Le Diplomate is our 'go-to' spot when we're looking for a beautiful and fun atmosphere, friendly service and great food. We have never been disappointed here, whether it's a mid-afternoon lunch on Saturday or a night out on the town. Steak Frites are delicious as...is the burger. When I think of this restaurant I think 'Happy" as everyone always seems to be having a great time while dining here. A great choice over the holidays too as they decorate beautifully.More

Great bread & good food, small portions. Drinks were ordered first but arrived with dinner … felt like table turnover was the goal. Don’t expect a quiet or intimate conversation, but you’ll enjoy the food.

We visited Le Diplomate on 05/11, as a special occasion. It was very hard to book - the only time we could get was 9PM which we considered quite late. It has a good reputation in D.C. but to us, was not worth the hype...(or price!). The food was OK, we enjoyed it. But nothing to shout about. And the restaurant was very noisy, though well themed. Credit has to be given for their flexibility with our orders, however, as they produced a "mocktail" for us despite not being an option on the menu. Nice to say you've been but not sure we'll come back.More

I haven't written a review in years but here goes. 8:30 reservation on a busy Sunday night. Waiter came over with water and menus and said he would be back, no introduction. Returned in 3 minutes and asked if we were ready to order with...what I would call a surly attitude. We asked to order cocktails first and when received we would order food. In about 2 minutes came back with drinks and asked if we were ready to order. We did give him our orders which in hindsight was probably a mistake. In 3 minutes, no exaggeration, he came back with our meals. We each only had taken a sip from our drinks. My wife ordered Beef Bourguignon which she said was tasteless. It was served more in gravy than a wine based sauce. I ordered the Steak frites (I never knew they could be cooked in 3 minutes), they were served warm but incredibly dry. Obviously cooked ahead of time and reheated. Waiter never came by to refill our water or ask how our meal was. I wish I could just say our waiter was just having a bad night but the food matched his ineptitude. I believe Le Diplomate lives off a prior reputation. There are lots of other great restaurants in this area. Diner bewareMore

We met friends based on their recommendation. We dressed for a French restaurant. Place was very crowded, extremely noisy. I ordered the steak frites. While the steak was nice, I was provided with a mound of french fries that a group could have eaten. Way...too much. Almost covered the steak. I think the price was to high for the meal even understanding the rising costs. The crowd and the noise really made it difficult to enjoy ourselves.More

This is another "must visit" for me when I'm in Washington. The cons are that it's trendy, so you need to reserve well in advance. The crowd can be bougie. But aside from that, I still love it here. It's crowded and bustling. The service...is professional and excellent. They have the same people working here all the time. It can be loud, but the tables are small, so no problem having a conversation. The food is great, delicious, well prepared. Oysters are great. Wine list is great. I like it best for lunch. I think it would be a little too casual for me for dinner. All that being said, it's really expensive, so don't be shocked by the price.More

The onion soup had too much cheese. It’s a pretty simple dish. Why so much cheese? I saw the guy at the next table use his finger to wrap the cheese so he could put a spoonful of “soup” into his mouth. Had the steak...frites. A plateful of overly salted fries, and I don’t shy from salt. Steak was surprisingly bland. Profiteroles with bananas???i lived under France for 5 years and never experienced such a thing. They also added something crunchy like a sugar crust. Why??? The ambiance is lovely but very loud. Overpriced for what you get. Service was good.More