Greenley Guide to H Street Eating

Dating, getting engaged and being newlyweds in the H street corridor made for a lot of amazing dinner dates. So for those of you who might want to try something new and explore H street a bit, here is our Greenley Guide to H Street Eating (in order of fav to not so fav):

Dangerously Delicious Pies - (Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner or Dessert) Ok - lets just get the obvious top pick out of the way. I don't think I  can say enough about this place and what it means to me. Sean and I went here on our first date. We then went at least once, if not twice, a week while we were dating. We took some of our engagement photos here and we even catered with them for our rehearsal dinner. I think that is the biggest endorsement of a restaurant I can give. The name is an indicator of the experience you will have. It is so good you will eat more than you should. They serve savory pies, quiche, and sweet pies. They have a great date night deal Mondays through Thursdays it is $20 for two savory pies with a salad and two sweet pies.

Recommendations: 

Our top picks of for savory pies are SMOG and the Beer Braut. The spinach and goat cheese quiche is divine and is a great thing to take to a brunch potluck. As for sweet pies.... I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the sky! It really depends on what time of year it is and what I am in the mood for. Though we have gotten the Baltimore Bomb and Chocolate Cream Pie more than the others of late. Be sure to get all sweet pies a la mode. 

Photo cred 

Le Grineir - (Brunch or Dinner) This restaurant is also a favorite of ours. Sean took me here on our third date and for our first valentine's day as a married couple. I also had a family bridal shower brunch here. The ambiance is very charming. Both walls have exposed brick and the decor is rustic repurposed mantel pieces and headboards. There are oval frames everywhere and the ceiling has several birdcage chandeliers. I love it! The food is authentic French and is very tasty. For the quality food and ambiance it is fairly affordable.
Recommendations: 
The menu is seasonal. So we cannot recommend menu items. But we have liked everything we have ordered! Though - a word of caution - you may want to avoid the flaming dessert crepes.

Far East Taco Grille - (Lunch or Dinner) Ok - this is not exactly on H... but it is only a few blocks south and it is well worth the extra distance!  I have never been a fan of kimchee and am not well versed in Korean food, so I was skeptical when Sean suggested this place. However, after two bites I was an all in convert! It is a Mexican/Korean fusion place that does burritos, burrito bowls, tacos and quesadillas. You get to build your own from a list of proteins, sauces and toppings. I recommend that you call ahead and place an order for pick up as they only have four barstools and a counter for you to eat there. However, if you don't call ahead, you will be treated with a big screen TV that streams amazing Korean music videos. Also - keep an eye out for their food trucks! 
Recommendations:
All of the proteins are good - though I have never tried the tofu. My favorite sauces are No 15 and Salsa Naranja! They make everything SO SO GOOD! As for toppings I like Bahnme Crazy the most. Sean really likes their quesadillas.

Photo Cred

Toki Underground - (Lunch or Dinner)  Before you dismiss this restaurant because it is just a ramen place.... let me tell you, that they have some how taken the most boring food on the planet and have turned it into one of the most delicious and satisfying meals on the block! The restaurant itself is very small and has limited seating. The wait time is often over two hours. IT IS THAT GOOD! While I have never eaten there, the ambiance does look pretty cool. Hopefully we'll get to before we leave for Dubai. Sean and I have ordered to pick up many times. Luckily we are only a few blocks away, so it is still nice and hot by the time we get home.
Recommendations:
I get Toki Classic every time. It is so good I see no reason to try something new. Sean got the Red Miso last time and it was pretty good!
A word of caution - the servings are pretty big and it is so good you hate to stop eating when you are full and there still is some left over. Take it from me - STOP EATING WHEN YOU START TO FEEL FULL. For some reason I always forget this and I eat the entire serving... I then fall into a very uncomfortable food coma in which I can not move for several hours.

Boundary Road -  (Brunch or Dinner) This is a fun place if you like french cuisine and farm to table. My first time here was brunch. It was amazing! We have been back a couple of times for dinner and we have always liked it.
Recommendations:
The menu is seasonal and always changing. However, if you go to brunch and apple cheese pancakes are on the menu - get them! Also if you get dessert after dinner the zappole (deep fried doughnut holes  covered in cinnamon and sugar and served with lemon curd) will never disappoint!

Bullfrog Bagel (Breakfast) We just discovered this place and have gone twice. They are only open in the mornings and they have a wide variety of bagels, spreads and meats. The line is usually out the door.
Recommendations:
SALT BAGEL WITH HONEY AND GOAT CHEESE!! Who knew that honey and goat cheese would be such a life changing combo?!? Sean and I got this a couple of weeks ago and I literally have thought of nothing else. I even made us recreate it the very next day on a picnic.

Batter Bowl Bakery (Breakfast) This bakery is a fun place to go and grab a pastry breakfast. It is charming and even though it is small, there always seems be at least one seat available. Sean is a bakery snob ever since he spent time in Europe. He feels like these come the closest to Europe's glory.
Recommendations:
The chocolate croissant twist. It has been a staple in Sean's life since he moved to H. Also the german pancakes are pretty good as well!

H&Pizza -  (Lunch or Dinner) The best pizza on H. It is a chain that has several locations. It is a build-your-own personal non-traditional pizza. They also have recommendations that are pretty good if, like me, you feel too overwhelmed to build your own.
Recommendations:
I think they are all pretty good - so I don't think you can go wrong. Be sure to check out their unique soda flavors when getting a bev.

The ceiling of Po Boy Jims 

Po Boy Jims - (Lunch or Dinner) This is a great place for those who love the south (i.e. - Sean). The decor and ambiance is pretty cool and their unique menu with traditional southern sandwiches is fun and offers something different from the norm.
Recommendations:
I am always a sucker for BBQ Pulled Pork. Sean is always a sucker for any and all seafood options. We were both pretty happy with what we got.

Rita's Italian Ice - (Dessert- obvi) Ok - I know everyone knows about this chain and it doesn't scream the funkiness that the rest of H does. But when you are walking around H on a hot evening, nothing can hit the spot better than Rita's.

Ocopa - Is a new Peruvian restaurant. We went last night and it was pretty good! The atmosphere is great, they give you a free sample of chicha morada and the Peruvian version of corn nuts (which I ate all on my own.) If you are a fan of ceviche, come here. They have several different kinds. All of the dishes we got were authentic and true to the food I had when I spent time in Peru and Bolivia. 
Recommendations: 
Aji de Gallina! This has alway been my favorite Peruvian dish. My favorite Peruvian family would make it for me on a regular basis and I have missed it. I was so happy to find it here. 

Shawafel - (Lunch or Dinner) This is a simple shawarma place. Its a great quick and filling meal that you can grab on the go.
Recommendations:
We get the normal beef shawarma with no pickles every time. We also love their hummus and pitas.

Sticky Rice - (Lunch or Dinner) I believe this place is primarily a sushi place, as I am not yet converted to the virtues of sushi, I am not able to vouch for its quality. However, it does seem to be a local institution, so I am sure it is worth a try. I will say that I have gotten one of their other dishes and it was pretty good! You know when you are in the mood for Chinese and you get take-out that is a huge greasy, unsanitary disappointment? It is always the worst. The one time I got sticky rice take-out, it was everything I had always hoped that Chinese take-out would be; delicious, filling and healthy feeling.
Recommendations:
The sesame chicken with sticky rice.

Vendetta - (Dinner) We have been on a few double dates here. The food has been mediocre each time. The fun part is that they have an indoor bocce ball court. So it is fun for a date night during the winter.

DC Harvest - (Lunch or Dinner) The acoustics of the restaurant are terrible. If anyone else is there you have to shout to be heard. The first night we went things were kind of rowdy and we had a bad waiter. However, that said, it is a pretty good farm to table restaurant. If you are in the mood for a hearty, healthy meal, that will most likely include kale, this is the place for you. 
Recommendations:
Sautéed Zatar Turkey Breast. The spices on this turkey breast are unlike anything I have ever tasted and are DELISH!


SOL Mexican Grill -  (Lunch or Dinner) To avoid a debate on what constitutes good Mexican food, lets just say, that as a westerner (who is well versed in Mexican food) I find this restaurant to be a great place to go when you need a Mexican fix. Sean is not crazy about this place. He prefers the cheaper variety of Mexican.

The Argonaut - (Brunch, Lunch or Dinner) Meh - we've only been here for brunch and I wasn't too impressed. It definitely has a local vibe to it, but I was not in love with their eggs benedict. The english muffins were impossible to cut through with my knife and fork. 

Red Rocks - (Lunch or Dinner) Another big MEH - If I am going to go do artisanal pizza I'd much rather go to 2Amys or 7th Hill Pizza. I wouldn't waste my time.

Restaurants on our horizon:
There are still a few places that we haven't tried yet, but want to:

Meketto - This is a brand-new retail store/cafe/restaurant. The cuisine is Cambodian-Tiawanese fusion. Looks pretty unique and has some fun outdoor seating. 





Copycat Co. - Is a dumpling place that looks like it has character. I am excited to give it a try. 

Impala - A cantina and taqueria that has a fun '50s vibe. Has a lot of potential! 

Smith commons  - Has a western vibe but claims to have an international menu. I will admit that I have not heard rave reviews of this place, but it is a bit iconic for H. So I feel like we should give it a try. 

There are still several other restaurants that we have not been to or mentioned here and there are still more being built. (Most notably Ben's Chile Bowl). H is great and I hope you all get to enjoy it as much as we have! 

¡Buen Provecho!