More than any other French bistro in the area, this chatty room on Capitol Hill makes us feel like we’re in Paris. What to get: Mussels with pastis; country pâté; veal tongue with sauce gribiche.
In summer, don’t miss the barbecue crabs served on the patio, accompanied by live jazz.
When was the last time you picked up a mezcal-spiked cocktail and ate it like a snowball? José Andrés’s 27-course menu kicks off with just that and follows up with other mind-bending surprises.
Chef R.J. Cooper’s all-tasting-menu venture—parceled out in 16 or 24 quick-bite dishes—is a wild ride of a night, especially if you don’t burden it w/ too many expectations of what dinner should be.
The thick, charred steaks, platters mounded with great fried food, and creamy milkshakes are powerful enticements in a time of tightening wallets.
Chef Karoum’s Spanish-influenced cooking doesn’t flaunt whiz-bang techniques or trendy ingredients—it’s made for everyday eating. Still, he’s making some of the most exciting food we’ve had this year.
You can count on good burgers and soups but the standout dish is the most out-there: a salt-rimmed margarita glass filled with lime-marinated bay scallops, tequila ice, and sour cream.
What to get: Chestnut-and-foie-gras soup; shrimp with corn blinis; boudin blanc with truffle sauce and truffled potato purée; melted Montboissie cheese over toasted pecan-raisin bread.
We gravitate to this high-toned farm-to-table destination whenever we’re in the mood for brunch and whenever we’re trying to satisfy a group of disparate personalities. Service is attentive & polished
What to get: Chicken-liver pâté with shallot marmalade; oil-cured tomatoes on toast; fried calamari and shrimp with zingy rémoulade; grilled flatiron steak with anchovy vinaigrette.
Steaks are of very good quality, from the $19.99 hanger to the $35.99 rib eye called a cowboy cut. They no longer come with free sides, but in steakhouse land, $5 for mashed potatoes is a steal.
The dining room hints at a '20s train station, complete with a large clock, an opulent bar, and glowing lamps. We loved the raspberry-rhubarb shortcake & the blueberry-lemon crostada on our 1st visit.
The dim-lit downstairs bar of this gloriously minimalist dive pours 12 unexpectedly high-end drafts. Read more.
After the success of the Cork Wine Bar, Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts opened this wine shop/take-out hybrid. The garlic-and-herb marinated fried chicken is perfect as a picnic centerpiece, hot or cold.
Not ordering dessert here is like going to Paris and not having a croissant. Must order: Thoughts on a Peanut Butter Cup. Read more.
Skipping the kimchi taco route that's so popular elsewhere, Kim takes a chance (and succeeds) with dishes like a clever spin on the clambake, Korean chili and calamari stuffed with chicken and pork.
Congratulations, you've found one of Esquire's Best Bars in America. The muffuletta, great. The Pimm's Cup, good. But, the Sazerac. Boy. What a Sazerac. Read more.
This restaurant blends Mediterranean, Creole, Southern, and New American cuisines into one scrumptious style of cooking. Most of the ingredients (produce AND seafood) are local and seasonal.
You may wait a while for a table, but try the burger - it's worth every minute in line. Plus, who ever heard of serving a burger with a baked potato instead of fries? Surprisingly, it works.
