Ultimate Tapas Menu in Northeast DC: Exclusive 20 Spots in the DMV 🍤

Table of Contents

Ultimate Tapas Menu in Northeast DC 🍤

Welcome to the vibrant world of tapas dining in Northeast DC! Whether you’re a local foodie or just visiting, our curated list of top spots will take your culinary experience to new heights. Get ready to explore the best tapas-menu-northeast-dc has to offer!

What’s Hot

The tapas scene in Northeast DC is sizzling with energy and innovation. From trendy wine bars to cozy eateries, there’s something for everyone. Here are the latest trends that are making waves:

Small Plates, Big Flavors 🍤

One of the most exciting aspects of tapas dining is the variety of small plates packed with big flavors. Expect to find everything from traditional Spanish dishes like patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo to modern interpretations that blend local ingredients with classic techniques.

Wine and Tapas Pairings

Wine lovers will rejoice at the thought of sipping on some of the finest wines while enjoying a delightful array of tapas. Many restaurants in Northeast DC offer wine pairing menus that complement their dishes perfectly, ensuring an unforgettable dining experience.

Must-Visit Spots

Ready to dive into the ultimate tapas-menu-northeast-dc? Here are some must-visit spots…

The Dabney

The Dabney is a standout spot for those seeking a unique tapas experience. Known for its farm-to-table approach, this restaurant offers a variety of small plates that highlight local and seasonal ingredients. Their wine bar is a perfect complement to the delicious tapas, making it an ideal destination for a cozy night out.

Casamara

Casamara is another gem in Northeast DC’s tapas scene. This Mediterranean restaurant offers a stunning dining experience with its elegant decor and extensive wine list. The tapas menu features a mix of traditional and modern dishes, ensuring there’s something for every palate.

Reynold’s Bar

For a more laid-back vibe, head to Reynold’s Bar. This cozy spot offers a variety of tapas that are perfect for sharing. Their extensive cocktail menu is also a highlight, featuring creative concoctions that pair perfectly with the small plates.

Local Tips

To make the most of your tapas dining experience in Northeast DC, here are some local tips:

• Arrive early to secure a table at popular spots like The Dabney and Casamara.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from the staff—they often know the best dishes to try.
• Pair your tapas with local wines for an authentic experience.

History & Vibe

Northeast DC has a rich history that adds to its vibrant dining scene. The area is known for its diverse neighborhoods and cultural influences, which are reflected in the variety of tapas spots available.

The Dabney’s History

The Dabney has been a staple in Northeast DC since it opened its doors. The restaurant’s commitment to using local and seasonal ingredients has made it a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Casamara’s Vibe

Casamara offers a sophisticated dining experience with its elegant decor and extensive wine list. The restaurant’s Mediterranean-inspired menu features a mix of traditional and modern dishes, making it a popular spot for both locals and tourists.

Community Favorites

The community in Northeast DC has its favorite tapas spots that are worth checking out:

• The Dabney: Known for its farm-to-table approach and cozy atmosphere.
• Casamara: Offers a stunning dining experience with elegant decor and an extensive wine list.
• Reynold’s Bar: A laid-back spot with a variety of tapas and creative cocktails.

Nearby Gems

If you’re looking to explore more of what Northeast DC has to offer, here are some nearby gems:

• The Dabney: A must-visit for farm-to-table tapas.
• Casamara: Elegant dining with a Mediterranean twist.
• Reynold’s Bar: Perfect for a cozy night out with friends.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about tapas dining in Northeast DC:

What are Tapas?

Tapas are small plates of food, typically served as appetizers or snacks. They originated in Spain and are often shared among diners.

Where Can I Find the Best Tapas in Northeast DC?

The best tapas spots in Northeast DC include The Dabney, Casamara, and Reynold’s Bar. Each offers a unique dining experience with a variety of small plates.

What Should I Pair With My Tapas?

Pairing your tapas with local wines is a great way to enhance the flavors. Many restaurants in Northeast DC offer wine pairing menus that complement their dishes perfectly.

Are There Vegetarian Options for Tapas?

Yes, many tapas spots in Northeast DC offer vegetarian options. Dishes like patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo are often available in vegetarian versions.

Share Your Experience

We’d love to hear about your favorite tapas spots in Northeast DC! Share your experiences and recommendations using the hashtag #DCtapasmenunortheastdc.

Call to Action

Ready to explore the ultimate tapas-menu-northeast-dc? Start your culinary adventure today and share your experiences with us!

Image courtesy of Eater DC. Source: <a href=’https://dc.eater.com/maps/hottest-new-brunches-dc’>Eater DC</a>

Fresh picks around town for egg-topped pizzas, Korean fried chicken with doughnuts, and more

It’s no secret that brunch is a treasured meal in D.C. Despite soaring egg prices, many restaurants continue to offer egg-cellent weekend meals that don’t break the bank. For this latest brunch map refresh, fresh options around town include Onggi, Stellina Pizzeria, Arrels, Namak, and CUT by Wolfgang Puck.

If you’ve already exhausted the classic spots and best bottomless options, check out these new brunch menus that dropped in recent months.

Image courtesy of Eater DC. Source: <a href=’https://dc.eater.com/2025/5/23/24435855/mediterranean-casamara-reynolds-sixty-hotel-dupont-circle-dc-restaurant-openings’>Eater DC</a>

Inside the Sixty hotel’s dreamy new Mediterranean restaurant and hidden cocktail den Reynold’s, both opening on Friday, May 23

Stepping into Casamara feels like uncovering a lost snapshot of some classy yesteryear, complete with marble checkered floors, a grandiose centerpiece bar, and a 54-foot tapestry hand-tufted in Spain. The hotly anticipated coastal Mediterranean restaurant is now open, anchoring the stylish new Sixty DC — a boutique hotel brand with existing locations in LA and NYC (1337 Connecticut Avenue NW).

Hotelier Jason Pomeranc and Toronto-based restaurateur Hanif Harji teamed up for the multi-part dining and hospitality venture, which includes retro-glam cocktail bar Reynold’s in the back (1320 18th Street NW), also opening today, and a forthcoming rooftop destination — a rare feature for Dupont — is currently slated for a mid-summer debut. The swanky hotel property, situated at the foot of the busy circle, is utterly unrecognizable from its former life as long-closed club Gryphon and the Sheppard speakeasy.

“I wanted to do something that was a little bit more European inspired,” says Harji, who turned to cosmopolitan cities of Paris, Saint-Tropez, and Barcelona for creative inspo at Casmara. “I love that whole urban dynamic and that they all go to the coast for the summer.”

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

With more than 100 indoor dining seats and a 24-person private dining room, lobby-level Casamara offers ample space to delight in dishes like citrusy branzino crudo, double-boned Iberico pork chop, harissa roast chicken, and lamb rotolo. Pastas are another main attraction, including an \u200boctopus casarecce and sumptuous ricotta gnocchi decked out with morels, ramps, and peas.

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Executive chef Zachary Albertsen helms the kitchen, crafting a menu that reimagines traditional coastal cuisine through a local lens. One unexpected hit? Albertsen’s interpretation of the simple sardine toast, which Harji describes as “so complex.”

“The flavors underneath the sardine, the way he poaches and grills it, it’s so beautiful, with soft, smoky textures,” he adds.

Dessert enthusiasts will find just-sweet-enough indulgences like a lemon tart and an olive oil cake with a vanilla bean creme anglaise.

“The desserts are easy, delicious, simple, and not gonna go over the top,” Harji says. “It’s just like the rest of the menu—you just feel really good eating it.”

The drinks program aims to balance playfulness and tradition, exemplified by offerings such as the Pepperoncini-tini, a dirty martini featuring Grey Goose vodka and a pepperoncini brine. A feta-stuffed olive rounds out the savory sipper.

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

A few steps from Casmara, martini aficionados will appreciate Reynold’s, its midcentury-modern lounge counterpart adorned with Americana artwork and floor-to-ceiling wood paneling. Guests can enter through a back door connected to the hotel or through its own separate entrance on 18th Street NW. A selection of snazzy bar bites includes lobster rolls, poutine, grilled cheese, truffle popcorn, and caviar dip-and-dill chips. A lengthy opening cocktail menu includes sections for martinis, forgotten classics, seasonal affairs, and large-format options like a French “750.”

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

“We lean into the martini in a very meaningful way,” Harji says. There are classic iterations and more adventurous options, like a savory pesto-washed tequila and tomatillo brine martini known as Nightshade.

Casamara and Reynold’s mark Harji’s entry into the D.C. dining scene with his company, Toronto-based Scale Hospitality. Its roster of restaurants includes Toronto Beach Club, Mar’aa Yorkville, and Miss Likklemore’s.

“A successful restaurant isn’t just about the food or the service, it’s ambiance, lighting, music, the whole package,” Harji says. “We hope people are comfortable coming here and that they love the food. If we can transport them to some other place where they feel like they’re having an experience outside of D.C., that would make me really happy.”

Casamara will be open weekdays for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner daily starting at 5 p.m., as well as for brunch weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reynold’s will be open six days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (closed on Tuesdays).

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Where to drink craft beers in and around the District

The D.C. region is beefing up its credentials as a craft beer destination, with breweries pouring ales and lagers at taprooms throughout the District proper and in the surrounding suburbs. Pioneers like DC Brau and Port City Brewing have been at it for a decade or more and are now household names in the District. Beer lovers across the region can experience tours and tastings at full-scale production warehouses, sip a flight or a pint at a neighborhood pub, or grab an excellent taco or burger from a pop-up food truck parked on-site.

D.C.’s booming beer market only continues to grow, with Brookland-born stalwart Right Proper Brewing Co. gearing up to open a third location. Last year, Atlas Brew Works expanded across the Potomac to Alexandria, and Aslin Beer Co. set up shop down in Virginia Beach. And this summer, Commonwealth Brewing Co. opens a second taproom and facility in Old Town Fairfax.

D.C. lost two favorites since we last updated this map last fall: Hellbender Brewing Company shut down in late 2024, and City-State, Edgewood’s ambitious beer startup since 2021, ceased production this year. And Old Ox Brewery closed out in Loudoun County this spring.

Here are 18 essential breweries for local beer fans. —Additional reporting by Travis Mitchell.

Tierney Plumb is an Editor of Eater’s Northeast region, covering restaurant news in D.C., Boston, Philly, and New York. She was previously the editor of Eater DC since 2022.

Emily Venezky is an Editorial Associate at Eater, assisting Eater cities and national with editing, writing, and administrative support. She also covers restaurant news in Washington, D.C.

Sushi Gaku brings a parade of sashimi, Japanese plates, and ever-elusive pufferfish to the depths of Wisconsin Avenue NW

D.C. isn’t exactly starving for sushi — with sleek omakase counters, Michelin-starred places, and quiet hole-in-the-walls in just about every neighborhood, the city’s raw fish game is strong. But, there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. Enter Sushi Gaku, the latest contender to roll into the District that hopes to slice, dice, and impress its way into your weekly dinner rotation.

Occupying the subterranean Georgetown space formerly held by cocktail lounge Donahue (1338 Wisconsin Avenue NW), Sushi Gaku is the newest installment from chef Yoshi Ota — but it’s not his first pass at the D.C. restaurant scene. Sushi Gakyu was a longtime favorite of Washingtonians, serving up similar rolls in a sleek spot near the White House until its closure this year. Its newest D.C. iteration, named Sushi Gaku, sits blocks away from always busy M Street, nestled along the less crowded corridor of Wisconsin Avenue NW.

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

“I am so honored to join this historical area in Washington,” says Ota, in a statement. “I am planning to serve traditional sushi as well as a different style that our guests have never seen before.”

Born in Hokkaido Japan, Ota’s culinary career began at ANA International Tokyo restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. He took his talents across the globe, spending the last four decades perfecting his knife skills across his home country and the U.S., notably at New York’s legendary Sushi Den.

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

He is one of the only in the area to hold a preparation license for fugu, or pufferfish — the Japanese delicacy that contains a poisonous toxin.

For this new-look sushi spot in the nation’s capital, chef once again called on Bethany Kazaba, CEO and Managing Principal at Neighborhood Retail Group, for help.

The space is modestly small, but the decor is on brand — striking a cultured balance between modern elegance and traditional Japanese artistry. Delicate orchid plants sit atop polished wooden counters, while minimalist wall panels adorned with ink-brushed calligraphy evoke a quiet sense of comfort. Bamboo accents and stone plateware add texture, all brought to life under tailored mood lighting that softens every corner and sets the tone for intimate conversations.

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

On the menu is a mix of recognizable fare and perhaps new-to-you rolls and sashimi. One signature dish is its traditional style nigiri sushi, prepared edo style with akazu (dark vinegar), sushi rice, and fish pieces. He will also serve regular nigiri with white sushi rice, as well as maki, and other casual Japanese plates.

Sashimi arrives in bulk by plates of at least 10 or smaller portions of four pieces per serving, featuring mackerel, tuna, squid, scallop, fatty tuna, and plenty more cuts. The same offerings are available for nigiri, except two pieces per platter. Starters consist of the classics: edamame, green salad, seaweed salad, and spring rolls. Cooked protein are pickings of grilled eel, shrimp tempura, fried oyster, grilled black cod, and hamachi kama.

Though not coming for at least two months, given it needs ample time for preparation, diners have an omakase course to look forward to. Chef plans to serve a very fermented ancient-style sushi. The reservation-only tasting, which starts at $180 per person, features four appetizers in addition to 12 pieces of premium nigiri and dessert.

Joy Asico-Smith/Asico Photo

To accompany the aforementioned options is a sprawling beverage program headlined by four opening cocktails. The cheeky Royal Fizz combines rum, lime juice, umeshu, saline, and prosecco while the refreshing Gaku Breeze blends tequila, almond liqueur, lime juice, cucumber syrup, and mint leaves for garnish. And it wouldn’t be a proper Japanese establishment without sake by the carafe and bottle. For the simpler palates, there is plenty of wine and Sapporo beers.

Over on M Street NW, Georgetown is home to another great downstairs sushi cave called <a href=”https://dc.eater.com/23939547/eater-awards-winners-dc-2023#:~:text=Kyojin%3A%20Restaurant%20of%20the%20Year&text=Kannasute\’s%20calling%20cards%20like%20truffle,are%20gorgeous%20to%20look%20at.

DC Lifestyle

More on Ultimate Tapas Menu in Northeast DC

Related Articles

DarlingDC Home

Food Scene