Best Restaurants for People Watching in Penn Quarter

37 restaurants available nearby

A photo of matchbox Penn Quarter restaurant

1. matchbox Penn Quarter

4.4

Price: Moderate

• American • Penn Quarter

Booked 15 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.

2. Dauphine’s

4.6

Exceptional(1382)

Price: Expensive

• Contemporary American • Downtown

Booked 5 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!

3. Georgia Brown's

4.6

Exceptional(8755)

Price: Expensive

• Low Country • Downtown

Booked 33 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 The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea restaurant

4. The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea

4.4

Awesome(313)

Price: Very Expensive

• Afternoon Tea • Downtown

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 Milk & Honey - The Wharf restaurant

5. Milk & Honey - The Wharf

4.1

Excellent(102)

Price: Moderate

• American • Southwest Waterfront

Booked 19 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

6. CIRCA at Clarendon

4.7

Exceptional(1457)

Price: Moderate

• American • Arlington

Booked 5 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!

7. Kaliwa

3.2

Good(810)

Price: Moderate

• Asian • Southwest Waterfront

Booked 3 times today

Award-Winning, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 Recipient! Kaliwa presents upscale, South East Asian fare accompanied by vibrant cocktails in classy, waterfront digs. Enjoy interpretations of Thai, Filipino and Korean dishes under a sky of eclectic chandeliers, or dine Al Fresca on the patio overlooking the bustling waterfront.

8. Peacock Café

4.8

Exceptional(1962)

Price: Moderate

• Contemporary American • Georgetown

Booked 19 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 Chef Geoff's West End restaurant

9. Chef Geoff's West End

4.3

Awesome(1565)

Price: Moderate

• American • West End

Booked 8 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!

A photo of CIRCA at Foggy Bottom restaurant

10. CIRCA at Foggy Bottom

4.6

Exceptional(3036)

Price: Moderate

• American • Foggy Bottom

Booked 10 times today

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

A
Alphonsevip
Washington, D.C. Area •5 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
Food was excellent. I had the pork chop and it was amongst the best I’ve tasted. We had a party of 7 and they all had a variety of things and they were all happy. Bread basket is not to be missed.
More info
Dauphine’sPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Downtown
•
4.6
M
michael
New York City •4 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
Food was excellent, from appetizers to dessert. Our waiter, Jose, was excellent as well. We've been here before and will come back.
More info
Georgia Brown'sPrice: Expensive• Low Country• Downtown
•
4.6
M
Matthew
Washington, D.C. Area •2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
Some of the nicest restaurant staff I’ve met in DC and all of the food literally melted in my mouth it was so good! Definitely recommend trying the butter biscuits with homemade peach jam as an appetizer.
More info
Milk & Honey - The WharfPrice: Moderate• American• Southwest Waterfront
•
4.1
D
Diana
Washington, D.C. Area •2 reviews
4.0
Dined 5 days ago
Our pizza and burger was very enjoyable. Service was fast and very friendly without being on top of us all the time. Great pick for us after a Sunday matinee.
More info
matchbox Penn QuarterPrice: Moderate• American• Penn Quarter
•
4.4
J
Joshua
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill •1 review
5.0
Dined on Nov 14, 2024
The St Regis afternoon tea is an exquisite experience for special occasion, maybe a business meeting, date night or even a birthday present to yourself, as it was for me. The service is top-notch. You’re first given a plate of savory foods, and then a carousel of sweet foods. You have a menu for what you can choose for a blend of tea or even champagne. The atmosphere is very quiet, refined and elegant. The seats are comfortable and one could easily linger in them for a time after. Perhaps the only one thing to notice that the restroom is quite far away, down a spiral staircase
More info
The St Regis DC - Afternoon teaPrice: Very Expensive• Afternoon Tea• Downtown
•
4.4

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Penn Quarter

Best Restaurants for People Watching in Penn Quarter

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37 restaurants available nearby

1. matchbox Penn Quarter

2. Dauphine’s

3. Georgia Brown's

4. The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea

5. Milk & Honey - The Wharf

6. CIRCA at Clarendon

7. Kaliwa

8. Peacock Café

9. Chef Geoff's West End

10. CIRCA at Foggy Bottom

See what locals rave about

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