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Alexandria, VA

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The Light Horse

3.8 (448 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

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THE LIGHT HORSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Live music
Loud
Good for dancing

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Recommended Reviews - The Light Horse

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Reviews With Photos

Salmon with broccolini and fingerling potatoes
Melissa H.

How did I not find this place sooner?! From brunch to dinner, the Light Horse does everything in a perfectly cozy neighborhood way. In one week, I came here three times because it's really just THAT good. On my first visit, a friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed specialty cocktails and dinner. On my second trip for weekend brunch, two couples enjoyed cocktails, baked brie with pecans and cranberries, and delicious breakfast favorites. And on the most recent visit, my girlfriends and I checked out the upstairs, which is huge and warm, perfect for enjoying truffle-fry appetizers and dinner. Did I mention that the service here is great? Between Cassie, who's literally working both upstairs and downstairs, to Justin who's single-handedly juggling the brunch crowd as host, bartender, and server, everyone is working their tushies off. Can't say enough good things about this place. Oh, and military discount Mondays?? Say no more. Apparently, they also host karaoke nights, so I'll definitely be a regular going into 2026.

Cheesecake
Jessica A.

Great spot in old town Alexandria! A friend and I visited during restaurant week. It was a nice day, so we sat outside. I sipped on my sparkling rose as I enjoyed the nice views of king street. My friend ended up ordering from the regular menu but I wanted to take advantage of the restaurant week full course option! The 3-course meal came with an appetizer, main entree, and dessert. For my appetizer I ordered the Cajun crab dip, which was good! It was very creamy, but I can't say it's distinct from other crab dips. For my entree I ordered the rigatoni pasta. I guess I was just in a creamy mode that day, but I loved the shrimp and chicken inside. It definitely added more flavor to the dish. And of course I went with the cheesecake for my dessert. It was very good, but again, not really distinct from any NY style cheesecake. We had a great waiter; she was very friendly. Service was good overall!

Arra L.

Great food and excellent service! Everything we ordered was flavorful and came out quickly, and the staff was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was warm and inviting, making it a comfortable place to enjoy a meal. The only downside is that street parking can be quite challenging on weekends, so give yourself a little extra time if you're driving. Overall, definitely worth a visit!

Char P.

We stopped by on a Friday night and had a great time! I think our bartender was Chris, and he was really great! I didn't have any particular drinks in mind that I wanted, so the great bartender that he is, he asked me a couple questions and made me a drink that he thought I might like! He was right; I did enjoy my drink! A friend and I also ordered sweet potato fries to share; this was absolutely the move! The drinks and the snacks are fire! The vibes were quite chill! The staff were actually quite vigilant about spotting red flag behaviors without feeling so overbearing; I really appreciated that, especially as the night went on and patrons are drinking more and more. There are two floors where you can hang out. The upstairs has a handful of games with live entertainment and a bar. The downstairs is a bit more chill, and that's where we were pretty much the whole night. It was more our vibe for that night. We definitely enjoyed our time!

Tuesday - Prime Rib special
Jay F.

Excellent food and service in a great section of Old Town Alexandria. Tuesday night prime rib special for $20 is unbeatable!

Super neat
LoriLynn R.

The Prime Rib is awesome on Tuesdays! Monday is Military and Karaoke. We had the fish and chips over cooked a LOT, but the fries were good! The service is hit and miss, but don't be in a hurry... it's a great place to people watch and relax and enjoy life and good food.

Byron S.

A nice restaurant and bar that sometimes have karaoke upstairs. They also do themes. Bar service was great and the food was fantastic. That banana old fashioned was amazing.

Chris S.

The Light Horse has the best cocktails on King Street. I recommend getting there early on a Saturday evening (7 or 8) because there is a live band and you gotta see the band up close! The service was super fast even though it was very busy. Shoutout to Reyan, Chris and John downstairs.

Upstairs dining room
Bibiana R.

I really loved stopping by here ! I came for trivia night with a party of 6 people total ; they have trivia every Wednesday upstairs. I ordered the crab cake sandwich with jalapeños and tomato added. It came with the option of French fries , sweet potato fries, or a salad. With the option of adding a soup as a side for an additional $2. I opted for the regular fries. When I got my crab cake it was so tasty!! I devoured it IMMEDIATELY because it was 9 pm and I haven't eaten in the last 9 hours lol. Besides the taste, it was certainly 70% filler . But honestly not mad because I paid $20, so, you get what you pay for. It's no jumbo lump crab cake but it's still tasty ! The fries were crispy and delicious. Just wish they added another ketchup for me. I would totally come back because our server was really nice and this place is very historical and cozy looking. Maybe for a date night next time!! Tip: keep in mind that they charge auto gratuity to large parties !

Cubano
Will M.

The first floor bar had cool vibes on a Saturday afternoon. Two big TVs and an extensive drink menu. Upstairs was closed for a private event but I recall it being on the louder side when it's open. Cuban sandwich had a nice kick to it and the bread was super soft. Side salad was bigger than expected. Burger was solid . Bartender was very attentive.

Roasted Beet Salad / mushrooms/ Hand Cut French Fries / Smoked Chicken Wings/ steak and soup
Dona P.

Continues to be my favorite wings. I love that they're smoked then grilled / not fried. They make their own Buffalo sauce and I always ask for extra on the side. Fries are always crispy and fresh. And they made me a fabulous French 75 with tequila. Service is always friendly and the decorations this spring are SPECTACULAR! Literally a must see insta-worthy set up! Just dinging a star because my blackened salmon wasn't quite blackened and felt too underdone / slightly fishy. Next time I'll ask for it to be well done.

Smoked Chicken Wings** Truffle Parmesan Fries**
Becky D.

Get the truffle fries!! Stumbled upon Light Horse looking for beer and a patio in old town, and have already been back within a week because of the food and the vibes! Food: TRUFFLE FRIES ! Will not disappoint! I ordered both times. Also the smoked wings are great, but the ranch and blue cheese steal the show! Homemade in house!! I could drink it! Enjoyed the chicken sandwich and surf and turf kabobs as well! Vibe: Outdoor patio is perfect for the summer weather! Second time I went it was raining so I sat at the bar and still enjoyed the atmosphere. Not too loud, laid back! Service: shoutout to Sean and Kirk! Great service both at the bar and outside! See you guys soon!

Crème brulee
Trang H.

We went to Light Horse for restaurant week and was pleasantly surprised with the food! The stuffed mushrooms were filled with crab and the hush puppies had a yummy sauce on top. My fiancé got the steak which was cooked perfectly. I got the crab cake which came with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert, we enjoyed the cheesecake and crème brulee. Our wait to get a table on a Friday evening was quite long but the front desk kept giving us updates which we appreciated.

Cubano n fries

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6 months ago

Very friendly and professional bartenders at the bar. Best crab cake sandwich that I've ever had.

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1 year ago

5 stars across the board; food and service. Cannot say enough about both. Everyone who works there genuinely concerned about you.

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The Light Horse Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Light Horse

Where is the best place to park on a Saturday night?

You could part anywhere on the street and take the free local buss. They come almost every ten minutes and you hop on and off.

Are you able to get the happy hour specials throughout the entire downstairs area or do you have to sit at the actual bar?

Oh are able to get the happy hour specials anywhere. In fact, the waiter asked and informed us about happy hour choices after we ordered something, he offered a cheaper alternative and explained that the difference, for example, was that the happy… 

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Review Highlights - The Light Horse

“I really like their beer selection and the grilled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and bacon mayonnaise.”

Mentioned in 43 reviews

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Matt and Tony's All Day Kitchen Bar - Scotch Eggs

Matt and Tony's All Day Kitchen Bar

4.5(1.2k reviews)
1.1 mi•Del Ray
•$$

My sister and I came to Matt and Tony's for brunch with my toddler, and we had such a great…read moreexperience! We had reservations for 2 PM and were seated shortly after arriving. There was a little wait, but nothing long at all and definitely no complaints. My sister and I both ordered the steak and eggs, which came with potatoes and chimichurri sauce, and everything was absolutely delicious! The steak was flavorful, the entire meal was really good, and I would definitely order it again. For my toddler, we ordered the kids' waffle with fruit. My only small suggestion would be to offer a protein option with the kids' meal to make it a little more complete. It wasn't a big issue for us since I was able to share some of my food with him. The service was wonderful! Our server was quick, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant itself is such a cute little spot with a nice atmosphere. Overall, great food, great service, and a really enjoyable brunch. I would definitely come back again!

Came by for the first time & was pleasantly surprised w the place. The service was great & they…read morehave a nice, modern, chill bar/resaturant vibe inside. They also have a patio area! I ordered: Bloody Mary -- 10/10 Vegan Breakfast Burrito -- 9/10 Dirty Shirley -- 7/10 They have an all day breakfast menu, which is pretty cool -- the chicken & waffles looked & smelled so good, so we may have to come back & try that next. They don't have many vegan options but the breakfast burrito is really good! It comes w potatoes, & mine came out oddly cold on the inside. The also have a happy hour menu but you have to go out of your way to ask for it.

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Chadwicks - Fried Green Tomatoes

Chadwicks

3.9(975 reviews)
0.4 mi•Old Town Alexandria, Waterfront
•$$

Chadwick's was such a fun little stop while walking around Old Town Alexandria! We popped in to…read morecool off from the heat and immediately loved the laid-back, local feel. The bartenders were super friendly, and the bar was full of locals chatting, laughing, and clearly enjoying themselves. We tried a local beer and cider, and both were delicious and so refreshing after being outside. We also noticed at least four people around us ordering the fish and chips, which definitely caught our attention for next time! If you're looking for a cold drink, great A/C, friendly bartenders, and that comfortable neighborhood-bar vibe right in Old Town, Chadwick's is definitely worth a stop.

If it seems like Chadwicks has been around for over 100 years...that's because it kind of has…read more Opened in 1979, the building which houses Chadwicks is a historic 19th century warehouse and is located right besides the Alexandria waterfront. Haven't been to Chadwicks in a while, so it was nice to convene for a recent brunch to catch up with some friends. While there is limited outdoor seating, I prefer the upstairs since it's typically quieter, and the abundant windows naturally illuminate the space. The interior is also characterized by nautically themed decor, along with exposed brick walls and hardwood flooring. TBH, this is one of the better Brunch spots in Old Town. There brunch menu is extensive - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/68d065ce6d80726524c2bca9/t/6a3d8efe5e4fbd1439f0bc1a/1782419198238/Brunch.pdf - and has all of traditional breakfast offerings of pancakes, french toast, a variety of eggs, sausage/bacon/ham, etc. While there are also lunch type savory options such as sandwiches and chicken and pasta entrees, I opted for the classic biscuits and gravy. I don't normally eat this type of heavy carb heavy dish...but every now and then, it's not so bad. The plate arrived with two buttermilk biscuits, country bacon gravy, two sunny side up two eggs, and home fries. The gravy was nice and thick with pieces of sausage bits, but I found the biscuits on the dry side, rather than buttery and flaky. Eggs were prepared properly and had that satisfying "ooze" when the yolks were popped. Home fries tasted previously frozen and could've used a few more minutes in the fryer. Service was a bit slow as there was only one staff taking orders and delivering food. But he was friendly and would circle back around to check on our group frequently. Pair your meal with a few choices of cocktails (I ordered a $5 mimosa) and Chadwicks brunc h is a great way to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon. Be sure to inform your server ahead of time, if separate checks are desired. One brunch entree, one mimosa with tax and tip totalled to about $25.

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Chadwicks - At our favorite place

At our favorite place

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The Light Horse - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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