L'Auberge Chez Francois

Anniversary

Amazing food and presentation. The food and ambiance were fantastic.

Everything was better than we could have asked for. It was a large family dinner but the wait staff was up to the challenge and kept everyone happy and made the evening a great success. Always impeccable service and delicious food - always an event and much appreciated!

Incredible food and service - a fantastic and romantic setting and dinner for our 16th wedding anniversary. The attentive staff were attentive and charming. They really made us feel special.

We don’t dine here often, but it’s always fabulous. I had a salad, braised beef cheeks appetizer and a veal piccata that was so decadent I may never recover. Frankly, I could have eaten a large bowl of the cheeks and been completely satisfied. If you like dessert, then get the soufflé. Service was great, and they never rush you. It’s out of the way for many in Northern Virginia, but worth the drive. Make a reservation well in advance.

My boyfriend and I had a beautiful meal at l'Auberge. This restaurant has been known to my family for years, and whenever there is a special occasion to celebrate, l'Auberge is at the top of the list. We were seated quickly after our coats were taken, and were greeted by the sommelier who went ahead and picked out a great wine we both enjoyed. The service was excellent. Even thoug we ordered souffles, the chef very kindly sent us a baked Alaska on the House to celebrate our special night. The food is unmatched in the area—another great night at L'Auberge for the books!

Never disappointed with this restaurant. The food and service is impeccable. It is a joy to have dinner here.

This was our second visit and it did not disappoint. Perfect place to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

This is a level above most other restaurants, at a price. At one time this restaurant featured country French cooking, which involved a lot of organ meats. Perhaps an association of concerned cardiologists joined forces to encourage change. Today, and for many years, the restaurant offers an adequate range of selections. Without wine you will spend $125/person, but you'll leave happy. My favorite appetizer (which I've also had as a main course) is the bouillabaisse, which is a well-seasoned, reddish soup with seafood. I always have fish as a main course and I have never been dissatisfied. Their breads are so tempting one must really exercise restraint, though the stock mixed salad stands out as uninspired. The dessert flambes are to us not that impressive so we don't order them, but the plum tart (which, ,unlike the flambe, is not an additional charge) is just wonderful. The waiters are experienced, attentive and accustomed to dealing with people who want the dinner experience to be memorable.

I have loved this restaurant for many years. I recommend it to all my friends and family. The setting is lovely and romantic, as always. Impeccable service. However, I must admit I am a little dismayed, as it appears to me that the quality of the cooking has declined. I was there just a few days ago, and luckily the food ordered by my companion was excellent. He had the foie gras, and the scallops. But I cannot say the same. I had the sweetbreads, and the veal scaloppini, and both were significantly overcooked. Although the Grand Marnier soufflé was excellent as always. Maybe the chef had the night off. I don't know. But this is not the first time in recent memory that the quality of the food was spotty. Some things are terrific, and some things are merely tolerable. It didn't used to be that way. I hope it changes for the better....soon.

After all these years still the best French restaurant in the DC area. Food and service were both extraordinary.

Lovely evening, made all the more so because the wait staff and service were impeccable! My only suggestion is to down size the portions. Many thanks!

My first visit. Word of mouth reviews was why I made the reservation for our anniversary dinner.

Every course was beautifully presented and delicious. I need gluten free dishes and was able to find tasty choices on the menu.

Great, as always. First choice for a special occasion.

As always, delicious food with impeccable service. Never disapoints

We are never disappointed with our meals at Chez Francois. We we're seated at a round table for six which was ideal. It was the first time for one couple and they thought it was one of the best restaurants they've been to.

Lovely location with elegant place setting and special touches, such as amuse-bouche and meringue for my friend’s birthday. Salmon entree was good but not great. Desserts were outstanding! The only downside was the less-than-attentive service. We would return but not right away; the overall experience was much better when the previous owner personally oversaw everything.

This is one of my all time favorite restaurants. Everything is well done...food, service, decor. I always feel special when I dine here.

The drive was long but worth it.
The decor, the service, and the food were outstanding.
Highly recommend this place for any special occasion!
Being french, this is the place that comes the closest to my home cuisine... thank you!

It had been a long time since we visited L'Auberge Chez Francois, and what was once cozy and elegant is now loud and a bit wrinkled. Our server was friendly, but frumpy (wrinkled shirt, half-apron, trousers too long), and more than once we had to ask her to speak up so we could hear her over the other diners.

We were brought fresh bread - excellent, and ordered mixed drinks from the bar that were outstanding. For appetizers, my husband had the boudin blanc, which was exceptional; I enjoyed the mushroom crepe. Salads followed -- roquefort and duck -- also delicious. There was an amuse bouche somewhere in there that was kind of a hot gazpacho. It was okay, but only okay.

The main courses, sadly, were underwhelming. I ordered the sea bass with fresh vegetables. The sea bass was bland and the vegetables (root vegetables and haricots vert) were hard to differentiate, except by texture. My husband says the coquilles St. Jacques was equally unimpressive: the shellfish were overcooked and under-seasoned, and didn't taste fresh. We were brought a corn pudding to share, which was the highlight of the main course.

Then desserts came. The restaurant presented a scoop of chocolate ice cream with meringues and fresh whipped cream as an anniversary gift. While we appreciated the gesture, the ice cream was grainy and lacked any chocolate flavor. The meringues, however, were perfect. The hazelnut souffle arrived hot and puffy, but was plain--both in presentation and flavor. We also ordered a chocolate torte, which we had packaged up to bring home, but decided the accompanying vanilla ice cream would need to stay at the restaurant. While it had more flavor than the chocolate ice cream did, it was also grainy--as though it had been made with low quality, low-fat ingredients. Finally, the coffee was tepid and tasted like it had been sitting for several hours.

We likely will not go back to L'Auberge. For the price we paid ($315 inclusive), I was hoping for more of a special treat.

There is no better Alsatian French cuisine anywhere in the region. The prices may be somewhat high, but is very reasonable compared to other quality restaurants in the Washington area. For desert, chef Jacques' chocolate soufflé can not be beaten. This is a wonderful place to celebrate any occasion.

My only complaint was not with the restaurant, but a rather large group in the front corner that must have thought they were the only one's in the restaurant. They were singing, loud and taking pictures. Not what one does in a 5 star restaurant.
If they want to party, I suggest they go the Applebee's and leave the a 5 star restaurant to those who came to appreciate the fine dining. Our special dinner was not ruined, and I know the staff did what they could to "suggest" the group settle down. It reminded me of someone who had "some money" and wanted to show off to his "friends". I will go back again and want to thank our server and the staff for a dining experience.

Never disappointed when we go there. Food and service are outstanding. Well worth the trip.

We always look forward to an al fresco dinner on the patio here! Magical as the sun went down & the fairy lights twinkled. We were seated in one of the 2 gazebos & soon were sipping framboise apertifs while savoring garlic toast w/ cottage cheese/chive spread. The staff is welcoming & helpful. French onion soup & apple-Roquefort tart were our appetizer choices. I had a glass of Alsatian brut rose since hubby is the designated driver! Complimentary tomato-basil soup in a small cup followed. Then the house salad for me & heirloom tomato salad for hubby. Mango sorbet cleansed our palettes, then we had seafood entrees that were delicious! A half bottle of Michael Shaps Viognier was a good pairing. Ordering souffles in advance is always our choice: chocolate w/ chocolate sauce for Barry. Grand Marnier w/ sabayon sauce for me. No room for cappuccino & since we saw a looming thunderstorm we took our tuiles & truffles in a take away bag. Hoping to return soon.

I go to this restaurant at least once a year got many years. While service, ambiance, and value is great, some dishes quality becoming less persistent. In any case, it is a great place.

Superb luncheon. Sea bass was perfectly cooked as well as an excellent filet with a tasty wine sauce.
This time of year their tomato salad fresh from their garden is really a treat!! And also the chocolate tart and cheesecake are both fresh and delicious. Service was superb as always.

Never disappointed! Always have had a wonderful experience. Will always come back.

Have enjoyed Chez Francois several times over the years. This time some of the food at lunch was a little off. The bloody mary highlighted by the waiter was a little flat and too much celery in the juice. One main course, boeuf bourguignon, had too much herbs de provence and that overpowered the taste of what should be a great stew. The two other dishes, one chicken and one veal, were great. One dessert, the dark chocolate torte, was excellent.

Very expensive but the service is absolutely top notch and the food is exquisite. The French countryside decor leaves something to be desired but YMMV.

The food was superb. The sommelier was particularly helpful. Recommended selections from the half bottle list, which was much longer than most wine lists.

As many times as I have made the trek to L'Auberge, I have NEVER been less than utterly delighted with the food, service - everything about the whole experience!

Excellent experience as usually. Been coming for over 20 years, and never disappointed.

Hands-down the best meals we have ever had. It was incredible experiencing how everything came together!
Truly their food is a work of art and if you enjoy fine meals you will be blown away.
The environment was beautiful and the service was top-notch.

First enjoyed the sinfully decadence of the total experience at L'auberge back in 1980. The Quality and expereince has stood the test of time

The food, drinks, and service were outstanding. The perfect place to celebrate a special occasion!

This is a very special restaurant for special occasions and every day dining. We have been going here for more than 25 years and it never fails to please. Service is friendly, attentive and professional. Local ingredients are used in the preparation of food often. Every dish we have tried has been great.

Outstanding, as usual. This was our first trip back to the D.C. area since we moved south 5 years and L’Auberge Chez Francois was at the top of the list of places to visit again. The first time we dined here was when we were married 24 years ago. It’s is still the exceptional dining experience it was 24 years ago. Not sure how they do it...but we are very happy they do! We had the charcuterie plate and escargot to start. Delicious! House made pates were excellent. The feature salad with shrimp & goat cheese would do well as a regular selection, very good. It will be difficult not to order the veal w/Virginia ham, crab, mushrooms and cream sauce and the “mixed grill” of beef tenderloin, veal, lamb, and lobster tail on our next visit...truly outstanding. We opted for the chocolate soufflé and baked Alaska for dessert. A first for both of us, but definitely not a last! We can’t wait to celebrate our 25th anniversary here next year...YES, it’s that good that we are planning a return trip next year just to dine at L’Auberge Chez Francois!

Food and service was great. Lots of flies buzzing around sort of turned me off.

L'Auberge has been our favorite restaurant ever since we moved to the DC area in the 1970's. It's where we celebrate all of our special occasions. We love the food, which is simple and not overly fancy, and are delighted that the same family continues to run the restaurant. They have had the good judgement to keep the menu (Alsatian and classic French) essentially the same over the years. (if it ain't broke, don't fix it!) Of course, the chalet and its decor are incredible, too. Overall it provides a superb dining experience. We hope it will continue unchanged long into the future.

This is the one and only. Best restaurant on the eastern half of the U.S. I drove an extra 200 miles to fit in a lunch, and I'd do it again. The food is fit for chef's chef. Intricate flavors and combinations, well thought out. I plan all my business trips around making it to L'Auberge. I highly recommend it.