SUCCOTASH

Review! Penn Quarter, Washington D.C. // New American restaurant // sophisticated & romantic

during Christmas time, obvi

the ELEVATOR PITCH

Yes, the name is all caps. But it’s also known by the name “Succotash Prime,” and is a restaurant collaboration between KNEAD Hospitality + Design and Chef Edward Lee¹, a James Beard Award winner. But really the most important thing you need to know is: Chef Edward Lee was a participant in Season 1 of Culinary Class Wars, a South Korean cooking competition show that’s become one of me and my husband’s favorite shows of all time (season 2² to release fall of 2025!!), and this show is the only reason why we found out about and proceeded to dine at Succotash! It truly felt like we were meeting a celebrity in real life.

The menu at Succotash is American Southern colored in with Korean flavors, which is very much Edward Lee’s heritage. The restaurant itself was fancier than I expected—set in a beautifully restored building from 1911³ with a skylight that made me wish I could also experience the restaurant during the day to bask in all of its glory (we were lucky enough to get balcony seating, and I loved every moment). We didn’t get a chance to try a lot of the main supper menu, since the special Culinary Class Wars menu was the main mission, but next time I definitely plan to!

menu items ordered

circa December 2024

honest reviews below 👇

Dirty Fried Chicken: the skin on this!!! Soooo crispy. It reminded me a lot of Korean fried chicken in the crunch, but the breading was a little denser. The sauce was good but actually pretty spicy. I was surprised to find that the Bleu cheese was very artfully paired with the gochujang sauce in a way that I've never experienced before: the Bleu cheese didn't overwhelm at all and actually made my husband appreciate Bleu cheese for the first time! My only critique was that there was a lot of the same flavor, so it got a little monotonous to eat after your second piece of chicken. But also can’t really complain because the portions are GENEROUS. (rating: 9.5/10)

Ribeye Kalbi (with the kimchi and salad included): I loved the sweet & savory classic “kalbi” flavors in this steak. It was the first time I had such a signature Korean flavor in an American-style steak and it was very good! Again, the portions were very generous, and also pretty good with the kimchi, but the gochujang butter could’ve had more kick and presence for me. (rating: 8.5/10)

KY Fried Tofu: I'm sure the actual dish Edward Lee made for the judges was stellar, but the one at the restaurant didn't have a very crispy breading and didn't taste very much like chicken… it felt like a subpar fried tofu to me, which was very disappointing. My husband still decently enjoyed it though! (rating 4.5/10)

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie: all of the flavors were playing so nicely together. The orange whipped cream brought in nostalgia from the days where my parents would always get us chocolate oranges all the time during holiday season. You could taste the chocolate, bourbon, and pecan, all evenly. It was the first time the chocolate didn't overwhelm everything else for me. (rating: 10/10)

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the RÉSUMÉ

address // 915 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

⭐ other locations on website

operations // Monday - Friday, 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM; Saturday, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM; Sunday, 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

⭐ happy hour details on website

logistics // no valet, but there are many parking garages nearby. However, I’d recommend the metro stop that’s one block away if you’re able to walk.

amenities //

• free Wi-Fi at the bar

• private dining options

• gender-neutral bathrooms

• semi-accessible (i.e., lighting is very dim, but they offer wheelchair access & assistance)

vibes // During the day, it feels like an airy-bright afternoon tea spot where Southern belles gather to exchange gossip. In the evenings, the dim and moody lighting gives bougie gentleman’s cigar lounge vibes. But if none of that strikes your fancy, just know it’s enough zhuzh to meet all of your candlelit dinner requirements.

menu // slight variations can be seen between brunch, lunch, and supper menus; kids menu available

• beverages ($3.50 - $10.50): soda, cider, mocktails, etc.

  ⭐ libations ($12.00 - $120.00+): cocktails, spirits, wine, bourbon flights, beer, wine

  ⭐ known for their large bourbon selection!

• starters ($14.00 - $44.00): wings, popcorn shrimp, tuna tartare, deviled eggs, cornbread, fried green tomatoes, etc.

• mains ($16.00 - $145.00): salads, chicken & waffles, shrimp ‘n’ grits, BBQ ribs, cheeseburger, steak (various cuts)

  ⭐ family-style serving option ($60.00/adult, $30/child): order a combination of starter + mains + dessert

  • sides ($5.25 - $11.00): French fries, grits, corn succotash, collards & ham, smashed potatoes, mac ‘n’ cheese

• desserts ($8.00 - $14.00): chocolate bourbon pecan pie, hummingbird cake, banana pudding, ice cream

recs // the Dirty Chicken and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie are so worth an order (I know, I know. It’s ironic that I went for the Culinary Class War menu but came out enjoying items from the main menu more)

site // SUCCOTASH

1. “About.” ChefEdwardLee.com.

2. LeGardye, Quinci. “'Culinary Class Wars' Season 2: Everything We Know.” Marie Claire. (October 15, 2024)

3. “Succotash Prime.” Washington.org.