Fiola Mare
3050 K St. NWWashington, DC 20007
202-628-0065
Seafood
Italian
$$$$
$41.43
★★★½
Average ValueMORE INFO
★★★½
Average ValueLESS INFO
Chef/owner Fabio Trabocchi's upscale seafood restaurant may be next to the tourist traps at the Georgetown Waterfront, but the only thing it has in common is stunning water views. Everything else about Fiola Mare is uniformly elegant and perfectly delicious, from fish of unparalleled quality, to its simple yet luxurious Mediterranean menu, to cooking that's perfect every time. All of this, plus a Georgetown address, have made Fiola Mare the "place to be seen" for local luminaries and celebrities visiting DC. Fortunately, there's still plenty of room for the rest of us, but beware: prices are steep. Those who can afford it will find no better place for seafood in town … or just about anywhere else, for that matter.
3 Stars (10/7/2015) — Fall Dining Guide 2015
"The most sumptuous two-fer in town is food by Fabio Trabocchi and a view of the Potomac River. … The menu, mostly Italian and focused on fish, is every bit as seductive as the scenery. I once came for brunch, ordered the over-the-top seafood tower, and almost stayed for dinner. Salmon crudo on a lick of horseradish cream appears to have been laid out by a jeweler (caviar helps), and creamy bucatini alla carbonara is about as good as pasta gets (love the duck egg garnish). All the while, dashing waiters keep things cruising along. Fiola Mare is where I take visitors who think Washington can’t possibly be sexy or delicious, much less both." See Full Review…»
No. 1 (2/8/2016) — 100 Very Best Restaurants 2016
"With Fabio Trabocchi’s ascent to the top spot on our list—almost a decade after he wowed us with the late Maestro—it seems an apt time to retire the standard description of Fiola Mare as Italian. It’s not. It’s Trabocchian. The chef, now in his forties, has evolved a style all his own, one informed by his food-rich upbringing in Italy’s Marche region but not beholden to it—a style that embraces influences from France, Japan, and America. …" See Full Review…»
Italic — Recommended
"I haven't been yet, and may not get to go for some time, but *everybody* seems to love it. Beware the extreme pricing on the menu."
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The Grill Room
(Capella Hotel)1050 31st St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-617-2424
American
$$$
$35.00
★★★
Average ValueMORE INFO
★★★
Average ValueLESS INFO
James Beard Award Winner Frank Ruta has found a new home at The Grill Room in Georgetown's Capella hotel. And with him he's brought his long-time pastry chef at Palena, Aggie Chin, and Keith Goldston, who left Range to become the wine director. As at Palena, Ruta's menu is a sophisticated take on Italy and France. Here, it's offered a la carte or as a five-course tasting menu for $135. Unlike Palena, The Grill Room is well appointed, and has a great view of the canal with outdoor tables in fairer months. And a bonus for fans of Palena's famed burger: the chef just introduced a burger menu.
3 Stars (10/7/2015) — Fall Dining Guide 2015 [10]
"Frank Ruta is the chef the Capella hotel should have sought out when the boutique property set sail in Georgetown two years ago. But only after the former White House chef was forced to turn off the lights at foodie favorite Palena in Cleveland Park was he available to replace Capella’s opening underachiever. The rest, as they say, is history — and some of the most sophisticated cooking in the region. Admirers of the chef will recognize his signature style on every plate: first-rate ingredients (gently) coaxed into memorable performances. …" See Full Review…»
Washingtonian has not reviewed this restaurant.
Italic — Recommended
"Frank Ruta and Aggie Chin are cooking as well as ever, more expensive than Palena, but also more luxurious, with ingredients, service, and ambiance justifying the price, a Michelin-star-quality restaurant." See 1/4/2016 Review…»
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Bistrot Lepic & Wine Bar
1736 Wisconsin Ave. NWWashington, DC 20007
202-333-0111
French
Wine Bar
$$
$22.17
★★½
Good ValueMORE INFO
★★½
Good ValueLESS INFO
This classic French bistro features the assured cooking of veteran chef George Vetsch. We actually prefer the upstairs wine bar, which hosts live music twice a week. Either way, there's a dependable menu of French classics and nice wine list.
2.5 Stars (10/7/2015) — Fall Dining Guide 2015
"…[W]henever I crave French comfort food, the two-story Bistrot Lepic in Georgetown wins my reservation. … Swiss native George Vetsch took over the kitchen in spring 2014 and refined the menu, which means thicker slices of liver and vegetables that go beyond green beans to tell the time of year. … Upstairs is a wine bar with live music twice a week; the ground floor includes a reproduction of Gustave Caillebotte’s dreamy “Paris Street; Rainy Day” painting — and tables as crammed as economy class. Lepic, which turned 20 this year, isn’t perfect. But it’s a respite from the noise of the new, new, new on the scene." See Full Review…»
Unrated (3/19/2008)
This outdated blurb notes a "bustling downstairs dining room" and a "livelier upstairs wine bar." See Full Review…»
Italic — Recommended
"An old-school french bistro downstairs, the upstairs wine bar is a wonderful place for a first date." See 4/2/2011 Review…»
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Bourbon Steak
(Four Seasons Hotel)2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-944-2026
American
Steak
$$$$$
$46.64
★★
Poor ValueMORE INFO
★★
Poor ValueLESS INFO
Joe Palma recently replaced John Critchley as Executive Chef at Michael Mina's swanky steakhouse in the Four Seasons. Much of the menu remains the same, including the selection off good but expensive steaks, and a handful of mostly-seafood entrees (like the famous $60 lobster pot pie). The beautiful dining room, attentive service, and lively lounge and patio also remain the same. The burger from the lounge menu (which they will serve in the dining room on request) is a delicious and relatively cheap way to dine here.
3 Stars (10/10/2013) — Fall Dining Guide 2013
"You don't have to like meat to warm up to the city's best steakhouse. While grilled beef is the centerpiece, chef John Critchley stocks his menu with all sorts of temptations from field and stream." See Full Review…»
No. 100 (1/8/2015) — 100 Very Best Restaurants 2015
"Michael Mina’s big-ticket dining room in the Four Seasons Hotel has had a place on this list for the last six years. But of late, we’ve had too many overcooked $59 steaks and lackluster appetizers to recommend it. What we can still get behind: the cocktails and snacks in the less buttoned-down lounge." See Full Review…»
Italic — Recommended
"Beautiful atmosphere, service, and lounge, the food itself can be good but some items are shockingly ordinary, incredibly expensive." See 1/12/2013 Review…»
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Stachowski Market and Deli
1425 28th St NWWashington, DC 20007
202-506-3125
Sandwiches
Delicatessen
$
$11.63
★★
Excellent ValueMORE INFO
★★
Excellent ValueLESS INFO
This old-style butcher shop serves the best and biggest sandwiches in town. With only one cluttered table, it's basically a carryout. And the sandwiches appear almost an afterthought, with the choices written on a chalkboard on a far wall over a meat case. But don't be fooled, there is no better pastrami or Italian sub in DC, and the rest of the choices are all stellar too. Portions are easily big enough for two hungry people, making it a deceptively good value.
Unrated (8/8/2012)
A story by Tim Carman about owner Jamie Stachowski and his family-run deli. See Full Review…»
Washingtonian has not reviewed this restaurant.
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Il Canale
1063 31st St. NWWashington, DC 20007
202-337-4444
Italian
$$
$21.50
★★
Average ValueMORE INFO
★★
Average ValueLESS INFO
This Italian restaurant, which is named for its proximity to the canal, features excellent Neapolitan pizza alongside a menu of classic Italian dishes. The cooking is dependable, staff friendly, and atmosphere welcoming, making this one of our favorite spots for a casual meal in touristy Georgetown.
Unrated (2/23/2012)
Aside from this story noting that Il Canale was certified as a genuine Neapolitan pizzeria, it's hard to find much at all about this good Italian restaurant. See Full Review…»
Washingtonian has not reviewed this restaurant.
Italic — Recommended
"Currently a Top 3 pizzeria in DC, decent wine list, on my most recent visit I had a Palena-quality paccheri pasta with meat sauce."
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Chez Billy Sud
1039 31st St NWWashington, DC 20007
202-965-2606
French
$$
$22.25
★★
Average ValueMORE INFO
★★
Average ValueLESS INFO
Eric and Ian Hilton (the former of Thievery Corporation fame) are the team behind such diverse places as Marvin and Eighteenth Street Lounge. Their original modern French bistro recently spawned this sibling in Georgetown, which features all of the classics you might expect, from French onion soup and pate to beef bourguignon and steak frites.
Unrated (10/27/2014)
"Part of me welcomes the balance added to a part of town where the best restaurant, Fiola Mare, is big, rich and Italian. Another part of me worries that the 50-or-so-seat Chez Billy Sud, mobbed on a recent Friday, is too small given the quality of its cooking.…Diners have the Hilton brothers, Eric and Ian, to congratulate for adding another dining destination to Georgetown. Chez Billy chef Brendan L’Etoile, 31, divides his time between the two kitchens, which are far enough removed from one another that he’s comfortable serving some of the customer favorites, including duck confit, from Petworth." See Full Review…»
No. 73 (2/8/2016) — 100 Very Best Restaurants 2016
"Eric and Ian Hilton’s sibling bistros look completely unrelated. The original Petworth location is cozy and creaky, while Georgetown’s Chez Billy Sud possesses an airier elegance, all pale-green walls and gilded mirrors. Though the Hiltons are masters of creating alluring ambience at places that include the Brixton and the Gibson, chefs Brendan L’Etoile and Lawrence DiJoseph bring delicious substance to the equation, too. Their menus convey a passion for the classics, including snails in garlic-parsley butter, crisp-skinned duck confit, and bright-tasting trout grenobloise. Though the offerings vary—Petworth leans rustic, Sud draws more from the sea—plenty of crossover exists …" See Full Review…»
Don Rockwell does not recommend this restaurant.
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La Chaumiere
2813 M Street NWWashington, DC 20007
202-338-1784
French
$$
$22.34
★★
Average ValueMORE INFO
★★
Average ValueLESS INFO
La Chaumiere is chef Patrick Orange's vision of a French country inn. It features perfectly-executed French classics in a charming atmosphere, with lots of stone work and a warm fire in colder months.
2.5 Stars (5/15/2011)
"Heavy wood beams, ancient chandeliers, copper molds on the wall and a crackling fire in the cold months convey old-fashioned charm in the main dining room" and a menu "that revels in French tradition." See Full Review…»
2 Stars (2/1/2009)
This classic Georgetown restaurant serves "Julia Child-era French classics—quenelles in lobster sauce, salmon in puff pastry—get their due, as do fanciful desserts such as profiteroles and soufflés." See Full Review…»
Italic — Recommended
"Uncompromising French classics, often perfectly executed, charming atmosphere."
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1789
1226 36th St. NWWashington, DC 20007
202-965-1789
American
$$$$
$39.20
★★
Poor ValueMORE INFO
★★
Poor ValueLESS INFO
This elegant Georgetown institution is six dining rooms in federal-style townhouse decorated with antiques, period prints, and fine china. Owned by the Clyde's Restaurant Group, it's a perennial favorite of Georgetown University students with visiting parents. The food, from Executive Chef Samuel Kim (a veteran of Tom Colicchio's Craft in New York), is as elegant as the setting, making 1789 perfect for anyone looking to celebrate.
2 Stars (6/24/2012)
"Even as the restaurant feeds us some of today's fashions, 1789 demonstrates a timeless quality, so rare in 2012, that deserves a clink of the glass." See Full Review…»
3 Stars (1/28/2014) — 100 Very Best Restaurants 2014
"This history-soaked Federal-style rowhouse in Georgetown isn’t just a gorgeous spot to revel in old-Washington formality. It also serves impeccably prepared and elegant fare. Ask for a table in the pub room in front—it boasts a lovely nook of a bar, the perfect place for waiting for a late companion." See Full Review…»
Italic — Recommended
"I haven't been to 1789 since the most recent chef change, but people are saying good things about it."
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Sweetgreen
3333 M St. NWWashington, DC 20007
202-337-9338
Salads
Healthy
$
$9.90
Cheap Eats
Excellent Value
MORE INFO
Cheap Eats
Excellent Value
LESS INFO
This rapidly-expanding local chain with locations in the DC area, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, offers healthy, good-quality salads. With its emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and calories posted on the menu, it's one of our picks for healthy "cheap eats."
The Washington Post has not reviewed this restaurant.
Unrated (12/1/2007)
The last word from Washingtonian is this badly outdated review of the original Georgetown location. The chain has expanded up the East Coast and hosts a yearly music festival. But it still follows the same basic format: salads and yogurt, featuring local ingredients and numerous toppings. See Full Review…»
Don Rockwell does not recommend this restaurant.
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Chaia
3207 Grace St NWWashington, DC 20007
202-333-5222
Mexican
Tacos
Vegetarian
$
$11.00
Cheap Eats
Excellent Value
MORE INFO
Cheap Eats
Excellent Value
LESS INFO
Chef/owners Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern started selling their vegetarian "farm-to-taco" creations at local farmer’s markets in 2013. They now have a brick and mortar space to show off their inventive combinations, all served on made-to-order corn tortillas. Although there's no meat on the menu, many chefs consider these the best tacos in town.
Unrated (11/18/2015)
"Chaia — the vegetarian, farm-to-taco food stand — makes its brick-and-mortar debut Thursday in Georgetown following years of cramped farmers market cooking. (The stand is going on hiatus while the owners focus on the restaurant). Here’s what to expect at the shop, located at 3207 Grace St. NW. …" See Full Review…»
Unrated (5/5/2016) — Cheap Eats 2016
"The breezy taco stands of Tulum were the inspiration for this chic, pale-pink-walled George-town cafe. That means braised and fried meats are ditched in favor of brightly flavored local veggies, and flavor-boosting accessories come in the form of swipes of yogurt and copious handfuls of herbs and micro-greens. Sound a little too much like lunch at a yoga retreat? We thought so, too, until we tore into a pebbly corn tortilla holding a creamy stew of fingerling potatoes and kale enriched with pepperjack. …" See Full Review…»
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Café Divan
(Georgetown Hill Inn)1834 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-338-1747
Turkish
$$
$15.95
Cheap Eats
Good Value
MORE INFO
Cheap Eats
Good Value
LESS INFO
This solid Turkish restaurant specializes in house-made Doener kebabs.
Unrated (1/17/2011)
Although this The Washington Post mentions several good dishes, it notes: "Cafe Divan it has always been about the doner kebab." Here "the thinly sliced, spit-cooked blend of lamb and veal" is made fresh daily. See Full Review…»
Unrated (6/15/2015) — Cheap Eats 2015
"Housed in a wedge of a building in upper Georgetown, this eatery has the feel of a trendy Euro cafe. The menu of mezze and mains covers many of the hallmarks of Turkish cuisine. Our ideal repast would start with a raki (the Turkish version of ouzo) and a smattering of mezze such as cigar-shaped, feta-filled phyllo rolls; stuffed eggplant glistening with tomato and olive oil; and tender grape leaves. Divan does a fine job with kebabs—spicy ground beef and ground lamb are exceptionally good—but the real star is the doner kebab…" See Full Review…»
Don Rockwell has not reviewed this restaurant.
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