Planning a proposal in DC is an exciting and fun challenge, and there are a lot of great ways to go about it. But once you’ve popped the question and your partner has said yes, where do you go to celebrate? Below, find five great options to hit up with your new fiancé(e) as soon as the ring is on their finger. Just make sure to book a table ahead of time—you don’t want a long wait to kill any of the excitement.
If You’re Foodies
If there was ever a good excuse to dine at DC’s best restaurant, your new engagement should be it. Fiola Mare, the Georgetown restaurant where President Obama celebrated his birthday in August, serves upscale Italian seafood (Washingtonian food editors recommend the oysters with caviar and the lobster ravioli) for a luxury experience that’s worthy of one of life’s biggest events.
If You Want a Great View
W hotel’s POV, an all-seasons rooftop bar in downtown DC that overlooks The White House, is one of the city’s best bars with a view. Book a table and toast the the happy occasion with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot paired with some grilled lobster tail.
If You’re History Buffs
For fans of presidential lore, there’s no better place to celebrate an engagement than the same place it’s said that John F. Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier; there’s a plaque that hangs in a booth in Georgetown’s Martin’s Tavern that reads, “The Proposal Booth Where JFK proposed to Jackie.” Book the booth, then plan to snuggle up with your new fiancé(e) while noshing on comfort food.
If You Want Privacy
If you’re not interested in flashing your new bling to the whole world, there’s a private booth at Plume—which was ranked sixth by our food editors in the 2016 listing of Very Best Restaurants—where diners can pull a curtain to separate themselves from the rest of the room. The restaurant is located in downtown DC inside The Jefferson hotel, the second-best hotel in America according to U.S. News and World Report, so the location also makes for a perfect post-proposal staycation.
If You Just Want Drinks
Columbia Room in Shaw is as good a choice for this occasion for its intimate atmosphere as it is for its amazing cocktails. The care taken in the crafting of each drink—right down to the house-made mineral waters—makes the bar feel special-occasion worthy. If you decide you want a little something to go with your beverage, the bar also offers a menu of gourmet snacks.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
