Restaurant Finder

Bistro Bis

Cuisine: French Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Based on 21 reviews.

Address	Hotel George, 15 E St., Washington, DC 20001
Phone	(202) 661-2700
Fax	(202) 661-2747

Rater Comments

These comments express the opinions of individual Restaurant Raters, not those of Washington City Paper.

Review by capitolfoodies on August 29, 2009

Tonight, we dined at Bistro Bis, the self-proclaimed poor cousin of Vidalia and our dinner was nothing short of incredible.

We’re not a fan of eating crow especially when it isn’t roasted by a talented chef but tonight we are willing to swallow it raw and whole. In our review of Vidalia we doubted whether or not celebrated Chef Jeffrey and his wife Sallie were committed to providing the same superb fare to Restaurant Week diners that they lavish on their regular customers. Our outstanding meal at Bistro Bis proved we had misjudged this culinary duo.

Parry started his meal with Moules a la Piperade which translated is mussels steamed with heirloom peppers, linguiça sausage and oregano-tomato broth. The mussels were small but extremely juicy and tender, the sausage was exquisitely spiced and maintained its consistency in the broth and the broth itself was an ocean of rich flavor that inspired Parry to gulp spoonful after spoonful of it. I abandoned my indifference to bread and used copious amounts of it to soak up this succulent potage.

My appetizer of Steak Tartare Atilla served with capers, onions, spicy aïoli, cornichons and garlic potato chips was just as remarkable. The chopped sirloin was well seasoned and the potato chips provided the ideal textural contrast to the delicate meat.
If the appetizers delighted our palettes the main course can only be described as orgasmic. My lamb steak arrived with a compliment of buttery mashed potatoes and an au jus that is best described as something mom would make, only better. The lamb was incredibly tender and flavorful, so much so that I swear the charcutier tasted it every ten seconds during the cooking process.

Parry ordered the Duck Confit Façon Tarbais, a garlic-herb rendered duck leg with Toulouse duck sausage, tomato concassé and a ragout of white beans. We are uncertain if the duck was marinated, air dried or pre-steamed but we can state for certain that it was moist, savory and perfectly cooked. The big surprise for Parry was the beans. Normally, he has a hate-on for these little white pearls but tonight he greedily wolfed them down. When I asked Parry about his sudden change of heart he explained that the beans prepared at Bistro Bis were soft but not mushy which to him made all of the difference in the world.

For dessert, Parry ordered a flourless chocolate cake infused with orange and a healthy heaping of crème fraiche. While it was challenging to detect the zest of citrus, the cake was moist and a satisfying way to end the admirable meal.

I opted for the Crème Brûlée which is my all-time favorite dessert. While the flavor came close to meeting my admittedly high standards, the texture failed to please. The interior reminded me more of scrambled eggs than creamy custard. I must confess however that the textural issue with the brûlée didn’t matter much because up until that moment I had experienced such a superior meal that this tiny glitch didn’t phase me.

Our attentive and charming server Lateef vetoed our request for double espresso and insisted on bringing us Bistro Bis’s French press coffee. We fretted a little because we have a penchant for strong coffee and as such, worried that regular joe wouldn’t cut it. Once again, Bistro Bis proved us wrong. The coffee was good, probably one of the better cups of coffee we’ve had during Restaurant Week.

Parry and I don’t like to be wrong, our egos are just too big for that but tonight we are prepared to fess up and take the hit. Vidalia did disappoint us but we were too rash in concluding that Chef Buben and Sallie aren’t dedicated to providing Washingtonians with awe-worthy food. Our meal at Bistro Bis more than proves that point. So, what do we think now that we have bellies full with rich, luscious food? That we’re hooked on Bistro Bis and that during the regular season, we might just give Vidalia another try.

Review by AuntKippy on August 23, 2008

Yum!! This was a Restaurant Week treat for a friend and me and how sweet it was. First of all, our server was great. He was attentive, but not overly so, funny, and, most importantly, made great lunch recommendations for us. For appetizers, I got the French onion soup -- nothing terribly special, though there was just the right amount of wine in the broth -- and my pal got a salad. (I don't remember her saying much one way or the other about it.) But then came the entrees. I'm not much of a fish eater, but on the server's recommendation, I ordered trout. It was simply amazing. The texture was perfect, just the right amount of crispiness with the inside nice and flaky. The sauce was to die for. My friend ordered scallops -- another food I ordinarily don't like -- but these didn't taste fishy and were not mushy the way that scallops often are. We couldn't stay out of one another's plates. Then for dessert we ordered chocolate bread pudding and apple tart (the latter on the server's recommendation). Both were heavenly, particularly the tart which was flaky and not too sweet. Perhaps the only reason I hadn't been to this restaurant before was because I tend to be disappointed by even highly-rated hotel restaurants, but I'll be returning to this one.

Review by techfoodie on April 19, 2007

This is a bistro that has grown up into a great restaurant. The food is exceptional. I am a dessert person and am often disappointed because I can often do better than what I am served. Here, I am glad to say, their desserts shine equally brightly as their entrees. The overall meal is expensive but well worth it.

Review by mikegaw on August 16, 2006

The pate starter was excellent as was my swordfish entree - extremely tender and tasty.

Review by lalabee on May 8, 2006

I have to say the last few times I've been to Bistro Bis I've been disappointed. The decor is lovely and the service is quite good, but for the prices they charge I feel like I'm not really getting my money's worth. You can't find an appetizer here for less than $10 except for the onion soup or the green salad, and for a whopping $9.50, I'd like a little more than lettuce and cherry tomatoes. The entrees are a much better value, particularly the deconstucted Beef Bourguignonne. It comes with what are clearly homemade egg noodles and beef so tender you really don't need a knife! The risotto, however, was still a little crunchy for my taste. The desserts I've had here are excellent though, particularly the apple tart and cheesecake. They also have a nice wine selection.

Review by Caroline on May 3, 2006

Review by Caroline on April 8, 2006

Review by mle on November 29, 2005

Perhaps it's French food that seems either hit or miss, with me, so take this with a grain of salt, but I had the hardest time finding something on the menu here. I didn't choose the place, so I can't blame myself. But I won't blame the restaurant either - I'll just note that it would be nice if the selections were to include less gamey choices (birds, lambs, etc.), and a few more decadent items. I ended up choosing the scallops - and to my surprise found some grit. Which really turned me off. The escargot appetizer was rich with a twist, in that it wasn't just snails in butter and garlic! Nice surprise there.

The waitress seemed a bit too relaxed for my taste and did a lot of reaching over our table, with armpits in front of the diners. She even had us pass her our menus. What's that about? We weren't at Friday's, for the love of XXX.

Overall, the meal was enjoyable, and would have been even more so, had we not had to fight for parking. (Our vehicle too big for the lot that they send you to.) I just don't understand why they couldn't step up to valet service for their restaurant when they already do it for the hotel guests. What gives, George?

Review by Herb on August 9, 2005

Review by eamorgan on May 15, 2005

Bis is rather high end as far as brunch options go, I'd save it for a special occasion rather than think to go there on a regular basis. At $27.95, the three-course option is only a deal if you are ordering some of the higher priced entrees like the steak and eggs, so make sure you do the math before ordering. That price also doesn't include any complimentary offerings that you might find elsewhere, like coffee or juice, so those will add to your tab. That said, the crowd that dines here is probably not so inclined to worry about such things. Cost issues aside, what you will find is some unusual and tasty options to sample. I enjoyed my smoked salmon starter and the "eggs basquaise." And the desserts, if you've saved room for them, are divine.

Review by demandabanana on October 23, 2004

My folks came in town, and my husband and I wanted to take them to a first-class D.C. joint. We had to make emergency reservations after another restaurant (Obelisk) decided to cancel our table, and we were fortunate enough to get in here. The service was amazing, the portions huge, and the ambience lovely: modern but comfortable. I went with the most Frenchie/foodie things on the menu: foie gras and sweetbreads. The liver was outstanding, but nothing beats the Laboratorio's at Galileo. The sweetbreads could have been cooked longer. I'm all for rare liver, but testicles should be cooked. Mussels = great and lots of them. Steak tartar was a hamburger sized portion, but was too relish-y. Steak perfect. Cornish hen good, but ordinary. Cheese selection excellent. Nice place.

Review by sftwardy on August 24, 2004

Bistro Bis is a wonderful place for any occasion from a romantic dinner date to a gathering of girlfriends on a Friday night! The steak tartar is marvelous as are the martinis. The scallop entree is extremely rich and heavenly. The appetizers are enough to split and the New York strip does not have a noticeable piece of fat on it. I love the minimal decor yet the booths are huge so a petit person (like myself) will feel even smaller. The showcase kitchen is very cool but the dining room does get a little loud at times. I will definitely be dining here again, hopefully in the near future!

Review by CobCobb on July 1, 2004

As a special occasion spot for our family's combination Father's Day/Mother's Day dinner, Bistro Bis was perfect. Neither the decor nor the service was too fussy--just nice enough to feel special and justify the expense. Some in our party thought that the portions were a bit small for the hefty price tag, but I thought the delicious food was well worth the expense. Dessert was the only course that was less than exquisite, with the coconut sorbet as the only standout among creme brulee, chocolate cake, and rasberry tart. A half bottle of wine was just enough for my sister and I to split, and it had obviously been properly stored for optimal quality. Overall, a nice spot for a special evening.

Review by rebekah767 on June 29, 2004

Don't leave without trying the cheese course they offer

Review by sewickley on June 2, 2004

This is definitely a restaurant I will return to!

Review by debbys on May 18, 2004

A great brunch option. The restaurant is light and open. The menu is diverse enough to do frequently. Overall a great experience.

Review by ronnalandy on April 23, 2004

While the service can tend toward snooty, this gem near the Capitol stands out. The French onion soup, crafted with both duck and veal stocks, is not geared toward the vegetarian. Its richness, topped with glorious cheese, is a stand out and nearly a meal in and of itself. A soft shell crab entree, a special of the day, also stands out as memorable. This is one of those restaurants you gladly visit on an expense account, but hesitate to spend your own money on.

Review by nzingatull on March 5, 2004

We had a reservation but because of poor communication and generally trifling friends, we were very late (like 45 min) and nobody called to let the restaurant know about the delay. However, once everybody got there, the hostess found us a table as soon as she could without a bunch of huffing and eye-rolling about our poor dining-out etiquette. That was nice. The braised duck was delightful. The portions of meat were generous by my standards (keeping in mind that I am not a big meat eater), even a bit unbalanced (I would have appreciated more veggies on the side). Our waitress was very pleasant and unobtrusive. The restaurant was a bit loud, however, and the odor from cheese plate near the kitchen approached overpowering as the night wore on (and we were seated in a far section of the dining area).

Review by shassett on January 21, 2004

Normally one of my favorite restaurants to visit, I was generally disppointed in the quality of food and service for the price I paid. Maybe the long waits and so-so food were because of the fact that it was New Years Eve.

Overall it was good, but I expected it to be excellent (as my previous visits have been).

Desserts, as always, were exquisite.

Review by Ontheside on January 14, 2004

Bistro Bis is a great way to convince friends who are skeptical of French cuisine that French food is not as alien or opaque as it is commonly perceived. Six of us ate dinner at Bistro Bis during Restaurant Week, and we had a very satisfying overall experience, with a few hitches here and there. The interior of Bistro Bis is classy yet modern, with light-colored wood, tiered seating, and a magnificent fireplace in one of the main dining areas. The meal began with a stack of sliced bread, which was tasty but somewhat pedestrian for this sort of establishment, and cheese beignets, which everyone enjoyed. Five of us ordered off the Restaurant Week prix fixe menu. Those five started with the butternut squash soup, which was fine, but somewhat flat and not at all memorable. Four of us ordering off the prix fixe menu had the rockfish, which was tender, moist, and flavorful, though the cut was only the size of a deck of cards. The small bed of swiss chard and white beans upon which the fish rested perfectly complemented the main course, and all of us cleaned our plates. The restaurant happily subbed in their (lone) vegetarian entree for the vegetarian member of our party, and she happily announced that the dish (a mushroom risotto) was amazing. The one member of the group ordering from the normal menu was more than satisfied with an endive salad she deemed excellent (and for over ten dollars, it should be), but was extremely disappointed with her steak frites entree. She described the steak as "tough" and lacking flavor, and said it may have been the worst steak she had eaten at a restaurant. The fries were fine but, again, not particularly memorable. Possibly the worst thirty-one dollars spent on an entree in my experience. Dessert was visually appealing and delicious, successfully combining various ingredients to good effect. Two of us had white chocolate mousse served in a dark chocolate cup with passion fruit syrup drizzled on top. I loved it, but the other person trying it found the syrup overly sweet. Three of our group had small chocolate tartlets with raspberry sauce, which was well received. And my girlfriend had what she called "chocolate chocolate chocolate," which is her idea of heaven: chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and dark chocolate sauce. No complaints from her. The only substantive problem we had (besides the useless steak) was with the service. Our waiter was a rare visitor to our table, taking an inappropriate amount of time to greet us, take our orders, and, at the end of the evening, bring us our check and then collect the check to run credit cards.

Review by GenieDC on January 13, 2004

The prix fixe brunch at Bistro Bis is one of the best deals in town -- $20.04 for three courses, which, if ordered with caution thrown to the wind, could be anywhere from a $30 to $40 value. That in itself is enough reason to go, but when you add on the fact that the food is excellent and beautifully presented in a light, bright, luscious, yet relaxed environment, it's a veritable bargain.

Review by lindaeroth on December 15, 2003

Soups were phenomenal. French dishes are classics -- mussels, coq au vin, salade nicoise -- with a twist. I like seeing all the politicos at lunchtime. Bar (happy hour) is a popular gathering spot for hill staffers, congress persons and CNN guests. They use hotel George to host guests. I'm kinda fond of Herb (the maitre d) and his bow tie.