Our weekly search for restaurants that probably aren’t on your radar. As young, broke college kids we will bring you our honest reviews of affordable restaurants in dope neighborhoods.
So we have a confession to make. We reviewed Busboys and Poets, because we were craving breakfast and the line to Ted’s Bulletin was over an hour long. So we decided to head back to Ted’s, brave the line and see what all the hype was about.
Ted’s has locations all over the DMV area, but we decided to check out their original restaurant in Capitol Hill. As soon as you walk in, you’re struck by the place’s unique 1920s, Flapper style diner vibe. If Gatsby wanted to get pancakes after his hillternship, he’d probably go here. The entire front section is dedicated to showcasing their renowned cakes and pop tarts.
Our wait time took about as long as it takes to make and layer a 12-tier cake. Twice. And, we only know that because we watched one of the workers do just that while we were waiting. However, we will not complain about watching a cake being made because it definitely helped prepare us for the food coma we were about to get ourselves into.
With their large selection of food, you have so many choices to choose from. The most popular dish is the “Make Your Mark” item where you get two eggs, a side of hash browns, a choice between any kind of meat and a side of toast. At $9.99, this awesome dish is pretty affordable.
In addition to the “Make Your Mark,” we got the “Avocado Toast” which came with two poached eggs, cheddar cheese and tomatoes. We got a side of bacon, which was ridiculously expensive for the portion, and large pitcher of coffee that was surprisingly very cheap. The “Avocado Toast” cost $13.89, and with the addition of bacon brought the cost to $19.89. We would definitely not splurge for the bacon again.
The food does get a little pricey if you don’t go with the “Make Your Mark,” but we promise it's worth the expense. With great portions, there's no way you’ll leave Ted’s Bulletin hungry. The environment is very friendly and you don’t get the rushed treatment in comparison to typical brunch places on a sunday morning.
Overall, we highly recommend Ted’s Bulletin, especially the Capitol Hill location. With the family-friendly environment, old-fashioned vibes and amazing food, Ted’s Bulletin is definitely a place we will be returning to.
Zak Bedrosian and Aylon Berger are food critics for The Eagle. Additionally, they are the co-founders of TheMove, a weekly social guide for American University students.
