Want the scoop on Washington's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to discover which eateries have been getting outsized attention 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 have the momentum heading into springtime.
The Smith
Open since April last year, this New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw new reviews increase by a median of 1.7 percent over the past month, but The Smith saw a 16.3 percent increase, maintaining a strong four-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 150 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the breakfast and brunch category: Bluestone Lane has seen a 4.8 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 1314 U St. NW (between North 13th and North 14th streets), The Smith offers classic brunch fare, like toasts, eggs and Bloody Mary's, plus pizzas, salads and a raw bar.
City Winery - Washington
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.3 percent over the past month, City Winery - Washington bagged a 20.8 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a mixed three-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Washington's New American scene: Chloe has seen a 7.7 percent increase in reviews.
Also open since April last year, at 1350 Okie St. NE (between North Kendall and North Fenwick streets), City Winery - Washington offers a Mediterranean-influenced menu of seafood, steaks and flatbreads, in addition to its house wines on tap and an extensive list of guest bottles.
The Capital Burger
Mount Vernon Square's The Capital Burger is also making waves. Open since March 2018 at 1005 Seventh St. NW (between North New York Avenue and North Mount Vernon Place), the cocktail bar and traditional American spot, which offers burgers and more, has seen a 9.5 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.1 percent for all businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 180 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Washington's traditional American category: Unconventional Diner has seen an 8.8 percent increase in reviews.
The Capital Burger offers an upscale burger with caramelized onions and aioli on a brioche bun, snacks like hand-cut fries and pan-fried calamari and signature cocktails. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound four-star rating among Yelpers.
Ellē
Mount Pleasant's Ellē is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers.
The 2018 Eater DC Restaurant of the Year, which opened at 3221 Mt Pleasant St. NW in 2016, increased its review count by 11.3 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 2.4 percent for the Yelp category "Cocktail Bars." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 1.8 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
Ellē offers upscale New American food to accompany its signature cocktails based in liquors like rye and mezcal.
Sfoglina
Finally, Chevy Chase's well-established Sfoglina is currently on the upswing in the Italian category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 1.5 percent over the past month, this Italian spot increased its by 4.2 percent—and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 180 percent on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 4445 Connecticut Ave. NW (between North Yuma and North Albemarle streets) since 2016, the business offers classic and seasonal pasta dishes, as well as numerous small plates like meatballs, Iberian ham and grilled spicy calamari.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
