Restaurant Review: Takoda Restaurant & Beer Garden

Summer is slowly winding down and we can't believe it. Fortunately, these are the perfect days to enjoy some of the best things about summer and the DMV, and one of those things is brunch. On the very last day of July we ventured into Washington, DC to enjoy brunch at Takoda, which is located at the beginning of the U Street corridor on 7th Street and Florida Avenue NW. Upon entering Takoda, we ventured upstairs to the main dinning area to be seated. There is a beautiful beer garden and roof top area for drinks and food as well, but it was too hot and humid outside so we opted for the downstairs dining area instead. If you enjoy the outdoors, a beautiful city view, and fresh air, then grab a seat upstairs on the rooftop which is open year-round - it is definitely beautiful up there!

Simone's Review:

Our waitress was incredibly sweet and offered us the Mimosa specials when we sat down. The mimosas are half priced ($6) during brunch, so we opted for individual mimosas versus the bottomless mimosas (which was $20 per person, so we definitely got the better deal). After catching up for a bit, we ordered two appetizers: the Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Wings and the Rosemary Parmesan Tots. Unfortunately, the kitchen was out of tots, so our Rosemary Parmesan Tots were transformed into Rosemary Parmesan Home Fries, which was a fine substitution. The fries were crunchy, well seasoned, and came with three dipping sauces--a beer cheese fondue, a sriracha ketchup, and a BBQ aioli. I enjoyed all of the sauces, which were cheesy, spicy, and sweet, respectively; however, Damien disliked the beer cheese fondue sauce. The Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Wings were surprisingly delicious. The cauliflower was roasted to perfection and well seasoned, and with each bite you could taste the Parmesan sauce which was perfectly paired with garlic. For my entree, I ordered the Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffle. The chicken was prepared in the southern fried chicken tradition, and the dish was served with pecans and black pepper maple syrup. The chicken and waffle were amazing! The syrup was incredibly hot, but after pouring it over the fried chicken and sweet potato waffle, I knew I was in heaven. The chicken was crunchy, moist, and delicious. The sweet potato waffle had the perfect texture and tasted pleasantly sweet but not too sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed this brunch, and after writing this, I kind of want to go back there right now.

Damien's Review:

Simone definitely did our appetizers justice with her review. I'm glad that we made the decision to get the Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Wings as opposed to their chicken wings (Takoda call them Signature Wings). I have been wanting to try cauliflower wings for some time since they are a healthy alternative, and these did not disappoint at all. The roasted cauliflower had great flavor, especially since you really can't go wrong with Parmesan cheese and garlic, amiright? And I could enjoy those Rosemary Parmesan Tots any day, any time. For my entree, I ordered the Breakfast Salmon Cake. Y'all, it was delicious! The salmon was pan-seared, and they cooked it perfectly. The salmon cake sat atop a hash brown waffle (such a cool idea!), which was a tasty support and base for the dish. And Takoda definitely made the right choice adding a sunny side up egg on top. Once cut into, the runny egg added great richness and flavor to the meal. And the garnishes--the cilantro hollandaise sauce and sweet pepper relish--perfectly balanced one another and added savory and sweet notes to each bite. If you like salmon as much as I do, this is the dish for you. What a truly fantastic meal all around!

Our Review:

Overall, we would give Takoda a 5 out of 5. We highly recommend Takoda for a brunch date with friends, bae, or family. Their menu is extensive enough that there is something for everyone. The main dining room had a really nice atmosphere, the service was great, and the food was absolutely delightful. And we definitely cannot wait to go back and enjoy the rooftop and that view. Until next time, treat yourself to a great meal soon!

Part of Takoda's menu

Close-up #1 of the Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Wings

Close-up #2 of the Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Wings

Rosemary Parmesan Tots

Both of our delicious appetizers

Breakfast Salmon Cake

Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffle (photo credit: Takoda's Instagram)