• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

washington D.C. - best places/stores to shop?

shoreman1782

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
8,728
Reaction score
6,883
I have no skin in the game so wtf do I know, but it's small-town thinking like this that keeps DC from getting better shops. Someone could do it if they did it right.
 

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,911
Reaction score
9,964
Originally Posted by shoreman1782
IIt seems to me that someone with a decent amount of capital and some vision could still do well here. It would certainly help if they had a crackerjack e-commerce site to back the local store up.
I think this is key. DC has a better contemporary arts scene than you would expect given its reputation as a conservative town. The receptions for art openings I have attended have been mobbed, although generally by 20-somethings who come to look but don't buy the art. So how to these art galleries survive? Diverse customer base. A gallerist from whom I have purchased a few pieces told me that half of his customers are from outside DC, and half of that group is international.
 

Mauro

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
12,957
Reaction score
1,845
It's hard, Pete. I admitt I am not the smartest business person but I thought the product was there and with the department stores having sales all the time and getting mark down money from the vendors it's rough. Rent is high in the area. There are lots of variables. I would like to think someone could make it to and if they do I hope they buy WvG.


Has anyone been to the new BBQ place downtown ( not hillcountry).
 

Mauro

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
12,957
Reaction score
1,845
C- that makes sense because of the influx of tourist and foreign students and policital employees.
 

NameBack

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
2,751
Reaction score
75
Originally Posted by Mauro
Disposable income in this city is high. However, how people spend their money is another story.
I have said this a million times and hold firm to this belief. The majority of DC doesn't give a **** about fashion. They do like status. So cars, big dinner and bar tabs are very common but no one really wants to stand out more than the next guy. No one whats to show up their boss or explain why they spent 400.00 on a pair of pants that weren't Brioni or Ralph. It's not smart career wise to seem you are better than your co-workers, this goes for men and women. Now there are a handful of people that are exceptions ( non-law or politics related) to this rule but there aren't enough to sustain a specialty store like "farinellis".
Lost boys and redeem have better systems were they juggle fashion forward with acceptable.
I don't even want to get on "sale" shoppers.


Sounds like DC just needs a few good tastemakers to change things up a bit. Just wait until I open my targeting/communications consulting firm -- I'll have all the Democratic party hacks in Junya before you know it.
laugh.gif
 

lmaozedong

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
3,482
Reaction score
4,391
would love to hear your guys' food recommendations. i like zaytinya and central among others okay but i haven't had a meal here that really blew me away yet.
 

notwithit

Pullup laureate
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
8,556
Reaction score
6,527
Originally Posted by Mauro
It's hard, Pete. I admitt I am not the smartest business person but I thought the product was there and with the department stores having sales all the time and getting mark down money from the vendors it's rough. Rent is high in the area. There are lots of variables. I would like to think someone could make it to and if they do I hope they buy WvG. Has anyone been to the new BBQ place downtown ( not hillcountry).
I believe what you're trying to say is, "The Rent is Too Damn High". This is an unfortunate reality in DC. While the District undoubtedly punches above its weight class in a number of areas, real estate costs are also borderline ridiculous considering the size of the city. This is a stiff barrier to entry for small, independent businesses, and it makes it harder for them to stay afloat. Those that do exist are almost required to sell what's "safe" because it's that much harder to recoup initial investment costs, much less get to the point of profitability. It stifles innovation and experimentation, because stores don't have time to build up a customer base with new or relatively unknown brands, and it can be too risky to introduce items and styles that won't necessarily sell right away.
Originally Posted by NameBack
Sounds like DC just needs a few good tastemakers to change things up a bit. Just wait until I open my targeting/communications consulting firm -- I'll have all the Democratic party hacks in Junya before you know it.
laugh.gif

This is also (potentially) true...just because DC doesn't have a strong interest in style now doesn't mean that it's at its end state. It seems like dressing well is becoming more of a "thing" in general now that we're moving past the cultural influences of the slovenly Baby Boomers and seeing more influences from Gen-X and the Millenials. DC has trends, too - whether more indigenous, like the rise of Fugazi, et al., or more in tune with the rest of the country, like the recent boom in craft beer - and there's no reason that clothing couldn't be a trend in the future. edit: Jeebus, I just read what I wrote. [/xenox], for reals.
 

Mauro

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
12,957
Reaction score
1,845
^^ I like what you wrote.


As far as food goes DC proper here are a few-

Al Tirimisu - P st ( amazing , little pricey but well worth it)

Granville Moores - H st ( mussels and buffalo)

chinatown express- behind the verizon center where they make the noodles in the wondow. Good soup and dumplings ( 5.95 can't beat it) Ful kee is caddywhack from it and Ful kee is also really good if you get the non-american menu

All the Jose Andres restaurants are good, not great but good.

In Va-

Ray's hellburger 2- clarendon

Pho 75- clarendon

Restaurant Eve- Old town ( i love it there but again pricey)

majestic Grill- Old town


MD-

Ray's the classic ( best porterhouse and price in the city for sure!) - Silver springs

actually there are a few good restaurants in Silver spring.

National habor has the WORST restaurants and over priced food ever.


That's a good list to start with.
 

zerostyle

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
580
Reaction score
5
I am amazed how many incredibly well paid lawyers and politicians in DC dress so poorly.

It's nothing but oversized suits and ugly black $70 shoes.

I do agree that DC seems to be getting trendier, though. In the five years I've lived here, there has been a tremendous influx of new bars and restaurants that are catering to more upscale beers and atmosphere.
 

Lane

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
5,236
Reaction score
784
silver sprung is amazing for eating, least for me
 

NameBack

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
2,751
Reaction score
75
Originally Posted by lmaozedong
would love to hear your guys' food recommendations. i like zaytinya and central among others okay but i haven't had a meal here that really blew me away yet.

I like Zaytinya a lot. I mean, it's been hard for me to find Michelin-star type **** in DC, it seems. Not sure why that is, but at least there's a lot of really good mid-range stuff. Jose Andres does all his stuff better in LA at Bazaar, I think.

I also love Restaurant Eve. Probably the best meal I've had in the DC area. Glazed pork belly, sweetbreads, etc. New American done right. Amazing cheese course.

Found Citronelle to be really disappointing, especially for the price, but the GF took me there for my birthday so I of course acted super enthused. Now she's confused because she knows I'm a huge foodie with a relatively sophisticated palette and she's not, but she still found it underwhelming.
laugh.gif


Other than that, I don't really know much. Jaleo is good for traditional tapas, but not astonishing (again, I think all the dishes at Jaleo that show up at Bazaar are done much better there, especially more subtly).

Cuba Libre is very enjoyable and not very expensive, but best not on a weekend night (the food quality suffers a lot when they're packed, it seems).

Still haven't been to Central, Cork, or a few other places I've been recommended.
 

Frere Taz

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
The W Hotel has the best Parmesan Chicken hands-down. my buddy who was staying there for a month-long work stint called me over to come try it. I drove from Alexandria just for that, and what an experience that was. It's a work of art, taste-wise.
 

notwithit

Pullup laureate
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
8,556
Reaction score
6,527
Originally Posted by Mauro
National habor has the WORST restaurants and over priced food ever.

Ha ha, quoted for truth.

I'm not a foodie or into the fine dining experience, but I can second Chinatown Express for the fresh noodle soup and dumplings, Ray's Hellburger, and Pho 75 (although Philly seriously kicks DC's ass in terms of Vietnamese food, particularly if you consider how much of a pain it is to get to the Eden Center).

Etete (9th just south of U) is probably my favorite Ethiopian place, although the atmosphere is better at Dukem (12th? and U).

Churchkey is unquestionably the ultimate beer Mecca of DC. It's almost intolerably crowded with yuppies during happy hour and on most weekend nights, though.

Also, I forget the name of it, but there's a mom-and-pop Korean take-out place in Mt. Pleasant.

I can't think of the name of the Indian place downtown that has the deep-fried spinach dish - someone else can probably step in here - but it's really good, even if they never make the food spicy enough.
 

NameBack

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
2,751
Reaction score
75
Originally Posted by notwithit
Ha ha, quoted for truth.

I'm not a foodie or into the fine dining experience, but I can second Chinatown Express for the fresh noodle soup and dumplings, Ray's Hellburger, and Pho 75 (although Philly seriously kicks DC's ass in terms of Vietnamese food, particularly if you consider how much of a pain it is to get to the Eden Center).

Etete (9th just south of U) is probably my favorite Ethiopian place, although the atmosphere is better at Dukem (12th? and U).

Churchkey is unquestionably the ultimate beer Mecca of DC. It's almost intolerably crowded with yuppies during happy hour and on most weekend nights, though.

Also, I forget the name of it, but there's a mom-and-pop Korean take-out place in Mt. Pleasant.

I can't think of the name of the Indian place downtown that has the deep-fried spinach dish - someone else can probably step in here - but it's really good, even if they never make the food spicy enough.


oh yeah, Churchkey is a great place to get wasted

For being nothing but craft-beer and high alcohol content, it's surprisingly not horribly overpriced

I love their selection of IPAs. Lagunitas and Belgica wash all my troubles away.
 

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,911
Reaction score
9,964
Any list of top restaurants in the DC area would include Komi, Minibar, Citronelle, Restaurant Eve, 2941, CityZen, and Palena. These places are best enjoyed when someone else is paying.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 45 40.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 44 39.6%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 5 4.5%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 18 16.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 25 22.5%

Forum statistics

Threads
504,427
Messages
10,573,957
Members
223,693
Latest member
Amahash
Top