Pete's Diner is soooo tiny I basically had to walk in sideways. On a hot & humid Sunday afternoon I was just thankful to be seated indoors until I realized that me and my chair were invisible...or so that is what I concluded after the third time one of the workers bumped into it and jolted me and what I was drinking. I LOVE hotdogs so of course I ordered one of those and curly fries, but I was disappointed. My hotdog had great flavor but the hotdog was almost half the size of my bun. Now I really hate when that happens because I feel like I am getting jipped AND I really dislike taking a bite and discovering that there is no meat in it. My curly fries were tasty, but I would have better named them crumb fries. It seemed that I had recieved all the broken pieces left in the back. During this time our waitress & the others would come refill our drinks and then go behind the counter and take a quick bite of what they were eating & sometimes grab a drink. I wouldn't have minded if she would have just taken a quick break and come back but returning to ask us if everything was fine while she was still chewing was a bit of a turn off. Food is cheap here but you don't get alot so it evens out. Oh & ONLY CASH so make sure you have some with you! read more

I used to love this place because it was off-beat, friendly, reasonably-priced. The food was just average. Well, these days the food remains average (it's diner food, after all), but the prices have sky-rocketed! C'mon more than two dollars for a run-of-the-mill cup of coffee and more than five for out-of-the-box pancakes! I guess this explains the small crowd there in the morning. And that was not the case in years of yore. read more

Fast, friendly and delicious food. As a diner the food is a 3+ and the service a 5. We are visiting D.C. to see the sights, Pete's Diner was just down the block and the perfect spot to grab a quick breakfast on the run. read more

Pete's is a staple in Washington, DC. I ate breakfast there this week and as always found the food to be good. If you are looking for something upscale this is not your place. The decor is old and the restaurant is small. The staff is always friendly and every time I have visited Pete's is always busy. Definitely worth a trip if you are looking for a quick meal that's good and reasonably priced. read more

I really love that this place is right across the street from the capitol. The proprietors are recent migrants but they've perfectly captures both the no nonsense food and the community vibe that makes a good diner. Nothing fancy, but it's right I'm the name. read more

Seated and served fast! Waffle was delicious and had a nice vanilla taste to it. Suggest ordering one and sharing it with another person as a side dish. Eggs over easy, ham, and homefries were delicious. Get a cup of coffee because it's tasty. Could be Folgers for all I know but it was good. Price was descent for Capitol Hill. read more

Pete's delivers on what you would expect from a small diner on the hill. Odd but weirdly charming ambiance, diner coffee, and regulars walking in the door asking for "the usual." I'm a total sucker for diner coffee, and Pete's did not disappoint. The french toast hit the spot, and out of towners frustrated me by ordering half smokes (half smokes not from Ben's? For shame!) which they thought were interesting and delicious. Fast service, a quirky waitress not afraid to show some sass, and cheap prices round out Pete's 3 star review.... I would not be surprised or disappointed if I wound up back at Pete's in the future. read more

I really, really want to like Pete's. It gets two stars rather than one because I like that it's a simple diner close to the House office buildings, but the food is terrible. I got a spinach and swiss omelette, and it was thin and brown. The eggs were WAY over cooked and dry, and the spinach was chewy. I was given no jam with my toast, and the potatoes were soggy. I've also eaten the chicken salad sandwich and grilled cheese during previous visits. There is way too much mayonnaise in the chicken salad and the cheese in the grilled cheese was not melted. I think their griddle is just too hot, hence the brown eggs and un-melted cheese. read more

Was looking for a bite before the tour at the library started. So my brother and I went to this place. I read the reviews and saw that it would be a crap shoot. Now I know why. I ordered the fried steak.....if it passed as beef ground ide be surprised. And im sorry but being from the south mashed potatoes and gravy are something u do know about.....but this place didnt. The mashed taters were watery and simple. The gravy.....wouldn't pass as gravy anywhere. My brother got the roast beef....ide almost call it slilced sad. It was not roast more like boiled and the bread was soggy. read more

Went here once for breakfast in 2006. NOT A REAL DINER. lots of asian mish-mash and american mish-mash. A large steel bin of already-cooked bacon was being cooked again and again-----in the deep fryer. Chip-your-tooth bacon. Eggs were ok. CASH ONLY. Oh look, they have an ATM inside. Luckily, BofA ATM was 20 ft away. Also a Suntrust a block away. However, after reading reviews about other asian items on the faded light-board menu, I might go back again one day read more

Awesome dining experience! Food was exactly as expected considering the feel of a home cooked meal by mom. But the best part of the place is the "show" during the meal! The staff yelling and joking with the customers and each other. Hilarious. read more

Sure, it's a diner. Waiting 20 minutes to order? The place was half full on a Sunday afternoon. Getting one small cup of bad coffee, and no refills, and only after waiting? Waiting an hour for an omelete? Awful service, terrible food. Okay: the spinach in the tiny, flat, airless overcooked omelete was surprisingly fresh. (Meaning it had been cooked five minutes before, long, long after we'd ordered.) Yeah, it's a diner, but without the irony. Simply terrible. Never again. read more

A co-worker and I went there this morning because I was craving steak and eggs. When we came in the greeter/employee kept his back turned to us for a minute and finally turned around to address us. He gave us a menu after we said we wanted to place an order. I didn't see steak on the menu so I asked if they still offered it and he said no, I responded ok thank you. My coworker was still holding the menu looking it over. The man proceeded to say ok thank you while snatching the menu out of my co-workers hand. We just stood there in disbelief. My co worker and I both at the same time said, that was very rude and we left. I've never experienced that kind of service at Pete's. I don't know who this man was but he is extremely rude. I will not be returning. read more

Very fast service, good food but very casual. Perfect quick stop during sightseeing.

Cute spot, great location, cost effective, hasn't jumped on the artisanal hipster bandwagon. Sadly, the coffee and food were not good. Seems to be a common theme of many city diners. read more

This was one of the strangest dining experiences of my life. The staff did not seem to know who was covering our table, so different people kept trying to take our drink and food orders. Our food came out at vastly different times and we asked for the check four times before it finally arrived. The food was decent breakfast fair and the people were friendly, but I felt like I was in an episode of Seinfeld. read more

What a hidden little gem. The staff is great and the prices are very reasonable. Will come back here again.

The service was execellent!! I went for breakfast, the food was good. I sat at the bar which was packed with condiments (cramped) which kinda sucked because of the limited space to eat. The diner is small but cozy, I will stop thru if in the neighborhood and looking for something to eat. read more

It's not on the menu, but every weekday, the chef/owner prepares a $7 vegetarian combo platter that is consistently one of the best most interesting things I've eaten (and I'm not a vegetarian). The platter changes daily other than the red grain rice on which its served. Usually 3-4 separate veggie or tofu/soy-protein based dishes comprise the meal. Usually Asian inspired, and the chef has told me that many of the vegetables come from her home garden. So good. read more

Pete's has friendly service and serves a nice breakfast. It's cash only but very cheap by DC standards. Eggs hash browns, pancakes, etc...this is your place. read more

This place is awesome for breakfast. Everyone in our group enjoyed their breakfast. I had the eggs, pancake and sausage combo as did another person in our group. We both agreed the sausages was one of the best we've had. My wife had the sweet potato pancakes which were also really good. Seating here is really limited be prepared to wait or share tables. As other people have commented, service is pretty fast and prompt. read more

You have to enter Pete's with an open mind. It is a diner, and not your general diner, it has a mix of Asian speciality dishes, which is what makes it so unique and loved on Capitol Hill. Don't go in with high expectations, the food is cheap, easy and quick. They serve breakfast all day. It is a great low key spot - especially when you may have imbibed just a little too much the night before. read more

Unlucky for them I'm a food critique. This former southeast staple is a terrible establishment masked as a sweet, welcoming and friendly "family-owned" diner, but it is truly the worst "diner" experience I've ever had. Firstly, I was approached with warmth then after being sat a a male server, he left me sitting there as he took another 3-table order while I noticed he asked another server to serve me. I ordered the 2-eggs with bacon... ok there was no bacon... so I got a sausage party and hash browns. So what did the 2nd day server bring back?! Pancakes, sausage and eggs (huh)?! Not only did she bring the wrong order and made an excuse for it but, but she charged me for them too. Then the male server banged on my door while I was in the ladies room. It was clear I was not welcomed there, and on top of that, the cuisine was AWFUL. The eggs weren't fresh and the pancakes were rubbery and bland. read more

Most plain breakfast I've ever had the picture in the place shows veggies with the home fries and displays them to be cut not smashed I had to ask for salt and pepper they charged me a extra dollar because I ordered turkey sausage even though the sign says 2 eggs home fries and meat doesn't say what kind place is a rip off I will never come here again no one should read more

Pete's has so much character, the quintessential diner. The food is good, not great. The waiters are really helpful in a funny and charming way. Perfect for a casual quick bite. read more

I've only had the omelettes and they're just average. The prices are right though and outdoor seating is generally available. While breakfast here isn't gourmet, it sometimes hits the spot. read more

The food is nothing fancy but the service is awesome. How did the cook remember our order after just one visit?! Love this place.

Had a great breakfast today with the family! Service was great and food came super fast! The restaurant is small limited seating but enjoy the homey atmosphere! read more

If I could give it zero stars I would. Expensive for cheap food, coffee was 2.25 for a small cup which they wouldn't refill without badgering them, and they literally were moving me around as I checked out so they could sweep read more

Cute place, not super clean, great location, lasagna was good, they don't give you a ton of food however. The service was good and the people there are nice. It's nothing fancy but it's relatively inexpensive. read more

This funky little hole in the wall was so enjoyable. Typical lunch counter choices plus a daily special. We lucked out and went on chicken satay day. Stunningly good sauce. The BLT, burger and breakfast for lunch were all top rate as well. read more

Service was horrendous. Waitress who took my order was rude and accused me of giving her a $10 bill when I gave her a $20. She argued with me for 5 minutes and refused to give me the correct change. Finally she threw the correct change at me. The BLT I ordered was mediocre in taste-not to mention that after ordering extra bacon and paying TWICE the amount for the sandwich I only received one additional strip. The original price is $3. I paid $6. The food is overpriced for what you receive. Taste is mediocre at best and the service is awful. My suggestion as a native Washingtonian- GO NEXT DOOR TO THE BISTRO!!!! Dont waste your time at Petes! Those of you giving it a good review.... WOW..... You must have had a different server or don't get out much! I travel extensively and therefore dine at many different establishments. The food at Pete's is nothing special-bland at best. The place doesn't even take credit! They are so out to make a buck that they only accept cash and then have the audacity to try and screw the customer out of their change! read more

Basic greasy diner food but this place is FILTHY. Ive tried a few times but can't get over the grime from the door mat to the condiments on the tables. Bummer because Capitol Hill needs a decent diner that doesn't run you $20 for breakfast and coffee... read more

If you are looking for a good old fashion breakfast, Pete's is it. Pancakes, French toast, eggs, bacon and grits. The Asian decor was a surprise, Did not scream "Pete". The service was very pleasant. read more

Went to Pete's for breakfast this morning. We had the Spanish Omelet and the Breakfast Burrito; while the food was okay it could have been served hotter (especially the fried potatoes). Don't know if the plates had sat on the counter before being served. They need to improve on the serving temperature of their food. read more

This is possibly the worst breakfast food I've ever had in DC. I should've known when i walked in and saw bottles of Aunt Jemima syrup on the tables and Quaker instant oatmeal packets behind the counter. In spite of that, we stayed and ordered. I ordered the belgian waffle and turkey sausage. I asked the server if the sausage was patties or links, and she said links -- they were not links. The sausage looked liked some sort of weird, mangled, stunted development, deep-fried octopus. They were not links; it was a 3" deep-fried piece of kielbasa for $2 and change. The waffle was not edible; it was tough to cut and tasteless. We left after taking 3 bites of our food and ringing up a $30 bill. I made a point of not making any comments about the food to the wait staff. However, out of nowhere, the server apologized. I would NEVER return to this place -- AWFUL, AWFUL breakfast food. I don't know how any reviewers can give this place more than a star. One more time, AWFUL! read more

The veggie combo is an exotic mouthwatering variety of vegetables and tofu/gluten based delights. The combo is always a different mix of Malaysian dishes and I've never been disappointed. It's like home cooking every time and the staff is always so warm and friendly that you really do feel like you're eating in their home. This is such a special place, I'm so glad it's there. read more

Breakfast was what we expected. We got most of what we ordered, and had a nice time. If you want a diner style breakfast, and to be near the capital, this is your place. read more

We've had two very poor experiences here due to very bad service. On one occasion we had to wait so long for the waiter to take our order, despite attempting to flag him down several times, that we ended up leaving. We just gave it another shot and also had terrible service. When the waiter finally came over, he (accidentally) spit on one of us, offered no apology, took one of our orders and left. We told him as he was walking away that the other people at the table hadn't ordered and he never turned around or came back. We once again left. Strongly do not recommend this place. read more

We recently moved to Capitol Hill and tried Pete's today. Worst mistake ever!!! Staff have zero customer service skills and even less personality. Further, I don't know how you mess up breakfast. Toast was at least 1 week old. The brought out the wrong food. Everyone's food came out at different times. The coffee tasted like water. This place deserves ZERO stars. Sad really sad!!! read more