Looking For Opinions

[Big Iron]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

 

[Ryan]

Depends on what you're looking for.

Have you been to DC? 6 hours is enough time to get out and see some of the sights close to the station (US Capital, Smithsonian, Washington Monument).

 

[Big Iron]

Depends on what you're looking for.
Have you been to DC? 6 hours is enough time to get out and see some of the sights close to the station (US Capital, Smithsonian, Washington Monument).

I've visited most of the museums in DC. I've never spent a lot of time looking for food options in/around WUS. Thought I'd like to try something other than the food court in the basement. I saw on another recent post that there is a brew pub in the station. That sounds appealing.

 

[acelafan]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

Lucky you, DC is a great place to spend some time! Like Ryan said, you can get to all parts of DC really easily within your layover. The DC Metro system is a great way to check out a few neighborhoods - you can get to the historic, very charming area called Dupont Circle with many restaurants or you could head down towards the monuments, old town Alexandria, or the revamped Chinatown (which isn't so much like Chinatown anymore). Lots of possibilities! I might just head out and explore - as long as it's not too cold.

 

[Big Iron]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

Lucky you, DC is a great place to spend some time! Like Ryan said, you can get to all parts of DC really easily within your layover. The DC Metro system is a great way to check out a few neighborhoods - you can get to the historic, very charming area called Dupont Circle with many restaurants or you could head down towards the monuments, old town Alexandria, or the revamped Chinatown (which isn't so much like Chinatown anymore). Lots of possibilities! I might just head out and explore - as long as it's not too cold.

Hmmmm....Chinatown sounds interesting, I've never been there. I'll get some spicy food to ward off the cold.

 

[wayman]

Depends on what you're looking for.
Have you been to DC? 6 hours is enough time to get out and see some of the sights close to the station (US Capital, Smithsonian, Washington Monument).

I've visited most of the museums in DC. I've never spent a lot of time looking for food options in/around WUS. Thought I'd like to try something other than the food court in the basement. I saw on another recent post that there is a brew pub in the station. That sounds appealing.

To get to the brew pub -- not actually "in the station" -- exit out the revolving doors towards the outdoors Metro escalator and look to your right as you approach the escalator. You'll see the United States Post Office Museum clearly labeled on the building across the street (I don't think you can see a sign for the brew pub from that spot). Cross the street and walk around to the left side of that building and you'll see stairs going up to the Capitol City Brewing Company main door. There is a way in which doesn't involve stairs, but I forget what it is, sorry.

 

[Ryan]

There's also Thunder Grill in the station, the Dubliner down by Cap City, and Union Pub headed the other way on Mass Ave. All good choices.

 

[Guest]

Other posters have mentioned what a great place WAS is outside, but Union Station is pretty amazing with a mall,eating and drinking establishments, a movie theater and the Metro is in the basement! If the weather is bad (it doesnt snow much but the cold can be damp and the wind is very cold) you could do worse than checking out the station,you can leave your luggage in the Ca and all in all the price is pretty nice for a world class city!!

 

[Ryan]

The movie theater is closed and good riddance - that place was a pit.

 

[The Metropolitan]

I like Ollie's Trolley. It's hardly gourmet fare, more like 5 Guys, but better, and with more options (Burgers, Pork BBQ, Fish Sandwich, Crab Cake). The seasoned fries are excellent. It's on the SE corner of 12th and E NW.

You can take the Metro Red Line to Metro Center Station and it's 2 blocks south on 12th Street, or catch the D6 bus on Massachusetts Avenue to go right to it. Look for the red and yellow circus awning.

Ryan's selection of the Dubliner is also a fine choice as well, and if you're in a mood where you don't know what you want til you see it, your best bet might be to visit the America restaurant in Union Station, whose menu has all sorts of regional specialties.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ollies Trolley is pretty good @ 12th and E/NW ,as you said the Brew Pub is a good one too! Since you've been there you know the weather can be pretty dicey so utilize the Metro as much as you can! It's pretty easy to get around WAS, one of the easier World Capitals IMO! Have a good trip, give us a report! (and thanks for the info on the theater, I thought it was pretty grim too!)

 

[Big Iron]

The movie theater is closed and good riddance - that place was a pit.

WUS has a history with pits. I remember the "PIT" that desecrated the fine facility when it was converted to the bicentenniel visitors center.

 

[Big Iron]

Ollies Trolley is pretty good @ 12th and E/NW ,as you said the Brew Pub is a good one too! Since you've been there you know the weather can be pretty dicey so utilize the Metro as much as you can! It's pretty easy to get around WAS, one of the easier World Capitals IMO! Have a good trip, give us a report! (and thanks for the info on the theater, I thought it was pretty grim too!)

I'll do my best to keep track of the trip details and report back. I've seen the trip report section so I hope I can do it justice.

Spending time on this forum, learning new ideas, will freshen up the many trips I've taken to Chicago. I would have discounted Gold Coast Dogs as another generic food court eatery and most likely would have never come across Girodano's, both on my itinerary this trip.

 

[savoirfaire]

If you like pizza, I would highly recommend taking the metro red line to Chinatown and go to Matchbox. Excellent food, good drink, great atmosphere.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ollies Trolley is pretty good @ 12th and E/NW ,as you said the Brew Pub is a good one too! Since you've been there you know the weather can be pretty dicey so utilize the Metro as much as you can! It's pretty easy to get around WAS, one of the easier World Capitals IMO! Have a good trip, give us a report! (and thanks for the info on the theater, I thought it was pretty grim too!)

I'll do my best to keep track of the trip details and report back. I've seen the trip report section so I hope I can do it justice.

Spending time on this forum, learning new ideas, will freshen up the many trips I've taken to Chicago. I would have discounted Gold Coast Dogs as another generic food court eatery and most likely would have never come across Girodano's, both on my itinerary this trip.

You are correct sir, great info on this forum! I'd been in CHI a million times before I learned about Gold Coast Dogs and Girodanos, also Lou Mitchells just up the street from CUS! I'm not that impressed with WAS Chinatown, New Yorks and the ones on the West Coast are much better IMHO but it might be worth checking out if you have the time, as someone has said, so little time, so much to do! :lol:

 

[Dovecote]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

I would keep it simple. Eat and sightsee in the immediate area of Union Station. My vote for lunch is the Capitol City Brewing Company as mentioned previously. For sightseeing, it is a short walk to the Capitol. The recently built Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) offers an excellent tour of the Capitol. The website for getting reservations is: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/ You can also eat at the CVC but it is very pricey.

 

[Ryan]

If you like pizza, I would highly recommend taking the metro red line to Chinatown and go to Matchbox. Excellent food, good drink, great atmosphere.

Matchbox also has a restaurant on 8th street SE, just north of I. The Navy Yard circulator that leaves from Union Station will take you directly past there. If you're in Chinatown, Clydes (same block as the Verizon Center) is a sure bet.

 

[Big Iron]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

I would keep it simple. Eat and sightsee in the immediate area of Union Station. My vote for lunch is the Capitol City Brewing Company as mentioned previously. For sightseeing, it is a short walk to the Capitol. The recently built Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) offers an excellent tour of the Capitol. The website for getting reservations is: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/ You can also eat at the CVC but it is very pricey.

I like the Capitol idea, especially since its an easy walk and I'll be dressed for Chicago weather anyway. It's been ages since I've been to the Capitol. When I was 9 or 10 the family went to the Capitol and were going to get tickets for the tour. Don't know why, but we were waiting for the Capitol "subway" to go get tickets and ran across Sen. Byrd, the Virginia one. He asked us what we were doing and once he found out we were constituents he gave our family a twenty minute tour of the Senate Chamber and then let us sit in the press box to listen to the proceedings. I remember sitting next to Garrick Utley. Those memories are 40 years old so the details may be warped by time.

 

[GG-1]

The movie theater is closed and good riddance - that place was a pit.

WUS has a history with pits. I remember the "PIT" that desecrated the fine facility when it was converted to the bicentenniel visitors center.

Aloha

Whith a opening like this I must ask is this the pit that ate a GG1 right before an inauguration. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Big Iron]

The movie theater is closed and good riddance - that place was a pit.

WUS has a history with pits. I remember the "PIT" that desecrated the fine facility when it was converted to the bicentenniel visitors center.

Aloha

Whith a opening like this I must ask is this the pit that ate a GG1 right before an inauguration. :lol: :lol: :lol:

You speak of the Congressional losing its brakes before the Eisenhower gig? The GG-1 didn't quite make it to the main waiting area poking a hole in the concourse. The pit was a man made debacle where a two/three story hole was dug in about 3/4 of the floor of the main waiting area (at the time) to install a massive projector to show visitors bicentenniel DC highlights. The pit was so big that I can recall seeing 4 to 5 Mack dump trucks and an excavator in it.

 

[sweet tea]

the museum of the american indian (new smithsonian, on the mall but perhaps not there whenever you last visited?) is wonderful and has a fascinating food court -- each of the stations serves food traditional to or inspired by the indigenous foods of a different region of the americas.

 

[Big Iron]

the museum of the american indian (new smithsonian, on the mall but perhaps not there whenever you last visited?) is wonderful and has a fascinating food court -- each of the stations serves food traditional to or inspired by the indigenous foods of a different region of the americas.

You're correct, this museum was not there at my last visit. The food court does sound interesting. My food tastes run towards the ecclectic, ethnic, indigenous type. This is the main reason I ask this type of questions, hoping someone with local knowledge will chime in. The spots frequented by locals often don't show up in travel guides and internet searches.

 

[ambyr]

I'll be heading to CHI on the CL (sleeper) on 1/8. I'll have 6 hours to kill and will need to eat lunch in DC. Where is the BEST place to eat lunch near/in Union Station?

No one's mentioned them, so I'll bite: Bistro Bis would be my vote for best restaurant near Union Station. Close runner up (but a couple blocks more of a walk) would be Sonoma. They are both upscale, the former more so than the latter.

 

[rrdude]

the museum of the american indian (new smithsonian, on the mall but perhaps not there whenever you last visited?) is wonderful and has a fascinating food court -- each of the stations serves food traditional to or inspired by the indigenous foods of a different region of the americas.

You're correct, this museum was not there at my last visit. The food court does sound interesting. My food tastes run towards the ecclectic, ethnic, indigenous type. This is the main reason I ask this type of questions, hoping someone with local knowledge will chime in. The spots frequented by locals often don't show up in travel guides and internet searches.

Top this one gang: Go visit Ben's Chili Bowl. A DC institution if there ever was one. Ben's Chili Bowl. Ben's is right across the street from the U Street/Cardozo Metro stop on the Green line!

 

[Big Iron]

the museum of the american indian (new smithsonian, on the mall but perhaps not there whenever you last visited?) is wonderful and has a fascinating food court -- each of the stations serves food traditional to or inspired by the indigenous foods of a different region of the americas.

You're correct, this museum was not there at my last visit. The food court does sound interesting. My food tastes run towards the ecclectic, ethnic, indigenous type. This is the main reason I ask this type of questions, hoping someone with local knowledge will chime in. The spots frequented by locals often don't show up in travel guides and internet searches.

Top this one gang: Go visit Ben's Chili Bowl. A DC institution if there ever was one. Ben's Chili Bowl. Ben's is right across the street from the U Street/Cardozo Metro stop on the Green line!

THIS IS IT!!!!!! Thanks rrdude. I am going to to a chili dog comparison between Ben's and Gold Coast Dogs in Chicago Union Station. I LOVE a good chili dog.