I ended up being recruited to come into this place, and it really isn't my scene. Classic American cuisine is not vegetarian friendly, and while some information online suggested that this place had options, it really was quite limited and I just got a salad. It's a shame because even in this culinary idiom, there's plenty of great possibilities for plant-based dishes. The salad was fine; quite pricey for a small portion but when you consider you're a block or two from the White House it's within expectations. Despite having a group reservation, I was misdirected to a private event room downstairs, which looked cool but had me wandering around cluelessly. The main dining area was quite loud and it wasn't a great setting to have a real conversation. Downtown DC is notorious for high-impact wheeling and dealing dinners, but I assume they happen in more private spaces. The service I ultimately received was smooth, and I wish the place no ill will, but it wasn't was I was looking for in a night out. read more

I really enjoyed my food! I was with a large group in a private area on the ground floor. The menu options were chosen by meeting organizer. My only dislike is that the side dishes were served family style. This was probably chosen by the meeting host so not a dig to the restaurant. I don't like family style because you end up getting less than what you want so there's enough for the table. And many times there's never enough. My salmon was delicious. I loved the sauce. I wanted more potatoes but only got a dollop. . The salad was very fresh. read more

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If you're into classic, traditional American restaurants, PJ is a solid choice. My lobster salad was great, and the waiter was funny in that classic American way. I also loved the old black-and-white photos on the walls, the whole shebang really worked. read more

P.J. Clarke's - Fish and chips - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Had a delightful expensive sitting at the bar having a glass of wine and a delicious steak frittes dinner. read more

P.J. Clarke's - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

*I came here for a private event, so take this with a grain of salt* I am usually wary of places located near the White House due to a baseline understanding that the quality of food/drinks/service won't be high. And unfortunately, my thought was proven to be correct. I will say that the people working at PJ Clarke's was the redeeming quality that I liked. They're all friendly. Otherwise, the food and drinks were all misses for me. read more

P.J. Clarke's - Cocktail menu - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came in with a medium sized group near closing time and they accommodated us. We pretty much got all the appetizers. Korean sticky ribs: the best of them all. Sweet and spicy. Spicy was a great kick. Definitely sticky. Finger licking good. Get for yourself. Don't share. Buffalo wings: great quality wings. Good sauce. It's ok if you share these. Philly cheesesteak egg rolls: very good ! Good quality meat. Only share with your bff, otherwise keep to yourself. Zucchini and eggplant chips : definitely good , definitely shareable. The dip is a perfect flavor companion. Crab dip : I don't eat crab but everyone who did liked it. 2 people shared a lobster roll and loved it. One person hogged the braised short rib to himself. He ate it all. Plus some appetizers. I'd call him a pig but like pretty much everyone in the group we are skinny and have no stomach. (Stupid cancer. But we are all cancer free. Hence our reunion and celebration as we were in town yo advocate for more federal funding for stomach cancer). I wish I got pics. Forgive me. But take me at my word. Great food. read more

I'm sad to see that P.J. Clarke's has fallen off from where it was the last time I visited. It started off well with a friendly greeting upon arrival and then went downhill from there. Our server was somewhat attentive, but not very friendly. I had an order of the chicken wings and they were overcooked, extremely dry, and only 6 in the order for $17. But the biggest problem by far is what specifically ordered what we thought were oysters for $26. However, it turned out that what we requested was clams rather than oysters. So instead of coming back to the table and explaining that what we had asked for was actually clams, they just replaced the order with a brand of oysters that were $50/dozen. Never in my life have I had an experience like that. When we questioned why she didn't come back to the table and explain this to us, she stated that the chef told her that people make this mistake all the time and order the clams thinking it's oysters. How does that explain anything. We watched her discuss the situation with the manager and he made no attempt to apologize or correct the situation. Sadly, this is the last time I will visit P.J.'s. The interior is drabby and we had to change tables because of a wobbly table. read more

P.J. Clarke's - Menu - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I'm from NY so I have nostalgia for this NY classic. It is a fun NY old school vibe and we enjoyed the food and the service - especially the truffle Parmesan fries. We also enjoyed the salad and burgers. The service was attentive too. A fun night out! read more

P.J. Clarke's - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Some of the best filet mignon I've had in a minute I recommend this restaurant to anyone on vacation looking for a relaxing dinner with maybe some wine tasting I do recommend making reservations and the outside patio gives a great view of the Washington monument the wait staff are very nice and engaging, will be come again!!! read more

P.J. Clarke's - Sparkling water, wine, and tea - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got the steak with string beans. The string beans had a nice shallot pairing on top. I was very pleased with the string beans but the steak needed some seasoning. Not too much on my steak -- I asked for medium well and that is exactly what I received. I also got a nice sorbet which was divine. The wait staff -- gems. Love them down. read more

P.J. Clarke's - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We had a great dinner at P.J. Clarkes after unfortunately needing to leave another restaurant after not being waited on for 45 minutes. The Waiter at P.J's was great, informative, and efficient. Both my boyfriend and I had the connecticut lobster roll which was great. We also started the meal with their calamari but didn't get a photo. Overall great experience. read more

P.J. Clarke's - CONNECTICUT STYLE LOBSTER ROLL - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow the food is bad especially the seafood. I don't understand how someone can mess up lobster roll and fish & chips but obviously you can. I think the biggest problem is that neither the fish used in fish and chips and the lobster in lobster roll are fresh. Also there is definitely a problem with selection of ingredients. In the whole lobster roll I didn't get any of the body of the lobster just the claws. Because the lobster claws were not fresh it tastes rubbery which is not something you should feel in a fresh lobster. The fish in the fish and chips is also too flaky to be fresh. I really don't know how long they keep the fish and the lobster. The shrimp gumbo has literally one shrimp (I counted). The place is like a sports bar so can be loud but it's not bad decoration. Feels almost like a pizza joint that doesn't serve pizza. There is an outdoor area too. Service is typical of restaurants in this price range and honest the place is too expensive for the quality of food. Almost feels like a tourist trap. I came here after 5 hours of flight so I'm super hungry and even in the state I could barely finish the food so I DO NOT recommend this place at all. read more

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Last time I went was to the NYC restaurant 20+ years ago. It was a fine, historic place to get a decent burger. This restaurant is much more upscale, and the food, service and ambiance were all first rate! I wouldn't hesitate to entertain friends and family here, and we plan to go back!! read more

Hit or miss. Their happy hours are great! Drinks at a great price and small bites that don't break the bank. Came here for lunch a couple weeks ago, and had a very sad and expensive chicken Caesar salad. The chicken had obviously been reheated and was rubbery and of low quality. Last week a friend wanted to go for lunch, and I ordered the sliders with shoestring fries. Great flavor, done just as I asked, and great service from the bartender! read more

Tried to go in for drinks at 9:34 and the bartender told us they're closed. The sign says they're open until 10pm and there were other people in the bar so it was unclear why we were turned away. He kept saying they were closed despite my protestation that they were open for 25 minutes and we were only ordering a round of very easy to make drinks. Anyway, skip this place. Go to the St Regis instead. read more

Found this place while I was lost looking for another place. Liked it so much that I came back again. Nice ambience. Lunch time at the bar. I highly recommend you try the Maine oysters. Briney and cold. They get fresh oysters from various areas and shuck them right at the bar. Cocktails are delicious, but the love to do craft cocktails too. I settled for a dry martini was my choice. Barkeeps are attentive and don't mind a convo. read more

P.J. Clarke's - Paloma and a martini - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My family reserved a very large table for dinner and the entire family was so impressed with the food and professionalism of the staff. It is not easy to manage parties over 20, but the staff did so as effortlessly as if they were serving a party of 4. They were well organized, timely, and attentive. The food was absolutely fantastic. Everyone raved about their meals. The crab cakes with homemade slaw received exceptional praise. The Connecticut style lobster rolls were also a hit. read more

I tried the burger trio and the burgers were very flavorful and delicious. They were juicy, and the quality was better than IHOP, Ruby Tuesday, and Applebee's. I will definitely be back! read more

Very good business lunch with a couple of colleagues. The menu is versatile with a lot of lunch staples (burgers, sandwiches, entrees) with a good selection of salads and seafood. The ambiance is what you would expect with dark wood vibes, but it is very comfortable. Service was solid. I look forward to returning for happy hour. read more

Burgers were great and all other food was good as well .. however, it's very pricey, and all of the servers were not only weird but very unprofessional and it did not match the experience ....something so close to the White House should have the best service . I want to add that our server seemed completely drunk and smelled like cigarettes . He was also saying inappropriate things about the menu. Other guest had arrived and asked if they could sit in a certain area and another server said I don't know, whatever you wanna do ... truly surprising and unacceptable. I hope they fix their service.! Don't for is you want good service !! read more

The clam chowder was amazing, calamari was exceptionally and amazingly delicious also. One thing I can never get used to is a white server who is obviously struggling with serving African Americans. I mean it's 2026. He's walking around checking on EVERYONE- but another server had to get my glass of Malbec? WHY? Jesus, we must do better read more

I thought this looked like a super cute southern comfort food place, with a nice extensive menu, old portraits and memorabilia on the walls, red checkered tablecloths and lots of charm so I really really really wanted to like it.... Service was super fast. We ordered quickly and got served our food quickly, but without the sweetness and charm that I was hoping for. I felt like our waiter just didn't like us. The person who delivered our food had extra charm, so at least he was great. The food was just ok. My chicken was dry so I had to dip it into the green chili (Peruvian style) sauce that came with it. Brussels spouts were not roasted long enough so considerably under done. Fried calamari was very chewy and spicy, read more

P.J. Clarke's - Rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was so bad and made us sick. The lobster roll tasted like a hot dog. It was all very strange and bland. Will not be back. Expensive worse, and my glass had lipstick on it. Got an apology but pls be more careful to not spread germs. read more

Came for happy hour, left happy. The plus here is we walked in on a weekday in DC and didn't have to fight for a seat! Service was also quick and polite. Oysters were great and maybe they could do with a little revamp, the ambiance is a little dated but it adds character. read more

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What a cute place! Smart red gingham table cloths on the tables and gorgeous chandeliers under high ceilings! A large menu and nothing inexpensive. I was in search of a late lunch, something that I could take away the leftovers for my husband. I settled on the prime rib beef dip. Always a favorite of mine, but sadly, not this one! The bread was thick, tough and not squishy. The au jus was abundant and slightly thickened, but tasteless. The pickle was a treat and the French fries were hot and crunchy. The beef on the sandwich was skimpy and fatty and the 'horseradish' sauce was, well, in a word, horrible. I couldn't taste the horseradish when I was eating it, which I NORMALLY LOVE, and an hour later, I can still taste the vinegar, which completely overpowered the sandwich. I'm old. I've been eating this sandwich for 50+ years. This one was a huge disappointment, especially when the bill, with tip was $40. For a sandwich... read more

P.J. Clarke's - Tough, dry bread. Thick meat in the middle only. Absolutely awful horseradish sauce that tasted only of vinegar. $40!! - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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One of my favorite lunch spots. I go about 1-2 per month. Foods always good and the atmosphere is perfect for the surrounding area.

9/8/24 2:45pm Party of 2 Birthday lunch My fiancé and I had lunch here for his birthday. Sat outside since it was about 70° and sunny. The restaurant was pretty empty but perfect for us. Our server Kevin took our order and shortly after brought us our drinks. Ordered: Whiskey sour 10/10: perfect amount of alcohol. Classic Mojito 10/10: can't mess up a classic. Maryland crab frittata 8/10: the frittata was good, the potatoes weren't. They tasted old. Shrimp & grits 100/10: The shrimps were big, the sausage was good and the grits were buttery. Overall, it was a relaxing lunch. Would definitely go again. read more

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The place has really good, quality food with an excellent waiter. the environment is really good as well, and the prices are fairly reasonable. read more

The staff is just amazing! They really make you feel at home. The service was great! I really enjoy the St. Germaine Fizz and it is my new go to drink. Thanks for introducing me:) read more

P.J. Clarke's - St Germaine Fizz - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Six went for dinner. Greeted warmly. Nice interior. Also exterior seating. Our waitress was new and in training. A few hiccups but it all worked out. Six cocktails, some familiar some unique. Burgers, salads, oysters for dinner. Raves about the burgers. This was a great find, and we will be back next time in town. Key lime pie odd for me who lives six months in key west. Very tart and a bit grainy like a cheesecake. Did not affect my rating. All in our party loved the place. read more

Invited a guest here to dine with my family, and was extremely disappointed by the service and food quality (especially as I've enjoyed the NYC location). While the decor inside is nice, the food lacked flavor and the service lacked attention to detail. It pains me to provide such a low rating, but unfortunately I would not recommend anyone visiting this location. SERVICE Our waitress failed to ask us if we wanted any drinks, then proceed to mess up one of our orders. Additionally, one of our guests is vegetarian and the eggs Benedict came out with ham. She did not quickly amend either of these mistakes. FOOD I was further disappointed by the food. I ordered the grab sandwich, and was expecting a nicely mixed crab meat, but instead was presented with a whole fried crab. I've had soft shell crab before, but this was not that. The legs were not edible at all, and the sandwich was frankly disgusting. Also, the gaufette fries that came with the sandwiches were cold, over fried, thin chips that were not good at all. Definitely replace them with the classic sea salt fries. I did like the French dip sandwich, and that was probably it. Unless management makes a big change, please don't visit this location and save your money for somewhere else :) read more

Stopped by while visiting DC. Best oyster deal for happy hour! Got both the baked and fresh half dozen and they were delicious. Drinks were amazing and the bartender was fantastic. He chatted with us several times and topped us off with some delicious cocktails :) read more

I live in Manhattan and I'm used to going to PJ Clark's, the original on third Avenue and the other one over at Lincoln Center. These are classic New York old school places, especially the original one on third Avenue (from the 19th century), has great drinks and a party vibe late night. So I decided to try this one for dinner when I was on my own staying near the White House. It almost goes without saying that it was super expensive, given the cost of dining out in any major city, but,The service was terrible and the food mediocre. The bartender was so obviously unhappy at having to work there... Took forever for him to come over to take my drink order and food order. He kept leaving the bar and sitting with a table of people and chatting with them while I waited to try to get an order in or order a drink. He literally had nothing to say to me the entire time I was there and I was one of two customers at the huge bar. A totally Off putting experience read more

This place was a very chill vibe. I got their lobster roll and it was a bit bland for the price, BUT the truffle fries are a must.

Always reliable for just drinks and/or dinner. The servers are always top notch. Come here often when in DC and will continue to recommend.

Go visit John! He's the absolute sweetest. Walking in feels like stopping by your favorite uncle's house. He took great care of me and my best friend, even with a crowd of business-type folks around, and made us feel just as welcomed and attended to. Two girls on vacation and we felt completely taken care of. Thanks, John! I'd definitely come back. Also, if it's your first time in the area, ask him for recommendations on what to see and do. He's a great resource. read more

Back in DC. Walked into a mostly empty restaurant around 5 pm. All good for me. I ordered their standard Clarke burger with tomato, lettuce and onion and a side order of bearnaise. It came with sea salt shoestring fries. The burger came perfectly medium rare. It was quite good, but the fries were a bit unremarkable. I enjoyed the whiskey bread pudding - or half of it anyway - for dessert. The sauce was quite yummy and seemed as if the whiskey was present! Took the other half back to the hotel and had the rest for breakfast. Service was fine, though the waitress pressed a bit hard on the drinks, which I chose to skip. 3.6 rolls up to a 4. I'd like to try their lobster roll, but $35 seems high for something that alone would likely not satisfy. Maybe I'll go back. read more

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Stopped by while visiting DC. Best oyster deal for happy hour! Got both the baked and fresh half dozen and they were delicious. Drinks were amazing and the bartender was fantastic. He chatted with us several times and topped us off with some delicious cocktails :) read more

I just stopped by with my coworkers for a quick happy hour. Our bar tender "James" I think that was his name. Well, his service was great. I just had a drink called "Handsome" and ate a half dozen oysters. I was a little tipsy from that one little drink because I am a super lightweight. read more

P.J. Clarke's - Just oysters and my handsome drink - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here on a Friday night for dinner. Nice vibes and nice staff; they took our coats too which I was not aware of. I mostly came for their cherry blossoms themed items for the cherry blossom season and their food was pretty decent! Nothing spectacular, but still tasty and filling food. The sandwiches came with fries, which added a nice crunch to them. The French Dip sandwich was pretty good with the aus jus. The filet mignon sandwich was okay - it got the medium rare stuff down but nothing blew me away with the meat and sandwich. I got the cherry cobbler for the cherry blossom special - it was definitely bigger and more filling than I expected. They don't skimp on the cherry at all; it was a LOT of cherry which I appreciated. The ice cream definitely helps balance out the syrupy cherry flavour with the sweet vanilla. Although, the cherries stained my lips and teeth which wasn't really wanted but the cobbler was good regardless. Overall, it's a decent place for food and nice vibes in DC. I probably wouldn't come here again though; I'd try to find somewhere else to eat. read more

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