Albi
The toughest table in Navy Yard, and the room knows it.
1346 4th Street SE, Washington · open Tuesday through Saturday · 5pm to 10pm
Sign in or create a free account to see pricing and book this table. Joining is free — you only pay when we land your reservation.
A Michelin star, on the wrong side of the river.
Albi is Michael Rafidi's open-fire love letter to Palestine, a James Beard Outstanding Chef cooking the most talked-about food in Washington. One Michelin star since 2022, and in 2026 it sat at number six on North America's 50 Best. When the booking window opens, the prime hours are gone in the time it takes to refresh, and what is left is the five o'clock seat nobody wanted. The hearth-lit dining room is small, and demand for it is not.
We do not race the public window. We hold relationships with the room and watch the book for the tables that come back when plans change. Cancellations, held seats, the quiet openings that never reach the public page. We put your name where the host stand already knows it, so the eight o'clock that vanishes for everyone else is the one waiting for you.
How we work this room.
Pay when we get you in.
Your card is authorized when you submit the request. We charge it only when we confirm your table. No confirmation, no charge. Ever.
Authorize, do not captureThe host is expecting you.
You walk in to Albi and the table is yours, held for your party at your time.
Confirmed for your partyOne posted price.
One number, every night, every party size. No auctions, no surge, no Friday markup. Whatever the room is doing, the price does not move. Sign in to see it.
No auctions. No surge.Albi, the FAQ.
How do I get a reservation at Albi?
Name Albi and the night you want. We book it on your account the instant a table opens or a cancellation appears, and you only pay if we actually get it.
Why is Albi so hard to book?
Albi is one of the most in-demand tables in Navy Yard. Prime-time seats are claimed within seconds of release, and many never reach the public at all, so refreshing on your own rarely works.
When do Albi reservations open up?
Albi releases tables on a set schedule, and seats also reappear when other guests cancel. We watch both around the clock and move the instant one opens, so you never have to refresh at midnight.
How much does it cost to book Albi through The Elusive List?
One flat fee, charged only when we confirm your table. No table, no charge. Sign in to see the exact fee for Albi.
Five steps, start to seated.
You ask.
Tell us the night, the time window, the party size. Two minutes on this page. Card on file, not charged.
We confirm the request.
An operator reviews the request, checks the room, and sends a confirmation that we are working it. Usually within thirty minutes.
We work the room.
We reach the floor manager directly, by phone or by text, depending on the night. We make the call.
You are confirmed.
We charge the card and send your confirmation — the time and the name to give the host.
You eat.
Walk into Albi, give your name at the host stand, sit down. The room takes it from there. We do not see you again until the next request.
Modern Palestinian, Washington, Tier II.
Le Diplomate
Dōgon
minibar
Tonight, tomorrow,
or three months out.
We work this restaurant every day. You pay only when we confirm your table.