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Cana

4.4 (87 reviews)
Closed Closed
Updated 3 months ago

Cana Photos

Business Info

CANA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Casual
Intimate
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Cana

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Reviews With Photos

Lamb
Mike A.

Small restaurant, difficult to get a reservation, but totally worth it. We went for a late night dinner. The beautiful decor in a dim room sets the mood for a good time. With the amazing food accompanied by great music, you're in for a good time.

Sarah P.

What can I say.... 10/10!!! Like everything from the cocktails to the tapioca square things that really order it! I wasn't sure but one of my favorite things. The guava dip tops it off. The service was so good! Went for my bday with my daughter and friend and they were so kind. Even gave a shot at the end. There was nothing that wasn't good. The shrimp dish I could have stolen that sauce. The ambience is small and dark and a little noisy and bustling. That is what makes it personality. Having my friend come next week and I will have this in rotation.

Tash B.

Vibes here - superb! Food, pretty good. Drinks - great. We dined when they had a guest bartender visiting from New York. His specialty cocktail list skewed too sweet for me (lots of pandan, coconut etc..) so I went with a classic caipirinha which was super refreshing and perfectly sour. They had a live dj who played afrobeats/Brazlian music, I was shazaming all night. Great spot to come for happy hour, date or a small group dinner - just be sure to reserve well in advance because it was packed for a weeknight! Food fell a little short for me unfortunately given the price points but would've been great with more developed flavors/seasoning. A lot of the appetizers we ordered were fried and a bit too oily/fishy for my liking. The pork belly was superb though, great compliment of citrus zingy punch to fat. Steak was cooked well just a little flat on seasoning. Octopus has a few chewy membranes on it still but the tomato based sauce was superb, really enjoyed dipping my bread into it. The shrimp gambas were beautiful. Dessert (birthday) were super decadent and really hit the spot. I don't have a sweet tooth but half of the fudge balls and a couple bites of the flan were perfect for me. Staff was super friendly, accommodating and helpful when deciding what to order. Would definitely return for a happy hour or night cap!

Interior
Michael H.

What a fabulous time we had! We decided to go check out Cana after church for a little Sunday brunch! We decided last minute but were able to get reservations at the chef's counter! And what a treat that was! We had a fantastic time interacting and talking with the Chef's! We had the chance to learn more about the cuisine as well as fun facts about Brazil! The whole staff was very friendly and made us feel very welcomed! The whole atmosphere and vibe were on point as well with both the music and the decor! Lastly, the food was delicious everything they recommended was delicious! We tried the fried fish, steak and even the homemade orange juice! It was all spectacular! Overall a great time and cant wait to go back for some more great memories!

Pastel de bacalhau (left), queijo coalho (right)
Manasa P.

This is a small spot, usually have to book out in advance since they are pretty busy. The food was good, we went with a group of 4 and split 8 items and were full but not stuffed. It is pricy but all of the flavors were great. They have alcoholic and nonalcoholic Caipirinha and I could barely taste the difference.

Mary H.

Cute vibrant spot in Adams Morgan. The music is lively and the lights are dim. Great place for drinks and meeting up with friends. I guess the 4 stars are more for atmosphere. The food wasn't very stand out for me. But service was friendly, and helpful. This place fills up! DADINHOS DE TAPIOCA-good texture and nice flavor BOLINHO DE BACALHAU-fishy and salty SALADA DE MAIONESE-tasty and satisfying. COXINHA DE PATO-was different, not much flavor but looked good? ARROZ DE BRÓCOLIS-inconsistent flavor, odd every mouthful was either flavorful or bland. Maybe we were suppose to mixed it up before we ate it? PICANHA(black angus)- prepared well, tender but was salty PUDIM-tasty, I loved the caramel. It was a nice place to try.

Hamachi crudo...so well balanced with acid and sweet
Bernie P.

WHAT A MEAL!! We don't know much about Brazillian cuisine but we were shepherded through a fantastic journey. (I would clock this about 4.5 stars and have not criticisms. Why not five stars? Only because this was our first visit) There was not a single miss, but for us the standouts were the moqueca packaged as an appetizer but traditionally a fish stew. I could become addicted to it.... Also, the Hamachi crudo/ceviche in tigre de leche was so well balanced in flavors leveraging acidity and sweetness of pineapples that it was pure harmony. I can't forget the octopus as well. It was perfectly prepared and we had our with a bolognese type sauce with ground octopus provided mouth watering texture and taste. The picanha steak was flavorful with just enough fat and we sampled all of the sides on the menu (broccoli and rice, potato salad, vinagrete, black beans, and yuca flour. (Mix the yuca, beans, and hot sauce together and you will have a delicious combo). I don't know much about Cachaça, but we had several different kinds of Cachaça based cocktails and were delicious. The bartenders/ mixologists are clearly very talented - a little too talented because it was tempting to drink a little too much : - ) Service is fantastic and extremely attentive. I don't know how they do it because the restaurant is so busy. The energy is very youthful with engaging staff, nice music, and a happy crowd of customers. You would really have to try hard to have a good time. For the two of us, we ate extremely well, with roughly 3-4 drinks between us and feast beyond feasts. For us, total price with tax, 3% wellness fee, and 25+% tip was $425. If you aren't massive eaters and drinkers (like us) you could easily get by with less. Cana will definitely be part of our rotation but as others suggest it takes planning and reservations. The secret is out.

Entrance
Kelly M.

Tried out brunch at Cana this time! The vibe is still nice and our server was super friendly. I enjoyed the Velho Tamarindo drink again. It's still my favorite. It's like an old fashioned but with amazing subtle tamarind and banana flavors popping through. I tried the lychee caipirinha. It wasn't bad but not as good as the Tamarindo! The caipirinha presentation is nice and the size is good. My friend said the picanha steak was to die for. The cod Milanese was also good. I tried the egg moqueca and it was only ok. The sauce didn't taste anything like any other moqueca I've had before and I don't like it as much. So I wouldn't get it again but people who like zesty tomato sauces might like it a lot. I will likely return for dinner again next time.

Austin G.

"We make the country's best caipirinhas," said the server proudly. With that confidence, we had to try a few. Over an hour, I ordered the Maracuja with passion fruit and the Caju Amigo, which was described to me as the lovechild of an apple and pear. (It's an accurate description.) Each was unique and refreshing, but the Maracuja was the winner. It comes with passion fruit seeds to add a crunch. The space is beautiful with a few tables along the sidewalk and inside at the bar and at tables. Restrooms are in the back. Service is friendly and efficient. If you love caipirinhas, go here, but make a reservation to ensure you get a table.

Steak and tapioca ball
Camilla Y.

Came here for a Wednesday night Bossa Nova and sat at the bar for dinner. The place was bustling - good thing we had a reservation. Very authentic Brazilian food, music and overall atmosphere. Service was phenomenal - from entering, ordering, delivery, to exit. All the staff seemed extremely happy to work there. We ordered the FRALDINHA, POLVO, GALETINHO, DADINHOS DE TAPIOCA and BOLINHO DE BACALHAU. Recommend 4 to 5 tapas per person. I would not recommend the tapioca starter. Our waiter recommended it to us and it was OK - very filling for all the carbs and we would have preferred a more flavorful, protein dish.

Cocktails
Jill S.

We loved everything about this restaurant. The atmosphere is lively, trendy, and welcoming, with vibrant Brazilian music, and warm and friendly staff. The food and drinks were amazing (verified by my half-Brazilian husband) and represented flavors and dishes from all over Brazil. The vinagrete de palmito and dadinhos de tapioca were perfect starters, with refreshing acidity in the salad and the satisfying fruit/cheese combination in the tapioca squares. The peixe cru was wonderful, thinly sliced with well-balanced citrus juices and herbed oil. The camarao and queijo coalho from the grill were full of flavor, with a tasty chili seasoning on the perfectly grilled head-on shrimp and honey and oregano on the cheese. We will definitely be back to try the picanha. The cocktails were exceptional, with my favorite being the picante amarelo (smoky, fruity, with a little pepper). Sitting at the chef's counter, it was really fun to see everything being prepared, and in general, reservations are needed.

Braziliano
Sean R.

I was immediately charmed by the entrance to Cana of all things, the cute doorway framed by luscious green and blooming plants creates an inviting invitation that is hard to ignore. I personally am a sucker for charred octopus dishes, so as soon as I saw this on the menu I knew I was in for a treat. The associated pirão sauce was a perfect accompaniment, and was scraped clean off the plate like most everything else we got for dinner. My other favorite of the night was probably the vinaigrette de palmito, with high acidity and excellently balanced vegetables included each bite was a delight. Our server was wonderful, she checked in on us regularly and gave great recommendations for drinks and snacks alike. It is very loud inside, even on a weeknight the smaller space was crowded end to end so bring ear protection if you prefer and get ready for an experience.

Broccoli Rice
Ailun H.

My friend and I decided on Cana after seeing it on the inKind app. We enjoyed dinner here (like actually, we really did enjoy it) this past Wednesday evening. The servers were attentive, and all the food came out within 20 minutes after ordering. The pacing was good, and we didn't feel overwhelmed with too many things out at once. N/A COCKTAIL: CAIPIRINHA 0% - 14 I'm a sucker for sugar cane based drinks, and the server recommended passionfruit over strawberry, so that's what I got. I wish I said light ice, because the drink was predominantly ice. I was finished within 3 minutes, which is disappointing for how pricy the drink was. COXINHA DE PATO - 19 Each order came with three duck leg croquettes (shaped like a really round teardrop) which sat on top of some pimenta aioli. These croquettes were so delicious, easily the best bites of our meal so far, with a thin crispy exterior, and smooth, pâté-like texture that was flavorful and rich. The aioli was spicy and creamy, which went well with the croquettes. Yum! I would highly recommend. TORRESMO - 18 This was a small bowl of crispy pork belly topped with some onions and fresh herbs with a generous layer of ramp aioli. While the combination of flavors (fresh and pungent from the garnish and aioli, juicy and savory from the pork belly), it was way too salty. Some of the pork belly wasn't rendered long enough -- the texture was inconsistent between pieces. POLVO - 33 This was charred octopus (came with either two arms or two halves of one arm, couldn't tell) that had three spheres of yucca bolinhos (mashed? yucca fries interior with a crispy thin layer). My friend is not the biggest fan of yucca, but we both agreed it was one of our favorite bites of the entire meal. The octopus was soft with a slight chew, which was the perfect texture, and it was well seasoned. Unfortunately, we didn't really like the pirão sauce that came with it, so we left most of it behind. PICANHA: BLACK ANGUS - 37 The steak was cut into noticeably thin pieces, which we were pretty impressed by. We asked for medium rare, but the end pieces were more like medium or medium-well, which ended up being a bit tough to chew on. The middle pieces were perfectly seared and cooked, with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that was juicy and rich. The seasoning was perfect. BROCCOLI RICE - 7 This was more than enough broccoli rice to share between the two of us. I never thought I would enjoy broccoli this much. The rice was green from the broccoli puree, stalks of broccoli pieces were generously mixed in, and elevated the flavor with the pungent garlic pieces. The rice was enjoyable on its own and contained a lot of savory, umami flavors. We were pretty impressed! While the food was delicious, I only give it a 4/5 stars because of how they handle billing customers. There is a 3% employee wellness fee and automatic 20% gratuity. The tax is not 10% of the subtotal, like it should be. It's 10% on top of the subtotal, fee, and gratuity. In total, we paid 35% more on top of our subtotal. This is actually outrageous. Sure, there other DC restaurants doing this, but great to know Cana is no better.

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1 day ago

Nice bar but after a few drinks we couldn't order any food. Noticed the bar was full but barely anyone had food. So we left.

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16 days ago

Excellent across the board: Drinks/Food, Service, Ambiance + Vibes. Highly recommend!

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Ask the Community - Cana

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Chima Steakhouse

Chima Steakhouse

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Brazilian steakhouse that doesn't miss the flavor! Each cut of meat is seasoned so well. It's…read morejuicy, tender, and servers are constantly stopping by the table to offer you options. An array of meats are offered including chicken, pork, and various of beef. There are also servings of shrimp to go around as well as delightful slices of cinnamon pineapple! I enjoy how prompt and accommodating the servers are. There are also many sides at the salad bar which were pretty good. Another highlight was the elderflower and lemon martini...chef's kiss! Overall, it was fairly priced for the value and I had a great experience. I'll be back for the experience!

Dont go with high high expectations, but cost cutting is common practice everywhere. So, it is on…read morepar with similar food establishments, but still a disappointment! Atmosphere 5/5 Wait staff 4/5 Salad bar 3.5/5 Everything was kept appealing. The protien offerings were seafood salad, lox, and sliced processed meats. The seafood salad was just OK. No pineapple, bacon, or chimchuri. The Cesar salad consisted of lettuce, parm cheese, and croutons. I suspect the dressing was full of thickeners and fillers with minimal real ingredients. Meats 2/5 Its been about a year since our last visit. Only 2 beef servers hit our table in our 45 minutes of dinning, the teeniest tiniest lamb chops twice, really small chicken wings once, and pineapple on scewers (what?? why? not on the salad bar?). No high end meat cuts or fish. The meats were salty with dull flavor. A glass of wine was skimpy. Mixed drinks - a full glass of ice to cut down on actual volume and we suspect house alcohol was watered down. No lobster bisque soup -which my favorite staple. .

dLeña - Pork Belly** and Short Rib**

dLeña

(1.3k reviews)

$$$

Came last night before a comedy show at the Capital One Arena and OMG...10/10 hands down I have no…read morenotes. We went in right as they opened, on a Friday at 5 pm, and there was already a line! The reservations were full, but we were offered a seat either at the bar or outside. Luckily it was a beautiful day so we took a seat outside. They started us off with a sweet hibiscus flavored juice as a palate cleanser which was super refreshing. The left side of the menu had appetizers and shareables, while the right side had entrees. We ordered the short rib tacos, pork belly, wagyu empanadas, and seafood enchiladas. Everything had a beautiful bright orange sauce on it and made it look like it would be spicy but it wasn't! I think it's their signature guajillo sauce and it was VERY good, super creamy. Seafood enchiladas: This was my fav. Might have been because it was extremely hungry and it was my first bite. Definitely best when eaten warm, as the cheese is gooiest and the seafood inside is hot. I wasn't sure how the salad was going to be but it added a perfect refreshing and acidity to balance out the creamy sauce. Wagyu empanadas: Much gooey-er and cheesier than expected, but also a hit! Came with a decent amount of beef inside. Comes with the orange sauce and a chimichurri, which I think was a good idea because given how cheesy and creamy the filling already was, the chimichurri was a nice balance as well. Pork belly: Melts as soon as you cut into it. The Asian in me low key wanted a giant bowl of rice with this so that I could soak up all the sauce and veggies. Pretty fatty so if you're not a fan of that you might not like this. Short rib tacos: These were loaded, not with meat but with tons of crunchy topping (maybe fried carrots?) Could have done with slightly less crunch but overall still good. The orange sauce on the bottom had a peanuty flavor which I thought added a unique kick. Also, we were surprised at how quickly the food came out. We were in and out in under an hour. Our server Rebecca was also extremely nice. Will def be back if in the area. Highly recommend all around!

The atmosphere and decor were quite impressive! The pork belly tacos were topped with too much…read moregarnish, not enough meat. Their corn empanadas were good, their queso fundido was terrific - but the street taco shells were not very good. Overall, good meal, over-priced, but good experience/meal.

La Estancia Churrasqueria - Parrillada mix to

La Estancia Churrasqueria

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I came to La Estancia for a family birthday celebration, and must say, they did an excellent job…read moreaccommodating a party of 17, including six children. The service was excellent and accommodating. I was impressed because I know large groups can be difficult to wait on, so was very pleased with the service and how quick they were to get our orders in and us served. We ordered a variety of appetizers, such as the the empanadas, calamari, and garlic shrimp. My favorite items were the empanadas and calamari, which were extra tasty with the accompanying sauces. We also ordered a variety of grilled meats, including the two large Parrillada meat platters and picanha . The accompanying sides we tried were the fries, cheese rice, fried yucca, and plantains. I really liked the plantains, but the cheese rice was not was I expected. It was more like grits than cheesy rice. The meats were cooked to how we requested it, and of course tastes especially good with the sauces. My favorite cuts were the strip steak, beef rib, and picanha. I didn't really care for the sweet breads, but that is a personal preference. Value wise, the Parrillada platters could easily feed 4 - 5 people, so we had plenty of leftovers. I would definitely recommend checking out La Estancia if you enjoy grilled meats!

Looking for a good steak in an unknown area, we were lucky to have found La Estancia; the pictures…read morewere enough to convince us. The service was 10/10. They were not very busy when we arrived but remained attentive during our entire visit. The food was fresh, well-seasoned, and delicious. We got a parrillada mixta, which means mixed grilled meats. It was superb! My husband had a cup of coffee, which was also good. Usually, restaurants go for generic coffee, and it's always overcooked. This was fresh and delicious. The restaurant is nicely decorated, music is playing, and there is a bar. It would be a great hang-out spot.

Cana - brazilian - Updated May 2026

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