Curious where Washington's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze 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 have the momentum heading into springtime.
American Son
Open since October 2018, this cocktail bar and New American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw review counts increase by a median of 2.4 percent over the past month, but American Son saw a 33.3 percent increase, maintaining a solid four-star rating throughout.
It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: Gravitas has seen a 22.4 percent increase in reviews, and Bresca has seen a 12.6 percent bump.
Located downtown in the Eaton DC hotel (1201 K St. NW), American Son offers international twists on American classics — like scallops with Thai red curry, and barbecue quail with a gochujang (Korean red chili paste) glaze.
Officina
Southwest's Officina is also making waves. Open since October at 1120 Maine Ave. SW, the Italian spot has seen a 38.6 percent bump in reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.1 percent for all businesses tagged "Italian" on Yelp.
The three-floored Officina boasts a cafe, an Italian market and a trattoria serving handmade pastas, veggie-packed sides and steaks. Over the past month, it's maintained a mixed 3.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Mission Navy Yard
Capitol Hill's Mission Navy Yard is the city's buzziest Mexican spot by the numbers.
Opened at 1221 Van St. SE (between South M and S North streets) since last July, Mission Navy Yard increased its review count by 12.3 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median review increase of 1.5 percent for the Yelp category "Mexican."
It offers classic and modern Mexican dishes, from barbacoa tacos to a pan-seared salmon filet with red mole sauce, as well as craft beer and cocktails.
Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar
Foggy Bottom's popular Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar is currently on the upswing in the cocktail bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp increased review counts by a median of 2.2 percent over the past month, this gastropub, cocktail bar and Peruvian spot increased its by 26.7 percent—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars.
Open for business at 1823 L St. NW (between North 19th and North 18th streets) since September, it offers numerous pisco-based cocktails, including a classic chilcano made with ginger ale and Angostura bitters, as well as wine, beer and Peruvian fare.
Toastique
Finally, this breakfast spot, open since last summer, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" saw review counts increase by a median of 2.2 percent over the past month, but Toastique saw an 11.9 percent increase, maintaining a convincing 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located in The Wharf complex at 764 Maine Ave. SW (between South Seventh and South L streets), Toastique offers toasted open-faced breakfast sandwiches, fruit bowls, smoothies and more.
