eamc

My husband & I are going to be in Washington DC for the first time Sept 12-16. We will be staying at the Hilton Garden on 14th St NW and doing all the "1st time tourist" activities - Capitol & White House tours, Arlington, monuments, Smithsonian & Holocaust Museums. Even though we will have a car we plan on using the Metro for most of our sightseeing. Can anyone suggest some moderately priced restaurants for dinner? - American, Italian, seafood, steaks, fondue - we dont care much for Asian or Indian food. And places not too far from the Metro stations; I had double knee replacements earlier this year & while I'm doing real good, our sightseeing expeditions will put them to the test I'm sure. We are looking for some dress casual places with good food & drink where we can relax at the end of the day.

EricH

The rooftop bar at the W Hotel (15th and Penn) is a great place to relax with a drink and a view at the end of the day (reservations recommended). The restaurant on the first floor is also quite good (it's a steakhouse but the nonsteak menu items are also very good). The Old Ebbitt is one block up 15 St. and has a pretty broad menu and moderate prices.

sf7307

>>

I agree! The drinks weren't that great, but the view is sensational, and it's a really "comfortable" bar, a lovely way to end the day.

eamc

EricH--Thanks for the recommendations; rooftop bar at W Hotel sounds like our kind of place! Any suggestions for the rest of the city? What about Union Station? Just food court or are there any good restaurants for breakfast or dinner?

MichelleY

Union Station did not impress me as far as dining options.

My daugther, age 11 at the time, an I ended a day of sightseeing at Jaleo (Chinatown/Gallery Place metro). At the time, we didn't know it was owned by a famous chef, Jose Andres, but went in because of the Spanish small plates. Great food and even my picky eater little one loved the calamari!

yestravel

I don't think Union Station has any good restaurants. I guess the food court is okay for food court food.

Jaleo is a good choice as is Oyamel http://www.dino-dc.com/ which is right down the street and also a Jose Andres place. In the same general area is Matchbox which has good pizzas and Italian food. Esp great at brunch. Its also on Capitol Hill http://www.matchboxdc.com/ I love Pizza Paradiso which also has very good salads and sandwiches. There is one in Georgetown (no metro to Georgetown) and one at Dupont Circle. Not right downtown, but in Cleveland Park which is about 10 minutes from downtown on the Redline metro is Dino's http://www.dino-dc.com/; Johnny's Halfshell has good seafood and American style food http://www.johnnyshalfshell.net/about.html

yestravel

I forgot my new favorite restaurant-Ris in the West End
http://www.risdc.com/. Its New American food and their specials are a good deal and the desserts are fabulous! It's not right at a metro stop-u have to walk a short block to Washington Circle, go around the circle and then another block -maybe a .2 0r .3 of a mile and 5 -10 minute walk at the most.

emd3

Potenza (1430 H Street Northwest) for Italian, nearby and moderately priced, gets pretty good reviews. I have been directed to go there by friends but have not been yet.

http://potenzadc.com/

You will not be too far from the Chinatown metro station. I know you don't want chinese, but the area around that station (Penn Quarter) has lots of good reasonable restaurants. Goggle it and you'll see. I like the Irish place, Fado Irish Pub. The entire inside was made in Ireland and put together in the D.C. location. It is a little like something from "the Hobbitt." Jaleo's is close by there also, as someone mentioned above. And there is a Smith and Wolensky's, other tapas restaurants, Rosa MExicana, a Fuddrucker's, etc. Lots of choices.