Community Corner

Dining Downtown at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration

Options near the Inauguration ceremony and parade in downtown Washington, D.C.

Looking to grab a bite to eat Monday near the 2013 Presidential Inauguration ceremony and parade in downtown D.C.? Here are a few ideas:

If you're heading down early to the Mall for the Inauguration ceremony, why not enjoy a fancy breakfast at the Hay-Adams Hotel, where the Obamas lived for two weeks before the President's first inauguration? Parade bleachers will likely block the view a bit, but you can still stroll around Lafayette Square across the street afterward to see the White House. For more information call (202) 638-6600.

Breakfast hours at Lafayette, the hotel's restaurant, are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday. Because the Obamas will be worshipping across the street at St. John's Church, the hotel's front doors will be closed due to security from 8-10 a.m. Arrive before 8 a.m. or after 10 a.m., a hotel spokeswoman said. A sampling from the menu: Cornflake Crusted Cranberry Focaccia French Toast: $16; the Applewood Smoked Bacon: $5.25; Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: $6 and a Latte: $6.

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Looking for a view? Try breakfast starting at 7 a.m. at the W Hotel's J&G Steakhouse, 515 15th St. NW. J&G and the P.O.V. rooftop lounge are completely booked for lunch and dinner, but you can take your chances as a walk-in, a spokeswoman said Friday. They'll be serving appetizers and drinks from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. at the rooftop bar. The last seating at J&G is at 10:45 p.m. For more information call (202) 661-2440.

Located on the 13th floor of the National Press Building, the National Press Club's The Fourth Estate restaurant is open to the public. The restaurant is taking lunch reservations for Monday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and still had availability as of late Friday. The menu features calamari, crab cakes, Angus burgers and more. Call (202) 662-7638 to make a reservation.

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Looking for a spot to duck in and get warm, maybe grab a latte and something to keep you going? There's a Starbucks just around the corner from the Press Building at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. Find other Starbucks in the area with their locator.

Old Ebbit Grill, 675 15th St., NW, Washington, DC, near the White House, will open at 7 p.m. Monday and is taking dinner reservations; as of Friday afternoon, reservations were available for 9 p.m. and later. Established in 1856, it was a favorite of Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt. No special menu for Inauguration Day, but you might try their double crab cakes, at $27.95. For more information, call (202) 347-4800.

The Source by Wolfgang Puck, 575 Pennsylvania Ave., adjacent to The Newseum (which will be open only to those who purchased Inauguration Day packages, which are sold out), is all booked up for lunch, but is still taking dinner reservations, they confirmed Friday. The restaurant will close at 2 p.m. after lunch and reopen at 5 p.m. for dinner. The Source will serve a tasting menu as well as their a la carte regular menu. For more information, call (202) 637-6100.

It's not fancy, but you'll find awesome papusas, fried plantains and yucca and other Salvadoran and Mexican fare at Tortilla Cafe, 210 7th St. SE, run by the Canales family. The restaurant was featured on the Food Network's "Guy's Drive-Ins, Diners and Dives." For more information, call (202) 547-5700.

If you're more into Tex-Mex and margaritas, head to Tortilla Coast, 400 First St. SE, which got its start on Capitol Hill in 1988. Fajitas, tacos, enchiladas and nachos are all on the menu. You can order a variety of margaritas by the pitcher. For more information call (202) 546-6768.

Some of the Smithsonian museums and their restaurants will be open during the Inauguration. Standard museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, will open early, at 7:30 a.m. The Castle Cafe is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The American History Museum has two cafes: Stars and Stripes Cafe and Constitution Cafe. The National Museum of Natural History has three dining options.

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