Ilhan T.
Google
A Valentine's Day Miracle (No, Really)
I took my wife and daughter to PinStripes on Valentine's Day—a date that historically has been the culinary equivalent of a car accident for our family. Over the past few years, we've collected disappointing restaurants like Pokémon cards. Either the food falls spectacularly short of expectations, or the service moves at continental drift speed. Last Valentine's Day at that Greek/Lebanese place near Farragut Square? Let's just say their chicken kabob tasted like it had been waiting longer for love than we had.
So naturally, I walked into PinStrippes armed with my usual optimism—which is to say, none.
The restaurant offered a fixed menu—which I assumed, like every other establishment in existence, came with wines at a price point that would require refinancing my house. Imagine my shock when the wines arrived in full glasses and actually cost nothing. Apparently, PinStripes didn't get the memo about bleeding customers dry on Valentine's Day.
The mussels arrived swimming in wine, shallot, and lemon—actually delicious. The berry salad contained, revolutionary concept, actual berries. The surf and turf delivered a respectable steak, and the chocolate lava cake and tiramisu were—dare I say—above average.
When my daughter requested off-menu pizza, the staff actually accommodated us instead of delivering the usual "It's Valentine's Day, everyone must suffer through the fixed menu" lecture we received last year. Revolutionary.
Then came the moment of truth: the bill. It matched what was promised. No surprise surcharges, no "mandatory service fees," no hidden fees masquerading as "dine-in tips"—just honest pricing in a city where restaurants treat transparency like it's contagious.
I left feeling like I'd stumbled upon an urban legend: a quality Georgetown restaurant on the busiest night of the year that actually delivers value.
Dear PinStripes: Please never change. We'll be back. Repeatedly.
(My photos are terrible because I kept forgetting to document things when the food arrived—priorities, apparently.)