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    Tonic

    3.1 (996 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Tonic Takeout or Delivery

    Services - Tonic

    Bartending services

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    TONIC ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Tonic

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    Reviews With Photos

    Hannah P.

    Mac and Cheese was sooo delicious and creamy - highly recommend. Tots were perfect, the wrap exactly what I needed. Nice environment, right on campus, and have lots of options all around. Our server Anna was attentive, nice and helped us out with some info for the town (we're tourists). Go check them out!

    Angela B.

    I absolutely love Tonic. (Pictures are old...) But Tonic is one of my go to places for lunch and/or happy hour. Seems to be many people's sentiment too, as they seem to be busy often. The food is delicious. There's a variety so everyone will be happy. I've never had an issue with the service. The staff have always been friendly and attentive.

    Cherry Blossom special
    Alice J.

    This is a combined review of our recent Friday night and Thursday night visit (across 2 weeks). In both cases we made reservations, were seated as soon as we arrived, and got our quiet corner (upstairs, big roundtable that is half a booth). They have cherry blossom specials menu on our second visit (Thursday March 26). See my photo. Cherry Popsicle cocktail. Creative! I had Sakura salad, very good. Last week (that was the Friday visit) I had the American burger, nice enough. They are famous for their tater tots. We always order that as appetizers. Service could be hit or miss. Dishes were served fast enough, but our waitress disappeared and we couldn't find her when we were ready to pay.

    Chef's Smoking Pork Belly
    Rue M.

    This is a Foggy Botton staple in NW DC, just minutes from my preferred hotel. It's SO cozy and perfect for an easy date night. It's in a college enclave, but does not feel exclusive or a study hall extension - so all kind of folks were in there. Hubby and I came in on a chilly evening and enjoyed a few warm, savory bites and a night cap. That night, it was all about the tater tots with the dipping sauce trios! The pork belly was interesting, but a bit more saucy than I'd prefer, so maybe next time I'll ask for sauce on the side. The wings were wings - nothing exceptional, but did the job. The highlights were the warm service from the hostess stand to our server, and the free library nook in our booth - a nod to the nearby GW University college vibe.

    All American Burger

    The food was extremely mediocre and the service was worse. We were only checked on once for drinks, and then once when our food came. My friends and I were planning on using our dining dollars because the restaurant advertises that they take GWorld, but they did not make it clear that if you start a tab online through the QR code you can't use dining dollars. Very annoying. I got the All American Burger with a caesar salad. The bun was cold, and a little stale, you could tell they just take it right out the bag, cut it and call it a day. Their "special" tater tots taste like high school cafeteria tater tots, nothing special and definitely frozen.

    Small mac and side of tots.
    Fiona Z.

    Good service, good and crispy tots, decent mac and cheese. 20% gratuity with a 4.75% surcharge not out of the norm for D.C. I was pleasantly surprised by how good their mac and cheese was since reviews seemed to vary. The mac and cheese was surprisingly creamy although not particularly cheddar cheesy, so if you're expecting a sharper cheese taste, this may not be the mac and cheese for you. The mini mac ($11) was fairly filling and paired with a side of tots ($5), I was set.

    Smoked salmon burger and tots
    Angie K.

    I came here with a fairly large group for an event. The servers were all friendly, it was an order at the bar or with your phone sort of arrangement it seemed. The upstairs was a nice sized space for an event. Decided to order some food. I got the salmon burger and the tater tots. The tater tots were delightful. The salmon burger was disappointing. It claimed it was a smoked salmon burger and really just seemed more like the frozen salmon burgers I can buy at Costco. Preparation was decent at least and it wasn't over cooked and did I mention tater tots? There was also a pre-added gratuity which is fine, but a bit sneaky since there were also lines for additional tip. It's likely worth a visit when I'm not there for a large group event, so I'll have to give that a shot and order something else, with tater tots!

    Tots and chicken sandwich
    Lauren F.

    The tots here are excellent! The rest of the food doesn't do much for me, but you can't go wrong ordering any of their tots, especially the loaded ones. I appreciate that this is a very niche review, but sometimes a place does one specific thing really well. There is a lot more space upstairs, so it's an easy spot to grab a bite.

    Coconut Curry Tofu
    Matthew F.

    Went to GW for my undergrad, so I knew from experience that Tonic at Quigley's reputation is generally... not usually higher than decent on a good day and mediocre most days. The running joke among my generation of students being the former pharmacy will have you going to a real one afterward. In any case, I had a gift card and decided to give them another chance. The customer service was okay; the servers and bartender were amiable enough, but generally disinterested in small talk or anything beyond "What are you ordering?" Very college kid mentality; I get it having been one not long ago, but I did wish for a bit more engagement. I ordered the tomato soup and the coconut curry tofu. The soup was fairly solid, savory and hearty. Probably could have used a little more peppercorn and garlic, but nothing super critical. The tofu was decent; a bit crumbly but it stayed together, and it was generally evenly-cooked save for some burnt portions. The veggies were also decent; crisp and a bit chewy, nothing too offensive about them. The curry, however, was quite bland and in dire need of some spices; cardamom, cloves, allspice, etc. all seemed missing, and the primary spice component seemed to be cumin and chili. The jasmine rice was, well, jasmine rice, nothing much else to say. Would be nice if there was a lower-GI substitute like brown rice, but there isn't. Again, I have some fond memories at Tonic from a decade ago, but the novelty of an eclectic eatery with locally-famous tatter tots in a historic pharmacy has certainly worn off. Would highly advise the management to not whitewash cultural foods and lean into authenticity a bit more. Especially at the prices being charged; this relatively simple vegetarian meal cost over $35 after tax. That's a bit extortionate, even by downtown DC standards.

    ugh
    Jessica S.

    Came for a game and a drink (maybe snack) but settled for the last 15 min of a game (took 10-20min just to talk to someone and had the TV channel changed). Once we got our drink orders in, everything was smooth, though. The weekend day time food menu is extremely limited with only brunch options (limited appetizers or snacks), so we ended up skipping a snack and just settled on our draft drinks. The brunch menu seemed good, just not there for hours of eating, just something to pair with our alcohol and munch on while watching the game. In this sense it was a disappointing bar/pub experience.

    Dilcia's Wrap
    Samantha G.

    Had a great birthday dinner experience. Place was cute, staff was (mostly) friendly and service was fast. All you can really ask for in a restaurant. Lots of options, just picture you typical bar/American/finger food, with a couple of zesty items such as taco salad and coconut curry tofu. Great gluten free options, they make it very clear which options are GF which is extremely helpful. They do in fact charge for birthday desert which is dumb.

    Frose, Tim's Chicken Tots, & SD French Fries
    Stokes S.

    Tonic Happy Hour is hands down one of the most underrated spots in DC! It's super convenient for college students like me, but honestly, it's the perfect happy hour for anyone. My friends and I have made it a weekday ritual to hit the Tonic patio, unwind, and grab some drinks and food! The standout for me has to be their signature chicken tots with mambo sauce. Pretty much everything on their happy hour menu is under $10, which makes it an incredible deal, especially given the quality of the food and drinks. Even outside of happy hour, their regular menu delivers solid portions, great flavors, and something for everyone. Whether you're there for a quick bite or a full dinner, you really can't go wrong with Tonic!

    Andrea U.

    This college bar is on the George Washington University campus. There are two floors of diners and lots of tables inside and out. This is an old historic pharmacy that's turned into a casual restaurant bar. Happy to walk in from the National Mall and be able to get a table for lunch A Very nice casual lunch menu with a big bar. They are known for their tater tot and they have a whole top menu, including tater tot covered in nachos. My husband ordered salad and I ordered a California veggie burger with tots of course. Ainsley, our server took good care of us. My burger was very good. I enjoyed the tater tots with the three different dipping sauces. My husband wasn't impressed with his nacho salad. Lunch was generous and reasonable, but we were surprised at 3% surcharge was added to our bill .

    Azam's first lemon drop martini...delicious!!

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    3 months ago

    First time in, Colin was AMAZING. Food was great and will definitely be back. Thank you!!

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    Page 1 of 25

    Tonic Reviews in Other Languages

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    St. Anselm - 16 oz Prime Ribeye

    St. Anselm

    4.4(1.2k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$$

    Absolutely loved our meal here. Everything was a knockout. I ordered the chicken and was pleasantly…read moresurprised at how good it was. You'd assume there's not many ways you can innovate fried chicken but there's was amazing! Other highlights of our meal were the biscuits, the broccoli, the watermelon salad, and the ribeye steak. The service was great and we loved the dark, moody cabin-inspired ambience as well.

    Visiting DC and swung by this establishment for dinner with a group of friends…read more Overall enjoyable, but there are definitely some items which are hits and other misses. Before getting to the food, I'll first rate the interior excellent. It's big and open, and has a modern yet rustic design, which makes it an excellent atmosphere. They had an impressive list of wines and cocktails, but the draft beer selection was limited. Could use a bit more variety on tap, but I enjoyed the Imperial IPA nonetheless. As for the food; all of it was on the pricey sized given the quality and quantity served, but the salmon collar was by far my favorite -- followed by the chicken, although the chicken was a bit less meaty than I expected. The gem salad, the carrots and the steak fries were all very "meh," and the bisques seemed like small ciabatta buns rather than actual biscuits. All that aside, the biggest disappointment was unfortunately the ax ribeye - it wasn't cooked properly (despite asking for med-rate, depending on the bite, it ranged from medium to very rare), and it was really stringy and fatty - a major disappointment for a steakhouse. Deserts were delicious, I really enjoyed the ice cream cake and thought the peanut butter pie was good. Service was great, prompt and friendly. So I definitely wouldn't recommend this place as a statehouse based on my experience, but would consider coming for the salmon.

    Photos
    St. Anselm - Bar area

    Bar area

    St. Anselm - Grilled Oysters

    Grilled Oysters

    St. Anselm - Carrot Cake

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    Carrot Cake

    Chloe - Spice Roasted Chicken

    Chloe

    4.5(768 reviews)
    2.9 miNavy Yard
    $$

    The food at Chloe was absolutely delicious. So good in fact that I stopped in twice during my time…read morein DC. Both times I ordered the Crudo which was absolutely amazing. Additionally, I tried The Who fish and the gem salad which both are spectacular. Cocktails are made to perfection and the service and ambiance are great.

    Food 8/10 Atmosphere 9/10…read moreService 3/10 Came here for DC Summer Restaurant Week and unfortunately left pretty disappointed, especially for the price point. First off, there seemed to be only one waiter handling around 7-8 tables. Tables on both sides of us were visibly getting frustrated with how slow the service was. We came to enjoy ourselves and weren't in a rush, so we didn't mind waiting as much, but the service was noticeably slow. Interestingly, the actual dishes came out fairly quickly, but everything else--ordering, drinks, checking in, and getting things we needed--took a long time. For a restaurant at this price point, I was also expecting the overall experience and atmosphere to feel a little more elevated. It didn't really feel particularly upscale or special, and the bathrooms were noticeably dirty, which was surprising and definitely took away from the experience. Overall, the food was decent, but between the understaffed service, cleanliness, and atmosphere, I didn't feel the experience matched the price. Restaurant Week is usually a great opportunity to try a higher-end restaurant and want to come back, but unfortunately I don't think I'd return at the regular menu prices.

    Photos
    Chloe - Restaurant area

    Restaurant area

    Chloe - Hangar Steak

    Hangar Steak

    Chloe - Manchego cheesecake

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    Manchego cheesecake

    The Hamilton - District Wings

    The Hamilton

    3.9(4.1k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    It's been YEARS since I've been to The Hamilton. A recent trip to DC and a free gift card is what…read morebrought me here. I went for brunch, but was in more of a lunch mood. I sat outside on the patio. To start, I got the calamari appetizer. Yall! Their calamari is so freakin good! The remoulade sauce that comes with it just takes it to the next level. I got the crab cake entree and it was just what I needed. I recommend replacing the tartar sauce with their remoulade sauce. The Tea Time mocktail was very refreshing. The service was good. The only downside is that there was an issue with the gift card that I won from their social media page. After some back and forth, they eventually honored it and all was well. But this experience was definitely better than my past experience, so I'm adding a star.

    As part of the Clyde's restaurant group, we were excited to try this since we love Old Ebbitt…read more However, we were a bit let down from the food. My girlfriend got the steak and eggs which she thought was good but on the saltier side. I got the crab cake benedict but my eggs were way overcooked and not runny whatsoever. My server was nice and apologetic about it. The sushi was surprisingly good and fresh. I was skeptical at first about sushi at an American restaurant but was happily surprised. Overall, a bit disappointed about the restaurant but may have been an off day. Would love to comeback and try their signature burger. Apps: Paradise Roll Entrees: Steak and Eggs and Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

    Photos
    The Hamilton - The bar and partial dining area.

    The bar and partial dining area.

    The Hamilton - Ragu Americana & Rigatoni - delicious, fresh pasta

    Ragu Americana & Rigatoni - delicious, fresh pasta

    The Hamilton - RAGU AMERICANA & RIGATONI

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    RAGU AMERICANA & RIGATONI

    The Pembroke - Broccolini, so good that even vegetable averse will love.

    The Pembroke

    4.1(424 reviews)
    0.9 miDupont Circle

    I recently had brunch at The Pembroke, located inside the Dupont Circle Hotel, and it was such a…read morelovely experience. Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful staff, and delicious food -- definitely a spot worth putting on your brunch list. My date made the reservation for us, which turned out to be a very good idea because the restaurant was hopping! Definitely recommend making one ahead of time. We were both in the mood for a cocktail, but decided to explore the mocktail drink menu. He initially considered going with another coffee since it was still early, but ultimately went with an espresso martini. I tried the French 86, and both were great choices. The espresso martini was smooth and well made, while the French 86 was beautifully fruit-forward. And I have to give my date credit -- a man who isn't afraid to try my fruity cocktail! For food, we decided to share the avocado toast to start and added an egg, asking for it to be cooked a little more rather than very runny. We were glad we did because the toast was loaded with greens! It was definitely a little messy to eat, but in the fun, "this is actually delicious" kind of way. Nothing embarrassing... thankfully. He ordered the chicken and waffles, which he completely demolished. The sweet-and-savory combination was a big hit. I went with the French omelette, and it was delicious -- rich, flavorful, and surprisingly filling. I could only manage about half of it along with the salad! Overall, a wonderful brunch experience. The atmosphere is beautiful, the service was attentive, and there were so many tempting dishes coming out of the kitchen that we kept noticing things we wanted to try. I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu.

    I think I found my new favorite DC brunch spot (that doesn't feature a DJ). The Pembroke has been…read moreon my list of places to try for awhileee and I was finally able to stop in with friends (8 of us) for a Saturday brunch after one of my yogalates classes. We sat towards the back of the restaurant in one of the circular booths. Love this setup so much because it's perfect for people watching. The interior of the space is really vibrant with a lot of natural lighting coming in and the cute furniture. You almost feel like you've been transported to France or something. While dining here I was able to try their, +cinnamon roll (it's HUGEEEE, def a shareable- 8/10) + passion fruit cocktail (7.5/10) + breakfast sandwich (10/10 - I was surprised by how much I loved it) + pancakes (8/10) + kale salad (7.5/10) I didn't get to try the salmon benedict but it looks delicious. The service was spectacular. Our waiter was extremely attentive and even the manager popped over to introduce himself and make sure that we had everything we needed. I loveeeeeed my time here and will definitely be back to try more items on the menu. Thanks so much Pembroke team :)

    Photos
    The Pembroke - The Pembroke: they have a coffee shop too!

    The Pembroke: they have a coffee shop too!

    The Pembroke - Short rib entree special. This thing was massive!

    Short rib entree special. This thing was massive!

    The Pembroke - Nice ambiance but disappointingly fake plants

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    Nice ambiance but disappointingly fake plants

    Off The Record

    Off The Record

    4.1(457 reviews)
    0.5 miDowntown
    $$$

    Attentive service, superlative cocktails, with pub grub to match. We were there for lunch and two…read moreappetizers were plenty. Note this venue is in the basement of the Hays-Adams hotel. Due to its proximity to the White House and VIP guests it is often under guard, and the external staircase directly down to the bar is closed. Simply enter the main entrance to the hotel and ask the doorman to direct you to the interior stairwell down.

    This is a really fun, iconic basement speakeasy spot located right underneath a hotel, just steps…read moreaway from the White House. The food and drink here are both excellent and absolutely worth coming for. They serve up great, high-quality cocktails, and I also ordered the cheeseburger, which was really juicy and beautifully cooked. The space itself is famous for having political caricature artwork all over the restaurant, and they even give you fun caricature coasters that you can take home with you as a souvenir. Because it's a popular underground spot, it can definitely get incredibly busy and cramped in there. I've been multiple times, and almost every single time it is tough to find a spot to sit. However, I did come once during an off-peak time, right in the middle of the week around 1:00 PM for lunch--and it wasn't to busy, so we were easily able to just sit right at the bar.  I would definitely recommend checking this place out! While the tight crowds can make it a bit tough on a busy week day or weekend night, it is completely worth experiencing at least once for the great drinks, good food, and unique atmosphere.

    Photos
    Off The Record - Making of Smoking Mirrors cocktail

    Making of Smoking Mirrors cocktail

    Off The Record - Onion rings. Huge and delicious

    Onion rings. Huge and delicious

    Off The Record - Air Force Two

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    Air Force Two

    Tonic - newamerican - Updated September 2026

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