Smith Commons

This is my place. I’ve been back here numerous times since moving to D.C. and it’s good for dinner, for drinks, or for special events.
The burger here is hands down my favorite in the Washington, D.C. region. It comes with bacon and a jalapeño cheddar bun, and the fries with an excellent dipping sauce. The bar features Atlas Brew Works beers. They just got in the pumpernickle stout, an excellent beer, worthy of sampling even if you don’t particularly like stouts.

The tiramisu was a nice finale’ this eve. It was a pretty presentation with raspberry swirled around the cake then a lemon sauce, delish. One again we enjoyed the lamb chops with veggies and the duck dish was juicy. I appreciate that I could substitute green beans and enjoyed the prep and tasty of them. Our waitress was very nice too.

SERVICE: Service started off great but fell off a cliff very quickly. Our waiter came at us with great enthusiasm and made sure we always had water filled to the brim. However, after we got our food, our waiter sat down at a table with what seemed like a friend of his and proceeded to talk. In addition, when the check came out, 20% tip was already added. WHY? I thought tip was where a customer could speak about the service he or she had received and I did NOT think our waiter deserved 20%.
FOOD: I had the Butter Chicken and my SO had the Pork Chops. Both plates came out at on time and were wonderfully prepared in terms of looks.
The Pork Chops were ordered medium and were very tender and delicious.
The Butter Chicken was okay. The chicken did not cut easily. It was annoying try and cut a piece over and over again. It did not taste so great.

Tonight I went to Smith Commons with a few friends to celebrate my birthday and had a great evening.
Before arriving, I was really concerned about my guests and I getting parking as there is only street parking but that proved to not be a problem at all.
The ambiance is advert warm and trendy. This place is definitely for friends or family looking to having a high quality meal but without the need to dress over the top.
I ordered the lobster quinoa for my appetizer and the lamb chops for my entrée. The only complaints that I may have was that it tasted so good, that I wish there was more on my plate!
I will definitely return and would love to try their Sunday Brunch!

My husband and I have been here a lot for happy hour because they have one of the best happy hours in town and a great draft list (Ommegang Abbey ale). Tonight we came for dinner and I couldn’t wait to finish eating before raving about it online. I read some negative reviews of the food and wanted our voice to add to the positive ones out there.
Butter chicken is one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. Anywhere. Crispy chicken thighs with coconut rice and a wonderful sauce.
My husband is loving his lamb chops. They’re tender and delicious.
Come here for dinner. You won’t regret it.

My friends and I went here for an early Friday night dinner around 6:30pm. They still had happy hour until 7pm so we were able to get half price drafts and $ 5 rail drinks which is a pretty good deal for DC.
The menu is quite eclectic. From burgers to ceviche, to butternut squash ravioli with coconut milk to garlic shrimp to truffle Mac and cheese. So let’s just say I couldn’t figure out what they were trying to be. But it doesn’t matter. Each one of us loved our dish.
I ordered the ceviche appetizer and shared the short rib appetizer with a friend. The were both delicious. The portion was just right for me but I really wasn’t too hungry. Another friend got the seafood paella and it came fully loaded with seafood, unlike other places that fill it up with rice and nut much else.
I would go back here except that I rarely ever go to this neighborhood. That’s the only reason I took it down to one star. We ended up here because we saw a show at the Logan Fringe theater. The neighborhood just two or more blocks away is a bit sketchy in my opinion. But the actual H St. block isn’t bad and has lots of activity so I felt much safer. Parking however was challenging so I parked a few blocks away — and I must admit I had to walk rather fast since I didn’t feel all that safe.
Anyway, it’s a great place if you ever end up in this part of town. I highly recommend it.

On an evening of celebration, my husband and I decided to treat ourselves just a little bit to a night out on the town that was a tiny bit more expensive than our standard fare would be. I had been eyeing this joint for several weeks as I’d been on H Street several nights a week for volunteer training, and it was about time we stepped inside to try their delectable offerings. Sure enough, the vibe was great and we were not disappointed by their New American style of food. The patrons are as eclectic as the menu, and to me, that’s a great thing.
First and foremost, the service we received was absolutely lovely. Even though the bar was hopping and the volume of conversation was way turned up, our waitress was on point, super friendly, and willing to help. She answered our questions about menu items with ease and always had a recommendation when we asked her for one. I felt like she had a great working knowledge of the menu and the restaurant as a whole, and we had a great time chatting with her. She recommended the Manhattan between my options of drinks and she was completely right — they make a nice one. My husband is a huge martini drinker, and his was absolutely delicious — definitely no disappointment there.
As for food, we decided to go all out during our visit on this particular night. Instead of ordering real appetizers, we went with something both of us could enjoy by ordering two side dishes as our appetizers. My husband chose the mac ‘n’ cheese and the truffle fries, and both were totally what we expected from a joint like this. I would have liked a bit more diversity of cheese flavors from my mac ‘n’ cheese, but if you like a less salty and more subtle flavor, they do a wonderful job. The truffle fries were solid and definitely tasty, though not the best I’ve ever had.
When it came to our entrees, though, we were very pleased. My husband took our waitress’ suggestion and went with the paella, which has since been switched off the menu. The seafood was fresh and the flavors were well-​balanced. For my part, I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, and both of us agreed that not only was it one of the best vegetarian dishes we’ve tried out, but it was actually better than his meal. The flavors were absolutely phenomenal and so well-​balanced between savory and sweet. The serving was substantial but not overwhelming (though I still needed help finishing it), the sauce was a mind-​boggling balance between light and creamy, and the pasta had a good bite to it while not being undercooked. This was possibly one of the best vegetarian entrees I’ve tried since moving to the District.
While there are still some kinks they probably need to work out with the menu and their flavoring, I can’t help ranking this place highly thanks to their amazing service and their killer vegetarian entrée. It’s so rare to see anyone caring about the veggies among us, so when I find one, I feel it’s my duty to give them the props they deserve. Come check this place out and enjoy a classic cocktail and a well-​thought-​out meal.

This place is great for a casual Friday night which is right now! If you want a place to just chill with great music, this is the right place. Great interior. Open floor and great service. Exceptional! We sat on the second floor and Assie, our server was the best! This review is for her! She took care of our drinks, photos, and even split out bill nicely. She’s so nice. there were seven of us which can be quite overwhelming but she handled us well. She’s a gem in this place. Assie is great!
I got a cider and everyone else got drinks. The bill wasn’t split even but she took her time figuring out who order what to bill the right person. For food, we only got mussels and prom belly. Nice portions and were okay but I’d definitely come back here for the ambience, vibe, and Assie!

I was at Smith Commons for their all day HH on Mondays. The ambiance was cool and intimate. The vibe was chill and non-​pretentious. The crafted cocktails and the food were very good. I will definitely be back. This was a great way end a Monday.

Nice location. It’s two levels and there is a bar on both levels. The first floor seems to be larger than the second floor but I think it’s due to there being an outdoor patio upstairs which seems small with all the benches they fit out there. At one point they closed he patio/​rooftop but there was still a large crowd. The people who were outside then had to find new places inside to stand but there wasn’t enough so I guess they went downstairs or left. The music was nice.
Edit: there are three levels but when I was there the third floor was hosting a private party. I will definitely come back even if t is just to see the third floor.

Brunch Review is a very solid 4 stars!
Highlights:
— Challah Bread French Toast: crispy/​crusty edges with a soft and egg heavy center topped with fresh fruits (strawberries, grapes and melons) — If I were told I could only have one dish for brunch ever again, I’d pick this dish!
— Egg Ranchero: (or I believe this was the name given to an omelet containing the correct amount of jalapeño to wake the taste buds.)
— Waffles & Chicken: (I only tried the waffle as I was likely to get forked by my better half if I touched his chicken, but the waffle was crispy and golden with a slightly sweet taste, prepared well. The better half said the chicken was juicy and flavorful, it looked to be a half chicken separated dark and white).
— Flatbread: The crust was crispy, salty and non-​greasy! It comes out in a circle shape (so looks more like a naked pizza with arugula than a traditional long rectangle flatbread).
I say we «had the best seats in the house»! The first floor or street level is the traditional «sit down» restaurant and then the two floors above it are considered the public house. We sat on the second floor in huge leather chairs looking out onto the street below.
The décor looks straight out of a Restoration Hardware catalog. I love how the owners have kept the exposed brick and stuck to more period specific natural materials and patterns (think leather and burlap). Kudos to the interior designer!
Negatives:
— Flies! Yes, I said flies! Due to the second floor having a patio and a garage door that opens and closes to expose the bar to the outdoors, the flies have discovered an entrance big time. Nothing worse than noshing and having to swat.
— Wait Staff wasn’t always obvious as there doesn’t appear to be a unified uniform or color per se.
— Sitting on the second floor for brunch you will hear both the music from the third floor as well as the live music for brunch in the restaurant.

I’ve tried Smith Commons twice for dinner. I really want to like this place, but I’ve always left disappointed. For the types of entrees and the variety of choices, the price point is perfect (ranges ~$ 15 – 25). Both times, however, either my boyfriend or I have had misses with our food.
Our first time here, we both ordered the sous vide duck. While my boyfriend’s was cooked perfectly, mine was dry and tough. The sushi appetizer was fresh, but I’m a little bit of a sushi snob. and it honestly didn’t too much for me.
Our second night there, I sought redemption and was set on re-​ordering the duck. At the last minute, I got slightly worried that I would get another overcooked dish, so I opted for the rockfish. I actually enjoyed the rockfish — it was cooked nicely and there were a ton of flavors to the dish. Meanwhile, my boyfriend ordered the burger which came out sloppily made and quite sad looking. He mentioned the taste was off and ended up not finishing it. We ordered the mussels (off of the bar menu) for an appetizer. I think the best part of the meal was the bread came with the mussels.
Maybe the third time’s the charm, but I’m not looking to try again anytime soon.

Maybe I caught it on a bad night… but I had a pretty bad 100 dollar date night here.
We ordered ceviche as an appetizer, and didn’t dare eat it (you could smell the fish before it arrived at the table). The drinks and entrees were also mediocre at best.
Again, maybe we caught it on an off night, but we don’t plan on returning with all of the amazing options on H street.

I’d heard about this restaurant and decided to try it. I purchased a deal voucher through Groupon. It’s located on the corner of 12^th & H St. Parking can be scarce but Auto Zone is right next door, I parked there with no issues. We dined on the rooftop… it was hot but the atmosphere was cool.
It’s open from 11am-​3pm so I went for Sunday brunch.
I had the chicken and waffles. The chicken was moist and tender on the inside but it didn’t like how it was prepared on the outside. The skin is soft, not really crispy IMO & it reminded me of boiled chicken which I’m not a fan of. They offer bottomless peach bellinis (great!) and mimosas for $ 15. Next time I will opt for the shrimp & grits entrée.

I was underwhelmed. I know Smith Commons could be a hip and trendy place, perhaps at a different time of the day or on a different day, but we came for Sunday brunch during prime time and it only earned our passing grade.
80% of the drinks were different types of bloody mary, leaving one with very few options if you don’t want to do bottomless mimosas or bellinis for $ 15 (otherwise one mimosa’s $ 8 and one bellini’s $ 10). I prefer more refreshing and innovative brunch drinks. For food we got the hanger asada, shrimp and grits, and smoked salmon hash. The hash barely had any salmon in it, and the little traces were crumbled and drenched in sauce. The sunny side up egg had too much salt on it. Overall the potatoes and peppers were way more overwhelming and I barely tasted the salmon.
The avocado in the shrimp and grits, as advertised, wasn’t fresh I don’t think. It was more like a sliver of avocado paste slathered on the plate as a garnish. We ordered ice coffees and they were almost clear in color — they were so watered down we barely tasted coffee.
To top it off, the service was mediocre and ambiance lacking. The whole place was fairly empty and we sat upstairs on the outdoor patio. When we left there was live music downstairs, and with the French windows it felt nice, but I wouldn’t trek all the way to H Street for brunch here again.

I was here for dinner once a few years ago, and I remember it being fine, but this review is based entirely on my most recent visit.
Stopped in for some after-​dinner drinks on the upstairs patio, second floor was crowded but third floor was empty, a seeming stroke of luck. After the bartender set us up with menus and waters outside, she vanished for the rest of the evening. Meanwhile, a party of serious bros took up station across the patio from us and started smoking, which ruins the place for me since I hate second-​hand smoke. I had plans to ask a member of the waitstaff if they should be doing that (looked it up later, technically not against the law but still unpleasant), but promptly saw three employees head over to the smoking bro table and enjoy a shot with them. So much for that. A waiter finally found us and brought some drinks, but halfway through another couple came outside and started smoking. What I thought would be an enjoyable evening, sitting outdoors on a rare temperate evening in the DC summer turned out to be a drag (no pun intended) from start to finish.
Hopefully I’ll make it back for dinner sometime soon and this rating will change, but I doubt I’ll patronize the patio for drinks anymore, certainly not until management decides to enforce a no-​smoking policy on the patio as well as indoors.

I’ve walked by so many times en route to Biergartenhaus and finally decided to take the plunge for dinner. Glad I did. The décor is casual but nice, with a mix of red brick walls and wood paneled bar and hardwood floors. Service was solid and friendly, and the water-​man was always nearby to fill us up without us having to ask. As a heavy water drinker, that was appreciated.
I went with the New York strip loin. The presentation is stellar, they clearly took their time to plan this out. The steak sits on top of a mushroom risotto, fava bean, and swiss chard mix, which is soaking in the jus to get nice flavor throughout. That bottom mix was delicious. As for the steak itself, I have to first commend them on cooking it at the proper temperature. I always order medium, and the last 3 or 4 steak joints I have been to have either given me super dry or super red, but Smith nailed it perfectly. It was juicy, pre-​sliced, and topped with a little cilantro and a cranberry jus. I was a little doubtful of the cranberry, but it was solid. It had very subtle sweetness that paired really well with the steak. The steak itself was good but not great. Not seasoned enough, in my opinion, but still a solid dish worth ordering.
The bar offers several bottled beers, about 10 drafts, and a list of «classic» and «modern» cocktails. We tried the mojito and old fashioned. The mojito is one of the best in town. Great balance of mint and lime. The old fashioned was even better. It tasted strong yet still fruity, a complex mix of flavors. It is muddled with orange, maraschino cherries, and brown sugar. Delicious stuff, people.

It was empty on a Thursday night, which should have been the first sign that it was not going to be awesome. The service was standard, as would be expected since I think our server only had one other table. Appetizers (tuna tartar and pork belly) were meh, and took a while to come out of the kitchen. The butternut squash ravioli was lukewarm and greasy, and the scallops were a little overcooked. Food and drinks were slow despite being empty, it was overpriced for what/​where it is, and the meal was uninspired.
I ordered a standard manhattan and got a perfect manhattan. Not a big deal, but indicative of the overall lack of attention to detail, even though they weren’t in the weeds.

Vibe =dope.
Food=bomb.
Service=good.
Smith Commons impressed me. They were insanely busy the night we visited, being Valentine’s Day AND it snowing randomly about an hour before we got there.
As a result, our 9pm reservation ended up being pushed back to about 10pm — people who were there already didn’t want to leave, and people were running late to earlier reservations. The hostess let us know we could chill upstairs at the bar while we waited for a table to open up.
Meanwhile, I checked out the vibe of this place, which was insanely dope and sexy without error. Note to self: exposed brick is a requirement in my new home. It makes everything chic.
Because of the busy night, we weren’t «upset» with the wait. Our waitress was actually pretty on point despite all of the noise of the night, and we were finally served like 35 minutes after seating. Our drinks didn’t take long though, that was instantaneous.
I had the Smith Commons ½ burger with fries, and my boyfriend, the Airline Chicken Breast with spinach and potatoes. We also both ordered a side of Truffle Mac and Cheese. Our entrees were both literally amazing; though they were lukewarm. We didn’t send it back though — again, it was a busy night and we were wayyyyy too hungry.
The truffle Mac and cheese sucked though. Of course we were suckered in because «truffle» is like the buzz word of the moment for restaurants to use to get people to buy anything. It needed salt, pepper more cheese — it just wasn’t good.
Also, my fries tasted like nothing. Again, I chalked that up to the busy night… I’m sure they’re bomb when they have a lot less chaos going on. My burger was still amazing enough to warrant 5 stars alone, but obviously other shortcomings caused the rating to go down a bit.
I love the fact that they have a limited menu; makes choosing a meal much easier to do, and you know everything isn’t frozen like TGI Fridays. I definitely vote this place as worthy for a return visit!

Landed at Smith Commons for my bestie’s birthday dinner. She purposely selected this spot because we had never been and heard it was an attractive space. The rumors were true, I found it inviting and lovely. I especially adored the white oak floors, mixed textures, exposed brick, and accent lighting.
We were surprised it was empty on a Thursday evening around 5:30, so there was no wait to be seated. We ordered glasses of wine (red & white) and mussels to start. I ordered the gingerbread dusted scallops topped with an arugula salad for my main dish. The mild sweetness of the scallops mixed with the bold peppery arugula was fantastic! Next time, I will request less red onion in the salad. I also tried the lamb chops, which were succulent but surrounded by fat. We ordered dessert and that’s when the experience started to decline. All three of us ordered the brownie with ice cream. We had to wait 30 minutes for it to be served, so we expected a freshly baked brownie. The presentation was nice, but the brownies were too hard from being frozen. Our server noticed nobody was eating dessert so she proceeded to grab her manager. He advised us that Smith Commons serves brownies at room temperature. I encouraged him to feel them, he finally did, walked away and advised our server to remove 1 of the 3 desserts. I found the exchange disconcerting especially because we were there to celebrate.
Thanks to the attractive space and the main entrees, I plan to give this establishment another opportunity to make me a fan.