2100 Prime

Very nice décor and ambiance within the restaurant. Food was well-​prepared but a little on the pricey side.

My girlfriend and I stopped by for a drink before heading up to our room. The bartender did not know how to make a Malibu Bay Breeze. We had to explain it several times. She made the drink strong in apology and it ended up being fine. The prices were reasonable but a little higher than most places. The restaurant was pretty quiet at 9:30 pm, but had a nice ambience that fit with the hotel. The menu looked limited in its offerings, but extensive in its dessert selection.
We returned the next evening with a group of friends at 6:30 pm and once again had some good drinks.

This restaurant closed in September 2013. Thanks for nothing, Unilocal

2100 Prime is such a classy-​looking place, and we had a good experience the first time we went there earlier this year.
But last night’s service was bad enough to prompt this review. First, they only brought one menu, even though both of us were sitting there. When we asked for another menu, they said that was the only one they had. After some back and forth, we realized the confusion — the server thought I wanted a menu with different food, not a second menu. («Could we have another menu please?») Ha, ha, normally that would just be a little laugh, but it set the tone for poor service the rest of the night.
I expect to get the little nut bowl with a $ 12 martini, without having to ask for it. And asking for it is difficult, because except for taking our order and dropping it off, the waiter never checked on us. No water refills, no asking if we wanted a second drink, no «how is everything?». There were bread plates on the table, but I have no idea if, like the nuts, you have to specifically ask for it. It appears that water and bread and nuts and even menus don’t just come automatically, you have to wave somebody down to get them.
I was so disappointed I tried to find a manager, but no one was around. I left my name and number with someone at the front desk, and was told they’d get back to me, but nothing yet.
The food itself wasn’t bad. And although other reviewers here don’t like the fanciness and décor, we used it as an opportunity to dress up and have a night on the town, so that environment works for us. But the service — absolutely not.

I wasn’t excited at all to eat here, based on some of the pretty sad looking reviews, but alas — we waited to the last possible second to make dinner plans and this was the only place that could accommodate our sizable group on a Saturday night.
For what the décor is lacking and the fact that it’s inside a hotel with no separate entrance (at least, that I saw), the food more than made up for. Everyone in our party of 8 had different cuts cooked to different temperatures, and each arrived simultaneously and cooked to perfection. Service was helpful, but not overbearing. All in all, a solid meal.

Very good dinner. We all had steak and they were cooked perfectly with great flavor. Quiet night at the restaurant so the service was very attentive. Also shared a strawberry/​rhubarb crisp that was very yummy. It was expensive ($ 200.00 for 4 people). We did have a few cocktails. Would definitely recommend if you want a great steak and you are staying in the DuPont Circle area.

2100 Prime’s 3.5 star rating baffles me. It used to be called the Jockey Club (and still has the same décor to match it). I suspect they’ll be changing the name again soon in a desperate ploy to lure unsuspecting locals. This is the kind of place your rich uncle’s grandmother used to take him in 1929 before the crash. Your money would be better spent at basically any other restaurant in Dupont, but this place may continue to plod along making just enough money off wealthy guests of the Fairfax Hotel not to go out of business.
The name 2100 Prime seems to suggest a steak place. I admit I have not tried the prime rib there, but the steak I tried was pretty awful. It was one of the worst cuts I’ve ever had.
Like I said, try any one of the dozens of other fine dining options in the area, your money will be far better spent.

The foods are really nice and the waiter is friendly and helpful. I recommend this place. My favorite dish is Ceviche.

i am only giving it 1 star because it was definitely NOT my kind of restaurant. it SCREAMED pretentious. we couldn’t even stay. it was so quiet and fancy. i wasn’t expecting that so back to the circle we roamed. i would only feel comfortable here if i was white with old money. *shrugs*
i’m sure the food is good is though. we didnt stay to even try.
the server was very friendly when we told him we were leaving. so thats a plus.

As a four night guest of the Westin Fairfax, and as a SPG Platinum member, my wife and I really looked forward our «splurge» steak dinner this past Easter weekend. It was a gigantic fiasco of proportions I have never experienced in a restaurant. Our salads came out fine, then the steaks arrived. Both of us ordered medium rare, and my wife’s filet came out grey and well-​done. (my rib eye was fine, but obviously went back as well) 30 minutes go by, and they brought out the new steaks: same exact problem: well done filet. (once again, mine was fine) Just shocking. We complained, left a $ 20 tip for the waiter (who was good and embarrassed by the kitchen problems, and got take out for dinner in our hotel room.
If an expensive hotel steakhouse can’t get it right in two attempts to cook simple steaks for a table of two, the chef and line cooks need to be reprimanded.

My husband and I tried 2100 Prime for Restaurant Week last night. We had a 8:30 p.m. reservation elsewhere, but got hungry very early, were wooed by 2100 Prime’s Restaurant Week menu, and were able to snag a 6:45 p.m. reservation here on late notice.
We each ordered the same dish each round: the roasted butternut squash-​apple soup, strip steak with potatoes and vegetables, and the white chocolate cheesecake with berry coulis. We also ordered a bottle of Chalone Monterey pinot noir, which was $ 29. Unfortunately, the waiter delivered and opened another bottle, an Edna Valley pinot noir ($ 36), before we realized his mistake. Not the end of the world, of course, but still, it would have been nice to taste the wine we ordered.
The food was very underwhelming. The soup was entirely too sweet. It could have benefited from sour notes from crème fraîche or using Granny Smith apples to cut through the sweetness. I ended up using a lot of pepper at the table, but with limited success. Despite offering fresh cracked pepper to other tables, our waiter never extended the same courtesy to us.
Next came the strip steak. Despite ordering it medium, I received a dull, well-​done version. My husband also ordered medium, which is how it arrived. While his was cooked better, it had a lot of gristle, making up a good third of his overall steak. The vegetables (a small carrot, one floret each of broccoli and cauliflower, and a cherry tomato) were sparse, limp, and uninspired. The fingerling potatoes were unseasoned and scarce as well, but even so, I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like. I did enjoy the «2100 Sauce» glaze on the steak though. Too bad there wasn’t more of it on the plate.
The dessert was interesting as well. As a big pie crust fan, I was saddened to see that 2100 Prime followed the new and prevailing trend in cheesecake to serve a crustless round single-​serving piece. This «white chocolate» cheesecake had little to no evidence of white chocolate, but did have an Oreo– or Droxie-​like (cookies only, not cream) crust. Thank goodness for the berry coulis. It was tart and delicious and easily the best part the dish.
Other than that, the restaurant was a bit odd. It seemed to be quietly suffering from an identity crisis. The space was poorly lit and exuded «old money» stuffiness. Decorated with equine art, I understand why it was previously called Jockey Club. However, it made for a stark contrast with the modern, angular dinnerware, which would have found a more logical home in a different environment. Our courses were brought to us on long, rectangular plates, requiring us to remake the table setting any time a new course was delivered. These transactions were quite awkward.
When it was all said and done, our waiter took 20 minutes to bring the check. He then delivered the receipt with a pen that didn’t work, requiring us to flag down a host to get one that did.
While the food was passable, it was certainly not worth the hefty price tag or frustration.

This is your typical restaurant in a hotel sort of place. The restaurant and staff are high-​class, but of course customers come in with shorts and sneakers, which is fine by me as it gives the place a relaxed feel, but with a high-​end menu.
The service was fine; nothing to write home about, but not nearly as bad as others have experienced.
The pre-​fixe menu was good, but not great. I thought the steak was a little over done for medium rare. The star of the meal was probably the asparagus soup which is a pretty rare find and was delicious!

closed!

This dining experience yielded one of the absolute worst excuses for service I’ve ever encountered at a restaurant. It would have earned ONE star if the manager hadn’t somewhat taken over after I pulled him aside.
I was a bit weary when I couldn’t find 2100 Prime on Unilocal,but it turns out it’s because up until about 2 – 3 weeks ago, it had been called The Jockey Club, and was completely run under different management/​cooks. It turns out it’s a brand new restaurant, which would explain why there was very little people dining for a Saturday night. Finding pretty good reviews elsewhere, I was more than excited to visit. We were all going out in a big group for a late birthday dinner for my boyfriend’s birthday, and I had been craving steak lately too. All I can say is, it was quite the… memorable experience.
Our server was terrible. TERRIBLE. He wasn’t warm and inviting, had a pretentious attitude with just about everything, and forgot just about everything our group asked for. Highlights of his service included snatching my menu away from me before I took my order, interrupting a friend in the middle of a conversation with another friend saying, «SIR… SIR… SIR! You want something from the wine menu?», and last but not least telling me, «Well, I can’t do anything about it» when I asked why our entrees took an excruciatingly long time to come out. We noticed a table nearby that was served plate after plate while we waited for ours.
After having dealt with our waiter for a good 30 – 45 minutes, the food at this point would be the restaurant’s only redemption, and after a few tastes, we all let out a long sigh… and it wasn’t of relief. All our dishes and sides tasted overcooked, salty, and more than underwhelming. The highlight of my actual meal? THE SIDE OF CORN.
After a talk with the manager, he apologized and said that he hoped that one waiter’s mistakes would dampen our whole experiences and coming back… seriously? He tried to redeem the restaurant and popped a complimentary bottle of champagne for everyone with a plate of cookies, and I would have been mildly convinced, EXCEPT for the crumbled up receipt they presented us with… and the scribbling of a written-​in included gratuity for our 8-​people party, which also happened to be more than 20%.
It was a nice try on the save, but I’m sure no one in our party would ever be interested in coming back. You really couldn’t pay me to.

NY Strip Steak and Eggs weren’t as good as at J&G. I feel like I honestly could have cooked that steak (so it wasn’t terrible, but I’ve definitely had better).
Maybe it’s better for dinner?
But hey, the service was impeccable!

*Review for lunch*
The Jockey Club is located in The Fairfax at Embassy Row. Both the hotel and restaurant are very classy, and service was impeccable, from the doorman to my server. The dark, plaid wallpapered restaurant was fairly empty during lunch.
I was disappointed in the fact that lunch menu online had more options than the one presented to me. I ended up with a chicken sandwich — basic, but my favorite of the options I had. However, the sandwich was nothing great. The Vermont cheddar was great and had a nice, rich flavor. The smoked bacon was plain. Overall, the sandwich was way too big and difficult to eat. Fries were great, but could not, in an appropriate fashion, get the ketchup out of the tiny, individual bottles that were given.
I might come back for dinner or a drink, but definitely not for lunch.

I went here for the January 2011 Restaurant Week and it was by far the BEST Restaurant Week dinner I have had in DC so far. The place was class-​y.
In the beginning they give us this lovely melon slice with a piece of salmon on top. And per usual each course after was delightful.
Starter:
Seared Scallops
Jockey Club Salad (nice, but not recommended I’ve had better salads)
Entrée:
Chicken breast stuffed with cheese on top (very good and nice looking)
Squash Ravioli with mushrooms (SO good)
Desert
My favorite was the desert. Beautifully presented (colored with fruit) especially the chocolate crème brûlée (my date ordered the New York cheese cake which I kept taking bites from.)
AND after our meal and wine (the pinto gris was very nice) they gave us a little bag with a small chocolate treat! Nom nom nom

*Review is for the lounge only*
The boyfriend took me here as part of a historic DC hotel bar hop on our first date and it continues to be a favorite stop. Perfect place for a cocktail before an event or a night cap. Plaid walls, nautical and equestrian themes, fireplaces, comfortable couches, and delicious bourbons. Not to mention absolutely impeccable service — highly recommended!

I went here on a recommendation from a friend who described it as «classic, old DC.» It’s right near Dupont Circle, in the Fairfax Hotel on Embassy Row, so the neighborhood is great. As my friend said, it has a certain VIP vibe, like it may be the chosen dinner destination for a diplomat’s family. And now for the food:
— They brought out a bread basket with baguettes and walnut bread rolls. I had one of the walnut bread rolls. Probably the best dinner roll in recent memory.
— I got a special appetizer of gnocci and root vegetables. THIS WAS THE BEST GNOCCI I’VE EVER HAD. EVER. I kept telling myself to save room for diner, but I couldn’t help but finish this. If you’re a vegetarian, you could probably get a salad with this and make a meal of it.
— For my entrée, I got a cod dish. It was just OK. I don’t think I like cod.
— Side: Sauteed mushrooms. Buttery goodness.
— Dessert: We didn’t order anything off the menu, but they brought us a little sample tray. I had a crème-​filled chocolate and this mini ice cream cake cookie thing. Very good.

Go here! No, wait don’t go here. I want it all to myself!!! I say this only because The Jockey Club was a spectacular find and I selfishly worry it will become too crowded. I cannot wait to dine here again and again and again!
We started with the crispy hen egg and foie gras. Both were good, but the foie gras was an absolute home run!!! It melted on your tongue and was a most delight blend of delicate flavors. It will be hard for me to order anything else for an appetizer every time I dine here. For dinner we had the sole and rock fish in caper sauce. Both fish dishes were absolutely perfect. The Sole is definitely a special treat meal since they cook the fish table side. (I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a pond in the kitchen to make sure of absolute freshness!) The rock fish was divine, I had to seriously restrain myself from licking the plate!
For dessert we had the cheese plate which was heavenly. The entire meal was topped off with a complimentary glass of some bubbly!!! The Jockey Club is without question one of the best places for fine dinning in DC. Everyone should go here (Because I say so! And because everyone should experience something so wonderful!)!!
Just remember to go hungry because you will want to clean every plate!

3 words: Croissant bread pudding.
I came here for restaurant week and as all diligent RW-​goers do, I eagerly examined the menu several times before my lunch. However, when we got to the restaurant, we found out that they had swapped out the key lime pie option for croissant bread pudding with a white chocolate sauce and ginger ice cream on top. OMG. It was one of the best desserts I have ever had. I still dream about the coolness of the ginger ice cream cutting through the butteriness of the rest of the dish. How the bottom of the croissant bread pudding was crisp and caramelized from how they baked it.
As for the rest of the lunch? The crabcake appetizer was deliciously full of pure crab meat and the butter for the bread was the creamiest I have had. The veal schnitzel entrée was probably the just ok part of the meal. Not bad, but did not live up to everything else.
Finally, the service was impeccable. My four friends and I stayed there for 3 hours catching up, laughing, swooning over the dessert, and they always went out of their way to make us feel welcome.

The Restaurant Week Lunch is an amazing deal at the Jockey Club. I had the chance to check it out with some other Unilocalers this weekend. From the high quality service to the perfectly prepared food, $ 20.09 was quite a steal.
Bread: The loaves are small so everyone will actually end up with an «end» piece. If you are confused, see Laura T for further clarification.
First course: Crab cake with a frisee salad; crab cake was nice and crisp on the edges, fresh crab and not too much filler
Second course: Spinach and ricotta ravioli with white and green asparagus and cherry wood bacon — delightful
Third course: Fresh strawberries with a grand marnier sabayon and a little meringue bunny — cute (photo to follow once I retrieve from Cadence R’s camera)
Jockey Club is one of those places I’d recommend to celebrate a special occasion as its normal menu is much pricier but the experience is amazing.