While many of DCist’s sister sites will release lists on 24-hour restaurants today, we won’t for a basic reason: There’s like three in the whole city. Instead, we’re taking a look at where you can get some food after midnight.
Photo by LaTur.
JULIA’S EMPANADAS: Julia’s Empanadas is something of a D.C. institution, with three locations scattered around the city. To me, there’s nothing better than scarfing down two or three of these crispy, Mexican hot pockets after a late night of drinking. They’re like a fiesta in your mouth. Open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. — Matt Cohen
Julia’s Empanadas has locations at 2452 18th Street NW, 6235 George Avenue NW, and 1221 Connecticut Avenue NW.
HORACE AND DICKIE’S: Long before Taylor Gourmet and &pizza moved in on H Street NE, there was Horace and Dickie’s, the hole-in-the-wall carry out that serves up some of the best fried fish in the city. Open until 2 a.m. every day except Sunday, you can walk away with a huge portion of fried fish and some french fries for under eight bucks. — Sarah Anne Hughes
Horace and Dickie’s is located 809 12th Street NE.
TAYLOR GOURMET: But if it’s an Italian sub you’re looking for, Taylor Gourmet is another late-night option, but only on the weekends. The harsh florescent light at Taylor Gourmet kind of feels like staring at the sun after an evening inside a dark bar. But for enduring the pain, you will be rewarded with a fresh hoagie despite the ungodly hour. I’m a sucker for anything with a breaded chicken cutlet or the juicy roast pork with broccoli rabe, but the all-day breakfast sandwiches are also tempting while inebriated. — Alicia Mazzara
The Taylor Gourmet shops at 1116 H Street NE and 1908 14th Street NW are open until 3:30 a.m. on the weekends.
THE DINER: Obviously, this list would be incomplete with the 24-hour hotspot, The Diner, on 18th Street NW. Known for its breakfast menu, booze and comfortable atmosphere, it’s as good a place to visit at 9 a.m. or 4 a.m. Its sister spot, The Coupe, recently stopped being an all-day joint, but is still open until midnight Sunday to Thursday, and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, as is Open City. — Sarah Anne Hughes
The Diner is located at 2453 18th Street NW.
BEN’S CHILI BOWL: The famed U Street NW spot is open until 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and midnight on Sunday. If you need an introduction, you’re in the wrong place. — Sarah Anne Hughes
Ben’s is located at 1213 U Street NW. An H Street NE location will open this year.
Photo by Tomash.AMSTERDAM FALAFELSHOP: There’s nothing like a pile of cheap, fried food to mitigate tomorrow’s hangover. This Adams Morgan institution is open until 4 a.m. on the weekends and only serves two things: falafel and fries, the preferred drunk food of the European continent. Wobble over to the dazzling toppings bar to cram as many pickled vegetables and globs of hummus into your pita as possible. You can blame the messy eating experience on the toppings instead of your diminished motor skills. It’s also hard to pass up the crisp cones of fries, especially when they’re dipped in sweet, tangy Dutch mayonnaise. Really, nothing tastes better than fat topped with more fat, sober or not. — Alicia Mazzara
Amsterdam Falafelshop is located at 2425 18th Street NW. They will be opening a second location at 1830 14th Street NW.
FAST GOURMET: Fast Gourmet—the gas station cum sandwich shop on 14th Street NW—has garnered quite the reputation, with writes up in numerous big-name publications. While the shop’s crown jewel is the chivitoa—a “Uruguayan masterpiece including beef tenderloin, black forest ham, bacon, green olives, mozzarella, and, yes, mayonnaise” that DCist’s Sriram Gopal once said should be shoved up the ass of the New York Times’ David M. Shribman — the fact of the matter is that every sandwich at Fast Gourmet is a masterpiece in its own right. And the fact that it’s open until 3 a.m. on weekends makes it all the more desirable. — Matt Cohen
Fast Gourmet is located at 1400 W Street NW.
JUMBO SLICE: You can say all you want about how gross jumbo slice is. One of our writers called it cardboard with tomato paste and cheese, even though he’s never tried it! I count it as delicious and some of the most New York-like pizza I’ve had in D.C. And not like those now ubiquitous 99 cent slices which are often cardboard like, but genuinely tasty triangles of pizza. My rule is I’ll only get a slice if I’m very hungry and quite tipsy. That could have something to do with it. And you need to know where to go. But the better places do care about what they’re slathering on their enormous circles of dough. A Travel Channel Food Wars feature suggests there is a degree of thoughtfulness that goes into the sauces of several competitors in this cheesy arena, and DCist writers seem to agree that on 18th street NW, Pizza Mart has the line worth waiting on. They are the home if the real original jumbo slice after all. On U Street NW, it’s Italian Pizza Kitchen. (It now seems to be also be known as Italian Kitchen on U. I don’t often reach my rule threshold for eating the stuff anymore.) The slice is better, slightly smaller, and cheaper than those on 18th Street. So I always feel better about stopping for a slice. That is until I inevitably wolf it down in the store and get a second slice. — Josh Novikoff
Pizza Mart is located at 2445 18th Street NW; Italian Kitchen on U is located at 1110 U Street NW.
Busboys. Photo by LaTur
BUSBOYS AND POETS: No, this is not an endorsement of mayoral candidate Andy Shallal. But we must note that the 14th Street NW location of his Busboys and Poets is open until midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The 5th and K streets NW location has the same hours Sunday through Thursday, and closes an hour earlier on Friday and Saturday. We will, however, endorse the grilled brie panini with spinach and caramelized onions. — Sarah Anne Hughes
Busboys and Poets is located at 1025 5th Street NW and 2021 14th Street NW.
OOHHS & AAHHS: Hidden among the masses of Jumbo Slice pizzerias on U St. is Oohhs and Aahhs, a true gem of the late night bites circuit. Serving up traditional soul food—wings, chops, catfish, mac ‘n cheese, collard greens, etc.—this late night dive fills the void of a hearty, artery-clogging meal that your inebriated body craves. Open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, you can even score a $20 whiting platter in the wee hours of the night, if that’s your thing. It’s definitely somebody’s thing. — Matt Cohen
Oohhs & Ahhs is located at 1005 U Street NW.
DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS PIES: Amongst the DCist staff, the merit of this H Street NE pie place is up for debate. However, after last call, that merit skyrockets. On Fridays and Saturdays, Dangerously Delicious Pies is open until 3:30 a.m. and has something to satisfy those looking to placate a sudden sweet tooth or line their belly with alcohol-absorbing proteins. Plus, the staff isn’t just patient, but downright cheerful as H Street’s drunkest roll in for their last stop before home. —Valerie Paschall
Dangerously Delicious is located at 1339 H Street NE.
BISTRO DU COIN: If you’re looking for something a bit fancier, Bistrot du Coin in Dupont Circle is open until 1 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday. The mussels are fantastic, but the entire menu is packed with authentic French food. — Sarah Anne Hughes
Bistro du Coin is located at 1738 Connecticut Avenue NW.
