Matthew Koser, hypothermic and shaking, is rescued from atop his car after looking for important papers and heirlooms inside his grandfather’s house after it was flooded by heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey August 29, 2017 in the Bear Creek neighborhood of west Houston, Texas. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)
This post has been updated with new information
While the full extent of devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey is still not known, it’s clear that local organizations in Texas need assistance dealing with the storm and its aftermath. Many District restaurants are donating proceeds to relief efforts in Texas, so if want to help and have a good meal, here’s where you can eat.
D.C. Dines Out for Houston
One of the broadest Harvey relief effort by the restaurant community is the “D.C. Dines Out For Houston” campaign run by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. It happens Thursday, August 31. Eat at a wide range of D.C. restaurants, including Busboys and Poets, Barmini, Beefsteak, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Cork Market and Tasting Room, Buzz Bakeshop, Churchkey, Roofer’s Union, Rustico, and others and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Harvey relief efforts. A full list of participating restaurants can be found here. Organizers are asking participants to tag their meals with #DineOut4Houston to spread the word.
Cuba Libre
801 9th St. NW
Beginning on September 1, this Cuban-inspired eatery is teaming up with Texas-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka to donate $1 from each Tito’s cocktail sold to support storm recovery efforts. Tito’s will match another $1 for a goal of $20,000. Drinks include the Tito’s raspberry mojito and the Blanco Bay, with spiced rum, vodka, Kahlua, and cream.
DC Brau
3178 Bladensburg Rd. NE B
If you have a hankering for a beer this weekend, stop by the DC Brau brewery in Northeast on Saturday, when 100 percent of their tasting proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Harvey relief. DC Brau is also helping organize a group of D.C.’s hospitality industry to raise $25,000 towards the American Red Cross.
Del Frisco’s Grille and Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW and 950 I St. NW
Houston-based Del Frisco’s restaurant group has a goal of donating $1,000,000 to Houston area food banks. Both D.C. locations will donate 20% of sales from Thursday, August 31 through September 4.
José Andrés restaurants and ThinkFoodGroup
Today, August 31, China Chilcano (418 7th St. NW), Oyamel (401 7th St. NW), Zaytinya (701 9th St. NW), and area Jaleo locations will donate 5% of sales to the Red Cross to support the relief effort. On Saturday, September 2, ThinkFoodGroup restaurants will offer a special donation menu item for $100. The group will match the $100 and donate the proceeds to the Word Central Kitchen Chef Network. And again, 5% of sales will also be donated.
Kingfisher
1414 14th St. NW
This neighborhood watering hole is stocking the bar with Texas products like Shiner Bock beer, Austin Eastciders cider, Tito’s vodka, and Deep Eddy vodka. Kingfisher will donate 50% of sales of these items to support hurricane recovery efforts.
Taco Bamba
2190 Pimmit Dr., Falls Church & 164 Maple Ave. W, Vienna
All proceeds from sales of the Ricky Bobby ($4) special—featuring brisket suadero, pickled chiles, serrano chile salsa, and blistered shishitos—will go towards Hurricane Harvey relief. Chef Victor Albisu, a member of World Central Kitchen, is also traveling to Houston to cook for hurricane victims. Albisu isn’t the only local chef headed to Texas to help—Jose Andrés is in the Lone Star State with WCW, too.
Tiger Fork
922 N St. NW
Similarly to Taco Bamba, Tiger Fork is offering a special grilled cobia collar dish on their menu. The restaurant will give 100 percent of proceeds from the sale of this dish to the Hurricane Harvey relief fund by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
Here’s another one for the drinking set. Buy yourself a cocktail at any one of chef Mike Isabella’s many restaurants this weekend, including Arroz, Graffiato, Kapnos, Kapnos Kouzina, Kapnos Taverna, Pepita, Requin, and Yona, and $1 from each will go towards Harvey relief.
The PRG Hospitality group, whose establishments include, LINCOLN, Teddy & The Bully Bar, and Declaration, is also donation a portion of sales this coming Labor Day weekend to the Red Cross in support of their hurricane relief efforts. Donation boxes will also be available at each of these establishments.
From Thursday, August 31 through Thursday, September 14, guests dining at any of the Black Restaurant Group’s many establishments, including Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Black Jack, Tilt Side Bar, amongst others, will be able to make donations directly on their check to be matched by Black’s Family Foundation. The Black Family Foundation will match dollar for dollar donations up to $100,000.
Himitsu
828 Upshur St. NW
Himitsu will be open on Sunday, Sept. 3 and Monday, September 4 for regular dinner service and a “Chicken Sando” lunch pop-up. During that time,100 percent of profits will be donated to local Texas resources The Greater Houston Community Foundation and The United Way. Himitsu will also be donating 10 percent of profits (and will accept open donations) all week leading up to Sunday and Monday to Feeding Texas, a nonprofit that works with state and federal relief efforts and steps in during major disasters to help coordinate food efforts.
