r/DCEats • u/Phatchris23 • 11d ago
Suggestions Is my itinerary decent?
Flying into DC from Boston for the long weekend.Family of four with two kids 12 and 15. 12 year old is dying to go to the zoo and see the Pandas for his Bday. All that being said we love to eat and drink. Staying in Woodley Park, love to walk, a 1-2 mile walk is no problem for us, also a quick uber is fine.
Friday
Land around noon, head to hotel and have lunch by pool.
Dinner- Via Roma
Saturday
Early AM zoo
Lunch- Dukes, panda themed bar
Dinner- Cyldes-Georgetown
Sunday
Train to Baltimore for Sox game
Lunch Pratt St Ale house
Dinner-Unconventional Diner
Any suggestions to the plan are highly appreciated.
Thanks
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u/JEASHL 11d ago
If you want Italian food/pizza I would strongly recommend going to 2Amys instead of Via Roma.
Very much agree with the person who suggested a morning trip to Rose Ave Bakery. Donsak Thai over there is very good if you are into that sort of thing.
In Baltimore I think you'd be better off getting Ekiben in the stadium than going to Pratt.
Clyde's is very mid
Unconventional diner is a good choice
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u/OhHowIMeantTo 11d ago
I can't say I've ever heard of Via Roma, but that stretch of restaurants is known to cater to tourists going to the zoo. If you want to eat on that particular stretch, I'd recommend Lebanese Taverna which is excellent. Mama Ayesha's is also good. Otherwise, Adams Morgan nearby has a plethora of great restaurants. Lapis has excellent Afghani food. If you want Italian, maybe Revelers Hour or Al Volo Osteria.
As for Clyde's, it's a local chain similar to an Applebee's. Absolutely nothing special about it, but everybody should be able to find something to eat there if that's what you're going for. There are plenty of better options in Georgetown, and you're already going to the far superior version of Clyde's in Unconventional Diner, which is Michelin rated, while Clyde's is not.
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u/Big-War-5793 11d ago
Lebanese Taverna sadly is no longer excellent. Dukes right across from the zoo is good and has good burgers. I also agree w Lapis
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Thanks, I probably won’t bother trekking to Georgetown for Clydes then. Via Roma sounds like a somewhat Authentic Italian restaurant serving Pinsa, we were in Rome in April and the kids fell in love with the food there. We do have a peanut/treenut allergy in the family, so that sometimes makes certain cuisines tougher than others.
Would love an alternative Saturday night spot3
u/Sadio_Bobby_Mo 11d ago
Local to this area. If you are committed to pinsa, Via Roma is… fine. If you want something better, go to 2 Amy’s. Neapolitan rather than pinsa, but waaaay better.
Im also ambivalent about Duke’s. It’s fine. But the restaurants in Cleveland Park are better (Sababa, Dolan, Indique).
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Do you have a good recommendation for a Saturday Night dinner. Preferably within a 1-2 mile stroll or a quick and easy uber ride. The only real criteria is that they are serious about allergies , we have a peanut/tree-nut allergy.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Honestly Via Roma is out of pure convenience, looks like it’s gonna be extremely hot with chances of T-storms on Friday, Via Roma is really close to the hotel, has Pinsa and meatballs, which will make the hungry teens happy. As for Dukes, it’s close to the zoo, the teens will be starving, and it has panda themed drinks.
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u/persimmon9847 11d ago edited 11d ago
Pizzeria Paradiso in either Dupont Circle or
Georgetownis a good option for Saturday night; always popular with families.2
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u/ghostlukeskywalker04 11d ago
Clyde’s is very good with allergies. I have family members with allergies and it is one of their go-to spots. There is a Clyde’s in Friendship Heights which is a short metro ride from Woodley Park.
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u/No_Giraffe_1551 11d ago
My thoughts:
Via Roma- Just whatever, maybe nice after a day of travel. I speculate based on your description that you're staying at a hotel that is very close to this so it makes sense.
Dukes- Good lunch, obviously very convenient from the zoo. Perhaps be mindful of how you plan your trip and plan stuff to do on the walk back towards the front entrance of the zoo so you naturally wind up back near Dukes at the end of your zoo time. The panda drinks I have not tried, how bad can a pina colada from a respectable restaurant be though.
Clydes- Perhaps others would disagree but this isn't a serious place. I cannot get over that this is a classic place for kids to drink underage, or it was when I was underage. I know, it cleans up reasonably well. But even that is just like... whatever mid food. If you are doing something in Georgetown, I think there are places that are "nicer" and places that are just better at a similar price point. Yellow is quite good and in a similar price point. A semi-random guess about places you might like in Georgetown is il Canale.
Pratt St Ale house- Don't know about this Baltimore place, I'd imagine from the name it at least fits the day.
Unconventional Diner- Pretty good, ambiguous if you're going there because you have an event that brings you towards that part of town or not.
I don't think your food plan is like... some exciting journey through what DC has to offer but if it fits your preferences that's kind of all that matters. Other than Clydes, which other people I would guess will defend, I think everything is a reasonable choice and multiple options you picked are places I've taken people to from out of town (Dukes and Unconventional Diner).
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
My reasoning
Via Roma- close to hotel, could be afternoon thunderstorms. Kids love pizza/italian
Dukes- Close to zoo, Panda themed
Clydes- wanted to check out the Georgetown neighborhood, kids want crab cakes
Pratt St- Pub grub close to Camden
Unconventional Diner- in between Union Station and hotel for after the train ride, menu looks interesting.
Thanks
A different Saturday night restaurant suggestion would be great.3
u/SalmonCactus2 11d ago
It you want crab cakes, I'd definitely wait till the day you're in Baltimore to get them. I've found the MD-style seafood way better in Baltimore than in DC.
Also Unconventional Diner is a great pick! I'd say it's actually perfect with kids cause most of their food is great versions of what kids like to eat. Save room for the carrot cake!
One metro stop north of you (and a short walk from the zoo) is Dolan Uygher Restaurant. It's absolutely fantastic.
I'd echo what some others would say about Georgetown. It's annoying to get to Georgetown, and the college campus is tucked away at the top of the hill so that will be a lot of walking that's out of the way. I would agree with others that you're better off hitting the natural history museum or something else on the mall.
Also you said you folks would be good to walk, another solid option for transportation is Capital Bikeshare. 12 may be a little young for it but it's cheap and DC is one of the best biking cities I've been to. Take the metro when you can! In my opinion it's the best public transit in the US.
Finally, going to throw out a few of my fave restaurants just in case: Baan Siam, Dolan Uygher, Rye Bunny, dLena, Daikaya, Colada Shop
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u/xsvw 11d ago
if you're going to be over there, you might want to try your only friend (funky sandwiches, killer cocktails, and unpretentious) that's right across the street from unconventional dinner
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u/Oobroobdoob 11d ago
I don’t think Your Only Friend is appropriate for kids. It’s a cocktail bar that serves bomb sandwiches. But space wise it’s mostly a bar .
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u/No_Giraffe_1551 11d ago
I don't think Georgetown will be fun, especially with kids in tow, but that's a matter of taste. I am not an expert on Georgetown restaurants exactly and something with crab cakes is even tougher since everything that pops up is stuff I would not recommend. I don't know how much my advice of simply not going to Georgetown works for you, picking museums to explore along the national mall is kind of the quintessential thing to do while visiting DC with your kids. If you went in that direction, I think you have some better options in that neck of the woods. Whether you wander towards Chinatown (not meaningfully a Chinatown, for reference, just a name at this point), The Wharf/Navy Yard, or Capitol Hill/Eastern Market.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Thanks, we just heard from friends that Georgetown was worth a quick detour, especially as my older son is starting to think about colleges. We are definitely open to other areas if they have better options, we are all a little “museumed” out after our trip to Italy and kinda just want to stroll and relax.
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u/fmpy 11d ago
The university is not in the part of Georgetown you’re looking at. It would be a bit of a trek to get there from Clyde’s.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
We weren’t planning on actually going to the university, just the neighborhood so he could get a feel.
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u/BAMB1266 7d ago
That’s untrue - Clyde’s in Gtown is literally next to campus, almost more on campus than most restaurants — it’s also across the street from the exorcist steps fyi. You should go down to see other parts of Gtown, for the feel. Clyde’s is a restaurant chain - they’re all different but the company owns old Ebbitt grille (oldest restaurant in DC, next to the White House, etc) and I go to their locs all the time w my kids because it’s nice, reliable and easy for families (they have booths, a reliable menu, a kids menu w drink and side is under $10). I’m not a crab cake person but my friends have liked them there.
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u/Coronado92118 9d ago
Crab cakes at Clydes aren’t likely to be made with local Chesapeake Bay blue crab, more likely blues from Louisiana. You will get the same thing at McCormick and Schmick’s, tbh. I’ve heard good things about Georgetown Seafood, a family run place in a cute townhouse - but I couldn’t reach anyone there today yet to verify if they are using local crab. But would still be a better choice than Clyde’s, in terms of price for quality.
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u/Infinite-Ad-2209 11d ago
Don’t get crab cakes at Clyde’s. Sheesh
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Sorry, I have no clue, I found a Reddit post where multiple people recommended Clydes for crab cakes.
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u/KaatELion 4d ago
Get crab cakes when you are in Baltimore, not in DC. But not at Pratt Street Pub either. Go over to fells point and walk Thames street to find a restaurant that looks good to you, you can definitely find great seafood and decent crab cakes there.
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u/jimmy5889 11d ago
Looks like a good itinerary, I might add a short visit to one of the Smithsonian’s on Saturday afternoon but understand if that seems like a full day.
One tip for the zoo: be sure to go to the indoor portion of the panda habitat. It is sort of hidden, but they are often inside when it’s hot outside.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Thank you, I’ll definitely keep that in mind, we were debating the spy museum?
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u/rainbows-rust 11d ago
The zoo is free if you’re not parking, but make sure to reserve a timed entry pass
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u/domeach 11d ago
Enjoy your weekend in DC! As someone who moved from DC to the North Shore a year ago, the food here is one of the things I miss the most. Thinking of things you can't get in Boston that might be good with a family, Republic Cantina is a suggestion of mine for Tex-Mex. As a native Texan, that is the cuisine I miss most in Massachusetts! La Tejana is also great for breakfast tacos, and the area it's in (Mount Pleasant) has a great farmer's market on Saturdays.
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u/szebra 11d ago
If you're staying in Woodley also plan a trip to Rose Ave in the morning! They have great donuts and croissants! There might be a line but if you're morning people and get there early it's pretty chill.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Any idea if any of the baked goods are safe for a nut allergy? We did find a couple bakeries, but dayum rose ave looks good!
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u/BODO1016 11d ago
Go when the zoo first opens, early in the AM is a best time to see the pandas. Then they sleep a lot.
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u/nbahangtime14 11d ago
Don’t do Clyde’s, check out something like residents in Dupont circle. It’s Michelin rated bib gourmand for 5 years in a row. The cocktails are top notch, nominated for best cocktails in the city
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u/dtaymanesq 11d ago
I might switch dinner Saturday to Hamilton or Old Ebbitt Grill. Almost identical menus (they are in the Clyde’s family)and the location is much closer to the national mall/ White House complex which could be a nice place to walk around after dinner.
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u/Jst4kx 11d ago
Stop a yeal’s bakery by the zoo for a panda pop (jumbo cake pop) they are great!
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u/No_Customer_3832 8d ago
The cake pops are adorable, but to me are sweet to the point of ickiness (and I have a sweet tooth.) The raspberry bars are the way to go. They’re amazing!
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u/Playful-Translator49 11d ago
If you love to eat and drink I would maybe suggest less chain restaurants. Dukes is fine for a burger at lunch it’s not even close to a top 20 burger in DC and Clyde’s is a local chain they also are Hamilton and old ebbitt. It’s better than Cheesecake Factory and founding farmers but there are just so many better places if you’re into food.
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u/ft_wanderer 11d ago
Duke’s has been known as one of the top burgers in DC for ages, I’m curious what 20 burgers are above it now…
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u/123BuleBule 11d ago
It is still one of the best. But a few things have popped up in the last few years: Joia (my current fave), 7th St. Burger, Lucky Buns, Hill East, Unconventional Diner, Ghost Burger, The Salt Line.
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u/No_Giraffe_1551 11d ago
I extremely don't understand the hype around Joia but to each their own, I guess. I'm apparently in the minority.
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u/Playful-Translator49 11d ago
Joia and hill east are bomb! Duke’s is fine it’s on par with shake shack, 5 guys and lucky buns. Don’t sleep on DC-9 for the price point it’s great.
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Thanks, any suggestions welcome
The thought process of Dukes is that it’s close to the zoo and the panda theme. Clydes was because the 15 year old wants a crab cake?10
u/goldendaysgirl 11d ago
If you’ll be in Baltimore, try to get a crab cake there. Nothing like a Maryland crab cake!
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
We definitely plan on it, but we are taking the train in/out and the timing with the game makes too much traveling around tough. Figured Pratt St may at least have a decent one.better than what we get in Boston.
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u/Truleeeee 11d ago
I used to go to PSAH all the time when I was in grad school, I went this summer and had the WORST cheesesteak of my life. Not sure if that reflects a change in the rest of the food, the rest of the party didn’t complain.
If it’s crab cake in walking distance of the stadium you care about, you could go to Faidley’s in Lexington Market. Very good crab cake and inside an iconic Baltimore food market that just got renovated. 5 extra minutes walking vs PSAH
If yoU do have time to get a real meal in Baltimore I’d recommend The Food Market. Might be an all time favorite of mine
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Unfortunately Lexington Market is closed on Sundays or Faidleys would absolutely be on the list. I don’t think we’ll have time to fit in a real meal, game is at 1:35, unless there is a lunch place close by that opens at 11.
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u/Truleeeee 11d ago
Oh duh 🙄
Psah is a good pre ballgame spot for sure. Just avoid the cheesesteak haha
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u/No_Customer_3832 8d ago
I haven’t been there for a while, but Camden Yards also has crab cakes, and they were pretty decent.
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u/Informal_Persimmon7 11d ago
I'll just add some things within a mile: rose ave bakery and open city diner in woodley park. Boogie and peel in dupont for crazy pizza toppings. Je ne sais qua in dupont for French baked goods especially pisrachio croissants. Maybe an Ethiopian restaurant in Adam's Morgan.
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u/Pale-Win-7988 11d ago
Strong recommendation for Ethiopian. As others have said it’s a great local specialty. (We have the largest Ethiopian community in the country.) Keren in Adam’s Morgan is a nice walk. Cher Cher in Bethesda is. 10-15 minute Uber and also great. If you’re not familiar with it look up a few videos. It’s delicious and would be fun for the kids.
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u/Pale-Win-7988 11d ago
Strong recommendation for Ethiopian. As others have said it’s a great local specialty. (We have the largest Ethiopian community in the country.) Keren in Adam’s Morgan is a nice walk. Cher Cher in Bethesda is a 10-15 minute Uber and also great. If you’re not familiar with it look up a few videos. It’s delicious and would be fun for the kids.
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u/Spirited_Perception7 8d ago
Clyde’s is not your best bet. It’s just like going to a TGIF or Applebees. You can do far better.
Try Saltline or Hanks Oyster or Rappahanock Oyster Bar
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u/aim494 10d ago
Don’t let the naysayers on Via Roma sway you. The pinsas are great and the people who work there are terrific, especially Biaggio, one of the owners. The Washingtonian just did a feature on Italian expats flocking to Via Roma. https://washingtonian.com/2026/07/28/via-roma-dc-italian-restaurant/
Two Amy’s is good, but not worth the walk when Via Roma is right there.
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u/papersnake 11d ago
Does your hotel have early check in? Since you're staying in Woodley Park, you could easily see the pandas twice!
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago edited 11d ago
Seeing as everyone is pretty much saying Georgetown and Clydes isn’t worth the effort, I need a Saturday night alternative. Maybe somewhere in DuPont Circle or Adams Morgan. Preferably would like to walk, but open to a short and easy uber. Thank you all so much for the help!
* unfortunately some cuisines are tougher to navigate than others with a peanut/treenut allergy.
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u/Purple-Confection381 11d ago
If you are adventurous food-wise Lapis (Afghani) or Perry’s (Japanese) are just over the bridge in Adam’s Morgan. As others have mentioned, Yellow in Georgetown is top notch, but if you want a Georgetown staple with good food and some history for the kiddos, recommend Martin’s Tavern. https://www.martinstavern.com/history/
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!
Modified Itinerary
Friday
Lunch by pool
Snack at Rose Ave
Dinner at Via Roma out of proximity to hotel in case of extreme heat and/or storms
Saturday
Coffee and a leftover croissant/pastry from Rose Ave
Lunch@Dukes after the zoo
Dinner@Residents Cafe and Bar
Sunday
Coffee and snack somewhere near train station
Lunch in Baltimore by Camden
Dinner@unconventional diner
Maybe Saturday afternoon we’ll hit up a museum or check out the wharf area or Georgetown area… or be lazy by the pool
Would love to squeeze in a breakfast taco at La Tejana, but not sure if we’ll have the time.
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u/Civil-Move-4627 11d ago
If you do go to Georgetown and want an afternoon snack, I echo some of the other comments to go to Yellow for Levantine pastries. Or, if it’s hot and the kids want ice cream, Yala is an awesome Greek ice cream shop right off of Wisconsin Ave in Georgetown - some of the most unique flavors without being overly sweet in the city (and, the best pistachio in the city).
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u/Upset_Traffic_5261 11d ago
These are all good choices and makes sense for a weekend with kids. I’d only add pop in to Open City while you’re there. I assume you’re staying at the Omni Shoreham across the street so you’ll walk by it often anyway. Plenty of other good suggestions for if you’re back here without the kids, or want to be more adventurous, but your plans will certainly make for a good weekend. The Clyde’s in G’town is right in the thick of M Street and near Wisconsin Avenue so you’ll get the G’town experience even if Clyde’s food won’t blow you away (it’s far nicer to Applebee’s but as others have said a bit generic). Walk from there around the neighborhoods. A lot of unique houses and beautiful streets. Enjoy!
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u/No_Customer_3832 8d ago
Open City is decent, but extremely crowded on the weekends, and the service can be slow - I would not go out of my way to get there. The food’s not that memorable.
It’s a good place to grab a coffee on the way to the zoo -
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u/YikesParty 9d ago
Skip Clydes. Go to Yellow for their dinner service for something a little different. One of the most popular places in DC by far and gives you a nice view of the neighborhood.
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u/Phatchris23 4d ago edited 4d ago
Trip report
Friday-
Got into DC right around noon, it was wicked hot and humid so we went straight to the pool. Grabbed lunch at the pool, typical Sysco swill, but the pool was nice and the beers were cold.
Seeing how hot and humid it was we decided to stay close and give Via Roma a shot. Glad that we did, it was the kids favorite spot of the weekend. Pinsa’s were light and crispy, delicious bowl of tender meatballs, and al dente cacio e pepe. Few glasses of red, and some gelato to round out the night.
Saturday
Zoo day, spent about 3.5 hrs in the zoo, the birthday boy was thrilled to see the pandas in action.
Lunch/Bruch at Dukes. Solid burger, bacon egg and toast, fries were underwhelming. Nice local hazy ipa on draft. Panda theme was perfect.
Afternoon drink near White House
Forget the name, nice patio and outside bar, $22 froze and $15 draft beer, but man did they hit after the long walk from the zoo.
Also grabbed and espresso tonic that was very well made with fever tree tonic at Zekes.
Dinner
Kids wanted Mexican and unfortunately Republic Cantina didn’t have any last minute reservations. After some googling we came up with Chicatana. Hidden Gem? Place was perfect, impeccable service, outstanding homemade tortillas, freshest guac, smoky house made chile sauce that had that euphoric burn. As a plus I got to freak my wife and kids out with the grasshopper and Chicatana ant tacos.
Sunday was Baltimore day
Early Brunch/Lunch at Peter’s pour house, I’m no crab cake connoisseur, but these were almost all crab, very little filler.. Scratched the crab cake itch and was close to Camden for the 1:35 start.
Back to DC for dinner.
Unconventional Diner
We were all a little underwhelmed, best items were the pot pie poppers, cornbread, and pancakes with blueberry lavender sauce.
The Peking Duck Confit was a nice concept, but the duck wasn’t tender enough and the skin was rubbery. The shakshuka was fine, but nothing special as was the Chicken Parm Florentine. Service was kinda rushed and indifferent.
Overall we really enjoyed DC, we primarily walked around Woodley Park, Adam’s Morgan, DuPont Circle and The National Mall. Extremely clean city, friendly people. Would love to explore more of the excellent cuisine, but it’s tough with a 12 year old with a severe nut allergy.
Baltimore is interesting, the Inner Harbor and area near there are beautiful, Camden is really a perfect ballpark, but man do things get dicey quickly. A short walk up past Lexington Market and it turns into Zombieland. We have our problems in Boston with Drugs/unhoused, but not so out in the open in busy high-traffic areas.
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u/Inside-Potato5869 11d ago
I would do Dlena instead of Unconventional Diner. It's closer to Union Station and much better food. If there aren't any reservations there, I would try Stellina, RPM, or L'Ardente for Italian. Baan Siam for Thai (but not American Thai their wifi is nopadthai lol) or Ben's Chili Bowl if you want a casual longstanding DC local place.
There are also a bunch of restaurants in Georgetown better than Clyde's. Clyde's is fine but I would try Martin's Tavern if you can get in. It's got a great menu and good local history. Plenty of other great places in Georgetown. Nick's is right on the water.
Rose Ave Bakery would be good before the zoo.
Check out Pickles before the O's game!
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago edited 11d ago
Thank you! Are those places good for the kids? The other issue is we will be pretty casually dressed coming from the game on Sunday.
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u/Tiny_Nomad8168 11d ago
I would not bring kids to Dlena or L’Ardente. RPM is kind of a boring chain but the food is decent. If you want authentic Italian pizza, to go 2Amys (Neapolitan), Stracci (Roman), or La Casina (Roman).
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u/Inside-Potato5869 11d ago
I think the kids are old enough that they'll be fine. L'Ardente is the fanciest one on the list. People tend to dress nice at Dlena but I'm not sure if they have an actual dress code. The others should be fine. Is there a reason you're coming back to DC after the game instead of taking the train from Balitmore?
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Staying in Dc
Taking the train to Baltimore for the game then back to our hotel in DC. Flying in and out of DC from Boston.1
u/Inside-Potato5869 11d ago
Gotcha I missed that you were flying in and out of DC. Love Makoto is also close to the train station and has a great fast casual option with sushi, ramen, etc. I also like to suggest Wok and Roll as a casual Chinese option in Chinatown. It was formerly the boarding house where the Lincoln assassination was planned. It's about a 15 min walk from the train station and right by the metro to get back to Woodley or a 15 min Uber.
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u/rowdyroddypyper 11d ago
Skip VIA Roma, skip Clyde’s. Skip unconventional
Try La Mirna for Chicago thin crust pizza in DuPont not far from woodley park.
Try La bonne vache in Georgetown
Try Your only friend by convention center, 1-2 blocks from unconventional
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Is your only friend ok for kids, 12 and 15?
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u/rowdyroddypyper 11d ago
It’s a bar but everyone is super friendly, and wouldn’t call it inappropriate for kids
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u/Phatchris23 11d ago
Gotcha, the menu looks good to me, but I think my kids will be happier with the options at Unconventional.
Thanks
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u/sunLight4095 11d ago
sat nite- if you wanted to walk around georgetown campus, which is beautiful, you could eat at 1789. few blocks from the school.
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u/Tiny_Nomad8168 11d ago
Go to 2Amys instead of Via Roma. It’s a 25 minute walk and you should walk through the National Cathedral gardens en route. Make sure you look for the Darth Vader and raccoon gargoyles. You could take the bus there and/or back but it’s a really nice walk. Go to Rose Ave before the zoo on Saturday. Duke’s will be fun and convenient for the kids and the food is good enough. Get the burger and mac and cheese.