Charlie Palmer Steak

We were on a family vacation in Washington DC. I wanted to take my wife out for dinner because it was her birthday. There was a Flemings nearby which has always been a good standby for birthdays. However I wanted to try something local. Charlie Palmer was a great choice. The service was second to none. My kids were surprised by the fact that their water glass and soda glass was never more than half empty before it was refilled.
We all had the fillet and it was excellent. The waiter said it was European cut which meant there was a little bit of fat on the end to give it flavor, it did.
If you want to good food and great service I would highly recommend Charlie Palmer…

«Beyond Prime»
Earlier in the year, I attended a small cocktail reception and sit-​down dinner, with options selected by the chef and our host.
Wine and cocktails were accompanied appetizers of steamed jumbo shrimp, poki tuna with avocado, deep-​fried buffalo chicken balls, and, an outstanding mini-​pastry filled with an unctuous ratatouille. Dinner consisted of a mixed green salad, with an excellent balsamic vinaigrette. Dinner was a choice of Scottish Salmon; or a European Filet Mignon, topped with a roasted onion.
Wine service was simply «red» or «white» with Pinot Noir and Cabernet selections covering the former; and, Chardonnay the latter. I asked to see the label of the exceptional cabernet, which was selected by our host; and, learned it was from Frank Family Vinyards.
Dessert included an array of mini-​pasties, with the cream puffs being devoured first.
The restaurant is a spectacular, cavernous space, with a «floating» wine cellar over a small, indoor pool. Make sure to check out the unusual restrooms; the «trough sink» is worth stopping in to see.

I’m normally a fan of the Capital Grille and at times, Mastro’s, but couldn’t get a last minute reservation and opted for Charlie Palmer’s. What happened next was amazing. From the hostess, to the bartender, to our server, no one missed a beat. Even the support staff, the food runners and bus people were polite professional and on point. The décor is contemporary and crisp, a departure from the normal upscale steak house norm. The food was a WOW. Oysters and French Onion Soup, Rib Eye and Rack of Lamb and the Cheesecake and Tart for desert were all expertly prepared and attractively presented. Yes, they have done away with valet parking, as one young self absorbed patron who complained about it being the «over 45 crowd» and having 80’s R&B music. Zoe, darling, how proud your parents, whom I assume to be over 45 as are your Grandparents, must be. I would surmise that they are partially responsible for the fact that you are able to eat there at your age, but I won’t hold your obvious immaturity and ignorance against you. I’m sure they did their best. Nevertheless, I found Charlie Palmer’s to be quite an enjoyable evening, as it was one of the few restaurants where every other table wasn’t on the phone, texting, or checking e-mails.(you didn’t do that, did you Zoe) People were actually engaged in clever repartee, albeit rather loud, as those over 45 are often hard of hearing, especially above the sounds of 80’s R&B music. Don’t miss this place, hopefully people like Zoe won’t turn it into a chainworthy steak and such, representative of a mall restaurant.

It was arguably the best steak I have ever eaten in a restaurant. I had the filet mignonette with an apple /​horseradish sauce, spinach, and gnocchi. Everything was delicious. Service was good as well. Definitely a repeat.

The local steakhouses should send an owner or head chef to Charlie Palmer’s Steakhouse in Washington DC to find out how it’s done right.
The décor is airy, bright (assuming it’s still daylight, since several walls were fully glazed), and very relaxing. Some barely audible piped in music was fine for mood and the setting.
I’ve never had a better steak. I ordered the Cullotte Pepper Encrusted Steak, and found it to be perfectly cooked (medium rare), and beautiful in presentation. It was mouth-​wateringly tender and tasty. These folks know how to cook steaks! The sides were outstanding. A minor point, the mixed drinks were not quite as potent as I prefer, but the wine was excellent.
The service was also excellent. The waiter’s wine suggestions were good, but I picked my own from their very extensive wine list.
The prices were most reasonable, given the location, service, food, presentation and the overall experience. More to the point, Charlie Palmer’s is more reasonably priced and far more relaxing than the cramped, noisy steakhouses I’ve been to in San Diego. Thanks, Charlie.

My first legitimate dining experience in DC. Coming from NY and Boston, the bar was set high. Food was fantastic and service was great. It was my parents anniversary and they treated us with a great seat and surprise dessert. Ocelyn was our server and she was outstanding! What a way to set the bar.

The dry aged steak is one of the top 2 steaks I have ever had. When the first brought it out it was over cooked and I debated sending it back. I am so glad that I did. Excellent service and the staff is very friendly. I will be back next time I am in DC.

TL/​DR: Steaks are of low quality for the price. Sides are not noteworthy. Décor and ambience is good. Service is par.
Went here for dinner the other night. I’m a bit of a steak snob and i thought I’d give this place a shot since it was rated highly. Prices, décor, and service are what you’d expect for a higher end steakhouse, but that’s when the good things end.
We got the porterhouse for two. I should’ve been wary when the steakhouse prides on having choice angus beef priced at a prime steak price. Steak was cooked okay but the crust did not have a nice chat you’d expect from a high quality place. There was lots of bands of grey overlooked meat. The sauce on top of the meat did not make up for the poor. Taste and quality of the steak.
Got creamed spinach and the potato gnocchi for the sides. Had to ask multiple times to get the gnocchi. Both sides were not memorable.
Service was okay for the most part. They cleared away a side dish that we weren’t finished with without asking.
If you care about eating good steak. Don’t go here.

I eat steak quite a bit, and it takes a lot for me to be blown away by a steak. To cut to the chase the steaks are very good which is nice since that’s their primary focus. Each time I’ve asked for it blue, it’s been delivered to me blue, so they are attentive on that front (and blue is in how you want them to cook your steak as in well done, medium, rare and then blue). The porterhouse for two is generous but can be eaten by one person, and I say that because I’ve done it. It’s not THAT generous in size. As a bit of advice, I would stay away from any «European cut» steak as they tend to be rather small. Small enough to make you order another side or two to go along with it.
Speaking of sides, out of everything I’ve had there the one thing that amazingly sticks out the most is their bacon and truffle twice baked potato. It is incredible. I think about that twice baked potato more than I do their steaks.
The duo of beef tartare and carpaccio very good as well. The theme here is everything is very good but not great. So why the three stars?
I’ve had problems with the service in the past. From my experience orders take longer to come out than they should. Servers have removed sides and plates of food while we were still eating. I just couldn’t help but get the impression that they wanted to turn over the tables quickly so they could seat the next reservation. It’s not the high level of service I usually get from high-​end steakhouses.
You ask for bread, and it arrives eventually.
It’s a steakhouse on Constitution Ave in DC, so it’s not going to be cheap. That shouldn’t come as a surprise as one look at the restaurant tells you that. It’s a beautiful restaurant with the usual DC suits claiming their spot at the bar (which is a very nice bar). Shame the service doesn’t match the décor.

Nice restaurant! Décor was simple, but chic. I ordered the scallops with short ribs that came with a side of swiss chard. I really only wanted scallops, but it was an easy giveaway. The scallops were prepared to perfection. Both the Swiss chard and scallops were a little gritty, which was a bit disappointing. I will return in the near future for round two.

Yes a steakhouse but we came for wine and dessert after pigging out on burgers. After a disappointing cheesecake the night before it was great
To have this amazing cheesecake and dark chocolate layer cake with a glass of red wine!

Best steak house I have ever been too!!! Great service and great food I highly recommend for all couples!!!

Not what I think…
1. No valet
2. 80s r&b music
3. More like 45 and up crowd
4. Stuffy
Food is the only good part. That’s all I can say.

I’m having a hard time talking myself out of the idea that this is the best steak I’ve ever had at a steakhouse. Juicy, tender, and cooked to a perfect medium rare? Om nom nom.
I hosted a group work dinner here, and thought the service was great and the planning was a breeze, so I’m definitely grateful for that. And grateful that they had my favorite vino by the glass!
I don’t remember what they were, but the chefs choice of sides for the tables were awesome. I think some kind of mashed potatoes and asparagus? Mmmm. And dessert was, of course, devoured.
These guys definitely stack up against if not beat out Morton’s, Capital Grille, Ruth’s Chris, and Flemings. Del Frisco’s might have the edge on Charlie Palmer, though Elway’s in Denver is still the all-​around number 1. Yes, I’m a little spoiled.
Why not 5 stars? It was a private room, but so loud that you may as well have been in the restaurant. Petty complaint I know, but if you’re going through the trouble of being in a room — it needs to be quieter!

Sigh. Is Del Frisco’s cutting onto the biz? We love Charlie and have been fans since 2007, however tonight was lacking on every level.
Our server Aaron was obviously new. The bartender led us to our table.
Last year, three people met us; one took our coats, the other took our wine, and the other took us took us to our table. This year, one person led us there and left our paper bag on the table. I folded the bag and took it off the table.
Our server saw the wine and asked immediately if it needed to be chilled etc,.however did not ask us if we needed a cocktail… sigh…
We actually left after dinner… normally, we stay for dessert and coffee but tonight, it didn’t feel worth it.
And the prices are slightly elevated but the size of the steak seams to have shrunk slightly.
And I reported a cocktail glass left in the ladies stall, however, repeat visits proved it was not taken care of…
We will go back, hoping next year is better.

We’ve been to plenty of steak and chop houses and this one ranks in the top 10 in the country!
We went for an anniversary dinner and they greeted us with complimentary champagne; this was a nice surprise!
We ordered a total of 4 courses and each was spectacular! Their salads are amazing, plated perfectly and very fresh! The shrimp cocktail was plated beautifully and very fresh and accompanied by a perfectly seasoned cocktail sauce! The Five-​Spice Shrimp was seasoned nicely, but the papaya-​cilantro salad that came with it was out of this world and a nice surprise!
They also offered us an amuse of parsnip soup which was really done well. Very flavorful and not too rich, considering it was a cream-​based soup.
The entrées were PERFECT! The pork chop that was a special (not the regular on the menu) was the best my wife had ever had! The filet was perfect and a nice size, at 11oz. The peppercorn cream sauce was the BEST I’ve ever had! It’s not your typical peppercorn sauce either… definitely spicy!
Even the dessert was done perfectly… The pumpkin cheesecake wasn’t too rich or dense, but spiced perfectly and enjoyable!
The server we experienced was right on point… they were always quick to take away plates/​silverware, quick to refill wine and frequently ensure that everything was going right. The manager stopped by our table several times and each time we asked a question, he had the answer right away.
One reason we selected Charlie Palmer Steak was because we enjoy wine and wanted to enjoy a couple of bottles for this special dinner and they offer no corkage fees! We were able to bring 2 bottles and not pay a fee!!! How Incredible!!!
Needless to say, we’ll be back!

Not the best location for parking. And the building is a little hard to find. But it is a lovely walk to the Capitol Building.
I have date night with my son twice a month and this was his pick. He picked the lobster and the waiter was surprised that an 8-​year ordered the lobster, but he ate it ALL, I’m going to guess it was good, lol. I had the steak, it was decent, I have other locations that I prefer to have steak.
Our service was impeccable and they were great with my young son; he can be a little picky, but is very clear about what he wants.

Came here with my boyfriend on a Saturday night when we made a trip to DC for the weekend. Our reservation was at 7pm and the whole place was empty, but things slowly started to pick up later on in the night.
Service is amazing here. The waiters, the hostess and the busboys are extensively nice, friendly and polite. They constantly kept checking up on us and refilled our waters without us even having to ask.
I love how they have a vegetarian option for me as an entrée. A lot of steak places have ZERO vegetarian dishes and I usually have to eat sides that people order on the side with their steak. I got the sheep’s milk ricotta agnolotti, it comes with chanterelle mushrooms, lemongrass, baby radish and arugula. It was delicious; I loved the sauce and I especially loved the arugula. The arugula definitely made the dish, the pasta was a little bit undercooked but I luckily like pasta like that haha.
My boyfriend got their rib eye steak and he said it was yummy. The only problem with the steak is that my boyfriend asked for medium rare but the steak came out too rare. We asked them to take it back to cook it longer and it came out perfect.
For dessert, we got the trio of crème brûlées. It was SOOO DELICIOUS! I love crème brûlée so I was in dessert heaven.
Overall this place would have gotten 5 stars from me if they had just cook the steak correctly the first time. But honestly, the flavors of the dishes are so amazing. They also gave us a complimentary watermelon jelly amuse bouche thing. I don’t really know the exact name but it was YUMMY! My boyfriend is allergic to watermelon so I luckily got to eat his as well.

EXCELLENT! I visited Charlie Palmer Steak with a friend during DC’s Summer 2015 Restaurant Week and absolutely LOVED the experience and food. I am giving this 4.5 stars, only because there was a huge lag time between all of our dishes (maybe understandably so, given how busy they were on a Wednesday evening), but I am still rounding up to 5 stars for my review!
We were seated promptly for our 6:30pm reservation and got a really nice seat next to their little fountain area (I love fine dining with a nice view). The service was impeccably nice the whole time, and because of the lag between dishes, they brought out two complimentary dishes for us as well — including a delicious stuffed fritter with an ambrosial sauce, and several complimentary desserts. I don’t like lags, but I can understand when it’s a particularly busy night, and when they compensate for it with some extra complimentary goodies!
As for food, it was impeccably excellent. For my 3-​course meal, I ordered:
–Appetizer: Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (with blue crab and avocado) — Very delicious! I have come to really love gazpacho and this was a very filling and tasty portion with a unique twist to an already wonderful flavor.
–Entrée: Grilled New York Strip Loin (with olive-​crushed potatoes, tomato jam, avocado, and red onion). Very tasty, and perfectly done to my taste! I am getting more adventurous with my steak and venture into the medium rare on occasion these days, especially at a nice steak establishment. I absolutely loved this dish. Even the tomato jam, though a bit sweet, paired well with the steak. Very filling portion!
–Dessert: Lavender Panna Cotta (watermelon consommé, mint sorbet, and pistachio). Very delicious and unique. I was already very full by the time dessert came around, so this was perfectly light.
Charlie Palmer Steak had been on my restaurant list for a while and it certainly exceeded my expectations! I would love to visit again for a special occasion with my fiancé :) I highly recommend it for Restaurant Week, special occasions, or just because!

My girlfriend and I made a visit to Charlie Palmer Steak during the Summer 2015 Restaurant Week. We had a 6:30 reservation and were promptly seated as soon as we arrived. Really liked the atmosphere inside — nice and classy, without feeling stuffy at all. The food started off strong with an amuse bouche of a croquette with some kind of truffle sauce and a nice bread basket with a selection of foccacia, corn bread, and a multigrain bread, along with some kind of tomato butter spread.
Our appetizer choices were a Red Snapper Cerviche and the Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho. I really liked the presentation on the cerviche (see picture), but the gazpacho was my favorite going by taste — it had huge chunks of crab, and the tomato-​avocado combination was delicious.
For our entrée we both went with with steak. They had roasted chicken and fish options too, but it’s a steakhouse! Mine was perfectly cooked to medium, and came in a good portion size. There was an interesting set of toppings — a spicy jam, avocado, and onions. Not exactly your typical steak accompaniments, but ones that worked surprisingly well. This course was the only part of the meal that I would have a criticism for — my piece was great, but my girlfriend’s had a couple of chunks of bone, or something tough.
Our dessert picks were the Lavender Panna Cotta and the Dark Chocolate Pave. Both were great — the panna cotta was light and airy, the pave was rich and creamy, and even came with a small scoop of chocolate ice cream.
Service was tip-​top throughout, which is particularly impressive given the fact that it was Restaurant Week. The waitstaff did a great job of topping up waters, dishes were cleared as soon as we were done, and we didn’t feel rushed at all. One final note is that Charlie Palmer Steak has a nice corkage policy, which we took advantage of — bring your own bottle, and if it’s American then they don’t charge a fee! Overall, one of the best RW dinner experiences I’ve had, and one I would strongly recommend.