Not bad, but could be better. They don't have alternative milk options so don't come looking for soy, almond or coconut milk, straight cow juice is all they have to offer which is sad. Our pastry/drink/cashier person seemed a little agitated I don't know if it was because it was Sunday and cold outside and she wanted to be home or if she was pissed we are looking at all the cute fancy (expensive) baked goods trying to decide what we wanted. Anyway I had this apple tart thing ( see photo) which was good, I asked her to heat it up which she obliged (too bad it wasn't warmed up throughout the pastry but I guess she was scared to burn it) and tea ( which was hot water and a packet from a tea box display) and my grand total was $7 a little too high for me personally. After we ordered we just stood by the register....waiting for out baked goods after staring at us like we crazy someone finally decided to explain to us that they would bring our items to us. Had they not told us there is no way we would have known that, not a big deal. So the set up is cute. It's two story and the upstairs is a restaurant so if you are just coming in for coffee or a baked good you are limited to the seating downstairs ( which includes outside seating). This is a little section with a fire place where they've crammed in some small tables and chairs - it's not ridiculous but the tables and chairs are super close so if you have a gut or are talking about something personal even whispering isn't going to cut it, just take your meeting to your car. Then there is a bar area which is a little awkward and clearly left over from a previous restaurant since they don't have a liquor license and the bar is packed with interesting spreads and jams, so if something like pistachio jalapeno mustard is your thing, it's probably in that bar section available for purchase. Good luck.
(3)
A C.
Don't let the bakery part of the name give the wrong impression, the bistro part is worth a try. Open, bright, inviting upstairs dining area. Had Thanksgiving dinner there with wife and daughter. Was very pleasantly surprised with an excellent, if pricey, meal. Holiday menu was price fixed and special limited. Appetizer was pan seared fois gras, others had butternut squash soup. I really enjoyed it, but not for everyone I think. For the entree I had prime rib ( I don't like turkey) which was tender, done rare as requested, and very tasty. Dessert was the best apple tart I have had in recent memory. Wife had properly done halibut and pumpkin pie, told it was very good as I am not a pumpkin fan. Service was excellect, perhaps because there was only one other table occupied. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Erica C.
The croissants are pretty yummy. The macarons are adorable, but nothing special. I was hoping for seriously fantastic macarons, but the macarons were a bit dry. The shop is adorable. It looks like a nice study or quiet date spot. The variety of pastries is quite nice, but the pastries don't really match up to the sweetness of the place. The location is a bit odd, as it is placed within a shopping center. The ambiance inside is nice. It'd go back for the ambiance and to check out the restaurant section.
(3)
Jess L.
great food, a little over priced. an older crowd but a nice place to have a leisurely lunch. I got salmon and ratatouille, which was nice and fresh. There are always a lot of specials. Beet salad is also good. Desserts are divine.
(3)
Caitlin C.
After living across the street from Praline for almost a year, I decided it was time to try out this French restaurant we walked by almost every day. I was extremely disappointed. The decor and seating were comfortable and the service was prompt; however, the food was not acceptable. I ordered the chicken pot pie. Perhaps I am used to Midwestern cooking because in my mind a chicken pot pie is supposed to have a flaky crust surrounding the contents inside. Praline's version of a chicken pot pie was essentially a bowl of chicken soup with a hard and dry pastry top. The contents of the chicken pot pie were good and the chicken tender but we could not get over the lack of crust that is essential for any pot pie. Also ordered the Belgian waffle, which came with homemade whipped creme and strawberry sauce. The whipped cream lacked flavor and the strawberry sauce tasted old. The waffle was not buttery and was overcooked. I ate only a couple of bites before pushing my plate away because I could not justify eating something that tasted so horrible. My suspicion is that the food we received was not made to order. Our food came out only five minutes after ordering, making it seem like they merely heated up our dishes in a warming tray. The pastries are not bad and I would recommend the bakery to anyone looking for a unique dessert.
(2)
Russell W.
Went for mid-week business lunch with a professional colleague. Ordered squash soups, quiche lorraine and veggie Napoleon. Colleague had to send back her "Arnold Palmer" (iced tea with lemonade) b/c it tasted "funny." Soups were mildly flavorful, with surprise strips of apple (?) flesh swimming inside. They badly needed a little ground nutmeg, which I mentioned to the waiter and the maitre d', who dropped by. Was told there was no ground nutmeg in the kitchen and that they had never heard of such a thing going on squash soups (!) Quiche came as a single portion from a ramekin, along with standard salad greens dressed in mustard vinagrette. Ho-hum. Vegetable Napoleon looked different from stacked array photo on the Web site. Instead, it was plated as a sunburst array. Nothing distinctively flavorful about any of the components. Walnut cake and chocolate mousse cake were delicious! Praline Bakery should probably just remain a really nice upscale bakery and coffee shop and quit trying to offer French bistro fare, as well. I don't think the kitchen is up to the challenge. So, for $64 we should have gone to Georgetown for lunch at Le Chaumiere, an always-reliable bistro institution. Live and learn!
(2)
Katrina J.
In my ongoing search for french macaroons in the D.C. area, they're at the top of my list. I've only frequented the bakery here, so I can safely say that the bakery part of Praline is DE-LICOUS! I love the french macaroons, the little desserts (yummy bread pudding!) and all of the other assorted treats for your enjoyment. It's very easy for a dessert freak like me to walk in and walk out with a box or two of their goodies (all to share, of course).
(4)
Madeline V.
Came here to get some work done on a day off; spent $13 on two macaroons (pistachio is delicious), a small iced coffee (just brewed hot coffee they stuck in the fridge - avoid), and a small box of four chocolates (gift for a friend). Wireless completely non-functional; employee said it was "working fine" and tried to help, but needed to run off and assist customers. Please don't advertise 'Free Wi-Fi' unless it's functional.
(3)
Mary E.
Went here for lunch and it was so nice!! Good food, great service. And, they didn't mind at all that we sat and visited for over an hour after finishing our meal! Oh, and the desserts are wonderful!!
(4)
Lissa B.
A really cute French cafe in such an unexpected spot! They have a variety of options including soup, salad, quiche, and desserts. I like to get French onion soup here and it's always good. They have outdoor seating upstairs for when there is nice weather. It's really cute and perfect for a leisurely lunch. The chef used to be the retired White House chef but the new chef is also great!
(4)
Jennifer N.
(3.5 stars) So, reader, you might know about my preoccupation with the chocolate chip cookie. I went to Praline desperately seeking that magical combination of butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate, a DC version of, say, New York's Levain. The first thing to note about Praline is that it's in a very suburban mall surrounded by Chico's, China Pavilion, Safeway, and CVS. The exterior doesn't exactly scream "bakery." But once you venture inside, it's clear that the proprietors have done their best with the space. The main floor features the bakery and a few tables, and apparently there is an upstairs (the "bistro"). The bakery display case is filled with macarons, cookies, croissants, eclairs, and the like. I had three cookies and I can say this - this wasn't the best I had ever had, but it took an interesting approach to the chocolate chip cookie. Indeed, this was practically an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and I didn't mind that at all. The cookies are a bit small (for $1.85) so I'd suggest getting a few and sampling. These aren't the most brilliant, but they are certainly good, and inventive.
(3)
Ruth K.
Normally I like this place but whatever you do don't try to buy a custom cake. I had to call four or five times and leave a message. When they got back to me they didn't follow thru. In the end the person told me the baker was on vacation I said oh I guess I will have to get my cake elsewhere since you can't do it (in three weeks...not a last minute request). So don't waste a week trying to get them to call you back! Balduccis took the order got back to me in minutes and it's done. Get your special occasion cake there.
(1)
Sara B.
The coconut macaroon was excellent. Disappointed that they were out of almond croissants, because I am currently in the middle of what some may say is a binge but what I like to call a thorough sampling of said croissants. I opted for a sticky bun which I ate later that night after a short warm up in the microwave, and it was solid. Lunch was fine, but their outdoor upstairs patio is really lovely, a great place to hang out and have some drinks on a nice day.
(3)
Maria Y.
I had lunch here while visiting family in Bethesda. It is right across the street from the condo where my grandparents live. Praline's location is fairly unassuming (in a strip mall) but the interior is cute. The first floor is a French-style bakery and upstairs is a restaurant, which is where we went. The weather was nice so we sat on the outside patio. Fortunately, you can't really see the strip mall parking lot from the patio. I wasn't actually very hungry due to having a large breakfast, so I just had a piece of lemon almond cake. It was delicious! My family members seemed to think the lunch food was not as good as it used to be, but I was pleased with my cake, as well as the bread that came with the lunch entrees. I also had a mini lemon macaron... it was awesome. Way better than the frozen Trader Joe's macarons that I've been subsisting on until this point. Light and fluffy but still crunchy, with flavorful cream. It turns out that my grandparents had already bought the same lemon almond cake to have with dinner later. I had another piece because this cake was delicious. Interestingly, the piece I had at lunch tasted more lemony, but the cake I had at dinner was more almondy. I love both lemon and almond so this didn't bother me, but there may be some slight variation among batches. If I lived in Bethesda I would probably eat pastries from here every day!
(5)
Lynne F.
Delicious but expensive pastries and chocolates. Restaurant has uninspired food but dining outside in the upper deck is very pleasant.
(3)
Ni C.
What a cute place! Its in a sort of strip/square mall - so its tucked away - but do not hesitate to come! The bistro is upstairs - legit french food. just go. get the escargots or the fish soup just so you can get the rouille. bakery: whoa. very good stuff. I ordered the walnut dacquoise for a party and it was a hit. (perfect for non chocolate peeps) they also have a great selection of macarons, pastries and random frenchy goodies like Tessierie drink syrup. Recommend!
(4)
Justine K.
The service was great. The waiter made some good recommendations. My duck confit was a bit salty but otherwise good. The crowd there was a bit mature
(4)
Julie S.
Went there for lunch today with a friend. Lovely space, also an open patio which they apparently can reserve for events. We dined on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Praline Salad with Grilled Chicken. Then enjoyed the sorbet of the day (including mango and raspberry) & the cake of the day (lime mousse cake). They were gorgeous AND delicious. And then there are the cookies which i brought home for later - their lemon drop, lemon ginger, and pumpkin cookies are good. Their chocolate mocha cookie is ridiculously rich one was PLENTY (and I love rich chocolate things). But their oatmeal cookie was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Oh, and their macaroons? Yes. Just, yes.
(4)
Lindsay W.
Praline's food is usually wonderful, especially the onion soup, salmon, duck, mussels and salads. Until a recent visit I would have given it five stars. But dinner there last week made me wonder if I would ever return. Our party of six was seated at a small table in a cramped room with a family with young kids who were running around, loud and obnoxious. The parents couldn't have cared less that six adults were sitting 18 inches away. This was close to 8 pm. I asked if we could move and after some dithering by the waiter we were moved to a larger area of seating. What I don't get is that if the table we were moved to was vacant, why wouldn't the restaurant manager have seated us there in the first place? Please understand that six adults out for dinner on a Saturday night have no interest in being around Ill-behaved kids!!!After the move I thought all was well until one of the diners in our party pointed out that his knife was dirty - and I mean it had not even seen the dishwasher. The waiter then forgot to remove it from the table and it was only removed after another waiter came to the rescue. In terms of food that night, the fries were soggy and the desserts were ho hum. The entrees were ok but not memorable. Oh for the Praline I remember and loved!
(2)
Kelly H.
Absolutely loved this bakery. The cases display a variety of pretty French pastries, cookies, and jellies (made by former White House pastry chefs). The chocolate eclairs were creamy and decadent. My favorite was the oatmeal raisin cookie which was crispy on the edges and chewy in the inside. We ate our treats sitting next to the fire and sipping tea. This bakery was so cozy and the atmosphere was quaint. It's a great place for a nice quiet cup of coffee.
(5)
Holli G.
Macarons! I haven't had Macarons this amazing since Paris. Dare I say even a little better than the Macarons I had in Paris?! Each cookie was the perfect texture. My personal favorites were: Raspberry and Apricot:-) To make my visit all the more amazing- they were selling hot pink caulenders. The largest one-Sold!
(4)
Lauren S.
Although I have never eaten in the restaurant portion they have outstanding bakery items. The pastries and french macaroons are to die for and they have great coffee. Also recommend their breads -- wide variety and delicious. My one knock is that too often the women behind the counter are scowling and at times just unfriendly. Otherwise, perfect place for a cup of coffee and a nice treat.
(3)
Anthony C.
The bakery itself has some great offerings. We have bought bread, pastries and even sandwiches, taken to go, all with great success. They have a lot of good things, and I think they bake everything there. The restaurant upstairs was another story. We stopped in late for desert. There were plenty of people eating dinner, even though it was close to their closing time. We were seated right away, and the host (owner/manager?) came over and was joking with us. Everything seemed good. I then took forever for a waiter to show up, and he was uninterested in explaining what they had, and he took a long time to get our coffee and water, as well as actually take the order. Meanwhile, the staff was in full clean up mode, and twice they had propped the door open to a terrace, letting cold air blow right on us. I would ask someone to close it, then someone would open it again. When it happened a third time, I got up myself to close the door. The deserts were good--though not great. No refills on the water, and it took forever to get the check paid. If they were closing and did not want us there, they should have turned us away. Crappy service was not the way to go.
(2)
Pep J.
I would love to give Praline a higher score - in particular because of its pleasant terrace - but a recent brunch there was a big disappointment. The eggs Benedict were nice but the omelette was bland, with the eggs overcooked and not too little filling. The waffles were uninspiring - which is a pity in a restaurant that also counts with a fabulous bakery - and uninspiring were the drinks. The waiter's unfriendly attitude did not help either. He would not want to serve some plain fried eggs to a child - because "it was not on the menu" (although they did have "steak and eggs"). Only when we pointed out that "eggs any style" was on their online menu did he go and ask the kitchen about it, not without grumpily adding that the website's menu had not been updated... With the many good choices for brunch in the area, we will probably not be going back to Praline for a while.
(2)
Cristina C.
This place has terrible service. I am talking here specifically about the bakery downstairs. I tried to pre-order decorative cookies, was told to simply call back on the morning of the day I needed them. So I did that, at which point I was told it would take 3 days to fill an order! I asked why they hadn't told me that when I was there in person, and finally after a lot of back and forth, and pointing out that they had given me misinformation, they agreed to have the cookies ready the same day. Clearly it was no problem for them to produce cookies for the same day, so not sure if they were just being difficult or what. They were also rude when I went to pick up the cookies (which, by the way, were over $4 each and did not taste good... ) Never coming back to this place again!
(1)
Alec R.
Like the surrounding neighborhood, old empty nesters co-exist with young families at Praline. The bakery downstairs has a wonderful assortment of pastries, macarons, chocolates, and other delights making it a regular weekend stop. The restaurant is consistently very good, with a somewhat smaller regular menu being supplemented by a several daily special appetizers and entrees. Particularly good is the pot pie, the hamburger, the hanger steak and the french fries, which are among the DC area's best. They are all good "go to's" if there's nothing on the specials menu of interest, but that is rare. The ambiance is very pleasant, if understated. More art on the walls might enhance the atmosphere. They have slowly developed their large patio into one the most pleasant places in Washington to dine, with plenty of tables, chairs, and umbrellas in a very well tended garden setting. Praline isn't in the very top tier of the DC restaurant scene, but its our neighborhood favorite and we look forward to many more years there.
(4)
Dawn R.
I was in the area for meetings and wanted to try someplace new for lunch. I had intended to visit one of the Chinese places in the same shopping complex as this one, but for some reason I changed my mind and stopped here instead. When I first walked in, I was a little lost as the only thing I saw was the bakery, and no signs to indicate where to get lunch. The ladies behind the counter seemed to be pretty deep in conversation, but once I got their attention, they told me that the restaurant was upstairs, so up I went. There I was immediately greeted by a very pleasant young man and taken to a seat where I could review the menu and also review my meeting notes in privacy. I opted for their Praline Salad, which was mixed baby greens with goat cheese, their house vinaigrette, candied pecans, and marinated pears (which I'm pretty sure had been marinated in red wine). All in all, the sald was just OK. Nothing really to get excited about. There were only about 4 pecans in the entire salad, and a small wedge of cheese. For the price listed, I would have thought there would have been a LITTLE more substance, but I guess not. At least I had a few slices of baguette to fill me up a little more. After lunch, I stopped by the bakery for dessert, as some of the other reviews had raved about their baked goods. I tried a lemon drop and a chocolate dipped macaroon. The lemon flavor was a bit overpowering at first, but after the first couple of bites it was actually quite tasty. The texture was light and airy, overall a very good cookie. I saved the macaroon for later, and when I did try it, I found it to have a good flavor but to be a bit on the sticky side. I doubt I would return to this establishment, as the prices were a little on the high side and the food was just mediocre.
(3)
Susan M.
I had lunch here last weekend and was not impressed with the food. The mornay sauce completely overwhelmed my Croque Monsieur sandwich. There was hardly any meat between the bread and the cheesey crust was kind of burnt; oddly enough, the french fries were VERY good. I give this place three stars because the bakery made up for the ho-hum lunch. The lemon drop cookies knocked my socks off. The pistachio macaron and elephant ear were also quite tasty. I would definitely go back for more pastries.
(3)
Ellen L.
Food, service and ambiance are wonderful. Wireless connect horrible. Had planned to spend the morning eating, drinking and working, but only got the first two done.
(3)
Veronica K.
I had a birthday brunch here with a few friends, and despite most of my friends having different tastes in food, we were all extremely impressed with the entire experience. I had the Salmon Tartare for an appetizer and a Nicoise Salad (the best I've ever tasted) for my entree - both exceptional. The atmosphere was simple, yet authentic French, and not pretentious as many French places in the area often are. The food was amazing, portion sizes were on point and everyone in my party left completely satisfied. Our server was also very good and great at describing the menu and making suggestions. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone (and already have!) *My only complaint is that the restaurant is kind of hard to find, but that's irrelevant to the dining experience
(5)
Trumball S.
I felt like I had to leave a review because of the declining level of service and food quality over the last couple of years at this bakery/restaurant. Some of the bakery items are still okay, but you are taking your chances with anything else,. To give one example: I recently went in for a takeout sandwich and was given one that had been toasted and then put into a refrigerator for a couple of hours to get just the right chill to it so it tasted like cold cardboard. Yes, this restaurant puts toasted sandwiches in a REFRIGERATOR and then, presumably, expects people to eat them. I guess if someone is hungry enough, anything is possible..... Worryingly, when I went back and asked about this practice, I was told it was normal procedure and that I could have asked to have it reheated(!). For $10, I guess I expect toasted sandwiches to be, you know, warm..... For anyone going there, you should also expect high prices relative to quality and service that is hit and miss, mostly the latter.
(1)
Theresa S.
Ordered the apricot and pistachio danish, a raspberry macaron and a latte on a Saturday morning. It was busy and everything in the bakery case looked amazing. Maybe they could use more staffing at the front? The two women there were working really hard and as fast as they could, but the line had 8 or so people waiting. To the food! The danish was awesome! light and flaky dough, fresh slices of apricot and pistachios sprinkled along the spiral curve. Nothing like those sugary, heavy danishes you get elsewhere. I could easily eat 5 of these. The macaron was also fun and jammy. Latte was fine. Also, to note their service: I accidentally was given a pistachio chocolate croissant that I didn't notice until I had gotten back to the table. They amended the mistake easily and quickly. Thanks!
(4)
Michelle K.
I've eaten at Praline roughly over 20 times, and have yet to be disappointed - in fact, I'd wager a bet if this restaurant was more centrally located in the city, it would be considered one of the better restaurants in the area. Personally, I'm not complaining about the location because a) I already know Praline exists and will continue to eat here even though it's a little out of the way and b) the somewhat strange location means that prices are much cheaper (the dishes served at Praline would - and should- be 20x more expensive if the restaurant was located in downtown D.C.), which works well with my just-out-of-college budget. Praline consistently pushes the envelope, delivering unique entrees and specials that are always masterfully prepared. I'm a huge seafood fan, so when I order fish I expect it to be cooked perfectly, and Praline never disappoints. When my family is in town, they always insist on eating here - and they've loved every meal! I could try to list all of the great meals I've had at Praline, but I don't want to exclude the dishes I have yet to try, as I'm sure they are equally amazing. Just give the place a try, and I guarantee you'll return for more. Oh, and don't miss out on the desserts or bakery, either. The macarons (available in a variety of flavors) melt in your mouth and the pastries are unbelievably good. As far as the desserts go, they are the perfect size (not too big, not too small) and full of flavor, including items like frozen nougat bars, lemon-almond layered treats and sorbet. If you're not in the mood to cook but want a gourmet meal, Praline offers meals-to-go that are easy, affordable and delicious. This place is great, and if you can look past the fact that the shopping-center location is slightly awkward (which is easy to do once you've tried the food), then I think you'll agree.
(5)
Meg G.
This bakery offers a really, really tasty tiramisu - both decorative & delightful. Sweet enough, light & airy; but, with enough substance & just enough coffee essence, one can appreciate that this cake is from a local bakery & not just any store/cafe. I cannot comment on the restaurant, service, or any other items from the menu. I'd definitely go back, if in the area.
(3)
Robert R.
THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE BAKERY!!!!! located in bethesda, md it consists of a bistro and bakery. while the bistro serves french fare, the bakery is what stands out. executive pastry chef patrick musel treats guests to the best macaroons around. its no surprise this place is so good as musel once served as a pastry chef in the white house. favorites: macaroons, macaroons, macaroons
(5)
Libby F.
Two years ago I stumbled upon this bakery while I was house/dog sitting for a friend in the nearby AU Park neighborhood. It had only been open about a month at that time. I do not recall the upstairs dining area being opened at the time. I only visited the bakery and OMG, what a bakery! Almond croissants, pastries galore, and bars and cookies to die for! Now, fast forward to this past Sunday. My neighbor and I decided to venture out here after devouring their lemon bar at the Silver Spring Farmers Market. We arrived shortly before ten when the dining area was scheduled to open; good timing on our part! Breakfast/brunch options are fairly routine. They offer omelets, bacon and eggs and quiche, for example. Each of these entrees are $8.50 each, not exactly cheap compared to other places. My neighbor and I both had the quiche. It was an individual quiche about 5" across. It was light and fluffy and definitely made from scratch with a crisp, pastry crust. We ate outside on the upstairs patio which was nice because of the weather, but there is no view and the only tables with an umbrella are the bigger ones which they did not want to seat two people at. With a drink (try their Arnold Palmer!) this meal is slightly more than ten bucks, and you must save room for a pastry from their countless selection. I stopped by the pastry counter (see the photo!) on the way out. I purchased another lemon bar. It was the same price ($3) as they charge at the Farmers Market. I also got a Jalousie pastry. Its name translates to 'jealous' in French, and that's what my neighbor was. She wanted me to dig into it right there, but I told her I was taking it home whole. It was basically two palmier cookies with raspberry jam spread in between. It wasn't my favorite dessert ever, but I could tell it was made from puff pastry. The friend I dog sat for two years ago is moving to the Brookmont neighborhood this month, which is even closer! When I dog sit next month you can be sure I will be here again and again!
(5)
lonnie a.
I think the description of not wheel chair accessible means only for those trying to enter from the front door I was able to be wheeled in from the back and found the staff more than accomodating and helpful I am glad we weren't discourage to go there because of that description as my wife and I had a most pleasant evening there
(4)
Sushi C.
As usual, very good service and food at Praline. It is not light food, rather older traditional recipes with real butter and cream, so don't pretend you are on a diet! The bread was a bit chewy and reminded me of bread that has been frozen and reheated, that is why this is a 4 star and not a 5 star.
(4)
Steven W.
Just a quick note...I tried the restaurant with my daughter. She loved it, I thought it was average. I did have a burger though, probably a bad choice for a french bistro. She had a seared tuna appetizer and a cheese plate. I thought both were of average quality, tasty, but nothing special. Again, she loved them both. We did try some new cookies at the bakery downstairs and they were as good as the macarons. I have now been to the bakery many times and it doesn't disappoint. 5 Stars for the bakery, 3 Stars for the restaurant...no change in overall score...
(4)
Erica T.
This is one of my favorite places in the world. I have come here to drink cappuccinos and study as often as twice a week, at times. The table by the fireplace is the perfect place to spend a chilly winter afternoon. I have ordered several birthday cakes here and a macaron tower. I have also enjoyed brunch, lunch, a beer dinner, and a champagne tasting. Every experience has been fantastic. The people are friendly. It has a delightful neighborhood vibe. And the food is fantastic. Pumpkin cookies, seared salmon, creme brulee, french macarons, eclairs, vichysoisse, waffles... It doesn't matter. It's all delightful. DC has a severe shortage of neighborhood coffee shops, but this one is perfection. My only complaint might be the stay-at-home parents who congregate with their unruly offspring in the afternoons. But, if you're stroller-clad, you might feel right at home.
(5)
A C.
My new favorite bakery in DC! This bistro/bakery has all the right elements from gorgeous cakes/pastries on display, and a casual bistro setting on two levels with tasty food. I had the Jerusalem artichoke soup for lunch and what a surprise! It was blended well, was savory and light and I finished every last bite. Afterwards I picked up some macaroons and meringues for a book club and they did not disappoint. The macaroons came in at least 10+ flavors and these were hands down the best ones I've ever had, and I went to culinary school in Paris and lived there for two years - delicious almond flavor, just the right texture of crispy exterior and chewy inside and I love that some had jam inside instead of just cream to change it up. These are not easy to make, and so the fact that they perfected them made me super happy. Because I was so excited, I also picked up a lemon drop cookie - of course it was also amazing. I was so impressed! I've had cakes from there on other occasions and love that they are decadent but light at the same time and so feminine and beautiful to boot. I only wish they were bigger sometimes for bigger parties! They are not cheap, but I will pay more for a bakery that gives fantastic service and consistency on their products. I can't wait to go back :)
(5)
Deborah N.
Three words. Chocolate. Pistachio. Croissant. Yum! (And I'm really fussy, almost never give a 5 star). That's all I've eaten from this place and I didn't eat or buy it in person, someone brought it to me. But still, it's good enough to have me planning my own trip there very soon.
(5)
Susan A.
I would rate the bakery as excellent though expensive. The bistro is good for lunch. Salade Nicoise, quiche, sandwiches, etc. all good. The dinner menu, however, is much the same as lunch but with a higher price. Not enough choices. I would not go for dinner as you can get a better dinner elsewhere for the same price. One of the biggest advantages of this bistro is free parking and I believe that accounts at least partially for its popularity-reservations suggested even for lunch.
(3)
Dee B.
*3.75 stars for the restaurant and still 5 stars for the bakery* Came here for dinner with three friends. We started with the cheese plate, which was great. The vegetarian got the vegetable napoleon, I had salad with salmon, one person got the chicken pot pie, and another had a meat dish. I wasn't thrilled with my salmon and salad -- the last time I'd gotten it, the portion was definitely larger. And the salmon was overcooked. But everyone else liked their dishes. For dessert we had planned to go downstairs and get some pastries from the bakery. Turns out the bakery closes at 7pm on Sundays, and by the time we were done with dinner it was well past that. Instead we got 2 slices of cake off the restaurant menu. At $7.95 they are not cheap, but they were damn tasty. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wine list. It's small, but they offer both glasses and tastes of about 8 different wines. I'm not much a drinker, so I ordered a taste of the chardonnay. The size of the taste was much larger than I expected -- it was a small glass, filled to the top. The chardonnay was perfect for me, and at $3.75 you just can't beat that. Considering the price of eating here and the number of servers/busboys seemingly running around, service was definitely not as good as I'd expect, nor was it as good as I've experienced here in the past.
(4)
Samantha B.
If this place did not sell baked goods, I would have given it three stars. Located in residential Bethesda and close to DC and the Beltway and Clara Barton Parkway, Praline's is amazing! The pastries are so good, but pricey. But by the time you have swallowed the tarts and cookies in one gulp, you will forget how much you paid for it. The food that is not pastry and bakery-related is okay. It is quite expensive, so when you look at the menu don't be surprised. I got the Croque Monsieur. It was actually kinda greasy for my taste and it was not because of the cheese, but because the sandwich, kinda panini style, had really buttery bread which for me was just too much. Usually every sandwich (I went here for lunch) comes with a side of french fries which are pretty darn good. I was expecting something more bold and flavorful. They were not as greasy as the sandwich. Pastries OMG the pastries. One thing I always go for is the custard cup, that is not its actual name, but it will do. It is a shortbread type cookie cup with custard with fresh raw strawberries and blueburries and it is fantastic. There is or was a picture of this delightful thing from heaven on the website: praline-bakery.com . No complaints about the chocolate chip or chocolate based cookies. The cinnamon rolls are great. What I love about praline's is that everything is so fresh and they never seem to run out. I will come here for the pastries but not the food. There is seating downstairs near the bakery and there is a rooftop which opens at 11am for lunch. The service is great and the waiters are nice and are willing to accommodate larger parties. I am giving it an expensive rating because it can get expensive pretty quick.
(4)
Tom H.
Had the pastries for breakfast two mornings in arrow while we were in the area. They are dangerously good and worth every penny. We then ate dinner our last night and had a great dinner. We split a dessert with black current sorbet in it and was totally delighted. Other than the blackberry gelato we had in Florence Italy last year this was the best frozen dessert I've had. They make it there so you cannot get it in the stores.
(4)
David C.
Wonderful neighborhood French bistro and bakery in the kind of suburban neighborhood where you might expect culinary mediocrity - bright, sunny dining room for lunch - friendly service - delicious flavors - I can imagine they have off moments (what place doesn't?) but I have never seen one - enjoy!
(4)
Audrey C.
Happy to be back in Praline Bakery and Bistro in Bethesda, MD. Had lunch with my husband, sat outside, the atmosphere very nice in the terrace with their newly installed big pots of flowers and plants. I ordered French onion soup which is very delicious, cheese, bread, onion, all balance, flavorful, piping hot broth, very tasty! Had some fresh arugula salad with smoked salmon, very fresh and healthy option. Hubby ordered grilled chicken sandwich, another healthy option. service was prompt & attentive. went down to try their pasties and macarons and we're not disappointed. they have a wide variety of French pastries, so good really worth our trip! Decided to order macarons pyramids for my Birthday cake and assorted bite size French pastries for my birthday.
(5)
Samantha G.
Oh my gosh! YUM! I just moved here from Baltimore, so I'm familiar with Patisserie Poupon--their macaroons are the best you can get in Baltimore. Their macaroons are smaller and melt in your mouth. At Praline, the macaroons are bigger and chewier but in my opinion, need more filling. Still though, they are positively delicious. I bought one of every flavor and though I've only had a few, I'll always favor raspberry and pistachio (if not for the color combo alone). Next, I'll try the lovely lavender cassis. I was alone when I stopped in today and had just eaten lunch, but I can't wait to try the restaurant upstairs. In the meantime, Praline's macaroons are my new go-to hostess gift.
(4)
Tiffany B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Horrible service. Our waiter took our order and went home. We waited 5 min after receiving half our order to receive an incorrect second half. No one came to check on our table to correct the error. Sat with empty drinks nearly the entire brunch. Omelet was running and undercooked. Praline salad was ok, but not as described on menu. Simple "over easy" eggs were brought out as lightly scrambled eggs. Potatoes were overcooked and cold. Asked for manager and was told the manager went home. Therefore, no resolution was offered for the poor food and poor service. Will not return to this restaurant.
(1)
lisa y.
I haven't been to the actual bakery. They had a stand at the Bethesda Farmer's Market today and am I glad I stopped! I had read the reviews of Praline Bakery on here and was so excited to see the stand. LOL I got a Florentine and the almond cake. OMG, I've only taken a bite out of each and I'm in heaven! I am definitely going to hit the bakery soon!
(5)
nassir y.
.......and this one star is for the bakery side run by high school kids.Their deserts are good. But never try the upstairs/ restaurant. Complete lack of service. No restaurant manager to talk to, under-trained servers with menu from French bistros of couple decades ago. They don't even pretend to care. Don't even.
(1)
Thomas B.
Outstanding food, nice ambiance and friendly staff. Just had a delicious lunch including a wonderful French pastry for desert. Highly recommend. Hope to visit again.
(5)
D K.
Very French bistro/bakery. They try to remain true to the French influence. Despite all the complaints in other reviews about the service, it wasn't too bad when I went with my boyfriend for brunch. They were polite and prompt enough for me. The complimentary French bread is freshly and wonderfully made. Crisp crust with soft and yeasty dough. Mmm. I love bread. Fried oysters were fried very well but got kind of heavy after awhile. I wouldn't order them again, for brunch at least. My boyfriend ordered the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, which was nothing impressive. I ordered the Praline Burger, which WAS impressive. Perfectly baked brioche bun, and the meat was SO juicy. Cheddar was perfectly melted, and the fries! I love fries, and these were awesome fries. I know burger isn't very brunch-y, but I've been craving a burger for awhile, and I'm glad that I chose Praline to satisfy that craving. Another bonus point goes to the freshly squeezed orange juice. I could tell it was freshly squeezed. We were too full to get dessert at the table, but we weren't going to pass up on the bakery. We stopped by the bakery downstairs, and I'm glad we did. They have Gerbet/Parisian macarons of all different flavors. We got Mango, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, and Caramel. I was disappointed to hear that their bread isn't house-made but delighted to hear that their macarons are. It makes a huge difference to have them freshly made than frozen. We also got some chocolates, which are shipped from Chocolat in PA (great chef/company). I'm not sure if I'll return for the Bistro as much as I would for the bakery's macarons and chocolates, but at least I'd return. :)
(4)
James S.
The service was horrid. The waiter was inattentive. He didn't come back after we were served to ask whether the food was good. My trout was burned. The tagliatelle was poorly seasoned and the mushy vegetables served with it tasted like they had been in the freezer for a month too long. The brioche on my partner's burger was stale. We brought it to the attention of the manager, who said he didn't believe the trout was burned. He intimated we were making it all up because we were unhappy with our waiter. He didn't address the other issues. We told him the conversation was over, paid our bill and left. I have eaten at many Michelin starred restaurants. I also cook. I know when my food is burned. We will not return to the restaurant. On the flip side, we bought a cake there last weekend and it was wonderful. We will consider returning to the bakery.
(1)
Alice K.
Brunch was alright. Got the croque madame and it wasn't bad, just more oily than I would have liked. Also got some macarons and they were pretty delicious! Even though it was only the afternoon, they had a limited selection of pastries- guess you better go there earlier for a wider selection!
(3)
A. K.
This restaurant has a wonderful menu and we have always had good meals here. All staff are professional and helpful. The bakery downstairs produces some of the best pastries you will ever have but the retail experience is very different form the restaurant. It feels like two different establishments. The staff in the bakery is rushed and distracted. They have no room behind the display cases to handle orders when they have a long line of customers. They should move the coffee machines to the bar area. The long lines are really not a problem for those waiting to pick out the pastries but the coffee people need to be handled separately.
(4)
Emma W.
The dining experience and the bakery experience are completely different. The dining experience is nearly hell- the food is good, but the wait staff is tragically abysmal. They seem to be caricatures of French waiters- inefficient, irritating, and incredibly unhelpful. The bakery/cafe is lovely though! The restaurant was started by the pastry chefs from the White House, and they dependably produce delicious desserts. Also, regarding wheelchair accessibility: the bakery is on the first floor and the restaurant is up a kind of steep set of stairs. The restaurant doesn't have an elevator, and if anyone in your party struggles with stairs, they have to walk down several store fronts to go into the main mall and take the elevator and walk across a bridge to get back to the restaurant. So yeah, you can do it, but they do not make it easy for you.
(2)
Teresa M.
I've been buying Praline pastries at the Silver Spring farmers market for a couple of years. Based on the quality of the products at the market, we searched out Praline's restaurant. Searched is the operative term. It's not on the beaten track for sure, but not really that difficult to find. Praline's is located in a slightly odd shopping center, the kind that has parking in the middle and shows a blank face to the neighborhood. Once you find the place, however, you'll be hooked. The bakery is phenomenal. Every single thing we've tried is wonderful. The croissants, in particular, are great but sell out early. The restaurant was very good, as well. For appetizers, we had the charcuterie board, a nice range of pates and meats along with spring greens and cornichons, every item was good. We also had the white asparagus with quinoa and watermelon. Fantastic. Fresh and bright tasting. Lovely every bite. For entrees, I was tempted to go with the chicken pot pie because I'd seen great reviews for it, but it didn't seem like a July kind of entree. I ordered the soft shell crabs and my companion ordered the sea bass. My soft shells were perfect and I'm picky about soft shells. Many places put heavy batter on them or season them to the point where you can't taste the crab. Praline's soft shells have a delicate powdering of flour then are pan fried. Perfect. They reminded me of the soft shells I ate in southern Maryland as a little girl. The softshells were accompanied by a nice seasonal mix of veggies (corn, tomatoes, green beans) that were cold and in a nice vinaigrette. Light, fresh, and they didn't overpower the crab. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and seasoned with thinly sliced chorizo (the Spanish style, rather than the Mexican style). Tasty and delicious. I highly recommend Pralines!
(4)
Jorge P.
Great brunch. We made the mistake to walk in at 11 without reservations. The owner arranged a table for 4 in a small but open corridor. It work great. Food was great with salads and chiche. Highly recommend the atmosphere and the food. We will try dinner soon.
(5)
Suzanne G.
While two neighbors had similar experiences to mine in the upstairs restaurant in terms of being overcharged, I have begun frequenting the downstairs cafe for pastry only, since it's in my 'hood, and since the Gazette newspaper periodically has a $5.00 off coupon for this shopping center. Coupon excludes Starbucks, Safeway, etc., but Praline accepts the coupons -- including one published in 10/9 Gazette valid through 10/31. I will say that the employees in the downstairs cafe are lovely and cheerful, and that while all the pastry isn't superb, some of it is quite Parisian. The macarons are too soft to be among the best in the area, but the walnut dacquoise, the opera, and bread pudding and many of the other cakes are quite fine. Kudos for hiring some lovely downstairs staff. I'm a dessert-o-holic anyway, so I'm just not interested in having to scrutinize my upstairs dining bill carefully. They use an old-fashioned style cash register downstairs, so the prices are quite visible, and they won't break the bank anyway (between $1.65 for a macaron and about $4 for eclairs, etc.) Disappointment for both me and my 11 yo son -- they only have eclairs au chocolat, whereas I prefer au cafe, and my son is partial to vanilla pastry cream (but with the chocolate ganache on top). The lemon bars are delish, but it literally tastes like my own recipe for this American dessert bar, so I tend to get the more French items (thus haven't tried the brownies & oatmeal cookies, etc.) Some of the breakfast pastries strike me as gilding the lily (my fav croissant aux abricots with pastry cream from my days in Paris has added pistachio at Praline, for example). They are doing a brisk business, and clearly make only what they are sure will sell, so the selection is quite sparse for the croissants by 12 noon.
(3)
Anna P.
Bethesda isn't exactly known for sprouting indie coffee shops. You grab your morning latte from either the Moose or the Mermaid, and pretend to enjoy the pasty scone that goes with it. Tucked into the blandest of strip malls in a residential neighborhood (though across from some sort of gated military installation), Praline actually serves coffee, tea, and pastries without making you feel like a corporate drone. There is, in fact, outdoor seating, free wifi, and an employee who comes around with a tray of French macaroon samples. What's not to love? In addition to that tasty macaroon, I got a vegetable quiche that was filling but light. They actually bothered to toast it to warm it up, rather than nuke it to death. Absolutely worth the wait. Can't speak to the upstairs restaurant bit, but the bakery is absolutely wonderful.
(5)
Andre B.
DO NOT GO! Need to teach the owners and maitre d a lesson. People should not patronize a restaurant if they are rude. Heres the scene. We sit down at a table that is really tight. Soon after sitting down another table clears out and we ask to move. the maitre d says that there someone has a reservation. Five minutes later they seat two people at that table for 6. Clearly no reservation. I asked her about it to no response.Then at the end of the meal we were paying the bill and the waiters started removing the tables before we even left. DO NOT GO PLEASE. PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT DESERVE YOUR MONEY!!!
For Thanksgiving one guest brought 2 pies and a cake from Praline Bakery. I've had cookies and croissant before, but never sampled the pies. It's the best pie I've had in a while. We had pumpkin, lemon meringue, and a chocolate mousse cake. The next day I woke up thinking about the pumpkin pie and had to eat it for breakfast. In comparison to the other pies available they were lack luster against the pies from Praline Bakery. Once the PB pies were gone the others were actually quite good. It was just the comparison that illustrated the flaws. I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I would certainly recommend this spot to anyone in need of baked goods.
(4)
Quoc N.
Praline is THE place to go for cake lovers. In my opinion, they make the best cakes in the area. The place is owned by 2 pastry chefs, and I think one of them (if not both) worked at the White House at one time. Besides for their cakes, you should also come and try the restaurant. They changed the menu not long ago. It has now more variety, more flavor and you also get a bit more for your bucks. I recommend their Bouillabaisse, the Chicken Pot pie, definitely their escargots, and make sure to save room for their desserts (different than what you may buy at the bakery on the first floor). The decor is warm, a la "Provencal". They have outdoor table when weather is warm.
(4)
Richard T.
According to my credit card records I've eaten at Praline over 40 times already this year. Needless to say, I'm a bit of a fan. I know of no other restaurant in the DC area that combines variety and quality of offerings along with very reasonable prices. It's happened that I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Praline on consecutive days to find completely different specials at each meal along with the usual staples. I can't say I have any particular favorites. Let me just say that I find dining at Praline to be about as risk-free as a restaurant experience can be. To me, it's inexcusable that this lovely Bistro/Patisserie doesn't appear on the Washingtonian's top 100 list.
(5)
francine s.
Seared Paillard of Salmon = delish!
(4)
Jackie B.
This review is for the restaurant. My boyfriend took me here for Valentines Day. He works really close and had been a few times to the bar down stairs and thought it was pretty good. We got there for our 7:30pm reservations and it was somewhat empty. Definitely a older crowd but I believe that's because there is an old folks home real close by. Anyway. The menu was fixed. $40 for a appetizer, entree, and dessert. Not too bad. We order almost right away because the menu is pretty limited. I got the Salmon "cigar" and Lobster with mango. My boyfriend got the Lobster Bisque and Duck. Our food takes a bit to come out even though the 5 people table behind us comes out much faster. Please note, they have ordered their second bottle of wine, we have not ordered anything extra. The food is pretty damn good. I'm not going to lie. Not as much spices and flavor as I would like but still pretty good. If a restaurant was food alone it would probably get a four. Maybe a 3.5. So then the owner/chef brings out dessert to the table behind us. And we wait. And we wait. Our waters still haven't been filled since our food has come out. And we wait. Our waiter finally comes with dessert and our coffee. [It was soooo good by the way] At which point we ask for water again. The waiter chews out the bus boy who is suppose to keep our water filled. We finish our desserts and we wait. Check comes. Oh look its the owner/chef checking in with another table. Why does she keep walking right by us and ignoring us? You can't even stop by for one second and ask us if we enjoyed everything? There is only 10 tables total and you've now walked by us three times. Oh I get it. We're 23 and our money isn't as good as people who are older then us. That makes SO much sense. Let's get out of here. So yeah. Too bad we got shitty service. If you're old and frou frou then by all means, knock yourselves out. If you're younger then your money isn't so good here. I get it, we didn't order anything extra but that's because I don't know anything about wine. If the waiter suggested something I would of tried it. Also, I shouldn't _have_ to order anything extra to be treated like everyone else.
(2)
Stephen S.
Another great French Bistro lunch with a wonderful 2007 Brouilly.
(4)
Jessica S.
Their French macaroons are to die for. The pistachio and hazelnut are my favorites - the hazelnut has a gianduja (Nutella-esque) filling that is just incredible. So far I've tried the hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, lemon, apricot, lemon and chocolate flavors. All are delicious. The bistro upstairs has excellent service and the patio is so nice on a warm day. Their food is great, too.
(5)
Fernando D.
Nice cozy place. Friendly as well
(4)
Monica G.
I have never eaten a meal here, but the pastries are magnificent. I ate a cake from Pralines at a child's birthday party and I will never buy a cake for myself anywhere else. Sooooo delish!
(4)
David A.
Excellent food. Reasonably priced. Having spent a large part of my life living in France, it is nice to find true French food prepared correctly--and not just French words on the menu. Excellent foie gras. Delicious macarons.
(4)
Julia L.
Bakery is fantastic, service is great, free samples, very cozy looking place. Why 2 stars? Our dining experience at the restaurant was so awful, it became a joke. Saturday noon we came in for lunch. I was a little disappointed that they don't serve brunch on Saturdays, but hey, no biggie. The menu was definitely limited. A few overpriced sandwiches, salads, and an omelet. I asked the waitress to substitute tuna for the turkey on one of the sandwiches since I don't eat meat, just fish. She said there are no substitutions. I told her to just charge me extra. NO. Ok....could you just take the turkey out of the sandwich and give me a side of tuna salad? She said that the chef doesn't do substitutions/modifications, because "a lot of it is pre-made". WTF?! Why am I paying $10 for a pre-made sandwich? And why do you need a chef at a place where the sandwiches are pre-made? I got a little flustered after that, and told her that I'll just have an omelet. She asked if I wanted ham in it, because that was the omelet of the day. No, obviously not. "Ok, I'll just take it out." Once again, WTF?! What are you taking the ham out of? Is the egg mix pre-made and you're going to have to fish all the ham pieces out of it? It just got worse after that. The vegetarian quiche I finally ordered (which for some reason wasn't on the menu, but was suggested by the waitress after my boyfriend suggested we leave), came out obviously microwaved and lukewarm. Getting it reheated took another 10 minutes. I ordered a bloody marry with "light spice". Came out as the hottest bloody marry I've ever tasted (no joke) and without any ice. The most bizarre thing was when we started to put ice in the bloody marry from our water glasses, the waitress came by and asked if we wanted more ice in it. ???? There was never any ice to begin with! If you're wondering about the actually food, it was bad. The quiche was microwaved and gross and my boyfriend's sandwich was made with wonder bread and prepackaged ham. So bad. Go for the bakery, stay the away from the restaurant.
(2)
M K.
For the restaurant: As soon as we stepped up the last steps to the dining area, someone (I later found out, the chef), without any hurry or pretension appeared out of nowhere, asked if we'd like in-door or out-door seating and upon hearing our request, suggested a shady spot outside. Spacious and yet cozy feel. Seating with overhanging umbrellas. I ordered the cinnamon figs with prosciutto and my friend had the omlette of the day. Both were fresh and came out in a timely manner and prepared really well. The service was quick but friendly and never rushed. We never felt the need to ask for anything, it was always covered (Drinks running low? Oh, it's filled! Need pepper? Oh, thanks!) We thoroughly enjoyed our meal without any worries or rush (unlike other places with an older crowd where you feel like younger people aren't always treated as equally). We lingered a while longer with coffee and never felt pressured to leave or order something else off the menu. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day and to enjoy it outside on that deck with good food, good service and no rush. Note: I'm not sure how one would access the dining area (on the second floor) if one needed handicap access - the upper deck did lead out to the next building - maybe there's an elevator there?
(5)
Ellen L.
Food, service and ambiance are wonderful. Wireless connect horrible. Had planned to spend the morning eating, drinking and working, but only got the first two done.
(3)
Susan M.
I had lunch here last weekend and was not impressed with the food. The mornay sauce completely overwhelmed my Croque Monsieur sandwich. There was hardly any meat between the bread and the cheesey crust was kind of burnt; oddly enough, the french fries were VERY good. I give this place three stars because the bakery made up for the ho-hum lunch. The lemon drop cookies knocked my socks off. The pistachio macaron and elephant ear were also quite tasty. I would definitely go back for more pastries.
(3)
Veronica K.
I had a birthday brunch here with a few friends, and despite most of my friends having different tastes in food, we were all extremely impressed with the entire experience. I had the Salmon Tartare for an appetizer and a Nicoise Salad (the best I've ever tasted) for my entree - both exceptional. The atmosphere was simple, yet authentic French, and not pretentious as many French places in the area often are. The food was amazing, portion sizes were on point and everyone in my party left completely satisfied. Our server was also very good and great at describing the menu and making suggestions. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone (and already have!) *My only complaint is that the restaurant is kind of hard to find, but that's irrelevant to the dining experience
(5)
Trumball S.
I felt like I had to leave a review because of the declining level of service and food quality over the last couple of years at this bakery/restaurant. Some of the bakery items are still okay, but you are taking your chances with anything else,. To give one example: I recently went in for a takeout sandwich and was given one that had been toasted and then put into a refrigerator for a couple of hours to get just the right chill to it so it tasted like cold cardboard. Yes, this restaurant puts toasted sandwiches in a REFRIGERATOR and then, presumably, expects people to eat them. I guess if someone is hungry enough, anything is possible..... Worryingly, when I went back and asked about this practice, I was told it was normal procedure and that I could have asked to have it reheated(!). For $10, I guess I expect toasted sandwiches to be, you know, warm..... For anyone going there, you should also expect high prices relative to quality and service that is hit and miss, mostly the latter.
(1)
Theresa S.
Ordered the apricot and pistachio danish, a raspberry macaron and a latte on a Saturday morning. It was busy and everything in the bakery case looked amazing. Maybe they could use more staffing at the front? The two women there were working really hard and as fast as they could, but the line had 8 or so people waiting. To the food! The danish was awesome! light and flaky dough, fresh slices of apricot and pistachios sprinkled along the spiral curve. Nothing like those sugary, heavy danishes you get elsewhere. I could easily eat 5 of these. The macaron was also fun and jammy. Latte was fine. Also, to note their service: I accidentally was given a pistachio chocolate croissant that I didn't notice until I had gotten back to the table. They amended the mistake easily and quickly. Thanks!
(4)
David C.
Wonderful neighborhood French bistro and bakery in the kind of suburban neighborhood where you might expect culinary mediocrity - bright, sunny dining room for lunch - friendly service - delicious flavors - I can imagine they have off moments (what place doesn't?) but I have never seen one - enjoy!
(4)
Michelle K.
I've eaten at Praline roughly over 20 times, and have yet to be disappointed - in fact, I'd wager a bet if this restaurant was more centrally located in the city, it would be considered one of the better restaurants in the area. Personally, I'm not complaining about the location because a) I already know Praline exists and will continue to eat here even though it's a little out of the way and b) the somewhat strange location means that prices are much cheaper (the dishes served at Praline would - and should- be 20x more expensive if the restaurant was located in downtown D.C.), which works well with my just-out-of-college budget. Praline consistently pushes the envelope, delivering unique entrees and specials that are always masterfully prepared. I'm a huge seafood fan, so when I order fish I expect it to be cooked perfectly, and Praline never disappoints. When my family is in town, they always insist on eating here - and they've loved every meal! I could try to list all of the great meals I've had at Praline, but I don't want to exclude the dishes I have yet to try, as I'm sure they are equally amazing. Just give the place a try, and I guarantee you'll return for more. Oh, and don't miss out on the desserts or bakery, either. The macarons (available in a variety of flavors) melt in your mouth and the pastries are unbelievably good. As far as the desserts go, they are the perfect size (not too big, not too small) and full of flavor, including items like frozen nougat bars, lemon-almond layered treats and sorbet. If you're not in the mood to cook but want a gourmet meal, Praline offers meals-to-go that are easy, affordable and delicious. This place is great, and if you can look past the fact that the shopping-center location is slightly awkward (which is easy to do once you've tried the food), then I think you'll agree.
(5)
Madeline V.
Came here to get some work done on a day off; spent $13 on two macaroons (pistachio is delicious), a small iced coffee (just brewed hot coffee they stuck in the fridge - avoid), and a small box of four chocolates (gift for a friend). Wireless completely non-functional; employee said it was "working fine" and tried to help, but needed to run off and assist customers. Please don't advertise 'Free Wi-Fi' unless it's functional.
(3)
Mary E.
Went here for lunch and it was so nice!! Good food, great service. And, they didn't mind at all that we sat and visited for over an hour after finishing our meal! Oh, and the desserts are wonderful!!
(4)
Lissa B.
A really cute French cafe in such an unexpected spot! They have a variety of options including soup, salad, quiche, and desserts. I like to get French onion soup here and it's always good. They have outdoor seating upstairs for when there is nice weather. It's really cute and perfect for a leisurely lunch. The chef used to be the retired White House chef but the new chef is also great!
(4)
Jennifer N.
(3.5 stars) So, reader, you might know about my preoccupation with the chocolate chip cookie. I went to Praline desperately seeking that magical combination of butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate, a DC version of, say, New York's Levain. The first thing to note about Praline is that it's in a very suburban mall surrounded by Chico's, China Pavilion, Safeway, and CVS. The exterior doesn't exactly scream "bakery." But once you venture inside, it's clear that the proprietors have done their best with the space. The main floor features the bakery and a few tables, and apparently there is an upstairs (the "bistro"). The bakery display case is filled with macarons, cookies, croissants, eclairs, and the like. I had three cookies and I can say this - this wasn't the best I had ever had, but it took an interesting approach to the chocolate chip cookie. Indeed, this was practically an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and I didn't mind that at all. The cookies are a bit small (for $1.85) so I'd suggest getting a few and sampling. These aren't the most brilliant, but they are certainly good, and inventive.
(3)
Ruth K.
Normally I like this place but whatever you do don't try to buy a custom cake. I had to call four or five times and leave a message. When they got back to me they didn't follow thru. In the end the person told me the baker was on vacation I said oh I guess I will have to get my cake elsewhere since you can't do it (in three weeks...not a last minute request). So don't waste a week trying to get them to call you back! Balduccis took the order got back to me in minutes and it's done. Get your special occasion cake there.
(1)
Sara B.
The coconut macaroon was excellent. Disappointed that they were out of almond croissants, because I am currently in the middle of what some may say is a binge but what I like to call a thorough sampling of said croissants. I opted for a sticky bun which I ate later that night after a short warm up in the microwave, and it was solid. Lunch was fine, but their outdoor upstairs patio is really lovely, a great place to hang out and have some drinks on a nice day.
(3)
Maria Y.
I had lunch here while visiting family in Bethesda. It is right across the street from the condo where my grandparents live. Praline's location is fairly unassuming (in a strip mall) but the interior is cute. The first floor is a French-style bakery and upstairs is a restaurant, which is where we went. The weather was nice so we sat on the outside patio. Fortunately, you can't really see the strip mall parking lot from the patio. I wasn't actually very hungry due to having a large breakfast, so I just had a piece of lemon almond cake. It was delicious! My family members seemed to think the lunch food was not as good as it used to be, but I was pleased with my cake, as well as the bread that came with the lunch entrees. I also had a mini lemon macaron... it was awesome. Way better than the frozen Trader Joe's macarons that I've been subsisting on until this point. Light and fluffy but still crunchy, with flavorful cream. It turns out that my grandparents had already bought the same lemon almond cake to have with dinner later. I had another piece because this cake was delicious. Interestingly, the piece I had at lunch tasted more lemony, but the cake I had at dinner was more almondy. I love both lemon and almond so this didn't bother me, but there may be some slight variation among batches. If I lived in Bethesda I would probably eat pastries from here every day!
(5)
Lynne F.
Delicious but expensive pastries and chocolates. Restaurant has uninspired food but dining outside in the upper deck is very pleasant.
(3)
Ni C.
What a cute place! Its in a sort of strip/square mall - so its tucked away - but do not hesitate to come! The bistro is upstairs - legit french food. just go. get the escargots or the fish soup just so you can get the rouille. bakery: whoa. very good stuff. I ordered the walnut dacquoise for a party and it was a hit. (perfect for non chocolate peeps) they also have a great selection of macarons, pastries and random frenchy goodies like Tessierie drink syrup. Recommend!
(4)
Justine K.
The service was great. The waiter made some good recommendations. My duck confit was a bit salty but otherwise good. The crowd there was a bit mature
(4)
Julie S.
Went there for lunch today with a friend. Lovely space, also an open patio which they apparently can reserve for events. We dined on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Praline Salad with Grilled Chicken. Then enjoyed the sorbet of the day (including mango and raspberry) & the cake of the day (lime mousse cake). They were gorgeous AND delicious. And then there are the cookies which i brought home for later - their lemon drop, lemon ginger, and pumpkin cookies are good. Their chocolate mocha cookie is ridiculously rich one was PLENTY (and I love rich chocolate things). But their oatmeal cookie was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Oh, and their macaroons? Yes. Just, yes.
(4)
Lindsay W.
Praline's food is usually wonderful, especially the onion soup, salmon, duck, mussels and salads. Until a recent visit I would have given it five stars. But dinner there last week made me wonder if I would ever return. Our party of six was seated at a small table in a cramped room with a family with young kids who were running around, loud and obnoxious. The parents couldn't have cared less that six adults were sitting 18 inches away. This was close to 8 pm. I asked if we could move and after some dithering by the waiter we were moved to a larger area of seating. What I don't get is that if the table we were moved to was vacant, why wouldn't the restaurant manager have seated us there in the first place? Please understand that six adults out for dinner on a Saturday night have no interest in being around Ill-behaved kids!!!After the move I thought all was well until one of the diners in our party pointed out that his knife was dirty - and I mean it had not even seen the dishwasher. The waiter then forgot to remove it from the table and it was only removed after another waiter came to the rescue. In terms of food that night, the fries were soggy and the desserts were ho hum. The entrees were ok but not memorable. Oh for the Praline I remember and loved!
(2)
Kelly H.
Absolutely loved this bakery. The cases display a variety of pretty French pastries, cookies, and jellies (made by former White House pastry chefs). The chocolate eclairs were creamy and decadent. My favorite was the oatmeal raisin cookie which was crispy on the edges and chewy in the inside. We ate our treats sitting next to the fire and sipping tea. This bakery was so cozy and the atmosphere was quaint. It's a great place for a nice quiet cup of coffee.
(5)
Holli G.
Macarons! I haven't had Macarons this amazing since Paris. Dare I say even a little better than the Macarons I had in Paris?! Each cookie was the perfect texture. My personal favorites were: Raspberry and Apricot:-) To make my visit all the more amazing- they were selling hot pink caulenders. The largest one-Sold!
(4)
Anthony C.
The bakery itself has some great offerings. We have bought bread, pastries and even sandwiches, taken to go, all with great success. They have a lot of good things, and I think they bake everything there. The restaurant upstairs was another story. We stopped in late for desert. There were plenty of people eating dinner, even though it was close to their closing time. We were seated right away, and the host (owner/manager?) came over and was joking with us. Everything seemed good. I then took forever for a waiter to show up, and he was uninterested in explaining what they had, and he took a long time to get our coffee and water, as well as actually take the order. Meanwhile, the staff was in full clean up mode, and twice they had propped the door open to a terrace, letting cold air blow right on us. I would ask someone to close it, then someone would open it again. When it happened a third time, I got up myself to close the door. The deserts were good--though not great. No refills on the water, and it took forever to get the check paid. If they were closing and did not want us there, they should have turned us away. Crappy service was not the way to go.
(2)
Pep J.
I would love to give Praline a higher score - in particular because of its pleasant terrace - but a recent brunch there was a big disappointment. The eggs Benedict were nice but the omelette was bland, with the eggs overcooked and not too little filling. The waffles were uninspiring - which is a pity in a restaurant that also counts with a fabulous bakery - and uninspiring were the drinks. The waiter's unfriendly attitude did not help either. He would not want to serve some plain fried eggs to a child - because "it was not on the menu" (although they did have "steak and eggs"). Only when we pointed out that "eggs any style" was on their online menu did he go and ask the kitchen about it, not without grumpily adding that the website's menu had not been updated... With the many good choices for brunch in the area, we will probably not be going back to Praline for a while.
(2)
Jess L.
great food, a little over priced. an older crowd but a nice place to have a leisurely lunch. I got salmon and ratatouille, which was nice and fresh. There are always a lot of specials. Beet salad is also good. Desserts are divine.
(3)
Esq. H.
Not bad, but could be better. They don't have alternative milk options so don't come looking for soy, almond or coconut milk, straight cow juice is all they have to offer which is sad. Our pastry/drink/cashier person seemed a little agitated I don't know if it was because it was Sunday and cold outside and she wanted to be home or if she was pissed we are looking at all the cute fancy (expensive) baked goods trying to decide what we wanted. Anyway I had this apple tart thing ( see photo) which was good, I asked her to heat it up which she obliged (too bad it wasn't warmed up throughout the pastry but I guess she was scared to burn it) and tea ( which was hot water and a packet from a tea box display) and my grand total was $7 a little too high for me personally. After we ordered we just stood by the register....waiting for out baked goods after staring at us like we crazy someone finally decided to explain to us that they would bring our items to us. Had they not told us there is no way we would have known that, not a big deal. So the set up is cute. It's two story and the upstairs is a restaurant so if you are just coming in for coffee or a baked good you are limited to the seating downstairs ( which includes outside seating). This is a little section with a fire place where they've crammed in some small tables and chairs - it's not ridiculous but the tables and chairs are super close so if you have a gut or are talking about something personal even whispering isn't going to cut it, just take your meeting to your car. Then there is a bar area which is a little awkward and clearly left over from a previous restaurant since they don't have a liquor license and the bar is packed with interesting spreads and jams, so if something like pistachio jalapeno mustard is your thing, it's probably in that bar section available for purchase. Good luck.
(3)
A C.
Don't let the bakery part of the name give the wrong impression, the bistro part is worth a try. Open, bright, inviting upstairs dining area. Had Thanksgiving dinner there with wife and daughter. Was very pleasantly surprised with an excellent, if pricey, meal. Holiday menu was price fixed and special limited. Appetizer was pan seared fois gras, others had butternut squash soup. I really enjoyed it, but not for everyone I think. For the entree I had prime rib ( I don't like turkey) which was tender, done rare as requested, and very tasty. Dessert was the best apple tart I have had in recent memory. Wife had properly done halibut and pumpkin pie, told it was very good as I am not a pumpkin fan. Service was excellect, perhaps because there was only one other table occupied. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Erica C.
The croissants are pretty yummy. The macarons are adorable, but nothing special. I was hoping for seriously fantastic macarons, but the macarons were a bit dry. The shop is adorable. It looks like a nice study or quiet date spot. The variety of pastries is quite nice, but the pastries don't really match up to the sweetness of the place. The location is a bit odd, as it is placed within a shopping center. The ambiance inside is nice. It'd go back for the ambiance and to check out the restaurant section.
(3)
Erica T.
This is one of my favorite places in the world. I have come here to drink cappuccinos and study as often as twice a week, at times. The table by the fireplace is the perfect place to spend a chilly winter afternoon. I have ordered several birthday cakes here and a macaron tower. I have also enjoyed brunch, lunch, a beer dinner, and a champagne tasting. Every experience has been fantastic. The people are friendly. It has a delightful neighborhood vibe. And the food is fantastic. Pumpkin cookies, seared salmon, creme brulee, french macarons, eclairs, vichysoisse, waffles... It doesn't matter. It's all delightful. DC has a severe shortage of neighborhood coffee shops, but this one is perfection. My only complaint might be the stay-at-home parents who congregate with their unruly offspring in the afternoons. But, if you're stroller-clad, you might feel right at home.
(5)
Libby F.
Two years ago I stumbled upon this bakery while I was house/dog sitting for a friend in the nearby AU Park neighborhood. It had only been open about a month at that time. I do not recall the upstairs dining area being opened at the time. I only visited the bakery and OMG, what a bakery! Almond croissants, pastries galore, and bars and cookies to die for! Now, fast forward to this past Sunday. My neighbor and I decided to venture out here after devouring their lemon bar at the Silver Spring Farmers Market. We arrived shortly before ten when the dining area was scheduled to open; good timing on our part! Breakfast/brunch options are fairly routine. They offer omelets, bacon and eggs and quiche, for example. Each of these entrees are $8.50 each, not exactly cheap compared to other places. My neighbor and I both had the quiche. It was an individual quiche about 5" across. It was light and fluffy and definitely made from scratch with a crisp, pastry crust. We ate outside on the upstairs patio which was nice because of the weather, but there is no view and the only tables with an umbrella are the bigger ones which they did not want to seat two people at. With a drink (try their Arnold Palmer!) this meal is slightly more than ten bucks, and you must save room for a pastry from their countless selection. I stopped by the pastry counter (see the photo!) on the way out. I purchased another lemon bar. It was the same price ($3) as they charge at the Farmers Market. I also got a Jalousie pastry. Its name translates to 'jealous' in French, and that's what my neighbor was. She wanted me to dig into it right there, but I told her I was taking it home whole. It was basically two palmier cookies with raspberry jam spread in between. It wasn't my favorite dessert ever, but I could tell it was made from puff pastry. The friend I dog sat for two years ago is moving to the Brookmont neighborhood this month, which is even closer! When I dog sit next month you can be sure I will be here again and again!
(5)
Cristina C.
This place has terrible service. I am talking here specifically about the bakery downstairs. I tried to pre-order decorative cookies, was told to simply call back on the morning of the day I needed them. So I did that, at which point I was told it would take 3 days to fill an order! I asked why they hadn't told me that when I was there in person, and finally after a lot of back and forth, and pointing out that they had given me misinformation, they agreed to have the cookies ready the same day. Clearly it was no problem for them to produce cookies for the same day, so not sure if they were just being difficult or what. They were also rude when I went to pick up the cookies (which, by the way, were over $4 each and did not taste good... ) Never coming back to this place again!
(1)
lonnie a.
I think the description of not wheel chair accessible means only for those trying to enter from the front door I was able to be wheeled in from the back and found the staff more than accomodating and helpful I am glad we weren't discourage to go there because of that description as my wife and I had a most pleasant evening there
(4)
Sushi C.
As usual, very good service and food at Praline. It is not light food, rather older traditional recipes with real butter and cream, so don't pretend you are on a diet! The bread was a bit chewy and reminded me of bread that has been frozen and reheated, that is why this is a 4 star and not a 5 star.
(4)
Meg G.
This bakery offers a really, really tasty tiramisu - both decorative & delightful. Sweet enough, light & airy; but, with enough substance & just enough coffee essence, one can appreciate that this cake is from a local bakery & not just any store/cafe. I cannot comment on the restaurant, service, or any other items from the menu. I'd definitely go back, if in the area.
(3)
A C.
My new favorite bakery in DC! This bistro/bakery has all the right elements from gorgeous cakes/pastries on display, and a casual bistro setting on two levels with tasty food. I had the Jerusalem artichoke soup for lunch and what a surprise! It was blended well, was savory and light and I finished every last bite. Afterwards I picked up some macaroons and meringues for a book club and they did not disappoint. The macaroons came in at least 10+ flavors and these were hands down the best ones I've ever had, and I went to culinary school in Paris and lived there for two years - delicious almond flavor, just the right texture of crispy exterior and chewy inside and I love that some had jam inside instead of just cream to change it up. These are not easy to make, and so the fact that they perfected them made me super happy. Because I was so excited, I also picked up a lemon drop cookie - of course it was also amazing. I was so impressed! I've had cakes from there on other occasions and love that they are decadent but light at the same time and so feminine and beautiful to boot. I only wish they were bigger sometimes for bigger parties! They are not cheap, but I will pay more for a bakery that gives fantastic service and consistency on their products. I can't wait to go back :)
(5)
Deborah N.
Three words. Chocolate. Pistachio. Croissant. Yum! (And I'm really fussy, almost never give a 5 star). That's all I've eaten from this place and I didn't eat or buy it in person, someone brought it to me. But still, it's good enough to have me planning my own trip there very soon.
(5)
Russell W.
Went for mid-week business lunch with a professional colleague. Ordered squash soups, quiche lorraine and veggie Napoleon. Colleague had to send back her "Arnold Palmer" (iced tea with lemonade) b/c it tasted "funny." Soups were mildly flavorful, with surprise strips of apple (?) flesh swimming inside. They badly needed a little ground nutmeg, which I mentioned to the waiter and the maitre d', who dropped by. Was told there was no ground nutmeg in the kitchen and that they had never heard of such a thing going on squash soups (!) Quiche came as a single portion from a ramekin, along with standard salad greens dressed in mustard vinagrette. Ho-hum. Vegetable Napoleon looked different from stacked array photo on the Web site. Instead, it was plated as a sunburst array. Nothing distinctively flavorful about any of the components. Walnut cake and chocolate mousse cake were delicious! Praline Bakery should probably just remain a really nice upscale bakery and coffee shop and quit trying to offer French bistro fare, as well. I don't think the kitchen is up to the challenge. So, for $64 we should have gone to Georgetown for lunch at Le Chaumiere, an always-reliable bistro institution. Live and learn!
(2)
Audrey C.
Happy to be back in Praline Bakery and Bistro in Bethesda, MD. Had lunch with my husband, sat outside, the atmosphere very nice in the terrace with their newly installed big pots of flowers and plants. I ordered French onion soup which is very delicious, cheese, bread, onion, all balance, flavorful, piping hot broth, very tasty! Had some fresh arugula salad with smoked salmon, very fresh and healthy option. Hubby ordered grilled chicken sandwich, another healthy option. service was prompt & attentive. went down to try their pasties and macarons and we're not disappointed. they have a wide variety of French pastries, so good really worth our trip! Decided to order macarons pyramids for my Birthday cake and assorted bite size French pastries for my birthday.
(5)
Steven W.
Just a quick note...I tried the restaurant with my daughter. She loved it, I thought it was average. I did have a burger though, probably a bad choice for a french bistro. She had a seared tuna appetizer and a cheese plate. I thought both were of average quality, tasty, but nothing special. Again, she loved them both. We did try some new cookies at the bakery downstairs and they were as good as the macarons. I have now been to the bakery many times and it doesn't disappoint. 5 Stars for the bakery, 3 Stars for the restaurant...no change in overall score...
(4)
Dee B.
*3.75 stars for the restaurant and still 5 stars for the bakery* Came here for dinner with three friends. We started with the cheese plate, which was great. The vegetarian got the vegetable napoleon, I had salad with salmon, one person got the chicken pot pie, and another had a meat dish. I wasn't thrilled with my salmon and salad -- the last time I'd gotten it, the portion was definitely larger. And the salmon was overcooked. But everyone else liked their dishes. For dessert we had planned to go downstairs and get some pastries from the bakery. Turns out the bakery closes at 7pm on Sundays, and by the time we were done with dinner it was well past that. Instead we got 2 slices of cake off the restaurant menu. At $7.95 they are not cheap, but they were damn tasty. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wine list. It's small, but they offer both glasses and tastes of about 8 different wines. I'm not much a drinker, so I ordered a taste of the chardonnay. The size of the taste was much larger than I expected -- it was a small glass, filled to the top. The chardonnay was perfect for me, and at $3.75 you just can't beat that. Considering the price of eating here and the number of servers/busboys seemingly running around, service was definitely not as good as I'd expect, nor was it as good as I've experienced here in the past.
(4)
Susan A.
I would rate the bakery as excellent though expensive. The bistro is good for lunch. Salade Nicoise, quiche, sandwiches, etc. all good. The dinner menu, however, is much the same as lunch but with a higher price. Not enough choices. I would not go for dinner as you can get a better dinner elsewhere for the same price. One of the biggest advantages of this bistro is free parking and I believe that accounts at least partially for its popularity-reservations suggested even for lunch.
(3)
Robert R.
THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE BAKERY!!!!! located in bethesda, md it consists of a bistro and bakery. while the bistro serves french fare, the bakery is what stands out. executive pastry chef patrick musel treats guests to the best macaroons around. its no surprise this place is so good as musel once served as a pastry chef in the white house. favorites: macaroons, macaroons, macaroons
(5)
Samantha G.
Oh my gosh! YUM! I just moved here from Baltimore, so I'm familiar with Patisserie Poupon--their macaroons are the best you can get in Baltimore. Their macaroons are smaller and melt in your mouth. At Praline, the macaroons are bigger and chewier but in my opinion, need more filling. Still though, they are positively delicious. I bought one of every flavor and though I've only had a few, I'll always favor raspberry and pistachio (if not for the color combo alone). Next, I'll try the lovely lavender cassis. I was alone when I stopped in today and had just eaten lunch, but I can't wait to try the restaurant upstairs. In the meantime, Praline's macaroons are my new go-to hostess gift.
(4)
Tiffany B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Horrible service. Our waiter took our order and went home. We waited 5 min after receiving half our order to receive an incorrect second half. No one came to check on our table to correct the error. Sat with empty drinks nearly the entire brunch. Omelet was running and undercooked. Praline salad was ok, but not as described on menu. Simple "over easy" eggs were brought out as lightly scrambled eggs. Potatoes were overcooked and cold. Asked for manager and was told the manager went home. Therefore, no resolution was offered for the poor food and poor service. Will not return to this restaurant.
(1)
lisa y.
I haven't been to the actual bakery. They had a stand at the Bethesda Farmer's Market today and am I glad I stopped! I had read the reviews of Praline Bakery on here and was so excited to see the stand. LOL I got a Florentine and the almond cake. OMG, I've only taken a bite out of each and I'm in heaven! I am definitely going to hit the bakery soon!
(5)
D K.
Very French bistro/bakery. They try to remain true to the French influence. Despite all the complaints in other reviews about the service, it wasn't too bad when I went with my boyfriend for brunch. They were polite and prompt enough for me. The complimentary French bread is freshly and wonderfully made. Crisp crust with soft and yeasty dough. Mmm. I love bread. Fried oysters were fried very well but got kind of heavy after awhile. I wouldn't order them again, for brunch at least. My boyfriend ordered the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, which was nothing impressive. I ordered the Praline Burger, which WAS impressive. Perfectly baked brioche bun, and the meat was SO juicy. Cheddar was perfectly melted, and the fries! I love fries, and these were awesome fries. I know burger isn't very brunch-y, but I've been craving a burger for awhile, and I'm glad that I chose Praline to satisfy that craving. Another bonus point goes to the freshly squeezed orange juice. I could tell it was freshly squeezed. We were too full to get dessert at the table, but we weren't going to pass up on the bakery. We stopped by the bakery downstairs, and I'm glad we did. They have Gerbet/Parisian macarons of all different flavors. We got Mango, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, and Caramel. I was disappointed to hear that their bread isn't house-made but delighted to hear that their macarons are. It makes a huge difference to have them freshly made than frozen. We also got some chocolates, which are shipped from Chocolat in PA (great chef/company). I'm not sure if I'll return for the Bistro as much as I would for the bakery's macarons and chocolates, but at least I'd return. :)
(4)
James S.
The service was horrid. The waiter was inattentive. He didn't come back after we were served to ask whether the food was good. My trout was burned. The tagliatelle was poorly seasoned and the mushy vegetables served with it tasted like they had been in the freezer for a month too long. The brioche on my partner's burger was stale. We brought it to the attention of the manager, who said he didn't believe the trout was burned. He intimated we were making it all up because we were unhappy with our waiter. He didn't address the other issues. We told him the conversation was over, paid our bill and left. I have eaten at many Michelin starred restaurants. I also cook. I know when my food is burned. We will not return to the restaurant. On the flip side, we bought a cake there last weekend and it was wonderful. We will consider returning to the bakery.
(1)
Alice K.
Brunch was alright. Got the croque madame and it wasn't bad, just more oily than I would have liked. Also got some macarons and they were pretty delicious! Even though it was only the afternoon, they had a limited selection of pastries- guess you better go there earlier for a wider selection!
(3)
A. K.
This restaurant has a wonderful menu and we have always had good meals here. All staff are professional and helpful. The bakery downstairs produces some of the best pastries you will ever have but the retail experience is very different form the restaurant. It feels like two different establishments. The staff in the bakery is rushed and distracted. They have no room behind the display cases to handle orders when they have a long line of customers. They should move the coffee machines to the bar area. The long lines are really not a problem for those waiting to pick out the pastries but the coffee people need to be handled separately.
(4)
nassir y.
.......and this one star is for the bakery side run by high school kids.Their deserts are good. But never try the upstairs/ restaurant. Complete lack of service. No restaurant manager to talk to, under-trained servers with menu from French bistros of couple decades ago. They don't even pretend to care. Don't even.
(1)
Thomas B.
Outstanding food, nice ambiance and friendly staff. Just had a delicious lunch including a wonderful French pastry for desert. Highly recommend. Hope to visit again.
(5)
Katrina J.
In my ongoing search for french macaroons in the D.C. area, they're at the top of my list. I've only frequented the bakery here, so I can safely say that the bakery part of Praline is DE-LICOUS! I love the french macaroons, the little desserts (yummy bread pudding!) and all of the other assorted treats for your enjoyment. It's very easy for a dessert freak like me to walk in and walk out with a box or two of their goodies (all to share, of course).
(4)
Emma W.
The dining experience and the bakery experience are completely different. The dining experience is nearly hell- the food is good, but the wait staff is tragically abysmal. They seem to be caricatures of French waiters- inefficient, irritating, and incredibly unhelpful. The bakery/cafe is lovely though! The restaurant was started by the pastry chefs from the White House, and they dependably produce delicious desserts. Also, regarding wheelchair accessibility: the bakery is on the first floor and the restaurant is up a kind of steep set of stairs. The restaurant doesn't have an elevator, and if anyone in your party struggles with stairs, they have to walk down several store fronts to go into the main mall and take the elevator and walk across a bridge to get back to the restaurant. So yeah, you can do it, but they do not make it easy for you.
(2)
Teresa M.
I've been buying Praline pastries at the Silver Spring farmers market for a couple of years. Based on the quality of the products at the market, we searched out Praline's restaurant. Searched is the operative term. It's not on the beaten track for sure, but not really that difficult to find. Praline's is located in a slightly odd shopping center, the kind that has parking in the middle and shows a blank face to the neighborhood. Once you find the place, however, you'll be hooked. The bakery is phenomenal. Every single thing we've tried is wonderful. The croissants, in particular, are great but sell out early. The restaurant was very good, as well. For appetizers, we had the charcuterie board, a nice range of pates and meats along with spring greens and cornichons, every item was good. We also had the white asparagus with quinoa and watermelon. Fantastic. Fresh and bright tasting. Lovely every bite. For entrees, I was tempted to go with the chicken pot pie because I'd seen great reviews for it, but it didn't seem like a July kind of entree. I ordered the soft shell crabs and my companion ordered the sea bass. My soft shells were perfect and I'm picky about soft shells. Many places put heavy batter on them or season them to the point where you can't taste the crab. Praline's soft shells have a delicate powdering of flour then are pan fried. Perfect. They reminded me of the soft shells I ate in southern Maryland as a little girl. The softshells were accompanied by a nice seasonal mix of veggies (corn, tomatoes, green beans) that were cold and in a nice vinaigrette. Light, fresh, and they didn't overpower the crab. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and seasoned with thinly sliced chorizo (the Spanish style, rather than the Mexican style). Tasty and delicious. I highly recommend Pralines!
(4)
Jorge P.
Great brunch. We made the mistake to walk in at 11 without reservations. The owner arranged a table for 4 in a small but open corridor. It work great. Food was great with salads and chiche. Highly recommend the atmosphere and the food. We will try dinner soon.
(5)
Suzanne G.
While two neighbors had similar experiences to mine in the upstairs restaurant in terms of being overcharged, I have begun frequenting the downstairs cafe for pastry only, since it's in my 'hood, and since the Gazette newspaper periodically has a $5.00 off coupon for this shopping center. Coupon excludes Starbucks, Safeway, etc., but Praline accepts the coupons -- including one published in 10/9 Gazette valid through 10/31. I will say that the employees in the downstairs cafe are lovely and cheerful, and that while all the pastry isn't superb, some of it is quite Parisian. The macarons are too soft to be among the best in the area, but the walnut dacquoise, the opera, and bread pudding and many of the other cakes are quite fine. Kudos for hiring some lovely downstairs staff. I'm a dessert-o-holic anyway, so I'm just not interested in having to scrutinize my upstairs dining bill carefully. They use an old-fashioned style cash register downstairs, so the prices are quite visible, and they won't break the bank anyway (between $1.65 for a macaron and about $4 for eclairs, etc.) Disappointment for both me and my 11 yo son -- they only have eclairs au chocolat, whereas I prefer au cafe, and my son is partial to vanilla pastry cream (but with the chocolate ganache on top). The lemon bars are delish, but it literally tastes like my own recipe for this American dessert bar, so I tend to get the more French items (thus haven't tried the brownies & oatmeal cookies, etc.) Some of the breakfast pastries strike me as gilding the lily (my fav croissant aux abricots with pastry cream from my days in Paris has added pistachio at Praline, for example). They are doing a brisk business, and clearly make only what they are sure will sell, so the selection is quite sparse for the croissants by 12 noon.
(3)
Anna P.
Bethesda isn't exactly known for sprouting indie coffee shops. You grab your morning latte from either the Moose or the Mermaid, and pretend to enjoy the pasty scone that goes with it. Tucked into the blandest of strip malls in a residential neighborhood (though across from some sort of gated military installation), Praline actually serves coffee, tea, and pastries without making you feel like a corporate drone. There is, in fact, outdoor seating, free wifi, and an employee who comes around with a tray of French macaroon samples. What's not to love? In addition to that tasty macaroon, I got a vegetable quiche that was filling but light. They actually bothered to toast it to warm it up, rather than nuke it to death. Absolutely worth the wait. Can't speak to the upstairs restaurant bit, but the bakery is absolutely wonderful.
(5)
Andre B.
DO NOT GO! Need to teach the owners and maitre d a lesson. People should not patronize a restaurant if they are rude. Heres the scene. We sit down at a table that is really tight. Soon after sitting down another table clears out and we ask to move. the maitre d says that there someone has a reservation. Five minutes later they seat two people at that table for 6. Clearly no reservation. I asked her about it to no response.Then at the end of the meal we were paying the bill and the waiters started removing the tables before we even left. DO NOT GO PLEASE. PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT DESERVE YOUR MONEY!!!
For Thanksgiving one guest brought 2 pies and a cake from Praline Bakery. I've had cookies and croissant before, but never sampled the pies. It's the best pie I've had in a while. We had pumpkin, lemon meringue, and a chocolate mousse cake. The next day I woke up thinking about the pumpkin pie and had to eat it for breakfast. In comparison to the other pies available they were lack luster against the pies from Praline Bakery. Once the PB pies were gone the others were actually quite good. It was just the comparison that illustrated the flaws. I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I would certainly recommend this spot to anyone in need of baked goods.
(4)
Quoc N.
Praline is THE place to go for cake lovers. In my opinion, they make the best cakes in the area. The place is owned by 2 pastry chefs, and I think one of them (if not both) worked at the White House at one time. Besides for their cakes, you should also come and try the restaurant. They changed the menu not long ago. It has now more variety, more flavor and you also get a bit more for your bucks. I recommend their Bouillabaisse, the Chicken Pot pie, definitely their escargots, and make sure to save room for their desserts (different than what you may buy at the bakery on the first floor). The decor is warm, a la "Provencal". They have outdoor table when weather is warm.
(4)
Richard T.
According to my credit card records I've eaten at Praline over 40 times already this year. Needless to say, I'm a bit of a fan. I know of no other restaurant in the DC area that combines variety and quality of offerings along with very reasonable prices. It's happened that I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Praline on consecutive days to find completely different specials at each meal along with the usual staples. I can't say I have any particular favorites. Let me just say that I find dining at Praline to be about as risk-free as a restaurant experience can be. To me, it's inexcusable that this lovely Bistro/Patisserie doesn't appear on the Washingtonian's top 100 list.
(5)
francine s.
Seared Paillard of Salmon = delish!
(4)
Jessica S.
Their French macaroons are to die for. The pistachio and hazelnut are my favorites - the hazelnut has a gianduja (Nutella-esque) filling that is just incredible. So far I've tried the hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, lemon, apricot, lemon and chocolate flavors. All are delicious. The bistro upstairs has excellent service and the patio is so nice on a warm day. Their food is great, too.
(5)
Fernando D.
Nice cozy place. Friendly as well
(4)
Monica G.
I have never eaten a meal here, but the pastries are magnificent. I ate a cake from Pralines at a child's birthday party and I will never buy a cake for myself anywhere else. Sooooo delish!
(4)
David A.
Excellent food. Reasonably priced. Having spent a large part of my life living in France, it is nice to find true French food prepared correctly--and not just French words on the menu. Excellent foie gras. Delicious macarons.
(4)
Jackie B.
This review is for the restaurant. My boyfriend took me here for Valentines Day. He works really close and had been a few times to the bar down stairs and thought it was pretty good. We got there for our 7:30pm reservations and it was somewhat empty. Definitely a older crowd but I believe that's because there is an old folks home real close by. Anyway. The menu was fixed. $40 for a appetizer, entree, and dessert. Not too bad. We order almost right away because the menu is pretty limited. I got the Salmon "cigar" and Lobster with mango. My boyfriend got the Lobster Bisque and Duck. Our food takes a bit to come out even though the 5 people table behind us comes out much faster. Please note, they have ordered their second bottle of wine, we have not ordered anything extra. The food is pretty damn good. I'm not going to lie. Not as much spices and flavor as I would like but still pretty good. If a restaurant was food alone it would probably get a four. Maybe a 3.5. So then the owner/chef brings out dessert to the table behind us. And we wait. And we wait. Our waters still haven't been filled since our food has come out. And we wait. Our waiter finally comes with dessert and our coffee. [It was soooo good by the way] At which point we ask for water again. The waiter chews out the bus boy who is suppose to keep our water filled. We finish our desserts and we wait. Check comes. Oh look its the owner/chef checking in with another table. Why does she keep walking right by us and ignoring us? You can't even stop by for one second and ask us if we enjoyed everything? There is only 10 tables total and you've now walked by us three times. Oh I get it. We're 23 and our money isn't as good as people who are older then us. That makes SO much sense. Let's get out of here. So yeah. Too bad we got shitty service. If you're old and frou frou then by all means, knock yourselves out. If you're younger then your money isn't so good here. I get it, we didn't order anything extra but that's because I don't know anything about wine. If the waiter suggested something I would of tried it. Also, I shouldn't _have_ to order anything extra to be treated like everyone else.
(2)
Stephen S.
Another great French Bistro lunch with a wonderful 2007 Brouilly.
(4)
Julia L.
Bakery is fantastic, service is great, free samples, very cozy looking place. Why 2 stars? Our dining experience at the restaurant was so awful, it became a joke. Saturday noon we came in for lunch. I was a little disappointed that they don't serve brunch on Saturdays, but hey, no biggie. The menu was definitely limited. A few overpriced sandwiches, salads, and an omelet. I asked the waitress to substitute tuna for the turkey on one of the sandwiches since I don't eat meat, just fish. She said there are no substitutions. I told her to just charge me extra. NO. Ok....could you just take the turkey out of the sandwich and give me a side of tuna salad? She said that the chef doesn't do substitutions/modifications, because "a lot of it is pre-made". WTF?! Why am I paying $10 for a pre-made sandwich? And why do you need a chef at a place where the sandwiches are pre-made? I got a little flustered after that, and told her that I'll just have an omelet. She asked if I wanted ham in it, because that was the omelet of the day. No, obviously not. "Ok, I'll just take it out." Once again, WTF?! What are you taking the ham out of? Is the egg mix pre-made and you're going to have to fish all the ham pieces out of it? It just got worse after that. The vegetarian quiche I finally ordered (which for some reason wasn't on the menu, but was suggested by the waitress after my boyfriend suggested we leave), came out obviously microwaved and lukewarm. Getting it reheated took another 10 minutes. I ordered a bloody marry with "light spice". Came out as the hottest bloody marry I've ever tasted (no joke) and without any ice. The most bizarre thing was when we started to put ice in the bloody marry from our water glasses, the waitress came by and asked if we wanted more ice in it. ???? There was never any ice to begin with! If you're wondering about the actually food, it was bad. The quiche was microwaved and gross and my boyfriend's sandwich was made with wonder bread and prepackaged ham. So bad. Go for the bakery, stay the away from the restaurant.
(2)
M K.
For the restaurant: As soon as we stepped up the last steps to the dining area, someone (I later found out, the chef), without any hurry or pretension appeared out of nowhere, asked if we'd like in-door or out-door seating and upon hearing our request, suggested a shady spot outside. Spacious and yet cozy feel. Seating with overhanging umbrellas. I ordered the cinnamon figs with prosciutto and my friend had the omlette of the day. Both were fresh and came out in a timely manner and prepared really well. The service was quick but friendly and never rushed. We never felt the need to ask for anything, it was always covered (Drinks running low? Oh, it's filled! Need pepper? Oh, thanks!) We thoroughly enjoyed our meal without any worries or rush (unlike other places with an older crowd where you feel like younger people aren't always treated as equally). We lingered a while longer with coffee and never felt pressured to leave or order something else off the menu. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day and to enjoy it outside on that deck with good food, good service and no rush. Note: I'm not sure how one would access the dining area (on the second floor) if one needed handicap access - the upper deck did lead out to the next building - maybe there's an elevator there?
(5)
Alec R.
Like the surrounding neighborhood, old empty nesters co-exist with young families at Praline. The bakery downstairs has a wonderful assortment of pastries, macarons, chocolates, and other delights making it a regular weekend stop. The restaurant is consistently very good, with a somewhat smaller regular menu being supplemented by a several daily special appetizers and entrees. Particularly good is the pot pie, the hamburger, the hanger steak and the french fries, which are among the DC area's best. They are all good "go to's" if there's nothing on the specials menu of interest, but that is rare. The ambiance is very pleasant, if understated. More art on the walls might enhance the atmosphere. They have slowly developed their large patio into one the most pleasant places in Washington to dine, with plenty of tables, chairs, and umbrellas in a very well tended garden setting. Praline isn't in the very top tier of the DC restaurant scene, but its our neighborhood favorite and we look forward to many more years there.
(4)
Lauren S.
Although I have never eaten in the restaurant portion they have outstanding bakery items. The pastries and french macaroons are to die for and they have great coffee. Also recommend their breads -- wide variety and delicious. My one knock is that too often the women behind the counter are scowling and at times just unfriendly. Otherwise, perfect place for a cup of coffee and a nice treat.
(3)
Dawn R.
I was in the area for meetings and wanted to try someplace new for lunch. I had intended to visit one of the Chinese places in the same shopping complex as this one, but for some reason I changed my mind and stopped here instead. When I first walked in, I was a little lost as the only thing I saw was the bakery, and no signs to indicate where to get lunch. The ladies behind the counter seemed to be pretty deep in conversation, but once I got their attention, they told me that the restaurant was upstairs, so up I went. There I was immediately greeted by a very pleasant young man and taken to a seat where I could review the menu and also review my meeting notes in privacy. I opted for their Praline Salad, which was mixed baby greens with goat cheese, their house vinaigrette, candied pecans, and marinated pears (which I'm pretty sure had been marinated in red wine). All in all, the sald was just OK. Nothing really to get excited about. There were only about 4 pecans in the entire salad, and a small wedge of cheese. For the price listed, I would have thought there would have been a LITTLE more substance, but I guess not. At least I had a few slices of baguette to fill me up a little more. After lunch, I stopped by the bakery for dessert, as some of the other reviews had raved about their baked goods. I tried a lemon drop and a chocolate dipped macaroon. The lemon flavor was a bit overpowering at first, but after the first couple of bites it was actually quite tasty. The texture was light and airy, overall a very good cookie. I saved the macaroon for later, and when I did try it, I found it to have a good flavor but to be a bit on the sticky side. I doubt I would return to this establishment, as the prices were a little on the high side and the food was just mediocre.
(3)
Samantha B.
If this place did not sell baked goods, I would have given it three stars. Located in residential Bethesda and close to DC and the Beltway and Clara Barton Parkway, Praline's is amazing! The pastries are so good, but pricey. But by the time you have swallowed the tarts and cookies in one gulp, you will forget how much you paid for it. The food that is not pastry and bakery-related is okay. It is quite expensive, so when you look at the menu don't be surprised. I got the Croque Monsieur. It was actually kinda greasy for my taste and it was not because of the cheese, but because the sandwich, kinda panini style, had really buttery bread which for me was just too much. Usually every sandwich (I went here for lunch) comes with a side of french fries which are pretty darn good. I was expecting something more bold and flavorful. They were not as greasy as the sandwich. Pastries OMG the pastries. One thing I always go for is the custard cup, that is not its actual name, but it will do. It is a shortbread type cookie cup with custard with fresh raw strawberries and blueburries and it is fantastic. There is or was a picture of this delightful thing from heaven on the website: praline-bakery.com . No complaints about the chocolate chip or chocolate based cookies. The cinnamon rolls are great. What I love about praline's is that everything is so fresh and they never seem to run out. I will come here for the pastries but not the food. There is seating downstairs near the bakery and there is a rooftop which opens at 11am for lunch. The service is great and the waiters are nice and are willing to accommodate larger parties. I am giving it an expensive rating because it can get expensive pretty quick.
(4)
Tom H.
Had the pastries for breakfast two mornings in arrow while we were in the area. They are dangerously good and worth every penny. We then ate dinner our last night and had a great dinner. We split a dessert with black current sorbet in it and was totally delighted. Other than the blackberry gelato we had in Florence Italy last year this was the best frozen dessert I've had. They make it there so you cannot get it in the stores.
(4)
Caitlin C.
After living across the street from Praline for almost a year, I decided it was time to try out this French restaurant we walked by almost every day. I was extremely disappointed. The decor and seating were comfortable and the service was prompt; however, the food was not acceptable. I ordered the chicken pot pie. Perhaps I am used to Midwestern cooking because in my mind a chicken pot pie is supposed to have a flaky crust surrounding the contents inside. Praline's version of a chicken pot pie was essentially a bowl of chicken soup with a hard and dry pastry top. The contents of the chicken pot pie were good and the chicken tender but we could not get over the lack of crust that is essential for any pot pie. Also ordered the Belgian waffle, which came with homemade whipped creme and strawberry sauce. The whipped cream lacked flavor and the strawberry sauce tasted old. The waffle was not buttery and was overcooked. I ate only a couple of bites before pushing my plate away because I could not justify eating something that tasted so horrible. My suspicion is that the food we received was not made to order. Our food came out only five minutes after ordering, making it seem like they merely heated up our dishes in a warming tray. The pastries are not bad and I would recommend the bakery to anyone looking for a unique dessert.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Esq. H.
Not bad, but could be better. They don't have alternative milk options so don't come looking for soy, almond or coconut milk, straight cow juice is all they have to offer which is sad. Our pastry/drink/cashier person seemed a little agitated I don't know if it was because it was Sunday and cold outside and she wanted to be home or if she was pissed we are looking at all the cute fancy (expensive) baked goods trying to decide what we wanted. Anyway I had this apple tart thing ( see photo) which was good, I asked her to heat it up which she obliged (too bad it wasn't warmed up throughout the pastry but I guess she was scared to burn it) and tea ( which was hot water and a packet from a tea box display) and my grand total was $7 a little too high for me personally. After we ordered we just stood by the register....waiting for out baked goods after staring at us like we crazy someone finally decided to explain to us that they would bring our items to us. Had they not told us there is no way we would have known that, not a big deal. So the set up is cute. It's two story and the upstairs is a restaurant so if you are just coming in for coffee or a baked good you are limited to the seating downstairs ( which includes outside seating). This is a little section with a fire place where they've crammed in some small tables and chairs - it's not ridiculous but the tables and chairs are super close so if you have a gut or are talking about something personal even whispering isn't going to cut it, just take your meeting to your car. Then there is a bar area which is a little awkward and clearly left over from a previous restaurant since they don't have a liquor license and the bar is packed with interesting spreads and jams, so if something like pistachio jalapeno mustard is your thing, it's probably in that bar section available for purchase. Good luck.
(3)A C.
Don't let the bakery part of the name give the wrong impression, the bistro part is worth a try. Open, bright, inviting upstairs dining area. Had Thanksgiving dinner there with wife and daughter. Was very pleasantly surprised with an excellent, if pricey, meal. Holiday menu was price fixed and special limited. Appetizer was pan seared fois gras, others had butternut squash soup. I really enjoyed it, but not for everyone I think. For the entree I had prime rib ( I don't like turkey) which was tender, done rare as requested, and very tasty. Dessert was the best apple tart I have had in recent memory. Wife had properly done halibut and pumpkin pie, told it was very good as I am not a pumpkin fan. Service was excellect, perhaps because there was only one other table occupied. We will definitely be back.
(5)Erica C.
The croissants are pretty yummy. The macarons are adorable, but nothing special. I was hoping for seriously fantastic macarons, but the macarons were a bit dry. The shop is adorable. It looks like a nice study or quiet date spot. The variety of pastries is quite nice, but the pastries don't really match up to the sweetness of the place. The location is a bit odd, as it is placed within a shopping center. The ambiance inside is nice. It'd go back for the ambiance and to check out the restaurant section.
(3)Jess L.
great food, a little over priced. an older crowd but a nice place to have a leisurely lunch. I got salmon and ratatouille, which was nice and fresh. There are always a lot of specials. Beet salad is also good. Desserts are divine.
(3)Caitlin C.
After living across the street from Praline for almost a year, I decided it was time to try out this French restaurant we walked by almost every day. I was extremely disappointed. The decor and seating were comfortable and the service was prompt; however, the food was not acceptable. I ordered the chicken pot pie. Perhaps I am used to Midwestern cooking because in my mind a chicken pot pie is supposed to have a flaky crust surrounding the contents inside. Praline's version of a chicken pot pie was essentially a bowl of chicken soup with a hard and dry pastry top. The contents of the chicken pot pie were good and the chicken tender but we could not get over the lack of crust that is essential for any pot pie. Also ordered the Belgian waffle, which came with homemade whipped creme and strawberry sauce. The whipped cream lacked flavor and the strawberry sauce tasted old. The waffle was not buttery and was overcooked. I ate only a couple of bites before pushing my plate away because I could not justify eating something that tasted so horrible. My suspicion is that the food we received was not made to order. Our food came out only five minutes after ordering, making it seem like they merely heated up our dishes in a warming tray. The pastries are not bad and I would recommend the bakery to anyone looking for a unique dessert.
(2)Russell W.
Went for mid-week business lunch with a professional colleague. Ordered squash soups, quiche lorraine and veggie Napoleon. Colleague had to send back her "Arnold Palmer" (iced tea with lemonade) b/c it tasted "funny." Soups were mildly flavorful, with surprise strips of apple (?) flesh swimming inside. They badly needed a little ground nutmeg, which I mentioned to the waiter and the maitre d', who dropped by. Was told there was no ground nutmeg in the kitchen and that they had never heard of such a thing going on squash soups (!) Quiche came as a single portion from a ramekin, along with standard salad greens dressed in mustard vinagrette. Ho-hum. Vegetable Napoleon looked different from stacked array photo on the Web site. Instead, it was plated as a sunburst array. Nothing distinctively flavorful about any of the components. Walnut cake and chocolate mousse cake were delicious! Praline Bakery should probably just remain a really nice upscale bakery and coffee shop and quit trying to offer French bistro fare, as well. I don't think the kitchen is up to the challenge. So, for $64 we should have gone to Georgetown for lunch at Le Chaumiere, an always-reliable bistro institution. Live and learn!
(2)Katrina J.
In my ongoing search for french macaroons in the D.C. area, they're at the top of my list. I've only frequented the bakery here, so I can safely say that the bakery part of Praline is DE-LICOUS! I love the french macaroons, the little desserts (yummy bread pudding!) and all of the other assorted treats for your enjoyment. It's very easy for a dessert freak like me to walk in and walk out with a box or two of their goodies (all to share, of course).
(4)Madeline V.
Came here to get some work done on a day off; spent $13 on two macaroons (pistachio is delicious), a small iced coffee (just brewed hot coffee they stuck in the fridge - avoid), and a small box of four chocolates (gift for a friend). Wireless completely non-functional; employee said it was "working fine" and tried to help, but needed to run off and assist customers. Please don't advertise 'Free Wi-Fi' unless it's functional.
(3)Mary E.
Went here for lunch and it was so nice!! Good food, great service. And, they didn't mind at all that we sat and visited for over an hour after finishing our meal! Oh, and the desserts are wonderful!!
(4)Lissa B.
A really cute French cafe in such an unexpected spot! They have a variety of options including soup, salad, quiche, and desserts. I like to get French onion soup here and it's always good. They have outdoor seating upstairs for when there is nice weather. It's really cute and perfect for a leisurely lunch. The chef used to be the retired White House chef but the new chef is also great!
(4)Jennifer N.
(3.5 stars) So, reader, you might know about my preoccupation with the chocolate chip cookie. I went to Praline desperately seeking that magical combination of butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate, a DC version of, say, New York's Levain. The first thing to note about Praline is that it's in a very suburban mall surrounded by Chico's, China Pavilion, Safeway, and CVS. The exterior doesn't exactly scream "bakery." But once you venture inside, it's clear that the proprietors have done their best with the space. The main floor features the bakery and a few tables, and apparently there is an upstairs (the "bistro"). The bakery display case is filled with macarons, cookies, croissants, eclairs, and the like. I had three cookies and I can say this - this wasn't the best I had ever had, but it took an interesting approach to the chocolate chip cookie. Indeed, this was practically an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and I didn't mind that at all. The cookies are a bit small (for $1.85) so I'd suggest getting a few and sampling. These aren't the most brilliant, but they are certainly good, and inventive.
(3)Ruth K.
Normally I like this place but whatever you do don't try to buy a custom cake. I had to call four or five times and leave a message. When they got back to me they didn't follow thru. In the end the person told me the baker was on vacation I said oh I guess I will have to get my cake elsewhere since you can't do it (in three weeks...not a last minute request). So don't waste a week trying to get them to call you back! Balduccis took the order got back to me in minutes and it's done. Get your special occasion cake there.
(1)Sara B.
The coconut macaroon was excellent. Disappointed that they were out of almond croissants, because I am currently in the middle of what some may say is a binge but what I like to call a thorough sampling of said croissants. I opted for a sticky bun which I ate later that night after a short warm up in the microwave, and it was solid. Lunch was fine, but their outdoor upstairs patio is really lovely, a great place to hang out and have some drinks on a nice day.
(3)Maria Y.
I had lunch here while visiting family in Bethesda. It is right across the street from the condo where my grandparents live. Praline's location is fairly unassuming (in a strip mall) but the interior is cute. The first floor is a French-style bakery and upstairs is a restaurant, which is where we went. The weather was nice so we sat on the outside patio. Fortunately, you can't really see the strip mall parking lot from the patio. I wasn't actually very hungry due to having a large breakfast, so I just had a piece of lemon almond cake. It was delicious! My family members seemed to think the lunch food was not as good as it used to be, but I was pleased with my cake, as well as the bread that came with the lunch entrees. I also had a mini lemon macaron... it was awesome. Way better than the frozen Trader Joe's macarons that I've been subsisting on until this point. Light and fluffy but still crunchy, with flavorful cream. It turns out that my grandparents had already bought the same lemon almond cake to have with dinner later. I had another piece because this cake was delicious. Interestingly, the piece I had at lunch tasted more lemony, but the cake I had at dinner was more almondy. I love both lemon and almond so this didn't bother me, but there may be some slight variation among batches. If I lived in Bethesda I would probably eat pastries from here every day!
(5)Lynne F.
Delicious but expensive pastries and chocolates. Restaurant has uninspired food but dining outside in the upper deck is very pleasant.
(3)Ni C.
What a cute place! Its in a sort of strip/square mall - so its tucked away - but do not hesitate to come! The bistro is upstairs - legit french food. just go. get the escargots or the fish soup just so you can get the rouille. bakery: whoa. very good stuff. I ordered the walnut dacquoise for a party and it was a hit. (perfect for non chocolate peeps) they also have a great selection of macarons, pastries and random frenchy goodies like Tessierie drink syrup. Recommend!
(4)Justine K.
The service was great. The waiter made some good recommendations. My duck confit was a bit salty but otherwise good. The crowd there was a bit mature
(4)Julie S.
Went there for lunch today with a friend. Lovely space, also an open patio which they apparently can reserve for events. We dined on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Praline Salad with Grilled Chicken. Then enjoyed the sorbet of the day (including mango and raspberry) & the cake of the day (lime mousse cake). They were gorgeous AND delicious. And then there are the cookies which i brought home for later - their lemon drop, lemon ginger, and pumpkin cookies are good. Their chocolate mocha cookie is ridiculously rich one was PLENTY (and I love rich chocolate things). But their oatmeal cookie was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Oh, and their macaroons? Yes. Just, yes.
(4)Lindsay W.
Praline's food is usually wonderful, especially the onion soup, salmon, duck, mussels and salads. Until a recent visit I would have given it five stars. But dinner there last week made me wonder if I would ever return. Our party of six was seated at a small table in a cramped room with a family with young kids who were running around, loud and obnoxious. The parents couldn't have cared less that six adults were sitting 18 inches away. This was close to 8 pm. I asked if we could move and after some dithering by the waiter we were moved to a larger area of seating. What I don't get is that if the table we were moved to was vacant, why wouldn't the restaurant manager have seated us there in the first place? Please understand that six adults out for dinner on a Saturday night have no interest in being around Ill-behaved kids!!!After the move I thought all was well until one of the diners in our party pointed out that his knife was dirty - and I mean it had not even seen the dishwasher. The waiter then forgot to remove it from the table and it was only removed after another waiter came to the rescue. In terms of food that night, the fries were soggy and the desserts were ho hum. The entrees were ok but not memorable. Oh for the Praline I remember and loved!
(2)Kelly H.
Absolutely loved this bakery. The cases display a variety of pretty French pastries, cookies, and jellies (made by former White House pastry chefs). The chocolate eclairs were creamy and decadent. My favorite was the oatmeal raisin cookie which was crispy on the edges and chewy in the inside. We ate our treats sitting next to the fire and sipping tea. This bakery was so cozy and the atmosphere was quaint. It's a great place for a nice quiet cup of coffee.
(5)Holli G.
Macarons! I haven't had Macarons this amazing since Paris. Dare I say even a little better than the Macarons I had in Paris?! Each cookie was the perfect texture. My personal favorites were: Raspberry and Apricot:-) To make my visit all the more amazing- they were selling hot pink caulenders. The largest one-Sold!
(4)Lauren S.
Although I have never eaten in the restaurant portion they have outstanding bakery items. The pastries and french macaroons are to die for and they have great coffee. Also recommend their breads -- wide variety and delicious. My one knock is that too often the women behind the counter are scowling and at times just unfriendly. Otherwise, perfect place for a cup of coffee and a nice treat.
(3)Anthony C.
The bakery itself has some great offerings. We have bought bread, pastries and even sandwiches, taken to go, all with great success. They have a lot of good things, and I think they bake everything there. The restaurant upstairs was another story. We stopped in late for desert. There were plenty of people eating dinner, even though it was close to their closing time. We were seated right away, and the host (owner/manager?) came over and was joking with us. Everything seemed good. I then took forever for a waiter to show up, and he was uninterested in explaining what they had, and he took a long time to get our coffee and water, as well as actually take the order. Meanwhile, the staff was in full clean up mode, and twice they had propped the door open to a terrace, letting cold air blow right on us. I would ask someone to close it, then someone would open it again. When it happened a third time, I got up myself to close the door. The deserts were good--though not great. No refills on the water, and it took forever to get the check paid. If they were closing and did not want us there, they should have turned us away. Crappy service was not the way to go.
(2)Pep J.
I would love to give Praline a higher score - in particular because of its pleasant terrace - but a recent brunch there was a big disappointment. The eggs Benedict were nice but the omelette was bland, with the eggs overcooked and not too little filling. The waffles were uninspiring - which is a pity in a restaurant that also counts with a fabulous bakery - and uninspiring were the drinks. The waiter's unfriendly attitude did not help either. He would not want to serve some plain fried eggs to a child - because "it was not on the menu" (although they did have "steak and eggs"). Only when we pointed out that "eggs any style" was on their online menu did he go and ask the kitchen about it, not without grumpily adding that the website's menu had not been updated... With the many good choices for brunch in the area, we will probably not be going back to Praline for a while.
(2)Cristina C.
This place has terrible service. I am talking here specifically about the bakery downstairs. I tried to pre-order decorative cookies, was told to simply call back on the morning of the day I needed them. So I did that, at which point I was told it would take 3 days to fill an order! I asked why they hadn't told me that when I was there in person, and finally after a lot of back and forth, and pointing out that they had given me misinformation, they agreed to have the cookies ready the same day. Clearly it was no problem for them to produce cookies for the same day, so not sure if they were just being difficult or what. They were also rude when I went to pick up the cookies (which, by the way, were over $4 each and did not taste good... ) Never coming back to this place again!
(1)Alec R.
Like the surrounding neighborhood, old empty nesters co-exist with young families at Praline. The bakery downstairs has a wonderful assortment of pastries, macarons, chocolates, and other delights making it a regular weekend stop. The restaurant is consistently very good, with a somewhat smaller regular menu being supplemented by a several daily special appetizers and entrees. Particularly good is the pot pie, the hamburger, the hanger steak and the french fries, which are among the DC area's best. They are all good "go to's" if there's nothing on the specials menu of interest, but that is rare. The ambiance is very pleasant, if understated. More art on the walls might enhance the atmosphere. They have slowly developed their large patio into one the most pleasant places in Washington to dine, with plenty of tables, chairs, and umbrellas in a very well tended garden setting. Praline isn't in the very top tier of the DC restaurant scene, but its our neighborhood favorite and we look forward to many more years there.
(4)Dawn R.
I was in the area for meetings and wanted to try someplace new for lunch. I had intended to visit one of the Chinese places in the same shopping complex as this one, but for some reason I changed my mind and stopped here instead. When I first walked in, I was a little lost as the only thing I saw was the bakery, and no signs to indicate where to get lunch. The ladies behind the counter seemed to be pretty deep in conversation, but once I got their attention, they told me that the restaurant was upstairs, so up I went. There I was immediately greeted by a very pleasant young man and taken to a seat where I could review the menu and also review my meeting notes in privacy. I opted for their Praline Salad, which was mixed baby greens with goat cheese, their house vinaigrette, candied pecans, and marinated pears (which I'm pretty sure had been marinated in red wine). All in all, the sald was just OK. Nothing really to get excited about. There were only about 4 pecans in the entire salad, and a small wedge of cheese. For the price listed, I would have thought there would have been a LITTLE more substance, but I guess not. At least I had a few slices of baguette to fill me up a little more. After lunch, I stopped by the bakery for dessert, as some of the other reviews had raved about their baked goods. I tried a lemon drop and a chocolate dipped macaroon. The lemon flavor was a bit overpowering at first, but after the first couple of bites it was actually quite tasty. The texture was light and airy, overall a very good cookie. I saved the macaroon for later, and when I did try it, I found it to have a good flavor but to be a bit on the sticky side. I doubt I would return to this establishment, as the prices were a little on the high side and the food was just mediocre.
(3)Susan M.
I had lunch here last weekend and was not impressed with the food. The mornay sauce completely overwhelmed my Croque Monsieur sandwich. There was hardly any meat between the bread and the cheesey crust was kind of burnt; oddly enough, the french fries were VERY good. I give this place three stars because the bakery made up for the ho-hum lunch. The lemon drop cookies knocked my socks off. The pistachio macaron and elephant ear were also quite tasty. I would definitely go back for more pastries.
(3)Ellen L.
Food, service and ambiance are wonderful. Wireless connect horrible. Had planned to spend the morning eating, drinking and working, but only got the first two done.
(3)Veronica K.
I had a birthday brunch here with a few friends, and despite most of my friends having different tastes in food, we were all extremely impressed with the entire experience. I had the Salmon Tartare for an appetizer and a Nicoise Salad (the best I've ever tasted) for my entree - both exceptional. The atmosphere was simple, yet authentic French, and not pretentious as many French places in the area often are. The food was amazing, portion sizes were on point and everyone in my party left completely satisfied. Our server was also very good and great at describing the menu and making suggestions. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone (and already have!) *My only complaint is that the restaurant is kind of hard to find, but that's irrelevant to the dining experience
(5)Trumball S.
I felt like I had to leave a review because of the declining level of service and food quality over the last couple of years at this bakery/restaurant. Some of the bakery items are still okay, but you are taking your chances with anything else,. To give one example: I recently went in for a takeout sandwich and was given one that had been toasted and then put into a refrigerator for a couple of hours to get just the right chill to it so it tasted like cold cardboard. Yes, this restaurant puts toasted sandwiches in a REFRIGERATOR and then, presumably, expects people to eat them. I guess if someone is hungry enough, anything is possible..... Worryingly, when I went back and asked about this practice, I was told it was normal procedure and that I could have asked to have it reheated(!). For $10, I guess I expect toasted sandwiches to be, you know, warm..... For anyone going there, you should also expect high prices relative to quality and service that is hit and miss, mostly the latter.
(1)Theresa S.
Ordered the apricot and pistachio danish, a raspberry macaron and a latte on a Saturday morning. It was busy and everything in the bakery case looked amazing. Maybe they could use more staffing at the front? The two women there were working really hard and as fast as they could, but the line had 8 or so people waiting. To the food! The danish was awesome! light and flaky dough, fresh slices of apricot and pistachios sprinkled along the spiral curve. Nothing like those sugary, heavy danishes you get elsewhere. I could easily eat 5 of these. The macaron was also fun and jammy. Latte was fine. Also, to note their service: I accidentally was given a pistachio chocolate croissant that I didn't notice until I had gotten back to the table. They amended the mistake easily and quickly. Thanks!
(4)Michelle K.
I've eaten at Praline roughly over 20 times, and have yet to be disappointed - in fact, I'd wager a bet if this restaurant was more centrally located in the city, it would be considered one of the better restaurants in the area. Personally, I'm not complaining about the location because a) I already know Praline exists and will continue to eat here even though it's a little out of the way and b) the somewhat strange location means that prices are much cheaper (the dishes served at Praline would - and should- be 20x more expensive if the restaurant was located in downtown D.C.), which works well with my just-out-of-college budget. Praline consistently pushes the envelope, delivering unique entrees and specials that are always masterfully prepared. I'm a huge seafood fan, so when I order fish I expect it to be cooked perfectly, and Praline never disappoints. When my family is in town, they always insist on eating here - and they've loved every meal! I could try to list all of the great meals I've had at Praline, but I don't want to exclude the dishes I have yet to try, as I'm sure they are equally amazing. Just give the place a try, and I guarantee you'll return for more. Oh, and don't miss out on the desserts or bakery, either. The macarons (available in a variety of flavors) melt in your mouth and the pastries are unbelievably good. As far as the desserts go, they are the perfect size (not too big, not too small) and full of flavor, including items like frozen nougat bars, lemon-almond layered treats and sorbet. If you're not in the mood to cook but want a gourmet meal, Praline offers meals-to-go that are easy, affordable and delicious. This place is great, and if you can look past the fact that the shopping-center location is slightly awkward (which is easy to do once you've tried the food), then I think you'll agree.
(5)Meg G.
This bakery offers a really, really tasty tiramisu - both decorative & delightful. Sweet enough, light & airy; but, with enough substance & just enough coffee essence, one can appreciate that this cake is from a local bakery & not just any store/cafe. I cannot comment on the restaurant, service, or any other items from the menu. I'd definitely go back, if in the area.
(3)Robert R.
THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE BAKERY!!!!! located in bethesda, md it consists of a bistro and bakery. while the bistro serves french fare, the bakery is what stands out. executive pastry chef patrick musel treats guests to the best macaroons around. its no surprise this place is so good as musel once served as a pastry chef in the white house. favorites: macaroons, macaroons, macaroons
(5)Libby F.
Two years ago I stumbled upon this bakery while I was house/dog sitting for a friend in the nearby AU Park neighborhood. It had only been open about a month at that time. I do not recall the upstairs dining area being opened at the time. I only visited the bakery and OMG, what a bakery! Almond croissants, pastries galore, and bars and cookies to die for! Now, fast forward to this past Sunday. My neighbor and I decided to venture out here after devouring their lemon bar at the Silver Spring Farmers Market. We arrived shortly before ten when the dining area was scheduled to open; good timing on our part! Breakfast/brunch options are fairly routine. They offer omelets, bacon and eggs and quiche, for example. Each of these entrees are $8.50 each, not exactly cheap compared to other places. My neighbor and I both had the quiche. It was an individual quiche about 5" across. It was light and fluffy and definitely made from scratch with a crisp, pastry crust. We ate outside on the upstairs patio which was nice because of the weather, but there is no view and the only tables with an umbrella are the bigger ones which they did not want to seat two people at. With a drink (try their Arnold Palmer!) this meal is slightly more than ten bucks, and you must save room for a pastry from their countless selection. I stopped by the pastry counter (see the photo!) on the way out. I purchased another lemon bar. It was the same price ($3) as they charge at the Farmers Market. I also got a Jalousie pastry. Its name translates to 'jealous' in French, and that's what my neighbor was. She wanted me to dig into it right there, but I told her I was taking it home whole. It was basically two palmier cookies with raspberry jam spread in between. It wasn't my favorite dessert ever, but I could tell it was made from puff pastry. The friend I dog sat for two years ago is moving to the Brookmont neighborhood this month, which is even closer! When I dog sit next month you can be sure I will be here again and again!
(5)lonnie a.
I think the description of not wheel chair accessible means only for those trying to enter from the front door I was able to be wheeled in from the back and found the staff more than accomodating and helpful I am glad we weren't discourage to go there because of that description as my wife and I had a most pleasant evening there
(4)Sushi C.
As usual, very good service and food at Praline. It is not light food, rather older traditional recipes with real butter and cream, so don't pretend you are on a diet! The bread was a bit chewy and reminded me of bread that has been frozen and reheated, that is why this is a 4 star and not a 5 star.
(4)Steven W.
Just a quick note...I tried the restaurant with my daughter. She loved it, I thought it was average. I did have a burger though, probably a bad choice for a french bistro. She had a seared tuna appetizer and a cheese plate. I thought both were of average quality, tasty, but nothing special. Again, she loved them both. We did try some new cookies at the bakery downstairs and they were as good as the macarons. I have now been to the bakery many times and it doesn't disappoint. 5 Stars for the bakery, 3 Stars for the restaurant...no change in overall score...
(4)Erica T.
This is one of my favorite places in the world. I have come here to drink cappuccinos and study as often as twice a week, at times. The table by the fireplace is the perfect place to spend a chilly winter afternoon. I have ordered several birthday cakes here and a macaron tower. I have also enjoyed brunch, lunch, a beer dinner, and a champagne tasting. Every experience has been fantastic. The people are friendly. It has a delightful neighborhood vibe. And the food is fantastic. Pumpkin cookies, seared salmon, creme brulee, french macarons, eclairs, vichysoisse, waffles... It doesn't matter. It's all delightful. DC has a severe shortage of neighborhood coffee shops, but this one is perfection. My only complaint might be the stay-at-home parents who congregate with their unruly offspring in the afternoons. But, if you're stroller-clad, you might feel right at home.
(5)A C.
My new favorite bakery in DC! This bistro/bakery has all the right elements from gorgeous cakes/pastries on display, and a casual bistro setting on two levels with tasty food. I had the Jerusalem artichoke soup for lunch and what a surprise! It was blended well, was savory and light and I finished every last bite. Afterwards I picked up some macaroons and meringues for a book club and they did not disappoint. The macaroons came in at least 10+ flavors and these were hands down the best ones I've ever had, and I went to culinary school in Paris and lived there for two years - delicious almond flavor, just the right texture of crispy exterior and chewy inside and I love that some had jam inside instead of just cream to change it up. These are not easy to make, and so the fact that they perfected them made me super happy. Because I was so excited, I also picked up a lemon drop cookie - of course it was also amazing. I was so impressed! I've had cakes from there on other occasions and love that they are decadent but light at the same time and so feminine and beautiful to boot. I only wish they were bigger sometimes for bigger parties! They are not cheap, but I will pay more for a bakery that gives fantastic service and consistency on their products. I can't wait to go back :)
(5)Deborah N.
Three words. Chocolate. Pistachio. Croissant. Yum! (And I'm really fussy, almost never give a 5 star). That's all I've eaten from this place and I didn't eat or buy it in person, someone brought it to me. But still, it's good enough to have me planning my own trip there very soon.
(5)Susan A.
I would rate the bakery as excellent though expensive. The bistro is good for lunch. Salade Nicoise, quiche, sandwiches, etc. all good. The dinner menu, however, is much the same as lunch but with a higher price. Not enough choices. I would not go for dinner as you can get a better dinner elsewhere for the same price. One of the biggest advantages of this bistro is free parking and I believe that accounts at least partially for its popularity-reservations suggested even for lunch.
(3)Dee B.
*3.75 stars for the restaurant and still 5 stars for the bakery* Came here for dinner with three friends. We started with the cheese plate, which was great. The vegetarian got the vegetable napoleon, I had salad with salmon, one person got the chicken pot pie, and another had a meat dish. I wasn't thrilled with my salmon and salad -- the last time I'd gotten it, the portion was definitely larger. And the salmon was overcooked. But everyone else liked their dishes. For dessert we had planned to go downstairs and get some pastries from the bakery. Turns out the bakery closes at 7pm on Sundays, and by the time we were done with dinner it was well past that. Instead we got 2 slices of cake off the restaurant menu. At $7.95 they are not cheap, but they were damn tasty. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wine list. It's small, but they offer both glasses and tastes of about 8 different wines. I'm not much a drinker, so I ordered a taste of the chardonnay. The size of the taste was much larger than I expected -- it was a small glass, filled to the top. The chardonnay was perfect for me, and at $3.75 you just can't beat that. Considering the price of eating here and the number of servers/busboys seemingly running around, service was definitely not as good as I'd expect, nor was it as good as I've experienced here in the past.
(4)Samantha B.
If this place did not sell baked goods, I would have given it three stars. Located in residential Bethesda and close to DC and the Beltway and Clara Barton Parkway, Praline's is amazing! The pastries are so good, but pricey. But by the time you have swallowed the tarts and cookies in one gulp, you will forget how much you paid for it. The food that is not pastry and bakery-related is okay. It is quite expensive, so when you look at the menu don't be surprised. I got the Croque Monsieur. It was actually kinda greasy for my taste and it was not because of the cheese, but because the sandwich, kinda panini style, had really buttery bread which for me was just too much. Usually every sandwich (I went here for lunch) comes with a side of french fries which are pretty darn good. I was expecting something more bold and flavorful. They were not as greasy as the sandwich. Pastries OMG the pastries. One thing I always go for is the custard cup, that is not its actual name, but it will do. It is a shortbread type cookie cup with custard with fresh raw strawberries and blueburries and it is fantastic. There is or was a picture of this delightful thing from heaven on the website: praline-bakery.com . No complaints about the chocolate chip or chocolate based cookies. The cinnamon rolls are great. What I love about praline's is that everything is so fresh and they never seem to run out. I will come here for the pastries but not the food. There is seating downstairs near the bakery and there is a rooftop which opens at 11am for lunch. The service is great and the waiters are nice and are willing to accommodate larger parties. I am giving it an expensive rating because it can get expensive pretty quick.
(4)Tom H.
Had the pastries for breakfast two mornings in arrow while we were in the area. They are dangerously good and worth every penny. We then ate dinner our last night and had a great dinner. We split a dessert with black current sorbet in it and was totally delighted. Other than the blackberry gelato we had in Florence Italy last year this was the best frozen dessert I've had. They make it there so you cannot get it in the stores.
(4)David C.
Wonderful neighborhood French bistro and bakery in the kind of suburban neighborhood where you might expect culinary mediocrity - bright, sunny dining room for lunch - friendly service - delicious flavors - I can imagine they have off moments (what place doesn't?) but I have never seen one - enjoy!
(4)Audrey C.
Happy to be back in Praline Bakery and Bistro in Bethesda, MD. Had lunch with my husband, sat outside, the atmosphere very nice in the terrace with their newly installed big pots of flowers and plants. I ordered French onion soup which is very delicious, cheese, bread, onion, all balance, flavorful, piping hot broth, very tasty! Had some fresh arugula salad with smoked salmon, very fresh and healthy option. Hubby ordered grilled chicken sandwich, another healthy option. service was prompt & attentive. went down to try their pasties and macarons and we're not disappointed. they have a wide variety of French pastries, so good really worth our trip! Decided to order macarons pyramids for my Birthday cake and assorted bite size French pastries for my birthday.
(5)Samantha G.
Oh my gosh! YUM! I just moved here from Baltimore, so I'm familiar with Patisserie Poupon--their macaroons are the best you can get in Baltimore. Their macaroons are smaller and melt in your mouth. At Praline, the macaroons are bigger and chewier but in my opinion, need more filling. Still though, they are positively delicious. I bought one of every flavor and though I've only had a few, I'll always favor raspberry and pistachio (if not for the color combo alone). Next, I'll try the lovely lavender cassis. I was alone when I stopped in today and had just eaten lunch, but I can't wait to try the restaurant upstairs. In the meantime, Praline's macaroons are my new go-to hostess gift.
(4)Tiffany B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Horrible service. Our waiter took our order and went home. We waited 5 min after receiving half our order to receive an incorrect second half. No one came to check on our table to correct the error. Sat with empty drinks nearly the entire brunch. Omelet was running and undercooked. Praline salad was ok, but not as described on menu. Simple "over easy" eggs were brought out as lightly scrambled eggs. Potatoes were overcooked and cold. Asked for manager and was told the manager went home. Therefore, no resolution was offered for the poor food and poor service. Will not return to this restaurant.
(1)lisa y.
I haven't been to the actual bakery. They had a stand at the Bethesda Farmer's Market today and am I glad I stopped! I had read the reviews of Praline Bakery on here and was so excited to see the stand. LOL I got a Florentine and the almond cake. OMG, I've only taken a bite out of each and I'm in heaven! I am definitely going to hit the bakery soon!
(5)nassir y.
.......and this one star is for the bakery side run by high school kids.Their deserts are good. But never try the upstairs/ restaurant. Complete lack of service. No restaurant manager to talk to, under-trained servers with menu from French bistros of couple decades ago. They don't even pretend to care. Don't even.
(1)Thomas B.
Outstanding food, nice ambiance and friendly staff. Just had a delicious lunch including a wonderful French pastry for desert. Highly recommend. Hope to visit again.
(5)D K.
Very French bistro/bakery. They try to remain true to the French influence. Despite all the complaints in other reviews about the service, it wasn't too bad when I went with my boyfriend for brunch. They were polite and prompt enough for me. The complimentary French bread is freshly and wonderfully made. Crisp crust with soft and yeasty dough. Mmm. I love bread. Fried oysters were fried very well but got kind of heavy after awhile. I wouldn't order them again, for brunch at least. My boyfriend ordered the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, which was nothing impressive. I ordered the Praline Burger, which WAS impressive. Perfectly baked brioche bun, and the meat was SO juicy. Cheddar was perfectly melted, and the fries! I love fries, and these were awesome fries. I know burger isn't very brunch-y, but I've been craving a burger for awhile, and I'm glad that I chose Praline to satisfy that craving. Another bonus point goes to the freshly squeezed orange juice. I could tell it was freshly squeezed. We were too full to get dessert at the table, but we weren't going to pass up on the bakery. We stopped by the bakery downstairs, and I'm glad we did. They have Gerbet/Parisian macarons of all different flavors. We got Mango, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, and Caramel. I was disappointed to hear that their bread isn't house-made but delighted to hear that their macarons are. It makes a huge difference to have them freshly made than frozen. We also got some chocolates, which are shipped from Chocolat in PA (great chef/company). I'm not sure if I'll return for the Bistro as much as I would for the bakery's macarons and chocolates, but at least I'd return. :)
(4)James S.
The service was horrid. The waiter was inattentive. He didn't come back after we were served to ask whether the food was good. My trout was burned. The tagliatelle was poorly seasoned and the mushy vegetables served with it tasted like they had been in the freezer for a month too long. The brioche on my partner's burger was stale. We brought it to the attention of the manager, who said he didn't believe the trout was burned. He intimated we were making it all up because we were unhappy with our waiter. He didn't address the other issues. We told him the conversation was over, paid our bill and left. I have eaten at many Michelin starred restaurants. I also cook. I know when my food is burned. We will not return to the restaurant. On the flip side, we bought a cake there last weekend and it was wonderful. We will consider returning to the bakery.
(1)Alice K.
Brunch was alright. Got the croque madame and it wasn't bad, just more oily than I would have liked. Also got some macarons and they were pretty delicious! Even though it was only the afternoon, they had a limited selection of pastries- guess you better go there earlier for a wider selection!
(3)A. K.
This restaurant has a wonderful menu and we have always had good meals here. All staff are professional and helpful. The bakery downstairs produces some of the best pastries you will ever have but the retail experience is very different form the restaurant. It feels like two different establishments. The staff in the bakery is rushed and distracted. They have no room behind the display cases to handle orders when they have a long line of customers. They should move the coffee machines to the bar area. The long lines are really not a problem for those waiting to pick out the pastries but the coffee people need to be handled separately.
(4)Emma W.
The dining experience and the bakery experience are completely different. The dining experience is nearly hell- the food is good, but the wait staff is tragically abysmal. They seem to be caricatures of French waiters- inefficient, irritating, and incredibly unhelpful. The bakery/cafe is lovely though! The restaurant was started by the pastry chefs from the White House, and they dependably produce delicious desserts. Also, regarding wheelchair accessibility: the bakery is on the first floor and the restaurant is up a kind of steep set of stairs. The restaurant doesn't have an elevator, and if anyone in your party struggles with stairs, they have to walk down several store fronts to go into the main mall and take the elevator and walk across a bridge to get back to the restaurant. So yeah, you can do it, but they do not make it easy for you.
(2)Teresa M.
I've been buying Praline pastries at the Silver Spring farmers market for a couple of years. Based on the quality of the products at the market, we searched out Praline's restaurant. Searched is the operative term. It's not on the beaten track for sure, but not really that difficult to find. Praline's is located in a slightly odd shopping center, the kind that has parking in the middle and shows a blank face to the neighborhood. Once you find the place, however, you'll be hooked. The bakery is phenomenal. Every single thing we've tried is wonderful. The croissants, in particular, are great but sell out early. The restaurant was very good, as well. For appetizers, we had the charcuterie board, a nice range of pates and meats along with spring greens and cornichons, every item was good. We also had the white asparagus with quinoa and watermelon. Fantastic. Fresh and bright tasting. Lovely every bite. For entrees, I was tempted to go with the chicken pot pie because I'd seen great reviews for it, but it didn't seem like a July kind of entree. I ordered the soft shell crabs and my companion ordered the sea bass. My soft shells were perfect and I'm picky about soft shells. Many places put heavy batter on them or season them to the point where you can't taste the crab. Praline's soft shells have a delicate powdering of flour then are pan fried. Perfect. They reminded me of the soft shells I ate in southern Maryland as a little girl. The softshells were accompanied by a nice seasonal mix of veggies (corn, tomatoes, green beans) that were cold and in a nice vinaigrette. Light, fresh, and they didn't overpower the crab. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and seasoned with thinly sliced chorizo (the Spanish style, rather than the Mexican style). Tasty and delicious. I highly recommend Pralines!
(4)Jorge P.
Great brunch. We made the mistake to walk in at 11 without reservations. The owner arranged a table for 4 in a small but open corridor. It work great. Food was great with salads and chiche. Highly recommend the atmosphere and the food. We will try dinner soon.
(5)Suzanne G.
While two neighbors had similar experiences to mine in the upstairs restaurant in terms of being overcharged, I have begun frequenting the downstairs cafe for pastry only, since it's in my 'hood, and since the Gazette newspaper periodically has a $5.00 off coupon for this shopping center. Coupon excludes Starbucks, Safeway, etc., but Praline accepts the coupons -- including one published in 10/9 Gazette valid through 10/31. I will say that the employees in the downstairs cafe are lovely and cheerful, and that while all the pastry isn't superb, some of it is quite Parisian. The macarons are too soft to be among the best in the area, but the walnut dacquoise, the opera, and bread pudding and many of the other cakes are quite fine. Kudos for hiring some lovely downstairs staff. I'm a dessert-o-holic anyway, so I'm just not interested in having to scrutinize my upstairs dining bill carefully. They use an old-fashioned style cash register downstairs, so the prices are quite visible, and they won't break the bank anyway (between $1.65 for a macaron and about $4 for eclairs, etc.) Disappointment for both me and my 11 yo son -- they only have eclairs au chocolat, whereas I prefer au cafe, and my son is partial to vanilla pastry cream (but with the chocolate ganache on top). The lemon bars are delish, but it literally tastes like my own recipe for this American dessert bar, so I tend to get the more French items (thus haven't tried the brownies & oatmeal cookies, etc.) Some of the breakfast pastries strike me as gilding the lily (my fav croissant aux abricots with pastry cream from my days in Paris has added pistachio at Praline, for example). They are doing a brisk business, and clearly make only what they are sure will sell, so the selection is quite sparse for the croissants by 12 noon.
(3)Anna P.
Bethesda isn't exactly known for sprouting indie coffee shops. You grab your morning latte from either the Moose or the Mermaid, and pretend to enjoy the pasty scone that goes with it. Tucked into the blandest of strip malls in a residential neighborhood (though across from some sort of gated military installation), Praline actually serves coffee, tea, and pastries without making you feel like a corporate drone. There is, in fact, outdoor seating, free wifi, and an employee who comes around with a tray of French macaroon samples. What's not to love? In addition to that tasty macaroon, I got a vegetable quiche that was filling but light. They actually bothered to toast it to warm it up, rather than nuke it to death. Absolutely worth the wait. Can't speak to the upstairs restaurant bit, but the bakery is absolutely wonderful.
(5)Andre B.
DO NOT GO! Need to teach the owners and maitre d a lesson. People should not patronize a restaurant if they are rude. Heres the scene. We sit down at a table that is really tight. Soon after sitting down another table clears out and we ask to move. the maitre d says that there someone has a reservation. Five minutes later they seat two people at that table for 6. Clearly no reservation. I asked her about it to no response.Then at the end of the meal we were paying the bill and the waiters started removing the tables before we even left. DO NOT GO PLEASE. PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT DESERVE YOUR MONEY!!!
(1)A N.
Praline is a solid 5 stars. Patrons should be aware that the right-hand side of the menu is more kid-friendly. The left-hand side of the menu is where Chef Christian Gautrois lets his talent shine. Chef Gautrois regularly turns out superb bistro food at fair prices. Praline is especially affordable at lunch-- prices increase at dinner (although the dinner menu is in no way overpriced.) The specials at Praline change daily and reflect what Chef Gautrois has found at the market. Always excellent are such traditional preparations as steak tartare, coq au vin, escargots, and boeuf bourguignon. As of mid-2011, a half duck has been superb. Chef Gautrois also does a fine job with seafood, especially with crab and lobster dishes. Soups are excellent and packed with flavor, as are salads. We have also enjoyed the charcuterie-- generous and flavorful. The only left-hand side of the menu dishes that I would avoid here, not because they are bad, but only because they do not show Chef Gautrois to his best advantage, are the pasta and risotto choices. Frequently, the best strategy to ordering at Praline is to consult Philippe, the principal maitre d'. Some of the most interesting preparations on the menu are the appetizers. You might consider making a meal of two or three of these. Praline's wine list is small, but well-chosen and well-priced. Philippe, the principal maitre d' is an excellent guide to the wine list, and will direct you to the best choices in your price range. Desserts are lovely-- try the signature walnut dacquoise cake, the coupe maison (a fruit and cream confection), the lemon cake or the creme brûlée. One caveat: if you have your heart set on sampling the full bakery menu, dine here at lunch. The full bakery menu is not available after 5 pm. The setting at Praline is pleasant-- the restaurant space has been made more intimate with photos and lighting changes. The rooftop patio, with umbrellaed tables and potted plants, is a charming place to dine in warmer weather. Service at Praline is generally hospitable, but can be inconsistent at times. I'm a regular, and occasionally have experienced slow service at peak hours or longer-than-expected waits between courses. My advice is to relax and enjoy yourself. Chef Gautrois' cooking is good enough to wait for, and a leisurely meal is part of the charm of a smaller bistro. If you're pressed for time or feel neglected, though, do take your concerns to the maitre d'. Treat yourself to the delight of authentic French cuisine at Praline, and relax while you do so.
(5)Asieh C.
For Thanksgiving one guest brought 2 pies and a cake from Praline Bakery. I've had cookies and croissant before, but never sampled the pies. It's the best pie I've had in a while. We had pumpkin, lemon meringue, and a chocolate mousse cake. The next day I woke up thinking about the pumpkin pie and had to eat it for breakfast. In comparison to the other pies available they were lack luster against the pies from Praline Bakery. Once the PB pies were gone the others were actually quite good. It was just the comparison that illustrated the flaws. I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I would certainly recommend this spot to anyone in need of baked goods.
(4)Quoc N.
Praline is THE place to go for cake lovers. In my opinion, they make the best cakes in the area. The place is owned by 2 pastry chefs, and I think one of them (if not both) worked at the White House at one time. Besides for their cakes, you should also come and try the restaurant. They changed the menu not long ago. It has now more variety, more flavor and you also get a bit more for your bucks. I recommend their Bouillabaisse, the Chicken Pot pie, definitely their escargots, and make sure to save room for their desserts (different than what you may buy at the bakery on the first floor). The decor is warm, a la "Provencal". They have outdoor table when weather is warm.
(4)Richard T.
According to my credit card records I've eaten at Praline over 40 times already this year. Needless to say, I'm a bit of a fan. I know of no other restaurant in the DC area that combines variety and quality of offerings along with very reasonable prices. It's happened that I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Praline on consecutive days to find completely different specials at each meal along with the usual staples. I can't say I have any particular favorites. Let me just say that I find dining at Praline to be about as risk-free as a restaurant experience can be. To me, it's inexcusable that this lovely Bistro/Patisserie doesn't appear on the Washingtonian's top 100 list.
(5)francine s.
Seared Paillard of Salmon = delish!
(4)Jackie B.
This review is for the restaurant. My boyfriend took me here for Valentines Day. He works really close and had been a few times to the bar down stairs and thought it was pretty good. We got there for our 7:30pm reservations and it was somewhat empty. Definitely a older crowd but I believe that's because there is an old folks home real close by. Anyway. The menu was fixed. $40 for a appetizer, entree, and dessert. Not too bad. We order almost right away because the menu is pretty limited. I got the Salmon "cigar" and Lobster with mango. My boyfriend got the Lobster Bisque and Duck. Our food takes a bit to come out even though the 5 people table behind us comes out much faster. Please note, they have ordered their second bottle of wine, we have not ordered anything extra. The food is pretty damn good. I'm not going to lie. Not as much spices and flavor as I would like but still pretty good. If a restaurant was food alone it would probably get a four. Maybe a 3.5. So then the owner/chef brings out dessert to the table behind us. And we wait. And we wait. Our waters still haven't been filled since our food has come out. And we wait. Our waiter finally comes with dessert and our coffee. [It was soooo good by the way] At which point we ask for water again. The waiter chews out the bus boy who is suppose to keep our water filled. We finish our desserts and we wait. Check comes. Oh look its the owner/chef checking in with another table. Why does she keep walking right by us and ignoring us? You can't even stop by for one second and ask us if we enjoyed everything? There is only 10 tables total and you've now walked by us three times. Oh I get it. We're 23 and our money isn't as good as people who are older then us. That makes SO much sense. Let's get out of here. So yeah. Too bad we got shitty service. If you're old and frou frou then by all means, knock yourselves out. If you're younger then your money isn't so good here. I get it, we didn't order anything extra but that's because I don't know anything about wine. If the waiter suggested something I would of tried it. Also, I shouldn't _have_ to order anything extra to be treated like everyone else.
(2)Stephen S.
Another great French Bistro lunch with a wonderful 2007 Brouilly.
(4)Jessica S.
Their French macaroons are to die for. The pistachio and hazelnut are my favorites - the hazelnut has a gianduja (Nutella-esque) filling that is just incredible. So far I've tried the hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, lemon, apricot, lemon and chocolate flavors. All are delicious. The bistro upstairs has excellent service and the patio is so nice on a warm day. Their food is great, too.
(5)Fernando D.
Nice cozy place. Friendly as well
(4)Monica G.
I have never eaten a meal here, but the pastries are magnificent. I ate a cake from Pralines at a child's birthday party and I will never buy a cake for myself anywhere else. Sooooo delish!
(4)David A.
Excellent food. Reasonably priced. Having spent a large part of my life living in France, it is nice to find true French food prepared correctly--and not just French words on the menu. Excellent foie gras. Delicious macarons.
(4)Julia L.
Bakery is fantastic, service is great, free samples, very cozy looking place. Why 2 stars? Our dining experience at the restaurant was so awful, it became a joke. Saturday noon we came in for lunch. I was a little disappointed that they don't serve brunch on Saturdays, but hey, no biggie. The menu was definitely limited. A few overpriced sandwiches, salads, and an omelet. I asked the waitress to substitute tuna for the turkey on one of the sandwiches since I don't eat meat, just fish. She said there are no substitutions. I told her to just charge me extra. NO. Ok....could you just take the turkey out of the sandwich and give me a side of tuna salad? She said that the chef doesn't do substitutions/modifications, because "a lot of it is pre-made". WTF?! Why am I paying $10 for a pre-made sandwich? And why do you need a chef at a place where the sandwiches are pre-made? I got a little flustered after that, and told her that I'll just have an omelet. She asked if I wanted ham in it, because that was the omelet of the day. No, obviously not. "Ok, I'll just take it out." Once again, WTF?! What are you taking the ham out of? Is the egg mix pre-made and you're going to have to fish all the ham pieces out of it? It just got worse after that. The vegetarian quiche I finally ordered (which for some reason wasn't on the menu, but was suggested by the waitress after my boyfriend suggested we leave), came out obviously microwaved and lukewarm. Getting it reheated took another 10 minutes. I ordered a bloody marry with "light spice". Came out as the hottest bloody marry I've ever tasted (no joke) and without any ice. The most bizarre thing was when we started to put ice in the bloody marry from our water glasses, the waitress came by and asked if we wanted more ice in it. ???? There was never any ice to begin with! If you're wondering about the actually food, it was bad. The quiche was microwaved and gross and my boyfriend's sandwich was made with wonder bread and prepackaged ham. So bad. Go for the bakery, stay the away from the restaurant.
(2)M K.
For the restaurant: As soon as we stepped up the last steps to the dining area, someone (I later found out, the chef), without any hurry or pretension appeared out of nowhere, asked if we'd like in-door or out-door seating and upon hearing our request, suggested a shady spot outside. Spacious and yet cozy feel. Seating with overhanging umbrellas. I ordered the cinnamon figs with prosciutto and my friend had the omlette of the day. Both were fresh and came out in a timely manner and prepared really well. The service was quick but friendly and never rushed. We never felt the need to ask for anything, it was always covered (Drinks running low? Oh, it's filled! Need pepper? Oh, thanks!) We thoroughly enjoyed our meal without any worries or rush (unlike other places with an older crowd where you feel like younger people aren't always treated as equally). We lingered a while longer with coffee and never felt pressured to leave or order something else off the menu. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day and to enjoy it outside on that deck with good food, good service and no rush. Note: I'm not sure how one would access the dining area (on the second floor) if one needed handicap access - the upper deck did lead out to the next building - maybe there's an elevator there?
(5)Ellen L.
Food, service and ambiance are wonderful. Wireless connect horrible. Had planned to spend the morning eating, drinking and working, but only got the first two done.
(3)Susan M.
I had lunch here last weekend and was not impressed with the food. The mornay sauce completely overwhelmed my Croque Monsieur sandwich. There was hardly any meat between the bread and the cheesey crust was kind of burnt; oddly enough, the french fries were VERY good. I give this place three stars because the bakery made up for the ho-hum lunch. The lemon drop cookies knocked my socks off. The pistachio macaron and elephant ear were also quite tasty. I would definitely go back for more pastries.
(3)Veronica K.
I had a birthday brunch here with a few friends, and despite most of my friends having different tastes in food, we were all extremely impressed with the entire experience. I had the Salmon Tartare for an appetizer and a Nicoise Salad (the best I've ever tasted) for my entree - both exceptional. The atmosphere was simple, yet authentic French, and not pretentious as many French places in the area often are. The food was amazing, portion sizes were on point and everyone in my party left completely satisfied. Our server was also very good and great at describing the menu and making suggestions. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone (and already have!) *My only complaint is that the restaurant is kind of hard to find, but that's irrelevant to the dining experience
(5)Trumball S.
I felt like I had to leave a review because of the declining level of service and food quality over the last couple of years at this bakery/restaurant. Some of the bakery items are still okay, but you are taking your chances with anything else,. To give one example: I recently went in for a takeout sandwich and was given one that had been toasted and then put into a refrigerator for a couple of hours to get just the right chill to it so it tasted like cold cardboard. Yes, this restaurant puts toasted sandwiches in a REFRIGERATOR and then, presumably, expects people to eat them. I guess if someone is hungry enough, anything is possible..... Worryingly, when I went back and asked about this practice, I was told it was normal procedure and that I could have asked to have it reheated(!). For $10, I guess I expect toasted sandwiches to be, you know, warm..... For anyone going there, you should also expect high prices relative to quality and service that is hit and miss, mostly the latter.
(1)Theresa S.
Ordered the apricot and pistachio danish, a raspberry macaron and a latte on a Saturday morning. It was busy and everything in the bakery case looked amazing. Maybe they could use more staffing at the front? The two women there were working really hard and as fast as they could, but the line had 8 or so people waiting. To the food! The danish was awesome! light and flaky dough, fresh slices of apricot and pistachios sprinkled along the spiral curve. Nothing like those sugary, heavy danishes you get elsewhere. I could easily eat 5 of these. The macaron was also fun and jammy. Latte was fine. Also, to note their service: I accidentally was given a pistachio chocolate croissant that I didn't notice until I had gotten back to the table. They amended the mistake easily and quickly. Thanks!
(4)David C.
Wonderful neighborhood French bistro and bakery in the kind of suburban neighborhood where you might expect culinary mediocrity - bright, sunny dining room for lunch - friendly service - delicious flavors - I can imagine they have off moments (what place doesn't?) but I have never seen one - enjoy!
(4)Michelle K.
I've eaten at Praline roughly over 20 times, and have yet to be disappointed - in fact, I'd wager a bet if this restaurant was more centrally located in the city, it would be considered one of the better restaurants in the area. Personally, I'm not complaining about the location because a) I already know Praline exists and will continue to eat here even though it's a little out of the way and b) the somewhat strange location means that prices are much cheaper (the dishes served at Praline would - and should- be 20x more expensive if the restaurant was located in downtown D.C.), which works well with my just-out-of-college budget. Praline consistently pushes the envelope, delivering unique entrees and specials that are always masterfully prepared. I'm a huge seafood fan, so when I order fish I expect it to be cooked perfectly, and Praline never disappoints. When my family is in town, they always insist on eating here - and they've loved every meal! I could try to list all of the great meals I've had at Praline, but I don't want to exclude the dishes I have yet to try, as I'm sure they are equally amazing. Just give the place a try, and I guarantee you'll return for more. Oh, and don't miss out on the desserts or bakery, either. The macarons (available in a variety of flavors) melt in your mouth and the pastries are unbelievably good. As far as the desserts go, they are the perfect size (not too big, not too small) and full of flavor, including items like frozen nougat bars, lemon-almond layered treats and sorbet. If you're not in the mood to cook but want a gourmet meal, Praline offers meals-to-go that are easy, affordable and delicious. This place is great, and if you can look past the fact that the shopping-center location is slightly awkward (which is easy to do once you've tried the food), then I think you'll agree.
(5)Madeline V.
Came here to get some work done on a day off; spent $13 on two macaroons (pistachio is delicious), a small iced coffee (just brewed hot coffee they stuck in the fridge - avoid), and a small box of four chocolates (gift for a friend). Wireless completely non-functional; employee said it was "working fine" and tried to help, but needed to run off and assist customers. Please don't advertise 'Free Wi-Fi' unless it's functional.
(3)Mary E.
Went here for lunch and it was so nice!! Good food, great service. And, they didn't mind at all that we sat and visited for over an hour after finishing our meal! Oh, and the desserts are wonderful!!
(4)Lissa B.
A really cute French cafe in such an unexpected spot! They have a variety of options including soup, salad, quiche, and desserts. I like to get French onion soup here and it's always good. They have outdoor seating upstairs for when there is nice weather. It's really cute and perfect for a leisurely lunch. The chef used to be the retired White House chef but the new chef is also great!
(4)Jennifer N.
(3.5 stars) So, reader, you might know about my preoccupation with the chocolate chip cookie. I went to Praline desperately seeking that magical combination of butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate, a DC version of, say, New York's Levain. The first thing to note about Praline is that it's in a very suburban mall surrounded by Chico's, China Pavilion, Safeway, and CVS. The exterior doesn't exactly scream "bakery." But once you venture inside, it's clear that the proprietors have done their best with the space. The main floor features the bakery and a few tables, and apparently there is an upstairs (the "bistro"). The bakery display case is filled with macarons, cookies, croissants, eclairs, and the like. I had three cookies and I can say this - this wasn't the best I had ever had, but it took an interesting approach to the chocolate chip cookie. Indeed, this was practically an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and I didn't mind that at all. The cookies are a bit small (for $1.85) so I'd suggest getting a few and sampling. These aren't the most brilliant, but they are certainly good, and inventive.
(3)Ruth K.
Normally I like this place but whatever you do don't try to buy a custom cake. I had to call four or five times and leave a message. When they got back to me they didn't follow thru. In the end the person told me the baker was on vacation I said oh I guess I will have to get my cake elsewhere since you can't do it (in three weeks...not a last minute request). So don't waste a week trying to get them to call you back! Balduccis took the order got back to me in minutes and it's done. Get your special occasion cake there.
(1)Sara B.
The coconut macaroon was excellent. Disappointed that they were out of almond croissants, because I am currently in the middle of what some may say is a binge but what I like to call a thorough sampling of said croissants. I opted for a sticky bun which I ate later that night after a short warm up in the microwave, and it was solid. Lunch was fine, but their outdoor upstairs patio is really lovely, a great place to hang out and have some drinks on a nice day.
(3)Maria Y.
I had lunch here while visiting family in Bethesda. It is right across the street from the condo where my grandparents live. Praline's location is fairly unassuming (in a strip mall) but the interior is cute. The first floor is a French-style bakery and upstairs is a restaurant, which is where we went. The weather was nice so we sat on the outside patio. Fortunately, you can't really see the strip mall parking lot from the patio. I wasn't actually very hungry due to having a large breakfast, so I just had a piece of lemon almond cake. It was delicious! My family members seemed to think the lunch food was not as good as it used to be, but I was pleased with my cake, as well as the bread that came with the lunch entrees. I also had a mini lemon macaron... it was awesome. Way better than the frozen Trader Joe's macarons that I've been subsisting on until this point. Light and fluffy but still crunchy, with flavorful cream. It turns out that my grandparents had already bought the same lemon almond cake to have with dinner later. I had another piece because this cake was delicious. Interestingly, the piece I had at lunch tasted more lemony, but the cake I had at dinner was more almondy. I love both lemon and almond so this didn't bother me, but there may be some slight variation among batches. If I lived in Bethesda I would probably eat pastries from here every day!
(5)Lynne F.
Delicious but expensive pastries and chocolates. Restaurant has uninspired food but dining outside in the upper deck is very pleasant.
(3)Ni C.
What a cute place! Its in a sort of strip/square mall - so its tucked away - but do not hesitate to come! The bistro is upstairs - legit french food. just go. get the escargots or the fish soup just so you can get the rouille. bakery: whoa. very good stuff. I ordered the walnut dacquoise for a party and it was a hit. (perfect for non chocolate peeps) they also have a great selection of macarons, pastries and random frenchy goodies like Tessierie drink syrup. Recommend!
(4)Justine K.
The service was great. The waiter made some good recommendations. My duck confit was a bit salty but otherwise good. The crowd there was a bit mature
(4)Julie S.
Went there for lunch today with a friend. Lovely space, also an open patio which they apparently can reserve for events. We dined on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Praline Salad with Grilled Chicken. Then enjoyed the sorbet of the day (including mango and raspberry) & the cake of the day (lime mousse cake). They were gorgeous AND delicious. And then there are the cookies which i brought home for later - their lemon drop, lemon ginger, and pumpkin cookies are good. Their chocolate mocha cookie is ridiculously rich one was PLENTY (and I love rich chocolate things). But their oatmeal cookie was RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME. Oh, and their macaroons? Yes. Just, yes.
(4)Lindsay W.
Praline's food is usually wonderful, especially the onion soup, salmon, duck, mussels and salads. Until a recent visit I would have given it five stars. But dinner there last week made me wonder if I would ever return. Our party of six was seated at a small table in a cramped room with a family with young kids who were running around, loud and obnoxious. The parents couldn't have cared less that six adults were sitting 18 inches away. This was close to 8 pm. I asked if we could move and after some dithering by the waiter we were moved to a larger area of seating. What I don't get is that if the table we were moved to was vacant, why wouldn't the restaurant manager have seated us there in the first place? Please understand that six adults out for dinner on a Saturday night have no interest in being around Ill-behaved kids!!!After the move I thought all was well until one of the diners in our party pointed out that his knife was dirty - and I mean it had not even seen the dishwasher. The waiter then forgot to remove it from the table and it was only removed after another waiter came to the rescue. In terms of food that night, the fries were soggy and the desserts were ho hum. The entrees were ok but not memorable. Oh for the Praline I remember and loved!
(2)Kelly H.
Absolutely loved this bakery. The cases display a variety of pretty French pastries, cookies, and jellies (made by former White House pastry chefs). The chocolate eclairs were creamy and decadent. My favorite was the oatmeal raisin cookie which was crispy on the edges and chewy in the inside. We ate our treats sitting next to the fire and sipping tea. This bakery was so cozy and the atmosphere was quaint. It's a great place for a nice quiet cup of coffee.
(5)Holli G.
Macarons! I haven't had Macarons this amazing since Paris. Dare I say even a little better than the Macarons I had in Paris?! Each cookie was the perfect texture. My personal favorites were: Raspberry and Apricot:-) To make my visit all the more amazing- they were selling hot pink caulenders. The largest one-Sold!
(4)Anthony C.
The bakery itself has some great offerings. We have bought bread, pastries and even sandwiches, taken to go, all with great success. They have a lot of good things, and I think they bake everything there. The restaurant upstairs was another story. We stopped in late for desert. There were plenty of people eating dinner, even though it was close to their closing time. We were seated right away, and the host (owner/manager?) came over and was joking with us. Everything seemed good. I then took forever for a waiter to show up, and he was uninterested in explaining what they had, and he took a long time to get our coffee and water, as well as actually take the order. Meanwhile, the staff was in full clean up mode, and twice they had propped the door open to a terrace, letting cold air blow right on us. I would ask someone to close it, then someone would open it again. When it happened a third time, I got up myself to close the door. The deserts were good--though not great. No refills on the water, and it took forever to get the check paid. If they were closing and did not want us there, they should have turned us away. Crappy service was not the way to go.
(2)Pep J.
I would love to give Praline a higher score - in particular because of its pleasant terrace - but a recent brunch there was a big disappointment. The eggs Benedict were nice but the omelette was bland, with the eggs overcooked and not too little filling. The waffles were uninspiring - which is a pity in a restaurant that also counts with a fabulous bakery - and uninspiring were the drinks. The waiter's unfriendly attitude did not help either. He would not want to serve some plain fried eggs to a child - because "it was not on the menu" (although they did have "steak and eggs"). Only when we pointed out that "eggs any style" was on their online menu did he go and ask the kitchen about it, not without grumpily adding that the website's menu had not been updated... With the many good choices for brunch in the area, we will probably not be going back to Praline for a while.
(2)Jess L.
great food, a little over priced. an older crowd but a nice place to have a leisurely lunch. I got salmon and ratatouille, which was nice and fresh. There are always a lot of specials. Beet salad is also good. Desserts are divine.
(3)Esq. H.
Not bad, but could be better. They don't have alternative milk options so don't come looking for soy, almond or coconut milk, straight cow juice is all they have to offer which is sad. Our pastry/drink/cashier person seemed a little agitated I don't know if it was because it was Sunday and cold outside and she wanted to be home or if she was pissed we are looking at all the cute fancy (expensive) baked goods trying to decide what we wanted. Anyway I had this apple tart thing ( see photo) which was good, I asked her to heat it up which she obliged (too bad it wasn't warmed up throughout the pastry but I guess she was scared to burn it) and tea ( which was hot water and a packet from a tea box display) and my grand total was $7 a little too high for me personally. After we ordered we just stood by the register....waiting for out baked goods after staring at us like we crazy someone finally decided to explain to us that they would bring our items to us. Had they not told us there is no way we would have known that, not a big deal. So the set up is cute. It's two story and the upstairs is a restaurant so if you are just coming in for coffee or a baked good you are limited to the seating downstairs ( which includes outside seating). This is a little section with a fire place where they've crammed in some small tables and chairs - it's not ridiculous but the tables and chairs are super close so if you have a gut or are talking about something personal even whispering isn't going to cut it, just take your meeting to your car. Then there is a bar area which is a little awkward and clearly left over from a previous restaurant since they don't have a liquor license and the bar is packed with interesting spreads and jams, so if something like pistachio jalapeno mustard is your thing, it's probably in that bar section available for purchase. Good luck.
(3)A C.
Don't let the bakery part of the name give the wrong impression, the bistro part is worth a try. Open, bright, inviting upstairs dining area. Had Thanksgiving dinner there with wife and daughter. Was very pleasantly surprised with an excellent, if pricey, meal. Holiday menu was price fixed and special limited. Appetizer was pan seared fois gras, others had butternut squash soup. I really enjoyed it, but not for everyone I think. For the entree I had prime rib ( I don't like turkey) which was tender, done rare as requested, and very tasty. Dessert was the best apple tart I have had in recent memory. Wife had properly done halibut and pumpkin pie, told it was very good as I am not a pumpkin fan. Service was excellect, perhaps because there was only one other table occupied. We will definitely be back.
(5)Erica C.
The croissants are pretty yummy. The macarons are adorable, but nothing special. I was hoping for seriously fantastic macarons, but the macarons were a bit dry. The shop is adorable. It looks like a nice study or quiet date spot. The variety of pastries is quite nice, but the pastries don't really match up to the sweetness of the place. The location is a bit odd, as it is placed within a shopping center. The ambiance inside is nice. It'd go back for the ambiance and to check out the restaurant section.
(3)Erica T.
This is one of my favorite places in the world. I have come here to drink cappuccinos and study as often as twice a week, at times. The table by the fireplace is the perfect place to spend a chilly winter afternoon. I have ordered several birthday cakes here and a macaron tower. I have also enjoyed brunch, lunch, a beer dinner, and a champagne tasting. Every experience has been fantastic. The people are friendly. It has a delightful neighborhood vibe. And the food is fantastic. Pumpkin cookies, seared salmon, creme brulee, french macarons, eclairs, vichysoisse, waffles... It doesn't matter. It's all delightful. DC has a severe shortage of neighborhood coffee shops, but this one is perfection. My only complaint might be the stay-at-home parents who congregate with their unruly offspring in the afternoons. But, if you're stroller-clad, you might feel right at home.
(5)Libby F.
Two years ago I stumbled upon this bakery while I was house/dog sitting for a friend in the nearby AU Park neighborhood. It had only been open about a month at that time. I do not recall the upstairs dining area being opened at the time. I only visited the bakery and OMG, what a bakery! Almond croissants, pastries galore, and bars and cookies to die for! Now, fast forward to this past Sunday. My neighbor and I decided to venture out here after devouring their lemon bar at the Silver Spring Farmers Market. We arrived shortly before ten when the dining area was scheduled to open; good timing on our part! Breakfast/brunch options are fairly routine. They offer omelets, bacon and eggs and quiche, for example. Each of these entrees are $8.50 each, not exactly cheap compared to other places. My neighbor and I both had the quiche. It was an individual quiche about 5" across. It was light and fluffy and definitely made from scratch with a crisp, pastry crust. We ate outside on the upstairs patio which was nice because of the weather, but there is no view and the only tables with an umbrella are the bigger ones which they did not want to seat two people at. With a drink (try their Arnold Palmer!) this meal is slightly more than ten bucks, and you must save room for a pastry from their countless selection. I stopped by the pastry counter (see the photo!) on the way out. I purchased another lemon bar. It was the same price ($3) as they charge at the Farmers Market. I also got a Jalousie pastry. Its name translates to 'jealous' in French, and that's what my neighbor was. She wanted me to dig into it right there, but I told her I was taking it home whole. It was basically two palmier cookies with raspberry jam spread in between. It wasn't my favorite dessert ever, but I could tell it was made from puff pastry. The friend I dog sat for two years ago is moving to the Brookmont neighborhood this month, which is even closer! When I dog sit next month you can be sure I will be here again and again!
(5)Cristina C.
This place has terrible service. I am talking here specifically about the bakery downstairs. I tried to pre-order decorative cookies, was told to simply call back on the morning of the day I needed them. So I did that, at which point I was told it would take 3 days to fill an order! I asked why they hadn't told me that when I was there in person, and finally after a lot of back and forth, and pointing out that they had given me misinformation, they agreed to have the cookies ready the same day. Clearly it was no problem for them to produce cookies for the same day, so not sure if they were just being difficult or what. They were also rude when I went to pick up the cookies (which, by the way, were over $4 each and did not taste good... ) Never coming back to this place again!
(1)lonnie a.
I think the description of not wheel chair accessible means only for those trying to enter from the front door I was able to be wheeled in from the back and found the staff more than accomodating and helpful I am glad we weren't discourage to go there because of that description as my wife and I had a most pleasant evening there
(4)Sushi C.
As usual, very good service and food at Praline. It is not light food, rather older traditional recipes with real butter and cream, so don't pretend you are on a diet! The bread was a bit chewy and reminded me of bread that has been frozen and reheated, that is why this is a 4 star and not a 5 star.
(4)Meg G.
This bakery offers a really, really tasty tiramisu - both decorative & delightful. Sweet enough, light & airy; but, with enough substance & just enough coffee essence, one can appreciate that this cake is from a local bakery & not just any store/cafe. I cannot comment on the restaurant, service, or any other items from the menu. I'd definitely go back, if in the area.
(3)A C.
My new favorite bakery in DC! This bistro/bakery has all the right elements from gorgeous cakes/pastries on display, and a casual bistro setting on two levels with tasty food. I had the Jerusalem artichoke soup for lunch and what a surprise! It was blended well, was savory and light and I finished every last bite. Afterwards I picked up some macaroons and meringues for a book club and they did not disappoint. The macaroons came in at least 10+ flavors and these were hands down the best ones I've ever had, and I went to culinary school in Paris and lived there for two years - delicious almond flavor, just the right texture of crispy exterior and chewy inside and I love that some had jam inside instead of just cream to change it up. These are not easy to make, and so the fact that they perfected them made me super happy. Because I was so excited, I also picked up a lemon drop cookie - of course it was also amazing. I was so impressed! I've had cakes from there on other occasions and love that they are decadent but light at the same time and so feminine and beautiful to boot. I only wish they were bigger sometimes for bigger parties! They are not cheap, but I will pay more for a bakery that gives fantastic service and consistency on their products. I can't wait to go back :)
(5)Deborah N.
Three words. Chocolate. Pistachio. Croissant. Yum! (And I'm really fussy, almost never give a 5 star). That's all I've eaten from this place and I didn't eat or buy it in person, someone brought it to me. But still, it's good enough to have me planning my own trip there very soon.
(5)Russell W.
Went for mid-week business lunch with a professional colleague. Ordered squash soups, quiche lorraine and veggie Napoleon. Colleague had to send back her "Arnold Palmer" (iced tea with lemonade) b/c it tasted "funny." Soups were mildly flavorful, with surprise strips of apple (?) flesh swimming inside. They badly needed a little ground nutmeg, which I mentioned to the waiter and the maitre d', who dropped by. Was told there was no ground nutmeg in the kitchen and that they had never heard of such a thing going on squash soups (!) Quiche came as a single portion from a ramekin, along with standard salad greens dressed in mustard vinagrette. Ho-hum. Vegetable Napoleon looked different from stacked array photo on the Web site. Instead, it was plated as a sunburst array. Nothing distinctively flavorful about any of the components. Walnut cake and chocolate mousse cake were delicious! Praline Bakery should probably just remain a really nice upscale bakery and coffee shop and quit trying to offer French bistro fare, as well. I don't think the kitchen is up to the challenge. So, for $64 we should have gone to Georgetown for lunch at Le Chaumiere, an always-reliable bistro institution. Live and learn!
(2)Audrey C.
Happy to be back in Praline Bakery and Bistro in Bethesda, MD. Had lunch with my husband, sat outside, the atmosphere very nice in the terrace with their newly installed big pots of flowers and plants. I ordered French onion soup which is very delicious, cheese, bread, onion, all balance, flavorful, piping hot broth, very tasty! Had some fresh arugula salad with smoked salmon, very fresh and healthy option. Hubby ordered grilled chicken sandwich, another healthy option. service was prompt & attentive. went down to try their pasties and macarons and we're not disappointed. they have a wide variety of French pastries, so good really worth our trip! Decided to order macarons pyramids for my Birthday cake and assorted bite size French pastries for my birthday.
(5)Steven W.
Just a quick note...I tried the restaurant with my daughter. She loved it, I thought it was average. I did have a burger though, probably a bad choice for a french bistro. She had a seared tuna appetizer and a cheese plate. I thought both were of average quality, tasty, but nothing special. Again, she loved them both. We did try some new cookies at the bakery downstairs and they were as good as the macarons. I have now been to the bakery many times and it doesn't disappoint. 5 Stars for the bakery, 3 Stars for the restaurant...no change in overall score...
(4)Dee B.
*3.75 stars for the restaurant and still 5 stars for the bakery* Came here for dinner with three friends. We started with the cheese plate, which was great. The vegetarian got the vegetable napoleon, I had salad with salmon, one person got the chicken pot pie, and another had a meat dish. I wasn't thrilled with my salmon and salad -- the last time I'd gotten it, the portion was definitely larger. And the salmon was overcooked. But everyone else liked their dishes. For dessert we had planned to go downstairs and get some pastries from the bakery. Turns out the bakery closes at 7pm on Sundays, and by the time we were done with dinner it was well past that. Instead we got 2 slices of cake off the restaurant menu. At $7.95 they are not cheap, but they were damn tasty. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wine list. It's small, but they offer both glasses and tastes of about 8 different wines. I'm not much a drinker, so I ordered a taste of the chardonnay. The size of the taste was much larger than I expected -- it was a small glass, filled to the top. The chardonnay was perfect for me, and at $3.75 you just can't beat that. Considering the price of eating here and the number of servers/busboys seemingly running around, service was definitely not as good as I'd expect, nor was it as good as I've experienced here in the past.
(4)Susan A.
I would rate the bakery as excellent though expensive. The bistro is good for lunch. Salade Nicoise, quiche, sandwiches, etc. all good. The dinner menu, however, is much the same as lunch but with a higher price. Not enough choices. I would not go for dinner as you can get a better dinner elsewhere for the same price. One of the biggest advantages of this bistro is free parking and I believe that accounts at least partially for its popularity-reservations suggested even for lunch.
(3)Robert R.
THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE BAKERY!!!!! located in bethesda, md it consists of a bistro and bakery. while the bistro serves french fare, the bakery is what stands out. executive pastry chef patrick musel treats guests to the best macaroons around. its no surprise this place is so good as musel once served as a pastry chef in the white house. favorites: macaroons, macaroons, macaroons
(5)Samantha G.
Oh my gosh! YUM! I just moved here from Baltimore, so I'm familiar with Patisserie Poupon--their macaroons are the best you can get in Baltimore. Their macaroons are smaller and melt in your mouth. At Praline, the macaroons are bigger and chewier but in my opinion, need more filling. Still though, they are positively delicious. I bought one of every flavor and though I've only had a few, I'll always favor raspberry and pistachio (if not for the color combo alone). Next, I'll try the lovely lavender cassis. I was alone when I stopped in today and had just eaten lunch, but I can't wait to try the restaurant upstairs. In the meantime, Praline's macaroons are my new go-to hostess gift.
(4)Tiffany B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Horrible service. Our waiter took our order and went home. We waited 5 min after receiving half our order to receive an incorrect second half. No one came to check on our table to correct the error. Sat with empty drinks nearly the entire brunch. Omelet was running and undercooked. Praline salad was ok, but not as described on menu. Simple "over easy" eggs were brought out as lightly scrambled eggs. Potatoes were overcooked and cold. Asked for manager and was told the manager went home. Therefore, no resolution was offered for the poor food and poor service. Will not return to this restaurant.
(1)lisa y.
I haven't been to the actual bakery. They had a stand at the Bethesda Farmer's Market today and am I glad I stopped! I had read the reviews of Praline Bakery on here and was so excited to see the stand. LOL I got a Florentine and the almond cake. OMG, I've only taken a bite out of each and I'm in heaven! I am definitely going to hit the bakery soon!
(5)D K.
Very French bistro/bakery. They try to remain true to the French influence. Despite all the complaints in other reviews about the service, it wasn't too bad when I went with my boyfriend for brunch. They were polite and prompt enough for me. The complimentary French bread is freshly and wonderfully made. Crisp crust with soft and yeasty dough. Mmm. I love bread. Fried oysters were fried very well but got kind of heavy after awhile. I wouldn't order them again, for brunch at least. My boyfriend ordered the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, which was nothing impressive. I ordered the Praline Burger, which WAS impressive. Perfectly baked brioche bun, and the meat was SO juicy. Cheddar was perfectly melted, and the fries! I love fries, and these were awesome fries. I know burger isn't very brunch-y, but I've been craving a burger for awhile, and I'm glad that I chose Praline to satisfy that craving. Another bonus point goes to the freshly squeezed orange juice. I could tell it was freshly squeezed. We were too full to get dessert at the table, but we weren't going to pass up on the bakery. We stopped by the bakery downstairs, and I'm glad we did. They have Gerbet/Parisian macarons of all different flavors. We got Mango, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Pistachio, and Caramel. I was disappointed to hear that their bread isn't house-made but delighted to hear that their macarons are. It makes a huge difference to have them freshly made than frozen. We also got some chocolates, which are shipped from Chocolat in PA (great chef/company). I'm not sure if I'll return for the Bistro as much as I would for the bakery's macarons and chocolates, but at least I'd return. :)
(4)James S.
The service was horrid. The waiter was inattentive. He didn't come back after we were served to ask whether the food was good. My trout was burned. The tagliatelle was poorly seasoned and the mushy vegetables served with it tasted like they had been in the freezer for a month too long. The brioche on my partner's burger was stale. We brought it to the attention of the manager, who said he didn't believe the trout was burned. He intimated we were making it all up because we were unhappy with our waiter. He didn't address the other issues. We told him the conversation was over, paid our bill and left. I have eaten at many Michelin starred restaurants. I also cook. I know when my food is burned. We will not return to the restaurant. On the flip side, we bought a cake there last weekend and it was wonderful. We will consider returning to the bakery.
(1)Alice K.
Brunch was alright. Got the croque madame and it wasn't bad, just more oily than I would have liked. Also got some macarons and they were pretty delicious! Even though it was only the afternoon, they had a limited selection of pastries- guess you better go there earlier for a wider selection!
(3)A. K.
This restaurant has a wonderful menu and we have always had good meals here. All staff are professional and helpful. The bakery downstairs produces some of the best pastries you will ever have but the retail experience is very different form the restaurant. It feels like two different establishments. The staff in the bakery is rushed and distracted. They have no room behind the display cases to handle orders when they have a long line of customers. They should move the coffee machines to the bar area. The long lines are really not a problem for those waiting to pick out the pastries but the coffee people need to be handled separately.
(4)nassir y.
.......and this one star is for the bakery side run by high school kids.Their deserts are good. But never try the upstairs/ restaurant. Complete lack of service. No restaurant manager to talk to, under-trained servers with menu from French bistros of couple decades ago. They don't even pretend to care. Don't even.
(1)Thomas B.
Outstanding food, nice ambiance and friendly staff. Just had a delicious lunch including a wonderful French pastry for desert. Highly recommend. Hope to visit again.
(5)Katrina J.
In my ongoing search for french macaroons in the D.C. area, they're at the top of my list. I've only frequented the bakery here, so I can safely say that the bakery part of Praline is DE-LICOUS! I love the french macaroons, the little desserts (yummy bread pudding!) and all of the other assorted treats for your enjoyment. It's very easy for a dessert freak like me to walk in and walk out with a box or two of their goodies (all to share, of course).
(4)Emma W.
The dining experience and the bakery experience are completely different. The dining experience is nearly hell- the food is good, but the wait staff is tragically abysmal. They seem to be caricatures of French waiters- inefficient, irritating, and incredibly unhelpful. The bakery/cafe is lovely though! The restaurant was started by the pastry chefs from the White House, and they dependably produce delicious desserts. Also, regarding wheelchair accessibility: the bakery is on the first floor and the restaurant is up a kind of steep set of stairs. The restaurant doesn't have an elevator, and if anyone in your party struggles with stairs, they have to walk down several store fronts to go into the main mall and take the elevator and walk across a bridge to get back to the restaurant. So yeah, you can do it, but they do not make it easy for you.
(2)Teresa M.
I've been buying Praline pastries at the Silver Spring farmers market for a couple of years. Based on the quality of the products at the market, we searched out Praline's restaurant. Searched is the operative term. It's not on the beaten track for sure, but not really that difficult to find. Praline's is located in a slightly odd shopping center, the kind that has parking in the middle and shows a blank face to the neighborhood. Once you find the place, however, you'll be hooked. The bakery is phenomenal. Every single thing we've tried is wonderful. The croissants, in particular, are great but sell out early. The restaurant was very good, as well. For appetizers, we had the charcuterie board, a nice range of pates and meats along with spring greens and cornichons, every item was good. We also had the white asparagus with quinoa and watermelon. Fantastic. Fresh and bright tasting. Lovely every bite. For entrees, I was tempted to go with the chicken pot pie because I'd seen great reviews for it, but it didn't seem like a July kind of entree. I ordered the soft shell crabs and my companion ordered the sea bass. My soft shells were perfect and I'm picky about soft shells. Many places put heavy batter on them or season them to the point where you can't taste the crab. Praline's soft shells have a delicate powdering of flour then are pan fried. Perfect. They reminded me of the soft shells I ate in southern Maryland as a little girl. The softshells were accompanied by a nice seasonal mix of veggies (corn, tomatoes, green beans) that were cold and in a nice vinaigrette. Light, fresh, and they didn't overpower the crab. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and seasoned with thinly sliced chorizo (the Spanish style, rather than the Mexican style). Tasty and delicious. I highly recommend Pralines!
(4)Jorge P.
Great brunch. We made the mistake to walk in at 11 without reservations. The owner arranged a table for 4 in a small but open corridor. It work great. Food was great with salads and chiche. Highly recommend the atmosphere and the food. We will try dinner soon.
(5)Suzanne G.
While two neighbors had similar experiences to mine in the upstairs restaurant in terms of being overcharged, I have begun frequenting the downstairs cafe for pastry only, since it's in my 'hood, and since the Gazette newspaper periodically has a $5.00 off coupon for this shopping center. Coupon excludes Starbucks, Safeway, etc., but Praline accepts the coupons -- including one published in 10/9 Gazette valid through 10/31. I will say that the employees in the downstairs cafe are lovely and cheerful, and that while all the pastry isn't superb, some of it is quite Parisian. The macarons are too soft to be among the best in the area, but the walnut dacquoise, the opera, and bread pudding and many of the other cakes are quite fine. Kudos for hiring some lovely downstairs staff. I'm a dessert-o-holic anyway, so I'm just not interested in having to scrutinize my upstairs dining bill carefully. They use an old-fashioned style cash register downstairs, so the prices are quite visible, and they won't break the bank anyway (between $1.65 for a macaron and about $4 for eclairs, etc.) Disappointment for both me and my 11 yo son -- they only have eclairs au chocolat, whereas I prefer au cafe, and my son is partial to vanilla pastry cream (but with the chocolate ganache on top). The lemon bars are delish, but it literally tastes like my own recipe for this American dessert bar, so I tend to get the more French items (thus haven't tried the brownies & oatmeal cookies, etc.) Some of the breakfast pastries strike me as gilding the lily (my fav croissant aux abricots with pastry cream from my days in Paris has added pistachio at Praline, for example). They are doing a brisk business, and clearly make only what they are sure will sell, so the selection is quite sparse for the croissants by 12 noon.
(3)Anna P.
Bethesda isn't exactly known for sprouting indie coffee shops. You grab your morning latte from either the Moose or the Mermaid, and pretend to enjoy the pasty scone that goes with it. Tucked into the blandest of strip malls in a residential neighborhood (though across from some sort of gated military installation), Praline actually serves coffee, tea, and pastries without making you feel like a corporate drone. There is, in fact, outdoor seating, free wifi, and an employee who comes around with a tray of French macaroon samples. What's not to love? In addition to that tasty macaroon, I got a vegetable quiche that was filling but light. They actually bothered to toast it to warm it up, rather than nuke it to death. Absolutely worth the wait. Can't speak to the upstairs restaurant bit, but the bakery is absolutely wonderful.
(5)Andre B.
DO NOT GO! Need to teach the owners and maitre d a lesson. People should not patronize a restaurant if they are rude. Heres the scene. We sit down at a table that is really tight. Soon after sitting down another table clears out and we ask to move. the maitre d says that there someone has a reservation. Five minutes later they seat two people at that table for 6. Clearly no reservation. I asked her about it to no response.Then at the end of the meal we were paying the bill and the waiters started removing the tables before we even left. DO NOT GO PLEASE. PEOPLE LIKE THIS DO NOT DESERVE YOUR MONEY!!!
(1)A N.
Praline is a solid 5 stars. Patrons should be aware that the right-hand side of the menu is more kid-friendly. The left-hand side of the menu is where Chef Christian Gautrois lets his talent shine. Chef Gautrois regularly turns out superb bistro food at fair prices. Praline is especially affordable at lunch-- prices increase at dinner (although the dinner menu is in no way overpriced.) The specials at Praline change daily and reflect what Chef Gautrois has found at the market. Always excellent are such traditional preparations as steak tartare, coq au vin, escargots, and boeuf bourguignon. As of mid-2011, a half duck has been superb. Chef Gautrois also does a fine job with seafood, especially with crab and lobster dishes. Soups are excellent and packed with flavor, as are salads. We have also enjoyed the charcuterie-- generous and flavorful. The only left-hand side of the menu dishes that I would avoid here, not because they are bad, but only because they do not show Chef Gautrois to his best advantage, are the pasta and risotto choices. Frequently, the best strategy to ordering at Praline is to consult Philippe, the principal maitre d'. Some of the most interesting preparations on the menu are the appetizers. You might consider making a meal of two or three of these. Praline's wine list is small, but well-chosen and well-priced. Philippe, the principal maitre d' is an excellent guide to the wine list, and will direct you to the best choices in your price range. Desserts are lovely-- try the signature walnut dacquoise cake, the coupe maison (a fruit and cream confection), the lemon cake or the creme brûlée. One caveat: if you have your heart set on sampling the full bakery menu, dine here at lunch. The full bakery menu is not available after 5 pm. The setting at Praline is pleasant-- the restaurant space has been made more intimate with photos and lighting changes. The rooftop patio, with umbrellaed tables and potted plants, is a charming place to dine in warmer weather. Service at Praline is generally hospitable, but can be inconsistent at times. I'm a regular, and occasionally have experienced slow service at peak hours or longer-than-expected waits between courses. My advice is to relax and enjoy yourself. Chef Gautrois' cooking is good enough to wait for, and a leisurely meal is part of the charm of a smaller bistro. If you're pressed for time or feel neglected, though, do take your concerns to the maitre d'. Treat yourself to the delight of authentic French cuisine at Praline, and relax while you do so.
(5)Asieh C.
For Thanksgiving one guest brought 2 pies and a cake from Praline Bakery. I've had cookies and croissant before, but never sampled the pies. It's the best pie I've had in a while. We had pumpkin, lemon meringue, and a chocolate mousse cake. The next day I woke up thinking about the pumpkin pie and had to eat it for breakfast. In comparison to the other pies available they were lack luster against the pies from Praline Bakery. Once the PB pies were gone the others were actually quite good. It was just the comparison that illustrated the flaws. I haven't eaten in the restaurant, but I would certainly recommend this spot to anyone in need of baked goods.
(4)Quoc N.
Praline is THE place to go for cake lovers. In my opinion, they make the best cakes in the area. The place is owned by 2 pastry chefs, and I think one of them (if not both) worked at the White House at one time. Besides for their cakes, you should also come and try the restaurant. They changed the menu not long ago. It has now more variety, more flavor and you also get a bit more for your bucks. I recommend their Bouillabaisse, the Chicken Pot pie, definitely their escargots, and make sure to save room for their desserts (different than what you may buy at the bakery on the first floor). The decor is warm, a la "Provencal". They have outdoor table when weather is warm.
(4)Richard T.
According to my credit card records I've eaten at Praline over 40 times already this year. Needless to say, I'm a bit of a fan. I know of no other restaurant in the DC area that combines variety and quality of offerings along with very reasonable prices. It's happened that I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Praline on consecutive days to find completely different specials at each meal along with the usual staples. I can't say I have any particular favorites. Let me just say that I find dining at Praline to be about as risk-free as a restaurant experience can be. To me, it's inexcusable that this lovely Bistro/Patisserie doesn't appear on the Washingtonian's top 100 list.
(5)francine s.
Seared Paillard of Salmon = delish!
(4)Jessica S.
Their French macaroons are to die for. The pistachio and hazelnut are my favorites - the hazelnut has a gianduja (Nutella-esque) filling that is just incredible. So far I've tried the hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, lemon, apricot, lemon and chocolate flavors. All are delicious. The bistro upstairs has excellent service and the patio is so nice on a warm day. Their food is great, too.
(5)Fernando D.
Nice cozy place. Friendly as well
(4)Monica G.
I have never eaten a meal here, but the pastries are magnificent. I ate a cake from Pralines at a child's birthday party and I will never buy a cake for myself anywhere else. Sooooo delish!
(4)David A.
Excellent food. Reasonably priced. Having spent a large part of my life living in France, it is nice to find true French food prepared correctly--and not just French words on the menu. Excellent foie gras. Delicious macarons.
(4)Jackie B.
This review is for the restaurant. My boyfriend took me here for Valentines Day. He works really close and had been a few times to the bar down stairs and thought it was pretty good. We got there for our 7:30pm reservations and it was somewhat empty. Definitely a older crowd but I believe that's because there is an old folks home real close by. Anyway. The menu was fixed. $40 for a appetizer, entree, and dessert. Not too bad. We order almost right away because the menu is pretty limited. I got the Salmon "cigar" and Lobster with mango. My boyfriend got the Lobster Bisque and Duck. Our food takes a bit to come out even though the 5 people table behind us comes out much faster. Please note, they have ordered their second bottle of wine, we have not ordered anything extra. The food is pretty damn good. I'm not going to lie. Not as much spices and flavor as I would like but still pretty good. If a restaurant was food alone it would probably get a four. Maybe a 3.5. So then the owner/chef brings out dessert to the table behind us. And we wait. And we wait. Our waters still haven't been filled since our food has come out. And we wait. Our waiter finally comes with dessert and our coffee. [It was soooo good by the way] At which point we ask for water again. The waiter chews out the bus boy who is suppose to keep our water filled. We finish our desserts and we wait. Check comes. Oh look its the owner/chef checking in with another table. Why does she keep walking right by us and ignoring us? You can't even stop by for one second and ask us if we enjoyed everything? There is only 10 tables total and you've now walked by us three times. Oh I get it. We're 23 and our money isn't as good as people who are older then us. That makes SO much sense. Let's get out of here. So yeah. Too bad we got shitty service. If you're old and frou frou then by all means, knock yourselves out. If you're younger then your money isn't so good here. I get it, we didn't order anything extra but that's because I don't know anything about wine. If the waiter suggested something I would of tried it. Also, I shouldn't _have_ to order anything extra to be treated like everyone else.
(2)Stephen S.
Another great French Bistro lunch with a wonderful 2007 Brouilly.
(4)Julia L.
Bakery is fantastic, service is great, free samples, very cozy looking place. Why 2 stars? Our dining experience at the restaurant was so awful, it became a joke. Saturday noon we came in for lunch. I was a little disappointed that they don't serve brunch on Saturdays, but hey, no biggie. The menu was definitely limited. A few overpriced sandwiches, salads, and an omelet. I asked the waitress to substitute tuna for the turkey on one of the sandwiches since I don't eat meat, just fish. She said there are no substitutions. I told her to just charge me extra. NO. Ok....could you just take the turkey out of the sandwich and give me a side of tuna salad? She said that the chef doesn't do substitutions/modifications, because "a lot of it is pre-made". WTF?! Why am I paying $10 for a pre-made sandwich? And why do you need a chef at a place where the sandwiches are pre-made? I got a little flustered after that, and told her that I'll just have an omelet. She asked if I wanted ham in it, because that was the omelet of the day. No, obviously not. "Ok, I'll just take it out." Once again, WTF?! What are you taking the ham out of? Is the egg mix pre-made and you're going to have to fish all the ham pieces out of it? It just got worse after that. The vegetarian quiche I finally ordered (which for some reason wasn't on the menu, but was suggested by the waitress after my boyfriend suggested we leave), came out obviously microwaved and lukewarm. Getting it reheated took another 10 minutes. I ordered a bloody marry with "light spice". Came out as the hottest bloody marry I've ever tasted (no joke) and without any ice. The most bizarre thing was when we started to put ice in the bloody marry from our water glasses, the waitress came by and asked if we wanted more ice in it. ???? There was never any ice to begin with! If you're wondering about the actually food, it was bad. The quiche was microwaved and gross and my boyfriend's sandwich was made with wonder bread and prepackaged ham. So bad. Go for the bakery, stay the away from the restaurant.
(2)M K.
For the restaurant: As soon as we stepped up the last steps to the dining area, someone (I later found out, the chef), without any hurry or pretension appeared out of nowhere, asked if we'd like in-door or out-door seating and upon hearing our request, suggested a shady spot outside. Spacious and yet cozy feel. Seating with overhanging umbrellas. I ordered the cinnamon figs with prosciutto and my friend had the omlette of the day. Both were fresh and came out in a timely manner and prepared really well. The service was quick but friendly and never rushed. We never felt the need to ask for anything, it was always covered (Drinks running low? Oh, it's filled! Need pepper? Oh, thanks!) We thoroughly enjoyed our meal without any worries or rush (unlike other places with an older crowd where you feel like younger people aren't always treated as equally). We lingered a while longer with coffee and never felt pressured to leave or order something else off the menu. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day and to enjoy it outside on that deck with good food, good service and no rush. Note: I'm not sure how one would access the dining area (on the second floor) if one needed handicap access - the upper deck did lead out to the next building - maybe there's an elevator there?
(5)Alec R.
Like the surrounding neighborhood, old empty nesters co-exist with young families at Praline. The bakery downstairs has a wonderful assortment of pastries, macarons, chocolates, and other delights making it a regular weekend stop. The restaurant is consistently very good, with a somewhat smaller regular menu being supplemented by a several daily special appetizers and entrees. Particularly good is the pot pie, the hamburger, the hanger steak and the french fries, which are among the DC area's best. They are all good "go to's" if there's nothing on the specials menu of interest, but that is rare. The ambiance is very pleasant, if understated. More art on the walls might enhance the atmosphere. They have slowly developed their large patio into one the most pleasant places in Washington to dine, with plenty of tables, chairs, and umbrellas in a very well tended garden setting. Praline isn't in the very top tier of the DC restaurant scene, but its our neighborhood favorite and we look forward to many more years there.
(4)Lauren S.
Although I have never eaten in the restaurant portion they have outstanding bakery items. The pastries and french macaroons are to die for and they have great coffee. Also recommend their breads -- wide variety and delicious. My one knock is that too often the women behind the counter are scowling and at times just unfriendly. Otherwise, perfect place for a cup of coffee and a nice treat.
(3)Dawn R.
I was in the area for meetings and wanted to try someplace new for lunch. I had intended to visit one of the Chinese places in the same shopping complex as this one, but for some reason I changed my mind and stopped here instead. When I first walked in, I was a little lost as the only thing I saw was the bakery, and no signs to indicate where to get lunch. The ladies behind the counter seemed to be pretty deep in conversation, but once I got their attention, they told me that the restaurant was upstairs, so up I went. There I was immediately greeted by a very pleasant young man and taken to a seat where I could review the menu and also review my meeting notes in privacy. I opted for their Praline Salad, which was mixed baby greens with goat cheese, their house vinaigrette, candied pecans, and marinated pears (which I'm pretty sure had been marinated in red wine). All in all, the sald was just OK. Nothing really to get excited about. There were only about 4 pecans in the entire salad, and a small wedge of cheese. For the price listed, I would have thought there would have been a LITTLE more substance, but I guess not. At least I had a few slices of baguette to fill me up a little more. After lunch, I stopped by the bakery for dessert, as some of the other reviews had raved about their baked goods. I tried a lemon drop and a chocolate dipped macaroon. The lemon flavor was a bit overpowering at first, but after the first couple of bites it was actually quite tasty. The texture was light and airy, overall a very good cookie. I saved the macaroon for later, and when I did try it, I found it to have a good flavor but to be a bit on the sticky side. I doubt I would return to this establishment, as the prices were a little on the high side and the food was just mediocre.
(3)Samantha B.
If this place did not sell baked goods, I would have given it three stars. Located in residential Bethesda and close to DC and the Beltway and Clara Barton Parkway, Praline's is amazing! The pastries are so good, but pricey. But by the time you have swallowed the tarts and cookies in one gulp, you will forget how much you paid for it. The food that is not pastry and bakery-related is okay. It is quite expensive, so when you look at the menu don't be surprised. I got the Croque Monsieur. It was actually kinda greasy for my taste and it was not because of the cheese, but because the sandwich, kinda panini style, had really buttery bread which for me was just too much. Usually every sandwich (I went here for lunch) comes with a side of french fries which are pretty darn good. I was expecting something more bold and flavorful. They were not as greasy as the sandwich. Pastries OMG the pastries. One thing I always go for is the custard cup, that is not its actual name, but it will do. It is a shortbread type cookie cup with custard with fresh raw strawberries and blueburries and it is fantastic. There is or was a picture of this delightful thing from heaven on the website: praline-bakery.com . No complaints about the chocolate chip or chocolate based cookies. The cinnamon rolls are great. What I love about praline's is that everything is so fresh and they never seem to run out. I will come here for the pastries but not the food. There is seating downstairs near the bakery and there is a rooftop which opens at 11am for lunch. The service is great and the waiters are nice and are willing to accommodate larger parties. I am giving it an expensive rating because it can get expensive pretty quick.
(4)Tom H.
Had the pastries for breakfast two mornings in arrow while we were in the area. They are dangerously good and worth every penny. We then ate dinner our last night and had a great dinner. We split a dessert with black current sorbet in it and was totally delighted. Other than the blackberry gelato we had in Florence Italy last year this was the best frozen dessert I've had. They make it there so you cannot get it in the stores.
(4)Caitlin C.
After living across the street from Praline for almost a year, I decided it was time to try out this French restaurant we walked by almost every day. I was extremely disappointed. The decor and seating were comfortable and the service was prompt; however, the food was not acceptable. I ordered the chicken pot pie. Perhaps I am used to Midwestern cooking because in my mind a chicken pot pie is supposed to have a flaky crust surrounding the contents inside. Praline's version of a chicken pot pie was essentially a bowl of chicken soup with a hard and dry pastry top. The contents of the chicken pot pie were good and the chicken tender but we could not get over the lack of crust that is essential for any pot pie. Also ordered the Belgian waffle, which came with homemade whipped creme and strawberry sauce. The whipped cream lacked flavor and the strawberry sauce tasted old. The waffle was not buttery and was overcooked. I ate only a couple of bites before pushing my plate away because I could not justify eating something that tasted so horrible. My suspicion is that the food we received was not made to order. Our food came out only five minutes after ordering, making it seem like they merely heated up our dishes in a warming tray. The pastries are not bad and I would recommend the bakery to anyone looking for a unique dessert.
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