Top of the Gate — Restaurant in Washington

Okay so this restaurant definitely has an advantage given the location with jaw dropping rooftop views, but the food and service were equal in quality. The drinks were refreshing and evenly balanced. I got a sangria and it was pretty on point. I tried my husbands mango mule, it was not too sweet as I’ve found some mules to be. I was a bit put off by the $50/per person minimum, but figured we’d reach that with a $15 drink, etc. Plus I really wanted to see the view. It was definitely worth it, and I came to realize it was nice to have a bit more exclusivity on the side with lounge seating vs the more crowded bar area.

The food exceeded my expectations. The menu isn’t huge, but what they have to offer was all delicious. We ordered the tuna tartare (personal fav) , lamb kabobs, hummus (delish), and the eggplant dish(light but still filling). My husband is half Persian, and his friend full, and they both said the kabobs were pretty bomb for it not being a Persian joint. Would’ve liked to try a few more things, but all of the food was filling enough for 4 people on a hot summer day.

Our server Tony was excellent, and very accommodating to our needs. We went on a relatively hot summer Tuesday, and once the sun started setting we asked him if we could move to a better location to see the sunset. He happily helped us move our things to the new seats. He refilled our waters promptly, and the food came out quickly.

Will definitely be back. If you want good views of DC waterfront, these are probably some of the best in the city....

I was excited for a roof top experience at the Watergate, and then read reviews after making a reservation ( they charge your card $50 per person if you cancel your reservation within 24 hours, so we kept it). I was hopeful as the people there were nice and the view of the river and sunset was pretty. Our tiny$25 drinks were the grossest beverage we've literally ever had. The fried zucchini was okay, but was more batter than veggie. A gust of wind came up right after our drinks and snack were served, with a few sprinkles. They brought us our check and told us we could finish our drinks downstairs. Previously said we wanted our check on a different card, so before they sent us downstairs they brought us our $88 check (2 drinks and one app, with gratuity included), and no option to add a card, only to direct it to our room (we didn't stay there). My other signed his name. We went down stairs and there was no where to sit so we slammed our disgusting drinks and finished our fried batter. 3 days later my card was charged. Despicable. Talk about a Watergate scandal....

This may have been the worst dining experience I’ve had in over 30-years of extensive travel and dining out.

Even with a reservation, it was unnecessarily confusing to get seated as there was no one present to greet incoming diners.

The ‘dining table’ (cheep patio furniture) were all too low to even see over the barrier wall, prohibiting any opportunity to enjoy the view.

The bar tables were a little better, however they all had a floor mounted speaker underneath making it difficult to maneuver a stool. Never mind the fact that it was blaring bad rap music.

The charcuterie board was an insult, containing a few emaciated black olives and baby gherkin pickles straight out of the jar. A massive scoop of mustard was nearly enough to hide three small slices of salami, two tiny slices of prosciutto and a horrid patte (if that is what it was).

We paid $110 for three dreadful beverages and a board of dog scraps in the least professional dining environment imaginable. This was absolutely shameful for what should be a respectable...