Okay, let's start with the bad news. You have to have military base access to get on Bolling to enjoy this place. That's the only bad news. The good news -- my wife and I had 6 pieces of chicken, fries, and a soda for 20 bucks plus tip. VALUE! And, the people are friendly and engaging. SERVICE! Plus, our meal was ready in about 5-7 minutes. FAST! But, most importantly, if the restaurant wasn't on base, I think everyone would know, this might be the best fried chicken on the planet. It's homestyle flavor, but with the crispiest crust ever. DELICIOUS! If you have base access, and have never tried the Slip Inn, you should feel bad about your choices right now. And, then you should try it at your first opportunity. It's great! read more

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My colleagues and I visited this establishment while on base for lunch. As first-time customers, we were unsure whether ordering was done at the table or at the register. When we asked for clarification, the response we received from the cashier was somewhat dismissive and carried an attitude in her response. Despite this, we proceeded with our order. When our food was served, my meal was missing the side of fries that I had ordered. I returned to the counter to address the issue and informed the staff that my order was incomplete. I was talking to the cashier when the kitchen staff came out and asked, "what's the problem?" Also, with an attitude. I explained that my fries were missing. It appeared there had been a mix-up within our group orders, and another member of my party had received my fries. The staff suggested that I take those fries, despite the fact that my colleague had her hands all over them. I declined and requested a fresh order instead. I was then charged an additional $3 for the replacement, rather than the issue being corrected as part of the original order. When my order was ready, I was directed by the cashier to retrieve it from the kitchen window, rather than it being handed to me directly. Isn't it her job to serve the customers? Overall, the interaction throughout the visit reflected a lack of professionalism and customer service. I strongly believe these women need proper customer service training or not work there at all as they look like they hate their jobs. In addition, the food was mid. Given the experience, I do not plan to return or recommend this establishment. read more

Only come here if you want to eat fried chicken. It was the only thing available on my visit. Staff friendly, clean establishment, great view of marina, music was loud read more

Food is good, staff are friendly Music is loud making it hard to talk at times Cannot beat the view read more

The Slip Inn is the lunch spot for my coworkers and I! I have wanted to try everything on the menu but unfortunately I am addicted to the brisket sandwich and hush puppies! I vow to try something new each week, but that combo has a hold on me! Very nice view as it sits on the water at JBAB and the staff is always friendly. If you have base access, this is a must try! read more

Great hang out spot since 2003 when I purchased my boat. Love their food and the staff is awesome! Great prices too. The views are amazing and their events with deejay are a lot of fun! read more

I just happened to take a quick stop to the Slip Inn and all I can say is that the Food is Phenomenal specifically the Breaded Wings!!! I tried the Buffalo and Breaded. Both choices are great just depends on what type of wings you're in the mood for. The wings were served hot and fresh!! The drinks and service was awesome too!! The staff took really great care of me and the ambiance was awesome! The Slip Inn definitely is a great spot to stop at before you're stuck in traffic. Go and get them Breaded Wings!!! The prices are great too!!! read more

The Slip Inn - Breaded Wings - American Near Me - Bolling AFB, District of Columbia

I've heard of this place for awhile but it's my first visit. Kind of what I expected, a little dive bar and a kitchen by the docks for weary sailors. The live music was a special occasion and it made the evening fun. All in all, with the sunset and the water it made a memorable evening with some good German food. We're going to have to come back and try their regular menu sometime. read more

The Slip Inn - Octoberfest - American Near Me - Bolling AFB, District of Columbia

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This place has the oddest hours, a very limited menu, and the staff is so rude. Being on a military base and only open for military people, id expect much better service. The food is good, but the lack of service and extremely long wait times for food are not great. read more

Went for the world famous George chicken and unfortunately it did not impress. The chicken was luke warm and over cooked. On the other hand the dockside seating is unbelievable and worth it. Get yourself a drink, watch the planes at DCA and enjoy the atmosphere. read more

The Slip Inn - Relax on the Potomac on base - American Near Me - Bolling AFB, District of Columbia

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I really wanted to love this place but unfortunately it just is so limited on food. I was here with a friend and told the fried chicken was amazing. Yep it's good. As good as Popeyes, Harris teeter and KFC. If you like food that is brown this place is for you. There is absolutely nothing healthy on the menu and unfortunately will not be back as the food is just mediocre. Rather find something else than coming back here unless it's gorgeous outside and I am hanging out at the bar. A star for the view and a star for serving alcohol. read more

If anything defines JBAB, it's the Slip Inn. First of all, the atmosphere is immaculate, with its summery, sailors-at-sea decor and hand painted murals. You can eat on the patio, by the docks, in the lobby, or in a back area by the bathrooms (perfect angle for watching Jeopardy on the nearby TV). Now onto the food - it's good. Not worthy of a Michelin star or anything, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't tasty. The fried chicken (I don't order it often; I'm not a huge chicken fan) is juicy (sometimes veering towards greasy) and breaded in a peppery batter. My favorite thing, however, is the tater tots. They give you a heaping basket for the mere $2 you pay. It's incredible. The Slip Inn also offers seasonal items such as fried ravioli, fried green beans, and traditional German cuisine. Along with food, they offer canned sodas, alcoholic beverages, and prepackaged ice cream. The service is great, as the employees are always kind and accommodating. The food is made relatively quickly, and you get a buzzer to notify you of when your meal is ready. In short, I like this place a whole lot, and I guarantee you'll make some memories if you bring some friends along. I can't wait until this reopens. read more

Lacklustre food and service. LOVELY location. Wish the base put just a LITTLE more thought into this in order to make it a jem.

I enjoyed starting my birthday celebrations here a couple of days early, though I'm not sure if that was because of the food and drink or because my boss let me leave work 5 hours early. Oh right, the latter. I tried to go here once before and the gate guards dicked up the directions something fierce, so for those of us who aren't land nav savvy, here you go: from the south gate, turn left onto the street where the Commissary is (the same road where the Class 6 is for the drunkards). Turn right onto the first Arnold you come to -- it's a loop so there are two. Go straight a block and a half (through one stop sign) and the Slip Inn is a little tiny unlabeled shack on your left with parking on your right. The inside of the bar is newly remodeled, but it's still a hella small shack that you may miss if you blink. The food is very ehh. It's edible but is reminiscent of bowling alley food. I had the pulled pork sandwich. FYI potato wedges and french fries are apparently the same thing even though they're on the menu as two distinct sides. For the pork, hamburger bun and a side of "wedges," it was $6-something but seemed like it should have been maybe $3.50 considering I'd expect an Air Force DFAC to serve better chow. The beer is a step up, with nine beers on tap and others available by the can or bottle. I was impressed that none of the drafts were anything "lite" though two of my coworkers still got Bud Lite and Coors Lite. Sigh. The pitcher of Starr Hill amber ale was certainly the better option. Other choices include Shock Top, Devil's Backbone and Blue Mountain. It's nice to see some local choices rather than just the major national brands. And they have a full bar if beer isn't your thing. As for the "nice view" everyone mentions...umm, it's the Potomac. It's dirtier than the shack with its flies inside and out. And being by Reagan as a perk? Sorry, I'm not a four year old boy. The only nice view I had was of the Coasties taking a 240B off one of their boats. Yum. Unfortunately I'm talking about the gun not the Coasties; the thing was damn near as big as the boat. All the same, if the location is convenient, it's a nice enough place to sit outside with ample umbrellas and reggae music, and a great place to start a five hour vacation from work. read more

Great place if you can get on the base! I liked the idea of being outside on a spring day, with a cup of Yuengling, and a basket of wings. Oh, all while sitting next to a marina off of the Anacostia. Great way to spend some time with classmates after a grueling eight hour day of classes. My only complaint? The noise from DCA. But hey, I guess you can't have everything when you're in DC. But this is one of those little best kept secrets that I'll have to hit up again when it's toward the evening hours and the planes stop running. read more

Do: drink beer on the river Don't: eat any food. You may die. The frying oil hasn't been changed since the Reagan administration. read more

Bottom Line Up Front: Come here for a beer on the patio on a nice work day. Do not come here for food. Pros: Good location Good parking Remodeled outdoor deck Beer Cons: Unpleasant staff Poor and very limited food selection Contract management (hint: get a new vendor!) Untapped potential CWA cooks with attitude $7 for a bad hotdog w fries Removed burgers from the menu, likely because that won't go from the freezer to the deep fryer Overall, this place disappoints for lunch, but if you left work early to come here for a beer, it's passable. This place would be out of business if it weren't on the base. Base contracting should get a whole new crew/ vendor in here. It's untapped potential. Why is the base Burger King and BX packed, yet the Slip Inn has no more than 3 of 10 tables filled for lunch should be telling. read more

CWA (COOKS WITH ATTITUDES) So much more can be done with the place! Old wings, bad DJ, more like a dive! Get with it BAFB... the surrounding bases and now the national harbor has way more to offer. read more

It gets one star mainly because it wasn't open at 6pm on a Saturday. In fact I don't think this place is open at all on the weekends. What in the world? Other than that they have cheap drinks (for DC), the food is okay and it is nice to sit on the deck when it is nice outside. read more

It's a bar with a view. A really great view, which overall gave them another star. The beer is reasonable (often the case on a military base) and the food is, well, meh. Sitting outside make up for that, though the occasional giant rat sightings also detracts things. If you want to have a beer and enjoy a unique view of the city (or if you are one of those people obsessed with watching planes land and helicopters fly over you?) this is a nice place to visit. read more

Update - they've done some work/updating to the menu - Fried chicken and brisket options. Lots of fat and kinda rubbery brisket... chicken and tots it OK. Still LONG wait for food. There's a Bud Lite -a-Rita machine now! (the ladies love it) STILL a great and relaxing view of the Potomac and casually watching Reagan airport ops with a cold drink is pretty cool. Justin (who also works at the Bolling Club) is a good man behind the counter. read more

Went to the Crab Feast on 17 September 2021. It was great. Deborah and Stephanie always put on a great event. The two of them always make you feel welcome. Both are very professional and eager to help in any situation. I had to personally thank them when I was leaving. I look forward to the next event they put on. Thank you a million times over. read more

I stopped by the other day after a long day at work. The sun was out, grill was hot, and the pitchers of beer were cold. Not sure what else there is to say... This is a great spot to sit back and watch the day go by with some friends and a few beers. Decent food at a reasonable price and Yuengling make this a great happy hour joint. I will definitely be back when the weather clears up. read more

Been here about three times. The food is okay and the workers are very nice. Being able to be next to the river is wonderful. Everything is good but I don't like the chicken. When I had it the breading was very thick and because of that they couldn't tell that they over cooked the chicken. The menu is very small but they are open for only a few days a week out of the year and there food and beer is cheap and its right near home so that's a plus for me. Some other people might like it better. My husband loves it but me personally not so much. read more

Three piece combo included two wings and one thigh. What a let down..... I tried to communicate with the staff but that's what they said was in the three piece. read more

The Slip Inn - American Near Me - Bolling AFB, District of Columbia

Unapproachable staff, supremely sub-par food, limited selection...what's not to love? It's a shame really, it's such a great location (right on the river) that's completely let down by...virtually everything else. read more

The talked about untapped potential is coming to life. The slip inn has improved its food, staff, drinks, hours, and events. I give it a four star now but when I was sitting on the deck with half an IPA and half my George wings and smoked ribs with great live music on a Friday afternoon life was complete and then is when the slip inn earned a five star. Check out there event schedule cause there are many more big events coming. Like 4th of July block party and reggae on June 17th. All events free what? Ok another five star feeling. read more

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Not sure how this place remains in business. The simple menu should be easy to manage, but upon opening for the day, they were already out of BBQ sauce (refilled after a reminder) and I was one of the last two to get coleslaw. Again, this was immediately upon opening for the day. The brisket on the brisket sandwich was dry and sparse. The people were nice, but inefficient. I will not be returning and I cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

Two things make the Slip Inn one of DC's best kept bar secrets and one of my favorite Thursday afternoon hangouts: 1. The outdoor deck and tiki bar on the banks of the Potomac; 2. The cheap, good beer. Located at the end of Arnold Avenue next to the base marina aboard Bolling Air Force Base, the Slip Inn does something rare in and around Washington -- it makes maximum advantage of the river. The "Inn" is a small (think 10 bar-height tables with chairs, a bar, and a kitchen) building that specializes in dispensing wings, fried chicken, and good, cheap beer. Let me be clear -- when I say good, I don't mean Budweiser Select. I mean Red Hook ESB. I mean Sam Adams seasonal; I mean hefeweizens. And when I say cheap, I mean $7.70/pitcher instead of $4.25/pint. Does it get better than that? Yes. Because in addition to solid beer offerings at awesome prices, the Slip Inn offers something almost no other bar in the city can claim to: a huge outdoor deck with its own genuine tiki bar, complete with thatched roof. The deck and bar, sitting on the Potomac, offer viewslooking back to the Capitol, Washington Monument, National Cathedral, and other sights, and looking across the river to Reagan National and Old Town Alexandria. The deck and tiki bar are a great location for whiling away the vestiges of the day while enjoying good, cheap beer with friends, along with the occasional batch of wings or fried chicken. I plan to go back many times over the years ahead, even once I'm no longer serving a client located nearby. read more

I would give zero starts except it was sunset on a beautiful night. The food was horrible and took a really long time.

Very convenient, however the food leaves something to be desired. I wish the same restaurant from the bowling alley would get the contract here, that would make this place perfect. read more

Hubby and I thought we would check this place out for dinner because we live so close and didn't feel like driving out into town. I wish we hadn't if bothered. The food wasn't good at all! My hubs got the fries chicken and I got their fish fry "special". The chicken was just ok and my fish was obviously frozen previously than fried. With it being the special I would of thought it would of been fresh. I was terribly wrong! Now, neither of us drank while we were there (I'm 9 months pregnant) so maybe if we were boozed up the food wouldn't of been as bad. Many people were there drinking and having a grand time. So maybe this place is a better "watering hole" then it is a place to eat. read more

On a visit to DC while staying on base came in for dinner and drinks on one of those hot sultry nights. Food was okay for an on base venue, you have to go inside to order, and then they call your name when it's ready. The setting was good, right on the Potomac, and the outdoor bar was cool on the hot, late spring night. Closes pretty early, but we had to get an early start the next day anyway. read more

Best place to sit and enjoy a pitcher while you watch the boats on the Potomac and the planes land at National in the summertime. Dog-friendly patio further makes this a great place to drink. Food is horrible, though. Don't spend too much time inside ordering or you will end up smelling like the rancid oil they fry their food in. read more

Generally bad food and poor service. Disappointing because it really has potential. Great location on the water to enjoy the evening. Just bring your own food and drink. And be prepared to clean up your table when you arrive. read more

I give the convenience of the place 4 stars, but the drinks, prices and food were just OK. I do give them props for copper cups for some decent moscow mules. read more

Great food , staff needs a little kick in the rear but with a little time and better hours could be an awesome place. Also has great views from outdoor deck would be better with music playing on the unused stereo system. read more

For the location I would give it 5 stars. Sit outside at the waters edge and enjoy the view and fresh air. The restaurant however just offers bar food, and its just ok. I asked for my wings crispy, well I could tell they didn't cook them any extra because they were barely warm. So for food offerings they have fried chicken, wings, 1/2 smoke, ribs. 1/4 chicken, sausage. there are a few sides to buy separately and that's it. read more

Put down a $50 deposit for a reservation for a group of 12 and didn't get anything for it. Was told it would go towards the bill when I made the reservation. Today I was told it's a non-refundable booking fee for the "space". They had "reserved" a few tables in the sun, but there were plenty of tables under the shade of the tent so we sat ourselves there. Still had to order at the counter. Total waste of $50. Would have been nice to at least have spent it on good seating and full service if it couldn't go towards the bill. Food was mediocre- can get much better food, service, and cheaper beer off base in Navy Yard. read more

If Spike TV could find a way to get on JBAB to film an episode of "Bar Rescue," the Slip Inn would be prime candidate #1. Took the family to "Reggae Night" last week and it was an unmitigated disaster. I mean, I do enjoy watching Bar Rescue, and I thought I was in an actual episode at the Slip Inn! There were easily 100-125 patrons jammed on the deck and inside the restaurant, with only two cooks, one bartender, one cashier, and one waitress tending to the chaos. The line for ordering food was 15-20 people deep. We waited nearly 40 minutes for a basket of ok wings, a couple plates of watery jerk chicken & rice, and greasy fries. The manager was walking around, just hanging out in the bar area, not engaged, and not very helpful. Several people waiting in line just gave up and eventually left the place. When food was finally ready, there was no organized way to deliver it to the customers. You'd think that JBAB MWR management would hire more staff for a well advertised event like reggae night. They must have known more than just the average Friday night crowd of 10-15 patrons would be showing up. Total fail on management's part. I'll try the place again on a 'regular night' and see if things get better, but I'm not holding my breath... read more