An Oyster-Bar Week for Going Solo in Washington

Start alone at Old Ebbitt Grill, where the raw bar supplies a useful baseline before the week's more particular detours. I would ask which oysters are on today before ordering anything larger. The Victorian woodwork gives the photograph some context. For anyone deciding where to eat in Washington, this is a sensible first comparison, not a promise of a short queue.

One raw-bar stop was not enough, apparently.

At P.J. Clarke’s DC, I would follow Monday's oysters with a seafood order before a martini, then consider the broader American menu. This suits the solo eater who likes a bar with a point, rather than a line with a publicist. Ask what is available before making the burger your entire plan. The setting can frame the photograph.

By Wednesday, the comparison shifts from shells to sushi. KAZ Sushi Bistro's freestyle Japanese cooking and cold and hot small plates suit a solo diner who wants technique rather than another crowded launch. I would begin with a cold small plate and ask about the tasting menu before adding rolls. Keep the photograph about the presentation; the order should still make sense after posting.

Thursday is the splurge: Bobby Van's Grill first, then Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab. Steakhouse polish leads into chilled stone crab with mustard sauce. I would ask about seafood before committing to steak. Solo hunters can use the short walk toward 15th Street as a pause between menus, not an instruction to order two dinners. The shellfish makes the better subject.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace earns Friday through its rotating oysters, not a manufactured countdown. After the steakhouse detour, I would start with the current oyster selection before looking at the Gulf Coast dishes or po'boys. This is the lively option for a solo eater with enough social battery left to notice the room. Ask which oysters are available; photograph the shells, not somebody else's evening.

The sushi detour gets more deliberate at Sushi Taro, whose Edomae approach and chef-led menus reward a narrower plan. For a solo diner collecting technique rather than opening-night anecdotes, I would ask how Counter Taro differs from regular dining before choosing. Check current service and availability directly rather than assuming a counter seat. A careful meal is enough of a story. It need not become a race.

Finish in Shaw at The Grace, where oysters and loaded crab fries give the week a less ceremonial ending. I would put oysters ahead of the larger dishes, then decide whether a cocktail and crab fries are the whole plan. This suits a solo eater who wants conversation nearby, not a compulsory introduction. Ask about downstairs seating; downstairs is first-come, first-served.