Charlie Palmer Steak and Other D.C. Restaurant Closures to Know
Nov 18, 2024
Charlie Palmer’s bar was a popular hangout for nearby politicos. | Rey Lopez for Eater DC
A running list of area establishments permanently closing this month This is a curated list of D.C. area’s most notable and permanent restaurant and bar closures, with new updates published every month. See a closing we missed? Drop us a line.
November 29
CAPITOL HILL—Charlie Palmer Steak, the timeless power spot located across from the U.S. Capitol since 2002, will serve its last piece of meat on Friday, November 29. After lengthy discussions, the team says it was unable to reach an agreement on the terms of a new lease. Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer’s namesake staple in the nation’s capital was known for its lavish seafood towers, a 30-day prime dry-aged porterhouse for two, and twice-baked potatoes stuffed with bacon and truffles. A steady stream of top chefs manned its kitchen over the years, and Dan Perron most recently left this fall to open Divino in Glover Park. “It has been an honor to be a part of this city’s culinary evolution,” per a statement from Palmer, who says he plans to focus on existing bi-coastal properties in New York, Napa, and Reno. The group also has upcoming restaurant openings under its Appellation Hotels brand. 101 Constitution Avenue NW
November 11
Rey Lopez for Mi Casa
At 130 seats, Mi Casa was one of Knead Hospitality + Design’s smallest restaurants.
DUPONT CIRCLE—Mi Casa, a cactus-filled corner respite serving sizzling fajitas, ceviches, margaritas, and skull-shaped cocktails, has called it quits. Prolific D.C. restaurant group Knead Hospitality + Design first opened the flashy Tex-Mex hangout back in 2021, completely transforming the former Bareburger space with a boho-chic look and a weatherproof side patio. 1647 20th Street NW
November 8
DUPONT—Thaiphoon, the 9-to-5 standby for tom yum soup, curries, mango sticky rice, and other Thai favorites since 1999, called it quits. Georgetown sibling Mai Thai remains open. 2011 S Street NW
November 3
LOGAN CIRCLE—That’s a wrap for Butter Me Up, the pandemic-born breakfast offshoot of Shaw’s all-day sausage staple HalfSmoke. The 2-year-old space that resembled a chic hotel lobby showcased breakfast tacos, acai bowls, fried Oreo pancakes, buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches, and creative cocktails at night. Online ordering remains active, and a new location will be announced soon. 1409 T Street NW
November 1
MT. VERNON TRIANGLE—Boston-based restaurateur Michael Schlow’s Italian mainstay Alta Strada suddenly shut down its longstanding D.C. locale. Its OpenTable page says the restaurant is “moving locations” and plans to reopen in 2025. The 8-year-old pasta pad made ends meet during the pandemic, in part, due to soaring sales of chicken Parm. Alta Strada maintains an area presence in Fairfax, Virginia, in addition to its Massachusetts home base. In other news, WBJ is reporting that Schlow plans to take over the lobby-level restaurant inside the Canopy by Hilton Washington DC Embassy Row. 465 K Street NW
Taffer’s Tavern
An oversized pretzel dangling from a hook, bacon Brussels sprouts, truffle fries, and onion rings at Taffer’s Tavern.
CHINATOWN—Jon Taffer, the spirited reality TV host known for his tough love, no-nonsense approach to the bar business on Bar Rescue, no longer has a namesake tavern in D.C. Brick-framed Taffer’s Tavern debuted in September 2022 behind Capital One Arena and served sous-vide meats, brown butter-infused whiskey, and featured cocktails from the show. Guests were greeted with a framed portrait of a smiling, whiskey neat-holding Taffer hanging above an electric fireplace, followed by a big wooden bar surrounded by mustard-hued bar stools. Each Taffer’s Tavern is owned and operated by franchisee owners, not Taffer himself, and Boston’s edition also closed earlier this year. Two Taffer’s Taverns remain in the Atlanta area. 700 6th Street NW
Late October
Due South/Facebook
Due South sat right along the Anacostia River.
NAVY YARD—Due South, Southeast’s sprawling destination for whiskeys, smoked meats, and Southern comfort foods since 2015, permanently closed on October 27. Due South’s previously announced plans to expand to Chevy Chase recently changed. Per Popville, a bigger upper Northwest location is now set to open in fall 2025. Due South comes from Bo Blair, the prolific D.C. restaurateur who also runs local sandwich shop Jetties and taco stop Surfside. 301 Water Street SE
On hiatus
H STREET—Bronze, the groundbreaking Northeast restaurant that reimagined the history of the African diaspora through the lens of a fictional character named Alonzo Bronze, went offline last week. Its Resy page shows no available seatings, and guests with existing reservations were alerted that Bronze is closed “for the foreseeable future.” Owner Keem Hughley, a hospitality vet (including of nearby Maketto) and native Washingtonian, tells Eater that Bronze is still hosting events and “could close — or remain open.” The team is figuring out its long-term plans in the interim; its entire four-story building went up for lease in October. Stay tuned. 1245 H Street NE