Restaurants in Washington DC

Washington D.C.'s most credentialed tasting counter: two Michelin stars, a No. 13 OAD North America ranking, and a 360-selection wine program led by Wine Director Gabriel Corbett. The open-kitchen counter format and Japanese luxury ingredient focus make it the strongest special-occasion booking in the city — but reserve months in advance.

minibar holds two Michelin stars, a La Liste score of 92, and the #8 ranking in Opinionated About Dining's North America list for 2025. The counter-only tasting menu runs Tuesday through Saturday evenings only, and reservations are among the hardest to secure in Washington, D.C. Book as far ahead as possible and opt into the beverage pairing — the format is built for it.

Kwame Onwuachi's Afro-Caribbean restaurant inside the Salamander Hotel is one of D.C.'s hardest tables to get for good reason. The sharing-plate format pulls from Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole traditions with real specificity — earned a Michelin Plate and Esquire Best New Restaurants nod in its first year. Book four-plus weeks out via Resy, and bring a group to get the most from the menu.

Ranked #203 in North America by Opinionated About Dining, Oyster Oyster delivers a vegetable-focused tasting menu in Shaw, D.C. that earns its reputation through genuine technical precision rather than dietary positioning. At $$$, it undercuts most $$$$ tasting-menu competition in the city. Book two to three weeks out for weekends and expect creative, farm-sourced cooking that holds its own against the best in the country.

Albi is the strongest argument for live-fire Palestinian cooking in Washington, D.C., and one of the harder reservations to land in the city. Chef Michael Rafidi's hearth-driven tasting menu shifts with the mid-Atlantic seasons and ranks consistently on Opinionated About Dining's North America list. Book three to four weeks out, or come early in the week and sit at the bar.

Xiquet by Danny Lledo is Washington D.C.'s most credentialed Spanish tasting room — Michelin-starred, AAA 5 Diamond, and ranked three consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's North America list. The third-floor room is deliberately small, the booking window is tight, and the wood-fired Valencian rice preparations are the reason to plan around it. If a tasting format suits you, this is the room in D.C. to prioritize.

Pineapple and Pearls holds a Michelin star and ranks #80 in North America on OAD (2025), making it one of Washington D.C.'s most credentialed tasting menu experiences. Chef Aaron Silverman's deliberately celebratory format — tableside theatre, warm storytelling service — earns the $$$$ price point for guests who want fine dining to feel like an occasion. Book six to eight weeks out for weekends.