This is a diner that was probably great ten years ago, but has been clearly in a state of decline. It's probably a two star place now, but the way it's trending, it's gonna be one star quality within six months. What's the issue? 1) The place is filthy. Our table was just vacated so we asked for the server to wipe it when the server came to take our order (sad that you have to ask for this). She grabbed some grungy cloth and wiped the table, but all it did was leave the table with a fine layer of grease. They have a dozen bottles of stuff on the tables, and they're all Ali melt with oil or grease. Except the two corn syrup containers (not even Aunt Jemima, which I though was the low bar for diners). They were all sticky with syrup. There was such a build-up of sugar stuck to the top that the sugar would barely come out. 2) No small packages of jams, peanut butter, or anything for roasts. If you ask as my wife did, they bring out a tiny bowl with some jam scooped into it. They probably just dust costs by buying big jams at Costco and scoop some out when a customer asks to save a few pennies. Do health regulations even allow this??? Given the cleanliness of the other stuff on the table, I must say I certainly had concerns over this practice. 3) I ordered a tea and it was served in a to-go cup. If I wanted this I would have gone to a Starbucks. 4) the plastic water glasses had the rims all nicked and dinged beyond the point where they should be replaced. You might think it's worth putting up with a bit of the above because the owners are focused on keeping costs low. Well, you'd be wrong there. Our two plates of food were $9.75 each and the hot beverages $2.75. Unless you have a thing for disgusting, filthy greasy spoons, stay far away from this place. read more

Pete's Diner - Gratuity must be built into these prices - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I loved the unique decor and ambiance. The family cat was also nice. It is clearly family run and the service is very nice and efficient. The food is great. It has a home cooked feel to it. For tourists who want to have home cooked American food at decent portions, this is the place. read more

Cat was pooping inside the restaurant!! It just walks around all over. A lady came out from the back kitchen and picked up the poop with a sandwich bread bag and went back into the kitchen. Needless to say we stood up and left. Disgusting would give negative stars but you can't. Avoid this place! read more

Nice spot for a super efficient and tasty meal! Went here with a friend and enjoyed the outdoor seating. They brought us a menu and it had a ton of breakfast and lunch options. I got a tasty western omelette and my friend got a melt with fries. The omelette had Italian sausage pieces in it, tangy like a sausage pizza, very good in the omelette with some chopped veggies and a little cheese. All excellent and above average tasting food, with a nice sidewalk cafe atmosphere. Clean and efficient service, when you are ready they being a check and you can pay inside. No pressure to move on, we chatted a bit and enjoyed the afternoon while nursing our drinks. Recommended! read more

Pete's Diner - Exterior with tables - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

One of the most disgusting restaurants I've been to in my life. I felt physically ill due to the smell, the sticky tables, and the obviously not washed cutlery. DO NOT COME HERE!!! I don't care if people love this local diner, it's horrific. The food is mediocre at best, you're lucky if it's cooked all the way. I BEG OF YOU DO NOT COME!!! I almost threw up and had to take a break halfway through my meal to get some air. read more

Stopped in for breakfast and had a couple eggs over easy and potatoes. It was good and eggs cooked correctly. The bacon was a bit chewy but over all the meal was good. read more

food was yummy. service was quick. relatively cheap. make sure you say hi to the cat he is friendly

My friend and I stopped in for lunch one afternoon in November and they greeted her with open arms. She used to live nearby and went there all the time, but hadn't gotten back there since moving to another part of the city. They recognized her and were so thrilled that she was back. I took it as a great sign that they love their customers and that their customers are loyal. The service is why I am giving it a five, otherwise I would rate it a four. We took up a seat outside (it was warm that day) although the rain clouds were really rolling in. It was easy to order and to get refills on water. My friend ordered breakfast (pancakes and the like), and because I had already eaten that morning, I went with fries and a salad. The food is pretty good, typical diner fare, no frills. It's not trying to be something fancier, which is honestly refreshing for DC. We need more places like that. We got our food quickly, and were able to eat before the rain started coming down. They have a $10 minimum on credit cards, but didn't mind letting me use mine, even though my bill was around $9.50. I'll definitely stop by again when I'm near Capitol Hill, it hits the spot for when you want something quick. read more

Some on the best fries I have ever had would very much recommend you must come eat Here if you come by

I went here for breakfast on my high school graduation trip in 2019 and I ordered an omelette, and I loved it very much!!

I had the blueberry pancakes and my son had the chocolate chip pancakes. Both were delicious! Lots of people who came in seemed to know everyone working there. Really felt like a cute little neighborhood restaurant. read more

Pete's Diner - Blueberry pancakes, eggs, and bacon - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Old-fashioned diner with quick service. Chocolate chip pancakes were great and grits are on the menu. Server was efficient but seemed uninterested in interacting. read more

Amazing food, soups are fantastic and made fresh. The "boss" xing-xing is a perfect accent to the small diner. Service was fantastic as all of our food was out in under five minutes. bulgogi lunch special was well priced and plenty of food. I could not recommend this place enough for the good food, quick service, and sweet cat to accent your dining. read more

This is somewhat of a hole in the wall, as it is not facing to Pennsylvania Avenue. The people working here are great, as they are pleasant, attentive, and appreciative of your business. A couple of places I intended to go nearby were packed, but this place had plenty of seating. My breakfast meal of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and iced tea was decent for the price paid. If you are in the area and other places are busy you can hit this place up if you want a good meal that is reasonably priced without a wait. read more

Pete's Diner - Pancakes, bacon, and eggs - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

An easy, breezy breakfast to get you rolling into an easy, breezy weekend. The pancakes were perfectly light and fluffy, and the service was incredibly speedy and attentive (my coffee cup not once sat without coffee). It felt just like a diner should, and while the food was casual and cheap, it was still pretty darn tasty. Sometimes, well...often, an expensive, over-the-top bottomless brunch is not what the heart wants. And on those days, Pete's Diner can happily fulfill your breakfast needs. read more

Pete's Diner - Blueberry Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love Pete's. Regular breakfast spot, quick and easy. Good food and good service. Staff is friendly and it's a great community breakfast diner. read more

Food comes in great portions. Coffee was fresh. I ordered the chocolate chip pancakes and they were some of the best I've had in a while. The service was quick, even for the large group that I was in. The seating is tight but comfortable. I love that it's a cozy neighborhood restaurant. read more

Came back a second time! Service was fast and nice! Food was fast and delicious. Two for two and would make it a third if I ever come back to DC. read more

Great diner with affordable menu. Always love to find small diners to eat vs restaurants as we support the small business. The pancakes were delicious as well as the rest of our food. The servers were really friendly! Great spot to eat if you are staying in DC read more

Pete's Diner - Great coffee! - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Was out for a early 7.5. Mile run/walk and decided to stop for breakfast. I was going to go to another place but this was close to where I was at the time. Prolly shoulda went to other place. $12 and some change for 3 pancake, bacon and a OJ. Other place is $5 cheaper. You can be forgotten about sitting at the bar when others at tables get most of the attention. Also trying to pay can be a challenge as everyone is either cooking, putting orders together or serving. Pancakes were fine but not the best bacon. A crispy pile. read more

Pete's Diner - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Excellent service and great food, quick and delicious. Ate here a few days in a row for breakfast, visiting family. 4 stars

I sat at the counter for breakfast on 11.16.2023, and was thoroughly enjoying it. The spoiler FOR ME was a BIG CAT jumping up in the empty chair next to me. I understand that some folks are animal lovers BUT I am not one. I do not expect or wish to eat at an establishment that allows this. I was super disappointed and do not plan to return because it looks like this is a normal practice. Because of that, I would like to give it ZERO/NO start but you are forced to give it at least one. read more

The food was delicious. The service was great. The waiters were all friendly. The cashiers were friendly. The place was clean and right off the street. read more

Quick, good, clean. Small local restaurant just around the corner from the Capital. We had breakfast and all enjoyed. read more

A great place for ALL AMERICAN PATRIOTS to eat while in DC!!!!! If you are not an American, then you should definitely eat here too! read more

Owner Gum and her staff have been working tirelessly to feed our troops. They are so thankful for the delicious warm home cooked meals provided for them. America thanks you. read more

Great food, great service, great ambiance. Waltzers we're respectful. Nice place to grab local diner food and it was tasty!

The food was quick and really good. The service was quick - not much of a talker but always present which was nice. It's a cozy little spot.

Super friendly greasy spoon breakfast and lunch spot. By far the quickest we've gotten our meals in DC. I had breakfast, my partner had a sandwich combo. Very satisfying in a non fancy way. Our meals with coffee and a coke came to $25. I highly recommend if you're looking for a diner in the capitol area. read more

Been meaning to try out this little diner for years and today I was craving pancakes for breakfast so Pete's popped up! I thought I would be super busy with a wait but my surprise..... super empty for a holiday weekend! The diner is very small and you pretty much seat yourself. Being I was solo this morning I went for the high top bar area... a little dirty at arrival but quickly picked up. Menu is very basic and simple! I like the idea of different flavor pancakes so I went with the blueberry pancakes. I also order and meat and cheese omelet that comes with home fries and bread. The food lacked flavor and LoVE in my opinion... put me in the mind of cafeteria food or hospital. It wasn't terrible just not my favorite. I will say it's probably the cheapest breakfast in DC because I only paid about 10 bucks. Not on my list of nee to revisit .... but they do serve breakfast all day so that's a plus! read more

See all

I want to give this place a one star because the food is not very good, the coffee terrible, and the service very rushed and cold, but all these elements give it a certain charm since it's so counter culture to DC. The Diner is one of the closest restaurants to the US Capitol (In fact, Speaker of the House John Boehner has breakfast here most work week mornings when he's in town) and the fact that it's a dive is awesome. It's crowded and a bit dirty and the people who frequent there come wearing their sweatpants and sweatshirts (Also counter culture to DC). Because of this charm, I give it two additional stars. Warning: If you order the breakfast sandwiches, it comes on Wonder Bread and not much content inside. It's not very good. If you want better food, go next door to Le Bon Cafe for their french toast and/or quiche. read more

Small family run diner, really hit the spot after touring the Library of Congress. Bacon and pancakes were delicious.

If you're looking for some quick, simple, filling breakfast then Pete's covers that. With ample portions and enough options to ensure you're full, the diner becomes a no-brainer for the family or budget minded. The lady with the bandana (the chef) is super pleasant and happy. She was/is a nice contrast to the more hardened, no smiles shorter lady (NOT the shortest one, she was sweet also). My mom enjoyed her egg and cheese sandwich. We got plenty of french toast in a single order and the food was served well and quick. BONUS: If you stay at the Capitol Hill Hotel, it is right around the corner and a block from getting onto site seeing. read more

This Diner on Capital Hill has very fast service. We stopped in for breakfast. I had the breakfast sandwich and pancakes. read more

Pete's Diner - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quick service. Good food and best prices in DC. Sidewalk seating. Near Library of Congress.

The vibe of this place was a bit of a surprise, it's probably the most diverse diner I've ever been to. Many different food and drink options that you wouldn't necessarily associate with a diner (and a few that were missing). Their breakfast selection is minimal but solid. They have outdoor seating and I think they allow customers to dine indoors as well. They use real menus however comply with social distancing (spread out tables). Service was friendly. It's a good option for the area, but I prefer Executive Diner in Alexandria for more of the diner experience/food selection. read more

Pete's Diner - Bacon and cheese omelette with side of onion rings - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was good. Service was fast and accurate. A pleasant diner experience with your diner ambiance feel. I like supporting family owned small businesses in the city. Recommend read more

Bad service. Food very average. We ate inside, poor ventilation, restroom is right next to the dining boots so smell is strong. Would not recommend this place at all. read more

A cute little neighborhood breakfast spot a block away from the capital. We started out DC adventure here and got a great breakfast to start the day. Service was friendly and quick and the food was yummy. I had the French Toast (Great!) and my son ordered the banana pancakes (lots of real banana). We got a great meal for a great value and it started off the day with a full tummy. read more

Wife and I Got two veggie omelettes for breakfast, as this place is situated right by the Capitol where we were headed. The omelette had canned mushrooms in it for crying out loud. Not that hard to get fresh mushrooms. Also inside the omelette was one kraft single. It was like cheese whiz. Pretty bad. My wife ordered fruit on the side with her omelette and got like 5 slices of apple. It was quite odd. Potatoes were ok. If you are considering this place, you are much better off going to the cafe next door. Went in there after breakfast to grab a to-go coffee and instantly regretted the decision to dine at Pete's. Yes we were looking for a quick breaky at a greasy spoon type of joint, but it was a disappointing waste of a meal on our trip to DC. Pretty dingy place! read more

Pete's Diner - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia