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Best Restaurants for People Watching in Penn Quarter

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37 restaurants available nearby

A photo of matchbox Penn Quarter restaurant
1. matchbox Penn Quarter
4.4
Awesome(576)
Price: Moderate
• American • Penn Quarter
Booked 19 times today
Come and enjoy our 3.6.9 mini burgers, blazing hot pizzas, or any one of our chef-crafted dishes.From its prime perch on bustling E Street NW in Penn Quarter, matchbox delights neighborhood workers, visitors, and residents with a casual, welcoming spot for a quick weekday lunch, lively happy hour, bottomless weekend brunch, and dinner for both date nights and groups. An expansive bar area with ample seating attracts sports fans and concert-goers heading to Capital One Arena, and boasts numerous TVs for game-day viewing as well. A definitive element of the matchbox dining experience is the custom pizza oven that fires up signature thin-crust pizzas within minutes, and its surrounding pizza bar that offers a front-row view of the action. Outdoor seating along E Street offers plentiful people-watching in warmer months.
A photo of The Bazaar by José Andrés - DC restaurant
2. The Bazaar by José Andrés - DC
4.7
Exceptional(1027)
Price: Very Expensive
• Spanish • Penn Quarter
Booked 75 times today
Set in the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, The Bazaar is the culmination of a 30-year dream for Chef José Andrés. Drawing inspiration from this iconic location, which first opened in 1899 and served as DC’s General Post Office until 1914, The Bazaar is a multi-level destination reinvented with avant-garde and Americana-inspired decor.
A photo of Dauphine’s restaurant
3. Dauphine’s
4.7
Exceptional(1397)
Price: Expensive
• Contemporary American • Downtown
Booked 33 times today
Dauphine’s is a modern day incarnation of the dramatic Grande Dame establishments of New Orleans, brought to you by the award winning Long Shot Hospitality - the team behind DC's beloved The Salt Line Restaurants. Dauphine’s utilizes Mid-Atlantic ingredients to prepare classic New Orleans fare while also creating original dishes inspired by the legendary city. All brought to you in a breathtaking spacious downtown restaurant setting with the most beautiful bar in downtown DC, plenty of patio dining, and a festive outdoor bar and garden area. Located in the Midtown Center, Dauphine's is just steps from the White House, National Theater, Convention Center, Cap One Arena and most downtown attractions and provides an elegant yet relaxed dining atmosphere for any occasion. Dauphine’s serves Dinner seven nights a week and Brunch on weekends, with Happy Hour every day 4pm-7pm and an ALL DAY Happy Hour on Sundays - plus don't miss our signature Sunday Live Jazz Brunch! We hope to see you soon!
A photo of The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea restaurant
4. The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea
4.4
Awesome(336)
Price: Very Expensive
• Afternoon Tea • Downtown
Booked 7 times today
Luxuriate in the hotel’s grand lobby lounge for one of our most cherished afternoon traditions. Enjoy the finest selection of teas from Dammann Frères, exquisite tea sandwiches, delicious sweets, and homemade scones. Feel free to lavish your experience with our selective optional Champagne pairings. $109,00 per person, excluding tax & gratuity. Available Thursday - Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:45pm.
A photo of Georgia Brown's restaurant
5. Georgia Brown's
4.4
Awesome(8811)
Price: Expensive
• Low Country • Downtown
Booked 50 times today
Come and experience our lively interpretation of South Carolina Low-Country cuisine. Enjoy good southern food, servers who bubble over with hospitality, and a dining room that is truly distinctive. With its golden woods and bronze sculptures that crawl across the ceiling, designer Adam Tihany has created an atmosphere to awaken your senses. What better place to enjoy low country cuisine than in this contemporary environment celebrating the south. Offering the flavor of the South - the Soul of Washington; where we will be sure to leave a light burning in the window for you, our guests.22% service charge is included on every check. 18% is distributed directly to service workers on top of their base wages, and the remaining 4% is used to help pay for all staff costs due to the District of Columbia's Initiative 82. You may choose to leave an additional tip!https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaBrownsRestaurant/https://www.instagram.com/georgiabrowns_dc/http://gbrowns.com/
A photo of Milk & Honey - The Wharf restaurant
6. Milk & Honey - The Wharf
4.2
Awesome(125)
Price: Moderate
• American • Southwest Waterfront
Booked 119 times today
Milk and Honey is a New Orleans themed Southern Brunch that features Award Winning Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Waffles, RumChata French Toast and specializes in other slow cooked mouth-watering favorites. No matter the type of experience you are looking for, we have the dish for you. Join us for brunch with friends, lovers, family and everyone in between. Carryout available at all locations. Milk and Honey Wharf is located along the beautiful Southeast Waterfront in Washington DC. A Southern Brunch Restaurant and one of our “Full Service” locations, we are excited to share a delectable menu featuring Butter Glazed Biscuits, Old Bay Wings, and award-winning Shrimp & Grits.
A photo of CIRCA at Clarendon restaurant
7. CIRCA at Clarendon
4.7
Exceptional(1463)
Price: Moderate
• American • Arlington
Booked 17 times today
All of our CIRCA restaurants are neighborhood bistros serving delicious food and drinks. Each CIRCA is warm, inviting, and offers an energized social scene.Whether dropping in for brunch, lunch, dinner — every meal is accompanied by an extensive wine list, including over 20 wine offerings by the glass and a seasonal cocktail list. Our patios are located on the best city corners for a vibrant dining experience. Join us and dine well!Our Dining Room and Patio are Open!
A photo of Peacock Café restaurant
8. Peacock Café
4.9
Exceptional(1979)
Price: Moderate
• Contemporary American • Georgetown
Booked 27 times today
Maziar Farivar, Chef/Proprietor serves contemporary American cuisine with flavors of around the world in an elegant, comfortable & cosmopolitan setting. Celebrating over 28 year Anniversary in Georgetown, Peacock Cafe is a dining experience not to be missed when in Georgetown. In addition to our wonderful lunch menu, we do offer a selection of our popular breakfast items as well on weekdays (11am-4pm). Chef Maziar, on dinner menu offers a greater variety of small plates and entrees from contemporary American to small selection of Contemporary Iranian (Persian) dishes. Enjoy a comprehensive wine list from boutique wineries to large labels and fabulous signature cocktails from the bar to compliment your dining experience.
A photo of Floriana restaurant
9. Floriana
4.7
Exceptional(3852)
Price: Moderate
• Italian • Dupont Circle
Booked 16 times today
Floriana offers authentic Italian recipes with handmade pastas in the most comfortable of environments. Located in DC's Dupont Circle neighborhood, in a historic brick stone row house that has been converted into a cozy restaurant, but hasn't given up the feel of coming over to someones home for dinner. Offering a seasonal menu of fresh and local ingredients Floriana has developed a reputation for consistent, high quality, authentic, feel good dishes at a great value. Our pledge of superior service is matched only by our ability to make every guest feel welcome and comfortable when joining us for a DC dining experience.We pay special attention to every guest that chooses Floriana.
A photo of Chef Geoff's West End restaurant
10. Chef Geoff's West End
4.3
Awesome(1597)
Price: Moderate
• American • West End
Booked 28 times today
A vibrant, modernized iteration of the original Chef Geoff’s offering seasonal dishes full of flavor. You will feel welcome here for any occasion large or small. Our made from scratch menu offers something for everyone. From pizza, salads and burgers to our more elaborate main dishes, one thing is for certain, we don’t skimp on flavor! Our bar covers all ends of the spectrum from our famous Supermugs (giant beers) to our handcrafted cocktails. Enjoy our open air dining, people watching on the patio or or our beautifully designed dining room!

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
  • Cynthia
    Washington, D.C. Area •6 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 3 days ago
    Overall excellent choice for dining. It is a Michelin starred restaurant. Great food, service, etc.Our first time going and we went for brunch. They had the live jazz band. You definitely get a feel of the Nawlins ambience! I was a little surprised at the small portions. But we filled up with the delicious bread basket and I had the oysters as an appetizer with the crab cake, potato salad and collard greens. Hubby had catfish and grits which he loved. Next time I plan to try dessert and the raw fish tower..
    More info
    Dauphine’sPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Downtown
    •
    4.7
  • Donald
    Virginia •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 4 days ago
    Josh the Bartender was excellent. He is very hospital and gave good recommendations. We almost stayed at the bar. Nina was a great waitress. Overall experience was perfect. Will definitely be back!!!
    More info
    Georgia Brown'sPrice: Expensive• Low Country• Downtown
    •
    4.4
  • Frank
    Orlando / Central Florida East •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 5 days ago
    Had drinks and a pizza here. Cocktails were lovely and the wood-fired pizza crust was crispy. The burrata salami pizza had nice flavors with nothing overwhelming the complimentary flavors. The hot honey was a nice added touch. Service was friendly and the pizza arrived quickly. A good experience!
    More info
    matchbox Penn QuarterPrice: Moderate• American• Penn Quarter
    •
    4.4
  • Chris
    Washington, D.C. Area •2 reviews
    5.0
    Dined on Dec 24, 2024
    Great time for afternoon tea. Food and service were both very good. If it is cold out, recommend getting a spot away from the door, it can be drafty. Looking forward to coming back for drinks and dinner.
    More info
    The St Regis DC - Afternoon teaPrice: Very Expensive• Afternoon Tea• Downtown
    •
    4.4
  • AntonetteVIP
    Washington, D.C. Area •18 reviews
    5.0
    Dined on Dec 23, 2024
    This is definitely a special occasion restaurant, and I really wanted to impress my favorite niece after our Christmas concert - TSO! Kitty was awesome!! He's been there for a few years he knew just how much to bother us, and how to help us navigate the menu. We did the classic tasting menu and it didn't disappoint! Everything about our visit set our Christmas off to a great start! And the host, Alexis, was amazing!!!
    More info
    The Bazaar by José Andrés - DCPrice: Very Expensive• Spanish• Penn Quarter
    •
    4.7

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