The Occidental
Restaurant · Downtown
1475 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Highlights
Glamorous American dining with tableside martinis & presidential portraits
Glamorous American dining with tableside martinis & presidential portraits
"Originally opened in 1906 a stone’s throw from the White House, generations of presidents, senators, and journalists have flocked to The Occidental to make history, or drink their way out of it. Now, after a century of grandeur interspersed with bouts of irrelevance, Stephen Starr has stepped in and dusted off the red velvet. The midcentury menu revives dishes that haven’t been on-trend since the Eisenhower administration, and does them so spectacularly you’ll wonder how exactly they went out of style in the first place. You’ll find the requisite raw bar with oysters and cold king crab legs, but also a nod to Soviet dining in the herring under a fur coat. There’s caviar and crab cakes, of course, but also pigs in a blanket, made from Hebrew National hot dogs wrapped in the Occidental’s soon-to-be-legendary biscuits. The Occidental is a loving homage—and an assertive return—to power dining with a wink and a flourish, where you can eat like a Kennedy and drink like a Cold War diplomat." - omnia saed, madeline weinfield, jonathan smith, mekita rivas, allison robicelli, omnia saed, kym backer
"After a year and a half of renovations, Stephen Starr (Le Diplomate, St. Anselm) has revived The Occidental at the Willard Hotel, an opulent downtown restaurant that’s hosted DC power players since 1906. The menu features a raw bar as well as classics like prime rib and steaks alongside miso-marinated Chilean sea bass and grilled pineapple Virginia ham." - omnia saed
"James Beard Award-winning hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (St. Anselm, Le Diplomate, El Presidente, Osteria Mozza, Pastis) resurrected an iconic D.C. power spot located two blocks from the White House. The Occidental, billed as Starr’s “most glamorous and decadent” D.C. restaurant to date, serves tableside martinis, Champagne, and caviar alongside a classic midcentury American menu full of prime rib and luxe lobster dishes. First opened in 1906 by the Willard hotel’s founder Henry Willard, Starr’s revival of the legendary two-story venue strives to showcase white-tablecloth hospitality at its best." - Eater Staff
"The Occidental, billed as Stephen Starr’s “most glamorous and decadent” D.C. restaurant to date, serves tableside martinis, Champagne, and caviar alongside a classic midcentury American menu full of prime rib and luxe lobster dishes. First opened in 1906 by the Willard hotel’s founder Henry Willard, Starr’s revival of the legendary two-story venue strives to showcase white-tablecloth hospitality at its best. Lunch recently joined the mix." - Tierney Plumb
"A glamorous and decadent restaurant serving tableside martinis, Champagne, and caviar, alongside a classic midcentury American menu." - Tierney Plumb
