4. Restaurants

American Tap Room

3101 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, 22201
  • (703) 312-9080
  • Store is closed

American Tap Room Menu

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  • Joe W.

    Good food. Good atmosphere. Not good service. Our waiter may have been hung over. It just took a long time to get little things.

    (3)

  • Jake S.

    The food and beer was actually fine. The seating and lighted menu were nice touches. But I will never go here again because of how I was treated by the management. When asked for ID, I realized I didn't have it and politely retracted my order for beer. In fact I was happier for the opportunity to not spend more money. 5 minutes later, the manager comes out and loudly "informs" me that I could be 90 years old and I could not be served alcohol(for the record, there is no such law). Everyone at my table was stunned because I had expressed no desire to order alcohol and he was talking to me like I was making a scene. I realize jobs and licenses are on the line with every point of sale but this was just a guy who clearly needed a power trip on a slow night. I hope they know they've lost a customer as a result. So how did I get beer? I found my ID in my jacket pocket 10 minutes later and the waiter cheerfully remembered my order. A breakfast stout with a coffee and bacon taste to it; just one of a large selection.

    (2)

  • Mirela T.

    Have been to this place twice now and its been an okay experience both times. Was here for a dinner and then a brunch, nothing spectacular to be fair. It is a new restaurant so i'll give it credit for their atmosphere and the ambiance, it was nicely designed. There services can be worked on, as things took a long time to arrive. We were busy in conversation most of the time, but did notice that it took forever to get our food. It wasn't busy by any means so we didn't understand what the problem was.

    (3)

  • Mischita H.

    I met up with a some alumni from my alma mater for a happy hour session. This place isn't too bad. It has some nice decor for a tap room with plenty of dining space. I though the "leather lounge" chairs in the dining area was a nice touch. The main bar area is up front but there is a "satelite" bar in the back. Also, there is plenty of outdoor seating which is great for a day like yesterday. The satellite bar had 4 televisions and there was one in the mirror in the ladies room - that was cool, maybe a bit much, but still cool. I'm not a beer drinker (go figure) but I'm guessing a $2 beer is a pretty good deal. I think there was $2 wine as well (not sure) but the rest of the beverages ranged between $6-$8. That's a little pricey for happy hour. I tried the mixed green salad with shrimp - it wasn't bad but for $15, it wasn't really worth the money. I think there were only 4-5 shrimp for which they charged $7. The calamari is good if you like it sweet and spicy - not sure of the price though. As for location, it is conveniently located right off the metro otherwise there is a colonial garage almost directly across from the entrance - $4 after 5pm Overall, it was ok and I would go back...I probably would eat elsewhere first but I would go back just for happy hour...at least one more time.

    (3)

  • James B.

    Food was really good, and nice quiet atmosphere where I could spend time with my family while watching the game. Highly recommend the chicken and waffles. Kids menu was spot on; very cool stuff. Desert for adults didn't wow me ( at least the brownie sundae ). Service was not bad; friendly folks, though I think the servers were still learning the ropes.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth S.

    I wanted to let everyone know that Katlyn C is one of the best waitress here. She was so nice, attentive and suggestive that I think she was one of the top five waitresses that we have ever had. She suggested this starter called JERK CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS. It was one of the BEST spring rolls that I have ever had. It was spicy but had a lot of meat. This was one of her better suggestions. It was delicious and everyone should try it. What we ordered: Flat iron steak with lobster mash potatoes and green beans, Smirnoff (ha ha I know). My bf ordered Hamburger with bacon and cheese and everything on it with french fries, Stella and Widmer Pale ale (she suggested one of them and he said it was really good). First. My iron steak came out and immediately she came to our table and asked me to cut into my steak to make sure that it was cooked the way I wanted (I never had ANY waitress ever do that) and sure enough it was under cooked. I had ordered well done and it was obviously medium rare still. So she apologized and took it back and it got cooked the way I wanted in less then five minutes. I tired the lobster mash potatoes. I wasn't a fan of it but my bf was. It was really creamy but I didn't really like the lobster. Its probably just my taste but my bf really loved it. So i guess everyone would have to try it for themselves. My steak was so juicy and tender...omg it was so good that I can't even describe it. I give this place a five star because of the waitress (katyln) and the food was superb. I love their menus...its LED light in the back so everything glows. Its pretty awesome. I can't understand why people gave two stars. Try it yourselves and judge. We sat down in the dining area not the bar. The waiter who waited the table next to us seemed really friendly, nice, attentive, etc. So I guess the service got better. The manager also came by asking how our food was. What a great experience!!

    (5)

  • Jade N.

    Went here with my husband and a group of our friends last night. I really like the ATR in Reston and came to ATR in Clarendon expecting the service and food to be the same. I was very disappointed. First off, we had reservations and when we checked in, the 4 girls at the front desk seemed totally flustered. It wasn't even that busy. I'd hate to see what it might be like if it was. Anyhow, after 15 mins of them "sorting" it out, they led us to our table. The waitress was nice, however everytime we ordered drinks from her, it took FOREVER. We ordered the IPA veggies app which was very tasty and good, however the waitress never brought over plates...but we were starving and ate without them. Not that big of a deal, but had me annoyed even before we ate our main meal. Not a good wait to start off a good restaurant experience. Next was the main course. I am on a special diet so I asked to order a salad and instead of getting it with salmon, I asked for it with shrimp. It was the Asian market salad I believe. Anyhow, they brought the salad out, and it had a measly 4 shrimp on it. Seriously? 4 shrimp?. They weren't even big either. And the salad lettuce was even a bit brown. My husband got the Italian Pizza, which looked allot better then it tasted. We also ordered the lobster mash potatoes complaints on that dish...it was very good. In a neighborhood of great nightlife and fantastic restaurants ATR in Clarendon REALLY needs to step it up a notch if it expects to get its fair share of business. I was totally unimpressed but since its new, and may just need to work out some kinks, Ill go back in a few months an re-reveiw it.

    (2)

  • Kasi W.

    Good concept, awful execution. My experience here was eerily similar to Saara Z's. Slow, indifferent service, topped off with the fact that my husband's burger came out but my food was nowhere to be seen. Five minutes after his order arrived, our server appeared to tell me that the item I had ordered wasn't available on the menu. I was brought a new menu and told that anything I ordered would be comped. I didn't need a free entree, I needed the server to catch his mistake half an hour earlier so that I wouldn't have to sit and watch my husband eat his burger while my empty stomach growled.

    (1)

  • Marcis S.

    Place sux for burgers..maybe all main entrees as well. If you're looking for better food, go across the street to Hardtimes. Way better.

    (1)

  • Valeria V.

    GREAT PLACE TO ORDER DIARRHEA TO GO We live nearby so decided to give this place a shot over the weekend. When we entered the place was empty (red flag!) even though restaurants around were full due to nice weather. We took a table outside and had to wait for it to be cleaned (as if it was impossible to clean tables in advance considering the place was empty). When we ordered food it appeared on the table in less than 5 minutes!!! Calamari were cold and drenched in sauce, so was the salad (though it was supposed to be cold thankfully) We shared the plates - the food was not tasty and ingredients were cheap - and then we shared the bathroom at 3am and then at 6am the next day... So, avoid this slaughterhouse at all costs!

    (1)

  • Cassandra J.

    Not.....that.....great. The waitress was really nice but the food was nothing to brag about. A lot of pre made stuff for too much money. I had the ahi tuna salad and asked if they could cook the tuna medium instead of rare. The waitress checked with the kitchen and they said they could not accommodate. Like what? You Just have up cook it for 45 secs longer. Why can't you do that? And if you get the mashed potatoes they will be from a box. There are better places in Clarendon. Waaayyy. Better

    (2)

  • Mike M.

    Ok, joined a few friends for dinner and drinks. Very cool location in a very cool part of town. Parking is abysmal. Either take the metro (station right across the street) or just plan on ducking into the public garage around the corner. The service was absolutely the best part of the experience. Our waitress was attentive and always there at just the right time. We hung out for 3 hours and she never missed. Lot's of good beers on tap. I settled in for several pints of Starr Hill's IPA, a local'ish brew and a favorite of mine. We ordered a few apps. I found the pizza to be the most disappointing of them all. The cracker thin crust on the margarita pizza was let down by a bland sauce, too little mozzarella, and only a few pieces of basil on the pie. Very disappointing. The hummus was tasty and the presentation was nice with whole chick peas and some pepper pieces with olive oil as a topping. It was served with enough grilled pita pieces to finish the dish. We had some kind of BBQ chip's with meat and sour cream, maybe a little cheese, dish that I wouldn't recommend. The toppings were very, very sparse and the chips alone were not particularly good. We didn't eat half of this dish. So, go for beers, enjoy the neighborhood, maybe have a bite to eat, but based on my limited experience, don't expect too much from the food.

    (3)

  • Clara L.

    I've been informed that the half off HH specials are no longer there. Since I've heard this from my friend, we have not been back. So I can't even update what the HH specials are... Taking off a star for this.

    (3)

  • Samantha W.

    Had dinner here last Saturday with a group of friends. The place was surprisingly empty for a Saturday night. When the waiter was taking our orders, we asked him if it'd be easier to split the checks now or once we were done. He said that as long as nobody moved around, he'd be fine. One side of the table shifted down one seat (no rearranging, just moved to the right) and this really threw him off when serving our meals and when the checks were done. Food was ok. Good reviews for the Lobster Mac & Cheese (though pricey), but the balsamic vinaigrette on the salads was extremely salty and almost inedible. I had flat iron steak on my salad and it was a good piece of meat and cooked as ordered though. The interior space was nicely done and had fire pits on the patio. Not sure if the food is worth a return visit though.

    (3)

  • Jonathan H.

    We were attracted by the "no line" appearance on the outside, so we walked in and were greeted by a 30 minute wait. Though it looked like there were free tables, I guess they were saving them for larger parties. My friend went up to complain and what I'm guessing was the general manager came and apologized, and offered some complimentary drinks, which we declined. It was a gesture of good faith that we appreciated. The food was good, chicken and waffles that attracted mystified gazes from our fellow patrons. Maryland crab soup that was chunky and full of fresh crab. Dirty Caesar salad that was plentiful. Alright beer selection... I'd come back here... I'd just make a reservation.

    (4)

  • Marc M.

    The main draw here is the outdoor seating...very awesome. After that, the experience goes downhill fast. Our server was great to start out with, very energetic and friendly, but once our order was taken, we barely saw him again...no water refills (except once after flagging him down), no dessert menu, no "how's the food?", nothing. After we finished our meal, one of the other servers collected the plates, but left mine sitting in front of me (although I'd indicated I was finished) for a good 45 minutes. So our table for four was completely empty, except for drink glasses and my plate of syrup-y chicken bones, for almost an hour. Not awesome. I was excited to try the chicken and waffles, but ultimately was disappointed. First, they used waaaaaay too much syrup....my plate was swimming in it. This made for a mostly soggy waffle. For the few bites that weren't soggy, the waffle itself was fantastic, but the dish was tanked by the fried chicken, both in taste and texture. I'm a pretty big fan of fried chicken and I have a decently high tolerance level for bad fried chicken, but this was just gross. The flavor was way too overbearing and didn't contrast with the syrup very well at all, so it was like the sweet and savory were having a cage fight in my mouth. Also, it was overcooked, so the chicken was dry and the breading was very hard and crunchy, which doesn't mesh well with a soggy waffle. If you're looking for a good dinner spot, skip American Tap Room. But if you want some drinks/appetizers and a great outdoor patio to relax on, you could do a lot worse.

    (2)

  • Mike F.

    The food here is nothing short of awful. The crab soup seemed like it was opened from a can. My fiancé and I each got a salad, which tasted ok, but were way overpriced for the quality. The one plus I will give them is they have a good range of wine and beer. The service is mediocre. They're polite but seem to be rather absent.

    (1)

  • Jeff B.

    I've eaten here twice. The first time I ordered the fish and chips and thought that it was ok at best. The second time I ordered a burger, and it was grossly undercooked, so much so that I had to have it sent back. I have given them the benefit of the doubt, but would not come here to eat again. The only reason I'm giving this place two stars is because the service was good and they have a decent beer selection, if you just want to stop by for drinks. Do yourself a favor, go somewhere else if you want a good meal. If you're just in the mood for drinks, this place is a suitable for a beer or two.

    (2)

  • David G.

    Perfectly fine standard suburban cavern with ok-to-good food. Had the hummus and swordfish, both pretty good, but I feel like this place lacks a soul.

    (3)

  • Ahmed K.

    Average food for very high prices. I once worked in Clarendon and really enjoyed my time in this increasingly swanky hood of Arlington, VA. I ventured back there after quite some time to have lunch with my old boss and saw that that American Tap Room had moved in - in place of a lovely place called Sette Bello (I was sad to see it go). Everything on the lunch menu was over $12. This annoyed me. I ordered the Turkey Burger which was pretty good actually but nothing spectacular. My Boss had this nice salad with vinaigrette - which looked nice and fresh but nothing ground-breaking. I am going to hazard a guess and say that because these dishes were served on square plates, it warranted a higher price - nice gimmick but it doesn't work that well. The interiors look nice and new but a little heavy (a lot of wood), dated, and out of place for the nice cleanly designed modern building that it's in - how could an establishment not take an advantage of natural sunlight and 12' high ceiling? At the same time the place is like Tianamin Square-enormous and I acknowledge the challenge of trying to bring it down to a less intimidating level. I suppose if I'm in Clarendon again, I'd stop back in to try dinner maybe a happy hour - hopefully the food can be a little sexier! It also must be said that the service is excellent and wait staff is exceptionally nice.

    (2)

  • Paul T.

    Food is decent enough for pub food. Service has always been (on four different visits) pretty sad though. Especially behind the bar. It seems as if they put their worst employees behind the bar. It's a crime to leave a customer with an empty glass on their first drink.

    (2)

  • Mattie C.

    I found the brunch here to be actually pretty good, and we didn't have to wait which is a plus. Good luck not having to wait without reservations at places like Liberty Tavern or Eventide around the corner.. so that was a positive. Another positive was our server. She was really nice and attentive and helpful. The menus are kind of cool and different, they glow when you open them. That was kind of a surprise. As for the food, it was good but the portions are very small. I got an omelette from their special menu that sounded amazing with avocado and tomatoes and some other stuff, with a side of bacon. It was all really good but not enough to really fill me up. I had a good peach champagne drink as well which was delicious! Glanced over the beer menu though, and was a little disappointed, as I had heard this was supposed to be a big beer place. Other than that, I like the firepit, there were other options on the menu that looked good and it was a nice open space. I would definitely be back for brunch and rate this a solid A-OK!

    (3)

  • Camey S.

    Imagine it's Sunday and you wake up after a long night and are craving a delicious breakfast.. But you slept in a little, Go get brunch of course!!! At the American taproom! They have a great spread for the buffet including an omelet station, as much as you can eat crispy yet juicy bacon, chicken & waffles, French toast dippers and you get to enjoy it in a comfy tufted leather wingback chair! Orrrrr if you don't want buffet style, try their breakfast burger! It's an open faced burger with all the works and you won't be disappointed!!!

    (4)

  • S. Paul L.

    It's a solid place to go out to dinner or lunch perhaps. The service was really nice and attentive. The food is good, but not great. I had the paparadelle pasta with a duck ragout and the flavors were really nice, but there were only like three small little pieces of actual duck in the dish, so that was kind of disappointing. I also had a side of the parmesan creamed spinach. The spinach was nicely cooked, but the cream sauce was kind of bland and really could have used a touch of salt & pepper and they could have really kicked the actual parmesan up a notch or two. My wife and I had never been there before and this one in Clarendon had just opened up a few months ago from my understanding, so we definitely wanted to try it out. I think we'll be back for a beer and possibly an appetizer, but there are several restaurants in the immediate area that are infinitely better quality food and comparable pricing. *If you're a beer head, this is a good spot. They have a very extensive beer menu.*

    (3)

  • Angel W.

    ATR is located in the large space where Sesto Senso used to be. The difference is that ATR can actually fill the space with patrons, whereas, Sesto Senso never could. I was surprised when I was unable to book a reservation via OpenTable due to the restaurant being full. I called the restaurant directly and was able to get a reservation. Sometimes OpenTable is inaccurate, so make sure to double check by phone. I definitely recommend ATR as a place to meet up with friends for dinner and drinks. The seating arrangements are conducive to conversation; mainly made up of booths and four-person tables and nice large leather chairs. The bar was crowded and most tables were full throughout the evening. The restrooms were really clean and the video screen located inside the mirror was interesting. ATR has fancy light-up menus. They also offer complimentary cotton candy for kids. Our server was nice enough to offer us adults some hand spun cotton candy, which was a nice touch. Service is highly attentive, and at times overly attentive, but that's better than being non-attentive. While you can plan to have your conversation interrupted often by an inquiring server, you can also plan to rarely have an empty drink and to never have to flag down your server. The staff seems to watch out for each other too and check on each other's tables if they notice a potential problem. The management was highly visible. They run a tight ship. ATR offers $5 valet parking and there is also a $4 cash only garage across the street. I have read many negative reviews about the quality of the food. Our group thought the food was fine. ATR server typical American fare you can find just about anywhere. Drinks: We had many drinks during the evening. The only specialty drink our table tried was the berry mojito. It was served in a large glass and was attractively made. All of the other drinks were made well; strong . Food: 1) Spring Rolls - good 2) Sea Scallops - scallops were good, bacon was a little chewy 3) Lobster Mash - very good 4) Mashed Potatoes - decent 5) Green Beans - very good 6) Turkey Burger - very good 7) NY Strip Steak - a little gamey 8) Arlington Salad - this was decent. It would be better with more blue cheese crumbles and less sweet peppers. 9) Bread pudding - delish! Everything but the turkey burger was delivered to the table in record time. We had a good time at ATR and will be back again!

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    This place is good for one thing only IMO. If I was totally alone with no friends, (so maybe traveling or just dumped or something) and I wanted to watch my favorite sports team in peace. I just ate hear with my wife, so I couldn't sit in front of the huge TV's. The food isn't very good, the selection is unoriginal and bland. It's not cheap or really expensive but I can get better food for cheaper. I've never said hostesses were rude cause you're only around them for like 30 seconds but these 3 bored girls were rude.

    (2)

  • Mark S.

    Service was incredibly slow. Food was average. $50 for lunch and only had 1/2 sandwich, 2 cups of soup and a salad. Plus 2 beers.

    (2)

  • l b.

    We went for late night drinks. Bar tender was friendly and prompt. Atmosphere is luxurious. Tap selection is disappointing as many of the beers are the microbrews.... but there were some good craft beers, just not a huge selection of all types. Not a place for sampling all varieties and really learning about beer types. Overall a nice, up key bar, but "tap room" is somewhat of a misnomer to beer lovers like me.

    (4)

  • Jackie H.

    Had the pretzel it was amazing, was not sure about the marshmallow dip but the server was very convincing, so I gave it a go and I am very glad I did. I will be back for the dip alone. Cornell was very attentive and made our experience that much better. The beer selection was also fantastic. I recommend it for sure!

    (4)

  • Lillian W.

    This place is simply beautiful. The interior is all mahogany and traditional "American"...if you know what I mean. The menus are also lit up too- like hand-sized billboards! I tried the lobster mac and cheese. It was delicious. The portions were decent considering how fatty and "unhealthy" it could be for a girl who is trying to watch her diet! However, it was worth every bite =) The prices were definitely on the high side....i think for my entree and beer (it was happy hour so the drinks were decently discounted!), i paid almost $30! But again, I don't see this as a place that you will visit on a daily basis. It's definitely more of a "social" gathering/special occassion. The happy hour is packed! You'll find many young professionals working in the Rossalyn area over here.

    (4)

  • Ashley G.

    My friend and I were seated in a cute table for two directly next to the fireplace. With the big, comfy leather armchairs, fire ablaze, and light-up menu, I was really pleased! I got a hummus appetizer that tasted really good but left not enough space in my stomach to finish my pizza! Perhaps that was poor planning on my part, but that's okay. They have Strongbow, too, which is always a favorite of mine if given the option. The longer we sat at that table, though, the hotter the right side of my body got from being right next to the fireplace. Fortunately, they turned it off at one point...I really thought I was going to burn haha. The bathrooms are really cool too. I went to wash my hands and was able to watch the game on the tv in the mirror.

    (3)

  • Judy F.

    We were turned away from Liberty Tavern (@5:30 on a Sat nite...) so we decided to try American Tap House right down the street. The facility is spacious, and they had several fires going making the atmosphere warm & cozy. The service was prompt; the drinks excellent - I got an orange crush which reminded me of OC. We had the onion soup - fabulous. For entree I got the salmon which was also good. The sauce was a tad sweet for me, but the salmon, spinach combo was perfect.

    (5)

  • Russell M.

    Clarendon - I was confused and the place seemed a bit schizophrenic. Was it trying to be a sports bar?, A take me serious place?, A pizza joint? Oh wait, a tap room maybe? Whatever it's trying to be I was left scratching my head - I mean tv above the urinals - really? - LAME. The place is also huge, which makes it feel a bit factory-like and somewhat impersonal and sterile with a surprisingly cramped bar for a "tap room". The fried pickles were good as well as the pretzel. The filet was just plain bad - tasteless, but it did come out the way I ordered it cooked. The crab cake was interesting and I thought had a unique flavor. The beer selection - laughable if you are calling yourself a "tap room", plus the draughts were a dollar more a pint then you can get anywhere else. The food also seemed to be more a plate than you can get anywhere else. The service was great - which was attentive, polite, and professional. Not sure why they need 4 people greeting you at the door though.

    (2)

  • Daniel G.

    My fiancé and I stopped in for dinner on a Monday night. The restaurant was not busy and there were empty tables all around. The hostess sat us immediately. After 15 minutes, we left for the Cheesecake Factory as servers seemed to stare at us but no one took a drink order or greeted the table. I was looking forward to enjoying the the beer selection and I'm disappointed ATR didn't want my business.

    (1)

  • Paul Z.

    Stopped in last night (Tuesday) for happy hour. We saw the had a couple 3$ draft beers and a "discounted" app menu. The beer and food was good but the service was horrible. Our bar tender was inattentive at best (maybe 6 people at the bar). When I ordered a glass of water to go with my appetizer he asked, "are you sure, water isn't on the special menu?" Yeah I get it, i didn't order a $60 entree, but what do you expect at 530 pm on a tuesday... Obnoxious.

    (1)

  • Todd M.

    Great beer list, good food, good service.

    (3)

  • Am E.

    I love this place!

    (4)

  • Victoria S.

    Yuck, ATR in Reston is lame. Everything about it sucks. It's crampy in the bar and the bartenders aren't very engaging. I have had the food and it's just not a good time. The only good thing is the outside patio area for people watching. Not one of my favs!

    (2)

  • Ryan C.

    I've never been to any of the other locations so I was somewhat excited to try the one in Clarendon. Went for the 4pm NFL games and found seating immediately at the bar for the 3 of us, which I thought would be a good omen for the meal to come. I'll start this off with some positives, saying the bartenders were friendly, attentive, and helpful. I liked the visual appeal of the bar: taps layed out nicely, modern, clean, and plenty of tv's for the game. If I could review this place just on friendliness and bar appeal/layout, it'd be closer to 5 stars. Alas, this is a restaurant and my friends and I were shaking off tequila hangovers and had finally popped our heads out from our groundhog holes of dark seclusion and needed food. Started with the cilantro hummus and crab dip. Both are served in overly heavy serving platters; there's no need they should crank out these small apps on 50lb rectangle plates. They tried to 1980's modern art food style the hummus, which is ridiculous. I can tell you scooped this with an ice cream scoop, no need to give it toast point sails...it was ok, but certainly not worth even the $8 they charge for that, and the thin flat bread/cracker they bring out is kinda wack...what up with some real pita bread or something?! The spinach crab dip was one of the grossest things I'd ever seen/had in the Clarendon area. It was soup-y, like overly runny, and not terrifically flavored. And I don't mean that in the "let the ingredients be the ingredients" kinda way; more in a "we threw some heavy cream and spinach and crab meat and maybe some parmesan in a bowl, microwaved it, and gave it to you." I really can't express how unappetizing the spinach and crab dip was... Despite being turned off by the apps, I was still hungry. I ordered a pizza (knowing it would be my lunch tomorrow) with a side salad. The salad was a salad, although I ordered a ceasar and it came with tomoatoes (I like tomato so I was cool with that). I tried their peking pizza, which sounded good with duck, green beans, scallions, a sweet ginger sauce...it sounded promising. For the price, I was hoping for it to be much better than I got, and it's almost like they are putting too much on it. I can see where they were going for the different texture differences, and spice of some peppers on there, with the sweet of the sauce, etc...but it just seemed like an asian Jackson Pollock made a pizza, if you get what I mean. My cronies both got burgers and the only reason they were eaten were because of the extreme hunger. Both complained about the meat to bun ratio, and one had their burger cooked to medium but it was burnt on the outside. Seriously, how do you f up a burger?... I'll go back to booze, and I welcome the addition of a place that has as many tv's as this place does, but I'll probably refrain from making this a place to eat.

    (2)

  • Dana C.

    Service was extremely poor. The bartender pretty much ignored us.

    (2)

  • Kristi M.

    I really like this place! Awesome bar area... Haven't had a full meal in the dining room, but have had apps/ salads/ lunch in the bar area and am always happy. The pretzel app is good and huge for sharing. Bartenders friendly and attentive. Perfect spot for a beer and quick bite, and I'd totally stop in for a sit down meal, if only I could make my way past the bar...

    (4)

  • Jess M.

    Ok, on the outside it looks like another bustling Clarendon restaurant and bar where everyone hangs out at for drinks and food, but I can't say my experience here was better than another night out at Liberty Tavern... or Circa..or Eventide..or... you get what I mean. Not only have we seen these beers a billion other times, but the lengths it took to get these beers is disappointing. We rolled into ATR one afternoon during the week for drinks and were the only ones sitting at the bar. Ok cool, I'm not gonna have to deal with the typical neighborhood douchebags and hopefully will get attentive service. Why did it take 7 minutes of sitting at the bar for the bartender to finally notice we were there? And why were there 6 employees just hanging out in the distance, none of which made the effort to call someone over to help us? The menu didn't strike me as being the most amazing culinary adventure, paired with the list of unappealing beers, lame service- I can't say ATR is going to be at the top of my list of places to visit in Clarendon.

    (2)

  • Gary C.

    Had lunch their yesterday and the Salmon was awesome!!! I highly recommend! :P

    (5)

  • Mark A.

    ATR has the new restaurant jitters. I'm giving a 2 star because you might want to wait a couple of weeks for them to get their kinks out. I had the crab soup and it came out over temperature needed. But hey, it was very very cooked. Surprisingly though, it did not take all of the taste away, just about 75% of it. For main course, got the flat iron steak and frites and out came a sirloin and green beans. As I did not want to wait, I ate what they brought me and it was not bad. The veggies were excellent and the steak was OK, but not sure if medium rare was the way whomever ordered it asked for. So, save yourself the pain and let ATR work out its kinks. I'd say it will be a pretty good 3/4 star soon.

    (2)

  • Paula C.

    I think it's only draw is its proximity to the metro. Other than that, I can't fathom why anyone would seek out this mediocre establishment. I think this restaurant has a lot of potential, but they just don't know what to do/who their target demographic should be. I guess that explains the ridiculous amount of television screens, the leather seats, and the fire pit. The dinner menu is limited and offers a sparse variety of sandwiches, pizza, and heavier entrees. At least the menus light up? It was a cool surprise, but distracting and later filed under "See, you really don't know WHO you want to serve. Kids? College students? Suits? Pick an age range!" The pizza, chicken sandwich, and fish and chips were sub par and could be found anywhere else for far else and of a better quality. The pizza was thin crust and looked like a freezer variety type. The chicken sandwich was standard and the fish and chips left a lot to be desired. Also the fries were overly seasoned. I know the menu says "peppered", but that was a bit of an understatement. We chose this place because we were hungry and it looked appealing. We should have kept walking. You should too, if you're in the area.

    (2)

  • Penny E.

    I was taken to ATR for my birthday for Sunday Brunch. I got the buffet, which was fantastic! Great selection of food (breakfast and lunch items) and the food was absolutely delicious. I eat out a lot so a restaurant has to be good for me to write a review. I would highly recommend ATR!

    (5)

  • Kelly E.

    The good: the decor is awesome, I love the comfy leather chairs and fire place, it makes you feel like you're in Sherlock Holmes' living room. It's perfect for this time of year, when my friend and I were wandering around Clarendon freezing, and were drawn in by the fire torches (seriously, it's cold out there). Though the Xmas decorations are a little premature, it all worked for the cozy environment. We really enjoyed our food too, I got the truffle mac and cheese (YUM YUM) and she got the crab cakes. The french fries rocked, too. The not-as-good: service was a little...weird. I don't know if they were just confused why two young women were there for dinner at 5pm (we're early birds, get over it) or if the staff is just untrained, but our server and the manager (?) who came out to check on us, it felt forced and intrusive. I hate when someone comes by the table when you've had your food for 30 seconds and asks how it is. Also, the food is very pricey for what you get.

    (3)

  • Lauren M.

    I wish I could rate different aspects of this place separately. The vibe, interior setup, multiple bars, and outdoor sitting with fire pits is 5-stars. The beer selection I would also give 5-stars, varied and quality selection without being overwhelming. The food...3.5-stars. Not a great selection of bar type foods which I was expecting for the vibe of the place (more bar than restaurant). The service was mixed, one waitress was a 5-stars. The other a 2. I will continue to go here when I'm looking for an atmosphere between Liberty Tavern and Hard Times.

    (3)

  • Darryl W.

    Sunday night dinner service is really slow, despite a fairly empty dining room and at least four waiters and two floor managers within line sight chatting with each other. Just a warning: don't go there expecting speedy service. I've never experienced it here. This is the second time I've been talked into some sort of deviled egg. Not sure what the chef's fascination with them is, but the first wasn't very good and neither is their current incarnation. The fried deviled eggs are way over cooked, to the point where it's like chewing on a piece of rubber. It's an interesting concept, but our batch was poorly executed. One of us spotted the friend chicken and waffle, to which the waiter advised it was pretty large for one person. Taking his advice, we split it among four of us as an appetizer. Skip the fried deviled egg and get this. It's not the best I've ever had, but it hits the spot. For my main, I got the grilled salmon. Flavor wise, it's really pretty good, but do take note that this is the one entree that doesn't come with any carbohydrate. Had it not been for the quarter portion of fried chicken and waffle, I'd probably still be hungry after the salmon. Get a side if you're wanting something more substantial. Last note on drinks. The bar quality seems random. Both a friend and I ordered a Jack and Coke. Mine was pretty weak though his was closer to a double.

    (3)

  • April R.

    Only had dinner here and didn't have any beers but from the menu, looked like they had a wide selection. The service was slow and very disappointing. My friend and I were seated by the hostess outside. It took forever for our waitress to bring our drinks. Another couple who was seated 10minutes after us already received their drinks and ordered their meal. Finally got our water and ordered. Waitress was nice but slow. After a while, we finally got our meal and the lady who delivered our meal just quickly dropped our plates on the table and immediately walked away. We didn't even have any utensils. We waited a few minutes for someone to come by but no one did. Therefore, I got up and went to the hostess and told her we received our dinner but needed utensils. She looked up at me as if I disturbed her from something, and it wasn't even busy, and casually took her time getting the utensils. She didn't even apologize for the lack of service. Finally made it to the table and the waitress finally came by and realized we didn't have any. Dinner was good, my friend and I had the salmon, but I would not come back here. For the poor service and overpriced meals, I would not come back here.

    (2)

  • Ken C.

    I'm surprise, not bad at all. A lot of selection on beers, but went out "magic hat #9" too early. Easy access by Metro and parking is a little bit issue in that area. Our bartender is cool and very helpfully. We see some hotties at the bar, too. The Dining section seem to be very well decor. Very roomy bar area and good for small group.

    (3)

  • Maya P.

    Just had lunch here today and it was fantastic. There were a decent number of people in the restaurant but the staff was very attentive and there was no wait to be seated. I started off with the barvarian pretzel with marshmallow dipping sauce. It was so good. The prices here are a little high but it's about what you'd expect for the area. The service was fast and friendly. The manager even came by to ask if everything was going well. The prices mnay be semi-high but I had enough of my crabcake sandwich left to take back to the office with me. I don't mind paying a higher price if the portion size is appropriate for the amount paid and the food is delicious. Being Maryland born and bred I am a bit of a seafood snob especially when it comes to crabcakes. This crabcake was not the absolute best I have ever had but was pretty good for a non-seafood restaurant. Also, I was impressed by the number of beers they had on tap. I plan to come back and test some of them out. Stay tuned, folks.

    (4)

  • Susie S.

    Great service all the way from the the lovely hostess to the wait staff! I loved the chicken and waffles....what a treat!

    (4)

  • Theresa B.

    BRUNCH REVIEW - They kept talking up the brunch buffet. I ordered it because it seemed like there was a good variety. Fried chicken - not spiced well, and overcooked and dry. French toast - made with blueberries, which was disappointing. I tried to eat the kids "tasty treats" to have something french toast like, but they were inedible. Sandwiches - bread was stale Macaroni and cheese - dry and overcooked. Fruit - Fresh, but lacking in variety. Breakfast pastry assortment did not look fresh baked, so I skipped that. Service - Waited a long time to have my water refilled.

    (2)

  • Jessica M.

    I'm not a huge fan of this place for dinner - I find the options a little limiting. However, I love their beer/drink options, and I find it to be a great spot for happy hour. It seems to be pretty empty for late night bar action, but happy hour is perfect! They have great bar food/appetizer options, and the outdoor seating is great for summer!

    (3)

  • Kyle R.

    Had lunch here the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, a day when there was a lot of bad weather in the DC area. Consequently, it wasn't very crowded. Still, it took 10 minutes for a waiter to acknowledge our presence, another 10 minutes to get a beer on the table (and had to ask twice for water). If the service is based on this one waiter, then this place has got problems. The food was better - my colleague had trout, which was very good. I had the Maryland crab soup roast beef flat bread - both were okay, but I've had better. The beer selection here is very good - many good beers on tap and a good selection in bottles. However, the service keeps me from giving this more starts. There are plenty of places nearby with equally good beer selections (Liberty Tavern, Boulevard Woodgrill, Lyon Hall) that have good food and where the service is much better.

    (2)

  • Erica G.

    I had just finished a 40 mile walk for breast cancer in DC with a friend who'd left their car nearby this restaurant. We were starving and wanted burgers and beer, so this seemed like the perfect spot. We were seated outside, where there were 2 other tables finishing up. By the time our server took our drink, appetizer and 2 kids' meal orders, we were the only table there. The restaurant was not at all busy, but somehow our server was pretty much non-existent. We adults didn't get our drinks until the kids' food came, and the appetizer was completely forgotten. Everything was pretty much downhill from that point - my medium-well burger was still moo-ing when I bit into it, my beer glass had 2 large chips off the rim, they finally delivered the appetizer halfway into our meal, and there was a hair in one of the kids' dishes. We said something to the server about the hair, and she started crying out of embarrassment. I ordered a second beer, but didn't receive it until I asked about it when our plates were being cleared. By the time I got it, I didn't want it, I just wanted to pay the check and leave... which by then you'd think would have come fairly quickly (nope). They comp'd us the appetizer and gave us a "promo discount" of "hair in food" on the kids dish. We had a good laugh about it... but in all seriousness, it was horrible service. The only reason I give it 2 stars is because the beer selection is good, and the food is probably decent when it's cooked all the way through and is in the absence of the chef's hair.

    (2)

  • Victoria R.

    I went to American Taproom last night with a couple of friends for drinks and apps. Walking in I was excited to see that they have about 50 beers on tap! Wow! We immediately found seats opened at the bar. The female bartenders were welcoming and helpful. However the guy bartender was short with us when we would ask questions about the beers on tap. Everything seemed rushed with him and overall he just wasn't really friendly. I ordered a beer through him and he informed me that they didn't have it. No biggie, so I browsed the menu a bit more and found a beer that I was interested in trying except he never came back to get my drink order. Needles to say I didn't get another beer we just asked for the check and left. I gave them four stars because it was just one bartender that ruined my experience and maybe he was having an off night. We did order the calamari and that was amazing. It was fried perfectly and the sauce that it was tossed in was very tasty. I'll be back to try more items off the menu and I will defiantly be back to try more BEER :)

    (4)

  • Pegah Y.

    We visited American Tap Room in mid-April. It was my first time there, though my bf had definitely visited before. What we ordered: -Crispy Calimari to start off with - it came with a sweet chili glaze and celery salad. It was a bit on the small side but still tasted quite satisfying. -NY Strip Oscar (we both ordered this) - 10 oz. sauteed asparagus crispy potato cakes, crab hollandaise. Mmm! This was super delicious. Now that I order all my steaks done medium (instead of done medium well or well), I truly enjoy my steaks. My bf and various other friends have been influential in my decision to switch to medium steaks, and I'm quite thankful for that. -Wine for me (Sauvignon blanc, since I was in the mood for a white wine), beer for the bf. They have a really extensive beer and wine menu. I really liked American Tap Room. Good food, good service, good atmosphere, and convenient location (Clarendon!). I also really enjoyed the light-up menus and their delicious wine! And woot! This is my 800th Yelp review!

    (5)

  • Tess Y.

    We went on a Friday night around 9 and the place was packed. The bar seems popular but I was really turned off because our bartender cut his finger and when we were handed our receipt there was blood on it. Before I started to sip my drink (which was an old fashioned that I saw him prepare the cherry/orange/sugar cube with his hands) I watched him as he continued to pour and serve drinks. He put down a napkin for the guy next to us and there was a huge blood spot on it. I asked for a new drink and he did so graciously but it was really overpriced for what it was. The food was alright and the service was decent. I don't think I would come back, it did not blow me away and with a background in the restaurant industry, I know better than to continue handling drinks when I'm bleeding..

    (1)

  • Selin B.

    Good food and good atmosphere. They have a wide variety of beers and nice happy hour specials. Definitely worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Mel W.

    Went for brunch and sat at the bar- bartender was nice. As for the food- ordered spinach,feta,tomato omelette and hash brown. What I got- runny scrambled eggs with feta and tomato, home fries instead of hash browns. I really dislike home fries.. Would I come back for brunch? No Maybe give them another try for dinner or drinks. Maybe

    (1)

  • Max T.

    Went here last week hoping for a quick, halfway decent dinner in Clarendon with some happy hour drink specials. Do not order food here. Ok, the pretzel is good. But don't stray beyond that. Happy hour drinks are a good deal but that's all I'll be coming here for in the future. My salad was severely over dressed. I mean, swimming in dressing with spongy lettuce by the time I gave up trying to force myself to eat it. My husband's jambalaya was a broth with rice and some chicken bones in it. Yes I said bones. There was a full, cleaned drumstick in the bowl. Now, this probably wasn't the wisest thing to order at such a place but c'mon, nobody noticed that before it made it to the table?!

    (1)

  • Philip L.

    One of the best stakes in town. Classy spot, nice setup. Their presentation is innovative. I've tried the clams and they were great.

    (5)

  • Bethany H.

    The food is not as good as it use to be when it was Harry's tap room. At least now they have avocados because I am a avocado lover!

    (3)

  • Vance U.

    Service is always good and they have a pretty good menu. Reminds me a lot of the Great American Restaurants Franchise.

    (4)

  • Ronnie T.

    Bartenders are horrible!!! The bar area was pretty much empty and the bartenders walked by 6 times without service. My friend wanted to leave, but I told him to wait 6 or 7 minutes to see if we get service. I made eye contact with 2 bartenders only to be ignored. We got up from the bar and I told the bartender "hey thanks for the service". The guy just smiled and just stood there. These bartenders must hate their jobs and are only there because they have to. 1 star for the cool hosts and decor.

    (1)

  • Kristina H.

    The service we had for Saturday brunch was exemplary - attentive and helpful, thanks Nico! And the manger even stopped by to check on us. My table-mate's French toast was the hit of the show - lightly fried on the outside and deliciously sinful. I'm going back just for a plate of my own. I can't comment on the other reviewer's critique of the beers since it was way to early to indulge, so this place gets high marks in my book. Maybe they're finally working out the service kinks? My recommendation is give them a try, and if you're really unsure, go early and get lots of attention before the place gets too crowded.

    (4)

  • Dustin R.

    My wife and I just had our first meal at ATR and really enjoyed it. It is a nice open space and has a slightly fancy but not pretentious vibe. I had the NY Strip which was prepared at a perfect medium rare with a generous heaping of crab hollandaise served with crispy potato cakes and asparagus. Really nice meal. My wife had the spinach salad with salmon added and said it was the best salad she ever had. The dressing was delicious and the goat cheese was super creamy. They also have a nice beer selection, and the service was great.

    (4)

  • Allie I.

    Went here earlier in the spring and it was pretty good. I've lived in Arlington my whole life and have seen quite a few restaurants come and go at this exact location. In the heart of Clarendon (directly across from the metro stop), I have a feeling American Tap room will stick around for some time. We ate inside, but there is a cool little patio area to sit/have drinks. The menus light up...cool! Had a salmon salad which was pretty good and decent price, good portion. I went on a weeknight so we had many servers who were overly, at times annoyingly, attentive. My friend at one point had 2 diet cokes and a tall glass of water that they wouldn't stop refilling!! Overall a good place, and after I make my rounds hitting up the new Clarendon spots I could see myself going back here.

    (3)

  • Deborah H.

    Just wanted to give a shout-out to the best Sangria I've had in the area (red). Bonus points to our super friendly waitress who accommodated my request for "extra fruit" with an entire cup of berries. Delicious!

    (4)

  • Sherill M.

    I came here with a group of 5 just walking by. No one liked their food. All the food was room temperature. The crab soup was disgusting and taste like veggie soup with tuna in it. The pizza was gross too. My friend got crab cakes, which he hated. Another got pasta, which was meatless, bland and boring. Everything here sucked.

    (2)

  • William W.

    Standard American cuisine -- nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant, besides for its convenient location adjacent to the Clarendon metro. Disappointedly ATR always seems to be out of a number of beers they serve on tap, which is the premiere reason for going to a restaurant/bar called American Tap Room.

    (2)

  • Robert V.

    Update to my last review on this establishment -- we figured after two years we'd give this place another try since we live in the neighborhood. Last time to make this mistake. Place was pretty empty on a Monday night but service was non-existent. We were seated promptly but it took 10 minutes for a waiter to come by and take our order. We had a view of the kitchen so we could see what was happening -- wait staff would be hanging out chatting while food sat there waiting. We could see our order sitting on the counter for at least 10 minutes while waitstaff was oblivious. We left -- never to return again. Such a shame since this is in a great location and a has a nice atmosphere. Too late for me, but train your wait staff to pay attention to your customers!

    (1)

  • Jennifer M.

    Delicious food! We had the salmon, pork chop, and the ny steak. We had beer and the orange crush for drinks. Then we had the carrot cake cheesecake, brownie, and apple pie. By far some of the best food. Our waiter was very attentive. It was a great new place to discover. Next time I'm in this area I will be back for more.

    (5)

  • Brian F.

    Cheesesteak with actually marinated, and good quality steak?! Yes please! It was thick - like they took a 1/2" cut of a steak they might serve, and pounded then shredded it. I didn't even find one bit of grizzle in my sandwich, which came served on a challah roll - nice touch. Cheese sauce was a little gooey/runny, but I'm splitting hairs. all in all, good stuff. Hostesses and server friendly. Fiancee said it was a "man-ish place" - I just thought it was modern. Not covered in TV's, but you'll find several at the bar. Drink was good and both special orders requested e.g. Old Bay on side of Chessapeak Bloody and no croutons on salad delivered right. Good experience!

    (4)

  • John M.

    "Meh" is the best way to describe American Tap Room. If you're a beer connoisseur, then this is your place but much is left to be desired. Jerk Chicken Rolls are a non-starter starter; Somehow it was greasy, yet completely devoid of flavor. The salsa and dipping sauces it came with were disappointing too. When the manager came by, he asked about our food and seemed shocked that I had something bad to say about the rolls. Trust me, anyone with tastebuds would be disappointed by these. As for the burger, it was just your average $12 restaurant burger. Nothing really worthy of praise, just for the fact that there are 5 other burger joints within walking distance that are much better for less money.

    (2)

  • Brandy C.

    Let me just start off by saying that I have been to ATR on previous occasions, and the great beer selection has kept me coming back. But, after my experience here last night, I won't be going back. Ever. I wish I could rate it ZERO stars. I made reservations for my girlfriends and me, a party of 8 and were seated almost on time. So far, so good. But, a waiter did not come to us for at least 10 minutes. Busy on a Saturday night? Not an excuse. I don't pay for mediocre service, I pay for good food, drinks and an attentive waiter. Good service = good tips, right? Anyways, I digress. I ordered the Blue Moon Mussels and the Grilled Caesar Salad. The mussels were terrible, just terrible. Bland, chewy, and not the way they are described on the menu. Barely any broth to dip the charred and nasty bread in and no caramelized onion whipped potatoes to be found. Luckily, two other of my friends ordered them too... One of them sent hers back as well, apparently bad is the only way they make them at ATR. The other of my friends never even received hers, not to our displeasure. Then, 30 minutes later, my salad was brought out. I have had grilled caesars before. This salad was CHARRED and tasted like a burned chunk of metal grill grate. Seriously nasty. I sent it back too. I asked for a chopped salad with shrimp. The chopped salad tasted like nothing but vinegar. The shrimp were ok. But, definitely not worth the 17 DOLLARS they charged me for it. I hate that they brought us our food at varying times, so we could either let our food get cold or eat while the rest watched and waited. I don't think that any of my friends really enjoyed their meal and none of us really enjoyed the experience other than being in each other's company. Not to mention that it was like pulling teeth to get service. I think the waiter, George, was terrified to come back. Sorry, Georgie-boy, but it's your job to make your tables happy and if they aren't, you'd better figure out a way to make them happy. But, adding on an automatic 20% gratuity on our checks just topped this night off. The waiter said nothing about an automatic gratuity and it was not on the menu or website that we could find. Overall, I paid $50 for two beers and the worst food I have ever had in my life. Just a piss-poor experience and I couldn't wait to Yelp all about it.

    (1)

  • Jeff M.

    This was my third time at American Tap Room and the entire experience was awful. I definitely won't be coming back again. It was a normal Sunday brunch, place wasn't even crowded and it took the hostesses 45 minutes to seat a 2 top. They also spent the entire 45 minutes talking about their misadventures the night before. Once we were seated, it didn't get much better, it took our server 10 minutes to take our drink orders, our food was cold by the time it got to the table and my girlfriends eggs benedict were overcooked. ATR better get their #$%& together b/c there are tons of better options in the same area (i.e. Liberty Tavern, Green Pig Bistro, Boulevard Woodgrille, Lyon Hall, etc.).

    (1)

  • John M.

    I've been here more than a few times, and always enjoyed the food. Until my most recent visit, when it was accompanied by a course of secondhand smoke - unlike pretty much everywhere else in the area, the American Tap Room allows smoking on their patio. Don't go here, unless you want your food and drink seasoned with the stink of nicotine.

    (1)

  • Andrea G.

    After a lackluster experience at Lyon Hall, we came here in search of beers. This place delivered and then some! Great beer selection, and the bartender was game for the multiple rounds of car bombs that were ordered despite the bar having a 'no glass on glass' policy. Service was definitely the best thing about this place; the bartenders were super friendly and knowledgeable and happy to provide samples when I couldn't pick an IPA. The food we ordered was pretty solid as well - the deviled eggs came with some sort of delicious crispiness on top, the fried pickles were good, and whatever garlicky dip came with the pretzel was to die for!

    (5)

  • Kenny A.

    Ok, my first time there was this past Monday. It was a Federal holiday and sorta in between the lunch and dinner rushes. (2:00-ish) My inner tech geek was excited by the back lit menus. Never seen that before ...but it made me wonder if that means it's really dark in there at night? My interior designer self was slightly confused, however. It is an "American Tap Room" however it looks like a high class uppity lounge. The leather high back chairs and beautiful wood and glass clad decor made me grab the menu to check the prices before being seated. Surprisingly, it's fairly in line with much of its Clarendon 'hood competition. Between $10 and $20 entree plates for lunch. Sandwiches, a little less. So, here's my breakdown: The good: Food was good and presented nicely. (I'm not a "foodie" or overly picky but I do enjoy a good meal.) Good service and nice atmosphere. The bad: Confusing decor for it's neighborhood bar / "Tap Room" professed status. Lose the dessert tray. Shellacked sweets are not appetizing. Verdict: I would go back but I'd want a booth.

    (3)

  • Valarie G.

    This place had the most comfortable chairs ever..seems minor but still, impressive. The food was good and the service was great. I will be back - I thought this place was just so lovely and what ambiance. Fair prices as well. I do agree with another reviewer that the portions are smaller, but I don't see that as a bad thing as most places seem to be into the more is more American mindset that hasn't helped our health in any way. Also this place is right at the metro which is so helpful. The only downside really is that we made reservations on open table and when we arrived they said that we did not have reservations - so I would not make reservations for here through open table but instead call them directly.

    (4)

  • Zelly W.

    Came here on a Sat afternoon just kicking rocks looking for stuff to do really and walked in to this place and was glad I did. Sat at the bar and may have found my fav afternoon hangout. They have 30 beers on tap, awesome staff (our bartender was really nice, informative, friendly and another gentleman maybe the manager was really nice as well as he came over to chat with us for a bit). The food is pretty darn good as well. Bavarian Pretzels? I didn't know how perfect of a match they were with beer until I came here. They are fresh and come with several options for dip. I chose the Cheddar Ale and it was absolutely delicious. I can't wait to come here again.

    (5)

  • Anne C.

    My friend works here so we wanted to all go visit him. However, with such low reviews, I went in prepared after reading all of the reviews. Surprisingly, the food was decent and of course service was good. I got the lobster salad which unfortunately, I don't love romaine, but it was fine. It was nothing special though. My friend got the market street salad and the steak was cooked perfectly. The jerk chicken rolls were also decent, but the crab / spinach dip was delicious. I think overall, it's an average restaurant with ok food in the area, but nothing to go out of your way for!

    (3)

  • Holly C.

    Downward slide - Someone there needs to stop the downward slide over here before its too late. When it opened it was busy, the menu was larger, and the staff was engaging. Not so much lately. All the elements are there for a good restaurant/bar: location, nice interior, clean, and TVs. Unfortunately, the total experience is just lacking. The bartenders don't engage with the customers, the menu is fancy but the food is boring, and it really doesn't have a presence in the area. Unless some life gets pumped into this place it will go into the Clarendon restaurant graveyard.

    (2)

  • Mindy D.

    I've been here for a few happy hours and a stop along a random Friday night of drinking. The bar is really cool and there are a number of beers on draft. The happy hour prices are eh, just ok. Standard bar food, nothing really stands out. Brunch here is really good, and I should try actually having dinner there. It's always busy and there's a good sized outdoor patio for warmer weather. Overall, good spot. Great for happy hour and catching up on your fav sport team's score.

    (3)

  • Tamara B.

    I love this place. I had outdoor seating (a big plus) and the waiter did not realize I was outside, but quickly made up for it with wonderful service. My glasses of water and iced tea were never empty. He was also very cordial, as was the hostess. I love their pretzels! A meal in of itself. I had the lunch special and even so, the portions were huge! Always satisfying!

    (4)

  • Tiger C.

    The restaurant is in an awesome location near Courthouse, great spots everywhere nearby including a Trader Joe's. American Tap Room, eh, not the greatest spot in this area. The bar area is robust, pretty open and spacious, and a lot of TVs. Nothing really unique I would say. Had the peking duck pizza and frankly it was not as bad as I thought it would be. The wonton chips were annoying, and why are there a ton of duck fat pieces on the pizza? Apart from that, the duck was tasty, the toppings (green beans and green onions) paired well, and the cheese worked cohesively. I would say give this place a look if you want to try something inside the box and not too crazy.

    (3)

  • Heather M.

    This place has so much potential- great location, huge restaurant, spacious patio, nice furnishings, but is without a doubt the worst place in Clarendon. I've been here twice, why I decided to be generous and give it a second chance after the first experience, I'll never know, but the worst service I've ever received both times. First time coming was a Friday night the fist month of its existence, was told it would be a 40 min wait, ended up being a 2 hr wait just to be seated. After being seated it was another 20 min before a server even showed up to our table. The manager brought us a crab dip appetizer on the house to apologize. I said I was deathly allergic to shellfish and asked him to immediately remove it from our table before I got sick. 10 min later he was back with a replacement appetizer- shirmp cocktail, which again I'm deathly allergic to. It was 9 pm once we finally were able to order our food. The first 3 things things I tried to order were sold out and I couldn't find anything else on the menu I'd stomach eating, so I ended up just getting a bowl of ice cream for dinner which was nothing more than cheap store bought ice cream with a huge mark up. Second time I came here was last Saturday afternoon. There were only about 10 diners in the whole place and about 15 staffers running around. It was hot. We were sitting on the patio. 3 different servers walked by us atleast 10 times without acknowledging us. 20 min in we finally caught a manager and asked him to bring us some water b/c no one was helping us. Service was crazy slow. The manager brought us free donuts and $5 coupons he said we could use on our meal to apologize. The donuts tasted like they were fried in the same oil as garlic fries. I ordered pretzels as an appetizer. They were definitely frozen Super Pretzels that weren't even fully dethawed b/c they had cold spots in them. The server wouldn't accept our manager's coupons b/c he said we had to come back a different time to use them. Sorry buddy, I will never be coming back here again!

    (1)

  • Foodie C.

    Awesome service! Food is a solid 3 Great atmosphere and decor. Good place to come when the other places are full. Food 3 Service 5+ Cleanliness 5

    (3)

  • Eric A.

    Incredible beer selection. A little pricey but selection makes up for it. Ample seating at the bar. Very good service by the bartenders. I like Belgian beers and their recommendations were spot on. Have not tried the food but I came for the beer. This is a tap room after all. I will return.

    (4)

  • Katy B.

    This place had really great atmosphere and look to it. Very awesome look, the menus had a back light and were really cool. Unfortunately it went downhill from there, the waiter was weird and unfriendly and did not seem to want to accommodate us at all. Food came out fast but was just alright, not worth the price. The turkey burger was amazing and that is why I'm giving 3 stars. Dessert was okay, but from there they over charged one credit card and then said we owed more money. The manager was very apologetic about this I have to say.

    (3)

  • Bonnie P.

    I generally agree with what most other people have written about this place. The pros: large and beautifully decorated space. The large armchairs at the tables give off a supper club kind-of vibe. The food was pretty good - our party of four had the sushi, the chicken, spinach salads, pulled pork/fish of the day sandwiches. The steak and frites were not great. The cons: our *biggest* issue was the timing of the food. The mains arrived on top of the salads, which arrived on top of the appetizers. Really annoying for so many obvious reasons. The next issue, as others have pointed out, is the beer selection. When you've got Fireworks and Rustico right near by, you'd better step up your game to compete, especially with that many taps! Think of the potential... Just meh: Unlike others have mentioned, our service was good in terms of our waiter, who was really hustling and friendly. He wasn't the most sophisticated guy, calling the vermouth mussels "Vermont mussels," which did make us all rethink our geography lesson for a minute, and my wine was "peenot nwah." I'd go here again before heading back to 3 or the wine bar around the corner (name escapes me) if we're specifically looking for food, but I'll not go back any time soon.

    (2)

  • Stan M.

    Soulless... I don't know what went wrong and had a hard time figuring it out for a week or so. But it finally dawned on me. The American tap room in Clarendon is soulless. The decor is great it brings you in, like an alluring siren of the sea. The next thing you know you're treated to an explanation of the things they don't have. Our waiter explained to me that the onion rings were all out. So I got a side salad seeing this as a sign from above. We wait drink our overpriced drink(it is Clarendon) I have my water. We get some terribly bland nachos. A pizza that's sauce tastes like watered down ragu and a chicken sandwich that's only notable feature was the pineapple under the chicken. Dreck and expensive dreck to boot. I'd like to think this wasn't the soulless corporate America that I've experienced in applebes and chilis storming its way into such a beautiful location but it is. And it has. At least now I have a name for it... Atr stay away people. The beer selection looked pretty weak for a place called tap room...

    (2)

  • Long T.

    Sure it's a chain, but let's be real. The beer selection on tap is pretty amazing, especially during their happy hour times. The apps and bar food are very average and a little pricey. $12 for the crab and spinach dip! And it was more like a 20% dip and 80% cheese. The pizza here are what I call in-betweeners. Relatively thin crust, smaller in size, but enough to fill one person. Great place to have a drink and watch a game....not so great for a sit down dinner.

    (3)

  • Maxwell G.

    So, I gave this place a second chance a couple months after my initial review. Not sure what changed, but it's been one of my favorite spots in Clarendon since. Awesome brunch. AMAZING boneless chicken and waffles. Fantastic drinks. Good beer selection. Staff is super friendly and helpful. So yeah, they stepped it up and now I love it!

    (5)

  • Suzie R.

    I went to ATR last night for a girls night/bachelorette dinner. We made a reservation for our party of 10 at 8pm. I arrived 10 minutes early so I decided to get a beer while I waited. My Magic Hat was delicious....but served in a hot glass that came straight from the dishwasher which meant my beer was room temperature before the rest of my friends arrived. When my friends DID arrive, the manager (who is kind of hot, by the way) told us our table would be ready in less than 10 minutes. This was at 8pm on the dot. 8:20 they take my party of 10 to a table...that already had people sitting at it. 8:35 they take my party of 10 to our actual table. Then we meet Brad, our fantastic server. He takes our orders, we bond over pumpkin ale, the night starts to turn around. Until the food comes. - One girl sent back her salad because it was "iceberg lettuce, two croutons and one slice of tomato. NOT worth $4" - My jerk chicken spring rolls were dry (and cold!) and came with some god awful sauce that made me want to vom. - the IPA veggies were COLD despite coming from a fryer and poorly presented....three tempura veggies tossed on top of a bed of cold sweet potato fries? pass. - the pizza was okay, nothing to write home about, pretty bland. - one girl didn't get her food until 15 minutes AFTER the rest of us were done eating. Also, the place was FREEZING. My friend jokingly asked the manager if he had a blanket we could borrow and then we drank til we were warm. Now, mind you, we were a group of girls. When 10 girls are together, the bitchiness can have somewhat of a snowball effect. However, we're pretty laid back chicks and are okay with just about any restaurant as long as the food is decent, beer is cold, and service is good. My verdict: go here if you like warm beer and cold food and a pretentious atmosphere that doesn't live up to its name. Brad, our server, works Thursday-Sunday. Ask for him. Also, if the manager reads this, yes, I did write: "Brad was awesome, the rest made me want to kill myself" on that comment card.

    (2)

  • P.J S.

    Food: 4 stars Service: 3.5 stars Ambiance: 3.5 stars I like this place! This place has a very casual and laid back ambiance to it. They have great outdoor sitting as well. The food was pretty descent. Nothing upscale but good enough for me to get me to come back. I went during the lunch hour on a weekend and found the burger and salad to be enjoyable. Also, the service was okay with the attentive server. I believe it may have been his first week at the job because he did not have much knowledge about the menu but at least he got the seasonal drinks memorized. I definitely enjoyed the selections of drinks. I would come back to this place for a laid back meal or for happy hours.

    (4)

  • Mary Kate M.

    Carly C. and I came here on Saturday night for a girls night out and turns out the food is pretty darn good! We started at the bar with a drink while we were going to have a 30 minute wait. Turns out the wait was only about 10. Score! We got to our table and sat to take a look at the menus. They were luminated. Oddly enough, all menus are lit by a compact battery installed in the menu covers. Prices are moderate with the drinks and with their menu items starting at $10 and going up from there. I ordered a flat iron steak with the extras from the New York strip. My flat iron had a stroganoff type base with it total cost of being $19. For our appetizer we had their fried calamari which was very flavorful. Unfortunately my steak lacked in flavor, but still had a nice consistency. Service was great! Our server checked in periodically as he should and the manager even stopped by a couple of times. When he brought us out of food he joked with us and asked if wanted anything else like Bourbon or something, and we took him up on the shot. We had intended to pay, but since the joke was on him, he gave it to us on the house. Thanks! The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice. It is a bar/restaurant mix that would be fine for a crowd wanting to watch the game or a family coming hungry for a Tuesday night. It truly is a versatile restaurant that could assist any family.

    (4)

  • LanChi N.

    Came here on New Years Day for brunch with a few friends. Ironic considering we were here earlier that morning celebrating new years eve. But anyway... We decided to start our new year off right by ordering a few morning cocktails. I decided to try the Chesapeake Mary partially because I had been craving one for awhile and my friends ordered the blackberry bubbly. Our drinks were pretty good the other girls enjoyed their champagne and my Chesapeake Mary delivered what it said peppery lol..i mean there is pepper vodka after all. Although I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't an old bay rim like they had said there would be. My first choice in beverage was actually the white ginger pear tea...however they ran out. Well on to the food... I decided i wanted to try the bavarian pretzel partially because the peanut butter burbon and bacon dip caught my eye.Sounded intriguing so I ordered one. my friends ordered the ATR Breakfast one order with chicken sausage links however they ran out of that so she went with pork sausage links instead and the other order with bacon. It comes with 2 eggs any style, a choice of meat, hashbrowns and toast. We also ordered the baguette french toast to share. I ordered a scrambler with roasted mushrooms and goat cheese which is 3 eggs , a side of hashbrowns and toast. Overall verdict The Bavarian pretzel was really good. It was hot and it tasted fresh. It had a nice crunch on the exterior when you broke a piece off and the center was still fluffy and soft. The peanut butter bourbon bacon dip was a bit on the disappointing side it was a little salty I'm not sure if it was from the peanut butter or the bacon but I didn't really taste any of the bourbon.The dip was a bit thick but since the pretzel was hot it made the dip melt a little. I think that it had an interesting taste perhaps in a good way since I'm still thinking about whether or not I like it. the baguette french toast as the most amazing crunch for a french toast that I've ever tasted with a nice fluffy interior. The sauteed apples were a nice touch too not too sweet. My scrambler was decent the eggs were fluffy not overdone and actually pretty flavorful with a good amount of mushrooms. However I probably wanted a little more goat cheese. But that's just a personal preference but it was a good balance with the mushrooms. The hashbrowns were done perfectly without me having to ask them, they crisped them up nicely with an amazing crunch that I love when eating hashbrowns. But no one seems to get it right.The multigrain toast was pretty hearty it tasted like a sourdough multigrain, pretty good for a piece of toast. Price: Bavarian Pretzel:$5 Baguette French toast:$9, Chesapeake Mary/Blackberry Bubbly:$5, ATR Breakfast:$9 and Scrambler w/ Roasted Mushrooms & Goat Cheese:$12 I bit pricey for brunch but the quality and freshness is something you can taste with the food. Overall a decent brunch.

    (4)

  • G M.

    First time visit to this spot. Was pretty pleased. 40 or so beers, most are high quality. A great addition to the DC/VA beer scene. They also have the best compliment to beer...GRILLED WINGS! Not the deep fried wings that are found in most places. But nice fire grilled wings. I had the Thai flavor and they were excellent. As an added bonus they sell em in orders of 6. So if you are just in snack mode and don't want to have a full wing attack you don't have to order the dozen that most places sell. Space was nice. Dark wood, plenty of TVs, huge open windows to enjoy the weather. Service was cool. Typical grill/bar service. I will def be back here on the regular!

    (4)

  • Leslie C.

    After another year and a number of return visits, I have to deduct a star. It's still hit or miss for us, but unfortunately more misses on average. We've had enough run-ins with really, really bad service lately that when we're trying to decide on a place and one of us suggests ATR, we both groan and immediately move on. Somehow, we're convinced that the problem is with the patio. When we sit inside, we have a better chance of our server actually coming to our table. We actually had one outstanding server at an inside table a few weeks ago, funny and on the ball but not overbearing. But when we sit outside, we most often get comically bad service. I was a server for many a year, and I'm pretty forgiving, but we've just had too many bad experiences here. We're still fans of the beer and wine menu, and they randomly have some of the best coffee around. But the menu is still small, and ouch that service. At least while the weather is nice and we're wanting to sit on a patio, we won't be back very often.

    (3)

  • T H.

    First time here & only sat at the bar. Service was slow to start as I was here close to 10 min before I was served. Probably wouldn't come here again.

    (3)

  • Ally G.

    We came by last weekend and It was pretty good. Service was okay, food was good, desert was so/so but the kids menu is AWESOME. Will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Beth K.

    I came here with a group of four girls on a Saturday night because all the restaurants surrounding ATR had over an hour waits due to a Halloween bar craw. ATR said they could seat us immediately so we decided to go for it. The fact that there were open tables should have been our first clue. We sat down, ordered a few drinks, and one girl ordered food. Then the waiting began. When the first girl got her food, we had been ready to order about 15 minutes and still had no drinks. Our server finally came by, and the rest of us ordered. Let the waiting begin again. First girl has now completely finished her food, we still have no drinks, and our server (or any server for that matter) has been absent. We were ready to just leave money on the table for the one meal we had received when our food showed up, over 45 minutes after we ordered it. We still had no drinks. The drinks finally hit the table. We had ordered chicken sandwiches and chip nachos. None of it was great. Overall, I'd never go back because the food is mediocre at best and the service was horrible.

    (1)

  • Ryan S.

    Putting this review in as we wait for entrees. I am sitting outside in a group of three tables with guests that all came in at the same time. One table was forced to find silverware themselves after their server said he'd be right back with some twice. Personalities are good but service is lacking.

    (2)

  • Lindsay E.

    I went during the day around lunch time and it was a perfect place to sit outside grab some beers and appetizers. The pretzels and dips were AMAZING. The service was a little slow for how empty it was and they were out of many of the beers I was hoping to try- But They said it was because they were expecting a delivery after the holiday weekend. Other than that I would definitely recommend this for a casual get together.

    (4)

  • Craig H.

    Their brunch is simple but very good. I've had the pancakes twice and been very happy with my decision both times. Generous portions, friendly service, and reasonable prices for the area. I definitely recommend adding ATR to your brunch rotation!

    (4)

  • Georgia M.

    I can't even express how pleased I was with this restaurant, We were at a place across the street, and left due to service. Staff was friendly and attentive. They were patient with us, and accommodated all of our needs. The food was great, and we ended up having a great experience.

    (4)

  • Skip C.

    Pretty crappy Bar service for a football Saturday. A whopping 8 people at the bar with two bar tenders and it still took 15 min each time to get a beer. Menu sounds good but doesn't taste that way. Fries were the only good thing.

    (2)

  • Kimmy L.

    Came here to grab some drinks after work with a group of 8 the day before a holiday and were surprised that the bar was practically empty. They only have small round tables in the bar so we grabbed the only table that could fit more than 3 people. It was a long skinny table that is prone to spillage/breakage. Trying to squeeze 8 adults, with a few appetizers, 8 beers, and 4 water glasses onto a table that is about 10 inches wide us a recipe for disaster. Drinks kept getting knocked over and it was kind of a mess trying to pass apps around to share. This would have been a better place to come for a small group or just 1 other person. They have a HUGE selection of beers on tap - hence the name of the place - and all my faves were in stock so I was pretty happy. (Sam Adams Summer, Delirium, Bells...) Our server was attentive in the beginning but then kind of just disappeared. Literally, he left! We found out later that he transferred our tabs to the bar...guess he had somewhere to be. The soft pretzel, buffalo chicken dip and flat bread were good. My BF ordered the pulled pork over bar b q chips which was my fave of the night. It was a huge pile of pulled pork, saucy goodness smothered on a huge bed of chips. Yum - went perfectly with our beers.

    (3)

  • Chris W.

    No wait, good beer selection, but food and service are just ok. We came in for a Sunday dinner and got to sit outside right away, which was nice. Ordered an appetizer and some dinner and the entrees came out before the app. Waiter checked on us maybe twice and was slow to bring water, drinks, etc. With so many other places in the area serving great food and offering better service for the same price we won't be back.

    (2)

  • Emily T.

    If there ever was a restaurant that didn't want repeat customers, that restaurant would be American Tap Room. I just got back from a late lunch at ATR that was so terrible, it left my friend and I completely baffled. Based on location and decor, I've always walked past this place and was confused why it never seemed busy. Now I know. My friend and I sat outside on the patio since the weather was beautiful today. We were told by the host that the bartenders would serve us on the patio, which was strange. It takes forever to get a menu and drinks. The guy (server A) who greeted us didn't even pretend to want us to have a nice dining experience. He didn't welcome us or introduce himself, he asked what we wanted to drink and threw two menus on the table. Okay then... So we sit at the table for awhile before server A power walks past us and says, "You two all good?" and my friend says, "I think we are ready to order." He had to turn around to walk back to our table because he literally didn't stop walking to ask how we were doing. So I order a cup of soup and a half salad and my friend orders a sandwich. Pretty standard stuff. Our food comes out and her sandwich looks amazing, but unfortunately my half salad is nowhere to be found. In its place was an awkward, half sandwich (I didn't even see a half sandwich cup soup option on the menu, but maybe it's an option). I tell the person delivering our food (a different person than the first guy aka server B) that I ordered a half salad, not a half sandwich. He walks away and returns two minutes later with my soup and sandwich. He tells me that he has entered my salad into the machine and to take the soup and sandwich. I tell him that I don't want the sandwich and he responds in a very rude, indignant way (while walking away at the same time) "Well I've already entered your salad so just deal with it." Wow... So my friend enjoys her meal and I eat my soup, which is honestly just mediocre. You know when you're eating something and you think, I've had better at most restaurants? That's how I felt about the french onion soup at ATR. So I am sitting there forever, but my friend and I are having a good conversation. Server A comes over with a box and asks if I want to take my sandwich to go. I state that I don't really want the sandwich and I'm not eating it because I want to save room for my salad. Server A said, "[Server B] said that you were fine with the sandwich and didn't want the salad." I tell server A that none of what server B said was true. My friend and I both just look confused because it makes no sense why server B would blatantly lie except that he's lazy and actively tries to be terrible at his job. Eventually server A fixes the situation and I get my salad several minutes later. At this point I should mention that we had to basically wait until after my friend finished her entire meal before a server came out to check on us. We both really wanted napkins and awkwardly ate our meal without one. Who doesn't automatically give their customers silverware wrapped in a napkin when they first arrive? That's pretty basic stuff that all restaurants seem to get right, except for ATR. I'm just sort of shocked that ATR will hire someone that blatantly lies about customer's orders. I received no apology for anything, despite the fact that it was a really terrible dining experience. I just paid the bill and left knowing that I will never return. Never has so much unnecessary attitude resulted from half of a turkey avocado club sandwich until today.

    (1)

  • Jonathan L.

    I ordered the chicken and waffles for carry out... HORRIBLE. The chicken was over cooked... it looked like the grease the chicken was cooked in was not the best! The waffle was about as bad as a waffle that you fix at a Holiday Inn Breakfast!.. I decided to walk back and try again. The second order of chicken was cooked okay. But extremely greasy. The second waffle was BURNED. This place will not get a penny from me again!

    (1)

  • Courtney L.

    Not a good place for happy hour. We had to have our margaritas made twice. The happy hour menu is very limited. We ordered the wings and they were okay. We finally had a bartender make is decent drinks but by that time we were ready to go. The pretzel took an hour to get out and when it did it was super salty.

    (2)

  • I F.

    Who knew you could have a great dining experience sitting at the bar of a restaurant? Kudos to American Tap Room in Clarendon for hiring the right people! The food - Greek Turkey burger with hummus and tzatziki and lightly breaded Buffalo/Thai wings - was outstanding; and the sampling of beers by the lovely and well-informed bartender, Trish, was perfect. Trish definitely knew her job and helped us make the right decision of food/beer pairing. She went above and beyond to assist and more establishments should have a Trish, because we will definitely be back...for the food and service.

    (4)

  • Chris W.

    Great bar area with dozens of beers on TAP! Nice seating areas away from the door which make it nice for group events.

    (4)

  • Merida F.

    I went for the first time with some girlfriends on a Saturday night. We originally were trying to go to another local restaurant but heard there was a 45 minute wait and headed over the the tap room instead. We were lucky and snagged a booth with a good view of the WVU game. Three out of the Four of us, opted for the special which was the soft shell crab sandwich. I have never had soft shell so I am not sure if this is typical, but while I was eating the shell was a little hard and it wouldn't quite come apart. My friends said they have had better so I am unsure if this is the typical. Fries with the tartar mayo was excellent. My friend ordered the pizza and said it was a amazing but a bit big for just one person, though she managed to down the whole thing :) The service was impeccable and very impressive since it was a busy Saturday night. Our waitress was super friendly and efficient. This looks like a good place for a date, dinner with friends or family, and a happy hour spot.

    (3)

  • Jeffrey S.

    This is a hard place to review because of the inconsistency I experienced on my visit to American Tap Room. We (my party) arrived and we were promptly seated and given really cool illuminated menus. These menus are a great idea for people who have a tough time reading menus in darkened restaurants. We quickly ordered a round of beverages, which arrived quickly and with friendly service. Next I put in an order Thai wings to share with the table. The wings were very good. Then we all ordered our entrées and my friends requested that both of their selections be split to share. Again, ATR was very accommodating. The problem is that once things start flowing, service seems to take a nose dive. You order a drink and it sits on the bar for 5 minutes. You want to leave and you cannot get the check in a reasonable amount of time. This wasn't just us an we were mere feet away from the manager's station and bar. Another table had the same issue. Parents with three children were also left waiting for the bill. So long that the mother ended taking two of her kids outside. In addition, the entrée I ordered should be avoided at all cost. I had the Basil Chicken. Now as the wings were "Thai", I wasn't 100% certain what I was going to get with this order. Was it going to be some kind of incarnation of Pad Kaprow or was I going to get a Pesto Chicken dish? Unfortunately, I got neither. In addition the plate was completely covered in oil, which when you think about it is kind of disgusting. I'm fairly certain that ATR is new to the Clarendon location and as such might still have a couple of kinks to work out. With an extensive beer menu and great hip atmosphere, this place should be and certainly could be a little better. Hopefully they can improve a little and improve their service.

    (2)

  • Courtney S.

    Good food but oh my gosh, who are these people kidding with their prices lately?? $25-30 per entree?! I agree with Russel M.. ATR is having an identity crisis. But none of those identities warrant fine dining prices for bar-quality food and atmosphere.

    (3)

  • Emily K.

    Maybe for beers, not for brunch. I went here for brunch with a couple of friends. Overall very blah for brunch, but we might hit up for beers along the way in Clarendon. Service: The service was good, attentive, and drinks were refilled often. Ambiance: We all commented on the space right away, big and open without feeling cavernous. The high back chairs were a little too formal for the otherwise neighborhood bar feel, but the booths looked cozy. Food: Nothing to write home about (or maybe it was, since here I am?). One friend had a tomato mozzarella sandwich that she said was "more weird pesto sauce" than mozzarella and tomato, and the fries were soggy. My other friend and I both ordered the egg white veggie scramble: very small portion, under scrambled (wet...ick), and short on the mushrooms, avocados and other fillings (therefore very bland). I know egg whites are healthy, but they give healthy a bad name. Super bland. Back to ambiance for a sec - they had a desert tray! An out of place and outdated move, I thought. And weird to see at 11am Sunday brunch in Clarendon. Overall we left feeling "meh" about the whole thing. I've also been there for drinks and light dinner in the bar, and it was a better time. More of a scene for before/after dinner beers than the main event, perhaps.

    (2)

  • Ann B.

    4.5 stars. I've been here three times in the past month. Each time the food was stellar and the service was great! I devoured the lobster mac & cheese, enjoyed the fish tacos (on special) and practically licked my plate of Kennebec potato cake benedict with salmon clean. The staff at the front door are friendly and will be happy to seat you if your table is ready even without all of your party members being there. I've made a reservation all three times, and so we've never had a wait. The bar gets crowded for happy hour since they have some good deals on beer and wine so get a spot early. We'll definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Bren P.

    Great beer selection and I really like the bar area. I actually went to ATR twice in one day (not planned). Once for lunch with my coworkers and again later at night for drinks and appetizers. Both times I had great experiences with both food and service. For lunch the server was very attentive to our table (we had about 10 in our party). She explained all specials and checked on us very frequently... Even was prompt with refills.. As soon as we were finishing our drink she was switching out the empty cup with another! I was very impressed with her attention to our table. As for food, everything we ordered looked great and tasted just as it looks. Everyone was satisfied with the food. I ordered the slider trio which I liked but the buns were a little on the dry side. Te appetizers we ordered were good. We ordered the hummus, bruschetta, and the fried veggies. All were good portion size and great to share with the entire table. Later that night I went there for drinks and appetizers. We ordered the sushi combo, jerk egg rolls and a prosciutto arugula pizza. All was okay but nothing special. The beer selection was great! Great atmosphere for hh and just to hang out!

    (4)

  • Carly H.

    Went there when my parents came in to town. Great meal, good service, good price.

    (4)

  • Kevin M.

    Congratulations, American Tap Room. My experience at your awful establishment was enough for me to register for Yelp. Pros: The beer, but honestly who can screw up beer. The outside patio was very nice. Cons: Everything else. -The food was below average and overpriced. - Service was atrocious. . We arrived around 6 and didn't get out of there until 10ish, not because of our enjoyment but because of the inept service and inability to provide a correct check. - Martinis glasses were brought to the table barely filed halfway - Beer glasses with huge chips and damage went unnoticed. A request for a new glass fell on deaf ears to our waiter and to another employee filing out water. The water filler went so far as to make the snarky comment "No, we're going to make you drink out of a chipped glass." While I appreciate the sarcasm, she never actually came back with a new glass! After 7 or 8 minutes of waiting I went up to the bar to handle the problem myself. - People's entrees were repeatedly forgotten. - At one point the manager noticed our table looking around in search for our waiter. We explained that we were still missing an entree and all 6 of us finished our drinks much earlier. When our waiter eventually came back to our table, he nonchalantly gave us shit for talking to his boss. - As we were there for an impromptu going away party, we attempted to cap the night with a round of shots. Our waiter brought 5 shots for 6 people. When we said don't worry about the 6th, he brought it out 10 minutes later with our final round of drinks. And he still charged us for the 6th shot despite telling him to cancel the order. - At one point our waiter asked people to switch seats so that he could keep proper track of the checks. This was a first. - I believe NASA was consulted by the manager and the waiter before our check was presented. And it was still incorrect. It took so long to get our check that one person in the group noted "if this was NYC they'd be sending us free drinks by now" While the drinks and ambiance of the restaurant was more impressive than some of the other Clarendon joints, the frustration and lack of professionalism sucked the fun right out of our friend's going away party. Clarendon certainly isn't a restaurant Mecca, but c'mon.

    (1)

  • Matt W.

    Why oh why can't a single place in Clarendon find decent servers, or at least emphasize service? Had dinner at the new ATR the other night (a TUESDAY!!!!). Took 5 minutes to get water for the table. 10 more minutes to get our waiter. 10 MORE minutes to get our first drink. The place was a little crowded, sure, but the wait staff seemed to be operating in slow motion rather than hustling. Alas. Yet another Clarendon eatery that is putting 'coolness' above service.

    (2)

  • Farilee M.

    Went to the ATP for a Girls Night Out Saturday night. I ordered the pizza with feta cheese, basil and ham. It was awful. The pizza was thin crusted and crunchy and little sauce. It tasted like pizza on a stale cracker. The service was fine as the waiter kept our drinks filled, but there are plenty more restaurants in the area that offer a better meal and value for the cost ($13 for pizza). I've never had a bad meal here in DC, until now. And, I left hungry!!

    (2)

  • D C.

    Business traveler so I tried it out for lunch. Sat at the bar and had great service by bartender named Jasmine. Very pleasant personality and also attentive. Food was also very good. Liked it so much, I decided to go there for dinner the following day. Big mistake. Again sat at the bar. Instead of Jasmine, there was some smarmy douche with a spotty beard. Watched him struggle for 5 minutes mixing a simple margarita for another customer. Somehow I thought he'd acknowledge me after that. Nope. He apparently only served one drink at a time. Tried flagging him down. He looked me square in the eye 3 times and said nothing. Bar had less than 10 patrons including me. After he served two more beers to other people, he disappeared into the back. 15 minutes total time and zero acknowledgement. Not going back unless I have to. Hopefully the owner reads these reviews. Bad service seems to be a pattern.

    (1)

  • Jeanne B.

    I was really excited to go to ATR for my first time, even if it isn't new to Arlington. I had heard about the great selection of beer and so I figured, how could I go wrong? I was impressed with the decor and how the menus are electronic, very cool little attraction. We were seated immediately because we had a reservation and it was very crowded, probably due to the newness factor. Our waiter greeted us immediately and recommended some beers, should we want to try something new. About the service: our waiter was very attentive but I do not need someone to literally read the menu to me, especially without asking him to suggest anything. My date even commented to me that maybe our waiter thought I was illiterate. Anyways, I ordered a pizza, which was good and my date had the steak-frites, which he also said was decent. Nothing ground-breaking. The weird thing was this: I have no problem with managers coming over to check on how everything is but when two managers and your waiter all check on your table within a 5-10 minute span, I feel extremely bothered. We were having a nice dinner/convo and three times I was interrupted with someone in my face asking how it was. Overall, not a horrible experience but not sure I will go back to eat. Food wasn't great enough to make me want to go back.

    (2)

  • Katie R.

    i wish i could give two different reviews for brunch and dinner: Brunch: 4 Stars LOVE the eggs benedict over a potato pancake. LOVE all the $5 brunch drink options (awesome spicy blood marys, peach bellinis and mimosas) Dinner: 2 Stars Who runs out of filet mignon at 8pm on Valentine's Day?! On top of that, everything else just tasted "meh". If I'm going to order lobster mac n cheese, I don't want it to look like blue box with some hunks of crab meat (maybe my expectations were too high?). Great beer selection (I LOVE "The Love" Hefeweizen), but overpriced for just mokay food.

    (3)

  • Kevin L.

    Ugh....had to go here for dinner last night cause my 6-year old really wanted to go out and likes it and it is close. What a shame of a restaurant. Service --- down-right awful. Food -- down-right mediocre. The one good thing about this place - it is good for kids believe it or not. That's it...nothing more.

    (2)

  • Blair P.

    I went for the first time with a girlfriend on a Friday night. We ordered a glass of wine at the bar and then sat at a table near the TV. The place got loud, but I didn't find it to be disruptive. Service was excellent - a waiter always came around and asked if we needed anything. The next day, I decided to go back with my boyfriend for beer and lunch. We brought a dog and sat outside. Everyone was very helpful and nice. I ordered the Italy pizza and my boyfriend ate a burger. The food is delicious! The beer selection is great, but when I asked the waitress about a few, she didn't know much and had to go inside to find out. I think next time I'll sit at the bar.

    (4)

  • Ross M.

    Honestly we just came here because it was a nice day and just wanted to sit outside. I had the burger, which was good, but nothing to write home about. Nice height, but lacking in girth, meat patty not freshly pressed, looked more frozen. The condiments pulled it together though. Fries could have used more seasoning or something. It was okay, but I went in knowing it would just be okay. More about convenience and location for this one. Just like everything else next to the Clarendon Metro.

    (3)

  • Kelly L.

    I went to ATP the first Friday night they were open. A friend and I had dinner at Cava, and decided to check out the bar scene at ATP. It was around 11 pm and ATP was packed. The restaurant still has elements of the previous Sette Bello, but the layout of the space is very nice. The best addition is the back bar that opens to the patio, which had a great seating area and fire pits. Now to the service - it didn't exist. We stood that the bar, being shoved by drunk patrons and it took over 20 minutes to get the bartenders attention and place an order. They only had 4 bartenders working that night which was clearly not enough. The bartender was not in a hurry and did not seem to mind the crowd. He took his time and even looked bored and ignored several people. Not sure if he has ever done this before, but I have - won't be back. There are plenty of bars in Clarendon, and the success or failure yet another one is insignificant to me.

    (1)

  • James H.

    An impressive beer list makes ATR a decent target for a night at the bar, but unfortunately the cool lighted menus and new, well-designed dining room isn't enough to offset the mediocre food. Burgers arrived as cooked to death patties that looked like they came from a warehouse club freezer pack. We should of suspected something when "how would you like that cooked" was never asked. A salad with "Phoenix Chicken" left us asking what was "Phoenix" about it (seems like plain cubed chicken breast), and a turkey burger, while tasty, was about as plain and non-unique as possible. I was hoping the Clarendon location had stepped up its menu over the super-typical Reston Town Center location, but it looks like both are competing for most mediocre.

    (2)

  • Joel D.

    The only reason this place gets 3 stars, is because the atmosphere and service were very good. The food was mediocre at best, however I have to believe there is room for potential in a place like this. I was there recently as part of a large group for a going away dinner. They were very accommodating in terms of our group size and our servers were efficient and friendly. The actual feel of the place is that of an upscale steak house, but the quality of the food just doesn't match. They either need to rethink their menu or find another executive chef...ASAP!

    (3)

  • Mike F.

    Ordered a crabcake sandwich and fries for the Sunday games. Sat at the bar, so service was very friendly and good, the food however was just ok. Crabcake was good, but nothing I would write home about. The fries were greasy and soggy, couldn't finish them. Overall not a bad place, but with better options in the area I doubt I'll return

    (3)

  • Hue K.

    I came here for lunch and happy hour. Service was great always. - IPA batter veggie tempura is my pick. Good portion. Great tempura. - Salmon with bok choy from items "under 500 calorie": Very satisfying and it's only $9. Try this. - Shrimp kebab from same "under 500 calorie" doesn't seem to be a good value. It comes with only 3 shrimp. - New'leans Fish sandwich: I didn't like it much. Grilled fish on a bun...It was too fishy for me.. I would rather go for a traditional, fried fish sandwich. Overall I like dining at ATR. Either casual or business meeting. *Bread basket comes with warm dinner rolls and awesome honey butter.

    (4)

  • Sherri D.

    I love the bar area and the extensive beer selection. The patio is awesome during the warmer months too! and the back dining area is perfect for a date or catching up with a group of friends. We came in on a Sunday night around dinner and it was pretty quiet. Good service, our server was pretty attentive. I def enjoyed the flatbread pizza.

    (4)

  • cory c.

    1. This is a fine place to drink beer and watch a game. Great selection on tap and nice TV coverage. 2. This is not a great place if food is your main objective. We went on Sunday around 1:00 and should have been dissuaded by the smattering of other guests, but decided to give it another shot since we hadn't eaten there in perhaps a year. We won't do that again. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't very good either and there are many better options within a block or two. The burger was just ok. Nothing exciting. The pretzel was actually pretty good, but that's a low bar. The salad was terribly overdressed and basically unedible. The chicken and waffles was just ok (the kids loved the waffle part, but they love anything with syrup). The food came out all at once instead of appetizers and salad first. So the tally is nothing memorable, some things ok, and somethings not good. As I said, there are lots of better options. What's weird is that the decor is nice, the location is great, and there is lots of outdoor seating. This place should be thriving. Instead, by having weak food and ok service (what great server is going to want to work on a Sunday where they might get 6 or 10 tables in 6 hours?), the place is empty during the daytime and on weeknights. Perhaps they make enough on games and weekend nights to pay the rent, but even so, they're leaving a lot of money on the table. And things will only get worse as more restaurants and bars open in the area (though I suspect La Tagliatella may not be long for this world--it's worse than ATR).

    (2)

  • Vanessa G.

    You walk in and you just know you're gonna have a good time because the place has a cool fun vibe. Our group was seated at a table with conference style chairs and I said to my friends, "shall we commence the meeting?" I ordered a lemonade and a margarita both of which were too sour for my preference but they sure looked cool (I'll post pics). I also ordered this really yum bruschetta as an appetizer which came with goat cheese, garlic and tomatoes. The Steak Frite was juicy and tasty. I would definitely order desert when you come here. I had 2 desert shooters: one was a s'mores and the other was a peanut butter and chocolate. Both were scrumptious!

    (4)

  • Ej T.

    Had the turkey avocado club and it was good! Modern twist on pub food. Tasty and well priced overall. Lots of beers to choose from too.

    (4)

  • Grand Y.

    4.5 stars. Impressive staff, beer, and pretzels. I ignored this place after a bad experience three years ago, despite living blocks away, but the management and staff have turned over. Give it another try! The the pizza still stinks, but tonight the beer selection and the waiter were unbelievably awesome. The waiter entertained us all evening, dissected the beer menu, and guided us to the pretzels (cheese sauce good, marshmallow not so much) and caesar salad. And he got my water right (no ice). Simple request rarely granted, very much appreciated. The manager came by to check on us. We got some $5 discount cards that we'll use soon.

    (4)

  • Ali G.

    Don't be fooled by how nice it looks. Waited 10-15 minutes just for our waiter after we were seated. Almost got up and left but she came as I was leaving. Got oysters as the appetizer. Ate 3 and realized they were frozen and most likely bad (they had a very strong stench to them), so I didn't finish. I got a salad that was drowned in dressing (runny dressing for that matter) and the 'fried chicken' was more like fried batter. We both ate maybe half of our meal (me and my girlfriend). I wouldn't recommend this place at all. Plenty of other options in the area to go to. Oh, and I waited an additional 10-15 minutes for my beer....that's a problem. Hate to be negative but I couldn't not leave a review for this place. Very disappointed.

    (1)

  • Jeff G.

    American Tap Room is a place you want to love but there is something a little too 'chain-y" for me. Maybe its the stuffiness of DC or the pretentiousness of its patrons. I'm not sure. All I know is that the service was ok, the beer selection was decent and the food was passable bar food. But there is nothing that makes me think that I HAVE to go back again. If you go, you won't hate yourself for going (unless you drink too much), but you also won't impress anyone with this place either. Middle of the road for sure.

    (3)

  • Jennifer T.

    We were there last Friday and very pleased with our food and service. Jasmine (our waitress) was AMAZING!!!! She catered to ALL of our needs (and there was 9 of us, large dinner party). I used to patron the Bethesda ATR all the time but the Arlington location is way better, hands down...will surely be back soon.

    (4)

  • Peter F.

    Tons of beer - though what you want is usually not being served any more (because they never seem to update their menu) or comes in a midget sized glass (full price though). Usually very crowded, sometimes loud. Kind of a strange place.

    (3)

  • Joe L.

    OK for drinks at the front bar area. Usually not overcrowded. Otherwise, I've gone to this cavernous venue several times for food, and experienced atrocious service and mediocre food. In the most recent episode, our group of five was seated outside and only received our drinks a full 45 minutes later. At one point we tried to flag a waiter, only to be rudely dismissed, with him brusquely telling us that our table was not his to serve. Our own server made us feel as if we were imposing on her when she did show up. When the food finally came, long after we got our drinks, my fried chicken and waffles was overall pretty unremarkable (although the portion was generous). The others liked their burgers. Overall, I'd recommend ATR for a relatively low-key place to grab a drink in Clarendon. But the service is consistently bad.

    (2)

  • dave r.

    Went back two more times. One time: Waited 25 minutes for my food. Unacceptable at lunch time. Second time: Service is very off. Got asked by four different staff if our food was okay in a seven minute period. Basically felt like we were getting heckled with niceness. Oh and I asked if the black bean soup or whatever was vegetarian and he said yeah, but when he brought it was like "there's chicken broth though, is that okay?" I'm glad he said something but nope nope nope. Honestly, I can't figure this place out. I still think their green salad is remarkably well balanced. And the pasta (basically the one hot dish I can eat there) is fine. But honestly, not a good reason to keep going back unless there's some kind of unavoidable group thing.

    (2)

  • Colin C.

    Amazing happy hour and draft beer selection. Only had the pretzels for food but that was good also. Half off their huge draft beer selection was great and the atmosphere was really nice also. Good for work happy hours or a nice dinner with some good beer. Kind of dead in there but not sure why, maybe because it's new.

    (5)

  • Michele D.

    I attended a Breaux Wine Dinner at ATR last night and it was amazing. The food was incredible to say the least and I was happy to hear that some of the items were on the main dining room menu as well. The staff was very attentive, calling me by name whenever a new glass of wine was poured, and the setting for the wine tasting was great. I have been to ATR before to watch football and I've had brunch there as well. I always enjoy going there and will definitely continue to go back! P.S. Try the chop salad with the goat cheese fondue...it was to die for!!!

    (4)

  • Gabby M.

    Amazing beer list, both on tap and bottles. I got the Tap Room burger and it was pretty good; fries were great! Our server, Jasmine, was wonderful as well! Very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Also, super cool ambiance and very comfortable seating.

    (4)

  • Lauren S.

    We caught an odd waiter on an odd night.... his last night, to be exact and he made it clear he couldn't care less! Still, truth be told, the service wasn't bad and we were able to snag a nice high top outside. My only gripe was over the water situation. Along with our beers, I asked for one and was ribbed over ordering a water at a bar. I thought surely he was joking, but had to ask 3 times until he brought me a small glass. I'd probably go back simply because it was one of the less-packed places in Clarendon on a Saturday night... and because 1 rather cranky server is now gone.

    (3)

  • Carl Y.

    This is a case of excellent location, beautiful outdoor seating with good fireplaces, and an interesting menu with terrible, overwhelmed, and inexperienced service. First. When greeted at the door, we asked for a menu... answered with a confused look, but compliance. Then we asked to be seated outside... and first given a seat immediately in front of the door through which all traffic passed (a table which, ideally wouldn't exist). We asked to be seated elsewhere (the outdoor seating was about 60% full, inside about 20%) and following another confused look... compliance and a seat at a dirty table. 8 minutes pass and no waiter, no cleaner, no anything. A harried, but enthusiastic waiter from another section checked on us and was ready to dive in just before our waiter showed. We ordered a Wild Turkey and ginger and I inquired about the advertised special: Bacon-infused Bowman Bourbon... stammers and reports no one has ordered it. Returns from the bar stating they don't carry Wild Turkey. UNLIKELY. A request for a list of available bourbons met an enthusiastic effort to go, write the list down and return. We demurred. Drinks finally ordered. 15 minutes pass. Her drink shows up... mine is out wandering the streets. We ordered the overpriced pretzel as an appetizer. It showed up with her drink and was decent. But we still needed silverware. At the 45 minute mark, my drink was still missing in action and I presume a SWAT team was on the mission. Her drink untouched and pretzel eaten, I dropped a $10 on the table and we walked out. POTENTIAL SAVING GRACE: Manager Jeremy catches us on the sidewalk and asked what went wrong. I explained all the above... calmly... no frantic noise or being a jerk. He offered to cover dinner, (but didn't return my $10) and we declined. He said if we ever come back, dinner was on him. Unlikely... Wish I read the reviews in advance. With all the amazing places to dine in the DC area... pulling up on Amateur Hour really should not be an option.

    (1)

  • Natalie D.

    I was in the area this past weekend, some friends (locals) and I stumbled accross the American Tap Room for a late dinner. Service was ok, the Restaurant Manager was very professional and attentive however our waitress was little off. Only complaint is that the soda was out of carbonation, however the waitress kept bringing new glasses of the same flat soda. Now to the food, we all had the Maryland crab soup which was very tasty, however they did not have any oyster crackers and the waitress did not offer any bread. I had the shrimp and grits, which was very tasty and consistent with the traditional carolina version. The grits were stone ground, the tasso gravy was perfectly spiced and the shrimp were plump and cooked to perfection. My friend ordered the bone in pork chop and cleaned her plate. The peanutbutter mini dessert was just enough. I will certainly go back if ever in the area.

    (4)

  • Saara Z.

    Had a really bad experience here primarily with the service. But I'll keep it straightforward - the wait staff has no idea what customer service means. Our waiter messed up my order so I waited a total of 30 mins and watched my friend eat his burger. Burger was pretty good, but that's about it. To be fair, the manager came over once he realized what was going on and comped my entree. Overall, this experience could potentially have gone better but I will not be returning to find out.

    (1)

  • Amanda M.

    I give our server 5 stars. But the restaurant 2.5. My sister, brother-in-law, and I went here on Saturday 10/29/11. My BIL was running the Marine Corps Marathon the next morning and wanted something other than pasta. We went to Clarendon since there are several restaurants within a 5 block area. As I hadn't been to ATR before and my sis and BIL are not from the area, we decided to check it out. We started with the calamari - lightly battered and served with ATR's "Asian dipping sauce". The calamari was good, not overly greasy and the sauce was fine, although I think I prefer a basic marinara. The nice surprise was that mixed in with the calamari were thin slices of onion that had been breaded and fried with the calamari - delicious. For our mains we ordered the following: Sushi appetizer (I ordered two appetizers for my main course). Spicy tuna roll, vegetable roll, and blue crab roll. Rice was over cooked and the soy sauce was way too salty. Oh well. Should have known better, however, the spicy tuna by itself was spot on. Mussels in white wine and something or other sauce (again an appetizer, but this made up the second part of my main course). Sadly, these were under-cooked - the manager said he would adjust our bill accordingly and yet our final bill had no adjustments - was too tired to argue so we just paid it. Rib eye with chardonnay shallot butter sauce. Best dish of the meal. This was my BIL's dish. He loved it. Steak was cooked perfectly and the sauce was to die for. Lobster Mac & Cheese - with mascarpone, tomato, leek, and herbs. Served with green beans and tomatoes sauteed in garlic. My sister ordered this. We both thought it was too runny - mac & cheese should be thick and gooey - and there were too many leeks in it. The green beans and tomatoes were absolutely lovely. So, at the end of the day, ATR is fine. Won't rush out to go there again, but if someone suggested we meet there, I would.

    (2)

  • David C.

    Took way too long to get 2 beers that cost $22.00. Waited 40 minutes to order. Finally left. What a waste.

    (1)

  • Armond B.

    Awesome beers on tap. Walk in and turn left, its a cool sports bar with a ton of TVs. Turn right and its an upscale looking restaurant with cool booths and seating. The food was decent and the prices are on the high side, but if you want a nicer place with some atmosphere, give it a look.

    (4)

  • Deb B.

    Went here last night with a friend after a bad day. I'd hear it was good and it definitely was. Getting seated was chaotic and the worst part of the experience. The hostesses were not very friendly and I had to tell them three times that I was waiting to be seated...when there was no wait. Once I was seated, everything went smoothly. My friend and I ordered drinks first. I got the raspberry mojito. I am not a fan of sweet drinks and asked the waitress how sweet it was. She told me she'd tell the bar tender to use less syrup. The drink was fantastic--just the right amount of syrup, bits of raspberry. I'd recommend it. The food came out quickly. We got the bavarian pretzel as an appetizer. We just wanted a little taste, so splitting the pretzel worked fine. It was fantastic. I would go back just for a drink and a pretzel. We got the cheddar ale dip, which was good but not as amazing as the pretzel itself. I got the blackened chicken sandwich. It was pretty amazing. The combination of blackened chicken, marinated pineapple, and avocado was great. The baguette roll was a bit much, but still tasty. I finished the sandwich with a fork and knife. I would definitely go back for the rest of the menu! Oh, funky bit about the bathrooms. There was a tv in the mirror!!! I've never seen anything like that. It was weird but fascinating. Good thing I went at the end of the meal, or I would've stayed in there way too long.

    (4)

  • Frank S.

    Where to begin...this has to be the single douchiest restaurant I've ever dined at. And that's saying a lot because it's even douchy by Arlington standards. Our party was seated by a stiff, cranky hipster waitress who openly sneered at me in judgmental pretension when I deigned to order tap water instead of whatever overpriced Perrier knock-off they were selling. I also couldn't hold back the laughter upon discovering that the menus have their very own backlights - you know, to look hip and all - and are plugged into a battery recharger every evening. The food is average, but compromised by the fact that the owners of the place can't freaking make up their minds what they're trying to accomplish. I guess their aim is some sort of Asian-Mediterranean-Caribbean "fusion" all under the cover of a place that presents itself as an "American" sports bar, but what it really comes across as a disjointed mixture of noodles, spices, and whatever you happen to have ordered, smothered in stale sauces that are trying way too hard to bring an "ethnic" flavor but end up canceling each other out. Bottom line: this place tries way too hard to be...well...I'm not exactly sure what it's trying to be. But what it actually is is somewhat horrifying.

    (1)

  • Amy M.

    I hesitated to even try ATR with all the mediocre Yelp reviews but my boyfriend and I went and thought it was GREAT! The beer selection was awesome, our server Emma was fun and funny, and we had a great time. We went on a Tuesday after shopping at Trader Joe's (very convenient) and walked right in at about 6pm. No reservation and no crowds. The last time I came, there was an hour and a half wait, so call ahead! The mussels were delicous. Rich in a cream sauce, very fresh and very good sized. I had the scallops which are served wrapped in bacon with fried green tomato garnish. The tomatoes were bland but the rest of the dish was delish! My boyfriend had a steak which was properly cooked but average. We are excited to go back here and try again. Atmosphere was modern and open.

    (4)

  • Michelle H.

    The food here is fine. Nothing special and just what you'd expect from a mediocre chain restaurant. The service is where there's a problem. Their website listed that they had a particular beer from DC Brau. I didn't feel like driving all the way to DC, so I called ahead to make sure they still had it. The person that answered the phone was rude and then cited some VA law saying she could not answer any alcohol related questions. I was taken aback and told her that I was just wanting to confirm that they served this beer from their website. Then she said, "Oh, OK, I just can't tell you how much it costs." Ummm, OK. Fine. So she went to check and said that yes, they have it. Excellent! Are you selling growlers of it? "Um, what? Hang on." Then she came back to say that yes, they sell growlers of it then hung up on me. So, I drove all the way there, paid for parking, and they most certainly did not have the beer! Please, please educate your staff on your product. You call yourself a tap room, right? Also, if you don't know what you're talking about, at least try to be nice.

    (1)

  • L M.

    I went here after work with a friend at around 5:15, and the hostess had us wait for about 15 minutes until the server arrived. She said something about how they were waiting for the server to show up, because they stop seating people between lunch and dinner hours or something... We didn't understand- we told her we wouldn't mind sitting at the bar, but for some reason she kept us waiting for 15 and then finally seated us herself. What happened to the phantom server? Eventually we were waited on. We were not informed of any happy hour specials, so I don't know if they have any. On the positive: the buffalo chicken dip is DELICIOUS. Such a unique dish- I've only had it at tailgating parties, and have never seen it on a restaurant menu before. It was tasty and was served with celery sticks and a sliced baguette - way more enjoyable than your average buffalo wings. Plus it was filling too! Even though it was an appetizer, I got it as my meal and was stuffed after. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich that came with a huge helping of handmade potato chips- big portions, and she said it tasted good. This place is huge, with a few bars/rooms for private parties, as well as a huge dining area for restaurant patrons. Really nice decor that was pleasantly surprising. I will probably give this place another chance due to the environment. Plus I hear the pretzels are to die for. Great food, but make sure you don't get there before 5:30pm on a weekday unless you want to risk being abandoned at the front door for a little while.

    (4)

  • C B.

    Another great experience at ATR! We had a group of 4 on a Friday night and only had to wait about 10 minutes, which was no problem since that gave us a little time to dive into the large beer selection. Our server was top-notch and very attentive. The food was excellent (scallops, crusted salmon and ribeye). Beers were perfectly refilled. And lastly, you gotta love the big, comfy leather chairs! Will definitely return soon!

    (4)

  • Matt C.

    $5.50 for a 12oz Bud Light bottle? Really? Really? Food was mediocre. There are better options in Clarendon.

    (1)

  • Christina A.

    The menu looked promising, the fire outside sure caught my eye... but I won't be back here any time soon for food. I was here last week for drinks with friends, had a glass of wine, that was about it. Non event. Came back for lunch today and had their signature salad with avocado and corn and mango and shrimp... It had a creamy dressing on it that really didn't go and wasn't mentioned in the description, and the 4 shrimp I ordered for my salad were RAW. RAW. Squishy, slimy, nasty, spit-back-into-your-napkin raw. They only hit the grill long enough to not be absolutely see through. I was sitting at the bar and made it thru my whole salad (except the shrimp) before I was asked how everything was. Uh, it was gross but I was hungry, and the shrimp are just not consumable. The manager did take them off the check for me, but this is NOT a place I want to come back to eat...

    (2)

  • Margaret C.

    I met a couple of friends for lunch - we hadn't been together in a while so lingered and lingered after eating. It was no problem at all. They periodically came by to see if we wanted more water or something else. They did not rush us at all and it was very much appreciated. Note: we came in at noon and left around 4! Our lunches ere just salads but very good ones.

    (5)

  • Alegra A.

    I went here for my birthday with a date. The food was pretty good, I had the day's special, which was blackened catfish over chorizo black beans and rice. He had the ribs and fries. we both had wine and the list to choose from was decent. Good atmosphere with huge leather chairs and LED screen menus. both were a little unnecessary but still nice. I'd say this place is comparable to an upscale version of TGI Fridays or Applebees.

    (3)

  • Jon T.

    My wife and I met another couple for supper at ATR this weekend, the first time we've eaten there. It took a bit of time to get seated, but once we were down we were excited to try things out. The good points - big portions of both food & drink, over-attentive staff (we had 3 different waiters over the course of the meal), very comfortable seats. Bad points - I had fish and chips, which was ok - the chips cold and soggy. My wife's blackened chicken was basically semi-cooked chicken with a lot of pepper sporadically put on, housed in a sandwich of stale bread. She left half of it, and was going to tell the waiter, except we were never asked how our meal was. Our waiter started clearing away plates from the table before everyone was finished, which I always find incredibly rude. Finally, we split the bill and got the wrong items were put on our bill. All in all a mixed experience , and unsure if I'd go back. Maybe to try out the beer, which had a good selection of beers.

    (3)

  • Ray C.

    WOW!!! I really should have paid attention to the other reviews on this place. The overall experience was horrible. It took roughly 30-45 mins to get my food and the food was medicore at best. The wait staff must have a strict no helping out the other wait staff rule, because my waiter was MIA and the other waitress just stared as I needed something.

    (1)

  • Andy M.

    Food was great, much better than we ever expected. Service was good. Teriyaki surf and turf was phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth B.

    Went last night for the National Championship game. Surprisingly quiet on a "big" game night, but I chalk that up to the game being on a Monday night (why, why, why do they do that?) and the abnormally frigid DC temperatures last night. It's a nice space, with lots of TVs. Since it wasn't crowded, we were easily able to take over a couple of bar tables, and service from the bartender was fairly attentive throughout the evening. Nice (read inexpensive) gametime specials. We tried the buffalo chicken dip, which was good but more of a cheesy chicken dip, light on "buffalo" flavor. We also tried their big pretzel with beer cheese and cheesy bacon dip. Both were good, although we were surprised that the beer cheese was actually a cold spread vs. a dip. I'm a Bud Light girl, so "good" beer places are kind of wasted on me, but it looked like they had a great selection (or at least a lot of taps) and the bartender was nice enough to bring my friend several samples to taste when he asked about different beers. I also liked the fact that he was able to ever so subtly steer us away from the original appetizer that we were considering, and recommend something else. Everything on the menu isn't going to be a hit - kudos on knowing that and helping your first time customers order wisely!

    (3)

  • John E.

    Electronic menus kind of cool. $19 lobster Mac and cheese had lots of lobster, the duck pasta $16 was good. Crab and spinach dip $9 decent.

    (3)

  • T y.

    I came here during lunch for the second time, I'm a total fan of american tap room now. All the dishes that I tried at this place had been great. Definitely worth coming back and the price is fantastic for lunch as well.

    (4)

  • Truthful Y.

    This place has exceptionally good french onion soup! Who would have known?! The menu is fairy solid American food. I really like the light up menus and the bartenders are pretty good. The most recent time I went, it was quiet as it appeared a lot of folks were at the Nats or Caps games. It seems as though it gets busy during most other times.

    (3)

  • CBS X.

    If the quality of the food could keep up with the service at this place, it would be awesome. The service has always been stellar and informative. The food is hit or miss. I had a great salmon salad there for lunch once, a tiny portion of fish for dinner (the prep was great, the portion was tiny- especially for the price) and an okay chicken sandwich. The description of the chicken sandwich sounded great. The sandwich itself didn't have a lot of flavor. The fries were horrible. Overcooked. To their credit, the waiter said just let them know next time and they'll switch the fries out. Oh, and I had a couple bites of my friend's lobster mashed potatoes. That was GOOD. Like I said very hit or miss.

    (3)

  • S R.

    Bar area: typical Clarendon crowd. Dining room: older crowd who can afford the moderate prices. I had the scallops, and they were okay. Service was good, but the food was mediocre. The mashed potatoes lacked salt and butter. The lit menus are cool as well as the comfy seats. There are better choices in Arlington that cost less.

    (2)

  • C. W.

    First off, I LOVED how the first review of this place was originally from a guy with only this review to his name, extolling ATR's virtues as having "the best brunch in town" when IT HAD NOT BEEN OPEN FOR BRUNCH YET. The mods got to that one pretty quickly. I understand trying to get the word out, and restaurants have their PR tricks, but jeez try to be a little bit discreet about it. But anyhow, two stars for happy hour, having gone this evening. Yes, the place is nice. It's got a big outside area, front and back. It's immaculate and smooth inside. The bar area, frankly, is a bit small in my opinion, given what you know the place is going to turn into after 9 or 10 PM. Maybe they'll open up some of the dining room but the furniture in there is BIG. Not much flex space if they want to turn this into a bar at night. Negative stars for the revolving door. You're killing me here. The first time a drunken meathead blasts through this thing like he's found a hole in the offensive line and some poor little girl on the other side gets sliced in half against the door frame it's going to be bad times. Happy hour - ugh, again, this hurts. Yes, they've got 40 or something beers on tap. But let's make this clear - about 75% of them you could have licked off the basement floor in my fraternity house on any given tuesday. Take away all the "light"s and "lite"s, mega-imports and faux-crafts and you've got maybe 5 things left that are somewhat creative. Not even in the same league as Galaxy Hut, not to even speak of Rustico or Churchkey. So I saunter up to the bar and ask the bartender what their "selected" happy hour beers are. My heart sinks as the guy tells me Bud Light, Miller Light, their house IPA, and Yuengling. I could almost see the sorrow in his eyes. I was taken aback and mumbled something with despair in my voice. He mumbled something sad as well. It was awkward. We knew. There was a mutual expression of sadness. My one hope for this place was that it would have some sort of killer beer special to make me get over the mass-produced chain grandiosity of it all. Nope. Just $3.50 bud light. My god, don't they know that every other place around them blows that out of the water? Ordered some food, and it tasted pretty good. The wings and fried asparagus were tasty, in an "invented in a corporate kitchen and tested on focus groups to achieve broad demographic-spanning appeal" sort of way. Considering it was night two or three for the place, they were operating on all cylinders. No big hiccups. But there was no value in the food. Expensive for not very much to eat, especially for "bar bites". Again, for happy hour around here, it's all about value in my book. Even places like the Liberty Tavern come down off their high horses and throw out some cheap morsels to the impoverished masses every night until 7. So it was what I'd expect. Slick, mass produced chain feel. Nothing horribly wrong, just nothing horribly right either. Sure, there's a time and a place for that. But, when that time and place comes, Rock Bottom takes American Tap Room out back to the woodshed and teaches it a lesson. Is this what we've come to, guys? Are we content with taking Reston and Bethesda's sloppy thirds? No need for a value proposition, just package it up real shiny and...ooh, a fire pit!! Sadly, the answer is yes. This place will make money hand over fist. And can I blame them? Of course not. Maybe sometime I will go there for dinner. Likely when my parents are in town. And they will probably love it. Sigh.

    (2)

  • Anthony W.

    Crappy staff and the drinks tasted water down. The food was unoriginal and simply not worth the price. Went on a Friday night thinking it would be a good place to carry over from HH to dinner with friends. Was placed in the back room where we could only order from the bar, so no staff, bartender seemed not to care that we ordered and food took 45 min and arrived cold. After a complaint from the table the bartender said he would talk to the Manger to see if there was anything he could do. We watched him just stand behind the bar and never talked to anyone about our issue. Once we finished we decided to leave and check out another bar across the street. To accommodate the issue we had as a group we left the 'uncaring' bartender no tip as he truly did not care, so why should we.

    (1)

  • Laura P.

    This place isn't that good. I don't even remember what I ordered really - I think I had some spring rolls and a salad. I went here for happy hour and had a few glasses of wine. The bartender was pretty busy and a bit rude. All in all, I would maybe come back for a drink since it's only a few blocks away from me, but I wouldn't recommend eating here.

    (2)

  • Mary Lee B.

    Ugh! Just say no! My two stars are generous because the beer and wine selection is excellent, as it the outdoor patio. But the rest is horrible. We were seated with drinks already, so the waiter dove right into telling us about the specials. Well, some of the specials. He didn't mention what the fish of the day was. When I asked, he only half described it. I asked to substitute a different vegetable for the mixed veggies he described, which he said wasn't possible. He also told my friend that he couldn't get rice instead of fries. In reading his card that listed the specials, he laughed at what he thought was the chef getting fancy. No, Mr. Waiter, "fingerling potatoes" are not fancy french fries! No I have to educate the wait staff about their food?! We had to ask to get bread, which arrived after the entrees, but was so bad we shouldn't have bothered. Once the food arrived, my friends ribeye looked like it could have been featured at Western Sizzlin' or some other cheesy mall "steak house". And, my fish came with crawfish all over it. That wasn't mentioned by our waiter or I wouldn't have ordered it, since I've very allergic to shellfish. They took it back and brough a new, undercooked, fish out a few minutes later. Our waiter argued with me that there was shellfish on it until he read his card closer and said oh, there it is, well I didn't think it was necessary to tell you every ingrediant. Really? That's the response you want to go with? You don't think that crawfish would be a vital ingrediant to mention?? The manager did comp my meal, but I think that ticked off the waiter since he just brought us the check without even asking about more drinks or dessert. And, the desserts actually looked very good. Yeah, I wouldn't go back on a bet!

    (2)

  • Katelyn P.

    The salads are tasty and the service was good. I would recommend this place for a good after work bevie and meal.

    (4)

  • kevin d.

    Outside ambiance, and glow light menus were cool. The waiter was cool too. My drink was a long island. Yes, I'm sure many readers here won't trust the judgement of a LIT drinker but if made right it is excellent and has been my drink of choice for many years now. So I know good from bad. Let me preface I'm not saying this is absolutely the worst I've ever had....just that I can't recall (and yes the irony of a strong memory wiping drink isn't lost here) one so bad. It wasn't the waiters fault for lack of skill though. It was the restaurant policy to use rail alcohol. $10 for an LIT with rail is a bad sign....what else are they skimping on. The nachos while tasty had hardly any cheese or enough meat on it and had to be remade because it was cold by the time we got it. The second time around it wasn't much better. The waiter apologized and took it off the bill with out asking. He also made the 2nd LIT with a mix of rail and mid tier(not top shelf) for an extra two bucks(with the managers permission). This did taste better I admit. But what left a bad taste with me is the cheapness of ATR. I'd heard other concerns before but decided to find out on my own. This was not the waiter or his supervisors fault, in fact I think they went beyond for me. I blame the restaurant itself. With much much better choices at this price point near by go to circa for an LIT, Lyon hall or Cava for food

    (1)

  • Amanda H.

    Some tap room! There were only a couple beers on tap and they were mostly lame domestics that were overpriced. Don't waste your time here. If you are looking for a good beer selection check out the Bier Baron or Food Wine & Co.

    (1)

  • Kristen R.

    I keep giving this place a chance and keep getting disappointed. I think the happy hours are decent. Lately, I've been dining here for brunch. They changed the menu and took a lot of previous options off (options which are the reason I went here). The service is always very bad, no matter when I've gone and who has served me. Orders are typically messed up and service is extremely slow. I keep hoping that it will get better, but so far I'm disappointed each time I decide to dine here.

    (3)

  • Jason R.

    Wide variety of beers on tap and usually an open seat at the bar. Fairly boring food menu and service outside on a Friday night was terrible.

    (2)

  • David H.

    Not sure why reviews are bad? Been about five times now and the food and service have been consistently good. I particularly liked the duck pizza and the slider trio, and my wife gives high marks to the salads. Very good beer selection. Only con is the lousy happy hour offerings. Need to discount their decent beer instead of just the Miller/Bud swill.

    (5)

  • Mr. D.

    I've been here a few times now and have had a great experience each time. The service has always been spot on, and the food is decent (and not obnoxiously expensive). The beer and pretzels are great, and its not hard to get a seat.

    (5)

  • Derrick L.

    So today I was having my car serviced at a dealership in Arlington. They said it would be like over an hour so I decided to go have lunch. I stumbled cross the American Tap Room and actually almost didn't go in the place. A guy standing outside smoking told me that I needed to go in there and have lunch. He said the food was great and he highly recommended the Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls. So I walk in and sit in the bar area. I was handed two menu's (both had a back-light that lit up the text when opened) one for food and the other for drinks. They had a nice selection of different beers on tap, so I ordered one of the new chocolate stout beers they carry. I then proceeded to start my order with the Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls. The waitress just smiled and said "you'll love them". I then proceeded to the restroom after my order (where they had led TVs on the wall above the stalls) and also a tiny led TV built into the mirror above the sink (nice). So once I get back the waitress delivered my beer and my spring rolls. One word to describe the Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls would be "AWESOME". They were cooked just right with a side of a sweet and tangy orange colored Caribbean sauce. They might be a tad spicy for some, but I love a little heat :-) I also ended up ordering a delicious Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of handmade fries. The bun they used for the Cheeseburger was the bomb. One of the best tasting Cheeseburgers buns I've had in like forever. I also washed down another beer (it was an IPA brew but I can't remember the name) and sat and watched every news broadcast on at the time talk about the death of Kadafi... All in all, my overall experience at American Tap Room was excellent! Great food, great beer, and great service! I would highly recommend that you check this place out if you haven't already (don't forget to order the JC Spring Rolls) and I'm looking forward to coming back again, maybe for a happy hour :-)

    (5)

  • Adam G.

    They have done a nice job with the look and feel of this restaurant / bar. The service is also decent. It seems like a good place to meet friend or watch a game. The prices are kind of a rip off though. $7.50 for a Guinness... really?! You can't go for the casual/trendy image and then charge top dollar for food and drinks. It's not NY or even DC. To put things in perspective I have never felt ripped off at Circa, Liberty Tavern or Lyon Hall. The food is also not very impressive. I have to say that the sit down lunch was better than the appetizers I had at the bar, but that is not saying much. I've never seen sushi rolls with so much rice on them. If you are going to push the limits of you menu, make sure you have someone back there that knows how to nail it.

    (2)

  • Dean H.

    Food was bad. Had a pizza. Horrible. Wife had a tuna melt on flatbread. Uninspired. They should revamp the entire menu. Just not a good addition to the neighborhood. The beer selection is very good. If your only interest is in a watering hole then this might suit you. Don't come here to eat.

    (1)

  • Molly L.

    If you are in the mood for a great burger and fries, this place is worth consideration. I would skip the pizza ... You can get better pizza elsewhere, and other entrees at ATR are much tastier. Overall, I think that ATR suffers a bit from having a chain restaurant feel and from being located near other restaurants with more interesting food options.

    (3)

  • David K.

    American Tap Room seems like a place people either love or hate. Some think it's too chainy, some think it's fantastic. I guess I fall in the middle. I've been back several times and have never been wowed, but also think it's just fine. It's certainly better than nearby Ri-Ra, Mr. Days and Clarendon Ballroom. The interior of American Tap Room is gorgeous. The bar area is spacious with plenty of stools, the dining room looks like a country clubs dining room with overstuffed chairs, rich colors and fireplaces. There is also a smaller glass walled bar in the back. The highlight of the place is the beer selection (as noted by their name), and yes, they have plenty of taps. Unfortunately, it's like they chose the most generic beers possible to have on tap. To me, it looked like they had very few true craft brews, but many of the brands that have been bought up by Inbev recently (like Palm). With so many taps, I'd like to see a little more creativity and risk taking in their beer program. With generic beers, the food would have to be outstanding to get a high rating from me. As it is, the food is fine. The burger was tasty, well cooked, but nothing was exceptional about it. My wife sampled the crab cake sandwich and was very impressed. The crab cake itself seemed to be just jumbo lump, and this came through in the great flavor. It was a bit small, but hey, jumbo lump! As a drinking establishment on weekends, the bar area can get crowded, but it didn't seem too difficult to get a drink. I might prefer American Tap Room during the day when it is a bit less crowded, but it's an OK option as a stop along a night of bar hopping. And yes, the lit up menus are impressive.

    (3)

  • Mike B.

    Service was terrible, the worst part was when we mentioned it to the waiter and manager, they didn't care. Food was just OK. They never brought one of the items we ordered, and what we did get was too salty. Never again. Do not waste your money here.

    (2)

  • Windi L.

    American Tap Room is a nice addition to the Clarendon area, located right off of the Clarendon metro stop for you to easily stumble drunk as you leave. The service was great and on a Friday night, had our table of six ready when we arrived at 9:30pm. We were forced to order food since we were at the dining area versus the bar so we had the duck pizza. YES, DUCK PIZZA!! We were all fighting over it so we ordered another one. Our waiter never forgot about us and kept the drinks coming. The other food we had was their dessert... I had the bread pudding. If you are as into beer as Justin C. you probably won't find this place impressive, but for the most part, the beer selection was good. And, they had my favorite, Allagash. We also drank some good Malbec and some mixed drinks, including their raspberry champagne drink (I know I had at least two). The decor can't be beat with multiple bar areas and outdoor seating. Note, the outdoor seating closes at around midnight due to complaining neighbors, but if you do get a chance to sit outside, the fire pit will keep you warm!

    (4)

  • Keri B.

    So I went to ATR with some girlfriends a few weeks ago for a girls night out. It should've been a warning to us that ATR was the only place we could get reservations for 8 on a Saturday night less than a week in advance... Anyways, we arrived and were told that our table would be ready shortly. We went to the bar to get drinks, which went fine. Great selection of beer on tap (hence the name), strong liquor pours; so far, so good. After we were seated, we were told that we wouldn't be able to have water at that time, as they were out of glasses. Hmmm okay I guess that happens occasionally, maybe some butterfingers had dropped a tray full of glasses and they were running low. Anyways, about 15 minutes after being seated, our server finally decided to take our orders (we'd been ready for a while, but he was apparently playing hide-and-seek, as he was nowhere to be found). We had a pretty good selection of items, including appetizers, burgers, salads, soup, and pizza. With our appetizer round, one of my friends had ordered the Blue Moon mussels. They really did sound great on the menu, but when I heard her descriptors, including "very bland" and "cold", I started getting worried, as I had ordered them as my entree. Maybe it was just a bad batch? 10 minutes later, George (our server) decided to come check on our table, and my friend was finally able to send back her mussels. Meanwhile, I had finished a dirty caesar salad which was mediocre to good. At least we'd received our items, as another friend was still waiting for her mussels. Oh well, maybe they'll be coming out with another round of items? We finally got our water. Well, most of us, at least, as two of the glasses were cracked, as George didn't realize one of the very first things servers learn, and that is that you don't put ice water in a hot glass, or it will break. Did he bother to bring back water for the ones of us who didn't recieve it? Not until we reminded him 20 minutes later. When we received our entrees, the same friend who DID recieve her bland and cold mussels got her entree salad, the grilled caesar, which, according to the menu, includes 1/2 head of grilled romaine and 1/2 head of chilled romaine. Apparently they left off the part about the grilled 1/2 being ridiculously charred. I mean, literally blackened. I've had grilled caesar salads before. The romaine is supposed to be lightly browned, not burnt beyond recognition. Or so I thought, until I noticed a manager at a nearby table (George was apparently playing hide-and-seek again) and mentioned to him that my friend didn't care for her salad, that it was burnt, and he started ARGUING with me about "that's how we make it, that's how it's supposed to be". Last time I checked, managers are not supposed to argue with the customer when the customer has a legit complaint. I also told him that I didn't care for my mussels, as they were, in fact, incredibly bland. I've had mussels prepared many ways, and these were worse than even the ones you get from the frozen seafood section at Wal-Mart (I admit, poor college student food decisions aren't always the best, but they're better than ATR's chef's, apparently.) The best part of the meal, we decided, was when our other friend didn't EVER get the mussels she ordered, as that saved her from having to send them back. Then, to top it off, George decided to come back after we were all done and actually had the guts to add on a 20% gratuity, to which we were never alerted. It wasn't in the menu, it wasn't mentioned to us. Will I go back? Maybe if there's another earthquake and ATR is the ONLY place open for a cold beer. That's about the only time I would go back. There are a lot of better choices in Clarendon.

    (1)

  • Joe L.

    ATR has some of the best outdoor seating in Arlington. The back area is spacious, and, unlike other outdoor areas in Arlington, not on a main road. And ATR installed these really cool outdoor fire pits that add nicely to the nighttime ambiance. My wife's martini was served in a full-size martini glass, filled up only half way. This is a big bad hot button with us. The small martini serving is not overpriced, so please ATR--get some small martini glasses. To add insult to injury, the drink was first delivered with some sort of orange flavored vodka, and had to be re-done. I had a burger, and it was ok. My wife had steak fritte, and said the filet was very good. The frittes didn't show up when first delivered. The creamed spinach was horrible. For a place called The American Tap room, the beer selection is pretty large, but, by today's standards, pretty average. Not in the same league as Rustico/Birch-and-Barley. The staff is made up of of rookies, and are friendly, but pretty clueless. Maybe they'll improve. There is a nice quiet back-room bar, which we might return to. And I think we will return for the great outdoor seating.

    (2)

  • John B.

    I don't know what it is about American Tap Room restaurants that just scream mediocrity, but you pair that with ridiculous beer prices and what you have is a place that won't get a ton of my business. Although the beer selection is good, you can get the same beers cheaper elsewhere. I've eaten at the one in Reston, as well as the one in Arlington and the food as always been so-so. With all the other great bars that do food extremely well in Clarendon like Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall, Cava, Circa and even Arlington Rooftop, I'll spend my money there instead. I don't doubt ATR will survive in this location, but they would have been better off doing what Spider Kelly's did and keep the drink prices low when you open, then sneak them up over a year or two hoping people won't notice.

    (2)

  • Bryan A.

    I love the ATR... always get great service, great food, and steady drinks! Tons of beer selections! Not a bad place to watch some games every now and then. Has a romantic restaurant area as well, I've always got in without reservations, even on the weekend.

    (5)

  • Tom J.

    Whoa. Disappointing. Price was okay but portions small and the food was tasteless. Decent bar service but not an overly friendly guy and it seemed as if I was an obstacle to the other things he had to do. Way too stoic and would have been great to get a "hey! How are you tonight?" Instead, I got "what do you want" attitude. Had they been busy, I could forgive this but it wasn't. Should have sat at a table as the servers seemed good and attentive. My mistake.

    (2)

  • Jennifer S.

    Nothing special, but a decent place to grab a drink in a crowded bar on a Friday night!

    (3)

  • Tom W.

    Disappointing. Great atmosphere, two cool bars, huge selection of beers and wine. BUT, the food was borderline terrible. The ribeye steak is a paper thin slab of cheap grade meat that was tough and over cooked. Who in their right mid makes lobster mashed potatoes with instant mashed potatoes? They were beyond bland. I wanted so much to like the place. I guess I can recommend it as a bar but not for dining.

    (2)

  • Ben O.

    After being contacted by ATR's Director of Operations and being offered two free entrees to give them a second shot, I took some friends and went back. We were promptly seated at a table with comfy high-backed chairs and the manager, John, came over to say hello. I gave him the information from the Director of Operations, and he accepted it with a smile and said he'd be back a little later to check on us. Emma, our server, gave great recommendations for appetizers, drinks, entrees, and desserts. We had the Jerk Chicken Spring Rolls, which were really tasty. The mango sauce they came with was excellent. Overall, I'm really glad that Emma recommended them and that we tried them. For dinner, two of my friends had the Highland Street Salad and my other friend and I both had the Chilean Sea Bass. The salads looked and tasted great - my friends specifically loved the corn in the salads and the bright, crunchy tortilla strips. The Chilean Sea Bass was excellent - perfectly cooked fish over a bed of sauteed vegetables and mushrooms. The only thing I would have changed about the sea bass was that the portion was a little small for the price of $22. I know the sea bass is expensive, but a small portion of mashed potatoes or a little more of the greens would have been perfect. John checked back during the meal to make sure we were enjoying everything. Emma brought the desserts out on a tray (a nice touch), from which we selected the banana bread pudding and the chocolate creme brulee. The banana bread pudding was awesome - delicious and with just the right amount of banana. The creme brulee was a little rich, but also excellent. Afterwards, John came by to ask us how everything was, but also to ask what had gone wrong last time. I told him, but also told him that the service that we had at our second visit was exactly what we had been hoping for: friendly, prompt, helpful service with delicious food and a great beer selection. Head on over and give it a try. Want to try it a few more times before bumping up to 5 stars, but we had a great time.

    (4)

  • Pru B.

    Decent. Nice atmosphere, cool menus. Maybe 3-and-a-quarter stars. Our server was outwardly stressed, it was the lunch rush so no big deal, and she made me a fantastic cherry Coke by mixing regular Coke with maraschino cherry juice. Why didn't I invent that? We ordered off of the prix fixe Restaurant Week menu (I had no idea Virginia participated in Restaurant Week until recently). I tried the Maryland crab soup, Surf & Turf, and for dessert, cheesecake with raspberry coulis. The cheesecake was yummy, though a bit dense, but still yummy. My steak and shrimp were cooked well and tasted nice, good butter, though I could have used more veggies. But I understand, the steak was the star. Typical American fare, all average, no real "wow"-factor, but not horribly inedible. I will note that the tomato base of the soup was richer and saucier than most, which I really, really enjoyed. It ate more like a chili than a soup. I'll be back, especially since my office gets a good neighbor discount.

    (3)

  • Ross R.

    I am revising my past review down. We went for brunch/early lunch a couple weeks ago and just about everything was off. My burger was smallish, mediocre quality and at best, the preparation was average. My wife's bro-shay (servers pronunciation of brioche) french toast was not even as good as Metro 29s. The other 2 dishes at our table didn't come out with the rest of our food. Dessert for increasingly restless 2.5 year old was slooooooow to come out, even through the place was fairly empty. The manager was attentive, but this place isn't new anymore, they need to get their act together if they plan on sticking around, because there aren't many places I would go ahead of ATR in Arlington, at this point. This place might be good in Bethesda, its not cutting it in Arlington.

    (2)

  • Teresa B.

    Bad experience all around - I'm giving it a two only for decor and atmosphere. The server kept tripping over his words when trying to describe the specials - I'd like to think he was new? The pastry chef has got to leave! We tried the molten lava cake and it was dry as a rock; switched to the choco-creme brulee and it was a solid block of fudge in a creme brulee dish - presentation was great - taste was unpalatable! Best advise - there are better places to blow $50 bucks on lunch!!

    (2)

  • Sally R.

    Like Jon H we were attracted to the lack of line Sunday morning and also were told there would be a wait and we could sit in the bar, while tables sat open. Its Sunday morning, brunch time, hire some servers so people don't have to uncomfortably pool together tall round bar tables. It was all around a strange experience. We waited a very long time for our meal, which was lackluster at best, not even "good bar food." Caesar salad dressing was too salty and lemony, the pizza was a mess- terrible cracker-like crust, a sauce that might as well have been ketchup and for all the waiting we did for our food...it was cold. In fact all of the food which should have been hot was cold. Which makes me wonder if it was the kitchen taking too long to make it or the server too long to pick it up. The service was indifferent and untrained. When half the table has empty water glasses, it makes sense that they fill the all the glasses...instead we each had to request our water filled. From the general appearance (bistro aprons sloppily tied) to the actual service, although I couldn't define it as bad perse, the service conveyed that none of the staff seemed to give a s*&t. I walk past ATR everyday and thought from the appearance it would be pretty good, but I don't understand why they don't follow through with the effort and hire staff that is friendly and alive and a kitchen staff that will show some love to the food.

    (1)

  • Stephanie B.

    This placed just opened up this week and is a great addition to the neighborhood. The food was better than expected and they have an excellent beer list. The restaurant is large enough that it has a regular bar space, tables that are quieter, and a back section. It's been raining all week, but there is a ton of nice outdoor seating. The light up menus are super cool too.

    (4)

  • ms t.

    Let me preface this by stating that I'm somewhat of a beer snob. This place calling itself a tap room is quite ironic. Having been to the ATR in Reston several times, it's pretty much what I expected. The main reason I was looking forward to this one was for the beer selection. They say they have over 60 taps, but the menu only has about 30, over half of which are your standard, boring stuff. I'm guessing they have 60 taps served from 30 kegs. Otherwise, it makes no sense. Even so, they could still do a lot better. Every new place these days has a decent selection of beer, even if they only have 10 taps. People who are drinking Bud and Miller Lite don't care if it's on draft. Basically, I don't see this place differentiating itself from any of its neighbors, except for fancy menus. There are lots of places nearby for better food and/or better beer and/or better specials.

    (2)

  • Tony F.

    Very nice and upscale drinking and dining experience with widescreen TVs throughout! Not so stuffy that you can't come in with jeans and cap

    (4)

  • Dan I.

    This was our 2nd time to ATR. The 1st time, we hoped that they were just still working out the kinks, but now we fear this is as good as it's gonna get. The food was decent, but the rest of the experience was not. Despite having a reservation, we had to wait about five minutes for a table. They then put us at a table next to the glass doors, where there was a draft, making it unbearable on a cold evening. They eventually agreed to move us. They were out of the first beer I ordered (and for a "tap room" they have a pitiful selection on tap). Our waiter was adequate but rather strange and made several odd comments. The bathroom situation is awful on a Sat night, because you have to either squeeze past the crowd at the bar or wait on line.

    (2)

  • Mike G.

    From my reading here, I expected less but enjoyed the place and especially the food. Lively (not dead). Needed a reservation (had one, but beepers were being handed out when we arrived). We were on time and seated immediately. Food was fresh and used fresh ingredients. The menu was slightly different from the usual at chain(s), and I appreciated and enjoyed the large arugula and warm mushroom salad and the turkey burger, my wife's veggie pasta was excellent. Our waiter wasn't a broadway leading man or Joe Cool, just an average looking middle-aged/older gentleman basically doing a nice job, trying to make a living. Was able to see the playoff football in a very comfortable setting (great new wingback leather chairs). Basically this place appears to be somewhat dissed and underrated from what I read here. The crowd was well behaved Arlington millenials -- beautiful and diverse. We're boomers, and thanks for letting us feel welcomed. Their Betheda location is close to us as well, and we'll probably try it (the former Austin Grille location in the heart of Bethesda), but that's a whole other level of 1% snootiness, that intersection can be.

    (3)

  • Angela N.

    Food was decent and service was excellent. We took a long time deciding what we wanted to eat and drink and our server didn't rush us. We also took awhile to get up and leave, to the point it seemed like we were being pushed out. Somewhat expensive but for a tap room, not overly loud and a good atmosphere.

    (3)

  • John A.

    Wish I had read reviews before stopping in here for a few late beers and a snack. In a nutshell, it's a nice enough atmosphere, and our service was fine, but for a "tap room," I would have expected a better selection of beers. Also irritating, and this is something I haven't seen mentioned in other reviews, is that they use pint glasses that aren't pints. They have thick sides and thick glass at the bottom so they LOOK like a pint, but they only hold 14 ounces, and that's only if they fill it to the top with no head. So with the foam, I was left with 12 ounces of beer for a 16 ounce price. I would expect that from an Applebee's, but American TAP ROOM??? Disgraceful.

    (2)

  • M K.

    I was so excited for a place like this to open in Clarendon - something "Rock-Bottom-ish." I'd been to the one in Reston and while it certainly wasn't the best food I'd ever had, I enjoyed it enough. I honestly wasn't expecting anything but "pretty good" american/bar food and this was a total let down. The spring rolls were the only reason they get a 2 and not a 1. While spicy, they were full of chicken and served with a great mango sauce. I ordered a burger because, really (to echo previous posts,) how can you screw up a burger? My "medium" burger was cooked so much it was charred and falling into pieces. The burger was flattened more than something from McDonalds and the bun looked store-bought. Even when it isn't great, I usually eat my meal, but this burger wasn't worth 100 calories let alone 1000. Not juicy, not well cooked, no fun toppings. When I asked for sauteed onions, they brought (almost 10 min later) partially cooked RED onions... um... Anyway, I will say that the beer variety was decent. Buffalo Sweat was unique and tasty, but the variety isn't even remotely comparable to Rustico, Lyon Hall, Fireworks, etc... Our server was a nice guy and the manager was very diligent and concerned. He checked on our table and offered me something else. It was sweet of him but I didn't accept. At that point all I could think about was Pinkberry :) Oh well, ATR. You won't see me again until your reviews average a 4.

    (2)

  • Carrington K.

    I just tried to make a reservation there and they could not get me in until 3 hours after the time i asked for. REALLY???? In addition the women on the phone could barley speak English and I had to ask her everything twice. On top of that she put me on hold for 8 mins and then when she told me they did not have any open tables and I told her no thank you she was so happy and friendly all of a sudden. Don't think I will be trying to make reservation there ever again.

    (1)

  • Jenni J.

    I put 4 stars because the food was that great!!!! The fries OMG delicious! Our waiter was horrible zero smile, zero personality, he needed to loosen up. I'm not sure how he even was hired. Non- attentive just very bad. I hope he rethinks his career being a waiter because he made out time there awkward.

    (4)

  • Lori F.

    I live so close & made it back for my second time one late afternoon to sit outside for drinks with a friend. Katlyn was an exceptional server & we appreciated being offered samples of their cask beers as well as extra chips to go with the spinach artichoke dip. Food ok. She said they're still working on the menu. Tabasco & black pepper helped spice things up in the meantime. I like the ambiance & openness of this location, as well as the beer selection, so I'll be back!

    (4)

  • April W.

    This place is horrible. Please go someplace else. The ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful but the service and food are terrible. The hostess couldn't find my reservation and then had an attitude when I called her on her lies when I showed her my email confirmation. I should have left then and gone to McDonald's. When I was finally seated, I ordered the jerk chicken spring rolls which were bland. I also had some stale dinner rolls with garlic on top. How do you mess up bread? I also ordered a burger, which I really didn't want but the menu is limited. The burger was nothing to brag about. Overall, I could have had a better meal from the drivethru line. I will not be returning to this horrible place.

    (1)

  • Kathleen W.

    The restaurant seems to be very well run. There are a plethora of hostesses, bartenders, and servers on staff and all of our needs were taken care of throughout our visit. The employees are well trained, personable, friendly, and professional. The actual building is very new and clean, nicely decorated and I liked the fireplace that was working that evening. The bathrooms were very clean and I liked the TV screen built into the mirror. The leather club chairs at our table were amazing and I may come back just for those. The strawberry Mojito was one of the best that I have ever had and I will definitely return and have another one of those! The food is where I have a little bit of an issue. The cheese for the pretzel was just odd. We had to use a knife to put it on the pretzel. I assume that most guests' expectations when they order cheese with a pretzel is that you can dip it. It tasted more like butter to me. The sliders were a complete failure in my opinion. I eat sliders all the time, at places like Vermillion in Old town Alexandria, and the sliders I had that evening were substandard in quality and I believe execution. The coffee, which seems hard to mess up, was also very poor tasting. Overall, three items were poor and three were excellent, so it's a mixed bag on whether I would return to eat, but I may recommend to others who like beer and are not foodies.

    (3)

  • Jim H.

    Two stars only for atmosphere....the place looks great....love the decor, the feel of the wood...but that's it....beer is way over priced and I mean way over priced....$13 for a Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout?!?!?! You high or what? The beer list, in my opinion, aint all that great....same shit, different place....

    (2)

  • Harry C.

    The party is over here folks. If you like warm beer, disappearing waiters, and lackluster food,this is the place. Went there for Fathers Day and found a place with more waiters than guests. There was a "brunch" - a lonely table with about six or seven items. It was a sad operation with no energy. With the death of Market Place, Harry's, and Three, I predict ATP will be next.

    (1)

  • Melvin D.

    For a place with 30 taps and calls itself "American Tap Room" the beer selection sure is weak.

    (2)

  • Evan D.

    The food is pretty good and the prices aren't bad all. What's great about it however is the beer selection, they've got a great variety.

    (4)

  • Marjorie G.

    Had lunch yesterday at this centrally located restaurant in Clarendon. Liked the decor, especially the fact that the tables are spaced far enough apart to allow for a conversation that won't let neighboring diners hear the highs and lows of your life! The bar looks like a great place to spend time later in the evening. The food was good -- enjoyed the Bavarian pretzel with different dips, including marshmallow, which worked. Loved the tea, which basically is brewed at the table. The service was outstanding. Our server was attentive, but not overbearing, and she knew the menu. And, although she respected our ultimate choices, she wasn't afraid to make recommendations based on her experience and others', something I always appreciate. Two thumbs up! I will go back and take my family.

    (4)

  • A. S.

    The Good: pasta with duck was suprisingly good. I'd go back just for that one dish. Yum! The Bad: My companion's fish was definitely not good - never wants to go there again. The service was laughable. Poor dumb server didn't know his ass from his elbow, and we waited interminably each time we needed anything. Meantime, the manager kept walking by, oblivious that a table full of customers were waiting for service. Duh. All other food items were about average. I'll ty it one more time since options in Clarendon are shrinking.

    (2)

  • Jen C.

    I'm not sure we went to the same restaurant as some of the other reviewers. We went for Sunday Brunch at 11am, place was not filled up, but there was a decent crowd. There were 4 of us, 2 adults, 2 children under 10. My husband had The Big Easy omelet and really enjoyed it, I had the Kennebec Potato Cake Benedict with the smoked salmon that was just great. Our server, while inexperienced, was great very attentive, knew the menu well and was very pleasant to deal with. The patio where we sat was really cute. Its definitely on the rotation now for brunch on the weekends, we're going to try it for dinner in the near future too.

    (4)

  • Reanna P.

    love this place! it was our first time, my boyfriend had heard about it so we wanted to check out the ATR, Im not a far of the bar area, it was a Saturday night but they don't seem to have servers in there for the several rounds.. so we decided to hit the dining room and THANK GOODNESS! our server was so great, we got our food so quick and it was AMAZING! I had the Greek pizza, and he had the crab cakes(must have) I also had the best Sangria on the planet. this place is sophisticated, affordable, and cozy. perfect atmosphere. We liked it so much, we will actually be taking my sister in two weeks for her birthday! I can't wait! I'm also anxious to try the brunch selection!

    (5)

  • Molly K.

    I was here last night for dinner with my parents and boyfriend. The service was exceptional, as is the atmosphere. The bar looks like a nice relaxing place to meet friends for happy hour or to watch the game with great options of beer and wine. The restaurant area has a nice ambiance with all leather upholstery and low-lighting, and the menus are super-impressive when you open them and they light up! (my small town parents were especially impressed with this) My small town parents were also impressed with the prices here, it is not expensive even if it looks like it would be. The food was pretty good, definitely not bad, but I'm not sure that it would fall under "exceptional". My complaints are going to sound very strange, I am not typically a picky person, so I really tried to like the food better than I actually did! First off, the rolls looked very nice in the basket, but when you took them out they were dry and the little scoop of butter that they serve on the side is only enough to butter one dry roll and definitely short of buttering 4 dry rolls. The flavor was good, and they could be improved if they were just a little more fresh and served with more butter. My mom and I both ordered the Lobster Roll, listed under the sandwiches section which indicates that it will be served with hand-cut fries. The Lobster Rolls we got were both served with sliced potatoes that seemed like they were then dropped in the fryer. Not at all hand-cut fries. My boyfriend got a burger and my dad got the cuban, which they both said were decent and were served with hand-cut fries. Another strange complaint that I have is that when they requested ketchup, they came out in a small little dish with a very little amount of ketchup. And when they requested more ketchup, they brought out another small little dish with very little ketchup. Just bring the freakin bottle.

    (3)

  • Malbec G.

    I went the first Monday it was open and sat in the bar. While nice, it is a small bar area and the MNF game wasn't even on the main screen. Furniture was nice (comfy padded bar stools) but the high-top table was tiny. Two appetizer plates, 2 beer and 2 waters and we were out of space (waitress had to remove salt/pepper shaker and beer menu stand). The apps were delivered on sytlish long, rectangular plates but they are just too big for the small hightops. That being said, Eliza was great -- very attentive and friendly. We had two appetizers thai chicken wings and the smoked bruschetta. I liked the bruschetta better. Wings were good but not fantastic -- there were also 5 of them -- a weird number when sharing amongst 2 people. I can imagine in winter without the patio space that the bar area will be super crowded!

    (3)

  • Christina G.

    I have never had such horrible service at a restaurant before. I went to ATR on a Monday night for beers and football. Not only did we have to wait to order, we had to waive the bartenders down to refill our drinks, then had to remind them to finish making them, and when I complained about the poor service the bartender kindly mumbled, then go somewhere else. You would think the bar was full but it was not, the wait staff was focused on socializing with each other and not the customers. I miss Sette Bello already! They had better food and service!! Being that I live in Clarendon and frequent the places there, I will not be going back to ATR in the future

    (1)

  • Katherine W.

    I think I've finally found my go-to neighborhood restaurant! Here's why: location in Clarendon with 2 big patios: one sunny and one shady with umbrellas and garden setting. The food was quite good (the grilled chicken on my salad was delicious) and the service was friendly and attentive, w/o being too much--they kept the iced tea coming which was nice especially in the heat. What puts this place over the edge for me (highest review) is that their big shady patio is becoming a dog patio--the restaurant is seeking a permit and for now dogs can be outside the patio, which worked quite well b/c there's plenty of space but your dog is close. They brought icy water for my dog and he was happy and comfortable there.(If you don't wish to dine with dogs, the shady patio is huge so there's plenty of room and there's the other patio too.) ATR, keep up the good work and thank you for being here! :)

    (5)

  • Steve C.

    I wanted to love this place, but can't. The environment is really nice -- it offered great promise. The appetizers were good, especially the crab dip. But the service was uneven. At times, there were multiple waiters asking us if we wanted service, then there was no one for a long period. There were 5 of us and the waitress forgot to order one of the meals so my friend ate after we finished, yet the restaurant didn't do anything to address their problem. That's bad form. The meals were uneven --- a medium steak was delivered well done and medium was rare. The waitress loved to say "no problem" whenever asked for anything -- an annoying trait. Of course, it's no problem! Bottom line, maybe it's a place for a drink and appetizer but there are better places to eat. The uneven earlier reviews at this site were reinforced during our visit. It's a shame, because it's a nice setting -- maybe eventually they'll get their act together.

    (3)

  • Meg L.

    Onion rings are good! Blackened chicken sandwich has too much bread, not enough chicken. Burger was average; would order it again. We like happy hour prices! Great outdoor ambiance! Wait staff was pleasant, friendly, & attentive.

    (3)

  • Taylor P.

    The food was delicious!!! Absolutely delicious. I got the crab cakes and my friend got the chicken and waffles - both great choices. They were very flexible and let me substitute both my sides which I really appreciated because you don't get that in most restaurants. The beer selection was great too. There were several beers on tap and drafts beers are $2 all day mon-fri!!! Side note - the bathrooms were also very clean and nice. I would definitely recommend this place to people visiting the DC area.

    (5)

  • Brandi H.

    I've eaten here twice. The service was good. I ordered the same thing both times (mushroom burger) and it was delicious.

    (4)

  • Sandeep K.

    This is a good bar, but the food sucks and the wait staff is pretty inattentive. I remember years ago, when this place first opened, it was great. Before it was ATR, a local wine bar resided in this space. It never really did that well, so ATR coming in had real potential. That was years ago. Now it's just a crappy restaurant with fire pits and an obnoxious night crowd.

    (2)

  • Prairie S.

    I'm going out on a limb here to give this place a good review because I'm initially inclined to heap disdain on it for being a chain with a predictable menu that--although gentrified and updated enough--you can find in Anyplace, USA. To wit: burger variations (at least 6?), mac and cheese (made from scratch?!), chicken wings, salads topped with grilled meats/salmon (goat cheese to gussy it up), cheese dips (jalapeno in cheddar makes it exotic?), and fried calamari (well, okay no complaints there...). The menu seems lightly dusted with modern touches, but actually just camouflages the straight-laced offerings perfectly suited to average tepid tastes. The chef here runs with the pack. In a study in contrasts, the menu at the Great American Restaurant chain in northern Virginia also offers similar items but does fancier taste profiles and hits some pretty striking notes. At Grand Carlyle, or Sweetwater, or Arties, you'll find some pretty inventive, bold cooking, and deft plating that sets it apart from the pack. But I'm going to tell you why this place warrants a strong rating. It's a stalwart, dependable neighborhood establishment. It's very nicely furnished. The bar is spacious and feels easy. The fireplace is warm. The seats are opulent. The patio seating out back isn't on a busy street so it feels calmer. It feels like there is space for you. The feng shui is nice. Kayleigh (Cayley?) at the bar has an incredibly good sense with cocktails and she makes a fantastic (I mean FANTASTIC) Bloody Mary and margaritas. She's responsive, fast and a pleasure to chat with. The bar offers an exciting and extensive suite of craft beers. This place often offers tap take-overs by breweries, so take note, this is not a pedestrian beer gallery. So, albeit I am exacting about their inability to sufficiently tease my palate, I will give them a definitive nod for being a fancy neighborhood spot that can accommodate anyone and have them feel comfortable in gracious decor, be well-treated, and receiving of good service and attention. Food here is not stellar, but I've not had a bad experience (and this makes it easy to forgive their straight-laced menu). The TVs are extensive, but they are placed high over the bar, so slightly tiring to watch for two hours. Wish they could adjust that somehow. ATR also offers you $5 off a $25 food order when you check in on Yelp.

    (4)

  • Claire S.

    The food was absolutely delicious. I left nothing on my plate when I was done. Also, our service was amazing. The only thing we were not a fan of was the random electronic music the DJ started to play. It did not fit the setting.

    (3)

  • Stephanie T.

    We had the lovely Athena as our waitress. Friendly, outgoing, and knowledgeable young lady. She knew a lot about the food served (we had no idea what to order or what it consisted of), and the variation of beers on tap. Our food was so delicious and fresh. Like nothing we ever experienced in New Jersey. The seating is comfortable and the environment made us not want to leave. I'm definitely coming back if I decide to revisit the area again. Keep up the good work!!

    (5)

  • Jenny T.

    For a restaurant in such a good location, I'd expect allot better. I'll pros and cons it out so you can see: Pros: - the truffle Mac n cheese was a good consistency. Nice and cheesy. - parking was decent on Saturday night---although we must've gotten lucky - the large armchairs are AWESOME and comfy Cons: - the truffle Mac smelled more truffly than it tasted, which was a little disappointing - the crispy calamari is far from crispy... Drowning in their sauce. They should consider serving it on the side. - the wings didn't have flavor aside from the sauce that it's doused in. I think all wings must be made in a batch flavorless and the sauce is just poured over. (Didn't seem marinated) - the menu has a lot of typos and the chef listing was different between the two menus we had... - our server took a long time to get back to us to take our order - the baked potato was kind of dry and average Overall, I probably wouldn't come back. I just feel like there wasn't a passion in the cooking, and the typo-filled menus really turned me off.

    (2)

  • Nick M.

    I have been here twice to watch a game and both times i ordered drinks at the bar so I haven't had the chance to try their food or hookah. The place is really chill and staff is super friendly from the moment you walk in you are greeted. The bartenders are pretty cool and attentive. Drinks are reasonably priced and it's a great place to kick back and relax. Excellent place for a business meet or just to hang out with friends and colleagues and watch a game. Next time i go here, i definitely want to eat a meal and get some hookah! It would be great to sit around a fire on their patio and smoke hookah. Looking forward to going back!

    (5)

  • Jihad B.

    Came here for a Friday dinner with some friends after an excruciating evening trying to decide where to eat. I wasn't too happy and came in with low expectations. The staff was attentive and orderly. From the hostess to the bartender and server everyone had a good head on their shoulders and I was not left for wanting. Whoever designed the menu though... may God have mercy on their soul because these mother fuckers don't know what Jambalaya is. These mother fuckers would not know what Jambalaya is if it broke into their childhood home and had its way with their family. My Jambalaya was sauteed sausage and chicken with peppers on a bed of white rice. Mother fucker, that ain't Jambalaya, that's just sauteed sausage and chicken with peppers on a bed of white rice. If you were from Louisiana and came here and ordered the Jambalaya, mother fucker you would have a panic attack. The Tap Tap Shrimp is kind of bland. I thought, when it initially hit the table, that "damn there's a lot of shrimp in that bowl." Upon closer inspection with my fork and mouth I found lettuce packed underneath all that well presented shrimp. ATR, you sly mother fucker, you got me there goddamnit. I would come back for the bar. It's not crowded on a Friday night and the bartenders are on their game.

    (2)

  • Ryan E.

    Great airport service can be hard to come by, but not here. Baliya was a pleasure to dine with, and I'm happy she reccomeneded the bacon. I really need to emphasize that the quality of bacon here might give this place an unfair advantage to its adversaries; double the order for a meal on its own. Add whiskey and you're in travel bliss. Another diner next to me asked me to comment for her given her lack of a smart phone. 5 starts from Dani as well. Keep up the good work.

    (5)

  • Varun M.

    It was the worst experience ever. We walked in and no one was at the host table so we proceeded to see the bartender at the bar. The bartenders all looked like there was a 500 people party however, the restaurant was 95% empty. Upon saying Excuse Me to the first available person hand the counter, KELLY the waitress turnaround and yelled ONE MINUTE and turned back around and continued on doing what she was doing. Now, I don't know about others but I don't like getting yelled at when simply requesting a table at a restaurant. Or even simply- trying to get someone's attention to be seated. So we left, and decided to let the manager RYAN CLINE know and waited again patiently. No one showed up for another 5 minutes and we saw the managers behind the kitchen laughing and chilling away!!! Completely ignoring a customer and rude behavior of the staff. What a restaurant - American Tap Room!!

    (1)

  • Tony T.

    Awesome beers on their happy hour selection. Place looks well kept and staff is nice.

    (4)

  • Phoenix Simone W.

    Update: I have now tried the food. First of all, the table service was REALLY slow. Secondly, the pretzels tasted like they were the refrigerated store bought kind, the dips tasted different from the descriptions, the wings were mushy (sauces were good though), and the onion rings were super doughy. Overall it was edible, but not very good. The good part? Drink specials. We got a bucket of 5 cans of yeungling for only $7. Based on my experience, I would suggest only going there for drinks.

    (3)

  • Ela P.

    Meh, nothing special. We came here for dinner because the place we initially wanted to go to had a 2 hour wait. I got the tap room burger, and my friend got the mac and cheese. Burger was nothing to write about, and my friend didn't particularly enjoy the mac and cheese, leaving more than half of it on the table. We got a brownie sundae for dinner, which also wasn't too impressive. The service was pretty awful at this place- we barely saw our server, who can only be described as incredibly awkward. When he came by to bring our check, he actually told us his service was spotty because he was trying to spite the restaurant and prove a point- thanks for letting us know, though I'd rather not have? Probably won't be coming by anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Cole L.

    Been here several times and never had a bad experience. The Thai wings are absolutely delicious, the beer is relatively cheap, and the service is good.

    (5)

  • Paige H.

    I enjoyed my burger and drink. The onion rings were very good. I ordered my burger medium rare. It was so rare I couldn't eat it all. It was super pink! It took the bartender awhile to get to me, but the drink she made me was really good! The decor is very nice.

    (4)

  • Mike G.

    Great location great environment terrible service terrible service terrible service terrible service. Suggest they replace one bartender. Refuse to name names or descriptions.

    (1)

  • Gretchen P.

    I came to American Tap Room for the first time as part of a private party, in the post-lunch, pre-dinner lull (so the restaurant was essentially empty). We were ushered to a private area in the back that is separated from the main dining room by a heavy curtain. There was one long community table in the center, with elegant-looking full armchairs as the seats, plus booths along the walls. I gotta admit, ATR definitely has style. As for the food though, it was a little more on the just okay side. We tried a few different dishes, including their hummus platter (so-so), a few different salads (quite good, actually, though too heavily dressed), and their wings (not bad). What I did LOVE was the flash-chilled iced tea that they offered -- it comes out hot, with a separate pitcher full of ice, and it's beautifully presented. I actually ended up buying my own Tea Forte pitcher and teas (the brand that ATR uses) to use at home after I had the iced tea here, so that's definitely something! I would go back to the American Tap Room for sure, but there's just nothing so special about it that it jumps out in my mind in the Clarendon scene. 3 stars and an A-OK from me!

    (3)

  • Brook M.

    Patio at the back bar....huge beer selection and some great wines. Ask for Athena....she is the best server in my 13 years in DC. Girl is on fleek!!

    (5)

  • Calvin B.

    Large place. Even has outdoor seating. Large bar and nice high back seat tables. Happy Hour specials are decent. Food is good bs beer selection is outstanding. You can find what you want tit drink here for sure.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    Amazing night! Got a great table on the patio, our fave waitress Athena, and the shrimp pasta special was amazing!! Most restaurants overcook shrimp in pasta, but this was perfect! My hubs had the salmon and he was very pleased. Drinks were great and the service amazing. So glad this place is part of our neighborhood!

    (5)

  • Bryan B.

    Crunch, crunch, crunch... This is the hardest "soft pretzel" I've ever eaten. At least they're protecting me from the dreaded salmonella. The previous 5 minutes were spent scraping off the hops from a beer deemed "a favorite". A beer which had a delightful sweaty sock aftertaste. At least the cheap dips helped cleanse the palette. Maybe the burger will turn everything around. I doubt it. I won't be coming back here.

    (2)

  • Jack H.

    Probably could give one star, but being able to sit outside and have drinks on a nice day made the visit bearable. Of course the fact that no one else was out there on a sunny Sunday evening should have warned me. Beer menu is good. Server was decent when he came by but didn't seem completely up for the job, may be an off day. Worse part was waiting 45 minutes for some of the blandest chicken. Perhaps it tasted so bland because it was waiting to be served for most of that time. Was thankful when the bill came because we had been there for over a hour and a half and could not for see coming back.

    (2)

  • Cora N.

    Great service! And very good food. Excellent beer selection too. A perfect night out.

    (4)

  • Cole U.

    Went last night with a few girlfriends who were visiting. Naturally it was crowded on a Friday, but we got a table right away. Overall experience was disappointing and I don't think I'll be back 1. There were no napkins or silverware on the table. When we asked for them the waitress looked at us like we were crazy. 2. Two girls got margaritas and they were basically lime juice and sour mix. No tequila whatsoever. I work in a restaurant/bar and I know all our drinks have the automated stoppers of 1.5 ounces... This drink was poorly made and the waitress did bring another shot of tequila for the girls 3. They got another persons order completely wrong and when they asked the food runner had no idea what dish he was even carrying..he took it back and eventually got the right item 4. Towards the end of the night the waitress came and said "you guys okay? Any more complaints?" Which is incredibly rude since all the things "complained" about were valid and a result of poor service. Like I said, wasn't happy with the service and won't be coming back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Steve L.

    The food is solid. I've tried a few different dishes and I've never walked away unsatisfied. During my last visit, I had the turkey burger and it was fine. A little overpriced since there were no fries but I was happy overall. The beer selection though is fantastic. Easily best place for craft beer in Clarendon with Galaxy Hut as a second. They have different cask beers plus several season beers that most bars do not have. If you're looking for a good place to drink craft beers, there aren't many better places than ATR.

    (4)

  • Garrett Y.

    I've been here twice and both time got the same thing: the waffle sandwich. Two pieces of chicken, two fried eggs, gravy, and bacon on top of a waffle. A huge portion for $12 and it's delicious. The beer selection is great and the service was palatable or great, but I'll blame that on the individual servers. But really, get the waffle sandwich.

    (4)

  • Katelyn P.

    The salads are tasty and the service was good. I would recommend this place for a good after work bevie and meal.

    (4)

  • Ross R.

    I am revising my past review down. We went for brunch/early lunch a couple weeks ago and just about everything was off. My burger was smallish, mediocre quality and at best, the preparation was average. My wife's bro-shay (servers pronunciation of brioche) french toast was not even as good as Metro 29s. The other 2 dishes at our table didn't come out with the rest of our food. Dessert for increasingly restless 2.5 year old was slooooooow to come out, even through the place was fairly empty. The manager was attentive, but this place isn't new anymore, they need to get their act together if they plan on sticking around, because there aren't many places I would go ahead of ATR in Arlington, at this point. This place might be good in Bethesda, its not cutting it in Arlington.

    (2)

  • Teresa B.

    Bad experience all around - I'm giving it a two only for decor and atmosphere. The server kept tripping over his words when trying to describe the specials - I'd like to think he was new? The pastry chef has got to leave! We tried the molten lava cake and it was dry as a rock; switched to the choco-creme brulee and it was a solid block of fudge in a creme brulee dish - presentation was great - taste was unpalatable! Best advise - there are better places to blow $50 bucks on lunch!!

    (2)

  • Sally R.

    Like Jon H we were attracted to the lack of line Sunday morning and also were told there would be a wait and we could sit in the bar, while tables sat open. Its Sunday morning, brunch time, hire some servers so people don't have to uncomfortably pool together tall round bar tables. It was all around a strange experience. We waited a very long time for our meal, which was lackluster at best, not even "good bar food." Caesar salad dressing was too salty and lemony, the pizza was a mess- terrible cracker-like crust, a sauce that might as well have been ketchup and for all the waiting we did for our food...it was cold. In fact all of the food which should have been hot was cold. Which makes me wonder if it was the kitchen taking too long to make it or the server too long to pick it up. The service was indifferent and untrained. When half the table has empty water glasses, it makes sense that they fill the all the glasses...instead we each had to request our water filled. From the general appearance (bistro aprons sloppily tied) to the actual service, although I couldn't define it as bad perse, the service conveyed that none of the staff seemed to give a s*&t. I walk past ATR everyday and thought from the appearance it would be pretty good, but I don't understand why they don't follow through with the effort and hire staff that is friendly and alive and a kitchen staff that will show some love to the food.

    (1)

  • Ray C.

    WOW!!! I really should have paid attention to the other reviews on this place. The overall experience was horrible. It took roughly 30-45 mins to get my food and the food was medicore at best. The wait staff must have a strict no helping out the other wait staff rule, because my waiter was MIA and the other waitress just stared as I needed something.

    (1)

  • Andy M.

    Food was great, much better than we ever expected. Service was good. Teriyaki surf and turf was phenomenal.

    (5)

  • ms t.

    Let me preface this by stating that I'm somewhat of a beer snob. This place calling itself a tap room is quite ironic. Having been to the ATR in Reston several times, it's pretty much what I expected. The main reason I was looking forward to this one was for the beer selection. They say they have over 60 taps, but the menu only has about 30, over half of which are your standard, boring stuff. I'm guessing they have 60 taps served from 30 kegs. Otherwise, it makes no sense. Even so, they could still do a lot better. Every new place these days has a decent selection of beer, even if they only have 10 taps. People who are drinking Bud and Miller Lite don't care if it's on draft. Basically, I don't see this place differentiating itself from any of its neighbors, except for fancy menus. There are lots of places nearby for better food and/or better beer and/or better specials.

    (2)

  • Tony F.

    Very nice and upscale drinking and dining experience with widescreen TVs throughout! Not so stuffy that you can't come in with jeans and cap

    (4)

  • Dan I.

    This was our 2nd time to ATR. The 1st time, we hoped that they were just still working out the kinks, but now we fear this is as good as it's gonna get. The food was decent, but the rest of the experience was not. Despite having a reservation, we had to wait about five minutes for a table. They then put us at a table next to the glass doors, where there was a draft, making it unbearable on a cold evening. They eventually agreed to move us. They were out of the first beer I ordered (and for a "tap room" they have a pitiful selection on tap). Our waiter was adequate but rather strange and made several odd comments. The bathroom situation is awful on a Sat night, because you have to either squeeze past the crowd at the bar or wait on line.

    (2)

  • Mike G.

    From my reading here, I expected less but enjoyed the place and especially the food. Lively (not dead). Needed a reservation (had one, but beepers were being handed out when we arrived). We were on time and seated immediately. Food was fresh and used fresh ingredients. The menu was slightly different from the usual at chain(s), and I appreciated and enjoyed the large arugula and warm mushroom salad and the turkey burger, my wife's veggie pasta was excellent. Our waiter wasn't a broadway leading man or Joe Cool, just an average looking middle-aged/older gentleman basically doing a nice job, trying to make a living. Was able to see the playoff football in a very comfortable setting (great new wingback leather chairs). Basically this place appears to be somewhat dissed and underrated from what I read here. The crowd was well behaved Arlington millenials -- beautiful and diverse. We're boomers, and thanks for letting us feel welcomed. Their Betheda location is close to us as well, and we'll probably try it (the former Austin Grille location in the heart of Bethesda), but that's a whole other level of 1% snootiness, that intersection can be.

    (3)

  • Angela N.

    Food was decent and service was excellent. We took a long time deciding what we wanted to eat and drink and our server didn't rush us. We also took awhile to get up and leave, to the point it seemed like we were being pushed out. Somewhat expensive but for a tap room, not overly loud and a good atmosphere.

    (3)

  • John A.

    Wish I had read reviews before stopping in here for a few late beers and a snack. In a nutshell, it's a nice enough atmosphere, and our service was fine, but for a "tap room," I would have expected a better selection of beers. Also irritating, and this is something I haven't seen mentioned in other reviews, is that they use pint glasses that aren't pints. They have thick sides and thick glass at the bottom so they LOOK like a pint, but they only hold 14 ounces, and that's only if they fill it to the top with no head. So with the foam, I was left with 12 ounces of beer for a 16 ounce price. I would expect that from an Applebee's, but American TAP ROOM??? Disgraceful.

    (2)

  • M K.

    I was so excited for a place like this to open in Clarendon - something "Rock-Bottom-ish." I'd been to the one in Reston and while it certainly wasn't the best food I'd ever had, I enjoyed it enough. I honestly wasn't expecting anything but "pretty good" american/bar food and this was a total let down. The spring rolls were the only reason they get a 2 and not a 1. While spicy, they were full of chicken and served with a great mango sauce. I ordered a burger because, really (to echo previous posts,) how can you screw up a burger? My "medium" burger was cooked so much it was charred and falling into pieces. The burger was flattened more than something from McDonalds and the bun looked store-bought. Even when it isn't great, I usually eat my meal, but this burger wasn't worth 100 calories let alone 1000. Not juicy, not well cooked, no fun toppings. When I asked for sauteed onions, they brought (almost 10 min later) partially cooked RED onions... um... Anyway, I will say that the beer variety was decent. Buffalo Sweat was unique and tasty, but the variety isn't even remotely comparable to Rustico, Lyon Hall, Fireworks, etc... Our server was a nice guy and the manager was very diligent and concerned. He checked on our table and offered me something else. It was sweet of him but I didn't accept. At that point all I could think about was Pinkberry :) Oh well, ATR. You won't see me again until your reviews average a 4.

    (2)

  • Carrington K.

    I just tried to make a reservation there and they could not get me in until 3 hours after the time i asked for. REALLY???? In addition the women on the phone could barley speak English and I had to ask her everything twice. On top of that she put me on hold for 8 mins and then when she told me they did not have any open tables and I told her no thank you she was so happy and friendly all of a sudden. Don't think I will be trying to make reservation there ever again.

    (1)

  • Jenni J.

    I put 4 stars because the food was that great!!!! The fries OMG delicious! Our waiter was horrible zero smile, zero personality, he needed to loosen up. I'm not sure how he even was hired. Non- attentive just very bad. I hope he rethinks his career being a waiter because he made out time there awkward.

    (4)

  • Lori F.

    I live so close & made it back for my second time one late afternoon to sit outside for drinks with a friend. Katlyn was an exceptional server & we appreciated being offered samples of their cask beers as well as extra chips to go with the spinach artichoke dip. Food ok. She said they're still working on the menu. Tabasco & black pepper helped spice things up in the meantime. I like the ambiance & openness of this location, as well as the beer selection, so I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Joel D.

    The only reason this place gets 3 stars, is because the atmosphere and service were very good. The food was mediocre at best, however I have to believe there is room for potential in a place like this. I was there recently as part of a large group for a going away dinner. They were very accommodating in terms of our group size and our servers were efficient and friendly. The actual feel of the place is that of an upscale steak house, but the quality of the food just doesn't match. They either need to rethink their menu or find another executive chef...ASAP!

    (3)

  • Mike F.

    Ordered a crabcake sandwich and fries for the Sunday games. Sat at the bar, so service was very friendly and good, the food however was just ok. Crabcake was good, but nothing I would write home about. The fries were greasy and soggy, couldn't finish them. Overall not a bad place, but with better options in the area I doubt I'll return

    (3)

  • kevin d.

    Outside ambiance, and glow light menus were cool. The waiter was cool too. My drink was a long island. Yes, I'm sure many readers here won't trust the judgement of a LIT drinker but if made right it is excellent and has been my drink of choice for many years now. So I know good from bad. Let me preface I'm not saying this is absolutely the worst I've ever had....just that I can't recall (and yes the irony of a strong memory wiping drink isn't lost here) one so bad. It wasn't the waiters fault for lack of skill though. It was the restaurant policy to use rail alcohol. $10 for an LIT with rail is a bad sign....what else are they skimping on. The nachos while tasty had hardly any cheese or enough meat on it and had to be remade because it was cold by the time we got it. The second time around it wasn't much better. The waiter apologized and took it off the bill with out asking. He also made the 2nd LIT with a mix of rail and mid tier(not top shelf) for an extra two bucks(with the managers permission). This did taste better I admit. But what left a bad taste with me is the cheapness of ATR. I'd heard other concerns before but decided to find out on my own. This was not the waiter or his supervisors fault, in fact I think they went beyond for me. I blame the restaurant itself. With much much better choices at this price point near by go to circa for an LIT, Lyon hall or Cava for food

    (1)

  • Amanda H.

    Some tap room! There were only a couple beers on tap and they were mostly lame domestics that were overpriced. Don't waste your time here. If you are looking for a good beer selection check out the Bier Baron or Food Wine & Co.

    (1)

  • Kristen R.

    I keep giving this place a chance and keep getting disappointed. I think the happy hours are decent. Lately, I've been dining here for brunch. They changed the menu and took a lot of previous options off (options which are the reason I went here). The service is always very bad, no matter when I've gone and who has served me. Orders are typically messed up and service is extremely slow. I keep hoping that it will get better, but so far I'm disappointed each time I decide to dine here.

    (3)

  • Jason R.

    Wide variety of beers on tap and usually an open seat at the bar. Fairly boring food menu and service outside on a Friday night was terrible.

    (2)

  • David H.

    Not sure why reviews are bad? Been about five times now and the food and service have been consistently good. I particularly liked the duck pizza and the slider trio, and my wife gives high marks to the salads. Very good beer selection. Only con is the lousy happy hour offerings. Need to discount their decent beer instead of just the Miller/Bud swill.

    (5)

  • Mr. D.

    I've been here a few times now and have had a great experience each time. The service has always been spot on, and the food is decent (and not obnoxiously expensive). The beer and pretzels are great, and its not hard to get a seat.

    (5)

  • April W.

    This place is horrible. Please go someplace else. The ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful but the service and food are terrible. The hostess couldn't find my reservation and then had an attitude when I called her on her lies when I showed her my email confirmation. I should have left then and gone to McDonald's. When I was finally seated, I ordered the jerk chicken spring rolls which were bland. I also had some stale dinner rolls with garlic on top. How do you mess up bread? I also ordered a burger, which I really didn't want but the menu is limited. The burger was nothing to brag about. Overall, I could have had a better meal from the drivethru line. I will not be returning to this horrible place.

    (1)

  • A. S.

    The Good: pasta with duck was suprisingly good. I'd go back just for that one dish. Yum! The Bad: My companion's fish was definitely not good - never wants to go there again. The service was laughable. Poor dumb server didn't know his ass from his elbow, and we waited interminably each time we needed anything. Meantime, the manager kept walking by, oblivious that a table full of customers were waiting for service. Duh. All other food items were about average. I'll ty it one more time since options in Clarendon are shrinking.

    (2)

  • Jen C.

    I'm not sure we went to the same restaurant as some of the other reviewers. We went for Sunday Brunch at 11am, place was not filled up, but there was a decent crowd. There were 4 of us, 2 adults, 2 children under 10. My husband had The Big Easy omelet and really enjoyed it, I had the Kennebec Potato Cake Benedict with the smoked salmon that was just great. Our server, while inexperienced, was great very attentive, knew the menu well and was very pleasant to deal with. The patio where we sat was really cute. Its definitely on the rotation now for brunch on the weekends, we're going to try it for dinner in the near future too.

    (4)

  • Kathleen W.

    The restaurant seems to be very well run. There are a plethora of hostesses, bartenders, and servers on staff and all of our needs were taken care of throughout our visit. The employees are well trained, personable, friendly, and professional. The actual building is very new and clean, nicely decorated and I liked the fireplace that was working that evening. The bathrooms were very clean and I liked the TV screen built into the mirror. The leather club chairs at our table were amazing and I may come back just for those. The strawberry Mojito was one of the best that I have ever had and I will definitely return and have another one of those! The food is where I have a little bit of an issue. The cheese for the pretzel was just odd. We had to use a knife to put it on the pretzel. I assume that most guests' expectations when they order cheese with a pretzel is that you can dip it. It tasted more like butter to me. The sliders were a complete failure in my opinion. I eat sliders all the time, at places like Vermillion in Old town Alexandria, and the sliders I had that evening were substandard in quality and I believe execution. The coffee, which seems hard to mess up, was also very poor tasting. Overall, three items were poor and three were excellent, so it's a mixed bag on whether I would return to eat, but I may recommend to others who like beer and are not foodies.

    (3)

  • Jim H.

    Two stars only for atmosphere....the place looks great....love the decor, the feel of the wood...but that's it....beer is way over priced and I mean way over priced....$13 for a Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout?!?!?! You high or what? The beer list, in my opinion, aint all that great....same shit, different place....

    (2)

  • Harry C.

    The party is over here folks. If you like warm beer, disappearing waiters, and lackluster food,this is the place. Went there for Fathers Day and found a place with more waiters than guests. There was a "brunch" - a lonely table with about six or seven items. It was a sad operation with no energy. With the death of Market Place, Harry's, and Three, I predict ATP will be next.

    (1)

  • Melvin D.

    For a place with 30 taps and calls itself "American Tap Room" the beer selection sure is weak.

    (2)

  • Evan D.

    The food is pretty good and the prices aren't bad all. What's great about it however is the beer selection, they've got a great variety.

    (4)

  • Marjorie G.

    Had lunch yesterday at this centrally located restaurant in Clarendon. Liked the decor, especially the fact that the tables are spaced far enough apart to allow for a conversation that won't let neighboring diners hear the highs and lows of your life! The bar looks like a great place to spend time later in the evening. The food was good -- enjoyed the Bavarian pretzel with different dips, including marshmallow, which worked. Loved the tea, which basically is brewed at the table. The service was outstanding. Our server was attentive, but not overbearing, and she knew the menu. And, although she respected our ultimate choices, she wasn't afraid to make recommendations based on her experience and others', something I always appreciate. Two thumbs up! I will go back and take my family.

    (4)

  • Reanna P.

    love this place! it was our first time, my boyfriend had heard about it so we wanted to check out the ATR, Im not a far of the bar area, it was a Saturday night but they don't seem to have servers in there for the several rounds.. so we decided to hit the dining room and THANK GOODNESS! our server was so great, we got our food so quick and it was AMAZING! I had the Greek pizza, and he had the crab cakes(must have) I also had the best Sangria on the planet. this place is sophisticated, affordable, and cozy. perfect atmosphere. We liked it so much, we will actually be taking my sister in two weeks for her birthday! I can't wait! I'm also anxious to try the brunch selection!

    (5)

  • Molly K.

    I was here last night for dinner with my parents and boyfriend. The service was exceptional, as is the atmosphere. The bar looks like a nice relaxing place to meet friends for happy hour or to watch the game with great options of beer and wine. The restaurant area has a nice ambiance with all leather upholstery and low-lighting, and the menus are super-impressive when you open them and they light up! (my small town parents were especially impressed with this) My small town parents were also impressed with the prices here, it is not expensive even if it looks like it would be. The food was pretty good, definitely not bad, but I'm not sure that it would fall under "exceptional". My complaints are going to sound very strange, I am not typically a picky person, so I really tried to like the food better than I actually did! First off, the rolls looked very nice in the basket, but when you took them out they were dry and the little scoop of butter that they serve on the side is only enough to butter one dry roll and definitely short of buttering 4 dry rolls. The flavor was good, and they could be improved if they were just a little more fresh and served with more butter. My mom and I both ordered the Lobster Roll, listed under the sandwiches section which indicates that it will be served with hand-cut fries. The Lobster Rolls we got were both served with sliced potatoes that seemed like they were then dropped in the fryer. Not at all hand-cut fries. My boyfriend got a burger and my dad got the cuban, which they both said were decent and were served with hand-cut fries. Another strange complaint that I have is that when they requested ketchup, they came out in a small little dish with a very little amount of ketchup. And when they requested more ketchup, they brought out another small little dish with very little ketchup. Just bring the freakin bottle.

    (3)

  • Malbec G.

    I went the first Monday it was open and sat in the bar. While nice, it is a small bar area and the MNF game wasn't even on the main screen. Furniture was nice (comfy padded bar stools) but the high-top table was tiny. Two appetizer plates, 2 beer and 2 waters and we were out of space (waitress had to remove salt/pepper shaker and beer menu stand). The apps were delivered on sytlish long, rectangular plates but they are just too big for the small hightops. That being said, Eliza was great -- very attentive and friendly. We had two appetizers thai chicken wings and the smoked bruschetta. I liked the bruschetta better. Wings were good but not fantastic -- there were also 5 of them -- a weird number when sharing amongst 2 people. I can imagine in winter without the patio space that the bar area will be super crowded!

    (3)

  • Christina G.

    I have never had such horrible service at a restaurant before. I went to ATR on a Monday night for beers and football. Not only did we have to wait to order, we had to waive the bartenders down to refill our drinks, then had to remind them to finish making them, and when I complained about the poor service the bartender kindly mumbled, then go somewhere else. You would think the bar was full but it was not, the wait staff was focused on socializing with each other and not the customers. I miss Sette Bello already! They had better food and service!! Being that I live in Clarendon and frequent the places there, I will not be going back to ATR in the future

    (1)

  • Katherine W.

    I think I've finally found my go-to neighborhood restaurant! Here's why: location in Clarendon with 2 big patios: one sunny and one shady with umbrellas and garden setting. The food was quite good (the grilled chicken on my salad was delicious) and the service was friendly and attentive, w/o being too much--they kept the iced tea coming which was nice especially in the heat. What puts this place over the edge for me (highest review) is that their big shady patio is becoming a dog patio--the restaurant is seeking a permit and for now dogs can be outside the patio, which worked quite well b/c there's plenty of space but your dog is close. They brought icy water for my dog and he was happy and comfortable there.(If you don't wish to dine with dogs, the shady patio is huge so there's plenty of room and there's the other patio too.) ATR, keep up the good work and thank you for being here! :)

    (5)

  • Steve C.

    I wanted to love this place, but can't. The environment is really nice -- it offered great promise. The appetizers were good, especially the crab dip. But the service was uneven. At times, there were multiple waiters asking us if we wanted service, then there was no one for a long period. There were 5 of us and the waitress forgot to order one of the meals so my friend ate after we finished, yet the restaurant didn't do anything to address their problem. That's bad form. The meals were uneven --- a medium steak was delivered well done and medium was rare. The waitress loved to say "no problem" whenever asked for anything -- an annoying trait. Of course, it's no problem! Bottom line, maybe it's a place for a drink and appetizer but there are better places to eat. The uneven earlier reviews at this site were reinforced during our visit. It's a shame, because it's a nice setting -- maybe eventually they'll get their act together.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :4:00 pm - 11:00pm

Specialities

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

American Tap Room

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