Water & Wall - Permanently Closed

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1. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 14, 2017

   overall2food4service1ambience4

   Service was poor on Valentine's Day. After 1.5hrs seated, we were only half way through a four course meal, and left wondering for 20+ minutes at a time between plates with an empty table. Was seriously considering ordering takeout to deliver to our table while we waited. Place is now permanently closed.

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   3 reviews

   4.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on February 14, 2017

   overall4food3service4ambience4

   Sorry to see Water&Wall close. We've had many wonderful meals here. We will continue to support Tim Ma and his other endeavors.

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3. CT

   CloseToGreat

   Washington DC

   17 reviews

   5.0

   17 reviews

   Dined on February 4, 2017

   overall5food5service5ambience4

   Here for Restaurant Week dinner and, more importantly, to celebrate my birthday. Wall and Water is one of those places you go if you want courses very different from a turkey club and fries. Go here to eat things that feature interesting (even strange, depending on your level of foodie-ness) ingredients, prepared delicately and compulsively, that skip that extra dose of gratuitous splurge in favor of harmony and balance. Flavors were outstanding, mouthfeel was irreproachable, presentation was worthy of magazine front covers. But, these are small bites meant to be contemplated as you eat, not gigantic dishes of richness or greasiness. As far as cocktails - real, craft cocktails, but maybe just a touch heavy and syrupy - drink 'em if you're there, but really go for the plated food. Ambience was airy and fresh, able to be appropriate for a special occasion that you're trying to make nice but not too elegant, as well as for the casual outing for people who are already kind of naturally classy. Waiter was similarly approachable, friendly but polite, educated on the menu, and just present enough to give us the service we needed, when we needed it. It's an environment that is, sure, tasteful and thoughtful, but ultimately spare enough that you end up focusing on your company or, more importantly, on the elevated gastronomic experience in front of you.

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4. TL

   TimL

   Washington DC

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on February 4, 2017

   overall2food3service2ambience3

   Dishes were hit or miss - most lacked balance. Desserts were a train wreck. Service was accommodating, when you could get their attention (we waited at least 15 minutes after ordering our wine before someone came to take our food order, and we waited at least 15 minutes after finishing dessert for a server to come over asking about the check). Portions were small. Overall it was fine, but we probably won't be back.

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5. E

   Erin

   Denver

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 3, 2017

   overall1food1service4ambience4

   The portions are extremely small and we left hungry. We think the food tasted good but we were given such small portions of it that it was honestly hard to tell.

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6. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   5 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on February 2, 2017

   overall4food5service3ambience4

   Went for restaurant week with a friend. The food was absolutely divine for both of us, and the ambience is great.

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7. AC

   AnneC

   Washington DC

   12 reviews

   5.0

   12 reviews

   Dined on February 2, 2017

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   The food was excellent and so was the service. We will definitely be back. Thank you

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8. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   San Francisco

   8 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   8 reviews

   Dined on January 31, 2017

   overall3food3service3ambience4

   Went in for restaurant week and made an 8:45pm reservation on open table for a Tues night. The restaurant closes at 9pm so we were rushed through the meal and every dish came out so fast that we were still eating the first dish when they brought the 2nd and 3rd. the scallops and the crab crudo were delicious. The branzino was undercooked so we sent it back and they brought out a second one and it was half the size of the first fish dish and was overcooked and salty. The venison loin was decent but the portion size was super tiny compared with the rest of the dishes. The maple creme brulee with bacon was yummy!

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9. S

   Snakadillo

   Washington DC

   20 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   20 reviews

   Dined on January 31, 2017

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Great food, great service. We inadvertently went during restaurant week, so our menu options were limited. However everything went so well that we'll definitely be back to try the regular menu for dinner. --awesome drinks as well

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10. E

    Eater

    Naples

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on January 27, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This restaurant is a gem-- fantastic service, food, and atmosphere.

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11. MJ

    MJ13

    Washington DC

    9 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on January 26, 2017

    overall3food3service5ambience4

    We tried this restaurant just to try something new. Service was excellent. The food was also very good. The menu selection is small and non-traditional so be prepared that you're likely in for a bit of a foodie style adventure. We were up for that and the food really was good, but we still all left wishing there were a few more options on the menu.

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12. RM

    RoseMajka

    Atlanta

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 23, 2017

    overall5food5service4ambience4

    Wonderful place.. have been several times.. New small plates menu exquisite. Each special and looks as beautiful as it tastes.

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13. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2017

    overall2food3service3ambience3

    I haven't been to W&W for more than a year, and I didn't realize that the menu had changed from regular plates to small plates/tapas. But, I found the small plates to be very small, and even after ordering 6 plates, we weren't full. But, the price of 6 plates was quite expensive. And, the service was incredibly slow. Drinks ordered from the bar took more than 30 min to arrive at the table. Food was also slow to come out. While I had always really enjoyed my previous visits to this restaurant, between the extremely slow service and change to the menu, I will not return.

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14. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 21, 2017

    overall5food5service4ambience4

    Our group of eight had a very delicious, interesting meal. Both vegans and omnivores were well rewarded with tasty, beautifully presented small dishes. Highly recommend this restaurant.

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15. A

    Arlgal

    Los Angeles

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Overall, a great experience. The food was amazing, and the service excellent!

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16. GD

    GeoD

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2017

    overall3food5service3ambience4

    Great food, good ambiance, decent seating and availability, Water and Wall regularly changes its menu and its dishes are always spectacular. We really want to like Water and Wall. We have returned several times for the food, for the new menu, and to try new things... only to be put off for a couple of months. Because they have a serious flaw - the bar is incredibly slow. The cocktails are great, creative and unique, but don't bother to try getting one. It may take half an hour, if it comes at all without your repeated insistence. Pouring another glass of the same wine - we gave up after 15 minutes and asked it just be removed from our bill. This also deterred dessert and foreshortened our evening as we searched for an alternative; the trouble is that few restaurants can match the food, so you are left stuck with lesser alternatives just to get a coffee and sweet. If you want great food, but feel able to match and order your cocktail and wine in advance, then Water and Wall would be great. If you want anything from the bar while you are there, however, its already too late, so its better to give up. I would call in your wine selection and ask for it to meet you at the table. This hasn't changed across a year, but hopefully it will - recommendation: let someone just pour wine and let the bar do only cocktails?

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17. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    26 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2017

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    The food is excellent - but to call it medium plates is an exaggeration! Just say its small plates and portions, that at least would be a bit more fair.

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18. C

    Carol

    Richmond

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2017

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    attentive waiter who knew his menu items. Very engaging. Food was very good. Water needs to be refilled - didn't ask but this is an assumed in a nice restaurant but the only complaint.

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19. KY

    KattYum

    Washington DC

    92 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    92 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2017

    overall2food2service2ambience2

    Our meal, service, food, ambiance were all...meh. Granted the one poor person running all tables, hosting and tending bar tried his best. He said he had two people call out that day, but still. With all the great choices in this part of Arlington, I was disappointed.

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20. OG

    OgieG

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Went for NY, they had tried a new menu and it was Great. Loved everything we ate.

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21. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2016

    overall4food3service4ambience4

    The food and flavors were amazing but portions were too small. I left hungry and ended up eating something else after I got home.

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22. CC

    ChicChick

    Washington DC

    105 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    105 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2016

    overall4food3service3ambience5

    The location was convenient. Lovely decor and elegant. The food was tasty but not the best or worth the price. I went here for NYE because it said an a la carte menu was available but when we got there it was a pre-fixed menu only, which was a bit pricey for what we got. I think for a holiday evening, the restaurant wasn't too crowded, but service was a tad slow and not as attentive as I hoped for a place that seemed to be staffed with enough waiters. The portions were super tiny! We had four courses and it felt like a little tasting. The cardoon soup was pretty good but all the other dishes I had were pretty unmemorable and salty. I'm glad I still had a lovely date and had a good time but I probably would not return for a holiday.

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23. ST

    SanT

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on December 16, 2016

    overall5food4service4ambience5

    We went to try this place for the first time. Everything was very good, from service, food, and drink. We had the cauliflower soup, scallops, pork belly, and duck. Only thing that we liked the least was probably the duck being that it was a little too rare for our liking. Would recommend for a date night.

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24. M

    Mary

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 16, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience3

    I'm a bit ambivalent - it was a cold evening and we were cold throughout the meal. The food was uneven - our salad was okay - both fish dishes were excellent - and the porchetta to share was mostly fat, very little meat. Our servers were fine and they didn't interrupt inappropriately.

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25. MD

    MichaelD

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 16, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Small plates offer a great array of tastes to try and enjoy. All are prepared with fresh and creative ingredients and are beautifully presented. If you value quantity over quality, you should certainly look elsewhere, but that said, you do get your money's worth here. If you love creative food and a variety of different options to try, you will enjoy the experience here.

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26. m

    msc352

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 9, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The staff here are fantastic - attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Our server gave great recommendations, and the food was delicious. The burrata crostini was smoky, creamy, and fresh. The snapper had an amazing mix of vegetables on the side. The duck confit with miso foie dumplings were perfect - so tasty. The veal cheek was meaty and hearty. The chocolate bread pudding was a great way to end the meal.

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27. PH

    PeggyH

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2016

    overall2food4service2ambience4

    We chose this restaurant because of its location, close to where we were meeting. We were the first ones in the restaurant for dinner at 6 p.m., should have been a sign. The food was actually very good, but pricey. For example, $13 for 3 scallops, which was described to us as a "medium" plate. I guess a small plate is one or two scallops. My tab for 3 scallops and a small square of rabbit ragout along with a club soda was $27. I'm all for reasonable portions but this was ridiculous. A dining companion ended up ordering four plates because she was still hungry after two, then three, plus two glasses of wine, which added up to a reasonable amount of food. It cost over $80. It took a long time to get our food, and they came out at different times for different people. Then in the end it took forever to get our checks, which we had said up front needed to be individual. Needless to say we will not be going back.

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28. L

    lovinLife

    Washington DC

    27 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on December 7, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    I had high expectations for this restaurant because I am a fan of Chef Tim Ma. I was so happy to finally get to have a meal here. We were a party of 8 with several vegan and vegetarians. We were all pleased with our meals. I love the medium size plate option: larger than tapas, but smaller than full entree size. So that means plenty of room for dessert! Great wine list too.

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29. F

    Fantastic

    Washington DC

    117 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    117 reviews

    Dined on December 5, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    First time trying this restaurant. Location is good, parking available. Restaurant was quiet if not almost vacant. Menu is small, but food was amazingly great. Started with lentils, cauliflower and kale. Sounds like a weird mix, but recommended by waiter. Was delightful, well seasoned and flavorful. We followed this with a scallops and beet entree. Prepared perfectly! The veal cheeks that we had were once again perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and well presented. All were recommendations from waiter. Only set back is that the pricing was high. May go back again, but for a special occasion.

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30. BG

    BobG

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2016

    overall3food4service5ambience3

    Tasty food, but a bit too avant garde with their cuisine for some people (including myself). Rather pricey also. Make sure you are a certified foodie and willing to spend some $. Good bartending and beer selection.

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31. S

    Suzette

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2016

    overall3food3service3ambience3

    Did not like the short ribs. They were very nice about it and credited that item on my bill!

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32. NY

    NYFoodieDC

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience3

    Menu was limited than I though but still some great options for starters, vegetable, meats and dessert. It may have been early for a Saturday night but service as quite attentive with a nice surprise of mocktails for a birthday celebration. Thank you!

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33. N

    Notcookingtonite

    Washington DC

    22 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 2016

    overall3food3service4ambience3

    I was disappointed to learn upon arrival that Water & Wall has been sold and has a new chef. The menu has changed substantially -- tailored to more of a tapas style, according to our waitress. Many ingredients needed to be Googled to understand. The portions are small, so order accordingly. The biggest disappointment was that my favorite, the duck confit, is no longer offered. Too bad, because it was fabulous.

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34. A

    Arli

    Washington DC

    38 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    38 reviews

    Dined on October 22, 2016

    overall3food3service3ambience3

    We've been here a few times, but not since the menu change. While the food was mostly good, our group was disappointed with the portion sizes. You used to get bread and that's gone. Instead, the 5 plates for 4 people we ordered left us so hungry we left and ordered burgers and shakes, not just dessert at our next stop. The drinks were great though.

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35. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    13 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2016

    overall2food1service2ambience1

    We were sat right next to the waiters station, even though there were MANY empty tables, and we had the pleasure of listening to them bicker and complain for an hour. We ordered 2 martinis to start ($12, not cheap) and my glass came back half full. I mentioned it to the waitress and she said "yeah I thought that looked low". She took it back to have it remade, and took my husbands back as well because it was dirty and he hadn't ordered it that way. When they came back, his was only half full. We decided to ignore it. The food was SO salty that it was barely edible. I like salty food, and it was hard for me to choke down. We decided to only have 3 small plates instead of 4 when we realized how bad the food was. We ordered ice cream for dessert because we knew they didn't make it in house. The ambiance was cold and office like. I can't imagine this place will be open much longer.

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36. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2016

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    The food is delicious but the servings are sparse. We left wanting to go eat somewhere! There was no bread served and the duck had no sides. Otherwise it'a a nice place.

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37. TM

    TomM

    Washington DC

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 13, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience3

    Small portions, but good food. Overpriced cocktails. Odd wine selection.

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38. LR

    LizR

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 9, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    I had the scallop appetizer--five very small (but delicious) scallops in a nice drizzle of something. I chose the skate entrée-it was fried with a scrumptious breading. The greens and small bits of beet were a nice touch. The menu mentioned lobster, but my palate must not have been discerning enough to locate that. I thought it was a very good (albeit somewhat pricey) meal.

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39. d

    dhope

    Washington DC

    66 reviews

    2.0

    66 reviews

    Dined on October 8, 2016

    overall2food4service2ambience2

    A fourth trip to restaurant and most disappointing. At 7 p.m. On Saturday night, restaurant was almost empty. Despite that fact, our server was at first inattentive, then rushed us to order. Took forever to bring our wine (she claimed the bartender was backed up, despite the place being fairly empty!), then tried to take bottle away before it was empty! The food is excellent though they need to serve bread and get rid of the stemless wine glasses. A less-then satisfying evening.

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40. ED

    ElizabethD

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    2.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 2, 2016

    overall2food2service2ambience3

    We were really looking forward to a nice brunch at Wall and Water. Checked the menu on line before hand and we were looking forward to a nice hardy brunch to celebrate birthdays. What a disappointment. I have followed Wall and Water from Vienna, VA to their current location. And, have recommended them to friends. That now has changed. The good part: the restaurant is clean, the noise level non-existent and the salad and the omelette and vegetable hash tasted fresh. The bad parts: The menu on the website had not been changed so the yummy dishes described were no longer offered; the watermelon and tomato salad looked beautiful but for $11.00 it was skimpy. There were 2 one inch cubes of watermelon and a small yellow tomato with 5-6 blueberries...really? for $11.00??? The egg dishes were well prepared but the potatoes were cooked in old oil and had a rancid taste to them. Most interesting was the "no bread" policy. I asked our waitress if we could order a basket of bread or have some bread since we were having brunch and her reply was "no bread in the house...our chef's decision"...again, really???? After paying our bill ($60.00 with tip for two egg dishes, one salad and coffee), we left. There was no one to greet us good bye or who even paid attention to our leaving. It has really changed. It is not hard to imagine why on a Sunday the place was near empty (only 2-3 tables occupied). We won't go back nor will I feel comfortable recommending them to others. Too bad. It was a nice place with a nice menu and I really enjoyed supporting the young couple who started the restaurant.

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