Julia’s empanadas. Photo by LaTur
By DCist contributor Kate Stoltzfus
When eating out in the District, there are a plethora of options—and many have no qualms about sucking your wallet dry. But affordable gems are out there for hungry diners who would rather not drop a small fortune on their next meal or drink. Here are some cheap—and, more importantly, delicious—recommendations for meals, drinks, and snacks on a budget. Both your taste buds and bank account will thank you.
100 MONTADITOS: Tapas-style mini sandwiches, a staple in Spain, are worth the $2 to $3 bites before a Nationals game or during a stroll around Navy Yard. Try a few savories—smoked salmon with mozzarella and olive oil, garlic pork loin with green pepper and crispy onion—or a sweet version spread with Nutella and Oreo cookies. On Wednesdays, classic sandwiches are $1 a pop. There are also $2 fries, beer, and sangria.
100 Montaditos is located at 300 Tingey Street SE, # 170.
AMSTERDAM FALAFELSHOP: There are few things more satisfying than falafel tucked inside a warm pita that you can personally stuff to the brim with any combination of toppings and sauces—from baba ganoush and diced cucumbers to pickled beets and hummus—for less than $7 (the “small” starts around $5.50). The $3-5 fries (especially with unlimited curry ketchup and garlic cream) are an equally necessary companion. As the shop’s saying goes, don’t forget to crush your balls.
Amsterdam Falafelshop has locations in Adams Morgan (2425 18th Street NW), 14th Street (1830 14th Street NW), and L’Enfant Plaza (429 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 420 Promenade).
BRAVO BAR: Go back to the basics with a simple dog smothered in ketchup, mustard, and relish along with a PBR and whiskey combo, all for $6 (5 to 8 p.m. daily) at this Georgia Avenue favorite.
Bravo Bar is located at 2917 Georgia Avenue NW.
CAPTAIN COOKIE & THE MILKMAN: You can’t go wrong with Captain’s warm, gooey version of the classic chocolate chip cookie, but there’s also snickerdoodle, Nutella, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, and ginger molasses at $1.25 a pop (or $4 for two cookies and milk). Any two flavors can also be paired with black cherry, chocolate, or vanilla ice cream for a $4 sandwich worth the stickiness. If you can’t hunt down the food truck, Captain Cookie has a brick-and-mortar location in Foggy Bottom that smells like heaven on earth.
Captain Cookie & the Milkman is located at 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW with varying truck locations around the city.
COPYCAT CO.: Gloriously cheap meets deliciousness in $1.25 to $4 meat or veggie bao buns, tender meat skewers (don’t miss the lemongrass pork cheek), and pot stickers at this H Street bar. There may be a cocktail list for the books upstairs, but belly up to the downstairs counter for no-frills orders made fresh right in front of you—it’s arguably some of the most delectable Asian fare a la carte the city has to offer.
Copycat Co. is located at 1110 H Street NE.
DC REYNOLDS: We haven’t forgotten about liquid calories. Every night from 5 to 9 p.m., a drink receipt is your ticket for the BOGO deal—no matter what your poison. With an outdoor patio and the occasional friendly bar cat, it isn’t a stretch to stay for another round (ahem…two) and quench your thirst for half the price.
DC Reynolds is located at 3628 Georgia Avenue NW.
EL CHUCHO: On Mondays, El Chucho busts out an all-night happy hour with two tacos for $3, chips and salsa for $1, and elote—charred corn on the cob with butter, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese—for $2.50. Hungry yet?
El Chucho is located at 3313 11th Street NW.
ERCILIA’S: The menu at Ercilia’s is almost all under $10, but you can fill up on pupusas for $1 to $3 each. It’s hard to beat the simplicity of this well-made Salvadoran classic—that fluffy pocket of tortilla oozing meat and cheese, that tang of pickled cabbage. If you’re still hungry, a $6 order of platanos fritos, the $8 chicken soup, and the $6 vegetarian burrito are all good bets.
Ercilia’s is located at 3070 Mt Pleasant Street NW.
HABESHA MARKET: The atmosphere isn’t fancy, but who cares when the meat and veggie combo platters served with sheets of injera bread are filling enough to share—and so good you won’t want to. Split the Maheberawi meat combo (with 4 items) for $10.95 with a friend or the Taste of Habesha combo for $23—easily enough for three. Though D.C. has scores of great Ethiopian restaurants, Habesha Market remains one of its brightest gems.
Habesha Market is located at 1919 9th Street NW.
HANK’S OYSTER BAR: Both the late-night and happy-hour throngs come for $1.25 oysters slurped right from the shell. All locations have varying times on deals, but you can eat your way through the ocean for under $10 almost every night of the week.
Hank’s Oyster Bar has locations in Dupont Circle (1624 Q Street NW), Capitol Hill (633 Pennsylvania Avenue SE), and Old Town (1026 King Street, Alexandria).
JULIA’S EMPANADAS: These filling, hand-baked pockets for $5 are the main steal on a simple menu. Try them Chilean style (ground beef, raisins, egg, olives), Jamaican style (with potato curry), or stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese. Get two empanadas (one regular, one fruit) with a drink for only $7.87, or an empanada, soup, and salad for $8.55.
Julia’s Empanadas has locations in Adams Morgan (2452 18th Street NW), Dupont Circle (1221 Connecticut Avenue NW), and Brightwood (6235 Georgia Avenue NW).
KANGAROO BOXING CLUB: KBC’s Fuck It bucket is not one to be duplicated—whatever is left in the kitchen goes into a surprise bowl of cheesy, sauce-smothered fries with plenty of the joint’s signature BBQ sauce to go around. Brisket, bacon, a grilled cheese sandwich, pizza, and the occasional piece of fruit pie might sneak their way in. Snag the bucket for $10 with friends from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday for a perfect feast to end the night. You might not always know what you’re eating, but trust me—that’s a good thing.
Kangaroo Boxing Club is located at 3410 11th Street NW.
LOOKING GLASS LOUNGE: This Georgia Avenue watering hole serves up half-priced half smokes for an unbeatable $2.50 every day from 5 to 8 p.m. It’s worth springing for 50-cent toppings like onions, cheese, sauerkraut, or veggie chili and adding an order of fries, and you’ve got a stacked bun for around $5. If you’re thirsty, there’s the Bo-Beam combo (Natty Boh and a shot of Jim Beam) for a mere $6.
The Looking Glass Lounge is located at 3634 Georgia Avenue NW.
LINCOLN’S WAFFLE SHOP: Breakfast all day is the way to go at this downtown spot. Most specials—your basic eggs, bacon, pancakes, and, of course, waffles—are greasy morning classics at their best under $10. Bonus: The waffles are Park and Recreation’s Leslie Knope-approved.
Lincoln’s Waffle Shop is located at 504 10th Street NW.
PIOLA: Ladies’ night every Thursday brings out 10-cent glasses of house wine with the purchase of an entrée. If you stick with a $10 cheese pizza, you can easily guzzle the equivalent of a bottle for around $13. Food deals by gender are behind the times, but a deal is a deal.
Piola is located at 2208 14th Street NW.
PETE’S DINER: Fill up on hearty morning classics like a stack of giant sweet potato pancakes for $6.50 or breakfast platters with home fries and toast for about $8—unusual Capitol Hill prices. If breakfast isn’t your thing, BLTs, BBQ sandwiches, and cheeseburgers run just under $5. The diner is open until 3 p.m (and 2 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays).
Pete’s Diner is located at 212 2nd St SE.
PHO 14: Bargain hunters should come for the hefty banh mi sandwiches—your choice of tofu, chicken, beef, or pork with egg butter, cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro, and paté on a crusty baguette. One will set you back for only $5.49 (or if you’re really hungry, make it a platter with an appetizer and soup for $10.99). Fans of pho also flock to this Vietnamese spot, and you can find some vermicelli bowls or customize your pho for less than $10.
Pho 14 has locations in Van Ness (4201 Connecticut Avenue NW), Adams Morgan (1769 Columbia Rd. NW), and Columbia Heights (1436 Park Rd. NW).
RUANG KHAO: Silver Spring locals may know this cozy spot as the former Thai Derm. While ownership may have changed, the daily lunch combos remain a steal. Favorites like pad thai, drunken noodles, and Panang curry come with soup and a spring roll for only $7.
Ruang Khao Thai Cuisine is located at 939 Bonifant Street, Silver Spring; 301-589-5341.
SALA THAI: Soy sauce and wasabi are necessary sides for the six-piece rolls at this eatery’s three locations. Many rolls run $4-7. And if you come early enough (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily), the Petworth spot serves sushi—including the delicious spicy crunch roll—for $2-$4.
Sala Thai has locations in Petworth (716 Georgia Avenue NW), Bethesda (4828 Cordell Avenue), Rhode Island (2300 Washington Pl NE), and 4020 Minnesota Avenue NE.
SMOKE & BARREL: On Tuesdays, the brisket gods grant Adams Morgan the gift of tacos with the restaurant’s familiar smoky meats (BBQ is optional). Three tacos and a side (like fried okra or jalapeno cheddar grits) are $8—a winning combo that won’t burn all your cash. Who knew a BBQ expert could turn out one of the best taco deals?
Smoke & Barrel is located at 2471 18th Street NW.
SPICE 6: Fill up on classics like chicken tikka masala—wrapped in naan or over rice—with sweet tamarind sauce and raita (yogurt and dill) for $7 and a $3 mango lassi to cut the heat. Or try a pizza with naan crust at this Indian take on fast-casual. Of all the build-your-own bowl options taking the food scene by storm, Spice 6’s cuisine is a welcome addition well worth the deal.
Spice 6 is located at 5501 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville # 107.
THE FRONT PAGE: Classic bar snacks like chicken tenders, fried pickles, garlic parmesan wings, and bruschetta are all $5 a pop from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day if you’re willing to brave the crowds who convene at this well-known happy hour spot. For taco night on Thursdays, a $2 beer comes with an order of “free” tacos—just come prepared with the patience to wait in line.
The Front Page is located at 1333 New Hampshire Avenue.
THE BIG STICK: On Monday nights, this Navy Yard sports bar serves 50-cent chicken wings in flavors like Old Bay and spicy BBQ if you’re willing to order a beer. Get there early enough, and drafts are $4 until 7 p.m.—but there are $5 to $7 bottled beer options after happy hour ends. Your sticky fingers won’t be paying much more than $10.
The Big Stick is located at 20 M Street SE.
TORTILLA CAFÉ: The single-digit prices for Tortilla Café’s heaping plates of Mexican and Salvadoran favorites are Food Network-famous. You can’t go wrong with tamale, roast chicken, or empanada platters with yucca and black beans for under $6, a Salvadoran chicken sandwich for $6.50, a stuffed burrito for less than $5, or $2 pupusas.
Tortilla Café is located at 210 7th Street SE.
Z BURGER: With handcrafted burgers and dozens of toppings to choose from, this burger spot has echoes of the Five Guys model. Loaded burgers are as cheap as $4.50 and an order of fries is $3.69. Don’t miss the mango and chipotle mayo or the Z-Sauce—a tangy, creamy specialty with a slight kick. You’ll want to eat it with everything.
Z Burger has locations in Tenleytown (4321 Wisconsin Avenue NW), Columbia Heights (3301 14th Street NW), and Dupont Circle (2157 P Street NW).
ZEBA BAR: Hookah isn’t the only bargain half off from 5 to 8 p.m. daily. Sizeable pizzas are $5-$6, a basket of wings will set you back $4, sweet potato fries are $2, and specialty cocktails like the refreshing cucumber-basil martini are $4. The bar is like entering a dark cave laced with the smell of sweet hookah smoke—a good place to exhale after a long day.
Zeba Bar is located at 3423 14th Street NW.
