Kiln

Absolutely superb food. I will be coming back for more very soon. Everything was delicately cooked and presented. The flavors were incredible. And the atmosphere is top notch. Highly recommend. Keely was our server and she did great, super welcoming.

I have been wanting to try Kiln for a while and I finally made it, and I was a bit let down. I walked in past opening and wasn’t even greeted—at least two people made eye contact and saw me standing there. It was so bizarre, I had to ask if they were open and if I could sit for dinner. I will say the head chef was really nice and chatted a bit at the bar. However, the dining experience was not what I expected. The rolls were a bit strange, with an ocean water flavor from the seaweed. I was served a complimentary soup/drink that would have been great if it didn’t have corn nuts in it! That is a flavor no one should want for dinner. The catfish was so bland and one-note that I was wishing I had my Franks red hot. Also the succotash under the fish was cold, which made the catfish eat cold-ugh. Also, the texture was strange, not crunchy but not soft. Almost like it wasn’t cooked long enough or the pan wasn’t hot enough. The service was fine and the atmosphere was lacking for a very busy Saturday in old town. I hoped the reviews were harsher than deserved; but, Kiln is a miss for me

Immediately greeted at the door with good vibes by the hostess, Betty. Super friendly and set the tone right away. We came on a Wednesday night and must’ve missed the rush because it was basically just our group. Perfect for trying a bunch of dishes without feeling like we were holding up the kitchen. Server Guillermo checked in bunch we had water and everything came pretty quickly. We had the 18 hour cabbage (yes, eighteen hours), sweet potatoes, oysters, rockfish, the smash burger (not pictured because I inhaled it), and crispy fries that had everyone lowkey fighting over the last ones. Everything was delicious. We sat at the bar and had a few side conversations with the chef, who explained how the cabbage is made. I already like cabbage, but this was next level. Like, this cabbage has seen some things. The lavender cocktail was probably my least favorite. It looked amazing, just a bit too heavy on the lavender syrup for me. But honestly, still a great meal start to finish. Would definitely come back, and hope Betty’s there to say hi again.

I finally tried this fine dining establishment in Old Town and I wish I hadn’t waited. Kiln celebrates its one year anniversary soon. Located within the Heron Hotel, Kiln is the full dining experience that accompanies the hotel’s rooftop lounge and speakeasy. Kudos to the designer/s here, every piece is chic and modern. It’s so cute here! The drinks have cute names like Unicorn Tears and Soul Kitchen and they’re tasty. Manager Theo and Ian our server provided excellent service. Theo was kind enough to share his inspiration behind naming the Unicorn cocktail and Ian told us all about the exciting things happening this summer. I’m looking forward to returning for their summer menu. The bread contained seaweed and included a special salted butter. I’ve never had such fluffy rolls, I’m not sure how else to describe them. They weren’t heavy and I didn’t feel stuffed after eating two. The short rib was tender and full of flavor, I loved it. The 18 hour cabbage included bits of artichoke and ground mustard, it’s an interesting but tasty take. I also had asparagus with a hollandaise sauce overtop. This was an excellent dining and service experience. It’s a smaller menu, but I appreciate that simplicity. I look forward to exploring the cocktail menu at one of their happy hours soon.

Staying in the hotel and came for breakfast. The bodega sandwich was very tasty with a perfectly toasted crunchy bun and very fluffy eggs. The chocolate croissant was also very good.

Very enjoyable experience. My wife and I celebrated our 22-year wedding anniversary at Kiln restaurant in Old Towne Alexandria, VA. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, food, and hospitality. We were able to get seated by the kitchen/ cooking area where we were able to observe the chefs and kitchen performing their art. We have never done this before so it was a wonderful experience watching. The kitchen was immaculately clean, orderly, and extremely well-functioning. We opted for the five-course meal and enjoyed every bit of it. They surprised us with options that we probably would never have chosen ourselves. We highly recommend and will return.

Wonderful experience at this new modern fine dining restaurant. We sat at the chef’s counter and highly recommend it, so much fun to watch the kitchen work and the preparation of the food. The food was outstanding - don’t miss the sweet potato, the pork, and the milk and honey. Though really everything was fantastic and I expect it will just keep getting better as they grow.

The food was okay. None of the dishes i had stood out in terms of flavor. The presentation was nice. Going in, I didn't expect much from a hotel restaurant. The pork dish was very fatty, little pink inside, and had no flavor. The two bartenders were not attentive or friendly, and to get their attention, i had to raise my hand to get drinks ordered. For water, I have to ask for one. The female bartender was very loud. Many workers were running around, but none noticed my dirty plates were sitting in front of me until the next course arrived. No one asked how the food was. I live in the neighborhood and thought i would give this place a try, but the experience i had tonight was disappointing.

As I understand it, Kiln is a newer restaurant attached to a hotel and I was really really interested in trying it out. The Good: the quality of the ingredients is top notch. You can taste it. There were no visual defects whatsoever on even the fresh vegetables. The staff were incredibly attentive. They gave use some additional oysters to match the table size. Because one of us really liked the horseradish and the waiter took it away, one of the chefs came back and gave us extra horseradish. Now that's next level attention to detail. Moreover, the quality and skills of the chefs were evident in the quality of the food. Expertly handled. There really wasn't a bad, but things to improve on. There is plenty of Michelin potential here, but there are potential improvements. Weirdly, the tableware. The staff would commonly drop things. And even the poor at my table would drop forks, etc. I could hear things getting dropped all over the restaurant. Sure, it happens but there must be an imbalance if everything is dropped so much. Then, the flavor. I prefer more seasoning. I get it, let the ingredients shine. However, the cabbage was good, but as cabbage should be, it was watery so it muted the flavor. So you get watery cabbage. Some might not like paying a premium for watery roasted cabbage. But that's what cabbage does. The Colette was cooked expertly well, but unlike the Picanha, the fat cap was taken off so it was a little dry even though it was cooks rare. Perhaps some additional salt or seasoning would have added a slight punch to the expertly cooked peice of food. The ribs were good but extremely fatty. When my fiend cut into his it was mostly just fat. I ate it but a lot of people may not enjoy that. The beets used a sichuan style sauce that was good but again sichuan flavors are better strong. All in all, I see a lot of potential with the quality of ingredients, high caliber staff, and attention to detail.

This is really a 3.5 Finally got around to trying KILN which is in Hotel Heron. So, if you go in one door, near the valet, you're going into the wrong one. The lovely woman at the desk directed me to the door that is to the bar area. It was raining today, so the bar area door was better than going back outside. Taking MY way, you have to walk through the bar to the actual host for the fonce restaurant space. Ok, it's not THAT fonce, but it's lovely. So, yeah, enter via the S. Washington door. I pass by so many times a week and never noticed. Anyway... The host was just as lovely as the woman who directed me to the door. Even lovelier was the server. You know those servers who are just naturals? They chat with you and it's not forced or rushed? That was our server. Super personable, gave us her recommendations, appropriately timed when to take dishes away without being intrusive - just great. We went for restaurant week but the entire table has to choose it. Both of us chose the normal menu because there were dishes on it that we preferred. What we got and shared: TUNA CRUDO - good, with citrus and radish STEAK TARTARE - loved the steak but would have preferred that there wasn't cheese mixed in because it overpowered the meat in some bites. The crunchy potato sticks were a nice touch, and the bread was toasted and fat. I like fat toast. KALE SALAD - the kale was good and this salad had goat cheese and apples SHORT RIBS - my fave plate of the night. The sauce alone was delish. The meat was tender and the potatoes were smooth and flavorful. BASQUE CHEESECAKE - Great flavor and texture and it came with fresh berries with some cream. It was a little crumbly though. All in all, a good dinner on a rainy night. I'd come back for the short ribs and cheesecake and would try more items in the future.

I wanted to love this place, but we really only came here because we had to use our $25 hotel credit here. Food (2/5): They lose stars for the extreme pricing on the food that wasn't really great. The Kiln bread was $3 and was mini - think mini rolls with an odd seafood flavoring... .....and $16 for ham...it was a few slices of cold prosciutto, which my hubby doesn't like. He was expecting some nice, warm slices of ham to enjoy with our bread. Really? After spending almost $20 we went back to our hotel room and ordered Taco Bell...ugh. Service (5/5): Amy should be commended for her attentive kind service. Ambiance (4/5): The bar itself if beautifully decorated - modern with some nice brass touches. It was crowded and busy on a Sat night but tha should be expected.

Brunch is good, service is fantastic with Mike!!! He is amazing, super nice, attentive and good vibes. The hotel is cute and well located. Easy to find parking on the street. Clean, cozy and good location. We had a nice time and for sure I'll come back!

It's like a parody of a fancy restaurant. Fancy prices but poor quality Food. For $40 you can get the following in the pictures. Also slow service whether it's busy or not.

Ooooo! This is my favorite restaurant in Old Town, bar none! I love the open kitchen. The restaurant itself has a clean modern vibe. Seating is cozy and often you strike up conversations with nearby tables. But the food! Excellent and innovative! I usually order the tasting menu and wine pairings. I think one of the most enjoyable experiences is getting to know Liz, the sommelier. She has such a vast knowledge of not only the wines but the areas and regions they come from. I highly recommend this new restaurant in Old Town!

My friends and I had a great experience having breakfast after our Yoga class at Kiln, the service was top-notch with our waiter Mike being very attentive and providing excellent recommendations, the food was very good, the place and ambiance is very nice, we will be back for brunch soon. Thank you so much Mike! We had an amazing time! (And it's pet friendly :)

Unfortunately we did not have a great experience at Kiln. We had a reservation and arrived on time. It did not look crowded even though it was a Friday night and Valentine's day. It took over an hour for our starters to be brought out (crispy potatoes and a Kale salad), and they were out of bread which was the starter we actually wanted. It took an additional 45 minutes for our entrees to be brought out--we ordered the rockfish and mushroom risotto. The rockfish was delicious, but the mushroom risotto was INCREDIBLY salty (tasted of table salt--not salt from parmesan or other ingredients). It was also covered in a thick layer of grease or oil of some kind, and was not really hot when brought out. It took over an hour to have another bottle of water brought out after finishing the first (because there was nothing to do but sip our drinks while waiting an hour for our starters), and to get another glass of wine. When the other glass of wine finally showed up, it was served in the wrong style of glass with literal chunks of food (or something...) floating in the glass with the wine. To cap off the incredibly disappointing evening, when we approached the bar to have another drink before leaving, the male bartender shouted at us that the bar had called last call over an hour and a half ago (we had no idea, because we were still eating our meal at that time & when we approached the bar, drinks were still being made). An awful evening and we will not be back.

Food was excellent, service attentive, decor cozy, maybe a little pricey but quality ingredients (someone else mentioned) are worth it.

I almost missed this hidden gem while looking for a romantic date night. I'm perplexed how this isn't rated higher on Yelp, when Chef Matt has created a culinary and atmospheric experience that rises far above the typical restaurants in the Alexandria and Arlington area. We tried the 8-course tasting menu and while expensive, it was worth every penny. Observing the chefs in the kitchen showcase their craft was a source of endless entertainment, and their interaction with each patron made you truly feel like you were sitting in their personal kitchen and focused solely on serving you. Each bite was better than the last, and it was clear that there is a level of thought and creativity woven into each dish that is hard to find anywhere else in this area. Chef Matt has something incredible here, and I hope you all get to experience the magic.

The mushrooms on the appetizer menu were delicious. Service was good. Nice atmosphere. Steak was about 3.5 stars. Very limited sides available (cabbage or sweet potato.) Paid over $50 for three small slices of steak and 3 shreds of broccolini almost too small to eat. Not enough food, food provided not worth the price. Skip this restaurant. I went home still hungry and ate leftover Thai food.

So extremely excellent! Started out with two different bourbon cocktails at the bar and they were both so complex and yummy. Then we were seated in the main dining area for dinner. We got a 5-course dinner and it was the best dining experience I've had so far in Alexandria. The waitstaff were kind, answered all my questions, the food was unexpected and perfection. My favorites were the raw kohlrabi salad and the ember roasted sweet potatoes, but honestly, it was all just so good!

We went there to try this new restaurant based on so many recommendations. My drink order was wrong. I got a different drink. Then they brought me what I ordered after 10 minutes and said they brought me the first drink by mistake. The quality of the food, and the presentation of the food was really good. My friend order the Maryland Tile Fish and I ordered the steak. He got his main course, but mine was 20 minutes afterwards. Unusual. And then when they brought out my steak, they informed my friend that they brought him the fried catfish instead of his original order because they ran out of the tile fish. The place was loud. The service was slow, and inaccurate. They didn't bring a manager to discuss their error until we asked for one. And when the check came, they charged for the original tile fish, which is not even what they served. We had to call the manager again to adjust that. Granted it was only $4 difference, but they should not charge for what they did not serve.

I've been three times; my first two were consecutive days in a row. Starters: Steak Tartare Tuna Crudo Raw Oysters They all hit no complaints. Tuna Crudo was my favorite. Veggies: Chilled Beets Maitake Mushrooms 18-Hour Cabbage The cabbage stood out the most to me. I've ordered it two out of the three times I've been Sides: Sweet Potatoes These bad boys are my favorite item! The toasted chipotle pecans are full of flavor. Make sure to top them off with the limes that come with them. I am trying to duplicate these at home. I ordered these every time I have had a meal here. Meat & Fish Confit Maryland Catfish w/ smoked butter 16oz Pork Chop Both hit the spot, especially the Catfish with smoked butter. ***Not on the menu The cheeseburger with everything bagel seasoning mayo again hit the spot. Matt, the head chef, mentioned it to me while sitting at the chef's counter overlooking the kitchen. I ordered this the first time with my guest as our dessert :D These guys know what they're doing, so do yourself a favor and get a reservation at the Chef's counter so you can talk with kitchen staff while your food cooks. Don't forget to finish your meal with a cheeseburger like I did; this is AMERICA, after all ;)

The service staff were great. Enthusiastic about the menu. The restaurant is beautifully laid out. The menu presented on Sept 29 was different from what appears on the website. I am hoping we came on and off nite. Gave it an okay for the food: the beet salad was low on beets and high on garnish. The chicken was dry and the mole sauce served on the side, to boost the dry chicken had the consistency of paste. The chicken included the thigh...attached to the chicken leg and foot complete with pin feathers.The sweet potato was overcooked and smothered by the condiments. Again the service staff was professional and courteous and the food came out in a timely manner.

The ambiance was nice; however, the food was not. Oysters on the half shell were warm. Steak was rubbery and without flavor. Service was fine.

Had a wonderful meal this evening at kiln. I enjoyed the kiln bread, their 18-hour cabbage and was surprised by the kitchen with their sweet potato. The kiln bread is four warm potato rolls with seaweed that is put over the edge with butter that has been generously sprinkled with smoked salt. The cabbage is braised 18 hours and then seared. It is served with crispy sunchokes and a puréed parsnip - a bite with all of those elements was heaven. Lastly, the kitchen sent out their sweet potato, which is baked and charred with a chipotle pecan topping that is set off with a hint of lime. My meal was made even better with phenomenal service from Guillermo. Highly recommend and will definitely be back.

Fantastic meal! We dined at kiln this weekend and enjoyed the experience. We started with the kohlrabi salad and the smoked clams, which made a nice light starter. They were both delicious and I am looking forward to trying their other small plates. The kitchen was backed up between our starters and mains, but the chef was very kind to send out an additional starter for the inconvenience (though we were fine with the wait!) the roasted veggies they sent out were amazing and we will definitely order them later. Our mains were the roasted bone in pork and the coulotte steak. Both were great, but the pork was the standout of the evening, and paired amazingly with the charred scallion. Genuinely the best pork dish we've had at any other DMV restaurants in recent years. The tallow with the steak was amazing and I felt greedy sopping it all up with the broccoli. We also had the chipotle sweet potato with pecans and the char was excellent. Will definitely order that again. Both our server and the sommelier provided excellent service. Will definitely be returning and suggesting Kiln to others.

This place has some definite kinks to work out. We made a reservation for 10 and they said it was no problem, except when we arrived they told us we couldn't all sit together, despite there being plenty of space. We ordered appetizers and main courses which all arrived at once (pacing is really off) and two of four meals arrived cold.

Amy and Chris are fantastic! Perfect on the recommendations on the Country ham and Crab Toast! Manhattan was absolutely perfect! They are great company and best bar staff I have met in a while! I would stay at this hotel for them alone! Great stop for good drinks and food.

Hello, Welcome to the neighborhood. A follow-up to a visit this evening. Very surprised to learn after placing my order; there was a mix-up in communication- the restaurant was unprepared to fulfill the bar order menu. However, the waiter informed me that they had Olives-peanuts-burger; unfortunately no catfish. Please call ahead and save your self a trip downtown Alexandra.

Went tonight. Since Restaurant Eve closed several years ago, Alexandria' has not had a top restaurant except the minuscule Nasime. Kiln has the possibility of a Michelin star once the menu expands.

We pre-gamed at the pop-up holiday speakeasy, in Hotel Heron. Great staff. Good music. Happy vibes. Excellent recommendation for a gin! Then we went to dinner. We began with 2 glasses of Prosecco. One was never-ending beer-like head of bubbles. The other was flat. When we asked if they came from different bottles, the answer was "sometimes that happens." Huh? I had researched the menu....only to find that a certain price fix was all we could have in the dining room. So, when the waitress came, I shared a major concern that the first 3 items looked very spicy. She ASSURED me they were not. She never offered that we could have had the regular menu at the adjacent bar. I should have realized the sign of people getting up and leaving! But, it's Christmas Eve, and I had made this restaurant choice for our date. But, I couldn't even eat those first THREE courses. SO spicy. So not tasty. Then came an all-too-salty side, followed by a pricey and a la carte of "Peking duck" (that was NOTHING like Peking duck). At this point I can honestly say it was a BAD meal. Service waned. We couldn't shake the bad taste in our mouths. I left the table to walk it off and left my husband to grab the bill. I struck up a convo with folks at the bar, and told them they were in the right place...where they could get a better meal. The waitress overheard me and said, "Oh, I told the chef you weren't satisfied." I replied that the response was entirely insufficient. In the end she comped the Prosecco! Like THAT made up for a horrible Christmas Eve dinner? We live 3 miles from this new hotel and were so excited for a new go-to. Hell to the NO! Dinner FAIL.

Wow, BEST restaurant in Old Town and one of the best new places in the DMV by far. Total foodie heaven. We did the chefs menu and sat at the chefs counter, and loved how friendly and passionate the chef and his crew of fellow chefs were. This is absolutely fine dining, and the chef came from some of nyc's top restaurants...and it shows. Each dish is so original and interesting, the drink and wine list were great, and the ambience was warm and relaxing. We booked our 2nd reservation while trying the restaurant for the first time, and have already booked our 3rd. HIGHLY recommend!

Easily the best restaurant in Old Town, and it's not even close. Loved everything about it. Novel dishes. Good atmosphere with a focus on an open kitchen that dominates the room (in a good way). It rivals some of the best in DC (think Dabney before they moved to an overpriced prix fixe or Blue Duck in its old days). There were a few open tables on a Saturday night, but I suspect that won't last long.

Sample as many cocktails & plates as possible! Here's a few of many perfect bites we loved...bread with warmed olives, roasted chipotle sweet potatoes, charred asparagus & leek, smoked chicken, and a lovely tile fish. The cocktails were perfectly balanced and very unique...the acrobat & bells curve for top picks. The whole staff was warm and attentive.

The food was very good - no complaints here. The service was spotty and at these prices really impacted our experience. 30 min before we were served a drink - and the got my wife's drink wrong, so then another lengthy wait. Drink prices were about as expensive as I have seen, with an upsell that happens without you asking for it. Order a margarita and they will automatically make it with Don Julio and charge you for it! It's a pity, because no one likes to be felt taken advantage of. Oh, and the roof top bar is a JOKE. No margarita (because they ran out of salt), martini was undrinkable. Trying too hard to be cool, when they can't get the basics right. Will stop for coffee but wont recommend it to others. Pity because the chef and kitchen is good.