I lived in DC, just south of Logan Circle for the past 5 years, before moving out to Falls Church. I lived in Arlington for 2 years before that, and have plenty of friends in Alexandria and other parts of DC and NoVA, so I feel like I have a pretty good sense of things.
I've been all over, and I really do think DC is an underrated city. The food in DC is definitely competitive with New York, LA, and Chicago, the quantity is just not quite the same. There are a ton of little pockets in DC, all with different vibes, and there's actually pretty solid access to green space in Virginia, if you have a car. Rock Creek Park is a nice little oasis for greenery too.
My favorite thing about DC was that it still has the energy, diversity, food, and other amenities that big cities offer, but the streets are bigger, it feels more open and less oppressive than New York, and it feels a bit more clean.
My least favorite things about DC were being smack dab in the middle of January 6th and other riots. I lived right on Mass Ave, and many protests basically walk down Mass Ave towards the National Mall. So being woken up to helicopters and flashbangs was getting a little old when there were a string of nationwide protests. By the end of my time in DC, I also noticed crime seemingly getting worse. The biker/ATV gangs from Baltimore run rampant every now and then, and it can definitely put a bad taste in your mouth. I also had a few close encounters with drivebys or shootings (just south of Shaw) which honestly put me on edge and made me want to not live there. However, most of the crime is very very localized and you're unlikely to wander into a bad part of town if you're in pretty much any area of central and North West DC.
I think other people's criticisms of bros in Arlington, and political staffers, lawyers, etc. are fairly true. But there's also a very very diverse culture here, full of African American history, and lots of international influence in the cuisine. El Salvadorian, Ethiopian, lots of Vietnamese, Korean, and other Asian cultures. It's really a huge melting pot and that's awesome.
I can't speak to the tech scene, unfortunately. I work for a Government Contractor. The bar is very low, and you can get a pretty good base salary there, but you said you didn't want a clearance, and I don't blame you. The work is typically mind numbing and feels meaningless. I do know there are a handful of startups and small tech companies operating in and around DC and Arlington though. And a few of the big tech companies have satellites for the access to gov.
I setup a home here in NoVA for the foreseeable future, mostly because of family proximity, but I also just really enjoy DC and Virginia as places to live. Wineries, breweries, and a lot of good hiking is all within an hour. A ton of good food, and international cuisines are all within 30 minutes. Good nightlife, bars, live music, theater, and the rest of the Urban amenities are also all present.
Again, I think it's a very underrated city, but I haven't lived anywhere else for any significant period of time, just visited a lot of cities in Europe and the States.
Edit: One other thing: access to Dulles and Reagan is pretty convenient and fly to a lot of places!