Marcus DC is a delicious dining establishment in a beautiful, brilliant setting. The open kitchen is inviting and is perfect for watching Executive Chef Anthony and his team perform their delicious edible works of art. Four of us dined at an early 5:15 PM dinner. From the Table Talk scallops to the Nourishers Faroe salmon and the roasted drum fish, everyone in our party expressed extreme delight and satisfaction with their meals. One downside on the menu was the NY strip steak. While it was cooked to perfection, the meat was tough and difficult to get through. A better cut of meat is a bone-in ribeye which provides a luscious flavor and texture. The A big downside is that the restaurant does not allow separate checks. And so, at the conclusion of our delicious upscale dinner, we were at the table with the calculators on our phones out trying figure out who ate what and how much it cost. There were two in our party who did not drink alcoholic beverages. We weren’t even allowed to separate out the alcohol. Nor did we want our non-drinking friends to pay for $100 in drinks. If we had known this in advance it might well have been a reason for choosing another restaurant. I don’t like mayhem around the check at the end of a wonderful dining experience. In the end, the server had to spend time running separate checks for our four different credit cards anyway. So, it would’ve been better to just let us order on separate checks from the beginning. Plus, the restaurant is in the Morrow Hotel. Persons on expense accounts, needing receipts are going to necessarily want separate checks. This seems like a big mistake that can be easily fixed with a policy change. Otherwise, it’s Chef Marcus Samuelson so what’s not to love overall.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Dan Holmes
I would normally post photos of my meal, which was beautifully presented, but I recommend you close your eyes and be impressed with the powerful flavors that hit your palette with every bite. Starting with the must get blue cornbread, the best salmon over sweat potato pure and Brussels sprouts. Don’t be afraid and go for the rice pudding dessert. I was so impressed. What a great experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J N M
I literally had one of the best meals I've ever had tonight at Marcus DC. Executive chef Anthony Jones and the team behind the bar are absolute geniuses. The service was so wonderful, you feel like you're dining with friends. Be sure to check out the mocktails, the lemonade is amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zoila Perez
I went with family to celebrate thanksgiving. They had a prefix menu and everything was great. I order the salad and the wine short ribs that were delicious. All the sides as well. Service was excellent by Irene. 💯 recommended. #peakyeater
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Corey Whiting
I don’t begrudge Marcus Samuelsson for cashing in on his success / fame. But I therefore had accordingly low expectations for this place. Unfortunately even they were not met. Long story short, go to one of his flagships, not here.
First, the vibe is sterile. It’s like eating at a big box store. It’s a hotel restaurant in a generic, cookie-cutter neighborhood and it very much shows. There are no defined spaces and the room lacked any warmth or character, despite generous use of “warm” colors.
The food was mixed. Starters were all very good, especially the steak tartare and smoked fish pate. But unfortunately the “Chuck B’s Roasted Bird,” a whole roasted chicken, was so overcooked my 75 year old mother might as well have made it. I could have gotten a better chicken at Harris Teeter, for $8 instead of $61.
The drinks were also a fail, given that they allegedly have such precious ingredients that “when they are out they are out” but they never indicated that half the cocktails were therefore unavailable nor did they come up with alternatives. Moreover they were ultimately unoriginal, basic cocktails with fancy names. You wouldn’t know, however, because their drink “descriptions” were so generic you had no idea what you were getting.
The one redeeming element (other than the starters) was the staff and management, all of whom were kind, responsive, and very engaging. They should just work for a different restaurant.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Marina Stonewall
Baked oysters, collard greens, scallops... yum! Beautiful interior and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sidney Hui
really loved our experience! the service, food and ambience were top notch!
Alex Roach
Everything was delicious. Great service too. I only wish I had a second stomach to try more dishes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
KC Campbell
Dining at Marcus DC is a truly magical experience. The unique flavors of the diaspora come together to create pure magic! The service is top notch and the atmosphere is one of a kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex De Bruyne
The corn bread and crab fried rice really are as good as people say. I also loved the house made Swedish fish at the end - very cute touch.
Fabulous spot for an anniversary dinner. Highly recommend the blue cornbread and the teff cake!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Candice Grizer
We sat at the bar for our meal. The service was amazing. Quick, friendly, and informative. The blue cornbread should be a requirement! For a main course, definitely try the drum fish. The accompanying sides were stellar. The restaurant itself is beautiful and cozy. We will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Josh Kurnot
Feels like home. Tastes like home. Smells like home. Marcus must be home cooking elevated to the Heavens. From the kindest reception and drink recommendations from the homies, even after arriving late for our reservation, to the man G who lived to serve us, our experience was through the roof. Style and culture drips from every inch of the dining room's interior. Chef Anthony Jones even took the time to sit with us and celebrate the flavors that adorned our table. Rumor has it, the fusion of flavors that make up home here, are always evolving with the staff and the seasons. There will never be enough kind words to write about the people that took care of us that evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
981mjb87
Outstanding food and service. Interesting dishes, with a heavy seafood focus (which is fine with me). Go with a group so you can get a couple of the family-sized meals and try several of the starters. Only glitch is that the wine list isn't reliable. The wine I received was not the one I ordered (it was another varietal, and a much older vintage from the same producer) but I didn't complain because it was a major trade up. Service was friendly and efficient. In particular, make sure you order some dessert. It is assembled table side by an impressive young lady who, it happens, is the pastry chef herself. How nice to make that human connection. We'll be back.
Elsa Alvarado
Marcus had been on my list for a while after seeing it featured among D.C.’s top new restaurants, so I went in with pretty high expectations. While I wouldn’t call it a 5/5 experience, there were definite highlights: especially the cornbread and both desserts, which were absolute standouts.
That said, some dishes felt a bit underwhelming in portion size. The tuna tartare and Parmesan gnocchi were good but disappeared in just a couple of bites, and since this isn’t a tasting menu, I expected a bit more. The fish dishes, particularly the salmon, were solid but not exceptional.
On the positive side, the Blushing Root cocktail was fantastic: bright, balanced, and memorable. Overall, a good experience with some real highs, but a few details kept it from being truly great.
Marcus DC is a delicious dining establishment in a beautiful, brilliant setting. The open kitchen is inviting and is perfect for watching Executive Chef Anthony and his team perform their delicious edible works of art. Four of us dined at an early 5:15 PM dinner. From the Table Talk scallops to the Nourishers Faroe salmon and the roasted drum fish, everyone in our party expressed extreme delight and satisfaction with their meals. One downside on the menu was the NY strip steak. While it was cooked to perfection, the meat was tough and difficult to get through. A better cut of meat is a bone-in ribeye which provides a luscious flavor and texture. The A big downside is that the restaurant does not allow separate checks. And so, at the conclusion of our delicious upscale dinner, we were at the table with the calculators on our phones out trying figure out who ate what and how much it cost. There were two in our party who did not drink alcoholic beverages. We weren’t even allowed to separate out the alcohol. Nor did we want our non-drinking friends to pay for $100 in drinks. If we had known this in advance it might well have been a reason for choosing another restaurant. I don’t like mayhem around the check at the end of a wonderful dining experience. In the end, the server had to spend time running separate checks for our four different credit cards anyway. So, it would’ve been better to just let us order on separate checks from the beginning. Plus, the restaurant is in the Morrow Hotel. Persons on expense accounts, needing receipts are going to necessarily want separate checks. This seems like a big mistake that can be easily fixed with a policy change. Otherwise, it’s Chef Marcus Samuelson so what’s not to love overall.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I would normally post photos of my meal, which was beautifully presented, but I recommend you close your eyes and be impressed with the powerful flavors that hit your palette with every bite. Starting with the must get blue cornbread, the best salmon over sweat potato pure and Brussels sprouts. Don’t be afraid and go for the rice pudding dessert. I was so impressed. What a great experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I literally had one of the best meals I've ever had tonight at Marcus DC. Executive chef Anthony Jones and the team behind the bar are absolute geniuses. The service was so wonderful, you feel like you're dining with friends. Be sure to check out the mocktails, the lemonade is amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went with family to celebrate thanksgiving. They had a prefix menu and everything was great. I order the salad and the wine short ribs that were delicious. All the sides as well. Service was excellent by Irene. 💯 recommended. #peakyeater
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don’t begrudge Marcus Samuelsson for cashing in on his success / fame. But I therefore had accordingly low expectations for this place. Unfortunately even they were not met. Long story short, go to one of his flagships, not here.
First, the vibe is sterile. It’s like eating at a big box store. It’s a hotel restaurant in a generic, cookie-cutter neighborhood and it very much shows. There are no defined spaces and the room lacked any warmth or character, despite generous use of “warm” colors.
The food was mixed. Starters were all very good, especially the steak tartare and smoked fish pate. But unfortunately the “Chuck B’s Roasted Bird,” a whole roasted chicken, was so overcooked my 75 year old mother might as well have made it. I could have gotten a better chicken at Harris Teeter, for $8 instead of $61.
The drinks were also a fail, given that they allegedly have such precious ingredients that “when they are out they are out” but they never indicated that half the cocktails were therefore unavailable nor did they come up with alternatives. Moreover they were ultimately unoriginal, basic cocktails with fancy names. You wouldn’t know, however, because their drink “descriptions” were so generic you had no idea what you were getting.
The one redeeming element (other than the starters) was the staff and management, all of whom were kind, responsive, and very engaging. They should just work for a different restaurant.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Baked oysters, collard greens, scallops... yum! Beautiful interior and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
really loved our experience! the service, food and ambience were top notch!
Everything was delicious. Great service too. I only wish I had a second stomach to try more dishes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dining at Marcus DC is a truly magical experience. The unique flavors of the diaspora come together to create pure magic! The service is top notch and the atmosphere is one of a kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The corn bread and crab fried rice really are as good as people say. I also loved the house made Swedish fish at the end - very cute touch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Fabulous spot for an anniversary dinner. Highly recommend the blue cornbread and the teff cake!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We sat at the bar for our meal. The service was amazing. Quick, friendly, and informative. The blue cornbread should be a requirement! For a main course, definitely try the drum fish. The accompanying sides were stellar. The restaurant itself is beautiful and cozy. We will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Feels like home. Tastes like home. Smells like home. Marcus must be home cooking elevated to the Heavens. From the kindest reception and drink recommendations from the homies, even after arriving late for our reservation, to the man G who lived to serve us, our experience was through the roof. Style and culture drips from every inch of the dining room's interior. Chef Anthony Jones even took the time to sit with us and celebrate the flavors that adorned our table. Rumor has it, the fusion of flavors that make up home here, are always evolving with the staff and the seasons. There will never be enough kind words to write about the people that took care of us that evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding food and service. Interesting dishes, with a heavy seafood focus (which is fine with me). Go with a group so you can get a couple of the family-sized meals and try several of the starters. Only glitch is that the wine list isn't reliable. The wine I received was not the one I ordered (it was another varietal, and a much older vintage from the same producer) but I didn't complain because it was a major trade up. Service was friendly and efficient. In particular, make sure you order some dessert. It is assembled table side by an impressive young lady who, it happens, is the pastry chef herself. How nice to make that human connection. We'll be back.
Marcus had been on my list for a while after seeing it featured among D.C.’s top new restaurants, so I went in with pretty high expectations. While I wouldn’t call it a 5/5 experience, there were definite highlights: especially the cornbread and both desserts, which were absolute standouts.
That said, some dishes felt a bit underwhelming in portion size. The tuna tartare and Parmesan gnocchi were good but disappeared in just a couple of bites, and since this isn’t a tasting menu, I expected a bit more. The fish dishes, particularly the salmon, were solid but not exceptional.
On the positive side, the Blushing Root cocktail was fantastic: bright, balanced, and memorable. Overall, a good experience with some real highs, but a few details kept it from being truly great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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