Food was amazing and from your seat the view of the national mall and Washington monument are amazing!! read more

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In the USDA building. It is a cafeteria with a buffet and a few little food booths. Buffet was $13.99 a pound (added up quick!) but was actually yummy with a variety of foods from chicken tenders, beef stew, egg rolls, beef and broccoli, Swedish meatballs, etc. there was also a salad bar with a decent variety. You serve yourself then a friendly lady rings you up- we did have a bit of sticker shock with $70 for 4 people but left satisfied. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The staff was friendly, especially the cashier. The food was good and relatively inexpensive.

Stand alone vendor at the cafeteria was Joe m my favorite. From the smoothies, to the croissant, waffles and my favorite sandwiches... Love them, and I look forward to visiting the usda building just to get these treats. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Stand alone vendor at the cafeteria serves these yummy items. So goooood! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty good value for the location and it is neat eating in a more cafeteria environment that is a part of the USDA. Great selection of food and all looked to be higher quality ingredients. Service was efficient and met expectations. read more

It was ok. You have to go through security and as a first timer it can be overwhelming. When we got to the cafeteria we didn't know what to expect. Some reviews say there is a buffet but there wasn't one when we went. It was more so the mall type cafeteria where each location served different foods cooked to order. There wasn't any bottled water but there was a machine in the dining area. Dining area was huge with a lot of seating. read more

The salad bar was fresh and the price was reasonable. It was all cafeteria style. Lots of seating was available.

We arrived early on a Friday and no one was here. The buffet was set up and hot-loved the sausage! We enjoyed our coffee and looking at the WPA posters displayed in the large cafeteria. Worth starting your day here at the Whitten Cafe! read more

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Came here as a large school group and it was just chaos. No organization or guidelines. Food was just ok. Tables were dirty, no place to sanitize hands except bathroom. Everyone shares utensils if doing the bowl option. Not what I expected for usda. read more

Unfortunately although open for visitors (enter through Wing 3), the food selection was extremely slim about 5% of what I can see would be typically offered by the size of this place. In speaking to an employee, they said that the place just opened again for visitors with limited menu and it'll be a few weeks before full staff is rehired and they are back to business as before. Bummer! Well, gotta roll with the punches so had the only 2 lunch course options available, Chinese rice/egg rolls/bourbon chicken and pasta w/sauce. Sadly the rice was undercooked but did have good flavor. My hubby said the pasta was mediocre. The bourbon chicken however was amazing! And their dessert option pie was so good, well made and not too sweet. Not the experience I was expecting but then again I wasn't expecting much from a cafeteria setup restaurant. Think hospital or large business cafeteria and that's what you'll find inside, but definitely tastier options than hospital food. Magic answer to the question is... yes I would return again. The food was tasty healthy and better than any of the food truck options up down the National Mall. I would only visit if it was full business as usual, so you can always call and find out for yourself. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Bourbon chicken, Chinese rice, egg roll and pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is the worst food I ever had in my life the. The service was absolutely horrible they tables where absolutely discovered with mold read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - I asked for lite ice cream - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Honestly. Not worth coming here. The food was the same if you went to the grocery store deli

Great food options. The seating area had lots of natural light. The poke bowl was fantastic!

Not open for visitors at this time, info is posted at the entrance which is wing 3 of the building next to the metro; had to find out the hard way, none of this is listed on Yelp or online. read more

This was a great museum cafeteria. We got there at 11 so I'm sure the selection hadn't been mauled by the middle school tours coming through after us but this was a really good cafeteria. Hot food buffet including Chinese food and salad bar were both great. I had a salmon poke bowl which was delicious. My husband had the Korean rice bowl. Highly recommend. read more

This. Place. Is. The. Immaculate. Conception. No one things to come eat here during their visit at the National Mall. Cozily located acroee the Holocaust Museum at the Wing 3 entrance in 12th and Independence, you will discover another Heaven. A cafeteria with a Deli, Bibimbap, Japanese Udon, Pizza, and a hot bar that is comparable to the quality of food served at Whole Foods or Wegmans at a federal price. Jk. It's still kinda price but not whole foods/Wegmans pricey. They have an impressive variety of foods from China to India to Jamaica. Definitely would recommend taking family to visit or just visit yourself read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Spicey tofu, grape leaves, and curry cauliflower - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I accidentally stumbled upon this jem by walking into Way 1 of the USDA south building and asking a person there, "excuse me, I have read many yelp reviews about your cafeteria, where is it?" To which the man responded, "walk out to the the left walk halfway down the block to way 3" to which I said, "thank you sir". I than skipped along to way 3, entered the doorway there where I told the security team there, "excuse me, I am here for the cafeteria I read so much about on yelp" to which they told me to empty my pockets go through the metal detector and then gave me a sticker to wear on my shirt to identify me as a visitor going to the cafeteria (wow that was a long accidentally stumble) Side note: why is it that all these "Elite" Yelpers are always accidentally stumbling upon highly reviewed "jewels" or "gems" it's like do you have no idea how Yelp works?!?!! Like you never used it to find it in the first place!!?!!? (Sorry bitter as I'm not yet an Elite) It's true it's all true, you get what you want in a buffet style place and you pay for the weight, everything is priced equally, so come load up on your proteins!! The food looks more southern themed from what I can see and was quite tasty. But the Asian in me thought "buffet" and got wayyy too much food. It's still great value though. I almost docked a star because they showed me on the scale how much food I was going to put in my body 1.97 lbs!!! I don't wanna see that!!!!!! Just tell me how much I owe... but hey... Murcia!!!! Why not!!! Ate it, but had a Diet Coke to offset, now on my way to Target cuz DC is boiling right now and I don't fit into my swimming trunks read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - I was USDA approved - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The overall 4 stars was a head scratcher. We went for breakfast and it was typical cafeteria food where the chicken sausage was dry, vegetables were bland and peaches came out of a can. The potatoes were okay and can say we at the the dept of ag. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My wife and I came to the USDA Cafeteria for lunch only on recommendation of the reviews on Yelp. Boy oh boy am I glad that we did. You will, too. As other reviewers have noted the cafeteria is "hidden" in the USDA building on Independence Avenue. There are no signs outside the building to let you know it exists. Look for the doors for "Wing 3". You'll need your state ID to get into the building. The cafeteria is just down the hallway from the metal detectors on the left hand side. It's cafeteria style (natch) so you can walk around and see what's available. Multiple stations guarantee you'll find something you like to eat (salads, sandwiches, grill, soup, hot entrees, etc.). My wife and I are big fans of pan-Asian food. So we loaded up our plates tapas style to sample the delectables. Here's the summary: Amazing: Fish in curry sauce. Amazing flavor and spices danced on our tongue and lips. Good: Thai red curry fish, curry tofu, curry vegetables. All nicely spiced as well. OK: Veggie steamed dumplings I'm not sure who they have back in the kitchen here, but boy can they COOK. The food is as good as we would expect in any 4+ Yelp starred Asian restaurant in DC. The food is priced per pound (presently $7.20/pound). Our total meal came to $17.42 (including a fountain drink). The USDA Cafeteria gets FIVE STARS for: food, price, convenience, choice and location. I am pretty stingy when it comes to giving our on Yelp. I never imagined I'd give five to a CAFETERIA. But believe me, this place is worth it. Can't wait to come back for breakfast tomorrow. Don't sleep on this hidden gem right next to the National Mall. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - An assortment of yummy pan-Asian dishes at the amazing USDA Cafeteria. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Standard cafeteria. For me, going to a government cafeteria was an exciting (and surprisingly healthy) tour stop in D.C. To be clear, NOT a foodie stop. FOOD: USDA certified! In the middle, hot food, cold food, salad bar, whole fruits, and dessert bar. Along the wall, more thematic outposts such as Korean, barbecue (coming soon), and Italian. Everything tasted fine. Nothing wowed. It's a cafeteria! American island: At this point in my journey, I was grateful for the chance to determine my own ratio of greens (high!) to starches, proteins, etc. My steamed kale was limp and relatively flavorless, but I enjoyed it for its nutritional value. The "cajun fish" was surprisingly spicy. The mashed potatoes had a regular color but a look of molten tar. That said, it tasted fine. Other options at the station were Thanksgiving like--turkey, gravy, and rolls. A little odd in July, but it is what it is. Asian island: Inauthentic but tasty, as reported by my partner. Everything was doused in sauce, tasted fried (but is in fact baked), and was perfectly satisfactory for people looking for a healthier Panda Express fix. Would skip the breaded chicken items, as the breading was uneven and rubbery after sitting too long under the heat lamps. Drinks station: Water, sparkling and still. A variety of drinks you'd expect to find at any bodega. Coffee. Healthy meal for $8 in the capitol. Much of the food looked a little washed out from the mass cooking and heat lamp process, but I can vouch that it tastes better than it looks. It worked for me, but I can see it might not work for everyone. SERVICE: Two sections! 1. Security--enter from Wing 3 (USDA straddles both sides of the street). State you are going to the cafeteria only. You must have a legal ID to enter the building (and anywhere in DC, I was informed) and have your belongings X-Rayed. Guards were matter of fact but perfectly polite. 2. Cafeteria--very friendly check out clerks and people willing to point you to the civilian line (v. government employee). You can even get a loyalty card if you plan to keep coming! AMBIANCE: All my preconceived notions about a government cafeteria were shattered! It was bright and airy. Herbs were growing in planters outside and coworkers were merrily chattering away in the cafeteria. Water and ice are freely available, as are microwaves for anyone who is packing in. Loved the posters--they at this point have crossed the "vintage" line though I am not confident they were intended to have that effect. read more

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2:30-3:00 "30% off happy hour " After 3:00 everything closed Sushi udon sandwich mac and cheese BBQ pizza Note there are 2 entrances to the building Security check is quick and easy read more

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Just grabbed a yummy salad at the USDA cafeteria- which is back open to the public! It's bright airy and air conditioned! There are a variety of affordable options and plenty room to spread out. Check it out! read more

Oh my gosh. What a find. The only place near the mall where you can get a decent lunch for less than $20. First of all, you need to make sure you enter at Wing 3. This is NOT the USDA building that faces the mall: you need to walk along Independence Ave, and you'll see a lot of bridges. There will be one door that allows visitors. That is Wing 3. You get a fun little visitor's label when you show security, to complete the bureaucratic government experience. The security guards are nice. Inside you get your standard-issue smorgasbord of various cuisines, akin to a solidly middle-of-the-road buffet. The food is actually pretty okay! Good, even! The best part is sitting in the space and drinking in the fine bureaucracy around you. After an entire day reading grand quotes and staring at massive marble monuments, it is easy to forget that even the mighty US government is made up but of fine individuals like you and me. So these are the fine folks who ensure your nutrition labels are up to par, that your apples are worm-free, and who create colourful posters with all four food groups to hang up in your kid's kindergarten class! Ahhh, bureauracy! There are all sorts of fun announcements on the TV monitors mounted inside to give you a glimpse into the working culture of our great Federal government agencies. "Make sure you complete your management training for 2016!" Some vintage posters complete the look - save sugar to save our troops! Quite a fun novelty to go off the beaten tourist path, and a fabulously priced meal to boot. 5/5, would go again. read more

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Looking for a quick lunch while in DC? Look no further than the USDA cafeteria. Our meals were reasonably priced. There is free water and ice. The salad bar was meticulously cleaned by a designated person. Be prepared to walk through a metal detector and get a sticker to wear while you're there. They also serve breakfast, but we didn't get to check it out. read more

This is a nice, quiet place to get a tasty lunch and relax in some air conditioning. The food here is buffet style and they weigh your order to charge by the pound. There was a nice variety of salads and build your own burrito fixings. We ate here mostly out of curiosity, but I am glad we did! read more

This is a 4.5 star public agency workplace cafeteria. We saw the ads for it on the National Mall, but did not know how to find it. One of our group asked some folks working in a garden on some USDA grounds and they directed us to it. It's not adjacent to the Mall. It's in a bldg one block south of the mall and west of the Smithsonian castle. The door is about mid-block. There are actually separate doorways inside for business and cafeteria. Being an agency office, there is screening, but it's not too onerous. Inside the cafeteria is big. There is almost every type of food you can want. The standards like pizza, Mexican, burgers, and deli sandwiches are covered. In the center is a large buffet of Asia, Italian, salad bar, fresh fruit bar, and more. Another buffet has rotating specials. The day we were there, they offered Jamaican specialties. I had the jerk ribs. Super tasty with jerk spices. But I can see why they were not more popular. It's a little bit tricky to eat those with your nice work clothes. As a tourist, it was no problem and I enjoyed it very much. Everything is fresh and pretty healthy. There are very few fried items, if any. Everyone found something they liked. The buffet is very reasonably priced at less than $8 per pound. It's a great place for lunch when visiting the mall. It's a break from the super busy and more pricey tourist spots with healthy options. read more

This was probably our favorite cafeteria in a government buildings that we found on our trip. We were visiting the US History Museum, and took a little walk to get a good bite to eat. Getting back into the museum took forever for some reason... So plan for that But there was tons of seating, the prices were fair and the variety of food was good for a big party where everyone wants something different. We went mid afternoon and most of the food needed to be replenished and the pizza and sandwich place was shut down and being cleaned. But we still enjoyed it. read more

The US Department of Agriculture has opened up its cafeteria to the public! It's a true showcase of food. Most of the options are very health conscious. But that doesn't make it awful. The USDA is showing off how food that is good for you, can also taste great. There is an unexpectedly large amount of variety offered. The main feature is the buffet-style service. It is sold by weight for breakfast and lunch. ($6.20/lb for breakfast, $7.20/lb for lunch.) I was there for lunch, and the offerings were incredible. You can choose from an international selection of hot and cold dishes. Who knew pesto pasta goes well with vegetarian dumplings? If the buffet doesn't entice you, you can pick up made-to-order items instead. There are Asian, Mexican, Italian and Deli stations where chefs will whip something up fresh for you. Those items are priced individually. But your best bet for food variety and pricing is the buffet. It's not all-you-can-eat, you pay by weight. That's probably because the USDA wants to keep you healthy. Enter the cafeteria through the USDA Visitor Entrance on Independence Avenue, Wing 3. Like many Washington government buildings, you'll have to pass through a security check. You'll quickly forget that minor inconvenience after you sit down to eat. read more

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If you are in the vicinity of Bureau of Engraving or Holocaust Museum, not a bad option for lunch. Who wouldn't want to check out what the USDA is serving?? Better than average cafeteria with a lot of options, but you need to get here before say 130p. They close at 3pm, but at 2p all the food is old & dry and they start packing it all up, so it's slim pickin's... read more

We visited DC earlier this month and this was the worst food experience of the trip. Once we visited this restaurant, we choose to eat hot dogs at the food trucks for lunch. To begin with, you need to go through security to enter the building. The food looked very good, but when you ate, it was like school cafeteria food. The sweet potato casserole had TOO much nutmeg in it. The fried chicken was okay. read more

Found this thanks to yelp, this cafeteria found in the USDA building was a find. After visiting the Holocaust Museum, in an effort to avoid another hamburger for lunch, we popped in here. We were surprised at the variety of food offerings and especially happy to find a great salad bar. Great option to the offerings in the National Museums or food trucks around the mall. read more

Food does not get more officially mandated than this! All USDA certified by the American agriculture department. Hot foods and cold are $7.20/lb. love the dining hall! read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - $7.20/lb hot & cold foods (3.99 naked) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We just spent a few days in DC (our first time ever) and spent most of the time around the mall. Husband has a hard time getting around so I try and use Yelp as often as possible. I saw the reviews for the USDA cafe and we were just down the block. Thankfully several people gave great hints on how to find the entrance. Wish we found this little gem earlier! The selection was fantastic, the food was above average, and the price was so reasonable. You won't be disappointed. read more

Wow...that got garbled. .. here's the edit. First directions to this place are horrible. The entrance is about the middle of the block. It's labeled Wing 3, but it's less a wing and more just an entrance. You DO have to go through security of course as with so many places in DC. That said. It is a potentially inexpensive stop. But I don't think the food is all that and a bag of chips. I got an odd mix of stuff. But they do have a very nice salad bar in a very nice fruit bar. Neither of which I partaked from The spicy meatballs tasted prefabbed. Which, if intentional they did a good job. They don't have a terrible flavor it's their texture that's odd. The curried cauliflower was just wrong. It's like they took very very lightly blanched cauliflower and sprinkled curry powder over it. That's not really how that's supposed to be done. The mashed potatoes had a good texture but they were kind of bland. The turkey gravy did not help much. A little heavier hand on the spices guys and it would help a lot. But we Southernersdo know how to do Turkey better than you yankees The ginger in miso white fish. It tasted like ginger and miso whitefish. Needs more ginger and a dash of hot sauce of some sort would have bumped it up. Skip the pork roast. They either need to cook it less, or braise it much longer. It didn't taste of much, which is a problem with American pork as much as the way it's cooked. The brisket was pretty. And it was flavorful. But it needed at least two, maybe 4 more hours in a smoker to make it right. And finally , the hot and sour soup was actually really good. It is a good place to Hole up as it is air-conditioned. I'llput it a step above good school cafeteria food, and almost on par with Luby's on most things. So while the experience of eating in a government cafeteria might be four stars. I'm having a hard time giving them three, two and a half is probably about the best I could give them. There are tables and booths with electrical plugs though. Something that is at a premium in the DC area. So if you need to charge your phone, you could wander into here. Have a snack, cool off, have s drink, do some planning. read more

For cafeteria food, this place really has a good selection. Its not the typical chinese buffet that's greasy and gouges. The USDA took all deep fat fryers out of their kitchens, so all the food they have is grilled, baked, or fried without grease. They are definitely the healthiest option out of all the government cafeterias. They have a milk bar which doesn't have chocolate milk but its still good. Go after 2:30pm, that's when its happy hour and they give you a 30% discount. read more

Can't beat the breakfast price of ~$6 per pound (lunch is around $7). They have everything freshly made: coffee, eggs, sausage, pancakes, waffles, muffins. Best deal around. read more

USDA Whitten Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Cheap, omg so cheap. Lots of seating and it's cool to be eating in a cafeteria in DC where people are working. Several options build your own style, or order mexican, chinese or vietnamese food! Security checkpoint to get in the building of course, but worth a little wait to eat here. read more

If you are in DC do yourself a favor and come here for breakfast. The food was delicious, fresh, and there were plenty of healthy options available. All the food was clearly labeled with ingredients. It is cafeteria style and you have to pass through security to get there, but it is well worth it. read more

Tried the sandwiches, hot food, and calzone. Calzone was very good with flavorful crust. Kids liked the roast beef sandwiches. Son liked pasta better than the fried rice but said both were good. Great value and nice stop on our bike ride through national mall. Security kind of a pain. Lots of drunk choices (we were thirsty!) Teen Daughter complaint "only two bars of service in here!" read more

Your greatest challenge is finding this place. Take notice of the map, as the cafeteria is inside the USDA Building, but there's actually another USDA building across the street. You enter at Wing 3; the wings are labeled along Independence Ave. Also, this place is only good for breakfast or lunch, and I don't believe it's open on weekends since this is an office building. Once you get in, you're in luck. You get to watch the gears of government grinding, and eat where the bureaucrats eat. The quality and cost of the food here is outstanding for cafeteria fare. You pay by the pound, so choose wisely. A reasonably sized lunch without drink will run about $10, which is not only reasonable for being in the mall area, but is essentially the only sit-down food option within a kilometer. There was a kale and beet salad here which weighed almost nothing and tasted truly outstanding. Also, quite a few selections of fish. This makes quality and healthy selections easier than even at home. Well done, Department of Agriculture. read more