Central Michel RichardFantastic Dining ExperienceFrom sppetizer to dessert, the whole experience at Central Michel Richard was outstanding. The memories of each course will be with us for a long time since each was a delight.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSlap your mommaThe food was delicious. Main reason to go to eat. Atmosphere and service were great.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMLoud and tasty - just rightRevisited for the third time and remains consistently just want we were looking for. Loud and vibrant crowd. Creative but approachable menu and each dish flavorful. Took our 17 year old niece, who had as good a time as her middle-aged aunt and uncle. Shared apps and main. Selected mostly the seafood dishes plus one short ribs (touch of decadence). All superb. Great to have the consistency in quality and atmosphere (did I mention loud?).6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorite restaurantsLove Central...so much on the menu I like that it's hard to choose ....salads, seafood ...great burgers
Central has something for everyone!
Can't go wrong going here!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious and funFirst time eating at Central. Met my sister for an early dinner,
We shared the cheese gougeres, soft shell crab appetizer
And fried chicken. Everything was delicious and just what I expected.
The staff was great, and I loved the relaxed atmosphere.
Only downside was that we had no room for dessert.
Can't wait to come back with my husband.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it all!First, let me qualify that we ate here at 5:30pm on a Monday night. The restaurant was not very busy yet, so my experience may not reflect what's typical. That said, our server was fantastic- knowledgable, professional & attentive. The bread is baked specially for the restaurant and it is out of this world! As mentioned in other reviews, the fried chicken is outstanding! My husband had to try it, after reading a Wash Post review some time ago. It's not your usual fried chicken so have an open mind if that's not your thing. (I never eat fried food and after tasting this, will order it myself next time.) The beet salad was a hit as well as all of the dishes ordered by our party of four-- raves were given to the soft shell crab appetizer! A+6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMStill didn't get lamb burger rightCentral is a fun restaurant that can be exceptionally noisy. Luckily there were a few outside tables. I have ordered the lamb burger medicum rare twice and it is always fully cooked by the time it gets to the table. I would suggest ordering it rare. I assume the large volume means that food sits for a bit before being served. The french fries are some of the best I've had and the rest of our food lived up to expectations.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't wait for them to come to NYC!Four women celebrating a 60th birthday.... loved the food. We ordered three appetizers and three mains. Fried soft shell crab appetizer was amazing, and the asparagus risotto, creamy and delicious! Roast chicken and salmon were fabulous! Can't remember the other dish, but we all loved the food. The place was busy, noisy, but service was great. Our waiter was able to chat here and there as he went by. Will look forward to it in NYC.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMEvery aspect was 5 starsRarely have I been to a restaurant that hits all the notes perfectly: from the food to the service, everything my friends and I experienced at Central was amazing. The best part? Nothing is overly pretentious or snooty! The food was understated on the menu (for example, "Meatloaf") but every item we sampled was cooked perfectly, innovatively, and tasted wonderful. The presentation of the food was at the same time functional and beautiful-no mile-high tower of 30 different foods on one plate. Our server and hostess were warm and friendly, but had impeccable manners and made sure we were always well-taken care of. Great mood lighting as well.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and energetic atmosphereWe enjoyed the meal, cocktails, and the chocolate bar. I would skip the cheese puffs as they lack flavor and there are better apps. Our waiter was rushed and seemed stressed. I will be back though for another deliscious meal!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMBusiness lunchGreat food and service. Too loud for the business lunch we tried to conduct there.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMCentral is the best restaurantCentral is the best restaurant in DC. I have never not been satisfied. The food is excellent; the staff efficient. What else is there to say?6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMA real fun lunchA bottle of wine and amazing food......and at lunch!! A bonus for some much needed time off. Frisee (sp?) salad and the blue cheese salad - YUM!! My husband loved his burger and my soft shell crab special tasted as good as it looked. What a fun place. We love to sit back by the kitchen to watch the action and to see all of the great dishes being prepared. LOVE this restaurant!!!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding quality of theOutstanding quality of the food goes without saying, but service also was exceptional - informed on the dishes, everything well-timed, unobstrusive - perfect.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMLate nightFood was amazing despite eating at 10pm. Most places the quality of food goes down the later it is but it didn't. The food tasted phenomenal and the presentation was still beautiful.
Only bad part of experience...Our waitress was not attentive to us, and left mid-shift without even telling us. Then the next waiter had an attitude and clearly didn't want to serve us. Not rude but definitely didn't make for a pleasant experience considering the amount of money we spent.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AM16 yr Old's Special Birthday DinnerSoft shell crab special!! Yum. Fried chicken? Excellent. Fries cooked in Duck Fat? Could anything be better? Banana Split? Beautiful to the eye, pleasing to the palate.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA great spot!Fantastic food, great service. Recommended by a friend, pricey but worth it. Good wine list. Sea bass & scallops were very good.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAfordable good food. GoodAfordable good food. Good for family or group outings.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Echelon of Great Dining Is HereThis was a phenomenal dining experience that will forever be a memory of DC for me and my family. Everything from the food, service, and atmosphere was amazing and exceeded all of my expectations. The rib eye I ate was tender and paired so well with the mushroom cream sauce. The general manager David was helpful at suggesting a great bottle red wine to pair with my dish. And my Kit Kat bar dessert had a splendid crunch and combined sweetness. Central has set the standard, in fact defined the echelon, for everything you should expect from contemporary American cuisine. It's no wonder they are a James Beard award recipient, and they have demonstrated a superb reputation for offering the best of the best.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food and cerviceI went to Central for my birthday and had a wonderful time. The food was delicious and the service fabulous. The chicken liver foie gras was to die for.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMCentral Never DisappointsCentral is a restaurant I try to frequent. My friend and I shared the chicken nugget appetizer. Scrumptuous! That started us off nicely. A crab cake sandwich (no filler) and the day's special PBLT (pork belly) were very well prepared and tasty. Of course, the frites were wonderful and my guest's request for ketchup was quickly met with a smile. Shared desert was pistachio ice cream and various flavors of macaron, all handmade. Our server was friendly, polite and helpful. The restaurant has very clean lines and comfortable seating. The food is always top notch and the wines are very reasonably priced. A bottle of Vosne-Romanee accompanied everything beautifully and the coffee service rounded out another lunch at Central to remember.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner with the nieces and nephewDining at Central is an experience in delicious food expertly prepared by a Michel Richard trained staff. If you appreciate fresh ingredients, creative interpretations and delightful surprises, this is the dining experience for you. My dining companions are know and appreciate food well prepared and presented. We started with the cheese gouches and drinks.. The wine list provided a array of wines with price points within reason. Our entrees included soft shell crab with red pepper coulis, roasted beet salad, tuna burger and mussels. The most impressive and tasty entree was the roasted chicken. I would go back and order that again and again and again.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExciting Foodie PlaceThe menu was pretty comprehensive - lots of choices. Not Cheesecake Factory crazy comprehensive, but appropriately comprehensive. The food was well served and prepared. Our only complaints - 1. We ordered too much and could not enjoy the desserts and 2. The waiter did not know the wine list.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed the food here!Really enjoyed the food here! the fried chicken was juicy, crispy and delicious - mashed potatoes went well and the frisée salad that came with was perfectly dressed. My husbands steak au poivre was a bit rare for medium rare but he said it had great flavor and the cooked onions went perfectly. We had the cheese puffs for an app and they were fluffy, cheesy and lite. The bread is amazing here -crusty yet soft! The waiter was very friendly although we did lose him a couple of times, but I think that it was the result of a very busy Saturday night. The only downside to the restaurant is the noise level. It is very loud, although we were not shouting at each other, we did have to speak very loudy. This not a place to go for an intimate dinner.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGeorgetown GraduationMy son graduated from Georgetown University in 2013, so when I got to there, I told the hostess and he had a special little surpise for him. It was awesome and we will never forget our families special dinner in DC! Kudos!!! Awesome Place!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat AgainHaving dined here about 4 times in the past 1 1/2 years we have to say Central is one of our favorite restaurants anywhere. The food is exceptionally prepared with creatively designed taste combinations. This time, the service was simply outstanding as our waiter brought his enthusiasm and expansive knowledge appropriately into our dining experience. Central gave us an exceptional evening for an important meeting with good friends.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSo good!I took my mother here for lunch to celebrate Mother's Day. Our experience was amazing and the food was fabulous! I highly recommend.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect If Not for the NoiseMy mom and I don't come to DC without a dinner at Central. It's become a favorite destination and it never disappoints. We both wish it were a tad less noisy -- the Knicks on the tv at the bar didn't help matters -- but that would never deter us from coming. Keep up the delicious work!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved itIts pretty loud so maybe not the most romantic setting.
Other than that awesome! Service was spectacular, Food was superb!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, but too loudThe hanger steak was excellent, and my wife reported that the sea bass was exceptional. The wine list was extensive, and the restaurant was nicely decorated. All in all, I would say that this is a great place to have a special dinner - except for the noise level. It was impossible to have a quiet conversation. If you're looking for a fun "hopping" place, this is it. For a nice romantic dinner with your significant other - keep looking.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFood at a national meetingI am local but brought friends from Boston to Central. We all loved it.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMA+ on The Salad BenchmarkWhen restaurants make a perfect salad--greens all immaculately fresh and none sagging or wilted; just the right amount of dressing/vinaigrette; leaves perfectly dried and tossed so each piece presents the flavor of the dressing which itself is delicious-- then you know there is great care going into every dish. The gougeres are a great accompaniment to cocktails. Finally theirs is one of the best bearnaises you will find with intense flavor and thick enough to stay on the piece of meat as opposed to dissolving into the plate as so many others do. I just wish I had remembered that many entrees come with a bowl of salad, and I wouldn't have ordered a salad first course, but the 2 different types of salad were both wonderful.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMLove, Love, Love!I was lured by all the reviews and pictures of the food. My waitor was awesome and attentive. Explained everything to me and gave great suggestions. The food was lovely. Probably the best (American) restaurant I've had in a while. Definite go again!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful!We loved dining at Central. This was our first time and will be sure to return!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMTop NotchGreat Service and food with a very friendly and attentive staff.
Thank You!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely spectacularWe almost walked out because it was SO loud BUTstayed and were thrilled we did!
The food was spectacular from the warm perfectly crusty bread and soft butter to the best crab cake ever. The tuna carpaccio was perfect. The mushrooms on the sea bass were freshly sautéed, and the almonds on the trout crisp but not dry.
Save room for dessert, reverse profiteroles, don't ask just have it! Napoleon, Wow!
Service spot on!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent prix fix theatreExcellent prix fix theatre menu at a decent price!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMSweet!Outstanding service, great menu selections, and awesome desserts! Everything was great but I could have had dessert both before and after!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMCentral won't disappoint!The food at Central is fantastic! So many wonderful selections that it's hard to decide. I've eaten here several times for both lunch and dinner and have not been disappointed. The fried chicken is irresistible. And the chocolate mousse is amazing. Great wine selection too.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFoolproof destinationI hadn't been to Central in quite a while and wondered if it held its standards. Well, it surpassed them. A dish of rainbow trout with sauted almond slivers, salsify and sunchokes,plus bites of french green bean and a simple butter sauce was the definition of spring somehow. I always marvel at perfectly cooked fish, and this was that in spades.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a great mealI have been to Central at least 6 times and I always have a great meal. The food is always of great quality and the service is very helpful. The only flaw of this place is that it can get loud when the restaurant is full. I will continue to go back. This place is great for dates and group meals.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were seated in the privateWe were seated in the private dining room because the dining room was extremely busy.While it was very nicely located, the room looked a little old and dated.The service was very engaged and genuine. Our server was enjoyable.The food was good but the short ribs were barely edible.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMInteresting and exciting menu;Interesting and exciting menu; knowledgeable staff; excited for our next visit.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous Foodie DestinationOur meal and experience at Central was top notch. Michel's version of Chicken Nuggets would put fast food places out of business. The 48 hour short ribs are stellar. The lobster burger was legendary. However the true highlight of the meal came at dessert. I ordered the lemon tart, which came out looking like a bird's next with three eggs in it. The eggs were made of a candy coating, and filled with cream (as the egg white) and lemon tart (as the yoke). The presentation was egg-cellent. It exceeded my egg-spectations. Although we were not celebrating anything, I left out saying "happy 17 year, 9 month and 5 day anniversary" to my wife. After that meal, we may start celebrating our yearly, 9 month, 5 day anniversaries!!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely amazing. The serviceAbsolutely amazing. The service was great and the food was amazing. Anyone looking for a great experience should come here.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMgood food.good service.excellentgood food.good service.excellent not my first time.keep coming back.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThey really paid attentionThey really paid attention to our seating request. We sat where we could both see the kitchen, a bit isolated from other tables so we could really hear each other, and not everyone else, when we spoke. Dining with a friend haven't seen in awhile and had a lot to discuss so this was important. The food was phenomenal! Service great! Everything we needed when we needed it and nothing else. Overall a phenomenal experience.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe bacon onion tart was soThe bacon onion tart was so good
Chicken lemon schnitzel was melt in your mouth. The bartender who served me was so good and attentive4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible. No fuss, justIncredible. No fuss, just wonderful. Am anxious to get back.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMMichel Richard's famous friedMichel Richard's famous fried chicken did not disappoint!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AM