50 Best American Restaurants near National Harbor

“The reservation was made to celebrate my birthday. We were one of the first of the day getting there soon after they opened. From the hostess Indigo greeting us with her warm smile and finding the reservation and seeing it was for a birthday. Then asking questions about if we have been to the restaurant before, (we haven't) and giving us information about the type of cuisine the restaurant has. Our server Michael continued with the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Introducing himself and giving us information about menu options. The chef even offered a special dish before our appetizers arrived. Indigo came to the table with Cornbread croutons with hot honey and pimento cheese that were delicious. We got several appetizers, each a main with a few sides and had plenty of food left over to take. The manager even came over after our meal. Believe her name was Alissa. She asked about our time and talked about some of her favorite menu items and in hopes we would come back and try brunch. All in all it was an absolutely refreshing experience to have with people that were warm and welcoming. With the food being comforting, delicious and with some interesting differences that made classic dishes, elevated. Amazing!“

“Great time, good food and great music“

“The environment is great, the menu is very diverse, and seemingly commonplace dishes manage to be innovative in flavor“

“Efficient service and a comfortable setting made it easy to relax and enjoy our meal. Ideal for both business lunches and casual firm events.“

“Just an all-around wonderful experience, I was able to pull right up sit down with my lovely puppy outside and enjoy one of the best brunches I’ve had in the long time“

“Food was absolutely amazing and our waiter- Tyren was even more amazing! He made our visit top notch! If I could give all the stars for him!!“

“Fun night for two out of towners! Food was amazing and the staff were incredibly friendly, even though we’re two or three times their ages and not cool at all! ;)“

“excellent service, good food, worth every penny“

“A thoughtful shared plates experience. We followed the wise recommendations of our server and were rewarded. Nice spot. Excellent yet not pretentious.“

“Genuinely blown away. Don't get me wrong I love all food, but I wouldn't say I'm easily impressed since most restaurants are just decent but this was truly great food and the service was phenomenal. You can really tell a lot of time and thought is put into each dish. We will be back!!!“

“Great food and excellent service. John was fantastic. 100% recommend“

“This place is a true local gem. Food is of very high quality, and everything is consistently cooked to perfection. Their consistency is actually really impressive - I’ve never been disappointed by a single thing, and I’ve eaten A LOT of their food. But everything is so good, so I haven’t really made my way outside of the same few items from their menu. The difference is that the staff actually care about their customers, and take pride in their food. It’s not so common these days, and is a pleasant surprise. It’s the reason I will always eat there.“

“Had a great experience. I would definitely come back next time we are in DC.“

“Excellent experience, excellent food, and excellent service! Thanks Lenny!“

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“We had a wonderful dinner at 1789 Restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. A lovely atmosphere, incredible staff, and FANTASTIC food and craft cocktails. The Brown Butter Old Fashioned is the best I’ve ever had. The staff went above and beyond to help us celebrate our anniversary. At the end of the meal, they presented us with a special, DELICIOUS dessert that included a thin piece of chocolate that said “Happy Anniversary” on it. I can’t wait to eat here again on our next visit to the DC area.“

“Returning to Washington from a France worn down by its own melancholy — a nation led by a presidential couple seemingly disconnected from l'esprit de grandeur — was a relief. The Monocle, nestled just a short pas de géant from Capitol Hill, felt like an antidote. Walking through its doors, I immediately felt transported, like one of the CIA operatives from Lioness Psy-Ops, covertly meeting allies in a safe haven of quiet luxury. Opened in October 1960 by Connie and Helen Valanos, The Monocle has seen more political deals sealed over its crab cakes than perhaps in the chambers of Congress themselves. As the Washingtonian noted, “The Monocle is a better restaurant than it’s given credit for,” serving dishes like “pan-fried Chesapeake Bay oysters baked in a light curry sauce” that feel like culinary diplomacy at its finest. What strikes one immediately is the duality of the space: half public house, half refined eatery. In the restaurant's more elegant quarters, I chose a glass of Sancerre, its mineral brightness pairing effortlessly with the signature crab cakes — plump, golden, and loaded with chair de crabe so sweet it could make a New Englander weep. A red wine-braised New York strip followed, its sauce reminiscent of the old-world simplicity one finds in France’s brasseries, yet undeniably American in its confident presentation. The maître d’, Nick Selimos — a fixture here for nearly three decades — greeted every guest with the kind of warmth that makes even the most hardened lobbyist feel comme chez soi. “There’s nothing more satisfying,” said John Valanos, the owner, “than having someone say, ‘We’ll come back ourselves.’” And come back they do — senators, staffers, and curious tourists alike. Sipping a digestif, I glanced at the black-and-white photos adorning the walls — Kennedy, Nixon, and other Washington titans. It’s said JFK dined here regularly during his Senate days. As The Washington Post humorously observed, "Intentions are spoken here, alliances formed, and deals sealed," all over dishes that balance simplicity and sophistication. Leaving The Monocle, I felt reconnected to the vibrancy of Washington, its pulse steadied by the legacy of places like this — where history, gastronomy, and a touch of joie de vivre blend into something unforgettable.“

“Incredible experience. Will be returning.“

“Our server Devin was AMAZING AND TRULY A GEM! Stuart the manager was also AMAZING AND SO INVITING. I watched everyone around me and every employee including managers were helping each other. I’ve been around the world and ate at a lot of Hard Rocks while in the Navy from Bahrain, to Singapore to Hawaii, Foxwoods Connecticut,Las Vegas, and even more and this was an AMAZING EXPERINCE! This is one of the BEST Hard Rock Cafes if not the best!“

“One of the best dining experiences in DC. Chef Jeremiah is outstanding; the meal is creative but accessible, and each course is better than the previous. We are so grateful to have Dabney in DC!“

“I recently hosted an event at Punch Bowl Social and had an amazing experience! The staff, from servers to managers, were incredibly helpful and professional throughout the whole process.
Sarah the events manager made my booking process so easy, she is knoweldgeable and profetional but also so nice and easy to work with,
Jun and Frank went above and beyond to accommodate our group and even offered a great alternative indoor space in case of rain.
Shoutout to Richard, Yulia and Chad For the big smiles and the great service,
My guests felt well taken care of and loved every single moment and detail about the party, We all can’t wait till our next party with PunchBowl
I highly recommend this place for anyone planning a fun, stress-free event because I’m sure you will be in good hands.“

“the people there were absolutely the nicest to our family. the food was magnificent!! thanks for a good experience!“

“My wife and I had brunch on the patio at the White House location today and it was fantastic! We had a mezze platter appetizer, Havana sandwich and shakshuka & arepas entrees, and tres leches for dessert. All were spectacular, as was the service! Highly recommended!“

“I have chicken wings ring ring Chris Rock they would really really good I had a good time there“

“It was a tasty dinner, lime cheesecake FANTASTIC!!!“

“I don’t typically take the time to write reviews, but that was the best ribeye I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Highly recommend the surf and turf. Put Fort Worth to shame 10/10“

“Carlos was our waiter. He was exceptional. Food and drinks exceptional. Hope to come and dine again in the future. It's a 5“

“We decided to do lunch at Ted’s Bulletin. The ambience of the restaurant was very nice and modern. The portion sizes are large, prices are reasonable and the food taste delicious.“

“There’s very few times when you walk into somewhere and can tell immediately that the owner loves what they’re doing, Cynthia is most definitely one. Cocktails were unique and delicious and the food was exactly what I hoped it would be.“

“If you are on a gluten free diet, this restaurant is a real treat. This is the ONLY restaurant I know of in the entire DC area that offers gluten free French toast!!! It is really yummy. It is gluten free cinnamon raison bread that they make into French toast. It is served with maple syrup that has few slices of bananas in it. It is always served warm. (Be sure to look for the bananas. If the French toast is served with sliced strawberries, that is the wheat based French toast.) This restaurant also has gluten free bread so most of their sandwiches can be made gluten free upon request. And they can make their eggs benedict gluten free by using their gluten free toast. It is a very pleasant experience dining here. I usually dine outside. They are located on a small street in Georgetown. Georgetown can be crowded but on this small street, it is never very busy. On a nice weather day, it is a pleasant experience to eat the gluten free French toast while enjoying the weather. The service is always good too. I enthusiastically recommend this restaurant.“

“Incredible food and atmosphere and service 5 stars all the way“

“Love this place! Dinner is always 10/10 but service, we had Alena or elena and she was just the sweetest young lady and she knows was shes doing, and she was honest too with her recommendations! We always have a tuna and oysters! Then steak this time we shared the cowboy ribeye and added scallops which by the way is not on the menu but elena said they could do it and it was delicious!! 5 star service“

“Great with food allergies/dietary restrictions and super accommodating. Highly suggest!“

“The manager went above and beyond! I requested almond milk for my latte and they didn’t have any so she walked down the street and bought some 😊. The service was awesome and the food was phenomenal.“

“Great find! Good music and great food!“

“This is where it’s at pregame DC defenders“

“Our son lives in the area and we have been here 4-5 since January ( every time we visit) The owners are wonderful and the staff very attentive The fish taco appetizer is wonderful ( can be enough for an entree if not wanted a big meal) I’ve had many of the entrees and never a bad meal . The chocolate dessert is my go to“

“Nice atmosphere . Troy was a great host/server.“

“Exceptional throughout from the rooms to dining to sophisticated and attentive staff - thank you for having us.“

“Lovely ambiance! We sat at the bar and had the three course menu. I was gluten free and the staff was so great about accommodating me! The food was very tasty with great flavors and texture. I really enjoyed all the courses. The beef was so tender and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed the dessert as well. The only downside was that we had been walking all day through the city and my phone had died. I was hoping they might be able to let me charge my phone briefly so we could get home but they were unable to do allow that.“

“My wife and I recently had an amazing experience at Jônt. The whole thing, from the counter seating and loud music, to the phenomenal staff I 10/10 recommend. The food was unique and so fun to try. Every bite may not be a hit for everyone, but like i said it’s fun to try.“

“Loved our visit and such a dining experience! You have to try it!! Cheers y’all“

“Delicious neighborhood haunt.“

“My partner and I came from Buffalo, NY to try this place after tons of reviews. TB did NOT disappoint! The Tom Tarts, mimosas, chicken biscuits, every single thing we had AND the customer service— top tier! All of it! We will absolutely be back and look forward to placing our order with you for our bridal shower! Thank you for the awesome experience!“

“Food was amazing! So flavorful… And the band was superb! But the service wasn’t great 2/5 ⭐️👎“

“yummy“

“Places in strip malls really have to work extra hard to make people forget they're in a strip mall, and this place doesn't quite get there. Food was good, not fantastic. The concept of dishes from different cities is not new and gives the impression they're not really skilled at any one thing. (Also cheese curds are yellow, not white, I'm from Wisconsin.) Service was fine. Layout is a little weird, trying to be both a sports bar and a restaurant and it doesn't really have room for both. If I'm in the neighborhood again, would repeat. Won't specifically seek it out.“

“Compliments to the Chef. The Michelin star is so deserved. The setting in pics seems strange but please trust the staff and the kitchen, EAT HERE. We Loved it. Try the Marrow starter and if you are from IRL or the UK the beans and pork belly is next level. BRAVO“

“food highly recommended 💯💯“

“I had been here for dinner awhile back, but went here for brunch a few weeks ago & fell more in love! The grill punch is SO good & the bottomless option is truly a great deal. The service was very friendly, so sad I cannot remember the server’s name 🫤 but don’t hesitate to check out the Grill.“