Washington, DC is an expensive city, and can be tough to do on a tight budget. Even though there are amazing world-class museums and stunningly beautiful monuments to visit for free, finding cheap eats in DC that aren’t your run-of-the-mill national fast food chain can be very tough.
Read about our all time favorite places to eat in Washington DC (including some of the below, too)
We thought we would highlight some of our favorite local “cheap eats in DC” and arrange them by neighborhood. You should be able to find something filling and delicious at each of these spots for no more than $10-$15.
Check out our DC Tourism Guide, with budget advice, travel guides, and information about local Washington DC attractions
Cheap Eats in DC Near the National Mall
District Taco (Fast-casual Mexican)
- F Street between 13th and 14th St. NW, very close to the White House, Metro Center, Ford’s Theater, the Spy Museum and Chinatown/Gallery place
- www.districttaco.com
District Taco actually has multiple locations in DC, so stop by any of them, but this one is close to several standard tourist spots.
It is basically a lot like Chipotle, but much more authentic, and with more options on the menu, including a whole breakfast menu that is available all day. Another highlight is their “Salsa Bar” with four different types of salsa running the gambit on heat and intensity.
Actually, there is a fifth salsa, the super hot “Habanero” salsa, which is only available by request. Pretty much everything on the menu is $11 or less, including their tacos (3 for $10), which you can top with up to 14 different toppings inspired by the flavors of the Yucatan peninsula.
Try to hit this at off-peak meal times, as this is a favorite of locals and office workers right around noon.
&pizza (Made-to-order flatbread pizzas with gourmet toppings)
- E Street between 10th and 11th St. NW, around the corner from Ford’s Theater, and close to the American History Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Spy Museum, and the White House.
- www.andpizza.com
This rapidly growing DC-based chain is an exceptionally fresh take on pizza. Opened in 2012, &pizza has over 30 locations in the DC region.
They have two different kinds of dough; your traditional pizza dough, and a gluten-free option (though if you have severe gluten allergies, they recommend not trying the gluten-free dough as they can’t guarantee no cross-contamination).
They have 4 different kinds of sauces, including your classic tomato and a spicy version, as well as a parmesan romano and a basil pesto spread.
You can top it with any of their 18 (10 veggie, 8 protein) toppings, or opt for one of their popular named pizzas, like The New G (classic tomato, mozzarella, tomato, olive oil, and basil), the American Honey (spicy tomato, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, arugula, goat cheese, hot honey, red pepper flakes), the Dirty Bird (parm-romano sauce, shredded mozzarella, chicken, jalapeno peppers, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese) or even, and no I’m not kidding about this, the Midwestern Mom (parm-romano sauce, roasted garlic, mozzarella, plant based chicken, grilled onion, broccoli.)
All pizzas start around $10, and go up as you add toppings.
DC Dogs & Fries (Burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, and fries)
- Inside the L’Enfant Plaza food court. Close to the Holocaust Museum & Memorial, the Smithsonian Castle, and the Air & Space Museum. The easiest way to find the food court is to walk south down the L’Enfant Plaza Promenade, accessible off Independence Ave between 9th St. and 12th St. SW, right behind the Smithsonian Castle. The Promenade goes under the Dept. of Energy building, and you will walk about 2 blocks before seeing a large glass cube on your left. This is the entrance to the food court.
Owned by the same folx as Amsterdam Falafels (see our Adams Morgan section below), this location offers American classics. Their twice cooked fries are worth going for. You'll also find hot dogs, Mac & Cheese, and soups.
Eastern Market & Capitol Hill
Eastern Market is the perfect place to go when you’re not quite sure what you’d like to eat.
The endless options ensure that every member of the family will find something of their liking.Weekends are the best time to visit as the market also plays host to an outdoor flea market.
Interested in learning about the history of the neighbor surrounding Eastern Market?
We offer an Eastern Market History & Desserts tour to check out some of the great local sweets and explore the neighborhood.
U Street / Adams Morgan
A bit off the touristy track, you can find some great food in Northwest DC.
Oohs and Aahs (soul food)
- 1005 U St NW, Washington, DC 20001
- http://www.oohhsnaahhs.com/
No one does soul food quite like Oohs and Aahs.
Located on U Street, this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant boasts the best mac and cheese, collard greens, and fried catfish in the city. Oohs and Aahs is so well renowned that it was even featured on the Food Network’s hit show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.
Go during lunch to enjoy one of their many afternoon specials.
We love this place so much that it’s a stop on our self-guided U Street Food Tour.
Ben's Chili Bowl (half smokes and chili dogs)
- 1213 U St NW
- https://benschilibowl.com/
Opened in 1958 by Ben Ali and his wife, Ben’s Chili Bowl is the most famous restaurant in all of Washington, D.C. During the 1968 riots, Ben’s would write “soul brother” in their window to ward off violence and welcome peaceful guests.
The restaurant garnered a lot of publicity after Bill Cosby spoke outside of it in 1985 during The Cosby Show’s peak in popularity.
Today, there are now multiple Ben’s Chili Bowl locations, though the original remains on U Street. Things to try: Ben’s half-smoke, chili-cheese fries, and chili-cheese burger.
Amsterdam Falafel (Falafel shop)
- 1830 14th St NW
- www.falafelshop.com
The original Amsterdam Falafel shop opened in the Adams Morgan neighborhood and became an instant hit with the late night crowd.
Falafel is typically a deep-fried ball of ground chickpeas, served wrapped in a kind of pita bread, and then topped with all sorts of tasty pickled veggies, slaws, etc, and topped with flavorful sauces, typically tahini or something hotter. They have an entire bar of toppings you can load on yourself, but be careful, though, as they will weigh your meal and charge you for the weight of your toppings.
There is a standard option, around $8 if you let them top it for you, which we highly recommend, at least your first time through.
