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Last active February 27, 2017 17:57
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dc.md

vz's guide to DC

*************=================================
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*************==BEYOND THE NATIONAL MALL=======
************ ==VZ'S .TXT GUIDE TO DC==========
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Hi everyone. Welcome to DC. I've lived here since I jumped on a plane to a city I had never stepped foot in in 2007. In that time, I've lived all over and witnessed the revival of DC as a major American cultural center. When I first moved here in 2007, every establishment that I listed under eat and drink didn't even exist. From music venues to the food scene to the local creative community, DC is a really exciting place to be right now.

This guide was initially written for a group of colleagues who were staying downtown, so it leans a little towards downtown and midtown.

I bolded my absolute favorites.

Eat

  • Toki Underground (Taiwanese-style ramen. This is my single favorite restaurant in DC, and I'd argue the best value around. If you haven't had real ramen, this is a must. A bit out of the way for most.)
  • Taqueria Habanero (Best tacos in DC.)
  • El Chucho (Another great Mexican spot, but this one is a proper sit-down restaurant with a great staff and an impressive cocktail list. The pastor taco is my go-to.)
  • Etete/Dukem (Two of DC's better-known Ethiopian restaurants. DC has a major Ethiopian population, and 9th Street is often referred to as 'Little Ethiopia'.)
  • Red Rocks Pizza/2Amy's Pizza (Generally considered the two best pizza places in the district)
  • Pho 14/Pho Viet (Two best pho spots in DC)
  • Dakaya Izakaya (Amazing Japanese small plates+cocktails, ramen downstairs too. Their brunch is surprisingly good as well.)
  • Le Diplomate (Relatively new French restaurant. Bourgie, but always a great experience)
  • Barcelona (It's one of those chains with like 4 locations but superb)
  • Thai X-ing (Used to be the basement of the chef's house, now they have a proper dedication location)
  • Bad Saint (The single best ((non-traditional)) Filipino restaurant in the world.)
  • Rose' Luxury (Amazing, reasonably priced Michelin-starred acclaimed experience. Worth the wait.)

For more recent reccs check out the list of restaurants that god the nod from Michelin: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2016/10/13/washington-gets-its-first-michelin-starred-restaurants-today/?utm_term=.2ccac4ba17e9

Coffee recommendations

  • Filter (Downtown, Dupont)
  • Tryst (Adam's Morgan)
  • Compass Coffee
  • The Coffee Bar
  • Big Bear (Bloomingdale)

Drink/Social

  • Eighteenth Street Lounge (Happy Hour, reggae+brazillian night. Typically house-ish music. Slightly fancy.)
  • Satellite Room (Good crowd, alcoholic milkshakes!!!)
  • Red Derby (One of the cheapest and best dives in DC's best neighborhood. It's my Cheers. Cash bar.)
  • Looking Glass Lounge (Another cheap dive near Columbia Heights)
  • Showtime (Yet another great dive, this one in Bloomingdale)
  • DC9 (A fun place for an occasional DJ night)
  • Room 11 (Chill little wine bar. Their cocktail menu has gotten solid, their food as well.)
  • Velvet Lounge (Divey dancey spot on U St. A bit crowded but lots of fun on weekends when much of U St is very crowded and very unfun)
  • Flash (For house music lovers, this place is excellent. They now have a rooftop that's pretty chill but the best times are to be had on the dance floor on the second floor.)
  • U Street Music Hall (Crazy dance party every night they're open. Talented electronic DJ's that are all about the music. Super fun, pretty intense. Younger slightly broey crowd)
  • POV at The W (Great view. Everything else is meh, don't bother if there's a line but the view is unbeatable)

There's a ton of cocktail bars in DC so I'll group them together:

  • Left Door (Speak-easy vibes off of 14th Street, old timey beautiful decor and, again, great cocktails)
  • Columbia Room/Passenger (Used to be a bar within a bar but have since split off into their own spaces. Both are great.)
  • Copycat (Asian-themed cocktail bar on H St, great unique drinks but they also do a stellar sazerac)
  • The Gibson (Great spot, but at their prices, I typically move on after 2 rounds.)
  • Barmini (Super expensive experimental cocktail bar by Jose Andres)
  • Dram & Grain (Great little hidden cocktail bar in the basement of a bigger bar in Adams Morgan.)

Listen

  • 9:30 Club (Everything)
  • Black Cat (Mostly rock)
  • Rock and Roll Hotel (Mostly rock, some hip hop)
  • DC9 (Local leaning, rock, punk, some electro)
  • Kennedy Center (General performing arts, lots of free shows.)

Explore

  • Hirshorn Museum (Modern)
  • American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery (Contemporary American, incredibly beautiful courtyard with a cafe.)
  • National Gallery of Art (Recently remodeled, this one is DC's most under-appreciated in my book.)
  • National Arboretum (Secretly the most beautiful place in Washington, DC. But it doesn't feel like Washington, DC. Imagine romanesque pillars in the middle of a field that could be straight out of Middle Earth. And those romanesque pillars were built for the U.S. Capitol in the early 1800's. Most Washingtonians probably don't know this place exists.)
  • Union Market (New space for small food vendors.)
  • H St NE (Tons of bars and restaurants that were mostly boarded up buildings a few years ago. Choose your destination wisely on weekends though, as it can be hit-or-miss depending on what you're looking for.)
  • Georgetown (Specifically shopping around where M Street and Wisconsin intersect or exploring the waterfront. Not my style personally once the sun goes down.)

Move

Inform

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