Restaurant Finder

Corduroy

Cuisine: American Neighborhood: Downtown

Based on 15 reviews.

Address	Four Points Hotel, 1201 K St., Washington, DC 20005
Phone	(202) 589-0699
Fax	(202) 589-0688

Rater Comments

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

Review by mgilmore on June 4, 2008

The food was OK, but the choices were rather sparse; one kind of salad, one kind of red meat. Only a few wines by the glass.
The new site is again OK, but rather staid...more could be done with it.
Service was minimalistic...not particularly attentive.

Review by msdvldog on January 25, 2008

The service was incomparable, from the moment I walked in my coat and bag were taken for ease of movement through the dining room. All of our needs were met promptly. Our server offered great detail and information about items on the menu that we were not sure what they were. The food met and exceeded our expectations the lamb came out perfectly medium as ordered enhancing the flavor that so nicely complimented the goat cheese ravioli served with it. I only hope that the service and food maintains its excellence once it moves to its new location in March!!

Review by colleen37 on January 15, 2008

this place would be 4 if it weren't for the location.

hopefully the new spot opening in march will be better but i just felt so uncomfortably strange nestled up on the second floor of the sheraton down town. it just felt like a second-rate location with close to first-rate food.

i got the chef's signature dish (the tuna, you can see a photo of it on the site) which i will admit had great flavors and textures, but it just felt like it didn't live up to its potential.

i had a cauliflower soup to start which i will admit was quite good and a choclate - banana something or another dessert which was fairly good too (the banana better than the chocolate component, i recall)

our waiter was very attentive and it wasn't until after we left that we were able to realize he had more or less pressured us into a second bottle of champagne (we were celebrating) and dessert. he was a great waiter, however.

i have to say i was a bit disappointed upon leaving - having read about the menu and chef i was expecting a bit more but i guess that's what you get from a hotel restaurant. hopefully the new location adds to the atmosphere at corduroy.

Review by Herb on June 24, 2007

Review by AuntKippy on June 21, 2007

I've heard the raves about this place, but I won't be going back again. The food was all right -- better than most hotel fare -- but it wasn't anything more than all right. I got a Caesar salad that was some uncut leaves, a little shaved cheese, and a few tiny croutons thrown around the edge of the plate. I was looking forward to my soft-shell crab. It was crunchy, but served with too much lettuce underneath and a forgettable sauce. The service was slow and the restaurant itself is rather dark (no natural light) and uninviting. I told my dining partner that I owe her one for insisting that we go there.

Review by jerseygirl on December 27, 2006

While dinner at Corduroy was good, it fell far short of my expectations. Granted, we went on Christmas night, but a good restaurant shouldn't make you feel apologetic or regretful for eating there on a holiday. Service was slow, confused, and unpolished. While my lobster carpaccio was good, the green salad ordered by my friend was absolutely ordinary. We both ordered fish entrees (go for the tuna over the monkfish) which weren't bad, but easily outshone by meals at "mediocre" restaurants. The shining star of the evening was easily dessert -- both the apple tarte and hazelnut bars are heaven sent.

Review by tretnor44 on February 6, 2005

It was our first time and since almost all the reviews I have read about this restaurant I was expecting a quieter place. Now I understand why people call this restaurant a `hidden jewel`. Try sea scallops with curry sauce, they are the best ever. Squash soup cannot be even dreamed about without actually tasting. My dessert was pistachio bread pudding and it was just right amount of sweetness and very lightly prepared.We started with a bottle of sparkling wine and after that I simply let my server choose our wine to match with our food and a great pinot noir from Burgundy comes to the table. By the way , the service is a complete package , very professional , friendly and very enjoyable. There is no rushing. I strongly recommend going to this restaurant and it will become your new favorite place. Because that is what happened to me.

Review by donovanguthrie on August 9, 2004

Excellent food, was stunned it was in a Hotel. Went for rest week and they were one of the few rest's to use their full menu and just upcharge for certain items, takes the guessing out of what will be available! Lamb with goat cheese ravioli was incredible! Service was good and didn't feel like staff was looking down on you for dining on the "value deal" which happens at some places during rest week!

Review by sandituck on August 1, 2004

I hit the bar at Corduroy for lunch during restaurant week. Great menu selection, and terrific food. The glass wine selection could be better, and I waited quite a while for anyone to acknowledge me, but overall a great meal.

Review by myeager on June 29, 2004

Very underrated restaurant. Absolutely delicious food and excellent service. If nothing else, try it out during restaurant week.

Review by AlexaK on May 6, 2004

This restaurant is a well kept secret. Low lighting, terrific service and excellent food make the whole experience one to remember.

Review by hottigurlmay on May 5, 2004

The food was very good, with large portions. The food was cooked just the way I requested and the atmosphere was very nice. the staff was also very friendly.

Review by CobCobb on January 23, 2004

Corduroy serves up generally predictable hotel restaurant fare with elegance and style. The biggest surprise during our restaurant week lunch was my boyfriend's appetizer of spring rolls served with a sweet and sour sauce--I could not stop eating it even though I had a delicious salad of baby greens and vinegrette on my own plate. Boyfriend's pasta with sausage and red peppers was good, but totally outdone by my lamb entree; it was perfectly tender and juicy, served next to crisp green beans and goat cheese gratin potatos. We both agreed that we were tired of average restaurant desserts (too many creme brulees and chocolate souffle cakes out there! ), but my dessert provided something of a respite from the usual. The chocolate sabayon takes 12-15 minutes to prepare, but it is well worth it! It was like a warm, moist chocolate cookie topped with ice cream and a crispy unidentifiable sugary item. When I reached the middle and the "molten hot fudge center" standard to souffle cakes erupted from within, I was a little disappointed that the chef would not just let the rich, moist dish speak for itself without the use of a gimmick.
The atmosphere was very hotel-y, which is fine because you ARE in a hotel. The service is very nice and helpful, and our food came out promptly (when our drinks arrived only a minute or so after ordering them, my boyfriend declared that it was the fastest service he'd received in a nice DC restaurant).
Although Cordoroy may seem like just another hotel restaurant, it never condenscends to the pedestrian execution that is standard at so many of its kind.

Review by carynwick on January 7, 2004

I had heard about this restaurant from several sources, the food was amazing as every review said; however, the atmosphere was, well what it was an oversized hotel meeting room. They tried really hard to jazz it up, but the entire time it felt like you were on the second floor of a hotel. It really was a shame because the food and service were excellent! Foodies check it out, if you are out for a romantic night, I'd pick abother spot.

Review by crucigrama on January 2, 2004

Even though most hotels do not offer adequate restaurants, this one is beyond compare. It is a nice surprise.