Help Visiting for my Birthday! (Restaurants) (food, best, money)

[MizterKewl]

Wanted some guidance on what places some of you might like for dinner. I'm trying to stay in the Dupont or U-Street area. I prefer Italian or Mexican, but I'm trying to do good drink specials also (so I'm kind of swaying more towards Mexican because they always have pitchers! ). I've already been to Lauriol Plaza, which I liked, but I was trying to do a different restaurant...

[stateofnature]

This is not a great town for Mexican food. Now Salvadorean food, there you have a lot better options. They tend to be more hole-in-the-wall places though.
The best local ethnic cuisine tends to be Ethiopian, as DC has more Ethiopian expats than anywhere else in the US. I would recommend Dukem at 12th and U as a nice restaurant and great introduction to Ethiopian food if you have not had it before.
For Italian I would recommend Acqua Al 2 at 212 7th St SE, a block from the Eastern Market metro station. This would be a great birthday spot.

[NEOhioBound]

What is Salvadorean food like-spicy? sweet? Same with Ethiopian food?

We will be in DC for two days and are wanting to hit up a few good restaurants ourselves. Looking forward to trying Eatonville just to try some collard greens.

[lasershen111]

Guapos has fantastic margarita's and pitchers... but honestly I'm not even sure if that is in the area where you are looking. But you can check.. :-)

[retiree1]

Good Italian restaurants in the Dupont Circle area are 1) Al Tiramisu on P St. and 2) La Tomate on Connecticut Ave. Either one would be nice to visit without spending huge amounts of money.