Le Diplomate
Restaurant · Logan Circle ·
Classic French brasserie serving brunch, lunch & dinner favorites
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
![Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [official photo]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66160470/steaktartare.0.jpg "Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [official photo]")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
![Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [official]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63304215/LeDiplomate_Photo.0.jpg "Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [official]")
.jpg "Le Diplomate by Courtesy Le Diplomate")
![Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [Official]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66823325/LeDiplomate_Photo.0.0.jpg "Le Diplomate by Le Diplomate [Official]")
Classic French brasserie serving brunch, lunch & dinner favorites
"Now entering its thirteenth year, this perennially packed corner brasserie is a go-to place to impress friends in town, known for attentive service and solid French fare. The double-patty burger “Américain,” spiked with toothpicks flying French and U.S. flags, remains one of D.C.’s best and riffs on a Big Mac with a special sauce on an airy sesame bun, and servers will gladly split the entrée so each person gets a large heap of fancy, McDonald’s-style pommes frites. A gooey Gruyere omelet, available any time of day, spotlights Saunder’s Farm eggs from Maryland, while dramatic seafood towers are a splurge but the same raw bar also turns out a great cooked shrimp salad with avocado. Inside, the patinated ceiling is made to resemble ash remnants from Parisian chain smokers, and vintage Tour de France bikes and jerseys frame the wooden bar; lately the interior feels more full since the pandemic-era streatery out front was disassembled. During peak hours, awkwardly placed bathrooms near food-runner traffic can create a backup, though walls of racy French magazine ads help pass the time in line. The dramatic display of loaves made fresh daily at Starr’s Union Market bakery is the star of the room, and it’s worth asking for seconds of the bread baskets, as slices also hold up well in to-go boxes." - Tierney Plumb
"A perennially packed brasserie on 14th Street in D.C. since 2013, included among the restaurants named in complaints to the NLRB alleging labor law violations amid unionization efforts." - Melissa McCart
"Long a perennially packed brasserie on 14th Street since 2013, this D.C. stalwart sits at the center of the ongoing dispute: the union continues to push here (staff opted not to hold a vote), opponents tout that “Workers at Le Diplomate … have made their choice: no union,” and the restaurant is included in a months-long boycott of STARR-operated spots in Washington, D.C., over alleged union-busting and “unjust working conditions.”" - Andrea Strong
"Diners can lounge at Stephen Starr’s ever-busy brasserie and sidewalk cafe for a long time: Le Diplomate serves brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Check out the raw bar selections, beef bourguignon, and the popular “Burger Americain.” Guests also come flocking for its “Les Oeufs” section of seven egg dishes. Go with the poached eggs basquaise, served with prosciutto and creamy polenta, or a lobster omelet. Starr’s booming Union Market district portfolio includes three brunch-worthy picks: American tavern St. Anselm, Mexico City-themed El Presidente, and buzzy brasserie Pastis." - Tierney Plumb
"A brasserie whose matchboxes are visually striking: they "have an eye-catching yellow and red cover featuring the brasserie’s logo and matching red-tipped matches inside," using color and logo to make the tiny objects an extension of the restaurant's aesthetic." - Hannah Yasharoff