The Hamilton — Restaurant in Washington

Perfect Simplicity: A Return to The Hamilton

As DC residents, my wife and I have come to appreciate restaurants that blend quality, atmosphere, and consistency. Our recent dinner at The Hamilton, a repeat visit during the vibrant Cherry Blossom season, once again confirmed its place among the city’s most satisfying dining experiences. “Perfect Simplicity” best describes our evening—not because the dishes were simple in execution, but because everything felt effortlessly right.

🌸 The Cherry Blossom Glow: Atmosphere & Service With DC in full bloom and visitors flowing in from across the country and abroad, The Hamilton was lively and energetic. The space was bustling but never chaotic, and the service stood out—attentive, polished, and unhurried, allowing us to fully enjoy each course in comfort.

🍜 Starter: Miso Soup I began with the Miso Soup, which turned out to be a quiet revelation. The broth was velvety and savory, its umami notes deepened by shiitake mushrooms sliced to perfection, silky tofu, scallions, and the subtle marine touch of seaweed. This was a dish in harmony—elegant, balanced, and deeply satisfying.

🧀 Shared Starter: Grayson Cheese Plate We shared the Grayson cheese, part of the American Farmhouse Cheese selection, and it delivered a beautiful range of flavors and textures. The semi-soft, aromatic cow’s milk cheese was accompanied by pickled red onions with a delightful crunch, tangy and vibrant. The cranberry walnut bread was both chewy and fragrant, and the two accompanying spreads added complexity—one fig-forward and sweet, the other earthy and savory. It was a starter that invited slow bites and long conversation.

🍝 Main: Classic Meatballs & Pomodoro I followed with the Classic Meatballs & Pomodoro—an unfussy but comforting dish done impeccably well. The meatballs were tender and well-seasoned, nestled in a bright and savory pomodoro sauce, with a base of Parmesan polenta that was creamy, rich, and wonderfully textured. It felt like something straight out of a rustic Italian kitchen.

🥪 Her Main: Roasted Turkey Sandwich My wife enjoyed the Roasted Turkey Sandwich, built on everything ciabatta and layered with pimento cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and scallion aioli. She noted the turkey’s shaved texture, which gave the sandwich a light yet satisfying mouthfeel. The flavors were vibrant and well-integrated, especially the subtle heat of the pimento cheese and the crisp, smoky bacon. Served with golden, perfectly crisped fries, it was hearty and delightful.

🍷 A Place We’ll Keep Coming Back To While we are still getting to know DC’s full culinary landscape, The Hamilton has quickly become a favorite—a spot that balances crowd-pleasing versatility with thoughtful execution. The space is elegant yet relaxed, the menu broad but curated, and the service consistently warm and professional.

Whether it’s a simple bowl of soup or a full entrée, The Hamilton doesn’t overreach—it delivers with confidence and care, and that makes it one of the most dependable and rewarding dining options in downtown DC.

Rating: 5/5 Standouts: Miso Soup, Grayson Cheese Plate, Classic Meatballs Vibe: Warm, lively, welcoming—great for both locals and visitors Would we return? Absolutely. Again and again. Prior Visit: We stopped a week ago in for an early dinner at The Hamilton in DC and had a wonderful experience. I went with the Cobb salad, and my wife had Evan’s Chicken — both were delicious and beautifully prepared. The atmosphere struck the perfect balance: stylish and energetic, yet still warm and welcoming. It felt very DC, in the best possible way. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. We’ll definitely be back, we we have done recently before this visit. Definitively we are becoming...

I recently stopped by Hamilton after hearing great things about their late-night sushi happy hour and overall food quality. Unfortunately, my experience didn’t match the hype.

From the start, things felt off. Although the front of the restaurant had two lively, vibey sections, we were seated in the very back where it was quiet and lacked energy—disappointing for a first-time visit. No one asked if we preferred a different atmosphere, which would’ve made a big difference.

I ordered greens salad, the wings and mac n’ cheese. When the wings arrived, they were dry and the sauce was served on the side. I wasn’t asked if I wanted them tossed in sauce, which seemed odd. Just as I was about to eat, I saw another server walk by with wings that were clearly tossed and glistening with sauce—completely different from mine. When I asked my server about it, he said they were “the same thing” (they weren’t). A second server chimed in saying that after a certain time, wings are only served with sauce on the side. Yet both sets of wings were served at the same time to dine-in guests. Make it make sense.

When I asked if mine could be tossed in sauce, the server brought them back with sauce simply poured on top—not tossed. At that point, the manager got involved, had a fresh order made properly, and they came out perfect—delicious and visually appealing. But why did it take all that?

My guest ordered the meatballs and asked for them without extra pomodoro sauce, since they were already cooked in sauce. The server insisted it couldn’t be done. When they arrived, they were completely dry and lacked flavor—not worth the $18. They tasted like they belonged on a burger, not an upscale menu. She also requested a side dish and was told she couldn’t have specific one made & was given mashed potatoes. Thankfully, the manager stepped in said it should have been done and removed it from the bill.

Throughout the night, service was hit or miss. I got more from the buss guy than our own server. A server walked by and asked only one person at our table if they wanted more soda—ignoring the rest of us. My drink order was never taken at all. To top it off, the mac n’ cheese I ordered as a side never even came out.😏

Overall, this visit was frustrating. At a place that presents itself as an upscale dining experience, I didn’t expect to jump through hoops just to get basic service and food done right. The manager did her best to fix things, which I appreciated—but it shouldn’t have...

Not safe for gluten-free folks! The menu listed GF options and the food came out with a cute little label that said it was gluten-free, but how sick I became from the food tells a different story. I am not celiac, but I am mild-moderately gluten sensitive. I find that taking gluten enzymes helps me avoid most gastro symptoms from gluten unless I'm actively eating foods that contain a large amount of it. The morning after I ate at The Hamilton, I was having a major gluten episode that kept me feeling pretty lousy the full day. Given that I was in DC on holiday, it was especially hard to lose a full day of activities simply because the gluten-free food I'd eaten the night before was actually laden with gluten, or some other food borne yuck that caused me gastro issues. Regardless of the reason, it shouldn't have happened.

There did seem to be issues with the kitchen that night as my side dish was completely inedible due to having been massively over salted. It was disgusting and made my mouth burn from the amount of salt. I also had the red snapper and it was overcooked, nearly burnt, and tasted mostly of the oil they fried the fish in. Not anything like what I'd expect from this sort of establishment.

The gluten-free menu options are sparse and there are zero gluten-free appetizers or starters. I had to order mashed potatoes for my starter while my partner ordered something much more interesting from the starter menu. The gluten-free entrées are almost exclusively fish.

The bar at The Hamilton is obviously a young professional's hook-up bar. They were packed in there like sardines in suits and skirts, with zero clue that they were also blocking the only walking aisles to reach the restrooms. This detracted from the dining experience when one simply needs to use the facilities and is suddenly in a bar for singles looking to mingle.

The good: the staff here are pretty great! My server easily adjusted my bill to remove the carrots which I really appreciated since that dish was so terrible. The following day, a manager was good about me reporting the gluten problem and I felt well heard.

It's truly unfortunate that the kitchen can't be relied on to provide gluten-free food, or even just good food, as stated on the menu but it's nice that the rest of the staff can help smooth out the problems...