Highest-rated restaurants in Washington, D.C. by diners

Written by:
January 31, 2025
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Highest-rated restaurants in Washington, D.C. by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Washington, D.C., according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Alexa's Empanadas

- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 225 7th St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Food Stands
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#29. Heat Da Spot

- Rating: 4.8/5 (503 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3213 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Ethiopian
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#28. Atxondo

- Rating: 4.8/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4724 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Spanish, Seafood, Tapas/Small Plates
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#27. Odd Provisions

- Rating: 4.8/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3301 11th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Specialty Food, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Sandwiches
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#26. VEGZ

- Rating: 4.8/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2120 18th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Vegetarian, Vegan, Indian
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#25. Tiki Garden Thai Street Food

- Rating: 4.8/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1252 H St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Thai, Cocktail Bars, Soup
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#24. Au Lait Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1608 17th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cafes
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#23. Ko Japanese Dining

- Rating: 4.8/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 1610 20th St. Northwest Floor 2 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Japanese
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#22. Grounded

- Rating: 4.8/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1913 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cafes, Yoga, Nurseries & Gardening
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#21. Eatopia Eatery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1301 U St. Northwest Ste 111 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Ethiopian
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#20. Lei Musubi

- Rating: 4.8/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 716 Monroe St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Hawaiian, Pop-Up Restaurants
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#19. Giza Middle Eastern Food

- Rating: 4.8/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2000 Hecht Ne Ave. Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
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#18. Izumi Japanese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.8/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 1832 Columbia Road Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Japanese
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#17. Bitty & Beau's Coffee

- Rating: 4.8/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 3207 M St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#16. KooKoo Restaurant & Lounge

- Rating: 4.8/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 3310 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Persian/Iranian, Mediterranean
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#15. Ceibo

- Rating: 4.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 2106 18th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Wine Bars, Modern European, Desserts
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#14. Rue Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 3906 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#13. Little Hat Coffee

- Rating: 4.9/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 2400 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Pop-Up Restaurants
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#12. Abuare Restaurant

- Rating: 4.9/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 1524 U St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Ethiopian, Vegetarian
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#11. Coco Lezzone

- Rating: 4.9/5 (102 reviews)
- Address: 915 15th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mediterranean
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#10. Omakase at Barracks Row

- Rating: 4.9/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 522 8th St. Southeast Floor 2 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Bars
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#9. Sami's Hot Dog Cart

- Rating: 4.9/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 800 Independence Ave. Southwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Food Stands
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#8. Mita Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 703 Kennedy St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cafes, Japanese, Ethiopian
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#7. Little Food Studio

- Rating: 4.9/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 849 Upshur St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#6. Omari's Music Bar

- Rating: 4.9/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 3217 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Tacos, Chicken Wings, Cocktail Bars
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#5. Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant and Bar

- Rating: 4.9/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 3608 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Bars, Ethiopian
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#4. Hilana Falafel

- Rating: 4.9/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Falafel, Middle Eastern, Food Stands
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#3. Shewa

- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1824 Benning Road Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Food Delivery Services, Breakfast & Brunch, Ethiopian
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#2. Gueny Cafe & Market

- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 5320 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Ethiopian, Cafes
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#1. Tropic Burger

- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Burgers, Food Trucks
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

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