Love the vibe here! The service is really good- the waitress spent a lot of time helping us choose the menu items & beer. Great selection of unique craft beers. She recommended the tornado potatoes, bao buns (we got shrimp tempura & pork belly), spicy Dan Dan noodles, & potstickers. Everything was very tasty! read more

Great place with outstanding grub. Dan Dan noodles and a great selection of beer. Owner is always available and servers are pleasant.

I ordered the tofu dan dan noodles and the braised pork belly. The noodles had a strange flavor and the pork belly was very small. Both were bland. I also tried the Taiwanese popcorn chicken which was okay but the pieces were also small. Overall, it was an underwhelming experience and the food was a bit pricey. This restaurant seems to put more emphasis on the bar than the food so I would not come here only to eat. read more

What a gem. High Side is a beer lover's pub with a fantastic selection of well kept craft beer, matched only by delicious "Taiwanese" street food. Their tornado fries are creative, and we consistently reorder the garlicky fried popcorn chicken. It's also important to note that if you're not a beer drinker, they have a selection of wine, spirits... and even a variety of fruit mimosas [ie passion fruit] for whatever your beverage fancy might be that day. This is a great place to relax on a weekend afternoon or Friday night. I cannot recommend this place enough. read more

I've been meaning to write this review for about a year... High Side is exactly what Old Town Fairfax needed. Awesome change of pace from the traditional pub/sports bar atmosphere at the other spots nearby & a pretty decent selection of craft beer. Love that many of the breweries are local & it def doesn't hurt that the food is delicious AF. The mala pickled cucumbers, scallion pancake anything & sausage sandwich are all faves! read more

This restaurant is one of the main reasons Northern Virginia is so great, especially in terms of being a foodie region. My wife and I came because we are always in the market for a good, independent restaurant, and if you say "street food" of a regional cuisine, we will run into the restaurant. Our server (Sierra) was wonderful and pointed us in the right direction for a whole bunch of apps. We saw there's a happy hour special, which will be good when we definitely go back. Topped it off with Dandan noodles which were spicy and flavorful and satisfying. I think they were vegan too (though we are not haha). A hidden gem of Old Fairfax. Can't believe I hadn't been yet. read more

High Side is one of the premier brewpubs in Fairfax City. With 20 taps (and 4 for cider and mead) which regularly change on a weekly basis, this place is regularly humming with activity. Jinson Chen is the owner, along with Jack and Cheri as his assistants. One of the little unique things about the High Side is that it has Taiwanese food as its principle sides. Also, it has a range of non-alcoholic drink cold and ready. Stop by and say "Hi" but do it on Tuesday-Thursday after Happy Hour - a really great time when you have a chance. read more

High Side - Jinson Chen, the owner of High Side. - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Where do we start? The food... delicious, fresh, fun, and super accessible for vegetarians. The crispy tofu sandwich and the dan dan noodles with tofu would by my Last Meal, if forced to make the choice, and we'd pair it with one of their amazing sour beers. My husband -- who is not a "shopping guy" -- turns into an excited little kid when we dine at High Side, because he knows he'll go beer shopping afterwards and take home lots of fun treats. And my kids love the food too, when paired with a Boylan's root beer. But what makes High Side extra special is the staff and owner. FRIENDLY and FUNNY and totally engaged in the community. You can tell people enjoy working there. We will keep coming back, again and again. Thank you for being such a fantastic addition to Old Town! read more

Love the concept of a Taiwanese beer/cider establishment in the area! Low key ambiance with a great selection of ciders for me and beers for my husband. The food is a local take on Taiwanese staples including popcorn chicken and scallion pancakes - good for pairing with drinks and snacking. The sound/speaker system could use a upgrade, as a bar - music is definitely a key component of a good time! The last time we went we could barely hear the music since the small speakers up in the corners were definitely not designed for larger rooms. Fun place for a casual HH with unique and wide selection of beer and ciders! read more

Kind of a different set-up than a "normal" restaurant in that there is no table service, when you're ready to order you just go to bar and order and food and drinks and they bring it out. Large selection of beers! Food prices are reasonable. We had tornado fries and pot-stickers for appetizers, both were delicious. Entrees are also reasonably priced and the portion size is adequate. The Popcorn Chicken and the Tamarind Shrimp were very good. Inside can get a little noisy so we sat outside, which with the traffic on Route 123 was not much better. And there is no shade from the sun on a hot afternoon. Overall, it's worth trying but I'm not sure it will become one of my regular restaurants. read more

High Side is a gem in Fairfax. This is the spot to enjoy an array of craft beers on tap. There is a lot of variety here and the options change every so often whether it is for their lagers, sours, IPAs, or ciders. There is also a lot of information about the beers on the menu from their location, the taste, how it's made, and the IBU. You can choose to enjoy a variety of small meals as well. I'm a fan of their Taiwanese popcorn chicken, which is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It is honestly full of flavor with every bite especially because of the sweet chili sauce and basil. I also recommend the Malaysian tamarind shrimp as it is bursting with flavor thanks to the tamarind, Thai chili, and lime. You also get rice on the side, which is always good with a dish like this one. Although the food is extremely delicious, it is a bit on the pricey side, considering the small portion for each dish. But, hey, if you're hungry, the food will not disappoint your tastebuds. Additionally, the staff members are knowledgeable about the drinks and food. The place is well kept and there is plenty of space inside. You can also enjoy your drink and meal outside on their small patio. Overall, if you want to explore a variety of beer and eat good light meals, this is the spot in Fairfax. read more

Wow!!! We've been wanting to visit ever since they opened and finally made it today. We ordered a few of the small plates: potstickers, popcorn chicken, chicken wings, tornado potatoes, and crispy pork belly, all were excellent! My favorite was the popcorn chicken, but all were so tasty, even the potatoes were so light and crispy! The beer choices were fabulous, loved that there were a lot of local breweries included. The redesign of the space from Villa Mozart is very efficient and inviting! Enjoyed meeting Tom! Will definitely be back soon!!! read more

Can't say enough good things about this place. Great food. Better beer. Recommend thoroughly

Hidden gem. Best beer list in NoVA, awesome food, and great atmosphere. Gimme dat popcorn chicken all day long. read more

High Side - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is such an excellent new addition to Old Town Fairfax! I first read about it in an article on Eater and I am a huuuuge fan of Asian street food. I came in here once to meet with a friend late at night and learned ALL their really cool ciders and non-alcoholic fruit drinks (lemonade from Britain!!) and I was astounded. I've never seen anywhere sell Blue Bee or Blue Toad cider (Richmond/ Cville ciders) so I thought it was really novel! I then hosted my brother's 22nd birthday dinner here and we ate nearly everything on the menu- popcorn chicken, taiwanese sausage, plum fries, garlic noodles, wings, fried pork chop... all really good dishes! Paired it with the super delicious grapefruit cider and pineapple cider as well with a delicious birthday cake from Victoria's Cakery across the street! The staff and owner did not disappoint, they were so accomodating and helpful in arranging the cake storage and bringing it out for me. I am about to throw the brother his grad party here and working with Jinson has been a BLAST! High Side is a treat to have in Fairfax! read more

Okay. So I've been visiting High Side for a while now and this is probably my go to spot for a nice brew. They're got a wide selection of unique beers for all tastes. There's also a nice menu of Asian street foods that are worth a try. I'd recommend the chicken satay, Taiwanese popcorn chicken and sweet potato fries. The atmosphere is chill to sometimes lively. If you love beer this is definitely the spot to check out. Parking can be a little problematic if you have a large car. You may have to park at one of the public parking lots a block or two away. read more

Not impressed. This restaurant is listed as Asian Fusion/Taiwanese. Based on the four star reviews, I went there with my wife and a friend. We ordered edamame, fried sweet potatoes, fried rice, and lemongrass fried chicken. The best dish was the sweet potato fries. The dipping sauce was a bit too spicy but that was ok because you can choose not to dip them. The edamame was too heavily salted to eat. My lemon grass fried chicken was edible, but the marinated cucumbers that garnished the plate were too salty and spicy. My wife's fried rice with shrimp was edible but that's about it. She said it reminded her of something she'd make at home. (And no offense to my wife, she is not a restaurant grade Asian chef. ) I was not intending to drink much, and just had a glass of cider with my meal. They do have an impressive beer menu and my friend had a stout she enjoyed. Not going back. read more

The most whitewashed Taiwanese food I've ever had as someone who's been to Taiwan several times but great service and seems like a fun place to grab a beer after work. read more

Kind of reminds me of Copycat in DC. Drinks are better here. Food is worse. The beer menu is pretty decent. They have five or so solid selections for each flavor type. I'm a fan of the Three Notch'd options especially the stout. For food, I got popcorn chicken and pot-stickers. The popcorn chicken had good flavor. But for a lot of pieces, it was more batter than chicken and the chicken itself was dried out. On a side note, if you want really good popcorn chicken, go to Teas n' You. The pot-stickers were even more disappointing. It tasted like it came from a frozen package from H-Mart. But like I said, the beer is good so I'm willing to come back just for that. I may try some of the other food options too but first impressions were not good. read more

High Side is such a hip, interesting place in Fairfax area! I definitely recommend this place if you're into micro brews and hipsterish beers. the food is Taiwanese/Chinese inspired theme and they are delicious! The interior is modern and clean. Also, the bartender knows about beer really well, so he/she can recommend per your questions (if you don't know what to get!). I really liked High Side's popcorn chicken; it's a great side dish for your cold beer! read more

I thought the beer selection was great. A lot of variety. The guy (same guy you see on the YouTube video from the website) who served us was very friendly and welcoming. Didn't have their food but hope to try it next time. Wish they had more/better deals during happy hour. read more

Great selection of rotating beers and ciders on an easy to read menu. The staff was nice and helpful. They also have a great happy hour, 20% off cans and bottles and drink specials on selected draft beers. Wish they had more vegan options on their menu. I had edamame and sour plum sweet potato fries and they were tasty. read more

High Side - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I came here for the first time with my sister and the staff was incredibly nice! They even recommended some food for us. All the food was delicious and came out super fast. The restaurant was a little cramped but highly recommend!! read more

Great selection of beers and cider and Asian street food! Happy hour until 7pm T-F. We went on a Thursday, and there was plenty of seating and handy plug outlets for charging up. read more

Great food and good beer selection. It is a nice hippie place in middle of old town fairfax. They provide great atmosphere. They have a lot of local beer selections. Beer is kind of overpriced there but its a small restaurant so its kind of expected. read more

This is a great place for Taiwanese street food. We got the pot stickers, lemongrass fried chicken, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and tofu dandan noodles. Everything was very tasty, but my favorite item was the scallion pancake with egg. We'll definitely be back. read more

We had lunch today and we really liked everything. We had Beef skewers, chicken, popcorn, Shrimp noodles and Bao. Our server was also very friendly. I really recommend this restaurant. read more

High Side - Fried shrimp Bao - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Last week was the first time I visited this restaurant and it'll be my last. the waitresses were extremely rude, one of them evern yelled at me to not come back to the restaurant or they wouldn't serve me! The food was very basic and expensive. I don't recommend this place at all. I emailed the manager to tell him about my experience with the waitresses who tried to humiliate me in front of the other patrons and he said the cameras proved that what my husband and I experienced was a misunderstanding. Even the owner tried to gaslight me into believing the yelling and rudeness of the waitresses was a misunderstanding. I don't see how I could've misunderstood that kind of rudeness, she literally shout at me not to come back after they harassed me multiple times. Avoid this place and it's bad service and mediocre food. The ambiance wasn't good either, there were a couple of drunk people yelling to each other from one table to the other. Not at all the ambiance one expects from a restaurant at 1pm on a Sunday. read more

Beer is expensive Small plate (deep fried Pork Belly) it's platted in the most basic way The Mala Pickled Cucumber is really good!!! And goes with any dish ordered. The ambiance is casual, good for kids, friendly staff, clean bathrooms. I would come here again but for small bites and to keep my buzz going. Good Bar Hop Joint! read more

We ordered the following food, rated most favorite to least favorite: Taiwanese popcorn chicken, cold sesame noodles, scallion pancake with egg, and pork chop over rice. The popcorn chicken had great flavor and was done really well. The noodles were cooked perfectly and very refreshing! The scallion pancake could've used a lot more scallions and both the egg and the pancake could've been thinner. We thought the pork chop was tender and crispy and cooked well, but lacked a little flavor. We were disappointed that the veggies weren't pickled, but it's all good. Overall, would come back for the popcorn chicken and great beer selection! Also beware that there is parking in the back but you have to squeeze down an alley to get to it. read more

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High Side is more like high priced bar food with an additional 20% automatic gratuity charge to be seated outside near a dumpster. Three pieces of shrimp bao was not worth $10, the deep fried pork belly was fried to resemble jerky and served with onion juice to dip in to give some flavor, and I would hardly call the chicken satay sauce a peanut sauce as it consisted mostly of ginger. Even though they close at 3pm, don't arrive at 2pm because you will be given five minutes to order before the kitchen closes and hear the server complaining to other customers how he wishes we came in earlier instead of near closing time. How is an hour out close to closing time? I guess that's what happens when you know you have an automatic gratuity charge coming in. You stop caring about providing good service. read more

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I wish I could give High Side more than 5 stars. All of the staff are attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. I celebrated my 21st birthday here and I'm glad I did. They explained to me in detail how everything worked and were on the ball with recommendations no matter how (unintentionally) vague I was about what I like. Something else that I found nice was that the owner is present and very engaged with his business. Both times I've come here he has come by my table for a quick chat, asking how everything is and genuinely caring about the answer. This place is a gem, and an absolute must for anybody living in Fairfax. read more

Hidden Gem! This place has a lot of great beers. They offer 4oz tasters and 8 oz drinks. The beers are all unique. We did not get a chance to eat but the food but it smelled amazing. We will be back! read more

Went for the soft opening and man is this place awesome. Started with the steak skewers and pot stickers. Both were great. The steak was very flavorful and cooked well. I wanted a sauce to dip it in, but it didn't really need it at all. I guess I just imagined like satay (which they have). The potstickers we're good, the sauce wasn't the usual dipping sauce for them. The garlic shrimp pasta was good. A bit of a surprise that the shell were still on the shrimp. I get that it's to impart more flavor, but I'd recommend doing no shells as it's easier to eat and what most are accustomed to. The beer is the biggest draw here. They have one of the best tap selections in the area, and will only improve it with time. The bourbon and scotch is also a nice touch, with a few wine options for those who want it. read more

Tip: Parking is directly behind the store. The narrow isle between the store and gas station is for EXIT only. For whatever reason they don't have a sign on the sidewalk to display it. I came because of the high reviews and well... they were definitely misleading. The bar is small and well decorated but overall they offer nothing new that makes it worth your trip. Unless of course you live around there and it would be an easy walk but given their prices, I can't imagine too many college students being able to afford frequent visits. I'm guessing they are targeting yuppies who come back to the area who do not order food aside from edamame (their only appetizer worth getting). I personally enjoy IPAs but the food has a lot to be desire and the portions are half/quarter the size you would expect... especially when their appetizers are mostly $8 or more. Appetizers were non-thrilling and for my wife (pregnant) and friend who don't drink, there are many alternative options I would rather go to that would cater to us. On to the service - friendly staff but I got an impression they weren't experienced. My friend asked for suggestions other than IPAs and our server suggested him an... IPA. They do have non-IPA selections. To summarize this place, you'll like it if you and your party drinks IPA and that's about it. Food is bleh and over priced. A good bar should have good appetizers and if they aren't good then at least reasonably priced or portioned. read more

Worth a visit. Wish they had a location in our hood. Moderately priced Asian street food. Pot stickers, garlic shrimp noodles and sausage fried rice are all legit. Greasy. Perfect munchie food or beer accompaniment:) inspiring beer collection. Good beer. Not cheap. Great service. I'd be here frequently in their beer garden spring-fall. All in all, a five I'd visit again! read more

Came here with a few friends on Grand opening night and had a great time! The space was pretty tight for the number of people there, but I figured that'd be expected on their grand opening. They had an awesome selection of beers (both on tap and bottles) and the food was great as well! We only tried a few of the small plates (Taiwanese sausage, potstickers, cucumbers) but they were all solid . The owner constantly came by and shared different beers with us as well- He was awesome and super friendly! We'll definitely be back again! read more

High Side - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Wow, I love this place - I think I've found my favorite beer bar in the area! They've got such a niche selection of beers & perfect portions of Taiwanese fusion bites to go with it. I tried the lychee seltzer and scallion pancake with egg while catching up with an old friend for dinner, and the two paired really well together. Next time I'll have to try their beers on tap (especially their IPAs) and order some more food items - lots to explore here! read more

I stopped by on a Tuesday night after dinner. The location is easy to find with ample parking, but I imagine if it were busier or a weekend night parking might be more difficult. The place is clean and the staff is friendly. They weren't overly intrusive giving my lady and me space and privacy. They have a wide variety of craft beers - many of which are regional. I lean more towards porters or stouts. I've been to places that have way too many IPAs and this place had a good mix. Since I was pretty full, I sampled a couple of their stouts and decided on a taster (4oz) of the one I liked. I also ordered the popcorn chicken. I am not a Taiwanese food connoisseur, but I enjoyed it. When we were paying for our bill, Jinson (the owner) spoke with us and was very friendly. I live nearby so I think that it's a good addition to the area. I recommend coming if you like beer (although I believe they have wines as well) and not the usual stuff you can get anywhere. It's a unique establishment in Fairfax city and look forward to returning again soon. read more

If You're looking to try a new bar. This is the spot. Owners are great guys and the selections and food are amazing. Beautiful interior and they really made it their own and unique Parking is in rear but you can also park at bank of america parking lot or any 2 hour parking lots within walking distance. You can't go wrong here. Has everything you need and the perfect seats to relax and dine. Great staff as well, who are educated on the beer selections and food read more