Restaurants in Bethesda

The sounds of sputtering grill tops, clattering utensils, and lively conversation fill the dining room at Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean Grill, earning it praise from the Washington Post in 2010 as "one of the most entertaining barbecues around." The menu brims with both familiar and adventurous meats, including pork belly, beef ribs, and pork neck. Diners select a protein-rich spread and watch as the servers sear their orders on solar-heated tableside grills. Although most of the menus revolve around grilled selections, some also feature stews and octopus- or squid-laden servings of chul pan, which Washingtonian magazine called "Korea's answer to Spain's paella." Three of the locations in Ellicott City, Centreville, and Annandale remain open 24 hours a day, six days a week, catering to the late-night crowds.

As customers might guess from looking at the wooden sitars and paintings of musicians hanging on the walls, raaga means "sweet melody." In the kitchen, chefs blend spices to create their own complex harmonies of northern Indian flavors. Clay ovens roast tandoori chicken along with shrimp and salmon fillets marinated in spices. Sixteen vegetarian specialties, including croquettes stuffed with raisins, cashews, and housemade cottage cheese, wait to be sopped up with nine different Indian breads and a selection of napkins. For dessert, servers deliver dishes of the signature mango kulfi, an ice cream flavored with mango and cardamom.

Each day at Fenton Cafe, Meaza Gabru swirls thin layers of batter on crepe makers in her open kitchen, creating delicate shells for sweet and savory fillings. She stuffs more than 40 different crepes with ingredients ranging from chocolaty nutella and fresh fruit to smoked turkey, cheese, and egg. In fact, her selection of crepes is so overwhelming that the The Voice recommended that locals visit weekly "until the entire menu has been devoured." Bold coffees and espresso drinks accompany Meaza's signature treats, which diners can savor on the outdoor patio or while sending a breakup text to their pancakes.

Blending culinary inspiration from French and American cuisine, Nage's executive chefs craft seafood dishes infused with local ingredients and bistro-style flair. Cooks enhance the American classic mac ‘n’ cheese with chunks of lobster, a three-cheese mornay sauce, and english peas to create one of their most popular dishes. To avoid long waits for tables, Nage recommends patrons make dinner reservations.

Inside a crisp black-and-grey interior relieved by bright yellow flourishes, Eat & Joy’s staff serves food from a menu that combines pizzeria fare with casual Middle-Eastern dishes. Beside calzones and pasta, the kitchen team tosses pizza dough before decorating it with toppings such as chicken, artichokes, and spicy red pepper sauce. Tender slices of kebab—whether made from beef or lamb and veal—fill plates and warm up pita pockets like beef kebabs warming up blue jean pockets. The eatery’s two specialties combine in a kebab pizza, topped with gyro meat and feta, and Turkish-style pizzas that host spicy sausage or chopped veggies.