A native of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Chef Anthony Chittum has earned a reputation not only for his cooking, but also for his commitment to sourcing from a network of local farmers, watermen & food artisans. Chittum and his team draw inspiration from the cuisines of Greece, Sicily, Sardinia & Southern Italy.
Private Dining
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Our anniversary was recognized very nicely though we had forgotten having mentioned that on Open Table. Glass of Bubbly and a lovely dessert! Attentive service, possibly a tad rushed. We would have preferred to enjoy our apertif before the food started arriving. Food delicious, atmosphere cozy with a fire lit for the chilly evening. Wine list is not cheap but once again we struck gold with a very nice red from Sardinia.
Great service and delicious food! We loved the chefs menu.
This was one of THE most unusual experiences I have had at a restaurant. We went for brunch, there was a wedding happening in the back courtyard area which seemed to have absorbed all competent service staff. The two ladies behind the bar did not seem to work well together (like oil and water) and the one lady seemed to be having a VERY off day. She was not able to articulate answers to questions and when I asked how something was prepared, she said "I don't know; I am just trying to help out." She and the other lady bickered behind the bar. When we asked for the last item we ordered, it came out after 10 minutes (I don't think it was ever ordered) and when it did come out, we did not get a chance to eat it all and THEN, the woman having the off day said, "Don't tell anyone, but I am going to eat the rest of your pancakes." And she gave us one glass of wine "on the house" since we had to wait for the pancakes, so there's that... This was the first time eating here, and have always wanted to try the restaurant, but this...this was not someplace I would return to after the experience.
Excellent food — the Ricotta pancakes were amazing as well as the side of potatoes and aioli.
Amazing food and service—thanks!
It was a great date night. All the food was great, the atmosphere was amazing and service was so friendly and helpful.
Lovely ambience and wonderful service. The food was hit or miss. Flavors are authentic, the Greek and Southern Italian dishes were inventive, and the mushroom appetizer was fantastic, but certain dishes were undercooked.
Just amazing. Great food and excellent service in a beautiful atmosphere.
Everything we ordered was amazing.
There's nothing like that patio on a beautiful day.
Food, always was exceptional. Lovely warm evening, outdoors seating fabulous.
The food was fantastic! There was a wedding happening in the courtyard, so we had to sit inside. I’ll admit it was a little disappointing, but since we were celebrating a one year wedding anniversary, I really can’t fault them for their choice of date. We were greeted with complimentary champagne, and when the dessert we wanted wasn’t available, they gave us a special treat with ‘Happy Anniversary’ on it. Would recommend to anyone!
Wants to be a DC staple, but falls short on both service and quality. This is my first OpenTable review. Plenty of superior options in DC.
Good service was sporadic. Our cocktails and appetizer were brought to the table in a timely manner as were two other dishes. However, the last and most substantive dish was not. My friend and I did not pay attention to the time as we were engrossed in a conversation. When we noticed that 20 minutes had elapsed, one of us asked about the status of the dish. The server for our table never checked in with us while we were eating and did not inform us about a delay in the kitchen if, in fact, that was the reason for the long wait.
Drinks were tasty, the food was excellent, and service was great. Best value by far.
Overall the food was good. The oysters were good the gnocchis were enough tried share. The scallops were good but there was only three for two people. Way overpriced and the bruschetta was good but the crust on the bread was way too hard to bite or cut. The dessert was good but there was only three small crouton size pieces of bread in the pudding.
Had a fantastic time at Iron Gate. The outdoor space is beautiful and great for a date night. The food was delicious and the service was superb. Highly recommend!
Superb start to finish. One of the best settings in town. Fantastic food.
Had a lovely experience at the Iron Gate, food was excellent and the service was great. The menu is not expansive but the offerings were interesting and varied.
Everything was exceptional. The service was first class and every dish was amazing. Both the presentation and the taste.
A foodie paradise.
This is perfect for an intimate celebration of a special occasion. It’s all shareable tapas, with a couple (though quite filling) vegetarian options. Though if you are a vegetarian, I’d suggest a snack a few hours before your reservation. The outside patio is the perfect blend of fancy but approachable. The staff were so very sweet and helpful. Would 1000000% return
Our Reservation was at 12;45 on Sunday for Brunch, We had to ask for water, we had to ask
to order, we had to ask for more drinks, we finally got served at 2;45!!!! 8 couples came after us and were served and left before us. Waitress disappeared for most of the time and the restaurant just isnt that big.
This was our second time going and our last.
Perfect dining experience, as always. Service was excellent as well as the food.
It was a great experience!
We went to Iron Gate for our 6th year anniversary and we had a fantastic time! The staff all signed a card wishing us a happy anniversary as well as complimentary glasses of champagne and a dessert. We appreciated it very much and thought it was a very nice touch! Our server was great at answering our questions about the different dishes. Everything done at Iron Gate made our night!
Hadn't been to Iron Gate for at least 30 years since I'd worked in the neighborhood - it is always admirably written up so wanted to try it again. I wish it had been cool enough (it was humid) to try outside as it looked beautiful. Our server was very friendly, and the food with 4 of us was wonderful - the crispy potatoes - wow I could have eaten the whole bowl! My entree, gnocci with pork sausage - just delicious - i will not be waiting so long to go back!
What a charming spot that is quite a departure from the bustling, noisy Jose Andres restaurants of downtown DC. Tucked away into the intimate corner of a largely residential street, this delightful spot serves excellent (though not cheap) fare, including top-notch gluten free options (house-made bread!). While the outside courtyard of rustic brick, vines, and string lights provided a lovely setting for a meal in warmer months, the bar and indoor sections looked cozy for winter dining. The courtyard also seemed like the perfect venue for a private event like a small wedding.
Lovely ambiance, creative cocktails — amazing selection of hard to find amaros — tasty food and exceptional service. Will definitely put this on my go-to list for great dining!
Fantastic courtyard seats set the scene for a quiet date night out. We opted to order a la carte and received plate after plate of well executed tapas. We ordered fairly safe (focaccia and lamb meatballs being staples of ours) and the food definitely met expectations. After dinner we enjoyed a nice stroll around nearby Dupont Circle.
All in all, exactly Iron Gate is what you'd expect. Great execution and service at a DC price point. I wish there was a signature dish I could write about; though maybe that's what the tasting menu is meant to accomplish. Maybe we'll try that next time we go in, but the lack of substitutions made it difficult to delve in when there were 1 or 2 things we knew we wouldn't like.
I love Iron Gate Inn for dinner (so romantic) and for brunch (so beautiful). The food is good and the service is excellent. Prices are very reasonable. This is a true gem in the heart of the city!
Beautiful setting. The food is small plates but they bring out each dish one at a time instead of like some small plate restaurants that dump several plates on your table making you feel rushed and crowded. Iron Gate was a much more sophisticated small plate experience and the food was wonderful, particularly the cheese dishes and the pork gnocchi.
Outstanding experience at Iron Gate. Highly recommended. Food, service, and drinks were all fantastic. Well worth it for a special occasion.
We enjoyed our visit to Iron Gate, but I must admit, it left much to be desired. Based on its reputation, I was expecting more. The hostess was very pleasant and walked us through some of the wines when we sat down and even brought us some tastings. We ordered four dishes a la carte so didn't do the tasting menu. They were good, but I wasn't blown away. The service we received didn't make up for my lack of being wowed either. Our server was terrible. It took forever for her to come by and take our order and then it took forever for any food to arrive and when she tried to make it up to us by offering to send us a complimentary order of focaccia, it never showed until we asked the food runner about it. And then, we were billed for it. Our reservations were for 6:45 and we did not get out of there until 9:45. We did not have dessert or coffee or linger, it just took this long to get four dishes out to us. I don't feel the need to go back, unfortunately.
Beautiful outdoor courtyard, perfect for a date night! We celebrated our anniversary and everyone made us feel the love - champagne to start and a sweet dessert finish.
Lovely place, great food, beautiful patio.
The downside: incredibly slow service and waitstaff was insensitive to volume/not interrupting conversations, which was especially uncomfortable for a business dinner. Would definitely return privately, but I would not come again for a business meal.
Amazing, amazing, amazing. From the beautiful ambiance, to the incredible flavors, to the super attentive staff - I honestly cannot say one negative thing about this place. 10/10 would recommend. :)
The food was unique and delicious! Should definitely be on your list if you are in DC!
Excellent food and wine. We wanted to do the chef's tasting, but with a food sensitivity, that was not possible. Fortunately, our server was careful to suggest dishes that would work with my needs, and coordinated with the chef to ensure my comfort. We had a fantastic meal and enjoyed the experience immensely. Would definitely return. A world apart from the "typical DC scene".
Our server had some terrific recommendations. We especially love small plates so we can taste a number of dishes. Everything was wonderful start to finish, we especially loved the octopus (best we ever had!) and their signature gnocchi lived up to being a signature dish. Perfect birthday celebration!
Everything was excellent for the most part. Service slowed as the meal concluded. Desert came and was finished before coffee arrived which was disappointing.
