Situated in the former presidential waiting room at Union Station, B. Smith’s has opulent surroundings, which complement a cuisine called nouvelle soul, upscale Southern and Cajun/Creole. All are fairly accurate descriptions of this luxed-up southern food that goes down easy with every bite. Take the two runaway favorites, Swamp Thang and lemon pepper catfish. The former is a glorious creation of seafood in a mustard cream over greens, while the lemon pepper catfish takes standard Southern ingredients and handles them in an innovative way that keeps 'em coming back for more. All offer generous portions of well-made food. But of course, you’d expect no less from Barbara Smith, a one-woman industry of restaurants, cookbooks, modeling, television and more. Sundays bring a brunch buffet of breakfast favorites and the greatest hits of Sunday dinner.
Reservations suggested. Full bar. Serving lunch Mon–Sat, dinner nightly. Sun brunch buffet 11 am–5 pm.
"If you haven't stopped in for a splendid Southern meal at this colossal Union Station eatery, you've missed one of Capitol Hill's major power-lunch scenes."
— Gayot
Situated in the former presidential waiting room at Union Station, B. Smith’s has opulent surroundings, which complement a cuisine called nouvelle soul, upscale Southern and Cajun/Creole. All are fairly accurate descriptions of this luxed-up southern food that goes down easy with every bite. Take the two runaway favorites, Swamp Thang and lemon pepper catfish. The former is a glorious creation of seafood in a mustard cream over greens, while the lemon pepper catfish takes standard Southern ingredients and handles them in an innovative way that keeps 'em coming back for more. All offer generous portions of well-made food. But of course, you’d expect no less from Barbara Smith, a one-woman industry of restaurants, cookbooks, modeling, television and more. Sundays bring a brunch buffet of breakfast favorites and the greatest hits of Sunday dinner.
Reservations suggested. Full bar. Serving lunch Mon–Sat, dinner nightly. Sun brunch buffet 11 am–5 pm.
"If you haven't stopped in for a splendid Southern meal at this colossal Union Station eatery, you've missed one of Capitol Hill's major power-lunch scenes."
— Gayot