Grace’s Mandarin

This spot is the TRUTH!!! Had some of their lamb chops, crab Rangoon, lettuce wraps, and calamari. Pure awesomeness!!!

Grace’s Mandarin is one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of dining in. I came here for the first time last weekend, during an outside meet-​up for a convention.
I came as a guest; one of our group moderators made the arrangements and reservations for our group. We were seated in a private area on the third level, with beautiful chandeliers. There was a set menu for us, served much like a bento box. The price was reasonable considering the ambience of the restaurant. Any beverages besides water cost extra, though.
Our set menu included a salad, Mandarin Chicken, California Sushi rolls, and Shrimp Panang curry.
The food was delicious, but nothing spectacular. I think the best thing was the California rolls. The rice was well-​prepared and it seemed to melt in your mouth. The dressing on the mandarin salad was good too, with a hint of miso and citrus.
I didn’t care for the Mandarin chicken. It was honestly difficult to eat. Our group was in pretty formal, detailed, delicate fashions and fabrics, so the oversized bite of fried chicken and the dark, sticky sauce was not a good choice. We were not provided with knives to cut the chicken even if we wanted to, so I just decided to not eat anymore after my struggle with the first piece. Not to mention, it just seemed cheap, like something you can buy in a box at Costco. It didn’t go with the rest of the meal. (I imagine other people come to this restaurant in relatively formal attire too, so we couldn’t be the only ones to struggle with eating something so messy.)
The scoop of rice by itself on the plate was terrible! It was dry and loose, like minute-​rice. I was expecting steamed «sticky» rice, but then again, I am from Hawaii, where the rice is made correctly. Again, I would have expected higher quality for the price I paid. Not that it should cost extra for the restaurant to get a rice cooker instead of minute rice.
The Shrimp «Panang» curry was confusing. It was still good! But it did not taste like Thai Panang Curry. It had the same flavour of watered down Japanese curry, and ate more like a soup rather than a curry. But it still tasted good!
The dessert was honestly the best part. We each got a slice of decadent mango mousse cake with berries, a mango sauce and whipped cream on the side. The texture was rich and airy, but still smooth and creamy. The mango flavour was a little strong and maybe overly sweet, but I still enjoyed it.
Service was decent; they were a little slow but we also had a very big party.
This will sound strange, but check out the bathrooms. They are impractical, but very cool.
I would definitely bring my husband back here for a date night in the future. Some things could use work, for the price, but most of the food I tried was good. I’d mostly return for, and recommend this place for, the atmosphere.

Decent food once you get seated (upstairs, only). Before that you feel like Cattle – even with a reservation.
Not sure it’s worth the price or the feeling of being a piece of cattle.
Good service, including manager stopping by and then subtly calling our waiter over.
Good food that looks yummy, tastes good, but long term: beyond presentation, likely forgettable. If you go, try the small plate lamb chops. Those were cool.
Bad prices.
Eh.

Service: Attentive but not overbearing. Knowledgeable about the menu.
Décor: Eccentric, over the top. Lots of buddhas everywhere.
Food:
Lettuce wrap appetizer: It was basically diced chicken fajitas with hoisin sauce on the side.
Fillet Mignon: This tasted like steak fajitas with edamame doused in hoisin sauce.
Singapore Rice Noodle: Tasted pretty good but no better than the rice noodles from any chinese buffet plus ~5 shrimp thrown in with some curry powder.
Overall: Good service, poor lighting, poor food. You might like it if you like heavy asian sauces on tex mex. But better food can be had at any number of places for far less. Might be a good place to take a date if youre trying to impress them with gaudy décor and you know they dont know much about eating.

I would recommend requesting seating in the upper dining room, the bar area seating is nice but the service is not able to be as attentive. The bar area servers are constantly being sat.
I was not impressed by the California roll. The Hawaiian Chicken was AMAZING.

Expensive, but quality. The waiter was attentive, the food quality was excellent and the portions were reasonable. We ordered soup, sushi and tenderloin. The soup was near perfect, both in flavor and in serving temperature. The tenderloin was … tender. The sushi was just good.

First the food: THE FOOD: I ordered the PAD THAI and it was good but honestly NOT THAT GREAT for the price that they were offering. It literally tasted like it came out of a package and onto the stove.
Now my story and experience:
So we went to the national harbor for the first time a few weeks ago. It was a chilly night and we wanted to have a nice dinner. We ended up coming here to Grace’s Mandarin after hearing raving reviews about it.
First impressions are everything and Grace’s Mandarin has beautiful décor outside and inside. The huge buddha statue that greeted us when we walked in was one of my favorites.
Second impressions are also important and I have to say that the hostess was extremely rude that I still have not been able to shake it off even after a few weeks of being there. It was a monday night after the holiday weekend and we weren’t expecting to have to make reservations however there was still no seating upstairs in the dining area. We were seated in the lounge area and from a friend that was with us she said the upstairs dining area treats you alot different than the lounge area– my recommendation is to make reservations and sit upstairs in the dining area!
The lounge was fine but the service was pretty terrible. I had to get up multiple times to ask for utensils and water and it wasn’t that busy.
the ambiance here is good because of the decorations, the staff is not that great and the hostess i encountered… i can’t even. I probably wouldn’t come here again and if I did it would only be for the upstairs dining and with a reservation.

Came here during a trip with my boyfriend who is from the area. My boyfriend bragged constantly about this place since we met over 2 years ago so I was excited to visit here. I’m not sure why he held this place to such high standards.
I was extremely impressed with the décor and the view. They went all out the decoration. It makes for an intimate ambiance whether it be spending time with a group of close friends or on a date.
The food is definitely delicious but extremely overpriced. We ordered an appetizer, drinks, entrée, and dessert. The appetizer and entrees were delicious. As I previously stated, it was overpriced but good nonetheless. The drinks were extremely average. I could’ve ordered a better tasting drink from a chain restaurant. Dessert was also extremely disappointing. I understand that desserts are not the main focus but for a $ 200+ meal for 2, ending the meal with cake that tasted like it was defrosted from a box was a downer.
I’m glad I came for the experience but I definitely won’t be returning when I visit the area again.

I was here with 3 others and we were able to get seated quickly. As you walk to your table be sure to take in the design of the whole place. It is beautifully decorated all the way through. I kid you not when I say they didn’t hold back at all.
When you get seated they bring a hot towel to wipe your hands and face. The girls had purses so they gave them these little stools to put them there. When our food arrived they slipped a nice cover over our coats so it wouldn’t get dirty and/​or smell. We ordered one of the many teas they have and it comes in a iron teapot.
For my meal I ordered the crispy beef which was amazing, and the pork fried rice. My girlfriend ordered the panang curry which was amazing. It was flavorful yet light.
For dessert we had fried banana with condensed milk and I think cheese flavored ice cream. It was all great.
After we finished eating they brought another hot towel. Overall, the service was excellent and the food was excellent. Just note that this place is a little more expensive than your typical Chinese, but with it being in the National Harbor I think that’s expected.

For all of the times other people went here and only came back to tell me «it was expensive», shame on yall! We had such delicious and well prepared meals we will absolutely be back for more. From the salmon with buckwheat noodles to the curry to the sushi, everything was great. I probably wouldn’t order the lamb appetizer if I was sharing but that was tasty and enough for one. Glad I finally made it to Grace’s

5 stars for the atmosphere: the place is very big and decorated like a high-​end Mandarin restaurant. The lighting was perfectly dim. We sat a table with a pretty view of the Potomac… we could also see the pretty Christmas lights on the trees outside of the Gaylord.
4 stars for the service: note that the menu says no split checks. Since our party of 3 were on work travel we needed our checks split. The hostess pretty much said no and was ready to see us walk out. Instead SHE should have just asked her manager to make an exception. When WE asked the manager he was fine with it. I’m still giving 4 stars for the service because the manager was friendly and our server was great. Our server was able to provide recommendations, kept our checks split correctly (not that we ordered a ton), checked in on us often and was just nice.
3 stars for the food and price: the food was good. I just think it was overpriced. At $ 25 a dish it should be outstanding. I ordered a chicken dish that was similar to Kung Pao. It came with plenty of chicken/​veggies, brown rice as requested and a weird side salad (was a Spring mix but I couldn’t tell what was on it… seemed like salt and maybe a very light vinaigrette — the salt threw me off). We had chicken gyoza (dumplings) as an appetizer — $ 15 for 8 small/​medium gyoza. Again, everything was good. I’d just expect a little more given the prices.
I’d go back if work is paying.

Beautiful view of the harbor! Got the panang shrimp which was pretty good and flavorful (added a photo if curious). This place is definitely more upscale than average, be prepared to spend over/​about $ 20 a person. Very lively atmosphere, recommend for a nice date spot:)

Food is ok.
Some of the waiters are delivering food and don’t know what it is or how to speak English well.

My date is a regular here. He had reserved a table, but it was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving so the place was pretty empty. They have the type of service you don’t see often, they bring hot towels before and after the meal, have covers for the back your chair to protect your coat, and even had a mini chair for my purse. We probably got more than average attention, but it does say something that they know how to treat their regulars.
We just had sushi (and a lot of sake), but I thought everything was very good. Sushi can be hit or miss at a restaurant that isn’t just sushi. My favorite was the «heart of the national harbor» role.
This is a traditional restaurant. The décor is a little over the top, but I think it’s charming and a nice change of pace from most restaurants in the city that have modern concepts.
We went back over the weekend with a group and had drinks around the fire pit outside, which was also a fun time.

The décor is crazy, I don’t understand what they are trying to do. There’s too much going on and it’s distracting. But who cares about the décor how was the food ?! It was not good at all ! I got cucumber roll and California roll and that was disappointing, I thought you couldn’t go wrong with a California roll but I guess I was wrong… And the food is very over priced!
Also the waiter was not very friendly, he seemed bored and tired of his job but I would be too because that place was very empty when I ate there.

Was here last week. The décor of this place is fabulous. Very nice and classy. I came here around happy hour so it was a little busy. I had a few shots and the salt and pepper wings. They took a little time to come out but it was worth it. They were hot and crispy and juicy. The bartender was nice and he was a REAL bartender ! I was there with my bartender friend and he asked him to make him a Martinez which isn’t difficult but a lot of bartenders become confused by the request. Needless to say he wasn’t. I will be back to try more food options.

Maybe I just had a bad experience, but I did not like this place.
First off, the menu is expensive! It’s like $ 20 – 25 per entrée for just mediocre food. The sushi is more expensive than a primary Japanese restaurant and the rice was hard!
The waitress was totally rude all night and they had to split our party of 10 into two tables of 5 and they still charged us 18% gratuity! That’s messed up.
I would not come back or recommend this place to others.

Terrific Asian cuisine. I always like a place that doesn’t just have the same old menu. Some very good house specials.
It is a little pricey.
Decore is very nice and has great outdoor area. Directly in front of Gaylord National (2 min walk)

Came here for very special occasion and had no regrets. We were treated excellently and served wonderful Asian dishes in the most incredible setting as DC has to offer.
The upstairs Resturant windows are all situated to maximize the view of the sunset on the Potomac. This is a view few locals have even experienced and is all made possible by the likes of Grace’s.
The food was all very good. Albeit not cheap but for special occasions worth the extra money. Our server host and manager were professional and eager to serve. Megan and Andy thank you!
I’ve read some harsh Unilocal reviews and can’t even come close to agreeing with them. Our experience was positive in every respect. This is not a tourist location or trap by any means. Indeed, if out of towners are experiencing Grace’s then they are getting some of the best DC has to offer.
The only similarity between graces Mandarin restaurant and PF Changs or panda express is all three give you a fortune cookie at the end of your meal and a and the one you get at graces is better
I’ll bet you agree from the first hand washing cloth to the last. I didn’t mention they give the ladies a small chair for their purses! It’s the little things that add up to a great experience and wonderful meal.
Try coming on a week day and have the place relatively to yourself. You probably deserve it.

I normally do happy hour… sushi and drinks… at this location. It has never disappointed. I’ve had the lollipop lamb chops, crab fried rice, and a few other entrees which have been delish. Salt and pepper wings and fried calamari are terrific also. The drinks are nice and the ambiance is really good. I normally sit at the bar or the patio. I like their bathrooms too. You can tell a lot about a restaurant, or even a person’s home by the bathroom, lol.
I prefer this location over the location in Bowie (Grace’s Fortune). This location is a great date or business meeting spot. The colors are vibrant as is the view of the harbor.

First time for me. This place is beautiful. Truly a great place to take that first date you want to impress.
The staff was attentive and not overly annoying.
We had the National Fried Rice, Crab Rangoon and Mini Crab Cake.
Everything tastes delicious. The portion sizes were spot on as well as the presentations were quite lovely.
I definitely would recommend this place if you wanted to impress your date and I suggest you dress nice. Gents, no ball caps please. (They actually request you remove them! Yay!)

Many options for everyone, you don’t have to like Asian or sushi to find something you want on the menu. There are heathly options and substitute white rice for brown, which is great.
The tables are on the second floor so be prepared to walk up a flight of stairs. They bring a hit washcloth to wipe your hands before and after the meal. Also if you would rather not put your purse on the floor they have special seats for purses which is adorable.

Grace’s is a wonderful upscale Asian dining experience. Very Romantic atmosphere especially at night when the lights are dim. We were seated at a very large round table that probably could seat 10 – 12 comfortably and it was 6 of us coupled off. That was a very intimate space for us to enjoy as a Group of couples and equally as intimate for us to indulge in our own «coupleness»… 2 Thumbs Up to the Hostess who seated us in the Circle Of Love. Btw: The Food is Super Sexy too. Plated very exoctic and errotic I wanted to get a Room. Ijs… anyway the food was Good To Me.

There are moments when I want authentic Asian cuisine from a specific culture and just sit down, no-​frills kind of eats… but there are also times when I want to see restaurants push the boundaries in the ambiance and food that’s expected.
Grace Mandarin at least meets the ambiance portion of the latter goal! It is great for those wanting something familiar on a menu when it comes to Asian Cuisine & American Chinese Food. It’s definitely not quite the place for those wanting to experiment a little with the culinary likes of authentic Asian restaurants like that of Eden Center in Falls Church, VA. I’m no expert or culinary whiz when it comes to Asian Cuisine by far, but for me this place provides a decent balance between what is familiar and traditional American Chinese food. Also, the views within this place and the restaurant’s atmosphere will make any occasion special.
I came here with a large group for a birthday dinner celebration. From the moment we arrive to the moment we left, the food was great and the service was impeccable. The restaurant is huge with tons of energy. They have an extensive Chinese and sushi menu… so it was easy for everyone in the group to find something that they liked (including many vegetarian options)! We were seated in a private dining area that set the mood for the occasion quite proper. Within this space and all around the restaurant, you can’t help but to notice the artwork and cool details within the place. One thing that captures your eye immediately, when first stepping foot in the place, is this giant Buddha. The Buddha statue is huge and anchored the private dining space from the floor to the ceiling! It definitely adds a unique appeal to the restaurant. The servers introduced themselves and we began to chow down on great drinks and big/​small plates containing some of everything the restaurant has to offer.
We dined on shared dishes of:
+ Crab wontons (small plates)
+ Kimchi
+ Crispy Beef
+ Lobster Tail, Shrimp, Scallop Spicy
+ Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
+ Banana Foster Cake w/​Chocolate Fondant
Per the norm, the items were beautifully plated and served on pristine white plates. The wontons were crunchy and came with black roe and a spicy, creamy sauce. All dishes were okay, nothing special, but one dish was exceptional… The Lobster Dinner.
The Lobster Dinner, in particular, was the highlight. The protein is served in a basket made of formed rice noodles and had the lobster shell cut in half-​lengthwise with shrimp and scallops in a XO cognac butter & brown spicy sauce to die for. I also had crab cakes which were okay. They were not meaty enough and filled with too much breading. This was probably the only disappointing dish of the night. The Kimchi was pickled just right and I suspect it was made in house because it seemed so fresh. The Crispy Beef is normally my favorite here but not this time. It was too salty. Last, the restaurant served up a damn good desert. The banana foster cake for the Birthday Girl and Chocolate Fondant… I mean hey… how can you go wrong with something called chocolate fondant? And, there was servings for the entire dinner party.
LONG STORY SHORT… THE GOOD:
Decent food; no complaints here. Somewhat pricey but worth it for special occasions but not for standard American Chinese food dining. Really cool ambiance and décor. The service and attention to detail was excellent too.
THE BAD:
In all, 3 ½ Stars possibly…4 Stars given the cool vibe of the place! A ½ Star deduction… for the menu prices! I mean I get it… Of course you are on prime real estate, provide restaurant water views, cool ambiance and I am sure the cost to lease the space for your business is steep BUT…$ 24 BUCKS for FRIED RICE w/​8 SHRIMP?! Yes, I counted. I don’t think so… Way over-​inflated amongst other basic, atypical Asian & American Chinese Food Dishes that generally cost half the price other places. And, I am not going to go there on the $$BALLER$$ bill received. But, hey it was for a good friend’s Bday so I won’t complain to much on that note! LOL
* Tip/​Honorable Mention: Great views and ambiance… both inside and out. This place is perfect for Bday celebrations and/​or any special occasion. Just Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)…of the prices lol.

The food here is pretty great, service is just okay. I would expect the service at such a large restaurant to be better. Our server wasn’t rude, but she wasn’t nice either. She kept making us feel like the restaurant was too good for us. Well, I’m sorry for not looking my fanciest best after a day of walking around DC to see Cherry Blossoms. I’m pretty sure I’m still allowed to have a fancy dinner.
We ordered the tom yum soup to start and then the crispy beef and Indonesian fried rice. The food was spectacular! I loved that they served the rice in a pineapple. The hot towel service is also pretty amazing, especially after a long and tiring day. This is a great spot for a date or a group.

I have mixed feelings about my experience at Grace’s Mandarin. I came on Christmas Eve with my family as we were staying in the nearby Gaylord Hotel, so maybe that explains the poor service we received. And we were in in the lounge area and I believe our waiter was the only one working the section. But still, for the price we paid I would still expect better service. Our waiter probably said 5 words to us the entire time and didn’t check on us once.
My brother and I ordered the duck lettuce wraps and the chicken lettuce wraps. We were expecting the kind we had at P.F. Changs before, but these couldn’t compare. First off, the lettuce they brought us seemed like the wrong kind for the wraps. And almost all of my pieces of lettuce had large holes in it so the meat was just going to fall through. And there was hardly any meat to speak of, It was mostly veggies. We both ended up just giving up on the lettuce and just putting the meat and veggies over rice. $ 25 for the duck lettuce wraps — just wasn’t worth it.
The only positive thing I can really say about Grace’s is that the ambiance and décor was very nice. I wonder if it was just a fluke night because it was Christmas Eve, but I won’t be back. Might as well try somewhere else if you’re in the area.