Adams Morgan has no shortage of cocktail bars and restaurants serving New American fare. So what makes Tail Up Goat so popular with locals? Part of it has to do with this place’s philosophy of doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well.

The one-page menu is fairly straightforward — you’ll find appetizers, sides, pastas, entrees, and desserts — but when you browse through the restaurant’s Yelp reviews you realize that each unique menu item has a loyal following. The crispy salt cod draws rave reviews from some, while others cheer the rabbit sausage or the carrot ravioli, and the kitchen has a reputation for executing all its dishes at a high level. The same holds true for the bartenders, who oversee an impressive wine list and offer an array of signature cocktails. The wait staff strikes a friendly balance between being attentive and inobtrusive, which helped the restaurant earn a Michelin star last year. Reservations are recommended for peak times, but the bar is always open for walk-ins.

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CC-BY-2.0/Flickr jamesfischer