Rooftop Perry's in Washington, D.C.

Perry's: sushi and string lights above the rooftops of Adams Morgan

A neighborhood spot

Perry's occupies an old building on Columbia Road NW, in the heart of Adams Morgan, the cosmopolitan, late-night neighborhood in northwest Washington. The main dining room, upstairs, combines wallpaper patterned with cranes and chrysanthemums, mother-of-pearl pendant lights and a sushi counter. A second flight of stairs leads up to the roof terrace: wooden decking, tables dressed in white linen, lime-green chairs and a red awning, beneath a web of string lights strung from a central mast. The view is a neighborhood one, over brick buildings and neighboring rooftops, but the atmosphere at dusk is what gives the place all its charm.

Inventive Japanese cuisine and drag brunch

The menu pairs classic sushi and maki with Japanese takes on American dishes, work that has earned national and regional accolades. The bar offers wines, Japanese whiskies and a fine selection of sake, plus cocktails at around $14 to $16; a sake club regularly sends selections to its members.

On Sundays, two brunch seatings hosted by drag queens turn the dining room into a party, and on certain Saturdays a Japanese breakfast is served by reservation, with a deposit.

Practical information

Dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 10pm; drag brunch on Sundays, with seatings at 10am and 1pm. Reservations are taken on Resy, including for the terrace, which works in slots of one hour and forty-five minutes and is open during the warmer months; in bad weather, the restaurant tries to move guests indoors but cannot guarantee it. No elevator: the dining room and the roof can be reached only by stairs. A 20% service charge is added to the bill. Woodley Park station (Red Line) is about 850 meters away, Dupont Circle (Red) 1.2 km.