Residents Café & Bar

I had this place on my DC wish list since before quarantine so I was thrilled to snag a reservation at the Residents Café and Bar this past weekend. It was definitely worth the wait!

Residents is a chic café and bar in Dupont Circle, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, and cocktails. Their website states that their name was inspired by the owners who are all immigrants that touched down in DC at various times, becoming Residents of this wonderful city. Their diverse backgrounds definitely shine through in the eclectic decor and unique menus.

To ensure social distancing, they are offering limited patio reservations on Tock and luckily, I was able to book a 7 pm slot on Saturday the day before. (However, I did try to book last minute a previous weekend and wasn’t able to, so definitely try to make reservations early if you can.) The patio space is absolutely stunning! I sadly didn’t get a peek at the inside but I’ve heard it’s just as beautiful as the outside. They also had an instrumental but upbeat playlist going so it was a really fun but laid-back vibe.

Their food menu is small but mighty. They have a nice variety of small plates and entrées that are diverse and unique, from mini gyros to charred octopus to pasta di pomodoro. We ordered the zucchini fritters for our appetizer which we literally inhaled. For our entrées, Joshua ordered the chicken schnitzel which came with the most amazing wedge salad I’ve ever seen with barbecued bacon, charred corn, and sundried tomatoes. I had the kobe beef burger which was served on a pretzel bun and a shallot ketchup bourbon onion jam that I would literally drink, it was that good.

The drinks are just as unique and tasty as their food. In addition to their seasonal cocktails, they offer bottled cocktails that either serve three or five drinks, which is a great option for a couple or group and also saves you a few coins than ordering multiple drinks. They also included fun mocktails on the menu, which is always nice for pregnant ladies or those that just don’t want alcohol but would like something fancier than a soda. They also had coffee cocktails, which we didn’t try but sounded delicious.

The food, drinks, ambiance, and service were all incredible and I can’t wait to go back with a girlfriend and try their brunch next!

Short Version:

That Place We Went To: Residents Café and Bar

Location: Dupont Circle, DC

Best For: Brunch; Lunch; Dinner; Drinks; Couples; Groups

Price: $$

Vibe: Casual chic

Extra two cents: Would recommend for a date or ladies day/night out!