Restaurants in Washington, DC

True barebones budget eaters know the best place to get cheap grub isn’t at the restaurants in Washington, DC at all, but at the myriad bars that dole out tons of free appetizers during Happy Hour.

Those with a little more self-respect – and a taste for something beyond sliders and fries – will still fare well, as the restaurant scene in DC is as diverse as the international city itself. Political bigwigs munch cigars and talk policy at gourmet French joints in Penn Quarter, while cheap ethnic cuisine flourishes in Adams Morgan, and stellar gastropubs continue to pop up all over town.

Chinatown makes it easy to get a bucket of something that resembles food for a few dollars, and though the authenticity of this Chinese fare is questionable, the starving students and unaware tourists don’t seem to mind.

Meanwhile, sushi restaurants are all the rage for folks looking to turn a little Japanese, and neighborhoods like U Street, Columbia Heights, and H Street continue to bring in new funky fun neighborhood diners that offer trendy and cool takes on New American fusion.

Of course, no culinary visit to DC would be complete without a piping hot bowl of chili and a dog from Ben’s Chili Bowl, which has been serving up buckets of both since long before you were born...read less