Eating in DC

I found this blog about ethnic food in DC. It seems like this guy has eaten at every ethnic restaurant in DC and beyond. Pretty good descriptions of what to expect. If you're a foodie, I'd recommend looking for ideas here. Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide Edit: after some digging, I found out that this Tyler Cowen guy is a Professor of Economics at George Mason. Who knew... Edit 2: following the blog's recommendation, I ordered from Thai X-ing tonight because I read that the place is very small and there might be a long wait. In any case, the order took about an hour to arrive. The food was a bit heavy on the veggie side and not meat, but that was okay with me. It smelled wonderful when I picked it up. Man, the first bite told me that this restaurant is something special! What flavors! This has to be in my top 5 Thai restaurants that I've ever eaten, and I've eaten at a few good ones. I've eaten at two other DC Thai restaurants, and one being Penang; Thai X-ing blows them both out of the water. If this guy decides to scale up, I have no question that he'd instantly become a top Thai restaurant in DC.

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

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We're leaving DC at the end of next week. Anything that is a must before we leave?
Ben's Chili Bowl is the only must, just because it's a DC institution. Amsterdam Falafel (Adams Morgan) and Julia's Empanadas (Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle) are worth a visit if you have time. And Sushi Taro if you haven't been yet.

Originally Posted by ghulkhan

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Foggy Bottom area generally sucks for food. I wouldnt waste my time at Froggy Bottom Pub, Panda Cafe, Thai Place, and Mehreen as all the food isnt all that great and the serive sucks and they hav eall been shut down.

Past the white house there is this sea food place called Old Ebbits and it is really good. About 20-30 dollars for a meal but after 11 pm every night its happy hour and the raw bar is half price. They have really good jumbo cocktail shrimp and losbster at half the price. 1.25 and 15 dollars respectively. The oysters and clams are also half price.

Fogo De Chao is a Brazizlian Guacho style resteraunt. Its all you can eat. The servers come around with different cuts of meat. I know its all you can eat but this is not a cheap resteraunt with bad self service. The service is extremely good. Much better then anywhere else in DC and Ive been to a lot of places. Its 50 for dinner and 30 for lunch. I would go for lunch at least once. Get the Gauarana soda but its 3.50 a can but so is the rest of their soda...

If you want Indian food I would not listen to most people when they mention Taj or Bombay Grill or some crap because those places arent that great in my opinion. Rasika is a really good Indian resteraunt and is about 20-25 a person. Look up the address

Georgetown:
Clydes is decent and not bad. 10-15 bucks and a lot of tourists like it but you should go there at least once. Its on M street

Bangkok Joes near the water front on K street is really good for Thai food. Dont waste yoru time at any of the other resteraunts on the water front because they are overpriced and suck. This place is good food and service for 15 bucks.

Filamena is really good but a bit expensive (30-40 for dinner) Prices arent bad for lunch though and I would go there. Its on Winsconsin Ave. Italian Food

On M street (near Penn Ave where it turns in M) is Cafe Tu-O-Tu. It has really good sandwhiches and food for less then 8 bucks...

I would also go to Moby Dick for some Persian Kebobs (around ten dollars) It is right off M street and really good. ****** location and look slike a **** hole but its good....there also a location in Dupont but id rather jsut go to this one....

Cafe La Rouche is down the street from Moby Dick. Good food for about 30 dollars. French

Dolcezzz has decent gelato and good cafe latte up Winsconsin Ave.

Thomas Sweet on Winsconsin- A lot of poeple like it. i think the locations in Princeton and New Brunswick NJ are much better and this one is overrated but you might like it. It has homemade ice cream and sweet stuff....

On Prospect street of Winsconsin ( block up from M street on Winsconsin) ---

All right next to eacother---
Peacock cafe-- a lot of poeple likt it but I dont. American food..decent setting aroudn 20-30 bucks a person

Bangkok Bistro- Good food and good service( 20 bucks)

Cafe Milano- Good italian and a bit expensive (30-40)



Really far up Winsconsin (youll need a taxi but you should try this) Really good and famous Neopleation pizza place (they follow some law in italy to make the pizza)
Its called 2 Amy's and is the best pizza place in DC or a 100 mile radius probably
15 bucks a person

Five guys isnt too bad for burgers (7 bucks) Its on Winsconsin Ave. Its probably the best in DC besides Bens Chili Bowl

I dont like Old Glory for burgers or BBQ but a lot of poeple like it for the BBQ and its on M street... 20 bucks a person


Kinkeads is expensive but good. Its on GWs campus on Foggy Bottom. Youll find it and its about 50 a person. possibly the best resteraunt in DC....

On U street:
Bens Chili Bowl. Its got great chili, its pretty famous, and awesome chili dogs and burgers. Ten bucks. I get the chili cheese dog and chili cheese fries whenever i go...

Love Cafe--really overrated but maybe u want to try it.....


Busboys and Poet-- decent food and nice place to relax....15 bucks a person (14 and U street)



Arcadania is also a good cajun food resteraunt in DC. Look up the address. Ive been there once and I loved it (25 bucks )


Overall the must try at least once places id have to say are:

Fogo De Chao
2 Amy's Pizza
Old Ebbits during happy hour
Bens Chili Bowl
Kinkeads
Moby Dicks

if you want to order:
Dominios is always 8 bucks for students. Just tell them you are one and since your living on GW campus ull be fine but theyll add on some heavy delivery charge for abotu 2 dollars so its really just a rip off

Manny and Olgas pizza sucks. They take two hours to deliver 80 percen tof the time. Their pizza is only good tuesdays though and its like 7 bucks. Mention crazy tuesdays otherwise never order from them EVER

Pizza Movers has good pizza and cheesesteaks

Quick Pita has good middle eastern pitas and sandwhcihes (abou 4-5 dollars each)

go to: http://www.dcmenus.com
for all places that delvier to Foggy bottom and the menus....



I second those suggestions-- also I will add Hook in G-town is great...

Anyone tried Proof at 8th and G? Everytime I try to go, the first available table is at 10:00 pm and everytime and I can't seem to get a reservation at a decent time either.

Originally Posted by scnupe7

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Anyone tried Proof at 8th and G? Everytime I try to go, the first available table is at 10:00 pm and everytime and I can't seem to get a reservation at a decent time either.

I thought the food at Proof was quite good, although not as good as Hooks.

I had the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare.

Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont is #1 in my books for seafood. Best lobster bisque ever.

I had dinner at Hook in Gtown this past Saturday night. Excellent. I thought the service was very good too. Very knowledgeable server, appropriately attentive too. A great addition to the DC restaurant "scene."

Hmm...I am going to have to try Ben's Chili Bowl again because I thought it was pretty bland the first time I tried it.

A bit of thread resurrection, as it came in very handy this past weekend.

Went to DC on Saturday. After reading this thread, I bookmarked a few places in my Garmin Nuvi, including Matchbox pizza (near Chinatown). Gotta say it was some really good pizza -- I opted for the spicy sausage pizza. I sat at the bar as there were quite a few people waiting for tables. Service was excellent -- my drink wasn't empty for more than a few seconds before it was refilled.

So thanks for the recommendations for Matchbox; next time I'm down there I'll have to try Moby Dick.

NB of course, I stopped in at Denimbar (Arlington) and picked up a few things.

how many people are around china town?

matchbox's burgers and onion straws are the absolute best, we go for lunch every now and then, and get a pizza and sliders and split it all

Originally Posted by Jodum5

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Wok & Roll - in Chinatown, a bit dingy but have $.99 Sushi Happy hour and good food (and I like the name)
OMG! Strongest cheap drinks in the city! $5 Mai Tai made with 151 can't be beat. You can smell it from across the table! The Sushi is good too; the salt, fat and carbs should help keep you standing.

woknrolls happy hour is solid, but lunch there is :barf: the smell there i can not stand.

Originally Posted by pauliodotnet

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woknrolls happy hour is solid, but lunch there is :barf: the smell there i can not stand.

Oh yeah, and there is way better/cheaper Chinese food around there, like right next door (it's a basement restaurant) is a great Chinese restaurant that is pretty authentic. If you're not too familiar with real Chinese food, you will need to ask what is what there. They're also open all night.

Matchbox is OK once in awhile, but their no reservations policy can be annoying. Their pizza/sliders are good, but not worth a one-hour wait. In their defense, since they expanded I haven't had to wait that long--it's just good to have a backup plan if you plan to eat there. Ella's pizza is pretty good--it's just a few blocks away and I've never waited there.

I promised whodini I'd make some recommendations but my previous post in this thread pretty much stands. Updates in bold.

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

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Bistro du Coin is a little disney-fied, but the food is good to great and it's almost always hoppin. Good wine specials sometimes, reasonably priced kronenbourg, and yes, the moules frites are not to be missed. Went last weekend, still the same, still good. Hanger steak is my preferred meal there now.

If you like beer, check out downstairs at Pizzeria Paradiso in georgetown. Great draft beer selection. Pizza is great, too. You often have to wait, esp. on nice weekends. Matchbox near the Verizon center is also good for pizza.

For cheap eats, I'd add Dukem and Etete (sp?), ethiopian joints up by the U St./Cardozo metro stop. While you're in that area, Simply Home is a neat space and alright for Thai-ish food (note, prices have gone up a little here and the food may actually be a little worse), Cafe St. Ex and Bar Pilar for good food and Viking Beer (St. Ex was really scene-y for awhile, but I think it's calmed down). See below; has NOT calmed down.

If you want to nerd out, donrockwell.com is a message board for DC food types. washingtonpost.com's city guide is pretty useful, as well.

If you want bar and music recs, hit us up; there's a lot of DC peeps on styleforum.


A quick skim of the thread I'd also recommend:

Teaism for generally quiet, inexpensive food and good tea and cookies. The dupont location is a little nicer, as someone mentioned, but a salmon bento and a cup of tea is my favorite post-museum meal.
Ray's the Steaks in Arlington for no frills steaks.
Red Derby in Columbia Heights for a great selection of canned beer and basic bar food.
Dino in Cleveland Park for good italian and a lot of wine--great specials for the thrifty.
Quarry House in Silver Spring for divey atmosphere, good beer selection and bar food--great house-made potato chips and dill dip.
I revoke my recommendations for St Ex and Bar Pilar. Every time I've been in that area recently both have been too crowded for me. I haven't tried Pilar's menu since they changed it forever ago, so the food may be good.

Has anyone tried the food at Marvin yet? I've been meaning to try there and the Belgian-ish place on H St, I think it's like Dr. McGillicuddy's Infamous Feedbag or something?

does anyone know any authentic Russian Cuisines as opposed to Russian House?