clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Photo: Shilling Canning Company

Fries Aren't an Afterthought at These Places

These little fried spuds are getting the attention they deserve.

View as Map
Photo: Shilling Canning Company

At many restaurants, french fries are a ubiquitous side that frequently get overlooked for a juicy burger or stacked sandwich. But it's hard to think of many main dishes without automatically considering its partner in crime—the french fry.

Whether you prefer them skinny and shoe-string style, or thick and triple-flashed fried, there there are plenty of D.C. restaurants that put painstaking effort into this humble side dish. Here are the best places in D.C. where fries alone make the visit worth it.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

The Eleanor Silver Spring

Copy Link

This arcade-bar concept is the latest addition to downtown Silver Spring, and one of the early favorites, so far, is the loaded chili cheese fries for $7.

Republic

Copy Link

Who says fries can’t come in a salad? At this Takoma restaurant and bar roasted fingerling sweet potatoes are added to a salad with arugula, dried cranberries, dill, shaved fennel, pickled mustard seeds, and pecans, with an apple cider vinaigrette. Of course, hand-cut french fries also come served as a side on the snack menu.

Buck's Fishing & Camping

Copy Link

Buck’s twice-fried, hand-cut french fries are the perfect accompaniment when the mood for a fancy burger or steak strikes. Both the dry-aged burger and New York strip come served with a hefty side of spuds.

Photo courtesy: Buck’s Fishing & Camping

Medium Rare

Copy Link

When the entire menu consists of steak and fries, the fries better be good. Luckily, Medium Rare delivers with their crispy, skinny version.

The Thirsty Crow

Copy Link

Chef James Wozniuk goes north to Maine, sourcing Kennebec potatoes, for his hand-cut spuds that are blanched then dunked in the deep fryer.

Primrose

Copy Link

Need a wine and fry break? Head to Brookland’s French brasserie, Primrose, which specializes in thick pommes frites for $8. It’s also comes with the restaurant’s namesake burger for $17.

Ben's Chili Bowl

Copy Link

U Street landmark Ben's Chili Bowl is now also on H Street and in Arlington and Reagan National Airport. At each location, diners can order the restaurant's famous chili-cheese fries (aka the works).

60th Anniversary Celebration of Ben’s Chili Bowl Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Compass Rose

Copy Link

The 14th Street eatery that is all about street food from around the world, including Spanish-style potatoes, known as patatas bravas, which come with an aioli dressing for $8.

Amsterdam Falafel

Copy Link

When the munchies hit, order the "frieten", which are the restaurant's double-fried fries. It’s a side that typically accompanies falafel and shawarma at this late-night eatery, now with three locations in DC: Adams Morgan, 14th Street, and L’Enfant Plaza.

Brasserie Liberté

Copy Link

The fries at Brasserie Liberté are a labor of love. Chef Jaryd Hearn attempted 77 tries before finding his perfect recipe. The secret, each spud is soaked for 24 hours to remove starches, resulting in a french fry that’s crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside.

Blue Duck Tavern

Copy Link

Not once, not twice, but three times is the charm when it comes to cooking Blue Duck Tavern's hand-cut, duck-fat fries that are served extra thick.

Bourbon Steak

Copy Link

Diners have to keep themselves from filling up on Bourbon Steak's trio of duck-fat fries and dipping sauces.

Brasserie Beck

Copy Link

Belgian frites tend to be a solid variation on French fries, and Brasserie Beck's dipping sauces help take them up another notch.

Buffalo & Bergen

Copy Link

With a throwback diner vibe and Jewish deli staples, Buffalo & Bergen is a welcome addition to this sleepier part of Capitol Hill. And as you would expect any diner to have, there’s counter service and expertly cooked french fries for breakfast and lunch.

Shilling Canning Company

Copy Link

The thick-cut fries ($9) are described as something akin to potato chicharrones. The process is multi-layered. First, the fries are steamed, frozen, and fried at a slow temperature, before being frozen again and fried one final time.

The Eleanor Silver Spring

This arcade-bar concept is the latest addition to downtown Silver Spring, and one of the early favorites, so far, is the loaded chili cheese fries for $7.

Republic

Who says fries can’t come in a salad? At this Takoma restaurant and bar roasted fingerling sweet potatoes are added to a salad with arugula, dried cranberries, dill, shaved fennel, pickled mustard seeds, and pecans, with an apple cider vinaigrette. Of course, hand-cut french fries also come served as a side on the snack menu.

Buck's Fishing & Camping

Buck’s twice-fried, hand-cut french fries are the perfect accompaniment when the mood for a fancy burger or steak strikes. Both the dry-aged burger and New York strip come served with a hefty side of spuds.

Photo courtesy: Buck’s Fishing & Camping

Medium Rare

When the entire menu consists of steak and fries, the fries better be good. Luckily, Medium Rare delivers with their crispy, skinny version.

The Thirsty Crow

Chef James Wozniuk goes north to Maine, sourcing Kennebec potatoes, for his hand-cut spuds that are blanched then dunked in the deep fryer.

Primrose

Need a wine and fry break? Head to Brookland’s French brasserie, Primrose, which specializes in thick pommes frites for $8. It’s also comes with the restaurant’s namesake burger for $17.

Ben's Chili Bowl

U Street landmark Ben's Chili Bowl is now also on H Street and in Arlington and Reagan National Airport. At each location, diners can order the restaurant's famous chili-cheese fries (aka the works).

60th Anniversary Celebration of Ben’s Chili Bowl Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Compass Rose

The 14th Street eatery that is all about street food from around the world, including Spanish-style potatoes, known as patatas bravas, which come with an aioli dressing for $8.

Amsterdam Falafel

When the munchies hit, order the "frieten", which are the restaurant's double-fried fries. It’s a side that typically accompanies falafel and shawarma at this late-night eatery, now with three locations in DC: Adams Morgan, 14th Street, and L’Enfant Plaza.

Brasserie Liberté

The fries at Brasserie Liberté are a labor of love. Chef Jaryd Hearn attempted 77 tries before finding his perfect recipe. The secret, each spud is soaked for 24 hours to remove starches, resulting in a french fry that’s crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside.

Blue Duck Tavern

Not once, not twice, but three times is the charm when it comes to cooking Blue Duck Tavern's hand-cut, duck-fat fries that are served extra thick.

Bourbon Steak

Diners have to keep themselves from filling up on Bourbon Steak's trio of duck-fat fries and dipping sauces.

Brasserie Beck

Belgian frites tend to be a solid variation on French fries, and Brasserie Beck's dipping sauces help take them up another notch.

Buffalo & Bergen

With a throwback diner vibe and Jewish deli staples, Buffalo & Bergen is a welcome addition to this sleepier part of Capitol Hill. And as you would expect any diner to have, there’s counter service and expertly cooked french fries for breakfast and lunch.

Shilling Canning Company

The thick-cut fries ($9) are described as something akin to potato chicharrones. The process is multi-layered. First, the fries are steamed, frozen, and fried at a slow temperature, before being frozen again and fried one final time.

Related Maps