Packing your bags for a DC trip? Headed to Washington for a memorable tour of the White House? With so much to see and so many things to do in D.C., then planning ahead can only be a winning move.

Once you’ve made the list of the places you want to visit, why not get ready for a stunning gastronomic experience? Read on to discover the top restaurants near the White House for a memorable culinary trip to the capital!

Top DC Restaurants Near The White House

Gazing north from Constitution Avenue—through The President’s Park and White House South Lawn to the famous Presidential residence itself—is one of the country’s most iconic views. People from all over the world visit DC to walk the structure’s perimeter, imagine past Presidential strides, and take pictures with characteristic columns in the background.

On the other side of those tall pillars, White House touring tales describe unforgettable stories of presidential cat encounters, Easter Day egg hunts, and general starstruck awe. So, although Google Maps describes the institution as a ‘Federal government office’, this executive branch landmark is just as symbolic as it is essential to national law-making and global dialogue duties.

While it does play into the stereotypical DC politic narrative, I will concede that the culinary approach to this city corner succumbs to that very assumable portrayal. Prices lean high and opulence takes center stage, catering to business people and politicians that frequent downtown for work trips and high-stake meetings.

For general tourists or vacationers, dining near the White House can definitely be a splurge, but to satisfy location convenience, behind-the-scenes curiosity, or excellent proximity to one of Washington DC’s most prominent attractions, near-White House dining lends well to a vacation well-enjoyed.

Where to Eat Near the White House

Upon investigation, a few unique neighborhood culinary themes emerged, geographically teetering between Farragut North, Foggy Bottom, and McPherson Square. Historic landmark restaurants are perhaps the flashiest…names like Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton reference the city’s layered past, with freshly shucked oysters and refined cocktails to boot.

Opulent steakhouse and seafood crossovers are also hallmark dining destinations, all within UberEats distance to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Steak cuts and seafood towers hover around $100 and classic sides only reinforce the decadent makeup.

Other spots fill in where lobster tails leave off. Alternatively, elegant French fare, harmonious New Orleans plates, and more casual fried chicken and grilled cheese eateries moderates the neighborhood’s monumental intensity. But one thing is for sure…there is great food and many memorable impressions to be made upon exploration in the northwest junction.

The Best places to Eat Near the White House in DC

Check the following places when looking to a restaurants near the White House, Washington DC.

Old Ebbitt Grill

• Address: 675 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
• 4 minute walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly (Kids’ menu available)

One of two nearby Clyde’s Restaurant Group restaurants, Old Ebbitt Grill is a Washington DC institution. Founded in 1856, The Old Ebbitt grill is the oldest saloon in Washington DC, and despite a few location moves, the famed American tavern has maintained it’s well-known name and reputation.

Dine amongst a long wooden bar, elegantly framed paintings, and moody lighting while indulging in oysters Rockefeller, jumbo lump crab cakes, and bacon cheese burgers. Weekend morning diners can take part in an extended Saturday and Sunday brunch that lasts until 4pm and oyster lovers can sit happy knowing an oyster happy-hour is available daily from 3pm to 5pm and 11pm-1am.

The Hamilton

• Address: 600 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
• 6 minute walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly (Kids’ menu available)

With resemblance to Old Ebbitt Grill’s aesthetic and culinary prowesses, The Hamilton showcases American comfort food with international flare. Located on a theatrically flashy corner city block, this is a perfect restaurant only steps from the White House. The inside is studded with wood crown moldings, red carpeting, and ample booth seating for optimal dining comfort.

The Hamilton’s sushi menu and sushi happy-hour stands out from other Clyde Restaurant Group members and a downstairs event space hosts live music shows as part of The Hamilton Live.

Willard InterContinental

• Address: 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
• 7 minute walk to White House

Another of the top DC restaurants near the White House, The Willard InterContinental entrance mimics Parisian hotel on looks, intricately lit and beaming with old-school grandeur of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. Both the hotel and the resident Cafe du Parc take inspiration from Pierre L’Enfant’s French influence, dishing up French Brasserie plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Depending on the weather, all meals can be enjoyed on the outdoor terrace, which puts the central DC location into visual perspective. Afternoon tea in Peacock Alley is one of the hotel’s most magnetic offerings and a truly unique dining experience.

Joe’s Seafood

• Address: 750 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
• 4 minutes walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly (Kids’ menu available)

Joe’s Seafood first and foremost commemorates succulent stone crab, a southern seafood delicacy native to the Gulf of Mexico. Raise the bar on the market-price stone crab centerpiece with other seafood specials, bar bites, and hefty premium steak cuts.

Joe’s will quickly seize the heart of any starch lover, with a devoted potato menu section featuring eight side variations. Pies, available in both full and half-slice sizes, star at the end. But the key lime pie is an essential meal component for any and all zesty dessert fanatics.

Note: Great Gluten-free options are available.

BLT Steak D.C.

• Address: 1625 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 5 minute walk to White House

A David Burke production, BLT Steak DC merges American Steakhouse features with a keenness for French Bistro dining. A wine list presents on a tasteful and changeable letter board wall fixture so diners can easily peruse the options.

BLT Steak is one of the restaurants in DC near the White House that’s obviously known for steak, offering Prime and 100% naturally raised black Angus in a variety of forms. But the popovers nearly steal the steak show, puffy, golden, and steamy perfection aiding in a one-of-a-kind steakhouse dining experience.

The Lafayette

• Address: 800 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006 (Inside the Hay-Adams Hotel)
• 3 minutes walk to White House

Elegant and subtly opulent is the best way to describe The Lafayette at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Views of the White House and Washington monument grace window tables set for breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and weekend brunch.

Optimal for a romantic date night, the culinary approach at The Lafayette is classic and refined—a natural compliment to sparkling chandeliers, cream-colored table cloths, and intricately sturdy Windsor chair seating.

La Bise

• Address: 800 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 4 minute walk to White House

French classics have another Lafayette Square home in La Bise, a restaurant devoted to modern interpretations of classic French technique and tradition. Warm cheese puffs, or gougers, are accompanied by a Comté foam, Coq au Vin embraces olive-oil whipped potatoes, and an egg yolk emulsion plays side-kick to the beef tartare starter.

The modern attitude echoes from the plate outward…deep turquoise blues, sparkling mirror squares, and golden light fixtures compliment colorful photography and modern mural artistic style. A massive outdoor patio also makes for a pleasurable fair-weather dining adventure.

Taberna del Alabardero

• Address: 1776 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 8 minute walk to White House

The second location only to the 1974 Madrid original, Washington DC’s Taberna del Alabardero was ahead of America’s recently stirred Spanish tapas trend. The White House neighbor opened in 1989, and almost 25 years later, many Americans can visualize Spanish tapas feasts and declare a particular affection for the humble rice dish—paella.

But berenjenas con miel, salmorejo, and fideuá draw attention to regional plates that are lesser-known on this side of the Atlantic. Compared to some hip, trendy, and modern tapas bars, Taberna del Alabardero plays to Spain’s regal side, with vibrant red carpeting and walls, royal golds, and noticeably tall ceilings.

Immigrant Food at the White House

• Address: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 4 minute walk to White House

Enrique Limardo is best known for his culinary work at the latin-inspired Seven Reasons. But Immigrant Food at the White House seduced Limardo’s creative talent for a special fusion menu curation that represents DC at its core—a city that embraces immigrant diversity.

Fusion bowls and sandwiches draw from French, Vietnamese, and Cuban corners of the world, with playful adaptations of community-driven dishes. The dining room is bursting with color, texture, and pattern, lending to the passionate café set-up and warm and spirited flavors.

Dauphine

• Address: 1100 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
• 10 minute walk to White House

Chef Kristen Essig is the culinary mastermind at Dauphine, a New Orleans-inspired eatery with Mid-Atlantic ingredients at the forefront.

Cozy and woodland whimsicality greets diners inside with dangling greenery, bold woods and marble statements, and colorful tiles rhythmically strewn about the floors and walls. Reinterpretations of Louisiana and New Orleans classics are the centerpiece of the Dauphine experience, but piping hot and powdered sugar-dusted beignets stick to tried-and-true NOLA tradition.

Kaz Sushi Bistro

• Address: 1915 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 12 minute walk to White House

Kaz Sushi Bistro opened over two decades ago, but the small hot plates and sushi rolls remain one of DC’s most inspired offerings of ‘free-style Japanese cuisine’. Chef Kaz Okochi combines Japanese, Western and international influence to produce boundless nigiri, sashimi, and roll assortments.

Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar

• Address: 1823 L St NW, Washington, DC 20036
• 13 minute walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly (Kids’ menu available)

This Peruvian landing port is slightly further by foot, but in under 15, diners can entertain an assortment of eight different ceviches. Don’t overlook this DC restaurant close to the White House, you’ll find a mixture of Peruvian char-grilled meats, fresh seafood, and vegetables doused in vibrant yellow huancaina sauce prepare for Pisco sour company.

GCDC Grilled Cheese Bar

• Address: 1730 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
• 4 minute walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly

Cheese is the pinnacle of all things comfort. Grilled cheese is no exception, near and dear to many American families.

GCDC breaks all grilled cheese barriers and transforms amazing flavor combinations in gooey cheese perfection. Order a homemade cold lemonade to accompany the hot sandwich on a warm summer day…the combination is outrageous. 

Astro Donuts and Fried Chicken

• Address: 1308 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005
• 7 minutes walk to White House
• Kid-Friendly

A shop steeped in delicious decadence, Astro Donuts and Fried Chicken leaves very little to the imagination. The name alone hints at a promising and rich offering, pairing fried chicken and a waffle alternative—donuts—to produce Astro’s trademark winning combination.

Fried chicken and donut sandwiches carefully tow the line between sweet and savory, settling on a perfectly complex and addictive fusion.

More restaurants in DC near the White House

• Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
• Founding Farmers, 1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
• Tonic at Quigley’s, 2036 G St NW, Washington, DC 20036

With so many available culinary options, it’s easy to see how the gastronomic scene in DC can be wide and intriguing. If you’re still uncertain about where to eat when in the area, then bookmark this list with the most stunning restaurants near the White House and come back to make your pick!

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