Palette 22 — Restaurant in Bailey's Crossroads

TLDR: If you're looking to indulge in a fun, festive brunch experience in Washington, DC, look no further than Palette 22. Located just a stone's throw from Union Market, this two-story restaurant has become a popular destination for those seeking a diverse, endlessly delicious brunch spread paired with a wide selection of drinks.

Atmosphere & Location: Palette 22 occupies a prime corner spot with a vibrant, modern vibe. The first floor boasts a large bar and plenty of seating options, making it perfect for casual brunchers and cocktail lovers alike. Upstairs, the second floor offers a more relaxed lounge area with additional bar space and cozy social seating areas—ideal for large groups or those seeking a more laid-back atmosphere.

The restaurant’s proximity to Union Market means that parking can be a bit tricky, especially on weekends when the area is bustling. Arriving a bit early might help secure a spot nearby, but expect a bit of a walk.

Service & Reservation: We had a reservation for a group of 10, and despite the usual DC restaurant rule requiring 90% of your party to be present before being seated, our group encountered a slight delay due to traffic as folks came in from all over Maryland. Although this meant we had to wait a bit, the staff at Palette 22 were incredibly accommodating, offering us a place at the bar while we waited and ensuring that our table was ready once the rest of our group arrived.

This level of service set the tone for the rest of the experience—attentive, friendly, and efficient throughout the two-hour brunch window.

The Endless Brunch: The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the endless brunch, which is priced at $60 per person (or $42 without drinks). The concept is simple but brilliant: you can order as many small plates and drinks as you want from a varied menu, all within a two-hour time frame. While the variety and volume of food were impressive, it was the quality and creativity of the dishes that truly stood out.

The brunch menu includes a mix of breakfast classics, global-inspired options, and some more lunch-oriented small plates. Some of the standout dishes from our meal included:

Breakfast Fried Rice: A flavorful, savory twist on a classic, it was a crowd favorite at our table. Lamb and Brisket Kebabs: Tender, juicy, and perfectly spiced, these were a hit among meat lovers. Crispy Criolla Potatoes: A crispy, salty, and flavorful dish that was addictive—everyone was fighting for the last bite. Duck Confit Benedict: A creative take on the traditional eggs benedict, the duck confit was perfectly rich and satisfying. Banh Mi: A fusion of fresh, flavorful ingredients that brought a bit of Asian flair to the table. In addition to the rich, savory dishes, Palette 22 also offers a solid array of lighter options like acai bowls and pancakes. Our vegan diner had no trouble finding suitable dishes, with the kitchen providing options that were flavorful and satisfying.

Drinks: As part of the endless brunch, you can enjoy a selection of alcoholic beverages. The house mojito was refreshing and well-balanced, and the beer selection provided something for every taste. The service was quick and efficient, ensuring that our glasses were never empty throughout our meal.

Overall Experience: The entire experience was relaxed, fun, and filled with great food and drink. The staff were friendly and attentive, and we appreciated the fact that we could take our time, ordering plates and drinks at a leisurely pace. For $60 per person (including drinks), it felt like a fantastic value given the high quality of the food and the generous portion sizes.

While the location can make parking a bit challenging, it’s certainly worth the trip for a weekend brunch that offers variety, quality, and a festive atmosphere. Whether you’re a local or just visiting DC, Palette 22 is definitely a spot to check out for an indulgent brunch with...

We got sat at “John’s” table near the middle slightly behind the waffle and taco station. Saturday, May 17th at 12:10pm. John is a tall gentleman who was by far the worst server I‘ve encountered in the last 10 years.

We brought our friends who have never been to P22 before, so we were excited.

We had the bottomless brunch — Skewer chickens, chicken sliders, and the cucumber dish were my favorite.

I’ve noticed that the busser and food runners offered amazing service. Wish we we could have given tip to them instead. I used to be a server back in the day so I really appreciated their work.

John barely introduces himself in a welcoming manner and then takes our orders eventually. Throughout our meal, he never once stopped by to check on how the food was tasting or if we needed anything else. In fact, it took him so long to come check on us after the first round of orders that I found myself stretching my neck out constantly looking for him. When he finally passed by our table (around 20 minutes later), I caught him to make our 2nd round of tapas orders. While we are placing our order with John, he says that we can have one of our orders “later”… UM, if I’m placing an order for my bottomless brunch, I would like you to put in the order right away sir. Ok?

We just ignored his ignorance. We made our one last order and still not pleasant. Just kind of robotic.

Also, our table kept getting pretty crowded with so many empty plates. Of course the bussers did the best they could but they had others tables too. Whenever he passed by our crowded table, he would only occasionally take our empty plates and then he would ask us to give him the plates. The table wasn’t even that big so I KNOW he can make that reach himself and clear it HIMSELF. But no, every single time we would be bussing the table for him while he stood there collecting the plates.

Odd thing is, I saw John working his other table that was a large party. Maybe around 15-20 people. He was very much attentive with them. I’m hoping he wasn’t treating us this way because of our race. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Finally, when we we asked for our check, it was time for us to put our tip amount in. They use one of those portable card machines; he hands out the machine to me so I can input the tip amount in and sign. I tried to take it but he tugs it back, and then I tried gently tugging it back again, but he wouldn’t budge. I actually really despise putting my tip amount in while a server holds out a portable card machine. It really makes me uncomfortable….RUDE MUCH? WHY ARE YOU A SERVER DUDE? YOU SEEM MISERABLE. If I am choosing to not eat at my home and go out to a restaurant to PAY for food AND service, the least you could do is offer somewhat of an adequate service. I reluctantly gave 18%. I wish I could go back and put $2 instead. I hope Palette22 is paying their bussers and food runners well. They were amazing.

Food overall was pretty delicious. Sadly, I cannot give more than 2 stars. The service made all 4 of us pretty upset. Please do better!

People these days think tips are automatically a GIVEN. No, you need to work for it. If you don’t work for it, don‘t expect a decent tip or anything at all, and don’t complain about it. It is not our jobs as consumers to pay YOUR wages for...

My husband and I have been here before in 2023, we loved it , we sat outside and it was wonderful. Then for my birthday he took me a second time and we were sat inside, totally fine! I was excited! But then we had a server, I don’t remember her name but she was a more masculine taller tom boy white woman with short hair. I was excited she seemed nice but then she was welcoming us I then ask her name after she finishes , then she goes “Ill tell you in a second if you just wait” like WOAH that was rude?? I apologized immediately. I promise you whoever is reading this that I did not interrupt her, I waited till she was finished talking to ask her her name to be nice. I like to ask servers for their names at restaurants so I can always address them by their names, “thank you ” or “the food was wonderful _ thank you!” … Right away after she leaves, my husband and I discuss how rude that was and how taken back we were? But maybe she was having a rush and bad morning so we try to just ignore it. We are just too excited for food. She returns with our order and the food is wonderful. We notice the table next to us is VERY loud , its an all girls party table. No worries, they are having a good time! BUT then we notice our server disappeared for 30 minutes straight. We watched on our phones the time and it was very long. We see her serving EVERY table except ours, we sat with empty plates for 30 minutes and no water. Im not someone to flag a waiter down ever, I find that rude to disturb servers that way, but I almost did , I WISH I did. I then THINK our server is about to come to us because I see her staring at us then walking up to us, but she then SKIPS up and goes to the all girls table and changes her whole personality and accent to be fun and outgoing to fit in with that table. Shes cracking jokes and trying to be all cool with them… Im just like huh? What did we do to deserve this treatment?? Why is she being so mean to us and nice to this table… then at 43 minutes (we timed it), she comes to us and asks if she can get us anything else in a nice tone. Im so mad I cant even look at her so I look away and have my husband order… and I can see her staring at my in my peripheral. She then asks me if I want more water and I say please thank you- thats it. She was definitely confused because I was purposely so nice toned when I met her but she noticed my tone shift to cold.. By the time we got our food, the unlimited brunch was OVER as its now been over an hour and 37 minutes and we only got served twice meanwhile other tables had servers checking on them back to back. If this business ever wants to do well, they should FIRE her . Her moodiness and mean spirit doesn’t belong in the food industry, Ive never experienced this at a restaurant in my life. This experience RUINED Palette22. This saddens me as I loved this restaurant but now,...