Birch & Vine at The Birchwood

Review summary

1. G

   Glenn

   Washington DC

   34 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   34 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   The restaurant was overbooked and understaffed for Thanksgiving. I arrived a few minutes early for my 6:00 reservation and my table was not ready. At 6:00 I was advised that I could sit the bar if I wanted to order. But the bartenders were overwhelmed and it took another ten minutes before I could order. The meal itself was fine. But every course of the prix fixe dinner took a long time to come out. The restaurant contacted me three times to confirm my reservation. They should have been less focused on filling every seat, and more concerned with being able to serve every customer.
   

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2. M

   Meg

   Greater Boston

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   I’d like to begin with the positives. Our waiter was attentive, professional and efficient. There was also a gentleman who I believe was the floor manager, he was also very helpful to his staff and customers. He was very professional and courteous. The ambiance and holiday decor was lovely and festive! The negatives: greeted the hostess as she was putting on her lip gloss. She continue to put a lip gloss, even asking our name and time of reservation. Which for obvious reasons was ill mannered gross and unprofessional. First impression is most important and she did not represent the house very well, none of the host staff did. The dinner, which was the turkey dinner was lukewarm, salty and pressed turkey was NOT what we expected. The dinner was awful!! I didn’t complain to our waiter because he would’ve brought the same exact dinner back out. We had thought about returning in February for a stay at your hotel but have decided not to. Margaret Strock
   

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3. A

   Ashlee

   London

   2 reviews

   2.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   Please take this as constructive criticism. Guaranteed/included tips make for terrible service. Our server was perfectly pleasant and cordial and what we ordered EVENTUALLY came, but there was no sense of urgency. Everything took forever. It would be dishonest to say it's the kitchen, it took forever to get a high chair. Forever to take our order. Forever to get a round of drinks. Years before our dessert, which I guarantee was pre-sliced and plated and was literally the designated dessert that came with the pre fixe meal to arrive. Servers that know they are already guaranteed a 20% tip have zero motivation to step it up and provide the service we're all used to. I am a former server/bartender and presently a Financial Controller with a background in restaurants, and have dined on 6 of the 7 continents. I have a unique understanding of how labor expenses work in a restaurant so I won't be one of the morons that says "why should I pay your employees wages!" I'm aware that that is my responsibility as a consumer. But think about the last time you dined in Europe...the service was crap, and that's because the servers have no motivation to hustle. Also, please remove the ridiculous term "living wage" from that piece of paper you drop on the tables. It is a nonsense term. 2 people doing the same job in your establishment do not have the same wage needs, so that term means nothing. Furthermore, it is not an employers responsibility to pay someone what they need to live off of. It is your responsibility to pay what the market dictates for the labor. It is the laborers responsibility to seek a job with a market rate that suits their lifestyle and then acquire the skills to gain employment doing that job. I put myself through 2 degrees with no loans by waiting tables, and I never would have agreed to do it without tips. I made WAY more from tips because I was good at my job.
   

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4. B

   Barbara

   Greater Boston

   17 reviews

   vip
   1.0

   17 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   Worst Thanksgiving meal ever! Mushy green beans, not sure what the scoop of stuff in the plate that was called dressing was, and it cost $600! I promptly cancelled our next dinner reservation there. Simply awful. Drive through food would have been better.
   

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5. L

   Lisa

   Tampa

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Jerry what is an excellent waiter and made sure every need was met! Food was excellent and really enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend not just for holidays but any occasion!
   

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6. A

   Asher

   Tampa

   8 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   8 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Food was dry, cold and bland for the price tag…would have been better off going to a take out Chinese joint
   

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7. J

   Jeff

   Nashville

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Alex was fantastic. A lovely experience all around.
   

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8. J

   Jim

   Tampa

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 21 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The wait staff was wonderfully attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is super cool! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to get up to the rooftop bar.
   

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9. M

   Monroe

   Upstate NY

   10 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   10 reviews

   Dined on 16 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was unique and flavorful and worth the experience.
   

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10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Was really good chocolate cake Amazing lots of chocolate service is great. It wasn’t so busy and it was pretty quiet outside. Food was super good all on a Saturday night And my parents stay there And said it was really nice great 10/20/24
    

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    Birch & Vine at The BirchwoodResponded on 22 October 2024

    Thank you so much for joining us! We love our fantastic desserts!
    

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