DiRoNA, Washington DC

What do iRicchi, Sam & Harry’s and the Oceanaire Seafood Room have in common? In addition to world-class cuisine and landmark status, all three restaurants have passed a stringent inspection by the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA), an independent, non-profit group that motivates restaurants to provide consistently superlative dining experiences.

Established in 1990, DiRoNA sets standards for fine dining above and beyond those applied by other restaurant rating guides. Only DiRoNA conducts anonymous, independent inspections by third-party professionals, not paid staffers or amateur reviewers. The Inspections Program is governed by the Distinguished Dining Advisory Council, (DDAC), an anonymous group of nationally acclaimed food, wine and travel writers. Restaurant inspection results are ratified by the DDAC before any restaurant is invited to join the DiRoNA membership.

And only those restaurant members that pass this detailed inspection are entitled to display the DiRoNA distinction.

In an industry where new, trendy restaurants often appear overnight — and just as quickly disappear-- restaurants that earn the distinction must first prove that they have stood the test of time. To be considered for inclusion, an establishment must demonstrate that it has been in business under the same ownership and dining concept for at least three years.

DiRoNA inspectors visit the restaurants unannounced and evaluate them against a list of attributes, including quality of physical property, environment and décor, quality of cuisine, quality of beverages and service.

estaurants that have earned this prestigious distinction are listed on the DiRoNA Web site and in an annual published Guide to Distinguished Restaurants of North America (Lebhar Friedman).

Consumers who purchase the Guide also receive a Fine Dining Guarantee for every DiRoNA restaurant they visit.