Guidebook for Washington
Food Scene
The Brick is one hell of a breakfast sandwich. On weekends the blueberry buckwheat pancakes are a favorite.
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The Market Lunch
225 7th St SEThe Brick is one hell of a breakfast sandwich. On weekends the blueberry buckwheat pancakes are a favorite.
Good, cheap breakfast diner and a Capitol Hill institution. Underrated coffee.
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Jimmy T's Place
501 E Capitol St SEGood, cheap breakfast diner and a Capitol Hill institution. Underrated coffee.
A local "fast-casual" chain that's the best Mexican in Washington. I'm not even kidding. (Because Mexican food here is mostly terrible.) The salsa bar is great and I can happily gorge myself on chips and queso. The breakfast burrito is really good, too.
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District Taco
656 Pennsylvania Avenue SoutheastA local "fast-casual" chain that's the best Mexican in Washington. I'm not even kidding. (Because Mexican food here is mostly terrible.) The salsa bar is great and I can happily gorge myself on chips and queso. The breakfast burrito is really good, too.
Some of the best sushi in Washington is served at this little six-table joint. You need a reservation but they aren't that hard to get as long as you call a week or two in advance. They also do takeout.
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Sushi Capitol
325 Pennsylvania Ave. SESome of the best sushi in Washington is served at this little six-table joint. You need a reservation but they aren't that hard to get as long as you call a week or two in advance. They also do takeout.
Former Top Chef contestant Spike Mendolsohn's flagship burger joint. 100% legit; the burgers, fries and milkshakes are all terrific. Closed on Sundays, sadly. Note that his pizza place next door is not nearly as good, in my opinion.
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Good Stuff Eatery
303 Pennsylvania Ave. SEFormer Top Chef contestant Spike Mendolsohn's flagship burger joint. 100% legit; the burgers, fries and milkshakes are all terrific. Closed on Sundays, sadly. Note that his pizza place next door is not nearly as good, in my opinion.
This is the only very good pizza place in Washington, in the Wayne family's opinion. (They have other outlets in northwest DC and in Arlington.) I could probably eat a large New Haven in a single sitting.
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Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
1400 Irving Street NorthwestThis is the only very good pizza place in Washington, in the Wayne family's opinion. (They have other outlets in northwest DC and in Arlington.) I could probably eat a large New Haven in a single sitting.
Dude who runs this place, Aaron Silverman, is going to be famous beyond DC real soon. One of the best restaurants in the city and it's just down the street from where you're staying, so why not?
Well, the reservations are why not: there aren't any. To get a table you have to get in a line outside, starting at about 4 in the afternoon, and put your name on a waiting list. Total pain, but once you're on the list you can go back to the house, or to a bar or whatever, and they'll text you when your table is ready.
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Rose's Luxury
717 8th St SEDude who runs this place, Aaron Silverman, is going to be famous beyond DC real soon. One of the best restaurants in the city and it's just down the street from where you're staying, so why not?
Well, the reservations are why not: there aren't any. To get a table you have to get in a line outside, starting at about 4 in the afternoon, and put your name on a waiting list. Total pain, but once you're on the list you can go back to the house, or to a bar or whatever, and they'll text you when your table is ready.
Crazy popular with the hipsters, I joke that Union Market is the place to go if you like paying the highest possible price for everything. Nonetheless, there's some very good food here, including an oyster bar and two different butchers.
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Union Market
1309 5th St NECrazy popular with the hipsters, I joke that Union Market is the place to go if you like paying the highest possible price for everything. Nonetheless, there's some very good food here, including an oyster bar and two different butchers.
Drinks & Nightlife
Iconic Capitol Hill dive bar. Lost some of its charm after it was rebuilt following a fire a few years back, but it's still great.
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Tune Inn
331 1/2 Pennsylvania Ave. SEIconic Capitol Hill dive bar. Lost some of its charm after it was rebuilt following a fire a few years back, but it's still great.
My local bar. It's a bit too pricey, for what it is, but the service is usually friendly, the atmosphere is good and there's sports. The wings and house chips are very good. Decent brunch spot too.
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Boxcar Tavern
224 7th St SEMy local bar. It's a bit too pricey, for what it is, but the service is usually friendly, the atmosphere is good and there's sports. The wings and house chips are very good. Decent brunch spot too.
A little out of the way but currently the best bar on the Hill, in my opinion.
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Trusty's
1420 Pennsylvania Ave. SEA little out of the way but currently the best bar on the Hill, in my opinion.
Terrific cocktails, great bartenders and a cool space. The boozy punch, which changes daily, is almost always delicious. But the food is just OK (other than raw oysters, which are hard to mess up) and everything is expensive -- the opposite of "budget friendly."
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Hank's Oyster Bar
633 Pennsylvania Avenue SoutheastTerrific cocktails, great bartenders and a cool space. The boozy punch, which changes daily, is almost always delicious. But the food is just OK (other than raw oysters, which are hard to mess up) and everything is expensive -- the opposite of "budget friendly."
9:30
815 V St NWA live-music institution in Washington.
Cool venue for bands that aren't yet big enough for 930 and a great bar, too.
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Black Cat
1811 14th St NWCool venue for bands that aren't yet big enough for 930 and a great bar, too.
This fine bar distinguishes itself from its neighbor, Trusty's, by offering fancy cocktails and decent wine.
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Wisdom
1432 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThis fine bar distinguishes itself from its neighbor, Trusty's, by offering fancy cocktails and decent wine.
My favorite neighborhood liquor store. Bernie, the owner, and Marcus, who's usually working the counter, are great guys.
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Chat's Liquors on Capitol Hill
503 8th St SEMy favorite neighborhood liquor store. Bernie, the owner, and Marcus, who's usually working the counter, are great guys.
Closest liquor store to the house. Good selection of craft beers and wine.
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Carmine's Italian Restaurant - Washington D.C.
E Street NWClosest liquor store to the house. Good selection of craft beers and wine.
I hear it's the best of the farm breweries that have sprouted up across northern Virginia. Haven't been there myself yet.
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Dirt Farm Brewing
18701 Foggy Bottom RdI hear it's the best of the farm breweries that have sprouted up across northern Virginia. Haven't been there myself yet.
Arts & Culture
Not gonna bother with all of the obvious places you already know about. This free museum, part of the Smithsonian system, is off the beaten trail and terribly underrated. The exhibits are great, but the incredible courtyard is the reason to come. It's a beautiful, quiet, uncrowded oasis in the middle of downtown. Kids will love the fountains.
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National Portrait Gallery
Not gonna bother with all of the obvious places you already know about. This free museum, part of the Smithsonian system, is off the beaten trail and terribly underrated. The exhibits are great, but the incredible courtyard is the reason to come. It's a beautiful, quiet, uncrowded oasis in the middle of downtown. Kids will love the fountains.
1101 6th St SW
1101 6th Street SouthwestGet cultured!
Parks & Nature
A little difficult to get to but worth the trip. There are open meadows, hills and forests, flower gardens, a bonsai collection and a koi pond with some of the hungriest fish you've ever seen. Free.
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Arboretum
A little difficult to get to but worth the trip. There are open meadows, hills and forests, flower gardens, a bonsai collection and a koi pond with some of the hungriest fish you've ever seen. Free.
Airbnb is messing up the name of this place -- it's Yards Park. Anyway, it's a very cool waterfront park the city built in the last few years. There's a boardwalk along the Anacostia river and a large wading pool with a waterfall, as well as lots of places to sit and chill. Canal park, a couple blocks north, has a water feature that is great for very little kids and ice skating in the winter. Everything but the skating is free. There are a good number of restaurants, bars and a grocery store (Harris Teeter) nearby.
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The Yards Park
355 Water St SEAirbnb is messing up the name of this place -- it's Yards Park. Anyway, it's a very cool waterfront park the city built in the last few years. There's a boardwalk along the Anacostia river and a large wading pool with a waterfall, as well as lots of places to sit and chill. Canal park, a couple blocks north, has a water feature that is great for very little kids and ice skating in the winter. Everything but the skating is free. There are a good number of restaurants, bars and a grocery store (Harris Teeter) nearby.
Could use some TLC, like a lot of the parks around Washington (factoid: almost all our local parks are owned and operated by the National Park Service, not the city). But it's a nice place to lounge in the grass, jog or take the kids to burn off energy. Free.
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Lincoln Park
Could use some TLC, like a lot of the parks around Washington (factoid: almost all our local parks are owned and operated by the National Park Service, not the city). But it's a nice place to lounge in the grass, jog or take the kids to burn off energy. Free.
Shopping
Local vendors selling art, jewelry, soap, knickknacks, you name it. It pops up around Eastern Market on weekends. A lot of junk and weird stuff, in my opinion, but I suppose there are treasures to be found.
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The Flea Market At Eastern Market
C Street SoutheastLocal vendors selling art, jewelry, soap, knickknacks, you name it. It pops up around Eastern Market on weekends. A lot of junk and weird stuff, in my opinion, but I suppose there are treasures to be found.
Cool little shop that hosts role-playing and board games, if you're into that kind of thing.
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Labyrinth Games & Puzzles
645 Pennsylvania Ave. SECool little shop that hosts role-playing and board games, if you're into that kind of thing.
Essentials
One of two grocery stores within a short drive or medium walk from the house. Once known as the Unsafeway, it's been renovated and is a perfectly fine grocery store. We do most of our shopping here.
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Safeway
3830 Georgia Ave NWOne of two grocery stores within a short drive or medium walk from the house. Once known as the Unsafeway, it's been renovated and is a perfectly fine grocery store. We do most of our shopping here.
Some of our favorite food vendors here are the rotisserie chicken place all the way at the south end of the hall, the little vegetable market directly across from them (their kimchi is terrific), the cheese place, and both butchers. The chicken place, the fish monger across from Market Lunch and the fancier-looking vegetable stand are all pretty overpriced. The Italian farm bread at the bakery is good but a lot of their other stuff isn't that great.
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Il-Market Lvant
225 7th St SESome of our favorite food vendors here are the rotisserie chicken place all the way at the south end of the hall, the little vegetable market directly across from them (their kimchi is terrific), the cheese place, and both butchers. The chicken place, the fish monger across from Market Lunch and the fancier-looking vegetable stand are all pretty overpriced. The Italian farm bread at the bakery is good but a lot of their other stuff isn't that great.
The other grocery store on the Hill. More expensive than Safeway but considerably nicer.
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Harris Teeter
900 Army Navy DrThe other grocery store on the Hill. More expensive than Safeway but considerably nicer.
If you need dry cleaning or clothes repaired, this place does a fine job.
Capitol Hill Cleaners & Laundry
661 C St SEIf you need dry cleaning or clothes repaired, this place does a fine job.
An urgent care center across from Eastern Market. They are quite familiar with our kidsr. The doctors are very nice and the wait usually isn't too bad.
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MedStar PromptCare at Capitol Hill
228 7th St SEAn urgent care center across from Eastern Market. They are quite familiar with our kidsr. The doctors are very nice and the wait usually isn't too bad.
CVS
645 H St NEClosest pharmacy to the house.
A local chain of small grocery stores. It's overpriced compared to Safeway or Harris Teeter but if you don't feel like driving or a long walk it's the closest grocery to the house.
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Yes! Organic Market Capitol Hill
410 8th St SEA local chain of small grocery stores. It's overpriced compared to Safeway or Harris Teeter but if you don't feel like driving or a long walk it's the closest grocery to the house.
The closest corner market to the house. The beer's a little cheaper than at Hayden's and they've got a small but well curated wine section.
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Congress Market
421 E Capitol St SEThe closest corner market to the house. The beer's a little cheaper than at Hayden's and they've got a small but well curated wine section.
Trader Joe's
750 Pennsylvania Ave. SEClosest actual grocery store.
Getting Around
The closest Metro station. Services Orange, Blue and Silver lines, any of which will take you to the National Mall (monuments, museums) or to downtown without changing trains. The Blue line can take you to National Airport in Alexandria and the Silver line will end at Dulles airport, someday. (For now, you can catch a bus from the end of the line to get to the airport.)
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Eastern Market station
701 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThe closest Metro station. Services Orange, Blue and Silver lines, any of which will take you to the National Mall (monuments, museums) or to downtown without changing trains. The Blue line can take you to National Airport in Alexandria and the Silver line will end at Dulles airport, someday. (For now, you can catch a bus from the end of the line to get to the airport.)
Stick a credit card into the kiosk at any of these stations and rent a bike. Thanks to Metro's current problems, it's just two bucks for a 30 minute ride right now, which should be enough time to get to the National Mall or downtown.
The closest kiosk is at Eastern Market, basically right across the street from our house.
https://www.capitalbikeshare.com/pricing
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Capital Bikeshare
Stick a credit card into the kiosk at any of these stations and rent a bike. Thanks to Metro's current problems, it's just two bucks for a 30 minute ride right now, which should be enough time to get to the National Mall or downtown.
The closest kiosk is at Eastern Market, basically right across the street from our house.
https://www.capitalbikeshare.com/pricing