Want the dirt on Washington's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which restaurants have been getting a noteworthy uptick in 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 are extra hot, right now.
Roy Boys
Open since February 15, this bar and fried chicken joint is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, cocktail bars saw a median 2.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Roy Boys saw a dramatic 353.8 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to four stars today.
It's not the only trending outlier in the cocktail bar category: Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar has seen a 15.3 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 2108 Eighth St. NW (between North Barry Place and North V Street) in Columbia Heights, Roy Boys offers signature cocktails, like the Power Up! (Bacardi, coconut, spiced mango, passionfruit Champagne and orange juice), as well as fried chicken sandwiches, raw oysters and more.
Susheria
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Georgetown's Susheria, the Peruvian-Japanese spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sushi Bars" on Yelp saw a median 2.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Susheria bagged a 44.2 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy four-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.8 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 3101 K St. NW since last October, Susheria offers the mix of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines known as Nikkei, which combines sushi and other Japanese dishes with Latin sauces and meats like lomo saltado.
Rooster & Owl
Columbia Heights's Rooster & Owl is the city's buzziest New American spot by the numbers.
The small plates purveyor, which opened at 2436 14th St. NW (between North Chapin and North Belmont streets) in February, increased its new review count by a formidable 115.4 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.3 percent for the Yelp category "American (New)."
It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: St. Anselm has seen a 28.1 percent increase in reviews.
Rooster & Owl offers a seasonal tasting menu that has included inventive dishes like quail with cheddar grits and miso honey and a lobster étouffée with jasmine rice.
Olive Bistro Cafe
Finally, this Turkish cafe is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" saw a median 1.7 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Olive Bistro Cafe saw a 28.9 percent increase, maintaining a sterling five-star rating throughout. It gained 3.8 times more reviews than expected based on past performance, significantly outperforming the previous month.
Located at 4619 41st St. NW (between North Chesapeake Street and North Wisconsin Avenue) in Friendship Heights, Olive Bistro Cafe offers a large menu of Mediterranean salads, the flatbreads known as pide, with toppings like beef sausage and feta cheese, as well as kabobs, seafood and mezze-style appetizers.
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.
