Water Bar is relatively new so I will happily upgrade my review at any time. However, it needs some direct feedback. Today was my fourth trip to the bar since it opened. Despite this review, I will return. Today is also Friday and very busy. The problems right now rest solely on management and NOT the working staff. This is all fixable: 1. Bar was dirty, and covered in old plates and drink glasses for about 15 minutes. Employee did not wipe down the bar after previous customer left. I had some nice leftover rice pilaf at my bar spot though. 2. Manager or an employee sitting at the bar on a computer, and taking up seats when it was busy. This is bad for any number of reasons, but employees and especially managers have no business sitting at the bar during working hours. 3. Managers watched and gazed longingly for 5 minutes as the bartender poured orange drinks or some type of cocktail while customers waited for drinks. I just laughed as I already had my drink. 4. Server bullshitting with guy on computer for 10-15 minutes while customers stand cluelessly wondering who is seating them. Gong show now. 5. Employee eating at the bar. It's incredibly important to take care of your staff, and feed them. However, they shouldn't be eating with customers. Give them some space and time away for a few minutes. 6. Drinks were good overall, and they are reasonably priced for Arlington. No complaint. read more

I ate lunch here for the first time, along with my friends. The atmosphere was wonderful - it was a nice day, so the window/wall was open to the outdoors and it was so pleasant! The food was delicious - had crispy shrimp, lettuce wedge with salmon, and a brownie sundae (with three spoons) and everything was wonderful. Most importantly, the service was impeccable. Anthony was our server and was so friendly and attentive to our needs. He made great menu suggestions when we asked, our drinks were always replenished without having to ask, and he brought the food to us piping hot and very quickly because he knew we were on a time crunch to see a show at the Birchmere. We will definitely be back again and hope that we are able to get Anthony's table next time as well! Thanks, Anthony! read more

See all

Went for a corporate dinner and we were the only group in the place. Was not super impressed with the food especially since it's supposed to be specialized in seafood. My oysters had shell in them and with the shrimp cocktail the shrimp themselves had an odd rub/seasoning on them (maybe old bay) which is not typical of shrimp cocktails anywhere else I've had them. The seasoning ruined for the flavor for me and I didn't even finish them. I would prefer to give positive reviews but if you want properly executed seafood, I wouldn't suggest this spot. read more

We found this restaurant on Instagram. Really nice location in Arlington VA. The service and food were very good. Definitely get the calamari and the ceviche. Both were prepared well and delicious! Definitely a spot that you can have a good time with good food. read more

See all

Nice view, seating right next to the waterfall fountain. We came for brunch on a Thursday, so not crowded. The Executive Chef came out to greet us and check on service and food. The Menu provided during our visit (noon) had limited options...specifically, no poultry, no pork. I am a sparkling water person ...they offered fountain sparkling water but no sealed bottles. The chef did find us one bottle that was left from a previous function. The short rib grilled cheese, lacked seasoning and no sauce. Look like it was prepared in a panini press. Out of food items ordered, fried oysters was the hit. read more

See all

I can't believe I am about to say what I'm going to say but here it goes. Finally, a restaurant that was found on social media that lives up to the hype! Water Bar has come across my social media pages a few times and normally I would disregard as the era of social media influence on restaurants doesn't normally live up to the hype once you visit. Surprisingly, that was not the case the night we decided to visit. Water Bar is a cocktail and oyster bar tucked in a unique location within Crystal City Water Park. The night me and my bestie/partner and crime Spencer joined for date night was during the perfect summer evening, not unbearably hot and there was a refreshing night breeze, that was accompanied by outstanding service and delicious food. While the menu is limited, if you are seafood junkie, I'm sure you will find something on the menu to enjoy. We went with the fried calamari, crab empanadas, short rib grilled cheese and the Chesapeake crab roll. Hands down my favorite of the evening were the crab empanadas. The were GBD (golden brown and delicious) packed with tons of blue lump crab. I seriously could have eaten those for the night and been content. Everything that we ordered was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I'm so glad we gave Water Bar a chance. You can believe we will be back to enjoy some of their other menu items and cocktails. read more

Water Bar - Cheers - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

How uninspiring. Yea, the area has been seriously gentrified and cleaned up, and the water feature. I'm sure it's gonna be really refreshing in the summertime and I'm sure that when the weather is better, it's vibrant. But I found the menu boring and service was on the slower side, it took for the food to come out. It took them a while to warm up and be friendly. The appetizers filled in the holes that we were looking for, but nothing impressive. read more

If there is one reason to visit the Water Bar it's definitely for the beautiful outdoor bar space! I popped in one Saturday afternoon over the summer and was immediately wowed by the location! Its gorgeous! However - that's where a lot of the thrill ends. The service was okay at best. The bartender was fairly new and wasn't familiar with the menu items to provide much assistance (although he was very kind). But the real lack of service came from the hosts who were pressuring us to move seats at the bar which ultimately lead us to close our tabs and leave. Nobody was particularly rude, but the service left a bit to be desired as far as making water bar a fun place to be. As far as cocktails, I didn't get anything fancy and stuck with a prosecco. Can't mess that up! As far as food nothing was really wow-ing us on the menu so we popped down to the food trucks below to have a fantastic dinner. However, I do want to highlight location/venue is beautiful with lots of fresh air and nice views! Plus the bar was packed with people enjoying different cocktails so I highly recommend for grabbing a drink. Overall I'd say our experience was a 3.5 but I'm rounding up because it's worth a visit and I'll be back! Perhaps next time with a reservation instead of sitting at the bar. read more

Water Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Food and atmosphere were great! Our server Kya was awesome, she had food recommendations from the menu and entertainment ideas for the area!! read more

Amazing view, great food & drinks, ambiance and service were phenomenal. Hidden gem in the heart of arlington

Had a great time with my friends. Perfect view. The environment was pleasant. My food came out very fast and nice variety of cocktails.

The Paloma Sour and Mango Margarita were a perfect way to cool off during the 2025 summer heat. I enjoyed every single bite of the Maryland Crabcake Sandwich. The ambiance was great and I was especially impressed by the excellent service I received from their manager, Nilo. 11/10! I'm going back again every chance I get and highly recommend this hidden gem! read more

I called ahead to make a reservation at Water Bar and was told they could take us. We made the trip over, only to be told when we arrived that they actually did not have a table for us. There was no real apology and no attempt to make it right. Completely unprofessional and frustrating, especially after confirming by phone and traveling out of our way. Would not recommend making plans here if you expect them to honor your reservation. read more

Water Bar seems like a chill spot that would be cool to come for happy hour or to get drinks really quickly. They have a really small menu, so I wouldn't say it's the place you should go if you really want to eat and stay for an extended period of time. The oysters were delicious. I've only had oysters that were bad once in my life, so I wasn't surprised the oysters were good at Water Bar. The Aquaspice mocktail I got didn't list the ingredients on the menu. My waiter described it similar to a margarita. Yeah so it was not my favorite drink. It wasn't disgusting but it was just tart and I would have preferred for it not to have any pulp. read more

Water Bar - Oysters - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Husband and I stopped in this restaurant as we drove past the front of its waterfall area. We didn't have reservations but sat in the lounge area which was perfect because we were under heaters! Leon was our waiter and he was super accommodating and just had good vibes. We ordered a lot of shareable plates and our favorite was the Chorizo Oysters and Shrimp n Grits (which had a different taste but were good). We ordered a Rum n Coke and Dark n Stormy. The price was good our total was a little over $100, but it was worth it. Would definitely recommend and come back to visit. read more

Water Bar - Chorizo Oysters, Rockefeller Oysters, smoked Trout Dip, shrimp and Grits - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

TJ was at the bar when we stopped by for drinks. She was so sweet and amazing. The service was great and the old fashioned was delicious and beautiful. The bar all has a great view and good music. I will be coming back. read more

Water Bar - Beer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

You know, its the front of the house that sets the tone for a high end cocktail bar. You approach, hear the music, and are received by the maitre d at the front podium. Those of us at a certain age recall the high-handed ropelines of the eighties where if your outfit or deportment were judged sub-standard you were turned away. Still a disturbing recall! But here at Water Bar, it could not be more relaxed or welcoming! We had an office event that due to operational commitments started an HOUR late...you might think our big set of tables would be given away. Not so! The maitre d, a beautiful and charming ambassador, Jennifer, not only kept our tables intact but received us with a beaming smile and a tray of glasses with two fingers of chilled wine on the house! Like she was inviting us into her home, she made sure everyone was comfortable and welcomed! With the investment of charm and maybe a couple of bottles of wine shared with us, Jennifer has made this lovely, comfortable, and welcoming venue our new "go to" for office functions! The rest of the staff were equally welcoming and responded as a team to the calls of the quaterback. G R E A T! We'll see you again for sure! Cheers, Mike read more

The drinks were good. Nothing outstanding. It's a cute environment with lots of seating. You will need a reservation on popular nights or hope there is a seat at the bar. The service is the only reason I wouldn't give it four stars. It took awhile for our waiter to bring water and come to the table. We asked questions about the drink menu and he didn't have any real response (is the cucumber martini popular? How spicy is the spicy margarita?). We had to find him just to ask for the bill. The drinks also tasted like they had been sitting outside for awhile read more

See all

Service was good, our waitress was very nice but the food and drinks were very disappointing. The tuna was not fresh and the avocados were brown, poke bowl, had to be sent back to the kitchen. All meals were off. Even their water was not drinkable. read more

Anthony was a great waiter and made our dining a wonderful experience! Thank you Anthony for a wonderful evening taking care of us on our anniversary! read more

Amanda is amazing! She gave us the best recommendations and the food was perfect. i will most definitely be back.

Very nice restaurant for a summer evening. Service got off to a slow start but was good at the end.

So thrilled to be exploring these kiosks. Several small pop ups with some great food and drink in there Water Park open spaces in Crystal City across from Morton's and Alamo Draft house. Cracked Eggery breakfast was tasty and fresh. Tiki Thai was quite tasty although not as spicy as we'd like. Falafel Inc was also enjoyable with great desserts. . We look forward to continuing the explorer read more

Beautiful ambiance.. very very nice place. Especially for the warm weather seasons because of the open nature of the restaurant. Lobster roll wasn't that good. Drink was okay. Salad was also ok. Don't know if I'd go back but enjoyed the views. Service was pretty good read more

Gorgeous place! Love the zen ambiance; loved the friendly and attentive service and the food was fresh, generously portioned and delicious! Will definitely revisit! read more

See all

So, I ended up at Water Bar in Arlington last night, and let me tell you, this place is a total vibe! The outdoor seating felt like I was chilling in a postcard ,great vibe and just perfect for meeting my friend. Honestly, if you're in Arlington and you don't stop by this place, what are you even doing? I'm already planning my next visit because these drinks are calling my name. read more

I went in with medium expectations, and was very pleasantly surprised. The three of us all offered different things, and we were all impressed. Each item on the menu has had an uncommon amount of care dedicated to it. read more

Fairly good service. Attended an event with hors d'ouvres and bar service. Food consisted of hummus, guacamole, crab wontons, slider burgers, and shrimp on toast. Not an overly large venue which makes it ideal for small to medium-sized groups. read more

Visited the recently opened Water Bar (a little perplexed why an outdoor bar opened during fall/winter) the water features surrounding the bar are beautiful and we were able to easily access the bar and were immediately seated (we made a reservation) Our server was friendly and attentive and we were able to get custom mixology for spirit free cocktails - the food was typical bar fare with little flavor - the potato chips were flat/stale. I would visit only for a drink at the bar if in the water park area but not for bar bites and with the cool weather I'm not sure how comfortable it would be to sit in the bar since it is open with only plastic zipper coverings over the open areas read more

Water Bar - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Amazing experience, great customer Service. Nilo was on top of everything. I'll be back

Do better waterbar Management. It's too bad that the location is so nice....but not worth receiving a Martini and Champagne in a plastic cup. Service is horrible. read more

Water Bar - Champagne served in plastic - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Julio was great! The service and drinks were great. Even thought I rained a bit we had a great time under the covered patio. Highly recommend the dirty martini. read more

Water Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great location to people watch from above. Service was very attentive. While the menu is limited, it's perfect for a slightly more than bar type of place. The wings were awesome, the panini was very good. As our server suggested "tots are good" and they were, but can u really mess up tots? Our only minor complaint is that the cocktails had way too much crushed ice in them. Looking around this seemed to be universal. Perfect place to unwind at the end of a long day if you aren't expecting a full on 5 course meal. Looking forward to returning. read more

See all

I stopped in here with a friend after we saw a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, as we were looking for a bite to eat in close proximity to the parking garage. In very bright lights, we saw water bar. They have an open air patio that has the plastic sheeting to keep the wind and cold air out, but it was still pretty chilly on the inside as we weren't seated near one of the heaters, and both ends of the seating area are open to the elements. In terms of the ambience displays have very relaxed vibes where is comfortable seating areas as well as high top and bar seating. My friend ordered a peppermint tea and the shrimp and grits. I ordered the crabcakes. The peppermint tea was very interesting as the sweetener which I believe was a simple syrup comes in a shot glass on the side. Her main complaint was that mixing the tea with the sweetener dropped the temperature of her tea, so it was more room temperature/lukewarm than hot. She enjoyed the shrimp and grits although the breading on the tomato was a little heavy for her. My crabcakes were delicious although a little heavy on the breading/filling. I would've preferred them with a side or would've liked to have the option to add a side, but I understand that type of this restaurant is more bar menu/small bites. Both dishes were plated beautifully. Our service was wonderful from start to finish. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our server was friendly and attentive. I'll definitely visit again, but I'll probably just come for drinks. read more

See all

We were given such great care and attention during our time. Plus the food was FANTASTIC! I am looking forward to returning to the apres-ski pop up before the Christmas season is over! read more

Water Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

I had been wanting to come down to this area to try this Water Bar and I was not impressed. The restaurant was clean, spacious and designed beautifully. I appreciated that the chairs were cushioned and wide. Our waiter Leon was fantastic! He was polite, attentive, and personable. The menu was disappointing. I'm not sure if they were trying for small plates but the menu was limited. We ordered the trout dip and shrimp sandwich. Let's just say I would not order that again. They are coming out with a new menu soon so let's hope it's a better one. They are fairly new so it is understandable that kinks need to be worked out. We will be back and try it again. read more

I had a great time at Water Bar. I especially enjoyed sitting outside. It had a relaxed vibe the fresh air, casual atmosphere made it the perfect spot to unwind after work. The food was the highlight. The lobster was packed with lobster made perfectly seasoned on about buttery roll I also tried the shrimp and it was just as impressive crispy flavorful with just the right amount of spice , you're craving seafood or just a chill outdoor meal. This place is a must visit in Arlington Virginia. I'll definitely be back. read more

My company hosted a private event at The Water Bar earlier this week. We had around 100 guests. We worked with Caroline to reserve the event. It was effortless, as Caroline was extremely knowledgeable and flexible. Our team had a fantastic time! The staff is very welcoming and attentive. The venue itself is really lovely. It's conveniently located in Crystal City / National Landing, surrounded by food vendors. There is also occasionally entertainment in the park. Highly recommend Water Bar for your next corporate event, or a place to stop in and dine. read more

Big Vybez! Chunky guacamole, calamari! Very delicious. Really laid back place. Great place to go for quick bite.

The food was absolutely delicious, service was quick and the staff was amazing. Our waiter was perfectly attentive and they even helped us tremendously with a birthday surprise. The location, music and ambiance were exactly what we needed for a fun night out. read more