National Portrait Gallery Courtyard Cafe

A serene spot to sip coffee amid American art! While the museum showcases icons like Warhol and O’Keeffe, the café quietly celebrates underrated talents like Marianna Lewis (b. 1930), a Midwestern painter whose vivid, introspective portraits and landscapes capture rural life’s quiet dignity. Her work—often overshadowed by contemporaries like Grant Wood—adds depth to the gallery’s narrative of American creativity. Pair a pastry with a moment of reflection here; art tastes better with a side of discovery.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Wayyyyy overpriced. My latte was a small and cost almost 10 dollars. The taste was the equivalent of gas station coffee. The museum needs to let people bring in their own food and drink so long as they keep it to the courtyard area. Cafe is very expensive and disappointing.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

Overpriced but amazing seating

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Cheese Pie

I ordered coffee, and while drinking it, I noticed a strain of hair in my drink. After showing it to a worker and asking for another drink or a refund, as I do not believe that serving dirty drinks is appropriate, the worker told me that it's not hair but a cut in a cup. So I opened the cup and reached through the ice to get this strain of hair. After getting it out and showing it to the worker, I was told that I had put the hair in there and that no refund or a new coffee would be given. I am highly dissatisfied with the service response as I do not believe serving dirty drinks is appropriate. I don’t recommend this place for hygiene purposes and rude service.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

$4.50 to pour your own coffee and milk from a carafe. Mid coffee at best. Won't be returning.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 1

Items were delicious 😋
Quick snack without leaving the area.
Prices are what they are on the Mall.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pastries

A small drip coffee is over $4 and isn't very good. Ended up being kicked out of the cafe because the two friends I was studying with didn't buy anything that day, even though there was no one else in the cafe and plenty more seating to go around. We regularly study at the Gallery but will no longer be making purchases at the cafe.

Food: 1

Service: 1

It is a racism on the exit. He let go people of his race (with the same size of bag), but insist on showing the bags people of other races

One of my favorite visits with regards to museums. Clean, not overly crowded, and other attendees were respectful. Beautiful facility to boot.

Atmosphere: 5

I'm a bit bougie with my coffee so it felt like a convenient store at the airport - didn't expect the quality of the food nor coffee to be good. There weren't alot of food options and it was a bit stuffy. Now the courtyard in the middle of the museum is amazing.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 3

One of the best place in DC?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The corporate event was great at this location. Plenty space!

Atmosphere: 5

a perfect place to dodge the rain and cold and get a nice study session in a beautiful open space.

Courtyard is stunning, but the café itself is just

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 3

Every portrait in these walls has a story to tell