Un Je Ne Sais Quoi

I haven't been here since before the pandemic, but I'm so pleased to report it's just as good as I remember. My mom and I first went for breakfast and got an assortment of croissants, all of which were amazing (the almond one was particularly special) and returned after lunch to grab some pastries for dessert later that evening. We bought eclairs, millefuilles, a pistachio pastry, a speculoos meringue, chocolate mousse and some kind of chocolate pastry. Since the first time I went I was a fan of the millfeuilles - crispy layers, flavorful crème and honestly they're beautiful. The eclairs were surprisingly stuffed with chocolate (which i wasn't upset about- the filling was so good), the speculoos was awesome, as was the mousse, chocolate pastry. The surprise of the box was the pistachio pastry. We were all blown away by how good it was.

Mom already said next time she visits we're going back for dessert! 10/10 in our book!

This is an amazing patisserie and thankfully it is well known!! It was extremely busy on a Sunday afternoon with people crammed inside and a long line out the door. There were a few tables directly outside and a handful of small tables inside, as well as a window bench.

There was a friendly woman in line who had the confidence of someone who was a regular. I asked what her favorites were and she mentioned the majestueux as well as the chocolate banana croissant (after gushing about how everything is amazing). Another couple chimed in to say that the chocolate banana croissant was their favorite, but it always sold out so quickly.

I loved the variety of options and was so happy that the display was stocked. I didn't see the chocolate banana croissant... but I will get it one day! I bought the following:

1. Praline Paris Brest - pate à choux, praline crème mousseline, layer of praline (yum!!!), sliced almonds 5/5
* praline was recommended over the pistachio by the friendly worker helping me

2. Millefeuilles - puff pastry and vanilla pastry cream 5/5

3. Majestueux - meringue, speculoos whipped cream, and vanilla whipped cream coated with speculoos crumb 2.5/5

4. St Honoré - base of puff pastry, pate à choux with chocolate pastry cream, chocolate ganache 5/5

All were luxuriously creamy and smooth. The puff pastry was crisp and cooked perfectly. The flavors were strong but not overpowering. I really can't say anything bad about any of these. Even the majestueux, which was my least favorite only because it was too sweet for me, was delicious in its own way. The majestueux was my partner's favorite.

The prices were extremely reasonable considering the amount of time and effort that goes into making these.

That popular chocolate banana croissant was mentioned again... a sweet man was asking if he could call to reserve a couple for his wife for Mother's Day *swoon* I know she'll be really happy!

The iced vanilla latte was perfectly smooth, ratio of milk to espresso was simply perfect, and the vanilla syrup paired perfectly. The iced mocha was also surprisingly very smooth in consistency and not too thick, and was very refreshing. The cherry blossom mousse was delicious, and not overly sweet. It had cherry filling on the inside with black sesame mousse that tasted amazing and paired well together! The cherry yuzu merengue had cherry filling inside with lemon zest, it was alright but the yuzu overpowered the cherry notes.

It's a fairly small space with very limited seating, but the interior decor is very aesthetic -- rustic chic with an airy feel. Staff is friendly, make sure you go earlier in the mornings/afternoon before the pastries are all sold out!

Having a bad day? Having a good day? Having just a day? This is my deductive reasoning when determining to go to Un Je Ne Sais Quoi, because sometimes you just don't need a reason to have exceptional baked goods.

This is a weekly staple in my food rotation as I typically venture here once a week on Friday. The staff is kind and helpful in providing advice for selection. I typically do not stay to eat my pastry, but they offer both indoor and outdoor seating in their quaint space.

Some of my favorite selections are the Pain Au Chocolat, the French Loaf which is incredible for making sandwiches, and the Spinach and Feta Salted Bistro. Definitely add this to your short list of bakeries and support this amazing local business.

The food items at this little French bakery are outstanding. Today, I ordered a pear tart, an apple tart and a few croissants to feed my dental office. Everyone raved and everything was gobbled up quickly. This place really does ramp up the "charm" factor in Dupont a lot - I am really glad it is there.
One thing though - someone ought to work on the customer service skills of the workers. They are not at the same high level as the food. Maybe it is just the times we live in, but they were not very interested in providing a good customer service experience.

This quaint bakery on dupont circle definelty knows what they are doing. They serve up some amazing pastries and desserts. I thankfully didn't have a long wait in line, but grabbed their chocolate and pistachio croissant and a kouign amann to go. I preferred the pistachio croissant: Dense, flavorful, with decadent pistachio creme inside. Yum! The kouign amann was solid as well- recommend heating it up!

This isn't a cafe to get work done but more of a place to catch up with friends or have a pastry/coffee on a slow morning. There isn't much seating inside . If you can score a table, it's a great spot to sit and enjoy a nice latte. Service was quick and efficient.

it's a must go!! a 10/10 experience!!

I absolutely love this bakery, might be my top favorite in all of dc. The bakery itself is quite small with limited seating options but is always packed so finding a spot to sit especially on the weekends might be rare but the line to order it quite quick to definitely worth coming to pick up. They have beverages as well and I haven't tried them myself but my friends liked their iced coffee when they got it. Basically no going wrong here but the coffee chocolate croissant is my TOP recommendation if you're trying to decide on what to get. The Madelines are insanely soft and are also a great choice if you're not in the mood for chocolate. Hope you check it out!!

Visited Un Je Ne Sais Quoi on a cold Saturday morning in need of some coffee and something sweet.

I got the Pain Au Chocolat alongside a savory cheese and spinach pastry. Both were tasty, buttery and hit the spot. Coffee was your standard latte, nothing too fancy.

The cafe is cute and has a great selection of baked goods and coffee. It gets packed very quickly, so be sure to head there early if you want to sit down or get some work done. It's not the most spacious, but it is quite lively.

I would visit again to try some more baked goods. Overall, a fun experience!

nothing but great things about this place!! the latte was really smooth and it warmed me right up. The star of what I got was the chocolate coffee banana croissant. So many of my favorite things combined, and it was delightful!

I feel so blessed to live within walking distance of this amazing bakery. The inside space is limited and there's always a line out the door but moves quite fast. I adore their pastries, especially the Merveilleux which tastes like a cloud, Paris bret, St Honoré, and Millefeuille. I love the texture and taste of their pastry cream - so light, smooth, not too sweet, and with an amazing rich vanilla flavor.

My favorite has to be the Mont Blanc, limited to the winter season and usually sells out fast. It took me two years and multiple trials to finally get my hands on one and it was magnificent. The chestnut cream was smooth, not too sweet, and had a hint of liquor that made good better. The cream inside was extra milky and the layer of tart jam between the meringue and the crust balanced out the otherwise rich and creamy dessert.

The viennoiseries I've tried are a little hit-and-miss. The butter croissant is one of the best I've every had - so buttery, such great structure, and slightly savory to taste. I've come for this a few times and it has always be consistently good and fresh. They have a few options of pain au chocolat, including almond, pistachio, coffee, and banoffee. They are yummy but quite heavy on the filling. The apple turnover, chocolate twist, and raisin roll are good but nothing special. I've tried their savory item, leek parmasan, once and found it a little stale and light on the filling.