Home » Special Features » The World’s Best
» Trendy Tables D.C.
Cutting-edge décor, creative food, pedigreed chef, and see-and-be-seen ambience combined with A-list clientele gives these Best Trendy Tables the elusive “it” quality that has the in-crowd fighting for reservations.
Best Trendy Tables in....
Best Trendy Tables
D.C.
Marvin 2007 14th St. NW, U Street Corridor, 202-797-7171 marvindc.com
The Draw: Easier to rule out who’s
not drawn to Marvin: romancing couples, families toting toddlers, the hard of
hearing. Everyone else loves the place for its welcoming, if raucous,
atmosphere and its hearty American/Belgian cuisine. The Scene: A mixed crowd that represents
the totality of DC’s multicultural scene. Young gadabouts throw back Belgian
beers before making their way upstairs to Marvin’s equally popular lounge scene. Hot Tip: For a more subdued experience, begin or end your night right next door at The Gibson, a speakeasy hidden behind an unmarked entrance. Make a reservation to guarantee a spot in the 48-seat bar where the cocktails are some of the most inventive in town.
The Draw: Sparked, perhaps, by an opening
timed to coincide with the presidential inauguration, Bourbon’s popularity has only
grown. The lounge, a refuge in the afternoon and an epicenter of revelry at
night, is very much part of that appeal. Bourbon Steak is the “it” place in DC,
a place for serious carnivores to see and be seen. The Scene: Hollywood types, politicians,
literati, mavens of fashion,
journalists—anyone who’s anyone dines here. Sounds
from the adjoining bar converge with those in the dining room, which offers tables
with views of the buzzing exhibition kitchen, as well as more private booths. Hot Tip: Bourbon Steak’s website boasts
of its views of the C&O Canal. That’s not quite true.
Only one table (#94) at Bourbon Steak directly overlooks the canal and its
banks.
Sei Restaurant and Lounge 447 Seventh St. NW, Penn Quarter, 202-783-7007 seirestaurant.com
The Draw: Sharp in style and slick
in vibe, Sei heats up as night falls. Small plates of
wasabi-spiked guacamole and spiced-up sushi circulate, while, sip by sip,
flirty 20- and 30-somethings get
to know each other. The Scene: With bare shoulders and upswept blonde hair, the lounge hostess has the attention of every man in the place. That is, until a gaggle of short skirts and high heels traipses in. The work-hard, play-harder crowd, still in business attire, starts its party here on weeknights, supping at the low-slung communal table in front of the sushi bar before repairing to the lounge. On weekends, expect to see a few cooing couples added to the mix. Hot Tip: Drinks here are as
important as the food, and while the sake list is impressive, the libation that’s
making most impact is the Asian pear sangria, a potent mix of pear-flavored
vodka, pear purée, and sparkling wine.
