I came here in September of 2016. I had just moved to Maryland from Florida and started my new job in DC and i went here to lunch with some of my new colleagues. I ordered the chicken fajitas for lunch and they were so good. They are not badly priced either. I would recommend this place to anyone for lunch or dinner. The environment is really nice and the servers are very helpful and pleasant. read more

I have been here only once before and had a good experience, The Wednesday evening bartender however was pretty frustrating. Spent so much time schmoozing regulars that it was IMPOSSIBLE to get his attention in a fairly empty bar. He would walk up to my table and ask a question but then wouldnt let me answer before walking away - it was odd, i.e. Him : "you want to see a menu?" Me: "Oh, I think i'll...." and he's gone. He did this to every table. Literally would not let them respond to his question before walking away. Service is not the strong point here, at least not on Wednesday nights. read more

I was served by a waitress by the name of Jamilah? I believe? And she was amazing! Extremely attentive. She checked on us consistently to make sure our food was to our liking. She was pleasant and had an unforgettable smile! Anything we needed she was there! Please give this girl a raise!!! read more

I was very disappointed with Bobby Van's. They are pricey, but I thought I would be getting a decent meal here. Unfortunately that was not the case. Our waiters (not really sure who was who) were polite but a bit unorganized. My steak was just OK. (I ordered it medium and had to send it back because it was really rare when it arrived). I feel I would have had better quality for the money had I just chosen Ruth's Chris. Sorry Bobby Van's - I won't be back. read more

I would suggest this place for a good happy hour. They have a large bar in the "tavern" area and lots of seating. Good selection of bottled beers, drafts, wines and liquor. Also, really good bar food. I highhhhly suggest the calamari with the thai peanut sauce. Mmmmmm I'll be having cravings for the for a while... read more

What a great restaurant! David, our server, did a fantastic job! The food was awesome. Our compliments to the chef!

To be blunt, this place assumes because it charges $15 for an appetizer, that its patrons should automatically love the food and write a rave review. However, while the service was very good (save for the end, where they completely made sh*t up) the food was very lacking. My fiancee and I went here because I had a gift card. Thank goodness, because I would be really pissed if I had spent actual money here. We ordered the Sweet Chili Tossed Calamari as an appetizer. It was like regular calamari, except in a glaze that had zero taste. We ordered some of the Lobster Mac and Cheese, which was actually pretty good. For our entrees we ordered the Cajun Ribeye and the Crabcakes. The crabcakes were average. The ribeye was burnt to a crisp even though I ordered medium-rare. Shame on me, as I should have sent it back immediately but I instead slogged through a second-rate steak. When we got the bill I used the gift card. When I tried to use it for the tip, the waiter came back and informed me that they did not allow the use of gift cards for the tip. Much to his and the manager's chagrin, however, I looked up Booby Van's website and found the gift card language that cards can be used for gratuity. The waiter was obviously a bit steamed that they had been caught making stuff up (I refuse to believe that they didn't know this policy) and unfortunately for them this dropped my review from a 2-star to a 1-star. I can deal with food that is average at best (especially when it's free!), but I cannot deal with being blatantly lied to. So if you don't want to spend a lot of money, don't go here. If you do want to spend a lot of money, go to some better expensive restaurant. read more

A stodgy steakhouse chain that serves up pricey ala carte steaks and seafood, the kind of place where you go for a dinner work co-workers or a celebration, but over all the food lacks any real identity. Their seafood is so-so, but the steaks really shine. My fave is the gorgonzola steak..mmmm... A great wine list and extremely attentive staff round out Bobby Van's making it a solid stand-by, but definitely a safe, yet boring, choice. read more

I took a friend here for his birthday. The service was very good. Waiter was very attentive and personable. He over heard that we were celebrating a birthday and comped his dessert. We both got the cajun rib-eye with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli. Man those steaks were huge. They were slightly over cooked. I ordered medium and got med/well and my friend got med-well and got well done. I anticipated this and ordered a steak that was rarer than what I wanted so it actually turned out perfect. Still juicy and flavorful. You should probably consider sharing 1 steak and maybe splitting an appetizer. The restaurant was pretty crowded and loud. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you are celebrating a special occasion this isnt a bad place to go if you are looking for a steakhouse. read more

I went to Bobby Van's Grill for my birthday last year, my last chance to have my friends buy me an exorbitant meal that was pretty good, but not mindblowing. I went yesterday after getting off the train from a business trip. I dragged my suitcase up 12th Street, in my suit, marched right up to the bar and plopped myself down. The bar staff was really nice, and whatshisname made a killer cosmo, of which I was in dire need. My favorite thing about this Bobby V's, and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars, is the decor: warm lighting and lots of wood accents. Very American, but in a good way. It's my new favorite "I'm in a suit and I had a long day" bar. read more

it's been a long time since i've actually eaten at bobby van's, but i have quite often ended up there for drinks...whether upstairs around the bar or in the private areas downstairs so often used for corporate/lobby/hill happy hours. and bobby van's serves that purpose very well. reaching back into the depths of my memory, i do remember the steaks being done well but nothing special...especially when compared to the dozens of other steakhouses around town. while i probably won't be hitting up bobby van's for a steak anytime soon, i'm sure i'll be there again for a few drinks or two or five. read more

Outstanding steaks and side dishes to compliment. Friendly service. Personable and highly attentive GM rounds out an excellent dining experience. read more

This place was filled to the brim with post-Frat types and suits. The apps were pretty darn good - especially the fries, calamari (which had a sweet sesame flavor), and the little burgers. The filet was also quite tasty. This place was too packed and the bar too narrow. The bar staff seemed like they would be cool to you if they considered you worthy of their attention. The event staff I found inflexible and difficult to work with! read more

I have never in my life felt more gyped than I did for New Year's Eve at this place. First, they don't even tell you until you're seated that because of the "holiday" that they're not using their regular menu. Nope....no steaks (their freaking specialty) for you. Instead, a "special" buffet not quite worthy of the Golden Corral crowd featuring "prime rib" sliced like luncheon meat. All this for $99 a person...+ an additional 10% tax and 20% gratuity for waiters who did little more than bus tables and refill water. The buffet itself was down two flights of stairs, so I wonder how those with bad knees enjoyed that.;...for $99 + 10% tax + 20% gratuity? All told, my "special holiday" meal for three came to $440. For that I got a Sterno heated meal fit for....welll, no one. It effectively eviscerated the Bobby Van's brand for me for all time. And I love steak. Guess I'll be looking elsewhere...literally ANYWHERE else. As The Who said, We won't get fooled again. read more

I was looking for a special place to eat while we were in town for the White House Easter Egg Roll. I had two very excited girls who both love steak. I saw the GroupOn and thought it was a nice deal that would be a special meal to top off a special day. It did not disappoint! Our server Rod was AWESOME! He made us feel so welcome and special. I was surprised there wasn't a steak on the kids menu. He advised me that the petite sirloin was ample enough for two children to share. They divided it in the kitchen and cooked each half to the kid's liking and they arrived on separate plates. They didn't even realize they shared. All the steaks were delicious. All the sides were devoured. We got dessert and it was gone in a flash as well. Thank you for making a very special day even better! We will return! read more

Omar, Jonathan and Beatrice were outstanding tonight. I had the salmon and my girlfriend had the jerk chicken. Service was outstanding as always and if you want to be treated like royalty this is the place to come too. Food of course was delicious. read more

Came here because we got a Groupon. Ended up not asking before we ate lunch if we could use it, and went for lunch figuring we could get more for our buck. Turns out, we could only use the coupon for dinner...after we ate. Luckily the food was tasty and the service was good. Portions were big enough to keep you full for most of the day, but it is pricey ($14 for a sandwich). The waiter recommended we come back on Friday or Saturday night, where they have a prix-fixe menu (4 courses for $40), so with the groupon, it would be a pretty sweet deal for two. Would go back again. read more

a group of twelve dropped by for team building lunch today. i ordered grilled petite filet mignon with sautéed spinach, Yukon gold mashed potatoes & Demi-Glace. i asked my steak to be cooked medium well, but what arrived on my plate was a rare piece of meat. you would expect BVG to know how to cook their meat, but they don't... and sautéed spinach was salty. their saving grace was the mash potatoes, but $24 is too much for a nice side of mash potatoes. the main wait staff for our table was rude. yes, we had a dozen people at our table and the restaurant quickly became busy, but he should not be asking if there is anything else he Should do for us because he is busy. i am not sure if it was the guaranteed 20% tip charged for tables with 6 or more, but he certainly did not try. i most likely will not return to this place. read more

Nothing bad to say about this place except it's an institution for carnivores! Me not being a red meat eater opted for the pasta with pulled chicken and andouille sausage. My, that was good! The sausage was thinly sliced the way I like most of my meats. Who wants to put an entire roll in their mouths?! NOT ME. The pulled chicken had enough seasoning on it and the pasta had tons of garlic, just like I prefer! Great place to hang out with your co workers! read more

Atrocious service for a "premium" restaurant: inattentive and condescending when we did get service. In addition, we confirmed twice that our order was for medium rare, we received the filet rare (uncooked in center). We sent it back and it was dried out when it was returned to us. We didn't bother a second time, just won't ever return to dine here, and do not recommend this restaurant. It really needs some managerial attention - for example, the music played in the restaurant on a Sunday evening was a popular music mix and it was not at all conducive to "fine dining". Is anyone paying attention to this restaurant's market?? it was nearly empty; probably only hungry people who happen upon it accidently actually dine here. I wouldn't seek it out as a good place to spend oodles of hard earned cash. read more

3/14/14 visit. I had a lunch date with my Wife. I decided to buy a living social deal to Bobby Vans Grill. 1pm reservation we arrived and were quickly seated in a dense lunch crowd. Happy that my seat was reserved however. Our waiter Paul was on point he arrived and was tiffed that we didnt have water which should have arrived already. No prob get me a henny on the rocks and the lady some fine wine. First up the apps. Had the cocktail shrimp which were good but only 4 pieces. Waffle. Ok but 14 bucks aiight moving on. Also ordered the calamari which was downright the best ever. i dont know how it was crispy but the inside tender than ive ever had it could have ordered a double of that. We both love calamari and agree its the best we have had, move over Maggiano's. The misses ordered Filet Migon and cooked to her specs we both had spinach which was actually GREAT! I had the 20oz Ribeye which i should have ordered med well because ofbthe size. i usually order medium but this was good on the edges but soon became med rare and thats not my liking. i ate half and took it home and popped in the nuwave for 6min and presto it was to my specs. Great time with my Wife the lunch crowd left and it became quiet and intimate for us. Paul honored the coupon even though it was for dinner. Tipped that man well he took care of us and i will be back coupon or not. read more

Bobby Van's Grill - 20oz ribeye - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Everything we had was delicious!! The ambiance was terrific, the waiters all were very knowledgeable and knew what they were doing there, also very friendly. I had the filet mignon they come in 2 sizes, i had the regular size it was terrific. My niece had the ny strip and that also comes in 2 sizes she had the regular size and she ate the entire plate! My brother in law had the veal parmigiano, it came on the bone, and the piece of meat covered the entire plate! For our sizes we got the sautéed spinach w garlic and a little olive oil, simple but absolutely delicious. We also had the fried zucchini which they cut so thin it was like shoe strings, then they bread it and fry it. The grilled asparagus was simple w lemon and herbs, crunchy but tender at the same time. And the butternut squash rozotto was also out of this world, unique and if i could of licked the plate i would have lol. read more

Was treated very rudely by the bald white waiter. He was very condescending, and basically tried to insinuate that I could not afford to eat here without a living social deal, although I had been here numerous times before. I'm averaging out my last few visits for a two star experience. read more

I loved the cajun steak and the hash browns were great too. The oysters were some of the freshest I have ever tasted. Service was decent for a Saturday night. I went with a group. read more

This quick review pertains more to the bar than the restaurant as I've never sat down to a proper meal in the main dining room. However, I work nearby and have been to the bar for drinks many times. The staff is always pleasant and accommodating. Draft beer selection is usually limited to 3-4 beers, one of which is a house amber. The bar is fine but mostly uninteresting in terms of selection. And the prices on cocktails can be a bit silly. For instance, they typically charge around $11 for a martini. This is often rail (or if you ask for it, maybe Bombay Saphire gin) and then low-end vermouth as an afterthought. For $9, you can walk a few blocks to the Passenger and get a martini prepared properly, with Dolin vermouth and Plymouth gin...and orange bitters. Not saying this place should embrace modern mixology but the bar program could stand to be updated a bit. You won't find fresh squeezed juices or syrups and I doubt most of the staff would know what to do w/that stuff anyway. That's what's mostly disappointing. I pay more for less quality than I could get at a place nearby. Now, I'm not saying that's a deal-breaker. I've been here plenty and will go back. But it's the little things like that which could be addressed. Take the food as another example. I've only eaten off the bar menu. It's rarely got anything on it for vegetarians, sans a cheese platter. Their potato skins are usually nicely cooked but even the cheese sauce on the side comes loaded w/bacon. Beer on tap, as I mentioned, is usually an acceptable house amber, some kind of stout, and then the other 1-2 options might vary. Nothing ever adventurous. Maybe Modello or just something you can find in most other places. They might have a beer special or two listed on their board but it's usually a cheap-ass beer in a bottle. Again, all this is ok... it's a nice place w/nice people. It's just a bit pricey and a bit bland. I'll keep going there on occasion after work but I wouldn't mind seeing some updates, considering the prices. read more

I would not recommend this place.. The service sucks. Our waiter avoid us because it was a large group.. We arrive before the place got pack n we have reservation people around us got their food before us.. We waited a hour and a half for 3 steaks, fish, salad, soup and a kids meal. When we talk to PART TIME manger he was NASTY AND RUDE "AND WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO" he stated. That's when we realize they assume we couldn't afford the restaurant.. Just nasty.. read more

After reading a lot of bad reviews, I was worried about going to this restaurant last night. It was too late though, we took advantage of a TravelZoo deal for a prime rib dinner for 4, salads, 3 sides, and 4 glasses of wine. It was definitely a great decision! Forget the price, which was a steal, the food was top notch! My mother called it the "best prime rib" she's ever had and my wife was right there with her. I wasn't quite there, it's in the top tier for sure, but I'm a huge prime rib fan and have had it from too many places to give it the #1 spot. We all really enjoyed all of our courses, wines, sides, and of course the prime rib. The presentation was great too! Service was very good, though the waiter was a little lack luster. We tried to make him smile and engage with him because we were worried he was the waiter that got so many negative mentions on Yelp and we tried to control our experience there, rather than have it dictated by a moody waiter. That said, we have no complaints about the waiter, other staff, service, or food. We never had to ask for wine, water, or anything for that matter, the staff was on top of things. The place was pretty empty, but it was the night before Thanksgiving, so I didn't expect a full house. I'd definitely go back! read more

The lunch nachos are huge and delicious. The service is always excellent and the steaks are always prepared perfect.

We made reservations during restaurant week. The food was pretty good. We selected the filet mignon and the trout as our main entree. We both loved our main entrees. The appetizer baby green salad was nothing to write home about, but the cheesecake was nice. I am not a wine lover, therefore, I ordered a appletini (per suggestion of the very knowledgeable waiter). The appletini mixer was left at the table and it provided at least 3 glass-fulls. Laid-back atmosphere provided an overall nice experience. It's hard to comment on the waitstaff since the majority of the customers were there for restaurant week and everyone was paying approximately the same price. Nothing really blew me away, therefore, I can't commit to saying that I would go back. read more

Typical high end stakehouse. Good stakes but to me, no different than Capital Grille or Mortons, both of which I prefer over Bobby's. We had great service and it was my birthday so we got a free bananas flambé. The funny thing was, my guest and I both do not like bananas. Was a nice gesture, but would have liked to pick my free dessert! read more

I was very happy with my steak salad -- tasty, prepared correctly and a generous portion. The service was excellent also. I'll be back to try the pre-fixe lunch. All in all, a bargain for DC power restaurants -- can't remember the last time I got out of one of these places for under $100 for the two of us, but we managed to escape well below that this time! read more

I was expecting this place to be a fancy steakhouse but the crowd was so mixed from people dressed up to people with jeans and sneakers. I basically wouldn't get too dressed up at this location. We made reservations on opentable and accidentally went to the wrong location, so make sure to check with location you are booking with. The staff was nice to call the other location and make sure it seated our reservation. I thoroughly enjoyed my American Lamb Chops and Malbec red wine. We kept debating to order appetizers because we know how long it takes for food to come out at a steakhouse. But before we even decided our orders were out! I was scared at first how quickly came out but mine was perfectly medium well. I don't know what magic they are pulling back there in the kitchen but I love it. I will def return and try some other entrees they offer. read more

Have been here a few times. Service has always been top notch! And the food is great! Steaks were cooked to the desired temp, and tasted juicy. I recommend the Bobby Van's home fries as a side. Will definitely be back! read more

typical above average steakhouse place, better than outback, but not as great as ruth chris, the food was ok, it didnt really stand out to me as much, we had a groupon for 4 so it came with sides and 4 lbs of prime rib, and drinks. the asparagus was only ok (i could have done it at home the same) the prime rib was good, the mash potatoes was decent, the service was wonderful though, checked up on us a lot, but it is expected of a place like this overall it was ok, nothing really stood out to me, better than your average trip to outback though read more

We took advantage of Bobby Van's participation in restaurant week and were not disappointed. The atmosphere is wonderful, dark enough for a romantic date but not too dim to prevent you from taking your family. The staff was excellent and very responsive. The waiter and busboys tag teamed the table so effectively that often we didn't notice them refilling our water or removing our plates. The noise level was bustling, but not too loud. As for the food, I had the lobster bisque (which actually had enough lobster chunks in it) and the New York strip. The steak was perfectly cooked inside and fortunately the garlic butter on top didn't hide the meat's natural flavor. The bacon-cheese potatoes were brief, but the spinach side made up for it. The Black Forest cake for dessert was good enough, but nothing to write home about. read more

Not what I expected at all very disappointed!, I am a Steak Lover this was one of the worst "Steaks" I have ever put a knife to. I was with a small group of colleagues and no one finished their steaks, I have been known to eat a 48oz with ease and have had many larger but will always sacrifice size for quality this was neither. I ordered the Cajun rib eye Medium Rare what I got was a nearly raw piece of meat(which I don't even mind if it's tender and flavorful I love tar-tar!) with some kind of dust on it that tasted like it was chalk dust. I sent it back once and nearly 20 minutes later it came back the same way but was now room temperature, On top of it all it was very tough! The service was no better! I think the waiter knowing he was getting his tip( which was included in the check ) didn't care who he was waiting on or how he did so. Service was slow and just plain rude. read more

We went to this location last night (5/18) and I must say that it was probably not just the worst experience in regards to service, but also food. The steak came out bloody, bright red and some sitting in a pool of blood. The soups were not hot and the pasta was bland. The service was so poor that I could not tell if I was on an episode of Kitchen Nightmares or in real life. Lynda the server could care less how many times she messed up an order and it seemed her supervisor was the same. Even when I informed her that I needed to get my tab asap because I was late to get to something, she still managed to get to me 20 min later after she got to everyone else. If you want to spend top dollar to get a quality steak and have fun with family/friends or coworkers. Do not go here. It makes DC look bad for a so called 5 star steakhouse. read more

We dined on a Friday night, with a party of 4. Our dinner was amazing. We all had the Prime Rib. (Medium rare). It was carved table side, and cooked to perfection. The salads were decent. Dinner rolls and pretzel bread were warm and lovely. Our sides included asparagus, that was cooked perfectly tender and crab mac & cheese that was alright. It had a bit of a fishy taste, and not quite the crab flavor we desired. Our waiter was attentive. We would definitely return! read more

My friends invited me to a prime rib dinner (2 courses - Choice of salads and 3 sides - and wine included). Classic steakhouse feel. Service is impeccable. We were all happy with our salad choices. They were delicious, but my Asian pear salad was too oily for my taste. The prime rib is cut and served table side (a little disappointed the ribs were off before, but I understand it's for the ease of carving). Mashed potatoes and mushrooms were very good and the broccoli was steamed well. The prime rib had hints of garlic on the outside but flavor never really penetrated throughout. Overall, it's a pleasant experience. An abundant amount of food and fabulous service. read more

First, my in-laws came into DC to meet us. They were dropped off by a cab and waited outside the restaurant. The are in their late 60's early 70's and simply sat in the outside table area (which was empty) and several times the waiter came out to tell them to leave and that they could not sit there. I'm sorry, we had reservations and if you can not let two elderly people sit in an empty area that speaks very poorly of you and your establishment. We got there, we were seated and the same person who tried to shoo my in-laws away became our best friend and provided appropriate service. I'm sorry, I don't operate that way. We ordered 2 dozen oysters (my father-in-law and husband love them) and they were they size of dimes. At $32 a dozen? Seriously... The rest of the meal was well prepared (steak and bread were incredible) and the table service was acceptable. We are going to Old Emmitts next time. Debra read more