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best restaurant in washington dc - Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown, Washington, DC

Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown

4.3
4.3
10365 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 126 times today
  • Good for groups
  • Lively
  • Neighborhood gem
Walking distance to many of DC’s historic landmarks, Founding Farmers & Distillers offers a diverse menu including dishes inspired by nearby Chinatown and cocktails featuring our in-house distillery, Founding Spirits. Open 365 days a year, our team is passionate about crafting dishes & drinks from scratch with high-quality ingredients from farmers and suppliers we know and trust.

Join us for breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekday happy hour, decadent weekend Farmers Market Buffet Brunch, or grab a cup of house-roasted coffee and breakfast treat from our First Bake Cafe.

Majority owned by American family farmers, including the more than 50,000 farmers of the North Dakota Farmers Union, our restaurant is guided by a very simple principal: we see and share everything Through The Eyes Of The Farmer.™ We actively care about our guests, our communities, the planet, and the next generation. This all comes together in our everyday

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–11:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–2:00 pm First Bake Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:30 am Buffet Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Sat, Sun 2:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 464-3001
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Contactless Payment, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Joe Goetze
  • Catering
    Our Founding Farmers & Distillers Catering is available for pick up or delivery across the District. Enjoy Founding Farmers scratch-made food wherever you need it. We can also provide full-service catering. Let us cater your next event.
  • Private party facilities
    Founding Farmers & Distillers is a great choice for group and private dining in downtown DC. We have a variety of options and can accommodate 8–55 guests for special events and gatherings. Details on our dining rooms are below. Depending on the day and time, we may be able to host larger groups here or at one of our sibling restaurants.
  • Neighborhood
    Mount Vernon Square
  • Cross street
    6th and Massachusetts Ave NW
  • Parking details
    The closest parking garage is located beneath our 600 Mass Ave building. The entrance is located on Massachusetts Ave NW. The parking garage elevator will bring guests to the lobby. Guests should proceed through the lobby and Farmers & Distillers will be located on the right.
  • Public transit
    Gallery Place ChinatownMt. Vernon Square
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 10,365 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • District of Columbia

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown offers a bustling dining experience with a diverse menu that caters to all tastes. Guests praise the "amazing food and service," highlighting the "friendly and attentive" staff. While the ambiance can be loud, the lively atmosphere adds to the charm. Reservations are recommended for this popular spot.

10,365 Reviews
  1. Saniya

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tourist from Chicago and I was skeptic at first trying as the menu was not focused on “one” cuisine and it was all over the place and my my!!!! We tried the king pao dumping, corn bread, goat cheese burger and beef pot!!! I KID YOU NOT IT WAS BEYONG DELICIOUS. I wish they had a branch in Chicago too I would eat the dumplings everyday!!

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  2. Sakima

    VIP

    Washington DC

    29 reviews

    4.0

    29 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food. It was a busy brunch on New Year's Day. Staff struggled to keep the buffet full. Again, it was super busy. My waitress Sky was great.

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  3. Zenera

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, plenty of options. Just wish they hadn’t overbooked

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  4. Meredith

    New York City

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    I want to start with the fact I have eaten at several other locations before and love it. As of last night there were still reservations available from 11:30-12:30. When we arrived at 11:45, the entry was so packed you couldn’t enter or move. The hostess stand was disorganized and didn’t move with purpose. It took as 20 min to check in and and an additional 25min before we were sat. Buffet I was told would be going till 3:00pm, was completely picked over and not everything was available. The waiter only came to the table twice and we ended up starting with out getting drinks due to waiting so long. The location was severely understaffed and it looks like they accepted more reservations than they could handle. 

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  5. michael

    Washington DC

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    The location of Founding Farms is unable to accommodate my son, who has a seafood allergy. Anyone with a food allergy should avoid any risk of cross-contamination. The manager informed me and my son that due to the severity of his allergy, they would not be able to serve us today. I was extremely disappointed and upset. I cannot understand how everything on the menu is cross-contaminated with seafood. There could have been a way to address our concerns without making my son feel like a burden because of his allergy. As a result, my son left feeling very disappointed and sad. Happy New Year! This was supposed to be a traditional last meal of the year for us—unfortunately, not this year!

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  6. Sofia

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place to eat, wish there was a little bit more food on the plates but overall good

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  7. Mark

    VIP

    New York City

    79 reviews

    2.0

    79 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Founding Farmers was a BIG disappointment. Service was spotty at best. .There was no hostess at the entrance, we waited 5 minutes for someone to greet us. The menu is promising, but the waiter was overwhelmed, took a cocktail order and finally returned 20 minutes later to take our order, telling us that any number of menu items were "sold out" when we tried to order pot roast, lamb chops and a caesar salad. When our food arrived, my son's basic spaghetti with butter and parmesan was cold and congealed. It took another 15 minutes to have it replaced. My fried chicken was soggy outside, barely warm and dry inside, and the grits were lumpy and not so flavorful. They comped my son's spaghetti and our desserts, but the service recovery was underwhelming. In a city with literally hundreds of great dining experiences, I would never go back to Founding Farmers.
    Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: ChinatownResponded 1 day ago
    Hi Mark. Thank you for sharing your experience, and I'm truly sorry to hear it fell short of expectations. It’s disappointing to learn about the service and food quality issues you encountered. We take all feedback seriously, and I'll be sure to share your comments with the team to improve in these areas. We would appreciate another chance to provide the experience you deserve. We hope you’ll consider giving us another try in the future. -Tiffany

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  8. Jeffrey

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Huge sprawling menu. Out of many items. Food was inconsistently cooked. Good for large parties with diverse tastes
    Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: ChinatownResponded 1 day ago
    Thank you for your feedback, Jeffrey. We regret the inconsistencies in food preparation and the unavailability of menu items. We will ensure your comments are shared with the team to improve. We hope you will give us another chance in the future! -Tiffany

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Angel

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    May have been an off night. Noise may have been a factor too. Not a fan. Understanding of gluten free was non existent, can't really believe they get any training on it as claimed. Service was slow, food was ok at best, drinks were very sweet which was surprising being attached to a distillery. At close to a 300 dollar dinner, there was no redeeming quality that would make me believe going back would be any better another time. 9 and 6 year old were unimpressed with 28 dollar steak and fries in quality, taste and portion size. Was attracted by positive reviews online but, definitely not our experience tonight. DC can be expensive but, it should at least be good if I am going to overpay. Much better places to eat for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price. Disappointing overall, but at least we had a couod laugh as we left. Waste of money would have been have felt much worse without that. Grateful to be at a place in life where we can laugh it off and learn a lesson. Would have been furious a few years ago.
    Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: ChinatownResponded 1 day ago
    Hi Angel. I’m sorry your experience fell short of expectations. We take your feedback seriously and regret the issues you encountered. These aspects are critical to ensuring a positive dining experience, and it’s disheartening to hear that we missed the mark. Your constructive input valuable, and we’ll use it to make improvements. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope you’ll reconsider visiting in the future, allowing us to provide the quality and service you deserve. -Tiffany

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  10. Mike

    Tallahassee

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Visiting in town. Food is very good overall. Service was amazing. I would definitely go back if I lived closer n DC. Great night with the family!
    Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: ChinatownResponded 1 day ago
    Thank you for visiting us during your trip, Mike! We're delighted you enjoyed the food and had amazing service. It's wonderful to hear you had a great night with your family. If you're ever back in DC, we'd love to welcome you again! -Tiffany

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FAQs

Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 464-3001.

Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown is rated 4.3 stars by 10365 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 126 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Founding Farmers & Distillers DC: Chinatown

600 Massachusetts Ave Nw, Washington, DC 20001

Additional information

  • Cross street
    6th and Massachusetts Ave NW
  • Neighborhood
    Mount Vernon Square
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–11:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–2:00 pm First Bake Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:30 am Buffet Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Sat, Sun 2:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Contemporary American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    The closest parking garage is located beneath our 600 Mass Ave building. The entrance is located on Massachusetts Ave NW. The parking garage elevator will bring guests to the lobby. Guests should proceed through the lobby and Farmers & Distillers will be located on the right.
  • Public transit
    Gallery Place ChinatownMt. Vernon Square
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Contactless Payment, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Joe Goetze
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (202) 464-3001
  • Catering
    Our Founding Farmers & Distillers Catering is available for pick up or delivery across the District. Enjoy Founding Farmers scratch-made food wherever you need it. We can also provide full-service catering. Let us cater your next event.
  • Private party facilities
    Founding Farmers & Distillers is a great choice for group and private dining in downtown DC. We have a variety of options and can accommodate 8–55 guests for special events and gatherings. Details on our dining rooms are below. Depending on the day and time, we may be able to host larger groups here or at one of our sibling restaurants.
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