Palena

Tips

• A solid neighborhood standby, Palena offers both your typical upscale dining room experience plus a more casual cafe where the cheeseburger has a national following. [Eater 38 Member]
  Eater | 2011-07-28 17:18:52
• *** 1/2 stars in Tom Sietsema's Fall Dining Guide 2011. (Tom's tip: Try the orange-scented, lemon-glazed donut.) http://wapo.st/oeeJgQ
  Washington Post | 2011-10-12 16:46:54
• Palena is two restaurants under one roof: a softly lit dining room with some formality and a casual cafe where the smell of the wood grill fills the air. The cafe has the areas best gnocchi.
  Washingtonian Magazine | 2012-01-09 13:51:38
• The Palena Cheeseburger is the must-order here. With just truffled cheese & a garlicky, mustard mayo, it doesn't sound, or look, like much, but it's one of the best burgers you can get in the DC area.
  Burger Days | 2011-04-26 15:07:13
• The chef at this intimate cafe used to work in the biggest-name house of them all: the White House. Garlicky mayo and truffled Italian cheese on a delicious patty - Reagan and Bush must've been happy!
  Epicurious | 2010-08-23 15:59:05
• Sit at the bar & order cheeseburger & fries!
  Tammy | 2010-12-30 23:11:51
• Palena was one of the worst dining experiences i have had recently Our food arrived two hours after ordering. The burger we order medium rare was well done and an order of ravioli was soaked in oil.
  Chelsea | 2013-04-24 21:54:55
• Better yet, Ruta has expanded the caf menu, adding little snacks, more pastas and even an all-beef, nose-to-tail menu for groups of six or more.
  AskMen | 2010-12-02 14:18:43
• When you go (and you should) sit outside and order the fries
  TLC | 2010-06-01 17:50:05
• Get the burger. Chef Frank Ruta uses Angus beef laced with dry-aged steak, truffled cheese and a brioche bun made in-house.
  Washington Post | 2013-03-13 12:44:06
• The roast chicken really -- really -- is the best deal in town.
  Chris | 2010-03-03 20:04:08
• Get the cheeseburger. Palena uses Angus beef laced with dry-aged steak, truffled cheese and a brioche bun made in-house.
  Washington Post | 2013-03-11 13:34:56
• The Uptowner 2.0 dessert is incredible! Save room for it
  Nikki | 2012-12-29 09:33:46
• Frank Ruta's Palena is three things at once: a formal dining room, a more casual caf and an artisanal market. Don't forget to pick up Ruta's popular lemon-glazed doughnuts while you're here.
  FiOS 50 | 2011-11-23 10:25:55
• Ask @drink_shaker (aka Jeff Faile) to make you a Manhattan.
  Rachel | 2011-01-14 22:31:00
• The burger is one of the best in town.
  Mark | 2010-07-11 18:00:28
• "Tastes of the Season," an enticing four-course sonnet from chef-owner Frank Ruta, deserves a big audience.
  Washington Post | 2013-10-16 17:27:35
• Get the chicken. It's life-changing.
  Rachel | 2011-10-15 19:40:52
• Countless have said it, but you will not find a juicier roasted chicken.
  Brian | 2011-07-23 15:20:08
• From the burger to the housemade pasta, everything about the food is good. Great place for a relaxed dinner. -Tamesha Warren, Top Chef
  Bravo | 2010-11-29 12:28:33