The first restaurant in Washington DC that I want to recommend holds a special place in my family and in my heart. This restaurant is called Claudia’s Steakhouse and is located in downtown DC on 15th and K St, right by the Farragut North Metro Station (so it is very convenient for a traveler exploring the city). To give some context on why Claudia’s is so special to my family, the restaurant owner, Claudia, is a very close family friend of ours. A long time ago, before my family moved closer to the city, we lived in a suburb of the DC Metro area called Waldorf located in Southern Maryland. In this quiet suburb, we found a small restaurant one day called Brasas that served delicious food from all over Latin America. After eating there a few times, the owner began to recognize us came out to meet us. This began a beautiful friendship that has lasted to this day. We became a part of Claudia’s restaurant family and met everyone from the chefs to the cleaning staff and spent countless nights there well past closing time just enjoying each other’s company. Brasas became a second home for me, and every birthday dinner for four years was spent at the restaurant until it closed down in 2016.
After closing down Brasas, Claudia decided to go bigger and open up this restaurant in the heart of the city. My first time there of course was on my 16th birthday in 2017. Claudia’s has taken on a different look from Brasas. It is much more upscale, and while it still maintains its Latin cuisine on the menu, it has fused into a legitimate steakhouse that also has a good selection of seafood options.
Claudia’s is the perfect place to go after a long day of tourist activities or a place to end your vacation in the city. You will want to dress nicely and have an empty stomach that is ready to eat. While a tad bit pricey, the food is 100% worth it. While Claudia may not be around because she has gotten married and started a family in Palm Beach, Florida, the restaurant still has a warm and welcoming atmosphere and they love to see new faces (especially from out of town) in the restaurant trying their food. Claudia’s brothers manage the restaurant while she is away, and are just as friendly and will ensure you have a terrific evening!
I love the personal story that you have with this restaurant! It’s funny how food can bring people closer together, and also how people can make something so much more special.
This blog was really fun to read, especially because of how personable your voice is. The story you told is so cool, and I’ve seen movies where restaurant owners become close with families, but I’ve never heard of it actually happening like this before. I really like this post, and I can’t wait to read your next one!
I enjoy the personal roots involved in this blog as it shows the passage of time and change. I know a friend who’s currently in Washington DC and would love to recommend her to go to Claudia’s Steakhouse. I look forward to further blogs and hope to understand these small aspects of your life.
I love hearing about different restaurants, as I was a pretty picky eater when I was younger and I’m trying to become more adventurous when it comes to my food choices. I’ve never been to D.C. but I’ll be on the look out for this place when I eventually get around to visiting!