Come for the gumbo, but stay for the craft cocktails and soulful jazz. Service is personalized and prompt. The second floor serves as the cozy backdrop to saxophone solos you didn't know your body craved. read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but after giving this establishment every opportunity to make things right, I feel obligated to share my experience. My husband and I visited expecting a quality dining and cigar lounge experience. Unfortunately, we left disappointed from beginning to end. The cigar experience was underwhelming. The staff lacked basic knowledge about pairing cigars with drinks, and we weren't even provided a torch or proper guidance. For a place that promotes itself as a cigar lounge, I expected much better. The food was equally disappointing. The gumbo tasted old and contained barely any seafood, just a couple of small shrimp and a few crawfish with overcooked rice. The wings also tasted as if they had been sitting for quite some time. The pork belly was so tough it was difficult to eat, the fries were under-seasoned, and the cold Parmesan sprinkled on top made them even less appetizing. What truly pushed this review to one star, however, was the customer service after our visit. We were automatically charged a 20% gratuity as a party of two without it being disclosed beforehand. When I contacted the restaurant, I spoke with a manager named Suzanne several times. She admitted we had been overcharged and acknowledged that the gratuity should not have been applied. She told me the issue was being investigated and that the General Manager would contact me. That never happened. After more than two weeks of repeated calls, promises of follow-up, and complete silence from management, it's clear that customer concerns are only taken seriously until you leave the restaurant. Mistakes happen. What matters is how a business responds. Had someone simply followed through, communicated honestly, or shown any accountability, I likely wouldn't be writing this review. I cannot recommend spending your money somewhere that values collecting it more than addressing legitimate customer concerns. read more

WHAT A ONE-STOP SHOP!!!!! 219 is a VA gem, that I personally don't want too many people knowing about. The bottom floor - the Bayou Bar. The middle floor - dining within 219. And the top floor? - the performance space and the side cigar lounge! When I say there is something for everyone at this location, you could not miss going here. My friend and I made reservations via Open Table and had no issue making our allotted time, neither did 219 with having our table ready upon our arrival. Our server was super attentive, giving all of his best recommendations, including the jambalaya, and wings! (Both pictured). We were also seated by the window which was surprisingly not cold (the fireplace was also not lit this night), and was able to have a nice view of the street! She and I love people watching, and this was nice! Loved this place, and took our drinks right upstairs to the jazz performance where we spent another hour or so. Greaaaat performers come, along with great sounds! It's set up as a first come, first serve basis so please come early! 219 is a great place to come for a cozy. comfortable night! read more

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This restaurant may be what's considered a one stop shop. With three levels, and something different on each level, there's sure to be something for you. The lowest level has a DJ, the main level is for the casual restaurant goers, and the upper level has the cigar lounge and live music (at least on a Saturday night). I came here for a birthday dinner. I ordered the Salmon which came with risotto and brussel sprouts. The risotto and brussel sprouts were quite good. But I felt the salmon was lacking a bit in flavor. It was cooked well, just needed a touch more seasoning. My husband ordered the shrimp and grits. I tasted it, it was fine but I'm glad I didn't order it. Perhaps my Louisiana taste buds are spoiled. The service was exceptional and the drinks were delicious. The live band was awesome, I just wish I had more time! There's a parking garage steps away from this particular restaurant so I particularly love that. Definitely enjoyed my experience here and would for certain come back. read more

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Met my mom here for a light dinner after a conference. I love the fact that it's a little inconspicuous - I would've walked past it had she not been sitting outside. It gives a cozy, classic feel with a southern charm. There's a cigar lounge upstairs as well as a bar lounge downstairs. The ambiance was very welcoming and the staff were attentive in the dining area. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and crawfish etouffee - I was underwhelmed by both. The wine was too heavy & dry and the etouffee had no flavor but a real rich texture that I was looking forward to enjoying. I tried again with a Paloma that wasn't the greatest and tasted some wings that were pretty decent out of all the selections. I don't smoke cigars but I joined my mom and her friend upstairs & was surprised by the ventilation. It was very airy and the smoke didn't linger too long. We hung around for 2 more Palomas (I think using a premium brand of grapefruit juice/soda would help tremendously here - FeverTree) and organic conversation with other patrons. The service was a little more lax here with wait times longer. They were setting up for live music which is a plus. If you're a cigar connoisseur & like live bands, then the vibe is perfect. However, between the food and cocktails - there's a little more to be desired read more

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Came here for a good night of drinks and music. Made reservations for the restaurant then afterwards the plan was to slide upstairs for the band. Well the plans changed. Given the size of the upstairs I'm glad we came right upstairs first. As it is very very small and tight. It's first come and first serve. Ordered wings fries and crab soup. The wings were okay from what my friend said. The soup could be better. It needed old bay seasoning and more crab. It was very bland. Too much scallions in it. It was like eating scallion cream soup. For $15 it could have been better. The drinks. They put too too much ice in them. My whiskey sour turned into water sour. My friend's old fashioned was old ice with orange and cherry bitters. Very disappointing. Even with the food and drinks not being the best the music was on point. The band was awesome. The space is very very tight and limited so you will need to arrive early if you want to sit by the band. But there is also seating at the bar down the hall. And the balcony seating does not do any justice as you can't see band only hear them. They could expand if possible. I gave it 2 stars due to the food and drinks. The music pushed it to 3. I may go back but do things different depending on the time we go. And bring our own cigars is a must. It's definitely a jewel in the Old Town neighborhood. Stop by to see the band and bring your cigars. And order drinks with light to mo ice. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The food was fine, but the Caesar salad was great. Service was okay. Ambiance -- it was okay, probably better at night. I wouldn't return. Overall - meh. read more

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The food and service was good just wish they offered a lil more options for food. The cocktails were great. I wanted to try the cigar room but didn't seem very ventilated. They do have live music. I did enjoy the ambiance. read more

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This isn't what I expected when my colleagues said we were going to a New Orleans style bar. You walk in and there's stairs that goes downstairs or upstairs. For the live music, you go upstairs. After climbing the stairs (not sure if there's an elevator for accessibility), you enter through the door but don't miss the sign that says it's a $30 minimum on nights there are live music. As soon as you enter you either go straight into the bar, turn right to find seating for about 50, or turn left to find a cigar lounge with about 25 seats and a tv. The bathrooms are either up another flight of stairs behind the stage where you'll also find 5 more tables, or you can take the stairs all the way down to the basement to find another bathroom in a separate bar which is connected. Menu is pretty simple. One page. Southern style food - catfish, mac n cheese, shrimp creole, southern fried chicken, blackened salmon, jambalaya, truffle fries etc. There's also burgers and salads. There's a full bar but whiskey rules this place. There's over 50 selections to choose from. They also have all sorts of wine to drink. Lastly, they have a cigar list. It runs from 8 dollars to over 50. You'll smell it all around so not ideal if you have asthma. You'll definitely smell like cigar when you leave. The place on a Wednesday night was packed. We came in a group of 12 and nobody complained about their food. I had some of the other people food and it made my oyster po'boy seem not that great, but it was still pretty tasty. That Blackened salmon smacked. Service is okay. They were extremely busy. Seemed semi annoyed that we came in such a large group without a reservation and wanted separate checks. They did help us when one of my colleagues kept getting hit on by one of the guys at the bar. The bartender (there was only 2 workers in the front of the house and they were running back and forth handling nearly everything) told him to chill out. The live music was lit. We listened to the sounds of the Bill Pappas Project. It was a combo of Blues / Rock / Funk / Jazz. It was a beautiful ending to a long work trip. read more

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Absolutely the largest wedge salad I've ever been served, wow! The Cajun ranch dressing was fabulous, as well as the sparkling rose. Traditional decor and big patio, small bar in the dining room with 7 seats. Jazz bar with live music downstairs. Service was bubbly and helpful. Perfect little stop! read more

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Went to 219 during restaurant week for an early dinner. Amazing meal and service. Got the braised short ribs on the recommendation of our server and it was a great choice! The meat was tender and falling apart with amazing flavor. I capped off my meal with a decadent chocolate mousse dome. It was so indulgent and sinful. My brother got the crème brûlée cheesecake so we could try both desserts, but the mousse was the winner. read more

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DMV, we've got a little piece of Louisiana right in our backyard! I went to 219 Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria during restaurant week--on Super Bowl Sunday, no less--and got to enjoy the game and some incredible comfort food. The seafood gumbo was rich and flavorful, the braised short rib was fall-apart tender, and the crispy pork belly? To die for. The shrimp & grits were creamy and seasoned just right. I ended with the crème brûlée cheesecake, and it was the perfect sweet finish. Great vibe, good screens for the game, and service that made the night feel easy. Definitely adding this spot to my go-to list for date nights and foodie hangs. read more

I went there for the Cigars and sat at the bar. The bartenders were, great!! Great conversation and they were very attentive. The mushroom burger was decent, it did need more mushrooms. We had the Bavarian Pretzel, it was enough to feed 3 people! The ambience is spot on ! read more

The 219 Restaurant - Bavarian Pretzel - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My late Italian grandmother is more cajun/creole than this place. We went here with a group and it was just an odd experience. I don't think they remembered our reservation, but it wasn't busy so it wasn't a big deal. We ended up sitting outside which was good as there was lots of room. I ordered the Jambalaya they helped further prove my theory that you can't find good cajun/creole outside of Louisiana. Being in DC, this makes the Louisiana Purchase by the US Government totally worth it. The Big Giant Pretzel was one of the best soft pretzels I've ever eaten. It didn't even need the dipping sauce which I'm not sure what it was. The crispy pork belly was way too crispy where it lots the meaty fatty goodness that is pork belly. The wings were OK, but nothing to write home about. Service was spotty and their drinks were suspect at best. The old fashioned was 2 sips, but the mule was decent and not over-iced. I wouldn't recommend this place. Maybe if it's 220 or 221, it would be better. Whatever it takes! read more

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Soooo delicious. The she crab soup was soooo creamy and all the flavours were there! The drinks were also pretty strong which is a huge plus! I really enjoyed the experience and creole flavours. Our sever was super attentive and kept checking in at the right time and also made some great recommendations. The bonus is that downstairs is a bar/club and upstairs was live jazz music. So we had options after dinner ! read more

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Wow! I had plans to go to another place that go too crowded and pivoted to this spot and reminded me how cool it is to stumble into a Gem of dining experience! I went on a Sunday and I highly recommend it, street parking is free, less crowded, and you can still experience great food, service and live music. Service; Tom was our server and he provided great recommendations and provide great service with a jovial spirit. Recommend a great wine as well Longevity nice Cabernet. Good: She Crab Soup -- tasted great, small pieces of crab in soup --would have loved to have some lump crab on top, however it was a nice portion and tasted great. Gumbo - doesn't have pork which I appreciated and was flowered very well and good pieces of chicken, crab and shrimp or crawfish Gulf Shrimp Creole - this was recommend from my server, when I said I was thinking of This he said it's his favorite dish ( along with the she crab) ..great red roux sauce, shrimp and white rice very tasty Shrimp and Grits - it has very similar red sauce as the Gulf Shrimp and again very tasty and nice size shrimp. Shrimp Jambalaya- again very flavorful and nice size shrimp. After Dinner - went upstairs and experience amazing Live music that is worthy of $20-60 cover, but it was free on Sunday there is a small $5 cover after 9pm On some nights. Overall great experience and look forward to Coming back. read more

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Recently ate at 219 and pleasantly surprised their ribeye is back to being awesome! Pre-COVID, their ribeye was absolutely the best in the DMV / NCR. It split like butter and flavor was supreme, then after COVID, the quality of the cut was modest and the prep / cooking was moderately good. This week, I had a ribeye that's back to being awesome! Ordered medium and it came out exactly as I ordered it and it sliced like butter. Fantastic flavor on the palate. Wholesale recommend for the ribeye. Their other food is very good as well, such as their salmon and jambalaya. This review is specifically for the ribeye. Thank goodness the ribeye is back as I remember it. read more

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My wife, mother, and I went here for Christmas and had a great experience. It was a very intimate setting with not a lot of people which I liked. The food was absolutely amazing! We all got the she crab soup as an appetizer and it was delicious! For entrees my wife and I ordered the jambalaya and my mom ordered the blackened salmon. My wife and I loved the jambalaya and my mom said the salmon was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive at the beginning but as more people came in we saw her less and less. She started to forget things that we asked her for towards the end and we would not see her for quite some time. But I give her a bit of grace because it seemed to be only 2 waiters including her and they also seemed to be taking care of the bar as well which is alot! Overall we loved this restaurant and would definitely go back. read more

I went back for a second time around 4pm on a Saturday. At that time my party was the only group in the restaurant and we were given the best service. As other groups tricked in service did not waver. The food and drinks were just as good as I remembered. I will be returning for a third time soon. read more

GREAT LIVE MUSIC VENUE: First of all, this is a cigar bar. So the reviews which complain about the smoke and penalize this place aren't taking this into account. The live music here is outstanding. They are clearly selective in the music acts they have perform here. The cocktails are also solid and made with high quality spirits. If you enjoy live music definitely check this place out. Also, the closest garage provides parking for cheap! read more

With no reservation and 7 people we were not sure we could get a table on a busy Saturday night. The 219 warmly welcomed us and we were delighted. Great New Orleans vibe and menu. Extremely knowledgeable, attentive staff. I had the jambalaya which was excellent, not too spicy but just right. Hope to be back soon. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Surprise dessert for the Birthday Boy - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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What a great find 219 is! It's an awesome cajun style restaurant that is connected to the Basin Street Jazz lounge and Bayou lounge. My date and I made a reservation on Friday night for 9:30. Our table was ready immediately as we walked in which is always a good way to start an evening. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor covered seating. The weather was absolutely perfect out so we opted to sit outside on the covered patio. The iron chairs and table settings along with the exposed brick really does make you feel as though you're in New Orleans. We could also hear some of the music coming from the other venues which was nice. The service was great - our waitresses were warm, fast, and helpful. They were able to make some great recommendations about menu and wine choices. Now lets talk about food. I ordered the fried chicken dish - 3 pieces of dark meat with a side of fries and collard greens. The chicken was extremely crispy and flavorful! The collard greens were well seasoned but there was a bit of spice that I would have preferred be dialed back. My date had the jambalaya that had chicken, shrimp and spicy andouille sausage. Extremely flavorful. The plates were about $25+ and worth it. We also had a couple of wines - the pinot noir and the reisling. Both were really fantastic. They have a wide arrange of wines to have (both by the glass and the bottle) and a cocktail list that also looked nice. I'd definitely come back - a great find. read more

This was my first time here. My friend suggested that we go here. Something I could not tell from the website is this place is like a cigar bar. If you do not like smoke, this may not be the place for you. Or if you're like me, I don't like smoke, but I didn't mind sitting outdoors over a covered canopy. It made people watching that much easier :). It also was 68 degrees in December for some odd reason. Anyways, my friend had the gumbo and I had the crab soup. We also shared truffle fries. We ended our meals with dessert - bread pudding. All of it was pretty solid. The best part of the experience was our server. He was super attentive and kind. All in all I would come again. **There is also an affordable parking garage walking distance if you are new to the area. read more

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I was a bit hesitant to come to this place as the rating was 3 stars but my friend convinced me to come and I don't regret it. When coming in, it is this cute patio area with a great atmosphere before you get to the host stand. It seemed like the restaurant was a bit crammed for space and wait staff were constantly trying to shimmy between tables and asking people to adjust for them to pass on by. The food took a bit to come out but I am assuming that it was due to it being a busy night. I ordered the pretzel with beer cheese and the fried chicken. The pretzel was amazing! It was big, warm, and buttery. Everything you would want from a soft pretzel. And the beer cheese was flavorful melty and flowing. I just wish there was more beer cheese as 2 sauce containers didn't seem quite enough. The chicken was lackluster. The crust was great and super crunch but I was uninterested after a couple bites. The chicken was moist but almost too moist that made me consider if I was teetering between eating raw or not. It came with a side of fries and collared greens and the collared greens were okay. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Southern Fried Chicken - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Came with a friend on a Friday night. We made reservations, but I do believe you can also walk-in. Place was extremely clean with a beautiful ambiance. We opted to sit by the street window. There was a lit candle on the table. There was a mixture of instrumental jazz music (piano) being played throughout. Our waiter was phenomenal! I wish i could remember his name! The Mac and Cheese appetizer was , eh. Was more of a creamy cheese sauce. The Honey Wings were delicious! My guest and I both got the Cheeseburger but we were pretty full off of the appetizers and the FRIES that came with the Cheeseburger we both ended up devouring lol There is a wine menu. Also, there seemed to be an upstairs and downstairs section to this restaurant or building. Downstairs looked more to be of a speakeasy, bar. Not sure what was upstairs. There also is an outside fully covered dining area with overhead heated lamps. I would recommend! read more

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Live soul music every Sunday. Great vibes, truffle fries are , and the overall ambiance can't be beat. You'll leave smelling like cigar smoke and the bar tenders may take a while to get your drink but it's expected when it's packed with only 2 bartenders for the entire restaurant..only suggestion would be to staff more people on Sundays read more

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I wound up paying $2 for a large ice cube. Won't be going back. Really disappointed, since the interior is very nice.

Came here on Saturday, July 23, 2022 for a 7:30 reservation. Regardless of how the food tasted - I would've give 219 3 stars for the service and ambiance alone. I absolutely love the concept of this place. You can eat on the main level and either go upstairs for cigars, a bar, and live band music. Or you can go downstairs and dance in a bar area with a DJ playing a mix of old and new R&B, Pop, Hip-Hop, etc. Our waiter was very responsive and friendly. He made suggestions and was patient with our questions. We decided on the she crab soup and Gumbo Ya-Ya to start. The she crab soup was just ok. Not enough crab meat for me. Just broth mostly. The Gumbo was flavorful. For our entrees we had shrimp and grits -Shrimp and sauce were great but the grits were kinda dry to me. The chicken was just ok. I probably wouldn't get it again. We had a nice bottle of white wine and when dinner was over we took it upstairs to the cigar lounge. We found a table two and bought 2 cigars and enjoyed the band and our wine. After we finished that we went all the way downstairs to the DJ bar area and danced for about 45 minutes. I really love this place and can't wait to come back. read more

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Awesome place! It does get packed on the weekends as Old Town normally does! They had a live band perform and the service at the bar was amazing! You're also able to smoke your cigars here! read more

Don't do it! Me and kid went here on the recommendation of a colleague. Wasted my money. Packed the entree in hopes to give to a homeless person on my way back to my hotel. Granted I am from Louisiana so don't play with my food. I knew something was wrong when we arrived and there was only one couple there. I was so hopeful but the $24 po boy had 4 shrimp and no remoulaude, and my $34 jambalaya was a hot mess. All I can say is just say no. read more

I have lived in Northern VA for years and been meaning to try this creole /southern Restaurant. I made a reservation on opentable. My review is for last night dining experience. First, the staff made sure I was where I wanted to sit and got me a great table outside due to COVId-19. For my drink, I ordered a lemon drop. I asked for it extra strong and they delivered! It was delicious! So much so, I ordered two! For my appetizer, I ordered the clam soup. It was very Rich and very fulfilling. For my entree, I ordered the blackened salmon. It had Risottoand my favorite, Brussel sprouts. Everything was delicious. It definitely gave me the Louisiana feel. The staff were great . They knew the menu well and provided great experience. It's a great restaurant to also try if you want to social distance , eat outside , people watch and have a romantic date. read more

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The live music was a plus and entertaining. If you like to smoke cigars, this is a place for you! I'm leaving aa 3 star review for the following reason...I ordered the "loaded" potatoes and they were not loaded. In my opinion, they could have but more bacon on the potatoes as the amount that came with the order was hardly enough for 4-5 of the wedges. I had to order more bacon, so the $9 loaded potatoes ended up being $12. I did not try any other food, so I could not recommend anything else. Can't give half stars, but I'd give a 2.5. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Menu Feb 2020 - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Restaurant week 2022. The menu for this event is extremely limited. We wanted to share as there weren't many options. Waitress called to the back to see if we could share. They yelled back of course. Ordered fried chicken which came with fries and greens, Caesar salad and added the fried oysters. Best thing was the fried oysters then the Cesar. Then in this order: fries, ketchup, chicken and greens. That doesn't mean they were good. Chicken was seasoned but over fried, burnt and scarce. Yes that's the fried chicken portion. There was an apple drink we ordered that was refreshing. read more

The 219 Restaurant - "Famous" Southern Fried Chicken - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The food was decent. The pretzel was real good, but it took them an hour to bring us some food. I had a cranberry margarita and it was nasty. I don't think I'd go back. read more

The place and the food is not the best but it is ok, the most beautiful thing is the building, but the service is horrible, the person in charge is a horrible woman who treats us badly, I don't know if it's because I am Latina but we had reservations, we arrived on time, the place was empty and she sat us in a dark corner and she didn't want to change our seat, I never came back, I didn't leave because we were 6 people and it was Mother's Day and it was difficult to find reservations elsewhere, the woman in charge has a very bad temper and treated us badly, rude and horrible read more

Great place for a cigar smoker. I haven't had the best luck of finding places in the area to smoke cigars and drink/eat. This spot checks those boxes. Was also nice to have some live music start before we headed out. Food was good, not great, not bad. read more

In 2020: Highly appreciate the precautions taken by the restaurant. Staff wears masks and the restaurant offers outdoor seating (on the street). Location: Very well located in King St, and clearly a hot spot in Old Town Alexandria. Outdoor seating is literally on the street by the parking spots; but the staff will take care of you. And you'll hear the jazz band just fine. It's a very basic setting for the outdoor seating. But it's worth it, in my opinion. My table was inclining forward & on the side; and a car was literally parking behind me. We could only see the humor in the situation. Food & drinks: Missed seeing a list of cocktails in their menu, but they have a solid wine & licor list. The shrimp & grits were fine, but I would order something else on the menu. Both my husband & I agree on this! Service: The staff is very courteous. They'll make you feel welcomed. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Nola Shrimp & Nola Shrimp & Cheddar Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Had a great time here last night. Was hungry and looking for somewhere to eat at the very last minute with my friend. Pros: Was welcomed by a Latino gentleman 15 minutes before the kitchen closes and he ensured we had EVERYTHING we needed before they closed. He was super helpful and pleasant to deal with made the experience that much better. The place was very clean and even though the staff looked like they were fizzling off because it was close to closing time we wanted for nothing. Truly a great experience in 35 minutes. Cons: I could not see any. I didn't not go at peak time so I cannot say what happens when they are stressed as a unit. All in all a very good experience and the only reason I did not give them all stars was because I didn't not see how they operate while occupancy is at 100%. read more

The 219 Restaurant - Jambalaya - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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We arrived at 6:55 pm it appeared to be an extremely busy night. Our reservation was at 7 pm and they wanted to sit us outside with out asking first. When we refused they sat us inside. Once seated we waited over 15 minutes for someone to come over and give us water or even take our order. Once the server came over she took our drink order and our food order. The drinks and appetizer came out pretty timely but the main course took longer than expected. Once the main course arrived I must say it was prepared well. Both dishes were really good and we didn't have any complaints. The decor of the restaurant is very nice. Unfortunately the service lacked and thats why I gave them 3 stars. read more

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The food was great. the ambiance and the service were on point. It's three floors of beautiful decor read more

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