Iron Gate Restaurant Review

Absolutely fantastic food. Service is superb. Parking can be an issue.

Very Pretty Courtyard... Relaxing Atmosphere... Personable Servers

A cozy place to enjoy a romantic meal. The food was amazing and fresh. We ate on the outside patio they had heaters and fires. They also offered me a blanket. I can't wait to go back.

Service was saved by our second water Cory. Food was amazing set recommend for a nice dinner or date or group outing.

Very large but cozy feel with separate bar, outside garden, and indoor spread out areas

Wonderful restuarant. Good drinks. Very friendly staff. Wonderful, creative food. Outdoor patio seating is special.

Good food, great prices, and the atmosphere is great. Came as soon as they opened on a Tuesday. Quick service and reasonable pricing.

More hits than misses at this Mediterranean inspired small plates restaurant. Lots of experimentation makes for always interesting combinations and the evolving cocktail list is another stand out. The service is good but not pushy, perfect for a quiet date night. The multiple dining rooms ensure that you have a variety of experiences to select from, from lively long tables to intimate two tops to bar seating. In an area of town replete with excellent cooking Iron Gate may not always grab the most attention, but it more than holds its own.

Went there for brunch and it was incredible. Everything we ordered was delicious and the atmosphere is so cozy in the way back room. Definitely recommend this place.

Wonderful food although we saw a rat skitter through the trellis!

Great place to visit and we met the chef.
Food is quite good and wonderful place to visit. Food is great. Would give 5 stars but couple of dishes had little too much yogurt; BUT again the food is REALLY good; including the personal service.

The food is delicious and the servers are great. We came here on a Friday for lunch and our expectations were pretty high. They have meze style dishes so be prepared to share and pay upwards of $30 to get your fill. I definitely recommend the artichoke soup.

We were here on a warm day in February so even though it was warm out, the patio wasn't in full bloom nor as gorgeous as it could've been. We'll definitely be back in the spring!

Iron Gate takes covid precautions very seriously. The tables were at least 6 ft apart on the patio where we sat, you must put your mask back on when a server comes to your table, which nobody should be opposed to. Our server was new, but very professional and patient. They knew it was our anniversary, and they brought out a free mini appetizer, a happy anniversary ice cream bar, and a couple flutes of prosecco.

This was our third anniversary dinner at Iron Gate, and they always go above and beyond. They even gave us a handwritten anniversary card. We were sad that the squid ink pasta and lobster dish is no longer on the menu, but we understand that covid has forced most restaurants to reduce their menu offerings.

The focaccia was excellent. The fritters were solid, although I would probably skip them next time. The romanesco wedge salad was very good, although a little small. My partner had the mushroom pasta, which she enjoyed very much, and which came with a ton of noodles. My gnocchi dish was also excellent, and also came with a ton of gnocchi. We had the apple Napoleon dessert, whose name eludes me, which was also very good. payment is completely contactless, so you scan a QR code on the receipt and pay through your phone. A 22% gratuity is automatically added right now, and the server pointed that out for us.

A very good experience as always.

Delicious food with great service. My favorite dishes were the hen-of-the-woods and cremini mushrooms with a black garlic aioli, and the sorghum roasted squash with yogurt, pomegranate, and spiced seeds. I highly recommend you give it a try. Be sure to make a reservation as it's normally pretty busy.

We went for brunch today. The place is huge elegant and classy. Kinda laid back. My boyfriend had to catch a flight and we could have helped me a faster service. But the delicious food made up! My second drink was dunning late so we cleared the bill but the drink arrived as we were leaving. Server was gracious enough to say we could either drink it on the house or leave. We left but really like the gesture! The sausages and pancakes really stuck out! Drinks and ambiance are top notch!

Great atmosphere. Hidden outdoor garden in the back. Fabulous food.

If you're looking for a restaurant with a relaxed ambiance, a unique decor and a great selection of small plates (tapas).. The Iron Gate is for you. The food was exceptional. However, if you're looking for knowledgeable staff and we'll prepared cocktails... You may want to consider elsewhere. Stick with bottles of wine and craft beers.. As even their martinis lack execution.

Terrible experience, we were super excited to celebrate our one anniversary at the iron gate and our experience was not at all what we had imagined. We decided to do the tasting, had no idea that meant it would take 30 minutes between courses and several hours for our dinner. We sat outside to enjoy the rustic evening experience but unfortunately people across from us decided to keep their phone flash lights on the whole time because it was too dark for them outside, (I'm not sure when they didn't just sit inside) the whole time the light was in my face at first I tried to ignore it thinking she would turn it off but the entire 2 hours I was stuck sitting there with a light in my eye. Very aggravating, we asked the manger to move us or ask the people across from us to turn off the flash light he did neither, very disappointing. Later after waiting an hour plus for my entree arrived cold and there was a piece of bone in my food (I'm vegetarian), the manager claimed a piece of their clay oven had chipped and fell in there it wasn't a bone. I'm not sure which is worse. Overall awful experience would not recommend, I felt so bad for my poor fiance he kept apologizing for picking that place.

Very nice Mediterranean restaurant in DC. It's a high-end restaurant and expensive but the area and ambiance is really nice. Great for dates and group of friends.
The food isn't authentic Mediterranean, mainly seafood, but still delicious!
Service was great. Rich wine selection too.

Neat place with great drinks, great food, and great service. The sourdough bruschetta was amazing. We had a salad of some kind that my wife didn't like but I thought was decent. We had lobster pasta. My wife didn't like the lobster- I thought it was ok, but not outstanding. The pasta and sauce were incredible, though.

Nice setting in a townhouse, terrific cocktails and great food as well. Martini and Sangria were both great concoctions. The grilled octopus and gnocchi were fantastic. Staff was attentive, knowledgeable and made good recommendations.

Horrible experience. The waitress was snarky and arrogant. We were brought items we did not order and then charged for items we did not receive. The whole place reeks of a condescending attitude. The food was very disappointing especially the Nutella mousse. Will never return. Ruined evening.

Me and my dad came here one night. We were forced to sit at a table by the bar because we were told we didn't "RSVP" While everyone who wasn't black got to sit in the back. Is it true that if you do not RSVP you have to sit in the front? We spent over a $100 How foolish you racist. Never coming here again. Will never recommend this place either.

Great menu selection,the food was beautifully cooked, had wonderful hostess made the she experience more enjoyable. Small plate style worth it

We were able to experience the food rather than simply eating. Bravo.

Food was absolutely delicious. Eash course raised the favor bar for the next.
Zack our server was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Go with the 11 dish chef's choice. Tou won't be disappointed.

Fantastic food and service in a charming setting. My wife and I really enjoyed the number of vegetarian dish options, from burrata, to gnocchi, to the harissa carrot dish.

Food was excellent. Wouldn't go again on a cold night. Pretty drafty place. When the weather is warm, it's probably fabulous.

My girlfriends and I were here to celebrate my birthday this past Saturday night. From the first plate to the assorted desserts brought out w a Happy Birthday sign every dish was fabulous. We did one family style and the rest small plates and the combination of flavors and the dishes our waiter helped us select were unforgettable.

Amazing lobster and black pasta! Can't wait to come back here during Restaurant week to try something new!

My wife and I recently visited for our second time. It was just as good as the first, if not better! We were visiting for our wedding anniversary and the server, Kevin, was kind enough to share a free class of champagne for the occasion. But that's not all! Kevin was an amazing person and sever. He was very familiar with the wine and menu. Because of him, my wife and I had an amazing stay at Iron Gate.

Excellent European atmosphere and American Mediterranean fusion fare. Service was well delivered and ask for bartender Wallace for a wonderful cocktail.

Greasr hidden gem. Good food and wonderful setting.

I heard servers arguing about who would take our table. They said we werent gonna tip. We were all old servers and bartenders reuniting. Two were black, two were white. Despite the obvious issue with race, we still tipped 30%

Loved it! Great for a date or a special ocasion, it is not cheap but the food is worth it

Good cuisine, but a bit pricey with crowded seating. Nice staff.

Food and wine were fantastic here. Sat at the bar with a girlfriend and everything we ordered was wonderful. Great ambiance as well! We got light bites to share. The halloumi and meatballs were great but the kuri squash really stole the show!!! Sooo delicious!

An absolutely outstanding restaurant and bar near Dupont Circle. We have ordered the chef's table (where the courses are brought out based on what the chef wants to do on that day) twice and we have never been disappointed. The drinks are excellent and the wine list is extensive. The service is always top-notch. Best to sit in the patio if the weather permits.

Iron Gate is an isolated treasure in this part of Dupont. While most expect the best restaurants and bars to be on the main Connecticut Avenue strip, Iron Gate is a cozy alcove with (mostly) great food and endearing atmosphere. Great for Valentine's Day or any special occasion, it's ideal for date night. It is mostly small plates and easily earns its three dollar sign rating. But I only give it four stars, some of its entrees were a total miss and over seasoned.

Excellent atmosphere. Good food. The main room is very cozy.

Excellent wine selection and extremely knowledgeable wait staff who give such colorful descriptions of both food and drinks. The portions of appetizers can be a bit skimpy, but everything tastes great.

Food was ok, service was very slow, and we had to wait over half an hour after asking for the check. The patio area was nice (not as romantic as it has been described), but for the evening I was there it was incredibly hot partially because the canopy blocks most airflow.

Quite nice ambiance and cute setup with amazing food.

It was not bad, but it was not what I expected, very nice place, the prices were not so bad, but the portions very small.

Dined here for my parent's anniversary. We got several small plates and the mixed grill, all of which were excellent. While we had more than enough food, some of the small plates were a little pricey for their portion size, namely the eggplant dish and the deviled eggs. There is also a short in the wiring in the main dining room that causes the low hanging pendant lights to flicker. They were more than accommodating with moving us to a table without an overhead pendant. I would hope that's something that can be fixed in the near future as diners who arrived after us did not have the option to move. Aside from that everything was good. They ended our dinner with a complimentary anniversary dessert which was a nice way to end the meal.

It doesn't look like much from the outside but it's beautiful inside and very romantic. The food was delicious. Try the gnocchi!

The only issue with my experience there was the weird music choices. The Valentine's day dinner, was beautifully presented with a scrumptious tasting menu! Omg. Everything was incredibly delicious.
Our waitress was professional, attentive without being obtrusive, and very knowledgeable about her wine.
But the music varied from REM to Michael Jackson, Madonna and even some rock and roll, and it was kind of loud too. It was pretty jarring for such a romantic setting and meal.
Other than that, highly recommended.

A sincere THANK YOU to Aaron P., the Iron Gate management and staff, for making our anniversary dinner so special and memorable! Impending rain showers and water-logged pulpo appetizers turned into a quickly accommodated move into the carriage/bar area of the resto (equally charming and romantic!), and not one BUT TWO additional portions of the to-die-for pulpo tapas!! (and the original was still delicious despite the "rain seasoning"). The entire evening at Iron Gate was magical, thanks to the professionalism and genuinely caring attention provided by Aaron P., the kitchen and staff members. We are very happy with the re-opening of the romantic and unique Iron Gate. Grazie a tutti!

By far the best brunch I have ever had. Every single dish was amazing.

Great place to grab a bite and an amazing wine list. Ask for recommendations they will help you in any way they can. Really really good

beautiful cousine, beautiful interior. Garden seating is absolutely gorgeous. perfect place for a dinner date. a bit on the pricey side though

Small but tasty delicacies. Good service and nice atmosphere. Pasta are the best.

Great spot for date night with the wife. Its cozy and cute, the staff was helpful and friendly. The only dish we where a little meh about was the radishes. Everything else was great. Loved the spicy carrots and the spring pea bruschetta. The gnocchi and meatballs where really good to. We had 6 dishes and 4 drinks and the price was not as bad as many other places in DC. Will totally go back.

I went to Iron Gate on a weeknight, specifically to drink at their bar. It s a great environment for a date night because of the low lighting and chill background music that isn t too loud, so you can have a nice conversation with a relaxing ambiance. I like this bar because they have a huge selection of top shelf liquor and their bartenders do a great job crafting any classic (e.g. a martini or old fashioned) to your liking, along with a nice selection of their own unique specialty cocktails. There s also a huge wine selection, and you can order any food from their restaurant while at the bar. I definitely want to go back for a dinner. The dining area is a patio (heated during the winter) that s covered with a beautiful trellis filled with vines. A very quaint and relaxing vibe.

Great meal, family dinner was a fun way to try lots of dishes and everything was excellent. It was I think the best pasta I've had. Great atmosphere, nice staff, I would recommend this place to anyone

The place is nice, the food is definitely good, however, I was seated in a table looking over the service area and the mess inside, nothing concealing the room other than a curtain with a questionable style, not visually pleasing.
Also, during Covid, high standards are great and appreciated, then again, having to wear the mask everytime someone approaches the end of a big table is a bit of an overkill, Extremly disruptive to the atmosphere. It might be easier to just wear the mask and go pick the food up myself instead of continuous interruption. Lastly, they do their billing online and they add extra for graduity in additon to a mandatory tip- really? Overall, the food is good but not good enough to worth all of the hassle.

All of the food her was absolutely delicious. They have an extensive wine list and server Jacqui was very knowledgeable and helped us select perfect pairings for our meal. We only had room for one dessert. We chose the flourless chocolate brownie and it was decadent to say the least. Easy enough to park and outdoor dining space was beautiful and romantic.

LOVED this place. Unbeatable service. Great ambiance. Awesome prix fixe menu. You gotta go.

The atmosphere is excellent, as is the service. I started with an aperitif that involved some alchemic mix of amaro, green strawberry shrub and lambrusco. It was one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth. Dinner was 6 delectable small plates split between 2. A perfect meal. Dessert was witty and delicious. Yum.

Definitely a unique dining experience. Unexpected food combinations. Sophisticated yet simple play of ingredients. If you want typical fish or prime rib this us definitely NOT the place for you.

However, if you like the surprise of the unexpected like octopus salad and parsley salad or roasted dates filled with feta, then surely give this place a try.

Amazing food great ambiance ... but DC prices lol save this spot for special occasions lol !

This restaurant is so amazing. Food, drinks, service or even just atmosphere around.
Since I try it first time and it become one of my top 3 list.
Brunch, lunch or dinner it's hard to decide which one to love more.
You need to go to try all 3 to fill in love with this place as I do, you won't regret the experience for sure. Totally recommend it.

Elegant wine collection
Strawberry cocktail was awesome as well.
Had to wait a little longer even though had a reservation but wait was worth for food.

Always nice to come back. Brought my old neighbor from Sausalito, CA here for a catch up date. She loved it and so did I. Our server was a bit self possessed but did his job dragging a bit. In any case still a great lave.

I had a lovely birthday dinner here yesterday with some friends--we had the 4 course Agriturismo menu for only $25/person. The outdoor patio is wonderful, the service was excellent and the meal delicious. Inexpensive but tasty wine, delicious desserts and mains (Grilled peaches and cream were decadent, as was the short rib with braised beans) and the appetizers were scrumptious, if a bit small (as is to be expected for the low price and family style sharing--think tapas). An excellent date spot too--great atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Outdoor patio area is clutch, the food is incredible from apps to dessert

Amazing 5* outside patio! Great to sit and eat! Atmosphere and Ambiance is neat, comfortable and elegant. The restaurant appears super clean. Servers are pleasant, communicative, efficient and knowledgeable. And most importantly the food is nicely presented, taste was good. The mix of chefs family table was not what we expected, but generally good food.

Omg a rat was on the patio tonight but they did not charge us for our dinner; quite a way to compensate! Have they heard of an exterminator? Prior to the rat experience the food was marginal and minimal. If you are a meat and potatoes person do not go here.

My favorite dish from here is their olive leaf wrapped rice tomatine.

amazing for brunch when it's nice outside on the patio! lots of ivy. very classy crowd.

The gnocchi was amazing. I could have eaten a tub of it.

The food was excellent, as was the service. Went for brunch. The pancakes were sweet. The hanger steak wad good too, cooked just right. If I had one complaint, it was that the maple syrup was a bit runny. But I'm Canadian, so maybe I have a different standard. But a good restaurant none-the-less.

The atmosphere is nice, just a bit too loud inside... good service, friendly and fast. Iron Gate Mixed Grill was not bad, enough for 2 persons, but too salty for me (it s a matter of taste). Tasty wine.

FOOD POISONING. Dined there Friday 2/7/2020 at 6pm. Food, service, and atmosphere were great- until my wife and I got horrible food poisoning to the point where she had to go to the hospital... Completely ruined our weekend, and made my wife sick for 3 days. I would never expect this from a place where my bill totaled $200... We know it happened there as we both barely made it home without throwing up. I called the office and they seemed somewhat responsive and sympathetic - they offered to give us a free meal (at a different restaurant). It's been a few days and they still haven't reached back out to us. I'm leaving this review up until they do...

Terrific experience in a interesting Mediterranean restaurant in NW DC. The 4 course tasting was perfect! Service was top notch the pace of service was excellent- plenty of time to chat, we were never rushed.
We will be back.

Was not disappointed in the service (very good), nor most of the food, BUT ON THEIR WEBSITE THERE ARE TWO MENUS: AN A LA CARTE MENU AND A TASTING MENU.
We made reservations on their website for a party of four, but were not given a choice of whether we would like the a la carte menu or the tasting menu. When our party arrived at the door, we again were not given a choice, but immediately directed to the (air conditioned) rooms and presented with the tasting menu. When I asked about the two menus, the waiter said: "Do you want to sit outside in the humid garden?" (It was August).
COME ON IRON GATE, LET'S BE HONEST WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS!!

First, the history of this house is amazing. From the front door to the patio and the inside of the house the atmosphere is amazing. Iron gate is the ideal place to pick if you are celebrating an anniversary. We chose outdoor sitting, which was perfect on a summer night. Together the hubby and I tried 5 of their cocktails and they were all Amazing! Who ever is the bartender at Iron gate is the best bartender ever. The food sas perfection. Have you ever been to coastal Italy well this are the exact flavours recreated, brought so many flash backs. If you are looking for those authentic Italian coastal flavours this is the place. We ordered the chefs menu, which by the way changes daily. That speaks volumes of what a fantastic chef they have. We are already planning our next visit!

Had a great experience at brunch for a friend's birthday. The outdoor patio is totally magical and perfect for intimate dining. The food was really delicious (get the doughnuts if you know what's good for you), the cocktails were delightful and the service was impeccable.