3 stars for an a-ok French/German restaurant. Part of the reason my wife and I look to try both current and former Washingtonian Top 100 restaurants is so that we can try a variety of places all over the DMV area. One of those former restaurants is Lyon Hall. Located in Arlington off Washington Boulevard near the Clarendon Metro station, Lyon Hall is a venue that has some pros and cons that made for a mixed bag of an experience. We arrived at the venue (btw: outside seating when it is warm) to find a multi-story restaurant that was mostly empty at 5pm on a Sunday. While it started filling up as the night went on, I could tell that part of the issue is that it is trying to be too many things at once. One side of the main level was a bar and looked like a beer area (we came for the "Kill the Duchess" drinking event, so makes sense), while the other side looked like it was going for a nicer restaurant (although the tables are wayyy too close here). The menu also goes back and forth between the idea of a German beer place (great beer menu btw) and a French restaurant. We took our seat and (after a couple minutes of silence), our waiter came over to start our order. He was a very friendly fellow and did a good job throughout the meal. He brought us our glasses of Duchess beer fairly quickly and responded when our eyes caught each other. The food that we ended up ordering also went with the them of "all over the place." Our appetizers included a pear salad and a pumpkin bisque. Both were rather tasty as the pear salad had lots of good components and the bisque included 2 little lobster raviolis in the middle. Our entrees included the trout almondine and the schweinshaxe (aka pork shank). While the dressings and side components for the entrees were fun, the actual meat for each weren't seasoned very well and came off like they were cooked in bulk and then handed over to the chef to turn into a dish. Neither was bad per se, but rather just ok. Overall, Lyon Hall was a decent Arlington restaurant that had lots of good characteristics, including a large and interesting venue, good service, and some tasty food items. However, the lack of a cohesive vision and food that was only ok won't really inspire you to come back unless with a group for one of the venue's beer dinners or to grab a beer and snacks during happy hour. read more

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Never been to Lyon Hall and was pleasantly surprised with the overall experience. Service was fast, maybe a little too fast, but not in a negative way. Food was pretty good, not excellent, but good. Our reservation was at 5:45 and we were out in 50 minutes. Slightly loud, but not loud enough to hear my wife across the table. I definitely would return and would like to try other entrees. We had the pretzel to start, I had the schnitzel and my wife had the chicken entree. read more

My first experience was a knock-out, but recently brunch was less of a show stopper. While the food is always good here, I was a little surprised to find the service to be much less attentive and quite frankly slow for brunch on a saturday afternoon. No drink specials, but a wide variety of breakfast and lunch dishes are available. We came in around 1PM, so the location was not that crowded. Even though not all the guests had arrived, I would have still liked to be acknowledged by the waiter after arriving. We had a bit of a mix up with drinks, drinks not available, and then what must have been a back up at the bar. I ordered the quiche lorraine which came with a side salad. Very good serving size and taste. Our food was wonderful, but again slower than I would have cared for. The waiter did treat our table to donuts which was really appreciated. Food is great, especially the dinners, so I'll be back with hopefully a better table experience. read more

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Muscles here are fabulous. Service here is fabulous. But my favorite part about this place is the way they treat dogs on the outside patio seating. They bring a big bowl with water and ice in it and my dog Winston is so happy because all the employees are SO kind to him. I love coming here because of the people that work here. read more

Lyon Hall - Dog friendly! - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Had a family meal here on Saturday night. Great mussels, flank steak, short rib and service. Friends also ate there and they were pleased as well. read more

Wonderful experience, wonderful service. Even the bread was good haha. Honestly getting seats here for happy hour wasn't too difficult and they even accommodated for an extra guest (last minute). Staff friendly and very responsive. Food tasty (we ordered lots). Will come back! read more

Lyon Hall - Creme broulet - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Holding down the neighborhood and doing so with class, Lyon Hall brings it home with the best seafood happy hour around. Happy hour $6 wines, $12 massive pots of muscles and $1 oysters (free bread) means you roll in hungry and roll out in a wheelbarrow! The bar and bar area are almost as big as the seated area making this location great for group gatherings or office happy hours. The service is fast and the muscles come out hot and scrumptious. One pot is easily sharable with two people...or...just one.....like I did! Dark but lit by some t.v. screens, this place seems nice for a date-night as well. There's a reason why Lyon Hall been around for so long! read more

Lyon Hall - Happy Hour muscles and oysters - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Always one of my favorite places; make reservations - it's always busy here! Great happy hour menu Everything is delicious! read more

I've been to Lyon Hall multiple times and have always had a great experience. The food here is amazing and we love to bring out of town guests here. read more

Lyon Hall - Yellowfin Tuna Tartare -yum!! - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This Arlington spot was our latest dinner delivery via Uber Eats. What a find!!! Hubby ordered the roasted chicken dinner which had a plentiful portion of freshly roasted chicken that he dug into before I could even get a photo of it! I ordered the mixed green salad with steak add on. The salad was a nice assortment of greens with fennel and came with a yummy house dressing. The steak was not only a HUGE serving it was cooked perfectly as well. We both ordered the Creme Brûlée for dessert and it was delicious! Let me also add our meal was carefully and well packaged and arrived early. I can't wait to try this place in person soon. read more

Lyon Hall - Toasted Sugar & Vanilla Bean Crme Brle - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Alright so for real... the food, from what I experienced, is not that good. I got the pretzel (w. cheese fondue etc. for dipping) and the macaroni and cheese, and in both instances, the cheese had this weirdly grainy, almost watery feel. It had a vaguely cheese-like taste, but not a very cheese-like texture, and it was hard to classify it as enjoyable. Maybe I just wasn't drunk enough to appreciate it. I don't know. But on a positive note, happy hour prices were good, as was their beer. Loved the $6 pints of Crispin cider. I'd come back for drinks and maybe give them a chance to redeem themselves with one of their famous mussel pots. From what I hear, that's really their main attraction. Edit/side note: the bathrooms are all downstairs in a really secluded little area where no one can hear your screams. Not that this is really a sketchy establishment, but still, I'd recommend that ladies have a friend accompany them. read more

Lyon Hall - Bavarian pretzel - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Came here with my bf for a going away party and had a great time! We were seated right away upstairs and our server, Brittany, was an absolute delight. She was consistently on top of things and never mistook an order, regardless of how many things we added. The food and drinks were delicious and the ambiance was nice. As someone who can be critical, you can easily ignore the negative reviews and enjoy a great meal and drink! read more

Lyon Hall - Can't remember the name, but the margarita with absinthe lol - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I have been here 3-4 times, and each time I come here bringing new guests it's always for one thing-- the REALLY good food. The white wine mussels and the steak tartare are what I religiously get with each visit. So so good. I am a huge foodie who loves to cook at home, so when I can't replicate a recipe on my own that's when I know it's pretty darn good stuff. What would knock off .5 stars if I could would be the service. The wait staff tend to be on the younger side and each visit I found myself waiting quite a bit to be served. (That being said, for my anniversary we snagged a table by the bar with the bartender serving us and she was absolutely awesome). If you are in the hunt for great Date Night restaurant in Clarendon with prices that are not ridiculous but food that tastes delicious, 10/10 recommend coming here. read more

Lyon Hall is one of my absolutely favorite French restaurants in the DMV. The quality of the food is just as good as being in France. I have eaten there a ton of the years and to as appetizers go there is almost too much to chose from because everything is so delicious. The escargot would turn any naysayers into snail loving fools. The pate is out of this world, and layered on their fresh made baguette it can really transport you to Paris. The steak tartare is always so flavorful with outstanding texture and seasoning and the quail egg adds out of this world richness. Of course you can't go wrong with a cheese plate but what my personal favorite move is to order and share vin blanc post is mussels as a starter for the table. The rich broth and tender mussels are next level. As for the entrees pictured below is my old faithful the pork schnitzel sandwich on a pretzel roll which is crunchy and tender and everything in between. Of course the short rib is always fall off the bone and just melts in your mouth with each and every bite. And if neither of those options work, you can't go wrong with the risotto which is never over done or too soggy but the perfect consistency and is over the top decadent with the added truffles. You can never beat the atmosphere or service when you are at Lyon Hall as the staff is attentive, friendly and always willing to make your meal the best it can be. read more

Lyon Hall - Pork Schnitzel and Hanger Steak Frites - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I really enjoyed the food. My server, Danny, was amazing! Very kind and gave great recommendations!! Will 100 percent be returning. (Ask for Danny to be your server) read more

Lyon Hall - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Perfection! Everything was amazing. The bread, pastry, benedicts ! It waa a dream and so many more options to explore. Tbe service was amazing. There is clearly a very talented ch3f behind the wheel here, the plates are perfectly balanced. I dont think in my lifetime i have wver had such a spot on dressed and seasoned salad and I am not a salad person but wow! Hats off, this makes me want to move here and not just vacation, the lucky folks who get this regularly are spoiled and I wish to be, i will.be here again whenever possible! You wont regret this experience and will make it your top go to! read more

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Went on a Sunday. We were seated quickly, but it took the waiter 10 minutes to come tell us he'd be with us "in a few minutes." Five minutes later we got up and left. The hostesses didn't bother to ask if there was any problem as we were leaving. read more

Three years ago, my older brother and I made promises to each other that if we were to see beouf tartare on a menu together, we'd have to order it. Lyon Hall at dinnertime offers French-American dishes at ... expected prices. At about ~$50 per head, you can expect to order two glasses of wine and three small plates to share. Adding the bread basket on top, you'll be suffering from itis in 1-2 hours. My brother and I split the beouf tartare, mussels and the shrimp salad. Out of all three dishes, I'd recommend the grilled shrimp salad. Perfect as a full salad to stand alone and shine. The mussels were finely seasoned with the salty and smoky sausage but I prefer mussels from Saint Arnolds. Beouf tartare... as much as I'd like to sing its praises, fell super short of what I was expecting. Needed more punch from mustard and capers. The other two dishes definitely had more spice and season than the tartare. Overall, a great place within walking distance from the Clarendon metro. Good for dates, wine happy hours, and patio seating. read more

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Great happy hour with solid portions! The $12 mussel pots are huge and great for sharing. Lots of other solid happy hour options including burgers, fries, etc... Docking one star as their happy hour menu is meat centric, if you're not digging something meat heavy or mussels, you may not find much besides fries. Outdoor seating on the patio is also very nice when the weather permits. read more

Lyon Hall - Mussel pot - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Really good French Toast and coffee. Other good food items on the menu for dinner and brunch. Nice surroundings and helpful staff too.

I ordered from Uber eats and was really excited for the food I got the pretzel and French onion soup. The pretzel and dips were delicious. The French onion soup was good until I pulled out a giant piece of plastic. read more

Considering that I wasn't even able to try the food. My neighborhood restaurant, Lyon Hall, gets a 1 star from me. Explanation: My two friends and I approach the hostess 5 minutes before our outdoor reservation slot at 7.30, the hostess walks us ALL the way towards the back where we are seated at a dark table with NO heat lamp or surrounding heat lamps. We kindly ask the hostess if they are able to roll over a heat lamp to our table and the hostess goes back into the restaurant to find out if that is acceptable. They later come out with seat covers and responds by telling us that there are no more available heat lamps at the moment and that under VA restaurant rules/regulations that they are restricted from moving heat lamps around(along with whatever other BS they have to say). Note: It was 7.30 on a windy day in March with temperatures in the mid-40's. SO, We look around to find another EMPTY table towards the front surrounded by other heat-lamps and suggest that we be seated at that table. The hostess then responds by telling us that the EMPTY table has already been reserved...mind you that we ALSO had an outdoor reservation and arrived EARLY for ours. After being denied a resolution a second time we stood around trying to make another plan for the night as this one was ruined. While standing around for another 5 minutes to check open-table for other neighboring restaurants, the EMPTY table still stood EMPTY and we were NOT given any other explanation and simply forced to turn away from eating at this establishment. All this to say that we were very disappointed in the service and felt nothing more than discriminated against for not being seated WITH a reservation at a well lit and warm table that wasn't in the far back of the street outdoors. We are three beautiful brown women who will NOT be retuning to this establishment. I will happily take my business elsewhere. read more

Our absolute favorite restaurant in the DMV area. They do SUCH a good job from service to food to atmosphere. And most importantly, they are consistent. They're also super kid friendly which we love. We order take out or dine in especially for Happy Hour. Their food is impeccable and we always are satisfied and impressed. If anything is awry they are willing to fix it with a smile. read more

This was my favorite of our four bar stops on a lovely Fall cold November Saturday. Third stop and being that it is French I order a nice glass of Rose from France of course. It was crisp and refreshing and my friend ordered a nice soft warm pretzel. Typical of a German establishment but went well with our drinks. Beautiful view from side window of Downtown Arlington. Being it was Veteran's Day weekend located just outside the Capitol of the United States the United States flag was proudly flying. Would love to come back here as I am sure their menu is as amazing as it was for drinks. read more

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Good atmosphere, and our waitress was great. I ordered a drink, and I hated it immediately. She let me return it for something else, and I really appreciated that. Waitress rating: 10/10. Ordered the Brussels sprouts, and overall they were okay. You get a good amount and they have a nice roasted flavor with a mustard-base sauce, but they are too big. They were cut in half but still required two bites. Makes the inside chewy. Brussel sprout rating: 5/10. Then ordered the springtime risotto for my meal. This was the biggest shock of all- it came out totally green (I think it was a blended pea sauce). Not sure if that is because I asked for no cheese? I don't know, but it basically tasted like a bowl of peas. Kind of unappetizing looking. Risotto rating: 5/10 for me (because I don't mind peas); but my friend tried it and rated it 3/10. Kind of let down on the food. read more

Lyon Hall - Springtime Risotto - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I'm new to Virginia, so I've been out and about searching for new places to dine at. Lyon Hall is a delightful place for a quick drink, happy hour or dinner. My favorite is the French Dip served at happy hour; every day of the week! Service is great, especially Jose & Pedro behind the bar. One of my servers, Nick, also does a great job! read more

We love this restaurant and the happy hour is so fun! Make sure to check out the 'mirror' in the wash closet!!

Is it the best for French onion soup? No. Is it above average? Slightly. I would go again. It is a good spot, especially if weather is nice to eat outside. It is very popular so you may have a wait. read more

What a pleasant surprise! I've passed by Lyon Hall many times before and have eaten here for brunch years ago (it wasn't super memorable then) but this is my first time having dinner here and I enjoyed the experience! First off, I really love the string lights they have, really adds to the warm, cozy, homey ambiance. I got the duck orecchiette and it was good, though I did think it could've been more flavorful. My friend got the mussels and she enjoyed them. Service was good too throughout the night. I would definitely be down to visit them again! read more

Chef is amazing and always puts out great food! You couldn't possibly find more friendly and attentive and caring servers! It gets a little loud at times, but it's such a great place, it's hard to complain too much. They tend to keep the restaurant on the cool side, so I always take a sweater. read more

Best Hanger steak around. All their seafood is delish including the oysters. And don't sleep on the risotto or the pork schnitzel. Wow. Such variety!!!! Excellent for takeout and unlike some places where the food does not travel well....Lyon Hall nails it with their packaging. Keep it up. Food is fresh and alway popping with flavor. Can't wait to sit down at the bar and have a dirty!!!! Cheers. read more

I came here for Sunday Brunch and I had a reservation but it wasn't super crowded. I was pleasantly surprised. We started off with the trio of donuts were amazing. The flavors were mango margarita, strawberry, and a creme brulee. The flavors weren't super distinct but the texture of the donuts were amazing. I then ordered the quiche Lorraine for my entree and it was light and filling. The crust was crisp and flaky, the flavors were great, and the side salad that accompanied it was lightly dressed but flavorful. The only complaint I have is that the waiter that served us didn't really stop and talk to us and get our order. We had to flag him down constantly to get our orders in and it wasn't even THAT breezy. He would just constantly glide by and not ever attend to us. Other than that, the food was fantastic!!! Would definitely go back for brunch. read more

Lyon Hall - Quiche Lorraine - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Service was great. I ordered the fish that is on their menu. At the table they also ordered the schnitzel and a mussel pot. Everything was very good. I will be going back. read more

Applause for the chef at Lyon Hall, who expertly brings out the magic in each ingredient to create delicious dishes. We started out with a couple of happy hour drinks at the bar. I started out with a soft blend of cabernet+merlot and proceeded on to a black jager, which was fantastic and strong on the coffee flavor. For the appetizer, we split the mini frank. The poppy seed roll was just sinful enough on the butter. It held up beautifully against the tender frankfurter and the ample kraut. The complementary dijon mustard definitely screams mustard so I advise you to taste it before smothering it onto the frank as it might overpower the delicious flavors. For the main course, we split the sausage platter and the autumn vegetables. Surprisingly, the vegetables were the stars for me. The artichoke hearts were buttery with a good drizzle of olive oil, the tomatoes were bursting with tart juices, the sautéed spinach tender and fresh, and the lyonnaise potato were caramelized with onions to satiate that carb+umami craving. The sausages served as textural and salty contrasts to the delicious vegetables, but they also packed so much flavor. Make sure you savor each one slowly for the full experience. All of that was served on garlic jus, which for me is just heaven. We ended with the hazelnut opera cake. I was impressed by how each ingredient complemented each other to create a fabulous dessert. The sticky and warm pumpkin puree was a lovely base to the dense opera cake, rendered even more moist by the coffee ice cream. As you chew through the bite, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the graham cracker crisp and how the chocolate layer of the cake is the last ingredient to melt on your tongue. The flavor combination worked together in an unexpected way to keep making you reach for another bite. Our dinner here was a perfect representation of a wonderful brasserie experience, and I cannot wait to return! read more

Lyon Hall - Frankfurter - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Yum! After hearing some good things, I came here recently for Sunday brunch with a few friends. The service was extremely friendly an attentive. Our waitress always made sure we had what we needed and my glass of water was never more than half way empty. After glancing at the menu, I knew I was set to order the item that sounded similar to an Eggs Benedict. It was a croissant, French ham, two perfectly cooked poached eggs, spinach and hollandaise sauce. Delicious? Damn, straight. It's a bummer I offered half of my meal to my fiancé, because I should have kept it all to myself. Though his French Toast was yummy. Overall, I think I'll be back at Lyon Hall again very soon! read more

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Came for the happy hour specials. Started with the deviled eggs, and while they had a good flavor, they had clearly been sitting out for some time. The egg white was very flimsy, and the filling was slightly dark on the outside from being exposed to air for a while. The Frankfurter was more of the same. Decent flavor, but dry. The Normandy Mussels were good, but the flavor was quite weak, so that was its downfall. Little bits of bacon floating in the broth. Probably want to ask for extra bread to sop it up. The fries are awesome. Crispy and lightly salted with a satisfying crunch. Sadly the fries are the only item I would repeat on. With so many options in Clarendon, Lyon Hall doesn't sit very high on my list. read more

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My lamb chops was good though I like it more if it is not cooked medium, I prefer mine medium rare. Risotto was great too even the kung pao cauliflower. Service was great. read more

Yummy. European flair. Great atmosphere. Great location. The happy hour is the bomb! We may have tried everything in there but it even includes drinks. A deal! read more

They always switch up the menu here which is fun! I always enjoy their oysters and drinks! read more

Lyon Hall - Happy hour Oysters and empanadas - Brasseries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Went searching for proper food after an early evening at the Hut, and found it ensconced in mellow modern decor. We were seated immediately on the ground floor along the window banquette. My only complaint about the hostess' table choice was the lack of spacing despite it not being a busy evening; hard not to eavesdrop on the four directly beside us. Beer selection was more attractive than the cocktail menu, though they did have a nice spread of whisk(e)ys. Both varieties of table bread were provided as a two thick slices of each with a generous tub of whipped butter. Average bread, and the white was more suitable since it wasn't sweet. This season's Lyon Hall burger came with pickles and fragrant Raclette cheese. Sliced thin to appropriately moderate the pungency, but I would've asked for a milder cheese sliced heavier. Patty was 3/4"-thick to balance the sturdy bun's small diameter, and cooked perfectly to order. Half-crisped frites came with a trio of ketchup, mayo, and mustard dipping sauces, none particularly attractive. A bit heavy on grease but not bad with the light seasoning. Heaping portion was almost outrageous in size. Hungarian lamb sausage was less impressive than the accompanying grilled octopus. The former was gently seasoned and almost-pink, and the latter was gloriously tender with a touch of sear. (Heisenberg's principle may play into this somewhat, since I practically interrogated our server on this point.) Shaved heirloom carrots, baby arugula, tender root vegetables, sliced beets, peeled orange segments. Lightly dressed but arranged over a bed of heavy aioli. The plate was just filling enough, but I wasn't terribly keen about the two overlooked orange seeds and the aioli. The only attractive option on the day's ice creams and sorbets was cookies and cream, so I took a pass on dessert. Three and a half stars. Background music at a reasonably low volume, 80s stream with a splash of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Radiohead. Matthew provided great service, just the right amount of attention and humor. I'd gladly come back to drink and try more of their food. 2015 update: Windowed washrooms are an odd choice. Upstairs makes for a nice small venue space for maybe 30 people tops, with banquette seating wrapping a good deal around. The waitstaff on hand were very polite and moderately attentive. Cocktail was beautifully mixed, and I'm glad to see the beer lists still run strong. Jumbo shrimp were a little overcooked. Charcuterie included tasty grilled asparagus, standard crudite, and a less impressive panel of meats and cheeses coupled with honey and walnuts. Croissants and pretzels (I'll take spicy mustard or cheese fondue over honey butter any day) were the hits of the night especially when fresh, but the mushroom sliders impressed more than the crabcake, BBQ beef, or pork schnitzel sliders. read more

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