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The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Where to Eat and Drink in Shaw

One of D.C.’s top dining neighborhoods, Shaw boasts options for French, Ethiopian, pizza, and so much more

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The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
| Rey Lopez/Eater DC

A surge of high-rise apartments, retail, and hotel developments in recent years have added to the hustle and bustle of Shaw, the historic Northwest neighborhood that lures locals, visitors, and nearby students from Howard University.

Anchored by longstanding Ethiopian establishments along 9th Street NW, the booming area is now home to a steady stream of reliable bars, Michelin-rated restaurants, and live music venues like 9:30 Club and its new Atlantis sibling.

Here are 21 places to dine and drink in Shaw.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Capo Italian Deli

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The home of the original Fauci Pouchy is also famous for its Italian combo subs absolutely stuffed with sliced meats and a high-energy speakeasy hidden past a refrigerator door that draws scene-y crowds on weekends. A Western Market food hall stall joins a Northern Virginia location in Tysons Corner.

Gogi Yogi

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One of the only Korean barbecue joints with tabletop grilling in D.C., Gogi Yogi stands out with unconventional meats like New Zealand lamb and spicy baby octopus. Try the “hangover soup,” traditionally called muguk, with turnips, scallions, and ribeye beef.

Ralph Alswang

Quattro Osteria

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Tucked past 18th-century double doors, Shaw’s stylish staple that turns two in August resembles a chic sidewalk cafe in Italy. Standout pasta dishes include duck ravioli; pappardelle with a meaty ragu of beef short ribs, pork collar, and Italian sausage; black truffle-topped gnocchi; and decadent lobster linguine. The a la carte menu is joined by multi-course tasting options. Co-owner Louie Hankins also runs El Techo, a tropical rooftop perch next door slinging spicy margs and tacos.

600 T St NW

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This unassuming, underground cocktail lair that started out as a word-of-mouth destination in 2017 has risen as a reliable date-night destination for well thought-out cocktails and live jazz on Thursday nights. Drinks carry simplistic names like “Mezcal,” which adds passion fruit, carrots, sage, citrus, and ancho chili to the agave spirit. A cozy interior framed with fireplaces and a lived-in look joins a newer back patio full of polished wood and colorful graffiti.

The Royal

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This neighborhood cafe and bar has a wood-burning grill and a Latin-leaning menu that offers empanadas, arepas, and huevos rancheros throughout the day. Don’t skip the guava pastries.

The coffee bar at the Royal
Photo: Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Doro Soul Food

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For his sophomore project in D.C., Eater DC’s 2021 Chef of the Year Elias Taddesse remixes American soul food with East African spices at a tiny new carryout counter. The anticipated follow-up to the Ethiopian chef’s acclaimed burger bar Mélange swings open with fiery pieces of fried or char-grilled chicken, black cumin cornbread, doro wat-spiced macaroni and cheese, and turmeric-tinged coleslaw, mashed potatoes drizzled with timiz peppercorn gravy, and collard greens braised with smoked turkey and Ethiopian spices. Open for takeout and delivery at 11:30 a.m. (closed Mondays).

Electric Cool-Aid

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This outdoor bar and parking spot for a rotating group of food trucks opened in the gravel lot that used to house the Mr. P’s Ribs and Fish bus. The QR code-enabled menu features spiked slushees and craft beers alongside canned wine, seltzer, and cocktails like a strawberry-topped pina colada Miami Vice.

A can of sparkling frose from Electric Cool-Aid
A can of sparkling frose from Electric Cool-Aid
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Dacha Beer Garden

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Even without stepping foot in the place, Dacha Beer Garden feels familiar, thanks to an iconic mural of Elizabeth Taylor painted alongside the building. Just as memorable on the inside, the beer garden features pours from near (the District) and far (Belgium and Germany). German fare includes traditional schnitzel and big pretzels, with Bullfrog bagels and avocado toast during weekend brunch. A “puppy provisions” menu caters to its devoted dog clientele with drinkable beers and treats.

Zeppelin

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In the mood for some late-night karaoke and sushi? Zeppelin is the spot to belt a tune and take down tuna rolls. The downstairs bar, equipped with highball machines, is also a quieter respite for cocktail lovers. The owners also operate busy ramen bar Chaplin’s around the corner.

Ivy and Coney

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This upstairs dive bar is a home away from home for Midwesterners, welcoming in people with Chicago and Detroit ties for baseball games and Jeppson’s Malört shots. Regulars return for cheap beers and hot dog deals, which can be loaded up Chicago- or Coney-style. Don’t sleep on the Detroit-style pizza, either.

ivy-and-coney-bar Tim Ebner

Oyster Oyster

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Chef Rob Rubba puts vegetables on a pedestal, so Oyster Oyster’s presence in Shaw is somewhat ideal for diners who don’t eat meat but still want to enjoy an avant-garde tasting menu with a Michelin star. Crowned best chef in America at the 2023 James Beard Awards, Rubba prioritizes sustainability with a dedication to sourcing from hyperlocal farms and mills. A $60 selected wine pairing goes with a $95 meal. Reservations are available here. For a more accessible taste, head to its new walk-in garage bar next door for oysters, natural wines, and square-shaped pies topped with peak produce.

Convivial

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Chef Cedric Maupillier’s French cafe started out as a modern American interpretation of Gallic cuisine, but in the past year it has reverted to a more traditional country approach. That means customers will find steamed leeks in mustard vinaigrette, escargot, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, and gruyere omelets for dinner. Brunch includes almond croissants, hefty cinnamon buns, and pancakes with maple creme fraiche and speculoos cookie crumble.

Rabbit terrine from Convivial
Convivial

Maxwell Park (Multiple locations)

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This cozy, casual wine bar features more than 50 options by the glass. Each month a different irreverent theme highlights various regions and styles.

Nina May

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Chef and co-owner Colin McClimans opened Nina May just before the pandemic, introducing a stretch of 11th Street NW to an eclectic American menu that prioritizes Chesapeake-area products. An ambitious dinner menu and a busy brunch is available in its cute cottage-style interior, streetside patio, and rooftop deck.

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart

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This rowhouse hideaway for Ethiopian food boasts a Bib Gourmand designation from Michelin that speaks to standout vegetarian platters and owner Alemayehu “Alex” Abebe’s discerning standards for beef.

The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
Rey Lopez

All-Purpose (Multiple locations)

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The name might sound a bit generic, but a menu that includes shareable crocks of baked eggplant Parm, garlic knots in a Parmesan fonduta sauce, and Jersey-style pizzas drizzled in Calabrian chile honey make up for it. Splurge on extra dipping sauces like feta ranch, and wash it all down with an Aperol spritz.

Tom’s first bite review of All-Purpose for June 1 Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

TallBoy

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As advertised, this small neighborhood bar serves a selection of tallboy beers alongside a short menu of wings and Mexican fare. Happy hour featuring $3 tacos, $4 beers, and $6 margs runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

TallBoy wings
Bone-in (or boneless) wings come slathered in all sorts of sauces and dry rubs.
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Tiger Fork

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Blagden Alley’s stylish ode to Hong Kong nightlife just tapped Simon Lam as its new executive chef. The Chang Chang alum sends out creative dishes like a vegan miso Caesar, crispy fish buns, and ever-changing “This Week from the Kitchen” specials. Think: a bluefin tuna crudo collab with next-door neighbor Carlos Delgado, who ages whole tuna, and  Lam takes the loin and belly to combine akami and chu toro in the dish.

Grandma’s shrimp and pork dumplings featuring a spicy numbing garlicky tobanjan and pickled seasonal vegetables to tame the heat.
Tiger Fork

Eighteenth Street Lounge

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The legendary Dupont Circle nightclub that closed during the pandemic after 25 years in business reopened in a new Northwest neighborhood last fall. Lovingly known as “ESL” by regulars, owner Farid Nouri’s two-level, 5,000-square-foot comeback in Shaw is about half the size of the dearly missed original. Similarities include an airy rooftop deck, full-service bars on each level, and the ability to host multiple live acts at once. Many of the same resident DJs and eclectic jazz, funk, reggae and Latin acts are back, too.

Causa/ Amazonia

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Causa named for Peru’s iconic national dish, sailed into Blagden Alley last summer with an ambitious, prix-fixe format that aims to capture the bounty of the South American country in one sitting. The anticipated fine-dining venture trailed Amazonia, its color-soaked, more casual upstairs counterpart with one of the biggest pisco collections around. At Causa, six-course menus ($85) send diners on a seafaring voyage along the Peruvian coastline and into the Andes Mountains. The intimate space with just 22 seats lends itself to an immersive, personalized experience led by Peruvian-born chef and co-owner Carlos Delgado.

The Dabney

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James Beard Award-wining chef Jeremiah Langhorne remains committed to the Shaw neighborhood with a Michelin-starred restaurant that deploys an open-hearth, wood-fired grill to showcase the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic region. The menu changes frequently, but a side order of cornbread is a must. The team expanded in Shaw this spring with the opening of all-day French cafe and bistro Petite Cerise.

The Dabney
The Dabney
Rey Lopez

Unconventional Diner

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Mom’s meatloaf may have just met its match. As the restaurant’s name implies, Unconventional Diner dishes out homey staples with a dose of haute cuisine, like Sriracha-glazed slices of ground meat served with mashed potatoes in a morel gravy. Brunch is also served daily until 3:45 p.m. French chef David Deshaies got his start cooking American comfort food at Central.

A meatloaf dinner with all the fixings from Unconventional Diner
A meatloaf dinner with all the fixings from Unconventional Diner
Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Capo Italian Deli

The home of the original Fauci Pouchy is also famous for its Italian combo subs absolutely stuffed with sliced meats and a high-energy speakeasy hidden past a refrigerator door that draws scene-y crowds on weekends. A Western Market food hall stall joins a Northern Virginia location in Tysons Corner.

Gogi Yogi

One of the only Korean barbecue joints with tabletop grilling in D.C., Gogi Yogi stands out with unconventional meats like New Zealand lamb and spicy baby octopus. Try the “hangover soup,” traditionally called muguk, with turnips, scallions, and ribeye beef.

Ralph Alswang

Quattro Osteria

Tucked past 18th-century double doors, Shaw’s stylish staple that turns two in August resembles a chic sidewalk cafe in Italy. Standout pasta dishes include duck ravioli; pappardelle with a meaty ragu of beef short ribs, pork collar, and Italian sausage; black truffle-topped gnocchi; and decadent lobster linguine. The a la carte menu is joined by multi-course tasting options. Co-owner Louie Hankins also runs El Techo, a tropical rooftop perch next door slinging spicy margs and tacos.

600 T St NW

This unassuming, underground cocktail lair that started out as a word-of-mouth destination in 2017 has risen as a reliable date-night destination for well thought-out cocktails and live jazz on Thursday nights. Drinks carry simplistic names like “Mezcal,” which adds passion fruit, carrots, sage, citrus, and ancho chili to the agave spirit. A cozy interior framed with fireplaces and a lived-in look joins a newer back patio full of polished wood and colorful graffiti.

The Royal

This neighborhood cafe and bar has a wood-burning grill and a Latin-leaning menu that offers empanadas, arepas, and huevos rancheros throughout the day. Don’t skip the guava pastries.

The coffee bar at the Royal
Photo: Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Doro Soul Food

For his sophomore project in D.C., Eater DC’s 2021 Chef of the Year Elias Taddesse remixes American soul food with East African spices at a tiny new carryout counter. The anticipated follow-up to the Ethiopian chef’s acclaimed burger bar Mélange swings open with fiery pieces of fried or char-grilled chicken, black cumin cornbread, doro wat-spiced macaroni and cheese, and turmeric-tinged coleslaw, mashed potatoes drizzled with timiz peppercorn gravy, and collard greens braised with smoked turkey and Ethiopian spices. Open for takeout and delivery at 11:30 a.m. (closed Mondays).

Electric Cool-Aid

This outdoor bar and parking spot for a rotating group of food trucks opened in the gravel lot that used to house the Mr. P’s Ribs and Fish bus. The QR code-enabled menu features spiked slushees and craft beers alongside canned wine, seltzer, and cocktails like a strawberry-topped pina colada Miami Vice.

A can of sparkling frose from Electric Cool-Aid
A can of sparkling frose from Electric Cool-Aid
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Dacha Beer Garden

Even without stepping foot in the place, Dacha Beer Garden feels familiar, thanks to an iconic mural of Elizabeth Taylor painted alongside the building. Just as memorable on the inside, the beer garden features pours from near (the District) and far (Belgium and Germany). German fare includes traditional schnitzel and big pretzels, with Bullfrog bagels and avocado toast during weekend brunch. A “puppy provisions” menu caters to its devoted dog clientele with drinkable beers and treats.

Zeppelin

In the mood for some late-night karaoke and sushi? Zeppelin is the spot to belt a tune and take down tuna rolls. The downstairs bar, equipped with highball machines, is also a quieter respite for cocktail lovers. The owners also operate busy ramen bar Chaplin’s around the corner.

Ivy and Coney

This upstairs dive bar is a home away from home for Midwesterners, welcoming in people with Chicago and Detroit ties for baseball games and Jeppson’s Malört shots. Regulars return for cheap beers and hot dog deals, which can be loaded up Chicago- or Coney-style. Don’t sleep on the Detroit-style pizza, either.

ivy-and-coney-bar Tim Ebner

Oyster Oyster

Chef Rob Rubba puts vegetables on a pedestal, so Oyster Oyster’s presence in Shaw is somewhat ideal for diners who don’t eat meat but still want to enjoy an avant-garde tasting menu with a Michelin star. Crowned best chef in America at the 2023 James Beard Awards, Rubba prioritizes sustainability with a dedication to sourcing from hyperlocal farms and mills. A $60 selected wine pairing goes with a $95 meal. Reservations are available here. For a more accessible taste, head to its new walk-in garage bar next door for oysters, natural wines, and square-shaped pies topped with peak produce.

Convivial

Chef Cedric Maupillier’s French cafe started out as a modern American interpretation of Gallic cuisine, but in the past year it has reverted to a more traditional country approach. That means customers will find steamed leeks in mustard vinaigrette, escargot, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, and gruyere omelets for dinner. Brunch includes almond croissants, hefty cinnamon buns, and pancakes with maple creme fraiche and speculoos cookie crumble.

Rabbit terrine from Convivial
Convivial

Maxwell Park (Multiple locations)

This cozy, casual wine bar features more than 50 options by the glass. Each month a different irreverent theme highlights various regions and styles.

Nina May

Chef and co-owner Colin McClimans opened Nina May just before the pandemic, introducing a stretch of 11th Street NW to an eclectic American menu that prioritizes Chesapeake-area products. An ambitious dinner menu and a busy brunch is available in its cute cottage-style interior, streetside patio, and rooftop deck.

Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart

This rowhouse hideaway for Ethiopian food boasts a Bib Gourmand designation from Michelin that speaks to standout vegetarian platters and owner Alemayehu “Alex” Abebe’s discerning standards for beef.

The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
The facade at Chercher on Ninth Street NW
Rey Lopez

Related Maps

All-Purpose (Multiple locations)

The name might sound a bit generic, but a menu that includes shareable crocks of baked eggplant Parm, garlic knots in a Parmesan fonduta sauce, and Jersey-style pizzas drizzled in Calabrian chile honey make up for it. Splurge on extra dipping sauces like feta ranch, and wash it all down with an Aperol spritz.

Tom’s first bite review of All-Purpose for June 1 Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

TallBoy

As advertised, this small neighborhood bar serves a selection of tallboy beers alongside a short menu of wings and Mexican fare. Happy hour featuring $3 tacos, $4 beers, and $6 margs runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

TallBoy wings
Bone-in (or boneless) wings come slathered in all sorts of sauces and dry rubs.
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Tiger Fork

Blagden Alley’s stylish ode to Hong Kong nightlife just tapped Simon Lam as its new executive chef. The Chang Chang alum sends out creative dishes like a vegan miso Caesar, crispy fish buns, and ever-changing “This Week from the Kitchen” specials. Think: a bluefin tuna crudo collab with next-door neighbor Carlos Delgado, who ages whole tuna, and  Lam takes the loin and belly to combine akami and chu toro in the dish.

Grandma’s shrimp and pork dumplings featuring a spicy numbing garlicky tobanjan and pickled seasonal vegetables to tame the heat.
Tiger Fork

Eighteenth Street Lounge

The legendary Dupont Circle nightclub that closed during the pandemic after 25 years in business reopened in a new Northwest neighborhood last fall. Lovingly known as “ESL” by regulars, owner Farid Nouri’s two-level, 5,000-square-foot comeback in Shaw is about half the size of the dearly missed original. Similarities include an airy rooftop deck, full-service bars on each level, and the ability to host multiple live acts at once. Many of the same resident DJs and eclectic jazz, funk, reggae and Latin acts are back, too.

Causa/ Amazonia

Causa named for Peru’s iconic national dish, sailed into Blagden Alley last summer with an ambitious, prix-fixe format that aims to capture the bounty of the South American country in one sitting. The anticipated fine-dining venture trailed Amazonia, its color-soaked, more casual upstairs counterpart with one of the biggest pisco collections around. At Causa, six-course menus ($85) send diners on a seafaring voyage along the Peruvian coastline and into the Andes Mountains. The intimate space with just 22 seats lends itself to an immersive, personalized experience led by Peruvian-born chef and co-owner Carlos Delgado.

The Dabney

James Beard Award-wining chef Jeremiah Langhorne remains committed to the Shaw neighborhood with a Michelin-starred restaurant that deploys an open-hearth, wood-fired grill to showcase the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic region. The menu changes frequently, but a side order of cornbread is a must. The team expanded in Shaw this spring with the opening of all-day French cafe and bistro Petite Cerise.

The Dabney
The Dabney
Rey Lopez

Unconventional Diner

Mom’s meatloaf may have just met its match. As the restaurant’s name implies, Unconventional Diner dishes out homey staples with a dose of haute cuisine, like Sriracha-glazed slices of ground meat served with mashed potatoes in a morel gravy. Brunch is also served daily until 3:45 p.m. French chef David Deshaies got his start cooking American comfort food at Central.

A meatloaf dinner with all the fixings from Unconventional Diner
A meatloaf dinner with all the fixings from Unconventional Diner
Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Related Maps