701 RestaurantAlways ImprovingWe've dined at 701 a handful of times over the past five years and it seems like they just get better with each visit. The food is creative, high quality, & not stuffy; the service is polished, relaxed, & sincere; the dining room elegant and inviting; and their Maitre'D is as gracious and welcoming. One of our favorites!6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new chefEvery item had unique and delicious flavors. The dishes were beautifully presented as well as being delicious! The piano and bass in the background provided a lovely note.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSurprising food, outstanding servicI must honestly say that the food basically lived up to my expectations - and I expected a lot based on the restaurant being on the Washington magazine Best 100 list.
Seating was rapid and efficient. The waiter immediately came to our table as soon as we were seated.
The two dishes that surprised me were the Ricotta Ravioli with pine nuts and lemon pesto and the Chocolate Ganache with ginger crust and ginger ice cream. The ravioli had perfect texture & flavor & the burst of intense flavor was unexpected but extremely pleasant. The same could be said for the desert. The ginger/chocolate combo was excellent & the ginger was intense enough to not be lost in the chocolate but was not overwhelming itself..6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreatHad a group of out-of-town guests -- everybody really enjoyed themselves -- food was excellent!6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMHostess missed special requestWe are regular customers who always request a particular table or booth. Unfortuantely, the hostess said she never looked at the special request on our Open Table reservation--not sure why--but that seemed very sloppy. Sat at another table which was fine, and Naj treated us well for our wedding anniversary. Suggest you train your people to carefully look at the Open Table special requests. Don't feel confident that we can rely on that as we have in the past. Still a wonderful spot for us, since we live next door.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA great dining experience at 701The weather was spectacular, and we sat outside for dinner. Food, service and ambiance were wonderful. It is fun sitting in 701 dining area and looking at the Washington scene going on all around.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniversary CelebrationThis is a classy restaurant in a great location with delicious food and excellent service, EXCEPT it was sorely lacking any character or soul. After the vibrant walk down 7th Street, through a diverse array of people all looking for a good meal, we were ready for a bit of pampering, but, rather than feeling serene, it felt cold and lonely. It's not cheap, so I guess doesn't draw the tourist crowd, but it was really empty. It was better when we sat on the patio at the edge of the Navy Memorial, but I wouldn't go again on a weekend or, possibly, even for dinner. I wonder if it's more of a fancy business lunch place...5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMRefreshing surprise!701 Restaurant exceeded my expectations. The service was impeccable; thoroughly knowledgable on the menu selections and down to earth. No stuffiness here! The sommelier provided fantastic pairings accompanied by a thorough education regarding his picks. The food was flavorful and original with just the right hint of Asian influence on classic American fare. To top it all off, the pianist and jazz guitarist set just the right attitude for the evening. A superior dining experience across the board.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA few of use were treatingA few of use were treating a good friend out for his retirement luncheon and we selected 701. From entering the restaurant through the entire meal, the wait staff was excellent. I am always impressed that the waiter can provide so much detail to the menu, that I always have to ask if he is the chef?5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMTheater Menu Fits the BillSo convenient to Shakespeare Theater goers and great choices for the pre-theater menu. Service is always attentive, smooth and professional. The sunchoke soup and strawberry/ruburb short cake was memorable and my husband's hit dish was the risotto.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent all aroundDelicious food in a lovely setting. Service was excellent. Quiet and not rushed. Highly recommend.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMBusy, noisy, chaotic, butBusy, noisy, chaotic, but food was good as eve and service was exemplary.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AM701 Pre-theater MenuExcellent food, great drinks (try the jalapeno margarita), and awesome servers. We went to 701 before the DC Shorts Comedy Festival (held at the Navy Memorial Theater next door) and had the Pre-Theater menu. Awesome food, good portions and good price. Sat outside, and the Naval Memorial is a great back-drop scene with good people watching as well. No draft beer, unfortunately, but a pretty good wine list. Highly recommend it.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMDining GEM in DCThe food was creatively prepared and served by an extremely attentive wait person. Ambiance was wonderful and the live Jazz band trio added to the festive mood. We thoroughly enjoyed celebrating my son's college graduation at this fine establishment,5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMService and Ambiance Outmatch FoodMy husband and I frequent many of the top restaurants in DC, he being a meat eater and I being a vegan. He was satisfied with his entree but not wowed. I am always amazed in this day and age by restaurants that believe accommodating vegans means bringing out a plate of a few roasted vegetables, perhaps drizzled with a sauce, and sans any grains...even with advance notice...BORING!!! So while haute cuisine does extend to the realm of vegan fare, not so at 701.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMPre-theater dinnerMy husband and I went here prior to our show at the Shakespeare Theater. The theater menu is excellent and the service is impeccable. We did not feel rushed and had time for three courses, awesome coffee, and a walk around the neighborhood before the 8pm show. I highly recommend 701 and will be back to try other dishes!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AM701 is a TENWe returned to the 701 after first eating there during Restaurant Week. Our RW experience was wonderful, so we returned for a 30th anniversary celebration. Complimentary champagne was presented upon our arrival, as well as a complimentary dessert at the conclusion. Our servers and waiters were extremely "professional," which means that they were proficient, not overbearing, knowledgeable, and courteous. The food was very good. My wife started with a salad which was excellent. We also shared the deviled egg appetizer, which was just average. I had the lamb dish-cooked perfectly and flavorful. My wife had a skirt steak (overcooked, but she ordered it med-well; no complaints). We will be back-valet parking (free w/validation) is avail. also.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMLeisure LunchWe arrived about 12:30 on a day in which the weather was clearing and so we were the first on the patio, which, while open to a broad plaza is set off and private and wait staff makes sure it stays that way. We lingered through appetizers and lunch, both of which were delicious and two bottles of excellent wine. While the restaurant officially closed at 3:00, nobody cared. Our waiter was outstanding and this was a special day. I highly recommend this restaurant.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative Menu & Consistently GreatThis place always offers something good and different. Their menu is creative, tasty and interesting. Their desserts are also very good and not too sweet and over powering. Great place.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMMothers Day BrunchWent for brunch. It was a special chef's tasting menu of 3 courses. My parents and I all tried different things, 9 in total (3 people X 3 courses). Everything was excellent! Great taste and presentation. Service was very good but not perfect - I would have preferred just a little more attention. If it's a beautiful day ask for outside seating.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good food and great serviceWe took friends here and they liked it so well that they gave us a gift certificate for a return visit. The hot spring egg was a delicious starter and my companion liked the lentil soup. His roasted chicken was juicy and delicious. My gnocchi with oyster mushrooms and goat cheese fondue tasted divine, except the gnocchi were slightly too chewy. The toffee pudding was also delicious. Our waiter was gracious and attentive without being intrusive. He made an excellent wine recommendation that went very well with our food. A very nice experience.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic service, deliciousFantastic service, delicious food and excellent cocktails!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the pre theater prix fixeGreat pre-theater spot! Atmosphere pretty and quiet enough for easy conversation. Service was courteous and efficient.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I had dinnerMy husband and I had dinner at 701 Restaurant on Thurs. 4/25/13. The food was excellent, our waiter was helpful and fun. I had the free range chicken dinner and my husband had the lamb,both dishes were very good. We also had a bottle of wine that was recommended to us, it went very well with both our dishes. I highly recommend. Elma and Steve from Texas.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect 21stI came here for my girlfriend's 21st birthday, and was blown away when we arrived. The night before we went, I had placed a reservation online, and at the end there was an additional comments field. I mentioned in the text field that it was my girlfriend's 21st birthday tomorrow, and that I didn't know if they did anything special, but if they did, I would greatly appreciate it. When we arrived, one of the first things they did was bring out champagne for each of us! I really didn't expect this, and was even more astonished when the check showed that the champagne was on the house. Thank you so much 701 for making my girlfriend's 21st birthday the best it could have been!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a lovely lunch. NotWe had a lovely lunch. Not particularly crowded. Nice decor, very good food. Definitely worth recommending4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWent on a Monday night whenWent on a Monday night when it wasn't too crowed and was extremely happy the meal was an unexpected delight. Food and service was wonderful and will be back soon.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AM701 is back (foodwise anyway)We really like 701 Restaurant and have been many times in the last several years. We loved it the first few times we went: food was great, atmosphere was warm, service was friendly and appropriately solicitous. I'd say the quality of the food went down each successive time we went but I was pleased that it was totally back last Sunday night. Food was excellent. Service was good. Restaurant was fairly empty although we attributed that to the fact that it was Sunday night. Since our very favorite restaurant TenPenh is now gone, it would be great if 701 could become our new very favorite restaurant.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our second time atThis was our second time at 701-we had first tried it during Restaurant Week, liked the food and discovered that it was not as expensive as we had thought it would be. This time we came for the pre-Theater menu, a very good value at $32.
The carpaccio appetizer was extremely tasty, the entrees were perfect--the sauce on the ravioli was heavenly. Desserts were good, but not as good as the appetizers and entrees.
The room is beautiful--of course since we went early, the noise level was low. they do have live music several times a week.
Our server, Petra, was a delight and her assistants delivered the food quickly and correctly.
We will be back.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinner: excellent food,Great dinner: excellent food, good service, and lots of things on the menu that looked tasty.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAn absolutely great placeAn absolutely great place to take relatives from out of town. Staff is amazing.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe requested a table outsideWe requested a table outside and that was perfect. Servers knew the food choices and were able to describe in great detail.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWine Education with a SmileThe service was exceptional - educational and with a smile. I learned of a fairly substantial difference between the Moet and Chandon champaign of France and the firm's Chandon line from California. If you have to choose between Moet's Imperial and the Napa Chandon - go with Chandon.
The food at 701 was fantastic. Its my only regret I couldn't talk my companion into dessert.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMSerenity in the CityMy friend and I had a serene experience sitting outside drinking martinis and eating wonderful food. Our server was extraordinary, checking our time frame, refreshing our drinks and basically taking care of us w/o hovering. Perfect perfect evening.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMOnce again, we had a wonderfulOnce again, we had a wonderful dining experience at 701!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellentgreat food. great selection of wine. great ambiance. not loud. Dishes seem to have a lot of french inspiration and generally paired well with french wines (the sommellier is french if that is any indication...). appropriately priced. I will definitely eat here again.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed a lovely dinner outside.Enjoyed a lovely dinner outside. The food and service were excellent.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMOnce again, it's hard forOnce again, it's hard for me to decide which I like better, the food or the service. Both are top notch. We go to 701 often before hitting the theater -- they have a reasonable fixed price pre-theater dinner menu -- and have yet to have a bad meal or encounter shoddy service.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMHard to beatI have been going to 701 since 1994 and this was one of the best of many very good meals that I have had. As always, the service matched the quality of the food.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AM701 -- Among DC's Best701 was my favorite restaurant years ago when I worked downtown, but I had not eaten there in years. I was pleased to discover that it's still in my "top 10:" of DC area restaurants. I had the Scottish salmon, and it was perfect -- not overcooked and seasoned just right. My only complaint was our server who was a bit too "familiar." When she asked if we needed anything else, my response was "I'm good." She replied "I'm sure you are!" She said the same thing to my friend during a similar exchange later on. We both thought it was weird and a bit much.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely wonderful placeAbsolutely wonderful place to dine. the Pre-Fix menu is just great. Everything is so fresh and tastes so good. I love goging here and taking friends here. Service is phenominal...so attentive!4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Find!We were so pleased to find the 701! The food was appealing to all -- including my foodie daughter -- and absolutely delicious but really moderately priced. They were able to accommodate a group of five easily and the service was spectacular: incredibly attentive wait staff but discrete and not annoying. I particularly valued how quiet it was: my elderly parents could actually hear and participate in the conversation. I cannot say enough good about it. We will definitely return to the 701 next time we're in DC. Next time we'll get there early enough to take advantage of their fabulous pre-theatre deal.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat locationVery close to Metro and easy to find. And nice food and service.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent andThe food was excellent and the staff was attentive to every detail of our dining experience. Serving staff excelled at providing descriptions of menu items and recommending beverages. Well worth the prices. Will definitely eat there again.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent besides sittingExcellent besides sitting in back area with bright light outside back door blaring onto our table. They should put a blind on that back window.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very good. ServiceFood was very good. Service pleasant but uneven (busy night, full house). Noise level a little high for conversation--music nice but a little cloying. Still, a very nice evening out on the town in DC.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe noise level was average.EverythThe noise level was average.Everything else very wonderful. We are very discerning regarding restaurants. One of the best. Right up
there with Range./4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely wonderful placeAbsolutely wonderful place to dine. the Pre-Fix menu is just great. Everything is so fresh and tastes so good. I love goging here and taking friends here. Service is phenominal...so attentive!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMReliably good, with a veryReliably good, with a very nice pre-theater option.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst encounter with 701We picked 701 because it offered a pre-theater menu and was within walking distance of the Woolly Mammoth Theater. When our waiter introduced himself, he said he had seen our schedule and would be sure we were finished on time. As a result the service was very prompt but not hurried. Our 6:00 reservation allowed us just enough time, I would not try a later reservation.
The food from both the three course ($30.00) pre-theater menu and the regular dinner menu was excellent. My flat iron steak and my wife's duck were cooked perfectly. The vegetables were very tasty and worked well with the entre. The banana cream desert was sinful. As expected the drinks and wind added considerably to the cost. In all it was a great start to our evenin4/3/2013 12:00:00 AM