Zest BistroWatermelon gazpacho! The chefWatermelon gazpacho! The chef is brilliant without being pretentious. Her flavor choices are very bold, but clean :-) Sricha cheese grits? Come on. She should be the next Iron chef:-)6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMRelaxing Saturday brunchA great find - fresh and delicious food, server was friendly, attentive without being intrusive. THe create-your-own omelette was both rich and light at the same time; my companion had the Chesapeake benedict which was a cornucopia of interesting flavors. Recommend the spicy cheese grits - grits done right with just a little kick. And they take reservations, great if you hate waiting around at brunch time.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat neighborhood bistroZest is everything you want in a neighborhood bistro. Great ambiance, great food, great location, and reasonably priced.
I had the blackened salmon and am not exaggerating when I say it was the best salmon I have ever had. Perfect seared on the outside, moist, flakey, buttery on the inside. HIGHLY recommended!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFun little placeI parked under the bridge and ws pleased that it was so cheap. Then headed over for dinner. Across the street is the Marine Barracks so you get to look at good looking people in uniform while eating. I had the pork belly, delicious. I love being in the south, the dish had black eyed peas, which is unheard of back in San Diego. I then had the catfish with grits. That too was yummy.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother Successful Outing to ZestExcept for the fact that there was no reservation when we arrived (and I had received a confirmation, so who knows what happened), this was a completely pleasant experience, as always. The server was knowledgeable, outgoing but not hovering every minute. The food presentation was artful and was made from fresh ingredients. There were wonderful twists on some of our dishes, such as ginger and Wasabi on calimari. Zest is so appropriately named! A definite YES when asked if I would recommend this restaurant. It is priced right and well worth the trip.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely BrunchTook my dear friend for brunch. Everything was seasoned well, arrived to temperature with attentive service. We both had the build your own omlettes. Yum! And the spicy cheddar grits were fantastic.
Reasonably priced and nice atmosphere for a Saturday afternoon brunch. Price per person for coffee, entrees and a side was under $40 before tip. Will definately come again.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Zest!Fav spot on 8th Street. Always find quality food at reasonable prices there.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMI went here for my graduationI went here for my graduation dinner and really enjoyed it. All of the dishes that we ordered were very good. They took typical dishes and gave them an extra spin. I would go back.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMMothers Day Surprise!Great little spot. Food was fresh and full of flavor. Will definitely be back.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMHits all the right notes.I really enjoy our visits to Zest. The food is prepared so well, exactly as described. Most entrees have that dash of verve that makes it a Zest dish. Just enough heat or accent to make the flavors notable. I look forward to the soups offered. I haven't tried a new one I didn't like. The mixed grill is terrific because it offers surf and turf with a chimichurri sauce that accents the entire dish. My partner swears that the blackened salmon bearnaise is the best she has had. The servers are excellent at what they do and not pushy or around too much. We love what Zest offers and will be returning soon.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had been last year whenWe had been last year when going to the Marine Barracks and thought this year the food was better. I would come another time when not going across the street.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMSecond time at Zest. My groupSecond time at Zest. My group of 8 was treated well. Everyone pleased with their food and the service5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Food, Busy RestaurantWe had a large party with a wide range of ages and everyone was able to find something they loved. The restaurant was busy and a little loud and seating was not overly comfortable but we had a nice dinner and the desert was to die for. Appetizers were great also. Service was good.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was good but it tookThe food was good but it took a long time to get our drinks and then a longer time for our food to come. My dad asked the waiter not to include toast and hashbrowns on his order because he's on a diet but they came out with them anyway. Seemed like they might have a few kinks to work out but overall it was a pleasant experience.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMy daughter and her friend,My daughter and her friend, 2 San Francisco foodies, are visiting here next month. I am sending them to Zest. They will be impressed!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSpaghetti carbonara was tasty.Spaghetti carbonara was tasty. Pasta was al dente, pork belly pieces were a nice touch, peas tasted fresh, cream sauce wasn't too heavy. Pork belly app was also quite good. My friend has the miso cod, which was very delicious. The broth was on the salty side.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new spot. Friendly staff,Great new spot. Friendly staff, delicious food and fast kitchen. Also love the natural, chic decor.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMStaff was very attentativeStaff was very attentative on a very busy night. Food was well done and the prices reasonable.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMPer usual, solid meal, greatPer usual, solid meal, great presentation and great go-to. The staff is kind and answers questions and the food is fresh and innovative.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI had never made it down toI had never made it down to the south end of 8th street--I'm so glad I finally stumbled into Zest! The kale salad was incredible, as was the key lime pie. I loved the lighting and the attentive service.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved the Blood OrangeWe loved the Blood Orange Manhattan and Black Ginger cocktails. The staff were friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable and fun. The food was all good, some of it excellent. The best, I think, was pan-fried catfish with a southern/latin combo -- cheese grits and a chile-citrus sauce.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat restaurant. ExtremelyGreat restaurant. Extremely busy, interesting mix of people in the crowd. A bit noisy, but not unbearable. The wait staff was good, although our server was a bit slow. Not sure how large his section was, and the support staff did a good job of assisting when needed.
Food is excellent. Fun to have greek dishes served tapa style. We shared several dishes, including dessert and had an excellent experience.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI organized a group of 8 co-workersI organized a group of 8 co-workers to go to Zest right after work. Not too loud, everyone loved their food, and the price was reasonable. The calamari was awesome. Service was excellent. I got props for selecting Zest!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and great serviceGreat food and great service near the Eastern Market area of DC. Would recommend it.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing brunch food, friendlyAmazing brunch food, friendly staff and owner. Vegetarian friendly.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrificJust a terrific place for dinner. Both of us loved the atmosphere and the verve of the place on a busy Friday night. The host staff was particularly cordial and made sure that we had a very nice table. Bartender was friendly and happy - nice. Our dinner was just wonderful. Highly recommend the lamb shank. My friend said her pork tenderloin was "perfect". We will be back!2/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe think this is the bestWe think this is the best food in Barrack's Row. We are never disappointed with the quality of the menu and the staff. Just a gem of a place!1/28/2013 12:00:00 AM