Five Stars - Outstanding Food, Exceptional Service, and an Unforgettable Experience! We recently visited The Salt Line Oyster + Ale Restaurant to celebrate my little sister's birthday, and I must say, they did not disappoint! From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, the entire experience was nothing short of exceptional. Let's start with the food--AMAZING! Our table enjoyed the Pimento Crab Dip, Stuffies, Fried Calamari, Smash Burger, Waterman's Platter, Seared Scallops, and Portuguese Stew. Every dish was delicious, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. It was clear that the kitchen takes great pride in what it serves. But as wonderful as the food was, the service was even better! Our server, Chante, took exceptional care of us throughout the evening. Her professionalism, warmth, attentiveness, and genuine commitment to ensuring we had a wonderful experience truly stood out. The rest of the staff was equally welcoming and attentive, making our family celebration even more special. What impressed me even more was meeting General Manager Matthew Joseph. His personal engagement and attention to detail reinforced something I have always believed: exceptional customer service doesn't happen by accident--it starts with leadership and a culture of excellence. Matthew and his team clearly understand that. As a former senior executive and business owner, I especially appreciate organizations where leadership, teamwork, and outstanding customer service come together to create a memorable experience. The Salt Line delivered on all three! Thank you, Chante, Matthew, and the entire Salt Line team, for helping make my little sister's birthday celebration so special. You have certainly earned our loyalty. The Salt Line will become one of our go-to destinations for entertaining family, friends, and business associates. Five stars without hesitation! We look forward to returning soon! read more

I always seek out seafood when eating out. The Salt Line did not disappoint. It was restaurant week, which I am not a fan. So, I ordered the regular Arctic char from the regular menu and my friend ordered the special menu for restaurant week. His gazpacho was the best I ever tasted! I believe it even had chunks of shrimp in it with scallions on top that added a nice crunch. Sadly, it's not on the regular menu. He too got the Arctic Char for his entree. The Arctic Char was delicious and the grains underneath with vegetables was yummy. There were small dollops of a wonderful mayonnaise type sauce that was perfect! I would definitely order that again. (The Arctic chart that came with the restaurant week menu was clearly smaller than my regular menu item. This is why I don't care for restaurant week. This is not a slight against the restaurant, all restaurants do this.) I asked for bread and they brought out some yummy Parker rolls baked in a little skillet with old bay butter. They were piping hot and just perfectly fluffy on the inside. They charge six dollars for it. This is a minor issue-- I probably wouldn't charge more than five dollars. Most restaurants don't offer bread at all anymore and if they do--they charge. They really should mention that they charge for the bread when customers asked for it. My friend chose strawberry ice cream for his dessert included in the restaurant week menu. It was just okay, but what can you expect? It was just ice cream. I ordered a wonderful special bourbon old-fashioned--it was delicious. He got a beer which was quite pricey at $13 for a beer. That seems a bit high. We had a wonderful waitress. Her name is Chante. She was delightful and added to our great experience. We sat outside under the cover because it was such a beautiful night we wanted to eat outside. The bar was really hopping and loud. The restaurant decor is very cute with a French bistro style. This restaurant is close to the Ballston Mall. If you can't find street parking, which is usually tight, just go into the mall garage. I will definitely be going back. read more

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Cute place with outdoor seating. Located in Balston. Service was ok. And the reason I'm saying this is because I was server gave us what I thought was complementary bloody bloody Mary shooters. That is a bloody Mary shot with an oyster on top normally it's eight dollars each. We did not order it yet. He added it to my bill and made me pay an extra $16.!!! Other than that, my steak salad was not appetizing. But everything else was good. Update: owner replied and did a refund to my card. I didn't bring it up at the restaurant because I didn't want to cause a scene. I appreciate your reply and the refund was a surprise. I would definitely go back. read more

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What a great experience! We had some out-of-town guests and met here for dinner and drinks. The service was excellent from the moment we sat down to departing. I opted for the Grilled Arctic Char with Fregola, which was prepared fresh and right on point! It was seasoned perfectly and delicious. The ambiance is casual and cozy, perfect for meeting with friends or on a date. Parking is available along the street or nearby garages. Will be back again! Enjoy! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Grilled Arctic Char with Fregola - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Portuguese stew still amazing. Their ceviche is served impressively on a bed of ice and an elevated rack. It comes with chips. Calamari is good (not just squid but also fried vegetables). The restaurant is super dog friendly. There is even a dog sitting tall at the bar. Our waitress gave our pup a treat and brought him a bowl of water with ice cubes. Extra points on such a hot day. Their patio is super comfortable with a cross breeze to dissipate the summer heat. We love coming here in summer. read more

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This place is super close to me but I don't come here often for some reason, which may change. We were seated at the bar for happy hour on Monday and they had a special on oysters. My friend and I shared a dozen oysters, the poboy and a fried item. We don't like the fried item a lot. We did like the poboy, fries and oysters though. The ambiance is great. We shared our food outdoors and we were very comfortable. The service was great, noting that they are slightly understaffed. Overall, I would definitely come here again and try more food! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Came here last Friday night with a friend who wanted to try oysters. It's been in my to-do list and they have a decent Happy Hour special. $30 for a dozen oysters or $18 for half. With each oyster $3.50 per oyster. A bit high when compared to Lyon Hall's oyster happy hour which is $1 an oyster during happy hour. But still not terrible. I enjoyed the oysters! They were fresh and delicious. Though I wish there was more variety as all the oysters picked for the happy hour were on the sweeter side. Would've been nice if one had more saltiness. I wanted to try the salty oysters so I ordered a half a dozen at $3.50 per oyster and those rocked too. I used lemon and hot sauce for my oysters and their homemade hot sauce rocks! The interior of the restaurant looks very nautical and fits with the seafood heavy menu. Also heard the burger and lobster rolls are good will have to try during another visit. Would come again. Maybe not for oysters but def to try other stuff on the menu! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Happy Hour Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We came to the salt line to have pre-dinner appetizers and drinks. We were able to snag a last minute reservation and were sat pretty close to the reservation time. We opted for the calamari and oysters and even decided to try an oyster shooter for the first time. They had a lot of oyster options and I love how the menu card was already on the table to easily fill out for the number of oysters we wanted. The calamari was pretty fresh when it came out and fried with a perfect crisp. The drinks were also pretty refreshing. Will definitely be back to try out more food options on the menu. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We enjoyed the Beautiful patio with gorgeous weather, drinks & snacks were great on happy hour. Wish bartender was a bit upbeat, he was ignoring people, which was not good. Tall bartender was nicer. Parking at ballston mall. Very convenient. read more

Came in for a summer restaurant week special and was not disappointed! Our server was knowledgeable about oyster options and wine pairing suggestions, and every course was great. The dessert was especially cute! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Dirt cup: pudding topped with Oreo, pretzel, & gummy worms - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The pictures speak for themselves .. got a smashburger to go and after eating most of it, noticed the interior was raw, as in the cow was still mooing raw. Beyond unacceptable and today my stomach feels off, which makes sense after eating that and not noticing until the last few bites. I can't believe The Salt Line kitchen did zero quality control, apparently, esp as they present themselves as upscale. If I was in the restaurant, I would have sent it back and spoken up but it was too late as I was home, so instead I pay the price the next day and had to cancel my plans. On top of that, there was no ketchup given for the fries and no utensils in the bag. Incredibly disappointing experience. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - proof of order - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Went for brunch/lunch on a Sunday and what an utter disappointment. We were only one of a few tables in the restaurant yet our server was hard to track down and never proactively refilled our waters. The food was all subpar at best. The calamari came in the smallest quantity ever seen - this isn't fine dining. The entire canister was filled with lettuce with very little squid. Dozen oysters were delivered without oyster forks or even mini spoons in the sauces. Also no explanation on which oysters we were getting. Clam chowder was not chowder consistency - super watery and the crackers are involuntarily already in the soup. The fish sandwich had an interesting bun but the piece of fish was so thin it was easily over fried. Disappointing. read more

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A very nice restaurant for seafood. We were there for brunch. They have a brunch menu with a $30 seafood plate , oyster specials and drink specials. We had a half dozen oyster special and another half dozen with the more expensive oysters. All were very good. The ones that are in the special were milder. We also ordered 2 raw clams, they were fishy, not recommended. We also ordered a salmon Benedict, tuna tostada, crab cakes, Scrambled eggs and grits. The menu doesn't indicate the grits are cheesy grits. It was a bit salty. Service is very good. Parking is street parking, for Sunday it was free. read more

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I recently went to The Salt Line-Ballston for a work meeting and got the lobster half-sandwich with a salad and clam chowder. Our service was great and the nautical theme is fun. The lobster was good and had the right amount of butter and lemon. The salad and the clam chowder were fine although nothing notable. I would recommend The Salt Line-Ballston for a work or professional event. read more

I asked yelp for recommendations for softshell crabs and was directed to the Salt Line. They didn't have softshells. I had clam chowder which was very thin and came with cracker bits floating in the soup. Beer selection was meager so I had a Narragansett a middling American beer local to New England. For my mane course I had the "fish of the day" which was Black Bass wit crab Imperial served over broccoli. It was dry and the crab was from a can $38. I should have ordered the lobster roll for $42 but was afraid it would be surimi imitation lobster. The waitstaff was courteous and ambiance was pleasant. read more

Good variety for both seafood and non-seafood lovers. It's a nice spot for a social hour with friends, though you shouldn't expect dishes or drinks that will "wow" you. The atmosphere: Great location in the Ballston area with plenty of outdoor seating and a bar. The indoor space is spacious as well, with decor that fits the nautical theme nicely. The food: Our table shared the Baked Pimento Crab Dip. This was my second time trying it (the first at the Navy Yard location). While I still love the Old Bay crab chips, the dip itself was just okay and, unfortunately, didn't arrive hot. We also ordered oysters from the raw bar--this was the highlight for me, as they were incredibly fresh. For my entrée, I went with the Waterman's Platter because I'm a sucker for fried seafood. It's a generous portion. I wish there had been more fish, but I really enjoyed the scallops and shrimp. As for drinks, my friends tried the Pomme Spritz and Espresso Martinis, which were underwhelming. The service: Overall, service was good. Our server was patient with us and offered solid drink recommendations. read more

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Came back for another time to try it out. My friend and I each had two drinks. We shared the crab dip, calamari, and waterman's platter. The crab dip tastes good, but there was only a few pieces of crab. The calamari was also good, but for ~10 pieces of calamari for $14 I felt it was very overpriced for the portion. The waterman's platter was good, I especially thought the scallops had a lot of flavor and texture was good. Service was also good. I love that they have outdoor seating which is covered during the winter. What keeps me from coming back is the price tag. It is really expensive for small portions and the drinks are just okay for $14-16 a cocktail. read more

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Hip, cool place to see and be seen. The quality of the food was superb. I had the tile fish cooked perfectly, and wife had the tile fish ceviche which was excellent (dig down for the sauce underneath), and clam chowder which was just okay - too thin and wasn't creamy enough. But main issue is the value. The place is high end price wise and given the small to moderate portion sizes, overpriced. Service was okay - we had a newbie who had to keep running back to the kitchen to answer our questions. We'll be back, but probably just for HHR. read more

It was quite busy on a Friday night, but the weather was beautiful so totally understood. I'd suggest metroing, there is some parking but for popular evenings can be a little harder to find. There is also a paid parking garage. Came here with a couple of friends and ordered an espresso martini to start. Good flavor but kind of small 8oz for $26 but I don't need much caffeine. We ordered a crab leg appetizer which was good and simple to eat. The shrimp roll was very good though roll itself didn't look that big with fries for $19 it was a bit smaller than I was expecting. I'd probably come back during a happy hour, because I was still a bit hungry after. read more

waited a while before writing this review because I wanted to make sure my opinion was fair. This was my second or third visit to Salt Line for dinner. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming. Our server seemed uninterested and disengaged throughout the meal. Communication was difficult, and when I asked for a virgin mojito, she wasn't even sure whether the bar could make one and had to check. The food arrived quickly, so speed wasn't an issue. However, the presentation and value were disappointing. I ordered the rockfish, which was about $36. The portion was quite small, with a large amount of pesto underneath and no carbohydrate or side option included. The fish itself was decent, but not memorable enough to justify the price. The atmosphere is lively, especially on a Friday evening. Even outside seating can be quite noisy due to the crowds and conversations around you. If you're looking for a place to have drinks, meet friends, or take a date for cocktails, Salt Line may be a good choice. As a seafood restaurant, however, I think there are many better options in Arlington and Northern Virginia. Based on my experience, I would rate the service 2 out of 5 stars and the food around 3 to 3.5 out of 5 stars. Would I return? Probably not. There are simply better seafood restaurants in the area that offer stronger food, better value, and more attentive service. read more

The service at Salt Line is always great. I only give it 4 stars because I am not a fan of the food which is entirely on me for going to a seafood place as a vegetarian. I mostly just get the drinks there and the server has been kind enough to modify the drinks to my liking or whip up new ones based on my preferences. I also love the taffy that they have by the entrance. This last time the taffy was clearly from new stock and had many new flavors. I really should be giving the place 5 stars but am holding out in the hope that they will add some decent vegetarian friendly options. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Brussels sprouts. Could have used more seasoning specially salt. Not the best Brussels sprouts I have had and not the worst. - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Came to the Salt Line for lunch in national Burger Day, so I had to get the cheeseburger. It was really really good, and I'm so glad I ordered this. I opted for the salad and friend got the fries. We sat outside because the weather was nice. Everything was great! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Every meal at The Salt Line is enjoyable! I never leave without having oysters, cocktails are great, love the burger, pimento crab dip, the Parker house rolls, and if you are feeling like eating all things fried - share the waterman's platter!!! And always ask to sit at one of Billy's tables and don't pass up the opportunity to be seated outside when the weather is nice!! read more

Decent selection of fresh oysters. Not as many beers on tap as one might expected for a place with "ales" in its title. Lots of comfortable outdoor seating. Service is slow. read more

Great happy hour specials. Oysters in the half shell and cold drinks. They have a great covered outside bar with fans. Nice mid Atlantic and New Englands seafood dishes. read more

There were five of us. We had a reservation, fortunately. The place was packed on a weekend for dinner. We ordered the Parker house rolls which came in a cast-iron skillet with salted butter. Warm and delicious We all ordered fish. Between the five of us, we had grilled or pan sautéed cod, snapper and trout. The dishes & the sides that came with the dishes were incredibly delicious. Cooked perfectly. Especially like the tabbouleh with spiked cranberries that came with the trout. We ordered no fried food. Service - outstanding Ambience - felt like we were in a New England restaurant. Very nice. Didn't take pictures, but the plates were organized beautifully Highly recommend and we will be back read more

We came for lunch. They have a pretty good lunch menu. The food was great. I had a lobster roll and soup along with a salad. The salad was extremely salty but everything else tasted fine. The staff recommended the Parker rolls. They were nice and light. I def recommend. read more

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Very good oysters. Have to say they are my favorite spot for oysters in the DMV. I also really like the fried fish sandshich with French fries. read more

Service was fine. We ordered see receipt image. The quality of the food was not enjoyable. The descriptions did not match with the food delivered. We had to ask if the plates were prepared correctly according to their standards and the answer was yes, so they didn't make errors in execution but in setting expectations. So we were disappointed and will not return. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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My go to spot if someone is visiting or a friend asks for a dinner recommendation! I've gone here for happy hour and dinner - neither has disappointed. You have the ability to eat inside or outside under a covered patio (enclosed in the winter!) Their hugo spritz is my favorite in the area. If you don't like seafood don't worry because they have an incredible burger on the menu too! read more

My boyfriend and I have been living in the apartments across the street from The Salt Line for a few months now and this place is always poppin', so we'd been dying to try it! When we walked in, we were greeted by super friendly hosts. Our server was also fantastic. The patio seating was so quaint and welcoming, and we were surrounded by seemingly happy customers! We were blown away by the delicious cocktails and food, beginning with the warm, fluffy parker house rolls, which arrived in an adorable skillet. Each fresh, buttery bite of lobster roll took me further into a food coma, while my boyfriend marveled over how perfectly crisp the French fries were. Needless to say we will be returning!! read more

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Had lunch here over the weekend recently. We shared a fried seafood platter. The food was fresh and decently seasoned. The service was great and the ambiance was fine. Was the best fried seafood I've ever had? No, but it was good. Check them out if you're in the area. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Waterman's Platter - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came in on a weeknight as part of a large group having a business meeting/dinner. This place is loud! We were seated in the "tented" bar area at ho-tops pushed together to allow us all to sit. It would have been better/nicer is they had a place to accommodate us all inside the main restaurant instead. The menu was decent and had nice variety, but I found myself not finding anything that really appealed to me. We tried a few things at the start, their crab claw appetizer was great, but would be so much better if it wasn't fried. I had a similar dish in New Orleans once and it was etouffee style and was amazing. Their fresh baked rolls were very tasty. Their huge seafood tower was very appealing to many in our party and the shrimp I tried on it was spot-on perfect! My main dish was their spicy shrimp roll, which is like a po boy, but served on a lobster roll bun. It was tasty. Nothing special, but nice. I kicked it up a little with the hot sauce from the tower and that made it really good. Overall - Nice visit... Service was friendly. Execution was pretty good. But I can say I've been and I'd probably try somewhere else next time I'm in the area. read more

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Very good food. Small proportions the service was phenomenal and the ambience. It was a little pricey, but I still recommend it for people. Great date night restaurant. read more

Okay, food terrible service. We were greeted by a shockingly rude hostess. (Short, African American woman with a shaved head). I was gonna brush it off the disrespect, but in reality, I should've taken it as a warning. We were offered two different tables and chose the one outside, despite receiving another snarky comment from the hostess "if you're going to be cold say it now". Shortly after we sat down, we were approached by another worker who offered us another table by a fire. We moved and received or food. Then it started to rain. Every other table was escorted either inside or under the covered section. We were not. I went back to the rude hostess and asked if it was possible to be moved. She said "oh so you want to be moved from the table you seated yourself at." She repeated this multiple times. So we moved and no one moved our food over. I approach another server and ask if our food will be moved. He says "if there's anything you really want you should grab it". I was shocked. So I went back and sat down and our food was cleared and thrown out. Then about 15 minutes later our waitress appears after we asked for the check because we just wanted to leave and did not feel welcome. She came over and gave the most insincere apology. There was one nice man who helped us and took the salads off our bill. He was the only kind person in the joint. So finally we leave. We pass the lady with the shaved head and she stares us down with disgust and does not even say goodbye. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. I felt like I was in middle school and being bullied. Okay food extremely rude staff (with the exception of the one kind gentleman)! I would not recommend unless you like to be degraded. read more

Great choice for seafood, fantastic menu, good raw bar (though not the best in the area), nice bar scene especially when the weather is good. Lots of seating options, standard, outdoor, high tops. Solid booze choices. Good happy hour. The host stand can be a bit chaotic, but the service is generally good and attentive. Recommend for laid back but upper end kind of seafood. read more

Great oysters! Lovely bread and salads. Great outdoor seating. Most of all shout out to Brie who made these SF visitors feel at home. Thank you! read more

Salt Line comes up all the time as one of the best burgers in the area - of course their seafood and brunch, too but I'm a burger gal. 10/10 - excellent smash burger 10/10 - perfect fries Excellent service This is a cute restaurant in Ballston with a patio (covered and heated in winter). Street parking was easy during the week. Can't wait to check out their brunch. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Chop salad - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Come here for oysters!! My husband and I came here for dinner after a paint and sip night at Muse. We were starving so we started with some oysters, every time I've gotten oysters here they were so delicious! I love to top mine with cocktail sauce! We also ordered drinks, I got the passion Paloma and my husband got an espresso martini. Both of us agreed that the drinks are just ok. They seem unbalanced to me, perhaps liquor forward. I am not an expert! Our entrees were good! I got the smash burger which was so good. Probably the one of the best burgers I've gotten in Arlington. The cheese was perfectly melty and it has to be something about the mayo they put on it that makes it so good! My husband got the Portuguese Stew which had mussels, chorizo, white fish and bread for dipping! It looked incredible and he said it was delicious! So overall I'd come here for the food! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Smash Burger - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Walking in the door, you find this place well appointed and inviting. You are immediately thinking you are in for a great meal, but then it falls short. Wow, how disappointing! Let me explain. The preponderance of seafood on the menu, leads you to believe that this is a seafood restaurant and, hence, what you should order. Let me tell you, we ordered a lot of food, with plenty of variety. We started off with a dozen oysters. We then ordered some Coddies (fried Cod balls) , Fried Clam Bellies, and the Waterman's Platter (which is a combination platter of various fried seafood that came with fries and slaw). In addition, we also ordered the Baked Pimento Crab Dip, Grilled Honey Walnut Shrimp, and the Fried Brussel Sprouts. Although, our focus was mostly on small plates versus entrees, we did this purposefully so we could sample many things. Unfortunately, most of these items were a let down. Especially, the fried items (of which there were many). To sum it up, the seafood in general lacked freshness, and the coating on the fried items lacked seasoning. And all of this came with a hefty price tag, which made this even worse. Other than the ambiance, the only other bright spot in our experience was the service ... Which was quite good. Not sure I will return. read more