Last of the three 2022 runner-ups to original out of town picks, R is for Ragtime. Ragtime describes a bygone era of music a type of jazz popular in the late 19th & early 20th century. The restaurant/bar has a trumpet as their logo and has some New Orleans decor. I was here for a Meetup group on Friday, February 18, 2022 after I had work travel to Loudoun County, Arlington was on my way home (although not my fastest option). I opted to get a fried shrimp Po Boy sandwich with mac n' cheese. It was great. I think it's the best Po Boy I've had the DMV although to be fair, I haven't had that many in this area, but this one was definitely delicious. Mac n Cheese was better than it looked. It wasn't the very best mac n cheese, but it was above average. I think I had a wine too as I barely made it there in time for happy hour, which ends at 7, as I had a movie walking distance from there at AMC Courthouse beforehand. I think I ordered straight from the bar for quicker convenience then ordered food at the table if I remember correctly. Server was nice, but took a bit of time, but it was a large group; it wasn't anything unreasonable. I also talked a lot with this woman, walked with her to her car (it was on my way to my car a block or two further) on that cold windy night. We talked outside briefly, but it was quite cold. So, we parted by but not before I asked for the digits; we exchanged phone numbers. See my 5-star Urban Thai review written on 2/28/26, which tells about my 2 dates with her. She was kind of strange, but she was a good person in spite of her not being a good match for me. read more

Ragtime - Delicious shrimp Po Boy & Mac n Cheese! - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Now this is a fan favorite!! I cannot say enough good things about this place! I think what I love lost about ragtime is that though they are a bar with great drinks and great vibes, their food menu is absolutely spectacular! This is probably my 10th time going for this exact combo and I'm mad at myself for not capturing all the moments prior but it's hard to let the phone eat first when the food is that good! We got a burger, chicken sandwich and the steak salad! & everyone got an espresso martini! Truly we all couldn't stop raving about each of our individual drinks! It was fantastic! The staff is also always very lively and friendly and though always busy seemingly very attentive still! I can't wait to go back and go there for dinner and stay late for the drinks! read more

See all

Best locals bar and food around. We take the metro here from Pentagon City. We never make it for any live music but we do enjoy the food. Sometimes the staff could be a little more friendly to the irregulars. read more

My son and I were in town with friends to see a capitals game. This bar was next to our hotel. We stopped in to have a drink and ended up staying a few hours. It is a nice place. The atmosphere is fun and the wait staff were nice. The appetizers we had were good... and they had a microbrewery red ale that was excellent!! I imagine that parking for this place is a bear but if you can get here on the metro or are in the area... try it out! This is a fun place to hang out. read more

Ragtime - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Stopped into Ragtime for a couple drinks and a quick bite to eat. Food hit the spot. Drinks were delicious. The staff were friendly. The place was busy with the sports games on tv. At times, all the bar stools were taken and there was standing room only. I feel this would be a great spot for Sunday football. I am excited to see what this place turns into come Mardi Grad time! Can't wait to pop in here for Fat Tuesday celebrations!! read more

See all

Wonderful service from the waiters both were very kind, cool outdoor seating area in the front of the venue with nice mellow music. Wish I came last night for drinks as the bar had beers on tap and more louder music for a good time. Had the Nashville Chicken sandwich and it was delicious. Spicy and sweet with the pickles on soft potato bread with a side of waffle fries. Nice and crispy and lots of flavor. Def would come back again as their menu had a good variety of selections for both food and bevs. read more

Ragtime - Nashville Chicken Sandwich Delicious and spicy - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

I genuinely feel like the bread was made fresh for this sammie, it was delightfully crunchy and full of real flavor. The steak was perfectly cooked, and the Chimichurri flavor paired amazingly with the melting blue cheese. I savored every bite and used the paired tator tots to pick up anything that fell out of the sandwich. I ordered online and the meal was ready to go early. The restaurant itself seemed lively for the middle of the day, I'm sure they've got a great crowd. read more

Ragtime - Chimichurri Steak Sammie with Tator Tots - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Very cute neighborhood bar that I overlooked until the other day! It's really a lot more spacious on the inside than it looks on the outside and I have yet to try food, but bar service was pretty good. The bartender asked a lot of questions about how I liked my drink and tried to accommodate me without me having to ask ! Very casual setting, good for friends... need to return to try some of their food options! read more

Ragtime - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Service: we had a large party in the back room. Our waitress was great. She was quick to check up on us and made adjustments when I asked. Awesome service! Food: I got the wings with Nashville Hot sauce. Ok - the wings came out sauced?!? It looked more like a dry rub. The breading was nice and crispy but I was perplexed about the SAUCE. Our waitress did bring out some on the side for me to dip. The sangria was good but on the sweeter side. I had to order a glass of red to cut down the sweetness. Ambiance: I'm just gonna go ahead and admit that I am BOOGIE. Most of the places I go to are more on the high end (Tysons area boogie). I've been to a lot of your typical bar so this is that. Nothing wrong with it but just setting expectations. Ragtime has been around for a long time so that says a lot about the service, location, and convenience of getting there. I have 4 stars because service was great and I had great company. I probably would pass on the food and just order beer next time. read more

Ragtime - Wings and sangria - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Rock Time is great. The food is really good. Service is fine and the ambience is good. I recommend coming for trivia on Mondays. Good food New Orleans vibes. read more

Ragtime - Chicken gyro - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Fast delivery service, flavorful Philly cheesesteak sandwich that was very reasonably priced, from a clean restaurant. I was pretty happy. Next time I dine in! read more

Food and beverages are awesome. You don't find crawfish just evey where! Staff was really attentive and everything was great! Live music was the icing on the cake. Enjoy !! read more

Food was okay. In town for a couple of days and this was next door. They have different things going on each day, trivia when we came. Staff was pleasant and helpful, atmosphere a little noisy but when trivia was over it was quieter... going again tonight for dinner.. read more

See all

This place is amazing! I'm sorry I didn't take pics. We had the brisket egg rolls for an appetizer, and they were so good. Brisket was tender. My husband had the courthouse chicken wrap and I had the shrimp and grits. Both were amazing! Server was great! Great atmosphere! read more

Decent food, good drinks. We had the chicken quesadilla and the lava cake which were both pretty good for a late night eat. Staff was friendly and attentive. read more

Pretty good bar food! The food is kinda hit or miss at times but the customer service is always top tier. I actually enjoy ordering their food to go over eating inside. read more

I'm vacation from Boston and Stopped in after spending the day at Arlington National Cemetery. There 6 of us and had no problem getting a table right away. The grilled wings and nachos were a great starter. Tried my very first Shrimp Po Boy & it was delicious. Portion sizes are very gGreat cocktail, beer and wine selections. Thomas our waiter was excellent. Definitely will go back next time we are in town read more

I was so pleasantly surprised by my appetizer experience here. We ordered the barbacoa potato skins as well as the tuna nachos. The potato skins are delicious. There's plenty of meat, lots of surprisingly spicy sauce, and the potatoes are deliciously crispy while also soft and fluffy. I have a hunch that they re-stuff skins with hash browns but who knows their secret! And you can't forget the cheese - perfection. The tuna tartar nachos were also a wonderful surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect and at first thought I was getting a salad. The chips are light and fluffy, the tuna is plentiful and fresh, and the seaweed salad is amazing. We had four drinks and two appetizers and it was about $70 on a Saturday night. The only reason I can't give five stars is because the service was incredibly lackluster. The bar was definitely full, very loud, and very football fan friendly. We were in the back room and ultimately ended up befriending some other patrons because service was so MIA. I'll definitely be back! read more

It was okay. I only ordered fries and jambalaya! It was a lunch time saver. I didn't pack lunch and thought I'd make it through the day. Wrong! I called and my meal was promised in 5 minutes. The fries were different. Almost like the were fried frozen. No salt little taste. And the jambalaya was spicy so I couldn't really enjoy it! read more

Ragtime - Bar view - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Ragtime is always a local favorite for me, offering a diverse menu that includes seafood, New Orleans staples, and a basic brunch. It's a place I can always count on for a solid meal, no matter what I'm in the mood for. Food: Cheeseburger // Recently, I tried their standard cheeseburger for the first time, and it was great! The patty was cooked medium, the cheese was perfectly melted, bacon was not as crispy as I would have liked but that's a personal preference Pecan Pie // I also had the pecan pie, which they bring in from Acme Pie Shop. It was very good, especially when paired with a scoop of ice cream. The pie had a rich, nutty flavor and a delightful, flaky crust. Service and Atmosphere: The service is always quick and friendly, making for a pleasant dining experience. The atmosphere is lively, with a welcoming vibe that makes you feel right at home. Overall, Ragtime is a reliable spot for a delicious meal with great service and a vibrant atmosphere. read more

Ragtime - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Great food and ambiance! The buffalo tenders had the perfect amount of kick, the sautéed green beans weren't too hard and not too soft; perfect! The chicken kabobs come with 2 and the chicken is so flavorful on them. Looking forward to coming back and trying out some more options. read more

Ragtime - Buffalo chicken tenders, waffle fries, sautéed green beans and chicken kabobs! - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Solid. While there's limited parking by the restaurant, there's a parking lot a block away so no issues. Waitress was very nice and attentive, and ensured she checked on us regularly. The atmosphere was not bad and I can see hanging with friends here. The food was good and certainly worth trying. I had the chicken and waffles, which was very good. My son the fried oysters, which he enjoyed. And my wife the wings, which she really liked. read more

See all

We came here for dinner after a long day at the zoo. The staff were friendly and attentive. We were seated fast and checked on frequently. The inside is cool it's a classic old style pub feel that is really nice. I got a cup of the soup of the day which was herby potato and bacon soup which was rich and flavorful. I also got an order of jambalaya which was spicy and flavorful full of great chunks of chicken and sausage. It was an incredibly satisfying meal. My mom also loved her rock shrimp po boy sandwich and my dad loved his French quarter drip sandwich. We're were all very happy with our meal. read more

Ragtime - Jambalaya - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Host is mad rude - was itching for a pint with my blokes after running a marathon and received a lot of smoke

Ben the Bartender is awesome - he's personable, works hard and is a real trooper out here working this place to 2AM. The food here is on point, they have a late night menu as well, and trivia on certain nights. Live music sometimes too. There's an open door/window format for the patio and can walk right in when it's nice out. For those of you who like to know, they do have a freeze machine for the slushie cocktails. Check the. Out!!! read more

See all

We came to Ragtime after calling ahead for a group of 14. They easily accommodated us in the back room which was set up with its a small bar and a wall of TV's. We were there for lunch to celebrate after a special event and hadn't made reservations. The food was great, and drinks were too. The servers were very helpful finding the right drinks and generally friendly. read more

Came here for drinks with friends. We were a large group and were seated quickly. The sever was very pleasant and attentive! read more

Ragtime - Menu (Feb 2024) - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Cool bar, good food and open late. Fast service and they have an outdoor sitting. You can get there easily from the metro if you don't want to drive. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Arlington! Perfect sized food menu with tons of drink options. Cool Louisiana beer I've never seen before. Pasta, sandwiches, fish, hit with a Cajun spice that never misses. Egg rolls were super meaty. Cubano had a nice kick with the sausage instead of ham. Loved the flavors of the pasta. Cool decor all around the restaurant and bar. read more

See all

Update: We have since been contacted by the restaurant and a resolution was reached. Apparently empanadas were the special for the next night and whoops the wrong box was used for our dessert. We will say the Cubano and Philly Cheese sandwiches were very good, and my daughter annihilated the mac and cheese! A wonderful meal ruined by the wrong dessert! Everything about this place was great, the food, our server, the atmosphere. We ordered the chocolate pecan hand pies to go. After arriving back at our hotel to eat our dessert one bite said something wasn't right. These were MEAT pies (essentially, empanadas) covered in chocolate and whipped cream - you can see the meat and even a carrot in the photo. Not a pecan to be found. Also, I'm pretty sure empanadas aren't in the menu so where the heck did these even come from?? What else can I do except write this review at this point? read more

Ragtime - A chocolate and whipped cream covered empanada. Disgusting. - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

They have Monday night trivia at 7PM which will keep me coming back, despite the mediocre food. I loved that trivia was pencil/paper and fairly accessible (compared to other places where it's easy to get bored if the trivia is too difficult or niche) I had the black bean burger, which was good but nothing to write home about. I think the general consensus around the table was the same re: the various apps we tried. I would say you should come for the trivia and vibes, maybe order something to nibble on, but don't expect to be blown away. They don't have any food items on their happy hour menu (11am to 7pm on weekdays) but there was a good assortment of drink options. The price point was also reasonable, which I appreciated. read more

Ragtime - Black bean burger - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came here tonight to see my cousin perform. We had dinner here and our waiter Conner was awesome. He was super nice and got our food out fast as my cousin needed to get ready to perform and set up and such. He is super friendly and the other waiters and waitresses were great too. The vibe of this bar is very chill. It has many tvs so it is wonderful to come here for sports games. They are a late night place too. We saw Nachos and other stuff coming out from the kitchen at 1am! Which by the way the Nachos looked superb! I had a chicken sandwich and fries. The one only thing is that my chicken could have been cooked a little longer. But that is it everything else was great. read more

See all

Great local spot with a great variety of delicious food, always something going on, nice outdoor seating

I feel like a good way to gauge a bar is how a woman would feel sitting at the bar alone, including how the bartenders make her feel and other patrons and this is not any place to go as a woman admittedly... I was really uncomfortable and men just kept Hitting on me and I was the only woman there. It's also very much so a veterans bar and conservative. read more

They had great food and a nice atmosphere. Admittedly our waiter was a little slower than I would liked, to his credit, it was busy. Either way, great food! read more

I have visited Ragtime a couple times for dinner and trivia on Mondays. The food is decent, nothing too special. I ordered the French Quarter Dip this time around. It was pretty good and the portion of meat was quite large. I noticed that the serving of tater tots on the side was quite minimal in comparison. Service is alright. It takes a while to get the attention of the waiter - this is probably because it is quite busy on trivia nights. We had to wave the waiter down to get their attention. The ambiance was pretty nice. It gives off typical bar/pub sort of vibes and is typically well decorated according to the season. There is ample amount of seating indoors and some seating outdoors. This is a pretty decent place for a bite while playing trivia. read more

Ragtime - French Quarter Dip with Tater Tots - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Love Ragtime. It's a great neighborhood restaurant and bar, and my friends have started making it a destination for getting together. They have an impressively wide and tasty menu. I've been surprised by the few reviews about mediocre food. We've always found Ragtime to be a surprisingly good menu that reflects chefs/cook putting a lot of heart into the dishes. The value/price is excellent, too. People are friendly. The place is often busy but there's rarely a wait. We love it at Ragtime! read more

Had a sampling of apps and salads, along with multiple cocktails. All were good. Loved the soft pretzels with pickled onions.

Honestly, for a bar/grill located in Arlington, this place surprised me with its tasty eats! You walk in and its a typical bar scene but, very nicely decorated. A few guys hung around the bar, talking friendly to the waitress a la Cheers. I ordered a buffalo chicken wrap with a veggie kabob and a white wine sangria. Sangria was pleasantly sweet with a slight kick. The buffalo chicken wrap was surprisingly light with lettuce, tomatoes and blue cheese. The veggie kabobs had a great char to it, but maybe was a little too heavy on the vinegar. But overall, if you're looking for a quick lunch or a totally casual place to catch up with friends, Ragtime is the place to be! read more

Ragtime - Pubs Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Very nice small pub/restaurant in downtown Arlington VA in a convenient location a block from our motel (Hilton Garden Courthouse Inn). Staff was very polite and promptly served us. Food and drinks were all exceptionally tasty. Nice atmosphere with music and outside patio seating available read more