The Red Hen — Restaurant in Washington

Absolutely wonderful!! From the super cozy space to the friendly service to the giant portions of hot, comforting food, everything at The Red Hen felt like a warm hug. I visited for dinner on a cold evening in February, and it was the perfect place to escape the bout of chilly weather and snow that DC was randomly hit with this year. We started with the drinks, which included a great mix of cocktails, wine, and beer, and everything was outstanding; I got the orange wine, which was super light and refreshing, and a great pairing with the far heavier pasta dishes and assorted starters. We split a bunch of starters with the table, including the bread plate, whipped burrata, octopus with crispy potatoes, arancini, and broccolini. Every single item was absolutely incredible, but I have to give a special shoutout to the whipped burrata and the octopus. The octopus was perfectly tender, with a beautiful char and absolutely no hint of rubberiness. It went wonderfully with the crispy, salty potatoes and the nutty, cheesy sauce they served on the side. The whipped burrata may have been the most incredible thing I've ever eaten -- with the light, creamy whipped cheese mixture piped across a hearty slice of farmer's wheat bread and topped with a drizzle of honey, it was such an outstanding mix of sweet, salty, and savory. I've never heard of someone blending / whipping burrata before, but I'll absolutely have to add it to my rotation of favorite dishes.

Each of the pastas was just as wonderful as the next. They're, of course, famous for their rigatoni, but their squid ink linguine was just speaking to me. The pasta was perfectly al dente and had a wonderfully briny, savory, slightly seafood-y flavor from the squid ink. It was served in a super light and refreshing sauce made with white wine, ginger, garlic, fresno chili, and lemon, which was a great contrast against the brininess of the squid ink and salty, savory, slightly tangy flavor from the pecorino romano. The pasta also came with a generous serving of calamari, which was super tender and perfectly cooked. Several of my other friends at the table got the rigatoni and the creste di gallo, and they had rave reviews for each of them.

They also did a phenomenal job with all dietary restrictions. I'm pescatarian, and they walked me through each item of the menu that could or could not be adjusted to be pescatarian. For their pastas, the spaghetti and malfade are already vegetarian and the linguine is pescatarian, and they're able to modify the rigatoni by removing the sausage and/or substituting it with mushrooms and spinach. The creste di gallo is, unfortunately, the only dish that they can't make pescatarian, but it's honestly impressive how willing and able they are to accommodate vegetarians / pescatarians. We also had a few allergies at our table, but the server did a phenomenal job accommodating us. They take every allergy incredibly seriously, and they absolutely made a strong effort to make sure everyone could eat everything on the menu without worries. Their various tree nuts are fried in peanut oil (which I'm allergic to), but they put everything that included nuts...

I’m lucky enough to have The Red Hen as my local, neighborhood restaurant. I fell in love when they opened back in 2014ish and reconnected with it when I moved back to Bloomingdale in 2025. We picked up like I never left.

Over the last week of moving in, my wife and I have dined at The Red Hen thrice—each visit as excellent as the next. I have yet to find a dish I disagree with.

The Beginning: I would highly suggest the Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Mousse with flame-grilled, rustic bread as an appetizer. I once held Le Diplomat as the best Foie Gras in the city. While still amazing, The Red Hen has taken the lead. The amalgamation of Fig Conserva and blended liver/foie gras is a decadent, jammy journey for your taste buds.

If you are a Charcuterie fan, I would wager to say the Liuzzi Burrata would be up your alley. Three words: Prosciutto di Parma. Perfetto!

Antipasta: I firmly believe in the Charred Broccolini Effect. Once one table orders the broccolini, other tables see the toasted hazelnuts mounted on top of perfectly seared broccolini, they smell the drizzled Calabrian chili vinaigrette, and must order some for themselves. You will not regret it.

Pasta: Though The Red Hen is known for its amazing Mezzi Rigatoni, I lean heavily towards the Mafalde. The porcini crema, perhaps the most delicious sauce known to mankind, with roasted wild mushrooms intertwined with the curly mafalde is a winning combination for all the senses.

Libations: The Dianella Sangiovese (Chianti) is a superb medium-bodied, dry, and refreshing red that honestly pairs well with every dish I have had. It is my go-to wine every time.

La Fine: I’ve frequented Italy more than six times and my wife has lived in Belgium, yet we both find the Chocolate Gelato to be among the best in the world. This seemingly simple, silky-smooth indulgence is only made better, in my humble opinion, with an Espresso Romano.

Pro Tip: Sit at the corner of the bar, so you can watch the culinary magic happen. You will also receive exquisite service from knowledgeable and welcoming bartenders who will guide you through what may be your best meal of the...

Red Hen is a gem not to miss. When I am asked by friends, “Where should I eat in D.C.?” I always answer, “Red Hen.” Earlier this month, we celebrated my son’s birthday at Red Hen, and, as always, it was exceptional. Before I go into the excellent cuisine, I should underscore how the service at Red Hen is tremendous. It is obvious the folks on Team Red Hen love what they do and believe in enterprise. From the moment you walk in, and throughout your visit, you cannot help but feel at home. We started with the prosciutto, ricotta crostini, and the chicken liver mousse. They were all fantastic. Then, for our second course, we showed restraint and only ordered the burrata, octopus, and arancini. I say restraint because, like the starters, it’s hard to select just three. It is the same issue with the pastas, yet we went with the rigatoni (a classic for a reason), the squid ink linguini, and the creste di Gallo. All were delicious. The creste was new to us and is worthy of a place on the Red Hen menu. We ended the savory part of our meal with the pork Milanese because it was essential to save room for Red Hen’s exceptional desserts. The Milanese was pork perfection. The preparation was perfect for a cold night. While the Milanese changes seasonally, in my experience, Chef Mike and Team Red Hen always know what we’re craving. This time it had cabbage, bacon, and mustard cream – sensational. For dessert, we shared the carrot cake, sticky toffee pudding, and a few gelatos. I am forgetting the gelato of the day, I think it was espresso cookie…it doesn’t matter, all their gelato is worth it. The pastry chef is an artist, and the desserts are not an afterthought, they are memorable. We “chased” the desserts with Americanos, which were hot and perfect. Do not miss Red Hen. It’s insanely popular for a very...