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We had brunch at the Park Cafe for the first time - and don't plan on going back. While it's a charming spot with acceptable service, the value of the meal is not up to par. My $14 eggs and sausage looked like only one scrambled egg, which I finished in 2 bites. The "served with fresh fruit" turned out to be 1 sliced strawberry and 2 pieces of canned pineapple. I could have made this "brunch' at home for $5. The service was nothing special, and the inside is nice enough but certainly doesn't make up for the ridiculously small and untasty meal that left me hungry and was hardly worth what we paid. We left feeling ripped off and won't be going back.

Food was alright...not great, but not bad. To cap off my experience, my total bill was $144.01 for two. They charged me $1,441.01, and failed to tell me a about the mistake. The guy claims he ran the credit through right after, four days later, the money is still not in the bank. I went to the restaurant and the guy showed me the credit reciept...it would have been nice had he told me this since I incurred an overdraft fee. Finally, the service was slow, real slow. We were there three hours...and it was not a 5 course dining experience. Service was poor, food was mediocre, and price was absurd. If you for some reason go, use cash.

This restaurant has so much charm but only from the outside. The inside is casual, overpriced nonsense that seems to attract only the curious. We were one out of one during peak hours of a restaurant. The experience was totally boring. The food came out rushed, was uneventful, less than appetizing and all of this while the owner sat at a table with others drinking wine. We were less than imressed and would never go again. Maybe someone will buy this restaurant and make something of it.

More than 20 years ago, I discovered the Park Cafe while jogging at lunch time from work. I have witnessed the evolution of what I have come to call my favorite place to dine. It has been my custom to have Alcione Vinet the owner, choose my wine and often select my dinner as if I was in his home and the Park Cafe is his home. He selects all of his food from the very best purveyors with little regard to cost but only to quality. I live in "Ole Towne" Alexandia, Virginia and drive past 150 resturants to get to the Park Cafe because of the excellent food and atmosphere. If you have had a poor or bad meal at the Park Cafe - You were not at the Park Cafe. It is always my "First Choice"s when taking out of town guests out for the evening, We ate with friends from South Carolina this past Friday night and it was excellent.

It's a great place for a cafe. But the limited, $$$ menu will keep me from ever going back. It wasn't even the quality their menu would promote.

Park Cafe is a hidden gem. The food is fresh and flavorful, the wine list is generous and carefully selected to work with the menu. The owner and staff make wonderful hosts. Definitely ask Alcione for wine recommendations. Make sure someone at your table orders the evening's special. And try dessert. It never disappoints. In the summer, a table overlooking Lincoln Park is a perfect spot for sharing a bottle of wine with a date...or your best friends. One of my top 5 DC restaurants!

The Park Café does not deliver the food that its charming atmosphere and lovely setting suggest. The menu is very limited and overpriced. The fish dishes have been undercooked on more than one occasion --leaving the flesh still blubbery instead of firm.. The osso buco, while savory and mostly well done is not served with the bone that gives the dish its name, leaving some of the richness of the flavors falling flat. The one area where the restaurant delivers is the wine list, lovingly pruned and hand-selected by the owner --who is happy to recommend his favorites and does so in an expert manner. It's an ideal location for a romantic first date, where you're bound to pay less attention to the food and more to the attraction from across the table.