4. Restaurants

Capital Ale House Fredericksburg

917 Caroline St, Fredericksburg, VA, 22401
  • (540) 371-2337
  • Store is closed

Capital Ale House Fredericksburg Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

  • Chuck M.

    Beer, beer, beer wow and the iced part of the bar to keep your beer cold. Their beer menu is like the new york times chock full of info they print it every week. I have never eaten here just drank the beer! There are a couple more of these in Richmond one at Innsbrook and one downtown they are all worth stepping into. Actually I did eat at the downtown location I think I had a roasted red pepper sandwich and my gf had the lamb burger it was good!

    (5)

  • Andrea S.

    This place is great for beer fans! They have a looooooooooong list of beer in many varieties. Their food is great too, but I like the beer best!

    (5)

  • Michelle D.

    You cannot beat $2.00 hamburger night on Monday's. Great ambiance, beer selection, fries and location. Very happy with our first visit and will be back for more!

    (4)

  • Jeffrey S.

    I really enjoy places like this that have a very extensive beer selection, and Capital Ale House did not fail to deliver. They even had a stash of a very sought after and hard to find seasonal beer, which I enjoyed thoroughly. I did not try any food, but for the beer selection alone I give this place 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Joe G.

    The Admiral sandwich is a must-try -- where is the man v. food guy??!! great beer selection!!

    (5)

  • Terra G.

    1 word: AMAZING. Their food is simply delicious!!! Their chicken tostada appetizer is a must try and their entrees and desserts are all freaking awesome. Oh, and they have beer, too, if you're into that kind of thing, ;)

    (5)

  • Amy N.

    Service and food here can be touch and go at times. We usually try to come on Tuesdays for "Steal the Glass Night", and try to get there right as it starts to avoid the crowds that flock here. They have a really good vegan black bean patty, however that is the only thing vegan about the whole "Black Bean Burger". The sauce and bun they use are not vegan. I try to get it with no bun/ancho sauce, then have them add avocado (which they still charge extra for even though you are getting rid of half of the burger), sometime it can be a bit dry. One waitress had told us the BBQ sauce is vegan, but then again another said it was not...so I stopped adding it on to try and help the sometimes dry patty. I really wish they would add a sub-note under the "black bean burger" for "get it vegan style"...it would really make ordering it a lot easier, and I'm sure it would help with the all the wrong orders that come back with buns or sauce or both.

    (3)

  • jia k.

    good eats but a very wide selection of beer. The Decor reminds me of what Star Trek X Wild Wild West.

    (4)

  • Anna S.

    Unbelievably bad service. I've never posted a bad review in my life, but service here is horrible.

    (1)

  • Heather C.

    Good for college students. Good food, accommodating with menu & vegetarian requests!

    (3)

  • Matthew Y.

    Great atmosphere, excellent service, and $2.00 burgers on Mondays!

    (5)

  • Israel G.

    Capital Ale house would get 5 stars for its beer menu. They have 64 beers on tap and over 400 different microbrews in bottles. If you enjoy trying microbrews this is the place to visit--however, only to sample their brews. The food was mediocre at best with a very small selection of appetizers. Lots of grease! The wait staff is outstanding and very knowledgeable--a great place to stop after dinner elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Yishai M.

    Yes I get it - you really like beer, I mean REALLY like beer. And the place no doubt has a huge selection of bottles and draft micros and specialty brews. The 'ice strip' on the bar is a nice touch, but actually turned out to be annoying. I want my beer as close to me as possible. Oh, did I mention the prices? This is Fred, VA - but Capital Ale House would be a rip off in NYC, seriously! So to have this sore thumb of an establishment in a place like Fred, VA - it stands out in an obnoxiously self conscious way. very nice inside, seemed like a remodeled warehouse, the huge staff seemed relatively blah and were average in most all respects, They didn't exactly make you feel Great about being there. If you go to beer bars, brew pubs, etc.. you've probably;y been here before - in theory and appearance., in fact if it wasn't for the alcohol hitting me I probably would have liked it even less. Although we missed it - they have some great Happy Hour prices - which I would say would be the way to go to check out the selection without blowing the bank. Was pretty busy though in the evening and Saturday night was full. Tons of tables, all full. Ya, it has a lot of beer, but so do a lot of places.

    (3)

  • Harun D.

    Variety of seating flexible for different types of gatherings. Iced bar keeps beers cold. Cheap beer glasses inhibit the wonderful collection of 400 beers. Business casual with perhaps classy denim jeans seams to be the standard male attire. Popular hangout for a variety of people. Average male - 32+; average female - 26. Available space for parties.

    (4)

  • Somer P.

    This place gets 4 stars JUST FOR THE BEER - WOW!! Over 60 beers on tap, and many more in bottles! The beer menu changes all the time too, so there's always something new! The night I went they had tapped a firkin of Allagash Black! The bar is pretty cool - mostly because of the ice strip for keeping your drinks cold. The service was quick and attentive. The food wasn't bad either. And apparently they have some great specials: $1 and $2 beer nights certain days of the week. A great place to enjoy a great selection of good beer!

    (4)

  • Lucy C.

    My husband is German and the presence of real Bavarian pretzels, mustard and even Augustine Edelstoff - albeit in a bottle was great. Friendly service, good short ribs, crate to plate kind of a place. Easy 2 hrs free parking around the corner and a cozy little beer kellar nook for cold nights. Thumbs up from a California foodie.

    (4)

  • Justin H.

    Amazing beer selection, top notch service and the best lamb shank I've ever had.

    (5)

  • Philip H.

    Great beer selection, and very good food on the lunch menu. Highly recommended

    (5)

  • Ben M.

    The beer is always a problem here. They are always out of the first three that I request. The service is terrible. I feel like I am being scoffed at for entering the building. My last waitress pulled the overly flirtatious card which I feel is condescending. The meal was slopped out to me in a rush, very mediocre. I feel ripped off, but what can you do? I'd recommend staying away from all draught beer. You never know what you are getting with these goons. They can pour anything and tell you its gold.. In fact, stay away from this hell hole, unless you want to rip them off for their dollar burger night, which is on mondays. Pay in change, order water, and don't tip.

    (2)

  • Dick H.

    Pricey beers and only fair service. Better places in Fredericksburg. Didn't try the food but it lookes OK.

    (2)

  • Travis T.

    5 Stars for Fredericksburg. Amazing selection to satisfy even the biggest beer geek. It's kind of an upscale atmosphere, but not stuffy or pretentious. You'll fit in wearing a blazer or a T-shirt, the food is pretty good for pub fare and the bartenders know their beer.

    (5)

  • Michael J.

    I love this place, theres a huge bar area with a restaurant. The bar has a Ice river that you can put your beer on to keep it cold. It is a bit pricey if you want to try foreign beers so bring some money. The pretzel was amazing! My only con is they don't carry kilkenny's irish red. Must TRY if you love a good beer.

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    We have been to the Capital Ale House too many times to count since they opened in the 'burg. We have been unimpressed with the food and the service, but love the selection of beers and enjoy playing darts in the game area. Recently, however, we were refused service simply because my husband was wearing a sleeveless shirt. No matter that many of the women in the place had on tank tops and in fact one of the women there who was training clearly was not even wearing a bra. This was the last straw for us...we will not be going back until the Ale House changes it's discriminatory practices and has the same rules for both men and women!

    (1)

  • Kikirt U.

    If you love to have conversations with your friends while drinking beer, then Capital Ale House is definitely the place for you. Beside being a hip bar, this place has also a dining area. I went here last night, after a hard day at work, looking for ways to relieve my stress. The ambiance was great and I loved their selection of music. Their beer list is quite extensive and their selection of Belgian beer is great. With that said, I was not expecting much from the food. But having male appetite last night, I ordered as appetizer the garlic and herb mussels cooked in Belgian beer and it was really good. I also had the house salad with blue cheese (surprisingly good, the blue cheese had an unusual taste for me), and for entree I had the prime rib sandwich made of thin slices of prime rib on a poppy seed roll and French fries on the side. I found the sandwich to be just OK, as well as the fries. Overall I had a great time there. So this is where all the cool people in Fredericksburg hang out at night. I totally recommend this place. Go check it out if you are in the area.

    (4)

  • Rachel F.

    A little on the pricey side, but the food here is fantastic. Great ambiance and a nice long bar. Service was a-okay and they have a large selection of beers to choose from. I was in Fredericksburg on business for 2 weeks and I came here twice. Both experiences were good.

    (4)

  • Roc G.

    IMHO, beer is the main reason people walk in the door and beer is the main reason they stay.... but if by chance you open the menu, you will be smacked in the face with a multitude of choices. I'll admit that the first time I visited I just congregated at the bar. In between my usual repertoire of fart jokes, I sampled many different beers until I found one that I proceeded to drink in copious amounts. It never occurred to me to step on the medicine that was making me happy by adding food to an already full belly. So this time when I visited I sat down with some friends to once again select from the massive selection of beer and also review the menu for my upcoming selection. After the beer was ordered and promptly delivered, I ordered some calamari as an app. There are a few things that are inherently me... 1) I giggle when people fall down 2) I order calamari if it's on the menu. For the entree I ordered the moules with bacon. I generally would order the moules without bacon, but I wanted to compare them to the ones I had at Granville Moore's. The calamari arrived fresh and very tender. It was dressed with some cilantro aioli. Very good, quite impressed. While I understand the corporate menu thing, I was happy to see that the cooks successfully prepared an item that is usually cooked wrong. When the moules arrived I was equally pleased. They weren't tiny little mussels dressed in tons of sauce. There were some very powerful ingredients in this meal and could easily have overpowered the tender mollusk. The way it was prepared, the bacon and smoked gouda were nice additional flavors to the mussels. Very tasty. if you haven't tried this place already, expand beyond the bar and grab a table to expand your horizons like I did. Enjoy, Grubs ~

    (4)

  • Anne G.

    Great for beer hounds. Not for foodies. This place gets all 2 stars for it's beer selection and atmosphere. It's a beautiful bar. It mixes old and modern styles seamlessly. It's dark and cozy and a really big place. I remember when it used to be Spanky's and always loved the space. Capital Ale House uses all the great space to great advantage. They have a couple cozy cellar rooms with tables and low ceilings for more intimate gatherings too. Now the beer selection is the real draw. Hundreds. From all over the world. Dozens and dozens on tap rotating seasonally. I love going in there to drink. They will happily let you sample before you buy anything on tap. You can also order sampler platters of beer. They really know their stuff when it comes to beer. They have a full bar but why would you want liquor when all these hundreds of beers are waiting for you? They offer a very extensive beer menu that tells you the flavors, styles and characteristics of all the beers they sell to better help you choose. Now the food. We've been here several times and only eaten once because we hated the food. We tried the Frites, skinny Belgian-style french fries with flavored mayo dipping sauces. Should be genius. But the fries were not cut thin enough to be frites and the mayo sauces were just lacking. At other pubs this dish is genius. But not here. Then we had the Mussels steamed in beer. Bland, boring. It should be really amazing. But it's not. They really should offer a cheese board with a selection of imported cheeses, some apples and olives or pickles with a good crusty bread. That is a great meal to accompany their great beers. Not available. So I'll keep drinking here but there are far better eateries in downtown. Hit Sammy T's or Bangkok Cafe for great food. But come to Capital Ale for great beer! ****Edit to add: Visited again and had no choice but to eat (everything else closed). The food was just as bad, maybe worse and so horribly overpriced for the sad quality. They actually DO have a cheese plate and that's what I ordered. It was boring cheese, boring sausage and the pretzel had italian seasoning on it. A pretzel should not smell nor taste like pizza. They were also out of both draught beers my husband tried to order. They lose a star now.

    (1)

  • Jason C.

    60 beers on tap. 300 beers in bottles. Giant soft pretzels. Heaven on earth. Oh, it's affordable!!!

    (5)

  • Joe G.

    Great beer list and draft list. My first choice wasn't available, but second choice was cold and crisp. Waiter was very nice, then disappeared after taking our order. Someone else brought food then we were essentially forgotten. I had the Sunday special which was prime rib. The waiter had been nice and I was allowed to substitute (for potatoes). The brocolli was cooked perfected and the prime rib was done medium rare. But here is the rub, this was not a prime cut, it was a choice cut at best. As a result it was not as tender as it might have been and lacked flavor. The cook tried to compensate by overoading the meat with salt or garlic salt (not sure which). All that did was make the not quite tender meat salty. The horseradish sauce was basically mayonaise with at best a tiny hint of horseradish. Basically our waiter was awol the rest of the evening. Sent someone to find him and eventually he came back. Maybe they were jut having an off night. I would give this place a second chance thoughbecause except for our absentee waiter, the staff was exceptionally nice.

    (2)

  • travis c.

    ill keep it short and sweet. service was fantastic, staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to help. the food was amazing, very well prepared, used a lot of local ingredients, was classy but yet not stuffy if that makes sense. the beer, oh the beer. so many to choose from, it was great. i was like a kid in a candy store. so far this is my favorite restaurant I've found on the east coast, wish we had something like this out west. definitely worth trying!

    (5)

  • Nolan C.

    I have been there twice, once to eat dinner and the other to hang with friends on a Friday night. Dinner--not too many people here then in the huge huge venue. Had the calamari appetizer (OK, not remarkable) and the prime rib. I wanted to order the mussels but unfortunately they were out that day. The prime rib, when I got it, was very very cold--as if it had just been hanging in a fridge. I couldn't eat it at all because it just felt like I was eating cold chewy meat (I ordered medium-rare). So I sent it back. This time I told them I didn't care how well they cooked it I just wanted it warm. My dad's prime rib was another story, he got about 3 of them but every single time they were too cold in the middle. He ended deciding on the lamb. The staff was very attentive and thus the server and I assume it was the manager both talked to our table. They offered us a free carrot cake for dessert, which was absolutely delicious. However, the mishap could have been avoided. The drink selection is huge and impressive. The waiters are helpful and supposedly have to take an intensive course in beer before they start working here. A little on the expensive side but can't beat the choices. I really like the venue and decor, it's pretty clean and classy. Good atmosphere.

    (3)

  • David S.

    I have been to the Capital Ale House several times. The things that keep me coming back are the beer, the beer, and the beer. The beer selection -- both draught and bottled -- gets 5+ stars. The food has always been so-so, even though the menu selections are outstanding. Salads always seem warm when served and the food looks and tastes like it spent too much time under a heat lamp. The food gets 2 stars. The bar is awesome and it has a great frosted strip where you can set your beer so it doesn't get warm. A very nice touch. The bar gets 4 stars, mostly because it is always packed. I can't figure out if I need to come in at 10:00 a.m. to get a spot at the bar or what. Service is 3 stars. Serviceable, nothing special. Ambiance/Interior design gets 4 stars. They allow smoking after 10:00 p.m., so that gets a negative 50 stars. Cancer doesn't care what time of day it is, and neither do my clothes. If they could fix the food in this place it would get 4-5 stars easy. Come for the beer. Eat somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Christine R.

    Decided to have dinner here after touring some battlefields on our first night in F-burg. We attempted a later dinner at around 7:30, thinking that we wouldn't have to wait on a Monday night, but we were greeted with a long wait (55 minutes!). We were a bit discouraged, especially SO since they were advertising their St. Pat's Day specials on the board outside, and earlier in the day when we walked past he had his heart set on some corned beef and cabbage. We decided not to put our names down, but to get a drink elsewhere (The bar was also packed) and wait it out. We returned at a little before 9 and we had a 15 minute wait. The first thing that impressed me was the row of beers in the fridges behind the long bar that flanks the one side of the restaurant.. Many different bottles- I quickly learned about their beer menu, which boasted around 15 pages- quite intimidating but it was organized fairly well. As we were led to our table towards the back, we also passed the long row of taps! We found out that it was crowded for a Monday night because it was burger night- $2.00 burgers, 1.00 per topping, you just had to buy a drink and dine in. Fair enough, but i already had a burger earlier for lunch, so I decided to go for the stuffed pretzel sandwich. SO remained true to his corned beef and cabbage. Our food came out pretty quickly, considering how busy the place was, and everything was so good. His corned beef was very tender and hot, savory and rich. My sandwich was good- it was a kielbasa with sweet mustard and havarti cheese in between a pretzel roll. The sausage was good- the pretzel roll was so-so but forgivable. It was also served with Belgian-style fries and a mayo sauce- yum! The service was really great, our server was very nice and checked up on us consistently. Our beer glasses/water glasses were never empty. As for beer, SO got the St. George (if I remember correctly) IPA and Lager, and I got the Starr Hills Love Weiss. We love trying out local beers on our little trips, and they had the menu organized as such. We did get dessert, which was super rich and a bit different than described on the menu. We also watched people get burger after burger, it was pretty intense. Our bill was insanely cheap for several beers, two entrees, a soft drink, and dessert- a little over $35. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and love beer!

    (4)

  • Jennifer O.

    I went to this location for the first time last night, and I was thoroughly impressed. My boyfriend lives in the Richmond area, and when I was still down there we went to the capital ale house on E Main all the time. The food was always pretty good and we enjoyed the beer list. Since I've moved to NOVA recently we decided to meet in the middle in Fredericksburg for dinner and thought checking out this location would be fun. I thought the food was completely amazing. We both had the prime rib special with the butternut squash and mashed potatoes. The squash was delicious, I usually don't like squash but it was seasoned and cooked beautifully. The potatoes were good, and the prime rib was one of the best I've had. I don't know what they did to the gravy, but it was perfect. I asked for it to be cooked rare, and it seemed a little overcooked, but I would probably eat steak raw, so I'm not the best judge of what's normal. The beer was great, and the service was completely amazing. Our server was attentive, friendly, and prompt. I would definitely recommend this location. The only think I would have changed was the pretzel. It tasted a little like it was brushed with some kind of garlic butter, which made it taste more like garlic bread than a German pretzel. It tasted fine on its own, but it was an odd flavor when mixed with the mustard. I lived in Germany for 3 years, so I might be a bit of a pretzel purist, but I would suggest not putting that on the pretzel. At the other locations I've been to the pretzels tasted more authentic. But obsessive pretzel snobbery aside, I was impressed with the quality of food and service that I found at this location. If you are in town and love beer and great food, you should definitely check this place out.

    (5)

  • BJ L.

    I love this place. Ridiculous beer selection at decent prices. The food isn't half bad either.

    (4)

  • Hanna M.

    Great atmosphere! I had the macaroni and cheese which was delicious. The prices are fair and the service was prompt. This was definitely an overall enjoyable experience.

    (4)

  • Jordan F.

    The beer selection is outstanding. You won't find a more impressive beer menu anywhere nearby. The menu has a lot of variety so there is something for everyone. More German fare would be nice though. The food is tasty, albeit somewhat overpriced. The bar and dining area are very well kept, and the restaurant has an enjoyable, classy atmosphere. The only drawback is that sometimes the noise level gets a little high in the evenings--sometimes I just want to enjoy a quiet meal w/ a beer without hearing a bunch of college students at the adjacent table yelling. Also, the waitstaff is fairly amateurish, usually college students that only work there for a few months.

    (3)

  • Levi H.

    This is my church. The food is fantastic and they always try to buy local. The beer selection is phenominal. We're here almost every weekend.

    (5)

  • Lynette L.

    The beer menu is extensive, so that's a 5 but the food was bleh so that's a 1, and the decor/atmosphere was a complete miss so that's a 1... which averages to a little above 2? The food menu is simple, but I felt I should have more with a $12 burger. It was just very bland and difficult to eat. I think we got like a potato chowder to share, which was a few notches above Campbell's Soup (which I'm not okay with at all). My husband got fish and chips, and I was surprised he didn't finish it. He said it was okay but not great. We'd definitely go back just to have beers, but I don't know where I would sit or hang out. I didn't really like the bar area at the front of the restaurant because it had a very hippy/yuppy/pretentious feel rather than a casual and laid-back aura. They do have that large room in the back that's brightly lit with a dart board, but why would I want to drink my beer in a brightly lit room that doesn't even have a TV with a game on? I think it was just a miss for me.

    (2)

  • choochoo t.

    I am bringing my rating back down! We went on Sunday at 6pm for dinner. It was the day after St. Patrick's day. They were quite busy. We were not greeted when we first arrived. Normally I wouldn't care but I decided to include this in my review because it further justifies my rating. When we walked in, a couple of customers were standing at the area where they normally greet us. So we stood there, waiting. There was a woman at the computer but she did not say hi or ask us "how many?" When they were ready to seat us, she just said to follow her and the other couple in front of us. We sat and waited maybe 10-15 minutes. Then the waitress asks us for our drink orders and we tell her that we're ready to order dinner. We both want the cuban sandwiches, which we always order when we visit. She says that she thinks they are out of the cuban sandwiches but she will go and check. Indeed, they were out of cuban sandwiches. Bummer. We thought about going somewhere else for dinner but decided to stay. So we tell the waitress we'll have to look at the menu and decide. She brings us our drinks and leaves. I decided on the crab BLT and hubby picks out something different as well. Waitress comes back after another 10-15 minutes. I tell her I wanted the crab BLT. She says, "We're out of the crab BLT." EPIC FAIL. We just got up and left the restaurant. Hell no were we going to pay for our water and diet coke either. The guy at the front counter tried to tell us to have a good night. I didn't even look at him. Hubby was very tempted to tell them what happened but we just wanted to get out of there and get some food in our stomachs. Being hungry while the waitress failed to let us know they were out of certain foods really pissed us off. We waisted half an hour driving there and another half hour waiting for them to tell us they don't have the food we wanted to order. Take a note Capital Ale - TRAIN YOUR WAIT STAFF!!!!! Customers should know beforehand if food items are not available because we get disappointed when we try to order it. And while I'm at it, hubby says although you have a menu with a wide selection of beers, you never ACTUALLY have any in stock! Don't advertise it if you don't have it!

    (1)

  • Kristi J.

    I have mixed reviews for the Capital Ale House. I am a total fan of the menu, however I'm one of those super sensitive people who can't eat a lot of grease, fat or spice. Once upon a time, when I could eat these things, I would have LOVED this place. That being said, I did find something on the menu I could eat, I had the salmon with mashed potatoes and asparagras which was very good, even though it was covered in pepper. I would say that if you liked a lot of flavor and unique dishes, you should definitely try this place. They have an interesting mix of German inspried dishes, steaks, fish, and I always love to see hummus or bean dip on a menu. Oh yeah, and they have lots and lots of beer. :)

    (4)

  • Boozefighter C.

    Over 400 beers available between bottles and tap. All servers are very knowledgable about all of them for the most part. The food is good and fair priced. One of the coolest places in old town to go for some good quality beer, just about any beer you could fathom is available here from all regions of the United States. Hard wood floors, old brick walls and dim lighting makes it a relaxing atmosphere too. Stamp of approval. If you love beer and you don't go here, you're a moron. -B

    (5)

  • Lee A.

    First I must say that I'm on the Atkins diet so eating out is often a challenge. No carbs = no beer so I can't comment on the main reason people probably go here! I did look through their selection though and it looked vast, varied and priced well. I really liked the vibe of the place. We went in the middle of the afternoon and it seemed happening and I know it's a silly thing, but I really liked the dishes! Back to the food though, this is why people go out to eat after all! I had a Capital Salad, which was a little off putting when I first got it. It looked like rolled up lunch meat with a few skimpy portions of the other ingredients. Then I began eating it. The dressing was amazing and while I would have liked a few more roasted tomatoes the portions actually worked out perfectly. Especially the meat! Normally when I get a salad somewhere, there's maybe a little steak or chicken breast on a huge bowl of lettuce, but when I reached the bottom of this salad I had a surprising amount of meat left. I was very satisfied when I finished eating. I only got a single taste of my soulmate's burger, but it made her eyes roll back in her head in pleasure when she had the first bite. The fries also come with various flavored mayo, which I've been a fan of since I first tried mayo on fries. So if you're looking for a good burger (or healthier option) and a beer you could absolutely do worse than this fun little place. I can't give it more than 4 stars because the hostess people seemed disinterested in actually greeting people and more interested in chatting amongst themselves.

    (4)

  • Alina B.

    We bought gift cards from Costco ($100 for $75). This was our third visit. First time, it was on a Friday around 7 pm. It was packed! We waited an hour for a table. The line was stretching outside the door. We couldn't stand the people smoking right outside so we left. Second time, we sat at the bar. They had amazing beer selection and we enjoyed the drink so much that we decided to go back for dinner with friends. This time it was a different story. We were seated all the way in the back with table with weird configuration. Service took forever. First our waiter, Andy took very long time to take our orders. He said he was busy, but it didn't look that busy to us. It took 45 minutes for food to come out, but they quickly realized they messed up the order so we had to wait another 15 minutes for the correct order. My partner ordered burger with fries. The fries were cold and the burger was just edible. I ordered jagerchnitzel with red cabbage, sauerkraut and German potato. Everything on the plate was dried. It tasted like it had been in the oven for too long. If I wasn't starving I wouldn't have eaten the food. My other friends ordered mac n cheese and chicken. They too were dried. Overall, We're not crazy about the food or the service. If we were to go back, we would go have dinner somewhere else and just go there for the drinks.

    (2)

  • Jonathan C.

    Probably the best beer selection that I ran into while in VA. I wish i discovered this joint a night or so before. I would have come back for a repeat visit. This place was huge, I remember walking along the squeeky wooden floors a good 100 ft to get to the restrooms. Great menu all describing the beers they carry! Beer? I ordered a fruit lambic. I know pretty fufu but I was already buzzing from my dinner at kobe in stafford. Unfortunately I didn't have enough in me to try another brew. This place is simple yet warm. It was also packed just like the front desk guy said it would be. Would definitely come back again.. It slightly reminded me of the beer bars we have in good ole SD except for being a lil more upscale.

    (4)

  • William P.

    I have been to the one in Fredericksburg, VA twice and enjoyed it very much. Only wish they would open one up in Woodbridge; would be my new hangout. Awesome beer selection and the food is quite delicious.

    (5)

  • Laura H.

    I never got to eat here and will never go back either. I was actually really excited about the place when I walked in--very cool bar area and an AMAZING beer menu. Finally a cool bar in Fredericksburg! But just try to get served... I was seated. And waited... and waited.... A snotty teenage waitress served the tables on either side of us and wouldn't even look at us. She busily walked around with ketchup bottles and continued to ignore us--even as we tried to get her attention. After 15 minutes (I wish I was exaggerating but I'm not) and absolutely no attention paid to us, not even water brought to the table, we left. And will never return. If they can't even get their act together enough to serve the customers, how can they have it together enough to serve good food. It was absolutely ridiculous and I have never had that happen to me before in a restaurant. And to top it all off--there were only about 10 patrons in the restaurant at the time. As I often say, service can make or break a restaurant. For Capital Ale, it will bring the business crumbling to the ground if they don't fix it fast.

    (1)

  • Phoebe B.

    This was one of the worst dining experiences I have had in a loooong time. I have been to a lot of Capital Ale Houses outside of Fredicksburg but management really needs to be their act together in order to improve the astompsphere of this place. I visited this particular CAH on two occassions and both were bad for the following reasons: 1) Slow, complacent hostess/wait staff who would rather talk with their coworkers than bring a menu and/or water to the table. Literally expect to wait 15-20 minutes once you sit down at the table. Flagging people down is what brings them to the table. They will not come back without being prompted to do so. 2) Disgusting food. I would expect fish and chips being the main stay of any pub would be above reproach but I was wrong. Chips were greasy and undercooked, and the fish was still frozen in the center (and they claim to use only fresh ingredients...right). The salad that came before the meal was wilted and had mold on several of the leaves. My first experience, food was edible (had eggs benedict), 2nd experience, the food was hazardous to your health and could not be eaten. When a complaint was made, wait staff just stood there looking confused. Not very helpful. No offer was made to get something else or remake another plate of food. 3) Noise level is excessively high. For a noon time lunch, there were a bunch of local 20 something local jerks who were really disruptive to EVERYONE and several of them complained. Rather than the wait staff asking them to tone it down, she started contributing to the chaos and laughing and carrying on with them. It was insane the volume level just 5 people plus a incompetent waitress can produce. Us and several others could not wait to leave (and we discussed our experiences while heading out the door...2 other tables also received awful food and were not impressed with the waitress or noise). I will never go here again. The Beer is just not worth it. You go to unwind and have a nice lunch/dinner. While I do not mind a loud atmostphere, but when people are rowdy and are disruptive to others, and nothing is done to calm them down, this is unacceptable. And when I cannot even have decent plate of food (which was not cheap)---if none of this can be accomplished, well, there are so many other places (and in Fredericksburg and Stafford) that can provide it. Save your money and go somewhere else...this place is never going to improve until someone in management cares enough to do something about it. Friends went there this past weekend and had similar experience. Come on CAH, you can do better.

    (1)

  • andrew j.

    They are listed as a bar but the food is also good and varied. On my 1st visit I had mussels then a burger with great fries the second time. Staff is friendly efficient and very knowledgeable. A great choice. P S the lamb burger was great.

    (4)

  • Pat H.

    based on some of the reviews we were hesitant to try. The service was fine. Brews selection above good. Went on burger night. No issues. Will go back. Tried another burger spot in the area, did not think it was any better (service or food).

    (4)

  • Carolyne V.

    Fond as a result of Oktoberfest and have loved it ever since! Even though it is pretty much a young people's hang out, we are always treated beautifully! My favorite is on Sunday night, after 9pm the appetizers are $1.99! They are pretty healthy portions of German favorites with a modern flair, as are the regular fare. The burger night is cheap and fun too! The gaming area is fun too with darts, and even board games. The nice comfy couch is especially nice! The bar selections are nice too, even though I haven't imbibed in years, my hubby is always happy with his choices. Try it you'll love it too!!

    (5)

  • Sarah W.

    You know, my husband and I love their beer selection. It is amazing and if you like beer at all, you should go there to experience it. 5 stars on the beer. But I've been meaning to note something on the food front that I was told the last time I went and ordered the prime rib. The waitress asked how done I'd like it: I'm a rare person, so I ordered it as such. It came way over-cooked for rare (and as some other people noted in their reviews, somewhat cold at the same time) - no pink anywhere. We flagged her down and I noted that it was overcooked She said that it was "the most rare that a prime rib could be cooked" and when we stated that that wasn't true, she looked agog, back-peddled a bit and told us that it was the most rare they could serve it because it came to them pre-cooked - let me be honest, we were a bit surprised to hear her admit this and also disappointed. Guys, if you run a "prime-rib special" every Sunday? You should be able to cook a prime rib IN house. Otherwise, you really shouldn't run that special. And your waitstaff should know food well enough not to claim that prime rib couldn't be cooked rare, and also shouldn't offer different levels of doneness if you can't provide them.

    (2)

  • Daniel R.

    The beer menu is huge and awesome. With around 20 pages, it includes way over 300 beers, a lot of them from local breweries. You can order beers from Virginia (lots!), Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York. Suggestion: stick with the small glasses, try a bunch of them and don't forget an appetizer (or share an entree). We had the Bavarian Pretzel (with garlic mayo), which seems to be the most popular appetizer and it was good, but nothing to call home about. Extra tip: if you're into beer glasses, ask your waiter. They have a cool selection of glasses, many from small breweries, and they sell them for 3 bucks each. On Tuesdays ("Steal the Glass" night), they hand them over free!

    (5)

  • Nick G.

    It was a great treat to find this place in downtown historic Fredericksburg. Through yelp of course! We happened to visit on Monday night and much to our surprise it was $1 burger night. Place was packed but we were able to order at the bar and enjoy our cheap, but good eats, along with a couple of beers from their fantastic selection (over 300!, 100 of them on tap). We returned again the following night because its a real nice upscale place and the food was good. Second meal was just as good. It's a large place but it's pretty busy so i'd make a reservation. Service is friendly and I would return if I'm ever back in the area.

    (4)

  • Joel B.

    Amazing beer selection. Overall the food is average, there a few things on the menu that stand out, like the prime rib sandwich.

    (4)

  • Tara M.

    My husband finally succeeded in getting me to go to the Capital Ale House this past weekend. I can't say I was a fan of the service right from the start, as the hostess finished up her conversation with one of the many waitresses hovering around her before attending to us. Things didn't improve once we sat down. The Ale House had plenty of staff milling around-just none attending to us. We had plenty of time to review the beer menu and the regular menu before we were finally served. Our waiter was competent. I guess that's all I can say. He told us when he brought our beer to the table that it was bitter, but nice. Now granted, I realize we should have maybe asked about the beer before ordering, but neither of us had experienced such a bitter pale ale before and that little bit of insight might have been helpful BEFORE we placed the order. Other than that, the service was fine for the rest of the night. We had the famous pretzel appetizer, which was to die for. My sandwich was less so, but still very tasty. This and the wide selection of beer will be enough to get me back through the door, but I honestly don't know if we'll become the regulars my husband thought we'd be.

    (3)

  • Olga B.

    I went here with my boyfriend and his parents after his TBS graduation and we all found things that we loved at Capital Ale House. The beer was awesome and the bartenders were really knowledgeable. We all loved our main courses and the dessert was phenomenal. I really liked the bell pepper salad dressing. The carrot cake is incredible and the slice they give you is enormous; easily enough for three people. Definitely go here and enjoy :).

    (5)

  • Maurice P.

    I was looking for a fun bar that served more than just bar food. Well, this place is THE choice in downtown F'burg if not the whole city. They don't brew their own beers, so be warned if that's what your after. But it makes no difference, because you can choose from hundreds of beers, both draught and bottled. The beer list is a fun read! The staff is friendly, attentive, and fun. I had great conversations with all the bartenders, and they make you feel like a regular. You really can't go wrong with the atmosphere, either, even mid week. In general the menu is well-rounded and the food is fresh and well prepared. Unlike many specialty brewpubs, this is a legitimate restaurant, not just a bar where food is an afterthought. I ate dinner at the bar, and went back the next night for more. The Snapper with coconut sauce was very good, although the rice was not memorable. I recommend the bacon wrapped scallops (served with sweet potato mash)...and the frites are incredible, with four different mayonnaise dipping sauces.

    (4)

  • Kim B.

    Went for a late bite with the family-- don't know if it is really a family atmosphere that late-- but we have teenagers so it was okay-- we just ordered a bunch of appetizers all of which were great (ESP. Mussels with bacon and Gouda). Beer selection was extensive and the gentleman helping us was VERY helpful! Service was great!

    (5)

  • Dave F.

    Great beers. Great food. Weissbier in VA? Wow. Almost as good as the Richmond location. If you are a beer lover, this place will expand your horizons. The beer menu is up to date and changes frequently.

    (5)

  • Kristin V.

    Capital Ale House is the only posh bar in the City of Fredericksburg. I LOVE the beer selection and I LOVE the bartenders (especially Lincoln!) The bartenders are very knowledgeable and are always eager to make recommendations. While it's fun to go here for drinks on the weekends, I find the less crowded nights even more fun because you get more attention from the bartenders and get to learn more about beers from their HUGE selection. The food at the Ale House is good...not the best food in town, but definitely good. Dollar Burger Night (Monday nights) is definitely the best time to get food! The burgers are quite good (especially for only a dollar) and the french fries are delicious! If you get a choice, choose the dill mayonaise to go with your fries, it's wonderful!

    (4)

  • Jenny s.

    Wonderful service, wonderful atmosphere, wonderful food. I had very few options to eat, being gluten and dairy free, but the chef and waiter/waitresses made SURE I was taken care of and that every ingredient was okay in what I ate. They did accidentally bring out a salad with crutons first, but realized their mistake and apologized repeatedly. The cheap monday burger night (2 dollar burgers i think) is our favorite... in general, reasonably priced and one of the best places in fredericksburg.

    (4)

  • James A.

    I've been to Cap Ale a few times and the last trip was crap. My group of 6 came in on a Monday. The hostess was a mess, she looked confused and rushed. After a 10 min wait we got a seat, which wasn't bad. She sat us at the big table right inside the door. She then disappeared to find us a server. About 15 mins go by and she's back at her post but, we still had not been greeted by a server, so we asked her what was up and she apologized and disappeared again for another 10 mins. Finally a server shows up and looks annoyed he has to take a table that is outside the main dining room. All 6 of us give him our orders. The funny thing is he didn't write down one thing. He said he had it all in his head. Well no surprise the food comes out and everything was screwed up. We were already fed up at this point and decided that we were just going to eat what the hell they brought out. The server then didn't check on us for another 20 mins after the food was out. I've had some good trips there, but if they are busy they always seem understaffed and the service suffers. Bartenders seem to be on the game.

    (2)

  • Moises P.

    Great beer selection especially if you like IPAs. Food was good..had a German burger with a Flying Dog - Raging bitch IPA

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    First time at the Capital Ale house and I left happy. We started off with German sausage, cheese, grapes and a fresh pretzel. The had frites with assorted dipping sauces. For dinner we had the filet with crab cake and the tenderloin medallion special. Both were wonderful and better than expected from and ale house. I look forward to going back here again. Another note, they have two dart boards in the back but you must bring your own darts.

    (4)

  • Brad Z.

    CAH was a standard for years back when I lived in Richmond. Awesome beer selection, ice strip on the bar to keep your beer cold, and a great atmosphere. I was hapily suprised when I popped in on a monday to discover they brought the Dollar Burger tradition up to the Fred! I upgraded to a smokehouse for $2.25, cheaper than Hardees and quite tasty with great toppings and a delicious soft fresh bun. Be warned, on burger night they are not cooked to order so expect medium-well. With burgers this cheap you can splurge on frites and german pretzels, among the other items on the menu. Oh, one last point-- be sure to tip your servers well, but be aware that on burger night there is already a 20% autograt on the bill. Add accordingly.

    (4)

  • Kristen D.

    Staff was awful (with the exception of bartender), Food was mediocre, Beer was great. We waited at least a half hour for our server to return to get our drink order. Even after one of our party went to the bar for a drink, service did not improve. I asked for my check at 7:30 on a Tuesday and did not receive it for an hour and a half. During that time the server returned to the table 3 times and one visit from the manager on duty, who said they'd be right back and returned fruitless. All we received was a non-chalant apology, and the server still received the automatic 20% gratuity on an overpriced meal. Kudos to the bartender, for being personable, and responsive!

    (1)

  • N M.

    This is a wonderful place to stop and eat in the DC area. My wife and I drive up and down 95 from FL to New England a few times a year, and stopping anywhere around DC is always a pain (actually, just driving through DC is a pain but that's another story). Getting to the Capital Ale House is a just reward for surviving the traffic. Amazing beer, and great food. Not the biggest number of veggie selections, but we had salads and fries, which were all amazing. Highly recommended!

    (4)

  • Lis S.

    We went on 2.00 burger nights and had the Blackbean burger, which puts the frozen stuff like morning star and boca burger to a horrible shame. Now I know why our server asked us if we were sure we only wanted one a piece. The place is very large, with spacey wood floors, a few places for intimate couch seating and has beautiful skylights (if you happen to be in there before happy hour to enjoy the sunlight). of course the beer selection is massive. for you ladies who aren't particularly a large fan of beer I recommend the Lambic's which are a fruit based beer and very sweet. I enjoy mine with a mix of Double chocolate stout. We also sat at the bar which has an Ice generator built into it (not sure how well to describe it or what its actually called) but you can set your glass on it or sculpt your name and silly messages into it :-)

    (5)

  • Bernadette C.

    The best black bean burger EVER! It's made fresh with cilantro in the black bean patty and topped with a horseradish-mustard sauce. I ate here for the first time today, and there's simply nothing that's not to rave about. We shared a German pretzel and fancy cheese appetizer featuring what my picky step-dad dubbed "the best pretzel" he'd ever had. It was piping hot and big enough to share. (The cheese was good, but not good enough to be worth the additional money, so stick with just the pretzel.) When lunch came we took turns tasting each other's fancy sauces. My hubby's beer-bbq sauce was the favorite of the table. It's really potent, so taste it before you dump it on anything. A little goes a long way! Mom's balsamic vinaigrette dressing was some of the best I'd ever tasted. Overall, everything was spectacularly yummy. For vegetarians, there's the black bean burger and a delightful-sounding veggie sandwich. I can't vouch for the dinner options, though, because I didn't really look them over. The beer menu is huge and I can't wait to come back to try some of the microbrews. I think I'll make it a Monday, when any beer comes with a $1 or $2 burger. The ambiance is amazing, with an ice bar to keep your drink cold if you're sitting at the bar, a drink cellar downstairs in the front, and a set of comfy couches in the back complete with board games and darts. To top off the love, the restaurant has committed to buying 1.5 million in services and products from the local Virginia economy and pays its employees to work up to 10 hours of community service per month. Yummy, fun, and civic minded. The perfect spot to patronize!

    (5)

  • Jeff C.

    45 minute wait for seating, 30 minute wait for mediocre food, and an extremely inattentive waitress = FAIL! Unless you just want to drink, save your money.

    (1)

  • Richard G.

    Went in last Sun at around 1 and bar had only 2 people at in. Sat down with girl friend at bar & had to wait over 15 minutes to get service. I noticed 2 bartenders & 2 wait staff just talking & laughing way in the corner. The receptionist had to go over & get there attention that 2 people were waiting at the bar. Finally the bartender comes over not apologetic whatsoever & had a attitude like we interrupted his conversation. Wasn't friendly & didn't want to be to helpful. We ordered 2 beers & beers were good. Bar is nice. But whoever the manager or owner of this ale house needs go over at crack some bartenders heads. Rule #1 Be attentive, friendly to your customers. With many people in a poor economy there are many people who would appreciate being kind & make money at a fun place to be at.

    (1)

  • Shadow M.

    Stumbled upon Capital Ale House, while visiting Fredericksburg for the first time. It's a very hip bar/restaurant. Their Monday night special was $1 burger with the purchase of any beverage. They have a number of nightly specials. My burger was great, fries came with a variety of mayo combinations and the server was very knowledgeable about beer--they have a very large assortment of domestic/imports. It gets better with sofas and board games (that they provide) in the back. I only wish one was closer to DC.

    (4)

  • M. S.

    Really enjoyed this place on the way back to D.C. from Stratford Hall. The beer selection is GREAT and they had specials when I was there, so I got good value for my dollar. The food was great. I was with 4 other people and everyone's portions and ingredients were just right. Very refreshing after living near DC for a while (bad ingredients and bad prices).

    (4)

  • Jeremiah Z.

    Go for the beer. NOT FOR THE FOOD. You figure with a name like Capital Ale House, you would have a really great burger. Not the case here. I ordered the Capital Ale House burger and it looked like a pre-packaged patty that was frozen. Flat and grey. So not worth it. The beer is excellent. Eat somewhere else and go to here for a beer. Oh, and table service is REALLY slow. Long time to get a beer.

    (2)

  • David R.

    Outstanding beer, food ranging from fair to excellent. Go, enjoy, repeat.

    (4)

  • Les B.

    I've been here three times. Food and service are ok. Last time we went it was a Sunday evening and the place was pretty quiet. The hostess was surly. They were out of several items on the menu. Our company from out of town ordered the prime rib special. They both said it was dry and had a lot of fat on it ("40% of the serving was fat" according to them). My steak was OK, nothing to get excited over. I think there are much better places to go for dinner in Fredericksburg, but if you want to go try some interesting beers then go here.

    (2)

  • Lee Ann M.

    Hostess staff seemed very disinterested in customer service. Waiter was decent. I had the Black and Blue Angus burger, ordered medium rare, and it was delicious. The flavored mayo that came with it for dipping my fries was very tasty too. The Brownie Rockslide dessert was good, although the description on the menu was not what I received. It was supposed to come with brownie bites and white chocolate ganache sauce, but instead came with crumbled Oreo's and chocolate and caramel sauce. Small details, but total misrepresentation, which makes me wonder what else on their menu is wrong. The coffee is a no go...TERRIBLE! They did have a huge bar and tons of beer on tap (60 different ones, plus wall coolers filled with different types of beer) so its probably good if you are looking for a place to drink and socialize.

    (3)

  • Noel L.

    Great beer. Food is good but, not awesome.

    (4)

  • Danilo B.

    This was my second time here and it was even better than the first. We had a big group with us (10+ people) and the waiter was on top of things at all times. He made some great beer recommendations based on what we told him that we liked. His food recommendations were also great. The food was tasty and high quality both times. Prices are very fair and everything is definitely worth the money. If you're in Fredericksburg, definitely stop in for some food even if you're not in the mood for a beer (though I personally couldn't imagine such a thing).

    (4)

  • Ali T.

    phenomenal...we love the ice rail to keep our beer cold to the last sip!

    (5)

  • Bradley B.

    Great food, service and atmosphere. Can't beat it!

    (5)

  • T L.

    Was really pumped about this place after seeing the reviews, and the beer selection is phenomenal-- hundreds on the menu. But then things kinda fell flat from there. After waiting about 30 mins for a seat (no problem), they call me but then there's some confusion and a couple patrons are standing by waiting for a seat. Then they call for my party of four ( I was alone). Not sure what happened there but ok still. Still I'm lead past several empty small tables for 2 to a table for 6. Wait a little long for a waitress and never asked what sides i wanted, or what size beer. Salad looked old, with red and brown pieces. Waited another 5-10 minutes for the waitress to show up again because I have no silverware. So not surprisingly, due to this delay, my steak arrives before finishing the salad. I'm still ok at this point, but then the steak is tough and gristley, even though it's cooked medium, and the veggies on the side looked shrunken and old like they'd been microwaved. This was a $40 meal, so definitely substandard food quality for the price on this trip. The cheesecake was delicious. Great atmosphere, especially in the bar area, but the loud music extends into the dining area, which is way too much for a normal conversation. If they're busy, think sports bar atmosphere. Food recipe was great, just not executed well and the veggies aren't as fresh as they should be. The beer variety is supreme, however, and largest I've probably ever seen. Taken individually, some of these shortcomings may be insignificant, but when you consider them all together, you get the feeling that they just aren't trying very hard to be the 5-star restaurant that's easily within their reach (like right now, the waitress has charged my bill to my credit card, but I've been waiting 15 minutes now for her to return simply because she didn't give me a pen to sign it with).

    (2)

  • Kira F.

    Always love this place. It is our "go-to" place in Fredrericksburg. Best selection of beer. The frosty ice coaster on the bar is awesome. Specials for every day of the week!

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    Great selection of beers, good (kind of preppy) atmosphere, and very good wings.

    (4)

  • Janine K.

    I guess if you are a beer drinker this place is great otherwise I don't understand all the great reviews. The waiter was a dope and couldn't really recommend anything because he said he's never tried the things we asked him about. His service was terrible. He would forget us by the time he walked from the front of the restaurant to the back. We won't be back.

    (1)

  • Rebecca G.

    Delicious food, amazing beer selection, and great atmosphere. Clean and beautiful bar - truly well designed. We enjoyed our pear ciders and tried the imported pretzel - tastes just like it does in Bavaria. Honey mustard was a little sweet, but still great. We will definitely return for a real dinner - the menu is extensive and creative.

    (5)

  • Tron D.

    The Bottom Line: Walking around old town Fredericksburg? Thirsty? Come on in and grab a few beers from an extensive beer list boasting beers from around the world. The food is solid bar fare and you will not be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Subodh N.

    Great beer selection. Wide choice of German inspired cuisine (including vegetarian) and kid friendly. After dinner relaxed on leather couches, played board games and even a round or two of darts.

    (4)

  • Gilberto d.

    Owners of this small chain based out of Richmond, Virginia are laughing all the way to the bank. This my second trip to a CAH and it will definitely be my last. Here's why... Into the craft beer scene in a major way and have been since the mid-eighties. Know my suds and have been to hundreds of establishments catering to the trend. These cheap bastards have the cojones to serve up brew in pathetic 12 ounce water glasses, then charge you $5 or more for some mid-range stuff such as Oscar Blues. It's pathetic and I won't mind paying that if nekkid gals were dancing in front of me which they were not on that evening. Happened to be there on $2 Burger Nite which is their regular 1/2 pound hamburger / cheeseburger offered at a reduced price. One drink is required and that is perfectly fine. Now here is what blows. They can only serve you one well done as if they've been pre-cooking 'em in the back. Was there just after 4 PM when this thing kicks off and had to send the first burger back as it was totally dry. Second one arrived almost as bad and when I mentioned this to the manager here's what she said. "If you want a burger cooked less than well you'll have to pay the regular price of $9. Many of our patrons do so." Here's my answer to this sad BS. Will NEVER come back to a retarded Capital Ale House and will mention to everyone that I know within driving distance of one not to grace them with any business. Idiotic to say the least.

    (1)

  • Mr. M.

    Seriously Virginia folk, you have no idea the gem that is the Capital Ale House. 60 beers on tap. And it's not 60 random beers of local brewers in the area. It's 60 of the who's who of specialty beers in the world. They had a dozen beers that I've never even seen on tap anywhere, ever. Special beers you only wish you could find in a keg, some day, any day, anywhere. How's the food? Good, not great. But seriously, if you are here to eat the best food you've ever had, shame on you. You should be saving room for appetizers and beer. If you love serious beer and you love to drink that beer. you are a fool to go anywhere but Capital Ale House. It's a very special place. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Anthony G.

    Great place for beer fans. The selection is fantastic with regard to all types. If you are looking to eat here though I would not advise it. Food was mediocre at best more than once now. In addition the staff doesn't seem thrilled about providing service. Had a party of 2 on one visit which turned into 3, when we asked to be moved to another table were were told we would have to wait and see if it was possible and nearly half the restaurant had vacant tables. When we asked why we couldn't move to one of those we were told "they may be needed by another party". Another visit we sat in the back area with couches and asked if they serve that area or if we needed to get our drinks at the bar and we were told there was a server for that area. After asking 3 different servers to help we finally got someone to take our order after 30min. Because of the unusual bar shape it also makes sitting at the bar to have a convo with friends difficult due to facing. 3 stars overall mainly for the beer selection. Food and service get a 2 at best. Eat somewhere else first, go here for drinks.

    (3)

  • Michael y.

    Come here on Monday. $1.50 cheeseburgers, half pound and char grilled on a brioche bun. And a pint from over 40 tap beers! Great place to go while in F-burg. packed and had a 45 min wait or you can eat standing at the bar like we did.

    (4)

  • Iggy M.

    Service was good and the server was very friendly and helped with our order however the food was not great. Bland and lacking flavor. The bartender did however make a great Bloody Mary and that brought me up to 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Richard W.

    Well I guess it depends on what day of the week or when you go to this location. I had a pleasant experience this evening. First off I go to Capital Ale House for the beer selection. I can't stand the large mega-breweries' beer. This restaurant has the best selection of local and not so local craft brewed beer. This night I had the Blue & Grey "Red Fred" and Legend's Pilsner beers. They both were excellent. The food is OK. This location is not as good as the other locations that I have eaten at over the years. I had the 1/2 rack of ribs with the slaw and the mashed potatoes. The ribs were slightly over done but the sauce on them were really good. I didn't care much for the slaw. Basically raw cabbage with some kind of lime vinaigrette on it. The mashed potatoes were very good. So, 5 stars for the beer and 3 stars for the food. averages out to 4 stars overall for me. I will return again when business brings me this way. They do have free Wi-Fi.

    (4)

  • Randy L.

    Always one of my favorite places in Fredericksburg. I have to admit that it's the beer selection that pushes this to five stars, but there's nothing wrong with the food either. It's probably safe to say that Capital Ale House has the largest selection of beer in the area. But the food is awesome too. The menu is limited - probably because it's the beer they focus on - but the quality is gourmet. Every time we've eaten here, the food has been first-rate. The service is friendly and we've never had an experience here that can't be rated as first class.

    (5)

  • Georgio B.

    Best for beer. Sit at the bar and enjoy the ice rail. The food could be improved upon.

    (3)

  • Jonathan H.

    Craving to pub style dine? Alot of choices for beer and wine. Pretzel appetizer is huge and yummy. Imagining the salmon will put a smile on your tummy. Touch the dark tables: they're real wood but a little sticky And you can believe the fables: those Irish drinkers aren't picky Lots of choices but you're guaranteed: there'll always be that Guinness Meade. Another good thing to get is the Oreo dessert Let's not forget: when it comes to Oreos, I'm an expert. Especially the frozen kind, always on my mind. Help yourself to a glass of red wine Or maybe a dark beer will taste just fine, Understanding the drink menu may be a little tough, So ask a server: they know enough. Enjoy the drinks and the food and let the dessert put you in a pleasant mood.

    (3)

  • John A.

    you folks are 0 for 3 with us...thought we'd (2 of us) give you one more shot last night...small fri night crowd, but was told 25 min wait...surprised, but sat down in front of fireplace about two feet from hostess w not many others waiting...after about 30 minutes, and noticing what appeared to be later arrivals being seated, I walked the two feet distance to our female hostess to check our status and was told we we "missing in action" and that they tried to track us down...I carefully pointed to my wife's location inches away w no others around waiting and asked her "how hard did you look?" We were then brought to a two seater in the bar near the basement stairs( which had been open all night as they are bad seats)...I responded that I wanted a decent table and despite their screw up, was given attitude and told 30 more minutes....we left after noting their inability to even seat us... called mngr (Jeremy) who said nothing more than " thats not our way" and offered that a gm may call me (no call yet)...well folks, it is their way (our lst two visits incuded attitude and average food)... Too many of my friends have informed me of like treatment with the common terms used - "snobby and stuck up staff"....Went to a local chilis and we were treated like kings....We are done trying these folks and will stick to mom and pop locals in the burg....strongly recommend all patronize locals who care....

    (1)

  • Tiffany M.

    Amazing selection of beers for a reasonable price! The food is good, try the calamari, pretzel, or on a Monday night the black bean burger...yummy! The bartenders are great too (some of the servers are a very slow). I recommend sitting at the bar if it's an option!

    (4)

  • Chelsea C.

    The food is good but the service is terrible. Maybe it's just my bad luck but every time i am here it takes an hour minimum to get our food. If we even get it because there have been times they forgot about us. I think the name and beer attract a lot of people, but it is not worth it. The food is by no means worth the wait and the staff are lazy.

    (1)

  • Janice T.

    Great beer selection, and atmosphere! The food is good, but not amazing. Hit or miss with the servers though, some are very knowledgeable with the beer menu and attentive to the table. Others not so much, and can leave you with a potentially overwhelming drink menu, hungry and waiting for the bill.

    (4)

  • Naomi G.

    Horrible service by one particular bartender (female, blonde long hair). So, a friend of mine ordered a beer and it was disgusting. She said, "well I'm going to have to charge you for it since you asked for it by name." Ummm, it's from a tap, probably costs them 25 cents, and you're seriously going to do that?? THEN, I accidentally interrupted her when she was talking to another couple and she looked at me like she was going to kill me and said, "i'll be with you in a minute," rolled her eyes and continued her conversation. First of all there were like 20, maybe less at the bar and two bartenders. Granted, I interrupted on accident, but she was not overwhelmed enough to have an attitude like that. AND, my wine glass remained empty for a long time before it was refilled - by the male (friendly) bartender. She did smile and pay lots of attention to the 20 something group of 5 guys, however. irritating. Food, meh. Just like any other capital ale house. The one star is for the a good selection of beers on tap. Thank god I don't live in Fredericksburg. I don't think they have many options for bars. But I guess what can you expect from a chain restaurant in the sticks. I'll never go back there.

    (1)

  • Yolanda B.

    I'm not a beer drinker, but it doesn't matter. They serve a little of everything in addition to a pretty good Martini selection. This place is just a lot of fun to hang out with friends! The atmosphere is relaxed, the food is pretty good bar food, especially the mussels. The music selection is pretty eclectic, a little something for everyone. So at some point you will recognize something you like and find yourself singing along. So I highly recommend this place as a must see and be seen.

    (4)

  • Brent R.

    A standard stop every time I visit Fredericksburg. The atmosphere is awesome. You just feel like having a cold beer and talking with your dinner companion. This visit was just beer. I love being able to sample for a quarter to find something I like.

    (4)

  • Steve N.

    Badly understaffed. Came at 3pm the day after Xmas. Sat immediately but waited and waited and waited for every step of the process. Long waits to order, for drinks, for food, for check. Seemed that two servers were handling the entire restaurant. Slow, slower, slowest...

    (2)

  • Jan B.

    Great party at night

    (4)

  • Steven B.

    I like this place, but it is "hit or miss" to me. I have been searching for a place to "call my own" since relocating to Fredericksburg. The second most important feature in a watering hole, to me, is good beer. This place certainly has that. But most important is atmosphere and, here, it is spotty. The comparative bar to the Capital Ale House, in my opinion, is Park Lane on the other side of I-95. The beer selection is better at the Ale House, but I tend to enjoy myself more at Park Lane. Ultimately, it comes down to service. Some of the bar staff at Cap Ale House really dig when you share an interest in good beer, while others are just less sociable altogether. It's actually a shame because if I was served only by the more sociable of bar staff, this place would knock it out of the park. As it stands, I prefer Park Lane for service, and Ale House for selection of tap beers. The environment, otherwise, is a push. Unfortunately, I can not opine as to the food, as I try not to eat where I drink (weird habit). Overall, I enjoy the Capital Ale House. Between here and Park Lane, I intend to be a "regular." The thing is: at Park Lane, I was treated like a "regular" on the very first visit; whereas at Capital Ale House, I have discovered the scene to be sometimes sociable and other times equally not as much. But, still, recommended.

    (3)

  • Cathleen G.

    Tl; dr: Beer selection was great, food was meh. I did appreciate the high number of local beers they had on tap. I would say at least 60% of the beers came from MD or VA while the rest were mostly high quality micro brews. Since I am a "smug" (to borrow a term from another yelp reviewer) beer fan, I really appreciated it. The ice shelf for cooling your pint was more decorative than utilitarian (confirmed by the barkeep) but it was still fun. My boyfriend really enjoyed his burger, while my salad could best be described as "sad." (Wilted greens, and tinier than the price would suggest.) We both loved the giant pretzel we split as an appetizer. My suggestion: go with the more traditional bar food if you want to eat, and then you will be more likely to leave happy.

    (4)

  • Kimono L.

    I've drank and dined here on numerous occasions, none of them were very good and I remember being disappointed in the service but mostly the because of the overpriced low-quality food. The burgers are SAFE but not the best in town. The seafood is a rip off. The prime rib is a joke. The beers are great but its hard to choose; sometimes the bartender can help but thats a hit or miss here. ONE time I had a great experience at the Capital Ale House and it was because I was alone for lunch and I chatted up the bartender because we enjoyed similar types of beer. I don't even remember what I ordered for food but I think it was the pretzel and cheese platter. My Tip: Sit at the bar for dinner. Make sure your bartender understands you are there for dinner and a few drinks. If you don't get the attention you expect immediately please walk out because its not going to get any better.

    (2)

  • Maria B.

    The place is big and nice. The staff is pretty friendly and the food is good, nothing really special about it, it's good. I don't know if it was just because both me and my boyfriend were starving but it felt like forever before we got our food. Otherwise it was a really nice experience.

    (3)

  • Billy M.

    For coming in at lunch time, it was surprising slow. Even more surprisingly was how slow service was. It took over 40 minutes for our food to come out with no apology from our waiter, and when it did come out it was a few plates at a time. It took an additional 5 minutes from when the first plate came out to the last. My plate was last (turkey burger) and was cold. Other members of our group fries were lower then ideal temperature, and food as a whole just poorly prepared.

    (1)

  • Bethany P.

    I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said. This is a really good location for getting a taste of some unique beers. They don't brew their own, but that's ok when there are so many micro-brews and international flavors to choose from. I never have high expectations for beer restaurants but both of the entrees my husband and I tried were quite good. And the carrot cake was terrific! Definitely worth a try in Fredericksburg! Only negative - really noisy in the back dining area...

    (4)

  • Matt P.

    Fun place. Great selection of beers on tap.

    (4)

  • David L.

    I joined a group going here a week after my previous visit, at around the same time as before but this time it was Saturday night. Things this time went much better. We called ahead and were seated right away. And our waitress, Taylor, was great! She was around just when we needed. Very attentive. The food was good and the beer was great!

    (4)

  • Ashley L.

    We stopped here on a roadtrip back home to Pittsburgh from Williamsburg. Nice set up in the place, and decent food, but it wasn't much to write home about. The beer list, though extensive is totally unorganized and hard to read. There are symbols all over it, but no key. That was annoying enough for me to only order one drink. Our food was good, but even though I ordered german potato salad as the side to my sandwich, I got fries anyway. I didn't feel like asking for the potato salad as the fries were fine, but it would have been nice if the server had at least acknowledge the mess up. I did like some of the more 'unique' items on the menu - like cornbread fried green tomatoes with goat cheese. Those were different and tasty. If I lived in the area I would probably go back at some point. Since I'm not from the area, next time I'll likely try somewhere else as nothing stood out here that I must return for.

    (3)

  • Mac O.

    After a two-cocktail lunch and several hours of wandering around historic downtown F'burg, my tiny tank cried uncle. I figured at a place called "Capital Ale House", I could just kinda sneak in and use the facilities undetected. Wrong. Three perky hostesses greeted us at the door with menus. "What can we do for you today?" one chirped, all smiles. "Actually..." I said sheepishly. "I just need a restroom...." I half expected to be turned away, but the darling blond said, "Of course, right this way!" and led me back through the cavernous bar and restaurant, past dozens upon dozens of glinting beer taps and a seemingly endless array of bottled brews behind glass fridge doors at the bar. And thus the most serendipitous pit stop of all time was underway. I returned to find husband motionless and agog, eyes welling with tears, standing before the parade of taps. "Can we....can we *stay*?" he whispered reverently. So we bellied up to the bar and spent the next couple hours sampling Capital Ale House's mind-bogglingly large selection of beer. Husband had his beloved Post Road Pumpkin Ale (when October rolls around he literally races to Total Wine to buy up their inventory) and a Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian-style IPA. I enjoyed a Sierra Nevada Oliva Dubbel, followed by a gigantic Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear Cider (no, really -- gigantic, see the pics). The phenomenal beer selection would have been enough, but the clincher? The ice rail: a long, frozen strip of metal running the whole length of the bar, kept frigid so that you, the discriminating barfly, can keep your suds nice and cold resting your pint glass upon it. Genius. Sheer.beer .genius. Aside from all this brewy wonder, CAH's atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed. Dim (but not toooo dim) lighting, exposed beams with huge metal rivets, and dark wood floors and booths define the bar and front dining room. Behind these areas is a loungey space with big, burgundy leather couches, low tables for card playing or sharing bar food, and dart boards. Service from the gentleman barkeep was friendly and consistent; from the barmaid a bit salty and erratic. Here, like most places, your level of service depends on the person providing it. While soaking up the casual ambiance and supremely pleasant beers, husband and I also enjoyed CAH's Rauchbier Cheese Dip, a creamy, tangy cheddar dip made with smoked beer and served with deep fried marble rye breadsticks. Oh-my-gah, is that an unfortunately addictive heart attack in the form of a snack. I can't wait to be back. Thank you, tiny tank.

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    We went here Saturday, no reservations, and at about 6:00pm. We sat at the bar (our preference) and noticed the best "ice rail" to keep our drinks chilled! The beer selection was great, as was the menu. We had the pretzel and cheese dip appetizer, which was amazing. I had the cuban sandwich and it tasted great! The pork had great seasoning, tender, and the bread was fresh. I loved it. My husband had the Capital club sandwich, and he loved it too! We were there for quite a while with no pressure from the bartenders to hurry along. The restaurant was busy, but not crowded. Plenty of available seating. The noise level was fine and we had a great time on our date night! Just wished we lived closer so we can go again!!

    (5)

  • Jim U.

    I have only ever been to 2 bars in my life that had a better beer selection than this place, and they are both out of state. The beer menu which had the same day's date mind you, was far more extensive than the dinner menu and looked like a small book. Well over 300 selections were available to the connoisseur, and the choices were intelligent and thought out. I opted for an Abbaye du Val Dieu Grand Cru (Quadrupel), a Belgian Abbey Ale. 750 ml, 10.5% alcohol, $18/bottle, and when you hear that cork pop, you know you are in heaven. I am floored that I can buy this in little old Fredericksburg. This is not an easy selection to find in Manhattan of all places! And that was one of the many, many gems on their beer menu. Highly recommend for the beer alone. Ah, but they serve food as well and it is worth having. As far as bar food goes, this was pretty good fare. The garlic and herb mussels were fine and made for an excellent, traditional pairing with my beer. I followed this with the Jaegerschnitzel. Plentiful breaded veal cutlets atop red cabbage, fresh sauerkraut, and German potato salad all dressed in mushroom gravy. The flavors were on point, and I was surprised by the very generous serving. This dish was a lot of fun, and I felt it really captured German cuisine. And the ambience is definitely here too with it being the hippest bar in a 30-mile radius. Check this place out if you are in the area, and you know your beer!

    (5)

  • Jay S.

    Why can't I just pay my check and just leave? I have visited this place many times. I've recorded good service for the restaurant but consistently poor service at the bar. Bar servers have high turn over and have difficulty tasking with several people on busy nights.

    (2)

  • Stephanie T.

    Delicious! Sometimes the service is slow, but the food is always great. On Mondays, there are two dollar burgers, mmmm!!!! The Cubano is also delicious. I love their beer options, too. Definitely recommend this place to friends and family.

    (4)

  • Jean T.

    My family and I ordered 5 different dinner entrees and each one of them were terrible. The waitress was very sweet and beer selection is phenomenal BUT the food was truly disgusting.

    (1)

  • JoAnn H.

    Ate dinner while driving back to Norfolk here with our son and his girlfriend. It's been a long time since we visited the area we used to live in. Great prime rib sandwiches. Could have used a side of au jus. The fries were definitely not Belgium but were okay non the less. Out son had the ring of fire burger and enjoyed it. His girlfriend had the salmon entree which she also thought was good. My son thought the selection of beef is awesome. Quite an enjoyable meal despite the drunks at the next table.

    (4)

  • Bree F.

    I come every so often, mostly for the burgers and fries. Came on a Saturday night hoping for a good dinner. Ordered the Belgian fries, the mac and cheese, and an IPA. The Belgian fries were delicious, as always, and the beer the waiter recommended was pretty good. The mac and cheese was disappointing. I probably would have preferred it out of the box. The portion was tiny, it came out cold, and I ordered it with crab--there was a tiny bit of what seemed like canned crab dumped on top of it. The cheese sauce was unremarkable--it was sparingly used, orange, and not particularly cheesy. Overall: Disappointing, gross, and not worth $20. I'm usually pretty happy with the food here but not this time.

    (2)

  • Dan G.

    Ate here last night with coworkers, trying to find a good local place to eat. Good selection of food. Though was a little disappointed on a few things, thus the reason for the 3 stars. One customer service lacked, servers were too busy to be friendly, the person who cleared plates didn't ask is we were done and took all of my coworker's utensils before she ate dinner. The place was way to warm and humid, with and odd smell (we were seated in the back). My herb chicken was great, but the summer veggies were over cooked and the eggplant was tough. Beer choices also seemed good.

    (3)

  • Karen B.

    The food options are not optimal, but ok for those who want a bar atmosphere. The crab dip was good as it has lots of crab meat, but the pretzel chips were burn and way to salty. The ketchup offered tastes like BBQ. The bread was not fresh at all, neither was the pretzel. Overall, the experience wasn't good. Customer service was OK, but I can't ask more of a bar type atmosphere. Definetely not a place to go if your looking for quality food.

    (2)

  • Jay T.

    This was a difficult review for me to write. Capital Ale House has an absolutely massive selection of beers both on tap and in the bottle. Additionally, they at times have cask conditioned ales. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable about the beers as well and are good about pointing you in a good direction. While this place can get packed on any given evening, the service remains fairly good. You are not going to find a better selection of beers and knowledgeable staff in Fredericksburg. That said, the food I had here left a lot to be desired. I had fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. The tomatoes were sliced extremely thin, which is not typical of the dish. Additionally, the portion was very small. I had grilled chicken that was dry and scorched. Finally, the macaroni and cheese was not particularly good. Somehow the macaroni was dry and had watery cheese. I was very perplexed by this. again, the portions of both entrees were fairly small. I felt the meal was overpriced considering the portions. Based on the mistakes in the execution of the dishes I had, I wonder if they were training a new cook. Some other reviewers have commented on wait times and spotty service. I will say that when the place is filled to capacity, which happens on most evening, you can expect a wait. While they have an excellent bar and selection of beers, it's hard to recommend as a restaurant.

    (3)

  • Rebecca H.

    The burger is ok, and the beer list is extensive, but the service is sooooooo bad.

    (1)

  • Brian M.

    I'm willing to give this place 4 stars even though I only visited here once, and only had a beer. The service and atmosphere of the ale house was very nice. The bar itself was huge, and even had the ice buit into it where you could place your beer to keep it cold. The bartender was very nice, and I noticed he took the time to go over both the beer and food menu with several of the other customers. In fact one particular couple was visiting from Scottland and the bartender politely chatted with them for awhile. I wish I remebered the bartenders name but he was probably in his late twenties or early thirties and had a big beard. As was the case with my review for McSorleys in NYC, I'm a big fan of bartenders who talk to their customers. I can't vouch for the food but the selections appeared unique and other customers seemed to enjoy their meals. The beer menu is very extensive and they probably have around 40 or more beers on tap. I was suprised that perhaps aside from Carlsberg, the 39 or so other draft beers were local or unique craft brews that would be hard to find at any other bars. I am going to visit their Richmond location soon and will have to sample their food, if its good I'd be willing to change this review to 5 stars.

    (4)

  • Tom R.

    Stopped in while doing a college tour. Good food, good service, clean place ... I would go again if in the area .. Great beer selection

    (4)

  • P B.

    I haven't been here in several years. My last experience here was pretty bad. I found myself downtown Fredericksburg yesterday and decided to give it another try. Still not that great. On the plus side they have an extensive beer menu and a pretty decent wine selection as well. The menu wasn't very different. Took over 10 15 minutes to get a bartender to take our drink order. 10 more minutes to get our drinks. It wasn't anything complicated. Two beers and a glass of wine. We ordered 3 appetizers which took about 20 minutes. A pretzel, bacon fritters and sweet potato fries. Can't screw a pretzel up. Fritters were burned but hey it's bacon. Fries are hard to mess up. The bar wasn't very crowded or busy. No reason for service to be so lacking. With so many other great places around I don't think I will bother to come in again.

    (2)

  • Sabrina D.

    This place had a nice, warm pub like atmosphere. The waitress was pleasant. But, the service was very slow, especially since there weren't a whole lot of people there. Lots of fun beer choices, even some gluten free ones. The gluten free menu was appetizing and a pretty good size! We had the Brats & Knacks Plate and the sirloin steak. The Brats & Knacks were very good! The sauerkraut that came with it was on the dry side and the "German Potato Salad" seemed to be just sliced, warm red potatoes. The steak was great & the green beans were fresh & delicious! Overall, we enjoyed our meal & would try eating there again.

    (4)

  • Sean U.

    Good middle of the road regional chain= decent food & good beer list with good service. Nothing special, but it gets the job done on a business trip and if you are staying in town you don't have to drive. In the vein of Iron Hill, or Flying Saucer...almost.

    (3)

  • Marjorie T.

    So disappointed food was good. All 3 times this month the service was so poor. Wait times at the table slow. Food delivery time not bad but the utensils were another story twice. Then never received part of an order. Look guys we are trying to enjoy the place but darn it work on the service.

    (1)

  • Will Z.

    Are you looking for an amazing college joint? This is one of the best places to hang out and try their million and one beers You can never be bored of new things at this place ! The have amazing burgers! The atmosphere is something else! I love this place. They take reservations and card at the door. They know how to make you feel welcomed. The place is nice and preppy, and one can make friends easily.

    (5)

  • Sarah H.

    A great beer selection that is always rotating. Also, the food is delicious. Try the cheese beer soup and the pretzel.

    (5)

  • Brandi F.

    I still love love love Brad the bartender. He's amazing! My service is always fantastic. The beer is also always fantastic. My issue is with the consistency of the food. Increase the consistency of your product and my positive review will return!

    (3)

  • David H.

    Excellent selection of draft beers, including many Virginia selections, and even more in bottles. Try the German burger which is a burger with sauerkraut and a grilled bratwurst on the burger. If you're looking for a bigger meal, try the jagerschitznel. That's large pieces of fried pork chop with sauerkraut, German potato salad and cabbage. If you have any questions about food or beverages, don't hesitate to ask as the staff knows their stuff. You can also get tasters of any draft beer for $.25 as you decide what to order. If you're in Fredericksburg be sure and stop here.

    (4)

  • Yena C.

    This establishment is located in the most quaint and yet the trendiest part of Fredericksburg downtown. It's a nice place to go if you enjoy gourmet cooking and trying beers brewed from all over the US and maybe Europe. Getting a table there on the weekends and First Fridays can be a pain, along with finding parking, but totally worth it. Love the relaxing and yet a semi-formal atmosphere. The servers and the bartenders look extremely classy for a bar type of restaurant. I would come here again and again!!! Try their amazing pretzels and sweet mustard!! It's ginormous!!

    (5)

  • Craig C.

    Capital Ale House is a great idea poorly executed. An enormous beer selection with a large dinner menu that has a slight German flavor to it. When you choose your beer, have a second selection in mind because they are often out of beers. The food and service is very inconsistent. If they are busy, you will have a bad experience. The service will be slow and the food will be poorly prepared. Avoid Monday night Burger Night at all cost. The burgers are horrific; a complete train wreck. Go to Capital Ale during an off peak time. You will have a chance to have a better experience, but just a chance.

    (2)

  • Elsie M.

    Walked in at 12:30 on a Sunday for lunch. Place did not appear crowded. The two high tops near the widows were empty and there were a smattering of people at the bar. We asked for a table for two and were told 10 - 20 minute wait. We opted to eat at the bar. While sitting we noticed a booth for 2 right across from the bar but decided to stay where we were. Order was taken promptly - burger for me and mussels for honey. And we waited and waited and waited. After 20 minutes we got the bartender's attention and were told that medium well burgers take a while. Got up to use restroom and noticed a minimum of 6 empty tabled in the middle room and the back room fully empty. When I got back the front was crowded with people waiting. Back to food. 35 minutes after ordering we were finally served. Food was pretty good and the burger actually cooked perfectly. Might go back, might not.

    (3)

  • Joshua H.

    This is a great place to come and have a great time. Awesome food, amazing beer selection, and darts in the back!

    (5)

  • Shantelle M.

    Awesome food and service! The beer list is incredibly extensive and has some surprising selections. The service was also outstanding, our waitress checked in with is just often enough even though they were pretty busy with lunch service. Recommendation: get the Fred Red, an amazing red ale.

    (4)

  • Mark V.

    I went to dinner with my son and his girlfirend. First a disclaimer- I don't drink beer and my son and his girlfriend are 19/20 yrs old. Although I know this is an ale house we heard the food was very good. We weren't disappointed. My steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and the sweet potato fries were light and crispy. They didn't have maple syrup but did offer a sweet bbq sauce that worked well. My son and his girlfriend each had sandwiches and were pleased with the size and taste. This isn't an inexpensive dinner but a reasonable value. The waitstaff was pleasant, if not knowledgeable (about food in general or preparation methods, hence only 4 stars). The ambiance was 'an ale house" and exactly what it should be. Location downtown was convenient and parking was found two blocks away.

    (4)

  • N. S.

    This is probably my favorite restaurant in Fredericksburg. I love the food and atmosphere. I take friends and family here when they come into town. I recommend this place for locals and visitors.

    (4)

  • Tristan A.

    The Beer that we actually got from here was really good! I had the pretzel as an app and it was ok..... They were out of quite a few beers when we were there last. I hope to go back soon!:)

    (4)

  • Tom F.

    This poor rating is not based on the food or the beer. I walked in and sat at the bar, the ice rail was not ice, it was tepid water and it smelled. I sat for approximately 5 minutes and did not observe a bartender, so I left.

    (1)

  • Maria B.

    Wow- The beer selection here is overwhelming! For someone who doesn't do well with too many choices, the 6 full coolers of bottled beer made my head spin. I was in Fredericksburg for a wedding this past weekend and ate lunch and came back post-reception for drinks. The nighttime crowd isn't rowdy and they serve food til 12:30am at least on Saturday night, so that's a plus. The food is good, typical american cuisine. Their salads are surprisingly small but still good. The burgers are great, but be warned: if you order medium rare, it comes out very medium rare - red/pink in the middle. Nothing super special but a fine place for lunch or a chill drink late night.

    (3)

  • Britney S.

    I took my boyfriend here on Father's Day (yes, I know it's almost October as I'm writing this) with our 2 small children so we could treat him to dinner and a drink in one of his favorite places after a long day of play, a brewery! I have to say, hands down, we got THE WORST SERVICE EITHER OF US HAVE EVER HAD IN OUR LIVES!!!! Undeniably!! We were seated in the dining area which was decently packed with other families for the occasion, we were aware service would not be speedy, but any server knows it's a bad idea to keep a 3 and 4 year old child waiting. We asked the server for a second drink menu when he addressed us. He said he'd be right back. 25 minutes later, he returned with no extra menu and asked if we were ready to order. We gave him our food orders and asked if they had flights or samplers to which he returned with a sample of 2 drinks in a shot glass not even halfway full and said he'd return in a moment to see what we thought. We watched him speak to 3 other tables in the dining area for about 15 minutes, then disappear for nearly a half hour without even glancing our way. We stopped a busboy to get water (for the first time) for the table 50 minutes into sitting while we waited and asked him to get a manager for us. The busboy nodded and walked off. When the server resurfaced to speak to another table, I did something I've never done before as he tried ignoring us again. I sternly commanded him across the room and fingered him over to our table as if he were my child. When he reluctantly came over, I told him just what I thought of the shot glass of beer, no water, no food and demanded he get a manager right away. That manager did not come. 15 minutes later (if you're keeping track we've been here nearly 90 minutes), our unqualified server returned to inform me the manager left and when the shift change is over the next manager would come out and speak to us. As we waited, he magically delivered drinks and our children still hadn't eaten. Here's where things pivot. Jeremy appeared! Jeremy is the Assistant Manager of this establishment. He came over as soon as the village idiot informed him of our waiting. I calmly bullet pointed our discretions. After listening to our irritations in full uninterrupted, he apologized profusely. He asked if we'd gotten our food yet (NO is the answer to that) and asked what else we would like to drink. He returned from the bar with more drinks, an appetizer and order of fries for the kids then headed to the kitchen. He returned with one plate and the children's food. Apologetically (again) he said the server must have decided not to bring the food out because they were out of the dish my boyfriend ordered! At that point, the boyfriend and the rest of us were done with the experience. But Jeremy requested instantly he order something off the menu to make it right and just take it home to eat later. So that's what we did. Jeremy noticed I had a growler next to me and asked what I would like to fill it up with as well. He quickly informed me before I responded that I hope I know we are paying for absolutely nothing today, that he understands our frustrations as he's been in similar situations before and just wants to make the experience as pleasant as possible now that he's aware, though beer in a growler is different and he'll have to charge but at the employee rate which is something he told me he's really not allowed to do. I would have paid full price for the growler, it wasn't the bartender's fault for our server's incompetence. Though if he charged full price, we probably never would have come back. So we waited for our to-go food, had our growler filled, he forced the moronic server to close our table (which I actually appreciated because it showed they don't cater to poor service and will make them finish the job regardless of their stumbles). Jeremy handed us his card, told us to call if we needed anything or plan on coming back to give them another chance, he would be sure to take care of us. Then we went on our way. The boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed his Bavarian pretzel burger for dinner that night at home with our growler. Thank you Jeremy for your excellent service. You're a true gem to the business and we're glad you were there! We hope you fired that server because really, that's unacceptable (coming from the food industry ourselves, our butts would have been on the curb pulling a stunt like that) and we look forward to our next visit as long as that kid doesn't serve us.

    (4)

  • Victor R.

    Came here to eat last night with my wife, and the service was atrocious. We just happened to stop in after hearing about the beer selection, which was extensive, but were greatly disappointed by the service we received. Waited 20 minutes after we sat down to get our beer, 57 minutes to get our appetizer, and 64 minutes to get our sandwiches. The manager thought that discounting our appetizer would be an equitable trade off for the very poor service we received...disappointing establishment, to say the least. I was hoping it could have been a hang out spot for the wife and I, who consider ourselves somewhat of beer connoisseurs...instead, I feel ripped off, and will encourage friends and family to stay away.

    (1)

  • Steve S.

    What can I say that the previous 93 reviewers haven't said? Probably not much, so I'll try to keep this brief. If you like beer, and I don't mean you throw back a case of Bud or Coors Light each week, I mean if you REALLY enjoy full-flavored beers this is the place for you (and me!). I mean you start with 60 beers on tap, with bartenders who KNOW the beers and can help you decide on the right one for you...and down the other end of the bar you have refrigerators FULL of other bottled beers...seems like there's gotta be another hundred or so. Three of us ate dinner here last night and had a great meal. I had the smokehouse burger and it was done PERFECTLY...cooked just to medium, topped with BBQ sauce, bacon, and Gouda (yep, Gouda!!!). The sweet potato fries were just ok, needed to be a little more well done, but they were ok. I had three delicious beers (Legend Brown Ale, New Belgium Fat Tire, and Avery Ellie's Brown Ale) and all three were recommended by the bartender or waitress. I'm a big fan of this place and would love to return. Great service (though we had to wait about 40 minutes to be seated), great beer, great food. A great combination!

    (4)

  • Lizzie G.

    I have frequented Capital Ale for the past 3 years and it has always been a joy to visit. The food is consistently delicious and flavorful, and the beer selection is out of this world. The waiters will bring you samples to try if you're curious about one, as well as other similar brews that they think you might like. The staff is friendly and attentive and fun to chat with! I know I will return again and again.

    (5)

  • Jen S.

    My 2nd experience was just as bad as the 1st about 2 years ago. We took my father in law mainly because of the beer selection but figured we get a nice meal too. Unfortunately that was not the case. We were seated with no utensils and then my salad came... had to wait to grab a hostess to bring us some. Finally I could eat my salad. The guys ordered fish & chips which was reasonable in price. I ordered simple macaroni & cheese which was priced around 12.00. I decided to go for it and add the optional crab meat on top even though the addition of crab made the dish jack up to around 19.00. I figured it would be a huge portion of food for that price and I was totally wrong. When it arrived I was completely surprised at the small portion. I was further thrown by the TINY bit of crab meat dumped on top. I thought it would be baked on top with the mac & cheese mixed a bit but it was literally a small chunk of crab meat thrown on cold. I was disappointed for that price!! Started eating it and became increasingly upset as I kept getting disgusting pieces of crab shell...5 different times that were whwn I tried to eat bites that included crab. By that point I gave up and dumped all of the crab & anything that touched it onto another plate. I was so horrified. I don't like complaining at restaurants but for 19.00+ I had to say something. Their only saving grace and the reason for 2 stars is because the completely took ot off my bill. After 2 not good food experiences I won't be back for a meal.

    (2)

  • Quay A.

    They didn't just have one Lambic, they had several for me to choose from! So first off that they had it all but then a selection? Wondrous! Positives Amazing, global, selection of beers and other libations Good food Front section that is bar/restaurant and rear section that is restaurant/lounge with couches so you pick your poison Bar is chilled Good nightly specials Mussels! Negatives ?? Actually think S and I had more to eat than mussels but this review is a bit late and the mussels and Lambic were so good that I have no idea LOL So sucks for me but I don't live anywhere close to this place, like west coast not close. Really wish they were outside of VA or at least closer to DC!

    (5)

  • Meghan C.

    Easily one of my favorite places to get a bite and a brew in the 'burg. Yes, when you go at a busy time, things take a little longer. However, the beer selection is unparalleled to anything else in the area, and they will always have something worth drinking. (Though it is true that you should have a few selections in mind in case your first choice is out.) They will bring you testers if you're not sure about a brew, which is really nice as well. I've never had a bad bite here, and I've sampled everything from the appetizers to the desserts. When my husband and I went during restaurant week, we ate these sausage fritter things that I really wish they would make again, because they were so good. We've had one or two slow servers, but for the most part it's pretty speedy. They can seat very small and very large groups, and if it's too busy when you get there, they give you a pager and you can go in the back and play some darts while you wait.

    (5)

  • Bugsey C.

    Torn!! Wanted to like this place went in on a Sunday afternoon while doing some christmas shopping in downtown Fredericksburg, ordered a couple of ales. No issues there, decided to order a sandwich while I enjoyed some drinks then I wanted to ordered one to go for my son, waited 30 mins. no sandwich gave it another 5 mins nothing, then I asked the gentleman that had taken the order. he replied coming right up! A minute later he shouts stuffed pretzel right? I immediately became really annoyed at this point. Look I understand in our industry we get busy, if you forget or you screw up? Simple acknowledge your mistake and apologize that's all!!, I manage a multi-million dollar service facility, I tell my staff we mess up own up to it. After the apology we make it up to our customers. Not lied and pretend your on top of things and come back and asked what did I ordered? At this point I felt uncomfortable.I told the bartender make that 2 sandwiches to go Instead. he said ok! never apologized, when I got the food I noticed it was missing one sandwich. Whatever!! Right? I asked for the tab, they did not charge for the one sandwich only the drinks, I guess this is the way that they apologize? The reason for the 2 stars I had previously taken Some guest that had visited us from out of town and we were pleased with past experiences. I Still tipped 47% cause it maybe the last time I give any of my money to such service.

    (2)

  • Frank S.

    Great for wide beer selection only, beer is expensive and the food is not really up to par.

    (2)

  • Steve H.

    I was in town for the weekend for business and this place popped up on my AAdvantage Dining account (earn airline miles for dining). Seemed to have good reviews and I'm a huge craft beer fan. My initial impression of the menu was that it is a pretentious wanna-be high class restaurant but they had burgers in the $8 to $13 range. I love a good restaurant burger and thought I would give it a try. I arrived and although the restaurant was not crowded and there were empty tables visible, I was told there would be a 30 minute wait unless I wanted to find an open seat at the bar. Fine. Whatever. I found a seat at the bar. I was greeted by the girl behind the bar (this is a long bar and probably 30 or so seats and probably 4 bartenders) and she said she would bring me a menu in a moment. The customer next to me gave me hers after a few minutes as it appeared I would be waiting a while longer before seeing one. The menu was the same as I viewed online with many overpriced dishes for an ale house. The beer menu was extensive with several beers offering a "small" or a "large" serving. I ordered a Bacon, Black, and Blue burger ($11) and a small Magic Hat #9 ($4.25). I normally opt for a large (priced $7 I believe) but I was driving and didn't want to have more than a normal glass of beer with dinner. The girl brought my beer and I thought it was a joke. This might have been an 8 or 9 ounce glass. I'm already feeling cheated. I could understand the small glass if I had ordered an imported Belgian ale or even a Stone Double Bastard, but this was just a Magic Hat #9. I would have been pissed if I had ordered a "large" for $7 or more and been given a standard pint glass. I sipped my beer sparingly as I wanted to enjoy it with my burger and I was in no way going to be cheated again by ordering a second one. My burger took forever to arrive and when it finally did, my fries were cold and the burger was south of lukewarm. It might have been a 1/4 pound patty devoid of the "cajun seasoning" that was advertised on the menu and the "blue" cheese sauce was lacking in flavor. This burger may have tasted a little better if it were hot when served. Although the bartender/waitress was nice, my service was VERY slow. Bottom line, avoid this place. It appears they are using their faux, upscale ambiance as justification of their inflated prices. There are other restaurants out there who are much more deserving of your time, appetite, and your money. I would have preferred to visit a Lone Star, order a burger and beer, enjoyed my food, and spent $5 less on my meal.

    (1)

  • G L.

    Go for the beer, leave because of the food. The beer list is incredibly extensive and when we were there we didn't have any problems getting the beer we wanted ( like some other reviewers did ). The food however, was not impressive. It was bland, and underwhelming. And, for the price, I expected better. One saving grace, the Belgian style fries were delicious. The service was good, our waitress was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was nice. Pretty skylights, a very cool looking bar. I'll go back, but just for drinks and fries.

    (2)

  • John W.

    Come here often and the service is usually really good... except for today at lunch where we were seated and waited for more than 10 minutes without being acknowledged. Really disappointed.

    (2)

  • Miguel C.

    More beers than you could imagine, really nice place. Service has been good at times, sometimes sub-par

    (4)

  • Tyler O.

    Ate here a couple weeks back and let me tell you...the WORST service I have ever received, period. Myself and a few buds were very excited for all you can eat mussels. We arrived and were told it'd be about a 20 min wait. Fine. Not a problem, restaurant looked a little busy. I told the host we'd have 4 or 5 people but apparently it's necessary to be certain of how big the party will be because "some tables weigh more than others". Sure. Then mark us for 5 people. Anyway, rather than waiting 20 minutes for a table, we had to watch TWO parties of the same size come in after us and be sat before us. We ended up waiting 45 minutes to be sat at the very first table that was open the entire time we were waiting. Now onto the food. I thought the mussels were very good. Solid quality. Only 2 of our 5 were actually ordering mussels. Each of us had 3 orders before being told they ran out of them. Oh but I forgot to mention it took about 30 minutes after placing our second order to actually get that order. Then the SAME THING happened for the third order. And to top it all off, another 45 minutes went by after placing our 4th order before being told they ran out. Absolutely awful. We easily could have had 3 more orders each if the waitress did not take so long to place our orders. She had plenty of scripted excuses but it was clear she forgot about us. The same situation occurred with the beers we ordered. Apparently the bar was "backed up" but I was watching the bar the entire time and saw customers getting drinks after drinks after drinks while our drinks would come about 20 minutes after ordering them. Like seriously? 20 minutes for drinks? I was only able to enjoy 3 beers the entire time I was there. This waitress was horrific. It was disgusting how long each order took. Now, once we complained to the waitress about only getting 3 orders of mussels even though they clearly advertised ALL YOU CAN EAT for $16.99 she began to get friendly with us and say they've had some people come in and only get 2 orders while others have came in and got 16 orders. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! You're telling me we have to pay the same price as someone who got 16 orders when we could only get 3 orders? That's what I said to the manager after requesting to speak with him. Wanna know what he said to me "We suggest you get here at 4pm so you can get as many mussels as you like." That was the straw that broke the camels back. We told our waitress we'll just take our checks and leave. No no no, not after waiting another 30 MINUTES. FINALLY, after asking again we got our checks. And what do you know, the happy hour apps were not marked down on our bill. We said screw it, not worth the trouble. I almost always tip 20% but this time the service was so bad it was hard for me to even tip 5%. Decent food. DISGUSTING service. Hint: if you advertise all you can eat, put *while supplies last* if there's a possibility you will run out.

    (1)

  • Brian K.

    When I visit my buddy up in the Fred, this is where we always end up - have another friend that works here part time. Love the beer selection - if they don't have something you want, they have something you want to try! Have not tried the food, but what I did see looked good!

    (4)

  • Angelica C.

    Party of 9. We waited to be seated for 20mins when there where three tables empty and ready. Food was OK. We had turkey and blue-cheese burgers (good), baked oysters (good), Roasted Chicken (terrible taste and so greasy), Turkey BLT (not actually had turkey but "turkey bacon"), and Apple Pie (looked weird, but tasted good). The service was terrible. WE had to ask our server to remove the plates from the table TWICE because he only took a couple when we first asked and later came back to bring dessert and did not remove the rest. Took forever to bring the check. Restrooms had a bad odor and were not clean. Not coming back.

    (1)

  • Chad J.

    Excellent beer selection! Good variety on the menu... Everything from burgers and salads to schnitzel. It's a nice place with a lot of beers to choose from and good food!

    (4)

  • Luke B.

    Awsome place. Best feed in Fredricksburg. Amazing selection of beers. Service is awsome aswell. Great night out.

    (5)

  • Jeffrey T.

    How can I rate a place with lots of good beer poorly? If you're a beer snob, this is your place. The place has over 60 beers on draft, and hundreds more in bottles. If you're going on a date and the lady likes wine, they've got you covered. CAH also has signature drinks. The food is okay, but let's be honest, you're not coming for the food, you're coming for a good beer.

    (4)

  • Melissa N.

    If Lunch was Amazing, I can only imagine what dinner would be like at the Capital Ale House. Selection of beers very impressive, and their wine selection pretty decent. Service is excellent. Looking forward to Thursday 4pm all you can eat Mussels :)

    (4)

  • Kaitlyn H.

    Such a great find! Extensive beer menu, wonderful appetizers (try the Bavarian pretzel) and delicious appetizers. Not to mention the atmosphere was casual and welcoming. A great place to have a few beers and eat some yummy food!

    (5)

  • Morgan C.

    This has been my go to spot since moving to Fredericksburg. It is always busy even during the day on the weekends. Sometimes in the evening you may have to wait a while for a table, but I don't mind because I just grab a drink at the bar in the meantime! The food is really good, and the portions are large but it is not cheap. They have a pretty limited menu. I like the look of the place and the ambiance of the restaurant. It can get loud. I've spent time at the bar and also at the sit-down seating and service has always been good. Martini's and mixed drinks are good but pricey! I don't believe that they have any regular happy hour specials but they do offer some in house specials on different days. Definitely worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Chuck L.

    In all honesty, I'm torn on the review. I don't really want to give this place four stars, but I can't see a reason not to. Why, do you ask? Well, because this place has pretentious college beer bar written all over it. It has a remarkable selection of international beers available for a hefty price and a very generous menu that borders on trying too hard to be chic (ie chimichurri steak salad). It is handsomely decorated with a large wait staff. Now, I've only been here at lunch, on two different occasions. So, I have NO idea what this place is like on a Friday or Saturday night while the local college has students. Nor do I want to. The place is quite large for Caroline St in F'burg, so I can only imagine the students crammed in trying to impress each other with their knowledge of Belgian beers (although, in my experience, unless you've been to Belgium, you have not actually experienced Belgian beer). But much of that is cynical expressionism aimed at a local place with a decent menu and large beer selection. I don't know if the bartenders are elitist and I don't know if the even crowd is hipster academic types. I do know that both my meals, seafood pasta and capital mac and cheese (with rigatoni, not macaroni) were delicious. My woman's salad was large and apparently tasty. My gripe: the "Belgian" fries were not Belgian in the least. They were completely American. The mayo selection that accompanies the mis-named spuds was also hardly Belgian. Smoked, spicy, garlic and dill. What the eff happened to just mayo? You know, the way the Belgians eat their fries? Here's the deal, if you're around and looking for a good place to grab a bite (at a cost) and want a selection of well prepared food, then stop by. Because there wasn't a hipster elitist to be seen and it's not a franchise (that I know of).

    (4)

  • Eth T.

    BEER and more beer to select, sweet scrumptious beer galore! Try to catch their specials, usually at happy hour or after 9PM--check their website. Don't bother with mixed drinks here, and bring your significant other or friends. Televisions are in the bar and the back, but not visible from most booths, so the vibe isn't spoiled. Man, have I spent a series of wonderful bloated beer sippin' nights here with friends! BTW there is a bit of a college pickup scene as it gets later (8-9 PM on), but not too fratty.

    (4)

  • Amanda L.

    We used to go here all the time because the food was great, the service was phenomenal and they carried our fave beer on tap. We went a couple of weeks ago (at luchtime) and the place was EMPTY! The staff seemed kind of blah and they took our fave beer off tap. We love Guinness, so, it is not like it is an exotic beer. We turned around and left and will not be returning.

    (1)

  • Joe S.

    Downtown has needed a place like this for a while. They have a amazing beer selection (tap and bottles) and the food is really good. I like the rotating happy hour as well. I went on a Sunday afternoon and had no problem getting a table. I bet it is crazy in their on a Friday night. I recommend the burger and the schnitzel sandwich. Also, the mayo that comes with the fries is awesome.

    (3)

  • Karen S.

    As this establishment is an ale house, I feel I should address that first. The beer selection is one of the most extensive I have ever seen. There is something for everyone here. However, It helps to know what you like. While the servers and bartenders are supposed to be knowledgeable about the selection, it really is impossible with such a large and ever-changing inventory. On one occasion, I tried to order a Bells Oberon. The server informed me that they were out and recommended a "similar" beer. The beer had basil in it and was not even the slightest bit similar to the beer I had ordered. It seemed as though they were just trying to get rid of the last of some niche beer that didn't sell well. I would stick to whatever is on draft. The food is nothing to write home about. It is slightly overpriced and not in the least bit adventurous. I have eaten here a dozen times and have yet to order something that I would go back for. I have found that service is variable. I have had great, attentive service and I have had terrible service that actually warranted speaking to a manager. Overall, Capital Ale House is a fun place to go out drinking on a weekend night. The various promotions they do during the week (dollar burger night, steal the glass night, and half price appetizer night) are all a good deal as well.

    (3)

  • Kristopher R.

    Massive beer list, probably the largest in Fred both on tap and bottled. Be wary tho it can be rather pricy. The staff is always attentive and on point with what beers compliment their food. Be careful asking for which beer they suggest because while they have never given me a beer I didn't like sometimes the beers they suggest can be a little expensive (upwards of 10$ a bottle). The food here is pretty good but I have to suggest the Belgian pretzel for an appetizer because it is delicious. On a weekend it can get pretty crowded at the bar so we usually go to the back where there's a dart board and some couches. The wait staff will still serve you in the back you just have to let them know you're there and they're more than happy to help. If you're more interested in a nice dinner cap ale is a prime place to go on a date or take the folks if they're in town. Their menu has far more than your traditional bar fare featuring pork chops, steak, an array of seafood, as well as weekly specials. I'm partial to the burgers which are nothing short of divine. It is very family friendly and professional while offering this expansive drink menu. The happy hours and nightly specials are definitely what make cap ale the destination spot on any given night of the week but most definitely on Mondays (2$ burger night) and Tuesdays (Steal a Pint night). If you're a Fredericksburg local or just passing through Cap Ale is a great spot to get a drink and some food.

    (5)

  • Deborah W.

    I have been to this place a dozen times, but lately the service seems to have deteriorated. I love the beer selection and the friendly bartenders while seated at the bar, however, table service during our last two visits has been inconsistent. The food is average to good, and the variety on offer is OK. I'll give this place a few more tries, maybe they had a few off nights.

    (3)

  • Jessica S.

    I want to love Capital Ale House... I really, really do... and for the most part, I don't hate going because the beer selection is so wonderful... but the burgers are killing me! 90% of the time that I have gone to Capital Ale I have ordered a burger. And I will admit that the burgers I've ordered have had a good flavor. The issue I have is the fact that only ONCE out of the 10 or so times I have ordered a burger did it come out as requested (medium). I'd like to quickly note that I'm not a burger snob - I enjoy everything from Five Guys to burgers at a cookout. Heck, I'd be more than willing to settle for a medium-rare or a medium-well burger. But what I'm constantly getting at Capital Ale is a burger so overdone that the meat has transformed into a grey-colored patty with a grainy texture. Just inedible. So why do I keep getting a burger, you ask? I don't know... maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm at a bar with all of these amazing beers and a burger just makes sense. Or maybe it's the eternal optimist in me that thinks that maybe, just maybe, the burger will be cooked right this time. I guess I'm just chasing after that one perfect burger I got, because it was damn good. Aside from the burgers, I've had a few tasty specials, the prime rib sandwich, and the calamari. And the soft Bavarian pretzel is AMAZING! The service has been friendly, but slow at times. I'm not giving up on Capital Ale House just yet, but hopefully others have had a better experience when it comes to the burgers.

    (3)

  • Luis L.

    ATTENTION BEER ENTHUSIASTS!!! Amazing beer selection on tap and bottle! Samples of beer are available, the first one is free and after that samples are a quarter. I came here on a Sunday, so I got to take advantage of the Late Night Appetizer Special - All appetizers with a price of less than $10 are only $1.99 from 9:00pm to 1:00am with any beverage purchase. After several samples of beer I went with the Indian Brown Ale from Dogfish Head Color: Is on the darker side with a tan and creamy head that sticks around. The smell consists of a solid mix of floral hops, coffee and sweet caramel malts. Taste: incredibly smooth and creamy. The delicious sweetness of the caramel malts come on first then followed by subtle burnt sugar and molasses Needless to say Dogfish seems to never disappoint. Food We started with the calamari, the portion was big and tasted amazing. We also had the deviled eggs, kind of a weird item on the menu but glad they had them. Plate comes with 6 of them and are topped off with crab and chili powder instead of the traditional paprika. Kind of reminds you of a crab salad. The burger I ordered was nothing special but overall tasted great! I hope to be able to come back and taste some more beers before I leave VA

    (5)

  • George S.

    Great place. What a beer selection. The servce was great. The people knew there beer. Our server I think her name was Cassie knew so much about beer I was complely impressed. If im back in that area I will go back. GREAT JOB

    (5)

  • Mike E.

    Great selection of brews. Extensive is just not the word for it! Flying solo, I told bartender Chris that I liked Guinness and the Sam Adams Imperial Stouts and asked what he had that was comparable. He laid out three generous samples to try and specified the order - this is my kind of place! The first was a little too light for my taste. The second was a seasonal milk stout that I was able to read up on as I tasted it. Pretty good. The third was a full bodied brew as black as the night - oh yeah! I told him I would go with the milk stout first and that full-bodied one after. It's called Laughing Dog Dogfather - where do they get these names...? Must be from the "Quality Control" section ;) Anyway, in 10 oz glasses on a chilled bar, it was a perfect set-up to sit, sip and read a few pages of a crime novel on my Nook. Afterwards, he was even able to point me to a nice little cigar shop that was still open a few blocks down Caroline Street. There Bob helped me pick out the perfect compliment to all that good flavor. A very nice evening indeed.

    (5)

  • Michael D.

    First the good stuff... Great beer selection, pretty good food, best "bar" design in Fredericksburg. The other stuff.... When you come here you'll either get great service or it will be bad. Every time I have sat in the dining room the service has been great. For the bar it's 50/50. You'll normally see three bartenders when it's busy, one will help the other two will ignore you or talk to their buddy's (can never tell if they are only serving one zone). If the place had a set of professional bartenders it would be a "great" ale house. The one who waited on last time was a good guy but the only one helping.

    (2)

  • Rebecca K.

    If the food at the Capital Ale House tasted as good as the menu describes it, Ale House would be one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Fredericksburg, Virgina. There is a variety of pub / Irish inspired dishes on the menu sporting some interesting ingredient combinations. I have been to the Ale House for brunch, lunch, and dinner and found the food to be bland every time. My husband and I have visited for happy hour on three occasions and were overlooked by the bartender all three times. As this restaurant is pricey and there are plenty of other choices in Fredericksburg, I recommend just going somewhere else. That's what I'm going to do from now on.

    (2)

  • Kathryn M.

    I only gave this place one star because I had to rate it. I wouldn't give this place any stars at all if I could. First my friend and I waited at the bar about 10 minutes before we were given a menu. And there were still dirty dishes in front of us from the last COUPPLE. Then we asked for a table because there was a horrible smell at the bar. But they said there was a wait. So we said we would wait at the bar. But no one came to get us. So we had to re remind them that we wanted a table. So finally we got a table and got our food. The mushroom burger I ordered didn't come with the correct bun. And it was hard and stale. They used canned mushrooms. There was way too much lettuce. It was just gross all around. Never coming here again. Also, there bathrooms are not clean

    (1)

  • Rick G.

    German-American family, food & ale Saloon! Keeping it short... incredible beer selection from well knowns to microbrews, terrific foods - including schnitzel, pierogies, burgers and a take on the Cuban Sandwich (surprisingly unique), just to mention a few. A good friend turned me on to this eatery some time back and I've been a fan ever since... and my wife and I thoroughly enjoy returning time after time! Besides being able to experience really good new beers here, we're very happy with their service, attention to care of patrons, excellent offerings with great presentation, and the prices are reasonable with large and ample servings. We do plan on frequently visiting this establishment, very conveniently located in the middle of old town Fredericksburg! Love it.

    (4)

  • Kevin M.

    Stay away! This place continues to go down hill. Dirty, out of everything, snotty hostess.

    (1)

  • Andrea C.

    Holy Cow! If you're within an hour of this place...make the trip. Seriously. Besides the beer menu being off the hook, the food is amazing. So let's start with the bar. If you don't know how to pick from the hundreds of craft brews in bottles or taps, tell your bartender what you fancy and he'll pick a winner. I like the lighter side and was with peeps that prefer IPAs, Guiness and ciders....we all tried newbies we loved. The menu is different. Great different. I had the fried artichoke heart panini with spinach, feta and some other yummy crap. We started with soups...corn pablano and a chicken chili. Both were spicy heaven. Suggestion...the soup needs to be HOT. Not warm. We also had this amazing cheese dip served with baked pretzel pieces. Oh Em Gee. Two had the ring of fire burger...smokin!! If you enjoy your face melting into the plate which holds a burger with jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, pineapple salsa and bacon, this is for you. One had the fish tacos, yum yum yum and the artichoke crap I ate.... I'll be trying to replicate at home. I can't wait to visit Fredricksburg again just to go back....and I'm bringin my darts! Two boards in the back!

    (5)

  • Rachael T.

    The beer list seems great, however they are frequently out of many items on the menu, which is obviously means that the menus are not updated frequently. The food is nothing special; standard bar food, but the smell at the front of the dining room makes eating anything in that establishment unappetizing. The management is unprofessional, even to the point of rude to both staff and guests on the dining room floor. There are other establishments worth visiting in Fredericksburg, but Captial Ale house is one that should be avoided.

    (1)

  • Christina N.

    So I'll start with the bad....the food this trip is not as good as a CAH trip I had in Glen Allen, VA. Sandwich was dry and salad was SOAKED in dressing....limpy lettuce is not good! Aside from that...service was good (very friendly) and the selection of beer is outstanding. Internet access is also a plus. Just disappointed in the subpar food this time.

    (3)

  • Barry A.

    Ok, so I've been here a dozen times or so and we always recommend it to people from outside the area. I've never had a complaint, until today. We stopped in with a relative to grab some lunch. We were seated promptly and handed the menus. 20 minutes later we had not even been asked for our drink orders or even offered a glass of water. Now I know this place gets busy on weekends but this was not the case today. There were at least four servers hanging out at their cubby hole. We decided to leave and on the way out I informed the hostess that our table was available due to the non service issue. Her response was oh ok!! Really?? That's it ? Ok ill spread the word just like I did before only this time it won't be a recommendation.

    (2)

  • Amy R.

    Our lunch was only average. The fried cheese curds were good and the burger was only so-so.

    (2)

  • Frank S.

    Good spot for high variety of craft and German brews. Seriously generous deals on their slow times (Sunday night and happy hour) can have a wait if you think you're just gonna slide in there at dinner time but beats the hell out of Blue and Grey hands down.

    (4)

  • Paul S.

    Before stopping by the Capital Ale House while traveling I did some research of where to go that has good food and draft beer!! Well I was not let down in the least!! The bar is stocked with several dozen beers, I didn't even bother counting there was so many! Every beer I requested was available and the staff was nothing less than pleasant and happy!! I stopped in on a Monday night to find out it was $2 burger night. So what do you think I tried? Of course a bacon cheese burger! Wow was it good and the size of the burger was not small at all! The bar was busy, but for good reasons ($2 burgers) yet I still had a great time. I would recommend this place to anyone and I plan on going back again the next time I'm in town!! Do not pass up this place if you are in the area. If you decide to go for the $2 burger night, plan to get there early or wait. I was dining by myself and to wait for a small table it was going to be an hour plus wait. Instead I decided to get a drink at the bar and 20 minutes later a chair opened up.

    (5)

  • Vanessa S.

    Probably the best place for any beer you want and a very helpful staff to help you make a selection. This is the place you want to stumble out drunk and knowing you had some good beer to drink. Something that you definatly couldn't find in NYC without breaking bank or your back trying to find the place. The outside looks like an old ale house but inside is totally modern and trendy.

    (5)

  • Brendan P.

    Very classy joint with an unbelievable beer selection. Everything you could possibly want, plus the beer menu is very detailed. Food is very good, I recommend the appetizers. Great place for regular social gatherings. My favorite part might be the ice rink they have at the bar that keeps your glass cold. Love it! If you're in the area check it out!

    (5)

  • H C.

    Tl;dr, used to be really good. Isn't now except for exotic beers. If I had reviewed this establishment when it opened, it would have easily been 4 stars. Maybe 5. Now? Let's just say that I was about 30 seconds from packing up the family and walking out by the time our food came out (over 40 minutes, not during a busy time) and when it did I wished I had. I'm not sure when exactly the food and service declined, but looking at several of the recent reviews here it seems like they have and I'm not the only person to notice. If you're looking for a wide beer selection, sure this is probably still the best place in town. If you want quick/good service, food even remotely worth what you pay, or really anything else besides a long beer menu I'd look elsewhere. This was a "last chance" trip to Capital Ale House for me, and it left no doubt it will also be my last trip there.

    (1)

  • RL C.

    Okay, so Fredericksburg is not teeming with great bars, so it is all the more surprising that Capital Ale House ended up on Caroline Street. Judging by the number of people who show up in the summer for happy hour, most of F-burg comes here for their drinks. If you're planning to spend some time at the bar, I would get there early or allocate time to wait for a spot. The bar itself is long, with plenty of stools. Toward the back is where they have their rows of taps, which I'm guessing is somewhere in the neighborhood of 60. While good, don't let this awesome collection deter you from getting one of the bottles, especially of the German or Belgian variety. While I've only seen it functioning once, they've installed a rail of ice on the bar counter for you to keep your drink cold. Very cool. The food selection is pretty decent. I'm a fan of the bacon and gouda mussels.

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    Great chill place, we've been multiple times now and the food is good, though Not fantastic. good selection and fair prices for the area. The drinks, and beer menu especially, is what we come for! I loved the almond joy martini and I'm sad it's off the menu! Otherwise please start putting the spicy pepper jelly on the turkey sandwich or instruct the servers to ASK if we want it. Because mine came without it and the sandwich was dry and not good. Once I flagged down a manager and actually got it the sandwich was cold and the bread was HARD and Difficult to eat but that sauce made all the difference. The manager said people complain it's too hot so they don't put it on anymore!! IF YOU DONT LIKE SPICY FOOD STOP ORDERING SPICY FOOD. IT KILLS IT FOR THE REST OF US. if I hear another person ask someone if something that is clearly labeled spicy, asks if something is hot because they don't like hot and then order it anyway I might lose my mind and dive at your table just to punch your stupid face. Stop ruining my experiences by being lame losers.

    (3)

  • Charbel Z.

    Nice atmosphere, great beer selection, great food! Start Hill Pilsner is a great beer choice if you like pilsners! Had the avocado chicken sandwich!!! Very tasty and well made!! Staff was very friendly and attentive.

    (5)

  • Sarah G.

    Probably my favorite spot to eat in Fredericksburg. Their beer selection is amazing (best in the area), and every thing I've tried on the menu was excellent. I've never had a problem with service either, and I've gone at peak times.

    (5)

  • Michael H.

    This place is not bad considering what kinds of bars and whatnot are located in Fredericksburg. I've been to Capital Ale house several times. If there's one thing I've always felt consistently about the place, it's that I've always been confused. Why so? I have several reasons. The place looks very classy inside and it's a breath of fresh air compared to other places I'm used to. The kind of people that go seem to range from mid-20s to as far up as early-60s, but the bartenders I've seen there seem to not match that environment. A lot of the bartenders have this bro-ish aura about them like they just graduated from college, and the reality is that the clientele is past that age and they're not talking about the girls they just got laid with the night before. I hate sounding that blunt, but the bartenders there I feel deserve to be in a bar with a younger crowd where they can fit in that kind of environment. One thing about me is that I'm a mixed drink person so I'm not a really big beer drinker. When it comes to Capital Ale House and it being known primarily for ales and beers, I'll generally start off with a Yuengling to at least break the ice for myself. I've always found it weird that despite having that large amount of selection, they don't carry Yuengling there. Is Capital Ale House a bad place? No. They've got a great selection of ales and whatnot if that's the kind of thing you're into. It's just a combination of that weird confusion that comes across to me and the sense of pretentious vibe I get from the place.

    (3)

  • Kelli S.

    Great beer selection, bartender was knowledgable, food was great!!! I recommend the smoked Gouda and bacon muscles!!! Overall a wonderful experience!!!

    (5)

  • Daniel R.

    20 minute wait and understaffed on a Sunday around 1:30 PM. The service was slow but apologetic which counts for something. We ordered the pretzel/cheese/sausage platter for starters and to quote my good bud J.B. I was creamin my jeans! Great beer selection, I ordered an old fashion to celebrate my recent coming of age, it was extremely disappointing. It was very flat and looked like a mojito or daquari or some sort of fruity drink. I realize the fruit is supposed to be muddled in the drink but this may have been a little bit too much for my tasting, I was constantly wiping pulp off my lips (I have big lips) The German burger was great, sauerkraut, braut, burger and a pretzel bun. Definitely a fun ride and just as good when eating it again later that night. An interesting take on the potato salad (SPOILER: it was just sliced potatoes with the red cabbage that also came on the side). The cocktail/long wait factored in to losing a star, but everyone was friendly and the food was great!

    (3)

  • Jessie P.

    High-level review- endless beer choices, awesome food and good quality, best restaurant staff of our entire trip. Go here and you will be in for a treat. More info--This place is great. We came here after a long drive and were seated in a spacious booth and greeted by our waitress who was very welcoming. The drink menu is huge and the beer list is top notch. They do a great beer-to-go service which is a cool idea. We ordered garlic mussels and buffalo chicken wings which were truly top notch. Food and burgers were also A+. But by far the best part of the trip was the welcoming staff and fantastic manager. He was so welcoming and gave us great tips about the area and his insight on the local Mary Washington University. Great job, Capital Ale House team!

    (5)

  • Ryan S.

    As far as the food goes Ive only had the fries and the sweet potato fries and they were good. Nothing special but they were good. As far as the beer goes they do have a lot of beers and some are good but to have that many of beers Im not that impressed with the selection they carry. Places like Yard House (closest being Springfield and Virginia Beach) have a much better selection as far as the quality of the beers they carry. I dont mind going here and Ill have a good time but Im not overly impressed... And to top it off I was in the other night watching the US womens soccer team play their opening group game in the World Cup and someone asked the TV be changed to the Stanley Cup playoffs and the bartender said someone is watching this. And the waiter said lets compare the two, hockey or the world cup. And the bartender was like yeah okay, and change the game. Thought that was pretty rude. Could have at least said sir someone would like to watch the stanley cup, would you mind if we changed the channel... whatever, I closed out and left right after.

    (3)

  • Curtis K.

    Pretzel is great. The dough is a step up from what you might normally find in a mall pretzel. The make this amazing sweet mustard for dip that goes with it. Viking blod is powerful. 19% alcohol. Is this really beer? Or a hoppy whiskey. Mac n Cheese with crab.

    (4)

  • Anna L.

    Fun place to grab a beer in old town Fredericksburg. The beer selection is vast - lots of choices - almost overwhelming. If you let the bartenders know your tastes, they will make decent recommendations. We always sit at the huge bar and love the unique ice ring to keep drinks cold. Great idea as I hate when my beers starts to get warm. The menu seems somewhat confused - bar food mixed with German specialties, but it's nice to see the variety and what I have tried has been good. The smoked gouda and bacon mussels are one of my favorites. I love the flavor the broth imparts and it makes a delicious dip for bread. Their fries are another one of my favorites - crisp and light. I love that they serve them with a variety of flavored mayonnaise based sauces. I am not a fan of ketchup. The décor of the place is fitting with old town - rustic, lots of wood accents and beams on the ceilings. The concrete bar is the one modern touch. You'll have to walk through the lounge in back to find the restroom, but if you venture back you'll see couches and dartboards. We've always received great service at this location, but we always sit a the bar so I cannot speak to table service. We'll definitely stop back in again when we are in the area.

    (4)

  • Abelle N.

    I want to start juicing but I'm hesitant because I don't know how to juice burgers... Okies let's start! Casual with beer - Capital Ale House! How about a pub that serves Pub Food...do wings a couple of different ways..Buffalo and Asian style...California burger and Buffalo Burger....all burgers are served with fries... theres a couple of Salad options...Grilled Steak Salad and a Blackened Chicken Ceasar Salad...dare I say offer vegetarian choices (stirfrys...veggie burgers and even a cheese/fruit/bread combo)... inexpensive ...the area is kinda cozy... Yes there's a bar area ...and a dining room area....(Drinks ....Beer of cores) Service is mediocre...food is decent... Been here a few times... The only place that opens till two am! Huh...

    (2)

  • Mike G.

    When I say huge, I mean GIGANTICAL selection of beers. Our bartender knew exactly which beers we wanted from our super-vague descriptions and there was lots of tastings to confirm our beer choices. Our waitress was really nice and extremely patient with us as we perused their larger than life menu. The food was great, I had the fish and chips and was thoroughly wowed. If I lived closer (and not 750 miles away) this would be my neighborhood place.

    (5)

  • Amanda B.

    Last year my husband and I came here and we left thinking this was a great spot. This year we returned and I must say the food was not that great. Now we did come twice this visit, I'll get to that. The first night our waitress was awesome!! She gave us suggestions on food and steered us away from something she thought was just not done well there. She gave us great beer suggestions also! The second day we went back and overall the food opinion with our friends was okay. It was hit or miss depending on what was ordered. Prime rib was rated good. Cuban was rated not good. Brisket sandwich was alright. BBQ burger was good but soggy bottom bun. Kids Mac n cheese was crappy Kraft. Our waitress was a total ding bat!! We were short on silverware rolled in napkins. I asked when our food came to get another set of silver wear. She returned with one and set it at the end of the table, I was in the middle. I put my hand out and she said oh no this isn't for you I'll bring you paper napkins they are better. I'm thinking what but okay I guess I'm not age appropriate for fancy cloth napkins??!! She returns I kid you not with a stack of cocktail napkins!!!! Okay young lady what am I supposed to do, put 20 across my lap??? Later after we ate we moved to play darts and watch some games on the TV. Our waitress was getting off and was sitting at a table with another restaurant employee and they were eating their free meal. We were playing our game and all of a sudden they turn and tell us to quiet down...ummmm really last I checked there was no volume control in a bar. It was a reminder how much our society has changed and how this upcoming generation is so fricken entitled!! I just wish I could be around for them when real life slaps them upside the head with a baseball bat! Definitely will look for a new place to go next year and won't return here! I did notice it was a lot slower this year than it was last year, and I know exactly why!!

    (3)

  • Joanna M.

    It was my first time in Fredericksburg and my gal pal suggested we go to Capital Ale House for dinner and beers. For the Fredericksburg area, charming charming and quaint Fredericksburg, I can see how Capital Ale House would be the hip hop spot. Casual digs, friendly staff, lots of beers on tap and bottle and a handsome representation of local and not so local craft brews, pretty decently delicious food and super awesome specials. $2 burgers? Yes please! If you ever catch yourself in the burg, definitely come check this place out.

    (4)

  • Andrew V.

    A "go-to" spot in historic downtown Fredericksburg, I've been here a few times and it didn't disappoint today either. We were seated in a booth and started out with some coffee. In the past I've gotten the great beers they have here but got coffee today since it was the beginning of a long day. They actually brought a press out and made a fantastic cup. We split the artichoke dip, fried cheese curds, and giant pretzel. The pretzel is always good but the artichoke dip was the star. It had a taste of crab in it and was served with some warm bread that I could have eaten alone. The burgers are always good here, today I got the smokehouse burger which has bacon, fried onion straws and bbq sauce on it. Cooked perfectly as always. The fries were a bit soggy though. The waitress was very helpful and attentive the entire meal. This is a good place to visit whenever I'm in the area and you should do the same.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Great place. Great selection of beer. My only recommendation would be: If you're going serve Haufbrauhaus-style pretzels, I can't believe you don't have Haufbrauhaus beer on tap. Especially with German dishes on the menu. Haufbrauhaus is where Oktoberfest started. Come on!

    (4)

  • Katie S.

    Hubs and I wanted a fun place, close to Stafford (where we got married), to host our rehearsal dinner and a good buddy of ours recommended the Capital Ale House. We checked it out a few months out and were impressed with the beer selection and the food. Actually even now, almost two years later, my husband still raves about that sandwich! I told him I was writing this and he sent me the picture I have attached and made me promise to include it. (Side note to my husband: That's a REALLY long time to have a picture of a sandwich in your phone babe!) Fast forward a few months and we were ironing out the details with Christina. Working with her was effortless! She made sure all our concerns were addressed and his out of state family was kept abreast of everything. She even let us swap a couple of options from one group to the next for some dietary concerns we had. From start to finish CAH gets an A+ in customer service. Our event went on without a hitch and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We now make a point to stop in for a pint when we are in the area. Great place!

    (5)

  • Marie W.

    We came in on a Sunday afternoon with our 1 year old. I saw them immediately seat every couple in front of us. Once they got to us and saw our child, told us there was a 30 min wait. I left and just out of curiosity watched outside for a few minutes. Saw them immediately seat 2 other childless couples. It appeared to me they discriminate who they serve!

    (1)

  • Tara C.

    Went there on a Saturday night for a drink and quick meal. Yikes--both were subpar. The bartender pretty much ignored us, we waited and waited for him to finish socializing and serve us. The food-while it was okay, it came out cold! The cheese plate was nothing special-don't bother ordering it. The four entrees that were ordered were unmemorable.

    (2)

  • Robert T.

    Massive pub which was very loud, even early in the evening. Amazing set of taps for beer, craft hard ciders. Good selection of tapas, appetizers, entrées. Liked the charcuterie, but the meat was three types of brat, kielbasa. The white chili was good, but lukewarm. The stuffed pretzel with kielbasa, cheese, kraut was really good!

    (3)

  • Ashlea L.

    I had never stopped in Fredericksburg before, but on a recent trip back from DC to VB my boyfriend & our other friend decided to stop in for a drink to break the trip up a bit. The old town/downtown area is adorable. I could have spent all day walking around & checking out the antique shops. Our friend had been to the Capital Ale House in Richmond & was excited to stop in. We went in about 2, the bar was full & we were told there was a 20 minute wait for a table. We only wanted a beer, so we decided to wait back until someone left. Luckily the bar started clearing out from the lunch crowd & we took a seat at the bar. Sooo many beers to choose from. It's beer heaven for beer lovers. My boyfriend asked what the bartender's favorite IPA was & we went with his suggestion that was on tap. Tons of local beers. I had heard about the ice strip on the bar that keep your beers cold & that was definitely a cool feature. No pun intended. All in all it was a cool spot. I feel like the service could have been a bit friendlier, the bar stools are super close together, so it's hard to get in & out of your seat, & almost all of the beers are about 7.75 - 12 a piece, so expect to pay. I didn't have any of the food, but it did smell delicious in there.

    (3)

  • E M.

    Manager just stands at the door. Doesn't help customers. Hostess Allows our group to sit at a table but refuses to serve us for 30 minutes since the just sat two other families. I upgraded from one star to three. A waitress came by to help us. The manager wasn't happy that she was willing to bring us drinks. She explained the kitchen orders were back up. The manager needs to learn from her it better yet go back into the kitchen and help the cooks

    (3)

  • Alex A.

    Great service, great bar. I had the bartender Jake, he is the man an instructed me through all of the great beers they have on selection. Overall a great spot to have a drink and the pretzels are phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Heather N.

    My husband and I love(d) this place... in theory. The beer list is extensive and in the past we have had good food, but the last three times we have gone it has been more than a disappointment. Friday afternoon in December, right before Christmas: The weather wasn't too cold, and there were a lot of people in downtown Fred shopping for the holiday. We stopped in for dinner and a couple beers, chose to eat at the bar. We ordered beers, both of which they were out of, reordered something else, and an appetizer and two entrees. The app came within 20 minutes, and the two entrees took more than an hour and a half. When we asked the bartender about our food, at the 35, 50 and 90 minute marks we were told it would be a few minutes, and that the kitchen wasn't on its game. When the food came my mid-rare burger was well-done, and we never actually got the sweet potato fries. The bartender tried to buy us a round, but we had already had two beers each, and were not planning on three, we simply wanted lunch. We went back a few weeks later, in the hopes that we did indeed happen in on a day when the kitchen was off. Our luck wasn't great this time either. It was a Tuesday afternoon, perhaps 1pm. There weren't a lot of people there, and we ordered promptly. My husband received his meal and finished it before mine even arrived, and when it did arrive it was cold and over-cooked. Not sure how they managed that. The bartender remembered us, as we used to go in semi-often since we are local, and took my entree off the bill, but still no real understanding as to why it was so terrible. Third time... we amble in for a beer, no food, because we no longer trust them. The bartender gave us the menus and then took them back and said to go pick out a beer because they were out of so many that the menu wouldn't be helpful. Perhaps it is extreme bad luck, but I don't think so, since we eat out a lot, as it would end up our first three choices were tapped after they tried to pour. We got a pretzel, which was great and only took 18 minutes to arrive. We no longer tell people about this restaurant, however we do still go in for a beer now and again, because we believe in supporting our locals. However, it remains difficult after so many disappointments and really badly cooked food. I look forward to a day when they have a kitchen or management change.

    (2)

  • John G.

    Came with a group of 6. Service was very good and beer selection is awesome but they were out of a few different beers that my friends ordered. We felt that as a place that bolstered about their beer selection they would at least have what was on their menu. A few ordered various burger that were huge and they were very pleased. I had the schnitzel and Bavarian pretzel, which were decent. Overall environment was good. Spacious area with a pretty cool ice strip along the bar to rest your glass upon. Well worth the money and I will be back.

    (3)

  • Nick M.

    Decent place! Found this place in downtown Fredericksburg on a week night while away for work. It's a much larger place then the exterior would suggest. the decore is alittle lacking and it feels slightly neglected but not horribly. The food was decent. I had the smokey chicken sandwich. The chicken was slightly under-cooked but tasted great. Fries are what you'd expect. Food selection was decent. Burgers and Sandwiches, soups and salads. The "sharable's" menu's seem pretty interesting. Crab Cakes, Pierogies, and a Bavarian pretzel are some of the options that I remember. The bartenders were knowledgeable of the drink menu and polite. The bar itself has ample seating, a couple of leather recliners surround a fireplace opposite of the bar. The bar itself has a frozen rail, which was pretty cool. It's frosty and covered in what looks like packed snow. Sort of like the inside of an old freezer. Keep your pint glass on it and you'll never have a warm sip. The star of this place is the Beer List, No matter what your favorite is, they have something to discover. This isn't a place that has a trillion beers that you know are old and are there for no reason. They have a very obvious selection of 4-5 brewers of a few different categories of beer. The bottle selection has a few of my favorites that you don't find everywhere. You can even purchase beer to go, and growlers for anything on draught. overall... a good place that's worth the visit.

    (3)

  • Shawn B.

    First time here and I enjoyed myself. Food was delicious and service was great. Loved the beer selection and will definitely return. Even though crowded food came out very fast. Highly recommended.

    (4)

  • Kevin R.

    This is my favorite destination in all of Fredericksburg. I am a beer nerd, so that certainly steers me here, but I am also a foodie and the food never disappoints. Management does a great job of changing up the menu to keep the items fresh and interesting. The staff has a strong beer knowledge without coming off pretentious. It is refreshing to find a bar without televisions on every square inch of the wall. Embrace conversation people...you might learn something. Great staff, killer food and tasty brews. Everybody wins.

    (5)

  • Shelby L.

    So this place has not only 394874839292 drink options but it has a very fun strip of ice down the center of the bar to keep them all chilled at the same time. I also love the artichoke sandwich!!!

    (5)

  • Kelli B.

    We had the Buffalo wings & spinach, artichoke and crab dip as appetizers. Both were amazing, the dip was well above average for what you may expect from an Ale House. Often the selection of beers and ales translates to crappy food, not at Capital Ale House! We also had the gyro burger and stuffed pretzel, the lamb burger is served in grilled flatbread, temperature cooked to order. The stuffed pretzel was delicious Kielbasa with havarti cheese, sauerkraut, grain mustard on a pretzel bun. They also have this amazing ketchup by @78RedCo, based out of Chicago, No GMO, no high fructose corn syrup, it's AMAZING, they have the regular and spicy version great with their friends or burger. The spicy was sooooo good! The staff was knowledgeable and polite. The majority of seating is booths if you have large party you won't be able to pull tables together to make a super-sized table.

    (5)

  • Tosha B.

    I came here yesterday afternoon with some friends since we had about 30 minutes before our trolley tour. We walked in and were greeted by the hostess and said we just wanted to sit at the bar. We grabbed some seats at the end of the bar and the bartender came right over and gave us menus. We started looking at the menus and were immediately overwhelmed because there were TONS of beers on tap and in bottles. After a few minutes of trying to make sense of it all, we asked the bartender for his recommendations in the flavor profile we wanted and he gave us awesome suggestions. The beer was great. And what's really cool is that on the bar there is an area that's frozen for you to put your drinks on to stay cool........pretty neat! The bathroom is super far from the bar though. You kind of have to walk the length of a football field to get there, so plan accordingly.

    (4)

  • John N.

    I would give it a zero if I could. Last night was my second and last visit to the Capital Ale House. As your read this - AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE! CHOOSE ELSEWHERE. Overpriced, mediocre food, and terrible service sums it up. My friends and I ordered burgers and sandwiches, and we waited for an hour for the food to hit the table. Finally when the food arrived, my chicken was luke-warm and the melted cheese on the sandwich had hardened (it had been sitting under a heat lamp for some time). The sweet potato fries were good but not hot. The waitress evidently had little to no training. She was rude and continuously called me "buddy," admitted she disliked and knew nothing about beer (Sweetheart, you work at an ale house), and argued with me upon 3 trips to the table after she brought me a stout when I ordered an IPA. Well, I've never seen a black IPA that tasted like a stout, but "buddy, it's the right beer..." she insisted. I even looked up the correct beer on my phone to show it's golden hoppy appearance. Finally she picked up on my discontent and offered to bring me another IPA that was in fact an IPA. When she brought my check, she charged me for both beers, including the one that sat untouched on my table. Will not return to CAH and do not recommend to anyone. You have been warned.

    (1)

  • Eric M.

    Don't go here unless your want to be server to be a complete jerk. The majority of the servers are super sweet but I got the guy named JED. I stood at the bar (not busy by the way) for about 15 minutes before another bartender from the serving floor came and helped me put because he could see the frustration in my eyes. As soon as JED saw my order, he was happy to tell me there was nothing to bomb with (monster, red bull etc). He was extremely rude and I know I will never spend a cent in this bar again, even though I have been in multiple times. If in were the manager I would pull JED aside and tell him to look for work aside from the service business. Maybe this guy JED should be a nicer person because he is losing business for the entire store. I will never go back to Capitol Ale and they should be sad they lost a good customer. Good job JED!

    (2)

  • Michelle A.

    Average with a side of interesting people watching. If you're looking for a lengthy beer selection in downtown Fredericksburg then this is your spot. The food is ok and the first time I went there I was the only chic sitting at the bar and everyone else was, well, a dude. Great odds for me, not so much for my guy friends and I prefer a somewhat even mix since that makes the atmosphere friendlier. The bartenders are friendly and will give suggestions on where to eat in case you aren't interested in eating there. On Saturday night, this seems to be a popular local hangout, but it may because there isn't much else open late. I'd go back again, but for the beer of course, not the dudes.

    (3)

  • Ric T.

    After trying Capital Ale House numerous times, during their Monday Burger Night, weekends and weekdays, my review is mixed with a negative connotation - Service is SLOW, and when food arrives it's often cold. The beer is very good.

    (2)

  • M S.

    This time is not as great as last time. They did not split our burger as they did last time and the service is just very disappointing. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT SIT AT A TABLE ONLY SIT AT THE BAR AND DONT BRING CHILDREN.

    (3)

  • D B.

    Food and beer were fine. Beer selection was amazing. Customer service was horrible.

    (2)

  • Christopher S.

    I decided to meet a colleague for lunch here shortly after they opened for the day. Barkeep was cordial and very knowledgeable of all the drinks available. He presented our drinks with menus but seemed a little too distracted by a conversation with another patron a few seats down as we had to get his attention to place our order. I ordered the black bean burger which was delicious. Again, after finishing, we had to get the barkeep's attention in order to receive our check. While the food and drinks are great, I will return again but not sit at the bar.

    (3)

  • L-a P.

    Eh I had a bad first experience. The waitress was bad my food was bad. My hubby's food was delicious and the app we shared was also (bavarian pretzel) yumm. But we sat so long before getting waited on and by that time she came over she took the whole order drinks, apps, and dinner. I never got one of my drinks I asked for. My food was overcooked and burned a little. Bread was hard on my sandwich and she really wasn't waiting on us. I don't know if I'll go back. Hubby had veal burger which was on point.

    (2)

  • Kevin B.

    So I have to start with the waitress. We had Britany and she was awesome. Very friendly, works very hard, and very knowledgable of the menu. The Blackened PrimeRib was very good and cooked perfectly as well as the Pretzle with cheese dip. As far as the establishment, it is nice but busy and expect a wait especially during prime time. The A/C wasn't working in part of building which made it very warm. A vast selection of beers to choose from and in the hear of downtown makes this place worth the visit.

    (4)

  • Dana Z.

    I am giving Capital Ale House 5 stars, even though I didn't try any food. So this review is based solely on drinks alone. We happened to go here on New Years Eve thinking it was going to be so insanely crowded that we would want to leave. Turns out they were keeping a limit on the number of people inside, so we only had to wait for a party to leave until we could go in. It was nice to be able to walk around and not be bumping into people. God I sound old. Beer. Beer as far as the eye could see. Which was about maybe 20-30 feet. Beer on tap, beer in bottles. One Beer, Two Beer, Red Beer, Blue Beer. Well not really but you get it. They had my favorite VICTORY BREWERY, but they didn't have my favorite specific one (Golden Monkey) When I asked if they had the Golden Monkey, the bartender gave me a few suggestions of one that was similar. So hooray for knowledgeable bartenders! From what I understand, this is a bit of a chain down near Fredericksburg. So it's not likely that I'll return any time soon, but I wouldn't mind having a Cap Ale up in NoVa!

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    I've stated before that my equation for 5-stars is pretty simple. Great beer + Pretty Good Food + Mistake-Free Service = 5 stars. As Maxwell Smart would say, Capital Ale House "missed it by that much" The wife and I stopped in on our way back from a family holiday gathering on a Sunday evening. They weren't that busy, and we were seated and greeted immediately. I had heard great things about their beer selection, and this proved to be true. They have 66 taps rotating craft brews of all varieties - and a few ciders as well. Virginia breweries are well-represented here, as are Belgian beers, with a couple of German brews mixed in. It's a very strong draft selection, and fellow beer nerds will easily be able to find something to suit their palette. As for me, I've been on this kick of sour ales ever since my trip to Charleston, so I decided to have a head to head battle between two American version of the Berliner Weissbeir - Bell's Oarsman and Wild Wolf Berliner Wolf. (Wild Wolf won, having a bit more tartness.) But obviously beer is not the issue with the ratings here ... food and service has been the issue. The food was pretty darn good. The service, while not bad, had a few fumblerooskis. I couldn't resist the call of "Rauchbier Cheese Dip" served with a warm pretzel, so we ordered that for an appetizer. For entrees, I ordered the Peppedew Fried Chicken, while my wife ordered the Capital Club sandwich. The first issue was that the appetizer came out so slowly that the entrees were literally right behind. The server apologized for the timing mistake and offered to send back our entrees until we were ready, but we decided to take them all at once. And then issue #2 - I ordered the Peppedew Fried Chicken Entree, but was served the Peppedew Chicken Sandwich instead. I decided not to complain, because the sandwich and fries looked tasty. And they were. The chicken sandwich was really nice, and the fries were fantastic. They serve their fries with a house-made flavored mayonnaise. They actually have four types, and the server was happy to provide extras. My wife said her club was tasty. And that Rauchbier Cheese dip - oh man. A rauchbier is literally a smoked beer. They use the original German smoke beer - Schlenkerla - which has a heavy smoke flavor. It's like drinking a piece of smoked meat. Add that to a cheese dip and you have this awesome smoky cheesy goodness to dip your pretzels in. Despite the fumbles on the service, we really enjoyed all of the food and the beer selection is too good to overlook. We'll definitely give them another try when we are in the Fredericksburg area.

    (4)

  • Nathan N.

    While the beer selection makes me want to adore this place, we sat at the bar at a not-so-busy time while bartenders walked past talking about drama and anything but giving us a menu. Entertainment? There was a prostate infomercial on the screen above the bar for no less than 20 minutes until we asked to have it changed. Drinks were ordered after interrupting bartenders talking about whatever. Food was great once we flagged down someone to take our order, and paying our bill was equally as difficult as getting a drink. Do I want to like this place? Absolutely. It has an ice rail that runs the length of the bar. Beer stays cold. Very high coolness factor. Do I want to come back? Not a chance. Service needs a re-do, and the bar staff needs to understand that I'm a friendly customer that's generally a great tipper. All I need is someone to play the role of helpful.

    (1)

  • Aviv G.

    Mediocre all around. Food was not as described on the menu. Beer was not as priced on the menu. Checks did not match what was ordered. Portion size was not as hoped. Think lots of potential and poor execution. Probably lack of training and oversight.

    (2)

  • Anita G.

    I generally don't let service determine my review since all varies on the server you get...however, we went on a friday around lunch time and had bad service all around so feel that it made a huge enough impact that I should comment on it. we were told there would be an hour wait for a table of 5 and we were willing to wait since could grab a drink at the bar. they had a good beer selection (on the menu) which is a plus...however, they seemed to be out of everything we tried to order...even if not on their sold out list. the bartender wasn't knowledgeable of the beers and brought me the wrong beer...i had it before so knew it was very different (should have been a wheat beer...but was a dark, hoppy beer)...i didn't make a fuss about it since am not a beer connoisseur so figured the bartender knew better than me...but the beer i received was warm (even if i didn't like the taste)...warm beer is not what you expect at a bar. when ordering a second beer from a different bartender, she said they were out of the beer...which led to the discovery that i was actually given a different beer to begin with. we ended up waiting over an hour for a table even though there were many tables open in the restaurant (figured they just weren't staffed to support all the open tables)...once we were sat...it took about 15 minutes to get our drink orders (waters and beers)...and food seemed unusually long for salads and sandwiches. I had asked the bartender earlier if there were any flights available and was told...however, our server told us about a gingerbread flight that was available...again, lack of knowledge from the staff. the food was okay but nothing to rave about. i'm giving three stars since the food was decent and because they do have a good selection of draft and bottle beers (if they actually stock them all)...and because a cool ambience...but the service sucked...it ended up taking us almost 2.5 hours to eat lunch there...and not because we hung out socializing for a long time after eating. might go back to grab a drink but wouldn't wait an hour to be sat for a meal.

    (3)

  • Becky R.

    Some of the worst service I've ever had. Went in at lunch on a Saturday. Told 20min wait (nobody seemed to be waiting at the time). Bar was open so we sat there. A while before we were even acknowledge or given menus. Took our drink order eventually but then another long wait for food order. Waited 30+ minutes for a burger and sandwich. Fries were cold. Burger only warm. Bartenders didn't even return to check up and ask how things were so we didn't get a chance to let then know. Asked for the bill. 15 min later had to ask for it again. Sandwich that was warm was decent and ton of beer selection. Disappointed because I would like this place for the atmosphere and beer selection if the service wasn't such a turn off.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Mon, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Capital Ale House Fredericksburg

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