Good Salad Bar Quick and convenient Good service and staff has great attitudes. Ambiance is like that of any crystal city office building deli. If a really good place for a quick lunch.
Key Erl
Order a Grilled Ham And Cheese sandwich on7/23/2023..Why there's only two thin slices of ham on the sandwich. $6.26 Horrible. That's why I haven't ate lunch there in over 2 yes.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Vincent L.
For an office building deli and convenience store that's only open during the early mornings and normal office hours, this is quite a comprehensive place. They can prepare made-to-order breakfast items, burgers, panini, wraps, melts, and other sandwiches for you all day long, in addition to their salad and hot bar buffets which are available at lunch. When I stopped by in the late morning, all the hot buffet entrees were already laid out in nice heaps and looked fresh off the grill as a result. The staff here are super nice, and there's a modest amount of seating inside in addition to outdoor plaza seating that's part of the office complex. An excellent choice if you happen to work here or are visiting.
Mike F.
For our recent visit to DC, we decided to stay at the Crowne Plaza Suites Crystal City in Arlington. This cafe is literally a 5-minute walk from the bed I slept in to the cafe. It is ridiculously close! lol We came here a couple of times during our stay, and it was perfect for what we needed! Prices were very reasonable relative to other places in the area. I feel like this cafe is here more to accommodate the office workers in the adjacent office building, but whatever. They serve tasty food at very fair prices. First visit I had the chicken sandwich with fries. The sandwich was generously sized and tasted outstanding! It was messy good! The fries were ok. They were thinner than some, but not shoestring fries either. Second visit I got a big breakfast for $6.75 (or so) and it was the perfect quick, cheap affordable breakfast before we jumped on the train to go and explore the National Mall. Employees were friendly and helped us out when we had questions and whatnot. The only real complaint I have is that, as others have mentioned in their reviews, is that they don't open on time. We decided mid-week to bounce over to Boston to catch a quick game at Fenway (a bucket list item for me :) and whatever else we could cram in. Our flight was quite early but we would depart for the airport at 6:30 am. We were hoping to be there right at 6 am and grab a bite before jumping on the shuttle. At 6:10 am that morning the place was still pitch black and locked up. Bah. That sucks. I would have loved to have eaten there some more. When we got back from Boston they were closed for the weekend, otherwise we would have been here a couple more times. Still a solid spot to go to if you are staying in the Crowne Plaza during the week. I went back and forth between giving Jefferson Cafe 3 or 4 stars, but I'm going to round up because I want to! 4 stars.
Kerry Carlson
My office prefers this of our immediate food options. Staff definitely recognize you, they have a good variety, and they're reliably decent. They have a great BLT, and they do listen when you ask for add-ons or exclusions (e.g. add onions, no tomatoes)The over-the-rice kabob option is one of my favorites; my only complaint is that i would prefer they put the meal in a compostable container.
Stedman B.
Very great place to grab breakfast or lunch. Only thing I dislike is when I'm up getting ready for work around 6am and it says they're open, however, I walk over there and all the lights are off and doors are locked. Whoever is managing the place needs to do a better job.
Robert Holland
20 years and still great! I remember the old location. The new one (10+ years ago?) is still great. Coworkers ordered off the menu today and loved it. But I always go for the lunch buffet. I like a little of everything.
Holden White
So they got my order wrong at first, they got me a new one
Bee Knee
Breakfast could be better. From coffee to breakfast burrito, it was just... meh. Lacking flavor, no hot sauce for burrito, and coffee was your run of the mill gas station coffee. In a pinch, it would do, but I wouldn't be seeking this place out.
Melody M.
This place is incredible! The breakfast burrito is amazing. After you eat it, you want more even though you know you are not hungry. After finding this place, we went back the next day. And would keep going if we weren't leaving town. They also accommodate KD my GF needs with removing the tortilla. My husband said this was the best breakfast burrito he ever had and he's a connoisseur. I agree. I'm not even a big fan of green bell peppers and they made them taste good to me! I also had the spicy pork special over rice and it was delicious. Highly recommend this gem of a place!
We (3) ate steak over the rice, and hamburger for Breakfast. All is Excellent. We are deeply satisfied about taste and service. They are very friendly. Thank you very much. We don't forget watermalon for our family.
Kim Poshing
Steak over rice. It’s good. A bit bland. Steakums were used… not sure how to feel about that. I don’t think I’ll get the steak bowl again. $12 for rice (2 c) salad (1/2 c) and steak (1/4 c)
Eric Shields
You will never go wrong here. Breakfast is awesome (breakfast burritos are amazing) and lunch (from the burgers to the deli sandwiches) is amazing. If you want to try the best go for the Spicy Pork or Spicy Lamb “Over Rice” bowls! Love this place!!!
John W.
Was in town to meet a new team member and weren't familiar with the area. Went through the underground mall in Crystal City to get there. I ordered the roast beef panini and my team member ordered the Caesar salad. She ended up with a wrap of some sort. The meat on my sandwich was very thick cut and not terribly flavorful. I ended up not finishing the sandwich or the fries and leaving still a little bit hungry.
Tank G.
This is a decent cafe.It is located in the "Underground" Crystal City Shops. They have typical cafe foods such as salad, fruit, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. They also have daily specials. They use to have a buffet, which has stopped since COVID. After a brief deliberation, I got a Reuben sandwich with fries for my meal. They have some indoor and outdoor patio seating available. There is a TV in the indoor dining area that had on the news while I was there. I opted to eat in. My food was prepared very quick. I would say about 5 minutes, and was fresh. The meal was decent. It was not the best Reuben I have had, but I have had much worse. One of my main issues with the place is that they charge $1 for fountain drink refills. Seriously! This is a solid lunch option for the Crystal City area, especially considering the food establishments in the Underground are a dying breed.
Good Salad Bar Quick and convenient Good service and staff has great attitudes. Ambiance is like that of any crystal city office building deli. If a really good place for a quick lunch.
Order a Grilled Ham And Cheese sandwich on7/23/2023..Why there's only two thin slices of ham on the sandwich. $6.26 Horrible. That's why I haven't ate lunch there in over 2 yes.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
For an office building deli and convenience store that's only open during the early mornings and normal office hours, this is quite a comprehensive place. They can prepare made-to-order breakfast items, burgers, panini, wraps, melts, and other sandwiches for you all day long, in addition to their salad and hot bar buffets which are available at lunch. When I stopped by in the late morning, all the hot buffet entrees were already laid out in nice heaps and looked fresh off the grill as a result. The staff here are super nice, and there's a modest amount of seating inside in addition to outdoor plaza seating that's part of the office complex. An excellent choice if you happen to work here or are visiting.
For our recent visit to DC, we decided to stay at the Crowne Plaza Suites Crystal City in Arlington. This cafe is literally a 5-minute walk from the bed I slept in to the cafe. It is ridiculously close! lol We came here a couple of times during our stay, and it was perfect for what we needed! Prices were very reasonable relative to other places in the area. I feel like this cafe is here more to accommodate the office workers in the adjacent office building, but whatever. They serve tasty food at very fair prices. First visit I had the chicken sandwich with fries. The sandwich was generously sized and tasted outstanding! It was messy good! The fries were ok. They were thinner than some, but not shoestring fries either. Second visit I got a big breakfast for $6.75 (or so) and it was the perfect quick, cheap affordable breakfast before we jumped on the train to go and explore the National Mall. Employees were friendly and helped us out when we had questions and whatnot. The only real complaint I have is that, as others have mentioned in their reviews, is that they don't open on time. We decided mid-week to bounce over to Boston to catch a quick game at Fenway (a bucket list item for me :) and whatever else we could cram in. Our flight was quite early but we would depart for the airport at 6:30 am. We were hoping to be there right at 6 am and grab a bite before jumping on the shuttle. At 6:10 am that morning the place was still pitch black and locked up. Bah. That sucks. I would have loved to have eaten there some more. When we got back from Boston they were closed for the weekend, otherwise we would have been here a couple more times. Still a solid spot to go to if you are staying in the Crowne Plaza during the week. I went back and forth between giving Jefferson Cafe 3 or 4 stars, but I'm going to round up because I want to! 4 stars.
My office prefers this of our immediate food options. Staff definitely recognize you, they have a good variety, and they're reliably decent. They have a great BLT, and they do listen when you ask for add-ons or exclusions (e.g. add onions, no tomatoes)The over-the-rice kabob option is one of my favorites; my only complaint is that i would prefer they put the meal in a compostable container.
Very great place to grab breakfast or lunch. Only thing I dislike is when I'm up getting ready for work around 6am and it says they're open, however, I walk over there and all the lights are off and doors are locked. Whoever is managing the place needs to do a better job.
20 years and still great! I remember the old location. The new one (10+ years ago?) is still great. Coworkers ordered off the menu today and loved it. But I always go for the lunch buffet. I like a little of everything.
So they got my order wrong at first, they got me a new one
Breakfast could be better. From coffee to breakfast burrito, it was just... meh. Lacking flavor, no hot sauce for burrito, and coffee was your run of the mill gas station coffee. In a pinch, it would do, but I wouldn't be seeking this place out.
This place is incredible! The breakfast burrito is amazing. After you eat it, you want more even though you know you are not hungry. After finding this place, we went back the next day. And would keep going if we weren't leaving town. They also accommodate KD my GF needs with removing the tortilla. My husband said this was the best breakfast burrito he ever had and he's a connoisseur. I agree. I'm not even a big fan of green bell peppers and they made them taste good to me! I also had the spicy pork special over rice and it was delicious. Highly recommend this gem of a place!
Restaurantji Recommends
We (3) ate steak over the rice, and hamburger for Breakfast. All is Excellent. We are deeply satisfied about taste and service. They are very friendly. Thank you very much. We don't forget watermalon for our family.
Steak over rice. It’s good. A bit bland. Steakums were used… not sure how to feel about that. I don’t think I’ll get the steak bowl again. $12 for rice (2 c) salad (1/2 c) and steak (1/4 c)
You will never go wrong here. Breakfast is awesome (breakfast burritos are amazing) and lunch (from the burgers to the deli sandwiches) is amazing. If you want to try the best go for the Spicy Pork or Spicy Lamb “Over Rice” bowls! Love this place!!!
Was in town to meet a new team member and weren't familiar with the area. Went through the underground mall in Crystal City to get there. I ordered the roast beef panini and my team member ordered the Caesar salad. She ended up with a wrap of some sort. The meat on my sandwich was very thick cut and not terribly flavorful. I ended up not finishing the sandwich or the fries and leaving still a little bit hungry.
This is a decent cafe.It is located in the "Underground" Crystal City Shops. They have typical cafe foods such as salad, fruit, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. They also have daily specials. They use to have a buffet, which has stopped since COVID. After a brief deliberation, I got a Reuben sandwich with fries for my meal. They have some indoor and outdoor patio seating available. There is a TV in the indoor dining area that had on the news while I was there. I opted to eat in. My food was prepared very quick. I would say about 5 minutes, and was fresh. The meal was decent. It was not the best Reuben I have had, but I have had much worse. One of my main issues with the place is that they charge $1 for fountain drink refills. Seriously! This is a solid lunch option for the Crystal City area, especially considering the food establishments in the Underground are a dying breed.