[Seahawk]

The cafeteria is great...I've eaten there dozens of times over the years.

The Palm has been recommended.

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Yes. Very few people know this, but the cafeteria and dining rooms on the Senate side are open to the public and have very good food at decent prices. Try the buffet in the asement of the Dirksen Bldg. It's very hard to find if you're not a staffer, but it's super food and, if Congress is in session, you 100% will see senators eating there. Next to that is the Hart Bldg. cafeteria. I once saw Muhammed Ali trying to eat lunch there and he finally gave up because everyone was pestering him for autographs. Joe Lieberman was even standing in line to meet him. When he got up to leave, the whole room erupted in applause.

Just outside the Hart Bldg. between it and Union Station is The Monocle, also a watering hole and restaurant for the heavy hitters. There are a lot of very nice restaurants in that area. On the House side the main bars there are Tortilla Coast and Bullfeathers, right caddy corner from the Capitol South Metro on First St., SE.

If you want to see WH staffers, you go to Old Ebbit Grill on 15th St., across from the Treasury Bldg. Great bar and food, though I can't remember seeing any VIP's there. The other hevay hitter hangouts in that part of town are The Caucus Room (owned by Haley Barbour), The Palm and Smith & Wolensky's. M&S Grille is ok too, but there's always a wait if you don't have reservations.

If you know any Congressmen or Senators personally, the hands-down best tour you can ever get is a dome tour of the Capitol Bldg. But they have to personally escort you on that and usually only do so for close friends and staffers. I got to do it once and it takes some climbing up ladders between the two shells of the dome.

If you will have a car and don't care about seeing powerbrokers and the like, the best food is in MD and VA.