The food here was very good and they have a lot of options on the menu. The drinks are very creative and they have a lot of different options. The service was pretty good. Inside, it is very loud and more of a sports bar vibe. But they have a very cute outdoor area that is much quieter and they have heaters when it's cooler and pretty lights. There is also a smaller inclosed outdoor patio area that is quieter as well. The parking is very tight in their lot but the bar/ restaurant itself is quite large. read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Cocktail with bourbon, honey, and lemon. - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Went here a couple weeks ago for their Tuesday night raw bar deal. I love oysters and these oysters were fresh and amazing. You can't beat $1 oysters. We ordered a couple of drinks that were on special ($2 off cocktails, $7 house wines). The wine was good and the aperol spritz I had was good, I just wish cocktails had a larger discount. For the rest of the food, we got a mushroom quinoa - this was ok, nothing special. A side salad - the blue cheese was unique and tasted home made. We also got the $5 mussels and the sauce these were cooked in was buttery and delicious, I just wish it came with more bread for dipping. Lastly, we got the truffle fries. This was such a big portion for the cost and I enjoyed that. They were hot and fresh. Service was good and there was live music but the music was very loud. Parking is easy but you do have to walk to the back to enter which was less convenient as were were seated near the front. Overall, I recommend for happy hour and their specials. Their normal menu is not horribly priced but I think their specials are more worth it. read more

See all

Last week I tried two more things here. Both the bowls were a big enough size to be easily shared by two people. My friend and I regretted ordering separate bowls for dinner. - Buddha Bowl: this is yummy. But had way too much spinach for my liking. Next time I'll get this with less or no spinach at all. - Falafel Bowl (Chef Special - not on the menu): the falafel in this bowl was way better than the falafel I had in the burger. This bowl was delicious. This place is fun to hang out with friends. Definitely try it out. read more

See all

Good spot for late night. My friends and I occasionally hit this place up after our soccer games in the area. We end up ordering wings, nachos, and sometimes burgers too. Overall the food is good and they have a really wide range of drinks available. Service is fast and they have tons of TVs as well if you want to watch sports. A good spot to hang out with friends! read more

Summary: The first time I came to this restaurant/bar- I stayed 6 hours! Orginally I wanted to just come in for the Eagles game, ordered an appetizer and drink and ended up trying much of the menu. If you want to know more, I am including a secret about the restuarant at the end. Let's get into it. First thing is first, the location of the restaurant makes it feel like a neighborhood spot. It's behind another business, has great parking and next to a walking trail so if after you eat and you want to take a stroll, its a good location to do so. Drinks are great! They have a variety of drinks/frozen drinks along with a full bar. Innovative choices and we recommend their frozen drinks. Football lovers, you will have a several games to chose from on Sundays accompanied by "football" snacks on the menu. Along with a Bloody Mary bar as well. The food here is really good. I recommend the Tuna Nachos and the Pretzeal and dips. The hamburgers are bigger then Normal but their fries and potato' game aren't that great. I would recommend the Oysters as well. One of the things that attracted me to this place, the friendly staff who goes out of their way to make you feel like a regular even if its your first time here. Not bad for a place where everyone will learn your name. That's a Cheers dad joke, not very funny but I tried. Heres my favorite part, its Clean! I have been to many places, I have talked to several people in the restaurant industry, the secret I always here is to check the mens room first. If the places cares about the cleanliness of the mens room on a random inspection, you will find good food. I recommend this spot, I have been there many times in the last month and think its a great place to grab brunch on Sundays or a beer during a Monday night football game. Cheers! read more

Great atmosphere for a casual, delicious meal any day of the week or to catch a game on TV sitting at one of the bars.

Happy Mardi Gras from Bear Branch Tavern in Vienna! My dinner was tasty...Seafood Gumbo, Jambalaya, Fried Oysters, and King Cake for dessert of course. And I also enjoyed the Luke Johnson Band. It was nice to have live music while eating dinner. They made the whole place feel festive. read more

See all

Certainly one of my favorite spots to go to especially on a Tuesday for their oyster special. The wings were flavorful and meaty. The seafood has always been delicious! The oysters are delicious and fresh. Never had an issue with the service as our waiter checked in with our table many times to ensure we were taken care of. read more

See all

We visited this place again last wkend, but this time with the kids. I was surprised to find that each of the kids meals come with fries and you can't substitute even for an up charge, no wonder the country is dealing with an obesity crisis. No thank you, will not be visiting again. read more

Three stars is about right, I'm afraid. I went with a friend who really loves this place, and I really wanted to love it, too. But in the end, it was really mediocre. The only reason it gets 3-stars and not 1-star is because of my friend, and because they really did have good service on a busy Saturday night. That counts for something. We started with the shrimp appetizer for $18. We got 6 barely medium sized shrimp and one slice of bread cut in half. At $18, I was splitting this dish with my friend. It sure wasn't much, that's the heck for sure. So pass on the shrimp app. I ordered the very well-reviewed Mahi tacos...my friend warned me not to get this dish, and boy she was right. I figured it was one of their most popular dishes, so it had to be decent. First of all...icky cheap old flour tortilla. The mango salsa had zero flavor. No heat or spice. No Mahi, either. It was all crust and almost zero fish. I really wish I had taken a photo for you. I bit into the fish, all crust, no fish. They should really take this dish off their menu if they can't do it right. It was both flavorless and fishless. I asked for some hot sauce, anything to add to give it some sort of flavor. B-L-A-N-D. For dessert, we ordered the lemon chess pie. This was delicious. Their pies are made by Acme Pie Company in Arlington. I will check out Acme for the holidays for sure. This was the hit of the night for me. Our server was great. The kids who actually deliver the food to the table could use better training. They kind of dumped the plate and then were gone. It was abrupt service. I understand that there is a serious labor crunch right now, so I get it. Our main server dude was great, though. My daughter says the best deal is to go for their $1 oyster special, and the wings. Their alcoholic beverages were a tad expensive but good. In the end, I'd stick with the booze, bar food, and avoid anything more sophisticated. Dogs are welcome on the patio which I love. The live music is a nice touch. So - three stars, and lose the Mahi Tacos from the menu. They pretty much sucked. Run over to Taco Bama and get two really awesome tacos for $10, instead. read more

I really enjoyed this new spot! I'm glad to see so many people enjoying a new location in old town vienna! Many improvements have been made since the oldest pics on YELP for this location- looks like more improvements to come! Didn't like the Mac and cheese- cheese used was too sharp in my Opinion...we enjoyed everything else! They have a seasonal sour ale available and a peach sour that was so yummy! Reasonably priced yummy food! Try this spot!! You don't regret it! read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Mani tacos with street corn side - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

See all

Had the worst service last night. Food is decent and good beer selection - not to mention great location - but it's hard to get over the service. There were 5+ waiters/servers just standing around and we couldn't get our water filled and had to ask about our order after 20 minutes (only 1-2 other parties there)... and it was sitting under the headlamp. What looked like a manager was sitting there too and she didn't seem to care. And this isn't the first time having lackluster experience. Better off going to Vienna Inn across the street. Not to mention overpriced. And I don't like giving bad reviews to local businesses but it's hard to not at this place. read more

Had a couple drinks and appetizers here with a friend recently. The service was excellent with the food and atmosphere very good. The worst thing about this restaurant is the parking lot and road access. It is extremely difficult to turn left out of the parking lot, so be aware. If in the area, give it a try! read more

I love going to bear branch so much! The food is amazing, and so is the service! Everyone is so nice, and I always have a great time here! read more

Bear Branch Tavern - the grilled chicken & avocado BLT with a side of fries and no bacon - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

I've ordered takeout several times, but eventually wrote the restaurant off as a loss in 2023. The food was technically what was advertised, but unappetizing in flavor and texture. The staff was incredibly unhelpful in just getting my order. The gated entrance for carryout was repeatedly closed and locked, as was the carryout door, with signage that simultaniously indicated no entrance and carryout entrance at once. After being asked to trapse through he restaurant to get to the pickup area, the back-end bar staff alternated (visit to visit) actively running from the bar on approach or ignoring me despite being almost the only customer in the room. There are better sandwich shops in the neighborhood, let alone full service restaurants and I'll stick to those. Maybe something has changed there since 2023, but I'm not interested in finding out. read more

I come here often and like this place mainly for their chill atmosphere. The vibe is relaxed and the service is solid. I've tried a bunch of stuff, and overall their food is fine. Some days it's better than others but overall it's good. I like their salads and their fish entrees. Recently I got the Tuna poke nachos and crab dip. I think next time I will ask for less sauce on the tuna nachos. Overall a great place to hang out and catch up with friends. They always have the game on so the guys like that. read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Crab Dip - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

See all

Delicious. I'm amazed at the creativity, quality, and taste. I had the Wahoo. The accoutrements were spectacular and festive. Second of all, the place has two bars! Love this hometown gem. read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Wahoo - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Patrick our waiter was excellent! Brunch menu was great and all the food cooked just right! Will return.

Been coming here for a while now. Wether if its for brunch or a late night hangout, this place is the move. Drinks and food here never disappoints. I highly recommend their burgers, steak salad, and wings. read more

I've only been here for happy hour, Tuesday are raw bar day. 1/4 peel and eat shrimp for $5? 1/2 Alaskan crab legs for 12 bucks? Man you can't beat that. And it's pumpkin beer season. Been here 3 tuesdays in a row and they have not disappointed yet. It gets pretty packed so I suggest coming in before 5 if you want a good seat. I've heard great things about their menu but till raw bar Tuesdays are gone don't think I'll be checking out of their menu anytime soon. Staff is great very attentive and friendly, atmosphere is also great. Not a bad place to spend an afternoon read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Worst Place EVER!! First visit to Bear Branch Tavern - and last - took friend for birthday dinner - couldn't get out of there fast enough. Food was over-priced and under-whelming - quesadilla ($10) add $6 for a couple nuggets of chicken. Philly Cheesesteak ($16) was 90% bread - had to search for the fillings (go to Jersey Mike's for better and less cost!) Nachos were generous, but soggy. The place is EXTREMELY loud - waiter could not hear the order - had to yell at each other to be heard - conversations ended with "what did you say?" Then, they turned up the volume on the TV and it got even louder. I lost my voice for 2 days. Management was unapologetic and argumentative about the noise - they must be used to complaints. Find another location if you expect good food and the ability to have a normal conversation during your meal. read more

Great food! great service! great location! If you have brunch, lunch or dinner here you won't be disappointed. We bike here with our family from Falls Church and you can't beat the location right of the bike-path. read more

I have been here numerous times to enjoy their brunch on the patio in the summer time. It is always a nice experience, nothing has ever blown me away but have never had anything less than okay either. Service is good and their drinks are also tasty. Went last night and got the nachos for an appetizer and "oh lala" should have just ordered that for the meal! Certainly tooooooo much for two people to tackle. I also ordered the a Philly cheesesteak which was fine. I wouldn't really call it a Philly cheese steak so much as just a steak sandwich. All in all I think people will be satisfied with coming here. read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Carnitas nachos. Carnitas were surprisingly good - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

What a nice place! We sat outside with a choice of sun or shade. Our waiter was Irv- very friendly! The food choices were very good- I had a build your own burger- my husband had a Buddha bowl-quinoa, avocado, beets, greens, hard boiled eggs with a very light dressing. He said it needed salt. After the addition of the salt he said it was delicious. Our grandson had pizza and Mac and cheese with a fruit salad. He proclaimed everything was a thumbs up! Would definitely come back read more

The service and food were just average. We sat outside. The atmosphere was casual and relaxing. The fries were luke warm. The burger was good. The buttermilk fried chicken sandwich was decent and crispy. Nothing too memorable. read more

Not in same league as sister restaurant Dogwoods Tavern in Falls Church. Went on a Friday night and it was mega loud - hard to hear even at a 2 top. Had the blackened Mahi sandwich which was not good at all. Hardly any fish on the sandwich and the bun was really stale. The salad it came with was fine but the lack of fish and stale bun was bad enough that I simply pointed it out to our server (very nice) when we asked for the check. A manager came over and said "sorry, I know a beer can't compensate for a bad sandwich and bun, but I comped a beer for you." Too funny - if he knows that is not a good remedy, why offer it? Anyway, I'm sure it was just a one time thing, but with Dogwood Tavern about the same distance from home in McLean - will not be back to Bear Branch. read more

I've been here twice, once for brunch and tonite for dinner. Brunch outside was 5 star! Food, service, ambiance. Tonite--inside b/c it was too hot for outside. SUPER LOUD! Couldn't hear each other talk, really miserable. The acoustics are bad. My food was good (mahi tacos) and my sister in law loved her Cobb salad. My husband's shrimp po boy sandwich order came late and the manager apologized but...too much bread, not enough shrimp. Server was attentive. Not sure I will ever eat inside again. read more

Back after a long break from Bear Brach Tavern and thank the Lawd we did! We ordered everything tonight. Oysters, fries, wings, tacos, burgers, steak frits, wraps, nachos...the works. How was it? Seriously, hand-on-heart awful. The oysters were good (difficult to mess those up) and the nachos were ok BUT the rest were nothing we would ever go back for. Fish in the tacos were fried to a crispy brick, not a single kid finished their burgers, the buffalo warp chicken were over fried, and the list goes on. Great place to hang and have drinks. Heard the salad's were good but the rest was a disaster. Best to stick to the few dishes they do well. I'm so bummed to post this, however, this is an honest reflection of our $200+ dinner. read more

Always searching for buck a shucks in nova and stumbled on this one with raw bar on Tuesday nights. Never been here and the restaurant was really nice outside, the entrance is in the back not near the street fyi. Server was attentive. Food was super good for the price, shrimp were fresh, mussels were cooked perfectly and the broth was excellent dipping with the bread, hushpuppies were hushpuppies, and buck a shuck definitely serviceable. Not the best oyster's I've had, but good. They had all the accoutrements you could want: mignonette, hot sauce, lemon, horseradish, and cocktail sauce. Paired with a great sour from Vasen. read more

See all

I cannot recommend Bear Branch highly enough. We love their ambiance, food, and drinks in general, but we recently hosted a large graduation party there and that experience really set them apart. Our party had several last minute changes that Logan, their director of operations, graciously accommodated. Ash and her partner tending to our party of 50 did so kindly, not once making us feel like we were an inconvenience. The entire experience was made to be hassle free thanks to everyone at bear branch. Couldn't recommend them highly enough. read more

After hearing so much about Bear Branch Tavern, we decided to check it out for Brunch.  The first thing we noticed was the noise level - loud!.  It makes us feel very old, but, it was the first thing our friends and us yelled to each other upon meeting at the table.  The surfaces are beautiful, natural brick for the walls and wood for the tables but they are all hard surfaces that bounce the sound all over the place making it super hard to hear.  Many people like this atmosphere of energy and excitement, but, for us (and we're not that old!) it made it a hard place to have a conversation!  The décor is simple but the fireplace is really nice and all the TV's are hung high enough that you can follow the games if you would like, but, if not, they are not always in one's line of sight, which is appreciated.  The place was definitely hopping when we arrived but we were seated promptly.  Having ordered, however, our food took a super long time to arrive.  Our very courteous server explained the kitchen had been slammed and we could understand that from the full tables.  We had the chicken fried chicken which was fine (mostly fried and harder to find the chicken part).  I did enjoy the well poached eggs on top and the home fries to the side.  The tuna nachos which, I'm sorry to say, were disappointing.  Recommended as one of the highlights of the menu, we found the chips to be super oily and the few pieces of tuna did not do much beyond that.  We mostly picked the tuna off the top and then tried not to eat any more of the chips.  I expected "nachos" to have something on them - more sauce or more than a little seaweed salad tossed on a couple of the outmost layer. I can see that Bear Branch Tavern could be a cozy place to meet with friends who you know well enough that you don't need to be able to hear much of what they are saying.  It seems like a good place to watch a game or sit by the warmth of the fire.  The food will not bring us back, unfortunately.  On the good side - the logo is adorable. read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Tuna nachos - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

See all

I feel bad I didn't get pictures of the food, but my friend and I were just chatting up a storm! Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this place. The inside is just so cozy and pretty with soft lighting, candles, and a fireplace. Our server was very nice and helpful. My fried chicken sandwich was really good and the fries were like shoe string "fair fries" - so good! Maybe a little pricey for the style of food, but not terrible. I'm excited to go back and enjoy the patio when the weather is warmer :) read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Inside vibe - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Excellent place to eat and enjoy a beautiful day. The food was fresh and delish. The service was outstanding. Our grilled chicken wings were cooked to perfection and the dipping sauce ... oh my !!! If you try them see if you can guess the secret ingredient they add to it. We recommend and will try again if we are back in this sweet town of Vienna in the future. Oh hey any bike riders... the W&OD trail goes right past the BBT . So park and refuel here at the Tavern. read more

See all

Grounded in American fare but adventuresome cooking that is diverse and quality. The cauliflower appetizer is amazing. Great options for vegetarians. Great service--a rarity nowadays. Attentive with wait staff and managers roaming the floor. Ambiance is great--good bar (though not very Tavern like), BUT very very loud. People next to you are inaudible. Best to go with people with whom you do not want to converse or learn to sign. Major drawback. But the food and service do balance it. read more

Cute place to meet up, we got there early at 5pm on a Saturday and got seated quickly, there was plenty of space available and felt like they did a good job with spacing out seats for covid. The waitress did say that we had a 1hr 30min time limit for dining since it gets busy so we acknowledged. We ended up staying for 2 hours since there were still tables available. We definitely didn't feel rushed. Honestly 4.5-5 stars for service and atmosphere but 2-3 stars for food quality. The salad bowls (Cobb and Buddha bowl were decent and liked the dressing, however the grilled chicken on the salad was extremely dry). My friend got the mahi mahi tacos, but we found the fried a bit soggy and bland, the the fish was so deep fried that it was crunchy hard and the meat was really dry. The oysters appetizer and tuna nachos were pretty good. Chips in the nachos were pretty oily though but the flavor was good. I hate to be so critical but we also ordered the sangria which was very sweet, almost like juice. Probably won't be back but was worth a try! read more

Bear Branch Tavern - Ahi tuna nachos - New American Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

See all

Came to Bear Branch in Vienna after the Viva Vienna event and they were definitely slammed. We checked in for a party of 8 and they gave us a 40 min wait time. No problem there as we walked in. Decided to wait at the back bar and chilled while getting a few drinks. The tropical seasonal cider was refreshing! We grabbed a few appetizers crab dip and chicken wings, tasty, but overpriced. Once we got the text to sit down, we had been there for probably 10 minutes and no waiter had stopped by to greet the table/bring waters. As we had already waited for quite some time, we just didn't have a good vibe overall from the place and decided to leave for something quicker. read more

2/1/21 Last year I watched as this restaurant was slowly becoming what it is today. The other day I finally got a chance to check out out myself. This restaurant is different. Normally most restaurants you enter from the front. In this case, parking is in the rear and sides of the building. To enter the restaurant, you MUST ENTER FROM THE REAREND. Once you enter, the world is your oyster. Yes, this place sells oysters too. Tje place is very spacious and looks like a ni e family type of restaurant. I scanned the menu and I think my dad might enjoy this rest. I will be sure to come here with my wife. I think all of us will have a good time here. read more

See all

Here are my thoughts ... Atmosphere is fantastic, but food is OK. So probably would prefer to rate this 3.5 stars. So why did I go with 4 stars? Well, I asked myself "Would I come again?" and the answer was "Yes". I mean the atmosphere is so much fun, especially with the outdoor seating area. But I also love the multiple bars you can belly up to enjoy a great drink and conversation with your neighbors (and I literally mean my neighbors as this is a neighborhood joint for me). The service is quite good as well. Very attentive to our needs. If we can only get the kitchen to step up their game a bit, I would love to give this place a solid 4 star rating or higher. Last thing, they need to work on their call ahead/reservation system. There is room for automation which would make the customer experience a whole lot better. read more

3.5. I've been meaning to come here for years - Vienna really needed a good restaurant/bar and Bear Branch scratches that itch. Met a colleague for lunch today - parking was fine, but I can see it getting rough on a Friday night. There are two separate dining spaces: the dining room in the back and the bar area in the front. Both have a great vibe - not too casual and not at all stuffy with an energetic buzz, yet it isn't too loud. Service wasn't overly friendly, but they were attentive, and despite the restaurant being mostly full the food came out quickly. The menu is all over the place - some bar food, some standard American fare, some fresh seafood, but then they try to dabble in a little Mexican here, a little Indian there, throw in some Italian and we have an international mess of a menu that has no idea what it wants to be. It makes me not trust the freshness of the ingredients or technique of the chefs. My friend got the Cobb salad. It was a pretty standard Cobb... decently sized with a half of a grilled chicken breast on top... nothing special. I had the halibut - it was fine... overall uninspired. It was a 4, maybe 5 ounce piece of fish (which to their credit was cooked quite nicely) atop a bed of roasted squash, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts and a completely flavorless polenta fritter. The vegetables were nicely seasoned (whereas the fish was not), so overall it was good, not great. My main issue was the price. For the Cobb salad, the halibut, and 1 Diet Coke the total was $61 ($75 after tip). I can get significantly better food for the same or less money at several other restaurants in the area. If I were to come back I'd stick with bar food and sandwiches - it's probably a good spot for happy hour and I want to support local businesses. read more

The food is terrible and portions are small when you do pickup. The fries taste like watered down cardboard, the poke with chips partially become cooked as they add the hot chips with the sashimi. The chips become soggy too. The other portions were small especially when you are paying $30 plus per entree. In person yes. To go never again. read more