what is your favorite restaurant in downtown bethesda?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has Nest actually gotten better? We went soon after it opened and liked it, then went back 3 times and were disappointed each time - really blah flavor, poorly-designed dishes. I think the last time we tried was summer 2010, and I'm hesitant to waste my money there again.

We liked Nest when they first opened but then it went down hill quickly, they seemed to get full of themselves. the first few times they werre very friendly and you felt like you were at a friends house, then it blah, food was average at best and the wait staff thougth they were above serving you.

I don't expect them to be around much longer.

[Anonymous]

American Tap Room on a Saturday evening was very good with our kids, but we didn't have the stroller issue.

[Anonymous]

Persimmon - and if you go to the early seating you get a deal and it's child friendly. Plus it has AMAZING drinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend avoiding american tap room with kids. We tried to go at 5:30 last saturday. The hostess wouldn't seat us with our stroller. I told her we couldn't use a highchair because he isn't old enough (not sitting up independently, but ok in our maclaren). She then said, don't you have one of those seats that can go on a highchair if we turn it upside down? I told her that was unsafe, and we just wanted to keep DC in the stroller. Her response, "in that case, I don't know when I can seat you.". I was so annoyed that wr left and went next door to cafe deluxe, where wr were seated immediately (stroller too) and had a lovely dinner.

I don't think it's reasonable for you to expect every restuarant to be able to sit you at a table with a stroller. It's obtrusive.

A Mac or most umbrella strollers are no bigger than a regular chair. At 5:30, it is a reasonable expectation. I will not give up my stroller after we've had a few scares of places putting it somewhere and forgetting where they put it or they just leave it in their lobby free for anyone to take. If you use a high chair or portable high chair, most, like ours just fold right under the table.

[Anonymous]

Penang is closed, I think.
Fresh Grill, diagonal from BGR, next to where Ben and meets was, is better than BGR.
Another vote for moby dick, rake
Also, a rec for rice paddies grill across from women 's market.
Love assagi mozzarella but not for kids.

[Anonymous]

PP here, I meant Ben and Nereus (not Ben and meets)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here, I meant Ben and Nereus (not Ben and meets)

damnyouautocorrect

I agree that Fresh Grill is better than BGR. I do find it odd though, how two burger places open up within a block of each other, and then two Jewish deli places opened up within a block of each other.

[Anonymous]

Cafe deluxe!!! Food poisoning from the ahi tuna!

[Anonymous]

vapiano's is our new go-to for our 2 yr old. good food, quickly served, nice ambience...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the food in Cafe Deluxe is good.

Don Pollo, Moby Dick's, Taylor Gourmet, BGR are good cheap and cheerful.

Persimmon is our favorite high-end place, not kid friendly though and full of very old people.

Mon Ami Gabi, pain quotidien and Jaleo are good and kid-friendly.

I agree with all of the above, but am I the only one who thinks pain quotidien is insanely overpriced, and that they don't give enough food per order? I'm a very healthy eater, in good shape, not looking for cheesecake factory-size portions at all, but the few times I've eaten at pain quotidien I've left hungry. My kids do love it, though. They love the yogurt/granola parfait, and my son even loves the gazpacho when I order it. One time I was at work at met a friend at the dupont circle PQ, and was so hungry on my way back to the office that I stopped and got a 6 inch sub at subway.

I agree with you about the food quantity and price. I also hate the cups they have for coffee and that the coffee never seems to be that hot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the food in Cafe Deluxe is good.

Don Pollo, Moby Dick's, Taylor Gourmet, BGR are good cheap and cheerful.

Persimmon is our favorite high-end place, not kid friendly though and full of very old people.

Mon Ami Gabi, pain quotidien and Jaleo are good and kid-friendly.

I agree with all of the above, but am I the only one who thinks pain quotidien is insanely overpriced, and that they don't give enough food per order? I'm a very healthy eater, in good shape, not looking for cheesecake factory-size portions at all, but the few times I've eaten at pain quotidien I've left hungry. My kids do love it, though. They love the yogurt/granola parfait, and my son even loves the gazpacho when I order it. One time I was at work at met a friend at the dupont circle PQ, and was so hungry on my way back to the office that I stopped and got a 6 inch sub at subway.

I agree with you about the food quantity and price. I also hate the cups they have for coffee and that the coffee never seems to be that hot.

I used to work over there and was so excited when I found out it was opening up. Then I saw the prices. There are plenty of other places that don't want your first born in exchange for a cup of coffee.

[Anonymous]

Just wondering whether others think american tap room is ok with kids?

[Anonymous]

I have boys so Wing Hub (which is now Maggie's). We are always running around and we can relax and the boys watch sports. They also have an outside patio.

I am a wing addict though and they have the Cluck You sauce (you will only know what that is if you went to UMD in the late 80's early 90's).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A vote for Foong Lin (near the Woodmont triangle Starbucks) - excellent Chinese food, booths which are good for kids, very friendly owner and staff.

The Foong Lin at the location closed since the building is been torn down. The owner recently took over Moon Gate on Willow Lane.

[Anonymous]

I agree with all of the above, but am I the only one who thinks pain quotidien is insanely overpriced, and that they don't give enough food per order? I'm a very healthy eater, in good shape, not looking for cheesecake factory-size portions at all, but the few times I've eaten at pain quotidien I've left hungry. My kids do love it, though. They love the yogurt/granola parfait, and my son even loves the gazpacho when I order it. One time I was at work at met a friend at the dupont circle PQ, and was so hungry on my way back to the office that I stopped and got a 6 inch sub at subway.

I agree with you about the food quantity and price. I also hate the cups they have for coffee and that the coffee never seems to be that hot.

Totally agree about pain quotidien. Seems like a good idea, but at those prices, and for that attitude, I'd rather just fly to France.

Here, there are other places to get coffee that's actually hot.