Café Riggs

My partner and I visited Cafe Riggs to celebrate on our 10 anniversary weekend. Our waitress Natalie was great and made sure we were well taken care of. We make it a point to order Escargot everywhere we go and Cafe Riggs escargot was the best we have ever had, it melts in your mouth. The atmosphere is very nice and the building is beautiful. They made our night memorable and we appreciated the hand written card. Definitely recommend and will go again.

My husband and I were staying at the Riggs and ate here twice — once for a late dinner (after an event we attended) and once for breakfast. The hotel and restaurant are beautifully designed. The aesthetic and atmosphere of the entire property is what attracted us to stay and dine here. We appreciated that the tables had fresh flowers in vases. Overall, the food during both meals was very delicious. However, I cannot say the service was particularly outstanding. Late-Night Dinner: It took 15 minutes for anyone to acknowledge us at our table (we were told to find a seat and someone would come to us). We knew the restaurant would be closing at midnight, so we had our order available to give immediately. After our main entree was received, we did not see our waitress anywhere. It was almost as if she had gotten off her shift or went on a break. We spent quite a bit of time awkwardly attempting to request water/beverage refills and had wanted to put in a dessert order. Thankfully, another waitress (who was ultimately very attentive) began serving us. I don’t know if she had silently taken over for the initial waitress or just saw that we needed assistance — but she was lovely. I understand that shift changes occur but it was as if the initial waitress had just vanished. We were eventually able to place our dessert order and gather a check from the second waitress though. Breakfast: Delicious but the service from our waitress was mediocre. Our waters were never refilled during the entirety of our meals and, when I initially asked for thoughts (ie. “what would be your personal preference or recommendation between X and Y”), it was met with a “I don’t know, it’s really up to what you’re feeling” type of response. When we did finally receive the check, it took us some time to grab her attention again to say we would be putting the bill to our room. Note: The staff members who brought out and cleared the food were separate from our waitress — and our food was delivered very promptly! The host/greeter who seated us was wonderful and chipper, though. (Did not catch his name but he made sure we initially received our waters.) Again, the food here was delicious and we very much enjoyed the design of the place. A beautiful aesthetic certainly contributes to a delightful visit, but great service from waitstaff is what makes a place truly exceptional experience.

Hands down my favorite spot in DC. This is one of my go-tos to work from with a spectacular bar top with outlets. I love the food here and they always play fun music. Service is always 10/10. We had the chance to try their Winter Restaurant Week lunch special which includes 3 course for $35. We got 2 orders of the special. Course 1 included the burrata (my fave) and mussels (highly recommend!). Course 2 was a croque madame and salmon burger. Course 3 was dessert where we got crème brûlée and cheesecake. Such a great deal for the amount and quality of food here!

Café Riggs delivers the kind of brunch experience that feels both elevated and effortlessly welcoming. The moment you step inside, the beautifully designed space sets the tone—every detail is intentional, aesthetic, and worthy of admiration. It’s the kind of room that makes you want to linger. I visited for Saturday brunch with a reservation, and the experience was seamless from the start. The staff stood out immediately: friendly, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu. Their warmth added a personal touch that made the meal feel even more special. The brunch menu itself is outstanding, offering a thoughtful selection of dishes that balance creativity with comfort. Whether you’re in the mood for something classic or something a bit more indulgent, there’s truly something to impress every palate. Café Riggs is the perfect blend of style, service, and culinary excellence—an easy recommendation for anyone looking to elevate their weekend brunch.

Had a decent but not stellar experience here at Café Riggs. I came for brunch with my partner on a Saturday. We had a reservation and were seated right away. Prices were a tad higher than they advertised on their website menu. The interior was quite nice and there were plenty of other people there, giving it a bustling vibe. I ordered the shakshuka and my partner ordered the steak royale. The shakshuka came out extremely hot, and with no warning from the staff I touched the plate and slightly burned myself. Eating it also burned my tongue/throat. I’d recommend to the staff to warn customers ahead of time that the plate/food is extremely hot. The shakshuka also only came with two small slices of bread, which was definitely not enough to enjoy the tomato sauce. I’d recommend them to give you a couple pieces more. My partner enjoyed his food, though he said the steak was a bit too chewy. Overall it was decent but not spectacular.