mongo jones Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 we will be in dc for a few days in just over a month. staying in a hotel near the convention center. days will be spent taking the kids to the smithsonian museums. interested in recommendations for places for dinner in relatively easy reach of the convention center area where parents can eat interesting food and kids can be pleased as well. easiest ways to please them: grilled meats, roast chicken and similar. the menus of le diplomate or maydan, for example, seem like they might be doable, as would any good thai or other southeast asian place sans long lines. also interested in any decent lunch within easy reach of the museums. thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Gardner Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Unconventional Diner will be perfect for you. Also All Purpose. Haikan. And check out Seylou Bakery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Dino's Grotto but there was recent news it may be closing soon so make sure it's still open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Lori Gardner said: Unconventional Diner will be perfect for you. Also All Purpose. Haikan. And check out Seylou Bakery. There are all good suggestions. Also, think about going to Union Market and wandering around (using St. Anselm's and Bidwell as fall-backs if you don't find anything wandering around (I'm not suggesting them as primaries; but fall-backs). Write me anytime if you're up against the clock - I'll give you my number if you give me some advance notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 You didn't mention how old your kids are. My kids are now 9 and 7 and I take them pretty much everywhere except restaurants with tasting menu only. In that area - for fancier dining I would say Kinship and The Dabney. Interesting upscale Mexican - Poca Madre. In Penn Quarter - Hill Country BBQ, Jose Andres (China Chilcano, Jaleo, Zaytina, Oyamel - I think they're decent but not great restaurants). A little farther away - St. Anselm (Starr restaurant) at Union Market, Officina at Wharf District. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Baby Wale is across from the convention center. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Convivial isn’t too far away at all, I think it would treat you all well and has some range. Daikaya Izakaya. The best place near the national mall IMO is still Fiola. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 [In a theoretical world, and maybe once these recommendations are done, I'll move this thread to "Help Needed." But Mongo Jones is a baller, not a frequent poster, so it must remain here for now.] Shouk? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 9 hours ago, DaRiv18 said: The best place near the national mall IMO is still Fiola. Fiola no longer serves lunch, though, if the recommendations for near the Smithsonian are for midday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 I would add Centrolina to the mix, it might be a block away from their hotel. For a "decent" lunch near the Mall, Jaleo and then grabbing a gelato at Pitango across the street. Central still has a nice roast (rotisserie) chicken. Old Ebbitt is still a notch above most others. These are well-worn venues in the regard of this community, but they are still fine pitstops for a high-impact tour of the sites. For fast casual, the food court at "Eat at National Place" is the most comfortable - every other carry-out lunch spot is an office traffic headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 thanks for the suggestions so far. kids are 8 and 10. they are unpredictable eaters but i can always look at the menus of suggested restaurants and suss out feasibility. that's actually easier than for me to try and explain what they will or won't likely eat as it doesn't really follow a pattern. speaking of which, convivial seems doable--either the burger or the grilled mackerel would be enthusiastically eaten (though they'd probably leave everything else on the mackerel plate to us). if we ate there we'd most likely get the poulet rouge for 2 and the mackerel and share that among the four of us, along with some apps for the two of us. and daikaya would go down well too. a very specific question about a place a little further away: does anyone know if the grilled pork/chicken skewers at thip khao are done with a spicy marinade or if the spicy sauce comes on the side? i'm hoping the latter because then we could very happily eat there as a family. coming from the twin cities area, i'm very interested to see what a hip lao restaurant is like. there's a large hmong and laotian population here but no restaurant comparable to thip khao. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 32 minutes ago, mongo jones said: speaking of which, convivial seems doable--either the burger or the grilled mackerel would be enthusiastically eaten (though they'd probably leave everything else on the mackerel plate to us). if we ate there we'd most likely get the poulet rouge for 2 and the mackerel and share that among the four of us, along with some apps for the two of us. and daikaya would go down well too. I've been to both restaurants fairly recently - there's no question Convivial is the better restaurant (although they were no longer serving the gratis fougasse, grrr); Daikaya (the Izakaya) is just a *fun* place - the restaurants couldn't be more different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 thanks! on the list so far: convivial, le diplomate, maydan, hopefully thip khao. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 On 7/1/2019 at 11:19 PM, DonRocks said: Shouk? alas, no. can't see a thing on that menu that they'd eat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 National Museum of African-American History cafeteria (seriously) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 hoping we'll be able to get into that museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 25 minutes ago, mongo jones said: hoping we'll be able to get into that museum. You need tickets - get them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 yes, aware of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 13 hours ago, mongo jones said: thanks! on the list so far: convivial, le diplomate, maydan, hopefully thip khao. The kids'll love the grilled meats and fried rice and potato puffs at Thip Khao. Near the mall, I think Teaism and Jaleo remain the best lunch bets. And Daikaya and Bantam King for *ramen* (and fried chicken at the latter). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 I don’t really get the hype of Maydan - frankly I’ve had better kebabs elsewhere and I can’t even get back again because it’s still packed all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 30 minutes ago, Marty L. said: The kids'll love the grilled meats and fried rice and potato puffs at Thip Khao. Near the mall, I think Teaism and Jaleo remain the best lunch bets. And Daikaya and Bantam King for *ramen* (and fried chicken at the latter). I’ve had better luck getting into Daikaya Izakaya than Daikaya Ramen (they have good non-alcoholic drinks too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 My kids are exactly your kids’ ages. I myself would skip Le Dip (not really a family vibe IMO, others may disagree) and maybe check out Laos in Town - solid food, relaxed atmosphere. Thip Khao is a definite visit but this is a more accessible menu and it would be fun to compare. Both venues serve the local DC Brau “Tuk Tuk” - a Cambodian style lager which is my fave DC Brau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah Lee Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 Shouk is a great family-friendly option for lunch or dinner in Mount Vernon Triangle and very close to the convention center. Shouk Burger, Sweet Potato Fries and Choco Cardamom Cookie are an easy-to-please winner. St. Anselm is a super easy-to-please popular option for dinner or weekend brunch. Queen's English is crazy delicious and accessible modern Hong Kong cuisine with warm-friendly hospitality and casual atmosphere. Recommend making dinner reservations online. (You can select 4 guests under the drop-drop menu for dining room.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 On 7/3/2019 at 12:18 PM, Marty L. said: The kids'll love the grilled meats and fried rice and potato puffs at Thip Khao. Near the mall, I think Teaism and Jaleo remain the best lunch bets. And Daikaya and Bantam King for *ramen* (and fried chicken at the latter). Second, Teaism and Jaleo for nearby places to the mall for kids. Otherwise like going to Union Market downtown for easy access to a multiple of places. Near the Convention Center, Seylou Bakery and SUNdeVICH for sandwiches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 If you are at the Spy Museum (you may not be) I think it is fun to walk down to the Wharf- in addition to all the restaurants, if your kids like seafood you can get steamed/fried seafood, seafood soups, etc and eat it at the tables/stands they have there. They also have a mix of restaurants and fast-casual places if you want to check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 17 hours ago, ktmoomau said: If you are at the Spy Museum (you may not be) I think it is fun to walk down to the Wharf- in addition to all the restaurants, if your kids like seafood you can get steamed/fried seafood, seafood soups, etc and eat it at the tables/stands they have there. They also have a mix of restaurants and fast-casual places if you want to check it out. Would you (or someone) start a Spy Museum thread in Visiting Washington, DC? I haven't been, and I'm curious about what people think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 On 7/2/2019 at 10:16 PM, mongo jones said: a very specific question about a place a little further away: does anyone know if the grilled pork/chicken skewers at thip khao are done with a spicy marinade or if the spicy sauce comes on the side? i'm hoping the latter because then we could very happily eat there as a family. coming from the twin cities area, i'm very interested to see what a hip lao restaurant is like. there's a large hmong and laotian population here but no restaurant comparable to thip khao. I asked Chef Seng. She graciously answered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 11, 2019 Author Share Posted July 11, 2019 thanks for asking and thanks to chef seng for responding! we will eat at thip khao for sure! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 alas, it appears that thip khao may be closed the entire week that we are in dc! at least all those dates are struck through on their reservation system. just my luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiouskitkatt Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Alternatives for you if you are seeking to have Lao Food, Lao in Town, or Hanumanh. The latter is ran by the same team as Thip Khao. Or call TK directly to see what’s up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 i have already made a backup reservation at laos in town. also have a reservation at daikaya izakaya. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah Lee Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 34 minutes ago, mongo jones said: i have already made a backup reservation at laos in town. also have a reservation at daikaya izakaya. If you are in DC on July 21 & 22, 2019, Doi Moi is hosting a Taste of Sri Lanka pop-up. Reservations are recommended. You can preview the à la carte menu on the Doi Moi website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 57 minutes ago, mongo jones said: i have already made a backup reservation at laos in town. also have a reservation at daikaya izakaya. I'd skip Daikaya Izakaya. Much better to go to Daikaya (or Bantam King--great for kids) for ramen. (Be prepared for a wait at the former.) Or if you're looking for a great izakaya, go to Seki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 alas, we are only there from aug 12-16 (leaving the morning of the 16th). currently: daikaya izakaya on night 1, laos in town on night 2. will figure out nights 3 and 4 soon, or maybe just night 4: it may well be the case that we will order enough food at laos in town to bring it back to our hotel for night 3 (our room has a kitchenette). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 23 hours ago, Marty L. said: I'd skip Daikaya Izakaya. Much better to go to Daikaya (or Bantam King--great for kids) for ramen. (Be prepared for a wait at the former.) Or if you're looking for a great izakaya, go to Seki. it's a quick walk from our hotel, which will be good for the first night. seki doesn't do reservations for groups of 4. and i'm not chancing a wait with the kids after a long day of museuming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 Fair enough. I think they'd really like Bantam King--no reservations, but usually no (or short) wait. And close to the mall. Fried chicken for those who don't want ramen. Also, I think Jaleo is excellent for families with kids -- was for mine for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 jaleo would work for dinner but their shorter lunch menu is harder for our boys--we'd have to pull a lot of stuff out of any sandwich they got. those $20 quick lunch sets do look tempting though... --- you know, as i think about it, there's enough on those quick lunch options they would eat: patatas bravas/croquetas pollo/gambas or pollo al ajillo/helados. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 4 hours ago, mongo jones said: you know, as i think about it, there's enough on those quick lunch options they would eat: patatas bravas/croquetas pollo/gambas or pollo al ajillo/helados. absolutely -- and unless something's changed recently, the full dinner menu oughta be available at lunch, too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Some practical advice: Seylou Bakery is awesome, but A Baked Joint has more conventional breakfasty items and is my top quick breakfast rec for the area. Avoid the McDonalds at 7th and G. They have an on-site security guard there for a reason. There is another across from the FBI Building on E Street, which is better and is an acceptable “meh”. Museum restrooms are roughly 100x cleaner and more comfortable than any fast casual restaurant restroom. Check out the blog KidFriendlyDC once you arrive in August for events, exhibits, etc. happening that week. National Portrait Museum is a great museum, a great pick for a last day, close-to-hotel outing as the kids wind down from several days of site seeing. Time your arrival for a docent tour, bring a lunch to eat in the amazing courtyard. It opens and closes later than other museums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 2 hours ago, DaRiv18 said: National Portrait Museum is a great museum, a great pick for a last day, close-to-hotel outing as the kids wind down from several days of site seeing. Time your arrival for a docent tour, bring a lunch to eat in the amazing courtyard. It opens and closes later than other museums. I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but the "America's Presidents" section of the National Portrait Gallery (arguably my favorite art museum in the city) is on my Top 5 List of "Things To Do in DC." Go now before the inevitable new addition taints your experience. ☺️ Seki is better than Daikaya; Daikaya is more "fun" (for lack of a better word) - their menu is very interesting, but it doesn't always deliver on the palate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 you will both be pleased to know that i already had the national portrait gallery as our last morning activity. planning to do a short walk from there to jaleo for lunch before heading back to the hotel to grab our suitcase and head to union station for the 3 pm train to nyc. currently booked: dinner the first night at daikaya izakaya; dinner the second night at laos in town. third night we'll probably go to bantam king (we'll have ramen while the boys have skewers). not sure yet about dinner the last night (waiting to hear if friends in town are free and where would be good for them). lunches: rasika, hill country, probably the restaurant at the museum of the american indian. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saf Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 21 hours ago, mongo jones said: the restaurant at the museum of the american indian. I used to go there all the time, specifically for the Indian tacos. It's gone downhill a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 hmm is it possible to eat at the restaurant at the african american museum if you haven't managed a ticket/reservation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 aha--i see this question has been answered in the negative on tripadvisor. well, i guess i'll see how our attempt to get passes goes on the first wednesday of august. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgast Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 If you're still looking for a last place, I'd put Zaytinya up there. Huge variety of food and a great atmosphere for adults and kids. Respectfully disagree with Eric on the food - it's not Michelin caliber but always a very good meal. It's where all our out of town guests ask to go back to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRiv18 Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Two days ago, I stopped by the National Building Museum after running an afternoon errand. A bit disappointed that there was massive scaffolding blocking my favorite views in the main area. But, there were sounds of kids laughing and having a great time there. Dozens of parents in line to get tickets for the LAWN exhibit. That could be a fun, interactive way to give your kids a break from the museum tours. Seems like a great setting for memorable family pics too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo jones Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 this is definitely not the right place for this question but any advice on subway passes would be welcomed. family of four (kids 10, 8), arriving monday night, leaving friday afternoon. does it make more sense to purchase tickets as we go or to get some kind of pass? and best way to get from dulles to convention center: cab of some species or public transit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 1 hour ago, mongo jones said: this is definitely not the right place for this question but any advice on subway passes would be welcomed. family of four (kids 10, 8), arriving monday night, leaving friday afternoon. does it make more sense to purchase tickets as we go or to get some kind of pass? and best way to get from dulles to convention center: cab of some species or public transit? It's fun for a family to use the metro (and bus system!) at least once or twice in a new city to get the hang of it and get a sense of everyday life here--highly recommended--but an Uber/Lyft/cab will rarely be much more than the cost of Metro/bus tickets for four, and I suspect you'll be able to walk 80% of the places you're going, so I doubt it makes sense to buy Metro cards for multiple rides in advance. Definitely use an Uber/Lyft/cab from Dulles, *especially* if you're planning to eat dinner downtown and/or the kids will be tired. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracisk Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 3 hours ago, Marty L. said: Definitely use an Uber/Lyft/cab from Dulles, *especially* if you're planning to eat dinner downtown and/or the kids will be tired. Agree about Uber/Lyft/cab from Dulles, but check the estimated fares for each. A cab to BWI from my house is about $80-90, whereas an Uber or Lyft is about $40-50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 33 minutes ago, dracisk said: Agree about Uber/Lyft/cab from Dulles, but check the estimated fares for each. A cab to BWI from my house is about $80-90, whereas an Uber or Lyft is about $40-50. I think you're looking at around $50-60 - right now (10:15 PM), Lyft is quoting a fare of $40 from Dulles to Capitol Hill, but it's a very slow time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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