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    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant

    3.6 (473 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM

    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant Photos

    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Table setting - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Interior - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Traditional breakfast with poached eggs instead of scramble (comes with fruit cup) - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Table setting - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Main Entrance Door - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Bread - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - the entrance to the building - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Pork chop with mash potatoes and veggies- great meal - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia
    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - Window - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

    +467

    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - table for two by the window - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

    Business Info

    GADSBY'S TAVERN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Touristy
    Classy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant

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    Prime rib
    Shanan F.

    Service was amazing with Gloria. The French onion soup was the best I have ever had. The mashed potatoes were amazing.

    Filet Mignon
    Rich S.

    Timeless Treasure Food The food here is superb. We had the clam bisque, peanut soup, ham biscuits, Filet Mignon, Washington's favorite Duck, Lamb Chops, and chocolate cake. The peanut soup was unique and something distinctly colonial period. I would order it again except the other appetizers were so much better I would probably get those first. The Claim Bisque was one of the best soups I've had at a restaurant. All the flavors melded together so well. The Ham Biscuits with raspberry drizzle just melted in your mouth. The combination of flavors and textures was amazing you really have to try this. The whole my mother enjoyed the Lamb it was my least favorite of the three. It had a strong flavor (liquorice maybe) that I didn't care for but ymmv. The duck was very good and the corn pudding that came with it was very unique. While everyone enjoyed their meal the table agreed the Filet was the best entree we ordered. The sauce in top added a nice flavor, it was perfectly cooked and tender. As a steak snob it definitely passed the test. The flowerless chocolate cake doesn't normally come with the raspberry sauce but it was so good on the ham biscuits we asked them to add it and it was fantastic with the chocolate. Service We were seated timely, food arrived in a good amount of time and everyone was friendly. Overall very good service. Ambiance Some restaurants are mainly ambiance and others mainly good food. This is both. When you walk in, you can feel the history surrounding you in the walls. A Gentleman came to our table, dressed in themed attire and in character as the original owner. We had a fun conversation which ended in me singing and him playing Dixieland on his lute. Value This is not an inexpensive place to eat so know that going in. My appetizer steak and dessert with no alcohol was $60. Regardless, whenever I come in town, I'm going to go back.

    Diego S.

    I wanted to give 3.5 stars, but I don't have that option. I wanted to experience a little bit of history with my meal and Gadsby's Tavern fit the bill. We had reservations 4 on a Thursday. I was a little concerned when we arrived and the restaurant was virtually empty. The decor was consistent with the period theme of the restaurant. I am not sure if the peeling paint in various areas was intentional or the result of neglect. Our server was attentive and efficient but I think could have made the experience so much better had she explained anything about the history of the building and the figures that had patronized the building. I would have also enjoyed an explanation (even if made up) about the menu items representing authentic menu items from the Revolutionary era. We ordered the biscuits with Virginia ham and the calamari as appetizers. The biscuits were perfectly bite sized and delicious with a berry drizzle, reminiscent of a Monte Cristo. The calamari was good, but not noteworthy. For entrees we had the filet and the prime rib. They were both cooked as requested (medium rare & medium) and delicious. The accompanying vegetables were also fresh and well prepared - not overcooked or mushy. Deserts was the créme brûlée like Colonial Burnt Cream and the Tipsy English Trifle. Both were very good, though my wife was startled that the burnt cream was warm throughout and not chilled like créme brûlée. Overall, the food was very good and reasonably priced considering this is likely frequented by tourists like myself. I just think the experience would be much better if they presented more of the history. I don't expect period costumes or reenactments, but some explanation of the historic significance of the building and area would make it more meaningful.

    Richard H.

    My wife and I were there for the history of this restaurant. The background stories are attractive since George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other historic figures had dining in the restaurant. As a national historic preservation building, the space is unique and did preserve the time and history of the era. However, despite the historical importance of this restaurant, the maintenance is a bit disappointing. I understand it is an old building, but the ceiling paint of our dining room is peeling, the restroom door is lack of maintenance. The price of the food is somewhat reasonable as a fine dining restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. However, the food is just ok to my expectation. Compare to the tavern in the Colonial Williamsburg, which also provides colonial style dining experience, there is room for improvement. I was expecting to sink into the colonial time era, but this restaurant just didn't deliver the experience. Overall, I think this restaurant is generally above average, but it has some many potentials to be great!

    I had the prime rib!!
    Fr. William S.

    What a fun place to come for Mother's Day dinner with the family. The servers were kind and extremely attentive. The nephews were amazed that five presidents had eaten in this very restaurant!! Martha Washington's pate was delicious. Crab and salmon and ham. What a combo!! Our table had the vegetable Neapolitan, the prime rib, the duck, the salmon, and the chicken fingers. We were all pleased and thankful for a delightful and delicious dinner.

    Donny A.

    So...you need to understand what this place is historically. Then you can appreciate a few things that you may not look past in other restaurants. It has historical significance in Old town Alexandria. Our first 4 Presidents ate here. I had the oyster Po boy and a Samuel Adams. It was good. We tried the peanut soup and the onion soup. I will come back here to drink in the tavern for sure. I love the history. You can smell the fireplace and see the walls darkened by hundreds of years of candles burning. I love it.

    The best painting of Geo. Washington - ever! Lol!!!
    Patrick L.

    Ahh, the great Gadsby's... Well, maybe not so great but kinda fun. While headed to Mount Vernon from DC, I happened to stop in at Gadsby's because I had heard George Washington and friends frequented the establishment for happy hour back in the day. The place has a historic vibe to it, that's fun. I think I would have been disappointed had I invested a dinner at Gad's, but lunch was serviceable. I shared some dishes with my wife (spellings are off the menu, not typos): We had a cup of Surrey Co. Peanut Soop cup $4/bowl $6 roasted peanuts simmered in fresh chicken stock with garlic and ginger A Walnut Gorgonzola Sallad $9 field greens topped with walnuts, gorgonzola, red onion and tomato with balsamic vinaigrette Shared a Grilled Chicken Sandwich $12 topped swiss cheese, baby spinach and bacon on a brioche roll with chutney mayonnaise and it came with a huge pile of fries! I LOVED the peanut "soop" but I LOVE peanut butter, you've been warned. The salad and sandwich were both good. Was it amazing? Not really, but it was good (and I was hungry!) Service was fine (the woman who waited on our table did an okay job, however she seemed awkward/nervous - maybe she was new?) In all, Gadsby's was a fun stop during a day of history-themed activities. I'd recommend it to anyone having a touristy day in the area or someone wanting to try peanut "soop" - it was otherworldly, lol! 3.5 stars P.S. If you head downstairs to use the washroom, the photo of George in the stairwell is a classic! Hahaha...

    Tracy L.

    Overdue review from last year- It was a nice experience, and the historical value was appreciated. The chairs may have even been from back then; they were so wobbly! Haha The service was attentive, and the restaurant was purposefully outdated and dimly lit. I really enjoyed the George Washington's Favorite- the duck fell right off the bone, but the glaze sauce was just a bit too sweet for me. My bf really enjoyed his prime rib steak. The Cab was our pick for wine.

    Tavern salad with shrimp
    Scott W.

    Parking here is street only so keep that in mind. This is a fun place to try if nothing else other than the historical value. The food is good and it's a comfortable setting. Service was ok, although I felt we could have been checked on a little more. The time of day wasn't during peak hours (2:00 pm) so I'm not sure of the "why". I've tried this place one other time and it was good then too, so consistency is something you can count on. My wife had the Tavern salad with shrimp and I had the roast beef and brie dip (although I don't think it had any horseradish).

    Grilled Salmon Filet

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    6 months ago

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    10 months ago

    George Washington's favorite is a must. The food was great and so was the friendly service. The place coulddd use a little TLC though.

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    Eat delicious food, fairly priced, in an actual historical location with a warm staff. My absolute favorite!

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    Ask the Community - Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant

    Any gluten free menu items?

    Where's the door?

    Located to the right of the museum door.

    Taking the museum tour, we saw an outdoor courtyard. Is the courtyard part of the restaurant? Is it open for meals, and if so, when?

    I am having lunch there now (May 9, at 2:50 PM). So, yes, it is part of the restaurant, and you can--at least--eat lunch out here.… Read more

    View All 5 Questions

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    Mulberry Lane - Downstairs seating near the play area

    Mulberry Lane

    5.0(4 reviews)
    1.5 miDel Ray

    As a working parent of a toddler, I really wish more places like this existed! I was able to bring…read moremy daughter here to play, with supervision, while I got some work done and had a coffee on a day my nanny was not available. My daughter had so much fun with the employees and other kiddos! I opted to sit downstairs which is louder, but there is a quiet work/study space upstairs for additional cost. Before we left I also ordered food to go from Shorty's Deluxe. Childcare and food all in one Highly recommend Mulberry Lane for all the parents!

    My fam travels a lot and we noticed play cafes in many other areas but not the DMV. It's clearly…read moremuch needed but we get why they aren't really here. But Mulberry Lane is a notch above bc not only is it a play cafe but there is staff there to watch your lils while you get to go elsewhere within the building whether that's in the lil tables visibly nearby or in one of their neighboring and partnering restaurants. I'd toootally get my kids memberships if we lived nearby. Since we probably would only go weekends for an hour or two, I'm glad there are the options for one time pay or multi hour passes for future use. Since we weren't sure if we'd be back, we gave it a try for one hour. Prices may change but our first time was $18 per child per hour. This may seem high for only one hour, but my kids had fun and my hour without worrying about them or being interrupted was very productive so it was worth it. Staff are friendly. I only wished they had gluten free options for the kiddos to enjoy after their play. Guess we can bring our own next time! :)

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    Mulberry Lane - Play time

    Play time

    Mulberry Lane - Decor

    Decor

    Mulberry Lane - Entrance

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    Entrance

    Joy on the Avenue - Rudolph's RNR Pretzel!

    Joy on the Avenue

    4.9(7 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Ambiance: love the decorations. It wasn't too over the top. We sat by the 'fireplace' on the sofa…read morewhich was near the bar. It was comfortable and the patrons were all so kind and told us when our drinks were up. Love Del Rey neighborhood for the welcoming vibe as always!! Service: it was very busy but appreciated the bouncer outside that made sure it wasn't over capacity. We had a short wait outside then a longer line emerged. Inside, the bartenders were busy but it wasn't like a 20 mins wait or anything. Note that the kitchen closes at 10pm and they won't let anything slide in at 10pm... Food: no food but the drinks were on point! I would laminate the menus because it was pretty beaten up. I know it's a pop-up but with drinks and food - those paper menus get gross. Definitely a fun vibe and people had the best holiday cheer. Would recommend!

    Transformed from the Nightmare on Mt. Vernon for Halloween, the pop-up space next to Pork Barrel…read moreBBQ is celebrating the season as Joy on the Avenue. Amazing decorations make the environment for imbibing or having some nibbles a wonderful holiday experience. Among the holiday named drinks the best are the Partridge in a Pear Tree, We Forgot Kevin!, and Baby It's Cold Outside. But for the best tasting holiday classic, the Cousin Eddie's Eggnog sports a reindeer cookie and a twist on seasonal nogg, and Jimmy Stewart's Sazerac is a delightful twist on an Old Fashioned. As sorry as I'll be to see January arrive and the Joy on the avenue disappear, I can't wait to see what holiday themed pop-up will arrive next!

    Photos
    Joy on the Avenue
    Joy on the Avenue - Scrooged Deviled Eggs!

    Scrooged Deviled Eggs!

    Joy on the Avenue - Rudolph 75!

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    Rudolph 75!

    Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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