Maketto

Finally went to Maketto! Ever since moving from Charleston, I’ve been looking for something comparable to Xiao Bao Biscuit. This has a whole different vibe, but you get southeast Asian flavors on cute plastic plates. Yes please.
I didn’t think it was as pretentious as a lot of the reviews suggest. Tip: eat at the kitchen counter — I think the closer you get to the kitchen the more authentic the place feels. Watching the chefs cook was really entertaining.
But hey! It’s really cool that they have a store upfront and things like yoga upstairs. If I lived closer I would love to take advantage of these things.
But I came for the food. We ordered the dumplings, steamed bao, and the wok fried noodles (such a huge portion). Best thing I had: the dumplings! Nothing disappointed me, except for the veggies on the side of a curry dish, which felt random. I regret not trying the fried chicken! It just seemed like too much after all the things we ordered. Next time.

I was looking forward to trying Maketto for a while now and was excited to taste their dishes from all the Unilocal photos I’ve been stalking. A mixture of Taiwanese and Cambodian flavors, I was curious to see what variety they had here. We had trouble finding the restaurant since we failed to look up and the sign was a little small. We thought it was just a shoe store. Which leads me to their shoe store! I’m a sneaker head so I loved the concept of them having a store in front of their restaurant. Basically the whole set up of the restaurant was pretty cool. Clothing/​shoe store in the front, café upstairs, and two restaurant spots in the back.
We had a group of six and pretty much ordered almost all the entrees from the dinner menu, which turned out to be a TON of food. I really wanted to try their Cambodian phở, but unfortunately that’s only served for lunch. Dinner: pork steamed bao, pickled vegetables, whole fried fish, beef curry, chicken curry (too watery), American Waygu bao platter, bone marrow with laab on top (the laab was too sweet), Taiwanese fried chicken, wok fried vegetables, wok fried noodles.
Recommendations: whole fried fish (they can de-​bone it in front of you), Taiwanese fried chicken (it’s pretty big, so sharing is a good idea), beef curry (nice and spicy), Amercian Waygu bao platter (the steak was my favorite!)
The food was’t bad but to compare it to the authentic dishes I have back home it was just okay. The entrees were also a little above my price range. I would however, go back to try the phở and their banh mi sandwich if I’m ever around there during lunch time.

I heard a lot of this place so I was really excited to try it out but I think my friend overhyped it because I was a little disappointed.
We didn’t have a reservation and it was a Friday night and there were 12 of us… However the host was super accommodating and got us a table within 1.5 hours.
The four of us decided to share plates and we ordered:
Wok fried noodles with Berkshire pork belly
Grass fed New York strip bao platter
Maketto fried chicken and bread: this was probably my favorite dish
Fried oysters
We also ordered the spicy laab and bone marrow however cancelled it because it took way too long.
The food was good but it wasn’t something in my face good to the point where I will crave it and want to come back.

I normally would give this caliber of a spot a 4… but the soundtrack threw it into a whole ‘nother category. I came in off Unilocal reviews because i wanted some tea. Great selection. I got the tumeric ginger tea. There’s a place to study in the café. A nice sized community table. Bar seats overlooking the loft. Group tables are available too.
I skipped past the men’s store downstairs, the restaurant, and the bar. This spot is very eclectic and has an interesting crowd.
The food is like an Asian fusion. I didn’t have any but the group next to me had a grand feast.
I’d definitely come here again!

Really innovative space here that’s unlike any other in the nation: combines fashion, hipster culture, coffee and a touch of Asian.
Located in the slummin’ it side of H street, maketto is unassuming and in being that way, is a destination spot that will likely transform the region. No where else can you enjoy a luxe espresso with a Chinese fried cruller or if you have an appetite– braised beef over a scallion pancake with an egg on top. And let’s say you don’t want to do the Asian thing, how about a crispy croissant? And why not sit down and read their house copies of various cookbooks like Benu and the Food lab?
And plug in your laptop why don’t you?
Paradise for out of office workers trying to satiate body and mind in a nice space.

Before I ever tried the lunch at Maketto, I was a little nervous. Having had Cambodian food at the popular Elephant Walk in Boston (though not soup), and not liking it whatsoever, I wasn’t sure I wanted to eat lunch here. Because I knew I wanted the noodle soup.
I’m glad I got over those fears because I loved the Cambodian noodle soup. There’s plenty of flavor, pork, and noodles, which I love. It’s not wrong to compare it to phở – it’s quite similar, but a bit richer though still not too heavy. If I was sick, I’d still be able to eat this soup. I also got the leek buns, which I really wasn’t a fan of. If you’ve ever had Afghan dumplings (aushak/​bowlanee) and don’t like those, then don’t get the leek buns here. I found them a bit boring and I also think I had a texture issue with them.
As for the coffee and pastries, well, that’s a given. I adore Vigilante, which Maketto uses, and the lattes here are fabulous, as are their croissants.
Also, Maketto is gorgeous, especially the courtyard. Plus, it’s great place to get some work done, as they offer wi-​fi. It was a long time coming, but I definitely think it was worth the wait.

There are so many unique places to go on H St so it’s hard to make a decision where to go. Let me save you time and anguish by telling you that you just need to go here. The food is a Cambodian Taiwanese fusion. If you can’t conceptualize that, it mixes the bold flavors of Cambodian cuisine with the subtle sensibilities of Taiwanese presentation.
But don’t get it twisted, this place is not a restaurant. It is a community market that happens to sell delicious food and hand crafted coffee and espresso. This allows them to be fluid in catering to the vast needs of the neighborhood.
Some people know them as a place for coffee, others as a restaurant, and to the rest an awesome place to buy clothes and accessories. They have rare shoes and clothing pieces. If you are into fashion you need to go here.

Really interesting place! Hip hop music, friendly people and Asian food. Plenty to keep you entertained for a night! But the food alone is something to write home about.
We were a table of four and ordered the pork buns (pork bao) and the crispy dumplings with beef to start. The pork bao were two large pork buns served with plum sauce. Sight spice but delicious. The crispy dumplings were like gnocchi and filled with creamy Gruyère, served on top of spicy beef. For our entrée we had the noodles with pork belly and the fried chicken. The noodles were AMAZING! Pork belly was spectacular. After that we were more than full but the fried chicken was a crispy, spicy, juicy conclusion to an excellent dinner.
On top of that our server was super pleasant! Based on the check we think his name is Jason but he was super nice even when we complained about how cold it was in the back area, and when I didn’t like my drink. He bought me my replacement drink and was awesome at recommendations, prompt and friendly service. He made the chilly yet spicy experience even better.
Finally, our pregnant friend said the celery juice is the best thing she’s ever had!

In a painfully cool setting, Maketto spins very interesting twists on classic Southeast Asian favorites with great bespoke cocktails. Came here on a Monday night and it was pretty crowded — highly recommend getting a reservation.
We were seated immediately upon arriving, which was great, and our server was nice and helpful though at times definitely forgetful (at a small plates joint it’s probably best to just write the orders down). Intrigued by the vinegar cocktails, we ordered the Granny Smith, Blackberry and Sweet Cicely ($ 12) The Blackberry was super strong with minimal blackberry flavor but the Granny Smith (bourbon, amaretto, citrus) was delightful as was the Sweet Cicely. Definitely recommend trying these if you’re adventurous!
The 3 of us had been dying to try basically everything so we ordered 8 dishes and a dessert (probably overkill, 6 – 7 would have been fine for 3). The best dishes by far were the Taiwanese Fried Chicken and Curry Soup with grilled chicken. The Fried Chicken was amazing (my mouth is watering now), perfectly breaded and fried, with moist, succulent chicken and a croissant drenched in a savory soy-​based sauce which sounds weird but was amazing. I found myself dipping it in the spicy oil and not wanting to stop. The Curry Soup was very spicy but addictive, a yellow curry with small friend noodles, a little veg and again moist chicken. Yum. I’d go back for those dishes alone.
The Pork Buns were solid but not mindblowing, as was the Rock Shrimp crudo (coconut milk, sliced cucumbers and beets, peanuts). We got the fresh tofu with veggies but sadly it was sort of pan fried, not the silky white tofu I was hoping for, so I didn’t love it. Felt ok about the meat dumplings — wasn’t expecting cheese filled beaded dumplings on a spicy meal sauce. The dish could have used a little citrus or acid to balance it out. T and A liked the Leek Buns but since they were pretty heavy on the mushrooms I can’t say they were my favorite.
For dessert, I highly recommend the pie of the day. We were blessed with a butterscotch cream pie that was incredibly light, not too sweet and melted in your both. Yum. Despite being stuffed we finished every last bite of pie.
Overall, a great and inventive meal. I’d definitely come back to try other dishes and to get more of that fried chicken!

Finally got a chance to stop by Maketto during my day off on Labor Day. I ordered the Cambodian sandwich and the bf got the Cambodian soup (or Cambodian phở).
Cambodian sandwich was on point! Crispy bread and all of the meats and veggies were sync together in perfect harmony. The Cambodian phở on the other hand, was a bit overwhelming but still delicious and earthy. It’s not like your typical Vietnamese phở broth where it’s mostly clear. This one from Maketto is hearty and contains a lot of ingredients that are commonly used in South East Asia. If you’re not really accustom to this flavors then this dish may not be for you.
At Maketto you can seat yourself, order at the cashier and they’ll eventually find you to deliver the food.

TL;DR — Good fried chicken
I saw Maketto being featured in Thrillist’s one of DC restaurants I have to eat before I die list, so I decided to check it out while I was in town.
Upon my arrival at the storefront of Maketto, I was extremely confused. The GPS said I was at the right location and store sign said Maketto but it looked like a clothing store when I looked through the window.
When I walked in, I saw that they sold fashion merchandises in the front of the store and restaurant was located in the back half of the store.
Still confused but decided to sit down anyways.
After looking at the menu, I ordered 2 orders of steamed pork buns and Taiwanese fried chicken.
Steamed pork buns were little too doughy for my liking but stuffing inside was seasoned well and the dipping sauce complimented the buns nicely. Dipping sauce is hoison sauce and oyster sauce based along with couple spicy ingredients.
I was worried when Taiwanese fried chicken first came out because it smelled like fish sauce. Why in the world would fried chicken smell like fish sauce?!
Thankfully, all my worries went away upon my first bite of that chicken. It was well battered juicy meat with sweet flavor and cilantro on top added a nice touch.
Bit pricey but worth a visit for a different style of fried chicken.

If I had to sum up Maketto in two words it would be just right. I’d been wanted to go there for months but we don’t make it to H Street NE very often and when we do there is always a long wait for dinner.
We had a reservation for The Escape Lounge at 8pm but I figured I’d try my luck by running into Maketto first and putting our name on the list before being locked in a room for an hour. They handed me a buzzer and said it would be an hour and 45 minute wait. Fast forward just over an hour later, right after we «escaped», the buzzer went off and hubby and I literally ran across the street. Clearly I was excited.
We were seated along with another couple in the main dining area. We started with two vinegar cocktails, the hibiscus and the pear. Both were light and refreshing. The hibiscus had ginger in it which gave it a nice kick while the pear was crisp and perfect for fall.
Since we literally wanted everything on the menu, we called our waitress over for back up. We’d already heard they had amazing Taiwanese fried chicken, so that was a no-​brainer. For our entrees she also suggested the pork belly, you can never go wrong with pork belly, and the fried noodles with beef.
We started with the crispy dumplings and the pork bao buns. Pretty sure I could eat those buns every day and never grow tired. I can still taste the honey glaze on the hard fried skin of that chicken. The broth the pork belly came in was so good I could have picked up the dish and drank it. The dish itself was good but I prefer more pork than belly if you know what I mean. Going back to the chicken, by the time we finished we were in a food coma. Then we remembered we still had a noodle dish. OMG what were we thinking? Despite all of us being full, we still attempted to eat more, but the noodles won.
All in all the service was great. They did a great job of pacing the meal which is rare these days due to restaurants wanting quick turnover. They were especially accommodating of my peanut allergy and made sure everything was safe which can be tricky in Asian restaurants.
I’ve had my share of great meals in this city but Maketto is now at the top of my list.

I’m so indifferent about this place. Definitely loved the atmosphere and I reviewed it before when I tried their coffee and sat up on the rooftop enjoying it, but after recently trying out their restaurant, I wasn’t sure what to think of it. So here’s an update on the other part of Maketto:
I ordered the only tofu (vegan) dish on their menu, and I gotta say it was pretty good, but not filling. There weren’t many selections to choose from, and they were all pretty pricey. I would categorized their type of food to be Americanized-​Chinese, because of the sauce that came with it. I guess it’s pretty hard to describe, but I just wasn’t FULLY satisfied with the food, and I would definitely try something else next time on the menu if it was vegetarian (I guess I’ll have to wait for more items too).
Their drinks however, definitely had a good kick to them. Again, they were pricey, but if you are going to try this place out, definitely pick any of the cocktails for a good time. I don’t remember the exact drink I had, but even my boyfriend’s cocktail was definitely no joke. We loved their alcohol.
I would probably come back for their café another time, but as for dinner, I’ll hold off for a bit.

The big challenge with reviewing Maketto is which aspect to rave about first: the food or the setting.
OK, the food!
We loved the fried chicken. Crispy & wonderfully flavorful. The bone marrow small plate was great as well – & we were very proud of ourselves for trying something so daring!
As for the setting, we sat at a counter where we could watch the chefs prepare the food – fun! Next time, we’re planning to sit in the middle section that is outside but had heaters to keep diners from freezing.
And there definitely will be more trips here in the future.

I wanted to try this place and finally went on Christmas eve.
I had Cambodian pork soup and chicken salad. The salad was pretty good but the soup had too strong herb flavor (?) for me.
One issue I had was that I found small hairs in both of my soup and salad.
Other than that, it was good. You pay in advance so no need to wait for the bill and no need to pay for tip, which is nice.