We were on the side walk enclosure protected from elements but not friendly rodents
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Steven Gold
There is clearly a level of pride here at being a Michelin-starred restaurant - the term Michelin appears in several places around the dining room and on servers' uniforms. And that is fine with me, because the Michelin star designation here is well-deserved, but is carried without pretension. The atmosphere is relaxed, with no hint of snootiness from the staff. The dishes are inventive without being inventive solely for the sake of inventiveness, assembled from a wonderful combination of unexpected but harmonious ingredients. The tasting menu, unlike those found in some other Michelin restaurants, is not completely pre-determined. Instead, four choices of dishes are offered for each of four courses. The atmosphere is relaxed, without a hint of snootiness from the staff. And in response to my having indicated on the online reservation form that yes, there were some food intolerances on the part of one member of our party, I received a call from one of the kitchen staff a few hours in advance asking for more details - an unusual and surprisingly thoughtful touch.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
M G
Finally, a restaurant that lives up to it's accolades! I loved the welcoming atmosphere and warm demeanour of all servers. To start I was offered the pineapple bun and butter which were definitely one of the top bread-butter servings I've ever tasted. Now with regards to the 4 course prix fix meal I got the - Hamachi Tartare, Shrimp Toast, Short Rib Diane and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The tartare was quite peculiar and I only picked it because of the reviews. I'm not a big fan of raw fish but the textures were rather interesting, though not as impressive for my palate. The Shrimp toast is one of the best toast dishes I've had; the flavours were simply outstanding and the aioli dressing had a lemony sour kick to it complementing the dish well. The chef also gave a complimentary Japanese Yam dish which was equally good...actually it was something that blew me away! Wasn't expecting the heat and spice with the sweetness of the sauce enveloping the yams all going so harmoniously well together. The finely sliced apples almost had a savoury texture to them and I mistook them for potatoes for a second. I'd say this complementary dish was the star of the evening! For the main, the steak was good which was the usual, not extraordinary, still delicious. Loved the spinach and some sort of sweet sauce on the side together creating a nice flavour profile. The dessert was nice, though I would have liked for the Pudding to be larger in size; the chai ice cream really elevated the dish. Overall, a pleasant experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Qidi Wang
I strongly recommend chief to taste the dish before serving it. Except the starter, the second and the third dish are extremely salty and the desert is extremely sweaty. Feel very upset to pay for such a high price for something I can’t swallow.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Susan Lee
We went to celebrate a birthday and were excited to try this place but left with mixed feelings. Starting with the good, service was exceptional - attentive but not overbearing staff, succinct explanation of the meal, quick and friendly service. Atmosphere was casual and lively which we prefer over pretentious and formal, and we were able to relax and enjoy our meals. They even brought out a free starter course and an ice cream cookie sandwich for the birthday boy which was a pleasant surprise, with a card signed by all staff! Very much appreciated the exceptional service.
The meal started off well. The bread with the butter was amazing as well as the two starter courses. We had the hamachi tartare and chicken liver mousse, both simply scrumptious, with the tartare being out favorite. Then we had the gnocchi, shrimp toast, and Japanese yam. The gnocchi and yam were phenomenal, and we scraped the plates raving over every bite. The shrimp toast was good but having it once was good enough. We were really looking forward to the main with the spectacular plates at this point.
Then the not so good part with the mains being a let down. We had the spaghetti, duck and short rib. They looked great but the taste just didn’t meet the mark as they were bland and lacked something in each dish, well below par compared to the starting courses. Quite disappointing.
Finally, we had the Apple tarte and sticky toffee pudding to finish off the night, with the apple tarte being a fan favorite. Unfortunately, the sticky toffee pudding was seriously disappointing. It tasted more like a watered down version of a sticky toffee pudding, with some kind of cake, with sauce and flavor that tried to mimic the English dessert but failed.
All in all, I think rooster and owl is a place worth trying once for some of the courses and service and we had a memorable night, but it seems to be a bit of a gamble with some of the plates, with the main course needing vast improvement, to make a repeat visit worthwhile.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Peter Durkin
All of the awards and positive reviews are well warranted. Still one of my favorite dining experiences I've had in DC. My next visit will definitely be for a special occasion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cristina Baeza
We left rather disappointed with our dinner. The tasting menu felt surprisingly sparse, with three small courses followed by oversized desserts, none of which were particularly memorable. The tables were set so close together that it felt as though we were sharing our meal with the couple beside us. Service was pleasant, though again, nothing remarkable. The price certainly reflects its Michelin-star status, but unfortunately, very little else did.
Anthony Ortiz
Awesome
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brian Mason
Of all the dining experiences I have had this is by far one of the best. The food was a wonderful melody of flavors and textures, a true experience in and of itself with every single bite. Everything was perfectly prepared and just perfection, even down to the coffee and tea.
Service was impeccable, friendly, attentive.
This place has earned its Michelin star easily and beyond. I HIGHLY recommend you try this at least once. This is now on my regular stop in list every time I am in the area.
The dinner was outstanding from start to finish. Every dish was thoughtful, balanced, and memorable. The team made the experience feel warm and special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
chel
Everything about this place is a vibe. Phenomenal food, amazing service, and an atmosphere that feels both elevated and welcoming — totally worth the visit.
We ordered the chicken liver mousse, gnocchi, shrimp toast (one of our absolute favorites), and the duck, and every single dish was incredible. The flavors were rich, balanced, and thoughtfully put together in a way that really shows off the kitchen’s talent.
The cocktails were also fantastic — creative, well-balanced, and the perfect complement to the meal.
Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tasha Eve
Rooster & Owl offers a creative, seasonal tasting menu that blends familiar flavors with inventive twists. Each course is thoughtful, beautifully plated, and surprisingly fun to eat. The atmosphere is relaxed yet refined, and the staff is knowledgeable without being overbearing. A great spot for an elevated but approachable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Per Kristiansen
Delicous food. The combination of a fixed four-course menu but with a good selection for each course works really well. Not exactly cheap but quality rarely is
Good food.
Food: 5
We were on the side walk enclosure protected from elements but not friendly rodents
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
There is clearly a level of pride here at being a Michelin-starred restaurant - the term Michelin appears in several places around the dining room and on servers' uniforms. And that is fine with me, because the Michelin star designation here is well-deserved, but is carried without pretension. The atmosphere is relaxed, with no hint of snootiness from the staff. The dishes are inventive without being inventive solely for the sake of inventiveness, assembled from a wonderful combination of unexpected but harmonious ingredients. The tasting menu, unlike those found in some other Michelin restaurants, is not completely pre-determined. Instead, four choices of dishes are offered for each of four courses. The atmosphere is relaxed, without a hint of snootiness from the staff. And in response to my having indicated on the online reservation form that yes, there were some food intolerances on the part of one member of our party, I received a call from one of the kitchen staff a few hours in advance asking for more details - an unusual and surprisingly thoughtful touch.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Finally, a restaurant that lives up to it's accolades! I loved the welcoming atmosphere and warm demeanour of all servers.
To start I was offered the pineapple bun and butter which were definitely one of the top bread-butter servings I've ever tasted.
Now with regards to the 4 course prix fix meal I got the - Hamachi Tartare, Shrimp Toast, Short Rib Diane and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The tartare was quite peculiar and I only picked it because of the reviews. I'm not a big fan of raw fish but the textures were rather interesting, though not as impressive for my palate.
The Shrimp toast is one of the best toast dishes I've had; the flavours were simply outstanding and the aioli dressing had a lemony sour kick to it complementing the dish well. The chef also gave a complimentary Japanese Yam dish which was equally good...actually it was something that blew me away! Wasn't expecting the heat and spice with the sweetness of the sauce enveloping the yams all going so harmoniously well together. The finely sliced apples almost had a savoury texture to them and I mistook them for potatoes for a second. I'd say this complementary dish was the star of the evening!
For the main, the steak was good which was the usual, not extraordinary, still delicious. Loved the spinach and some sort of sweet sauce on the side together creating a nice flavour profile.
The dessert was nice, though I would have liked for the Pudding to be larger in size; the chai ice cream really elevated the dish. Overall, a pleasant experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I strongly recommend chief to taste the dish before serving it. Except the starter, the second and the third dish are extremely salty and the desert is extremely sweaty. Feel very upset to pay for such a high price for something I can’t swallow.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
We went to celebrate a birthday and were excited to try this place but left with mixed feelings. Starting with the good, service was exceptional - attentive but not overbearing staff, succinct explanation of the meal, quick and friendly service. Atmosphere was casual and lively which we prefer over pretentious and formal, and we were able to relax and enjoy our meals. They even brought out a free starter course and an ice cream cookie sandwich for the birthday boy which was a pleasant surprise, with a card signed by all staff! Very much appreciated the exceptional service.
The meal started off well. The bread with the butter was amazing as well as the two starter courses. We had the hamachi tartare and chicken liver mousse, both simply scrumptious, with the tartare being out favorite. Then we had the gnocchi, shrimp toast, and Japanese yam. The gnocchi and yam were phenomenal, and we scraped the plates raving over every bite. The shrimp toast was good but having it once was good enough. We were really looking forward to the main with the spectacular plates at this point.
Then the not so good part with the mains being a let down. We had the spaghetti, duck and short rib. They looked great but the taste just didn’t meet the mark as they were bland and lacked something in each dish, well below par compared to the starting courses. Quite disappointing.
Finally, we had the Apple tarte and sticky toffee pudding to finish off the night, with the apple tarte being a fan favorite. Unfortunately, the sticky toffee pudding was seriously disappointing. It tasted more like a watered down version of a sticky toffee pudding, with some kind of cake, with sauce and flavor that tried to mimic the English dessert but failed.
All in all, I think rooster and owl is a place worth trying once for some of the courses and service and we had a memorable night, but it seems to be a bit of a gamble with some of the plates, with the main course needing vast improvement, to make a repeat visit worthwhile.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
All of the awards and positive reviews are well warranted. Still one of my favorite dining experiences I've had in DC. My next visit will definitely be for a special occasion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We left rather disappointed with our dinner. The tasting menu felt surprisingly sparse, with three small courses followed by oversized desserts, none of which were particularly memorable. The tables were set so close together that it felt as though we were sharing our meal with the couple beside us. Service was pleasant, though again, nothing remarkable. The price certainly reflects its Michelin-star status, but unfortunately, very little else did.
Awesome
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Of all the dining experiences I have had this is by far one of the best. The food was a wonderful melody of flavors and textures, a true experience in and of itself with every single bite. Everything was perfectly prepared and just perfection, even down to the coffee and tea.
Service was impeccable, friendly, attentive.
This place has earned its Michelin star easily and beyond. I HIGHLY recommend you try this at least once. This is now on my regular stop in list every time I am in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The dinner was outstanding from start to finish. Every dish was thoughtful, balanced, and memorable. The team made the experience feel warm and special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything about this place is a vibe. Phenomenal food, amazing service, and an atmosphere that feels both elevated and welcoming — totally worth the visit.
We ordered the chicken liver mousse, gnocchi, shrimp toast (one of our absolute favorites), and the duck, and every single dish was incredible. The flavors were rich, balanced, and thoughtfully put together in a way that really shows off the kitchen’s talent.
The cocktails were also fantastic — creative, well-balanced, and the perfect complement to the meal.
Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rooster & Owl offers a creative, seasonal tasting menu that blends familiar flavors with inventive twists. Each course is thoughtful, beautifully plated, and surprisingly fun to eat. The atmosphere is relaxed yet refined, and the staff is knowledgeable without being overbearing. A great spot for an elevated but approachable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicous food. The combination of a fixed four-course menu but with a good selection for each course works really well. Not exactly cheap but quality rarely is
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Oliver was great!
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