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    Water Bar

    4.0 (109 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Water Bar Photos

    Business Info

    WATER BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Water Bar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Such a cute place! Vibe is so nice! Hostess was super friendly and the bartender makes a mean Moscow mule!

    Bubbly

    Fun views and drinks! We checked this place out after the movies! It was fun and the staff were welcoming! Diana the bartender was great!

    Katie N.

    We were a bit early for our movie and decided to stop here as it is across the street. The water fountain wasn't working, but it didn't ruin the ambiance it was a cool evening which made our time enjoyable. We were able to catch them for happy hour and got the blueberry margarita, chicken, and guac. Everything came out rather quickly and the chicken bites really were a hit. The drinks were also made well, and the blueberry margarita was made with fresh blueberries. Definitely will be back on cool summer evenings.

    Henry A.

    Ambience was beautiful, outdoor drinks were perfect for this summer. Drinks were on point. And food really tasty. Fried shrimp are a must try! Big shout out to Nilo for making us have a great time. Deff coming back

    Nadia R.

    The Water Bar was pleasantly surprising. Such a well run operation too. We were able to get a seat at the window, right after it stormed so we had a nice breeze with the oversized windows open. Our waiter, Matt was incredible. The charcuterie board was great as were the s'mores. The only downside is that there's literally only one bathroom for the entire restaurant. There are bathrooms downstairs right outside of the restaurant that are spotless so it wasn't a huge inconvenience. Also, stay away from the espresso martinis. Nothing to write home about it, at all.

    Watermelon margarita
    Jamie J.

    Great happy hour deal here. We had the oysters, mac & cheese, and shrimp. The drinks were excellent, and the food was really good. You get a really good view of the area from where you're sitting. Service was excellent and it's a beautiful space to hang out for a little bit. Will definitely come back for dinner at some point.

    Happy Hour menú at Water Bar
    Olga M.

    First time at Water Bar a nice restaurant/bar surrounded by a fountain wall of water. Beautiful location to take photos. We had the following appetizer's and dinner: -Lobster roll with crispy tater tots. I'd order this lobster roll again very close to what you get in a restaurant in Maine (4.5/5). -Lemongrass Chicken Dumplings. They were crispy with a delicious dipping sauce (4/5). -Crispy chicken wings. The wings lacked flavor on the batter (3.8/5). -Tuna Poke Bowl too small for the price and it was too citrusy for me. I'm used to traditional poke bowls (3.8/5). -Guacamole with chips (4/5). The guacamole tasted fresh with the right amount of lime and salt. The service was good but wished the restaurant had a better happy hour menu with more food and drink options. Happy Yelping :)

    My po boy sammich was a little to the small side but very tasty and the bread to shrimp ratio was good.
    Emily S.

    OK you guys, the vibe is hot. Unusually hot for Arlington. Pentagon City needed this place. And, while it might only have 3.5 stars on Yelp as of this writing, it was needs-a-reservation packed when we arrived. Since we didn't have a reservation we ended up at like the last 2 bar seats at the counter facing out over the water and honestly...we were perfectly happy sitting there. It helped that there was live music in the park below, a fitting summery reggae. Honestly, it felt like we weren't in DC. It felt like we were on vacation in Miami or somewhere tropical. I had worn men's botanical print silk button-down over a bandeau midriff top - 100% the correct sartorial choice. It was also LITERALLY hot, temperature-wise, but we were seated next to a fan so, actually, perfect. Food was also good and honestly, for this area, given the price inflation lately, on par price-wise, though I may not have felt that way if it had opened with these prices a few years ago. Portions were maybe a little small, but not egregiously so, and I have no complaints about the thematically appropriate (read: seafood, but not over the top) menu selection or the actual food execution. See my pics. Cocktails were fine. Again, pricey, but pretty standard for the area. Not the quality I've come to expect for slightly higher prices at Salt or other bars that are billed as capital "c" COCKTAIL bars, where you order food to go with your drink and not the other way around, but these were fine for a place that's as much about food as it is drinks. I'd stick to what's on the cocktail menu, though, or the very basics. The cocktail menu does seem to rotate seasonally, which is nice, particularly since the menu when they first opened - which admittedly, I did not have a chance to try and should not judge - seemed to lean really heavily into the briney and savory cocktails, which isn't everyone's thing. Service was hit or miss. Or server herself was helpful and personable, but good luck getting anywhere with bussers or helpers. We ordered hummus and the hummus itself was really good, but light on the pita. So half the hummus was left with nothing to scoop it. Someone, not our server, came by and asked if we'd like more pita. Yes! And we were happy to pay for it if they charged, but it never came. Many minutes later, now realizing more pita was an option, we asked another helper person. She agreed. But several minutes later, no pita. After a third and final attempt, we asked our actual server for more pita. She said no problem, but again it never came. And when she came to check on us later and offer our bill it's like the pita request had never happened. On the other hand, she was knowledgeable about the menu, able to answer questions, able to handle substitutions (e.g., putting ceasar dressing on my non-ceasar side salad instead of the default, etc.). Anyway, is it absolute gourmet perfection? No. It's not 5 stars. But a solid 4. Mainly, you're coming for the overall experience and the vibe and to get to play pretend that you're actually cool and chill and live on the beach and don't work in a depressing city full of beat down federal office lackeys, Hill staffers, underpaid NGO wonks and overworked attorneys. And for a few hours, it will actually make you believe.

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    Mary F.

    Great review! We sent you a private message, so check your inbox!

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    11 months ago

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    Mary F.

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    28 days ago

    Those waffle fries are so white they should come with a side of mayonnaise. But the service was great.

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    Photo of Sean C.
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    3 months ago

    The music is always on point and the cocktails and appetizers are tasty. A solid neighborhood spot

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    Mary F.

    Thanks for the review, Sean!

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Drinks were great! Service was even better. Nilo was so sweet and very accommodating. Can't wait to be back!

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Mauricio and Kevin were awesome! They create a chill vibe and so attentive. Such a great place to relax and sip

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    3 months ago

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    Mary F.

    Thank you, Chris! Check your inbox for a private message.

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    2 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Water Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Water Bar

    Skydome Restaurant

    Skydome Restaurant

    3.1
    (483 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$

    My wife and I joined two friends for dinner at the Skydome Restaurant atop the DoubleTree in…read moreCrystal City on a recent Saturday night to celebrate a birthday during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Reservations were easy to make, we were seated very quickly, the chairs were comfortable, and the ambiance was beautiful. It is hard to beat a rotating restaurant and the views it offers. The food was excellent. We tried the prix fixe Cherry Blossom special, which included a choice of short ribs or salmon, and both were very good. The specialty drinks for the occasion were excellent, the desserts were very good, and the overall experience was memorable. My only concern was the service. I am not sure whether it was because it was late in the evening, but our waiter seemed very disengaged. For a restaurant that presents itself this well, I would expect the service staff to be much more attentive and invested in the guest experience. We would return, but I would prefer not to be served by him again.

    Really you're coming for the view and vibe more than the food. It's very neat to be able to see a…read moreview of DC while rotating. Parking in the garage, which the restaurant will validate for up to 2 hours (with a purchase of an entree). We got the chicken ($36), salmon ($35), and burger ($28)- I think the burger was the tastiest but it doesn't come with lettuce/tomato (you have to ask for it)- the fries weren't it though. Chicken was alright, salmon was eh. Again not here for the food. All in all with a Diet Coke and a lemonade it came out to $120. They do give you mid bread (kind of cold, kind of warm- seems like this Hawaiian rolls).

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    Water Bar - cocktailbars - Updated July 2026

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