DC area Restaurants with consistently great food that aren't super expensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Founding Farmers in Potomac
Eastonville off U street
Ullah Bistro on U street

If you like poor service, a loud atmosphere and food that it is just fair. I have a hard time with people that keep recommending chain that are more hype than actually offer good food and service.

Founding Farmers in Potomac is worlds better than the one in DC. I've always had great food, great service and it's never been too noisy.

[Anonymous]

Hard Times

[Anonymous]

OP thinks Blacks is corporate owned???!!

Jeff & Barbara Black are locals... who care deeply about the community. Yes, they now own a handful of restaurants.. but they certainly aren't corporate in the way that Woodmont Grill is, c'mon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Founding Farmers in Potomac
Eastonville off U street
Ullah Bistro on U street

If you like poor service, a loud atmosphere and food that it is just fair. I have a hard time with people that keep recommending chain that are more hype than actually offer good food and service.

Founding Farmers in Potomac is worlds better than the one in DC. I've always had great food, great service and it's never been too noisy.

I went there after reading so many positive reviews on here. I have to say the service was fine, but everything tasted like grease. I was disappointed and don't think I'll go back.

[Anonymous]

Fishnet college park
Original ledos
Marathon deli college park
Continental deli Kensington
Cantlers riverside in
G&M crab cakes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad list!!

Chipotle, really?

I'd say Amsterdam Falafel, Bullfrog Bagels, and I can't think of anything else. DC restaurants are over priced for what they are.

Amsterdam Falafel is good if you're 23 years old and drunk.

Aren't we all? It is just one of the very few DC places I can think of that are tasty and appropriately priced.

Um, their falafel is really dry and tastes kinda bland. I wasn't crazy about the quality of their pita bread, either. Unless it's the only option available at late night, I wouldn't go back.
I've only been to the Logan Circle/U Street location, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised no one else has said Little Serow. Also Taco Bamba and Saravana Palace.

Little Serow is $45 per person. I thought OP wanted to keep it under $50 for two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

I've probably been to most of the places in Bethesda, so I appreciate the DC recommendations. I will add some of these suggestions to my list.


Places I want to try: Joe’s Seafood, Vidalia, Ardeo Bardeo, Toki Underground, Ray’s the Steaks, Fish Taco, Hank’s Oyster Bar (Tried the one in Union Market but not Capital Hill), Persimmon, Bistro Provence, Gringos and Mariachis, Black Market Bistro, Cedar.

Here is my unsolicited opinion on the restaurants I know in Bethesda:

Woodmont Grill: Great steaks but $$$, very caloric food, corporate owned mixed experience with service
Blacks: Good, but also somewhat expensive (less so than Woodmont Grill), corporate owned
Mon Ami Gabi: good/very good, but Americanized french food. corporate owned
Food Wine and Co: great bar, good food, somewhat expensive
Jaleo: Good but not great. Americanized tapas.

Try Pete's apizza for New Haven style pizzas. You won't be disappointed.
Daily Grill: Average
Olazzo: Mediocre, Americanized Italian but well priced
Rock bottom: Awful awful food, beer is OK
Brickside: Awful
Mia's Pizza: Good
Cornucopia (Norfolk Ave): Run by an Italian guy, great sandwiches for a light meal
&pizza: Good and well priced, I was surprised by how good their pizzas are
Wildwood Kitchen (on Democracy): It was great the one time I went there a year ago
Raku: Good, but expensive non-traditional sushi/fushion.
Satsuma: Good ramen, Good traditional sushi. Affordable.
Nest: Mediocre food.
Flaxella: They have good Ethiopian food and very affordable ($6 platter). The menu is limited and they aren't open for dinner.
Guapos: Good margaritas, decent fajitas, everything else no good.
Tara Thai: Mediocre to awful.
Uncle Julios: Awful, overpriced.
Penang: OK Thai.

DC:
Off the record bar (Hay Adams): Excellent cocktails, very expensive but worth it.
Sei (Gallery Place): very good, expensive non-traditional sushi/fushion
Jaleo (Gallery Place): Good, better than Bethesda location but not great, somewhat expensive
St Arnold's (Jefferson Place): Good Belgian mussels and beer.
Le Diplomat: Mediocre
Pizza Paradiso: OK but not great
Zaytinya: Good not but great, somewhat expensive
Dukem: Good Ethiopian
District Chophouse and Brewery: Not good
i-Thai (Georgetown): Good Thai, affordable
Wingos (Georgetown): Great wings
Farmers Fishers Bakers (Georgetown): over-hyped, just OK (like Founding Farmers in Rockville)
Rosa Mexicana (Friendship Heights): Good, somewhat expensive
Maggianos (Friendship Heights): Not good
Nam-Viet (Woodley Park): Good Vietnamese food
Stachowski’s Market (Georgetown): Great Sandwiches

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Founding Farmers in Potomac
Eastonville off U street
Ullah Bistro on U street

If you like poor service, a loud atmosphere and food that it is just fair. I have a hard time with people that keep recommending chain that are more hype than actually offer good food and service.

Founding Farmers in Potomac is worlds better than the one in DC. I've always had great food, great service and it's never been too noisy.

I went there after reading so many positive reviews on here. I have to say the service was fine, but everything tasted like grease. I was disappointed and don't think I'll go back.

Agreed, Founding Farmers is overrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP thinks Blacks is corporate owned???!!

Jeff & Barbara Black are locals... who care deeply about the community. Yes, they now own a handful of restaurants.. but they certainly aren't corporate in the way that Woodmont Grill is, c'mon!

They have their own restaurant group and several other restaurants. So yes, I would classify them as corporate-owned,on a smaller scale.

[Anonymous]

Outside of Bethesda- Matchbox, Cava, Thai Farm, Mama Lucia, and Sushi Damo in Rockville.
I also like Yuraku in Germantown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:



Anonymous wrote:
Cactus Cantina
Love cactus cantina!

SSSSHHHHHH don't tell them now they'll all come and there's barely anywhere to park as it is. I want to watch my soccer and drink my mojito in relative peace. Virginians stay away; we have blacks/jews/democrats guarding the entrances.

Wow, PP, you sure are ignorant if you think we don't have blacks, Jews, and Democrats in Virginia. You can stay away from our good restaurants, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP thinks Blacks is corporate owned???!!

Jeff & Barbara Black are locals... who care deeply about the community. Yes, they now own a handful of restaurants.. but they certainly aren't corporate in the way that Woodmont Grill is, c'mon!

They have their own restaurant group and several other restaurants. So yes, I would classify them as corporate-owned,on a smaller scale.

That is NOT the connotation of corporate. Corporate in foodie lingo means national chain, often franchised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP thinks Blacks is corporate owned???!!

Jeff & Barbara Black are locals... who care deeply about the community. Yes, they now own a handful of restaurants.. but they certainly aren't corporate in the way that Woodmont Grill is, c'mon!

They have their own restaurant group and several other restaurants. So yes, I would classify them as corporate-owned,on a smaller scale.

That is NOT the connotation of corporate. Corporate in foodie lingo means national chain, often franchised.

Who cares? Corporate or not, I don't consider it a great restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP thinks Blacks is corporate owned???!!

Jeff & Barbara Black are locals... who care deeply about the community. Yes, they now own a handful of restaurants.. but they certainly aren't corporate in the way that Woodmont Grill is, c'mon!

They have their own restaurant group and several other restaurants. So yes, I would classify them as corporate-owned,on a smaller scale.

That is NOT the connotation of corporate. Corporate in foodie lingo means national chain, often franchised.

Who cares? Corporate or not, I don't consider it a great restaurant.

But as your list demonstrates, you know nothing about good food. So there's that.