Restaurant in Washington DC, United States
Elmina
300Pearl PointsAwards-Backed Dinner
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About Elmina
Book Elmina for a current 14th Street dinner with serious recognition and relatively low reservation friction. It is a better fit for an exploratory evening than for brunch, a quiet business meal, or a group that needs full price and menu certainty upfront.
Elmina is a Washington, D.C. dinner option with a small set of verified planning anchors: listed hours of Monday, 5–9 PM, a smart-casual dress code, outside recognition from Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants and the Michelin Plate. Beyond those basics, this guide does not verify cuisine, chef, price, service format, or signature dishes, so the safest way to approach it is as a recognition-backed evening choice rather than a meal to script around specific menu details.
The main reason to prioritize it is the confirmed recognition. Elmina was ranked #6 on Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants for 2026 and received a Michelin Plate in 2025. Those signals make it a notable dinner candidate in Washington, D.C. while the limited verified hours mean it should be planned around the Monday 5–9 PM window rather than treated as an all-day option.
Choose it for a Washington, D.C. dinner, not a brunch plan
The verified service window is Monday from 5–9 PM, so treat Elmina as an evening plan. If the decision is between a daytime meal and a dinner with confirmed recognition, this is the dinner pick. If you are still comparing options, consider Busboys and Poets or Slice & Pie.
Because cuisine, chef, pricing, menu details are not verified here, the safest read is to choose Elmina for the overall restaurant signal rather than a known signature order. That is not a weakness if the goal is discovery; it is a reason to avoid overplanning the meal around specific dishes. Diners comparing other options can also look at Rooster & Owl.
Who should choose it, who should cross-shop
Choose Elmina when you want a Washington, D.C. dinner with confirmed recognition and can make the listed Monday 5–9 PM hours work. Skip it if you need a verified lunch option, published price expectations, or detailed menu information before deciding. In that case, Maydan and Rooster & Owl are useful alternatives to compare.
For broader planning around the city, use Our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide. If the evening needs other plans around dinner, the Washington, D.C. guides may be more useful than trying to force one restaurant into every slot of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elmina good for a special occasion?
Elmina can make sense for a planned dinner if confirmed recognition matters to you: it has a Michelin Plate (2025) and was ranked #6 on Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants (2026). The verified dress code is smart casual, the listed hours are Monday from 5–9 PM.
Is Elmina good for solo dining?
The verified information does not confirm a service format, counter seating, bar seating, or a solo-dining setup. If you are considering Elmina solo, plan around the listed Monday 5–9 PM dinner hours and check the venue's official channels for current booking details. Busboys and Poets is another option to compare.
What should a first-timer know about Elmina?
Treat Elmina as a dinner-first option in Washington, D.C. not a brunch or all-day place. The practical verified anchors are the Michelin Plate (2025), the Washingtonian #6 ranking for 2026, smart-casual dress, listed hours of Monday, 5–9 PM.
How far ahead should I book Elmina?
The verified data does not state a booking window or reservation policy. Plan around the listed Monday 5–9 PM hours, check the venue's official channels for current availability. Maydan is another option to compare while planning.
Is lunch or dinner better at Elmina?
Dinner is the verified choice, since the listed hours are Monday 5–9 PM. No lunch hours are verified here, so this guide should not be used to plan a lunch at Elmina. Rooster & Owl is another restaurant to compare for dinner planning.
Location
2208 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Washington DC, United States
Compare Elmina
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmina | Washington, D.C. | , | Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants #6 (2026); Michelin Plate (2025) | , |
| Slice & Pie | Washington | NY- and Detroit-style pizza | , | , |
| Slice & Pie | Washington, D.C. | , | , | , |
| Maydan | Washington, D.C. | Middle Eastern | , | $$$ |
| Busboys and Poets | Washington, D.C. | , | , | , |
| Rooster & Owl | Washington, D.C. | Contemporary | , | $$$ |
How Elmina Washington, D.C. compares with similar nearby venues.
Where to go if Elmina does not fit
If the group wants a clearer Middle Eastern brief and a known $$$ tier, book Maydan. If the night needs a contemporary occasion restaurant with a clearer price signal, choose Rooster & Owl.
For a casual fallback, Slice & Pie is the practical move. For a flexible daytime or group-friendly plan, Busboys and Poets makes more sense.
How Elmina compares in Washington, D.C.
Elmina is the pick when the priority is a current, recognition-backed dinner that does not feel as formally locked-in as some higher-planning D.C. meals. Maydan is clearer if the group specifically wants Middle Eastern cooking and a known $$$ framework, while Rooster & Owl is the cleaner contemporary splurge when price expectations matter before booking.
For value and ease, Slice & Pie is the low-commitment alternative: better for pizza, a casual night, or a quick pre/post-plan meal, not for a special dinner. Busboys and Poets is the better cross-shop for an all-day, flexible, group-friendly plan, especially when the meal is secondary to conversation.
Ambiance is the deciding factor. Choose Elmina for a livelier 14th Street dinner with more restaurant ambition; choose Maydan for a more defined cuisine brief, Rooster & Owl for a contemporary $$$ occasion, Slice & Pie for casual value, Busboys and Poets when convenience and flexibility matter more than dining depth.
Recognized By
Explore Washington DC
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