Cafe Twelve was a great find while out touristing on a cold, hungry weekday. My mother and I spotted it as we walked towards the latest exhibit at Artechouse, and then stopped for lunch on our way back to our car. I'm so glad that we skipped the lines at Potbelly and tried Cafe Twelve instead! Twelve things to consider before a visit to this cafe- 1. It's not a chain 2. It's tiny, but has a nice selection of breads and meats. 3. They carve the meat for each sandwich as you order 4. They slice veggies only slightly ahead, keeping just enough for a sandwich or two at a time. 5. They have a small clean restroom. 6. They have an amazing selection of chips. 7. They have a well rounded selection of beverages, including teas. 8. It's two blocks south of the Mall, near the Holocaust Museum and the Treasury. 9. The line might be long, but the staff keeps it moving! 10. The desserts look delicious, but your sandwich will be huge. Plan accordingly. All desserts are wrapped and ready to go, so you could always eat it later. 11. They are there to serve the nearby offices, so are only open on weekdays, and start putting things away around 3pm. 12. Tiny spaces mean there aren't many seats. Three tables for two and a few spaces at a window ledge, but with a nice grassy area just around the corner. If you are wandering around this area on a weekday, looking for an affordable place to eat actual food, step into Cafe Twelve. read more

Cafe Twelve - Freshly carved roast beef and avocado on soft rye. - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

The manager was very rude to me for the first time. I had to remove a can soda from my order. He was looking at his cell phone and said put the soda back while he motioned his hand for me to do it. It was soo cold and disrespectful the way he disregarded me as a loyal customer and was rude and dismissive. I told him that I was going to put it back but I wanted to make sure it was removed from my bill first. I buy sandwiches all of the time supporting this business while also enjoying a delicious meal. I am not in the mood for turkey sandwiches after I was treated in a disrespectful manner. He didn't even look at me. He looked at his phone while I stood there embarrassed by his rudeness to me in front of a packed restaurant of customers. On top of that the turkey was very dry. No lettuce or avocado either. Same price though with missing toppings. Wow. I was sad and surprised by his behavior. He is normally nice to me. He was rude and dismissive as he told me to put the soda back while motioning his hand for me to do it. People are a trip. I will not be coming back here to eat anymore. I loss my appetite. I only ate half of my sandwich, it was not enjoyable to consume. I tossed the other half in the trash. Customers are people. Treat them with kindness and respect always. Your business needs people. I was still shocked by his coldness. read more

Excellent Food at a good price. 4 minute walk from Spy Museum 9 minute walk from Holocaust Museum 14 minute walk from Air and Space Sit for a while and get away from the food trucks read more

I was out walking in the area and was getting hungry. Luckily this was on the same block where I was! I stopped in for a steak and cheese and some tater tots! it was just what I needed! There were few people inside but it was after lunch hour, and my food was in my hands fairly quickly after I ordered. I was a simple little cafe, read more

The breakfast burritos are huge and the sandwiches for lunch are too! The service is prompt although some of the staff have a small language barrier and may need help from other staff. The ingredients seem very fresh and quality of breads are excellent! Tiny place with three or four small tables for two. Most people take the food to go anyway. read more

Though my experience with Cafe Twelve was brief, I had a basic ordering experience & receipt of my gyro was quick. The cashier took her time taking my payment & no napkins were offered. I didn't see any in the dining room either. Nothing special at this restaurant, but the gyros are good. read more

Cafe Twelve - Delicious gyro! - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I will never visit Cafe 12 again. I was just there and the worker accused me of stealing tips from the container at the counter. I've purchased food there multiple times, as I work in the area. At about 8:15 on Jan. 10, 2025, I went there as usual. I ordered a sandwich, a cup of coffee and a bottle of apple juice. The worker made the sandwich and I reached into my coat pocket with a $20 bill and about 10 $1 to pay for my items. He looked at the tip jar, which had several ones, looked at the money in my hand and asked me if the money in my hand was from his tip jar. I said no. He asked, "Are you sure?" I repeated, "No," and added, "Are you accusing me of stealing? I've been here multiple times, and in many case, I have added money to your tip jar. Why would I steal today?" I looked up and saw a camera in the ceiling, so I asked him to review the camera footage. He said he would do so later with his boss. I said, "Please review the footage now. I will wait." He said, I will review with my boss. I said you are accusing me of stealing a few $1 bills. Why would I steal your money, then use the same money in front of you to pay for the food. Incensed, I told him to keep the food. I left it on the counter. I also gave him all the cash I had on me: The $20 and about 10 $1 bills. Horrible service and a horrible experience. read more

Hot and fresh sandwiches I had the Steak and Egg with cheese for breakfast and it was delicious.

This was a great steak and cheese sandwich, though some may think it spicy. My wife had a gyro and liked it too read more

See all

So, I work nearby and if I'm wanting a sandwich with real meat I come here. I typically get a steak and cheese Wrap. I get turkey too because they cut it straight off the turkey breast that they roast in house. Mike and his staff top priority is always providing wonderful Customer service. read more

Very rude customer service. Would not recommend this place. Walked in and was instantly givin the cold shoulder.

So, I work nearby and if I'm wanting a sandwich with real meat I come here. I typically get the Tuna or Chicken Salad. I get turkey too because they cut it straight off the turkey breast that they roast in house I believe. However, their prices are going up. Today I had a sandwich with two pieces of bacon and extra slice of cheese. I came later to find out that each bacon piece costs $1.00 and $1.00 for cheese. My 8 dollar sandwich quickly turned into $12.00 sandwich. If you add chips and a drink, oh and taxes you can easily pay almost $20.00 for it. When I asked the first about the high price she stated how much everything was, but i didn't see this listed anywhere when I was having my sandwich made. This place is okay, but the sandwiches are pretty bland and not worth 12 bucks for add bacon. or 20 bucks. I could buy sandwich things for the next few days which is What I might start doing pretty soon. Everything including some of the Cafe's inside the government buildings are doing up in price. I agree with someone else that mentioned other than the small mall about 2 blocks away there aren't many places to get lunch where the public, Non-Government workers can enter. read more

the turkey rueben was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the service was excellent!! the cafe is cute and clean!! i will be back!

Great Staff!! That along with the food keeps me returning. Mr Kim is always nice...ALWAYS. The ladies who fix the sandwiches are nice as well. The meat is hand sliced which can slow up the line, but the quality is excellent. Breakfast, Lunch, or snack... you won't be disappointed. Great deli sandwiches. Great quality. Line moves quickly unless you come during lunch rush. Very convenient for those of us who work nearby. You can also call your order ahead of time and it will be ready when you get there. read more

I rarely will rate a place five stars on the first visit but this seriously is such a well done deli-style food joint that I just had to do it. Located in the museum area of the city (I was visiting from out of town) this is one of few places that seemed anywhere near legit for an 11am meal. However, even if there was a slew of competition I have no doubt this place would still take the crown. I'm a HUGE fan of sandwiches and to me a good sandwich all comes down to fresh ingredients, great quality, fresh bread and sandwich construction (the thing can't be falling apart every bite etc.). There is literally not one thing that the sandwiches at this place missed. I was dumbfounded when I ordered a turkey sandwich and a real roasted turkey breast was pulled out of a roaster, fresh-sliced and weighed (for ultimate consistency). Boars Head is one thing but fresh roasted and hand-sliced turkey is in a whole other league. The rest of the ingredients were super-fresh and blew any sandwich I've had in the last three years (at least) completely out of the water. To top it off, the bread, which is typically hard to pull off, was incredibly fresh and there were several options to choose from. After enjoying what was possibly the best fresh turkey sandwich ever, I had to ask about the pastrami and roast beef. It turns out both are made in-house as well. In all, this place is top-notch. Owners of restaurants should take note. This place is pure quality and passion for simplistic and common foods. But it is the simple foods knocked out of the park that make for a great culinary experience. This was not just a turkey sandwich, it was an experience all of its own! read more

Cafe Twelve - Pure quality and passion for an otherwise simple turkey sandwich. Incredible freshness. - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very rude customer service. You will definitely get a bias treatment. Wouldn't recommend going here unless you look like a Spanish speaking person. Would give them a 0 if I could. Customer service should always be your top priority. read more

Pro: Sandwiches are really good (steak and cheese, gyro). Con: seating for about 10 ppl. read more

Cafe Twelve - Reuben - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I think the inflated reviews are due both to the lack of quality restaurants in the vicinity and it being local. At least when I came in the small deli had an extremely limited set of sandwich options (no decent sandwich bread for example) but either tasteless hoggie rolls or gummy sandwich wraps. The amount of veggies they put on the sandwich was pitiful. Service was prompt but far from welcoming. So for all of its "freshness" the value proposition just isn't there for me. It will do something fast, but it isn't a place you should go out of your way to find in my opinion. read more

Cafe Twelve - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The stake and cheese was my only reason for going here, but after the rudeness and bias treatment I will not be going back. This isn't the only place with a steak and cheese. I'll definitely won't be going back. read more

Cafe Twelve is conveniently located nearby my work. My coworkers have stopped by numerous times and always spoke about the food highly. Upon my visit I opted for their fresh carved turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. The carved turkey was fresh as it was carved on the spot as my sandwich was being made. The other sides such as lettuce, tomato, etc. were also very fresh. I could tell that those vegetables were cut that day and it wasn't leftover from the previous day. The sandwiches here are made very precisely; they will weigh the amount of turkey they slice before putting it onto your bread. They will place one piece of lettuce, two tomatoes and you can see where I'm heading with this. Portion wise- it's probably a bit more on the smaller end for a sandwich due to their precise portion control as I mentioned above. However with that being said the price is fair considering it's DC. Overall I throughly enjoyed my sandwich and would not hesitate to come back and try out another item. Plus I rather support this mom and pops operation as opposed to Potbelly down the street. read more

The food was delicious! We had the Corned Beef, Roast Beef, Gryo and Steak and Cheese. For my family of 6 we ate for less than $70! read more

Cafe Twelve - a man ordering food at a counter - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good breakfast & sandwiches, decent drink selection and coffees as well. I would give it 5 stars instead of 4 if the owner were a little friendlier! Sometimes his demeanor doesn't make me feel welcome.. read more

This is a decent little sandwich shop in an area with not much besides hot dog carts on the road. The owners seemed very friendly and the service was pretty quick at lunch time given the line was almost out the door. There was a resounding lack of places to sit here however, which means you either take it back to your office or sit outside next to the road in the grass (when you're wearing a suit this may not be the best option). There is also no restroom here, which was a big detractor for me since I am OCD about washing my hands before eating anything. The meats are all hand sliced, which is a nice change from the typical sandwich fare in this price range. The sandwiches however are a bit small for my taste, and the wraps looked to be pretty meekly filled. They do offer a very large selection of chips, and a lot of other seemingly random snack items. I ordered a cheesesteak, which tasted great but just wasn't filling enough. read more

We picked this place for breakfast sandwiches while waiting for our time slot for the Holocaust Museum. It was such a great find! While the breakfast sandwich on a bagel was awesome, I could see some of the employees actually shaving meat off of a real turkey for some of the lunch sandwiches. I can only imagine how good those are! There is not much to pick from around this area, so this was a goldmine. read more

Cafe Twelve is an oasis of fresh eats in an otherwise abysmal food desert near L'Enfant Plaza and Smithsonian Metro Station. So small you might miss it but worth the time to find. Super fresh veggies and rich bread go with meat sliced per order. The corned and roast beef, turkey breast and chicken are all super lean, flavorful and sliced paper thin. Get the multi-grain bread instead of the wheat (add $0.30) for a heartier, healthier sandwich. Spreads like stone ground mustard, pesto, honey mustard make the usual lunch a little more interesting. Even if you're not Vegetarian, the Veggie sandwich is worth a shot. It's a colorful and crunchy salad on bread - they shred or slice the vegetables for each order. Don't plan on eating in - there are only two or three tables plus a few bar stools lining the window. read more

Twelve is one of two lunch places amidst the mangle of federal buildings down here in SW. The other is Potbelly, which usually has a long lunchtime line. Twelve is a nice little sandwich shop with fresh ingredients. They cut the lunchmeat to order, and construct the rest of the sandwich down the line. I always get the grilled veggie pita - s'good. melty. I don't like that there is no water button on their soda fountain. If I ask for water, it takes the cashier away from his post. People in line get annoyed, I feel guilty and sheepish. Also, seating is limited, so take it to go if you can. read more

Mr. Kim is the best! The sandwiches are always fresh, well-made and yummy! I have compared his breakfast sandwich with the rival around the corner and hands down Cafe Twelve's bacon, egg and cheese on crossaint kill di cometition deh! It's always a nice experience going to get breakfast of lunch from this spot and the sandwiches are worth the wait if the line is long at times. A great mom and pop shop in the heart of a business district. read more

I've been working next door to this place and I regret not trying it all these months! So far I've only come for the Bfast, which is a great alternative (money, quality, and espicially time wise) to the Starbucks nearby. My go to is their egg/cheese/sausage sandwich on a bagel, which comes to 4.33 with tax, that's a steal in my opinion. The people that work there are incredibly nice too! Coffee is ok, it does it job and pairs well with their sandwiches. read more

Cafe Twelve - Egg, cheese, sausage on a bagel - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Foods not that great, but it is close to where I work. I got a tuna wrap today and they basically tried to nickle and dime me for everything on there, even things I did not ask for, however I did not argue because it was on the wrap. They then tried to charge me for avocado on the wrap and I told the cashier I did not ask for that nor was there any on the wrap. They then asked the sandwich maker, who also said yes there was avocado on the wrap (meanwhile there is a long line) and the cashier looks at me. I had to tell her I was not going to pay for avocado since there was none in my wrap and rather than just taking my word, they had to open the wrap and confirm what I say (no avocado). I won't be going back there anymore. read more

The menu has many different sandwiches to chose from, along with 30 or so varieties of chips. Also, many of the chips are organic or kettle cooked (that is always a plus for me). I ordered a tuna sandwich, and wasn't expecting much, but it was amazing! One of the best tuna sandwiches that I have ever had! Also, the ingredients were fresh and it was very noticeable. Although the diner was small, it was very clean. I only dined for a short period of time, but I noticed workers every ten minutes or so stocking chips, wiping down tables, and really working hard to keep the restaurant clean. Also, the customer service was great, some of the friendliest I had during my trip to DC. Definitely a 5 star rating from me! I would eat lunch at Cafe Twelve everyday if I lived in the DC area. read more

Are you kidding me? This place is unbelievable. The sandwiches are as fresh as it gets, with high quality meats and cheeses, and excellent bread. The veggies are cut and sliced per order, and your filling, vibrant sandwich will fill you up to help you get back on the move, whether you be sightseeing or stopping by from work. If I lived near hear this would be my go-to sandwich shop. I got the corned beef, and highly recommend it on the multigrain bread. Yum yum yum. We missed out on breakfast, but I can only imagine it is wonderful, as well. read more

We loved it. The turkey sandwiches were so fresh. It reminded my daughter of how Mom makes sandwiches for her. And don't forget the chocolate chip cookies. Very friendly and conveniently close to the National Mall. read more

Cafe Twelve - Sandwich and cookie - a still life - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We got a couple of sandwiches as we were visiting the Holocaust Museum about 5-10 minutes away. They were fine but it was not worth the walk. Also keep in mind that this place can only seat about 12 people so you will likely have to take your order to go. The California Chicken sandwich does not include Avocado, so not sure what is "California" about it. Also quite low on taste scale. The tuna sandwich was better. If you work there, it's fine but otherwise I wouldn't bother. read more

They served foods with kindness. Our family was very comfortable with spending our time to eat their sandwiches. read more

Cafe Twelve - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best sandwiches ever! Hubby ordered the turkey sandwich which was freshly carved and tomatoes were sliced at time of ordering...I had the gyro..soo delicious! The meat tasted great , not dry...pita was warm and was fresh. My teenagers loved what they had too... The owner and staff were very very friendly . I personally think the items we ordered were reasonably priced, especially for having fresh ingredients... If you like subway and are not accustomed to fresh ingredients, then perhaps this isn't the place to dine at... Oh...one more thing to add...This place has excellent air conditioning! No sweating while you eat! read more

While working downtown, I ate at cafe twelve practically every day, at least once a day. It got to the point that I walked in the door and they started making my order. Now that's service. Only one problem. Not enough space to sit and eat. Do yourself a favor and go there either at 11:30 or 1:30 for lunch if you wanna sit in an eat. Otherwise, service is fairly quick and you can be in and out the door in 5 - 10 minutes. Far better than any of the cafeterias in the area. Although I am no longer working on that project, I will miss hopping down from work to grab a quick bite. read more

One of the best vegetarian sandwiches I've had. The veggies are very fresh, and they taste delicious on the toasted bread. ( I ask them to hold the sprout and avocado, just my preference lol) read more

Cafe Twelve - The Vegetarian Sandwich. - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Since I have been working in the area, I stop by Cafe Twelve when I get a chance. They provide quick service if you are short on time. The food is good at all times of the day. If you are looking at prices, they are well priced compared to other local places. Least but not last, the staff is welcoming which makes those moments in your life more enjoyable. read more

Since under new ownership, quality is slipping, selection is getting smaller, and the service lacks professionalism. This used to be the best sandwich place within a few blocks, but that has definitely changed. It doesn't seem like they value their customers anymore. read more

We were waiting for our turn at the Bureau of Engraving to see money being made the old fashioned way (Printing it), and looked for a place nearby to eat. In a part of town where restaurants are few and far between and tourists in search of a little lunch need someplace, I'd go back in the dead of winter. The food quality is excellent. Finding it? It's hidden in an office building on the corner and good luck on your first pass locating it. Seating? Not much. This is a take it back to your cubicle kind of place. One star down for making me forage for my sandwich and for the SRO seating. Second star off because the gals running it seem to think they're doing you a favor to take your order. It might be one thing if they got the order right, too (They didn't). Great sandwich? $8. Chips ($2). Fast food with bad attitude? Not priceless. There are food trucks across the street. In the warm weather I'd be so there. If it's a day where George Washington could have crossed the Potomac on foot, then this less-than-tourist-friendly sandwich slinger is your place. read more

Cafe Twelve - Counter - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia