I remember this place had a grilled bison steak with a couple of hot sides that was wicked good. Also memorable was a wild salmon platter served on a cedar plank. But that's not happening anymore. Their current menu is limited, with items like chicken tenders, burgers and fries. No doubt this is due to the pandemic. There's a few cold side dishes and salads that are Native American, plus fry bread and desserts. Overall, I find the food to be below average. My most recent experience was so-so. The wild rice salad was overly hard, not flavorful; the grilled jicama salad was served with too many onions; the chicken tenders were par; the apple tart was overbaked; and the only beverages offered were aqua fresca and beer (drink dispensing machine was out-of-order). Located on the ground floor, the dining room is unique and pleasant, one of the best of the museums on the National Mall. My hope is that Mitsitam Cafe can revive its former self. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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What a tasty little place. Creative menu with a wonderful serving staff. I had the Bison Chili and Cornbread. Denise had the Wild rice and Cranberry with cornbread. Deliciousness Thank you read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Bison Chili with Cornbread. Yummmo - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My 6-year-old dined with me, and of course, she went for the chicken tenders--because she's 6 and her taste buds haven't discovered adventure yet. She declared them the best chicken tenders in the history of chicken tenders. For the rest of the day, she was like a tiny town crier, announcing to everyone how these were the tenders of her dreams. She was ready to come back for round two at dinner like it was a chicken tender pilgrimage. Meanwhile, I got a taco salad in fry bread. Was it life-changing? No. But it was pretty good. While she was out there preaching the gospel of chicken tenders, I was just enjoying my salad, quietly wondering if I'd ever experience the kind of culinary joy my kid just found in fried chicken. read more

Taco salad with beans. No meat or cheese. Tasted okay. Bottled water. Topo Chico sparkling water $37. It's like buying food at the movie theater. The air conditioning was nice (July) and it was quit and comfortable. read more

I was looking up which Smithsonian museum had the best food and apparently the Mitsitam Cafe in the National Museum of the American Indian is on every list. The food was different than the average cafeteria food since they have Native American cuisine. We ordered the Indian taco (chili, cheese, tomatoes, onions, green chilis, fry bread), the bison chili dog, and the bison burger (Monterey jack cheese, bacon, tomato, green chili aioli, potato bun). The hot dog and burger both came with fries. The best dish was the Indian taco. The portions were large and the food was tasty but too expensive even for a museum. It was convenient to eat there but I would rather go somewhere further for cheaper and better food. read more

Surprisingly, food at museum's cafeteria can be good. Everything was very well seasoned and delicious. The rib has a sweet taste from the sauce that they brush on top. The salad the comes with it is very good. The goat stew has somewhat a strong goat smell but it is fine for me, and the meat is really soft. Dipping the fry bread in the stew is really tasty. Dessert is the only thing that is disappointing. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - a variety of food items - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stop here and get a Latte every time I'm here and they're open. Amazing coffee. Very friendly personalized service. A gem of a coffee spot. read more

Highly recommended. I had a taco salad, served on top of some tasty frybread. There was a wide choice of food, including vegetarian options. Too bad checkout is automated. The Smithsonian should do better with keeping actual people employed. read more

I was coming to the National Museum of the American Indian anyway, but my family and I decided to eat here solely based off Mike V's recent review, so shoutout to you Mike, thank you! Exactly as he said, a small line was forming by the entrance but thankfully I knew to walk past and keep exploring the options. My younger sister is a typical kid who just got the chicken tenders and fries which she said were great. As for my mother and I, we decided to give the chicken tostadas a try and WOW! The flavor had me forgetting we were even in a museum. Fresh vegetables for toppings, nice crispy corn tortilla tostada, deliciously marinated chicken...overall an amazing dish. To top it all off, I got lucky with a fresh, warm slice of the corn pudding and I was in love. Again, such great quality that it felt as if we were in a restaurant rather than at the cafeteria of a museum. I see why they have won awards! Friendly staff for food service and checkout as well. All in all, I'm giving 5 stars because I feel as though there was nothing lacking. This is now my go-to spot for lunch when visiting the museums! Thank you to everyone at Mitsitam Cafe! read more

While on vacation, my wife and I stopped here to have lunch with a dear friend (his suggestion). I am not the one to try new things. My tastes are extremely simple. My wife was surprised that I agreed to eat here. I have to admit, the food is seriously the F'n bomb. I had the fried bread with bison chili over it. It was suggested that I also have a bison dog with everything. I wrinkled my nose to all of it and I am so glad I tried it. I ate EVERYTHING. There was enough food to feed 3 people and I inhaled it all. I even forgot something and one of the cooks came to me and delivered it. The place was packed, but you could easily hold a conversation. Extremely clean and well lit. If you don't try this place, you are a moron. I ordered my wife the cookbook the chef wrote. read more

Very disappointing and ultimately museum-quality food. These folks are doing a disservice to the food of indigenous people.

Over the course of the last dozen or so years, I've stopped by the Mitsitam Cafe for lunch. While I greatly enjoyed the Turtle Soup, I haven't seen it around over the last several years, and I don't know why. Maybe it's the result of the COVID pandemic, lack of demand, or some other reason...? I've come here alone, to connect with colleagues from other offices and organizations, with out-of-town guests, and, more recently, with our office interns. I've always had positive experiences here. While it's not fine dining in the traditional sense (it's a cafe after all), the offerings are varied and tasty. "The Cafe features Native foods found throughout the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains. Each of the five food stations depicts regional lifeways related to cooking techniques, ingredients, and flavors found in both traditional and contemporary dishes." (https://washington.org) There are a number of vegetarian and vegan options here. Many of the selections here, outside of the fry bread, fries, and a couple of other things, seem like they'd be on the healthier end of the spectrum. I greatly enjoyed my selection this trip, which included the salmon with blueberry glaze (I asked that the glaze be on the side) and two sides of my choice (pictured). While the prices can be on the higher end, Federal employees receive a 10 percent discount when they present their PIV cards. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Salmon w/ Blueberry Glaze, Jicama Salad, and Purple Potato Salad - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The best museum cafeteria bar none. Apparently the menu is not as extensive as it used to be, but we had chili, vegetable tamales and several side salads. All were good. Only off note was the cornbread which was so sweet it tasted like I was in the south. Not thinking too authentic! Nice staffers. Lunch for three:$65. read more

I had the bison burger. It was good with good seasoning. Make sure to note not all meals come with fries included. The burgers are made to order so the speed is not very fast especially if it is around lunch time. The price was a little too high for my liking. The ambiance was nice in the American Indian museum. read more

While on a visit to the Native American Museum, I stopped here for a caramel skim latte and a small pear. The latte was $6.50 for a med/LG cup. It was very sweet and hot. No complaints. Unfortunately, I didn't try any of the other food items. I have heard great things about this cafe, like the food is authentic and ties into the historical context. There were 2 dining areas. One are was huge, like cafeteria huge. That area was closed off since it was almost closing time. Then there was a smaller cafe where we sat, to sip coffee. Service was very polite. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Caramel latte - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I heard really great things about the cafeteria in the national american Indian museum and was excited to try it. Not all the stations were open on the day I went, but there were a few selections. I settled on the Indian taco, which was frybread with buffalo chili (extremely watery) and toppings: lettuce, onion, cheese and tomato. It was not that great, and honestly, even for half the price I paid ($15), I would've been disappointed. On the bright side, the weather was bad, it was convenient, and the seating area was nice, so it worked out. I definitely think it's way overpriced and could be tastier with more generous portions. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Indian taco with buffalo chili - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I'm a bit surprised that this place averages only 3.5 stars. I'm guessing it might be due to the inherent confusion, the prices, or misunderstanding of what you are buying when it comes to Native American food, especially considering that the options span much of the Western Hemisphere - from Alaska to Latin America. The food and cooking techniques from the diverse regions feature ingredients indigenous to those areas and cultures found there. Confusion abounds. Individual stations representing different cuisines are located throughout the serving area. So you need to wend your way through other curious and hungry customers to check the menus at each station, then remember what you might want from more than one station (if you choose to mix and match your regional options). Drinks are not included in the entrees or sides so they must be purchased separately. The cafe is alive with hurried and often puzzled patrons of all ages. Many, if not most, don't realize what constitutes a main or entree in a given cuisine or what sides come with it. Perhaps more important, you often can choose a main from one region and supplement it with sides from other areas. It can be a bit of mix and match mayhem with no immediately apparent rhyme or reason or sequence to the regions - spread out around the sides of the serving area. As a whole, the food is excellent - it delivers on authenticity, ingredients, and flavor. Portion sizes are fair, if not generous - so while the prices may seem steep, the museum is free, and so to me, they offset each other. Styles-cuisines-ethnic eats run the gamut from Alaskan Salmon (tender and quite sweet-naturally) to Bolivian braised pork shanks or ceviche or octopus salad. (Yes, this is just a hint at how diverse the menu is.) If you're looking for something sweet, try the "Boniato" - candied bacon empanada (little hand pie) with pineapple pureé. All the serving stations have both savory and sweet items from which to choose. I had a Green Chile (one of my all-time 'most-faves') Bison Burger. Big sandwich but a bit short on overall flavor. It just didn't transport me back to my days in New Mexico. (Maybe I should have had the ground buffalo and duck burger or Elk?) When you are finished eating, bus your own table and simply put your tray on the large door multi-section conveyor near the exit. Mitisam was a nice hidden gem at the end of our journey through parts of the Americas often forgotten, routinely neglected, sometimes abused, and nearly always misunderstood. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a hidden gem within the Smithsonian. This is closer to a 4.5 star review instead of a 4 star review. It is a cafeteria style restaurant with choices of Native American food from around the country. The locations would probably have made more sense had I gone through the museum instead of just eating. The group that I was with, we all found something to eat. You had the ability to bounce around to the different regions. There were the standard drink choices as well as ones from each area. All of my sisters were able to find food that they liked. The actual setup to pay was similar to that of a cafeteria and I could see how this would be confusing with more people eating. When we went there wasn't a lot of people which made it easier to figure out where to go. There were no gluten free desserts which was sad as a lot of my sisters were able to eat dessert. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Chorizo Tostada - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here for lunch before touring around the museum. It's my first Native American foods so i have nothing to compare it with. But i had the buffalo chilli with cheese and raw onion & fry bread on the side theyre sooo good cant really explain it with words. I had to eat it slowly cz i dont want the meal to finish soon. Honestly i'll come back just to eat there and order the same one, or the bison burger Yes it was a bit more expensive than other places but i mean..where else could you get native american foods around? And the meat is 'exotic' too so ofc it would cost more than your regular chicken meals. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Buffalo chili & fry bread - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love how this place serves regional native cuisine for all over the country. I ordered the Arizona pork posole. It had big, tender chunks of meat and was really delicious. My friend ordered bison chili on fry bread which looked really good too. The portion wasn't huge, but it filled me up anyway. I paid $8 for the posole and $6 for a fruit tart. Keep in my that Mitsitam is pretty expensive. I wanted to try a fish dish but I couldn't get myself to pay almost $30 for one entree. But I get it. This is a restaurant inside a Smithsonian museum (in Washington DC where food doesn't come cheap to begin with). And considering that Smithsonian museums are free to enter I guess it kind of makes up for it. Mitsitam feels like a nice sit down restaurant even though you order your food cafeteria style. It has a nice aesthetic and very clean. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Bison chili on fry bread, fruit tart, and Arizona pork posole. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My dad and I met a friend at this cafe for lunch. I ordered the chicken tinga tacos and a cherry pastry. For museum food? These items were really great. In comparison to actual restaurants, they were somewhere between good and mediocre. This place has good service; nice workers who will follow your instructions well as to what to put on your food. If you can, try to get a table next to the window with a waterfall-- a perfect view to company your meal. Next time I visit the National Museum of the American Indian, I will go to this place for a meal, but I might be hesitant to return if I have other meal options. read more

Stopped by the Mitsitam Cafe for a late lunch before exploring the Museum of the American Indian with friends. I had a hard time picking what to eat, since the selection was so wide and everything sounded delicious, but I ended up getting the two shrimp tacos with two sides (tricolor potatoes and broccoli in buttermilk). I really enjoyed the meal! The server was very generous with the sides, which I appreciated, and the shrimp was flavorful and juicy. The tortillas were okay, but I feel like the tacos would've been better if there was something else in them besides the shrimp. Still, a very solid and filling meal. I'd love to try one of the bison burgers the next time I'm visiting! read more

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I had been to this cafe inside the Native American museum a few years ago at a friend's recommendation and it was very good. This time was really disappointing. A few of the kiosks were closed and there was only one register open with a long line of people. The trays are a bit small if you have a drink, making it a bit precarious to balance the drink. My friend got the bison burger and fries and I had a tostada type dish (can't remember the name). Her burger was ok but she didn't love it. The corn base of my dish was not very good and I ended eating to toppings and leaving it. The black beans and guacamole on top were good. The meal was $50 with tax for a cafeteria lunch that was not very good. It was disappointing. It seems this cafe has really declined. read more

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Security to get in, but amazingly peaceful location for lunch. Fry bread, chili, bison and more (usually fish) Lunch is sometimes great, sometimes good, and occasionally just ok. Lunch here is always relaxing. I like the Indian taco or buffalo chili. Bison burger is a burger. Fries haven't been very good. read more

Your Native American Museum experience isn't complete without a trip to the Mitsitam Cafe. Featuring an incredibly eclectic selection of First Nations cuisine from every region of the Hemisphere, you're sure to find something to your liking. A small beef and rice dish set me back $16.50 along with a $4 Coke and I probably could have gone back and purchased three more entrees before feeling full. A minute or two of waiting in line to pay and the food had cooled off considerably. After enjoying the food, you get to clean up after yourself. No refills on soda that I saw. The menu is so large you could have this same experience for months and never eat the same thing twice. The Cafe's prices and setup seem to prompt complaints that it's too expensive, poorly run, and a "rip off," but these reviewers have obviously missed the overall instructional point of the museum that the restaurant reinforces. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Rice & Beef - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I totally get that museum cafeterias are overpriced and usually not great. It's expected. But this is absolutely the worst I have ever experienced. I wanted something small since I wasn't that hungry. They are severely understaffed in the cafeteria and one poor man was doing way too much and it was taking forever. When he finally got to me and I asked for tamales (2 for $10.50), he had to call someone and they said it'd be at least 5 minutes. I'd already been waiting a long time just to ask about them and needed to just grab something and sit down. I tried to get a fountain drink, but the first one I tried, only the ice worked. The second let me get sprite, but I thankfully took a sip before buying and promptly spit it out and left the cup there. It was literally just sparkling water with no trace of sprite. It's so hot that I decided I just wanted something small and cool, so grabbed a bowl of guacamole and chips. I got a water bottle and a mini can of sprite. My totally was $25. I was totally stunned and wanted to dump it on the floor and walk out, but I had a gift card someone gave me for my trip and there was such a long line behind me that I just paid it. How their water is more expensive than the water from street vendors, I don't know. I do know I will never patron this place again, and I strongly recommend you don't either. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - This is what $25 will get you here. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food. Five stars. I had the five region sampler for approximately $30, it fed both myself and my wife. The food was just amazing!! Came with salmon, bison steak, and choice of 3 sides. There was nothing leftover at the end, we ate every morsel. The setting. It's cafeteria style, so you just order your food, sit down, eat, finish, and go on with the rest of your day. Everything was fast, but the quality did not lack. The authenticity. There were a lot of native Americans within the building, and the food in the cafeteria just looked and tasted really good. Highly recommend coming here either for lunch or dinner. Come before 5pm, because that's the time this place closes. Best to order your food before 4:45pm otherwise you won't make it on time. I'll be back. read more

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Mitsitam recently won a Rammy award, which is great. It really is a different dining experience. I liked it - not enough to make a destination, but definitely a great place to eat when doing some museum hopping. The cafeteria style set-up induces chaos, and the younger visitors only add to the crowding. Staff is incredibly unhelpful. My sister and I shared the buffalo chili tacos, fry bread, and corn fritters. The buffalo chili was hearty and rich. I loved the corn fritters - hot and tasty, they paired well with the currant sauce. Fry bread was quite good, but how could fried carbohydrates not be? read more

I came in here because I had heard great things about the food from friends and I was not disappointed! I got the veggie Indian taco and it was so tasty! The vegetarian chili was really good and the toppings pair so well with it even though I wasn't a fan of all of them individually. The combination was great and the one taco was really filling. I absolutely loved the fry bread. It was thick and a little tough to cut but so good. The one star dock is really just for the price. It feels pretty pricey for what you get but I think that's true of all the Smithsonian food options. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Veggie Indian taco - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stopped here hungry but to escape the heat & humidity. I came from the US BotanicGarden after viewing the blooming Corpse flower, but they have no food there. I liked the healthy fruit and veggie selections. Tried the chayote & grilled hearts of palm and found it flavorful, bought a tiny chocolate bar for dessert. I returned the next day after my return visit to smell the Corpse flower. Chose the delicious and refreshing pink grapefruit & jicama salad for just $1, Really! Yum. I've enjoyed the tasty wild rice salad too. I'll be back to try other items. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - So refreshing. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food is good, but VERY expensive for what you get. And what you get is, indeed quality, so it IS worth it, but do know what you're getting into. TIPS: Go early when they first open so you can check out the yummy options. Ask for suggestions! They will give generous samples. I got to try 2 yummy soups this way. It will help you make up your mind. Item that looked especially good for the money was the pulled buffalo sandwich. It looked big enough to share, (wish we had tried it). Not knowing it was an appetizer, I ordered this: Crispy Rabbit, Caramelized Plums, Smoked Eggplant Puree, Parsley Oil $ 13.25 It was absolutely delicious, but teeny tiny, and certainly not enough for lunch. I went back, tried a couple soups, which were both good, but honestly, the tastes of them were enough for me. So I ended up getting fry bread with blueberry. This was disappointing. It looked better than it tasted. It's not real sweet, and blueberries were completely pureed. Would have loved some whole ones on it too. Husband got the fry bread taco, which he said was okay. He expressed that he'd had better. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Crispy Rabbit, Caramelized Plums, Smoked Eggplant Puree, Parsley Oil appetizer - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mitsitam Cafe is one of the only places in this area of SW DC that you can get a quality lunch on any day of the week. No man can live on McDonald's, Potbelly, and salads alone plus food trucks aren't fun when it's raining outside. Mitsitam is the spot to have a nice lunch with a fountain view and a reason to explore and walk off those calories afterwards. Recently, I went with my project manager and we were impressed by the selection and freshness of choices. The Cedar Plank salmon was definitely my favorite...tender, flavorful and not overcooked at all. My veggie sides were the roasted potatoes and mushrooms + grilled nopales, green beans, and onions--both were seasoned well but a bit greasy for my liking. We split the trio of sliders: elk burger, house ground turkey burger, and the buffalo and duck burger. The elk was a bit tough/dry since the meat is so lean but a good combo of flavors--the goat cheese created a nice balance of flavors but I'm not sure if I would order a whole one of these...don't hate the player, hate the game-yness. The buffalo/duck burger was the most tasty with cheddar cheese and a sauce that made me believe that I could eat a full-size version of this burger. The real disappointing thing about this place is the cost. I would venture to say pretty much every single thing here is too expensive. Don't get me wrong, I know it's not cheap to serve up fresh wild caught seafood or high quality buffalo meat but it discourages me from coming here often or trying a variety of items. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - cedar plank wild salmon with 2 sides: grilled nopales, green beans and onions + roasted mushrooms and potatoes - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Pre-pandemic I had heard rave reviews of this restaurant "the best in any museum", and was excited to finally try it. As of this writing in May 2022, the food was low quality and extremely expensive. Frybread taco was a stale piece of frybread, inedibly tough, with low quality toppings piled on top. Drinks - a can of soda or a bottle of water - are $4. I realize the museum is free, so I usually overlook the price gouging on food, but this was an incredible disappointment all around. read more

The Misitam cafe is located in the National Museum of the American Indian. It's a cafeteria, but a pricey one. It's a self serve place, you get a tray, you walk to a stall and you order. The food: Strawberry Tart- it was actually a really nice tart. The strawberries were really sweet, the tart itself was nice and flaky, the vanilla sauce was sweet but not too sweet. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=hDkUQkIaDHHVndqwluwH1g&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Chipotle chicken taco- grilled chipotle chicken, fry bread, lettuce tomato and shredded cheese. The flatbread was nice, but became soggy from the chipotle chicken, the chicken and other stuff was pretty standard. The taco was OK, but not worth $12.50. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Xvvww4yyXuCXdGkSzAI-QQ&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Strawberry tart - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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While all the options sounded delicious and representative of cultural cuisine, it's so hard to get over the prices! I mean, $24+ for a fish dish is not what I am looking to spend when I'm seeking a casual and quick museum lunch. I thought about just getting chips and guacamole ($5) but decided to go for the bowl of buffalo chili with cheese and onions. It came with either fry bread or corn bread. The fry bread was really good, but I was only able to manage a few bites as my son gobbled it up. The chili was ok. It was more beans than anything and had no "kick" to it. For $8.95 , the portion was more like a cup than a bowl. I also got a fountain drink......$4.10 and it's not refillable. Yes, there is a captive audience, and yes, it's probably the best Smithsonian museum food option, but right outside are several food trucks, so if you are looking for a more budget-friendly meal, check those out! read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Buffalo chili and fry bread - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Unbelievably disorganized; this cafe is government in a microcosm. The line was quite long at 1:30pm on a weekend. Once inside the top small space you pick a line, each stall's line blending into the next. Despite having electronic menus, they weren't current and several dishes were not available, but not worth another 10 minute wait. Then another wait at the register while the overpriced food went cold. The staff was generally unhelpful too. The food itself, was reasonably tasty. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Bison steak -- served cold. - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

For a cafeteria, this hit the spot! Of course there was rush for lunch, as folks tend to get hungry around the same time. Nonetheless, the selection of food varied and represented different indigenous tastes of the world. I stuck with fry bread (I ordered both the "Indian taco" and "fry bread with honey and cinnamon") because it brought me back to a time when I was in Navajo Nation. I do admit, the fry bread shouldn't be as tough as it is served here. However, it was filling and satisfied the tummy. The fry bread with cinnamon and honey reminded me of a donut, ish. My pops had the chicken tenders and French fries, which wasn't very memorable. My brother ordered a bison cheeseburger, which was alright. We don't normally eat bison, so we didn't have a means of comparison. I just added ketchup as I thought it needed it. Just remember to clear out your own stuff/bus your own tray! It might help if the were more signs around... but I just looked around. Overall, just a convenient place to eat while going from museum to museum! Would come back to try other food from other places. read more

I have to come here every (EVERY) time I visit DC. there's so many different indigenous and indigenous-inspired dishes that there's something for even the pickiest of eaters. where else can you eat foods from the great plains, south America, Pacific northwest, mesoamerica and the eastern Woodlands all in the same place? ok, there are probably plenty of other places, but it's just cooler here. a bit pricey, and pretty packed during the lunch rush, but if you arrive at 11AM there's plenty of room to browse and meander across the continents to choose your dishes. you can sample most anything (save the entrees), and they are forthcoming about the ingredients to ensure no allergic reactions. definitely worth a visit. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - lamb soup (south america), Brussels sprouts (northern woodlands) and bison chili (great plains) - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When a friend's brunch plans fell through, and I was put on the spot to come up with somewhere for lunch on the National Mall, I wasn't sure I had an answer. However, I decided we should check out the Mitsitam Cafeteria, and it proved to be a hit! While VERY pricey for what you get, it's a really fun experience. I ordered a Najevo Taco ($13.99) and a bottled peach tea ($3.75). The Navajo Taco was good, although I was really disappointed they were out of the other options that were displayed. It was fry bread with turkey chili, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. The veggies were not great quality nor terribly fresh, but the fry bread was really delicious. It wasn't $13.99 delicious, but since I don't see much other Native American food in D.C., I don't mind paying extra. There are many stations as people pointed out, but on a Saturday, most of them were out of food, and the lines wrapped all over the place. I would highly recommend coming on a week day. All in all, a cool experience once, but I am not rushing to return either. read more

Mitsitam Cafe - Navajo Taco... $13.99 pre tax - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mitsitam is easily the best of the Smithsonian Cafes (just slightly ahead of the offerings at the National Museum of African American History and Culture). There are five stations, each representing a different region: Mesoamerica, Northern Woodlands, South America, Northwest Coast and Great Plains. The menu rotates seasonally, though there are some items that are always available, including the green chile bison burger and the Indian tacos (vegetarian and meat-based options for the chili exist). The rotating foods offer a decent value - most entrees come with 2 sides (and you can mix/match sides from different stations). I've been eating here for years, and some of the more memorable items have been the bison & duck burger, the tamal, and the braised pork shanks. My friends have enjoyed the cedar-planked salmon, and I always grab anything with nopal in it if available! Vegetarian options are usually plentiful, especially in terms of sides. Prices are a little bit higher than other Smithsonian cafes, but you will actually want to eat the food here. Virtually every other Smithsonian (save for the aforementioned NMAAHC) has cafes that serve mediocre food at best (sending serious side eye to Air & Space and American History). Here, you'll get something interesting and tasty, all served in a beautiful venue -- okay, it's still a cafeteria, but this one is a bit nicer. Signage could be *way* better - people tend to cluster at the entrance where they pick up their trays and don't realize that there are several stations. The folks working the checkout are really friendly, but the line situation can get intense during peak hours, especially if there are a lot of schoolchildren visiting. Mitsitam is technically open until 5pm, but in the off-season, it often closes by 3pm. Plan accordingly. There is an espresso bar available out front if you just want a quick drink, but in my experience, it's better to skip this - the drinks are often not very good and are a bit pricey given their quality. Just head into the cafeteria for something better or go visit a nearby coffee shop if you must have a hot drink. I would love a sit-down version of Mitsitam because cafeterias are inherently limited in what they can do food-wise. Avoid peak lunch hours because of the noise, lines, and lack of seating and you'll do just fine. read more