Want the intel on Washington's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been getting a notable increase 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 increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are riding a trend, right now.
Matchbox
Open since July, this New American breakfast and brunch spot, which offers burgers, pizza and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Matchbox in Penn Quarter saw a 100% increase, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Matchbox's review count increased by more than 330%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the New American category: St. Anselm has seen a 7.4% increase in reviews.
Located at 750 East St. NW in Penn Quarter, Matchbox offers pan-seared salmon, jumbo lump crab cakes, braised short rib rigatoni, filet mignon and shrimp and grits, among other entrees.
Matchbox is open from 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–1 a.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–1 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.–10:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Slapfish
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about downtown's Slapfish, the seafood spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp saw a median 1.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, Slapfish bagged a 25% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
Open at 1800 M St. NW, Suite GR06, since 2018, Slapfish features lobster rolls and lobster grinders, as well as street tacos, fish and chips and a grilled cheese sandwich with a lobster, crab and creamy herb sauce.
Slapfish is open from 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekends.
Busboys and Poets
Busboys and Poets in Anacostia is also making waves. Open since March at 2004 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE, the event space and breakfast and brunch spot has seen a 12% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.4% for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Busboys and Poets in Anacostia's review count increased by more than 170%.
Busboys and Poets, which has several locations throughout the area, offers Greek salad, quinoa salad, chicken barley soup, sandwiches and wraps, hot paninis, burgers and a number of entrees, including blackened salmon and shrimp and chicken chorizo pasta. Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy four-star rating among Yelpers.
Busboys and Poets in Anacostia is open from 8 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday.
Magnolia Kitchen & Bar
Dupont Circle's Magnolia Kitchen & Bar is the city's buzziest bar by the numbers.
The popular bar and New American spot, which opened at 1601 Connecticut Ave. NW in 2018, increased its new review count by 7.8% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1% for the Yelp category "Bars." It outperformed the previous month by gaining two times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
It's not the only trending outlier in the bar category: Station 4 has seen a 3.2% increase in reviews.
Magnolia Kitchen & Bar offers draft beer, wine and craft cocktails. Try the classic dirty martini complete with blue cheese-stuffed olives, or the SoHo Greyhound, made with vodka, fresh grapefruit and turbinado. The spot also offers pizzas, sandwiches, soups and salads.
Magnolia Kitchen & Bar is open from 11:30 a.m.–midnight on Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–1 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday.
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.
