodles, and the Ukrainian honey cake stand out as the most memorable dishes from my visit. I personally liked the matcha sunset drink but think it would be improved if they also offered it as a cocktail. FYI the menu is small and there are actually only three entrees on the current menu: the lobster noodles, the galbi, and the fried chicken Kkanpungi. The new alcohol menu includes pine soju, but we were surprised to see that the price was for a 2 oz. instead of a bottle. Just something to keep in mind if you try their drinks menu.
Went at peak time on a Saturday night. Went with 5 total people. Easy check-in, they just need your ID and Vaccine card. Super friendly staff and the service was great. We ended up ordering everything except for dessert and every course was on-point or amazing. Can't go wrong with anything here, there's something for everyone. :)
This food was too good that it should be against the law. Holy hell, everyone needs to come here.My favorite dish was the rice cake dish but literally everything we had was killer!Jheneal was also the best waitress I’ve ever had!
TLDR: Fantastic modern take on traditional Korean cooking. Tiny restaurant so reservations are a must. Come for the whole rib Kalbi and mala tteokbokki.Vibe: 5/5. Magpie operates out of a nondescript, all black storefront without any signage (we happened to walk right passed it while looking). Inside is best described as cozy yet welcoming. The dining room consists of 8-10, 2 top tables in relatively close proximity to each other. We were the largest party that night with a group of 5, occupying 2 of those tables with the 5th person on the end. The dining area is directly adjacent to the open kitchen, so you can peer inside the kitchen in anticipation for your meal. There is only a single shared gender bathroom in the entire restaurant, however waiting never seemed to be much of an issue.Service: 5/5. From arrival to settling the bill, the staff at Magpie we're phenomenal. Our waitress did a fantastic job pacing our meal and removing plates when we finished a course (critical due to the confines of our small tables) and refreshing our wine glasses when we moved from bottle to bottle. Magpie provides a living wage to all their employees which automatically adds a 22% gratuity to your bill which we had no problems paying.. We opted to get one of everything on the menu to share amongst our group of five in order to get the full experience. We ended up loving everything! We are devout Korean food lovers and having these fresh takes on traditional Korean cuisine made the meal fun and exciting. Highlights included the whole rib Kalbi, which came out on the largest short rib bone I have ever seen. It was perfectly marinated and tender beyond belief. The mala tteokbokki also stood out, as the fresh rice cakes from Annadale Catering we're super thick and perfectly chewy. This paired with the mala made for a unique but unforgettable experience. I highly recommend grabbing a group of your closest Korean food loving friends and making a date to slay the menu at Magpie!