Overall, very solid. We went to Brabo for a special occasion and the atmosphere was on point for our celebration. Everyone enjoyed their food and the delicious bottle of tempranillo. The staff was courteous and professional - both at the bar for a pre-dinner drink and during dinner. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Pre-dinner wine at the bar! - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Food was top notch, but timing and service could be vastly improved. Had the nightly tasting menu and it was good except for the main entree. The hostess seated a bunch of tables (4) at the same time in my section, so the waiter was rushed trying to keep up with service. Ordered a drink and it took forever to get to me with the waiter even coming back to say it was on the way. Then finally got it. My amuse bouche, appetizer and fish course came out right away, then it took a very long time for my main course to arrive. When it did come, it was nothing that was worth waiting for. If it had been as good as the fish course, I would have been okay with the wait, but......not so much. Then the cheese course and the dessert came very quickly right after....timing was not their strong suit that night. The kitchen was at fault for the dining service and the wait staff was not really attentive or checking on me. I got my dessert and when I was 2/3rds finished, the waiter comes and asks if I want coffee. Again, food was good, but everything else wasn't so good read more

Brabo Pros: this was our first time visiting Alexandria and we chose to eat at Brabo bc it was part of the Lorien Hotel & Spa where we stayed. The restaurant was clean and spacious, and our server was attentive to our needs. The warm baguette was tasty and a nice starter. Our entrees were THE BEST meals we had during our trip. We had the entree du jour which was a perfectly cooked pork and potatoes dish, as well as a cheeseburger which was cooked to perfection. Cons: the cosmos were not the greatest read more

BRABO Brasserie - Pork, potatoes - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I did a to go order here. But the restaurant in itself was nice. "Moody" lighting. The manager and cook team were really nice and accommodating. They are happy to make your meal gluten free. The branzino and the vegetables were great. The branzino was crispy. The cream sauce is the only thing I'd change about the dish. I once had an East Asian style branzino that had a more acidic base and it was amazing. I think that's what was missing. The people in my party had the braised ribs and the wagyu burger. It all looked (and according to them tasted) amazing. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Seared Branzino - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Loved. Went here on out mini-moon in 2022. We were staying down the street and wanted something a little upscale but easy to get to for the first night. They comped us a bottle of wine and desert. The meal was very good. I would come back and recommend it. one note - the bathroom is VERY far away form the dining room. Jsut a heads up. read more

Visited Old Town, Virginia for the first time and stayed at the Lorien Hotel and Spa. Brabo Brasserie is located in the first floor of the hotel. The ambiance of the place was cozy and relaxed with classy aesthetics. The decor was simple but elegant, seating was comfortable with their darl green leather seats. We were greeted by the lovely hostess the moment we arrived for our 7pm reservation. Our server was really welcoming and has suggested what's great on the menu. We ordered two coctail drinks- the espresso martini and the Old Town ginger, it was really amazing! We had for starters the grilled octopus, which was cooked to perfection along with sauteed sliced zucchini and roasted corn kernels. We also tried the mixed salads. For entree, we ordered the grilled pork ribs served with fava beans and grilled peaches. And the Taglatelle pasta with roasted chicken. Food was delicious and didn't disappoint. Lastly, we had a plate of the house desserts- creme brulee , macaroons and slices of pumpkin cheesecake, pistachio cake and chocolate cake. A truly wonderful dining experience, plus the service is impeccable! read more

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People who are saying that the brunch here is a can't miss experience want to see you waste your money lol. I ordered the salmon bagel which was $17. They served the bagel with a single serving packaged Philadelphia's cream cheese. No hate to philadelphia cream cheese but for $17 (insane price btw) I was expecting something a little bit more upscale??? Not something that I could get at dunkin donuts for a fraction of the price. There was also still an onion peel on the pickled onions which again isn't a huge deal but was definitely giving continental breakfast vibes. There was a hair on the french fries too (see picture) - major red flag. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Crab cake served with french fries and hair - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Great food. Went for brunch while staying at the Lorien. Service and ambiance are on point. Had complimentary mimosas. Great place! Prices were great! Highly recommend read more

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This place was the bees knees! 100% perfection from start to finish. Our waitress was so attentive and kind. We went during a downpour and we're drenched when we got in, she was nice enough to actually go get us towels to dry off. To start I had a glass of wine and my partner had their cocktail week cocktail which was actually really good plus they out a little drain on the top. The food was DELICIOUS!!! Everything cooked perfectly. Dessert was also excellent. I switched the ice cream In the profiteroles to espresso and no regrets! I couldn't put into words how much I recommend giving Brabo a try! read more

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We came here for a date night during Alexandria Restaurant week for $45. You get three courses: an appetizer (French onion soup, crabcake) an entrée (steak frites, seared branzino) and dessert (macarons, chocolate cake). Nothing really stood out per se. It was a pretty standard French restaurant. The steak was very tender and the truffle butter sauce was delicious. The branzino, however, had a tinge of chlorine water taste that really overpowered the sauce. The chocolate cake is a lava cake with vanilla ice cream on top. Reservation through Resy. read more

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We had a very nice dinner with friends at BRABO. We started with drinks at the bar, and the cocktails were interesting and quite tasty. We ordered the Old Town Trick, Lingered, and Smoke and Fire (not sure how often they change up their cocktail menu) and most were hits with us. The Smoke and Fire has mezcal and is definitely smoky, so only order if you're a big fan of mezcal. The bartender was pleasant and attentive. Our server was a bit less attentive, but still pleasant. We ordered the special app, the foie gras. It was a bit of a let-down. It had more of a squishy mushroom texture than what I am used to with foie gras. The dinners we ordered included the tagliatelle, seared branzino, mussels, and the burger. The food was good, although most of the dishes were small serving sizes. The pasta was possibly the favorite of the table, although the mussels (which are actually on their app list) were good too. They also have an extensive wine list. The prices are a little high, especially with the smaller portions, but it was still really good food and overall nice experience. read more

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[FIRMLY RECOMMENDED!] Came for a late brunch with two out of town friends, had a nice selection of items including my smoked salmon on bagels, and they getting waffles, eggs and bacon. Drinks served included mimosas, Manhattans, martinis and sangria- all quite tasty and promptly served. My manhattan was one of the better ones I've has, made with Bullet Rye. My salmon could have used a bit more smoke, but well prepared and properly served with shaved red onions and capers. The muffin from the pastry trio was also quite nice. We all felt well served, well fed, and properly tendered. Also, all servers & staff were wearing N95 masks. (Bravo!) read more

BRABO Brasserie - Champagne for starters. - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great food and service! I got the French onion soup and wild mushroom risotto. Super flavorful and delicious. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Wild Mushroom Risotto - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Prices are high but the portions are hearty and the food was excellent! Worth my money, in my opinion. We got the prefix menu for Easter and it was so delicious! The waitress was busy but still took great care of us! We had a reservation which we may have not needed since we ate so early. (6:30pm) I had the steak tartar, Brussels Caesar salad, filet mignon and scallops and the tiramisu. The meat was so tender and all was cooked and not cooked perfectly! Again, the prices are high but I was looking to have a classy dinner with very high quality food and that's exactly what I got, so I appreciated that. Atmosphere was classy but not off putting, which was perfect for me and others wearing jeans. I would for sure come back here to celebrate something or for when I'm looking for a special meal! read more

The food was incredible and there are so many appetizers that sound delicious so we will be coming back once it warms up and the patio opens up. Only things is drinks were just okay so next time we will order wine. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Duck Leg Confit Lamb - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Good times here. Nice ambiance and good service. Recommend the blue cheese oysters. The sauce is basically a soup too, and you can't pass up dipping your endless bread in this sauce. I would come back just for the oysters alone. But I didn't want to stock up on the bread too much as I still had the Bavette steak on deck. Nicely cooked, full of flavor with a small salad and fries. You can also dip the fries in the blue oyster sauce. It works! Recommend coming here on a random date night. Oysters and cocktails will definitely get you in the mood. I also hung out in the bar a few doors down. Little bit more casual on this side, but service was still pretty good. And the cocktails had some personality to it. read more

Wandered about Old Town. 1st of 2 days here. Gave this spot a try and was not disappointed. Wilbur at the bar was an excellent host. Even when locals monopolized him a bit, he kept a good eye on me and had excellent support. Escargot was good but pro tip, you want some warm baguette to dip in that broth. The Intrinsic Cab with NY Strip set was perfect. What a fabulous wine. Wilbur and I had multiple cocktail discussions and one of my favorites is what we ended the night on. His Old Fashioned with Russell's Rye was absolutely spot on. Good stop especially if you're staying at that hotel. I wasn't but it was an interesting mix of locals and guests. Always impressed by a hotel restaurant that draws in locals. read more

BRABO Brasserie - NY Strip set - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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We went for Alexandria Restaurant Week, the atmosphere was really nice, simple but elegant, lovely and calm. I particularly recommend the mussels, they were extremely good as well as the steak frites. The macarons dessert was great, very large portions. The service was attentive and friendly. The food was really very very good, we all really enjoyed what we ordered. read more

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I came to this restaurant to try summer restaurant week. All of the entrées we got were absolutely delicious. We tried the heirloom tomato salad, mussels, the Atlantic salmon, the tagliatelle pasta, the mango mousse and the crème brûlée. Portions were small, but also perfect for a three-course meal. Now, I took stars away because of the service. On face value, it can seem like the service was good, but it really felt like there were micro aggressions and possible implicit bias. While I was eating my salad for my appetizer, my entrée was brought and just sat there until I was done eating. When we just started dessert, our check was brought to us and picked up quickly and told us to have a good night while we were still eating. Not only am I Yelp Elite and go to restaurants all over the country, but I'm also a former waitress and bartender. This is not how you treat guests. Our waitress only treated us like this in her section - extremely disheartening. Not a great first impression on the establishment. read more

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tl;dr: stop in for the cocktails, not the food. It's not at all the quality for the price, especially considering price should have been better during restaurant week. This review is written solely based on the early 2020 restaurant week menu. Starting with the positive: cocktails. Early American (gin, Cointreau, citrus), the RW special mule (mango, ginger, habanero), and the espresso martini were all quite good. Maybe not quite $16 quality and/or imaginatinative-ness (yeah okay maybe not a word but you get my drift), but very enjoyable regardless. Also the complimentary french bread and salted butter. Yum. (Side note: this may be nitpicky but our bread was not refilled.) The food: Appetizers were Cobb salad and winter Brunswick stew. I liked the flavors in the salad (pecans, blue cheese) but the lettuce was browning and the roasted potatoes were cold. Stew was a bit bland and had very little boar, and a little too much oil for my taste. I'd pick the salad over stew next time. Entrees were casarerre pasta with short rib and jalapeño cornmeal encrusted trout. The short rib was cut into small chunks which could have been more tender and were missing some flavor (salt?). Pasta was okay but didn't taste super fresh. The veggies in that dish were probably my favorite along with the sauce from cooking the meat. Trout was very thin and a little dry. I thought the flavor was jalapeño-y but missing something. The green beans and almonds with it were cooked perfectly and the highlight of the dish. Dessert: apple cobbler: just... fine and kind of lonely without ice cream or topping of any kind. Chocolate and peanut butter crepes with jam: actually had a weird cardboard-y flavor, and were crispy in a strange way for crepes. Would not recommend. Service was very friendly and there's a great ambiance. I just wished the food lived up to my expectations. read more

So it's been 4 years since I've been here and WOW, I've missed a lot. Happy to report that the space is great, with elegant and comfy seats. And the food - the octopus appetizer was cooked perfectly with a nice bit of crunch and flavor from the bed of veggies it's served with. We opted for the Tomahawk steak which is 32oz of amazingness, and comes with fries, shishito peppers, and mushrooms. To end the night, we got the baked Alaska. While the tableside flames were fab, I didn't really like the dense cake and the taste of the alcohol. All in all, service was great and they were kind enough to slice our steak for us after we received it and realized we weren't the best at cutting. I'd definitely come back. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Golden Monkey beer, beef paparadelle, lobster bisque, PB toasted waffle. - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great restaurant week menu and they accommodated us by seating us in the back corner (per our request to not be in the middle of their space during Covid). Very generous portions for restaurant week with higher end options included, meaning duck and pork chops etc. the pate upgrade was delicious and even their cocktails were enjoyable. Great place to experience especially during times of pre-fix menu options ! read more

BRABO Brasserie - Duck - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My mom and I had dinner Tuesday . No reservations, so we went early. They accommodated with a smile. Our waitress was lovely, intelligent, engaging. We enjoyed escargots, foix gras, roasted beet salad, and a cheese plate. The foix gras was a little rare and not pate which made it a little slimy. The rest was amazing ! Looking forward to coming back on my next business trip ! read more

BRABO Brasserie - Cheese plate - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The meal wasn't all the way bad but it wasn't worth the $200 price point. We ordered: Caesar salad: Comes with actual anchovies, grated parm and what looks like (based of uniformity) store bought croutons. It was fine, not great, and also expensive at $10 Baguette: Something was missing here. The butter was spreadable but maybe unsalted? It didn't have that I need to eat this whole bread basket feel/taste NY Strip: Hubs got a perfectly executed medium rare steak, but the steak itself was a poor cut. Hub had to cut off a lot of grilse and I mean grisle, he generally loves steak fat Lobster Ravioli: I think the description here threw me. It was 4 silver dollar sized ravioli and then a huge lobster tail. I would have actually preferred less lobster and more ravioli. The sauce was a nice fall flavored cream sauce. At the time of the bill we were also a tad surprised that when hubs ordered the cheaper pinot noir, we were charged (and I assume/hope he was given) the more expensive one. The restaurant was not crowded, and the server repeated the request, so I dont' know what happened there. All in all, I cannot recommend this place to others. read more

Solid choice. Came here for a quick drink with a coworker and it was nice. Staff was friendly.

My headline for Brabo would be, "Good food & great service". Brabo features a pleasant atmosphere and ambiance. It has a nice location on King Street in downtown Alexandria. For my meal, I had the steak frites. Worth noting is that Brabo features large portions. I ordered some decent wine off the wine list which had some good options. Brabo is French infused although not a full-on French restaurant. They were even playing French music! Bon appetite. read more

How Brabo has fallen in the last 12-14 months, they get you at both ends with higher prices and worse offerings. We would visit once or twice a year for the Moulles Frites - mussels and fries. Todays menu I was shocked that not only has the entree price increased 20%, but it's now a la carte! Fries are $9 extra. Shrinkflation at its worst, how do you raise prices *and* cut the offering like that? I ended up getting a different entree out of protest. My wife got the wagyu burger which wasn't terrible (although the bun was stale, and she asked for medium and it arrived well-done). The fries she received were terrible. They tasted clearly frozen and blah. For dessert I got espresso ice cream - a measly half scoop, very sad portion, and my wife got macarons which were still cold in the center - one partially frozen. What a waste this was simply bad. Frozen foods, sad portions, and the bill was still $160 before tip. For that price you could have an amazing meal elsewhere in old town or even DC. We won't be back. read more

Just love this restaurant,,,!!!!!! Food was Incredible, and Service was Amazing,,,!!!! The Penachio's read more

Extremely mediocre, absolutely not worth the prices. I hate to be so negative, but there is room for improvement literally everywhere: zero ambience, lighting/music/anything, food quality, food portions, service. All very meh. We had a dinner party and tried many dishes. There is no effort made here. And the prices are HIGH. Will not be back. Wait! I thought of a positive - the wine was good read more

What an amazing experience!!! The food and service were so good. One of the best mushroom soups I have ever tried. The Brussels Cesar salad was so crispy and soft. Definitely will return, specially for that creme brulee! read more

When a business Refuses to let you take home your leftover mussels But you can order them to go Is a total scam Should not let your staff drink on the job read more

Had brunch with family. Server SEEMED very tired, less than enthused to be there. The food was pretty good. It took about 10 minutes for us to get even water or acknowledgment of our table. Items were missed from our order but were fixed after letting them know. for the price - not sure it was worth it. And if you arent a guest OF the hotel, $25 bucks to valet park - ON A SUNDAY!!!! read more

I always thought it was classy until they started this weird "Drag Queen" events. I mean, seriously? I prefer normal places to wine and dine, searching for a place where class is still considered class without the downgrade of character and reputation. Ok, I'll give it two stars for normal community service. read more

4 stars for a delicious dinner, great drinks, and friendly staff. I made a reservation for an early dinner (6:00p), which turned out to be completely unnecessary - I was the only one there. I was greeted right away and allowed to sit anywhere, so I picked a cozy table tucked in to the corner. I checked out the cocktail menu and made my selection (government greed) but the server recommended Adam's Demise instead. I went along with her recommendation and am glad I did - it was delicious! I started with the French onion soup and it was... fine. It lacked some of the richness I was expecting, but the fried onions on top added a little something special. When it was served, I immediately noticed it was missing the traditional topper of melted cheese, but it had just sunk below the surface. I could have done without the chives - the were coarsely chopped and a bit overwhelming. I just treated them as a garnish and scooped them out. The soup itself was a bit bland and but it was a chilly night so it still hit the spot. Next, I got the Steak Frîtes - a 12oz ribeye served with fries (are these cooked in duck fat? They were great!) and topped with a red wine sauce. Mine was missing the sauce but I didn't notice until I'd finished my meal. Oh well! Guess I didn't need it! My only complaint here was the amount of fat and gristle on this cut of meat. However, my steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare), super flavorful, and the herb butter was a nice touch without overwhelming the seasoning on the ribeye. I can't say enough about how friendly and attentive the staff is. My server (Ida? Omg I'm the worst... I think that was her name) would check in often and stay for a second or two (I was dining alone), but not too often so I felt like I was always being watched (if you've dined in an empty restaurant, you know what I mean). This was my first time dining at Brabo and certainly won't be my last! read more

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Tried two coastal appetizers... green goddess soup (crab, grapes) and house tagliatelle (seaweed, Salomon roe) with glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Creative twist on old favorites. Seating in different rooms are available, quiet, so location suitable for quiet professional meeting or evening out with partne read more

BRABO Brasserie - House Tagliatelle - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I have to say I was generally underwhelmed by this place. I attended a holiday party and wasn't really a fan of the table set up. It was tight and cramped and hard to interact with the masses. The dinner- I had steak with cauliflower and scalloped potatoes- was ok. I liked the rare freshness of the steak but the zucchini purée was forgettable and the potatoes lacked flavor, bonus points for the service- very friendly and serviceable but some kinks with the set up and overall meal. Plus have improved. I'd be interested in checking out the place for a regular meal. read more

BRABO Brasserie - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

honest review would be 3.5 stars. nothing was bad, drinks were good, great atmosphere for a date night which was why we went, and the dessert (profiteroles) was actually amazing. entrees and appetizers were alright, we got bored of it after a while. I got the pasta and my boyfriend got the Rohan duck. it was good but i dont think we'll get it again. Dessert was a game changer. The profiteroles were perfectly made and so pretty. i left satisfied because of that alone tldr: come for the drinks and dessert- I'd get dinner somewhere else read more

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Delicious anniversary dinner! Staff was very friendly, had a reservation and got seated right away. Good was gorgeous and delicious. Was so stuffed! read more

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The Duchess of Brabo says: If you are a single diner - DON'T do the $20 brunch!!!! GO NEXT DOOR to Brabo Tasting Room if you want brunch. Essentially it is the same brunch food for less $$$$ and, IMO, I prefer the Tasting Room's waffles with apples over the yucky apricot ones here. The apricot was so dry and chewy it was worse than chewing beef jerky. That said. The aesthetics at Brabo are nice. Service is SLOW but decent. I came for Sunday brunch. Their menu is misleading and the servers don't tell you that it is $20 for EACH ITEM! The food is good I will not begrudge them for that. My coffee had a scummy film that looked like spit floating on top - I obviously didn't drink it. I had to get up and get my own salt & pepper (the server didn't offer or bring it), I had to get the hostess to get me some syrup, and the plate they served my waffles in was dirty. Didn't have these issues at the Brabo Tasting Room. How the hell does that work???? Same company, same management, same hotel (#Kimpton). Baffling. I would probably come back for the bar at happy hour or late evening but I probably would not dine here. I'd go to any number of other restaurants that Alexandria has to offer. read more

BRABO Brasserie - Too much food - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Ah... it was all going so well. That is, until the entrees arrived. Picture it... five ravenous diners who all ordered the NY strip steak. Two came out exactly as you would picture a NY strip. 1.25-inch thick, longish, succulent, wonderful... The other three came out with a 2-inch thick, short, filet-looking, under-cooked (because of the unsure, thick cut), mass of something. We flagged down the waitress, "this is the wrong cut..." She says, "I assure you it's NY strip." Peep my reviews- 100+ steakhouses and counting; some of the best in the world. I know the steak cuts. Not to mention we're all from NY... We know a NY strip steak cut when we see it... And for $40/steak, they should know the steak cuts too. EPIC FAIL... Don't go here... read more