The Royal

The Royal

Damn Good
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The Royal cooks Latin American food in Shaw, and the outside recognition it's picked up says more than any menu description could. A spot on a national recognition list is not something restaurants buy their way into or talk their way onto — it happens when a kitchen is doing something distinct enough to travel beyond its neighborhood.

The city's own guide backed that up, selecting The Royal in its 2025 edition. That's not a showpiece distinction. It's the kind of nod that goes to a restaurant executing its lane with consistency, not chasing a trend for one news cycle.

Two separate bodies of judgment landing on the same restaurant, from different angles, is the strongest kind of confirmation available before you've sat down yourself. The Royal earns its place in Shaw's dining conversation on the strength of that alignment.

The Spot
The Royal operates as two restaurants in one room: a coffee shop and breakfast/lunch spot that gives way to a cocktail bar and kitchen as the day goes on. It's the work of owner Paul Carlson, previously of Lulu's Winegarden, and the kitchen runs off a wood-burning grill for much of the day's cooking.

Morning and midday food leans on arepas and eggs — the Chorizo & Egg Arepa, Calentado with rice, potatoes, peas, egg, and sausage, and an Avocado, Egg & Cheese built on heirloom tomatoes. Lunch adds a Grilled Chicken Sandwich with mojo marinade and the Royal Bowl with cilantro lime rice and black beans. Starters like Crab Masa Beignets with smoked chili shrimp aioli carry into the evening menu. The kitchen also makes its own biscuits, cheese spread, chorizo, and preserves in house.

The restaurant has built a following for its Colombian-leaning cooking and its look, and regulars treat it as a fixture for both coffee runs and evening drinks. Michelin selected The Royal in its 2025 guide.
THE FACTS
Damn Good
AWARDMichelin Guide Selected2025
RATINGS4.5 stars across 1,189 reviews2 sources
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City

Washington DC

Neighborhood

Shaw

Price

$$

Cuisine

Latin American

Chef

Owner

Michelin Selected 2025
Recognition