Sonoma Restaurant + Wine Bar

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Address:
223 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Neighborhood:
Capitol Hill

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Cuisine:
Contemporary American

Price: $30 and under

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Sonoma Restaurant + Wine Bar Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.sonomadc.com
Email: info@sonomadc.com
Phone: (202) 544-8088
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm; Dinner: Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm, Monday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm; Bar opens at 5:00pm. Lounge opens Tuesday - Saturday at 5:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Contemporary American, Italian, Californian
Executive Chef: Joshua Hutter
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Counter Seating, Fireplace, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Smoking Area, Takeout, View, Wine, Wine Bar
Catering: Sonoma's mission is to highlight the Mid-Atlantic's best naturally-raised and local ingredients and pair the creations with the best American and Italian wines.
We strive to integrate sustainable practices in all our restaurants: sourcing local ingredients, to create mouth-watering dishes, we aspire to be more than just a culinary trend-setter.
Special Events & Promotions: A perfect venue for a small intimate gathering or a huge holiday party! And with surprisingly low prices for a Capitol Hill location (minimums starting at just $500), Sonoma should most definitely be on your party list!

Getting there

Cross Street: 2nd Street S.E.
Public Transit: Capitol South Metro
Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: Parking Garage located 2 blocks away, neighborhood and metered parking available, Metro is 2 blocks away.

A word from Sonoma Restaurant + Wine Bar

At Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, our culinary mission is straightforward - use the best local ingredients as simply as possible. New American Cuisine places an emphasis on seasonal ingredients that are regionally available, and our menu changes frequently to reflect the Mid-Atlantic’s offerings.… The first floor, a bustling, “upscale-casual” bistro and wine bar, offers superior moderately-priced cuisine by using the best local, organic, and naturally raised ingredients. The menu bears a southern European influence, and is comprised of four groups: cheese and charcuterie, handmade pasta and pizzas, wood-grilled meats and fish, and organic salads and produce. The second floor features a lounge and reserve wine bar along with a dining room for private events. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be taken by telephone or through OpenTable.
$20/bottle corkage fee (2 bottle maximum)
$3/person cake fee (including cupcakes) Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerNotable Wine List

Diner Reviews

"Great food and wine even though the selection is limited"
Dined on 4/6/2014
"Kind of expensive. Not much in the way of vegetarian options--we do like to eat things BESIDES mushroom sandwiches--but the sides were god."
Dined on 4/7/2014
"I thought the food was great. However, our server acted as if we should be lucky to have him serve us. I asked for a glass of wine and it was $20! I had no idea until the bill came. I feel with wine over $10 the server should mention the price. It ruined the meal to find out I paid so much for wine without realizing it. That combined with the snooty waiter meant I haven't been back."
Dined on 11/13/2013
"Terrific spring Gnocchi with fresh peas and bites of lobster, tasty!"
Dined on 4/5/2014
"My wife and I took our twins here for Sunday brunch. The food was just OK—steak & eggs and the breakfast burger. They brought me the wrong burger, and I had to wait an extra ten minutes to eat. And there was no changing table in either bathroom."
Dined on 3/30/2014
"My wife And I have been going to Sonoma for years and we are never disappointed. This time was our favorite yet. We started with the roasted beet salad. I had the salmon and she had the spinach gnocchi. Service and wine were excellent."
Dined on 3/29/2014
"We've been coming to Sonoma just about once a week since they opened and it's still our "go to" place whether it's a family birthday party or just Sunday dinner for 2"
Dined on 3/28/2014
"I am always impressed with sonoma's food. THey have an excellent menu and do a good job pairing the seasons with the food. The only draw back was that the soup we ordered was a little cool, but it wasn't enough to make a fuss about really- and it was a busy time. Having been here before, I was surprised- because that is NOT normal for them. The server we had was wonderful and was very informative on the menu."
Dined on 3/26/2014
"Dining at Sonoma is always a pleasure. Great wines and cozy chic atmosphere. The beet salad is wonderfully fresh with a light and tasty dressing. Love their pastas - especially the spinach gnocchi. Servers are very knowledgable and make great recommendations."
Dined on 3/23/2014
"Sat at bar and had salad and pizza. Kale salad was nothing special but the garden salad was decent. Had a spicy pizza and it wasn't bad-the bartender seemed too busy chatting to worry about waiting on us or getting things we had requested. But it was Ok."
Dined on 3/18/2014
"Great time. Highly recommended to all. Our food took a long time to come out (we finished our bottle of wine before our food was out- and we were sipping). But the manager noticed this and gave a meal on them. Otherwise, an A+++ experience."
Dined on 3/14/2014
"This restaurant had been recommended by fellow travelers. I consider myself a foodie, and was looking forward to this experience. Unfortunately, our waiter ignored some guests at our table, neglected to check on us; we had empty wine glasses without him asking us if we wanted more, empty water glasses, and incorrect orders that were delivered to the table. It was a very disappointing dining experience. The food was not great, and certainly not worth the prices. It would be a great place to grab a glass of wine at the bar, but that's about it."
Dined on 3/11/2014
"Second visit to Sonoma near the Capital so ideally located in that area. We had to get past the ridiculously slow wait staff (had to ask a waterboy to get our waitor) and got no identification of our cheese platter, but that was only a distraction form an otherwise solid restaurant. They have an entertaining wine list and the food was very good. I would return, but hope that the service reflected one bad apple as our last visit was not marred by subpar service."
Dined on 3/9/2014
"This was our second time eating here, but first on a Sunday. It was very quiet at first but then more people came in and we felt more comfortable. The food is very good. I would recommend this as a good place to eat if you find yourself on Capitol Hill."
Dined on 2/23/2014
"Although there were many good choices on the menu, we both went with the chef's specials -- rib-eye omelet and crab cake benedict. Oh, and an order of Zeppole -- those delicious little doughnuts. That and a bottle of mimosas made for an excellent time overall."
Dined on 3/9/2014
"had brunch with another couple on sunday. donuts are awesome. could have just had those a main course, but decided on the steak and eggs with polenta, which were fantastic."
Dined on 3/9/2014
"We were looking for somewhere to eat close to the Library of Congress and based upon others reviews, the location, and the menu, we chose Sonoma. The food and service are outstanding! The decor is simple but elegant, with adult music, not the stuff that'll lull you to sleep, upbeat just right......K"
Dined on 3/8/2014
"This is my second time there and the food was great! I had a spinach gnocchi that was outstanding and my friend had a great burger! If you're going to Capital Hill and/or to the Folger, this is the place to go!"
Dined on 3/6/2014
"Solid location for a dinner date or a classy glass of wine on the Hill"
Dined on 3/5/2014
"We needed a restaurant near the Folger and chose Sonoma based on location and good reviews. Service was friendly although a little slow, even though the restaurant was only about a quarter full. The menu was overpriced based on food quality. Out of 3 diners, only one rated his dish as very good -- the spinach gnocchi. My burger with mushrooms and fries for $19 was tiny and pretty tasteless. The 'house-made burger roll' tasted like Wonder Bread, and I ended up removing it altogether. Our other diner had tomato soup and beet salad with chicken. Both were fairly bland. Beer was overpriced. Would not return."
Dined on 3/2/2014
"I liked the atmosphere and the beer and wine selection. The ladies in our group commented that the waiter smelled bad. Service was slow. The food was merely okay. Also liked the ample seating room."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Surprised at the high quality of the food BUT the wine list is embarrassingly short and unattractive for a "wine" bar. No Argentine, no Spanish, -- and the "best" of the mediocre Red Wine selections are about 400% markup and not the best choices available....so, we settled for a chardonnay from Santa Barbara County (only 250% markup). "Sonoma" wines at the Sonoma Wine Bar? Hardly any."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"I went before a show- good veggie burger, good wine."
Dined on 2/26/2014
"We typically eat at Sonoma before plays at the Folger. We always ask for Arthur, who is an exceptional server and provides great wine service. The food is exceptional, however, there is always something amiss here. The kitchen is always behind, even when it’s known that most of the dining room is attending the theater. Once it gets busy, it's difficult for the wait staff to keep up. We completely lost our server this last visit because he was deluged with diners and had to keep flagging someone down for help. They were overwhelmed. Overall, it just doesn't seem to be managed very smoothly. Two things that are really irritating are how the bar essentially takes over the dining room and the inane music that pumps monotonously away!"
Dined on 2/26/2014
"Our waitress was especially good - checked in with us because I had said we had some time constraints. She was pleasant and unobtrusive, but got us out in our alloted time."
Dined on 2/25/2014
"Overall good experience. Food good for DC Food took a long time to prepare but enjoyable."
Dined on 2/19/2014
"I ate here with my friends who were visiting from out of town and the menu had enough variety to please our varied palates. The noise level was low enough that we could catch up on everything without having to shout over others' conversations. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable but didn't crowd us so we had plenty of time to enjoy our food and our conversation. Would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a small, but comfy and quality spot on Capitol Hill."
Dined on 2/9/2014
"Rhis my second time with this restaurant. As before the food was excellent Very nice wine selection. Looking forward to our next visit."
Dined on 2/7/2014
"Whether it's someone from California longing for home, or a Hill groupie, Sonoma has something for everyone. The staff is reliably astute and attentive. The range of cuisine is great. And, the wine, ooh la la. I rather wished I lived in the neighborhood so that I could go there more often."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"It is unfortunate that there are so few good restaurants near LC and the Folger. Sonoma is always very busy because it is superior to the other options. Despite the very good food and service, I am annoyed by the excessive mark-up on wine. The sauvignon blanc we had was $11 a glass, 81 cents more than I pay for an entire bottle at my favorite wine store when I purchase by the case. Request a table away from the bar if you want to have a conversation because the noise level near the bar is excessive. Also, go with an empty bladder as there are just two restrooms for up to a hundred people on a typical early evening mid-week.."
Dined on 2/5/2014
"The food and wine were fantastic at Sonoma. I ordered the gnocci, which was superb. The wine was excellent. Although our waitress was not as familiar with the wine selections, the service was impeccable. This is a sophisticated Italian restaurant, and worth going back. Great before a play at the Folger."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"For a wine bar, the wine selection is very narrow and the price range is very limited. Most wines are on the very high end of the spectrum with only one or two choices in the $8-$10 range for a single glass."
Dined on 2/3/2014
"My husband and I had a nice dinner--food was good and the waiter was reasonably attentive. However, when it came to sign the credit card statement, the amount charged was about about $18 more than the dinner bill. We did not get an explanation of what happened. Its very dark in there, so its hard to see your credit card slip, but based on our experience, I would carefully review my credit card bill before I signed it."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"The food here goes beyond garden variety Italian--choices varied and very interesting. You can't go wrong and the desserts are great."
Dined on 1/10/2014
"Sonoma hold tribute to its namesake. Great ambiance and good wine. Our bartender was great."
Dined on 1/24/2014
"I went to Sonoma on a Fright night. There was a good crowd but it was not noisy. The atmosphere was fantastic and the candles at the table were nice. The food was great too."
Dined on 1/24/2014
"Sonoma has become our "go to" place when staying in town for a concert. Food is always really good and portions can be managed by ordering small plates, 1/2 pastas or the chacuturie. VERY rarely disappointed. Wait staff are friently and helpful. Due to a couple large groups, our initial drink order was delayed, but that is a rare event. the rest of the meal was delivered in a timely way. The charred octopus and the trout dip were both new to us, so we tried. Excellent!"
Dined on 1/22/2014
"My boyfriend and I came here for brunch and had a goodtime the service was quick and courteous not rushed at all and the food was delish... we werent able to try their infamous breakfast pizzas but maybe next time!"
Dined on 1/19/2014
"Excellent selection for Restaurant Week that allowed us to sample lots of dishes. The appetizers and desserts are to die for!"
Dined on 1/18/2014
"I chose this place for the last night of restaurant week because I have walked by it so many times and have wanted to go. It was the perfect dinner! I got grilled octopus with kale pesto, local sirloin, and (what I was looking forward to the most) pumpkin chocolate bread pudding. Everything was amazing! Our server was on point. We also went with the red wine special (about $30 for the bottle) which went perfectly. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't expecting it to be much different than your typical wine bar, but it was truly a unique dining experience. Loved this place!"
Dined on 1/17/2014

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