Ben's Chili Bowl is the most iconic of all the restaurants in DC. So when it reopened after 10 months of remodeling, it is news. So much so that the mayor DC proclaimed the reopening day, May 1st, as Ben's Chili Bowl Day.
Category: Washington DC
DC Restaurant Closures 2025
2025 was a bad year for restaurants in DC, as a record number of restaurants closed. Here are the places I will miss.
Yala – Greek Ice Cream
It was National Ice Cream Day and a new ice cream parlor was opening in Georgetown. The lines were long and the day was hot, but it was worth it. Yala Greek Ice Cream is like no other.
Smokin’ Pig
After seeing a play on H Street, I was looking for a place for dinner. While walking past The Smokin' Pig, I was invited in. Taking up the offer, I had a great meal and discovered the best barbecue in DC.
Satay Club
Some relatives and I were visiting American University in Northwest DC. After the tour, we needed to get some lunch. Following a recommendation from our tour guide, we went to a nearby restaurant in Tenleytown. With a variety of Asian cuisines, Satay Club is superb.
RIS
It was restaurant week in DC and I was looking for a new restaurant to try. In the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, I found a farm to table restaurant that is fantastic: RIS.
Haikan
It was restaurant week in DC and I took the opportunity to try a Japanese restaurant that had caught my eye. Capturing the spirit of a Japanese pub, Haikan has the best Ramen I've ever had.
Restaurant Closures 2024
December was a bad month here at Jim's Dining guides, as several of my favorite restaurants closed permanently. Here are the details.
Tonic At Quigley’s
I was in Foggy Bottom meeting some friends to tour a museum. Looking for a place to eat afterwords, we found a a restaurant nearby that I had long wanted to try, a local pub called Tonic At Quigley's. The pub, it turns out, not only has great food but also a storied history going back over 100 years.
Cranes Spanish Kaiseki
I was in DC for a graduation ceremony, and needed to eat dinner afterwards. A quick search found an interesting looking place that serves Spanish and Japanese tapas. Little did I realize that Cranes Spanish Kaiseki once had a Michelin star. I was in for an incredible meal.
Jim's Dining Guides 