With a proliferation of hot,
new tables, Washington’s
restaurant scene is suddenly
buzz-worthy. But along with
great food comes long waits – sometimes it takes
weeks, or even months, to get a table. Recently, I
tried to reserve at some of the city’s most popular
restaurants, discovering policies that ranged from
difficult to daunting.
My request was simple: A table for two, on
a Friday or Saturday evening at around 8 p.m.
The shortest wait was at The Source (575
Pennsylvania Ave. NW), which offered an easy,
efficient reservation policy as well as a wait
of only one week. If only all my experiences
were so easy.
The longest wait was at Citronelle (3000 M St. NW) – eleven weeks, or almost
three months! Reserving was easy, however, with
the hostess thoughtfully making a note of my email
address.
She sent me an e-mail “reservation
reminder” within a half-an-hour of my phone
call. Their sister restaurant, Central Michel Richard (1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW), could
seat us in only two weeks, but did not offer an
e-confirmation.
CityZen (1330 Maryland Ave. SW), took
five weeks; Komi (1509 17th St. NW) took
three; and Restaurant Eve’s Tasting
Room(110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria, Va.) took five
weeks to get a table. All asked me for a credit card
number to secure my reservation. If I was unable
to come, and neglected to cancel at least 24-48
hours before, they would charge me from $50
to $100. “It holds people accountable,” says Mark
Politzer, general manager of CityZen. “There’s a
high demand, particularly on the weekend and we
want to accommodate as many people
as we can.”
At Komi, reservations are only taken
one month in advance, or exactly four
weeks before the day you wish to
dine there, a policy that seems rather
inconvenient for the forgetful – or those
who don’t have a lot of time to make
phone calls.
But perhaps the city’s most extreme
reservation policy is at Minibar (405 8th St. NW).
With only six
seats, the tiny restaurant within
Café Atlantico only accepts
reservations exactly one month in
advance. The phone lines open at 10
a.m. (they recently pushed the time forward
by one hour, due to customer requests) and
the seats usually fill within five minutes. “It’s
like trying to get through to Ticketmaster for
a Bruce Springsteen concert,” Brian Zaslavsky,
general manager of Café Atlantico and Minibar,
says of the ringing phone lines. Lucky enough
to snag a spot? If you must cancel, make sure
to do it at least one week in advance, or risk
getting charged $60 per person.
Those who
forget to cancel and simply don’t show up get
charged the full price of a meal: 120 clams
– and that is anything but “mini.”
Have any comments or dining suggestions? Email
WL at: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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MINIBAR:“It never hurts to call
within the month,” says general
manager Brian Zaslavsky, “we fill a lot
of seats from the cancellation list.”
THE SOURCE: “We serve the dining
room menu in the downstairs bar, where
we don’t take reservations,” says executive
chef Scott Drewno. Alternatively, visit the
restaurant during its new lunch hours.
CITYZEN:Perch at the bar, where
a reduced menu of three courses is
offered for $50. “If we have any lastminute
cancellations, we’ll seat you,”
says general manager Mark Politzer.
KOMI:“Be flexible with the hours
you want to come in,” says Derek M.
Brown, general manager and sommelier
at Komi. He recommends the shoulder
hours of 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 9 p.m.
to 9:30. p.m. “It’s outside of the bustle,
I think it’s almost more enjoyable.”
CITRONELLE:“Always try a walkin,”
says Mel Davis, public relations
coordinator, and former maitre d’hotel
at the restaurant. There’s also an upstairs
lounge, which serves an abbreviated
menu – and there’s no dress code!
RESTAURANT EVE:“Mondays are
great days; it’s quiet and good for a
romantic dinner. The staff can really
pay close attention to you,” says
Evan Zimmerman, sommelier. A “no
reservation policy” at the bar means
walk-ins can enjoy the full bistro menu.
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