Cafe Colline

Cafe Colline and their french-inspired cuisine is located in the Lee Shops area right off Lee Highway (if you are not local, ignore the Langston Boulevard moniker no one calls the thoroughfare anything but Lee Highway). Pre-Christmas Saturday found this place jammed with an older crowd drinking copious amounts of white wine. This is the same culinary team that you may have tried in Georgetown at the bistro Chez Billy Sud on 31st Street. We started with the Escargot Burgundy Snails, which was presented beautifully with Puff Pastries. However the inclusion of the Mushroom Duxelles in the offering had a chewy and somewhat unpleasant flavor. We also tried the Tartine smoked salmon which is served with country toast, herbed boursin, poached egg, capers and pickled shallot--yum! The Caeser with gem lettuce, parmesan dressing, garlic breadcrumbs and boquerones was more pedestrian than it sounds. Cool place!

Poor service BECAUSE 20% tip is automatically included is inexcusable. The waitress was totally into her phone and would not explain the menu unless you specifically asked her questions at which point she would just answer very curtly. To tell you about the food, she said the burgers were cooked medium, but the burger came completely overdone. Well done! Finally, you don't even know that the 20% tip is mandatory until you receive the check. This is really too bad because it used to be a very good restaurant.

Not really a French restaurant but good anyway. Reasonable parking out front or around the back. Prompt and enthusiastic if not very upmarket service. Food very tasty and quite busy even on a Monday night. Long thin dining area with downstairs large table for events? Generous sized steak and classic fries. French onion soup good as was the Pate. Located in strip mall near busy road

Cute French cafe/restaurant that is nice for a casual but still very nice dinner. All the staff were very nice and accommodating. Food is pretty good, but nothing spectacular. The fish was a little salty for our liking but still good. Steak frites good but again nothing incredible. The Riz Au Lait was a very unique dessert for us and would recommend trying!

Where to begin! We had the kindest server ever. Unfortunately we did not get her name but she had short blonde hair and glasses and was just the best! She was so attentive and friendly it made me feel taken care of. She even gave us a free dessert to go when we were leaving which was incredibly kind. The food was so delicious. I got the escargot and the bucatini Provençal which were both amazing. All around a great experience but made even better by our wonderful server.

Love this restaurant. Menu items are well thought out and well prepared. I like the salmon, the chicken and the duck (not an easy dish to get right). I understand the beet salad is good for those who like that. Drink menu has interesting choices and wine selections are very solid. Staff is friendly and efficient. Ambiance is cozy and cute - outdoor area is enjoyable when it's not horribly hot or rainy. This is a find.

They were out of French onion soup the day we went which was the main reason we went so that was sad but otherwise we had a great meal. Shared the croque madam as an appetizer. And then we had the steak frites and the bucatini pasta with the butternut squash. My very carnivorous fiancé really enjoyed the pasta as did I. The steak was a perfectly cooked medium rare and had a good crust. Definitely want to go back to try the soup!

It may look like a small sidewalk cafe from the outside, but actually is a decent size small restaurant on the inside with a long bar area. They also have a small outside seating area- but be warned its not covered, so any rain will very much dampen the area. Which is exactly what happened to us, but we were able to grab a seat at the bar. The service was very friendly and fast. I went with a croque monsieur for my lunch. The side salad was two huge pieces of lettuce and some dressing- not the best thing and super awkward to try and eat without some serious cutting. But the sandwich was fantastic- easily one of the best versions I've had in the area. Extremely flavorful and perfectly cooked. I would absolutely go back.

I went for Sunday brunch. This place oozes charm. It has a great location, and the parking is pretty good too. I wanted to like it. Before food, I had their Bloody Mary. It was served with more ice than Mary and was a bit watery; it came with some yummy garnishes and had a good taste. There are no gluten-free markers on the menu. Since a reservation was made in advance, I emailed before going. I think that my inquiry was misunderstood. The email response from the restaurant was that other than the bread in the onion soup, the menu doesn't naturally have a lot of gluten and I should stay clear of the pate. However, when I arrived, the waiter didn't seem to know how to help me. Debra, who I had exchanged emails, was there. She was able to guide me through the items that are naturally gluten-free and those that require modifications. Even though I'd taken the time to inform myself (isn't that the restaurant's job?) about their menu in advance, I didn't get to review the menu in private and make an informed selection on my own, like everyone else in my party enjoyed. I had to wait to ask the waitstaff, they then had to bring Debra over, then Debra walked me through what needed to be done so that I could eat their food. That's why I'd asked in advance, but my effort wasn't rewarded by not having to be singled out. I was told that they could leave critical things out (such as no-bun on the hamburger, which is no longer a hamburger). There are a few items that are naturally gluten-free on the menu: salad, omelet, or the more expensive options. This is a difference between $14-$15 (salad or omelet) to $26-$28 (moules frites and loup de mer) per plate. I ordered Moules Frites. The mussels and broth were delicious! The frites (what we Americans call French fries) were served tepid and limp. The mussels more than made up for the substandard fries; the mussels were plump and plentiful. The staff was inobtrusive while replacing the mussel shell dish and keeping it tidy. Fabulous. After the food, I wanted to try a calvados (I had recently read about French brandy from Normandy, made from apples or pears). They said that they didn't have it (although brandy is on their drinks menu) and they didn't offer any other suggestions. So, I asked for Ricard Pastis (I'd also read about this drink). I was asked how I wanted it. Since I'd never had one before and when the waiter asked how we wanted it, I asked for it in a tongue-and-cheek "the usual way." As the drink was being prepared, I could hear the waiter asking what to say to me as he served it. He was told from behind the bar that if I'd ordered it, I should know. Yikes...I looked it up on my phone, so as not to further burden the staff. It came "the usual way," which is with a glass of ice, carafe of water, and a service of the anise liquor. It was very tasty. If it weren't for the ambiance and the delicious food (except the bad fries) this place would be a hard pass. The reason why I'm not giving them full marks is not only because they don't mark their menu for food allergies, but the sense that my presence was inconvenient to them. If the dish is naturally gluten-free, mark it, it's not that difficult. Food allergies are not uncommon. I've said it before... A large part of eating out at this type of place is the experience. If you are not welcoming, we don't feel welcome. There are other restaurants.

Ambiance and food and service amazing. The bar area at lunch is usually free to walk in.

Went for Saturday lunch April 20th. Sat outside on a lovely day. Except for the burger the food was pretty average. My husband was disappointed with the Croque Madame. He said it needed salt. I noticed as we were walking to the deck that the bread appeared to be purchased and not made. Would have expected house made bread. As I said, I thought the burger was excellent. Messy and beefy and rich. Fries were great. We tried two desserts - rice pudding and pot de creme. Both were sorely lacking in flavor. Rice pudding lacked vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon.....something to make it more flavorful. The chocolate pot de creme was really. REALLY, lacking chocolate flavor. Both were not as creamy as others I've had. Service was ok. Adding 20% to every bill is ridiculous.

The restaurant has such a nice, cozy neighborhood vibe, and I enjoy dining here. We enjoyed the beets and la cachat to start. The onion soup was also quite lovely. We all ordered the loup de mer, and while it was tasty, it was a bit salty this time. Not sure why, but that was the only issue. I look forward to coming back.

This was a kind of random place that we saw walking by, and from the outside it looked OK, and things seem like it might be tasty on the menu, but... No. I was really expecting something better. The food was not good, the service was not good, and getting slapped with a 20% mandatory gratuity just felt like a slap in the face. We couldn't wait to just get the hell out of there.

What a cool little French restaurant in Arlington! Great menu and service- had the mussels and they were delicious! Price a tad high but such a fun and comfortable French cafe!

The space is lovely, and there's plenty of parking in front, on the side, and in the back. The staff was very attentive though our waiter didn't seem familiar with their menu. I ordered a Croque Madame, and it was very good. the bread was toasted and not too soggy, the ham was tasty, the cheese was sharp, the... Well, you get it, all the ingredients fit together nicely in terms of taste and texture. The fries that came with it were a disappointment. They were cold and flaccid. If I lived within walking distance, I could see stopping by occasionally. Because, they do have a nice "vibe." However, since I would have to drive and could go to any number of places, convenient parking aside, there was nothing about this place that stood out sufficiently to draw me back.

Craving hearty French cuisine after a 2.5-hour performance of Les Mis at the Kennedy Center: Appetizers: Escargot: burgundy snails, mushroom duxelles, parsley-garlic butter, and puff pastry. For her, the best French l'oignon soup we've had in all our years, including France! We did have to ask for bread, which is served by request and always love to sop up the garlic butter. Entrees: Steak frites and confit canard for her -- crispy duck leg, braised chard, wild rice, carrot purée, and sauce à l'orange. Both were magnifique! Normally don't have dessert, but since Cafe Colline was on a roll, Riz au let -- rice pudding with salted caramel sauce; and sorbet maison for her -- passion fruit sherbert. All of the above paired well with a carafe of the Cotes du Rhone, a generous two-bottle equivalent. We're recommending to all and returning soon.

This place was on our list to check out. It was always full on the weekends when I attempted to book. We lucked out on Friday night and found a table. The restaurant is vertically long, and many tables are inside. As a drink, I had a French Martini. I enjoyed how light/smooth it was and how easy it was to drink. As an appetizer, we enjoyed Escargot and French Onion soup. They were both nicely seasoned. My husband had Steak Frites. It was a pretty large portion of steak with a thick cut. I had a loup de mer which is a sea bass. In one Yelp review, someone complained that it was very salty. I was afraid of that, but it turned out to be nicely seasoned. I tasted a faintly lemony flavor. I enjoyed it. The service was excellent. There were many locals and regulars dining at the restaurant, which is a good sign. I would love to come back again.

Great French food. Tiny and cute restaurant. Def will come back again to try some dinner options.

While the food was excellent, the service was awful! Our server was rude and so was the manager/owner. This restaurant is not French! They kick you out if you stay over 90 mins. Very unfriendly vibe and such a disappointment.

I was first referred to Cafe Colline by my work colleague and since I had an open spot for brunch on my calendar, figured why not. I booked a table online fairly easy for the following day so my fiance and i could enjoy this together. I was very happy with the overall esthetic of the cafe and the serving staff was friendly and attentive. The cafe is much smaller than i'd expected and the chairs for the tables were a bit too stiff for me, but we had a great time nonetheless. I had completely forgotten about the squash and opted for the Tartine, which I was a fan of except the excessive use of boursin spread. It was just a little thicker than i'd have liked. I doubt the cafe had an control over the parking lot in the back of the building, so this is just a heads up to potential customers to look into taking an uber so as to avoid that lot. I could see us returning for future meals as the menu did seem to have a good selection to choose from.

The French onion soup was on point and delicious. Worth making the trip to this fine establishment. The madame croque is exactly the way it should taste but for a novice like me, I would have liked a little more flavor to it or a tomato on it. The tartine was fire and my friend who doesn't like smoked salmon actually enjoyed a taste of it.

Excellent service, classics like French onion soup done well. House pate is excellent, a mixture of chicken and pork served with whole mustard. Asparagus salad with fried egg is also very tasty. Like being at a French brassiere.

Super cute spot for date night! Came here with my husband and the food was really good! He ordered a whiskey sour and he wasn't a fan, and the other drinks didn't look great to me so I skipped. For food he got the streak and frites, cooked properly and really good sized portion! He was stuffed. I got the duck, and it literally fell off the bone. So juicy, tender, flavorful, just delicious!!!! Our waiter was super nice and friendly. I will say the tables are a tad too close for my liking...I could tell you all about the conversation the people next to us had, not the greatest on a date.

Cute little French restaurant off of Lee Highway. Recommend a dinner reservation if you want Indoor seating but bar and outdoor seating were wide open when I went. Pros: Service and ambience was fantastic. Steak Frites , garden salad and chocolate cake were delicious! Cons: Inside was freezing and I'm usually hot! Seabass was way too salty. 20% service charge included. I'll probably go again but will be ordering a different entree. Overall a solid 4 stars.

Very delicious French bistro food in an easy-to-miss strip mall. I had the mussels with frites, French onion soup, and a frisee salad. It's a meal you'd expect at some chic gastropub in Georgetown. Everything was well seasoned and flavorful. The frites were thin and crispy, and the egg on the salad was beautifully poached. As of May 2021 there are two tables outdoors at the front of the restaurant. I think they are planning to open a space in the back. The outdoor dining is first come first serve. I went on a weekday afternoon after the lunch rush and had no problem being seated. The menu was accessible via a QR code, which I really liked. I only wish I'd been eating my meal with a view in the distance of the Eiffel Tower, but alas!

Food has been great. If I had any constructive feedback on the food, it would be that some dishes are consistently way too oily (example, fish). Overall, we had viewed this restaurant as a very positive addition to Arlington. The real problem that me and my friends have is the woman (seemingly the manager or owner) who's behavior towards customers comes across a little too abrasively. One shouldn't feel scolded for patronizing a restaurant (not quite "Soup Nazi" level, but you get my drift). Has happened enough times to enough people that it merits a review warning you that it's not just you. Good luck.

As others noted, the restaurant is charming and offers a nice vibe for what I hope will be a long term neighborhood fixture. Regarding the quality of the food, it was overall good. The surprise for us was that the star attraction was le poulet rôti. We generally skip over roasted chicken (although there are exceptions- see our Chloe review). This chicken was expertly prepared (crispy enough on the outside and juicy on the inside). The seasonings were just right without overpowering the meat. The chicken itself is worth another visit. Also, the moules frites sans crème fraîche was enjoyable and well seasoned (without overdoing it) allowing the quality mussels shine. Before eating it, I had my doubts since the dairy had to be removed to accommodate our lactose allergy. While letdown is being dramatic, we both expected more from the duck. I know duck confit requires a lot of time to prepare but this one seemed to be overdone. Since we both like duck, we may try again to see if this was a one off or may try something else next time. We did have a few challenges navigating and selecting our meal given our lactose allergy, even though I sent a heads up to the restaurant both by separate email and noted in the reservation. It was resolved, and given the price point, certainly forgivable. Also ,to be fair in the end, I compliment the kitchen for offering some reasonable workarounds with side dishes. My note is that if you do have food allergies is to be prepared to do a little work with the staff to get what you want and not just hope it will all work out. For the wine, the syrah by the glass was the best. We also tried the two on tap wines but we were disappointed. Of course, wine is a personal choice and what you eat with it. The white wine on tap may pair ok with a bitter salad for example. The overall price for three principal plats, one starter, one dessert, one after dinner coffee, and four glasses of wine including 22% tip was $205. Given the overall good service and quality of the food, this is worth a repeat visit for us. However, the restaurant is small, so it takes some planning with reservations if you want to eat a weekend dinner. We think it was a good value and hope you do as well.

So for starters, this is maybe the best burger you will get in the DMV. Exceptional! Other strong points, the buildout and overall vibe are fresh, contemporary brasserie and nicer than anything else on Langston in Arlington - way to go Collins team. Only knock is the menu is laser focused accessible lux French. One or two down the middle adds for the average bear - a signature salad with your choice of protein, etc. create more consistent visits. For example, had a lunch meeting and my guest only felt comfortable with the burger.

Very incompetent service and you have to pay for it!! On Thursday evening, August 24th, my wife and I had dinner here to celebrate our 49th anniversary. Fortunately, we were able to get a table on the outside deck in back, just walking in around 5:45 pm. The restaurant is very small, has an upscale vibe and a very short, but interesting, menu. The restaurant appears to be very popular with local Arlington residents. And the food was quite good. My wife had the sea bass and I had the mussels and a salad. But unfortunately, the service was terrible. To start, a young woman who seated us asked us if we wanted water- sparkling or still. The water never came. Then we were given menus by a second young female wait staff and she asked us if we wanted water. We told her we were already asked. But most unfortunate, the young woman providing the menus never told us about the special dishes of the evening. We only learned about those when we over heard a table next to us getting the explanations from an older woman, possibly the manager or owner after we had eaten. Then the same older woman came over to us and asked us a third time if we wanted water!! She finally directed one of the younger women to get us some water, which was served shortly thereafter, finally!! Then when our dishes were served, the server did not know who was to get what. We had to direct them. We also had two more dishes that they attempted to serve to us, that were not our orders, but belonged to another table. The young women wait staff seemed confused and inexperienced. Only the older woman seemed to know how to do things, but then even she tried to deliver the wrong dishes to the table next to us. It was a bit of an on-going comedy. Finally, our lemon cake dessert was served, but the young woman delivered it sans forks. We sat there staring at the cake until the young woman brought out two giant soup spoons with which she expected us to eat a cake. We objected and had to ask for forks, which turned out to be large main course dinner forks, not smaller dessert forks. Oh my.....! Now I normally wouldn't be so emphatic about the poor service, but here is the reason.....the restaurant automatically charges a 20% mandatory service fee or tip. And the bill even suggests adding more - an "extra tip". The menu makes this clear and the bill automatically includes the 20% tip. I normally would leave a 20% (or more) tip for outstanding service, but what we experienced was far from that. Since it was our anniversary, and we were having fun, I decided not to challenge the automatic 20% tip, and we departed.

Place is cute with a French bistro feel. The pork chop was well prepared with a delicious sauce. The sea bass was also tasty. French onion soup wasn't hot and overall so-so. The place is very expensive and has a rigid seating policy with fixed dining windows. The hostess was rude and aggressive literally kicking us off our table, which I could almost live with if it wasn't the result of a slow and distracted wait staff. If your policy (stated on the menu) is a set dining duration, then have your house in order and serve the meal in timely fashion. At these prices, you have to do better all around.

Definitely not the place to come if you're looking to enjoy time with family or friends, they want people in and out quickly and to not enjoy the experience, just want your money and be gone. Been coming here for little while, and was super disappointed with my visit recently. I was excited to bring new friends who had never been before, made a reservation(we were a few minutes late!), but we were booted from our table before we even got to eat our dessert. They said there was another reservation and we need to move and could finish our drinks at the bar (there were no bar seats available at this time), my friend suggested maybe they offer us a glass of wine on the house for kicking us off our table to which the manager just laughed. Spent $500 on dinner, just to get asked to leave our table. Unfortunately service like this, I will no longer be returning which is sad because the food is pretty yummy! But for that price, you expect MUCH better service and friendlier management

Loved this place! Went to celebrate my 50th birthday with my spouse after hearing & reading great reviews. We both ordered starters (one salad & one cheese plate, both fresh & delicious) and main entrees (one duck and one steak, both fantastic), and shared a chocolate hazelnut dessert. We left stuffed and completely content. The service was spot on... attentive, helpful and low-key. The ambiance was perfect too... warm, stylish, French feel yet calm and relaxing. It was a Wednesday evening and every table was full, only a few free spots at the bar. Glad we had a reservation. We'll definitely return, perhaps with family and friends next time.

Cute place in north Arlington. Food is good. Biggest issue for me is that they add gratuity to every check -- I've seen 5+ people have a gratuity added -- but we were two people. It wasn't mentioned. We didn't see it and it resulted in us adding an additional 25% - so server received 45% from us. That was a but much and I feel they this practice should only apply to larger parties or at least be more clearly called out. Will have to consider if we return. Beware of this on your check.

The food was excellent. The place has a great vibe. The service was wonderful. Everyone was so friendly. I will definitely be back.

The Washington area has several outstanding French restaurants. Cafe Colline is not one of them. It's not even an "Americanized" style of French food, serving bland dishes that lack the nuance, spices, flavors, and quality of international cuisine. It's a disappointment, in my view.

We are looking for a go to spot that has the trifecta of ambience, service and great wine and food. Café Colleen has two out of the three. They have a great vibe, wow the booths for two near the kitchen were so fun! Plus, the service is always good. Last night the wine was nice but unfortunately, the food kept disappointing! It was our third visit and we were bummed that it was not consistent. Our server was nice, great table and setting nice glass of wine but we didn't love our meal. So sad! The house salad with a generous amount of delicious butter lettuce was soggy last night and it was over dressed with the tarragon vinaigrette. Such a disappointment from our expectations. The beet salad was OK, but maybe because it was a Monday, veggies just weren't that fresh. I don't know! We then ordered bread to comfort us and it was not remarkable in anyway! So if you're a person who loves a restaurant with a consistently good salad and bread this is not the place for you. The salmon entree was the winner of the night! The crispy potato crust and moist salmon with those mushrooms and spinach was all divine! The sea bass was good, but my husband preferred my salmon so we shared. We're going to keep looking for the trifecta but most importantly, consistency in food quality.

Business lunch, restaurant was busy, food was tasty, service was pleasant and efficient. Portions and prices were fair Just wish they would mark menus for food allergies instead of having customers guess.

Loved it! food and service was great! Wonderful ambiance! We especially loved the salads and chicken dish- so good! easy parking

Lovely French bistro in Arlington, Cherrydale area near Arrow Wine. Came here to celebrate 20 years with this amazing woman.

Everything was delicious! The Loup de Mer was the best I've ever tasted! The sea bass was fresh and cooked perfectly topped with almond-caper beurre noisette and served with an aromatic fennel purée. The appetizer - recommended by our server - made with leeks was exquisite. My only complaint was the temperature that night. It was way too cold. Good thing I had a sweater.

Love this place. We have gone twice and I got the sea bass both times. Hubby got the salmon. I would go every day for the house salad or asparagus salad. Will we go again? I am positive we will go again for a special occasion. We would try to go when they might be less crowded because I don't like close seating. Nice patio in the back - small but I am glad it is there.

This is a great place for an occasional date night. The ambiance is very lively and the tables are close together. Service was very attentive, minus front desk reception, who seemed almost confused as to why we were standing in the lobby of the restaurant. We started with the goat cheese appetizer, which was lovely. The main of the bucatini was interesting but maybe a little dry. What I dream of is the desserts. The riz au lait is outstanding. I also loved the pot de crème.

I've been here once for lunch and more recently for dinner. Both wonderful. The restaurant has a really nice Parisian bistro feel abs the food is fantastic. They even take reservations for dinner which is a huge bonus and there is ample free parking right out front at night as the retail stores next door are closed. Steak frites, mussels with fried, frisée salad, salmon and cream puffs were all outstanding. Onion soup was just ok -- broth was a little too sweet and cheese was not sufficiently melted? Just not the best I've had and I was surprised given how good everything else was. As another bonus, this restaurant is located in suburbia so no need to go into DC.

Wonderful service, food is really really good and even more fancy than we expected from a small cafe in Arlington ! The place itself also is very cute and charming like a small Parisian cafe

We dropped in early for a seat at the bar. We're nice, reasonable people, but the hostess was incredibly rude. It was very clear she did not want us there over a couple interactions. So we took our business somewhere else. It's a shame, we heard great things about the food, but it seems others have experienced the awful service as well.

As always, the food and service are both quite good. The restaurant is cozy and inviting and the staff exceptionally welcoming. You will not go wrong with the salads or the fish soup. Mussels are great as is the steak too. As for the hamburger / cheeseburger, while it is good, it would be better if the chefs used less cheese and a smaller / thinner hamburger bun. The bread is pretty thick and overpowers the burger. Aside from that, food is exceptional.

Visited this place since it's local to me, but I should've read the reviews first. Like others have said already, the food was salty and the service was salty to match. Their outdoor dining space and furniture are in rough shape and less than inviting. And to top off the experience they slip in a 20% gratuity into the check for a small table. Their self-assessment of the services they provided did not align with their customer's experience. Very presumptuous of them. Steering clear of this place moving forward.

Great food !! Very nice inside our new French place to go. Gratuity is included so I don't know if that makes for a better service or not.

This is the third time that I have eaten at Cafe Colline. On previous occasions the food and service were excellent, but third time was not a charm. While the pork chop was wonderful, the pate was dry, and the olive oil cake overcooked and also dry. Unfortunately the service was surly. Off night, or the start of a trend? One hopes the former!

Delicious, rich, high-quality generous portions. Had the Croque Madame and Escargots.