Diners' Choice: Best Value restaurants in District of Columbia

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for the best value restaurants in District of Columbia? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Ethiopic

4.9

4.9 (1068)

$30 and under

Ethiopian

H Street Corridor

About the restaurant

Ethiopic Restaurant focuses on Ethiopian cuisine and culture. Traditional Ethiopian ingredients are introduced to evoke the true taste of Ethiopia. Ethiopic’s authentic Ethiopian food menu will feature vegetarian, meat, poultry, and fish. Ethiopic Restaurant is proud to be the first Ethiopian Restaurant on the H Street Corridor and intends to cater to a wide customer base. We want everyone to feel welcome and entertained.

We now add 20% service fee charge when dining-in, to ensure all of our staff is paid a livable wage.

Top review

Mark

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

We went to Ethiopic for anniversary celebration and boy was this meal Celebratory! What wonderful service, Hospitality, thoughtfulness, care, FOOD!! We were 4 people, tried the Ethiopian, coffee and tea... had a sampler with other dishes: Lamb, Beef Tibbs& Chicken... also the BEET SAlad.. what wonderful flavors.. the textures and spices sang from nose to lips and tongue.. some deep and bold others floral and delicate everything a symphony of flavor... out hostess took great care of us... made sure we had plates, space... and great food! Love this place

Sushi Hachi

4.8

4.8 (232)

$30 and under

Sushi

Capitol Hill

About the restaurant

Welcome to Sushi Hachi, Washington D.C.’s premier choice for quality sushi and incredible dining. The name “Hachi” is the Japanese word for the number eight. Signifying happiness and luck, the number eight defines our wishes for our customers and our community. We are also conveniently located on 8th street, so you’ll never forget where we are. Our owner, chef, and restaurateur Steve Yoon took over Sushi Rock in Arlington, VA with the drive to bring the incredible flavor and quality of fish he had in Asia to the community. Seven years later, Sushi Hachi was born. With more than 17 years of experience creating artisan sushi rolls with incredible flavor, it is our pleasure to bring the best to you. Our handpicked team of chefs all have experience in Japan, carefully constructing and rolling the perfect sushi roll. Sushi Hachi combines experience and innovation with incredible quality to present delicious, affordable sushi to our guests. We only use the finest ingredient

Top review

Christian

Dined on Jun 6, 2025

Great food and great staff loved the experience. Would recommended

dLeña - Chef Table

4.8

4.8 (95)

$50 and over

Contemporary Mexican

Mount Vernon Square

About the restaurant

Join dLeña, as featured in the 2022 edition of The MICHELIN Guide DC, at our signature chef’s table tucked behind the main bar with an exquisite leather banquette facing directly into the open kitchen. Chef will prepare eight courses for 160.00 per guest, with an optional beverage pairing for 75.00 per guest. Each of our guests will receive a take-home surprise to enjoy the morning after. ¡Salud!

*Kindly note we are not able to accommodate menu substitutions for our Chef’s Table experience.

Top review

Courtney

Dined 1 day ago

The Chefs table provide an excellent meal and quality experience. The kitchen staff were wonderful to watch and engaging when appropriate. It was truly eye opening to have a selection of dishes that I wouldn't normally eat, presented in such a sensational fashion. This was an anniversary experience for me and the wife, but it's a VIP experience that can fit any occasion. Hands down one of the best organizations within the DMV area. A "Must Do" for anyone seeking a top tier experience. My thanks to the chef, management, and staff for a job well done!!!

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Experience

Chef's Table Experience

Letena Ethiopian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (108)

$30 and under

Ethiopian

Columbia Heights / Brightwood

About the restaurant

Letena is a farm-to-table Ethiopian restaurant serving dishes made with natural, premium ingredients. Located in the heart of Columbia Heights, Washington DC, Letena is a family-owned destination centered around authentic, quality Ethiopian food.
Owner Yamrot Ezineh opened Letena’s doors in October 2016. Yamrot and her team love welcoming new and old friends to enjoy Letena’s delicious, fresh food. Their goal is to make the unique experience of Ethiopian food approachable for everyone, from vegetarians and vegans to meat-lovers alike.
Letena’s original Ethiopian dishes have won accolades from various publications and review platforms including Food Network, Washingtonian, TripAdvisor, and Yelp.

Top review

PaulVIP

Dined on May 31, 2025

Excellent food excellent service I will come back again

The Park at 14th

4.8

4.8 (3134)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

The Park at 14th is a restaurant, lounge, and event venue on four floors overlooking Franklin Square in Downtown D.C. Offering a sense of timeless elegance, beautiful views, and a warm and welcoming interior, The Park at 14th is the perfect place dining, socializing, and hosting your next event. We invite you to join us. For reservations over 10 people, please TEXT (202) 550-0300

Top review

Jalisa

Dined today

I loved the food, music, and ambiance. I will say the dress code does not seem to be as strict as I’ve heard.

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Standard BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH Reservation

Guapo's

5.0

5 (211)

$30 and under

Mexican

Tenleytown

About the restaurant

Located just steps from the Tenleytown–AU Metro Station, Guapo’s Tenleytown is a neighborhood favorite for vibrant Latin-inspired cuisine, refreshing margaritas, and a welcoming atmosphere that brings people together. Whether you’re meeting friends for dinner or grabbing a casual lunch, Guapo’s delivers flavor and energy in every visit.

From sizzling fajitas to freshly made guacamole and crowd-pleasing classics, our menu blends tradition with comfort. Planning a birthday, graduation, corporate event, or any celebration? Our private venue holds up to 150 guests and is perfect for gatherings of all sizes.

At Guapo’s Tenleytown, every meal feels like a celebration.
📞 For private events, call (202) 899-0350 or email groupdining@guaposrestaurant.com.

Top review

margotVIP

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Guapo’s is our favorite restaurant. There is nothing like it anywhere. The chips are unbelievable, so thin and crispy and warm. The guacamole is unbelievable, really the best we’ve ever had anywhere. The two different sauces they give you are fantastic, I love the roasted one and my husband loves the pico de gallo. The food is delicious. The service is great. We come back here week after week, month after month, year after year. It’s really great.

Caruso's Grocery - DC

4.8

4.8 (1319)

$31 to $50

Italian

Capitol Hill

About the restaurant

Please note that we are not offering Restaurant Week at our DC location.

Located at 914 14th Street SE in Washington, DC.

Caruso’s Grocery is modeled after the classic, Italian-American "red sauce" joint. You know the one: red banquettes, a killer chicken parmesan, Sinatra pouring through the speakers. If you’re looking for modern interpretations of a chef's take on the classics, you won’t find them here.

A joint venture from Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Partner Matthew Adler.

Top review

Ashley

Dined 5 days ago

We Loved this restaurant and we had excellent service!

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Popular dish

Shrimp Scampi

Popular dish

Spicy Neapolitan Ragu

Popular dish

Carusos Alfredo

Mallard

4.9

4.9 (183)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Southern

Logan Circle

About the restaurant

At Mallard, Chef Johnson will apply classic and global techniques to the culinary traditions of the south while incorporating the best local and regional ingredients available. Undergirding it all will be a sense of hospitality rooted in Johnson’s memories of the family table.

Mallard’s menu will range from Chef Johnson’s take on classics like Shrimp and Grits with Smoked Pork, Piquillo Peppers, and Tabasco-Shellfish Nage and Wild-Caught Blue Catfish with Poached Oysters, Summer Corn, and Smoked Trout Roe to new creations like Seared Sea Scallops with Cracklin’ Cornbread, Charred Peaches and Dandelion Greens and Crisp Berkshire Pork Trotters with Ramp Chow Chow, Sunny-Side-Up Egg, and Edisto Island Grits. Dessert options include Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Rhubarb and Almond Shortbread and Banana Puddin’ with Cracker Jacks and Nilla Wafers.

Top review

MargaretVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Staff were fantastic at accommodating our needs for a quick meal before the theater and still making us feel special with little treats from the kitchen. A cozy atmosphere and indulgent food!

Bistro Aracosia

4.9

4.9 (2779)

$30 and under

Afghan

Palisades Northwest

About the restaurant

Bistro Aracosia is a critically acclaimed authentic Afghan gourmet and Chop House located in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, DC. Aracosia has been acknowledged as 1 of 50 best restaurants in the nation for Vegetarians on Forbes Magazine, written up and reviewed by top food critics from the Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine and numerous other publications. Bistro Aracosia has been awarded 100 Best restaurants for 2 years in a row in the Washingtonian.
Aracosia accommodates any diet and is proud of taking cooking back to its origins. Chef Sofia Masroor diligently ensures top grade quality cuts of meat and the freshest produce in the market. All foods prepared at Aracosia are prepared with love. No artificial ingredients MSG& or preservatives are used, nor do we cook anything with nuclear such as microwaves and pre-made stations. Full Bar , extensive Wine and Beer menu Come and experience authentic and classical Afghan Gourmet and hospitality at its finest.

Top review

CSVIP

Dined 1 day ago

This DC MacArthur Blvd location is our favorite in the Afghan Aracosia family; we look forward to sharing our experience and we bring everyone we know at some point, because we love it so. The manager, Taliha, and all the staff are welcoming and attentive, the ambiance is charming, and the food and cocktails are superb. Our favorite dishes are the soft delicious dumpling assortment and we always order an assortment of turnovers as well. Such a taste treat! Then we usually follow with lamb chops, rice and dessert. We can't recommend this restaurant strongly enough: you will love it!

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Lamb Shank Sabzi Moghuli

Two Nine

4.9

4.9 (57)

$50 and over

Japanese

Georgetown

About the restaurant

Two Nine Restaurant offers a kaiseki-inspired sushi omakase experience, harmoniously combining seasonal seafood imported from Japan with produce from local farmers and plated on handmade ceramics carefully picked out from friends in Tokyo, Japan.

At $205 per guest, exclusive of beverages, taxes and gratuities, guests embark on a multi-course journey where each dish is meticulously prepared.

For those seeking a more casual approach, we also feature a Nigiri a la carte counter, allowing guests to enjoy their favorite sushi at their own pace. Additionally, a small, intimate room is dedicated to Chirashi sushi and sake, offering a relaxed dining atmosphere.

Two Nine strives to cater to guests of all sushi knowledge and preferences, ensuring a memorable experience for everyone.

Top review

David

Dined 2 days ago

Two Nine Sushi is an absolute gem in Georgetown get in before it gets so popular you can’t snag a reservation. The chef brings a warm, genuine energy to the experience, personally engaging with guests throughout the meal. His roots in Hawaii shine through in subtle, thoughtful touches, beautifully blended with the refined technique he honed while training at Sushi Taro. It’s intimate, skillful, and full of heart exactly the kind of spot you’ll want to say you discovered before everyone else did.

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Experience

Kaiseki Inspired Omakase Sushi

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