The Resy Guide to Dining Solo in D.C.

For Solo Dining With a Side of Theater

Read more about Oyster Oyster here.

What makes L’Ardente so great for dining solo? The coveted seats at their pizza bar, of course. Make a reservation for one and once seated, you can indulge in all of the stellar Italian fare that the kitchens sends out nightly (hello, crispy fried saffron arancini!). You’ll have a courtside view of their built-in entertainment — the pizza bar stools face the area where L’Ardente’s chefs twirl pizza dough on their hands and baking pies in their impressive gold-plated oven. Bar stools not your favorite? Don’t worry, the ones her have backs, padding, and a place to rest your feet.

For a memorable solo dining experience, book a seat at Rasika Penn Quarter’s kitchen counter. Here, you can feast on chef Vikram Sunderam’s famous palak chaat, barbequed paneer, and mango shrimp, while simultaneously watching the kitchen team spin their magic with each culinary creation. It’s a real-life cooking show you won’t be able to get enough of.

For Elite People Watching

Dining alone, especially on a patio that offers an opportunity to people watch, is a common pleasure in Paris. So, it’s no surprise that Le Dip offers space for solo diners both in their dining room and on their patio. Savor a glass of Champagne, a cheese plate, and more from Le Diplomat’s modern bistro menu as you scope out the passersby and pretend you’re living it up on the Left Bank.

Here’s how to score a table at Le Diplomate.

Tucked away on a residential street in the Georgetown neighborhood, Apero is the perfect refuge for an evening of individual indulgence. The wine list runs more than 700 selections deep, with the first 10 pages dedicated entirely to Champagne and other sparkling wines — so go on, treat yourself (you know you deserve it). There’s plenty of caviar to pair with your bubbles, but don’t stop there: the French-leaning menu ranges from pillowy gougères and chips with French onion dip to pasta soaked in a silky lemon cream sauce. Tables throughout the venue sit close together, offering the perfect opportunity to eavesdrop on your neighbor’s conversation — or strike up your own conversation with a fellow solo diner.

Book on

Chef Kaz Okochi opened his “sushi bistro” in 1999, and has been on the forefront of inventive Japanese cooking in the D.C. area ever since. Known for often experimenting with fresh, cured, marinated, and aged seafood, the omakase remains the best way to sample his acclaimed creativity. Settle in, order the omakase with some sake, and the team will take your tastebuds on a journey while you relax and enjoy the comings and goings of this bustling bistro.

Book on

The dining spaces at Planta Queen are divided into two areas, the front being more of a lounge, with a bar, and the back area which more closely resembles a traditional dining room. Ask for a table in the lounge area, where solo guests can witness all the happenings of the restaurant while you eat. The restaurant’s plant-forward menu has veggie sushi and plenty of small plates for solo diners who want to try several dishes. Highlights on the menu include edamame dumplings, mushroom bao sliders, and bang bang broccoli — all of which you wouldn’t want to share anyway.

When Solo Dining Is Your ‘Me Time’

There’s nothing like a warm bowl of Thai curry to warm your soul. Head to Baan Siam and ask for a quiet table or a seat at the bar from where you can watch the game. Either way, order the Lychee Martini made with both lychee purée and lychee liquor, and then luxuriate over a bowl of spicy, fragrant red curry as you enjoy the pleasure of your own company.

Kwame Onwuachi’s ode to Afro Carribean cuisine is located in the Potomac Hotel, so chances are a few solo travelers are having dinner by themselves there as well. The scene includes cozy velvet seats, dim lighting, and a quiet ambiance. The menu pays tribute to West African culture as well as Washington’s rich African American history, so expect treats like hoe crab, where Maryland crab cooked in Creole spices is served with small hoe cakes, barbecued greens, shrimp served with jollof rice, and rum cake.

Read more about Dōgon here.

Sometimes, the allure of dining alone is wanting to be free from the pressures of having a conversation — and this can include listening to others converse around you. At Ceibo, you can dine out without the din of a typical Sunday service, when the restaurant offers “quiet hours” dining. During lunch and dinner on Sundays, the restaurant plays music at a lower decibel, and staff and guests are encouraged to speak softly so that diners can have a more peaceful dining experience. Turn off your phone and be in the moment with your comforting leek tart or savory rice pudding.

Read more about the menu at Ceibo here.

With their large garden picnic tables, Sonny’s offers a great space for you to camp out with whatever you need — whether that be a book, a journal, a laptop, or nothing at all. Make a single reservation for the pizza garden and treat yourself to one of their cheesy, square-shaped pizzas and a cocktail from No Kisses, their adjacent bar.

Like Parisians, Japanese diners are known to appreciate solo dining — especially when it comes to sushi. No need to head to Japan, you can have a solo sushi experience here in D.C. at Dear Sushi. Make a bar seat reservation and go to town on their extensive assortment to pair along with some sake — no conversation needed.

If you prefer a chill, café-type vibe for dining solo, Elle makes for an ideal destination. During the day, stop by for an egg sandwich and a matcha latte, and in the evening, bring a book and have a date with a burger (vegan option available!) and the Figgin Martini with fig liqueur.

Perfect For Making New Friends

There’s nothing as fun or as nostalgic as a diner, and this queer-friendly and inclusive one has an especially whimsical vibe. The bar seats are packed with solo diners chatting with fellow patrons and ordering drinks like the pickle juice-infused martini, She’s A Big Dill. The food is classic diner — burgers, wraps, pasta and there’s even The Big Gay Breakfast platter with all the fixings. Want to close it out with an adventurous chocolate shake? They have that as well, with the aptly named Her Milkshake Brings All The… that has to the option to make it boozy.

Book on

The Red Hen offers a variety of seating for solo diners — including table dining and bar seating, which encompasses high-tops alongside the circular bar. Ideal for making new friends, it’s a spot where people love to hang out, order drinks, and chat with other guests. Do all that while digging into one of the restaurant’s irresistible pasta dishes or snacking on a few plates (like their pinenut- and basil-garnished burrata or seasonal arancini) while sipping a cocktail.

Although Pascual’s bar area is small, this modern Mexican heavy hitter offers quite the dynamic dining experience. Bartenders are gregarious and talkative, ready to engage you on the day’s best dishes and pours. Other guests at the bar are giddy with excitement to finally be at the acclaimed (and wildly in-demand) restaurant and are ready to make friends. Secure a bar seat, and plan to spend the evening there — the menu is full of gems like grilled leeks blanketed in mole blanco, the crab tostada, and fideos topped with vegetables grilled on the restaurant’s open hearth.

Read more about Pascual here.