Torrie’s

I am very disappointed with my experience here. We arrived and was allowed to sit anywhere. Within 2 minutes someone came to take our drink order and to say she’d give us a minute to decided. We decided quickly since it was our lunch break and didn’t have much time. However, no one came to take our order after 10 minutes. There was only 1 other party in the place. We got her attention and she said she’d be right there. After 10 more minutes, she came. What we wanted to eat, Beef short ribs and Chitterlings, we would told would take an additional 25 minutes that we no longer had. Our second choice, Pig feet, they didn’t have so we had to change what we really wanted to eat to something they had available on hand. I chose a broiled croaker platter, with Mac & Cheese and green beans and my friend, smothered pork chops w/​gravy, mashed potatoes and Mac & cheese. We didn’t have enough time to eat in the restaurant at this point so we asked for it to be prepared to carried out. Ater 45 minutes we got up from the table to pay so that when the food was ready we could get back to work. As the food was being packaged, I noticed that I only had ½ piece (it was butterflied and I got one side of it) of the broiled croaker with very small sides and my friend got fried pork chops, not smothered in gravy as he asked for along with a very small side order portion as well. In addition, when we got back to work, we didn’t find the food to be anything special. My fish was very bland and the Mac and Cheese didn’t have much cheese at all. I would be willing to try again but this was very disappointing. As my friend stated and I agree, when you go out to eat, you expect to have good service and food.

The salmon cakes were really good. The atmosphere was very relaxed; it is definitely a tribute to Howard University alumni and the Greek system there. The homemade grits actually taste great and the biscuits are legit Southern fare. The wait staff is quite nice, and it just feels like a Southern diner.

First and last visit. I went in for breakfast with a friend who lives in the area. The food and service were just OK. Neither were good enough to warrant a return visit. Hot cakes and scrambled eggs were both good but the bacon was over cooked. The biggest issue for me was the restaurant does not use China, they use Melmac which is basically plastic.

TERRIBLE service & equally as bad food. We went on the recommendation of a friend after we took him to Florida Ave Grill. He promised that we would love the food here. WRONG. I ordered the crab cake with mac & cheese & potato salad. My husband ordered the fried whiting with mac & cheese & corn. About 15 mins after we ordered the waitress came over to our table to inform us that they didn’t have an crab cakes «mixed up» so I’d have to get something else. I changed to the fried whiting. The food arrived after about 35 minutes of waiting & as she brings the order to the table she tells my husband that they do not have corn. I was annoyed because they knew they didn’t have corn long BEFORE the food was brought to the table. He ended up ordering potato salad instead. We began eating & things got worse. The fish had NO flavor, it tasted like plain corn meal with no seasoning. The sides were okay, not even average. My husband had finished almost his entire meal until before we realize that she never brought the potato salad. We notice her sitting down at the at the lunch counter enjoying a salad with her back to us. We requested that she get the side order & she eventually did but by the time we got it his entire meal was finished. I didn’t eat much of my fish at all. I hate fish with bones, but I don’t mind dealing with the bones when the fish it worth it. This fish was certainly not the worth the hassle of the bones. My husband ate his entire meal because he’s old school & doesn’t believe in ever wasting food, but he agreed that everything was very bland & below average. Luckily the prices were cheap so we didn’t waste a lot of money. I’m always a little skeptical of a restaurant that is empty on a Sunday afternoon like Torrie’s was this day. My skeptism was valid, I think this place was empty because the food & service aren’t worth it.

The vegetables were barely warm. The biscuit was dry and hard. The fried chicken wings were ok. Will not be returning there. The lady behind me had breakfast & did not like the pancakes & sausage. It was our first time eating there and my last.

Went here with a friend because another restaurant around the corner had a ridiculous wait time… They have a pretty extensive menu for lunch and breakfast (in which I believe they serve both all day…). So in their slogan under the restaurant name, it says something about healthier southern cuisine… or something along those lines… so I totally understand the healthy thing they are trying to do… but there are ways to be healthy without compromising taste. Good true southern food does not require you to add extra salt and pepper. So they try to be healthier by not adding meat to their dishes for flavor, but it doesn’t make it healthier to add salt, which is what my server suggest I do… I got the whiting with greens, Mac and cheese with cornbread. Fish was ok, I’ve definitely had better, Mac and cheese was a little watery, greens tasted like grass, and the cornbread muffin was hard as a rock and tasted like cardboard. Told my server I didn’t like the greens at all and she didn’t charge me, so that was nice I guess. *shrugs* I know I’m in DC and I probably won’t get what I’m expecting… but if you’re gonna make southern food, at least try to do it right. :(

I went to Torrie’s for breakfast and ordered my egg fried hard. The egg they brought me was so runny, I thought the baby chick was going to hatch. I sent the egg back and the cook came out to my table like he was Dolomite or somebody ready to let me have it and then he precedes to tell me that I ordered my egg wrong.
He was so rude, the waitress was rude and I was afraid to eat. I will never set foot in this place again.
Don’t get me started on their so called biscuits. They were nothing more than those frozen pillsbury biscuits that you heat up in the microwave.
This place is the pits.

The good: Definitely has a nice friendly fifties vibe. There’s a tribute to Dr. King, and pictures of all the presidents on the wall. The not so good: the waiter was trying hard but needs to find a new profession — very slow and disorganized. They were out of salmon cakes, mashed potatoes and ribs. While i waited for my meal, several people complained about how long it was taking to get their orders in, and some left. The pork chops were fried nicely, but were mostly fat, bone and gristle. The mac ‘n’ cheese tasted OK, but had a very odd texture. The candied sweets were bland. When I paid, the cashier asked if I’d enjoyed my meal. I told her that about the pork chops, and she took 20% off the tab. If you end up here, I would definitely not recommend the platters, but would try the breakfast.

Waiting for a show at the 9:30 club and it was either eating here or at a bar, and I don’t drink so I chose here with my friends. It was the middle of the day on Saturday, and there was nobody in there but us but they were out of chicken and weren’t serving anything off their Italian section of the menu, so I ended up with a cheeseburger. It was decent and cheap. I liked the place and might go back next time I’m waiting for a show at the 930 club

Service was terrible. Food mediocre. Waited over an hour for our meals. When we asked about it the waitress didn’t even remember what I ordered. Everyone who came after us ate before us. The wait staff and management were not nice at all. I felt like I wasn’t welcome there. Very disappointed.

Its simple, cheap, and a quick place… at least for me it was. I went 7AM on a weekeday and service was good, but then again I was the only one there eating at the time. They had what I was looking for as far as a simple breakfast, grits, eggs, and bacon, but I also ordered the salmon cakes which were really tastey. This place doesn’t seem very fancy, I get the vibe that it’s a spot for the hard working force who wants a good affordable meal, so DON“T expect to find the next hot foodie spot here. For what it is and how it serves its community, I rate it 4 stars.

Ain’t nothing but a biscuit.
I had high hopes for the diner set by Howard University and the 9:30 club, got myself a coupon from
, and was VERY disappointed with the experience.
Where Torries Goes Wrong
1) Don’t call it fresh squeezed orange juice and lemonade if it is in fact not.
2) It’s not famous just because you call it «Famous Steak and Eggs.»
3) The Ribs: not worth $ 13.
The Good:
Their biscuits are decent. Not worth the trip to it, though.
So I will never be going back.

Came here with my friend twice. He goes to Howard and instructed that i try their french toast. Its a cute mom and pop type establishment with very friendly and helpful wait staff.
We both got the french toast, mine with turkey sausage– his with bacon cheese eggs and fried apples. French toast was awesome, like homemeade french. Turkey bacon taste old, and was cold. His bacon was hot and crunchy, taste great. The fried apples were delicious, tasted like they were in caramel, and very hot. His eggs came out nice, they actually brought me eggs although i didnt order. He asked for cheese eggs they simply laid a slice of cheese on the eggs– cold. Mixing his apples and bacon with my french toast made my meal awesome.
One thing that really took away from the experience was the wait for the food. Ordered food the moment we walked in and took waiter 20 minutes to get our order, then another 30 minutes to get the food to us– in which certain parts were cold.
P. S. Sometimes theres a person outside the front of the establishment making bbq ribs in a big griller. They smell good when you walk out– gotta try them one time.
Friendly service, very cheaply priced, tasty food. Worth it if u dont mind the time thing, or cold food.

This is by far the worst dining experience I have ever had. The food is in edible and the only thing worse is the service. Don’t waste your time and money.

The décor was amazing. Tons of history. As for the food itself, it was absolutely terrible. No flavor whatsoever! I would recommend Henrys on U St. instead.

Yelch. Let me start by saying that I like good «soul food» breakfast spots (The Serving Spoon in LA is my absolute favorite). Torries does not fall into this category. The service was ridiculously slow. We asked for soft scrambled eggs with cheddar and sauteed onions. They arrived scrambled TO DEATH with American cheese and no onions. The cheese grits were a bowl of completely flavorless grits with a piece of cheese on top (that is a pet peeve of mine. How hard is it to stir in the cheese in the kitchen??). The fish was disgusting. In addition to being lukewarm and incredibly bland, it just tasted «off». I tried dousing it with hot sauce, simply because I was really hungry, but I finally just gave up. Needless to say, I will not be going back.

I had a friend who lives in the Shaw area slip and fall. I met up with her in the Howard University ER and told her that I would buy her lunch… She said lets try this place! I had eaten here many years ago and said sure!
Major disappointment… First The Florida Avenue Grill and now this…

It stated on the sign outdoors that they served «Low Country Food» a healthy alternative… Alternative to what??? Flavor??? Braised short ribs of beef, mac & cheese and collard and green beans. Yes both!

The ribs were cut against the bone versus with the bone. No biggy. Tender as all get out but VOID OF FLAVOR!!! Zip, Zero, ZILTCH??? Usually the braising liquid is reduced, mounted with butter and thickened with a slurry… I think they just thickened the bland liquid. The green beans were flabby, salty and way over cooked for my liking. The collard greens had nice texture but fell short on the flavor department. I don’t understand… You can still eat healthy and have flavor… I rarely say this but I doubt it if I ever will return to this restaurant.

First, expect to be laid back in here and relax. They’re coming… eventually. Second, yes, Wilson’s changed their name. Third, they’re still a diner with Southern food and Southern hospitality. You can still get your scrapple here. You can also get anything else that one cooks on a griddle after slathering it with lard.
And that’s why I come back.

Where to begin — a place with DC culture!
We showed up to listen to a local band play some classic oldies and R&B. Showed up and knew it was going to be a good place and a great time.
Loved the music, the staff was super, and the ONLY disappointment was they were out of the short ribs.
You get what you pay for here, and the food is great. Pulled pork, slaw, potato salad, fried chicken, ALL good.
Can’t wait to go back.

Though it has been many years since I last ate here, I remember it being not great, but just OK. If I want standard diner fare, I would prefer Florida Grill. I would rate it as just average.