Best Places to Eat in Washington, DC

One of my biggest challenges when I travel is finding great places to eat. I often resort to Yelp! or other sites to see what I can find. But even then, the options seem overwhelming. During my last visit to Washington, DC, I found some amazingly delicious places to eat. Most are a short walk from The Mall or even the convention center. Here’s my list of best places to eat in Washington, DC.

The restaurants or cafes listed below aren’t in any particular order. Though I will admit that some of the foods I enjoyed at one place were better than food from other places. I’ll describe my personal experience with the food I enjoyed. But just because I did or didn’t like a certain food, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check out the menu to see what interests your taste buds.

Unconventional Diner

I was in Washington, DC, for a work conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. A colleague invited me to eat lunch at the Unconventional Diner, a short two-block walk north of the center. After looking over the menu, I settled on the Caribbean Shrimp and Grits meal. I’m so glad I did. It was so delicious!

They have a variety of options on the menu, including miso salmon, double cheeseburger, French Dip and more. They also have appetizers and shareables that are pretty unique – kale nachos, baked brie, avocado toast, and a few other options. If you want to add a side of mac & cheese or French fries, you can do that, too.

Unconventional Diner is a great place to grab brunch or lunch. They offer a dinner menu as well. So if you’re up for something a little unique – or dare I say unconventional – you should plan to dine here.

ADDRESS: 1207 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
HOURS: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4.5 stars (1600+ reviews)

Farmers and Distillers

The photo of my lunch at Farmers and Distillers is reason enough to make sure you grab a bite here. A glazed donut? Why yes!

I asked the waiter what the restaurant was known for and he recommended the southern fried chicken, which came with some creamy Mac-and-Cheese. But don’t worry, there were some green beans to ensure I got my required daily servings of veggies.

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My colleagues at lunch enjoyed their meal, even though neither of their meals came with a donut. But there are lots of delicious options on the menu at Farmers and Distillers, making it among the best places to eat in Washington, DC.

ADDRESS: 600 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
HOURS: Tues-Thurs, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Mon 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 3.5 stars (2150+ reviews)

The Hamilton

The Hamilton is definitely one of the best places to eat in Washington, DC. You’ll want to get your name on the list early if you want to eat at a normal hour. But since they are open until 2 a.m., then it’s okay to catch a late-night dinner. One of my colleagues and I got lucky with getting a table around 7 p.m. for dinner after a long day working at the conference center.

I was a big fan of the menu options available at The Hamilton. I started my meal with a sushi roll that was delicious. Then I enjoyed my salmon (as pictured above) and wrapped up the experience with a milkshake. I got the milkshake to go because I was tired and wanted to get back to the hotel.

The ambiance at The Hamilton is nice, but can be noisy. There are a lot of people, so we had to talk loud so we could converse. But it wasn’t anything that made me regret dining here.

ADDRESS: 600 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4 stars (2,800+ reviews)

Old Ebbitt Grill

Wanna dine at the oldest saloon in Washington? Then plan to enjoy lunch or dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill, right across the street from the US Treasury Department. It’s one of those places that EVERYONE says you need to eat at when visiting the nation’s capital. And they aren’t wrong. It’s a great venue and the food is great.

One key point about Old Ebbitt Grill – the waiters have class. Our waiter was amazing and took the orders and delivered the food right. How? He didn’t take orders in a circle – he began with the women in the group, then took the men’s order. When the food was delivered, he delivered the ladies’ plates first, then the gentlemen’s plates. That was classy and we all commented on it… and left a great tip for our amazing waiter.

I wasn’t feeling like a large portion of meat, but the waiter did recommend the pork chop. Others in my group got it and loved it. I went with a shrimp pasta dish and loved the flavor. I don’t think you can go wrong with most of the items on the menu. And then there was dessert. Equally delicious! No wonder this is one of the best places to eat in Washington, DC.

ADDRESS: 675 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat-Sun, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4 stars (9,100+ reviews)

Capitol City Brewing Company

The appetizers at Capitol City Brewing Company are on point! We had a large group dinner here and several appetizers were ordered ahead of our meals from the menu. The buffalo wings were amazing! So was the calamari and nachos. In fact, we had ordered so many appetizers and devoured them, that when our actual plates of food came, we were already full.

I ate the muffin and fries that came with my ribs, but I took the ribs to-go so I could enjoy them later at the hotel. I didn’t want to overeat – I do that too often on business trips and it doesn’t feel good.

The ribs did not disappoint. A little microwave time back at the hotel and the meal was a delicious late-night snack. Lots of delicious options – but maybe take it easy on the appetizers so you can enjoy the meal onsite. 😉

ADDRESS: 1100 New York Ave NW #710W, Washington, DC 20005
HOURS: Sun-Thurs, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 3.5 stars (1,155+ reviews)

Paul

Last October, my wife and two of our kids took a trip to France. A friend had recommended we grab some pastries from a café name Paul. When I came across Paul while walking around Washington, DC, I ordered their amazing Pain au Chocolats (chocolate croissant) and an Orangina (it’s like an orange juice/Sprite mixed beverage).

Paul became my breakfast of choice for the rest of my visit to Washington, DC. I kept talking about it to my colleagues and even brought some Pain au Chocolats to one of our meetings so they could taste the delicious French treat. There are several options available at Paul’s, beyond my staple foods.

There are four locations around Washington, DC: Franklin Square (1275 K Street NW, Washington, DC), Farragut North (1000 Connecticut Ave NW), Foggy Bottom (2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW, George Washington University) and Metro Center – Columbia Square (555 13th St NW).

ADDRESS: Various locations in Washington, DC
HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COST: $
YELP SCORE (Metro Center Location): 3 stars (75+ reviews)

Un Je Ne Sais Quoi

Several years ago, while walking to my hotel from the convention center, I saw a small shop with a French name. Un Je Ne Sais Quoi translates to “An I don’t know what”. So I went inside and ordered one of their amazing desserts. The person explained that when they brought their specialty dessert to the United States, people kept saying they liked it, but didn’t know what it was. So that became the name of their little French pastry shop.

The Merveilleux is a high-quality dessert from the north of France made of meringue, whipped cream and ganache. They have different flavors to choose from: dark chocolate, white chocolate, speculoos (like a Belgian cookie), coffee, and a seasonal one. The caveat – they only have these desserts available in the afternoon. I was very disappointed about that when I went there for breakfast and the Merveilleux wasn’t available. I had my heart set on enjoying one yet again.

The pastry shop has a variety of French goods, including Pain au Chocolats. They have dining available inside and outside. It’s a wonderful little place that’s worth visiting. Just visit in the afternoon so you can enjoy a Merveilleux.

ADDRESS: 1361 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20036
HOURS: Tue-Fri, 8-6 p.m.; Sat 8:30-6 p.m.; Sun 9-5 p.m.; Closed on Mondays
COST: $
YELP SCORE: 4.5 stars (800+ reviews)

Shouk

Looking for something a little different? Check out Shouk. It’s a Middle Eastern, vegan restaurant. A colleague and I grabbed lunch from Shouk and weren’t really sure what to pick. We went with a sandwich known as Fried Shouk’n. It’s not chicken – after all, it’s a vegan restaurant. The sandwich came with fried oyster mushrooms, green cabbage, pickles and harissa mayo (or classic mayo).

We grabbed our food to go and returned to the convention center to eat. However, they do have inside and outside dining. We would’ve stayed at the place to eat, but all the tables were full. It’s a popular spot.

Beyond the Fried Shouk’n sandwich, they also have salads and sides. Their menu is pretty unique – but maybe that’s just because I don’t usually eat vegan-style food. The one drawback from this meal was the beverage – but it’s not Shouk’s own concoction. The mango ginger ale I got had too much ginger in it, and it actually ruined my ability to drink a ginger on a flight if my stomach needs some settling. So unless you like unfiltered Bruce Cost ginger ale, maybe select a different drink.

ADDRESS: Mount Vernon Triangle, 655 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (but they have multiple locations)
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4.5 stars (730+ reviews)

Nando’s Peri Peri

Nando’s Peri Peri is a great place to grab a chicken sandwich (though I still prefer Chick-Fil-A). They have six locations scattered throughout the District of Columbia. Four of us enjoyed great food a discussions over this South African style meal. After grabbing a seat and ordering on our phones, our food came in about 10 minutes.

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Once you get your food, that’s when you get to grab the type of sauce you want for your chicken sandwich – and the spice level. Grab a bottle from the bottle bar and try some lemon herb, garlic of hot sauce. The sauces are also great to dip some fries in.

Beyond a chicken sandwich, they do have other chicken items on the menu. chicken legs, skewers, wraps, wings, thighs… and chicken livers (What!?!?!). There are platters for larger groups or smaller meals for kids. Don’t forget a drink or to save room for dessert.

ADDRESS: There are multiple locations in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and Illinois.
HOURS: Hours vary by location, but generally 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4 stars (1,000+ reviews)

Poki DC

I was introduced to Poke Bowls during a trip to Maui a couple years ago with my wife. One of our tour guides told us the ones at Safeway (the loca grocery store) were the best. He was right. But in DC, I decided to try a poke bowl from Poki DC.

If you know the elements of what makes a delicious poke bowl, then this place is for you. I’m not a connoisseur of poke bowls, so I’m not sure what combination of stuff makes it amazing. And there aren’t standard poke bowls on the menu – it’s a “create your own.”

You start by picking your base (rice, noodles, etc.). Then you pick your protein – they have raw (salmon, tuna, spicy tune, etc.) and cooked (chicken, shrimp, squid salad, etc.) options. Finish off by adding toppings, sauces and a crunch.

I asked for some guidance from the person making my bowl, but she didn’t really offer any. So I think my poke bowl was a mediocre combination – but maybe you’ll be able to put the right items together for a delicious poke bowl.

ADDRESS: There are multiple locations throughout DC
HOURS: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
COST: $$
YELP SCORE: 4 stars (750+ reviews)

Summary

One of the best parts about dining in the DC area is the variety of cultural foods you can enjoy. The list above includes Hawaiian, South African, American, French, Asian and many others. But there are some that I didn’t get a chance to enjoy during my trip, but several people made recommendations. My adventures took me north from DC to the College Park area and I enjoyed some El Salvadorian pupusas.

Take a chance. Try something new. Enjoy experiencing the foods and cultures of other places around the world. You won’t regret it – though you may not like everything you taste. But give it a chance.

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