Darlington House

Came here for some late night fun. Darlington House can seem classy or trashy depending on what time you go. The later it gets the sloppier it gets, it seems. It has mostly an Italian menu and atmosphere. The bar area is more fun and relaxed.

It has some good cocktails. I really like the Pineapple Mojito. This is $8 at the happy hour. It's a pretty decent price considering how expensive things seem to be. The food is mostly Italian. It sure seems to have a lot of meat on the menu, and what isn't seems to be fried. There's not that much for vegetarians.

The restaurant has two parts. In the upstairs is the fine dining area. The Dive is in the basement, which is the more fun of these.

Decided to go to Darlington House for brunch after attending a meeting a few blocks away. FYI: Darlington House is tucked away in a row house just minutes away from the Dupont Circle Metro Station (Q Street Exit).

Pleasantly greeted and quickly seated by a hostess...in an almost empty restaurant. Red flag! Here's the scoop...
-Service: F
The service was amateurish. Firstly, my server didn't introduce himself. Secondly, he had a stank attitude. Thirdly, he never checked in...had to call him over if I needed anything. Lastly, the food took forever to reach the table.

-Eats: D
Pancakes were light and fluffy, but didn't have much flavor. I was beyond hangry, so I ate them anyway. Paid $14 for three medium-sized pancakes...talk about highway robbery! Added a side order of bland roasted potatoes and dry Canadian bacon to the mix for $4 each.

-Atmosphere: C
Liked the charming decor in the dining room. Didn't like the close proximity of the tables...TOO close for comfort. A private conversation was impossible. Due to the poor lighting, the dining room looked dark and depressing.

Side note: Apparently my server thought I was boo boo the fool. He tried to charge me $12 for two glasses of orange juice. Spotted the tomfoolery on my check and complained...he eventually adjusted the price to $6. Smelled like a scam to me! Interesting tidbit: I didn't see a price listed for orange juice on the menu.

Verdict? A disappointing dining experience to say the least. A one and done visit for me!

I have been to Darlington House a number of times, once for brunch and once for dinner a few years ago, and today for dinner. The experience was good overall.

Although we were not acknowledged immediately upon entering, the host turned to us, smiled and welcomed us, found our reservation, and directed us to seats, providing menus in hand. We sat in a table near the window facing Connecticut Avenue NW.

There were a few tables filled here and there, but mostly not too busy. It was a Monday night, quite cold out, and still pretty early for dinner, so I shouldn't have expected much of a crowd.

It was colder than I wanted it to be inside this old ornamental Victorian-style house-turned-restaurant.

The service was good. We were not asked whether we had dined before. We were not offered or mentioned any specials, promos, chef favorites, house favorites, or staff picks. We were not asked of any allergies or dietary restrictions. Happy hour runs until 7pm, but it was not mentioned or offered to us. We were given three opportunities from three servers/hosts to order wine, start with wine, or whether we wanted to see the wine menu; we declined all three times. We chose to drink tap water, and our glasses were immediately refilled as soon as they were halfway empty. We did not order appetizers but were offered to start with one.

My coworker ordered a salmon tagliolini for $24, and I ordered a chicken scallopine for $25. The dishes were fairly big, and I scarfed mine down because it was just so good. My dish was essentially chicken piccata---three hammered palm-size pieces of chicken breast well seasoned and drizzled with a delicious butter sauce on top and tangy fresh capers. The pesto mashed potatoes were very light, airy, whipped, and at one point was a potato but it vaguely tasted like potato.

We were not offered dessert. Our check was delivered without us having to prompt for it, and it was rung up quickly. We were thanked when the credit card receipt came back, but no one acknowledged us when we departed.

Perfect brunch spot for a mid-sized or smaller party-- maybe even a bridal shower. Once I walked in, I was asked if I wanted to check my coat- this was free and much appreciated!

We sat on the warm and inviting, second level. I was having a tough morning, and the heartfelt smiles from the staff made the difference.

I love how friendly the and patient the staff was throughout the entire course of the reservation. Everything seemed really smooth and organized.


My food was great and very satisfying. I went with the Crab Benedict with Spinach. Very tasty. The other guests seemed to enjoy the doughnuts and their brunch entrees as well. Random, but the bathrooms were clean- which is always a plus.

Had dinner with a friend, we did not have a reservation but were seated right away. The restaurant week menu was still available, so we chose that option. As a starter, I chose the caprese salad, the balsamic was delicious. As a main course, I had the spinach ravioli which is in a tomato sauce. This was excellent the sauce was delicious and the pasta was perfectly cooked. For dessert I went with the apple tart, this is a mini dessert and was just the right way to finish the meal. Complimentary bread was served and they have an extensive wine list.
The restaurant is unique, and the dining room comfortable. There is a more informal bar space in the basement. The wait staff were friendly and attentive and we both had an enjoyable dinner.

Went with a group for restaurant week and got to try various items on the menu. The entire group really enjoyed their pasta dish and the pasta itself was delicious and cooked to perfection.

We ended the meal with tiramisu and it was perfectly not too sweet but still tasted like dessert.

I'm always happy here. This establishment has a beautiful dining room and bar... classic DC. Service is great and the vibe is casual elegance. Downstairs in the DIVE bar a new theme! The focus is Rock & Roll history with open mic on Friday night and guitars on the wall in the upstairs bar. The staff tells me they will bring a guitar to you if you demonstrate competency on a ukulele.

The bottom line is this place is super easy to get to, just 75 steps North of The Dupont Circle Metro statiiin on a vibrant side street. A whole new bunch of fun is starting to happen. Check it out!

Only been sitting here for 60 minutes, and all of us had to share one menu. I should have known this wasn't an "authentic Italian experience" when Carmen pulled our group of 15 in off the street to a musty, dirty basement.

"Taste of the Mediterranean", more like taste of my booty. This place is nasty and I would never come back under any circumstances. Trust me, when the place is empty but every other cafe on the street is packed - steer clear.

Visiting DC and stopped by the Darlington House on a random visit. What a pleasant surprise! The Proscuitto Crudo, Hongas Skizza and puff pastry apple tart (not pictured) was delicious!

Our servers were quick, attentive and helpful even though it was really busy. I'd definitely recommend eating there for a lite Italian meal.

Everything was AWESOME! Great pace of meal, food was impeccable and service was out of this world!!!! Talk about team work from the drinks to bread to water refills they had their stuff figured out! It is a must have when in the DuPont Circle neighborhood