50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
(202) 898-0051
Attire: Casual
Reservations: necessary
Price: Moderate
Rating: 4 Hatchets

Perfect for a pre-movie supper or great to grab a meal after riding the rails, Thunder Grill’s Southwestern style and Union Station location will win over your palate with its tasty twist on ordinary foods. Sadly, the salsa and chips are no longer complimentary, as they have been squeezed onto the appetizer menu for five bucks a basket. The fried calamari cannot be missed; it is crusted in corn meal and served with a delicious chipotle dipping sauce. The salads are nothing to write home about, but the Maryland crab cake sandwich and sizzling skillet of fajitas are a must. The varied dessert menu makes it hard to choose, but some of the items are just plain OK. The pecan pie is excellent with the pumpkin pie faring so-so. The bartender knows his stuff as the martinis taste delicious, even the flies were attracted to the popular sweet apple martini. Overall, the Southwestern food is delicious, salads shouldn’t be a first choice and the dessert menu could use some fine-tuning, but the restaurant is a chic and fun place, even if you trek over to Union Station just for a bite to eat.