More like 3.5 but I cant do that so 4 stars it is! I had the chicken parmesan, I asked for it to be spicy and it came out perfect. My friend had the petite filet with a side of mashed potatoes- while good, he thought the steak was pretty bland. We shared the Brussels and Bacon- no blue cheese. They were good but I've had better. For dessert we had the bread pudding AND cheesecake- to die for!! We had a long day so we didn't feel up to ordering drinks, however after our meal we did order a Don Julio margarita and it was pretty good, very sour. The staff is wonderful.Not too overattentive which we appreciated. Overall, we had a great experience, intimate ambiance and we felt comfy. Thanks! read more

Excellent meal at Bobby Vans our first night in D.C, had the petit fillet, cooked to perfection, and sautéed Brussels sprouts in olive oil and bacon. Kudos to the Chef and their friendly staff!! The chef even came back to confirm gluten free dessert options. read more

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1st time..not impressed. Maybe i expected too much. Got there early so went to bar. Bartender, male, tall, mid 50's didnt get his name. No smile or polite banter. He wasnt rude, just wasnt friendly, however when a regular came in, he was friendly?! What the heck? My money is less greener than some old guy wearing his Rolex bragging about going to Turks and Caicos? Chatted that guy up and 2 others, but grunted at me. Now, full disclosure, I was wearing golf shirt and jeans while all the others were in business attire.l so.maybe that? Who knows? Ordered oysters. Asked which ones he would recommend? Answer: " They all are good". Thank you Captain Obvious. Despite my experience, i still tipped him 20%, which i should not have done. On to dinner, met my colleagues. Had calamari for app, very tasty. Different preparation than Ive had before. 5 stars. Ordered bone in ribeye. Solid piece of beef great flavor. Had 3 sides and they were excellent. But i ordered steak med rare. Got it medium told the waitress and she very politely told me it was med rare. Ok? Then how come there wasnt any blood when i cut into it or on plate? I do not like restaurants that have multiple servers. We had a party of 5 and ate at 630 on. A Friday -not crowded. No reason to have 4 servers. Never knew who we could ask. Had to.ask twice for glass of wine. No manager came by to ask about our meal, which is odd since most higher end places do that as SOP. Overall service was 1.5, food was 4.5 = end result 3 stars. Im in DC often due to business but not sure i would try it again. If i do, im gonna skip the bar for sure. read more

ok so i guess my opinion doesn't count too much because i don't eat steak.. but I'm writing this because i really liked this place. The food was really quite good. I had a chicken sandwich and those don't get very exciting but they had put this delicious sauce over it. I heard that the crab cake is very good too. i would probably go back again, just for the sandwich. read more

Another reviewer said it perfectly and I will paraphrase: I would not choose this establishment over many of the other higher-end and yummy-tasting dining options in DC, MD or VA. This place is lack luster. Quality of food is not an issue, rather the fact they don't season their food, believe in sauces or seem to have any creativity. You can find anything offered on their menu at almost any other "Steakhouse" or "Grille", but executed with more love at the latter. The service needs to step up a notch too. Bobby Van's is Old fashioned in a very non-hip kind of way. read more

Getting directly to the food. My husband had a cajun steak that he raved about since we left the restaurant (it's been 2 days). It looked delicious! And it was. On the other hand, my roasted chicken was the total opposite. We had our toddler with us so I ordered the roasted chicken to share with her. Then I asked about a kid menu, which they had and left me wondering why didn't our server mention it. Anyway, we ordered her chicken fingers and french fries. I did not change my order and I really regretted it. My chicken was very bland. I never use salt, I mean never, to season anything (only my fries) but I needed salt as well as pepper on that chicken. The Bobby Van sauce helped also. I would like to go back and have a steak of my own but I would never ever order their chicken again. Additionally, we dined outdoors. The staff was polite. If they were around, they opened the door for us. While walking in the aisle some of the servers would step to the side to let me pass. Our server told us about the special dishes and checked on us a couple of times. For such an upscale, expensive restaurant, the restroom was filthy and could use an upgrade. read more

Best dinner I ever had. Period. I got the porterhouse with sides of Mac n' Cheese, mushrooms and asparagus. Wow! read more

My wife and I love this place. If you're looking for a great 5 star dinner experience with the best steaks and wine in town they have it. Or if you're looking for a great casual bar atmosphere, they also have that. Bartenders Kevin and Mario are top notch. And management David and Liam make us feel like gold. Come and enjoy! read more

Bobby Van's Steakhouse - Enjoying a couple Miller Lite in the bar patio. - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have really high standards and a "5" is rare. I'd like to give Bobby Van's, DC, a 4 1/2. We had an outstanding meal! My girlfriend took me to BV DC for Father's Day. We started with a calamari appetizer with a spicy sauce. WOW! Then came the Porterhouse Steak for two. It looked like it came from a Brontosaurus! What we liked the best was that it tasted like a steak should taste, not like it was dripping in butter, like some places. We had green beans and mushrooms for sides with our salads. All were seasoned perfectly. We liked that the veggies were very crisp and lightly cooked. I want to give special recognition to Rod Grigsby for his tremendous service. He was very helpful and personable, and he quickly understood what we were looking for and recommended just what we wanted. All the other staff was very attentive and perfectly orchestrated without being intrusive. I remember several time when someone came up to help when we needed something, but they arrived at the perfect time in a pause of conversation. Rod even ran out the front door with our doggie bag that we forgot. If you want to know what proper service looks like, go to Bobby Van's and you will see it demonstrated. Thank you Rod Grigsby and Bobby Van's for a wonderful evening! read more

The food was good, it looked good and tasted good as well. The only thing I didn't liked much was their service, they were little bit slow in serving dinner we waited almost 45 mins. over all loved the food n restaurant atmosphere. read more

Ok so the 80's are calling and they need to give them their food back! A gristle ridden, greasy flavorless ribeye; and mercilessly chopped and drenched Caesar salad ruined my birthday. Unless you are looking for angioplasty leave this off your list. read more

Bobby Van's Steakhouse - Awful steak! - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Just moved to the DC area. We were looking for a romantic steak dinner and we found the perfect spot. The staff was wonderful and the food was superb. The bar provided the best Manhattan and wine list to complement out meal. Oir steakes were cooked to perfectiom as well as our sides. Next time, and there will be a next time soon, we will save room for desert. Thank you for a wonderful evening. read more

Bobby Van's Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Son and I went out to one of my favorite restaurants. Had a nice time and some great convo. Food always good. He got an added spot to take his lady friend too. read more

Bobby Van's Steakhouse - Bass - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I used a Groupon so we were given $40 off our check. Even with this discount this place SCARCELY receives a 2-star rating. The food was VERY heavy. HUGE portions of meat (too big). We asked for medium and EVERYTHING was undercooked. I sent mine back and they charred the exterior, but the interior never made it past a bloody rare/medium rare. The staff was largely unavailable. No one spoke English well enough to offer a superior experience. The prices were Much much too high. I will never return and will never recommend. read more

One lady who reviewed this place nailed it. "This place isn't bad, but when you pay premium prices you expect premium food". $42 for pan seared sea bass is crazy as hell to me. I make amazing fish dishes but not that damn amazing! To make matters worst the food is just ok nothing to brag about, but you will feel strong armed. read more

Great service! Steak was cooked perfectly and the staff was attentive & kind. The chocolate lava cake was also delicious. Outdoor seating was appropriately distanced. read more

Bobby Van's is a nice elegant spot. The food was pretty good. I like the prices far better than Mastro's and the quality was the same. I didn't like the waiters constantly walking back and forth pass our table as we ate watching/seeing if we was finish. Literally we was watched the entire time we was eating, that was a bit uncomfortable . read more

Best steak I've ever eaten hands down. Wife and I shared the porterhouse for 2, and it as incredible. This place is a splurge as their prices as astronomical. Otherwise a great dinner read more

Visited Bobby Van's on New Years Eve. Did not have to wait for a table even though we had NO reservation. They were very friendly, accommodating and highly educated on their menu. We raise beef, have had many great steaks and BV did not let us down! My husband had a ribeye along with a spinach dish (which he said was not real good) and I had a filet. Both steaks were cooked to perfection, juicy and tender. The iceberg lettuce we shared with a ranch dressing was also superb. Thank you BV for serving the public great steaks....says a lot for our industry. Also to be noted is that the service was impeccable! Seamed as though there was 3 or 4 attendants seeing we had all we needed. read more

Overall I will say it was late so I give them somewhat of a pass. This place came recommended by a friend, whom I trust. So I was expecting top notch food. I would rate the food a 3 but the service I received from Michael made it just about a 5. I will say the drinks were good and I will give them another try just based on service. I would recommend this place. read more

I went for my wife's birthday and really enjoyed it. The service was exceptional and the food was just as great. We ordered the mule drink and the tipsy Arnold palmer which had a great flavor and nice and strong!! The crab cake had lump meat and tasted fresh. Next we ordered 2 ny strips, cooked medium well, and the flavor was awesome. The steaks were juicy and moist and has a grilled flavor. The vegetables were prepared perfect. Not too soft not too hard. The macaroni and cheese had breadcrumbs and tasted well. We also ordered the big apple drink which is usually a shot but they make a drink and it is A1! Devin was one of the waiters and I'd go back just for his exceptional customer service! All and all the food is great. And if you are on a budget, do not go to this restaurant. It's very easy to spend $200 plus. :) read more

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The only reason I am not giving this restaurant 1 star is because of the absolutely amazing service we received from the waiter (Michael W). By far the best waiter we have ever had at any restaurant hands down. The problem here is the food. It is quite terrible. Everything we ordered was either over cooked, old, or tasteless. It's a shame because they have the location and staff to really be top notch. I've had better food at McDonald's. The chef needs to be replaced with someone ambitious who understands old world upscale flavors and cares about quality. Some points of reference to this restaurants failures are as follows.... over cooked burger, bland cob salad, zucchini fries were stuck together, over cooked, and breading fell off, Cuban sandwich pork was extremely dry, the ice cream had frost bite, the molten cake tasted three days old and had no liquid in the center. read more

The food is excellent...but that's what I expected. What I was not expecting was the beyond the extra mile service from the wait staff...particularly the service of Rod Grigsby. He makes every effort to make your dining experience unique to you and he personality truly enhances whatever occasion you are celebrating...even if it's just dinner. If you go to Bobby Van's in DC, ask for Rod! You won't regret it. read more

Hello fellow Yelpers! Here We Go :D ! Our Visit: Wednesday afternoon, at around 4. Nice weather, Very Nice Restaurant, Everyone was pretty much dressed up. Table for 2, Myself and a friend. Hair Done, Nails Did. (Food) Apps: Besides the Delicious free bread lol We had both the Calamaris (parm & sweet chill), They were both delicious, though we preferred the parmesan, The sweet chili was too sweet for us, but that's just our preference. Entrees: (Both Ordered the days Special) Peppercorn Crusted Steak, with potatoes. Potatoes were yummy, but nothing special, the steak, for being "peppercorn crusted" and plenty more I tell you, was flavorless, I tasted no seasoning :( But I ordered it medium-rare and although I had to send it back because it was cooked well past medium, when I received it the second time it was cooked perfectly (temperature wise). Note: The steaks don't come with any sides, you have to order and pay for those separately. Side: We had the prosciutto mac & cheese as well as the I believe Garlic Mash. Mac & Cheese was hot and delicious and the garlic mash was forgettable but my friend liked it. Though nothing she would come back for. It is served family style so they are rather large portions. Easily share each side for 2. Desserts: The Best! I had the assorted Sorbets (lemon/mixed berry/raspberry) Delicious! Flavorful! Looked beautiful! and large portion! very yummy! very light! My friend had the cheesecake with I believe a raspberry sauce, She loved it! there was nothing left on her plate. The desserts were beautifully presented and just as delicious to eat! Customer Service ***** A+ The customer service was spectacular! Walked in and we were greeted instantly, they got us with a joke that was not only funny but well executed lol You do not have one assigned server, at least I don't believe you do, we did not, and we saw many different servers attending to the needs of the big table across from us. Which was nice because we were checked on at the right times, waters and drink always filled, and anytime we needed something we had someone take care of it. They treated us like we we the most important customers in the restaurants, as im sure they treated everyone else. Also they had these crazy pens? I think they cleaned the crumbs off your table, and picked up butter tabs idk it was crazy and awesome and we sat up a little straighter (we were in a classy establishment were they meant business) The Mis-Hap : 1st Mishap was that my steak was cooked well past medium, when I had ordered it medium rare. Now I hate sending things back or bothering people, even when they're the ones at fault, i'm just not comfortable, but I could not eat it so I called over a server and turned my steak towards him so he could take a look at the color and of course I started off by saying "I'm so sorry... but I ordered my steak medium rare", before I could say anything else, he took and said "My god! i'm so sorry! This is disgusting! Don't worry I will take care of it now!" and HE was AMAZING! I mean he totally made me feel justified, and comfortable and was just if not more upset with it than I was! and I was the one that was going to have to pay the 50$ for it! lol and when he brought it back he made conversation with us, served us our sides, I swear I felt like a princess or something I don't know, I wish I could have gotten his name because he was honestly the most spectacular server, sigh, He really just was great. 2nd semi-mishap (almost forgot) Was not their fault at all, my friend originally ordered the scallops, beautifully presented, I even believe perfectly cooked (texture was great) but lacked flavor, or at least i think they did (I've never really liked scallops I always found them flavorless so I don't know if I'm just being biased) but it was all taken care of as I've already mentioned customer service was spectacular. All in all I apologize for the long review, would go back for the parm calamari (which I have dreams of) and believe it or not (other business's take notice) the customer service, I always say it's the most important part of any business. :) read more

My boyfriend and I went to BV for Valentine's Day and it was the most amazing service we have ever received. He was even able to ask them to bring a necklace to the table when they brought the check. We had the crab cake and calamari as starters and I had the lamb chops as the entree. It was flavory and very tender. Our server checked up on us every five minutes to make sure everything was going accordingly. I guess the only reason why it is a four star is because the front of the restaurant is very classy but the corner towards where we sat was a little disappointing but who cares as long as the service was great, right? read more

Really the only good steakhouse in D.C. I'm hardly surprised by a) the lack of reviews and b) some of the scores. What you need to know is that this place isn't a hotspot where you go to impress your date with it's culinary stylings (although if you let them see the bill total, they should be moderately flattered) . This is strictly a meat and a la carte side place - kind of a man's man kind of steak joint - which is why I'm thinking that all the negative reviews are generally from females. I've eaten here several times over the years and will continue to do so when I want some red meat. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Please do not waste your time or money. I went to Bobby Vans tonight for the first time and had the worse. For one it took 30mins for the server to even come to the table and not only great us but to take our drink orders once drinks arrived we place an order for our meal. It took our meal so long to arrive to the point I wasn't even hungry anymore. While attempting to go ahead and enjoy my food I noticed it was cold not even warm but cold as if it sat in the refrigerator for 10 mins. So you mean to tell me it took over 45 to bring my food out and its cold now I have to wait for you to bring me something else out... after the long wait and the meal was finish I noticed the bill was taxed up. Now I know restaurants do gratuity and I have no issue with that but this restaurant is out for your money when I say they charged 135 in taxes and then another 230 for gratuity it is not worth it at all my food was cold my friends food was burnt and you tax on that much money for a tip and taxes I will never return to this restaurant again read more

My wife and I visited Bobby Van's this weekend for her birthday. The only negative thing I can say about the place would be about their valet guys. We Ubered to the restaurant, and they stood in the entranceway, right by the door, and just stared at us without bothering to open the door for us. It seriously would have required so little effort, that it was rude not to simply push open the door they were practically leaning on. Other than that, we had a great visit. We are currently doing whole30, and our waiter and the chefs were very accommodating, offering to prepare our food with olive oil instead of butter. We started with the seafood bouquet, which included a full lobster split in two, 4 giant shrimp, and a large cup of lump crab meat. We split a Harry's salad, which was shrimp, green beens, tomato, red onion, red peppers, and thick cut bacon in a red wine vinaigrette. I actually chose Bobby Van's after seeing this on the menu, and it did not disappoint. It was fantastic! My wife ordered the petit filet, and I ordered the ribeye, which is prepared bone-in. Both were charbroiled and seasoned to absolute perfection. It's probably the best steak I've had in DC. No sauces needed. The steak was superior to anything I've had at Ray's the Steaks, Ruth's Chris, or even Bourbon Steak (Though I've not had their Wagyu.) We will most definitely be back. read more

Giving it a 3, to be nice. First time in DC, wanted a classic steak dinner, and went here on a reco. Place was empty, at 6pm on a Saturday, went to back bar, and staff and customers kept asking for wings. Wings, in a Steakhouse!!! Figured this was not the place for my DC Steak Dinner. I was right. read more

I would only give one star when they jeopardized my health. I ordered a chicken club sandwich. The first alert to bad food was when it took exactly four minutes to come out of the kitchen (at least if you are going to pre-cook a meal pretend you're cooking it for real and hold the order for ten minutes). After the third bite I realized the chicken was spoiled, it had that taste like spoiled chicken has before you cook it and it smelled musty. Luckily, I didn't get sick. At any fine steakhouse, which Bobby Vans (used to be) claims, a manager would come out, apologize profusely and the meal would be comped. Not so. The server whisked it away without any real concern or concerted apology, and returned ten minutes later with a fresh plate. If anybody told me I served up spoiled food I'd be all over them with gracious regret for putting their health at risk. Had I not been on a business lunch with colleagues I would have asked to see the manager. Shame on you Bobby Vans. Don't eat here. Clearly they've taken for granted their success. read more

Meh. For the cost, the service was sub par. When we ordered a bottle of wine, the waiter curtly said with and edge to his tone: "did you recall the bin number?" He made me go back in the list and find it. Then, their menu states "No separate checks!" Under where it says they will automatically charge gratuity for parties of 6 or more. We were unsure of that meant they won't do separate checks for all or for parties of 6 or more. When my friend asked if he'd separate the two families checks (2 checks on one table) his response, again with a good dose of attitude: "Sweetheart, it plainly says on the menu that we will not do separate checks." I had been holding the wine list after the bin number thing and he bumped into it as he schooled my friend. He did not, however bother to take the list from me as I handed it to him, again with some elitist attitude. I sort of wanted to get up and go but we stayed. As for the food: the Caesar salad was lacking any bite to it. It was bland. The asparagus side was over cooked. The Mac and Cheese side was excellent. The steaks were definitely cooked to order, properly, including one in our group that didn't want it charred. Over all... I wish we had gone somewhere else. I did see the mixed reviews but took a chance because my friend visits DC often, and said they were good in the past. However, she was also disappointed and our teenagers found the server rude as well. read more

Great food, honestly the it was some of the best steak I have ever had. My girlfriend and I got the Porter House for two and still had enough left to take home. Great service and the servers were very knowledgeable. Great atmosphere and experience. read more

Thanks to Groupon, we visited Bobby Van's for a date night. The service was excellent. The food was just okay. We frequently dine at Ruth's Chris and the steaks shouldn't even be compared. It was a nice experience, but I highly doubt that we'll ever be back. read more

it's a great steakhouse with fancy service. but why was the steak so bland?!? they offer table salt, so it's fine, I can add my own salt... but i feel like, by shaking table salt onto the steak, i'm insulting the chef~ I don't even remember the last time I had to add salt to steak at a restaurant. maybe it's just their thing to serve steak (albeit perfectly cooked to order and beautifully charred on the outside) as it is.. as a slab of un-seasoned meat. (I wouldn't care if it's a steak burger, or some cheap cut of beef. the problem is that it was a $100 slab of porterhouse steak...... it almost makes me want to cry that they somehow didn't do it right!). Skip the Harrys Salad. the escargot were delightful - I could have another 100 of those, any day. the creme brulee was awesome. the coffee ice cream was terrible. one scoop had severe freezer burn and a huge ice-chunk on it. read more

Bobby Van's Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

First impressions are a huge deal to me. Walking in...the restaurant stank of something similar to B.O or a dirty mop... not very appetizing. The porthouse steak was ok, the salmon was nasty (I guess it serves me right for getting seafood at a steakhouse.) The escargot appetizer was flavorless...my dad said the oysters were ok (yea, how can you go wrong with oysters, all they have to do is shuck them and serve.) It's bad when the saving grace is the side of hashbrown. What's ironis, the walls are covered with rave reviews. read more

My husband and I ate here for the first time with another couple. The food was amazing. Between the 4 of us, we had filet mignon (2), glazed salmon, and chicken marsala dinners. Everything was great! Staff were changing their gloves between tables and wearing masks. And Hector was a superb host. Great job (especially during a pandemic and among protests in DC). -TJ read more

We went to this location on a Thursday evening. The customer service is WHAT makes this place. Our wait team (not just one person, but team) was great. They were friendly, personable and gave great recommendations. Rod and Hector were phenomenal! I would highly recommend asking to be seated in their area. Now on to the food. I ordered the seafood special for the day and it was rockfish. It was very well executed as far as cooking the fish goes. The flavor was a bit bland though. Especially after tasting my boyfriends steak and lobster. I know! I should have ordered a steak since we were at a steakhouse. I just wasn't in the mood for a steak that night. However, I did taste my boyfriends steak and it was executed perfectly. He ordered well done and it was tender juicy and not overcooked like some of the other restaurants in the area often do. The sauce they had over the steak was great! There was no need to add anything additional to the steak. The next time we go, I will order a steak! read more

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So here's the thing - my boyfriend took me here for Valentine's Day. Admittedly, I probably put too much pressure on him to chose the perfect location for our (first) romantic Valentine's Day together. Of course, getting a reservation in D.C. on this night is particularly challenging, but we do what we can. With that being said, I made the dumb mistake of ordering a tuna steak at a steakhouse. It was overcook and quite frankly, dull. He was wise enough to order a steak, which was good at best. I like my steak to be a little bit more tender when I am paying $45 for it though. I will give them major props for their mac & cheese. As you may or may not know, I am a HUGE fan of mac & cheese and your success with this dish definitely impacts my decision to come back or not. I will be going back, and next time, I think I will try a steak! read more

I don't usually take the time to write a poor review on a location, especially having worked within the food industry, but I couldn't resist to fully disclose what an awful experience I had at this steakhouse. Having dined at top notch steak houses before such as Fogo de Chao, Texas de Brazil, Chima, Ray's the classics, etc...let me say that Bobby Van's Steakhouse simply doesn't make even a quarter of the cut. The service was beyond awful. We were rushed all the way through, the steaks were way to over priced for the miserable quality, and despite it being 'fine dining' there was no attention or care towards its guests. Glad we got a Groupon because it's definitely not worth the original full price. Spend your money else where. read more

I went there last night for dinner and was absolutely mortified at how we were treated. I have gone there several times for lunch and dinner when I visit DC, which is several times a year and I can't believe how horrible we treated this time. We got there around 5:30 and were seated outside. It was not busy, there were only two other full tables on our side. One friend ordered the fish entree and my girlfriend and I tried to share the calamari and nachos. Our server took the order and then came back to tell us that we couldn't have the nachos because it was a "bar item" and we needed to sit at the bar to eat them. My girlfriend confirmed that with a manager and were told we could sit on the other side of the dining area outside in the bar section. The server helps us move and offers to transfer our tab and we get to the other side only to be told there is a table open but only 1 chair, not three. We ask to get two other chairs and are told they are not available and we would need to stand. At this point, I go inside to talk to the manager and am told there is no accomodation they can make for us. We cannot order nachos on the side that has seats and we cannot sit on the side where we can order nachos. The fact that my friend actually ordered from their dinner menu and the fact that they were not full on their "dinner" side didn't matter- they couldn't accomodate us. At this point, who cares about the stupid nachos but it is a question of principle. I actually asked the manager if we could order and pay for the nachos on the bar side and literally walk them to the side with seats and were told no. I couldn't believe that would not consider an accomodation for us after telling us to move but they wouldn't. We were never asked to sit inside or told they would make an exception for us. I finally told the manager that he should be embarrased to treat patrons so badly over a rule about a "bar menu" and he said he didn't feel embarrased. I am so disappointed because I like the place and have frequented regularly but to be treated so badly for no reasonable cause was extremely offensive. I will never return. read more