Koons Clarksville

Chevrolet Buick GMC

Feb 23, 2023

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or you just want to show your special someone how much they mean to you, a romantic dinner is a perfect way to spend an evening. The challenge is finding the perfect spot to have your meal. In and around the Washington, D.C., area, you have lots of choices if you’re looking for a place that not only has a romantic ambiance but also serves excellent food. Take your love to a romantic dinner in D.C. at one of these restaurants.

Fiola Mare

Fiola Mare is an upscale Italian seafood restaurant in Georgetown. The indoor dining area is warm and inviting, but there’s also outdoor seating overlooking the water. The menu celebrates chef and owner Fabio Trabocchi’s love of the sea and combines it with his Italian heritage. The menu features a wide range of options, each one better than the last. You can feast on seafood towers, handmade pasta, and the signature Carrello del Pesce. This seafood cart features the daily catch and comes with a flair to your table. 

There’s no better place to have a special night out with your love than at Fiola Mare. The dining room is elegantly decorated with a nautical design, and you’ll have wonderful views of the water and the marina. Choose from the extensive wine menu for a bottle or glass to go with your meal. You can both choose from starters that include Calvisius caviar, oysters, or tuna, and for your main meal, the Fiola Mare lobster ravioli with ginger and chives is fantastic. You can also get Rohan duck breast or Japanese A5 Wagyu.

Tail Up Goat

Tail Up Goat is an intimate yet modern restaurant with top-notch service. It’s a combination neighborhood hotspot and romantic eatery where you can dine indoors or on the patio. Three former Komi employees opened this place, offering a relaxed spin on Caribbean and Mediterranean dishes and a constantly rotating menu, with new dishes added to the mainstay classics. Make a reservation for the four-course dinner, and you’ll both enjoy the meal and the atmosphere.

There’s an emphasis on pasta and bread and some shareable plates that can add to the romance of the evening. Make sure to try the crispy salt cod with smoked cauliflower aioli, the delicious ricotta cavatelli, and the squash bread. These are all so delicious you just might end the evening competing for the last bite.

Iron Gate

Iron Gate in Dupont Circle is another great place that serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The chefs cook everything over a wood-burning hearth and rotisserie, making this a unique place to have a meal. There are three very different and distinct dining spaces, so you can choose your experience. Select the Carriageway bar for a laid back and relaxed atmosphere, the Wisteria patio for an outdoor dining experience, or the Winter dining room for an intimate and romantic ambiance. 

Iron Gate has over 400 wines on its wine list and a menu that features dishes such as a daily focaccia, cremini mushroom arancini, new frontier bison flank steak, caramelized ricotta gnocchi, and charred Mediterranean octopus. No matter what dining area or dishes you choose, you can’t go wrong at Iron Gate. 

Anju

Make your dinner reservation at Anju and feast on contemporary Korean cuisine. Executive chef Angel Barreto creates delicious dishes made for sharing, whether it’s the classic Korean rice dish with veggies and meat in a bowl with gochujang sauce on the side for dipping, the pan-roasted duck breast, or noodles in a spicy seafood broth.

The décor and ambiance set the tone for a romantic date night. You and your date will enjoy the welcoming atmosphere with exposed brick walls, indoor greenery, and bamboo rattan seats. Anju is warm, welcoming, and cozy, making it perfect for any occasion.

District Winery

District Winery is D.C.’s first and only commercial winery, and it sits along the Anacostia River in the Navy Yard neighborhood, making it perfect for a romantic evening. The restaurant at District Winery offers stunning views from the dining room and bar, or you can sit out on the waterfront patio. The menu features seasonal items and shareable Charcuterie boards, such as the Mangalica or Finocchiona. You can also snack on sea bass tartare, burrata and beets, or charred octopus.

You can make your date night even more special with a tour of the winery before or after you eat. Winery tours are available Wednesday through Sunday and last for 60 minutes. Learn more about winemaking in an urban environment, how the winery sources its grapes, and the bottling process.

The Dabney

The Dabney is a popular D.C. date night spot because it always delivers the perfect night. The décor and atmosphere are warm and inviting, with a large roaring hearth that serves as the centerpiece of the restaurant. The hearth is also where James Beard award-winning chef Jeremiah Langhorne and his staff will cook your food. The menu focuses on local ingredients, especially from the Mid-Atlantic region. The Dabney offers indoor and outdoor seating, with an enclosed outdoor patio with heaters so you can still sit outside after it starts to cool down.

The tasting menu features items such as Appalachian apple stack cake, white Alba truffle custard, and aged Roseda beef. You can also try the grilled scallops and lobster and charred fireside vegetables. The bar menu, like the tasting menu, is always changing, but some of the items you might see include fried duck drums, Dabney brioche toast, and sweet potato rolls.

These are some of the most romantic restaurants in Washington D.C., and the places we would take our loved one to for a special evening out. Do you have a favorite romantic spot in the D.C. area? Stop by Koons Clarksville Chevrolet Buick GMC and tell us about it. We can check it out the next time we want to plan a date night. While you’re here, we can show you our extensive selection of new and used cars and trucks to get you around Washington, D.C.