Question by sean b: Does anyone know of any good restaurants near Hotel Washington in DC?
Best answer:
Answer by julietravelcaster
You’re very lucky – Hotel Washington is right near the White House, at 15th and Pennsylvania, and also very much near the Penn quarter with great restaurants.
There are a number of good restaurants right near freedom plaza. Although mostly known as a great place to have a cocktail while you watch the sun set, the Sky Terrace Restaurant in your hotel is good, if not stellar. As is the Willard Room and Occidental Grill in the Willard Hotel, practically next door. Before I leave the general area of your hotel, I’ll point out there is an excellent national chain (Cosi) and local chain (Potbelly’s) for lunch sandwiches, just on the other side of Lafayette square.
On Freedom Plaza (about a block and a half east of you) are several options. On the south side of the plaza is the Reagan International Trade Center. While I don’t know the sit down restaurant at all, you can not miss with the food court in the basement for breakfast or lunch. There is some security to get into the buidling – don’t bring a penknife with you to the Reagan Center.
On the north is the Shops at National Place, which also has a food court, but there are a couple of great restaurants, too.
Les Halles des Paris is a good french restaurant. Not the best, but solidly good.
But you are very close to even better restaurant areas if you walk about 9 or 10 blocks or take metro one stop to Gallery place. If you go there, you can choose from three of Jose Andres, one of Washington’s most accomplished chefs. Jaleo is a wonderful spanish tapas restaurant, usually full, so make a reservation if you can. Cafe Atlantico, started by Andres, but kitchen now run by Katsuya Fukushima, is Caribbean/Nuevo Latino, with a great tasting option. My favorite is Zaytinya, a mediterranean mezze place which is very hot, with a great list of wines by the glass.
Also in this area, check out H street between 6th and 7th, and 7 street from Jaleo (at F and I) is Chinatown, which has not just chinese food but food from all over the place. Some of my favorite places here include Eat First, a little hole in the wall, as well as the Lei Garden, which has an excellent lunch buffet. Also Tony Cheng’s Mongolian Barbecue is very good, although it is traditional Mongolian Barbecue, not one of these trendy chains. On 7th street are a few chain restaurants, but also La Tasca, another tapas restaurant, less renowned and more traditional than Jaleo, but also less expensive, and more likely to have a table. 
Also in this area, at 400 8th street is Teaism – a great place to pick up a good breakfast or lunch, with fast dinner options also. I really like Teaism – they have a great selection of tea-inspired cuisine, and they are local.
If you’re willing to go a little further, you can go to Woodley Park- Zoo station on Metro’s red line (get on at Metro Center) and walk over the Duke Ellington bridge to Columbia road and 18th street, the center of cuisine in Washington’s Adams-Morgan neighborhood. While for me, the highlight of this neighborhood is the Ethiopian restaurants, especially Fasika’s and Meskerem, there are many restaurants here, including Lauriol Plaza, known as the best Mexican Restaurant. Nearby DuPont Circle also has a lot of restaurants, including near by Nora, one of the best restaurants in DC and the late night spot Kramerbooks and afterwords Cafe.
In the other direction from your hotel, in the next 10 to 12 blocks are other restaurants. My favorite, and one of the best restaurants in DC is Vidalia, at 1990 M Street. Run by another of DC’s top chef’s Jeff Buben, it’s really wonderful southern inspired cuisine. Another in this area ix Kaz Sushi Bistro.
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