Roof Terrace Restaurant

Delicious food, generous portions, and great service! I had an excellent experience at this restaurant. The food was flavorful and the portions were generous—definitely worth the price. The service was fast and efficient, and the overall atmosphere was very pleasant. Highly recommended!

Great service! Friendly staff. Clean restrooms. Very cute and cozy bar area for a drink. Spacious restaurant with lots of natural light. Limited menu selections if you’re a picky eater and very expensive. Love what we deemed the “bread fairy”. Our group had the charcuterie and crab & Gouda dip for appetizer and meals were the crab cakes, steak frites, tagliatelle, and the chicken. Large portions. Then we shared the panna cotta, coconut cake, cheesecake, and carrot cake. Yum!

Had a nice dinner but the tuna taretar was absolutely amazing!!! Staff was great too! The menu changes often. The Brown butter old fashion was the best old fashion I've ever had. I hope they bring it back once in a while.

Great place! Always visit when I am in DC Edit July 3-2025. Please note the rooftop terrace is a PRE-PERFORMANCE VENUE . I was not aware of this when I made reservations to dine in the restaurant. I just like the place and wanted to share it with my husband. We were not going to see a show. Well apparently we took a little too long to order. We ordered a cocktail and asked The waiter 1 time for a bit more Time to order. We were enjoying our cocktail and lovely focaccia, and talking about our day. We had decided on our salads, but hadn’t seen our server in a while. He showed up at our table and told us that this is a pre-performance venue he wanted to us to know that the kitchen would close at the time of the performance which was an hour away. We responded that we were ready to order. The waiter proceeded to explain the above to us about three more times before taking our order. I felt I was being scolded. Everyone was really nice- except this guy. He not only did not provide the service one would expect, he really ruined our experience with his attitude. If you want to go here- go- but ask for a professional server- take the earliest reservation and know what you want to eat BEFORE you arrive.

View was great, and the atmosphere upon entering was exciting and high class. The tables were positioned so closely staff constantly had to bump through us. The food was good, but seemed a little lacking especially for the price paid. Staff were helpful, and our waiter was great, however he was the only one with a semblance of what was going on, as multiple others brought out dishes that did not belong to our table, and the one next to us. Overall, it was an interesting experience, but especially with a fixed menu I would not return.

Disappointing Experience – Not Worth your time and money This place may have a great view, a fantastic location, and a professional staff (who even offered us a discount), but everything else about it was a complete letdown. The food quality was among the worst I've experienced in DC, especially given the exorbitant prices. At $60 per person, you’d expect something exceptional, but what you get is far from it. The "filet mignon" was overcooked, tasted like liver, and clearly wasn’t what they claimed it to be. The cheese platter was laughable—low-quality Gouda and Swiss cheeses that couldn’t have cost them more than 50 cents to assemble, paired with hotel-style packaged jams. (Seriously, it’s not hard to make fresh jam—just sugar and fruit!) The pastries? Store-bought and uninspiring. To top it off, the utensils and glasses were dirty, which only made the experience worse. While the ambiance and vibe are lovely, the awful food and lack of attention to detail make this place absolutely not worth visiting. Save your money and go elsewhere.

Took my family to celebrate brunch for my mother‘s 82nd birthday. Very disappointed and I wish I had looked at the brunch ratings prior to going. I had memories of the Kennedy Center brunch before the renovation. Now with the renovation it feels like a huge cold conference room. The classical live music is gone, and the food is a step below basic. In no way does the “family style” food match the $70+ per person cost (w/o mimosas). While the staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating, the service was poor. Halfway through our breakfast we had to ask for coffee, we had to ask for salt and pepper, we had to ask for cream. One of the coffee cups came out looking unwashed, and the outside of the creamer was dirty with old splashes of coffee. The fruit plate, shrimp, cheese plate could be, as another reviewer said, purchased at Giant. The egg omelette, bread pudding french toast, scrambled eggs were mediocre at best. Our favorite thing was the avocado toast… But certainly not worth the cost. The view is lovely, but my suggestion is to not Invest the time and money into the Kennedy Center brunch.

Atrociously overpriced for mediocre food. But great service. I wish service can be eaten. I do hope they mention for the first timers that appetizers are big portions and can be shared. We were not told. I did not find anything appealing from the main course, so I ordered an appetizer and second appetizer for my main course, when my appetizer arrived, it was so big , I knew I will not be able to finish appetizer and won't need main course. My daughter had fish for her main course, delicious , but chef forgot to remove bones and scales. Our server as a nice gesture waived the charges and provided complementary desserts, very nice of him. I wish chef had paid more attention, when we made reservations, we were not expecting these unfortunate mishaps, and when the menu does not mention price on the website, you just have to assume, prices are going to be on the higher side, most restaurants offer quality food with these kind of prices.

Not bad. It's very convenient to go to a show afterwards. Personally, the number of tables they stuffed into that space is obnoxious, and walking between tables is like a puzzle. Almost has a cafeteria vibe. However the service is excellent, and your food and check comes out so quick. They want to make sure that you make curtain call-- and if you don't make it, it's your own fault, not theirs lol. I got a mocktail which was a cute purple lemonade with edible glitter. It wasn't bad. The crab cake was okay -- I liked the flavor and chunks of crab meat, but not a huge fan of the cornmeal crust. The cole slaw had diverse vegetables but was a bit too crunchy and flavorless for me. I'll probably be back just because it's convenient but it is definitely pricey.

This might be the place to come if you want to impress. Most of the folks seem to come before the show downstairs. Too bad the show was bawdy burlesque. If you're able to snag a reservation at the Terrace Rooftop note they the hours are reliably 5-8 pm. The tables next to the windows are only for donors. I got the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. Staff constantly refilled our water glasses which was nice. A gentleman walked around with a bread basket of two types of bread that was amazing. The butter for the bread also was soft salty and spreadable. We ordered the pumpkin cheesecake which came with caramel sauce and berry sauce, which we also enjoyed. Really excited and proud that my son treated me to a fine dinner here on his first time living and working alone. Want to come back when he works in his dream job further ahead in his professional pursuit. Very memorable.

While the setting & the view are great, this is clearly meant to be an in-and-out restaurant. The food is average at best (tuna was tasteless, crabcakes greasy and the salad really not great), but comes out fast- within 5 min. Wine also average. The server asked us halfway through our entree if we wanted to look at dessert or if we were ready for our check, which was really disappointing as we wanted to enjoy our experience. Overall not a place I would return to.

Loved everything about this place. We went to a 7:30 show and our res was for 5:30 which was perfect. We had some cocktails and a fabulous meal and went to the show. We made the reservation months ahead and were sooo glad. Such a treat! Great food and wonderful service.

Great service from Alex! from start to finish. What an amazing experience. This place is sooo beautiful. This was our first time actually having time to dine before a show at the Kennedy Center.  The Chilled Seafood Platter was plentiful and shareable.  The grilled Caesar Salad was perfectly seared. The Rockfish was perfectly cooked, buttery and delicious. The Apple Pecan Cobbler was super fluffy with perfectly sweet and spiced apples. Oh and how could I can't forget about the complimentary birthday champagne. Everything was seriously mmmm mmm good. The venue is really nice and has a classy vibe. Not one complaint. The service and the quality of the food was fantastic. I can't wait to check out their Sunday brunch.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to grab dinner before a show.

Came to the Rooftop Terrace restaurant before a show last week- I've eaten at the bar a few times and enjoyed the experience, and if you're going to dine here, that's what I'd recommend. This time left a lot to be desired. It was difficult to get our server's attention, and the prices are genuinely shocking (I remember seeing shortribs for $62). One of the cheapest items was a plate of French fries for $15. I understand most of the appeal is the convenience of dining right upstairs before the show, and I could probably forgive the prices for that, but during our meal, we saw a MOUSE run by our table legitimately SIX TIMES. None of the staff appeared to notice or care that there was a mouse running across the ground, and it made me feel a little queasy about eating the rest of our meal. In the future I will likely stick to a drink downstairs.

For what it costs to eat here the experience should have been lots better. The service was abysmal. The staff allowed nused glasses and plates to collect on our small table and we finally had to move them to the floor. They didn't pick them up until the end of our meal. That's also when they decided to refill our water glasses. We also weren't thrilled that they decided to serve our salads with the main course. My Berkshire Pork Ribeye was tasty but the cut was disappointingly thin and overcooked. Of the side dishes, the dijon polenta cake and broccolini were cold while the charred shishitos were missing entirely. The only thing we could taste from the crème brule was its sugary coating. The only reason we came here was that someone had bought out Tazza before we put in our reservation. We came away extremely disappointed and realizing that we need to get our reservations in earlier.

Amazing service, lovely location but sub-par food. Ordered steak frites: fries were not crisp, lacked seasoning. Same for steak. Beautiful cut but no flavor. My wife enjoyed a vegetarian soup but the overall restaurant and its open floor gave the feel of a cafeteria rather than elegant dining at the Kennedy Center.

Merhzad is truly the beating heart of this place, we went back again because of him ! The food has been consistent with flavorful and healthy options, plus a kitchen that accommodates our GF DF needs. He also tweaks the our cocktails for us to make them not sweet. We ordered both fishes / caesar salad / fries / cosmo cocktails / and the strawberry rhubarb crumble (the ice cream was better than the cobbler to be frank). The way the breadbasket comes around and the attentiveness of staff plus ambiance does make it feel like a fine dining experience (which is also reflected in the cost- anywhere with multiple entree's being $40 and up falls into that category). Still wish the curtains wouldn't be closed to the view and those VIP patrons would wear sunglasses or just sit elsewhere, but we'll be back !

Conveniently located food option if you're going to a show at the Kennedy center. We were able to get reservations a week before around 6 PM for an 8:00 show. The service was great all around. From the hostess, to our waitress and bread guy...top notch. Very attentive, made good recommendations and patient as we navigated the menu. The food was a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. Here's what we had - the salmon tartare was delicious! So good! Would absolutely go back for this. - the cheesecake was delightful for me! Not too sweet, and the blueberry compote was a good addition. - for mains: I had the salmon dish, he had the chicken. Both were very average in taste, but very filling. The ambiance was pretty decent. I expected to have more of a view, but those seats are reserved for A higher tier of Kennedy center donors. Overall, it was a lovely experience and great way to start your evening before going to a show. -

This one is tricky since I rarely eat at places in this price range. It was my mom's birthday, we had tickets to see The Illusionists and I thought eating here would be a nice treat. Ambiance: it feels like a fancy cafeteria (since it is so big) -- we had a lovely booth in the back, which was great. I'm sure it was much more quiet than being in the center. Service- the bus boy was awesome. He was a hustler! The waiter was busy and service was ok. Food- this is the hard part. Took my parents and my 11 year old son. I looked at the menu ahead of time and did not see anything super appropriate for a kiddo (EVERYTHING WAS $36 +) No easy burger or anything in the "kid genre" of food. Even a $25 burger would have been welcome. I asked the waiter and I was hoping he would have a recommendation (off menu) for my son... nope... Ordered: Cheese board (great!) Crab Cakes (great) Scallops (great) Fillet Minogn (fabulous, but had a hard time stomaching my son had a $70 meal) Chicken (meh, the veggies were stand out on the plate) Petit Fours & icecream for dessert Lovely dinner, I gave us 1.5 hrs for dinner and it took all the time, barely made it to our seats for the start. An experience, might go back for dessert or appetizers or even sit in the small bar area for a snack. Safely can say we tried it and will not go back for dinner. So many great Dc restaurants, next time we will Uber to one.

We have had dinner in the KC Cafe numerous times, last night we decided to try the Restaurant for a change. The view is spectacular, but unfortunately that was all that was spectacular. My wife and I shared a Ceasar salad to start. On the server's recommendation, we both ordered the crab cakes. What a disappointment! My wife asked if she could substitute the slaw and grits accompaniment with something else, and chose a different vegetable and starch; I also ordered crab cakes as listed in the menu. My wife's came out with slaw and grits, but mine came out with slaw and no grits. The crab cakes were like none I had ever seen. They were covered with what I assume was an excess of powdered breadcrumbs, which had a peculiar taste and totally overpowered the crab cakes it appears that there was adequate crabmeat, but it was coated in a sauce of unidentifiable origin. The slaw was dry and whatever dressing was under it tasted awful. My wife informed the server of the error in her meal, but it was never corrected. I asked the server for the promised grits, and after I was almost finished with dinner, he brought out a plate of fries, not grits. All in all, not what we ordered and not what we expected. Oh, the bill for the two of us, which also included a bottle of non-alcoholic beer, but no dessert (they were out of my wife's choice) was $160 plus tip. What a waste of time and money. Robert Seasonwein

They advertise days / hours for phone contact but no one ever answers and there is no way to leave a message. They do not stay on top of their reservation calendar~ here it is and February still posted. Who manages this place?

In my experience, the food options near the Kennedy Center are all limited and mediocre, so I always keep my expectations low. My usual move is to visit Tonic nearby for happy hour. Well, I visited the Roof Terrace Restaurant this week for the first time and I must say, the food was pretty good. If you go in with the right expectations (expensive and mediocre), then I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. The restaurant has very limited competition, many guests are visiting for a special occasion, and it is a nice space with nice views, so of course prices are going to be high. You just have to accept it or go elsewhere. That said, the beer and cocktail menus are both insultingly limited and overpriced (four generic beers at $9, three cocktails at $18). The views are theoretically good, although sometimes hard to appreciate since the restaurant is not right on the edge of the building and they often draw the curtains. For entrees, we had the Maryland Style Crab Cakes ($50) and Murrays Chicken ($34). The crab cakes were a good portion and came with green beans and Lyonnaise potatoes (sliced and lightly fried potatoes). The chicken was well cooked and came with a pea puree, same potatoes, and asparagus. For dessert, we had Creme Brulee and Blueberry Cheesecake ($12 each), both of which were also good. The restaurant brings around a bread basket and you get your choice from three options, including a roll and focaccia. They also gave us the biggest plate of butter I have ever seen. Everything was solid. The biggest problem was service. We arrived a few minutes before opening (5 PM) and were told by a brusque, unhelpful hostess (thanks, Barbara!) to stand behind the green line until they opened -- everyone, reservations or not, is made to stand in line. Please, have a little more grace and hospitality to go with your $50 entrees. We were the first people sat, and they were still prepping the dining room in a few areas. For example, there was a cleaning cloth left out on one table, and a soda cup on another. Again, not appropriate for this level of restaurant. The bread service was slow and served other tables first (despite us being the first seated). The rest of the service was fine and basic. Food was brought very quickly (perhaps suspiciously so). We were in-and-out in about 90 minutes. Overall, good food, service and drink menus could be improved, and prices are what they are.

Celebrated with our Anniversary twins before the show at the KC. Renovations and remodel show vast improvement on service and food. Service was impeccable from the host greeting and seating, the drink selection, cleverly highlighting handcrafted cocktails to match the show,and the bread service (get the sourdough), through the complimentary champagne for our anniversary toast. Thoroughly recommend for pre-show or just for the views alone!

Nice bar and lounge to grab drinks and light snacks before a 6pm show, so yea, try it! Staff was pleasant especially Carlos! They even shut the blinds for us when it was full on sun as we sat by the window. Nice ambience particularly the tables by the window I prefer. Food is not bad just a tad pricey, err, no compétition to drive it down so I see just up and up! Anyway, I love a glass of Chandon brut to get me in the mood for the play so yea well worth paying $150 total for 6 drinks and a plate of fries; merci a mon mari cheri who picked up the tab for mes amies et moi!

Eating here currently before seeing the illusionists. Ordered the grilled Cesar salad, and the scallop entree. Cesar salad was delicious. The server brought me rockfish instead of scallops. Apparently they were out of scallops but didn't tell us. Then we decided to get the steak instead but was brought crab cake instead. Not sure if the server understood what was happening or something but not good. Manager was great

This restaurant is first and foremost a good option for an upscale dinner before a Kennedy Center show. The ambiance is comfortable and the view of the Potomac through the tall terrace windows is nice. Everyone in our party enjoyed the cocktails and dinner and shared desserts with a good wine selection list. My crab cakes dinner was outstanding. The server was an efficient amiable gentleman who had worked there for quite a long time. Our dinner was an enjoyable experience worthy of repeating.

We had tickets for Les Mis at the Kennedy Center, so my in laws made a reservation here for dinner beforehand. Our reservations were at 6:15pm and we were out by 7:10pm. Service was attentive and dishes came out very quickly. They had someone walking around with a bread basket and they will definitely refill if you want to. Food was OK, nothing super special to write home about. It's honestly not that hard to grill up a steak, so there's really not much to talk about in terms of flavor and technique. The prices are intense. It's upwards of $60 for any kind of red meat protein, and that does not include any sides whatsoever. $60 will get you just the filet. Sides are about $12+ per side, but they are sharable between two people I would say. You honestly come here for the convenience of being able to just walk downstairs to your show. But if you're looking for an actually A+ meal or if you're on a budget, I wouldn't come here.

We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Eve brunch at the Kennedy Center. We chose their prix fixe menu. It was pricey but a ton of food. You will not leave hungry. Generally, we enjoyed our meal and the service was very good. The appetizers, pancakes, and crab hash were very good. The omelette was ok. Great ambience and a beautiful view. We saw a show at the Kennedy Center following brunch. It was a lovely time and we would go there again.

I felt pretty meh about dinner at the Roof Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center. On the one hand, it has convenience going for it. If you have an evening show at the Kennedy Center, it's hard to beat the convenience of the restaurant just upstairs and not having to travel/go outside again before the show. It's also nice because you get into the Kennedy Center garages earlier than the show rush. The view is also lovely--if you're there before sunset and can appreciate it. Once it's dark out, the view is kind of lost. The decor is modern and sleek, and there are a few larger tables in booths at the center that feel more "private" and secluded because they're round semi-circles, so for those trying to "isolate" due to covid (but not be outside in the winter), this feels a little better. I was unimpressed with the food and the service though. First, there was a line to get seated which was bizarre. There were at least 2 hostesses, so idk why there was such a hold up. They also didn't bring out all the dishes at once; 2 at our table received their apps (soup) a good 5+ min before the other 2 of us got our apps, and we ended up having to remind a server that we were still waiting on our food. I appreciated the bread guy that kept coming around offering more, but I didn't think the bread was anything noteworthy. For my app, I had the tuna tartare, and it was mediocre. Too spicy, which overpowered the mild flavor of the tuna. And it came with only 3 crispy potato chips to use to eat the tuna, which was not at all enough ratio-wise. I got the salmon as my main; it was served over lentils and some carrot-coconut puree. Nothing particularly wrong with this dish, but it was just not very memorable. Overall, everything was so expensive and didn't feel like the best value. We did not order dessert. On the whole, although I appreciate the convenience of the restaurant pre-show, I would rather eat elsewhere and deal with the commute between meal-to-show. For the price, I didn't think it was worth it, and there are much more affordable restaurants (even if they're 15+ min away) that I think are tastier options.

Roof Terrace restaurant was a disappointment. We went prior to a show, and appreciated their upfront courtesy asking what time our show started to ensure we were on time. While the tall ceilings are pretty, the furniture, flooring, and decor felt too dated. The service was hit or miss, the women at the host stand were so nice, but our server was apathetic. The food and drinks are not great, and it stings more when you get your bill. There are far more excellent spots in DC to try instead. I wish I had read the reviews ahead of time!

The star of this place was our service. Maria was OUTSTANDING. Great personality and just overall very sweet and attentive. We'd go back just to tip her again! The food was meh. We got the NY strip (very well seasoned), Brussels sprouts (needed more of something, salt maybe), and the mashed potatoes (no salt at all lol). Best thing was the heavy pours of the drinks (champagne and rye old fashioned), and the apple cheesecake. Probably would sit at the bar before a show here again, but wouldn't come for a full on dinner. Not worth the price.

TBH, the heart of romaine salad was pathetic....pale The entree's were much better. Scallops, carrot risotto, lamb shank, and lobster cavatelli were all tastefully prepared. I was bummed that the collard greens with my scallops were too spicy for me because they were impressively cooked. The desserts were good too--cardamom brûlée, chocolate Napoleon and the pb&j (the best out of all 3. Service for this supposed high class restaurant definitely was not high

Reservations were accepted. Our hostess Tiffany was amazing and funny. The food was good. My hubby and I grabbed some drinks and a few apps before the Maxwell Symohony Orchestra. We truly enjoyed our time here at the rooftop terrace. Thanks to Toffant she made our night pleasant.

The scallops had no flavor. Were cooked perfectly but the chef needs to add spices even a little garlic and salt would have helped. For $42 I was very disappointed. Ambiance and noise level were fine. Service was great.

The only advantage of the Roof Terrace is its proximity to the theaters in the Kennedy Center. The food is decidedly below average, the service is variable, and you are not assured of a view. We had a show at 8 pm with a 6:45 pm reservation. Realizing that this was a tight schedule, we arrived at 6:20 and were happily seated by 6:30. There were tables available near the windows and in the dining area but we were given a silo-like area for six for our party of two. I asked about the other tables and was told they were only for theater subscribers. After a short time, our drink and food orders were taken. Then we waited. Around 6:45 we were given a piece of bread. Another server brought our salads at 7 and came back 10 minutes later with our entrees. We asked about our drink orders. The second waiter found our initial waiter who apologized for "delegating" or drink order that was delivered by mistake to another table. He brought our drinks a few minutes later and we had to quickly drink them with our meals in the short time left before theater time. We both had the chopped salads. The ingredients were fresh but there was no dressing to enhance and bond the flavors. My wife had the chicken. She found it dry and surrounded by a mysterious vegetable paste. I had the rigatoni with shrimp. The pasta was hard and chewy, the sauce dry, almost non-existent, and flavorless. We will not go back to the Roof Top Terrace Restaurant.

Because of the convenient location, we booked a table before our concert. We really would have been better off having an early dinner elsewhere. 1. Our waiter was willfully unfamiliar about the menu and about food in general. He went from a surly to attentive as tip time came closer. 2. The salad bore little resemblance to the description in the menu. And all the food, from the salad dressing to the meat, to the fish, was sickeningly sweet. What is going on in that kitchen? The hostess was wonderful, hence two stars. Avoid.

My husband and I visited the Kennedy Center last night to tour the new JFK exhibit, dine at the Roof Terrace and watched Wicked. We had an amazing time. The new exhibit is a great way to immerse yourself in all the aspects surrounding the creation of the National Cultural Center and the role the Kennedys played to make it a reality, which of course, contributed to the re-designation as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Roof Terrace is a very nice restaurant with the most friendly staff and an amazing view of the DC and Virginia skylines. The only downside is the food is overpriced, in my opinion, for what you receive. The steak I ordered was really good and the lobster mac and cheese definitely did not skimp on the lobster. The rest of our meal was good, but not at a level commensurate with the price. You are definitely paying for the location; so just understand that going in. I would like to re-state the staff were all very welcoming and made sure we had everything we needed. There is a full bar, beer, and wine available. The selection was a little small, but diverse. One other tip, reservations are pretty much a must. I made a reservation as soon as I purchased tickets for a show, so it was months in advance and I did not have any issues with availablility. I have tried to make a reservation a week out before and it was booked solid; so just somethingto considerin advance of your visit. Thank you again for another great evening enjoying the arts in our nation's capital.

Although this restaurant is supposed to be an upscale restaurant for Kennedy Center attendees, I was a bit disappointed. We sat at the bar and received outstanding service. The waiter was kind and checked on us consistently. The venue itself was beautiful. The food was not so great though. We had four different entrees and no one loved anything that was eaten. This restaurant is convenient for location before the show, but for enjoyment I would suggest going elsewhere to grab dinner.

I didn't have a lot of time to run around before my show to have dinner outside of the Kennedy Center. It's not like there is a wealth of restaurants to choose from that are convenient to the location, so I guess part of what you are paying for is location here. Because honestly the menu isn't all that extensive and for sure overpriced. A lot of the entrees are really heavy. Before a show I want something light like salad. They had salads on the menu but they are like fruit salads not like a good old Caesar salad. So I found their options lacking. I probably won't be back unless I'm really pressed for a snack before a show.

Came up for a quick drink and snack before seeing Hamilton on Sunday, 8/14/22. Arrived around 5:45. Bar was fairly empty and Christhian was the bartender on duty. He was pleasant and prompt. I only had a drink and the green beans since I'm trying to eat more veggies on the weekends instead of pigging out like usually do. I love the atmosphere and the service and welcoming vibes were very good. Can't wait to come back and have dinner.

OMG my filet mignon was excellent and perfectly cooked! Everyone in our group loved our food. Service was warm and prompt and helpful with suggestions. Our waiter suggested a chocolate martini for me and a French martini for my friend. THANK YOU. Martinis make us happy. I'm going to try to create both of them at my house. Not that I drink martinis all the time or whatever, don't judge me, I get stressed. . . anyway The only miss was the weird fennel side dish, stay away from that. Truffle fries are found everywhere but here they were nearly perfect! Desserts are fun and tasty, but not amazing.

You know I reserved a table at this place without even looking at the review because my boyfriends 70+ year older parents insisted on eating here haha. So was a bit surprise to see 1.5 stars when looking on yelp. The reviews are so up or down...honestly this is a nice restaurant with the "old Hollywood /las Vegas" vibes. Though the bar is so small! Beautiful giant windows where you can see the Potomac on one side and planes taking off from raegan airport on the other. Food was good but overpriced. For two small fired lobster tails $22? Man I could get 2 lobster tails at Aldi for $12! The reason I'm giving 3 stars is because of the service. Our waiter though nice, forgot my boyfriends fathers soup until we asked and then removed some silverware randomly and we had to ask for it back. Also we were literally the only people in the entire restaurant (after 6:30 the restaurant is hella empty because of shoes) and still it took 2 hours to eat...why? Our server would disappear and never return but when he was attentive he was great and accommodating. Idk how to feel about this place lol. Will I come back? Probably not unless I was going to a show but the cafeteria next door is just as good and pretty expensive also...but I get my food in a timely manner ;).

Loved the service, the food and the views! Totally a hidden gem! Was told about this place by a local! It's a must try when you're in town! Thank you!!!

I was pleasantly surprised by my dining experience at the Roof Terrace Restaurant. It's interesting that they are only open from 5-8pm and on days that the opera or concert hall are open. The food was tasty, service was good and views were the best part. When I walked in at 530, there were ppl there, no one at the bar, but many empty tables. When I left at 7pm the place was packed. Not a single smooth tables and the bar was filled. However they do such a good job delegating roles that you never felt that lift. There were ppl doing bread and water refills, bussers, good runners, servers and managers all ok the floor. Pretty impressive. Caesar salad- I was expecting it to be basic, and it was my favorite thing I ordered. The tomato confit was delightful, salad was lightly dressed, and the pumpernickel crisps really tied it all together. Bucattini w clams- this dish was a really large size, lots of clams, pasta cooked perfectly, but the sauce needed some additional seasoning. Sorbet- I needed a little something sweet but didn't want to commit to a full dessert. So I asked if I could get a scoop of something. My server gave me the flavors and I ended up with a lovely lemon sorbet. Perfectly sweet and a great palette cleanser to end my meal. Oh, and the glorious views. The windows are floor to ceiling so the lighting is perfection and depending on where you are sitting you can see parts of Georgetown, the Potomac and planes going in and out of DC. I just wanted to try it out, but would definitely return for a nice fancy meal before my next show at the Kennedy Center.

I was pleasantly surprised by our reservation at the roof top terrace in July 2023 before a Lion King performance. As some background, I frequent the kennedy center and always struggle to find a place nearby with high quality food to accomodate the various food tastes in my family. All of our usual pre-show restaurant choices were closed on this sunday evening so we decided to take a chance with the roof terrace restaurant. I knew it would be convenient, but I was expecting to be underwhelmed (since I haven't enjoyed other Kennedy Center dining options in the past), but WOW, as soon as we walked in we were overwhelmed by the ambiance and the amount of light in the restaurant. We had great service and didn't feel rushed at all. Our party of six was seated and served in a reasonable amount of time. Our food came out as ordered and everything from the salads to the steak and lobster were delicious. I appreciated how lovely and attentive (but not over bearing) the staff was and I would definitely go back. Was it pricey...yes. Was it worth it...absolutely.

I am not sure why this restaurant has such a low average rating. My experience was quite positive. Our party was 45' late but they kept our reservation (well the restaurant wasn't full anyway and nobody picked up the phone when we called). The food was perfectly fine and the view was fantastic! We went for dinner and were able to catch the sunset view from the restaurant. Anyway, it's a convenient place to get food before a show, but if you don't want to pay the high prices, probably shouldn't go here.

If I could go back just for the truffle french fries and nothing else, I'd be happy. The miso aioli sauce added a spicy accent that I loved. For dinner we had the carrot risotto and grilled beef tenderloin. The risotto was very good but I kept thinking of the boathouse brand carrot juice that I occasionally drink. Without the mushrooms, cashews, and sage, it may have been exactly that. That being said, the added mushrooms gave it more flavor and it did taste like fresh carrot juice so it was a nice meal to have before the show. My bf enjoyed his beef, and we both thought the mashed potatoes were delicious and fluffy. The beef wasn't the "best he's ever had" but he liked it. I appreciate that they kept coming around to offer fresh pieces of warm bread to complement our meal. I easily ate two pieces and I like that they didn't give a full basket of bread so nothing could be wasted. Service was excellent and ambiance is relaxing. My favorite part of this dining experience was the truffle fries as mentioned above. If I come back early enough before the show, I may just order these at the bar and pair it with a glass of wine-just to be fancy. If you'd like to get the full Kennedy Center experience, give this place a shot. There aren't many other places to eat in the area so either plan well or try the KC cafe that's a bit more casual. Also, there's beautiful views of the Potomac close by so if you're looking for ambiance, this is the place to be.

The food was absolutely delicious with good portion. The service was nice, professional, and friendly. The view and atmosphere were stunning.

We came to see the Lion King (fantastic) so decided to have dinner here at the roof top restaurant. There were four of us. We all ordered different salads. The RTR salad was very good. The others were good. My wife ordered lamb chops. She said they were some of the best she has had. I ordered the New York Strip steak. It was very salty and somewhat tough. This steak was $62. They should be ashamed to serve a steak In this condition at that price. I've had better steak at Golden Corral. I would have sent it back but that disrupts the rest of dinner. We just won't be back. One of the vegetarians in our party was not pleased with her selection. She had a roasted cauliflower dish and said it had no flavor. The other vegetarian had a pasta dish and said it was good. The hostess seating us was very pleasant and nice. The waitstaff was super. For the cost, this isn't reason enough to come back.

We went prior to Hamilton. I had made a note that I was vegan and we were celebrating my Mom's 80th birthday, neither were acknowledged. I had to ask the waiter to talk to the Chef to see if they could make me something. He made pasta with succotash, no sauce. Disappointing but alas. Great location, spectacular view.

The server made us feel rushed, and food came out too fast. The lobster bisque was weak. Salmon was ok. Its sauce was the best part of both meals. Pasta was bland. The butternut squash in it was mushy, and the amount of baby spinach was minimal. Seemed more like a garnish than menu listed item. Salt and pepper, which was needed, should be on the table, or you have to flag someone down who can get some, then wait for them to return. We were offered two types of water, chose one but was not told it would cost us. The pitcher water being poured by servers was never mentioned. Cheesecake was meh. The best part of the experience was the tasty cosmos, and generous wine and after dinner drink pours. The prices are not commensurate with the quality of the food. Dining here has always been an automatic part of a Kennedy Center experience, but cannot see us dining here again.

Very nice venue. Lamb chops were good. Wait staff was attentive. I would not get the cheese tray again. More fruit and honey options would have been nice. Drinks were well made.

This is really a 3.5 with the extra .5 for the truffle mashed potatoes alone. They were definitely the star of the meal. My angus steak was cooked perfectly medium rare but wasn't particularly tasty. Good - yes. The spinach was steamed and delish though. The real downfall was dessert. Unless you like super rich desserts - and I have a huuuuuuge sweet tooth, the desserts here could be split among 6 people because you really shouldn't eat more than a bite of them - and we ordered one each. Of course, like the fatty I am, I kept eating them while not particularly enjoying them. The boy pretty much took one bite of his and was down. Gah!!! There it is. Will I be back? Of course, especially if I'm pressed for time for a show and maybe I neglected to make rezzies elsewhere. Besides, the view is pretty stellar sans construction cranes.

At the Kennedy Center. Such a civilized place to dine before a performance! Can be pricey, but the food is good and the service is efficient. Hubby & I dined before the symphony & were out in just over an hour without feeling rushed....salad, entree, & coffee. Frisée salad with butternut squash was pretty to look at & mercifully lightly dressed. We both had lamb chops served with a Brussels sprout & squash hash. The lamb chops were perfectly prepared, thick, and delicious. Highly recommended.

Recently went to this restaurant after seeing Shen Yun. Nice atmosphere, I ordered the Ribeye Delmonico , steak was very good, roasted broccoli was more raw than roasted (terrible), and mash potatoes were also unseasoned and cold. The worse thing was that I ordered the lobster tail as an enhancement to the steak (See picture). The lobster was literally uncooked (RAW!!!!) when it was brought to my table! I told me server, no explanation was given, I told him I did not want a new lobster, but they brought one anyway (which I did not eat. I have also attached the pic of the cooked lobster they brought me after bringing the raw one. I will avoid this place in the future. The chef should be fired asap!

This was our second time to have Sunday Brunch before a show. We knew the menu had changed from offering a filet to simply a "steak" and we considered canceling our reservation. I wish we had. The preliminary shrimp cocktail, cheese plate, and fruit were good. The "steak" is literally the worst steak I have ever attempted to eat. First, I ordered medium rare and it came well done. The server brought another one and it was medium well. By this time my husband had almost finished his meal so I kept it. It was so tough that I could barely chew the one fourth of it that I was able to finish. It was inedible. The server took my still almost full plate away and never expressed any concern that most of my meat was left untouched. Since we were hurrying to catch a show I decided to reach out to management the next day to let them know we'd like to have the filet back on the menu. I've called three days in a row to the phone not being answered and full voicemail. Since there doesn't seem to be any other way to communicate with management, I've resorted to leaving a negative review. I was hoping to encourage a change, however, now all I feel I can do is warn other diners.

Very nice food in a lovely setting. For the price, I expected flawless service, and my family did not receive that. Overall, this restaurant is a super convenient place to eat before or after a show at the Kennedy Center. More details on the service: one hiccup was that my mom's soup (her entree) did not arrive at the same time as my salad and my dad's entree. Also, the person who later delivered the soups to my mom and me did not know which soup went where. Finally, the waiter was very confused about the difference between gluten-free and low-carb. My dad eats a low-carb diet, but avoiding gluten won't help him keep to that regimen. My dad said the beef tenderloin was excellent. My Virginia asparagus soup was lovely and my mom's crab soup was spicier than expected but good. (A warning might have been nice!) I thought my Bibb and arugula salad should have arrived cut into smaller pieces. Those huge strips of cucumber and some of the other elements were unnecessarily unwieldy. I'm glad we tried the restaurant and perhaps we'll visit again someday. I wish I had saved more room for dessert. I would have loved to have tried the coconut Thai basil creme brûlée.