Open Citysimilar businesses >
2331 Calvert St NW
Washington, DC 20008
(7 Ratings)
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Find this business under: Restaurants
- Business Hours: Mon. 06:00 AM-Midnight, Tues. 06:00 AM-Midnight, Wed. 06:00 AM-Midnight, Thu. 06:00 AM-Midnight, Fri. 06:00 AM-01:00 AM, Sat. 06:00 AM-01:00 AM, Sun. 06:00 AM-Midnight
- Credit Cards Accepted: American Express
Woodley Park has taken one step forward in the competition for hippest neighborhood in the District with the launch of Constantine Stavropoulous' new restaurant Open City. Stavropoulos takes the coffeehouse ambiance of his Adams Morgan mainstay Tryst and mixes it with the late-night ambiance of his other Adams Morgan hotspot the Diner. According to manager Peter Finnegan, Open City hopes to become a "third place," the place in which people feel most comfortable after being at home or at work. Free wi-fi, a vast beer selection and a bustling coffee bar are three big steps in that direction.
Open City's menu is certainly open minded enough. With their state-of-the-art pizza oven, they can create top notch pies at will, but they also serve breakfast all day. Other menu standouts include the mussels and a beverage known as the Washington Carver which mixes coffee and peanut butter for a savory sweet result. The City also boasts a high-tech cruvenet that keeps their reds and whites at the perfect temperature. According to Finnegan, their wine program will "be moderate on price, casual in attitude but extremely high in quality." Open City is open till 2AM during the week and 3AM on the weekends. With not one but two large hotels in the immediate vicinity, the neighborhood's restaurants seem more attuned to travellers. So, there are plenty of restaurants that serve international cuisines at fairly high prices, but with Open City, Woodley Park residents can find a easy-going home away from home.
7 Ratings and Reviews
high quality breakfast for sure
Gr8fuLBear06 - 07/04/2008This place is awesome. It has a more upscale (yet still relaxed) atmosphere than it's cousin The Diner, and the food is slightly better as well...depending on what you order. The omelettes are better at Open City, and so is the coffee. They bring you a giant mug equal in volume to 3 cups at The Diner. With an animal cracker on the side it's very welcoming, but 1 coffee at Open City can be enough for 2 even 3 people if they only want one normal sized cup. They have a counter to sit at inside with the tables as well as lots of outdoor seating. The staff is friendly and young, which can sometimes mean they wander around inefficiently while you wait to place your order. BUT the best staff are the busboys. They are the ones who bring you your food 80% of the time, and it comes out fast. We recommend the waffle and the omelettes, but it's all delicious. On weekends, if you get there before 10am, there's a good chance you won't have to wait too long, and before 9:30 there's hardly ever a wait. After 10am, good luck. The wait can be 45 minutes long. We've eaten at a lot of breakfast joints, and this one is second only to Zaftig's in Brookline, MA (Boston).
Add CommentLunch
Polyman47 - 07/02/2008
I had lunch there last week and it was excellent. Service was very good from the gal we had serving us. Love the home made potato chips and large coffee cups!
- jsandhu321 - 05/18/2008
consistently good
zooresident - 05/17/2008I frequent this place, and they do a very good job. Service is competant, but not stellar. The food is always on point. I'm in the restaurant biz and understand what it takes to turn out a consistent product. Excellent coffee, (no free refills, but a cup is like 25oz.!) decent portions and creative and interesting combinations. I love the cornmeal pancakes with blueberry sauce, the chai waffle, chorizo scramble, the turkey burger and the pizzas. My boyfriend is a vegan and says their veggie burger is one of the best he's had, Thanks Open City you guys are a great addition to the neighborhood!!
South Beach in DC?
MJL1962 - 05/15/2008It reminds me of South Beach's Newscafe. The banana pancakes are good, but not great. There is too much sweet sauce and no visible banana. The cuban coffee is good and strong. The waiters aim to please. But, there is this passive-aggressive difficultness, slowness, attitude in the service. Come on! This is a cafe! And, guess what, I make more money than you think I make! I just like to wear jeans and a Lacoste shirt, instead of Armani!!!
Best Breakfast in Town?
blbrownshugarr - 01/26/2008This place is so over rated. The coffee is pretty good but the food is terrible. I've given them 2 chances for pizza - once it was overcooked and the second time it was undercooked. Both times it was bland and cold. Breakfast? Forget it! Service is so slow - never got a refill on our coffee and my omelet was cold in the middle - the broccoli was still frozen so the cheese didn't melt. Bad service, terrible food and incredibly crowded. That being said - the pastries are always great. They should stick to being a cool coffee and bakery joint.
Best Breakfast in Town
isleta13 - 12/22/2006Order up some eggs over easy along with grits, toast and the best bacon you've ever tasted. The coffee comes in a huge mug and is guaranteed to help get ya going.