I was seated by the hostess, but the server didn't come over for 15 minutes, and when he did, he simply told me he would be with me shortly. Seven more minutes passed before I finally got to place my drink and food order. I ordered a turkey sandwich and a mule. While the food arrived quickly, I was disappointed to find that the sandwich contained deli meat instead of actual carved turkey, as I had expected from the menu description. To make matters worse, my drink still hadn't arrived by the time the food came. Overall, the service was poor, the food was disappointing, and the mule was not enjoyable either. read more

I visited The Water Bar a few months ago but on a recent visit learned they are under new management and have changed their menu. The tomato salad, crab empanada, and oysters are no longer food options. It's still a great happy hour or meet up spot... and, the bartenders are consistent. The drinks are amazing. read more

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This whole place rules outside of the water bar as well. Great atmosphere, but mad credit to the folks working the bar. Mauricio in particular was both hilarious and efficient. Looking forward to making this a regular spot! read more

The hostess was not friendly at all but the drinks were great, food was good as well..I would go back for sure! read more

Water Bar - Drink: Thorn in my side Food: truffle fries and crispy shrimp - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We found this restaurant on Instagram. Really nice location in Arlington VA. The service and food were very good. Definitely get the calamari and the ceviche. Both were prepared well and delicious! Definitely a spot that you can have a good time with good food. read more

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Lobster Mac & Cheese was very good. Oysters are ok but there are better places around to get half shells under $3 a piece. Front host sat me with my back to the whole restaurant which led me to being semi-ignored by most of the wait staff. I ordered a dozen on the half shell and only got 6. So that was disappointing. I also spent the entire meal listening to three patrons clearly intoxicated at the end of the bar screaming profanities at one another about how bad their daughters were performing in school. So probably not a great ambiance for date night unless the bar staff grows the courage to cut people off and tells them to leave. The area is cute. Nice place to come visit, but I'd order to-go if at all. Plenty of better places around. read more

Nice view, seating right next to the waterfall fountain. We came for brunch on a Thursday, so not crowded. The Executive Chef came out to greet us and check on service and food. The Menu provided during our visit (noon) had limited options...specifically, no poultry, no pork. I am a sparkling water person ...they offered fountain sparkling water but no sealed bottles. The chef did find us one bottle that was left from a previous function. The short rib grilled cheese, lacked seasoning and no sauce. Look like it was prepared in a panini press. Out of food items ordered, fried oysters was the hit. read more

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I can't believe I am about to say what I'm going to say but here it goes. Finally, a restaurant that was found on social media that lives up to the hype! Water Bar has come across my social media pages a few times and normally I would disregard as the era of social media influence on restaurants doesn't normally live up to the hype once you visit. Surprisingly, that was not the case the night we decided to visit. Water Bar is a cocktail and oyster bar tucked in a unique location within Crystal City Water Park. The night me and my bestie/partner and crime Spencer joined for date night was during the perfect summer evening, not unbearably hot and there was a refreshing night breeze, that was accompanied by outstanding service and delicious food. While the menu is limited, if you are seafood junkie, I'm sure you will find something on the menu to enjoy. We went with the fried calamari, crab empanadas, short rib grilled cheese and the Chesapeake crab roll. Hands down my favorite of the evening were the crab empanadas. The were GBD (golden brown and delicious) packed with tons of blue lump crab. I seriously could have eaten those for the night and been content. Everything that we ordered was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I'm so glad we gave Water Bar a chance. You can believe we will be back to enjoy some of their other menu items and cocktails. read more

Water Bar - Cheers - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Amazing service from all the staff from the second we walked in. Heaven was amazing and very knowledgeable on the menu. Jailin and mauricio also came multiple times to make sure our table had everything we needed. read more

Service from Amanda was amazing. The view and atmospher at Water Bar was immaculate. Highly recommend . read more

Drinks were great! Service was even better. Nilo was so sweet and very accommodating. Can't wait to be back!

I ate lunch here for the first time, along with my friends. The atmosphere was wonderful - it was a nice day, so the window/wall was open to the outdoors and it was so pleasant! The food was delicious - had crispy shrimp, lettuce wedge with salmon, and a brownie sundae (with three spoons) and everything was wonderful. Most importantly, the service was impeccable. Anthony was our server and was so friendly and attentive to our needs. He made great menu suggestions when we asked, our drinks were always replenished without having to ask, and he brought the food to us piping hot and very quickly because he knew we were on a time crunch to see a show at the Birchmere. We will definitely be back again and hope that we are able to get Anthony's table next time as well! Thanks, Anthony! read more

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Water Bar is relatively new so I will happily upgrade my review at any time. However, it needs some direct feedback. Today was my fourth trip to the bar since it opened. Despite this review, I will return. Today is also Friday and very busy. The problems right now rest solely on management and NOT the working staff. This is all fixable: 1. Bar was dirty, and covered in old plates and drink glasses for about 15 minutes. Employee did not wipe down the bar after previous customer left. I had some nice leftover rice pilaf at my bar spot though. 2. Manager or an employee sitting at the bar on a computer, and taking up seats when it was busy. This is bad for any number of reasons, but employees and especially managers have no business sitting at the bar during working hours. 3. Managers watched and gazed longingly for 5 minutes as the bartender poured orange drinks or some type of cocktail while customers waited for drinks. I just laughed as I already had my drink. 4. Server bullshitting with guy on computer for 10-15 minutes while customers stand cluelessly wondering who is seating them. Gong show now. 5. Employee eating at the bar. It's incredibly important to take care of your staff, and feed them. However, they shouldn't be eating with customers. Give them some space and time away for a few minutes. 6. Drinks were good overall, and they are reasonably priced for Arlington. No complaint. read more

Went for a corporate dinner and we were the only group in the place. Was not super impressed with the food especially since it's supposed to be specialized in seafood. My oysters had shell in them and with the shrimp cocktail the shrimp themselves had an odd rub/seasoning on them (maybe old bay) which is not typical of shrimp cocktails anywhere else I've had them. The seasoning ruined for the flavor for me and I didn't even finish them. I would prefer to give positive reviews but if you want properly executed seafood, I wouldn't suggest this spot. read more

Mauricio and Kevin were awesome! They create a chill vibe and so attentive. Such a great place to relax and sip

Had another incredible experience at Water Bar. New drinks and food selections are astounding. Great oysters/raw bar options. Service was top notch. The entire staff go above and beyond to ensure everyone feels welcome. Delicious! Delightful! Stellar! read more

How uninspiring. Yea, the area has been seriously gentrified and cleaned up, and the water feature. I'm sure it's gonna be really refreshing in the summertime and I'm sure that when the weather is better, it's vibrant. But I found the menu boring and service was on the slower side, it took for the food to come out. It took them a while to warm up and be friendly. The appetizers filled in the holes that we were looking for, but nothing impressive. read more

If there is one reason to visit the Water Bar it's definitely for the beautiful outdoor bar space! I popped in one Saturday afternoon over the summer and was immediately wowed by the location! Its gorgeous! However - that's where a lot of the thrill ends. The service was okay at best. The bartender was fairly new and wasn't familiar with the menu items to provide much assistance (although he was very kind). But the real lack of service came from the hosts who were pressuring us to move seats at the bar which ultimately lead us to close our tabs and leave. Nobody was particularly rude, but the service left a bit to be desired as far as making water bar a fun place to be. As far as cocktails, I didn't get anything fancy and stuck with a prosecco. Can't mess that up! As far as food nothing was really wow-ing us on the menu so we popped down to the food trucks below to have a fantastic dinner. However, I do want to highlight location/venue is beautiful with lots of fresh air and nice views! Plus the bar was packed with people enjoying different cocktails so I highly recommend for grabbing a drink. Overall I'd say our experience was a 3.5 but I'm rounding up because it's worth a visit and I'll be back! Perhaps next time with a reservation instead of sitting at the bar. read more

Water Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Food and atmosphere were great! Our server Kya was awesome, she had food recommendations from the menu and entertainment ideas for the area!! read more

Amazing view, great food & drinks, ambiance and service were phenomenal. Hidden gem in the heart of arlington

Had a great time with my friends. Perfect view. The environment was pleasant. My food came out very fast and nice variety of cocktails.

The Paloma Sour and Mango Margarita were a perfect way to cool off during the 2025 summer heat. I enjoyed every single bite of the Maryland Crabcake Sandwich. The ambiance was great and I was especially impressed by the excellent service I received from their manager, Nilo. 11/10! I'm going back again every chance I get and highly recommend this hidden gem! read more

Water Bar seems like a chill spot that would be cool to come for happy hour or to get drinks really quickly. They have a really small menu, so I wouldn't say it's the place you should go if you really want to eat and stay for an extended period of time. The oysters were delicious. I've only had oysters that were bad once in my life, so I wasn't surprised the oysters were good at Water Bar. The Aquaspice mocktail I got didn't list the ingredients on the menu. My waiter described it similar to a margarita. Yeah so it was not my favorite drink. It wasn't disgusting but it was just tart and I would have preferred for it not to have any pulp. read more

Water Bar - Oysters - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Husband and I stopped in this restaurant as we drove past the front of its waterfall area. We didn't have reservations but sat in the lounge area which was perfect because we were under heaters! Leon was our waiter and he was super accommodating and just had good vibes. We ordered a lot of shareable plates and our favorite was the Chorizo Oysters and Shrimp n Grits (which had a different taste but were good). We ordered a Rum n Coke and Dark n Stormy. The price was good our total was a little over $100, but it was worth it. Would definitely recommend and come back to visit. read more

Water Bar - Chorizo Oysters, Rockefeller Oysters, smoked Trout Dip, shrimp and Grits - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I called ahead to make a reservation at Water Bar and was told they could take us. We made the trip over, only to be told when we arrived that they actually did not have a table for us. There was no real apology and no attempt to make it right. Completely unprofessional and frustrating, especially after confirming by phone and traveling out of our way. Would not recommend making plans here if you expect them to honor your reservation. read more

Service was good, our waitress was very nice but the food and drinks were very disappointing. The tuna was not fresh and the avocados were brown, poke bowl, had to be sent back to the kitchen. All meals were off. Even their water was not drinkable. read more

TJ was at the bar when we stopped by for drinks. She was so sweet and amazing. The service was great and the old fashioned was delicious and beautiful. The bar all has a great view and good music. I will be coming back. read more

Water Bar - Beer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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You know, its the front of the house that sets the tone for a high end cocktail bar. You approach, hear the music, and are received by the maitre d at the front podium. Those of us at a certain age recall the high-handed ropelines of the eighties where if your outfit or deportment were judged sub-standard you were turned away. Still a disturbing recall! But here at Water Bar, it could not be more relaxed or welcoming! We had an office event that due to operational commitments started an HOUR late...you might think our big set of tables would be given away. Not so! The maitre d, a beautiful and charming ambassador, Jennifer, not only kept our tables intact but received us with a beaming smile and a tray of glasses with two fingers of chilled wine on the house! Like she was inviting us into her home, she made sure everyone was comfortable and welcomed! With the investment of charm and maybe a couple of bottles of wine shared with us, Jennifer has made this lovely, comfortable, and welcoming venue our new "go to" for office functions! The rest of the staff were equally welcoming and responded as a team to the calls of the quaterback. G R E A T! We'll see you again for sure! Cheers, Mike read more

Visited the recently opened Water Bar (a little perplexed why an outdoor bar opened during fall/winter) the water features surrounding the bar are beautiful and we were able to easily access the bar and were immediately seated (we made a reservation) Our server was friendly and attentive and we were able to get custom mixology for spirit free cocktails - the food was typical bar fare with little flavor - the potato chips were flat/stale. I would visit only for a drink at the bar if in the water park area but not for bar bites and with the cool weather I'm not sure how comfortable it would be to sit in the bar since it is open with only plastic zipper coverings over the open areas read more

Water Bar - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The drinks were good. Nothing outstanding. It's a cute environment with lots of seating. You will need a reservation on popular nights or hope there is a seat at the bar. The service is the only reason I wouldn't give it four stars. It took awhile for our waiter to bring water and come to the table. We asked questions about the drink menu and he didn't have any real response (is the cucumber martini popular? How spicy is the spicy margarita?). We had to find him just to ask for the bill. The drinks also tasted like they had been sitting outside for awhile read more

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Gorgeous place! Love the zen ambiance; loved the friendly and attentive service and the food was fresh, generously portioned and delicious! Will definitely revisit! read more

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So thrilled to be exploring these kiosks. Several small pop ups with some great food and drink in there Water Park open spaces in Crystal City across from Morton's and Alamo Draft house. Cracked Eggery breakfast was tasty and fresh. Tiki Thai was quite tasty although not as spicy as we'd like. Falafel Inc was also enjoyable with great desserts. . We look forward to continuing the explorer read more

Anthony was a great waiter and made our dining a wonderful experience! Thank you Anthony for a wonderful evening taking care of us on our anniversary! read more

Amanda is amazing! She gave us the best recommendations and the food was perfect. i will most definitely be back.

Do better waterbar Management. It's too bad that the location is so nice....but not worth receiving a Martini and Champagne in a plastic cup. Service is horrible. read more

Water Bar - Champagne served in plastic - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Very nice restaurant for a summer evening. Service got off to a slow start but was good at the end.

Beautiful ambiance.. very very nice place. Especially for the warm weather seasons because of the open nature of the restaurant. Lobster roll wasn't that good. Drink was okay. Salad was also ok. Don't know if I'd go back but enjoyed the views. Service was pretty good read more

Julio was great! The service and drinks were great. Even thought I rained a bit we had a great time under the covered patio. Highly recommend the dirty martini. read more

Water Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

So, I ended up at Water Bar in Arlington last night, and let me tell you, this place is a total vibe! The outdoor seating felt like I was chilling in a postcard ,great vibe and just perfect for meeting my friend. Honestly, if you're in Arlington and you don't stop by this place, what are you even doing? I'm already planning my next visit because these drinks are calling my name. read more

Fairly good service. Attended an event with hors d'ouvres and bar service. Food consisted of hummus, guacamole, crab wontons, slider burgers, and shrimp on toast. Not an overly large venue which makes it ideal for small to medium-sized groups. read more