came for brunch on saturday and it was great! definitely packed and quite loud - make a reservation if you can! it took quite a while for our drinks and food to come out, but otherwise service was good. perfect location and 5 min walk from both metro center and gallery place stops. decorated nicely for the holidays! all food was delicious!!! pricey, but that's most DC brunch. home fries were a hit and i loved my ranchero scramble. mimosas were also quite nice! would return! read more

See all

I've always wondered why "New American" restaurants in the DMV just can't get the "burger and fries" right for a while. That all changed when I came across The Smith in Penn Quarter. In my two visits, I've tried "Burger Royale" and "The Smith Burger", both came out with the perfect temperature, texture, and portion. They nailed it every time. This place knows how to run a smooth operation in the midst of the big volume of customers that come in without having to compromise customer service, one bit. The space is lively with conversation, perfect for large get together's, but it can also be more toned down in the evening for a cozy date night. To top all of this off, manager Ashanti is the lady that made my experience all the more memorable and she deserves all the credit for making sure my visits have been done right! Big thank you to the entire staff at Penn Quarter. read more

Great food with excellent service during brunch. It was a bit crowded, but I was able to get a reservation for two 30 minutes before I got there! My girlfriend loved the Burger Royale, but said the fries were decent and the ketchup was interesting. I loved the Smith Burger and I enjoyed the fries and ketchup. They gave us free sparkling water. The bathroom and restaurant were very clean. I recommend going at least once if you are in the area! read more

The Smith - The Smith Burger Burger Royale - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Another great night. I feel like every time I visit The Smith, I develop a new obsession. Tonight it was the salmon tartare! The Caesar salad with shrimp was perfectly executed as well, but the SALMON!! Gimme 14 of em!! I can't stop thinking about them. Service was excellent, as always. Ambiance great. read more

See all

Just fine - everything was just fine. They offer salad, handhelds. The atmosphere was loud

I've been here twice now. I used to go to The Smith in midtown NYC after work since it was right near my office. The food and service quality is the same as the one in Manhattan. I always get their salad or burrata cheese to accompany my drinks. The atmosphere is very city rustic. read more

See all

My husband and I dined here for a late dinner on December 23rd. I had heard really great things about this restaurant, so I decided to give it a try! We had originally scheduled a reservation for 9pm, but after a long phone call on hold, they were kind enough to move our reservation 30 minutes earlier. We were seated immediately! Downtown restaurants in any big city are going to be tightly packed, this was no different. After we sat down, it took at least 10 minutes for a server to bring us water. I did enjoy the option of sparkling of still. We waited another 15 minuets to be brought bread. Bread tasted like it was from a Walmart, however, the butter was on point! We finally ordered. We shared the potato chips and dip and each got a burger. Chips and dip app: Chips were great! Homemade and crunchy! I would give the chips an 8/10, my husband gave them a 9. The dip was SUPER oily. So much so, I only had a few bites. I gave it a 5/10. My burger: I ordered the Burger Royal with cheddar cheese instead of American. I also ordered this burger medium. When my food arrived, my burger was cooked at the most a medium rare. I don't like any meat rare, especially burger patties. I asked my husband if it was safe to eat and he said yes, so I didn't send it back. Just to be clear, my husband offered to talk to the server and send my food back, but I did not feel like waiting another half hour. So, he assured me it was fine to consume. (The photo of the meat was taken in very dim lighting). I would give my burger and fries a solid 4.5/10. The best part of my meal was the ketchup. My husband said his burger was average. Our waitress rarely checked on us and it seemed like we were just existing rather than dining in a restaurant. On the plus side, I enjoyed the Christmas decor and lighting! In all reality, I doubt we will be back nor will we recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

The Smith - Burger Royale - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The chicken parmesan platter here was one of the best meals that I've had in a long time. We all came here during lunch today, and it was really close to work actually less than six blocks away. My platter also included a Caesar salad and it was every bit as delicious as the chicken parmesan. Everyone else in my group ordered American style entres, but I wanted to get some authentic Italian food for a change. Our server Jennifer mad the experience wonderful, and from start to finish, the service was amazing. She seemed to be in-tune with everything that we wanted, from the drinks to the food itself. None of us had to wait very long, not did any of us felt rushed to finish our meal. The ambiance was cool and simplistic. This place definitely exceeded everyone's expectation, and we can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Came here with a relatively large party for a friend's birthday! Loved the ambiance and our set up on the table (waters, breads, candles). Our service was great; the server was flexible when we each wanted or needed something, yet also brought all of our stuff out at the same time within a reasonable amount of time. Food was delicious - as I have a gluten allergy, I really appreciated that they had little food toothpick things stating that it was an allergy meal :) (photo attached) Would absolutely return, and would recommend for a larger party! read more

See all

Fast and friendly service. The eggs benedict and the benedict johnny were both delicious.

Meh, at best. Visited for a birthday dinner, party of 11 on a Saturday with a reservation. The apps weren't anything to rave about. Feta cheese with calamari? Loved the concept of the hand cut chips, but a cup of sour cream? Maybe it's a local thing. Looked like the server had a large section to herself so it was a little difficult to have her stop at the table. Nonetheless, She was very polite and was determined to provide a good service read more

Great service, well maintained, lots of seating, very busy. Solid dinner option. Great choices for kids. The braised pasta and steak were perfect. Excellent choice if you need a spot! read more

See all

Always a fantastic time at The Smith!! The brunch continues to astound me -- a breakfast cocktail with my meal?? Yes please :)) The restaurant is also so cute, cozy, and fancy! It feels like a very nice establishment (too nice to be putting out the breakfast cocktail deals?). I walked in starving, and I was very happy with my Breakfast Sandwich and potatoes. The potatoes were perfectly seasoned. read more

The Smith - Breakfast Sandwich - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

My family and I had a great experience at The Smith! The atmosphere was amazing, the service was fantastic and the food was superb! The only reason for the 4/5 is the parking. DC parking is always a headache for me. However, because the staff was so great I would go out of my way to visit again. read more

The Mac and cheese was Service was amazing. Loved the vibe of the restaurant. We are from CA and we loved it read more

The Smith - Mac Cheese - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Our experience started off a little rough. They were seating folks (us included) before their dinner service started. It was that odd time were lunch was no longer being served, but some tables were still finished up; and dinner hadn't started, but people were being seated at tables. And I assume there was a shift change happening too. The host staff were taking drink orders, but not all drink orders. Some tables got menus, some didn't. Some had water, some didn't. And when our server started, she didn't know what was what. But that was no fault of her own. And we quickly got on track. Given it's location proximity, it feels like this spot draws a lot of tourists. Reservations are highly recommended. And it's a good option given the diversity of the menu. There's something for everyone. The blue cheese chips were so delicious. I could've just eaten those. My dining companion loved their chicken pot pie. My rigatoni vodka was...almost inedible. I am a HUGE pasta vodka lover. And I'm pretty much ever disappointed with however it is. But this one... It was so incredibly salty. Like, the salt shaker top fell off and just plummeted all into the vodka sauce. And I like salty. This was just so completely over the top and off-putting. I even had others try it to make sure I wasn't crazy. Nope, not crazy. Just some really bad pasta vodka. So avoid that dish! But other than the overly salty pasta vodka, the food was good, the service got good, the ambiance was pleasant. Not a bad spot. Would dine here again (but will NOT get the rigatoni vodka). read more

The food here is always impeccable and Sunday brunch did not disappoint. I started with the calamari, which was anything but ordinary. Think fried calamari with olives, zucchini, thinly sliced lemons, and a creamy garlic aioli that tied it all together beautifully. For my entrée, I went with the omelette- bacon, perfectly cooked and their waffle tot situation on the side. Yes, waffle tots. Crispy, golden, and absolutely addictive. My partner had the chicken sandwich on a French baguette with a pesto-aioli base, and honestly? We were both speechless. The fries- thin, fresh, perfectly crunchy sealed the deal. We didn't finish everything, but not for lack of trying. This place just hits every time. 10/10, we'll be back! read more

Came here for a quick bit before jingle ball and was pleasantly surprised! Despite being slammed, we were able to find two seats at the bar during happy hour and proceeded to take full advantage! We ordered the following. Potato Chips (with blue cheese fondue) 100/10 - chips were homemade and the blue cheese fondue was TO DIE FOR. I will think about this app for a long time! Black Truffle Arancini 6/10 - fried rice and cheese balls are never bad. These were okay, not my favorite though. I didn't find them super flavorful. Kale and Quinoa Salad 7/10 - a fresh, hardy salad! Nothing overly unique about it but it was tasty. Mussels 8/10 - a big bang for your buck! Mussels were fresh, flavorful, cooked well and there were a lot of them. Also came with a side of fries! 10/10 recommend for a happy hour or casual dining experience! read more

See all

Visited on a Saturday night. They were full but not too crowded. Was seated promptly per my reservation time. The food here is good. Branzino - 5/5. Fish cooked perfectly. Red sauce with tomatoes & squash wonderfully complemented fish. A must try. Brussels sprouts - 3.5/5 wanted to like them more. Not bad but didn't wow me. Shoe string French fries. - 4/5 good. I took a bite of my friend's filet mignon. I could cut it with a butter knife. Super tender, full of flavor. Service was good. Atmosphere is upscale casual. I recommend you try them. read more

The Smith - Brussels Sprouts - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

We had a great dinner at the Smith in downtown DC. We were able to secure a reservation just 15 mins before by going online. We did outdoor dining since it was a great weather day! We ordered the chicken nuggets, brussel sprouts, cheeseburger and rigatoni a la vodka. All of the food was great! We especially loved the chicken nuggets with the dipping sauce. The rigatoni were delicious. And the burger was cooked perfectly. We were very happy with the meal. The Smith is a solid choice for any crowd because they have so many options on their menu. read more

The Smith - Brussels Sprouts - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We made our way over to The Smith through a freak thunderstorm and were greeted warmly and sat immediately for brunch on a Saturday at 1 pm. We did not expect to be seated so quickly but it was much appreciated as we had a toddler with us. They offered to park our stroller for us but allowed us to keep it at our table too. The group ordered the Smith eggs Benedict, the kale and quinoa salad, and the grilled chicken sandwich. Every plate was clean by the time we left. What's nice is that if you visit for brunch and order an egg or steak dish you get a complimentary cocktail. If you enjoy a mimosa or Bloody Mary that's a great deal. The drink was the least enjoyed item but we devoured every morsel of our food. The breakfast potatoes and French fries were nice and crisp. The grilled chicken sandwich had so much flavor thanks to the tomato jam and basil aioli. We'll be visiting next time! read more

The food is pretty good, no complaints just not as many options as I would love. But the SERVICE is always AMAZING!!! Our servers are always inclusive, kind, respectful and friendly!! The ambiance is beautiful and perfect for a night out or a date. My favorite place to eat, favorite place to drink, 10/10 recommend. read more

See all

I've been hear several times before. This review is just for the brunch. Overall, the food is great though some items are a hit or miss. I got the avocado toast which I did not like. It had almost too much avocado and not enough bread. It also didn't have a lot of seasonings to really make it better. My friends did enjoy their food though. They got the huevo scramble and the baked eggs a la vodka. They even offer free bread, which is pretty nice. The service was a little slow and beverages took a bit long to come, especially with the number of staff around. As always, the ambiance is great. It is loud here but I've always had that whenever I come in here. I'm not sure if I'll come back here for brunch, but I will probably be back for dinner at some point due to the excellent location. read more

See all

This review is for customer service only. I inquired about making a large group reservation. Instead of clarity or helpful guidance, I received an email from Rebecca Smith, the director of operations. Her response? "We don't take reservations for the patio, and your group is too large." That's it. No workarounds, no attempt to accommodate, no care at all. It is shocking how little effort was made, especially since I was trying to spend money at their establishment. This is exactly the kind of attitude that puts businesses out of business. I would have understood if there were limitations, but at least try to act like you care. Not even a hint of entertaining the idea or doing your job. Based on this experience, I will not dine here, and I would not recommend it to anyone expecting even the smallest effort from staff when trying to make a reservation. read more

Ok, this may be my 2nd review of The Smith, I was here once before while visiting DC. I knew I would be near here at lunch time, and I've been thinking about their burger all morning. They just use quality beef and their toppings/sauce are delicious. Add in delicious fries and it's a decadent delight. The Smith is an NYC based brand with only a couple other branches out there. I should check out NYC. read more

The Smith - Restaurant interior. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Unfortunately the breakfast service here, has gone down hill. I've noticed the last 2 or 3 times I've come in. I rarely see the person serving me. I asked for the bill this time around, and he came back with an electronic device. I wasn't even done eating - I was expecting the little paper bill. The electronic card reader also drags down the experience. read more

Met a friend for dinner before a show at the National Theater. This place was hopping with hockey fans! Opted for a beer and a burger. We had a great time, loved the food - couldn't eat all the fries. Service was excellent. Love that they give you bottles of water (tap & sparkling) for the table, but the table was small & crowded so we asked the waiter to take the sparkling water away. read more

See all

We visited The Smith on Valentine's day 2025. We were t there for that though, it was my birthday! We were seated promptly for our reservation. My immediate reaction was that our server had way too many tables and our service kind of suffered because of it. It took forever to place our order, get our drinks, or get the fresh bread. I feel like our server was doing her best handling so many tables, but it was definitely a con of the experience overall. The food, on the other hand was fantastic! Tomato soup was great and unique with the cheese on top. Instead of a steak I opted for the vegetable bibimbap. It was good and a great option for vegetarians. My mom got steak which was cooked well. While I don't have a photo, I 100% recommend the brussel sprouts with the green goddess dressing. Skip the squash. Overall rating 3.5/5, I would try again in the future! read more

The Smith - Roasted tomato Soup - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

We came for dinner - Really good ambiance drinks and appetizers!! the pasta was a bit garlicky but other dishes were amazing! read more

The Smith - Rigatoni Alla Vodka - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dined outside. It was very nice. Server was very friendly. The shrimp and grits was good had a lot of little shrimps in it. Came with a complimentary cocktail. Worth it! The deluxe with oysters and shrimp was my favorite. The salmon tartare was ok. Cute place to eat after the art museum read more

See all

Overall, a decent experience eating dinner at The Smith. The place is a classier casual restaurant and bar in the downtown area. The atmosphere was lively, well lit, and moderately loud. Highly recommend reservations as it was packed in a weekday evening. Beautiful expansive bar, wood finishes, flooring, and light fixtures. We had a 5-10 minute wait to get a table even with reservation. Service was friendly, accurate, and generally timely for how busy they were. I ordered the basil lemon drop martini ($16), the calamari ($19), and the evening special entree, a peppercorn burger ($28). The standout of these was the calamari- perfectly cooked, amazing flavors. Would order again in a heartbeat. I was disappointed in the burger- over priced but more so, not cooked as ordered. I ordered it medium well and it was came medium rare. I couldn't force myself to finish it and chose not to send it back. Case in point, don't recommend the burgers but be sure to get the calamari. read more

The Smith - Basil lemon drop martini - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I've been to the Smith twice since my last review and it was definitely an improvement. The service was much better and the food was also good. Still not my favorite food, I just feel it's a bit plain but it's a great place for a casual bite. read more

The is a high energy, well lit, upscale casual restaurant with terrific food. Everyone at the table was thrilled with their individual dishes. I had the Grilled Branzino which was perfectly cooked and a side of Brussels sprouts. The Smith is a great place for larger parties and the volume of the patrons doesn't prevent you from having a table conversation. The servers are great at managing the entire table with long waits. They have a wonderful bar with several specialty cocktails on the menu. read more

The Smith - Grilled Branzino - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

The food was not good. Everything was cold. Entree came out before the appetizer. They graciously redid my food, but it was worse. Truffle fries were oily fries. The server rarely checked in. Asked for more hot water for my tea. Took her over 30 minutes to do that. She never provided coffee. The outside looked really nice, but it's a one and done for sure. read more

I've been to The Smith several times. Last time was in 2019 at the location that is now closed. While the food was good, there were notable service issues to which management corrected when my party of 4 addressed the matter. Management made amends and appropriately resolved for issues. Fast forward to yesterday evening at the F street location. I made a reservation for 10 people a month in advance with one of the attendees being a child. I then called the restaurant the day before to confirm that we would be seated at two tables of 5 next to each other so that we wouldn't have to utilize the pre-fix; as it's a limited menu with a set price. I was told it was noted in the system and that everything was set. My party arrived at 5pm, and wasn't seated until 5:20pm to which we were seated at one table and forced to use the pre-fix menu. The issue is the child ordered from the kids menu thus absolving us from the rule that parties of 10 have to use the pre-fix menu. On top of that, two of the orders (steaks) came out 40 minutes after the rest of the parties dishes had arrived. We were practically done eating by the time their food arrived. When we addressed this matter with management, they had the audacity to have an attitude. I requested that their entree be comped as the lateness was unreasonable. They declined and offered to comp the one glass of wine each that they ordered. I will never patron The Smith due to service and management issues. read more

Lovely restaurant, great vibes, great bar area. Great service, great portions, great food, all over great. Got the chips with blue cheese, tried some oysters, Brussel sprouts, spicy tuna tartare, ragú fusilli. Everything had great taste. We also had cocktails with pomegranate lemon and bubbly. Probably the best thing. Our server was super attentive and efficient. We paid 97$ each with tip. Which is not bad given the amount of food 4 cocktails and the portion of the food. read more

See all

Our server and bartender Matthew offered stellar 5 star service! We were blown away by his warm personality and extensive cocktail and food menu knowledge. He did an outstanding job recommending me a cocktail that would be fruity for me since that's my favorite. I selected the yuzu gimlet which was both refreshing and unique! We also split the mac and cheese which was out of this world. Our server gave us an amazing habanero hot sauce to try on top! I can't wait to return. I also love the ambiance which is warm, trendy and relaxing !! read more

See all

Hands down, this place has the best Mac and Cheese in the DMV! In my humble opinion. To be completely honest, I don't remember what else was ordered at the table, aside from my husband's French Dip sandwich. Back to the Mac and Cheese....It's under the Starters section, but it's heavy, and a nice 'lil size. There were three of us at the table and we all shared this one dish and were in awe of how good it was every bit. All dishes that were passing by, looked impeccable. Loved the French style and "vibe" of this spot. Granted this visit was actually back in December; However, my husband and I are doing a double date there in another week or so. Definitely getting the mac and cheese...Can't wait! read more

I was in D.C. this past Tuesday and decided to stop into The Smith in Penn Quarter. As someone who spends most of my dining hours bouncing around New York's restaurants from polished Midtown spots to tucked-away gems in the Village. I tend to keep my expectations calibrated pretty high when I'm outside the city. That said, The Smith absolutely delivered, and a huge part of that was thanks to John Luke, the bartender. Right away, John Luke carried himself like someone who's been behind serious bars warm, attentive, and genuinely personable without slipping into the rehearsed hospitality you sometimes get in busy restaurants. He read the room, read me, and made spot-on recommendations. When I mentioned I'm partial to well-balanced whiskey cocktails, he steered me toward the New York Sour. I've had more of these than I care to admit back home, and this one easily held its own. Smooth, clean, beautifully layered. Exactly the kind of cocktail that tells you a bar team knows what they're doing. For dinner, he pushed the Braised Shortrib Mafaldine, and honestly, I'm glad I trusted him. The dish was rich, deeply flavorful, and executed with the kind of confidence you usually only get in kitchens that run at a New York pace. What stood out most was just how effortless the whole experience felt. John Luke's energy, the quality of the food, the rhythm of service -- it all reminded me of why I love dining out in the first place. If you're in Penn Quarter, The Smith is worth the stop. And if you find a seat at the bar, do yourself a favor and let John Luke guide the night. He gets it. read more

Solo diner review: 2/23/25. I had a reservation for brunch on this Sunday at noon and I'm so glad I did. I had come down for brunch before seeing a matinee at the Shakespeare Theatre and there was also a Caps game that day; the dining room was packed with fans in Caps gear getting something to eat before the game. I was seated immediately at a comfortable table by the window where I had lots to see and watch. Service was attentive and my food came out faster than I would have imaged for how busy the kitchen must have been. One of the things I really enjoyed was that they brought me bottles of still and sparkling water. Not only could I dispense my own refills, but the inclusion of sparkling water was an unexpected and elevated touch. I got the Smith Eggs Benedict (which comes with a complimentary breakfast cocktail!). Eggs were cooked beautifully and the breakfast potatoes were savory without being over seasoned. Definitely worth a visit for a quick downtown bite, but try to make a reservation if you can! read more

See all