Guidebook for Washington
Food Scene
My favorite spot in DC - some of the best ramen and pork buns I've ever had. Make sure to go outside of peak hours (7-9pm) especially on weekends, because the lines can get long!
54 locals recommend
Sakuramen Ramen Bar
2441 18th St NWMy favorite spot in DC - some of the best ramen and pork buns I've ever had. Make sure to go outside of peak hours (7-9pm) especially on weekends, because the lines can get long!
Fantastic coffee shop with great light food and drinks for cold and warm days - sitting outside on a nice day is especially enjoyable!
252 locals recommend
Tryst
2459 18th St NWFantastic coffee shop with great light food and drinks for cold and warm days - sitting outside on a nice day is especially enjoyable!
Really good sushi, and eating on the roof is fantastic. Drag brunch on Sundays is quite an experience.
62 locals recommend
Perry's Restaurant
1811 Columbia Rd NWReally good sushi, and eating on the roof is fantastic. Drag brunch on Sundays is quite an experience.
Great, cheap falafel - really good for lunch, dinner, or even a late night snack.
125 locals recommend
Amsterdam Falafelshop
2425 18th St NWGreat, cheap falafel - really good for lunch, dinner, or even a late night snack.
Tico
1926 14th St NWGreat tapas restaurant, can get a little pricey if you're hungry!
Hands down one of the best restaurants in DC. Lines get very long, so recommend going to the website and booking in advance!
62 locals recommend
Tail Up Goat
1827 Adams Mill Rd NWHands down one of the best restaurants in DC. Lines get very long, so recommend going to the website and booking in advance!
First Philz Coffee outside of California! The drinks are creative and very tasty and the staff is extremely friendly. A great space to grab a cup of coffee and read or get some work done.
60 locals recommend
Philz Coffee
1827 Adams Mill Rd NWFirst Philz Coffee outside of California! The drinks are creative and very tasty and the staff is extremely friendly. A great space to grab a cup of coffee and read or get some work done.
One of the best brunch spots in DC. Wait times get long for parties of more than 2-3, so make sure to reserve a table in advance! Highly recommend the Eggs Norwegian and the oysters!
513 locals recommend
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St NWOne of the best brunch spots in DC. Wait times get long for parties of more than 2-3, so make sure to reserve a table in advance! Highly recommend the Eggs Norwegian and the oysters!
Mintwood Place
1813 Columbia Rd NWGreat grill - gets a little pricey. Good spot for dinner.
Fantastic Afghan food - very good spot for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!
53 locals recommend
Lapis
1847 Columbia Rd NWFantastic Afghan food - very good spot for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!
Great brunch spot and dinner spot if you're looking to treat yourself with some very tasty (i.e. unhealthy) options. The home made pop-tarts and alcoholic milkshakes are a must!
425 locals recommend
Ted's Bulletin
505 8th St SEGreat brunch spot and dinner spot if you're looking to treat yourself with some very tasty (i.e. unhealthy) options. The home made pop-tarts and alcoholic milkshakes are a must!
Very good mediterranean food - lamb gyros are particularly tasty! Great for eating on the go.
11 locals recommend
Astor Mediterranean
1829 Columbia Rd NWVery good mediterranean food - lamb gyros are particularly tasty! Great for eating on the go.
A DC institution - the lines get long, particularly around mealtimes and the food is pretty good (not amazing).
288 locals recommend
Ben's Chili Bowl Mural
1213 U St NWA DC institution - the lines get long, particularly around mealtimes and the food is pretty good (not amazing).
Amazing brunch! All-you-can-eat and -all-you-can-drink for $40 is well worth the money. Spanish food tapas style.
34 locals recommend
Boqueria
1837 M St NWAmazing brunch! All-you-can-eat and -all-you-can-drink for $40 is well worth the money. Spanish food tapas style.
Peruvian food - gets a little expensive, but the staff is extremely accommodating and the food is really good!
9 locals recommend
Nazca Mochica
919 P St NWPeruvian food - gets a little expensive, but the staff is extremely accommodating and the food is really good!
Floriana
1602 17th St NWFantastic Italian restaurant - any of the pastas are very tasty!
Pretty good Mexican food. Brunch is great, but a little pricey.
11 locals recommend
Mission Dupont Circle
1606 20th St NWPretty good Mexican food. Brunch is great, but a little pricey.
Jumbo slice (pizza) is a strictly DC phenomenon - it can be a little overwhelming and not the healthiest option, but the best place to get it is Duccini's!
17 locals recommend
Duccini's Pizza
1778 U St NWJumbo slice (pizza) is a strictly DC phenomenon - it can be a little overwhelming and not the healthiest option, but the best place to get it is Duccini's!
Duke's Grocery
1513 17th St NWSome of the best sandwiches in DC.
One of the two best cupcake shops in DC - lines can get very long on nice days.
141 locals recommend
Baked & Wired
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NWOne of the two best cupcake shops in DC - lines can get very long on nice days.
One of the two best cupcakes shops in DC - lines can get very long on nice days.
162 locals recommend
Georgetown Cupcake
3301 M St NWOne of the two best cupcakes shops in DC - lines can get very long on nice days.
Meridian Pint
6035 Wilson BlvdGreat place to drab a meal and a drink. Large beer selection.
Kramers
1517 Connecticut Ave NWA great bookstore / coffee shop / restaurant.
Busboys and Poets
450 K St NWDrinks & Nightlife
Roofers Union
2446 18th St NWAmazing bar - the rooftop is especially scenic! Cheap drinks.
Classy, upscale bar with pool tables on the second floor. Good for small groups.
34 locals recommend
Bourbon
2321 18th St NWClassy, upscale bar with pool tables on the second floor. Good for small groups.
The Fainting Goat
1330 U St NWGood drinks at good prices. Very large beer selection.
Best cocktails in DC by far. Bar gets very crowded, but you can usually find some place to stand with a group (getting a table is hard). Dinner here is also pretty good and they have a nice outdoor area - but would make a reservation.
322 locals recommend
Barcelona Wine Bar
1622 14th St NWBest cocktails in DC by far. Bar gets very crowded, but you can usually find some place to stand with a group (getting a table is hard). Dinner here is also pretty good and they have a nice outdoor area - but would make a reservation.
Late nights here are pretty fun. They also have all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink brunch for $35 - drinks are great, and the food is okay.
105 locals recommend
El Centro
1819 14th St NWLate nights here are pretty fun. They also have all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink brunch for $35 - drinks are great, and the food is okay.
Ghibellina
2000 Fenwick Street NortheastCool speakeasy style bar - the drinks are amazing. Reservations for weekend nights are necessary so call a few days ahead.
103 locals recommend
the Gibson
2009 14th St NWCool speakeasy style bar - the drinks are amazing. Reservations for weekend nights are necessary so call a few days ahead.
Jack Rose Dining Saloon
2007 18th St NWGreat beer selection and fantastic rooftop.
2 Birds 1 Stone
1800 14th Street NorthwestCool underground speakeasy - drinks are a little expensive.
A famous DC live music spot - tickets are pretty budget friendly! Check out the lineup beforehand and make a trip out - well worth it!
455 locals recommend
9:30
815 V St NWA famous DC live music spot - tickets are pretty budget friendly! Check out the lineup beforehand and make a trip out - well worth it!
Cool, intimate live music setting. Can get quite loud, but drinks are stiff and the music is great!
136 locals recommend
Black Cat
1811 14th St NWCool, intimate live music setting. Can get quite loud, but drinks are stiff and the music is great!
Bar Charley
1825 18th St NWGreat, small bar! Gets very packed, though.
Great place to grab a beer and relax outside on the patio in the afternoon - budget friendly!
81 locals recommend
Glen's Garden Market
2001 S St NWGreat place to grab a beer and relax outside on the patio in the afternoon - budget friendly!
Board Room
1737 Connecticut Ave NWBar with boardgames! Very fun.
My favorite late night spot in DC! Some of the best live music (soul, funk, jazz) and a really fun spot to go out and dance! Cheap drinks. Cover charge of $10 well worth it!
11 locals recommend
New Vegas Lounge
1415 P St NWMy favorite late night spot in DC! Some of the best live music (soul, funk, jazz) and a really fun spot to go out and dance! Cheap drinks. Cover charge of $10 well worth it!
Eighteenth Street Lounge
1230 9th Street NorthwestSauf Haus Bier Hall
1216 18th St NWSightseeing
Washington Monument
2 15th St NWEastern Market
225 7th St SEGreat farmer's market for a Sunday walk!
Lincoln Memorial
2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW1750 Independence Ave SW
1750 Independence Ave SWCapitol Hill
The White House South Lawn
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Dupont Circle
Logan Circle
Arts & Culture
National Air and Space Museum
600 Independence Ave SWHottest art gallery in DC at the moment!
159 locals recommend
Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NWHottest art gallery in DC at the moment!
Hirshhorn Museum
7th Street SouthwestThe National Archives Museum
701 Constitution Ave. NWLibrary of Congress
101 Independence Ave SENewseum
565 Pennsylvania Avenue NWFantastic museum - one of the few that is not free, though.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl SWDefinitely try to make it out for a performance while you're in DC! Kennedy Center offers free showings at 6pm on weekdays on the Millennium Stage, but highly recommend buying tickets ($59-75) for a National Symphony Orchestra concert.
498 locals recommend
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St NWDefinitely try to make it out for a performance while you're in DC! Kennedy Center offers free showings at 6pm on weekdays on the Millennium Stage, but highly recommend buying tickets ($59-75) for a National Symphony Orchestra concert.
National Gallery of Art
Constitution Avenue NorthwestBest (free) museum in DC!
Entertainment & Activities
AMC Georgetown 14
3111 K St NWSmithsonian National Zoological Park
3001 Connecticut Ave NWGetting Around
Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station
2700 Connecticut Ave NWDupont Circle Station
1525 20th St NWMetro Center Station
607 13th St NW