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Saturday Between 3-6:30 PM In Or Around Union Station?


LauraB

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I have a kind of unique situation. This Saturday we are meeting someone coming into Union Station around 3:00 pm.  They will need to leave before 7:00 pm for a dinner.  I need to find a place in the vicinity where we could have light snacks, coffee, drinks, but not a dinner, between 3 and 6:30 pm.  I don't know this area well at all, so hoping some of you may have some suggestions.  Thanks!

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I have a kind of unique situation. This Saturday we are meeting someone coming into Union Station around 3:00 pm.  They will need to leave before 7:00 pm for a dinner.  I need to find a place in the vicinity where we could have light snacks, coffee, drinks, but not a dinner, between 3 and 6:30 pm.  I don't know this area well at all, so hoping some of you may have some suggestions.  Thanks!

Car or no car, and how far from the station proper can you roam?

Johnny's Half Shell opens at 5 on Saturday, but if your friends are arriving at 3 PM, it could be an "awkward" couple of hours.

If you like beer, Cafe Berlin on Mass Ave. in NE Capitol Hill is fun, and should be open with patio seating (the weather may be lovely). For catching up, and drinking German beer outdoors in the mild sun, it might not be a bad spot. Bistro Cacao is immediately next door, but that may not be open until 4 PM.

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Don, we will have a car. I think we could go as far as Penn Quarter, if need be.  The guests need to attend a dinner on Cap Hill at 7:00.  I agree that this is an 'awkward' situation, which is why I'm asking for help.  

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Don, we will have a car. I think we could go as far as Penn Quarter, if need be.  The guests need to attend a dinner on Cap Hill at 7:00.  I agree that this is an 'awkward' situation, which is why I'm asking for help.  

If you can go as far as Penn Quarter, then you can go as far as H Street NE, and should consider trying Boundary Road with our own Brad Walker.

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If you want to stay on the Hill and wander around, then trekking over to Eastern Market would seem like a must.

If you want to stay on the Hill and not wander far, you could stroll around the Capitol grounds and then hit up the Dubliner or Cafe Berlin.

If you are heading to Penn Quarter and the weather is nice the patios at Zaytinya and Poste are both very nice.  Proof also has outdoor seating.  

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I wanted to second the rec for (I think they spelled it wrong) Sidamo Coffee http://www.sidamocoffeeandtea.com/  It's a lovely place for hanging out.

Because of Eastern Market a lot of places around there have flexible hours, 7th Hill, Pain Quiotidiean, etc.

I also like Sidamo.

The thing about Eastern Market that might work for you is that it has density, so if you check out one place and don't like it, you can move on.  Or you could plan to hit a couple/several places if awkwardness is an issue and you don't want to just sit and talk straight through. In addition to other places mentioned, Cava on Barracks Row is open straight through those hours, for small plates.  Hanks Oyster Bar (at least the bar part) is open for oysters or shrimp, etc.  Peregrine for coffee, also with space outside.  (Pound is also good for coffee but the cafe closes at 4, then reopens as a restaurant at 5.)

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Some of these recommendations (Eastern Market, Barracks Row), while technically on the Hill, would take far longer to get to from Union Station than Penn Quarter or, especially, H Street. Granville Moore's seems to close their kitchen 3-5 on Saturday but also seems open for beer, and you could stroll H street on the way there and see what catches your eye.  Tom Seitsema likes Popeyes ;).

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How about Union Market? It's a very short drive from Union Station. Options include oysters and a drink at Rappahannock River Oysters, a wine/cheese pairing at Righteous Cheese, or everyone grabbing what looks good to them from the various vendors and meeting up at a table or outside.

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Keep in mind that two Circulator buses run out of Union Station, one toward Georgetown via the north side of downtown (Mass Ave), the other to Nats Park via Eastern Market/Barracks Row; at a buck a ride, they're an easy way to get to some places that are a bit out of the way or if weather/time is a factor. Besides Sona (as mentioned above), you could hang at the Eddy Bar at Hank's on the Hill or have some small dishes/drinks at Cava or Ambar.

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How about Union Market? It's a very short drive from Union Station. Options include oysters and a drink at Rappahannock River Oysters, a wine/cheese pairing at Righteous Cheese, or everyone grabbing what looks good to them from the various vendors and meeting up at a table or outside.

We have a winner.

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How about Union Market? It's a very short drive from Union Station. Options include oysters and a drink at Rappahannock River Oysters, a wine/cheese pairing at Righteous Cheese, or everyone grabbing what looks good to them from the various vendors and meeting up at a table or outside.

Agree, Union Market would be my call. Very close, plenty of parking, and plenty of options to while away a few hours on a Saturday. 

We have a winner. 

When I first read Goldenticket's post, I banged my head against the wall and thought, "Why didn't I think of that?!"  We love Union Market, have been there many times, including with the people we are meeting at Union Station.  Rappahannock Oyster Bar is one of our favorite dining venues in DC.  My concern is that UM gets very crowded and chaotic on the weekends and the purpose of our meet-up is to catch up and I fear that we may not be able to find a table and even if we do, it'll be so loud that conversation will be difficult.  So, I have some hesitation about this option.

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