Praline Bakery — Restaurant in Washington

Initially, I was not going to post an online review. Yet, after reading the comments, I changed my mind. We, too, had a similarly poor customer service experience. We stopped in yesterday to get cold drinks on a very humid day. We were waiting for a dinner reservation and decided to stroll along the waterfront. We have family visiting the area who had not been to the new waterfront. The clerks/order takers, whatever they are called at this establishment, have apparently not been properly trained as one could not tell us the available flavors for the frozen lemonade and the other one who assisted us gave us attitude from the time we walked in the door. A third person who appeared to serve in a management/supervisory role came out, and crudely asked what we wanted. She took over making a frozen lemonade, which we ordered along with a large tea and regular lemonade. The three beverages came to $14 freaking dollars. The manager finally presented the frozen lemonade and I informed her that our guest no longer wanted it yet because we paid for it we would take it. I told her that our guest did not like the way he was treated by the staff. She feigned surprise and wanted to engage in a back and forth with us in her effort to seek a “solution.” We wished her a nice day and left the establishment. After reading the reviews, many stating the same rude treatment by the staff, I’ve determined that this manager is either clueless or on the same level as the staff who clearly do not need customer facing roles in a business. I’m sure she will either ignore this comment or post the same pathetic apology that’s been posted for...

I stopped by District Praline after visiting Starbucks, hoping to grab a cookie to pair with my tea. The bakery offers macarons, pastries, and cookies, which looked appealing from the outside.

Unfortunately, the customer service was underwhelming. The staff was short and not very helpful—when I asked questions about the products, they couldn’t offer any real suggestions or guidance. It felt like they weren’t interested in creating a welcoming experience.

I ordered a lemon drop cookie, which was okay—not bad, but nothing memorable. What really stood out was the price: over $3 for one cookie, with no deals for buying multiple. I purchased it because I wasn’t feeling well and just wanted something small to enjoy with my tea, but on a regular day, I wouldn’t pay that much for a single cookie.

To top it off, when I asked for a printed receipt, I was told the machine was broken. While things happen, I believe that if a customer requests a receipt, one should be provided in print form.

Overall, the concept of the bakery is nice, but the execution and customer service fall short. I won’t be returning—mainly due to high prices, unhelpful staff, and poor accountability at...

Picked up a few macarons after checking out of my hotel next door. They were tasty (and a bit on the small side) but the woman working this morning was a terrible representative for this business. Despite how much I love macarons, I can't see going back to this place. I'd gladly spend my money at Olivia Macaron or Laduree than this place. I hope whoever manages this location notes who was working this morning and helps her understand that attitude can often make or break a business.

September 2022 update: I found myself at the same hotel and wanted a few (small but good) macarons so I decided to give this place another try. Perhaps my previous visit was a fluke. It was not. The woman helping me yesterday was barely audible. I tried to be as pleasant as I could, only to be met with a feeling that I was annoying and needed to vacate the place ASAP. Just basic chit chat like "your total comes to $10" would be nice. I stood there waiting to pay and she stood there looking at me. It's amazing how the smallest of gestures could be a big improvement for this place. If this place wasn't in the location it's in, I don't believe it would still be...