The Best Late Night Food In DC

It’s after 10pm, you’re suddenly starving, and all you have to eat is a frozen beef patty that’s been in your freezer longer than you’ve lived in your apartment. Your options for grabbing dinner out might seem bleak, but despite what your friend who only eats on 14th Street tells you four times a week, DC has some great late-night food spots. Here are the best of them.

THE SPOTS

7th Street Burger

Open until 12am daily

Some late-night foods are best reserved for the cover of darkness, but a burger at 7th Street is something you could eat any time of day and be proud of it. This New York-based spot in Georgetown knows exactly how to make a perfect burger—there’s only one on the menu, and honestly, that’s all you need. It’s made up of tender meat, grilled onions, tangy mayo sauce, and pickles, and for $11, you can get that, plus fries. Your bank account will be as happy as a Hill intern on recess.

HipCityVeg

Open until 2am Thursday-Saturday

If you’re vegan, the hunt for a late-night snack can feel like mission impossible. Enter HipCityVeg. This Chinatown spot dishes out vegan burgers and chick’n wraps (soy and grains) so tasty, even your carnivore buddies will be sneaking bites. The secret? It’s all about the sauces, like their chipotle mayo and sriracha aioli that turn good sandwiches into great ones. That said, the real star of the menu is the sweet potato fries. They’re salty, sweet, and exactly the right size for when you’re not super hungry but still want a little treat before bed.

Duccini’s Pizza

Open until 4am or later daily

This U Street classic has outlasted seven presidents, and it’s pretty obvious why. Their gigantic slices are dripping with cheese, the crust is perfectly crispy, and they stay open until 4am every day. It’s the cheesy, greasy send-off your night on U Street needs. After 11pm, you can grab a large pie for just $10 before you shuffle home.

Chicken + Whiskey

Open until 12am Wednesday-Thursday, 3am Friday-Saturday

Going to town on a whole roasted chicken with sweet plantains, rice, and beans at midnight is a luxury everyone should experience, and at Chicken + Whiskey, you can. This fast-casual Peruvian spot on 14th Street serves charred, peppery seasoned chicken in quarter, half, and whole portions, with a variety of sides to go. But if your feet are crying out from a night of dancing, snag a yellow stool and dig in.

Muncheez

Open until 2:30am or later daily

We come to Muncheez in the middle of the night for one thing: the chicken and cheese. Picture a chicken shawarma, but pressed panini-style with gooey mozzarella, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and garlic mayo. It’s a lot saucier than your typical shawarma, but after a night out in DC, where the drinks are overpriced and the Metro stops running before you do, it’s the kind of late-night comfort food you need.

Lucky Buns

Open until 12am Sunday-Thursday, 1am Friday-Saturday

Lucky Buns has three locations in the city, but the Adams Morgan one is our favorite—and not just because it’s one of the best spots to refuel after dodging bachelorette parties on 18th Street. This sit-down restaurant has a laid-back, communal vibe, and you can wrap up the night on the patio or at the bar. The burgers are good—sometimes great, depending on what you get (we love the El Jefe with gouda, cotija crema, and green chili relish). But our favorite thing to order is a chicken sandwich. Specifically, the Mumbo Bun: a fried chicken thigh in a spicy Thai chili mumbo sauce, with dill pickles and a saucy ranch mayonnaise.

Surfside Taco Stand

Open 24 hours

Being open 24 hours makes Surfside in Dupont one of the most clutch restaurants in the city. The best part? The food is really good, no matter what time you come. The menu here is full of creative taco combinations, like the Bora Bora with grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, guacamole, and a honey peanut sauce. And the service is quick—you’ll be in and out in under 10 minutes, whether you order in-person or online.

George’s King Of Falafel And Cheesesteak

Open until 2am or later daily

George’s King Of Falafel makes some of the city’s best shawarma. This Georgetown spot serves up lamb and chicken shawarma platters with all the fixings—fresh pickled radishes, cucumbers, and tomatoes—for about $15. Expect a line, because after a night out in DC, everyone’s got the same idea. Take your shawarma to go or grab a seat at one of the wooden tables upstairs.

H & Chicken

Open until 3am Sunday-Thursday, 4am Friday-Saturday

H & Chicken is the unofficial king of DC fast food, and honestly, it’s a title well-deserved. The crispy chicken is drenched in mumbo sauce, and the waffles dusted with powdered sugar are a sweet lover’s dream. It’s a fast-casual joint, so you can either take your order to go or grab one of the few coveted seats if you’re feeling social. But let’s be real—our favorite way to enjoy our order is taking it home and devouring it in bed while binge-watching Law & Order and pretending mumbo sauce isn’t a serious threat to your sheets.

The Hamilton

Open until 2am daily

If you want to eat shrimp linguini or duck confit at 1am, this is the place to do it. But while there’s plenty to try on the big menu, we usually go with sushi. They do a late-night sushi Happy Hour from 11pm-2am, with rolls for just $6. And if you’re after a dining experience that feels semi-normal—like actually sitting down at a table—The Hamilton is your go-to. Picture white tablecloths, leather booths, and plush carpeting that’s probably seen as much action as the line outside the club on a Friday night. They stay open until 2am every night, but keep in mind the kitchen closes an hour before that.