The One Who Keeps the Book Washington D.C.
How to Get Into La’ Shukran
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The idea that became La’ Shukran percolated in the mind of chef Michael Rafidi, long before it opened in 2024. For years, Rafidi and his team had a concept of a gathering place that would exist as something between restaurant and bar, old and new, contemporary but timeless. And so, it’s no surprise that by the time La’ Shukran opened in the fall of 2024, it already felt destined to be a classic.
La’ Shukran has widely been associated with Rafidi, but also comes courtesy of bar maestro Radovan Jankovic, and wine director William Simons. The restaurant joins a family of Rafidi concepts that have each been met with both critical acclaim and commercial success — Rafidi’s first restaurant, Albi, earned a Michelin star in 2022 (which it continues to maintain), whereas his more casual cafe Yellow has served as a more accessible introduction to Rafidi’s signature Palestinian flavors. But La’ Shukran may take the cake as the most difficult of Rafidi’s restaurants to score a reservation, due in part to its compact size and in part to its overwhelming popularity.
Part of the charm of the restaurant undoubtedly lies in the intimacy of the space. Tucked away in an alley, La’ Shukran beckons guests inside with moody lighting and music playing at the door — an irresistible intrigue into what you’re in for once you ascend the staircase. And you’re in for a treat: whether you’re there simply to grab an arak-infused cocktail or experience Rafidi’s award-winning cuisine, it’s just about impossible to have a bad time at La’ Shukran.
For our latest installment of The One Who Keeps The Book, we chatted with wine director William Simmons to get his take on how to score a seat, and what to expect once you’re in.
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Resy: What makes it so difficult to get a reservation at La’ Shukran?
William Simmons: We’re dealing with a small space at La’ Shukran — it’s a compact restaurant with not that many tables. Actually, when we first opened, we only had two two-tops in the entire restaurant because we conceptualized it more as a gathering place that would attract parties of three to six. We’ve recently done a redesign to add a few more tables.
How many seats are there in total?
Today, there are about 40 seats in the restaurant and an additional 13 at the bar. That number doesn’t include our patio, but that space is seasonal and not fully protected from the elements. When people make a reservation for the patio, we warn them that it’s subject to the weather.
When do reservations become available on Resy?
We operate on a three-week rolling schedule, and reservations open up each night at midnight.
It’s high energy — the music’s loud, the people are loud, and everyone’s just there to have a good time.— William Simmons, Wine Director at La’ Shukran
What are the busiest days for you?
Fridays and Saturdays get booked up pretty quickly. We’re closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and we call the remaining nights (Thursday, Sunday, and Monday nights) ‘school nights.’ Those tend to be a little bit easier from a reservation standpoint, but I’d say that just about all reservations are committed within five days of becoming available.
What’s the scene like on one of those busy days?
I always say that you can tell service is going well when our servers and bartenders are sort of dancing as they ring things in. It’s high energy — the music’s loud, the people are loud, and everyone’s just there to have a good time. Sure, it’s a restaurant, but it’s a bit of party when things are going the right way.
Do you allow walk-ins?
Yes, and we definitely encourage people to walk in. We reserve a couple seats at the bar on the first turn on school nights, but after that, the bar is actually held exclusively for walk-ins and we maintain a waitlist for those seats. If you come in and there’s not a spot available, we welcome folks to stay and grab a drink. It’s what gives the whole space the feel of being somewhere between a restaurant and a bar.
Does the Notify list on Resy help with reservations?
Yes, I always recommend that people use Notify because it’s just so much faster than any other option. I have a suspicion that — unlike Albi, where folks plan in advance to have dinner there — at La’ Shukran, someone manages to snag a reservation and then figures out who to bring along with them. So sometimes, things end up changing.
But as soon as a reservation becomes available, it’s almost immediately snatched up — it’s not unusual to have several hundred people on the list. In fact, when we first got started, I remember nights where we’d have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 people on the Notify list.
What’s your favorite seat in the house?
For smaller parties, I love these little round corner tables that are really prime for people watching because everyone has an angle out into the dining room. For larger parties, we have these two U-shaped banquettes on a raised platform that are really nice for conversation but also give you a great vantage point to take in the restaurant.
What’s your favorite dish on the menu?
It’s hard to pick just one — the quail is something I’ve always really loved and feel like it’s a good representation of the restaurant. It’s actually our play on a Nashville hot chicken — it’s so good. Then there’s the escargot hummus, which was one of the earliest dishes that chef Rafidi talked about when he was planning out the restaurant. Funnily enough, no one had tasted it until we got really close to opening, but luckily it worked out really nicely.
What about your favorite drinks?
I’m a bit biased, but I do like the wine program quite a bit. I try to have a lot of fun with it. If I’m at La’ Shukran, though, you’ll find me drinking a glass of arak, a traditional Levantine spirit. For folks who maybe aren’t as accustomed to the beverage, it’s probably most reminiscent of black licorice — our arak-based cocktails are a really great introduction to the spirit.
If you had to describe La’ Shukran in one word, what would it be?
The opening of La’ Shukran actually was delayed a few times, which really allowed chef Rafidi, Radovan, and myself to continue honing and refining the concept — it was definitely a labor of love. We’d initially thought that we were going for an immersive experience, but within a few days of opening, we found that the word people used most often to describe La’ Shukran was “transportive,” and I think that’s really right.
Because it’s a little bit hidden, once you’ve stepped foot inside, it’s almost like it’s new and fresh and yet simultaneously something that’s been here forever.
Lulu Chang is a Texas-bred, D.C. and N.Y.C.-based writer who covers food, travel, lifestyle, and wellness, with a particular knack for spotting the cultural trends behind what and where we eat. Her work has appeared in outlets including USA Today’s 10Best, Eater, InsideHook, Prevention, and more.
