Old Angler's Inn is a true Washington institution--and there are fewer and fewer places like it. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion dressed to the nines or arriving straight from a hike on the Billy Goat Trail with your dog, the setting feels genuinely magical. The patio is lively with hikers and cyclists coming off the nearby Potomac trails, while the interior feels like a beautiful French provincial country home, complete with chintz, fabric-covered walls, and charming fabric lampshades. It is wonderfully romantic and unabashedly cottagecore. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is singular, and the entire experience feels like an escape from Washington without ever leaving the area. We need to return very soon. read more

I was enjoying dinner; the food was amazing. I really enjoyed the ambiance. I loved my cocktail so much that I forgot my purse. I had put it on the back of my chair; the next day, I realized and called the manager, and I was really happy that the manager kept it in a safe place. Thank you Thank you Thank you I will bring my friends to come back soon. read more

Just thought I'd take a second to recap that this is still a five star restaurant, another French 75 to the twinkling lights in the trees to the diverse music selection, it was all great. The star of the show tonight was the squid ink pasta that was handmade with lobster scallops, clam and shrimp. Some of the best I've ever eaten, inclusive of in Spain. Great job, team, I won't wait so long to come back next time! read more

Beautiful spot. Nice staff. The food is awful. Grab a drink and something very simple like a salad and fries and you'll be fine.

Went here for a mothers day brunch. The service was fantastic. We paired our meal with a walk to the falls church and the beautiful waterfalls. The restaurant ambiance was great with outdoor seating. I got the wagyu burger and the my wife got the salmon. Neither was "amazing". They were cooked fine, they just lacked a certain flavoring that makes a good burger or salmon fillet. read more

Old Anglers Inn - Menú - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

We came here after golf on Saturday for an early dinner. Weather was amazing so being able to sit outside by the fountain and tulips was lovely. Service was very attentive. Food was good as well just overall though the price was steep for what it was but have to think of it as also paying for the ambience. read more

Old Anglers Inn - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

I have this place on my radar for quite a while but unfortunately it didn't quite hit. Came here for dinner for a business meeting with a friend and partner. We were looking for a quiet setting without too much disruption and nice ambience plus good food. Unfortunately this place missed on all attempts I really love the outdoor seating arrangements with the fire pits lights and parking space I think this is a great place to grab a drink and chit chat in the summer but aside from this I wouldn't be in a hurry to come back I ended up coming for dinner and it's very small on the inside with no more than 10 tables. We sat at a small table near the bar because that is one of the seats they had available. Their menu is not very expansive Here's what we ended up getting in an attempt to try a few different things The mushroom risotto was tasty The ribeye steak was horrible. I asked for it to be cooked medium and it was pretty bloody and rare. My friend doesn't mind it and I don't send back food so I couldn't eat it at all but honestly seeing something that bloody grossed me out totally. They also brought the ribeye which was full of fat and not a good cut of meat for the price they're asking for in both of our opinions with two starch dishes one which mashed potato and the other one was sweet potato and other root vegetables cut up. There was no option to ask for a different side. Dessert was lemon ricotta cake which honestly was kind of a bummer because it was sugary frosting that I could get at a Costco bakery The inside setting has a fireplace which is nice. One of the things that was a little bit different about our evening is the local patron who was there was a bit loaded and kept at our table we were trying to be polite about it but her husband didn't call her back and neither did the wait staff the wait staff did their best to get us distracted enough to move but the seat that they put us in was closer to the door and rather cold. I also got the impression that they were hoping to close up shop because the end dinner service at 9:00 p.m. and I had a seats in at around 7:45. I think the price is rather high given the quality of the food and not worthwhile. The only thing that I really did like about this place was the outdoor ambience so I might be inclined to come here with a group in the summer to sit by the fire pit chill out and hang and drink. Aside from that I'm not really loving the vibe of this place Plenty of parking in a private lot which is free. It's in a foresty part of Potomac if you like that kind of thing this will be a nice getaway not too far from the city. read more

Very fun date here! We've been meaning to visit for the longest time after passing it after all of our great falls hikes. they appear to have two totally different dining experiences: inside, a quaint upscale interior with full course menu. Outside - more of a divey beer garden feel with food truck style menu. Burgers, hot dogs, Bavarian pretzel and pizzas. Very tasty and perfect outdoor setting for our post hike journey. Service was great, very friendly and speedy. read more

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The prices are very high but I really do love the charm and ambiance of this restaurant. It was perfectly decorated for the holidays. I enjoyed the salmon which was better when I added lemon to it. The cocktails were about $20 not sure why the prices were so high. Next time we will check out their beer garden. I really loved the wood burning fire outside it was super cozy. read more

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I went there during Christmas time and it was like a fairy tale book the place is cozy, charming, and gorgeous. Great costumer service and the food was delicious. Everything I have tried was scrumptious. I will definitely come back and I am curious to see how it looks during the summer. read more

I just took my Mom out for the most AMAZING lunch here today. PK (hostess) was super sweet and welcoming and we had a resy for their front patio. It's gorgeous and huge with large umbrellas at each table to keep out the direct sun. Hasina (manager) actually waited on us and she was wonderful as well. I got the Lobster Salad with the citrus vinaigrette dressing - it was the best lobster salad. My Mom had the Lobster Roll that came with house made potato chips and I tasted both and they were both wonderful. For dessert we split the chocolate mousse cake and it was the best we have ever had and came with a toffee crunch crust on one side. The ambiance was perfect, all the waitstaff (and there are plenty) were super attentive and so pleasant. The food was spectacular. We will be back in the fall when they change to their fall/winter menu and decorate the patio with pumpkins and turn the water fountain into a fire pit! read more

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Such a beautiful patio! We enjoyed the ambiance, food and flowers. Great service. The prices are on the higher end of the spectrum for this type of dinning. Recommend going for any special occasion. read more

Old Anglers Inn - The fountain is amazing. - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

My partner had bought 4 gift cards winter of 2023, spend $50, get $100 gc. We have managed to force our way through 3 visits which, besides the charming patio, were terrible. The prices are ridiculous, not in a I'm-Not-From-Around-Here way, but like Why-Am-I-Not-At-Cafe-Milano way. The food is nothing short of bad. If it is not inedible I consider it a win for this place. The drinks are hit or miss. The service, wow. On my 3rd visit I was so disappointed with the service (taking forever for water, orders, touchbacks, clearing, and just a rude air about him, that I decided to break my rule of no less than 20% for terrible service and left 15% - the server came back to my table to tell me I under-tipped him!? Does management know of this behavior?? Anyway, I have had the 4th gc in my car for over a year now, it is expired but still worth the price paid for it so it's just been hanging over my head. We finally went today to enjoy the lovely weather on the front patio (it really is such a nice atmosphere out there). The whole reason I'm writing this review is because of Greg, our wonderful saving grace server, Greg. He is attentive, polite, and very personable. He made my visit so enjoyable! My mule was watered down, my food was subpar at best, but Greg and the lovely garden atmosphere kept my spirits high the entire visit - those two points are worth 5 stars, but there is no way I could, in good conscience, ever leave this place 5 stars. Hopefully management recognizes the gem that is Greg and never let's him go (but based on everything else I've seen about this please, I don't think they don't care). I'm so very happy to be finished with my commitment to OAI, and Greg is the icing on that (grossly overpriced) cake! read more

Old Anglers Inn - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

Total ripoff! Ordered the "lobster roll " . $34 for a tasteless filling that was half chopped avocado and served on a hotdog bun you would get at a gas station. Great service from the waiters and the place is cute but good lord just drink beer and don't order their food. read more

Business in the front, party in the back. My son and I stopped in after hiking and found a casual spot in the back of this adorable inn. Think: live music, Adirondack chairs, tv's, small fire places, order at the bar. Vibes were vibing. The front of the place was charming and had lots of people dressed up for lunch with a giant fire place in the center. When I say giant, I mean gargantuas. Food was steep and not worth the price tag but after a hike it was the closest and kid friendly place around. The chili was delicious. The wagu hotdog was disgusting. Food was prepared quickly and in the back area you serve & bus yourself. read more

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All the bad reviews sound like insane people with absurdly high standards wrote them. Maybe it's a little pricey but the food quality and service was impeccable. The outdoor seating is very nice and atmospheric, my family and I had a very enjoyable dinner. I will definitely come back next time I visit MD. read more

First time there and the experience was nothing short of magical. It was a perfect night to sit outside by the bonfire and the cocktails and food were both incredible. I had the side car and couldn't recommend it more - perfect fall drink, especially to sip by that gorgeous fire pit. The salmon was cooked perfectly as well and the carrots on the side were the best I've ever had. The entire venue is breathtakingly beautiful with all the lights. We also ran into the owner Mark while there, and he was so warm and invited us to tour the entire space. There's a cutest little staircase inside that you can take to an upstairs dining hall, and they opened up a beer garden in the back. Lovely experience all around. 10/10. read more

Old Anglers Inn - Patio area - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

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Ambiance 10/10, food 6/10 burger fine, Cod great, Arnold Palmer gross, service 5/10 also meh and when I went to the bathroom, a server closed the front door in my face. read more

Last time was horrific. The food was inedible, staff was slow, inattentive, management could care less and the people there were loud and obnoxious. Been going there for over 30 years and the downfall is precipitous. Atrocious except for the ambiance and that too needs a great deal of renovation and freshening up. Go elsewhere read more

Shocked at the low rating here. Yes, it's a tiny bit overpriced for a family-friendly new American kind of restaurant, but it's a wealthy zip code and I'm sure the rent is expensive. Besides that, the food is VERY good and the portions are HUGE. Staff are wonderful and the ambiance is magical. Easily worth the extra few (literally few) dollars you'll spend on a few things. There's nothing like sitting outside on a sunny day. It's a lovely, lovely scene. I go a few times a year and the staff all seems to remember me. Cheeseburger is huge and delicious, as is the gyro. Haven't really had the knife-and-fork stuff but the sandwiches/burgers are top notch, and was very impressed with the salmon hash breakfast dish today (my first brunch item, I think). Music is tasteful/safe, and not too loud. There's just something about this place. You can tell the staff is really close, and they take pride in doing a good job. Don't change, OAI!! read more

Just tried making a reservation and the place is already pissing me off. First they aren't listed in the Open Table app. Then I call them at a reasonable hour, and I get a ridiculous automated answering machine service. Then I read the reviews and I now consider the place a bullet-dodged. I feel sorry for all the people who have eaten here. Update: yeah, braced myself real hard for that correction. Love how you totally ignored the comment on your answering machine that just results in a dead end during business hours. Brace yourself: I'm not the only one giving you garbage reviews. You need to get Gordon Ramsay to come tear you a new one or something. read more

The Angler's Garden is one of my favorite quick bite stops and only beer garden option within 20 minutes of the nearby hikes. Solid food options, from wings to salads, and great ambiance to enjoy a beer or frose. Never been to the front restaurant, and perhaps all the bad reviews are generated from there, but the bag patio deserves praise. read more

What a wonderful experience! The hostess Melissa was very friendly and accommodating. She made us feel right at home. Jessie was also awesome! He was very professional but at the same time kind and hospitable. The atmosphere here was amazing. They had music playing, great service and amazing food & drink. Will definitely come here again! read more

Old Anglers Inn - Irish coffee, cosmopolitan and a lovely beer. - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

Went for dinner and it was a nice experience! We sat outside and it was pleasant and the food was good. Would return as it's so cute and inviting read more

Old Angler Inn (OAI) is just okay. I see a lot of questions on if they are dog friendly- let me address that first. OAI has a BACK PATIO that is casual, has a separate menu (burgers/dogs/pizza) and is dog friendly. You can kind of walk through the front patio and around the left side to get to the back. We felt super weird though because we had just come off a hike (Billy Goat Trail is across the street!) with our dog and were weaving through folks that were in their Sunday best and eating $50 eggs benedict. Whatever. If it's not too crowded (good luck) and they have the grill going, the back is way less pretentious and casual and good for doggies. Nothing else at the location is dog friendly from what I gathered. The rest of the restaurant is nice. It's not a jeans and sneakers sorta place. It's very expensive and the food is mediocre at best. I do think a lot of people think of OAI as some sort of institution as it's been there forever, but I'm honestly not sure of what their main selling points are outside of their location in Great Falls. We recently went for an 18 person prix fix lunch in their upstairs private room. Now I'm all for a secret passage but they brought our entire group up some crazy rickety spiral stairs where my 6"4 boyfriend could barely move and my cousin was CARRYING HIS NEWBORN IN A CARRIER. Nuts. It took us way too long to get up safely. Once we got settled they mentioned that if it was difficult to get up the stairs, they had a separate entrance on the side- all great- would've been awesome to know that BEFORE hand. Neither way upstairs is ADA compliant or easily accessible for anyone that has trouble with uneven surfaces or steep steps. The service was incredibly subpar. The "boston bibb" salad (which said nothing to it's ingredients at ALL" came dumped with some weird granola on top. I asked if there were peanuts in the granola (I have an allergy- which I mentioned at the beginning) and the server said "probably, but I don't know". yes yes very helpful. I had some kind of beef burgundy which was pretty good- but nothing to get excited about. Their wine list was disappointing. I also get that they're going for this rustic look- but when your gravel parking lot is so muddy and wet that people are ruining their shoes and nearly faceplanting from the ice and puddles- it makes this a restaurant you would NOT want to get dressed up and go to. I see us checking it out the casual back patio after a hike again one day- but it's WAY too expensive for such mediocre food, service and ambience. read more

Criminally overpriced. Average food. Subpar service. We got seated in a very sunny corner of this mostly outdoor establishment and the umbrella barely covered our table. It wasn't busy at all yet they chose this table for us and didn't help us move the umbrella lol. They asked how I wanted my burger and I said rare. It came out looking completely well. A lot of the other dishes were hit and miss where some are enjoyable and others are disappointing and questionably made. Service was abysmal and it's like amateur hour over here. I've gotten better service from fast food restaurants. Food: 4/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Service: 4/10 Value: 3/10 read more

Old Anglers Inn - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

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Came here with a friend and had a disappointing experience with their promotion. We each had our own "Gift for You" card from their December promotion, valid until 1/31. The card clearly states (in bold) that it's available for use on the main menu and all take-out orders. However, the waiter told us the cards were dine-in only and asked us to ignore what was written on the card. We were required to sit at one table and were only allowed to use one card total. The food was fine, but promotions should be honored as written. read more

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It has a good vibe & I like the location, but the food & service need improvements. The portion sizes are weak, the waitstaff is on the slower side, and even if you make a reservation they have you waiting 30+ min. Paid over $200 here and left feeling still hungry read more

The Biergarten in the back is very pretty! I love the way it's set up, and we enjoyed some great live music while sipping on our drinks. I had a pretzel which was delicious but I had to dust off some of the salt because there was a bit too much. The service was great and everyone was friendly. One thing I will say is that the seating isn't optimal, especially if the nicer tables in the back are taken. read more

Ask for the server named Greg. Personable and service oriented mindset. Greg was amazing. He recommended drink, appetizers and even a meal. We sat outside next to a gigantic fire pit. We ordered bourbon cider, calamari and burgers for both of us. And it was delicious, the crispy fries definitely recommend. It was our dog's birthday and we were able to order a steak a la carte without any hesitations from Greg. Greg was very accommodating and made it an overall great experience. However, Greg had to go inside and took tables there. The replacement server however... not a good server, night and day difference. No introduction, no recommendations, he just used the phrase "do you need anything else?" And no check backs. If they can figure out the server situation, this place would get a better rating. read more

Old Anglers Inn - Fire pit outside. - American Near Me - Potomac, Maryland

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It's an expensive restaurant. However, the setting, atmosphere and food make it worth the money. We got the best table on second floor with the view of outside lights and fire pit. Superb experience! read more

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Nice outdoor patio area in the back side of the restaurant. The best pull pork sandwich. A must try. A bit on the pricy side. The outdoor patio casual area has a diff menu than the front of the restaurant (order your foods at the bar in the back). Definitely will be back. read more

I expected the food to be good, and it was just "good" (not great). I also expected high prices, and they are quite high. But I did NOT expect the cocktail menu to be filled with anti-Biden, anti-DEI, anti-liberals, etc. clever quips. I appreciate political satire, but not when it's one-sided or intended to spread lies. So, on my next visit, I expect to see an updated cocktail menu that alludes to the lowest consumer confidence since 1980, tariff-fueled inflation projected to reach 6.2%, grad students being snatched off the street, shop-worn lies about the stollen 2020 election, and the loss of Medicare benefits. If I don't see "humorous" new one-liners like these, I will leave immediately. And urge my friends to stay away. I do not want to support any restaurant that thinks it's fun to spread lies to prop up a felon "who grabs women by the p_ssy" and lies about everything. read more

Food was good, though I was a little thrown off by the cocktail drink menu with a not so subtle politically themed drink (this detail does not appear on the cocktail menu found online, but is printed on the one provided). I guess it's a subtle nod to fellow supporters of the current administration... This is an interesting choice. read more

Very cute venue with a fountain and gardens in the front. The back area is more casual dining with picnic tables and at times has live music. The servers are attentive. We sat with the band and had light bites. The crab and spinach dips are very good. The margarita pizza had plenty of cheese but was lacking in flavor. A slight garlic, Italian seasoning or something would probably enhance it. read more

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6 of us dined here for my birthday. Hadn't been in a long time. Boy, have prices there sky rocketed! Think $60+ for a small lamb rack, $47 for steak frites. My husband's filet was almost $100! Not complaining about the food, but for those prices we expect better service. Our server was inattentive and unsatisfactory to the point that we had to guess what he was saying. For example, he couldn't pronounce Waldorf as in waldorf salad. We had to guess what he meant. And a friend of mine had a bottle of champagne arranged for us as a surprise. He got her name wrong to the point we were about to refuse it because we thought it was a mistake. Finally we figured it out. Lastly, he delivered the bill & left so quickly my husband didn't have a chance to give him a credit card. Then he was chatting so we couldn't get his attention to finalize the bill. This was an experience in very high prices and very unacceptable service! Beware before you go! read more

We had a lovely evening eating on the outside patio by the water feature. There were a couple of large fans blowing though there was very low humidity this night with only 80 degrees in May. At least the fans are good at getting rid of mosquitoes. We started with a fried calamari appetizer. It came with a very large half lemon. We usually get a quarter size in other places. The appetizer also had a sweet chili sauce. Calamari was fine but the batter was too light and soft that it just fell off. Our entrees consisted of the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and green beans and steak frites with french fries. I wanted to substitute the mashed potatoes with asparagus. I didn't think it would be a problem because on the menu all the sides of mashed potatoes, asparagus, and green beans were all priced at $10. I was told by the waiter that it would be an additional charge of $6. I was disappointed to hear that and kept the mashed potatoes. I think the short ribs was good, very tender and soft. It was a good portion and the fresh green beans were great. The steak frites was too chewy. You have to have very good teeth to eat this. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with this dish. The fries were also not hot, more room temperature. Though service was impeccable, it did take some time for our main entrees to come out. There were definitely enough servers on the floor but that doesn't mean there were enough kitchen staff. I do not know but I did notice that many of the tables waited some time. I made reservations for 6:30 but we made it there early at 6:00 and they easily accommodated us without problems. We had a bottle of sparkling water and with all the condensation, the label started to slip off the bottle. When I grabbed it to pour, the bottle slipped out of my hand because of the peeling label and I dropped the bottle on the table. I made such a noise that a server came by to see if I needed any help. Luckily it was just a little spilled water. Throughout the rest of the night, a server would come by our table to pour the water for me. Parking may be an issue. They have a small lot. read more

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Update from much earlier review. Steak frites was good and perfectly prepared if very overpriced, as are all the menu items. We asked if we could get a smaller version of the $50 cheese/meat appetizer board. Answer: "We don't do that here." Nonsense. Any good restaurant would have seen our point and given his a half portion. The French 75 was almost all gin. Unsat. Not even an olive or nut to go with it. No bread. Hostess was great; servers pretty third tier. We'll just have to stick with Auberge Chez Francois, which gives much better value and service for the money. read more

I visited here recently for the first time during Father's day. I am not sure how parking is normally but they asked if we had a reservation and they only allowed us to park in the lot by the restaurant after confirming that we did. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice. It sits by the wood area and it is serene and at night with the lights on, it was very pretty. However, when you are paying a hefty price for food, you're not only there for ambiance. And considering, some of the other aspects of this dining experience fell below my expectations. Despite having a reservation, we had to wait for them to clear and set our table. When we were seated, it took nearly 10 minutes before anyone came to ask or check on us. It also seemed like they had a good amount of staff but there was clearly some miscommunication/language barrier between some of the servers. Throughout the meal, we had to often ask for our server since other servers could not attend to us since it was not their table. Now, let's talk food. The prices are steep but given the location I suppose that comes as no surprise. Our total bill came out to about $400. The bread service costs money and it was good but I am not sure if it was worth it. We also requested a cup of hot water and charged us as it was tea. The server was kind enough to take it off the bill and $5 for hot water just does not make sense. We ordered calamari, wedge salad, octopus (shareable) and all were good. The octopus dish was mainly vegetables (which I thought tasted better than the octopus itself). The calamari I would say is the best bang for your buck. Nicely fried and the sweet and sour sauce pairs nicely. Moving on the mains... We ordered the filet mignon, seafood pasta, and the bowl w/ hanger steak. First, the serve said he did not know how to add on the steak (as indicated on the menu) so he was going to charge us the bowl + hanger steak as it was a main entree. We had to tell him that's not how it's stated on the menu... for a place like this, provide some better training. The seafood pasta portion was also ok.. for $38, they could offer a bigger portion of it. The desserts however, was the best. We ordered gelato, creme brulee and tiramisu. All were fantastic! To sum it up, nice ambiance for sure but be ready to pay for it for not a lot in return. read more

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I would like to update my review of the problems I had with a gift certificate for Old Anglers. I wanted to let the readers know that the owner of the restaurant intervened and solved the problem with total satisfaction from my perspective. Tks read more