Elena James All Day

Do not bother ordering an entree, appetizers, salads and burgers are ok. Came with a group on a slow weekday evening, and service and food were slow to appear. The pork schnitzel was close to inedible, two different dinners at two different tables found it nearly impossible to cut even with a serrated knife, and once cut could only see and taste the breading, which appeared to lack any spice except salt. As reported by multiple parties, the trout was cooked perfectly but lacked any spice or herbal flavoring and was accompanied by a very limited amount of a completely bland white sauce. One who ordered the duck wing appetizer found the 4 drums to be tasty but dry. The salads were meal-size portions and decent versions. Wine selections were reasonable although priced $1 or $2 more than similar restaurants. Eight beer selections were listed but neither of the two lagers were available. No one in the group wants to make a return visit.

Came here for dinner recently on a Wednesday night—the restaurant is fairly new so it wasn’t crowded, but we had reservations. Cute decor inside. Service was great—food came out fairly quick and our server was friendly and attentive. For starters, the Fried Honey Old Bay Duck Wings was delicious. Loved the Chicken Caesar Lettuce Bouquets, which was uniquely presented. For pasta, the Bucatini Cacio e Pepe was AMAZING—well flavored and probably the best cacio e pepe pasta dish I’ve ever had (and I’ve been to Italy!!!) The Pork Schnitzel was good—it was well-fried and tender inside, but was not a huge fan of the sauce, had a bitter aftertaste. The Forest Mushroom & Truffle Pizza was huge portion with lots of topping, but the overall taste lacked flavor. For desserts, we enjoyed the Black & White Brownie (with ice cream) and Lemon Meringue Pie. Cocktails were super tasty—I enjoyed the Fairwind (gin based) and Cucumber Martini. Overall, food and service was good (with some minor improvements)—I will be back to try other dishes!

We ordered: Mozzarella Sticks with Dipping Sauce Very Good Pan Fried Trout Excellent Lemon Meringue Pie Very Good Menu has starters, salads, pasta, pizza, main entrees. Full bar available- beer wine cocktails. Service was excellent except for a minor annoyance- I requested a substitute for the cauliflower on the trout entree but was refused by server. Also be aware they are not open all day. Closed for two hours at 3:00pm.

I am so torn writing this review because I live in the neighborhood and have come here many times. I love the staff and management as they are always so kind. But the food is too unpredictable. The last 3 times I have come the food has been off, but tonight it was awful. I ordered carry out and when I got home I realized my food looked and tasted like reheated leftovers. This is shocking because they were closed yesterday, so how old must my pasta be?? It is inedible. I am so disappointed. Please bring back the quality of food you had during the first few weeks of opening. (Image is of my lasagna that I picked up tonight vs the lasagna I was served during opening week)

Went recently to try out this new restaurant in the neighborhood. The interior design was very fun and modern. Restaurant was busy on a Saturday but we were able to walk in. Unfortunately service and food quality still needs work. Regarding service, it seemed like they ran out of menus and rushed us to order quickly, with 2 people stopping to try and get our orders within 5 min of sitting down. It seemed they were still training as we had 3 different people stop to ask us about the menu and our order and it wasn’t clear who was our main waiter. There was no communication that we had already ordered. Food was disappointing for the price and for the reviews I’ve seen at the sister restaurants (I have no tried them). The duck appetizer was too sweet and seems overpriced for $18 for 4. The American “burger” came on Texas toast and I was surprised they did not ask how we wanted the burger to be cooked. Both orders were medium done and very salty. Fries were also over salted. I couldn’t finish the dish. I think they tried to do too much in the sandwich. My vegetarian friend enjoyed the butternut squash pasta but said it seemed too oily. I will give this restaurant another try when they open for brunch/lunch since it’s filling a food void in this part of the county however I would not currently recommend it for anyone coming out of their way to eat here. I think the prices are too high for the quality of food (I am willing to pay these prices if the food is worth my time and effort of eating out). FYI, they validate for 3 hours of parking garage parking.

Food is a tad expensive but given its location and ambiance, it’s pretty warranted. I think the menu has quite a few misnomers and just overall too much creativity in naming lol. While the duck “wings” appetizer was insanely good, heavenly i might say, balanced, moist, crispy, 10/10, it was moreso duck drumsticks without flats or tips. Kinda confused when the dish came, $16/17 for the 4 drumsticks i think is actually decently priced for the quality. Meatballs were great 8/10 The “OG breadsticks” gets a 3/10, for one, its focaccia loaded with too much parmesan cheese, with a side of compound butter that over complicates the flavor. I would suggest renaming or changing the dish… Mushroom Pizza was nice, 7/10, nice rich mushroom and truffle aroma. However the oven feels a bit under temp’d where there was a bit of wet dough near the middle. The flour used is also unique and I havent tasted before, but they dusted a bit too much on the bottom. Crust was mediocre at best, needs much more fermentation of the dough yeast to both puff it up in the oven and develop a flavor other than cooked flour. Amazing and friendly service staff and manager Will definitely come back for the ambiance and food quality, relatively new launch so I expect it to get even better as the menu is refined

Nice choice in Chevy Chase, with options for starters, main courses, and cocktails. Axel, our server was really helpful and knew the plates well.

The vibe here is so cute ! Food is delicious. Got the onion pizza, vodka pasta and had the mezcal drink. Everything was a 10/10. Drink was Smokey and flavorful. The pasta was delicious but not overpowering. Erin was the best !! Super sweet and caring. Genuinely interested and cares. Great smile and super friendly. Thank you, so happy I got to come here for dinner !

Elena James is just what Chevy Chase needed! Great for all occasions- date night, nice meal with the kids or girls night out! Food and atmosphere is wonderful!

Great atmosphere and vibe for weekend brunch; a vaguely Gilded Age aesthetic... like where Gatsby might head for a coffee and omelette to work out a hangover. The classic egg sammy is epic. The service was friendly and quick.

Came here for dinner recently on a Wednesday night--the restaurant is fairly new so it wasn't crowded, but we had reservations. Cute decor inside! Service was GREAT--food came out fairly quick and our server was friendly and attentive. For starters, the Fried Honey Old Bay Duck Wings was delicious. Loved the Chicken Caesar Lettuce Bouquets, which was uniquely presented. For pasta, the Bucatini Cacio e Pepe was AMAZING--well flavored and probably the best cacio e pepe pasta dish I've ever had (and I've been to Italy!!!) The Pork Schnitzel was good--it was well-fried and tender inside, but was not a huge fan of the sauce, had a bitter aftertaste. The Forest Mushroom & Truffle Pizza was huge portion with lots of topping, but the overall taste lacked flavor. For desserts, we enjoyed the Black & White Brownie (with ice cream) and Lemon Meringue Pie. Cocktails were super tasty--I enjoyed the Fairwind (gin based) and Cucumber Martini. Overall, food and service was good (with some minor improvements)--I will be back to try other dishes!

Friend & I dined here for lunch. First of all,'plenty of underground parking, 2 hours free. You go up to the counter, choose your selection, and it's brought to your table. I ordered a caprese bowl instead of a sandwich. It came with white rice and the usual caprese ingredients. Brown rice would be healthier. Our lunches came right away, leading me to believe they were assembled rather than prepared. Caprese was fine, nothing special. I did order chicken with it, and the portion was substantial but over salted. Pastries looked tasty but this gluten sensitive diner couldn't try any. Might try this place for dinner.

This is just an Applebees with a slightly more upscale vibe. Living in the neighborhood, I gave feedback immediately that they offer NOTHING for alternate faiths and diets like vegans, folks with allergies and their menus are tired and lacks creativity. They have changed nothing. Could care less how exclusive their mediocre menu is for half the people who live in the DC Metro area. The place is small, the people are not very helpful and don't allow for substitutions often. It is insulting to have this boomer wings/pizza place here across the street from a real Italian restaurant that isn't a chain (this place is a chain) and has been here for a long time with decent prices. I can't wait for them to go out of business so a better place that keeps up with the times and the neighborhood can take its place. I've eaten there and we found all of the food and wine wanting. For the price, you can eat anywhere else so don't bother eating here.

Lovely place to stop in the morning or for lunch. I visited the cafe early on a Friday morning and read at a table for about an hour while my car was serviced across the street. I liked that my coffee for here was served in a glass instead of plastic. They also have their own hot sauce which was delicious on the egg sandwich. Service was quick and efficient. They kept the cafe area spotless. I look forward to trying their lunch items!

Decided to try out Elena James for the first time last night, as it was one of the restaurants that I had been looking forward to ever since I saw the sign posted! I loved that my friend and I were seated quickly, even though we did not have a reservation. We came in a little after 8 pm. Loved the ambiance of the restaurant, and think it would be perfect for a date night or friends night out. I loved the margarita, but wish I would have gotten another entree other than the chicken. I think that the restaurant has a lot of potential.

I'm so glad we finally have a high-quality dining option in this area! I had brunch with friends and everything was perfect. We ordered several different dishes and each one was terrific - very well-executed, to the standards of fine dining, but with all the comfort of a casual neighborhood spot. The service was excellent, too. We sat on the patio and the staff was very accommodating as we enjoyed great spring weather - it was really nice to have this option as not every place provides an outdoor option, either. I raved about the place to other people later in the day, and will definitely be back. Honestly, there are very few places anywhere near here that are worth going out to eat at - it's a bit of a restaurant desert, and this place is a welcome new oasis.

Elena James is an all day counter-service breakfast and lunch cafe that had just opened, coming from the owners of Opal and Nina May. Their menu uses local ingredients and state that it can be subject to change based on the season and availability. We came here as a group for lunch, and we started off with: +the OG Breadsticks - with garlic butter +Dinner Rolls - with honey butter +Fried Honey Old Bay Duck Wings - with peanut crunch, chives, and lemon +the Fresh Pulled Mozzarella Sticks - prepared with house mozzarella, covered in seasoned bread crumbs, and served with red sauce +the Caramelized Vidalia Onion White pizza - with fresh thyme, garlic confit, and housemade mozzarella curd +Forest Mushroom + Truffle pizza - with rosemary, arugula, and pecorino +and A Lovely Cheese Pizza - with red sauce, mozzarella, and basil For our mains, we tried: +the Ricotta Gnocchi with Basil Pesto - with garlic bread crumbs, pecorino, and lemon butter +Braised Short Rib Bolognese Lasagna - with whipped ricotta, preserved tomatoes, and basil pesto +the Butternut Squash & Ricotta Agnolotti - with brown butter, crispy sage, and toasted pumpkin seeds +and, The American with Fries - with Texas toast, gruyere, onion mayo, and pickles We didn't have much room for dessert, but I'd love to try their seasonal pies and the banana split next time! Staff were friendly, and the space is bright and welcoming with comfortable seating options; I liked the open kitchen. +all day counter service +friendly service

Amazing restaurant from the warm bread to the dessert amazing food every meal restaurant should take note these guys can make it happen younger chefs are moving forward and Ella James is right on front of the spear try it any dish is great reservations recommended but not required

Went for brunch. No a/c, on 90 degree day...using fans and non window temporary ac but room remained very warm. We should have left when we were starting to sweat at the check-in in desk but we were with a friend and didn't want to have to find another place. We asked to be seated in a cooler spot. Unfortunately that didn't happen as there probably wasn't a cooler spot anywhere and along with the Plastic seat cover, I left with sopping wet dress on my bottom. Food ordering very slow- 30 min. Another 30 min or more for food to start to arrive and that then came out in slow waves after that, as per the usual small plate approach. Yes- they comped us 1 muffin and champagne for the 3 of us for the wait. When the food arrived some food seemed like it had been sitting around ( chicken -was unable to cut it, it was so dried out.) Of the edible, fresher food, it was ok but none was particularly good. ended up leaving a bunch of food uneaten at the end. No interest in bringing anything home. Would I recommend or go back??? No.

Music is just at the perfect volume and selection was low fi-ish. Sandwiches were so good. The steak egg n red chimichurri.

The ambiance is great, the food is good, not great. It's a bit pricey for the portions but overall a nice dining experience. A side of charred asparagus costed $18.00. The ice cream, which is a featured dessert, was not good. The ice cream tasted like a non-dairy product and the cake was nothing more than a sliver. If it was intended to be a dairy alternative, I was not told that!

Dining doesn't get any better than this... Service was impeccable. Waitstaff is helpful and kind and our drinks were never empty. My daughter dropped her napkin multiple times and they brought a new one each time. The food came out beautifully and timely. The ambiance was ideal, with the lively noise level low enough for intimate conversations. Every single bite was delightful. Skip the vino verde rose and indulge in the spicy Copycat cocktail. We can't wait to head back right away!

I was surprised to see that this gem of a restaurant has such few reviews! In all honesty, I wasn't expecting much from Elena James - but I was pleasantly surprised. We had made a reservation and didn't have to wait for our table. Our server, Cristobal, was absolutely amazing and spot on with his recommendations! He was pleasant and made our dinner experience very enjoyable. We got the chicken Caesar lettuce bouquets as well as the duck wings. We were left licking our fingers! The lettuce bouquets were light and delicious with tender chicken. The duck wings were crispy and covered in a delicious sweet and peanut sauce - lovely balance of flavor. For our mains - we got the lasagna and the bucatini. The lasagna had a fresh tomato sauce and was hearty and well balanced. The bucatini was the surprise ninja dish - absolutely blew us away! Perfectly seasoned - simply yummmm! For desert we got the bread pudding. Cristobal suggested we let the icecream melt for a few mins into the pudding - and boy was he right!!! I will be leaving today with a very full and happy belly! This is a comfort cafe - a casual dining experience that catches you off guard with how relaxed the ambiance is. Table and chairs are comfortable and lighting is good. The windows give it a very open feel. All in all - Elena James is a quaint little cafe with delicious food - you won't be disappointed! It's definitely going to be one of our regular spots !

Tried this place on a whim and we were so glad we did! First of all, everyone was very welcoming and accamodating. The restaurant is pretty- with lots of light & modern decor. The menu is not extensive but offers very unique, eclectic variety of dishes. I don't think I have ever seen pizza, snail popover & pork schnitzel on the same menu ever before! We ordered the pizza with aged Gouda cheese, roasted chicken with thyme & lemon, and the pasta with carbonara sauce. The pizza was about the best I have ever had- the crust was perfection and toppings just really went well together. The pasta was also very well done- perfectly al dente & the sauce was delicious. The portion was small because it was in the "smalls" section. The chicken was well prepared & very flavorful- my only comment is that I thought it had too much going on. It had a red chimichurri sauce, gravy type of sauce, and a creamed spinach under the chicken. Not much of the lemon flavor came through. All in all, a very pleasant experience. Prices were what you would expect for this caliber of restaurant. I would run back for that pizza alone!

Had a perfect breakfast at the new Elena James Cafe. The cappuccino was just the way I love it. Had the avocado toast and amazing hash browns. Highly recommend. Take your friends.

I have been here for lunch with my mother many times and it was always good. Recently, though, the food got very salty. The clam chowder, which used to be quite good, is so salty that it is almost not edible. The salads are not as fresh as they used to be.

When it first opened I loved the menu and vibe. Drinks were great the pizza was delicious and the moz sticks were to die for. Now they've changed the menu and after trying a couple of things the price point is most definitely not worth it. 4 "buffalo shrimp" on a salty cracker for near $15 is outrageous... I hope they go back to the menu they originally had for dinner. Otherwise I will not be visiting this place again

Easily one of the worst culinary experiences I've had in a long while. Let's talk about the entrees. I ordered the Maryland soft shell crab. What's the best part of a crab...the MEAT. What did they remove from the crab? The meat! It was basically a deep fried empty crab. They completely emptied the crab of its meat content, which makes me feel sad for the crab that gave up its life for this experience. The arugula salad and dressing that accompanied the crab are something I could've gotten as a side item at an Applebees and nothing notable or tasty. The deep fried, meatless crab was $31! At that price point, I could've gone to Whole Foods, bought a pound of meat-filled crabs, and had myself multiple meals worth of seafood. The desert further solidified my disappointment in the experience as I order the Neopolitan cake and it was nasty. The texture was hard, and the center of the desert was oversaturated with birthday-cake sprinkles that interrupted the flavor and overall experience of the desert. It reminded me of the type of desert you would get at a Chinese all you can eat buffet (only I had to pay for it instead of consume it as an added bonus at the end of my meal). This whole meal was like eating at a chain restaurant, only with double the price and half the quality. I will not be returning.

Fell in love with Chef Colin McClimans' cooking at Nina May so it is no surprise how incredible Elena James is! (And Opal!) The entire experience, from the cocktails, friendly/knowledgeable staff and delicious dishes, is top notch.

Private event success! I have been a fan of Elena James since it opened; however, after reviewing numerous options to host my father-in-law's birthday, we settled on Elena James. Since they have this awesome breakfast nook that's not used during dinner, we were able to host a reception and seated dinner for 50. The food, drinks, and staff were incredible. Responsive to last-minute changes and flexible with all the guest requests. This was a party for 80-year-olds who have a ton of opinions, and we didn't hear any complaints, so that's a win in my book!

I was there for lunch and ordered some kind of burrito with chorizo and eggs. It was terrible. Chorizo tasted like grass. Burrito was full of beans. Would not eat again. Don't know how the other dishes taste. The place is clean. Ambience is decent. Service is acceptable.

Great food, amazing service and the ambiance is nice and relaxing.... I highly recommend this place!!

I came here for dinner on a Friday evening with three friends. The food was a 4/5 and our waiter was very nice but I knocked one star off. They did open about a month ago but service was veryy slow, to the point where we waited over 45 minutes to get our first round of drinks. Also, they were out of the ingredients to make three of their cocktails, which is fine but would have been nice to know when we ordered because it took our waiter ~15 minutes to even make it back to our table to let us know we had to choose something else. We tried the passion sour, coffee delight, house margarita and the cucumber mocktail which were all yummy and well-balanced. For food we ordered dinner rolls, hand-pulled mozzarella sticks, duck wings, lumache alla vodka, and butternut squash pasta. We also ordered the banana split and brownie sundae for dessert. The best things we tried were the rolls which came with a fantastic honey butter, and the vodka sauce pasta, which was packed with flavor. The rest of the food was fine but the mozzarella sticks lacked flavor (although very cheesy!) and the butternut squash pasta came with MAYBE 8 pieces of pasta, which for $23 (and not including a protein!) is annoying. The desserts were great though! It is not metro accessible but they do validate parking in a nearby garage, and their website has easy to follow parking instructions which is always a plus.

Went to Elena James All Day for lunch today having previously been several times for dinner Meal was spot on-great BEC sandwich on homemade English muffin with a hash brown between the muffins-will def be back. Is there a meal plan I can sign up for? Three squares and a snack maybe? Biff

Chevy Chase diners beware as history appears to repeat itself. Elena James and Opal share the same ownership. When Opal first opened a number of years ago it was an excellent neighborhood restaurant. The food was fresh, cooked to perfection, and the Serbian manager made sure that every diner was treated as his home guest. Alas, six months after opening, the manager was gone, the cooking went downhill and the prices crept upwards. Recent experience suggests that it is no longer a neighborhood restaurant. The dishes we tried were dull but expensive. Elena James which opened a few months ago was quite good. Unfortunately, things have changed for the worse. At a recent dinner the trout was over cooked, dry and tasteless. The hamburger was ok but the cheese was not Swiss Gruyère which has a unique taste and flavor. Certain pasta dishes are no longer available and the one we tried, lumache alla vodka was overcooked, the vodka clearly evaporated but left no discernible taste, and the cheese may have been Parmesan but did not taste like parmigiano reggiano. The service was fine.