Oohhs & Aahhs
1005 U St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-667-7142
Neighborhood: U Street/Shaw
Cuisines: Southern, Soul Food, American
Opening Hours:
Open Tuesday through Saturday noon to 10 PM, Sunday noon to 7 PM.
Nearby Metro Stops: U St./African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
Price Range: Inexpensive
Dress: Informal
Noise Level: Chatty
Reservations: Not Needed
Best Dishes:
Fried chicken; mac n' cheese; Cajun-spiced turkey chop; beef ribs; shrimp with peppers and onions; fried lobster; chicken wings and boneless breasts; beef or turkey meatloaf; broiled whiting; candied yams; cornbread.
Price Details:
Entrees, $7.95 to $24.95.
Why go: The region’s best soul food, dished out from a galley kitchen to customers who josh with chef Oji Abbott as they tear into heaped-high meals. The mac and cheese inspires devotion, fried chicken is the stuff of dreams, and candied yams conjure a homey Thanksgiving dinner.
What to get: Fried chicken; mac and cheese; Cajun-spiced turkey pounded thin and lightly fried; collard greens shot through with vinegar and (surprise) no pork; candied yams.
Best for: A hearty lunch; a comforting, calories-be-damned takeout dinner.
Insider tip: To serve the U Street bar scene, an after-midnight menu on weekends features chicken and waffles—arguably the best rendition in town.
>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here