Taking my 13 yr old to DC and looking for unique places to eat. Would love to find some place(s) with local history & character (bars / taverns OK). I'm not seeking high end cuisine.

There are a number of Ethiopian restaurants in DC. I don't have any specific recommendations, but I am sure someone else will if you are interested.

Old Ebbit Grill has history.
http://www.ebbitt.com/main/home.cfm?...out_the_Ebbitt

Good Stuff Eatery is good. It is up behind the Capital. Burgers and shakes. Owned by one of the Top Chef contestants, Spike. I cannot think of his last name.

There was a thread on here last fall that had some great places listed.

Here is a copy of my trip report from October:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...hington-dc.cfm

This one is a thread I started before our trip; it's a list of inexpensive DC restaurants.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...nder-in-dc.cfm

Lee Ann

One of DC's many good Ethiopian places is a great idea -- try Etete or Dukem. Both are in the U Street Corridor, easily accessible by metro. Also in that neighborhood is Ben's Chili Bowl -- a DC institution although I think the food tastes better at 1 am than 11 am. Go for the half smoke with chili.

The Tune Inn is a decades old dive bar on a pretty pricey stretch of Pennsylvania Ave on Capitol Hill. Long time hang out for Hill staffers and lower end politico's. I haven't been in years but it was featured on one of those Food Network shows about diners and dives. I guess that could be good or bad news.

For Ethiopian, Dukem is a bit more friendly, and often has traditional Ethiopian dance performances.

In the same U Street area, Coppi's has gourmet pizza and organic Italian, with funky decor all based on the namesake, 1960s bicycling champ Coppi.

In Georgetown, Ching Ching Cha chinese tea house is a unique experience.

For charm and romance, Tabard Inn is gorgeous and quirky.

If you aren't from a city with a large Chinatown, dim sum brunch at Tony Cheng's would be fun (but not that impressive if you are say, from San Francisco- DC's chinatown is tiny and touristy).

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