Qui Qui , 3227 Georgia Ave., NW

For Puerto Rican culinary culture in DC, there’s nowhere quite like Qui Qui, the vibrant restaurant where chef-owner Ismael Mendez blends music with island sazón.

But in June, Qui Qui’s second-story windows went dark when its downstairs host, cocktail bar The Passenger, was sold. Two weeks ago, Mendez reopened in a much roomier Park View space (formerly home to Tabla) on Georgia Avenue. He considers the move an upgrade in every way.

“We’re not hidden, we’re not on the second floor,” says Mendez. “Everybody’s got a front row seat to what we’re doing here.”

Besides more seats, the new space has a patio, high ceilings, and handsome wood banquettes. The DC salsa band Orquesta Manplesa played at Qui Qui’s grand reopening in late September, and th

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