CF Folks Restaurant

I am not sure if I have reviewed CF Folks before, but if not it was because I was trying to keep all the rest of you guys away! How does everyone not know about this place? It is amazing, and I am always astounded by the number of people who are DC gadabouts who have never been. I went there again recently, so this review is based on that visit, but they have always been consistently good. Anytime I am having a lunch date anywhere near Dupont or Farragut, I recommend meeting at CF Folks.
As others have said, screw the sandwich menu (I am sure they are fine) and go for the specials, which change every day. There is some sort of theme or pattern, but demmed if I can tell what it is. The crab cake on bread or salad is always an easy choice, but I would go for something a little more out of the ordinary if I were you. Unlike many places, where the unusual is a stretch and best to be avoided, at CF Folks the unusual is the habitual and as such is to be embraced.
On this most recent visit I had the grilled grouper with chile verde cream sauce, served with a yellow rice, black beans, and mixed vegetables. There was also a side salad and a hunk of bread with butter, for like 14 bucks. This is amazing in DC where 50 for lunch would not make you blink your eyes. So good, I cleaned my plate, and most of the salad. I made my dining companion get the same thing. I have never had a bad/​poor meal.
I also can never resist the teeny adorable fresh desserts, which remind me of something from an Easy Bake oven, in the best way possible. This time it was a berry strudel, made by the Keebler elves. The portions are fantastic, in that I mean they are well considered, not huge, so you don’t feel guilty or sluggish after eating there. The cakelets usually come in a ramekin, and who can resist a ramekin? If you can, you might want to consider that you are a monster.
The place is filled with hilarious nonsense and serious cookery tomes, and blasts opera and symphony music, clearly in tune with the tastes of the owner. A couple of highlights include the lovely staff, one and all, who zip around handling the tiny space with aplomb and nigh unanswerable jokes and insults. I took my son, the Sprossling, one day last Christmas school break, and it was instant love on both sides. They served him a Snapple like it was a Château d’Yquem, and asked if I was his sister, which let me tell you, is a knee slapper to a then 14 year old. They in turn don’t get that many kids, so they had a blast with his delighted responses and crazy questions.
A couple of tips for the noobz: it is ONLY open for lunch. Like, 11 – 2 or something. There is no bathroom, it is next door in the building it is attached to. You pay at the counter. It is crowded, and generally they need everyone there before you are seated. The outdoor space is heated, and cooled, but may not be enough for the picky amongst your friends. It can be a bit loud with the opera and whatnot.
In the end, you don’t go for the delicious inexpensive food, or the plethora of wizened reporters that make it their hangout, you go for the wonderful people and the experience of being part of something unique and interesting.

I’m not a Washingtonian. I live in Miami. CF Folks is one of those places that you want to take home and put around the corner from your house. I had the crab cake sandwich. It was excellent. But I really should have tried the special which on the day I visited was an Indian chicken thing that I can’t remember. The lady next to me at the counter had it and it looked very good.
Had a good time chatting with the Irish guy behind the counter (can’t remember his name). He’s a funny guy with a sense of humor that I like. I have seen other reviews where they call him grumpy but he’s not grumpy at all. He’s hilarious. You just need to appreciate the Irish sense of humor.
I do wish they had beer though. A crab cake sandwich is just not complete without a cold draught.
When I’m in town again, I will certainly be here. Pay attention to their hours. It’s strictly a lunch joint. Thanks CF Folks for making my DC visit memorable.

the steak frites were really good and came out piping hot. however, now we know that our next experience could be better if we adhere to certain expected norms at cf folks restaurant.
i was planning on taking some food to go until the man behind the cash register tried to explain to us that we could eat at the counter, in the restaurant, or outside in the enclosed area. but this interaction didn’t go very smoothly because he had a heavy accent. a local eating at the counter jumped in to try to help. i really just wanted to take some food to go, but then an irish waiter with much more personality convinced us to stay.
next time i’m here, i’ll also have to let the man behind the cash register know if he charges me for the soup/​salad combo when i only ordered the bowl of soup.

No nonsense sandwich shop that does all the basics right and has surprisingly 4 star soups and daily specials. I say surprising because it’s interior is no frills. I love the owner and the counter server. Great Pastrami Reuben and all the hot sandwiches are solid. I am giving it an extra star for consistency and authenticity — DC anomalies.

Fries are sooooo good. Red beans & rice + sausage, french dip sandwich (comes w/​those great fries), and indian-​style lentils w/​fried spinach among my favorites. Soups are often very good, too.
Best to check out their specials before you go:
— and then bring a big appetite. A little pricier than some other lunch options, but worth it.
Wish they were open for breakfast, too.

Lunch counter with regulars and a wisecracking proprietor… but so much more. Ordered off the specials menu and was very satisfied. Check out the eclectic book selection behind the counter (my favorite: the «new» Southern cooking cookbook that looked easily 30 years old. Chat with the owner; they took good care of me.

They don’t make ‘em like this anymore… If you haven’t been, you need to go. Simple as that.

If there was a place I’d like to own, this might be the #1 seed. DO NOT get anything off the menu … SPECIAL ONLY … but this lunch only place serves some of the best values in DC.
If the Steak Frites is on the menu … get it. It is better than Bistro Du Coin + Le Diplomate + what I had in Paris this past summer.

Wonderful neighborhood gem tucked away right in the middle of DuPont Circle. They are always so busy, post their specials outside (which I read everyday on my way to work) and are only open for lunch on weekdays: because they can! The people that work there are awesome — and it doesn’t take too long to get to know them. This time around we achieved to get some of there amazingly tasty French fries: fried in DUCK FAT! :)))) My husband had the chicken special and I had the crab cake sandwich per one of the server’s recommendation. Delicious! My husband developed a good rapport with Art while we were there and as we were finishing our meal, they gave us one of their peach cobblers: to die for. I liked that it was made with more of a cake around the peaches as opposed to a crust — a first but definitely much enjoyed. We will be back again. As my husband said: «It’s quality food with a neighborhood diner feel.»

I had my first and last visit to C. F. Folks today. The restaurant comes across as dirty and cluttered. Very unappealing. Even more unappealing was being greeted by an employee who REEKED of alcohol. He bypassed friendly and landed in the creepy zone.
I ordered the lean pastrami sandwich on the recommendation of the young man working the register. I also ordered the vanilla custard, blondie and two diet rootbeers. The total for my order was $ 18.37.
My sandwich was good. Unfortunately, the way it was wrapped «to go» left half of the sandwich very soggy. It was wrapped with the foil side of the paper to the inside and the insulated side of the paper (which is designed to absorb moisture) to the outside. Very unfortunate. The vanilla custard was overcooked and the whipped cream on top looked like cottage cheese. This could have been from the heat of the sandwich. The blondie was good, but not good enough to go back.
In summary, the decent food and reasonable prices is not enough for me to wish to deal with an inebriated employee. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Great food. But the service was horrible! They treated us like 3^rd world citizens. Guess they could tell we were from out of town. The server was mean to my wife and kids while I was parking the car. Never going back.

Didn’t actually eat inside the restaurant; our office had the food catered for our Admin. Professional Day’s lunch.
We ordered the meatloaf and mashed potatoes and roasted chicken, salad, bread and cookies and brownies.
The chicken was pretty good with corn on the cob and green beans, but the meatloaf and mashed potatoes were SLAMMIN’! It also came with green beans and carrots (whole carrots, not sliced). Everything tasted fresh and homemade! The salad was also good and so were the deserts!
My only complaint is that they did not supply complimentary plates, forks, knives and serving spoons.
I would highly recommend them for any office event!

I’ve probably passed by this restaurant countless times without ever noting its existence. Which isn’t too surprising, considering that it’s only open for lunch 11:30am-2:15pm Monday-​Friday. The lunch specials run out, so be quick. When a colleague and I headed over for a late lunch at 1:30pm, the person just in front of us ordered the last steak fries; my colleague ordered the last leg of lamb; and I ordered the last goulash.
At about $ 11 – 13, the specials aren’t cheap considering this is pretty much a hole in the wall, but still a pretty good value considering what you’re getting. the side salad is simple but refreshing. The goulash and chicken korma I’ve had here was reminiscent of very well-​done homemade food, and from what I’ve heard, the steak fries are a win.
If you happen to be at the right place at the right time, CF Folks is definitely worth a visit.

This place has a modest storefront and tucked in an office building where Palm is also located. It is a great place to have a casual lunch (personal money) versus business lunch (expense account). The prices are reasonable and the food quality is surprisingly good. I tried so far, the Lean Pastrami sandwich which my server recommended, and one of the daily specials of that day, veal schnitzel. Both were very satisfying to me. The service was quick and friendly. I will definitely go back there to try more of the sandwiches and the daily specials.

If you’re looking for an art gallery, you’re in the wrong place. If you’re looking for a sandwich, you’re in the right place. This is one of the great sandwich shops in DC. The portions are right — not huge, not tiny; the price is right — $ 8 gets you a great sandwich, $ 10 gets you a sandwich and drink, $ 12 gets you a sandwich, drink, and side. The fries are outstanding and, frankly, what more do you want?
The service: impeccable. By that, I mean that they get your order quickly, they bring you your food in less time than a reasonable person would expect, and you pay the guy at the counter. It’s a sandwich place and that’s exactly what it is.

VERY interesting place. I find it hilarious that it is only open Mon-​Fri for 3 hours a day.
We got some sandiwches to go and waited in the bar while they were prepared. Prices were reasonable. Serivice was good. The older guy behind the bar who I figured was the owner seemed like a nice, talkative guy.
I had the Reuben on sourdough which was quite delectable. My GF has the chicken salad w/​bacon sandwich which was also LEGIT Chix salad. Fresh, fast, bomb.
If you want a reasonably priced, delicious sandwich/​lunch this is a good spot.

I was wandering around downtown, looking for a place to get lunch outside, and everything was packed. Seriously, everything. Every chain restaurant, anything with a patio was full. After wandering around for awhile, hungry and cranky, but refusing to back down and eat inside somewhere, I stumbled upon CF Folks, and they had one empty table on the patio.
After grabbing that table, the waitress, who was quite friendly, quickly brought out water. I skimmed the menu, and decided to go with the crabcake sandwich. I was happy with this choice, until I saw the waitress bringing someone else their short ribs over cheese grits, and immediately had some major order envy. Then I saw someone else’s burger, and immediately wanted that. And then… well, you get the idea, everything looked delicious.
When my crabcake finally came, I forgot all my earlier order envy. The crabcae was mostly crab, almost no filler, and the bun was buttery and delicious. It wasn’t the best crabcake I’ve ever had, but for the price, it was damn good. Now I just need to get back so I can get my hands on some of those short ribs.

CF Folks serves lunch — and it serves lunch to people who work in the Dupont/​Farragut area — the folks who are eating there value speed and good food, and CF delivers on both. The crabcake sandwich (served either on a bun with a side of coleslaw or on a bed of mixed greens) is absolutely divine, as is the outside patio (certainly preferable to eating inside which is a bit more cramped). I even think the playful staff is adorable — the waitress with the Sartre quote tattooed across her chest («existence precedes essence») and the quirky, slightly sarcastic man behind the counter both give the place a real sense of energy. My one tip is to get there either early (i.e. before 12:15) or late — it fills up very quickly and it’s a tiny place.

If you need to go to the bathroom during your visit here, strap on your trekking boots and gird yourself with provisions for the journey ahead, because it’s on the third floor of the building next door. Is that even legal?
Whatever. Only at CF Folks could Siberian toilets, a cramped dining room, and cranky oddball managers enhance rather than diminish the overall charm. For all their quirks, they make fabulous food, heaping love on a rotation of 10 – 12 daily «specials» that they vastly prefer you choose over their regular menu items.
On my last few visits, I’ve had tender, sumptuous chicken curry; a meaty crabcake sandwich on a perfectly spongy buttered roll; crisp, salty, shoestring fries; and – the one «meh» item – a rather dry chicken sandwich from the standard menu. (Seriously, go for the specials.) Prices are high compared to, say, Chipotle’s – $ 14-​$ 17 entrees – but the food and ambiance are really closer to a proper restaurant’s, so the prices should be judged that way.
Popular with area journalists, this place the feel of a slightly scummier Elaine’s in New York (now closed, but its reputation endures). You won’t see any DC celebrities like you might next door at the Palm, but there’s an unmistakable crackle of intellect in the air as regulars banter back and forth with the managers. If you’re dining alone, you’ll have plenty of characters to talk to.

How in the world did I NOT know about this place after working downtown for so long?
I had been out walking, and was getting a bit warm. Still the rain was coming down, I needed a respite, I needed warmth, I needed comfort warming food. A hunch and some research all pointed to this place.
As I entered making sure to arrive late after the rush, I sat inside with the entire bench to myself. A few phone orders were going out, the place was quieting down. My eyes veered to the diner setting, Gerry Garcia is staring down at me, a barbie doll is in a noose, the Food Meter reads I am on my meds. This feels really good.
I was quite thirsty from a brisk walk and I needed drink. No soda, not alchohol, I then saw iced tea. You got iced tea? I asked. The guy behind the counter looked at me like I was crazy. Sure do! and he handed me a plastic cup, and I remarked «this is unsweetened right?», sure is that’s what a spoon and sugar packets are for! he laughed…
I like this guy already… the tea was a great hit, one smell, and a great simple aromatic black like oolong of the sort came out, it was cold, it was refreshing not even bitter or overly tannic. It was fantastic. Lots of people I noticed ordered this. This had to be homemade and fresh brewed. I am liking the details of this place already.
I was set on some of the cooked meals instead of sandwiches or a burger, and that was a good suggestion I read elsewhere. The menu already showed off sea scallops, 86d. Too bad they looked great from the description. Looking at the food menu items the descriptions were very much distinct from regular diner food. Items were organic, fries were hand cut, seafood was espoused as fresh, homemade gravy, ingredients were emphasized but not getting overly fancy. This place was something interesting ineed.
The warm kitchen menu looked perfect, I was not in the mood for fish (I rarely am), Tacos not so much… then the first item showed it’s place.
Roast chicken.
chicken… my nemesis. I hate chicken, chicken is boring. Chicken is only good dark meat and fried, I would say. I have tried lots of chicken, cooked lots of chicken, and often I am dissapointed. But the signs to it made sense, I needed warmth, I needed juice!
I ordered the chicken.
I figured I would wait a bit, thinking this might take awhile. I figured they weren’t going to whip this out cooking it from scratch in 10 minutes. I was wrong, my plate came out in about 5.
I looked down, surveyed the scene. A nice simple piece of bread and pat of butter. Side salad. Glistening lightly drenched in a simple oil and vinegar, green romaine, some spinach leaves, some simple side tomatoes, a bit of fresh cracked pepper, NO ICEBERG lettuce (thank god). The salad was super green. This is a diner salad? Could have fooled me!
The fries hand cut, oblong shapes, bigger ones nice and chewy slightly crisp, smaller ones just crackle like perfect chips (they just get cold too fast if that’s my only complaint).
Then the chicken, a small ¼ portion, breast and drumstick and full wing. A nice crispy skin, and there at the bottom of the place… juice… glorious juice.
I started with the breast in front of me, the worst kind of meat I honestly don’t care for. My life of chicken breasts has been deserts, stickyness, molar sticky papermache paste, or just raw. The life of chicken and breast for me is pain.
This was anything but. Nice and fleshy, full of juice and texture. I quickly devoured it, moving on to stripping the wings, and the drumstick. Before I knew it, I ate every single warming scrap of food on my plate, grabbing my now cold fries to get the juice hiding underneath all my bones.
This. was ONE dish in this diner. A DINER!!!
If this first dish is an indication of future entrees at this place, then this is a really REALLY good sign. This place is a great example of how to make really good SIMPLE dishes.
All signs point to more glory, and I suddenly felt cheated out of some good scallops. CURSES!!! But oh I’ll be back.
Oh man I am coming back you better believe it!