After a long day visiting museums, attending a rally, or just enjoying America’s landmarks, chances are you’ll be starving. Here are the best restaurants within a short walk of the National Mall, listed from casual to fancy: Bar Americano Jefferson Dr., SW Drink wine with a view of the Capitol b uilding at Bar Americano. Photograph courtesy Bar Americano. The team behind Sonny’s Pizza transformed an old tourist kiosk into this pizza and natural wine bar steps from the National Air and Space Museum. Mornings bring a full espresso bar, hot chocolate, pastries, and focaccia breakfast sandwiches. From lunch through 6 PM, the kiosk serves grandma-style pan pizza slices (cheese, mushroom, pepperoni) and Italian-style focaccia sandwiches (including a veggie option). Notably, it’s the one place on the National Mall where you can order a glass of wine, can of beer, or a spritz. Inexpensive.   Teaism 400 Eighth St., NW Whether you need a quick pick-me-up or are looking to linger, this casual Japanese cafe and tea house is a welcome respite. The vegetarian-friendly menu includes everything from curries to noodles, although we’re partial to the make-your-own-handroll bento box with tea-cured salmon. For a recharge, order a pot of green tea—or a sake. Inexpensive.   Bantam King 805 V St., NW Slurp chicken ramen at Bantam King. Photo courtesy Bantam King. The Daikaya team dishes up comforting chicken ramen in this tiny, Technicolor space—formerly a Burger King—in Chinatown. We dream about the bowls of creamy paitan broth with twisty noodles, pulled poultry, dandelion greens, corn, and chili threads. The small menu begs thorough exploration, especially brined-and-fried birds served alongside rice drizzled with butter and poultry drippings. Inexpensive.   Daikaya 705 Sixth St., NW At Daikaya, head down stairs for ramen, upstairs for Japanese pub food. Photo by Scott Suchman. Upstairs or downstairs? It’s a tough decision. At street level, a buzzy counter serves excellent ramen. What makes the steaming bowls so special: springy noodles custom-made in Sapporo, a nuanced 16-hour stock, and wok-finished bean sprouts and ground pork to top it all off. (The vegetarian option is a worthy rival.) Overhead, a Japanese tavern serves sake, whiskey, and fun cocktails using shiso and yuzu alongside a big menu of drinking snacks. We can’t get enough of the silky egg-and-dashi custard with truffled shiitake sauce or the okonomiyaki-style pork-belly-and-Brussels-sprout skewers. Inexpensive to moderate.   PubKey 410 Seventh St., NW A Bitcoin “shrine” at PubKey. Photograph by Chris Bryan. At first glance, PubKey looks like a typical dive bar, with karaoke and trivia, plus classic bar foods like smash burgers, Chicago dogs, and wings. But the 12,000-square-foot venue is also something more: a Bitcoiner hub with a podcast studio and event space to promote the cryptocurrency. You can also pay in Bitcoin if you want to. A basement chophouse is slated to open in the spring of 2026. Inexpensive.   Old Ebbitt Grill 675 15th St., NW One of four full-service bars at Old Ebbitt Grill. Photo by Scott Suchman. Few places feel more “Washington” than this old-school, mahogany-covered saloon neighboring the White House. The American menu includes plenty of easy-pleasers for adults and kids. We like to post up at one of Old Ebbitt’s four—yes, four!—bars for a beer with a crabcake sandwich or a platter of oysters. Get those bivalves discounted during late afternoon and late-night happy hours. Moderate.   Carmine’s 425 Seventh St., NW Carmine’s has more than 750 seats across 20,000 square feet. Photograph courtesy Carmine’s. The New York-based Italian-American restaurant boasts more than 750 seats and nine private dining rooms—plus heaping portions to match. The family-friendly menu offers all the classics, from fried calamari and meatballs to chicken parm and penne alla vodka. If you’ve got a big group ready to indulge, end with the Titanic, a monstrous ice cream sundae over a chocolate torte. Moderate.   Lucky Danger 709 D St., NW Lucky Danger’s allium pancakes with whipped tofu. Photograph by Rachel Paraoan. This Chinese-American menu is as fun as the vibes. (Check out the mahjong lounge in back.) Snack on crisp-chewy allium pancakes with whipped tofu and upgraded crab rangoons with Old Bay, then dig into a spicy mapo tofu with chewy rice cakes or crab lo mein with springy fresh noodles in leek fondue. A condensed lunch menu offers classics like orange chicken and bang bang shrimp alongside a char siu hoagie. Moderate to expensive.    Jaleo 480 Seventh St., NW Jaleo is a lively spot for Spanish tapas. Photo by Scott Suchman. José Andrés’s 33 year-old Penn Quarter tapas house still draws crowds to its swervy-curvy dining room. When it comes to the menu, a special shout-out is owed to feather-light bacalao fritters; a salad of fennel ribbons studded with walnuts and Manchego; potato-confit tortillas; and shrimp with garlic. And because vermouth has become the quaff of choice with tapas in Spain, the on-trend bar has a raft to choose from. Don’t skip dessert, particularly the spectacular olive-oil ice cream atop grapefruit granita and the chocolate custard with caramelized bread. Moderate.   Oyamel 401 Seventh St., NW The butterfly-stewn bar and colorful dining room at José Andrés’s modern Mexican restaurant are always pulsing. The mezcal and tequila cocktails are a big reason why (the “salt air” margarita is a signature), but you can mine the lengthy menu for some lively cooking too. Oozing quesadillas on housemade tortillas are upgraded with Mexican “truffle” (ahem, corn smut). Counterbalance that with a refreshing ceviche or colorful salad. Of course no order would be complete without guacamole, mixed to your tastes tableside. Moderate.   Zaytinya 701 Ninth St., NW Stuffed eggplant at Zaytinya. Photo courtesy of Katherine Hurd. On any given night, this Mediterranean restaurant from José Andrés has the feeling of a bustling bazaar. Crowds pack the Aegean-toned eatery, accented with olive-oil vessels and meats turning on spits in the open kitchen. The mezze menu has something for everyone: dips and spreads served with warm pita; sautéed shrimp studded with dill and mustard; beef-and-bulgur-wheat fritters filled with bone marrow; and abundant vegetarian options. The bar pours lesser-known coastal spirits and riffs on classics, such as a za’atar margarita. Moderate.    China Chilcano 418 Seventh St., NW Get fresh fish from China Chilcano’s sushi and ceviche bar. Photo by Scott Suchman . Peruvian cuisine, a nexus of Andean, Japanese, and Chinese flavors, is seen through the lens of José Andrés—and distilled into small plates—at this loud, colorful dining room. Start with dim sum, from shumai nestling quail eggs to squash-stuffed dumplings, or a vibrant ceviche. Build up to at least one bigger finish, whether a veggie-packed fried rice, a classic lomo saltado, or the plump Maestro Wong shrimp, glazed in a complex, black-bean-tinted sauce. Moderate.   Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, Stone Crab 750 15th St., NW Setting the table at Joe’s Seafood. Photograph by Scott Suchman. If you’ve been to the Miami original, you don’t need us to tell you about the joys of the tossed-at-the-table coleslaw and stone-crab claws with mustard sauce. But here’s a little secret: This throwback also serves the city’s best apple pie. And wedge salad. And actually, some seriously good steak, too. Its proximity to the White House also makes it a popular haunt for administration officials; Post up in the cavernous bar area and you may overhear some state secrets. Expensive.   Rasika 633 D St., NW Black cod with star anise at Rasika. Photograph by Scott Suchman. Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj’s upscale Indian destination recently turned 20, and chef Vikram Sunderam’s inventive cooking and mastery of spices continue to show why it has staying power. Even after all these years, we still dream about the palak chaat—crispy spinach with yogurt and date chutney. An electric duck vindaloo is served only at the Penn Quarter original, but other hits such as black cod with star anise are also available at the West End spinoff. Expensive.   Moon Rabbit 927 F St., NW Soy-glazed eel with mochi at Moon Rabbit. Photograph by Rachel Paraoan. Chef Kevin Tien draws from his Louisiana upbringing and Vietnamese heritage at his cozy Penn Quarter dining room. Grilled leaf-wrapped beef is upgraded with Wagyu, fermented honey, and labneh for dipping. Mochi beignets are artfully paired with caramelized eel, while a muffuletta sandwich is reimagined as a rice-noodle dish with a housemade  mortadella, olive tapenade, and fried-egg aïoli. Meanwhile, pastry chef Susan Bae’s desserts, which highlight ingredients like seaweed and green curry, sound wackier than they taste. Our favorite: a durian-and-white-chocolate mousse with passionfruit granita. Expensive.   The Occidental 1475 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Shrimp cocktail and other snacks at the Occidental. Photo by Birch Thomas. Last year, Stephen Starr took over this centenarian dining room by the White House and turned the dusty relic into one of the chicest restaurant spaces in town. Settle into a cozy nook drenched in olive-green velvet, or a table in the buzzier upstairs dining room, and you’re whizzed back to an era of three-drink lunches. (The excellent martinis help.) The menu is both elegant and easy to like. We go straight for pigs in blankets, oysters in beurre blanc, or lobster bisque before moving on to a rib eye or French dip. Another fun throwback: Champagne layer cake with Barbie-pink frosting. Very expensive.   Fiola 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Cubed pasta stuffed with dry-aged duck at Fiola. Photograph by Aliche Trabocchi. Fabio Trabocchi’s Italian dining room exudes luxury, even when it comes to the humblest ingredients. Chef Antonio Mermolia turns Yukon potatoes into a silky olive-oil-whipped custard with crispy lentils, while pasta mista (traditionally, a mix of pasta scraps) is elevated with caviar, sea urchin, and other prized seafood. Five different tasting menus—including those devoted specifically to meat, seafood, or vegetables—let you choose how splurgy to get. (À la carte is available some weekdays or at the bar.) Whatever you opt for, the kitchen’s pastas always wow, including cube-shaped ravioli filled with 15-day-dry-aged duck. Very expensive.   Sushi Nakazawa 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Photo by Scott Suchman. This luxe sushi destination (open for lunch and dinner) tucked into the back of the Waldorf Astoria continues to be one of the most consistent omakase rooms in town, delivering perfectly seasoned rice and expertly prepared premium seafood every time. It’s worth the higher price to sit at the sushi counter instead of the dining room ($190 versus $160) to watch the chefs mold bites of Japanese scallop with yuzu kosho or lightly torched buttery barracuda. Upgrade to a “super omakase” ($310) for luxuries like caviar, Wagyu, and white truffle. The spendy sake list feels like an encyclopedia and is full of unusual finds such as a crisp rosé sake. Very expensive. This list was last updated in May 2026.The post Where to Eat Near the National Mall first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less