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    Museum Cafe

    2.6 (30 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Vegetarian
    Open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

    Museum Cafe Photos

    MUSEUM CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Museum Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Holocaust Museum Cafe
    Tara G.

    This is the best option for blocks if you're just getting done at the Holocaust Museum or are tired of walking out on The Mall - it's the nearest food to the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and Tidal Basin, unless you count the occasional hot-dog stand. The Holocaust Museum's (cafeteria style) Cafe is open to the public morning through afternoon, you just have to go through security entering the building - it's actually in the building right next door to the The Holocaust Museum, near the 15th Street side entrance. There is not an outdoor dining section, but there are plenty of benches and grassy areas of the National Mall nearby for a take-out picnic style lunch if you don't want to stay inside. Clean, cheery, updated, and air-conditioned. Plenty big for families, but not sure if it can accommodate large tour groups. Assorted hot & cold sandwich / wraps, knishes, soups (matzo ball / tomato), and fresh ready-to-go salads - including Kosher options. A little pricey, but I think it's normal for the anything downtown. Free refills on the soda / coffee self service station. I have a gluten sensitivity and while there's not a ton of options for me, I can still find a gluten free lunch. But it would be nice if they increased their GF options, particularly in the soups and treats. It would also be nice if they offered public WIFI and played some soft background music. The nearest parking available is the lot at the Tidal Basin.

    Moran D.

    I ate a pizza with vegetables that was reasonable even though it looked mediocre. Nice air conditioner. A little expensive. Suitable for quick stop

    rows of chairs and tables in an empty room

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

    SUCKS! very small, not allot of choices and they're overpriced!!! Bathrooms are dirty and tables not clean. AVOID!

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    7 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Really expensive but it's the only option after finishing the Holocaust museum for the next couple of blocks.

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Photo of Todd M.
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    11 years ago

    only game within blocks. service was friendly and they have BEEEEEER. split a black bean burger with wifey. it was good enough.

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

    A little pricey for the portion and the soup was way too salty, but the sandwiches were good. I'd come back for the sandwiches though.

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    Photo of Max S.
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    12 years ago

    Horrendous microwave food. Odd tasting water. Decent atmosphere but overall terrible value.

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    there is a very limited selection of food at this place, but it is the only decent place to eat

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    Ask the Community - Museum Cafe

    Review Highlights - Museum Cafe

    We stopped after touring the Washington Monument.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    HipCityVeg

    HipCityVeg

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    1.0 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!

    Falafel Inc - Vegan shawarma bowl

    Falafel Inc

    4.6(245 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $

    I must say that this location has changed my opinion of the restaurant after a poor encounter at…read moreanother location. This location was much better and their staff were very friendly and helpful. It's a large location and who wouldn't want to grab a bite here and then find a seat at the beautiful waterfront. I ordered the falafel bowl with a side of hummus. Let's just say that for $5 that bowl was extremely generous in quantity and the fresh quality of each item was AMAZING! I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl. The side of hummus was sinfully good! Something I wouldn't mind ordering again to enjoy with their delicious pita chips Overall, I don't think I'll be visiting any other location but this one because they were fantastic!

    Hey friends! I needed a quick bite for lunch while working at the Wharf…read more I tried Falafel Inc. last year as a check-in treat from Yelp MDBurbs. I really enjoyed it then unfortunately not so much this time. The fries were not as I remember, they had a distasteful tarte aftertaste. The falafel sandwich was lukewarm and the toppings were cold(of course). If the falafel was hot the balance of cold toppings would've been manageable. The flavor on the falafel sandwich was good! -Customer service is okay. -Paid street parking/garage parking -NO seating. Takeout only. -Prices are average. Paid $12 for one falafel and fries. Good deal. Hope you enjoy! With love, The Picky Pescatarian

    Photos
    Falafel Inc
    Falafel Inc - FALAFEL SANDWICH

    FALAFEL SANDWICH

    Falafel Inc - SHAWARMA SNACK WRAP ($5)

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    SHAWARMA SNACK WRAP ($5)

    Yard House - Tap in to great food, classic rock and 100+ craft & local beers.

    Yard House

    3.8(732 reviews)
    1.1 miChinatown
    $$

    Yard House would not usually be my first dining choice when in an area, but we wanted something…read moredifferent around dinner. Our wait was less then 15 minutes for a table which was impressive. Our waitress needed to close out a large table so it took her a few minutes to get our beverages, but after that service was very fast. Yard Houe's menu is pretty big with Sandwiches, Burgers, Steak, Seafood, and many other items. The beer menu is expansive. I ordered three Carne Asada Tacos while my friend went with the Korean BBQ Cheesesteak. Our food arrived shockingly fast, only about ten minutes after ordering. Tacos were delicious and came with a mildly spicy beans and rice. My friend enjoyed his Korean BBQ Cheesesteak and upgraded his Fries to the Parm Truffle Fries, which he also liked. The only major negative to dining here is the price, as one meal with drink and trip was over $30. I would return here to dine again, as overall the food and service was very good.

    Been to yard house before but this was my first time at this location. Went on the 4th of July so…read moreit was pretty busy and we were put on the waitlist. The wait wasn't too bad considering how packed it was. We waited about 20ish minutes. The server was nice and very attentive. The bathrooms were located about like 3 flights of stairs up, which wasn't an issue for me but maybe for others, however they do have an elevator. I ordered the 4 cheese spinach dip which the dip itself was good however, there was a little too much parmesan on top of the chips which made them taste dry. I also got the carne asada tacos, the flavor was good but the meat was tough to chew. Every bite felt like a workout for my jaw.

    Photos
    Yard House - Lobster Garlic Noodles - Maine lobster, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, spinach and parmesan.

    Lobster Garlic Noodles - Maine lobster, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, spinach and parmesan.

    Yard House - Enjoy a variety of appetizers, like our Chicken Nachos, while watching your favorite sports games.

    Enjoy a variety of appetizers, like our Chicken Nachos, while watching your favorite sports games.

    Yard House - Mac + Cheese]² - With white truffle, bacon, chicken, crimini, shiitake & oyster mushrooms, parmesan and panko cheddar crust.

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    Mac + Cheese]² - With white truffle, bacon, chicken, crimini, shiitake & oyster mushrooms, parmesan and panko cheddar crust.

    PLANTA Queen Washington DC - dish

    PLANTA Queen Washington DC

    4.2(360 reviews)
    1.5 miDowntown
    $$$

    Perfection on a plate. I was super sweaty from the hot DC summer and needed a reprieve. Wanted…read moresomething cold and healthy, so vegan food seemed to fit the bill. I had no idea what I was in for. Planta is GORGEOUS! Such amazing vibes. Looks straight out of Beverly Hills to me. I was stunned by the amazing interior. Both of my waitresses were amazing. Super caring and friendly. I was there alone and didn't feel lonely at all because they took such good care of me. Even when I was leaving and going back to my hotel, they bagged up my food and gave me extra napkins and sauces. So nice! I started with a watermelon cooler (N/A) and it was so refreshing and zesty. Their mocktail menu was incredible. And well priced for mocktails at about $7-$9. I started with fresh rolls and peanut sauce. I eat a lot of fresh rolls and am picky, but these were so good. Amazing peanut sauce, super fresh and crunchy, perfect herb balance. I got the vegan poke bowl with some charred tofu and WOW. The amount of flavors and textures in this bowl. I was amazed. I wish I could eat here every single day. Every part of my experience was incredible.

    I gotta go 3.5 stars for this Planta. The one in Bethesda is just better across the board. Food was…read moregreat. Service was meh. Read on. The food is 4 stars, very tasty and well-seasoned. Wild how they make so much tasty vegan stuff. Although, my Korean fried Chick'n sandwich definitely needed more accompanying tater tots ( I had maybe 10). Food came out super fast. Service has to be 3 stars though. Our server said the gochujang mayo wasnt spicy, when gochujang is (it's got a mildly strong kick that quickly evens out/dissipates) so that's just incorrect to tell people who can't handle heat. More importantly, we were all done with desert at roughly 9pm and it wasn't until 9:40, despite multiple moments of eye contact from a few of us, that our server even came to our table to clear our plates. We'd all clearly been done, not even nibbling, for almost that whole time. In that time, other than his regular duties, our server seemed to do other idle things or "end of the evening" tasks, setting up other tables, stacking plates on them, etc. instead of checking on us. Again, a few of us made eye contact a couple times, which can indicate (along with none of us having touched our plates for 5-10 minutes) that we're done. Other plates had been cleared almost right away. We were also all left wanting for water at the end as no other staff came by to see if we needed more. So yeah, not thrilled about that. Also, it was weirdly a smidge too warm in Planta Queen tonight. I suspect the AC just wasn't on as strong because of the AQI in DC (on June 17, 2026) but it was noticeable.

    Photos
    PLANTA Queen Washington DC - Interior

    Interior

    PLANTA Queen Washington DC - Mushroom bao

    Mushroom bao

    PLANTA Queen Washington DC - Not-a-rita

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    Not-a-rita

    Museum Cafe - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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