Lima

Lima is a restaurant and club located at 1401 K Street. It is not really a club that serves food nor is it a restaurant that turns into a club at night – it is actually a fairly balanced establishment that has the best of both worlds. As you can tell (or can’t tell) from the name, there is an infusion of Latin flavor in the venue – mostly evident in the menu.

Cost – $$$

Service – B
The bartenders at Lima are incredibly cool and friendly.  They do a great job making sure everyone is served promptly and punctually.  There are also several cuties standing back and that’s always nice.  The security used to be one of the strengths of Lima.  They were pretty laid-back and friendly.  The last two times I’ve visited however, I have had some run-ins with them.  In conversations with the club’s ownership however, I’ve been assured that these situations are the exception and it is their goal to make sure that everyone feels “welcomed and respected.”

Food – B+
According to Cuban-born, French-trained chef Raynold Mendizabel-Betancourt, “The idea is to get Latin American flavors into everything,” which is pretty evident from a quick glance at the menu. Their ceviche is probably the best in the city.

Decor – A
Lima has a great feel to it. A collaboration of architects Ali Honarkar and Mustafa Ali Nouri of Division One Architects, and graphic designer Paul Miller, has produced one of the best interiors in all of DC. They have managed to create a sense of openness that pervades the upstairs bar/restaurant area and the downstairs lounge. The only gripe I have is that the bathrooms are also part of this them of openness and I don’t like to embarrass others when using the urinal.

Feel – B+
Lima has built a great following in the past several years and become a staple in the DC nightlife scene.  You would be hard pressed to find a venue in DC that draws the same crowd and Lima is a surefire bet for a good night.

Lima is located at 1401 K Street, Northwest.  They can be reached at (202) 789-2800.

What’s the Buzz:

August 8, 2007 – Lima (Chowhound) – went to Lima with a group of 7 people and had an overall pleasant and fun experience, with a couple exceptions. Started off with bread and lime butter. The butter was very tasty and the bread was good/fresh but had a pretty crusty shell which made it hard to eat. Full Article…

Lima Nightclub (DC Bachelor) – In a quest to find a suitable DC hangout, I am willing to try anywhere once. This Saturday it was Lima, a restaurant/lounge/night club that opened last month. At first I thought the name referred to the capital of Peru, but a friendly hostess told me it actually means lime. Full Article…

Lima on Urbanspoon

10 Responses to “Lima”


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