The best brunch in DC: Local Favorites.

Unconventional Diner at 1207 Ninth Street NW in Washington, DC, serves breakfast, brunch, and dinner in Shaw, and diners praise the speed even when the room is full. Staff are called warm, with one outdoor manager singled out as kind and attentive.

Chicken and waffles lead the orders, and Cajun shrimp and grits is called rich, steamy, and sizzling. Loaded breakfast biscuits, pancakes, fried rice, burgers, and a chicken sandwich that is crunchy outside and juicy inside fill out the menu. One visitor scouting for restaurants with character found it a highlight of the trip.

Practical notes: the atmosphere is busy and casual, so reservations are recommended, especially on Sundays and holidays. Walk-ins were seated quickly at off hours. Inside and outside seating are offered. Large groups, including a table of seven, were handled smoothly.

This small egg-themed restaurant on 8th Street SE on Capitol Hill has a menu diners call vast. Breakfast sandwiches carry the list: a bacon sandwich, the original egg sandwich, the bulgogi breakfast sandwich, an egg drop sandwich and a Hatch green chili version. A BLT, a tuna sandwich and an egg salad give the menu range beyond the classic.

Starters earn real praise. The deviled egg lineup has devoted fans, and tater tots with sweet and spicy sausage are called a dream. Vietnamese egg coffee and an affogato round out drinks, and a fruit salad is the lighter side.

The room is small and fills quickly. Diners expect a wait unless they arrive early, and a group larger than four should plan on extra time, especially on a holiday weekend. Service is described as friendly, and the energy inside is lively. Pickup orders are an option for those who prefer not to wait.

Underdog Coffee & Bread on Columbia Pike in Annandale, Virginia pairs a long coffee menu with a short, well-made food list. The room has a clean, modern look, with potted plants, white walls and natural wood, and diners treat it as a place to stay and talk rather than grab and go.

Specialty lattes bring people back. The Banalatte and the Peanut Cream are the ones named most, and a caramel latte earned praise as hard to find done right. For food, the crogel sandwich is a favorite, along with a breakfast sandwich, the breakfast burrito, a fruit bowl and a cinnamon roll. Pastries are a small selection, and diners say the ingredients taste fresh.

Ordering happens at the counter, where staff are described as friendly and accommodating. Some diners say the room is loud when full. Parking comes up often, so allow a minute to find a space. Weekday mornings are the easiest time to settle in with a seat.

Silver Diner on Half Street SE in Washington is a diner by name and a wider kitchen by menu. A diner who passed it over on Sunday because of the name later checked the menu and found it was anything but typical, which is a common reaction. Breakfast is the busiest meal, and the room serves late hours as well.

Shrimp and grits and eggs benedict anchor the brunch orders. Oat milk protein pancakes and just egg breakfast tacos suit lighter appetites, and the menu marks vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices. Later in the day, Old Bay wings, a burger, salads and a Philly steak sandwich take over.

Cocktails get real attention, including a margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier floated in an inverted lime wedge. The outdoor and balcony-style seating is a novelty, though some diners note the table layout is tight. Service earns praise from servers and hosts alike.

Kaldi’s Social House on North 10th Street in Arlington, Virginia works as a coffeehouse, a study spot and a brunch table at once. Inside are couches, lounge chairs, high tops and small tables, and diners who like to sit for hours say the seats are comfortable and the hours run late.

Breakfast draws the most mentions. The Turkish breakfast bowl is the dish to know, and chicken and waffles, other waffles, a grilled cheese sandwich and a cake benedict round out the list. Pastries have long been a reason to visit. Vegan diners find real choices here, and the menu stretches to pasta, brisket and a half chicken for later in the day.

Crowds are the main practical point. Weekend mornings fill with groups and laptops, so tables can be hard to find, and the room gets loud. Weekdays are calmer. A few regulars say service has been uneven lately, so a patient approach helps.

Nick's Diner on Veirs Mill Road in Wheaton, Maryland is the kind of neighborhood diner people drive back to from other states. The room is narrow, with counter seating, and the food is plain and done correctly: bacon and eggs, pancakes and coffee served by staff who know the regulars. Diners call the staff friendly and the portions fair for the price.

Pancakes carry the reputation. Chocolate chip and banana pancakes are named, and several diners call them fluffy. The Big Breakfast pairs two pancakes with eggs and meat, and a waffle, a sandwich, a gyro and a steak plate stretch the menu through lunch. Breakfast is the most common order by far, and kids are welcome at the tables.

Practical notes: the wait gets long on weekend mornings, so arrive early or come on a weekday. A few diners say orders do not always come out in arrival order, so a short chat with the server helps.

Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen on Baltimore Avenue in College Park, Maryland serves a small menu and large portions. Diners walk in to a lively, welcoming room and leave with leftovers. Birthdays are common, and servers are named often for being attentive and honest about what to order.

Chicken and waffles lead the list, and shrimp, salmon and biscuits are close behind. A Biscoff waffle is a favorite to split, fried green tomatoes arrive with well-seasoned batter, and the Cajun pasta and the grits get their own fans. Sausage, eggs and homemade biscuits make a solid classic plate, and a veggie scramble covers non-meat eaters. Food comes out hot and fast.

Lines form at weekend brunch, and the wait can run long when the room fills, so arrive early or plan for extra time. Other locations exist in the area, and diners compare them favorably. Takeout is common for those who prefer to eat at home.

Busboys and Poets at 450 K Street NW in Washington, DC, joins a restaurant to a bookstore, and diners enjoy browsing shelves after a meal. The space is large and well decorated, with art and a generous book selection across genres.

Sweet potato pancakes and sweet potato hash are named at brunch, along with made-to-order omelets, catfish and grits, fried chicken, burgers, brisket, wraps, and sandwiches. Mimosas are popular. Servers earn warm notes, with several diners naming staff who gave recommendations on local events, including citywide art events that weekend.

Practical notes: food can take a while to arrive, so the restaurant suits diners who are not in a hurry and want to browse the books. Bar seating avoids a wait for a table. Events and poetry nights add energy to the evening, and the room was not crowded on some visits.

The Ted's Bulletin on 14th Street NW has an old-school diner look, with baked goods at the front of the restaurant and a full bar behind them. Breakfast is the heart of the menu, and diners come back for it. Families with kids fill the dining room on weekends, and the kids menu keeps younger guests happy.

Biscuits are the item named most, whether with gravy, with chicken or on their own. The original breakfast burrito, benedicts, pancakes, waffles and the cinnamon roll all appear in praise, and a custom breakfast option lets a table choose its plate. Later in the day, tomato soup with grilled cheese, a burger, a chicken sandwich, fish tacos and salmon take over, and a blueberry cheesecake finishes dinner.

Reservations are used often, and a group that missed theirs by a day was still seated. Weekend waits are real, and some diners found service uneven at peak times. Happy hour adds an evening reason to visit. Mornings before the rush are the easiest.

Ted's Bulletin Ballston on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia is called an upscale diner by locals, and the description fits. Brunch is served all day, so the order does not depend on the clock, and the breakfast menu offers both heavy and light plates, which helps a group with different appetites.

Crab benedict, chicken and biscuits and thick French toast lead the breakfast orders, and a cinnamon roll is a sweet add. Deviled eggs and a cheesecake start and finish a meal for those who linger. For later hours, the burger, the salmon and the steak are all named. Coffee comes with refills and water with lemon, and salads get praise as better than expected.

Servers are the most repeated point of praise, including one who stepped in to help a table seated in another section. Reservations are used for weekends, and families come with kids. A first visit that went poorly turned around on a second, with diners calling the return leaps better, so a repeat try is worth it.