Came here at 3-4am w/ 3 friends. FULL DISCLAIMER: was definitely intoxicated. But I've been to many ihops before (sober) and my experience there is usually pretty consistent! Ambience/decor: Standard ihop interior. Seemed pretty clean / didnt have to wipe off crumbs on table/seats before I sat down Service: No idea. Have no memory of interacting w/ the waitstaff. Sorry :( Food: - Hashbrowns. So good. - Eggs/bacon: Cooked exactly how I like it - Blueberry pancakes: Amazing. Fluffy w/ fresh blueberries and blueberry sauce on top Overall awesome & cheap late night/brunch/whenever breakfast food staple. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Xida Z.
Scratches the 2 am Itch just right. For notes on the food take a look at the pictures. Enough said.
(2)
Christopher C.
This is an awesome IHOP. There will, of course, be heavily intoxicated people here sometimes.
(5)
Stephanie J.
Placed an order for takeout awhile back. All I wanted was a short stack of pancakes with a SIDE of the strawberries and bananas. The person transferred me to the manager who proceeded to hustle me into getting way too much food, claiming he was "saving me money." When I arrived, they rang me up for 2 orders of pancakes, one with the fruit and one without. I did not need all that food, and did not need to spend all that money on 1 breakfast, but I felt like it was too late at that point. Maybe he didn't understand what I was asking, but it felt more like he hustled me into confusion. The food didn't even taste good after that, and I have never and will never be back.
(1)
Hwal L.
When I first moved to the US, iHop was the very first diner I went to they had me at steak omelette. Some two years later, iHop is not as magical to me because I have eaten at other diners since then, but at least this location is reliably sufficient. Split Decision combo and breakfast combo with potatoes substituted for hash browns were both good, but somehow I found my Split Decision not very filling. The split booth set up here is kind of weird to me, if only because it greatly reduces the seat space. Luckily neither of us is huge, but some diners might find these split booths way too cramped. Plenty of parking, better than average customer service, and clean. We'd go back!
So glad they are open 24 hours after a long drive and late check-in to our hotel after a delay on I95. Our quick 2 egg breakfast meals were good and the staff was nice. I just wish they cooked the white parts of the sunny side up eggs a little more.
(3)
Michelle W.
There was no wait early morning on a Saturday which was nice. It's pretty cramped in the restaurant and kind of loud. I got the strawberry and banana french toast which came with plenty of strawberry syrup, nice and sweet. The french toast was nice and fluffy, basically exactly what you expect from classic french toast. The service was decently fast. A very standard ihop experience.
(4)
Ron R.
It's IHOP. We all know the deal. You're either part of the 3am crowd that stares blankly at your meal while you contemplate why you're not hooking up at the moment or you just got out of church and you're staring at NFL replays on your phone while you wait for an hour to get seated. The food is always exactly what you want if you know IHOP. I recommend the Omelets for the best bang for your buck. They are huge and come with 3 pancakes. Can't beat it.
(3)
Mary Kate M.
After going home to Tennessee for a vacation, my fiance was so compelled to keep the chain restaurant extravaganza going. I didn't happily oblige, but I did go. Sometimes IHOP is needed especially after a 16 hour straight drive. We rolled in around 9:00AM on Tuesday morning straight off I-66. I was hungry. He was hungry. Lo and behold there is IHOP! I have ate at many IHOPs in my life time. I am not necessarily proud of this achievement, but nonetheless, it hits the spot almost every time. Today I ordered the stuffed strawberry french toast. I ate a little over half of it with Sami eating the rest of it. For me it was a little heavy for first thing in the morning. It was undoubtedly good though. Sami ordered some flap jacks, sausage and eggs. Service was good. We didn't have any trouble with anything and enjoyed our time here hence the 4 star rating. Good food and good service with no high expectations.
(4)
Cheryl D.
This place sucks. Waitstaff is rude. Only worth coming here if absolutely nothing else is open.
(1)
Reni M.
Terrible! The service is terrible. The waitress didn't know how to speak English. And furthermore, she placed the check on the table as soon as we got our food. The manager/owner was trying to help the staff but all she did was a huge mess.
(1)
Vance U.
Instead of coming here, just go into your kitchen cabinets and find a bag of salt to pour down your mouth. It would save you a lot of money and time going here. I gave 2 stars for good service. Only reason i've ever come here is local convenience.
(2)
Christina Y.
I was a little hesitant to bring the entire family on a Saturday morning, but we were able to get a table right away. Just that the spaces in between the tables seemed smaller than those of some other IHOPS we've been to.. I loved that they had coloring napkins and water for little ones. These things can literally make or break your experience. Food came out promptly. The server gave us a million straws and napkins whenever we asked for it. Food is what you'd expect. No complaints.
(3)
Dave M.
Awful experience here once seated it took another five minutes before anyone approached me! And then both starter and main course are left on my table! And with the temperature inside resembling the outside it was either a case of wolf down the soup or eat a cold main course Its a shame as the food was nice! Excatly the Same thing happened to another guy who was seated in front of me, but he refused both dishes at the same time . I shall not be revisiting!
(1)
LCastro P.
I invite my family to eat here and there was a HAIR in the plate... Disgusting the manager took the plate and did nothing!!! What that $&@:! We wont never come back !!!
(1)
Hana S.
This is a pretty standard IHOP. In all honesty I don't have a lot of I have experiences. My reason for going to this location is because it's open and close. I've never ordered a lot of food here, but my friends sure have. Not because the food wasn't appealing. Simply because I wasn't that hungry. My friends food always looked good. They did not complain and eagerly stuffed their face. I usually just get a side of fruit which is less than super fresh. The waiters seldomly speak much English nor can always explain the menu. On a positive note they're usually pretty friendly. Late nights and weekends you can expect a drunk ground. At super odd late hours you can be left alone to chill drink your coffee and eat your food. I would totally visit this location again.
(5)
William S.
I little behind on my review so I doing this an check out Patomic Yard location as well. I really enjoy ihop restaurants because it's little bit of old school. This location been here forever. I been going here for a long time. Ordering the something. T-Bone steak and egg. Egg cook just right. Pancake in the dry side. But the syrup help out. I use the blue berry syrup. Steak cook right. But..... It's not a frizzier burn... But it has a taste they had this in storage. There letting there quality go down. Coffee ok. But if you come here it not a five Star restaurant. Even on the weekend the line use to been long. But last Sunday line gone down a lot. This place not so good on wheel chair. Small restaurant. Limited parking. But right next to a metro station. I come back but not like I use to.
(3)
Alexander Z.
This is a solid place for when you need to have IHOP immediately. The location is convenient, and it has a parking lot, which is a big deal for us DC residents. Both times we have gone, our servers were incredibly helpful and polite. Plus, breakfast food is great all day, every day, so this is a good IHOP for any time!
(4)
Peter M.
Came by at 2:39 AM after a busy night UberX-ing. Had this great steak omelette, added spinach. Delish. The better chefs work in the early morning.
(5)
Jed M.
Scrapple! They have Scrapple! And it comes in two large pieces, a little bit bigger than a half piece of toast each. It was cooked hard on the outside, like I like it, and was still tender and mushy on the inside. The bacon was whatever. Stick with the Scrapple!
(3)
PF T.
Been eating here for decades. This IHOP has to be sitting on the most expensive piece of real estate in the DC Metro area. Always clean and prompt courteous service.
(5)
Susan C.
The French Toast was burnt and the bacon was so chewy it tasted like beef jerky. Not exactly what I was hoping for. I know it's a chain, but I've had better offerings from other locations. Don't think I'll be returning there again.
(2)
Sean M.
Stopped here for dinner after checking in fairly late at the Hilton across the street. No real issues at all. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the food was served hot and quickly. Salad was served with plenty of time to eat it before dinner, so no problem there. Overall, a standard IHOP experience, and really nothing to complain about on my visit.
(3)
Amber H.
what can i say, it's IHOP. not my preferred choice for place to eat; i've only come here after a night out, either right after we get back (~2-3am) or the next morning. super convenient and open 24 hours, so it's perfect for when you're hungry with friends but nothing else is open. during late night there's less customers (obviously) so they're busy cleaning, mopping, etc. which sometimes gives the place that unpleasant dirty water smell. mornings are usually busy but we were seated without having to wait too long. price and menu are standard IHOP fare, terrible for you but so good. they've got a small private lot if you're driving there. late at night there's usually some drunk people hanging out and yelling about nothing, which is amusing to see sometimes. i used to live in the building overlooking the parking lot and the cops visited quite frequently on friday/saturday nights. a-town is right next door so i think that block is quite a hot spot for late night activity.
(2)
Amber J.
This place is so freaking small... Me and my friends came here in the wee hours of the night(2am) the service was good considering how busy it was. I felt like everyone was breathing on everyone while eating. The food was good (it's IHOP). This place is not ideal for large groups and it gets really busy with the night owls trying to eat. I'd go back but during the day.
(3)
Chelsea D.
An IHOP is an IHOP, right? We stopped into this 24/7 joint before we headed out to Inauguration festivities, because it was right next to the Ballston Metro station, and because we knew we needed carbs and calories to power through all of the standing, waiting, watching, and being American we were about to be doing. It was nearly empty, save for a few other Inauguration goers, but that was at 6am on a Monday that was also a holiday. Service was fast and friendly, and the table/restaurant overall was clean. I created my own omelette, which was full of bacon, ham, and the cheddar/jack cheese combination. Except for the middle of the omelette, which was weirdly devoid of any of the above components. The outer thirds of the omelette were full of meat and cheese, but the inner third was just thin layer after thinner layer of egg. That was strange, and kind of disappointing, because the middle was sort of inedible without the extra stuff. The hash browns were awesome, and my friend enjoyed her chocolate chip pancakes. The bill came, and was about $13 or $14. Not bad.
(3)
Ashley R.
Just go to Denny's. It'll taste WAY better than this place, and still be a few dollars cheaper.
(1)
dave o.
All in all, I'd say there is a lot of $$ value in an IHOP omelet breakfast. Very large, limitless coffee, nice choices. So I sort of think, most eggs are eggs. The IHOP omelets are very filling. The one in Ballston is pretty standard.
(3)
Cee B.
FYI: The parking lot is not that big so if you're coming here during a popular event like free stack of pancakes, then be prepared to wait for someone to leave so you can park for free. It was really busy when I visited - free stack of pancakes. The food was ok but I don't like their seating layout. Someone sat right next to me and he smelled like smoke. I don't smoke so he smelled horrible. It was like experiencing 2nd hand smoke. I had to leave so I asked for the check and a to go container and cup and left.
(3)
Anthony T.
I came to IHOP with a friend to redeem a free pancakes coupon (check their website out if you haven't already). It was the busy Saturday morning breakfast/brunch hour, but we managed to get a seat immediately after coming into the store. Overall, an IHOP is an IHOP. The food was pretty good in that everything was warm and made to our specifications. I got the fruit pancakes while my friend ordered a combo special and we both enjoyed our meals (thoroughly full afterwards). As for service, our waitress was quite attentive even with the larger than normal crush of people. I quite enjoy this IHOP since it's so close to everything else in Ballston. It's a shame that it's so small, but it contributes to the family diner sort-of feel that you'd miss out on in a larger restaurants. I can't say I'll come back all the time, but I'll definitely be back for more free pancakes that I get through coupons.
(4)
Cliff W.
Achievement Unlocked: Have breakfast at a mediocre diner. This place is okay and if I was desperate I'd go there. The time I went where I checked in was because someone I knew had never been before. Being in Ballston it's crowded but if you go with just you and another person you can get a seat in a decent amount of time. They do have shredded hash browns... but they've got nothing on Waffle House.
(3)
Pegah Y.
I had a good breakfast here with the bf one Saturday morning in late April. The chicken n waffles are pretty awesome (though they're in chicken tender form) and plenty filling. This place can get pretty crowded, but surprisingly it wasn't horrendous for a Saturday morning when we visited, and we were seated pretty quickly (we had maybe a 5-minute wait). The IHOP is also a great location to meet people who are arriving from the Ballston metro. It's a pretty easy pickup area. Haha.
(4)
Jim H.
You have to respect IHOP waiters and how they deal with the night drunk crowd. I've always gotten great service and love the steak and egg breakfast deal with Hash browns instead pancakes, which the waiters always don't mind doing.
(4)
Kathy M.
Yesterday I went with my parents to dinner and my mom and I we order tilapia Florentine and my father a steak and the food came very late plus they served us broccoli that was not fresh at all. The service there was awful, I write this in the intention that you should have better service and the quality of the food. Now we really think about not going there at all
(1)
Cletus V.
Food was good, the wait for 11:30AM was 20+ minutes which wasn't terrible but the parking lot is small and the actually restaurant doesn't have many tables or seating area.
(3)
Grand Y.
Standard IHOP fare. Our total bill was cheap, especially given the amount of food, which is hard to come by in Ballston. The omelets were no better than I could make at home, which is kind of a damning thing to say. The pancakes were great though.
(3)
Sid V.
I love the omlettes and the French toasts - perfect for breakfast. Sunday mornings seem to be the most busiest - so in case you turn up here then expect a pretty long wait. Have been here multiple times. Every time I have the complain of servers being very inattentive. Highly poor service even when there is no rush at all. Once my girlfriend and I were waiting for nearly 10 mins - Servers were not noticing at all. Suddenly I overheard another server say, "we have 14". Immediately our wonderful server arrives. Pathetic service but good food.
(3)
Alexandra K.
Came here this morning with my husband (day after my wedding!), no wait at all at 10:15AM. I got the SIMPLE & FIT Blueberry Harvest Grain 'N Nut, substituting a slice of french toast for the scrambled eggs. The pancakes were the absolute most delicious pancakes I've ever eaten in my entire life, the texture from the whole grains was unbelievably good, and they were fluffy while still being hearty. The butter pecan syrup is my favorite. Don't waste your time getting the french toast though, at least the original, because that's pretty bland.
(4)
FU Y.
Made it in after living in ARL for +5 years. Always wanted to go...rating wise: right in the middle. There are more exciting breakfast places and more exciting 24 hour places, and prob. better IHOPs. But this is fine for hot coffee, pancakes and eggs the way you like 'em.
(3)
Elizabeth S.
After craving for breakfast food all day we decided to hit up this Ihop. We went because they were having this all you can eat pancakes for 5.99 it was a pretty good deal. The server was really nice and really attentive. Its a small iHop but it was good enough for me. The food was not the greatest but not the worst. Pretty average.
(4)
Mike T.
Arrived to get a late start breakfast around 11am.. very busy packed, small place with a line.. nothing out of the norm for those soaking up the Friday night suds, families etc.. it's expected.. we decided to do take out.. food was not that good if you ask me you could see the rushing going on in the kitchen and it showed itself in the quality of food.. I'll pass next time try a little local private owned joint to grab breakfast..
(2)
Jerry M.
Best breakfast in years. I had forgotten what real eggs taste like. The service made it even better. Good food and excellent service. I will definitely come back in 10 year's when I decide to have breakfast again.
(5)
Gwumpykid D.
Just when you walk in to this joint the smell of the food isn't any appetizing. The grilled tilapia hollandaise made me just sick. Also, the served broccoli isn't appetizing the way it is cooked and served.
(2)
Joey P.
I don't have a lot to say about this one. It's an IHOP; the food is decent and of course it's open 24/7. I must be getting along in years because I remember when IHOP actually felt cheap. It's pretty tough to get out of here for less than $10 per person, and it's just really not worth it to me. You probably want to go to Silver Diner instead.
(2)
John H.
The food here is always pretty good. There have been occasions where I've waited a while for my food though (25 minutes) despite the dining room being relatively slow. That's the only real complaint though. The servers are sometimes slow but they try to be helpful. All in all, a pretty average IHOP. Also, drunk people are always here on the weekends after midnight, so it might be a bit noisy at those times.
(3)
Eric N.
Normally, I rarely review chains unless I have some compelling need to. Well after this past Thursday night, I do. Way to drop the ball IHOP! Even if I was wasted, I still would've known it took a good 45 minutes to an hour to get my food. I was coming back with a friend from a night out at Lima, and we decided that we were pretty hungry. Out of the obvious late night choices in Arlington, we decided to go to IHOP since its been a while. Well, both of us were pretty sober at this point. I understand that this location gets very busy late at night, but theres really no excuse when you have to wait 45 minutes to get your food after ordering. There is also no excuse for not coming back to check up on your table. Don't you want a tip? I do not know the name of the waiter that we had, but I noticed every other waiter and waitress was checking up on their tables and making sure everyone was happy. Not ours. All he cared about was taking the orders of other tables, and running their cards or cash and counting his tips of the night. What was funny was when we finally got our check, as we walked up and was about to pay, an angry customer walks up to our waiter and demands to speak to a manager. Clearly not happy with his service with the same waiter as well. I proceeded to leave him without a tip. I could have been a dick and wrote 0.000001 as a tip, but I decided against to. I kind of regret not doing it though. With other choices in Arlington for late night dining such as Silver Diner, Bob and Ediths, Marios, and Subway on Columbia Pike, skip this IHOP. I wish I knew the name of the waiter so I could post up to avoid him. But regardless, its not worth waiting in line for 30 minutes to eat here anyways. Skip it.
(1)
Loren B.
This place gets PACKED on a Friday/Saturday night after everyone gets back their night activities. The manager is friendly and the food is good. I have to take off some stars because sometimes we have decided to go elsewhere because the wait was so long....i.e. go to the grocery store down the street (H.T.) and call it a day. No major complaints though. :)
(3)
Mattie C.
I was surprised reading some of the reviews here about the slow service. I have only been here twice, but both times we were seated after only about 5 minutes. Maybe because there were two of us each time and the other reviewers came in large groups? I'll add in my two cents because I really like this place. Both times I've gone, the waitstaff has been attentive, making sure to bring more coffee when our coffee pot runs empty and refilling our water. Both times I have gotten my favorite breakfast meal ever - egg white omelette with mushrooms and onions with bacon on the side. YUM! It is incredible and I scarf it down. Best of all, this place is open 24/7 though I haven't taken advantage of the late night opening yet. If I had to say a negative, its that the place is always very packed, and there is not much space to move around. Also, the parking lot is very small but somewhat zoo-ish. I have almost gotten hit there several times while walking through it so watch out.
(4)
Brian H.
About 2 1/2 stars for this location. It's very cramp in here, and the place really wasn't that clean when I came in here this morning with my Wife. Barely any room for the two of us, and it was very noisy in here. Couldn't hear my Wife half of the time. Waited about close to 10 minutes before our Waitress finally came over to ask if we wanted any to drink. We told her coffee, and then she left. My Wife told me and if she had not of come like she did, we would of left. She brings our coffee 5 minutes later and ask's if we're ready to order. After waiting all of this time, of course we're ready! We tell her what we want, and waited another 10 minutes for the food! She nearly given my Wife my order, and vice-versa. While waiting, we're having our coffee, and it was on the weak side. How can anyone screw up coffee like this?! Don't think we will be returning here again in the near future.
(2)
Big B.
C'mon people this is IHOP. I'm giving it a generous 4 because I generally have low expectations for IHOP -- service, quality, food, yet this one seems better than average. The service is nice and friendly and the food is always decent and typically fast. Like I said, low expectations, this is not fine dining. The restaurant has always been clean and since it has a good variety of breakfast/lunch items and pictures on the menu, its a great place to take my Grandmother. Beware the place isn't huge so be prepared for a wait if you go during their rush times which can be breakfast/lunch and late night after the bars close.
(4)
C R.
pretty darn good. i went there on a sunday night bc it's probably the only thing open. we were seated immediately. the servers were very responsive. i ordered water and carrot cake pancakes with eggs, sausages and hashbrown. i was hungry, so the food was great. eggs, sausages and hasbrowns were what you'd expect. i like how the HASHBROWNS were a bit crispy. the pancakes were awesomely sweet..it was like dessert. overall, great experience. would def go back..if i needed food late at night.
(4)
Bill M.
Came in at 5 am kind of odd entryway when I stood waiting to be greeted I got this stare from waitress looking at me ? I don't know if she thought I was visiting for some other reason than to eat? I asked if I could have a seat then she realized why I am standing there, yes I am a customer. After ordering the food was there in under five minutes, and it tasted good. So I can see the restaurant is old and the kitchen is in the middle, making for an odd layout . Another thing I found curious after paying for meal when my change was brought there was no receipt?
(3)
Mickey C.
Normal food, but pricey. One coffee, no juice or other drink and a couple of regular breakfast orders were almost $20 clams with small tip.......I felt "held up". Does a lot of business, so there is obviously room for competition.
(2)
Sarah S.
An IHOP who runs out of Strawberries and Bananas is not a proper IHOP. Did not get my cheesecake pancakes. What I got en revanche was too much attitude from the manager when I told him that the spoon he gave me had still food on it after being washed. No comment and not going back.
(2)
Chris L.
This place has good food but bad service. I hate coming here unless my waiter is the Asian guy who is always happy. He's nice, cool, and remembers his customers.
(2)
Flo S.
Two Words: Cheap Eats ok...well maybe two more words: Hawaiian Pancakes! So, they had me at 'Hawaiian' (pancakes), so that's what I ordered along with the Big Breakfast (two of each: eggs, sausage, bacon, ham and hashbrowns). All that for $7.99. Did I not say cheap? The Hawaiian pancakes were just the right texture topped with some bananas,mac nuts and whip cream! Good for IHOP for diversifying their menu with this new selection of pancakes Let's just hope that they are not a 'limited edition'! My friend had the Nutella crepes with strawberries on top...mmmm, really good. All that and a small bowl of vanilla ice cream to put you over the edge. To me it should be called creme de la crepe! My other friend ordered the tilapia entree for her lunch the next day. I'll update you on how it tasted as I have not heard back from her. So, all in all...four words--Cheap Eats Hawaiian Pancakes... what more could you ask for in this economy? It sure helps your pockets!
(4)
Krissy R.
It is what it is. You get what you expect here and the food tastes much more delicious if you're hammered when you go here. Stick to pancakes or something fried, keep an open mind, and go here slightly drunk and this place will get 5 stars from you. I go here with low expectations because the staff is rude, I always regret eating whatever it is that I pig out on here, and the clientele is often annoying. Truth of the matter is it's open 24 hours and it's food to fill your belly. As far as location goes, it's perfect.
(2)
Ningxi X.
I must say I'm an ihop fan. Their food portions are huge (I have to take home some food almost every time -- that or be stuffed like a balloon when I leave the premises). Usually if I get a breakfast combo the pancakes served afterwards always feel like an extra that I can't stuff into my stomach any more. Usually have to wait, especially on weekend mornings. Pleasant waitstaff, low-key environment, and eclectic breakfast menu. I wish they had smoothies in addition to coffee. The chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes are luscious (fresh blueberries are a big plus), and steak and mushrooms are mouthwatering. It's right by Ballston metro, and has been my spot to go to before the one opened in Columbia Heights in DC. I don't feel the service is slow. It's pretty prompt. Although wait times could be slightly annoying, it's never too long (30 minutes max I would say).
(3)
Dan G.
I've only been to this IHOP for breakfast, and I think it's one of the best IHOP's I've ever been to. Seriously. Our Waitress couldn't of been nicer, and our food was actually damn good! When we were leaving, she asked if we wanted a diet coke and coffee to go (as refills)! I thought that was an incredibly thoughtful gesture. How many times have you experienced that, anywhere?
(5)
Kate A.
I LOVE breakfast foods, so it's no surprise that I'm a fan of the IHOP. They always have a great selection of food (even non-breakfast meals), and the portions are HUGE, so you always have leftovers. In general the service is fine, and I always leave there happy and full.
(4)
Ann L.
Midnight, tipsy, and craving an old favorite, this 24 hour IHOP was there at the most convenient location - between apartment buildings, whatever you would refer to as Ballston nightlife, and the metro. Not having had IHOP in many years, three of us girls walked in with eyes bigger than our stomachs. Two of us got the pancake combo, one of us got the stuffed french toast combo. My plate came with 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 bacon strips, 2 sausage links, 2 ham corners, and hash browns. I was thrilled at first but left feeling like a lethargic drunkard who was now every drop sober and instead of alcohol has salt running through my veins. Maybe this is a sign that I'm getting older and no longer am able to eat a Thanksgiving dinner portion every time I'm feeling giddy. Maybe they just have a lot more salt in their food at this IHOP than those in my adolescence. Maybe that time my dad told me I would have high blood pressure one day is starting to get to me... Anyway, despite the awful feelings of regret we had upon leaving, this IHOP gets three stars for service. Our waiter was really helpful. Substituted the meat portion of the combo for onion rings upon my vegetarian friend's request, substituted the sausges for bacon on the sausages and biscuit plate just because my friend who ordered it didn't want sausage. Gave us endless refills on our water and even once said "Here, anything is possible!" which sounded like magical words upon entering a fairytale kingdom. They didn't even pressure a friend to order something when he came towards the end of our meal and just let him take a fork and clear our plates. Oh - these were the best hash browns I had in a long time. Nice and crispy.
(3)
Tony J.
I have had breakfast here many times. This is a 24/7 IHOP accross the street from the Balston metro. This place is always busy especially on weekend mornings. People usually stand outside as they wait for their names to be annouced on the loudspeaker system. Once inside your breakfast experience is very good with the usual wide range of breakfast selections. This is a classic IHOP with good service and good quality breakfast food. The outdoor parking lot is usually full, which is an inconvenience. Luckily I was able to walk there without parking.
(3)
Matt T.
This is the first time I've posted a review for a chain restaurant, but I feel compelled to given the level of service that I've received every time I've been. The morning managers run an incredibly tight ship. I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes even when it's been packed with people waiting outside. They get your name, they quickly get you seated, get your order and food arrives within minutes. The comment I hear most frequently when I grab breakfast here with people from out of town is "Wow, I wish my IHOP was run this way."
(5)
Timothy U.
It's a freakin' IHOP!!! Can't go wrong with anything here. The service is pretty good. The same servers are always there and very quick about placing your order and getting your order to you. Lunch is always crowed so but, you can be in and out in no time.
(3)
Sabrina M.
How can anybody NOT love breakfast? Its not only the MOST important meal of the day.... Its also the most delicious! Although IHOP definitely isn't a top fine dine kinda place...I think it makes up for what in lacks in ambiance and flair with its delightful array of fantastic breakfast dishes. You can get it ALLL here! From their amazing french toast covered in strawberries, to my favorite "breakfast sampler" to their make your own omlettes, to their great tasty sandwiches. There is something for everyone at IHOP. You can order a steak or just get chicken tenders. I mean you can't go wrong with such a solid choice. Although I will admit, due to the ridiculously rambunctious drunkard crowds that are always in this purlieu, I got them on my speed dial, and always call ahead for curry out! That way, I don't have to wait 40 minutes to eat my food, I don't have to deal with their ridiculously slow servers, or get a migraine from hell due to all the yelling, burping, farting, and just plain grousing winos! This is also a great place to take chicks on your 1st date! My brother use to do this so he could see if a girl was just going out with him because of his Rolex and Porsche or whether she was really into him! You can see the reaction on a girls face from just mentioning those 4 little letters...IHOP! If she scowls and gripes...Well then fellas you know you gotta gold-digging no good trollop on your hands!
(4)
Derek H.
Perfect location in Arlington, right next to the Metro. Packed to the rafters but excellent management & staff kept the food coming out fast & furious.
(4)
Ruslana W.
This my first ever experience at ihop. Well, we arrived and were seated, then a lady comes and offers some coffee. When I took my cup, I noticed that it was dirty, there was a piece of a pancake I guess on the edge (yukk!!). So I asked her for another cup in a polite manner. She was furious and said "what's the problem"? I was taken aback. Then she brings another cup, but that was even dirtier.... I asked her if she could change the cup. Omg, she went tantrums! She was so angry that I wished I had not asked her... She started talking very loudly and asked: "You want a go cup"? My friend told her that we could go to another place in that case. She was still angry but this time she opened the dishwasher which was next to our table and took a clean cup from it. She just put the cup on the table without pouring any coffee. Then she came later to take the order and TRIED to be nice:) This was my first ever experience in the States when the services were so poor... I've been taught in class that you do everything possible and impossible to please the client and make his/her experience great, and this was the opposite. Well, at least food was so good! :) I order nutella crepes, which were really good with chocolate filling and bananas covered with strawberries, strawberry syrup and whipped cream, delicious! but the portion was too big! So, 5* for the food and 1* for service :) Hope your waiter will be much nicer!
(3)
K R.
It's an Ihop tradition: underestimate the wait time, then take twice as long as is conceivably necessary to bring the food. BUT this location surprised me. They said 20 minutes; it was 20 minutes. The food came promptly and was what was ordered and expected.
(4)
Alex S.
It feels completely useless to review an IHOP since if you're going here, it's probably because nothing else is open and you'd eat anything. Just about everything including the food is the same as any other IHOP. They're pretty efficient at moving people through during busy times, better than most locations. The people watching here is great. The last time I came two girls got in a fight because one looked at the other. The time before that, someone made a scene claiming racism because her order took more than 15 minutes in a packed restaurant.
(4)
Keith B.
I was pleasantly surprised to eat here after not visiting an IHOP in many years. What used to be a sticky table, dirty place with garbage food and equally bad service is now sparkling clean. The staff is very good. The menu is diverse with nutritional information (calorie counts) listed. So I am a new fan of IHOP.
(4)
Aaron B.
Okay, on the one hand this is just IHOP, but on the other it is a reliable place to get delicious food any time of day. And it's REALLY delicious food too. Not healthy, nor really that cheap, but they do certain things better than anybody else. The double blueberry pancakes are amazing, and the banana bread french toast is friggin' amazing!!!! I can't believe I've never encountered that before, but it's such an obviously great idea and so well executed. Sure, it's more like dessert than a meal, but I'll go out of my way to go to an IHOP next time I'm in the states just to have that again. It has it's faults, but I'm definitely a fan.
(4)
Heather W.
My boyfriend and I come here A LOT for breakfast. Every single time we go, we have a great experience. It seems we've had nearly every server by now and they are all very nice and efficient. We try not to go on the weekends because they do get very busy for breakfast.
(5)
Deanna J.
Everyone should love IHOP. When the snow hit this past winter, my circle of friends asked, "Is IHOP still open? Can we make it to IHOP?" True story. I love the breakfast, and you get so much food! If I eat breakfast here I'm still full by lunch. I always get an omelet, so good! The pancakes really do make the restaurant. I always debate between chocolate chip and strawberry. The seasonal flavors are awesome too-pumpkin, pecan pie, eggnog, and gingerbread. Expect a wait, this tiny place gets packed!
(4)
myung k.
1) it seems to be pretty well known that service at IHOP can be pretty spotty. However, I really do not go to IHOP expecting great service. 2) I feel that IHOP is for convenience, being able to indulge in breakfast foods at ALL hours. However, does the food make up for it? I have to say IHOP is one of my guilty pleasures. Seeing the price/value relationship, it is not that bad to have a big freakin steak omelette at 3 in the morning when you and your friends are still half drunk. Will I be coming here again? I say no, but I know i will eventually! hehe
(2)
Jerry P.
I was visiting in Washington DC from Tempe AZ over Thanksgiving, and stopped by IHOP for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. Being Thanksgiving there were very few places open, so my wife and I chose IHOP by default. We walked a bit looking for an alternative but there were no other places open. Of course the place was busy. We were in for a surprise. The place was clean and we were greeted by a pleasant host. Our waitress was patient while we perused the menu. I ordered a traditional breakfast, bacon, eggs and pancakes. The food was served hot and tasty. Our waitress was attentive and checked on us often. Ever notice how waitstaff has the uncanny ability to wait until you shovel food into your mouth then they stop by and ask how your meal tastes? This waitress had very good timing and didn't do that. This IHOP was a pleasant place to eat. I was surprised at the ambiance, service and food. The food wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. I guess that is a pretty low bar, but they managed to surpass my expectations.
(4)
Anna D.
The service is terrible! I've been here 3 times and all 3 times, there was something wrong with my server. The first time, our server was in a real hurry. She rushed to seat us, rushed to take our orders, and rushed us with our check. The second time, my server (a different one), filled my carafe with only enough coffee for half a mug. Which made me wonder why I paid $1.99 for coffee when it was gone after 5 sips. She also didn't stop by my table once to see how I was doing. The third time (also a different server), we were seated right away but proceeded to wait 15 minutes for our server to come by to take our orders. We had to ask another server to get our server. She did, but our server went to the wrong table and then we waited another 5 minutes. By this time, there were parties who were seated AFTER us who were already receiving their food. The food here is okay. Stick with the breakfast items because that's their specialty and don't expect much from their service. If it weren't so close to home, I wouldn't come back.
(2)
Adam G.
Here's why you go to IHOP 1) You're hammered yet inexplicably hungry 2) You want a heavy dessert with a side of eggs for breakfast Any other reason, you're risking it. (ok, budding novelist suggestion was a good one). Service here is generally good, but yes, the wait is horrific weekend mornings. Decor is...IHOP. I have NEVER been to the bathroom here, but the tables are decently clean. If you are nodding your head right now like this is really useful information, you might not be IHOP's target audience. I can't in good conscience say any IHOP is comparable to a real world restaurant, but I don't want to throw off their rating, and I like this spot. So we'll give this one four "IHoP edition" stars, let's leave it at that.
(4)
Bro H.
It's an IHOP. IHOP isn't very good. It's overpriced for what it is, and it's kind of depressing in there. This particular IHOP gets crowded at the only times that it's actually desirable to go to IHOP (weekends, when drunk). That said, it's cleaner than most IHOPs, and the service is slightly more attentive. If the place is within walking distance, you gotta do what you gotta do, but if you're getting in the car, there's no reason to come here. Go a bit out of your way and check out Bob and Edith's instead.
(2)
Samuel G.
If you are a budding novelist whose suddenly found him- (or her-) self bankrupt of inspiration, here's my advice: stroll into the Arlington IHoP at about 1:30 a.m. one Saturday or Sunday morning. Park yourself in a booth with your yellow legal pad and pens at the ready, (laptop if you're more progressive), order the first of a few pots of fresh coffee, and wait. I swear to God, by 2:30, you will probably have more material than you know what to do with. When the bars roll up their sidewalks at 2 a.m., this is where everybody goes. Especially everybody who's drunk and trying to get sober. Some will succeed, some not so much. And as someone has already accurately posted, because of the seating situation (this is NOT the world's biggest IHoP), you will get to know your neighbor pretty well, whether you want to or not. So if you want to know what's happening on the weekend nights (or mornings) and where it's happening, IHoP is the place to be. Of course, having a Colorado omelette with hash browns on the side is always a plus. In fact, for a place to get belly-fillers to quiet that incessant rumbling in your gut, this is the best game in town. (Actually, for food 24/7, as far as I know, it's the ONLY game in town.) Worst times to go from what I've observed would be Saturdays before 2 p.m., and DEFINITELY Sundays before three (the before-and-after church crowds.)
(3)
Cedar W.
Not the best location as far as Ihop goes. Weird seating and lame service. Take your scrill elsewhere.
(2)
Sara L.
You're average ihop.. service was pretty crappy and the waitress was extremely rude. The pancakes were delish though! Love that this lcoation is 24 hours.
(3)
Cole D.
What a cramped space! You are within a foot of the strangers next to you. And your own table barely has enough space for you and your partner's plates.
(1)
Laura V.
Where do you go in Ballston at 3am when you're drunk and hungry? Why IHOP of course! This location is in the perfect spot to grab an early morning snack that you'll probably regret when you come out of your drunken stupor the next day. (We all know the questioning/reasoning we go through...Why was I eating at 3am?) I love IHOP plain and simple. The food is tasty and fast, and always fresh. The service at this location was spot on. Our server was courteous, friendly, and accommodated my special request of leaving the ham off of the grilled ham and egg sandwich. Damn that sandwich was good. I think.
(3)
Maria E.
It's a good old fashioned diner. No frills; no fancy stuff. But the folks who work here seem to want to make you feel comfortable and welcome. Kid friendly.
(4)
Bill R.
Had a craving for pancakes this past weekend and came by this IHOP. It was packed so I opted to return another day. On Monday morning there wasn't a crowd (go figure) and the food hit the spot. I recommend the loaded blueberry pancakes. Service was friendly and attentive. I will return when the pancake craving hits again.
(4)
J C.
I walk by here weekend mornings, and for the life of me, can't figure out why it's so busy. There's something fundamentally and inherently wrong about waiting for breakfast. I've lived in the neighborhood since 1999, and it just seems to get busier and busier. And I'm pretty damn certain they've found a way to knock out some booths and cram more tables in. I've darn near had my elbows on other people's tables before. They do give you quite a lot of food for your money. In fact, I've felt pressured to eat after I'm long since full just because of lectures my mom gave me about people starving in some place I can't find on a map. The verdict: if you go here at some random time, like 6pm on a weekday, it's actually pretty nice. Sit back with a cup of coffee, read the paper, and chow down on some breakfast. Not too bad. But there's no reason to wait for a seat here for more than a few minutes (this isn't Rays the Pancakes), and if you do wait for longer than that, I've got two words for you: learn to fu*king cook! Plus, I haven't seen boysenberry syrup here in ages. They lose a star for that. That sh*t was about as much fun you can have with your clothes on!
(2)
Fuzz H.
The service is rather slow and the waiters don't seem to pay customers much attention. My pancakes were also a little burnt. Seating is also very limited. I'd rather just drive an extra 15 mins to another ihop.
(2)
David W.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Always good stuff after the clubs. After roaming around in the freaking cold for awhile it's great to sit down and just grub!!! The service here was excellent and super fast. Our waitress was very nice and took great care of us despite the after club rush. The food was good and when isn't food good when you're starving. The coffee was really good.... so freaking good I couldn't go to bed til 7 FREAKING AM. We were done by 3AM. Good stuff. They were busy but we were seated almost right away. And guess what...there's actually parking here in this part of town. Go figure.
(4)
Ryan D.
I like to stroll over after a late night of homework and/or studying on weekends. Either find a few drunks to laugh at, some eyecandy stopping through after the club, or a combo of both. Luckily I live nearby because early mornings/club closing hours it can be really packed with a long wait. The few times I've eaten inside have been on weekdays, so maybe due to a lighter crowd the service has always been on point for me. Dammit! I probably just jinxed myself by saying that.
(3)
Annie A.
Love I hop!!! Great for Pancakes and I ve never been able finish it all by myself. If I am not in a mood for a pancake then my alltime favourite is the chicken crepe with lemon butter sauce. Free flow of coffee is a good idea for an ideal breakfast.... just make sure you go with an empty stomach or a huge appetite.
(4)
Harry T.
When I'm drunk in the land of Starbucks and brown flip flops at 2 in the morning this place looks like an oasis. It's cheap, open and satisfying (err am I reviewing a restaurant or escort service?). My friends who live next to the place literally have a short order cook on call 24 hours a day. Gotta love it.
(3)
Minger M.
IHOP has the best omelettes. At 2 AM, that's a big deal. It's packed with party goers fueling up before going home. Arlington PD makes sure nobody gets out of line and causes trouble.
(4)
Sarah B.
I used to work as a waitress at this IHOP. Now, given that fact I can still see this restaurant objectively. There are a few things I never liked: Some of the managers are a bit belligerent to both the employees and the customers. I have seen this happen before and after I started working there. Often they have no tolerance for complaints or rowdiness, and they will tell you this outright. Although I don't mind the noisiness, there are some regular customers (and not always drunk) who disturb those who want some peace and quite. I have seen these scenarios turn into dislike between customers. And yes, the tables are very small together and there is not much room to walk around if you are a waiter. Also, I knew of a few instances where customers treated the waiters like scum, and in return the waiters get angry and sometimes argue with them (no, we don't spit in your food). Sometimes there have been bickering between waiters as well. However, with that said, the crowded times usually contain the friendly customers. I have observed people start up conversations and make friends with nearby tables, and have done so myself when I eat there. I absolutely LOVE the food. The hash browns are much better than any other place I have eaten at so far, and I highly recommend steak, big steak omelet, Colorado Omelet, philly cheese steak, ham and egg melt (DELICIOUS), and lemon chicken. Just recently I tried the chocolate chip pancakes (chocolate batter with chocolate chips in it) and I was amazed I had never tried it before. Think brownies, but shaped like a pancake. It's also a nice place to relax if you come during the down times. I will go over sometimes and read or draw for a few hours without feeling guilty for taking someone's seat. The servers are also bored during these times, so if you're lonely you might be able to get them in a nice discussion. This IHOP is very unique. I have been to a few others and have found this one to be more personal. The servers are usually willing to make small talk and help you make your order. Overall, it's the place I like to take my friends to get together or to grab something to eat at 2am when boredom hits us.
(4)
Sam R.
Have I been that out of the loop ... when the hell did IHOP start offering all you can eat pancakes?! I don't know if it was the state we were in after making the rounds in Arlington, or if the pancakes were actually THAT GOOD. But they hit the spot that night. Yes, the place packs them in after last call ... and as Cat mentions, some of the "booths" can make for some intimate moments over hash browns, sausage links and maple syrup. And like every other late night joint, I gotta feel for the wait staff. Our waitress was slow to come over ... her excuse? Another walkout that decided to eat and run. That explains the cop parked outside. And here we thought it was the free pie ...
(4)
Gigi G.
Its a hit or miss here. I loveeee the pancakes. Well, I like pancakes in general that really means nothing. Everything else I've ordered is like, "eh, ok." The service is also hit or miss. Sometimes you feel rushed. They are ALWAYS busy. The host or maybe he's the manager is ALWAYS nice. Very respectful. I go there for a quick cheap meal and expect nothing else.
(3)
Jake S.
Alas, there are no Waffle Houses anywhere near Washington. Therefore, IHOP will have to do. Went there last night, hammered as usual, to get some sober-up food. Had the chocolate chip pancakes, which are my favorites, with eggs, hash browns, and double bacon (always clutch). Everything was cooked well, they didn't screw anyone's order up (a first for an IHOP for me), and it came out in a timely fashion. The waiter looked kind of cranky, probably because he was tired of waiting on drunk people all night... funny.
(4)
PC W.
I will never be too good for IHOP and for all those people who think they are, they're just kidding themselves. It was 9:30pm and I just got in from the airport. I was starving and inexplicably drawn to IHOP. The Quick Two-Egg Breakfast hit the spot. What do you get for $7? Two eggs made to order, choice of two slices of bacon or 2 sausages, hash browns and two slices of toast. I'm a sucker for their bacon and hash browns. Always crispy, always good.
(3)
Cathy D.
This IHOP is ghetto and tiny. Parking is tight here. They make the most of their space by placing dividers between long booths so that two separate parties can sit there. So um....you might get to know your booth neighbor a little better whether you'd like to or not. The menu is not as extensive as the other IHOPS as well.
(2)
Ruth K.
Several years ago (maybe 5) I visited this IHOP and it was not good, the place was dirty and the service blah. But I recently went back there, twice and I had a very good experience. The food is good and they have some lower calorie choices (I even choose them on occasion ;) ) and the service is great. Also, I accidentally left for 4 days my credit card there and they kept it for me.
(4)
Allan H.
People are always dogging on IHOP, and I have no idea why. Where else can you get a stack of pancakes, a patty melt, or sausage gravy and biscuits at 4 AM and not feel bad about still being awake? IHOP in Ballston, that's where. You head into IHOP and you can get anything your little heart desires, from breakfast foods to dinner entrees. Not that the food is that good, but be honest, does that really make a difference? The best thing that IHOP has to offer is that it is still packed at 3 in the morning and still pretty hopping. The service is relatively quick and while you're waiting, you can see all the other people who are drunker than you. It is a lock that you will see the one drunk guy in the corner smearing eggs and hot sauce all over his face, chewing with his mouth open and his eyes closed.
(4)
Bob T.
I love IHOP for its pancakes and breakfast food. Its consistent. The decor is not that great. The coffee is horrible.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sharon L.
Came here at 3-4am w/ 3 friends. FULL DISCLAIMER: was definitely intoxicated. But I've been to many ihops before (sober) and my experience there is usually pretty consistent! Ambience/decor: Standard ihop interior. Seemed pretty clean / didnt have to wipe off crumbs on table/seats before I sat down Service: No idea. Have no memory of interacting w/ the waitstaff. Sorry :( Food: - Hashbrowns. So good. - Eggs/bacon: Cooked exactly how I like it - Blueberry pancakes: Amazing. Fluffy w/ fresh blueberries and blueberry sauce on top Overall awesome & cheap late night/brunch/whenever breakfast food staple. Will definitely be back!
(4)Xida Z.
Scratches the 2 am Itch just right. For notes on the food take a look at the pictures. Enough said.
(2)Christopher C.
This is an awesome IHOP. There will, of course, be heavily intoxicated people here sometimes.
(5)Stephanie J.
Placed an order for takeout awhile back. All I wanted was a short stack of pancakes with a SIDE of the strawberries and bananas. The person transferred me to the manager who proceeded to hustle me into getting way too much food, claiming he was "saving me money." When I arrived, they rang me up for 2 orders of pancakes, one with the fruit and one without. I did not need all that food, and did not need to spend all that money on 1 breakfast, but I felt like it was too late at that point. Maybe he didn't understand what I was asking, but it felt more like he hustled me into confusion. The food didn't even taste good after that, and I have never and will never be back.
(1)Hwal L.
When I first moved to the US, iHop was the very first diner I went to they had me at steak omelette. Some two years later, iHop is not as magical to me because I have eaten at other diners since then, but at least this location is reliably sufficient. Split Decision combo and breakfast combo with potatoes substituted for hash browns were both good, but somehow I found my Split Decision not very filling. The split booth set up here is kind of weird to me, if only because it greatly reduces the seat space. Luckily neither of us is huge, but some diners might find these split booths way too cramped. Plenty of parking, better than average customer service, and clean. We'd go back!
(4)Justin S.
Overall, this place is a huge disappointment! My fiancé and I came here after watching the 4th of July fireworks to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, we never had a chance to order any food. If you're looking for good diner food in Arlington, I would go to Bob and Edith's on Columbia Pike. Before I continue with my review, I will say that the location was very busy at that time. However, it's no excuse for the horrible service! Service: The service here is horrible! When my fiancé and I first arrived, the waitress at the front completely ignored us. We waited for about 10 minutes before they greeted us. After being taken to our booth, we saw some interesting things. The one instance that comes to mind was a waitress accidentally dropping a tray of water on a customer. They did clean up the mess but we did not hear an apology from the waitress or the manager to the customer. As we were waiting, no one came by to take our drink order. We waited for approximately 20 minutes before we left. While walking out, the manager asked if we were leaving and my fiancé said that it's been 20 minutes and no one came by to take our order so we are leaving. Food: I wish I could say something about the food but I never had an opportunity to try it. Ambience: It's your typical IHOP. Nothing really special. So after leaving, my fiancé and I decided to go to Bob and Edith's. They were also very busy at this time since most of the crowd just came from the 4th of July fireworks. It took us maybe, 10 minutes before being seated, and approximately 12 minutes (yes we timed it) before they served us our food. They did mess up my fiancés order (which is understandable seeing they were busy), however they quickly replaced it in less than 5 minutes! If you're looking for diner food in Arlington, stay away from this place!
(1)Ginger B.
So glad they are open 24 hours after a long drive and late check-in to our hotel after a delay on I95. Our quick 2 egg breakfast meals were good and the staff was nice. I just wish they cooked the white parts of the sunny side up eggs a little more.
(3)Michelle W.
There was no wait early morning on a Saturday which was nice. It's pretty cramped in the restaurant and kind of loud. I got the strawberry and banana french toast which came with plenty of strawberry syrup, nice and sweet. The french toast was nice and fluffy, basically exactly what you expect from classic french toast. The service was decently fast. A very standard ihop experience.
(4)Ron R.
It's IHOP. We all know the deal. You're either part of the 3am crowd that stares blankly at your meal while you contemplate why you're not hooking up at the moment or you just got out of church and you're staring at NFL replays on your phone while you wait for an hour to get seated. The food is always exactly what you want if you know IHOP. I recommend the Omelets for the best bang for your buck. They are huge and come with 3 pancakes. Can't beat it.
(3)Mary Kate M.
After going home to Tennessee for a vacation, my fiance was so compelled to keep the chain restaurant extravaganza going. I didn't happily oblige, but I did go. Sometimes IHOP is needed especially after a 16 hour straight drive. We rolled in around 9:00AM on Tuesday morning straight off I-66. I was hungry. He was hungry. Lo and behold there is IHOP! I have ate at many IHOPs in my life time. I am not necessarily proud of this achievement, but nonetheless, it hits the spot almost every time. Today I ordered the stuffed strawberry french toast. I ate a little over half of it with Sami eating the rest of it. For me it was a little heavy for first thing in the morning. It was undoubtedly good though. Sami ordered some flap jacks, sausage and eggs. Service was good. We didn't have any trouble with anything and enjoyed our time here hence the 4 star rating. Good food and good service with no high expectations.
(4)Cheryl D.
This place sucks. Waitstaff is rude. Only worth coming here if absolutely nothing else is open.
(1)Reni M.
Terrible! The service is terrible. The waitress didn't know how to speak English. And furthermore, she placed the check on the table as soon as we got our food. The manager/owner was trying to help the staff but all she did was a huge mess.
(1)Vance U.
Instead of coming here, just go into your kitchen cabinets and find a bag of salt to pour down your mouth. It would save you a lot of money and time going here. I gave 2 stars for good service. Only reason i've ever come here is local convenience.
(2)Christina Y.
I was a little hesitant to bring the entire family on a Saturday morning, but we were able to get a table right away. Just that the spaces in between the tables seemed smaller than those of some other IHOPS we've been to.. I loved that they had coloring napkins and water for little ones. These things can literally make or break your experience. Food came out promptly. The server gave us a million straws and napkins whenever we asked for it. Food is what you'd expect. No complaints.
(3)Dave M.
Awful experience here once seated it took another five minutes before anyone approached me! And then both starter and main course are left on my table! And with the temperature inside resembling the outside it was either a case of wolf down the soup or eat a cold main course Its a shame as the food was nice! Excatly the Same thing happened to another guy who was seated in front of me, but he refused both dishes at the same time . I shall not be revisiting!
(1)LCastro P.
I invite my family to eat here and there was a HAIR in the plate... Disgusting the manager took the plate and did nothing!!! What that $&@:! We wont never come back !!!
(1)Hana S.
This is a pretty standard IHOP. In all honesty I don't have a lot of I have experiences. My reason for going to this location is because it's open and close. I've never ordered a lot of food here, but my friends sure have. Not because the food wasn't appealing. Simply because I wasn't that hungry. My friends food always looked good. They did not complain and eagerly stuffed their face. I usually just get a side of fruit which is less than super fresh. The waiters seldomly speak much English nor can always explain the menu. On a positive note they're usually pretty friendly. Late nights and weekends you can expect a drunk ground. At super odd late hours you can be left alone to chill drink your coffee and eat your food. I would totally visit this location again.
(5)William S.
I little behind on my review so I doing this an check out Patomic Yard location as well. I really enjoy ihop restaurants because it's little bit of old school. This location been here forever. I been going here for a long time. Ordering the something. T-Bone steak and egg. Egg cook just right. Pancake in the dry side. But the syrup help out. I use the blue berry syrup. Steak cook right. But..... It's not a frizzier burn... But it has a taste they had this in storage. There letting there quality go down. Coffee ok. But if you come here it not a five Star restaurant. Even on the weekend the line use to been long. But last Sunday line gone down a lot. This place not so good on wheel chair. Small restaurant. Limited parking. But right next to a metro station. I come back but not like I use to.
(3)Alexander Z.
This is a solid place for when you need to have IHOP immediately. The location is convenient, and it has a parking lot, which is a big deal for us DC residents. Both times we have gone, our servers were incredibly helpful and polite. Plus, breakfast food is great all day, every day, so this is a good IHOP for any time!
(4)Peter M.
Came by at 2:39 AM after a busy night UberX-ing. Had this great steak omelette, added spinach. Delish. The better chefs work in the early morning.
(5)Jed M.
Scrapple! They have Scrapple! And it comes in two large pieces, a little bit bigger than a half piece of toast each. It was cooked hard on the outside, like I like it, and was still tender and mushy on the inside. The bacon was whatever. Stick with the Scrapple!
(3)PF T.
Been eating here for decades. This IHOP has to be sitting on the most expensive piece of real estate in the DC Metro area. Always clean and prompt courteous service.
(5)Susan C.
The French Toast was burnt and the bacon was so chewy it tasted like beef jerky. Not exactly what I was hoping for. I know it's a chain, but I've had better offerings from other locations. Don't think I'll be returning there again.
(2)Sean M.
Stopped here for dinner after checking in fairly late at the Hilton across the street. No real issues at all. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the food was served hot and quickly. Salad was served with plenty of time to eat it before dinner, so no problem there. Overall, a standard IHOP experience, and really nothing to complain about on my visit.
(3)Amber H.
what can i say, it's IHOP. not my preferred choice for place to eat; i've only come here after a night out, either right after we get back (~2-3am) or the next morning. super convenient and open 24 hours, so it's perfect for when you're hungry with friends but nothing else is open. during late night there's less customers (obviously) so they're busy cleaning, mopping, etc. which sometimes gives the place that unpleasant dirty water smell. mornings are usually busy but we were seated without having to wait too long. price and menu are standard IHOP fare, terrible for you but so good. they've got a small private lot if you're driving there. late at night there's usually some drunk people hanging out and yelling about nothing, which is amusing to see sometimes. i used to live in the building overlooking the parking lot and the cops visited quite frequently on friday/saturday nights. a-town is right next door so i think that block is quite a hot spot for late night activity.
(2)Amber J.
This place is so freaking small... Me and my friends came here in the wee hours of the night(2am) the service was good considering how busy it was. I felt like everyone was breathing on everyone while eating. The food was good (it's IHOP). This place is not ideal for large groups and it gets really busy with the night owls trying to eat. I'd go back but during the day.
(3)Chelsea D.
An IHOP is an IHOP, right? We stopped into this 24/7 joint before we headed out to Inauguration festivities, because it was right next to the Ballston Metro station, and because we knew we needed carbs and calories to power through all of the standing, waiting, watching, and being American we were about to be doing. It was nearly empty, save for a few other Inauguration goers, but that was at 6am on a Monday that was also a holiday. Service was fast and friendly, and the table/restaurant overall was clean. I created my own omelette, which was full of bacon, ham, and the cheddar/jack cheese combination. Except for the middle of the omelette, which was weirdly devoid of any of the above components. The outer thirds of the omelette were full of meat and cheese, but the inner third was just thin layer after thinner layer of egg. That was strange, and kind of disappointing, because the middle was sort of inedible without the extra stuff. The hash browns were awesome, and my friend enjoyed her chocolate chip pancakes. The bill came, and was about $13 or $14. Not bad.
(3)Ashley R.
Just go to Denny's. It'll taste WAY better than this place, and still be a few dollars cheaper.
(1)dave o.
All in all, I'd say there is a lot of $$ value in an IHOP omelet breakfast. Very large, limitless coffee, nice choices. So I sort of think, most eggs are eggs. The IHOP omelets are very filling. The one in Ballston is pretty standard.
(3)Cee B.
FYI: The parking lot is not that big so if you're coming here during a popular event like free stack of pancakes, then be prepared to wait for someone to leave so you can park for free. It was really busy when I visited - free stack of pancakes. The food was ok but I don't like their seating layout. Someone sat right next to me and he smelled like smoke. I don't smoke so he smelled horrible. It was like experiencing 2nd hand smoke. I had to leave so I asked for the check and a to go container and cup and left.
(3)Anthony T.
I came to IHOP with a friend to redeem a free pancakes coupon (check their website out if you haven't already). It was the busy Saturday morning breakfast/brunch hour, but we managed to get a seat immediately after coming into the store. Overall, an IHOP is an IHOP. The food was pretty good in that everything was warm and made to our specifications. I got the fruit pancakes while my friend ordered a combo special and we both enjoyed our meals (thoroughly full afterwards). As for service, our waitress was quite attentive even with the larger than normal crush of people. I quite enjoy this IHOP since it's so close to everything else in Ballston. It's a shame that it's so small, but it contributes to the family diner sort-of feel that you'd miss out on in a larger restaurants. I can't say I'll come back all the time, but I'll definitely be back for more free pancakes that I get through coupons.
(4)Cliff W.
Achievement Unlocked: Have breakfast at a mediocre diner. This place is okay and if I was desperate I'd go there. The time I went where I checked in was because someone I knew had never been before. Being in Ballston it's crowded but if you go with just you and another person you can get a seat in a decent amount of time. They do have shredded hash browns... but they've got nothing on Waffle House.
(3)Pegah Y.
I had a good breakfast here with the bf one Saturday morning in late April. The chicken n waffles are pretty awesome (though they're in chicken tender form) and plenty filling. This place can get pretty crowded, but surprisingly it wasn't horrendous for a Saturday morning when we visited, and we were seated pretty quickly (we had maybe a 5-minute wait). The IHOP is also a great location to meet people who are arriving from the Ballston metro. It's a pretty easy pickup area. Haha.
(4)Jim H.
You have to respect IHOP waiters and how they deal with the night drunk crowd. I've always gotten great service and love the steak and egg breakfast deal with Hash browns instead pancakes, which the waiters always don't mind doing.
(4)Kathy M.
Yesterday I went with my parents to dinner and my mom and I we order tilapia Florentine and my father a steak and the food came very late plus they served us broccoli that was not fresh at all. The service there was awful, I write this in the intention that you should have better service and the quality of the food. Now we really think about not going there at all
(1)Cletus V.
Food was good, the wait for 11:30AM was 20+ minutes which wasn't terrible but the parking lot is small and the actually restaurant doesn't have many tables or seating area.
(3)Grand Y.
Standard IHOP fare. Our total bill was cheap, especially given the amount of food, which is hard to come by in Ballston. The omelets were no better than I could make at home, which is kind of a damning thing to say. The pancakes were great though.
(3)Sid V.
I love the omlettes and the French toasts - perfect for breakfast. Sunday mornings seem to be the most busiest - so in case you turn up here then expect a pretty long wait. Have been here multiple times. Every time I have the complain of servers being very inattentive. Highly poor service even when there is no rush at all. Once my girlfriend and I were waiting for nearly 10 mins - Servers were not noticing at all. Suddenly I overheard another server say, "we have 14". Immediately our wonderful server arrives. Pathetic service but good food.
(3)Alexandra K.
Came here this morning with my husband (day after my wedding!), no wait at all at 10:15AM. I got the SIMPLE & FIT Blueberry Harvest Grain 'N Nut, substituting a slice of french toast for the scrambled eggs. The pancakes were the absolute most delicious pancakes I've ever eaten in my entire life, the texture from the whole grains was unbelievably good, and they were fluffy while still being hearty. The butter pecan syrup is my favorite. Don't waste your time getting the french toast though, at least the original, because that's pretty bland.
(4)FU Y.
Made it in after living in ARL for +5 years. Always wanted to go...rating wise: right in the middle. There are more exciting breakfast places and more exciting 24 hour places, and prob. better IHOPs. But this is fine for hot coffee, pancakes and eggs the way you like 'em.
(3)Elizabeth S.
After craving for breakfast food all day we decided to hit up this Ihop. We went because they were having this all you can eat pancakes for 5.99 it was a pretty good deal. The server was really nice and really attentive. Its a small iHop but it was good enough for me. The food was not the greatest but not the worst. Pretty average.
(4)Mike T.
Arrived to get a late start breakfast around 11am.. very busy packed, small place with a line.. nothing out of the norm for those soaking up the Friday night suds, families etc.. it's expected.. we decided to do take out.. food was not that good if you ask me you could see the rushing going on in the kitchen and it showed itself in the quality of food.. I'll pass next time try a little local private owned joint to grab breakfast..
(2)Jerry M.
Best breakfast in years. I had forgotten what real eggs taste like. The service made it even better. Good food and excellent service. I will definitely come back in 10 year's when I decide to have breakfast again.
(5)Gwumpykid D.
Just when you walk in to this joint the smell of the food isn't any appetizing. The grilled tilapia hollandaise made me just sick. Also, the served broccoli isn't appetizing the way it is cooked and served.
(2)Joey P.
I don't have a lot to say about this one. It's an IHOP; the food is decent and of course it's open 24/7. I must be getting along in years because I remember when IHOP actually felt cheap. It's pretty tough to get out of here for less than $10 per person, and it's just really not worth it to me. You probably want to go to Silver Diner instead.
(2)John H.
The food here is always pretty good. There have been occasions where I've waited a while for my food though (25 minutes) despite the dining room being relatively slow. That's the only real complaint though. The servers are sometimes slow but they try to be helpful. All in all, a pretty average IHOP. Also, drunk people are always here on the weekends after midnight, so it might be a bit noisy at those times.
(3)Eric N.
Normally, I rarely review chains unless I have some compelling need to. Well after this past Thursday night, I do. Way to drop the ball IHOP! Even if I was wasted, I still would've known it took a good 45 minutes to an hour to get my food. I was coming back with a friend from a night out at Lima, and we decided that we were pretty hungry. Out of the obvious late night choices in Arlington, we decided to go to IHOP since its been a while. Well, both of us were pretty sober at this point. I understand that this location gets very busy late at night, but theres really no excuse when you have to wait 45 minutes to get your food after ordering. There is also no excuse for not coming back to check up on your table. Don't you want a tip? I do not know the name of the waiter that we had, but I noticed every other waiter and waitress was checking up on their tables and making sure everyone was happy. Not ours. All he cared about was taking the orders of other tables, and running their cards or cash and counting his tips of the night. What was funny was when we finally got our check, as we walked up and was about to pay, an angry customer walks up to our waiter and demands to speak to a manager. Clearly not happy with his service with the same waiter as well. I proceeded to leave him without a tip. I could have been a dick and wrote 0.000001 as a tip, but I decided against to. I kind of regret not doing it though. With other choices in Arlington for late night dining such as Silver Diner, Bob and Ediths, Marios, and Subway on Columbia Pike, skip this IHOP. I wish I knew the name of the waiter so I could post up to avoid him. But regardless, its not worth waiting in line for 30 minutes to eat here anyways. Skip it.
(1)Loren B.
This place gets PACKED on a Friday/Saturday night after everyone gets back their night activities. The manager is friendly and the food is good. I have to take off some stars because sometimes we have decided to go elsewhere because the wait was so long....i.e. go to the grocery store down the street (H.T.) and call it a day. No major complaints though. :)
(3)Mattie C.
I was surprised reading some of the reviews here about the slow service. I have only been here twice, but both times we were seated after only about 5 minutes. Maybe because there were two of us each time and the other reviewers came in large groups? I'll add in my two cents because I really like this place. Both times I've gone, the waitstaff has been attentive, making sure to bring more coffee when our coffee pot runs empty and refilling our water. Both times I have gotten my favorite breakfast meal ever - egg white omelette with mushrooms and onions with bacon on the side. YUM! It is incredible and I scarf it down. Best of all, this place is open 24/7 though I haven't taken advantage of the late night opening yet. If I had to say a negative, its that the place is always very packed, and there is not much space to move around. Also, the parking lot is very small but somewhat zoo-ish. I have almost gotten hit there several times while walking through it so watch out.
(4)Brian H.
About 2 1/2 stars for this location. It's very cramp in here, and the place really wasn't that clean when I came in here this morning with my Wife. Barely any room for the two of us, and it was very noisy in here. Couldn't hear my Wife half of the time. Waited about close to 10 minutes before our Waitress finally came over to ask if we wanted any to drink. We told her coffee, and then she left. My Wife told me and if she had not of come like she did, we would of left. She brings our coffee 5 minutes later and ask's if we're ready to order. After waiting all of this time, of course we're ready! We tell her what we want, and waited another 10 minutes for the food! She nearly given my Wife my order, and vice-versa. While waiting, we're having our coffee, and it was on the weak side. How can anyone screw up coffee like this?! Don't think we will be returning here again in the near future.
(2)Big B.
C'mon people this is IHOP. I'm giving it a generous 4 because I generally have low expectations for IHOP -- service, quality, food, yet this one seems better than average. The service is nice and friendly and the food is always decent and typically fast. Like I said, low expectations, this is not fine dining. The restaurant has always been clean and since it has a good variety of breakfast/lunch items and pictures on the menu, its a great place to take my Grandmother. Beware the place isn't huge so be prepared for a wait if you go during their rush times which can be breakfast/lunch and late night after the bars close.
(4)C R.
pretty darn good. i went there on a sunday night bc it's probably the only thing open. we were seated immediately. the servers were very responsive. i ordered water and carrot cake pancakes with eggs, sausages and hashbrown. i was hungry, so the food was great. eggs, sausages and hasbrowns were what you'd expect. i like how the HASHBROWNS were a bit crispy. the pancakes were awesomely sweet..it was like dessert. overall, great experience. would def go back..if i needed food late at night.
(4)Bill M.
Came in at 5 am kind of odd entryway when I stood waiting to be greeted I got this stare from waitress looking at me ? I don't know if she thought I was visiting for some other reason than to eat? I asked if I could have a seat then she realized why I am standing there, yes I am a customer. After ordering the food was there in under five minutes, and it tasted good. So I can see the restaurant is old and the kitchen is in the middle, making for an odd layout . Another thing I found curious after paying for meal when my change was brought there was no receipt?
(3)Mickey C.
Normal food, but pricey. One coffee, no juice or other drink and a couple of regular breakfast orders were almost $20 clams with small tip.......I felt "held up". Does a lot of business, so there is obviously room for competition.
(2)Sarah S.
An IHOP who runs out of Strawberries and Bananas is not a proper IHOP. Did not get my cheesecake pancakes. What I got en revanche was too much attitude from the manager when I told him that the spoon he gave me had still food on it after being washed. No comment and not going back.
(2)Chris L.
This place has good food but bad service. I hate coming here unless my waiter is the Asian guy who is always happy. He's nice, cool, and remembers his customers.
(2)Flo S.
Two Words: Cheap Eats ok...well maybe two more words: Hawaiian Pancakes! So, they had me at 'Hawaiian' (pancakes), so that's what I ordered along with the Big Breakfast (two of each: eggs, sausage, bacon, ham and hashbrowns). All that for $7.99. Did I not say cheap? The Hawaiian pancakes were just the right texture topped with some bananas,mac nuts and whip cream! Good for IHOP for diversifying their menu with this new selection of pancakes Let's just hope that they are not a 'limited edition'! My friend had the Nutella crepes with strawberries on top...mmmm, really good. All that and a small bowl of vanilla ice cream to put you over the edge. To me it should be called creme de la crepe! My other friend ordered the tilapia entree for her lunch the next day. I'll update you on how it tasted as I have not heard back from her. So, all in all...four words--Cheap Eats Hawaiian Pancakes... what more could you ask for in this economy? It sure helps your pockets!
(4)Krissy R.
It is what it is. You get what you expect here and the food tastes much more delicious if you're hammered when you go here. Stick to pancakes or something fried, keep an open mind, and go here slightly drunk and this place will get 5 stars from you. I go here with low expectations because the staff is rude, I always regret eating whatever it is that I pig out on here, and the clientele is often annoying. Truth of the matter is it's open 24 hours and it's food to fill your belly. As far as location goes, it's perfect.
(2)Ningxi X.
I must say I'm an ihop fan. Their food portions are huge (I have to take home some food almost every time -- that or be stuffed like a balloon when I leave the premises). Usually if I get a breakfast combo the pancakes served afterwards always feel like an extra that I can't stuff into my stomach any more. Usually have to wait, especially on weekend mornings. Pleasant waitstaff, low-key environment, and eclectic breakfast menu. I wish they had smoothies in addition to coffee. The chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes are luscious (fresh blueberries are a big plus), and steak and mushrooms are mouthwatering. It's right by Ballston metro, and has been my spot to go to before the one opened in Columbia Heights in DC. I don't feel the service is slow. It's pretty prompt. Although wait times could be slightly annoying, it's never too long (30 minutes max I would say).
(3)Dan G.
I've only been to this IHOP for breakfast, and I think it's one of the best IHOP's I've ever been to. Seriously. Our Waitress couldn't of been nicer, and our food was actually damn good! When we were leaving, she asked if we wanted a diet coke and coffee to go (as refills)! I thought that was an incredibly thoughtful gesture. How many times have you experienced that, anywhere?
(5)Kate A.
I LOVE breakfast foods, so it's no surprise that I'm a fan of the IHOP. They always have a great selection of food (even non-breakfast meals), and the portions are HUGE, so you always have leftovers. In general the service is fine, and I always leave there happy and full.
(4)Ann L.
Midnight, tipsy, and craving an old favorite, this 24 hour IHOP was there at the most convenient location - between apartment buildings, whatever you would refer to as Ballston nightlife, and the metro. Not having had IHOP in many years, three of us girls walked in with eyes bigger than our stomachs. Two of us got the pancake combo, one of us got the stuffed french toast combo. My plate came with 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 bacon strips, 2 sausage links, 2 ham corners, and hash browns. I was thrilled at first but left feeling like a lethargic drunkard who was now every drop sober and instead of alcohol has salt running through my veins. Maybe this is a sign that I'm getting older and no longer am able to eat a Thanksgiving dinner portion every time I'm feeling giddy. Maybe they just have a lot more salt in their food at this IHOP than those in my adolescence. Maybe that time my dad told me I would have high blood pressure one day is starting to get to me... Anyway, despite the awful feelings of regret we had upon leaving, this IHOP gets three stars for service. Our waiter was really helpful. Substituted the meat portion of the combo for onion rings upon my vegetarian friend's request, substituted the sausges for bacon on the sausages and biscuit plate just because my friend who ordered it didn't want sausage. Gave us endless refills on our water and even once said "Here, anything is possible!" which sounded like magical words upon entering a fairytale kingdom. They didn't even pressure a friend to order something when he came towards the end of our meal and just let him take a fork and clear our plates. Oh - these were the best hash browns I had in a long time. Nice and crispy.
(3)Tony J.
I have had breakfast here many times. This is a 24/7 IHOP accross the street from the Balston metro. This place is always busy especially on weekend mornings. People usually stand outside as they wait for their names to be annouced on the loudspeaker system. Once inside your breakfast experience is very good with the usual wide range of breakfast selections. This is a classic IHOP with good service and good quality breakfast food. The outdoor parking lot is usually full, which is an inconvenience. Luckily I was able to walk there without parking.
(3)Matt T.
This is the first time I've posted a review for a chain restaurant, but I feel compelled to given the level of service that I've received every time I've been. The morning managers run an incredibly tight ship. I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes even when it's been packed with people waiting outside. They get your name, they quickly get you seated, get your order and food arrives within minutes. The comment I hear most frequently when I grab breakfast here with people from out of town is "Wow, I wish my IHOP was run this way."
(5)Timothy U.
It's a freakin' IHOP!!! Can't go wrong with anything here. The service is pretty good. The same servers are always there and very quick about placing your order and getting your order to you. Lunch is always crowed so but, you can be in and out in no time.
(3)Sabrina M.
How can anybody NOT love breakfast? Its not only the MOST important meal of the day.... Its also the most delicious! Although IHOP definitely isn't a top fine dine kinda place...I think it makes up for what in lacks in ambiance and flair with its delightful array of fantastic breakfast dishes. You can get it ALLL here! From their amazing french toast covered in strawberries, to my favorite "breakfast sampler" to their make your own omlettes, to their great tasty sandwiches. There is something for everyone at IHOP. You can order a steak or just get chicken tenders. I mean you can't go wrong with such a solid choice. Although I will admit, due to the ridiculously rambunctious drunkard crowds that are always in this purlieu, I got them on my speed dial, and always call ahead for curry out! That way, I don't have to wait 40 minutes to eat my food, I don't have to deal with their ridiculously slow servers, or get a migraine from hell due to all the yelling, burping, farting, and just plain grousing winos! This is also a great place to take chicks on your 1st date! My brother use to do this so he could see if a girl was just going out with him because of his Rolex and Porsche or whether she was really into him! You can see the reaction on a girls face from just mentioning those 4 little letters...IHOP! If she scowls and gripes...Well then fellas you know you gotta gold-digging no good trollop on your hands!
(4)Derek H.
Perfect location in Arlington, right next to the Metro. Packed to the rafters but excellent management & staff kept the food coming out fast & furious.
(4)Ruslana W.
This my first ever experience at ihop. Well, we arrived and were seated, then a lady comes and offers some coffee. When I took my cup, I noticed that it was dirty, there was a piece of a pancake I guess on the edge (yukk!!). So I asked her for another cup in a polite manner. She was furious and said "what's the problem"? I was taken aback. Then she brings another cup, but that was even dirtier.... I asked her if she could change the cup. Omg, she went tantrums! She was so angry that I wished I had not asked her... She started talking very loudly and asked: "You want a go cup"? My friend told her that we could go to another place in that case. She was still angry but this time she opened the dishwasher which was next to our table and took a clean cup from it. She just put the cup on the table without pouring any coffee. Then she came later to take the order and TRIED to be nice:) This was my first ever experience in the States when the services were so poor... I've been taught in class that you do everything possible and impossible to please the client and make his/her experience great, and this was the opposite. Well, at least food was so good! :) I order nutella crepes, which were really good with chocolate filling and bananas covered with strawberries, strawberry syrup and whipped cream, delicious! but the portion was too big! So, 5* for the food and 1* for service :) Hope your waiter will be much nicer!
(3)K R.
It's an Ihop tradition: underestimate the wait time, then take twice as long as is conceivably necessary to bring the food. BUT this location surprised me. They said 20 minutes; it was 20 minutes. The food came promptly and was what was ordered and expected.
(4)Alex S.
It feels completely useless to review an IHOP since if you're going here, it's probably because nothing else is open and you'd eat anything. Just about everything including the food is the same as any other IHOP. They're pretty efficient at moving people through during busy times, better than most locations. The people watching here is great. The last time I came two girls got in a fight because one looked at the other. The time before that, someone made a scene claiming racism because her order took more than 15 minutes in a packed restaurant.
(4)Keith B.
I was pleasantly surprised to eat here after not visiting an IHOP in many years. What used to be a sticky table, dirty place with garbage food and equally bad service is now sparkling clean. The staff is very good. The menu is diverse with nutritional information (calorie counts) listed. So I am a new fan of IHOP.
(4)Aaron B.
Okay, on the one hand this is just IHOP, but on the other it is a reliable place to get delicious food any time of day. And it's REALLY delicious food too. Not healthy, nor really that cheap, but they do certain things better than anybody else. The double blueberry pancakes are amazing, and the banana bread french toast is friggin' amazing!!!! I can't believe I've never encountered that before, but it's such an obviously great idea and so well executed. Sure, it's more like dessert than a meal, but I'll go out of my way to go to an IHOP next time I'm in the states just to have that again. It has it's faults, but I'm definitely a fan.
(4)Heather W.
My boyfriend and I come here A LOT for breakfast. Every single time we go, we have a great experience. It seems we've had nearly every server by now and they are all very nice and efficient. We try not to go on the weekends because they do get very busy for breakfast.
(5)Deanna J.
Everyone should love IHOP. When the snow hit this past winter, my circle of friends asked, "Is IHOP still open? Can we make it to IHOP?" True story. I love the breakfast, and you get so much food! If I eat breakfast here I'm still full by lunch. I always get an omelet, so good! The pancakes really do make the restaurant. I always debate between chocolate chip and strawberry. The seasonal flavors are awesome too-pumpkin, pecan pie, eggnog, and gingerbread. Expect a wait, this tiny place gets packed!
(4)myung k.
1) it seems to be pretty well known that service at IHOP can be pretty spotty. However, I really do not go to IHOP expecting great service. 2) I feel that IHOP is for convenience, being able to indulge in breakfast foods at ALL hours. However, does the food make up for it? I have to say IHOP is one of my guilty pleasures. Seeing the price/value relationship, it is not that bad to have a big freakin steak omelette at 3 in the morning when you and your friends are still half drunk. Will I be coming here again? I say no, but I know i will eventually! hehe
(2)Jerry P.
I was visiting in Washington DC from Tempe AZ over Thanksgiving, and stopped by IHOP for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. Being Thanksgiving there were very few places open, so my wife and I chose IHOP by default. We walked a bit looking for an alternative but there were no other places open. Of course the place was busy. We were in for a surprise. The place was clean and we were greeted by a pleasant host. Our waitress was patient while we perused the menu. I ordered a traditional breakfast, bacon, eggs and pancakes. The food was served hot and tasty. Our waitress was attentive and checked on us often. Ever notice how waitstaff has the uncanny ability to wait until you shovel food into your mouth then they stop by and ask how your meal tastes? This waitress had very good timing and didn't do that. This IHOP was a pleasant place to eat. I was surprised at the ambiance, service and food. The food wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. I guess that is a pretty low bar, but they managed to surpass my expectations.
(4)Anna D.
The service is terrible! I've been here 3 times and all 3 times, there was something wrong with my server. The first time, our server was in a real hurry. She rushed to seat us, rushed to take our orders, and rushed us with our check. The second time, my server (a different one), filled my carafe with only enough coffee for half a mug. Which made me wonder why I paid $1.99 for coffee when it was gone after 5 sips. She also didn't stop by my table once to see how I was doing. The third time (also a different server), we were seated right away but proceeded to wait 15 minutes for our server to come by to take our orders. We had to ask another server to get our server. She did, but our server went to the wrong table and then we waited another 5 minutes. By this time, there were parties who were seated AFTER us who were already receiving their food. The food here is okay. Stick with the breakfast items because that's their specialty and don't expect much from their service. If it weren't so close to home, I wouldn't come back.
(2)Adam G.
Here's why you go to IHOP 1) You're hammered yet inexplicably hungry 2) You want a heavy dessert with a side of eggs for breakfast Any other reason, you're risking it. (ok, budding novelist suggestion was a good one). Service here is generally good, but yes, the wait is horrific weekend mornings. Decor is...IHOP. I have NEVER been to the bathroom here, but the tables are decently clean. If you are nodding your head right now like this is really useful information, you might not be IHOP's target audience. I can't in good conscience say any IHOP is comparable to a real world restaurant, but I don't want to throw off their rating, and I like this spot. So we'll give this one four "IHoP edition" stars, let's leave it at that.
(4)Bro H.
It's an IHOP. IHOP isn't very good. It's overpriced for what it is, and it's kind of depressing in there. This particular IHOP gets crowded at the only times that it's actually desirable to go to IHOP (weekends, when drunk). That said, it's cleaner than most IHOPs, and the service is slightly more attentive. If the place is within walking distance, you gotta do what you gotta do, but if you're getting in the car, there's no reason to come here. Go a bit out of your way and check out Bob and Edith's instead.
(2)Samuel G.
If you are a budding novelist whose suddenly found him- (or her-) self bankrupt of inspiration, here's my advice: stroll into the Arlington IHoP at about 1:30 a.m. one Saturday or Sunday morning. Park yourself in a booth with your yellow legal pad and pens at the ready, (laptop if you're more progressive), order the first of a few pots of fresh coffee, and wait. I swear to God, by 2:30, you will probably have more material than you know what to do with. When the bars roll up their sidewalks at 2 a.m., this is where everybody goes. Especially everybody who's drunk and trying to get sober. Some will succeed, some not so much. And as someone has already accurately posted, because of the seating situation (this is NOT the world's biggest IHoP), you will get to know your neighbor pretty well, whether you want to or not. So if you want to know what's happening on the weekend nights (or mornings) and where it's happening, IHoP is the place to be. Of course, having a Colorado omelette with hash browns on the side is always a plus. In fact, for a place to get belly-fillers to quiet that incessant rumbling in your gut, this is the best game in town. (Actually, for food 24/7, as far as I know, it's the ONLY game in town.) Worst times to go from what I've observed would be Saturdays before 2 p.m., and DEFINITELY Sundays before three (the before-and-after church crowds.)
(3)Cedar W.
Not the best location as far as Ihop goes. Weird seating and lame service. Take your scrill elsewhere.
(2)Sara L.
You're average ihop.. service was pretty crappy and the waitress was extremely rude. The pancakes were delish though! Love that this lcoation is 24 hours.
(3)Cole D.
What a cramped space! You are within a foot of the strangers next to you. And your own table barely has enough space for you and your partner's plates.
(1)Laura V.
Where do you go in Ballston at 3am when you're drunk and hungry? Why IHOP of course! This location is in the perfect spot to grab an early morning snack that you'll probably regret when you come out of your drunken stupor the next day. (We all know the questioning/reasoning we go through...Why was I eating at 3am?) I love IHOP plain and simple. The food is tasty and fast, and always fresh. The service at this location was spot on. Our server was courteous, friendly, and accommodated my special request of leaving the ham off of the grilled ham and egg sandwich. Damn that sandwich was good. I think.
(3)Maria E.
It's a good old fashioned diner. No frills; no fancy stuff. But the folks who work here seem to want to make you feel comfortable and welcome. Kid friendly.
(4)Bill R.
Had a craving for pancakes this past weekend and came by this IHOP. It was packed so I opted to return another day. On Monday morning there wasn't a crowd (go figure) and the food hit the spot. I recommend the loaded blueberry pancakes. Service was friendly and attentive. I will return when the pancake craving hits again.
(4)J C.
I walk by here weekend mornings, and for the life of me, can't figure out why it's so busy. There's something fundamentally and inherently wrong about waiting for breakfast. I've lived in the neighborhood since 1999, and it just seems to get busier and busier. And I'm pretty damn certain they've found a way to knock out some booths and cram more tables in. I've darn near had my elbows on other people's tables before. They do give you quite a lot of food for your money. In fact, I've felt pressured to eat after I'm long since full just because of lectures my mom gave me about people starving in some place I can't find on a map. The verdict: if you go here at some random time, like 6pm on a weekday, it's actually pretty nice. Sit back with a cup of coffee, read the paper, and chow down on some breakfast. Not too bad. But there's no reason to wait for a seat here for more than a few minutes (this isn't Rays the Pancakes), and if you do wait for longer than that, I've got two words for you: learn to fu*king cook! Plus, I haven't seen boysenberry syrup here in ages. They lose a star for that. That sh*t was about as much fun you can have with your clothes on!
(2)Fuzz H.
The service is rather slow and the waiters don't seem to pay customers much attention. My pancakes were also a little burnt. Seating is also very limited. I'd rather just drive an extra 15 mins to another ihop.
(2)David W.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Always good stuff after the clubs. After roaming around in the freaking cold for awhile it's great to sit down and just grub!!! The service here was excellent and super fast. Our waitress was very nice and took great care of us despite the after club rush. The food was good and when isn't food good when you're starving. The coffee was really good.... so freaking good I couldn't go to bed til 7 FREAKING AM. We were done by 3AM. Good stuff. They were busy but we were seated almost right away. And guess what...there's actually parking here in this part of town. Go figure.
(4)Ryan D.
I like to stroll over after a late night of homework and/or studying on weekends. Either find a few drunks to laugh at, some eyecandy stopping through after the club, or a combo of both. Luckily I live nearby because early mornings/club closing hours it can be really packed with a long wait. The few times I've eaten inside have been on weekdays, so maybe due to a lighter crowd the service has always been on point for me. Dammit! I probably just jinxed myself by saying that.
(3)Annie A.
Love I hop!!! Great for Pancakes and I ve never been able finish it all by myself. If I am not in a mood for a pancake then my alltime favourite is the chicken crepe with lemon butter sauce. Free flow of coffee is a good idea for an ideal breakfast.... just make sure you go with an empty stomach or a huge appetite.
(4)Harry T.
When I'm drunk in the land of Starbucks and brown flip flops at 2 in the morning this place looks like an oasis. It's cheap, open and satisfying (err am I reviewing a restaurant or escort service?). My friends who live next to the place literally have a short order cook on call 24 hours a day. Gotta love it.
(3)Minger M.
IHOP has the best omelettes. At 2 AM, that's a big deal. It's packed with party goers fueling up before going home. Arlington PD makes sure nobody gets out of line and causes trouble.
(4)Sarah B.
I used to work as a waitress at this IHOP. Now, given that fact I can still see this restaurant objectively. There are a few things I never liked: Some of the managers are a bit belligerent to both the employees and the customers. I have seen this happen before and after I started working there. Often they have no tolerance for complaints or rowdiness, and they will tell you this outright. Although I don't mind the noisiness, there are some regular customers (and not always drunk) who disturb those who want some peace and quite. I have seen these scenarios turn into dislike between customers. And yes, the tables are very small together and there is not much room to walk around if you are a waiter. Also, I knew of a few instances where customers treated the waiters like scum, and in return the waiters get angry and sometimes argue with them (no, we don't spit in your food). Sometimes there have been bickering between waiters as well. However, with that said, the crowded times usually contain the friendly customers. I have observed people start up conversations and make friends with nearby tables, and have done so myself when I eat there. I absolutely LOVE the food. The hash browns are much better than any other place I have eaten at so far, and I highly recommend steak, big steak omelet, Colorado Omelet, philly cheese steak, ham and egg melt (DELICIOUS), and lemon chicken. Just recently I tried the chocolate chip pancakes (chocolate batter with chocolate chips in it) and I was amazed I had never tried it before. Think brownies, but shaped like a pancake. It's also a nice place to relax if you come during the down times. I will go over sometimes and read or draw for a few hours without feeling guilty for taking someone's seat. The servers are also bored during these times, so if you're lonely you might be able to get them in a nice discussion. This IHOP is very unique. I have been to a few others and have found this one to be more personal. The servers are usually willing to make small talk and help you make your order. Overall, it's the place I like to take my friends to get together or to grab something to eat at 2am when boredom hits us.
(4)Sam R.
Have I been that out of the loop ... when the hell did IHOP start offering all you can eat pancakes?! I don't know if it was the state we were in after making the rounds in Arlington, or if the pancakes were actually THAT GOOD. But they hit the spot that night. Yes, the place packs them in after last call ... and as Cat mentions, some of the "booths" can make for some intimate moments over hash browns, sausage links and maple syrup. And like every other late night joint, I gotta feel for the wait staff. Our waitress was slow to come over ... her excuse? Another walkout that decided to eat and run. That explains the cop parked outside. And here we thought it was the free pie ...
(4)Gigi G.
Its a hit or miss here. I loveeee the pancakes. Well, I like pancakes in general that really means nothing. Everything else I've ordered is like, "eh, ok." The service is also hit or miss. Sometimes you feel rushed. They are ALWAYS busy. The host or maybe he's the manager is ALWAYS nice. Very respectful. I go there for a quick cheap meal and expect nothing else.
(3)Jake S.
Alas, there are no Waffle Houses anywhere near Washington. Therefore, IHOP will have to do. Went there last night, hammered as usual, to get some sober-up food. Had the chocolate chip pancakes, which are my favorites, with eggs, hash browns, and double bacon (always clutch). Everything was cooked well, they didn't screw anyone's order up (a first for an IHOP for me), and it came out in a timely fashion. The waiter looked kind of cranky, probably because he was tired of waiting on drunk people all night... funny.
(4)PC W.
I will never be too good for IHOP and for all those people who think they are, they're just kidding themselves. It was 9:30pm and I just got in from the airport. I was starving and inexplicably drawn to IHOP. The Quick Two-Egg Breakfast hit the spot. What do you get for $7? Two eggs made to order, choice of two slices of bacon or 2 sausages, hash browns and two slices of toast. I'm a sucker for their bacon and hash browns. Always crispy, always good.
(3)Cathy D.
This IHOP is ghetto and tiny. Parking is tight here. They make the most of their space by placing dividers between long booths so that two separate parties can sit there. So um....you might get to know your booth neighbor a little better whether you'd like to or not. The menu is not as extensive as the other IHOPS as well.
(2)Ruth K.
Several years ago (maybe 5) I visited this IHOP and it was not good, the place was dirty and the service blah. But I recently went back there, twice and I had a very good experience. The food is good and they have some lower calorie choices (I even choose them on occasion ;) ) and the service is great. Also, I accidentally left for 4 days my credit card there and they kept it for me.
(4)Allan H.
People are always dogging on IHOP, and I have no idea why. Where else can you get a stack of pancakes, a patty melt, or sausage gravy and biscuits at 4 AM and not feel bad about still being awake? IHOP in Ballston, that's where. You head into IHOP and you can get anything your little heart desires, from breakfast foods to dinner entrees. Not that the food is that good, but be honest, does that really make a difference? The best thing that IHOP has to offer is that it is still packed at 3 in the morning and still pretty hopping. The service is relatively quick and while you're waiting, you can see all the other people who are drunker than you. It is a lock that you will see the one drunk guy in the corner smearing eggs and hot sauce all over his face, chewing with his mouth open and his eyes closed.
(4)Bob T.
I love IHOP for its pancakes and breakfast food. Its consistent. The decor is not that great. The coffee is horrible.
(3)