Seek out these 5 unique restaurants in Washington, D.C.

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Popular dish

Chicken Fricassee

Tabard Inn

4.7 (3961)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Dupont Circle

The Tabard Inn, first established in 1922, became an industry gamechanger after adopting an employee-ownership model in 1993. Employee-owners at this century-old Dupont Circle stalwart can still learn all aspects of the restaurant business, whether its understanding how the Tabard Inn costs out food or how its creative minds conceive menu favorites such as the kale and frisée salad and the veal porterhouse. That’s not where the creativity ends: executive chef Cliff Wharton began incorporating his Filipino heritage into the Tabard Inn’s menu—highly unusual for a restaurant that’s so historic—when he took the helm in 2019. Top choices include quail adobo with ginger scallion rice and banana ketchup, as well as pancit, a classic noodle dish with vermicelli, shrimp, chicken, pork, vegetables, lemon, and soy sauce.

Top review

A

April

Dined 2 days ago

Our server was fantastic! Great recommendations and so sweet to celebrate our slightly belated birthday honoree.

The Tabard Inn, first established in 1922, became an industry gamechanger after adopting an employee-ownership model in 1993. Employee-owners at this century-old Dupont Circle stalwart can still learn all aspects of the restaurant business, whether its understanding how the Tabard Inn costs out food or how its creative minds conceive menu favorites such as the kale and frisée salad and the veal porterhouse. That’s not where the creativity ends: executive chef Cliff Wharton began incorporating his Filipino heritage into the Tabard Inn’s menu—highly unusual for a restaurant that’s so historic—when he took the helm in 2019. Top choices include quail adobo with ginger scallion rice and banana ketchup, as well as pancit, a classic noodle dish with vermicelli, shrimp, chicken, pork, vegetables, lemon, and soy sauce.

Top review

A

April

Dined 2 days ago

Our server was fantastic! Great recommendations and so sweet to celebrate our slightly belated birthday honoree.

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Popular dish

Chicken Fricassee

Juniper Restaurant

4.1 (717)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Georgetown

This modern American brasserie inside the storied [Fairmont Washington, D.C.](https://www.fairmont.com/washington/) stands out for relying on a fleet of winged insects to champion sustainability in its kitchen. Housed in hives on the hotel rooftop, 105,000 Italian bees provide the honey for dishes such as honey granola and salad lyonnaise. The bees also pollinate the hotel’s interior courtyard garden, which provides many herbs and edible flowers for its culinary program. A meal at Juniper isn’t complete without a honeycomb-garnished beetini, the hotel’s signature cocktail, made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, rooftop honey syrup, bitters, and citrus blossom essence.

Top review

T

Tara

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Food and service were both excellent. Perfect for a nice business lunch.

This modern American brasserie inside the storied [Fairmont Washington, D.C.](https://www.fairmont.com/washington/) stands out for relying on a fleet of winged insects to champion sustainability in its kitchen. Housed in hives on the hotel rooftop, 105,000 Italian bees provide the honey for dishes such as honey granola and salad lyonnaise. The bees also pollinate the hotel’s interior courtyard garden, which provides many herbs and edible flowers for its culinary program. A meal at Juniper isn’t complete without a honeycomb-garnished beetini, the hotel’s signature cocktail, made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, rooftop honey syrup, bitters, and citrus blossom essence.

Top review

T

Tara

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Food and service were both excellent. Perfect for a nice business lunch.

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4.3 (751)

$30 and under

Latin American

Downtown

El Secreto de Rosita is a comprehensive and groundbreaking ode to Peruvian cuisine, highlighting both the country’s ancient Incan roots and newer immigrant imprints—a concept not easily found in Washington, D.C. The romantic U Street lair, designed to resemble a rainforest, recently landed a spot in MICHELIN’s D.C. dining guide. Indigenous Peruvian ingredients, such as purple corn and yellow pepper, distinguish the imaginative menu. Expect an entire section dedicated to ceviche, plus plenty of Nikkei and Chifa cuisine; the latter was brought to Peru by Chinese immigrants. It’s all whipped up by Eugene Perret, a Peru native who has cooked at MICHELIN-starred spots including Siren and Komi. Must-tries include arroz chaufa, a Peruvian-Chinese fried rice, and kam lu wantan, a sweet and sour stir-fry served with crispy wontons, shrimp tempura, pineapple, and snow peas.

Top review

J

Jeni

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

We were excited to finally try this place out, as it’s been on our list for a while. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was beautiful and inviting. We went there with our kids, and it took me a minute, but there was a giant mural of a naked woman on the wall, which I found odd for a restaurant. The service was a bit slow. There was only one or two other tables at the time. I'm not sure if they are in the middle of training, but it just felt a bit off. Everyone was kind, but overall, the service was a little lacking. The menu we saw posted here was not the menu we were given, so I would suggest you look at their site for a current menu. We found the menu to be very limited, especially if dining with kids. The food was good, and portions were good, but I just wish there were more options to choose from. The menu had a backside offering food from their sister restaurant which offers Palestinian food which also was odd to me as we went there for the great Peruvian food I had heard about. All in all food was good but we would likely not return.

El Secreto de Rosita is a comprehensive and groundbreaking ode to Peruvian cuisine, highlighting both the country’s ancient Incan roots and newer immigrant imprints—a concept not easily found in Washington, D.C. The romantic U Street lair, designed to resemble a rainforest, recently landed a spot in MICHELIN’s D.C. dining guide. Indigenous Peruvian ingredients, such as purple corn and yellow pepper, distinguish the imaginative menu. Expect an entire section dedicated to ceviche, plus plenty of Nikkei and Chifa cuisine; the latter was brought to Peru by Chinese immigrants. It’s all whipped up by Eugene Perret, a Peru native who has cooked at MICHELIN-starred spots including Siren and Komi. Must-tries include arroz chaufa, a Peruvian-Chinese fried rice, and kam lu wantan, a sweet and sour stir-fry served with crispy wontons, shrimp tempura, pineapple, and snow peas.

Top review

J

Jeni

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

We were excited to finally try this place out, as it’s been on our list for a while. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was beautiful and inviting. We went there with our kids, and it took me a minute, but there was a giant mural of a naked woman on the wall, which I found odd for a restaurant. The service was a bit slow. There was only one or two other tables at the time. I'm not sure if they are in the middle of training, but it just felt a bit off. Everyone was kind, but overall, the service was a little lacking. The menu we saw posted here was not the menu we were given, so I would suggest you look at their site for a current menu. We found the menu to be very limited, especially if dining with kids. The food was good, and portions were good, but I just wish there were more options to choose from. The menu had a backside offering food from their sister restaurant which offers Palestinian food which also was odd to me as we went there for the great Peruvian food I had heard about. All in all food was good but we would likely not return.

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4.7 (3382)

$30 and under

American

Arlington

Helmed by James Beard Award semifinalist Matt Hill, Ruthie’s All Day redefines what it means to be a Southern barbecue smokehouse. A custom wood-burning smoker—oak and hickory are the fuel of choice—flavors the restaurant’s signature meat-and-three dishes, such as brisket that’s perfectly seasoned with garlic, onion, and paprika and smoked overnight. The true standouts, though, are the poultry options. The smoked duck, brined, oak-smoked, and wood-grilled to order, takes its inspiration from an unlikely source: Sichuan cuisine. The half-chicken dish with white barbecue sauce is marinated in soy, lemon, and lime juice for two days. Pair it with a side of dirty rice with charred kimchi, and crispy brussels sprouts tossed in a fish vinaigrette for a truly inimitable take on barbecue.

Top review

L

LaurenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Our waiter was PHENOMENAL! He anticipated needs and offered excellent service.

Helmed by James Beard Award semifinalist Matt Hill, Ruthie’s All Day redefines what it means to be a Southern barbecue smokehouse. A custom wood-burning smoker—oak and hickory are the fuel of choice—flavors the restaurant’s signature meat-and-three dishes, such as brisket that’s perfectly seasoned with garlic, onion, and paprika and smoked overnight. The true standouts, though, are the poultry options. The smoked duck, brined, oak-smoked, and wood-grilled to order, takes its inspiration from an unlikely source: Sichuan cuisine. The half-chicken dish with white barbecue sauce is marinated in soy, lemon, and lime juice for two days. Pair it with a side of dirty rice with charred kimchi, and crispy brussels sprouts tossed in a fish vinaigrette for a truly inimitable take on barbecue.

Top review

L

LaurenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Our waiter was PHENOMENAL! He anticipated needs and offered excellent service.

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4.7 (2305)

$30 and under

Mexican

Mount Vernon Square

After feasting on contemporary Oaxacan fare at acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval’s beloved restaurant, dLeña, head downstairs to Roja. This rustic-chic, subterranean lounge features a prolific selection of 300 agave spirits, one of D.C.’s largest, including 250 tequilas. Sit at the leather-lined bar or one of the moody, candlelit tables along the walnut tambour-paneled walls and sip on craft cocktails such as the tamarind paloma—it’s an especially creative spin on the tequila drink, rimmed with chamoy chile salt. Agave spirit aficionados who store mezcal bottles in one of the bar’s 44 exclusive private tequila lockers receive it served in bespoke crystal decanters on every visit, along with a personalized membership card that guarantees a table at this unrivaled, walk-in only haunt.

Top review

N

Nicole

Dined 6 days ago

Seafood enchiladas and margarita were amazing! We also had the Maryland crab guacamole and ceviche and elote dessert that were all delicious! Loved the bloody Mary’s also

After feasting on contemporary Oaxacan fare at acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval’s beloved restaurant, dLeña, head downstairs to Roja. This rustic-chic, subterranean lounge features a prolific selection of 300 agave spirits, one of D.C.’s largest, including 250 tequilas. Sit at the leather-lined bar or one of the moody, candlelit tables along the walnut tambour-paneled walls and sip on craft cocktails such as the tamarind paloma—it’s an especially creative spin on the tequila drink, rimmed with chamoy chile salt. Agave spirit aficionados who store mezcal bottles in one of the bar’s 44 exclusive private tequila lockers receive it served in bespoke crystal decanters on every visit, along with a personalized membership card that guarantees a table at this unrivaled, walk-in only haunt.

Top review

N

Nicole

Dined 6 days ago

Seafood enchiladas and margarita were amazing! We also had the Maryland crab guacamole and ceviche and elote dessert that were all delicious! Loved the bloody Mary’s also

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