If you have a reservation plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early as there is only street parking and given the number of other restaurants in the area, it is difficult to find parking. You may end up several blocks away. The good: service is great. We had a 6pm reservation and called at 6:02 since we were looking for parking. The hostess adjusted the time for us since they only give a ten minute grace period. We arrived and security greeted us. They were both very friendly. Hostess was efficient but due to the issues with the party in front of us, she wasn't friendly. She wasn't rude but still disturbed by the other party. Our server was nice and semi-attentive, given the crowd size. The gentlemen bussing tables were helpful as well. The bad: food was ok. We ordered the lump crab deviled eggs and Buffalo cauliflower as an appetizer. The eggs were small but tasted ok. The Buffalo sauce on the cauliflower was way too spicy to allow us to enjoy them. Entrees we ordered were the dry rub chicken sandwich and the colossal catfish sandwich. We split each so we could try both. I enjoyed the chicken sandwich. My friend said it was too sweet for her but I liked it. I also liked the roasted potato wedges that came with it. We both thought the catfish was very bland. Lacked seasoning on the breading and fish. She liked her fries. The music was also loud as were the other patrons in the establishment. It made holding a conversation at our table difficult. I can say I tried it but I don't think I would go back. read more

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Amazing experience! The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming. Service was top-notch--definitely a spot I'll be visiting again. Happy hour was amazing, and I can already tell this is going to be my new go-to brunch spot. Highly recommend! read more

The food was amazing.. Great service as well would come here again.. The wait wasn't that long.. had a bit of a hiccup but was still good.. read more

Great atmosphere, really cool staff, and the food was great. We had the crab cake sliders, bourbon bread pudding for dessert and since it was happy hour, we tried the Bacardi blackberry mojito which was an excellent choice. We already were talking about coming back again for happy hour.. So glad we decided to eat here!! read more

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After visiting the NAAMHC, I had to show my bestie a black-owned spot in the DMV. I love the fact that Ben's Next Door has happy hour 7 days a week-- y'all know I love a bargain. The apps range from $3.95-$5.95. We went to town: fried calamari, St. Louis dry rub ribs, BBQ jerk salmon slider, Bacon cheeseburger slider, cheese fries, chili cheese fries, and mac and cheese. Everything was delicious, but the ribs and the bacon cheeseburger took the cake. TY Island Punch was my drink of the night, if you like sweet you'll enjoy this! read more

Ben's Next Door - TY ISLAND PUNCH - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Black Owned restaurant!!! 5 stars! My family and I was in the area from another state. We emailed ahead of time about making reservations and they were really accommodating and showed excellent customer service. When we arrived they held our table for us until we could find parking. (Parking in this area is terrible) Once we was seated our waitress was on point! It was no wait for our drinks or a long wait for our food. This place is such a vibe! They have a bar area and seating for families. The only concern we had was the music was extremely loud. This will not stop us from coming again. We will be back every time we are in town! Bonus: Before you leave checkout the painted murals on the side of the restaurant, in the alley. read more

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The food was delicious, fresh and made-to-order. We had an issue with one of the dishes and they corrected the problem With no issues. Great bar and hangout spot in this area. I am looking forward to visiting again read more

Went here last minute for Happy Hour on a Friday night. I suggest getting a reservation, but the wait for us wasn't too long at all. We had a large group so o was happy we were seated and the hostess was so nice and helpful. I ordered the Hennessy sangria, deviled eggs, honey Sriracha wings, and the cauliflower wings (not pictured). Pros: their hapoy hour prices were really good. Some places gmdont understand what hapoy hour is and I leave spending way more than expected. The food was amazing. I especially loved the honey Sriracha and cauliflower wings! The flavor was amazing and were better than expected. The deviled eggs were so good especially with the crab on top. Loved our waiter and all of the workers. Everyone was really sweet. I dont drink Hennessy often but I want to go back for another sangria. I was EVERYTHING! may be my new favorite drink. Cons: some of the food is pre-made so its not super hot when it comes to the table. I didn't mind because it was warm. Nothing was cold. The portion size of the food is small. Since the price of things is so low you can try multiple things. I highly recommend this place! Its black owned, in the heart of DC and everything is delicious! read more

Ben's Next Door - HENNESSY SANGRIA - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I stopped by at 5:30pm on a Friday for Happy Hour and it was POPPIN! As I entered, there was a DJ and 3 hostess. They informed me no more eats were available at the bar so I was able to get a table for 2 in the back immediately and still order from the happy hour menu. #winning I sipped on the Cranberry mule and that was very tasty. The salmon slider was a bit dry (possibly from being a little overcooked) and the crab cake slider was cold. However, that did not take away from the delicious flavor. My friend enjoyed the dry Old Bay wings so much that they had to get a 2nd order. The restroom was also HUGE and clean. After witnessing so many black owned spots go out of business due to the pandemic, I was happy to see that Ben's Next Door is still thriving. If I'm looking for another LIT happy hour, I will be back (or recommend it to others). read more

Ben's Next Door - Happy Hour Menu - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Okay the food was amazing especially for the price. The chicken and waffles was pretty good. I wasn't a huge fan of the breading of the chicken. It kinda tasted like the oil was not fresh, or it was just on the spicier side. The waffles were good! The drinks were strong! Fun atmosphere, but very loud. Give the DJ a raise! He didn't miss. The service was amazing too for how busy it was. I will recommend this place to all my friends and definitely come back. read more

Ben's Next Door - Chicken Waffle Mexican Street Corn Sex On The Peach - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I really enjoyed my first time here. The boneless wings (dry rub) are A1!! The deviled eggs were delicious. Drinks are great and specials are plentiful. We came during happy hour on Saturday. The music is good. It took a while to grab a server, but the sweetheart with red curly locs was an absolute joy! We will definitely come back. read more

Ben's Next Door - Jumbo Lump Crab Deviled Eggs - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Service was TERRIBLE. Me and my friends came for happy hour and the sever visited us two times in 2 and a half HOURS. Definitely do NOT come here if you are looking for a good time. The food was decent... could have been better for the price. Will not come here ever again. read more

So I had to commute in early to DC for work and I really didn't want to sit in my hotel room and was hungry so i began looking up places to eat! This place was recommended to me by a friend because they said it was really good! So walking in I was greeted by an employee behind the bar and was told I could seat at the bar in which i did! My server today was Andrae (sorry if i misspelled it) but come to find out he is the bar manager!! With this being my first time I had questions and was asking away! he was patient and we had some convo. The vibe was definitely one! The music was just right! So I decided on the Hennessy Sangria and baby it was delish!! I played it safe and got the wings and fries! And was blessed to taste the crab cake deviled eggs let me just say everything was soooo good! I happen to arrive just in time for happy hour! I definitely recommend this place for good drinks, good food & a good vibe!! You all get 5 from me! I was satisfied. I'll definitely return! read more

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I tried this place for brunch and I would definitely go back. The food (I had Blackened Salmon & Grits) came out fast and hot and they had endless mimosas (3 different kinds) which the waiter made sure we had enough every time. They also had music playing which was a good mix of everything great playlist. I tried to. read more

Food came out fast and was delicious! Our server was cool too. We had the salmon cakes and French toasts read more

Ben's Next Door - Salmon Cake - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here for brunch on a Sunday. That being said, the place was pretty packed. We sat in the small upstairs area. We got the bottomless mimosas deal for $20. The mimosas didn't seem that strong at first, but boy did they catch up to me. I ordered the shrimp and grits. It was slightly salty, but delicious. My only complaint is that they could give you more grits. The grits were literally swimming in the gravy. My boyfriend ordered the catfish and grits and he also complained about there barely being any grits. We got a side of home fries to share, but they tasted so terrible that we sent them back. They reminded me of how French fries taste when you reheat them. The waitress was nice about taking them off since we didn't like them. All in all, I'd come back here again. read more

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Such a great experience! The service, food, and music was amazing. We ran into a hiccup and the manager immediately accommodated us. I definitely recommend this place read more

Ben showed up Next Door, Happy hour will have you right. I recommend the Deviled Eggs with a side of Gin. If yo bar tender is a beauty, that's a standard. If you get Kyra as your bartender you touched. She recommended a salmon slider which changed the night. I was sure I I was going Next Door.. But Kyra brought Ben In read more

Ben's Next Door - The BBQ Jerk Salmon Slider and Jumbo Lump Crab Deviled Eggs - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food, employees and atmosphere were all amazing! Very friendly waitress named Olivia and Chef Horacio was able to visit our table to accept our compliments. read more

Came to Ben's Next Door Sunday and had a great time. I arrived during Brunch & Happy Hour and the prices were great. Our waitress Tisha was absolutely wonderful! Our glasses were NEVER empty! I was able to get the bottomless mimosas for $20 & I promise, I drank my part. I also got the ribs for $13. I'm here for a few more days and my plan is to revisit this location. The music was great and I was able to see 'My Boys' (Baltimore Ravens) do work! read more

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Bens Next Door is always a good vibe. They have daily happy hours and the food is pretty good, I always enjoy the wings. Service is usually consistent and fairly quick. It's at the perfect location on U Street so it's a great way to start or end your night. I've never been to their brunch but I've heard good things. read more

Aaaw man. The food was not good. The bread pudding with ice cream totaled $18!!! I eat bread pudding just about everywhere and omg that was so annoying. Plus it took forever to come out so the bread pudding was cold by time I got it. Was so not worth it. we sat at the bar bc the wait was long. This place is so overrated and didn't have the best smell. The bar areas was also not very clean and neat. read more

Horrible service kicked out before time how do you kick somebody out when y'all are backed up on reservations my reservation was for 2 pm i did not get seated till 2:45 how does my 2 hour brunch end at 4 make it make sense rude managers and why is the music so loud read more

Ben's Next Door is my reigning champ for best brunch in the DMV. I do not take this title lightly! Factoring in service, food, drinks, and vibes It is a clear winner. I had only ever been once before and was full so only got drinks. But, this time I came to EAT. Omg best brunch food I've ever had. The catfish and grits were immaculate. The sauce that the grits were drowned in was made from saffron. YUM. And the catfish was literally perfect. So crispy, not fishy at all and seasoned just right. They do have bottomless mimosas, but I went with the Hennessy Sangria instead . Amazing and the right amount of alcohol mixed in for flavor and tipsy-ness factor. To top It all off, service was OUTSTANDING! Ronnie was so attentive and thorough and kind. And all of the beautiful women in front of house were so welcoming. Naya especially :) Don't be surprised if you see me here every weekend. read more

Ben's Next Door - Catfish & Grits- AMAZING - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

BND's is a great pregame restaurant. They rotate DJ's who read the room well & have servers who interact with the customers in a friend like way. The Blueberry Mojito didn't miss any fruit or liquor, the wings were fried hard (by request) just right, and the crab cake satisfied the craving. Definitely a good restaurant to go to with friends, especially during happy hour. read more

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Some people don't understand Ben's Next Door but when you study Ben and Virginia Ali, you will realize that Ben's Next Door offer's comfort food. You have Ben's Chili Bowl then you have Ben's Next Door. I will never forget when BND first opened. This was sometime around 2012 and there an event for the Spirit of Black DC meaning that DC's U Street nested by Lincoln's Theatre is the place to be. The service is also excellent but bartenders must be aware of what's going on truly - this is why a mocktail option should be offered especially for the Howard University students who want to go to a little restaurant and not have a drink. read more

Fried to perfection! I really love them every time I come. Ben's keep it up ! I'm gonna try the buffalo cauliflower next. The seasoning hit after I just took this last bite. I like it Ben The shrimp was so good piping hot ! read more

You will have a ballast coming here for a day party the food is great the mimosas were mimosaaaaaing ! Great time

I would give it a sold 2/5 because the food was decent but not made of love. My chicken and waffle was not flavorful. No flavor just chicken and a waffle literally. My friends' salmon and grits were decent to her. She stated "these grits are the grittiest grits I've ever had in my life", so you do with that as you please but that doesn't sound to good to me. Our server was not attentive at all. We requested the manager to help us 2/3 times. It was a turnt vibe but the service was not it. Food was basic and the bottomless mimosas weren't really bottomless due to the service we received. She asked us 20 minutes before our table time is up (2 hour seating limit) if we wanted a refill. Like of course, it's suppose to be bottomless. I could tell based on her service that gratuity is included, and it was. I honestly wouldn't return. I or my friend was not satisfied. A waste of $30 and $91. read more

While visiting DC Ben's Chili Bowl was highly recommended but we weren't really in a Chili mood, so we decided to try Ben's Next Door. I ordered the Buffalo Cauliflower but asked to have it with Honey Sriracha instead of Buffalo and although the server called me "difficult" he made it happen! The Cauliflower was very tasty! My cousins and I ordered a variety of things to share that included Deviled Eggs, Wings and Chicken and Waffles! We enjoyed all of it! I wanted to try the one of the Jerk Chicken Pasta so if I get back there it's on my list. read more

Ben's Next Door - Sweet Sriracha Cauliflower w/ Blue Cheese - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Visiting from Cali this was an experience in itself. Great energy, music and food. From the moment you all in the staff were prompt with service and you really felt the culture alive and throbbing. I came on Saturday than double backed came on Monday. S/o to Chynna and bartender T they both were amazing with the customer service. Both had good recommendations, knew the menu and went above and beyond to make sure I was well taken care of i fact Chynna's exact words were "I'm not gone steer you wrong." I will say the desert could of been better staff mentioned same own next door has bomb banana puddling. I definitely will come back when in town you can't go wrong popping in plus the optics not bad either. Keep in mind weekends the crowd brunch is way different than Monday when everyone back at work. Enjoy ! read more

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Great place to grab brunch for a large group of people. The food was delicious and they are very generous with the bottomless mimosas. read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The only things that makes me mad is the menu is short. It has grown since the first time I went. Mac and cheese is delicious but was definitely better the first time I had it. The chicken and waffles is to die for. The chicken got a good flavor and crisp to it. Popcorn shrimp was nice and crispy too. read more

Ben's Next Door - Jerk Penne Pasta New Popcorn Shrimp Blackened Salmon Mac & Cheese ND Boneless Wings Chicken Waffle - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The cornbread was the star of the meal for sure! It is so addicting and like none other I have tasted it could pass as a dessert as well it's so good with the butter and each piece is muffin size. The crab deviled eggs were good too but now worth the price. I wouldn't get them again. The ones at the Hamilton are better. The salmon entree did its job. The asparagus were big and grilled perfectly you could taste the grill. The potatoes wedges were also a good size. It was enough to fill a man up even tho the salmon looked small it was a thick piece. Their ranch dressing is one of the best btw. The chicken and waffles was just as good. Each piece of chicken id cut was beautiful pieces of white meat and crispy skin. Will be back to get the wings just to dip it in their ranch. read more

Ben's Next Door - Jerk Chicken Penne Pasta - Lunch - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food, the vibe, the decor, the bathroom lol were all very much up to my standards. This place is a noisy location during brunch if that's not your vibe FYI. Also be aware that there is a 2 hours seat time for your reservation which is great because it allows other people to get in during the busy hours. The service was nice and my waitress was insightful. I got the doing the most (although they claimed they didn't have mascarpone) with a mango slushy that was only $7 and was mildly strong. They put everything on 1 check even between2 people so you're not really allowed to just pay for what you got. But the food was good. read more

Ben's Next Door - Doin' the Most - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Well Well Well I was quite pleased during my visit. My co-workers and I did a happy hour here this evening and it was not bad at all. Good music and Good Happy Hour prices. The Mumbo wings are good and my co-workers said the Crab Devil Eggs are good. I also had the fried chicken slider which was good as well. My co-workers enjoyed the drinks and prices. I got a mocktail which was a strawberry margarita due to me being with child and that was even good. I brought my husband home the catfish sandwich and he crushed it and said it had great flavor. I will def come here again. read more

We are visiting from Nashville! This place was highly recommended on TikTok and it did not disappoint!! Our drinks were delicious! Get the mango margarita!! Our food was wonderful! I had blackened crab and grits, I would have licked the bowl if I was at home. My spouse got the crab cake and it was loaded with crab! The music and service was great and we will probably return tomorrow! Lol so delicious! read more

Ben's Next Door - Our server took this picture for us in front of their cute selfie wall! - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Jerk Chicken Pasta w/Shrimp Shutdown Specials. $5 Crown and others This has become my favorite location for this dish now that my other place has messed up their recipe. Its $24 for the dish with both chicken and shrimp but I guess that isn't too expensive. The location is kinda cozy and is set up in a way that could be intimate or casual. The only problem I have with it is the level of music. It's loud. You can barely have a conversation and with everyone else trying to talk over the music, it makes it even more difficult. @bensnextdoor_dc is a great place to frequent, I do. #bensnextdoor #bensnextdoordc #bens #pasta #jerkchicken #shrimp #usshutdown #governmentshutdown #restaurant #robsfoodreview read more

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Ben's has great food and great vibes on Sunday. They especially have great service. Sam was a great server and definitely helped add to the great experience at this restaurant. read more

Bens Next Door is nice. I didn't know what to expect since it was my first time visiting. I know brunch in big cities can have long lines so I made reservations for 1130am. Arrived at the restaurant and was seated immediately. It was kinda empty which was okay cause they just opened but I imagine with more of a crowed the place is super fun. None the less I ordered my food and drink and danced along to the music as I waited. The decor was nice and the music was everything (they played hip hop and R&B - both old and new school). For my food I had the Next door breakfast. It came with eggs (your choice of how it's cooked), bacon, potatoes and toast. You can also get grits but I'm not a fan so I passed on that. It was a Saturday when I went so they had Patron Saturdays going on. For $11 I had me the best tasting peach patron margarita with sugar rim. I mean if it wasn't for the fact that I had a Segway tour to do afterwards I would've indulged in more than one drink. Y'all have to check this place out and when you go ask for Kamill as your server. She was the right amount of attentive. She wasn't overbearing but made sure everything was good which made for a pleasant experience read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia