Restaurant Week is a summer eating tradition almost on par with smashing piles of blue crab.
A smorgasbord of restaurants will offer deals for multi-course brunches and lunches ($25) or dinners ($40-55). Some have menus with wine pairings, cocktail specials and to-go options.
It’s back from Monday, Aug. 15 to Sunday, Aug. 21 — and it’s never too early to make a reservation for this popular dining event.
With dozens of restaurants serving up deals, there’s one big question: Where should a hungry Washingtonian eat?
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News4’s resident foodie Eun Yang says she always looks for upscale places offering great value, or restaurants she hasn’t tried in her neighborhood.
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington has the entire list of participating restaurants, and we have some specific recommendations below.
Also on our radar: Alexandria Restaurant Week is coming up Aug. 19-28.
Eun Yang’s Picks for Summer Restaurant Week 2022
Eun is eyeing these prime cuts for Restaurant Week (ICYMI: She already shared them on TikTok).
Dauphine’s: Head over for New Orleans-inspired cuisine in a space that would fit right in on the French Quarter. Eun says don’t miss the oysters. Here’s the menu.
Mandu: Eat a complete Korean meal with a meat or fish, soup and banchan (small side dishes). Mandu is all about homestyle Korean dishes. Eun says it’s her favorite way to eat. Here’s their information.
Mintwood Place: We know how D.C. loves to brunch, and Mintwood Places comes through with great classics and fun dishes. Their Restaurant Week menu offers lots of options, check it out here.
Pennyroyal Station: This popular restaurant in Mount Rainier has a lot of yummy comfort foods with a twist. Here’s a look at their menu.
Taqueria Xochi: Inspired by Mexican street eats, Taqueria Xochi is the place to go if you've been dying to try quesabirria tacos — a tortilla stuffed with stewed meat and cheese, fried quesadilla-style, then dunked in a thick, flavorful broth. Here's the menu.
Michelin-Starred Restaurants to Try on Restaurant Week
Bresca: Taste modern French cuisine in a bistro-style restaurant that’s earned a coveted Michelin star. For $55, you can enjoy a coho (salmon) mi cuit, brioche stuffed chicken and strawberry ambrosia dessert — it’s a good deal since the regular three-course tasting menu would set you back $84. Here’s the menu.
Cranes: This sleek Penn Quarter restaurant serves Japanese kaiseki inspired by Spanish food. The Michelin-starred kitchen will offer dinner for $55 with an optional beverage pairing for $35. Check out the menu.
Michelin-Approved Restaurants to Try on Restaurant Week
The restaurants below have been named in the Michelin Guide — including Bib Gourmands, good food at a good value.
Bar Chinois: Few things sound more enticing to us than French drinks and Chinese food — that's what Bar Chinois is all about. French onion beef dumpling soup? Yes, please. Check out the brunch and dinner menus here.
China Chilcano: This José Andrés restaurant brings Peruvian, Chinese and Japanese styles together to create plates including shrimp-pork dumplings and quinoa-potato salads. Check out the menu.
Ivy City Smokehouse: Known for smoking their own seafood, Ivy City Smokehouse leans on their celebrated grilled dishes on the $40 menu. But you can also go big for a $55 per person lobster dinner.
Jaleo: José Andrés’ fun tapas spot in Penn Quarter is open for lunch and dinner during Restaurant Week. Find the menus here.
Kaliwa: Filipino, Korean and Thai are all on the menu at this spacious restaurant along The Wharf. Here are the lunch and dinner menus.
Lao in Town: If you’re ready to expand your knowledge of Southeast Asian dishes, check out Lao in Town. The Restaurant Week menu includes flavor-packed appetizers, elevated noodle and fried rice entrée options and a sticky rice-based dessert. Here’s the menu.
Ottoman Taverna: You could have Turkish food for brunch, lunch and dinner and still have mezes left to try. Here are the menus.
Oyamel: Sample your way through ceviche, quesadillas, tamales and tacos at this “Cocina Mexicana” in Penn Quarter. Here’s the menu.
Sababa: You can’t go wrong with the small plates or the big proteins that come out of Sababa’s Israeli kitchen in Cleveland Park. Here’s their Restaurant Week page.
Sfoglina: Fabio Trabocchi’s charming Italian pasta houses downtown and in Rosslyn showcase their handmade noodles on the Restaurant Week menus. Check out what’s available in Virginia and D.C.
Unconventional Diner: Comfort dishes including chicken tinga, a double cheeseburger and falafel gyro are finessed into something extra special at this modern diner. The appetizers and desserts look just as mouth-watering. Here’s the menu.
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