Review: Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen - Washington D.C. — ★★★★

📍 Location: 652 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA

⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

💰 Price: $$$$$

📅 Visited: March 28, 2026 at 5:45 PM

Verdict: 👍 Definitely recommend!

It had been years since I've been down to the wharf, and wow is it different than I remember. Busy with the annual cherry blossom festival, we made our way over to Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. Situated right on the water, we walked in to a busy lounge and bar downstairs, the side of which is adorned with pictures of aspiring chefs who have been on the popular TV show.

Bottom Line

While pricey, most of the food was excellent, and sitting in the kitchen brought a unique twist to our Hell's Kitchen experience. A few minor to moderate hiccups definitely detracted from our time there, but overall, would definitely visit again.

What We Ate:

• Wagyu Meatballs
• Pan-Seared Scallops
• Beef Wellington
• 8 oz Filet w/Garlic Butter
• Brussels Sprouts
• Chocolate Sin Cake
• Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Smoke on the Water

My wife, Steph, and I visited Hell's Kitchen for our 15th wedding anniversary. Steph made the reservation noting it was for our anniversary, and secretly hoping we would end up with a better table. We were seated promptly - in the kitchen, and while we were initially hesitant about sitting in a high traffic and loud area for our occasion, the traffic and occasional yelling brought a fun twist to our overall experience.

I ordered the prix fixe menu, which for $115, included pan-seared scallops, the Beef Wellington and sticky toffee pudding. We also got the Wagyu meatballs as an appetizer, and Steph got the 8oz filet mignon, ordered butterflied and medium and the Brussels Sprouts.

The appetizers came out promptly, and did not disappoint. The scallops and meatballs were both some of the best we've had.

While enjoying the appetizers, I asked our server about a drink a friend had mentioned, and it was apparent to her that I was referring to their signature "Smoke on the Water" cocktail. Made with Rye, Aperol, Averna Amaro, Sweet Vermouth, and smoked with cherry wood, this masterpiece soon showed up and was absolutely delicious. It's a bit sweet, so I'm not sure I would have more than one, but I'd definitely have another the next time I go back.

The time between the appetizers and entrees was long. Now it wasn't so long that we were complaining, but it was long enough that our server came to our table to let us know that the chef went to go check on it. We ordered a couple more cocktails (to the tune of $18-$25 each) and our food did indeed come out a few minutes later. My Beef Wellington looked amazing, as did the Brussels Sprouts, but Steph's steak, ordered medium and butterflied was neither. We asked our server, who apologized and took it back, leaving us staring at my entree, which Steph insisted upon me starting so it didn't get cold. She loved the Brussels and tried (and enjoyed) my Wellington, but it still wasn't great having her sitting around waiting for her food. It wasn't the end of the world though and her new steak came out relatively quickly, and we were set to enjoy our meals. I tried Steph's filet, and while good, I thought the Wellington was better, and after watching so many other items prepared and come out of the kitchen, I doubt we'd order that again.

We finished our entrees, and though we had the Sticky Toffee Pudding coming, we opted to take that to-go and get the Chocolate Sin Cake. They added a little "Congratulations" sign and candle, which was nice, and the dessert itself was amazing. Neither Steph nor I consider ourselves to be big dessert people, but we both loved it.

We finished dessert and got our check. On the menu, it says a 20% service charge is included, but I had read, and already knew that it really meant that it was added on to the final check, so as our server started to explain it, I let her know that I understood, and I thanked her and took the bill. Not her fault whatsoever, but I really dislike the direction this service charge thing is going in. I'm all for paying a good wage, and I have no issue tipping, or even over-tipping when warranted, but to charge 20% on top of the check and then tell folks it's not a tip, but that 16% goes to supplement the service staff wages seems bizarre, at least to me.

Our bill went from $344 to $412.80 with the "not a tip" service charge. We talked about it a bit, and while it would have been nice to have a cocktail or dessert comped for the long-wait or the incorrect order, nothing really rose to the level where we felt it was necessary. In the end, none of the issues we experienced were likely the fault of our server and we wanted to ensure she was compensated fairly, so we tipped an additional ~18% on the subtotal. Honestly, it was just awkward trying to figure out the right thing to do there. I would prefer they raise the service charge to 25% and let folks know that a standard 20% tip is included.

Bottom Line: Overall, some of the best food I've had. Very good service. Order accuracy and wait-times may be inconsistent. Remember the service charge.

Questions about anything on this page? Feel free to reach out to me at: aaron.gersztoff@gmail.com