Visiting DC next week (Th-Su). Any must do restaurants (and any connections for a table?)? We are open as to cuisine. I looked at the Eater list and there seem to be some good options but most of those places seem hard to get a reservation at. Thanks all.
I live in the area and love going to eat in D.C! My most recent visit was to Zaytinya which is more Greek/Mediterranean and Tapas style but the food itself was amazing. The restaurant is owned by Jose Andres and he has a couple other really good ones around here: China Chilcano, Jaleo, Minibar, Oyamel, and others. The ones I listed, I've been to and would recommend, although I liked Zaytinya/Minibar/Jaleo the most. If you're into Indian food, I'd also recommend Rasika or Bombay Club, which are phenomenal. I think they are owned by the same group. I see a lot of people recommend Ben's Chili Bowl and honestly, it's great, but you need to be drunk. Otherwise it's... a little disappointing (I've tried). Can't help much on getting a reservation because I'm too young to be that connected... but I can help you with any more questions about things to do in D.C. in general, if you have any. P.S. are you going for the March for Science, out of curiosity? <- EDIT: Nvm, that's this weekend.
I agree with all the ones Shishy posted. Zaytinya is as solid as it gets. And if you like Peruvian, Andres' restaurant China Chilcano is just a block or two south. Michael Shhlow has a couple good Italian places (Alto Strada near Convention Center, for northern Italian) -- which also has a fish/ crudo place named Conoschi inside it, and a coastal Italian place called Casolare near the Naval Observatory. We just had a great meal at Doi Moi last weekend (14th Street up by S Street); that is basically Vietnamese with a couple other asian influences. Another good Italian-influenced place is Red Hen up near Catholic University. And Tail Up Goat in the Adams Morgan area is top-notch. None of the above places are the dressy or spendy options. For that, consider Rose's Luxury and maybe Pineapples & Pearls (if you can book a table). And La Diplomate for upscale French bistro. And for fish, maybe Blacksalt, although it's a little out of the way. <sigh> there are a ton of decent places in DC these days, which is a welcome change from 10 years ago. I might be able to help you better if you indicate where in DC you will be staying, and what types of food you like.
oops - forgot about the places Fabio Trabocchi has been scattering around town: Fiola and Fiola Mare (at Washington Harobor in Georgetown) are the fancier, and Casa Luca and Sfoglina are more casual.
Haha, I didn't realize how overwhelming it was until this thread. There is a lot of diversity here so with a limited window, I agree that location or some cuisine preferences is good to have. Just try to get reservation(s) ASAP...
Okay, I bugged my close friend who loves food and knows D.C. restaurants very well (his IG is @dcnomster and everyone should totally check it out). Here's what he said: If you don't mind waiting, go to Roses Luxury or Little Serow. If waiting is not an option, you should be able to get a reservation or walk in at Convivial, Maketto, or Zaytinya. Just thought I'd pass the message along .
Those are good additions (I have yet to eat at any of them unfortunately). Also Central in Penn Quarter for a lively take on French bistro with an American twist. Bad Saint for Filipino food, but it's anohter place that does not accept reservations. And Thip Khao for Laotian cuisine; I believe they have a special menu with real delicacies for those who like eating things that have more then 4 legs.
Have you been to Bad Saint? Not to detract from OPs thread, but I've wanted to go there for a while but the weather was always meh. Might actually try it soon... Anyway, I hope we've given you some semblance of an idea calalum of places to check out haha. DC is nice because there's a nice diversity of options, but it can also be a pain sometimes to pick and choose 1...
I have not been to Bad Saint. We have a 4-year-old, so going to highly popular places in DC that do not accept reservations is a no-go for us, especially since we are in NoVa and not actually in DC. Zaytinya is highest on our list of favorites, as it is easy to get reservations and the food is outstanding.
Looking at a downtown map, you are in the middle of everything, including a vast sea of mediocre places to eat. Places within just a few blocks that should be decent are: Georgia Brown's Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab Siroc Equinox <=== give this one a try! I think you will need to venture a bit further to get to the better/ more well-know places.
I just booked Zaytinya. Any thoughts about Nazca Mochica and Fiola Mare, where the hotel got my tables? They also booked Joe's for me, so I need to choose between that and Zaytinya. Thanks again.
Rasika, Rasika, Rasika...I know numerous people that only way there when in DC...no shit, lunch and dinner for multiple days in a row. The other suggestions are spot on. Look into Brasserie Beck on 14th and K St, not too far from the St. Regis. PJ Clarks is close by and has an awesome burger...The Cadillac, their chicken pot pie is killer too. Cannot go wrong with Equinox, been around forever. Make sure to grab a drink at The Round Robbin Room at the Willard Hotel...get a mint jump. The rooftop bar at the W is cool too. For latenight, the back bar at Old Ebbitt Grill, which is a killer place BTW, has half price raw bar and bottles of wine after 10pm...many a night we rolled in there to cap off an evening. God I miss living in DC!!!!
Zaytinya is a must. And Fiola Mare is also a must. Joe's is a place for power brokers to see and be seen. Food is good, but, well, it's steaks, etc. Zaytinya is a Mediterranean experience, with simple dishes that pack big flavors. Go for the "Chef's Tasting", as they will bring you out plate after plate after plate of fantastic stuff. And if you let me know when you are going, I can see if someone I know back in the kitchen will be working; they would be happy to come out and say hello if they are not too slammed. Fiola Mare is art on a tasty plate. I have not eaten there, but I got to see part of the kitchen team in action at a fundraising dinner, and to say that Chef Fabio is a stickler for details would be the understatement of the year
Rose's luxury is awesome. Get a table by paying someone on TaskRabbit to sit in line for you. Well worth it and a must!!!
Any of you who are in the DC area have a strong interest in cooking and/ or kitchen knives? We are having a regional gathering (East Cost, but basically mid-Atlantic) on Sunday, May 21 in northern Virginia. Probably 30-40 people overall, with about half of the people bringing examples from their collections of kitchen knives from Japanese makers, US, Canadian, English and Australian custom makers, as well as some vintage/ antique knives. The crowd is a mix of home cooks, pros, and bored spouses/ SOs . There is food and drink, with attendees typically contributing a dish/ platter of something edible. And also dinner in DC on May 20 for a dozen or so -- probably at Zaytinya this year.