Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 11:47     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Mitsitam used to be my go-to, sorry to hear the quality has suffered.
Penn quarter has plenty of good lunch options - Bindaas bowls, Jaleo, etc
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 15:21     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Museum of the American Indian’s larger cafeteria is closed for renovations, but the cafe part is still open with a good (but very limited) menu. Dolcezza at the Hirshhorn is great for pastries. My other favorite place is the National Gallery Sculpture Garden — but for the setting way more than the food.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 15:16     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
There is a potbelly across the street from the Renwick Gallery.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 15:12     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Anonymous wrote:Not to hijack this thread, but why do people call the American Indian Museum (or Museum of the American Indian, formally) the Native American Museum? Is there a name change in the offing?


Yeah, I was getting annoyed by this. It is the Museum of the American Indian.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 12:45     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Go to the food court at Ronald Reagan. Good choices. I particularly like the tempura udon soup from one of the vendors.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 08:28     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Hard pass for the cafeterias in the museums. Seek out a real establishment.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 08:06     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Anonymous wrote:We always carry food.


That wasn’t the question.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2024 07:40     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Not to hijack this thread, but why do people call the American Indian Museum (or Museum of the American Indian, formally) the Native American Museum? Is there a name change in the offing?
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2024 20:02     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
We get snacks at the castle coffee shop then go to waterfront for a meal (or head home after snacks).
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2024 17:02     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Anonymous wrote:Some of this advice is out of date, sadly.

As a PP noted, Mitsitam is closed for renovations, but even before that, the quality had slid downhill (while prices went up). I used to love the Indian taco there, but the last two times I went, the fry bread was tough and dried out and the chili wasn't as good.

National Gallery used to have a wonderful cafeteria, but they changed their vendor and now use Sodexo, which also is also the vendor for DCPS. Well, I don't know if you are familiar with DCPS lunches but... it's not an upgrade. The selection is also much more limited. Even the pastries at the gelato bar are usually stale.

The African American museums is still very good, I recommend that one.

Also, while the fare is more typical cafeteria food (burgers, chicken tenders, etc.), the quality at Natural History is better than at other museums at the moment. Unsure if they are also using Sodexo or not, I didn't inquire, but the food is fresher and seems to have better quality ingredients.

So AA and NH are the two I recommend to visitors who want to eat on the mall.


This.

The quality at the AA museum is incredible, Mitsitam is worse than it was before but still has some good stuff, everything else is a very steep downgrade. Like very dry kids chicken tenders. My kids will eat it, by with a group of adults I would walk off the mall to
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2024 17:00     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
The best cafe is Dolcezza at the Hirshhorn.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2024 16:58     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
We always carry food.
Anonymous
Post 04/14/2024 16:46     Subject: Best places to eat at the Smithsonian museums?
Fan of Native American museum here. And also a fan of Teaism.