restaurants in DC--around the zoo
 

i will be in DC next month and will be staying at the marriott near the zoo. any suggestions for dinner near there?

Lots of options by the hotel on Conn. Ave. - not sure what your tastes or budget are.

My picks would be:

afghangrill.com

newheightsrestaurant.com

tonosushi.com

mamaayeshas.com‎

The above are all VERY close by the Marriott.

I also suggest you stroll over to Adams Morgan (about a 10 minute walk) and "menu shop" at the gazillion restaurants on 18th St., south of Columbia Rd. If nothing else, it will be a very pleasant walk.

I would also include the Lebanese Taverna on Connecticut. Really good food in a lively setting...

What type of food are you looking for and what price range?

New Heights can be really good or just ok. All of the restaurants in the immediate area which have been mentioned are all ok--not great. They tend to cater to tourists which frequent the couple hotels in the area...Mama Ayesha's being the exception. Cashions in Adams Morgan is good, but by and large AM's restaurant r not particularly great.

I disagree, while the majority of Adams Morgan restaurants fall into the "OK" category (with a few "avoid" thrown in), there are still plenty that are "very good".

Cashion's would also be my first choice (it would also be the most expensive choice...) http://www.cashionseatplace.com/

Here are others in the Adams Morgan neighborhood that rise above their "OK" neighbors:

http://www.perrysadamsmorgan.com/
http://www.cajunexperiencedc.com/
http://www.napoleondc.com/
http://www.oaxacaindc.com/
http://www.regentthai.com/
http://www.lascanterasdc.com/

In the same block as the Marriott:

Excellent, casual French: http://www.petitsplats.com/home.html
Very good Japanese (even if staffed by Chinese!): http://umisushidc.com/
Generally good Japanese (staffed by Thai): http://www.tonosushi.com/
Soups, sandwiches, and other fare; open long hours: http://www.opencitydc.com/
Good, consistent Lebanese food; sometimes very loud: http://www.lebanesetaverna.com
Consistently decent and occasionally very good Italian: http://www.cafeparadisodc.com/
Irish pub with great burgers and other sandwiches: http://www.murphysofdc.com/

I can't recommend New Heights: I've found the seriously overpriced food generally good, but sometimes surprisingly NOT, and I've had truly awful service there - enough so that I only returned because friends wanted to try it. I've given it 3 chances, and I will NOT go back. But others swear by it....

Hope that helps!

bookmarking this for future reference.

Also, try the Woodley Park neighborhood - one stop away on the Metro:
- Ardeo/Bardeo - contemporary American, very lively after-work vibe, also popular for brunch
- Ripple - contemp American, focused on local/seasonal, menu changes daily, lots of wines by the glass and good cheese/charcuterie
- Dino - Italian, run by a chatty American guy (Dean) who is passionate about Italian food and wine (he gets burrata cheese flown in from Italy weekly) - casual atmosphere and again, great wine selection
- Palena - one of DC's top rated on Zagats - run by a former White House chef - also Italian influenced menu - has a more casual & less-expensive cafe next door
-Indique - funky modern Indian
- Nam Viet - good pho, very inexpensive

I believe rmw555 is referring to the Cleveland Park area, not Woodley Park (where the Marriott is).

Yes, CLeveland Park is one stop North of Woodley Park. great restaurants listed by rmw. . note
Palena has both an upscale restaurant and a cafe. Dino's offer some great specials.

I just recently stayed in Woodley Park and dined at some of the places mentioned. The Lebanese Taverna was wonderful but skip the bakleva. I also at at the Woodley Park Grill for lunch. I have seen bad reviews of them here but I have eaten there on 2 other trips to Dc ans have always enjoyed my meal and the service.

One stop over on the Metro is Dupont Circle. There are many restaurants there. Tomatoes on P Street is very good. There was another on Conneticut at 12th that started with a B. The name escapes me. I think it is a chain but the food was wonderful and did not impress me as a chain.

Woodley Park is one stop away from Dupont Circle to the south and Cleveland Park to the north. Lots of eating places of every price and flavor around all three stations.

Gardendiva, did you mean La Tomate at Conn and R? And as for Conn and 12th, that location doesn't exist. If you were near Dupont Circle, the streets would be about 17th to 22nd, and Conn Ave from N to T. I can't think of what "B" restaurant you might be recalling.

B restaurant might be Buca de Beppo on Conn Ave

Kayd, you are correct on La Tomatoe. The place that started with a B is Bertucci's. I am sure that you have the location correct. I was a bit turned around the day I went there. I must of had a bit too much caffeine yesterday.

Yes, Bertucci's is around Conn and N, about 2 blocks south of the circle. It had slipped my mind.