This is Eater’s guide to all the D.C. restaurants, bars, and cafes closing this month. (For our most recent roundup for July, go here.) If a restaurant or bar has closed in your neighborhood, let us know at dc@eater.com.
Spotlight
Hyattsville, Maryland: After a four-year
run, Maryland’s celebrity chef Tobias Dorzon will close Huncho House in his hometown of Hyattsville on Sunday, August 30, and relocate the fine dining restaurant that fuses Italian and Asian cuisines to Miami. The former NFL player-turned-chef and Food Network regular on shows like Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions serves dishes reflective of his culinary training in Sicily, including spicy crab and jalapeño mezi rigatoni and snow crab garlic noodles, in addition to seafood mains like whole fried red snapper, lobster jollof, and suya-spiced branzino. Dorzon expanded within University Town Center with the opening of 1123, a West African lounge and decadent brunch spot with Asian twists, in 2024. Dorzon made tragic national headlines that same year when he was shot during a robbery while leaving work. He’s since made a full recovery. His forthcoming Floridian reboot, rebranded as 1123 The Huncho Experience, is slated to open this fall. 6450 America Boulevard, Hyattsville, Maryland
And the rest…
Adams Morgan: Open since 2019, Hilo Poke & Sushi served its last roll and Hawaiian-style bowl in August. The second-story, 1,400-square-foot space with bay windows and a counter-service-style bar is currently listed for lease. The quick-serve brand maintains a presence in Baltimore. 2439 18th Street NW
Ballston: The Hilton hospitality brothers’ taqueria El Rey closed its five-year-old Arlington digs this week, but Virginia-born Solace Brewing Company is taking over the space, reports ArlNow. El Rey maintains locations in Shaw and Navy Yard. This color-soaked edition sported a 50-foot bar. 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia
Bethesda: Wood-fired pizza place Alatri Bros. closed in late July after 10 years of business, reports Bethesda Now. Roberto Pietrobono, one of two siblings behind the Italian stalwart, cited rising food costs and a harsh winter as some of the causes behind the closure. The brothers maintain a presence in Maryland with Italian restaurant Olazzo and Mexican spot Gringos & Mariachis. 4926 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland
Clarendon: Sakaki Izakaya, an all-you-can-eat spot for Japanese street foods since 2023, abruptly closed on Wednesday, August 20, reports ArlNow. The menu spotlighted sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri, and hand rolls, plus noodles like ramen and udon, wagyu fried rice, desserts, and a late-night menu. AYCE dinner ran $45 per person with lunch for $29. Ivea Concepts continues to run dim sum spot Tiger Dumplings next door. Meanwhile, Arlington just gained a new AYCE sushi place this month with the arrival of MoMoGoGo in Penrose Square. 3227 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia
Dupont: Selva, the Central and South American restaurant situated on the ground floor of Mayflower Club, closed after a year of business last month. Executive chef Giovanni Orellana created dishes inspired by his birthplace of El Salvador and his decades-long culinary career working at Peruvian, Italian, and Mexican restaurants. Classics included Peruvian chicken, continent-spanning ceviches, and playful takes on internationally beloved dishes like patatas bravas made with crispy bites of yuca. Selva, named after the Spanish word for “jungle,” also featured tasting flights of liquors distilled across the Americas. Mayflower Club owner Antonis Karagounis, who also runs Rewind Diner next door, expanded across the Potomac this year with the opening of American restaurant Boulevard that features a rooftop bar called Solset. The green-and-velvet space that housed sit-down Selva is now used for private events and pop-ups. 1223 Connecticut Avenue NW
