There is no secret that when you want a real “get back to your roots”, great meal that you go someplace where you can always find the same guy calling out your order to a staff of worker bees.  That place is Market Lunch in Eastern Market.  That guy calling out your order to his crew is Tom Glassgow and he is always pumped up and rightfully so.  He knows his stuff, from his always spot on recommendations of the fish sandwich of the day to his great back and forth with all the customers, he and his establishment are DC!  From the long wooden slab of a table that survived the fire in the South Hall to the long line of loyal fans and soon to be fans to the amazing food you will soon be served this place is everything a neighborhood lunch counter should be and so much more.  Perhaps my favorite part of Market Lunch is the vibe I get there, the warm welcome, the consistently awesome dishes and the fact that fame has not diluted the experience.  I do love the fine dining concept, waiting for months for a reservation, paying top dollar for superb service and rare, seasonal ingredients, but nothing tops the ease of enjoyment and accessibility of a place like Market Lunch.  Not to dilute a recent minibar experience I had, but the one month wait seems to fly by in comparison to the 5 minutes I stand in line at Market Lunch for my fried oyster sandwich and sweet tea.  Those 5 minutes feel like an eternity, my mouth waters, I am overloaded with sights, smells, crowds of smiling, chatting diners, it is truly sensory overload and I haven’t even taken a bite yet.  By the time I get into pole position at the counter I can almost taste the food, the crunch of the oysters, the kick of the hot sauce, the crisp refreshing sweetness of the tea, it is almost euphoric as I utter a few words and receive my warm welcome from Tom.  By now I can see the food and I am down the counter anxiously awaiting my turn to fess up, grab my tray and find a seat.  The rest is history and is something you need to experience for yourself, trust me. 

Market Lunch is a must, get there early, bring cash and go hungry.

In the temporary home of Eastern Markets South Hall at 225 7th St SE, Washington DC

202 547 8444

Open Wed-Fri 7:30 - 2:30, Sat 8 - 3 and Sunday 9 to 3.

Food gets 4 stars out of 5, ambiance gets 5 out of 5 and service, gets 5 out of 5 Tom rocks.

Go to Market Lunch, go early, spend the day browsing the market, live, learn, enjoy!