Food was way overpriced, received a head of lettuce for $20 with nothing on it and wasn't told the meats would be an additional charge; meal ended up being $50 for lettuce and 4 prices of chicken for $14. Waiters don't say anything about pricing and it's not on the menu.
John S.
Amazing food that's tasty and healthy! Service was quite memorable and staff were pleasant to speak with. Parking is near by as well and was free at the time. Would definitely do this again!
Mike P
I went here because I knew it was part of the Seven Reasons group and I legitimately enjoy the restaurant of the same name. Unfortunately I was disappointed overall with the experience.The food:I ordered a cheese plate, and proceeded to receive the most grocery store prepackaged cheese plate I had ever seen. Three slices of Parmesan, two small slices of a softer creamier cheese, and one sugar cube sized piece of Gorgonzola or something, 8 raw almonds, “Pickled vegetables” which were some banana peppers and one quarter sized slice of a carrot, and a small container of honey. The bright spot was an interesting apricot “slaw” that came with the plate. And two slices of focaccia that were cold, dry, and borderline stale.For an entree, the scallops. 38 dollars for three pieces of scallop and a slice of burnt toast. The scallops were fine.A bright spot was the drinks which were admittedly very good, and extremely drinkable.The service:Very attentive and friendly. A highlight of the experience.The atmosphere:The restaurant is nearly glass on all sides which gives great natural light. The center of the restaurant is a beautiful display of tropical plants which really gives a fun, inviting, and lively energy.Ultimately this place felt like it was strategically designed for Crystal city. Overpriced, “safe” food that doesn’t really take any chances.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Duane F.
Second time in a month to dine here with friends since it's in the neighborhood. Today we came for brunch and the place wasn't too busy. The waitress was friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable about the cuisine. We placed our order and the dishes came in a reasonable period of time. Right after the plates were served, the waitress asked how the dishes were and said she would be back. I ordered the croque madam and was disappointed. The egg whites on the fried eggs weren't cooked and I didn't think they were safe to eat. That was unfortunate because without the egg yolks, the rest of the sandwich was dry and not that flavorful. By the time the waitress returned to inquire how we were enjoying our dishes we were over halfway thru our meal. She offered to get me another dish but our party was nearly finished eating and I wasn't going to wait for another meal. Where was she for the last 15 minutes when she could have made the order right. Don't get me wrong, I have found other dishes that were delicious but service seems to be off more than it's on. If you want a sandwich, I would probably suggest the BLTwisted Surreal or a good old cheeseburger.
Mackenzi S.
I honestly am baffled that this place has a 3.5 rating, I would give it a solid 4.7. My fiancée and I ate here for his birthday tonight and had such an incredible time. We enjoyed every single thing that they prepared. You can tell that the chef took their time to prepare a dish that was cohesive and well thought out. The plating was even more whimsical and artistic than the interior design, which is a vibe. The staff were also very attentive and kind! The only con is that the tables are pretty close to each other and we would have liked to have a little more personal space.
Jamel V.
The design aesthetic is so playful and blends perfectly to be mature and whimsical. You notice it as soon as you walk in. I went for a late lunch on a Saturday evening, surprisingly it wasn't too busy but the food was so fresh and the service was attentive and personable from each interaction. I would go back to try more dishes and will report back.
Patricia Rivero
Surreal, what an appropriate name! This place was a surreal experience, amazing atmosphere, the staff was lovely and very friendly.. the food just delicious! We came here after a long a long day in DC and it was just the perfect dinner before leaving Washington DC.. I highly recommend this place and for sure will come back! My favourite dishes were the crispy tuna poke pillow and the gnocchi ?? just amazing rhe different flavours and the texture was just perfect! And the dessert from another world ??
Nice new spot that recently opened in Crystal City that presents a twist on many traditional style foods. The brunch was fantastic - do yourself a favor and get the swirl pancakes!! Delicious.Atmosphere is great, when we went they had a Cherry Blossom theme going which was timely. Service was on point - overall a great experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Veronica Dos Santos
Drinks were delicious, but pricey ($17). Food was okay, I don’t think it was worth the prices. My favorite thing was the molten lava cake with soft serve. It was a good ambiance and I’m glad we checked it out but wouldn’t go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Rob C.
Nice looking place. But either under staff or a lack of experience but I found the bar service very slow and inefficient, especially when on Bartender just talks to one group and pays no attention to the other 75% of the Bar. No hand off among the bar staff. Was able to get a drink and menu thanks to a waiter from the dining room that happened by but that was it. Did not get service after that until I finally got eye contact and asked for my check. Never ordered food. Btw if you ask for a "big rock" in your drink. You get charged $4.00 extra. Lol. Not a big deal but the Bourbon is way over priced in the first place. The two stars area because it looks nice.
Food just ok, not impressed. Been to other Seven Reasons. Rather go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Sarah Wilde
I have been to this restaurant twice now and both times the food has been delicious, the service has been great and the decor is beautiful! My new favorite restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kami Chameleon
I went here for dinner after hearing great things about the place. I wish that had been my experience but it wasn't. While I appreciate the "avant-garde theme" the practicality of what that actually looks like felt really disconnected.The biggest disconnect for me was being given only a drink menu upon being seated. It felt like a failure for them to provide the most basic service. Their "motto" is they want people to order drinks before ordering food. However, I was starving and I couldn't make a decision on what alcoholic beverage to drink until I knew what I could snack on (because I do not drink on an empty stomach).My partner ordered a martini. I had water. They lost out on me ordering a drink because they wouldn't give me a food menu. Had I seen food options I may have ordered something. My partner's vodka martini arrived in a tiny aperitif glass rather than a martini glass which I thought was really tacky.Over-all I found the menu to be complicated and difficult to follow. It was again that "avant garden theme" of someone trying to be really on theme, barely giving the customer information as to what they were describing for an entree. When I order a salad I want an accurate description of what it is I'm getting, not to read a poetic version of what I'm eating. Because I have food sensitivities.So instead we just ordered guacamole and chips (because I could understand what that was) and I will say the guacamole was really good. The chips however were absolutely disgusting. They were so thick that they hurt my teeth when I bit into them. They tasted like cardboard.After that we got the check and left. I couldn't imagine trying to guess what their other food was like. I was annoyed for the entire experience. I think creatively they have maybe a good theme but they do not understand or care how disruptive the "avant-garde" theme is on the practicality of what a customer wants.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ed Valentin
Chill spot. Had the honey pepperoni and it was pretty decent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Geoffrey C.
As a local, I really wanted to like this place! Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy my experience at Surreal. Skip ahead to the last bit for my summarized review. The highest point comes immediately when you step inside. The ambiance and decor of the place are lovely, and the seasonal decorations for the cherry blossoms are tasteful and not over the top. But then we approached the host stand. While the staff altogether are mostly friendly, my hostess only give me the drink menu when she seated me. When my friend and I realized this and went back to the host stand for actual menus, the hostess explained that our server would give us our actual menus. Odd and unusual. Five minutes later when she realized our server had not introduced herself yet, she acquiesced and provided us with menus. When we were seated, the table we were given was very wobbly and moved easily. This was very unusual given the restaurant has only been open for a couple of months. The glasses that were pre-set on the table were dusty and dirty, so we had to ask for new ones. The table was also only half-set with plates, so I had to take one from a nearby fully-set table. The person who came around to give us water was not friendly and seemed low-energy. Twenty minutes into sitting down, we were finally greeted by our waitress. It was not her fault - it didn't appear the restaurant was properly staffed. She was funny and very willing to give us recommendations and thoughts on what was popular. Then our waitress stepped away to give us time to think about our choices. Something seemed off about the place, so my friend and I considered paying for our drinks and leaving. We decided to stay. But then as my friend mentioned aloud that he would be sharing terrible things about this place with his other friend (who also had a terrible experience), the manager walked by. He frowned, as he had obviously heard the remark, but chose not to acknowledge it. He instead stopped by our table and asked if we had decided on our food. His approach was diplomatic, but I kind of wished he had engaged and asked us for our feedback. When we received our food, we would later find our waitress' recommendations regarding portion sizes misleading: she said that the tallarines and meatballs would be a sizable portion. Maybe it's relative and open to interpretation, but I wasn't wowed by the portion size my friend received. He also said they were just okay. I had chosen the salmon dish: the salmon itself and the purple potato purée were alright. Not bad, but nothing special. However, something appeared wrong with the oyster mushrooms. In summary: - To use a dated reference from a generation before mine, it felt like stepping into the Twilight Zone. Beautifully arranged, but everyone acted strange. - Overpriced food and drinks. The food is beautifully plated, but the portions and quality are not proportional to how much they charge. - Beautiful decor and ambiance around the restaurant, but management should pay better attention to the tables where the customers actually sit. - I did not have any appetizers or desserts. None of the appetizers on the menu looked good, and I didn't have the stomach for dessert after the mushrooms. I would be willing to try the desserts (to-go) in the near future as several other reviews mentioned that they loved them.
Food was way overpriced, received a head of lettuce for $20 with nothing on it and wasn't told the meats would be an additional charge; meal ended up being $50 for lettuce and 4 prices of chicken for $14. Waiters don't say anything about pricing and it's not on the menu.
Amazing food that's tasty and healthy! Service was quite memorable and staff were pleasant to speak with. Parking is near by as well and was free at the time. Would definitely do this again!
I went here because I knew it was part of the Seven Reasons group and I legitimately enjoy the restaurant of the same name. Unfortunately I was disappointed overall with the experience.The food:I ordered a cheese plate, and proceeded to receive the most grocery store prepackaged cheese plate I had ever seen. Three slices of Parmesan, two small slices of a softer creamier cheese, and one sugar cube sized piece of Gorgonzola or something, 8 raw almonds, “Pickled vegetables” which were some banana peppers and one quarter sized slice of a carrot, and a small container of honey. The bright spot was an interesting apricot “slaw” that came with the plate. And two slices of focaccia that were cold, dry, and borderline stale.For an entree, the scallops. 38 dollars for three pieces of scallop and a slice of burnt toast. The scallops were fine.A bright spot was the drinks which were admittedly very good, and extremely drinkable.The service:Very attentive and friendly. A highlight of the experience.The atmosphere:The restaurant is nearly glass on all sides which gives great natural light. The center of the restaurant is a beautiful display of tropical plants which really gives a fun, inviting, and lively energy.Ultimately this place felt like it was strategically designed for Crystal city. Overpriced, “safe” food that doesn’t really take any chances.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Second time in a month to dine here with friends since it's in the neighborhood. Today we came for brunch and the place wasn't too busy. The waitress was friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable about the cuisine. We placed our order and the dishes came in a reasonable period of time. Right after the plates were served, the waitress asked how the dishes were and said she would be back. I ordered the croque madam and was disappointed. The egg whites on the fried eggs weren't cooked and I didn't think they were safe to eat. That was unfortunate because without the egg yolks, the rest of the sandwich was dry and not that flavorful. By the time the waitress returned to inquire how we were enjoying our dishes we were over halfway thru our meal. She offered to get me another dish but our party was nearly finished eating and I wasn't going to wait for another meal. Where was she for the last 15 minutes when she could have made the order right. Don't get me wrong, I have found other dishes that were delicious but service seems to be off more than it's on. If you want a sandwich, I would probably suggest the BLTwisted Surreal or a good old cheeseburger.
I honestly am baffled that this place has a 3.5 rating, I would give it a solid 4.7. My fiancée and I ate here for his birthday tonight and had such an incredible time. We enjoyed every single thing that they prepared. You can tell that the chef took their time to prepare a dish that was cohesive and well thought out. The plating was even more whimsical and artistic than the interior design, which is a vibe. The staff were also very attentive and kind! The only con is that the tables are pretty close to each other and we would have liked to have a little more personal space.
The design aesthetic is so playful and blends perfectly to be mature and whimsical. You notice it as soon as you walk in. I went for a late lunch on a Saturday evening, surprisingly it wasn't too busy but the food was so fresh and the service was attentive and personable from each interaction. I would go back to try more dishes and will report back.
Surreal, what an appropriate name! This place was a surreal experience, amazing atmosphere, the staff was lovely and very friendly.. the food just delicious! We came here after a long a long day in DC and it was just the perfect dinner before leaving Washington DC.. I highly recommend this place and for sure will come back! My favourite dishes were the crispy tuna poke pillow and the gnocchi ?? just amazing rhe different flavours and the texture was just perfect! And the dessert from another world ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pineapple Cake, Crispy Tuna Poke Pillow
Nice new spot that recently opened in Crystal City that presents a twist on many traditional style foods. The brunch was fantastic - do yourself a favor and get the swirl pancakes!! Delicious.Atmosphere is great, when we went they had a Cherry Blossom theme going which was timely. Service was on point - overall a great experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Drinks were delicious, but pricey ($17). Food was okay, I don’t think it was worth the prices. My favorite thing was the molten lava cake with soft serve. It was a good ambiance and I’m glad we checked it out but wouldn’t go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Nice looking place. But either under staff or a lack of experience but I found the bar service very slow and inefficient, especially when on Bartender just talks to one group and pays no attention to the other 75% of the Bar. No hand off among the bar staff. Was able to get a drink and menu thanks to a waiter from the dining room that happened by but that was it. Did not get service after that until I finally got eye contact and asked for my check. Never ordered food. Btw if you ask for a "big rock" in your drink. You get charged $4.00 extra. Lol. Not a big deal but the Bourbon is way over priced in the first place. The two stars area because it looks nice.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food just ok, not impressed. Been to other Seven Reasons. Rather go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
I have been to this restaurant twice now and both times the food has been delicious, the service has been great and the decor is beautiful! My new favorite restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went here for dinner after hearing great things about the place. I wish that had been my experience but it wasn't. While I appreciate the "avant-garde theme" the practicality of what that actually looks like felt really disconnected.The biggest disconnect for me was being given only a drink menu upon being seated. It felt like a failure for them to provide the most basic service. Their "motto" is they want people to order drinks before ordering food. However, I was starving and I couldn't make a decision on what alcoholic beverage to drink until I knew what I could snack on (because I do not drink on an empty stomach).My partner ordered a martini. I had water. They lost out on me ordering a drink because they wouldn't give me a food menu. Had I seen food options I may have ordered something. My partner's vodka martini arrived in a tiny aperitif glass rather than a martini glass which I thought was really tacky.Over-all I found the menu to be complicated and difficult to follow. It was again that "avant garden theme" of someone trying to be really on theme, barely giving the customer information as to what they were describing for an entree. When I order a salad I want an accurate description of what it is I'm getting, not to read a poetic version of what I'm eating. Because I have food sensitivities.So instead we just ordered guacamole and chips (because I could understand what that was) and I will say the guacamole was really good. The chips however were absolutely disgusting. They were so thick that they hurt my teeth when I bit into them. They tasted like cardboard.After that we got the check and left. I couldn't imagine trying to guess what their other food was like. I was annoyed for the entire experience. I think creatively they have maybe a good theme but they do not understand or care how disruptive the "avant-garde" theme is on the practicality of what a customer wants.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Chill spot. Had the honey pepperoni and it was pretty decent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
As a local, I really wanted to like this place! Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy my experience at Surreal. Skip ahead to the last bit for my summarized review. The highest point comes immediately when you step inside. The ambiance and decor of the place are lovely, and the seasonal decorations for the cherry blossoms are tasteful and not over the top. But then we approached the host stand. While the staff altogether are mostly friendly, my hostess only give me the drink menu when she seated me. When my friend and I realized this and went back to the host stand for actual menus, the hostess explained that our server would give us our actual menus. Odd and unusual. Five minutes later when she realized our server had not introduced herself yet, she acquiesced and provided us with menus. When we were seated, the table we were given was very wobbly and moved easily. This was very unusual given the restaurant has only been open for a couple of months. The glasses that were pre-set on the table were dusty and dirty, so we had to ask for new ones. The table was also only half-set with plates, so I had to take one from a nearby fully-set table. The person who came around to give us water was not friendly and seemed low-energy. Twenty minutes into sitting down, we were finally greeted by our waitress. It was not her fault - it didn't appear the restaurant was properly staffed. She was funny and very willing to give us recommendations and thoughts on what was popular. Then our waitress stepped away to give us time to think about our choices. Something seemed off about the place, so my friend and I considered paying for our drinks and leaving. We decided to stay. But then as my friend mentioned aloud that he would be sharing terrible things about this place with his other friend (who also had a terrible experience), the manager walked by. He frowned, as he had obviously heard the remark, but chose not to acknowledge it. He instead stopped by our table and asked if we had decided on our food. His approach was diplomatic, but I kind of wished he had engaged and asked us for our feedback. When we received our food, we would later find our waitress' recommendations regarding portion sizes misleading: she said that the tallarines and meatballs would be a sizable portion. Maybe it's relative and open to interpretation, but I wasn't wowed by the portion size my friend received. He also said they were just okay. I had chosen the salmon dish: the salmon itself and the purple potato purée were alright. Not bad, but nothing special. However, something appeared wrong with the oyster mushrooms. In summary: - To use a dated reference from a generation before mine, it felt like stepping into the Twilight Zone. Beautifully arranged, but everyone acted strange. - Overpriced food and drinks. The food is beautifully plated, but the portions and quality are not proportional to how much they charge. - Beautiful decor and ambiance around the restaurant, but management should pay better attention to the tables where the customers actually sit. - I did not have any appetizers or desserts. None of the appetizers on the menu looked good, and I didn't have the stomach for dessert after the mushrooms. I would be willing to try the desserts (to-go) in the near future as several other reviews mentioned that they loved them.