For a cafeteria, this hit the spot! Of course there was rush for lunch, as folks tend to get hungry around the same time. Nonetheless, the selection of food varied and represented different indigenous tastes of the world. I stuck with fry bread (I ordered both the "Indian taco" and "fry bread with honey and cinnamon") because it brought me back to a time when I was in Navajo Nation. I do admit, the fry bread shouldn't be as tough as it is served here. However, it was filling and satisfied the tummy. The fry bread with cinnamon and honey reminded me of a donut, ish. My pops had the chicken tenders and French fries, which wasn't very memorable. My brother ordered a bison cheeseburger, which was alright. We don't normally eat bison, so we didn't have a means of comparison. I just added ketchup as I thought it needed it. Just remember to clear out your own stuff/bus your own tray! It might help if the were more signs around... but I just looked around. Overall, just a convenient place to eat while going from museum to museum! Would come back to try other food from other places. read more

I was blown away by this little museum "cafeteria". I read good reviews on yelp so that was my main motivation in visiting the museum. I was not at all disappointed. As you walk in you can pick up a tray and direct yourself to any of the labeled areas displaying gourmet meals made from traditional ingredients. The cafeteria is divided up by different Native American regions throughout the Americas. I enjoyed the venison minced pie with a mustard sauce (around 12.00) that was unbelievable. Excellent flaky crust and generous filling. This was from the Northern Plains region. I also had a type of squash soup with rabbit in it, it had a fancy name I forgot to write down, (about 7 bucks) that was delicious from the South American region. I wish I had been able to try more things, so much looked good. Overall I spent about 20 bucks for an excellent meal and the cafeteria was all very clean. I would eat there again in a minute. Definite go. read more

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I have to come here every (EVERY) time I visit DC. there's so many different indigenous and indigenous-inspired dishes that there's something for even the pickiest of eaters. where else can you eat foods from the great plains, south America, Pacific northwest, mesoamerica and the eastern Woodlands all in the same place? ok, there are probably plenty of other places, but it's just cooler here. a bit pricey, and pretty packed during the lunch rush, but if you arrive at 11AM there's plenty of room to browse and meander across the continents to choose your dishes. you can sample most anything (save the entrees), and they are forthcoming about the ingredients to ensure no allergic reactions. definitely worth a visit. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - lamb soup (south america), Brussels sprouts (northern woodlands) and bison chili (great plains) - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When a friend's brunch plans fell through, and I was put on the spot to come up with somewhere for lunch on the National Mall, I wasn't sure I had an answer. However, I decided we should check out the Mitsitam Cafeteria, and it proved to be a hit! While VERY pricey for what you get, it's a really fun experience. I ordered a Najevo Taco ($13.99) and a bottled peach tea ($3.75). The Navajo Taco was good, although I was really disappointed they were out of the other options that were displayed. It was fry bread with turkey chili, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. The veggies were not great quality nor terribly fresh, but the fry bread was really delicious. It wasn't $13.99 delicious, but since I don't see much other Native American food in D.C., I don't mind paying extra. There are many stations as people pointed out, but on a Saturday, most of them were out of food, and the lines wrapped all over the place. I would highly recommend coming on a week day. All in all, a cool experience once, but I am not rushing to return either. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Navajo Taco... $13.99 pre tax - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mitsitam is easily the best of the Smithsonian Cafes (just slightly ahead of the offerings at the National Museum of African American History and Culture). There are five stations, each representing a different region: Mesoamerica, Northern Woodlands, South America, Northwest Coast and Great Plains. The menu rotates seasonally, though there are some items that are always available, including the green chile bison burger and the Indian tacos (vegetarian and meat-based options for the chili exist). The rotating foods offer a decent value - most entrees come with 2 sides (and you can mix/match sides from different stations). I've been eating here for years, and some of the more memorable items have been the bison & duck burger, the tamal, and the braised pork shanks. My friends have enjoyed the cedar-planked salmon, and I always grab anything with nopal in it if available! Vegetarian options are usually plentiful, especially in terms of sides. Prices are a little bit higher than other Smithsonian cafes, but you will actually want to eat the food here. Virtually every other Smithsonian (save for the aforementioned NMAAHC) has cafes that serve mediocre food at best (sending serious side eye to Air & Space and American History). Here, you'll get something interesting and tasty, all served in a beautiful venue -- okay, it's still a cafeteria, but this one is a bit nicer. Signage could be *way* better - people tend to cluster at the entrance where they pick up their trays and don't realize that there are several stations. The folks working the checkout are really friendly, but the line situation can get intense during peak hours, especially if there are a lot of schoolchildren visiting. Mitsitam is technically open until 5pm, but in the off-season, it often closes by 3pm. Plan accordingly. There is an espresso bar available out front if you just want a quick drink, but in my experience, it's better to skip this - the drinks are often not very good and are a bit pricey given their quality. Just head into the cafeteria for something better or go visit a nearby coffee shop if you must have a hot drink. I would love a sit-down version of Mitsitam because cafeterias are inherently limited in what they can do food-wise. Avoid peak lunch hours because of the noise, lines, and lack of seating and you'll do just fine. read more

I would give this place maybe 4 stars for quality (taking into account that it is a cafeteria style venue), 3 for value for your money, and 4 maybe for service (it was kinda bad and disorganized but I can empathize with the people who worked here trying the best to manage a busy lunch hour). So the food. I ordered the chocolate rubbed boar which was tasty. It was 14.50 without the side and 20 dollars with two sides. I liked the boar. It was somewhat funny that in the bill the dish is spelled as "Bore" which was somewhat true as a description but what was really a bore was the side dishes in that station. The wild rice was not that great and so was the brusselsprouts. The brusselsprouts from the African American museum was better. The cafeteria also had several kid friendly dishes such as chicken tenders, fries, burgers... There are also more traditional native American cuisine. So would I go back, perhaps if I am in the mall area. It is better than the food court at NGA and the Smithsonian castle but maybe not so great a choice when the right food truck is parked on 7th st. read more

Tried the vegetarian Indian Taco (was. Ice that there were several vegetarian options). Very good and close to authentic. Also ate the fry bread w honey and cinnamon, but it really needs to be more fresh if you are gonna eat it that way. Located on the entrance level in the back. Closes at 3pm (on the dot) read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Exterior of museum grounds - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Amazing! 1) Got the Indian taco, bison steak and wild rice. 2) Food is fantastic. 3) Price little high. But worth it. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Indian taco and bison steak - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It was a delight to visit this restaurant in the Native American museum. There were several dish choices , that we wanted to try. We decided on this and it was really good. I wanted some other dishes to sample, but I couldn't eat another bite... The museum is a must see, informative details about native Americans history. The restaurant was icing on the cake. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The prices may seem high when you compare them to cold sandwiches with no meat, or the generic Kabob truck fare available in the area, but the quality of the food at Mitsitam cafe is top notch. Having worked in the area for a while and visited multiple times, I highly recommend dishes with a main protein and 2 sides for 16$. The nutritional value, cultural experience, and beautiful setting is easily worth the extra 5$ compared to the fast food around. I've enjoyed flank steak, salmon, trout and rabbit dishes with complex flavors. My favorite side is the bacon cabbage or the potatoes au gratin, but they have a ton of healthy and indulgent side options. The burgers are pretty good, but the traditional protein and soup mains are the real reason to visit Mitsitam. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Colorado Rabbit Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon Cabbage - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While looking for a cool spot to cool down that was not crowded we ended up in the Museum of Native American History. I can honestly say it was one of the best places we visited this week. It is a must do while in DC, and is is Free!!! But this is about the restaurant right?! What can I say but Oh My, I ordered Turkey chili with fried bread, Hub got Bison Chili, kiddos had Steak tacos with fried bread sprinkled with cinnamon and frizzed honey, chicken tenders with fries. All of it was DELICIOUS, Fresh, well seasoned. Fried bread was doughy but crispy on the outside, bison chili was a little spicy but not overpowered. Turkey chili had chunks of veggies and was very well seasoned. I wished I had found this sooner. There were so many different dishes to choose from, I needed more days. Will definitely eat here again on my next visit to DC read more

When it comes to museum food courts, Mitsitam has got to be one of the most unique and exciting that I've been to. It offers a variety of Native American cuisine with some pretty upscale (salmon!!) options alongside staple basics for picky eaters and I found myself having a hard time choosing just what to get! The vegetarian chili was pretty good but the apple salad was exceptional! I sampled the hot wild rice salad and also really enjoyed that. My friends got meat and vegetarian tacos which they rated positively. Where this place falters is the setup/service, the lines are extremely haphazard and the wait was fairly long for food that was already pre-prepared. Things are pricey but not too bad by museum standards, it just stings dropping $15+ on a meal in a food court when there are great options a few blocks away. Definitely give this place a shot if you're around, we went to the food court without even having seen the museum and I'd come back. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Apple salad and vegetarian chili - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We loved Mitsitam so much we ate there twice during our week long visit to DC. One of our favorite places we ate at. They have 5 (?) different counters of regional Native American food with plenty to choose from for vegans through carnivores! There are useful signs to describe what's in the dish. There are notations for dishes that contain nuts and also for those dishes that are vegetarian. Besides dishes like enchiladas and tamales they have dishes that you will not find elsewhere-fry bread, buffalo steaks, sprouted popcorn salad, wild rice with greens, salmon dishes and several other main course offerings. There is a large selection of beverages and desserts. The chocolate tart and strawberry tarts were D E L I C I O U S! Can be a bit pricey but worth it. Hint: After you pay for your meal at the cashier go to your right to be seated. The tables face large windows that have a stream like fountain. Sorry no photos. There were so many fellow diners when we ate there. Didn't want to inadvertently photograph someone. We ran into our son's former (now retired) pediatrician at the airport. One of the first things he asked was, "Did you try the cafeteria at the National Museum of the American Indian?" read more

To really appreciate Mitsitam Café, you need to explore the native foods and prepare for a journey. The café is located in the Museum of the American Indian and showcases foods from several native regions throughout the United States. Please do not come here for burgers and fries, as you will be disappointed. For those willing to explore, you are rewarded with amazing options. There are fry bread, blue corn bread, and various land and sea options. I chose the Five Region Sampler which included fresh grilled bison and delicious salmon paired with a grilled apricot salad, cheese potato bake, and wild rice. It was simply amazing and highlighted the natural flavor of the regional food. This was a truly unique experience in Washington. This would be a great spot for a family or large group to order many dishes from all over and share to sample a bit of everything. The prices are high, but you are paying for quality. Expand your dining horizon and try something completely new, even in the middle of the pandemonium. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Five Region Sampler with Cedar Smoked Salmon, Grilled Bison Loin, Wild Rice, Grilled Apricots, and Cheese Potato Bake - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is no ordinary cafeteria. With gourmet menu items, wide selection featuring dishes from different regions of the Americas featuring indigenous ingredients, it was an experience just to browse through the selections before deciding on my choices. Between the 4 of us, we settled on braised short ribs, salmon, Indian fry bread stuffed w/ cheese, a variety of side dishes including wild rice, fresh beet salad, okra and green tomato salad, and a squash assortment salad. Where else can you find selection such as this? The quality of everything was very good, given that it is a cafeteria. The only negative is the price. It can blow your mind and your budget. A entree w/ 2 sides will easily run $20. One (1) empanada sets you back $8. Our lunch tab for 2 adults and 2 young kids was over $50, not what you'd expect for a cafeteria. read more

While many people from DC had told me that the Museum of the American Indian would be a bit of a disappointment, they said I should not miss Mitsitam. Wow, they were right - the food was fantastic...being Native American, it was great for me to see so many different regional cuisines represented in one spot...it was actually a bit difficult to choose because almost everything looked so good...I opted for the following: Chipotle Fried Chicken - A nice, juicy fried chicken with just a hint of spice. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and I loved every bite. Yucca Salad - a nice salad of perfectly cooked yucca with peppers and topped with fresh Mexican cheese. Buffalo Chili - a tasty and hearty bowl of savory chili with nice pieces of buffalo meat, which added a unique touch to a typical dish. Fry Bread - while not exactly the same type you'd find in New Mexico, it's similar to stuff I've had in Canada and was still very good. If you're looking for something very unique, definitely stop by this place for great food. read more

What an unexpectedly awesome experience! This is the only place I love to take DC visitors to. Its close to all the museums (and IN a museum)....easy access, easy dining experience. I've been to this museum several times, and my very first time I was surprised to see a Cafe. My group decided to try it out and the second we walked in we immediately knew this would be a great experience....ADVENTUROUS as all the other reviewers call it! THE SETUP: There were many people (and many newbies clogging up traffic from browsing) walking around the different regions searching for their meals. I believe the regions are... -Northern Woodlands -South America -Northwest Coast -Great Plains, and -Meso America Everything is set up cafeteria style and you simply go around with your tray. Surprisingly, lines were very fast and I've never had to wait long to get food. Once you pick up your items you can proceed directly to the cashier, and find your own seats. SEATING/AMBIANCE: The seating area was really packed, but there were still a few open tables. I've never had problems with finding a seat. It can be kind of intimidating though with the large crowds.... especially when there are kids touring the museum and all sitting at the table next to you. However, it is well-knit and I feel cozy in there with the colors and architecture of the place. The soothing water windows are great too. Seems like many people working around the area stop by here for a bite. FOOD: I'm all for trying different foods, and this is as different as it gets. I remember getting sweetbread with warm butter (mmmmmm) and red potato salad with quinoa. It is the BEST potato salad i've ever had...a new flavor that was so great on my taste buds. I love to try new things. I saw everyone going for the tamales (sp?). I never order much because I know you can't take your leftovers out, so I fill up pretty easily on a side. FINAL SAY: I am going again this Monday--taking some newbies with me--and hope I can splurge some more. The price is kind of steep but I would agree that this is better than a sit down restaurant....I don't even see it as museum food! This is fine dining on a dime. PS: I wish they allowed doggy bags or takeout!!! read more

Mitsitam Cafe - (MITSITAM) potato salad + quinoa - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was really excited about trying this cafe out because I've heard a lot about it. There are stations laid out with various different styles of food from different regions. I actually thought it would be a sit-down place, but it was basically a cafeteria. We had the pulled bison sandwich which was quite tasty, full flavored and the barbecue sauce wasn't too sweet. We also tried the wild rice and watercress salad which was very nice -- my favorite. The duck sausage soup sounded good but was a let down. There wasn't any duck sausage anywhere to be found and the soup was a little bland. The space is nice especially if you're visiting the Native American museum..... sit facing the windows by the 'waterfall', it's very relaxing. read more

Good food in a museum cafeteria? Mitsitam is located in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. It showcases native foods from five regions: Northern Woodlands, Northwest Coast, Great Plains, Mesoamerica, and South America. I've tried the Beef Adobo, Hibiscus and Chocolate Marinated Pork Shank, fry bread with blueberry sauce, and Cheese Fry Bread. The best of the bunch was the pork shank and cheese fry bread. The pork was juicy, tender, and had great flavor. And the fry bread... how can you not like fry bread. Especially when it's cheese fry bread. The beef was also good, just not as memorable as the pork. I also had a few small bites of the Venison Mincemeat Pie. The pie is served with a whole grain mustard sauce. Normally, I'm not a fan of venison, but from the few bites I had, it was actually good. It worked well with the mustard sauce. Minuses for Mitsitam are the prices and the fact that it is always packed. It's in a museum, so I guess that would explain the hordes of people. If it's still on the menu, I'd like to go back to try the Buffalo and Duck burger. With that combination, it has to be really good or really terrible. If you'd like to get a normal cafeteria experience, you can always order things like chicken tenders and fries, but why would you want to do that? read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Pork Shank - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Oh did the Mitsitam deliver on the promise of a good lunch! Granted, it was a little difficult for me at first to explain to my wife we were going to eat at the American Indian Museum. "No, honey, I don't think they serve saag there. Nope, no naan either." "Wait a second, did you say AMERICAN Indian museum?" "Yeah, the only sacred cows there would be Sitting Bull." "So what do they have?" "Let's find out." Turns out they have a bunch of EVERYTHING. Set up, cafeteria-style and organized by "Geographic locations of our indigenous peoples," diners are beckoned from signs above to such locations as "Pacific Northwest," "Northern Woodlands," and "Beverages." The "South American" station serves papusas. The "Coastal Region" serves wild nettle and turtle soup as well as frog legs. Unfortunately, we arrived at 3pm. While blessedly uncrowded, both the South American and the Coastal regions had folded for the day. It was the Great Plains pulled buffalo sandwich for me then. I passed on the fry bread and got a couple of Mesoamerica's beef tacos instead. So both our meals ran up to $30 for lunch; pricey, but knowing that tourist dollars are the most delicious of them all, I was expecting to pay up. Four stars. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my second time visiting the Mitsitam Cafe. It is located inside the National Museum of the American Indian. This is by far the best option for food within the Smithsonian museum area. There are many options beyond burgers and fries. The food is delicious and much healthier than anything you find elsewhere along the Mall. The one downside is the price. It is very expensive. While the museums are free to enter, you seem to make up for it in the price of the food. I ordered the cedar plank salmon entree with two sides and that ran me $22. Include my wife's meal and we're approaching $40 for lunch, without a drink or dessert. Yet despite the price, I can't imagine going elsewhere to eat while visiting the museums. You can't beat the fresh options and healthy fare. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Cedar plank salmon, zucchini and leeks, and new potato and broccoli salad. Delicious. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Let's get the basics out of the way. It's not cheap at all It's a cafeteria. The seating area is very tight. Vast majority of the desserts you've seen someplace else. This is the sort of place that's wasted on tourists. There are very few places like that in DC, but this is at the top of the list. Unless you're from an area that still has a a significant Native American/First People's presence, then you don't really get a chance to try any of the various foods offered. It breaks down into - The Plains Indians - The NW Indians - The East Coast - SW/Meso American Indians I've had a number of dishes from the NW side. I'd go with the beef offerings. My siblings really liked the SW side, betraying their Texas residence. This most recent trip I went with the plains. Braised bison short rib over hominy. Coupled with buckwheat, apple, and thyme cobbler. This was a lot of food, not cheap at all. Conception wise, this was very sophisticated, the kind of thing that you'd expect at one of the numerous expense account establishments that infest this city. Execution wise, it was a miss. It's a cafeteria, but as a Luby's veteran, that's not an excuse for a hair above lukewarm food. The bison had been cooked well. Fall off the bone, it was like a more luxurious pot roast. For my money, it could have been more aggressively seasoned. The hominy was sad though. When you cook meat and potatoes at home, the potatoes are the vehicle of flavor. Hominy stands in for the starch, but since it wasn't cooked with the beef, you get little white pearls of Styrofoam instead. The seasoned fries were super Hannah Montana, they needed to be a lot more Beyonce. The seasoning was atop the heat lamp. A concession to the middle America crowd? (more likely the culture less transplants) Had they been fried to order and attacked with spice like they do at 5 guys, they'd be awesome. The most interesting part of the meal was the cobbler. Buckwheat has the texture of a yeast roll and the nice color of whole wheat. I was intrigued and concerned by the thyme and apple combination, but that turned out to be the best interplay of the whole meal I still liked the meal, but this place could easily be one of the top dining destinations in D.C. read more

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I fully support eating here as a contribution to the museum; however I don't think that the food/value make this a place worth going out of my way to visit. It's neat to see American Indian inspired dishes represented, though they skew toward the unfortunate modern American habit of putting meat into nearly every entree and some sides. The only non meat entree that I saw was a black bean and green chile tamale for a whopping $13.95. That said, I enjoyed a few veggie-based sides, such as a wild rice and watercress salad. I also enjoyed an heirloom bean stew but was sad to see that they'd added smoked turkey. It still tasted good, but I was surprised by all the meat when so many American Indians had diets that were heavier in veggies, fruits, legumes, roots, and grains. Ah well. They had to get the meat and dairy lovin' masses of North America appeased somehow. read more

So after walking around a bit we decided to find some food. Stumbled upon this place because a local said it was really good. Welp this said person was dead wrong! Oh man. If you like soggy chicken tacos this is your place. the 3 of us got Chicken tacos and all were inedible. Only good thing kind of was the little bottles of wine and normal drink we had (forgot what it was but it was bottled so that was safe). Avoid! Avoid! Avoid! I'm sorry. PS - The chick that checked us out charged us 3 different prices. HUH? read more

So my friend's roommate had talked about this place and obviously the yelp reviews were good. And yes, we went to the museum just to eat at Mitsitam. We get there and there is a very endearing man giving us the scoop on how to get our food and how the place works while we're waiting in line for crowd control. We get in, and yes, the best thing to do is to peruse. The place was HELLA crowded. I got the four sides options and it was a good choice for a vegetarian - $12.50 for all four sides. I had some fern salad with asparagus (the favorite), quinoa, some sweet potatoes, and something else I can't remember. Everything looked REALLY good. I also tried the tamale pie which was mediocre. My boyfriend got tacos with mole which were said to be very good, but pricey and he wasn't full. I highly recommend coming here and sharing food with people because there are just too many options. I was very impressed b/c the food is great for those who like eating different grains and vegetables and the food is labeled vegan/vegetarian, but sometimes those labels were wrong . . . read more

Whoa, what a surprise to find a fancy pants cafeteria in a museum. I think all my subsequent National Mall area visits will end up here. I personally don't really like the museum, but I would go for this cafe! There are about 5 stations with food from different regions...my eyes glaze over with so many choices. I got the buffalo sandwich and wild grain and watercress salad. My friend got a cedar smoked salmon and a whoppie pie looking thingy. Yea, thingy. The buffalo sandwich was meaty and satisfying, the wild grain salad just tasted...healthy. My friend really liked her salmon, though it was a sad small portion, and the piece of whoppie pie she shared was delicious. It is on the expensive side, the buffalo sandwich might be the one item with great price to quantity ratio. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Buffalo sandwich - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had read that this was meant to be some sort of Native American food court, but none of the food on offer looked very Native American to me. We ended up just ordering a burger and fries to share. See attached pic. They might have had some Native American ingredients in them but they tasted just like any other less-than-average burger/fries that I've had. I will forever remember this place as where I was when I found out that Osama bin Laden had been killed. We soon realised this meant that we wouldn't be able to go anywhere near the White House that day, which was a real disappointment since we were only in DC for that one day. Thanks a lot, Osama bin Laden. Why couldn't you have died some other day? read more

Mitsitam Cafe - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This cafe is located on the lower level of the Native American Museum at the Smithsonian. I didn't have high expectations coming here because it's a cafe located in a museum. Loved that they had a wide variety of Native American foods from various regions - we got the Sampler Platter from the NW Coast Region. Between the two of us, we shared what consisted of baked salmon, filet mignon, a chickpea/squash concoction, a mushroom salad mix, and some wild rice ($22.95), but it was more than enough to give us our fill. The food was just okay but I liked that I got to try something I probably wouldn't find in many other places. One of the reasons I love traveling is you can try new foods you can't really find in your hometown. It is pricey here, but I expect that from a museum restaurant. A fountain drink will cost you $2.95, ouch! read more

A lot of friends told us to be sure to stop into the cafe - whether we were visiting the American Indian museum or not - while on our trip to DC. We made sure to make time for a midday snack here, but unfortunately, there were slim pickins available. Mostly fry bread, soups/stews, burgers, and desserts. The prices were pretty inflated, which was to be expected, but we figured we'd splurge. The bison chili and cornbread was pretty tasty. One may scoff at the serving size for the price, but, because of its ingredients, it fills you up fairly easily. I would have loved to see all their offerings during high traffic time when all the stations are open. The menu board they have outside the building boasts all kinds of amazing sounding things that we, unfortunately, missed. I suppose that's what we get for visiting at 2pm on a Thursday in winter. Not the cafe's fault! read more

Native American cafeteria! This cafe is in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, where they serve Native American cuisine from across the Americas. It's a good opportunity to get a taste of the indigenous tribes, and learn a bit more about them. We went and opted for Navajo main entrees. I got the Navajo taco, which was a taco with ground beef, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and green chili on a piece of Indian fry bread. We also got a bison burger, which was overcooked and looked like an Aramark burger that you'd get at a ballgame. We also got the South American brussels sprouts and a quinoa apple salad with a vinegar. With the exception of the burger, all the other entrees were quite good. It was cool to see all the different dishes available from across the tribal nations. The American southwest, northwest and South America were represented well. The service was quite poor- the employees had no idea what they were serving, and some didn't even know what the dishes were called. Long lines formed around each of the stations, where you have to go from station to station getting the different dishes. The prices were really high, but the recipes were authentic. I had gotten a fruit drink from the jugs, but set it down to get food, and when I turned around, someone had cleaned it up and taken it away. When I returned, the beverage was out. The cafeteria seating area was beautiful, looking out on a fountain and the National Mall. Most of the tables were rather cramped, and not bused and cleaned up all the way. read more

A large seating area is available here and some good options to build your own platters. There were many options which made it a little difficult to make a decision, but finally I decided to experiment with something new. Avoided the traditional burgers and fries. I chose to go ahead with the wildrice and watercress salad with some beans and corn bread. The wildrice and watercress salad tasted good with the beans. Cornbread was a tad dry, dont know if it was because of the strong AC draft on my table. The staff behind the counters were very helpful in answering questions which helped me narrow down on the items from the menu. If you want to venture out just for food and return to continue your museum tour, I would say try-out this place. Moderately priced. Small portions and samples available at some counters. read more

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GREAT CAESARS GHOST FOOD IS EXPENSIVE HERE! And for basically just semi-fancy cafeteria food! Service is incredibly crappy, cooks who serve up the food obviously hate being cooks, serving food, tourists, and working. Nasty service. I ate here shorty after the place opened and had such a 180 degree different experience, I was pumped to eat here again, but it was craptacular. Service = awful Food = edible, but priced at 4x what you should be charged at least Atmosphere = awful, dirty This place should be awesome. It has seriously huge "potentially awesome place" credentials. Step it up Mitsitam, I wanna love you again. read more

Honestly, I was so incredibly disappointed in not just the cafe, but the museum. They only had one authentic Native American/American Indian dish in the whole cafe. It was vegetarian, which was no problem for me, but for a museum of this caliber, I expected the whole menu to be comprised of authentic tribal foods. There was not one actual Native person working I. The museum or the cafe. Maybe that was to be expected, but I felt disgusted with the experience (not the food). The plate of colors, which was the 1 dish that was authentic (I hope), was excellent. But for $50 for lunch for - child and 1 adult, I was expecting so much more. read more

Every time I told someone I was going to check out the museums on the National Mall, literally everyone immediately responded with "You must eat at the Museum of the American Indian!" Apparently, it's got quite the reputation as the best of the museum cafes on the mall. Considering I've eaten at a number of museum cafes, I figured it was my duty to see if it was indeed worth the hype. Plus, let's face it, how often do you get to eat Native American fare? I walked into the cafe and immediately was a little overwhelmed by all the choices. There were easily a dozen or so food stations, each offering up cuisine from a different region of the Americas. Aside from the diverse variety, each station was also offering a couple appetizers, a couple soup selections, a couple entree options and a dessert. It took me literally about 15 minutes just to make the rounds and see what they had to offer! After much debate, I narrowed down my choices. After a big breakfast, I decided I'd pick up just a soup and a small bite. I chose a chicken soup and the calabasa salad from the South American station, along with some frybread from the Midwest/Plains station. (Sure, the frybread might not exactly fit into the South American flavor profile, but how can you say no to frybread?!?!) The chicken soup was very tasty. The rich chicken stock was the perfect foundation, complemented with shredded chicken and root vegetables. But what really made it special was the topping--bacon dust and bittersweet chocolate. They added just a little something extra--some smokiness from the bacon and a touch of sweetness from the chocolate--that pulled the soup together. (Though I've got to say, chocolate powder on top of chicken soup isn't the prettiest thing--but it tasted great.) I thought the frybread was a little dry for my tastes. I think it would have been great with something on top, like the frybread tacos they offered up at the Midwest station, but since they only had beef (well, bison) toppings, I opted for a plain frybread. The calabasa salad was a cold salad with a mix of winter squashes and apples. I thought it would be a nice, light way to cleanse my palate after the soup and frybread. Well, turns out not so much. Don't get me wrong--it was great--but it was a little heavier and richer than I had expected. Flavorwise, it wasn't as sweet as I had expected--there was a good punch of vinegar in the dressing, giving it a nice, complicated flavor profile, but one a little more savory than I'd been expecting. Actually, it turned out the calabasa salad was a great topping for the frybread. As in most museum cafes, atmosphere and service left much to be desired. It was very utilitarian inside, moving from counter to counter to pick up food, then funneling through the cash registers. The seating area was full of large, communal tables. I have to say, as good as my food was, I thought it was a little pricey. With a drink, my meal came to $15.79. Sure seems like museum cafes are charging more and more these days, I guess I shouldn't complain too much about a $16 lunch when I've had far pricier--and less tasty--meals at other museum cafes. I guess the $16 price tag irked me since I didn't order a proper entree, just small bites. But I guess the cost of lots of small plates adds up. The Mitsitam Cafe offers up an unusual--but tasty--assortment of cuisines from across the Americas. It's definitely one of the more unique museum cafes I've been to, and definitely one I'd recommend. It's got an eclectic menu--one heavy on bison offerings, if that's your thing. While I wish signage and atmosphere were a little better, it's a great option for a quick lunch while checking out the National Mall. read more

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Another fine example of the Smithsonian's effort to provide relevant food options in their museums. Cheerful enthusiast staff here, perhaps in contrast to bored bureaucrats at some others. Foods with themes related to native American cultures abound. Try it when in the museum. The fish choices were great, as were things like wild rice and sweet potatoe dishes. read more

Yummy! Make sure you visit each place before choosing. Some people just line up at the first stand not understanding there are different options. It can get chaotic when there's a lot of people since the check-out line is so close to the two food stations. I can't remember where I got everything but I know I tried to get something from a variety of stations. I had the fry bread which was really good, the buffalo which was tasty but I inadvertently got it too rare, and the cold beet soup with crab which was soo refreshing and tasty. My friend got the salmon (boring) and I think wild rice salad which was really good. They change the menu every season and there's also an array of drinks along with the standards so don't forget to find a unique drink too. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Partially eaten buffalo, fry bread, cornbread, and beet soup. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I finally made it around to visiting the NMAI. I heard that the cafe was pretty good, so I gave it a try. It's cafeteria style like the other museums, but the offerings are definitely different. The hubs and I tried the duck which was served with blueberry stuffing & cheese papusas complete with the cabbage that normally accompanies it. The duck was flavorful, perfectly cooked (read: not dry) and the stuffing was as good as my mother-in-law's - and that's GOOOD. The papusas were flavorful but denser than any I've ever had. It was also nice to see the lady making them by hand as well. We expected to go back and try more items because everything looked great, however, the stuffing and papusas did us in. I'd really have liked to try the other items, from the buffalo chili, various salads, to the frogs legs. When I make it back to the NMAI, I'm definitely trying a few other things. The prices are on-par with the other museum items, but I you definitely get more of an experience, better quality and interesting variety at Mitsitam. read more

Perhaps I'm a bit bias...I did spend my summer as an intern at the National Museum of the American Indian. Even though I did not work on the Mall (I worked at our collections/curatorial building in Maryland) I was lucky enough to enjoy Mitsitam a number of times.. The first time I went I had a Corona and frybread with honey and sugar. Healthy snack right? The frybread was doughy and not the best I've had, but, I wasn't complaining. Beer and frybread? Hell yes. About a week later, I enjoyed firegrilled salmon, tasty red potatoes and something else I don't remember. It was very tasty. The next dish I tried was the chipotle Indian taco. Slightly spicy chicken with all the "taco" style fixings on a big piece of frybread. The frybread was better this time, and I did pay extra for guacamole. I consumed it like a monster - it was juicy, messy, and landed like a brick of Indian Fair food in my belly. The best place to eat in the museum world of the Mall. Even the picky folk can find a well priced chicken finger basket and hamburger. The staff at the food stations are always friendly and very accommodating, while the staff that rings you up is sub par generally. It's a beautiful building, and I advise to check out the two gift shops after lunch! read more

While the other reviewers have a point that the cafe is expensive, but it's actually not when taking into account that's it rather delicious! For the same price range and location, you're left with some drab sandwiches and stale coffee. I would eat at Mitsitam again even if it wasn't located inside NMAI. Don't be fooled into waiting in the line by the trays & drinks -- the cafe is divided into regions so walk around. They probably should have a sign explaining that before you get to the trays. I had the braised rabbit pot pie with 2 sides, acorn squash and wild rice salad. Didn't really need the sides since the entree serving was quite generous - actually I probably could have had seconds of that instead of the sides! The other members in my group has the pulled buffalo sandwich, which was also very tasty. read more

I have to admit, although the prices are what you would expect from a local restaurant (not cheap) the food was very good and represented just about every Native American culture group you could imagine. I had the poblano soup (Yummy!) and a Navajo taco made with fry bread and bison stew. Tasty. Expect to pay about $20 per person. But hey, the museum is free so it didn't bother me a bit. Chris read more