The Curious GrapeGreat new place in ShirlingtonWe were very pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Our waiter was enthusiastic about the food and efficient in his descriptions. We love being able to order small portions of both food and wine. Everything we tasted was delicious, and we will definitely go back.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful anniversary dinner!My husband and I had dinner at The Curious Grape last week to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The food and wine were amazing, and the service was perfect -- our server was there whenever we needed something, and otherwise just let us enjoy each other's company. I love that some of the entrees come in "half portion" sizes and that some of the wines also come in "half glass" sizes. That made it easier to enjoy more dishes and wines without over-eating. We will definitely go back for more!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMIt is one of our favoriteIt is one of our favorite restaurants. We went for brunch (our second time for brunch) and will return for brunch and for dinner.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Service; Excellent FoodThis place is a gem. We went as a group for brunch. We made reservations for Mother's Day thinking things might be a bit crowded. When we arrived, we were seated right away on the patio. Our server was energetic and incredibly charming. I had the Korean Burger, a sizable burger and I ate the whole thing. My brunch-mate ordered various side items and a blueberry muffin, which was enormous and perfect for sharing.
I highly recommend this place for brunch.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new addition to ShirlingtonI like this place a lot. I was there for brunch on Mother's Day. This was my second visit. My first visit was 3 weeks prior for dinner. I was happy to see not one menu item was the same. I thought everything we had at the table was well balanced and great tasting. Everyone was pleased. I liked the english muffins so much I bought half dozen to take home and enjoyed them throughout the week. Also, owners on premises come around to make sure all are happy... great! And, before you go, check groupon... this place often has deals.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed our mealMy husband and I really enjoyed our meal Saturday night. The service was great - very attentive but not rushed. The food was VERY tasty and we will definitely be back.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMCool concept for a restaurantCool concept--pairing certain meals with a particular group of wines, and allow the guest to choose, very helpful for a novice!
At first it took our waitress a little long to get started with us, but once she did, she was VERY attentive. Dinner was delicious!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous foodWe celebrated our 29th anniversary on Saturday night and it was just delicious. I am a very good cook and discriminating diner and lived in Italy for 3 years so my pasta standards are very high- and they nailed it! This would be 5 satrs across the board except that our wine came at odd times- my hubands first, eventually mine with our first course and our paring for the second course arrived well after the entree was delivered. Other than that, just outstanding!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ExperienceI was looking through reviews to find a great place that I could take my family to that was visiting from out of town. I have to say, walking in, I was expecting a more intimate dinning experience but it was fairly loud with the bar in the middle but everything was so good it did not take away from our dinning experience. The menu is not very extensive but there is something for everyone and I love how they give great suggestions on wine pairing. Our server was great, she was so helpful and took the time to explain everything to us. Everyone in my group of five absolutely loved their food and wine. I could not be happier with my decision to choose Curious Grape as the place to show my family a good time.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was delicious andThe food was delicious and the wine pairings were great. My husband and I enjoyed the cheese plate immensely and appreciated that is came with many accouterments. Will definitely return!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMI am so sad that I have notI am so sad that I have not tried this place earlier! Food was amazing and the staff was VERY knowledgeable about all their wine and food. I am very impressed and will be frequenting The Curious Grape often!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMI had been meaning to tryI had been meaning to try the Curious Grape for a while now and finally had a good opportunity when a friend came in from out of of town.
We used the suggested wine pairings list, but the menu said there was also a larger, more complete wine list.
The food was excellent. Of note were the croquettes and the short rib.
Dessert was good, but a little off the beaten path for me. The passion fruit creme brulee was interesting, but would have better had it come with something lighter in the flavor (it came with ginger ice cream and a lime caramel sauce). My dark chocolate cake was tasty but had an odd texture (probably due to the beets in the batter).
Overall, we had a great time with delicious food and lots of wine. I highly recom4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMHighly RecommendGreat food - wonderful menu. Service was excellent. This is a gem for the Shirlington area. Prices were extremely reasonable. Menu offers 1/2 dinner meals - so you can enjoy two main courses for the price of one. Disadvantage - we forgot to order the extra vegetable; however, the main course had vegys and the entire meal was very filling.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMLOVED IT! Fit for Foodies for Sure!The chef is brilliant and the food is amazing! I highly recommend the fluke. We also had the halibut special and it was to die for. I never order chicken but am so glad we did. It's absolutely the best chicken I have ever had. The skin is crispy and delicious. The short ribs - OMG! This place is fit for foodies for sure! Loved it!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went for brunch on SundayWe went for brunch on Sunday for the first time and enjoyed it very much. The portion sizes were manageable, and the food was very good as usual.
We had beem to the Curious Grape for dinner a number of times, and now know to go there for brunch as well.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother great meal at theAnother great meal at the Grape. They do a wonderful job with fish which is what we both ordered and the wine list by the glass encourages trying some different things. The Hungarian Tokai on the after dinner drink list is something you don't find at many restaurants and it paired very well with the pinapple tart. All in all an enjoyable evening.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe curious grape continuesThe curious grape continues to impress and has become my go to in Arlington. The wine list changes frequently and the wine tastings are always worth showing up a few minutes before your reservation. The food is top notch and the menu changes frequently enough so that you don't get tired of it.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was a great way to celebrateIt was a great way to celebrate my 60th birthday. A special treat for a very special occasion. Thank you! David Tittsworth4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant was great.This restaurant was great. Really enjoyed the food and they have an extensive wine list and a retail wine section. Food was very innovative; server was knowledgable about menu; and restaurant was well laid out and appealing. Love this restaurant. It was a great experience.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Curious Grape does notThe Curious Grape does not fail in presenting a unique menu with interesting food pairings. I also like the ability to order half portions of entrees.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMSweetThe service was outstanding. Each individual part of my dish was expertly prepared and very tasty, but the combination of the parts was overwhelming (venison w/ a sweet venison jus, very sweet port-braised red cabbage, and then a sweet sweet potato puree). Of course, that is just the review of one dish, not the whole menu. Great wine list, though the list of sparkling needed more dry choices (e.g. Segura Viudas: good, cheap, dry).3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service and great atmosphere.Great service and great atmosphere. We went for a special birthday dinner and the Curious Grape was perfect-Food was excellent - reminded us of places we ate in Napa. Wine list was extensive. We liked the wine we had so much we bought a bottle-the restaurant also has a retail area and you get 10% off your purchase when you dine there.
One member of our party had the short ribs with squash and he liked the squash so much he asked for an extra serving! Chicken with spaetzle was delicious!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst-time diners and wereFirst-time diners and were very impressed, as we felt like regulars. The food was really tasty, and the wines were diverse and of high quality. The best part was how welcoming they were to our two boys. We all had a wonderful time and will return.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMI am glad I selected thisI am glad I selected this restaurant for brunch. I tried the lamb and beef burger and the potato balls in truffle sauce. Both very delicious. The burger was cooked correctly and was very flavorful.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMI've been there several timesI've been there several times and enjoyed my meal thoroughly each time. The service is sometimes a bit too laid back, but the staff are all friendly. The menu, which recommends specific wine-food pairings, is well organized.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFood & Wine Euphoria!Cannot rave enough! I love the options of plate size and wine glass size, so you can feel free to mix and match many dishes and wine pairings. Food was wonderful, as promised - not one bad note among the four of us. Excellent service from Anna, who made us eagerly anticipate each course with her enthusiasm and guidance. Love the unique flavors of house made ice cream. Portions were nice and small, and reasonably priced, so you can clean your plate without feeling stuffed. I can't say enough about the wonderful experience we had at Curious Grape, which left us trying to come up with the next special occasion so we could come back soon!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I really likeMy husband and I really like this restaurant. The food is delcious plus the beer and wine selection are impressive. We frequently leave with cheese and wine to serve as another dinner.
The food is outstanding. It is imaginative, high quality and caters to the current season. The beer and wine lists are impressive so beer and wine lovers will be satisfied. Both lists change regularly.
As for pricing, reasonable, if you have self control! You can go in for a casual less expensive dinner but watch-out, you'll want more.
Service is excellent - attentive and not disruptive.
Enjoy!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMA very enjoyable evening.A very enjoyable evening. Try to get a table in the back (Wine tasting area). Friendly and efficient service, good wine list (of course) and very original takes on traditional dishes. A very nice experience indeed.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA very friendly, relaxed place.A very friendly, relaxed place. We were unexpectedly quite early for our reservation, and the staff was flexible and accommodating. Being able to order half portions of some of the dishes and wines is a definite plus. I had the brussels sprouts salad as a starter, which was outstanding. Both the winter squash agnoletti and the penne pasta entrees were delicious. We ordered seconds on the bread basket, which was cheerfuly delivered. All in all a great dining experience.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWill Definitely ReturnFirst time dining at the Curious Grape and we were very pleased with the food, wine and service. The menu is quite interesting and is offered in half and full portions which allowed us to try things from all categories. We were very impressed by the creative food combinations and found the wine pairing recommendations helpful. We had a cheese platter to finish the meal which was beautifully prepared. We will definitely return!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI really love this place.I really love this place. This was my second time and the servers make me feel so special! i do not know a lot about wine except that I enjoy it and they are helpful with out making me feel silly. The food was out of this world. Creative and yummy at the same time3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was by far one of myThis was by far one of my best dining experiences in Arlington recently. The food was fresh and delicious. Highly recommend for anyone who appreciates good food and good wine.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMPraiseworthy desserts --too goodWe've been to Curious Grape 3 weeks in a row. Each time we've found new items on the menu that are true winners. This rave, however, is for the desserts. Outstanding, original ice cream favors ( lemon grass, port-infused cherry) paired with lovely cakes or tarts. At other restaurants my group of 3 ladies split one dessert, just to try it. At Curious Grape, no one wants to share!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMTasty treat in ShirlingtonThis was our second time eating at Curious Grape. We enjoyed it just as much as we did the first time. My husband's lobster appetizer was the best dish of the night, but my beet salad and fish entre and and his shrimp dish were also superb. We like the opportuinty to have smaller glasses of wine with each course. Our only wish is that they would turn down the music, and change to a different genre. Both times we dined there, we felt the music was disracting. Fortnately not to the point where it detracted from the food, but close. Suzanne is a lovely proprietor, and the serice staff are very knowledgeable about the wine and the dishes. We are looking forward to going back!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMy second time to the CuriousMy second time to the Curious Grape in two weeks. Excellent.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and wine as usualThe food and wine as usual were wonderful. The restaurant was very crowded on a Saturday evening and our meal was delayed because of a backup in the kitchen, but our sever apologized for the kitchen delay, brought us a complementary cheese tray and gave us a certificate for $20 off on a future dinner. These gestures were unexpected and welcome and guarantee that we will return.
This has become one of our favorite restaurants.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMA standout in the crowdThe restaurant is adjacent to the wine shop so it felt less restaurant and more cafe, with rather harsh lighting, at least where we set. Service was very friendly and the food was outstanding. Different from the usual run-of-the mill menu. All four people in my party were happy with their dinner. The only negative is that the kitchen may not have their timing down yet as we had to wait quite a while between courses. All in all, however, a great meal.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AM