The Hottest New Restaurants Around D.C., July 2024

"The D.C. hospitality hitmakers behind Bar Chinois, Mt. Vernon Triangle’s high-energy hangout for Frenchified cocktails and dumplings since 2021, dip into Japanese cuisine with the debut of a stylish izakaya at the foot of Logan Circle. Bar Japonais breathes new life into the old Estadio — the Spanish stalwart that closed last year after a long 14th Street NW run — following a full-scale renovation and modern makeover. For the team’s swanky sophomore project in the same Northwest quadrant, executive chef Lucas Irwin flexes his Japanese cooking skills with a menu full of yakitori, sushi rolls, fried katsu, okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and more. Complex cocktails at the bar join a list of all-French wines and Champagnes." - Tierney Plumb