minibar by José Andrés

I'm a pretty positive reviewer in general but this place is a cut above and it genuinely deserve its 2 Michelin stars. This isn't just "a good restaurant." It's a high quality experience.

It has been a while since I went here actually, so I'll write about what impressions stayed strongly with me.

FOOD: Guests received a personalized menu (which was printed and given to us at the end) with their dietary restrictions confirmed both ahead of time and the day of to ensure a perfect experience.
As for me and my family, there was not a single item on that menu we didn't enjoy.

At one point we were asked which tea we preferred to have with the dessert, with a green tea option and an herbal tea option. The toasty herbal tea I received paired so well with every dish that was served along with and after it.

I came away quite full but not overdone.

SERVICE:
I dropped my phone once and got out of my chair. There was someone immediately there to attend to me. Every time I left my chair (3Xs), someone came to me and helped me settle back in.

The service was rhythmic. There's so much attention to the visual. Even though way plates were cleared felt like choreography at times.

Overall the feeling I came away with was relaxed. I didn't have to think about much. I was attended to. Even visually I didn't have distractions that took away from the experience.

AMBIANCE: The door was open exactly to the dot at the minute we were told. We were greeted and entered one party at a time inside, where the hostess (?) reviewed our needs, seated us briefly in the waiting room, and took our coats. Then we were led to the main room which was like a bar setting surrounding a kitchen. (You watch the food being prepared.)

The look was sleek, elegant, but warm. The chefs were like performers and made jokes and were not too serious. The levity was appreciated well against the backdrop of serious servers and other staff.

Second time at @minibarbyjose, the experience was still as impressive as the first. Staffs were awesome and one of the chiefs we saw here 4 years ago now runs the show and I thought that was super awesome.

Creativity was still impressive as I would never thought things I ate were actually made from what they told us. Taste wise, good but somehow I remembered last time I came was more impressive.

We upgraded one of ours and added white truffles (extra $200) and they added to 2 of the dishes. For some odd reasons the truffle they added didn't even smell like truffles..it didn't smell like anything actually. I thought white truffles are more fragrance? Well..that whole upgrade was a failed big time

Overall, still a good experience.

What an amazing experience! Parking nearby and other garages for DC. They open right at 5 pm so if you have a reservation, you won't be able to enter until then. There are 2 entrances, the minibar entrance and the barmini entrance. We ended up at the barmini entrance but someone walked us over to the correct one.

Once we entered into the sitting area, we were greeted and they took our jackets. We sat and relaxed for a couple minutes before being sat at the Chef's counter. They start you off with some bubbly and have a book for you to sign for the evening you're there. The Chef's will work and put finishing touches right in front of you and you can ask any questions you'd like. Honestly, there's a good bit of the Michelin restaurants where there's a handful of items I didn't like but I loved every course at minibar.

This was easily my favorite 2 star Michelin I've been to. Each course was delicious and you get a little treat to take home as well.

Lots of small dishes demonstrating a wide variety of cooking methods and ingredients. I found everything to be delicious and service was great. Hard to find a theme and my dining companion was disappointed in how much the menu our night resembled the one in a video he watched online such this might be one of those once in a long time experiences.

Absolutely incredible experience! We've dined here twice and the service was impeccable each time. Watching the chefs move fluidly around the pristine kitchen was mesmerizing. Although it is a very formal dining experience the chefs added some fun with pairing music to a couple of the dishes and the chefs were very personable for some chit chat as they prepared the dishes in front of the guests.

Honestly, the restaurant does not offer any memorable aspect of a high-level dining for the price you pay, besides their theatrical presentation of the food. A 10-course menu that offers only a couple of memorable dishes is not what you want, especially when you wait for months to get a reservation, and pay a bundle. Despite the Hollywood-like presentation of the wine and dishes at Minibar, my wife and I came out of that dinner thinking that Washington, DC has yet to have a restaurant at the Alain Ducasse or Robuchon level. It's certainly not Minibar.

4.5 stars for a really solid dining experience.

As I've said in other reviews, life is often a matter of expectations. So when I found out that a friend of ours had scored tickets to Minibar, located on E Street near the National Portrait Gallery, I was pretty excited to check out this 2 Michelin star spot.

We arrived about 30 minutes early for our 8:30 reservation and had some drinks at the attached Barmini. We actually were going to be turned away due to lack of capacity, but having reservations triggered our ability to stay. After having some tasty drinks, we proceeded through another door to a little waiting area for a moment or so. Once the staff was ready, they led us through a curtain to our seats. Said seats (I think about 12) were situated around a long curved table in what felt like a rich person's private kitchen. The staff in that kitchen was very attentive throughout the entire meal and really provided that Michelin-level service.

After taking our seats and being asked if we wanted to go with a wine pairing (we decided to stick to cocktails and bottles of wine to share instead), the meal started off...and let me tell you, it did feel a little like The Menu in terms of look and presentation (minus a Ralph Fiennes type of leader). Everything was very well coordinated and put together in a clean cut yet fun manner. In fact, our various first dish (and honestly one of my favorites of the night) was a maize butterfly that really came off like it came out of a food lab.

The reason that I'm not going an absolute full-throated 5 stars is that the first dish really was the only dish where I really felt like I was in the advertised food lab. All of the other dishes were quite tasty (things like the wagyu and caviar and toad in the hole really stood out to me), but most of the dishes struck me as a tasty dish that I would get at another upscale multi-course tasting. It goes back to the concept of expectations I suppose, but I was hoping for a few more things that would really blow my mind. However, I was happy to "settle" for lots of delicious food.

Overall, Minibar delivered a Michelin-level experience. The outstanding venue and service combined with the excellent food to make for a great dining experience. While it didn't quite reach the mountaintop for me, it was quite outstanding and somewhere I would definitely check out again.

I think this is the best Michelin dining experience I've ever ever had. I usually wouldn't crave for a fine dining/Michelin establishment because... well, it's pricey lol and for me, set aside for only the most special occasions, but also the food tends to be so decadent or 'fancy' that I don't hunger for it later even when it is amazing the first time. But minibar.... omg I already want to go back again! Each and every bite was sooo delicious. We went this past November and I can't recall everything but there was sesame, truffle, caviar, wagyu, monkfish, matcha, scallop, pork belly, cinnamon toast crunch, cucumber and some other amazing flavors. And the service and experience were super fun, entertaining, and immaculate. Cocktails and the wine pairing were amazing. Even the bathroom is exquisite!

Impeccably executed creative culinary experience tonight at Minibar!!! My husband and I were celebrating my birthday and our anniversary at the Chef's Counter at Minibar, and it was AMAZING!!!! For starters, the entire staff is excellent from the moment you walk in. They are warm, welcoming, helpful, knowledgeable, and go above and beyond to make your night special. The place is so clean and open with a modern and comfortable ambiance. Alex is an amazing manager who ensures everything is running smoothly and customer service is perfect.

Chef Sarah and her crew served up a wonderful tasting menu. Drinks were so yummy from my passionfruit mocktails to my husband's old fashions. Dinner is very satisfying with perfect bites that provide a unique culinary experience that provides a great balance of flavors in creative ways. The menu executes a perfectly seasoned and creative fusion of flavors, with unique culinary techniques. As you can see from my photos, the plating is gorgeous and extremely detailed in a well-thought out way.

Some of my favorites include the wagyu beef tartare covered in caviar, soy chicharron butterfly, and seared wagyu with a beef consume sphere you pop for sauce! But the real star of tonight's line up is the Japanese Strawberry milk roll! I am not exaggerating when I tell you it is one of the top three best desserts I have ever eaten (and I eat A LOT!)

I cannot say enough great things and highly recommend Minibar to anyone who can afford it and can get a reservation! You will walk away having an appreciation for their creative methods, personable staff, and the pleasant experience.

Minibar was a good experience, the ambiance and service were first class, but some of the food choices could have been better. I felt like the courses were great at some points yet lacked an epic flow in between the great ones. Some of the better bites were the Wagyu, scallop, caviar and the Maize Butterfly that was a highlight. There should be more rich protein based or meaty courses with sustenance that are "unforgettable". When I compare a two star Michelin type tasting menus, I expect a constant wave of highlights that delight the taste buds effortlessly. Yes, the presentation and service is just as important, as they were well represented in pictures below. The epic tastes and feast of rare delicacies were just not there. These types of highly rated restaurants like Minibar should always be a five star experience, however in my opinion, four stars was the maximum this particular night on just the food choices purely. For example, the extra add on of $200 for just truffles (a few shaves on two existing dishes) was a bit exorbitant since for the price you pay for your dinner should already include this! If the tasting menu was epic, you wouldn't walk out feeling like "Where's the beef" or how come there was only half of the courses that stand out. I would still recommend Minibar and I left with a full stomach, just take it up a notch and make the tasting menu exquisite and extraordinary so I can give it 5 stars instead of 4!