Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington DC is the city's oldest saloon, founded 1856 and now serving 1.5 million guests a year across four bars at its 15th Street.
Signature: Crab cakes, Oyster Happy Hour
Order: The crab cake plate; the kitchen runs through 1000 cakes a week and the binder is invisibly thin.
Tip: The 15:00-18:00 oyster Happy Hour is the city's best seafood deal at $1.95 each; sit at the Old Bar.
Barbouzard in Washington DC is chef Cedric Maupillier's French-Mediterranean dining room on K Street since July 2025, the Convivial chef's next chapter.
Signature: Bouillabaisse Marseillaise, Daube de Boeuf Provencale
Order: The Bouillabaisse Marseillaise; the kitchen's anchor seafood preparation and the menu's editorial focal point.
Tip: Sunday brunch starts at 11:00; the alcove booths take the smaller parties and the bouillabaisse comes with a 24-hour heads-up.
Sweet Home Cafe in Washington DC is the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture cafeteria on Constitution Avenue.
Signature: Pan-roasted catfish, Sweet potato pie
Order: The pan-roasted catfish with cornbread and collards; the menu's most-ordered Southern plate.
Tip: Museum admission is free but requires a timed-entry pass; eat after 14:00 to skip the queue.