Convivial

Superior customer service. Delicious food. Excellent cocktails.
I’m so happy for a place that not only delivered amazing food — try the cauliflower, the beet salad, and the lamb tongue moussaka– but also amazing service. The staff was attentive but not over bearing, offering just the right level of attention and service.
After about 2 hours of dining and paying the bill, my girl friends and I were still deep in conversation. The manager came over to presumably ask us to leave. instead he offered us a trade! Our table in exchange for a free drink of our choice at the bar (where he had seats for us!) that was an easy decision and one of the best moves I’ve seen a manager make it quite some time.
Definitely looking forward to coming back to this outstanding locale! Bravo!

There’s been a lot of new places on the DC food scene, but I think many of them suffer from a certain sameness. Contemporary high end interior with lackluster food.
Convivial does have the former but definitely not the latter. Food here is legitimately good. And interesting.
This is a small plates type of place. Prices run from 7 – 21 for a plate, although at the higher end you’re eating bigger portions and meat. So there’s that.
I had the dug egg beignet and the cauliflower dish here (this was not the main dinner, so food was light) and can definitely recommend both.
Wait staff highly knowledgeable about the menu so ask away. The pineapple pisco cocktail is delicious.

My friend and I walked in around 6pm on a Friday and were seated in the bar area right away. She got the Seelbach and I got the Vieux Carre. Both were very balanced drinks.
We ordered the duck egg beignet with piperade and feta and the fried chicken «coq au vin.» Let me tell you… these dishes were ordered at the same time and both arrived in 5−10minutes tops. What?! Meanwhile, we were munching on a warm, herbed bread.
We ate the beignets first. There were 2 «beignets» stabbed with rosemary, perched atop the piperade and feta. The beignets were very moist in the middle with a crisp exterior. They were excellent dipped in the tomato sauce-​on-​crack that was the piperade and feta sauce.
Next we started on the chicken. That chicken – I highly recommend it. This fried chicken came topped with onion, a carrot, a mushroom, and a thick slice of ham/​bacon. It sat atop some smashed potatoes. All the toppings and underlings were good. The chicken was tender in the middle and crunchy on the outside. No bones. Very savory with a delicately sweet coq au vin sauce surrounding it’s outside. So good my friend and I both put off drinking our cocktails for a minute to savor the chicken longer after we’d finished.
Great staff and atmosphere. Come here. You won’t regret it!

We went to Convivial during its’ opening week, which may be the reason for part of our review. We sat at the bar and it took us at least 15 minutes to get served with our first drink, and even that long to receive water and a menu.
The décor of the restaurant is fantastic. The meal was average. We ordered the latkes as an appetizer, and I was surprised to see that they were more like latke shaped tater tots and less like latkes. They were also a bit tiny. I got the fried chicken coqauvin, which was delicious, albiet a bit saucy. My portion size was generous. My friend ordered the boudin noire raviole, and his portion size was underwhelming.
A great first impression, great ambiance, but portion sizes were uneven and service was very slow. However, I would go back now that they have been open for some time.

For the more adventurous food connoisseurs, this place is a gem. We started with the escargots in a blanket, latke with cured lamb and duck egg beignet. It all was delicious, with the beignet being the best in my opinion. The escargot was a bit more adventurous, but they coupled it with a green sauce that made it very tasty.
My entrees included the fried chicken ‘coq au vin’ and the scallop boudin blanc. The scallop boudin was good, but it wasn’t the dish for me. I wanted to try something new, so mission accomplished, but that’s more because of my taste preferences and not a reflection of the dish itself. The fried chicken was sensational. Our server recommended it as her first choice and she was spot on. It was the perfect crispy exterior while still very juicy on the inside. It also was coated in a very nice sauce that gave an added sweetness to the dish
Our dessert included milk chocolate crème brûlée which was a great end for the meal.
I would highly recommend going here. It can get a bit pricey (~30−40/person not including drinks), but it is well worth the experience.

We went with friends and shared two nibbles, one cold & four hot. Everything was delicious! We had the escargot in a blanket, duck egg beignet, artic char, moussaka, coq a vin, bouillabaisse & pot au feu. we finished off with key lime pie, s’mores & toffee pudding. Definitely comfort food, right down to the drinks my parents/​grandparents probably drank. It was all so good! Our waiter was laid back, yet attentive and the server had a fun personality. Can’t wait to return. Must have reservations. This isn’t summer food and can’t wait to see what they have in store for the warmer months. Something creative with Jello mold?

If I could give Convivial 6 stars, I would!
All of the food is a delightful surprise. The décor and service is impeccable. Disclosing anymore wouldn’t do this fantastic experience justice!
Do yourself a favor and pay Chef Cedric a visit as soon as possible!

I liked almost everything about this place.
I do wish it was a little more of a home-​y interior. Feels a lot like a hotel. Which I mean is not a bad thing and it makes sense being next to one but yeah– it’s a pretty space, modern and all, just not very cozy. Or at least maybe it felt that way based on where our table was. I don’t know.
Between my dining companion and I, we ordered a total of 4 dishes for starters/​mains and 2 desserts and each had wine/​cocktail. I left feeling satisfied with what we paid for what we received. The portions are described as «medium plates» instead of small plates which I think was fitting.
Bread came first, warm from the oven, served in a paper bag. It was good… but I wish there had been butter or olive oil and cracked pepper to go along with it.
We had the pickled rockfish and escargot in a blanket to start. I didn’t eat the escargot but I did very much enjoy the rockfish. It was gorgeously garnished with avocado, radish slices on top of something I can’t remember. Doesn’t matter. It all worked.
Our mains were the fried chicken coq au vin and the scallops boudin blanc. Both were delicious. I liked the boudin blanc but I have to admit, it had a bit of a gelatinous quality that took me a bit to get used to before I decided I enjoyed it. The accompanying trout roe and sauerkraut sauce definitely brightened the dish. The coq au vin was absolutely wonderful. Juicy dark meat, fried crisp just perfectly coated in the sauce so that the crunchy exterior doesn’t get soggy. So good, there wasn’t any left on the plate.
For desserts, we had the key lime pie and the sticky toffee pudding. Both were just comforting, neither too sickeningly sweet and just a really nice way to wrap up a delicious meal.
Our server was very nice, always close by if we needed something and to clean up the table when a sauce dripped on the table while being transferred from plate to plate. My water glass never ran empty — something I definitely noted and appreciated.
I will certainly be back.

Birthday dinner, my favorite of times
(and afterward, here come the rhymes!).
Convivial’s the spot
for supping that’s not
short on flavors quite frankly divine.
This Jewess swooned for the latke
– I mean, come on, kinda gotta.
Like Bubbe’s? Um, no.
But in the best way so,
and more of this meal we wanted a lotta.
Leeks dijonnaise came on high recommend.
To the chef, I sincerely commend.
Both crispy and light,
a savory delight,
I can’t imagine a Frenchman this’d offend.
Speaking of hot: that *squash*, holy hell.
I suppose it’s no secret, so I’ll tell:
GET THIS POST HASTE,
not one second to waste,
our tastebuds so in love fell.
And ah, the catfish bouillabaisse.
This makes the serious 5-​star case.
Elegant and refined,
it’s a Chesapeake find,
you’ll want this straight to the face.
Head here for a dinner to savor
and do yourself and companions a favor.

We arrived early at Convivial, met the friendly host and were seated right away. We were led to this dimly lit table on the inside near the bathroom. A guy came by poured water for us but did not quite let us know he was our server. He had very low energy didnt seem all too excited. He made his effort to explain the dishes he went from one to the next, I think we all lost him by the 5^th or 6^th dishes. And he continued telling us what he liked to eat from the menu without restraint. The guys wanted gin tonic but were disappointed that the tonic was flat. The server kept pressing for more drinks and we explained that the guys would prefer gin and tonic but it was flat. He came back to let us know the soda dispenser was not functioning but later on perhaps someone went to the Giant next door to buy some tonic water.
The server though did not press us to order we took our time, chatted and ordered as we went. We ordered a lot of plates and everything was balanced and well executed. The escargot roll was interesting and light. The veal tartare was tender and nicely marinated. The fried chicken coq au vin was unusual with the crunch and rich sauce. We loved loved loved the boudin noir ravioli, the grilled lamb tongue with the smokey moussaka (eggplant) was amazing, and the grilled quail on a bed of well seasoned creamy lentils. The charred taste from the grill made a big difference giving the dishes dimension and character. We also enjoyed the warm barley salad with sunchoke, the marinated rockfish and burger!

Sooo… where do I start? We were a party of 4 and we damned near ordered the whole menu:
Tartiflette Fritter
Latke
Escargots in a Blanket
Duck Eggs Beignet
Pickled Rockfish
Veal Tartare
Socca
Scallops Boudin Blanc
Roast Baby Vegetable
Lamb Tongue Moussaka
Fried Chicken «Coq Au Vin»
Veal Blanquette
Calf Liver
Grilled Quail
I came here thinking it would be similar to Mintwood Place which I LOVE, but the atmosphere was rather quiet and dull. Our reservation was at 8PM and there were so many weight staff and not enough customers… Literally the ratio was 1:1. We left there around 10PM and not because the food was awesome? We ordered Nibbles, Cold and Hot plates… but it took about 30 minutes between each for the food to arrive! At that point, we didn’t even bother ordering desserts. I’m not sure if their plan was to make us full by making us wait? Either way, the wait was TOO long especially since the restaurant was not even busy.
Now let’s get to the food. The nibbles were the most delicious things on the menu. The Escargots in the blanket and duck eggs beignet were great! The scallops boudin blanc reminded me of eating my own boogers.
Cold — *crickets* the veal tartare was the best thing I ordered
Hot — I felt like the Roast Baby Vegetable was a little too salty and I could prob make at home. The Fried Chicken & grilled quail was delicious! Not dry and perfectly marinated!
I would say the menu is average. Our waiter was sweet but I was getting hangry waiting so I give this place 2 stars.

Here is what I know for sure. This place isn’t a five star and it definitely isn’t a two star. It is closer to a four than a three but Unilocal doesn’t allow for 3.75 so 4 it is
As usual my ratings are based on price and expectation.
Service — Literally top notch. Everything was impeccable. Most impressive part — it was a busy night but the staff didn’t miss a beat. From the minute you walk in, to the bartenders, and the waiters who serve you. Perfection.
Also a big positive, a lot of thought went into the layout and materials so that even when its crowded, it wasn’t too loud.
Drinks — Again perfection. I am not a wine drinker but the selection of wines by a glass seemed plentiful. The cocktails, though slightly expensive, we well made.
Food — I think the headline is don’t have expectations of what something is or isn’t. This is both a positive and a negative. I ate things that were new flavors, literally combinations that I had never had before. Some, in my opinion worked, some didn’t. There were a few clear winners (pickled rockfish, the latke with celery root, leek dijonnaise, and socca. Of the mains, the hands down winner was the lamb tongue moussaka.
Every review I read raved about the fried chicken coq au van and thought the chicken was perfectly cooked, I wasn’t head over heels.
The only dish that was a true disappointment was the veal. the taste was only ok but what they refer to as mouth feel was way off. I am always hesitant to use fancy cooking terminology because clearly the guy who went to culinary school knows better than me but mouth feel was just WRONG.
As far as the deserts go, the key lime flavor was excellent thought the graham cracker crust was a little soggy. The other two desserts were too sweet for my liking but setting aside personal preference, they were tasty.
Overall, a great place for a double date and for people looking for something outside of ordinary.

Food was very delicious. Our favorite dish was the quail with the perfectly cooked lentils. very well seasoned and the quail was also perfectly cooked.
All other dishes and the Beaujolais wine we shared was very good. However I was not a fan of the atmosphere or service at this restaurant. The somm was wearing a bert and ernie Tee shirt under his blazer? I don’t find that professional. This is a stuffy, too-​modern-​for-​Shaw designed establishment and I likely will not be coming back any time soon. Not worth the hype! Mintwood is much cozier and arguably has better food.

I’ve heard such great things about Chef Cedric Maupillier and Mintwood Place so, naturally, excitement ran through me when my friends decided to plan dinner at his newest spot. It’s places that this that continue to grow the food scene in DC and make the city more unique than many non-​Washingtonians give this city credit for. Fusion is the name of the game and Chef Maupillier is killin’ the game. Our server was excellent explaining the menu highlighting some dishes and explaining that you will want to order around 2 – 3 plates per person akin to Spanish tapas. With Latin and Mediterranean influences, looking at the menu was like looking at a list of interesting rides at a theme park. It featured some traditionally French-​inspired dishes with modern twists as well as the more exotic items for the more adventurous palates. So let’s dive in…
We started with «Escargots in a Blanket» and «Duck Egg Beignets». Both were neither traditional nor anything I expected, but were absolutely fantastic. The escargots were more like French-​style spring rolls that were deep fried to perfection served with what seemed like a Latin chimichurri sauce. The beignets were nothing like I’ve had before and certainly no where close in similarity to New Orleans style beignets, which is what I was expecting. They were more like delicate Mexican churros with a duck egg filing then served with an Italian marinara. We then moved on to more hearty & exotic dishes — Fried Chicken «Coq Au Vin» and Lamb Tongue Moussaka. The chicken was juicy, fried to perfection and definitely reminiscent of the French classic. The execution of this dish was particularly impressive because the sauce was drizzled over the fried exterior and still maintained its super crunchy integrity without becoming soggy. The Lamb Tongue Moussaka is more similar to the Turkish version versus the Greek version (non-​layered vs layered). The perfectly grilled lamb tongue laid atop an aromatic and flavorful eggplant casserole delivered straight from the heavens.
Overall — the service was top-​notch, the sommelier made excellent wine suggestions and the food was flawless. The experience is nothing short of superb and caters to all dietary preferences. One of my friends is vegetarian so they provided her with the vegetarian-​only menu. Bravo. So by the end of our meal, two things became overwhelming clear: (1) I can’t wait to come back and (2) I need to try Mintwood Place.

Great food that was well worth the splurge. The format is interesting — it’s definitely not small plates but the entrees and appetizers are a little bit smaller than your standard portions for each course. Still, as long as you get at least an appetizer or a dessert, you’ll leave plenty full.
We went ahead and had ourselves a three course dinner and each dish got progressively better. Our appetizers were excellent but probably my least favorite part of the meal. We split the brandade croquettes and the «escargot in a blanket.» The croquettes were amazing and came with a great sauce. As for the escargot, the «blanket» was a great idea but I think I prefer my snails naked. Also, we could have used a little bit more of the typical garlic and parsley sauce that accompanied the dish.
I was incredibly indecisive about what to get for my entrée but with our kind and knowledgeable waitress’s help, I went ahead and ordered the fried chicken. The beef pot au feu caught my eye but we were here on an uncharacteristically warm December night — I’ll get that warm heavy stew on a colder night.
I definitely made a good choice. The chicken was coated with a delicious glaze and came with some potatoes that were prepared perfectly. Like I said, the portion wasn’t huge (I would have killed for some more!) but considering the appetizer we had and the desert that was coming, it felt like the perfect amount of food.
As much as I loved the chicken, I just might have had the best desert of my life. Folks, get the «s’mores!» It’s an amazing take on your traditional campfire favorite and a hearty portion of food. Who wouldn’t want s’mores for desert?
All in all, I just had a couple of minor complaints with the service. The complimentary bread that we were served before our appetizers was warm and fresh out of the oven but a little plain. We asked for some butter but it never came.
Also, it would have been nice to have gotten our wine sooner. It came right after our appetizers, which isn’t necessarily a problem but it was just two of us sharing a bottle. We were still polishing it off once we had finished our desert — if we were able to finish sooner, I would have conisdered getting an after-​dinner drink.

3.5 stars
I went here two times this weekend. Once on Friday night and then again on Sunday. We had reservations for both nights. Friday was much busier than Sunday evening.
The biggest criticism that I had with the restaurant was the pace of how food was brought out. Parts of dinner went much faster than other parts of the dinner. What I mean by this is the pace of food came to the table does not have a strategy or overall cohesion. A pile of dishes could hit the table without any sort of inspiration or creativity. You could receive all of your food in 15 minutes if you ordered when you sat down. The pace and how the food comes to the table needs to be tweaked. This criticism is valid for both evenings I enjoyed dinner there.
The second night, I was slightly disappointed at the service. When we arrived we were one of three other tables in the dining room where our server was station. The service was fantastic but as the dining room filled up service became lackluster. A table that was seated for about 15 minutes did not get any attention from our server at all — we felt bad. We had our food already so we were more content — but wanted to get some additional items and recommendations and then dessert.
The food was fantastic both nights. A daring and bold menu with plenty of flavor.
Night #1
Highlight: The pickled rockfish. Light, refreshing, with a beautiful presentation. One of my favorite dishes here that has a depth of flavor and freshness that I have been talking about to all my foodie friends.
Night #2
Highlight: The turkey leg confit, it was created to taste like chicken salad but it is anything but. Beautiful, fresh, yet slightly bitter endive juxtaposition with the richness of the turkey leg cooked in duck fat made this an incredibly special dish.
Both nights: The «Coq Au Vin» Fried Chicken is good, hearty, and slightly larger than your traditional small plate. It is good. The sauce is wonderful and has a lot of richness. It will be what people will come to Convivial for.
Pro-​Tip: For dessert, we got the key lime pie and the maple toffee pudding. It made a great combination. The maple sauce was perfect with the key lime pie.

I’m torn on how to rate this. The service was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, without being overbearing. The Japanese orgeat cocktail was well-​balanced and delicious. And though a bit showy, it’s fun to watch the bartenders pour the liquid nitrogen in liquid form into each glass to frost it before pouring in the cocktail. The pickled rockfish was the star of the evening: delicate, beautifully composed with the watermelon radishes, the lightly pickled rockfish, avocado, and shredded green papaya.
But, my friends and I found all of the other dishes to be quite heavy. Although we were told the plates were between small plates and entrees, two a piece was more than enough and we couldn’t have had dessert. I was disappointed with the calf liver dish. I couldn’t taste any liver, as it seemed to have taken a sausage form with peppery, other meaty flavors that dominated the liver. The sauce was also quite heavy on the white beans and too salty. The fried coq au vin and veal tartar were tasty, but again, heavy. The cauliflower blanc-​manger seemed like a pot of cream with some cauliflower sprinkled atop. The barley pilaf, roasted baby vegetables, and squash vadouvan all seemed unnecessarily heavy.

One of the best meals I’ve had in DC thus far!
My husband and I came for anniversary date night treat and were blown away by their food and hospitality. It was their opening week — my husband and I were initially skeptical about coming. Usually brand new restaurants need a few weeks to work out and adjust to their newly set standard. Not Convivial!
We were given complimentary herb pretzel bread? and champagne upon seating. I requested balsamic vinegar and my server went above and beyond looking for it in the kitchen pantry. Whatever questions we had of the menu, our server would go directly straight to the chef and asked. He was honest, genuine, and so so friendly. He never seemed bothered and worked extremely hard to make sure we were having a great meal!
Onto the food! I wished I had the stomach (and wallet) to sample the whole menu! My husband and I shared their lamb tongue moussaka and beef pot Au feu. I had no idea what texture/​consistency to expect for the lamb tongue — but it was soft, melt in my mouth delicious! The beef dish consisted of tendon, tongue, cheek, and bone marrow. The broth was light yet flavorful. Every piece of meat was cooked to perfection. The bone marrow toast — so so good! I’ve had bone marrow in various restaurants but never understood the raves — not until Covivial’s. The toast was warm, buttery, perfectly seasoned. I wished they would offer the toasts as an appetizer!
We ended our anniversary treat with milk chocolate crème brûlée. A true classic with a twist! Smooth, warm, not overwhelming sweet — the perfect ending to an already amazing meal!
My husband and I are dying to return — especially for his upcoming birthday! However we noticed on his exact birthday — the restaurant has no reservations available all day (Perhaps holiday private event?). We are going to check out its sister restaurant Mintwood and returning asap!

Phenomenal. If u like Mintwood you’ll love it. Some of the most inventive dishes in town. I love chefs who are trying new things and thinking outside the box. Great for DC.
I like the warm atmosphere of Mintwood better, but the food is amazing.

This is one of those places in which outside is so deceptive of what’s inside. Outside — first you are greeted by an empty huge lot — clearly a nod to a future summer patio, but for now just some cement and empty flower boxes on the perimeter. Then first steps inside — you are faced with a tall ceiling, still industrial, coldish look of a huge space opening — the typical for the new rises in Shaw. Not sure what it is, but the place just doesn’t feel intimate yet.
Ok, a prolonged opening. Then you get a menu, a nice greet from the staff, a warm piece of rosemary bread served in a cute paper bag, an exciting cocktail menu — and the night takes a different turn.
The menu is a playground — with unusual and large «small» plates — ranging from delicious white scallop sausage, duck egg beignet, cured arctic char — to heavier, but still funky veal tartar and fried chicken coq au vin. Classic flavors take turns teasing your pallet with sudden unexpected twists of savory, acidic, toasty, crunchy or sweet. Staff and chef are so accommodating — you can orchestrate your own dinner — order dishes to arrive as they are ready or in a more classic, several course way. And just in case you need any help — the staff is ready to describe you the components of each dish to the last grain of salt. The dishes were so generous, we had to stop after five. Another reservation is on its way to try the rest of the menu.
Bravo!