There are several diner-style restaurants throughout DC, and my favorite is Open City. I've been there a half-dozen times and each time I've enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Note: I'm talking about the Woodley Park location and not the cafe at the Cathedral. The breakfast is my go-to. I especially like the hashbrown squares which is a deep-fried 4x4x2 potato patty that is a perfect vessel for building a sandwich or eating on the side with a bit of ketchup. The quiche is a nice combination of spinach and feta without being too overpowering. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the breakfast burrito. And the biscuits are nice and buttery, which makes it not too flaky and not too doughy. But, the biggest treat at Open City are their baked goods, which is surprisingly good for a non-bakery. I also like their lunch/dinner menu, which is simple but always tasty. The only criticism of Open City is that, while their staff are friendly and professional, they aren't always the best at providing high-level service. Sometimes staff seem overly overwhelmed, not up-to-speed on the nuances of the menu, or there are language barriers with some of the staff. But, overall I've had nothing but pleasant experiences. There are lots of other diners in DC, including Ted's Bulletin, Tryst, the Coupe, Tony's, etc., but Open City is easily my favorite. read more

Stopped in for brunch before heading to the zoo. Great little spot close to the metro stop with indoor and outdoor seating options. I'd never seen a chai frappe on the menu before so I definitely had to give that a try - ordered it with oatmilk and it was delish! A bit light on the chai spiciness but still tasty. My sister and I split the stuffed french toast and avocado toast for a sweet/savory breakfast combo. The stuffed french toast was intense - I definitely couldn't have finished the whole order. The avocado toast had a good mix of toppings and it was on sourdough bread which is a win! The order also came with 2 pieces which is great since many places will only give you 1 slice for the same price. Service was prompt and friendly. read more

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I got the iced lavender honey latte and the first question they asked was what milk preference I have. Such a simple question that really made this place top notch. I've been to several coffee shops and never been asked that before. Great music was playing and the overall atmosphere was welcoming. Didn't grab anything to eat but hope to try again soon. read more

Open City - Dessert items - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is kind of nice. There's outdoor seating as well as indoor. We will serve with courtesy and a smile. The music was crankin' though. I was jamming. LoL! Now, let's talk about the food. I ordered the Open City Royale with chicken sausage while my husband had the chicken and waffles, and our daughter had a kid's pancake meal. I have to say that I am very upset at the fact that I told the cashier that my family does not eat pork, however, we were given To-Go syrup containers that had BACON in the darn syrup. I personally haven't consumed any pork products in 33 years, my husband hasn't eaten it in 20 years, and our child has never had pork which means if eaten, it'll make us super sick. My husband took the containers back and obtained syrup without bacon. My eggs were a little watery although I asked for them to be scrambled well. My hash browns were overcooked to the point that I could taste the burnt flavor, unless it was the fryer grease that they cooked it in, but either way, it tasted burnt and wasn't good. The chicken sausage is just nasty. IF by chance, big on the "if," we eat there again, I'll just not eat any meat or eggs. My husband said that his Chicken and Waffles were good. Hindsight, he doesn't use any other words to describe things other than, "Aight," and "Good." It's "good" means it's edible while "aight" means he'd eat that dish again. I don't like that there isn't a vegetarian or vegan option available for meat choices such as the veggie sausage patties made by Morningstar or sausage links made by Impossible. I'm not vegan, however, it would be nice to have other options. Overall, I'll give this place 2 stars. Why? Because no care has been given to people who don't eat meat or pork with putting bacon in the syrup, having every option of pork breakfast meats, and no choice of vegan or vegetarian meat options. read more

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Food was worth 3 stars but service was overwhelmed I guess. Sunday brunch and it took over 10 minutes to get a coffee and then it had grinds. There's better options in the area. A 4 person breakfast with good tip was $115. read more

Convenient to hotels with a large space to hold many groups. Wait time should be minimal given the vast space. Great for kids/fams and tourists who want a simple fare with american breakfast. First off, the 4 stars is mainly for our waitress Faith- which is given for the 5 star service and beyond. Other than that aspect - the overall review is low for operations and no upkeep with cleanliness. Dishes were not fully cleaned. The space is too large for the # of workers. So the stars are for all the employees and they are exceptional! Second - Although menu had a large variety, portions were small. The kid menu at $7 is what it is. The french toast was challah but it was small with 2 slices. Ordered the large royale breakfast which is a version of "lumberjack" but then it did not come with toast. The only thing interesting was that the fried hashbrown piece was deep fried and was topped with coarse salt specks and parsley. That was as gourmet as it can get. All else was just too simple and portions were slightly on the small side. The location and type of restaurant is keeping this joint running successfully. Just hope they up their standards a bit, hire more help and assess their menu to improve. read more

Ordered a hash brown bowl that was so full of jalapeño slices it overwhelmed all other flavors. They also asked us to leave because they needed the table after we'd been there for less than an hour. We were a party of 2 and were finishing up coffee. And there were plenty of empty tables. We were mystified. Ultimately, there are many better brunch spots nearby with better food, kinder service, and more value for your buck. read more

We ordered coffee and some baked goods. The waitress was fine until she saw that we were not ordering full breakfasts. The food was less than average, the coffee was ok and the service was horrendous. We were ignored, and she waved us away when we asked for the bill. When she finally brought it, I paid in cash because there was no way I would give her my credit card. I asked for the receipt and finally had to follow her around the restaurant until she gave it to me with a sour look. I will never walk in there again. read more

Great experience dining here during the afternoon. Our server was Eric and he was very attentive and thoughtful. Normally it's very stressful to dine out with young kids but this was a breeze. Good food too with lots of kid friendly options. read more

Read mixed reviews, but decided to give it a try over our hotel restaurant (right across the street). Couldn't be happier that we did. Everything wasn't perfect, but the service was impeccable, and that goes a long way. We went for breakfast on a Saturday during the holidays, and it wasn't crowded. 3 out of 4 of us loved our order, and the 4th just maybe mis-judged what he was getting. Their signature hashbrown is delicious. My eggs benny was perfectly cooked. My son's chicken and waffle portion was so big, we had to get a to-go box. And when we went to leave, I almost left my bag hanging on my chair, and our server followed me out to make sure I didn't leave it behind. Definitely recommend for breakfast/brunch if you're in the area. read more

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Open City is one of my go-to spots for a casual yet cozy meal. The food is always fresh and flavorful, the vibe is warm and inviting, and their coffee is the perfect pick-me-up. Plus, the staff is super friendly, which makes the experience even better! Follow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestie read more

This is a local spot which has amazing breakfast foods, but strangely enough I tried something totally different while I was here this time: coconut curry tofu! And yes, it was TASTY!! Never would have thought it would be delightful as it was, but my mouth was quite happy! I come here often, and some times you need to be prepared to get on the wait list. Brunch is super popular! Also, you have your choice of indoor and outdoor sitting. Close to Woodley Metro stop, street parking is available. I will always come back-- esp for my chai latte and animal crackers!!! (: read more

Open City - Coconut Curry Tofu which was flavorful! I asked them to have some red pepper flakes on the side.. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great food, great location, and great service! A super reasonably priced breakfast spot close to the zoo and rock creek park. read more

Open City - Fried Chicken & Waffle - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food is good. Decent meal for guest at nearby Omni Hotel. Coffee is good as well The burrito is huge and good for 2 sharing at least, but wasnt tasty as the other menu's The hashbrow bowl with pickled pepper and sunny eggs is my favorite Server took care of us :) read more

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I would have given two stars because I was not really a huge fan of my dish, but their coffee was so good it brought it up 3 stars. I ordered the Breakfast Burrito which came with scrambled eggs, chorizo, hash browns, cheddar in a flour tortilla, ranchero sauce, and cilantro crema. They put the ranchero sauce and cilantro crema on top of the burrito (which I did not expect). The burrito was fine, texture wise it just tasted like mush--which i was hoping for some crunch from the hashbrown but it wasn't there. Their coffee though? Probably the best caramel iced oat milk latte I've ever had! They must make their caramel in house because there was a slight smokiness to the flavor of the caramel and was so delicious, I had to take small sips just to make the latte last! read more

Open City - Breakfast Burrito and the best Caramel Oat Milk Latte - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food was mediocre. I ordered the eggs Benedict and the poached egg was cooked in so much vinegar that the egg only took on the flavor of vinegar. The food was cold. The cheddar jalapeño biscuit was extremely dry and cold. My husband ordered the breakfast combo, and his pancakes were average, his eggs were not cooked correctly. The best thing that we had was my chai tea latte. The server was lackluster. She was inattentive even after we asked her for something. She continued wiping down tables instead of assisting us. She seemed annoyed to be at work, and I would not recommend the food or the service. The restaurant itself is super cute with a great patio area that makes it a great location, but I would not return. I read the reviews ahead of time and saw that there were other negative reviews but decided to give it a chance anyway because it was so cute. Big mistake. read more

I live nearby and love going to open city on the weekends or my days off. Extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus with something for everyone. They have a nice environment and service is always good. Fills up fast on weekends during breakfast/ brunch time-- often a 15-30 min wait time. read more

Open City - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Vibe: 10/10 (very cute) Service: 10/10 Western omelette: 10/10 Hashbrown square: 10/10 Coffee: 10/10 (it's counter culture brand coffee - had it black and it was great!) Pancakes: 9/10 (can't say they could get much better, but want to try the blueberry pancakes next time) Scrambled eggs: 10/10 Bacon: 9/10 Overall: 9.75/10 (4.9/5) Having visited Open City, The Diner, and Tryst, I can say Open City is my favorite of the trio! read more

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Ordered the hash brown bowl to go. Service was quick and friendly. Just didn't feel like the food was anything special. Maybe it would've tasted better bad I eaten it at the restaurant, but not a spot I would go out of my way to eat at. Wasn't too busy around 9 am during the weekday. read more

Open City - Hash Brown Bowl - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food at Open City was good. Unfortunately the service and honestly of the restaurant was not good. Check was not given to us in paper form. Computerized total just placed in front of us asking for tip. After doing so, I realized we were overcharged. When questioned, waitress sneakily brought me a paper that said a "10%" service charge was added that was not a tip, but for staff. A ridiculous, underhanded way to get a double tip! Will not return to the restaurant. 10% fee should have honestly been disclosed! read more

My first visit here. I met a friend to catch up over coffee and oatmeal. The location was very busy and I was happy I got seating fairly quickly. Too many great choices were found on the menu. I enjoyed the oatmeal and a cappuccino. I would I definitely stop in again when in the area. read more

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I finally tried open city, located steps away from the woodley park metro stop. My party of 4 tried to show up as early as we could (between 9:45-10am) on a Sunday morning, since the restaurant doesn't take any reservations. Note that you won't be seated until your entire party shows up. Luckily we were able to get seated some minutes after we came, but it quickly became busy and there seemed to be people at the door waiting shortly after we were seated. We were also asked to show our vaccination cards and ID, per DC's current indoor dining policy. I tried the bourbon chai, which came in a cup that was sized in between an espresso cup and a small coffee cup. Would have appreciated a little more of it, but it tasted good. I also tried the open city royale, which was a nice spread of pancakes, sausages, eggs, and harsh browns--it was nicely portioned and very tasty! I also tried the chicken and waffles that my hubby ordered, and the chicken was crispy on the outside but juicy inside, with nicely textured waffles to go with it. The syrup was also good, hubby seemed to have thought that it tasted a little "burbony" but I thought it just tasted like a nice syrup. Staff was nice and respectful during our entire experience! Would definitely recommend you try to stop by either during a nit so busy time, or as early as you can for weekend brunch. read more

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We went to Opencity for Easter brunch and honestly it was pretty bad. I ordered a Cuban coffee and an everything bagel with salmon cream cheese. I was shocked to discover that my Cuban coffee was made with instant espresso! Opencity has Coffeehouse under its name so why the instant espresso? It was presented in a very cute cup with nicely frothed milk however the instant coffee taste was overwhelming. My salmon cream cheese was very grainy. It seemed as if the cream cheese was made with canned salmon which is a huge no no for a bagel lover like me. I don't want to only write negative information because we did eat here before and the western omelette and Greek pizza were fresh and delicious. The take away from this review would be that this restaurant is a hit or miss type of an establishment. Today was definitely a miss all around. read more

Great service, very attentive, and perfect for kids. The food was good; my husband cleaned his plate, as did my eldest daughter. However, the youngest didn't show much interest in the plain kids' pancakes. The second most expensive place we have eaten in Washington DC had a cozy café atmosphere. read more

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This is a great breakfast place and surprisingly, there's parking out front. I ordered the breakfast royale which came with scrambled eggs, French toast, a hash, brown patty, and bacon. I had special request regarding the crispiness of the bacon and the runninesd of the eggs and everything came out perfectly. Prices are reasonable. Breakfast was a little over 15 bucks plus tax.Service was super fast. This is one of my favorite spots in DC. read more

This restaurant is the best choice for dining in Woodley Park. Not only is the food quite good, the prices are also reasonable, including for good quality beer, and which is served from 5-7pm at low, happy hour prices. Everyone at my table ordered an entree from the regular menu, no one tried the pizzas (perhaps because they don't seem like a good deal for the fairly small 8" and 12" pies -- you will do much better at Vace if pizza is what you desire). The grilled brussel sprouts seemed like a particular favorite at my table. The ambience of the restaurant is also quite nice. It was noticeable that on the evening I had dinner at the restaurant, while I was with a large group, the majority of the tables were occupied by just one person, and everyone seemed comfortable. I have also been there in the morning for coffee, which is also better quality than other specialized coffee shops. I am a particular fan of their Cortado, an espresso drink but which is stronger than a latte or cappuccino, as the coffee to milk ratio is higher. The service was also quite good, and the wait staff had no issue giving our large group separate checks for each person, something many other restaurants are reluctant to do. This restaurant is my go-to dining option in Woodley Park. read more

We "ate" at Open City today and the service was absolutely horrible. We are a family of four with two young boys and we ordered the kids food first and then ordered two other meals less than five minutes later. The kids meals came out in a reasonable time and the food was fine. However, the adult meals did not come and our server was nowhere to be found. Once we did locate him and asked him to check on our food he came back and said it was delivered to another table and we would have to reorder. Our kids were completely done with their food and were ready to leave. The server offered zero compensation or any other alternative but to reorder our food. No thank you as we were done. My husband and I left starving. Used to love this place but this was the worst service. read more

Unsuspecting how good the food is here! I had the chicken sandwich one day for lunch and then came back the next morning for breakfast and had the chorizo scramble and both items were more so delicious! read more

Open City - Chorizo scramble with a hashbrown - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Open City has been added to one of my favorite brunch spot in Washington DC. The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, and the food was amazing. I had the Open City Royale which consists of pancakes, eggs, hashbrown and bacon and were all delicious. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. I washed down my meal with mimosas. The customer service was meh - which is why I remove one star. Our server was not very attentive. I wanted a strong coffee and specifically requested for the Cuban Coffee to be made without milk. When I took a sip of the coffee, I could taste milk but I thought it was probably how the coffee taste. After 4 sips, I could not finish it. The milk taste became overpowering and I began filling my stomach churns --yeah! Needless to say, as soon as I came back from the bathroom, I knew my coffee was the culprit and that it had milk. Not sure if it is the server'a fault or the barista who made the drink. But I was not happy. Also this female server spilled drink to another customer sitting behind us. Her clumsiness and lack of attention to details are big red flag. Other than that, I enjoyed my brunch experience. Open City is the perfect spot for a leisurely brunch with friends or family. read more

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So great we ate here 2 mornings in a row ! Smoothies. Coffee drinks. Amazing breakfasts - esp the chorizo skillet. Full bar and regular menu too. I def recommend read more

Open City - Huevos Rancheros, garden goddess & a western - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Hot Apple Cidar was fantastic! The food coming out around me looked great. I ordered waffles which I really wanted but when they came out they were drenched in syrup which I don't eat so I was unable to have any. I also ordered fried chicken and it was super greasy and hard. My friend enjoyed her meal. The people were nice and were from various backgrounds. read more

FYI, 10% service fee is not disclosed on the menu (plus tax gets applied on top of that), and 20% is the default tip choice when you pay. Unclear who gets the 10% or why it's added. read more

OC is a very spacious place, with extra high ceiling and numerous fans overhead; it's apparent why it's called "open". I like the fact the air is always circulating--a good thing during this time of a pandemic. It's got a Belle Époque design that's inviting. And there are quite a few tables outside. The food does not always match the nice interior. The menu is standard fare and nothing I've had really stands out. OC sometimes runs out of items. The wait can be long and it seems understaffed. read more

Open City - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great (healthy) selections; tasty caprese sandwich! Indoor AC & outdoor tables on mostly covered patio - all next to the beautiful National Cathedral (which is privately funded & I understand this cafe is part of that effort since 2011)? read more

This place still auto-fills a 20% tip as they shove the POS system in front of you to approve and pay despite charging a 10% "Initiative 82" fee. Server will remind you the fee "goes to corporate" if you point this out. So tired of businesses playing this game. Another one off the list. read more

Cute vibes inside and honestly felt like one of those "pay for vibes not food places." I got the hash brown bowl with my eggs scrambled. The hash brown itself was soft and not burnt or too crispy, but the it was pretty bland. To each their own for salt levels, but there was no salt at all in any part. If you get the bowl, I'd definitely recommend asking for some type of sauce on the side to add a bit of flavor. I also got an iced coffee with brown sugar syrup but neither the coffee nor the syrup were anything special. Normal service, ok food. read more

Open City - Hash Brown Bowl - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While me, my parents and my kids were there we had an amazing experience. I was feeling quite cold and our waitress give us a free hot lemonade. read more

Food was average at best. Service was terrible. Our server did not come back one time to check on us or ask us if we wanted more water or anything. Once we were finished, we asked for separate checks, which he replied with "for future reference you need to ask before you order to have separate checks". Personally, I think that is the servers job to inform his patrons to make sure they knew this before putting it on one person to cover the entire bill. The food also took forever to come out, which is not an issue since it was busy at the time, but the waiter did not once update us on the process. The appetizer also did not come out until our entrees were done, leading to confusion if the ticket for our food was even put into the kitchen. Sorry read more

Good food. Ate breakfast here 3 times. Salmon bagel is great eating. Both lavender honey latte and vanilla pistachio latte are delicious. Close to metro is walk. Always busy but still good service. read more

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This evening I went to Open City and it was terrible. The service rude and the food was awful. The waiter Erik had the worst attitude you could imagine. He lectured me on making him wait to order, so that's why his service was so slow. I was waiting for a friend who was late. I ordered fish tacos which were basically in edible...it consisted of morsels of fried crumbles of greasy fish. That "dish" should not be on the menu. Plenty of much, much better places in the area to go to. read more