I had two completely different experiences at Dogōn, both on a Thursday night and both without a reservation--one flawless, the other frustrating. My first experience was incredible from start to finish. I started in the lounge area with a round of drinks and bites, and the wagyu skewers and cocktails were amazing. The music, lighting, decor, and service were all on point. Later, my friend and I moved to the bar, where we enjoyed the Hoe Crab, chargrilled oysters, and branzino--all delicious (though I wasn't a fan of the jollof rice). We ended with the Rum Cake, which was phenomenal. What really made the experience special was the bartender taking time to explain the restaurant's concept, the meaning behind its name, and what inspired it. I left feeling like I had discovered a hidden gem. Unfortunately, my second visit was the complete opposite. I arrived around 7:30 PM and was told the earliest I could be seated was 8:30-9 PM. No problem--I was happy to wait as long as I was seated by 9, considering the restaurant closes at 10 PM. The host walked me to a lounge seat, but it took quite a while for a server to greet me, and I eventually had to flag someone down to order a drink. Once I got my Astronomer cocktail, it was perfect, and I started to relax. Around 8:50 PM, I asked my server if she could check on my bar seat. She returned saying the host told her the bar seat wasn't quite ready. I then went to check in with the same host I originally spoke with, and suddenly, the story changed--now she claimed she never told me the seat would be ready by 9 PM, and instead, the guests at the bar were just getting sat at 9. She even went as far as to say I arrived at 8 PM, which was completely inaccurate. Final Thoughts: If you're going to Dogōn, it seems like reservations are a must. While my first visit was truly exceptional, my second visit was frustrating due to poor communication, long wait times, and disorganization. Instead of waiting any longer, I ended up having dinner at Moonraker instead. I'd love to have the first experience again, but the inconsistency makes me hesitant to return without a reservation. read more

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This was the first time my husband and I dined at the restaurant. The ambiance is stunning and the music playlist provides a very smooth vibe. Our server was very attentive and offered menu recommendations given we were first time diners. Unfortunately, neither of us were pleased with all of our food selections. We enjoyed the oxtail patties, and the salad, however the pork belly wasn't as we expected. There wasn't much flavor and too saucy. The wagyu steak also didn't have much flavor (lacked seasoning), and there was muscle throughout the steak, which made if difficult to enjoy. We didn't let our server know of our experience. Instead we made the decision not to dine at the restaurant again. read more

Big big fan of Tatiana and Chef Kwame overall. So excited to have you back in DC. Atmosphere: swank, velvet, sexy. Perfect for date night, special occasion or friends. Staff: 5/5 excellent - Everyone from host to servers. Daniel had BOMB recommendations. We ordered more b/c of him and we were not disappointed. Service: it's week 3 so there were hiccups (2nd drinks coming at the end of the meal, one small share missing) but didn't ruin the vibe. Drinks: Mango basil smash was beautiful, but the amount of crushed ice muted the flavor a lot. Didn't enjoy. Maybe a block ice instead? RG&T & astronomer: highly recommend Food for our group of 3: Our server helped us match up small shared that complimented entrees. Rather than treating them like "appetizers". Could be a good option for the menu to add "suggested pairings" Oysters: skip, the sauce makes it. Otherwise not great. Cheese too strong. Coco bread: GREAT, shareable -- salted, hint of sweet, diff texture than traditional coco bread tho. Lamb dish: loved, shareable for 2, not 3 -- Hint of sour and creaminess and meat cooked to perfection. Jollof (side): good, but liked better paired with a main rather than alone. Braised greens: great, shareable --- Not too salty or limp. Fully taste the goodness of the greens. (Pairs well w/ branzino) Branzino: loved! Shareable -- perfectly cooked. Flaky. Heads up: if u don't like curry sauce (creamy. Savory w/ Hint of coconut.) , the salt on the fish skin will overwhelm at first. Lobster: great, not shareable --- Tangy, tart slightly sweet. Small portion of meat. Rum cake: loved! Shareable --- Dense like pound cake, w/ firm edges. So much flavor. read more

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Chef Kwame does it again! The newest restaurant from Top Chef alum and celebrity chef, Kwame Onwuachi, is pure perfection. Starting with the decor, the restaurant is gorgeous. I loved the tableware and that it had the glamorous chain curtains that were / are a staple in his other restaurants. For drinks, I had the flower power and it was small but mighty. I only needed one and that's surprising because it's in a tiny glass. For food, I had the Charbroiled Oysters, Lobster Escovitch, BBQ Greens, and the Rum Cake. The Lobster Escovitch was a little too small for the price but still well cooked and seasoned. The BBQ Greens and Rum Cake were also great but there was a standout star dish that had me trying to scrap the plate (really the shell). The Charbroiled Oysters were one of my favorite dishes of this year. I loved everything about the taste from the temperature of them to the sauce that I added on top. I MUST have these whenever I go back. Dōgon is one of the most delicious restaurants I've been to this year and I'm grateful I had the chance to visit. Looking forward to my next trip to DC because this will certainly be my first stop when I'm there. read more

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A delightful experience from this concept by Chef Kwame. My friend made a reservation, and we came on time -- but our table wasn't quite ready, and they asked us to wait about 15 minutes longer. We grabbed some water at the hotel bar and before we knew it our table was indeed ready! The staff kindly took my friend's coat and we got led to our table. What a layout! It feels upscale and glorious, and hearing the afrobeats and R&B just made it all the better throughout! We decided to split several small plates and coco bread (which was FANTASTIC)... Carrot tigua - ended up being the last thing we got. While it was delicious overall, the peanut crustacean stew is definitely an acquired taste -- I didn't love the fishy notes it added. Hoe crab - the first thing and definitely one of the best. a plantain hoe cake?! Come on. Was devastated when both the cakes and crab were gone. Ben's bowl - flavorful, fantastic lamb... and tamarind and chickpea together and among my favorite Caribbean things! Charbroiled oysters - delicious!!! Felt like I was back down in NOLA. The server talked me into getting the rum cake, which I had zero regrets doing. I have never thought top a rum cake with golden berries before, but it really worked! Now, it wasn't extra boozy like black cake, but even so... the flavor, the texture... WOW. Great way to finish a meal. Now mind you, coming here is definitely an investment. But it is totally worth it and they occasionally have events where you can meet the chef. And sometimes, he's just out and about from what I hear. Do yourself a favor and check them out at least once! read more

Everything was a 10000/10 : food, drinks, ambiance, and service! The food literally has me moaning: colossal shrimp, tender lamb, perfectly charbroiled oysters, moist cornbread and cake, flavorful and spicy jollof rice. Topped off with great drinks! Thee best birthday meal! read more

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I went to culinary school. Ordered the cornbread, carrot tigua, bbq greens, cabbage and rum cake. Cornbread was good, a slight crunch on the outside and a soft interior. I was surprised that $15 only gets you two slices, given that $15 gets you an entire basket of coco bread. The cabbage was very good, on the sweeter side, and the charred portion wasnt overpowering at all. I loved the fresh mint in it. I just wish there had been a way for us to eat the rest of the sauce. The carrots description is lacking the spices used on them, it was spicy and a little smoky. It is described on the menu as a stew, however nothing about it was stew-like, it was much more akin to a thick, creamy peanut sauce. I didn't pick up on any "crustacean" flavor. The bbq greens were a let down. It's a very oily, onion/garlic forward and intensely earthy dish, and we didn't find any beef bacon. I wonder if they forgot to add it. Rum cake was fantastic. The whipped cream would be amazing if it were more custardy. The cake is already so light, a heavier cream would give an amazing contrast. The golden berries are very sour. read more

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Service was EXCELLENT. Our server was really really good. The food and in particular oxtail fell waybsirt of expectation. Was in a bit of a hurry and had to pack the rest to go. In consuming at my hotel room, realized that all of the pieces had really fought meat. Not the way oxtail falls off the bone if it jus well cooked and is soft. This had chards of fought pieces as if it were reheated over and over again. Spoleto who I believe was a manager the next day when they called and her lack lustre response left much to be desired. She stated "that's why the chef doesn't do take out" Well this was not take out. I was not able to consume all of the food at my sitting. She went over the cooking process. Great but that does not address the issue that the meat was tough. At our table I was very nice to the staff. I had a piece that was tough but thought nothing of it but did it expect ALL the rest packed to be this way. For the price point this is not the standard I expect. I have had this meal at Dogon before and it was much better than this last time. read more

Dōgon - The rum punch was very good - Caribbean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

4.5 really.. only docked b/c of portion- everything is marketed as shareable but seeing the size of most of the dishes - i don't see how. Even my order of oysters was of 3- how do u split that? Lol But this is literally the only "negative". I lined up at 4:35p and was 3rd in line for walk-in. 8 seats available at the bar. The service was warm and knowledgable of the menu.. the space was inviting and chic. Like Tatiana, Chef Kwame shows off his expertise in flavor pairings.. the oysters were excellent with the red stew sauce. And the lobster escovitch was really nice- the onions and peppers were in the classic escovitch style and lobster cooked perfectly.. served split. Finished with the rum cake which was PERFECTION. Gregory the bartender mentioned he doesnt even like rum cake and this one changed his mind. My cocktail the RG&T was refreshing and spritzy. Cant wait to come back and try more of the menu! Welcome back to DC, Chef!! read more

Dōgon - Caribbean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Visited for an anniversary dinner late reservation at 9:30 pm. Reservations are highly recommended (through Resy). We checked in for reservation at 9:30 pm and the only reason I cannot give a five star review is that we had to wait an additional thirty minutes to be seated for our reservation. We weren't contacted by text that the table was ready and we had to check on our own for seating. The staff was courteous and prompt in service during dining. We were greeted by the team who apologized for the wait, acknowledged our anniversary, and provided us with a starter and a glass of champagne/non alcoholic champagne. Our server Cheyenne was great at explaining the menu, recommendations to order as well as drinks. The food comes out family style to share and best when ordering different plates to share. Every dish we had was amazing. The food was hearty, soulful, and full of flavor. The portion sizes even for the small plates were filling and the staff is great about removing empty plates, glasses, and refilling water glasses, etc. The playlist creates an amazing atmosphere - the restaurant is a top tier location and just feels like Black excellence and the familiarity of home. I definitely would visit again for the food and atmosphere. There is valet parking at the hotel and nearby paid street parking $$$ read more

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Good food came out fast and they honored our reservation at the last minute! Food was really tasty I had fried snapper and my wife had the branzino both dishes where very feeling. My only drawback was the music was loud and overwhelming. Also the tables are kinda close which did not give the intimacy that the restaurant vibes give read more

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If I was rating the food and ambience only, I would have given 5 stars. The food at Dogon is something I will think about long after this trip. I am already sad that this restaurant is nowhere near my hometown, because I know I will crave it. The music was exactly my vibe, a mix of R&B and hip hop that stayed chill and soothing throughout the night. The dining rooms were cozy and there were lots of staff bringing food out in record time. I ordered the coco bread, which was fine, but it did not wow me. What did wow me were the hoe cakes, the softest plantain hoe cakes topped with crab. The crab was seasoned deliciously and came with an additional aji verde sauce that took every bite up a level. The brown stew snapper was another standout. It was crispy, glazed in a well seasoned brown sauce, and topped with cilantro. It came with rice and peas that were tender and well seasoned. The portions are generous, especially the fish, so I was already full when I almost skipped dessert. I am very glad I did not. The Cherries and Cream was the surprise of the night. It arrived as shaved cherry granita laced with frozen spiced cherries and bites of frozen pastry cream. It was refreshing, sweet, lightly spiced, and creamy, a dessert that hit every tastebud and lingered in the best way. The only drawback to the meal was that while my server was nice, she was not polished in her appearance or her attentiveness. She even told the table next to me, when they ordered a second iced tea, are you sure, no free refills and I have to go to the hotel to get it. The support staff was great, and the food came out incredibly quickly, which almost made up for her service, but her service certainly did not match or support the food. I loved seeing so many brown faces among the staff and the crowd itself was mixed. This place is a destination. It is a place to embrace African and Caribbean cuisine and a place where all cultures realize just how goddamn good this food is. read more

Dogon has to be the best restaurant that we have visited in recent memory! First, the service was fantastic! The staff worked as a cohesive team, made you feel comfortable and welcome, and provided great recommendations on dishes. We really appreciated them adjusting the pacing of our order and dishes to accommodate our schedule. Dogon has a great ambiance nestled in the Salamander Hotel. It offers both a more casual lounge for drinks and small plates and a larger restaurant with a full menu of delicious shared plate options. The restaurant is very trendy and modern with dimly lit decor, light music, and many of DC's local power players dining in. The food was full of flavor, creative, and offers unique dishes that I have not experienced at other restaurants in the area. The Afro-Caribbean fusion is a win with a range of flavors. For a table of 4, we ordered 6 small plates and 2 large dishes, which provided a great sampling and plenty to share. The Branzino is a must and should be getting recognition for best dish in DC. The cocktails were delicious. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu and we look forward to our return! read more

Aside from the long wait to be seated the service was exquisite. All of the wait staff made us feel very welcome. The food was very unique. You can see it in my pics. Ambiance was amazing. Very nice lighting. I would definitely go here again. Had the coco bread. That was pretty good. The standout of the night was the branzino. But really everything was pretty good. I'd suggest you go there and try something new. You won't be disappointed. read more

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We enjoyed our dinner tonight the hoe cake and crab. 10 out of 10, the Branzino 10 out of 10. The rum cake outstanding, the rum is super subtle but the cake is moist, rich and delicious. Everything was flavorful. Oh and the cornbread ‍ delicious. The jerk mushrooms were like a 3 out of 10 not our fave. The overall experience food, ambience, and service 10 out of 10. Our waiter Lumile (sp) was amazing , he was helpful and knowledgeable. One of my best waiters to date. read more

Good experience but a bit overrated. I visited Dogon on a Friday night during the week of Christmas 2024 to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. We were in town on vacation and given Chef Kwame's success with his Tatyana restaurant in NYC, I was eager to try Dogon. Making a reservation was quite easy via Resy and I booked it about a month in advance. Upon arrival, we were pleased with the beautiful decor, elegant vibe, and kindness of the staff. We arrived within the 15 minute grace period and were seated promptly. Dogon has a great vibe. The decor is modern with a blend of dark and calm hues, along with an open kitchen. The seating was pretty comfortable and as you dine, you'll be entertained by some great R&B music. We were greeted by our server, Daniel, who did a great job of providing an overview of the restaurant along with recommendations. The menu boasts a fusion of African and Caribbean dishes which is what really intrigued me. My boyfriend and I are Jamaican and he has spent time in Ghana, so we had high expectations. We began the meal with the coco bread. It comes with 5 rolls. They were fresh, hot, and soft, and came with a sort of sweet butter. Nothing like a traditional Caribbean coco bread, but it was tasty. Next up, we had the charbroiled oysters. I'm not a seafood fan but I have experienced charbroiled oysters in New Orleans. These were missing something. There was more parmesan cheese than the mix of garlicky butter that I'm familiar with. For entrees' my boyfriend had the lobster escovitch and I had 'Mom Dukes Shrimp' with a side of rice and peas. The shrimp was tasty. They were prepared well and I enjoyed the sauce, which was like a mild cajun blend. This version had pigeon peas in it. In Jamaica, we would call that "rice and gungo peas", traditional rice and peas for us, uses kidney beans. Of course it varies from island to island, so I'm a bit bias. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this version because the rice was prepared well and it had a tasty infusion of coconut. My boyfriend unfortunately, was not impressed by the lobster escovitch. He had anticipated something traditional but he says it lacked flavor and was a little undercooked. On the other hand, it included a side of roti and the portion was a full lobster which he liked. We did not have drinks or dessert. Overall, a good meal and the presentation was top notch. In terms of service, everyone we encountered was pleasant and welcoming. Daniel, our server, was particularly kind as well as attentive, and he checked on us periodically. The crowd is pretty mature and the dress code seems to vary as we saw folks in casual fits (jeans and sneakers) and others in business casual to slight dress-up attire (blazer/button-up and jeans or dress and heels). In terms of pricing, the menu is on the pricier side but I anticipated that. We spent a total of $165 not including tip. Again, we did not have drinks or dessert. I think the experience was a good value but honestly, I don't think the offerings live up to the hype. The food is good but it isn't great or amazing for the price. Moreover, I don't think it lived up to the reviews I've seen. There is so much talk about the flavors being out of this world and I just did not get that. I feel like I have paid the same at other high end restaurants and felt more blown away to the point that I KNEW I had to find a reason to come back very soon. I don't think I'd return if I were in the area however, I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it out and support a Black-owned business. I think Chef Kwame does a great job of curating a menu that honors Black-American, Caribbean, and African culture in a dignified way. It's a nice spot to visit on a special occasion or to impress someone for a date. If you are looking to make a reservation, do so as soon as possible. I did see a couple snag a walk-in but they were placed at the bar. Better than nothing, I suppose. There is also a lounge area for lighter bites and drinks to indulge in. All-in-all a good experience. read more

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Great addition to the Salamander. Awesome customer service. Nice variety of tastes for my palate. Drinks were satisfying. The ambiance was upscale, but not tight or pretentious. I enjoyed it. Seating is very close. I dined alone and preferred my seat at a high top. Otherwise, I would have felt like a third wheel to fellow patrons. This is luxury dining that you should check out at least once for the culture. Limited street parking; garage parking or ride share recommended. read more

Oh my goodness!!!! What a treat!! I loved everything! The ambiance , the staff, and most importantly the FOOD!!! Delicious! Amazing! A culinary trip to heaven!! Started with the Coco bread which was warm and melt in your mouth . Moved to small plates that were recommended by our lovely server,Lumi. The BEST chargrilled oysters I've had in a restaurant up north! Delicious! Peri Peri salad was so flavorful! Bbq greens.... Wow!! The branzino was such a large portion and full of flavor. Capped the night off with the rum cake. I'm not stuffed and highly satisfied!! Hats off to the chef!! It was an amazing dining experience!! read more

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We went to Dōgon for my friend's birthday. It was inside the Salamander hotel which is always a nice experience as we got to wait for our table in the lobby and take photos. We ordered from both the small plates and large plates section of the menu. The food had unique flavors which I loved, but some plates were a bit salty which I didn't love. My favorite dish were the BBQ Greens and the Branzino which had a sweet and spiced curry flavor. Our waiter was kind and patient as well. I would go again! read more

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Finally visited the highly anticipated Dōgon because getting a resy here took a bit of patience. First off, I did not see any parking garages as my GPS indicated but there is valet. I found street parking in the roundabout which is very limited to maybe 8 spots at most. The vibes at the salamander hotel were classy & elegant with cream accent chairs all over. Entering Dōgon, it's moody and sexy with a dim ambiance. The hostess' were friendly and welcoming. Though we arrived 15 mins prior to our reservation time, we had to wait to be seated at our reservation time. We decided to put all our orders in at once after being seated since we had a late reservation and didn't want to waste time. We also expected them to come out in sequential order so apps (or in this case "small share") followed by entrees ("large share"); they did no such thing, and it seemed almost disorganized. My shrimp and jollof came out almost immediately, along with our hoe crab, which was odd, while my sister's appetizer and entrée didn't arrive for another 30 minutes or so. This was highly irritating because waiting for her food caused mine to get cold. When I brought this to the attention of our waiter, he replied by stating that how things work at Dōgon is that everything is meant to be shared and he said it in a nice nasty way.... Well that's great but if my dinner date is allergic to shellfish but I want shellfish, we can't share it, or how about we simply ordered different things because we wanted it? I told him I needed a new dish because my food was getting cold, and after he asked the kitchen, they decided to remake the dishes so they can be hot and come out with my sister's entree. We ordered the following: Coco bread- 8/10, the bread was light, airy yet dense, and fluffy. Hoe crab- 9.5/10, tasted like they used palm oil in the crab, the plantain pancakes were almost reminiscent of akara (Nigerian bean cake) definitely my favorite dish. Ben's bowl- 8/10, interesting dish, crispy outer layer and tender inner layer, the chickpea curry paired nicely with it but I added pepper sauce which took this to the next level. Pepper sauce- 10/10, saved some of my dishes and they did not skimp on the pepper, I know scotch bonnet & habanero when I taste it, had a good heat. Mom Dukes Shrimp- 7/10, this dish was just okay, the shrimp was overcooked, no succulence. Jollof rice- 4/10, Jesus wept...as a Nigerian I have to be honest, this was just a no...now presentation wise, the dish looked good, the rice was cooked perfectly and it was juicy, but it was flavorless. I tasted no Maggie or salt or pepper in this dish. It was highly disappointing. Chicken & Rice- 5/10, similarly to the jollof, same issues with the rice, as for the chicken, very moist, very tender, and juicy, but was missing real flavor. I also don't think this was worth the $63 dollar price tag considering this is common chicken. I typically don't even eat meat as I mostly eat seafood so this was blasphemous. Ultimately, I think this menu needs to be expanded or some items need to be replaced. I'd like to see a spicy option for certain dishes as the pepper sauce was just not enough. The jollof rice just needs a little more love. The hoe crab is gold, I'd like to see a hoe crab senior because the dish is pretty small and really a tease. Also, a spinach option would be nice, the simpler, the better. Finally I'd love to see more pescatarian options featuring a west African inspired rice and stew/sauce of some sort. Additionally, I do think the service could be improved as they were slow to clear the dirty/empty dishes in between our meals. It was to the point where I was tempted to take the dishes back to the kitchen myself. I would definitely return if I see a new menu item that piques my interest. read more

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The food was not up to expectations for the prices charged. Oxtail was pretty salty, and it was a disappointment. Service was good and bad at the same time. One server serving many tables. The ambiance was good, and the atmosphere was dignified. read more

Meet me at Dōgon! I'm so glad my friend and I decided to dine at Dōgon. We had a 5pm reservation which is the time the restaurant opens. There were several groups waiting in the lobby of the Salamander Hotel where the restaurant entrance is located but it wasn't crowded. We shared the following items: - Cornbread - Piri Piri Salad - Mom Duke's Shrimp - Branzino - Barbecue Greens Everything was delicious! By far, our favorites were the branzino and greens. The shrimp was the last item to arrive so I didn't really have room to fully appreciate it. Based on the food alone, I know we'll most definitely be back. A personal pet peeve is when plates are too large to fit on restaurant tables. Especially where sharing is recommended/the advised way to dine, it's annoying to have to play Tetris every time something arrives. We also didn't have the best experience with our server. She seemed disappointed that we didn't order drinks and was pretty absent after our order was put in. I had a specific drink in mind from a menu I found online that was apparently old. She recommended others but when I opted to stick with water she kind of caught an attitude. Very strange. Otherwise, there were several managers walking the restaurant floor so you can really tell they care about your experience. Can't wait to go back! read more

Ambiance (5/5): low light, simple yet beautiful decor Service (5/5): From entry to exit the service is amazing. Everyone cares so much about your experience and shares so much gratitude for you coming in. Food (4/5): - Cornbread -5/5 - the sweet bread and slightly spicy spread was a hit! - Oysters- 4/5 - so good just a bit too much cheese that over powers the flavor of the oyster - Ben's Bowl - 4/5 - curry sauce was meh. The lamb had a great crunch - Greens- 3/5 - missing something (salt?) but decent - Short Rib -10/5 - melts in your mouth! Steals the show! - Shrimp- 5/5 read more

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20/10 Everything was divine! The Service - Amazing, Food - Out of this world! Flavor Bombs all over the place! Ambiance doesn't disappoint either! I am a foodie and I am impressed! read more

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I have been wanting to try Chef Kwame's restaurant Tatiana in NYC ever since it opened, to no avail. When I heard Dogon was coming to DC I knew I had to get there. The decor and staff were engaging. The engulfing dark and smooth design allowed for focus on the food. Now the food is "upscaled" Caribbean/African "fusion". It reminded me of food from my home that was prettied up for guests. That is not a bad thing! Tried a number of dishes and EVERY ONE HIT, it feels like you could literally not make a bad choice here. I will be back. Still dreaming about it. read more

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Hi Dogon Team, I just wanted to share how incredible my experience has been. It was such a pleasure meeting your owner, Kwame Onwuachi--truly an honor. From the moment I walked in, everything has been exceptional. Your staff, the food, the service--honestly, the best I've ever experienced. And that's not said lightly. I've traveled all over the world--Bali, Jamaica, the Bahamas--and across the U.S. including New York (where I'm from), Miami, LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Laguna Beach, and even Toronto. And still--nothing compares. As someone from New York, where we pride ourselves on having some of the best food and service in the world, I don't say this casually. Dogon has truly set a new standard. For context, Shoto has been my go-to--I've been there almost every weekend. But over the past month, I've found myself choosing Dogon consistently instead. The level of professionalism, attention to detail, and overall experience simply doesn't compare. I also want to take a moment to recognize your exceptional team: Lumi is, without question, the best staff member I've encountered--professional, sharp, incredibly hardworking, and consistently delivering service with such a genuine, good heart. Truly standout. Jesse and Carlos are also favorites of mine--both warm, attentive, and always going above and beyond. Jesse, especially, left a lasting impression on me--despite being in an accident, he still showed up with kindness, care, and excellence. That level of dedication is rare. J at the front always sets the tone the right way--welcoming, attentive, and above and beyond from the moment you walk in. And your manager (I believe her name is Cassandra--apologies if I have that slightly wrong), who shared about her son at a private school, was incredibly kind, thoughtful, and clearly leads with heart. It shows throughout the entire team. You all are doing something very special--this is what true hospitality feels like. Please keep it going. I will absolutely continue to support and bring others with me. Warmly, Brya read more

Ambience 10/10, our server (wish I got his name) was fantastic. I can't explain it but he knew how to explain the dishes really well and just had the best vibe about him. He totally matched the restaurants vibe. We wanted to get everything on the menu but we opted for 3small dishes and 2 large and it shared perfectly for 4ppl. Everything was so delicious. In terms of price it is about $100pp including 1cocktail. Worth it! Def can't to go back. read more

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I started the night off with the hoe crabs and for my entree had the branzino. Both have the Caribbean flavors that I love. Not pictured is the scotch bonnet sauce that I put on almost every bite I ate. It was soooo good. If you do not like heat stay away from the sauce lol. The entree and appetizer were great on their own but the sauce definitely elevated the dishes. The staff was very attentive, welcoming and knowledgeable. We loved the music and the darker ambiance. read more

Dōgon - Caribbean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Make sure you have a reservation before you go because it's packed. Celebrated my best friend's birthday here and we sat by the bar. The food was amazing! Loved the nod to Ethiopian cuisine with the Chicken and rice! The chicken was made with berbere spice - what a fun twist served with jollof rice. It was smoky and delicious. The fish was so flavorful as well. The space was dimly lit and great music played in the background. All around great night! Love Chef Kwame! read more

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Ughhhhhhh. So I'm a HUGE fan of chef Kwane. I've visited his restaurant in NY a ton of times. I love his staff there and the food. I was so excited to see that he was opening a restaurant in DC. So much so that when I found out that I was going to Howard's homecoming I knew I would visit while there. In all fairness, I didn't have a reservation and when I got there at 5:46 pm, they said the wait would be about an hour. I said fine and also said I would be open to sit at the bar. Now the wait begins. I go to the restroom and notice that there are 10 tables and the back bar open - no one seated! I wait in the waiting area and a few minutes later I go to the bathroom again and notice that there are still 10 tables and the back bar still open. I go back to sit in the front waiting area and the hostess walks over to me and gives me a few menus. I tell her I'm from NY and only here for the weekend and that I'm a huge fan of Tatiana. She then says she will try to get me into a table shortly and walks away. About 15 minutes goes by and now I go to the bathroom again. As I walk through the restaurant I notice that there are now 7 open tables and the back bar still open. I go back to my seat and wait another 20 minutes and then go to the bathroom (again). Not to my surprise I see the same 7 open tables and the back bar still open. I go back to the waiting area and wait another 15 minutes. At this point I'm annoyed because I have been waiting an hour and 15 minutes for a table of 1. I'm ready to leave, I walk to the hostess and tell her that I'm leaving. I also tell her that the restaurant has to do a better job at seating and accommodating walk in and note that there are were 7 open tables and the back bar that she could've sat me in. After much back and forth she sits me at one of the empty table. I finally order - it took about 15 minutes for the food to arrive. The food was lack luster - the shrimp was a bit undercooked, the jollof rice was only ok, and the coco bread tasted like a pretzel from Aunt Annie's. Oysters were overpowered with cheese. Prices - overpriced! So disappointing. I prefer his NY restaurant. The food and service is 100x better. read more

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Parking: The gentleman were very very nice, readily available, helped you out the car and give you guidance to enter the restaurant. If you have on heels... pay for parking and a tip. They were beyond kind. We don't experience this often in DC. Arrival/Entrance: Walked in made the left into this very nicely decorated foyer and was greeted. The young lady requested my name and whisked me off to my little table for 2. We sat at the front near the bar. The seating area is a little quaint, as in shared conversation. You can certainly hear what others are talking about. But I may be nosey . Admired the long windows, although they were covered with nice somewhat sheer curtains. Not much of a view from where I was sitting but it was ok. Service: My fellow waiter Daniel was great. The moment he cordially greeted us he stated he read that one in the party was vegetarian and wanted to discuss some of the menu items the vegetarian would enjoy. Sir, you read the notes? He automatically became a winner. I didn't care from that point on. Delivery/presentation: Menu items were a little spaced out. So there were times when I had to wait for my husbands dish to arrive. I can't recall the exact names (sorry) of menu items. I had bbq greens- goodah, charred cabbage removed the bacon, jollof rice, rum punch (delicious) and rum cake, curry shrimp, oysters, and jollof rice. My only complaint because I'm greedy- I needed some more rice, y'all need to stop playing. So again the gentleman bringing the food were excellent but our dishes didn't come together. Everything was very tasty. I'm whispering pricey in a faded voice. However, stepping it up for couples night was a nice choice. I'm glad I stopped by. I wasn't full. My little African dress wasn't tight. But there were some new flavors that my pallet was able to explore. read more

KenScale: 8.25/10 Visit: October 2024 One of the most anticipated restaurant openings in DC this fall was undoubtedly the comeback of chef Kwame Onwuachi. After making his name at the now shuttered Kith/Kin in DC, chef Kwame opened his new venture in New York City, Tatiana, that had received critical acclaim left and right. Sadly, Tatiana had become such an impossible reservation to secure (I tried numerous times when I knew when my wife Jun and I would be visiting NYC, but by the time the reservation window opened on Resy, everything was already gone), so I was very excited that chef Kwame decided to return with a new project inside the swanky Salamander DC hotel. Fortunately, I was able to get a table at Dōgon (it is still very difficult to book), and Jun and I visited early in October. Overall, we had a delicious meal with some really remarkable dishes, with a caveat that eating at Dōgon will not come cheap. Dōgon continues to build upon chef Kwame's culinary vision influenced by Afro-Caribbean culture and drawn from the chef's Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian and Creole background. While our experience with African and Caribbean cuisines is somewhat limited, Jun and I were excited to explore what chef Kwame has to offer since we had never eaten at his restaurant before. One thing that jumped out immediately was the rather hefty price tag. When our server recommended we try corn bread with spiced shiro butter, Jun demurred, not just because she is not a huge fan of corn bread in general but also because of the $15 price tag. I convinced her that we order it anyway, and it was certainly a pretty delicious corn bread but I have to agree that $15 might have been too much. The best part of our meal came in the starter section. Jun and I were very fond of the mix of spicy and sweet flavor coming from carrot tigua with peanut stew influenced by the actual West African tribe named Dōgon. The best dish of the night for me was the crab dish called "Hoe Crab" accompanied by plantain hoe cakes and aji verde sauce. It was not just beautifully plated but had flawless texture of the best crab cake you could possibly eat, with delicate crab meat simmered in garlic butter and creole spices. I just wished that there were more of the meat given the $38 price tag. Moving on to the larger dishes, the weakest item from our order was the Mom Dukes Shrimp served in Frenchman butter. Jun thought the shrimp was slightly undercooked and the flavor from the butter was surprisingly forgettable. The grilled wagyu short rib, on the other hand, was what you would expect from premium beef (with a whopping $110 price tag to show for it). We both thought the short rib was more than solid but thought it reminded us too much of Korean galbi (even the spreads of red stew jam, pickles and greens reminded us of the gochujang paste, lettuce wrap and other vegetable spreads for the Korean counterpart). For dessert, I was very glad that we ordered rum cake and vanilla whip and charred fruit; this simple dish was so addictively delicious that I wouldn't have minded taking another piece home. As mentioned above, getting a reservation at Dōgon requires advance planning and a bit of luck. There is also a bar that welcomes walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis if you strike out on the reservations. The sleek dining room giving Afrofuturism vibe, designed by the same team behind Tatiana and inspired by astrological worldview of the Dōgon tribe, will enhance your dining experience if a fancy night out is what you are looking for. There is a full bar with cocktails with African ingredients and influences; I do think the restaurant could've worked a bit on its wine list given its ambition. Our first meal at Dōgon, while not a slam dunk that I was hoping for, gave us a very favorable impression of chef Kwame's culinary viewpoint. Assuming we can get another reservation in the future, I would like to visit the restaurant again to try other dishes. Chef Kwame is also doing a more exclusive chef's table experience when he is in town (featuring special dishes not available on the regular menu), so I hope to one day be lucky and secure that seating too. Restaurant booking surely involves a lot of work these days! read more

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The food was delicious! My favorites were the coco bread (the butter is so good), ben's bowl (crispy lamb & curry), and the chicken and rice. the berbere chicken and jollof rice were very nicely seasoned and and the chicken was really juicy. Some of the other dishes we ordered and the cherry dessert was just ok - I'd love to come back for a special occasion since it's on the pricier side :) read more

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All I can say is oh my god Dogon... simply impeccable. The service, the care, the ambiance, the music selection, the amazing crafted cocktails, the perfectly presented palatable food, the attention to detail. I am thoroughly impressed. Chef Kwame Onwuachi you've definitely got IT. I've been waiting for you to come back to DC since Kith and Kin closed (which I was super sad about). I'm so happy that you are back. read more

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I was looking forward to this reservation all day. Within the first hour of the meal, I was looking forward to going home. Ambiance - this was arguably the best part of the experience. The restaurant has a nice vibe to it - not too loud, but not stuffy either. It felt like a great place to have a social dinner. Service - While our main server was nice, service on a whole was inconsistent. Depending on who brought out the food (3 different people), we had a different experience each time. One described the food and the sauces and how to eat the dish. Others just dropped off the dish and left. The worst part of the service was the pacing - there were stretches of 15-20 min at a time where we had no food and were wondering when the next serving would come. Food/Concept - The food and concept here left me scratching my head. The team stated that the restaurant leaned into a sharing concept. While the prices reflected larger portions for sharing, the actual dishes were far from that. The "small dishes" were so small that we each had small bites and pretended that we had enough. On to the dishes - the food was overly salty and I found myself drinking water nonstop. None of the flavors were especially inventive and I found everything to be average at best. Price/Value - all of the above would be fine for a mid-tier restaurant. Given the pedigree of the restaurant/chef and the fact that dinner totaled nearly $500, I left beyond disappointed and bordering on angry. This is just my view. From the reviews, clearly some other people seemed to enjoy the food. I'd just recommend that people go in with the right expectations. Unfortunately, this experience has just eliminated Tatiana from my want-to-go list. read more

I really enjoyed my experience at Dogon. The staff is so attentive and explain the menu well. The venue is in the salamander hotel and when you enter you are greeted by a cute hostess stand. The restaurant itself is designed really well. The menu is expected to be shared family style and goes from small to larger portions. For dinner we tried the coco bread and cornbread...head to head matchup the cornbread wins. The butter has a nice spice to it and takes it up a notch. Next we had the ho crab which comes with plantain flavored ho cakes, the plantain flavor is faint to nonexistent but I enjoyed the cakes for what they were. Next we had the lobster escovitch, Branzino, and wagyu. The lobster dish was ok 3/5. The Branzino was delicious 5/5. I did not have the wagyu but my friend said it was amazing so 5/5z For dessert we had the rum cake, which is not the rum cake that I particularly enjoy so I would not get it again. My friend enjoyed it but said the same about not ordering again so 3/5. read more

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I was pleasantly surprised with dinner here for my birthday! My boyfriend knew that I really wanted to try Dogon and he made it happen for a milestone birthday dinner and I was so happy. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and were greeted by two friendly women at the hostess stand. Once inside we were offered a seat steps away from the doorway which honestly was a poor choice and shouldn't be offered to anyone I asked to be seated somewhere else . They accommodated my request. For a special occasion and first time dining at a restaurant like this I wanted the full experience and to immersed in the space. Unfortunately the second seat wasn't much better but I didn't say anything. The menu was comprised of two bread offerings, small Shareables and large shareables . There was also a drink menu with quite a few cocktail offerings and wine. I selected cocktail that was recommended by our waitress and while it wasn't as good as my boyfriend's tequila based choice it was well made. For food we ordered the coco bread, hoe crab, bbq greens and the special of the evening which was oxtail. We were seated next to a table who came right before us and I couldn't help but notice that they got their entire meal before any of our meal came out and I couldn't understand why. It was 9:30 before we got anything and by then I was famished (I'm not a later dinner person). The hoe crab was something really unique, light, fresh crab meat with a crisp top layer served with a plate of small fluffy pancakes and a green sauce. It was delightful. Then everything else came all at once. It would have been nice if it was spaced out. The greens were a miss because well I'll be honest there were no greens ... pieces of bacon and garlic monopolized the bowl but seriously very little to no actual greens. The oxtail was a large portion with three large pieces smothered in many carrots served with a too small bowl of rice and peas ... it's almost as if there should have been two bowls. While the oxtail was good the flavor wasn't there for me ... like I've had better. I expected more and because I expected more and I wanted it to be better, I just couldn't finish the piece I had and I didn't take the leftovers. For dessert I had the rum cake. The cake itself was lovely but I didn't care for the berries and there was way too much vanilla whip but after I scraped all of that off I was able to enjoy the cake. Overall, Dogon was a miss for my birthday dinner but I would possibly try again in the future. read more

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It's inside the salamander resort. I has parking you can get valet. Parking at salamander can be a bit expensive. Also a short walk from the metro. Food was amazing. Coco bread I loved it so much! I didn't even need the butter with it. My table ordered: Coco bread, corn bread, Ben's bowl, BBQ greens, grilled wagyu short rib, and chicken and rice. They were out of oxtails when we visited. All the food was great. Everyone at my table enjoyed all the plates and we all have different best plates. We ordered and shared everything. Dessert ordered rum cake. It was great! The only downfall i had was Birthday cake for my friend they charged for $7, which we had ordered a dessert portion already. When they brought it on their own to the table and sang happy birthday. How is that smaller portion we didn't ask for not complimentary?! I thought why even bring it? It was good though regardless. Just not nice to give people a heads up about a charge they didn't ask for. It should be posted somewhere. We didn't bother to ask for it removed cause everyone and everything was great; especially our waiter with all the dietary restrictions our table had. I would definitely come back. read more

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! The food was spectacular The service was first class And the ambience was classy and sophisticated. I went last night for my birthday and I want to go again before flying back to LA read more

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Good food but tacky business practices so would give it 3 stars unfortunately. I love top chef Kwame and have been to Tatiana (excellent food btw if you're in NYC) but back to the things that caught me off guard and made this dinning experience hit a flat note. Service: We had a reservation and were seated in the back of the restaurant by the bathrooms and the kitchen. We were not seated at the chefs table because Kwame wasn't in town, but two oddly placed bar tops and my feet were just dangling like a child... Anywho our server was extremely busy and we were seated for about 15 minutes before he took our order. A manager notice and chatted us up about the menu and brought us some complimentary bubbly as we were celebrating my birthday. I liked that he had both alcoholic and nonalcoholic options. The tacky/off-putting parts about the service was that our waiter let us know that our table wasn't a priority since he had to also cover a large private party so there were long lags between our courses. Given the lags we did have the expeditor also stop by our table and it was great to hear some of his favorite dishes and experiences with Chef Kwame. Additionally, I don't drink alcohol or enjoy rum cake, but they provided a birthday rum cake and charged $7 for it when it wasn't requested and I did not consume it. It was odd because a runner dropped it off at the table with a candle and we all were confused. Food: overall good flavors and dishes that pay homage to DC. We started with the coco bread, followed by the Hoe Crab and Tuna. Both were flavorful light bites. Then the branzino served with Coconut Mussel Curry, Crispy Okra, and Callaloo. Lastly we had the chicken and rice, while flavorful berbere, we regretted not getting the oxtails recently added to the menu. Both the branzino and chicken and rice had entirely too many green herbs on top. There were more items we wanted to come back and try like the oxtail, carrots, cabbage, but I'm not sure that we will return given the service we received. I will say if you're a fan of the bear and seated in these seats you have a direct view into the kitchen and hear every order and a unison response. Check it out or don't, but remember if it's your birthday and you don't like rum cake then tell them to save their little $7 non-complimentary birthday cake for someone else or atleast give the options of shaved ice. First time for that!! read more

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