c.t.ner covered most of what I was going to say (especially Ben's Chili Bowl - the food is slightly overrated if you're sober, but it's still an institution), but you should also check out Willard's BBQ in Chantilly. It's not far from where you'll be staying, so it should make for a good, cheap dinner some night.
Also, if you do go to Arlington, I'd hit El Pollo Rico for amazing Peruvian chicken and/or Thai Square for some of the best Thai food in North America. It looks like food poisoning waiting to happen from the outside, but it's not bad on the inside and the food is delicious. The som tum and any of the noodle dishes are particularly good.
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