
Upscale option furnishing modern American tasting menus & wine in a simple dining room with a patio.
Hours
| Friday | 5–10 PM |
| Saturday | 5–10 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 5–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 5–10 PM |
| Thursday | 5–10 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2436 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 915-9004
Website: https://www.roosterowl.com/
Menu Photos
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Reviews
The only small drawback was the pacing of the meal. At times, courses felt a bit rushed, with dishes being cleared quickly to make way for the next one. A little more space between courses would have elevated the experience even further, especially since we dined early and the restaurant wasn’t fully booked.
That said, it was an exceptional experience overall, and absolutely a place I would recommend and happily return to.
We opted for the tasting menu, and with six diners at the table (including two 12-year-olds), every single dish landed. That alone says a lot. Nothing went untouched, no one left hungry, and the pacing struck the rare balance that many high-end tasting menus miss: indulgent, but not overwhelming.
The Meal
The evening opened with a bread service that set the tone immediately, pillowy rolls paired with a beautifully presented butter accented by herbaceous oil. Simple, elegant, and deeply satisfying.
The first official course riffed on a Southern classic: chicken mousse pâté with waffle. The pâté was silky and light, rich without being heavy, and the waffle provided just enough sweetness and structure to anchor the dish. It was playful, refined, and unmistakably intentional.
Next came the shrimp toast, a standout in its own right. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy with zero rubberiness, and seasoned with a confident but restrained hand. This was comfort food elevated, and one of those dishes that quietly reminds you how difficult “simple” is to do well.
The duck entrée was the undisputed star of the night. The breast was cooked flawlessly: tender, deeply flavorful, and beautifully rendered. What pushed it over the top was the addition of a fried preparation of the dark meat, offering richness and crunch alongside the elegance of the breast. Thoughtful greens and a glossy sauce rounded the plate out without stealing focus.
Desserts
Dessert came in waves and never felt repetitive. A decadent chocolate cake, deep, dark, and luxurious, was paired with chocolate elements and caramelized popcorn for crunch and contrast. It was indulgent without being cloying.
We also enjoyed housemade pâte de fruits, jewel-like and delicately sugared, providing a lighter, fruit-forward finish that balanced the richness of the chocolate perfectly.
Wine Pairing
The adults opted for the wine pairing, and while it’s an additional cost, it’s well worth it. Each pour complemented the course it accompanied, enhancing rather than competing with the flavors on the plate. The pairings felt thoughtful and intentional, not just “safe.”
Final Thoughts
What truly sets The Rooster & The Owl apart is how complete the experience feels. This is a tasting menu that respects its diners, ample portions, clear flavors, and an approachability that welcomes everyone at the table, even younger guests.
Michelin-level food without stiffness, inventive cooking without gimmicks, and a meal that feels generous rather than restrained. If you’re looking for a special-occasion restaurant in DC that delivers on every promise, The Rooster & The Owl absolutely deserves a reservation.
To start I was offered the pineapple bun and butter which were definitely one of the top bread-butter servings I’ve ever tasted.
Now with regards to the 4 course prix fix meal I got the – Hamachi Tartare, Shrimp Toast, Short Rib Diane and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The tartare was quite peculiar and I only picked it because of the reviews. I’m not a big fan of raw fish but the textures were rather interesting, though not as impressive for my palate.
The Shrimp toast is one of the best toast dishes I’ve had; the flavours were simply outstanding and the aioli dressing had a lemony sour kick to it complementing the dish well. The chef also gave a complimentary Japanese Yam dish which was equally good…actually it was something that blew me away! Wasn’t expecting the heat and spice with the sweetness of the sauce enveloping the yams all going so harmoniously well together. The finely sliced apples almost had a savoury texture to them and I mistook them for potatoes for a second. I’d say this complementary dish was the star of the evening!
For the main, the steak was good which was the usual, not extraordinary, still delicious. Loved the spinach and some sort of sweet sauce on the side together creating a nice flavour profile.
The dessert was nice, though I would have liked for the Pudding to be larger in size; the chai ice cream really elevated the dish. Overall, a pleasant experience!
Rolls came free, then we got the bluefin snd pork terrine. Bluefin was delicious, the terrine was something we’d normally never try and while not as good as the tuna it was something unique and tasty. Then we had the shrimp toast and cobia. The shrimp toast was absolutely fantastic, probably our favorite.
For the mains, we had the short rib Diane and the eggplant donburri – super unique way to make a shortrib like a steak, it was very good and so glad we tried a vegetarian main bexause the preparation was so delicious and almost tasted like eel with the sauce over rice. Really good!
For desserts, we got the key like pavlova and the Vietnamese tiaramisu the key lime pavlova was to die for. Service was wonderful, wine pairings were great! Absolutely reccomend it for a nice date night or special occasion. If we’re ever in the area again, definitely on our list!
Menu recs:
“Cacio e pepe” = my favorite
Shrimp toast with lemongrass aioli = order 2x
Gnocchi
Pretty much anything & everything…
Had a wonderful experience at rooster and owl
Came during restaurant week and the staff was amazing
The butter with chive oil to start was the right level of spicy
The salads we enjoyed a lot
The main courses were just ok, which was a bummer for the ratings
Dessert was great
My favorite by far was the pineapple sorbet and coconut desert
Staff was again really nice and accommodating to our requests
Highly suggest reservations
Personal pet peeve of mine is charging 22 percent service fee then taxing it ( tips are not taxed anymore, so why am I paying tax on them myself ?)
My only – ONLY – complaint is that the wine pairings seemed overpriced… but I also am not a wine drinker and cannot fairly judge that aspect of the meal. But judging the food alone, it is easily in the Top 3 dining experiences I’ve had in my entire life. I would have no reservations eating here again and am raving about it to any poor soul who will listen.