Cedar Knoll

Won’t go back. We waited 30 minutes for our appetizers. My father in-​law had the Oysters Rockefeller. There were pepper corns on them that were so hot, he said he felt like he was going to throw up and had to cancel his dinner. Then we waited another hour before our meals arrived. I had the pork tenderloin which was very good. However, the side dishes, not even sure what it was, were horrible, under cooked and had those dang peppers in it. Another member of our party had the Perch fish. He said it was rubbery and tasted like it had sat there for a long time. The waitress said «it was a learning experience.» And,“they were very busy on the patio.” Even though we were in an empty dining room. We ordered cappuccinos and 2 deserts. The lemon pop tart and the chocolate soufflé were very good. The cappuccinos didn’t arrive until we were paying the bill. They said the machine broke down and they had to fix it.
We have been to Cedar Knolls many, many times over the last few years and everything has been very good. Tonight, not so much. Apparently one of the owners was the chef tonight. Umm, time to get a real chef!

Date of visit: June 15, 2016
My boyfriend and I had been waiting for the outdoor seating to become available so that we could bring our dog on our dinner outing. When we arrived, there was some concern over the fact that we had a dog, we assured the hostess and manager, Andrew, that she would behave. We were seating rather quickly and almost immediately welcomed by our server (his name escapes me at the moment… bad me!). He even brought our dog a plastic container with water and greeted her as well. Our dog settled in nicely by our table and was very polite and quiet. :)
The food was DELICIOUS and came out at a reasonable time. I even ate the duck appetizer and I don’t like duck, so that says something. The main courses and desserts were just as good! Drinks were nice and strong, yet still tasty.
The staff was friendly and welcoming. We even asked that Andrew come out and meet our dog (and to show him how well behaved she was). He obliged and came out to meet her and talk to us. He spent a few minutes talking to us and petting our dog, which was appreciated.
Bottom line. All places have mixed reviews. Manage your expectations. Know that this restaurant has a patio that allows dogs, there are many trees and bugs, there are cars zooming by, and people on the trail in front. The restaurant is NOT responsible for things out of their control. All they can do is present a relaxing atmosphere and great food. They seem to cater to an older, laid back, «sophisticated» crowed, so if you have wild or rowdy dogs this may not be the place for you. If you don’t like the outdoors, nature, or dogs, I would suggest that you don’t sit outside.
Play nice with each other and just enjoy the view, good food, and company :)

I have eaten here twice… once was dinner for two and the other was for an 80 person party. The food was amazing. Best steak I have eaten. The party food was equally delicious — both the appetizers and buffet. The service people were good, responsive and friendly. Management went out of their way to be accommodating. Enjoy this great gem.

Right off the George Washington parkway. Beautiful view of the Potomac river and the Food is good! I had a great time with my family. I would suggest to make reservations before you come

My family and friends (about 30 of us) celebrated my 70^th birthday on May 28, 2016 at Cedar Knoll. Everything was absolutely fantastic! The food was exceptional and artistically presented – appetizers, salad, entrée, and desert. The setting was beautiful with a clear view of the Potomac River and the staff was very accommodating and completely professional. All of my guests remarked on what an amazing evening they had. I highly recommend Cedar Knoll and we will visit often! Diane T.

I wish they would advertise their closures for events. My husband and I decided to do HH here since we live nearby. So he checks the website, HH advertised from 4 – 6:30 from Tues-​Friday. So we go on a Tuesday and there is a sign posted. «Closed for an Event». You would think they would at least post a schedule online OR keep the bar open for HH.

New management is rude and hates our little dogs. Never going there again. Better places down the highway in Old Town.

Taking a stroll down GW Parkway and the family decided we were in need of something good. Right at that point our eyes discovered a place we had never gone to before. We were taking a chance being that all of us were from out of town. After parking our vehicle we entered the restaurant without any reservations. Management accommodated us 5 @ a table and Keli took very good care of us. The food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was very inviting to serenity and the service by Keli did not even come close to disappointing us. Thanks to management, Keli and the rest of the staff from the time we entered to the time we finally made our way out. You must experience the ultimate!!!
Cy

Hostess bartender and waitstaff were all very nice and professional. Food prep and chef did an excellent job. But you can’t serve appetizers 30 minutes after ordering and serve the meal 1 hour after ordering and truly believe it is well run or managed. Also an owner or manager needs to be proactive in that situation not leave your servers and hostess helpless. Dinner for five was $ 360 with cocktails for that price the owners and management could remove the heaps of rusted metal twigs garbage and various decay from the parking lot. The tattered blue tarps and basketball hoop were nice touch as well.
Hey but the views great …

I’m so happy that Cedar Knoll is back in business. This has always been one of my favorite spots on the GW Parkway. After reading the good reviews on Unilocal,I had been meaning to return. Now that Cedar Knoll is serving brunch on Sundays I decided to give it a try. No problem getting a reservation. They did a beautiful job of remodeling the restaurant and adding booths. The only bad thing is that the bar area is much smaller now. We were seated in by the windows with the beautiful view of the Potomac River. We had The Nest Egg, Rockefeller Benedict & the Duck Confit Hash with mimosas & bloody marys, of course. The presentation of all 3 dishes was lovely. The food was delicious. Our server Lexi was fantastic. We elected to try some desserts: Chocolate Rosemary Soufflé Cake & The Lemon Ginger Semolina Cake. The Cake had a very subtle lemon taste with a touch of ginger. The Soufflé had a hint of mint blended with the chocolate. It was a very pleasant Sunday brunch. Cedar Knoll is going to be adding lunch service soon and the outdoor patio will be opening in mid-​May. Looking forward to future visits.

After waiting an hour and a half for dinner on our first visit, the food was not as good as I had hoped. The chef attempts new twists on familiar dishes, but has missed the mark. The service was horrible and the server was unapologetic for the delay. It was clear that there appeared to be repeat customers who arrived after us and were served in 30 minutes. I also heard a couple that came in behind us on their first visit asking the hostess «so I guess when we make a reservation for a window seat it doesn’t mean anything.» The evening was a big disappointment.

Very Slow and Loud…
We went there on a Friday evening at around 6:30 after few years, as I remembered the nice view they had. Sadly the outdoor deck was closed (although it was a nice sunny warm evening).
The dinning room was very small with too many tables for that size of a room and all hard surface… Which made it very very loud. I could barely hear my husband across the table! It was not pleasant, no river view, noisy and loud…
The worse part of experience was the service! We put our order at around 7:15 after they brought us the drinks… And no food arrived until after 8:30! We had to ask multiple times where is the food?! And they keep saying it will come soon… I am european, so I am used to slow service, but this was too long and very frustrating! They have only 8 tables in our room and a small pre-​fixed menu private party in other room. So its not like a crazy crowded place that they need hours to catch up with simple orders.
The food was okey, not a fancy memorable dish compare to the price they charge for it ($ 30 – 40) average for dinner entrée with no fancy decoration or sides. The portion size is small, which was fine with us.
By the way, their menu is different from the online version. Their real menu is a one pager print out including 7 – 8 standard american entrée (steak, chicken, fish), one soup, 2 salad options and 3 – 4 other appetizers.
Overall, I would not recommend this place to anyone. Unless you only like a river side view and dont give a crab about what you eat, and willing to wait 2 hours to be served in a noisy loud room and pay over hundred for a low quality two people meal…

BLUF:
1.) Food — Very good
2.) Service — Lousy
3.) Management — Not impressive
We went for brunch with a party of six. All of the food was inventive and very well done. However, every time I needed my coffee refilled I had to ask. Additionally, it took an oddly long time to get our food (about 45 minutes), even though the restaurant was not very full. Lastly, the booths are awkward to seat in due to the table height (just try it, you’ll see what I mean). My wife managed to receive a splinter when sliding into the booth, and upon mentioning it to the restaurant staff, their level of interest was somewhere around zero. Unfortunately we won’t be going back due to this overall experience.

Good food and imaginative combinations but portions that left my husband hungry when we got home. Nice atmosphere. The view would be even better if the windows were cleaned. A bit pricey and slow service if you order the chicken. Maybe a note in the menu would help guests decide how long they want to wait. Good wine list

I’ve dined at Cedar knoll several times since it reopened. The food was good, the guys that run the place are really nice, and you can tell their hearts are into it. To tell you the truth, I was expecting a little more but the place is still new and like any new restaurant, they’ve got kinks to work out. Each time I was there they were thin on the wait staff and like I said, the food was good but nothing really memorable. After three meals since the new year, I only remember the crab cakes (yummy). I live in the neighborhood so I’ll certainly be back. If they get a few extra waiters and up the food quality a bit, I’ll drop this review for something better. Also, your drink pours are pitiful. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing my bartender using a jigger to ration out a $ 10.00 shot of bourbon.

My husband and I live right near this restaurant, and used to pass Cedar Knoll when it had a different owner. It has recently been renovated, and what a difference! We’ve become regulars and stop in frequently for food and drinks. The views are spectacular, and the brunch is DELICIOUS! My only critique is that I think they need a better location for the bar, somewhere you can sit and relax and feel like you’re not right in the entryway. It’s definitely not a deal breaker though, and this restaurant is exactly what the neighborhood needed!

Phenomenal service! Molly and Chris are wonderful. Had a much needed fun evening with great friends and the chef and staff made it so.

My husband and I decided to try out Cedar Knoll last night, and we are glad we did. The interior was beautiful and the food was sooo good! I can’t believe I’m saying this but my husbands chicken was the best thing I’ve tried in a long time and my crab cakes were great. We live very close to this restaurant and I can see us becoming regulars. I can’t wait to come back for Sunday brunch or happy hour.

I liked it but I think that the price point is going to limit their business. Maybe a more family priced restaurant would have been a better idea.

I was beguiled that there is a new restraunteur at the original location on the parkway. Disappointed with the food. Cold oysters Rockefeller. The salt was an insult to New Orleans. The original purpose of the salt was to keep the shells and contents hot. You lost me with the trout with flavors that were confusing… peanuts, tomatoes (?).. And a rosemary dessert that had no hint of rosemary other than the sprig on the surface. For $ 200… this was a disappointment. Definitely growing pains!

Smart and friendly staff. An imaginative kitchen. Beautiful setting. Inviting, comfortable, and rewarding. I’ll be returning often with friends and family.

Went with friends. Food was good but an unusual combination. Menu is limited with strange combinations. Waiter was good but forgot us until we flagged him down. Presentation was great, but I’m not there for art.
No blender for mixing drinks. No coffee, except expresso… Come on ! And at this price can’t you buy a Keurig.
You can do better for less money.

Just spent our Jonas snow evening with a dedicated open restaurant crew. The food was delicious, wine was splendid and priced right. We had three different dishes and they were all yummy. We were brought homemade hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows, and a feta fritter with pepper jelly, both as chef’s special treats! Elias was a delightful server, full of good suggestions. We will definitely return soon!

I have now dined at the (New) yet historic Cedar Knoll on four occasions since the re-​opening in December 2015 under the new management. Each time I have selected a new dish to try out. Each experience and dish has been phenomenal, really a burst of taste-​bud explosions! This place is top notch from food to service, to décor and atmosphere. It’s been great for both large parties and just a fun date night spot! Treat yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

Outstanding service and food. We selected the trout and oven roasted chicken and were extremely pleased wth both dishes. Pleasing ambiance — renovation was done very well.

Last night we brought 15 people to the new and VERY improved Cedar Knoll. One of the owners, Andrew was very helpful in assisting us organize this event. Our group is part of a National Association and our members came from across the US. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The appetizers were over the top and the dinners were amazing. This morning the group was talking about what a great historic location Cedar Knoll is and how good the food was. We are going to make Cedar Knoll a regular stop on our quarterly meetings! Thanks for breathing life into a neighborhood spot!

Very enjoyable. The staff and management are friendly and eager to please. The food options are interesting and tasty. We had lobster rolls, wintery mix (bisque-​type soup) and fresh oysters for aps. All were very tasty. We had the crab cakes, duck and trout for entrees. All were very good. I really liked the trout with the chutney twist. There was an error in our order — but the server recognized the problem and worked to fix it. The manager came over to follow up and ensure our satisfaction. I could see making this a regular spot

We had a great time. The ambience is cozy and elegant. The food was well prepared and delicious. We had the oysters (both Rockefeller and raw), trout and beef short rib. I am looking forward to coming back to explore more of the menu. Oh, and the view is probably the best in the area for a relaxing or romantic outing. Highly recommended.

Went there for Christmas Eve dinner after church. It was dark, so what must be an incredible daytime view of the Potomac was under-​appreciated. The new incarnation of Cedar Knoll is very fresh and there is still exterior landscaping going on. The interior is quaint, comfortable, and very historic, but I was a tad skeptical at first. I usually prefer noisier, more boisterous environments, but I soon came to appreciate the ability to converse with the people I was with.
And then the food started to arrive.
I started with Fried Oysters Rockefeller, and they were absolutely delicious! They were served on a thin slice of Virginia ham that was nestled in the oyster shell under a piece of Kale. I also shared a dozen Dragon Creek Sweet Cousins, a delicious oyster served with a tangy mignonette which was almost drinkable (and would make a great marinade for chicken, actually!). My entrée was the roasted chicken, and other members of my party had the trout and the pork tenderloin, and all three were perfectly prepared, beautifully presented, and every plate was cleaned!
We tried three of the four desserts offered: A flourless chocolate ‘cake’, an oatmeal ‘cookie’ sandwich, and a lemon ginger semolina cake. All three were scrumptious, but if you have to pick one — go with the cake!
People dressed in whatever they were comfortable in and it all worked. Suits and ties, sweaters and slacks, jeans and button downs, and one guy even had shorts on (it has been surprisingly warm lately in the DC area!).
Great service, and very friendly owners (there are 5 and they bake, cook, function as sommelier, and tour guides), made for a most pleasant experience which I will look forward to repeating in the not-​so-​distant future!
To Andrew, Chris, and Neil (gotta love a guy in a working man’s apron who brings you some of the food himself and tells you all about it!), our server, Elias, and all the others at this new ‘old’ place — thank you and Merry Christmas! Best of luck in the coming year!

Went to the new and improved Cedar Knoll with sufficiently low expectations and was impressed. Anyone familiar with the previous incarnation, like a lot of places with great views of the water, the food is an afterthought, or worse. The new owners kept the same basic layout, spruced up a few booths, and focused the menu on local ingredients.
Crowd was a casual mix of local couples and families. There’s a small bar by the front door so you can get a drink while you’re waiting on your table, but the place is small enough and the opening soft enough that there wasn’t a crowd. The menu was pretty tight: eight or so apps and a half dozen main courses. The owner said he’s still tweaking the menu to see what customers want and they plan on rolling out a brunch later on. Beer and wine choices are similarly thin; I forgot to ask about a corkage fee.
I used to be a big fan of oysters rockafeller, but since coming down with gout, I’ve had to avoid spinach, which seems to be omnipresent. Cedar Knoll’s version skips the spinach in favor of a wilted piece of kale topped with a thin slice of Virginia ham topped with a plump, perfectly fried cornmeal coated Bluepoint with a dollop of champagne froth. This was really tasty; we also opted for a half dozen of the Rappahanock oysters with mignonette; these were firm and clean tasting, but not as plump and briney as I like.
For mains, we opted for the crab cake and beef rib, both were excellent. Whoever’s doing the frying knows what they’re doing. Crabcake was bound with egg yolk instead of mayo and was mixed with lemon, tarragon, and dill which gave it a clean, bright flavor without masking the crab. Beef rib was the usual long braise, fork tender affair, with a particularly rich sauce that reminded me of a not sweet barbecue sauce reduction. They kinda went nuts with the arugula (wife’s not a fan) but that’s par for the course. All in all an excellent meal (two apps, two mains, two drinks, dessert, and tea for $ 130 and we both left full). If you’re visiting Mount Vernon or want a break from the usual fare in Old Town, Cedar Knoll is a nice, quiet alternative and an excellent upscale addition to the neighborhood.

Recently had the opportunity to go to the newly reborn Cedar Knoll on their opening weekend with a group of friends.. The food was wonderful, the atmosphere beautiful, and the service was great. Everything we had was great. The fried oyster Rockefeller was a taste sensation. I can’t wait to go back. I highly recommend you give Cedar Knoll a try!

Great food, fabulous building and setting. Wonderful views of the Potomac river. The crab cakes I had were delicious, flavorful and full of crabmeat. Lovely individualized place settings, historical surroundings and furniture added to the enjoyment of the food.

Had a great time at Cedar Knoll. Got Engaged!!! Food was perfect, the atmosphere was sublime! Can’t wait to go again :)