DC

Having lived in Washington DC for the last four years I thought I would take a minute to write down all of the food, coffee and otherwise amusing locations my friends and I stumbled upon the last few years

Food

Fast Casual

• Burger Tap and Shake
• Bobbies burger Palace
• Bi Bi Bap
• Roti
  
• Daikaya (Fantastic Ramen and a sit down restaurant upstairs. For the Ramen no reservations expect a line)
• Takorean
• Surfside (Probably the only 24 hour food spot. Breakfast is served from 11pm - 11am, get the Tonga)
• Buredo (Sushi Burritos)
• Cava
• Chaia (One of my favorites, Farm to table vegetarian tacos in georgetown. They change up the menu pretty often but the kale and potato is always on there, get one of those)
• Stachowski’s (Prepare to redefine your definition of a great sandwich take a friend and split the grinder)
• Bub and Pop’s (Some will argue that this is better then Stachowski’s, they are wrong) (Still excellent though)
• District Taco
• Rolling Cow (If you see this food truck get the Bulgogi wrap with a fried egg)
• Poppabox (literally got me through college)

Farragut and Franklin Square are both pretty huge food truck spots.

Sit Down

$$$

• The Dabney (Honestly my favorite restaurant in the city. Super tough to get a res but they have a Tavern in the basement That takes walk ins)
• Rose’s Luxury (One of the most well known spots in the city, stupid expensive, doesn’t take reservations you have to show up at 3 and wait in line. Supposed to be amazing though i haven’t tried it)
• Little Serow (Another spot that is no res wait in line, unmarked basement that serves up a set menu of traditional thai food and it rocks, very very very spicy)
• Bad Saint (Yet again no res wait in line, more casual then the others though)
• Rasika West End (This place takes Indian to the next level)
• Zatinya
• Blue Duck Tavern
• Le Diplomat (wanna go to Paris without the flight head here)

$$

• Oyamel (fantastic Mexican tapas, Cant go wrong here)
• China Chilcano (Peruvian chinese fusion)
• Barcelona (14th st) (Also fantastic wine bar)
• Hill Country Barbecue
• Lapis
• Mandu

$

• Bareburger
• Federalist Pig (Killer barbecue, small place very casual)
• District of pi
• Luna Diner
• the DINER (Way way way to busy all the time but if you want a late night diner this is the spot)
• Curry and Pie (Indian pizza!)
• Zannchi (Great little korean spot that im pretty sure no one has found)

There is a huge brunch scene in the city but Im unfortunately not that tuned into it

Neighborhoods worth a walk

• Dupont (Mix of stuff bar scene is average but its a beautiful well established neighborhood. Circle is a great spot to hang out)
• Shaw (Up and comer, my favorite spot to go out, great bars, great food)
• Blagden alley (Little alley in shaw that is just full of Gems, if its here it rocks)
• 14th street (Closest thing to New york you’ll get)
• Georgetown (As long as you stay off M street georgetown is great)
• Penn quarter (AKA city center) (Honestly some good food here but its way touristy as its right off the Mall)

Going out

Winebars

• Maxwell
• Chez Billy Sud

Speakeasys

• The Shepard
• Left door
• Chicken + Whiskey (Go through the walk in freezer)

Bars and Dives

• Dan’s Cafe (Despite its appearance this is probably one of the coolest bars in the city. Don’t be afraid of the squeeze bottles full of hard alcohol)
• Bar Charley (great happy hour)
• Recessions (King of the dives, best worst karaoke you’ll ever see. Pretty much the real life version of “Cafe Disco” from the office)
• Ivy and Coney (wanna low key cheap beer)
• Churchkey (best beer list in the city)
• Jack Rose Dining saloon (Very cool whisky bar, great roof)
• Shenanigans Irish Pub (10$ all you can drink on friday)
• Tabbard Inn (Live jazz sunday monday)
• Iron Gate
• Calico
• Dacha Beer Garden
• Board Room (Board game bar)
• The Line Hotel
• 18th street lounge
• Roofers Union (Excellent trivia)
• Buffalo Billiards (Stupid expensive but tons of pool tables, darts, and other bar games)
• Right Proper brewing

Coffee and Bookstores

• Kramerbooks and Afterwords (My favorite bookstore in the world, open super late and has a bar in the back)
• Canal Street Books
• Any of the Compass Coffee locations
• Grace Street Coffee (Maybe the best coffee? im undecided on this. Also has a sandwich shop and a smoothie bar in the same building)
• Bluebottle (Georgetown)
• La Colombe (Blagen Alley location)
• Emissary (coffee is average but location is great)
• Baked and Wired (Cupcakes rock, coffee aint bad)
• The Potters House
• Swings Coffee
• The Wydown (14th st)
• Big Bear Cafe (One of the few places with good food and coffee, plus the best outdoor seating)
• Dolcezza (Excellent Gelato too)
• Lapop
• Tryst (also a wine bar so you could pretty much post up here all day)
• Capital Hill Books
• The Coffee bar (Great cold brew and outdoor seating)

Museums and Activities

• Thomas Sweet Ice cream
• Union Market (An excellent indoor food market)
• DC United just moved to the new Audi Stadium
• “The Wharf” hip new water front market south of the mall.
• Picnic in Meridian Hill park
• The Portrait Gallery (Both for the museum and for the courtyard)
• Eastern Market (Go on a weekend when the market spawns outside and down the street)
• Fantom Comics
• Labyrinth Games & Puzzles (if your in to board or card games this is your spot to buy and play them)
• Board Room (Board game bar)
• Rose Park (Georgetown)
• Rock Creek Park
• The Georgetown waterfront eventually turns into a trail and is a great spot for a bike ride
• The Zoo
• The imax theatre at the air and space museum (The usually have what ever the big movie is, Star wars, avengers etc.)

Music and Theatre Venues

• U St Music hall
• 9:30 Club
• Echostage
• Kennedy Center
• Woolly Mammoth (Okay im no theatre buff but this place always seems to have something interesting on the calendar. Never saw a show i didn’t love)