Beware - ask the price of drinks before ordering! I'm quite disappointed how far downhill this place has gone in the past couple years. Three or four years ago this is my go to place to come here to eat, hang out, socialize with friends or meet new friends. My most recent visit I went into the outside bar and ordered a beer. Gave the bartender a 20 and I got back at 10, 2 - 1s and some coins. After I sat down the new general manager came around and I ask how much the beer was. She said she did not know. She came back a little while later and told me price which had I known how much they were charging, I probably would have gone somewhere else. I guess my biggest gripe Is you have a beer list which is hand written on a piece of paper, and You can't even put the prices on there. Appears to be that the prices are secret and are not divulged unless asked. And even the manager does not know the prices! Lol. Needless to say, when I finished my beer I left went somewhere else had a beer and dinner. On a separate note, their menu a few years ago was diverse and I would actually come here to have dinner. Now they have reduced their menu to the point that is essentially simple bar food and to me does not constitute what I would consider dinner. This place is family-friendly and dog friendly. If you're not looking for food and want to come here with your dog or kids this is the place to hang out. If you want a decent meal and drinks, in my opinion this is not the place for you. There are so many better places for food within short walking distance and cheaper beer prices, do yourself a favor and go and explore them. read more

This is a really cool place located in Leesburg. We stopped here after a brew tour. We came to continue drinking and get some tasty food! The atmosphere is comparable to a beach bar in Ocean City, MD. We did not stay inside so I cannot attest to how that was. The outside was ALL sand. Ladies, plan your footwear accordingly. They took the back end of a boat and made a bar out of it and the seats were wooden dock posts. Super cool and actually comfortable. It is a great place to go with friends, we had fun. I ordered the "sexy fries" they were steak fries with grated Parmesan on top and other deliciousness. LOVED these! It was the perfect cheat snack and super satisfying after a day at the local breweries. The chicken fingers were a let down. They were standard frozen/ fried chicken wings. Reminded me of what is served at a cafeteria or a baseball game maybe. Disappointment a bit there. The side of onion rings with it were great! You could tell they were not frozen and truly fresh and fried! We would definitely go back here! read more

This is a tough one to review. I really like this place but there are so many things that drive me nuts about it as it could be so so much better. They use plastic cups outside which when your a craft place the last thing you want is to drink out of a clear plastic cup like you are in college again. The beer always seems to be warm but they do have a good selection. The owner Nils is very helpful and good to talk to. However the rest of the staff sucks , they are not friendly to the point where my wife and friends will not go back there. They ignore people and are slow. They do not know about the beers and are too lazy to get beers from other places in the restaurant. One time on a Thursday night with about 40 people left outside they called last call and most of them went to the bar and got 1-2 beers each. (kind of a nice sales trick). 5 Mins Later a 22 yr old then proceeded to tell everyone that we had 5 mins until they turned the lights off? Do you believe that anyone would actually say something like this at 10:30ish. Its one thing to start preparing for closing while customers are in a restaurant but to actually tell them you cutting the lights. I do know when Nils is at the place there is no set closing time except for VA law and he will will keep it open as long as there are people. But this young staff at the time just wanted to get out of there. The idea of the place is great its just not run well especially when the kids are there alone read more

Great atmosphere with live music - win win ! Great burgers (that's all I've tried so far) Loved sitting outside on the "beach" this summer ...looking forward to checking out the indoor space this winter ...looked spacious and lounge like read more

I love this place! The whole backyard set up they did was excellent. It was perfect for a lazy Sunday dinner. The food was phenomenal, as long as you don't order anything with chicken in it. We started off with awesome onion rings which came with a delicious spicy sauce that was incredible. The sexy fries were the best parmesan garlic fries I've ever had! I got the crispy fish tacos and was very impressed with how they accommodated me because I asked if they could do it in a flour tortilla instead of corn and all they had was a burrito sized flour tortilla and it was still SO delicious! I never get crispy fish with my fish tacos but the crispiness was perfect, not too breaded and nice and flaky. However, my boyfriend got the pulled chicken sandwich and his sister got the chicken tacos, both said the chicken was bland and wished they had gotten something else. We still had a great time though! By the way, we LOVE LOVE LOVE that they allow dogs!! I will say that what prevented me from giving this place 5 stars was our waitress. Please don't get me wrong, we really liked her...when we saw her. She would disappear for long periods of time and would come over to take an order then walk away without asking anyone else if they wanted anything. If we were in a hurry this would have been really annoying but we were there to chill out so we didn't mind quite as much. I did appreciate how she was able to relate to me on the whole flour tortilla thing and was really nice about it. I hate being that picky person at the table. I can't wait to come back on a Friday or Saturday for some real drinking experience! read more

Moldy beer is unacceptable! I've loved this place's ambience from day one and even worked there for a time, but in recent years everything has been beyond unsatisfactory. Tonight while out on the town, I, with apprehension, decided to give it one last shot at being a spot I frequent. I've had troubles in the past with the quality of their draft beers, so I opted for a bottle. After my second sip and right as my girlfriend sat down, I noticed the bottle had white, snowflake-like white dots. I turned my flashlight on and sure enough MOLD. ALL OVER the bottle's neck. Right where I put my lips. This place shouldn't be open for business. Everyone who goes there should be aware that they're being put at a significant health risk. read more

Atmosphere is amazing, but unfortunately that's where it ends. Slow and rude service, overpriced food and drinks and they now charge a cover for the mediocre live music. read more

Beach bar is solid. Deep fried Oreos and deep fried apple slices, yuuuuuuup. They had a good selection of beers, would def recommend this read more

MacDowell's - Deep fried Oreos and Apple slices w/ ice cream to dip in - Nightlife Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia

Funky, decor average food and decent beer. Biggest problem is the staff. They are disengaged and not particularly friendly.

It's a sandbar​​ in the ​middle of Leesburg​! This place is pretty cool, I went there on Friday​ evening and it was a long line for beers so instant​ of waiting​ in the line we just get a drink from boat bars and sit there at the bars! Perfect spot for us! The Bartender​ at boat bars was very nice she gets​ our drink right away​ and gave us a bar's menu​ which is not many​ items​ to pick from so we just ordered fried and turn out pretty good! I had a very good experience​ there and definitely​ going back again soon! read more

I had a great experience at MacDowell's. The customer service was terrific. Chris was my bartender and he was super friendly. When it got busy, one of the owners, Nils, immediately jumped in and bartended until the rush ended. His customer service couldn't have been better. He was attentive to customers and helpful. I am a bartender so I found that extremely impressive. It is awesome when management notices that it is busy and then jumps in to help. They know good beer! The beer selection is terrific. You are not going to be disappointed with what is on tap. Plus they have great bottled beer. What I mean is that you can find outstanding bottled beer and not generic everyday beer. I also had appetizers and a burger. My appetizers were chips and fried pickles. They came out in a MORE than reasonable time. I don't know what they have in their dipping sauce but it was great. I could drink that stuff on it's own. So after a couple of visits, MacDowell's is my bar. There is a reason it is busy...they are good! read more

I am not sure my last rating was posted. My husband and I met friends for lunch last Saturday. We were immediately greeted by Renee, who invited us to the bar to sample their beers. She took time with us and the description of each beer was spot on. Loved all her advice when discussing local breweries and vineyards. She even was nice enough to take some pictures of us sitting at the "barrel" table. Our lunch was delicious. Their bbq pork was awesome! Thank you for a wonderful afternoon Renee! read more

Wonderful outdoor bar areas, with sand, fire pits, and music. And they welcome well behaved, leashed dogs. Yummy pub food, lotsa craft beers- they even brew their own. All in downtown Leesburg. What more could you want? read more

MacDowell's - Nightlife Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia

Great outdoor experience. Though let me set some expectations (this is based on only a single visit so that that for what it is worth). You will have to get up and get your own beer from either the outdoor or indoor bars. Both bars have different selections so keep that in mind. Your beer will be served in a plastic cup (which makese sense for a reason to be explained), which for certain beer snobs might be a problem. You may have to wait in line for a little bit for the beers, especially if it's crowded. The food is good but don't expect some culinary delicacy. I went with my wife and 2 year old and had a wonderful experience. The weather was great, we were able to find a place to sit down and just unwind. We each had a few beers and let our kid play in the sand with other kids that were there. (this is the reason that glass wold be a bad idea...kids playing in sand). We got the soft pretzel which was excellent, some fish and chips (average), and a chicken sandwhich (below average). It was good enough from the food perspective. We were there for the beautiful night and atmosphere and MacDowell's delivered. Anyplace that lets my toddler run around and me to relax is great. Note: not MacDowells fault but you will smell smoke while there...every smoker in loudoun I think goes there. It is what it is, it's outdoors so just be warned. read more

Okay spot! low key and chill. Live band did good. Food was okay. Decent place to chill and have a beer

So be aware, ask for your break down receipt. The food was decent for the price... but they are a complete rip off on the drinks "but I add a bit extra" after we asked for the break down is was over $17 for a Bacardi and diet... where the hell do you pay over $17.., then the bartender got passive aggressive. Won't be back read more

Will definitely go back again because it's got such a cool vibe. Good spot.... but has the potential to be great. The beach concept is cool, but the menu options and entree presentation could have been better. Also the inside needs some updating, as there's nothing interesting about the inside and would prefer a better kept restroom. The music was cool and the staff was super friendly, but I do have to agree with everyone about the service being a little slow. Also they should provide better shade or fans outside, because it gets uncomfortably HOT out there. read more

I really really want to like this place. What a cool venue with the sand and the outdoor music. But, I just can't get past the horrible service they have there. Today when I was there to get a take out order ( thinking this may be a quicker way to get served) I watched three groups of people walk out of the door because lack of service. I waited 40 minutes to get my chicken sandwich to go. I had hoped that it was a one time thing, but this the third time in a row that I have been there and the bad service has not changed. Its sad but I wouldn't recommend any of their food, or their service. The beers are cold but don't go there thirsty as its a long wait between them. read more

If you want a bar this place is great! If you want a quiet place to eat a large, filling meal, I would go somewhere else. read more

Management is terribly rude. Unhelpful. Establishment is dirty. Complete disregard for good customer service. Told the manager he was rude and he agreed. read more

If you are looking for a cool beach theme, live music, and beer, this is 5-Star, but don't go there for food, that's a 1-Star. At least the bbq sandwich was- Really not good. And pulled pork isn't that difficult to do. read more

This is a chill little spot, if you can find a table outside. The service ranges from not so great to terrible. The food is good :) And the beer selection isn't bad either. If you go during lunchtime this could be a fun place for kids (they just added chicken tenders + fries to their menu) to play in the sand for a while. It can get very crowded during the evenings/weekends so be prepared to switch to "island time." read more

I have not had a single good experience here, and I've tried three times to have one. The first trip we made, the waitress (who wasn't even OUR waitress) hemmed and hawed because four of us sat at two small tables. Service is extremely slow. Not just on the first visit, but on all of the visits. The restaurant was not even busy when we went. I'm a firm believer that if the server can keep my drink full before my food gets to me, then I'm almost always guaranteed to not have a bad experience with service. On each occassion that we went, it wasn't the case. My drink stayed empty and I saw no sign of the server until our food arrived, and then once after to bring us our check. I vaguely remember the wings being decent. The rest of the food is barely mediocre. I ordered the parmesan fries and they were the greasiest things I've ever eaten. It was like someone took them out of the fryer and then poured two tablespoons of grease on them. The pretzel they serve is the same way. I also had one of their wraps. It was your basic sysco bag of chicken tenders wrap. Very disappointing. Not going back unless service and food improves. read more

My friend and I ate here tonight and it felt like we were eating in the Twilight Zone. No one was serving so you had to order at the bar which is ok, its just a weird set up. The upstairs area smelled like B.O and maybe mold? so badly that we had to go back downstairs because it was hard to breath. The food was pretty gross and the patrons were weird. First and last time there. read more

Atmosphere = A- Almost felt like i was at the beach. Good music and good atmosphere especially outside. Food = C Food was ok but could have been much better. Fish tacos are mediocre, wings are average, fried pickles were pretty good. The food is not good enough to being me back. Much better alternatives like Doner and Fireworks. Most of the food is fried, except for the pulled pork which was ok. Food could be much better especially if it had an island/beach theme. The menu is just lazy - you can't even get a burger. Service = F Service is horrible. I had to flag down a server/bartender to order drinks, then food, then another drink. They were clueless and unhelpful. Overall = C- I 'might' come back for a beer but that is it and only for the atmosphere. Ford's fish shack should buy this place and make it what it should be. read more

Pros: Great draft beer selection. It has the bones for a great experience; live bands, outdoor seating. Cons: smoking all over the place including cigars! They even sell cigars at the bar. Ugh! It's only one of two places in Leesburg that you can drink a beer and smoke, soe every smoker is there. Second, the bar staff is slowwwwww! I've been here several nights and the outdoor bartenders have zero desire to serve. read more

I usually LOVE MacDowell, but they've changed a few things from last summer that is making it hard for me to love. Last summer smoking was designated in one area only. This year they have made the ENTIRE beach bar smoke friendly. I personally can't stand the smell, but on top of that I come here with my son and I hate him being around it. I wish they would go back to making at least one non-smoking area. Also, no wait service like there was last year. Normally I don't mind ordering from the shack, but they are severely understaffed in there. Even during off-peak hours I've had to wait a long time to place an order. This was one of may favorite Leesburg hangouts, but the smoke factor alone is enough to keep me away. I have to imagine many parents will feel similarly. Really hope they change this. read more

I am with Aly P. on this one. a zero star rating would be better. When we went the "beach" wasn't even open so we sat inside where (and I am not a prude), we got to listen to some drunk dudes at the bar swearing up a storm and just being intimidating. The pictures on their website are just plain b.s. Place is a dump and the service non-existent. read more

Ambiance could be great w the music and sand but don't bank on the service. We waited 10 mins at the outside bar before moving inside to order our drinks. Once we finally found a table and ordered our food, it was a huge disappointment. Don't order the pulled chicken tacos or the pulled chicken sandwich-- it's boiled chicken with no sauce or seasoning just plopped on a different dish. What a waste of money. Fries were great but I'm afraid they're a one trick pony. read more

Not a bad spot to grab a few drinks. I've never eaten here, and don't really have a desire to....and that's OK. This is a cool summer bar with a "beach" vibe. The outside is all sand so dress accordingly! The inside is nothing special and set up a little strange to be honest. Just know what you're getting in to here! Dive bar inside, cool beach bar outside. Would recommend the most during the summer. Have always had decent service and good drinks. read more

Started my Leesburg day at a sandy picnic table at MacDowell. Its such a cute oasis - you'll feel more like you're in FL than VA. I ordered a fruity wheat beer brewed by Avery that I absolutely loved, a HUGE pretzel with cheese sauce (to be fair, i think it was a tositos cheese sauce, but still A-ok in my book) and the steak tacos. Given that this is not a mexican or even a tex-mex place, my expectations were low for the tacos, but they were surprisingly good. A nice crunch, slightly spicy slaw as a base, the steak was nicely cooked and the topping sauce flavorful. read more

AWFUL! From the service to the food. They serve a plate that looks like they shopped at Costco for the appetizer and the fish tacos were NOTHING...as far as flavor or presentation...a single piece of fish they breaded and fried and cut into three pieces and laid them on three flat tortillas and put a little flavorless salsa and a few shreds of cheese and called them fish tacos (11$). As far as the service they made you feel like you were an imposition. And were NOT FRIENDLY Don't waste your time or $. Go back across the street for good food and great, friendly service and great craft beer.. read more

Great beer selection and cool outdoor environment but it's jaded by the bad service. It's very disappointing that you have to wait 15 minutes to get a drink. Food was okay but don't ask to alter your meal. They will go out of their way to not have your way. Will not go back. read more

The MacDowell Brew Kitchen is just getting started - and it's off to a great start! As they dial in their service it will only get better. The draft list already has 3, if not 4 area brews as well as some seasonal brews (Mad Elf anyone and/or Oyster Stout anyone?? Yum!) The draft list is at 2 times to 3 times larger and will change in the future. While it's true - the place used to be a kitchen store - the only remaining parts that are "Kitcheny" is the large island as you walk in. BUT - it's great if you have a group because you can belly up and have a beer, eat some frickles, pulled BBQ sandwich, or salad with pulled BBQ (Chicken or Pork) and still have room for everyone's stuff. As for beer prices - they're just like the prices across the street at Fireworks, Tuscarora Mill or even right next door at the Doner. Sorry folks - craft beer costs and it has for years. I can't wait to go back and have a few beers outside by the firepit! Only one beer on the menu was $9. Everything else is around $5 to $6. Mad Elf and some of the others specialty beers are going to cost you more, no matter where you go. Brewing wise - it'll happen - licensing can be a nightmare, in talking with one of the partners (amazing what you learn when you talk to folks running a place) - it was better to get the restaurant up and running and then establish a nano-brewery. I completely agree - the Pulled pork and chicken BBQ are great, the frickles taste awesome, and for a special treat - ask for a fried Oreo or snickers for dessert! Absolutely fun and taste great! (Just have one though!) Since opening - the kitchen has added more seating. But honestly - when they replace the kitchen island with a real bar - I'll be saddened but also happy for a real bar to sit or stand at! My friends and I will be back many more times (and have already since our last visit) and all of us can't wait to see how the restaurant grows as it reaches past the ONE month mark of being officially open. Great job guys! read more

When in the DC/Ashburn VA area visiting a friend, she suggested we try the "hip new spot" out. I was excited, love trying new places, but I have to say I was totally confused when we arrived! The front entrance of the place is cute, eclectic, and has a old bookstore feel (real nice but super tiny). Then you go outside... its almost like you are going to margaritaville.... the outdoor patio is covered in sand, there is a "shipwrecked" boat hull in the center with bar stools around it, a shed where you can order drinks, outdoor fire pits, etc.... cool concept but totally doesn't go with the inside bar! The biggest FAIL, was the fact that there were no waitresses... if you wanted to order food or get a drink you had to go to the "shed" or go to the inside bar. The whole serve-yourself concept is crazy to me! The place has potential....the owner was confused when thinking up the concept, but still there is potential! But no one wants to have to get up all the time from the table to go get food/drinks, get some waiters/waitresses!!!! read more

MacDowell's - Nightlife Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia

See all

This is where we would always bring out-of-town guests for a nice lunch after getting off the plane. I am sad to say that this ritual is going to change. Today, we saw that the sign said to seat yourself & order from the bar so we followed directions. However, after 20 minutes of hunting around for a server just to order a round of beers (the restaurant was not crowded--not even close), we left. I'm really disappointed. The last couple of times we have been to MacDowell, we had noticed a decrease in the quality of food & service, but continued to give the place more chances. After today, I won't do that again. There is quite a bit of competition right in Market Station for food & drinks. I hope MacDowell can get their act together so they can stay in business. read more

Just like everyone else has said. Great atmosphere. But service sucks. Even going up to the bar is doable. It's the fact the none of their bartenders or wait staff care that you are there. Zero customer service. read more

Very cool place. I only wished they carried some vegan stuff (like some tofu?--and then customers can substitute tofu for any one of the other proteins you offer). Love the vibe and the drinks, so hoping they carry some vegan stuff so we can go there! read more

I chose to spend my birthday here at Macdowell's and had an amazing time. It was obvious that they were still waiting for their license to begin brewing their own craft beers but even then the selection was incredible. I was able to order a 60 minute IPA Dogfish Head beer on tap for just under 5 dollars (cheaper than than Dogfish Head charges themselves) and also another favorite 'Raging Bitch' by Flying Dog for the same price. I don't know what others look for in a 'hang out spot' but for me it is somewhere i will be regularly attending for the warm, dim lit, inviting atmosphere and the sports loving staff. My girlfriend and I had a great experience and were impressed with how amazing the service was. Great beers, great food, amazing prices. read more

Off to a good start, but they don't brew their own beers (yet) so that was disappointing. They have a good selection of other beers, though, and a great outdoor area to relax. My husband and I like to come for "date night" and enjoy a cold beer and an appetizer or two. Service is awesome. read more