It's World Cup season, and a VA resident asked me where he should watch the game. I had not been here in years, but I usually remembered all of the TVs around and those epic wings and cocktails. He took my advice, and we decide to make it a full outing. We showed up an hour and a half before the game started and got the last table in the entire bar. If you know this place, you know it is huge. I knew it was a good option for watching the game, but I didn't realize everybody else knew too . Since my last visit years ago, they have switched to QR code orders -- unless you are sitting at the bar I'm guessing. As I said, the place was absolutely full, but there was never a long wait time between ordering and receiving food and drinks. They had a fun 20 wing platter for $25.99 with some unique flavors representing different countries... USA (Buffalo Garlic), Spain (pollo asado), South Korea (SPICY), and Mexico (Creamy Cilantro)... I think I got those right, but wow what a feast! Yeah, I didn't take a pic, I'm sorry lol. The cheapest cocktails were $6, but others ranged from $8-12, so not bad at all. Everyone had a great time and I forgot how fun it is. But my special someone is a 5 minute walk away, so I ought to be returning more regularly :). Oh, the only thing was that we had to ask for water and it wasn't brought otherwise. It was a hot day, and there were 6 of us, so we needed a lot of water haha. But a simple ask and it was brought out quickly. In my opinion, they should do it automatically though! read more

We arrived at our hotel fairly late and the hotel restaurant was already closed. This place was located directly across the street and was open super late. Perfect. I did not want to eat fried or super unhealthy food since it was late but this place looked like the best option. We decided to sit at the bar area right by the entrance since it was empty. It did not take long for the bartender to approach us and offered drinks. Hubs and I both ordered beers on tap, which were delivered not too long after we ordered. I was in the mood for wings and decided to go for the boneless option since hubs only likes those and I definitely was not going to finish. I also wanted a veggie option so I went with the veggie wrap. Hubs ordered the Tex-Mex eggrolls. Our food arrived at an appropriate time and was correct. The food was okay but not out of this world, which we were expecting. We both enjoyed the veggie wrap though. This place is a good option for watching sports and if they're open late. The place is also big in size. read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Veggie Wrap - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great wings, burgers, and beer! Great service. Comfortable, very casual atmosphere. Highly recommend!! read more

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This place is absolutely wonderful! The food will get you in the door. However, the drinks and the customer service will have you coming back again and again. My go to when I visit FD Grill are the wings, the burgers, the salads, and the traditional potato skins. Any day you decide to visit, you won't be disappointed. Mondays are a good day to try this spot out if you have never been. They have a wing special on Monday evenings. If you are looking for a place to hang out with the guys or the girls, this is it! Happy eating and responsible drinking! read more

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Staying in the area and wanted wings so I decided to stop by. There's plenty of space to dine in or sit at the long bar. I was impressed by the extensive list of sauce options. I opted for the wings with mambo madness sauce, Cajun fries, and a sex on the beach. Personally I would've liked my wings a little crispier but they were still juicy on the inside. The sauce didn't taste like mumbo sauce at all though. It was more tangy and had some spice. The service was great though, I never felt forgotten about. I was always checked on and asked if I needed anything. read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

First Down is an incredible bar. All of the sauces are excellent with the exception of "Maple Madness," which you should only order if you are a weirdo from Quebec. Furthermore, Pawlos is the funniest person in Arlington. See you again soon. Turn the lights down. read more

There's something undeniably charming about First Down. Maybe it's the unpretentious "hole-in-the-wall" vibe, the affordable prices, or the friendly, laid-back staff--but whatever it is, it just works. The menu is classic bar fare--burgers, nachos, wings--but the portions? Way bigger than you'd expect. The loaded fries, for example, came in a bowl so massive that I barely made a dent, but it was exactly the kind of greasy comfort food you want after a rough night out. What really sets the place apart is the service. Jerry and Talia are the kind of bartenders who remember your name, check in without hovering, and make you feel like a regular--even if it's your first visit. read more

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Been coming for years. I was planning stopping in for drinks after work with some friends. I had use the bathroom like crazy before I sat down at the bar. Apparently the dude who works in the front (8/11) needs a you to pay for drink before all that can happen. Oddly, people walked in before me but I was the only one that was stopped (let's guess why). Sucks that a place you frequent can be ruined by one idiot person. Not the end of the world, just took and will continue to take my business elsewhere. damn read more

The three bathrooms were all urine drenched - the boneless chicken was dry and looked days old. Curly fries good - beer cold - Mac & cheese bites obviously frozen for awhile and no flavor. Don't recommend spending $60 for this experience. read more

The size of the place is deceiving. You think you're walking into a small bar and then once you're inside, the place expands in all directions. There are plenty of TVs and the staff is amazing. Game Day specials consisted of boneless 6 boneless wings ($11) or pretzel bites ($7). We got the wings and they were tasty - I only wish the order came with more wings. Bar staff was awesome! I love how each one comes to you when you need a drink - ie it doesn't matter who you ordered from, they take care of you. :) read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - 3 of 6 TVs at the bar and 12 of 20 taps - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

First down is always a solid location for wings. At times, some of the wings may seem like they were fried a while ago, but I'd say that most of the garlic or butter flavors are pretty solid. Highly recommend the onion rings as well as the nachos. This is one of the Ballston staples! read more

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tough. went for quarter fest which the deal is a vodka soda for $5. Literally watched bartender 1 pour all soda and try to pour the vodka only to be stopped by bartender 2 who said "do they have money" to shut him down from pouring a fair vodka portion. I totally get it, business is business. My brother in (insert deity). We're just like you. We're spending all we got on that spirit. We're hoping that spirit brings the rest of the cash. But. The business ain't for me. I'm sure they are better off specialized weekends. Just a bad first impression yanno. Bartender 1: goated. Appreciate you trying on behalf of us. Bartender 2: Tough..... read more

Hidden upcharges that aren't made known to customers ahead of time. $1 more if you order a drink with ice. $2 extra when requesting another salad dressing. I'm not making this up. I will NEVER patronize this establishment again!!! Spend your hard earned money elsewhere. read more

First Down was directly across the street from the hotel I stayed at. When I checked on Yelp, I noticed they had several televisions, which had multiple games on-- I knew this was the perfect place to spend Football Sunday before returning to NY. I got a seat right in front, but the place was deceptively much bigger than I anticipated. It appears to be a small narrow bar, but when I made my way to the bathroom, I noticed the bar was huge. Another aspect I found cool was, although most folks here are supporting the Commanders, they had fans of multiple teams, in attendance. Wish I had my giants jersey with me, but we were on a bye anyway. Anywho, the service was great, the pricing and I got to enjoy my final day in VA here. If I return to this area, I'll definitely make this place the go to for a sporting event. read more

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Check your credit card statement after coming here. They charged an extra 25% onto my credit card (almost a week later) after I had already paid and closed out my tab at the table. Sketchy and very untrustworthy business practices. Also, one disgusting urinal for an entire bar full of dudes drinking beers and watching sports?! Do better. read more

Food - 4.5/5 Service - 5/5 Ambiance - 5/5 Got the 18 wings, half lemon pepper, half buffalo medium. The wings were delicious! Well seasoned and cooked perfectly Service was great! The bartender was friendly and attentive. Got my drinks pretty quickly The bar was clean and had a number of TVs you can watch sports on. Loved this whole experience! read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Lemon pepper Chicken Wings - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Delivery order but had to hop on yelp to say that the burger was good but the wings... wow. Got boneless ghost pepper because I needed something spicy and boy did I get it. It's a slow burn so you can actually taste all the flavor in the sauce which was AWESOME. I'm going to pay for this later but this was the first time in a long time the heat got me! Definitely going back to try their other flavors because these were THAT good. read more

Extremely rude bartender! Have come here several times and service is always a struggle. This time was the end of the line. Seemed racist because he was nice to others around me read more

No-frills sports bar with 30+ TV's & 40+ different varieties of chick wings (both bone-in & boneless) Order from a QR code Very friendly staff Food is nothing special, but you don't come here for the food $.89 wings on Monday nights, Trivia on Tuesday nights, & 10 wings for $10 on Thursdays Also have a limited non-chicken wing menu comprised of your typical bar food read more

The spot to be for all sports. Great food, good cost, friendly bartenders. The burger was immaculate; cooked perfectly and so juicy. The waffle fries are the way to go. Wings are decently sized and have good flavor. Great for a decent amount of people in your group read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Create Your Own Burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Good vibes here. Quick service and friendly staff. Always a good spot to come for any sporting event. Football or soccer is usually on whenever I come. Tons of wings flavors. Their other food is also pretty good. Deceivingly spacious inside. If you're planning on coming for say an NFL Sunday. Probably want to get there around 12:45 to comfortably find a seat. read more

I ate steak salad and watched the Bucks game so I was good. I just wish they had a better selection of nonalcoholic beverages read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Black and Bleu Steak Salad - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Local sports bar with a ton of TVs and located right near the Ballston metro. The service was great, bartender Deo is fantastic. A year ago they did a number of upgrades, if there is any sporting event they will pretty much have it. read more

These are by far the worst chicken tenders I've had from a restaurant. Clearly frozen. Unfortunate cause the ambiance is good

BEST WINGS in all of VA!!!! Deeeeelish! 40 flavors of wings! Yes; that's correct: 4-0 flavors! Pre-Corona Review My favorite wing flavor is MADNESS!!!! It's kickin'!!!! Hot, spicy - just how I like it. It comes with celery. Wings are not breaded; they are naked. A great low carb/keto option. You also get blue cheese or ranch. Blue cheese all the way for me. Monday was discounted wings: $0.75 each. Wednesday was my go to as it was All You Can Eat (AYCE) for $23 all day; 2 hour time limit. Deeeelish. I hope they have these deals after Corona. I've punished tons of yard bird there. Haha! By the way, my second favorite flavor was OLD BAY!!!! Yummmmm!! Generous happy hour specials and times. Weekdays from 3 pm until 8 pm. Food and drink specials for HH. With over 30 televisions you can watch every game. They have NFL ticket; that means all of the football games!! Support this small business for some of the best wangs in the Commonwealth. Mmmmmmm read more

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The restaurant is good for watching sports and located near Metro. The service was good and friendly bartenders. But, the Chicken Tender dish I ordered was dry and hard. It was not a good experience as such dishes are staple in Sports Bars. I just hope the kitchen did not reheat them in the microwave. The bar has regular tables and chairs for us common folk and it feels homely. Good place to watch sports. read more

We stumbled upon this venue and decided we were popping in. What a delight it was! Inside it's a large sports bar with plenty of TVs over 14 and I do mean #Over . Plenty of tables and even with covid19 they are taking all precautions including staff wearing mask and seating is social distancing. There's also a back patio which is situated the same social distancing. The menu is filled delicious appetizers, salads, burgers and all sorts of sandwiches. Nice selection of beers from local to domestic. A full bar for your favorite cocktails . It's very spacious inside and out well it's a bar . If you are in the area swing by come on in and be prepared to have some fun! What the heck you waiting on get ready and come on over! read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Be sure to download so you can view the menu - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Wow! I think we found our new favorite Buffalo wing place in the dmv after a VERY long and thorough search. Growing up in the west coast, my all-time favorite wings are from a family owes chain now called Epic Wings based out of San Diego. We are always looking for anything that might come close and these are a decent stand in. To be fair, we only had wings, pretzel bites, and beer, but the experience here was awesome. You can sit anywhere, order on your phone and they bring your food and drinks right to you. They make their Buffalo sauce in house every day and they are thick and delicious. We tried both the hot and hot honey flavors. Wings were decent quality without too much of that gross tendon stuff. Very saucy and the ranch they serve was the perfect kind of ranch to pair with wings (not too over-powering). We absolutely loved the flavors of the sauce. The hot wasn't too hot. The honey hot seemed to be their house medium mixed with honey, so we probably will try another more out there flavor next time. Pretzel bites are deep fried, so they have a nice crisp outer layer and soft interior. Lots of options for draft beer and the folks working behind the bar are super nice. Now - on ambiance. This place is a definite dive so no fancy clothes needed here. There is no patio, but they have a bunch of space on the back of the restaurant with more seating. (is bigger than it looks). Great music playing and lots of tvs. They have a few parking spots behind their building. AND happy hour goes until 8 pm! read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Honey hot and hot wings - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I chose First Down for my husband's surprise 30th birthday and it was the perfect location! We were given the back room for our party of 15 people and provided with wings, mac and cheese bites, mozzarella sticks, waffle fries, and beer towers. We were able to put up letters, posters, and balloons and plug in a laptop to a TV for decoration. We were also able to keep a cake in the fridge and have it brought out at the end of the night. The food was all so delicious and everyone from FD was so friendly and helpful and truly made this experience the very best it could've been. The only bummer was that I wasn't able to play a short video on the TV because the wifi wasn't working, but that wasn't a big deal at all compared to the awesome night we had! Thanks for a great night, FD - you made my husband's 30th birthday truly memorable and awesome! read more

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Wow. Amazing atmosphere. Great food. Awesome bar tenders. I think I met my match w their ghost pepper wings. The wing selection is crazy amazing. This is a really cool bar and a great place to watch a game. read more

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The wings. Fried nice and crisp and slathered in sauce. Lots of beers on tap. Great service esp if Anthony is working the stick. Also have a pretty good Steak Salad. read more

Great wings and burgers. Great service. Highly recommend to anyone that may be in the area

Friendly bartenders, cool divey vibe, and ice cold beers. What more do you want? Huh?

Terrible service. DO NOT GO HERE. Was denied a beer because my ID was slightly creased. Do not know the servers name. I WAS SERVED THE DAY BEFORE AND THERE WAS NO ISSUE. Regardless of what occurred to me, the gaf smelled like shit and their food is definitely not made without cockroaches or rats touching it. In addition to this occurrence, there was a hole in the bathroom door. Talk about privacy. Would rather eat off of the floor than go back. read more

Very nice little neighborhood sports bar and dive bar in the heart of Ballston where you can watch sports on one of the many big-screen TV's if sports are your thing, order chicken wings or many many other different kinds of pub-grub, order craft beer, and more. They could do better with the craft beer selection, but everything else is pretty good. The staff are nice and the decor is nice and creative. In a neighborhood like Ballston where nearly everything is changing, this is one of the last dive bars of its kind and it's like a neighborhood gem so to speak. read more

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A pretty cool local dive type bar. The food and service are great. I am a big fan of the wings and flat bread items. A really good deal price wise for the area. read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Pretzel Dog! - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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First Down is the bomb. Pitchers, beer towers, bar food, sports non stop; classic dive bar. A lot of fun to watch college football at, great energy and the servers are very friendly. Our waitress said on Sundays it gets super crowded for NFL games so I'd keep that in mind, but they do have NFL specials. Got the wings extra crispy and was not disappointed. Definitely recommend if you want somewhere super casual and more divey! read more

First Down Sports Bar & Grill - Traditional Chicken Wings (mango habanero and spicy garlic butter) - Sports Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Exceptional food and service. Delightful staff. Enjoyed talking with locals/regulars. Very fun!

Mixed reviews about this place.. my wife and I walked in here last night (Saturday) and wanted to sit at the bar but the guy at the front was very rude and unpleasant so we walked down and was greeted by another gentleman (much nicer) and he told us to sit wherever we liked so we sat with him but then decide to move to a table because the bartender from up front and the busser were cussing and fighting to each other and it made us very uncomfortable! My wife picked a table and we were greeted by a young lady who was very sweet and took our order because we are much older and prefer talking face to face, she told us her honest opinion what is good! (We ended up getting the burgers and they were delicious) maybe the bartender was having an off day we will be back to try again read more

I've been going here for almost two years and I have no complaints. The service is always on point and the food is good and the drinks are cold. The staff is what makes the place great. Pawlos, Annie, Liza and then rest of the crew is always willing to help and they make you want to come back. read more