Le Refuge

User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

**Note: I would give zero stars, but this is apparently impossible.

I had 7:30pm reservations for 4 people Saturday night. However, my girlfriend arrived a few minutes ahead of my parents and me, and upon arrival, the hostess claimed that our reservations had been for 7 pm, so they had given away our table. Additionally, she insisted that they do not take 7:30pm reservations (which sounded like a ridiculous lie to begin with). When my girlfriend asked how long the wait would be, the hostess said it would be at least 8:30--with virtually no waiting area. My girlfriend asked why they had not called us before giving away the table, given that we had provided a number for them--the hostess simply sneered and said that it was their busiest time, and that they have no shows all the time so they gave away the table.

She insisted WE were wrong, and that they had no obligation whatsoever to try to make amends. BAD business.

To add insult to injury, while dealing with this rude hostess who made no apologies or attempts to work with us, three seperate parties arrived for their 7:30pm reservations. This made it painfully clear that they had lied about not taking reservations at that specific time.

I have never been treated with such disrespect and rudeness by an employee of a restaurant. I have worked in the industry for some time, and I know that this behavior is simply inexcusable and suggests that no one can count on this restaurant to provide a pleasant experience, period. I will never patronize it and will certainly let as many people as possible know about their unprofessional service.

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

January 15 2008 Wow, very very good! We will return on our special occasions.

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User Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Although there are some good things to be had at Le Refuge, it has become sadly typical of the expensive and ultimately mediocre restaurants that seem to be more common in the DC area than almost anywhere else in the country. I have eaten there three times over the past couple of years, and have always come away feeling that it should be a great deal better than it is for the money, and its potential. The atmosphere is cosy (though they really need to install a heavy curtain or something similar at the small entryway to stop blasts of cold air coming in whenever people are holding the door open while waiting to be seated). Service is very good.

But what one comes there for - the French country-style food - is very hit and miss. My last visit, with my daughter and two friends, was typical: two of the meals were good (though nothing to write home about), one was mediocre and one worse. The latter - venison - was extremely gamey (a lingering bitter aftertaste) and, incredibly, was not cooked to order: medium rare came out as distinctly medium - one would think that for $32 in a restaurant of this reputation they could be counted on to cook meat right, but apparently not. Dishes are often over-sauced, and accompanying vegetables vary from good to remarkably bland (the pureed carrots being the latest example).

It struck me during that most recent meal - which will have been my last there, for I won't return - that while many diners may be seduced by the atmosphere and a certain francophilic expectation, Le Refuge wouldn't fare very well in local reviews if it were located in France. Its demeanor may work for some in the DC area, but in the context of native French cuisine it would come off as a distinct mediocrity.

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