Where to eat in DC

JBF Outstanding Restaurant

pear dessert, linzer tarts YUM

Ultimate destination, worth special journey

Michelin ⭐⭐ (2021-2025, consistent 2-star)

Special occasion fine dining

José Andrés | JBF Humanitarian 2024

Ultra-special occasion, culinary theater

JBF Outstanding Restaurant Semifinalist

Service absolutely phenomenal, decor feels a bit cheap for the cost but great food

Ultimate special occasion party

Washingtonian Top 100

Vegetarian special occasion

JBF Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Semifinalist (Jeremiah Langhorne)

Regional American, wood-fire

Michelin ⭐ (2024 NEW)

Special occasion sushi

Michelin ⭐ (2022-2025)

Regional Spanish by Chef Danny Lledó

Spanish fine dining

Michelin ⭐ (2023-2025)

really really underwhelmed, its all plating

Contemporary Latin

4 stars total across locations

GREAT VIBES, felt where she lands on price

Colombian fine dining, theatrical

ELEGANT

ELEGANT but formal contemporary (Jenn's least favorite style) - foie gras ew gross

Sophisticated special occasion

Michelin ⭐ (2018-2025)

foie gras ew gross

Classic French

Michelin ⭐ (2018-2025)

Italian special occasion

Tom Sietsema Top 40

really really awesome elevated indian

Indian fine dining

Michelin ⭐ (2022-2025)

Love the service, elevated atmosphere, disappoints on some execution but EXCELLENT food aesthetics; so underwhelmed and disappointed but ambiance is killer - throw away fancy date

Neighborhood fine dining

JBF Emerging Chef 2024 (Masako Morishita) | RAMMY Rising Star 2024 | Tom Sietsema Favorite | Casually goodn not breaking the bank

Rooftop omakase, drag brunch

Michelin Bib (2024 NEW) | Tom Sietsema Favorite

Upscale casual Mexican

Michelin Bib (2024-2025) | Tom Sietsema Top 40 2024 | Bib

Pani puri snack, contemporary Indian - not memorable either

Casual Indian

Michelin Bib (2021-2025) | Tom Sietsema Hall of Fame | Bidens ate here 2023 | Bib

Best salad - high protein, scrumptious

Neighborhood Italian

Michelin Guide (2024-2025) | Connected to Nabiha

Gorgeous, would go back for dessert

Peruvian exploration

Michelin Bib (2021-2025) | Washingtonian Top 100

vibey sorefront (apparel/shoes) - take a sneakerhead here; AMAZING dessert

Casual Asian fusion

Michelin Guide (2024-2025)

Greek and Mediterranean seafood

Greek fine dining

Michelin Bib (2024-2025)

'Makan' = let's eat in Malay, Penang feel

Malaysian casual

Tom Sietsema Favorite

Such cute décor - great date

Neighborhood fine dining, date night

Tom Sietsema Favorite | Washingtonian Top 100

Actually stunning dinner, get the feast, TEXTURES

Latin American fine dining

Historic near White House | ELEGANT

ELEGANT - historic near White House

Business dining, traditional

Near White House, established

Upscale Indian near White House

Business dining, Indian

Established omakase

Fuck me up with sushi; GREAT SUSHI, idk where I land on fair pay and the crazy price

Traditional omakase

Japanese dining

Tom Sietsema Favorite

Chinese fine dining

Danny Lee's original restaurant

Casual Korean

Nepali exploration

as a pescatarian only rly want to go if its family style dishes heavy indv. But really really great flavors

Laotian casual

cute neighborhood vibe, solid thai, small portions

Thai casual

Chef KWAME - insititution, know the history if ur a real dcer

West African

SO FCKING CUTE with flower shop in front

Argentinian

Indian casual

really interesting food, love it for big friend group gathering (3+)

Laotian

overpriced BUT GOOD ethiopian; classed up ethiopian, good for introducing whites

Ethiopian

overfuckingpriced but gorgeous interior, trying very hard to be french-y

Italian

Casual seafood

amazing, love the hotel-restaurant-bar-rooftop complex - it’s a marvel of an organism

Italian casual

really disappointed given history of chef ogawa - the senile has affected presentation I think

Sushi

avocado toast I actually crave

American casual upscale

YES GET THE MOQUECE, go with food aventurers, good brunch

Brazilian

get the cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies and shakshuka; their yogurt cup is fucked up good but legit 1k calories be careful

Café/bakery

go for the vibes its all so mediocre - style over substance

French café

YES DOSAS

Vegan casual

solid pizza nothing special

Pizza

solid pasta place option, moody date night interior

American casual

a little bit of a trek but woodley park is so cute, the mezze was great, all done great, kinda zionist I heard??

Israeli street food

they almost died they came back they are an underdog, go if in the neighborhood, DO NOT ORDER online from them - it will take a ridiculous amount of time

Thai

José Andrés restaurant

I never not have a good time, large, nnot so special feeling for a date great for colleagues

Mediterranean mezze

José Andrés restaurant

fresh guac being made in front charming not the best mexican but highlights key ingredients good love letter to mexico

Mexican casual

great vegan ramen - upstairs has sushi - pretty solid, not memorable

Ramen

Tom Sietsema Favorite

not memorable - always a little too greasy? A couple of standout items Id go back for at a happy hour

Chinese casual

yes yes yes this is indian done right from restaurant vibe to menu

Indian casual

Park Hyatt hotel

shockingly good for hotel restaurant

Hotel restaurant, upscale

best salad - high protein - scrumptious shrimp - sucks It m

Burmese

conrad is gorgeous I would go back for the dessert

Seafood

why does every basic bitch love barthelonaaaaaa, answer - its roaming with singles/fuckbois

Spanish tapas

good luck with a res godamnnit

Middle Eastern casual

chain but hear its reallllyyyy good

Persian casual

of peter chang fame

Chinese

Fine dining

epitome of style over substance but its good style ngl

Japanese

Dupont Circle Hotel

good neutral option, parents material

Hotel dining

French bistro

Ramen

American upscale

Japanese upscale

Michelin Bib (2024-2025)

Asian fusion

Michelin Bib (2024-2025)

Creole

Michelin Bib (2024-2025)

Caribbean

Tex-Mex

Southern

Italian

really cute for brunch quick sweet treat pickup on a Sunday morn

Neighborhood bakery by day, full-service restaurant by night

meh ramen but in admo

Casual ramen

Himalayan food

honey cake - go here to be interesting

Armenian café

Latin casual

once an institution, now it’s a little commonplace and lost its shine

Casual burgers

they have pupusas. Are they good? No

Salvadoran no-frills

a big ole ugly institution but an INSTITUTION nonetheless

Mexican institution

good for nrunch, always packed

Mediterranean brunch

ngl, not bad at all

British pub

I hated it here idk why

Chain ramen

really fresh? Ethiopian, just feels clean

Ethiopian

rooftop bar

Rooftop dining

good veg tacos!!

Veg tacos

loveeee the downstairs lounge, fucking gorgeous design

Mexican with lounge

hated it here but I don’t remember why

Peruvian-Chinese fusion

HONESTLY RLY GOOD FOR A FAST CASUAL TYPE OF PLACE but not at all amazing indian by far

Modern Indian HH

if you like jose andres, in the area, want tapas, meh

Spanish tapas

it’s a vibe but let's not pretend its good sushi. Go for the brunch if you can snag a res

Celebrity Japanese

insecur emen trying to feel important vibe sue me

Georgetown Italian institution

hear it’s a RLY good burger

French burgers

knowing that this is supposedly where JFK supposedly proposed to jackie is enough, disgustingly packed during the holidays

Historic Georgetown tavern

georgetown location is uncomfortably packed but I crave their pitas, love the interesting pastries, always a vibe

American HH spot

idk how to describe this other than its VERY "OUI OUI"

French bakery

two words. Egg bagels.

Bagels

its so cute but never been bc I hear the food is just okay italian and jenny hates italian generally

Italian

if you want to feel like your greek grandmother made you dinner

Greek taverna

replaced foxtrot rip - running a similar scam of dainty/trendy font, oferring the basic favs of the girlies

Café

I like the bento boxes for lunch that’s it

Japanese lunch

solid bar, eligible for HH, ceviche!!

Peruvian bar

I find it it heavy but if I remove my skinny bitch filter, its pretty awesome chinese

Chinese-Korean fusion

carrot cake, why would you eat a full meal here idk

Bookstore café

way too small portions but the mezze options are right son

Falafel

solid HH place, waste of a façade but great deviled eggs goddamn

Southern HH

jenny's dream lunch spot, korean/clean girl cava

Asian bowls

solid pho place downtown

Vietnamese pho

why tf are you closed on fridays and saturdays I know it’s a jewish thing but cmon.generous portions, sweet dudes on the kitchen staff, careful not to get too many pickled toppings

Israeli street food

u need to end up here at least once in your 20s and experience the shitty but also be saved by the toast when ur down bad at 2 am

24-hour diner

ppl like this and idgi. The plates are massive and grossed me out. I understand they are doing americana but I get anxious with how much stuff is on the walls

Georgetown Italian

decent HH place, prime location, outdoor setups

Hotel dining HH

cute, feels a little haunted, for a dinner with a grandpa or somethn

Historic inn dining

superrrrr romantic and cute I could throw up, I imagine a ritzy couple going out here just bc

Romantic patio dining

used to be zenebechs the name change was weird, they have a tilapia dish tha tmost other ethiopian places don’t so jenny likes (protein gains)

Ethiopian

you would never expect to be blown away but boy does this place do that. Phenom eggs. Just go. If ur party is afraid of georgia ave they are racist but also not super wrong

Ethiopian / American Brekkie

neighborhood spot, nothing special but it maintains a senior institutional status in columbia heights

Neighborhood café

why oh why did they stop making za'taar pizza. Sigh. Dough is great. DO NOT SKIP THE EMPANADAS

Wood-fired pizza

not at all good for pescatarian/non-meat eater diet; only filipino place I know; good brunch options

Filipino

rly disgustingly cute ice cream shop, gives you a reason to go to mt pleasant which is underrated

Ice cream

convenient location, you could miss it bc its basement level sort of - good moody vibe - for a low effort hangout

Cocktail bar

ppl with kind of bougie taste wont shut up about it

really cute ice cream place in georgetown with FROYO OPTIONS… that are GOOD