DC Restaurant scene is mostly ambience and little substance. And a ripoff

Used to work in dc restaurants pre-Covid, felt like it was expensive but often worth it. On return with the 3-5% “we are a restaurant” fee, auto 22% tip it feels like quality has gone down and prices and fees are up.

I despise the QR code movement especially combined with the automatic fees/tipping. Why am I tipping when I don’t have a server??

Another issue I have is every new restaurant is just a transplant of a famous NYC/Chicago/LA restaurant opening a mediocre but more expensive 2nd location to take advantage of the excessive “I’ll just expense it” culture here

Now my favorite places have become less-advertised, non-instagrammable places where you can just get a reasonable couple dishes and leave without spending 100 per person all said and done.

Michelin bib-gourmand is probably the best mix of nice and kind of expensive but not toooooo bad.

What places are the worst perpetrators?

What are your gems?

Edit: Posting some of my favs/recs below since I've been asked a few times! Would love to hear y'all's feedback as well :)

Mentioned before but I have a soft spot for the Jose Andres small plate restaurants in Chinatown - zaytinya, oyamel, jaleo, china chilcano. I'm a firm believer that Minibar is the best expensive meal in town, beats Jont by a mile.

In Capitol Hill/Navy Yard

(Don't crucify me folks, it's where I live haha): La Casina - This is probably my absolute favorite right now bc it hits all my categories. Family owned, authentic, reasonably priced, delicious, friendly folks, doesn't have automatic fees/upcharges. This place is Authentic ROMAN food (not Italian or italian-american): Suppli (similar to arancini but better imho), Pinsa (a special type of roman pizza), and panini to die for. I think cacio e pepe and Carbonara are their only pasta dishes. It's owned by a Roman family who moved to the states recently and chose capitol hill specifically after trying out a few different places in the states

Ama is one of my new favorites. Especially for stopping by the walkup bar to get an espresso/cappuccino which are $2-$4!! Have only had one plate there but it was very good. The focaccia pizza/sandwiches are incredible. I need to do a full meal there soon.

Ruta (1st ukranian joint in DC right next door is quite good! My ukranian friends also tell me it's legit)

7th st Hill cafe or Jimmy T’s place for breakfast is super reasonable. Other mentions for coffee/breakfast in the area - Lot 38, Cornercopia, Any Day Now

Talay Thai is a favorite for low key Thai/chinese, hh from 4-9:30, $5-6 wine & cocktails and snacks.

Young Chow is my go-to pan-asian place. great portions and good prices

Caruso’s is fairly advertised but very good and portions are huuuge, we always split and entree and leave stuffed

Bistro Du Jour also has nice ambience and a good happy hour, the savory macaroon is excellent! There's locations in cap hill and on the wharf but I've only been to the cap hill one. It's stunning inside, great service. Our favorite is to go for hh and split a $10 8 oz pour and the burger/fries

Hill East Burger, especially on Tuesdays when they do half off. They also do great collabs! Recently with Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit, then the folks from Cane.

Akeno for reasonably priced sushi on Barrack's. Good hh as well

Higher end of the scale I’ve had some great meals at Rose’s (but not been back in a few years and looks like it’s no longer a la carte?). Also The Duck & The Peach and Schilling Canning Company

*Other Mentions\*

Just had a nice meal at Le Desales (French/japanese fusion).

Have loved a date night at Jojo and Mercy Me when they have jazz on Wednesdays (both are a viiiiiibe).

2 Pho places I like that haven't been mentioned much on this post - Pho Junkies and Froggy Bottom Pub (Weird I know, but the pho is dank).

A great place in winter especially is Stable on H Street. Don't know of a ton of other Swiss places around. Get a group of 4 and do the Raclette Experience. Bring Lactaid hahaha

Bistro Aracosia and Bonjon Rumi for afghani (Lapis already mentioned, and I'm trying to avoid mentioning Michelin Bib-gourmand places)

Kitchen Savages and Open Crumb down in Anacostia are both excellent and great value (I take my dog to the anacostia river park, again don't crucify me!!)

Kotobuki for reasonable sushi in Georgetown

JESSIE TAYLOR SEAFOOD. Omg this place is insane. Most crab places nowadays it's like $75 a dozen. There I got a BUSHEL (6-8 dozen) for like $130. Fresh steamed and phenomenal. Other seafood is good, but you will not find a better deal on crabs ANYWHERE. If you do, let me know!