We enjoyed the Beautiful patio with gorgeous weather, drinks & snacks were great on happy hour. Wish bartender was a bit upbeat, he was ignoring people, which was not good. Tall bartender was nicer. Parking at ballston mall. Very convenient. read more

Portuguese stew still amazing. Their ceviche is served impressively on a bed of ice and an elevated rack. It comes with chips. Calamari is good (not just squid but also fried vegetables). The restaurant is super dog friendly. There is even a dog sitting tall at the bar. Our waitress gave our pup a treat and brought him a bowl of water with ice cubes. Extra points on such a hot day. Their patio is super comfortable with a cross breeze to dissipate the summer heat. We love coming here in summer. read more

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waited a while before writing this review because I wanted to make sure my opinion was fair. This was my second or third visit to Salt Line for dinner. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming. Our server seemed uninterested and disengaged throughout the meal. Communication was difficult, and when I asked for a virgin mojito, she wasn't even sure whether the bar could make one and had to check. The food arrived quickly, so speed wasn't an issue. However, the presentation and value were disappointing. I ordered the rockfish, which was about $36. The portion was quite small, with a large amount of pesto underneath and no carbohydrate or side option included. The fish itself was decent, but not memorable enough to justify the price. The atmosphere is lively, especially on a Friday evening. Even outside seating can be quite noisy due to the crowds and conversations around you. If you're looking for a place to have drinks, meet friends, or take a date for cocktails, Salt Line may be a good choice. As a seafood restaurant, however, I think there are many better options in Arlington and Northern Virginia. Based on my experience, I would rate the service 2 out of 5 stars and the food around 3 to 3.5 out of 5 stars. Would I return? Probably not. There are simply better seafood restaurants in the area that offer stronger food, better value, and more attentive service. read more

This place is super close to me but I don't come here often for some reason, which may change. We were seated at the bar for happy hour on Monday and they had a special on oysters. My friend and I shared a dozen oysters, the poboy and a fried item. We don't like the fried item a lot. We did like the poboy, fries and oysters though. The ambiance is great. We shared our food outdoors and we were very comfortable. The service was great, noting that they are slightly understaffed. Overall, I would definitely come here again and try more food! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Came here last Friday night with a friend who wanted to try oysters. It's been in my to-do list and they have a decent Happy Hour special. $30 for a dozen oysters or $18 for half. With each oyster $3.50 per oyster. A bit high when compared to Lyon Hall's oyster happy hour which is $1 an oyster during happy hour. But still not terrible. I enjoyed the oysters! They were fresh and delicious. Though I wish there was more variety as all the oysters picked for the happy hour were on the sweeter side. Would've been nice if one had more saltiness. I wanted to try the salty oysters so I ordered a half a dozen at $3.50 per oyster and those rocked too. I used lemon and hot sauce for my oysters and their homemade hot sauce rocks! The interior of the restaurant looks very nautical and fits with the seafood heavy menu. Also heard the burger and lobster rolls are good will have to try during another visit. Would come again. Maybe not for oysters but def to try other stuff on the menu! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Happy Hour Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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A very nice restaurant for seafood. We were there for brunch. They have a brunch menu with a $30 seafood plate , oyster specials and drink specials. We had a half dozen oyster special and another half dozen with the more expensive oysters. All were very good. The ones that are in the special were milder. We also ordered 2 raw clams, they were fishy, not recommended. We also ordered a salmon Benedict, tuna tostada, crab cakes, Scrambled eggs and grits. The menu doesn't indicate the grits are cheesy grits. It was a bit salty. Service is very good. Parking is street parking, for Sunday it was free. read more

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Service was fine. We ordered see receipt image. The quality of the food was not enjoyable. The descriptions did not match with the food delivered. We had to ask if the plates were prepared correctly according to their standards and the answer was yes, so they didn't make errors in execution but in setting expectations. So we were disappointed and will not return. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The service at Salt Line is always great. I only give it 4 stars because I am not a fan of the food which is entirely on me for going to a seafood place as a vegetarian. I mostly just get the drinks there and the server has been kind enough to modify the drinks to my liking or whip up new ones based on my preferences. I also love the taffy that they have by the entrance. This last time the taffy was clearly from new stock and had many new flavors. I really should be giving the place 5 stars but am holding out in the hope that they will add some decent vegetarian friendly options. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Brussels sprouts. Could have used more seasoning specially salt. Not the best Brussels sprouts I have had and not the worst. - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Went for brunch/lunch on a Sunday and what an utter disappointment. We were only one of a few tables in the restaurant yet our server was hard to track down and never proactively refilled our waters. The food was all subpar at best. The calamari came in the smallest quantity ever seen - this isn't fine dining. The entire canister was filled with lettuce with very little squid. Dozen oysters were delivered without oyster forks or even mini spoons in the sauces. Also no explanation on which oysters we were getting. Clam chowder was not chowder consistency - super watery and the crackers are involuntarily already in the soup. The fish sandwich had an interesting bun but the piece of fish was so thin it was easily over fried. Disappointing. read more

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Good variety for both seafood and non-seafood lovers. It's a nice spot for a social hour with friends, though you shouldn't expect dishes or drinks that will "wow" you. The atmosphere: Great location in the Ballston area with plenty of outdoor seating and a bar. The indoor space is spacious as well, with decor that fits the nautical theme nicely. The food: Our table shared the Baked Pimento Crab Dip. This was my second time trying it (the first at the Navy Yard location). While I still love the Old Bay crab chips, the dip itself was just okay and, unfortunately, didn't arrive hot. We also ordered oysters from the raw bar--this was the highlight for me, as they were incredibly fresh. For my entrée, I went with the Waterman's Platter because I'm a sucker for fried seafood. It's a generous portion. I wish there had been more fish, but I really enjoyed the scallops and shrimp. As for drinks, my friends tried the Pomme Spritz and Espresso Martinis, which were underwhelming. The service: Overall, service was good. Our server was patient with us and offered solid drink recommendations. read more

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Came back for another time to try it out. My friend and I each had two drinks. We shared the crab dip, calamari, and waterman's platter. The crab dip tastes good, but there was only a few pieces of crab. The calamari was also good, but for ~10 pieces of calamari for $14 I felt it was very overpriced for the portion. The waterman's platter was good, I especially thought the scallops had a lot of flavor and texture was good. Service was also good. I love that they have outdoor seating which is covered during the winter. What keeps me from coming back is the price tag. It is really expensive for small portions and the drinks are just okay for $14-16 a cocktail. read more

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It was quite busy on a Friday night, but the weather was beautiful so totally understood. I'd suggest metroing, there is some parking but for popular evenings can be a little harder to find. There is also a paid parking garage. Came here with a couple of friends and ordered an espresso martini to start. Good flavor but kind of small 8oz for $26 but I don't need much caffeine. We ordered a crab leg appetizer which was good and simple to eat. The shrimp roll was very good though roll itself didn't look that big with fries for $19 it was a bit smaller than I was expecting. I'd probably come back during a happy hour, because I was still a bit hungry after. read more

Very good food. Small proportions the service was phenomenal and the ambience. It was a little pricey, but I still recommend it for people. Great date night restaurant. read more

Every meal at The Salt Line is enjoyable! I never leave without having oysters, cocktails are great, love the burger, pimento crab dip, the Parker house rolls, and if you are feeling like eating all things fried - share the waterman's platter!!! And always ask to sit at one of Billy's tables and don't pass up the opportunity to be seated outside when the weather is nice!! read more

There were five of us. We had a reservation, fortunately. The place was packed on a weekend for dinner. We ordered the Parker house rolls which came in a cast-iron skillet with salted butter. Warm and delicious We all ordered fish. Between the five of us, we had grilled or pan sautéed cod, snapper and trout. The dishes & the sides that came with the dishes were incredibly delicious. Cooked perfectly. Especially like the tabbouleh with spiked cranberries that came with the trout. We ordered no fried food. Service - outstanding Ambience - felt like we were in a New England restaurant. Very nice. Didn't take pictures, but the plates were organized beautifully Highly recommend and we will be back read more

Came to the Salt Line for lunch in national Burger Day, so I had to get the cheeseburger. It was really really good, and I'm so glad I ordered this. I opted for the salad and friend got the fries. We sat outside because the weather was nice. Everything was great! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Decent selection of fresh oysters. Not as many beers on tap as one might expected for a place with "ales" in its title. Lots of comfortable outdoor seating. Service is slow. read more

Great oysters! Lovely bread and salads. Great outdoor seating. Most of all shout out to Brie who made these SF visitors feel at home. Thank you! read more

We came for lunch. They have a pretty good lunch menu. The food was great. I had a lobster roll and soup along with a salad. The salad was extremely salty but everything else tasted fine. The staff recommended the Parker rolls. They were nice and light. I def recommend. read more

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Great choice for seafood, fantastic menu, good raw bar (though not the best in the area), nice bar scene especially when the weather is good. Lots of seating options, standard, outdoor, high tops. Solid booze choices. Good happy hour. The host stand can be a bit chaotic, but the service is generally good and attentive. Recommend for laid back but upper end kind of seafood. read more

My go to spot if someone is visiting or a friend asks for a dinner recommendation! I've gone here for happy hour and dinner - neither has disappointed. You have the ability to eat inside or outside under a covered patio (enclosed in the winter!) Their hugo spritz is my favorite in the area. If you don't like seafood don't worry because they have an incredible burger on the menu too! read more

My boyfriend and I have been living in the apartments across the street from The Salt Line for a few months now and this place is always poppin', so we'd been dying to try it! When we walked in, we were greeted by super friendly hosts. Our server was also fantastic. The patio seating was so quaint and welcoming, and we were surrounded by seemingly happy customers! We were blown away by the delicious cocktails and food, beginning with the warm, fluffy parker house rolls, which arrived in an adorable skillet. Each fresh, buttery bite of lobster roll took me further into a food coma, while my boyfriend marveled over how perfectly crisp the French fries were. Needless to say we will be returning!! read more

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Had lunch here over the weekend recently. We shared a fried seafood platter. The food was fresh and decently seasoned. The service was great and the ambiance was fine. Was the best fried seafood I've ever had? No, but it was good. Check them out if you're in the area. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Waterman's Platter - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Came in on a weeknight as part of a large group having a business meeting/dinner. This place is loud! We were seated in the "tented" bar area at ho-tops pushed together to allow us all to sit. It would have been better/nicer is they had a place to accommodate us all inside the main restaurant instead. The menu was decent and had nice variety, but I found myself not finding anything that really appealed to me. We tried a few things at the start, their crab claw appetizer was great, but would be so much better if it wasn't fried. I had a similar dish in New Orleans once and it was etouffee style and was amazing. Their fresh baked rolls were very tasty. Their huge seafood tower was very appealing to many in our party and the shrimp I tried on it was spot-on perfect! My main dish was their spicy shrimp roll, which is like a po boy, but served on a lobster roll bun. It was tasty. Nothing special, but nice. I kicked it up a little with the hot sauce from the tower and that made it really good. Overall - Nice visit... Service was friendly. Execution was pretty good. But I can say I've been and I'd probably try somewhere else next time I'm in the area. read more

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5-Star! Excellent food, exellent service, nifty facility, central to other attractions in Ballston.

Walking in the door, you find this place well appointed and inviting. You are immediately thinking you are in for a great meal, but then it falls short. Wow, how disappointing! Let me explain. The preponderance of seafood on the menu, leads you to believe that this is a seafood restaurant and, hence, what you should order. Let me tell you, we ordered a lot of food, with plenty of variety. We started off with a dozen oysters. We then ordered some Coddies (fried Cod balls) , Fried Clam Bellies, and the Waterman's Platter (which is a combination platter of various fried seafood that came with fries and slaw). In addition, we also ordered the Baked Pimento Crab Dip, Grilled Honey Walnut Shrimp, and the Fried Brussel Sprouts. Although, our focus was mostly on small plates versus entrees, we did this purposefully so we could sample many things. Unfortunately, most of these items were a let down. Especially, the fried items (of which there were many). To sum it up, the seafood in general lacked freshness, and the coating on the fried items lacked seasoning. And all of this came with a hefty price tag, which made this even worse. Other than the ambiance, the only other bright spot in our experience was the service ... Which was quite good. Not sure I will return. read more

I came here as a third party for my two best friends' Valentine's dinner. The food isn't bad at all, and the service was impeccable. The calamari was great, of note; the appetizers are good. The problem was the food - especially the entrees - was way too overpriced for the quality. I would happily pay half of the amount, but at the moment, the price doesn't justify what I'm getting out. read more

Food was fine - not bad but nothing special. I forgot our waiter's name but he was awesome!! Everyone there is really kind. Great vibes and great drinks as well. Good beers and I loved my spritz and my 75 drink. read more

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Went with a four people, our share came out to $160 for two. We ordered the cruddies appetizer, the three portions were tiny! Smaller as an IKEA meatball. They had a texture of a tv dinner "crab cake." Flavor was good, but tiny. Also shared the fried clam bellies. Not bad, slaw was tasty. I got the Portuguese stew. It had a nice flavor, but needed more of all the proteins and definitely needed more bread to accompany the dish. My wife got the hot soft shell crab sandwich. She said it was too sweet and it tasted like honey mixed in with tabasco sauce. Donut Dessert was good and the icebox blueberry no-bake cheesecake was just ok. I would only go back only if someone wanted to go. I would not pick it on my own. Service was spot on. It's expensive to eat out these days and I just don't feel what you received was worth what you pay. read more

I will definitely come back when I'm in the area again! Service was attentive, I dined alone and still had fun exploring the oyster selection and was made recommendations by knowledgeable staff about both the oysters and wine pairings. The clam chowder hit the spot, too! Fun to look around at the ship themed decorations, as well, and the restaurant had two sections of seating to choose from. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

As an oyster bar and seafood restaurant, this establishment offers a range of New England (former CT girl here) and Chesapeake specialties. Unfortunately, the daily oyster and fish special I ordered was underwhelming. My favorite part of the entree were the fresh veggies. The presentation of the dishes was attractive, and the atmosphere was enjoyable with lovely decor, but our server only checked in with us once, resulting in below average service. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Salt Line comes up all the time as one of the best burgers in the area - of course their seafood and brunch, too but I'm a burger gal. 10/10 - excellent smash burger 10/10 - perfect fries Excellent service This is a cute restaurant in Ballston with a patio (covered and heated in winter). Street parking was easy during the week. Can't wait to check out their brunch. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Chop salad - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Come here for oysters!! My husband and I came here for dinner after a paint and sip night at Muse. We were starving so we started with some oysters, every time I've gotten oysters here they were so delicious! I love to top mine with cocktail sauce! We also ordered drinks, I got the passion Paloma and my husband got an espresso martini. Both of us agreed that the drinks are just ok. They seem unbalanced to me, perhaps liquor forward. I am not an expert! Our entrees were good! I got the smash burger which was so good. Probably the one of the best burgers I've gotten in Arlington. The cheese was perfectly melty and it has to be something about the mayo they put on it that makes it so good! My husband got the Portuguese Stew which had mussels, chorizo, white fish and bread for dipping! It looked incredible and he said it was delicious! So overall I'd come here for the food! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Smash Burger - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Had dinner here on a Wednesday evening. Arrived at 6pm and it was very light, but about an hour later it got busy. We sat at the table with one side in a booth and the other in a regular chair. The table felt a little long, which made me a little self conscious while talking since the tables are pretty close to one another. I wanted to speak loudly enough for the person across from me to hear, but I didn't want the next table over to be up in the conversation either. It's a nice enough restaurant. It doesn't feel upscale, but the prices are. Both of us in my party ordered the scallops entree. It was delicious! But I knew I wouldn't get full just from the entree, so added a side of fries. Those were delicious too. All in all, it's a fine restaurant if you don't mind spending a bit. read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Scallops entree (the asparagus and fried garlic were superb) - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Lindsey is best server ever!!! Smash burger and crab are sooo good! Love it here Need more characters read more

I had wanted to try The Salt Line for quite a while. Finally, we got there on a Saturday. To be on the safe side, we made a reservation for 5 p.m. When we arrived there, they were doing good business but still had a decent enough number of tables available. The dining area is cramped. We were seated at a two top along a large banquette. Not only are the tables very close together but they are rather narrow. I couldn't sit at the banquette since I'm short and it was too low for me. The overall theme is a nautical one. They also have an outdoor bar plus seating which, at the time, was doing a brisk business despite it being on the chilly side (They did have the heaters on). We were immediately greeted and seated. It took a bit of time for our server to get to us. When she arrived, she asked for our drink orders. I chose a drink called "DC Crush" which consists of: "Vodka, triple sec, orange, DC Brau orange spiked seltzer". This drink comes in a slushie form. I figured that as the ice melted, it would dilute the alcohol, which turned out to be correct. Still, it wasn't overly strong and the orange flavor came through very clearly. My husband ordered a glass of Chardonnay. They only offered one Chardonnay that was available by the glass. It was from Brea Vineyards, Central Coast, CA. He said it was quite good when it came to taste and quality. For starters, my husband got a cup of clam chowder. He found it to be a real disappointment as it was watery with little flavor. Also, he disliked that oyster crackers were crushed and put on top. He would have preferred being given a small packet the he could have added himself. In addition to the chowder, we ordered "Crispy Octopus" which consists of: "gigante beans in a vinaigrette, fried artichokes, garlic aioli, lemon". The octopus was coated and fried. While it was very tender, the coating wasn't crispy. We also noticed that there were very few artichokes. There were, however, red and white onions in it. The vinaigrette didn't have much flavor. I chose, for my main course, "Seared Rockfish". Before we left to go to the restaurant, I looked at the menu. I should have noted down the ingredients then because when I got home, I looked at the menu again to find that instead of the rockfish, it said "Seared Red Snapper". That was very strange. However, a look at the receipt once home did say "Seared Rock fish". Anyway...It consists of: "toasted farro, snap peas, English pea puree, crushed pistachios, preserved meyer lemon, Calabrian chilies". The fish was perfectly cooked and had a Calabrian chili coating which rendered it on the spicy side but not overly so. The snap pea and the farro portion was generous. There was only a small smear of English pea puree and the other ingredients barely registered. My husband chose "Seared scallops" which consists of: "grilled asparagus, eggplant puree, chickpea and sesame crumble, lemon vinaigrette". His entree arrived lukewarm. He did say the scallops (which were large) were properly cooked. The asparagus wasn't well trimmed with the woody parts of the stem still attached. The chickpea and sesame crumble were put on top of the asparagus which he didn't care for. We decided to share a dessert and chose "Boston Cream Mille Feuille" which consists of: "puff pastry, vanilla cream, chocolate sauce, fresh raspberries". Before the dessert arrived, our server brought clean forks, a separate plate and a steak knife. The steak knife puzzled me but...when the dessert came the puff pastry was really dry and tough and a steak knife was needed to cut it in half. On the plus side, the vanilla cream was nicely flavored and the chocolate portion was enough to add flavor without overpowering it. The fresh raspberries were a nice touch. Overall, we expected more in terms of flavor in the food. On a positive note, we agree that the seafood was very fresh. It wasn't a cheap meal as it cost $155 + change before the tip. We don't plan to return. read more

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My friend and I came here for a girls night date. We had reservations that we missed but were still able to be seated which was nice. The ambiance is casual but still gives off higher class vibe. Our server, Grace was prompt and accommodating! Food- waterman's platter - fried seafood, slaw and fries. We opted for more shrimp instead of fish. The fried oysters were the star and the house tartar sauce was delicious!! Lobster roll- market price, simple and yummy, but was done in about 3 bites. Could have used some more lobster for sure. Crap dip- yummy! If you like pimento. 4/5 , will come back! read more

The Salt Line - Ballston - Waterman's platter / lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I am reposting this review because it did not show up in the review section: The Salt Line in Ballston is an amazing place. The food is delicious, the drinks are superb and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It's a terrific place to catch up with an old friend or meet a new one. Really great vibes there! read more

Overwhelmingly underwhelming experience. The food wasn't bad, the service was ok, overall an ambiance; the place is cute, but nothing to write home about imo. Not upset about my experience, but also left me with no desire to ever return. Pros- the lobster roll while small, was very good, and the food came out quickly once we ordered. cons- the menu online did not align with the menu in the restaurant, it also took asking multiple people, multiple times to get a cup of water. read more

I would recommend going to Salt Line - Ballston. I went on a Sunday for brunch and was impressed. It wasn't too busy, the server was attentive and everything we had to eat was great. We had the brussel sprouts and crispy potatoes for an appetizer and then I had the French Toast and bacon for my meal. I want to back to try some oysters and the dinner. The only issue was parking can be a bit tricky so allow time to look for parking. read more