Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown

Founding farmers has a great atmosphere and it’s a fun place to grab dinner. The food is mediocre. I got the Prime Rib Dip sandwich and it wasn’t bad, and I would get it again if I went back, but it wasn’t anything special. The serving size was small and it was just a meat sandwich without a ton of flavor. We also got the shrimp and grits. It wasn’t salty enough, it had too much cucumber and tomato, it didn’t have enough grits, and it wasn’t cheesy. We’ve been here numerous times and it’s not a bad restaurant, but you’re paying for the environment. The steak frites is the most reliable thing on the menu by far. For the cost of this meal, a larger serving size and more attention to detail from the culinary team would make a large difference in the experience.

Founding Farmers Nice place to gather after a busy day viewing museums. The location was easy to find. The Labor Day holiday allowed free and easy access to street parking. The restaurant is spacious and inviting with a nice outdoor patio area. Service was prompt and friendly. Their lunch/ dinner menu was quite extensive. I did wish was that the music was toned down in volume. Their menu was quite extensive and the prices seemed about par for the area. The fried green tomatoes was ok, but I would have liked a lighter touch to the batter that was used. I had the Shrimp and Grits, Andouille which was a bit salty and the portion of grits was quite meager. But everyone completed their meal and were well filled. I hear their brunch is quite popular.

The spicy chicken sandwich was delicious. Had the right amount of heat and flavor. The beignets where a miss. They tasted like a fried donut, very heavy and doughy. Verus a light and fluffy beignet. Service is fast and staff is nice and helpful.

Dining experience went well. We had the brunch buffet. The Southern fried chicken and the mashed potatoes were definitely my favorite. There were several items that were overcooked (Chinese fried chicken, bourbon like chicken, fried shrimp, the glazed salmon and catfish. Sacha, our server, was great. She was attentive and knowledgeable. We even tried some a la carte items that we did not really care for (the crab dip). The cheesy buckwheat grits were “different.” They tasted good but the texture was not that of your normal grits.

I was with a party of 8 and it was our first visit. The food was delicious, however, I do not believe they are equipped to handle larger parties. We waited quite some time for water, drink orders and food. The servers were walking around as if they did not know which tables to serve. Overall, once we did receive service…..it was good. I would definitely try it again. I ordered the shrimp and crab salad….so delicious!

We had a server in training.....and she was great. Known for the their fried chicken and she recommended the cioppino. Yup, it was as good as she said it would be.

Generally, FF restaurants are our first choice for good drinks and a solid selection of meals, especially during happy hour, when most drinks are 50% off. So it was no surprise that we stopped at the Distillery (bar area) for a quick drink and snack before the Capitals game. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a mistake. While the food and drinks were still decent, the service was well below average. The bar counter was unclean, with dirty dishes, napkins, and water spots left all over it. I asked for the simple syrup to be omitted from my cocktail, but the bartender refused—a surprise, since this has been done for me many times at other Founding Farmers locations without any issue. I’m not sure what the reason was—whether it was the bartender’s lack of English skills or his attitude. What bothered me most, though, was how little both bartenders seemed to care about their customers. There were only about 8–10 people in the bar area, but most of us had empty water glasses, while the bartenders watched the soccer game, checked each other’s phones, and carried on a long conversation in Spanish that had their full attention. No one asked whether we were happy with our drinks (I hardly touched my oversweetened one) or if we needed anything else. I might be able to excuse the refusal to alter a drink, but the disregard for customer satisfaction is much harder to overlook. Overall, while I usually give 4–5 stars to FF restaurants, I would rate the FF Distillery only 2.5 stars: 0 stars for customer service, 3 stars for drinks, 4 stars for food.

This place was okay. The service was a bit shotty because the restaurant is super busy. I could tell that our waiter was a bit irritated sometimes but overall our group had a good experience. I had the drunken noodles but I didn’t feel they were that great. It was very oily and I pretty much only ate the onions and protein in it. The biscuit was really good but they definitely came out cold.

We did brunch buffet this past weekend and to he honest it was alright. We went there 11:30sh and most of the food are not getting refilled or they take long to refill. Location: It is located along Massachusetts Avenue. There is a lot of seatings inside and the main buffet spot is in the middle. Service: the guy served us was good. Food: to be honest the food was alright. It is a hit and missed. Most of the food trays are empty so you have to go back twice or trice to check if they refill it which they don’t. My favorites were the ribs, roast beef, beignet which you must get!!! Otherwise other food is generic. Also not much choices for a $45 dollar buffet. Price rating: 9/10. We pay $110 for 2 people including tips. It is probably worth it if they refill food quickly. Will probably not come back for buffet here, maybe regular menu is better.

This was my second time coming here, and unfortunately the experience was even worse than the first. The way delivery drivers and people picking up online orders are treated is extremely disrespectful. It feels like if you’re assumed to be a driver, you’re immediately ignored or dismissed. I ordered my own food online and came in to pick it up. I tried speaking to staff multiple times—cashier, front desk, and even waitstaff—but I was either ignored or brushed off with “okay, we’ll get it,” and then nothing happened. No follow-up, no communication, no basic courtesy. It honestly felt like they didn’t want to talk to me at all. What made this worse is that I felt I was treated differently and unfairly compared to other customers. The attitude from several employees in the lobby and at the counter came across as biased and discriminatory. Whether intentional or not, it left me feeling unwelcome and disrespected. Good food doesn’t excuse poor customer service. Everyone who walks in—drivers, pickup customers, or dine-in guests—deserves basic respect and acknowledgment. Until that changes, I wouldn’t recommend this place.