Le Diplomate

Le Diplomate is DC’s most famous French restaurant. And while the faux French bistro looks like an Americanized version of a Parisian spot, the food here is (mostly) terrible.

The cavernous Logan Circle restaurant is full of couples pretending they’re on that perpetually delayed anniversary trip to Paris, friends drinking wine and yelling at each other over bland burgers, and folks convincing their parents that they aren’t living on a diet of DoorDash and Red Bull.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Le Dip, as it’s often referred to, is split into a few different sections, and if you have the option, sit in the main dining room. That’s where you’ll get more of the "Paris" feel that is the restaurant’s biggest draw. There’s a table full of slightly burnt baguettes in wicker baskets, where servers carve up loaves as people waiting for tables hover around breathing on them. Maps of France and old photos of Paris line the walls. And every table is full of those classic bistro chairs. 

None of this is, objectively, bad. What really makes Le Dip a bummer is that the food is often memorably bad—and not in a predictable way. Sometimes it’s too salty, other times it’s not salty enough. Sometimes the steak is tough as leather, other times it’s barely cooked (and not by request). Sometimes the escargot is chewy, other times it’s covered in slimy film. Even the macaroni au gratin, which is good enough if you do find yourself here, is too salty. The only consistent thing about it is that it’s never very good.

Despite the underwhelming food, Le Diplomate is always packed. So much so that you’ll need to make your Friday or Saturday dinner reservations a few weeks out. And you definitely don’t want to try to walk in during those times, because you’ll still be sitting in the waiting area as they’re locking up the doors. 

But for a restaurant that has been a staple in the city for so long, Le Dip’s inconsistency is not just a disappointment, it’s a problem. And there are other restaurants in the city that pull off the faux French bistro feel while actually serving up delicious food (like Le Chat Noir). We’d recommend sticking to those. 

Food Rundown

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Escargots à la Bourguignonne

On a good day, the escargot dish is chewy and overdone. On a bad day, it’s so slimy, we’ve wondered if the snails were still alive.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Steak Frites

This steak is never cooked to temperature and looks like a giant tootsie roll. It doesn’t taste like one, though, that would probably be better than the under-seasoned log that comes out. The herb butter is pretty tasty, but doesn’t make up for the general lack of even salt and pepper. And the french fries are hard and flavorless, which is really disappointing when they’re piled so high on the plate.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Macaroni Au Gratin

This was our favorite thing we ate at Le Dip. It was a little over-salted, but the pasta was tender and the gruyere added a stringy, nutty bite to the dish.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Burger Américain

Another hit or miss dish, Le Dip’s burger does its best impersonation of a Big Mac, and turns out a nice secret sauce. But the beef patties are bland, so you’re leaning on the Russian dressing-esque sauce super hard. And if there isn’t enough, the burger isn’t good.