Le Kavacha French Bistro - Washington

A fantastic new addition to the Tenleytown neighborhood! The ambiance is stylish and inviting, the atmosphere is friendly, the French cuisine is fabulous, and there’s live music too!

This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Two of us ordered overpriced steaks but were served liver instead. Instead of preparing new plates, they simply removed the liver and placed a steak on our plates, which was nearly raw. The bread was still frozen in the middle. They didn’t even know how to make a Manhattan, which took an excruciating 20 minutes to arrive. The "gazpacho" was just watery — how is that even possible? The notion that this was in any way a French establishment is laughable, except for the fact that we share the same planet. There are plenty of excellent French restaurants nearby, so I suspect that the other reviews on Google are either fabricated or written by friends and family of the owners. Don’t waste your time and money here!

We started with the golden beet salad, which was supposed to include candied pecans and goat cheese, but instead, we received mixed greens with just three slices of red beet, a sprinkle of Mexican cheese, and garlic dressing. The Caesar salad was also disappointing; it came with romaine lettuce, the same Mexican cheese mixture, and a dressing that wasn’t Caesar at all. We ordered a pesto pizza, but what we got seemed more like a basic cheese pizza from the grocery store, topped with some chicken and just a hint of pesto. The crust was perfectly round but seemed commercial and generic. We each had a glass of wine, which was nice and met our expectations. I’m giving this restaurant two stars, primarily for the kindness of the staff. When we expressed our concerns, they comped one salad and mentioned they were in the process of restructuring their menu to feature a different international cuisine. I appreciate their willingness to explain the situation, so I might consider giving them another chance in the future.

The food is incredible, and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting. You should definitely come in and give it a try!

The experience felt a bit peculiar since we were the only group at the restaurant, and for some reason, no one else showed up. Perhaps the new management is still finding their footing. However, the food was excellent—well-prepared and beautifully presented, with no issues whatsoever. The wine list was somewhat limited, so don’t expect too much in that regard. Overall, the food was very satisfying, and everyone enjoyed the appetizers and main courses.