Wagshal's Market — Local services in Washington

I'm usually not one to write negative reviews, but for the love of God and everything holy, you owe it to yourself to NOT go to Wagshal's. If you're like me and visited Wagshal's frequently in the 2010's, it is now an absolute shell of it's former self - in terms of both service and food quality.

When I came in and the staff was visibly flustered, loudly arguing among themselves and even with customers, for the entire time I was there. I placed an order which they forgot about, and after some back and forth with the staff we finally got some seriously sub-par sandwiches; drastically worse than anything I've had there previously. Writing this review now and looking at my receipt, I am also unfortunately noticing that they charged me for something I didn't even bring to the counter.

Not sure if there was a change in management or what, but my recent experience there was laughably horrible on pretty much every aspect imaginable from a deli. If this review somehow knocks them down .1 of a star, or saves some poor soul from spending money here, I can die a happy man. They advertise "founded in 1925!!" like it's an accomplishment but honestly, it might be a sign that it's time to close the...

Deli sandwiches, the finest cuts of meat freshly sliced. All of the finest cheeses, wines and spirits one would expect a stones throw away from Embassy Row and the VIce President's residence at the Naval Ovservatory and the National Mosque. You must try the freshest Bellevitano Merlot cheese moderately priced and wedged to any size, and other than Zanetti, the imported Agriforma Parmigiana Reggiano "Cheese of the Kings". Restaurant indoors , café, and, a wonderful menu with all of the pordicts as ingredients. Pair any wine and stop by around noon or in the morning to bump elbows with Diplomats at their favorite walking distanced haunt from their Embassies. Have a seat outside and watch them come and go. Prices are very fait, very busy but never a wait. If you spot an embassy intern or diplomatic staffer, start a conversation, and ask how you might visit their embassy. They are happy to oblige. There is a gas and full service station directly beside sharing parking which is ample and free (rare here) and have that oil changed or your tire patched...

The film Wag the Dog was released at some point in the 1990s (I forget the exact year) and concerned an attempt by a sitting US president to distract the public from a scandal with an invented war. While it’s been years since I’ve seen this movie, it often springs to mind whenever I drop by Wagshal’s for a sandwich or small cup of coffee -never both- and not for the obvious phonetic similarities one might suspect. Like it or not, while big pharma and our bosses might prefer our endless focus, we all need distraction in life, a carrot on the end of the stick to keep us going. Yes, I can bring my own sandwich to my nearby office, and, yes, I can get my coffee for free there via Keurig machine, but will it provide the distraction I need? A quick step into Wagshal’s climate controlled, wood-paneled interior gives a firm, immediate “No!” It’s a trip into another headspace, a utopia of sorts, with a rewards system to boot; a place where restaurant, liquor shop and convenience store can all peacefully coexist. Take that, excel...