Chinatown
3
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
This small, historic area east of Downtown Washington was once home to thousands of Chinese immigrants. Today, fewer than 300 remain, with most residents living in the Wah Luck House designed by architect Alfred Liu, who added modern Chinese design motifs and red-paneled balconies. Walk down Chinatown’s historic alleys and admire the iconic Friendship Archway, a traditional Chinese gate constructed by the Washington D.C. government and its sister city Beijing, and dine at restaurants helmed by generations of Asian American families. As you stroll around, spot store signs—including those hanging outside international chains like Starbucks and Hooters—written in Chinese characters. – Tripadvisor
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The area
Neighbourhood: Downtown
How to get there
- Gallery Place • 4 min walk
- Judiciary Square • 7 min walk
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3.0
509 reviews
Excellent
62
Very good
121
Average
178
Poor
95
Terrible
53
Jon Ren
1 contribution
July 2023
I would not recommend anyone coming here, this place isn't even a china town at all. There's homeless people everywhere, it stinks. There's group of guys smoking weed outside of an apartment building or store. This place doesn't feel like a china town at all. There's Chinese symbols on store buildings, but you can smell that the culture is gone from this place. Highly recommend skipping this area for your safety
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dennis L
19 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
This area is a sad withered shell of what it once was, and it wasn't that great to begin with. There's a giant fan just before getting off the metro and a colorful paifang soon after. That's where the fun ends. Soon you'll smell weed, pee, and hear shouting coming from different directions. There are some restaurants but those are the only places you'll find Asians. This area is void of any kind of Asian or Chinese culture. You'll find a Starbucks with Mandarin though. You won't find any knock off stores, markets, outdoor grocers, etc. like you would in Manhattan or San Francisco. Just very sketchy characters, some who are obviously under the influence of drugs. My young daughter saw a man trembling uncontrollably as he walked. A fight broke out as we walked back and she was actually shoved. Terrified, we got the F out. NEVER again.
Written 1 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Princess
Washington DC, DC256 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
This area really shouldn't even be called a Chinatown - it's embarrassing and pathetic.
First, it's both small (merely a few blocks at most) AND sketchy.
The other unfortunate part is that there isn't much truly Chinese or even Asian in the area. It would be nice to see a Chinese/Asian supermarket like 99 Ranch, Great Wall, or even some family owned shops.
If you really want anything Chinese in the area, you're better off going to Rockville, Maryland... or New York City for better Chinatowns.
I really hope they can improve the DC Chinatown one day!
First, it's both small (merely a few blocks at most) AND sketchy.
The other unfortunate part is that there isn't much truly Chinese or even Asian in the area. It would be nice to see a Chinese/Asian supermarket like 99 Ranch, Great Wall, or even some family owned shops.
If you really want anything Chinese in the area, you're better off going to Rockville, Maryland... or New York City for better Chinatowns.
I really hope they can improve the DC Chinatown one day!
Written 14 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel L
Apex, NC821 contributions
May 2021
The area at this point really shouldn't be called Chinatown. I heard that there used to be some authentic feel to the area, but nowadays there is almost zero it seems. Spent some time walking through, it is all just generic non-Chinese businesses and restaurants that arbitrarily just have some Chinese lettering on the signage. There's a point where you just honestly drop the lettering and the facade, and rebrand as something else.
Written 25 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela S
Ada, OK4 contributions
Apr 2022 • Business
This is the only neighborhood I did not feel safe in. Very sketchy people walking around and it was not clean. The metro stop was smelly and as soon as you stepped off the subway you could tell it wasnt a good area. We visited in middle of the day and I did not feel safe.
Written 12 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveldadvisor
21 contributions
Oct 2021
Chinatown in DC is straight trash! Do NOT make the mistake of bringing your kids here. Aggressive vagrants and what appeared to be multiple drug deals, all within one block. Nothing of cultural interest there other than the Friendship Archway (google it if you want your own picture). Stay away.
Written 4 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jack
Old Bethpage, NY3,388 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Chinatown in Washington DC is the historic neighborhood where thousands of Chinese immigrants lived. In this neighborhood, all stores and restaurants are written in Chinese, and there are many Chinese restaurants to eat at. I recommend stopping here on your next visit to DC.
Written 26 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lisaleilani79
Camp Lejeune NC4 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
Skip this stop! So much more in DC to see. We got off the Metro, came up the escalator and were greeted with gang activity, homeless asking for money ((not nicely)) and a very bad smell. We turned around and jumped on the Metro to a different location!
Written 6 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YourHelpfulWendy
Miami, FL2,321 contributions
July 2021 • Family
Queen lindo! What a nice place to visit in Washington DC.
I loved all the beautiful buildings here and all the restaurants and shops here too.
We got our boba tea here and end up going to the portrait museum too.
I loved all the beautiful buildings here and all the restaurants and shops here too.
We got our boba tea here and end up going to the portrait museum too.
Written 6 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eric1963
va beach55 contributions
Spring break to DC. Had wife and 4 kids (13,11,5,3). Went to Chinatown for lunch. Bad mistake. Food at Wok and Roll Rest not great
...service poor. Chinatown does not seem to be the safest place to go. Many people asking for handouts and hanging around corners. Made
me very uncomfortable. Save a trip and go else where. Nothing really worth seeing.
...service poor. Chinatown does not seem to be the safest place to go. Many people asking for handouts and hanging around corners. Made
me very uncomfortable. Save a trip and go else where. Nothing really worth seeing.
Written 6 April 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry, I do not know that, but I saw many places for handicapped P in DC.
Written 2 March 2019
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