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    Museum Cafe

    2.6 (30 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Vegetarian
    Closed 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 - Museum Cafe

    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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    Photo of Alex C.
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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    12 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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    10 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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    10 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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    9 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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    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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    12 years ago

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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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    9 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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    Unconventional Diner - Tip-Top Chop

    Unconventional Diner

    4.4(3.5k reviews)
    1.4 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 - Caribbean Shrimp & Grits

    Caribbean Shrimp & Grits

    Unconventional Diner - Lebanese Fried Rice

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    Lebanese Fried Rice

    The Smith - Potato Chips

    The Smith

    3.9(1.8k reviews)
    0.9 miPenn Quarter
    $$

    Excellent lunch at The Smith! We came in for a late lunch without a reservation. We had our baby…read moreand stroller with us, and they were able to seat us with enough room for our stroller next to the table. We could tell that they had all the families with little kids grouped to one side of the restaurant, and we felt that was clever and convenient. The food was great! We both got salads. I loved the snap pea chicken salad. And my husband really liked the soba noodle salmon salad. He had a Bloody Mary, and I had a yummy mocktail. Everything was great, including the service!

    First, the service. Our waitress said they had "Coke products," so I ordered a Coke. I am from…read moreAtlanta, so you can't trick me. If that Coke wasn't a Pepsi, it was definitely a Coke Zero or Diet Coke. It tasted awful. Now, the food. The fries were pretty decent, but the au jus that came with my French dip wasn't hot, and it wasn't enough for the whole sandwich. The bread is supposed to get lost in the au jus with every bite. I had to ask for another boat. The menu said the sandwich had Gruyère, but if it was there, I couldn't taste it. I could taste horseradish and arugula. It wasn't worth the $33 menu price. The ambiance is a bit loud. The restaurant is very reverb-y, so I heard lots of talking (though some of it was probably due to the music's being too loud), but the waitstaff didn't compensate, so it was hard to hear their voices.

    Photos
    The Smith - 3/27/25 At the bar!

    3/27/25 At the bar!

    The Smith - Chicken

    Chicken

    The Smith - Hazelnut ice cream and espresso martini

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    Hazelnut ice cream and espresso martini

    Willowsong - Hamachi Tartare

    Willowsong

    4.2(49 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    Only here for the drinks and desserts. And they are phenomenal. Service is wonderful couldn't ask…read morefor a better server. Beautiful atmosphere. Sits on the wharf. I ended up getting the crispy prawns and calamari got greedy. Definitely get them. The icebow cheesecake was different. The sweet potato pie was a little too soft for me but it had good flavor. The warm butter cake phenomenal. These were all shared at a table of 10.

    Went to Willowsong for a dinner with a friend and had lovely service. We sat inside as it was…read morestarting to get steamy outside and the temperature inside was just right, comfy seating, spacious table, good ambiance for a long dinner conversation. - milk bread - 4/5, a little underdone but otherwise quite delicious served in a skillet with three buns and a yummy butter with a small amount of salmon roe on top - nectarine salad - 4/5, a little overdressed but a solid salad with blackberries, goat cheese, pecans, and nectarine slices - duck ragu burrata fusilli - 4/5, a solid offering. I did ask for the burrata on the side which they forgot to do. Duck a little bit salty, pasta was not standard fusilli which was sort of nice - squid ink orechiette - 4/5, my friend ordered this and I did not taste it, she thought the orechiette was a little too al dente but if we were not staying at a hotel for a work conference she said she would have taken the leftovers home Overall a solid offering on the Wharf with great service.

    Photos
    Willowsong - Old fashioned

    Old fashioned

    Willowsong - Yummy 'birthday' cheesecake

    Yummy 'birthday' cheesecake

    Willowsong - Outside

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    Outside

    The Salt Line - Oysters

    The Salt Line

    3.9(858 reviews)
    1.8 miNavy Yard
    $$

    Outside Bar. Service was great. Bartenders (Alexia great Ink & Jason) were friendly, smiles every…read moresingle customer. Fish Sandwich was really tiny but with Fries or Greens It was really good. Decided to order the Waterman's Catch(table behind me had ordered it OMG) Best thing about it, the Cole Slaw. It has a vinegar base. So good. Everything was fried hard hard hard batter peeled off( order not so hard) Comes with Fish(only had small piece fried so dark dark brown) 4 Scallops but there were 3 tiny pieces of deep fried crusty something that we thought tasted like Calamari. Subbed out Oysters for extra Shrimp. A lot of Shrimp, batter peeled right off so that was good for dipping in the Cocktail Sauce. Fries were ok. Order with Fish Sandwich we're so much better. Great price for $$. Good Music. Great view. Lots of laughs throughout bar. Would be good bar for Drinks and try the Baked Pimento Crab Tip...next time.

    The oysters and cocktails were absolutely delicious and easily the highlight of the meal. The…read moreservice and atmosphere made for a great evening. Unfortunately, the entrees didn't live up to the rest of the experience. The crab pasta was very bland and lacked flavor. The biggest disappointment, though, was the North Shore roast beef. As someone familiar with a true North Shore roast beef, this wasn't even close--it resembled an Arby's roast beef sandwich more than the classic, thinly sliced, rare roast beef piled high on an onion roll. I'd definitely come back for the oysters and drinks, but I'd skip those two entrees.

    Photos
    The Salt Line - SHRIMP COCKTAIL

    SHRIMP COCKTAIL

    The Salt Line - Crab Roll with crispy Brussels sprouts substituted

    Crab Roll with crispy Brussels sprouts substituted

    The Salt Line - Restaurant View

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    Restaurant View

    matchbox

    matchbox

    4.1(590 reviews)
    0.9 miPenn Quarter
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Kid friendly

    Matchbox is undefeated to me! I've had so many occasions here for their brunch because it's just…read moreworth it! This time I came in for their lunch special and met my cousin to catch up. Parking for me was pretty easy as I found street parking right in front of the restaurant, my cousin parked in the garage. This matchbox is pretty big and it was decorated really nice. We were seated immediately for lunch and our server assisted us with the lunch options. I chose the mushroom pizza and soup. And my cousin had apple pear and soup of the day. For the $14.99 price it was worth it we had pizza left to take home. Pizza * Margherita * Pepperoni & Hot Honey * Fig & Prosciutto * Truffle + Wild Mushroom * Chicken Pesto Salad * Simple Salad * Caesar Salad * Apple Pear Salad Soup * Cream of Crab Soup * Soup of the Day

    Service is fantastic! Ambiance is a sporty vibe, fun-filled,…read moregood for groups. Food is okay. For $34 All-You-Can-Eat Brunch and the opportunity to sample EVERYTHING, yes, you read that right, EVERYTHING, on the menu, within 2-hours, is a steal and downright criminal...but you won't be arrested, just FULL! For an additional $25, you can have All-You-Can-Eat Drinks. You can choose from Bloody Mary's, Strawberry Lemonade Margaritas, Peach Bellinis, Old Fashions, again, robbery. They keep the food and drinks coming. We sampled everything from the Pesto Chicken Pizza. Small sized vs personal. Fried Chicken Wings come with either Old Bay, Mambo Sauce or Buffalo. Can't go wrong with either. You get about 4 in the sample. Catfish is fried and seasoned to perfection. Comes with a side of bland and our initial serving was cold grits, as if they were pre-plated. The portion is about 2 full tablespoons, in a miniature 2.5 oz. stainless steel sauce round. Steak and eggs with potatoes is a slivered serving of steak, cooked to your doneness but unseasonably and tough. Eggs scrambled with Cheddar. Potatoes were small round home fries. 3, 6, 9 Burgers are Beef Sliders topped with a mound of shoestring Onion Rings. You can choose between a leg or breast for their Chicken & Waffle. The Waffle's, two (2) pieces of one (1) half (2 quarter pieces.) There's SO MUCH to choose from. We didn't even get to the Pancakes and French Toast offerings. Again, you have two (2) hours to Eat ALL You Can. In, the words of my Beloved grandmother, "Don't let your eyes become bigger than your stomach." Good for groups and those who are budget-conscious, who want to maximize their entire experience.

    Photos
    matchbox
    matchbox
    matchbox

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    Museum Cafe - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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