Atrium Cafe

Sandwich shop · Downtown

Atrium Cafe

Sandwich shop · Downtown

1

1201 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Photos

Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null
Atrium Cafe by null

Highlights

Freshly carved meats, huge sandwiches, great coffee, fresh fruit.  

Featured in The Infatuation
Placeholder

1201 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005 Get directions

atriumcafeonist.com

$10–20 · Menu

Information

Static Map

1201 I St NW, Washington, DC 20005 Get directions

+1 202 842 5858
atriumcafeonist.com

$10–20 · Menu

Features

payment credit card
Tap to pay
reservations

Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@infatuation

Atrium Cafe Review - Washington Dc - The Infatuation

"By noon the Atrium Cafe in the Museum of Natural History is packed with crowds of jostling tourists and curious kids. It can be a seriously overstimulating space as you wait in line to grab a tray drenched in what you can only hope is water. The best thing on the menu is the moderately seasoned salmon—but we wouldn't recommend it because you can get much better food around the city for $40, and you won't have to eat it in a plastic chair." - Omnia Saed

https://www.theinfatuation.com/washington-dc/reviews/atrium-cafe
View Postcard for Atrium Cafe

Pretty Pink Addiction

Google
Walking into this little cafe, you wouldn’t expect to have such a pleasant time as folks from the businesses around gather to grab their lunches. A Turkey Burger… added with their fresh basil mozzarella, and the freshest sun dried tomatoes, filled me right up. The taste of the basil, olive oil and sun dried tomatoes still linger, not quite all the way dry so a the chew is pleasant and not leathery. The food ranges but although it is a pretty standard lunch fair, it’s the smiling staff’s faces and their commitment to excellence per each customer that really shines. Several local customers come back and enjoy a bite, not necessarily out of routine but because the service is courtesy and the food is excellent.

Karen V

Google
We originally wanted to try a different sandwich shop on I (Eye) Street. Unfortunately, the line was out the door when we arrived. We ended up at Atrium Café. They have a few outdoor tables, and very limited interior window bar seating. The shop has many grab & go items as well as hot and cold sandwiches, soup, and salad. My husband ordered the Steak & Cheese sandwich. He was happy with his selection. It was made to order. The steak and veggies were grilled in front of us. I went with the Tuna Melt on Sourdough bread. The bread wasn't really grilled. The bread appeared to be toasted. The tuna was warm and the cheese was melted. It was made with fresh ingredients. I just expected it to have that buttery grilled bread. It missed the mark for me. I should have gone with the panini. I'd give it another shot if I worked nearby. The pricing is reasonable. Especially for breakfast. I can see it being popular with the locals who work in that area. I just wouldn't get the Tuna Melt.

Jane L

Google
I need to go here more often. Super simple food counter with great breakfast sandwiches, lunch options coffee, etc. I stopped by the other day bc I went to Slipstream for coffee but their food choices were too foo-foo. I just wanted a regular bacon, egg, and cheese. Looked across the street, saw Atrium Cafe and immediately walked over. Went back the next day for a cheese steak. It was really good but a little small.

LL

Google
Cute little spot that has sandwiches salads and basic convenience store items. Staff is friendly. Super inexpensive breakfast sandwiches I will be a regular for but the “roasted” veggie sandwich I got today was just spinach avocado, fresh mozz and tomato and honey mustard dressing. Tasty but not exactly roasted veggies.

Brett

Google
Breakfast sandwich was pretty good, especially the sourdough bread, but they didn't salt or pepper anything so it came out pretty bland. If you season yours before you leave, it'll be 5 stars food. One star subtracted for blandishness, one star added for affordability.

Waqqas Hanafi

Google
I ordered cappuccino. They gave me black coffee with milk and called it a cappuccino. Where's the espresso?! The word "cafe" is in the name! My tuna salad sandwich was okay. A little pricey tho.

wamatek

Google
What a horrible experience I just had. I asked them to clean the grill because the couple on front of me ordered pork items and im a muslim and cant have the oil in my food. and the girl basically said she doesn't want to waste and that she can't clean the entire grill..... This was a few minutes before I ordered and the lady taking my order wasn't even paying attention to what I was saying she was just doing her own thing. When I saw what they were preparing and looked it was nothing I had ordered. Then all these Spanish women started teaming up against me . It was crazy. I told them I use to go out of my way to come get breakfast but after the way I was treated by the staff I'm never going back here again. They need to speak English better as well. I think being able to speak English helps a lot in life. Not a Muslim friendly establishment.

Martin Gross

Google
Atrium Cafe is a great edition to the I st corridor, the food was great I love the spicy chicken wraps with the fries. The service was on point and worth the tips in the tip mug. The atmosphere was like a cool, hip environment where everyone looks hungry and friendly and speaks to each other. Definitely worth another trip.
google avatar

Karen V.

Yelp
We originally wanted to try a different sandwich shop on I (Eye) Street. Unfortunately, the line was out the door when we arrived. We ended up at Atrium Café. They have a few outdoor tables, and very limited interior window bar seating. The shop has many grab & go items as well as hot and cold sandwiches, soup, and salad. My husband ordered the Steak & Cheese sandwich. He was happy with his selection. It was made to order. The steak and veggies were grilled in front of us. I went with the Tuna Melt on Sourdough bread. The bread wasn't really grilled. The bread appeared to be toasted. The tuna was warm and the cheese was melted. It was made with fresh ingredients. I just expected it to have that buttery grilled bread. It missed the mark for me. I should have gone with the panini. I'd give it another shot if I worked nearby. The pricing is reasonable. Especially for breakfast. I can see it being popular with the locals who work in that area. I just wouldn't get the Tuna Melt.
google avatar

Jane L.

Yelp
I need to go here more often. Super simple food counter with great breakfast sandwiches, lunch options coffee, etc. I stopped by the other day bc I went to Slipstream for coffee but their food choices were too foo-foo. I just wanted a regular bacon, egg, and cheese. Looked across the street, saw Atrium Cafe and immediately walked over.
google avatar

Waleed M.

Yelp
What a horrible experience I just had. I asked them to clean the grill because the couple on front of me ordered pork items and im a muslim and cant have the oil in my food. and the girl basically said she doesn't want to waste and that she can't clean the entire grill..... This was a few minutes before I ordered and the lady taking my order wasn't even paying attention to what I was saying she was just doing her own thing. When I saw what they were preparing and looked it was nothing I had ordered. Then all these Spanish women started teaming up against me . It was crazy. I told them I use to go out of my way to come get breakfast but after the way I was treated by the staff I'm never going back here again. They need to speak English better as well. I think being able to speak English helps a lot in life. Not a Muslim friendly establishment.

Aria L.

Yelp
They will knowingly give you the wrong item. At least 3 times I've been to this establishment they have given me something that I did not order, not even close. This particular time I asked for a blueberry muffin, and was sold what looks to be cranberry. I even asked the man behind the counter (presumably the manager) if he was sure it was blueberry and he said "yes" and seemingly rushed me out the door.
google avatar

Celeste G.

Yelp
If I could give 0 stars, I would - On December 30, 2019, I visited this restaurant to order lunch with a fellow coworker, as my witness. I ordered grilled chicken tacos with lettuce, pico de gallo, and cheese, which came in a small rectangular aluminum container. Upon eating my meal, I discovered a small sharp razor blade lodged into the taco I was eating. Luckily, I was using a fork, but I noticed the blade as my fork hit an unusually hard object in my plate. When I returned to the restaurant to physically show them the blade and return my food, all they did was say sorry and give me $10 back. One of the cooks identified the machine it came off from and showed it to me as consolation, but I find that response to be insignificant compared to my encounter of almost ingesting a razor blade! If you knew your cutting machines were faulty and could easily identify it, wouldn't you think to remove it all together? I am unsure if this has happened to other patrons who have eaten here, but it is frightening that they did not take the situation more seriously. The best they could think to do was give me $10 and an apology. The idea of having a razor in my mouth and possibly sustaining injuries inside my mouth due to such an oversight is beyond scary and unnerving to me. Never eating here again due to crazy oversight regarding preparation of their food, high prices, and unorganized operations. Reported them to the DC Department of Health for further investigation. A razor in a taco! Absolutely insane!
google avatar

Austin G.

Yelp
Atrium Cafe is the person you are dating who keeps on sending mixed signals. Here's how I felt led on by Atrium Cafe: - I wanted something quick, but good for breakfast in downtown DC. As I walked by I and 13th St NW, Atrium Cafe was full of people. A line is a good sign, right? -Then I looked Atrium Cafe up on Yelp- 3 stars. Hmmm... -As I walked in, the coffee smelled good and the sizzling ham on the open grill looked like it was the making of the best breakfast sandwich in the city. The croissant they put it on was large. Did I stumble upon a hidden gem? -I went to pay and my total for a ham, cheese, and egg breakfast sandwich and a medium coffee came to just under $9. Seems expensive. -Then I went to sip the coffee. It was decent. It isn't third wave coffee, but alas. It's caffeine. The sandwich looks promising, but tasted a little bland. I'm still processing my experience and all the mixed messages Atrium Cafe sent me. Who are they really? Age has taught me to not mess around with mixed signals. I'll move on to La Colombe down the road for my breakfast and quality coffee.
google avatar

Bri T.

Yelp
This is one of my favorite salads in the city (when I'm not trekking to find a Sweetgreen). Seriously. Atrium Cafe has really fresh and large portioned salads for $8-9 which you just can't find anywhere else. The dressings are by far the star of the show, and they have so many options to choose from. My absolute favorite is sesame ginger. My salad of choice is the Quinoa Avocado, but I've also tried the Chicken Caesar and the Cobb, which were very good. In addition to salads and pre-proportioned deli items in the fridge when you walk in, they make sandwiches. I recommend the hot pastrami or the turkey sandwich. Just like the salads the portions are great - very big. I usually have an entire half leftover. The line moves fast. Enjoy!
google avatar

Tatyana N.

Yelp
Amazing food! My husband and I ordered omelettes. And to my surprise they were unusually delicious with a pleasant sauce on top. Quality cooking! Great prices too. Outdoor seating was available. Open bright and early!
google avatar

Mary C.

Yelp
abaolutely a gem! cute little shop! HBY and i both had the pastrami! delish! there was seating and accommodating for groups! very clean and friendly!
google avatar

Jenifer S.

Yelp
Had a great turkey sandwich here, I opted for them to put it on a croissant so it was a dollar more, but I really like croissants. The line moved fast and everyone was quite pleasant, even though it was about 2pm, end of 'lunch hour.' They have tables and stools if you want to dine in. Big plus is that stools at counters are on window side so fun to watch street while you eat.
google avatar

Aileen K.

Yelp
Got a chicken bacon salad and for the price ($6 on Mealpal), the portion was huge. It wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing either. It was just a salad. Don't expect to eat here, because it's pretty much a 7-eleven style place: grab your food, stand in line, and check out. There are no seats, but there is a nice circle nearby with benches to eat at.
google avatar

Mitchell F.

Yelp
Great food for a good price in an expensive city. While I was in town for a few days, I stopped by multiple times for breakfast. The sandwiches are pretty big and filling!
google avatar

Matt H.

Yelp
This place is everything you want in a downtown deli. It's so good, I often, accidentally, find myself eating here twice a day. For breakfast, they'll do you an enormous omelet or huge breakfast sandwich. You can go even heavier with french toast or a breakfast platter. All delicious gut busters. For lunch, the menu ranges from Korean rice bowls to fat burritos, with traditional deli sandwiches and salads, as well. My favorite is the pesto chicken melt. I'm addicted to their ice coffee, which is served with frozen coffee ice cubes. They're fast, the staff is friendly, and I've enjoyed literally everything I've ever ordered here. What more could you want?
google avatar

Jackie D.

Yelp
Treat yo' self. This is a great locally owned small business to support. If you walk by in the morning you can smell the whole turkeys being roasted as you walk by and at any given time during the day you can watch as they pull them out of the oven and carve them fresh for your sandwich like it's Thanksgiving day. The sandwiches run around $10 and they're GINORMOUS, it's like getting 2 for 1. (But I always eat the whole thing) My favorite: -turkey -cheddar (extra charge, but they load you up) -mayo -deli mustard -lettuce -tomato -pickle -avocado aka God's butter (I know it costs extra) -CROISSANT ::drool:: The grilled chicken is equally delicious, they put it on the flat top and let the cheese melt on top before putting it on your sandwich, amaaaazing. Much better than any of the corporate options in the area.
google avatar

Hayley F.

Yelp
Super friendly staff! Experience was a breeze, good covid precautions put in place. Highly recommend their breakfast sandwiches, coffees, and most definitely their iced chai latte. Delicious!!
google avatar

Carmen M.

Yelp
The place is just amazing. We wanted to find a place close to the hotel to have breakfast. This placed is clean fresh and serves delicious food. The meats are carved right in front of you, yes they are carved since the make their own. The bread is baked in house. The salads and fresh fruit is made in small quantities so nothing is sitting in the fridge for too long. Their coffee and Chai Latte is wonderful and have non dairy selections if needed. We loved their food that made sure we went again for lunch and the consecutively the days that followed for breakfast and lunch. They never disappointed. Loved by the locals and they will rave to anyone that comes in.

Kayla C.

Yelp
This French toast sandwich is hard to not turn into a breakfast fav!! It was correct portion of everything, very cheesy, not extra eggy & the turkey sausage gave me all that I needed. I called ahead & literally walked in 10 minutes later to my food ready yet still piping hot - they even have the heated syrup for you HEATED! I loved everything about this sandwich, it started my morning off great!
google avatar

Pat B.

Yelp
Solid deli here. They have a lot of options for food and drinks I'm a convenient location. I got a chicken cheesesteak and it was tasty. I also got an iced tea that was basically water, which was disappointing
google avatar

Vanessa M.

Yelp
Food is alright but I agree with the other reviewers that the owners are sketchy with the prices. They always fluctuate and they nickel and dime everything. They are stingy and buy low quality supplies (coffee stirrer, etc). They don't allow you to take the little jelly single servings, you have to ask and they ration one per bread slice. Paying over $2 for a slice of bread, I think it's reasonable to ask for 2 single serving jam containers. Today was my last day going there- I'm done with the nickel and diming.
google avatar

Breana W.

Yelp
It's alright. It's convenient because it's near my job but my first experience with them wasn't good. They had eggshells in my scrambled eggs and when I ordered lunch and got the lamb gyro, it was extremely dry and inedible. I was very disappointed. I haven't tried their whole menu and they don't have pancakes on their menu which I'd prefer over French toast. Everything is good I believe. Just small things they need to fix up.
google avatar

Dan _.

Yelp
Restaurant closes at 3:30pm. Walked in at 3:15pm. Everything had been put away and cleaned up for closing. Asked for a meatball sub, and an annoyed employee made it. Every part of the sub was cold except the bread that went thru the toaster oven solo. Cold cheese. Cold veggies. Cold meatballs. If you close at 3:30pm, maybe be ready to prepare a sandwich till 3:30pm.

D A.

Yelp
Shy don't Yiu answer yiur phone ? Are you open or is your phone broken ? Pls reply we wanted to order food to pick up ..,,Anne
google avatar

Brooke E.

Yelp
This place doesn't get enough credit! The turkey is sliced right in front of you and its still warm in your sandwich! Ask for your bread toasted and its a perfect sandwich spot. Nothing bad I can say about this place - clean, fast, and plenty of toppings to choose from. If you add enough toppings the price can get a bit steep (turkey, lettuce, mayo, sprouts, cheddar cheese on wheat = $9.00) but it is worth it for the heaping pile of turkey they give you. The cheesesteak also looks GREAT! This is a great pick-up sandwich spot and is underrated in the area!
google avatar

HeyKris10 S.

Yelp
A morning staple. The location is convenient and on a block where quick easy breakfast and lunch are needed. The staff is super friendly and quick at preparing orders. The prices are a bit high but you have to factor in the DC location. The breakfast sandwiches are good, the prepared salads in the cooler are perfect, and grab an overly priced snack. But hey...convenient.
google avatar

Toya D.

Yelp
I stopped by for a smoothie after lunch and got JUST what I wanted; an ice cold, fresh, delish strawberry-banana smoothie. YES! There were a few other fruits to choose from (kiwi, blueberry, orange, etc.), but I got what I wanted. It was well worth the $3.95 (small size). I'll be back for more of the same.
google avatar

Bailey B.

Yelp
I guess I'll make myself available to write a nice review about my new favorite weekday breakfast spot!!!! if you work downtown DC you will quickly learn your way around the food scene. early morning breakfast can be limited and BORING!!!! my former coworkers would ALWAYS talk about "The Atrium"... never really had time to find it! my job recently moved 2 blocks up NY Ave which put us in smelling distance.... one morning we went scavenging for FOOD!!!! i smell BACON!!!! into Atrium Cafe we went! we didn't get BACON!!! instead we opted for Veggie Omelettes HOLD the potatoes! add tomatoes! cheese please! salsa on top! WITH a small side of homefries! SO GOOD! FRESH! simple! and GOOD! DO NOT get the girts! Well me personally! I HATE instant grits! SO NO THANKS! other than that everything i've had has been up to par!
google avatar

Pras C.

Yelp
I recommend the breakfast sandwiches which are generously sized, piping hot and pretty cheap. As others have pointed out, you pay extra for cheese. Bonus points for being a small business and serving consistently delicious food but the service really struggles sometimes. I am a regular who buys the same sandwich a couple times a week. Last week I came here at 11:50 am hoping to avoid the lunchtime rush. I stood in line for about ten minutes. The week before I arrived around 10:30 one day and the team was packing corporate catering lunches and made me wait ten mins to order when there was nobody in front of me. One other time, the server made my regular order wrong three separate times. I guess it's a stressful job and you don't get a break mentally or physically from 11:30 until after 2pm. The ladies who make the sandwiches are really nice but you can tell they are under pressure. Maybe this place suffers from having too many customers.
google avatar

Gemima P.

Yelp
Let's start with the positives: I went for breakfast and the food is made fresh, and the portions are good. The price was standard for my breakfast platter, about $6.00. The staff is also really nice. But, this has got to be the slowest spot I've been to. The ordering process is confusing, which then means getting your food is like solving a complicated math problem. The staff get orders mixed up and serve things ridiculously out of order. Also, the grits have literally no seasoning at all. No salt, no pepper, no butter. The texture is good, but if you get them, be prepared to sprinkle a little taste on em. It's decent for what it is, a small deli at the bottom of an office building.
google avatar

Blake Z.

Yelp
Fantastic little deli - perfect for breakfast and lunch. Everything is made fresh to order and the portion sizes are great. Favorite thing is the iced coffee. Instead of regular ice cubes, they serve their iced coffee with frozen coffee cubes, which keeps the drink from heavy diluting on those hot summer days. Space is tight, which can make it a bit claustrophobic when there is a rush of people. People are friendly, place is clean and it's a great value for the money.

Jackie V.

Yelp
The food was hot, freshly made and delicious. The workers efficient and friendly. Great breakfast for a great price!
google avatar

Brittany G.

Yelp
I mean..it's ok in a pinch. The Foods simply too greasy, and overpriced for what it is. I paid $14 for a grilled cheese and a yogurt.
google avatar

Dee M.

Yelp
Came here on a recommendation from a colleague. I had 1/2 turkey sandwich on pumpernickel with cranberry and guac - cause I'm from Cali . The 1/2 sandwich was pretty large, but it was delicious and I was stuffed. Atrium Cafe also offers a nice assortment of chips and beverages. The service was not very good, at least in terms of the woman who made my sandwich. Not sure why she had such a poor disposition that day. However, the friendliness of the two women running the cash register more than compensated for the one server who seemed to have a huge chip on her shoulder Wed 3/16/11. I enjoyed my sandwich, so I will give this place another try. Go for the sandwiches served in fairly quick fashion. Overlook the potentially bad service.

MelLid G.

Yelp
I have been working near Atrium Cafe for nearly 3 years and finally decided to give it a shot. I'm very happy that I did! I ordered a turkey & ham sandwich. They literally put half a turkey and half of a ham in between 2 slices of bread! Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit but it was a lot! The lettuce, tomatoes, and onions were very fresh and complimented my delicious "manwich." It was a little heavy on the mayo but nothing outrageous. With a small soup and soda, my total was still under 10 bucks! Excellent deal for the amount of food you get. I will definitely be returning to try their chicken salad sandwich!
google avatar

Richard W.

Yelp
I love this place. I'm a pretty regular visitor during my lunchtime. They have a nice smoothie section. Smoothie's are made with real fruit and vegetables. It's a nutritious boost for the day. The sandwiches are excellent. A nice selection of meats that are cut in front of you, adding that bit of reassurance that you're not eating warehouse manufactured food made out of recycled egg crates or something. There's also a grill to prepare eggs, cheesesteaks, etc. I order the turkey bacon club on multigrain. The toppings are fresh and you get a really nice portion of turkey. You're definitely not going to leave that place hungry, unless you're a masochist and just want to go window shop. The prices are steep and is the only drawback, which is why I can't give this location 5 stars. Otherwise, this cafe is excellent.
google avatar

Manisha S.

Yelp
My go to for lunch when I'm in the mood for a sandwich. I love that you can see the meat being carved right in front of you. Service is good and they're fast even when it's crowded. Portions are super hearty and you can get half sandwiches as well which is often more than enough! The roast beef and turkey are always delicious!
google avatar

Marilynn A.

Yelp
I was here for Monday morning breakfast. Service was quick and friendly. Restaurant was clean and orderly. The food was made fresh to order and to my specifications. I was very pleased. I was also pleasantly surprised that the mocha I ordered was perfect as well. I can be quite the coffee snob, but their coffee is a safe bet if you can't get your regular brew. Great place to order cooked breakfast or just grab some fruit, drinks etc. They also have what appears to be some great fresh lunch fare. Price was what you would expect for breakfast downtown. This isn't Mcd stuff sitting under a lamp. They gotta pay the rent. :-)...I recommend this place and their clean counter bar facing the street (great for people watching). I'll be back!
google avatar

Ann T.

Yelp
Came for breakfast - pretty good prices overall. I ordered a croissant sandwhich with egg and bacon. It was definitely a hearty meal and all I paid for it was 2.55. Note - When you're making your order, be specific in what you want. Although I had intended to order an egg, cheese, bacon croissant, as was listed on the menu, I simply stated, "Egg croissant with bacon," which was what they made and what I preferred. Another woman behind me requested plain wheat toast, which was again, not an offering on the menu, but what they were able to provide. Pastries looked delicious and fresh and were displayed in the pans they were baked in. Service - quick and cashier friendly. The line looked daunting when I entered the store, but to my surprise, the turnaround was extremely fast.
google avatar

Eric I.

Yelp
Absolutely love this place! It is perfect for what it is, a nice place to pick up a quick bite. Breakfast has good options with sandwiches, pastries and plenty of fruit which I've found to be really fresh. My favorite is their coffee, which is the best on the block (including the new Starbucks). Lunch is cool but limited..but their meat is the freshest around and portions are huge on their sandwiches. Drinks are a bit pricey as well. Customer service is wonderful and they treat repeat customers very well. Overall I highly recommend!
google avatar

Peter S.

Yelp
The food is good but the owner always is not friendly and often charges the wrong price as if we don't notice. Since they raised their prices I have stopped going unless I am pressed for time. I go up the street to avoid being overpriced. I love the staff though. They are very friendly and quick. The food is very good and for a long time I thought it worth the extra price but not when the owner is at the cash register. She often prices it more than the menu price.
google avatar

Linda L.

Yelp
I got their Turkey Sandwich and it is hand-carved Turkey like you wouldn't believe. The turkey's really juicy and the lettuce and tomatoes are as frseh as you could want. Half a sandwich does more than fill me up for lunch. Try their chocolate chip cookie. It's oversized and delicious and the best I've ever had anywhere. Lunch runs me right around $8-$10 here. A little more than I'd want to spend for a sandwich but the quality makes it worthwhile.
google avatar

Chorizo M.

Yelp
Atrium cafe is everything you could want in a lunch spot. All of their sandwiches are great, fresh, prices are low and service is quick. As others have noted, even the muffins and cookies--which are made on site--are absolutely delicious--I mean they are so good----rivaling baked goods that you could pick up at a professional bakery. If I had one or two complaints, it would be that my hair and coat always smell like bacon or other fried meat every time I come out of there, so much that sometimes I hesitate to go in if there's a line. The place is just tiny, and I presume there is nowhere for food fumes to go - maybe a better ventilation system would help. Also, the person who appears to be the owner or manager is very nice, but the other staff is sometimes a little rude and cold and they don't handle questions very well. I would expect they could be a bit friendlier at least with the people they see on a regular basis, that's all.
google avatar

John W.

Yelp
This place is great. Prices are average depending on what you get, but the sheer quantity makes up for any monetary complaints. The fact that you can watch them carve up fresh roast beef, turkey and ham right before your eyes says plenty about their quality. Each sandwich is made with precision that you can appreciate. I warn you though, the sandwiches are big, almost too much meat sometimes if you can believe it. So either share it with a friend, save some for later, or suck it up and enjoy every bite. Great breakfast sandwiches too, hearty and fresh.
google avatar

Clifford H.

Yelp
This is a decent little cafe for breakfast. The food is good but it's definitely not cheap at all. For two breakfast sandwiches, a small bowl of grits and an orange juice I spent $19.00. This is only my second time coming here and I've never gotten anything besides breakfast. The staff is nice and courteous which always goes a long way in my book.

SJ D.

Yelp
I used to come here almost every workday when my job moved close by. The veggie omelet as well as other types of omelets used to be very fluffy and tasteful that it used to fully fit the container. They were huge. Now after trying several attempts the veggie omelet and other types of omelets are flat and tasteless for $5.99 and nothing else comes with it... just an omelet. Also, to be fair sometimes it depends who is on the grill as well. I just know I won't be getting an omelet anytime soon. I have tried their lunch sandwiches and you do get a pretty decent amount of meat. BTW, just because I had a veggie omelet doesn't mean I'm a vegetarian.
google avatar

Mattie A.

Yelp
My turkey bacon guacamole sandwich was pretty good and a decent portion. I have worked nearby forever now and this is the first time I have stopped by here. And this is where my one pet peeve is with the place - it is not very "first timer" friendly. Maybe this is just me being dumb, but I think they need something on their menu that says it is a build-your-own sandwich place. I am so used to sandwich places having a bunch of sandwich combos listed up on their menu already that I got a little confused when I walked in about how I was supposed to order. They could display the the different bread types and ingredient options more clearly too. Basically what their board says now is Sandwiches: Ham, Turkey, other two meats which I forgot. I think they should also list the different bread types, ingredients, and maybe explain the pricing (how much they charge to get guacamole on the sandwich for instance). If they present the ordering information and pricing better I would be much more comfortable ordering from here. Still, as stated before, my sandwich was pretty good and now that I know that you kind of design your own sandwich like at Subway I'm sure I will be back again soon.
google avatar

Jaime L.

Yelp
This place is the third location for the Cafe Atrium (400 Virginia Ave, SW, 1900 Half St SW, and now 1201 I St NW), so I guess their emphasis on fresh ingredients is doing them well. They cut their meat on-site at this location too. Of course, seeing that was fascinating (if a little disgusting for a veggie) to watch them slice it up into nice little heaps of hot meat. I've had the vegetarian sandwich twice - four inches of fresh, raw veggies in moist, but not too moist bread - romaine lettuce, firm tomatoes, sprouts, cucumber, red onion, carrots. MMM. First time, I had it on whole wheat with honey mustard and all the veggies, including avocado spread and cheese. It was good (but it's an extra. 50 for each - cheese and avocado). Second time, I had it on multi-grain bread with spicy mustard. I think my next one will be honey & spicy mustard at the same time, which I think would make it perfect.

lisa k.

Yelp
I just walked over a mile to this place for a sandwich. Everywhere it says it closes at 4. It is 315 and they are still there but refused to serve me. This is ridiculous. Although their food is good, their service is awful.
google avatar

Marcus K.

Yelp
Pretty good coffee and excellent egg sandwhich. The bagels are also excellent. Had the sesame one with cream cheese and it was great. Only drag is that they stop serving bagels at 11 am. After that you can get regular sandwhiches.
google avatar

Serena B.

Yelp
It's a great lunch location and on par with lunch prices for the area. The sandwiches are very good, the turkey and ham are just right (I can't speak to anything else) and there are a lot of choices for veggies and toppings. There is usually a spare table outside and it's a nice place to sit for a bit on a nice day.