Washington, DC Dining Guide
Half-smokes, crab houses, chef-driven dining rooms and colonial taverns around the capital.
Two foods are distinctly Washington. The half-smoke, a coarse, spicy sausage usually split and topped with chili, is the classic late-night order on U Street. And the Chesapeake Bay supplies blue crabs, rockfish and oysters that turn up everywhere from paper-covered tables at the fish market to tasting menus. Add a large Ethiopian community, whose restaurants cluster around U Street and Shaw, and a strong influence from Spanish chef José Andrés, who opened his first Washington restaurant in Penn Quarter in the 1990s, and you have a city with more range than most visitors expect.
The list below is organized by area so you can eat near what you are seeing. Many of the best-known places take reservations and fill up on weekends and when Congress is in session, so book ahead for dinner; markets and casual counters do not take bookings.
Downtown, Penn Quarter and Logan Circle
Within walking distance of the Mall and the downtown hotels.
A Washington saloon dating to 1856, now a block from the White House, known for its raw bar and its Victorian dining rooms.
Modern Indian cooking from chef Vikram Sunderam; the crispy fried spinach, palak chaat, is the dish everyone orders.
José Andrés's original tapas restaurant, open since 1993, with paella and a long list of small plates.
A bright, high-ceilinged room serving Greek, Turkish and Lebanese mezze, another José Andrés restaurant.
A busy Parisian-style brasserie on 14th Street with a sidewalk cafe, steak frites and a popular weekend brunch.
A U Street landmark since 1958, famous for chili half-smokes and for its place in the neighborhood's history.
Capitol Hill and Union Market
Neighborhood restaurants and food halls east of the Capitol.
Pick up crab cakes, sandwiches, cheese or pastries from the vendors inside the 1873 market hall, then eat outside or carry a picnic to the Mall.
A relaxed, inventive restaurant on 8th Street SE that helped make Barracks Row a dining destination.
Serbian and Balkan small plates, grilled meats and flatbreads, served as shared plates.
A food hall in a former wholesale market building, with dozens of vendors and a rooftop drive-in movie series in the warm months.
Georgetown
Old taverns, Italian dining rooms and waterfront seafood.
A family-run tavern open since 1933, where several presidents ate; the wooden booths are labeled with their stories.
A long-running, lavishly decorated Italian restaurant where you can watch pasta being made by hand in the front window.
Chef Fabio Trabocchi's seafood restaurant on the Potomac, with a terrace facing the river and the Kennedy Center.
A large, busy restaurant owned by a farmers' cooperative, known for comfort food and brunch; between Georgetown and the White House.
The Wharf and Navy Yard
Seafood with a view, plus beer near the ballpark.
Fabio Trabocchi's coastal Spanish restaurant at the Wharf, known for paella and seafood towers.
A New England-style oyster bar and seafood restaurant beside the Anacostia, a short walk from Nationals Park.
A brewery and restaurant in a former Navy Yard boilermaker shop, with a long, changing list of house-made beers.
Old Town Alexandria and Arlington
Colonial dining rooms and waterfront tables across the river.
Meals served in the historic tavern rooms George Washington knew, with dishes like peanut soup and Washington's favorite duck.
A King Street restaurant behind a classic neon sign, serving American comfort food with Mediterranean touches.
A casual waterfront spot next to the marina, popular for crab cakes and drinks on the deck.
A neighborhood tavern in a restored 1920s building near the Clarendon Metro, with wood-fired pizza and seasonal plates.
Special Occasions
Tasting menus and rooms to book well ahead.
A tiny counter serving a long, playful avant-garde tasting menu; reservations open in advance and go quickly.
A dramatic, fire-centered restaurant cooking dishes from North Africa, the Middle East and the Caucasus over an open hearth.
Restaurants change hours, menus and ownership often — check with the restaurant before you go. Listings are editorial picks, not paid placements.
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Get free trip quotes »Washington, DC Dining — FAQ
What food is Washington, DC known for?
The half-smoke sausage, Chesapeake Bay blue crabs and oysters, and Ethiopian cooking are the three most associated with the city. Mumbo sauce, a sweet and tangy sauce served on wings at carryouts, is another local favorite.
Do I need reservations at Washington restaurants?
For dinner at popular restaurants, especially on weekends and weeknights when Congress is in session, yes. Markets, food halls and counter-service places do not take reservations.
Where can I eat near the National Mall?
Choices on the Mall itself are mostly museum cafes and food trucks. Penn Quarter, a few blocks north, has the most restaurants close by, and the Wharf is a short walk south of the Tidal Basin.