DCGuide
DC's New Restaurant Openings
From fast casual chicken to a glamorous rooftop bar, these are the new restaurants you should know about.
Keeping track of all the brand new restaurants and bars in DC is harder than decoding street parking signs. So just read this list instead. These are the new restaurant openings we think you should know about—although keep in mind, we haven’t been to all of them. If you’re looking for the new restaurants we’ve already checked out and loved, go to our Hit List.
May 2023
Vera
This Ivy City restaurant honors the history of Lebanese Mexicans and is named after Veracruz, a city in Mexico with a large Lebanese population. The fusion menu includes dishes like fattoush tostada and lamb birria.
photo credit: Deb Lindsey
The Saga
The Saga is a Latin-Spanish fusion restaurant in the West End serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. They are serving dishes like gambas al ajillo made with Mexican gulf shrimp.
April 2023
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photo credit: Nina Palazzolo
DCity Smokehouse
Southeast rejoice—DCity Smokehouse has opened its second location in historic Anacostia, bringing its delicious smoked wings, brisket, and brussels sprouts with it. It’s open from 12-8pm, seven days a week.
This pop-up restaurant from the Daikaya team combines Japanese and Mexican food to create plates like chashu taco and birria ramen (which is only served on weekends). It’s squatting at Haikan in LeDroit Park and is open daily through the summer.
The family-owned West-African pop-up now has a brick and mortar shop in Brightwood. The fast casual restaurant offers an array of customizable bowls where you can choose from things like groundnut soup, Ghanaian waakye, stewed oxtail, and jollof rice.
March 2023
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Dave’s Hot Chicken
The California-based fast casual chicken chain has opened its first DC location in Columbia Heights. The menu is straight to the point: chicken tenders, chicken sliders, and four sides including fries. Your biggest decision is going to be picking one of the seven spice levels.
photo credit: Golshan Jalali
Taqueria Habanero
Taqueria Habanero is a new food stall at Bryant Street Market in Brentwood. This is the restaurant’s second location after making a name for itself in Columbia Heights. You can expect much of the same at Bryant Street. Tortillas continue to be made in-house and regional specials like mole poblano, taco barbacoa, and red-hot chili chorizo are still on the menu.
Jesiree's Chop House & Lounge
Adams Morgan has a brand new steakhouse in Jesiree Chop House & Lounge. The restaurant comes decked out in neon signs, flowers, and crystal chandeliers. You’re getting more than just a typical American steakhouse here, as the menu includes West African dishes like Ghanaian jollof and Senegalese yassa. Plus, there’s a weekend brunch with $50 mimosa and sangria towers.
Johnny's All American
Johnny’s All American in Columbia Heights is a safe space for people looking for boozy milkshakes, donuts, and a burger. The Black-owned cafe and bar is meant to be the new hangout spot for Ohio State fans, but is also open for anyone looking to order a coffee and old fashioned at the same time. They’re still in the middle of a soft opening, so its hours are evolving.
Upstairs At The Morrow
Upstairs At The Morrow, a rooftop bar in NoMa, opens just in time for spring. It’s managed by the same team that runs the fine-dining French restaurant Le Clou (also at The Morrow Hotel). Upstairs serves sangrias and spritzes and bougie light bites like duck confit taquitos.
Blowfish Poke
Blowfish Poke has opened its first DC stall in Bryant Street Market. The Hawaiian take-out restaurant specializes in poke, but you'll also find dishes like furikake and katsu chicken lunch platters, burgers, and mochi donuts.
photo credit: Kimberly Kong/NOM Digital
Kappo Makoto
This reservation-only Japanese spot in Palisades is throwing 21-person dinner parties two to three times a night. Kappo Makoto serves a $150 tasting menu that is left completely up to the chef and highlights Japanese wagyu, fish, and shellfish. Seatings are at 5:30pm and 8pm Wednesday-Friday, and 4pm, 6:30pm, and 9pm on the weekend. Heads up: they can’t accommodate food allergies and restrictions right now.
