Sequoia $$$

3000 K St. NW
202/944-4200
www.arkrestaurants.com/sequoia_dc.html [1]

HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.,
Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 4-11 p.m.,
brunch Sun. 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

COST: Most entrées more than $20

People don’t actually go to Sequoia for the food; they go for the views and the atmosphere, the stunning floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the Potomac River, and in the summer months, the three-level outdoor patio where young Washingtonians party late into the evening.

Named for the former presidential yacht parked just down the river, Sequoia is a gathering place for fun. Get there early for a table, and dress well if you plan to stay late; otherwise, go for a cocktail and appetizer to enjoy the experience, which in the summertime includes watching boaters spark up their own happy hours berthed alongside one another in the river, and then head elsewhere in Georgetown for a decent meal.