In 1977, Steve Martin starred in a 7 minute video titled, The Absent-Minded Waiter. It may have taken 45 years, but I think we may have just lived through a modern day sequel at Barley Mac. Atmosphere was great, as was the menu and food, but there were only three of us and it was late enough that there was barely anyone in the restaurant, which makes me worried about how forgetful our waiter was. Forgot one of the drink orders and had to return to clarify. Had to come back to double check one of the meal orders and forgot coffee and dessert entirely. We only wish he had forgotten that we hadn't paid and brought us back our "change". Watch the Steve Martin video and that last comment will make more sense. All that said, I will be going back to see if there is a repeat performance or not because everything else was great! read more

Came here for my first time on Friday during Happy Hour. It has an awesome patio. We ordered the pinot grigio - which was the white wine option offered during happy hour ($6). We split the pepperoni pizza ($9) and the calamari ($8). Both were large portions and yummy!! The happy hour deals were great. The restaurant decor is cute -- country rustic style. Our server was great -- very attentive and nice to look at HA! I'll def be back to try a dinner entree. read more

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After getting two positive recommendations from coworkers, I decided to go to Barley Mac on my first night in town for work. Initially, things went well. I ordered and received a well-made cocktail. Then put in an appetizer and main course order; meatballs to start and linguini with clam sauce as my main. After finishing the meatballs, my server informed me that the kitchen was out of linguini. I told him I was upset and that he should let the kitchen manager and the general manager that they have a communication problem and asked him for some time to re-look at the menu. I decided on the rabbit stew and told my server that when he came back. Only for him to tell me that they were also out of that. At that point I asked him to bring my check. Some time after he brought it, a manager came by to make a half-hearted attempt at an apology. I told her that I was disappointed and that the front of the house and the back of the house need to communicate better, since it's making the servers look bad. She left, then returned to offer a sparerib entree to go, but I told her that I don't have a way to keep it. She left. I paid my check and tipped appropriately. I doubt I'll be back and will warn my coworkers tomorrow when I see them so they don't go and don't recommend it to others. read more

Food is just okay. I have a better beer selection in my refrigerator. And the service is 'ify' at best. Let me ask you a question: how many times can one server walk past you without so much as making eye contact, let alone telling you telling you s/he will be right with you? Last week I walked out of Barley Mac after a server walked past me 5 times!! I then went to Quinn's where the first server who came by apologized for making me wait - I had been there less than 60 seconds!! read more

Welll, each time I come here I say I'm going to wait to review to give it another shot. And wait I have been doing. It's such a mixed bag every time. When they first opened it seemed an intimate place for craft cocktails with live music, though as time has gone by it's seeming to turn into a loud, uninspired sports bar filled with basic Arlington-types in their athleisure wear. Snooze. The last and final time being HH on a Friday evening, packed to the brim. Their food and wine being served tasted like what's served at an old Irish pub, smell of rancid sponge in the air. Nuked and turned. This is when I noticed a real drop in quality and clientele. I used to think this was the type of place you could come for a properly-made old fashioned but now I'm simply chalking it up to another typical Arlington bar full of basics and mediocrity. Goodbye forever Barley Mac. read more

Watch out - happy hour deals are suuuuper small. Yes, expected to not be full size, but definitely didn't expect two small medallions of steak for $15 read more

Barley Mac - Happy hour menu - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My first visit. Service was WAY above and beyond. I ask for a variation of a menu item and the Chef came to our table to check with me that he understood exactly what I wanted. How awesome is that!! I ate the entire bowl - it was delicious. read more

Barley Mac - Seafood Linguine w/ Scallops, shrimp and Calamari - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Food was good. Specifically the coccoli from the appetizer menu was great. Service was ok, but being auto gratuitied was insulting. I refuse to ever eat again at a place that doesn't state their policy for this then uses auto gratuity.(for reference was a table of two on a relatively empty night) Would've tipped more if they hadn't done that. read more

Excellent as always! Came from NJ to VA for a wedding eith the intention to visit Barley Mac and was once again delighted! Nick and Shay read more

Barley Mac - Couldn't travel to VA and not visit Barley Mac. Only down side no mashed potatoes but the Guava Rose' Sangria made up for it. Thx Milos - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My boyfriend and I went here around 2pm on a Saturday so we had the brunch menu. We both order the classic barley Mac burger. (Average burger) we both agree it's expensive for average burgers. Fries are delicious especially if you get it truffled. Side note- if you want to sub your fries for Brussels sprouts it would be +$3 upcharge The best part is the truffle Mac and cheese. We inhaled that shit like a druggie doing coke. I would go back again and give the rest of the menu a try. FYI- we expected free street parking around the restaurant but we had to pay for parking on N. Pierce St. in front of the enterprise car rental. read more

Food was good. Tuna appetizer was delicious. The burger was great. The french dip was just ok. Craft Beer selection was good and the ambiance was great (not stuffy but still nice). Would definitely go back if in town. read more

Looking for something unique (i.e. not a chain) while in Arlington, this is a safe bet. We came in on a Wednesday evening and the place was packed. Bar seating was open but not many seats. I personally think the bar is often more interesting seating than the dining room in most places, and Barley Mac is no exception. Servers were extremely busy yet relaxed and friendly. Took advantage of their happy hour pepperoni pizza and it was more like a family-style HUGE pizza. I had to box some of it and take it home. There was a lot more on the menu but I can only comment in the pizza. It was quite good. Would come back again. read more

Barley Mac - The happy hour pepperoni pizza (fork provided for scale). Very good pizza! - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I was SO impressed. Easy 5 star! The food, service and ambiance all rise to that level. Right off the bat, you notice that this place has a lot of space. I grabbed a reservation at the last minute on a Friday night (which at some places might be a bad sign). Quite the contrary here - it was bustling and they just happened to have a few open tables. We had the most engaged and genuine waiter and the other staff was also just as great. They made recommendations, water was always poured, and checked up on us. It was seriously perfect. And the food! Had their house speciality appetizer, and it was absolutely amazing. Also had a couple side dishes and dessert. Everything was well presented, quick out of the kitchen, hot and fresh, and flavorful. Prices are what you'd expect for the area, and you totally get your money's worth in quality. Already looking forward to returning! read more

Barley Mac - Chocolate Gnocchi dessert - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I love Barley Mac! Especially their pizza...who would've thought! They have amazing pizza, I especially love the honey and goat cheese. They are known for the Mac and cheese which is also very tasty. Their daily lunch specials have always been a good option also when I've gone. read more

I've heard alot of good things about Barley Mac. I stopped by tonight only to have the hostess ignore me while she was on the phone, never even made eye contact me as i was trying to get her attention.. im crossing this place off my list.. bad first impression read more

They're much more than mac & cheese but thanks to Barley Mac, I can finally enjoy it without feeling like a child lol. Love this place.

Instead of going to buy business supplies after a visit to the orthodontist- I went for happy hour -_- But glad I did! The place seems very clean though the staff could be more inviting. No greetings when I walked in so I found my own way to the bar area. Had the whiskey smash to start- too much on the syrup Suntory Toki- eh- much prefer harmony but that's not the restaurants fault, it's hard to get harmony sometime Baja fish tacos- good stuff, light and flavorful Wagyu meatballs- now these were a surprise! I doubt there was any "wagyu" in it but they were definitely on the more decent side of meatballs. It's so rare to find edible meatballs in the DMV area, most the time I'll take a bite and then that's that. These were seasoned nicely and not too salty (thank god! ) Their other menu items looks pretty good too so can't wait to come back and try! read more

Barley Mac - Baja fish tacos - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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A friend found this place because we happen to be in the area and were hungry!! We went on a Sunday for brunch. The brunch menu is small but they do have $3 mimosa's. Portions are huge so if you hungry then this is your stop! Food was tasty overall. The potato hash that came with my omelet missed the season bucket of salt and pepper. I would wander back here and try something else. read more

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We had a group with many food restrictions coming and managed to make it work thanks to Sean. The service was great, the food was great, and my group has a lovely brunch, we fully recommend the large Mimosa (you get a bottle and two mixers). read more

Barley Mac - Donuts - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I came here for lunch with a few coworkers. It was packed so clearly a popular option in the area however we were able to sit down with no wait seeing as though it's a fairly big space. The menu seemed to be allover the place to me not quite sure what the theme was or their specialty. My entire party felt like this so we all ordered pizzas. Overall, the restaurant is nicely decorated and the service is great but I am not sure if I would come back just to order a pizza. read more

Salmon was good (especially the top which was delightfully salty and peppery), but the portion was quite small. I was hoping for more vegetables, but there was only a small handful of beans. My friend got a kale salad (added with chicken), and that portion was huge and looked really good. Should've gotten that instead (even though I don't like ordering salads at restaurants because I want to indulge on food if I'm going out! I can just make a salad at home, after all). Came here for a second time, and happy hour was pretty good. Ceviche tacos had a lot of toppings and a nice sharp (spicy) kick in flavor. Wagyu beef meatballs were very dense and tender, with good tomato sauce (which was almost cheese-y but not overpoweringly so. Not exactly subtle but soft and delicate and just enough for me. That cheese balance was perfect, and I don't normally like cheese!). Also, this place is apparently known for its whiskey and has a large selection. I tried Whiskey Smash, which was sweet and deliciousssss. Good service and modern, classy decor that feels a bit intimate. Kinda too upscale and pricey for my taste though. But to each his own. read more

Food (Brunch) 3.5/10: Truffle Mac N Cheese, Breakfast Gnocci, Crab Benedict Service 4/10: Underwhelming, came for Sunday brunch and sat inside Atmosphere 7.25/10: Solid Price: Too expensive for food quality 3/10 Truffle Mac 3.5/10: Far too watery and bad flavor for a place called "Barley Mac" Breakfast Gnocci 6.75/10: A good dish held back by being over-salted Crab Benedict 3/10: Do not order this. The crab was a small amount of flakes that looked and tasted like it was frozen from Sam's club. It was also heavily over-salted Overall 3.5/10: I would not recommend coming for brunch, I've heard decent things about their lunch and dinner but brunch is overpriced and bad quality. If you're looking for somewhere to do bottomless this price point is also on the higher end ($30). read more

The absolute worst service I've ever experienced in my life. They brought out the wrong food and the wrong drink, my appetizer came out and was finished before my drinks ever came, and I ordered the drinks first. They offered a mimosa "package" at $5 for the first and .25 for each additional but the server never came back to the table after Bringing out the drinks. And just to be clear this "mimosa" was at best 4oz of premixed in a pitcher mimosa. When the wrong food came out and we told the person who dropped the food off that the it was wrong and to please find the serve, she still never came. Long enough for me to finish my meal (the burger which tasted like lighter fluid) while my BF waited for her to come back. We finally had to go in and find her. When she finally arrived and told her that both the food and my drink was wrong, she immediately took the food away. Walked away before we could even get her to acknowledge that my bf wanted another mimosa. Never checked on us again. Still no refills, not even water. When she finally brought out the corrected meal in a to go plate we asked her for the check. The other outside tables must have also asked and Bc she brought out a stack of about five checks and passed the out to all the outside tables. It took her over half an hour after that for her bring back the checks from being ran, and that was only after my boyfriend and the guy from the table next to us when inside and asked what was taking so long. The food was terrible, lacked flavor. The crab Mac and cheese needed salt. The burger had a chemical taste, the bacon was rubbery and undercooked. The truffle fries were really good tho. Never going back. read more

Came here with a friend and it was pretty good, overall. We didn't know that the brunch menu would be served on a Monday holiday so that was a little surprising. The burger was nicely cooked and I liked the frisée side salad. My friend had the croquet Madame and she enjoyed that as well. The hostess was a little standoffish but aside from that, it was a good lunch for a good price. I'll definitely be back to try something non-brunchy! read more

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My husband and I went to Barley Mac for the first time tonight. What an amazing surprise! It was packed but we had reservations. First impression couldn't be better! The staff was super professional, fast, extra nice and polite. The place looks beautiful and super cozy. The food was outstanding! Everything we order tasted great and looked gorgeous as well! We will be back soon with friends! read more

Barley Mac - This desert is to die for! Mix of brownies, Smores and Cotton Candy - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came on a Friday night. The happy hour menu has some pretty great drink and food deals. Gotta say I was a bit disappointed with the mac n' cheese given all the hype. It was a bit watery and somehow the cheese and truffle flavor didn't blend smoothly. I enjoyed Season of the Witch (cocktail) though there wasn't much Matcha flavor. Our server was very friendly and attentive. read more

Great place for brunch. The staff is attentive and accommodating. I ordered their breakfast gnocchi and it was really delicious.

Really great food and large portion sizes- lots of options from pizzas to American classics. I shared the salmon with pesto risotto and shrimp- highly recommend. Service was very sub par. Edit: Came back recently and had a fantastic waitress, Victoria. Food was as good if not even better this time. The new appetizer with fried dough, prosciutto and cheese was amazing. Fried calamari was great as well. We shared the NY Strip as an entree along with the truffle Mac and cheese. We will definitely return soon! read more

Barley Mac - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We came here with another couple this week. The cocktails (I tried both the Boulevardier -- which reminded me of a sweeter old fashioned -- and the Old Fashioned) are great. We also had the Mac and Cheese and Croquettes which were also very good. The Croquettes are a must - they are balls of sweet dough (think donut holes but not as sweet, and a little harder) with parmesan cheese on top that wade in a sweet sauce. Accompanying the Croquettes are small slabs of melted cheese and a type of pork that reminded me of mortadella. We were instructed, and subsequently rewarded, to cut the Croquettes in half and make a sort of slider with the melted provolone and pork. It was amazing. The server was very attentive and friendly. Will definitely come back. read more

I've been here twice now and this place is just too expensive for the area and what it's offering. The restaurant scene in Rosslyn is borderline non-existent and that's exactly how they get you! Food: I had the pan seared chicken and grilled chicken wings the first time I went. The chicken and accompaniments were great and appropriately priced at $19. The grilled chicken wings were $12 and I felt I got a decent amount of bang for my buck. I'd have preferred $10 but still ok. This last time I also had $8 truffle fries, they were doused in truffle oil and ended up being soggy. Drink: I'm not much of a bourbon drinker. I tried one of the seasonal winter apple mix. It was at least $13, and not very tasty. I had another friend join me last night and for four drinks the bill was $65. I'll have to give brunch and happy hour a try, they sound much more affordable. read more

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This place was absolutely amazing. Not only were the wait staff and the cook staff extraordinary, but the food and the service were beyond above reproach. Everything came very quickly and well cooked and the staff was very delightful. I will come back again and again. read more

Barley Mac is a new favorite brunch spot! Hubby and I visited today with another couple, and we were all extremely pleased from start to finish. We were seated promptly, and my only gripe would be the booth size - we're four average sized adults, and while not uncomfortable, a few extra inches of elbow space and leg room would've been nice. They seemed a bit smaller than the standard size. Food wise, I opted for the prosciutto and tomato omelet. This was excellent - big pieces of prosciutto, and they didn't skimp on the gouda. As a cheese lover, this was a huge plus. I also took advantage of the stellar mimosa deal at $2/each, and appreciated the different flavor combinations- strawberry basil was my favorite, and the blueberry-lemon was solid though I didn't taste much blueberry essence. Our friend got the bourbon bloody mary, which he said was good though not mind-blowing; a steal at $4 though! As for other food - the brussel sprouts, breakfast sandwich and nutella pancakes were ordered/inhaled. Sprouts came with chunks of succulent pork belly and candied pineapple, which was an interesting twist. The sandwich looked amazing with its deliciously runny egg - yum. When I told our server (Katya?) that my husband's birthday is tomorrow, she looked genuinely excited and later re-appeared with a piece of chocolate cake infused with some sort of liquor and topped with strawberries and mint. It was the perfect sweet ending to our meal, and we appreciated the gesture! Speaking of service, Katya was excellent - friendly, efficient and attentive without being overbearing. We've had bad service ruin an otherwise good meal before, so it's always nice to have the best of both worlds. I've heard great things about the dinner menu, so we'll definitely be returning. read more

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We came here because booking a brunch 48 hours in advance in Arlington only gave us this option. We can see why, the restaurant was about half full when we arrived at noon. Our server was really great, nice, helpful and just overall sweet. The food was just terrible. My croque madame wa basically a dry egg and ham sandwich, the sauce was dried and caked, while the fries were soggy. Everyone else's food was in a similar boat with the omelet, sausages, and eggs Benedict all being dry. We wouldn't go out of our way to eat here, nothing specialize. read more

I've been here 3 times in the past 4 years (never by choice). This last time has compelled me to write a review. This place has literally zero redeeming traits. The service is terrible (waiters never come check), the food takes forever to come out, on top of that the food is straight trash. The fact this place has 4 stars on yelp is baffling to me. read more

The service was great, but the food was average. Prices are on the high side. My burger was overcooked and my bun was not fresh, almost like it was frozen and put in a microwave......yuk!! Will not come back. read more

I came here with a group of 4 for brunch on Sunday. Ambiance is pretty good. Clean spot with indoor/outdoor seating and also booths to stick groups in. Server was nice but not knowledgeable. Asked about a few dishes and she didn't know about them which probably makes it tough for her to make a suggestion. I ended up going with spinach and mushroom omelette. DISSAPOINTING. Wasn't cooked all the way through where the middle was still running. Not common for omelettes. Bread was nothing special. Potatoes didn't have any crispness on the outside. I also was able to split some eggs Benedict with a friend also. That was average at best. One of the eggs was cooked through but flavoring/combination of toppings was good. Surprisingly a the egg muffin they used was pretty good as the bread that came with the omelette was disappointing. Nice spot - disappointing food. read more

Barley Mac - Brunch menu - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I gotta say, the reviews set my expectations for Barley Mac incredibly high, which is always a dangerous game. I mean, would my experience live up to the hype? Or would the evening be forever marked as a crash into trendy restaurant history? Well, I'm very glad to report that Barley Mac most definitely lives up to the hype. The Yelp NoVA Supper Club took a trip here to sip on handcrafted cocktails and nosh on deliciousness, and we most definitely did not walk away disappointed. I started my evening with the I'm Gin to It cocktail, which was a perfectly balanced refreshing little concoction. The bread that came out to our table was an assortment of rolls -- both unflavored and cheddar-jalapeno, served with a zesty olive tapenade that had so much flavor I genuinely thought there was meat in the spread. We got an assortment of appetizers. The coccino was a must-try. Little fried balls of dough, drizzled in truffle honey (i know.) and paired with cheese and prosciutto. Apparently the correct way to consume these is to split the roll, stuff it with some ham and cheese, and turn each little puff into a miniature sandwich. We also tried the calimari (perfectly crisp, and served with both a marinara and an awesome garlic aioli), and the grilled wings, which were moist and delicious. For my main, I got the soup of the day (a sherried crab bisque -- so creamy and decadent!), and I ordered the gnocchi, which came tossed in an awesome bolognese sauce. Honestly, though, by time I got around to my pasta, I was so stuffed I could barely eat more than a few bites. A total shame, because it was really good! My own fault for stuffing my face with apps, I know, but hey, it just gives me a reason to go back. After all, I didn't even get to try dessert! Our waiter, Sean, was really great -- very attentive and handled our large group with ease. My one note to future diners would be that, given how this place is extremely popular, you won't exactly be sharing a quiet, intimate dinner with your party. It was POPPIN' at 7 PM on a Thursday, and the noise level matched the overall vibe: loud, busy, young, and hip. But it's most definitely worth a visit, and you can bet that I will be back -- and soon! read more

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Barley Mac is awesome! We sat at the bar for happy hour and ordered a couple of drinks, a pepperoni pizza (that was actually quite large for something on the happy hour menu), wagyu meatballs, and a side of Brussel sprouts. I absolutely loved the meatballs - they were super tender with delicious tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. The Brussel Sprouts were more like a treat than a vegetable and were some of the best I've ever had. The bartender was very personable and added to the great experience that we had. We are already planning our next visit back! read more

Barley Mac - Brussel Sprouts and meatballs - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I came to Barley Mac two nights in a row. First time on their second night opening and their third night opening. BM is brought to you by the same guys who run A-Town, Don Tito, and Don Taco in Old Town Alexandria. Here's the twist on Barley Mac - this is a more mature and sophisticated feel than your typical 20 and 30 somethings whisky and bourbon joint. What I've come to learn through their multiple openings within Arlington and Alexandria is that they started out with the college crowd and younger 20s and slowly have merged to the point of where they are now. What more this tells me is that they know how to create concepts beyond my and their age demographic. I feel as a restaurant group - it is extremely important to know how to cater to a wide variety of people and to 'bring it' to new heights by being versatile. Their other business ventures have been beyond successful (and enjoyable to eat and drink at), and I feel that Barley Mac officially brings them bragging rights hitting everything on a high note from the food to perfectly crafted cocktails. Over the course of my two experiences so far this is what I've tried: STARTERS - Lump blue crab and lobster cakes with chipotle aioli and coleslaw $13 My take on this is it's solid. Very taste without fillers. You get a good amount of seafood meat in them. When you stick your fork in it; it falls apart to. Perfection. It comes with 2. - Coccoli is crispy dough, stacchino cheese, prosciutto di parma, and truffle honey $14 I liked this. I can't fully understand the concept of the two together other than it is sweet meets savory. Nonetheless really good. - Sesame crusted ahi tuna - gluten free - with wasabi cucumber, pickled ginger, and arugula greens $13 This is something I sent back. I love ahi tuna. I do not like wasabi, cucumber or pickled or ginger anything. Totally my mistake. I will say the ahi tuna was delish. The other components I could do without. I could easily see how someone who appreciate these different blends of flavors though... it just wasn't for me. SOUP - French onion soup for $9 Good good good good! ENTREES - Braised prime boneless short rib with bourbon reduction (GF) with polenta and sauteed mushrooms $24 My friend ordered this and he was very happy with it. I tried it and wanted to steal it from him. - Grilled tomahawk pork chop with caramelized brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and apple cider. $27 Have you ever seen a starving person eat some food for the first time? I can't say that I have outside of television, but one could imagine what that is like. I was eating this thing like I hadn't ate for weeks. I devoured it. I usually am not one to order pork items over chicken or beef very often, but I am certainly I did so. Portion size - this could easily be spread over 2 meals. PIZZA - Proscuitto pear with white sauce, mozzarella, white cheddar and arugula. $16 Good and very light pizza with thin crust. DRINKS - In With the New $12 This drink is great with a bit of a bitter and lemony taste to it. It is light and well balanced with the Woodford Reserve Bourbon - Back Road Bulliet $10 If you are a tea drinker; this has your name all over it. It's tea with bourbon, blueberry and peach bitters. I thought it was alright, but was more partial to my other cocktails I experienced. - R.T.Special $14 I am a George Dickel kind of lady. This offers up exactly that GD Rye with Benedictine, lemon, and brandied cherries. I loved it so much I had 2. As of now this would be my drink of choice. - Bartender's concoction $10 No, this is not a real name of a cocktail, but I asked the bartender to make me something and I loved it. What's the point in my writing this? If you want them to create something for you; simply give them a few ideas of what you're looking for and let the creating begin! AMBIANCE Sexy and sophisticated. The dining room is completely separate from the bar. You enter, and the host stand can guide you to either side of your choosing. The dining room has both table and booth seating that can accommodate larger groups of people. In the dining room side you also have the open air kitchen where they are making your food. Bar side is a totally different experience. Here you have a long bar with stool seating and high tops. There are only 2 televisions with the game on. This is a different type of atmosphere from all other establishments they have opened up previously that has a heavier emphasis on the sports crowd. The noise level is still a little louder than the dining room (as expected), but not rowdy. Standing room and high tops are also available. Bathrooms are so cute with black and white tile everywhere. The handicap bathroom even has a mirror in it for those with physical disabilities. Nice detail to pay attention to that can usually go unnoticed. This will breathe new life into the Rosslyn restaurant scene and I couldn't see a better group of people adding some spice to this bland concrete jungle. read more

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Disappointing and expensive. $110 for the 4 of us without drinks. Every dish was about 10 degrees too cold. Cheese on pizza was barely melted. Soup was luke warm. Mediocre flavors. Great wait staff who kept water glasses full just could not make up for the food. For that price, I was hoping for something special. read more