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    Marianne’s by DC Central Kitchen

    4.6 (19 reviews)
    Closed 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

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    Library book shelves
    Joe L.

    This place is amazing! I would have not have thought about eating at a library. The staff was super friendly and had a very warm feeling about them. They have sandwich and salad options. As a minimum get your coffee, latte, specialty drink here. It's so much cheaper than the places nearby especially for being in DC's downtown. Plus there are tons of places for a group to meet up. You can even grab a book to relax. Again, this is a surprisingly nice downtown spot in DC. It's one of the better libraries I've seen.

    a sandwich and coleslaw
    Hannah H.

    I'm sorry, but Marianne's is not it. By DC Central Kitchen, the organization provides on-the-job training and a hospitality apprenticeship to youth and adults that are facing obstacles to employment and housing - such a great mission! This eatery is located on the 1st floor of the MLK Jr. Memorial Library, and they offer a menu that offers various beverages, pastries, breakfast, snacks and sides, salads, and sandwiches, along with featured specials (when I went, they had Chicken Taco Salad and a Fresh Summer Salad). I had a pre-order of: +the Jerk Chicken Sandwich - a brioche bun filled with jerk chicken, with side cups of Caribbean slaw and jerk sauce; the bun seemed more of like a wheat bun, as it was definitely not fluffy, light, or buttery, but more on the dry side; the chicken 'strips' that the bun contained had no flavor nor sauce; the jerk sauce that was on the side didn't help, and it was of a thin consistency; the Caribbean slaw was red cabbage-focused, but hardly any flavors nor seasonings; it also didn't seem to be pickled long enough +chips and a canned soda The sandwich itself was just below average; the chicken itself was just super dried out, almost to the point of jerky consistency. The staff just chooses the flavor of the chips for you, but you can kindly request them to swap out for the one you actually wanted. Canned soda is not that cold, so ask for a cup of ice. Staff were fine, but they seemed extremely overwhelmed; there was a lack of communication, and orders were being mixed up, gone missing, offered to other patrons, etc. There's some tables and counter seating available, but during the lunch rush, it does become filled quickly. I'm glad I gave Marianne's a try, but definitely would not return. +dried-out sandwiches +unorganized staff +seating available +located on the 1st floor of the MLK Jr. Memorial Library +metered street and garage parking available

    a group of people in a cafeteria
    KJ E.

    I'm going to give Marianne's a holler because they were a perfect way for me to start my trip in DC. Not too far from where I'm staying, they offer shockingly affordable prices for coffee and breakfast items. I had an 8oz black coffee and a egg and cheese croissant and spent a total of $4. WHAT! Unheard of! But all solid, basic, necessary. Located inside the MLK public library, make sure to support Marianne's. I'm a fan!!! I support you all. Thank you for greeting me (a visitor) with a smile and steaming hot food and coffee.

    Marianne's bar
    Christopher L.

    The name Marianne is in honor of the woman who trained many hospitality workers under an apprenticeship program! I love the name :). The cafe is in the right atrium as you walk into the MLK Library, and is a small, inexpensive cafe (coffee is $1), with foods provided by the DC Central Kitchen. This cafe employs people under an apprenticeship program in hospitality. I ordered a cesar salad with grilled chicken. It was a fairly simple salad, but solid for only $8. A quaint place with a powerful mission of empowering our youth communities. I will continue to support this cafe :)

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    4 years ago

    Fantastic pastries! They were so nice and helpful. Nice quiet location too. Tatte has something to learn from this place!

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    4 years ago

    This is a great addition to the central library! They have very fair priced food and drinks, especially for the area.

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    I'm going to give Marianne's a holler because they were a perfect way for me to start my trip in DC.

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    Unconventional Diner - Lebanese Fried Rice

    Unconventional Diner

    4.4(3.5k reviews)
    0.5 miShaw, Downtown
    $$

    Yep. If you're reading this, you should just make that reservation and go... and yes, I would…read morerecommend a reservation because this place is pop-u-lar, and I see why. The space itself is bright and airy and a bit on the noisy side. But the service was very good, and the food was served quite quickly. I've been on a shakshuka kick lately, so I opted for the the Sweet Potato Shakshuka, which is described as: Sweet Potato Curry, with Chickpeas and Sunny Eggs with a the chicken add-on - gotta get that protein in, after all. This was one of the most unique shakshukas I'd ever had... It literally tasted like a curry dish you might get at your local Indian restaurant, with a bit of a brunch flair to it. The curry itself had a wee bit of spice and was a bit sweet - but that could have been from the sweet potatoes. The chicken was served in a bowl on the side, which felt a bit... odd... I would've expected it to be incorporated into the main dish. It was kind of bland and a bit lukewarm, so I don't know that I'd order that again... but I would definitely order this again!

    The good: the restaurant is definitely clean and our food came out quickly. The chicken and waffles…read morewere really good! I enjoyed the cornbread waffles and the sauces they game with. The meh: they didn't have space for strollers or have high chairs. They only offered a booster that doesn't have straps. My baby is a wiggler and high chairs are a must when we go out to eat

    Photos
    Unconventional Diner - Space is large, bright, and contemporary.  Reservations recommended.

    Space is large, bright, and contemporary. Reservations recommended.

    Unconventional Diner - Tip-Top Chop

    Tip-Top Chop

    Unconventional Diner - Caribbean Shrimp & Grits

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    Caribbean Shrimp & Grits

    Chopsmith - B.E.L.T ( no tomato)

    Chopsmith

    4.2(191 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    Yum!! I placed an order with Chopsmith via DoorDash and I am so, so glad I did…read more Either I beat the lunch crowd or they are efficient because my food arrived in 25 minutes and was so very fresh. I ordered the chimichurri steak plate and really enjoyed it. Funnily enough, the chimichurri itself was the least enjoyable item. I didn't love the texture of it (much too coarse) but, fortunately, it was packaged in a small container separate instead of on the steak itself. The salad probably had a bit too much dressing but I had the option to order that on the side so that's on me. Nonetheless, the steak, potatoes, salad, corn, avocado were all excellent. I also added chips, a lemon zest cookie, and a blueberry breeze handcrafted drink. The cookie is big and chewy, unlike others I have had. It's definitely not something to eat in one sitting. The drink was a little blah and nothing I would order again. All in all, very good!

    The sandwiches were delicious and the salad tantalizing. However, not a fan of having to use a quos…read moreto make an order. This one would not allow you to make changes to your selection such as wanting it plain and no bun. Told the person who makes the sandwich and they still got it wrong. For a sandwich shop the dining area was cozy but small and very warm as in the A/C must not have been working or keeping up. Over all on a cool day eating in the outdoor area would be much nicer.

    Photos
    Chopsmith - Dining area

    Dining area

    Chopsmith - Chopsmith Salad

    Chopsmith Salad

    Chopsmith

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    Saladworks

    Saladworks

    4.2(25 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    I waffled on this review because honestly the salads are like a 3.5 stars but the service is a…read moresolid 5 stars. Hence, the 4 star rating. Ordering online is relatively easy and every time I've done it my salad(s) have been ready when I arrive. I like the variety of toppings and options they offer. I do wish I could switch out one type of protein for another without being charged (for example, I'd rather have grilled chicken on the Asian chicken salad over the breaded chicken) and I wish the salad dressings were slightly bolder, but overall the salads are tasty and fresh. The service has also been fantastic every time I've gone. Most recently, the online ordering platform was glitching a bit and I accidentally ordered two of the same salad instead of two different ones. I went to pick it up, and the employee did ask to confirm I wanted 2 of the exact same things. When we realized what happened, he made my husbands salad and let me keep both of mine. I offered to pay for his salad since it was my error, but they were gracious and let me take all 3 salads for the price of 2. I really appreciated how well the employee handled the situation - he could told me "too bad so sad" or grumbled when I asked to fix it, but he didn't. He solved the problem with a smile on his face. I'll definitely keep coming here. I love a good salad and the service makes it even better.

    Synopsis: Always leaves me wanting more…read more.. Dets.: I've tried and tried with Saladworks, spending tens of dollars in search of a healthy, filling salad. However, each time I order, there's something wrong or missing. When it was the Greek salad with added chicken (yes, I paid extra for it), the chicken never came, and I said nothing. When it was the extra roll (also more $$) that was never included, I also said nothing. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...I need to stop wasting my money at this place and make my own dang salads.

    Photos
    Saladworks - Nice clean bright location! Friendly staff

    Nice clean bright location! Friendly staff

    Saladworks
    Saladworks - A spicy create my own salad with all the toppings I enjoy.

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    A spicy create my own salad with all the toppings I enjoy.

    Chopsmith - Chipotle Chicken Sandwich

    Chopsmith

    4.2(38 reviews)
    1.3 miH Street Corridor/Atlas District/Near Northeast

    I went to Chopsmith because I was looking for a place to grab a solid sandwich, and it definitely…read moredelivered. The sandwich I got on my first visit was really good and exactly what I was hoping for. I ended up going back a few days later and ordered the chicken parm, thinking it would be another sandwich. It actually came as a salad instead. On the in-store menu it looked like it was listed under sandwiches, so I'm not sure if it was user error or just a menu layout issue, but it's something to double check when ordering. That said, the chicken parm itself was still good, I just wasn't expecting it on a salad. Overall, the food quality is there, just make sure you're ordering exactly what you want. Also, they're on InKind, so definitely take advantage of that if you use it. Don't feel forced to order from the kiosk, you do have the option to order from the front.

    I wandered into Chopsmith on my lunch break completely unprepared. There were so many options that…read moreI was honestly a little lost at first, but I am glad I stuck with it because the turkey club ended up being one of the best club sandwiches I've ever had. Cilantro and lemon aioli on a club? I would have never thought of that combination, but it works. Between those flavors and the high quality bacon they use, every bite hit exactly how it needed to. Truly impressive. I ordered through the kiosk, so I can't really comment much on customer service. They just called my name when it was ready, and everything ran smoothly, so no issues there. I am already planning my return because that buffalo caesar wrap is calling my name next. If it tastes anything like that turkey club, I already know I'll be back again.

    Photos
    Chopsmith
    Chopsmith - Pick your own drinks, and other delights!

    Pick your own drinks, and other delights!

    Chopsmith - This is a picture of the spicy Mexi latte! If you like your coffee, hot and spicy, this is a drink for you!

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    This is a picture of the spicy Mexi latte! If you like your coffee, hot and spicy, this is a drink for you!

    HipCityVeg

    HipCityVeg

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I love you guys sooooooo much omg. my go to order is the meal deal with the basic b burger, medium…read morefries, campfire bbq, and sweetened green tea. holy crap it's so good. honorable mentions are the philly cheesesteak and veggie burger as well I was devastated when the DuPont circle location closed. I need the Chinatown location to never close so I'm writing this review

    This was really good!! I had this place bookmarked since the previous time I visited DC. We had…read moreattended a hockey game and were starving afterwards. As we were walking back towards our hotel, we actually were passing here so I chose it for our din din spot. I thought for sure it was going to be packed but luckily it was not. I knew I wanted a burger but was struggling with choosing which one. Hubs knew he wanted the Cheesesteak and knew I wanted fries. I went with the Smokehouse burger. We grabbed a seat and did not wait long for our food to come out. I really enjoyed my burger and scarfed it down! I paid for sauces, which were tiny and super overpriced. Hubs enjoyed his cheesesteak but he prefers meat. I had a bite and thought it was really flavorful and very closely tasting like the real thing. I noticed later this is a chain, which is pretty cool. I think the prices were pretty steep so I might skip on the fries next time. The food could have been warmer as well. Definitely worth a visit and will most likely be back when in DC again.

    Photos
    HipCityVeg - Buffalo Bella burger (fried mushroom) and sweet potato fries

    Buffalo Bella burger (fried mushroom) and sweet potato fries

    HipCityVeg
    HipCityVeg - Order on the right and then wait for your order!

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    Order on the right and then wait for your order!

    Marianne’s by DC Central Kitchen - cafes - Updated July 2026

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