Grey Spaces, Danny Meyer Open Two D.C. Restaurants
Mashama Bailey, Johno Morisano, and Danny Meyer will open two restaurants inside the JW Marriott Washington, DC.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Dining Out
Grey Spaces is teaming with Danny Meyer's Union Square Events to open two restaurants in Washington, D.C., both housed within the JW Marriott Washington, DC. The first, Diner Bar by the Grey, will open later in 2026.
Why it matters
The partnership brings two new dining concepts to the District's downtown hotel scene, with one restaurant serving all day and another focused on evenings. Both openings extend the Grey Spaces and Union Square Events collaboration to the nation's capital.
Diner Bar by the Grey will have 100 seats and operate all day, moving from breakfast dishes to lunch and then evening bar service. The culinary teams for both restaurants have not yet been named.
The players
Grey Spaces
Grey Spaces is the restaurant group partnering with Union Square Events to develop the two Washington, D.C. restaurants.
Union Square Events
Union Square Events is the hospitality company led by Danny Meyer that is co-developing the two restaurants.
Danny Meyer
Danny Meyer is the restaurateur founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Union Square Events, known for restaurants including Gramercy Tavern and Shake Shack.
The details
Diner Bar by the Grey is designed with rich blue hues, warm woods, brass, and Art Deco touches, with design inspiration drawn partly from Grey Spaces' hometown of Savannah. The Grey on Penn is planned as an evening restaurant set to debut next spring.
Timeline
Diner Bar by the Grey opens at the JW Marriott Washington, DC later in 2026.
The Grey on Penn is scheduled to debut next spring, in 2027.
Industry Dynamics
The D.C. openings extend Danny Meyer's Union Square Events model of running restaurants inside hotels into the nation's capital. Hotel-based dining concepts continue to be a common path for established restaurant groups entering new markets.
Washington diners will gain a new all-day option at the JW Marriott, with breakfast, lunch and bar service under one roof. Evening guests will later have The Grey on Penn as an additional dining choice downtown.
The takeaway
Washington diners planning visits to the downtown JW Marriott should note that Diner Bar by the Grey opens later in 2026 and The Grey on Penn follows next spring. Check opening announcements before planning meals around these new venues.
What happens next
Diner Bar by the Grey opens later in 2026, and The Grey on Penn is set to debut next spring.
Further reading
Explore more Dining Out coverage from Washington.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Robb Report.
