Café du Parc

Clayton Scelzi (CScelzi)

11 months ago

I hit up Café du Parc at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, for a bite, and it was a solid experience with some real French vibes right by the White House. This place, tucked into the Willard InterContinental, feels like a Parisian café with a DC twist. I grabbed a spot on their outdoor terrace, which was awesome—great views of Pershing Park and the World War I Memorial. It’s perfect for people-watching with a coffee in hand. The inside’s nice too, but the terrace is where it’s at on a good day. For food, I went with the salmon tartine and the crab cakes. The tartine was fresh and light, with perfectly smoked salmon on crusty bread, topped with just enough dill and cream to make it pop without being heavy. The crab cakes were a win—crispy outside, tender inside, and packed with crab, not filler. The remoulade sauce had a nice kick. I was tempted by the crème brûlée for dessert but passed since I was stuffed. The menu’s got other solid options like steak frites and salads, plus a kids’ menu if you’re with family. Service was mostly on point. Our server was friendly, and you can tell folks like Juan, who’s been there forever, know their stuff. That said, it took a minute to get my iced tea refilled, which was a bit annoying but not a big deal. Drinks were good—I had a French-inspired cocktail that went well with the meal, though it was a tad pricey for the size. The vibe’s lively, but it can get loud indoors, which might bug you if you’re after something chill. Prices are what you’d expect for a fancy spot in this location—not cheap, but the quality’s there. I heard a grumble from another table about a server pushing for a bigger tip, but my bill was fine. Overall, Café du Parc’s a great pick for a nice lunch or dinner with a view. The food’s legit, the terrace is a gem, and it’s got that French charm. I’d give it a 5 out of 5 and will probably swing back for their brunch.

Marina Garvey

year ago

We’ve dined at this restaurant multiple times whenever we visit Washington with our kids, and we are always satisfied. The kids' portions are perfectly balanced. For example, one of our kids had a steak, and the other had salmon. The portions are just right for children, and the price of $14–16 per dish is excellent. The French soup was amazing; we didn’t even manage to take a photo for the review because it was gone so quickly! Everything else was also delicious and well-prepared. We’ll definitely be back!

Tom Willetts

2 months ago

The restaurant delivered for us breakfast lunch and dinner. They have wonderful flavors delivered very tastefully and they’re very accommodating. Nelson was incredible. We could not think of what to eat and he helped put together a special meal for us with everything we desired. Very nice in today’s dining environment.

Camilo Ramirez

year ago

My wife and I stopped in for breakfast on a Sunday morning. This is a very nice French cafe that will remind you of an outdoor cafe in France. We had planned to sit outside for breakfast but unfortunately it was raining when we arrived. We sat upstairs and my wife had the Belgian waffles which were excellent and I had the three egg omelette and it was really good. The server was great and made sure our coffee was always topped off. We wanted to have some pastries downstairs on our way out, but we were too full to do that. Looking forward to stopping in the next time we are in the area. Neither of us had a single complaint about this place, it was great.

Liz O.

11 months ago

French food is ooh la la! From escargot to the french croissant and chocolate mousse, everything here has been divine to my taste buds. The coffee is not cheap. It is top quality. You can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Who knows, you may come across someone famous!

David Lo

10 months ago

We went for Sunday brunch and had the eggs benedict, French onion soup, house salad, and a kids roast salmon. Everything was very tasty and we were particularly impressed with the presentation and quality of the kids meal with the mashed potatoes and green beans. The environment was lovely and classy, with attentive friendly service. A very enjoyable break from our sightseeing for the day.

Leslie Castillo

7 months ago

We had a wonderful time. Made reservations for 7pm and at 6:50pm we received a text saying our table was ready. Service was prompt and food was delicious. My husband had the steak frites and I had the Plat de Jour which was the special of the day and it was lobster, shrimp and vegetables in a French cream sauce. Absolutely delicious! Our waiter was very kind and sweet. He brought us a cream brûlée that was also soo good. Thank you for making our night special!

Dr. Lonny Wortham

5 months ago

Enjoyed cappuccinos and pastries... if you are ever nearby, you want some of this. I forget the name of this dessert but it was incredible. We went in for dessert after dinner and there was no wait, it was extremely quiet. This place is extremely busy in the morning during the day

Douglas Wood

3 months ago

There are restaurants that serve dinner, and then there are restaurants that create an experience. Tonight at Café du Parc, just steps from White House, the experience mattered just as much as the food. I chose Café du Parc because of its consistently strong reviews and the promise of a traditional Parisian café atmosphere. The reviews were correct. From the moment I entered, the tone was established. I was greeted warmly at the bottom of the stairs by the hostess, who efficiently handled my reservation before escorting me upstairs to what was, for me, the perfect seat: overlooking both the dining room and the kitchen. My favorite perspective in any restaurant. It allows you to watch the choreography. Service began immediately with Martin, who would become my caretaker for the evening. Simultaneously, I noticed Chef Mauricio standing watch at the kitchen pass, observing every plate before it left the line. A reassuring sight. Great kitchens almost always have visible leadership. I began with a beautiful Burgundy Chardonnay while contemplating dinner. Before the glass had reached one-third full, Martin returned quietly to refresh the wine and offer assistance with the menu. The attentiveness was precise without ever becoming intrusive. Dinner began with a decidedly untraditional French Caesar salad, followed by filet de boeuf - though, in truth, it does not get much more classic than beef and Bordeaux. The Caesar salad was exceptional. Perfectly dressed without excess, topped with beautiful brioche croutons and perfectly ripened baby tomatoes, delicately trimmed anchovies, all presented in a wide, shallow bowl that felt unmistakably Parisian in its simplicity and elegance. As I finished the salad and my Chardonnay diminished, Martin once again appeared at exactly the right moment and suggested transitioning to red wine for the beef. He recommended the house Bordeaux. An excellent recommendation. Far too many restaurants treat “house wine” as an afterthought.

Miss Val

4 months ago

We stopped here for a drinks and lunch while in DC to see cherry blossoms on a Sunday in March. The restaurant is part of the hotel but they had outdoor seating along the street. We were seated immediately and ordered drinks. They were good. We decided to share the turkey bacon sandwich and they split that for us in the kitchen. The food came out shortly after ordering. The sandwich had a pesto sauce on it that was delicious: we enjoyed the sandwich. The fries were shoestring cut and lightly salted. They were good too. I am glad we decided to share it because the portion sizes were generous. Our server was friendly and attentive. I was expecting higher prices since we were in DC but they weren’t outrageous and they were comparable to many other places. We had a great lunch.