President Donald Trump says he was honoured that Hillary Clinton, his rival in the White House race, attended the inaugural lunch.
The bipartisan crowd of lawmakers and other dignitaries gave Clinton a standing ovation after Trump asked her to rise.
Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, sat with members of Trump's family at the event.
Trump ended by saying he has "a lot of respect for those two people."
Earlier, at the traditional luncheon at the Capitol, Trump and Hillary Clinton shook hands.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Former President Jimmy Carter also attended the luncheon.
Also attending are members of Congress, Supreme Court justices and some of Trump's Cabinet picks.
The menu features three courses and includes Maine lobster, Virginia beef and shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico.
Trump hasn't always been so cordial towards the Clintons.
During the campaign, he repeatedly said Hillary Clinton deserved to be in jail because of her private email server issues.
And he invited women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault to sit in the audience of one of the presidential debates.
