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 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners 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 new restaurant openings were up 6% 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, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Washington, D.C., according to Yelp 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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Coco Lezzone

- Rating: 4.9/5 (102 reviews)
- Address: 915 15th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Hilana Falafel

- Rating: 4.9/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: Falafel, Middle Eastern, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

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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
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.