Sometimes you don’t want secrets getting out. There are little shops, restaurants, or bars tucked away in the recesses of lesser-traveled neighborhoods that you secretly hope will remain concealed from the masses that threaten to crowd local patrons right out the door. On the other hand, great things are bound to be discovered by the public eventually. The Waffle Shop in Columbia Heights is one such secret spot that deserves exploration by those willing to venture to the neighborhood in search of a hearty breakfast.

The façade of the diner, located on 14th and Park, leaves a little to be desired. The retro font could use an update, but the run down nature of the store front also hints at the history of the establishment. The Waffle Shop has been around for quite some time, and as long as it doesn’t get squashed by Target it will remain a fixture in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Inside, the seating and counters are just as run down as the storefront and a jukebox kicks out Latin beats, 3 for a dollar. Local construction workers sit on weathered bar stools while a picture of Mother Mary and a jolly Buddha statue look down from a prep station.