Open City

This is the second place I ever went after moving to Woodley Park, and subsequently went approximately fifteen times in the course of maybe just three weeks.  And, I think you see where this is going…but I got Open City-ed out.   After a dinner there in January, I imposed a ban on Open City, and didn’t return there until May.  For me,  I think this was one of the longest bans I’ve ever been able to sustain!  I can’t ever diet, but boy can I ignore a restaurant.

Here’s the rundown on what I’ve eaten there…I recommend it first for Brunch, but it is always pretty crowded, dinner is always an acceptable option.  They have  a full bar and their menu stays the same throughout the day.  I think there are other interesting places for brunch around D.C., however, so as long as you don’t spend all your time there you should be good to go.

Vegetable Omelet: Mushrooms, broccoli, diced tomatoes and Swiss cheese

Got it with egg whites, was good but with a little too much cheese.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

A good comfort choice.

Veggie Burger

An excellent choice, comes with thick fries and would be my go-to choice.

Julienned Vegetable Pizza : Zucchini, squash, carrots, basil pesto, shaved parmesan & mozzarella

Wasn’t my favorite.  The julienned veggies didn’t have much taste and distracted from the pizza.  We did get it without cheese, but I would have liked larger slices of zucchini instead of tiny slices that tasted pretty watery.

Mussels: With garlic, parsley and lemon

These were good…we questioned why they had mussels, but decided to eat them anyway.  They were actually really good — the broth had a great savory taste…but they charged us for extra bread to sop up the liquid.

The tea is good, and there is a large selection, though it is slightly overpriced for how much hot water you get in the tea pot.  Coffee comes in a large mug so you never need a refill, though you will have to ask for splenda specifically or go grab it from the take out area.  For wine, I recommend the Independent Producers (a red).

The Ranking (for explanation, see “Review Key”):

Food: 3 Straws (A reliable brunch choice for the Woodley Park).

Price: $traws, Average ($12-18 depending on whether you order a latte, coffee, brunch, etc).

Atmosphere: Casual

Overall: 3 Straws (A place I will return to — granted it’s one of the only good brunch places in Woodley Park).

The Details:

www.opencitydc.com

2331 Calvert St NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 332-2331

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6 am-midnight, Sat-Sun 6 am-1 am