Bumming Around All Night in the Capital

December 20, 2007 6:27 PM

Recommendation for an all-night place to hang out in Washington D.C. Saturday night that is safe and clean, has wireless and bathrooms, serves food, and will let me stay there all night.

I'm visiting the capital this weekend and I've got a place to stay Thursday and Saturday, but it looks like I don't have a place for Friday, and instead of getting a hotel for one night, I'm thinking of just pulling an all-nighter. I spent a night in a McDonald's in New York one night with wireless internet and it was great. Any suggestions of good places in DC? On a Metro line is nice, but not essential. Are there 24 hour chains with wireless here?

posted by davidstandaford to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

I think a combination of Tryst and the Diner would be a good bet for you - Tryst is a great coffeeshop/bar/hangout spot where the waiters let you hang around forever. It's open till 3:00. The Diner is, well, an upscale diner with equally laid-back sftaff. The ony problem is that these places suspend their free wifi on weekends. There is also 24-hour McD's down the street with paid wifi.

Kramerbooks' cafe may also be open all night, but it seems less like the kind of place to hang out all night.
posted by lunasol at 6:40 PM on December 20, 2007

The first choice is the bar at Kramerbooks (um, not-representative BDSM image on the bar menu page for some reason. It's actully a totally vanilla place in many ways). Also, Tryst in Adams' Morgan fits the bill, at least until 3pm when you could to a venue change. Decent people-watching at both.

Here are a couple of lists (googled "dc late night") that you might want to peruse as well:

Eat Late List
About.com Guide to Late Night Diners
Fodors' List
posted by nkknkk at 6:44 PM on December 20, 2007

Um, that's 3 am at Tryst of course.
posted by nkknkk at 6:56 PM on December 20, 2007

The Chinatown Starbucks at 7th and H St. is open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. Wireless is paid, through t-mobile. Only a couple of blocks from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro. I'd call ahead to make sure there aren't any changes to the hours because of the holiday. Not nearly as cool as the Dupont/Adam's Morgan places, but maybe more familiar.
posted by madag at 9:13 PM on December 20, 2007

Hospitals are safe places, with cafeteria food and clean restrooms. Don't know about wi-fi, though.
posted by Carol Anne at 5:52 AM on December 21, 2007

Have you tried calling around to a Hostel for a place to stay that is cheaper than a hotel?
Maybe one could book you at the last minute.
posted by ijoyner at 6:20 AM on December 21, 2007