occidental

My husband and I were in town staying at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel where he was receiving a work related award. We ventured in the Occidental Restaurant and loved all the historical and political pictures! We sat in the bar and Mike Castle, our wonderful bartender and server, took great care of us. He served my Remy Martin VSOP in the most beautiful cognac glass...I hope JoJo, beverage manager, will share with me where I can buy them?!!! We also really enjoyed the mussels and lobster appetizers, and the yummy basket of breads (my fave was the corn bread). Thanks again Mike for going the extra mile and returning our lost camera battery to us. We really appreciated your kindness and great service. This restaurant is top notch, I highly recommend it.

Christmas Eve dinner with my family was simply an outstanding experience. We were seated for a 5 pm reservation due to having our 1 year old son with us. The staff was outstanding. From the front of the house staff to wait staff all were simply the best. To keep my son entertained between courses we would walk around and look at the pictures as to not disturbe any other guests. We walked past the coat check and Susan smiled at him and he immediately wanted to play. Susan was wonderful helping to keep my son entertained. I wanted to be certain that she and the staff in the front of the house were recognized for their outstanding efforts that evening.

A friend of ours who just moved to DC recommended Occidental to us. We had never heard of it. What an amazing historical place. The bartender makes the best Cosmopolitan's in town, and he knows all the words to every Sinatra song being piped in. Entertaining!

The happy hour was really excellent and the seafood was so fresh

I have been several times in the past few months, and I love the place. I think that Chef Matt Baker is creative, inventive and talented, and I love his take on all kinds of things. Kudos to Rodney for bringing in such a young talent!

I have had the pleasure of dining at the Occidental and I must say the food is the absolute best. Chef Scruggs creates a fantastic menu. One you do not want to miss in your life.

I was visiting my daughter, who lives in town, that we might attend one of the Embassy Series concerts. She took me to the Occidental for dinner, and it was Restaurant Week. I cannot recall that I have ever had a better dining experience in my life. Not only was the food superb (Endive Salad, Duck Breast & Bread Pudding), but the wait service was excellent. I will surely dine here again when I visit Washington, DC.

First visit and I've lived here since 1984! Birthday Celebration dinner with my other half. We cabbed in from Arlington and had a delightful dinner, exceptional service and delish dessert. The french pressed decaf topped off our evening. The best restaurant and company to boot. Classy and elegant to say the least. Highly recommend for a fine dining experience -- classic "Hill" crowd and ambiance.

The Sautéed Jumbo Lump Crab Cake was so good, we split another.

Sitting outside, at the sidewalk, reminded me of dinner on South Beach

Excellent dining experience.

Quite possiably the best overall dining experence I have had in the D.C. area. Or anywhere for that matter. The next time I'm in town, I will be sure to stop in for dinner. The drinks were well presented and delicious!

My husband and I just spent the last week in DC with our two sons, 10 and 7, and another family. It was Spring Break and we wanted the boys to experience DC in the Spring. It is such a beautiful and historic place.

We had a great time but I have to tell you that our Brunch on Sunday was the most memorable event of the trip. We had the pleasure of dining at The Occidental and my boys, CJ and Noah were treated like royalty.

When two children this age can feel like this it makes a Mom and Dad enjoy their experience SOOOOO much more.

Thank you for the wonderful meal and Thank you for treating our sons like the little Kings they are!!! We will always remember the experience.

Best. Manhattan. I have EVER had. Seriously. I stopped in at the Occidental one afternoon after hitting up the American History Museum with my fiancee, and the bartender suggested I try their special aged Manhatten, which is a mix of Maker's, various bitters, and a few other things, which they age themselves in a small oak cask for 30 days and server over homemade Maraschino cherries, and it was amazing. The Occidental is a wonderful mix of old DC --- classic and classy interior, a storied history, famous guests --- and some great local innovation, including not just that Manhattan, but also a seasonal cocktail menu and various special events. I haven't tried the food yet, though my fiancee has and said it was excellent. I come to DC regularly and I plan on stopping in whenever I can. And if you go to the bar look for Frank, who makes a mean Old Fashioned, or Mike, who can tell you all the great stories about the place.

I'll never forget Sundays at the Occidental. My Dad would take us out for dinner and my favorite on the menu was the lobster thermador. The black and white pictures on the walls added to the ambiance, but my Dad was my star--the architect of the first high-rise buildings in Rosslyn. I'll be in NOVA in July and will take my grown children (owner of Ad Store in the same place where we owned Brass Tacks in Georgetown) to the Occidental once again. Such a wonderful heritage. I'm so proud to be a part of the Occidental!

I will never forget lunch at the occidental many years ago - I was a child, we were in D.C. for museums and the cherry blossoms - and, oh, that chocolate mousse!

Last evening was my first experience at Occidental. I must say, it was exceptional. We were greeted by a very personable and accomplished maitre d', Raasikh Muhammad. His recommendation for my meal was excellent. The wait staff were attentive and responsive to every request. The Stuffed Trout was phenomenal.

I will definitely add the Occidental to my list of venues for special events and recommendations for fine dining.

Kudos!

I was in DC over July 4th and had the pleasure of dining with my friends at the Occidental. It was a super evening and the fillet, mojitos and service was excellent!

Though this entry is long over due, I felt compelled to make it heard...I must admit that this restaurant has very rapidly become my favorite place to find a great meal with fantastic service day in and day out. Every outlet from the bar, to the dining room to, - what's in my opinion, - the best al fresco dining area in the Capital has managed to transform this local restaurant GM into a believer that great eateries still exist without having to refinance your home to enjoy an outstanding meal. I would like to thank each and everyone responsible for the display of enthusiasm and dedication especially the director of operations (Dusant - sp???) Thanks for everything, I appreciate you!!!

During an executive meeting for clinical psychologist, I was afforded the pleasure to experience your establishment My dining experience here was absolutely awesome. The crab cakes were extremely tastey just needed a little more sauce in my opinion. I look forward to returning during my next visit.