The Red Hen

We had the best dinner @ The Red Hen. The food is impeccable, and our server Ejeon was knowledgable, and superb customer service. We are coming back!

It’s hard for me to write a review for this place because the first time I went, I would have given it a 4 star rating (but I didn’t write Unilocal reviews then and don’t quite remember what I had to give a good description). I came here a second time with the SO this past Sunday during Snowzilla. We were so happy that they were open but were just so disappointed by the main dishes we ordered. This experience was 2 stars, but I’m giving a 3 as a compromise between both experiences.
We started with the chicken liver and fig crostini. I really enjoyed this one — the chicken liver came in a small dish with the fig jam on top that you spread on the crostini. The SO liked it but thought it was too sweet for his taste.
Then came the disappointments. I had the squid ink linguine with calamari, pea shoots, and chickpeas. The sauce was too buttery and made it hard to taste any calamari and pea shoot. The chickpeas were raw and the texture was really jarring next to the soft noodles and calamari. I was not a fan. To be fair, the waitress did warn me that it was not her favorite dish, but she said others enjoyed the dish.
He had the Suckling Pig Porchetta with Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, Za’atar, Frisee, Crispy Capers & Salsa Verde. The porchetta is a combination of pork belly and some pork meat and crisp pork skin. The skin was too crisp next to the soft pork and potatoes. The sauce that came with it was good. The salad was fine but uninteresting. He really did not enjoy it.
In another world I guess we should have sent our food back, but that seems rude to me.
The warm apple crisp was not very warm and not very crisp. The waitress felt bad that we didn’t enjoy our meal and comped the dessert, but the damage to our moods was done. I’m not sure we’ll go again but if we do we’ll stick to the more classic dishes.

Wow, just had the WORST experience at Red Hen. Sadly, this particularly unpleasant visit has been a perfect distillation of many mildly unpleasant aspects of previous visits. I’ll first explain what happen tonight and then I can delve into general pros and cons.
My husband and I walked into Red Hen relatively late (~11PM) on the Sunday night of MLK weekend. The restaurant had quite few people still sitting at tables but only a few customers were seated at the bar. A bartender approached us and gave us a rather odd look, after a pause she said, ‘what can I help you with’. What?! we are at a bar/​restaurant, perhaps a drink or some food!!! I politely asked for drink menu and then we witnessed this ‘bartender’ walk back to discuss our apparent odd request with 3 other staff members. One of whom proceeded to make a gesture of swiping a finger across his neck (What we would proverbially refer to as the ‘you’re dead’ gesture). After this less than friendly welcome and continued feeling of uncomfortableness, my husband and I decided to leave on our own accord.
Here a few thoughts about our interaction: 1) it is not strange or rude to simply state, ‘I’m sorry we are not serving any more’. 2) there was nothing about our appearance or our behavior that may have led them to judge us more than any other customer.
Sadly, this treatment of rude unwelcomeness is not unusual at Red Hen. Tonight was simply the most unpleasant of many other mildly rude interactions we’ve had here. It certainly stands out as the worst and for us is clearly the final straw. For other customers we have included some pros and cons. But the best distillation I can give you is this: There are a lot of fantastic restaurants in DC, restaurants with not only better food than Red Hen but with actual professional staff. With this is mind, there is really no reason (even for those of us living in the neighborhood) to continue to patronize this restaurant.
Pros
Wine list is good (over priced but very good)
Food is decent (they rarely change the menu– apart from swapping sides, but what they have is good).
The building and décor is very nice.
Cons
The service at the bar is always rude (Very rude).
The food and wine is very overpriced even for DC standards
The menu rarely changes — or at least there is not enough variety.
The material that makes up the bar surface is often dirty and caked with grime.

This was my second time trying to get a table here and I’m glad it worked out! We were the there before 5 but tee were the third part of four so the didn’t have anything for us initially. Apparently there was a cancellation bc they texted us not long after to there was a table ready about 30 minutes later. Their whole seating process is the only reason they lost a star in my book. It just makes it difficult to plan you evening. I will say that the hostesses are incredibly helpful and accommodating.
The service: our waiter was great. He didn’t push us on anything but asked us our tastes/​preferences so he could help us select food and drinks we’d enjoy.
The food: phenomenal. And of course I have to give credit to our waiter (I think his name was Eric but not sure) here. I would highly recommend getting a bunch of items and sharing. We did crispy brussel sprouts (that aioli!) for an app and shared the squid ink linguine, short ribs, and scallops. The squid ink wax a truly unique dish and very flavorful. I would def get it again. Scallops and short ribs were cooked perfectly and both melt in your mouth. We finished off with a hazelnut custard crumble per the waiter’s suggestion and were so please. Perfect all around meal. Go!
Can’t wait to go back!

We went here for Dinner on a Sunday evening. It’s the type of place to go and get several dishes per person and share them all. We got the chopped liver, beets, brussels sprouts, pasta, halibet, and a couple desserts. All good.
The service was competent. There are a couple unusual things about this restaurant. No salt and pepper on the table. We managed to get some but it was removed part-​way thru the meal. We were told there is only one black pepper mill for the entire restaurant. Odd, right?
Also there is the wine by the glass selection – 4 options, none of them chardonnay. Really? Yes really I was told in authoritative tones. Excuse me for being surprised, I guess?

I booked our Saturday night reservation 6 weeks in advance and it was worth the wait. The décor and ambiance is beautiful and romantic, and our server was really great. While we started with the Smoked Trout Rillettes with Mascarpone, Sesame, Dill, Pickled Onion, Watermelon Radish & Toast, (which was reminiscent of pickled herring toast and quite yummy) my favorite dish was the Burrata with Grilled Broccolini, Farro, Soppressata, Oregano Vinaigrette, Breadcrumbs & Romesco Sauce. I loved the contrast of warm and cold and the difference textures we got from the creamy burrato to the crispy farro and breadcrumbs. The pasta dish we ordered was the Saffron Paccheri with Duck Leg Ragu, Chorizo, Roasted Sweet Potato, Mint & Parmigiano, where I realized how well duck and mint pair together. Suprinsingly, our least favorite dish was the Suckling Pig Porchetta with Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, Za’atar, Frisee, Crispy Capers & Salsa Verde. The porchetta was kind of dry and the potatoes were a little too «al dente» for me. The salsa verde was lovely though and paired well with the bitterness of the Za’atar and frisee. Overall, I found the dishes well paired and thoughtful and would enjoy going there again.

One and half waiting… with empty tables… reservations is a must! The host is not very welcoming. She acted like she’s in her dorm room talking to her dormmates… we walked away and found shaws tavern. Seafood was delicious!

I’ve been wanting to try Red Hen basically since it opened, hearing so many great reviews from friends (Caitlin O. in particular) and of course here on Unilocal.Finallyyyyyy, on the first Sunday of 2016, I did! HOORAY! It was such a nice, lonnngg new years weekend and I had the BRILLIANT idea to show up at RH when it opened on Sunday. I’d read people have had good luck getting a table without a rez by showing up at opening time. So my hubby and I biked over in the bitter cold (turns out not as cold as it would get in the next few days) and arrived about 10 minutes after 5. Later than we’d planned, but LUCKILY we got the last open table, the hostess said. YAY!!! 2016 IS OFF TO A GREAT START!!!
I love the look of this restaurant, we asked what it was before and were told a secondhand store but that it’d been vacant for a few years. Well, it looks great, beautiful, big space. Our waitress was nice, she was training someone. We weren’t in the drinking mood (lots of drinking the days before) so we got a coke & diet which come in glass bottles and for whatever reason, the diet coke is BABY sized and the coke is NORMAL sized. WHY!!! So unfair to us diet coke drinkers! (same price as the coke, too!)
Apps:
— ricotta crostini (chose it over the burrata per the Unilocal reviews I read): amazing!!! my fav of everything we had. The ricotta and the honey go together so nicely! YUM
— brussel sprouts: very good! and very nice sized portion! loved the aioli!
— chicken liver mouse (per the waitress’ rec): good, but nothing spectacular
For dinner we both got the mezze rigatoni. My hubby LOVED his (said he wished the portion was bigger, but I’ll say, the portion was fine, not small, he just, you know, is a dude and eats lots). I thought it was very good but didn’t love it. The pasta was cooked perfectly but I didn’t loooove the sausage. We also got dessert because YOLO, he got the chocolate cake and I got the sugar tart, both came with ice cream. Both were good, but I’d skip them next time and get another order of the ricotta crostinis!
Great restaurant, will definitely be back!

A great find in Bloomingdale.
My friend and I went on a Sunday night right when they opened without a reservation. There was a line, but everyone waiting got seated when they finally opened the doors. We sat at the bar, nice and comfortable.
My first glass of red wine had «turned» slightly, and I asked the waitress to check it. She did, and immediately gave me a fresh glass after checking the bottle out and saying it had oxidized. Nice service.
I had the rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu – WOW! We shared the spaghetti squash side with lemon and sage and we agreed that was the show stopper! It had this buttery smoothness and depth of flavor that you don’t expect from a side vegetable! LOVED it!
Will definitely be back and try other options.

Two bottles of the perfect Super Tuscan and we were off to the races!
The Red Hen is an instant favorite. The design of the restaurant is delightful and the open kitchen provides a very entertaining backdrop to a fantastic dinner with friends. Expect excellent help and service and a space that is perfectly lit.
Here’s what to eat:
Drinks:
2x Casadei Syrah Blend, 2013 ($ 55 each) A
Starters:
Tuscan Chicken Liver Mousse with Fig Conserva ($ 9) A
Burrata with Grilled Broccolini, ($ 15) B–
Fried Brussels Sprouts ($ 11) A+
Grilled Lamb Meatballs ($ 14) B
Mezze Rigatoni ($ 17): A+++ The star of the show and quite possible your new favorite pasta dish! This is order item and worth the trip, if for nothing else. Pushed this review from 4 stars to 5.
Main Course:
Suckling Pig Porchetta ($ 26) A: Excellent texture and crunch!
Grilled Beef Short Rib ($ 27) A–
Desert:
Warm Apple Crisp ($ 9) A

Went here for our anniversary dinner with the husband and had a great meal! We got there around 5:30 and did not have to wait for a table– even though they had no reservations available. They save seats for walk-​ins! We started with the whipped ricotta crostini– it was amazing! Very simple, yet very tasty and balanced. We then had the buratta– we were on a cheese kick I guess. It was also great! For dinner we split the rigatoni and the short ribs. Both were excellent, although not necessarily dishes I would return for over and over. I would venture to say there are other spots in the city doing these dishes just as well. For dessert we had a delicious chocolate cake. Overall we were very satisfied with the meal and glad to try the place out. With reservations being hard to get and walking in nearly impossible on weekends, I’m not sure how often we would return.

As expected, the food and service was incredible.
I started with the lamb meatballs, then had the saffron paccheri, and finished with the chocolate crème fraîche and mint gelato dessert. It was all delicious and the server was very knowledgable in explaining what everything was, since I am not well versed on my Italian terms.
I am not usually a big advocate for gelato, but this place has some of the best I’ve had.
Expect to spend $ 30 – 60 per person, but it is well worth it.

This place was awesome and completely lived up to the hype. I was in DC for work so I went here on Tuesday night with my parents to celebrate my birthday. We started with a round of Manhattans which were great and made with delicious Luxardo cherries. We then ordered two of the small bites, chicken liver mousse and whipped ricotta toast. Both were awesome but I was partial to the mousse. It had a fruit jam on top which added a nice sweet element to the salty mousse. I highly recommend trying. For appetizer we ordered the fried brussels sprouts and lamb meatballs. Again both of these dishes were amazing. The fried brussels are not to be missed. Served on a bed of anchovy aioli they were just really really really delicious.
For pasta we ordered and split the duck ragu and mezze rigatoni. The pasta dishes took this place from a strong 4 to a solid 5 star rating. The rigatoni was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever eaten. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sausage was delicious. The sauce had just a bit of vinegar adding a real interesting depth and taste to the whole dish. If I could get away with only wearing sweat pants in life I would eat this dish everyday. AMAZING! For the main we ordered the short ribs which were again fabulous. We finished it all off with the maple custard desert.
Amazing restaurant and one not to be missed in DC!

I had dinner at The Red Hen while visiting a friend in the DC area. She had been here previously and knew that I (along with our other friend who was visiting) would love it. She was right!
There was no shortage of tempting items on the menu. We ordered a bottle of wine to split and started with some apps to share. The first was whipped ricotta on crostini with balsamic brown butter and honey. The flavor combination on this was fantastic. My only wish was that there had been more than two small pieces (then again, it was under the «small things» label on the menu!). The second item that we tried were the Brussels sprouts, which were fried and coated in a somewhat spicy chili/​togarashi sauce and Pecorino Romano. The texture on these was great and I enjoyed the spices and touch of heat that they provided.
For my entrée, I settled on the mezze rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu. I rarely order pasta when eating out as I’m not usually that blown away by it, but this one was an exception. The pasta was perfectly al dente and had a great texture and fresh taste. The sauce was rich and hearty, with a generous amount of sausage throughout.
For dessert, my friend and I split the maple custard with hazelnuts. The flavor of the custard was delicious, and the chopped nuts added texture to make this a perfect ending to our meal!
The restaurant itself has a very cozy, intimate atmosphere. Overall we had a really nice time!

I’m never one to throw 5 star reviews out easily. So after dining at The Red Hen I found myself scouring for the sixth star… yep it was that wonderful.
The restaurant is in the Bloomingdale section of the city. Cool area that appears to be haven for hip younger artist/​musician type folk. I’m neither, but no how to find my way around locating awesome food, at least that is what I expected by solid reviews from multiple sources.
Parking is off steer, or valet for $ 10. If you get there around opening you can score a spot in front of the establishment. If you’re later I would not bother and drop $ 10.
The Red Hen is on the corner, easy to find among mainly residential property. However, this block is commercial. Area was clean directly in front of business. I loved the look of the old brick building painted green with the huge red hen on the sign and small hanging shingle of a hen in front of their door.
I did call ahead to make Saturday night reservations. However they were booked for the night. However they do have walk-​in availability first hour on first come first serve basis. A line was formed at 5:01 that surprised me. My son and I were seated promptly by the hostess.
Our waitress Sarah came out minutes later with menus and secured drink orders. Often you get a read on your waitress and my read was pure awesomeness! Smiled, friendly and answered questions that my 12 year old had with patience. All the qualities for a great server was present. I focused on beer list. I found a bottle of Virginia made Port City Porter. Not a huge bottle list, but you will find something. Taps on hand too! She quickly delivered a delicious plate of bread that was devoured.
The décor is casual, anyone would feel comfortable. Concrete floors and ceiling. However, the ceiling has a wood inlay over it, so cool. Clean lines, bright and warm. Tables and chairs with booth seating on one side of exterior wall with adjoins floating tables. The bar is the center piece of the attractive, hip layout.
Sarah ready to take orders made recommendations at our request. The menu is fixed with no evening specials. The restaurant accommodated a smaller portion of pasta for my son at adjusted price. The mezzee rigatoni with fennel sausage was ordered and after debate I got the beef short ribs.
The entire service two runners attended to drink refills and clearing dirty plates. The coordination was seamless with the entire staff. The timing was clockwork. This area of a service often fails, but it shine brightly tonight.
Meals were out with blazing speed, like 15 min tops. My picky son went nuts over his pasta dish with in-​house sauce. My beef ribs were so juicy and tender and bean accompaniment was spot on. Portion size nice, but not over whelming.
How could we say no to desert after taking a peek at the menu. My son ordered the chocolate & crème fraîche, me the maple custard with caramelized hazelnut crumble. The cake possibly had the better presentation and tasted awesome. The cake was so moist. However, the custard won on best flavor. The hazelnuts were delicious and custard rich and flavorful.
Only one thing occurred in negative light and it was outside when finishing our meal. A woman was panhandling, even talked with my son. This is not only a concern for The Red Hen, but other businesses along the block. A solution could be to compensate the valet for moving them along.
From seating, to service, to scrumptious meals and desert. They hit on all cylinders and deserve praise. One negative will not blemish giving them a full 5 star review. Recommend!

I’ve had The Red Hen on my list ever since they opened up back in ’13. This Italian-​influenced, Bloomingdale-​neighborhood spot offers a dinner menu, dessert, and wine/​cocktails. The hubs and I came here for an early dinner, and we tried the following: Tuscan Chicken Liver Mousse with Fig Conserva, Fresh Thyme, & Grilled Rustic Bread (the chicken liver mousse came cold, and it was heavily fig conserva-​focused (the fig conserva was like a gelatinous ‘preserve’ on top; slightly salty, it was pretty okay on the perfectly crisply-​grilled slices of bread); Smoked Trout Rillettes with Celery, Mascarpone, Dill, Watermelon Radish & Toast (imagine a tuna salad, but using trout instead; this was more on the bland side, and I wasn’t a fan of this; this came with a side of frisee salad); Burrata with Sweet Corn & Tomato Salad, Wheatberries, Salami, Basil & Breadcrumbs (the burrata was very fresh and of a generous portion, but it was not seasoned; the salad itself was fresh, heavily-​corn-​based, and the ‘salami’ were actually little cubed chunks (which were not of many)); Charred Octopus with Spring Pea Hummus, Chickpea Salad, Fennel, Frisee & Tonnato Sauce (the octopus was definitely charred (slightly too much but it was still good; I wasn’t a fan of the salad, as the chickpeas at this restaurant is served ‘al dente’ (which to me means ‘not cooked’); Squid Ink Linguini with Calamari, Chickpeas, Pea Shoots, Pickled Fresno Chile & Breadcrumbs (the squid ink linguini was perfectly cooked al dente and delicious, and the creamy sauce had a nice little kick to it; however, the amount of calamari was just way too much, and the chickpeas, again, were not cooked); Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano (one of the restaurant’s famous dishes, the rigatoni was also perfectly cooked al dente; the sauce was tasty, and reminded of my own sauce (but mine just is slightly more cheesier and has a spicy kick to it) — the fennel sausage could have been crumbled down more, as there were just massive chunks of them; I did like the fact that the fennel taste was not overpowering); Caramelized Scallops with English Peas, Bacon, Charred Scallion, Summer Greens & Soft Polenta (this was my favorite entrée dish; the polenta was one of the best I’ve had, as it was very creamy and flavorful; the scallops were cooked well and buttery, and the charred scallions and the summer greens had a slight garlic taste to them); Charred Beef Short Ribs with Braised Beans ‘alla Romesco,’ Smoked Onion Salsa Verde, Feta & Balsamico (the short ribs was a little overcooked, but had a good taste to it; I wasn’t a fan of the beans and the feta cheese as it was a weird complement to the ribs); Suckling Pig Porchetta with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Za’atar, Salsa Verde, Frisee & Crispy Capers (this had too much of a heavy ‘pork’ taste to it, and the potatoes had an acidic taste to them; this dish was not a favorite of mine); and, a side of Fried Cauliflower ‘Sicilian Style’ with Pecorino Romano & Breadcrumbs (red sauce-​dressed cauliflower, the veggies seemed as if they were steamed, rather than ‘fried’ as noted). After the first couple of dishes, the items tasted the same/​1-​noted, with the repetition of the tomato sauce, the pecorino romano, the frisee salad with the same vinaigrette dressing, and the bread crumbs. For dessert, we had the Maple Custard with Caramelized Hazelnut Crumble (while the maple custard (tasted like a maple-​version of a crème brûlée filling) was pretty tasty, the topping was just way too overwhelming — it seemed more peanuts than hazelnuts, and there were no ‘caramelization’ of the nuts — it literally tasted like custard topped with a massive amount of nuts!). We finished our meal with a glass of Amaro Averna, a classic digestif that had a slight medicinal/​minty taste to it. Our server was Ejeon, and he was really nice and friendly; you can tell that he is very enthusiastic and extremely loyal to the menu items. The space itself was pretty big, with the exposed brick and the wooden décor, and the open kitchen to your right. We were seated by the window, and one annoyance was that there were too many flies/​gnats flying around T_​_​_​_​T Just a note: it’s okay if you are unable to score a reservation on their online system — the restaurant still sets aside some tables for walk-​ins, which I thought was pretty awesome: D I’m glad I was able to check this place out, and I’d probably come back for their pasta-​oriented dishes.
+Squid Ink Linguini with Calamari, Chickpeas, Pea Shoots, Pickled Fresno Chile & Breadcrumbs (opt out of the chickpeas and calamari)
+Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano (request for the sausage to be crumbled down more)
+Caramelized Scallops with English Peas, Bacon, Charred Scallion, Summer Greens & Soft Polenta
+online reservations offered, but walk-​ins are happily received
+ask for Ejeon

My husband and I went to Red Hen last night to celebrate his birthday. It had been over a year since we’d been, and we were thrilled to find that they are still up to par, or perhaps even better than the first time we went!
Drinks: They let me try a couple of red wines off the menu, and I settled on the La Stoppa Barbera blend which was absolutely phenomenal. I took a picture of the label so I could look for it! Hubby was less excited about his mezcal cocktail, but I think he just didn’t know what to expect.
Food: Nearly everything we had was phenomenal, and I rarely say that. We split:
–Buratta with corn, bread crumbs and salami: really, you must. The buratta is rich and creamy and the texture pairs beautifully with the corn and bread crumbs. This dish is a must.
–Grilled octopus with chickpeas and green pea hummus: delicious! Loved the smoky flavor on the octopus.
–Rigatoni: wow, just wow. I rarely am impressed by pastas at restaurants, but this is the house specialty for a reason. It was clearly fresh and cooked perfectly al dente, the sauce was to die for and there were generous chunks of Italian sausage.
–Coconut & almond sundae: probably the least stand out dish of our meal. The ice cream didn’t blow me a way, but it was still a nice way to cap off an amazing meal with something sweet. Next time I would stick with the maple custard, which I tried and loved on a past visit.
Service: Another point of big props. I often get very frustrated with servers who are overly present and the constant plate clearing mentality that makes me feel there’s always an arm in my face. Not here! The whole crew is very attentive, not bringing one plate over until you are done with your first and not too quick to grab it from you as you are lifting your last bite to your mouth, yet I never felt like I was waiting. This is a tough skill to balance, so bravo!
We’ll be back!

What isn’t great here? I’ve visited 3 times in the last year, and I have loved every experience. It doesn’t hurt that the company has been wonderful each time :)
The dining room is rustic, open, well-​lit, and bustling with a bar island right in the middle that’s churning out cute refreshing summer cocktails. Red Hen has a country-​southern feel, and the menu is all sorts of new American eclectic with a spotlight on incredible pastas.
The starters are all a bit small and difficult to share with more than one other person, which I sort of wish the waiters would mention when we ask if things are shareable. We’ve ordered the heirloom tomato toast and ricotta crostini with truffles, and they were both delicious and appetite-​whetting. Whether the price point is worth it is another question given how small these are.
Among the salad-​sized starters, I thought the burrata salad with wheat berries, chunks of cured pork, and corn was amazing. It’s a funny looking dish as it’s essentially a pile of brown wheat berries with specks of other stuff and a giant wad of burrata sitting on top, but it was mindblowingly great and exactly what I wanted after sprinting across town on a bike to attend a dinner which I was accidentally half an hour late for. The sweet corn, creamy sweet fresh mozzarella, bites of salty cured pork, and hearty wheat berries were an ingenious combination of various flavor and texture profiles that I definitely would not have thought to combine. This is about the size of a pasta dish and very shareable. Get it.
Among the pastas, I LOVED the sweet corn and mushroom cavatelli. The wild mushrooms add a great earthy quality to a creamy and sweet pasta sauce, and it’s got this awesome fragrant hearty quality to it that’s still summery enough to justify wanting to eat it on hot DC summer days. Thanks, sweet corn. Runner up awesome pasta is the rigatoni. Imagine your perfect red sauce meaty pasta dish. It’s perfect.
For dessert, you must order the chocolate cake with chocolate mint ice cream. The mint essence is the star here and makes this fragrant chocolatey concoction the perfect closer to a great meal.

Although we had to make dinner reservations here over two weeks in advance, it was well worth the wait. The red hen promises a really fun and delicious dinner experience. The restaurant is a very cool and lively space with a really intimate setting. A great choice for a date or just to grab a bite with some friends. They don’t have offer many main vegetarian options, but their saffron zucca pasta is vegetarian and its absolutely phenomenal.
We started off the meal sharing two whipped ricotta crostinis and they were really lovely. A light, sweet, and crispy start to the meal. One of us pointed out though that it wouldn’t be the hardest item to «replicate» at home by drizzling some honey on toasted, cream cheese-​layered bread. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth ordering because they surely are.
As for the main course, the pan-​roasted halibut was fantastic. A really crispy and tender piece of fish served atop a bed of chickpeas and couscous-​like grain with a slew of different spices and toppings. The mixture was unforgettably unique and addicting. The accompaniments are really what make this fish shine. I couldn’t recommend it or this restaurant more highly.

The Red Hen is a popular destination as I had to book a reservation a month in advance just to find an open table. While I can sort of understand the appeal, The Red Hen didn’t fully pull me in to feel it was justifiable of the long wait.
Place is very nice to look at. A nice big open space with high windows that bring in a lot of natural light. While the place is a good size, they have serious spacing issues. The tables are too close to each other especially against the wall where I dined. It makes it difficulty to enjoy a night out with that special someone if you can hear every word with great detail at the tables surrounding you. This definitely takes away from the overall atmosphere.
On to the food there were hits and misses with the product put on the plate as well. I started with the grilled octopus, this was a miss, the octopus was overly charred and overcooked. Mushy and lacking flavor. Definitely not something I would order in the future.
For the entrée I had the Wood Grilled Chicken, major hit with the chicken itself, tender juicy inside, excellent flavor and the portion size was surprisingly large. The accompanying Kale wasn’t as good, a tad too watery and no seasoning. The fingerling potatoes were quality, cooked thoroughly and a nice addition to the dish.
Finished the meal wth the apple cinnamon donuts with sorbet, while a tad too sweet for my liking, donuts were soft and light and a nice way to close out the dinner.
All in all The Red Hen has a lot of good things going for them but didn’t do enough with the environment and all the food items to blow my mind.