Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro

I went here with some colleagues for lunch. I ordered the Seafood Crêpe along with French Onion Soup. All I can say is Hello Tasty. :-) I liked the décor as well and if you like a wine you had for your meal, you can buy a bottle to take home. They have a large selection of wines to choose from.

This is my second time here and the first time apparently they were in a different location. We had a great time on our first trip and it was so memorable we thought to invite other friends who live in the area to try it out. Upon arrival we noticed the entire restaurant looked different. Very spread out and much much bigger. The first location had seating in their wine shop and was intimate but still a good scene. We were sat in the back of the restaurant by the kitchen and drink refrigerator which we were not happy with. The friendly staff kindly moved us to another table without hesitation. We then had to wait for service for a while in our new location and throughout the night we had 3 different waiters. This was just odd to us compared to the impeccable service we had last time. Anyway we had some more minor things happy such as not getting enough menus and having to ask for water. Once we were settled we started with the olives and nuts which we all enjoyed but it wasn’t anything special. We tried the escargot which was fine but again nothing special. We all felt our meals were there same way. No one was disappointed in what they ordered yet it was forgettable this time. I had the spinach salad which I needed to ask for extra dressing since there was barely any on it and that was all that gave it flavor. The French onion soup was good and cooked perfectly with the crispy cheese on top. For dessert we shared the chocolate hazelnut bar which we all agreed had no flavor and just was not good. We did enjoy all of our wines. Our friend got a cocktail he wasn’t thrilled with. I’d say our first experience last year when we came here was 5 stars but this time it was no more than a 3 and we will probably not return unless for a glass of one at happy hour and a cheese plate.

«What do you mean?» Was the question that I silently posed when the waiter told us there was an uncorking fee to uncork the bottle that I bought from THEM. And, that the price if they bottle of wine was more expensive… but I wanted the wine, so I nodded my head yes, when I wanted to say no. «What do you mean?!»
That definitely caused one star to fall from the review. The other star was lost with the lack of service. We had to beg for water and attention. We legit wondered if the waiter was hard of hearing because we’d be talking to him when he was right next to the table (in a pretty empty restaurant, mind you) and he wouldn’t even look our way.
My friend started off with the butternut soup, which was just ok. A touch too sweet, so she didn’t finish it. We shared some crab cake appetizers, which were quite pale and not the typical shade of crab cake but still pretty tasty.
For my main entrée, I had the scallops, which were quite tasty and immediately gobbled. But, then we had to wait for over 10 minutes to even get the check. Pas bien du tout! Glad I checked it out, but probably won’t return.

Came here for lunch with a NSF co-​worker. We each ordered the $ 13.99 3-​course lunch, and thought it was a really good deal. I got the Reuben, and my co-​worker got the seafood crêpe. I also had the french onion soup. The dessert was a chocolate mousse. We ordered the mussels to share.
The mussels were in a light cream sauce, and was delicious. Probably the highlight of the meal at only $ 10. The french soup was very tasty… plenty of cheese and onion flavor. It was an extra $ 2 to the combo, but well worth it. The reuben sandwich was only okay. It was overly greasy and suspiciously had caramelized onions in it. The chocolate mousse was also pretty good, but you only got a very small dollop of it.
Overall, this place was a great find — and very close to my office. I’ll be coming back!

Excellent food. Wonderful atmosphere. Wait staff was excellent. Vast selection of wines to choose from. Cute spot for girls night or date night and even after a long day at work.

I have been to Grand Cru for their special weekday lunch, having wine, and wine and small plates. Overall, the service has been great, and The patio is lovely in summer days. They just moved to a bigger place, next to the previous location that offers a nice ambience.
Food: for lunch I tried their mushroom soup (creamy and delicious), mushroom crêpe (average, soggy) and chicken sandwich (big and tasty). Lately, my french friend and I went there for drinks and appetizers and I really enjoyed the food and the great selection of wines. We tried 3 appetizers, Brie in puff pastry, mushroom strudel, and Foie Gras. My favorite plates were the foie gras (it was 2 – 3 whole blocks) and the mushroom appetizer. Their bread is really fresh and we couldn’t have enough.
Drinks: we tried Tour of Africa (mostly dry) and World of White (mostly sweet). My favorite was Fuente Milano.
Although it’s my review, but I cant tell this place was anything below 4.5 when a french person with good taste in food calls it great ;)
Grand Cru, I’ll be back to try more.

We are so glad to have been introduced to Gran Cru by friends who are well versed in the best restaurants in the DC Metro area! Over the past month, we have dined at Gran Cru two times, including an early New Year’s Eve dinner. They consistently provided exceptional and friendly service, and flavor-​filled, excellent food. From the appetizers, to the bread, to the entrée and last, and definitely not least, the dessert, the food was enjoyed by all of us! A few of the things we indulged in are: Grilled Hawaiian Butterfish, Prime Filet of Beef, Sauteed Diver Scallops, Stuffed Wrapped Brie, Prosciutto Wrapped Dates, Truffled Deviled Eggs, and 3 different desserts that we shared.
They have a unique concept to choose your bottle of wine from their extensive wine display, or they will recommend one with your food selections or you can go the route of ordering a glass of wine from their extensive list.
On New Year’s Eve, we decided to go for an early dinner. We were there as they were gearing up to host a full house for the evening. They provided the best of service and didn’t rush us knowing they had sold out for the celebration.
We love the ambiance and parking is easy in this section of Clarendon. We’ll definitely be returning and highly recommend this gem!
They deserve every bit of the 5 stars I’ve given them for all aspects of what it takes to be successful in the DC metro area!
Thanks for two wonderful dining experiences Gran Cru!

Food was great, quantity was not equal to cost of dish. Had the crusted salmon entrée when served I though I got an app. Service was prompt however I was sat at the bar single party and then listen to the servers bicker about who was going to stay and who was getting cut. Awkward !!!
This place is soon to go under due to poor management and a poor business plan. Otherwise food is good but unjustifiably priced.

Stopped in here with some friends prior to a Christmas Party. We did not have a reservation but a table was open at the bar area, so we were able to take it. The ambience here is fantastic, not too bright, not to dark, very classy and warm. They have a section to the left that has tables for dinner. Straight ahead is their wine selection, neatly organized by region. To the right is the bar area with a few seats at the bar and some high tables.
If you are into wine, this is a great stop. You can peruse their bottle selection and pick out the one you want to try. The wines have all the prices on them. The prices of the wines show little to no mark-​up over retail, which is a fantastic! We picked out several bottles to taste amongst our group.
The menu offers a good amount of appetizers, soups, salads and entrees. Since we were heading to a party, we opted for a variety of appetizers. We ordered the Charcuterie platter, cheese platter, deviled eggs and bruschetta. All the appetizers were quite plentiful and tasty. Each of them can be shared quite easily.
The staff and service here is spot on. Extremely friendly, knowledgable and prompt. There is no air of snobbery here. I cannot compliment them enough.
If you are in Arlington and looking for a quiet wine bar, this is the place to go! We will be returning here on our next trip no doubt.

Absolutely amazing. One of those nights where you can’t wait to get home and put on elastic waistband pants because you just ate so much deliciousness.
We had a bit of a rough start with Grand Cru. Our first experience was on a Friday night that they were overwhelmed. Our food came out a combination of cold or over cooked. We ended up walking out. I was impressed that the manager called a couple of days later and left a very apologetic message, especially surprising for the DC area where I feel like most restaurants think there will always be more patrons.
Grand Cru welcomed us back to «redeem» themselves in what was an absolutely delightful evening and our wedding anniversary. There was champagne, foie gras, scallops, salad and chicken all before our entrées came out. Everything was perfect. Dessert was incredible– don’t pass up on the hazelnut caramel chocolate bar.
Chef Trent and Kristin’s graciousness was refreshing and enjoyable. We’ll definitely be visiting them in their new location!

I’ve eaten a full three course meal here about 3 times and I have nothing but great things to say about it! The food is always extremely fresh, attractive and delicious. The service is superb, and the atmosphere is charming. Their wine list is well curated, and the food portions are perfect. It’s a solid place to visit when you have a hankering for upscale food at a reasonable price. It’s easy to miss since it’s attached to business buildings not facing the street, but if you find it, you won’t be sorry.

If you are a lover of wine I strongly recommend checking this place out. If you are so-​so on wine you might weigh your options — there are a few good ones in the area.
I’m going with only 4 stars, could easily have been 5. We made a reservation for 2 at 7:30 on a Monday night and when we got there, no table. Not even close to having a table available. We managed at the bar (with only one seat) and eventually got to a table ~7:50. We told our server we were going to share tapas and each of us ordered a salad. Way too much food! Way too much. I wish the server would have warned us.
Wine. The wine! So many choices and all so good. We stuck with reds, cabernet and zinfandel. My memory is not great and the names are escaping me. The selection was great and the bartender and server were both very knowledgable.
Salads were excellent but very large. A full meal IMO. Mixed green salad and Mediterranean Melody were very fresh and tasty — probably could have split one.
Ordered the crab cakes and the cheese plate. Crab cakes were very moist and cooked well. the cheese plate was scrumptious. I don’t even know all the various cheeses that were presented — there were at least 5. Three different kinds of bread/​crackers and red grapes. We also shared the crème brule trio (vanilla, espresso, pistachio). I love, love, love this dessert but I’m a purist. The vanilla was top notch. Espresso was ok. I’d pass on the pistachio in the future. Consistency was off and the flavor didn’t work well.

First time dining here last night. We had dinner reservations for 3, we requested for outdoor seating in the reservation. When we arrived there was not an outdoor table available. Unlike other restaurants who would just make you take an indoor table or give you the option to wait for an outside table to become available — I really appreciated they offered to start us off at an indoor table and promised to move us outside as soon as a table was available. Their reasoning was so it wouldn’t delay our reservation plans. I like that kind of thoughtful service.
We sat down at our table inside and were warmly greeted and given a few minutes to review the menus. Not even 5 minutes later, our table outside was available and we were promptly moved outside.
The service was attentive, professional and friendly. The menu selection was not too small yet not too big. Just enough for anyone to find something they can enjoy. Food items were upscale and delicious!
Wine selection was alright, again not huge but enough were you can have a variety to choose from.
I would come here again.

I came to grand cru with 3 friends for happy hour. This can be hard to make it to since it ends at 6:30 but if you can get there by 6 ish that’s plenty of time to order small plates and 2 glasses of wine.
I had the house Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon (4 $ per glass on happy hour). They were okay, I’m not a huge wine snob and they tasted fine but honestly I preferred $ 3 dollar bottles of oak leaf or Charles Shaw to these wines. I’m sure the wine they sell is better though! You can’t ask for much when ordering house wine.
The food we ordered was mussels, charcuterie plate, Brie, and escargot. I had really high expectations for these small plates and the weren’t bad but average. The meat plate was pretty barren, the missiles were good but not amazing, the Brie which came baked in phyllo dough fell short to Brie I can buy at a grocery store, and the escargot was fine but not mouthwatering good which I feel I’m used to since it is such a delicacy.
Overall I would go again and try other apps on the menu and probably purchase a bottle of wine since you can find relatively inexpensive bottles! But I would not go house wine again

Four-​star food is marred by one-​star service.
A caveat: this review is strictly regarding their lunch service. I’ve never been for happy hour (though I mean to go).
Highs:
–They make a delicious tuna nicoise.
–Prices are reasonable given the quality of the food.
–In fairness, the servers are always polite.
Lows:
–UNBELIEVABLY slow. I’ve been hard pressed, whether with a large or a small group, to get out of there in less than 1.5 hours. Totally unacceptable for a lunch service.
–Though all members of my party have received their orders — there are always snaffus: delays, folks served the wrong item, or otherwise.
–Service is disorganized, always kind of a mess.
I’d happily trade «rude, organized, and quick» for «polite, disorderly, and slow».
The fact that I’ve been multiple times (and will go back) tells you something. It’s a perfectly serviceable lunch option, but my gosh the service undermines the food. I keep hoping it will get better — but… Maybe dinner is better, when timing doesn’t matter as much?

Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in NYC too long… But with great tasting house wines (Pinot, Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay, etc) for $ 4 a glass and great appetizers for virtually nothing, I don’t think you can go wrong. Nice atmosphere – Spanish acoustic music. It’s also a wine shop!

I’ve been here 3 times recently. One was a gal pal lunch organized by a friend who had held her wedding reception there. The lunch was a good deal — $ 13 for salad or soup, entrée, and raspberry sorbet. I had the onion soup and it was very pleasant — not so salty like it is at La Madeleine. My entrée was a seafood crêpe –very nice. The sorbet was rich almost like a gelato. The second event was a happy hour sponsored by an organization I volunteer for. Again — pleasant sitting outside in the courtyard with acceptable-​tasting house wines for $ 4 — I had the shiraz.
My husband and I came for dinner last week. I made better picks so I think I liked it better than he did. We loved the mushroom strudel, onion soup, warm brie and honey, prosciutto-​wrapped dates. We liked the mussels (fresh but broth could have been more interesting). The crab cakes and pork sliders were disappointing. Mixed bag.
What I really love is the wine store associated with the restaurant. You can buy the bottle there at retail prices and drink it for dinner (a corkage fee of $ 5 or $ 7 depending on price of wine). We had a bordeaux that cost $ 25 (including corkage fee) that I had recently drank at a different French restaurant for $ 45. That is a true bargain… just need to figure out how to drag my husband back again.

Such a cute place tucked away in a courtyard in Ballston. It’s a Wine Bar, Bistro and Shop rolled into one with a warm and laid back atmosphere and excellent service. Boyfriend and I came for dinner and had a great experience.
We were immediately greeted and sat down at a high top table in the bar area where our waitress came with a welcoming smile and demeanor and gave us the menu. Grand Cru not only boasts a great wine selection to indulge by the glass, bottle, or flight but they have quite the beer selection as well. Over 40 beers to choose from!
I ordered a «world of reds» wine flight and was not let down. Each wine: merlot, tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon was delectable on my palate and paired nicely with my meal. Boyfriend ordered one of his favorite beers which was rarely offered at many DMV area establishments so he was pleased. I was a bit confused by their bottle policy– you have to pay a corking fee to consume on premises for bottle purchases made in store. Not sure if that’s an ABC policy or something but I’ve never heard of that when buying bottles in a restaurant in Arlington. They do have a «club» where there’s a lower cork fee but the policy irked me a bit.
We ordered the escargot appetizer and it was garlic-​buttery, tender snails, warm bread– just delicious! I ordered the Moularde Breast of Duck served perfectly medium rare atop prosciutto roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potato purée. I loved it and loved the brussel sprout preparation and encourage even the most anti-​brussel sprout eater to try because these were amazing. Boyfriend ordered the Sautéed Hawaiian Butterfish served a top roasted banana, smoked bacon, wilted kale and a black-​eye pea compote. I was lucky enough to snag a bite– fish was light, flaky and buttery and the black eye pea compote and banana, bacon, kale combination was quite interesting and party in my mouth really. So good and their menu has lots of other interesting dishes that look delicious! For dessert, I could not resist their chocolate mouse– so rich and creamy and delectably delish!
Grand Cru is a more than decent place to have a glass of two of vino, share a meal. Great place for a date, meetup with gal pals or solo and would be a great happy hour spot as well. I’m a fan!

The Grand Cru Wine bar is a decent place to meet up with friends or co-​workers for a after work drink. We arrived later in the evening and it was pretty busy. Our party had 5 and which much of the tables only seating 4 the hostess/​waitress seemed to be challenged at finding a place where she could add 1 more chair and it not be disturbing to the walkways. She quickly found one after my boss told her that if couldn’t find us a spot that we weren’t going to wait and would leave.
The service was average to slow. The wine selection was okay. For a wine bar they were very limited in the wines available for purchase by the glass. We ended up resorting to have to buy bottles in order to get the types of wines that were desired. Although I didn’t eat, the food that people did order at the table looked excellent and they commented that they enjoyed it.
I don’t see myself returning here unless others wanted to go. I don’t know that it would be on my top of recommended places to go in the Ballston area.

On a Friday night, we started by walking around the store part to pick a bottle of wine while we waited for a table outside. The table outside was ready before we were. The selection is extensive and the markup low. Perfect. The service was great and we were never rushed. I ordered the beet salad to start. It was different from most beet salads in that it also had dried cranberries alongside the similar sized diced beets. It also had pecans and blue cheese. It was very good. I asked about white port (hard to find!) and our waiter brought a bottle to the table to purchase. For my main course I got the Hawaiian butterfish. It was ok. It is better in Hawaii. But that may also be because of Hawaii! For dessert, the best course yet, a must eat are the Hazelnut bars. Worth every calorie!