Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in District of Columbia

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes 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!

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.

Cafe Riggs

4.8

4.8 (179)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

Penn Quarter

About the restaurant

In the grand tradition of French cuisine, Café Riggs presents a contemporary American brasserie that reimagines classic dishes within a vibrant setting.

Top review

Maria

Dined on May 28, 2025

It was our 3rd time at Riggs (every time we are in D.C. we come to Riggs) and it was amazing as any other time before. The food was delicious, service was good and professional and we enjoyed our dining experience. Looking forward to come back next time we visit D.C.

Code Red

4.8

4.8 (65)

$30 and under

American

Adams Morgan

About the restaurant

CODE RED : We’re a celebration of freedom that transports you back into the Prohibition Era while embracing modernity with classic cocktails, eclectic cuisine, and outstanding service.

Top review

Lauren

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Super cool vibe! The staff was so friendly & so accommodating

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Experience

🦪 $1 Oyster "Shuck & Sip" Tuesdays 🦪

Experience

🇺🇸 4TH OF JULY 🇺🇸

The Arsenal at Bluejacket

4.7

4.7 (1076)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Navy Yard

About the restaurant

Bluejacket is a brewery without boundaries—pushing the limits of traditional styles to create small-batch beers that are bold, balanced, and full of character. Set in a striking former Navy Yard warehouse, our dining room and bar offer a front-row seat to the brewing action. Here, guests can enjoy a diverse lineup of beers alongside a seasonal menu that highlights local ingredients and is thoughtfully designed to complement what’s in your glass.

Top review

Jenny

Dined 2 days ago

Such a fun place for a large group!! Highly recommend the beer and tater tots!

dLeña - Chef Table

4.7

4.7 (94)

$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

Merritt

Dined on Jun 4, 2025

First, and most importantly, the food was wonderful. Just about every one of the eight dishes was well-conceived, beautifully constructed, and often presented with some dramatic surprise. I enjoy watching our dishes being plated before our eyes, and am always impressed by the extreme attention to detail that goes into that effort at this level. Service was everything to be expected in a Michelin-star restaurant. The interactions with Chef Carlos were an important part of the evening, with information about the inspirations for some of the dishes letting us appreciate the art more fully, and the descriptions with the wine service were very good. dLeña is highly recommended by all four of us. Really, the only significant negative about the whole experience was the ambient noise level. The restaurant is very noisy, and for me it was loud enough to distract from all the other wonderful things going on. If not for the noise, I'm sure all the rating factors would have been full fives.

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Experience

Chef's Table Experience

Planta - Washington, DC

4.7

4.7 (89)

$30 and under

Vegetarian / Vegan

Dupont Circle

About the restaurant

PLANTA Queen is a celebration of innovative and plant-based Asian-inspired cuisine by Chef David Lee, served in a high energy and beautifully designed space with an overflow of fun, late-night vibes. PLANTA Queen DC stays true to signatures like Truffle Udon Noodles and Bang Bang Broccoli while expanding plant-powered horizons in the way of sushi, dumplings, cocktails, and more. PLANTA Queen reimagines and reinvents plant-based dining, providing flavorful (and fun) proof that the power of plants can change the world.

Top review

SergeVIP

Dined 6 days ago

You can tell that planta is investing in its people. They are well staffed and well trained. Our party had a number of food allergies so they were able to mark up a menu to let us know what would be safe. That was refreshing to have a place that understood the seriousness of food allergies . The drinks were great. And the ambience very nice. We’ve also been to the one in Bethesda. But I think the DC one which we’ve been to a few times. Seems to run better seems better. In the Bethesda one they seem to have younger staff maybe not as used to Customer Service. The DC one the staff seemed more experienced. It’s not cheap but still a good experience - party of 4 easily $250-$300 range (inclusive of let’s say one drink each, dessert, and tax).

Mandu - K Street

4.6

4.6 (672)

$30 and under

Korean

Mount Vernon Square

About the restaurant

Welcome to Mandu - Korean comfort in the heart of Washington, DC!
Mandu brings the bold, soulful flavors of Korean cuisine to the table with warmth, the kitchen being lead by the mother and son duo of Chefs Yesoon and Danny Lee. From sizzling bulgogi and housemade kimchi to our signature dumplings (mandu), every dish is a celebration of tradition, family, and flavor. Our legendary bar is open nightly featuring happy hour 7 days a week.

Located downtown right near the DC Convention Center, Mandu is conveniently steps away from most DC attractions.

Our patio is open based on weather and patio tables are non reservable. When the patio is open all patio tables are available on a first come first serve basis.

We look forward to hosting you!

Top review

PaulVIP

Dined today

Great food and great service. Mandu was great. Bibimbop was amazing. Highly recommend.

Boqueria - Dupont

4.6

4.6 (2319)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

Dupont Circle

About the restaurant

A neighborhood favorite since 2012, Boqueria brings the lively spirit of Barcelona’s tapas culture to Washington DC in a warm, contemporary space that hums with energy from lunch through late night. It’s a go-to for festive happy hours, intimate dinners, spirited gatherings with friends, and al fresco meals on the seasonal outdoor patio.
Guests share classic Spanish dishes like jamón ibérico, garlic shrimp, pan con tomate, and patatas bravas—paired with signature paellas, sangrías, cocktails, and Spanish wines.
Located just down the block from Dupont Circle Park, Embassy Row, and Foggy Bottom, and a short walk from K Street.
Please note that in some cases, large party reservations may require a set menu. If that is the case, a host will reach out to confirm with all the details.

Top review

Christopher

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Very nice experience, lots of tapas to select, service was great.

Rosemarino D'Italia - Dupont

4.6

4.6 (250)

$31 to $50

Italian

Dupont Circle

About the restaurant

Creating simple dishes grounded in authentic techniques from northern & southern regions of Italy. Incorporating fresh, homemade, and flavorful products to guests.

We welcome you to enjoy our handmade pastas, seasonally inspired dishes, alongside a carefully curated Italian wine list & our crafted cocktails.

Placed in the lively and vibrant DuPont Circle neighborhood, Rosemarino D’Italia brings people together in a space that’s filled with our personality and inspiration. Our crafted and bustling bar is perfect spot for sipping socializing and savoring our delicious aperitivo. Come to experience a celebration of good eats and good times for lunch, dinner or happy hour.

Top review

Nicole

Dined on May 15, 2025

Great food amazing time, wonderful staff, we will com again

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Popular dish

Chicken

Experience

Aperitivo I Happy Hour with Rosemarino D'Italia

Cuba Libre - DC

4.5

4.5 (3114)

$31 to $50

Cuban

Mount Vernon Square

About the restaurant

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is dedicated to a continued exploration of Cuban heritage, art, music, flavors and traditions. The open-air setting, tropical ambiance, vintage décor, Latin music and two-time James Beard Award winning founding Chef Guillermo Pernot's menu of classic and contemporary Cuban cuisine make the restaurant a must-see, must-experience dining destination. Enjoy a signature mojito with your dinner, weekend brunch or late night dancing (Fridays and Saturdays after 11 PM). Planning a private event? Visit Cuba Libre’s website to learn about the various event spaces, party enhancements, and customizable menus.

Top review

Jennifer

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Delicious food with an amazing ambiance. We felt like we were dining on a Cuban street. Pineapple mojito was on point. So glad we found this place.

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