One of my favorite restaurants in the DC area. Have been here at least half a dozen times, mostly in the dining room and also at the chef's table which is fun. Farm to table experience is excellent, best summer tomato salad ever. Memorable rib eye, rack of lamb, braised short rib, foie gras, wild mushroom bisque soup, pear salad, Manhattans. Good wait staff and superb bartenders. Have taken several friends here and they have all been pleased. read more

Tucked away in Vienna, Clarity is a great spot for special occasions! It is elegant inside, both sides lined with booths and small tables in the middle. We went for my birthday at 5pm and brought our baby, who they welcomed graciously. That said, I would not recommend this as a baby friendly restaurant. It's a bit too upscale. We got the softshell crab to start along with Cosmo and Wanda cocktail and the Jailbreak. The softshell was big and juicy and very flavorful and both cocktails were delicious. For entrees we got the pork chop and the halibut. The pork chop was a decent sized potion and cooked PERFECTLY. The halibut was smooth as butter but wasn't a very large entree, so I wouldn't recommend if you are super hungry, but if you're not, it's very flavorful and delicate! We then ordered the banana bread, bread pudding to go and ate it when we got home. It was also 10/10! Overall, it was a very nice, elegant experience. I would recommend for special occasions! read more

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Great spot for Happy Hour with a few wine, beer, and margerita cocktail options and 1/2 dozen burger and seafood apps. I wish more finger foods were offered e.g. fries and dips. I enjoyed a glass of the house white wine, Pino Grio. The complementary rolls with olive oil are delicious! The side of pipping hot fries hits the spot! The smaller portion of Bolognese house-made creamy pasta dish was flavorful and very filling! I swapped out the meaty beef and lamb with mushrooms and veggies. While the squash and onions detracted a bit from the flavors, the mushrooms were spot on! I enjoyed Cocktail #6 with Tequila, Elderflower liquor, fresh cucumber juice, and strawberry syrup. The cocktail was very balanced and refreshing - totally worth $21. I just wish there were more vegetarian options on the menu and lighter fare (smaller steak portions). Will come back again for drinks! read more

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Ambiance: Clean and classy. Food: We enjoyed everything we ordered, but when weighing the cost against the overall experience and taste, I'm not sure it's a place we'd go out of our way to come back to, especially with so many other spots still on our list to try. read more

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I came back here to attend a group dinner and was not very thrilled this time. The food was pretty decent, but this time the service was atrociously slow and it took a long long time for them to cook the dinner thereby leaving a bad taste in many mouths. I'm definitely going to think twice before coming here again for dinner with a larger group. read more

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The service was well below expectations. Took 25 minutes to get a beer and cocktail. About an hour for the food to come, despite the restaurant not being that busy. We sat in the patio area because it was a nice evening, but the lights on the patio did not work that night. So we were mostly in the dark as the street lights were doing most of the work. By the time food arrived they messed up by partners order and brought out the wrong dish. At that point it was about 9:30 and we were starving, so she ate the wrong dish and the waiter said they would bill the cost of the original dish. The food was good, no complaints there. Given how things went this night, I was really disappointed by the service. There is a serous asymmetry between the cost of the food and the quality of service that makes it very difficult to recommend this place. read more

Hosted a private room event here the other night. We did a tasting menu with optimal wine or whiskey pairings for each course. The food quality is high, the service has dropped a bit since last year, but still above average. You won't leave hungry, with huge portions for a 4 course evening, plus amuse bouche. We had giant tiger prawn, Hawaiian Ono, and Venison & Pork belly for proteins. The Ono was slightly overcooked, but not enough to ruins the dish. The chosen wines paired perfectly with each dish, and the bartenders choices for the whiskey pairings were fantastic. A good selection of Irish, Japanese, and American whiskies . If you're looking to do a private party/room with them, go for it. read more

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We came here for a celebration and there were twelve of us. Though there was some confusion at the front desk as to whether we had a reservation or not, we were finally seated in a private dining room. Clarity's menu is breathtakingly expensive, but the excellent presentation of our dishes did match the prices. As far as the dishes go, flavor and texture-wise, they were very good. But while appealing to the eye, my French onion soup was overly sweet. The dining room in which we were seated was sort of scuffed up. Service was minimal. They took our orders, brought out our food and that was it. Nobody checked on us during the meal. This wasn't quite the experience I expected with these prices. read more

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I haven't been to Clarity in a while but wanted to post a review to report that it's as good as ever! Service was incredible, I must have in my profile that I'm gluten free because they proactively brought gluten free bread. The server was very helpful about highlighting what was new on the menu. Drinks list has something for everyone whether you're a wino, cocktail lover or bourbon/whiskey aficionado. The halibut was a real standout and the crème brûlée was exceptional. This restaurant is normally quite busy, but we went on New Years Day and it was nice to enjoy it while it was quiet. One of northern VAs treasures, check it out! read more

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Good service, expensive prices. Pork belly appetizer: crispy with some kind of sauce. I can't remember what vegetable it came with but couldn't tell if it was some kind of root or an undercooked potato. Fish: cooked well with a mustard sauce. Flavorful. read more

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Back again and once more thoroughly impressed. We did the Spanish octopus and it was perfectly cooked and generous. Lovely green salad with a great dairy free vinaigrette. Their fish is always not to be missed - always spectacularly fresh and perfectly cooked. The beans it came with reminded me of my French aunties cooking. The steak and hand cut fries were WOW !! Literally i will go in for just those fries and a cocktail !! Best fries I've had bar none!! Pumpkin pie was smooth unctuous and not too sweet. Fabulous apple sorbet on the side, perfect! Always warm and welcoming service with a cozy and comfortable interior. read more

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My husband and I spent our 8-year wedding anniversary at Clarity tonight and had a wonderful dining experience. In 2023 they came under new ownership and management, which is a really good thing for them; this evening we met Victor, the Server Captain, who has been there 9 years, and Chef Matt came out as well and greeted us. Our server - I didn't catch her name - was so very lovely. The food was wonderful too. My husband enjoyed the Caesar salad and Scottish salmon as well as the French press coffee from Caffe Amouri (he loved it). I had the tiger prawns first course and my favorite of the evening was the Wild Alaskan Halibut. The cauliflower puree with pineapple and butterbeans with the halibut was to die for. I admit I sopped up the last of the sauce with the bread. Thanks to the team at Clarity for a wonderful anniversary dinner! The service was seamless and perfection along with the food. read more

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Absolutely amazing Tiger prawn dish with lobster meat and veggies. I could drink the sauce that comes with this dish just on its own. Amazing! Being able to sit next to the kitchen and watch the staff work their buts off and put out high quality dishes was such a treat. Staff was on top of it and made me feel so welcome. The executive chef even delivered my plate with an explanation of the components. Amazing experience. 10 out of 10! Really knocked it out of the park! read more

Clarity - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

So we went back with other friends for a second go at the restaurant and it was a completely different experience. The waiter Mike was amazing and very attentive, but not there too much if that makes sense. The food was also much better than the last time around, so we must've just caught the place on a bad night the last time so I'm updating my review. read more

Went in for Mother's Day. Elegant vibe. Offered an excellent balance of quality and price value. The ingredients tasted fresh and intentional. It felt luxurious without being excessive, making the overall experience feel genuinely worthwhile. read more

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My girlfriend took me here for my birthday celebration. Everything I had from beginning to end was amazing. Complimentary bread was warm and delicious, I'm usually a bread-and-butter guy. But olive oil was a good combination. We had French onion soup and pork belly as our starters. I don't remember the last time I had French onion soup, so this was a nice surprise. Just a tad on the salty side, but I think that's how they are usually. The pork belly was very tender, and I love the sauce that come with it. Our main courses were yellowfin tuna and rib eye. I love both, slightly preferred my gf tuna. It was very delicious and the shrimp was great too. Ribeye was a little bit on the rare side when I ordered medium rare. Love the sauce though, they really know what they doing here. read more

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This was one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had. After being seated, we waited over 30 minutes without being acknowledged and eventually had to ask for a waiter. Only then did the manager step in to serve us. We ordered both the tasting menu and items from the regular menu, and unfortunately the food from the tasting menu was particularly poor and not worth the price. To make matters worse, the tasting menu was never completed -- the final round of drinks and dessert were never served. Service throughout the evening was extremely slow and inattentive. Our visit lasted over two hours, during which we repeatedly had to ask for water refills and drinks. Nothing flowed naturally, and we felt forgotten for most of the night. We shared our concerns with the manager, but the response did not improve the experience. Overall, this restaurant did not come close to meeting expectations for quality, service, or professionalism. read more

Tried Clarity for the first time tonight to celebrate my birthday. The food was hit and miss, with one particularly bad miss. The meal started with bread and olive oil. The oil was very bitter and needed salt to mellow it out, but there was none in it or on the table. We asked for butter instead and that was much better with flaky salt on top. The lamb pasta and pork belly appetizers were both very good, especially the pasta. The ceasar salad was pretty meh. The menu described it as being a new take on Caesar salad, so I was expecting something interesting, but it was a pretty run-of-the-mill salad. For the mains, the pork schnitzel was pretty terrible - the spaetzel was burnt and the schnitzel was way overseasoned and overly breaded and oily (and burnt). The crust was probably 2x as thick as the pork. We only ate a few bites. The sticky toffee pudding and sorbet were both good. Overall the food was OK, but, other than the pasta, I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it. Service was very good, though, even though it was notes in our reservation, they didn't do anything special for my birthday, which was a little disappointing. We saw others with candles on their desserts. read more

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Delicious food & cocktails. Service was excellent. The environment was calm and quiet which made it very easy to converse. The menu had a variety of offerings and the French onion soup is a must! I had it as my main course. It was covered in melted cheese along with French fried onions. Perfection. Their rolls were also magnificent and paired well with my soup. The entrees that my table had were the ribeye. Wow! Lots of crushed black pepper. And it was perfectly cooked medium rare! The roasted half chicken was juicy and flavorful and the salmon was seared beautifully. Absolutely a wonderful place for dinner! They also had a tasting menu but we opted for à la carte. Oh and save room for the crème brûlée. It was the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess. Wasn't overly sweet and then texture was silky. Oh and if you like manhattan's try Vic's Manhattan. It's sensational! read more

Had reservations but still had to wait 30 min for a table (despite being told 5-10 min). After being seated, it took another 10 min before a waiter showed up to pour water. Other than that, the service was good. Foie gras was great. Good portion. Shrimp app was ok; nothing to write home about. The scallops were good taste wise, but way overpriced for 3 medium-sized scallops. The halibut was well cooked, but small portion for the size. The pear tart dessert. The tart was mediocre but the sorbet on top was good. But overpriced at $18. Overall, an average experience but at these prices, I would have expected better. Especially in terms of portion for all dishes except the Foie Gras. Last little nitpick. When making the reservation, there was a question about whether this was a special occasion and what it was. I checked yes, and filled in the occasion (a big one). No acknowledgement from the staff whatsoever. So why do they ask??? Won't be returning read more

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This is a very nice, modern and upscale restaurant. Food - Very good. They have a seasonal menu and change it very frequently, so they have different dishes almost every day/week. Their Elysian Fields bolognese was delicious. The lemonade is also very good. Service - Good. Reservations are definitely necessary. They are relatively pricey though, as 3 people sharing one appetizer and getting 1 entree each will be minimum $250. Parking - They have a small parking lot outside. Overall, this place is great. Would highly recommend. read more

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This is one of the most disappointing expereinces I've had in a long time, where reality fell far too short of expectations. I've had this place on my wishlist for some time and finally made a reservation for a friends' outing. You'd expect more from a pricey place like this, but the cons outwighed the pros. Pros: - Easy parking. That's it! Cons: - The overall vibe is a $$ reastaurant rather than a $$$ as advertise. I dressed up thinking it's a fine dining experience, but it was far from it. - It gets extremely cold in the small private dining room at the back of the restaurant. When I looked up to see where that cold drift is coming from, I saw that the vent right above me had collected dust and black stains around it. I was grossed out. - Slow service and the food took forever to arrive. - Very pricey for the portions. - Mediocre quality. Three out of the four of us reported 'meh' experience with the various dishes ordered. I had the hanger steak. The jus had a bitter after taste. - They somehow overdid it with the salt in everything. I just couldn't stomach the amount of salt in every bite I took. I ended up paying $53 for a mediocre steak with a tiny amount of mushroom and rapini, all while freezing my brains off. There is no 'clarity' as to why they charge that much or conisder the place upscale. Not going back. Sorry. read more

The food and server were excellent. However the ambience is non-existent. It was noisy and crowded. The dining area backs up to the bar an a service area. The service was slow. The prices were quite high. The gold standard for area restaurants is Auberge Chez François. This place is not in the same league by a long shot. read more

Food sucked and was over priced to sum it up. I came here for a birthday dinner a while back and the meal was so mediocre and priced high. The food was average at best, just extremely disappointing to spend a birthday dinner here. I highly recommend you to go to any other place in the area, you'll have a much better meal. The service was okay the food took a while to come out as well. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful though. read more

Exceptional dining experience at Clarity! The preparation and presentation of the dishes stood out. It's the rare restaurant that offers gluten-free bread. The service is exceptional. Looking forward to returning! read more

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For our Anniversary, my husband and I did the tasting menu at Clarity. The ambiance here is nice. The restaurant seems small, but they kept walking us towards the back and there were more intimate dining areas there. We each ordered a cocktail and I wasn't a huge fan of mine especially for the price. My husband enjoyed his old fashioned though. Everything we had from the tasting menu that evening was delicious and perfectly cooked. My favorite dish was probably the cod with the curry. The service was fantastic. Highly recommened. read more

A wonderful "smart" date night! I was looking to take the person I am dating to a dinner where we could enjoy a tasting menu in the Tyson's Corner area and Clarity had the best reviews. I seamlessly made a reservation on Open Table for a Tuesday night. We were running a bit late due to part one of our date and the restaurant accommodated us which we truly appreciated. We received terrific service from Javlin who was friendly and professional. We ordered the tasting menu and I was excited about everything on it. My date wasn't too excited about the raw tuna, however she did try it and said the flavor was nice. We loved everything except the desert and the restaurant was nice enough to bring us a different desert. This was a nice experience and a true treat. We would definitely come back there again. read more

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We stopped at Clarity for dinner before a show at Wolf Trap. After being overwhelmed by the menu for wines, cocktails and Manhattans (yes, an entire Manhattan menu), we settled in for some good eats. We got the Smoked Tomato & Red Pepper Bisque (garden basil with sour dough bread & fontina grilled cheese), a Warm Beet Salad with goat cheese and heirloom beets, and a Warm Deconstructed Potato Salad w/ Crispy Tempura Squash Blossom with goat cheese. Amazing combination of ingredients and some inventive preparations. An excellent meal before the show. I only wish we had more time, then we could've tried the tasting menu - it looked fantastic. Next time! read more

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We have been coming to Clarity since 2020, and have experienced this restaurant thru different owners and chefs. This was our first time there since the latest change-over and I have to say that Clarity is producing amazing food again. Not since Jon & Nick had Clarity been this good - but Tracy (the new chef) absolutely killed it. Food: my husband and I both shared our dishes during the course of the meal, so I was able to experience multiple options from the menu. For starters I got the scallops and mushroom soup, and hubs ordered the Caesar salad. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the homey pancetta / Brussels sprouts with it was so good. The soup was fantastic. Had crunch onion cluster on it and was a nice texture change to the soup. The Caesar salad was lovely as well. Great flavors. For dinner I opted for the halibut. That was perfect. Loved the delicate sauce and vegetable served with it. Didn't overpower the fish one bit. Lovely crust on the halibut as well. Perfection. Hubs opted for the schnitzel. I'm not a huge fan of that usually - but he insisted I'd love it. He was right. It was perfect. The breading was crispy and flavorful and the pork was tender and also had a great flavor. We were way too full for dessert - but their menu looked amazing. Drinks: Vic (bar manager) is amazing, but this time around we opted for a bottle of wine that I brought from home. But, don't sleep on any of Vic's concoctions - he's fantastic. Ambiance: we haven't been in since they redecorated. It's absolutely lovely. And the big chef table / re-done outdoor seating is fantastic. Service: wonderful as it always has been. Very happy with Josephina. She was attentive without being overbearing. If you haven't been to Clarity in a while, take this as a sign to go. Tracy's food is stellar. We will 100% be back and recommending this place once again to friends and family. read more

Clarity - Halibut (with hubbys Schnitzel in the back) - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Modern & upscale American spot with a rotating seasonal menu Have both a la carte and a tasting menu. Also have a comprehensive drink selection The prices here are on the higher end, with cocktails ~20, entrees ~$30, and the tasting menu ~100. I came here with my GF and the experience started out well, but quickly deteriorated. The experience began with great service, tasty complimentary bread (with olive oil), and very solid chicken and pasta bolognese dishes, however the staff here must have become very overwhelmed because the service took FOREVER after we finished these dishes. We regrettably chose to opt for dessert, which, not only ended up taking forever again, but included the kitchen putting PARMESAN CHEESE on my dessert rather than powdered sugar. I noticed that it tasted kind of funny, and then when I took a closer look I recognized the mistake. I didn't send it back because I didn't have to wait another 30-45 minutes to get a new dessert, and at that point I just wanted to go home... read more

Clarity - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Have been a few times to this place and it never disappoints. This time I went with the tasting menu and it lived up to the expectations. Each dish was perfectly curated ... pleasing to the eye and taste buds. For the venison, I got a bit worried when I cut into the very pink center. But I trusted the chef and it tasted perfect. All other courses were really nice. The service is very impressive too. I always recommend this place to friends when it comes to fail proof fine dining experience! read more

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Everything about this place is amazing. The food is absolutely delicious and every bit is just a delight on your senses read more

We've been here twice and both times, the food was great but the ambiance was lacking. We celebrated special occasions both times. First time, they put us in the back next to a TV and the back door that opens into the alley. A couple of staff used it while we dined. It was winter and the cold wind definitely blew in. 2nd time, I specifically requested on the reservation not to put us in the back and that we were celebrating our anniversary. The hostess didn't even read my request and started going to the back. I stopped her and asked to be seated in the main dining room. Although it was a Friday night, restaurant was fairly empty. There were only a few diners but they put us very close to a table next to us. The whole time, all we could hear was the table next to us. They were practically at our table. Although the food was great, it was difficult to enjoy our experience. My sister and her boyfriend also tried this place for their anniversary and had a similar bad experience. They were seated close to other tables and couldn't hear their own conversation. read more

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We recently held our holiday party at Clarity and were thoroughly impressed. Like many, we faced some financial challenges this year and had a strictly limited budget for our event. We were worried this might compromise the quality of our celebration, but the team at Clarity was fantastic at working within our constraints without sacrificing quality. Gabrielle worked creatively to design an experience that felt premium while respecting our bottom line. The planning process was seamless, and the night of the event went perfectly. The food was delicious, and the service staff was attentive and efficient. If you are looking for a venue that cares about its customers and delivers top-tier quality, look no further than Clarity. Thank you to the whole team for ending our year on a high note! read more

Upscale restaurant that seems to have it all. I was immediately impressed with their beverage offerings. Lots of great whiskey options with many a reasonable prices. Liked that they had three different barrel strength picks as well. Great variety of origins too including Scotch, Irish, Japanese, and plenty of American. I also liked the bottle were laid out along the bar, so you could see each bottle as opposed to the typical shelf displays which leave some bottles hidden behind others. In addition to their greet whiskey selection, they also have a huge wine selection. They had some large fridges holding countless bottles. I didn't review the wine menu, but I've got a hunch it's extensive. I peered over the wines by the glass which had nearly twenty options including some more artisanal wines that aren't typically offered by the glass. Despite the superb whiskey and wine offerings, I settled for a beer. They had four craft beers on draft. All different styles and all brewed in VA. I had the Pilsner which was perfect. Its versatility paired well with the variety of food that we ordered. Upon seating, we were served complimentary bread rolls which I found rare in this post-inflation era. Rolls were freshly baked and served with olive oil. I appreciated having those as we were quite hungry after long travels. For appetizer, we started with the butter lettuce salad. It included cucumbers, radishes, beets, and avocados. All tossed in a citrusy vinaigrette. They kindly split the salad into two bowls for us to make sharing easier. I liked the light and uplifting flavors which brightened up our taste buds. Next, we were served the seared scallop. Pricey at $20 for a single scallop though it is on the larger side. It had a perfect crispy on the outside yet a wonderful tenderness in the middle that I'd classify as medium rare. It was served over a corn and bacon salsa which super savory and delicious. I preferred to eat the scallop separately from the salsa as the bacon had some bold, but still delicious flavors. For the main courses, we shared the lamb bolognese and the halibut. We had the small portion of the lamb which was plenty given that we had another entree and two appetizer. It was served with a radiator shaped pasta which had a wonderfully chewy texture plus tons of crevices for the sauce to fall into. Loved the sauce too. It was my style of rich and hearty sauce. Halibut had an ultra crispy sear. It was almost chip like. My only complaint of the meal was that the halibut was a tad over cooked. I'd put it in the range of medium to medium well. Everything else on the plate was great! The sauce was so great that I asked for one more bread roll to mop everything up. We were too full for dessert, so we skipped that course. However, all of the options looked intriguing. Service was excellent. Very attentive and accommodating. Great pacing to the dishes. There were gendered restrooms. They had a handicap accessible stall. I also liked the small details like having cloth towels to dry your hands. They have two gorgeous rooms for private parties. They also have counter seating at the kitchen for an immersive experience. read more

Good service but really overpriced okay-food. For appetizers and entrees to be priced at $30-40, I would expect the portions to be a lot bigger. $33 for 5 slivers of raw tuna is just crazy! None of the flavors were bold, bright, or interesting to us. The cheesecake was pretty bland and the sauces for the lamb chop and sea bass were sorta just muddled purées. I will say food was cooked well. The scallops weren't over cooked. The fish had perfectly crisp skin. The lamb chop was nicely seared. Our host was also very attentive and friendly. But I would not recommend this place. There are tastier things for a better price. read more

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I chose to celebrate my birthday at Clarity last night and what a disappointment that came to be. Clarity once a Vienna institution under Jon Krinn has totally lost its way. The food was not good... some examples include: a ceviche that came with pre cooked fish, I have never seen ceviche before that wasn't raw and no where on the menu was that part mentioned. As well as a pork belly that was all fatty and not crispy. It was really hard to eat it. Then there was the prices, Clarity has always been on the pricier side for a restaurant in a DC suburb but the pricing now is outrages!!! Including asking for a "kids" version of the cheeseburger for my son without the truffle and them still charging us the full price. The service was also robotic, not personable or warm. Nobody came back to the table to ask about the food or noticed our dishes were left half eaten. Our server was randomly changed 3 times without any acknowledgment and at the end they said happy birthday and didn't bring anything to make it feel special. We will not be returning! read more

Am I allowed to do this? I don't know since I haven't been back since the change in management the summer of 2022, but I feel like I need to say something since my original 5-star review no longer stands. This new review is in no way a reflection on the "modern day cheers" atmosphere that once was the local Vienna Hot Spot run by Chef Jon Krinn, Nick Palermo and Sam Schnoebelen and the entire front and back-of-house staff that made this a place we wanted to go back to time and time again (which we did, like once a month). There is a reason there were several months where this place closed and re-opened, closed and re-opened. Without going into the details, there has been a complete overhaul with most of the people, including managers and chefs, responsible for making Clarity the "IT" place in Vienna no longer working there. Rave reviews from the past 6-years are a reflection of the space they had created prior to the change in management and the closures of late 2022. This new Clarity, well... I can't speak to it because we don't support what we feel have been horrible decisions by new Management... but it seems others can... On a side note, I am not sure if Viktor is still there as bartender, but he makes some truly amazing cocktails, one of the best French Blondes I have ordered, and we constantly debate going for just a quick drink at the bar to say hi and support him, who was always amazing!! read more

W O W!! Food was AMAZING, service was perfect, overall will be back. We tried variety of different foods as well as the course meal which was perfect portions and so damn delicious read more

The French onion soup is the worst onion soup I have ever had, couldn't finish half of it. No taste, very little cheese and very little caramelized onions but a lot of bacon. The mushroom soup tasted good but is watery. Salad is also just OK. Overall, very disappointed with food here. read more

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