Restaurants & Places to Eat in Washington DC

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DC Restaurants

Capitol Hill isn’t just home to America’s top decision-makers and most important buildings. The neighborhood also boasts some of the best DC restaurants, many of which sit within walking distance of the Capitol Hill Hotel.

From classic Washington DC steakhouses to Asian eateries to some of the nation’s most forward-thinking New American establishments, Capitol Hill has a wide variety of restaurants popular among locals and visitors alike. Find a flavor to suit your taste in our Washington DC travel guide:

Hank’s Oyster Bar

This impeccably designed oyster bar serves some of the best seafood in Washington DC, both from the raw bar and the kitchen. Chef and owner Jamie Leeds brings a taste of the American South to the menu, serving Fresh Corn Hush Puppies, Steamed Blue Bay Mussels, Hog Island-Style BBQ Oysters, and the classic casual delicacy: a Lobster Roll with Old Bay Fries.

Ted’s Bulletin

Part of Capitol Hill’s unofficial restaurant row on Eighth Street SE — dubbed Barracks Row — Ted’s Bulletin serves an updated take on good old American comfort food. The Capitol Hill location of Ted’s focuses on breakfast, supper and sides, with an extra emphasis on milkshakes. Ted’s shakes, including S’Mores, Heath Almond, Caramel Macchiato, are the stuff of legend on The Hill.

Boxcar Tavern

Don’t let the name fool you: the Boxcar Tavern is more than just a watering hole. This Capitol Hill gastropub puts fresh and flavorful spins on classic brunch and dinner favorites, including Orange Ginger Salmon with cauliflower puree and baby carrots and the Virginian: a black angus sandwich topped with ham, cheddar and barbecue sauce. Of course, it wouldn’t be a tavern without a drink menu, and the Boxcar’s is exquisite: red wine, white wine, bottled beer and drafts, all punctuated by the “big bottle” list, including hard-to-find varieties from Brooklyn Brewery and Allagash.

Market Lunch

There’s nothing fancy about this no-frills eatery in Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market shopping area. Residents and visitors alike flock to Market Lunch to enjoy what are reputed to be the best pancakes in DC (Blueberry Buckwheat is the restaurant’s signature style). This cash-only institution does serve other dishes aside from pancakes, including an array of breakfast sandwiches and classic Mid-Atlantic favorites like Fried Green Potatoes, Crab Cakes and Grits.

Good Stuff Eatery

President Obama is known to stop by Good Stuff Eatery from time to time to indulge in a Farmhouse Burger — or his namesake dish, the Prez Obama Burger. With chef Spike Mendelsohn at the helm, this casual restaurant serves burgers, fries, shakes and salads in a friendly, laid-back environment. The restaurant’s most notable feature is its comprehensive burger menu, which features 13 unique riffs on the mini-chain’s signature Farmhouse Burger.

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Shopping in DC

Although Capitol Hill is just one of many neighborhoods offering outstanding shopping in DC, it stands out thanks to the wide variety of shops at Eastern Market and along 8th Street SE. Antique shops, boutiques, flower shops and local grocers blend with major retailers on the corridors of Capitol Hill, offering a wealth of shopping options in Washington DC.

Eastern Market

This multi-faceted dining and shopping destination is DC denizens’ go-to source for goods as diverse as arts, crafts, flowers, and locally sourced grocery items. Every weekend, Eastern Market opens its famous Eastern Market Flea, showcasing the wares of hundreds of local and regional retailers, including farmers, food vendors and more. The market’s more permanent indoor vendors include flower shops, arts and crafts vendors, and local grocers selling food prepared in-house or nearby.

Union Station

Perched at the north end of Capitol Hill, Union Station serves as a superb all-in-one shopping destination in Washington DC. Beyond its stately appearance and utility as a major transit hub, Union Station is one of the District’s most complete indoor shopping malls. Express, H&M, Nine West and Ann Taylor are among shoppers’ favorites at Union Station, which also offers 34 dining destinations.

Riverby Books

This used and rare book shop is a gem in the heart of Capitol Hill. Located on a tree-lined lane bordered by red-brick sidewalks, Riverby Books offers an incomparable collection of hard-to-find volumes, including foreign language copies, works of local interest, and a comprehensive collection of literary favorites.

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Washington DC Art and Culture

If America had an officially designated “museum mile,” the National Mall would claim the title. This national park, located on the west end of Capitol Hill within walking distance of the Capitol Hill Hotel, features more than a dozen of the nation’s top museums, landmarks and cultural institutions. Sculpture gardens, historical museums, fine art meccas, interactive experiences and timeless statues draw thousands of visitors to Capitol Hill daily.

Museum of the Bible

D.C.’s newest museum is located just a mile away from our hotel.  Attractions include The Hebrew Bible, New Testament Theater and Washington Revelations.  Check out the museum on a guided tour or plan your visit based on current exhibits at the museum!

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Take a spin through the history of aeronautic innovation at the Air and Space Museum, one of the Smithsonian’s most popular destinations. No matter if you are a space travel buff who wants to learn more about NASA’s exploration of outer space, curious about the legends of early flight, or impressed by life-size versions of some of history’s most famous planes, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a standout destination — and a great all-ages adventure.

National Museum of the American Indian

This museum — even surrounded by Washington DC art and culture attractions — is hard to miss, thanks to its natural curvilinear architecture. Once you’re inside, the National Museum of the American Indian lives up to its exterior by providing illuminating exhibitions and a rich collection of artifacts. The museum focuses on indigenous peoples native to the region and the continent as a whole, featuring ceramics, fascinating retrospectives, painting and much more.

Newseum

Get an inside look at the stories behind some of the world’s biggest stories at Newseum. This interactive museum explores journalism and its progression through the years, providing exclusive insight into history’s most important moments in print, radio, TV and digital news. Just like the practice it profiles, the Newseum is an essential thread in the fabric of Washington DC and America as a whole.

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery claims one of the world’s top collections of fine art, highlights of which include the work of Edgar Degas and Roy Lichtenstein. Exhibitions run the gamut from architectural photographs to modern American prints and paintings to early works of Florentine publishing.

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Capitol Hill might claim the world’s title for most landmarks per mile. Within its relatively small borders, the neighborhood boasts the headquarters of multiple branches of the United States government, the world’s largest library, a litany of governmental administrative offices, and much more. Each of these Washington DC landmarks sits within just minutes of the Capitol Hill Hotel, making your stay — whether it’s for business or pleasure — simple and convenient.

United States Supreme Court

Located just a nine-minute walk away from the Capitol Hill Hotel, the U.S. Supreme Court serves as America’s highest court of law. The United States Supreme Court building itself, built in 1935, is a National Historic Landmark, boasting a sturdy Beaux-Arts base and an array of ornate sculptures and friezes throughout. The U.S. Supreme Court is accessible to non-government visitors who can watch the court’s proceedings Monday through Wednesday on a first-come, first-served basis.

United States Capitol Building

This iconic building, perched high atop Capitol Hill, is the principal home of the United States Congress. It sits at the point of intersection of the District of Columbia’s four main quadrants, with the city stretching out for miles in each direction from this epicenter. The neoclassical structure, opened in 1800, is known for its sprawling size and impressive dome. Aside from operating as one of the single most important buildings in America, the Capitol also offers guided tours for visitors.

U.S. Department of Education

One of the principal U.S. government offices located on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Department of Education building is approximately one mile away from the Capitol Hill Hotel. The department is located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building and employs approximately 5,000 civil servants, overseeing the nation’s educational policies on a wide scale.

Library of Congress

The world’s largest library is located on a bucolic block, directly across from a row of stately brownstone homes — it’s a scene that sums up Capitol Hill perfectly. The Library of Congress operates as a research library, and only high-ranking members of the U.S. government are authorized to check out materials. Visitors are allowed onsite, however, making it a worthwhile stop for any American history enthusiast.

United States Department of Health and Human Services

Dedicated to “Improving the health, safety and well-being of America,” according to its official motto, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is one of the most popular government agencies to visit when staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel, DC’s best extended stay hotel. The department’s main offices occupy a building on Independence Avenue SW, just a few minutes’ walk away from the hotel and directly across from the beautiful United States Botanic Garden.

Federal Aviation Association (FAA)

Located just down Independence Avenue from the Capitol Hill Hotel is the main office of the Federal Aviation Association (FAA). The FAA, which regulates America’s civil aviation industry, operates from its main offices just across the street from the Smithsonian Museum of Air & Space.