Not feeling the love for the Birchmere right now. Tonight they went on with the Don McLean concert. Good for the folks that could get there. Must be a lovely, intimate concert. Unfortunately, our $110+ is wasted because in Reston we probably have 8 inches of snow, still snowing and, about an hour ago, started. But for customers that can't reach the Birchmere tonight, the theater isn't even offering exchanges for future performances. Below is how other theaters in our area are handling today's weather, as well as the National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning for today. "DC News, Theatre: Snow cancellations Update: 9 shows so far. Check before heading out February 21st 2015 by Lorraine Treanor 1" "Kennedy Center: [for all shows on 2/21] Patrons who cannot attend today's performances of Outside the Bachx may exchange into any other Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences show in the 2014-2015 season. Affected ticket holders may visit the Kennedy Center Box Office or call 202-467-4600." "From the National Weather Service, 3 hours ago. Winter Storm Warning is in effect until February 22, 06:00 AM EST Hazardous Weather Outlook is in effect Accumulations: 6 to 10 inches of snow. Ice accumulations of a trace to a few hundredths of an inch. Timing: snow will continue into the early evening hours. Changing to a mix of sleet and freezing rain late this evening into tonight. Precipitation will change to rain with areas of freezing rain late tonight into early Sunday morning. Impacts: snow and ice will cause hazardous traveling conditions Saturday through early Sunday morning." read more

I've been to the Birchmere on a few occasions, most recently for Joshua Radin and for Ingrid Michaelson. Though the bandstand stage was nice, I much prefer the supper club listening venue. It's the perfect place to hear what Radin has coined "whisper rock." As for the food, it's wiggity wack and hence loses one star because it's tastes like litte more than microwaved frozen eats. Also, my friend and I love to order Guiness by the pitcher--which they offer--but it's always flat. Now I've never barbacked and I'm not an alcoholic so i don't know if there is some reason for flat Guiness that I cannot comprehend. Yes it takes forever to pour, but that's part of the charm. Even by the glass (plastic cup) it's flat here. Suffice it to say, there is no excuse--if you advertise it on the menu then you should serve it right. On to the music: when concerts are in the dining room, GET THERE EARLY. It's first come first serve, but since doors don't open till a certain time, they hand out numbered tickets as you arrive. Then you have to chill at the bar till the doors to the dining room open and they call your number. Trust me, being up front and center is magical. Again, the dining room is a listening venue so turn off your cell phone and shut the f*ck up! The acoustics in that room are pretty right on so stupid jibber jabber in the back corner does travel up front if you're not careful. Park near the front...when it's time to leave the parking lot turns to chaos so do yourself a favor and back into your space too. read more

Entering the building wasn't the greatest experience. When we first got there we had to line up outside before they opened the door to enter. Then we had to go to the booth and get a number. These are the people who get to go into the concert venue first. When they called our number to go into the concert hall, it is open seating. We were fortunate enough to get an excellent seat. Actually no seat is a bad seat. We saw Will Downing and it was a up close and personal show. Overall we had an amazing experience. read more

It's a small little spot off the beaten path were you can eat and listen to live music. I came to hear War, one of my favorite old school bands and they didn't disappoint. I really like the entrance to this venue. The exterior leaves a lot to be desired but don't let the outside fool you, inside is a quirky, funky, music hall that has seen it's share of celebrities and musicians, proudly displayed on the wall of fame. The venue itself is a great setting for live entertainment. The sound was good, the lighting was great and I loved the small, intimate setting. I do have some recommendations if you are coming here. First Tip: Leave early for your concert and make sure you have the correct address in your GPS. Finding the Birchmere isn't easy. Make sure you put Mount Vernon Ave, not street into your GSP or your going to go for the wildest ride through Virgina that you never wanted to take. But, once you find the place you'll be glad you left early because parking is a challenge and apparently double parking is encouraged. Second Tip: Get here early if you don't want your back to the performer and if you don't like sharing a table. We a half hour early for the show and still had a hard time finding a seat. But, the concert God's were with us and we ended up sharing a table with some folks and actually ended up with great seats Third Tip: Leave your diet at home. Granted, there are few salad offerings and my salmon was good but this isn't a fine dining establishment folks. Just order some southern cooking and a beer and call it a day. Fourth Tip: Be prepared to have fun. It's a great way to see your favorite performers. read more

I guess none of the reviewers have had to deal with the shoddy way the owner treats his customers. I ordered two Budweiser. One had a born on date of last March, over 6 months ago. I asked her to get a newer one. She gave me grief about "show me any bar that doesn't serve 6 month old beer". I told her that good bars rotate their stock. My wife went to get the next round and the same thing happened. We asked to talk to the manager. He came out and we started to talk, but then the owner came out and started threatening to throw us out. I tried to calm the situation down, but he didn't want to have an adult conversation. We finally just walked away. The only reason we didn't leave is because we were meeting my sister in law and her husband for their birthday. The food is over priced as well as the beer. The venue reminds me of a warehouse with music...and not very good music at that. We won't be coming back.... Update...we were just thrown out of this place for exercising our first amendment rights! read more

Birchmere - The asshole that owns the Birchmere - Music Venues Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Go early and pull a number quit! Enjoyed our time here for a show. Minus a star food is just average

Great music and sound. Good food. Horrific experience with belligerent, aggressive manager, John Brinegar - My date and I ordered an alcoholic drink each and entrees, we both wanted a glass of water to wash down the food. Conversation with the waitress: Us: Can we get two glasses of water Waitress: We have bottles of water, sparkling or still Me: We don't need bottles, just tap water is fine. Waitress: We don't have any. OK, semantics and all, but I know they served decent food on clean dishes. The silverware was clean. They have a bathroom with running water. Of course they HAVE water. Me: You don't have a sink? Waitress: We have a hand-washing sink, we do not have any other sinks. Jon orders a bottle. I refuse on principle. The bottle of water arrives with a glass full of ice...I had been starting to think maybe they were cutting down on the number of glasses they need to provide/wash or something like that. This is obviously not the case. About an hour later, I get up to use the bathroom. As I pass the waitstaff's station, they of course have really large glasses of water. Up until that point I was gonna let it go, but that upset me. I also did not see a notice for a water fountain anywhere, which would have been a fine alternative. So, I asked to speak to the manager. We stepped outside of the doors that close off the musical area so as not to disturb other patrons. Now, I am thinking that was a bad idea. Manager: How can I help you? Me: Our waitress said you do not have water here. There seem to be large glasses of a substance that looks a lot like water at the serving stand. I am wondering if you can clarify this for me? Manager: We have water, but we do not serve it. Me: Why is that? At first pleasant, now less so Manager: Do you get "free" water when you go to an Orioles game? Me: I haven't been to an O's game in 15-20 years, so I am not sure. Manager: Or a National's game? Me: You can bring food and water into a Nat's game. Manager (getting louder): Well, at Verizon center, you can't get "FREE" water. Me: I have never asked at the Verizon center. But there are water fountains. And this is an actual sit-down restaurant. I would expect at a finer establishment that tap water would be an option. Manager: We used to provide tap water on all of the tables with cups. Patrons complained about the noise and mess, so the owner decided to stop doing that. Me: I completely understand that, but to not serve it? I do not see any notices listed saying that either. Manager: (now yelling) That's what the owner decided. Me: OK, I think I need to shout this out to social media. It's not on your website or menu for people to know. It's not cool. Manager gets up in my space, spittle flying, screaming: ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!?! Me: Not at all. I am advising you that I am going to talk about this later. There is no threat involved. Manager screaming more....getting up in my face....I walk away back into the facility where there are other people in case he starts being physically violent. Now, I know I can be a smart ass, but this reaction was ridiculous. Had he said "Hey, we needed to generate more income to keep operating" I would have understood and maybe even bought a bottle, And, had we not spent $50.00 (not including tax and tip) on food and a beverage, I could see being weird about water. I totally get music venues that do not sell food doing this kind of thing to warrant my butt in a seat. I also understand instilling some kind of minimum order requirement, again, the facility needs to make money too. But this entire thing was ridiculous and I doubt I'll be going there again. This is not illegal, according to the Health Department which has received in their words "countless" calls about the Birchmere's practice. read more

The venue is really odd for a music show - definitely check out the pictures before buying tickets to an event here. Staring at the band, while seated at a table having dinner in front of the stage was just no fun at all. Also, the entire menu is INSANELY OVERPRICED. And to top it off you have to pay for bottled water? WTF?! (Although, I swear I saw some tables with cups of water, but our server refused to explain the policy and only uttered, "Bottled Water Only") And finally, service is blah as well. read more

Just left a show (Andy Grammer) early and felt compelled to write this review!! Let me give you a little background. I live in the Arlandria neighborhood, and really like to support local business and have been to The Birchmere 3 times, but this past time will be my last!!!! Originally this show was supposed to be a standing room only show, but it was moved to a larger hall that is seated. Staff was by at the stage and didn't seem to care that about a 1/4 of the attendees decided to move on up in front of the stage and block the other 75% of the the patrons. Since I couldn't see the show decided I might as well head home and if i wanted an Andy Grammer song, I could pay the $1.29 to download it from iTunes. On may way out I talked to several employees of The Birchmere a security/staff guy that his answer was for me to tell the twenty some people in front of me to sit down, even though there were several staff people that didn't really seem to be doing anything. As well as about 6 other employees in the gift shop, that one I believe was the Sound Guy had a very smug/snarky response to me asking why they would move a show that was supposed to be standing to a seated venue and then allow so many people to rush the stage and block the view of the other attendees. His response was they are kids and repeatedly asked me if the band asked them to do that.... No apology or anything. Just a little customer service advice to The Birchmere, if you are that rude to your patrons they will not be back! And I will not be!! read more

First time at the Birchmere, had a great time*. Sturgill Simpson sounded perfect, stage was great, people were great, service was great, beer was cold, seating process was surprisingly fast and easy since I got there a little late, food was potentially fatal. *Eat before you get here. Take off work a couple hours early, get a PB&J for the car, whatever you have to do. I have digestive problems already, I can't be just putting anything into my system. There was a good ten minutes of panic that I would be too hungry to function and unable to trust anything on the menu, until my sister slid me the last slice of her margherita pizza like a tab of acid at a Dead show. This is the kind of food that has gotten America in trouble. This is why our children are bad at science and math. The last thing listed on the menu, the equivalent of small print, is a baked sweet potato, and it is practically daring you to get ordered. Bowling alley food at downtown entree prices. So expensive. So gross. The people saying the food is mediocre are being awful complimentary or don't recognize the Latin root of that word. All the skepticism I had about the room and the music were for naught. The music was top notch. So much nicer than just about every other venue in the DC-area. But that early door time frenzy and the prices for bowling alley food are one hand washing the other and both need to be handcuffed. This place needs a Jamie Oliver episode. If there's a ticket over $25 it is not worth the anguish, and this is coming from someone who had a GREAT time there. Haunting. read more

I liked this concert venue much more than I expected. Nicole and I saw Sara Bareilles here a couple months ago, and even though we showed up not long before the opening act we were still able to find a table with relative ease. The layout is pretty good for acoustics, although the poles everywhere do kind of kill the visual aspect, since they block a good bit of the stage for a lot of tables. Luckily you don't go to concerts to watch the music. The food, while being heftily overpriced, isn't bad. I'm not sure what the dollar to quality ratio actually is, but I'm guessing it's at least on the positive side. Considering it is a concert venue, and what you typically get at those are shitty watered down hot dogs or completely blackened fried chicken strips, I think this is somewhat of an advantage. I will say the chicken finger plate I ordered was totally massive; I almost got sick of eating them by the time I finally finished. I would definitely come back here for another show, I just wished the bands I liked played here and not just her favorites. Finding the parking lot was a pain in the ass by the way, so make sure you've got it down before you go. read more

I just had the best night at the Birchmere. I saw Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin & Buddy Miller from about 10 feet away with a nice glass of wine. The Birchmere is so civilized. Don't get me wrong, I love the 930 but after my first time at the Birchmere, I will be going back soon. Here's the inside scoop - all tickets are will call, box office opens at 5, doors open at 6 and shows start at 7:30 (almost always.) People start lining up at will call and when you get your tickets you also get a line number. At 6 when they open the doors, they call each line number in order and that determines when you get into the theatre and how good your seats are. It is all very civilized. Apparently, someone showed up at 11 am to get in line for Emmylou this morning though. Ack! I also recommend parking right at the entryway as opposed to the back, otherwise it takes you a long time to get out. Oh, also the food is absolutely terrible AND overpriced. read more

This one has taken me awhile to write. Only because I wanted to accumulate enough concert trips to formulate an educated review. Over the course of about 3 years I've been to The Birchmere around seven or eight times and I have to state emphatically that it is the very best venue in the D.C. area to see a show. With The Birchmere, you get so many wonderful things that other venues don't offer. You don't get the late starts of the 9:30 Club or Black Cat, the smokiness of IOTA (non-smoking in the Music Hall, smoking in the Tap Room), or the inaccessibility of DAR Constitution Hall. A lot of the same acts that will play the Ram's Head in Annapolis play The Birchmere, so there's that not having to drive over an hour to see a show thing going for you. All seating is general admission, so arrive early for the larger acts to acquire premium seating, although I would argue that there are few bad seats. Acoustics here are great, so ear protection is rarely needed (unlike MCI Center). The Birchmere Hall of Fame, which features signed posters of previous acts that have played there, is worth a stroll-through pre-show. Normally the concerts begin around 7:30 or 8. You can be on your way home by 10:30 or 11. Bonus! The food is just average and overpriced, unfortunately. On top of the ticket price, you have to shell out $10-15 for anything from cajun fare to nachos to salads. And the beer selection is lacking in variety. By the time a show ends, potentially you could lay down $30+ per person. The waitstaff, who attends to you even during the performances, is fantastic. They have learned to do their jobs silently, and will have your tab to you before the encore starts. I could wax on, but will leave it at that. From Liz Phair to Emmylou Harris, Charlie Daniels to Lisa Gerrard, Dar Williams to Asia, The Birchmere is likely to win over even the most critical music fan. read more

I had read through the reviews and had mixed expectations when valentine's day arrived and my wife and I went to see the burlesque show. I would say that the experience was what I expected. We arrived early and there was only a short line at that time, as we waited the line continued to creep further back. We were able to get great seats. The food was better than I expected having read reviews. I genuinely got what I expected. 3 star food, at a nice music venue. I feel the prices are about where I would expect them to be. I usually attend shows at places like Jiffy Lube and Fillmore. The food was portioned fairly, I had the seafood platter, which was fair. The sixe was adequate enough that I did not eat all my fries. The seafood just mediocre. My wife had Beans and Rice, and that was very good. The show was a blast, and we had great fun, and decent food. I wasn't asking for more than that. read more

We attended to see Vinx and Nicole Henry. The music was great but this venue has a few problems. The Good Plenty of free parking Lots of history The Ugly The guys at the door were disorganized and rude. There was a mix up with our tickets (their fault) and they immediately treated it like we were trying to get away with something. We are mid-50's professionals who are used to being treated much better than this The bad Food is expensive and mediocre at best Menu is weak Decor is shabby We will not return. read more

Love this venue. All shows are seated. This is the plus because though my face is young and vibrant, my knees are old, decrepit and creak like the door to the crypt keeper. Furthermore, you can enjoy dinner and drinks while you eat. Now, dinner isn't always 5 star level appetizing, but I promise it looks highly edible and on sight you don't want to vacate your stomach which is a plus. Lastly, parking is free. Let me say it again: FREE MOTHAFUGGIN PARKING. a rarity in the dmv. This venue has acts that can actually play music and sing. Auto tune artists need not apply. All and all, a good bang for your buck. read more

I'm not entirely sure what to make of the Birchmere. They book a lot of the eclectic acts I like to see, the atmosphere is nice and chill, the food is in my opinion fine, the sound is good, the waitresses excel at what must be a really rough job, and as a single I can usually cadge a really good seat down front in between other parties. But I just can't quite get past the arrangement of the tables. If you end up at one of the tables perpendicular to the stage, you end up banging into other people's chairs and knocking elbows as you try to angle for a good view of the stage, or you end up craning your neck. If there's a trick to this, I haven't figured it out yet. read more

I can't comment on the Birchmere as a strictly music venue as I went for the WATCH Awards and not a concert, but in terms of a food serving venue this place was TERRIBLE. I ordered a quesadilla which was $19 ($19?!?!), and it was one of the worst quesadillas I've ever had and I've spent a decent amount of time in really shitty bars. If you want water, you have to spend $2 for a bottle, every time. I don't understand why? Maybe they have some kind of plumbing issue that makes it impossible to serve normal tap water. The service wasn't great either, the waitress came by once for orders and then came back again to bring the check. I would have happily ordered another beverage but she never came by again. Bottom line, if you're going to the Birchmere make sure to eat before you go. read more

I've loved the Birchmere long time. I've seen some of the best shows of my life here. But we really have to talk about the food and water thing. Since you really must get there super early to get a decent seat (especially on work nights) it's hard to come from work and not be hungry. Plus you're going to be sitting there for what, three or four hours? And once you're there, in your hard-earned decent seat, you're stuck with their (in my opinion) overpriced and only just-okay food options. The pulled pork sandwich is my standby. It's not 16 bucks, decent but not rave-worthy, and the chips are good. The new bottled water-only thing kills me. Are they on a well? is the water supply compromised? If not, I can see no other reason to go from free water in pitchers for the tables to bottled water as your only option in a place where you pretty much have to sit for a very long period of time. Not to mention hello, very environmentally unfriendly. It might seem like a little thing, but it's really unimpressive and customer unfriendly. I'd rather drive the opposite direction and sit in my assigned seat at Ram's Head where last I checked they'd give me water for free. read more

You've heard it all by now-- good music, terrible policies and pricing. It is truly the only place in the area to hear the kind of bands they book, so they've got a captive audience. If you want to see your favorite roots/folk/whatever band, you are stuck with the outrageous anti-environmental water policy, nickel & dime service charges, and overpriced less-than-mediocre bar food. And because of the seating procedures, there is really no way around it. If you want a good table, you have to get there early when the numbers are handed out (@5pm). I keep hoping a competing venue will open somewhere-- maybe a little competition would give them a kick in the pants. read more

This is the best concert venue anywhere, for performances and performers. The food is great, the ambiance is warm, and the staff is wonderful. They are doing an amazing job of keeping it a safe place to enjoy live music right now. read more

Stoped by this place to see Donovan Frankenreiter, It was amazing.Virginia you're lucky to have this venue!

It's more of a 2.5 stars. When you arrive here, you wait in line to get in like many music venues but instead of going directly into the venue you go to a 'handling area' or what is commonly known as a bar. Thennnnnnn, doors open and you can go select your table. So, word of caution, get there a crap ton early! I like the whole be seated and listen to your favorite musician playing on stage. But, the food isn't that great here so that little treat isn't a treat after all. I ordered a simple margherita pizza and got a plate sized super cheese pizza. Since servers walk around sparsely so they aren't in the way, you can't really flag anyone down quickly to fix this problem. Small decent beer selection and there was a daily specials menu so that changes frequently, I'm assuming. All in all, the food and drink part was kinda meh, but listening to Howie Day here was pretty awesome. read more

There's just no way I can give this place a bad review. Ever since we saw our very first show here some years ago, (and I believe it was Isaac Hayes - R.I.P., my brotha), my partner and I have virtually "lived here" ever since. The main hall is spacious yet somehow intimate, and though there are places we prefer to sit more than others, there's not really a "bad" seat in the house. (Just get there early enough so you won't have to sit at the tables where the posts are.) Having done both the hall and the bandstand, I'd have to say I prefer the hall if the bandstand event doesn't have seating (most don't). I thought the best bandstand concerts were the ones that give you the options of either sitting and watching the action, or getting up on the dance floor and being a part of it (War has the best shows for this!) The food ain't bad for bar fare and the portions are more than generous. (The chicken tenders with the homemade fries are always a must-have for me.) And the crowds, usually very diverse, also tend to skew more towards the "older-boomer" demographic, so they're well-behaved when they need to be, and hell-raisin' when they wanna be! The type of crowd very much depends on the act. And for a wide range of acts, I prefer this venue to almost anywhere else. (Wolf Trap comes in a close second.) Just in the few years we've been coming, besides WAR and Isaac Hayes (whom we saw four times, counting his last concert in VA), we've also been treated to: Randy Newman, Joe Sample, America, Todd Rundgren, Alan Holdsworth, The Finn Brothers, Average White Band, The Brothers Johnson, Hiroshima (a must-see!), Thomas Dolby, ABC featuring Martin Fry, Rick Wakeman, Cleve Francis, The Funk Brothers with Jack Ashford, Was (Not Was), Lisa Marie Presley, Minnie Driver, Peter Frampton...and those are just the ones I can recall off the top of my head. Spring and summertime brings out many of the more "retro", R&B and jazz acts, while winter and fall get more bluegrass/country/folky. Keep an eye on the schedule at www.birchmere.com - they're pretty good about keeping an updated calendar. All-in-all, a great, affordable night out, especially if you're wondering whatever-did-happen-to-the-guy-who-sang-"Poison Arrow." read more

A wonderful place in so many ways, and a great history and part of our metro community, and for musicians, so thanks for that ----- but with some serous signs of heading in the wrong direction which are turning many off (just look at those reviews from loyal customers) and merit serious attention. The good news, and five stars, the music. How many times have we been there - probably fifty in the last 10 years. We are serious about music and there is a lot of great stuff, well known and not. And it is not a BS environment or part of some conglomerate. Even far back or side seats are usually fine. So 5 stars for being an independent place with a variety of terrific, real music. Experiment and enjoy! What is seemingly going wrong? I am writing as a fan who hopes customers and musicians, even, will raise their voices and management will pay attention, because if Birchmere behaves like an establishment operation, they will lose loyal customers and the venue will not feel or be as good for musicians and those who take music seriously. Two things have gone wrong in fairly recent couple of years: 1 - The charge for water and availability of only bottled water. This seems minor but it is grating and greedy. And does independent music and wasting plastic really mix? Inconsistent with the philosophy of most performers and audience and corporate responsibility. The very nice wait staff (another plus for Birchmere) are rightfully embarrassed. 2- Performances that go for $75 - how did this suddenly start happening? It doesn't matter how famous or egotistical they are, or even if Birchmere can sell tickets at those prices, it is not niche the Birchmere needs to fill so you should send them packing and bring in other artists who really need and appreciate such a special venue. If performers want to charge so much and make themselves inaccessible to many, and uninviting to rational people, they belong somewhere else. Two things are more chronic but can and should also be fixed: 1 - is the somewhat mediocre food, it is understandably hard to serve so many people and a chronic issue - but this really doesn't get there - so why not get some help and improve it. This is not a minor issue when you want and are able to get there early and eat dinner so as to get good seats. 2- as so many have said - ticket fees and ticketmaster are also just unneeded rip offs and inconsistent with what is special about the place and the music. We love you Birchmere, please don't lose your way and, management, please do hear your friends and supporters. And to potential new audience members - do go, go to hear and support great musicians who play here, but pass on bottled water and when tickets are $75. read more

The Birchemere gets 4 stars for the amazing venue, but a low 2 for food and service. I've seen a few shows here and NOTHING beats their acoustics - it's amazing! The venue is small and comfortable, so you feel like it's a live show in your living room. A large living room, but a living room nonetheless. On the flip side, the waiters seem to have too many tables and I've never ordered any food that was worth writing home about. Most food is on the level of a movie theater. The prices are reasonable and the food isn't awful, just not great. The venue makes up for everything. GO GO GO! read more

I love going to the Birchmere. I wish with all my heart that I could give it more stars. I never hesitate to go when they book one of my favorites. Aimee Mann comes at least once a year and I always try to go see her. It's bit of a hike for me so you can tell that it's worth going to by my willingness to drive nearly two hours to get there. I've found that most of the seats are pretty good seats, even the ones off to the side. However, if you want a really good seat, like a seat in the center section facing the stage head on, you better be there early. For the more popular acts to get any kind of decent seat you have to be there really early. Tickets are usually about 30 bucks plus weird service charges but that's not horrible compared to what it could be compared to other venues. It's an intimate experience for grown-ups. No moshing here. The thing is IT IS overpriced. It is so overpriced in fact, that it takes some of the fun out of it. I'll break down the overpriced aspects: 1) Service charges - The service charges are unavoidable and never really explained. 2) Drinks - . Like the other posters said, the only water available now is $2 bottle water, no free tap. (Free Soda refills so yay!) I don't quite understand their policy regarding minimums either - I've been to shows with minimums and shows without so either it varies or has changed between my visits. 3) Food - The food is horribly, horribly expensive. The average price is $15 dollars per entree. It's edible but far from good. There are no vegan options and very few vegetarian options. I would advise going elsewhere if possible the thing is, it's not really worth going anywhere else. For one thing, the only place in the immediate vicinity is Subway. It's pretty hard to get there early enough to find another place to eat AND get a decent seat at the show. You avoid a lot of stress if you just eat there. HOWEVER You go for the music and the music is AMAZING. They book musicians of the highest caliber. The shows are always, ALWAYS so good that you forget about how much money you forked over to be there. You're just glad that you came. read more

I love seeing music at the Birchmere! It is cosy and has a fantastic sound system. There are very few seats in the house where your view might be restricted. One of the things I really like is that if you are a huge fan of the artist, and sitting close is important to you, you can line up ahead of time (before 5 o'clock) to get a number. When the doors open at 6 you go in according to the line numbers and pick your seats. It is community seating, so don't think that you will have that 10-top table for yo uand your three friends to yourself! The wait staff are very good, though, so don't worry about getting charged for you neighbor's drinks! read more

First, this is a very nice place to see a show - if you get there early enough to snag a good table. It's first-come, first-serve, which means you have to pick up your tickets when the doors open and get a number and then wait around until they allow you into the performance room. Biggest problem is that the food/beverages are outrageously overpriced. Cheapest salad $15.50? Seriously? I don't care how large or tasty it is, it's a simple Greek salad. The food i did have was fine, but I decided to wash it down with water as the cheapest beer they have is nearly $8.... and that is for the bottom-of-the-barrel macro. read more

The venue itself from the outside is just a warehouse but that does not matter at all. Even if you get there late and have to sit in the back, none of the seats are bad. You can see the stage and have good sound quality wherever you are in the room. The food is just okay but that doesn't matter either because you are not required to order anything. read more

Review is just about the food. It has gone downhill. Sometime in the past, I ordered a Cuban sandwich here. It was delicious. I ordered the same thing two nights ago and what a disappointment. First sandwich was cooked perfectly so that the ham, cheese and bread melted together exquisitely. Second sandwich was a bland uninteresting combination of separate and cold bread, ham and cheese. read more

I'm giving The Birchmere 4 stars because the show was AMAZING. I guess that has nothing to do with the venue, though, huh? Anyhoo, I saw Rachael Yamagata the other night and her performance made up for the fact that I felt the food was overpriced and not that great. I got the beef brisket sandwich, and my friend got the chicken avocado sandwich. Although both were good, paying $13/sandwich was not. The sandwiches came with mediocre chips, which I had complained earlier about how I hate places that serve chips instead of fries. Being the french fry junkie that I am, I ordered a side of them which turned out to be just as mediocre as the chips. The good thing about the food is that there is no minimum at The Birchmere, so you don't have to order anything. FYI, it's impossible to get refills on your drinks, but luckily, they are served in ginormous cups. As for the place itself, it was a little confusing figuring out where the show takes place and where we should sit. Of course, it all worked out in the end, but next time, I know that I need to find a spot that allows me to turn my chair to face the stage, rather than having to turn my head. I had a wicked cramp after the show. In between sets, they play XM radio which for some reason, they left on while Rachael was playing. It was VERY annoying to hear another song in the background while she was softy playing piano or guitar. Eventually, they turned the radio off, but it was very distracting while it was on. All in all, I am definitely coming back in October to see Musiq Soulchild...Yay! I will just eat before I arrive and maybe order a drink while I'm there. read more

Came to the Birchmere for the first time a few weeks back for the Boyz II Men concert. Had no idea what to expect except from looking at pictures and reading the reviews. Got there about half an hour before the doors opened for will call and the line was beyond the building. Once the doors opened the line went smoothly and everyone purchased and/or picked up their tickets quickly and efficiently. Drink and food prices are decent. Service as we experienced really depended on the waitress that was servicing your area. The food does come out very fast when ordered. I was probably most impressed by the method of seating. They actually took the time to call each individual number to really reward you for coming early. I'm sure they could've done it in groups of 5 or even 10 but they took the time to call each number individually, which was GREAT! The venue was overall great! Of course if you come early then you get the seating of your choice but it seemed like all the seats in the house would get to hear and see the stage and performer. Overall great experience and will be on the lookout for more shows to come. read more

I saw Sondre Lerche at the Birchmere last year, and I really enjoyed the venue. The show was in the Music Hall, which was great since I could just have a seat anywhere there was space (and there happened to be space RIGHT next to the stage) and keep the beers coming. I liked that they had a cider on the menu for just $4.75. I didn't have any problems with the service at all - my waitress was attentive and quick. I loved the space. The Music Hall had kind of an intimate cafe setting that I found really inviting. The acoustics are decent and I had a lovely time. My only complaint is that it is no where near a Metro. I know, I know, that's not exactly the Birchmere's fault, but it does make it difficult to get to for those of us without a car. For the Sondre Lerche show, I had to call a cab after the show and signing ended (around midnight) and was forced to pay a VA to DC cab fare to get home. However, that definitely won't keep me from going back. Next time I'll just have to rent a Zipcar! read more

The music venue is great. The management of the pre-6o'clock doors is shambolic, and especially so if you turn up solo. Wait in line, then wait in line while frustrated CEO wannabes mess around. Get your beer. Try to get seat only to find that entire tables are being held by two people "waiting" for their friends to arrive. End up sitting on floor I'd rather buy a dedicated seat number than go through this driving mess. read more

I've been to two shows here - one on the flex stage and one in the seated main room. I'll have to say I enjoyed the flex stage way better. When I go to a show, especially one that is uptempo and rockin', I want to stand up and dance. Nothing is more insulting than spending $55 to see a show and then be wedged-in at a catering table the entire night. The sound was pretty good, the waitress was fine, the beer selection was pretty great and affordable, but I can't get over having to sit like I was at a dinner theater. If I was going to see a singer/songwriter, Kris Kristofferson I see is playing soon, it makes sense, but it can't work for everyone. I won't return for a show at the Birchmere. For such a legendary venue, the only things that will stand out in my mind is the cramped seating and super expensive ticket prices. read more

GREAT music. TERRIBLE food. Have gone there many times. More often then not, after eating the food, I have "distress" later in the evening. Complained once to the owner and his attitude was basically " if you don't like it , don't come"...so we don't anymore. read more

This place is quite the little gem of a venue in the area. You could drive past it and you might miss it if you aren't paying attention -- and paying attention is key -- cause they get some really cool talent -- Sarah Harmer, Hayden, Josh Ritter......another reason I sometimes wish I lived in Del Ray....definitely a treat to catch a show here -- it's not perfect, but it does have a lot of great qualities....like Hayden sharing the urinal next to you. I don't know if that is a treat -- but it's not every night you get to pee next to the opening act. It is a pretty intimate venue to catch a show (and take a pee). read more

We had a great time at the Birchmere last night. The performances were great and we enjoyed the small intimate space. The artist interaction with the crowd was fun to be a part of. Parking was easy. The employees were friendly and helpful. The food was pretty good. My wife loved the catfish, red beans and rice. The pizza I had was just okay but the rest of the experience made up for it. We plan to see more shows here in the future. read more

Crowded and way overpriced. It's impossible to place and order after the music starts. Apparently I kept ordering beers when all I wanted was the check. You'd think 5 on a weekday night would raise the drunk driving alarm somewhere. But not here. The music is worth it every time, though. Arrive very early, an hour before show time is not early enough. read more