Station Kitchen & Cocktails

The décor of this place is amazing! I got one of the house-​bottled cocktails, the white negroni and it was delish. For food wise I shared the:
carne asada tacos: very thick cuts of meat so it was hard to bite into, you had to eat the entire piece of meat
ahi tacos: the ahi was good but I didn’t care too much for the taco shell
Korean caveman pops: too much sauce that it was a little overwhelming and sweet
Overall my experience was okay. The food was okay but the cocktails were good.

Super chic hotel and great drinks. Came here because friends stayed, ended up staying for drinks and nibbles. Super chic ambiance but inviting and relaxing. Great cocktails, try the toasted marshmallow drink (slightly sweet) and the hibiscus drink (refreshing).

Great coffee service by Melissa and kearra thee baristas were wonderful and smiled the room full of sunshine. So convenient with it being in the hotel. A must visit if you aren’t.

This was an odd spot. Found it on Unilocal and it was highly rated. It’s a cool environment — especially since you are surrounded by the embassies. But it was basically empty. Which is never what you want to see when you go to a restaurant at 6:30 on a week night. My friend I met there lives in DC and she wasn’t turned off by it — maybe people don’t go out that much in DC during the week… If it was Boston, that place would basically go out of business if it wasn’t busy every night.
Service was okay. Good selection of drinks. Nice décor — if it was hopping I’d spend much more time there. Food was pretty good. Started with their rice balls although they called it something else — felt like a lazy recipe. That’s the only way I can explain. Moved on to the burger which was awesome. Perfectly cooked and tasty a though they were accompanied by lackluster French fries.
All in all, I don’t think I’d go back. Not because it was bad necessarily but because it was a little odd.

Station is a hidden Gem! Chef Andrew and his team continue to impress me. You all are doing it right. The Cavman pops are perfect! I do miss the Mexican street corn dish, but there are plenty of new things to try on the constantly evolving menu. Can’t wait! The Cocktails are great too.

A girlfriend and I came here on a Tuesday night for HH and although service started off on a rough patch, by the end of the night i was very satisfied with both our food and our waiter’s customer service.
When we arrived, the place was a bit quiet but it was understandable since it was only a Tuesday night. We had both googled the menu and we were very excited to try the punch that comes in a huge mason jar and serves 4 – 6 people for $ 19. Unfortunately, when we looked at the menu this punch was $ 35. When we pointed it out to our waiter he told us that was probably a mistake but he was still going to speak to his manager about it. When he came back the manager decided to honor the online price. Yay! When he brought out the cups one of them was kind of dirty. No problem. We just asked for a new one and problem solved. As for food, both my friend and I went for the burger and an order of the Korean Caveman Pops. The burger was average. The herb fried on the other hand were delicious! Points for the fries. However, the caveman pops in sweet hoisin definitely stole this dinner show. They were very sweet and crispy on the outside and very moist on the inside. Do they do pick up because i wouldn’t mind just ordering the largest order of the Korean caveman pops and taking them home with me :)
Overall I loved the food and again thank you Mr. Waiter (I didn’t catch his name T. T) who made this experience both great and affordable. Did i mention he let us use two 50% off coupons on the burger? I had a feeling he was going to say no but surprise surprise he said yes: D

I bought a GiltCity deal for bottomless brunch for Station Kitchen & Cocktails. I’ve heard great things about the Embassy Row Hotel so I was curious and wanted to check it out for myself. The restaurant area is quite small, but visually pleasing and cozy. My friend and I seated ourselves on some comfy couches, and were promptly given mimosas. The mimosas were very tasty and fresh, although they were quite pulpy, so watch out if that’s not your thing! Our server was very good about refilling our mimosas the entire time we were there.
We ordered the braised beef hash and «which came first» (basically a fried chicken benedict), and we were pleased with how both dishes turned out. The beef hash portion size could have been bigger though; I think if I had eaten it on its own I would have been starving afterwards. Luckily, the deal I bought included a side with our entrée – we ordered the Belgian style waffles, which were great. Overall, this was a positive brunch experience. The only downside was that service was a bit slow at times – it took our server awhile to get us coffee and our checks. However, he was incredibly kind and friendly, and even comped our coffees at the end of our meal. I would definitely return here for brunch!

I came here for bottomless brunch with my friend and I was pleasantly surprised.
At first when I walked in it was kind of empty and quiet. I was expecting there to be a lot of people here because of Sunday brunch but I did not mind the more intimate setting. I loved the décor though, it was modern chic, welcoming and very cozy.
We were warmly welcomed, sat immediately and the waiter brought us water and menus right away. The menu was simple and provided just the right amount of choices. Our waiter was prompt on bringing us mimosas once we let him know we had come for bottomless brunch! I ordered the chai pancakes with a side of apple wood smoked bacon while my friend ordered the sweet fried chicken sammy with a side Belgian waffle. I loved the pancakes! They were so unique and delicious. The pancakes were topped with earl grey poached plums and they were a nice sweet touch to compliment the chai flavor. The bacon was perfectly crispy and I was provided a nice sized serving. My friend enjoyed the Belgian waffle, It was crispy golden brown with a soft cake center. He really enjoyed the sweet fried chicken, his only complaint is that they forgot to add the friend jalapenos to the sammy. Even without the friend jalapenos, he still enjoyed his meal.
We both definitely enjoyed the bottomless mimosas!
I would come back here again for brunch but I am really interested in trying their international taco Tuesday!
Great place, great service, great food!

A pretty «hip» restaurant located just off the lobby of the hotel. It’s lacking a bit of atmosphere and the drinks were alright. I will say their food was exceptional. Especially their wings. One of the best I’ve had in a while and I don’t like glazes on my wings. If the location was more central and the atmosphere wasn’t so cold it could be a contender. But for me, once was enough.

Wine selection is pretty limited — disappointed but settled for a chard. Ordered the cheesey bacon balls for a starter. I’m not sure what they were stuffed with and I saw no bacon just what looked like parts from a pork roast — not quite the same as bacon. Then I had the carne asada tacos — no one likes to taste the grill marks on their tortillas! It was convenient for dinner tonight but I will not be back.

Very few places in DC phase me enough that I get actually impressed. Especially in Dupont, which I’ve come to think as the insecure beta neighborhood in a crew full of alphas. H street, 14^th, U street, even Navy Yard all got it and don’t need to flaunt it. Dupont always feels like it’s trying too hard and attracts more tourists and college kids than my fellow Yuppies.
But Station’s got it. It’s flaunting it, and I’m loving it.
Sometimes you don’t know you want. Coffee? Cocktails? Snacks? Dinner? A place to just feel fabulous? But when you’re making plans to meet up with a friend or group, that initial decision needs to be made. Unless, you go to a place like Station — where you can have your pick of settings/​activities, and you’ll receive the same level of fancy regardless of what you decide to do.
My friends and I opted for cocktails out on their patio. The seating is comfortable and stylish, but also practical. There are outlets between each section, letting you charge your phone during happy hour, or maybe plug in your laptop and get some work done while you have an espresso? So many possibilities!
We were continually impressed by the little things we noticed around us. There was a lot of effort put into Station to make it worth the prices they charge. I will be coming back again and again to try out all that they offer.

Went on a Saturday night while visiting the city. The place was easy to fine, the décor was nice and the music was low in the background at a good level, so having a conversation was not a problem. It was not crowded on this evening. Tried the Korean Pops, Black beans, Wellington meatballs, and Rice. Also ordered a cocktail. The food was excellent the Korean Pops were tasty, the black beans dish was tasty, the fried rice was good. The meatballs while tasty weren’t something I would order again. Overall a good experience and would stop by again if I in the city.

2.5 but rating 3 because the food was great!
Came here for an impromptu dinner around 6pm on Thursday after hearing that this was a newly revamped hot spot to check out. Like many other reviewers, the interior decorating of the bar was interesting and hip. The booths hang from the ceiling and the color scheme is eye-​popping. I do agree with some that I am unsure of the concept going on here. I was expecting a bar/​restaurant and I felt like I was in a hotel lounge/​coffee area. Maybe that is the idea, it just was not what we were expecting having seen the website. Regardless we stuck it out because the menu looked good and it was raining.
My biggest complaint and why I almost knocked it down to 2 stars was that it was SO loud. The space is small and there was a DJ in the corner just blaring music. I LOVE music and I see shows all the time, but the level of noise in this place was unreal. We avoided saying anything because 1) there was a DJ so they hired someone to do it, and 2) we didn’t want to be «those» people. But we found ourselves screaming across the table and had trouble hearing the waitstaff. The other complaint is that they were very short staffed. One bartender for the whole place until he had some help towards the very end. Not a huge knock because I know that happens, having worked in the industry and when the bartender was there, he was great.
The cocktails were well-​thought an interesting. The bartender made good suggestions based on our tastes. We tried the Vice & Virtue and some kind of bourbon/​whiskey that was infused with coffee. Both were very good. We did wish there were better hh options. The bartender said the hh was geared towards groups and offered a «mystery wine» for $ 25, buckets of beer, or a pitcher-​like quantity of something. It would have been nice to have single-​portion discounts for hh.
For dinner we tried the Meatball Wellington (delicious!), Tuna Casserole (comfort food, very good), Street Corn Salad (good sized portion and tasty but wish it were served warm or warmer, not sure how they intended to serve it but thought it could have been warmer), and the Korean Caveman Pops. The food was very very good!
My suggestion would be to have the DJ or loud music after dinner hours because the food was great, but the noise volume is something I would avoid.

Imagine sipping weak cocktails in the empty, darkened breakfast room of a hotel at 6 pm. That’s what this «bar» is like. It’s really just the breakfast room of the hotel. A single happy hour specials: punch served in a gallon sized mason jar. It’s advertised on the website as $ 19, but we were charged $ 25. Ours was a dark berry punch of some sort with so little alcohol that we wondered if any had been added at all. They also have a $ 5 burger, which my friend ordered and seemed to like– I don’t know, I couldn’t hear a word she said.
The night we visited a DJ was playing the same Bollywood song at a volume that approximated standing in front of the speakers at the 9:30 Club. They wouldn’t turn it down and in fact turned it up because it was supposed to be heard in the lobby. The lobby was 20 feet away. WHYYY weren’t there small speakers by the lobby instead of setting up two huge speakers at one side of the brunch room and BLASTING it through an empty room? It gave me a headache. I just wanted to leave, I was sad we wasted happy hour here.
Hard to know where the entrance is – a metal staircase to the side of the hotel, with a tiny Station side near it.

Brought my husband here for a celebratory dinner. Some aspects of the evening were fun and rewarding, others not so much.
The ambiance is nice. It’s classy but casual, and I liked seeing people play board games. Definitely picture that level of casualness, as well as families. I didn’t really feel like I was in a hotel, though the coffee bar worked against that. It just felt like an expensive, casual place to eat. The décor fit that.
We got drinks that were pretty impressive. They were priced to match, but they were inventive and tasty. Mine was key lime something with a marshmallow foam. I licked the glass after – the foam was that tasty. I think they brought a blowtorch to it!
For the meal we split four dishes between the two of us. Each was fine, none was outstanding – steak tacos, tuna casserole, bbq chicken pops, and something with a lot of pork in it. The portions were small; this wasn’t surprising given that we asked if this was small plates. It was just disappointing given the price. When I saw the check at the end it felt like we’d gotten too little for our money – that never feels good.
Finally, the service was pretty disappointing. We had to ask for water, and then were never offered a refill. We couldn’t find our server to ask for a refill, either!

Met up with some friends here for drinks and maybe dinner. The set up looked nice. Part of a fancy boutique hotel and plenty of young people around. We sat in the bar table area, but no one came to serve us. After twenty minutes I walked to the bartender and asked if there was a server or if we order at the bar. Apparently the server was helping upstairs at the roof or something. The bartender then did step up and served us at our table so some credit for that. Overall service was mediocre. We chose to start with drinks.
The drink menu really looked interesting. I got the lame duck (mezcal, clove roasted pineapple, lime, coconut porter). Crushed ice? not a fan, not for a mezcal drink. Not well balanced, the pineapple and lime took over the flavors. I tried the milk punch… I expected a lot because I love walnut infused whiskey, salted caramel, and brandied berries. Unfortunately milk took over and it came out like taking like sour milk. Maybe the idea was right but the execution was wrong. Whatever it was, it wasn’t that good.
One good drink was the house bottled white negroni. Gin, Lillet Blanc, Dolin White. That was well done. Keep in mind, that was premade, so maybe the idea is right for this place.
Overall, poor service (it’s not an excuse that there’s a rooftop too) and poor drinks execution. We didn’t bother trying any food after this. Maybe it was an off night, but I’m not coming back unless a trusted person recommends.

Go here asap before word spreads and crowds are overflowing. Instantly reminded me of popular NYC speakeasies. Very open, uniquely designed, modern space with different themes and seating options as you proceed further into the room. On a Friday night, they had a live artist singing pop-​song covers which was a nice touch. They provide the food and drink menu in a hipster envelope on kraft paper. Our server was really knowledgeable about the menu, answering all of our questions and helping us decide on a drink out of their many options. We had the roast pork, street corn salad, meatball wellington and korean caveman pops. Surprisingly, the street corn salad was our favorite as it was a creative mix (quinoa, wild rice, piquillo peppers, cotija cheese, cilantro). Dinged one star as the food is a little pricey given the size (e.g. caveman pops were a tasty teaser — just two drumsticks), but it in fairness, it’s as expected at a speakeasy. Curious to go back and try their coffee and cookies.

Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette — kept buzzing in my head as I looked at the funky, modern, sleek design of this completely revamped place. Some eye candy has this lobby/​bar/​resto become! What a change!
Still quite easy to miss — hidden behind the same old 1980s brick outside. But inside — oh my!
The bar/​restaurant is still a puzzle for me — I am not quite sure what this will become. But staff and the chef are doing amazing job for you to become an addict. The place is spacious, still on a bit deserted side — so grab your moment and come here with a large group of friends to share some of the best tapas, easygoing flow, and yummy drinks. The atmosphere is very relaxing, food is delicious and portions are rather generous for sharing, servers are super attentive and walk you through the entire menu. For some reason the place screams big groups to me — I can hardly imagine a place of a similar comfort elsewhere in Dupont. Hopefully it won’t get too famous too fast!

Really fabulous interior, compass coffee, potomac pastry baked delights, nice cold case and quick bites section, amazing cocktails and delicious food. Pretty much has it all for any level of need and desire!
The food is absolutely delicious, the chef hit it on the head with different tastes for all types of different palates. He even attempted to tackle a comfort food — tuna casserole — and he did it well. I was partial to the Fried Mushrooms. Definitely recommend everything on the menu!
Cocktails, also incredible. I had a scotch fizz of sorts (egg whites, scotch, smoked cocoa powder) called the «Hazel» and a beautiful gin drink served in a soda bottle.
All-​in-​all this is a go-​to spot whether in the morning for coffee and some work-​from-​home chillage or a date spot for that special someone.
Check it out, you won’t regret it.
Cheers.

As Robert Sylvester Kelly famously once said (you may know him by other monikers such as The King of R&B, The Pied Piper, or R Kelly aka Kells): «After the party is the hotel lobby.» At the newly opened Station Kitchen & Cocktails at the Embassy Row Hotel, the hotel lobby is actually the pre-​party.
I was first confused when I walked in by the concept. Station Kitchen is part social marketplace, grab-​n-​go, coffee shop, and cocktail and tapas style restaurant. When a business is trying to do too many things at once, this often spells disaster, but at a hotel where guests often have different needs at different times this concept actually works.
All doubts in my head were immediately dispelled when I met our funny, helpful, and informative server who presented us in a Pinterest-​worthy menu in a kraft paper envelope. They have a dozen or so signature cocktails with drool-​worthy and unique ingredients such as honey-​lemongrass syrup, chai candy, lemon curd, toasted marshmallow foam, and other exotic berry juices. They even sell house bottled cocktails which I’ve never seen before in a restaurant.
It took me a long time to choose a drink but I eventually settled on the Lame Duck made with mezcal, clove roasted pineapple, lime and coconut pineapple porter. If came in a rocks glass with plenty of crushed ice which for some reason pleased me more than all of the other premium ingredients. Crushed ice is the world’s greatest invention since sliced bread and something that I only get at hospital visits (because my apt freezer sucks).
My dinner dates and I split a few tapas style dishes such as their meatball beef wellington served with slow cooked onions so sweet that you thought it was candy, their Korean Caveman Pops (shiny and glistening like a true Bön Chon dupe) and risotto balls.
They are still in their soft opening phase (surprising since the service was so on point) so the lobby was not really hopping, but I am sure as word gets out this will change. Their happy hour program starts next which means it’s a good place to start your night.
Apparently they will also be opening up their patio in late spring and will have outlets in every chair so you can sit, sip, people watch and knock out a few emails at the same time.
Whatever your need, you won’t be disappointed!