carlyle

one of the best. the carlyle is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the dc area. i always get the crab cake and filet special (which admittedly is on special frequently). the wait is not terrible on the weekend and things seem to flow smoothly. do call ahead if you are planning on eating at a peaktime- it's a greattimesaver and is definitely encouraged. i appreciate the way the wait staff works as a team and am usually pleased with the service. when i have guests in town, a meal here is always on the list of activities and it's always a hit.

top customer service. this is my first review ever. i just went to carlyles because i dropped my car off across the street for an inspection. the bartender named melissa was the nicest, most courteous employee i have ever met. she was warm and welcoming and provided me recommendations on food items. she not only engaged great eye contact and smiled but had a great demeanor that made me enjoy mytimethere even more than the excellent food. she paid attention to the levels in my drink and without being asked, refilled my water and asked if i'd like a refill with my bloody mary. she was also engaging with all the customers at the bar and you could tell they all enjoyed her conversing with them. i hope carlyle ownership knows what kind of gem they have working for them. i'd come back just to talk with her again (although the lobster bisque was excellent as well!).

former regular never returning. the carlyle has lost a regular customer. i used to love this restaurant. the bread is delicious, the banana pudding divine. whenever we have friends or family in town, we go there. when people ask for suggestions of where to eat, we suggest there. i even had my graduation party lunch there. i will not be returning to this establishment unless i receive a sincere apology.

even before this experience, getting a reservation is a nightmare, but the food is good so i always played along. i had guests who i was taking to a ball in dc saturday evening and we decided to have dinner at the carlyle. i called on friday and multiple times on saturday and was working with the desk to make sure that our waittimematched up with wanting to eat at 6:30. at 5:45, we called and they said a 45 minute wait. we put our name on the list and showed up, all 6 of us, at 6:30pm. they handed up a buzzer and said they were calling up for our table.

at 6:45 we wanted to see what was taking so long. they told us the wait was another 30-40 minutes. what!? we then saw a couple who had not called ahead walk up and be told there was a 20-30 minute wait. this was infuriating. we tried to explain to the hostess that we had called ahead and been assured a 45 minute wait more than an hour ago. she said she didn't know what happened but that we were out of luck.

after waiting another 20 minutes - mind you we are in ball gowns and tuxedos - we asked again how much longer and it was still 30-40 minutes. we demanded to speak with the manager for an explanation. the girl (hostess) who was handing out buzzers told us that she was the manager and we were out of luck.

we have never been treated so poorly in a restaurant. the lack of honesty and customer service is astounding. this was one of our favorite restaurants, but after being embarassed in front of our guests like that, we do not plan to return. we then had to trudge through the snow in our formal wear to find another restaurant and then attend our event late.

i am extremely disappointed in this experience and can only hope that x (name redacted but if contacted by the real manager i am willing to give the name of the person pretending to be you) at the front desk feels guilty for how she treated us and that her actions will someday finally be recognized by her management.

if you want good food and are willing to play ridiculous games to get a table, the carlyle is your place. i can no longer recommend this place.

bad brunch experience w/kids. if you have kids or are planning on brunch on sundays here, think again...yes, food is the primary concern but when you have kids along, prompt, precise, and accomodating service is just as important. just visited the carlyle and upon sitting, i asked our waiter for a kids menu which in reply he said there wasn't one. i looked at the dessert menu and behind it was the kids menu. when he came back i asked him about it, and he replied that it was brunch menu only. the kids menu showed notimeor date limitations (why would they even give out dessert menus with kids menu in the back if it wasn't being offered?). service was slow overall, drinks took a while as did food. we got a few 3-4 slices of carrot bread but none of the doughnut breads carlyle is known for. we had to ask for utensils. we ended having to order adult size meals for kids under the age of 7. we had to ask for coffee refills twice and when they did come they were lukewarm. wait staff was hard to locate when needed. when the bill arrived was overcharged for kid's beverages (we ordered one, waiter offered a refill and then we were charged for a total of 3 drinks. waiter only took one drink off saying there were no refills for the drink). as we were walking out, we saw numerous tables with kid's menu meals like chicken strips and penne pasta. after the less than stellar brunch experience here a week ago i wrote carlyle regarding what had happened. a manager named eric called and apologized and said he would send a gift certificate in the mail right away so we could give them another try, but it's been a week andi have not received anything yet. i guess not that eager to have us back again.

great food and responsive service. an excellent experience last night. the food (pecan encrusted trout and chicken sandwich) were both very tasty recipes and well prepared. and service, while a bit different, ie, our waiter was not the one caring for our every need, but instead about 5 different people handles different elements and all staff was responsive to whatever we needed and got us in and out intimeto make the show. oh, and the decor was beautiful also.

i have had amazing amazing service everytimei have gone. it's sad they don't have their lamb chops anymore :( they were the most amazing lamb chops i had ever had.
all the servers are very nice and attentive. the only problem i have with this place is how loud it can get. some families bring their small children, and it can get annoying. the appetizers are delicious- we always get a mixed plate of them (crab fritters yummm)
it is a bit pricey, but it's worth it!

excellent restaurant!. i have been to this restaurant many times and received excellent service! today's brunch was the best. the food was great, they had wonderful bread for the table (carrot and walnut, and fried fritter-like things) and our server (preston) was cheerful, attentive and great at attending our needs. the decor is fun, and the noise level at anytimeis not loud. i would very much recommend this restaurant!

only ok. we keep coming here every once in a while for brunch hoping it is better than it is. the combinations of ingredients are a little too much sometimes; they tend to put together ingredients that overpower one another. for instance, they appear to use montreal steak seasoning on the steak in their steak benedict. very odd with hollandaise. i like the tex mex eggrolls ok but i have a hardtimetelling what is in them because there are too many ingredients to tell.

i like the scrambled eggs somewhat. i believe i have had other dishes, but they were not worth remembering. my wife and i enjoy going to original pancake house more.

service, while polite, is spotty esp. when they are exceedingly busy.

by far my favorite restaurant. i'm a long-time patron of the carlyle restaurant nestled in the village at shirlington just off i-395 in arlington. over the past 15 years, it remains a personal favorite. why? because of the consistency in the quality of food, service and overall brand.

the carlyle is an increasingly upscale and elegant bistro and one of the flagships of the great american restaurants chain in the dc area. the craftsmanship throughout the interior is exceptional; the marble floors, the décor, the lighting, the intricate woodwork and vaulted ceilings, all blend perfectly to create a cozy environment that invites suit and t-shirt wearing clientele alike.

while the bar and downstairs dining area could be considered more of a café/bistro, follow the beautiful marble staircase to the second floor where a large and more elegant dining area can be found. the restaurant is remarkably clean. the staff is friendly, inviting and knowledgeable. the carlyle also offers an interesting methodology with their "team service". their servers work as a team, meaning you may have several servers throughout your dining experience. one server may greet you, while another may take your order, and another may ring up your final bill. it's very different than any restaurant i've ever been to. i have to admit that it works, and surprisingly well. no longer do i have to track down a specific person to refill a beverage, deliver the check or take a dessert order. with the team service, you can basically ask any of the staff and they will gladly help.

i sat outside on the sidewalk patio a beautiful night last week for dinner with a co-worker and his wife. our server immediately greets us, delivers the nightly specials and takes our drink order. he returns promptly with our drinks and a variety of [complimentary] fresh baked bread at the restaurant's best buns bread company next door.

for an appetizer, we shared the tex mex eggrolls; smoked chicken, corn & black beans wrapped in a cheddar tortilla served with avocado dipping sauce. it was very good and a fine beginning to the meal ahead.

undoubtedly, my favorite item on the menu is the jambalaya pasta with sauteed shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage & penne pasta in a spicy creole sauce. i've had this dish and have craved this dish a countless number of times over the years. this visit was no exception. it was as delicious and flavorful as the times before. the sauce used for the jambalaya is a chicken/seafood base with a hint of cream and tomato. it has more on an "old bay seasoning" flavor than a "spicy hot" flavor. it's absolutely wonderful! and to quote an episode of the simpsons, "there's a party in your mouth and everyone's invited."

i have to mention, however, that one of our three entrees was delivered late. our server somehow forgot to submit the third entrée in our food order. he apologized as soon as he realized the error. he explained that the kitchen was quickly preparing the meal but it would be a short wait. he offered a complimentary bowl of their homemade rustic cream of mushroom soup or another cocktail but my understanding co-worker simply decided to wait. a shorttimelater, a manager returned and again apologized for their error. she also offered a complimentary cocktail or dessert. thistimearound, my co-worker obliged and ordered the warm flourless chocolate macadamia nut waffle with vanilla ice cream.

it arrived, shortly after finishing our meal. it was devoured in a matter of minutes and ended our dining experience on a sweet note.

great food terrible service. i am a resident of shirlington village and over the past 5 months have made it a point to try each restaurant. the carlyle has the absolute best tasting food bar none. the food is the type where you savor each tender piece. however, their customer service is very lacking even when they are not very busy. wait staff really needs some lessons from the mexican restaurant down the block which has the absolute best customer service i have ever experienced. customer service at the carlyle has never improved since the 1sttimei visited.