Duck Duck Goose - Dupont Circle — Restaurant in Washington

I originally wanted to keep this at 2 stars, but after reaching out to the restaurant via email on December 20th, and not hearing back, I have to deduct another star. I initially reached out to them to keep my experience private, but their lack of acknowledgement has forced my hand to place a public review.

I dined at Duck Duck Goose on the 17th with a group of friends.

The email I sent them is as follows.

I was heavily disappointed in the level of service that we received. We were seated promptly at 6:30 by the maître d'. The server eventually arrived at our table at 6:45 to take our drink order. We decided to order a bottle of brut and a bottle of white wine and place an order of appetizers. The bottles did not arrive until 7:05, and then the server simply put the bottle down at a nearby table to attend to another table. She returned 5 minutes later at 7:10 to pour our glasses. At this point, we placed the order for our entrees. No one stopped by to check on us for nearly 25 minutes. At this point, I took the initiative to at least refill our glasses. A few minutes later, another server comes out and delivers our entrees. If you noticed that I did not mention the appetizers, it's because we did not receive them. We asked the server about our appetizers, and one of the servers said they would have to get our table server. She comes back and says she put in the order, but there was a problem in the kitchen. She asked if we still wanted them, and we decided to cancel some but keep a couple of appetizers. At this point, our bottles were empty, and were contemplating ordering another 2 bottles, but after the long wait times, we decided that we may not receive the bottles until we were ready to leave. Upon finishing our dinner, we decided to get 2 desserts, the bread pudding and the eclair. These desserts were not brought out together, but one after the other. Other issues that were particularly problematic were the servers that took our plates away and that refilled our water glasses. In a high-end restaurant such as yours, it is not appropriate to reach in front of the diner and pull plates away, rather, one should come from behind and pull the plates and refill the water glasses so as to not distract from an engaging conversation. This may be acceptable for an establishment such as a TGI Fridays, but not a high-end restaurant. I'm not sure the cause of all these issues with service, but better training would be beneficial. One other issue before going into the food. We had requested a bottle of champagne to celebrate a member of our party. I had completely forgotten about this till about the end. When we inquired about this with the maître d', he had said that they had run out of flutes. We were flabbergasted that that was the excuse that was given. At no point did anyone ever apologize for the multiple levels of disappointments in service. And I'm saying that as someone that is aware of the troubles a restaurant has with finding good servers.

As for the food. The food overall was delicious, even with the service issues. However, my only complaint was that my side of truffle mac & cheese had portions that were cold. Almost as if it was pulled out of the freezer and heated in a microwave. I was not alone in this observation. Unfortunately, as with all the issues with the service, I was not able to tell our server this.

Overall, I left with dissatisfaction with my experience at your establishment. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive that I could not comprehend what could have possibly happened to warrant this. I do hope you take this critique to make some...

Duck Duck Goose has been on my list for years but I've been lazy and didn't want to travel to Bethesda so when they opened a location in DC I no longer had an excuse. I made a reservation on Resy for a Tuesday night and glad I did because the restaurant was very busy when we arrived!

In the order of favorite to least:

CHARRED BROCCOLINI AGNOLOTTI - 15 Almond Puree, Lemon Curd, Talagio *this was surprisingly our favorite of the evening and I thoroughly enjoyed the pillowy pockets of pasta accompanied by complex and bright flavors, I could easily eat 3 portions of this dish

DUO OF ROHAN DUCK BREAST - 35 Carrots, Gooseberries *the duck was slightly undercooked for both of us, more on the rare side so it was chewy but if you cut thin slices of the breast with your knife you didn't notice, the sauce they poured tableside was very necessary because the duck lacked seasoning, the carrots and gooseberries were underwhelming and extraordinarily a small portion as if it was a garnish

PAVLOVA - 13 passion fruit curd, vanilla pastry cream *this was the most photographed dessert I found so I had to order it even though I personally do not like passion fruit and it was very well balanced, the sour complemented the richness of sweet marshmallow-like filling

CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING - 13 caramel, chantilly *reminded me a bit of a cinnamon bun with crispy edges and soft center, would've loved more chantilly cream, I love rich desserts

DUCK A L'ORANGE COCKTAIL - 18 Duck Confit Infused Bourbon, Orange Old Fashioned Syrup, Golden Berries & Cardamom Bitters *If you're a fan of Old Fashioned cocktails then you'll enjoy this drink, especially if you like a smoky flavor, it is presented with a wooden top to hold in the smoke and the flavor stays until the end

ROASTED BONE MARROW- 21 Oxtail Ragu, Blueberry Jam *the bone marrow was a bit difficult to eat, I wish they provided a better utensil to scoop the marrow out, the oxtail ragu didn't really add much to the dish and the best part was the blueberry jam

FOIE GRAS PARFAIT - 30 Tuna Tartare, Fresh Citrus *I read reviews on Google and Yelp that this was one of the most recommended dishes by diners and I guess my expectations were too high, the tuna was good but not much flavor and the foie gras was velvety but the dish lacked salt and acid even with the citrus segments. The tuna tartare is served separately from the foie gras parfait and when spread on a crostini, it just wasn't cohesive, it felt like two very separate dishes.

SERVICE/ATMOSPHERE: We had great service throughout dinner. I do wish they left the bottle of water at our table because I was empty several times. Dinner was around $200 and we both agreed we would...

I had the pleasure of dining at Duck Duck Goose, and I must say, it was an unforgettable culinary experience. This contemporary small plates brasserie truly exceeded all expectations with its focus on local, seasonal ingredients, and the exceptional service provided by Andrea added an extra layer of delight to our evening.

From the moment we stepped inside, it was evident that Duck Duck Goose is a cut above the rest. The ambiance was inviting, the decor modern yet warm, and the staff were welcoming. However, it was our server, Andrea, who truly stood out. Her knowledge of the menu was impressive, and her elegance and delightful personality made our dining experience all the more enjoyable.

We embarked on our culinary journey with the braised pork, and it was nothing short of decadent. The richness and depth of flavor in this dish left us craving for more. My wife opted for the duck confit, and it was cooked to absolute perfection. The duck confit had a remarkable balance of savory notes complemented by a subtle hint of sweetness from the fat and spices. It was evident that the slow cooking process had worked wonders, as the duck practically melted in our mouths, leaving us with an unforgettable taste sensation.

As for my choice, I couldn't have been happier with the branzino. The fish was impeccably prepared, flaky, and possessed a delightful hint of sweetness. It was a testament to the chef's skill and the restaurant's commitment to using the finest seasonal ingredients.

What truly impressed us was not just the outstanding flavors but also the impeccable presentation of each dish. Each plate that arrived at our table was a work of art, worthy of being featured on Instagram or TikTok. Duck Duck Goose knows that we eat with our eyes first, and they certainly succeeded in making every dish visually stunning.

Needless to say, Duck Duck Goose has won us over, and we are already planning our return visits. The combination of exceptional service, locally-sourced seasonal ingredients, and bold, delicious flavors has firmly established Duck Duck Goose as our go-to restaurant for special occasions and everyday indulgence. If you're in search of a dining experience that transcends the ordinary, look no further than Duck Duck Goose – you won't be...