The Top 100 Restaurants Near Mom’s Uyghur Cuisine
-
Rank 1. Mita
Vegetarian Peruvian
Michelin-starred plant-based Peruvian tasting menu in Shaw sounds like a sentence designed to start arguments, but Mita genuinely earns it. The kitchen ranges across Latin America, and the food is inventive without being smug about it. The crowd is curious and mostly sober, here for the ride. Two format options mean you can commit as much as you want. Wear something that says you made a reservation two weeks ago.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Lou Bernard
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
-
Rank 2. Amazonia
Amazonian Peruvian
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · World’s Best Spirits Selection
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
-
Rank 3. The Dabney
American
A Michelin-starred fine dining room tucked down a cobblestone alley in Shaw, which already tells you something about its personality. The hearth does real work here, giving everything a quiet smokiness that ties the Mid-Atlantic cooking together. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, but the recently added à la carte option means you're no longer locked into a full tasting menu commitment just to get in the door.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
-
Rank 4. The Red Hen
Italian
A rustic Italian spot in Bloomingdale that's been earning its Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason, The Red Hen is reliably packed with the kind of neighborhood crowd that books weeks out and still shows up early. Exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and moody lighting give it a farmhouse warmth without trying too hard. The pastas are the move, and the bar is a solid fallback when you forgot to make a reservation, which you did.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Chef of the Year · Mike Friedman
- Washingtonian 2026 · #18 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
-
Rank 5. Jônt
American, Japanese
Ryan Ratino holds two Michelin stars here, and the room earns every one of them. It's a counter-style tasting menu above Bresca, with sharp-suited servers and chefs moving like they choreographed the whole thing. Japanese seafood and wagyu meet flawless French technique, and dessert gets its own dedicated counter. The crowd dresses up and means it. Worth every penny if you're the kind of person who thinks dinner should feel like an event.
-
Rank 6. Baan Mae
Laotian
Seng Luangrath basically put Laotian food on DC's map, and her Shaw restaurant is where she's having the most fun with it. The menu roams across Southeast Asia, the room skews young and curious, and the vibe is casual enough that you won't feel weird ordering the FiLao-O-Fish sliders, a deadpan McDonald's riff that somehow works better than it has any right to. Go hungry and share everything.
- Bon Appétit 2025 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Washingtonian 2026 · #25 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- The Washington Post 9 of the best restaurants in Shaw
-
Rank 7. Rooster & Owl
American
A Michelin-starred prix-fixe spot in Columbia Heights where the menu bounces from steakhouse classics to Japanese yam to a pear salad doing a cacio e pepe impression, all in four courses. It sounds chaotic and it kind of is, but the kitchen sticks the landing every time. The crowd leans creative-class, dressed like they read the right newsletters. The bar will even match wines to whatever you end up ordering, which is a genuinely nice touch.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
-
Rank 8. Mom’s Uyghur Cuisine
Uyghur
-
Rank 9. Cucina Morini
Italian
A Sicilian-leaning trattoria in NoMa where the bar crowd spills into every corner and the energy never really dips. The kitchen makes its pasta in-house and offers half portions, which is the kind of move that actually lets you eat well instead of committing to one bowl and having regret. Comfort food done with real skill, and a room full of after-work regulars who clearly know something you don't yet.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #12 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 10. Masseria
Puglian Italian
A Michelin-starred tasting restaurant in a converted warehouse that somehow pulls off glamorous and unfussy at the same time. The chef's Puglian roots shape everything, and the pasta and bread courses alone justify the trip. The room draws a well-dressed crowd who came to linger, and the staff seem genuinely happy to let them. The cocktail bar up front is worth a stop on its own if a full tasting feels like a commitment.
-
Rank 11. Your Only Friend
American
A Bib Gourmand sandwich bar that takes the format way more seriously than it has any right to, which turns out to be a good thing. The menu reads like someone who actually knows cocktail bars decided to open a deli instead, and the drinks are genuinely worth ordering. The crowd skews young and neighborhood-casual, the kind of people who appreciate a good sandwich and aren't embarrassed about it.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. East
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Hottest Sandwich Spot of the Year
-
Rank 12. St. James
Caribbean
Modern Caribbean restaurant on 14th Street where the cooking genuinely earns its hype, which is a rare thing. The room has an industrial-cool look softened by color, and the menu is built for sharing, which gives you an excuse to order too much. Start with a rum cocktail, then work through smoky jerk brisket and whatever else the table can handle. The crowd skews date-night and friend-group, dressed up just enough to feel like the evening matters.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #4 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
-
Rank 13. minibar by José Andrés
Contemporary
José Andrés holds two Michelin stars here, and the room earns every one of them. It's a tasting counter experience where the whole point is that nothing is what it looks like, and the chef's team seems genuinely delighted to watch you figure that out. Sharply dressed servers hover at the edges while guests in their best outfits crowd a curved counter, watching cooks work close enough to touch. Weird, smart, and genuinely fun.
-
Rank 14. Shia
Korean
Edward Lee's 22-seat Korean fine dining room is one of those places where every course makes you wonder why more restaurants don't cook like this. The tasting menu takes traditional Korean ingredients seriously without being stiff about it, and the Korean spirits list goes deep into territory most people have never tried. First-daters and food-curious regulars fill the tiny room, all quietly impressed and pretending they're not.
- Esquire 2025 · 50/50 · The Best Martinis in America
- Washingtonian 2026 · #37 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 15. Unconventional Diner
Modern New American
It looks like a classic diner, white walls and seafoam booths, but the menu is doing something a little sneakier. This Bib Gourmand spot in Shaw takes comfort-food staples and nudges them just far enough that you feel like you discovered something. Brunch draws the weekend crowd, and the lemon meringue pie has a devoted following. Book ahead, because the locals already figured this one out.
-
- Esquire 2023 · Medina's Martini Service · The Best Martinis in America
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Cocktail Program of the Year
-
Rank 17. Maydān
Middle Eastern
The open fire at the center of this Middle Eastern restaurant isn't just for atmosphere, it does most of the actual cooking, and you can tell. Go for the prix-fixe and let the spreads, grilled meats, and rice pudding arrive in waves while you work through the cocktail list. The crowd leans date-night and special-occasion, everyone looking slightly more dressed up than they needed to but not mad about it.
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Eater 2018 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Bon Appétit 2018 · #2 · America's Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 18. Baan Siam
Thai
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #76 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
-
- Food & Wine 2023 · Mentaiko and Corn Pizza · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
-
Rank 21. PhoXotic
Noodles
A Bib Gourmand pho shop in Bloomingdale where the broth is serious business and the menu stays in its lane, which is exactly the point. The chef came up in butchery, and it shows in bowls loaded with brisket, short rib, and beef shank, finished with torched bone marrow if you're feeling dramatic. Counter seating, QR codes, no reservations, no fuss. The crowd comes hungry and leaves very quiet, which is the highest compliment a bowl of pho can get.
-
Rank 22. La' Shukran
French, Levantine
Finding it is half the fun: duck into a Union Market alley, spot the green door, and climb the stairs into a jewel-toned bistro where French technique meets Levantine soul. Chef Michael Rafidi runs one of DC's most genuinely original rooms, all habibi-funk vinyl and cool-kids energy. The menu is built for sharing, the cocktails are saffron-spiked, and snapping a reservation requires actual effort. That's usually a sign.
- The New York Times 2025 · Falafel Jibneh · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · New Restaurant of the Year
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
-
Rank 23. Marcus
American
Marcus Samuelsson's hotel restaurant in NoMa is the rare kind of upscale dining room that actually earns its price tag. The cooking pulls from all over, Southern, West African, Scandinavian, and somehow it coheres into something genuinely exciting rather than confused. The room draws a well-dressed crowd that came with a reservation and a plan. The crab rice, despite its modest name, arrives as a full production, and the blue cornbread lives up to the talk.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #32 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater Rising Chef · The 2025 Eater DC Award Winners · Anthony Jones
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Anthony Jones
-
Rank 24. Karizma
Modern Indian
Modern Indian in Penn Quarter with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and it earns it. Karizma is a proper sit-down restaurant where the cooking takes Indian cuisine seriously without taking itself too seriously, so the room stays lively rather than hushed. The naan alone is worth the trip. The drinks menu, including some genuinely good alcohol-free options, is more creative than you'd expect, so don't just default to beer.
-
Rank 25. Elmina
Ghanaian
Eric Adjepong runs this stylish Ghanaian restaurant on 14th Street, and it's the kind of place that makes you wonder why West African food hasn't had a bigger moment in this city until now. You can do a full tasting menu or graze from the bar menu, which riffs on Ghana's casual chop-bar tradition. The room draws a well-dressed crowd that clearly did their research, and nobody looks like they're in a hurry to leave.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- Washingtonian 2026 · #6 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
-
Rank 26. Eatopia Eatery
Ethiopian
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- The Washington Post The 8 best Ethiopian restaurants in and around D.C.
-
Rank 27. Fiola
Italian
Fiola is a Michelin-starred Italian tasting restaurant sitting on Pennsylvania Avenue, which means you're eating exceptional pasta roughly halfway between the White House and the Capitol, which feels appropriately dramatic. The room pulls off retro glitz without the stuffiness, and the crowd tends to run toward people who've loosened their ties but not their ambitions. The kitchen does modern regional Italian in a way that makes the classics feel genuinely exciting rather than dutiful.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- 50 Top Italy 2026 · #7 · The Best Italian Restaurants In The World
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
-
Rank 28. Zaytinya
Mediterranean
José Andrés runs this sleek mezze spot pulling from Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish cooking, and it's earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good reason. The room feels breezy and modern, full of suits loosening up over spreads and pita alongside groups of friends with no plans to leave anytime soon. Order a bunch of small plates, let things pile up on the table, and let someone else figure out the bill.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian Where to Eat Near the National Mall
-
Rank 29. Rasika
Modern Indian
Modern Indian done right, in a room loud enough that nobody's listening to your conversation anyway. Rasika pulls in a real cross-section of D.C., from Hill staffers unwinding to couples on a proper date night, and the vibe works for both. The food is confident and unfussy, the kind of cooking that makes you wonder why Indian food ever got saddled with a cheap reputation. Do yourself a favor and order extra naan, because you will run out.
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
-
Rank 30. L'Ardente
Italian
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #44 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · David Deshaies
-
If someone asks where to get Buffalo wings in DC, this is your answer. Upstate FTW is a bar tucked inside the U Street spot Sport & Social, run by a chef who grew up in upstate New York and clearly has something to prove. The wings are crispy, properly sauced, and the result of a multi-day prep process that you won't taste so much as feel. The crowd is exactly what U Street suggests: loud, happy, not thinking about calories.
- Washingtonian 2025 · Buffalo Wings · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Scott Drewno and Danny Lee - Fried Rice Collective
- Washingtonian 2025 · Buffalo Wings · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
-
-
Rank 33. Anju
Korean
Anju is a Korean gastropub on 18th Street where the whole concept is food made for drinking, which means everything arrives salty, spicy, or rich enough to justify another round of soju. The crowd is young and loud and clearly regulars, packed into a brick-walled room that manages to feel cozy at full capacity. The menu pulls from real home cooking, and that warmth comes through in every bowl.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Scott Drewno and Danny Lee - The Fried Rice Collective
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · Angel Barreto
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Angel Barreto
-
-
-
-
Rank 37. Chai Pani
Indian
Chai Pani brings the James Beard Award-winning Indian street food party from Asheville to Union Market, and it fits right in. The DC outpost is loud, color-drenched, and genuinely festive, the kind of place where everyone looks like they're having more fun than you until you order something. Go for the snacky stuff, the crispy bites and tangy tamarind things, and don't plan on getting out of there without overeating.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani - Chai Pani Restaurant Group
- Washingtonian 2026 · #29 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
-
Rank 38. Shōtō
Modern Japanese
Shōtō is a sleek modern Japanese restaurant where the room does half the work, volcanic stone cascading from the ceiling, warm wood everywhere, and lighting dialed to make everyone look suspiciously attractive. It draws the kind of crowd that dresses up without trying too hard. The menu leans on robata grilling and sushi, and the Japanese whiskey list is genuinely impressive, so let the bar be your first stop before you eat.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
-
Rank 39. Rania
Contemporary Indian
A Michelin-starred prix-fixe doing contemporary Indian in a way that feels genuinely exciting rather than just dressed up. The kitchen takes the classics seriously and then quietly does something unexpected with them, and the cocktails are built to keep pace with the bold flavors on the plate. The crowd leans date-night and special-occasion, everyone looking like they planned the outfit. Worth every bit of the commitment.
-
-
-
Rank 42. Chaplin's
Noodles
Shaw's answer to ramen that actually earns the hype, Chaplin's is a noodle bar with a 21-plus door and a cocktail list that gives people something to talk about. The ramen comes hot or cold, both built with real intention, and the dumplings and small bites are as central to the meal as the noodles. The crowd skews young and loud in the best way, and nobody's leaving without dessert.
-
Rank 43. Family Ethiopian Restaurant
Ethiopian
A family-run Ethiopian spot on Ninth Street that genuinely feels like someone's aunt is cooking for you, which is basically the point. The room is cheerful and unpretentious, with art on every wall and serious women running the kitchen. Order the family platter and let the injera do the heavy lifting, scooping up stews and greens that taste like they've been made with actual care, because they have.
-
Rank 44. San Lorenzo Ristorante + Bar
Tuscan Italian Cocktail Bar
A veteran of one of DC's most beloved Italian kitchens hung up the white tablecloths and opened this warm, neighborhood trattoria in Shaw, named for his son. The exposed brick and painted tile floor feel genuinely Tuscan rather than decorator-Tuscan, and the pasta here is the real reason to go. It draws regulars who already know what they're ordering and first-timers who don't realize they'll be back next week.
-
Rank 45. Cranes
Spanish/Japanese
-
Rank 46. L’Ardente
Italian
The 40-layer lasagna here has been the talk of DC for a good reason, so go ahead and order it before you even sit down. It's a casual-ish Italian spot inside a gleaming Capitol Crossing development, wood-burning grill and pizza oven humming away while the after-work crowd unbuttons their collars. Grab a counter seat to watch the kitchen move. The Michelin Bib Gourmand nod confirms it punches well above the room's price point.
-
Rank 47. Tiger Fork
Hong Kong-style Chinese
Hong Kong-style bar and kitchen tucked off the main road, which means half the fun is actually finding it. Inside it's all brick walls, dragon murals, and lanterns doing the most, with a crowd that dressed up just enough to feel good about it. The cocktails are genuinely clever, and the food, especially the chili wontons and cheung fun, holds its own. The fortune cookies dispense rap lyrics, which tells you everything about the vibe.
-
Rank 48. Rumi’s Kitchen
Persian
Persian food done properly in a grand dining room that somehow still feels warm and welcoming, with earthy colors, a lively bar, and a tandoor oven you can watch from your seat. This is a full sit-down dinner spot, the kind where you settle into a high-backed banquette and let the meal stretch out. The crowd skews date night and celebration, dressed just enough to feel like the room deserves it.
-
Rank 49. Queen's English
Chinese
A cozy Columbia Heights neighborhood spot doing inventive Hong Kong-inspired cooking at prices that won't wreck your night. The room is small and quietly stylish, with blue banquettes and geometric screens giving everyone a little privacy, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd filling the place most nights. High-heat wok dishes that actually taste like someone's been thinking hard, not just showing off.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Henji Cheung
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Time Out #9 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
-
Rank 50. Seven Reasons
Caribbean
A gorgeous bi-level restaurant on H Street where the kitchen pulls from Venezuela, Peru, and the Caribbean to put together plates that look almost too good to eat. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, people dressed up just enough to feel like they made an effort. Portions are generous and flavors are bold, which is a more welcome surprise than it sounds at this price point.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Enrique Limardo
-
-
Rank 52. Supra
Georgian Eastern European
Georgian food is having a moment, and Supra is the reason to care. It's a proper sit-down restaurant with an elegant dining room that somehow also has sheep hats hanging on the walls, which tells you everything about the balance they're going for. The khachapuri, a bread boat filled with molten cheese and a runny egg, is the dish that'll have you reconsidering all your life choices. The wine list pulls from one of the oldest wine regions on earth.
-
Rank 53. Perry's
Japanese
Perry's is an Adams Morgan neighborhood Japanese spot that's been around forever, but the kitchen has quietly become one of the more talked-about in the city. The menu mixes sushi with Japanese comfort food that doesn't play it safe, think fried mochi, katsu burgers, and dumplings that have no business being as good as they are. The crowd is relaxed and local, the kind of place regulars treat like their living room.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · Emerging Chef · Masako Morishita
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 54. Oyamel
Mexican
José Andrés runs this lively Mexican spot near the National Mall, and it draws a faithful crowd of off-duty staffers and tourists who've done their homework. Pull up a stool at the ceviche bar, order something cold, and graze through small plates that take regional Mexican cooking seriously without making you feel like you're in a lecture. The happy hour menu is a genuinely good deal in a city that doesn't always bother.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Omar Rodriguez
- Washingtonian Where to Eat Near the National Mall
-
-
Rank 56. Mandu
Korean
A Korean restaurant that's been proving this city thinks too small about Korean food for years now. The soaring ceilings and long bar give it a neighborhood-restaurant-that-means-business feel, and the crowd tends to be regulars who already know what they're ordering. The broths and stews are the move here, deeply comforting and genuinely fiery, and the gamjatang alone is worth the trip.
-
Rank 57. Tapori
Indian
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Suresh Sundas
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Washingtonian 2026 · #43 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
-
Rank 58. Ottoman Taverna
Turkish
The room alone is worth the trip: honeycomb walls, a massive Hagia Sophia mural, and deep-blue pendant lights that make the whole place feel like a fever dream of Istanbul. Ottoman Taverna is a proper sit-down Turkish restaurant in Mt. Vernon Triangle, the kind where you work through cold meze and kebabs while sipping apple-rose tea. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, which the setting absolutely delivers on.
-
-
Rank 60. Dauphine's
Cajun & Creole
Dauphine's is a sprawling, three-level New Orleans-style restaurant that earns its Michelin Bib Gourmand the old-fashioned way: through serious Cajun and Creole cooking that couldn't care less about impressing you. The room is big and buzzy, full of the kind of crowd that orders another round before finishing the first. Go hungry, work through the oysters and the blackened crab, and save room for dessert.
-
Laos in Town is a casual Northeast DC spot that takes Southeast Asian cooking seriously, which means the spicy dishes are actually spicy and the menu goes places most Thai restaurants don't bother with. The crowd is a mix of neighborhood regulars and people who clearly did their homework. There's a solid cocktail list if you need something cold to cope with the heat, and vegans eat well here too, which is rarer than it should be.
-
-
-
Rank 64. The Bombay Club
Indian
Polished Indian dining steps from the White House, where the power-lunch crowd loosens their ties but never their ambitions. The room channels old British Raj club energy, all plush and proper, and the cooking is the real deal, ranging from Northern grilled meats to Southern coconut dishes. You'll spend half the meal squinting at the banquette trying to figure out which senator that is. That's half the fun.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Ashok Bajaj - Knightsbridge Restaurant Group
-
Rank 65. Michele’s
French-inspired New American
The name over the door is the chef's late mother's, and that warmth shows up in the cooking. This brasserie inside the Eaton Hotel draws a laid-back hotel crowd plus locals who figured out it's better than it has to be, doing French-touched American comfort food that skips the fussiness. Think Gulf Coast flavors and New Orleans soul, with smashburgers and crawfish pasta sharing the menu without any apology. Great for a low-key dinner when you want good food without a dress code.
-
Rank 66. Karravaan
Silk Road Middle Eastern
Karravaan is a Silk Road-inspired Middle Eastern spot in Northeast DC that makes sharing feel mandatory in the best way. Think bold, spiced flavors and generous plates meant to be passed around, drawing a neighborhood crowd that comes hungry and leaves happy. The smoky eggplant dip with house-made flatbread is reason enough to show up. Wear whatever you want, order more than you think you need, and let the table figure out the rest.
-
Rank 67. Pascual
Mexican
Capitol Hill's hottest reservation right now is this lively, sharing-focused Mexican spot where the cooking feels more Mexico City than D.C. The vegetable dishes are quietly the stars of the table, though the lamb barbacoa will make carnivores very happy. It draws a young, neighborhood crowd who knew early and booked faster than you did. Go with a group, order everything, and sort out the logistics of getting a table before you get excited about going.
- 50 Best #42 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Chef of the Year · Matt Conroy & Isabel Coss
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · New Restaurant of the Year
-
Rank 68. The Occidental
American
This grand American dining room a block from the White House has been around forever, and a recent overhaul turned it from a dusty landmark into one of the chicest rooms in DC. Olive-green velvet booths, excellent martinis, a menu of oysters and rib eye that somehow feels both timeless and fun. The crowd skews power-lunch and date-night, everybody looking like they have somewhere to be afterward.
- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- Washingtonian 2025 · Oysters With Beurre Blanc · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
-
Rank 69. Amparo Fondita
Mexican
Modern Mexican done with real care in a minimalist Dupont Circle room, where the Michelin folks handed out a Bib Gourmand and honestly, it tracks. The chef nixtamalizes corn in-house and the menu swings from a raw bar to mole-glazed halibut to sides that quietly steal the show. The crowd tends toward first dates and neighborhood regulars who've figured out that the "simple" dishes are never actually simple.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
-
Rank 70. Causa
Peruvian
Tucked into a Shaw alley, Causa is a Peruvian tasting menu spot that actually makes you feel like you traveled somewhere. Six courses move through the regions of Peru in a way that feels considered rather than educational, with serious seafood doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Upstairs at Amazonia, the bar crowd is looser and the pisco sours are good, but down here it's date-night energy and people quietly impressed by things they can't quite name.
-
Rank 71. Izakaya Seki
Japanese
A genuine izakaya tucked into a DC rowhouse, where a father-daughter team turns out the kind of quiet, precise Japanese small plates that make you forget you had other plans. Regulars prop up the kitchen counter and work through the hand-doodled specials while everyone else figures out sake pairings. Tuesday nights the upstairs flips into a natural-wine bar that the industry crowd has quietly claimed as their own.
-
Rank 72. Jaleo
Spanish
José Andrés has since taken this tapas spot global, but DC is where it all started, which gives it a certain hometown-legend energy. The room is loud, colorful, and genuinely fun, full of groups sharing plates and tourists who did their homework. Sangria flows freely, the seafood is serious, and the paella arrives like it means something. Tasting menus exist if you want someone else to make the decisions.
-
Rank 73. Cane
Trinidadian Caribbean
Cane is a tiny, colorful street food spot on H Street serving some of the most soulful Trinidadian cooking in the city, and it's got a Bib Gourmand to prove it. The room is cheerful and snug, with pastel walls and a photo of Obama mid-doubles that tells you everything you need to know. Rich stews, spiced chickpeas, and flaky fried fish draw a loyal crowd happy to squeeze in and stay a while.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Peter Prime
-
Rank 74. Ceibo
Uruguayan
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 75. Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi
Afro-Caribbean
Kwame Onwuachi is a genuine celebrity-chef name, and his Afro-Caribbean restaurant inside the Salamander Hotel is exactly as cool as that sounds. The menu is built for sharing, with bold, technically sharp plates that somehow also feel personal to DC. The room draws the kind of crowd that dresses up just enough to mean it. The cocktail list, including the non-alcoholic side, is worth your full attention.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Condé Nast Traveler 2024 · The best new restaurants in the world
- 50 Best #37 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
-
Rank 76. Tail Up Goat
Caribbean
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Hospitality
-
Rank 77. CherCher Ethiopian Restaurant
Ethiopian
-
-
Rank 79. Rasika
Indian
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 80. Grazie Nonna
American Italian
Grazie Nonna is a buzzy Italian-American trattoria that treats Sunday-supper nostalgia as a creative starting point rather than an excuse to coast. The vibe is warm and a little loud, the bar is packed with people who came for one drink and stayed for pasta, and the food hits harder than the checkered-tablecloth premise might suggest. Order something saucy and something with breadcrumbs, and you'll leave wondering why your own nonna never pulled this off.
-
A full-on Greek taverna that actually commits to the bit, with olive trees indoors, hand-thrown pottery on the walls, and a menu that reads like a greatest-hits of the Mediterranean. The room feels warm and unhurried, the kind of place where big groups settle in for the night. Grilled fish, souvlaki, spanakopita, and those fries will keep you busy, and you're finishing with baklava whether you planned to or not.
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Favorite Gathering Place of the Year
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 82. El Secreto de Rosita
Peruvian
A cozy Peruvian restaurant on U Street that manages to feel genuinely romantic without trying too hard about it. The menu roams Peru's full range of influences, from coastal seafood to Asian and European touches, and the kitchen handles all of it with real confidence. The crowd tends toward date-nighters and neighborhood regulars who've clearly been back a few times. The cocktails are solid, the service is warm, and dessert is worth staying for.
-
Rank 83. Café Riggs
Contemporary French
Café Riggs is a grand brasserie tucked inside a hotel just blocks from the Mall, with the kind of brass, marble, and velvet booths that make you sit up straighter without meaning to. The service is sharp enough that deal-makers and lobbyists treat it like a second office, but it works just as well for a post-work drink when you want somewhere that feels like an occasion without requiring one.
-
Rank 84. Pineapple & Pearls
New American
Most tasting menus whisper at you reverently. This Capitol Hill spot with a Michelin star does the opposite, and that's exactly the point. It's a full prix-fixe production with caviar, tableside absinthe, chefs in gold Nikes, and the kind of energy that makes it feel less like fine dining and more like a very well-fed party. The crowd dresses up and leans in. Come hungry, come festive, and don't expect a quiet night.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
-
Rank 85. Thip Khao
Laotian, Thai
Thip Khao is the restaurant that put Laotian food on the map in DC, and it's been worth the trip ever since. It's a casual Columbia Heights dinner spot where the food is designed to share, which means you and whoever you dragged along should order way more than feels reasonable. The "jungle menu" goes places most kitchens won't. Sticky rice is non-negotiable. The crowd is adventurous and unpretentious, which is exactly the right energy for this kind of meal.
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
-
Rank 86. Shouk
Middle Eastern
-
Rank 87. Gravitas
Contemporary
Gravitas is a Michelin-starred tasting spot in Ivy City that makes you feel like you discovered it yourself, even though word is very much out. The exposed brick and open kitchen give it just enough edge to balance the serious cooking happening inside. Set menus run three to six courses, so you can calibrate how deep you want to go. The crowd dresses up slightly, takes their time, and pretends not to notice the table next to them.
-
Rank 88. Obelisk
Seasonal Italian
Obelisk has been around forever, serving a five-course prix-fixe of seasonal Italian cooking in a room that feels more like a neighborhood spot than a formal commitment. Which is probably why it draws a younger crowd than you'd expect. The food is honest and unfussy, the antipasti alone justify the trip, and everything from the bread to dessert is made in-house. Clear your evening, though, this one takes its time.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Esther Lee
-
Rank 89. Rose's Luxury
American
Rose's Luxury holds a Michelin star and somehow still feels like dinner at your most talented friend's place, complete with string lights and an open kitchen. It's a prix fixe spot on Capitol Hill where the cooking is genuinely clever without being smug about it. The crowd is first-daters and regulars who've memorized every course, all equally happy to be there, which tells you everything.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Washingtonian 2026 · #23 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
-
Rank 90. La Tejana
Mexican
A Bib Gourmand breakfast taco counter that started as a pop-up and wisely never left. The flour tortillas here are genuinely special, warm and soft in a way that makes you realize most places have been doing it wrong. Fillings run from eggs and beans to chorizo and brisket, and the whole operation is fast, cheap, and no-reservations. Mt. Pleasant regulars in hoodies fill the line most mornings, and honestly they have the right idea.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year
- Time Out #16 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
-
Rank 91. Lapis
Afghan
Afghan food done with real care, in a room full of vintage rugs and hurricane lamps that practically beg you to linger over another cocktail. This is a cozy sit-down restaurant in Adams Morgan with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to its name, and the cooking is lighter and more fragrant than you might expect. The crowd skews date-night and clearly knows the menu well. Order the dumplings and whatever rice dish they're pushing, and don't skip dessert.
-
Rank 92. Residents Café & Bar
Contemporary Middle Eastern
A Bib Gourmand café tucked into a black-painted row house in Dupont, with a shady patio out front and two levels of exposed brick, mid-century stools, and Edison bulbs inside. The menu lands somewhere between a Istanbul kitchen and a European bistro, which sounds chaotic but somehow works. Brunching creative types and after-work regulars both feel at home here, which tells you the vibe is relaxed enough that nobody's trying too hard.
-
Rank 93. Bar del Monte
Italian
Casual Italian in a converted auto shop on Mt Pleasant, and yes, they lean into the gimmick just enough to be charming without being annoying. The menu rotates constantly, but the kitchen stays committed to good Italian instincts, and the bubble-crusted pizzas alone justify the trip. The room fills up with neighborhood regulars and first-daters who all somehow look equally at home. Wash it down and end with gelato piled absurdly high.
- Bon Appétit 2024 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Washingtonian 2025 · Arrosticini · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
-
-
-
Rank 96. Eunoia
Bulgarian, Mexican
-
Rank 97. Elizabeth's
Vegetarian
- Washingtonian 8 Exciting and Delicious Vegan Restaurants Around DC
- Washingtonian 8 Exciting and Delicious Vegan Restaurants Around DC
-
Rank 98. Purple Patch Food & Drink
Filipino
- Time Out #17 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
-
Rank 99. Cana
Brazilian
A tiny caipirinha bar in Adams Morgan that somehow nails both the drinks and the food, which is rarer than it sounds. The crowd is loose and loud, vinyl's on the turntable, and everyone at every table has ordered the picanha steak. The charcoal oven turns out serious food, and the fried tapioca squares with spicy guava dipping sauce are the kind of snack you keep reordering without meaning to.
- Washingtonian 2025 · Dadinhos de Tapioca · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
- Washingtonian 2026 · #26 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater Best Night Out
-
Rank 100. Lapis Afghan Bistro
Afghan Middle Eastern
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- Time Out #15 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.