Went here with a friend on a Friday evening. We chose this place because the menu and pictures on the website looked delicious. The restaurant is located in an adorable historic district. It's waterfront so the patio view is beautiful. Inside the restaurant is okay. Nothing to write home about. The man tending the bar was sociable and friendly. Staff overall were nice. I had a strawberry margarita and my friend had a plain margarita. Both were good. We ordered Mexican pizza, Texas fries with chili, and each got a beef taco. The food was mediocre at best. The taco meat was dry and tasteless. The shells were poor quality. The Mexican pizza was flavorless. The fries were probably the highlight and I would not even describe them as delicious. Overall, I'd maybe return for margaritas and chips & queso on the patio, but that's about it. We were very disappointed. read more

Food was just ok. Tony was fun and attentive. Patio has a great view. Would go back for the drinks which are fairly priced but we will skip the food. read more

To start, I online ordered... I work in town. And was on shift when I ordered. The food I ordered was, Cincinnati Mac... WITH BEANS. There isn't a single bean in it. Second the chili is just mildly spicy and just about flavorless. Watery and not very hot, keep in mind I asked for it to be extra hot and I work less than 50 steps away where I sat and ate it. I also asked for silverware and napkins and had to walk back to get them cause they didn't read what I put... the employee who did help me taller guy, Super nice... read more

Waitress was friendly - but the food was absolutely terrible. :( Waitress was friendly - but the food was absolutely terrible. :( Waitress was friendly - but the food was absolutely terrible. :( read more

Tex Mex restaurant in Old Town on the Waterfront. The menu is quite large and offers all your favorites from tacos, tamales , burritos , enchiladas and more ! Indoors seating features a large full bar- out side they have an awesome patio with river views. Often they offer live music - which is really good and fun. The bar offers specialty drinks including super good margaritas, wine and a great selection of beers on and off tap. My favorite is their crunchy tacos - with beef. Best in town !! They also offer soft tacos your choice beef, chicken or fish - all are excellent. Mix it up get some of each. They are big but oh so good. The burritos and enchiladas are great too!! Service is always attentive and great. Watch for their happy hour and taco specials !! Next time you're in town visiting the many specialty shops be sure to drop in for a cold beverage and some great Tex-mex food ! You will be back ! read more

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I've been to this spot twice and it's a nice location by the water in Occoquan. First time I brought my puppy in the back and there was a live musician and they were really nice and accommodating with my dog, even bringing him water. Second time was more recent on a nice Thursday afternoon and we took advantage of the half size lunch menu. They brought free chips and salsa which turned out to be clutch to dip in the leftover chili. We got the Texas chili Mac and the Cincinnati wet burrito with chicken. Cincinnati chili was the supreme winner - perfect consistency and flavor. That will be my go to from now on. Chili Mac was good but we agreed that the Cincinnati Mac will be what we get next time. Margarita was super sugary and corona didn't come with a lime but hey, they were nice and cold. Staff was very friendly and we will definitely be back. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Chili Mac and wet burrito - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

Usually i don't like to submit bad reviews but this time i had to. Hopefully the owners will take this Constructve Criticism. We arrived at the restaurant about an 1.5 hr before closing and ordered appetizers, drinks and auntrees. Just a word of advice, if the food isn't good or stale or has been out for while, please just say that "We're out of food" and please come again. The salad was stale (lettuce/dark not crispy), the fish tacos was really bad.. I ordered chicken wings and the Texas Dog, the bun was cold, the sausage was luke warm and the Chilli was cold.. none of us we able to finish our meal. I was sick for 2 days with food poisioning. None of us were able to finish our meal. We had to clean the tables and chairs and find our own seating, c'mon man,, you guys have to do better. I think your restaurant location is awesome, so you need to make the experience the same.. Just do the right thing. read more

Food: excellent Texas Chili loaded with cheese onions & sour cream. Meal came with chips. Well made and served hot. Staff: friendly and properly attentive. Not overbearing but didn't leave us in the woods. From the server to the barkeep and the manager, always checking on us Ambiance: run down western writhing walking distance to my buddy's condo in historic Occaquan read more

Love this casual hidden gem on the Occoquan! I hear coming here during the summer is quite the place with live music and a fun atmosphere. We were there for brunch, and the service was great, and the chili was really tasty! We plan on coming back during the warmer months so we can really see this place in action ! read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Chili Bread Bowl - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

As a Texan, I love Tex-Mex, but I found this restaurant disappointing. The location is great, it is located on the first floor of a shopping center in historic Occoquan. It was too cold when we visited but it has outdoor seating that gives you a good view of the river. We sat inside and it has a small town Tex-Mex vibe with some interesting decor. They sat us right in front of the window that had no blinds, so I got the sun right in my eyes the whole meal. The food was just okay. They started us off with chips and salsa, which was good enough since it was free. I got the margarita because it was $6, it wasn't too strong but I could taste the alcohol. For my entree, I got the marinated-charbroiled breast of chicken. The chicken was really dry and didn't have much flavor, I wish it has some kind of sauce on top. The refried beans were a little cool, the cheese on top didn't even melt. Overall, the experience was okay. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Margarita - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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This was the third restaurant I came across on my walk through Occoquan and the first one that was open. So if you're trying to find an open spot for lunch in Occoquan take note. When I saw the patio I had to have lunch there. It was even nicer sitting out there in the fall breeze than I imagined from the outside. The food is Sysco truck TexMex, absolutely nothing to brag or write home about. But the service was excellent. The whole patio was managed by one nice lady in a cat shirt who was like a cartoon, zooming from table to table non-stop. I hope management sees her and takes note, you can't let workers like that go. Is this place worth the patio despite the mediocre food? Definitely. The food wasn't bad but meh. This would be an ideal place to hang with friends. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - "Street corn", naked wings, and chips - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

Me and group of girls went to the restaurant after visiting a Paint shop upstairs. We saw that it was cute and we decided to go in and it's definitely not a Mexican or Tex Mex restaurant or anything like that. Anyways, I ordered a chimichanga with it says that it was beef, but had no idea that it was gonna be ground beef! The ground beef was dry and chimichangas should have like a cheese sauce on top and it didn't have that at all. Just a tomato sauce on top and sour cream on the side. That is it. To get lettuce onions tomato was an extra $1.25 which I think it's insane. My friend ordered wings, it was soooo dry. Everything was essentially over cooked. Waiter was nice but clearly over worked as she was the only one waiting at the time, which lead to long waits and forgetting to check on us. This place is so cute and in a good spot. But need to revise their menu and hire some real cooks and more staff read more

Just had lunch with friends at Bar' J's. We enjoyed sitting outside on a beautiful September afternoon, looking over the Occaquan River. I have frequented this place several times and always enjoy the food and ambience... The patio area is really nice. Today I had a California burrito and it was delicious. My friend had a Texas Chili Mac and he really enjoyed it. And Lisa as always provided great service... All in all a wonderful afternoon.! read more

Let's start by saying, this is a bar. If you're looking for a great cocktail, live music, and a cosy atmosphere on a Friday night, this is the place! I had the mojito and highly recommend! Now the food. The food is okay, but I would not recommend this place to go for dinner. However, I didn't try the Chili, which is what they are famous for, I assume because of their name. I had the California Burrito and it was ok. I gave them a 4 because the cocktail was phenomenal (I would give it a 4.5, if I could separate food from drink. I would give them a 2.5 for the food. The service was very good - the person who made the cocktails came to check how we liked it aside from our assigned waitress. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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We would've loved to recommend it but it's a no for all of us. Server could've cared less if they had a table of customers. Orders all came incorrect and they could've cared less when it was brought to their attention. 95% positive orders were changed to up charge the tab. The server was only mildly friendly at time to pay the tab. The incorrect food was less than mid. Seriously wanted it to be better. It's not like it was jam packed so they could've done better. read more

Fantastic place, food was good. Family friendly and beautiful scenery of old town occoquan. The employees were pleasant and welcoming; I would highly recommend this location. read more

Skip this place. Food was lousy, decor was lame, service slow. Burrito came out drowning in cheese and sauce, fries were too big (so the ratio of potato to fried coating was way off and not tasty), and the chili just looked like a bowl of ground meat. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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Not great. If I'm going out to a restaurant. It needs to be better than what I get at my house. I ordered the jalapeño poppers, and they were definitely mass produced and frozen. Think freezer aisle at the grocery store. The enchilada was wet and soggy no flavor. Honestly, the best thing was the macaroni and cheese, and let's face it. You can't really mess up macaroni and cheese. If you're starving and there's no other place to go, this is the place for you. If you have other choices, do that! read more

Truly disappointing visit. We have eaten here a few times before and found the food to be okay, but the location and patio created an atmosphere for a nice eating experience. If my visit tonight was any indication, the food and service have declined quite a bit. The lady greeting was friendly and welcoming, but our server seemed apathetic at best. The real issue was the food. I ordered the Frito Bandito which sounded interesting. It described as a casserole and supposed to have Cincinnati chili (which is my favorite) and a queso over red beans and Fritos. The dish had neither Cincinnati Chili nor queso. It had the small red beans as advertised, but was not a casserole in the sense there was any preparation of the ingredients. It was just a bowl with Fritos in the bottom covered in plain beans and basically a deconstructed taco on top (ground taco meet, shredded lettuce, a few tomatoes and sour cream). The taco salad at Wendy's is probably more involved. My wife ordered a steak fajita burrito which was supposed to have a green chile sauce/salsa. The steak was very tough and not fresh and the sauce was a red sauce which I am almost sure was just canned Rotel dumped on top. I sent mine back and opted for some very ordinary ground beef tacos. She ate half of hers, and decided not to take the rest home (I ate most of the leftover half). I would have gone one star in this review, but I felt bad as the place was empty on a Friday night, and, again, the hostess (assuming the manager) was very friendly. The server was nice enough, she just seemed young and inexperienced. I still like the location and atmosphere. But the food has dropped off considerably. Maybe I would say it's a good spot for a few beers on the patio when the weather is nicer. I would not recommend the food. read more

I have always wanted to order juevos rancheros!! It was all that I dreamed of and more! The service was awesome and the bloody Mary's were on point!! It all went together with a chance to talk to the owner who is also interesting and in tune with customer service! She took time to ask us how everything was out on the patio overlooking the river! We even lounged in an oasis under trees after our breakfast!! The weather was perfect and we didn't want to leave!! Thanks to all the staff!! read more

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This is a great option for a pet friendly patio in Occoquan. You are right on the river, so it has a great view. The food is okay, but I wouldn't be rushing back to eat here. Although the fresh made donuts were fantastic! Service is very slow. read more

The food was disappointing, I expected the corn to be on a cob, it's how street corn comes. I'm almost 100% certain it's canned or frozen corn they used. The Mexican hot burrito wasn't even spicy, and it was just filled with beans. The place is kind of grungy, but the outdoor seating look nice. The service was ok, there was some miscommunication of an order and so we didn't receive the right food. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Street Corn - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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This is the 3rd time I've visited this restaurant. 3rd time is not a charm and it will be the last. The only thing decent we ordered was the burger but you had to pay $4 for bacon and you got one little strip broken into two! Bacon is always extra but at least put some bacon on there if you want to charge! For one piece broken into two it should have been free! The cheese quesadilla barely had any color and NONE of the cheese was melted! We had already cut it up but we asked the waiter if this could be corrected and he said ok and brought it back to the kitchen where they just put it back on the grill and sent it back out still with the cheese not fully melted. The whole thing should have been remade. It was smothered in cheese on the inside maybe it needs to be reevaluated seeing as they can't melt that amount of cheese correctly. We ordered beef tacos. It looked like something I made from an El Paso taco kit from the grocery store. To be honest even the meat from a kit like that tastes better. It was dry and the meat was tasteless. And there was barely any meat! We ordered street corn. It was decent but watery and very sweet. The jalapeño poppers were probably the best thing we got. Chips and salsa is always nice but the salsa tastes more like a spicy pizza sauce . Not to mention the waiter didn't even remember what we ordered and his pants were sagging with his underwear out. Another waitress stepped outside the gate of the outdoor seating to smoke but then walked back in the gate with her lit cigarette, took a few drags and then put it out in an ashtray right by the door. If your employees are going to smoke it should not be anywhere near where your customers are eating. A soda was also $4! It was not even full and the waiter was not very attentive on refilling. The one time he did the drink was also not full! Everything on this menu is extra depending on what you're ordering and it is a little ridiculous. Sour cream, tomatoes, onions are standard things and shouldn't be an up charge! It is a great location but I think the owner of this establishment needs to slow it down. Owning too many establishments in Occoquan that are never fully staffed and never great! This isn't the first one I've had issues with. read more

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Decided to visit this restaurant today for lunch. My daughter and I sat outside by the water and it was wonderful. Everything was great except for the service which was mediocre at best. The waitress did not pay attention to detail and was not very welcoming. read more

Absolutely awful experience! Had to ask my waiter to bring my drink three times. Pretty sure the waiter was stoned. Food was awful. Ordered shrimp fajitas tasted terrible. To cap things off, waiter spilled all the food on top of me as he was trying to clear the table. read more

Deliciousness - 4.5/5 Happiness - 3/5 We went here for brunch and were really pleasantly surprised. The food really shines here! I ordered the steak tips and eggs and can't recommend them enough. The steak was incredibly tender and bursting with flavor. When I piled it on my beautifully cooked toast with a runny over easy egg yolk, it was tough to stop eating. My wife got huevos rancheros and while she said it was delicious, she also said the portions were too small. They were also nice enough to give us free chips and salsa. The chips are nice and crunchy with the right amount of salt, while the salsa was a little strange (consistency of pasta sauce). They had no shortage of interesting things on the menu - omelets stuffed with chili and sugar dusted pancakes with cheesecake whipped topping on top really stood out. Many reviews focus on the service (or lack thereof) and.... they are more or less right. They were all very friendly.... when they occasionally stopped by the table. 20 minute waits for water were standard. The table itself was sticky (IHOP style, like it's absorbed all the syrup) although the booths have some nice southwestern artwork. But while the service wasn't earth shattering, it was plenty fine! And thanks to the food, we all left very happy. read more

It is what it is. A bit of a dive, although they have live music in the courtyard out back. Everything is reasonably priced. One of the few places in Occoquan open past 6pm on Sundays. A free basket of tortilla chips to start, with a spicy salsa. Service is relaxed but friendly and quick. The blueberry mojito is very good. Plenty of blueberry flavor but not overly sweet. Terrific chili. They offer two styles: Texas (spicy) and Cincinnati (mild). Plus, a choice of with or without beans. The chicken enchiladas were outstanding. Tender but firm tortillas filled with perfectly cooked chicken. Plenty of cheese and white and green onions. I highly recommend Bar-J Chili Parlor! read more

My husband and I ate breakfast here today and we absolutely loved it. We sat outside with a gorgeous view of the occoquan river. There are tons of trees and little birds, which I also enjoyed. Kathy, the owner, is amazing she's so fun and has great customer service. I ordered the winter wonderland French toast and my husband got the Texas waffle. Food was 10/10, service 10/10, ambiance 10/10. Thank you, Kathy! We will be back read more

I'm a native Texan who has been in the DC area for over a decade. Ever since I arrived, I have been on the hunt for decent Tex-Mex, but have constantly come up short. This place is a hit though! Free unlimited chips and dip, the queso was legit, and my entree was superb. Right on the river as well! Def. a great Tex-Mex experience! read more

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Nice view of the river BUT talk about an ambiance killer. Not great at clearing tables and check out the dinner menu. Two waitresses just walk on by and no one will pick it up. Will not recommend sitting outside unless you watch your step. California Burrito is what they call it. Made by the in house Chihuahua. read more

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Great place to grab good food right on the water. Inside seating also available. Lisa is the best bartender ever. Knows her drinks and is super friendly. Highly recommend the tacos. read more

A sad sigh...That's how I felt after leaving Bar J's. What I will say is that I absolutely love their chili dog!!! It's Texas style chili that is nice and spicy. You can get cheese on it, either shredded or a cheese sauce. I always go with the shredded. It also comes with onions, which I usually get on the side. If chili dogs was all they served, this place would be a gem in my eyes. But that's not the case. They also serve a variety of Mexican dishes as well as some traditional items like wings. I have been here a handful of times and have always gone for my chili dog. Never failed me. What gave me the sad sigh feeling were the wings that were supposed to be citrus chipotle. Nothing about these wings were citrusy or chipotle flavored. They were over sauced and the description didn't match what they were. I hate to base my experience solely off the wings, but in addition the salsa that came out with the chips tasted like it was jarred salsa. Some may like that but wasn't my thing. The other thing that was slightly off for me was the entertainment. They have a singer who plays the guitar out on the patio. Let me start by saying he is really good at what he does. Plays a lot of familiar classics. However at 2pm on a Sunday folks aren't looking to hear the slow version of these classics. It was way too slow for that time of the day. The nice thing is that they have a pretty good system to accommodate customers during the pandemic. Will be back but only for the chili dog. read more

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I thought this placed specialized in chili. I ordered a chili mac. I've never had chili like this before in my life. It was dry seasoned ground beef on top of spaghetti noodles with parmesan on top. No joke. It was so freaking dry. Awful and deplorable that a restaurant would serve this and charge $14! read more

Dang I forgot the host/waitresses name. Great customer service, live music by a talented musician who had a really nice play list. We got to sit outside and the tables were spaced apart for social distancing. They have a pretty large menu. Normally I go to Madigans or 3rd base, but it was time for something different. I had the chicken chimichanga - (sorry no pics). And a margarita that had a reasonable amount of alcohol . The chimichanga was ok not earth shattering. I will return and just try something else. If nothing else just for the vibe. read more

Born and raised in south Texas. A) not Mexican Food B) not Texas Chili C) avoid at all cost Food was horrible Service was great and the prices were not to bad, but if looking for Tex-Mex or chili not the place to go It wouldn't let me give zero stars but if I could I would. Also the guacamole is made with sour cream. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Tacos, where's the meat? - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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My coworkers and I came here for a lunch before we went upstairs to paint pottery. We were greeted and sat quickly. We received complimentary chips and salsa. To me, the salsa tasted like tomato sauce, and the chips were definitely stale. We then ordered the guacamole, the queso and the chili con queso. The guac was swimming in that salsa (which the menu did not say), the queso tasted like it was out of a can, and the chili con queso had no meat, but rather the meat juice spooned around the outside of the bowl. I ordered the frito fundito. The menu said that it would be Fritos topped with chili, lettuce, tomato, queso and sour cream. I asked for no tomatoes, but then it came out covered in white onions (again, the menu didn't say that it would come with it, i do not like onions). The Fritos were also stale. My coworkers were 50/50 about their dishes. It took quite some time for all the food to come out. None of us ordered anything complicated (quesadilla, burrito, nachos and enchiladas). All items you just b put together and heat up, nothing i believe was cooked to order. I won't come back to this restaurant based on the food. The servers were very nice though, and the ambiance was ok. read more

The thing I like most about Bar J's is the nostalgia of it. For me it's a throw back to my childhood when they were on Route 1 in Lorton next to the feed store in the 80's and then moved down to Woodbridge to Gordon Plaza. When they closed it felt like losing a friend. I never thought I would ever eat another Bar J's spaghetti Mac or Texas devil steak again. It was awesome to hear they opened again and hoped the food would be the same. I have been in to the Occoquan location a few times since the opening and I always leave stuffed and happy. The Spaghetti Mac is my all time favorite go to meal and has been since I was 8. I know a greasy meal like the spaghetti Mac isn't for everyone but I love it. Bar J's is what anyone that grew up on them expect and if you are vegan and health conscious, and frequent national chains then this might not be the restaurant for you. Bar J's is somewhat a dive bar, chili parlor that serves some greasy food like they have since they first opened in the 80's. The prices are right on par for the area and really not that much more than when they were in Gordon Plaza 10 years ago. I was in the area today and it was around lunch time and made a beeline straight to Bar J's for the spaghetti Mac and a couple of tacos since it was taco Tuesday and they give a discount on tacos! Thank you to the owner for keeping a family tradition alive and thank you to the staff for the service and good food I receive on my visits. read more

Worst burrito Ive ever had in my life - seriously, no exaggeration. A microwaved burrito from a gas station would have been better. I've had street meat on a stick in Africa that tasted better. Everybody involved in this restaurant should be ashamed. Had to give a star because of the app but yelp should have a negative 5 star for this purpose. It's a shame because the location has a beautiful view of the river. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE FOR THE FOOD! read more

Came here after kayaking for a quick snack and drink. Our waitress was interesting...she was attentive but I can't tell if she was tired or making (weird) jokes half the time. They gave a full bar, but he drinks were below average to me. My pins colada had a small hint of flavor, but mostly taste like nothing. We got the chips and salsa which was ok. The order of fries we got were the best thing we got. read more

Bar J Chili Parlor - Menu - Tex-Mex Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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I've always coveted on wanting to go here. However little did I know the blundering disappointment of a lunchtime I would endure. The appeal of this place is strictly the patio/outside seating. There is always a "live" performer there. But honestly the singing isn't too great and you're better off just eating in silence. My party sat inside since we are not fans of the heat. We were allowed to seat ourselves. It also didn't take too long to get our drinks. Moments later we were given salsa and chips. Now, I didn't notice until other patrons came into the restaurant-but- they literally have a see-through tub of chips. Not that it was particularly odd, but they had cups and cups of salsa sitting on the counter. How long they have been there? Nobody knows? It was kind of tacky seeing the chip and salsa being dispensed in front of us. It just looked grody. They only also had one bathroom working... really...? Our food took about 30 minutes to get to us. I got 2 tacos and a chili. Both were terrible. Tacos had no flavoring, no texture, no sauce, no anything. The tacos literally had the "protein" (chicken and beef, one of each for me) lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. It was so unsavory. First off, I love chili- this concoction was literally ground beef swimming in brown swill. It was lukewarm at best. Cheese wasn't melted and they had the nerve to charge extra for the addition. My brother got a burger. Which was supposed to be spicy. But it was just plastered with a thick sauce. The fries were good though. My roommate got a taco salad which was just my tacos with a lettuce bedding. Again, flavorless, bland and extremely disappointing. I tried my company's food to see if it was my dish that was off. Nope. All of them sucked. I didn't finish anything. I didn't want to take anything home. Avoid this place. This place is horrendous. read more

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