Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Little Engine

    4.8 (26 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Little Engine Takeout or Delivery

    Little Engine Photos

    Business Info

    LITTLE ENGINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Little Engine

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    6 wings all flats- Hazels Magic Dust
    Kim J.

    I'm a fan! I've had them twice and the food has been consistent. The hush puppies really are that good! I love that I can order all flats with the wings. And the wings are a good size. The rotisserie chicken is also good, not as good as some other chicken spots but still a good option to have in the neighborhood. I do like that you can get a variety of sauces with your chicken. They are .75 extra but worth it. I've had the jalapeño lime and Thai peanut sauce. I will say, if you are ordering for pickup, check your bag and make sure you have everything. I ordered extra sauces and caught that they didn't include but forgot to check for the others. I was looking forward to trying the Sweet Baby Rajs. Good spot overall. I have yet to eat in but they have some dining seats inside and nice options outside. I'll be back!

    Austin G.

    To be a restaurant open for lunch in Eastern Market, you have to somehow cater to adults and children alike. It's hard to do, but Little Engine does it well. Popping in for a late lunch on a Sunday in March, here's my nine-year-old daughter and my experience. 1) Food: To feed us both, we ordered the kids quesadilla and the adult one. The kids meal comes with chicken inside, which my daughter usually doesn't love, but she did this time. The fries that it comes with are wedges and tasty. Ask for their ranch sauce to dip them in. The adult pulled chicken quesadilla comes with a great lime crema on top. 2) Drinks: They have bottled water, Coca-Cola products in cans, lemonades, and more. They even have Fanta! 3) Service: It's excellent! The person behind the register was patient and helpful. 4) Space: It's small, but there are several booths and window seating. With big windows, lots of natural light pours in. The walls are decorated with baseball cards and old CDs giving it a retro vibe. There are two unisex restrooms in the back that don't require a code. 5) Area: Even when it's busy, you will eventually find street parking nearby. On weekdays, I usually find a spot along 8th Street SE a block away. Another option is to park in the Trader Joe's garage free for 60 minutes with a purchase.

    CD wall - yes we needed to explain this to our 6 year old.
    Evan P.

    This is the Little Engine that CAN and WILL become a regular part of your rotation. Located in Eastern Market, the Little Engine has a cool, 90s nostalgia vibe with a CD wall, wall of 90s sports cards, and 90s movie posters gracing the walls. Look closely in some of the upper nooks and you'll even see some old VHS tapes. They had light music playing from the 90s as well. Service was fast, friendly, and the staff gave great recommendations. While you really cannot go wrong with whatever you order, they help you pick the flavors that you are craving. The food is fantastic! They have rotisserie chickens roasting on a spit and the wings are packed with flavor. The Hazel's Magic Dust was a table favorite with its dry rubbed spices and the Thai peanut, spicy Szechuan, and Sweet Baby Raj sauce all left us looking forward to trying more at our next visit. Great for takeout and a more casual dine-in (with 90s vibes included), the Little Engine is well worth a visit and will be one we come back to again and again!

    12 flats. Expertly cooked. Little baby Raj sauce and Sticky Szechuan. PERFECTION!
    Dakine B.

    Helluva wing spot right next to Eastern Market. Clean space. Incredibly kind employees. And the wings? HELL YES! I stopped by yesterday morning on my way to the airport and got 12 perfectly cooked and sauced wings. And they will accommodate all flats! Hot damn! This little engine sure as hell can!!!

    Brittney S.

    As a big fan of chicken wings, im now a big fan of Little Engine! I got the 4x4 meal so I could try the wings and the rotisserie because I couldn't decide. They also have different sauces and dry rubs to pick from and I wasn't sure what to get, so the owner actually came over to give his recommendation on the most popular things. The chicken was 10/10! Crispy, flavorful, and hot! The space was also really cool , very 90s and early 2000s vibe with the music and decor.

    Sticky Szechuan and Sweet Baby Raj's wings
    Tierra A.

    These wings are insanely delicious and my new favorite go to wing place in DC. The sticky Szechuan is a unique and spicy flavor I couldn't get enough of ; and the sweet baby RaJ was kind of like a sweet heat barbecue flavor I assume like a "Sweet Baby Ray's" type of flavor with a touch of Indian spice. The quality of the wings and the size is so satisfying, and the wings are gluten free! The customer service was welcoming and attentive, and the restaurant clean and bright. I'm so excited to try the other flavors, I would definitely recommend .

    Feel like I've tried everything on the menu and it's all delicious. Wings definitely the standout, but all the sides, sauces and dips were incredible too.

    Wings galorrrre

    See all

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    28 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 days ago

    Huge fan, great chicken and sides. Will be back often. Had the quarter rotisserie of dark meat, smoky flavor. 10/10

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tierra A.
    42
    94
    102

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Robert S.

    Robert S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Aly L.
    534
    44
    8

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lucy D.
    1
    15
    14

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marqui W.
    125
    54
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Everything was pricey great, flavorful with large portions & a friendly staff would def recommend to all!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    I got the 4x4 with 1/4 chicken, 4 wings, and hushpuppies. Everything was so so good!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Br H.
    0
    14
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Everything is so freaking yummy. Went back to back days. Got to say, very good value too!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Little Engine

    You might also consider

    Little Engine - chicken_wings - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...