Washington, D.C.’s dining scene endured one of its most difficult years in recent memory in 2025, as restaurant closures surged well beyond the prior year. Data from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington shows 92 bars and restaurants closed in 2025, compared with 73 closures in 2024 — an increase of roughly 26% year over year.
Tail Up Goat
Tail Up Goat, the Michelin-starred Adams Morgan restaurant, closed in December 2025 after approximately eight years in business. Opened in 2017, the owners said maintaining a sustainable financial model had become increasingly difficult amid rising labor, food, and operating costs. “We didn’t want to cut PTO, health insurance, or core values just to stay profitable”, one of the owners said in a statement.
Reverie
Reverie, a Michelin-recognized New American restaurant in Georgetown, closed in October 2025 after about seven years of operation. Since opening in 2018, Reverie had been a destination for tasting-menu dining, making its closure a notable loss for the city’s fine-dining scene.
Hill Country Barbecue Market
Hill Country Barbecue Market shuttered its Washington, D.C. location in 2025 after roughly 14 years in business. The Texas-style barbecue restaurant opened in 2011 and became known for its large space, live music, and group dining, but high overhead and shifting downtown traffic patterns proved challenging.
Haikan
Haikan, a popular ramen restaurant, closed in 2025 after around eight years serving D.C. diners. Since opening in 2017, Haikan had built a loyal following, but like many mid-priced, full-service restaurants, it faced pressure from rising costs and inconsistent foot traffic.
A changing dining landscape
The sharp increase in closures from 2024 to 2025 has reshaped Washington’s restaurant ecosystem. Industry leaders point to reduced foot traffic due to hybrid and work from home setups, higher wages, inflation, and cautious consumer spending as ongoing challenges — factors that continue to test even well-established restaurants heading into 2026.
(Even Guy Fieri-approved restaurants aren’t prone to closing for good in this economy.)
Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same
Leave a Comment