One of D.C.'s Best Puerto Rican Restaurants Is Moving to Park View
Qui Qui, the Shaw staple for mofongo and other spot-on Puerto Rican dishes, will reopen in Park View in mid-August.
Sunday, June 22, was its last day of service in Shaw, where it has operated above the Passenger cocktail bar since 2021. 'Once we find our footing again. I'll let you know,' chef Ismael Mendez told Eater at the time. The next steps happened fast: On Monday, Qui Qui revealed it's moving to a new Northwest neighborhood, taking over the Park View space that formerly housed Tabla (3227 Georgia Avenue NW), a casual offshoot of D.C.'s Georgian standby Supra that closed in March after a five-year run.
Qui Qui chef Ismael Mendez, pictured in Shaw's colorful dining room in 2023. Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Named for Mendez's childhood nickname, Qui Qui 2.0 will be a wildly different setup than the second-story original. The new ground-floor location will get its first patio, with room for 40 outside and 75 inside with a full bar. Roll-up garage doors framing the exterior evoke a breezy, beachy vibe reminiscent of Puerto Rico's coastal capital of San Juan. Light renovations include a pastel-soaked paint job, says Qui Qui, with finishing touches completed this week.
Praised by the Washington Post as a 'Puerto Rican party you don't want to miss,' Qui Qui's best sellers include its pan sobao (bread), morcilla (blood sausage), mofongo with fried and smashed green plantains, chicharrón de pollo, costillas (ribs) slathered in barbecue sauce, and ample use of criollo spice across the menu. Prior to going brick-and-mortar, the restaurant got its start as a Maryland-based catering company before turning into a roving pop-up around D.C.
Meanwhile, Qui Qui's old downstairs neighbor, the Passenger, also closed last month to make way for an American tavern and much-needed makeover (1539 7th Street NW). Per Washingtonian, owner Tom Brown sold his essential cocktail spot to Indian chef and owner Sanjay Mandhaiya (Pappe, Karravaan), who was a longtime Passenger regular. Look for a fall opening.
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