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Central Michel Richard, Washington, DC

Central Michel Richard

4.7 (7643)
$31 to $50
American
1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Charming
Michel Richard's modern American brasserie and winner of the 2008 James Beard award for best new restaurant. Central is Michel's tribute to great American cuisine, both modern and classic, with a French accent known for our award winning fried chicken & decadent desserts.

A vibrant happy hour with a great wine list, beer & cocktail menu, Central offers a lunch & dinner 3 course prix-fixe menu.

Located on the corner of 11 St. & Pennsylvania Ave NW , walking distance to the White House, Theatres, Capitol One Arena, The National Mall & Monuments.

Private dining for up to 16 guest, semi-private for 20 guest, & private events for up to 200.

We offer a $10.00 parking discount for dinner guests that park in the 10th St. garage between E St. and Pennsylvania Avenue starting at 5:00 PM from Monday-Saturday. Please ask the host or your server to receive a validation ticket.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, French, Contemporary French / American
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–4:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:30 pm–6:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 626-0015
  • Website
    http://www.centralmichelrichard.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    David Barigault
  • Catering
    Order online for pick up only.
  • Private party facilities
    Join us at Central Michel Richard for your next business meeting or special occasion. Our private dining rooms or regular reservation are available for lunch and dinner In addition we have a semi-private dining area that can seat up to 35 guest. Accommodations available for up to 200 people as a buyout, we look forward to hosting your event.
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004
  • Neighborhood
    Penn Quarter
  • Cross street
    Corner of 11th Street & Pennsylvania Ave NW<br />Across Waldorf Astoria
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Walking distance from Archives/Navy Memorial, Federal Triangle, or Metro Center
  • Entertainment
    Join us @CentralMR for event and entertainment updates.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Menu

Central Michel Richard's menu was last updated on 7/20/2022.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 7,643 people are saying

Central Michel Richard reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Central Michel Richard shines with "excellent food" and "impeccable service." The bistro-style menu offers "inviting options," from steak tartare to "glorious fried chicken." Guests rave about "exceptional service" and a "lively atmosphere." Outdoor seating is a highlight, and the restaurant's "consistency" makes it a favorite for both lunch and dinner.
7,643 Reviews

  1. Carol VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is our favorite restaurant for Michel's famous fried chicken!! The restaurant was busy and vibrant, customer service is outstanding and it's conveniently located to Metro.

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  2. Penny VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I always love a trip to Central. I shared many delicious meals with a dear friend there over the years. Now that he’s passed, it’s a nice place to reflect on life & him. What would Chef think of this? He’d always critique with his Culinary artist hat on when dining out… but he’d make the home cook feel like a 3 Star Chef when they’d invite him over for a meal. So what might my Chef friend say about our visit during Pride? It was a beautiful day for sitting on the patio at Central. He would have commented that the chicken nuggets were a little tough, but they heard from friends that the Fried Chicken was amazing! I had no doubts… I was rather blatantly trying to poach my friends food at the table nearby. I’d go socialize and practically beg for a few bites, but not everyone was open to share. I respect that. Consent is essential for a good time. As I grazed I discovered that the fish sticks are the perfect size to enjoy in front of other people… all too often I’ve gotten fish and chips and struggled to not look like a barbaric human stuffing flaky fried cod in her face. One can be civilized and indulgent with Central’s long crispy fish sticks! They are firm in structure, but absolutely a delight to eat. The dessert was a real highlight, as it always is… sometimes Chef and I would have every dessert on the table for just he and I! The two desserts that we selected were absolutely perfect together. The mango cheesecake was beyond my expectations! This is what ran through my mind with each bite: Mmm, it’s fluffy, creamy, perfectly sweet… and the crust! Oh my! It looks like it will be thick and dense, but it was so light! My guess is that it’s the wafers from the famous Michel’s Chocolate Bar. Whatever it is, it’s pure magic in my mouth! It’s whimsical dishes like this that capture the spirit and artistry of Michel Richard. Bravo to the chef who made that divine dessert! It paired exceptionally well with the Celebration Cake. All in all, we had a great time. Always do!

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  3. Jim

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a wonderful experience at Central. Highly recommend.

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  4. ROBERT

    Virginia21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Never a bad meal there. Consistent Bistro menu type of place. Exactly what you want in a wide variety of situations. From the Steak Tartare to the Moules Frites to the burgers to the Fried Chicken, you'll be happy.

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  5. Marion VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area109 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our visit to Central was like seeing an old friend. We used to go there often when we worked in the area, but that was years ago, before Covid and retirement. We went there before going to a show at National Theater. We were greeted in a welcoming way, and the host even mentioned that I'm a pescatarian, as listed on my Open Table profile. My partner had the Pre-Theater menu: chopped kale salad, Atlantic salmon and Michel's chocolate bar. She liked everything and took some of it home. I had the goat cheese caesar salad, grilled asparagus, and cheesecake for dessert. All very good. Our service was excellent, attentive without being obtrusive. The noise level made for easy conversation. It was nice to be back at Central.

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  6. Melissa VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The best service and food! I just love it. Good value

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  7. Luis VIP

    Houston19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The lobster burger was incredible! Perhaps the best thing we ate during our recent Summer vacation in the DC/Maryland area. Cocktails and wine list were outstanding. Highly recommend it. We will be back next time we are in DC. Excellent service.

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  8. Wendy VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area68 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was predictably good and the service was excellent.

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  9. DJ

    Washington, D.C. Area21 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Been a while since I’ve been here, but it appears the recipes have changed a little, portions have gotten smaller, and prices have gone up. Overall, still a good place with plenty of options and grat service.

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  10. Gerald VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area52 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favorite DC restaurants. Great food and service and very good location

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Central Michel Richard offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 626-0015.

Central Michel Richard is rated 4.7 stars by 7643 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Penn Quarter

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 11 times today
Google Map for Central Michel Richard

1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Corner of 11th Street & Pennsylvania Ave NW<br />Across Waldorf Astoria
  • Neighborhood
    Penn Quarter
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–4:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:30 pm–6:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, French, Contemporary French / American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Public transit
    Walking distance from Archives/Navy Memorial, Federal Triangle, or Metro Center
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    David Barigault
  • Entertainment
    Join us @CentralMR for event and entertainment updates.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Website
    http://www.centralmichelrichard.com/
  • Phone number
    (202) 626-0015
  • Catering
    Order online for pick up only.
  • Private party facilities
    Join us at Central Michel Richard for your next business meeting or special occasion. Our private dining rooms or regular reservation are available for lunch and dinner In addition we have a semi-private dining area that can seat up to 35 guest. Accommodations available for up to 200 people as a buyout, we look forward to hosting your event.

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