“I recommend this place to friends whenever they’re in town. I grew up on empanadas in Miami and couldn’t find something I liked as much in DC until La Buena Empanada! The dough is especially good, and not overly greasy like some empanadas can be. As a bonus, the owner is a very nice guy.“
“I've experienced catering at events, but this Saturday, Chef Donté catered a Sneaker's Ball for my Aunt's 60th Birthday, and let me tell you something! Ive never had SHRIMP AND GRITS like that before. Nothing dried out and the flavors was just Amazing. I missed out on the 2nd spread, but everyone was saying the Salmon tasted was just Incredible!!!“
“Health Fresh Meals has been instrumental in helping me achieve my weight goals while enjoying delicious, freshly cooked meals. As someone who struggled to find the right balance between convenience and nutrition, Health Fresh Meals has been a game-changer.First and foremost, the quality of their meals is outstanding. Every dish is prepared with fresh ingredients, and you can taste the difference. The variety of options ensures that there's always something new and exciting to try, keeping me motivated and satisfied on my journey.What sets Health Fresh Meals apart is their focus on health and nutrition. Each meal is carefully balanced to provide the right mix of macronutrients, helping me stay on track with my fitness goals. Whether I'm looking to build muscle or shed some extra pounds, there's a meal option tailored to my needs.The convenience factor cannot be overstated. With Health Fresh Meals, I no longer have to spend hours meal prepping or worrying about counting calories. The meals are delivered right to my doorstep, fresh and ready to heat up. It's like having a personal chef without the hefty price tag.Most importantly, the results speak for themselves. Since incorporating Health Fresh Meals into my routine, I've seen significant progress towards my weight goals. I feel more energized, healthier, and happier knowing that I'm fueling my body with nutritious, wholesome food.Additionally, their customer service is top-notch. Anytime I've had a question or needed assistance, their team has been responsive and helpful, making the entire experience seamless and enjoyable.Overall, I highly recommend Health Fresh Meals to anyone looking to take the guesswork out of meal planning, eat healthier, and achieve their weight goals. It's been a game-changer for me, and I'm grateful to have found such a fantastic meal prep service.“
“I always come here for the bao bei buns which are Taiwanese gua bao. It has a nice pork belly filling with pickled vegetables and sweet peanuts. It’s perfect when eaten warm and fresh and would highly recommend you to get it! There is no seating though and they work out of a warehouse by the way.“
“The crispy artichoke bowl is the best vegan food that I've had in DC. Artichoke was perfectly cooked and seasoned, with a great crunch. The bowl is by default half grains and half salad. I really liked the grains, so next time I will ask to see if the half salad can be substituted for all grains!I was also eyeing the desserts but opted out of getting anything, although they are still on my bucket list!“
“There are not enough superlatives to describe the wonderful food and the ease of communications with Have Some Charisma. I called with very short notice to see about lunch for 30 after a funeral.The response was a gift. The owner is professional, creative and kind. The food, which was delivered precisely at the agreed time, was delicious. I spent the lunch -- and the week after -- answering the questions: Who is the caterer and what is the number? Needless to say, there were no left overs.“
“These pretzels were absolutely delicious. We tried the original, garlic, onion, and jalapeño varieties. The pretzel roll was also delicious. Note that these are made to order and that you'll need to order from the website and they'll bring them out to your car. The yellow and spicy brown mustard were good, but I hope that they'll offer a larger variety of dips (including some sweet ones like cinnamon sugar or chocolate icing) in the future. Prices were reasonable and allowed for us to try some flavors we wouldn't normally order. The owner was friendly and left us with a positive impression.Parking: Parking available directly across from the entrance.Wheelchair accessibility: You can order and stay in the car. Full service.“
“We love having a prepared meal waiting for us once a week to give us a little extra family time and we love everything we've gotten here, both delivered and from the farmers market. My husband is unexpectedly the biggest fan of the veggie manti, and my toddler daughter loves almost everything - the simit, stuffed grape leaves are long time favorites. But this week when we got home from the farmers market she only had eyes for our tahini pastry, which she promptly unwrapped and served herself for breakfast!“
“The Exotic Chef is phenomenal. I had the jerk chicken bowl along with a friend . This was my first time having it. Absolutely amazing. All of the flavors paired very well. The plantains were cooked to perfection, the salad was very fresh, the rice and beans were next level, the chicken was very moist. The sauce included within the salad made me want to go back and ask for the rest of the salad . To top it off the Chef is very personable and kind. She doesn't mind holding great conversation. I'm super excited to see where her business takes her . I'll definitely be supporting.“
“If you're walking around Union Station, can't decide what to eat, look no further. These empanadas a deeelish. Service can be slow if understaffed but that's almost everywhere these days so know that if all the places in Union Station, here is one of the best places to wait on. You also have the option to buy cheaper by buying frozen and heating at home. While I liked all flavors, I liked the vegetarian ones the most. There's something about the sweet corn and the spinach and cheese that's just... chef's kiss level. Also the chimichurri sauce! Owner is super friendly!“
“Shout out to Big Moe's Catering!! They catered our work luncheon, with all of the Covid protocols that made it much easier for us. Each staff member had individual meals with a dessert. The turkey wings, fried chicken, salmon, pork chops, masked potato's, greens, string beans, and mac n cheese were delicious. Every one had an empty container. The food was delivered on time and the communication was excellent. I would order from them again.“
“Corcoran Caterers provided us with amazing service throughout the engagement process and on the wedding day. The reception decor/ambiance was so beautiful and romantic.We were assigned to work with Laura, who was so responsive and receptive to all our request. We originally had another caterer we were planning to go with but once we saw how much better Laura was at communicating, we knew it would be foolish of us not to go with her and Corcoran. We want to thank her for always promptly responding to emails and phone calls from us. She made us feel like a priority and helped our vision come to life.Additionally, the food was delicious. We were pleasantly surprised to see the "chunky red potatoes" with the chicken entree because we discussed that change somewhat in passing around November and never circled back to it, but there it was! The wait staff had a delightful demeanor and the bartenders were truly loved by all. They made some type of margarita shooter on the spot that everyone kept talking about. The signature drinks were a hit and also tasted great!We highly recommend anyone looking for a company/staff that will make you feel like your wedding day is truly something special, to check out Laura and her team at Corcoran.“
“For the past few years I've sang at a Prayer Breakfast at MC's. The staff, setup, ambience and cleanliness of the facility always stands out to me as being top notch. Highly recommend anyone searching for a great facility with plenty of parking and excellent service and support to contact Martin's Crosswinds so that can take good care of you.“
“In the shadows of the Mall, we stopped on our evening stroll. I’m totally a No-Go when it comes to food trucks…but we were starving from a day of travel & we decided to give it a shot. So happy we did! Eat here-you won’t regret it.“
Barbecue • $$
“We were visiting the DC area and looking for a good place to get barbecue and saw Rocklands online and thought we would give it a try. So glad we did their barbeque chicken was really good. The pulled pork was also great. We had the Mac n cheese and baked beans both were also very good. It's by far the best barbecue restaurant I've found in the area. The staff were so friendly and kept asking if we needed anything else. We will definitely come back every time we are in the area it's well worth going a little out of the way to get something so good.“
“My husband and I are an interracial couple and finding ways to integrate both of our cultures in our wedding was important for us. We tried to seek a caterer that could offer more authentic Asian and Latin cuisine. I was absolutely thrilled when I found Blin Catering offered both and happy that I can support an Asian-owned business. Blin Catering was the first vendor I chose and then I focused my venue search based on who had them as a preferred vendor or no preferred vendor requirement. I was very happy that we were also able to customize our menu and that Blin Catering was able to accommodate my request to create an off the menu special plated option for our guests. They had so many appetizers that sounded so delicious we had a lot of trouble narrowing down our choices. In the end, we picked 6 appetizers and 3 plated dinner options, and all of our guests raved about the food. So delicious!!! I was assigned to work with Katie who was wonderful with communicating, coordinating, and providing recommendations. All the staff on the day of the wedding were amazing and sweet and executed everything well. Highly recommend for anyone looking for Asian/Latin cuisine for their wedding but honestly think they excel in all cuisines.“
“Main events catered my husband and I’s wedding.The food was delicious! Main Events worked with our vision of creative appetizers with traditional main courses. We have received so many complements in the food.The day of staff was also amazing! We loved that they assigned a butler to us day of to take care of our needs. She followed us throughout the day, making sure we had drinks and stayed warm.The one complaint we have is our event designed. The first designer we had, Ali, was exceptional and a large reason we selected main events. However, a month out we were reassigned to Hasnaa. Hasnaa attended our walk through but seemingly did not pay attention as evidenced by the floor plans we received that did not remotely resemble what was discussed (thought we wanted the ceremony among ongoing construction). This lend to a protracted discussion which resulted in us not having a rain plan until less than one week before the wedding. She added so much unnecessary stress at the end.Overall, we highly recommend main events, but caution anyone to ensure their event designer is on the same page.“
“I was introduced to Claudete Sebben of MK Catering when I booked a venue for my baby shower January 2023. My mother was actually taking a tour of the venue for my brother's graduation party and I really liked it so my husband and I decided to host the baby shower of our first child at the same venue for the following day! The venue manager gave us Claudete's information and shared some pictures of events that she did at the golf club. My mother and I both reached out to her and a week later we were meeting her in person. Throughout the planning process she was very easy to work with, professional and had so many amazing ideas that we did not even think of prior to meeting her. For my brother's party Claudete's team did the full service: décor (tables, photobooth, entry, backdrop, wall of fame), set up, clean up, catering (passed and stationary food) and bartending. Everything looked spectacular at the party. The food was so good. The drinks were delish and the vibes were GREAT! Her staff was so hands on and on top of everything. My parents and my brother were so happy with the service that they got. It pays handsomely to have a full service team like MK Catering. They take all the stress away and wow you!For my baby shower MK Catering did décor: tables, entryway, bartending and provided the food display, dessert bar display, serving-ware, full set up and clean up staff. The even coordinated my vendors so that this mama did not have to lift a finger or stress at all. My theme was gender neutral safari soiree and THEY DELIVERED! We went back and forth on the design to make sure it was exactly what I wanted and Claudete made it even more spectacular than my expectation. When I saw the venue I was in tears because everything was PERFECTION! Everyone says my baby shower was the most gorgeous and well executed event they have been to. It was better than some weddings! Her team was so professional, were on top of everything and made my event one for the books. The bartender and the staff kept the party going!!!! I was told my signature cocktails were a hit. It was a recipe I came up with and provided the recipe to the bartender who put his own spin on it and made it incredible for my guests. It has been 6 months later and Claudete still checks up on my family and loves getting updates on our sweet baby since her arrival. Thank you for making my safari soiree baby shower so magical! I cannot wait to hosting more events with your services!“
“I attended a party where I saw this beautiful renovated International Harvester farm truck (see picture) serving up made to order custom gourmet thin crust pizzas and gelato. I love pizza and know a thing or two about pizza. Trust me, these pies did not disappoint! The crust, sauce, cheese, and variety of toppings offered melded together perfectly. I enjoyed both a pepperoni and mushroom pie and must say that they were the best pizzas I had in a long time. The homemade gelato was also excellent and served in a variety of flavors. I tried both the pistachio and chocolate. Wow! The truck really made a statement at the party. Everyone raved over the concept of serving pizzas from a wood fired oven, tap beers out of an antique customized fully renovated modernized truck. The catering staff were friendly, providing excellent service. The owner of Tomato Flyer was also at the party. I was able to talk to him about his catering business as I found the concept unique and fascinating. If you want to throw a pizza party that makes a statement, serving amazing pizzas, gelato, and drinks, Tomato Flyer is the caterer you need to use for your next party.“
Caterers • $$
“These are the best sandwiches I've had in town, hands down. The brisket and roast beef are delicious, and definitely appreciate something that's made by the people serving it. Either their menu favorites or to build your own, there are enough options for anything you can think of. The serving of hand cut fries are large, and actually less expensive than fast food. There's a counter/bar to sit at, and self serve seating if you want to stay. The only drawback is it's pretty expensive, so while you do get what you pay for it's a little steep for me to go often.“
“I would like to thank George and his co partner for taking my Event to the next level. The best cuisine i have had in the 15 years here since moving from NY. The best,,,, thanks for eveverything I will be calling again…thanks 10 stars 5/20/23“
“I was introduced to Claudete Sebben of MK Catering when I booked a venue for my baby shower January 2023. My mother was actually taking a tour of the venue for my brother's graduation party and I really liked it so my husband and I decided to host the baby shower of our first child at the same venue for the following day! The venue manager gave us Claudete's information and shared some pictures of events that she did at the golf club. My mother and I both reached out to her and a week later we were meeting her in person. Throughout the planning process she was very easy to work with, professional and had so many amazing ideas that we did not even think of prior to meeting her. For my brother's party Claudete's team did the full service: décor (tables, photobooth, entry, backdrop, wall of fame), set up, clean up, catering (passed and stationary food) and bartending. Everything looked spectacular at the party. The food was so good. The drinks were delish and the vibes were GREAT! Her staff was so hands on and on top of everything. My parents and my brother were so happy with the service that they got. It pays handsomely to have a full service team like MK Catering. They take all the stress away and wow you! For my baby shower MK Catering did décor: tables, entryway, bartending and provided the food display, dessert bar display, serving-ware, full set up and clean up staff. The even coordinated my vendors so that this mama did not have to lift a finger or stress at all. My theme was gender neutral safari soiree and THEY DELIVERED! We went back and forth on the design to make sure it was exactly what I wanted and Claudete made it even more spectacular than my expectation. When I saw the venue I was in tears because everything was PERFECTION! Everyone says my baby shower was the most gorgeous and well executed event they have been to. It was better than some weddings! Her team was so professional, were on top of everything and made my event one for the books. The bartender and the staff kept the party going!!!! I was told my signature cocktails were a hit. It was a recipe I came up with and provided the recipe to the bartender who put his own spin on it and made it incredible for my guests. It has been 6 months later and Claudete still checks up on my family and loves getting updates on our sweet baby since her arrival. Thank you for making my safari soiree baby shower so magical! I cannot wait to hosting more events with your services!“
“It was my first time ordering and I ordered Thanksgiving dinner for 8. The food was delicious! Everything came packaged extremely well, there was no leakage. The containers for the soup and gravy were amazing. The challah stuffing was flavorful and even though it was vegetarian, it tasted like it could have been cooked inside the turkey (it wasn't, it was just very tasty and not dried out.) The green beans were perfect and not over cooked- everything was just wonderful and it was SO EASY! From ordering to pick up, it could not have been easier! My only recommendations would be not to cut up the turkey legs for the cut up turkey option, and to include reheating instructions for each item inside the box or attached to each item. Some reheating instructions were online but they were not easy to find and were seen after I had heated everything up. Even without the instructions it turned out great and everyone enjoyed the food. Thank you for providing Thanksgiving dinner!“
“For flavor, friendly staff, and down to earth settings, El Fuego is worth a visit. I’ve been going there for about 4 years now and always have a great experience. It’s a small place with limited seating but if you’re with family or friends you’ll enjoy. The setting is very laid back so go for the food. You’ll be glad you did. This time I tried the pollo tallarin saltado while my wife had the arroz con pollo. All very good.“
“I eat there about twice a week. The menu is small, that is, not trying to be all things to all people, and has a Latino flavor. But what is offered is quite good and often not to be found elsewhere on Mt. Pleasant Street. My favorite is the Dos Gringos breakfast bagel, with avocado, tomato and capers. Capers! Where else can I get capers for breakfast? The restaurant is oriented to facilitating conversation and meetings of community activists, as well as helping community artists. I myself have bought art off the wall there.“
Caterers • $$
“Wow! So delicious. I have missed you at the Crofton Farmers Market since they moved. I am so happy to enjoy your healthy & fabulously delicious food again. Thank you so much for food made with great ingredients and so much love. The energy is the extra special that makes us all smile. ❤️“
“I love Ben and Jerry's and am so happy they have vegan options at their scoop shop.This location has a small seating area. About 15 people could eat indoors. When the weather is nice there is plenty of outdoor seating.The employees were very kind and helpful. I came with friends and they had so much patience handing out samples and answering out questions about the vegan flavors and which cones were vegan friendly. I got the nondairy Whirled Piece and the nondairy chocolate chip cookie dough on a sugar cone. The ice creams were great! You would never know it was vegan: the cone tasted a bit stale. Next time I visit this location I will either get a cake cone or just a cup so I do not have the disappointing taste in my mouth of an old sugar cone.“
“I recently used Caribbean Caterers for a company event & they were wonderful! The food was delicious and the team is extremely responsive and friendly. You can tell they are experts at what they do as they had answers for all of my questions and anything else I didn't even think to ask about. Gillian & team absolutely earned these five stars and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.“
“We had The Shadow Chef cater my Mom's 70th Birthday for 100 people, and everyone loved it! The attendees raved about the food, including the Curry Chicken, Curry Shrimp, Curried Chana, Jerk Chicken, Hawaiian Vegan Meatballs, Pigeon Peas & Rice, Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Raspberry Vinaigrette, and more! The drinks we ordered, Sorrel and Calypso Punch, were delicious as well!Thank you to Essie and The Shadow Chef! xx“
“Relish is fabulous! My husband and I celebrated our 5th year anniversary with friends and family with Relish as our caterer. Their attention to detail, fantastic attentive staff, and amazing food helped to make our celebration one we'll never forget! We'll use them again without second through when we're ready for our next celebration.“
“Highly recommend working with Susan Gage! We worked with them for our 190 person wedding, and the whole experience was noting short of impeccable. The service during the planning process and day of was top notch. Most importantly, the food and drinks on the day of the event was delicious. If you are looking for a caterer look no further!“
“Glynis and the entire team at Catering by Seasons went above and beyond to make our celebration like no other. From the menu selection to the tasting they made thoughtful suggestions and listened to our preferences and requests. Menu items were inspired, creative, and most importantly beyond delicious. On the day of, the passed hors d'oeuvres were presented beautifully and a hit with our guests. The stations and plated meals received raves, as did the desserts. We could not be more thrilled and would recommend Catering by Seasons enthusiastically.“
“We hired Gemma Gelato to cater dessert at our engagement party. Super cool Italian pozzetti gelato cart. We got to select 4 flavors of their all natural gelato for the event. We enjoyed working with Gemma team and they did a wonderful job. We also hired them for our wedding reception in February 2024. A big hit with everyone!“
“You know when you find a restaurant where there’s a steady stream of diverse customers, half of which finish their transaction with “see you tomorrow!” - that place is doing something right. So welcoming and the food is EXCELLENT, classic deli food done really well with an Asian spin. If I lived near here I’d definitely be one of those regular, “see you tomorrow” customers!!“
“Food and Pricing and My partner and I had a wonderful wedding celebration of about 150 folks at the MLK, Jr. Library in Washington, DC in late October 2023. When we learned that the Library uses Occasions as their exclusive caterer, we had some reservations. But our wedding planner reassured us that Occasions is a great catering option. In many ways, she was right.I'll start with the positives:-- Our Occasions rep, Sidney, provided a wonderful, detailed proposal with three pre-made menu options and lots of additional options. She worked with us to mix-and-match to accommodate folks with various dietary restrictions, including vegans and gluten-free folks.-- The tasting was exquisite. We brought loved ones and had a great time. Even the options we didn't choose were wonderful.-- Rentals -- including chairs, linens, plates, and cutlery -- were all beautiful, extremely customizable, and fairly reasonable.-- On our wedding day, the food was outstanding. We got so many compliments on the salad (gathered with sesame-crusted chevre), entrees (1. Statler chicken breast; 2. branzino w/ gnocchi; and 3. sweet potato pave w/ mole verde), and cake (layers of cinnamon, carrot, and chocolate).-- The service staff who worked the dinner were outstanding. They were extraordinarily friendly and organized, and entire tables were served simultaneously.But we also had some extremely frustrating experiences with Occasions. Most significantly, Occasions played some questionable last-minute games regarding price.After we received our proposal, we took a couple of steps to bring down the price:-- We mixed and matched from three different menus. We were told that choosing options from the less expensive premade menus would cause the total cost to decrease, so we chose many options from the two less-expensive menus.-- Likewise, between the proposal and the final bill, we reduced the total number of guests by 25, meaning Occasions (by its own accounting) had to send less waitstaff and would need to provide 25 fewer meals.Yet, inexplicably, the price Occasions ultimately charged us to feed 150 was *higher* than even the most expensive menu option in the proposal for 175. And it wasn't just a little more expensive than it should have been -- the difference was between $5,000 and $8,000, or more than a 10% swing in our total catering budget.Unfortunately, my partner and I didn't learn about this price gouging until the week of our wedding. When we asked for an explanation, we were given none (though Sidney reminded us that we were expected to make a full payment in advance). We paid the unexplained difference because we felt like we had no other choice.To be clear: The actual catering experience we had on our wedding day was exquisite. The food was outstanding. The service was incredible. And we couldn't have been happier. But it was soured a little bit by feeling cheated, without explanation, on cost.In sum, if you are considering Occasions for your wedding or event, know that you're going to get excellent food and service but be prepared to advocate for yourself. If price is no obstacle, full speed ahead! If you are conscious of what you're spending, demand price transparency and make them explain when costs start to inexplicable shift.Thanks, Occasions, for making our special day great. But it'd have been nice to pay what you said we would.“
“It’s a small place but the flavor of the food and the amazing service was worth the hour drive! We tried the trippy fries (my favorite!), fried tacos, birria ramen, carnitas tacos, birria pork tacos! The food was fresh, fast, and super delicious. The crew was efficient and made sure our order was correct and complete. I definitely recommend this place if you want delicious food and quick, friendly service! We will visit again!“
“I wish I could've tasted the food but ALL the guests we're pretty impressed! I ordered a pretty nice package for my daughter's Quinceañera (15th Birthday) celebration. Everything was as described and the guests we're ABSOLUTELY delighted! Jennifer, was expeditious and offered GREAT communication, as I was coming in from ATL.“
“Hired them for a pretty simple lunch for a meeting (sandwiches, salads, chips, cookies) they were very responsive, got me invoiced without much fuss and showed up on time the day of without a big lift on my side. All of the food was delicious and the attendees were very pleased. Will definitely use them again.“
“Zemen market has quickly become my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the area. The beef tibs with a veggie combo were simply fantastic and now I can't wait to explore the menu some more. Everything was cooked perfectly with big, delicious flavors! Even with the favorites of Tom Sietsema down the road I would chose Zemen 10 out of 10 times. Please do yourself a favor and get your next dinner here. I am so happy I found this place!“