Atrium Café

Every year, at the end of the year, I reflect back on the worst meal, and the best meal of the year. It’s August and this place is pretty much at the top of the worst meal contender list. This place is just as horrible as it was 6 years ago back in 2019. People of DC love protesting just about anything and everything. Wondering when they would be protesting in front of the Smithsonian to shut down the Atrium cafe. I was about to make a donation of 5 or 10 dollars on my way out to the Smithsonian, but after having food here at the cafe, please consider my spend of $47 worth on the throwaway food as a donation to science.

Atrium Café Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The $7 cappuccino was well worth it—much better than Starbucks! Smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced. The chocolate croissant was fresh and delicious. A great spot for a quality coffee break!

Outrageously expensive. There was very long lines and very slow service. The food was pretty bad, like the french fries where the best thing there but the wait to get the French fries was very long. The burger ($17) was kinda soggy. The cake/desserts were dry and tasted pretty generic. Two people in front of us paid $80 and we (2 people) paid $60. Its depending on which nasty dish you get. We were excited because it was a restaurant inside the Smithsonian, but definitely not worth it! If the food was McDonalds price, the food would be fine. But everything was a 1/5 for me.

After a long day exploring the area, we were looking for good food options near the museum so we were eager to see what the fuss was about. Walking in. I was thinking I was about to fuel my brain with some culture while enjoying the museum. Boy was I wrong. Buckle your seatbelt folks. First, the prices. $4 for a can of water? I expected a gold tooth from T-Rex to be included in the can. We paid $8 for two cans of water. Must be those “minerals added” that spikes up the price. Oh, they also weight the plates and charge per pound so be cautious. Throw in a few pieces of pineapple and call your bank to transfer from your emergency savings. The line was long and confusing. Multiple arrows in multiple directions, no guidance, etc. It felt like my first day of high school all over again. Condiments, however, were a shining beacon in the darkness. The ketchup packets were like tiny sachets of joy in a desert of disappointment. I slathered them on like they were gold dust, because honestly, without them, the food would have probably tried to eat me first. Regardless of that, I am sure my bathroom will be very unhappy after this meal. Just bring a sandwich and water from home and save yourself the existential trauma. A diaper just in case would probably also be beneficial. Actually, just bring a full “museum cafe rescue kit with you to be safe”. But actually that probably won’t be too helpful so just accept your fate and get through it lime a warrior. 😍

1) wait time is long average 10-15min in line 2) food options are mostly junk except the veggies section which is $17/lb 3) all meat dishes were bad and lacked all flavor and taste. 4) food is expensive for the quality but i guess better can’t be expected since they have so much people wanting a lot of food really quickly. The museum doesnt allow outside food and drinks so most folks end up eating here anyway

Terrible. Zero healthy options available. Not a single vegetable in sight. $27 for a cold pulled pork sandwich with soggy extruded fries and a fountain drink. The $20 pork sandwich was a miserable white bun with a scoop of super sweet overcooked dried out pulled pork and that's it - no garnish. All of the ketchup dispensers were empty despite the restaurant being uncrowded. 2 of 3 diet coke dispensers were broken. What an embarrassing overpriced disaster. They are not even trying.

The low ratings are not consistent with the actual food. The food is pretty good, particularly for museums, and would definitely eat here again. It is highly convenient, although it gets very busy for the staff. Timing is everything for getting seats but turnover is pretty high. Plus extra points for eating under the shade of a Megalodon!

We only ordered a bowl of mac and cheese for our 9 year old as she got hungry and wanted something. We had our drinks and snacks from home, as we try to save money. Everything was very expensive, but it didn't surprise me because it is very convenient and it is DC. Mac and Cheese was pretty good. Place was packed with people. If you a family of 3 or 4, it's gonna be very expensive to just order anything.