Revel Restaurant — Restaurant in Huntington

If you read the other reviews you'll see a lot of "hidden gem", "charming" blah blah. The thing is... its true.

Revel is exemplary.

This review is based on ~50 visits over 4 years.

Revel has a very unassuming exterior. Its easy to pass by, but as soon as you walk in, you can tell someone put a lot of thought and care into making it something special.

For me, the star of the show is the cocktail program. You'd be hard pressed to find better drinks in the city. Consistent high quality. The bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable and creative which means if you'd like a custom twist on a classic they can dial it in no problem. For nerds like me, I enjoy learning about the clever fresh ingredients they use.

The restaurant is attached to a very nice wine shop (Unwined), so no surprise it has a wine-bar feel. I certainly drink wine, but I'm no enthusiast so I very much appreciate that the servers are always happy to explain the options and make a recommendation.

There is also a decent selection of quality craft beers on tap. Usually some combination of (pils, lager, IPA, hazy , sour, cider) and a handful of bottles. Usually something dark is on tap or in bottles.

The chefs do a great job at preparing creative seasonal menus. And I'd add, creative without losing the plot. Its hard to say there is any one particular style. Last time I had a Pakistani chicken curry which was killer. There is usually some type of novel salad, soup/gazpacho, a dozen different appetizers and maybe half dozen entrees, a very nice cheese and charcuterie menu. The lamb tartar, meat pies and gumbo are among my favorite of the items that are usually on the menu. The desserts tend to be lighter versions of their namesakes. For example if you order a rum cake, its not going to be super dense and sweet. Its probably going to be made with some special kind of flour and and use honey instead of processed sugar - I'm making up the details, but it seems to be a conscious choice to provide lighter "healthier?" options.

Consistent great service. Its helpful to have friendly wait staff to explain some of the items I'm not familiar with.

When you visit...and you should!...I think you'll see that you are being served by a group of incredibly talented folks who genuinely care about their craft and what ends up on your table. It will be served with an infectious , genuine courtesy. And that , above all else, is what keeps me...

Last night I finally made it to this new wine bar and restaurant after wanting to go for weeks!

First, the space is spectacular. No detail was left untouched, and the whole place feels fresh and modern but welcoming and warm. The service was excellent, clearly the wine selection was stellar, and the food was so delicious!

We started with the gougères and the trout rilletes with endive, moved on to fingerling potatoes, wild mushrooms and lentils, and gumbo for my husband. (His comment was: I can't imagine anything improving this dish. High praise!) Then we ordered a couple of cheeses and finished on an especially high note with the pot de crème—which I'm already craving again fewer than 18 hours later.

I took what was left of my lentils and potatoes, and added a couple of fried eggs for breakfast this morning—highly recommend!

If you live in the DC area, trust me. You want to make Revel your next restaurant/wine bar adventure. They don't take reservations, so get there earlier than you might otherwise and you will love the...

Recently visited for dinner service after visiting the owner has right next door. There is plentiful free parking as the restaurant is located in a shopping center area. The restaurant is truly a hidden gem in an intimate space that is minimally yet chicly designed. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and although we made a reservation the restaurant was not very busy for a weekday dinner date. The staff was courteous and very attentive giving great recommendations for wine pairings and about the entree options. We had the Spanish garlic shrimp entree with was good but with a thicker than normal sauce that I’ve experienced with similar dishes. The lasagna was filling and the tilefish was not as flavorful but mixing with the bed of chow chow really made the fish taste better. The lavender blues mocktail was the perfect mix of tart and sweet. The restaurant has amazing wine options. A special place for a date night or if you want to experience an elevated dinner of the beaten path of Old Town Alexandria. $$...