The Dabney

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1. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   4 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   4 reviews

   Reviewed on December 31, 2018

   overall4foodserviceambience

   The food is as good as everyone says; the service for us was "meh", far worse than any Michelin-starred restaurant we've been too. Just lots of little things -- we came in December; no one offered to assist with coats or provide a place to hang them (lots of coats hanging on the backs of chairs). Plates were left sitting and not cleared; a series of young, attractive and different servers each playing a part without regard for the whole -- one server removed a spoon from a dirty dish and set it down on the table; another brought a clean plate for a new course without noticing that there were no utensils to eat with. They are all very cheery and friendly so it is hard to fault them for not actually knowing what to do in a restaurant, consistent with the hip vibe where it's very hard to get a reservation and they don't have to worry about perfecting the experience.

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Reviewed on December 16, 2016

   overall4foodserviceambience

   The place is beautiful and the food is tasty and really good. You have many people running around you asking if everything is ok. Even the fact that is in such a nice and unknown alley, it's quite interesting. However, the day I went (one of those polar vortex days), it was really really cold INSIDE the restaurant. It felt as if someone left the front door open all the time and when we asked if they could turn on the heat or something, they looked to us as if we were crazy. Yet, you could tell that everybody around us was fighting the cold with what they had at hand. But what kind of killed my first impression was the following. The open kitchen looks quite good, except when you leave and realize that your hair and clothes (specially your winter jacket!) smell like grilled and fried food. I am kind of disappointed as I was expecting a better experience after all the fuzz around this place.

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3. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   16 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   16 reviews

   Reviewed on August 24, 2016

   overall5foodserviceambience

   My boyfriend and I came here for my birthday this year. I had been dying to try the Dabney after hearing glowing reviews and it did not fail to impress me! The food is all small plates so you can share a number of items on the menu, all of which are to die for. I can't wait to go back!

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4. AM

   AmazingMeals56

   Washington DC

   27 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   27 reviews

   Reviewed on August 2, 2016

   overall5foodserviceambience

   The Dabney is the perfect mix of rustic elegance meets simplicity at its finest. I recently hosted a dinner party with friends at the Dabney and from the moment we tasted our first small plate to the soup to the dessert cookies, we all felt like we shared something bigger than we could explain. The food is like magic and you genuinely understand the beauty if all the chefs do to make your culinary experience unlike any other. It's intimate, lovely, and one of the best places to be in DC.

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5. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York Area

   8 reviews

   4.0

   8 reviews

   Dined on May 28, 2016

   overall4food5service3ambience4

   Great food! Love the small plate tasting portions. We split the entrée and ordered 3 small plates, and it was more than enough food. They forgot about us between our apps and entreé, as there was a mixup and our server didn't realize we never got our main. As a result, we were late, and in a hurry to leave, so in our haste, I left my credit card.. They were awesome and called me before we had walked too far, so we could go back and pick it up, thanks!!!

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6. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York Area

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on May 24, 2016

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Loved everything about The Dabney. The hearth-roasted vegetables were my favourite--such a simple but perfect dish. Their hearth is amazing, I'm sure everything cooked in there is delicious. Service was great and they made our anniversary dinner very special!

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7. M

   Michael

   Washington DC

   29 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   29 reviews

   Dined on May 22, 2016

   overall4food4service3ambience5

   Another strong addition to the Shaw dining scene! A very hospitable spot. The story -- locally sourced ingredients and Mid-Atlantic cooking -- is stronger than the food itself, which is firmly in the small-plates, ready whenever, let's be clever genre. A good neighborhood spot but not destination dining.

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8. DR

   DanielleR

   Washington DC

   3 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on May 21, 2016

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Seriously this was probably the best meal I have EVER had. I have not stopped talking about this restaurant to friends and family for days now! I am telling EVERYONE to go. The owner has clearly put a lot of time, energy, and passion into creating this restaurant and it makes such a difference. Everyone there- the wait staff, the management, bar tenders, and even the guests all were in such good moods and the FOOD!!!! I mean talk about FLAVOR!!!!!!!!! I seriously can't get enough of this place. hands top favorite new spot.

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9. S

   Salvatore

   New York Area

   7 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on May 20, 2016

   overall4food4service5ambience5

   The food was very tasty but be prepared to leave hungry unless you're willing to order nearly every one of their three-bite small plates (roughly $15 each).

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10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    12 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2016

    overall3food4service3ambience3

    The food is very good, so much so it is hard to share it family my style as the restaurant suggest. Our only complaint was that the restaurant is so popular we were told upon arrival that we could only have our reserved table for max 2 hours. This caused the entire dinner to feel very rushed and resulted in a less than positive experience.

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11. R

    Rich

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 18, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Fantastic experience- told them my girlfriend was returning after being abroad for 6 months and they brought out complimentary champagne and menus that had "Welcome Back!" written on them. Staff were incredibly friendly and food was great. Look forward to going back again.

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12. Z

    Zahav

    Philadelphia

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 15, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    My boyfriend and I went to The Dabney for the first time this past Sunday night. The décor in the restaurant and the friendliness of the staff were the first things we noticed. The food was amazing!! We ordered the catfish dip which we both highly recommended to anyone. We split 6 different "small plates" and our favorites would have to be the pig ears and pork belly. I also love how the menu changes slightly every night, giving us another reason to go back again! The bill was slightly expensive but our drinks are what racked it up- although they were very tasty as well.

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13. DO

    DrOni

    Washington DC

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Food and wait staff are excellent. Our waitress really knew the menu and was able to describe the ingredients and taste of all dishes we asked about. This is a small plate restaurant, so be careful not to order too many dishes. One and a half or two small plates per person plus 2 family large dishes for 4 people should be enough. Great tastes and good variety of fish, seafood, beef, pork, and veggies. Be sure to get your reservations well in advance. They are serious about honoring reservations which is much welcomed.

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14. RO

    ROTHAARIGEN

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This is one of the best dining experiences around.

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15. MM

    MMFoxDC

    Washington DC

    111 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    111 reviews

    Dined on May 13, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    BRAVO - Food is outstanding, love the smokiness of the salads and vegetables. Wine list very well curated by Alex Zink and we appreciated to find affordable gems from Bandol, Alto Adige, Sicily. Server Michael is excellent - knows his craft and pays attention to what kind of evening you want. Ambiance is great and not at all fussy

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16. k

    kgindc

    Washington DC

    152 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    152 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Superb from start to finish! The food was exceptional. The service was equally as exceptional. Kudos for your excellence!

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17. B

    Belle

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience5

    There's so much being said about The Dabney right now we had to check it out. The ambiance is fantastic, the service sometimes over-solicitous/interrupting our conversation but that's hardly a complaint, and the food was very good. I can't not recommend it but I doubt we will go back except to snag a spot at the bar for some snacks (catfish dip!). Here are my reasons: Most of the plates are carefully composed of many elements that are tricky to all get into a single bite. This is really nit-picky but it felt fussy to eat. Also, it's a small menu so I feel like I've already tasted everything I wanted to taste. Don't get me wrong. It was very good. But for seasonal and local, I would go to my other recent favorite in Cleveland Park and rhymes with Schmipple.

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18. CC

    ClaireC

    Washington DC

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Such an amazing addition to the neighborhood. The food couldn't be better, the service couldn't be more gracious. It's just a delight. Love to see ciders given real attention on a menu. Can't wait to go back.

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19. DC

    DClocal2015

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience5

    Beautiful restaurant and terrific service! Went for my birthday and was treated with personalized service and a special menu wishing me a happy birthday. The food was delicious and the open kitchen is a great concept. My only complaint is the liquor selection...they only stock alcohol and ingredients from the region, so your options are very limited. My dining companion and I both wanted Kettle One martinis with olives, but they only had 2 vodkas to choose from (neither that we'd ever heard of) and olives were not available since I guess they're not grown around here...so they gave us martinis with pickled okra. Definitely not the same and disappointing to not be able to drink what you want when you're dropping that much on food. It was a bit too pretentious (though, noble, I guess?).

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20. A

    Andrea

    Washington DC

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Fav restaurant

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21. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    17 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience5

    Definitely worth the hype. Delicious food with a creative menu. Not for those who like their bland grilled chicken type of meals. Fun atmosphere. Service was fine, the waitress was a bit dull and seemed rushed by our longer meal.

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22. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This is our new favorite restaurant in DC. Having worked in the industry before, I'm tough to impress, but the Dabney floored me. They have crushed the trifecta of excellent food, superb bar service, and perfect service - all set in a perfect, thoughtfully designed dining room. We will be back...with friends next time.

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23. DD

    DowntownDCFoodie

    Washington DC

    27 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We loved everything we ordered on our date--from the ciabatta bread to the softshell crab. Our cocktails were also on point. Can't wait to come back and try them again since the menu changes daily!

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24. L

    Love2eat

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2016

    overall5food5service4ambience5

    Probably my favorite meal in DC this year. Took some foodie friends from San Francisco, and they were equally impressed. Every dish we had was absolutely fantastic -- bright flavors, fun textures, both innovative and straightforward at once. Oysters were some of the best any of us had ever had. Dishes that were unlikely hits (e.g., roasted vegetables) were somehow transformed into something really special. And the space is great. Service was a tiny bit slow at points (we couldn't find anyone to help us once or twice when we were needing something), but that wasn't too bad. Our waiter knew what he was talking about and made great recommendations. Overall, an excellent experience. Highly recommend and would definitely go back, if I'm ever able to nab another reservation.

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25. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on April 20, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Outstanding food and drink! The Hearth Roasted Vegetables and Quail alone warrant a return visit! Add some ridiculously good biscuits and brilliantly paired wine and it is easy to see why people love this place so much. Service was totally on point and sincerely kind. I'm excited to go back.

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26. C

    Camerri

    Minneapolis

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on April 17, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Wonderful dining experience.

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27. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Richmond

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 16, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Just absolutely wonderful and delicious!

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28. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 14, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Incredible overall dining experience

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29. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 12, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    If I could give The Dabney 10 stars, I would. The meal was absolutely perfect. From cocktails to food to service, it was all unbelievably amazing. The food was inspired: subtle, elevated, smart, and most importantly, every bite was delicious. I was so impressed with the care in selection of every single thing (the napkins are even gorgeous!). The service was impeccable--everyone was so friendly but professional and knowledgable.

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30. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 9, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The food was really a highlight. In particular, the vegetable dishes were exceptional. Maybe a tad pretentious? Sorghum custard? Lacquered quail? Nonetheless, The Dabney is a great dining experience.

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31. S

    Sallygal

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on April 7, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Best seasonal mid-Atlantic fare I've encountered. [NOTE: customary mid-Atlantic fare is often too heavy for me.] Chef's appreciation for finding the best ingredients and then applying his imaginative touch makes for a special dining experience. Front staff provides attentive service without being intrusive. All around great experience. Plan to return each and every season to see what Chef has in store.

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32. c

    cfishernyc

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 1, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Charming place with really interesting and delicious food. I enjoyed the steak tips with the greens the best - the greens were some of the best I've ever had! They were also really helpful about letting us know which dishes were gluten-free. The skillet cornbread was also a highlight. Can't wait to go back and try their desserts!

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33. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 31, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Well curated dinner with my two teenaged daughters. Loved the pork belly, black bass, small plates, housemate sodas. Lively atmosphere and warm, informed service.

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34. MM

    MMFoxDC

    Washington DC

    111 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    111 reviews

    Dined on March 26, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Love this place! Delicious grilled salads, best soups since Gerard's Place, smoky fish and meats, and using such great variety of forgotten produce. Desserts (which I don't normally care for) are super. Entire menu is inventive but still real food - no crazy molecular gastronomy ;-) I love the wine list - so many affordable gems and that takes a commitment from the leadership. This past trip, I had a vegan guest - staff could not have been more accommodating. We all enjoyed a delightful evening!!!

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35. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 26, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The Dabney is such a gem. It is off the beaten path a bit but so good! The food is outstanding, so fresh, so innovative! They even end your meal with a little sweet treat from the chef. The bar scene is great as well! Amazing French 75s, great wine menu, and awesome waitstaff. I cannot wait to come back!

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36. CA

    CoreyA

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on March 25, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This restaurant is deserving of all of it accolades. Continued success

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37. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 19, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    great place, it is a bit pricey but wonderful. you will not be dissapointed

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38. MF

    MomofFour

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on March 19, 2016

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    I'm blessed to have an 18 year old son who enjoys new experiences and loves all food and wants to cook professionally someday. When he read the WPost Magazine review on The Dabney, he wanted to go as his special spring break treat when he returned from Frostburg's cafeterias and fast food. It exceeded expectations for both of us. And this in the bleak winter months of radishes and microgreens. We can only imagine the menu when corn, tomatoes, peaches are available. No detail was overlooked, great care was clearly taken with every facet of the restaurant, the food, the service. My son watched 8 people hard at work in the gleaming kitchen just a few feet away, experienced how a hearth makes food taste better than an oven, watched the whole operation proceed like (crazed) clockwork. And the chef constantly surveying, watching, tweaking. A very special, delicious evening that neither of us will ever forget. PS: try the Homestead - a Manhattan for the ages. And the veggie platter and cornbread were sublime. Everything was delicious, but those stand out.

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39. r

    readytoeat

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on March 15, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Excellent food, good service, fun location -- the Dabney is a welcome addition to the food scene in DC. It will quickly become a tough reservation to get. We celebrated my wife's birthday there and it was perfect for the occasion. If you like Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, you will like the Dabney.

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40. PG

    PGof

    Washington DC

    84 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    84 reviews

    Dined on March 13, 2016

    overall4food3service4ambience4

    The atmosphere here is great -- friendly informal waitstaff who are nonetheless very attentive and knowledgeable. The bar was buzzing even on a Sunday night, and sitting next to the big open kitchen was fun; especially on a chilly night, there was a little extra warmth from the fire. About that fire: I think the best things at the Dabney come off it. For example, the bread here is not boring room temperature rolls; instead slices are buttered, grilled and served with delicious sorghum butter with spices. My dining companion loved the pork entree. But the rockfish was kind of disappointing; the flavor of the fish was overwhelmed by the thick layer of spices on top. Non grilled things that were great: the inventive desserts, the smoothly blended cocktails.

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