Nido

This place will change your life. The cuisine is amazing. I have three words for you: CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE… you’re welcome! You’re all welcome!

This place reminds me of «Rosa’s Luxury» and that’s quite a compliment. The owners were walking around and checking in with the customers which gave me the impression that the owners want to make sure everyone was enjoying their meals. Drinks were very tasty~!

I was very impressed. Read the review in the Washington Post, and decided to take a drive out with my boyfriend to try it out. It was about 25 minute drive from Dupont Circle, but worth it! It was a super cozy and warm and inviting space. We sat upstairs at a 2 top, which I preferred, though I checked out downstairs space (windowless) that had several tables for larger (6+) groups.
We ordered the olives, ricotta spread, and chicken liver mousse as shares to start. Mousse was great and came with fig jam, yum! Ricotta was good, but nothing that knocked my socks off, would probably skip in future. The three main «shares» we ordered — duck confit, papardelle with boar ragu, and carrots with harissa — were all delicious. Highly recommend all, duck was great. We were too full for dessert, but enjoyed a great wine selection during meal. Service was minimalist but on point, just how it should be!

I’ve been to many of the best-​regarded restaurants in D.C.: Toki, the Dabney, Komi, Red Hen, Rasika, etc.
The food at Nido can hold its own with any of those places. It absolutely blew me away. We mostly tried the smaller plates this time, but I cannot wait to go back and try the Basque seafood stew.
Definitely try the house-​made ricotta, the patatas bravas, the duck confit, and the locally-​produced rose vermouth!
The only gripe I have is that the servers, while competent and very nice, seemed to be a bit inexperienced. But that is an issue with the D.C. food scene more generally, and will probably improve over time.

We ate there on Jan 29, 2016 for my wife’s birthday and enjoyed it very much. Excellent cocktails. Enjoyed a couple of whites and reds we mixed and matched throughout our meal. We loved the ricotta & liver mousse. The braised pork was very good and we really liked the grilled octopus. The pappardelle wanted to be good, but missed for us. The noodles themselves were great, but the sauce was a miss. Not enough salt and way too much lemon. We had (I think) apricot sorbet/​gelato for a small desert.
Our service was excellent. Made a reservation for two same day via Unilocal.Were sat on the main floor in the back corner which was a nice little space to be together for a special occasion. Our hostess showed us the two tables back there and gave us our choice which was nice. I had not mentioned the birthday at all, but our super nice server Heather heard us talking about it and when she brought the check let us know they desert was on the house for a happy birthday.
Great experience overall!

We had the cheese/​charcuterie small tray, the beef carpaccio, the scallops and the cavatelli. And the Bitter Honey to drink. Everything was simply amazing and delicious. I’m so glad this place is close to our home in Brookland! This was our second visit and we’ve yet to be disappointed. It’s a super cute place, urban hip but bright clean and fresh… Really nice but not too fancy. Strikes a good middle ground. But the food and drink exceeds expectations. Spectacular.

What a really great idea for a Mediterranean tapas focused restaurant. Very cute décor, warm and inviting staff, good use of space and wonderful ambiance. However, if you indulge in being a foodie like me, you better have another place in mind because it is small plates-​centric.
The Baked Gigante Beans were well-​liked from the community but to me they were a big dry like overdone lima beans. Luckily, the extensive wine menu quenched any dry throats.
But
.goodness. The Croquettas… are simply to die for. Just perfect. I could order three helpings and not be bored with it. Just amazing. Very crispy and crunchy exterior yields to a creamy and smooth potato and ham mixture inside. Be forewarned though, you will burn your tongue if you try to consume the entire croquette at a time. Be sure to chomp half at a time, you’ll thank me for it.
The Braised Pork Shoulder was superb. I mean, very excellent execution and still maintained that certain succulence (balance between fat and meat) that I highly recommend.
Lastly, the seared scallops were done beautifully. Nice golden brown crust on the exterior but not overly-​chewy on the inside.
What a pleasant and needed surprise for the neighborhood!

This is a quaint place with a very nice local vibe. The menu was concisely diverse, which means (to me) there wasn’t a big selection, but what was available was greatly diverse. The staff was casual and pleasantly nice. The food reminded me that being an expert at a few things versus generalizing in all has merit in a smaller operation. Highly recommended if you’re in the area and worth going out of the way for.

I really really like this place. The staff was super nice, and they had GREAT cocktails. We sat at the bar, and chatted up some locals (more local than we are in Hyattsville). The small plates were great, they have a good wine and liquor selection, but I really do think the cocktails are the star of the bar, and I’m usually a beer person.
We had olives, patatas bravas, and the blistered shishito peppers to start. Both were good, but I wish the peppers were a little spicier although I know shishito peppers are not really known for spice.
For my main course, I had the pappardelle and it was very good. I think the portions were a little smaller than I would like, but it’s the holidays and I need to lose some weight anyway youknowhatimsayin?
After eating everything, I was actually satisfyingly full, so I can’t fault the portion size. We will definitely be back here to help support this area’s economy and help create some local demand for more restaurants of this caliber on the Rhode Island Ave. corridor.

Had brunch here a couple weeks ago. The food was delicious! I’m not really a fun of pancakes and I barely eat chicken these days, but Nido made me rethink both of these options.
First of all, the pear pancakes are practically perfect. No syrup to soggy your pancakes. Their pancakes feature the right balance of sweetness with their pear like jam and are topped off with ricotta. The chicken, God bless whoever came up with this recipe. At first I was shocked that there was no starch to accompany my fried chicken, but I quickly forgot my disappointment when I tasted the moist fried breast. Seriously, white meat never tasted better!
The mimosas with fresh squeezed juice were some of the best I’ve had in DC. I wish Nido would consider doing carafes.
I’m giving this four stars because of the food, but I could’ve used more enthusiasm from the staff.

In one word: spectacular! We are just visiting for the weekend and staying in DuPont Circle… let me just say that it was worth the taxi/​über ride. Service was excellent and the dishes were nothing short of amazing.
My husband and I shared a few small plates: the roasted chicken thigh, braised pork shoulder, baked gigante beans, and the trumpet mushrooms. The chicken thigh and pork were so well prepared; both were tender, moist, and flavorful. The sides were wonderful complements. For dessert, we had the poached pear and gingerbread cake which had just the right balance of sugar and spice. The chickpea purée was also a high point of the meal.
This was easily one of the best dining experiences we have ever had and we aren’t strangers to dining out. Would absolutely return on our next trip and will definitely recommend to others! A hidden gem!

Perhaps the best experience I’ve had at a brand new dining establishment, and in a town where restaurants are launching perpetually, that’s sayin’ a lot.
Nido has some gumption. It’s trying to walk a fine line between sophistication and simplicity, and delivering it in a neighborhood that has been crying out for a bistro-​type restaurant for some time.
Hub and I didn’t have reservations; just walked in off the street and that didn’t matter. We got a superb table and the wait staff was doting from beginning to end.
The menu is varied without being crazy. It leans towards Spanish dishes, but not wholesale. There are offerings on both the dinner and brunch menus that most folks are basically familiar with and that’s wise. Some items are a bit pricey, but not all.
My appetizer of smoked trout fritters in a cream sauce with caperberries was outstanding. The main course of Basque seafood stew, listed under «large plates» for 2 persons, was lovely. And, whatever that bread was we got – it was fab.
For my first-​time – considering the quality of food, the untiring efforts of service staff and the courage it takes to locate at this edge of Northeast DC – I was pleasantly impressed.

I came here with my father for his 60^th birthday, and we shared the trout fritters (snack), and the small plates of grilled octopus, braised pork shoulder, and grilled swordfish.
The trout fritters with saffron aioli was new on the menu so we decided to try them. They were like chewy hushpuppies with a fishy taste; four hushpuppies and a small salad — not worth the $ 7.
The texture of grilled octopus was great! There was quite a lot of octopus on the great, so we were very pleased with that, and the seasoning was perfect, a sort of smoky and peppery flavor.
The pork shoulder came with lots of potatoes, perhaps more potatoes than pork shoulder. However, the pork that was on the plate was a little spicy, which was nice. It was slightly sweet, probably from the ragu-​sauce it was cooked in. It was nice smushing the potatoes to soak up the sauce.
The swordfish was very good, a pretty hefty serving too. It was very fat and oily, and filling, and it was seasoned wonderfully.
This is a nice place to grab a light dinner in a dimly-​lighted ambiance. We didn’t get any drinks, but their drink menu was very long and had a lot of tasty-​sounding drinks. The bill ended up being $ 50+ without tip, and we were pretty pleased with the visit. Eat your dinner in small bites to trick your stomach into thinking you’re eating more than you actually are!

What a gem! Wayyyyyy up on Rhode Island. Worth every bit of the trek from the other side of town. We enjoyed the service, the food, the cava *on draft*
We tried the cauliflower, papas bravas, gnocchi, another pasta and the roasted chicken thigh. All were wonderful. The one miss was the trout fritters — not quite cooked through.
The desserts were so yummy as well! We will come back :)

I was excited when Nido opened up because it’s super close to me! Which means I can get there early and have my pick of seats, enjoying the space before it fills up.
Sitting in the window is really nice– definitely try for that area if you can. The robin’s-egg blue and white color scheme lends an airy feel to the whole place, which has a bird/​nest theme.
Since the focus is on small plates, it’s great to get the chickpea purée or ricotta to start. Both have very generous portions (not enough bread, but they’re happy to bring you more for free) and are some of the best versions of the dip/​spread I’ve had. They’re both drizzled with a bit of olive oil and coarse salt and pepper, which really accent the flavor.
For the small plates, which change frequently, I really like the tender duck (though the fat under the skin could have been rendered just a little more, I think) and little clams that have a yummy sauce. The swordfish was a tad dry but the romesco sauce definitely helped, and it was nice to have a rounded mini-​meal on the plate with the patatas bravas and rapini. The pappardelle wasn’t my jam but my friend really liked it. I think I like a ragu-​style sauce more than having chunks of pork– the lemon was an interesting touch though, that brightened the whole plate.
Don’t overlook the salads! The baby lettuce salad was lightly dressed (yay!) and even had blue cheese, which I normally don’t like, but since it was used in such moderation and balanced well with the rest of the ingredients (apples, spiced walnuts, raspberry vinaigrette) it worked for me. Last time, I got a dish with lima beans, corn, tomatillos and tomatoes that was also super refreshing. There was some type of basil in it that we couldn’t quite identify, but tasted almost lemony, tying together the great end-​of-​summer dish.
It was definitely more crowded this time, which is a good sign– I think more people should know about this place, which is helping to fill the void between Bloomingdale and Hyattsville. Hope this trend continues!

Whoa, Nido. Slow down. Save some for the second date. I know first impressions are important, but you didn’t have to try to sweep me off my feet so soon. I do have to admit, though, I’m already looking forward to our next little rendezvous. Just, you know, play it cool, don’t tell Sonoma or Floriana, I don’t want them thinking we’re already an item. Yet.
So yeah, safe to say, this place absolutely wowed me on my first visit. The tiny and cute blue exterior makes it look like it could be a shop selling flowers or arts and crafts, definitely outpacing the rest of the neighborhood a bit. The interior is small but open and airy and light, the décor is spartan but inviting, right out of some modern design magazine. The service is friendly and attentive, and the overall feeling of the place is that you’re just visiting some friends who are great hosts with a particularly nice and upscale dining nook in their kitchen. Our server was super helpful with recommendations, especially helpful with gauging the size of dishes and how many we’d need, and when I asked her to bring me a red wine that would pair well with our selections, whatever mystery red she brought nailed it.
The food perfectly mirrored the simple yet elegant ambiance, with dishes that didn’t overwhelm the palate but still provided a sensual joy in each bite. Seriously, when you order chickpea purée, you think you’re just getting hummus, yeah? Whatever came on that plate was smooth and creamy enough to make the executives at Sabra commit seppuku with shame. Pappardelle with pork sauce and parmesan always floats my boat, but some genius in Nido’s kitchen decided to add some lemon and give the dish a delightful lightness. In all, my party of four ordered maybe seven or eight dishes, and upon walking out we all agreed that there wasn’t a weak offering among them.
My first meal at Nido was like one of those early exciting kisses with your new girlfriend, you come up for air and already can’t wait for the next one. Fortunately I think they have enough love to go around, so I advise you to rush over and get in on this hot steamy affair right away.

What a nice surprise. Just down the road from pawn shops and liquor stores on and undistinguished part of Rhode Island Ave. is this tiny gem.
Beautifully and tastefully decorated. Wonderful service. A simple generous menu. And of course delicious food makes this a restaurant you need to visit.
On this day we had brunch of Gigante beans chorizo and upside down blueberry cake.
Each was well done and well executed.

I hate to be the one to point out that the emperor has no clothes, but this place was a big disappointment for having such high reviews. Bright, simple décor, open space, and quick service. No marks off for any of those. But the wine was mediocre, overpriced, and the pours extremely stingy (perhaps 3 – 4 oz). For $ 14 per glass I expect much more. The octopus dish was tasty and the highlight of our meal. The cauliflower dish with harissa was poorly executed – essentially just raw cauliflower placed on a plate of sriracha. The parpardelli with pork was pretty good, a solid B. The tab was over $ 100 with tip and we were still hungry.
Would maybe give it a shot in 6 months to see if it’s gotten better, but in no rush to go back.

Per the recommendation of a friend, my wife and I ventured 15 minutes from the Hill due north to try Nido for ourselves and we were NOT disappointed. A solid 5 star rating.
Atmosphere: It’s simple, yet beautiful inside from the tables to the place mats to the bathroom. If you like simple and clean, this is your place.
Food: Amazing. Definitely get the pork shoulder and chickpea purée and roasted vegetables. We ordered the papardelle pasta and it was good, but it had lemon peel in it, which at first made us think it was gristle. Advice to the chef: Perhaps try lemon zest so it doesn’t scare people. :) It tasted amazing, though. The pistachio pot de crème was great. My cocktail (The Cobbler) was perfect if you like sweeter drinks.
Service: Amazing.
We’ll for sure be back!
P. S. The one weird thing to note is that the bathroom light fades off after a few minutes. If you move slightly, you’re fine, but in case you’re in there for awhile sitting still, you may be a little caught off guard. :)

I know this place will come onto your radar eventually… I know, you will google map it and be like me: WHAT!!! Where?! How do I get that … far?
But you will bookmark it ‘for future reference’ and one Friday night will decide to give it a try.
So, the said Friday. By now, you are about 4 blocks away from the district border line, $ 15 deep into the adventure (thanks, Über!), observing the neighborhood you have never seen before — leaving the Ivy City, Brentwood and Brookland in the dust.
Not to worry: that is the wisest investment you have made in a while — paid back in an unbelievable flavor, not-​so-​small share plates, delicious drink menu and super amicable staff that makes every effort to turn your dinner into an experience.
I am not sure where to start and where to end. After having visited so many new, trendy, DC standard priced, small plates, over advertised and notorious places that are just trying too hard to be something — I see your skepticism — but give Nido a try! Simple, clean décor lines, reminiscent of Spanish or Italian coast line, spacious setting, muted music in the background and slightly modest, attentive, disciplined staff who seems really to care about what you eat, what you like, how you feel and how to make it even better. The menu is a celebration — causing you to pause and enjoy your time — luckily there is not yet a line outside the door hugging the block. The first dish comes out, full of smoky flavor, textures, surprise elements, a few sweet undertones. Second — gosh, the garnish, the sauce drops, al dente pasta, crispy mushrooms — all makes such an amazing balance. Third… you got the idea. And the portions are not shy — for the price of a small appetizer plate elsewhere in the district. After all you decide to go for dessert — yet another perfect, moist, bold piece. At the end, sipping your cocktails, people watching and having a pleasant talk, you kind of wish you could re-​experience this over and over again.