Image: Bison, Brussels Sprouts, Deviled Eggs, Asparagus.
Last Updated: June 2023
Beuchert’s took the farm to table thing very seriously from the beginning. It also has been a favorite of those in the know from the start, and we have been fans since we used first person singular. Chef Andrew Markert, was a veteran of the closed and missed PS7. Like PS7 the place garners recognition for its bar program and its menu. The food is quality comfort food with creative twists thrown in. The creaking wooden floor and cozy dining room feel like an embrace.
The menu, simplified over time, has four sections. “Table” are things to start with and share, like bison tartare, a staple of the menu with sweet (onion jam) and creamy (ricotta) elements to go with the rich meat. “Farm” is vegetable dishes, some of which may be seasonal and others like the fries that are also staples. “Medium” dishes can be entrée sized, such as the pastas that have been consistently good over the years. On the last visit, it was huitlacoche campanelle pairing the fungi with green pasta, shallots and cheese to suggest Mexico on a plate that looks like Italy. “Large” dishes are more traditional entrees like duck breast, cod, burger, or steak that hew to the New American nodding to Old American theme. Mixed in among the staples are seasonal dishes or things the chef is trying out. Pre-covid, we noted that the menu was interesting without being pretentious. That still stands as a decent estimation.
This place is rustic – right down to the two big bison heads over the bar. Over time, rustic has taken on a broken-in patina, but it still retains its charm. The bar is the first thing you run into in the long restaurant (that opens to a patio in the back in the summer). As noted above, the bar is not something you should just blow past. The quality and care of the cocktails has been strong from the very beginning. The wine list is not long. The service remains energetic and engaged. Although there is a casual vibe to the place that sometimes overtakes them. If you are near the Hill, give it a shot.
Beuchert’s came along just as New American was cresting. It celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, being one of the few places that rose from ashes of the post-2008 crash and survived the 2020 dark days. It hung on during the worst days of the pandemic, managing to turn its sandwich pivot into its own place and launch a new restaurant (that sadly did not make it). A recent meal at Izakaya Daikaya prompted a thought of places do we take for granted. Beuchert’s never gets the accolades that other places garner, but it clearly has its fans that keep it going. Count us among those fans.
Other Guidance: A couple steps up and some tricky maneuvering to get in, but located at street level on one floor. GF can do well, vegetarians can do ok, but slim picking for vegans. It is not fancy and the mood is casual, but it does work as a good date night option.
Summary:
Cuisine: New or Old American
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Address: 623 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC
Website: http://beuchertssaloon.com/
Reservations: Resy
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: It looks like there is no review since Tom’s snarky one in 2013.
Washingtonian: Preview from 2013. Great First Date Bar from 2019.
The Hill is Home(!) – from 2013.