Better than Matchbox for pizza is Pizza Paradiso on 2003 P St NW (www.eatyourpizza.com).

Less fancy, some things cheaper, non-chain steak house:
Annie's Paramount Steakhouse, Dupont Circle

Empanadas: Julia's. but more of a take-out.

Mandu, Korean restaurant, 18th street, Adams-Morgan

The Palm just south of Dupont Circle on 19th street has a decent priced lunch special. It is 3 courses for $20.

A little north of dupont in Cleveland park is Nam Viet. It has decent Vietnamese food. Not as good as in VA, but not bad at all.

If you like traditional Korean fare, I can't recommend Mandu. If you want sojutinis and cheap (but low quality) mandu, then give it a shot for happy hour. It is best when the drinks and apps are cheap and you can sit outside.

By convention center, quick and cheap, but good for lunch, are Eat First (Chinese, H Street) and Kanlaya (Thai) on 6th south of H. Favs of staff from my office and we go often. Not saying gourmet or incredibly unique... but in comparison to other chinese and thai in area...


I thank other posters for some of the restaurant tips ... I'm gonna have to try some I hadn't heard of!

If you can make it into Arlington, VA you won't be upset with Ray's Hell Burger:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-hell-burger-arlington-2

There's also a Five Guys in the Chinatown area, which only has a handle of Chinese restaurants left since most have bolted for the 'burbs after real estate prices in the area skyrocketed. One of my lunch favorites was Chinatown Express for its lai mein noodle soup. It's the place with the guy making noodles in the front window. Next door is a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place that does a good business on banh mi sandwiches.

It isn't near dupont, but I don't know how Ben's Chili Bowl has been left off this list.

Just got back from DC and wanted to throw a couple casual spots for lunch on the list...

Good Stuff Eatery (303 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast) - Run by Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn. $10 @ Good Stuff gets you a cheeseburger, fries, and drink. Great location if you're headed to the Capitol.

Taylors Goumet (5th and K) - Flavorful hoagies (chicken, meats, veggies). Also good location for Chinatown area. Small indoor seating area, but the have tables outside as well.

Decent chili and half-smokes, although I often cannot justify eating there given the line to get in....

If you want some good hot dogs (or half-smokes), with more of an atmosphere... and some very solid and well priced cocktails, go to The Passenger on 7th and New York (NW).

I read something about that place a couple of months ago and really want to try it, but not for hot dogs Their facebook updates are even interesting.

It's worth a try, even for the dogs. Best old fashioned I've ever had at a bar, but also the best hot dog I've had outside of a ballpark.

What do you think about Urbana? I'm looking for places under $25 and Zagat's listed their small plates.

Would love your opinion of the places listed on Zagat's at http://blog.zagat.com/10-summer-deals-in-the-district.

I hadn't seen the Zagat list, thanks for sharing. To be frank, I'm a bit disappointed in their choices. I haven't tried Urbana, Nage, or Zentan, but I can give you a rundown of my take on the others, if you'd like.

Acadiana - been once for food, once for drinks. Verdict: disappointed. Alternative: Georgia Brown's.

Bibiana - been there once. I must say I prefer Luigino's (which was formerly at that location), but Bibiana is fine. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there, but I wouldn't avoid it either.

Firefly - only been there for drinks. Funky atmosphere, hit-or-miss service, but can't comment on the dining.

Liberty Tavern - solid, but again nothing spectacular in my book. Alternative: Birch and Barley/Churchkey. Pitango, the gelato place on the same block is unarguably top-notch.

Potenza - worth a try.

Rosa Mexicano - solid sit-down Mexican, but it's a chain. If you want something unique to DC, check out Oyamel in the same neighborhood.

Zola - I've been there twice for food and two or three times for drinks. The food is good, but I have been disappointed by their snooty, holier-than-thou attitude. So much so, that I haven't been back in almost two years. That said, the s/o recently took a cooking class with their chef at Zola Kitchen (next door), and thoroughly enjoyed it. Because of that, I may give Zola another chance sometime soon, though I do prefer other restaurants in the area.

Reading back on my post, I think I come off as one heck of a downer (apologies), but I can't honestly say I think Zagat's list was well-composed.

You're not the only one annoyed with Zola...