9 Best Restaurants in Downtown, Washington, D.C.

This upscale gastropub chain just a block from the convention center offers more than 40 beers on tap and loads of bottles. The high ceilings, reclaimed wood walls, and copper bar give the large spot a warm, rustic feel. Expect standard American pub comfort food with a few upscale plates like grilled ahi tuna and miso-glazed salmon. There's also a solid brick-oven-pizza selection. It gets a nice crowd, but you never feel crowded in the spacious bar–dining room. The jumping happy hour offers great prices.

Located in the Eaton DC hotel, Michele’s is home to a gorgeous bar and lounge producing exceptional craft cocktails and a chef's counter where guests can experience a unique raw bar tasting menu. Created by Michelin-starred chef Matt Baker, Michele's is named after his mother and draws inspiration from the American South, especially New Orleans and Texas, where the chef spent most of his formative years. Try dishes like grilled quail, roasted quail, and caviar from the raw bar. 

Yes, it's a chain made most famous in New York City, but if you're craving a burger, you can get your fix at the D.C. Chinatown outpost. Juicy burgers with a special sauce, classic fries (get them with cheese), and tasty shakes make it worth the short wait—especially if you're looking for a delicious, reasonably priced lunch between visits to Downtown attractions. Other D.C. Shake Shacks are in Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Union Station, and Nationals Park.

Nestled in a hidden alley between L and M streets (Midtown Center), Little Chicken is a fun spot serving all things fried chicken. Start with a locally brewed beer or a glass of champagne if you're feeling fancy. You can order cocktails like margaritas and hard cider by the pitcher, perfect for lingering around and playing shuffleboard on the patio. The restaurant offers crispy fried chicken, either bone-in or boneless, and spicy or regular. From waffle fries to mac and cheese, there's a long list of sides to choose from. 

Visitors and employees from surrounding offices flock here to drink at the several bars, which seem to go on for miles, and enjoy well-prepared buffalo wings, hamburgers, and hearty sandwiches (the Reuben is a must). Old Ebbitt also has one of Washington's best-known raw bars, a 160-year-old institution (it claims Teddy Roosevelt may have "bagged animal heads" at the main bar). Pasta is homemade, and the late-night menu runs from hummus to tacos until 1 am seven days a week. Despite the crowds, the restaurant never feels cramped, thanks to its well-spaced, comfortable booths. Nevertheless, service can be slow at lunch and during happy hour when the oysters are half-price.

Bright, loud, raucous, and fun, with a brightly lit bar and long, communal tables, this branch of the New York City original makes it hard not to meet people. An "American" brasserie, it's an ample space with an even bigger menu. Bright hanging chandeliers and smoked mirrors accent the dining room. High ceilings and tile everywhere raise the decibel level, but this is not the spot you come to for a quiet, intimate conversation. The dinner menu is ravenously eclectic, offering everything from a skirt steak to pastas to Korean bibimbap to a lobster roll. It's also open for breakfast at 8 am daily.