Melissa R.

Good food and atmosphere is great. I would definitely suggest the hummus and Brussel sprouts. Ate dinner in the bar area this time and have to say the service wasn't great. Before dinner met a few people for happy hour, the bar staff was understandably busy but not super friendly. Once we moved to a bar table it took a bit to get served but the staff was a little more friendly. When I ate in the restaurant on a different occasion the service was much better than the bar area. I am hopeful this is just the result of being relatively new and service will improve as the restaurant settles in to a regular groove. Can't wait to try their brunch!!
(4)
Darryl H.

The food was good, nothing spectacular, nothing bad. Our server at the table was excellent, but the bartender was one of the rudest people I've ever dealt with. No reason to ever go back.
(2)
Laura M.

Best mussels around! I've been here twice and it has been perfection both times. My husband had the pork sandwich tonight and he told me it was awesome. The fries have been consistently great as well. The first time we were here he had the marrow burger and I had a bite and it was terrific! We sat at the bar tonight and Kat, our bartender, was super attentive! The ambiance cannot be matched in Old Town! Very hip, very chill.
(5)
Bobby C.

Veggie burger was good. I ate in the bar area, don't expect nice or swift waitresses though.
(3)
Angela L.

Read all the other reviews before taking a friend here to celebrate. Had lamb shank and marrow burger. Both were amazing. Had to stop my friend from sucking the bones. Dessert good. Cocktails creative. Wine respectable. Service very attentive and knowledgeable. The only down side is the noise level, which dropped it from 5 star to 4. It was hard to carry on casual or intense conversation. We will go again!
(4)
Nicole M.

I'm new to alexandria, but I have a feeling this will definitely be one of my new go to spots. The cocktails are delicious and the beer list features some awesome local craft brews. The food is amazing. The menu is pretty small, but from what I can tell everything is extremely well executed. And I definitely appreciate that they source almost everything locally. Don't miss the lamb meatballs, the bone marrow burger or the Mac and cheese -- YUM!!!
(5)
Anne H.

The wait - I get it no reservations - told to call ahead to get on a wait list. We wanted to eat at 7:00 PM and were told to call an hour ahead. Two hours later - we got a table top for 4. The biggest problem is that they allow to many tables to linger instead of moving them along during peak time. If you want to eat later - say 8 PM - then you are safe. Really noisy - hard to hear. Oh - and the mussels are ok. A little chewy. My pork that I asked to be medium was too pink - more medium rare. I am giving this a 3 star because I want this place to work. It would/will be a nice edition to the neighborhood. But I will not be back for awhile. They need to work out the flow, table timing, and the menu (which has potential).
(3)
brooke p.

First, the atmosphere: I used to live in this neighborhood, and knowing the history of the building gives me a deep appreciation for how hard the owners must have worked (and how much they must have spent) to completely overhaul it, renovating everything but the bones. First impression on the look is that they clearly made the right decision and consulted an interior designer or two; it shows. However, on closer inspection, it becomes clear that while things look nice (and are currently brand new), they skimped on the quality of some of the materials (maybe they had to because of how much renovating the building cost?). I can't tell you how many times I simply moved my legs and accidentally pushed the featherweight table askew, nearly spilling our drinks. Also, the texture of the booth seemed to be made of inexpensive vinyl and felt too much like a diner. All of these critiques pale in comparison to the biggest problem Mason Social has in the atmosphere department: power. During peak time (7-8pm), the lights periodically not only dimmed, but actually WENT OUT due to an overburdened power source, and they only came back on with the help of a generator that we could clearly hear and feel, even if we couldn't see. It was severely detrimental to the ambiance. Now, for food/drinks: I opted for the signature cocktail, the Parker Gray, because I love Catoctin Creek products. The infusing of Earl Grey tea into the rye was a nice twist, and the cocktail was smooth, though I'm not convinced it was worth $13. My food (the pork and slaw sandwich, with a side of spicy BBQ fries) was pretty damn delicious. My friends' food (lamb meatballs and Brussel sprouts) was just OK. The Brussel sprouts in particular were bad - gray and limp and soaked with a weird, unnecessary sauce. Her $11 glass of Malbec also felt a tad overpriced. We both also felt the menu was unbalanced; each category (apps, salads, sandwiches) had 4-6 items, yet there were only 3 entrees to pick from...why? Also, for such a beautiful space, they could have benefited from hiring a graphic designer to help with their printed menus...the font, layout, and paper selection all needed a design eye's help. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and I recommend giving it a try. Our waitress was kind and attentive. But Mason Social has some work to do if it wants to compete with some of the other higher-end restaurants in Old Town.
(3)
Tim D.

The food was hit or miss, as was the service. The bar is poorly set up and is very mismanaged. Even on a busy night, it is exclusively set up for a few diners, which does not allow anybody else waiting for a table to get a drink. Queuing up at the server station is the only (bad) option. The bartenders were inattentive and painfully slow, preoccupied with the dishwasher and paying no mind to the line of patrons waiting for service. By the time we got our drinks they were wrong, which the bartender argued about. Half their draft beers were gone by 9pm, so she decided to make a substitution for us. They need to a) decide whether they want the room to be a bar or like the rest of the restaurant, because they can't do both; and b) retrain or replace their bar staff. When we were seated, however, our server was excellent, personable, and attentive. The food was mediocre, with missing advertised ingredients (e.g. no marrow anything on the Marrow Burger) and okay ingredients. The pulled pork and rockfish were good, but perhaps not worth the price.
(2)
Greg P.

My 1st time at this new local place 2 blocks away = awesome. Great clean American smaller more home feeling place. I had the burger which was good size and I recommend with plenty of a size side of fries. Little pricey for a burger, I guess it's the atmosphere and good service built in that's worth it. Would like to see the price of beer next to those listed. I will be going there many more times and with the ladies, which this is a great date night spot.
(4)
Ellen H.

Great food, beautiful space! Mason Social is a great addition to the neighborhood. We had dinner with friends last week and had a great time. The space is gorgeous. Don't miss the song quotes in the restrooms- a fun touch. The staff is professional and knowledgable. The wine list is diverse and the cocktail list has some really yummy drinks. I had the Mason Punch, it was very refreshing. Another group favorite was the Social Gathering, a twist on a mojito but with gin. Our server was fabulous and made great recommendations. We ordered a table of appetizers. The lamb meatballs are my favorite but my husband loved the beer mussels with the crunchy grilled bread. The pork belly with the jicama cider slaw was also a hit with the entire group, but note if you have more than four people at the table.. order two! I had the hanger steak with the fingerling potatoes and brussels for dinner- it was cooked a perfect medium rare. Other favorites at the table included the seared neptune scallops, the marrow burger, the gruyere mac and cheese and the paprika sprinkled bbq fries. I can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu!
(5)
Monique D.

I will preface this review with a few positives- the atmosphere is great, the design is nice, and their punch is good, but I think the underlying theme is that it's fine, not great, and not memorable. We started with the pork belly, which was edible, but lacked flavor, and was very small for the price. We next ordered the marrow burger, and the steak. I had high hopes for the marrow burger, I've had a great experience ordering one at Rays to the Third in Arlington, and it fell FAR short. The burger that I ordered medium came out well done on the outer edges and practically raw in the middle. There was next to no marrow taste, and the rest of the toppings looked like something you can get on a Five Guys cheeseburger for half the price. The fries were also gross. The BBQ fries are weirdly sweet, with no balancing saltiness, and a poor alternative to someone who only likes plain fries. They don't provide prices next to their drink menu cocktails. I ordered the punch and when the bill came it was $14- almost the same price as my burger. It was good, not great. I could do the same with grapefruit and vodka at home for 1/3 the price. I don't think I'd go back again.
(2)
Jennifer H.

The ambiance was excellent. Great decor. The staff was decent and responsive. We did have to wait quite a while for our food, but we'll give them a pass since they recently opened. The food was fine- but nothing to write home about. I had the marrow burger- thought it would have some really unique flavor, but it was just a decent hamburger. The BBQ fries reminded me of BBQ baked Lays chips (not my preference). The Lamb Hoagie was descent, but nothing to really write home about. I'm a local and want this place to do well, but they need to work on the flavors in order to get a return visit from me.
(2)
Kevin N.

Great atmosphere; great burger and even better mussels. Best I've had...better than Brabo Tasting Room.
(5)
Jane P.

Yummy marrow burger, try the Brussel sprouts! Bar B Que fries were a good side. Attentive service and took good care of adults and child. Will be back.
(4)
Sandy S.

One of the best meals I have every had (the tile fish but also tasted the roast chicken, which was even better -- and the scallops? Yum!!). And the service was perfect. But the chairs are uncomfortable and the place is so noisy that conversation at our table was extremely difficult. But I will go again -- maybe quieter at lunch?
(4)
Joshua M.

What a great restaurant. Went there for Sunday brunch and the duck confit was seriously legit. I had that with the Gruyere red potatoes and they were layered with great flavors! I can't wait to go there again!
(5)
Judy R.

I live in the neighborhood and this has been a fabulous addition! While they have not been open more than four months they have made a great impression and continue to up their game. The menu is small with offerings changing from time to time. The specialty cocktails are worth a try - the Parker Gray is the best among them. Try happy hour - the pulled pork nachos for $5 is outrageous. Great young professional staff give really good service every time. These guys are making their mark on this town.
(5)
Stacy H.

This is a new place along Route 1 South in Old Town. I was happy to see another restaurant in this neighborhood. I arrived around 5pm. Sat at the bar and waited and waited for service. I finally got waited on when the couple next to me called over their bartender to pay their bill. Elizabeth was very nice and got me my beverage. She explained that she was working and setting up the back bar for the dining room but that the other 2 bartenders would take care of me. I got the menus and then proceeded to wait another 20 minutes before either bartender even looked my way. I ordered the Marrow burger. It was delicious. I was not a fan of the spicing on the fries. Overall the meal was good but I did come very close to just walking out. 6pm seems to be the beginning of the busy time. The restaurant quickly filled up after 6pm. I did not find it too loud in the bar area. I will probably try this place again and i hope to have better results.
(2)
Alvin B.

Ordered the burger medium. Came out raw. Grilled onions on top were downright cold.
(2)
Wendy B.

This new restaurant is a great addition to my neighborhood. I've now been twice, and both meals were good. I enjoyed the squash salad and the marrow burger w/ bbq fries (though the latter could have been crisper). The cocktails are interesting too. The seasonal menu is small, but the manager told me they plan to expand it. The ambiance is lively, and the restaurant doesn't feel overly crowded. The bar has been full both times I've been there. The only real shortcoming thus far has been the service, which has been uneven - forgetting drinks once, and slow other times. (The delays seem primarily to be a kitchen issue.) I expect it will improve as they get their legs. They don't take reservations; you can call ahead or leave your name at the desk, although both times the main hostess has seemed a bit . . . confused. They don't have the timing of the tables quite yet as far as I can tell, but the first time it worked in our favor. (They told it would be 30-45 minutes but it was about 10 - we had already walked back home to wait, but at least we got a table quickly. ) Anyway, the problems they have are surmountable, and I look forward to returning many times.
(4)
Amy L.

Went today for the first time. Arrived at 11:30 and there was no wait for a table for six. Service was very prompt; I loved how well the staff interacted with the children in our party. My pet peeve at restaurants is when servers place things directly in front of children (I am doing my best to keep the mess down, please don't make my job impossible!) and our server even moved the things already placed on the table as soon as she saw we had small ones. The menu is small but has interesting choices. Kids menu has the usual suspects (grilled cheese, chicken fingers and hamburger) and a fish dish, which is great. The adult menu has several sandwich selections, a few salads, entrees and a couple appetizers. I ordered the chicken sandwich. It was absolutely delicious. A great bite with its mustard and a ranch sauce. The breast is wrapped in bacon, which was cooked crispy. My friend ordered the winter squash salad and asked them to add chicken to make it an entree salad. She loved it. The cocktail list looked interesting and I am looking forward to trying it someday without kids. Definitely will be heading back. A great addition to Alexandria!
(5)
Meaghan M.

SO GOOD! Great atmosphere, delicious food and awesome drink menu. Our waiter, Mike, was very knowledgeable and eager to please. Started with the mussels, pork belly and meatballs. All were very good. For dinner we had Scallops and the burger. Highly recommend! After dinner we had drinks at the bar. Again, the staff was awesome! Looking forward to going back!
(5)
Sarah H.

I had dinner here the Friday after the restaurant opened. i was surprised at how smooth everything went considering they had only been open for three days. The food was fantastic. The reason I only give it three stars is because of the noise. The bar takes up half of the restaurant and there is no sound barrier between it and the restaurant. There was loud music playing throughout our dinner. I think this place may cater to a younger crowd.
(3)
Allison T.

Great ambiance...service was excellent and the sandwiches were wonderful! The children enjoyed the grilled cheese and the adults loved the barbecue fries. Easy access right off the metro-
(5)
Angela N.

Be prepared for a "bland-off". Pricey and a long wait for Okay food. Went on a Saturday night around 8:30 and expected a wait so no problem with that. We sat at the bar for about 5 minutes until a bartender would even look at us so we could order a drink. They were not filling drinks but stocking ice. WTF? Their take on a dark & stormy was good but you will be paying for it. Total wait for table was about 30 min. The lamb meatballs were tasty with a good sear on outside and moist center. From there is was downhill. Husband had steak salad (steak cooked perfectly) but which was blandest ever. Literally a non-seasoned steak on top of romaine lettuce, barely dressed! I had the cioppino which was also bland. They put a lot of sauce in dish and about 1/2 cup of pasta which was not a good pairing as the pasta could not fold on to the fork. So I had to cut up pasta or eat it in strings. Then left with a bunch of sauce and it looked like I had soup for main course. I know this sounds picky but if you are paying their prices...they better bring it!
(3)
Donald P.

Great place with awesome food! The staff was very friendly. My daughter ordered the burger along with mac & cheese and it was terrific; I had the chicken ceasar salad and it was very fresh. The atmosphere was very cool with modern architecture and furnishings. We really enjoyed our dinner
(4)
Leisel R.

Great addition to a neighborhood turning around. We went in with friends last weekend for dinner. The wait for the dining room was over an hour+ so to the bar it was! The app that tracks your wait for a table barely seemed to change- BUT we ended up staying in the bar to dine. Samantha, one of the bartenders who took care of our table was great. She was entertaining and made great recommendations based on our personal tastes- a staff that knows the details and beams about their place of employment is always a good sign. My husband and I have since returned twice and enjoyed Samantha's service to which the last visit this weekend was also accompanied by charismatic teamwork of her and Elizabeth. Definitely our new go to spot! Good job ladies.
(4)
Lynne G.

I would give this place 4 1/2 stars, I really liked it! Atmosphere is very cool and modern. The bar could use i little more of something, but overall I would gol here for drinks with friends or a date or to watch a game. I had the rockfish and the celery hummus and both were excellent. I also had the Taylor Made cocktail which was wonderful. Looking forward to going back for sure. It's great to have a new hang out spot in old town.
(4)
Ellen B.

I want to like Mason Social. The atmosphere is neighborly and fun. The winter squash salad sounds great, but it was so salty and mostly greens. The grain burger did not have much flavor and was dry. I want them to keep trying to perfect that one. The fries had a delicious seasoning, but were not crisp. The best part was a lemon/yogurt dressing on the side of the burger. I hope the food will get better.
(2)
James H.

I live in north Old Town Alexandria three blocks from this place so this amazing recently-opened restaurant/bar is like a winning lotto ticket. So far I've had the Lamb Meatballs (bar menu appetizer), the lamb gravy & biscuits (brunch menu entree) and the gruyere potatoes (brunch menu side) ... all of them were phenomenal and it's going to take sheer force of will not to order them next time (because ultimately I want to try all the other amazing things on the menu too). I had literally the most unique and one of the best Bloody Mary's I've ever had (attributable apparently to a top-secret house recipe) and a house drink called 'the commonwealth' that knocked my socks off. The place is beautiful on the inside, has a nice front bar, dining area and back bar and the staff throughout the place are an an absolute blast to interact with. If you're a local you better walk over there ASAP and if you're not you need to make the trip!!
(5)
Ryan Y.

Came here on opening night (Feb 25). My fiancee and I sat in the bar area at a high top and were served by one of the bartenders. We had the 728 North and the Parker Gray cocktails. Not bad. Not great by any means, but not bad. Certainly not worth the $10 and $13 price tag. My fiancee got the beer mussels. I don't know what Dan F. was smoking (the first reviewer of this place), but those mussels had to be the worst mussels I've ever had. Served in a shallow bowl, there was barely any broth to keep the mussels hot. Plus, the broth tasted like shit. Bland with no flavor and no salt. They really missed the point here. What makes mussels good? A rich broth...and lots of it for dipping your bread in and slurping mussels with. They were also pretty sandy. Cold and sandy...sounds like a day at Galveston beach. If you want real mussels, head to St. Arnolds in DC. Best in the area. The marrow burger was pretty legit. Full of flavor and a good portion size. Fries were pretty good too, really enjoyed the bbq seasoning. Not sure if I would pay $15 for it again, but I'm glad I tried it. Everything on the menu seems a bit overpriced, but I guess that's the norm for this area. For a neighborhood bar/restaurant, really would have liked to see some mid-priced items for the everyday customer.
(2)
Sarah W.

We entered from Henry and did not understand right away that the host stand was in back in the restaurant area (which we would have seen right away had we entered on Madison.) t was good! I loved the asparagus app and I liked my scallops. I would have preferred more of them, but I guess a serving of 3 scallops is pretty typical. What is that, about 3 oz protein, maybe? The Parker Gray cocktail was pretty yummy too -- but pricey -- especially for local-ish hootch! At the table we also enjoyed the Pork Duo entree, the Rockfish entree and the Brussels sprouts. We talked to the general manager and the beverage manager while we dined and were impressed with their enthusiasm and their knowledge! We will be back to try some other things on the menu and enjoy their great beer selection. At that time I will opt to sit in the bar area as the chairs purchased for the dining room were odd and not entirely comfortable.
(4)
Heidi P.

Lots of energy and a great brunch menu! Had the pork belly hash which was amazing and decadent - eggs cooked perfectly with a beautiful side salad of spring greens with shaved purple, yellow and orange carrots, lightly dressed. And the mimosa was fresh and not too sweet (read not too much orange juice:). Will be back soon to try the lump crabmeat benedict!
(5)
Randi F.

This was my first time at Mason Social and probably my last. I went with a large group (15 or so) and the staff could not handle it. Water carafes were not refilled during the meal and food was brought out very late or not at all. The staff clearly had no clue what was going on. The lunch menu leaves a lot to be desired. Basically you can have a burger or a salad. I had a french fry and it tasted like a Lays BBQ chip. I ordered the chicken Cesar salad. I will say the taste was good, but it was hard to eat. That is a strange thing to say about a salad. The croutons were huge. The were Impossible to eat in one bite but also really hard to cut into smaller pieces. There were a few projectile croutons during my meal. Overall I think I would pass on this place.
(2)
Don P.

Ambience is indeed social, but waited too long to be served at the bar, and then got a very shallow wine pour. The hostess was friendly and got us a table quickly, but then the very nice waitress was a bit less then attentive. My second glass of wine was a little more. The lamb meatballs came quick as an appetizer, but then came the wait. The small plate I ordered came quickly but my friends main courses seemed almost to have been forgotten. KY friends said the food was good once it came. Once our food was consumed we no longer had patience to wait for service and left in search for a better place.
(3)
Julianne M.

Ambience is super chill, the decor is gorgeous and quite Pinterest-eqse. Seems as though the staff is still working out the kinks, had to wait a long while for my burger. Burger was okay but for $15 can a girl at least get some fries? The burger comes with a salad, which I will say was delicious (the salad). Also had a good cocktail- their old fashioned can't remember the name. Along with the tip, a burger and a cocktail was $30, a bit expensive for me for this to be my neighborhood haunt (like I was hoping it would be), but still worth checking out at least once. Street parking is easy to find. I sat at the bar and the windows are great for car watching, and the occasional family walking to Sugar Shack.
(3)
Analise S.

I wanted to like this place, wanted to love it! Local food, craft beer, the promise of a talented chef and a tasty cocktail. I am sad to say it didn't live up to any of those. I hope it's just the growing pains of a new place. Decor is gorgeous, but too dark for the day time. Opening the windows would make all the difference! The bar was open and inviting, but the dining room felt like a prison sentence. Kudos to smiling, prompt hosts, but the phone ringing unanswered ruined the ambiance. Add in the ice machine rattling from behind the service bar, my husband and I had to shout to have a conversation. The mussels were great, as were the mahi tacos, but the marrow butter burger was so drenched in cheese and topping that you couldn't even taste the melty, juicy, beefy goodness. Overall, I think this place will be a great bar, and a better restaurant in about a year. It's bringing life to a previously sad, warehouse-ridden stretch of route 1, but our service left a lot to be desired. Ultimately, we won't be back anytime soon. As a veteran of the industry, having spent 5 years with one of the best restaurant groups in the area, I will continue to say how pleased I was with the quality of food, and loved seeing one of the former chefs of Vermillion shining behind the line. Keep on keeping on.
(2)
Patrick W.

My wife and I went on Saturday, 2/28, the fourth night Mason Social was open. The food - from appetizers, to main courses and desserts - was fantastic, the equal of anything in DC's best restaurants. We were amazed that the chef, management and wait-staff all had their acts together so quickly. From the ambiance, it was obvious that the owners went to great lengths to get the finest designers and architects to remake what had been an eye-sore into a most inviting space.
(5)
Jacqueline G.

The food was not worth the price. We ordered the bone marrow burger which tasted like an ordinary burger. And also the lobster roll, nothing special about it. The fries were alright. Didn't like the staff that much. Took us forever to put in our order because there was only one server in the dining area, separate to the bar area which was really crowded and loud. My water wasn't refilled until we were almost done eating. Although the area and set up was really nice and modern. Not really recommended if you want a nice dining experience.
(2)
T G.

Mason Social will succeed because the neighborhood is hot and lots of locals need a hang out. But it has some work to do currently. Pros: 1. Lots of street parking 2. Decor is hip 3. Menu is concise--both food and drinks Cons: 1. Noise level. Restaurant area is unmanageable noise for dining. 2. Food was salty, salty, salty: mussels, scallops, pasta. 3. Side entrance to restaurant has a bad step that needs to be marked. My guest tripped on way in and out.
(3)
Jim G.

Maybe its me, but if you aren't going to put prices on your drink menu, you should really warn your customer that the beer she just ordered is going to cost $28. There was a "holy sh*t" moment when the bill came. That isn't cool. The lamb meatballs were delicious. The noise level is way too high, though. The interior design, using all hard surfaces, is not too conducive to having a nice conversation when the crowd is even moderate.
(2)
Chris A.

I'm tentatively assigning this new business a 4/5 because the food was good, however I will lower the rating if my second visit does not correct the service challenges of the first visit. PROS: All of the food we had was excellent -- including dessert. The fries and brussel sprouts were particularly strong. The restaurant is nicely decorated and equipped. The "social" part is a big communal table in the bar area -- it looks like it could be friendly to minglers. The rear is a traditional restaurant. CONS: Small menu, poorly trained/inexperienced staff, slow service. 1) Staffing issues: there were A LOT of people working when we went. Three people at the hostess desk the entire time, and it seemed like there were multiple managers wandering around and kind of uselessly checking up on the waiters. Despite all this, the service was slow and inefficient. This place would be better off firing some of the useless extra folks and focusing on kitchen efficiency, experienced servers, and a manager that actually helps the servers instead of watching them. As indicated above, I'm giving them a pass this first time on the service issues since they are a new business. 2) The menu is really much too small for this to become a "regular" choice for us as locals. There are only one or two things that I am interested in -- they will get old quickly.
(4)
Lala J.

The restaurant is beautiful. I really enjoyed the design, the food and service. I like the choices on the menu.... There were some beers on the menu they didn't have because they ran out the night prior. The food was delayed, but the owners took care of the bill. The organization is being worked out as a new restaurant, it definitely is worth going again!!!
(4)
Matisha M.

I had the bucatini del mar - fabulous! My husband had the marrow burger with a side of grilled corn. Also tasty! Big shouts to the mason punch and the ginger over Mary Ann. The beer and wine list is well done as well as the Edison lights and general atmosphere. We'll definitely be back!!!
(4)
Terra A.

Great drinks and food! A great addition to this area.
(5)
D. L.

Our first visit - didn't know about their "call ahead" list or their use of the "NoWait" app, so we were 7th in line for a table in the dining area. We decided to eat at the bar, which turned out to be a great experience, not too noisy even on a Friday evening at 8 p.m. (And the hostess even checked back with us when they were close to having a table available - very attentive!) And we had the roasted half chicken and the "Marrow Burger" - both were great meals, among the best restaurant meals we've had recently. Oh and we were told that the fries were excellent - and they are. The final surprise was the reasonable tab at the end - nice.
(5)
Sean B.

It seems this place is sort of hit or miss. I came here on 3/7 with two other friends and were far from satisfied... I'll start with the positive. The overall decor, atmosphere of the place was nice, with an appetizing menu, friendly/attentive bartenders including our Server as well. HOWEVER everything else about our experience was not great. We were told at first we had an Hour-long wait (which was fine at first) which THEN unfortunately turned into nearly two hours of patiently waiting. After an hour we checked with the Hostess on the status of our table and had no real explanation just a blank stare to offer us. We saw other tables near us dissatisfied as well and noticed then leaving before their orders came and it wasn't even completely packed. Eventually we are seated and it took over 45 minutes for our entrees to come out just to taste bland & mediocre. I had the Marrow Burger w/ BBQ Fries and while the Fries were quite tasty the Burger was just blah disappointing and not packed with flavor as I was anticipating. I know it's a new place trying to find it's groove but hopefully their speed & quality improves. Perhaps I just had bad luck? Or ordered the wrong thing?? To the Host & Kitchen Staff: Get it together! I'll give it 2 stars at best and that's generous. I'm a bit iffy if I'd give this place another shot :-/
(2)
Jill G.

Just tried Mason Social on 3/7 after the Old Town St Patty's Day parade. I think our timing was great because we walked right in and were sat immediately. The decor is great, the tables are not too crowded together. They let me sample a Port City on tap before ordering, turns out I loved it so worked out well. Service was pleasant and prompt. I had the lamb meatball sub and my husband had the pork BBQ sandwich. They were both delicious. But the standout on the plates were the fries - dusted with paprika and hot pepper served piping hot with a delicious citrus crema. They were amazing! We are so glad to have a new place in the neighborhood and look forward to going back.
(4)
Jamel V.

Second review... somehow my other review is missing.... hmmm Came in March with two friends, waited about an hour for a table and checked in again after the hour to be told another 30 min-hour. After explaining we were there waiting for an hour we were told another 15min. Fine, within the 15 minutes we are seated. The server was pretty good and the place is nice and new. That ends all the good aspects. Next we order, a marrow burger, mussels and Scallops for each of our entrees at the table. After a 20-30 minute wait here comes the food....the burger nothing special, the mussels- eh, and the scallops (4- I think) and Gemelli pasta. The dish wasn't very good actually pretty bland, and not filling. The manager was more concerned with the lighting than finding out why many tables had no food and the patrons were looking around for the food. He went over to the lighting panel about 3-4 times and still we were either sitting in the dark or very dim lighting. Upon observation of the bar area there were many people coming and going in and out of the kitchen. One person in particular was at a table with another gentleman and two ladies while periodically running in and out of the kitchen, I couldn't tell if maybe he was a manager kinda working or not. All in all this place is a huge miss for me for many reasons.
(2)
Joey M.

We went to Mason Social on their second night being open. Normally I'd expect a new place to have some issues that early on after opening but we were all very pleased... Our server was fantastic, friendly, and experienced....the table started with Mac and cheese, pork belly, and the lamb meatballs. All were delicious but for Mac and cheese fans, this was possibly the best I've had. It seems to be made of a different cheese than I've ever had in Mac and cheese? And the texture has a great creamy thickness to it.. Everyone loved their entrees, steak, scallops, and I had the marrow burger....similar to the Mac and cheese the marrow burger gave me a taste I've never had in a burger, and it was a damn good taste. Usually not a fan of scallops but I did enjoy trying those as well, tons of flavor. Didn't try the steak but I'll certainly be back to do so!
(5)
Cinthia I.

The food was delicious! Really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant! The waiters were nice and service was great. No complaints :)
(4)
Chris A.

Wife and I were overdue for a date night and had been wanting to try Mason Social for months. We sat at the bar - wife and I always prefer. So badly wanted to love the experience but it just wasn't there. Staff was nice but seems that the systems slow them down and prevent them from engaging the guests. Too often our glasses were left empty or we couldn't even get eye contact to order food because the servers were printing tickets then yelling at the bartenders that they needed drinks. The flow of the meal and service was just lacking. A woman who seemed to be a manager didn't seem to help. She saw service lacking but pulled bartender away for chats Instead of jumping in and helping out. Food was good but not amazing. The taps were a problem for the bartenders and took about 20 minutes for a proper pour. Maybe it was an off night. We would return but might give them some more time to work out the kinks.
(2)
Robert A.

So I've been to Mason Social twice this week and walked away very impressed and satisfied both times. I took an earlier Yelp recommendation to get the Marrow Burger and believe it may be one of the best I've ever had! Tip: medium rare is the way to go for the burger. The second time there I had the sea scallops which were cooked perfectly in a savory glaze and served over a bed of light pasta noodles. Excellent. The service was friendly and helpful and drink menu is a great mix of local brews and adventurous cocktails. The lone drawback is that it's very loud in both the restaurant and bar.
(4)
Erin H.

Visiting friends in town and we stopped here for drinks and snacks. Beautiful, comfortable and classic bar with separate seating area for meals. Staff is prompt and very friendly. Good selection of beers on draft and even had a Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer on draft and said they will continue to (big props for that, from a Clevelander). Their mixed drinks are tempting and interesting yet sophisticated. We tried the Rockfish ceviche which had good heat, and a nice balance of acid and flavor. Their homemade tortilla chips were perfect. We also tried a goat cheese panna cotta which was phenomenal. Creamy and perfectly paired with hazelnuts, tarragon and cherry reduction. I would definitely recommend Mason Social and have been greatly enticed to make my own return trip! They have clearly paid attention to every detail and gone to great lengths to be sure guests are delighted from each sip to every bite. Comfortable, casual and timeless.
(5)
Jason L.

Seafood galore. .. great drink menu. ..great atmosphere ... . exceptional service .. If you love seafood. This is the hot spot !#
(5)
Beth B.

I've been twice now and bar service has been ungodly slow both times. The first time, service was fine until we said we were done, and we finished our wine and waited (with empty glasses) almost an hour for our check. The second time service was so slow to acknowledge us at the outset that we left without ordering. Food is acceptable, wine list is good, but we probably won't return.
(2)
Patrick M.

i came here on the 3rd or 4th day it was open, you could still smell the fresh paint a lil' bit. (it's subsided by now, i'm sure). it's a good - if small - space in an evolving neighborhood. super close to the metro. they split our check on a party of 7, and the service was just fine. i had the quinoa and black bean burger, which was BANGIN'. i'd go back f'sho.
(4)
Betsy M.

We were disappointed. The room is attractive but the menu was short and frankly we both struggled to find something we wanted to order. It was just ok. I really doubt we will go back for food, but the bar area looks nice. Sorry. :-(
(2)
Anne M.

The chairs were so uncomfortable they ruined my dining experience. They definitely don't want anyone to relax and have a nice dinner. It was very loud. The good was decent, although the pork belly was lacking. It's usually such a flavorful dish and this was just fat, and this is coming from someone who enjoys offal. The chicken was outstanding, but I had to wait to eat it since the server took my silverware with the appetizer. After trying to flag her down, I finally stole the silverware from another table. I will not go back unless they change the chairs. They were that uncomfortable.
(2)
Ingy R.

I went to Mason Social opening weekend with a group of six and we had a fantastic time. First of all, the ambiance was wonderful and the decor was very well done. The staff was super friendly, polite, and timely. We felt very well taken care of. We had a couple of drinks at the bar while waiting for a table which were tasty. I liked their beer selection as well. For appetizers, our group ordered the meatballs and the mussels. Both were delicious! Dinner entrees at our table included the marrow burger, pork duo, and bbq sandwich. The bbq fries were great, and very different than normal french fries. The table was silent when food came as everyone was so happy with everything they ordered! I am definitely looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Tyler I.

The mason social is off to a great start. I'm sure they will do amazing things in the near future but right now the $15 burger should be a $8 burger. I applaud the creativity of the chef but I've had a $15 burger and this isn't it. Not yet.
(3)
Max X.

My girlfriend and I went on the second night of opening with high expectations. We ordered the Pork Belly for appetizer and both of us got the Bone Marrow burger as entrees. The Pork Belly was delicious, but for $12, you only get one piece about one inch cubed in size. While the pork belly was cooked very well with crispy skin, both of us thought it was overpriced for a single piece. We both ordered the Bone Marrow burger medium-rare. Both came out medium-well done. As lovers of bone marrow, this was a bit disappointing as well. Neither of us could taste the bone marrow and the meat was on the dry-side (maybe the caused by the overcooking?). The BBQ fries we got as sides were quite good. For $15, better burgers could be had for less. While the restaurant was a good experience, the food didn't wow either of us.
(2)
sarah s.

Utterly unimpressed. The food is just not great and the menu is way too small. it's also quite loud. The seats are also really uncomfortable. I had a caesar salad, which came "deconstructed", which is a bit pretentious for lunch. The salad lacked the zing and zip of usual Ceasar salads, the croutons were stale (gross) and they were way too large to eat- too large to put in your mouth, and you could not cut through them (I managed it with one and despite being so crispy, they tasted stale). The chicken still had some skin on it and was terribly overcooked. My husband had the asparagus, salmon, and goat cheese salad. He said the individual bits were fine but they did not go together. The hummus appetizer was the bright spot in the meal- it was good and served with warm pita points. But all in all, a real waste of a Saturday lunch.
(2)
Nicole Y.

Mason Social's website indicates that their mission is to "provide outstanding modern American cuisine with integrity, professionalism and superior service." Unfortunately, at this point in time, their cuisine was less than outstanding and their service was far less than superior. CUISINE: Beer Mussels: "Mason ESB, bacon, bone marrow butter, scallions, grilled bread". The beer mussels were underwhelming. Served on a shallow plate, you don't get to experience the broth until the bottom of the dish. While the bacon scattered throughout was delicious, some of the mussels were a little funky and the broth was intolerably salty. INTOLERABLY SALTY. One couldn't even dip the bread into the broth to enjoy it. Marrow Burger: "Roseda Farms beef, bone marrow butter, pepper jack, grilled Vidalia, brioche bun" While the description alone makes my mouth salivate, the actual product was again underwhelming and bland. However, the fries that accompanied the burger were dusted in a barbecue flavoring, which was both sweet and spicy, and really quite nice. Grilled Asparagus (under Salads on the menu): "Goat cheese, Virginia ham, spiced cashews and piquillo coulis" The worst asparagus I have ever experienced in my life to date. I couldn't stomach more than 1.5 of the 6 stalks presented. Not only is the entire dish bland, the asparagus, while grilled, has the texture of being stringy and over boiled. SERVICE: We ordered the Beer Mussels as an appetizer to start. When the food runner brought out the mussels (quite expediently), we asked if he could take our drink order as we had not seen our server. He took down our order of a beer and a cocktail and told us he would relay this to the server. After 15 minutes, we had to inquire on the status of our drinks. The beer then came out (lukewarm), and we again had to inquire on the status of the cocktail. We even had to specify the cocktail we ordered. After being neglected for 10 more minutes, we flagged down the server to take our food order of the Marrow Burger and Grilled Asparagus (advertised under salads). After 20 more mins, the burger came out without the asparagus. After 5 or so minutes, we flagged down the server to inquire on the status of the asparagus. The server apologized and looked into the situation, but did not explain what happened. A few minutes later, she came by to explain that she entered the food orders together, but didn't know what happened in the kitchen. The asparagus then came out shortly thereafter. CONCLUSION: The best part of the meal was the Parker Gray cocktail and the fries that accompanied the burger. The server conveyed my distaste for the asparagus to a manager, who asked if there was something else they could offer. I declined, but appreciated the gesture. They also did not charge us for the asparagus. I think the only part of their mission they've nailed so far is their professionalism. However, their cuisine and service have a ways to go. Come here for cocktails at the bar, but venture to another restaurant for your meal.
(1)
Bianka C.

Love the atmosphere and the drinks! Try the Taylor made and the bone marrow burger. Definitely one of my new faves.
(5)
Michelle V.

My company hosted a cocktail reception at Mason Social, and we could not have had a better experience. The ambiance, excellence food, and quality service made it a huge success. The entire wait staff was so accommodating and constantly came to check in and make sure we were happy. They took exceptional care of all of our guests (32 people) and made sure everyone always had a drink in their hand and food on their plate. The best part of hosting the event there was the planning. Candice, the event manager, was in constant communication with me regarding the menu and drink options. We had a strict budget to stay within, and she worked hard to ensure we stayed under that budget. Oh, and I almost forgot the icing on the cake! One of our guests arrived about 15 minutes early, and Adriane, the restaurant manager, sat down and kept her company until the rest of the guests arrived. We will definitely be hosting events here in the future.
(5)
Elizabeth H.

I went to Mason Social for drinks with a large group of friends on 8/8/15. The service was excellent. Our waitress was able to handle multiple orders and credit card charges as people arrived and left. Both the drink and food menu are somewhat limited. I can't truthfully speak to the food. However the food that my friends did order looked good. (I wouldn't recommend the menu for vegetarians. The only food that came out was meat based.) Although I generally do not enjoy hard liquor I really enjoyed the Mason Punch. The drinks in my opinion are a little overpriced but that was easy to overlook with the nice ambiance and excellent service. In a nutshell Mason Social is a nice addition to the neighborhood and won't hesitate to stop in again for drinks.
(3)
Lucille M.

I wanted to like this place more than I currently do. I've been here a total of three times now. Three were pretty good. On my first visit I had a bloody marry and a bight of my friend's yummy breakfast. The bartender was great. No complaints. For the second time I met a friend for lunch. The waitress was great, but the soup was just OK. The presentation was pretty cool though. That last time though doesn't make me want to return anytime soon. Sitting at a bar table during happy hour with a friend, I had what I guess you could call an extreme disconnect with our server. She'd stop by, take an order, and then disappear. I mean, I like people who are efficient and don't try to up-sell the whole experience, but Jesus! She'd skip off mid-sentence! At one point we flagged down the bartender to order some more food. I had planned on staying there longer, but I suggested we move on to Evening Star after an hour and a half of this BS. The manager needs to pay more attention, or this place will become yet another over-hyped, average bar in Parker Grey.
(3)
Karen B.

Underwhelming is the best way to describe this new spot in the Parker Gray neighborhood of Alexandria. The "social hour" specials regarding drinks are typical of the area ($5 pints and glasses of house wine). There were only two options for social hour app specials (hummus and pork nachos). There was also a "bar menu" with additional small plates. The quality of the food varied at our table of four. Two of us were not unhappy with the Marrow Burger. Both were cooked to order, though we both felt that they were a little heavy on the onions. I'm not sure though the mason social burger is any better than some the burgers at local "gourmet" burger joints like Holy Cow. The basic house fries were a nice compliment. My friend liked the BBQ fries though. One of our group had to send back her grilled corn, as it was overcooked to the point of inedible chewiness. It also had a weird creamy sauce that looked rather unappetizing. I did not try the Mac and cheese, so I can't comment. Will I go back? Maybe for brunch, as I've heard they do a better job. Dinner or "social hour" most likely not.
(2)
Alysia B.

Friendly staff. Extensive menu. Happy hour from 3-7pm. Great for work groups. $5 wines and apps.
(5)
Kit O.

I started this review and posted it only to realize the name of the restaurant was incorrect so I tried to change it but there is no easy fix, so I erased the review because it didn't pertained to Mason social and I apologize for the inconvenience.
(5)
Victoria C.

I came here on the recommendation of a friend when I visited her in DC--it's just a few blocks from her place, and if I lived as close to Mason Social as her, I would probably come here quite a bit, if only for convenience. Mason Social is your typical gastro pub - updated fusion takes on classics like the hamburger and mac and cheese, and tasty craft cocktails. For example, their BBQ spiced french fries were pretty dang good, as was the mac and cheese. The service was also friendly. However, the cocktails are weak and the prices just a smidgen too high. I'd come back.
(3)
Bill C.

We're sitting in Mason Social right now and loving it, so we decided to check out Yelp and see what others have said. While confronting the Best Burger of My Life, and very-damn-good everything else, we read 3- and 4-star Yelp reviews that described -- great experiences. So, my wife has declared this a 7-star review, with which I concur.
(5)
Anthony A.

Food was disappointing in a very basic way. I waited until our third meal before reviewing as I really wanted to like this place. The menu is well designed but each item over three visits had a fundamental problem. The salad lettuce tasted as though it was a day expired, the beans were over cooked, and the burger was 'meh'. On the second visit we tried a fish which was over cooked, and a chicken Caesar with what tasted like boiled unflavored chicken. I wish I had constructive criticism but I feel the problem is quality control and that probably means replacing the head chef. No issues with ambiance, staff, or drinks, or wait times. But if the food is consistently below average 3x, I'm not trying a 4th.
(2)
Stephen O.

I've been twice now and I have to say the service has been good although the food is a little slow to arrive. They lose a star due to just average food compared to their competitors. The burger is good, but they make too much out of their marrow butter. I'm not a fancy person and it simply sounds a little gross, but really it just tastes like garlic butter. The fries are good and different to anything else around. Surprisingly to me the citrus cream sauce goes well with them. They lost another star specifically for their lobster roll. It was the stingiest lobster roll I've ever had. They weren't stingy with the celery though. The flavor was decent, but this isn't the place to get one. With their limited menu and desire to be a high end restaurant, they need to do much better on every dish. They are pricy. I didn't remove a star for this since most restaurants in this area are pricy, but they had better improve a few details or it just won't be worth it. I haven't tried their bar yet. I will update this review once I've tried that. There are a lot of restaurant options in this area that are better and better value. I do hope they find their groove soon. I like choices.
(3)
Ryan M.

I really wanted to like this place. My girlfriend and I popped in on a Saturday for brunch. The place was empty minus another couple who was already sat. I was ecstatic to see that they had a bloody mary on their brunch menu that comes with bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles. We love bloody marys, we are both always on the look out for great bloody marys around town, and it's essentially the reason we go to brunch at all. We both order one. The server arrives with them, and briefly says that they are out of their typical garnishes (the bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles), and that they substituted them with olives instead. ...um WHAT? We've gone from what would've been a unique bloody mary to just olives? Shouldn't that cost less?? Shouldn't they have let us know that before making them?? How do you not have at least bacon?? Anyways, after my girlfriend and I stared at each other for 5-6 seconds, trying to figure out how it would ever be cool to just substitute that awesomeness with olives, we tried the bloody marys. They were TERRIBLE. I'm not a picky person, at all. Probably one of the least picky people I know. This bloody mary was friggin' terrible. The worst I've ever had. I tried to power through it. I added a bit of salt and pepper to see if I could save it. I couldn't. My girlfriend couldn't stomach hers either. The inevitable had to happen, and it did... I sent something back at a restaurant for the first time in my life. In the end, the bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles couldn't have saved those bloody marys. Moving onto our brunch food. I ordered the crabcake eggs benedict, which were okay. Not the best in Old Town (that would be Chadwick's eggs Chesapeake), but still somewhat enjoyable. My girlfriend ordered the grilled endive salad, which she seemed to like. We split a side of the BBQ fries, which were good. We were begging for something good at this point, the fries delivered. In the end, we were let down. It was a very uninspiring experience for our first time at this place, and I can't see myself coming here for brunch again, possibly only for beers or drinks. Definitely not for bloody marys.
(2)
Mattie C.

We decided to stop by here for HH a week or so ago and were quite impressed! First off, they did such a good job with the decor inside the building! I remember how dumpy the place used to be, and now walking inside reminds me of some fancy place on 14th street. I love their bar stools, the stone and the wood. The bathroom is clean and smells great! We were both really pleasantly surprised at how nice the interior was. The beer list is limited, but has some good, interesting choices. We had some IPAs and then a different drink where they bring out a grapefruity beer and a shot of whiskey. Tasty! Along with it I had an asparagus dish - it came with goat cheese and smoked salmon and some spiced nuts - I found it delicious and thought the tastes went really well together. Along with it I got some of their paprika fries - again, they were done very well and I liked the twist on a normal old basket of fries. They had a mussel dish on the menu that we were so excited to get, so disappointed about the mussel shortage! I can't wait until they have mussels again so we can try that. I am also quite interested in trying the bone marrow burger. Altogether, their menu seemed to have a lot of great options. In all, we had a very good experience, our waitress was really attentive and engaging, the food and beer was delicious, and the atmosphere was a pleasant surprise. As soon as the mussel shortage is over, we will be back!
(4)
Angela M.

I stop in here after work all the time. Good atmosphere, cool people, good burger, friendly bartenders. Fun spot for locals. Tinder meet up spot
(4)
Chris S.

Mason Social is a newer restaurant that is popping up in the "Parker Gray" part of Alexandria. Looking to benefit off the success of places like Fat City Kitchen, Rustico, and Sweetfire Donna's by becoming a staple in Alexandria's growing food scene (particularly in the non-Old Town Area's). Understandably there are always some glitches or bumps in the roads for new restaurants, which is why I waited for a few weeks to try out. The dinner menu is considerably focused. Four appetizers (lamb meatballs, pork belly, mussles, and hummus), three sandwiches (Marrow Burger, "whole grain" burger, and BBQ), three salads, and four main courses (hanger steak, scallops, rockfish, and a pork plate). There was an emphasis on mixology and their bar menu. My friend and myself were interested in trying some of the appetizers, and the marrow burgers. We decided to split the lamb meatballs and the pork belly. The lamb meatballs were delicate, and served in a small serving of the meat sauce they were cooked in. Four meatballs. My biggest complaint about the meatballs was that they were almost TOO soft and tender. I think they would have benefited from a crispier outer fry or bake, but their taste was good none of the less. For the $12 price tag, it seemed to be fair for an appetizer. The bigger disappointment comes from the pork belly. Also donning at $12 price tag, there was a single disappointingly small portion served with a small side of cole slaw. The pork belly was very well done. The agreement at the table was that the pork belly could have passed as a piece of pork steak that had been over done. It's flavor was lacking, as well as the texture. I certainly wouldn't ever order the appetizer again, and not recommend it to anyone. The marrow burger came out next. I don't know what I was quite expecting, but with the hype around it, I had pretty high expectations. The burger had a nice char grill, but unfortunately (to my taste) a large onion on it. I'm not an onion guy so I removed it preemptively. The burger wasn't mind blowing, but also was not awful. It was a middle of the road burger that sported a nice flame broil taste to it. The flame "off the grill" taste was one of the better parts of the burger. I didn't get much of the "marrow" hype, other than as an opportunity to push up the price point. The BBQ style fries were a generous portion and decently flavored. Someone in an earlier review best described them, a mix of salty and sweet, but VERY reminiscent of Lay's BBQ chips. Not being a bad thing, but something that someone wouldn't have thought of. Overall, it wasn't an outing that blew away my expectations.
(3)
Rob H.

It's 4:15 on Saturday afternoon. I arrived over ten minutes ago. There were three other people at the bar. No one has asked me if I want a drink. I'm sitting smack dab in the middle of the bar. Just sitting here. Smiling. The bartenders have been talking to each other, stocking barware, hanging. I've never seen anything like it. Good thing it's not crowded. I can't rate the food or drinks because I haven't been able to order. Maybe it's great. To be fair.... So after the lackluster start, the food was actually really good. Sad for the chef that the front of the house wasn't at the same level.
(1)
Emily S.

Fantastic restaurant with incredibly friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff. On my first visit, I ordered their Marrow Burger and have been raving about it ever since. Today was the debut of their new weekend brunch menu and the meal selection was tough as everything looked delicious. Ultimately opted for the hangar steak eggs benedict, with a side of the Gruyere potatoes in addition to the house salad it came with, and was not disappointed! Ordered the "I Woke Up Like This" to drink and was highly impressed with their take on the traditional Bloody Mary. Their mix is a house made blend of cold-pressed vegetables, with a nice kick of spice, and it was *very* refreshing! The Sriracha fried pickle garnish was a win as well. Ordered a second cocktail before leaving and decided on "The Classic", which was a glass of champagne with bitters and a sugar cube, yum. My friend ordered the lamb biscuits and gravy with a side of the maple pork sausage and loved it! In addition to her Bloody Mary, she also sampled their Bellini bar and made one to her liking with a variety of their freshly purÃ©ed fruits. We are already looking forward to our next visit and making our way through the brunch menu!
(5)
Jessica S.

We had a great experience at Mason Social. We started with a cocktail for my husband and glass of Riesling for me - both were great. We shared an asparagus salad - great combination of flavors with goat cheese, nuts, sauce and smoked salmon. The bites with all ingredients were delicious. My husband got the marrow burger and I got the scallops. We enjoyed both. We want to come back and try the bar menu. I follow them on Instagram and see tacos, ceviche, nachos etc. at the bar and really want to try some of those items. I also want to try the veggie burger. We have lived in the neighborhood for awhile. This is a great addition to the neighborhood - much better than the previous restaurant in that space.
(5)
Peggy M.

Stopped in during happy hour. Had a great experience. The service was lovely. Quick and friendly. The pulled pork nachos were delicious! Will definitely be be back!
(4)
Erik P.

A new restaurant with smart decor, great food and wonderful service. The Bar is internet friendly and good viewing for sports and the restaurant has a wonderful ambiance that made our meal enjoyable. The food is OUTSTANDING, the restaurants interpretations of drinks are wonderful (try their versions of the Manhattan and the Mimosa, I've had them both and will do so again) and I've heard people praising the Bloody Mary's too. The food was so wonderful. I had the pork belly appetizer and I'm still have dreams about it. The cole slaw that comes with it makes a great pairing. My wife loves their bacon wrapped chicken sandwich and I have had both the Marrow burger and the pulled pork sandwich and loved them both. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
N - Pyranhadoc - W.

Great food in a fusion Southern style. Great service Interesting atmosphere Can get a bit noisy, typical of today's hard surfaces concrete boxes. Definitely worth a visit!! We have been in a number of times and will be back.
(4)
Nicole G.

So disappointed. When a bar opens in your neighborhood you look forward to it. But after trying Mason Social out 3 times now I will not be going back. The food is ok. Nothing spectacular for the prices. My biggest problem is that they first don't have prices on their beer list. Then when you order a beer proceed to tell you that the White Noise is limited edition beer and that's why its $26 for 12 oz. Well When I was at Bilbo Baggins the other day I got a White Noise, same 12 oz for $6.50. I am really upset about this and feel as though they have taken advantage and have completely ripped me off. Not going back!
(1)
Jared C.

Pretentious bar manager talked down to us and refused service to me and two of my friends. She said she'd "see us tomorrow for brunch." Yeah, right! Treat your patrons with a little respect!
(1)
Byron L.

This place is LOUD, you need a microphone to speak to anyone outside of kissing distance. You have to ask for water or you won't get a drop offered. The service is slow so bring your own peanuts while you wait. The food was good, burger was tasty and the salads well dressed. Overall, not too bad. I would not make it my Friday night hang out.
(3)
Drew S.

This place doesn't get any love from me nor my wife. We called in around 7:30 on a Saturday to see if there was any availability and were told they should have something in about 30 minutes, so we arrived and waited at the bar. We ordered a signature drink, their Commonwealth Punch and we both didn't enjoy it. Felt it could have used more fruit to the drink. That same feeling of just not being enough seemed to resonate throughout the building. The place just felt a bit dark, cold and not very inviting. Maybe at 43 years old I'm just into the dark, minimal scene. But after waiting an hour with no update on our seat progress we decided to leave. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to try the food, there was just no attempt to make us feel welcomed. The 2 hostesses never reached out to us to give any updates. My wife went up three times to ask, and we got the same update, waiting for parties to leave. Probably won't try coming back. Probably a fine spot for other folks, just not mine.
(3)
Thom C.

Mason social was disappointing went for brunch. Burnt English muffin, hangar steak looked like piece of beef jerky, crab cakes were small a had little flavor. They were also out of several brunch items. Really???? For the price you can do better in this area. Said something to manager and she made us feel it was our fault. They did a table check but we barely got a bite in and ver saw waitress till done. Left hungry. Will never return
(1)
Dora E.

The mussels are delicious with the crispy pancetta. They let the flavors of the mussels speak volumes. The chef did not over season the broth to the point you cannot taste the mussels. The bread had a sear on it that brought the flavors of the a new complex level. I paired it with the 3 Stars Saison beers which complimented it really well. So my companion and I order the marrow burger and the lamb meatball sub, in my opinion we hit a home run. The fries actually tasted like BBQ without the sauce. The meatballs actually had the flavor of actual lamb. They did not over sauce the sub which perfect since we actually got to taste the flavors of the meatballs. I hate to go to places where all I can taste is canned sauce. The burger was cooked perfectly. However, the next time I may go without the lettuce and tomato. The cheese pairs well with the meat flavors. The bartender (Blair) was great. She made a point to know people by their first name. She made sure that the beers were to my liking. Coming soon, will be a review of their dinner menu.
(4)
Lydia A.

The best plate I had there was the Mac and cheese. It was delicious! Great for bar food and the atmosphere is very hip and modern.
(3)
Gwen H.

Mason Social is a great addition to the North Old Town area. Their happy hour is a good deal - try out a cocktail or have an inexpensive beer or glass of wine, and definitely try the nachos. Also, the service in the bar area is great! I wish I knew the name of the waitress who always serves us there, but I'll edit this when I find out. Looking forward to seeing what else Mason Social serves up this fall!
(4)
Carolyn S.

My boyfriend and I had brunch here on a Sunday not too long ago, and were completely blown away by the service! Kat was the bartender at the time, and also handled our table and she was excellent. Attentive, sweet and just all around great. The food was delicious and the timing of our whole meal was perfect. I had ordered the lamb gravy and biscuits, something I had never heard of before, and I was thoroughly impressed. The menu shows some creative genius at work in the kitchen. We will definitely be coming back, not just because of the food but because the whole experience is what dining out should be!
(5)
Debbie K.

Our meals were excellent! Beautifully plated! Arriving early turned out to work well because there was an hour and a half wait by the time we left. The celery root hummus with veggies & warm pita was a great start. The tumeric sprinkled on the hummus was a surprising spark. Our sides were fabulous: roasted winter squash salad and brussel sprouts. Main dishes: scallops & pasta were delightful; veggie burger and bar-b-que fries were plenty for a hungry, big eater! Our rating would have been higher, even much higher, if there were a way to dampen the noise from the bar. Competing with that raised the level of difficulty to impossible for relaxed conversation in the restaurant.
(3)
Monica S.

I just moved into the neighborhood and went to this place on a "cheat day" for the marrow burger and nutella brownie. It was SOOO worth it. Everything was beautifully cooked and the service was great. I mean the staff timed out the difference between my arriving to grab things and the possibility of ice cream melting. I can't wait to go back for brunch.
(4)
Cat L.

There's no shortage of places to eat in Old Towne but Mason Social aspires a unique greatness that only a hip new place can. My husband, our two kids, and our two friends went to brunch there this past Saturday on a tip from a friend. After a fun conversation with the hostess about where we could sit since we were a bigger party with children, we settled in and ordered drinks. The Bloody Mary was perfect and I probably could have eaten fifty of the sriracha fried pickle and bacon garnish. After we swiftly polished off the in house made humus, which was DELICIOUS -- I'm not a huge humus fan but I found myself wanting to lick the bowl---, we were quickly greeted with our orders. (I mean, you really have to keep the food coming when kids are involved so that was awesome!! -- Thank you!!) My husband got the Tasso Bacon Benedict and I, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and, despite the "food sharers" we are, we both quickly inhaled the meal. Seriously, our only regret was not being able to savor every little bit, but, since the food tasted so good, it was gone before we could even think about it. I can't wait to go back, preferably sans kids, so I can try more menu items and maybe even another drink! Great job, Chef!
(5)
Sarah D.

I'm giving an average of 3 stars based on 2 visits. We went a few weeks after it opened on a Sunday afternoon to try their cocktails and sat at table in the bar area and waited 10 minutes just to get a menu. We then waited another 15 minutes for the waitress to return and she never did, so we left. It was not that crowded and they didn't seem understaffed, just as if they didn't care about serving customers. We returned in April for my birthday dinner. The food was excellent and the drinks were delicious. The service was still so-so. They really need to figure out their "reservation" system. We called ahead and arrived when they told us to arrive and then waited 20 minutes for our table when there were other open tables. They claimed those had been reserved... for people who weren't there and didn't show up while we were there. Also, fair warning that this place is loud. It's all glass and hard surfaces so sound just bounces around. My boyfriend and I had to practically yell across a very small table to hear each other. The dining chairs are also like elementary school chairs and really uncomfortable.
(3)
Shannon L.

This new restaurant made a lasting impression. The Bloody Mary is more like a pressed juice with spices, but very good none the less. A nice touch was the Sriracha fried pickle and smoked bacon. I also tried the Bellini bar with far from the norm fruit purÃ©e to add in. It was impressive. I had the lamb with gravy and biscuits and my friend tried the hangar steak Benedict. Both were fantastic. I loved the way they mixed different spices, to create a unique flavor. We ordered two sides-maple sausage and Gruyere potatoes. The potatoes were pretty great, but the sausage was fantastic. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Janet B.

Excellent food, wonderful service, great atmosphere. Met a friend here for dinner and it was perfect. Excellent crab cakes...and everything else! Great, fresh flavors without being burn-your-mouth spicy. We stayed a long time to chat and the wait staff was efficient without hovering. Try this place- you won't regret it!
(5)
Lindsey P.

Friendly staff who always remembers a face when you walk in Always a busy and social atmosphere Good for late night options any day of the week Amazing food ... Try everything ... Even entrees you wouldn't initially try Drinks are fresh and delicious You won't be disappointed
(5)
Sue M.

Went for Happy Hour drinks. The Punch tasted like it didn't have any alcohol in it. Slow service.
(2)
Brandon F.

I am planning on moving to the Old Town area in the near future, and wanted to check out some of the local eateries and bars to determine a "go-to" casual spot with good food and friendly service. Mason Social delivers, and I definitely see myself returning once I am settled in. The Food: I ordered the chicken sandwich and my girlfriend had the Mahi tacos; both served with fries. Awesome choices! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the mix of celery and onions with ranch, which sounds a bit odd, was a really nice compliment. The tacos had great flavor as well and both were the perfect portion for lunch. The fries were cooked and seasoned perfectly. You can definitely see and taste the attention to detail in the kitchen. They have a pretty decent beer list, with a nice mix of draft and bottles of local brews as well as the standard fair. Their cocktail menu looked interesting, however I was told they were switching from "winter" to a "summer" list and they weren't available at the moment... though I did see a nicely stocked bar. Service: The service I would rate as "just ok"; not much of a greeting from staff and no real direction to seat ourselves or stand around and wait, even though there were maybe four patrons in the place. We went ahead and seated ourselves; from then on the service was fine. Friendly group of folks, food came out fast, and drinks came out promptly. Additional Thoughts: The decor in this place is spot on, and I enjoyed the casual atmosphere. Plenty of TV's in the bar area, lots of windows, and adequate seating for larger crowds make it an ideal location for sports or just going out as a group for drinks. I'll be back!
(4)
Ben T.

We came here on an early Saturday evening for dinner. Mason Social is a nice spot that should not disappoint and one that we will likely be coming in for again. Some places have a draw for regulars and here is one I might settle in on. I try my best to be fair on my reviews and I will say that my first interaction with Mason Social was not the best. I wanted to bring 5 out of town guest here for a dinner one evening on their trip. I called to make a reservation and was told that they have a different policy. Basically it's a call-ahead system where you go on the wait list from the moment you call. I have been to many restaurants in the area and this is the first time I have come across this method. I have worked in the restaurant business briefly in the past and I can say from my experience that this does not always go well when guest see people being seated ahead of them that walk in later that are unfamiliar with this system. It somehow comes across less accepting than a reservation does somehow. Obviously I did not want to have our family waiting hours for a table so the decision was easy. I called one of the many other great restaurants in the area and quickly had a spot reserved. On our way out we were told there was a two-hour wait. I am all for digressing at the bar but I think that would be my upper limit. This does make me happy though because as I will describe later the meal was worth a wait and they are obviously doing many things right based on their popularity. My advice would be to go early or during the week. Okay with that being said don't let this minor detail discourage you. My wife and I had a great dining experience. They really have all aspects of hospitality squared away. Service was informative, friendly and quick. Drinks were quality made well priced and palate pleasing. We had the pork belly, tilefish and hangar steak. All food was prepared perfectly. I can appreciate the flavors and look forward to trying more seasonal options as they rotate through. Mason is great for Alexandria. This is a quality establishment with local owners that seem to have the best intentions in their design. Thank again!
(4)
Katie C.

After two visits, we won't be back. Service was slow both times at the bar and in the restaurant. We took my family for Sunday brunch and it was over cooked, burnt, and incredibly overpriced. They were out of three items on the menu that we wanted to order originally, but we settled for the bacon Benedict, crab cake Benedict and hangar steak. Portions were tiny and we left hungry. The manager didn't think we deserved any sort of compensation for the meal since we ate it (again, we were starving), but decided to give us $15 gift card for a future visit (that we won't be making). We spent $80 on this meal, so that was somewhat a slap in the face. My suggestion, go around the corner to Lost Dog Cafe instead for Half the price and double the portions.
(1)
Sheri S.

Okay but lots to be desired Hummus was great. Other than that probably won't be back. Loud, extremely loud. Service is hit or miss. Entrees were good but lots of other places with better food and atmosphere nearby. Menu is way too small. I'll pass for now. Hopefully they will get better.
(2)
Frank H.

To celebrate the end to one of the longest work weeks of life, three friends and I decided to grab dinner at Mason Social. First off, while they do not have a reservation system set up on their website, be sure to call ahead day of to at least get your name on their list. The dining area is small (as is the bar area), so tables fill up fast. For our group, things were just a hot mess (more so because of us though). Originally I had called and requested a table for 4 around 6:15, but due to some miscommunication and tardiness of my friends, we were not able to be seated until around 8:15...-_-". The decor is pretty modern and clean, the lighting inside dim. My biggest complaint about the environment would be the acoustics of the place. It is EXTREMELY loud inside, to the point where I had to scream to my friend next to me in order for her to hear what I was saying. We started off dinner with the roasted celery root hummus, served with an assortment of crudites and warm grilled pitas. Surprisingly very good, not sure if it was because it was actually good, or more because we were so hungry, but I digress. Again, being that it was a Friday during lent, I had to stick to seafood/vegetarian options, so I opted for 'local scallop gemelli,' which were essentially three seared scallops, served on top of pasta, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, all with a brown butter sauce, herbs, and red pepper flakes. The scallops had a nice crust on them, but were slightly overcooked and a tad on the saltier end of things. The pasta was good though, and had a nice kick to it thanks to the red pepper flakes. I feel like I say this a lot, but a pop of citrus could've done this dish some good. Two of my friends ordered the rockfish, served on top of a fennel salad. I tasted the fish which was definitely overcooked in my opinion and kind of bland. Another friend ordered the marrow burger which she claimed to be tasty. I was only able to pick at her bbq french fries, which straight up tastes like you're eating bbq potato chips, but in fry form. We all shared a side of roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed with bacon and cider. A very, very nice accompaniment to all of our meals. One of my friends originally tried to order the pork duo but was told that they had ran out for the night. That was quite disappointing considering we weren't at the restaurant that late into the night. Hopefully that's an inventory kink that they'll work out considering they're a new restaurant. Our waitress was very attentive and accommodating. Something else that I think could be worked on though is the time in between courses. I would say there was about a 45 minute to 1 hour wait in between when we were served our appetizer to when our entree was served. Being hungry only amplified what the wait time felt like, but in general, it shouldn't take that long to fire 4 plates. Overall, we had an okay experience. Worth trying once, but definitely not something to write home about.
(3)
Robert D.

I ordered the Tilefish. Not sure I am familiar with this fish. Also not too sure I want t be familiar as it had almost no taste, The potatoes and snap peas were perfectly cooked. For dessert, the bread putting was very good in a right sized portion which was not large enough to create a calorie crisis. Restaurant has an open and comfortable decor.
(3)
Monique D.

I will preface this review with a few positives- the atmosphere is great, the design is nice, and their punch is good, but I think the underlying theme is that it's fine, not great, and not memorable. We started with the pork belly, which was edible, but lacked flavor, and was very small for the price. We next ordered the marrow burger, and the steak. I had high hopes for the marrow burger, I've had a great experience ordering one at Rays to the Third in Arlington, and it fell FAR short. The burger that I ordered medium came out well done on the outer edges and practically raw in the middle. There was next to no marrow taste, and the rest of the toppings looked like something you can get on a Five Guys cheeseburger for half the price. The fries were also gross. The BBQ fries are weirdly sweet, with no balancing saltiness, and a poor alternative to someone who only likes plain fries. They don't provide prices next to their drink menu cocktails. I ordered the punch and when the bill came it was $14- almost the same price as my burger. It was good, not great. I could do the same with grapefruit and vodka at home for 1/3 the price. I don't think I'd go back again.
(2)
Jennifer H.

The ambiance was excellent. Great decor. The staff was decent and responsive. We did have to wait quite a while for our food, but we'll give them a pass since they recently opened. The food was fine- but nothing to write home about. I had the marrow burger- thought it would have some really unique flavor, but it was just a decent hamburger. The BBQ fries reminded me of BBQ baked Lays chips (not my preference). The Lamb Hoagie was descent, but nothing to really write home about. I'm a local and want this place to do well, but they need to work on the flavors in order to get a return visit from me.
(2)
Kevin N.

Great atmosphere; great burger and even better mussels. Best I've had...better than Brabo Tasting Room.
(5)
Jane P.

Yummy marrow burger, try the Brussel sprouts! Bar B Que fries were a good side. Attentive service and took good care of adults and child. Will be back.
(4)
Sandy S.

One of the best meals I have every had (the tile fish but also tasted the roast chicken, which was even better -- and the scallops? Yum!!). And the service was perfect. But the chairs are uncomfortable and the place is so noisy that conversation at our table was extremely difficult. But I will go again -- maybe quieter at lunch?
(4)
Joshua M.

What a great restaurant. Went there for Sunday brunch and the duck confit was seriously legit. I had that with the Gruyere red potatoes and they were layered with great flavors! I can't wait to go there again!
(5)
Judy R.

I live in the neighborhood and this has been a fabulous addition! While they have not been open more than four months they have made a great impression and continue to up their game. The menu is small with offerings changing from time to time. The specialty cocktails are worth a try - the Parker Gray is the best among them. Try happy hour - the pulled pork nachos for $5 is outrageous. Great young professional staff give really good service every time. These guys are making their mark on this town.
(5)
Stacy H.

This is a new place along Route 1 South in Old Town. I was happy to see another restaurant in this neighborhood. I arrived around 5pm. Sat at the bar and waited and waited for service. I finally got waited on when the couple next to me called over their bartender to pay their bill. Elizabeth was very nice and got me my beverage. She explained that she was working and setting up the back bar for the dining room but that the other 2 bartenders would take care of me. I got the menus and then proceeded to wait another 20 minutes before either bartender even looked my way. I ordered the Marrow burger. It was delicious. I was not a fan of the spicing on the fries. Overall the meal was good but I did come very close to just walking out. 6pm seems to be the beginning of the busy time. The restaurant quickly filled up after 6pm. I did not find it too loud in the bar area. I will probably try this place again and i hope to have better results.
(2)
Alvin B.

Ordered the burger medium. Came out raw. Grilled onions on top were downright cold.
(2)
Wendy B.

This new restaurant is a great addition to my neighborhood. I've now been twice, and both meals were good. I enjoyed the squash salad and the marrow burger w/ bbq fries (though the latter could have been crisper). The cocktails are interesting too. The seasonal menu is small, but the manager told me they plan to expand it. The ambiance is lively, and the restaurant doesn't feel overly crowded. The bar has been full both times I've been there. The only real shortcoming thus far has been the service, which has been uneven - forgetting drinks once, and slow other times. (The delays seem primarily to be a kitchen issue.) I expect it will improve as they get their legs. They don't take reservations; you can call ahead or leave your name at the desk, although both times the main hostess has seemed a bit . . . confused. They don't have the timing of the tables quite yet as far as I can tell, but the first time it worked in our favor. (They told it would be 30-45 minutes but it was about 10 - we had already walked back home to wait, but at least we got a table quickly. ) Anyway, the problems they have are surmountable, and I look forward to returning many times.
(4)
Amy L.

Went today for the first time. Arrived at 11:30 and there was no wait for a table for six. Service was very prompt; I loved how well the staff interacted with the children in our party. My pet peeve at restaurants is when servers place things directly in front of children (I am doing my best to keep the mess down, please don't make my job impossible!) and our server even moved the things already placed on the table as soon as she saw we had small ones. The menu is small but has interesting choices. Kids menu has the usual suspects (grilled cheese, chicken fingers and hamburger) and a fish dish, which is great. The adult menu has several sandwich selections, a few salads, entrees and a couple appetizers. I ordered the chicken sandwich. It was absolutely delicious. A great bite with its mustard and a ranch sauce. The breast is wrapped in bacon, which was cooked crispy. My friend ordered the winter squash salad and asked them to add chicken to make it an entree salad. She loved it. The cocktail list looked interesting and I am looking forward to trying it someday without kids. Definitely will be heading back. A great addition to Alexandria!
(5)
Angela N.

Be prepared for a "bland-off". Pricey and a long wait for Okay food. Went on a Saturday night around 8:30 and expected a wait so no problem with that. We sat at the bar for about 5 minutes until a bartender would even look at us so we could order a drink. They were not filling drinks but stocking ice. WTF? Their take on a dark & stormy was good but you will be paying for it. Total wait for table was about 30 min. The lamb meatballs were tasty with a good sear on outside and moist center. From there is was downhill. Husband had steak salad (steak cooked perfectly) but which was blandest ever. Literally a non-seasoned steak on top of romaine lettuce, barely dressed! I had the cioppino which was also bland. They put a lot of sauce in dish and about 1/2 cup of pasta which was not a good pairing as the pasta could not fold on to the fork. So I had to cut up pasta or eat it in strings. Then left with a bunch of sauce and it looked like I had soup for main course. I know this sounds picky but if you are paying their prices...they better bring it!
(3)
Donald P.

Great place with awesome food! The staff was very friendly. My daughter ordered the burger along with mac & cheese and it was terrific; I had the chicken ceasar salad and it was very fresh. The atmosphere was very cool with modern architecture and furnishings. We really enjoyed our dinner
(4)
Leisel R.

Great addition to a neighborhood turning around. We went in with friends last weekend for dinner. The wait for the dining room was over an hour+ so to the bar it was! The app that tracks your wait for a table barely seemed to change- BUT we ended up staying in the bar to dine. Samantha, one of the bartenders who took care of our table was great. She was entertaining and made great recommendations based on our personal tastes- a staff that knows the details and beams about their place of employment is always a good sign. My husband and I have since returned twice and enjoyed Samantha's service to which the last visit this weekend was also accompanied by charismatic teamwork of her and Elizabeth. Definitely our new go to spot! Good job ladies.
(4)
Lynne G.

I would give this place 4 1/2 stars, I really liked it! Atmosphere is very cool and modern. The bar could use i little more of something, but overall I would gol here for drinks with friends or a date or to watch a game. I had the rockfish and the celery hummus and both were excellent. I also had the Taylor Made cocktail which was wonderful. Looking forward to going back for sure. It's great to have a new hang out spot in old town.
(4)
Ellen B.

I want to like Mason Social. The atmosphere is neighborly and fun. The winter squash salad sounds great, but it was so salty and mostly greens. The grain burger did not have much flavor and was dry. I want them to keep trying to perfect that one. The fries had a delicious seasoning, but were not crisp. The best part was a lemon/yogurt dressing on the side of the burger. I hope the food will get better.
(2)
James H.

I live in north Old Town Alexandria three blocks from this place so this amazing recently-opened restaurant/bar is like a winning lotto ticket. So far I've had the Lamb Meatballs (bar menu appetizer), the lamb gravy & biscuits (brunch menu entree) and the gruyere potatoes (brunch menu side) ... all of them were phenomenal and it's going to take sheer force of will not to order them next time (because ultimately I want to try all the other amazing things on the menu too). I had literally the most unique and one of the best Bloody Mary's I've ever had (attributable apparently to a top-secret house recipe) and a house drink called 'the commonwealth' that knocked my socks off. The place is beautiful on the inside, has a nice front bar, dining area and back bar and the staff throughout the place are an an absolute blast to interact with. If you're a local you better walk over there ASAP and if you're not you need to make the trip!!
(5)
Michelle V.

My company hosted a cocktail reception at Mason Social, and we could not have had a better experience. The ambiance, excellence food, and quality service made it a huge success. The entire wait staff was so accommodating and constantly came to check in and make sure we were happy. They took exceptional care of all of our guests (32 people) and made sure everyone always had a drink in their hand and food on their plate. The best part of hosting the event there was the planning. Candice, the event manager, was in constant communication with me regarding the menu and drink options. We had a strict budget to stay within, and she worked hard to ensure we stayed under that budget. Oh, and I almost forgot the icing on the cake! One of our guests arrived about 15 minutes early, and Adriane, the restaurant manager, sat down and kept her company until the rest of the guests arrived. We will definitely be hosting events here in the future.
(5)
Elizabeth H.

I went to Mason Social for drinks with a large group of friends on 8/8/15. The service was excellent. Our waitress was able to handle multiple orders and credit card charges as people arrived and left. Both the drink and food menu are somewhat limited. I can't truthfully speak to the food. However the food that my friends did order looked good. (I wouldn't recommend the menu for vegetarians. The only food that came out was meat based.) Although I generally do not enjoy hard liquor I really enjoyed the Mason Punch. The drinks in my opinion are a little overpriced but that was easy to overlook with the nice ambiance and excellent service. In a nutshell Mason Social is a nice addition to the neighborhood and won't hesitate to stop in again for drinks.
(3)
Lucille M.

I wanted to like this place more than I currently do. I've been here a total of three times now. Three were pretty good. On my first visit I had a bloody marry and a bight of my friend's yummy breakfast. The bartender was great. No complaints. For the second time I met a friend for lunch. The waitress was great, but the soup was just OK. The presentation was pretty cool though. That last time though doesn't make me want to return anytime soon. Sitting at a bar table during happy hour with a friend, I had what I guess you could call an extreme disconnect with our server. She'd stop by, take an order, and then disappear. I mean, I like people who are efficient and don't try to up-sell the whole experience, but Jesus! She'd skip off mid-sentence! At one point we flagged down the bartender to order some more food. I had planned on staying there longer, but I suggested we move on to Evening Star after an hour and a half of this BS. The manager needs to pay more attention, or this place will become yet another over-hyped, average bar in Parker Grey.
(3)
Karen B.

Underwhelming is the best way to describe this new spot in the Parker Gray neighborhood of Alexandria. The "social hour" specials regarding drinks are typical of the area ($5 pints and glasses of house wine). There were only two options for social hour app specials (hummus and pork nachos). There was also a "bar menu" with additional small plates. The quality of the food varied at our table of four. Two of us were not unhappy with the Marrow Burger. Both were cooked to order, though we both felt that they were a little heavy on the onions. I'm not sure though the mason social burger is any better than some the burgers at local "gourmet" burger joints like Holy Cow. The basic house fries were a nice compliment. My friend liked the BBQ fries though. One of our group had to send back her grilled corn, as it was overcooked to the point of inedible chewiness. It also had a weird creamy sauce that looked rather unappetizing. I did not try the Mac and cheese, so I can't comment. Will I go back? Maybe for brunch, as I've heard they do a better job. Dinner or "social hour" most likely not.
(2)
Tiara H.

GREAT food. I had the crab cakes with brussel sprouts and mixed greens. Decent crab cakes with little filler. The brownie cheesecake was great also. I'll be back!
(5)
Alysia B.

Friendly staff. Extensive menu. Happy hour from 3-7pm. Great for work groups. $5 wines and apps.
(5)
Kit O.

I started this review and posted it only to realize the name of the restaurant was incorrect so I tried to change it but there is no easy fix, so I erased the review because it didn't pertained to Mason social and I apologize for the inconvenience.
(5)
Victoria C.

I came here on the recommendation of a friend when I visited her in DC--it's just a few blocks from her place, and if I lived as close to Mason Social as her, I would probably come here quite a bit, if only for convenience. Mason Social is your typical gastro pub - updated fusion takes on classics like the hamburger and mac and cheese, and tasty craft cocktails. For example, their BBQ spiced french fries were pretty dang good, as was the mac and cheese. The service was also friendly. However, the cocktails are weak and the prices just a smidgen too high. I'd come back.
(3)
Anthony A.

Food was disappointing in a very basic way. I waited until our third meal before reviewing as I really wanted to like this place. The menu is well designed but each item over three visits had a fundamental problem. The salad lettuce tasted as though it was a day expired, the beans were over cooked, and the burger was 'meh'. On the second visit we tried a fish which was over cooked, and a chicken Caesar with what tasted like boiled unflavored chicken. I wish I had constructive criticism but I feel the problem is quality control and that probably means replacing the head chef. No issues with ambiance, staff, or drinks, or wait times. But if the food is consistently below average 3x, I'm not trying a 4th.
(2)
Stephen O.

I've been twice now and I have to say the service has been good although the food is a little slow to arrive. They lose a star due to just average food compared to their competitors. The burger is good, but they make too much out of their marrow butter. I'm not a fancy person and it simply sounds a little gross, but really it just tastes like garlic butter. The fries are good and different to anything else around. Surprisingly to me the citrus cream sauce goes well with them. They lost another star specifically for their lobster roll. It was the stingiest lobster roll I've ever had. They weren't stingy with the celery though. The flavor was decent, but this isn't the place to get one. With their limited menu and desire to be a high end restaurant, they need to do much better on every dish. They are pricy. I didn't remove a star for this since most restaurants in this area are pricy, but they had better improve a few details or it just won't be worth it. I haven't tried their bar yet. I will update this review once I've tried that. There are a lot of restaurant options in this area that are better and better value. I do hope they find their groove soon. I like choices.
(3)
Mattie C.

We decided to stop by here for HH a week or so ago and were quite impressed! First off, they did such a good job with the decor inside the building! I remember how dumpy the place used to be, and now walking inside reminds me of some fancy place on 14th street. I love their bar stools, the stone and the wood. The bathroom is clean and smells great! We were both really pleasantly surprised at how nice the interior was. The beer list is limited, but has some good, interesting choices. We had some IPAs and then a different drink where they bring out a grapefruity beer and a shot of whiskey. Tasty! Along with it I had an asparagus dish - it came with goat cheese and smoked salmon and some spiced nuts - I found it delicious and thought the tastes went really well together. Along with it I got some of their paprika fries - again, they were done very well and I liked the twist on a normal old basket of fries. They had a mussel dish on the menu that we were so excited to get, so disappointed about the mussel shortage! I can't wait until they have mussels again so we can try that. I am also quite interested in trying the bone marrow burger. Altogether, their menu seemed to have a lot of great options. In all, we had a very good experience, our waitress was really attentive and engaging, the food and beer was delicious, and the atmosphere was a pleasant surprise. As soon as the mussel shortage is over, we will be back!
(4)
Jared C.

Pretentious bar manager talked down to us and refused service to me and two of my friends. She said she'd "see us tomorrow for brunch." Yeah, right! Treat your patrons with a little respect!
(1)
Debbie K.

Our meals were excellent! Beautifully plated! Arriving early turned out to work well because there was an hour and a half wait by the time we left. The celery root hummus with veggies & warm pita was a great start. The tumeric sprinkled on the hummus was a surprising spark. Our sides were fabulous: roasted winter squash salad and brussel sprouts. Main dishes: scallops & pasta were delightful; veggie burger and bar-b-que fries were plenty for a hungry, big eater! Our rating would have been higher, even much higher, if there were a way to dampen the noise from the bar. Competing with that raised the level of difficulty to impossible for relaxed conversation in the restaurant.
(3)
Ryan M.

I really wanted to like this place. My girlfriend and I popped in on a Saturday for brunch. The place was empty minus another couple who was already sat. I was ecstatic to see that they had a bloody mary on their brunch menu that comes with bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles. We love bloody marys, we are both always on the look out for great bloody marys around town, and it's essentially the reason we go to brunch at all. We both order one. The server arrives with them, and briefly says that they are out of their typical garnishes (the bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles), and that they substituted them with olives instead. ...um WHAT? We've gone from what would've been a unique bloody mary to just olives? Shouldn't that cost less?? Shouldn't they have let us know that before making them?? How do you not have at least bacon?? Anyways, after my girlfriend and I stared at each other for 5-6 seconds, trying to figure out how it would ever be cool to just substitute that awesomeness with olives, we tried the bloody marys. They were TERRIBLE. I'm not a picky person, at all. Probably one of the least picky people I know. This bloody mary was friggin' terrible. The worst I've ever had. I tried to power through it. I added a bit of salt and pepper to see if I could save it. I couldn't. My girlfriend couldn't stomach hers either. The inevitable had to happen, and it did... I sent something back at a restaurant for the first time in my life. In the end, the bacon and Sriracha-fried pickles couldn't have saved those bloody marys. Moving onto our brunch food. I ordered the crabcake eggs benedict, which were okay. Not the best in Old Town (that would be Chadwick's eggs Chesapeake), but still somewhat enjoyable. My girlfriend ordered the grilled endive salad, which she seemed to like. We split a side of the BBQ fries, which were good. We were begging for something good at this point, the fries delivered. In the end, we were let down. It was a very uninspiring experience for our first time at this place, and I can't see myself coming here for brunch again, possibly only for beers or drinks. Definitely not for bloody marys.
(2)
Bill C.

We're sitting in Mason Social right now and loving it, so we decided to check out Yelp and see what others have said. While confronting the Best Burger of My Life, and very-damn-good everything else, we read 3- and 4-star Yelp reviews that described -- great experiences. So, my wife has declared this a 7-star review, with which I concur.
(5)
Nicole G.

So disappointed. When a bar opens in your neighborhood you look forward to it. But after trying Mason Social out 3 times now I will not be going back. The food is ok. Nothing spectacular for the prices. My biggest problem is that they first don't have prices on their beer list. Then when you order a beer proceed to tell you that the White Noise is limited edition beer and that's why its $26 for 12 oz. Well When I was at Bilbo Baggins the other day I got a White Noise, same 12 oz for $6.50. I am really upset about this and feel as though they have taken advantage and have completely ripped me off. Not going back!
(1)
Byron L.

This place is LOUD, you need a microphone to speak to anyone outside of kissing distance. You have to ask for water or you won't get a drop offered. The service is slow so bring your own peanuts while you wait. The food was good, burger was tasty and the salads well dressed. Overall, not too bad. I would not make it my Friday night hang out.
(3)
Chris S.

Mason Social is a newer restaurant that is popping up in the "Parker Gray" part of Alexandria. Looking to benefit off the success of places like Fat City Kitchen, Rustico, and Sweetfire Donna's by becoming a staple in Alexandria's growing food scene (particularly in the non-Old Town Area's). Understandably there are always some glitches or bumps in the roads for new restaurants, which is why I waited for a few weeks to try out. The dinner menu is considerably focused. Four appetizers (lamb meatballs, pork belly, mussles, and hummus), three sandwiches (Marrow Burger, "whole grain" burger, and BBQ), three salads, and four main courses (hanger steak, scallops, rockfish, and a pork plate). There was an emphasis on mixology and their bar menu. My friend and myself were interested in trying some of the appetizers, and the marrow burgers. We decided to split the lamb meatballs and the pork belly. The lamb meatballs were delicate, and served in a small serving of the meat sauce they were cooked in. Four meatballs. My biggest complaint about the meatballs was that they were almost TOO soft and tender. I think they would have benefited from a crispier outer fry or bake, but their taste was good none of the less. For the $12 price tag, it seemed to be fair for an appetizer. The bigger disappointment comes from the pork belly. Also donning at $12 price tag, there was a single disappointingly small portion served with a small side of cole slaw. The pork belly was very well done. The agreement at the table was that the pork belly could have passed as a piece of pork steak that had been over done. It's flavor was lacking, as well as the texture. I certainly wouldn't ever order the appetizer again, and not recommend it to anyone. The marrow burger came out next. I don't know what I was quite expecting, but with the hype around it, I had pretty high expectations. The burger had a nice char grill, but unfortunately (to my taste) a large onion on it. I'm not an onion guy so I removed it preemptively. The burger wasn't mind blowing, but also was not awful. It was a middle of the road burger that sported a nice flame broil taste to it. The flame "off the grill" taste was one of the better parts of the burger. I didn't get much of the "marrow" hype, other than as an opportunity to push up the price point. The BBQ style fries were a generous portion and decently flavored. Someone in an earlier review best described them, a mix of salty and sweet, but VERY reminiscent of Lay's BBQ chips. Not being a bad thing, but something that someone wouldn't have thought of. Overall, it wasn't an outing that blew away my expectations.
(3)
Rob H.

It's 4:15 on Saturday afternoon. I arrived over ten minutes ago. There were three other people at the bar. No one has asked me if I want a drink. I'm sitting smack dab in the middle of the bar. Just sitting here. Smiling. The bartenders have been talking to each other, stocking barware, hanging. I've never seen anything like it. Good thing it's not crowded. I can't rate the food or drinks because I haven't been able to order. Maybe it's great. To be fair.... So after the lackluster start, the food was actually really good. Sad for the chef that the front of the house wasn't at the same level.
(1)
Angela M.

I stop in here after work all the time. Good atmosphere, cool people, good burger, friendly bartenders. Fun spot for locals. Tinder meet up spot
(4)
Emily S.

Fantastic restaurant with incredibly friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff. On my first visit, I ordered their Marrow Burger and have been raving about it ever since. Today was the debut of their new weekend brunch menu and the meal selection was tough as everything looked delicious. Ultimately opted for the hangar steak eggs benedict, with a side of the Gruyere potatoes in addition to the house salad it came with, and was not disappointed! Ordered the "I Woke Up Like This" to drink and was highly impressed with their take on the traditional Bloody Mary. Their mix is a house made blend of cold-pressed vegetables, with a nice kick of spice, and it was *very* refreshing! The Sriracha fried pickle garnish was a win as well. Ordered a second cocktail before leaving and decided on "The Classic", which was a glass of champagne with bitters and a sugar cube, yum. My friend ordered the lamb biscuits and gravy with a side of the maple pork sausage and loved it! In addition to her Bloody Mary, she also sampled their Bellini bar and made one to her liking with a variety of their freshly purÃ©ed fruits. We are already looking forward to our next visit and making our way through the brunch menu!
(5)
Jessica S.

We had a great experience at Mason Social. We started with a cocktail for my husband and glass of Riesling for me - both were great. We shared an asparagus salad - great combination of flavors with goat cheese, nuts, sauce and smoked salmon. The bites with all ingredients were delicious. My husband got the marrow burger and I got the scallops. We enjoyed both. We want to come back and try the bar menu. I follow them on Instagram and see tacos, ceviche, nachos etc. at the bar and really want to try some of those items. I also want to try the veggie burger. We have lived in the neighborhood for awhile. This is a great addition to the neighborhood - much better than the previous restaurant in that space.
(5)
Erik P.

A new restaurant with smart decor, great food and wonderful service. The Bar is internet friendly and good viewing for sports and the restaurant has a wonderful ambiance that made our meal enjoyable. The food is OUTSTANDING, the restaurants interpretations of drinks are wonderful (try their versions of the Manhattan and the Mimosa, I've had them both and will do so again) and I've heard people praising the Bloody Mary's too. The food was so wonderful. I had the pork belly appetizer and I'm still have dreams about it. The cole slaw that comes with it makes a great pairing. My wife loves their bacon wrapped chicken sandwich and I have had both the Marrow burger and the pulled pork sandwich and loved them both. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
N - Pyranhadoc - W.

Great food in a fusion Southern style. Great service Interesting atmosphere Can get a bit noisy, typical of today's hard surfaces concrete boxes. Definitely worth a visit!! We have been in a number of times and will be back.
(4)
Drew S.

This place doesn't get any love from me nor my wife. We called in around 7:30 on a Saturday to see if there was any availability and were told they should have something in about 30 minutes, so we arrived and waited at the bar. We ordered a signature drink, their Commonwealth Punch and we both didn't enjoy it. Felt it could have used more fruit to the drink. That same feeling of just not being enough seemed to resonate throughout the building. The place just felt a bit dark, cold and not very inviting. Maybe at 43 years old I'm just into the dark, minimal scene. But after waiting an hour with no update on our seat progress we decided to leave. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to try the food, there was just no attempt to make us feel welcomed. The 2 hostesses never reached out to us to give any updates. My wife went up three times to ask, and we got the same update, waiting for parties to leave. Probably won't try coming back. Probably a fine spot for other folks, just not mine.
(3)
Dora E.

The mussels are delicious with the crispy pancetta. They let the flavors of the mussels speak volumes. The chef did not over season the broth to the point you cannot taste the mussels. The bread had a sear on it that brought the flavors of the a new complex level. I paired it with the 3 Stars Saison beers which complimented it really well. So my companion and I order the marrow burger and the lamb meatball sub, in my opinion we hit a home run. The fries actually tasted like BBQ without the sauce. The meatballs actually had the flavor of actual lamb. They did not over sauce the sub which perfect since we actually got to taste the flavors of the meatballs. I hate to go to places where all I can taste is canned sauce. The burger was cooked perfectly. However, the next time I may go without the lettuce and tomato. The cheese pairs well with the meat flavors. The bartender (Blair) was great. She made a point to know people by their first name. She made sure that the beers were to my liking. Coming soon, will be a review of their dinner menu.
(4)
Peggy M.

Stopped in during happy hour. Had a great experience. The service was lovely. Quick and friendly. The pulled pork nachos were delicious! Will definitely be be back!
(4)
Thom C.

Mason social was disappointing went for brunch. Burnt English muffin, hangar steak looked like piece of beef jerky, crab cakes were small a had little flavor. They were also out of several brunch items. Really???? For the price you can do better in this area. Said something to manager and she made us feel it was our fault. They did a table check but we barely got a bite in and ver saw waitress till done. Left hungry. Will never return
(1)
Lydia A.

The best plate I had there was the Mac and cheese. It was delicious! Great for bar food and the atmosphere is very hip and modern.
(3)
Shannon L.

This new restaurant made a lasting impression. The Bloody Mary is more like a pressed juice with spices, but very good none the less. A nice touch was the Sriracha fried pickle and smoked bacon. I also tried the Bellini bar with far from the norm fruit purÃ©e to add in. It was impressive. I had the lamb with gravy and biscuits and my friend tried the hangar steak Benedict. Both were fantastic. I loved the way they mixed different spices, to create a unique flavor. We ordered two sides-maple sausage and Gruyere potatoes. The potatoes were pretty great, but the sausage was fantastic. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Sarah D.

I'm giving an average of 3 stars based on 2 visits. We went a few weeks after it opened on a Sunday afternoon to try their cocktails and sat at table in the bar area and waited 10 minutes just to get a menu. We then waited another 15 minutes for the waitress to return and she never did, so we left. It was not that crowded and they didn't seem understaffed, just as if they didn't care about serving customers. We returned in April for my birthday dinner. The food was excellent and the drinks were delicious. The service was still so-so. They really need to figure out their "reservation" system. We called ahead and arrived when they told us to arrive and then waited 20 minutes for our table when there were other open tables. They claimed those had been reserved... for people who weren't there and didn't show up while we were there. Also, fair warning that this place is loud. It's all glass and hard surfaces so sound just bounces around. My boyfriend and I had to practically yell across a very small table to hear each other. The dining chairs are also like elementary school chairs and really uncomfortable.
(3)
Monica S.

I just moved into the neighborhood and went to this place on a "cheat day" for the marrow burger and nutella brownie. It was SOOO worth it. Everything was beautifully cooked and the service was great. I mean the staff timed out the difference between my arriving to grab things and the possibility of ice cream melting. I can't wait to go back for brunch.
(4)
Cat L.

There's no shortage of places to eat in Old Towne but Mason Social aspires a unique greatness that only a hip new place can. My husband, our two kids, and our two friends went to brunch there this past Saturday on a tip from a friend. After a fun conversation with the hostess about where we could sit since we were a bigger party with children, we settled in and ordered drinks. The Bloody Mary was perfect and I probably could have eaten fifty of the sriracha fried pickle and bacon garnish. After we swiftly polished off the in house made humus, which was DELICIOUS -- I'm not a huge humus fan but I found myself wanting to lick the bowl---, we were quickly greeted with our orders. (I mean, you really have to keep the food coming when kids are involved so that was awesome!! -- Thank you!!) My husband got the Tasso Bacon Benedict and I, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and, despite the "food sharers" we are, we both quickly inhaled the meal. Seriously, our only regret was not being able to savor every little bit, but, since the food tasted so good, it was gone before we could even think about it. I can't wait to go back, preferably sans kids, so I can try more menu items and maybe even another drink! Great job, Chef!
(5)
Lindsey P.

Friendly staff who always remembers a face when you walk in Always a busy and social atmosphere Good for late night options any day of the week Amazing food ... Try everything ... Even entrees you wouldn't initially try Drinks are fresh and delicious You won't be disappointed
(5)
Gwen H.

Mason Social is a great addition to the North Old Town area. Their happy hour is a good deal - try out a cocktail or have an inexpensive beer or glass of wine, and definitely try the nachos. Also, the service in the bar area is great! I wish I knew the name of the waitress who always serves us there, but I'll edit this when I find out. Looking forward to seeing what else Mason Social serves up this fall!
(4)
Carolyn S.

My boyfriend and I had brunch here on a Sunday not too long ago, and were completely blown away by the service! Kat was the bartender at the time, and also handled our table and she was excellent. Attentive, sweet and just all around great. The food was delicious and the timing of our whole meal was perfect. I had ordered the lamb gravy and biscuits, something I had never heard of before, and I was thoroughly impressed. The menu shows some creative genius at work in the kitchen. We will definitely be coming back, not just because of the food but because the whole experience is what dining out should be!
(5)
Brandon F.

I am planning on moving to the Old Town area in the near future, and wanted to check out some of the local eateries and bars to determine a "go-to" casual spot with good food and friendly service. Mason Social delivers, and I definitely see myself returning once I am settled in. The Food: I ordered the chicken sandwich and my girlfriend had the Mahi tacos; both served with fries. Awesome choices! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the mix of celery and onions with ranch, which sounds a bit odd, was a really nice compliment. The tacos had great flavor as well and both were the perfect portion for lunch. The fries were cooked and seasoned perfectly. You can definitely see and taste the attention to detail in the kitchen. They have a pretty decent beer list, with a nice mix of draft and bottles of local brews as well as the standard fair. Their cocktail menu looked interesting, however I was told they were switching from "winter" to a "summer" list and they weren't available at the moment... though I did see a nicely stocked bar. Service: The service I would rate as "just ok"; not much of a greeting from staff and no real direction to seat ourselves or stand around and wait, even though there were maybe four patrons in the place. We went ahead and seated ourselves; from then on the service was fine. Friendly group of folks, food came out fast, and drinks came out promptly. Additional Thoughts: The decor in this place is spot on, and I enjoyed the casual atmosphere. Plenty of TV's in the bar area, lots of windows, and adequate seating for larger crowds make it an ideal location for sports or just going out as a group for drinks. I'll be back!
(4)
Ben T.

We came here on an early Saturday evening for dinner. Mason Social is a nice spot that should not disappoint and one that we will likely be coming in for again. Some places have a draw for regulars and here is one I might settle in on. I try my best to be fair on my reviews and I will say that my first interaction with Mason Social was not the best. I wanted to bring 5 out of town guest here for a dinner one evening on their trip. I called to make a reservation and was told that they have a different policy. Basically it's a call-ahead system where you go on the wait list from the moment you call. I have been to many restaurants in the area and this is the first time I have come across this method. I have worked in the restaurant business briefly in the past and I can say from my experience that this does not always go well when guest see people being seated ahead of them that walk in later that are unfamiliar with this system. It somehow comes across less accepting than a reservation does somehow. Obviously I did not want to have our family waiting hours for a table so the decision was easy. I called one of the many other great restaurants in the area and quickly had a spot reserved. On our way out we were told there was a two-hour wait. I am all for digressing at the bar but I think that would be my upper limit. This does make me happy though because as I will describe later the meal was worth a wait and they are obviously doing many things right based on their popularity. My advice would be to go early or during the week. Okay with that being said don't let this minor detail discourage you. My wife and I had a great dining experience. They really have all aspects of hospitality squared away. Service was informative, friendly and quick. Drinks were quality made well priced and palate pleasing. We had the pork belly, tilefish and hangar steak. All food was prepared perfectly. I can appreciate the flavors and look forward to trying more seasonal options as they rotate through. Mason is great for Alexandria. This is a quality establishment with local owners that seem to have the best intentions in their design. Thank again!
(4)
Katie C.

After two visits, we won't be back. Service was slow both times at the bar and in the restaurant. We took my family for Sunday brunch and it was over cooked, burnt, and incredibly overpriced. They were out of three items on the menu that we wanted to order originally, but we settled for the bacon Benedict, crab cake Benedict and hangar steak. Portions were tiny and we left hungry. The manager didn't think we deserved any sort of compensation for the meal since we ate it (again, we were starving), but decided to give us $15 gift card for a future visit (that we won't be making). We spent $80 on this meal, so that was somewhat a slap in the face. My suggestion, go around the corner to Lost Dog Cafe instead for Half the price and double the portions.
(1)
Sue M.

Went for Happy Hour drinks. The Punch tasted like it didn't have any alcohol in it. Slow service.
(2)
Sheri S.

Okay but lots to be desired Hummus was great. Other than that probably won't be back. Loud, extremely loud. Service is hit or miss. Entrees were good but lots of other places with better food and atmosphere nearby. Menu is way too small. I'll pass for now. Hopefully they will get better.
(2)
Ryan Y.

Came here on opening night (Feb 25). My fiancee and I sat in the bar area at a high top and were served by one of the bartenders. We had the 728 North and the Parker Gray cocktails. Not bad. Not great by any means, but not bad. Certainly not worth the $10 and $13 price tag. My fiancee got the beer mussels. I don't know what Dan F. was smoking (the first reviewer of this place), but those mussels had to be the worst mussels I've ever had. Served in a shallow bowl, there was barely any broth to keep the mussels hot. Plus, the broth tasted like shit. Bland with no flavor and no salt. They really missed the point here. What makes mussels good? A rich broth...and lots of it for dipping your bread in and slurping mussels with. They were also pretty sandy. Cold and sandy...sounds like a day at Galveston beach. If you want real mussels, head to St. Arnolds in DC. Best in the area. The marrow burger was pretty legit. Full of flavor and a good portion size. Fries were pretty good too, really enjoyed the bbq seasoning. Not sure if I would pay $15 for it again, but I'm glad I tried it. Everything on the menu seems a bit overpriced, but I guess that's the norm for this area. For a neighborhood bar/restaurant, really would have liked to see some mid-priced items for the everyday customer.
(2)
Frank H.

To celebrate the end to one of the longest work weeks of life, three friends and I decided to grab dinner at Mason Social. First off, while they do not have a reservation system set up on their website, be sure to call ahead day of to at least get your name on their list. The dining area is small (as is the bar area), so tables fill up fast. For our group, things were just a hot mess (more so because of us though). Originally I had called and requested a table for 4 around 6:15, but due to some miscommunication and tardiness of my friends, we were not able to be seated until around 8:15...-_-". The decor is pretty modern and clean, the lighting inside dim. My biggest complaint about the environment would be the acoustics of the place. It is EXTREMELY loud inside, to the point where I had to scream to my friend next to me in order for her to hear what I was saying. We started off dinner with the roasted celery root hummus, served with an assortment of crudites and warm grilled pitas. Surprisingly very good, not sure if it was because it was actually good, or more because we were so hungry, but I digress. Again, being that it was a Friday during lent, I had to stick to seafood/vegetarian options, so I opted for 'local scallop gemelli,' which were essentially three seared scallops, served on top of pasta, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, all with a brown butter sauce, herbs, and red pepper flakes. The scallops had a nice crust on them, but were slightly overcooked and a tad on the saltier end of things. The pasta was good though, and had a nice kick to it thanks to the red pepper flakes. I feel like I say this a lot, but a pop of citrus could've done this dish some good. Two of my friends ordered the rockfish, served on top of a fennel salad. I tasted the fish which was definitely overcooked in my opinion and kind of bland. Another friend ordered the marrow burger which she claimed to be tasty. I was only able to pick at her bbq french fries, which straight up tastes like you're eating bbq potato chips, but in fry form. We all shared a side of roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed with bacon and cider. A very, very nice accompaniment to all of our meals. One of my friends originally tried to order the pork duo but was told that they had ran out for the night. That was quite disappointing considering we weren't at the restaurant that late into the night. Hopefully that's an inventory kink that they'll work out considering they're a new restaurant. Our waitress was very attentive and accommodating. Something else that I think could be worked on though is the time in between courses. I would say there was about a 45 minute to 1 hour wait in between when we were served our appetizer to when our entree was served. Being hungry only amplified what the wait time felt like, but in general, it shouldn't take that long to fire 4 plates. Overall, we had an okay experience. Worth trying once, but definitely not something to write home about.
(3)
Robert D.

I ordered the Tilefish. Not sure I am familiar with this fish. Also not too sure I want t be familiar as it had almost no taste, The potatoes and snap peas were perfectly cooked. For dessert, the bread putting was very good in a right sized portion which was not large enough to create a calorie crisis. Restaurant has an open and comfortable decor.
(3)
Sarah W.

We entered from Henry and did not understand right away that the host stand was in back in the restaurant area (which we would have seen right away had we entered on Madison.) t was good! I loved the asparagus app and I liked my scallops. I would have preferred more of them, but I guess a serving of 3 scallops is pretty typical. What is that, about 3 oz protein, maybe? The Parker Gray cocktail was pretty yummy too -- but pricey -- especially for local-ish hootch! At the table we also enjoyed the Pork Duo entree, the Rockfish entree and the Brussels sprouts. We talked to the general manager and the beverage manager while we dined and were impressed with their enthusiasm and their knowledge! We will be back to try some other things on the menu and enjoy their great beer selection. At that time I will opt to sit in the bar area as the chairs purchased for the dining room were odd and not entirely comfortable.
(4)
Janet B.

Excellent food, wonderful service, great atmosphere. Met a friend here for dinner and it was perfect. Excellent crab cakes...and everything else! Great, fresh flavors without being burn-your-mouth spicy. We stayed a long time to chat and the wait staff was efficient without hovering. Try this place- you won't regret it!
(5)
Randi F.

This was my first time at Mason Social and probably my last. I went with a large group (15 or so) and the staff could not handle it. Water carafes were not refilled during the meal and food was brought out very late or not at all. The staff clearly had no clue what was going on. The lunch menu leaves a lot to be desired. Basically you can have a burger or a salad. I had a french fry and it tasted like a Lays BBQ chip. I ordered the chicken Cesar salad. I will say the taste was good, but it was hard to eat. That is a strange thing to say about a salad. The croutons were huge. The were Impossible to eat in one bite but also really hard to cut into smaller pieces. There were a few projectile croutons during my meal. Overall I think I would pass on this place.
(2)
Julianne M.

Ambience is super chill, the decor is gorgeous and quite Pinterest-eqse. Seems as though the staff is still working out the kinks, had to wait a long while for my burger. Burger was okay but for $15 can a girl at least get some fries? The burger comes with a salad, which I will say was delicious (the salad). Also had a good cocktail- their old fashioned can't remember the name. Along with the tip, a burger and a cocktail was $30, a bit expensive for me for this to be my neighborhood haunt (like I was hoping it would be), but still worth checking out at least once. Street parking is easy to find. I sat at the bar and the windows are great for car watching, and the occasional family walking to Sugar Shack.
(3)
Jacqueline G.

The food was not worth the price. We ordered the bone marrow burger which tasted like an ordinary burger. And also the lobster roll, nothing special about it. The fries were alright. Didn't like the staff that much. Took us forever to put in our order because there was only one server in the dining area, separate to the bar area which was really crowded and loud. My water wasn't refilled until we were almost done eating. Although the area and set up was really nice and modern. Not really recommended if you want a nice dining experience.
(2)
Analise S.

I wanted to like this place, wanted to love it! Local food, craft beer, the promise of a talented chef and a tasty cocktail. I am sad to say it didn't live up to any of those. I hope it's just the growing pains of a new place. Decor is gorgeous, but too dark for the day time. Opening the windows would make all the difference! The bar was open and inviting, but the dining room felt like a prison sentence. Kudos to smiling, prompt hosts, but the phone ringing unanswered ruined the ambiance. Add in the ice machine rattling from behind the service bar, my husband and I had to shout to have a conversation. The mussels were great, as were the mahi tacos, but the marrow butter burger was so drenched in cheese and topping that you couldn't even taste the melty, juicy, beefy goodness. Overall, I think this place will be a great bar, and a better restaurant in about a year. It's bringing life to a previously sad, warehouse-ridden stretch of route 1, but our service left a lot to be desired. Ultimately, we won't be back anytime soon. As a veteran of the industry, having spent 5 years with one of the best restaurant groups in the area, I will continue to say how pleased I was with the quality of food, and loved seeing one of the former chefs of Vermillion shining behind the line. Keep on keeping on.
(2)
Heidi P.

Lots of energy and a great brunch menu! Had the pork belly hash which was amazing and decadent - eggs cooked perfectly with a beautiful side salad of spring greens with shaved purple, yellow and orange carrots, lightly dressed. And the mimosa was fresh and not too sweet (read not too much orange juice:). Will be back soon to try the lump crabmeat benedict!
(5)
Don P.

Ambience is indeed social, but waited too long to be served at the bar, and then got a very shallow wine pour. The hostess was friendly and got us a table quickly, but then the very nice waitress was a bit less then attentive. My second glass of wine was a little more. The lamb meatballs came quick as an appetizer, but then came the wait. The small plate I ordered came quickly but my friends main courses seemed almost to have been forgotten. KY friends said the food was good once it came. Once our food was consumed we no longer had patience to wait for service and left in search for a better place.
(3)
Patrick W.

My wife and I went on Saturday, 2/28, the fourth night Mason Social was open. The food - from appetizers, to main courses and desserts - was fantastic, the equal of anything in DC's best restaurants. We were amazed that the chef, management and wait-staff all had their acts together so quickly. From the ambiance, it was obvious that the owners went to great lengths to get the finest designers and architects to remake what had been an eye-sore into a most inviting space.
(5)
T G.

Mason Social will succeed because the neighborhood is hot and lots of locals need a hang out. But it has some work to do currently. Pros: 1. Lots of street parking 2. Decor is hip 3. Menu is concise--both food and drinks Cons: 1. Noise level. Restaurant area is unmanageable noise for dining. 2. Food was salty, salty, salty: mussels, scallops, pasta. 3. Side entrance to restaurant has a bad step that needs to be marked. My guest tripped on way in and out.
(3)
Chris A.

I'm tentatively assigning this new business a 4/5 because the food was good, however I will lower the rating if my second visit does not correct the service challenges of the first visit. PROS: All of the food we had was excellent -- including dessert. The fries and brussel sprouts were particularly strong. The restaurant is nicely decorated and equipped. The "social" part is a big communal table in the bar area -- it looks like it could be friendly to minglers. The rear is a traditional restaurant. CONS: Small menu, poorly trained/inexperienced staff, slow service. 1) Staffing issues: there were A LOT of people working when we went. Three people at the hostess desk the entire time, and it seemed like there were multiple managers wandering around and kind of uselessly checking up on the waiters. Despite all this, the service was slow and inefficient. This place would be better off firing some of the useless extra folks and focusing on kitchen efficiency, experienced servers, and a manager that actually helps the servers instead of watching them. As indicated above, I'm giving them a pass this first time on the service issues since they are a new business. 2) The menu is really much too small for this to become a "regular" choice for us as locals. There are only one or two things that I am interested in -- they will get old quickly.
(4)
Jim G.

Maybe its me, but if you aren't going to put prices on your drink menu, you should really warn your customer that the beer she just ordered is going to cost $28. There was a "holy sh*t" moment when the bill came. That isn't cool. The lamb meatballs were delicious. The noise level is way too high, though. The interior design, using all hard surfaces, is not too conducive to having a nice conversation when the crowd is even moderate.
(2)
Lala J.

The restaurant is beautiful. I really enjoyed the design, the food and service. I like the choices on the menu.... There were some beers on the menu they didn't have because they ran out the night prior. The food was delayed, but the owners took care of the bill. The organization is being worked out as a new restaurant, it definitely is worth going again!!!
(4)
Matisha M.

I had the bucatini del mar - fabulous! My husband had the marrow burger with a side of grilled corn. Also tasty! Big shouts to the mason punch and the ginger over Mary Ann. The beer and wine list is well done as well as the Edison lights and general atmosphere. We'll definitely be back!!!
(4)
Sean B.

It seems this place is sort of hit or miss. I came here on 3/7 with two other friends and were far from satisfied... I'll start with the positive. The overall decor, atmosphere of the place was nice, with an appetizing menu, friendly/attentive bartenders including our Server as well. HOWEVER everything else about our experience was not great. We were told at first we had an Hour-long wait (which was fine at first) which THEN unfortunately turned into nearly two hours of patiently waiting. After an hour we checked with the Hostess on the status of our table and had no real explanation just a blank stare to offer us. We saw other tables near us dissatisfied as well and noticed then leaving before their orders came and it wasn't even completely packed. Eventually we are seated and it took over 45 minutes for our entrees to come out just to taste bland & mediocre. I had the Marrow Burger w/ BBQ Fries and while the Fries were quite tasty the Burger was just blah disappointing and not packed with flavor as I was anticipating. I know it's a new place trying to find it's groove but hopefully their speed & quality improves. Perhaps I just had bad luck? Or ordered the wrong thing?? To the Host & Kitchen Staff: Get it together! I'll give it 2 stars at best and that's generous. I'm a bit iffy if I'd give this place another shot :-/
(2)
Terra A.

Great drinks and food! A great addition to this area.
(5)
D. L.

Our first visit - didn't know about their "call ahead" list or their use of the "NoWait" app, so we were 7th in line for a table in the dining area. We decided to eat at the bar, which turned out to be a great experience, not too noisy even on a Friday evening at 8 p.m. (And the hostess even checked back with us when they were close to having a table available - very attentive!) And we had the roasted half chicken and the "Marrow Burger" - both were great meals, among the best restaurant meals we've had recently. Oh and we were told that the fries were excellent - and they are. The final surprise was the reasonable tab at the end - nice.
(5)
Joey M.

We went to Mason Social on their second night being open. Normally I'd expect a new place to have some issues that early on after opening but we were all very pleased... Our server was fantastic, friendly, and experienced....the table started with Mac and cheese, pork belly, and the lamb meatballs. All were delicious but for Mac and cheese fans, this was possibly the best I've had. It seems to be made of a different cheese than I've ever had in Mac and cheese? And the texture has a great creamy thickness to it.. Everyone loved their entrees, steak, scallops, and I had the marrow burger....similar to the Mac and cheese the marrow burger gave me a taste I've never had in a burger, and it was a damn good taste. Usually not a fan of scallops but I did enjoy trying those as well, tons of flavor. Didn't try the steak but I'll certainly be back to do so!
(5)
Jamel V.

Second review... somehow my other review is missing.... hmmm Came in March with two friends, waited about an hour for a table and checked in again after the hour to be told another 30 min-hour. After explaining we were there waiting for an hour we were told another 15min. Fine, within the 15 minutes we are seated. The server was pretty good and the place is nice and new. That ends all the good aspects. Next we order, a marrow burger, mussels and Scallops for each of our entrees at the table. After a 20-30 minute wait here comes the food....the burger nothing special, the mussels- eh, and the scallops (4- I think) and Gemelli pasta. The dish wasn't very good actually pretty bland, and not filling. The manager was more concerned with the lighting than finding out why many tables had no food and the patrons were looking around for the food. He went over to the lighting panel about 3-4 times and still we were either sitting in the dark or very dim lighting. Upon observation of the bar area there were many people coming and going in and out of the kitchen. One person in particular was at a table with another gentleman and two ladies while periodically running in and out of the kitchen, I couldn't tell if maybe he was a manager kinda working or not. All in all this place is a huge miss for me for many reasons.
(2)
Jason L.

Seafood galore. .. great drink menu. ..great atmosphere ... . exceptional service .. If you love seafood. This is the hot spot !#
(5)
Cinthia I.

The food was delicious! Really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant! The waiters were nice and service was great. No complaints :)
(4)
Jill G.

Just tried Mason Social on 3/7 after the Old Town St Patty's Day parade. I think our timing was great because we walked right in and were sat immediately. The decor is great, the tables are not too crowded together. They let me sample a Port City on tap before ordering, turns out I loved it so worked out well. Service was pleasant and prompt. I had the lamb meatball sub and my husband had the pork BBQ sandwich. They were both delicious. But the standout on the plates were the fries - dusted with paprika and hot pepper served piping hot with a delicious citrus crema. They were amazing! We are so glad to have a new place in the neighborhood and look forward to going back.
(4)
Chris A.

Wife and I were overdue for a date night and had been wanting to try Mason Social for months. We sat at the bar - wife and I always prefer. So badly wanted to love the experience but it just wasn't there. Staff was nice but seems that the systems slow them down and prevent them from engaging the guests. Too often our glasses were left empty or we couldn't even get eye contact to order food because the servers were printing tickets then yelling at the bartenders that they needed drinks. The flow of the meal and service was just lacking. A woman who seemed to be a manager didn't seem to help. She saw service lacking but pulled bartender away for chats Instead of jumping in and helping out. Food was good but not amazing. The taps were a problem for the bartenders and took about 20 minutes for a proper pour. Maybe it was an off night. We would return but might give them some more time to work out the kinks.
(2)
Erin H.

Visiting friends in town and we stopped here for drinks and snacks. Beautiful, comfortable and classic bar with separate seating area for meals. Staff is prompt and very friendly. Good selection of beers on draft and even had a Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer on draft and said they will continue to (big props for that, from a Clevelander). Their mixed drinks are tempting and interesting yet sophisticated. We tried the Rockfish ceviche which had good heat, and a nice balance of acid and flavor. Their homemade tortilla chips were perfect. We also tried a goat cheese panna cotta which was phenomenal. Creamy and perfectly paired with hazelnuts, tarragon and cherry reduction. I would definitely recommend Mason Social and have been greatly enticed to make my own return trip! They have clearly paid attention to every detail and gone to great lengths to be sure guests are delighted from each sip to every bite. Comfortable, casual and timeless.
(5)
Robert A.

So I've been to Mason Social twice this week and walked away very impressed and satisfied both times. I took an earlier Yelp recommendation to get the Marrow Burger and believe it may be one of the best I've ever had! Tip: medium rare is the way to go for the burger. The second time there I had the sea scallops which were cooked perfectly in a savory glaze and served over a bed of light pasta noodles. Excellent. The service was friendly and helpful and drink menu is a great mix of local brews and adventurous cocktails. The lone drawback is that it's very loud in both the restaurant and bar.
(4)
Beth B.

I've been twice now and bar service has been ungodly slow both times. The first time, service was fine until we said we were done, and we finished our wine and waited (with empty glasses) almost an hour for our check. The second time service was so slow to acknowledge us at the outset that we left without ordering. Food is acceptable, wine list is good, but we probably won't return.
(2)
Betsy M.

We were disappointed. The room is attractive but the menu was short and frankly we both struggled to find something we wanted to order. It was just ok. I really doubt we will go back for food, but the bar area looks nice. Sorry. :-(
(2)
Patrick M.

i came here on the 3rd or 4th day it was open, you could still smell the fresh paint a lil' bit. (it's subsided by now, i'm sure). it's a good - if small - space in an evolving neighborhood. super close to the metro. they split our check on a party of 7, and the service was just fine. i had the quinoa and black bean burger, which was BANGIN'. i'd go back f'sho.
(4)
Anne M.

The chairs were so uncomfortable they ruined my dining experience. They definitely don't want anyone to relax and have a nice dinner. It was very loud. The good was decent, although the pork belly was lacking. It's usually such a flavorful dish and this was just fat, and this is coming from someone who enjoys offal. The chicken was outstanding, but I had to wait to eat it since the server took my silverware with the appetizer. After trying to flag her down, I finally stole the silverware from another table. I will not go back unless they change the chairs. They were that uncomfortable.
(2)
Ingy R.

I went to Mason Social opening weekend with a group of six and we had a fantastic time. First of all, the ambiance was wonderful and the decor was very well done. The staff was super friendly, polite, and timely. We felt very well taken care of. We had a couple of drinks at the bar while waiting for a table which were tasty. I liked their beer selection as well. For appetizers, our group ordered the meatballs and the mussels. Both were delicious! Dinner entrees at our table included the marrow burger, pork duo, and bbq sandwich. The bbq fries were great, and very different than normal french fries. The table was silent when food came as everyone was so happy with everything they ordered! I am definitely looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Tyler I.

The mason social is off to a great start. I'm sure they will do amazing things in the near future but right now the $15 burger should be a $8 burger. I applaud the creativity of the chef but I've had a $15 burger and this isn't it. Not yet.
(3)
Max X.

My girlfriend and I went on the second night of opening with high expectations. We ordered the Pork Belly for appetizer and both of us got the Bone Marrow burger as entrees. The Pork Belly was delicious, but for $12, you only get one piece about one inch cubed in size. While the pork belly was cooked very well with crispy skin, both of us thought it was overpriced for a single piece. We both ordered the Bone Marrow burger medium-rare. Both came out medium-well done. As lovers of bone marrow, this was a bit disappointing as well. Neither of us could taste the bone marrow and the meat was on the dry-side (maybe the caused by the overcooking?). The BBQ fries we got as sides were quite good. For $15, better burgers could be had for less. While the restaurant was a good experience, the food didn't wow either of us.
(2)
Meaghan M.

SO GOOD! Great atmosphere, delicious food and awesome drink menu. Our waiter, Mike, was very knowledgeable and eager to please. Started with the mussels, pork belly and meatballs. All were very good. For dinner we had Scallops and the burger. Highly recommend! After dinner we had drinks at the bar. Again, the staff was awesome! Looking forward to going back!
(5)
Sarah H.

I had dinner here the Friday after the restaurant opened. i was surprised at how smooth everything went considering they had only been open for three days. The food was fantastic. The reason I only give it three stars is because of the noise. The bar takes up half of the restaurant and there is no sound barrier between it and the restaurant. There was loud music playing throughout our dinner. I think this place may cater to a younger crowd.
(3)
Allison T.

Great ambiance...service was excellent and the sandwiches were wonderful! The children enjoyed the grilled cheese and the adults loved the barbecue fries. Easy access right off the metro-
(5)
Nicole Y.

Mason Social's website indicates that their mission is to "provide outstanding modern American cuisine with integrity, professionalism and superior service." Unfortunately, at this point in time, their cuisine was less than outstanding and their service was far less than superior. CUISINE: Beer Mussels: "Mason ESB, bacon, bone marrow butter, scallions, grilled bread". The beer mussels were underwhelming. Served on a shallow plate, you don't get to experience the broth until the bottom of the dish. While the bacon scattered throughout was delicious, some of the mussels were a little funky and the broth was intolerably salty. INTOLERABLY SALTY. One couldn't even dip the bread into the broth to enjoy it. Marrow Burger: "Roseda Farms beef, bone marrow butter, pepper jack, grilled Vidalia, brioche bun" While the description alone makes my mouth salivate, the actual product was again underwhelming and bland. However, the fries that accompanied the burger were dusted in a barbecue flavoring, which was both sweet and spicy, and really quite nice. Grilled Asparagus (under Salads on the menu): "Goat cheese, Virginia ham, spiced cashews and piquillo coulis" The worst asparagus I have ever experienced in my life to date. I couldn't stomach more than 1.5 of the 6 stalks presented. Not only is the entire dish bland, the asparagus, while grilled, has the texture of being stringy and over boiled. SERVICE: We ordered the Beer Mussels as an appetizer to start. When the food runner brought out the mussels (quite expediently), we asked if he could take our drink order as we had not seen our server. He took down our order of a beer and a cocktail and told us he would relay this to the server. After 15 minutes, we had to inquire on the status of our drinks. The beer then came out (lukewarm), and we again had to inquire on the status of the cocktail. We even had to specify the cocktail we ordered. After being neglected for 10 more minutes, we flagged down the server to take our food order of the Marrow Burger and Grilled Asparagus (advertised under salads). After 20 more mins, the burger came out without the asparagus. After 5 or so minutes, we flagged down the server to inquire on the status of the asparagus. The server apologized and looked into the situation, but did not explain what happened. A few minutes later, she came by to explain that she entered the food orders together, but didn't know what happened in the kitchen. The asparagus then came out shortly thereafter. CONCLUSION: The best part of the meal was the Parker Gray cocktail and the fries that accompanied the burger. The server conveyed my distaste for the asparagus to a manager, who asked if there was something else they could offer. I declined, but appreciated the gesture. They also did not charge us for the asparagus. I think the only part of their mission they've nailed so far is their professionalism. However, their cuisine and service have a ways to go. Come here for cocktails at the bar, but venture to another restaurant for your meal.
(1)
Bianka C.

Love the atmosphere and the drinks! Try the Taylor made and the bone marrow burger. Definitely one of my new faves.
(5)
sarah s.

Utterly unimpressed. The food is just not great and the menu is way too small. it's also quite loud. The seats are also really uncomfortable. I had a caesar salad, which came "deconstructed", which is a bit pretentious for lunch. The salad lacked the zing and zip of usual Ceasar salads, the croutons were stale (gross) and they were way too large to eat- too large to put in your mouth, and you could not cut through them (I managed it with one and despite being so crispy, they tasted stale). The chicken still had some skin on it and was terribly overcooked. My husband had the asparagus, salmon, and goat cheese salad. He said the individual bits were fine but they did not go together. The hummus appetizer was the bright spot in the meal- it was good and served with warm pita points. But all in all, a real waste of a Saturday lunch.
(2)
Laura M.

Best mussels around! I've been here twice and it has been perfection both times. My husband had the pork sandwich tonight and he told me it was awesome. The fries have been consistently great as well. The first time we were here he had the marrow burger and I had a bite and it was terrific! We sat at the bar tonight and Kat, our bartender, was super attentive! The ambiance cannot be matched in Old Town! Very hip, very chill.
(5)
Melissa R.

Good food and atmosphere is great. I would definitely suggest the hummus and Brussel sprouts. Ate dinner in the bar area this time and have to say the service wasn't great. Before dinner met a few people for happy hour, the bar staff was understandably busy but not super friendly. Once we moved to a bar table it took a bit to get served but the staff was a little more friendly. When I ate in the restaurant on a different occasion the service was much better than the bar area. I am hopeful this is just the result of being relatively new and service will improve as the restaurant settles in to a regular groove. Can't wait to try their brunch!!
(4)
Darryl H.

The food was good, nothing spectacular, nothing bad. Our server at the table was excellent, but the bartender was one of the rudest people I've ever dealt with. No reason to ever go back.
(2)
Bobby C.

Veggie burger was good. I ate in the bar area, don't expect nice or swift waitresses though.
(3)
Angela L.

Read all the other reviews before taking a friend here to celebrate. Had lamb shank and marrow burger. Both were amazing. Had to stop my friend from sucking the bones. Dessert good. Cocktails creative. Wine respectable. Service very attentive and knowledgeable. The only down side is the noise level, which dropped it from 5 star to 4. It was hard to carry on casual or intense conversation. We will go again!
(4)
Anne H.

The wait - I get it no reservations - told to call ahead to get on a wait list. We wanted to eat at 7:00 PM and were told to call an hour ahead. Two hours later - we got a table top for 4. The biggest problem is that they allow to many tables to linger instead of moving them along during peak time. If you want to eat later - say 8 PM - then you are safe. Really noisy - hard to hear. Oh - and the mussels are ok. A little chewy. My pork that I asked to be medium was too pink - more medium rare. I am giving this a 3 star because I want this place to work. It would/will be a nice edition to the neighborhood. But I will not be back for awhile. They need to work out the flow, table timing, and the menu (which has potential).
(3)
Nicole M.

I'm new to alexandria, but I have a feeling this will definitely be one of my new go to spots. The cocktails are delicious and the beer list features some awesome local craft brews. The food is amazing. The menu is pretty small, but from what I can tell everything is extremely well executed. And I definitely appreciate that they source almost everything locally. Don't miss the lamb meatballs, the bone marrow burger or the Mac and cheese -- YUM!!!
(5)
brooke p.

First, the atmosphere: I used to live in this neighborhood, and knowing the history of the building gives me a deep appreciation for how hard the owners must have worked (and how much they must have spent) to completely overhaul it, renovating everything but the bones. First impression on the look is that they clearly made the right decision and consulted an interior designer or two; it shows. However, on closer inspection, it becomes clear that while things look nice (and are currently brand new), they skimped on the quality of some of the materials (maybe they had to because of how much renovating the building cost?). I can't tell you how many times I simply moved my legs and accidentally pushed the featherweight table askew, nearly spilling our drinks. Also, the texture of the booth seemed to be made of inexpensive vinyl and felt too much like a diner. All of these critiques pale in comparison to the biggest problem Mason Social has in the atmosphere department: power. During peak time (7-8pm), the lights periodically not only dimmed, but actually WENT OUT due to an overburdened power source, and they only came back on with the help of a generator that we could clearly hear and feel, even if we couldn't see. It was severely detrimental to the ambiance. Now, for food/drinks: I opted for the signature cocktail, the Parker Gray, because I love Catoctin Creek products. The infusing of Earl Grey tea into the rye was a nice twist, and the cocktail was smooth, though I'm not convinced it was worth $13. My food (the pork and slaw sandwich, with a side of spicy BBQ fries) was pretty damn delicious. My friends' food (lamb meatballs and Brussel sprouts) was just OK. The Brussel sprouts in particular were bad - gray and limp and soaked with a weird, unnecessary sauce. Her $11 glass of Malbec also felt a tad overpriced. We both also felt the menu was unbalanced; each category (apps, salads, sandwiches) had 4-6 items, yet there were only 3 entrees to pick from...why? Also, for such a beautiful space, they could have benefited from hiring a graphic designer to help with their printed menus...the font, layout, and paper selection all needed a design eye's help. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and I recommend giving it a try. Our waitress was kind and attentive. But Mason Social has some work to do if it wants to compete with some of the other higher-end restaurants in Old Town.
(3)
Tim D.

The food was hit or miss, as was the service. The bar is poorly set up and is very mismanaged. Even on a busy night, it is exclusively set up for a few diners, which does not allow anybody else waiting for a table to get a drink. Queuing up at the server station is the only (bad) option. The bartenders were inattentive and painfully slow, preoccupied with the dishwasher and paying no mind to the line of patrons waiting for service. By the time we got our drinks they were wrong, which the bartender argued about. Half their draft beers were gone by 9pm, so she decided to make a substitution for us. They need to a) decide whether they want the room to be a bar or like the rest of the restaurant, because they can't do both; and b) retrain or replace their bar staff. When we were seated, however, our server was excellent, personable, and attentive. The food was mediocre, with missing advertised ingredients (e.g. no marrow anything on the Marrow Burger) and okay ingredients. The pulled pork and rockfish were good, but perhaps not worth the price.
(2)
Greg P.

My 1st time at this new local place 2 blocks away = awesome. Great clean American smaller more home feeling place. I had the burger which was good size and I recommend with plenty of a size side of fries. Little pricey for a burger, I guess it's the atmosphere and good service built in that's worth it. Would like to see the price of beer next to those listed. I will be going there many more times and with the ladies, which this is a great date night spot.
(4)
Ellen H.

Great food, beautiful space! Mason Social is a great addition to the neighborhood. We had dinner with friends last week and had a great time. The space is gorgeous. Don't miss the song quotes in the restrooms- a fun touch. The staff is professional and knowledgable. The wine list is diverse and the cocktail list has some really yummy drinks. I had the Mason Punch, it was very refreshing. Another group favorite was the Social Gathering, a twist on a mojito but with gin. Our server was fabulous and made great recommendations. We ordered a table of appetizers. The lamb meatballs are my favorite but my husband loved the beer mussels with the crunchy grilled bread. The pork belly with the jicama cider slaw was also a hit with the entire group, but note if you have more than four people at the table.. order two! I had the hanger steak with the fingerling potatoes and brussels for dinner- it was cooked a perfect medium rare. Other favorites at the table included the seared neptune scallops, the marrow burger, the gruyere mac and cheese and the paprika sprinkled bbq fries. I can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu!
(5)

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Address : 728 N Henry St
Alexandria, VA, 22314
Phone (703) 548-8800
Website https://www.mason-social.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 12

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Mason Social

728 N Henry St, Alexandria, VA, 22314

Mason Social Menu

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