First Time Visiting DC

[kanedobb]

I will be visiting Washington, DC for the first time this weekend. I am interested in favorite local restaurants that are reasonably priced.

[Tweaked]

If you find yourself at the National Portrait Gallery (or even the Spy Museum) nearby is Zaytinya, a mezze (small plates) middle eastern restaurant run by one of DC's star chefs Jose Andres. Nice patio (if it is warm and sunny outside) for a leisurely lunch. Don't bother going for dinner since it will most likely be packed.

[goldenticket]

Welcome! The 14th Street corridor has a lot of good spots and you could spend several hours popping in and out of them, trying various small plates and beverages. Some of my favorites include:

Churchkey (upstairs from Birch and Barley)

Estadio

Cork

Masa 14

Bar Pilar

Marvin

Or you could have a (relatively) reasonably priced meal at any one of them.

[lion]

I will be visiting Washington, DC for the first time this weekend. I am interested in favorite local restaurants that are reasonably priced.

What price range?

[Waitman]

I will be visiting Washington, DC for the first time this weekend. I am interested in favorite local restaurants that are reasonably priced.

So, where you gonna be? What's a "reasonable price range?" What food grabs you and how far afield from old habits and tried and true favorites do you want to stray (and what are they)? Booze preferences -- wine bars, bierstuben (I get that right, Banco, without the umlaut?), cocktail confectionaries? With friends and family or alone? Metro, car or cab? Eager to avoid the mobs and use your irregular tourist habits and time zone lead or lag to eat early or late (5PM was unfashionably early when I landed in Seattle, but it was 8 my time and tables were available) or explore the generally-cheaper and less crowded lunch scene? How far will you walk from a museum to eat, what museums do you like, and will you wear decent clothing to the museum rather than dress like an Ohio high school senior on his or her class trip (I work in Union Station - this week I know how class trips dress).

I mean, if I went to your town and asked you to introduce me to a nice girl, you might want me to get a little more specific, right?

Speaking of which, where are you coming from? If you're an Omaha native, a steakhouse might not be the place to send you. Likewise, our limited Latin offerings may not be the thing for a Texan.

Details, man! (ma'am!)