America Eats Tavern
3139 M St., NW
There’s no designated brunch menu just yet at the newest revival of Jose Andres’ AET. That being said, you can still get brunch-y items at the all-day Georgetown restaurant. Start with a shrimp and avocado cocktail and hushpuppies with honey-butter (we’re fans of the optional trout roe, too), before moving on to shrimp and grits (or barbecue, why not). Of course, being America, there’s plenty of booze.
Buena Vida
8407 Ramsey Ave., Silver Spring
All-you-can-eat restaurateur Ivan Iricanin, who’s behind the Balkan feasts at Ambar (and previously Masa 14 and El Centro) recently introduced a similar AYCE format at his new Mexican spot, Buena Vida. Patrons can order bottomless small plates like guacamole, tacos, huevos rancheros, crab enchiladas, and shrimp and chorizo grits for $35 per person. Cocktails such as sangrias and mimosas are an additional $8 to $9. The deal runs Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM to 3 PM.
The Smith U Street
1314 U St., NW
They had us at French 75 slushies. The new U Street location of NYC-based the Smith dishes up a big brunch menu with a little something for everyone: healthy egg white omelettes and raw bar fare, healthy-ish steaks and eggs, and unhealthy spicy fried chicken for two (hey, at least you have a partner in crime). The dining room opens onto the sidewalk for prime people watching.
Black’s Bar and Kitchen
7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda
The Sunday buffet is back at restaurateur Jeff Black’s Bethesda restaurant. (A la carte is also still available.) Diners can go in for an unlimited raw bar with shrimp cocktail, Chesapeake oysters, and various tartares, plus cooked egg dishes, slices of Martin’s Ranch ribeye, salads, and more. The spread runs from 11 AM to 2:30 PM and costs $45 per person. Bottomless bubbles are an extra $15.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
