DCUM foodies, what are the most overrated and underrated restaurants in the DMV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the whole concept of regularly eating out itself to be highly overrated, especially given how reliant restaurants are on addictive ingredients like fat, salt, and sugar.

It took me 35 years to realize that I can cook better tasting and healthier foods at home.

No you can't. This is the lie that dieters/health nuts tell themselves to make themselves feel better about not allowing themselves to eat what they want, but it's never true.

If you could actually cook food that was healthier and objectively better tasting than any restaurant then instead of posting about it on DCUM you'd be talking about it on the Today Show after receiving your Michelin stars and opening the 500th franchise of the restaurant that made you a multimillionaire.

The foodservice industry spends billions every year on healthier alternatives and the best they can come up with is a veggie burger that tastes exactly like a real burger if the only real burger you've ever had came from a public school cafeteria. What do you think is more likely, that you figured out a secret that every massive restaurant group in the world somehow missed, or that your food isn't really as good as you say?

I can't believe how ignorant you are, PP.

Cooking delicious food and running a restaurant business are two totally different things. If you don't know any home cooks that have made absolutely delicious food, then you need to make more friends. Although if your personality is like your post, I can see how that will be difficult.

+1. I enjoy eating out for the ambiance and conviviality, but my husband can make better food every day of the week. He is a professor, not a professional chef, though, so he is not talking about it on the Today Show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Roses Luxury - overrated

Call your mothet — overrated

Bullfrog bagels - underrated

I feel like Rose's Luxury was very good for the first few years and has gone a bit downhill. Though I admit our most recent experience with them was takeout and we have been underwhelmed by takeout from all of the nice places we've done it from, except for Masseria. They really nailed it.

A place I rarely hear mentioned but that we love right now is Emmy Squared. We have gotten really weary of all the Neopolitan-style pizza and wood fired pizza in DC, so it's a nice change of pace (Detroit-style, which is kind of like deep dish, but it's own thing). And their salads and sides are also great, as well as their cocktails.

For Indian, our favorite is Cusbah on H Street, though I heard it might close due to the pandemic. It would be a real shame. It's not as upscale as Rasika (which we still love for a nice night out), but I think their Vindaloo is the best in town, and love their little patio.

Oh, and the reason I replied to the above post is that I completely agree regarding Call Your Mother and Bullfrog Bagels. We've been Bullfrog fans for years and it's our go-to for weekend bagels. We finally tried CYM in Barracks Row after so much hype and were underwhelmed. Their most popular sandwiches are way too meat-heavy and while the bagels are decent they aren't as good as Bullfrog.

I also recommend Buffalo & Bergen at Union Market for bagels. And while it is not my thing, my husband loves DC Fishwife at UM. And we both love the dosa place there!

Fishwife is delicious! I need to try the dosas too. Anything else to try at Union Market? I don't go there very often so I always just get Fishwife when I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the whole concept of regularly eating out itself to be highly overrated, especially given how reliant restaurants are on addictive ingredients like fat, salt, and sugar.

It took me 35 years to realize that I can cook better tasting and healthier foods at home.

No you can't. This is the lie that dieters/health nuts tell themselves to make themselves feel better about not allowing themselves to eat what they want, but it's never true.

If you could actually cook food that was healthier and objectively better tasting than any restaurant then instead of posting about it on DCUM you'd be talking about it on the Today Show after receiving your Michelin stars and opening the 500th franchise of the restaurant that made you a multimillionaire.

The foodservice industry spends billions every year on healthier alternatives and the best they can come up with is a veggie burger that tastes exactly like a real burger if the only real burger you've ever had came from a public school cafeteria. What do you think is more likely, that you figured out a secret that every massive restaurant group in the world somehow missed, or that your food isn't really as good as you say?

DP. I'm by no means a great chef, just a decent home cook who has been cooking a lot more lately. My food is often better than average restaurant food. Even my DH agrees! There are some things that are hard to duplicate at home, but the fact is, most DC restaurant food is not that great. The really good stuff that I couldn't replicate is the more humble fare, like a great bagel or Bahn Mi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most overrated in my view - Founding Farmers.

+1 FF is not good

One or Sietsema's most scathing reviews ever was FF. Who's saying it's good?

GW kids who drag their parents their for brunch during Parents Weekend and the 20s-30s Instagram set. They seem to LOVE IT for some reason.

Maybe the 20s-30s “Instagram Set” who live in Reston and Germantown. I’m a millennial who lives in DC and I don’t know a single person who would eat at FF. Who even goes to that part of the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most overrated in my view - Founding Farmers.

+1 FF is not good

One or Sietsema's most scathing reviews ever was FF. Who's saying it's good?

GW kids who drag their parents their for brunch during Parents Weekend and the 20s-30s Instagram set. They seem to LOVE IT for some reason.

Maybe the 20s-30s “Instagram Set” who live in Reston and Germantown. I’m a millennial who lives in DC and I don’t know a single person who would eat at FF. Who even goes to that part of the city?

I still remember the salty, gristly, disgusting sausage I had there the last time I went. One of the few (only?) negative Yelp reviews I've ever made.

[Anonymous]

In response to other posters: I agree about Rose’s Luxury. I thought it was mediocre (bad service and mediocre, uninspired food). I disagree about Inn at Little Washington. We had an amazing experience there and I would like to take my friends there to enjoy it. I would say Sfoglina probably meets the hype. Anyone else have thoughts about Sfoglina?

[Anonymous]

FF only saving grace is that you can bring your own wine (one bottle per table) for $0 corking fee. I sometimes meet friends there and BYOB so we can at least have decent wine and not pay the 250% wine upcharge.

Now if only the food were better......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Roses Luxury - overrated

Call your mothet — overrated

Bullfrog bagels - underrated

Surprising take! I think Bullfrog is not very good at all but love Call your Mother

[Anonymous]

I think Jaleo is desperately overhyped and overrated (it’s only pretty good), and I am surprised that Marcel’s is not in the conversation more as one of the best restaurants in DC, I just don’t come across it being mentioned that much anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I rarely hear it talked about. but I cannot get over how delicious this place is - we discovered it a few years ago and love it:

http://caphebanhmi.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rasika - OVERRATED!! Why people keep suggesting it, is confusing to me. I'm a vegetarian, and the selections are not that good. My first experience with them was when I just wanted a simple order of Raita to go with my meal that I purchased from an Indian Eatery that used to be in the Post Office Food Court (BEST Bhindi Masala Ever!!). Anyway, I can make better Raita than them, and I learned just from watching my Indian friend make it. I went back to them a few times, ordering different entrees, trying to figure out what all the hype was about and each time it was overpriced food that was not very tasty.

Rasika is obviously a flashpoint restaurant, for whatever reason.

My Indian immigrant parents and my relatives from India all love it. And before you say anything, my parents and relatives have also all been to the finest/highest rated Indian restaurants in India. I think that it's possible some people don't like elevated Indian cuisine, because I will say that the spice profiles and textures are quite different than what you get at more hole-in-the-wall type places.

In general, I also think it's unlikely that dishes from Rasika would pair well with more traditional Indian dishes. (I've never tried this, so I can't say.) And raita has so many variations, it's kind of odd to be talking about one version being "better" than another. I can't stand boondhi, so there is literally no boondhi raita I like...even if it's the best version of it on earth.

[Anonymous]

I ate at Rose's Luxury in the first year that it opened and was blown away - did NOT expect to be. But, maybe it has gone downhill since then? Literally one of the top ten meals I have had and I do eat out a lot in DC and pre-COVID all over the US and Europe.

That said - Call Your Mother is vastly overrate but I like the ambience so I'll hangout.

I used to love Table in Shaw but it closed -thought it was vastly underrated. I find Vinotecca for what it is to be underrated.

Haven't eaten out in almost a year now...the sadness.

Someone asked about Sfoligna - it's good but not nearly as good as the ravs. But good and a very nice place to eat. Hit the bar for happy hour specials on food and drink.

Up in Van Ness/Forest Hills - I think Bucks is vastly overrated. Had one of the worst meals ever there. But again, a great place to hangout and I have had some good meals there. It has been better as late.

Comet - overrated for the food but fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most overrated in my view - Founding Farmers.

+1 FF is not good

One or Sietsema's most scathing reviews ever was FF. Who's saying it's good?

Came here to say the same thing. Sietsema basically said they couldn't even handle making a martini and the food was pure trash. How is it "overrated?" Even before that review it was a restaurant for the tourists.

Actually, I know a lot of people who fell for the whole "farm-to-table" thing. I have wondered whether they actually like it, or if they think that farm-to-table food is supposed to taste like that

It does seem to be a good option for people with food allergies, though.

I think you can have really good farm to table. Founding Farmers is not really good. Or even average. It reminds me of Applebee's or TGI Friday's for rich people.

I agree with this. But I think some FF fans haven't had that, and there's a little bit of signalling going on with eating at FF. Or maybe they really do like it, I don't know. I personally think it's awful, though I like a god FtT place in general.

[Anonymous]

Momiji sushi is amazing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Roses Luxury - overrated

Call your mothet — overrated

Bullfrog bagels - underrated

I feel like Rose's Luxury was very good for the first few years and has gone a bit downhill. Though I admit our most recent experience with them was takeout and we have been underwhelmed by takeout from all of the nice places we've done it from, except for Masseria. They really nailed it.

A place I rarely hear mentioned but that we love right now is Emmy Squared. We have gotten really weary of all the Neopolitan-style pizza and wood fired pizza in DC, so it's a nice change of pace (Detroit-style, which is kind of like deep dish, but it's own thing). And their salads and sides are also great, as well as their cocktails.

For Indian, our favorite is Cusbah on H Street, though I heard it might close due to the pandemic. It would be a real shame. It's not as upscale as Rasika (which we still love for a nice night out), but I think their Vindaloo is the best in town, and love their little patio.

Oh, and the reason I replied to the above post is that I completely agree regarding Call Your Mother and Bullfrog Bagels. We've been Bullfrog fans for years and it's our go-to for weekend bagels. We finally tried CYM in Barracks Row after so much hype and were underwhelmed. Their most popular sandwiches are way too meat-heavy and while the bagels are decent they aren't as good as Bullfrog.

I also recommend Buffalo & Bergen at Union Market for bagels. And while it is not my thing, my husband loves DC Fishwife at UM. And we both love the dosa place there!

B&B at Union Market is fantastic; I really like their bagels. Never tried Bullfrog or CYM. Bethesda Bagel is good, too, but I hear the quality varies based on location (I’ve only had the ones from Dupont and Rosslyn and found them comparable).