Tenleytown is AU’s resident college town and a great place to get off campus with your friends without having to ride the Metro. Tenleytown’s restaurants present a variety of different cuisines for every meal of the day and are the most accessible way for students living on or near campus to eat out in D.C.
Here is a look at a few of the most popular restaurants among AU students in order of affordability.
Panera Bread
Price range: $
Location: 4501 Wisconsin Ave NW
Panera is located right next to the Metro stop and the last AU shuttle stop in Tenleytown. Panera is a great place to work while you eat; it has outlets and free Wi-Fi, which makes doing homework feasible in an off-campus environment. On the other hand, it’s also a fun place to hang out with your friends for an affordable meal. The Panera location in Tenleytown also delivers for days when you’re feeling under the weather and in need of some chicken noodle soup brought right to your door.
Z-Burger
Price range: $
Location: 4321 Wisconsin Ave NW
If you’re looking for a quality fast-food burger place, then head over to Z-Burger. At Z-Burger, you can use your Blue Crew card -- given out during Welcome Week events -- to get up to a 15 percent discount on your order. It is closer to the Washington College of Law than it is to the Metro stop, so if you’re looking for it, get off at the WCL shuttle stop and walk across Wisconsin Avenue. Z-Burger is the ideal place to treat yourself to some good old fashioned burgers, fries and milkshakes, including their creamy peanut butter shake.
Beefsteak
Price range: $
Location: 4531 Wisconsin Ave NW
For those of you who are vegetarians, vegans or just a big fan of vegetables, Beefsteak is the place for you. Located closer to the Metro stop near Panera, Beefsteak offers customers a menu of bowls, soups and sandwiches. The customizable bowls consist of greens, a homemade sauce, veggies and meat if you choose to add it. Beefsteak does not accept EagleBucks, the pre-paid dollars you can use for off-campus food, but it delivers, making it a great option for days when you don’t feel like leaving your room.
District Taco
Price range: $
Location: 4600 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite A
As you can probably gather from the name, District Taco is known for their tacos. Located on the opposite side of Wisconsin Ave from the Tenleytown-AU Metro stop, District Taco has a fixed menu of food to choose from, as well as the option to create your own. They have a great deal for tacos—two for six dollars or three for eight—and if you show up in costume on Halloween, you get a free burrito!
Guapo’s
Price range: $$
Location: 4515 Wisconsin Ave NW
Guapo’s is a sit-down restaurant that specializes in Tex-Mex cuisine located next to Beefsteak. When the weather is nice, there are tables outside for enjoyable outdoor dining. Guapo’s is the perfect place to bring your family when they come to visit, or to sit down and enjoy an affordable meal with your friends. For those who are 21 and up, Guapo’s also has a wide selection of alcoholic beverages and is known for happy hour margaritas.
Satay Club
Price range: $$
Location: 4654 Wisconsin Ave NW
Satay Club is the perfect place for AU sushi lovers. Satay Club is a great sushi place, located near the end of Tenleytown, closest to Friendship Heights. If you don’t like sushi, Satay Club has many other types of Asian cuisine. You can sit down and eat, order take-out or have it delivered to campus. No matter which you choose, you’re guaranteed a tasty, affordable meal.
These six restaurants are just the beginning of the options in Tenleytown. Living close to Tenleytown -- and the rest of D.C.’s diverse food scene -- means you will never be short on food options, so don’t be afraid of getting off campus and trying something outside of your daily diet of TDR, Freshii or Global Fresh.
