Open City DC Review – A Neighborhood Gem

By Laura Zucker

Open City Review

In the bustling neighborhood of Woodley Park, you will find an assortment of locally run restaurants and coffee shops. Open City, the sister restaurant to The Diner and Tryst, is a must try. Whether for brunch, a bite to eat after the zoo, or a late night breakfast, this upscale diner has it all. After arriving at the restaurant on a Wednesday night, my friend and I were seated immediately by the friendly staff. We opted for sitting on the outside patio, accompanied by a gorgeous sunset.

Open City Menu

Opening the extensive menu was almost overwhelming. With so many options to choose from, we started off with the Pretzel Bites. The waitress warned us that they could take awhile because they are freshly baked in house. Freshly baked? Sign me up! One bite into the salty, doughy pretzel bite and I was in heaven. It was also served with a warm and cheesy dipping sauce.

Open City Bacon Cheese Burger

I decided to play it safe and order a classic: the Open City Burger. With white cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon, I knew it would be delicious. The side of chipotle mayo added a nice kick. I have several favorite burger places in DC, but Open City definitely scored well in my burger ranking. With the crispy bacon and juicy flavor, what’s not to love?

Open City Chicken and  Waffle

Although we both considered ordering breakfast food for dinner, my guest decided on Chicken & Waffles. It was a savory fried drumstick and thigh with a sweet malted waffle drizzled with bourbon & bacon maple syrup. Everything we ordered seemed to have something delicious to accompany it on the side. The chicken & waffles came with a side of fresh herbed butter. It was so fluffy that it almost looked like whipped cream.

Open City ice cream dessert

For dessert, we ordered a slice of Chocolate Cheesecake and bourbon pecan pie (a la mode for an extra $1.50). The combination of the warm pecan pie and melting vanilla ice cream was to die for. The chocolate cheesecake was delicious, as well. It was extremely rich with tons of chocolate. Open City has its own bakery so there are endless options of cakes, pies, tarts, baked goods, and more. A meal at Open City would not be complete without a sweet indulgence.

Open City Lava Cake

The atmosphere and service is stellar, the food is delicious, the prices are decent, and the location is excellent. I’m already looking forward to trying something new next time.


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