Pete's Diner is a great place to grab a reasonably priced meal in the area. The service is fine. They take your order and check in on you. I'm not sure if other people reviewing are expecting a standing ovation during their meal or something. The diner's atmosphere is just as you would expect from a diner. Xing-Xing is a beloved cat to the neighborhood. He belongs to Pete's Diner. Cats are great at keeping other unwanted pests away, especially in Washington, D.C. read more

Nice, solid and dependable breakfast and lunch grub offerings like soups, chilis, sandwiches and salads - their breakfast burrito is decent but sort of unconventional, unlike typical BBs (it's more like a wrap with eggs and potatoes). However, it's not bad. Very prompt service! Also they have beverages in back like OJ and Apple juice. Definitely an interesting vibe within and worth checking out in DC - also very close to The Library of Congress! read more

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Couldn't even eat there because cats were outside and inside the restaurant. Unsanitary why would they have cat beds in the booth in the back. Wouldn't eat there turned around read more

Ok diner. Nothing terribly special. Got an omlette - was ok. Bland potatoes. Grits very dry and needed a lot of butter to get them to a decent consistency. Go if you're in the area but don't make a special trip. read more

Pete's Diner - Sausage omlette - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A modest diner, very near to the Capitol building, unfussy, a true throwback. The vibe is friendly. Staff works hard to get the orders out swiftly yet remain easy-going. There are several booths; a large picnic-like table in the center; and stools at a counter for seating. The food is respectable: the menu is traditional comfort fare, nothing exotic, only breakfast and lunch, not open for dinner. The prices are reasonable. My platter of scrambled eggs, home fries, generous amount of bacon and white bread toast was decent. Got a fruit plate; fresh. But I gotta say, the coffee is not to my liking, awfully strong. Xing-Xing, a large black cat and fixture, is doted on by many. Pete's is cherished and clearly supported by regulars. If you were to become one, everyone would know your name, so, yeah, it's a "Cheers" diner, if you will. Nothing wrong with that. read more

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Pete's Diner has a certain worn-in appearance, doors open(50 degree day in early April)a super casual atmosphere.cats(see photo)wandering about. the food and standards didn't live up to expectations. Being served what tasted like day-old chili, topped with sour cream and accompanied by three saltines wrapped in plastic, was disappointing. There's a difference between unpretentious and neglected, and unfortunately this crossed that line. DC health department would have a field day here. read more

Pete's Diner - Cat eating and drinking area in front of restaurant - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of my favorite breakfast spots in Capitol Hill. If you're lucky you'll see Pete walk by. Foods good and reasonable + they have outdoor seating. read more

Pete's Diner - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We've been coming here for years, and it is a solid classic diner. Tasty breakfast options, generally effective service, nice outdoor seating, and friendly well-fed resident black cat ShiShi (sp?) who is the beloved local celebrity. Prices are decent considering you're practically kitty-corner from the Library of Congress and just a block from the Capitol. The fruit plate provides an impressively quality selection of fresh hand-cut fruit for a reasonable $4. Filling food to power your day. read more

Pete's Diner - Western omelette, blueberry pancakes, fruit plate, and sausage egg and cheese sandwich - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Hidden gem and cute for locals headed to work or tourists looking for a quick, cheap bite. Breakfast sandwich was good. Recommend petting the cat in the garden on the way out! read more

4/11/24 Small diner, nothing fancy. Order, eat, and leave. Many people seem to be regulars. Eggs Bacon Ham Hash Toast Pancakes Coffee and Tea. It's just down the block from our hotel. read more

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I had eggs over easy, grits, toast, and pancakes. Service was perfunctory but ok. The seating was crowded---very much a get in and get out kind of place. The dude who cooked my eggs cooked them perfectly. I plopped some grits over them---the grits were absolutely flavorless and required a good bit of doctoring with butter, salt, and pepper. I was seated at the counter so I had a bird's eye view of the kitchen and I must admit, I was not terrible impressed watching the waitress/owner pick up my pancake with her bare hand and slap it on my plate. When she placed it on front of me I cut off the part she touched and pushed it aside. Blech! Not expensive, not cheap....edible food (although you may want a seat at the counter or choose not to want to know) that will, as my mom used to say, make a turd. read more

The place has cats in it that roam around the restaurant while you're eating. Disgusting. Where's the Health Department inspector? The food is average at best. Visited in early April when outside temperature was in the 50s, yet they had the front and back door open. The place was cold. Needed to request that they close the door. Very bizarre place! read more

I love a good "greasy spoon." Not this one. A cat moves in and out of its bed next to one of the tables. A waitress yelled at the manager the entire time. I couldn't hear myself think. The chef did a decent job, but there was a lot of that gushy white stuff in my undercooked eggs. I was worried the cat was going to jump on my food or worse the whole time. Something I didn't recognize was floating in my tea. read more

The same waitress has a very bad attitude every time we visit. This will be the last time that I go to this place. It is unfortunate because the food is good, but when the service is always horrible and served with a frown, I would rather take my money somewhere else. My husband likes the neighborhood feeling of this restaurant and this is the only reason I have been tolerable of her bad attitude. This is the first one star that I have ever given to a restaurant. read more

**DISCRIMINATION for Deaf** I am deaf and American Sign Language user, and I just want to get food, but I never get it. A woman with glasses worker ignored me after I tried ordering on the menu with my finger pointing at it. I waited for almost 15 minutes without any food, even though other customers who arrived later received their meals. I felt like the worker thought I couldn't speak. She stubbornly used her voice to me after I told her I was deaf, but nothing changed. After that 15 minutes, I left the restaurant. I was surprised to find that business was popular in DC, but it turned out to be a big disappointment. (I'm not criticizing the famous cat. The cat is beautiful) Come on, you can't discriminate against us in 2025... read more

Yesterday, we had a very disappointing experience at Pete's Diner. Capital Hill Hotel gave us breakfast vouchers since their own dining area is under construction, but unfortunately, Pete's was a poor choice. The diner is extremely dirty--the floors, vents, and overall environment are not well maintained, and at one point, I even noticed cat food on the ground. Service was terrible. We waited more than 50 minutes before anyone took our order, and when the food finally came, it was not good at all. While we were there, two other customers actually walked out because they never received service. I also witnessed another customer give the server his voucher, only to be charged anyway. When he complained, she refused to correct it, so he left and later returned with someone else to demand his money back. This place clearly has serious cleanliness and service issues. When I returned to the hotel to complain, the front desk told me I wasn't the only guest with this experience--they've received several similar complaints. If you're considering using your voucher at Pete's, I strongly recommend avoiding it go somewhere else. read more

5 stars for ambience, service, and staff. 2 stars for food. Though delicious, the portions were disappointing. I have been to many places that served more for the same price. read more

I visited Pete's Diner with a colleague recently who introduced me to the veggie combo - it's not on the menu but it's delicious! He told me it changes daily or weekly and you never know what you're going to get but it's always good - and he was right! It was a hearty portion and super flavorful. I'm not vegetarian or even a big veggie lover but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked everything that came with my combo, especially the eggplant. read more

Pete's Diner - Veggie combo - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went to breakfast here with the family. We were waved in by an older gentleman who didn't even work there, telling us how good the food was. Service was professional and quick, the staff being exceptionally kind and social. The food was simple, but still tasted very good! I myself ordered some pancakes, which were notably very good. The only complaint I have was the outdoor seating, the tables being a bit wobbly and made of metal (in the sun). Over all, the environment was great, the staff kind, and the service quick. read more

Pete's Diner - My meal at the restaurant - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Ruben sandwich was terrible as well as the chili beans. The grill cheese sandwich was good although a simple dish

My son flew in from Athens, Greece and he was craving an American breakfast with bacon big time. He loved his dish and was super happy. Very fast service, but our waitress was not the friendliest. I ordered the egg white omelet which was great, but I ended up getting some Wonder bread-looking toast when I asked for an English muffin. Overall nice people and ok ambiance. read more

This is a typical old style diner,just like back in the day. It's a small place with tables and counter service. There is a person working a large grill cooking up eggs bacon and other breakfast items. The rest of the kitchen is off to the side hidden behind a curtain. They have a large selection of lunch time food, it's a dinner they have just about everything. My wife got one of the specials, grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup. I just had the soup. I am pretty sure it was homemade. Lots and lots of veggies, noodles, and chunks of real chicken. The place was packed but the service was very good. If your up near the Hill give Pete's a try, you will be glad you did. read more

Pete's Diner - a grilled cheese sandwich on a plate - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It's like a cafeteria for tourists and congressmen, a small neighborhood mom and pop diner with a homey atmosphere. The prices are inexpensive and the food, like mom's home cooking, good and decent, but nothing fancy. It's more for the ordinary daily routine meals rather than a treat. I used to come here every day for breakfast and often saw House Speaker John Boehner and his security details . This was the first time I came back since the Pandemic. We ordered: 3*Korean Bulgogi: recommended by my friend and I didn't see it on the menu - salad with kimchi: tasty and light. 3* Vegetarian Combo: served with brown rice, mushrooms, string beans and cabbage - healthy and light. read more

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TLDR: left when cat pooped in the floor I've been to Pete's before and loved it... but today, I had to walk out. When we arrived, my fiancé and I spent a few minutes outside trying to figure out how to get into the restaurant without allowing this big cat that was loitering outside in. Much to our surprise, a restaurant employee opened the door for us, letting the cat in, and said "don't worry about the cat, he's ours." At that point, I started to feel gross - especially because I'm really allergic to cats. Then, as we were picking our seats, we considered the only open booth - until we saw the cat-hair filled cushion in the booth and a note that the seat was reserved for the cat. Then we looked to the bar - but one of the stools was also reserved for that cat... As we debated our options, a booth opened up! We made our way to the booth and we're about to sit down, until we saw the cat underneath it. And the cat wasn't just lying under the table - it was pooping. We left promptly and will not be returning to Pete's. Not sure how the health department hasn't gotten wind of this, but something needs to change. read more

Steak was like leather, chipped coffee cup, Ruben super dry.. felt like a dirty diner

The best spot for diner food at such cheap prices! Definitely recommend sitting at the bar. read more

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Firstoy the food was good but the cups they gave us was dirty the waiter was very rude. I the look had you unsure if you should go in. The waiter didn't have gloves on for anything she transitioned from one job to the next never washing her hands. read more

The breakfast food is outstanding, great portions, the staff are fantastic and friendly, can't wait to go again....

Get the veggie combo! It changes daily and is always excellent. This place is a hill classic for a reason-ignore the reviews from tourists.

I read in the Library of Congress every week, and I always eat lunch here. The Veggie Combo is great; a kind of Asian-inspired rice, fried vegetables, and tofu dish, everyday is uniquely different. I've also once in a while had an omelet or pancakes, and they are great. Pete's is such a warm, friendly, efficient place. read more

Food: It's a cafe'. The breakfast burrito was received like a Taco. The substance was good. The potatoes were good Cheese burger..frozen patties Chicken tenders...not the best. Could add some seasoning Service: Good Ambiance: Small cafe' with room to sit. Tight seating in some areas read more

Awesome breakfast and fast service, great find in DC for reasonable prices, went several time read more

Pete's Diner - Ham and cheese omelette was delicious, coffee was great - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ok, don't blink or you'll miss Pete's and that would be a shame if you want a good hearty breakfast. A kitschy atmosphere to be sure, and the servers won't spend much time getting to know you, but for a decent greasy spoon meal, if your in Capitol Hill you'll like stopping at this small local haunt read more

Pete's Diner - Turkey bacon, egg and cheese sandwich - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Nice folks working there, small portions, inexpensive. Problem with my salad - they tossed it and made a completely new one, were apologetic about it and provided a nice discount. If you're hungry, nearby and need something quick and inexpensive, this is the place for you. read more

Fast service, comfort food, cozy and convenient location for visitors of Capitol Hill. Price is reasonable, chilly is spicy and great for a cold winter day. Will visit again. read more

One of the most disgusting restaurants I've been to in my life. I felt physically ill due to the smell, the sticky tables, and the obviously not washed cutlery. DO NOT COME HERE!!! I don't care if people love this local diner, it's horrific. The food is mediocre at best, you're lucky if it's cooked all the way. I BEG OF YOU DO NOT COME!!! I almost threw up and had to take a break halfway through my meal to get some air. read more

I loved the unique decor and ambiance. The family cat was also nice. It is clearly family run and the service is very nice and efficient. The food is great. It has a home cooked feel to it. For tourists who want to have home cooked American food at decent portions, this is the place. read more

This is a diner that was probably great ten years ago, but has been clearly in a state of decline. It's probably a two star place now, but the way it's trending, it's gonna be one star quality within six months. What's the issue? 1) The place is filthy. Our table was just vacated so we asked for the server to wipe it when the server came to take our order (sad that you have to ask for this). She grabbed some grungy cloth and wiped the table, but all it did was leave the table with a fine layer of grease. They have a dozen bottles of stuff on the tables, and they're all Ali melt with oil or grease. Except the two corn syrup containers (not even Aunt Jemima, which I though was the low bar for diners). They were all sticky with syrup. There was such a build-up of sugar stuck to the top that the sugar would barely come out. 2) No small packages of jams, peanut butter, or anything for roasts. If you ask as my wife did, they bring out a tiny bowl with some jam scooped into it. They probably just dust costs by buying big jams at Costco and scoop some out when a customer asks to save a few pennies. Do health regulations even allow this??? Given the cleanliness of the other stuff on the table, I must say I certainly had concerns over this practice. 3) I ordered a tea and it was served in a to-go cup. If I wanted this I would have gone to a Starbucks. 4) the plastic water glasses had the rims all nicked and dinged beyond the point where they should be replaced. You might think it's worth putting up with a bit of the above because the owners are focused on keeping costs low. Well, you'd be wrong there. Our two plates of food were $9.75 each and the hot beverages $2.75. Unless you have a thing for disgusting, filthy greasy spoons, stay far away from this place. read more

Pete's Diner - Gratuity must be built into these prices - Diners Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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food was yummy. service was quick. relatively cheap. make sure you say hi to the cat he is friendly

Stopped in for breakfast and had a couple eggs over easy and potatoes. It was good and eggs cooked correctly. The bacon was a bit chewy but over all the meal was good. read more