Places to study in DC?

October 8, 2009 12:47 PM

Law student seeking nice place to study in Washington, DC - not Starbucks or a library. Any recommendations? Preferably somewhere near a metro and with free wi-fi.

I'm look for a coffee shop that's not crowded or loud. There was an earlier post about this but some of those places are closed and others are in Virginia, which is pretty far for me.
Thanks!

posted by Neekee to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

Tryst, in Adams Morgan.
posted by hilaritas at 12:55 PM on October 8, 2009

Not near a metro, but you can get there by bus: Sova. When my friend was a student she used to drive from Silver Spring to study there. Same neighborhood, people also like Sidamo. And I think Jacob's is pleasant - near there too.

I used to love, love, love Tryst. I just had a thing for it.

Any teaism?

14th & U coffee shop is pleasant too - that is extremely metro accessible.
posted by n'muakolo at 12:56 PM on October 8, 2009

National Portrait Gallery atrium at 8th & F. Gorgeous. Wifi..
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 12:59 PM on October 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

Not a coffee shop, but the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum has free Wifi.
posted by JoanArkham at 1:01 PM on October 8, 2009

I was going to suggest the Portrait Gallery, myself. As a law student, I used to study in the Freer, but it doesn't have WiFi and post-9/11/2001 rules bar large bags. I never used my laptop for study, just class and exams, so I'd grab a book, notebook, cases and pens, sit on a bench in the Freer and study. Get up, stretch, goggle at the Peacock Room, study some more.

You might try the building museum, too.
posted by crush-onastick at 1:02 PM on October 8, 2009

National Building Museum. I don't know if it has WiFi, though. Also, don't trip and fall into the fountain in the middle of the museum, which is set into the floor. Don't ask me how I know to give that advice.
posted by The World Famous at 1:04 PM on October 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

Depending on time of day, the bar area of Afterwords Cafe, in the back of Kramers might fit the bill. It can get crowded and noisy at night or on weekends when the after-work crowd rolls in, but not so much during the day. It's pretty much on top of the Dupont Circle Metro.
posted by toxic at 1:17 PM on October 8, 2009

Politics & Prose is wonderful. Occasionally inhabited by a hipster; however, great coffee and food, and a lovely little bookstore above it. 5015 Connecticut Ave NW. Near Van Ness on the red line.
posted by jbreyfogle at 1:21 PM on October 8, 2009

Tryst doesn't really fit the "not crowded or loud" requirement anymore, from my experience. Even when I've been there during a weekday, it's quite busy. It has the largest number of comfy chairs of any free wifi coffee shop I've seen in DC, though, if that's an incentive.

Somewhat less comfy, but closer to a Metro, is Open City, right by the Woodley Park stop. Peregrine by Eastern Market is absolutely the place to go, though, if the quality of your caffeine fix factors in at all.
posted by EvaDestruction at 2:28 PM on October 8, 2009

I really like Teaism.
posted by k. at 7:29 PM on October 8, 2009

My only D.C. experience is a stop in Union Station while on a cross-country Amtrak trip. But in Union Station, in the middle of the huge open area, there is a little coffee shop which is not Starbucks. I think I remember there being wifi but I may have had to use my cell phone modem. It wasn't a very good study environment though probably. Only if you are inspired by peoplewatching; there's plenty of that.
posted by vsync at 12:43 PM on October 11, 2009