One of the best beer lists in the DC metro area. As an added bonus they actually have most all of them in stock, compared to other famous beer joints that will remain nameless in this review. Hearty, new American style food is rib-sticking and if you're getting old enough like me gut-busting. You can literally feel the pounds going on as you sit in the slightly less than comfortable wooden booths and feast on the trio of Mac and Cheese (one with a marvelously streaked strip of bacon on top). The wood grilled entrees are actually cooked to order, god bless a rare hamburger. WARNING! Food coma is a possible side effect...come prepared to drink coffee afterward or you'll need a good nap. One small gripe is that the Belgian beers should be poured with gusto and proper head so you can smell them, not down the side of the glass like an American beer. read more

The restaurant only deserves 3-4 stars. But Rustico gets 5 from me for the beer list alone. The beer list here is one of the deepest in quality and diversity I've encountered in America. There are many, many belgian gastro-pubs with 100's of belgians. There are german places, and there are mega-american-beer joints like flying saucer with a 100 on tap. But none of them show the signs of intelligence that was put into the beer list at Rustico. They've gone out of their way to find the best of all kinds of beers, and to have at least one representative of every conceivable style of beer. For the common types (belgian tripels or american IPAs or pale ales, let's say) the beer list delivers the best-of-class choices and doesn't bore you with the mundane or insanely common. Needless to say, color me impressed. That said, I will also talk to the place and the food. The place is in a random part of Alexandria that many people probably don't know exists...this is because it looks like it didn't exist 6 months ago. Odd location aside, it's a nice place, exposed brick, warm, noisy atmosphere. The pizza was solid. Not amazing, but solid, NY-style (kinda) pizza. The rest of the food was "ok" but nothing special. Again, they've gone with the gastro-American comfort food theme, but a little more refined. The service the time we went was bad, the waitress had a 'tude and didn't care. But I'll chalk it up to her and not the place for now. Lastly, what I liked is that these really are beer people. There were signs in the window for beer-themed charity events, meeting local brewers, raising money for this cause and that a pint at a time. This is always a welcome sign and it lets you know exactly the type of people that set this place up. Good times. read more

I visited Rustico for the first time last night. There was a Dogfish Head event! We had a reservation and were 20 minutes late... their slightly off-the-beaten-path location seemed to be a challenge to my friend that drove us there. After a somewhat sarcastic "Good to see you" from the hostess, we were seated. We went right for the Dogfish Head specials, 120 minute, Palo Santo, Immort Ale... and then were very surprised by the huge beer menu! Our server was training to be a server. She had an older waiter following her around and checking on us to make sure she was doing ok. She did great. We never had empty glasses :) The menu was limited, but it was still hard to make a decision. The salmon was tasty, and my friend's burger was pretty darn good, too. The price was reasonable. The $5 side of fries is tasty and HUGE. I'm really excited to go back again, sit on the patio and enjoy a large selection of good beer! The one-holer bathrooms are kind of crappy (haha! bad pun!). My two male friend ended up using the female bathroom before we left because someone had apparently taken over the mens room for quite some time. read more

I went here for the second time last night. The experiences were both comparable- yay for consistency. The Basics This place has an amazing bar set-up with a variety of beers in bottles as well as on tap. (with exception of my favorite abita strawberry- tear) Some might find the menu a little limited but I actually have always ordered specials and have yet to be let down. The pistachio cheese torte I had for dinner last night was amazing, and I had to stop myself from consuming the entire thing and suffering a bellyache. I've always let my waiter guide me through the beer selection- but I think next time I'll be less co-dependent and try a "flight" to experiment. Why Rustico doesn't get 5 stars... 1. parking always seems limited which can be rather annoying 2. why are the hostesses so snotty? they just don't seem to be very interested acknowledging you and are usually not that knowledgeable about wait times. even if you have a reservation. it is kind of like, go find yourself your own table and don't bother me about it. This kind of surprises me because the wait staff has always been stellar if you can get over the initial challenges, then Rustico is a great place to hang out, grab a beer and chow down on a burger or pizza. read more

I've been here a few times, mostly for dinner, this last time for lunch on a Saturday. This place is always enjoyable to visit. Prepare for a wait on Friday and Saturday nights though, as it gets packed. The service is great and the beer and wine selection is extensive. I have visited both locations and definitely prefer the original Alexandria one. My favorite item on the entire menu is the carrot hummus. It is seriously amaizing. It's pureed carrots with a ground lamb mixture and feta, served with warm, soft pita bread. I could probably eat 3 plates of it! However, my husband and I settled on ordering just 1 plate... For my "main", I followed it up with the mussels (actually on the starters list). They were bacon and blue cheese mussels...a HUGE portion, served with crusty, hot grilled bread sticks. I practically drank the liquid when I was done. My husband ordered the pepperoni pizza, which is always good. Thin, crispy and perfect sauce, cheese, topping ratios. Per our server's encouragement, I tried some of the pizza crust with my mussel broth. Divine! If I could improve the mussels further, I would say that they should serve it with breadsticks made of the pizza dough. No room for dessert! So happy and full! I have been here other times and loved the following: scallops (when on special), pizza with the chickpea crust (really unique and yummy, even if you don't suffer from a gluten allergy - it's a great choice), red velvet sundae - so good if you somehow have room left, definitely a sundae for sharing...I remember practically licking the bowl! Great date spot, great double date spot and seemed to be pretty kid friendly/kid approved during lunch...most children around us seemed to be engrossed in their yummy pizzas. I also love the bar area here- very open with a good vibe! read more

Food and drink here is a bundle of contradictions. The home runs seem to slightly outpace with the disappointments, averaging out to a solid "meh-plus." Having visited a few times now I feel like I know what to avoid and can order the stuff that causes--justifiably--the rave reviews. The buffalo pork slider and pickled vegetable pot are unique and delicious, and are two of the main reasons I'll be coming back. I've never been able to eat steamed mussels anywhere else and actually enjoy them, so they must be doing the equivalent of culinary magic to them at Rustico. The Catalonian pizza was very tasty--I really enjoyed the smoked mozzarella flavor--but the spicy chicken pizza failed to deliver in the heat department and was overall just so-so. The aged burger was so flavorless I left nearly the entire thing uneaten. I can also never fully enjoy Rustico's massive beer selection since for some reason, most of the drafts are served just a few degrees too warm. I don't know if I just always get the warm, recently washed glasses or if their coolers are just set too high, but the temperature is always off just a bit. I tend to mix it up with cans or bottles for this reason, which is really too bad for such a great draft selection. read more

Went to this place on Thursday night and it had a good crowd. Cool architecture in this restaurant...definitely makes for a good atmosphere. First and foremost, the highlight of this place is the beer selection. They literally have hundreds of beers to chose from. Similar to places like Brickskellar and Lost Dog, the beer selection is almost intimidating. However, if you are a beer lover, you will enjoy the wide variety of choices from all over the world. The food was decent. I was fortunate enough to have the pizza which was quite good. However, my wife's dish (rockfish) didn't have much flavor. For the amt you pay for the entrees, not sure it is worth the quality of the food. Stick with the pizza. Just due to the beer selection, I would probably head back However, I would probably just sit in the bar area to drink beer and eat the pizza. read more

Dear Rustico, When are you bringing back the Baked Potato Pizza?!!! Seriously, I've been coming back every season and it STILL has not made an appearance back on the menu. You can reach out to me directly to let me know when it's back on the menu because it is SO FREAKING GOOD!!!!! Thank you! :) Here is my REAL review: I love this place. I love the ambiance, food, beer/wine selection and TVs. Things to order: Brussel sprouts, Cheese & Herb Risotto "tots" Pizzas you will LOVE: Baked Potato Pizza, Roasted Mushroom, Spicy Chicken Meatball, Pulled Pork read more

Oh, Rustico. I like you, I really like you. Something about you keeps me coming back for more. Maybe it is the layout and warm ambiance of the bar? Maybe it is the extensive, amazing, delicious beer list that manages to provide me time and time again with some offering I have never tried before? Maybe it is the yummy pizzas you offer? It certainly isn't the rest of your menu (just as an FYI apparently they make a lot of their food beforehand and they can't alter some selections, like the grilled cheese, to be meat-free). It could be some unspeakable magic that occurs when you combine all of these elements.. but let's be honest- it's probably the beer. :) read more

I actually didn't even eat here, but only bc they couldn't give us the chance. We went today with a party of 8, 2 kids that needed high chairs. Apparently between 3 - 5:30, only their bar area is open. So bc we were there at 3:30, they couldn't give us a table. We asked a manager if they could sit us in the dining area anyway bc we needed high chairs and she said that there were no servers for that section. PS - that's about 10 extra steps from the bar area. They let us walk us walk out the door and they wouldn't budge on their stupid closing to get ready for dinner time. SO lame. I've eaten at thousands of restaurants all over the flippin' world and I've never seen a restaurant close 1/2 of its place to prepare for the next rush. LAME read more

I like the beer selection and enjoyed my meal. They lost a star for not having a full enough bar to carry a port. My husband thinks this is a ridiculous expectation on my part, being that they are a beer joint. I stand my ground. I love port for dessert. For the record, the waiter was determined to please and offered me a Creme Brulee Stout by Rogue, at least I think it was Rogue. It was pretty darn good and a nice choice if you wish to drink your dessert. read more

I have to take this place in doses because if I don't, I'm liable to hurt myself packing away so much great food and beer! Rustico features quite possibly the most innovative and varied beer selection I've ever seen. Many are craft brewed and tapped, so you can enjoy them in a tall, cold glass. Even more hide behind the bar area in lockers of refrigerated beer awesomeness. Every time you come back, they have new additions to the beer list, so you'll never get bored. Rustico's pizzas, for which they're known, are simply OUTSTANDING. Do not pass up the roasted mushroom pizza, and be sure to try the gluten-free chickpea crust. If you're in the mood for something smaller, try the insanely wonderful pretzel-crusted mac n' cheese: NOMNOMNOMNOM!!! read more

Noisy. Dark. Hard seats. Slow service Small portions - nothing is included with the "Main" . The food was tasty. They did give us extra food. read more

Rustico - Family kitchen. - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The Beer = This is the kind of place that the Brickskeller and others always wished they could be. An eye-popping number of selections that are all in stock. I took advantage of a Rogue Amber and a Kentucky Bourbon Beer, fabulous. The Food = My duck pizza was a little chewy, though serviceable. The fried shitake sticks were good enough for fried sticks of hammy and cheesy goodness, but quite the ripoff given the $11 price. The Service = In a word, "shaky". We were quoted a 25 minute wait which gradually became closer to an hour (though my beer-ified self wasn't complaining to much). Once we got to the table, we were accidentally treated to another table's appetizers not once, but twice. To top it off, our very friendly server got one of our orders wrong so two of us had to play the "we're not really eating yet, since we're waiting...but we really want to eat anyways" game. To their credit, a manager came by to profusely apologize...but they really need to get their s**t together! read more

Didn't have high expectations, but was very impressed. Huge beer list and fun use of gourmet ingredients. Great place to try something new. The duck confit and cracklin pizza is to die for! read more

One of our favorite Happy Hour locations. Great beers and yummy appetizers. The blistered peppers are great as are the fries (I like mine with Parmesan!). If you like italian meats, the grilled pizza is not to be missed. The service on the patio was great and I loved that my puppy was welcome (on the outside of the fence). The staff is so sweet that someone went and got her treats from Buzz Cafe across the street! read more

I think I take back what I said about prices in my earlier review. They're nothing outrageous. It's a good place to split dishes. A friend and I went for lunch today, and they were super accommodating of her 14 month old daughter (filled her sippy cup, etc). Our waitress was very friendly and made excellent recommendations (the bibb salad sounded a little odd, but we got it at her suggestion, and it was fantastic--very refreshing). We also shared the mushroom pizza (it's particularly great), as well as an order of the truffled parmesan fries with lemon aioli. Splitting the check down the middle, it was only $14 apiece. It's a great restaurant to have in the neighborhood. read more

Beers and Burgers look no further!!! Great and I mean amazing beer selection, servers are very very knowledgable and helpful about offering advice when picking beers. Burgers are insanely delicious! Yum! The bar is long and very open, the atmosphere is friendly. Classy, quick, fun atmosphere and sensational burgers and beer. YUM read more

I wrote a same review for Rustico in Ballston. I love them both: I absolutely love Rustico. Churchkey has been one of my favorite bars in DC for a long time and I've always enjoyed Birch and Barley (same owners as Rustico). I feel like Rustico combines the best of both. Churchkey is a great bar, but not a great restaurant. Birch and Barley is a great restaurant, but it's higher end. Rustico is the perfect balance. They have a fantastic beer selection and great food. The chickpea crust pizza is fantastic. I try and get to Rustico as often as I can. read more

Came here for the first time for happy hour with a co-worker. It's a popular spot in my office, and I'm not really sure why. Yes, it has a nice assortment of beers. I'm a Stout lover myself, and I think that day there was one on the menu. I tried it - it was just ok. But I prefer a very particular type of Stout - one that is chocolately or even somewhat sweet like the Southern Tier Creme Brulee. It changed my life! There was a large area Near the bar which was nice. We didn't have trouble finding somewhere to sit, but it definitely got very crowded later on. Food menu specials during happy hour were non-existent. I had trouble reading the menu that listed HH specials for drinks where I was sitting, but I'm pretty confident our server didn't share any with us. My coworker ordered the pretzel bites with cheese. Although I was surprised at how quickly they came out, I don't give a "you know what" about speed if the food is cold or not good. And those bites came out in under 5 minutes, and were barely lukewarm. So, yeah. You can keep that. I'm sure I'll be back here, but only to grab a beer after work with coworkers. Otherwise, I've found better places to unwind after work. read more

I wouldn't say this place is as good as it gets, but I am a fan and will be back. Their menu is definitely eccentric and a bit on the odd/exotic side. Before yelping Rustico, I expected them to be no lower than four stars, which they weren't at the time. This stirred my curiosity, so I went through the reviews and I realize how goddamn subjective the overall review ratings can be due to individual experiences, tastes, and personalities. I mean, some girl asked for some fucking salt to put on her pizza, while another trashed the pizza after ordering one with chickpea crust (at least they cater to those who are allergic to gluten)... I'm just sayin, some folks have fucked up taste buds and a lack of common sense. My experience was really closer to the five star side, although their prices are a bit high, and I was disappointed to find that they don't accommodate multiple bladders and poopers that might need to go simultaneously. Was I missing a hidden bathroom? Was there a book to pull out of the bookcase that I didn't see? Seriously, one fucking personal bathroom per guy and gal... All the money dumped into this place, and that's what they provide?!! Retahdids. Alright, the food... (Dinner menu) I'll keep it nice and simple. Rabbit Terrine - Like rabbit meets spam, spabbit I s'pose! I'm no fan of spam, but this shit was pretty good. Pizza - Duck confit and cracklins with brea and grilled onions. Pretty damn good. Summer pie, also pretty good. Look folks, they ain't pizza slut, and they ain't New York, so don't expect that shit. They do have a flavorful sauce, and use good, quality ingredients. The crust is crispy and doughey and delicious in my opinion. Dessert - I tried what they call creme brulee, which was actually a micro-brew with strong caramelized sugar and toasted chocolaty hopps kind of flavor, very rich, but not bad, they oughta spell it creme brew'lay. These guys even serve beer popsicles for cristsakes. Bottom line, these guys are a total novelty. After going through the bad reviews, it's clear to me that they can be hit or miss. I'm an old punk rocker, and I didn't get the yuppy feel about this place, yeah there were some, but the crowd was pretty eclectic. Their service wasn't snooty at all, and our table's server was on the ball. For those who bitch about service, fucking say something to the manager! It's a tough job, but if you can't do it with a fake-ass smile and thick skin, it ain't for you. That's why I ain't a server. I hate working the food service industry, it's just another reminder of how shitty people can be. I'm eager to update this review per subsequent visits, and although it's a bit long, I really wanted to clear the air on some shit because I think these guys are deserving of four stars. But then again, opinions truly are like assholes. Thanks for reading, cheers. read more

Tucked away in what I can only describe as a Pleasantville-esque enclave of Alexandria, off Rte 1, between the Potomac Yards No-Mans-Land and Old Town, is a community of bougie stores and chi-chi townhomes, all perfectly laid out in a development that must look as good in real life as it did on the blueprints. Being there makes me feel like I've discovered suburban Shangri-la. Rustico is a restaurant on the corner of "Good Food" and "Something for Everyone." It has beer (lots of beer), it has wine, it has pizza, it has burgers, it has chicken, it has fish, it has steak, it has salad, it has pasta, it has pork, it has fries, it has chips ... fa-la-la-la-laaaaaa-la-la-la-la. Caroling in fall is perfectly acceptable by the way. To be blunt, I really don't care what your feelings are about lamb, pureed carrots, feta cheese, or warm pita bread. No really, I don't. Why? Because it doesn't matter how you feel about those things as individual and separate entities of food. The next time you find yourself at Rustico, order the carrot hummus off the {smalls} menu. Don't even bother glancing over the rest of the offerings on that portion of the menu. ORDER IT. EAT IT. LOVE IT. I like that you can avoid serious commitment and get 4oz 'tasters' of beer before deciding on the one you really want (if any). No one's pressuring you to take the "Raging Bitch (Belgian style IPA)" all the way to a standard glass, especially if you're on a first date with her. You're not that kind of beer drinker, and don't let anyone say otherwise! Slander. After my unsubtle molestation of the carrot hummus, I composed myself and dove in to the swordfish club I had ordered. It came with bacon and chili mayo. I enjoyed it greatly. The chips and fries are all made in house and for that, I commend you, Rustico. However, my chips were REALLY salty, unnecessarily so, and it made them inedible. Maybe I just had an overly salted batch. The "oops" batch. Because I'm vying for Hungriest Hippo Award 2010, I made my boyfriend split the blueberry pie with me at the end of the meal. It came with milk sorbet. The pie was warm, the sorbet was cold, it was sweet, and I ate most of it. So really, the moral of my story is: this little piggy had carrot hummus, this little piggy had swordfish club, this little piggy had wine, this little piggy had warm blueberry pie, and this little piggy went oink! oink! oink! all the way home, but she did it with a smile on her face and a strengthened love and respect for Rustico ... and carrot hummus. read more

They have a great beer selection (over 300) and the food lineup is great. They have a daily happy hour from 5-7. During this time you get $2 off full pours. Definitely a way to try all of your favorites. read more

I met a few friends from college here the other day for drinks before we headed out to another bar. So this review will be slightly incomplete. First off when walking in, I loved the atmosphere, it seemed like a very chill place and the interior designer did a great job with tiles and pieces of broken plates. We hung out in section of couches that was right by a fireplace, so we were not complaining. As all my favorite places seem to have, the beer menu was excellent and overwhelming. I love having choices and never really knowing what beer I'm getting and Rustico has that in spades. Just like at Brickskellar, I like to open the beer menu, close my eyes and pick at random. While not always the best choices, I like the surprises. Watch out for the Val De Brune. First taste was a bit like medicine then the alcohol hit me and I think I liked it. Also our waitress was super cool. Just the right amount of attentiveness and personability when needed. As I look eternally young (Asian face), when she carded me, my friends had fun poking at my youthful features. The waitresses chimed right in and we were friends for the evening. read more

The beer list is big enough that it comes in a binder. And almost the entire first page is beer on tap. That's pretty much an automatic 4 star rating right there. I like the fact that they serve a seasonal menu but the roasted chicken I had was definitely not the quality you would expect with the prices on the menu. Service was very good. We got there pretty late for dinner on a Friday and the waiter didn't rush us at all. read more

3.5 stars. I am a big fan of this chain which includes columbia firehouse and the Arlington rustico. Tallula is good also. Vermillion is a bit overrated but not bad as well. Anyways, this location is a little less busy in a good way (although this could change with the Potomac Yard construction and new housing). They have a great HH that includes their amazing beer selection. As far as food selection goes lots of good options that are all pretty good. I liked tbe carrot hummus and most of thwir sandwiches. Their pizza is all very tasty. Just be aware they are not huge and I wouldn't recommend takeout as it could get pricey. The Italian mean one is excellent. read more

My husband and I love this place. We stumbled upon it a long time ago before we knew it was part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. The pizza is really excellent. We've had the basil & fresh mozzarella and the roasted mushroom. Both are really excellent. You can also create your own pizza and they have a good variety of toppings. This place has one of the best pizzas in the area. I've also had the beet salad, which was quite good. The beer selection is amazing. I'm not a beer drinker, but I can even find a few beers I like here. They also have 4 oz glasses, which is great for someone like me.They usually have ~15 beers on tap + a 30-page book of bottled beers. A beer drinkers heaven. The place is dimly lit and cozy, but a little on the upscale side without feeling snooty. The wait staff is always very friendly and they know their stuff. My husband has gotten very good beer recommendations every time we've been. The also have outdoor seating and heating lamps, which is really great for slightly chilly evenings. read more

De. licious. They have the wackiest and most awesome dishes, like bowtie pasta chips(!) and orzo mac and cheese with pretzel bread crumbs. Crazy good. The "tastes" of beer we had were enormous. And delicious. No complaints, great atmosphere. I've been craving the mac and cheese for days. read more

Been meaning to review this place for a while as it's the closest restaurant by a long shot for those of us who live nearby. It's not exactly amazing food but good enough solely because there aren't any other options in close walking distance (Alexandria location at least). Happy hour includes a nice selection of beers and the bartenders are friendly. Most recently, our pizza took over 30 minutes during happy hour when my boyfriend and I were 2 out of 5 people there at 5pm. We were told the chef was "busy preparing for beer night" by numerous employees which wasn't exactly the best thing to hear as it makes some customers feel less of a priority than others. In my book all customers are equal if they're putting money in your pocket. Being from Chicago our group is used to waiting for pizza. This isn't Chicago nor is it Chicago style pizza so a long wait for very cold pizza when they weren't busy whatsoever simply isn't acceptable. Probably won't return for a while unless we absolutely have to walk somewhere for food. read more

This place wasn't as good as I expected or hoped. The menu was very limited, my steak was dry and room temperature. I would give this place 2 stars but my wife did enjoy her shrimp and grits. read more

Wow! Went back again today for lunch. Melon salad with Virginia ham over arugula w/ a nice vinagraite FANTASTIC braised pork shoulder pasta sauce married with papparadelle (sp?) pasta. The food here is inventive, tasty and way beyond most pub fair. Try it out! ___________________________________ Great selection of beer on tap and by the bottle. I've read through the reviews regarding the food. The kitchen changed course in April 2007 or so (I think they got a new chef?). Anyway, the menu is very ambitious for a pub. Interesting salads and unusual combinations. How many local pubs are offering Summer Melon & Country Ham with rocket & pickled melon dressing? The pizzas are also inventive and tasty. Very comfortable bar area with friendly bartenders (sister restaurant Vermilion in Old Town could learn something in this regard!). I appreciate a place that is willing to take risks and can pull it off! _____ read more

Food: Two of us split a grilled Caesar salad and a fig/gorgonzola pizza. Both were absolutely excellent. The salad is expensive, but you get a huge bowl and it's plenty for 2 people. Obviously homemade dressing, and the grilled lettuce is just wonderful. The fig pizza is not only the most interesting pizza I've ever had, but also one of the most tasty. I love pizza without tomato on it, and this was perfect--sweet and salty, not too cheesy, a little bit of buttery prosciutto on top. Yum. Beer: Excellent list that is organized really nicely for a beer lover. Great draft list and huge selection of bottles. Multiple sizes available at quite appropriate prices. The fancy stuff is expensive, the more basic (yet still delicious) stuff is really moderate. Win! Service: Fine server. Friendly, not pushy. We never wanted for anything during the meal. Atmosphere: Really beautiful. Lots of mosaics. Nice light. A little loud, but not deafeningly so. Prices: On the high end of reasonable. I see that you get good quality food in a nice place, so I'm willing to pay a few dollars more than elsewhere. It's not outlandish or a rip-off, given the food quality. Why 4 stars? When we came in, they said we'd have an hour wait. Ok, thinking that was probably an over-estimation, we wandered awkwardly to the bar, wondering where to stand since no chairs were available. Roughly 5 bartenders either walked passed us to the "floating bars" or looked at us from behind the main bar and not one offered to get us anything. There really wasn't any where not awkward to stand, so we ended up waiting in the entryway. Idk, it just seemed a little bit "you're on your own" not "please let us make you comfortable while you wait for a table." Not a big deal, just a hospitality issue I guess. We'll be back the next time we want pizza. read more

The service is horrible. The food isn't bad. I'd gladly get take out, but to stay and eat is like Picard being tortured by the Cardassian. "There are four servers!" and NONE of them are helpful or timely. Sadly you get better and faster service at a table than the bar which is opposite of a normal restaurant and terrifying because the service sucks. Today marks my 6th and final visit. read more

Rustico - New American Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I'm close to giving this place only 1 star, but I'm hoping the experience I had the other night was just a fluke incidence. Plus, the bar is well worth the visit. I went with a large party (10), so the 2+ hour wait on a Saturday night was, although annoying, understandable. And it's not so bad to have a bar with a great variety of beers to explore before being seated. To make up for it, they kindly gave us complimentary appetizers for being seated so late. You would think that a group of drunk, starving people would feast on anything put in front of them...think again. The starters were enjoyable (salads were fresh, soup was tasty, mussels were steaming, etc.) but come main dishes, we had a lot to complain about. My friend and I couldn't even eat the pizza we shared because it was way too salty (they kindly took it off the bill). Others who ordered burgers complained of the same problem. Also, the one pasta dish that was ordered was under-done. We were all very disappointed. The waiter we had was attentive and friendly, especially given the hectic atmosphere. But how you mess up pizza and pasta, I do not know. The bar is great and I'm hoping our experience with the food was a rare occasion, but I don't foresee myself returning anytime soon. read more

Let me get this caveat out of the way first: This review is based on my most recent carry-out lunch. I used to like this place a lot (four stars when I went there a year+ ago), but I have not been in a while. So either they have become terrible over the past year, or you should just never get carry-out lunch here. I ordered the Reuben sandwich. The woman who took my order was very nice. I decided to get the "house salad" in lieu of the fries in a stupid attempt to be healthier. What I wound up receiving was pretty unappetizing. The "salad" was a sopping-wet pile of lettuce leaves. You'd think with all the water on them, it would at least be clean, but most of the leaves were covered in dirt and there were a couple little dead bugs stuck to them. So after scavenging a few clean pieces and tossing the rest, I moved on to my sandwich, which I hoped would make up for it. The sandwich looked like the most depressing, squashed, dilapidated brown thing you've ever seen. I guess it is made panini-style, so flatness should be okay, but this thing was absolutely squashed to crap and disheveled as hell. It's like someone took a normal sandwich and beat it to death with a stick. The "pastrami" was gray and flavorless, and so was the slaw. Easily the worst Reuben I've ever had. Being that it is my name, I like to try Reuben's wherever I go. Pretty depressed after forcing myself to eat this. The worst part is it was $13 which is already bogus enough for a sandwich, but for a sandwich like that, it's adding insult to injury. Any of the sandwich shops along King st will make you a better one. Rustico is only a couple blocks from my new office so I had been hoping to go there every now and then when I didn't feel like making my own lunch. That idea has effectively been destroyed now. Maybe I'll give them another chance down the road, but it wont be any time soon. read more

Update: I got an email from one of the managers promising g to make our experience right. After sending two messages; the first offering appreciation for his willingness to fix the problem and the second responding to his question about what night we attended; I've received no follow up now any acknowledgement of even dining there. Terrific service rustico...I'm a small dent, possibly just a mere chip, in their clientele, but they should at least treat people with dignity and respect. read more

The food has always been good. I'm commenting on the service, specifically their rules about reservations and call-ahead. 3rd time here. First time with friends - we waited in the bar with friends and eventually got a seat outside. Came with my fiance for a date night and got a table pretty easily on a Sunday. Then we tried with out of town friends on a Saturday night in April and were told it was an hour or longer wait since we didn't have reservations or call ahead. We left for elsewhere. So when fiance's folks were in town last night (Sunday) , I made sure we got reservations or called. We called at 5:00 for a 6:30ish dinner and were told they were not take our names for a reservation since there were tables available right then. She said we could call before heading out. At 6:10 we called right before leaving to put our name in. She took it, saying there were tables at that moment but she had not idea what it'd be like when we got there. We live 7 minutes away, if that. Since the hostess made us so paranoid, we even got dropped off at the front while my fiance parked. We walk in, say our name, and are told it could be 30 minutes or more since "minutes ago a big group came in". You could see them setting up the tables. Really? So I don't know what their policy is. It seems that until you are physically in their space they don't care. Fine, do whatever with rules, just make it clear and don't give folks the runaround. We did all we could, at their suggestion, and it didn't do any good. read more

As I'm sitting here, waiting for my check (still), I'll tell you a little something, something about Rustico. Beer, awesome. Pizza, amazing. Tuna app, delicious. Service, terrible. We actually stood at the host stand long enough (alone) to wait for the host to turn around and speak to us that my fellow diner had time to say, after an extended pause, "I wonder if she's ever gonna turn around an say hi...?" at which point she stopped reading a book and turned around to great us. Finally. Sadly, the service wasn't any better once we got to our (comfy) seats just off the bar. Our waitress was rude, rushed and acted like she was doing us a favor. Basically, the horrible service detracts from the really good food. If you willing to put up with it....I really do recommend the pizza. read more

I really liked the beer but the wait, on what appeared to be a very slow afternoon, was annoying. I got to the bar well before my friend and took a seat in the middle of the bar area. A lot of service people and managers walked around me, but no one stopped. I think that a good rule of thumb in a bar is that if there's not a glass in front of a customer for about 5-10 minutes, someone should ask if they would like to order something. I'm not in the restaurant business but I'm just saying... The beer and the pretzel crusted mac and cheese brought this rating up from 2 stars. I hope that they get their service issues fixed because I'd love to come back again, it's a great space. read more

Something is terribly wrong here. Went for dinner last night....was told that a wait for a table was 20 min. After waiting almost 40 minutes in Bar area, and seeing many empty tables, we checked, and hostess realized she forgot to notify us. Then, when ordering a glass of white wine, waitress informed most of the white wine was out of stock. (On a Friday night, really?). Ordered a glass of rose, waitress never brought it, or checked on us. Asked once, she said it was coming. Our entries arrived, no wine, no waitress. Finally had to get up from table to ask, waitress replied, "oh we are out of that wine too!" Her boss stepped in and offered the one remaining white wine on the menu - on the house. (He did the right thing). Rustico needs to get it's act together.....too bad don't want to lose a once reliable neighborhood restaurant.............. read more