Washington, DC SF'rs

With that being said, this would be my list to choose from:
1. L'Auberge Chez Francois
2. Citronelle
3. CityZen (wife's favorite)
4. Komi
5. Four Seasons

All are expensive, but Valentine's Day is only once a year. Also, I've heard good things about Marcel's but have not been there.

There are lots of places varying in price, but at this point, it might be more of an issue finding one with availability. Also, you have to take into account that several places will have special, more expensive, prix fixe V-Day menus, so my recs are based on my regular meal prices.

For pricey, there are places like Citronelle, Cityzen, Komi, Le Paradou, or The Inn at Little Washington, although the Inn is definitely a drive from DC.

For a little less pricey, but still up there, you can try Restaurant Eve, The Willard Room, Wolfgang Puck's The Source, Corduroy, Marcel's, Vidalia, Cafe Atlantico, and BLT Steak.

And for a more regular priced meal, there's Central, and if you can make the drive, VOLT in Frederick.

Hey that's in my backyard!!!

Nice food... nice atmosphere. Can get crowded though...

I've had one of the better meals of my life at L'Auberge Chez Francois. It's like a poor man's Inn at Little Washington, except not that poor. My girlfriend and I spent a weekend out there a few months ago. It's a bit of a hike from D.C. One of my favorite restaurants in D.C., which I also think is perfect for dates, is Cashion's. Although, I can't really vouch for the quality since Ann Cashion left. Nonetheless, it still has the same comfy, neighborhoody vibe, which I prefer much more to the power lunch vibe at most places in town.

You will not get in to Komi on V-day. When me and the wife couldn't get in, we decided to go to NYC for the weekend. That about sums up how I feel about the food in this town.

Cashion's Eat Place! I went there when they first opened. Can you believe the new owner looks like he's in his twenties?

I'm a fan of Cityzen, but it might be tough to get reservations. Great food and spectacular bar. Farrah Olivia in Alexandria does a nice dinner with wine pairings. Moru does simple, elegant and tasty fare, but the space is small. If you're willing to come to Bethesda, then go into DC and try Makoto on MacArthur Boulevard.

also the week after valentine's day, 16-21 i believe, is restaurant week. you can get lunch for around 20.09 and dinner for 35.09 at select restaurants.

+1 on Makoto.

Tom Sietsema's review:

Makoto

By Tom Sietsema

Washington Post Magazine

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007 Tradition -- and excellence -- reign at this intimate Japanese restaurant. At the door, patrons shed their shoes for slippers. At the table, sake is proffered in a small cedar box, the wasabi with your sushi is fresh, and the waitresses tend to their charges as if they were geisha, dabbing the tiniest drop of beer from diners' black marble place mats (and covering the briefcase you park on a free seat with a starched white napkin). To catch the best show, request a place at the wooden counter -- so close to the open kitchen that you feel the heat of the flames every time the chef adds a splash of alcohol to a pan -- and order the eight- to 10-course tasting menu. The edible pageant that follows might embrace mussels in a ginger-y broth, silken tofu dotted with salty plum, crunchy soft-shell crab served with green tea and chili powders, delicate fingers of sushi, an elegant salad of slivered apple, onion and shiso -- plus whatever mushrooms are in season, rosy beef with a light gravy of soy sauce and sake, and sparkling shaved ice flavored with grape and Grand Marnier. The details at this 16-year-old gem are exquisite. When's the last time you saw a cocktail napkin worthy of a frame"

One bonus for those seeking authenticity -- Makoto ONLY hires Japanese waitresses... whereas the waitresses at Sushi Taro are Mongolian, Korean, Thai, Chinese... and same with the chefs -- you'll never find any Korean sushi chefs at Makoto. Everybody's Japanese. It's very authentic. Now this might not matter to many people, but I'm a purist. Not that there's anything wrong, per se, with a Korean sushi chef, but given the choice, I'd rather have my lasagna prepared by an Italian and my ratatouille niçoise prepared by a Frenchman.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/makoto-restaurant-washington

These comments sum it up:

"Best. Meal. Ever. I felt like I was on Iron Chef and the secret ingredient was 'awesome.'"

"I am a Japanese, born and grown up in TOKYO, worked 25 years in TOKYO. I know many excellent Japanese restaurants in Tokyo those we use on corporate account. MAKOTO is almost same or more than them."

"If you like the food here, then congratulations. That means you like authentic Japanese food unlike most of the so -called "Japanese cuisine" (aka crap) in this country."

"Want to fall in love? I mean like all the way in love? EAT HERE!"

"What an extraordinary restaurant. Every dish is perfect."

"The most authentic Japanese meal I have ever had. Delicious from start to finish, combined with service that makes you feel like a GOD. You never want for anything; the servers are the most attentive I have ever encountered."

"This is one of the best meals I've had in my entire life."

oh, just found my closing argument:

"According to Zagat, this is THE highest rated Japanese food in all of DC."

Getting a reservation at Komi, Citronelle, and CityZen is pretty much out of the question at this point. Why not give Central, Corduroy, Brasserie Beck, WestEnd Bistro, Oyamel a shout and see if they have a reservation? Ray's the Classics in Silver Spring would be a great option and if you're willing to take a gamble on a place that doesn't take reservations, Cork could be a great option because there's lots of great food for sharing and an excellent wine list.

I went to Makoto for my sisters birthday two years ago and it was very good.

Due to a change in plans, I just cancelled my Valentine's reservation at minibar which I think is a great alternative to the traditional Valentine's dinner. The tasting menu is seasonal, full of suprises, and playful. A really fun date restaurant and of course the food is excellent.

+1. And to make it even easier, just look at opentable to see which restaurants still have availability.

And a bunch of the restaurants that have already been listen above, do in fact break the bank, but that shouldn't matter because those are the same places that won't have any availability (makoto, komi, citronelle, inn at little washington, etc).