Want the dirt on Washington's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Washington businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are worth exploring this winter.
Luke's Lobster Farragut
Open since last February, this seafood spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw review counts increase by a median of 1.8 percent over the past month, but Luke's Lobster Farragut saw a 14.5 percent increase, maintaining a solid 4.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, review counts increased by more than 370 percent.
Located downtown at 800 17th St. NW (between North I and North H streets), Luke's Lobster Farragut offers the chain's signature lobster roll — lobster in a split-top bun with melted lemon butter, mayonnaise and seasoning — alongside chowder, salads and sides.
America Eats Tavern
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Georgetown's America Eats Tavern, the New American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2 percent over the past month, America Eats Tavern bagged a 15.9 percent increase in reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a 3.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.6 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
There's more that's trending on Washington's New American scene: Fancy Radish has seen a 17.6 percent increase in reviews, and City Winery and Bresca have seen 18.4 and 10.4 percent increases, respectively.
Open at 3139 M St. NW (between North 31st Street and North Wisconsin Avenue) since moving from Tyson's Corner last June, America Eats Tavern offers updated takes on classic American sides, like grilled corn on the cob, baked potatoes and cheesey grits, as well as barbecued meats, sandwiches and seafood.
Susheria
Georgetown's Susheria is also making waves. Open since October at 3101 K St. NW, the sushi bar and Latin American spot has seen a 34.3 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.7 percent for all businesses tagged "Sushi Bars" on Yelp.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Washington's sushi bar category: Bluefin Sushi has seen a 13.5 percent increase in reviews.
Susheria, which previously operated as Maté, offers Japanese and Peruvian fusion cuisine. The menu features maki and nigiri with South American sauces and spices, as well as handcrafted cocktails and sake. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound four-star rating among Yelpers.
Maison Kayser
Downtown Washington's Maison Kayser is the city's buzziest breakfast and brunch spot by the numbers.
The bakery, breakfast and brunch spot, which opened at 1345 F St. NW (between North 13th and North 14th streets) last February, increased its review count by 9.1 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 1.8 percent for the Yelp category "Breakfast & Brunch." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.5 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
Maison Kayser offers classic French sandwiches, soups and salads, plus nearly 300 baked products, from baguettes to flaky croissants.
HalfSmoke
Finally, Ledroit Park's well-established HalfSmoke is currently on the upswing in the bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 1.8 percent over the past month, this bar and New American spot, which offers sandwiches and more, has seen a 4.5 percent increase in reviews — and kept its rating consistent at 3.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 870 percent on a month-to-month basis.
There's more abuzz in the world of Washington bars: the pop-up Miracle on Seventh Street has seen a 15.8 percent increase in reviews.
Open for business at 651 Florida Ave. NW (between North Bohrer and North Seventh streets) since October, the business offers gourmet sausages and wood-grilled flatbreads alongside thecraft cocktails.
