‘Hallway mural, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
Lincoln Restaurant in McPherson Square is one of those places you could almost walk by without even stopping to take a glimpse inside…for now. Something tells me that in a few months the exterior of the Lincoln will stand out as much as the interior.

I always think it’s a tad unfair to judge a place based on its opening week, so I went to Lincoln three times in a three week period. The drinks are solid, the service is still inconsistent, the decor is amazing, and most dishes suffer from the “presentation beats taste” syndrome. No dish left me disappointed, per se, I just had high hopes because they all looked beautiful. My guess is that in one month or so this will all be resolved as happens with most restaurants.


‘Fixtures, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
Everything in Lincoln will catch your attention. There are the beautiful light fixtures, the multiple portraits of our 16th president, and of course the individual pennies that make up the floor. If you guess how many pennies you’re walking on, you might just win a free dinner too.

‘Interior, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
If I worked closer to Lincoln it might just be my new favorite drink place. Each drink seems to be individually created and crafted, plus, you can’t beat signature drinks like the Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Punch, or Lady Lincoln. Notice a theme? I tried everything with We Love DC’s Jenn Larsen, and even Ms. “I Only Try A Few Sips of Every Drink” was busy finishing a couple.

‘Seasonal Jar, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
Everything at Lincoln follows the small plate trend, though the plates (thankfully) tend to be on the larger side of “small.” My fave dish to be shared is the seasonal jar, which you can get in a Butternut squash, White bean, or Roasted red and yellow beets flavor. I vote the former because the butternut squash is so smooth you’ll almost want to eat it straight out of the jar with these delicious truffles on top and forget all about the bread.

‘Tuna Tartare, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
The Braised Brussels Sprouts look absolutely amazing, but the flavor still needs to catch up. Instead, go for the Tuna Tartare. The dish is spicy and comes with homemade waffle chips for you to spread the tuna on. Tuna Tartare is one of those dishes that can go south quickly, but Lincoln nails it. Even the cucumbers under the tuna rock.

‘Fried Quail & Waffles, Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
I’d get the carrot salad just because the colors are beautiful, but other than that, pass. The Fried Quail & Waffles is pretty good, and although the waffle could have been a bit less soggy, the mix of sweet and salty was to die for. The chicken pot pie is too doughy, and the carnivore in me just fell in love with the short ribs.

‘Lincoln Apple Crisp’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’
I absolutely would not leave here before trying the Apple Crisp or the Funnel Cake and even after eating some of each dessert, I still wished Jenn weren’t there so I could have some more! Definitely try it out. You won’t leave disappointed.

Lincoln Restaurant is located at 1110 Vermont Ave NW. The closest metro stop is McPherson Square (Blue/Orange Lines). For more information, call (202) 386-9200.

Tricia Barba

Tricia is a native Washingtonian, born and raised in Columbia Heights. She loves DC so much that she was only able to leave the city for one year after college and immediately came running back. Tricia works in PR during the day, and spends her nights trying out new restaurants in DC with friends or watching The Good Wife, Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Tricia recently decided to eat her way though all of Zagat’s 2011 restaurants until she realized she would be old and broke by the time she finished. Follow her on Twitter and email her at Tricia (at) welovedc.com.