Itching to get to know the newest restaurant and retail additions to Capitol Hill? From a pizza joint to a cosmetics shop, read on for a rundown of the newest spots to land in this Washington neighborhood.
Legal Sea Bar
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Legal Sea Bar is a new spot for a drink or a quick meal in Union Station. It's part of the Legal Sea Foods family of restaurants and shares many of the same menu items, like crab cakes, clam chowder and crispy calamari.
There are also sandwiches here, like the lobster roll and the tuna burger. An airport-style bar pours wine, beer and liquor to travelers and locals.
Legal Sea Bar has just one Yelp review so far.
Yelper Thomas N., who reviewed it on Aug. 8, wrote, "The chowder was nice and creamy but not too thick. So when I added my crackers it became a good consistency. The legal fry basket was huge. That basket could probably feed two people!"
Legal Sea Bar is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and noon–6 p.m. on Sunday.
Sephora
380 Seventh St. SE
Cosmetics shop Sephora has landed near Eastern Market. To be more exact, it's a Sephora Studio, a smaller version of the chain's usual stores.
There is a more limited selection of retail products — it's mostly makeup, as opposed to hair products or fragrances — but customers can schedule a makeover in the space with Sephora's beauty advisers. A 45-minute consultation is free with a $50 purchase.
Sephora currently holds three stars out of five reviews on Yelp, indicating fair reviews.
Yelper Amber F., who reviewed the shop on July 7, wrote, "I was so thrilled to have a Sephora location near by for my quick fix/needs. This is a Sephora Studio, therefore the location and amount of products sold are smaller. The staff was so welcoming and knowledgeable."
Tara L. noted, "I dropped by this weekend to pick up a few refills of some of my beauty staple items. Most of the makeup lines I like were available here, but it was a bit of a bummer when I realized they didn't carry Clinique products."
Sephora is open from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.–6 p.m. on Sunday.
Ledo Pizza
814 H St. NE
Next up is the newest Ledo Pizza. The regional chain, which originated in Maryland in 1955, makes distinctive rectangular pizzas to order from handmade dough. The thin, flaky crusts are topped with tomato sauce and add-ons like anchovies, thick-cut pepperoni, feta cheese and a wide selection of vegetables.
Subs, salads, lasagna, spaghetti, soup and breadsticks round out the menu.
With a four-star rating out of eight reviews on Yelp, Ledo Pizza has been getting positive attention.
Yelper Lianne R., who reviewed it on Aug. 8, wrote, "Their site states that each 14-inch rectangular pizza serves two to four, but they're huge and easily serve at least four people. The buffalo chicken was awesome. We also ordered mozzarella sticks, which were delicious."
Ledo Pizza is open from 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon–9 p.m. on Sunday.
Aloha Poke
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Finally, there's Aloha Poke, a recent arrival to Union Station. At the eatery, diners can build their own bowls by selecting a protein (ahi tuna, salmon, tofu or chicken), a base of greens or rice, and additional mix-ins, toppings and sauces. It also has signature bowls like the Aloha made with jalapeño, cucumber, scallions, pineapple, onion and a sesame vinaigrette.
The Chicago-based chain has been making waves recently and is facing protests after it sent cease-and-desist orders to other eateries in Hawaii and elsewhere that used the words "Aloha" and "poke" in their names, reports Maui Now.
Aloha Poke has a current rating of three stars out of 21 reviews on Yelp, with no reviewers commenting on the company's recent controversy.
Yelper Irma Patricia B., who reviewed the eatery on July 7, wrote, "Such a cool concept combining Asian/Hawaiian flavors into a bowl. The total price was around $14, which may seem expensive to some, but it is totally worth it — you do get your money's worth. Everything was delicious and tasted very fresh and was good quality."
Yelper Valerie O. wrote, "It's a Chipotle-style place where you add your own toppings. The service is quick since there isn't any cooking, and the establishment is clean."
Aloha Poke is open from 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.–7 p.m. on Sunday.
