Introduction leading up to my "2nd date at Wonderland Ballroom": Representing 2018, W is for Wonderland Ballroom. So, I went here for a 2nd date (or what I thought was a 2nd date) on Friday, August 31, 2018. I had met her at an event in July 2018. I was at an event in downtown Silver Spring in the early evening, took the Metro to Woodley Park DC for a 3rd date, which ended up going poorly but it was for the best in the long run, took the Metro back and decided to see if there was anyone I still knew at the event in downtown Silver Spring. There wasn't, but I met some nice people including this woman, who I got her phone number. We went on what I considered a great 1st date (one where we were there for hours) in Wheaton, where we both happened to live at the time. Experience at Wonderland Ballroom: Our 2nd date was here at Wonderland Ballroom for a comedy show with multiple comedians. As I recall, she was friends with some of the comedians. Wonderland Ballroom is a local neighborhood bar in Columbia Heights, but in a quieter area not right in the heart on 14th St, this is on 11th Street, which is mainly residential. It's pretty dark in there, more of a tavern feel. It's not bad, but I tend to like places with better lighting especially if I'm eating, which I did. I did like my sandwich, and I believe I may have gotten eggplant fries as a side with ranch, which was a good recommendation. I'm looking at the menu online today in 2026, and I only see fries, tater tots, or salad as side options, but I do see the eggplant fries as a separate appetizer. So, I'm not sure if they removed as an option, or perhaps I paid a small upcharge at the time. In spite of good eggplant fries and decent sandwich, the atmosphere of dark & kind of small, a bit crowded, brings to 3-stars. Also, the Wonderland Ballroom is a misleading name for the place. Really, a ballroom?! This is no where near a ballroom, which is often a grandiose place. Maybe a large place for ballroom dancing, wedding, or even for some crazy President to destroy the East Wing to host his wealthy cronies! I can't imagine anyone would ever have their wedding at Wonderland so-called Ballroom. Conclusions with my "2nd date": Afterward, my date & I rode with a couple of comedians to downtown DC draft house restaurant & then some more comedy, which was free. I had already eaten at Wonderland, but I socialized with the people to a certain extent. But I really felt like a 3rd wheel and neglected by my date. I was texting with an old friend about how my date wasn't going well. After this not so good time, I would've taken the Metro from downtown back to Wheaton, but my date said she was getting a Lyft back she ordered and was paying for already, and I could ride back with her, which I agreed. I thought this was a nice opportunity for just the 2 of us to have a good conversation on the Lyft ride all the way back to Wheaton. Guess what? She ended up talking to the Lyft driver more than me asking how he likes driving, how long he's driven, etc., which is fine to a certain extent, but it was much of the 30 or so minute ride. Once we got to just north of downtown Silver Spring, less than 10 minutes from drop-off, I asked her a question about previous relationships, and she rudely said that doesn't concern you. I was taken aback by her response. Ultimately, right before dropping me off first, I was direct and asked her if she considered this & our prior Limerick Pub in Wheaton 5 days earlier as dates or just hanging out. She said just as friends. I was hurt, but appreciated her brutal honesty, the end of August & now after midnight the start of September was depressing. After my summer 2018 of lots of dates, one of which went to a 4th date, that Labor Day weekend while at my apartment's pool, I threw in the towel for having one develop into a relationship or at least solid enough dating to take to a wedding I was a groomsman in early October. I ultimately got a female friend, who had a boyfriend as my "date" to the wedding. Incidentally, that following summer she became my girlfriend lasting over a year. read more

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Great dive bar with friendly service and reasonably priced food and drinks. My wife and I came for brunch and loved it. We look forward to returning. read more

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I love this place. Even for the food options. The burger was one of the best. When it's warm out, the patio is great however the mosquitos are insane. When it's cold out, inside is fun but it gets too hot. Uncomfortably hot. It's great to people watch especially on the weekends because the outfits are so bad with the college kids coming in. read more

The outdoor area here is WONDERFUL. I came with friends on a beautiful Friday evening and had a great time. I liked their beer snd cider selection and the service was quick. Highly recommend for drinks with friends! read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - Outdoor area - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of my favorite dive bars in DC. The staff here is really attentive and super kind. The food is always tasty, fresh and comes out pretty quickly. I got the hamburger and fries and it was very tasty (much better than I expected). I also got one of the darker lagers the bartender recommended and it was really good, I forgot the name. The inside is super cool with lots of seating and there is an upstairs bar/seating. read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Mostly the service: it was so good, very kind and helpful staff, on top of things. Snacks were tasty , beer was fresh. Very clean for a dive bar, chill vibe. read more

Really good food, I was impressed. Vegetarian options were ample so no problem if there's a vegetarian in your party. Got a little confused by the qr code menu but you do not order at the bar, it is full service. Really enjoyed the music and atmosphere and the delirium was an other reviews say, a very good beer. I will back in the future for when the dance floor is open bc as a self-proclaimed hipster I totally could have danced to what they were playing. read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - Delirium tremens (beer) - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was there on friday 11/21 - I ordered the $12 veggie burger and the server charged me $20. When I pointed out the mistake on my credit card transaction, he verbally abused me. A little while later I walked up to the bar to order a drink, the same server was at the bar unfortunately, so I ordered from him anyway. He was once again very rude. I brought up that he had overcharged me earlier - so he yelled "FINE! I'give you a refund right now!" and he began to angrily press button on his gadget. It was obvious that he was pretending - and he was. Bizarre behaviour from him. Also, when he was about to hand me the drink, he took it back, then aggressively shoved more ice into it with his bare hand, while looking at me as though he wanted me dead. I do not need any apology, but I do need my $8 back please. I will not be overcharged and treated like garbage. read more

Met a friend here, Wednesday evening. Street/neighborhood parking. I ended up getting a $30 ticket. I knew it was for permits only but i'm a rebel lol Plenty of outdoor seating, bar seating inside with some tables. Chill little dive bar, that played good chill music. Bathrooms are very divey lol with handwritten notes by patrons markered on the walls. no thrills, get in and get out so the next person can pee lol Beer was tasty. I had the loaded tator tots with chili on the side. I'd give it a 2/5 overall. Probably would have been better as regular tots I'd come back! read more

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Drinks were fine but food took about an hour to come out. staff were friendly as well

We were beyond disappointed with our first Wonderland Ballroom experience. Our server took our order, disappeared, and left the heavy lifting to us (we refilled our own drinks), the expo, and even other servers. When the (clearly overworked) cook brought the below mediocre food (see raw onions in pic) out, he shot our server (ignoring us behind the bar) a look, yet she continued ignoring us. At this point, you're assuming that Wonderland was busy. Quite the opposite in fact. There were only two tables and zero outside customers. To make matters worse, a complete stranger (to us) checked us out and even tried to make small talk. Zero apologies, excuses, or explanations. In disbelief, we quickly paid and left. We'll chalk up Wonderland's mistakes to current staff shortages. However, it'll be a LONG time before we're willing to give Wonderland another try. We can only hope that the GM reads our review and retrains (from scratch) his/her team. read more

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LOVED this place!!! The most perfect dive bar. I saw this place when walking home from dinner and decided to stop in. The vibes in the place were immaculate. That staff were so friendly. Drinks were well priced. Fries were amazing and came out super quick. read more

Many people know The Wonderland Ballroom as a great bar with a very cool vibe. But do you also know that they have a DELICIOUS brunch? I occasionally like a fancy artisanal brunch, but sometimes I just want a hearty and delicious meal to start a lazy weekend right. This brunch was exactly what I needed and more. Their skillets are loaded with perfectly crispy potatoes, delicious vegetables, eggs, and something special too. I got mine with sausage gravy, and it hit the spot. I also eagerly gave their mac n cheese pancakes a try. The edges tasted like regular pancakes, warm and delicious. But as you work your way into the interior, you're hit with a surprise cheesy taste! With a little maple syrup and butter on top, it's an absolute delight. This restaurant does not take reservations, and indoor seating is relatively limited, but we had no problem finding a table. Our waitress was very nice as well! read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - Mac n cheese pancakes - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Burger was cooked well and the pretzel bun was tasty. Tater tots were not as crispy as the fries. Margaritas are a bit small and melt quickly. read more

I came back for dinner and had a great time. I got the of course you're going to order this burrito which was superb. It's like the perfect handover cure. The chicken inside was really well seasoned. The fries on the side were a bit cold but the burrito carried. The service was also excellent. Attentive and friendly servers, and Sophie is such a gem. Definitely will come back read more

Wonderland is a trashcan, but it's *my* trashcan. I've never eaten, but i've been here for drinks and dancing on more occasions than I can count. It's always a good time, although it can get uncomfortably crowded upstairs. They've often got fun events going on and stuff to do, and the drinks are heavy handed and decently cheap. The bathrooms are tiny but generally pretty clean. read more

Everyone is so welcoming and nice! Especially the girl the girl with pink hair. The ranch is also immaculate

wow, I've never been so pleasantly impressed by the quality of art and art that you post on here. Pasha! The first time we saw each other's faces was in February when we went out of the way for the day with the great variety of beer. His vocabulary is so expansive and I never thought would ever hear mud room to describe a vestibule. if I could give 7 stars, I wouldn't because I gave 4. read more

Wonderland, wow .... So many things to say , this location ( in fact , this bar ) is ONE , of many RARE , places that makes my life feel well fulfilled . I want to take this time to give a special thanks to Elena ,David , Dario , Rico ( security) , Matt , Rose , Nick , Liz ... so many more , to mention ... sorry if I missed your name . Additionally , I highly recommend "Wonderland BALLROOM , to anyone who enters the city of Washington DC , definitely a excellent place for fun and love . Thank you Wonderland for all the "magical " moments and nights . Sincerely , A "regular " Fame Amos #BikeManInk read more

It's a dive bar so... definitely expect that. Staff is friendly, drinks are cheap and the music is good. read more

My friend who lives nearby took me here for what we hoped would be a quick dinner. We sat outside in their curbside patio area, it was moderately busy but not packed. The service was friendly and our drinks came out fast, but the food took forever! When we did get our food it was tasty. I had the blazing chicken quesadilla and it was cheesy, spicy, and delicious. My friend had a veggie burger that she thought was good too. Overall, a solid place I just wish our food would have come out faster or we could have had a heads up about how long we would have to wait. read more

Forgot to get pictures of the space, but when for their happy hour and half priced burger Tuesdays deal and LOVED it! Met up with an old friend who lives near by and I was excited when she suggested this place because several friends have recommended it to me, so I was happy to finally visit. I imagine the vibe is very different in the evenings, but for dinner it was perfect. When I arrived at 5 it was very quiet with a couple people in there but by 6/6:30 other was quite busy with lots of dinner diners! The staff was so kind and helpful and recommended my cider which was perfect. I got their classic burger with tots and it was AMAZING!!! I highly recommend! Their bun was great! For the HH drink + half off burger, it was about $16! 20% tip is included, as well as a card charge which is a bit ridiculous. read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - a basket of fried food - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is your typical neighborhood dive bar! I like it! Great deco! Drinks could be stronger!! read more

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I've heard wonderland is super lit on weekend nights but nobody told me how lit it is for brunch! A spot that really does both!! We came in for brunch around 1 on a Sunday so it wasn't too busy and we were able to find a spot pretty quickly. I ordered the gypsy skillet and really enjoyed it! I loved the mix of bacon, mushrooms, and spinach - felt like I was getting my veggies but still getting my bacon fix! It was also the perfect meal to soak up a night of drinking! The outdoor patio area is really cute and has some long communal tables - would be perfect for big groups! Atmosphere is cute and actually really solid for brunch. They have lots of options including several different skillets, more traditional brunch foods, and non-traditional brunch stuff (burgers, wraps, etc). Great spot for quick brunch! read more

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Came here for drinks in the night and the service was... interesting? I'm pretty sure one of the bartenders was sent home for having a few too many shifties. They took song requests on the first floor which was nice, and the environment was cozy and cute -- the lighting made the place. read more

Unfriendly and unwelcoming. Possibly racist. Was never acknowledged or greeted. Sat for a long time being ignored. Ended up leaving without ever being spoken to. Here's the clincher: the bar was very quiet. Bartenders too busy doing shots with "favored" guests. Won't return. read more

So many fees. And the fees on top of fees. Then a request for tips. Then taxes (normal) but then taxes on top of the fees. And no disclaimers ahead of time about the fees. Where does the 20% fee go? Charge for using a credit card, but no advanced notice. The server made a point to call it a dive bar when several things broke down leading to unavailable items (that's cool things happen) but the prices are not dive bar prices. read more

Most of my time at Wonderland has been at night for drinks with friends, but last Saturday I popped in for brunch and was pleasantly surprised. We were able to sit on the patio because it was just gorgeous outside, and the vibes were immaculate. If you love people watching and dogs, the patio is the place for you! As far as food, we ordered the brunch burger, breakfast burrito, and a couple bottles of mimosas and everything was so delicious! The staff is super attentive and the wait time for food and drinks was super short, the servers are great! Will definitely be coming back for brunch more often! read more

When I suggested eating at Wonderland for a work brunch a few months ago, the person closest in age to me hesitantly said, "Um, Wonderland...?" She lived a stone's throw away from Wonderland and had witnessed the weekend night debauchery firsthand more times than she would've liked to admit. The brunch at Wonderland Ballroom is one of the most underrated, down-to-earth, and unpretentious brunches you could possibly find in D.C. Because we were a fairly large group, we sat down at one of the long communal tables on the outdoor patio. A few of us ordered coffee, which was served in mismatched mugs, setting the stage for the low-key hipster brunch that awaited us. Three words, before I even get to the food: mimosa bottle service. Why drop $15 on bottomless mimosas somewhere else in D.C. when you could order a bottle of champagne with a generous splash or two of OJ in it for $12? The best part about the mimosa bottle service was when my boss's French roommate showed up, fashionably late, and picked up the champagne bottle to read the label. She scowled at how it had the audacity to call itself "California champagne" -- I guess feeling like a Georgetown undergrad on homecoming with a mimosa bottle made with $5 champagne (ahh, college) isn't exactly the textbook example of French elegance. The menu doesn't scream divey greasy spoon, but rather something more along the lines of a hip 20-something chef with a few guilty pleasures. Case in point: the mac and cheese pancakes, which someone ordered and absolutely loved. I went with the Veganator skillet but opted to make it non-vegan because I love cheese. With veggie sausage, avocado, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, grilled peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded jack and cheddar cheese, home fries, AND two pieces of toast, it successfully fooled me into thinking that I was being healthy. I'd consume my daily recommended vegetable intake with an order of the Veganator if I could -- at about $13, it was pretty standard for a D.C. brunch dish. read more

Went with friends and asked what they could make without dairy as I have an allergy. They said they cook everything in butter, so nothing can be made dairy free. I asked about the vegan option on the menu, but they said that's cooked in butter, too... We left to go somewhere else as I couldn't eat anything, and they still charged us $5 each for our coffees we'd ordered. All in a bad experience and *super* cautionary tale for those with allergies and/or vegans! read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - vegan option on the menu that's actually cooked in butter - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here with some friends yesterday because Bad Saint was unavailable but that's neither here nor there. I wasn't expecting anything that I got from this establishment and I don't mean that in a good way. The bouncer told us we could sit outside, OK cool! We sat ourselves and it went downhill from there. The waitress was trying to be on her best behavior for that tip but it just didn't pan out like that...she would go missing for more than 15 min after you requested something whether it was food, condiments, napkins, etc. I ordered the chicken quesadillas and got the kid mac n cheese which came with a side of cornbread. My friend ordered the veggie nachos and her hubby ordered a burger...standard bar food. The food was subpar at best because there is no way that our food should have come out room temperature to cold! I need my food to be hot (can I get my food hot) *insert eye roll* If they only have one waitress then they need to hire more staff because they getting kickbacks by overcharging people. We got a bill for $64, when the waitress brought back the receipts my friend and I were charged almost $8 more than the original bill...how sway. The waitress just kept saying it's our system and then told us now the bill was $74. How does a bill go up by $10 within a 10 min period....ummm ma'am I want to see the manager. The manager is at the bar hearing the issue and have the same BS answer as his staff...nah sway, I eat in DC all the time you can't tell me that you are charging me an extra tax after the fact and blaming it on DC by saying taxation without representation, NO! Let's see what Mayor Bowser thinks about this charade ya'll pulling because I am calling her office tomorrow morning! In the end the manager just charged us $64 after I told them that I was calling in the Mayor on Monday morning (how convenient) and offering us a shot or something to drink on the house... On the way home I started thinking that this place probably charges a service fee for using a credit card (not posted anywhere in the bar) NICE, that's ILLEGAL! You can get over on your drunk customers but those of us that are sober and care where our money is going, you will not get over on us! Don't worry wonderland Ballroom...ya'll will probably be getting a visit from someone in DC government REAL SOON! read more

This place is amazing! A group of my friends & I traveled to DC for Broccoli Fest 2019and the morning of, we were trying to find something to eat. We were going to walk to a further place we found on Yelp when we noticed this place was right across the street from our Airbnb and they were open for brunch at 11am. Food and service was amazing. The staff are nice, quick and attentive. We noticed that the place gets pretty packed at night too. We were very happy we'd stop to check out the menu. read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - French Toast, eggs, home fries and bacon - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Monday night trivia upstairs is a hidden highlight in DC, where the top score earns you $100 towards your bar tab. The drinks here are solid, although order the same cocktail twice and you'll see that they not only look and taste different, but the sizes vary as well. We ordered orange crushes and once received them in tall pint glasses and another in smaller drink glasses. Perhaps a difference between upstairs and downstairs bars. Nachos are solid bar food here, with your choice of shredded or nacho cheese. read more

Everything here is everything you could ever want in a dive bar. Staff are incredible & the vibes are amazing. I would happily spend every night here. read more

My friends and I came into the bar to have a good time for 4th of July weekend. I asked for an Amaretto Sour and the waitress gave me a beer, which is definitely not what the drink is. I was having a great time before that and I ignored the mistake, even giving them a 25% tip. My friends and I went to the upstairs area that was not blocked off/had no indication it was closed prior to entering. An employee entered and asked us to leave, which was fine. However, as we were leaving, the employee hisses "are you fucking kidding me?" An unnecessary comment and quite rude to customers. It's unfortunate that the overall general great ambiance and vibe of the bar was ruined by a single employee who was unable be courteous to customers. Unfortunately will not be returning to this establishment. read more

This is your average neighborhood dive bar. Before 11 PM you can enjoy a beer at a table downstairs and it's not too busy. After 11 people start coming in to dance upstairs. The upstairs is hot & crowded but if dancing is your thing this is your place to be on a Friday/Saturday night. On the weekends they also have a nice brunch. Service can be spotty but the patio is nice to sit out on during the spring. You can also bring your dog. Overall fun place to grab a beer & dance! Not a very accessible place for those with mobility issues. There is some parking but most of it's zoned. read more

The bartenders are always friendly and the daily deals are great. The of course burrito is a great choice for food too (with the tots).

Walking in, I was immediately transported to the basic neighborhood bar that you'd find on any corner in Wisconsin. That's a good thing. You'll find little pretense but plenty of kitch here in this hipster dive bar. Prepare for the uncomplicated - we were informed that we couldn't have a Manhattan as they do not stock bitters. A nice beer collection on tap sufficed. read more

The Wonderland Ballroom - Fin du Monde on tap. - Dance Clubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Okay, seriously: what's with all the Asian cred in the decor? Dive-but-hipster, no cover. You gotta be skinny-jeans slender to contemplate two-way traffic on the narrow staircase. Some decent brews on tap, though service was shite. Great jukebox downstairs, I could see myself chilling there to enjoy a pint and some background tunes. Nice tree-shaded patio with a decent split of sitting and standing room-- this area is the prime real estate until the friendly bouncers shut it down. That's when the dancing up top really picked up. DJ Obeyah was spinning upstairs. Before the patio closure pushed all the patrons inside, his playlist was all over the damn place. Tune transitions could've been better overall, but props for taking so many requests. Gotta love a very accessible DJ. Dancing towards the front of the platform was fun with the fan right there to give me a breather from the growing sardine can. Bench by the bar in the back, coat/purse hooks at shoulder height near the front. Three and a half stars based on an exclusively nightlife experience. I get why Joe likes this place. I wouldn't mind coming back sometime to hang out on ground level or check out a different DJ (not sure how well live band Harikaraoke meshes with the crowd every other Monday), but I just wasn't feeling the dancing crowd. I had about as much fun here as I've had on an off-night at LMW's. read more

We came here with a friend to sit on their patio and enjoy some beers. The food was surprisingly decent for a dive bar, with the chili nachos being great and the footling hot dogs were good. Service was decent, sometimes quick and other times taking an hour to get a water but it was busy so what do you expect. The waiter was kinda snarky when asking between the cheese options for the hot dog but very dive bar vibes. I'd definitely come back soon! read more