Kinship

They do everything prior to your visit to make it feel like it's going to be a very special evening. I love that they have plenty of thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks to choose from. If you tell them it's a special occasion, they'll leave you a card in celebration. A kind gesture, but I have to say that I was expecting something a little more elegant. The service wasn't what I would call warm, but it was professional and timing perfect. There was a surprising number of families that appeared to be regulars. I wish their children's behavior had been a bit more restrained, but what can you do?

The menu is presented in "experiences", suggested progressions based on a personal experience the chef had.

The food was magnificent and felt special. We were both pleasantly surprised with each course. It was a delicious, unique experience and we loved it.

When I say every single thing was delicious? My god. The smoke shoat ravioli, the quail, the veal, the desserts. ALL of it. Even the drinks were superb. And the staff was amazing. I’d definitely go here again.

The food was amazing, I wish I had a second stomach so I could have eaten more. We split the pork jowl and the roast chicken. Both were amazing.

The pork all but fell apart when you went to cut it with a fork and had some amazing flavor profiles. The chicken was also delicious. Perfectly roasted and seasoned and with all the sides it really made me wish I could have kept eating.

We finished off with a desert which was a bit smaller than I had hoped but still delicious and they were able to accommodate for a nut allergy which was much appreciated.

Though I’d treat my parents to a Michelin star restaurant during our day trip to DC and came across Kinship among the recommendations, which is perfect for the occasion.
I like how the columns of the menu represent a specific theme for the dishes and the rows are how we normally perceive a menu - entree, appetizers, and desserts. Thoughtful creativity is always a delight when it comes to dining out. And that aspect carried over to the dishes themselves too.
I love how they apply the traditional beef corning technique to an unexpected variety and unexpected cut. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth jamais vu delicacy. The fried artichokes on top of the halibut was a second surprise when I realized it wasn’t mushroom as I was chewing. Caramelized and crispy, it’s a decadent treat you wouldn’t even care to imagine in your daily life. And the lovely house rolls, served in a wooden box (to maintain heat I assume), were just the right portion divided into small pieces. I could only envision the complacency and happiness filling to the brim of one’s heart as they put the small doughs together and push the tray into the oven. Soaking a small piece in the sauce of the halibut was my favorite hearty bite through dinner. Strangely enough, it reminds me of the kind of pizza I had when I was a kid back in China — and then I realized it was the olives and bell peppers. It’s an elevated revisit of my childhood memory. It was fun and indulgent.
I couldn’t think of a time I had purple yam flavored ice cream without dairy, which is why I’m so pleasant so see a sorbet here. The citrusy sauce (orange and yuzu I believe) goes unexpectedly well with the purple sweet potato. It’s a balanced taste — the sparkling vitality of citrus and the settling and dipping richness of the purple potato complement each other. And the meringue, sweetest ingredient of everything in the plate, really serves as a guarantee to bring these things together. From start to finish, we gladly finished everything, to the bottom of the plate.
I would be happy to visit again if I come to DC in the future and would 100% recommend.

🥇Mushroom torchon (It's worth a try.)
🥈Smoked shoat ravioli (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐yum)
🥉See scallops (A bit salty but good. I like the totilla cubes. 😄)

The desserts are light and enjoyable too.

I think this is as good as one-star-restaurants in France. 👍

The restaurant is nice, with a warm atmosphere. We actually had to sit downstairs because they were having issues with the AC, but that was fine. The food is delicious, but be aware that the plates are somewhat well-served, so you don't need to order more than 3 in total. We made the mistake of ordering 4 each thinking that the portions would be small, but in the end it was too much food. The crab crepe/salad, the scallops, and the lobster French toast were the highlights, and the cocktails were great too. The service is formal but nice. I went to celebrate my anniversary and they had a card for us and gave us a tiny dessert to celebrate. The desserts were good, but honestly I was expecting more.

This is my favorite fine dining in the city (so brace yourself for a detailed review). The food is incredible and the ambiance is refined without being uptight. It's expensive, but I think it's actually great value - especially for a Michelin-starred experience.

The menu is odd, with dishes broken out into categories. The waiter will explain it to you. The dishes themselves are creative and extremely well thought out. The menu changes often to showcase ingredients that are in season. Dishes incorporate things you've never tried before - pekin duck with poached rhubarb and pistachio butter, crab pastry with compressed melon and red pepper sorbet, a corn crema fritta with basil infused blueberry gelée and corn ice cream.
I've tried about a dozen dishes and every bite has been amazing.

As you'd expect, service is flawless. The waitstaff will answer your every question and offered the perfect wine pairing for us (and a reasonably priced option, too). The cocktails are delicious, but we limited ourselves to one each. Your money is better spent on the food, in my opinion.

My mild criticisms would be that it's on a busy street, so try to get seated in the back if you can. They also serve foie gras which really needs to be outlawed. There are so many foods that don't require animal cruelty, so I would love to see that respected in fine dining. Also, you should make a reservation in advance.

All in all, if you're looking to spend <$100 pp for a starter, entrée, and dessert at an immaculate fine dining establishment, this is THE place. Put on your best dress, step out of your culinary comfort zone, and let Kinship wow you. It doesn't really get better than this.

The cuisine here was unique, as well as exquisite. The service was exquisite, leaving nothing more to be desired.

My son and daughter (in-law, but she is definitely my daughter) took me to Kinship for an early birthday dinner. It was amazing! I have to say reviews are so subjective! I did not experience any of the negative events others describe. The staff were on point and professional at all levels.

Timing of course was on target and not rushed.Staff were all very pleasant and accommodating. I felt like the portions were perfect. I did not feel overstuffed at the end of the meal, but rather satisfied.

This was my first time (not my children’s) eating at a Michelin star restaurant and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One of the best surprises is that the atmosphere was not at all pretentious. I believe anyone would feel comfortable dining at Kinship. I may be completely “off base,” but feel the atmosphere is intentional.

I had the lobster French toast as a starter, lamb chops for the entree, and pineapple shortbread for dessert. WOW is the only way to sum it up. I would love to visit again and relive the experience!

P.S. The slightly less formal vibe was a PLUS!

Thank you for making a wonderful birthday memory that was about an experience, not a gift that adds to the collection!

I thought of taking pictures well after I began to eat, so please be forgiving!

Michelin-starred and definitely earned it. Amazingly tasty and flavorful dishes. On the one hand, the dishes sound/look straight forward without any pretensions. On the other hand, they were some of the best and most flavorful I'd ever eaten. And, the setting is beautiful and tastefully done. The service very good. Can't recommend it highly enough.

This is some of the best food I have ever had. The flavors, the presentation, the freshness of the food were all outstanding. The knowledgeable staff have no problem explaining any questions you may have with the menu. If you are in DC this is a place you must eat.

One of the best dinners I’ve had in DC to date! My boyfriend took me here for my birthday, and there was a little handwritten birthday note at the table when we arrived. Food was amazing; we truly loved everything we ordered (the potatoes served with the ribeye were too salty, though). Drinks were good too. Service was awesome, and I wish I could remember our main server’s name, because he was incredible. In summary, I highly recommend this spot for your next special occasion!!

Outstanding food and service. Restaurant very accommodating of dietary restrictions (vegetarian/ vegan) even with the set menu. Family dinner, party of 8. We loved it so much we came back with a party of 8 two weeks later. Amazing experience. Flavors and textures extraordinary. We had a la carte the first time and the set menu the second visit two weeks later.

My husband and I celebrated our 16th anniversary dinner here this week. We had an awesome time. The service was amazing, and the atmosphere was perfect. Great lighting, good background music, and the restaurant was cozy but not overcrowded. The food and drinks were top notch. Paced well. The plating was beautiful and the various combinations of flavor profiles was really interesting and delicious. Highly recommend making reservations as they book up sometimes a week out. Only open Wed-Sun

Excellent meal and truly deserving of the star

The space is beautiful without feeling stuffy. While we loved everything highlights were certainly the Brussels sprouts soup, lobster French toast, halibut, and ice cream sandwich for dessert. Definitely order the Parker rolls as a side (not on the menu)
Seriously a top notch experience

My friends and I had a lovely time at kinship! We ordered quite a few dishes and enjoyed them all! Favorites included the special wagyu dish that night and the duck. Besides the great food we had an excellent waiter named Jeff who took good care of us. His recommendations were spot on and we had fun interacting with him as we were navigating the menu/enjoying the whole experience.

We were beyond pleased with our experience at Kinship. We were promptly seated upon arrival and the menu was explained to us. Drinks and food all came out in a very timely manner. We ordered the following:
Puree of Brussels Sprouts Soup
Lemon Crusted Filet of Halibut
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder

Unfortunately I can't remember what the other dishes were called because this was a few months ago and the menu has been updated since then. Everything was excellent but the soup, the lamb, and the dessert were the stars of the night. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a nice night out.

I’ve been to kinship twice now and I have loved each experience. The first time I went I didn’t have a reservation but I was able to be seated at the bar, and the second time was recently and I was able to make a reservation 3 weeks in advance.

The staff are professional and knowledgeable! The food is fantastic and appropriately priced for a fine dining restaurant! I would and have recommended this restaurant to everyone who has come to visit DC. It’s a memorable experience every time.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary at Kinship and had a lovely time. We arrived at 8:30 and were seated promptly. The menu is separated into themes with different apps, mains, desserts in each category. We ordered 3 apps and 2 mains to share and felt that was a sufficient amount of food. We ordered the brussel sprout soup, braised pumpkin, lobster french toast, scallops, and sea bass. Although i know the lobster french toast is a popular plate (and aesthetically pleasing) I dare to say it was my least favorite item. I wasn’t super crazy about the base and just didn’t compare to the other items. For me, the highlights were the soup (LOVED!! the warmth! the froth! 1000/10) and the sea scallops with the pumpkin coming in at a close second. We also ordered a white chocolate ganache tart for dessert which was nice and two drinks each (champagne cocktail which was a fun way to start + the split tail). They did offer other dessert style drinks as well as coffee and tea but we passed. Overall, would recommend for a date night or to celebrate something special.

This was a fantastic experience. We came here on a weekend and had an amazing time from start to finish. The decor was awesome. The service was impeccable. Our server did a great job with explanations and suggestions. The cocktails were awesome. We tried a variety of things. We tried the “chili” appetizer which was a deconstructed version of chili. We tried the saganaki which had a great flavor profile. Both of these appetizers played with hot and cold aspects which was an interesting experience. For dinner we got the tuna confit and the duck. Both were amazing. My favorite was the peanut butter bar for dessert! We had a great time and plan to come back (even if it’s just for dessert!)