The Best Casual Restaurants in Washington D.C.

Offering a unique blend of casual dining and authentic American farm-to-table cuisine, The Dabney creates a warm and intimate atmosphere with its open kitchen and fire cooking. The menu, crafted with passion, showcases the mastery of Chef Jeremiah who is renowned for his command over Mid-Atlantic Cuisine and fire grilling techniques. The restaurant's ambiance is laid-back and cozy, making guests feel right at home.

Recommended by

Gilberto Briceño Gómez

Chef – Costa Rica, Costa Rica

The Dabney offers a sublime fusion of casual dining with a genuine American farm-to-table flair. The Dabney truly stands out as one of the most exceptional dining experiences I've had this year. Their menu is a masterpiece, seamlessly weaving together casual dining with an authentic American farm-to-table twist. The ambiance is both cozy and laid-back, making you feel right at home. The open kitchen and the allure of the open fire add a touch of warmth and intimacy to the dining experience. It's evident that every detail is crafted with love and passion. Highly recommended.

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This eatery offers a diverse Japanese dining experience under one roof, with options ranging from sushi to steak. Chef Makoto Okuwa's establishment features a sushi restaurant, a steak house named Beloved BBQ, a bar, and a fast-casual spot, each providing a unique take on Japanese cuisine. Noteworthy dishes include the udon 'mac' & cheese at Beloved, and the sushi offerings, which are a blend of traditional and contemporary styles, such as the Omakase menu with its old vs. new approach.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

Four different ways to eat Japanese under one roof Love, Makoto, a mash note to all things Japanese from chef Makoto Okuwa, features a sushi restaurant that explores classic and contemporary nigiri and handrolls and a steak house, Beloved BBQ, showcasing American and Japanese beef. There’s also the option of a bar and a fast-casual spot in back. Don't miss the udon 'mac' & cheese at Beloved, a nod to Americans.

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This unique spot houses two Peruvian eateries under one roof, offering a diverse culinary experience. Amazonia provides a vibrant bar and dining atmosphere, complemented by a rooftop patio and a variety of snacks, including tasty skewers. Causa, on the other hand, offers a six-course tasting menu, taking you on a gastronomic journey from coastal cooking, through the Andes, and finishing in the Amazon.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

Two Peruvian standouts under one roof. Carlos Delgado says he wanted to “build a new way of Peruvian eating” and thats exactly what he accomplished with two eateries under one roof. Amazonia is a colorful bar and dining room with a jungle of a rooftop patio and snacks, including mouth-watering skewers. Causa showcases a six-course tasting menu that your waiter introduces as if it were a trip: “We’re going to touch on coastal cooking, then the Andes and finish in the Amazon.”

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This spot is well-known for its Neapolitan pizza, which is often described as an art form. The menu also features a variety of starters and a notable wine selection. The atmosphere is vibrant, and the restaurant also has a wine bar where you can interact with staff while they prepare your order.

Recommended by

Gilberto Briceño Gómez

Chef – Costa Rica, Costa Rica

2 Amys: Neapolitan pizza perfection in Washington with a vibrant ambiance 2 Amys is undeniably among the best pizza spots I've ever experienced. Their Neapolitan style is elevated to an art form, complemented by a fantastic wine selection and ever-changing weekly starters. The ambiance encapsulates you, making the dining experience even more memorable. I'd genuinely consider flying back to Washington just for another bite. It's that outstanding

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Taking inspiration from the fast-paced energy of Basque nightlife, Bar Spero is a lively seafood bar and grill. The menu features open-fire grilling and freshly shucked seafood, with a particular recommendation for their amazing turbot and razor clams. The restaurant, which is led by acclaimed chef Johnny Spero, is also suitable for large parties and sharing meals.

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Jhonatan Cano

Restaurateur – Washington DC, United States

Basque style with an amazing turbot From chef Johnny Spero of reverie*, this more casual spot serves beautiful products with a touch of fire. One of the best turbots in town. Wonderful razor clams and seafood in general, great for large parties and sharing.

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Immerse yourself in the authentic spirit of Latino cuisine at Benito's Place. The restaurant serves homely and satisfying food, with dishes like sweet plantains, popusas, and empanadas that transport you straight to a traditional Latin American kitchen. Recommended by Tim, the head chef at The Dabney, Benito's Place is a must-visit for those seeking culinary authenticity, making simple, well-made food the most memorable part of any journey.

Recommended by

Gilberto Briceño Gómez

Chef – Costa Rica, Costa Rica

Benito's Place, Washington D.C.: Authentic Latin Flavors in the Capital When venturing into the culinary landscape of Washington D.C., it's not always easy to find spots that deliver genuine flavors reminiscent of Latin America. Enter Benito's Place, an establishment that pulsates with the authentic spirit of Latino cuisine right in the heart of the city. Recommended by Tim, the head chef at The Dabney, the recommendation set high expectations. Fortunately, Benito's Place exceeded them. Here, food is stripped down to its essence: pure, homely, and satisfying. Their sweet plantains are a comforting embrace of caramelized goodness, while the popusas and empanadas transport you straight to your grandma's kitchen—a place where every dish is made with love and tradition. For a Latino away from home, or anyone craving genuine Latin American fare, Benito's Place is an essential pit-stop. It stands as a testament that simple, well-made food can be the most memorable part of any journey. It's a treasure in D.C., and a must-visit for those seeking culinary authenticity.

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BRESCA offers a contemporary twist on traditional French cooking, served in a charming and friendly space. The menu features a variety of dishes, including a table-side duck press presentation that is highly recommended. With a focus on responsibly sourced ingredients, the restaurant provides an experience that reflects the vibrant food scene of Paris's Neo-bistro movement.

Recommended by

Lou Stejskal

Diner – Chicago, United States

Contemporary, French-influenced cooking. Charming, friendly space. Table-side duck press presentation with excellent results

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Chicatana offers a unique take on Mexican cuisine, with a menu that even includes ants as a distinctive ingredient. The restaurant ensures a fresh and authentic dining experience by cooking almost everything to order, with dishes such as their thinly pressed tortillas and tacos stuffed with beef tongue that's been braised for hours. The restaurant also offers drinks made with fresh-squeezed juices, adding a refreshing touch to your meal.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

A front-row seat to sublime Mexican cooking Why go here with so many Mexican competitors nearby? Because the three young owners are doing something different - ants are sprinkled throughout the menu, for instance - and incorporating touches you tend to see in fancier places, in pricier parts of DC. Drinks are made with fresh-squeezed juices and almost everything is cooked to order, a process you can see if you park in front of the kitchen counter. Picture street food made with flair: gorditas arrive in a slender, hand-painted box and tortillas are shaped from masa harina, pressed so thin you can read through them and brushed with lard before they land on the griddle. Im a fool for tacos stuffed with beef tongue braised for hours in cloves, bay leaf and garlic.

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This restaurant, known as Call Your Mother Deli – Park View, is a bagel shop that stands out in the fast food scene by combining efficiency with high quality. The establishment is known for its generously portioned and consistently delicious bagels, and the ambiance is heavily inspired by visually appealing designs, making it a great place to take pictures or simply enjoy the surroundings. Not only does it offer a variety of bagels and coffee, but it also provides catering services and an online ordering system for convenience.

Recommended by

Gilberto Briceño Gómez

Chef – Costa Rica, Costa Rica

Call Your Mother Bagel Shop: Efficient, Tasty, and Insta-Worthy In the bustling scene of quick bites, Call Your Mother Bagel Shop sets itself apart. Here, the grab & go concept is elevated, marrying efficiency with top-notch quality. Every bagel is a testament to perfection: generously portioned and consistently delicious. But it's not just about the bagels. The entire experience is enhanced by the shop's striking aesthetics, drawing heavy inspiration from Pinterest-worthy designs. The ambiance is an invitation to snap a photo, share a story, or simply admire while you devour your chosen treat. At the end of the day, it's a bagel shop. But the meticulous attention to detail, from the flavors to the design, showcases a level of dedication that's rare and commendable. Whether you're a bagel aficionado or just someone on the move, Call Your Mother Bagel Shop is a testament to how passion can elevate even the simplest of concepts into an extraordinary experience.

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At Convivial, Chef Cedric Maupillier blends classic French cuisine with a contemporary twist, drawing on his rich culinary history. The menu features unique dishes such as wild hare and pigeon in puff pastry, alongside traditional favorites like steak frites and trout amandine. The restaurant is also known for its lighter than usual chocolate soufflé and seasonal confections, crafted by pastry chef Mark Courseille, who formerly worked at the French embassy.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

Cedric Maupillier reached back into French culinary history. How to make your restaurant stand out when it’s been around awhile? Cedric Maupillier reached back into French culinary history and began serving antiquities such as wild hare and pigeon in puff pastry — Old World signatures that he says got him excited about cooking again. Diners can still find steak frites and trout amandine on the menu, but those dishes are everywhere. Crayfish quenelles? Not so much. Stick around for dessert. Pastry chef Mark Courseille previously cooked at the French embassy. Look for a lighter than usual chocolate soufflé and confections that speak to the season.

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Offering a playful and innovative take on Indian cuisine, Daru is a place where the food might make you forget to take photos. The restaurant is known for its standout meat dishes, particularly the chicken tikka masala and the lamb shank. However, you could also visit just to enjoy their cocktails, accompanied by their bread basket and a selection of chutneys.

Recommended by

Carsten Schmidt

Culinary Explorer – Washington/Los Angeles, USA

This is one of these places where the food was so good that I just forgot to take photos, so only one shot of several dishes. Chef Sundas, coming from Indian restaurant royalty here in DC, Rasika, created an amazing, more innovative, more playful, but easily equally if not more impressive place that feels less pretentious and more accessible. It’s great to have this gem in the neighborhood. The meat dishes were standouts, the chicken tikka masala, the lamb shank, both were outstanding. At the same time you can also go here just for the cocktails and have the bread basket and some of the chutneys with that.

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With a cuisine inspired by the streets and home kitchens of Mexico, Paraiso - Mexican Restaurant Taqueria & Mezcaleria offers a unique dining experience. They offer a variety of services including a mezcal tasting dinner, where you can experience three pairings that showcase the rich and complex notes of mezcal with their creative Mexican dishes. They also provide a range of menus, from lunch and dinner to brunch and breakfast, catering to different dining needs throughout the day.

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Kevin Tien

Chef/Owner – Washington, United States

I recommend all the dips and spread with the breads at Emilie's. The family styles are delicious as well. Do not skip on the desserts. The pastry chef is the best in DC.

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Located in the building that once housed the Washington Post, Dauphine’s is known for its attention to delicious details. The menu features standout dishes such as paneed rabbit and head-on shrimp in a dark pool of birch beer, paired with some of the best cocktails around. The restaurant offers a seafood, bar, and boucherie experience, with a variety of offerings for every day of the week.

Recommended by

Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

Dauphine’s nails so many delicious details. Located where the Washington Post once stood in downtown DC, Dauphine’s nails so many delicious details, it’s as if you’re enjoying them in the city that put them on the map: New Orleans. The stars of the show include paneed rabbit, head-on shrimp in a dark pool of birch beer and some of the city’s best cocktails.

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Honeymoon Chicken is a casual spot known for its solid fried chicken, making it a good choice for brunch or take-out. Their menu offers a variety of options, including Jumbo Crispy Chicken Tenders, Buffalo Style Wings, and a Wing & Drum Bucket with your choice of 4 sauces. Beyond fried chicken, they also cater to different tastes with offerings like the Hot Honey Dipped Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Mushroom Sandwich, and Shrimp Po' Boy.

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Jhonatan Cano

Restaurateur – Washington DC, United States

One of the Best fried chicken in DC Super casual spot on the north side of Washington DC serving a very solid friend chicken. Excellent for brunch or take out!

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Offering a unique dining experience, Immigrant Food Plus is a standout among museum restaurants, providing more than just a place to refuel. During the day, guests can enjoy international sandwiches and salads, transitioning to table service, top-notch drinks, and sophisticated fusion entrees in the evening. A highlight on the menu is the inventive "dim sum experience", combining Latin wontons, minty kibbeh, and pork-filled steam buns in a three-tiered bamboo steamer.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

Washington’s museum restaurants tend to be afterthoughts, designed more for refueling than reflecting. Immigrant Food Plus, neighbor to Planet Word downtown, is a novel exception. Picture international sandwiches and salads, ordered at a counter by day, and table service, top-drawer drinks and sophisticated fusion entrees at night. The biggest thrill on the menu is the $20 per person “dim sum experience,” which brings together Latin wontons, minty kibbeh and pork-filled steam buns in a three-tiered bamboo steamer.

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Drawing inspiration from authentic Afghan recipes, Lapis offers a unique culinary experience with dishes that are both familiar and distinctive. The menu, crafted from family recipes passed down through generations, features standout dishes such as Bamya, an okra stew, lamb shank, dal, and mantoo shrimp dumplings. For dessert, the sheer berenj, a rice pudding with pistachios and cardamom, and sherbet, an orange almond pound cake, provide a delightful end to the meal.

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Carsten Schmidt

Culinary Explorer – Washington/Los Angeles, USA

Turning a successful French Bistro into an Afghan restaurant; not only saying that your food tastes like your mother’s food, but actually having your mother cook and prepare the food; and getting praise by no other than Michelin, all sounds a bit too good to be true, a fairy tale in restaurant land, but all this comes wonderfully together at Lapis. The flavors are all unique and familiar at the same time. You will find dishes that remind you of Middle Eastern or Indian cuisine, but there is always something different, something unique, a flavor you are not used to, but that wonderfully, just works. The standouts to me are Bamya, an okra stew, the lamb shank, the dal, and the mantoo shrimp dumplings. For dessert the sheer berenj, a rice pudding with pistachios, and most importantly cardamom is divine, as is the sherbet, a melt in your mouth orange almond pound cake. And if you still need reasons to go, the cocktail menu is worth a trip in itself.

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L'Ardente offers a unique Italian dining experience, where rustic wooden farm beams meet Murano glass chandeliers under a high ceiling. The menu is playful and diverse, featuring dishes as simple as bucatini alla carbonara to a 40-layer lasagna, and a pizza topped with pomegranate seeds and shaved Brussels sprouts. A highlight is their tiramisu, served in a chocolate globe that’s ignited with rum at the table, reflecting the restaurant's name meaning "burning" in Italian.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

“Keep it simple but elegant,” says top chef David Deshaies. Wooden farm beams and Murano glass chandeliers share the sky-high ceiling and pastas as basic as bucatini alla carbonara are offered alongside a 40-layer (count ‘em!) lasagna. The dancing flames of the wood-fired grill explain the Italian name: “burning,” as in passionate. This is a playful restaurant. The “risotto” is actually minced calamari and a pizza topped with pomegranate seeds and shaved Brussels sprouts looks like Christmas. Ask for the tiramisu and it arrives in a chocolate globe that’s ignited with rum at the table.

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Drawing inspiration from its namesake Lutetia, the Roman predecessor to modern-day Paris, Lutèce serves simple yet modern French cuisine in a cozy setting. The menu showcases local and seasonal ingredients, resulting in dishes that embody simplicity, resourcefulness, and originality. Notably, the restaurant is highly recommended for its amazing duck dish, potato caviar, and lovely desserts.

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Jhonatan Cano

Restaurateur – Washington DC, United States

One of the most exciting restaurants in DC right now French bistro cooking one of the most delicious food inndc right now. Amazing duck dish, Potato caviar and lovely desserts

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This local seafood spot, Mariscos 1133, focuses on delivering a robust menu inspired by Latin seafood cuisine. The restaurant, run by sibling chefs Alfredo and Jessica Solis, offers a variety of dishes such as tuna tostadas and whole fried flounder, as well as non-seafood options like churrasco and birria tacos. With a focus on fresh ingredients and traditional Latin food preparations, the restaurant also offers a selection of two dozen wines by the glass, providing a comprehensive dining experience.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

The definition of what it means to be a neighborhood restaurant. No part of the experience is overlooked. Here’s the definition of what it means to be a neighborhood restaurant, a place whose cooking, attention and prices encourage regular drop-ins by locals. The name underscores the restaurant’s theme — Mariscos is Spanish for “seafood” —and among the stars on the epic menu are tuna tostadas and whole fried flounder. No part of the experience is overlooked. Booths make for a pandemic-friendly dining room and two dozen wines are offered by the glass, at an average of $10. Don’t eat fish? The Mexican restaurant also excels at churrasco and birria tacos.

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Offering a unique taste of Ukraine, Ruta Ukrainian Restaurant features a menu that includes borscht, dumplings, and honey cake. The restaurant's name, "Ruta", is inspired by a flower from ancient Ukrainian myths, symbolizing a quest for true love. With its warm and inviting atmosphere, Ruta is a place where you can explore and enjoy Ukrainian cuisine.

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Tom Sietsema

Food Critic – Washington, DC, USA

DC gets a taste of Ukraine on Capitol Hill “I’m here because of borscht,” says chef Dima Martseniuk, who left the popular Veselka in NY to open shop in DC. His beet soup faces friendly competition on the menu from dumplings, honey cake and a cocktail in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. If you want to see support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, it's here. Hello, Pete Buttigieg. Good evening, Oksana Markarova.

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