This place was recommended to my friend for a Repast event. There was plenty of parking…read more Since we had reservations we were greeted and promptly seated. It was nicely decorated inside and clean. Servers were nice and friendly. They quickly provided us with the menu and served us water. We were told that their cast iron corn bread was very good so we ordered that for everyone. It did not disappoint. I almost ate the whole pan. I ordered the nice grilled salmon salad which was delicious! Serving size was good. I had to take half of it home. The person next to me got the pan roasted rainbow trout. Hers was a good size too and she enjoyed her meal. I would definitely recommend this place.

The rating is averaged for food [very good] and service [non-existent]…read more Recently I went to Ruthie's for pancakes on a weekday morning. I got there before 11AM and was directed to a kiosk where I ordered electronically and paid. The counter person gave me a number to display on my table, and I chose my own seat. My food came in a timely fashion and was very good, but I had to ask for a glass of water ~ and no one came by to see if I wanted a coffee refill. Nor did anyone check in with me to see how my meal was. Are they "self-serve" before the lunch hour kicks in ??

The new(-ish) location is great -- roomy and airy, if a bit acoustically challenging. Food was…read moregreat last night -- favorites at the table were the deviled eggs, pork chop, pork belly gnocchi and ricotta ravioli. Problem? It was a Friday evening-- and they were NOT crazy busy, but the service was SLOW! Like crazy slow. I swear our waiter was avoiding us. A couple of our dishes were warm at best when they were presented -- clearly prepped and sitting in the kitchen for too long before they were brought out. So come for the food -- but don't expect it to be a quick meal.

Props to Green Pig Bistro for making perfect soft scrambled eggs and the most delicious house-made…read moresausage patties ever. The French omelette, however, could've been softer - I can never seem to find a place that serves a proper French omelette. Good service and atmosphere overall.

My husband surprised me with brunch at Ambar because he always researches menus before making…read morereservations to make sure there are enough options for my food intolerances. That thoughtfulness is one of the many reasons I was excited to try it. When we arrived, I was initially concerned after learning that the "G" on the menu indicated dishes **containing** gluten rather than being gluten-free. Since many menu items were marked with a "G," I worried my options would be very limited, especially for the unlimited brunch experience. Thankfully, our server, Emma, immediately put me at ease. She brought me the food allergy menu, answered my questions with patience, and made sure I understood what was safe for me to enjoy. While my husband and I were deciding whether to stay, the manager, Antonio, came to our table after Emma shared my dietary concerns. His kindness completely changed the experience. He took the time to explain my options, offered to have the kitchen modify several dishes, and reassured me that their goal was for me to feel safe and enjoy my meal. Thanks to Emma and Antonio, what started with uncertainty became one of the most enjoyable brunch experiences I've had. I was able to enjoy a variety of delicious dishes, the mimosas were a great value, and the restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful, with floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the space with natural light. What I'll remember most, though, is how genuinely cared for I felt. Before we left, Antonio stopped by one last time to make sure I was happy with my meal and that all of my needs had been met. My husband had put so much love and intention into choosing this restaurant, and thanks to Emma and Antonio, we both left with happy hearts and full bellies. If you have food intolerances or dietary restrictions, I hope this review gives you confidence to visit Ambar. Their team didn't just accommodate my needs. They made me feel welcome, respected, and cared for. That's the kind of hospitality that earns five stars from me.

New: TG corn ribs. Delicious and creative (see my picture). It's a new interpretation of corn on…read morethe cob. Mixed grill is now more expensive (as part of the Ambar Experience at Home set: grill). Though now you can choose individual ingredients (chicken, lamb and so on as opposed to mixed grill which is no + $4) Baklava shrunk! In the past the portion was generous. Now: only 3 tiny pieces.

After getting off a plane from a week-long trip, I ordered takeout from Carlisle for my mom and me…read more I dropped her food off in D.C. and continued on to Catonsville, and somewhere between the drive, stopping at the store, and unpacking from my trip, I realized I hadn't even taken any pictures because I was too busy enjoying the food along the way and when i arrived home. I ordered the steak (sliced steak with mushrooms) , and it was excellent ....well-seasoned, flavorful, and cooked just right. The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious. We also got the crab and corn chowder, which is always outstanding. Rich, comforting, and packed with flavor every time. Key lime pie .... on point .... oh and a salad. i got the chopped salad and added the ever so good goats cheese. Everything was EXCELLENT. What I appreciate most about Carlisle is the consistency. Whether I'm dining in or picking up takeout, the food is always good. Not just okay BUT actually flavorful, well-prepared, and satisfying. That's harder to find than it should be these days. I've been here many MANY times over the years and the experience is consistently excellent. The service is great when dining in, pickup is always smooth and efficient, and the food never disappoints. Carlyle continues to be one of those reliable places that simply gets it right. And whenever I pick up my to go order the bar is always crowded with folks looking like they are having a great time. That should tell you something. Highly recommended.

After a very disappointing dining experience the night before at Planta Queen, the restaurant Gods…read morerebounded and handed me one of the very best nights I could imagine. We were celebrating an old friend's birthday, so I wanted a special evening. We went to the Signature to see "Safety Not Guaranteed" which was so good and so much fun. Then on to dinner at Carlyle in Shirlington. Carlyle always pumps out some of the most satisfying meals. You are almost guaranteed to love what the kitchen presents you with. This event was no different. I started with the crab & corn chowder. Thick, luxurious, savory perfection! My main course was Jambalaya Pasta which was outstanding. The chicken was moist, the shrimp was perfectly prepared and the andouille sausage added a perfect piquant note. The creamy sauce finished a great dish. There was so much that I could not eat it all (and I usually eat everything that is placed in front of me). But the best - the ABSOLUTE BEST - part of the evening was our perfect server Sebastian. He was professional, friendly, fast, funny, helpful and everything you want in a server. Plus, he did it all with one of the best personalities that I have ever come across in a server. At one point, we were all laughing so hard, that he had to sit down because he was ready to fall over. He served us, yes! But more than that - he ENTERTAINED US!!!! How often has that ever happened to you??? It is a night that I will not soon forget! Sebastian is a smart guy who will no doubt go far in his life. But, for now, for right now, he is at the top of his game at Carlyle! If you love Carlyle, you will absolutely LOVE Sebastian. Please ask to be placed in his station. I promise he will not disappoint you. Thank you, Sebastian, for making my evening wonderful and for making my BFF's birthday dinner a stunning success, thanks to you!!!! I highly recommend Carlyle - and especially Sebastian - to one and all!

What a gem of a place to go to on a really hot July 3rd. The A/C was working fabulous I came as…read morepart of a party of 10. We made our reservation a day or two in advance and when we got there the hostess led us to the second floor. The brunch menu has a myriad of pizza and salad and classic breakfast menu items to choose from. I remember when I was there there was a lunch special offer where you could have a half order of a salad with a side of your choice for a discounted rate so that was cool. I ordered the Tavern salad with a side of creamy potato salad and liked it.

TLDR happy hour is only at the bar and the food is good but service isn't…read more Came on mother's day and came early, before they were busy. When we made the reservation in advance, we called to ask if happy hour was everywhere or just at the bar; they said everywhere, so we booked a table. Plot twist, it's only at the bar / downstairs :))) We arrived 15 minutes early, so while they got our table ready, we ordered at the bar. 5 stars for the bartender. If I could review her, the host, and the happy hour prices in isolation, I would! They moved us upstairs, we sat down, and immediately saw the menus were different. We asked the gentleman bringing waters about happy hour and he sent the waiter over. The waiter, with about 2% helpfulness, shared that happy hour is only downstairs. I mentioned that we had called in advance to ask. We asked if it would be possible to have that menu or perhaps move. The conversation felt like pulling teeth. He said, with much dismissiveness, it was up to the host downstairs to move and if they had availability and left. (Fair, we move, he doesn't get his tip. An alternative? Give us the happy hour menu, still get your tip. Better yet, just be slightly helpful?) The host downstairs found us a table but shared it was booked at 6:15 so we needed to be in and out. It was no problem because we had arrived before 5 (early, remember?). Although, it took 15 minutes (I timed it!) for anyone to come bring waters or address us as their table. A little hard to operate with urgency when no one takes your order!! I got up, told the host stand, and they sent a server over, and he proceeded to come back all of three times. We also had to flag him down to get our check, while we sat with empty waters that were never once refilled. We had pizza, cod sliders, and half orders of aglio e olio pasta. The cod sliders were more breadding than fish, but the flavor was decent. The pasta was delicious. No five star Italian meal, but it hit the spot and the portion was plentiful. I didn't try the pizza but it was 12 inches, piping hot, and the two eating it couldn't finish it. The food came out quickly and hot. I think we spent under or just about $100 for four folks to have dinner + drinks, so the prices are really solid. Perhaps you get what you pay for though? Both of our male servers seemed annoyed to be dealing with us and mostly unhelpful. Noteworthy mention: there was a female server who was kind enough to bring us a brown paper bag for our to go box. She was running around and her tables seemed well cared for. Disappointed in my experience and the customer service.

Had a nice dinner at Ted's Bulletin my first night in DC recently. My friend lives nearby so we…read morepopped in and were seated immediately. We both decided to have the Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad and share a bottle of wine. Good was good, service was attentive, and the restaurant is lovely. Great option if you're in the Ballston area!

Prices have risen lately with many places so the happy our discount was a good reason to visit…read moreTed's. I've been to other locations but this was my first. I was surprised by how empty it was for a holiday evening, actually just as strange by how vacant and empty the whole area was. This used to be a very busy area. I started with a White Russian milkshake and it was quite good. Again, that happy hour pricing really made it worth it. My meal was the chicken and biscuits. Large biscuits, fresh, with a little honey and hot drizzle. The hash browns were a tad dry and didn't quite fit the meal I thought, but the chicken biscuits were good. Enjoyed those. BUT one point that was quite annoying: THE GRAVY COST EXTRA! The server tried to upsell me with the sausage gravy (+$3) but when I asked if that cost extra he demurred and said it was just something they asked. He wouldn't actually confirm that. Not cool. I don't like being upsold like it's McDonalds. Eating off my friend's plate I also liked the french fries that came with his steak and cheese sandwich. We also had the cornbread appetizer. Again, if not for that happy hour pricing.. Cornbread is uber cheap so getting four fingers of cornbread felt.. well.. not quite a value match. Service was a little hit or miss. We had a lot of people helping us it seemed, kind of a divided table. Everything is there but I'm just not used to the inflation pricing. Milkshake, cornbread, and the chicken and biscuits, with 20% tip, came out to over $40. This kind of food, at this level of service, .. I feel like I was overcharged or not given the happy hour pricing on something. This just didn't feel like $40 for one person. And they want to do everything on the machine and you don't actually get a paper receipt or a bill unless you ask for one. Which you should. I guess bottom line: Ted's is expensive for it's class and offerings, so it makes a good date spot, but for regular eating out I think there are places better priced.

I moved to Arlington last August and this place is right near where I live and I kept putting off…read moregoing until today. My sister-in-law was in town and she wanted oysters. And I remembered that Lyon Hall had all day happy hour including a special on oysters. So we put in a reservation and game. We were promptly seated and it wasn't too busy today. We did a dozen oysters and I ordered the Hangar Steak Frites. The oysters were fresh and delicious and the steak frites were cooked to perfection. I loved how buttery the hand cut fries were. My sister-in-law got the French dip sandwich and she liked it but said the dipping sauce was a salty and she likes salty stuff so her saying it was too salty says a lot. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our time and I'll be back.

I went here for brunch and enjoyed the friendly servers, casual atmosphere and good food. My party…read morewas seated prompted and enjoyed the assortment of cocktails and menu options. When I go to French restaurants, I enjoy the quality of fresh bread and soft butter, and this one lived up to the test. So good! I ordered the pork schnitzel sandwich, and I liked the warm and buttery pretzel bun and flavor. It was good food at a good price. My party enjoyed their dishes as well--the presentation looked great, and everyone was pleased. I would come back here for brunch whenever I'm in Arlington.

I've been wanting to check this place out, and I'm so glad that I finally did! I came for lunch on…read morea Wednesday and was the first customer, so I had the place all to myself. I got the lunch special, which was a gazpacho and a choice of any bowl or sandwich for $20. What a deal! I chose the West African Gumbo and it was delectable! The gazpacho was very refreshing too on a hot summer day. Check this place out if you haven't already!

Service is great. Food is good - I ordered the Belgian Fries…read more+ Filipino Fried Chicken. Overall, perfect place to grab light bites, drinks and/or watch sports. I expected a little more from the food based on the hype but still enjoyed everything!

I came here with a girlfriend for happy hour and small bites, and it was honestly the perfect…read moregirls' night. Our server was so kind and gave us fantastic recommendations. We had the burrata, focaccia, and sliders, which ended up being the perfect amount of food to keep us going through three cocktails each. I had the smoky mezcal spicy margarita (SO good), a dirty martini, and a glass of Prosecco. My friend had a custom cucumber cocktail and a couple glasses of wine. Basically, we had a very good time. The playlist was impeccable -- fun and lively without being so loud that you couldn't have an actual conversation. We were there during happy hour and it didn't really get busy until after 7, which made it feel relaxed and easy. I also really appreciated the accessibility. Despite the speakeasy vibe, there is an elevator, so the space is wheelchair accessible, which is a huge plus for me. And the vibes were just 100%. I would absolutely come back the next time I'm in the DMV. Whether you're looking for a fun girls' night, happy hour, somewhere to celebrate, or just a place with genuinely good cocktails and bites, this is definitely worth checking out!

I've been to Salt a few times and have always been pretty impressed, so I was looking forward to…read moreanother visit. This time around, though, I noticed a few inconsistencies that kept it from being another standout experience. Salt has a bit of a speakeasy-ish vibe. There's a sign outside letting you know you've found the place, but once you enter the building, there are several doors to choose from before you actually make your way into the restaurant. It's relatively small and very dark, with a bar and a few high-top tables, some small booths, and a separate room for the main dining area. Definitely atmospheric, but don't expect to be reading a book in here without a flashlight. There's one gender-neutral bathroom downstairs, but Salt guests can also use the bathrooms upstairs at Open Road, which is a nice option. Happy hour runs from 4-7pm, and they have some fun cocktails to try. I started with a vodka martini, which was delicious--although the olives were noticeably too firm. They weren't rock hard, but biting into one was more like biting into a cucumber. The big draw this visit was the $55 prix-fixe menu, which includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. That's a screaming deal. I went with the pork belly to start, the Wagyu burger with truffle fries for my entrée, and the chocolate cheesecake for dessert. The pork belly was absolutely delicious. Three pieces came with perfectly fried little potato bites, and this was easily the highlight of the meal. I've had the Wagyu burger and fries here before and really enjoyed them, but this time both were noticeably greasy. The burger itself was still good, but the excess grease took away from what had previously been one of my favorite things to order here. The chocolate cheesecake was good, but nothing particularly spectacular. Solid dessert, just not one that had me contemplating ordering a second slice. After dessert, we decided to stick around for a few after-dinner drinks. We tried to order the tawny port, only to find out they were out, so we went with the 10-year port instead. Overall, this was still a good visit. The few inconsistencies didn't detract too much from the experience, and our server was attentive throughout the evening. She was also kind enough to let us keep the table for several hours after we first sat down, which was greatly appreciated. Salt is still a place I enjoy and would return to. Hopefully the next visit brings back some of the consistency I've experienced here before--especially with that burger and fries.

I just had a wonderful lunch with some coworkers and the service was outstanding. I got the chicken…read moreBLT sandwich with the Brussels sprouts and they were delicious. The sprouts were nice and crispy and the sandwich was really moist. Our server was wonderful and the manager even brought us ice cold towels because it was 97 degrees outside. I will definitely be back and I look forward to trying everything on the menu.

My companion and I stopped at Tupelo Honey after running errands in the area…read more Unfortunately, the experience was a little off from the start. After being seated, we waited 15-20 minutes without anyone bringing water or checking on us. We eventually had to wave someone down before our waiter came over. We ordered mimosas, which were fine. I ordered the Honey-Dusted Fried Chicken, while my companion had the Mountain Morning Bowl. My chicken was pretty standard for the price point. My companion strongly disliked the grits, saying they tasted like "sewer water," and he didn't finish his bowl. The service was the biggest issue. Our waiter seemed overwhelmed and had difficulty getting back to our table. Even getting ketchup and hot sauce required multiple trips from staff. We decided to cut our visit short and get our meals boxed. My companion never finished his meal. The ambience is cute, with a fun diner feel that fits the menu and price point. I also appreciate that they welcome walk-ins. I'm giving 3 stars because the prices, menu variety, and atmosphere were positives. However, the food was just okay, the service was disappointing, and I probably wouldn't return. Hopefully, this was simply an off day because the restaurant has potential.