Late Night Eatin' (no, not the fridge)

"Late night dining" in any other city would mean open til 3 or 4.  Here its means past 11.   Ah well, I guess we'll have to play by DC rules.  Here are the best of the District’s late night chow fests:

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse
The ultimate in late-night eats for its raucous atmosphere, excellent people watching and delish food.  The table next to yours will probably want to party with you, so go elsewhere if you're in the mood for privacy.  Here's your little historical tidbit - Annie's was the first gay-friendly restaurant in the area when it opened up in the '40's.  Highlights include the chicken-fried steak, steak and eggs, steak, steak, & of course -- steak.

Mon-Wed to 11:30 p.m., Thu & Sun to 1:30 a.m., Fri & Sat 24 hours

1609 17th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/232-0395)

The Childe Harold
This oft overlooked pub offers solid bar food with a French twist in a low-key atmosphere.  I haven't been in a while, but the Childe Harold is one of the more steadfast restaurants in town, so I don't imagine anything's changed all that much.  Some of their best dishes include the mussels Provençale and the burgers, especially the Wild Billy Burger -- a filet mignon on a toasted English muffin, topped with béarnaise (a steal at $11). 

open daily til 2 am

1610 20th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/483-6700)
www.childeharold.com

Bistro Francais
Smack in the middle of georgetown, this spot is truly open late.  During the regular dinner hours, it's packed with tourists and students, but the late night subdued atmosphere and classical french cuisine make a great setting for a date.  You can't go wrong with the salad du marche au chevre chaud, housemade liver mousse, escargot, minute steak, or lamb steak.  Also offers a $20 3-course menu from 10:30 pm - 1 am.  Sweet.

Mon-Thu & Sun to 3 a.m., Fri & Sat to 4 a.m.

3124-8 M St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202/338-3830)
www.bistrofrancaisdc.com

Amsterdam Falafelshop
The best alternative to all the crappy pizza joints on the 18th St strip in Adams-Morgan also happens to have the best falafel in the city - the closest thing we have to the falafel street vendors in Jerusalem (though still not in the same falafelballpark).  Offers a full toppings bar to dress up your falafel -- and don't forget to pick up a side of fries with Dutch(ish) mayo.  The Belgian frites are fried twice and are even better than the main attraction.

Mon-Wed & Sun to 2:30 a.m., Thu to 3 a.m., Fri & Sat to 4 a.m.

2425 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/234-1969)
www.falafelshop.com

Tryst
Also on the main drag of Adams-Morgan, this coffee house is a good bet night or day.  Offers the best coffee in a mile radius along with a full bar.  During the day, its a chilled-out place to gulp your morning cup, then later sit down to lunch with one of the creative and tasty sandwiches.  At night, bar-hoppers take advantage of the cocktail menu and the semi-regular live music.  Though the night menu is limited, it still offers more options than other nearby eateries.  My favorites include the Rosa, a turkey sandwich with brie on rosemary foccacia; the Tessa, a grilled sandwich of nutella with strawberries; both the Crab and the Artichoke & Spinach dips; and the marble cheesecake is a luscious complement for the City Harvest Black tea.  Don't pick Tryst if you're in a hurry -- you'll probably wait a good while whenever you need your server to come around.  Luckily its an entertaining and easy place to hang out for hours.

Mon-Thu to 2 a.m.., Fri & Sat to  3 a.m., Sun to 2 a.m

2459 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/232-5500)
www.trystdc.com

Julia's Empanadas
For a quick bite at the end of the night, Julia's satisfies both savory and sweet cravings.  Its better for takeout -- especially because empanadas are easy to eat on the run -- but does offer a few tables and chairs to rest your weary feet. And with four three (!) locations around town, its easy to make this cheap cheap cheap spot a go-to for late night dining.   My favorites are the Jamaican (with beef, onion, potato and curry spices), the Saltenas (with chicken, potato, egg and olives); and the Chilean (with beef, olive, raisin and egg); as well as the fruit empanadas with blueberry and peach.

Mon - Thu to 2:30 a.m., Fri & Sat to 4 a.m.

2452 18th St. NW, (202/328-6232)
1221 Connecticut Ave. NW, (202/861-2828)
1410 U St. NW, (202/287-4100)

Mezè
Sitting out on the patio at one of the tiny candlelit tables, you can watch all of the drunk hipsters and thugs come to fisticuffs.  Almost as entertaining, in a way, is the absurdly slow service.  I mean absurd in the Edward Albee Theatre of the Absurd kind of way.  But the small plates manage to strike a balance between a traditional and a modern interpretation of Turkish cusine, and the food is consistently well-executed.  I usually go to Meze for brunch, which I prefer there, but you can read about that in a few posts from now.  If you go late-night, try the sigara boregi (feta in crispy phyllo) the shish kebap (grilled lamb and beef on a skewer) or the coban salatasi salad (cucumbers, tomato and onions salad).
Oh, and they offer free belly dancing lessons on Sunday nights at 10 pm.  That should really make it worth the trip.

Sun-Thurs to 1:30 a.m., Fri & Sat to 2:30 a.m.

2437 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/797-0017)
www.mezedc.com

Ben's Chili Bowl
There's no better spot on U St for late night food than the diner-like Ben's, which is also famously known as Bill Cosby's favorite DC haunt.  The lines snake out the door when the bars let out, but if you get to know one of the guys behond the counter and tip him really well, eventually he'll let you cut the rest of the queue.  At least that's what happened for B & me.  Is that cheating?  The chili cheese fries, half-smokes & milkshakes justify any foul play.

Mon-Thu to 2 a.m., Fri & Sat to 4 a.m.

1213 U St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/667-0909)
www.benschilibowl.com

Bar Pilar
Pilar's large tables and photo booth in the back make it a great place to stumble into with friends after catching a show at neighboring Black Cat or dancing to the Jackson 5 and Naughty by Nature at down the street at Saint-Ex.  I rarely find a dish I dislike and the staff is always friendly.  The menu changes regularly, but if I had to pick just a few recurring dishes as favorites, I'd go for the chicken liver puree, the pork confit, the fried potatoes with pimenton aioli, the pork belly and chocolate pot de creme.  For more detailed info, see my review from a few months ago.

open daily til 1 a.m.

1833 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202/265-1751)
www.barpilar.com

Zaytinya
The soaring ceilings and ultra-white decor make a stylish backdrop for the coolest kids at the party, or at least those trying to look the part while aiming to come off as nonchalant.  But the interesting cocktail list and small plates menu inspired by Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines keep me coming back for more (especially during the week, when the scene is calmer).  Ask for a comfy leather banquette if you don't sit at one of the bar tables.  The quality can be inconsistent -- sometimes I leave quite pleased, sometimes I leave majorly disappointed.  Dishes that I regularly love are the labneh (yogurt dip with za'atar), taramousalata (whipped roe dip), kalamari me spanaki (sauteed squid with spinach and dill), semiz otu salatasi (salad with beets & walnuts), the lamb chops (in whatever presentation they appear), and the sea scallops.

Tue-Thu to 11:30 p.m., Fri & Sat to 12:30 a.m.

701 9th St. NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202/638-0800)
www.zaytinya.com

Lindy's Red Lion
Lindy's is a good ole neighborhood pub with good ole greasy food.  Bartenders are friendly and the music is always rockin'.  Definitely a GWU hangout, Lindy's offers great cheese fries, chicken fingers and good burgers - try the bluebeard, a burger with blue cheese (I also add bacon.) mmmm.  Lindy's also serves "double" burgers, which are two patties side by side on a hot dog bun.  (For some reason, B is really into that.  Don't ask me...)

open daily til midnight

2040 I St. NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202/452-0055)

Old Ebbitt Grill
This long-time DC institution is listed solely because if offers a happy hour special on M-Th 3-6 PM and again from 11PM-1AM, excluding holidays -- half off everything at the oyster bar.  I wouldn't go for their regular menu, but half-price, good quality oysters?  Certainly worth a trip.

open daily til 1 am

675 15th St. NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202/347-4800)
www.ebbitt.com

Bob & Edith's
The only local diner around where -- authentically -- you may be known simply as "hon'."  You can't patronize Bob & Edith's if you're on a diet (or maybe you just won't want to) with all of the delicious diner standards available. I've only ever had breakfast-type food in this small greasy spoon, so my favorites are the omelets, pancakes, egg sandwiches, milkshakes, and the root beer float.

open 24/7

2310 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
(703/920-6103)
www.bobandedithsdiner.com

Eamonn's - A Dublin Chipper
I've not yet been to Eamonn's, but Food and Wine magazine's "Best New Chef" Cathal Armstrong is at the helm, so I know the quality will be consistently outstanding.  I've become a fan of Restaurant Eve in the past year (his other restaurant) so I expect good things from little brother Eamonn's.  Modeled after an Irish pub from the chef's younger days, their specialities are fish & chips and fried Mars bars. 

Mon-Thu til 11 pm, Fri & Sat til 1 am, Sun til 9 pm

729 King St.
Alexandria, VA  22314
(703/299-8384)
www.eamonnsdublinchipper.com

Of course there are many other late night spots, but I've only included the ones I think are worth a visit.  And I don't often eat out in the suburbs during the wee hours, so if you have a favorite place to go in Maryland or Virginia, be sure to leave it for all in the comments.

Comments

[Anne @ Pink Galoshes]

Awesome and comprehensive list. Thanks for posting!

[Keith]

I'd recommend taking Eamonn's off this list. They claim to be open "late night" but generally close at least an hour before the posted close time. Tasty food but definitely not late night eats.

[Dskco]

hey that was an awesomeeee list, and i've heard bistro francais is a great place to go late at night, so i'll have to hit up sometime

[virginian]

Freddie's in Crystal City. Open til 1am with karoake, drag queens, and great wings.

[virginian]

Freddie's in Crystal City. Open til 1am with karoake, drag queens, and great wings.

[virginian]

Freddie's in Crystal City. Open til 1am with karoake, drag queens, and great wings.

[virginian]

Freddie's in Crystal City. Open til 1am with karoake, drag queens, and great wings.

[suicide_blond]

i also like Marios's for a late night (like 4am) cheesburger sub and pizza that make my trainer cry..oh wait..no he makes ME cry the next day...
xoxo

3322 wilson

[ramona]

Has anyone tried Yechon Korean in Annandale? It's open 24 hours.

[beakerz]

As a stoner, this post is perfecto!

As a personal trainer, I can't endorse late night snacking....unless you exercise late night

[server at ebbitt]

just a head's up... our oyster happy hour is M-Th 3-6 PM and again from 11PM-1AM, excluding holidays

[AM]

FYI, Julia's Vermont Ave. location closed a couple months ago.

[Eat. Drink. DC.]

The Childe Harold closing? That's crazy - it's the one place I could count on to never change. I guess I'll have to head over soon before it's too late. Thanks for the heads-up Matt.
Edited to add: I just saw an ad in the City Paper - the Childe Harold is apparently hiring servers. hmmmm. Quite a mystery on our hands....

[Matt]

The Childe Harold apparently is closing, or at least vacating its current location:

http://dcalex.blogspot.com/2007/01/childe-harold-to-close.html

[Josh]

You forgot the most important one, though it is not infrequently closed for health reasons: Steak & Egg. It's at 4700 Wisconsin Avenue NW and is a true gem.

[DC1974]

It's a little out of the way, but you included other suburban locations -- so I dutifully submit: Bob's 88 Shabu Shabu in Rockville. It's cheap and the food is great. Plus they have a full bar, so you could just start and end there if you wanted.