El Presidente, a brand-new restaurant in the Union Market area in Washington DC, embraces maximalism. Helmed by James Beard Award winner Stephen Starr, this sprawling 6,000-square-foot eatery in the Union Market District draws inspiration from a Mexico City social club.
The establishment features three distinct dining areas, each with unique aesthetic approaches. A 60-seat outdoor patio provides year-round entertainment space.
Artist Annelisa Leinbach created a dramatic 33-foot mountainscape mural that wraps around scarlet velvet seating, resembling an expansive cinematic screen. The bar serves as the central focal point, employing red and pistachio tones combined with a Silver Hill Arts diorama displaying tropical vistas that evoke both underwater and overhead perspectives.
