Overview
Shaw is a neighborhood in north-central Washington D.C. just east of Dupont Circle and south of Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights. Although it has a diverse population, Shaw is distinctive from the adjacent areas due to its African-American heritage. It is popular due to its jazz clubs, bars, high-end bars and lounges, and for the marvelous food, including many Ethopian eateries. As a note, Logan Circle and the U Street Corridor are included for the purposes of this guide.
5 sights · 6 things to do · 25 places to eat · 23 bars & cafés · 13 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Shaw
African-American Civil War Memorial
The nation's only monument to African American Civil War soldiers. More than 209,000 names of the United States Colored Troops who fought in the Union Army are inscribed on 157 burnished stainless steel plaques. Arranged…
House of the Temple
A Masonic temple, the headquarters of the Scottish Rite, and a prominently featured location in Dan Brown's 2009 novel, The Lost Symbol. It's almost absurdly grand, pretty easily outshining the similar Supreme Court Buil…
Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
A Shaw landmark, built as the local YMCA in 1912, and designed by one of the nation's first black architects, W. Sidney Pittman. The name comes from the fact that Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall was a frequent visitor to…
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
Carter G. Woodson Home
A National Historic Site. Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week here in 1926, which later became Black History Month.
Howard Theatre
A historic theater, opened in 1910 and extensively renovated in 2012 after decades of vandalism, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 30°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Washington, D.C.)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington — 5 mi away (major hub). Directions
- IAD Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
For more information on riding the Metrorail in Washington DC, see Washington DC#Get around.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $30–$229 a night (typical $132), from 14 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $9 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$60, mid-range ~$180, comfortable ~$340.
Options are grouped as Budget, Hostels, Hotels, Mid-range in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning House of the Temple, Theater J, Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
- Lunch Le Diplomate
- Afternoon Constellation Theatre Company, Lincoln Theatre
- Dinner Fainting Goat
- Evening Cork Wine Bar
Day 2
- Morning African-American Civil War Memorial, Howard Theatre
- Lunch Habesha Market And Carry-out
- Afternoon Carter G. Woodson Home, Washington Improv Theater
- Dinner Oohs and Aahs
- Evening Calabash Tea & Tonic
Day 3
- Morning Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
- Lunch Lalibela
- Afternoon Studio Theatre
- Dinner Tortino
- Evening ChurchKey
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Shaw and Logan Circle offer countless options when it comes to found, with an array of cuisines available. Shaw is famously on the cities top venues for African American and Caribbean food, though their number have declined, many historic institutions remain, most famously Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. The U Street Corridor is also a hub for African food, particularly Ethiopian and West African cuisines. Little Ethiopia, on 9th St just south of U St, has the best Ethiopian restaurants outside of Addis Ababa. While the number of Ethiopians in the D.C. area has been debated, D.C. is widely considered to have the largest number of Ethiopian ex-pats anywhere in the world and Shaw is the epicenter of their community. To brush up on your Ethiopian dining etiquette, see Washington, D.C.#Eat.
True to its heritage, Shaw is home to dozens of soul food diners, many of which have been in D.C. much longer than most residents. You won't find the best soul food in the world here, but the feel of these restaurants, which are sometimes covered wall-to-wall in pictures of famous celebrities that visited decades ago, give you a unique peek into the history and culture of D.C.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Shaw is a large area that borders the near neighborhoods of Logan Circle, Truxton Circle, and the sub neighborhoods of the U Street Corridor/Cardozo and Blagden Alley. It is bounded by 15th St NW, Florida Ave (formerly Boundary St), North Capitol St, and M St NW.
The neighborhood, named after Civil War Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, was first developed starting in 1865 when the end of the Civil War led to a huge increase in demand for new housing in Washington, D.C. The extension of streetcar lines in the early 1900s up 7th St and 14th St also spurred additional development.
Because Shaw was not affected by covenants that prohibited property sales to African Americans, Shaw became the center of African-American culture in Washington and was home to many black-owned businesses, entertainment venues, and other institutions. It was the birthplace of jazz great Duke Ellington, who lived on the 1200 block of T St. It was the center of Washington's music scene and includes the historic Howard Theater (opened in 1910), Lincoln Theatre (opened in 1921), and Bohemian Caverns jazz club (opened in 1926).
Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968, riots broke out at the intersection of 14th St & U St. The riots resulted in significant damage to 1,200 buildings and resulted in thousands of permanent job losses. With the introduction of crack cocaine in the 1970s and 1980s and the subsequent flight of residents and businesses from the area, Shaw succumbed to urban blight. The entire neighborhood was considered to be unsafe due to rampant prostitution and drug use.
However, beginning in the early 1990s, a wave of gentrification restored the area. In 1986, the Reeves Center, a 500,000 sq ft municipal office building, opened at the intersection of 14th St and U St, bringing thousands of jobs to the area. The Shaw-Howard University Metro Station opened in 1991. In 2000, a Whole Foods supermarket opened at the intersection of 14th & P Street and quickly became one of the retailer's highest grossing stores. Between 2000 and 2002, Harrison Square, the first large scale residential development in the area in a long time, was constructed. Since then, dozens of upscale businesses have opened and thousands of apartments have been constructed. Houses at Harrison Square, which cost $200,000 in 2000-2002, were selling for $900,000 in 2015.
The U Street Corridor (aka Cardozo) is a vibrant collection of boutique shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and art galleries along U St NW between from 9th St and 18th St. The corridor first became commercially significant when a streetcar line operated along U St in the early 20th century. It was and is still known as Black Broadway, the center of African American cultural life from the turn of the century well into the 1950s. It was particularly known as a hub for jazz music, predating the Harlem Renaissance, due to its many Black-owned live music and performance venues, a rarity in segregated pre-World War II America.
Logan Circle, named after Civil War general John A. Logan, is a traffic circle as well as a historic district whose commercial area centers around 14th Street. The beautiful Victorian buildings in this area were less affected by the riots and this area is now highly sought after. Once a seedy red light district, it has long since gentrified to become one of Washington's most fashionable addresses, with many new high-rise condos in between million dollar rowhouses. Most working class residents and artists have long been priced out, moving to Columbia Heights and further east. Logan has become an upscale alternative to U Street, with many trendy bars, restaurants, and clubs drawing people from all parts of the city and surrounding areas. Given its proximity to Dupont Circle, many foreign tourists also flock to Logan Circle, looking for something more edgy.
And finally, the Blagden Alley/Naylor Court area near the Washington Convention Center has emerged as a sub-neighborhood of Shaw, with its own distinct identity. Once a shabby-chic haven for artists and skaters, it now one of the city's finest dining areas, something of a shock to old time Washingtonians. The Michelin-starred Dabney and other trendy haunts lead the way. If you love food, you'll definitely want to make a pilgrimage to Blagden.
Get in
By Metrorail
For more information on riding the Metrorail in Washington DC, see Washington DC#Get around.
Shaw is serviced by the following Metrorail stations on the Green line:
By bus
Metrobus operates in Shaw. For more information on riding buses in Washington DC, see Washington DC#Get_around.
By car
Driving is definitely not recommended if you are not familiar with the area. The main streets are 14th St, R St, 9th St, 7th St, and Florida Ave. North Capitol St is a good and relatively uncongested artery heading north towards Maryland and the I-495 Capital Beltway. Avoid driving on U St, because it is one of the most congested streets in D.C. On-street parking is possible on the quieter side streets any time of the week.
See
See African-American Civil War Memorial
The nation's only monument to African American Civil War soldiers. More than 209,000 names of the United States Colored Troops who fought in the Union Army are inscribed on 157 burnished stainless steel plaques. Arranged according to regiment, the names include those of the 7,000 white officers who served with the African American troops. At the center of the plaza encircled by the inscribed names is a sculpture, The Spirit of Freedom, by artist Ed Hamilton.
See House of the Temple
A Masonic temple, the headquarters of the Scottish Rite, and a prominently featured location in Dan Brown's 2009 novel, The Lost Symbol. It's almost absurdly grand, pretty easily outshining the similar Supreme Court Building in Capitol Hill, and there's nary a Washingtonian around who hasn't at some point walked by it, surprised by this enormous but unidentified building. The interior is a wild Orientalist fantasy in way that only the Masons could bring to life, and is open to the public for guided tours.
See Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
A Shaw landmark, built as the local YMCA in 1912, and designed by one of the nation's first black architects, W. Sidney Pittman. The name comes from the fact that Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall was a frequent visitor to the Y, and that he wrote portions of his opinion for the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision here. On the first floor, there is an exhibit portraying the living history of African Americans in Shaw.
Do
The Greater U Street Heritage Trail is a self-guided walking tour with downloadable audio that will have you visiting major sights in the neighborhood.
Theatre
Comedy
Learn
Place Goethe-Institut
A sponsor of German culture in the U.S. and of intercultural ties with locations in 6 major cities, the Goethe-Institut offers classes in German language and culture. It also hosts free events such as lectures, concerts, or movie screenings; check the website for a calendar.
Buy
U St is the place for the more funky, local, boutique shopping, although discounts are hard to come by.
The art galleries on 14th St have the most exciting contemporary exhibits in the city.
If you are up for some seriously exotic shopping, head to Little Ethiopia on 9th Street, south of U St, to sample the various Ethiopian stores and food markets.
Fashion
Galleries
Other
Eat
Shaw and Logan Circle offer countless options when it comes to found, with an array of cuisines available. Shaw is famously on the cities top venues for African American and Caribbean food, though their number have declined, many historic institutions remain, most famously Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. The U Street Corridor is also a hub for African food, particularly Ethiopian and West African cuisines. Little Ethiopia, on 9th St just south of U St, has the best Ethiopian restaurants outside of Addis Ababa. While the number of Ethiopians in the D.C. area has been debated, D.C. is widely considered to have the largest number of Ethiopian ex-pats anywhere in the world and Shaw is the epicenter of their community. To brush up on your Ethiopian dining etiquette, see Washington, D.C.#Eat.
True to its heritage, Shaw is home to dozens of soul food diners, many of which have been in D.C. much longer than most residents. You won't find the best soul food in the world here, but the feel of these restaurants, which are sometimes covered wall-to-wall in pictures of famous celebrities that visited decades ago, give you a unique peek into the history and culture of D.C.
In contrast Logan Circle, is home to the cutting edge of the DC culinary scene, home to chef driven restaurants that give the best of New York City and Paris a run for their money. As such, prices are notably higher than nearby Shaw/ U Street, however the quality is impressive. 14th street is home to an endless array of cuisines, just walk down the street and go where ever takes your fancy.
On the other end of Shaw, Bladgen Alley, is a slightly more low-key but extremely trendy restaurant area with an excellent array of cuisines. Few tourists make their way here, which means prices are lower than Logan Circle and Dupont, and restaurants are packed with locals and gourmands in the know. Expect great quality, chef-driven food for the price, reminiscent of trendy parts of Brooklyn or Montreal.
As noted below in the Drink section, Shaw also has many independent chic cafes that serve sandwiches at low prices.
Budget
For the cheapest options, try one of several Mediterranean or pizza hole-in-the wall restaurants.
Eat Ben's Chili Bowl
A mainstay since 1958 and one of the few businesses in the area to survive the 1968 riots, this restaurant is a city landmark. It's been patronized by President Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Bill Cosby, and every recent city mayor. In fact, you might find future mayoral candidates bivouacked here, in hopes of showing that they are "of the people." It's a down-home, low-maintenance, diner-style restaurant known for serving D.C.'s best half-smokes and for its friendly staff. Take a peek inside so that you can say you've been here, but if want something fancier, look next door for Ben's Next Door, which is a nice bar/restaurant opened in 2008 by the same owners to capitalize on their fame. The restaurant displays a sign in front saying Barack Obama and his family can eat for free.
Eat The Greek Spot
Good, cheap Greek food.
Eat Judys Bar & Restaurant
Salvadoran and Mexican food. You don't come for the ambiance or the service but the food is great and cheap.
Eat KoChix Korean Chicken Wings
A hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves excellent chicken wings.
Eat SUNdeVICH
Creative sandwiches in a converted garage.
Eat Uncle Chip's Cookies
Delicious cookies and brownies and amazing sandwiches with fresh ingredients.
Mid-range
African
Eat Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Market
With the entrance hidden in the basement, this gem can be tricky to find, but the number of Ethiopian ex-pats inside will tell you that you are in the right place.
Eat Dukem
The Ethiopian cuisine here is solid, if of variable quality. But the real reason to come is for the daily late-night live Ethiopian music—likely the best you'll experience outside of Ethiopia. A real hub for the local Ethiopian community. Full bar.
Eat Habesha Market And Carry-out
A restaurant and a market. Try the spicy beef stew, sambusa, and spicy lentils.
Eat Lalibela
Named after a town in Ethiopia famous for its rock churches, the food is authentic and delicious. Pleasant outdoor seating remedies the dark interior, and is indeed the main reason to come here as opposed to the otherwise superior options on 9th St.
Eat Queen of Sheba
Open since 2006, Queen of Sheba prides itself on serving fresh authentic Ethiopian food. Popular among the local Ethiopian population.
Soul food diners
Eat Busboys & Poets
Somewhere between a cafe, a bookstore, and a bar, Busboys & Poets principally serves up hearty portions of leftist politics. Poetry readings and political rants grace the stage, while the food is basic pizza, burgers, some down-home cooking, and sandwiches filled with things like falafel and hummus. Cool place to hang out if you share the vibe. Weekly open-mic poetry nights ($5/cover) are held at each location. Several locations in the DC area.
Eat Florida Avenue Grill
A famous D.C. establishment serving soul food since 1944. This is another rare business to have survived the 1968 riots, as the owner fended off rioters with his gun. The food, service, and ambiance are all below average, but it's worth stopping in to see the pictures on the wall of celebrities that visited the diner when it was in its heyday and get a feeling for the history.
Eat Oohs and Aahs
A nationally-acclaimed soul food diner that opened in 2003 and is very popular among the late-night crowd. Try the collard greens, sweet yams, potato salad, and mac n' cheese.
Eat Torrie's Restaurant
Like the Florida Avenue Grill, this is another soul food diner that doesn't have the best food, but it is worth a visit for the experience. The steak & egg breakfast, chitlin's, and fried chicken livers rank among the most popular dishes.
Other
Eat BKK Cookshop
A Thai noodle restaurant.
Eat Chaplins' Restaurant & Bar
A 1920s-themed Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar famous for ramen noodles.
Eat El Sol Restaurante
Among the best tacos and Mexican food in DC.
Eat Fainting Goat
Extensive menu with plenty of pictures of goats on the walls!
Eat Supra
Georgian food, including khachapuri.
Eat The Dabney
Michellin-starred Mid-Atlantic food in a former row house. More affordable menu in attached basement lounge
Eat Tiger Fork
Hong Kong/Chinese food.
Splurge
Eat Le Diplomate
Upscale French cuisine with an impressive design to match. High prices but excellent service. A favorite among locals and visitors alike. Despite the large size of the restaurant, you will need reservations during busy times. Consider a midday visit during the week, for a more leisurely experience
Drink
Cafes
Shaw is popular for its non-chain cafes, each with its own unique character, although the vibe is almost always hip and liberal.
Drink Big Bear Café
This hipster café just outside Shaw in the neighborhood of Bloomingdale has a unique vibe - covered in moss and grape vines!
Drink Calabash Tea & Tonic
A large selection of flavorful teas and vegan food.
Drink The Coffee Bar
Opened in 2012, this coffee shop prides itself on the best coffee and knowledgeable baristas. Try the honey badger.
Bars and lounges
Shaw has several very classy bars. These are not the places where you will find cheap beer.
Drink Archipelago
A tropical tiki escape, Archipelago transports visitors to the isles of the South Seas, with its tropical cocktails and an excellent Asian-inspired menu to match. Best experienced during the week or on Sunday as it gets busy along with the rest of U Street on the weekends. Features a rather amusing ode to Tom Selleck and delicious Pina Coladas.
Drink Barcelona Wine Bar
A popular wine, sangria and tapas bar.
Drink Black Jack
An extremely popular bar with a great selection of beers and cocktails.
Drink Cafe Saint-Ex
The contemporary American Bistro upstairs (with good food but spotty service) is complemented by a very popular bar/lounge downstairs, where DJs spin bossa, downtempo, French lounge, 70s funk, etc. DJs usually spin starting at 10PM Tu-Sa, but check the website for details.
Drink ChurchKey (Birch & Barley)
Beer selection is the primary reason to come here, with 50 craft brews on tap and 500 bottles of beer on the wall. It's a really classy, stylish bar, but it's so crowded that you won't be able to sit, much less chat with the friendly and very knowledgeable bartenders (M-W nights are best). Happy hour is busy and a good time to meet people. Downstairs is Birch & Barley, which serves the full beer menu and has excellent contemporary American dinner plates. Since you can reserve a table downstairs, that can be a good bet if you don't want to brave the crowds upstairs.
Drink Cork Wine Bar
A fancy little wine bar that specializes in French and Italian wines, particularly in more offbeat wines, and the food is superb. Try the rosemary chicken liver bruschettas with a shallot marmalade, or perhaps a chili mint roasted eggplant.
Drink Crush Dance Bar
Focused on the LGBT community.
Drink Dacha Beer Garden
A popular Bavarian-style beer garden where you can eat and drink outside on picnic tables when the weather is nice.
Drink Ivy & Coney
A popular sports bar where they root for teams from Chicago and Detroit.
Drink Nellie's Sports Bar
A fun sports bar with a rooftop deck. Features karaoke, trivia night and drag queen brunch, along with several happy hour specials. Especially popular among the gay crowd.
Drink Right Proper Brewing Company
Homemade beers and southern-style food in a very trendy industrial-style space.
Drink The Saloon
A laid-back neighborhood bar with an emphasis on conversation over good beer. One of the few bars in the area that has the music turned down. You will find a wide variety of quality European beers, but you won't find many mass-produced beers such as Bud or Miller.
Drink Solly's Tavern
Somewhat resembling a dive bar, this venue is famous for its weekly Kostume Karaoke on Thursdays, in which costumes are provided for patrons to be less self-conscious when they sing to a drunken crowd.
Drink Spark Social House
LGBT-focused rooftop bar.
Music venues
Live music is common in Shaw, particularly around U St. The 9:30 Club hosts plenty of national acts of all types, drawing varying crowds.
Drink 9:30 Club
Check the calendar as the top shows sell out fast. This standing-room-only 1,200 person venue boasts top-notch lighting and sound systems, and expensive booze. The place is small enough where you are going to have a great view no matter where you are standing.
Drink Black Cat
Hosts indie-rock and underground hip hop. The sound system certainly suffers compared to the 9:30 Club, but the cost is lower, and there's more to do here: in addition to the live music, they have another room for DJs and dancing, one for shooting pool, and another for a vegetarian cafe!
Drink DC9 Nightclub
DC9 is almost always a hit. Live music is the staple at this medium-size, medium-dive club, and includes national and (usually) local acts, usually indie-rock. The clientéle is pretty hipsterish, but not at all judgmental—it's a great place to let loose and get your dance on at the regular dance parties (or the after-show late-night dance parties), regardless of whether you know what you're doing. DC9 has some incredible drink specials on quality brews too.
Nightclubs
The clubbing scene in Shaw is a younger, hipper alternative to grungy Adams Morgan or upscale Dupont Circle but can get very crowded on Fridays and Saturdays.
Drink Flash
The city's leading venue for underground house and techno. Excellent sound system and popular stop for DJs from the Berlin/Ibiza/ London circuit during the European off season. Features a rooftop dance floor.
Drink Pure Lounge
A high-end nightclub and lounge.
Drink Vegas Lounge
A great place to dance to Motown and pop.
Sleep
Most accommodation options in Shaw are in the southwest section of the neighborhood, close to Dupont Circle, the East End, and within walking distance of the National Mall, while other options are further east, close to the convention center. In addition to large hotels, there are a couple small B&B options, although they have much less amenities to offer.
Budget
Hostels
Hotels
Mid-range
Stay Kimpton Banneker Hotel
Boutique hotel with large rooms a short walk from Dupont Circle, with a red theme throughout the hotel. Bar/restaurant located on the premises. 24-hour fitness center. Happy hour of red wine, red beer, and red juice served M-F.
Splurge
Stay Viceroy
This boutique hotel has sort of a Hollywood-retro-pop art thing going on and very international clientèle—a fashionable small hotel in a fashionable location. You'll probably want to dress fashionably to fit in at the lounge. Not a typical "Washingtonian" experience, but D.C. really has little to do with that stereotype anyway.
Stay safe
As in many nightlife-centered neighborhoods of Washington, DC, Shaw has a significant problem with drunken belligerent behavior on weekends, particularly around the bars and the public housing projects.
Avoid walking on dark side streets; even some more well-traveled areas like 9th St and parts of Florida Ave can get a little too quiet after midnight.
Drunken club-goers stumbling out of venues on U St, or concert venues such as the 9:30 Club and Black Cat are often targeted for petty theft. Keep an eye on your belongings, and remember to refocus your alertness upon leaving the club.
Vagrants, while annoying, will usually stop bugging you if you keep up your pace and just give them a polite smile and a "sorry."
Smash-and-grab robberies of parked cars has mostly moved to Northeast DC and less well off areas, but can occur on busy weekends.
Go next
- Dupont Circle and 18th St in Adams Morgan are both within easy walking distance for additional nightlife, bars, and cafes. Near Northeast has more choices as well but is further away.
- If you want to delve further into D.C.'s African-American history, cross the river to Anacostia!
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