Really cramped inside but cool atmosphere. Great beer list but a little pricey. The food was pretty 'meh'. I had the pulled pork which was a little on the dry side and just didn't have a whole lot of flavor. read more

Panini sandwiches are surprisingly good (for a bar)!! Of course I love sinking my toes into the sand, and live bands don't hurt either. Only problem was that there were an alarming amount of kids there on First Friday. The place is very much a bar - with smoking and drinking. I shouldn't have to watch out for them, making sure I don't step on them (or their sand castle!). And I'm a mom - so it's not as if I'm anti-children. I just know not to bring them to a BAR!!! read more

First, for those complaining about lack of service... READ the signs... the ones on every table AND the big sign when you first walk-in. This place is a form of self-service... it does not pretend to be anything else. If you sit down at a table and wait for someone to take your order, you might be there for a while. Your orders are placed and picked up at the bar. For those complaining about being served expensive beer in a plastic cup... this place is meant to make you feel like you're on the beach... they want you to kick your shoes off and relax... with actual glassware, there would be too much risk of broken glass in the sand resulting in cut feet, etc. I appreciate the additional precaution. This is a unique place in LoCo. The atmosphere is awesome. My husband and I felt like we were on a beach in the Dominican Republic when we came here for lunch on a sunny fall day. The food is good (although frickles are AWESOME) but the beer selection ROCKS. Don't come here expecting white tablecloths and black-tie service... this is a beach bar... go get your own food and beer, sit back, relax and enjoy... no one here will pester you about getting another drink or dessert or your check. This place really feels like a beach bar in the Caribbean. read more

I recently had a surprise birthday for my wife and 25 guests a the MacDowell Brew Kitchen. They did an amazing job and made the event one to remember. They had printed special menus with a birthday message for my wife and put out balloons as well as a birthday sign. The food was very tasty and the service was top notch. They are still finishing parts of the restaurant, so it will only get better. The craft beer selection is vast with a number of draught beers available and go great with their BBQ sandwiches and "Frickles." I can't leave out the Chili which was tasty as well. Overall, the atmosphere, service, food, and selection of beers/wine make this restaurant unique in it's own right. We can't wait to go back! read more

The upstairs has no A.C. and no bar service. Why have two bars on two floors if only one is functional?

This place has the best outdoor bar to chat with friends around the fire pits and listen to fun live music, all while digging your feet into the sand. The beer selection is very good, and the food and service are steadily improving. read more

Absolute horrendous service provided by manager. Thoroughly disappointed in my recent experiences. Upon entering an overwhelming feeling of barely hanging on to salvage what's left of this establishment hits you. It seems hard to ruin an atmosphere and location so good, but management seems to be doing something just "right". Sadly have changed from a loyal customer to a 1 star review on Yelp. read more

Have gone there with friends biking and food was ok and beer was good. A group of us went there a week ago for lunch. This week 2 of us received notification from our credit card company that the tips we gave and put on the cc receipt were altered $5 higher. If you go, check your cc receipts later or pay cash. read more

my husband and i had dinner at Mac Dowell's last night. we sat inside since it was pretty cold outside. however, many people did sit ouside, so the heat lamps must have been doing their job! wait staff was very friendly and attentive. i had the spicy chicken wrap. excellent and took half of it home! my husband had the fish and chips and said was very good. we had a coupon that had expired (not noticed by me) . however the wait staff checked it out with the manager, and it was honored! thank you so much! have, and will, frequent MacDowells!! read more

When I walked into mcdowlles I wasn't too sure what I thought. But the friendly bartender, kit greeted me with a great smile and with a wonderful beer selection. Kit (the bartender) suggested the fried onion rings which were incredible with a tasty/tangy house sauce. After I devoured my appetizer, I ordered the fish tacos, served with all fresh ingredients and exactly what I wanted. For dessert, kit almost insisted on the beer batter apples with caramelized cinnamon sugar. Seeing as these apples had been featured in the Washington Post twice, I had to have them. And thank god I did, for they were the perfect end to a wonderful experience in downtown leesburg. read more

Still my favorite restaurant in Leesburg, VA, as my last post here over a year ago. Their salads are superb, and love the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich, as a lot of their other dishes. (Beer Battered Oreos, and a extensive beer selection - cant go wrong there.) Service is speedy and the servers are very friendly. They also have a stage outside that play lots of great artists Tue-Sat with a Margaritaville type sand beach area, and a outside boat bar. Every chance I get when I'm in Leesburg on business I'll make sure to stop in. read more

This is a fun place to go. Atmosphere and personality of the place go a long way. I don't even like beer but found myself enjoying some of the interesting brews they have to offer. read more

Food was great! Renee was fantastic! She really knows her beer. We had the Frickles and sexy fries, both were very yummy! Panini caprese delicious and kids liked sitting in the barrel. Looking forward to coming back, sitting outside in the sand, and enjoying live music. read more

I have been a fan of this place since they opened and have seen them grow and grow to what they are now. A fun place to hang out with your friends and family. Outside is a large seating area filled with white sand and they even have toys for the kids to play with! My son loves going there just for the sand. I've had several things on the menu, all are very tasty, especially the tomato mozzarella appetizer and the salads are super. There are a lot of fried food items on the menu though. The beer list is awesome and endless! Craft beer galore! And the beer prices are competitive with other places that have craft beer. I've noticed other comments that mention the beer is too expensive, but they must be used to drinking Miller or Bud Light. Go figure. I have been here on days when the service is great and consistent (which it usually is), but I have also been there on days where it seemed like they were short a person or two and the wait to get stuff is a longer than usual. All in all I love this place! I go often, and I'm looking forward to all the live music they have in the warmer weather. They have this cool little stage outside and they just put in a new bar outside, (an old boat) it's really cool and worth checking out! read more

Non-existent service. Be prepared to have to go inside, to place your order. You will be ignored - almost guaranteed. Also, don't let the waitress take your credit card without first seeing the check - I saw in some other posts here, that I'm not the only one that has experienced that. A couple of times, she added things that I did not order. Decent food, good beer selection, nice atmosphere outside - but it doesn't make up for the horrible, horrible service. read more

Great place to people watch and drink decent beer! Crowded but date and I were still able to have a great conversation not interrupted by noise. Outdoor beachy seating offers plenty of variety for groups and couples. And the bartenders are attentive and accommodating. Appreciate tastes before buying full drinks. Fun spot to escape the northern VA bustle. read more

It's getting there. The food is decent and the beer selection is above average. Is it a destination location? No, but its not a bad way to spend a lazy Friday night getting a few drinks and relaxing. read more

A group of us went back last night to give this place another try. We had a really great time, and the service has improved immensely. (we have a feeling that there is one server that is below par and we had the unfortunate experience of being at her table last time). This was a VA Brew Tap Takeover and between the 6 of us we tried a bunch of the VA Brews and Ciders. Had a nice time talking with the Bold Rock representative and master brewer, and even ended up with a really cute green Bold Rock shirt. Had mozz sticks, a pretzel and the apple ring dessert between us and everything was tasty. Glad we gave this place another shot, love sitting outside with my feet in the sand- there have been a lot of updates to the outdoor area, looks great. We'll be back. read more

I love this place! I will say that the outside bar service is ridiculously slow to serve. Even when it's not crowded. My husband and I now don't even bother trying to order outside. We start a tab inside and have to walk inside every time we want another drink. We come here for the atmosphere. The sand and Boat bar are cool. In the cooler months they have bonfires at dark and almost always live music. The food is great. read more

If you're looking for a one of a kind, laid-back bar to grab a few drinks and maybe some grub, this is the coolest place in Leesburg. This is our favorite bar on the planet and the owner and staff are fantastic. Great beers on tap and the vibe here with the sandy beach, boat bar and palm trees is a great way to think you're on a beach somewhere. Hands-down an incredible local joint that is always a good time. read more

Great place for family or date night! We ventured into Leesburg for lunch at a TexMex place but googled for patio bars while there. Wandered over to this gem after lunch with much excitement! Was roughly 1pm on a Sunday, not crowded so we got a shaded table. Our son (7) loved it! lots of other kiddos, low key vibe, sand for him to play in! My initial drink order, he told us they ran out of coconut cream ( I was vastly disappointed) but he went a scrounged for some and found a new bottle his manager just picked up that morning! Bartender was so friendly, he makes fantastic drinks! His service was quick, the music was great, like being on vacation. We didn't try the food since we had just eaten but it all smelled very good! Clean restrooms, clean atmosphere altogether for being a sandy dive bar. Not sure we'd go at night with the kid based on some other reviews but we will definitely be back, it was like a little vacation in the middle of the city! read more

Went to McDowells with a few friends last Friday evening. Fun place, unique, comfortable, good music, very crowded. I was there for approximately 3 1/2 hours. In that time, our table was never approached once by a server asking us for an order. We had to go inside to the bar to order for our table.. My suggestion: Hire some help that know what they are doing!! They've lost a lot of money.....and me as a customer... read more

First time there tonight, and had such a great time!! We are lucky to have such a unique and fun place to enjoy so close to home! Ignore the reviews from the stuffy people, they just don't get it. If you're looking for fine dining, then go accross the street, but if you're looking for a fun, relaxed, great time, this is the place to be! Sand in my toes in September in leesburg. Wow. Just wow. Take all of your fun friends to this place....leave all the stuffy ones at home! read more

Great place!!!! Super nice staff and great beers!!! Highly recommend. We sat outside and were really impressed by the decor and enjoyed a delicious dinner. The Grapefruit Sculpin IPA was awesome, check it out! Ask for Amanda she took great care of us :) read more

MacDowell's - Nightlife Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia

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I should probably give this place a 3 star rating but the outdoor bar makes for such a great atmosphere, especially when there's live music, that I'm happy to give it 4 stars. The complaints about the service are spot on and the general assessment of the food as not bad, but nothing special is also accurate. If you come here in a rush, you won't have a great time. If you're in no hurry and are looking for a place to sit, relax, and enjoy yourself, I think you'll have a good time. I definitely think the chill atmosphere is responsible for some of the lackadaisical service but In this setting I prefer it to someone who is a bit too perky and/or pretentious. That said, I think they could be a little more efficient in bringing you the check without being either of those things. Really 3.5 stars but I want to encourage people to give it a shot. read more

Cool little spot with a very cool atmosphere. Don't go there if you're looking for a cheap beer. Even my 16oz Miller Lite was $5.55. Other than that, it was a fun place and had some cool craft beers that are tasty. I will be returning but NOT FOR A BEER LOL. read more

Came here after a rugby game with a few teammates and sat outside where they had a sandy bar area(3 outside bars and 1 inside bar wit space for seating, awesome!). We all thought it was great! Though you had to order food and drink at the bar, service was great and the food was even better! I had a chef burger which was in the spicy side(which I love) with a blackberry pear cider that hit the spot. I also stole a bite of the fish sandwich and sexy fries of a friend, she ruined the sandwich in my opinion with ketchup but both were really great! I wish I had more time to play the giant Jenga set outside! But my team and I found it very entertaining to watch those who did! read more

this place is vastly improved. Best beer selection in Leesburg. Really like the bar staff...knowledgeable about the product that they drink themselves...this place is becoming the beer cult meeting place in Leesburg. read more

I've changed my mind. After coming here shortly after opening, I swore off this place...but, after a couple visits last week...damn good beer and food vastly improved pub food. read more

Where are all the reviews? OK so set your expectations - this is a bar that sells bar food, it's not trying to be anything more. The positives: 1) The BEACH! That's right - Leesburg has its own little piece of the Caribbean complete with pirate ship, all the other adornments you might expect to see, and an outside bar. It's an awersome idea and it works perfectly....for as long as the town council will allow it. 2) Regular live music 3) Great atmosphere (but can get busy on the w/e) 4) Great selection of beer 5) Good selection of food - and one of the very few places in Leesburg you can actually get a (relatively) late night snack. I think the kitchen is open til 10pm - long after most places have shut for the night. 6) It's unique (did I mention the beach?!) - you're not sitting in just another Ruby's or TGI's. The negatives: 1) That little piece of island paradise also comes with island service - it can be decidedly slow. Many of the staff are young and inexperienced - and it can show. Check it out - it's in the heart of Leesburg so you have a few other options to choose from if it's not for you! read more

This place used to be great, but now they seem to cater to the older crowd. Many divorcees hang out on the "beach" later at night and the dinner crowd is a lot of families. Those aren't the crowds I'd expect at a brew kitchen. Now we head across the street where they cater to the 20 and 30-somethings and are dog friendly. read more

The outside is nice. But it attracts the cigar smokers who make the place unbearable after a while.

Stopped in one Sunday afternoon on a whim. I decided to belly up to the bar. Good beer selection. I recommend the Devils Backbone Kilt Flasher. Really Great wings too! Everyone was friendly. I'll be back eager to sample more of the menu and their house brew. Overall a refreshing change of pace from all of the corporate chains and cliche sports pubs this area has been flooded with over the last 10 years. read more

My family are big fans of this place. The atmosphere is great with the beach vibe. Our boys love to play and explore while we sit down either by a fire pit, the awesome boat bar or random table. The beer selection is awesome, a lot of selection. I'm not one to really care about what I drink my beer out of so I don't mind a plastic cup. I can understand that as well with all of the sand and not wanting potentially broken glass hiding in the sand. The upstairs bar is really nice and if you require your beer in a glass mug, you can get it up there. The food is good, not great, but good. The do have an awesome deep fried cookie dough dessert that will take a year off of your life, but well worth it. We've had nothing but good service the 5+ times we've been. Haven't had any issues. Really cool place, great vibe, awesome beer and decent food. read more

This is a perfect place to relax and have an awesome food. The beach setting is great and the food is amazing. Service is great too.

ZERO (0) stars if allowed!! So after a wedding, many attendees including most of the wedding party decided to meet up at this place - WHAT A DIASTER & BAD DECISION!!! Many of us arrived between 11:30-12. They refused to let many of the people from the wedding into the place of varying ages (Grandparents - 60's, older siblings - 40's, and some of the wedding party late 20's). I spoke to 3 different people at the front door - the bouncer, supposedly the manager, & supposedly the owner. All 3 were ABSOLUTE JERKS!!! I will NEVER visit this place and will discourage others from visiting! Too many places in Leesburg to have fun and drink so AVOID this place like the plague!! read more

We were hoping to have a fun and relaxing time but we had to find someone to give us a menu. It felt like we were interrupting a conversation. We sat and waited but we were never acknowledged. Too bad as we had been there a few years ago and had a great time. Ended up leaving and going across the street where we had outstanding food and service at Fire Works pizza. read more

I have both enjoyed this place and also left before actually ordering. Can't beat a beach bar in the middle of town and sometimes the service is good. Other times the service is horrible and bartenders seemed like they were in a bad mood. Couldn't get them to say what was on one tap -- not all the taps -- just one tap that I couldn't see the type of beer from a specific brewery. Not the chill vibe you want from your beach bar. So it's ok but just hope you get the staff on a good night. read more

I really want to like this place. We have been going here for about a year now. I remember when they had four beers on tap and they were barely cold. They have expanded their tap system to about 15 taps and their menu by leaps and bounds. I will say I agree with every other reviewer. Salads are great. Apps okay. Service BLOWS!!! I have never been anywhere else in my life, where I feel like I am bothering someone because I would like some beer. They need either more staff or better staff. As a former bar owner, I could cut the staff in half at this place and provide twice the service. We go there because we can hang out outside, listen to live bands, smoke cigars and their potato chips and pretzels are KICK ASS!! Had to come back and edit. Their beers are horrendously expensive. $7-$8 a beer. We had two beers a piece and an order of chips and our bill was $30.00. read more

Quick service! Very attentive! Had cordon bleu burger and sexy fries. Excellent! Great IPA, too! read more

MacDowell's - Cordon bleu burger, sexy fries, and great Sculpin IPA! - Nightlife Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia