Café du Parc

French food is ooh la la! From escargot to the french croissant and chocolate mousse, everything here has been divine to my taste buds. The coffee is not cheap. It is top quality. You can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Who knows, you may come across someone famous!

I hit up Café du Parc at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, for a bite, and it was a solid experience with some real French vibes right by the White House. This place, tucked into the Willard InterContinental, feels like a Parisian café with a DC twist. I grabbed a spot on their outdoor terrace, which was awesome—great views of Pershing Park and the World War I Memorial. It’s perfect for people-watching with a coffee in hand. The inside’s nice too, but the terrace is where it’s at on a good day. For food, I went with the salmon tartine and the crab cakes. The tartine was fresh and light, with perfectly smoked salmon on crusty bread, topped with just enough dill and cream to make it pop without being heavy. The crab cakes were a win—crispy outside, tender inside, and packed with crab, not filler. The remoulade sauce had a nice kick. I was tempted by the crème brûlée for dessert but passed since I was stuffed. The menu’s got other solid options like steak frites and salads, plus a kids’ menu if you’re with family. Service was mostly on point. Our server was friendly, and you can tell folks like Juan, who’s been there forever, know their stuff. That said, it took a minute to get my iced tea refilled, which was a bit annoying but not a big deal. Drinks were good—I had a French-inspired cocktail that went well with the meal, though it was a tad pricey for the size. The vibe’s lively, but it can get loud indoors, which might bug you if you’re after something chill. Prices are what you’d expect for a fancy spot in this location—not cheap, but the quality’s there. I heard a grumble from another table about a server pushing for a bigger tip, but my bill was fine. Overall, Café du Parc’s a great pick for a nice lunch or dinner with a view. The food’s legit, the terrace is a gem, and it’s got that French charm. I’d give it a 5 out of 5 and will probably swing back for their brunch.

We were walking back towards our hotel when we passed by this spot. We were seated right away outside (our choice) and chose to participate in their Restaurant Week menu. Ended up sharing french onion soup/crab cakes + ny strip/scallops + creme brûlée/peach basil tart. It was a great menu deal and atmosphere outside. Pleasantly surprised!

Beautiful, quiet spot with great food located in a gorgeous hotel a few steps away from the White House. There are options for everyone, including the kids (I personally got an item from kid’s menu, salmon with potatoes, so good!). The French onion soup was delicious. Service is great and food comes out quickly. Would definitely visit again.

Café du Parc is one of those places that I MUST go to EVERY time I’m in DC and dream about when I’m not there. The food is amazing, the service is fantastic, and the atmosphere is just exquisite. We’ve been to Café du Parc for Breakfast and Lunch (can’t wait to go for tea or dinner one day) and have always left happy and fully satisfied. This time around we got the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict which was a great balance for salty, creamy, and soft. We also got the omelette which comes with the choice of one protein (we went with ham) and as any of the veggie options as you wanted (we chose all of them). It was super filling without feeling heavy. The breakfast potatoes came with both meals and were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We ordered the orange juice and while I LOVED that it had pulp, I know others don’t so keep that in mind if you decide to get it. Overall, this is one of my favorite restaurants and I can’t wait to go back to DC just to eat here!

We’ve dined at this restaurant multiple times whenever we visit Washington with our kids, and we are always satisfied. The kids' portions are perfectly balanced. For example, one of our kids had a steak, and the other had salmon. The portions are just right for children, and the price of $14–16 per dish is excellent. The French soup was amazing; we didn’t even manage to take a photo for the review because it was gone so quickly! Everything else was also delicious and well-prepared. We’ll definitely be back!

I settled on the eggs benedict with smoked salmon. The food was great, the poached eggs were just about 30 seconds under cooked. The experience itself was amazing. The restaurant was gorgeous, but the service could use improvement. There were approximately 5 people serving. We had 3 tables around us that were still waiting to be served and they were having a talk with one another the whole time. My table sat without filled waters for at least minimum 15 minutes. I give them credit, all servers were dressed amazing, and when they were serving it was great. Overall, it is pricey but I wiuld recommend everyone give it a try. Having mediocre service could have been caused by it being the end of their day, so you might get great service!!!! We'll worth a try!!!

Great place to enjoy Washington D.C. Service was great and food and drinks are very delicious. Especially crab cake was amazing. I would like to visit this place again if travel back to D.C.

I think it's been close to a decade since I've been to Cafe du Parc, but on a recent walk downtown I re-discovered it! Tucked away in the historic Willard Hotel, the cafe is a cute little nook that's great for a quick meeting or go grab a beverage to go. They have so many beautiful French baked goods, but on this visit I stayed away from those and just opted for an iced latte. The barista made it with love and I was on my way. Even though the space is rather small, there is a decent amount of seating and I've yet to see it packed (although I'm sure that is only because I've dropped by during off peak times.) But definitely a great, accessible option near the White House to grab a cup of coffee!

Stopped here for lunch after a morning tour of the White House. It is a large restaurant and we thankfully were quickly seated despite not having a reservation. The restaurant has cute French bistro vibes. I really enjoyed my moules frites and thought it was a pretty large portion. My family members ordered burgers and they all enjoyed them. Service was just fine. This restaurant is one of the better lunch options near the White House and I'm glad we found it!

Came in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and to my surprise, it was not very busy at all. Sat outside on the patio and enjoyed a couple light dishes while people watching. The food was good- nothing amazing, but service was pretty slow. It took some time for someone to initially come over and also to close out the check.

My first time in Washington, D.C. I had an amazing time. The cuisine around the city was amazing. I went to Cafe du Parc for lunch after touring the African American Museum. I was craving a grilled cheese and fries. My cravings were satisfied. The grilled cheese was on sourdough bread and cooked to perfection. The fries were delicious too. I got cookies to go. The cookies were so good. I love the decor and cleanliness of the cafe. The staff were very friendly and professional. Overall a great experience.

Café du Parc is a French Bistro/Brasserie located in a semi-detached building at The Willard International Hotel in Washington, DC. It's a handy place to eat if you are staying at the hotel, and you might want to give it a try even if you are not. There's a small grab and go area downstairs where you can get a coffee, sandwich, or pastry. The offerings here are very nice, and compare with high end coffee shops in the area. There's a small dining area downstairs as well, and out front there's outdoor seating that would be nice in suitable weather. Unfortunately, it wasn't available when I visited. Then there's the larger dining areas upstairs which seat more people than one would think. The menu is limited, but adequate. One can find some good choices. It should be noted that the menu and pricing are the same as the Round Robin Bar in The Willard, so you can eat at either place. If you are an International Ambassador, you might get a free breakfast amenity. It's worth taking advantage of that if you do. The breakfast/brunch offerings were great, and included enough variety for a few days. The quality was great and the service fast and attentive. It's a bit pricy, but pretty much in keeping with quality establishments in the area.

Came to cafe du parc and it was overall a good experience. It's a very cute upscale French bistro vibes where you're able to get your bang for your buck. My recommendation is to get the garlic butter mussels. They are so buttery and the amount you get is worth the money. The bread on the side is so crispy and buttery as well. There were a few Sandy mussels at the bottom so just beware but exceeded expectations. Had the Willard burger which was not super special. It was a regular burger (needed just more sauce and wish the burger was juicer) but the fries were incredible. They were so skinny yet crispy. The chocolate cherry macaron was a great dessert to share between two people. The amaretto ice cream packs a punch and there is a good balance between the cherry and chocolate (and it doesn't taste artificial at all). Our server Adilia was incredible. She made sure me and my friends needs were met, and was so funny.

Inside the Willard near the White House is a small cafe with coffee drinks, pastries, and more. Before seeing the White House 2024 holiday decorations, we stopped in for lattes and breakfast. The hazelnut latte was average, but the spinach and feta croissant was good! My seven-year-old daughter LOVED their hot chocolate with whipped cream.

Dropped by for a beverage and pastries after spending time checking out some sites in DC . I ordered an iced chai as it was a hot but beautiful day. I saw some spinach pastries in the glass case and chose the remaining two. I think the people behind me weren't happy about it. Oh well. Anyway, the barista made a hot chai instead for me. I didn't want to be a burden so I just asked a cup of ice. Enjoyed my beverage on the patio and savored my pastry later as I was walking around.

Great casual vibe with an extensive lunch menu. The kitchen really pays attention to details. Even the simplest thing -- Salade Nicoise -- was done to perfection. Tuna was rare, haricot verts were perfectly blanched. Greens crisp and perfect amount of dressing, Fishes were beautifully prepared. Charcuterie and cheese plate were varied in tastes and textures. Great place to enjoy a special lunch!

Food is good and service is nice! Ambiance of the place is cozy and refreshing! Will definitely be back!

We stopped in for lunch while visiting DC. The restaurant has a serious European feel nice menu selection. I had the chicken breast with french mashed potatoes and green beans and my wife had the french onion soup a meal in its own the chicken was a bit on the small side but was extremely good the mashed potatoes were the best I have ever had hands down a serious 11 green beans were fresh and crispy the service was first rate our server was fantastic coffee always refilled water as well food came out fast and hot my wife had to let the soup cool a bit as it was steaming as it arrived table side we were treated like kings you will not be disappointed

My favorite patio to dine on near downtown DC- Cafe du Parc marries French cafe favorites with Parisian cafe culture/people watching. In the summer their gazpacho is amazing and in the winter a cappuccino and steak frites are perfect to warm up. I love the indoor space but prefer to join when the weather allows to sit outside and especially appreciate that the patio is dog-friendly! Make a reservation and prepare for excellent service and flavors!

There are 473 reviews for the restaurant at historic Willard Hotel. This is where you make a video piece that you play on weekend television. It's a historic hotel and I hadn't heard of it. I went on a tour today. This is Intercontinental hotel chain. The restaurant and cafe are nice and pricey. It's for professionals. It's open. Essentially, why ask why you are getting pastry. Nice atmosphere. Says it's French sidewalk style. On a sunny day. The sun with the blue awnings..It made my day.

Food is very good. Outdoor ambience is super nice. Bakery is amazing and the coffee was tasty.

Pastries are the best! It self service concept, ambiance is typical for French type of casual cafes and restaurants.

I stopped by here for some coffee and pastries after the cherry blossom run in dc. Overall it was an okay experience. The coffee is from for five coffee, so pretty good but nothing special. The sandwiches were also decent. They only make a certain amount and ran out of most vegetarian options, so most people I was with weren't able to eat. The highlight was definitely the pastries! We got a chocolate pastry that was great-- not too sweet but still flavorful. There are a couple tables/chairs, but it was pretty packed inside so we had to wait for a while to get seating. We stopped by around 3pm. It was a pretty loud environment as well. There aren't many other coffee shops in the area and it was pretty decent, so I would come back but it probably wouldn't be my first choice to take someone.

My go to spot after long walks at the National mall area. Excellent service and food. Classic French interior with good view, stone away from the White House.

This is definitely convenient if you're staying in downtown and need something quick. They have a variety of pasties and drinks. It's not somewhere i would go out of my way for, but if you're in the area this is a cute little spot.

Cute little spot to grab a coffee and a pastry. But this place fills up fast. Lots of work badges seen, not tourists.

Breakfast: Eggs and Meat ($22) 3/5 Eggs Benedict ($21) 4/5 Traditional Buttermilk Pancakes ($17) 3/5 Muesli ($15) 1/5 Lunch: French Onion Soup ($15) 3/5 Croque Monsieur ($21) 4/5 (2x) Steak Frites ($16, kids menu) 5/5 Breakfast was pretty mediocre for the most part. The Muesli was really disappointing (extremely drippy) and should be removed from the menu (per my SO). The best part about breakfast was def the service, not the food! Lunch was a lot better than breakfast--mainly bc of Steak Frites ($16, kids menu) which my DS devoured (2 orders!) The Croque Monsieur was also really good! Lastly, the French Onion soup was good but far from great. Also picked up a couple blueberry muffins ($5/each) from the lower level cafe. Diamond Breakfast CR: $82 ($41/pp) Parents - make sure you get the kids menu!

Such a cute little cafe attached to the Willard hotel in Washington DC. The service is pretty fast. Staff is friendly. They have such a cute menu for pastries and items. Their coffee is really good! I got a cappuccino and it was done just right!

Feels like you're in Europe at a sidewalk cafe! Brunch was very good; Fresh, flavorful produce. Generous portions and great taste. Lots of delicious beverage choices as well.

We had a really nice experience here, were looking around the area for somewhere nice to eat and this is definitely a good choice, we walked in at lunchtime without a reservation but in high season guessing advance planning, at least to sit in the upstairs restaurant section, would be necessary. The service was friendly, prompt, and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was relaxed and unhurried. Of course we enjoyed our food, a Nicoise salad for me and a crab roll for my partner. Would definitely return!

Cafe du Parc is simply lovely. It looks small upon entering but it has multiple rooms and an out door patio. (Weather permitting) It right across the street from the White House in the Willard Hotel. The service is friendly and timely but then again it was not that busy. I had lunch. It was a Croque Monsieur. It was delightful. I would visit this place again in the spring.

I have to give them credit where it's Du! This was no ordinary cafe and would happily Parc my butt in a seat there again. Came here on NYE for dinner and the place was bustling. They leaned into the French decor and I think it really worked without being too obnoxious. The service was a bit slow but I'd attribute that more to the holiday. We started with the beet salad and onion soup. Both were great in terms of flavor and presentation. Wish they would have warned us how hot the soup was though. For mains we had the tofu and the branzino. I was really impressed with the tofu, it was baked with a great crust and they really let it be the star of the show. Most restaurants shy away from tofu but they did it justice. It was on a bed of veggies and was really filling. The branzino was well cooked and similar well portioned. We finished off with cappuccinos which tasted great. Overall, it was a bit pricey but considering the location it makes sense. Was really impressed with the quality of the food and would recommend giving it a try!

My friend and I arrived for a noon lunch. We went up to the hostess stand and asked for a two seater table outside; they had a good number of tables filled, but plenty available and it was a beautiful day, so we thought we would sit outside. We were told by the older Asian woman at the hostess stand that there were no outside tables and that we could go eat upstairs. Seeing as how I was in a walking boot, I really didn't want to go upstairs. Also, it was a beautiful day outside, A couple who came in after us were told they could sit at a table outside for two. When I spoke up and mentioned how somebody who came in after us got seated outside first with no reservations, but they had no available tables for us, she suddenly "found "a table. Apparently, all of the tables say reserved on them when they aren't necessarily reserved. Also, they would rather leave a four top table empty as opposed to seating two people in it. (Which in my opinion is not good business sense, considering there was not a wait.) we passed several empty tables to get to ours. The table was dirty and hadn't been cleaned off; she took the dishes off the table, but said she would send somebody over to clean it. She did not. There were empty, disposable coffee cups at our feet, which was pretty gross. I do not expect it from a restaurant like this. Our waitress was quite lovely though! She definitely made up for it. We found the food quite enjoyable. I got the roasted chicken and my friend got the Crab roll. She said the crab was delicious, but the bread was a little dry like not quite fresh. We did notice as we watched the area that they would bus the tables, but wouldn't wipe them down. They would seat new people there, people who were dressed up thinking they were getting a clean table and they weren't. The location is definitely great, and the ambience is charming, But I think the hostess/manager? needs to be a little bit more amiable. With an amazing place just around the corner, I don't know if we would come back here.

Seevice very good. Food awful. Decor is "meh" at best. We were presented a terrible breakfast at Cafe du Parc this morning. To their credit, they did not charge us when I complained, but frankly, they need to make some changes. The "tofu scramble" (we're vegan and love a tofu scramble) wasn't a tofu scramble. It was a stew of tofu in tomato sauce and it was disgusting. The "home fries" aren't home fries; they're bits of potato, probably came as a bag of frozen bits, dumped into a deep fryer. Basically, a bad version of french fries. The rye toast was a low quality bread similar to Wonder bread. Breakfast at a restaurant on a Sunday morning is one of life's great pleasures. You want to stay at table and relax, enjoy the morning, and savor the meal. This was more like breakfast at a fast food joint, there was no pleasure in any of it, and we were happy to leave. Shame on Cafe du Parc.

Hits and misses at Cafe du Parc for dinner last night. We started with the cheese plate - which had generous portions of each cheese, a baguette and apricots, grapes and almonds. Then we moved onto our entrees. I had the branzino which was cooked well with a super fresh and flavorful ratatouille on the side. My friends enjoyed their mussels and cauliflower steak. My husband's steak was cooked well done (when he ordered medium). We sent it back and it came back well done again! So disappointing. When we alerted the waiter he just apologized but didn't take it off our bill.... Didn't offer us a free dessert.... No manager came to speak with us. Def bad customer service! It's nice they offer validated parking at the hotel.

Had a double date here with my partner! We wanted a romantic place with great food: we were NOT disappointed. Appetizers: Cheese and charcuterie boards (hard to mess this up, IMO - duck prosciutto was quite interesting). The other couple ordered one pineapple gazpacho, and ordered another RIGHT AFTER. They loved it. Dinner: We got the filet (I wanted to share w/ my partner because I was not very hungy) and they ordered the branzino. Both plates were CLEARED. The filet was cooked perfectly. Desserts: Ordered the chocolate fondant for me because I was IMMEDIATELY sold on coconut sorbet. Shared it with my friend because she attempted to order the coconut sorbet separately and they told her she could not. The restaurant is quite beautiful, and the even the set up outside was quite nice. Would love to return for brunch,

Good food. pretty short menu, but yummy. a smidge understaffed for the holidays. my burger was good, as was my mom's crab roll. The lamb pasta was okay. The appetizers were very good (we tried the pork belly, french onion soup, and the crab)

Such exceptional staff and service. We were in a private dining area because we had such a large group. The food lived up to expectations 100%. This goes beyond a "hotel restaurant". Everything was seasoned well, the servers knowledge of wine was extremely helpful, plates came out quick and correctly. Some of the food we ordered were: Onion Soup, Tuna Tartare, Lobster Bisque, Roasted Spanish Octopus, PEI mussels, Chicken Breast, Steak Frites, Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brûlée, and Vanilla Napoleon.

Went there for dinner with family. Poor service and food mediocre. My mussels were sandy.

Stopped here today on a whim. Very pleasant staff and delicious food. Made for a great afternoon!

Highly disappointed in my experience. The hostess's face fell when I said I was not an esteemed guest of the hotel, and she brusquely whisked me off to a back corner of the upper floor with no view of the park. The downstairs café had maybe three patrons. The selection was overpriced and limited to greasy American breakfast fare. Where were the pastries from the review that drew me here? The cappuccino was also burnt. It is so hard to ruin an espresso shot from a machine! Gross, sour aftertaste. Source: I was a barista. I very rarely post negative reviews as I do not want to damage the reputation of someone's livelihood but the Willard, with its touted history of 200 years of excellence, needs a serious wake up call. Maybe a sip of their mediocre coffee?

I made this a short review because there isn't much to say. We ordered a crème brûlée the service was good. Ambiance is nice. Crème brûlée was amazing. Thank you for reading have a nice day:)

I don't recall if I wrote a review for Café du Parc when I lived in DC, but if I did it was due for an update! My friend T and I used to get snacks and coffee there when we worked in the National Press Building, so when we met up last month on a Sunday it was a natural place to stop in and catch up. It's so pretty and Parisian, it always feels like a mini vacation in the heart of DC. While small, I've never had a problem nabbing seats. In the Fall/Winter you are definitely going to want to be indoors, but Spring and Summer sitting outside under the umbrellas with an Orangina is where its at! This time I got a mineral water for myself, and a pastry for us to split as we are both tiny people :) I'm not entirely sure where the Cafe leaves off and the Brasserie begins, but this specific review is just for the cafe.

This is a gorgeous place in a few minutes walk from the White House. Great coffee snd desserts. I recommend getting a coffee and enjoying an atmosphere from France inside or outside at the terrace. Baristas are very nice people too.

I loved this cute cafe!! We walked in after visiting the White House Visitor's Center. We walked in through The Willard Hotel lobby first then made our way to the Cafe, which has a connected entry point to the hotel. The pastries were displayed so beautifully and we were hungry so we ordered a couple of savory pastries + sweet pastries. We quickly ate up what we had gotten so we went back to the counter to order more. The inside of this cafe was super adorable, so we wanted to stay and kickback for a bit. It's walking distance to museums and monuments and they also have a restaurant (by reservation) located upstairs which is an extension of the cafe. We visit DC often, so this place will be on my list for our future visits.

No Resy just walked in for an early dinner at 5:30. I was able to get sat down food was decent, service was good- it's a little overpriced I would think just because of the location and the hotel that it's in. The restroom wasn't in the best shape downstairs. Overpriced- would skip.

Exquisite filet mignon and rockfish. Fantastic pea purée and baby carrots for the rockfish. The napoleon was creamy and good too. I felt like I was eating on the left bank in Paris.

Super cute! Tables outside with umbrellas under the trees so nice to relax after a walk. Service is super fast and the latte was just delicious. People we nice and the line moved fast. The upstairs dining looked so nice if you want a full meal. Great stop on your walk

Literally the best breakfast my family has ever eaten, and we all had different items. It was my husbands birthday & his favorite food is pancakes: I wanted to find a great pancake for him. We weren't disappointed: he said they were THE BEST pancakes he'd ever had. Served with real maple syrup. It's a little pricey, but in line with DC dining, and well worth it. One of the highlights of our trip, and definitely the best dining experience we had.

Between the overpriced and overcooked steak and the really rude hostess that came over and said "yes, I know you guys want the check but be patient".. I'd encourage finding somewhere else to dine, unless you want your vibe obliterated.

We had breakfast here which was average but what really shined was their lunch. We sat in the outdoor patio area on this beautiful day and enjoyed some specials off the menu, everything was delicious and flavored just right. This is the perfect atmosphere to enjoy your meal in front of the hotel and you get to people watch.

Convenient and easy. Nice pastries. Hot chocolate may be from powder so you can skip that. Super nice service and cute vibe.

After a nearly 2-hour Segway tour of National Monuments we visited Csfé du Parc. We were seated quickly upstairs from the coffee shop. Within moments our server greeted us took our drink order and gave us some time to peruse the menu. I ordered the Café du Parc salad which was perfection in a salad bowl. The Lemon vinaigrette dressing was wonderful. The setting is beautiful and the Hotel is gorgeous. Highly recommended.

This is a very solid French cafe and restaurant. Great service, French classics on the menu, and classy French bistro vibe. The cafe (aka coffee shop) with a display of pastries is on the first floor whereas the dine-in restaurant is on the second floor. After perusing the bakery display case which had amazing looking pastries and desserts next to the French bakery classics (croissants, etc), I went up to eat after finding out how pricey they were (priced at $10 for the sweets and $5 for the baked items). -Escargot Bourgogne, with garlic butter: was a bit under seasoned, but came in 8 large pieces despite being plated on a bakeware designed for 6 escargots. Was okay. +PEI mussels, traditional style: very tasty mussels - one of the better ones I've had in DC (and surprisingly better than the well-known French spot near Dupont Circle. It came in a large enameled pot, and was a large portion. The accompanying fries were thin and tasty, and the accompanying grilled country bread was perfect for sopping up the leftover juices in the pot. All of the mussels were opened (as it should be). Highly recommended. +Creme brûlée a la vanille: topped with fresh fruits, and well made with plenty of vanilla bean - although I do wish the creme brûlée was a bit warmer. I still nevertheless enjoyed it. I can see myself coming back, especially whenever there are deals to be had, since it can be pricey to eat here often.

I picked this place to celebrate my wife's birthday and it did not disappoint. She loved it and gave it a 10/10 rating. The decor was very tasteful and represented Paris in a way I've never seen outside of France. We started off with the Berkshire Pork Belly, it was succulent. The Brussel sprouts, mini greens, sauce and the tenderness of the pork belly were out of this world. My wife got the Beef Bourguignon which was tender and delicious and I got the Muscovy Duck Breast. Talk about moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, that duck was magnificent. They then brought a Crème Brûlée with a candle in it to finish out e the night. Thank you Cafe du Parc for your hospitality and the wonderful food. We will be back or our next visit to DC.

Cafe du Parc is a lovely place located steps away from the White House inside the famous Willard Hotel. It is clean, bright, has friendly staff and serves the World Famous Willard Hot Chocolate. You do not want to visit DC in the chill of the fall or winter and not indulge on this delicious cup of heaven! The parties and sandwiches are also excellent, the service is fast, they have a seating area in the cafe and a table service option upstairs. I always grab and go and have yet to be let down with any of their items. The Anjou Pear Tart is scrumptious.