Okay Nomsters, every so often a meal genuinely stops me in my tracks, and my dinner at Marcus DC was one of them. This is chef Marcus Samuelsson’s New American restaurant inside the Morrow Hotel in NoMa (Northeast DC), and the meal was an 11/10, truly unforgettable experience.
Full disclosure, the team kindly hosted us to preview their new 5-course tasting menu, and let me just say, it’s the kind of dinner that’s going to blow some minds. A huge thank you to Chef Anthony Jones, Chef Rachel Sherriffe, and their whole crew for an incredible night. If you’ve been looking for a special-occasion spot in DC that actually earns the splurge, let me put you on! Here’s everything you need to know before you book a table at one of the most talked-about restaurants in the city right now.
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What Makes Marcus DC a Standout Spot in NoMa
Marcus DC isn’t your average hotel restaurant. Marcus Samuelsson (the James Beard winner behind Red Rooster) built the concept around modern American cooking woven through with Black culinary traditions that run from DC all the way to Ethiopia, a nod to his own Ethiopian-Swedish story. The day-to-day kitchen is run by Executive Chef Anthony Jones, who actually grew up in Calvert County right here in Maryland and has since become a James Beard semifinalist and a Top Chef alum, so there’s real hometown pride in the cooking! It’s already racked up serious buzz too: Robb Report named it the single most beautiful new restaurant in America, and Washingtonian put it on their 100 Very Best list. If a tasting-menu splurge is your love language, it sits right alongside DC bucket-list spots like Minibar by Jose Andres.
What to Order at Marcus DC
My visit was the 5-course tasting menu, so rather than fake a dish-by-dish, here’s the lay of the land plus what this kitchen is celebrated for, whether you go tasting menu or a la carte.
The 5-Course Tasting Menu
This is the move if you want the full Marcus DC experience. It’s a multi-course journey built by Chef Jones and pastry chef Rachel Sherriffe, designed around the connection between the guests, the ingredients, and the stories behind the cooking. I won’t spoil the courses, but I’ll say this: it was a genuine 11/10 from start to finish. If you’re marking a birthday, an anniversary, or honestly just a Tuesday you want to feel fancy, this is what you book!
The Signature Plates to Know
If you’d rather go a la carte, there are a few dishes this kitchen is known for. Mel’s Crab Rice is a Maryland-crab fried rice that the Washington Post called one of the best dishes in DC, and it’s an homage to Chef Jones’s Calvert County roots. The Swediopian, a cured-salmon dish, ties straight back to Samuelsson’s Ethiopian and Swedish heritage, and Chuck B’s Roast Chicken (named for go-go legend Chuck Brown) leans into DC’s own food culture with mambo sauce. Even the sides get love, like the blue cornbread with yassa butter!
Save Room for the Pastry Trolley
Dessert here is a whole event: a pastry trolley gets wheeled right up to your table, which is exactly the kind of theatrical touch that makes a fine-dining night memorable. Rachel Sherriffe’s desserts pull in African and Caribbean influences, and that tableside trolley is one of the most talked-about touches at Marcus DC.
Who Is the Chef Behind Marcus DC?
Marcus Samuelsson is the founder and the celebrity name on the door, one of the most decorated chefs in the country. But the person running this kitchen night to night is Executive Chef Anthony Jones, a Maryland native (Calvert County!) who’s earned a James Beard Emerging Chef nod and competed on Top Chef. Pastry is led by Executive Pastry Chef Rachel Sherriffe, whose resume includes Jean-Georges in New York. So when people ask who’s actually cooking at Marcus DC, it’s Jones and Sherriffe bringing Samuelsson’s vision to the plate, and they’re a big reason the food lands the way it does.
The Vibe and Experience
Here’s the thing about the space: it was designed to celebrate the African Diaspora, with commissioned art throughout and a big mural by Baltimore artist Derrick Adams, and that’s a huge part of why Robb Report named it the most beautiful new restaurant in America. That tells you the register: upscale and special-occasion, the kind of room built for a celebration. It’s a splurge, so I’d save it for a real occasion, a date night, an anniversary, or treating out-of-town guests. If omakase is more your speed for a fancy night, my other DC pick is Koryouri Urara in Georgetown.
Good to Know
- Location: 📍 222 M St NE, Washington, DC, inside the Morrow Hotel in NoMa, steps from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station.
- Hours: Monday through Thursday 5PM to 10PM, Friday and Saturday 5PM to 11PM (dinner service).
- Reservations: book through OpenTable. This one’s popular, so plan ahead, especially for weekends.
- The format: you can go a la carte or do the 5-course tasting menu. If it’s a special occasion, the tasting menu’s the way.
- Parking: the Morrow Hotel offers valet, or take Metro to NoMa-Gallaudet and skip the parking hunt entirely.
- Price: this is a splurge spot, with entrees running into the $40s and up, so come ready to treat yourself.
- Good for: date night, anniversaries, celebrations, and impressing out-of-towners.
Is Marcus DC Worth A Visit?
That’s a big, BIG YES. Marcus DC delivered a truly unforgettable meal, a genuine 11/10, and it backs up all the hype with a seriously talented kitchen and an award-winning room. Is it a splurge? For sure. But it’s the kind of splurge that’s actually worth it, the meal you’re still thinking about a week later. For a special night out in DC, this one goes straight onto the shortlist.
Have you guys made it to Marcus DC yet?! If a big-deal dinner is on your list, this is your sign to book it, Nomsters. Save this one for your next celebration, and let me know in the comments what you’d order first!