"Washington's most characterful Caribbean table: the Prime family's Trinidadian doubles, jerk and roti on H Street NE, a Michelin Bib Gourmand kept current through a fifth-anniversary refit, with one of the city's deepest rum lists."
About Cane
Cane opened on H Street NE in 2019, founded by Trinidadian-American chef Peter Prime with his sister Jeanine Prime. Peter Prime left in February 2022 to open his own Caribbean project, and Jeanine Prime now owns and runs the dining room. It has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand and marked its fifth anniversary in 2024 with a renovation of the H Street space.
The room reads as a neighbourhood Trinidadian table rather than a formal destination. For the wider field see the Washington DC dining guide.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is built around doubles, the Trinidadian street snack of curried chickpeas folded into soft fried bara, which is the dish the room is known for. Around it sit jerk wings, oxtail, fried snapper and rotis, plus a rum programme that is one of the deepest in the city. The cooking is Caribbean home food taken seriously rather than reinvented.
See more of the city's notable tables in the Washington DC guide.
The Room
Cane is a compact, warm room on H Street NE, anchored by a bar that doubles as a rum shop. It suits a couple at a small table or a solo diner at the bar as readily as a casual group, and the mood is convivial rather than hushed. Service is six days a week, and weekend evenings fill, so booking through Resy ahead is wise.
What to Order
Start with the doubles at about 8 dollars, then build through jerk wings, oxtail and fried snapper, or the Trini Chinese chicken bowl at about 17 dollars. Let the bar pour from its rum list to finish. For other options, see the notable tables across Washington DC.
Best for a First Date, Solo Dinner or Birthday
Cane suits a relaxed first date, a solo seat at the rum bar or a warm birthday: a Caribbean room built for conversation rather than ceremony. See more first-date tables and the Washington DC dining guide.
Not for
Not for a hushed tasting-menu evening or a white-tablecloth special occasion: Cane is a lively, casual Trinidadian room built around doubles, rum and shared Caribbean plates, not a formal multi-course destination.
Frequently Asked
Who runs Cane in Washington DC?
Cane was opened in 2019 by Trinidadian-American chef Peter Prime and his sister Jeanine Prime. Peter Prime departed in February 2022 to start his own Caribbean restaurant, and Jeanine Prime now owns and runs the H Street dining room. The kitchen is known for Trinidadian doubles, jerk wings, oxtail and roti, backed by one of the deepest rum lists in the city.
Where is Cane located?
Cane is at 403 H Street NE in Washington DC, on the H Street NE corridor in the city's Northeast quadrant. It is a compact, warm Trinidadian room with a bar that doubles as a rum shop, open six days a week. Weekend evenings fill quickly, so it is worth booking a table through Resy about a week ahead of a visit.
What should I order at Cane?
Start with the doubles, the Trinidadian curried-chickpea snack on soft fried bara that the room is built around, priced at about 8 dollars. From there work through jerk wings, oxtail, fried snapper and roti, or the Trini Chinese chicken bowl at roughly 17 dollars, and let the bar pour from its long rum list to finish the meal.
Does Cane have a Michelin award?
Yes. Cane holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the Washington DC guide, the inspectors' mark for good value cooking, and was recognised in both the 2024 and 2025 selections. It is a casual Trinidadian dining room rather than a starred tasting-menu restaurant, so the experience is built around doubles, shared Caribbean plates and rum rather than a formal multi-course progression.
