Bistro Du Jour, District Wharf

The tuna carpaccio… I’m still dreaming about it. Mouth is watering writing this review. We were visiting and stopped in this place for a quick dinner during pride week (so everything was packed) they sat us immediately and our server was very kind. Everything we had was delicious but the carpaccio blew us away. We want to visit DC again just to go back here! Thank you Bistro Du Jour<3

Location and ambiance is great. Only downside is there is only 1 restroom and makes it little annoying. Other than that food was great tasty, to the point portions. I will come back here to try their other items on the menu.

My first time there. It’s located at the Wharf. Really nice place next to a Marina , shops and other restaurants. I arrived around 4:00 PM on a Saturday. The rest was not packed, so there were available tables inside or on the patio. I chose the patio for the views. The waiter and waitress were very nice and courteous. They quickly brought the menu, water and suggestions for nice dishes. I started with the French Onion Soup. It was delicious. Probably one of the best I’ve had. Then I chose a nice mojito , and for the entree or rather Hors Doeuvres I chose the “Modules Frites”. Or the PEI mussels with the French Fries. They were also delicious. And the amount of mussels was large. I also had for dessert the cheesecake and a cappuccino. Awesome. Over all a nice atmosphere and great service. I believe the waitress name was Fernanda. I highly recommend this restaurant. Go for a nice walk afterwards. Have fun n enjoy.

Can’t wait to come back to Washington, DC just to have dinner at this restaurant again. They have the best escargot, tuna ceviche, and French wine. The customer service is outstanding—friendly, attentive, and genuinely exceptional. A beautiful riverfront setting, top-tier quality, and incredible service all come together in one perfect spot.

Very pleasant experience. The atmosphere was perfect for a bistro, the reception and wait staff perfect. Friendly and well mannered. The dining experience was superb. The food was very well prepared and tastefully presented and delicious. The price point for the cuisine was decent, the wine was a little on the high side for Chardonnay, but not outrageous. I highly recommend this establishment in DC and was glad to have had this dining experience.

Came for breakfast twice ! One evening we came for a baguette and a cheese platter for our boat ride on the Potomac. The brioche French toast is an absolute must! I will hunt you down if you don’t order it. I ordered a side of eggs and was happily surprised by how well cooked they were and the flavor. Gordon Ramsey stated that the way you cook eggs reveals your cooking skills. The design down to the cutlery was gorgeous.

The food here is amazing, but what put my experience over the top was the service. I had a solo dinner and my server Ian was attentive, friendly and chatted with me about the food, the restaurant owners, their partner bakery, and the birds that visit the waterfront. I was so pleased, I was full after my meal and just had to take Cheesecake to-go simply cause Ian spoke so highly of the bakery, which by the way, if you get something saucy you MUST ask for a slice of bread on the side, it was the cherry on top of my meal. I sat on the patio with an upfront view of the water, perfect viewing for boats and people watching. There is one restroom but it’s clean. Very cute atmosphere and besides a great drink menu they have ‘snacks’ besides appetizers so it would be a great place for a first date! Grab just drinks and a snack, if it’s going well, dive in for a meal.

Amazing place dot gather w friends , eat & drink! The service is attentive and friendly. The food is delicious. Fries were crispy n hot, the deviled eggs at $2.50 each were soo good. Quiche was good too. We had a bottle of cava to start at $62. It was nice dry. So crispy n served chilled. The outdoor seating is much nicer than indoor seating. After the bottle of cava it was happy hour (3-6pm7 so we had a few cocktails for $8.

Service was great and food also was great. I ordered regular burger and muscles in white wine sauce. My all time favorite items. Both of them were great I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. It was spring time, we sat outside seating area, it was beautiful weather to have lunch.

I had the Paris-Brest Au Saumon Fumé, and it was phenomenal. The vanilla latte was also good as was the creme brulee.

Bistro Du Jour at The Wharf is the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve taken a quick trip to Paris—without the jet lag. 🇫🇷 The menu is packed with French classics, and they do them right. We started with Moules Frites, perfectly cooked in a garlicky white wine butter sauce, and Escargots De Bourgogne, rich and flavorful with a crispy baguette to soak up every drop. The Fromage Board was a solid addition, setting up the main event: Steak Frites. Cooked perfectly, paired with a simple watercress salad, and loaded with crispy fries. Classic, simple, and delicious. The drinks? Manhattan to start, a bottle of Bordeaux to keep things going. And yes, dessert was a must—the Crème Brûlée and Basque Cheesecake were the perfect sweet endings. Service was great, the ambiance was cozy yet lively, and overall, it was a fantastic experience. If you’re craving classic French flavors with a waterfront view, Bistro Du Jour is the spot.

The food was delicious! It was truly amazing, coffee was on point and the ability to sit outdoors under heaters for breakfast, while catching sun and enjoy the view was an amazing way to start the day. Totally recommend this for your breakfast stop!

10/10 highly recommend! I got the American breakfast and it was the most perfectly cooked breakfast I've ever had and the latte was a healthy size and so delicious! I love the water views as well. The waitress was sweet and brought my Pomeranian some water without me having to ask. My new favorite breakfast spot!

HIGHLY recommend. The wait staff and host were awesome :)) I ordered the salmon filet with ratatouille and fries on the side, with crème brûlée for dessert. SO DELICIOUS OMG!! My favorite gluten free food I’ve had so far in DC. They have many amazing options for gluten free!! Many tasty things including desserts, so I didn’t feel like I was compromising, and I felt very safe eating here as a celiac. The atmosphere is great on the inside and outside too :) great view of the water and beautiful decor all around.

Very much enjoyed our breakfast on the go. Our server, Fernanda, made all the best recommendations. Try the draft oatmeal latte! Thank you for accommodating us and my service dog.

Decided to go to Bistro Du Jour for Sunday breakfast/brunch and shop around The Wharf. We made a reservation and were promptly seated in the "outside area". There is also an indoor restaurant as well. Traditional French dishes in a great setting overlooking the wharf. Our server was Briseyda and she was excellent. Very attentive and able to answer many questions about the menu. Consistently checking in with us and making sure our iced coffees and drip coffees were full and if we needed anything. The menu consisted of several items including a breakfast section, pastries, snacks, appetizers and the dinner section. We primarily stuck to the breakfast items. We ordered the Salade Lyonnaise (Salad with Salmon), Avoine De Nuit (Overnight Oats, apples, almonds, granola and mixed berries), Paris-Brest Au Saumon Fume (Smoked Salmon on a everything Crogel with additional items) and a Ham and Cheese Croissant. In addition, given the French cuisine, we had to try the Soupe A' L 'Oignon (French Onion Soup). Personally, I had the Overnight Oats. By far, this was the best oats I have ever had. Fresh fruit and extremely flavorful. I will go back just for that dish, but several others looked delicious. I also had some of the french onion soup and it was excellent. Our friends really enjoyed their salmon dishes and the croissant was actually light and fluffy but full of ham and cheese. Overall a great meal. So an excellent meal, with great scenery overlooking the boats and water. We will be back!

The view to the wharf and the pier is perfect. There Oat Draft Latte was amazing. The first time I went I got their Breakfast French Toast and it was so delicious! And the Onion Soup smelled amazing, someone near my table order it. The second time I went I got a Croque Madame that was good, and a Crème Brûlée and it was absolutely to die for!!!

A very cozy French cafe on The Wharf. I ordered some hot chocolate and the classic croissant to go. The croissant was incredibly fresh! 🥐 I gotta say, the hot chocolate was a bit overpriced for its size. I would really recommend sitting outside when the weather is nice and warm. Great location. The service was alright.

We’ve been here so many times! I forgot to post all the pics, but here’s some! I absolutely LOVE their chocolate croissants and anything with whipped butter. It’s such a cute spot on the wharf and the service is usually good. This is one of my go-to brunch spots!

Started the meal with possibly the best dish of them all, the Quenelles (cod dumplings), which were simply amazing! The sauce and the creamed cod were just perfect together. We also had the escargot, which had an excellent garlic tone and not too overpowering. For the mains, my wife had the mussels in white wine sauce. For a little kick, she added Tabasco, and it complimented the white wine sauce very well. My steak frites were tasty. The steak was cooked rare and to my liking. The frites were a little overcooked, but I was happy with the dish overall. We finished the meal with the chocolate torte and espresso, a classic combination. Bold and sweet! I was very impressed with Bistro Du Jour. everyone must try those Quenelles—seriously!!! Give em a try.

I thought this place was lovely! The Gruyère cheese on the eggs was phenomenal. All the staff was very nice and accommodating. I would definitely recommend this as a brunch spot

Stopped for lunch. We enjoyed the warmth of the patio on the wharf even in winter. Wasn’t very busy, but service was good and attentive. Soft drinks came in overpriced small glass bottles, very European. The food was excellent including the croque madam and American burger. Pastry offerings were great as well.

Food is consistently good, fresh and beautifully presented. Our server, Dave, was helpful and friendly. Recommend the fries, lardon salad, salmon, escargot, flourless chocolate torte. Brunch is good too. Great sunsets over the wharf from the enclosed patio.

We speed by cause we passed last time in the area and looked nice. 😁 it was better than expected. Food was different but good. Cooked fresh. Served hot and it was yummy. We will be back to try some more stuff. 😁

We only stopped in for a burger one evening so can't really comment on the food as a whole, although the burger was very nice. However, the server, Ian, was the best server we came across in our 12 day trip visiting Boston, New York, Washington and Maryland. He was excellent! And now aware that Ian when spelt Iain is the traditional Scottish Gaelic spelling.

My friends and I stopped by this spot after exploring the Wharf. The food was solid, especially the mussels in white wine sauce, which were a standout. The deviled eggs were also delicious. We each ordered a quiche, and I had the Quiche Lorraine. It was tasty but could’ve used a bit more salt. Portions were generous, and the service was great. One other thing to note: only one bathroom inside which was kind of inconvenient.

Overall great experience and fresh food, air conditioned rooms and clean tables. Our gastronomical experience was great, except for a soggy burger bun, sides were good, but nothing special. Our beverages arrived 10 minutes late, upon our request, after food was already served. We have requested a side of bread, which has arrived upon finishing our food. Recommend this place to everybody who is looking for an affordable, yet exquisite experience in little France in DC.

This was my first time @ Bistro du Jour @ the Wharf. I met a friend for brunch on a holiday Monday. It was fairly busy, but luckily there was seating available in their heated outdoor patio right along the busy waterfront. Bistro du Jour is seemingly going for a traditional French cafe given their menu and ambience. The Collette punch is apparently one of the more popular cocktails @ Bistro du Jour with its fruity medley of mango vodka, rhubarb liqueur, Cassis, ginger, lemon and bubbles. It’s a lovely, fresh & fruity drink. The service was good. Our waiter was very nice and accommodating when the croissant breakfast sandwich that I ordered ran out of the croissant, so I ended up with the scrambled eggs with Gruyère and bacon. I added a sweet component to my meal by ordering the Bistro du Jour seasonal danish, which was an apple and almond danish that was quite tasty with a buttery and flaky pastry. The eggs were good, fluffy and flavorful with the Gruyère adding a nice touch. My friend ordered the French onion soup me and a salade verte, which both looked delicious and according to my friend also tasted delicious. In addition to the wrap around seating in the heated patio, there is a small bit of seating inside, where the patisserie is located. A lot of the patisserie items were sold out, which makes me think either they were busy early in the day; or their pastries are popular. The menu is has a broad range of items, so there should be something for everyone. One thing to note: there is only one restroom, which is odd given the amount of seating. There’s a sign referencing public restrooms in the alley nearby. If you’re at the Wharf and in the mood for a French bistro, Cafe du Jour is definitely giving a taste of Paris.

Salad Verte was very simple as described but refreshing and exactly what you’d expect. The chicken was a bit lacking in flavor. Mash potatoes were perfect though. Great service and atmosphere though. Haji did a great job accommodating specific times I wanted my meal to come out. The team seams to be very attentive to customer needs and asks.

MAY 2023 UPDATED REVIEW: I go here pretty regularly between work days by the Wharf. It is pretty darn good. Food quality has always been great. My regulars are the plain croissant with a cappucino and it is just SO heavenly. Bistro Du Jour seriously has some of the best croissants I've ever had: really flaky, but super soft on the inside. Their cinnamon buns are still divine. Their Vanilla-filled donuts are devilishly delicious. I've even sat down for lunch/brunch some days, and their Croque Madame sandwich (added pic) is absolutely amazing, as well as their breakfast menu item, the Americaine (added pic). Their menu is always so tempting and satisfying. Service, however, still could use some work: their servers, despite there often being plenty of seating during the day, don't like when you want to sit at THAT open table and prefer that you sit at THIS table, regardless if THAT table was never reserved. This happened last brunch visit I went to where, after my meal, I asked the waiter if the table I 'd originally asked for was reserved or something, because no one ended up sitting there at all. The waiter replied that they just didn't want to serve me at that table. I didn't quite understand the rationale but, whatever. I thanked him and went on my way. In short, my food and coffee here has always been amazing. The service has been spotty at times. 4.5 stars from me. ORIGINAL: The "Cinnamon Bun" and "Vanilla Choux" (pronounced SHOO) were delicious. That's all I got (plus a black coffee to go), as I was trying this place for the first time. • The Cinnamon Bun I had to ask them to warm up, right as the server was boxing it up. Remember: always ask them to warm up your food; you never know when the cashiers/servers/baristas will just box items up or serve them cold from the behind the counter. Anyway, it was really delicious: soft, gooey, and yummy. I hope my attached photos show how delicious they were and make you salivate enough to entice you to try them. • The Vanilla Choux was yummy, too, if not oozing its custard innards outward with each bite. Another tip: careful when you bite into this, as you seriously risk spilling the vanilla custard onto your shirt or lap by accident. The establishment itself was pretty. Very atmospheric, from its location by the waterfront/Wharf, to its enclosed "outdoor" seating, to its Frenchy interior. I liked the tiles, too; very pretty design choices, so kudos. One downside, in my opinion, despite going at around 1:30pm on a Tuesday afternoon, is that they were apparently all sold out of croissants. All of them. I understand it might have been very popular, and it was after noon, but this is a French-style bakery and café after all... croissants shouldn't be all sold out. The old lady in front of me was even irritated, as I heard her ask for these, get rejected, and then she said something like "well, that's really all I wanted and came for"... then turned right back around and left, put out onto the streets, croissant-less. I felt bad for her and for me, because I walked up to the order counter afterward as the barista sadly placed little "sold out" signs in front of the display croissants. It was a sad afternoon... ...at least until I bit into my warm Cinnamon Bun--then I decided to give Bistro Du Jour a rain check on those croissants. I'm coming back for them at some point which, I suppose, you can consider a recommendation from me to go visit this place yourself. Try the Cinnamon Bun (ask them to warm it up) and the Vanilla Choux... if they aren't sold out. 4/5 stars so far. ☆☆☆☆

Ate here for DC restaurant week and loved it! It was so fun to try an appetizer (French onion soup), entree (duck confit), and dessert (flourless chocolate torte or basque cheesecake) with a friend! Unfortunately my duck was a bit dry but everything else was excellent and I’d definitely go again!

Great place to relax and have a conversation. Country French. Lyonnaise salad was authentic. Coffee drinks are fine. Salmon was a little on the flabby farm-raised side. Ham and cheese croissant pretty tasty. A little overpriced because of the location. Setting is the best part.

Visited here for a late lunch but appears the breakfast is the highlight. I had the salmon which was well done however, amply lacked flavour except some salt and lime. Would only recommend their sweets and pastries. We enjoyed the creme brulee.

The receptionist was not in a good mood and hospitality was not to the standard We ordered onion soup which was delicious. Also we ordered "Nicouas salad" wasn't nice, it has tuna on the top that taste bad. I rate our experience in this restaurant as Fair.

The hostess was pleasant, and I appreciated the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. That said, it’s important to go in with the right expectations. The $20 burger and fries were just okay—nothing special—and unfortunately, the buns were soggy, which really took away from the meal. There was also a large group surcharge applied even though we were only a party of five on one bill, which felt a bit excessive. Our waitress wasn’t rude, but she did have a noticeable attitude throughout the meal. It seemed like she might’ve been frustrated with the kitchen, but unfortunately, that energy spilled over to our table. We didn’t have many special requests—just asked for lettuce, tomato, and onion on our burgers. With so many other dining options in the area, this experience just didn’t stand out enough for us to return.

Great view and great vibe..and ok food, but definitely not french enough. Escargot was very disappointing, didnt come with shells, no garlic in the sauce, and came with cold hard sliced baguette. Cant recommend if you want french food. But definitely recommend if you’re looking for a vibe with great view. Coffee was watered down. Basque cheesecake was okay. Service was great.

Food was great (except the onion soup has wayyyy too much salt). The mussels were phenomenal, but they all got defeated when the waitress spilled all of the thyme & garlic butter the mussels were cooked in onto my backpack… That was after we paid, and I didn’t have the time to try and get the tip back. Also the bathroom was out of service when we were there.

We made a reservation for Saturday morning at 9 AM but it was pretty empty so it didn't seem like we really needed to. Since this is located at the wharf, I recommend taking an Uber or lyft here since the parking garages are almost always full. There wasn't anyone at the front for a couple minutes but was sat inside promptly when they came back. The patio is covered and heated and the inside is quaint and bright. Our server was somewhat attentive but usually was at the front outside patio area talking to the host staff. I ordered a Latte with vanilla that was very good and my mom ordered the grapefruit juice. We ordered their seasonal muffin which was Banana Chocolate and a Lemon Poppyseed Loaf. The muffin was well flavored but would have tasted better if it was a little warmer. The Lemon Poppyseed Loaf was disappointing, it was cold and very dry and didn't seem fresh. When we asked about it from our server, she just said "it was made today and it's supposed to be like that". She did ended up removing it from our check and asked if we ended up wanting something else instead. We just opted for another muffin. For the main dish, I ordered the Ouefs Au Plait. This was good but the sourdough underneath started getting soggy towards the end and the Mornay and mushrooms did start getting a little salty and overly savory. Honestly, we were just a little disappointed overall and not sure if we'd come back, at least not for breakfast.

Bistro Du Jour at the Wharf has an elegant setting and the potential to be a standout spot, but my experience was disappointing. The hosting lacked warmth and organization, which set a poor tone for the visit. For a place in such a vibrant area, I expected a welcoming and polished front-of-house experience. Additionally, the bar was underwhelming—limited options and lackluster execution that didn’t match the high-end vibe the restaurant aims for. While the concept and location are great, attention to hospitality and bar quality is essential to elevate the overall experience. Hoping to see improvements because the space deserves better.

My husband and I are both French living in the US so we were excited to find a “French” restaurant in DC. Terrible experience. Our food was okay, but the host never smiled. It was not busy at all, we got there around 5pm, never smiled. Our server was super friendly, but they should really get a new host, all the restaurants around them were busy and packed, and they weren’t. Probably because of the service.