Whether you’re planning a first date over craft cocktails and live jazz, celebrating an anniversary with a MICHELIN-starred menu, or popping the question in a historic Georgetown dining room, Washington DC‘s endless selection of romantic restaurants set the perfect scene for love to bloom. At these must-book romantic restaurants in the DC area, you can find everything from intimate cocktail dens with top-notch martinis to rooftop stunners serving up stellar Japanese dishes.
Spark romance over innovative Vietnamese cuisine in Penn Quarter. Share Mediterranean small plates under wisteria-draped courtyards in Dupont Circle. From hidden Blagden Alley gems serving pisco cocktails to waterfront destinations perfect for second dates at sunset, DC’s dining scene offers endless possibilities for memorable dates.
Book your table at one of the most romantic restaurants in the DC area on OpenTable.
Read on to discover the top 13 most romantic restaurants in the DC area.
For a first date
For award-winning craft cocktails and relaxed first-date vibes – head to Service Bar (U Street)
This intimate bar along the bustling U Street corridor is where you go for date-night cocktails—think tropical pisco punches and celery-infused martinis. Service Bar’s inventive drinks program has earned several accolades over the years, including a coveted spot on the North America’s 50 Best Bars list since 2022. The best part: the cozy space, amber lighting, and snug banquettes allow romance to flow as freely as the bar’s seasonal selection of drinks and ridiculously good fried chicken.
For a second date
For rooftop dining at one of DC’s best date night restaurants – head to Moonraker (Southwest Waterfront)
This Japanese-inspired spot sits on the 14th floor of the Pendry Washington DC hotel and is especially loved for its 360-degree Potomac River views. Moonraker’s chic, circular bar was made for flirting, and there’s even a fireplace to snuggle up by. The snacky menu—Tokyo fried chicken, hamachi crudo, blistered shishitos—means you can focus on each other. If you’re drinking, consider whisky or fizzy cocktails featuring Japanese ingredients like matcha, yuzu, and green tea.
For modern Asian cuisine at a romantic restaurant in DC – visit Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien (Penn Quarter)
James Beard Award finalist Kevin Tien’s acclaimed modern Vietnamese restaurant now dazzles at its new, date night-approved location in Penn Quarter. Combining plenty of personal touches—family photos and mementos dot the minimalist space—Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien showcases a menu that weaves together a uniquely personal narrative from the Louisiana-raised Vietnamese American chef. For a memorable date night, let the kitchen guide your evening with the chef’s tasting adventure through Vietnam.
For an intimate and cozy night out
For cozy courtyard dining at one of the most romantic restaurants in the DC area – try Iron Gate (Dupont Circle)
This Italian and Greek favorite is set in a former carriage house and home to a cozy dining room with a fireplace, lanterns, and leather banquettes. But Iron Gate really shines for its wisteria-clad courtyard, which also has fire pits for cooler evenings. Mix things up with the pikilia menu (named after the Greek word for “variety”) and linger over trumpet mushroom arancini, charred Mediterranean octopus, and other Mediterranean small plates in the dreamy outdoor space.
For an anniversary or romantic milestone
For Southern elegance at a romantic DC area restaurant – reserve a table at Succotash PRIME (Penn Quarter)
If you’re looking for an anniversary dinner to remember, head to this sprawling steakhouse. For starters, it lives in a historic landmark building complete with original details from 1911. Tufted leather booths and hand-painted murals add to the swankiness, and so does a decadent menu by James Beard Award winner Edward Lee. Expect Southern American classics with Korean twists, like spicy gochujang honey fried chicken and collards, kimchi, and country ham. Bonus points for live jazz.
For live piano and cocktails at a romantic DC restaurant: Fitzgerald’s (Georgetown)
Set in a storied Georgetown space, this sophisticated sibling to the legendary 1789 restaurant channels the glamor of a former art deco nightclub space. Adorned with preppy tweed and Ralph Lauren-esque touches, Fitzgerald’s invites couples to sip on expertly crafted cocktails like the brown butter old fashioned and rare Japanese whisky pours. The romantic mood is further enhanced with live music on weekend evenings.
For group dates
For standout Eastern European-inspired dishes at one of the best date restaurants in DC – book at Ambar (Capitol Hill, Shaw, Arlington)
Ambar’s bottomless Balkan brunch menu means it’s a magnet for leisurely group get-togethers. And at the Shaw location, many sitting areas—an expanded patio, an indoor dining room, and a retractable roof space—make it an especially versatile restaurant for group hangs. Grab a crew to do justice to the restaurant’s meze platters, salmon Benedict, and cinnamon sourdough, aalong with unlimited drinks like mango hibiscus mimosas for an additional fee.
For casual Japanese at one of the best date night spots in DC – head to Daikaya – The Izakaya (Penn Quarter)
Sapporo-style ramen draws crowds to Daikaya’s casual, walk-in-only bar, but you can book a table at its sibling spot upstairs. The Izakaya is an ode to Tokyo’s night markets, and the traditional decor is especially transportive. Take your favorite couple friends and catch up over Japanese small plates like sizzling yakitori skewers and onigiri stuffed with fillings like pork belly and fried eggplant, best washed down with cups of warm sake.
For an adventurous and transportive date
For flavorful Persian fare at one of the best date restaurants in DC – book at Rumi’s Kitchen (Mount Vernon Square)
Named among Washingtonian‘s 100 Very Best Restaurants, Rumi’s Kitchen grand dining room features earthy colors, intricate tilework, and a dramatic open kitchen—the perfect setting for a traditional Persian feast with a contemporary twist. Share platters of herb-flecked rice topped with buttery sea bass or tender lamb kebabs while sipping cocktails brightened with rose water and tea bitters. The rosewater-pistachio ice cream sandwich makes for an even sweeter ending to an adventurous DC date night.
For creative South American dishes at one of the best date night spots in DC – try Amazonia (Mount Vernon Square)
Hidden in DC’s historic Blagden Alley, Amazonia creates a transportive escape perfect for date night with its moody lighting and tropical, South American-inspired decor. Come to this chic Mount Vernon Square restaurant for chef Carlos Delgadoʻs eclectic menu of shareable Peruvian plates, from perfectly grilled anticuchos (meats) to fresh ceviches. Don’t miss the showstopping pisco bar, where mixologists craft creative cocktails from the city’s largest collection of the South American spirits.
For an evening of eatertainment
For classic American favorites at a lively bar – head to The Hamilton (Downtown)
The Hamilton’s snug leather banquettes don’t just set you up for romance—they’re also where you score views of some of DC’s most iconic facades, including the Treasury building and the historic Willard hotel. Fuel up on gussied-up bar bites, including a locally loved late-night sushi menu, before continuing your evening downstairs for cocktails and some of the area’s best live music.
For a proposal-worthy place
For wood-fired cuisine at one of the most romantic restaurants in the DC area – reserve a table at The Dabney (Shaw)
Romance meets regional heritage at The Dabney, where flickering flames from the central wood-fired hearth cast a warm glow across Blagden Alley’s most acclaimed dining room. Chef Jeremiah Langhorne’s MICHELIN-Starred kitchen transforms Mid-Atlantic ingredients like Maryland blue crab and Chesapeake Bay rockfish into elegant tasting menus that change nightly. The rustic-refined space, complete with exposed brick and candlelight, creates an intimate setting for proposal-worthy celebrations
For a MICHELIN-Starred seafood experience at one of the romantic restaurants in the DC area – visit Reverie (Georgetown)
Tucked behind a zen garden in Georgetown, MICHELIN-Starred Reverie offers an intimate stage for chef Johnny Spero’s artful seafood-forward tasting menus. Share refined dishes like cod cheeks with saffron and eel donuts with carrot and uni caramel in the dramatic 36-seat space, with torched wood walls and soft lighting that set a deeply romantic mood. Bonus points for a stellar low-intervention wine list.
From a transportive Peruvian spot in Mount Vernon Square to an intimate, wisteria-clad patio in Dupont Circle, these most romantic restaurants in the DC area set the stage for a special night out.
Whether you’re headed out on a first date, celebrating Valentine’s Day, or toasting an engagement, these DC hotspots deliver unforgettable meals and vibes for every romantic occasion.
Celebrate date night at one of these romantic restaurants in the Washington, DC area by booking with OpenTable now.
Looking for more dining inspiration? Check out these DC guides:
- 12 swanky restaurants in DC for your next celebration
- 10 DC restaurants that scream cozy
- 12 gorgeous Washington DC restaurants that will blow you away
Christabel Lobo is a food and travel writer based between Washington, DC and Abu Dhabi. Her work has appeared in publications including Insider and Lonely Planet, among others.
