Ben's next door is a great HH or pregame spot, located on U St right next door to Ben's Chili Bowl. Food - My favorites include the wings, shrimp deviled eggs, and bbq bacon burger. My friends always order the jerk pasta with salmon. All in all good food with happy hour and daily specials Service - Our server Candace and the entire staff were super friendly. Candace made sure to check in on us regularly and also gave us heads up happy hour was ending soon in case we wanted to order more. Ambiance - The wait can be long so would recommend calling ahead or making a reservation when possible. Good music but sometimes loud. Great location as it's walking distance to metro and centrally located on U St near many bars and clubs. read more

4.25 stars. *Atmosphere- loved it. I went after a book tour and for it to be a week night the vibe was good. *Food- I got the catfish fingers and it was a healthy serving size with fries with a nice homemade tarter size. Lemon drop cocktail was 90% liquor and a splash of lemon. *Service- We had a great server who was helpful and kind. An iconic family owned business in an historic DC location. read more

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This was the most flavorful pasta dish I have had in a long time. In fact, I almost didn't get the pasta for fear of it being bland. It was seasoned so well. The sauce was flavorful. The catfish was seasoned and crispy. The service was great. Server came by the right amount of time. It's a sports bar environment so it has good energy. The blackberry mojito is a keeper. read more

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Came here for happy hour with my sister and we had a blast. First off the service was impeccable and the drinks were strong. They offer bar and tables seating, this place is pretty big. My server was very attentive and the food came out really quickly and was very delicious! read more

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Ben's never disappoints. The food was amazing. The service was impeccable. And the ambiance always adds to good vibes. I ordered the devil eggs with shrimp and catfish and grits. Everything came out hot and was very flavorful. I also ordered the bottomless mimosas which you can never go wrong when you order those. It was a great time! I will be back soon. Cheers! read more

Ben's Next Door - New Shrimp Deviled Eggs - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is nestled inside of what appears to be a hotel. Valet parking available. It's very beautiful with elegant decor. I enjoyed the r&b dj who's volume was at just the right level to not disturb you from talking to your table mates. Our server was so funny. I can't remember his name, but he was an older Asian gentleman. He was very attentive to our needs. I wouldn't say i was a huge fan of my steak, but I'd come back and give other options a try. read more

Ben's Next Door - Steak and eggs - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I always love it here. It's not usually my first stop unless it's happy hour. But I will always end up here for some wings and Ben's for a chili dog. The food is good here. The service is kind of lacking... young servers that may not have the best customer service. But the music is good, it's dimly lit and they have strong drinks. My favorite part is that they allow me to mix the wing flavors. They're usually fried perfectly. read more

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It's a bar. I've been here twice and there's not much to it. The bar is ideal if you want to grab a bite and watch a sporting event. You have access to TVs regardless of where you sit and lots of bar seating if needed. Came on a Thursday for TNF and was able to sit right away. I ordered: Calamari - 6/10 - Calamari can always be eaten alone or with a splash of lemon but I love me a good sauce to pair it with. That's all this was missing. The consistency of the Calamari was ok but not my favorite. They serve it wit a marina or a sweet chili sauce but my preference is a aioli. Not a shot to them just a personal preference. The bartender was attentive and quick with our food and drink order so no complaints on that front. I'd go back if in the area and try the wings. read more

Ben's Next Door - Interior - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Server was extremely rude. Probably won't ever be back based on that alone. She was very nice to others, but not to us. We got the chili fries and a chili dog. Both were great! You have to order the chili dog as a half smoke! read more

Ben's Next Door - Chili dog - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We sat at the table for 11 mins before receiving a waitress. She said her tables were changed, or something, and didn't know we were on her tables. Came during happy hour. You have to leave a card on file at first (to prevent people from dining and dashing), but at the end to pay, you have to submit the card again for physical payment. I had the happy hour shrimp quesadilla. This was really good! The French fries were crisp! The shrimp po boy was good, but was said to need more sauce. My niece asked for more sauce, but the waitress must've forgot because she finally brought the lemonade only as soon as I asked for the check... Other niece got the jambalaya. Said it was good but was too spicy for her read more

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Food was excellent. Service was wonderful. The food came out quickly and hot. The atmosphere was lively but comfortable. Music was loud but the conversation was not hindered. And the bottomless mimosas were perfect. read more

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This food is absolutely outstanding. Had dinner reservations for a large group of 20, we were seated in the upstairs dining area. We had 2 staff taking care of us and they were so helpful, courteous and patient. The drinks were strong! I ordered the frozen margarita, had a nice kick, more than expected. Also tried the chocolate city, which is a blend of 3 classic frozen drinks with Hennessy. WOW, so good. For entrees, my table all agreed to order different items for each of us to try. The catfish & grits, jambalaya chicken & waffle were my favorites and a must try here. read more

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We had such a good time at Ben's Chili Bowl (I'm being sarcastic - it was a one-star experience), we walked over to Ben's Next Door to get more jaded. My brother thought we were fans of Ben's Chili Bowl and so took us to Ben's Next Door. Misunderstanding, doh! Have you seen It's A Small World, Alice in Wonderland or read Gulliver's Travels? That's how I felt with these happy hour food options. Like a giant in tiny land. Look at these cute pictures of miniature food! Tiny portions galore! - a taco so small you need a microscope, lol - a quesadilla. This would be a sad kids meal yet it's an ADULT happy hour - boneless chicken wings where the celery comparatively look like big trees! At least we had a laugh. Sticky tables. Vibe felt like the morning after but before walk of shame. We won't be back. Don't come here! read more

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My husband and I stopped in a week ago for a casual date night . It's been years since I've been to Bens and it's super cute now. As soon as on walk in , there is a "meet me next door sign" which is cute. I learned they have the biggest bar in the city. jai was our server. For our dinner entrees we had the salmon and grits and the jerk chicken pasta I really liked the pasta. The drinks were really good . They included The Duke, Next Door Sangria, Chocolate City, and a Frozen Mango Daiquiri. I gotta come back for brunch. read more

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It was my sister's graduation weekend and we were all in town to celebrate her. She wanted us to come here due to proximity to her outings afterwards. This restaurant is located on busy U street and the inside was pretty loud (and not parent friendly, lol) but my dad was pretty chill about it. I felt as though the place wasn't as clean as I would like which made me uncomfortable eating there, but when in Rome I guess. The waitress seemed a bit impatient with us as we were navigating the menu. I ended up ordering the jerk chicken penne pasta with salmon. It was an 8/10. I probably wouldn't return as it's a bit rowdy for my taste. read more

Ben's Next Door - Blackened Salmon Jerk Penne Pasta - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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OMG! The FSU Black Alumni hosted a brunch here on a Sunday afternoon and it was a vibe! Kind of small, but great wait staff and my food came out in good time considering the crowd. I had the salmon cakes and 10/10 highly recommend. The tunes were perfect and overall just a great atmosphere. read more

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First time visiting Next Door and this must be a popular spot since it was packed. There wasn't a long wait time for 2 people. The music is what drew me in, they were paying a lot of old school bops so no brainer let me slide on in here. We were seated for maybe 5 mins ready to order when the waitress told us they were moving us for a bigger group. I was ready to go then but we were starving at this point and the music was still a vibe. They moved us up stairs where it was warmer than downstairs and more crowded with bigger groups. We ordered the wings which were a bit over cooked and drink we ordered super sweet. Wait time for bill was maybe 20 mins, had to track down our waitress. Overall I would come back for the music if bar seating is available. Happy World Pride read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Where do I even begin? Well let's start here. The customer service has HORRIBLE. I was thoroughly disappointed. Ironically Ms Ali, one of the cofounders was in the building the day this occurred which is shocking enough. As a team of photographers stood outside shooting pictures a waitress chases a customer out the door and down the block over a drink. After approaching the customers aggressively she then proceeded to approach the photographers outside with aggression. She walks back into the restaurant to resume working and within 5 minutes she's squaring up with another customer as if she is in a boxing match. The police were called and all she did was laugh it off because she knew this was not a big deal. Over 50 photographers watched and just shook their heads knowing we were hungry but wouldn't dare spend a $1 in there after that. It was in that moment I knew I would NEVER pay to eat there, I wouldn't even dream of bringing out of town guest back nor would I recommend this place to anyone. I used to love to bring those who aren't from this area here, this spot is one of the most popular landmarks in DC and to see how they are bringing it down is disheartening. read more

My partner decided to visit Ben's after initially wanting to get the famous chilli glizzys but decided to visit the next door because Ben's is open until 4am and we plan on seeing how true that is lol. Anyway. We made it just in time for brunch where they were able to seat us right away despite it being busy, buzzing and lit. Our server was kind enough to give us suggestions with what we should eat and we both decided on sharing a Caesar salad and having grits my partner got shrimp and grits and I blackened salmon and grits. Accompanied by a mango bottomless mimosa for me and a perfect patron cadillac margarita for my finance, his drink was well made and had good strength and flavor my mimosa was quite weak but not too sweet and a delight to drink. The salad was well made and a great appetizer that was shared between the two of us which left us really hungry for more and ready for our main dishes, the grits are buttery, cheesy and with a really light texture my salmon was cooked with all the love I needed for brunch and my fiancé inhaled his so I assume he loved it lol. The vibe and music choice is iconic and makes you want to stay longer than the generous 2 hour limit. Come here you won't be disappointed read more

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Ben's is ok. Food is fine. Drinks are below average. Vibe is cool. The best thing about Ben's is people watching. 3.2 stars. read more

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The vibes are what sells this place in my opinion. The mimosas have really cheap champagne. The food was kinda mid. Catfish9/10 Grits 8/10- looks like mash potatoes but it's good Wings 7/10 Crab cake 6.5/10 - cost $22 for what's pictured.. not worth it French toast 4/10- really thick but lacked flavor throughout Calamari 9/10 The service was ok. The server initially had an attitude but it got better read more

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I absolutely love Ben's next door! I didn't realize it was a nice place to come and get some work done as well. I ordered my food and two drinks and it came out pretty fast! The bar tender was great and she checked on me quite often. They had nice music playing as well while I was getting my work done so that was a plus! The space was clean and I didn't need much, got my two drinks and my food and got some work done before class and I left out. I'll definitely be back around that 2-4pm time because it wasn't rowdy or crowded at all! read more

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I came here for brunch and it was pretty good. The drinks were good, I didn't have bottomless but they were good. They are strict about sharing bottomless drinks so beware! I had shrimp and grits and I thought it was okay. The catfished looked better and the grits were very chunky. The food was good but I'd probably order something different. I felt the portion could be a bit bigger for the price. Service was pretty good, our waitress was nice. Ambiance is casual, music is definitely for a younger crowd. I'd go here again possibly but I'd like to try other places for brunch in the area. read more

Ben's Next Door - Shrimp & Grits - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This restaurant's target demographic is brunch-goers who like to party. We visited on a Saturday at 4:30 for dinner, so the brunch crowd was wrapping up. It was loud and crowded. I could barely hear others at my table over the music. The drinks were delicious. Again, for brunchers... It was happy hour so the appetizer portions were small. I guess they slash the portions along with the prices during happy hour now, so it's more like you're getting small bites instead of a deal. We ordered the wings in mambo sauce and crab deviled eggs. I was so turned off by how average the appetizers tasted that I opted out of an entree. Others in my party tried the fried catfish fingers, Mexican street corn, green beans, and braised kale. Everything ranged from terrible to subpar to mediocre. I would return here for drinks; otherwise, I'll stick with the iconic Ben's Chili (next door). read more

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We know Virginia Ali personally though our belated best friend and I saw an ad for their Valentine's Day Prix Faire special on Facebook so I decided to take my wife there that day for dinner. Compared to their original restaurant next door, Ben's Chili Bowl, this is a sit down and bar and lounge serving mostly chicken and seafood as well as a bunch of alcoholic drinks. The restaurant is a long bar with high top tables in the back, one that we reserved and a chic color changing lights decor. We started with the a frozen Mango Daiquiri and a frozen Margarita to drink on the happy hour menu and later got the Hennessy Sangria and a Blackberry Mojito as part of the Valentine's Day special. All of the cocktails were among the best we ever had. For our appetizers we got the Bone In and Boneless Wings, for our entrees the Chicken + Waffle and Jerk Penne Pasta with Jerk Chicken, and for dessert Virginia's Banana Pudding, and Bourbon. The servers, waiters, and waitresses are amazing and very attentive, and even asked us if we needed anything when we just looked at the TVs so it shows they go above and beyond. They also have a wonderful rewards program you can save $5 the first time just by signing up. We look forward to returning and would love to try brunch here. read more

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I highly recommend Ben's next door. First of all, it is a dc staple but thats not what makes it worthy alone. The food and drinks are great, service is attentive, and the ambiance is upbeat and lively. I went with my friend friday for happy hour and it was great. I got the mambo wings and chili cheese fries; filling and delicious. The drinks were tasty and the r and b/hip hop had the place jumping. Stop by the next time you're on U street! read more

Ben's Next Door - Decor - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When I tell you this was the best brunch I EVER had, I'm not lying. I basically licked my plate. My friends and I came here on a Saturday around 2 and it was loud, fun, rowdy, just a good time and vibe! I got the Doin' the Most and the French Toast was sooo good melted in my mouth. Service wasn't Great but wasn't bad either, nothing notable. read more

Ben's Next Door - Doin' the Most - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I wanted to like it. I wanted to love it. It's on U street, next door to Ben's Chili Bowl, as the name suggests, but it's a MESS. The service is HORRENDOUS. The restaurant opens at 11. I arrived at 10:45 - there are no signs on the door with the hours of operation so I pull in the door to open it and am greeted with expressions of disgust and annoyance by the wait staff who IN UNISON yelled at me "WE OPEN AT ELEVEN." Oh and two of them were walking IN THE DOOR at 10:45. When I came back AT ELEVEN, they hadn't opened the doors, had an attitude and directed me to the bar because we didn't have a reservation. Long story, we were 7 and should have, but our reservation was at a restaurant that closed with no notice down the block. The ambiance gives club, not brunch. It's dark, loud, and the attitude of the host, servers and bar attendants were so poor that we opted to just eat and leave. Our waitress came around and was quite nice. I think her name was like Snow or something?!? She told us what was and wasn't good on the menu and everyone felt she gave good feedback. She knew the menu but doesn't eat fish so there was that lol. The food took an oddly long time to come out, especially given that we're now 1/9 tables in the place. When it did come, it looked awful (think home cook, not chef plating) but tasted pretty good. I had the salmon croquettes, my cousin had shrimp and grits, one lady had a salad, and three ladies had the platter. No one complained about the food, the temperature was good but they had NO DECAF (at 11am), no unsweetened tea, and the waitress forgot the girl's iced tea until well after the food came. Food Overall 3.2/5 The reason for the 2 stars are 3 things: 1. TERRIBLE FIRST IMPRESSIONS - the hosts and bar attendants were RUDE. Hospitality 1/5 2. It was LOUD and grimy- my seat was a little greasy, we were doing a book club brunch and trying to talk and the music was so loud we couldn't hear ourselves! We were 1 of maybe 7 tables in the spot right when they opened and we ASKED the manager to turn it down and it went down for 1 minute and then right back up. Horrible. Cleanliness & Customer Service 2/5 3. No split checks. Nobody has time to get stuck paying for one chick's 7 drinks. Restaurants who do this are LAZY. I served for years in a past life and, unless the place IS A CLUB, there is no reason to not let people pay for what they ordered. Business practices 0/5 The place is also slightly overpriced for what it is. This is puzzling because Ben's Chili Bowl has done so well for so long by providing good service, a neighborhood feel and reasonable prices. It's sad that this iteration could go so sideways. For this reason alone, I likely won't be back. It wasn't that impressive and I honestly got a headache trying to hear and chat over the music. Another place that's NOT for the 40+ crowd unless you're still on the club. read more

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Did brunch on a Saturday. Got there around 11, the restaurant was kinda empty but it was crowded by time we left. Music was 90s r&b but I was glad it wasn't a sing a long concert. Food was good. I got the Oh you doing the most which was one thick slice of brioche french toast (unstuffed), scrambled eggs and home fries. The catfish was good too. The crab deviled eggs were nothing special. I would go back for the French toast and catfish again, and maybe try something different from the regular menu. read more

Ben's Next Door - Catfish & Grits - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I love bens next door ! I loved it so much we went back for a second time that same night after our basketball game. The service was great, I've never walked into an establishment where the staff just gave off good energy from the hosts to the server , truly a girls girl which makes you feel so safe. The ambiance is great too the music is bumping, and everyone's just in there having a good time. As for the food everything was 10/10. There was nothing I didn't try that I didn't enjoy. read more

Food was so delicious but service was subpar, as expected honestly. Waitress could care less about our table but everything was very good. read more

Ben's Next Door - Fish and Grits - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was delicious and service was great. The music was a bit loud but also great. I made an entire playlist using Shazam and labeled it "Ben's Next Door". read more

Staple DC brunch spot! This place has the three things you need for a great brunch - good food, good drinks, and good vibes. Had a reservation and came on a Sunday afternoon, tables have a 2 hour limit. They have several flavors for mimosas and bring it out in a pitcher which is helpful especially for groups and they were quick to refill (we were a group of 3). I had the chicken and waffles which is my brunch go to and the chicken was so big and tasty especially with a bit of syrup and hot sauce. My friend has the salmon and grits which I tried and they were delicioussss especially the grits. DJ played great songs and overall it was just good vibes all around! Definitely plan on returning during the summer and hitting a day party nearby. read more

Ben's Next Door - Chicken Waffle and Bottomless Mimosas - NO SHARING - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I visited this place while waiting for a show at the Lincoln Theatre on a Friday. The bartender was really nice, and she made a really strong Old Fashioned. This is a nice place to sit before or after going to the Lincoln. read more

Ben's Next Door - Old Fashion - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a terrible down the street, they welcomed me! After a long commute into DC I asked for a good drink. The Bartender Dre asked a few questions about my preferences and too the choice off of me. He made an amazing drink and I felt relaxed the rest of the experienced. He answered all my questions as a visitor; I was so comfortable with the staff I will def be back. read more

I've been here numerous times over the years and they are pretty consistent with the food and service. The prices continue to rise as everywhere else. For the most part the price and value line up alright. I most recently was here for brunch and week or so later for happy hour. Brunch, if you arrive before or around noon, you can typically be seated right away as far as I can tell. I arrived first from my group of 4 and they reluctantly sat me despite not having 1/2 of my party present first. Thanks for that. Everyone seemed to enjoy their breakfast. The chicken and waffle were good though the entree that I wanted (one of their most popular stuffed French toast items) was already sold out halfway barely halfway through the day. I'll have to go back early on Saturday instead of Sunday to maybe have a chance to try it. The bottomless Bellinis actually had alcohol and weren't just juice. Too many restaurants cut corners when it comes to bottomless and I'm happy that they don't here. Happy hour is decent here in the fact that they open earlier than many of the bars in the area which don't begin until 5. Throw back a couple of espresso martinis to get yourself ready for the evening. read more

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Street parking available, if you're lucky. Made reservations just to be on the safe side. Came on a Sunday for brunch. We were greeted and seated immediately. Our server was friendly, and helpful. Everything was good and drinks were strong. read more

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Good service, good food, and bottomless mimosas and bellinis, what more do you need! That is it; that is all. There is a 2 hour limit on the table. read more

Ben's Next Door - Salmon & Grits - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This weekend during my visit in Washington DC, I decided to host a Meet up with my " California" chapter . In addition, each person requested a " Black Owned" restaurant so this was perfect . I had a RSVP for Tahoe of 7 but 10 people showed this was a happy hour and I must say, Ben's Next Door has a great happy hour and Salman Cake Sliders and Birria Tacos was fire . The happy hour drinks were reasonable . My glass of Rose was $6 and I had four of them (don't judge me) lol The customer service was great from the Bar to the table . The music was bussing and of course I had to shake a tale feather briefly . The gave Ben's Next Door a 4/5 only because there was a difference between the table and the bar . I love sitting at the bar however while ordering at the table, the food and drinks were arriving at slow pace . I did find myself getting frustrated once or twice however I still love Ben's Next Door . read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We stopped here when in DC just before going to a show at the Lincoln Theatre. This place is conveniently located next to it. I had not read reviews, I would have found the swiping of a credit card prior to getting our food a bit off putting. This place was loud and busy. I felt like I was eating dinner in a night club. I ordered the shrimp and grits which were quite tasty. Service was fast. read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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