Favorite Casual D.C. Restaurants?
 

Hi, everyone - we're starting to plan a trip to Washington D.C. and are looking for recommendations on your favorite casual restaurants in the area. Especially looking for ones close to the tourist areas if you know of any. Just looking for good food, doesn't have to be anything fancy. And has anyone been to either of Top Chef Spike's restaurants? I thought it might be fun to try those since we watch the show. Would love any recommendations that you have. We like all kinds of food, so open to just about anything.

Matchbox, Ted's Bulletin, Hill Country

Thanks, longhorn, I'll check these out.

Teaism is good for lunch or snacks-several location. Jaleo's for tapas. Laymen for Mexican, right down the street Jaleo's. Pizza Paradiso for great salads, sandwiches and obviously pizza. Agree with ted's Bulletin and Matchbox.

Jaleo, Zaytinya, Rasike....

If you give us an idea of WHICH tourist areas you plan to visit, we can give MUCH better advice. :-)

Jaleo.

One of my favorite topics. I would happily eat at any of the places mentioned so far.

Spike’s burgers routinely crop up on DC’s best burger list. I ate at the Good Stuff Eatery in Georgetown last summer and will testify to its goodness. Haven’t eaten at either of his other places, Bernaise or We the Pizza.

Another Top Chef alum in DC is Mike Isabella who has 3 excellent restaurants — G, Kapnos (U Street neighborhood) and Graffiato in Penn Quarter. G’s received a lot of buzz recently and does sandwiches by day and 4 course Italian in the evening. Isabella was the exec chef @ the already mentioned Zaytinya.

Two areas with a boatload of good places, most of them casual, are the 14th Street corridor and the U Street/Shaw area. In the former I’d recommend the aforementioned MatchBox, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Birch & Barley, Le Diplomate, Rice (Thai) and B Too (Belgian mussels, chef is another Top Chef guy). In addition to the Isabella places, U Street/Shaw has The Fainting Goat pub, Marvin (chicken & waffles, great rooftop bar), a host of traditional Ethiopian places (Etete, Meskerem, and Dukem among them), and a couple of DC institutions, Ben’s Chili Bowl and the Florida Avenue Grill.

Three others I’d mention as personal favorites are Pho 14 (best Pho in DC proper), 2 Amy’s Pizza (Cathedral Heights) and Ethiopic (NE on H Street) which has a more modern look than the ones mentioned above but is, IMO, the best Ethiopian place in a city with a lot of good Ethiopian food.

DC has a good food truck culture going on. Big cluster is at Farragut Square weekdays but you’ll find them all over the city. There's good street food to be found at the farmers markets: Eastern Market (Sat and Sun) and Dupont Circle (Sunday). Union Market is a bit of an urban walk from the NoMa Metro station but is a very worthwhile collection food stalls and small sit down spots. Open Tuesday through Sunday

You mentioned staying in Old Town. Check out Eamonn’s (fish & chips), the Majestic, Cafe Banh Mi, Hank’s Oyster Bar (also in DC), Brabo Tasting Room, and Killer ESP (coffee, pie and gelato).

Thank you so much everyone for all the great info. so far. I'm going to have fun exploring all of these great suggestions. As far as what we're doing, so far we plan to go to the Museum of American History, the White House if our tickets come through, the Capitol, the Newseum - maybe? I heard this was good, but not sure? Mount Vernon, and a Nationals game. Still early planning so kind of fluid at this point. I appreciate all the help a lot!

Now that we have a grandson who lives in DC (with his parents, who live there, too LOL), we'll be visiting more often, so these suggestions will come in super-handy (although I would not put Rasika in the same category as Ben's Chili Bowl :- )

Newseum is an excellent choice -- ticket admission is good for two days.

I wouldn't put Rasika & BCB in the same category either. And given a choice I'd go with Rasika any day but the question was about casual and BCB fits the criteria. More about the atmosphere there than the food.

Congrats on your grandson, sf!

I'll second (and third) the Newseum. It really is amazing. I have been twice and each time it was a full day. Well worth the $20. I'll also suggest both Air and Space Museums (one behind Dulles is amazing but a huge time investment given the travel out there)

I have to agree with Good Stuff Eatery. I ate at the location just behind the Library of Congress. I am not much of a French fry person but theirs were wonderful. PAUL is also good for lunch. There are a few locations, near the Archives, Metro Center and Georgetown.

Agree that Mike Isabella's places are very good. Also Rasika is not easy to get into and not really casual. Union Market is fun, good food and often some fun activities happening on summer weekends.

If you are into news, don't miss the Newseum.

Thanks, guys, and I will definitely put the Newseum on our to do list. Glad to hear about Mike Isabella's places too. It sounds like D.C. has some amazing restaurants.

Definitely think Good Stuff Eatery would be something my husband would love. Burgers and shakes - what's not to love?!

Hank's Oyster Bar in DuPont Circle area is one of our faves.

I can add a couple of recommendations to the list - in the aforesaid 14th Street corridor - Etto (good pizza and killer cranberry cocktail), and Doi Moi (Thai - I haven't been there myself, but my DH and DS really like it). Also like Indique (Cleveland Park, upscale and somewhat unusual/inventive Indian)

I made these suggestions into a list, for anyone who wants to copy and print it:

Matchbox
Ted's Bulletin
Hill Country
Teaism - lunch or snacks
Jaleo - tapas
Laymen - Mexican
Pizzeria Paradiso
Zatinya
Rasika (upscale Indian)
Spike's Burgers
Good Stuff Eatery
G Kapnos
Graffiato (sandwiches by day, Italian by night)
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
Birch & Barley
Le Diplomate
Rice (Thai)
B Too (Belgian mussels)
The Fainting Goat Pub
Marvin (chicken & waffles, great rooftop bar)
Etete - Ethiopian
Mesherem - Ethiopian
Dukem - Ethiopian
Ben's Chili Bowl
Florida Avenue Grill
Pho 14
Amy's Pizza
Ethiopic (Ethiopian)
Etto
Doi Moi
Indique

Café Ole, 4000 Wisconsin Avenue N.W. Mediterranean food that's good and inexpensive.

5 Guys Burgers

Bookmarking

oops--"Laymen" - Mexican should be Oyamel

FYI - "Mesherem" - Ethiopian It's Meskerem and it may be closing. The owners put the bldg up for sale.

Founding Farmers is about a block from the White House. However, we did have to have reservations for a Saturday brunch.

If you'd like to feel as though you had a meal in Paris during your DC trip, consider Bistrot du Coin at 1738 Connecticut Av NW just up from Dupont Circle. www.bistrotducoin.com/

Good Stuff Eatery made the list of best burgers by state. They seem to like the Obama burger.

https://www.yahoo.com/food/are-these...531678216.html

And if the crowd at Good Stuff is too much, We the Pizza (reputedly Mrs. Obama's favorite pizza in DC) is right next door. Been to both, enjoyed both. Ate too much at both. ;-)

<i>FYI - "Mesherem" - Ethiopian It's Meskerem and it may be closing. The owners put the bldg up for sale.</i>

I hadn't heard this news. While sad, at least understandable if the owners are ready to cash out and retire.

<i>Founding Farmers is about a block from the White House. However, we did have to have reservations for a Saturday brunch.</i>

Founding Farmers has a sister restaurant in Georgetown - Farmers Fishers Bakers which is also well worth a trip. That group has also expanded to Bethesda and Tyson's.

<i>If you'd like to feel as though you had a meal in Paris during your DC trip, consider Bistrot du Coin at 1738 Connecticut Av NW just up from Dupont Circle. www.bistrotducoin.com/</i>

Or Spike's Bearnaise which recently landed one of the Best Of lists.

More than a couple of places mentioned so far here (not the burger joints) require reservations -- either everyday of the week or prime dinner hours Tues-Saturday. Always worth checking ahead of time if you've got your heart set on something.

Yes, read about Meskerem on Popville I believe. Also La Fourchette in AM is up for sale. They are definitely wanting to retire. Not sure of the story with Meskerem.

Maybe Good Stuff for lunch and a pizza to go! That's what my husband would vote for. Do these happen to be close to the Newseum?

They are a little more than a mile apart. As a map would tell you. A pretty nice walk through Capitol Hill to the Mall. And maybe a necessary one if you've just eaten a burger and a pizza.

La Fourchette, too? Yikes - have not been in a while, must get back there before it goes away.

obx - have you been to Bearnaise?

Also, have yet to try Le Diplomate but thinking about it for a dinner with some friends, one of whom strongly dislikes places where the noise level interferes with conversation. Can anyone comment on Le Diplomate in this regard?

Of course, they both need buyers. la Fourchette has an apt above it and not sure if that will help or hinder a sale. Haven't been to LeDiplomate, but have read it's pretty noisy. My new favorite restaurant in DC is Red Hen. Aside from really good food, it's possible to hear conversations.

<i>Haven't been to LeDiplomate, but have read it's pretty noisy. </i>

I concur with that. I've only been early on in the evening and it's bustling loud. A bit more amped up than Bistro du Coin on a busy night. And I agree with you about B du C -- it's a sweet place.

Have not been to Bearnaise -- it's on the list but my heart and cholesterol insist I stagger my pricey rich meals.

Heard great things about Red Hen -- also tough to get a booking?

Anyone here read eater.com for DC? I like it.

"Haven't been to LeDiplomate, but have read it's pretty noisy ... A bit more amped up than Bistro du Coin on a busy night." OMG, in that case, I'm crossing it right of my list! I've never been able to tolerate the noise level even on the sidewalk outside the Bistro du Coin! =-O

Bistro du Coin is horribly noisy. I don't go there because even with shouting you can't converse with the people you are with.

Red Hen is hard to get a reservation with. They do have online reservations but appear to only take a limited number of reservations thru it. I've called both times I went. Once three weeks in advance for a Saturday and the other a few days out for a weeknight, you need to plan way ahead to get in.
I look at eater.com occasionally.

OK, guess Le Diplomate is off the list for this go 'round. Open to suggestions for a place suited to three <strike>old queens</strike> discerning bachelors of a certain age with a bit of a foodie bent who wish to be able to converse over their meal? This will fall on <b><green>St. Patrick Day</green></b> if that matters.

@ Seamus -- are you willing to pay for the privilege? If so, you might consider either La Taverna del Alabardero
http://www.alabardero.com
or Tosca
http://www.toscadc.com

or, for a slightly more affordable (and casual) experience, you might consider Petits Plats
http://www.petitsplats.com

<A bit more amped up than Bistro du Coin on a busy night. >
I always find Bistrot du Coin (which is Belgian, btw) super noisy. Le Diplomat on a weeknight was bustling but not mad. I bet they could find a quieter table, but the problem is that they're always so packed, they may not want to try.

Still, if you want quieter than that, how about DBGB at City Center? Also at City Center (we have friends who live nearby, lol), Del Frisco's is a fancy steak house ( as mall chain, actually) that has that hushed, clubby feeling. And really good food. Kind of pricy, though.

Was there a neighborhood or cuisine preference, Seamus?

I was trying to type "a small chain" about Del Frisco's--sorry!

Agree with kja's suggestions. I'll take a shot too:

<b>Award winners:</b>

Fiola Mare (Gtown river front) Seafood/Italian, very expensive

Vidalia (Downtown nr West End) American Southern, very expensive

West End Bistro - (Ritz Carleton, West End) Originally Eric Ripert’s place, electric menu has not dipped a bit in quality since his departure a couple of years ago, moderate

Rasika West End - Indian, not as bustling as the Penn Quarter place, moderate


<b>Excellent food, more traditional menus:</b>

Le Chaumiere (Gtown) traditional French Bistro, very old school Gerogetown, moderate

Tiramisu - (Dupont Cr) traditional Italian, moderate

Siroc - (Downtown) Mediterranean, moderate


<b>Seamus Takes One for the Team:</b>

Crane and Turtle (Petworth) French/Japanese - It's received tons of buzz and I've been dying to try this place. You could go and do a trip report for the rest of us? :)

Oh boy, what a great list! I adore Rasika.