The best restaurants in Dupont Circle.

Keren Restaurant at 1780 Florida Avenue NW in Washington, DC, serves Eritrean food that first-time diners describe as a memorable introduction to the cuisine. Staff are called friendly and welcoming, and the room is plain in a way diners find honest, with prices that stay fair.

The Keren Special with chicken and the Special Tibsi are the platters named most, and the special shiro arrives in a clay pot. Both come with spongy injera, which diners tear and use to scoop. Lentils, beef firfir soaked in injera, and a hearty beef entree appear in diner accounts. Ful and a breakfast combo start the morning.

Practical notes: breakfast is quiet early, and a Sunday coffee is served free, according to one diner. Ask for forks if injera feels heavy. One visitor was advised to avoid a busy weekend night for the calmest meal.

Chiko on P Street NW is a small, casual restaurant that mixes Chinese and Korean cooking, and diners praise the friendly, knowledgeable staff. Visitors who came back for a second meal say the welcome is as strong as the food, and the energy inside is laid back.

Orangish chicken is the dish named most, a house take on orange chicken. Dumplings follow closely, with garlic shrimp dumplings a happy hour favorite, and wings, fried rice, brisket and salmon give the menu range. Spring rolls and potstickers work as starters,.

Practical notes: the room is small, and the bar faces the kitchen, so some diners prefer a table. Happy hour is a big draw. Takeout runs about twenty minutes, phone orders can be hard to reach, and substitutions are not offered, though online notes are accepted. A few diners had missing items on pickup, so checking the bag at the counter helps. Portions are generous.

Anju on 18th Street NW is a modern Korean restaurant, and diners say it is not a traditional family-style spot but an upscale, stylish room. It is a favorite for anniversaries and dates, and staff have surprised guests with handwritten cards. Reservations fill, and one diner who visited twice in a week used the main-floor bar to get a seat.

Korean fried chicken is the dish named most, and diners recommend ordering it. Kimchi and shrimp dumplings follow, and chicken and waffles, a spicy chicken sandwich, braised chicken and gochujang-glazed wings fill the rest. Banchan arrive as small plates, with Brussels sprout kimchi among them, and dessert is worth saving room for. Brunch is also served.

Diners agree the experience includes a few misses, but the hits outnumber them, and the cocktails and wine are well liked. The room is small, so groups should reserve ahead. Prices run on the higher side. Servers are named often for being friendly and attentive, and they handle special occasions carefully.

Residents Cafe & Bar on 18th Street NW works as a cafe by day and a bar by night, and its patio is the reason many tables choose it. Diners call the atmosphere calming and welcoming, and it handles corporate happy hours, quiet brunches and even a wedding reception, where guests praised the food.

The menu is concise. Risotto leads the orders, in lobster and mushroom versions, and a burger, salmon, steak and heirloom tomato salad give variety. Hummus, beef tartare, pomodoro pasta, crab and a Greek gyro show up in other accounts, and a passion fruit cheesecake ends the meal. Cocktails get real attention, and brunch is the busiest service.

Reservations matter. Walk-in tables on a Friday night come with a time limit, and the wait can run long on weekends. The covered patio can feel humid in the rain, so check the weather before asking for it. A few diners noted service charges and a suggested tip, which is worth reading on the bill.

Duke's Grocery on 17th Street NW is a tiny neighborhood spot, and diners say it is crowded in the way small rooms are. Seats upstairs at the bar fill when the downstairs has a wait, and outdoor seats give extra room on a nice day. The atmosphere is relaxed, and an assistant manager gets credit for welcoming guests.

The Proper Burger is the dish that built the reputation, and many diners who are not burger people call it delicious. White truffle mac and cheese is the side to add. A grinder sandwich with pastrami, smoked turkey and salami works at lunch, and fish and chips, salads and a brunch menu fill out the options. A long beer list and happy hour bring the evening crowd.

The room gets loud, and parties larger than a few can have trouble with seating and policies. One group found brunch drink rules strict, so check the details before booking.

Astoria DC on 17th Street NW is a small Chinese bar with a thoughtful design, and diners call the room beautiful and intimate. The music runs to moody blues, the cocktail list is long, and service gets praise. Solo diners and couples sit at the bar, where the ends work almost like a front-row table.

Walnut shrimp is the dish named most, and diners who love it order it again. Fried rice, including pork and crab versions, is the usual partner. La zi chicken, salt and pepper shrimp, gong bao chicken and a lamb soup fill out the list, and chili wontons are a starter some diners ordered. Some diners found a few dishes hit or miss, so ordering a mix of the favorites helps.

This is a tiny room, and reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-ins wait outside, and a seat at the bar by the window is the lucky find. Arrive early on a weeknight for the best odds. Dinner for two can add up, so share several plates.

ala on 19th Street NW is a Mediterranean and Turkish restaurant with a lush, floral room and an outdoor area with fans and greenery. Brunch is its busiest service, with groups of six and nine seated on Sundays, and diners say service is efficient and welcoming even when the room is busy.

Hummus is the dish named most, and the Adana kebab, fennel chicken, short ribs, shrimp and a mushroom shish kebab all come up. A mixed cold mezze spread, pides and a tawook burger give choices beyond the classics. The bottomless dinner lets a table try most of the menu with wine, beer and rail drinks, and brunch uses a similar format.

Group pricing is the repeated point of caution: a large party is charged a set price per person, so ask before booking. A weekday lunch or a casual Friday dinner is easier. Happy hour includes a hummus special. Staff answer first-timer questions well, and birthday tables are common.

This Thai restaurant on Connecticut Avenue NW draws a crowd for lunch, including Thai students, which one diner took as a good sign. The decor is colorful and fabric-rich, and the mood is eclectic and lively. Cocktails are described as a standout.

Papaya salad, catfish dry curry and fried rice lead the orders, with pineapple and crab fried rice named most. Pad thai, panang curry, tom yum, Tom Ka, a veggie curry and a duck soup fill out the menu. Curry puffs resemble samosas, and diners say the dipping sauce makes them better. Dumplings and wings are good starters, and the wings carry a spicy warning on the menu.

The room is tiny, and the experience depends on timing. A visit at seven on a busy evening meant crowds and a wait, while off-hours were calm. Lunch is a smart choice, and takeout is available. Spice levels are adjustable. Diners advise avoiding peak hours.

Floriana on 17th Street NW is the Italian restaurant that diners choose for anniversaries and date nights, and the room is intimate, elegant and small. Several diners who did not consider Italian a favorite cuisine said a meal here changed their mind, and visitors staying nearby walked over from their hotels.

Lasagna is the dish named most, followed by lamb gnocchi, scallop risotto and mushroom risotto. Butternut squash ravioli, a caesar salad, shrimp, salmon and a filet give the menu range, and tiramisu closes many dinners. The wine list is a frequent topic, and cocktails are popular. Service earns steady praise.

The room is small and can get loud, so arriving before seven helps. Reservations are wise, and the balcony and patio may require a check-in on arrival. A few diners had uneven visits on holidays like Valentine's Day, so confirm details when booking. Outdoor seating is a pleasant option in warm months. Birthdays and anniversaries are common.

Tabard Inn Restaurant on N Street NW is a historic dining room with a tavern room, a patio and a quiet, intimate feel. Longtime diners have returned for decades, and a visitor who arrived without a reservation was invited to sit in the tavern room with a coffee while a table was prepared.

Brunch is the heart of the service. Eggs benedict, sometimes with crab, is the dish named most, and pancakes, churro waffles and the Tabard donut are the sweet choices. Fried chicken, a fried chicken sandwich, oysters, a burger and bone marrow with biscuits show that the kitchen goes beyond breakfast. A spring salad gives a lighter option.

Reservations help, especially for weekend brunch, and the breakfast slot is easier to book. The patio is mostly covered and works at dinner. Some longtime guests say the menu and quality have changed over the years, so a first visit is best approached with an open mind. Wine and cocktails are available.

Agora DC on 17th Street NW is a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant with a patio, and diners call the service fantastic. A group of about fifteen came for a Saturday morning bottomless brunch and left happy, and the bottomless format, limited to two hours, is the main reason to visit. Birthdays and anniversaries are common.

Hummus is the dish named most, and diners recommend ordering it. Falafel, a sampler platter of spreads, sis kebab, eggs benedict and grilled chicken fill out the lunch and brunch plates. Dinner brings Taramosalata, sucuklu pide, Ottoman rice, fried cauliflower and branzino, and the pistachio souffle is the dessert people mention. Cocktails and wine are both well liked, with non-alcoholic choices too.

A restaurant week prix fixe menu has drawn a team dinner, and the staff were open about the details. Reservations are wise on weekends, though some diners found open slots at off hours. A few thought prices ran high for the portions, so sharing several mezze helps. Patio seats suit a sunny afternoon.

Mission on 20th Street NW is a lively Mexican restaurant where the staff set the tone, with bartenders and servers named often in the praise. It has a patio, a loft that hosts rehearsal dinners and corporate events, and an easy-going energy that suits birthdays and groups.

Tacos lead the orders, in shrimp, carnitas, birria and steak versions, and a mango shrimp version draws fans. Nachos, fajitas that arrive sizzling, a burrito and a quesadilla fill out the menu, and a breakfast burrito shows up at opening. Portions are generous. Margaritas are the drink to order, and happy hour is a major draw, with a special margarita menu on some days.

Brunch includes a bottomless option, and a few diners found drink service slower on a crowded Sunday, so patience helps. Street parking is easier in the evening, according to one diner. The venue works for private events, including a rehearsal dinner. Patio seating is popular on sunny afternoons.