Where To Go (And Not Go) For DC Restaurant Week
While DC Restaurant Week (RW) pegs itself as a good deal ($25 brunch/lunch almost always is), you have to do a little digging to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth ($40/$55/$65 dinner…not always so much). So I did the research: here’s where you should and shouldn’t go for this upcoming RW!
Places to Go
1789
Location: Georgetown
Cuisine: Modern American
RW Deal: $65 dinner
Details: Their RW menu is essentially their regular menu, and as long as you go for their pricier dishes, you’ll be getting a good deal. Otherwise you’d normally be spending
What to Order: Octopus or Scallop appetizer, Duck or Prime NY Strip entree, and any dessert aside from the ice cream.
Central Michel Richard
Location: Downtown DC
Cuisine: French
RW Deal: $35 lunch or $55 dinner
Details: One of the best restaurants in DC in my humble opinion. Definitely go for lunch—you get the same menu for $20 cheaper.
What to Order: Risotto Croquets (one of my favorite dishes in all of DC) or Bisque du Homard (Lobster Bisque) appetizer, Fried Chicken or Salmon entree, and Lava Cake or Pumpkin Pie dessert.
Fitzgerald’s
Location: Georgetown
Cuisine: Modern American
RW Deal: $40 dinner
Details: This may be the best RW deal—Fitzgerald’s is essentially 1789’s little brother, and the food is all cooked in the same kitchen with the same ingredients! So if you’re looking for the less-fancy-but-still-chic option, pick Fitzgerald’s.
What to Order: I actually don’t think you could go wrong with any order. Get whatever makes you happy.
Sabores
Location: Arlington
Cuisine: Latin/Tapas
RW Deal: $25 lunch, $35 brunch, $40 dinner
Details: I am biased because my friend’s dad is a chef here but this food seriously rocks. And their RW deals are all excellent.
What to Order: I am not kidding when I say everything on this menu is amazing. The steak is particularly amazing, though.
Ambar
Location: Shaw, Barracks, Clarendon
Cuisine: Balkan
RW Deal: $25 brunch, $55 dinner
Details: This all-you-can-eat style restaurant normally charges $35 for their brunch, so $10 off isn’t a bad deal (and I think their brunch menu is better than their dinner). Unlimited drinks are only $13 extra at brunch, too.
What to Order: Grilled Steak, Salmon Benedict, Nutella Waffle
Tabla
Location: Park View
Cuisine: Georgian (the country not the state)
RW Deal: $25 brunch/lunch, $40 dinner
Details: This place is so delicious and the atmosphere is cool without being too fancy. Their RW menus are include most of their best dishes, too.
What to Order: Soup Dumplings, Ajaruli Khachapuri
Places to Avoid
All Purpose
RW Deal: $40 dinner
Details: Their regular menu wouldn’t set you back much more than $40 for an app, entree, and dessert, so while it’s good food, I’d recommend going during their happy hour instead.
Easy Company
RW Deal: $55 dinner
Details: This Wharf wine bar is already overpriced, and I don’t find the food to be very good. There are plenty of RW options with better food and better deals.
Founding Farmers
RW Deal: $25 lunch or $40 deal
Details: The deals aren’t bad but it is just such a sub-par DC chain restaurant. I don’t think the food is very good and I’ve had a bad experience with them in the past (booking a reservation that they cancelled without letting me know and when we arrived they were like sorry not sorry! and then I said something on Yelp and someone from the restaurant responded and was like we’re so sorry this happened please email me so I can make it right and so I emailed them like 3 times and they never responded).
Gerrard St Kitchen
RW Deal: $25 brunch or $40 dinner
Details: Went to this place a year or so ago for RW and I’ve literally never seen such horrible service before or since. The food wasn’t horrible but I would still be sitting there if I had not gone to search for my waiter that day!!
Matchbox
RW Deal: $40 deal
Details: It’s f*cking Matchbox. If you don’t know the lore consider yourself lucky.
The Melting Pot
RW Deal: $55 dinner
Details: If you decide to spend $55 at a chain fondue restaurant that’s on you babe ❤
Places I Haven’t Been Yet But I’ve Heard They’re Good But Don’t Blame Me If They’re Not!
Iron Gate
Location: Dupont
Cuisine: Italian and Greek
RW Deal: $25 brunch or lunch
Website: https://www.irongaterestaurantdc.com/
Makan
Location: Columbia Heights
Cuisine: Malaysian
RW Deal: $40 dinner
Website: https://www.makanrestaurantdc.com/
Moon Rabbit
Location: Penn Quarter
Cuisine: Vietnamese
RW Deal: $65 dinner
Website: https://www.dokidokihospitality.com/concepts/moonrabbitdc
Opal
Location: Chevy Chase
Cuisine:
RW Deal: $25 brunch/lunch or $55 dinner
Website: https://www.opal-dc.com/
Rasika
Location: Penn Quarter and West End
Cuisine: Indian
RW Deal: $35 lunch or $55 dinner (PQ only)
Website: https://www.rasikarestaurant.com/
