Sometimes campus food isn't cutting it and you're just left staring at a sad plate of half-cooked pasta with semi-seasoned marinara sauce. When you're looking for cheap eats off campus, think about ordering or going to these places. In no particular order, these are 10 great places to eat in D.C. (or around!).
1. Coffee Nature (Tenleytown)
Good things come in small packages. The cafe's space isn't ample, with only a few tables, some chairs and a couch on the floor. However, the lack of space is made up in their menu. Coffee Nature is well known for their latte art, something that the owner, Joseph Oh, does himself. The coffee can be a little pricey, but the quality of it makes up for the cost. The sandwiches are delicious and the ciabatta bread that they serve is top notch. The coffee shop's menu also includes Korean-inspired and Korean food. With free WiFi, Coffee Nature is the perfect spot for a quick lunch or a long study session.
2. Afghan Kabob House (Courthouse)
Afghan Kabob House is open until 3 a.m. seven days a week, so they make the perfect late dinner if you need to order in. Their gyros are phenomenal, but I personally prefer their famous kabob platters (especially the chicken). All platter orders come with a side of rice, a side dish of your choice, a salad and a big piece of naan bread. Want dessert? Afghan Kabob House sells baklava, rice pudding, and ferni, an Afghan pudding. It's a lot of food for a pretty low price -- and for college kids, that's not a bad deal at all.
3. Johnny's Deli (Archives)
If you find yourself hungry and near the Smithsonian museums, Judiciary Square or the Newseum, head over to Johnny's Deli for a bite. It's pretty hidden away, but well worth the trip. Their menu is extensive, covering breakfast from omelettes to breakfast sandwiches to lunch. My personal favorite is the Seoul Taste sandwich, a sandwich stuffed with juicy beef bulgogi, banana peppers for a kick, and fresh veggies. Their portions are large given their price, and you're guaranteed to leave satisfied. They also have a hot bar, too, filled with delicious fried goodies like chicken wings and ribs as well as fried rice and the occasional seaweed soup. The owners are also incredibly kind -- great food, great service and super cheap.
4. Tanad Thai Cuisine (Tenleytown)
Tanad Thai Cuisine has some of the friendliest staff and fantastic food for a price that can be a little expensive, but the food is worth it. Their duck Thai red curry is the best that I've had so far, full of flavors of both sweet and spicy and the duck is cooked so that it pretty much melts in your mouth. Their portions can vary between one dish to another, but the quality has remained consistent during the times that I've gone there. If you're looking to bring a date somewhere or you and your group of friends want to eat out some place, Tanad Thai Cuisine is a great way to end the night.
5. Satay Club (Tenleytown)
If I'm looking to find some place to get wonton soup or duck noodle soup and I don't want to go to Chinatown or out to Rockville, I go to Satay Club. Satay Club is American University's go-to Asian fusion restaurant for eating out or ordering in. My personal favorite is to get the duck noodle soup but replace the flat white noodles with egg noodles -- instant perfection. Their curries are good, and if you're feeling more Americanized Chinese food, they're also well known for their popular General Tso's chicken dish. The portions are large, but you'll probably end up eating everything on your plate. Appetizers can be hit and miss (crab rangoons recommended), so I suggest skipping straight to the entree, and if you're feeling it, they've got an assortment of desserts available, too.
6. Osman & Joe's Steak 'n Egg (Tenleytown)
It's hard not to include Steak 'n Egg in a list of cheap eats for college students. For $15.99, you can get steak, two eggs, toast and hash browns. It's an extra $3 for another steak, and, like their menu says, it's a great deal. If you don't like steak, they've got omelettes, burgers, fish, waffles and pancakes. I've always liked their pork chops menu, and the only thing that I wish they had more of were vegetable options. Their portions are large and it's great comfort food in a no-fuss environment.
7. Yosaku (Tenleytown)
Yosaku is well known in the community and has been in Tenleytown since 1982. Want to have ramen but don't want to travel too far away? Yosaku has got you covered. You can get their miso or shoyu ramen with gyoza (dumplings) combo for $15. When the weather decides to get colder, it's a great meal to have during a cold winter night -- or during the day, too. They have a happy hour for sushi from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m, where it's $1 a piece.
8. Spring Garden (Tenleytown)
Spring Garden is one of my go-to places for take-out, especially when I want to have Pad See Eew, which is stir-fried wide rice noodles with Chinese broccoli covered in sweet soy sauce. When I'm sick, I order the chicken rice soup. It's Americanized Chinese food, but there are attempts to still remain authentic in some fashion without compromising their identity in their food. There are some hit-and-misses in their menu, but overall, you can't go wrong with a lot of their noodle dishes and rice dishes. It's on the walk to Tanad Thai and Coffee Nature, so I designate this place mostly as my "takeout" or "delivery" place (it's free!).
9. Oriental East (Silver Spring)
If you miss dim sum, travel to Oriental East to satisfy that craving. Of course, there are other places to get dim sum, but Oriental East is always a safe bet. During the weekends, aunties push around carts filled with delicious, savory foods. They'll check off what you've ordered on a card that you've received when you walked in. Careful, though, because the place is packed over the weekends with families and the elderly. It's a popular spot, and that's because it's good food for a great price. Three people can eat and split the bill for less than $15 each. During the week, if you come in, ask for the dim sum menu and they'll sit you with it. It's the dim sum experience without the chaotic carts, and there might be some things missing on the menu, but it's still worth it and the food is hot. Dim sum is served between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10. Pho 14 (Van Ness)
Not the best pho place that I've been to, but it satisfies my craving for the Vietnamese noodle soup. I would skip the appetizers altogether and go straight for the entrees. It's quick, cheap (for D.C.) and I love the flavors that come together in the broth. It's a couple of blocks away from the Van Ness St. stop on the Metro, but the walk is worth it. Sick? Get some noodles and your nose will be cleared up in no time. If you're not feeling noodles, they've got rice entrees too that are great. Their homemade lemonade is also refreshing. Their staff is friendly and courteous, though sometimes it can be hard to flag someone down when you need your check. All in all, a great place to grab some food by yourself or with some friends.
11. Taipei Cafe (Rockville)
The trip is a long one, but the Taiwanese restaurant is one of the best places to grab some food. If you're out there because you're grocery shopping at the Great Wall Supermarket or you're just adventuring, go into Taipei Cafe to get your grub on. Their menu caters to the East Asian-American community that lives around them, and the food is served family style, so keep that in mind when you and your friends are ordering. Sharing is caring in this atmosphere. Their portions are incredibly large (no exaggeration) and the prices are low. It's hard not to want to order everything off their menu. They have a "Special" every day, but it's written in Chinese. So if you're not a Chinese speaker and you want to know their special, just ask your server and they'll be glad to tell you. It's a great place to take your friends out if you want to catch up.
