There's no better place for dining in Capitol Hill  than on Eight Street. Dozens of restaurants line the neighborhood's main thoroughfare offering a range of tastes and dining experiences. Whether you're in the mood for a romantic meal, or have a craving for a regular old bar burger, bring your appetite to Capitol Hill for some of the city's most popular culinary delights.

Staking its claim for the title of best Carolina BBQ (Vinegar barbecue sauces they are thin, tart and full of flavor) in town is Levi's Port Cafe (1102 8th St SE  202/547-6500). Washington Post review "A nautically-themed hole-in-the-wall just up from the Navy Yard, Levi's serves Southern style dinners and North Carolina BBQ that taste like they came out of a country kitchen. The ribs are cooked in a vinegar-based sauce that, while sweet, balances the smoky taste of the ribs."

What would a neighborhood be without a few pizza joints? We go to Matchbox vintage pizza bistro (521 8th St SE  202/289-4441) both for the pizza and the beer. The atmosphere is casual, the slices are big, and the drink specials are great, so it's a fun place to get a bite and then hang out for the evening with friends.  And then there is Armand's Chicago Pizza  (226 Massachusetts Ave NE  202/547-6600) consider a visit to Armand's as a brief excursion to Chicago, an inexpensive get-away.

It would be hard to talk about Capitol Hills dining scene without mentioning Banana Cafe & Piano Bar  (500 8th St SE), for a little spicy Latin flavor namely Cuban. From the Washington Post , Even in the dead of winter, this place lends an air of tropical breezes. The colors, the artwork and the Cuban food is awesome. There is something here for everyone served with a friendly flair. The piano bar is a hoot especially after hours on a hot summer evening. The place is always friendly and enjoyable.

The great thing about going out in Capitol Hill is everything is within walking distance. Good old Pennsylvania Ave and 8th Street houses most of the nightlife -- so that's precisely where we go to unwind during the week and to kick-off the weekends.

For a casual evening of hanging out with neighbors and friends, we hit up Lounge 201 (Lounge 201   201 Massachusetts Ave SE  202/544-5201).  This large bar and dining room is often packed with patrons on the weekend who come for dinner and stay for drinks. But when this place is really hopping is during the summer months when their outdoors is open for business. Have the bartender whip up your favorite cocktail or get a cold brewsky before mingling with the crowd of local regulars, out-of-towners and weekend shoppers. After chillin' at Lounge 201 for awhile we usually like to move on to a new location for after hours at one of the new spots along H street, H Street Country Club 1335 H St, or Rock and Roll  Hotel 1353 H St , or Palace of Wonders or Little Miss Whiskeys 1104 H St or Rose's Dream Bar and Lounge.

Capitol Hill is walker friendly, so  walking is a sufficient and efficient way to get around for the most part.  The walkscore for Eastern Market is 92, meaning personal transportation is not a requirement.  Walkscore calculates the walkability of a given address's proximity, to dining, library, schools, shopping, transportation.......

Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (the Metro) is also an excellent and inexpensive option to get from point A to point B. The Metro has three stations on Capitol Hill, Eastern Market at 7th and Pennsylvania SE, Potomac Ave at 13th and Pennsylvania Ave SE and Stadium Armory at 19th an d East Capitol SE. The Blue and Orange subway lines services these stations and if everything is running smoothly you can be in the Downtown in less than 10 minutes, not a bad travel time as city commutes go.

Sometimes it may make more sense to take a bus.  Many Metro bus lines services Capitol Hill along the main thoroughfares Pennsylvania Ave and Eight Street. Metro bus also run along East Capitol Street, Massachusetts Ave and along H Street. We find the H Street bus lines can still be a bit dicey. But things are looking up here with the addition of the new Trolley system along H Street that is scheduled to begin operation in late 2010.

If you have your own vehicle, parking can be but is not generally a major problem.    Many properties in Capitol hill have their own garages in back, which is a bonus because then you won't have to deal with finding a vacant space out front.

Despite any parking issues, having a car does make it easy to tool around town. It's quick to take Pennsylvania or East Capitol Street downtown. You can  hop on the South East Expressway or Kenilworth Express for a quick exit out of town for both south to Virginia and north to points in Maryland and beyond.