Maison

A French wine bar in Adams Morgan that earned its Resy Hit List spot — book it before the neighbourhood catches up

Maison Bar à Vins landed on Resy's Leading of the Hit List for 2025, and that recognition matters here: Adams Morgan is not a neighbourhood historically known for serious wine programming. If you are visiting for the first time and wondering whether this is worth a detour from the better-mapped dining corridors around 14th Street or Capitol Hill, the short answer is yes — particularly if your priority is wine-led, small-plates dining in a bistro register rather than a full tasting-menu commitment.

The format at Maison is a French wine bar paired with refined bistro dishes, which means the drinks program is genuinely co-equal with the food, not an afterthought. That is a meaningful distinction in a city where wine lists at neighbourhood spots often skew toward crowd-pleasing by-the-glass pours. Here, the list leans French, and the selection is described as extensive , which for a first-timer means you should plan to spend time with it. If you arrive with a specific appellation in mind, ask. If you arrive open, let the staff steer you: wine-bar formats like this work leading when you treat the list as the structure of the meal rather than a side decision.

The atmosphere at Maison is the other reason to pay attention. Adams Morgan has always had energy, but Maison is positioned as a more composed room , the kind of place where the ambient noise level supports conversation rather than competing with it. For a first visit, arrive earlier in the evening if you want to talk through the wine list properly; the room tends to fill as the night progresses. This is not a loud, high-turnover bar. It is closer in spirit to the kind of Paris cave à manger that prioritises the glass in your hand over getting you out quickly.

Small-plates format means the menu is built for grazing across multiple dishes rather than anchoring around one main course. For first-timers, this works in your favour: it lowers the stakes on any single order and lets you move across the menu without committing to a single direction. The bistro framing suggests classic French technique , think charcuterie, cheese, and composed plates rather than elaborate modernist cooking. Compared to the more ambitious tasting-menu experiences available elsewhere in D.C. , Jônt or minibar represent that end of the spectrum , Maison is a lower-stakes, more repeatable evening. It rewards regulars as much as first-timers.

For broader context on where Maison fits in the city's current dining moment, see our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide, our Washington, D.C. bars guide, and our Washington, D.C. wineries guide. If you are planning a full trip, our D.C. hotels guide and experiences guide round out the picture.

Practical Details

Address: 1834 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009. Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy , this is not a hard-to-get table, which is part of the appeal. Book via Resy. Budget: Price range is not published in our current data; expect wine-bar pricing with small plates, which in D.C.'s Adams Morgan context typically sits in a mid-range register. Dress: No formal dress code confirmed; smart-casual is the safe call for a French bistro format. Groups: Small-plates formats accommodate pairs and small groups well; for larger parties, confirm capacity when booking.

How It Compares

See the comparison section below for how Maison stacks up against its Washington, D.C. peers.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should I order at Maison? Specific menu items are not confirmed in our current data, so avoid anchoring on particular dishes before you arrive. The format , French-leaning wine bar with refined bistro small plates , points toward charcuterie, cheese selections, and composed bistro plates as the likely backbone of the menu. Let the wine list guide the meal structure: pick your bottles or glasses first, then build the food around them. That is how this format is designed to work, and it is a more satisfying approach than ordering food and treating wine as secondary.
• Is Maison good for solo dining? Yes, and it may be one of the better solo options in Adams Morgan precisely because the wine-bar format removes the pressure of a full multi-course commitment. A seat at the bar (if available) is the natural choice for solo visitors , it gives you access to staff who can walk you through the wine list, which is where the real value of a solo visit here sits. The room's conversational noise level makes it more comfortable for solo dining than a louder, higher-energy bar.
• Can Maison accommodate groups? The small-plates format is group-friendly in principle , shared plates are easier to coordinate across a table than individual mains. That said, seat count and private dining availability are not confirmed in our current data. For groups of four or more, contact the venue directly when making your reservation to confirm the leading table configuration. Adams Morgan's neighbourhood character means the room is unlikely to be a large-format event space, so keep group sizes modest.
• How far ahead should I book Maison? Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so you are unlikely to need weeks of advance planning. A few days out should be sufficient for most evenings. That said, the Resy Leading of the Hit List recognition for 2025 may be driving increased demand, so booking a week ahead on weekends is a reasonable precaution. Unlike harder-to-book D.C. tables such as Rose's Luxury, Maison is accessible without significant forward planning.
• Does Maison handle dietary restrictions? The French bistro format historically centres on meat, seafood, and dairy, which means vegetarian and vegan guests should confirm options directly before visiting. Specific dietary accommodation policies are not confirmed in our current data. Contact the venue ahead of your booking rather than assuming flexibility , French wine-bar menus can be limited in scope, and it is better to verify than to arrive with unmet expectations.
• What should I wear to Maison? No dress code is formally confirmed, but the French bistro register and Resy Hit List profile suggest smart-casual is appropriate , think a step above a casual neighbourhood bar without requiring formal dress. In Adams Morgan, the neighbourhood itself skews relaxed, but Maison's positioning as a refined wine bar means you will feel out of place in activewear. A neat, put-together look is the right call for a first visit.