
Highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Washington, D.C. by diners
Highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Washington, D.C. by diners
Comfort food. Just saying the phrase manages to create a feeling of warmth that suddenly envelops you and travels directly to your stomach. It's the small, happy dance you do in your chair as your mom puts your favorite dinner in front of you when you go home to visit. It's the infamous cranberry sauce that your beloved aunt makes every Thanksgiving. It's the inexplicably delicious French bread pizza that makes you remember the nostalgia of childhood when everything was simple and eating pizza for lunch felt like a dream come true.
There's a wonderfully subjective quality about comfort food because when it comes down to it, the only criterion it has to have is that it has to make you feel comfortable when you eat it. It's the dish you eat when you're having a rough day—like a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream—or it's the dish you eat when you have something amazing to celebrate—also a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream.
Whether you're out traveling for work, enjoying a road trip for solely play-related purposes, or just tired of figuring out what to have for dinner tonight, Stacker decided to help you find some of the highest-rated comfort food restaurants in Washington, D.C., using Yelp data current as of July 22, 2025. The restaurants that serve the starchy, salty, sweet, greasy, cheesy, flaky, buttery comfort food that hits close to home, exactly when you need it most.
Businesses in the "comfort food" category were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews and within a 10-kilometer radius of Washington, D.C. were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on our Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to find out if your favorite comfort spot made it or to find a new favorite!
#22. Anthem
- Rating: 3.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 901 Massachusetts Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Charlene's Bar & Grille
- Rating: 3.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 2618 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#20. DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.6/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 1500 East Capitol St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Comfort Food, Breakfast & Brunch, African
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Firefly
- Rating: 3.6/5 (1227 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1310 New Hampshire Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: New American, Comfort Food, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#18. GCDC Grilled Cheese Bar
- Rating: 3.7/5 (727 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1730 Pennsylvania Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: American, Comfort Food, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips
- Rating: 3.8/5 (545 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 665 Dc The Wharf St. Southwest Ste 730 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Fish & Chips, Comfort Food, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. GATSBY
- Rating: 3.9/5 (431 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1205 Half St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Ted's Bulletin Capitol Hill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (2574 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 505 8th St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#14. The Visiteur
- Rating: 3.9/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1221 22nd St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Comfort Food, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#13. SeoulSpice
- Rating: 3.9/5 (424 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 145 North St. Northeast Ste 400 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Korean, Gluten-Free, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Primrose
- Rating: 4.0/5 (276 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3000 12th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: French, Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Ted's Bulletin 14th
- Rating: 4.0/5 (2335 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1818 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Flavorture
- Rating: 4.0/5 (149 reviews)
- Address: 2609 24th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Bars, Comfort Food, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#9. SeoulSpice
- Rating: 4.1/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4600 Wisconsin Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Korean, Comfort Food, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Onkei
- Rating: 4.2/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ted's Bulletin Noma
- Rating: 4.2/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1005 First St. Northeast STE 3 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Comfort Food, New American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Exiles Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1610 U St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Comfort Food, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Puddin'
- Rating: 4.3/5 (491 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1309 5th St. Northeast Union Market Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Comfort Food, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Shilling Canning Company
- Rating: 4.3/5 (276 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 360 Water St. Southeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: New American, Comfort Food, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. SeoulSpice
- Rating: 4.4/5 (121 reviews)
- Address: 439 7th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Korean, Gluten-Free, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Grand Duchess
- Rating: 4.4/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 2337 18th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Eden's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 2910 Bladensburg Road Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Eritrean, Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 95 metros.