Ate brunch here and it was delicious. I had the crab benedict, and as a newbie to Maryland crabs (I'm from Florida) I was impressed. Great, tasty and crispy crab on top of the english muffin. The poached egg was amazing as well. The plate came with a side of home fries which were also good. My boyfriend had a burger which was also great --which came with fries and OOOOOF. Those were perfect. Crispy and not over oily as I often have enountered. The only downside was the AC. It seemed like it wasn't working. It was almost as hot inside as it was outside. But I'm not an asshole and I know it likely had nothing to do with them so we didn't complain. Clean bathroom and we had a good bottle of white wine too, which was half off -- William Hill Chardonnay.
(4)
Rachel H.
WTH! Collared shirts after 9:00p? Whyyyyyy? I dont get it. Comfortable Grown folks walking along the harbor all day. Now we can't eat here? But 100 Dudes who arrived in T-shirts before 8:55p are sitting in there chilling. Dumb rule... going elsewhere ... Collared shirt at a sports bar????
(1)
Jasmine N.
Came here to wait out the storm and watch the World cup on the 4th. I had been here before, although it had been a couple of years, so I was the one who recommended the place. I had egg on my face at the end of our visit, which we unanimously decided to cut short and brave the monsoon just to get out of there. Reasons why we left: -first bartender (her shift ended right after we arrived) used the glass served to my friend to scoop her ice. Major no-no! I wonder how many glasses she's chipped and how many people have gotten glass in their drinks unknowingly. -The 2 bartenders who replaced her stood in the corner loudly gossiping as soon as they got there (before acknowledging any patrons). We could hear everything they were saying very clearly. It was uncomfortable. -ordered a specialty drink. Said made with fresh pineapple. Something was rotten. Took 2 sips and pushed it away and ordered a beer. That beer cost me $20 because I still had to pay for the cocktail. -4 girls were working the hostess table. Every single one was leaning over texting and giggling the entire time -Our bartender spent over half the time we were there texting in front of us. 2 stars because I liked the place last time and when the satellite went out they turned on the regular tv so we could still watch the game.
(2)
Chris S.
I have no idea why this place is so packed. Is it the DJ? Hip hop music. Very loud. Not only did I have to show ID, I had to get a wand check. (Since I had a military ID, it was perfunctory. The security guard said nothing about my cell phone in my back pocket.) When you finally get a bartender's attention (although it's packed, not many people seem to be ordering drinks) you have to yell to give an order. Cocktails were okay. A small selection of beer on tap. But I ordered a second Hendricks and tonic. I watched the bartender pour a Bombay Sapphire. I told her I wanted Hendricks and, after I watched her pour Bombay, she nonetheless said it was Hendricks. Apparently a lot of other people like it, but I cannot recommend it.
(1)
Wilma D.
The reviews are sad, but took the chance and it was so good! We were seated promptly and Josh took drink orders. He was awesome. Excellent service. Friendly and attentive. The Sweet Corn and crab hush puppies were delicious. The sauce that came it with the appetizer was a great compliment. We highly recommend. I ordered the Pork Carnitas sandwich and it was tasty, really good. The fries were light and crispy. My husband orders the PH burger and he loved it. It was cool perfect to his liking and he was happy. Food was good and fresh and served quick. We are happy and we will be back. Thank you, Josh!!
(5)
Eric W.
Ate breakfast at Public House again while attending Katsucon at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as it's one of few restaurants open in the morning. First issue I faced was Google had the wrong hours as Public House does NOT open at 8AM. Staff was polite and helpful during the visit and that was not a problem. The server brought a full carafe of water to the table and that was convenient. The food has changed significantly compared to last year. Ordered the harbor breakfast, Eggs and Bacon were ok. The home fries were overdone and even ketchup could not improve them. They only offered wheat toast that was hard, cold, and the butter couldn't even melt on it. While I was filled up, for what I paid the breakfast was not great and lacked flavor. Not sure I'll be returning to eat here again.
We choose this place from open table cause they were able to get us an immediate reservation. We walked in 30 mins prior to our reservation and was able to be seated. The menu on open table was not the menu we saw when we were seated. Most of the entrees were $25+ and we had two kids with us. We ended up ordering 2 burgers with bacon for $18 a piece , a steak salad $16 and a chicken tenders kids meal $8. We wanted to order drinks but their beers were $6 and it wasn't tap it was a bottle . Finally food arrived. Why my salad which was described as a tri tip steak salad was actually shaved lunch meat and it was maybe 2 pieces that was sliced into thirds. Very disappointed. I told my server and requested another entree which was the burger and fries for the same price . Oh well you live and you learn next time we will drive out of this area and get something worth my money.
(2)
Steve H.
4PM/weekday Dinner for two. Hostess/service was fantastic! Clean. Not crowded at all. In/out less than 1 hour. ODD: There seemed to be a lot of movement & coordination for evening reservations going on between nervous looking men in sport coats with other men wearing flat-billed ball caps (?). Several TV's covering basketball news and soccer. Menu selection BEFORE 5pm (when the comfort food starts) is lacking and overpriced - even for DC. However, the plain burger was DELICIOUS! (Sweet onions = "pizzaz!"). Spinach and grits are winners... $5/each (WHAT!). I guess this place is designed for certain clientele. If you consider yourself a "regular guy," then you are not it. Kinda Ironic with a name like "Public House." Maybe "Per Diem House" (?).
(2)
Fred B.
Visiting National Harbor was on my list of stuff to do, and thanks to a work trip, I had the luxury of a nice trip with a side of good food! Public house is a nice large pub style eatery. Well appointed, and comfortable furniture, room enough between tables so you don't feel like your on top of one another, and super friendly staff! I ordered the burger and I love it when they know how to cook a burger to medium!! Great meat mix, and easy seasonings makes for a really standout burger to start. No joking around with the bacon either. Nice thick slices, done just under crispy so they were full of flavor and still adding to the texture. All the veggies were fresh, and with a choice of a nice spicy Pepper jack as my cheese choice, I was all set. I will be vacationing here with the wife at the end of the month, so I am sure I will wander my way back into the Public house!!
(4)
Mike T.
Had dinner in this restaurant tonight, food not bad, not good but not bad. Service was awful... Little blonde girl server with long stringy hair that could have given 2 shits I was there. Hardly said anything, didn't offer dessert or another drink past my second. She made it obvious all she wanted was for me to pay my bill and get out of her hair. Restaurant owners in National Harbor, almost every review of every restaurant in this area complains about the service.... This could be a world class destination area but the sloppy, marginal dining service ruins it! Hire good people, train them, pay them well and hold them accountable!!! I will probably not come back here again because of this rude little snot server.
(2)
Shelby B.
Pretty average place, nothing really stood out as good or bad, which is in itself not a great attribute. The atmosphere was bland, the noise level pretty loud, and the food was overpriced for what it was. I got the grilled chicken club and was surprised at how plain it was. While the fries were good, the chicken tastes like they barely put any spices on it. Although my waiter was nice, the service was very slow. I would not recommend this restaurant, but if you had to go here then it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.
(2)
Kita B.
I had brunch, lunch & dinner here. The brunch is by far the most memorable! The Crab Benedict is to die for! The southwest salad is amazing & the outside seating area is amazing!
(5)
Chris S.
Late night review only There are pros and cons to spending a night at Public House Pros: No coverage charge, always a plus. Friendly staff, from the bouncers to the bartenders, everyone was friendly and helpful, another plus. Strong drinks, the bartenders aren't stingy with the alcohol and more importantly they have Titos Vodka, trust me it is awesome. DJ is good, nice mix of old school hip hop to go along with all the modern staples of ratchet music we all love to shake our asses to. Cons: They are anal about certain parts of the dress code, sneakers no problem, hats cool too, just be a gentleman and take it off but this weird obsession with collard shirts is crazy. I was with a group of close to 20 people and they wouldn't let one guy in because of his shirt, he had a jacket on that he could have zipped up but they just wouldn't let the shirt thing go. Prices, I normally don't complain about prices because if you can't afford something don't go but the prices are a tad much for the experience. Crowd, overly anal about collard shirts and yet you let in all the riff raff you can handle, I just don't get it. End of the day, the pros outweigh the cons and Public House is a decent space to spend a night out on the town, especially if you live in area, or are staying at one of the many hotels and don't want to trek into the city.
(3)
Tyesha W.
My friend and I went to the Public House this past Saturday night, 15 August 2015 at around 11pm and were refused entry because we were wearing fashion statement shirts that had pictures & words on them, "graphic tees" neither of them had offensive words or derogatory words on them. For example: my shirt stated "Bad to The Bone" and my friends shirt had a face pic of Marilyn Monroe on it. The man at the door informed us this was their new policy. Public House is a restaurant & bar. I have never been to a bar that refused entry to women wearing fashion t-shirt. Public House is usually a fav spot for us but after this I won't be back. If this were a lounge or club I understand the right to have so many rules but this is a local bar & restaurant. We were appalled & completely disappointed & will definitely spread the word.
(1)
Warfare J.
Fabulous food...unbelievable service . The public burger was just melting and full of taste .
(5)
Jessie J.
Went here tonight with 5 friends. Host had a horrible attitude when we asked to get seated outside. No room outside, cool. We got seated inside and waited at our table for about 15 minutes. No one came to our table, no water, nothing. One of my friends is pregnant and was extremely angry at the fact that no one came to our table to at least give us water. It was pretty annoying to see the host just socialize with her buddy waitress and not be attentive at all. We ended up getting up and leaving and just as we got to the front doors she asked us what happened and I told her exactly what it was. No sorry or anything. Disappointed.
(1)
Tom G.
It was just OK. A number of good beers on tap, but I actually expected more choices for a large "Public House." I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. THey had a number of TVs with baseball showing which was nice. Service was just OK and it was very crowded. I ordered the $16 burger which while good, was the size of a slider. Fries were nicely done and tasty. So, a bit pricey, small portions and so-so service. I wouldn't seek this place out again.
(3)
Emily L.
We arrived unexpectedly early for our conference at the Gaylord, so I went off in search of coffee, and then breakfast sounded too good to skip. Unfortunately, Public House was a bad choice. I should have known when I entered that it was clearly a sports bar that also served generic breakfast food in order to capitalize on the tourist crowd. Wait, I did know that, but I was also really hungry. What I wasn't prepared for were the prices. Entrees averaged $15, so I opted to cobble together breakfast from the sides list: two eggs over easy, bacon and toast ran me nearly $9, and they were pretty measly (toast, $2, was one piece of bread sliced in half.) Coffee was watery but bitter, which I know because I had to take a few gulps plain in order to make room for cream. The interior had a grimy feel to it, and several of my dishes were chipped -- clearly not a classy dining experience. Again, I'm not picky, but if I'm going to pay $15 for an omelet I expect more! It was really a terrible experience, but the bacon was crispy and my server (poor guy) was very attentive, so they get an extra star for that. I won't be back, however.
(2)
Laurie K.
Good quality ingredients; preparation not so much. We ordered the $52 meal for two. The house salad was pre made with dressing, so the greens were soggy. Enjoyed the taste of the steak although rare instead of medium rare, good chicken and shrimp. BBQ sauce was good, but salty. The corn was way over-cooked. Server and manager, long story, tried multiple times for gratitude on accepting Restaurant.com certificate with no expiration. Won't be back.
(2)
J P.
Upon the opening of public house it was a very great location to visit. Now after time the service is horrible. It took 30 minutes to receive a mimosa on a slow morning, and the serving staff were un- phased as this was acceptable. The food at best is average
(2)
Ataya P.
I like it! I only came here for drinks, but I had a good time. We sat at the bar and had great service. It didn't have that nasty bar feel. The music selection was on point too! I definitely plan on returning to try the food!
(4)
LaToya E.
I have to agree with many other yelpers on the prices in this place! It is not worth the $$$! I went in one night for dinner and drinks and everyone's food was just kinda meh.. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again. For the prices on their menu I expect the food to be something to remember! As far as the drinks I can comment much since I only had wine and shots lol! It's hard to be bad at that!
If you are looking for a nice place to eat, this is the place for you. It is just amazing. The food, drinks, and atmosphere is great. I went on a very busy weekend and my food still came out in a timely manner. If you do go you must try the berry sangria. You will not go wrong here!
Enjoyed a lunch and dinner lunch the public house Excellent Cob salad and very good pale ale Good burger and crab are salad was tasty. Not crowded early evening on weekend. Our waiter and Service was very good. Convenient location. Central to most hotels in area. Reasonable prices.
(3)
Marisa B.
Made 6:30 reservations and arrived at 6:10. We were pleased to be seated immediately despite being early and the restaurant being packed (before a Cirque du Soleil show on the harbor). We split the hush puppies and blue crab mac and cheese between our party of four, and both appetizers were excellent. For my entree, I ordered the shrimp and grits. The dish was disappointing at best. Overpriced for the portion which wouldn't have bothered me ordinarily; however, the four shrimp on the plate were terribly overcooked. The cheddar grits were cooked well but under-seasoned. Our waitress confessed to being new, and she was friendly so I hesitate to mention it, but the service was subpar. She knew very few answers to our questions regarding the menu and left the table several times to ask a coworker. Three of the table's four entrees came out at once, but we had to ask where our fourth was after ten minutes. Maybe it was an off night for Public House, but I'd probably try another spot at the harbor next time.
(2)
Theo J.
I went for happy hour and it was OK. The food was ok when they finally got my order correct. The bartenders didn't seem to know the drinks. He asked what I didn't like and I feel like the drink he made me tasted like everything I said I didn't want. The Atmosphere was good and I assume it it better during the warmer months. I will give it a try when I'm back in the area.
(3)
Terrell L.
Summary: I like this place, it's casual, friendly, the food is great and the drinks are pretty good. This is a great place for brunch, or happy hour. WARNING: if you're coming here or anywhere at the National Harbor in the summer be prepared to park in the parking garage. This area is PACKED when it's warm outside Now back to our review: Service: the staff if friendly, depending on your server they're pretty knowledgable about the menu and restaurant as a whole (I did have a waitress that didn't know when the bar opened). They do aim to please here so I have to give them credit for that. Food: the menu has a pretty good assortment and I'm sure anyone can find something to fit their taste. My personal favorite is the buffalo shrimp, yum yum Drinks: I give this place kudos on their drinks, it's not watered down like so many other places. The bar tending staff is knowledgable about different cocktails oh and did I mention their secret weapon? They have this made in house pineapple vodka that is seriously the smoothest thing I've tasted. Definitely ask for it!
(4)
Curtis H.
Unlike others I have been pretty happy with the service and food I have had at the Public House. The Portobello on the ciabatta bread was great, the tomato tapenade and roasted garlic aioli fusion was unique. I was equally happy with the shrimp and grits, but the prices at the National Harbor are always exurbanite and the parking is a B%$#@!!! However, the friends and peers that accompanied me here were not happy with their meal...so roll the dice if you are stuck here for a conference. (Feb 2015)
(3)
Octavia Y.
$18 bottomless mimosa and bloody Mary's was steep but they didn't kick us out! Haaaaa. The customer service here was AMAZING! Our waiter, Josh, was amazing!!! The old bay wings weren't on the menu but when I told him my friends talked it up and I was visiting.... He actually brought them out toward the end of our meal! It made me feel VERYYYY special, even though I didn't have any space, lol. I had the crab Benedict and the plate was basically cleaned! Lol, it was great. The steak and cheese spring rolls were pretty good as well. S/o to Public House !!!
(4)
Austin G.
Wow. This place was so bad. We went here because it was the closest to our conference location. You'd think this place would be used to large crowds with all of the conferences at The Gaylord National Harbor, but wow. We literally had to stare at our server as he just stood around not helping any of his tables. Our food took 45 minutes to come to us...wow. The food was not good at all (avoid getting the pulled pork sandwich. It was the worst I've ever had). To be fair, the manager did give us a free drink for our troubles, but we will never go back nonetheless.
(1)
MsAllyce B.
Although the waitress Rachel was very attentive to our large party, this place is not worth the wait OR the price for dinner. I should've stuck to the appetizers, the crab hush puppies and Old Bay wings were AMAZING! But the steak salad I ordered and the pork chop my sister ordered, not worth the 50 bucks...no way Jose! Save your money, go to Texas Roadhouse!!
(2)
Victoria L.
After a fun day at Harbor Festival at the Gaylord Hotel (12/7/13), we were starving. We came here because Cadillac Ranch had a ridiculous hour and 45 minute wait and we were hungry so we decided on Public House. I've never had it so I was hoping it was going to be good. Boy, was I wrong. Okay so let me get this straight...there's 6 tables open and you make us wait 30 minutes AND then you sit us at a table that was open the whole time?? My friend told the hostess we need a table where we can put a highchair for her baby and she said fine. 20 minutes later, she sits us at a booth and my friend asks the hostess if the highchair can go at the end of the table. She goes no you can't put a highchair here if you want a table you need to wait. Okay wait how long? About 10 minutes, the hostess told us. WTF?? Are you kidding me...we told the hostess specifically we need a table because we need a highchair. So annoyed! Well they literally sit us 10 minutes later at a table that was opened since we arrived. By now, I'm annoyed and pissed. She sits us down without utensils, plates and napkin. Um, isn't that the one job you have besides sitting people and you can't even do it right. Our server Steven was meh, he never came to our table unless we waved him down. We had to ask for water even though he passed by and saw we had none. He didn't really do much for me, nothing special in service here. As for the food, we decided to get the nachos, which comes with cheese, melted queso and sour cream. The skimpest shit I've ever seen. What a waste of $12. Do not get it!!!! My friend and I both got a burger with onions strings and bacon. I asked for a medium burger and got a well-done burger. I admit the bacon was good but what bacon isn't? The onion strings were actually decent too. The burger was medicore, nothing special especially for $14 bucks. Get out of here with that crap. Overall, I'm so disappointed at this place. I was expecting some good food at least after having crappy service but nope, same stinky sh*t! I would have starved myself for almost 2 hours waiting at Cadillac Ranch, if I knew I was gonna spend less than what I spent here with better food and service. I guess you gotta try to really know and I know I won't come back here.
(1)
Samantha S.
Great bar service for a Monday evening! Bartender Alyssia really knows her way around a bar and does a great job making some bomb drinks! Haven't had the food here yet but plan to come back and try it out one day.
(4)
Cristine C.
I've been here for brunch a few times (small parties) and a birthday brunch (larger party) and the food and service was great! The steak and cheese eggrolls w/ spicy ketchup are SO GOOD! Whenever I am here or pass by, the restaurant is busy but I don't usually see a long wait. I've always had a reservation and we've been seated promptly. The service was great and while the portions could (always) be bigger for the price you pay, I think PH is a good deal for the NH area.
(4)
Alan T.
I have to take one star away for the portion size. I sat at the bar as it was only me tonight. Ambiance was good, sports bar-ish. I went at about 9pmish so it was dark...I sat at the bar so I can't really comment on the patio seating although I suppose one might be able to watch people walk by, it's hot tonight! They have a few TVs, the Bengals v. Cardinals were on, boring! I had a couple of IPAs, service was good on maintaining my beer levels. When the food came out it was HOT. Ref a couple of the reviews I read about food being cold and/or a hair or something in their food, I didn't have any issues. Food was good, however, the rice and beans was probably Uncle Bens, and I like Uncle Bens, just saying that I could have made that in my room. Chicken was good and hot. Had some cold IPAs, they were cold and served up good. Wait, I already told you that. The Public House is right next to the Residence Inn which assisted me in making my choice for the evening. With some other choices in the neighborhood, I won't have to go back to the Public House tomorrow. Anyway, it's not a place you travel out of your way several miles to visit, it's a place you eat at because you're at National Harbor. Period. If they threw a little more rice and beans on the plate with some real salad and put a real 1/2 chicken on there, I may give them 5 stars.....
(4)
Mike S.
Went twice in three days. Good food, and very friendly waitresses!
(5)
Mariano T.
A fifth star would constitute better seating and less waiting, however, at four stars I recommend this restaurant because it exceeded my expectations in terms of food taste, quality, and presentation. I would go into further details, but it's Father's day and I have to be somewhere. In short, I had a chicken club with fries and it was delicious. The sandwich was not huge, but neither unsatisfying in size. The fries were very good and not thin or hard. The seating was comfortable although our table was slightly crooked. Being seated outdoors the ambience was cool and comfortable. The waiter was phenomenal and on point. The bathroom was clean and comfortable where no worries about standing or sitting on urine would be an issue. I commend this place for that. Overall, I would eat here again as our tab came out to $65 for four adults. In fact, now that I think about it, I'll be changing the rating to five stars.
(5)
Sierra S.
The menu has changed and the new one is unremarkable. While the old menu never boasted a great selection or particularly good food, it was certainly better than the current offering.
(2)
Lori H.
We got seated immediately and our waiter was super helpful with telling us the best items on the menu of which we enjoyed the the waffles and chicken were excellent and Dyshun our server was very helpful in assisting us with our travel plans. I had the crab Benedict that was the best I've ever had. It has a great family atmosphere and windows surrounding the entire restaurant so it's a beautiful view and every direction that you look. It started to snow while we were here and is the prettiest place to go for brunch you'll enjoy it!
(5)
Scott P.
Ok food, slow service, packed with tourist. Likely not to return.
(3)
Tiffany C.
JUST OKAY . . . And that's exactly how it seemed that the waitress felt about waiting on us. Every time she came to the table, she was cracking her knuckles . . . And once she wiped her nose with her hand a la a 2nd grader over the carafe of water on our table. Eating the greens was like biting into food that had been dropped in the sand. The manager made up to the sandy greens with a discount. Unfortunately, there are far too many options to stick to this one. Go somewhere else.
(2)
Megan C.
PSA to all servers, especially those working in a non-upscale dining establishment: you are impressing NO ONE when you attempt to take an order for a party of 10 without writing any of it down, especially when you have to return to our table at least twice to confirm who wanted their dressing on the side and who wanted their steak cooked medium-well as opposed to medium-rare. I should add that if you're "training" someone, this example is not the best one to set to a waiter-in-training. The announcement above should give you a pretty good idea of what we were working with during an outing to Public House for a pre-show dinner. While it was nice that they were able to take a reservation for a party of 10, it was kind of odd that we were shuttled away to a corner in a "private-ish room" away from the restaurant's seemingly fun atmosphere, only to be joined by a gaggle of girls also in the room hosting a bachelorette party. The fare is typical of what you'd expect to find at a chain such as Friday's, Chili's, or Outback, though somewhat pulled off without that stigma, since they have a fairly convincing beer list, but don't expect your server to know the difference between Malbec and Merlot when inquiring about their wines by the glass. As someone who appreciates fresh food that's neither fried nor coated in sauce/dressing/cream/coating, I did have a harder time finding something truly appealing to me on their menu, but settled on a southwestern-style salad, heavily-modified (see note above about why NOT to skip writing down orders). If you're easily pleased by a burger-and-fry plate or a pasta plate, there are probably better options for you at Public House. I don't see myself returning to this restaurant next time I'm in National Harbor for dinner, but I am glad to have tried Public House since I had grown weary of the other chain joints, such as Chevy's, in the area. It's worth a shot, but do manage your expectations.
(2)
C B.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the day was sunny, yet chilly. The husband and I wanted to enjoy the National Habor, we walked and walked and decided to try a new spot. This restaurant looked nice, little did we know we would spend a pretty penny. The waitress was nice, but the water was room temperature with no ice. We ordered mimosas, they tasted bland. We let that go, and thought maybe the day is just slow. Finally the husband ordered the steak and cheese towers, they were cold and we've had better at local Chinese restaurants. He Asked me, "what else do you want?" So I chose the crab cakes and he had a burger. Both dishes were bland, and tasted a day old. A waste of money I'll definitely say. Do yourself a favor and stay far away. ---not worth the price..skip it----
(2)
Lauren E.
Food was amazing. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with a basket of fries. Staff was great. You can tell this place has a real chef because our desserts were fresh and right out of the oven. Would recommend and would eat here again
(5)
Jon Z.
If you are stuck in the area for a conference or something, you unfortunately have very limited food options. All the food in the area are both crappy, expensive and huge tourist traps. The service was decent for this place, our waitress was friendly. However, the food took about 30 minutes to come out when there were about 10 diners in the entire restaurant. I ordered an order of wings and a pulled pork sandwich. Come on, it shouldn't take that long to deep fry some wings and put some pork on a bun! The wings were small, but nicely fried. 3/5 for the wings. The pulled pork sandwich was 4/5, good size but it had a very smokey smell, a little over the top with the vinegar. The drinks: We didn't order any because why would you pay $6 bucks for a Coors light?? The entire drink menu is a huge rip off. Public House is not a gourmet bar, so stop charging over the top prices for crappy beer! Unfortunately, every dining option in the area sucks and you have to pick one of the crappy places to eat. I haven't been to the other restaurants in the area because believe it or not they got even worse reviews. My advice, pack your own lunch or just drive far away from this area to eat some real food!
(2)
Ren N.
Food quality: good tasting wings. I had the sweet and hot. Waitress said wings come in 10s, when I got my order it was only 8. (Not to be a stickler for counting) Service: extremely slow. I waited 20-30 mins just for the wings. Took them 10 min to realize we were ready to order. I guess the staring technique didn't work quite well in this place. I don't know what the waitress/waiters are doing in the back, probably partying or something.... Atmosphere: smaller than the public house I have been to in the past. Still cozy, enjoyed the booth areas very much. I will not come back again to this particular public house.
(3)
Oscar A.
Had lunch here. Ordered the chicken club. It was most excellent. It had a good sauce, not sure what it was bur it was good. It wasn't crowded and the waitress was great.
(4)
B. M.
Went in for late lunch. No music at the time. Sat in booth. Crab corn fritters were good app. However the dipping sauce should have been just mayo, horrible. Sandwiches, roast beef sandwich was cold served on cold bread, no flavor or effort. Bread was frozen quality while the Sandwich would have been better if placed under salamander for 2 minutes to crisp the bread, melt the cheese a and warm the fridge meat. Suggest you stay away from that one. Crab cake. OK the bun SUCKED. The crab cake was also two times smaller then the bun, no crisp to it. Like it was lightl u cooked, very mushy. Flavor was off. Had with the chips served in a basket that still had the price tag and made I. China tag on ut. Attention y I details, not! Chips were ok, dipping sauce was average at best. Service was blaaah. Who trained these people. Oh wait the managers who never smiled who were walking around. One looked like he belonged working in a mortgage house. Suit and tie in a pub? No good bye on way out. Food sucked and service was blaa it's a no brained that we won't be back.
(1)
Jimmie C.
Service is good but the food was dry. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, no Bruno, very dry, dry. For a resturant down town I expected more quality especially for the price.
(1)
Nicole C.
Went yesterday for lunch and had the steak cobb salad. Salad was great and steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Went today and sat at bar. It took 30 minutes just to get an order of hush puppies and the place was way less crowded than yesterday. Lame plus, the crab and corn hush puppies had barely any crab and cost $14. Lunch yesterday saved this from being 2 stars.
(3)
Lautice M.
Hubby and I decided at the very late, last minute to go out so we headed to Public House to meet friends for late dinner and drinks. I have nothing to complain about. It was loud but it was 10:30 on a Saturday night and the DJ was jammin so ... Our waiter was great, very professional and you could tell was seasoned. Drinks, appetizers and dinner came out in great time and HOOTTT! So that was a plus. I stuck to wine but hubby had their pineapple infused martini and whoa! It was good and strong. Apparently they soak pineapple slices in vodka for days and wallah! All in all we had a great time - we ended up on the outside patio until closing time. Definitely would go again; prices was as expected.
(4)
Amanda B.
Food was alright but the service was certainly lacking. Not sure I would go back.....
(2)
Brian H.
Hello Yelp!, it's been awhile. Anywho, our party of four had dinner here last night. Thank goodness we had a reservation, because it was a mob scene. We started with two beers, a bottle of wine, and the queso fundido. The drinks came promptly, followed by the appetizer. The quest is a generous portion, but it came with way too few chips. The waitress offered to bring more, but we had to remind her to bring them. What we were not aware of is that the extra chips coat an additional $5! What a rip. On to the main course. I had the crab cakes, two others had burgers, and our fourth had the pulled pork sandwich (though it was served on a pita?). We had no complaints about a those dishes, but none was amazing. This is a noisy establishment, so we were constantly having to raise our voices to be heard. All in all we had a decent time, but aren't in a hurry to go back.
(3)
Roxy J.
Service was decent, which is why I gave two stars. We were seated immediately, our waitress came by quickly to take our order and deliver our drinks. Food took a bit long to be brought out (30+ minutes), and once the table next to us was seated, our waitress focused solely on them. The food was not good. We had crab cake sandwiches and a chicken sandwich. The crab tasted frozen, and I would be shocked if it was fresh. The only decent part of the meal was the french fries.
(2)
Jennifer K.
Believe the rating...hostess acted like she was completely inconvenienced by our asking for a table for 6. Server was very nice but food took over a half hours drinks were empty, people who came in behind us were served before us. Blamed it on a backed up kitchen but there were plenty of open tables.
(1)
Hannah P.
I called to order food to pick up and was not pleased with my experience. The young lady who answered the phone did not have very good manners. She asked for my name and phone number and told me she placed my order (2 salads). I waited for 45 minutes and never received a call saying my food was ready. So I walked over to find out and sure enough it was sitting in a bag on the bar. It wasn't busy so I really don't understand why no one could have called. Also, they only had one salad in the bag and I had to wait another 10 minutes for them to fix my order. I don't see why it is that hard to complete a phone order for two salads but I'm really disappointed. Especially when I finally got my food and it was pitiful. I have been to PH many times and the experience was okay but never again.
(1)
Andra N.
Came here for a quick couple of drinks on a Saturday night. Sat at the bar, not too buy and easily got an open seat. Quick attentive service from the bartender which was really nice, because I hate having to flag them down. Drinks were solid and strong. Just want I like. I would definitely suggest this place if your just looking for a quick drink before your next stop for the night. They do play their music loud, but it's a bar... so my grandma-self will let it slide. It actually wasn't as noisy as I thought it would be and they did have a variety in their playlist that diverted from top 40 which was nice. Must come back to try their food.
(3)
Billy T E.
This should be a negative star. Had the maryland crab cake sandwich. But there was a small piece of crab meat in there. The service wasn't even so so. I will never go again.
(1)
Dan D.
4-7p happy hr half priced signature drinks. Two of the matador with no food and you are good.
(3)
Laura G.
This place is a joke. My husband and I were meeting someone for lunch who was running late, so we decided to have an app and drink at the bar while we waited. While watching a bartender make a mixed drink from a bottle of coke, I quickly made a note to self to not order any form of soda. Five minutes after placing our order, we were told they were out of the crab hush puppy app we ordered. We cancelled the order. Fast forward to our friend arriving. We were seated outside. The nice spring day saved this review from being one star. Good work, weather. My friend asked for a moscato, but the waitress wasn't sure if they had that, so as a back up she selected a cocktail from their bar menu. The waitress returned with white zin, reporting no moscato and no cocktail available. If we managed to order three different things they didn't have that day, imagine how many other things could have possible been a no-go on the menu? One of our dishes got sent back for not having dressing on the side, as requested. My husband's fries, while cutely presented in a basket, were pretty darn awful, and I am never quick to criticize a french fry. My husband did enjoy his burger and my friend her crab cake, although she is from North Carolina and surely can't have our MD crabcake standards.
(2)
Quince B.
I had no drinks or food. Very crowded on a Saturday night, if you manage to get a seat at or around the bar, NEVER Get up. Music was way too load to here the person next to you. Just go to Cadillac Ranch across the street and hit the upstairs bar.
(2)
Peaches P.
I like Public House....I really do....but I do have an issue with their limited, deficient menu. Their drinks, albeit expensive, have always been good IMO but their food leaves much to the imagination. I strongly believe that if a restaurant has a limited menu then certainly everything should come out of the kitchen absolutely delicious! What's the issue with perfecting fixed menu items???....sheesh...shouldn't be that hard. The spot also turns into a lounge of sorts, with music at night and seems to never have any problems with the masses. Anyway, the Harbor area is really nice, with plentiful shops, restaurants and scenery. I do enjoy when I go to that area for those reasons alone.
(3)
Allison B.
We went on a Saturday afternoon. It was rather warm inside for how hot it was outside. It took a while before I was some what comfortable inside, the somewhat ice water helped. What didn't help was the long hair rolled into the napkin. Ew. Should have left after those two problems. Our server was polite but MIA a good bit. The wait for the food seemed forever long for we ordered and how busy it was. Husband waited and asked a busser to find our server for another beer. She wandered off and when she found him he couldn't understand what we needed. His beer then sat at the bar for nearly 5 minutes. Our food was mediocre. The burger was overcooked to be ordered at Medium. My pulled pork pita had more lettuce and guacamole than pork. My daughter and I went to the restroom after we had been done eating for a while and husband waited for the check, when we came back he was still waiting to settle the bill. It took over an hour and a half for what we thought was a quick lunch. We left wishing we just went to potbelly. We would have saved our money and time.
(1)
Lucia J.
Brunch here was great. The chicken and waffles to the sausage gravy and biscuits! Casual atmosphere and pleasant staff.
(4)
Ilona s.
Went for drinks and appetizers. Fairly disappointed. Was recommended by Gaylord hotel so was thinking it would be a good choice. Crowd was young and loud. Lots of drinking and dancing - which I usually enjoy. However waiter was not around much, and appetizer (queso and spring rolls) were bland. Actually worst than bland. Might have been the worst queso that I've ever had. (Geez who acres up queso?!) Pretty gross. Definitely would only go back to this place for cocktails.
(1)
Matt R.
This place was terrible for food and service. Mainly, the very disrespectful and unprofessional bartenders/waiters. Judging from other reviews, I have a similar story. Around 130pm last Saturday, I sat at the bar with my girlfriend to get a quick bite and a beer while catching the soccer game. After sitting down for 10 minutes and not being looked at, the two bar tenders rushed to try and get our order. After looking over the limited menu we ordered--a salad and a chicken club. Super easy. 45 minutes later. The food took forever, people that sat after us got their food and finished before we received ours and the bartenders avoided us and made excuses (the kitchen is busy)--it was a relatively normal Saturday for a restaurant in that area. Regardless, if your kitchen can't put out a salad and a sandwich fairly quickly you should fire everyone involved. When the food came out and both bar tenders could tell we were annoyed a male bar tender put two shots of a clear liquid in front of us. When I asked what it was, he simply said "you'll like it." Think it was a vodka shot, which was wildly inappropriate--namely that it was 2pm on a Saturday and we had drive back to DC. Not to mention again--it was 2pm on a Saturday. I've never felt so disrespected at a restaurant before. If a bartender is going to give someone a free drink to make up for their inefficiencies, they should at least stick to what that guest is drinking. The food was poor quality, chicken was overcooked but cold and the bread was soggy. Both my side salad and my girlfriend's full salad was bland. We left hungry, after 2 hours. And pretty angry. Wish I had taken my girlfriend's advice to just pay for the beer and leave after waiting for 30 minutes.
(1)
Arlene G.
The brunch includes bottomless mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Our server Karlyn was attentive and kept my mimosas coming. We have a 6 year old who enjoyed their varied kids menu. We listened to her menu recommendations and are sure glad we did! Everything was delicious. Do yourself a favor and start with the crab corn hush puppies. We will be back to check out their karaoke night and dinner.
(4)
Adrian R.
Soooo I'm in here on a Thursday....two bartenders are skkkiiimmmmpppppp on drinks...smh...wish kitchen was open later food is good here.
(1)
Laurie W.
Stopped in here on a whim to watch the 2nd half of the 1pm Sunday games when the bar at the Gaylord was ridiculously crowded. The good - great selection of martinis and cocktails. Plenty of large TVs, too, showing all the games. The bad - only one seasonal beer on tap? The on-tap selection was definitely limited. I wouldn't make a special trip, but was fine for what I needed that day.
(3)
Kate N.
We thought the food looked great so we stopped in for brunch on Sunday morning. It was not crowded, but service was absurdly slow and the wrong food was brought to us after 45 minutes of sitting at the table. They were clueless about a gluten allergy one person in the party had, further delaying the meal. This was a terrible experience unfortunately and we were extremely disappointed after a great weekend at a conference at the convention center across the street. **when the food came out properly, it was tasty and hot. The server comped the meal and we left happier than initially anticipated.
(3)
Kristy W.
I've been twice, and each time was during a conference at the Gaylord National across the street. Two different conferences, and two different days of the week. The first was a Friday. This place was a mad house. In fact, were it not for the reasonable happy hour prices, I wouldn't have even considered for a mere second, going back a second time. Friday night at Public House, or at least this Friday night, was to put it politely, a cluster. Granted, the place was overrun with conference attendees, but there were at least as many locals (disclosure, I am from DC, so am known for being tourist-judgy) being judgy about the conference attendees. But that gave it a distinctly antagonistic feel. Add that to the fact that the music was loud enough that even outside in the drizzle, we had to nearly yell to hear ourselves. The second time, however, was a Monday, and I needed to kill some time before a party (rough life, I know), so stopped in for their very reasonable happy hour. Now, being that I love fried cheese and am never one to turn down things that are also smoked, I tried their smoked fried ("crispy") mozzarella. In theory, it would have been quite delicious. But even I, who will come back from a camping trip and revel in the smoky smell that lingers for days, thought the smoke on this cheese was a little much. I couldn't finish the plate (and that is sad). I also tried their spiked hot cider. It seemed appropriate for the weather, since it was dreary and cold and a little snow lingered on the streets. But it was spiked with Fireball whisky, which I haven't had since college and now remember why, and was also lukewarm. But hey, the beer is cheap. At least during happy hour, and hey, good news, it's only a block from the hotel!
(2)
Tempress M.
Well first of all, I love the Harbor, a very nice place to come and hangout with friends--and even for out of town guest. Ok, now to the real issue at hand...Public House. The service sucks!!! The bartenders are R.U.D.E, no personality whatsoever. They ignore you when you try and ask for service (which they are supposed to provide), and it's not just one bartender, it's all of them!!! If I leave work after a looooong day and I'm looking for a drink, I expect superior service, especially if I'm paying. Last time I checked, food and drinks aren't free! The food and drinks are subpar but other than that they get 2 stars from me. So if and when you decide to come, expect the rudeness!!
(2)
Luis T.
Went here for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast hollandaise eggs with crab tasted well. Dinner was good too. As the others have posted, the prices are higher then one would expect given that its on national harbor.
(3)
Kimberly P.
Service was very slow and food was hit or miss. The Korean short rib buns were delicious and the portabella sandwich (minus the roll) was yummy. But the kids burger was burnt and gross. The southwest Cobb is served with cold chicken (no warning that the chicken wasn't cooked fresh). Overall I'd maybe try an appetizer again but the entrees left much to be desired.
(3)
Ellen L.
Last minute birthday plan? Want to enjoy good music? open late? this place is a good choice for that. However be prepared for mediocre food and slow service. I would go back just for a spur of the moment or its because its a place I already tried but it wouldn't be a first choice.
(3)
Shenica S.
I'm always going to be a huge fan of the Public House... when working for the County and stationed at the National Harbor I already know what's for dinner... I love the staff, Alexis, Jay, and Nicki are my favorites for my lunch and dinner meals... and Michelle is my all time fave for breakfast.... these following ppl compliment the amazing meals I constantly get served. I recommend the old bay wings and tacos for an appetizer, crab cake sandwich or southwest salad as an entree and DEFINITELY the apple turnover for dessert! The managers including my favorite Brian are very attentive and cater to your needs and are very approachable. THERE IS NEVER A DOUBT THAT I WILL ALWAYS GET GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOOD WHEN I VISIT!!!
(5)
Jeana C.
I am giving them 5 stars because of their manager. I assume he was the manager. My girls and I came here last night for our girls' night out. Ordered 2 appetizers and a salad, and my girls had drinks. Music was awesome, DJ was on point! But the guests next to us were a little wild...then more ladies joined them. The issue was, they were dancing right next to our table, w their big booties about to touch our table. We just LOL, and continued to have a good time. Apparently, the manager saw this and came over to them and said something to them, twice. At the end we received our bill and baam. 1/2 off our bill, just because of all the wildness to the table next to us. We thought that was an excellent svc. Needless to say, we tipped the waiter very well. So good job, manager for the night! We will be back!
(5)
Dawn B.
Loved Happy Hour...Drinks were only $6.00 which is fantatstic in EXPENSIVE DC!!! We had 4 drinks and a salad for 33.00. Im comparing that price to the following night at another venue in downtown DC (Spent $35 for a Ceasar salad and 1 cocktail....OMG, could have hit the floor).
(3)
BC E.
We came here before reading the reviews. Mistake. Simple crab cake and chicken sandwiches with a bottle of half price wine came to $70 with tip. Not bad, but the food was only okay. The wine was good, though, and a deal at half price (Sunday's). However, the list we picked it from said it was from Germany, but the label clearly said Washington state. Say whaaat?!? Service was prompt, but my friend said the crab didn't seem fresh. It smelled fishy even across the table. Chicken sandwich, which was supposed to be a club, was just a breast on toast. I expected fresh sliced chicken in the more traditional club set-up. They have a captive audience here, though, but if you can get into DC or Alexandria, do it.
(2)
Kristin F.
I went here one Saturday around 11am after running a race at the National Harbor. My friend and I looked at their brunch menu online and were excited to try this place out, but we failed to see that on Saturdays breakfast is only served until 11am so unfortunately we were stuck with the lunch menu which seemed very limited to me. I ordered the Public House burger which was Angus and came with the standard toppings. I found it okay but nothing great about it. My friend ordered the Maryland Crabcake sandwich which she said was good. Overall I just wasn't impressed by the menu options for lunch, maybe they have more for dinner but I don't think I would go here again.
(2)
David B.
Been here several times and like hanging at the bar. The bar staff are also very attentive and friendly. I had the charted chicken wings and they were really good. Very different crusty and yummy.. I also had the Korean BBQ shorten buns yummy as well..
(4)
Jason K.
My buddy and I were here for a conference at The Gaylord and the Public House is right across the street. They have a great happy hour for $3 Yeunling's or Coor's Light and a bunch of different appetizers. I got the Southwest Salad. Our waitress/bartender was super cool and was quick to refill my Youngling. The food came out after about 10 minutes and it was a really large salad with an awesome tasting grilled chicken with what seemed like a spicy rub. Perfect coloring. Some tortilla strips and avocado with the balsamic type dressing made for a filling salad. There were also a ton of TV screens here with which games were on beneath them during football season. A huge plus! Before happy hour ended I ordered the hummus plate. I knew I would want the leftovers for breakfast. Superb! A huge scoop of hummus with some olives and tomatoes go with the hot pita bread perfectly. Just yummy! Great food for a usual touristy type place and a fun atmosphere! The happy hour was the best that I saw at National Harbor.
(4)
Jeff W.
Stopped for dinner after the football game. The food was delicious. I had the Jambalaya that was a perfect mixture of heat and spicy. My wife had short ribs that was cooked to falling off the bone. The corn and crab hush puppies was an fabulous starter. The sauce that came with it was incredible. The staff was attentive and good. Overall a great visit.
(4)
Cornelie H.
Came here for a going away for a coworker. We had a lil private party in a reserved room. We were dressy. The food was not bad. The shrimp was awesome but the rosotto was not... at all! The cash bar had everything, which was definitely a plus. Music was decent. I would only come here when I am no where near broke and with a group of people... probably for drinks. I can skip the meal.
(3)
Linda P.
we've been there twice in the past month and both times it was hot as heck in there--- how does the place stay open with little or no air cond.( manager ?? told us it's getting fixed but when????)...Food is good --service was very good --but after we lelt -- felt bad for our waitress cause all we did was complain about the heat- so if you want to melt during dinner at least be seated with the cute college kid ( i think her name was mariska/mirissa something like that .I would not have wanted to wait on us....... Public House let me know when the ac is working and we'll be back!!!
(2)
Mike S.
Though I am not a big fan of bar centered restaurants, Public House has a pleasant atmosphere that is good for the yuppie happy hour/game night crowd. The appetizers were decent and the food par for the course. Like some of the other destination spots throughout the area be prepare to pay more than what you would pay for than if you were going to a quik-serv establishment. All in all I would rate the food about a 6 and the atmosphere about an 8.
(3)
Connie M.
Deja vu...I was staying at the Gaylord; attending the same workshop; came in with a huge lunch crowd with the same friends; sat at the bar again; had mediocre service again; both times left hungry and disappointed. Major Fail. :( So, why come back? Well, I believe in 2nd chances, my friend is a vegetarian, it is one block from the Gaylord and there is only so many times you can pay $20 for hotel salad bar. As a former server, I feel for them as the convention lunch crowd stampedes in all at once...so the long wait does not bother me. What irked me is the number of times the male bartender walked past my empty ice tea glass and refused to make eye contact with me. See, the problem is that the ice tea is in the back and any good bartender would make sure to have at least ONE pitcher of tea stashed at the bar as the lunch crowd comes in. FAIL #1 Yes, he was annoyed because many of the bar patrons were in a hurry to get back to their workshops/meetings but if he had taken 30 seconds to explain that a huge lunch crowd walked in AT THE SAME TIME and the kitchen was backed up but could he refill their drinks with a giant (even fake) smile. Instead, he gave attitude which only made the people sitting next to me even more upset and impatient. FAIL #2 I ordered from the Sunday Brunch menu...Crab Benedict. I asked for the eggs to be extra runny and they were perfect! However, the Hollandaise sauce was also watered down (was there misunderstanding when I ordered??) The "fingerling" potatoes came out cubed like for a hash...except they were not brown or crispy. FAIL #3 I have to give a shout out for their sausage patties...they came with my vegetarian friend's french toast (see, there are perks to being friends with her!!) and I was happy to trade my bland potatoes for them. They were tiny but they look and tasted like they were homemade...SCORE!! At 1pm there was a football game and they have a special...$20 for unlimited Coors Light and 1/2 price apps WITH the beer special. I tried to order some wings but couldn't get any which made me really tempted to stay for Coors light. ps. My friend liked her french toast but it wasn't anything special for $12 pps. If everyone had gotten the bottomless Bloody Mary(s) EVERYONE would have had a better time!! :)
(2)
Todd P.
We were a party of 14 and to my surprise, we were seated immediately without a reservation. There was a room set aside for a large group. For me, it went downhill from there. We were there on Sunday early enough for breakfast. We all received menus and only half of them had the breakfast menu. Water was served with no lemon and a few glasses without ice and it was high chlorine tap water. The highlight of my experience was having my order taken last and not receiving it. When I informed the order taker (not server - there is a big difference) her standard answer was "it'll be coming up." In reality, the kitchen goofed and didn't prepare it at all. It was finally delivered when everyone else in my party was finishing up. Fortunately, the manager comped my meal. I still don't think I'll return.
(2)
D G.
Decent appetizers and drinks.; the chicken spring rolls were tasty. Nothing overly superb but a great bar if you want to catch a football game outside of the house. Food is kinda pricey for what you get, but it is to be expected in that location. Overall, I will return... Just not rushing to do so.
(3)
Dan R.
I'm not normally one to complain about restaurants because usually if I don't like it, I just don't go back. In this particular case I feel annoyed enough to leave a review. Service was poor. Had to ask for things multiple times. Orders were missing items. The $9 sweet potato fries appetizer portion was TINY. Our party of four had mixed reviews on the food. I ordered a Cobb salad which lacked most the ingredients one would normally expect in a Cobb salad. Management refused to accept our $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate because we did not order four entrees. It's not clear to me what constitutes an entree seeing as how four adults all ate full meals. We ordered drinks, an appetizer, the aforementioned meal-sized salad, two sandwiches and the french toast off the brunch menu and a desert and spent over $100.
(2)
Lam N.
Do yourself a huge favor: Do not go here. We went here for a group lunch and the waitress was very nice and accommodating. However, that does not make up all the bad things this restaurant has to offer. First off, they brought out the bread, which is cold and dry even though we were there just when they're open for lunch. It's as if they used the bread from yesterday. Oh, and if you want for bread for the table, you have to pay an extra $2. It's the not the cost that's the problem, it's the principle! One glance at the menu and you can see mediocre dishes all around, with a few exceptions of unique dishes and ingredients. We got our food and I got to try my co-workers food also. The final verdict across the board of some 18 people was that the food was mediocre. The hummus was dry and tasteless. The burger was overcooked and uninteresting. The pulled pork was just OK. For the price that you're paying for the food, you expect better. If you think that you're paying for the location and/or ritz, there isn't any besides the contemporary decor. It is situated 2-3 blocks away from the water so you are basically having a great view of the street. I would highly recommend anyone to SKIP this place and move on.
(1)
Brian S.
Public House turned out much better than I expected. We were there with a group during the Steelers/Ravens playoff game, and I was surprised how many people were there to watch the game. It definitely gave the place a lively atmosphere. We started with the cheesesteak spring rolls and the crab dip, and they were both very good. My burger was cooked correctly, but they didn't get the toppings correct. My wife's french dip was very good, but the slices of ciabatta were way too thick. Not only did they detract from the taste of the meat, but they made the sandwich difficult to eat, especially with work colleagues. The beer list was good, but not great. A three star meal was made better by a great atmosphere and competent service. I would go back if and when I'm in National Harbor again.
(4)
Lori Taylor R.
Quite possibly the worst experience ever! We should have taken our cue from the service we were given at the bar while waiting on our table, but unfortunately, we did not. We were seated after about a 30 minute wait at a large round table near the window. We had a party of 8, so we could understand needing to wait. Our server was friendly, but seemed slightly out of it. The appetizers were blah and the dinners should have never left the kitchen. They were absolutely terrible! The chicken sandwich, which several people in our group ordered was cold, tough, and rubbery. No joke, you could have bent the chicken in half, slammed it in a door numerous times and it wouldn't have been effected at all. (I wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't the plastic food they use in the display cases at Asian restaurants.) The fries served with every meal were cold and soggy. We notified our waiter and he seemed a bit overwhelmed with the news ... so, manager to the rescue? Yeah, not so much. She says, "Well, since we aren't so slammed now we can make you new chicken sandwiches." What? Who says that? No apology! And, because you are busy, you can't serve edible food? None of this is making any sense and it's completely rubbing me the wrong way. Let us out of this disastrous meal. One place I never need to visit again!
(1)
Fran T.
Sorry, but the truth has to be told...I'd do no star if I could...this place should stick to being a bar and not try to make money on the so-called Sunday Brunch. Service was BAD and the breakfast food was nothing to talk about. I asked for salt and pepper for my eggs, and our waitress proceeded to take another table's order. By the time she remembered to bring the salt/pepper, my eggs were stone cold. I asked for new eggs and they still had not come out after about 7 minutes. Of course by now, the rest of my meal was cold. Also, I asked for a fresh cup of coffee while I waited for the new eggs. The waitress took my cup inside (again, why was no one walking around with a pot of coffee for refills...lesson 101 in any restaurant!) She did NOT dump the 1/3 cup of COLD coffee, but added coffee to it! What part of FRESH CUP was not understood?! I did speak to the manager and requested my meal be removed from the bill and she obliged, and although she listened to me and assured me this was not the 'norm' for them, neither she nor the waitress ever apologized for my very unhappy experience. On a side note, a couple came in and was seated next to us...they never received acknowledgement of their presence by any waitstaff and after about 10 minutes they left. No, it was not busy.
(1)
Veronica W.
Ok I guess. I went there on a Friday night....around 10/11. The music was good, there was still food available. It's a standard bar...I'm not sure if anything in particular stood out.
(3)
Leigh P.
it was located across the street from the hotel I was staying at (Gaylord Resort). I stopped by here for a beer and dessert and was satisfied. I enjoyed their cookie-pizza-with-ice cream. It was decent sized --- filling and not too sweet. I ate at the bar. The server was attentive without being over-the-top. PLENTY OF TVs for watching sports. It does get loud. It's an ok option for the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to get here - but if you're in town for a conference & want a break from the hotel restaurant scene, it's a decent choice.
(3)
Anirban C.
Not great. OK food, slow service. I went in at 5pm for a (very) late lunch. I sat at the bar for several minutes before anyone wandered over to see what I needed. I ordered the crab soup because I wanted something fast and hot. After 20 minutes or so I started wondering where my soup was. It finally arrived and was not at all hot, but I dug into it because I was starving at this point. They brought another bowl that they probably just stuck in the microwave, with more liquid and less crab than the first. The soup itself was underwhelming ... the crabmeat was good and it had some nice spicy heat to it, but the vegetables and flavor reminded me too much of Campbell's. At least the place has free WiFi, which came in handy while I was waiting for my soup ...
(2)
Tina M.
I sat at the bar and had a great time. The bartenders were very attentive (on a Friday night) and ended up doing some shots with me! The food was a bit disappointing and overpriced but the atmosphere was great and exactly what I needed at the end of a long week. The wine menu was a bit disappointing as well but the bartenders were happy to offer free samples until I found one I liked.
(4)
Mark G.
Great selection of beer, good selection of food - I'm a fan. I got the Maryland Crab cakes, and I'm pretty picky when it comes to Crab Cakes, and this place won me over. Strongly recommend it!
(4)
Jeff R.
I think 3 stars is about good for this place. A little out of the way down in National Harbor, but I suppose if you happen to be staying in a hotel down there or at a conference, this would be a good option to offer your patronage. I was there for an event recently, and Public House served as very accommodating hosts. They were super on top of things at the bar, and everyone in our group of about 50 people seemed to be having a good time. Also, they were playing the Barca game on one of their many tvs so bonus points for that. I didn't actually try any of the food...so I think I'm just going to leave my review at that. Great service/hosting for our event. Was it enough to convince me to drive all the way back down to National Harbor just to eat there? Perhaps not, but if I'm in the area, I suppose I would stop in for a second visit.
(3)
Kim J.
Decent (not great) wine/beer list, good crab dip appetizer, decent but pricey entrees, but service was spotty. However, management was quick to make things right for a late dessert delivery. Overall vibe of National Harbor is touristy without much substance.
(3)
Simpson Y.
The burger there was just ok. Bread was rather small in diameter but the meat was pretty thick. I also had a crab cake sandwich which was basically the same thing as a burger but with a crab cake. That was a little better but it was served with some really soggy kettle chips with I did not like at all.
(2)
Edet N.
After the Marine Corps birthday celebration at the Gaylord we decided to get out of uniform and take the party to the streets. Public House was the first place we saw so thought nothing of stopping in for a few drinks. Standing in line waiting to get in I was behind a Wounded Warrior. A Marine who had was shot in the head, and blown up was making his first trip out of the Naval hospital to go to the birthday celebration and out on the town afterward. This young Marine was wearing a helmet, specially made for him to prevent any accidental brain injury. This Marine was a shell of his former self, his speech slurred, his rehabilitated motor-skills enabled him to function but there was much work to be done. Upon getting to the doorman this Marine was told that the "no hat" policy would not allow him to come in and enjoy his night. It took everything in me to restrain myself as I see a Veteran who has had his life drastically altered so that the rest of us can go out and enjoy a drink be told he is not welcome. I respect the policies of any given establishment; but there comes a time where commonsense must prevail. After some careful word play the management relented and let this Devil Dog enjoy the night, but it shouldn't have gotten to that point. This was a clear case of ignorance and intolerance and for that I will not enjoy my overpriced beverages at Public House.
(1)
Tom W.
Went in and sat down at the bar. There were about 10 people who were seated around the bar. Everybody else had their drinks. They had 2 batenders who were busy doing everything but getting my drink order. Not sure if they expected me to beg for a drink, but that's not my style. After 10 minutes I got up and walked out. I don't need a drink that bad.
(1)
Rachel M.
Public is more of a "hey let's grab a drink" kind of place then to eat...but do not go, i say again DO NOT GO THERE FOR BRUNCH. ok...considering they've only started serving brunch 2 weeks ago, but cmon now how hard is it to make a poached egg???? or any kind of egg dish??? My friend had the Crab Benedict and well needless to say the egg looked disgusting! So she ordered another poached egg and well it came back the same way. She complained to the waitress which in turn had the Manager come by to apologize and it wasnt quite an apology. She said that they've only started brunch couple of weeks ago and it should get better cuz its NEW! and that she will deduct half of her meal because she ate half...OMG!!! Well that didnt sit well with her so my friend asked the whole meal removed. So all in all...grab a drink at the bar and maybe...an app but dont expect anything more from your food.
(2)
Chrisa S.
Great place for people with completely average gastronomic expectations and interests.
(2)
Mike O.
Awesome bar with a fun staff, cool crowd and good, reasonable drinks. Have fun hanging out there when you're in town for a conference.
(5)
Davonnediashay C.
Terrible staff, over priced everything, mediocre food. After my last experience Ive vowed to never go back. It was my friends birthday & i spent over $400 on food & drinks (although we hardly ate the food). When the nite was coming to a close i got up to use the bathroom. when i can back eveything was cleared off the table. Food & drinks tht were harldy touched got thrown away. I told the manager & he immediately jumped to the defense. I like "dude, the place is closed, no one else will be sitting here... our jackets are still here, that was at least $70 worth of food tht was boxed up & ready to go, the waiter shoulld hv made sure no one was coming back before he cleared the table." He said will it was only wings and crab drip thts nothing. I was like since its so simple then replace it. He said kitchen was closed and for me to give him my name & number & he would call me back atfter 5pm the next day & i could come in and hv dinner on him... I knew at tht point he was just saying tht so i would leave the whole situation alone. Needless to say I never heard from him. Ive had numerus bad expericences at this place, this is just the most recent... I shulda been done with place long before this issue but it was my friends bday so i made a expection. The only reason Im giving this place 2 stars is because of the people that go there... They normally have a good crowd... & if u hv the right ppl any dump can be made enjoyable... Oh, and they hv a ok dj on Fri. & Sat.
(2)
Erin O.
This was my first dining experience at Public House. The restaurant, and National Harbor in general, wasn't overly busy on this Sunday, which was also Father's Day. After we were greeted by our server, we learned that they didn't have two of the appetizers and one of the sandwiches. Perhaps they had a big lunch rush, but from what we saw, the whole area wasn't that busy... We enjoyed dinner; the food was good/okay, but slightly overpriced. Our server was friendly and accommodating. Would like to see a larger selection of entrees on the menu. If I go back to National Harbor (iffy because there isn't much to do), I would try some of the other restaurants before making a second visit to Public House.
(2)
Tattoo S.
Good food, good drinks, good beer, good late hours, good times!
(4)
Maggie M.
This place is pretty cool. The bartenders are great here. They make a killer pineapple martini. Its infused pineapples with vodka. Very tastey! There hot wings are SUPER hot and firey. But still good. We also enjoyed the crabcake sandwich which the MR loved and I wasnt to big of a fan of it. (not a big crab cake person though). They have good fries too. I would def go back here for a drink or a light dinner. One of the better choices at the National Harbour.
(4)
K C.
Good service. The waitress went out of her way to try to find the quietest place in the place. Warning, the background music is a little loud. Crabcakes and Caesar were tasty. The fish tacos were a bit bland and came fried to my surprise. I thought the cookie dough smash was divine.
(3)
Ariana G.
In the food desert of National Harbor where it is next to impossible to find anything approaching edible, this place is an oasis. I am not going to say it's great because it's not. It is a place to get something to eat, that you will want to eat and not send back to the kitchen. Best the area has to offer.
(3)
Tarik B.
I went on a Friday night it was super crowded the wait for tables 45 minutes. The crowd is nice, guys must wear collared shirt, music is mostly urban and hip hop but great clean music and a little dance floor. I order the salmon platter a little disappointed at the size of the salmon was at 22 on a plate a can with some cus cus and vegetables but the salmon was small. A little smaller than a your palm. Luckily I ordered chicken and french fries at the bar which was delicious the salmon was delicious also. Plenty of women.
(4)
Miranda H.
We went here because they had a good looking menu for brunch, much better than other restaurants nearby. I'm glad we made a reservation because apparently they had a 25 minute wait. Service was okay - our server didn't check in very often which kept us waiting, and the food was just okay as well - the aioli that they put on the sandwich was gross - lacked flavor and wasn't anything special - would have preferred just mayo, and the fries were lukewarm. After ordering, meal came out in about 5 min. I was annoyed that when I ordered decaf coffee it was a big deal that took about 10 minutes to be delivered, and then when she refilled it she put in regular. The place was okay - nothing special and really not worth the price. Probably won't be returning anytime, nor would I recommend it.
(2)
Taylor C.
Sat at the bar for dinner while I was here for a tradeshow. DJ was good, drinks were well poured. As I always do I got the Mac and cheese. There was a lot of crab in it which would be good but everything else about it missed. For dinner I had the southwest salad as a wrap and it was good. I'm guessing this is slightly better than most bar food. Someone next to me got the crab cakes and said they were good and all crabmeat. Service was good but not great.
(3)
Lisa H.
Ho-hum. We went around 11:30 am before Cirque. The positive: Service was good throughout. I had the chicken sandwich. Bland. Average. Nothing to write home about. Served on wheat toast that got soggy on one side by the time I got to the second half. My friend got huevos rancheros and it looked a bit weird. He said it tasted fair. They serve it on a flat tostado or something like that. Skimpy sausage portion. I won't be back. There are lots of other places to try.
(2)
S G W.
Food is very good. Portions are generous. They have very nice entree salads and great burgers. The menu has plenty of other choices too, but we went with our favorites. We also noticed the bar is very well stocked. Some of the regular convention goers said it's one of the best bars there. Service was good. The waiter was big help with beer recommendations. The restaurant is a short distance from the hotel area so if you are there for a convention and only have a short time for lunch, it works well. And perfect for happy hour too.
(4)
Local B.
The best time to go is on a weekday or a Sunday evening during a game. Friday & Saturday nights suck because for it to be a bar they have too many damn rules for your casual spot for drinks, music & food. I dont need to be told to take my hat off as if my hat is going to hurt anybody in the damn establishment. My friend who is not from this area does not need to be told he needs a collar shirt in order to get a F-ing beer. If you want to be a fake upscale nightclub you might want to promote yourselves as such. Corny ass rules towards two working guys who will go in spend their money & spread the word of a great time is a bad look. Fix that shtt because its lame & turns off many people from being regulars.
(3)
Sarah W.
Just got back from a conference at the Gaylord in National Harbor. Over the three days I was there, I ate at Public House three times. (Drinks & Dessert, Lunch, and Dinner). The food here is delicious, however, the service is what is really holding this place back. The wait time even for just dessert was at least 30 minutes, our lunch came out quickly, however, the waitress was barely around. Dinner took forever as well, though the place was slammed. This place is full of out of towners who are trapped without cars to leave the Harbor, which means the prices are higher than you would find else where. Can't imagine going back on my next trip to the DC area, but it served its purpose considering the situation I was in.
(3)
dana m.
I've eaten here at the Philly location, I had high expectations for this place. Unfortunately it wasn't the best. The smell of old beer coming from the bar as we walked past it to our table for lunch was overwhelming. I almost walked out because if they're not cleaning the bare minimum (mopping after a busy night) who knows what else they're not cleaning!! I got over it and sat down in a booth. The food was decent but the waitress stood there, bent over the beverage station right in front of us. It was awkward...
(2)
Emily G.
I came here with my parents and it is so gross I decided to review it now. I gave it 1 star for presentation, but otherwise my chop salad was soaked in lime juice and disgusting and the garlic spinach I ordered on the side was too strong. I can make spinach better than that. my dad got the burger and said it was too sweet, and my mom got a crab cake and said it was about what she could expect from a 2 star restaurant. none of us finished our meals and I am highly disappointed. do not get trapped in this tourist restaurant or because it is convenient as it was for us.
(1)
Jaymee M.
Sat down at the bar at 6:52 pm (no intentions of ordering happy hour items) bartender walked by us multiple times and finally talked to us at 7:03 pm after happy hour ended at 7:00 pm. Over 10 minutes to be said hello to and take a drink order?? At a bar!? Ridiculous. She was rude. Short. And wasn't interested in anything but hanging out with the other bartenders. We witnessed her take shots twice with them while we were waiting for our second round and then waiting for our check. Finally another bartender brought us our check. I will never return because of the lack of service.
(1)
Freddy V.
The karaoke is so nice but there is one Asian girl at bar that is so rude all time and gave a bad service to us also the manager Mike don't care about anything we told them about the problem that girl and he was so disrespectful too. Bad time - Bad service.
(1)
Laura V.
Arrived as a party of three just after noon. Placed lunch order at 12:05 p. Tepid coffee arrives and has to be sent back. At 12:30 p. we asked how things were coming with our lunch (3 burgers). We were told that it was "up next". At 12:45 p. we asked for our check for the coffee and tea and said we were leaving. The server said, there was a party of 15 in front of us...really? The restaurant was NOT full and patrons who arrived after us had SOME food on their table when we walked out. Choose another choice!
(1)
Gloria Y.
Worst place EVER!! Customer service....severely lacking!!! They pour costumers drinks out before it's done & then make you buy another!!! Crazy!!!
(1)
Krystal P.
The good is good but there is a limited selection and it is a bit pricey for what's offered. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was delicious. We ordered seven daughters moscato. It was pretty good, light and sweet. I also got the honey orange Manhattan. It was pretty strong but still ok. Just wish they had more of a selection.
(3)
Sumi H.
Thank you Public House for being so awesome during my stay at the harbor. I've been remodeling my house without anywhere to stay that night, or kitchen to cook in. I was horribly stressed and honestly needed a break from it all. My mother and I came to this restaurant and we were greeted promptly by Andrew. He gave great food and drink suggestions, and he was very kind and patient with our indecisiveness. Overall great experience, and the artichoke and crab dip is something only true Marylanders and crab lovers can enjoy. It's full of lump crab meat! With all of the fuss about my house and the stress that comes along with it, I guess my sleep deprivation got the best of me. As I was packing up to go, I left my car keys!! I woke up the next morning in a rush to meet my contractors and I was totally stranded. But thanks to Andrew, his kindness, and honesty, he found them and stashed them for me to pick up the night before. All of this to say the staff here is wonderful and the food matches their caliber! I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Torie G.
Appetizers were good, but they ran out of French Fries! Really? How do you run out of French Fries? There was an hour wait for the crab Mac & Cheese at 11am! Service was subpar and mgr on duty was awful. Probably would never go back.
(2)
Samayah A.
What saddens me about this place was not so much the food was bad but our server being such an ass. He had such a terrible attitude and seemed irritated when I requested my salad a certain way. I just didn't get it. Beyond that my son has a gluten allergy and I requested his burger not come with the bun. Of course it did and the items were left off a simple Cobb salad I ordered. Just unfortunate I have to give this place a bad review over someone with an unfavorable attitude. The wait was kind of long too. I will NOT give them my business again.
(1)
Amanda K.
Been here twice. The first time I was among a group of 6 girls and we just went for drinks. The place gets packed and gets pretty live. We had so much fun and the music was great. The second time I went with one friend for dinner and drinks. We ordered the cheesesteak wraps which were amazing and the nachos which were good UNTIL I SAW A BABY ROACH CRAWLING OUT OF THE NACHOS!!! I was horrified and disgusted since I had been eating them. The bartender took all the food off our bill but charged us for the drinks. No one really apologize, guess they're used to roaches in their food. DISGUSTING. Do not eat here.
(1)
Mohammed J.
Don't miss the chicken spring rolls!!! They are ridiculously delicious! A bit spicy tho
(4)
Jim D.
Server was Annie she was very nice and attentive. Asked her what she would recommend and decided to try the jambalaya. Good choice, great taste and good portion. Would recommend this place to friends and work partners.
(5)
LaShanta H.
Stay far away from the smokehouse bacon flatbread. Just too fancy. But not good quality. Too much going on. Burger was great and the topping options were really good but the bun was WAY too small for a half pound burger. Greek salad was great and big and fresh. The pita bread was nice and soft too.
(3)
Neal E.
Had a late dinner here one evening. Sat at the Bar. Ordered the fried oysters for an appetizer - and a burger with fries. Plus a Pint of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. Oysters came out first. They were very heavy on the breading, and the breading was falling off the oysters - and very little in the way of flavor. Burger was tasty - fries were hot and crisp. 90 Minute IPA was cold and delicious. In the bar area - they have this large glass storage container - packed full of Pineapple Vodka. They let the Pineapple marinate and flavor the Vodka for about a week. The bartender gave me a complimentary shot. It was delicious! Did not even taste like Vodka! Service was good. I'd come back here for drinks and maybe something to eat - but I would not order the oysters again.
(3)
Xerxes N.
Great spot that is walking distance from the Gaylord National Convention Center in MD. I had the opportunity to hang out at this place two nights in a row. The first night was just sitting outside on the patio. We sipped on some beers as we people watched throughout the evening. The next night though...karaoke!!! The set up for karaoke was rather odd. All the words were blasted on a big screen that you can see throughout the bar but you had to stand so close to the wall (because of the mic cord) and look straight up. (Thank God I've sang Baby Got Back so many times that I didn't really need to look at the screen.) It's a great set up for everyone else to sing along but hard for the singer since they're so close to the screen. Also, where we stood to sing was in a walkway so people were easily walking around you as oppose to being on a stage. The bar was a huge wraparound and the service overall was solid (with some good eye candy by the way). Since I already had dinner I didn't eat but I did see a few meals come out and they looked pretty good. It's one of those spots that I wish we had here in Hampton Roads I'd be a regular. Just an overall good vibe with a mixed crowed. Everyone in my group had a good time as we sang the night away.
(4)
Justin K.
Not overwhelming. Greeter wasn't very friendly. Service was OK, I'd have expected better at 7pm on a Sunday night. Food was relatively bland. Not interested in returning.
(2)
Crissy C.
I recently had a dinner party at Public House for my birthday. There were about 20 of us so they sat us in the private area toward the back of the restaurant. We could still here the music, which was great but the atomosphere was much calmer and the decor was fitting. There were two other parties (one with about 10 people and the other had about 20 people) in the area as well but the space was large enough for all parties to enjoy themselves without feeling like someone was stealing their night. The food and drinks were amazing. We all ordered appetizers to share including the cheesesteak spring rolls (my favorite), wings, nachos, and crab and artichoke dip. Some ordered salads and a couple had crab cakes. No complaints at all. Throughout dinner I had an unknown amount of drinks and even the server bought me a shot for my birthday. I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday there and would definitely return.
(4)
Mary Jo Lisa C.
Was seated outside fairly quickly on a very busy Saturday afternoon. Service was quick and prompt and our server checked on us fairly regularly. The NY strip was cooked perfectly and the B sprouts and frites (which was like a nest of fried potato strings) was the excellent compliment to the steak. My friend had a cheeseburger with fries which she seemed to enjoy. Great spot and fun for people watching.
(4)
Toya J.
Public House is a hands down good a$$ time! Friday night this is the perfect place to be out and about with friends. I was shocked at how far the National Harbor had come on the Liveliness Scale. For dinner, I ordered the buffalo shrimp appetizer and it was really good. The shrimp were big, and the seasoning was very tasty. Everyone else's appetizers looked good too. They serve bistro quality dishes. Although, this is a casual spot, it's not your typical burgers, buffalo wings, and fries type of place. They have flat breads, hummus, and mussels; there are a host of unrelated items to choose from. You may want to let your server know if you're a lightweight, because folks were getting LIT UP!!! I'm sure what I would presume to be grown responsible ladies, somehow had reverted back to their college days, drinking, staggering, and stumbling around holding on to counters to get from one end of the bar to the next, and it wasn't even midnight . YIKES! At one point they had to turn the house lights up, because someone had puked all through the women's bathroom, so they closed it down to do a thorough cleaning. Girls Girls Girls, that drink may be fun, fruity, and flirtatious, but that don't mean it's a tease. HA HA! The DJ here on Friday night was spinning top 40 and some Hip Hop, customers have somehow created their own dance floor in the front and rear of this restaurant and people was just partyin'. There's indoor/ outdoor seating as well. I liked the fact that we sat outside and ate, and then our group came in and had a few more drinks kinda two steppin, mingling at the bar. I'm coming back... and as a matter of fact we are adding this place into my girlfriend's Bachelorette Bar Hop in August. Every man and woman needs a good waterin' hole to lay their burdens down and in my book Public House just got official.
(4)
Leang E.
We came in and were seated right away, and was able to get a table outside. It was a gorgeous day to be out and sitting. The food was good, but like what others have stated the service was lacking. The refills were a bit slow, and we went up to the hostesses to see about getting our bill paid. Luckily, we were able to do that so that we could head out and enjoy the rest of our night. I don't get why there was a need for 4 hostesses when it seemed that they really need more waitstaff. The prices were average for the area.
(3)
Gerna P.
They brought me NOT what I have ordered. There was a hair in my food. They compensated with a VERY small amount. Will not go back.
(1)
Jeremy Y.
Seated for breakfast on a Saturday morning. 10 minutes before the server acknowledged us (no water/drinks) and only a couple of minutes after asking if a server was assigned to our table. 2 of 4 water glasses have lipstick on them. Restaurant not busy, lots of staff standing around. Poor service negates food quality.
(2)
Jasmin H.
So we ended up here after the original reason we were staying at National Harbor fell thru (Pose was closed, but that is another rant for another post) as a quick fix. Since we were staying at the Gaylord, Public House was conveniently located across from there. When we walked in I noticed how random the crowd was. Saw some mid 30s and mid 20s crowded in the restaurant and bar sides equally. Personally I thought the place would be bigger on the inside considering how it looked from the outside. The DJ was ON POINT! Like I was shocked at how he played most songs all the way thru and had a random, but good variety/collection. Didn't even need to be drunk to enjoy myself lol. Too bad the space to dance is kind of tight (I know it's not meant to be a dance club or anything but with jams that good it's hard not to want to move around!) but my girls and I made the best out of the space. I ordered a Lemon Drop shot that was freakin expensive! Lke I just shivered again fro the memory of that price, not to mention when I ordered a Mai Tai the bartender said he would make me a Rum Punch instead....um I guess? Lucky for him it was delish. Overall it was an enjoyable alternative to my original plans. The overall atmosphere was cool. If I were stayin at National Harbor again I would totally return.
(3)
Joy L.
I guess if your in your twenties and like loud (really loud) rap music this is the place for you. It gave me a headache!! Our waiter was slow and barely made eye contact with us. He had to lean over the table to hear us because the music was so loud. On a positive note, the burger was good as was the claim chowder thus the two star rating.
(2)
A N.
Wish I had looked at the menu before entering this place! Two apps - nachos and fried Mac & cheese, plus a kids grilled cheese cost nearly $50. That's insane. Food quality was ok but for the money was a let down. Would have left if I hadn't already sat down with a hungry child present. Place was dark in the restaurant area at five o'clock. Maybe this place is only there to cater to the high rollers staying at the Gaylord and that's fine. Just don't have signs on the outside saying its a casual food restaurant.
(1)
Scott D.
Let me be clear. This is five stars because of our waiter Andrew and how accommodating he was. On top of everything being perfect. Andrew was absolutely excellent. If someone goes to national harbor come here for the great service and food.
(5)
Laura R.
Bad service and mediocre (at best) service. Stopped in here after a Christmas event in the area. Service was S.L.O.W. and no one ever checked on us after our food arrived. Beer was waaay overpriced (seriously $6 for a Coors Light bottle?!?! ) but I really wanted one after dealing woth dC traffic, alas, no one asked. Food. Well my medium rare buger was on the verge of well done and the "cheddar" was more similar to a slice of prewrapped processed cheese. Dont get me started on the fast-food-esqe bacon. My husband's turkey on the turkey and brie was also processed lunchmeat. Sister-in-law got the pulled pork and her hands were more greasy than my 3 year old (who had chicken tenders). Good luck!
(1)
Pete C.
Tough to rate this place. The whole National Harbor area feels a bit like a tourist trap that trying too hard to be cool. We were staying at the Gaylord Resort for a big conference and because there was not a lot of convenient transportation to and from the hotel we found ourselves walking around this cluster of retail and restaurants that were within walking distance. The Public House was one of the closet locations to the hotel and so we hit it our first night in town. Hint to self if the entire police force of the National Harbor area is parked outside of an establishment maybe you should pick someplace else for a late night snack. We walked in and it was LOUD. Not lots of talking and plates clinking loud but heavy duty pounding hip hop dj pounding bass so you can't hear yourself shouting LOUD. We sat at the furthest table from the DJ and ordered our food. Stay away from the flat bread! The wings were good and my friends salad was ok but the highlight was the cold beer served fast and by a friendly waiter. After a couple of beers I thought we'll hell the music is here let's see where the dance floor is....you guessed it no dance floor just a bunch of folk moving where they stood. Mostly around the bar. What the hell East Coast? If you can't dance and can't hold a conversation and the food is gone it might be time to go elsewhere. Food was OK, Service was good, atmosphere was meh. 2 1/2 stars pumped up because they did play a couple of cool songs.
(3)
Josh P.
Came in around 11 on a Monday night after getting off a late bus tour of the city, so we were really just trying to find a restaurant that was still open for dinner. Walked in a the music was at club levels. There was some kind of drama happening outside so we opted to eat inside, which ended up being a mistake. I thought the music was loud when we walked in, but it just got louder and not only that, it was the most offensive playlist I'd heard in a restaurant setting. If there was a club setup in the back I could MAYBE give it a pass, but it's just a bar with an "upscale" restaurant front. Sorry if I don't enjoy "f*** you b****" and "I don't give a f*** about you" while I'm trying to eat my dinner (I think "f*** you b*****" actually played twice until someone who I assumed was the manager changed it to an almost equally vulgar song) The food was mediocre at best, not good enough to offset the awful atmosphere.
(1)
Wes E.
Terrible service and mediocre food. Ordered apps took 35 mins to get a bowl of soup and hot wings .. Overpriced!
(1)
Judi R.
My husband and I went to happy hour for the half priced apps & drinks. I Googled the website and it showed happy hour was 3 til 7 pm & we arrived before 4. We sat @ the bar & ordered the hummus plate, some wings & fries along with a couple of drinks. The food arrived pretty quick, drinks were good & we enjoyed everything. When the bill came, our bartender/waiter had charged us full price! I asked why the bill was full priced & he said we ordered BEFORE 4....thats when happy hour starts. I showed him the website on my phone AND the receipt also said 3 til 7!! He rather reluctantly re-did our bill. We were fine until that bill came. Come on Public House!!!! Get on the same page!!! SOOO....does happy hour start @ 3 OR 4pm??? Will we be going back?...No time soon.
(3)
Angela T.
This was very good food, and unlike some of the other reviewers, we had no issues with waiting a long time. But the place was also only to half capacity the night we went. I would like to point out that because the hotel all these restaurants in National Harbor are built around is a pricey Gaylord Hotel, ALL the restaurants price gauge in the village. They know it would be too expensive to cab elsewhere. So bottom line, it is NOT worth driving out of your way to get here for the price. But if you are visiting the Gaylord as we were for the week, this restaurant is a great choice.
(4)
Anthony D.
Just had a reunion party of some co-workers there on a busy Saturday night. Server Nathaniel was uber attentive to all 15 of us. Had table side visits from Chef Ron, manager Brian and Lisa from Marketing. Drinks were drinks. Can't mess with bourbon and rocks. Buffalo shrimp appetizer was very tasty. I skip the blue cheese though. Need to try more of menu next time. As Arnold would say, "I'll be back."
(5)
Dana W.
A large group of my friends went to the public house for breakfast and I would not recommend! Even though the crab and corn hush puppies were pretty good, I can't say the same for our breakfasts. I had an omelette which was made incorrectly, then brought back out still not made correctly. One of us had the heuvos rancheros which was just bad. Another one of us had steak and eggs which were not cooked as requested and the steak was burnt and chewy. Another friend had the Chesapeake Benedict which was bland. The eggs were essentially hard boiled on top instead of poached. Overall the food was sub par and over priced. We won't be going back here.
(2)
Bobby S.
Public house is my favorite restaurant bar. You can come in and enjoy an amazing dinner with your girl and party it up at night with your boys. The bartenders are quick to assist you and make sure you are enjoying yourself, especially Mike Terry. I would recommend anybody to come here and enjoy this place. It is the staple of the National Harbor. Bobby S.
(5)
Autumn W.
Came in for breakfast during our vacation. The service was awful and it took almost 45 minutes for our order to arrive. When it did finally come it was hot, however my husband discovered mold on his last bite of fruit. We also asked for a refill on coffee that we never received. Will not eat here again. The manager however did comp my husbands breakfast.
(1)
Tisha S.
This place is cool, food it good and large portions. When it turns into a club it gets real tight and hot. Its better when its warmer and folks can be outside as well. otherwise is a small few dancing and others just watching. There is always a mix of folks from upper crust, to gays and lesbians to the hip white person..
(4)
Kenneth A.
We went there for Sunday morning breakfast. It was one of the very few restaurants that was open. We enjoyed the food and service. I had the crabs benedict and my wife had the burrito. Both were prepared well. Our server was attentive and friendly. I would certainly recommend the place.
(4)
Jack H.
We were supposed meet our friends for Saturday brunch at this restaurant, but they failed to show for personal reasons. It was my recommendation to go to this restaurant and maybe in retrospect it's a good thing they didn't show up. I've had worse meals than this one, but this meal rated pretty low on a scale of 1-10. I had the Harbor Breakfast and it was pretty bad. The eggs were cooked just fine, but that is the only thing that was cooked right on the platter. The bacon, sausage and home fries were over cooked. The bacon was so overcooked that it crumbled in my hand. My wife ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich, which in no way resembled a Maryland crab cake. She took two bites and promptly made her way to the ladies room where she upchucked what little she ate. Yes, it was that bad. No excuse for any restaurant in Maryland that serves crab cakes to make something like this. For my beverage I just had water, but my wife wanted a latte or something of that nature. Most restaurants nowadays can make lattes, cappuccino's and things such as that. Not this restaurant . . . it's just plain coffee or nothing. I will have to give credit to the wait staff, our waitress was very good, except for her support of the crab cake. We had a terrible time keeping the flies off of our food. Maybe we should have let them have it, if it was that edible to them. The prices are way above average for this place as well. it sure wasn't for us. It was our first time here, but it will definitely be our last.
(2)
Meghan S.
Went here for Mother's Day with the family. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. Got the brunch and blue crab and artichoke dip. The dip is delicious and I highly recommend it. Orange juice is fresh! Was very disappointed that my eggs benedict didn't come with the yolks runny...which is traditional for eggs benedict. Kinda ruined the rest of it for me. The other thing is that our glasses at the table were not polished at all...and when we tried to polish them, the water stains did NOT come out. Was quite disturbing. There were also stains on the carpet and left over...not sure what...from when the restaurant turns into a club. I know neither myself nor my family will be going back here.
(3)
Rich F.
Food was pretty good. Great presentation. I liked the short menu. Flat iron was a little tough for medium rare. Crab cakes were good and the sides were as well. Wife complained that the bathroom was filthy!
(3)
Yvonne S.
Love Public House at National Harbour! We had lunch there the waitress Carlyn B was awesome and went to a show. After the show we went back to Public House for drinks and appetizers. Well what a great experience Ron the manager was so hospitable and the waiter Jared was so great. Definitely will go back to public House.
(5)
Lauren S.
I didn't eat here. I walked out the door when the hostess said I could get a table for six in 15 minutes, and then gave my table away to another party. If that's how you roll, that's fine, but you'll never get a dime of my money.
Give it a 3. Closest place from the Gaylord, so we went there out of convenience during a winter weather event. Server was friendly, but not particularly bright. TV volume was turned up uncomfortably high. Like everything else in the contrived National Harbor, the food/drinks are overpriced. The overall quality was okay, hence a satisfactory rating despite everything considered...
(3)
Mo A.
Let's start with the positives: Service was good, waiter was fairly knowledgeable about the menu and attentive for the most part. The music was actually pretty good as the bar section of the restaurant was trying to simulate a club like vibe. On to the negatives: Prices are high everywhere at the harbor since you're paying for "location". I wish location could make up for bad food but alas it does not so you're left with a high bill, ridiculous parking costs and overpriced stores that close early as heck. Food...food....food. It was not good.....at all. In fact, it doesn't deserve the "d" in food because it was lacking something. Very unappetizing and hard to continue eating. Bad Bad.....:"foo.......d". The hummus was so dry. It reminded me of old black bean dip. It was also too dense. Very bland as well. Had to ask for olive oil to improve the dish. The fish had that strong seafood smell and taste that the chef was either unwilling or unable to mask or change. So overwhelming that it was very hard to eat. The vegetable sides were decent but unfortunately everything tasted like fish.
(2)
John H.
Actually this was our second time at Public House and I enjoyed the food. The atmosphere is nice. It started to get a little crowed around 8pm but it wasn't too bad. The salmon dinner is ggod and they make a cookie and ice cream dessert that is out of this world. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Karlos M.
Good food. Good location as it is the closest restaurant to the Gaylord Hotel. I had the crab dip appetizer which was excellent and the Salmon was very well prepared. My wife is a crab cake aficionado and she was presently surprised with the taste (not Baltimore-but not disappointing). The staff was attentive and the atmosphere was pretty good with flat screens everywhere.
(4)
Dee G.
Very SLOW service! The whole time we were there for lunch, the waitress checked on us once, at the end of our meal! We couldn't even get our drinks refilled. The food was mediocre. It's as though no one wanted to be working there that day.
(2)
Kevin H.
Went there today for lunch and actually never even got food because it took too long. We sat down at 12:30p and by 1:20p still didn't have our food. We were told that the kitchen was backed up. It even took about 15 minutes to get drinks from the bar. We ended up walking out as we didn't have time to wait for our food. Therefore can't comment on the food itself but definitely won't be going there for lunch again any time soon.
(2)
MoevsMakenzie T.
Went here on 2/14/13 with hubby for Vday. The food was delish, waitress was friendly & very attentive" they played good music. We sat in the back area away from bar folks, which was cool. The decor was nice. Prices ok. My only problem was that the table was so small, plus the couple next to us was so close that i felt like we was double dating, which i felt was uncomfortable!
(4)
Anh H.
When I originally reviewed this establishment some 3 years ago, it was removed because it contained personal attacks of a racist bouncer, and even a picture of him. It's recently come to my attention that Yelp Elite members can't have have their reviews removed. So In honor the Constitution of the United States of America, I have found my original review and removed the personal attacks. Also, I'm Elite now: do something about it. Original, Improved, and more descriptive review minus personal attacks... In June of 2011, a good friend of mine just got married and we had the reception over at Sunset Room. After all the parents went home, some of us decided to go to a bar for some drinks to continue the party, with the hopes of it leading to an After-After-After Party. So we we were all in our groomsmen clothes with matching orange ties. My friend is an honorable, upstanding, Sik Indian, and he was rocking the matching orange Turban and wouldn't let him in because of it. We obviously starting raising H*** about it, and the manager came out tried to calm things with a round of crappy domestic beer, I believe they were serving something similar to WWII military surplus N*z* swill. Some afterwards my buddy who's a Lebanese American, who was rocking a clean beard came in, and the SAME bouncer asked if he was with "Taliban". Seriously? I straight up work at an in low income inner city hospital, and I never in my life experienced racism so wrong. Dude looked like a *edited* Vin *edited* with a small *edited* *edited* who needed to exert his *edited* supremacy over another's culture. Mind you, I am not speaking about the establishment nor the persons involved. I speak only of the treatment and interaction that was exchanged that night. No one should ever in this country or any country in this day in age ever have to go through such vile, filthy, unprofessional, and shameful experience. Now, I'm not saying that Public House is a bad place, it's what inside that counts. It's the people who can make or break an establishment. I did receive a letter from the manager, who went out of his way to apologize to us. But this is how the situation plays out... Employee does something bad. Manager apologies, maybe talks to the employee. Yeah. That's it. I don't ever think anyone ever gets fired over stuff like this, because there is a propensity in modern culture to forgive and learn, which I do believe in. However, for someone to be so outlandish repeatedly in the same night to the same group of people, my friends, there is something that is fundamentally wrong with this person's core that would allow him/her to not see the problem. It's been three years since this happened, and to this day I have never set foot into an establishment that contains the words Public" or "Public House".... I have set foot in establishments that continue the word "House", because I do enjoy meals at IHOP. I ask anyone who reads this review to vote it to the top, Reddit style, because while this will never again happen to me at Public House (as I have stated, I literally don't go to these places), it may happen to you or your friends. Treat everyone equally. Don't hate on anyone because they're a foreigner, because unless you're a Native American, you're a foreigner in the United States of America.
(1)
Nikki C.
service was good, food was eh, got a salad and chicken salad sandwich and bf got the crab cake sandwich, the salad I don't recommend, came out warm and ranch didn't really taste like ranch( bland) and the chicken salad sandwich wasn't really anything special, lacked flavor, as for my boyfriends dish, I think he liked it( after a couple long islands) anything will do. overall, good service but a bit pricey for so so food. go some where else! nice ambience as well.
(3)
Bob S.
Went in for some wings after a day at a confeerence across the street at the Gaylord. While they had a few choices ranging from sweet and hot to buffalo to back bay, I decided on the buffalo as I was looking for a little heat. Unfortunately, that is what I got, just a little heat. The wings themselves were generic, not bad, not great, as was the sauce, but not what I was looking for. As an accompaniment, I ordered the Cheesesteak Spring Roll. Essentially, if you look at my past reviews, if you put ANYTHING into a spring roll, I will order it, at least once. Here, this will be a one time thing as well. Bland, lacking a definitive texture or flavor and served with a 'spicy;' ketchup that rivaled the buffalo sauce, it was not something I would order again. The service was good, folks were friendly, most folks seemed to be hanging at the bar. However, the food was served alarmingly quickly, which was a tip off to the quality, or lack thereof. I'll try somehting new the next night!
(2)
Mobola O.
This review is solely on customer service, which this place sucks at!!!! After a concert Friday night me and the beau stopped by to attempt to grab a quick bite before we checked into the Westin around the corner. We were both casually dressed and the "security" at the entrance of Public House rudely told my bf he couldn't come in without a collared shirt...wtf...it's a fckn bar?!??? So I calmly asked if we could just go to the bar and order our food to go because we were honestly just hungry...top flight security rudely tells me that I can go in and order but my bf has to stay outside...umm F no, it's not that serious! We ended up going to Cadillac Ranch instead and received a friendlier welcome! Will never patronize Public House or recommend it to anyone simply because their "security" doesn't know how to act...it was like 100am and they were concerned about two people not wearing collared shirts wanting to grab a quick bite?!?? Screw them!
(1)
Meloni B.
Really surprised by all the poor ratings on here, maybe I just got lucky! I went on a Saturday evening the day after the 4th of July after watching the Marine Corp Band play. Everyone's drinks were really good, I had the best bloody mary I found while visiting DC. The food is what you expect from "upscale" pub food, maybe the prices are a little higher than necessary but that seemed to be normal for the area. My chicken club was good and the grits were on point.
(4)
Victoria R.
This is a review on the night life part of this establishment. You should pre game at home or at a place where it does not take you 20 minuted just to get the bartenders' attention. Not only did it take forever to get a drink, but the arrogant people with no consideration would not even budge so i could squeeze in to get a drink. So when I finally did nuzzle into a spot I ordered 4 drinks so i wouldn't have to come back. I do have to say they made a great Blue Motorcycle. We had to sit outside to enjoy our drinks in fear that the rowdy crowd would spill ours. The dancing in the tiny walking space was more than atrocious, middle aged women and men grinding on one another against the window and low and behold it happened to be happening at eye level through the window where we were seated. We also chose not to be in the bar itself because it was humid because of all the sweaty drunks. Needless to say, I will NOT be coming back here anytime soon if I have anything to say.
(2)
Michelle S.
Okay, I live close by, so I do frequent this place. It's a great atmosphere for catching a game at the bar or for a conversation and nice glass of wine. Now the noise level can be a bit much sometimes with the music, however I can still hear my company. The burger is my fav, great market salad and a lovely crab dip.
(4)
Donna G.
Don't order the rib eye steak. My four year old could have done a better job. The steak was tough (requested medium well done) and my entire plate was BLAND. I asked my waitress for steak sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper, after adding all of these items it was much better, but the sides (mashed potatoes and asparagus), were mediocre as well. I told her to let the chef know. My niece sent back her shrimp and grits dish and opted for the crab cake sandwich. I tasted a bit and it was surprisingly good. The steak roll appetizer is also pretty good (my 16 year old daughter and 23 year old niece LOVES them). Also the warm cookie dough dessert was good. I'm not sure why it's called cookie dough, when it's cookie served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Of course my niece and daughter didn't know why I didn't follow the naming logic. All in all it was very niece to sit outside and watch the crowds on a Friday night. I'm usually not a gawker, but I shamefully admit I found it interesting to watch the countless people that arrived after us around 10 pm who got rejected by the late night dress code (no sneakers, etc., etc.). They also asked for ID after 10 pm, so I was happy we arrived early so that there was no problem with my daughter dining outside with us (we would have simply gone elsewhere of course). I'd go again for the ambience of being outside and skip the steak. We didn't have any wait at all for a table, but it might have been timing.
(3)
Brian K.
Overpriced food and drink but standard in the area. I had a couple Dogfish 60-Minute IPAs. Not willing to try the food. $20 for mediocre pasta? No thanks. Atmosphere is lively and very loud.
(3)
vanessa g.
3.5 stars bumped up This is a Happy hour review: So I decided to try this place for happy hour (4-7 pm) this week and I was impressed by their variety on the happy hour menu. I ordered the cheese steak spring roll which was slightly greasy but tasted just like a cheeseburger, I truly enjoyed it. I also tried the south beach mojito (the specialty cocktails were 1/2 off), it was kind of bitter and i'm not sure I would order it again but maybe if it was slightly sweeter I would have enjoyed it more. The appetizer & drink took a bit to come out and the bartender wasn't as attentive as I hoped for but he was friendly. My Yuengling came out very fast. I also liked how the bar stools were a good size & cushioned, because when you sit on a wooden stool for a while your butt starts to go numb. The bar itself was wide and the counter space deep so you didn't feel cluttered. For the price and the food/drinks I would do happy hour here again.
(4)
Ray M.
If you're looking for a cool bar in the national harbor. This is the best place you will find, IN THE HARBOR. The food is underwelming, so I would eat somewhere else ahead of time, but if you're just looking for a good time with some strong ass drinks, then look no further! The waiters and bartenders are a little slow, but in their defense it gets extra packed on fridays and saturdays. They also have a live dj and room for dancing. Drinks are a little pricey, but you definitely get your money's worth. No cover charge. 21+ t enter after 9pm.
(3)
Jeff L.
Good food, great service. JD provided awesome friendly and attentive service and the food was really good. I would definitely return...
(5)
Cordell E.
Service was slooooow. Food was dry (had sandwich and friends had burgers). Overall average. Again, service was slooooooow.
(2)
Marivic L.
This is the second time I've gone to a place, even though you other Yelpers were not fans. For the second time, I have been ridiculously disappointed. First off, the hostess looked and acted as if she just got out of bed. We arrived before noon, so there is NO WAY she was already tired from working. Unenthusiastically, she got our menus and gave them to our server. Our server must have been hanging out with the hostess, because she also seemed tired/unenthusiastic. Methinks a new job is needed for both. My lunch companion was undecided between two sandwiches, so he asked the server for her recommendation between the two. Thankfully, she was helpful and he enjoyed his BBQ sandwich. Great. I ordered the Steak salad. The only good things about this salad were the greens. Yes, the greens, which you just place on the plate. The dressing was not particularly flavorful and the steak - OMG, I don't know if it was old or what, but it was tough. It looked to be medium rare as I requested, but it had an odd/awful flavor to it. Needless to say, after giving it a few chances, I had to stop eating it. So, I ate my relatively flavorless lettuce and went back to work. I guess that's what I get for ordering a salad?! I will not be going back to Public House. This place has an awning outside that says Comfortable Food on it. Well, if that's comfortable food, please give me the most painful, uneasy, unpleasant food instead.
(1)
Amelia O.
We happened to be in the neighborhood on a gorgeous Saturday and decided to try this restaurant. What a huge disappointment! First of all, the waiter was meh. He was nice, but didn't offer to refill drinks. We had to ask him. After we had finished eating, he doesn't ask if we need anything else like dessert of coffee, he says "do you want your check?". Umm...OK. The food?? BLECK!!! The hummus plate appetizer was the only thing we thought was half decent. The crab cake dinner was horrendous, For $29, you get two crab cakes with a boatload of tarragon. When my mom mentions she doesn't like tarragon, the waiter says that the guy prepping "tends to go overboard sometimes" on the tarragon. Two of us ordered the grilled steak salad. I mean seriously, how hard is it to ruin a steak salad? Apparently it's easy for this place. They say the salad comes with grilled onions. I'm not a huge onion fan but like them grilled so I didn't ask for any changes. They are practically raw and only slightly grilled so I had to pick out a thousand onion slices. There are no tomatoes. Only lettuce, maybe 3 slices of steak and this NASTY mustard dijon dressing. It had a spicy taste to it which the two of us hated. There are so many great places on the harbor, please overlook this one. What a pure waste of money.
(1)
Christopher G.
In Philly, we spent a lot of happy hours at Public House off of Arch Street. I'm guessing they are the same. This was my first time at the National Harbor a month back. We had a pretty cool, cute and down to earth server. She knew that place and made some really good recommendations. Unfortunately, the food was not memorable even now but I'd go back for drinks and to watch sports. Oh yeah, I forgot you have to pay for parking there and the cops were out ticketing......Argh, reminds me of Philly (Parking Wars). I better rethink that visit.
(3)
Antoine W.
Location In the National Harbor at the corner of Fleet Street and Mariner Passage. It almost directly faces the Gaylord, so if you're walking down Fleet, you'll pass it. Across the street from Bobby McKey's and Cadillac Ranch, so it has some competition, but makes it easier to go to all three to see who has the shortest wait time and the best menu! Atmosphere Your standard bar/restaurant: formal restaurant seating is to the left of the entrance and a very large bar is to the right. They also have outdoor seating, too, accessible by walking a short way through the bar. It was a Friday night and there was a DJ in the bar. Although at times my friends and I questioned his music selection, overall we had a good time. Service For a Friday night, it was packed! But, the bartenders were able to handle the crowds with ease. Food/Drink When asking the bartender if I should order the Nachos w/Grilled Chicken or the Wings, she suggested the nachos. First, the plate was HUGE! I'm a self-proclaimed nacho fanatic and could eat them all day every day if I could, so when the plate arrived, I saw it as a personal challenge! I lost. Now, they weren't the best nachos I've ever had (I make some very good homemade ones), but they were a decent alternative. I wanted a drink and didn't know what I want. I've already had two margaritas and a Long Island Iced Tea before arriving to Public House. So, the bartender made me a Ciroc Obama. Never heard of it? Neither had I...but this might become one of my new favorites: Ciroc vodka, Cambord (raspberry liqueur), and lemonade. It's served in a highball glass with a sugar rim. A great, somewhat sweet summer evening cocktail! I would definitely return here for more nachos and Obamas!
(4)
Monica W.
I ate here this past Saturday with family. We had about 30 minute wait which I expected since it was primetime to eat dinner. Three of us ordered the Bronze Rubbed Atlantic Salmon. It was described as being served with mixed vegetables but their mixed vegetables consisted of red & green peppers and onions. The portion size was ridiculously small for the price we paid. Another person ordered the Jambalaya and said it was ok. She normally doesn't finish her food and has to take the rest of her food home, but as I stated, small portion size. I have no complaints of the service - our server was very attentive. Bottom line, the food is overpriced for the portions that the serve.
(1)
Steven W.
I guess my wife and I got lucky, because we had a pretty good experience at Public House compared to the majority of these reviews. After spending the evening across the street at Bobby McKey's for a friends birthday party (where the food wasn't very good), we stopped in Public House on the way out of the area to grab a bite to eat. We only had two appetizers and a couple of drinks, but they were both pretty good (a hummus platter and Philly cheese-steak egg rolls). The place was half empty, but the music was pretty rockin and it had a fun vibe going on (maybe due to the drinks from across the street). Either way it was A-OK. It was after midnight and the other places we checked out first, in the Gaylord, all weren't serving food anymore, so I'd actually give them another 1/2 a star for just serving food that late! I wouldn't seek Public House out, but it served it's purpose that evening well.
(3)
Allison L.
Dinner and cupcakes from CakeLove apparently weren't enough so this was the third stop of the night. We mostly wanted to drink but didn't feel like sitting at the bar so we got a table and ordered desserts so we didn't feel like total douchebags (which probably didn't really matter since this place was like half full). We got the cookie dough smash and the peanut butter tart, and they were both meh. As someone who enjoys undercooked baked goods, I expected the "cookie dough" smash to be pretty close to cookie dough and not just an overcooked chocolate chip cookie in a skillet. The tart was fine but super tiny. The drinks kinda sucked... I got the mango limeade which was like 1% mango and 99% super sour limeade. My completely ridiculous idea was to ask for some grenadine to try and sweeten it up which only partially worked. But I appreciated the waitress who had no issue with that request. It was $45 (w/ tip) for 2 drinks and 2 desserts which seemed exceptionally high. Our waitress was good and the atmosphere was fine but, yeah, this place is nothing special.
(2)
Motown G.
Only had Bloody Mary's at the bar on a Sunday, so this review has nothing to do with food. They were $12 per drink, and I couldn't sense a bit of alcohol. Decided to cash out after looking at the menu, and it took at least 15 minutes to get the attention of the bartenders. Afterwards, I read reviews here on Yelp that mentioned "bottomless" Bloody's! I was never told about this, and it makes me dislike the place even more. In summary, BAD BAD service, and WEAK WEAK cocktails = never going back!
(2)
Lawrence C.
Really overpriced and average food. I have to say, Washington DC has amazing food. It has a wide range of ethnicities and so, DC has a very eclectic mix of restaurants to choose from. And yet here is Public House. Fortunately for it, it's right next to the Gaylord National Harbor, because I think if it was located anywhere else, for example, Georgetown, it would not survive the competition from the many good restaurants there. I had the crab cakes, which were really bland and dry. I guess if you're stuck in the National Harbor area, and you're not willing to get mugged in Oxon Hill for a chance to get some really great BBQ, then this might be a last ditch option for you. Because really, there is a dearth of good food in National Harbor. It's like they took people off the street and said, "Hey guys! You're cooks now. These people are trapped here. They'll pay anything to get something remotely edible."
(2)
R C.
This is my neighborhood restaraunt so I want to give it rave reviews. I want to tell everyone that this is a great place and a must visit but for the sake of not ruining my reputation, I will say go at your own risk. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad. I have went there a few times and the food is descent but descent is also the best word that I can use for their policies and customer service. I get the sense that this place wants to be exclusive but don't know how to get there. I have never been greated with a smile and while the waiters are attentive, I wouldn't say they are warm. I would suggest anyone to call there before going on a Saturday night. I went there on a cold night and was told that I couldn't get in because I had a hat on. The bouncer told me that if I wanted to get in, I would have to bring my hat to the car and come back. Another person got turned away because he wore a sweater and according to todays policy, you have to wear a collared shirt. Group after group got turned away for one reason or another, young, old, white and black... My suggestion is if you choose to try this place out, call first. You have to pay for parking and the last thing you want to hear after you paid $11 for parking is, you can't get in because todays shirt color is red and you clearly have on orange. Also, go to restaurants.com and get you a discount for this place.
(3)
Elley B.
Everyone said how great this place was so I was disappinted the food was ok maybe I excepeted to much I love national harbor and well I will probably try it again but I don't know.
(3)
T. B.
This is just an average plave. The menu is limited. Since this is not a seafood place would not order the crab cakes. A friend of mine did, awful. Had the Southwest salad. Chicken was so dry couldn't eat. If you have a choice go someplace else.
(2)
Amy R.
Despite it being an absolute picturesque fall day (blue sky, sun shining, leaves in full color), we were told that we could not sit outside...even though there were patrons having brunch on the patio. Instead, we were seated at the bar and had a lovely view...of the cash register. We ordered the Crab Benedict with Old Bay Hollandaise, which sounded wonderful, but quite frankly, was simply terrible. Hmmn, where to start... --The poached eggs were overcooked -- a cardinal sin in terms of eggs benedict! --The smidge of crab (less than a tablespoon) was hardly distinguishable against the pale, undercooked (and tasteless) english muffin. --The hollandaise was negligible, both in flavor and in quantity, and again, barely stood out against paleness of the english muffin. -- The accompanying side (roasted fingerling potatoes) were not adequately cooked, and the larger slices (they were slices of a baking potato rather than baby potatoes as fingerlings typically are) were not completely cooked, leaving them crunchy and, well, raw in the center. I will say that the ones that were cooked through were quite good -- well seasoned with sea salt and fresh rosemary. In any event, perhaps they have other dishes that are better, but we'll not be giving the Public House a second chance!
(1)
Ujji B.
Note: review is only for bar/drinks not food or wait service I went late night for a drink, the bartender was friendly and inquired about my day. After getting my drink, my guest and I went outside to the patio seating which was a great addition to the semi warm weather. We sat in front of the fire pit and enjoyed conversation with off the clock staff. They stay open pretty late compared to the rest of the Harbor which tends to shut down after 11pm.
(4)
Ken C.
I went there before dinner time. It was OK, but nothing special. The service was not that great. If you don't care about the service, then just go with beers.
(2)
Meaghan H.
The food was good but they messed up our order and then brought us a cup of coffee with lipstick on it. And they didn't really seem to care much about either. This is a tourist spot with so much turnover they don't seem to care.
(3)
Don S.
Terrible place.Check this out. Stopped in for a beer on 5/4. Not cheap. $7.63 for a Dogfish Head. I got back $2.00. When I asked where the rest of my money was, the waitress said "...we don't give change. We round up." I never heard of such a ripoff. She said she would give me the change out of her wallet if I wanted. In all my years, I have never heard of such a thing. That should be illegal. That's my money and my change should be returned to me. I feel guilty giving this place one star. Trust me, there are many good places in the Nat'l Harbor. Avoid this lousy unethical one.
(1)
Phillip S.
Seems under rated. Not the biggest seating area in the harbor but a public house is suppose to be a bar and it is. I love the food and the bar staff. Yes we were staring but you knew that.
(4)
Diana K.
Ate there for the first time on April 14, with my kids. Great service, yummy food, attentive staff, good prices. That was the first time I had chicken wings with Old Bay Seasoning, and they were delish. I love the atmosphere. I definately will go again!
(4)
Keisha B.
This will be rather short and based on the bar experience. I have no clue about the customer service or the food because we didn't come here for that but I can only speak on my brief moment of the drink experience. The only reason I up the notched for the 3rd star was the comfortable atmosphere but that was because there wasn't much of a crowd while I was there. Everyone drinks were watered down after 5 minutes and considering the price I would expect more. We were able to sit outside and people watch with good conversation so that was a plus. Experiences are all what you make of it so I just try to enjoy each place and moment I have ; /
(3)
Natasha S.
I tried this place once, only because it is literally around the corner from my place. Other than that, I wouldn't have thought of trying this place. The waiter was nice, but a little unenthusiastic about the food and menu. We ordered the Crab Cigars as an appetizer, which I thought was DELICIOUS. However, you can't really go wrong with crab and fried goodness! It came with a yummy Chesapeake Aioli and Smoked Tomato Remoulade. YUM! My girlfriend ordered the Jumbo Shrimp Carbonara which was delicious however, WAY on the creamy side. Expect a severe stomachache after eating this little baby. Additionally, the portion was extremely generous! I got a regular house salad topped with a crab cake. I was disappointed. My crab cake was all breading mix and extremely soggy and salty. NEVER order this! If we were to return, I'd probably only order the appetizers from this place.
(3)
Marcus M.
My rating is actually a 3.5. The food is always good, and the service is better than most of the Harbor. Very professional restaurant and bar. The food like most of the Harbor is a bit pricey for what you get. I like the variety of the menu. The place really is well appointed without being gaudy.
(4)
Oscar-Mayra R.
I will not stop at this location to try their food unless I am invited by the "Chef" to prove my review wrong... LOW QUALITYFOOD SUPER OVER PRICED and POOR EXECUTION IN THE KITCHEN. Great Location, I will say that this place is surviving thanks to the Bar and the UNFURTUNATE travelers that find them appealed by how close this Bar/Restaurant is to the Gaylord hotel and just want to give it a try. I noticed a lot of people at the bar during lunch time on a GLORIUOS, PICTURE PERFECT, and CRISPY FALL SATURDAY afternoon. The restaurant had three tables outside with patrons at the time we entered, 1:30 PM, no customers sitting on any tables inside. One party left the table suddenly, they said "Good Luck" to us on their way out. I must say I should have taken that as an advice... I asked for some appetizers that are staples of the area; Crab dip and Mussels... I will just say both were disgusting, I returned the Crab Dip and ended eating the mussels. Hey, mussels are mussels after all, right?? Not a bit of flavor there other than the mussel flavored water...
(1)
Donna F.
The food was great once we got it but the service was atrocious. Sunday morning breakfast ... We were seated and then waited 20 minutes. Nothing. A bunch of hostesses and waiters were busy chatting....and that was it. We finally had to go to the hostess and asked for someone to wait on us. And we waited some more. We were just about to walk out and our waiter finally showed up. Breakfast was very good ....but they need an adult there to make sure the work is done. If you are counting on those kids to represent you and leave your establishment with a good reputation.....you are in big trouble.
(2)
LeNette L.
Last weekend, 11/2-11/3, myself and a few girlfriends decided to take a trip to the DC/ Maryland area. We had a fantastic time and I decided to end the trip with breakfast at National Harbor. We stumbled across Public House because everything else was pretty much closed but we are so glsd it happened that way. There were six of us but we didn't wait five minutes to be seated. They placed us in a private dining area in the back and as soon as we sat our waiter J.D. arrived at our table. J.D. was very pleasant, patient and he didn't mind telling us about the menu. He made sure we were satisfied and he was very professional. J.D. gave me such a pleasurable experience that Public House will be my only stop for food during my visits to National Harbor. The service was exceptional and so was the food! I had the french toast with fresh berries and oj, I remember someone having the flap jacks and loving it, also one of the ladies ordered the breakfast burger and I believe one ordered the steak and eggs. Either way, we were talking the 12 minutes we waited for our food to come out and once it hit the table we were all silent. Our breakfast together was special because we shared it at such a wonderful place, Public House, but most of because of an awesome waiter J.D. Thank you!
(5)
Kyle M.
Happy Hour $10 beer and burger. Not a bad deal for the National Harbor area. Overall they had decent beer selection on tap and had screens to watch sports. That alone is pretty good for me. The burger was nice and juicy, but I thought putting it on a english muffin is just a waste and I really prefer a nice bun. The muffin just falls apart too easily. I didn't have anything else and I sat at the bar when it wasn't too busy so I didn't have any problems with service. If you are in the national harbor area it's not a bad option, not great, and the regular prices seemed to be pretty high, so I'd look around at other places as well unless you hit happy hour.
(3)
Kyla C.
Nothing special here, just a run-of-the-mill TGI-Mcfunsters type place. My sandwich was good and most of the apps were good too but just nothing outrageously great. It is what it is I guess. Wish they had karaoke on more than just one night. Would have been better entertainment than the bull across the street probably.
(3)
Karen K.
First, we called twice for reservations yet they still lost them..... Second, the best part of our meal out of the group were the nachos. All of our meals were a 2 out of 5 with me being generous. Meatloaf.... no taste; Salad... dressing horrible and missing parts; burger.. missing toppings and frozen bag fries; Steak... bad cooking job and lacked taste; Crab Cakes.. decent but still not recommended. Overall a the services was OK but he forgot extra sauce we asked for and did not refill our waters during our meal. Never asked us about desert or another glass of wine.
(1)
M J.
Every time I got to the Public House I really enjoy myself. I just started going recently in the summer of 2011. I live very close to the area but always went to DC to do majority of my dining. A fried of mine was telling me about it so I decided to try it out. Lets say it's one of the first places I go now. I can dine there with anyone wither it is my son, my mom, or friends. The food is really good the crab dip is absolutely amazing, so is the steak. The cocktails are really good as well not to week you can actually taste the alcohol (big ups to the bartender) They don't stalk your table like most places but are still very attentive. They waiter I had I believe his name is Andrew I could be wrong was excellent and gave great service and I got him two days in row. Thursday-Saturday they usually have a DJ at night and Tuesday's the karaoke which is pretty fun. I can honestly say I have a good time every time I go to this restaurant wither its day or night.
(5)
Phil E.
2 Words: Worth It! I had a chance to eat last weekend and loved it. I didn't want to leave Maryland without having some crab cakes so I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I added the photo. The sandwich was great! They also had sweet potato chips (chips made of sweet potatoes). How awesome is that? That was a first for me. I'm a lover of Bloody Marys and they had a station where you could make your own. They had several different Bloody Mary mixers to choose from. They also has Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, olives, and celery sticks. If you ask for lime and lemon, they'll provide it for you. I added a picture of that as well. Yet, another first for me. I love new things and this restaurant was a great Sunday experience for me and my friends. The prices were also pretty reasonable. If you're at the National Harbor, you should check them out.
(4)
Jocelyn H.
I like this place...one of the downsides is its close to alot of things but the parking garage is $11 which sucks because if not you have to fight for street parking which u can only do for 2hrs & the meter people are ON IT & u will get a ticket if your even 2mins past..(speaking from experience) CONS- the bar gets packed on the weekends & its hard to get someones attentions (you better make nice with the bartenders ) It would be great if there was someway they could expand their floor space if they are gonna place music on the weekends...its super hard to dance without bumping into somone PROS- when you do get there attention most of them are quick & efficient BTW the Pineapple Infusion Vodka is the bestest...you have to try it as just a shot i promise you its super smooth & a creeper & not strong at all. The wings are good too :)
(3)
Alaysia P.
The hottest place to be....well the only place to be on a Friday and Saturday night at National Harbor. Good music and nice staff. Beware the shirt collar nazi doorman. He takes his job way too seriously.
(3)
Anu E.
Ughhh what a horrible experience. I have never had this bad service before, I mean "ever." So, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot since our plan to have the special burger at National Past Time at Gaylord hotel fell through due to "temporary shortage of its draft beer selections," BIG MISTAKE. The service at Public House is a joke. What the fuck is your problem is the question I wanted to ask from our waiter and the food runner guy. Too much attitude for people who work in the service industry. TRAGIC!!! Do not go there! There are plenty of decent places in National Harbor area but this one, people!
(1)
Leroy H.
This was our first time at the Public House. We booked the reservation based upon feedback we saw on Yelp. We booked a reservation via the Yelp app for 7pm and their credit, our table was ready for us the minute we walked through the door. Definitely get the brie, bacon appetizer. Would go again!!
(4)
Douglas L.
This place is probably the worst establishment I've been to in the entire DMV area, and I've been living in this area since I was two. After attending a wedding and looking for a place to continue our establishment, the two door people had the audacity to refuse to let my friend in due to the turban he was wearing for religious reasons. When asked to speak to the manager, the doorman said he was it and told him that he could not come in anyway. We were mad as hell about this and to think that in the ten years after 9/11, this type of ignorance still exists. I wish I would say this was the end, but when another friend who happened to have the same outfit (as a groomsmen, you wear the same outfit), the SAME doorman asked if he was part of the taliban along with the other guy. I'm mad that we stayed in as long as we did. The group of about 25 people were about to spend some of our hard earned money at this establishment but we were pissed as hell and just stood in the front lobby of the restaurant. After speaking to the real manager, they gave us all free Miller Lites as a peace offering. Great peace offering. We decided to leave right afterwards and went across the street where there was a mechanical bull. imagine that place was classier than this Public House dump. I hope that anyone goes to this establishment will refuse to go to this if bald doorman is still there. Please take a look at the photos and ask the management about this. I will never go to this establishment.
(1)
Cat C.
Went for breakfast. Scrambled eggs were instant, not fresh. Maple syrup was not pure as advertised. Omelette and French toast were very good, however service was horrible. We saw our waitress twice-once when she took our order, after waiting almost 15 minutes with no coffee, and again when she delivered the check. Never got a coffee refill, when the instant scrambled eggs were served, I had to carry the plate to the kitchen and order my replacement omelette. Water was undrinkable due to chemical treatment, yet they were out of bottled water. We ran across the street to CVS and bought water there.
(1)
Carol K.
Thanks, Public House for being there when the girls and I needed a lunch break and Cadillac Ranch across the street was closed. It was a beautiful Fall day so we were quickly seated on the patio in the sun. Our server was in training (shout out to Lenny as he did a great job!) but no problem, as the service was spot on through the entire experience and he even figured out a way to get a pesky bee that wanted to join us for lunch over to a vacant table. The menu has several tasty sounding things that I wished I had tried- from the Blue Crab bisque to the blue crab and artichoke dip. But since we only had an hour- we went right to the entrees. So many things to chose from- from salads to burgers to entrees like salmon and crabcakes. I had to laugh as 3 of us got burgers and one a chopped salad. Not too adventurous, I guess. All were perfectly prepared and delicious. And that salad? Let's just say that it could have been two meals it was so huge! The interior looks like a sports bar with it's slate floors and TV's mounted around with the bar playing a front and center role. The manager and hostess were very friendly in inviting us back another time- and as I said- our service was top notch. Looks like Public House is a default for Cadillac Ranch as they are not open for lunch and at least 6 groups came across the street to eat. But if given the choice again- given the experience we had at the Public House- it would be a first choice in the future.
(4)
Carlos R.
Terrible place. Worst bar/restaurant in the National Harbor area? Most likely. What's bad about? What ISN'T bad about it?!? Terrible service, disgusting food, crappy & overpriced drinks, annoying atmosphere, the whole place smells like a toilet, rude bouncers... The only good thing to come of my experience here? Because of my suffering, I am writing this review, and hopefully after you, the reader, have read this, and you will never waste your time in this pit. That would make it all worth it!
(1)
Kent J.
They f'd up my diet! I couldn't control myself from eating the shrimp pasta dish....3 out of 4 days. The ahi was outstanding on my OFF day. Probably the most popular evening hangout in the area. Nice joint for hip-hop. Good looking crowd. Very attentive staff. Great customer service.
(4)
J. V.
Great food poor service.
(3)
Ryan L.
Came here while CPAC was going on across the way in the Gaylord. One person was bartending and she was working hard but things weren't getting done right. Glasses were dirty, food took way too long to come. Bill wasn't properly divided at the end. Food came out cold when it did come. Don't come here...just skip it over
(1)
Jake A.
Absolutely horrible service, just OK food, management doesn't care. Most of the restaurants int he National Habor have a captured audience. If you're staying or attending a conference at the Gaylord and you don't have transportation, you'll be eating the harbor. It's also obvious that the restaurants don't care as none of them have decent reviews. We were staying at the Gaylord, which left us with limited options. We choose here as it looked the most promising (not that promising) of the bunch. We had an hour to eat before catching an evening tour, figured it was enough time. We were quickly seated, ordered and the waiting game began. I ordered an appetizer that didn't show up until my meal showed up (after a 45 minute wait). Drinks weren't refilled. The waitress even made mention of our long wait for food but it didn't speed things up. One person in our party's food didn't show up for another 10 minutes after everyone elses showed up. We had to ask for our check as soon as the food arrived and had to inhale it. I guess it tasted OK, couldn't really tell you as we had to eat and run. Drinks were still empty, no apologies from the waitress. The place wasn't even crowded. I did take a moment to fill out the comment card they left with the bill...never did hear back from management on that one.
(1)
Stephen B.
So I choose this restaurant because there is a decent number ) brought it-placed it and quickly left-there were fries not chips and the berger was over cooked. There was not an offer for anything like mayo or ketchup for the berger. I never saw the server again until I want my check. This place needs a major overhall of service concepts and good food.
(1)
Dean W.
The service provided by JD was awesome. He was very attentive and gave great food suggestions. The food was also excellent. Definitely will return the next time I'm at National Harbor. It was SO much better than the Gaylord!
(5)
Passion R.
This review is not for the restaurant. I'm pretty sure I wrote another not so great review for that. This is for the club/lounge thing they do on Saturday nights. It was a good time, good crowd with lots of cute men, and a good DJ. Everyone was beautifully dressed and ready to party and mingle. But there didn't seem to be a dress code or a cover charge (which is a plus, especially for large groups or for when friends from out of town come to visit). But it is 21+. I won't give them 5 stars because even though the bartenders are pretty skilled, the drinks here are expensive as fuck. I'll definitely be coming back though.
(4)
Vee N.
Returned 2x's after my initial 2010 visit. I love this place!! It's down in National Harbor; I don't go often because this is far from me. I live in Wheaton, near close to downtown Silver Spring.
(4)
Gwen L.
Atmosphere was nice. Music was a bit loud. Wait staff friendly but smells like old grease which was disappointing. Burger was good. Crab cakes.....not so much. We say go across the street to Cadillac Ranch for the flat bread pizza. Yummy.
(3)
Jon K.
Went here the other night with my wife who is the Marketing Manager at a nearby resort. I can tell you for sure that their will be no "party weekends" planned at this establishment. Their decor is modern and the place was nice from what I saw inside but we decided to sit outside as they have a nice outside area. First of all, it's ridiculously overpriced and I can see that others feel the same way. Our waitress was helpful and nice so that earns them an extra star. We had the Philadelphia cream roll appetizer and while it was good, it was overpriced and tiny. My wife had the salmon and absolutely hated it, said it tasted fishy as well. I had the crab cakes and I can tell you that I have had MUCH better crabcakes. Shame on you Public House for calling these Maryland crabcakes. Did I mention that these 2 dishes were overpriced. We ordered a bottle of wine as well, and that was good. My wife says they have a good happy hour here and she may or may not be back for that. Next time if I want to spend this kind of money I'll go to chart house where it's just all around better food and atmosphere.
(2)
Zelly W.
I like this place because It's quaint and the staff is friendly. I've only been here once and it was for the Superbowl I believe and I got a seat at the bar with 2 friends and we had a couple bartenders serve us who were pretty nice, informative, and made sure we were good throughout. It's a nice little hangout spot. Food was as good as bar food can be (I didn't order anything fancy so I don't know what their other menu options are nor do I know what they taste like) but I'd def come back here again.
(4)
Michelle S.
Meh. Crab cakes with dill? Fried everything and poor wine list by the glass.
(2)
C M.
Service was okay. Food was okay. This place isn't anything too special. We ordered a few appetizers-crab dip, flatbread, and hummus-the flatbread was really great! Good beer selection.
(3)
Janey B.
I can't wait to write a better review. I went here to watch the game. The drinks were good after finally getting the bartender's attention. Oh and he was a jerk and so inattentive. Ordered the wings; buffalo and Old Bay. They were good and came out pretty quick. The place was live as always. Great loud scene, if that's what you're looking for. Will provide another review when I go again.
(3)
Mimi W.
The menu has changed and they have a lot more options. I've tried the jambalaya, the wings, and the tilapia. The wings were pretty good, and the jambalya and tilapia were just okay. One piece of my tilapia was half done, which made me think it was frozen fish, so I was not happy about that. I also had the french toast pound cake. Not a good look. The service is always good there, and the drinks are decent, so that's a plus. The DJ has changed, and now plays top 40...from the 80s. Even the waitress was confused. Still underwhelming and still a little too pricey for what you do get, so I won't be running back.
(3)
Watrbb W.
Went today for the first time after passing many times and seeing the plates of yum looking food the diners outside had. WHAT A LET DOWN! I sat outside and the waiter came pretty quickly carrying a glass of water with lemon which I always ask for (how did he know?). Told him needed a few minutes to scope the menu.....waited.....waited for his return. Ordered the pan seared talapia and a house salad. Thank goodness I asked for the salad first because I waited.....and waited.....and waited for my main course. Come on, that is ridiculous as the place was not nearly full. Guess they ran down to the Potomac and caught it :) The talapia was a good portion and was cooked very well. But the ragu (or was it ragout) of veggies/spinach/tomato underneath was bland. I kept trying to find some flavor in the entire dish and had to keep adding salt to finally get some. The tomatoes in it tasted like (and looked like) canned. Not really what I would have expected. Waiter never came ONE TIME, to ask how everything was, and to see if I needed anything - like the glass of water I was dying for. After he took my plates and brought the bill - yep, you got it - I waited.....and waited.....and waited for him to take my money. I was truly tempted to just walk out (being I was outside), but I was raised better than that. The icing on the cake came when I paid with a $100 bill and they did not have the change, at least not in the cash register. Barmaid finally did count it out, I got many $1.00 bills and then I counted it which is something I never do. I discovered it was short $.50 - not a huge deal but thought it strange. I told the waiter he owed me $.50 and his reply was they did not have the change - any change - but I could have my $1.00 back if I wanted. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! If I had not counted the money, I never would have known. He did not even bother to say I'm sorry but.....and give me the chance to say what I wanted. UGH I told him to keep it towards his tip which was now down to $4.50 (I always leave more). Truly, I should have given him $2.00. I also asked for a cup of water to go...........got it but they did not have lids. COME ON! All of that aside, I MAY go again, just to see if it was an off-day. Or, I'll sit across the street at Cadillac Ranch and try to enjoy something else. This is the third place I have dined at while at National Harbor and only one was worth it (McCormick & Schmicks). So far, their places are over priced, terrible service, and sub-par food!
(1)
Catherine S.
I've only been to national harbor once and when I went I checked out Public House. For the area, it's a pretty good spot to go for drinks and dancing. I went on a Saturday. The DJ started off slow but picked up after 11 and so did the crowd which was very diverse in race and age. There's an eating area (I didn't eat but the wings looked quite yummy) and a huge bar area. During the time I was there, I didn't see much space for a dance floor but that didn't stop people from doing a two step. I would have to say, if you have a DJ, having a dance space is a must. Maybe I missed it, I did stay in one area because we had a table. In the end, I would go back, especially as an alternative to heading all the way into DC.
(3)
Chris C.
Bad service! Over priced! Not worth your time! Waiter took forever to seat us and was rude to my friend while hitting on her. Also didn't get utensils until we had to ask and that was even after they served the first course. Food was also under cooked.
(1)
Michelle N.
My friends and I ended up here when Cadillac Ranch gave us some bogus response that they could not seat parties over 5 and we had 6. I could rant more about them but will do a separate yelp review for them. So since we didn't know the area too well, we headed across the street to Public House. Had I known we would end up here, I would ahve made reservations but alas no. Since they did seat parties over 5, we put our name on the list and the hostess told us we would have an hour wait. Remember this. We decided to hang out at the bar in the meantime. Service was pretty great here and we managed to get a good spot at the bar and a nearby hightop to hang out and drink. We shared the loaded fries app and it was pretty good. I ate around the bacon and chorizo, so I can't really comment on that part. About an hour in, one of our friends checked in with the hostess and she said we'd be seated "any minute now." An hour and 10 minutes pass, someone else checks and the hostess said that a party of 7 are ahead of us. An hour and a half pass by, someone else checks and we got a lame answer. By an hour and 45 minutes we decide to move from the bar to directly in front of the hostess stand and she gives my friend some schpeel about how people with reservations are put ahead of people who don't have any. There's another party of 7 who made reservations that they need to seat first. Well, you're supposed to set aside certain tables for those who reserve and then some extras for those who put their name on the list. At this point, we're pissed and talk to the manager. He tells us that they're actually putting our table right then. So the freaking hostess lied! Or she doesn't know what she's talking about. I thought it was great the manager personally put the table together for us. Once we were finally seated, our server was actually pretty great, and service was fine the rest of our time there. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, however, if I knew I'd be getting 3 huge ones, I would not have ordered a side of fries! Those were mediocre. I was hoping for the waffle fries we got at the bar. Later on, we came back here to drink when we found that Bobby McKey's was mediocre. Had a good time back at the bar. Overall, I'd probably just stick with hanging out at the bar and ordering my food there if you have a spot to eat. I'd skip actually coming here for dinner unless you make reservations. The food is pretty good but nothing spectacular.
(3)
Roman B.
Having some time to kill before I could check into the hotel I was staying in, my stomach was grumbling "FEED ME". Taking a stroll in National Harbor, MD and seeing what my options were, I stumbled upon Public House. Since it was nearly noon, it was time for a good burger. Wrong!! I sat at the bar and ordered a beer not realizing they were still serving brunch. My bad I guess. Viewing the limited brunch menu, I went ahead and ordered the egg stuffed french toast with a side of apple wood smoked bacon. DELISH!! The french toast is cut out in the middle and an egg is dropped in and fried just enough so that when you cut into with a fork, the yolk just ooooooozes out and you have to soak it up with the toast. It came with some spicy home fries and maple syrup. As a side, I added the bacon but honestly, for $3, I expected some thicker pieces than 2 small ones. Disappointed at the point but what can you do? Should have done my reseach prior to arriving at National Harbor and comparing restaurants in the area. Oh well, it was a decent place. Not too many patrons seeing it was Sunday brunch, but lots of tables and room to sit. Plenty of big screen tv's around the bar area and you didn't feel rushed at all. Actually, had to ask for the check!!
(3)
K T.
Came here for New Years Eve and was pretty impressed. We did the $40 open bar and it was definitely worth the money. However, the bartenders did not all seem to be on the same page as to what drinks were with the OB or not. I ordered the same drink all night and a friend of mine tried it, loved it, and went to go get her own, and they told her she couldn't get it with OB, I went up right after and got it, from the same bartender who told her no, my bf had no problems getting the drink either. But other than that it was fantastic, they didn't skimp on the alcohol and despite the fact that the house was jam packed, they moved quickly and efficiently. Music was pretty good and we had a blast dancing and watching the ball drop on the giant projection screen. Props to the security guys for keeping their cool and handling vomit patrol like champs. The reason it's getting 4 stars and not 5 is due to the floor plan which is a little lousy and nonsensical. Navigating around the bar is tricky, especially when it's crowded. And then there is apparently no direct route from the kitchen to the separated restaurant portion so the whole night waiters were forced to cut through the dance floor with plates of food and drink to get to the entrance of the dining room. Overall, glad we made the trip from SoMD to National Harbor for New Years, definitely a night we won't forget.
(4)
Alphonso D.
Went here during an off time so that may affect my judgement. The wait staff was good, food came out hot and fresh and drinks were timely. The food we prepared as order and tasted very good. It was off hours so it was pretty quiet but I'd expect the usual bar/restaurant on any other occasion. Overall I had a good experience.
(4)
David B.
Food was good but expensive. Service good can be noisy so maybe sit outside weather permitting. Service was good and if your staying at one of the National Harbor locations they give you a 15% discount so check that out. Only gave it three stars because of the noise and our waiter seemed pre occupied. The crab cheese dip, pulled pork, great club sandwich, drinks, crab cakes, clams were all good.
(3)
Brent A.
Applebee's doesn't have bouncers, does this place need it? Not a good environment, go to harringtons next door
(2)
Juliet K.
3.5 stars... we went here after cirque du soleil. every restaurant had a ridiculous wait so we used the opentable phone app and made a reservation for the next available restaurant, which happened to be public house. the service was great. the waiter didnt come over too much but just enough to make sure we were ok. food: - filet something or other appetizer. pretty good. we requested med rare, but was a bit over cooked. - french dip - the flavor was good, and the fries were tasty. - some fish dish with bok choy and rice - wasnt a huge fan of how the rice was cooked but bok choy and fish were great. the food was decent. but definitely not something that i would really come back to. its worth trying once. maybe you will like the food better. but i wouldnt go back. i'd probably try something new.
(3)
Sarah P.
The service here was PHENOMENAL! We had lunch here and I was a little nervous about taking my three year old in, but I saw other people with their kids and thought we would try it out. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, making sure our drinks were filled. My husband ordered the Pastrami on Rye and said he liked it a lot! I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich and was pretty disturbed by it. I assumed I would get lumps of crab and it would be luscious, but they served it with a 'Cajun Mayo' that tasted like it had cardamom or something in it. I really couldn't place the spice, but it totally overpowered the crab cake. It was served on a brioche bun that was too big for the actual crab cake. The dressing they served with the salad was AWESOME! While this meal wasn't AWESOME, I would definitely consider going there again to try something else.
(3)
Wei C.
Food was OK, but it was a nice place. Very comfortable interior design. Especially, the light control was great. We sat by a small round table with a semicircle chair, so we could be closer to each other to enjoy the meal. But, really, the food was ok, so as the cocktail. I ordered Asian Salad and Pineapple Martini - too sweat for me, both of them...
(3)
Lakisia H.
Went for a Sunday Brunch which really was not the case. Their Sunday Brunch is nothing more than a breakfast menu, which didn't have much to choose from. They had a Bloody Mary bar which wasn't bad. It was a bit messy but ok. I am a big buff on custome service and the hostess needed to go back to the drawing board to find out what that means. We arrived and asked about sitting outside, she indicated that it would be about a 20 minute wait, so ok no problem we will wait. There was a table available outside that needed to be cleaned off. I asked about that table and she never responded just walked off while she popped her gum rudely. It was actually pretty bad. On top of that the food was so so. I would not go back for a Sunday Brunch nor do I recommend that you go either.
(2)
Thereasa A.
My husband and I spent Christmas at National Harbor. On Christmas Day, this was the only restaurant open. It was moderately busy, but still had an almost empty bar and a few empty tables. The food was average with limited options (possibly because of the holiday). Pricing was moderate. Our order was a pulled pork sandwich with a salad and a pastrami sandwich. The food was very average. The best thing was the bread on the pulled pork sandwich, the pork was dry. The wait for sandwiches was too long. But my complaint would be with the staffing. Particularly, the hostess. She was rude to many guests as we watched them come in and was overly involved and affection with her boyfriend while she was working. At one point a gentleman walked in and asked a question, began waiting for people. She turned her back to him and rolled her eyes. While he could not see her, the hostess station is surrounded by tables. The waitresses were nice but seemed to spend a lot of time busing tables and taking care of the drink station. I would think with a restaurant at this level there would have been a bus boy so the waitresses could be more attentive to their tables. . It is just average. Nothing to remember. We have more trips planned back to the National Harbor, and this will be one place we will not return.
(2)
Davis M.
I went into dinner at the Public House with the lowest of expectations. They were not met. I was in town on business and decided to stay at the Westin instead of driving home. My wife and I walked around the block for a good place to eat, but they ALL appeared to be overpriced and underwhelming tourist traps. We went to this place because it was the cheapest. Big mistake. In short: 1) Waiter was stoned, was acting like characters from Dazed and Confused, or both. 2) Waited 10 minutes for waiter to bring a steak knife, after which my wife went into the kitchen to get one for herself. 3) Food was cold and lettuce was rotten. 4) $6 for a draft beer that was skunked. Total bill was $41 for two people. We left a $4 tip and I think it was too kind. Don't eat here. For that matter, avoid the National Harbor completely. No class and a waste of money.
(1)
Nikki I.
VERY SLOW SERVICE...our waitress Keisha only came to our table 3 times in a 2 hour span...1st time: right after the food came out, the 2nd time: only because we called her over and 3rd time: to collect our plates (with our check already in hand) and didn't even offer us the dessert menu! and here's the kicker, gratuity was already included for a party of only 3...no wonder she lacked in the customer service dept, she was getting a tip REGARDLESS!! (she didn't even deserve a 5% tip!!) oh and same goes for the short blonde "bartender" who also lacked in the customer service department, she saw us standing there and continued to just stand near the register. they (mostly the servers) all socialized with one another around the hostess station when they should've been attending to their customers!! this place will not be getting my hard earned money ever again, that's for damn sure!!
(1)
Laura W.
National Harbor has a limited number of restaurants for lunch and dinner. I came here with a coworker for lunch on one of our days at a conference at the Gaylord. I was a bit disappointed to see they didn't have a separate lunch menu. I was hoping there would be a few lighter options to choose from. I ended up having the the crab cake sandwich and kettle chips. The sandwich was really good, it was nice and fresh and so was the bun it was served on. The remoulade sauce was also very tasty and I was dipping the chips into it. I do wish there was a different side served with the sandwich. The kettle chips weren't as crunch as I would have hoped and they were a bit sweet. The crab cake was also a bit sweet so it was a little too much for me. My coworker had the burger, it is served on an english muffin but she requested it be served on a regular bun like my sandwich was. There was a mixup and it was served with the muffin and she sent it back. They corrected it and she ate her burger. The crab cake sandwich was my favorite dish I had to eat while there and I would recommend it but the overall experience was underwhelming.
(2)
Jason A.
Looking for a place to eat and drink before a Cirque du Soleil show, so we stopped in and sat at the bar. Took about 5 mins for the bartender to take a drink order. We ordered food, which was decent, but took over 45 mins to get it and we were Starving!!! The bartender apologized profusely and was very empathetic, but the kitchen staff obviously was pretty cut rate. He comped us most of the bill, which was nice and his service was good, but overall the place was pretty average with a poor kitchen service. We'll definitely go somewhere else next time we are in the area.
(2)
Kirsten D.
We went for a fun day with the kids to see Ice at the Gaylord, and boy did these guys ruin part of it. After waiting over 1/2 an hour, we finally have a server bring one kids meal (there were 11 people in our party). Well, strange but the other food should be following in a second right.... nope. 15 minutes later no waitor and no food so we go out to see what the problem is. After being ignored by the hostess, I finally see our waiter and ask him about the food and all I get is "it will be out shortly".... I tell him that they brought out one kids meal 15 minutes ago, and given that there are 5 kids in the party that's a pretty big problem. No apology, just another "it will be out shortly" and goes back to doing something at the bar. He makes no attempt to actually resolve the issue at all. Another 5 minutes and 5 more of us get food but not all of us. Then it is another 15 minutes, a fair amount of complaining by my sister in law and finally the other items arrive. The "manager" comes by and apologizes, of course agrees with us blah blah (you could tell she really couldn't care less). Then she says she'll make it right and take care of the check. Well, taking care of the check is an eleven dollar discount for 11 people. This is another case of the "I shoulda looked at Yelp first" blues.... Never again with this place.
(1)
Brianne C.
3.35 stars. In contrast with most Yelpers, I found the Public House's crab artichoke dip and braised beef sandwich with onions and jack cheese to be craveable. The dip was loaded with hunks of lump crab, and the kitchen eschewed a cream cheese base for a lighter cream sauce that complemented the tender seafood and briny artichokes. Further, the sandwich was stacked with tender, luscious braised short ribs, sweet sauteed onions, and a light layer of cheese, and was layered on country bread with chewy edges that nicely absorbed the rich juices. It was substantial and heavenly. But, there were several factors that kept Public House from being a worthy destination itself. As others have noted, the restaurant setting was painfully generic, the drinks were sloppily mixed, and the bartenders were clearly having issues with their duties. However, they were especially attractive (men and women), and gradually opened up to conversation as the evening unwound. And, as one of my companions remarked, the food was delicious while we were sitting at the bar, but may not have seemed worth the one hour wait we were quoted for a table. Regardless, I will certainly take a ferry ride to the National Harbor when a craving for a braised beef sandwich surfaces. Mmmm.....
(3)
Roseline H.
Great location, good food, awesome service. We were given first-class service by our server which is why I gave this place 4 stars. It was a bit pricey for the food we ordered but other than that, I can def see myself going here again to watch a game.
(4)
Michelle E.
Noon on a Thursday, next to nobody in the place. Two people waiting to be seated (separately) but the hostess is on the phone. No problem, sounds like maybe she's taking a reservation. So we stand there giving her the benefit of the doubt. She gets off the phone and doesn't even glance at us. She just walks away, still without looking at us, and vanishes into the back without so much as a "Be right with you." After waiting and waiting I just walked out. Didn't even get to sit down and try their food. After reading some of the other reviews, I'm glad.
(1)
Monique R.
I work at the National Harbor and stop in here when I get off on occasion because it is one of the few places that stays open late.The food is pretty overpriced and the only thing that stands out to me is the Philadelphia spring roll appetizer. It's a unique idea and pretty tasty. I have tried the french dip sandwich, the Public House burger, and the steak salad (I turn mine into a Pittsburgh steak salad)- they're all very average. More often than not the service does suck. I was in here a few weeks ago on a slow night and the bartender looked more like she belonged in a strip club than behind the bar (but I'm sure this is why she got the job). I don't like to judge people but she also lived up to every dumb bimbo stereotype out there. After I finished my first drink, that took me ten minutes to order in the first place, she never asked me if I wanted another cocktail and pretty much ignored me and my group of friends. Usually, we stay longer but we cut our visit very short that night. One good thing I can say about this place is that they play decent music on the weekend and there is a diverse young crowd. I wonder why the NYC and Philly locations look way bigger and nicer on their website?!
(2)
Kimberly B.
Okay as Julie Andrews would say, "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start..." I don't care for the doorman, or the guy who checks id's. He's an uptight arrogant butthole who clearly seems to take his job entirely to seriously. I've been several times but if I don't go back, nothing will be missed. The food is good and so are the drinks however the drinks are pricey. I'm a music lover, and the dj is always on point whenever I go however since the dance floor is the size of a sliver of space probably comparable to you trying to walk through a crowded platform during rush hour at Gallery Place Station after someone has gotten sick on one of the trains, you get my point. So I went on Friday and it was packed as usual, I guess I'm just not a fan of going places where people are stacked up against each other and I literally have to pry them apart and then say excuse you in order to get by even though they were in the way. It's a pretty diverse crowd as far as race is concerned but its also a young one, which I could do without. Generally when I go several fights break out and they throw them out quick fast and in a hurry, I was there one night and a chick and a guy were fighting, once they threw them out, they basically started brawling in the street. I'm sorry I don't want to go somewhere and get dressed, pay $11 to park and then deal with riff raff. I coulda went to Giant and got a red box and ordered a pizza and been better off, lol. Overall its cool, but clearly better left for a better time for the youngins.
(2)
Kristen D.
Meh - food was decent but the service lacked anything special. The first night I felt crammed in a back corner when there was plenty of space available. The second night we ate there, we received our appetizer after our dinner (with no concern shown by the staff), had to ask for condiments and refills and just an overall lackluster experience. I understand that it's a touristy area and that the majority of visitors are one time but definitely not the experience you want to give your guests.
(2)
Thomas S.
Truly one of the worst lunches I've experienced in years. So many things are wrong here: 1) The near lifeless hostess decided to seat us next to the only people at the restaurant, a noisy group. Visibly annoyed when we asked for an alternative location. 2) Ordered a simple chicken sandwich. Came back tasting like fake smoked something that resembled meat. 3) The waiter did exchange it for a salad. The salad was absolutely drenched in dressing. I mean puddles of the goopy, obviously out of jar stuff. Inedible. 4) Smile, you're on candid camera. There are cameras everywhere in the place. When asked, the waiter said it's because so many people are falling down a step, and they want to stop frivolous lawsuits. Nice. Turns out that the step is a huge hazard, marked by a sign that would easily get looked past. Our waiter explained "people trip and fall down the step all the time" 5) The restaurant is located in National Harbor. A cultural wasteland. Go to Pot Belly for lunch. Boring, but in predictable good way.
(1)
Laura F.
We were trying to find a weekend breakfast place outside of the Gaylord and decided to try here. It was 95 degrees out t 11:15am and it was quite warm inside also. Even the hostess staff was fanning themselves with menus. Thre was only 1 other party there when we arrived, so we were seated quickly. There is a small but decent breakfast menu anda a lunch menu. We ordered normal breakfast food ( pancakes, French toast and the country breakfast). Overall the food wad pretty good, waitress was ok. We didn't have to hunt her down for drinks or anything but they aren't exactly busy either. When we left there was all of 4 tables seated in either while place, but it seved it's purpose. Only complaint was the temperature but with plenty of ice water, it was not miserable.
(3)
Jim B.
Had lunch and dinner here and I am a fan of the crab cakes! I had good service and found the prices to be reasonable. The restaurant was crowded for dinner, so a reservation helped!
(4)
panida r.
I enjoyed an evening of appetizers and drinks at public house. I thought the beer selection was nice. Nice to see craft beer stocked. Finally tried a Dogfish Head beer. The place is really low key. Appetizers try to be fancy but don't achieve a gourmet taste. One that I remember is filet mignon on flatbread topped with some fried something(i thought they were fries so thin they were just crispy). Interesting but not much flavor. There was also a crab dip that was pretty good. Service is polite. Not terribly attentive.
(3)
Sam M.
WORST FOOD EVER. This is the biggest waste of money in National Harbor. The service is very sub par, and the food was horrible. Crab cakes tasted like and smelled like sewage water.
(1)
Chryssa R.
I had the Maryland crab cake sandwich and it was a bit too crabby tasting, but decent otherwise. The bun was so huge I took the top half off. The green salad was a nice mix of lettuces with a nice balsamic dressing. Not unlike hundreds of salads I've eaten before. I didn't have a bad experience, but this place isn't on my short list of places to eat again.
(3)
Ryann G.
Waitstaff was very inattentive, even thought we sat right by their wait station. Our Cobb salads with chicken were very good. There aren't a ton of options, but the ones they have sounded delicious. The wine list is very nice.
(3)
AnnaMarie V.
Good but not great. Happy Hour deals are good though
(3)
Elaine K.
Food was ok, but overpriced. I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Sections of the bun and parts of the pork were burnt. My coleslaw was brownish. My diet coke tasted off, like the syrup to seltzer ratio was off. The service was almost ok. The waitress was attentive enough, but instead of refilling empty glasses, she asked if we wanted refills, and she took a plate I was still eating off of. They had a decent beer selection, but not an impressive one. Meh.
(2)
K M.
I wouldn't go to eat here with so many other options at the Harbor but for a loud, bar hopping good time on a Saturday night in the Harbor this place is it! It's a good mix of people, those in their 20s and 30s from all different backgrounds. Wall to wall people, dj, good music, drinks flowing...what more can you ask for?
(4)
Amber E.
I was in town for a convention at the Gaylord and decided to venture out a little bit. I sat at the bar and decided to grab a quick drink and something to eat. I was surprised at how friendly the staff was. I had some food allergies and I am a bit of picky eater, but the bartender helped me go over menu to find something to eat. Even though I ended up with a Greek Salad, it is always extremely helpful when the staff is knowledgable on the menu. The atmosphere in the bar was extremely pleasant. It was during early happy hour but wasn't too crazy or loud that I couldn't have a conversation. The bartender was attentive to refill my water and always noticed when my wine glass was almost empty. I find it extremely annoying when I have to flag down a bartender to get another drink, I didn't have to do that once. I would definately go back again.
(4)
Kelly G.
Had a late late dinner there last night. Butternut squash soup with roasted apples and creme fraiche was so delicious. I thought it would be one of those sweet concoctions. But noooo, it was nice and savory. Smooth, velvety, savory goodness. The short ribs were falling off the bone. Yummy yum yum yum. Served over a bed of risotto, there is no other dish for me. I was in total hog heaven. Tack on the glass of cabernet and I'm a huge fan. Huge fan.
(4)
Henry T.
Didn't have any of the food. Came by on a Saturday night. Bouncers would not let my friend in, who wore a turban for religious reasons. After causing a stir, threatening a formal complaint, we spoke with the manager, and he let us in and got a round of drinks. 10 minutes later, my other group of friends, and the same bouncer asked if one "was part of the Taliban" (referring to my first friend wearing the turban). After hearing that, we left. We would not support any racist organization (odd considering that most of the clientele [sp?] was African American)
(1)
John F.
How do you rate a Restaurant/Bar?? This place is a little of everything. As a bar, it's a sports bar primarily with some other nights thrown in like Karaoke, game night, etc. The bar is HUGE! They have infused, vodka, a good beer selection, and a ton of TV's. As a restaurant, it's almost takes a 2nd to the massive bar. The food is good, haven't found anything bad either. I love the Chicken BLT.. MMM The philly cheese steak rolls are really good, but Im sure I have a clogged artery from them LOL. Again, as a bar they do really, really, well. Probably the best or close the best place in all of National Harbour. As a restaurant there are some other places if you are looking for really good food that are better. But really, one of the better places for food I've been to that is primarily a bar. So, if your looking for a place for a bunch of friends to hang out with. A friendly bar crew. As good of food you will get at any bar, this is your place. Say hi to Kristen and Company for me.
(4)
S R.
We thought that since we found parking on the street (Yaay!) that we were in for a good night. Parking is limited to 2 hours which we thought was enough time for dinner at a casual restaurant. My small party of three was immediately seated. Water was brought to the table and drinks were ordered. Really, it was only a child's soda because the dessert menu was starting to call our names so the adults stayed with water. But that is where the goodness ends. The food is WAY overpriced. You would think that for a small menu the dishes would be exceptional but it is, in fact, the opposite. Additionally, some restaurants make up for their lack of sophistication with large servings. Not here. The little one ordered a cheeseburger with fries from the kids menu. The adults ordered the pork chop and chicken. My family doesn't usually order chicken at restaurants but I am a sucker for risotto. The pork chop was so charred and then doused in sauce that made the entire dish unappetizing. The cornbread stuffing and sauteed spinach were both mushy and slimy. There was absolutely no texture contrast in this dish. The first bite into the chicken was dry with hints of caper and lemon not indicated on the menu. After lifting the chicken from the bed of risotto, a pool of butter/oil was revealed. The risotto had a healthy serving of peas but not the butternut squash described on the menu. The risotto was unevenly cooked. Some bites were crunchy. If this is how they do pork chops and chicken, I'm glad we didn't order the pricier crabcakes and steak like we really wanted. The kid did great work on his cheeseburger. The burger was juicy and well proportioned to the large, slightly toasted brioche bun. After an unimpressive meal, we decided to play it safe and share the peanut butter tart. Again, the size of the dessert was not worth the $8 price tag. I would not describe this as a tart. It was more of a mousse. The crust that would have justified the tart title was merely a thin soft layer of crushed oreo cookies. Again, there was no texture contrast on such a rich (albeit, one note) dessert. The seasonal fruit was not on the plate and was brought to the table in a disposable cup. BTW, blueberries do not taste good with chocolate and PB. Crumbled banana chips and a banana puree would have improved this dessert immensely instead of the chocolate sauce and peanut butter-chocolate chips that it was served with. The one star is for our excellent waitress. She was very attentive. But like other reviewers have said, we had to wait a while to get our food. Needless to say, we used an hour and 55 minutes of our 2 hour parking limit. Overall, not a good first impression and we will not be returning.
(1)
Justin S.
I swung by Public House on my 1st trip to National Harbor. I tried the $12 fish tacos, and combined with a soda and tip, spent about $17.50. I can't say I'll ever be back. The tacos themselves weren't bad. They were about on par with what I've found elsewhere in the city... for about $5-$7. The fish was average, the salsa was mediocre, and the tortillas tasted like regular Safeway brand tortillas. The bread was thick enough to entirely drown out the flavor of the fish and toppings combined. The cole slaw that came with the tacos was limp and boring, again something you'd get at an inexpensive low end restaurant. There's a lot of really great restaurants in nearby Old Town where expensive american food is drastically superior to its less-expensive counterparts. Those places put care into their menus and fetch fine ingredients. The guys at Public house could learn a few things about quality from them. Maybe they should send the chef on a little road trip. I expected to go back to National Harbor a lot this summer but if the food's going to be like this, I might give up on the whole place. Based on the fish tacos, I'd put Chili's ahead of Public House. If the other restaurants are like this, National Harbor won't ever be more than a wasteful tourist trap. They're so far below the local par that their food can't even compete with other local options.
(2)
Brittany C.
Arrived in National Harbor Sunday morning for a convention. We went looking for a place that served breakfast (there aren't many). First place we came across was Public House. First impression was not good. The hostess was dressed so unprofessionally and inappropriately it made both me and my husband uncomfortable. She was wearing a skin tight spaghetti strap shirt with half her chest, and a gigantic tattoo across her back exposed. They had very few offerings. And what they did offer was a little strange. We ordered the most normal sounding thing on the menu. Eggs, bacon, toast, and fingerling potatoes. Waited at least half an hour for our food. It was just ok at best. Very greasy. The very same thing you could get at a diner for $5. We paid $14. Our waitress was very friendly and nice.
(2)
Theo P.
Blah..No free parking (11.00$) No dancefloor although they pretend to be a club. Snobs from maryland meet the wannabe gangsters. Its a bloody mess. Crowded on the weekends. I will give it one star for the excellent bar staff-very friendly. I did not try the food, but I am sure that is overpriced as well. Not going again.
(1)
Tamika J.
I went to Public House for date night with my husband during the past restaurant week. The atmosphere at PH was fine, fun and relaxing. The food was just okay. Butternut Squash soup was GREAT. The salmon was good and the oven roasted chicken was dry at best. We had a reservation, so getting seated wasn't an issue. The waitress was a bit slow but not unbearably so since we were not in any hurry. Overall the experience was just okay. I don't have to go back.
(3)
John B.
Wow. Public House caused my wife to question where my temper ever was. After knowing her for three years, my wife experienced the first time I have ever asked to speak to a manager at a restaurant. Two different servers took our drink orders, each saying that this was their table. I didn't know servers were so territorial. Guess what...all four of us....got two drinks. To add insult to injury, my wife's drink, a cosmo, had zero alcohol in it. My one beer (of the two) had a fly in it. We asked for a new drink for my wife. Guess what. They said that's just how they're made. The food. Meh, it was ok. When the bill came, I was informed that on top of having to pay for both drinks that I would be paying a required 18% tip. HA. I explained I would do no such thing. The waitress (one of the two) went back to the manager and brought back with a 15% tip required. I said NO, let me actually speak to the manager. Finally, the manager came out, rude as ever, showed me the required tip in 3-point font on the menu. I explained I would not pay the 15% tip. Eventually, six hours later, I received my bill with all drinks removed and was allowed to tip as I pleased. Unfortunately for the two other checks at my table, they had to pay for everything because they didn't speak up in time. In short, it may be good someday, but they need a lot of service issues fixed, ASAP.
(1)
James C.
Best part of dinner was cookie dough skillet desert. Entrees reminded me of frozen TV dinners but fresh. The sauces were too high in sodium for the flank steak and meatloaf (like TV dinners). They served me a manhattan straight up in a large shot glass and not shaken or stirred - Luke warm. Only redeeming factor was the friendly waiter and desert.
(2)
Olivia R.
Having to attend a conference across the street that unfortunately didn't serve food, a few attendees and I went to Public House for a weekday lunch. As a group of 4, we were sat at a booth right away. We didn't think the restaurant was very busy because our orders were taken in a fair amount of time and we received our drink orders promptly, but the kitchen must have been slammed all at once. It wasn't until 45 minutes after we ordered that our server came by to tell us that the kitchen was busy, offering a [much too late] apology for the wait. Because our group had to leave for the afternoon session of the conference at that point, we asked that our orders just be packaged to go. Our waiter apologetically complied, but then also realized that our salads were lacking dressing after being brought out. We then received the wrong dressings for the salads (southwestern dressing when it should have been asian), so our experience was severely lacking for a restaurant that should be able to anticipate steady revenue streams with some coordination from the conference center across the street. Of course our meals were pricey because of the location of the restaurant. That was expected, but it was totally overpriced for the quality that we received. Our meals tasted like leftovers! The salad greens were wilted, and the turkey and brie sandwich was soggy. Bleck!
(1)
David B.
Drinks and food are both way overrated. The wait staff was terrible and appeared to have an attitude. Then came the music. I went to have dinner, not live the nightclub experience. I will never, ever, under any circumstances, go back to this place....
(1)
Shandalyn H.
Where to start? Had a blast! Came her cause 3 guys wanted to buy, me & my lady friends( best friends) some drink. Hey! Who is going to turn down free drinks & food! Do not remember what I had! But it was good, because I ate it all. Yummy & my bff's ate all their food also. Like the big girl's they are. lol. Don't know the prices, because I didn't pay. Sorry can't help you with that. & the music was great, because after the late snack we dance until the place closed. So please stop in & get an bite to eat. & if you drink get one of those to. So 2 thumbs up for Public House! =) I will be returning!
(4)
David F.
Genuinely one of the most disastrous meal experiences I've ever had. We took my mother-in-law here for her birthday this past Sunday- necessity not design. We sat down and ordered several $14 burgers medium, and after a good 45 minutes, two of them came out, super well done. The problem is that my mother-in-law's meal did not come out. The waitress assured us it was en route. 15 minutes later we asked again, and she looked irritated and told us yes yes it's coming. 30 minutes on top of that, and the whole rest of the family has finished it's truly vile food and we are still waiting for my mother-in-law's birthday burger to come out. At this point of course the birthday meal has been thoroughly ruined. The waitress is also still dodging about and not even looking us in the eye or explaining what has happened. Finally the manager comes out with the (also preposterously well-done) birthday burger and explains it's on the house, and asks us if he can get us anything else. Naturally we assumed that he was offering to comp us anything else, so my wife ordered a beer, which we were charged for. All in all: about 2 hours for food that was clearly cooked by disaffected teenagers. I'm sure it's a good place to watch a football game but do yourself a favor and steer very clear of this restaurant if you actually want to eat food.
(1)
Mary M.
$29 crab cakes were almost all filling sides were horrible! This place would be ok at half the price of everything but it's like they are trying to be a high end restaurant when nothing they have to offer measures up. The highlight of my evening was when I asked for a to go box and the waitress brought me back a CVS bag!!! What place can charge those prices and give you a CVS bag for your food!? I wish you could post a picture because i took one. Public House sucks!
(1)
Clarence J.
The food is good [maybe pushing that rating to a 2.5] but the atmosphere/decor could use some work. There's no 'feeling' to the place. I expected a pub-like feel (whatever that may be) but it just seems bland and somewhat modern to me, not warm or welcoming. (And if you've read anything else I've written, atmosphere matters to me.) That big complaint said, the food is enjoyable -- not spectacular, but good -- and the staff is friendly and efficient. And as with most places around National Harbor right now, be prepared for high prices...(which is pretty much the reason why I rounded my 2.5 down rather than up).
(2)
Ann B.
2.5 stars I've been to Public House twice. Both times I really wanted to like this place, but the food seems to fall short on flavor...except for two things, which I'll get to. This past Saturday we made a reservation for dinner knowing that it was going to be packed. We arrived 5 minutes early, were given a beeper and told it would be 5 minutes until our table was ready. Cool. Well 5 minutes turned into 25 minutes. I went back to check in and a different host said that he didn't know that we were waiting. We were seated immediately after that and given a round of drinks on the house to compensate for the wait. Nice gesture, but I was still a little disappointed about being forgotten. Onto the food. The menu seems a bit limited to me with only 5-6 entree selections. We had the crab and artichoke dip for an appetizer, which was good, and I had the crab cake entree. For the price of the crab cakes ($29) they were good with lots of crab meat, but I've had better and more flavorful before. My favorite parts of the meal were the corn side that came with my entree and the chocolate chip cookie dough desert. The flavoring on the corn was a nice surprise and the warm cookie dough desert in a skillet with ice cream was outstanding, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Overall, it's still an average place to chow down in my opinion.
(3)
Roy K.
Good menu and I suggest the Lump Crab open faced sandwich. Great beer menu. Free wifi. Lots of TVs so good for game time. They have all you can eat wings + all you can drink Coors Light for $25...I didnt take them up on the offer but def an interesting promotion.
(4)
David H.
Had a Groupon coupon. Gave it a try. Pros: Easy to find, easy parking, short walk, friendly courteous server. Appetizer (mac and cheese bites) good. Cons: Entrees not hot. Crab cakes okay - no tartar sauce in the whole restaurant. Green beans barely cooked, and overloaded with garlic. Tuscan chicken (substituted for shrimp at wife's request) was not impressive. Will give it one more chance but order from the sandwich menu.
(2)
Dan W.
Why is there nowhere good to eat in National Harbor? This place was HORRIBLE. The only good thing was the server, but when the kind, patient and understanding server is serving you dog food, it really doesn't matter. Crab dip - horrible. Fishy. I called it Carp Dip. Burger - served on an uncooked English muffin, with undercooked bacon. It just made me sad. Salads - two people at our table got salads. They both sent them back. All of this fun, and it was ridiculously overpriced. Avoid at all costs. Sucked balls.
(1)
Chris C.
I only came here for drinks and appetizers for Sunday night football and I thought this place was alright. The bar scene was similar to a nicer version of a Green Turtle.
(3)
Sharie B.
One Sunday afternoon after visiting the recently moved "Awaking" sculpture at the National Harbor (which worked better at Haines Point if you ask me) we decided to pick a place to eat. Given the multitude of choices at the Harbor I can now say that we probably should have gone with the Chinese place around the corner. While the service was friendly, the waitress took the liberty to up my crab cake sandwich order to a crab cake dinner order after I mentioned to my friend that I would really only like the cake and not the bread. Obviously I can read and read the crab cake dinner was $32 and based on that, being a free-gan/recessionista in training and all, went for the sandwich. Not knowing the difference when the plate arrived I was happy to see 2 crab cakes and no bread. Sweet. Then the bill comes. You guessed it, $32 for the frickin crab cakes! When I called her on it she said since I mentioned to my friend that I really did not want the bread she decided to change my order. Kids these days I tell you...does she know how hard I work to bring home the bacon?
(2)
Lyney A.
I've been there twice in the summer and each time always had a great time. The staff is polite, just tip the bartender well so you don't have to worry about getting drinks. The atmosphere is cool as well. The only downside is the food wasn't so great I order a simple burger and it came out on a egg mcmuffin bun? But the night life for the National Harbor I give it two thumbs up!
(4)
Tony G.
Greasy, fatty foods and substandard drinks unless you like basic rail stuff. Not worth the price. Dark and depressing decor. No views of the harbor. This place is just a pitstop location on the way to a better night somewhere else.
(1)
Dale P.
Average venue, not much to write home about when it comes to the atmosphere. Decent menu, food was fair. Decent beer selection. Better than most places in this "fake town" built along the Potomac that has more parking spaces than anything else and is the antithesis of smart growth!
(3)
Abe S.
Good spot for bar food and drinks. I have never actually sat down for dinner, but i am sure its good. The cheese steak egg roll is GOOD with spicy ketchup! Huge bar fun atmosphere.
(4)
Karen M.
Had the crabcake sandwich with overcooked kettle chips while my companion had jumbo shrimp pasta. Quality not good enough to justify price. A disappointment.
(2)
claire o.
I am not generally dissatisfied when eating out, but this was a disappointment. Went for brunch on a Sunday. The brunch menu was limited and had only 2 vegetarian options neither of which sounded good. They let me order from the regular menu but only when I said there was nothing on the brunch menu I wanted to eat. My two dinner companions ordered the egg dish from the brunch menu. My salad was fine. They were disappointed with theirs. We ordered cocktails which were ok, not bad not good. I wouldn't go again.
(2)
CJ S.
Went there yesterday for lunch with some friends. Lunch menu was lacking. All of us ordered wings. Chesapeake wings, crab dip and fries. The wings came out fried hard and super crispy... Yuck. I have never seen "watery" crab dip before. Super YUCK. Fries were good. Service was "meh".. We had to ask for plates... yes.. plates.$14 KetelOne Martini.. really? for another $14 you could've had the whole bottle. With all of the other choices at the harbor.. This one is not it! Not worth the over $100 that was spent.
(1)
D D.
My husband and I grabbed a sandwich from the (highly superior) Potbelly Sandwich Works, but wanted a couple of beers in the sunshine. We walked to the Public House and asked if we could bring our food to the patio and have drinks; we were told it wasn't a problem by the hostess. Ooooh, so wrong! My husband went in to order our drinks at the bar and was treated like a pariah by the staff and management for having the temerity to bring outside food... Even though we were drinking their 7.00 draft! They don't need to worry about it happening again... I'll never go back, and I wouldn't recommend you go either.
(1)
sharmin a.
Ate brunch here and it was delicious. I had the crab benedict, and as a newbie to Maryland crabs (I'm from Florida) I was impressed. Great, tasty and crispy crab on top of the english muffin. The poached egg was amazing as well. The plate came with a side of home fries which were also good. My boyfriend had a burger which was also great --which came with fries and OOOOOF. Those were perfect. Crispy and not over oily as I often have enountered. The only downside was the AC. It seemed like it wasn't working. It was almost as hot inside as it was outside. But I'm not an asshole and I know it likely had nothing to do with them so we didn't complain. Clean bathroom and we had a good bottle of white wine too, which was half off -- William Hill Chardonnay.
(4)
Rachel H.
WTH! Collared shirts after 9:00p? Whyyyyyy? I dont get it. Comfortable Grown folks walking along the harbor all day. Now we can't eat here? But 100 Dudes who arrived in T-shirts before 8:55p are sitting in there chilling. Dumb rule... going elsewhere ... Collared shirt at a sports bar????
(1)
Jasmine N.
Came here to wait out the storm and watch the World cup on the 4th. I had been here before, although it had been a couple of years, so I was the one who recommended the place. I had egg on my face at the end of our visit, which we unanimously decided to cut short and brave the monsoon just to get out of there. Reasons why we left: -first bartender (her shift ended right after we arrived) used the glass served to my friend to scoop her ice. Major no-no! I wonder how many glasses she's chipped and how many people have gotten glass in their drinks unknowingly. -The 2 bartenders who replaced her stood in the corner loudly gossiping as soon as they got there (before acknowledging any patrons). We could hear everything they were saying very clearly. It was uncomfortable. -ordered a specialty drink. Said made with fresh pineapple. Something was rotten. Took 2 sips and pushed it away and ordered a beer. That beer cost me $20 because I still had to pay for the cocktail. -4 girls were working the hostess table. Every single one was leaning over texting and giggling the entire time -Our bartender spent over half the time we were there texting in front of us. 2 stars because I liked the place last time and when the satellite went out they turned on the regular tv so we could still watch the game.
(2)
Chris S.
I have no idea why this place is so packed. Is it the DJ? Hip hop music. Very loud. Not only did I have to show ID, I had to get a wand check. (Since I had a military ID, it was perfunctory. The security guard said nothing about my cell phone in my back pocket.) When you finally get a bartender's attention (although it's packed, not many people seem to be ordering drinks) you have to yell to give an order. Cocktails were okay. A small selection of beer on tap. But I ordered a second Hendricks and tonic. I watched the bartender pour a Bombay Sapphire. I told her I wanted Hendricks and, after I watched her pour Bombay, she nonetheless said it was Hendricks. Apparently a lot of other people like it, but I cannot recommend it.
(1)
Wilma D.
The reviews are sad, but took the chance and it was so good! We were seated promptly and Josh took drink orders. He was awesome. Excellent service. Friendly and attentive. The Sweet Corn and crab hush puppies were delicious. The sauce that came it with the appetizer was a great compliment. We highly recommend. I ordered the Pork Carnitas sandwich and it was tasty, really good. The fries were light and crispy. My husband orders the PH burger and he loved it. It was cool perfect to his liking and he was happy. Food was good and fresh and served quick. We are happy and we will be back. Thank you, Josh!!
(5)
Eric W.
Ate breakfast at Public House again while attending Katsucon at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as it's one of few restaurants open in the morning. First issue I faced was Google had the wrong hours as Public House does NOT open at 8AM. Staff was polite and helpful during the visit and that was not a problem. The server brought a full carafe of water to the table and that was convenient. The food has changed significantly compared to last year. Ordered the harbor breakfast, Eggs and Bacon were ok. The home fries were overdone and even ketchup could not improve them. They only offered wheat toast that was hard, cold, and the butter couldn't even melt on it. While I was filled up, for what I paid the breakfast was not great and lacked flavor. Not sure I'll be returning to eat here again.
We choose this place from open table cause they were able to get us an immediate reservation. We walked in 30 mins prior to our reservation and was able to be seated. The menu on open table was not the menu we saw when we were seated. Most of the entrees were $25+ and we had two kids with us. We ended up ordering 2 burgers with bacon for $18 a piece , a steak salad $16 and a chicken tenders kids meal $8. We wanted to order drinks but their beers were $6 and it wasn't tap it was a bottle . Finally food arrived. Why my salad which was described as a tri tip steak salad was actually shaved lunch meat and it was maybe 2 pieces that was sliced into thirds. Very disappointed. I told my server and requested another entree which was the burger and fries for the same price . Oh well you live and you learn next time we will drive out of this area and get something worth my money.
(2)
Steve H.
4PM/weekday Dinner for two. Hostess/service was fantastic! Clean. Not crowded at all. In/out less than 1 hour. ODD: There seemed to be a lot of movement & coordination for evening reservations going on between nervous looking men in sport coats with other men wearing flat-billed ball caps (?). Several TV's covering basketball news and soccer. Menu selection BEFORE 5pm (when the comfort food starts) is lacking and overpriced - even for DC. However, the plain burger was DELICIOUS! (Sweet onions = "pizzaz!"). Spinach and grits are winners... $5/each (WHAT!). I guess this place is designed for certain clientele. If you consider yourself a "regular guy," then you are not it. Kinda Ironic with a name like "Public House." Maybe "Per Diem House" (?).
(2)
Fred B.
Visiting National Harbor was on my list of stuff to do, and thanks to a work trip, I had the luxury of a nice trip with a side of good food! Public house is a nice large pub style eatery. Well appointed, and comfortable furniture, room enough between tables so you don't feel like your on top of one another, and super friendly staff! I ordered the burger and I love it when they know how to cook a burger to medium!! Great meat mix, and easy seasonings makes for a really standout burger to start. No joking around with the bacon either. Nice thick slices, done just under crispy so they were full of flavor and still adding to the texture. All the veggies were fresh, and with a choice of a nice spicy Pepper jack as my cheese choice, I was all set. I will be vacationing here with the wife at the end of the month, so I am sure I will wander my way back into the Public house!!
(4)
Mike T.
Had dinner in this restaurant tonight, food not bad, not good but not bad. Service was awful... Little blonde girl server with long stringy hair that could have given 2 shits I was there. Hardly said anything, didn't offer dessert or another drink past my second. She made it obvious all she wanted was for me to pay my bill and get out of her hair. Restaurant owners in National Harbor, almost every review of every restaurant in this area complains about the service.... This could be a world class destination area but the sloppy, marginal dining service ruins it! Hire good people, train them, pay them well and hold them accountable!!! I will probably not come back here again because of this rude little snot server.
(2)
Shelby B.
Pretty average place, nothing really stood out as good or bad, which is in itself not a great attribute. The atmosphere was bland, the noise level pretty loud, and the food was overpriced for what it was. I got the grilled chicken club and was surprised at how plain it was. While the fries were good, the chicken tastes like they barely put any spices on it. Although my waiter was nice, the service was very slow. I would not recommend this restaurant, but if you had to go here then it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.
(2)
Kita B.
I had brunch, lunch & dinner here. The brunch is by far the most memorable! The Crab Benedict is to die for! The southwest salad is amazing & the outside seating area is amazing!
(5)
Chris S.
Late night review only There are pros and cons to spending a night at Public House Pros: No coverage charge, always a plus. Friendly staff, from the bouncers to the bartenders, everyone was friendly and helpful, another plus. Strong drinks, the bartenders aren't stingy with the alcohol and more importantly they have Titos Vodka, trust me it is awesome. DJ is good, nice mix of old school hip hop to go along with all the modern staples of ratchet music we all love to shake our asses to. Cons: They are anal about certain parts of the dress code, sneakers no problem, hats cool too, just be a gentleman and take it off but this weird obsession with collard shirts is crazy. I was with a group of close to 20 people and they wouldn't let one guy in because of his shirt, he had a jacket on that he could have zipped up but they just wouldn't let the shirt thing go. Prices, I normally don't complain about prices because if you can't afford something don't go but the prices are a tad much for the experience. Crowd, overly anal about collard shirts and yet you let in all the riff raff you can handle, I just don't get it. End of the day, the pros outweigh the cons and Public House is a decent space to spend a night out on the town, especially if you live in area, or are staying at one of the many hotels and don't want to trek into the city.
(3)
Tyesha W.
My friend and I went to the Public House this past Saturday night, 15 August 2015 at around 11pm and were refused entry because we were wearing fashion statement shirts that had pictures & words on them, "graphic tees" neither of them had offensive words or derogatory words on them. For example: my shirt stated "Bad to The Bone" and my friends shirt had a face pic of Marilyn Monroe on it. The man at the door informed us this was their new policy. Public House is a restaurant & bar. I have never been to a bar that refused entry to women wearing fashion t-shirt. Public House is usually a fav spot for us but after this I won't be back. If this were a lounge or club I understand the right to have so many rules but this is a local bar & restaurant. We were appalled & completely disappointed & will definitely spread the word.
(1)
Warfare J.
Fabulous food...unbelievable service . The public burger was just melting and full of taste .
(5)
Jessie J.
Went here tonight with 5 friends. Host had a horrible attitude when we asked to get seated outside. No room outside, cool. We got seated inside and waited at our table for about 15 minutes. No one came to our table, no water, nothing. One of my friends is pregnant and was extremely angry at the fact that no one came to our table to at least give us water. It was pretty annoying to see the host just socialize with her buddy waitress and not be attentive at all. We ended up getting up and leaving and just as we got to the front doors she asked us what happened and I told her exactly what it was. No sorry or anything. Disappointed.
(1)
Tom G.
It was just OK. A number of good beers on tap, but I actually expected more choices for a large "Public House." I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. THey had a number of TVs with baseball showing which was nice. Service was just OK and it was very crowded. I ordered the $16 burger which while good, was the size of a slider. Fries were nicely done and tasty. So, a bit pricey, small portions and so-so service. I wouldn't seek this place out again.
(3)
Emily L.
We arrived unexpectedly early for our conference at the Gaylord, so I went off in search of coffee, and then breakfast sounded too good to skip. Unfortunately, Public House was a bad choice. I should have known when I entered that it was clearly a sports bar that also served generic breakfast food in order to capitalize on the tourist crowd. Wait, I did know that, but I was also really hungry. What I wasn't prepared for were the prices. Entrees averaged $15, so I opted to cobble together breakfast from the sides list: two eggs over easy, bacon and toast ran me nearly $9, and they were pretty measly (toast, $2, was one piece of bread sliced in half.) Coffee was watery but bitter, which I know because I had to take a few gulps plain in order to make room for cream. The interior had a grimy feel to it, and several of my dishes were chipped -- clearly not a classy dining experience. Again, I'm not picky, but if I'm going to pay $15 for an omelet I expect more! It was really a terrible experience, but the bacon was crispy and my server (poor guy) was very attentive, so they get an extra star for that. I won't be back, however.
(2)
Laurie K.
Good quality ingredients; preparation not so much. We ordered the $52 meal for two. The house salad was pre made with dressing, so the greens were soggy. Enjoyed the taste of the steak although rare instead of medium rare, good chicken and shrimp. BBQ sauce was good, but salty. The corn was way over-cooked. Server and manager, long story, tried multiple times for gratitude on accepting Restaurant.com certificate with no expiration. Won't be back.
(2)
J P.
Upon the opening of public house it was a very great location to visit. Now after time the service is horrible. It took 30 minutes to receive a mimosa on a slow morning, and the serving staff were un- phased as this was acceptable. The food at best is average
(2)
Ataya P.
I like it! I only came here for drinks, but I had a good time. We sat at the bar and had great service. It didn't have that nasty bar feel. The music selection was on point too! I definitely plan on returning to try the food!
(4)
LaToya E.
I have to agree with many other yelpers on the prices in this place! It is not worth the $$$! I went in one night for dinner and drinks and everyone's food was just kinda meh.. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again. For the prices on their menu I expect the food to be something to remember! As far as the drinks I can comment much since I only had wine and shots lol! It's hard to be bad at that!
If you are looking for a nice place to eat, this is the place for you. It is just amazing. The food, drinks, and atmosphere is great. I went on a very busy weekend and my food still came out in a timely manner. If you do go you must try the berry sangria. You will not go wrong here!
Enjoyed a lunch and dinner lunch the public house Excellent Cob salad and very good pale ale Good burger and crab are salad was tasty. Not crowded early evening on weekend. Our waiter and Service was very good. Convenient location. Central to most hotels in area. Reasonable prices.
(3)
Marisa B.
Made 6:30 reservations and arrived at 6:10. We were pleased to be seated immediately despite being early and the restaurant being packed (before a Cirque du Soleil show on the harbor). We split the hush puppies and blue crab mac and cheese between our party of four, and both appetizers were excellent. For my entree, I ordered the shrimp and grits. The dish was disappointing at best. Overpriced for the portion which wouldn't have bothered me ordinarily; however, the four shrimp on the plate were terribly overcooked. The cheddar grits were cooked well but under-seasoned. Our waitress confessed to being new, and she was friendly so I hesitate to mention it, but the service was subpar. She knew very few answers to our questions regarding the menu and left the table several times to ask a coworker. Three of the table's four entrees came out at once, but we had to ask where our fourth was after ten minutes. Maybe it was an off night for Public House, but I'd probably try another spot at the harbor next time.
(2)
Theo J.
I went for happy hour and it was OK. The food was ok when they finally got my order correct. The bartenders didn't seem to know the drinks. He asked what I didn't like and I feel like the drink he made me tasted like everything I said I didn't want. The Atmosphere was good and I assume it it better during the warmer months. I will give it a try when I'm back in the area.
(3)
Terrell L.
Summary: I like this place, it's casual, friendly, the food is great and the drinks are pretty good. This is a great place for brunch, or happy hour. WARNING: if you're coming here or anywhere at the National Harbor in the summer be prepared to park in the parking garage. This area is PACKED when it's warm outside Now back to our review: Service: the staff if friendly, depending on your server they're pretty knowledgable about the menu and restaurant as a whole (I did have a waitress that didn't know when the bar opened). They do aim to please here so I have to give them credit for that. Food: the menu has a pretty good assortment and I'm sure anyone can find something to fit their taste. My personal favorite is the buffalo shrimp, yum yum Drinks: I give this place kudos on their drinks, it's not watered down like so many other places. The bar tending staff is knowledgable about different cocktails oh and did I mention their secret weapon? They have this made in house pineapple vodka that is seriously the smoothest thing I've tasted. Definitely ask for it!
(4)
Curtis H.
Unlike others I have been pretty happy with the service and food I have had at the Public House. The Portobello on the ciabatta bread was great, the tomato tapenade and roasted garlic aioli fusion was unique. I was equally happy with the shrimp and grits, but the prices at the National Harbor are always exurbanite and the parking is a B%$#@!!! However, the friends and peers that accompanied me here were not happy with their meal...so roll the dice if you are stuck here for a conference. (Feb 2015)
(3)
Octavia Y.
$18 bottomless mimosa and bloody Mary's was steep but they didn't kick us out! Haaaaa. The customer service here was AMAZING! Our waiter, Josh, was amazing!!! The old bay wings weren't on the menu but when I told him my friends talked it up and I was visiting.... He actually brought them out toward the end of our meal! It made me feel VERYYYY special, even though I didn't have any space, lol. I had the crab Benedict and the plate was basically cleaned! Lol, it was great. The steak and cheese spring rolls were pretty good as well. S/o to Public House !!!
(4)
Austin G.
Wow. This place was so bad. We went here because it was the closest to our conference location. You'd think this place would be used to large crowds with all of the conferences at The Gaylord National Harbor, but wow. We literally had to stare at our server as he just stood around not helping any of his tables. Our food took 45 minutes to come to us...wow. The food was not good at all (avoid getting the pulled pork sandwich. It was the worst I've ever had). To be fair, the manager did give us a free drink for our troubles, but we will never go back nonetheless.
(1)
MsAllyce B.
Although the waitress Rachel was very attentive to our large party, this place is not worth the wait OR the price for dinner. I should've stuck to the appetizers, the crab hush puppies and Old Bay wings were AMAZING! But the steak salad I ordered and the pork chop my sister ordered, not worth the 50 bucks...no way Jose! Save your money, go to Texas Roadhouse!!
(2)
Victoria L.
After a fun day at Harbor Festival at the Gaylord Hotel (12/7/13), we were starving. We came here because Cadillac Ranch had a ridiculous hour and 45 minute wait and we were hungry so we decided on Public House. I've never had it so I was hoping it was going to be good. Boy, was I wrong. Okay so let me get this straight...there's 6 tables open and you make us wait 30 minutes AND then you sit us at a table that was open the whole time?? My friend told the hostess we need a table where we can put a highchair for her baby and she said fine. 20 minutes later, she sits us at a booth and my friend asks the hostess if the highchair can go at the end of the table. She goes no you can't put a highchair here if you want a table you need to wait. Okay wait how long? About 10 minutes, the hostess told us. WTF?? Are you kidding me...we told the hostess specifically we need a table because we need a highchair. So annoyed! Well they literally sit us 10 minutes later at a table that was opened since we arrived. By now, I'm annoyed and pissed. She sits us down without utensils, plates and napkin. Um, isn't that the one job you have besides sitting people and you can't even do it right. Our server Steven was meh, he never came to our table unless we waved him down. We had to ask for water even though he passed by and saw we had none. He didn't really do much for me, nothing special in service here. As for the food, we decided to get the nachos, which comes with cheese, melted queso and sour cream. The skimpest shit I've ever seen. What a waste of $12. Do not get it!!!! My friend and I both got a burger with onions strings and bacon. I asked for a medium burger and got a well-done burger. I admit the bacon was good but what bacon isn't? The onion strings were actually decent too. The burger was medicore, nothing special especially for $14 bucks. Get out of here with that crap. Overall, I'm so disappointed at this place. I was expecting some good food at least after having crappy service but nope, same stinky sh*t! I would have starved myself for almost 2 hours waiting at Cadillac Ranch, if I knew I was gonna spend less than what I spent here with better food and service. I guess you gotta try to really know and I know I won't come back here.
(1)
Samantha S.
Great bar service for a Monday evening! Bartender Alyssia really knows her way around a bar and does a great job making some bomb drinks! Haven't had the food here yet but plan to come back and try it out one day.
(4)
Cristine C.
I've been here for brunch a few times (small parties) and a birthday brunch (larger party) and the food and service was great! The steak and cheese eggrolls w/ spicy ketchup are SO GOOD! Whenever I am here or pass by, the restaurant is busy but I don't usually see a long wait. I've always had a reservation and we've been seated promptly. The service was great and while the portions could (always) be bigger for the price you pay, I think PH is a good deal for the NH area.
(4)
Alan T.
I have to take one star away for the portion size. I sat at the bar as it was only me tonight. Ambiance was good, sports bar-ish. I went at about 9pmish so it was dark...I sat at the bar so I can't really comment on the patio seating although I suppose one might be able to watch people walk by, it's hot tonight! They have a few TVs, the Bengals v. Cardinals were on, boring! I had a couple of IPAs, service was good on maintaining my beer levels. When the food came out it was HOT. Ref a couple of the reviews I read about food being cold and/or a hair or something in their food, I didn't have any issues. Food was good, however, the rice and beans was probably Uncle Bens, and I like Uncle Bens, just saying that I could have made that in my room. Chicken was good and hot. Had some cold IPAs, they were cold and served up good. Wait, I already told you that. The Public House is right next to the Residence Inn which assisted me in making my choice for the evening. With some other choices in the neighborhood, I won't have to go back to the Public House tomorrow. Anyway, it's not a place you travel out of your way several miles to visit, it's a place you eat at because you're at National Harbor. Period. If they threw a little more rice and beans on the plate with some real salad and put a real 1/2 chicken on there, I may give them 5 stars.....
(4)
Mike S.
Went twice in three days. Good food, and very friendly waitresses!
(5)
Mariano T.
A fifth star would constitute better seating and less waiting, however, at four stars I recommend this restaurant because it exceeded my expectations in terms of food taste, quality, and presentation. I would go into further details, but it's Father's day and I have to be somewhere. In short, I had a chicken club with fries and it was delicious. The sandwich was not huge, but neither unsatisfying in size. The fries were very good and not thin or hard. The seating was comfortable although our table was slightly crooked. Being seated outdoors the ambience was cool and comfortable. The waiter was phenomenal and on point. The bathroom was clean and comfortable where no worries about standing or sitting on urine would be an issue. I commend this place for that. Overall, I would eat here again as our tab came out to $65 for four adults. In fact, now that I think about it, I'll be changing the rating to five stars.
(5)
Sierra S.
The menu has changed and the new one is unremarkable. While the old menu never boasted a great selection or particularly good food, it was certainly better than the current offering.
(2)
Lori H.
We got seated immediately and our waiter was super helpful with telling us the best items on the menu of which we enjoyed the the waffles and chicken were excellent and Dyshun our server was very helpful in assisting us with our travel plans. I had the crab Benedict that was the best I've ever had. It has a great family atmosphere and windows surrounding the entire restaurant so it's a beautiful view and every direction that you look. It started to snow while we were here and is the prettiest place to go for brunch you'll enjoy it!
(5)
Scott P.
Ok food, slow service, packed with tourist. Likely not to return.
(3)
Tiffany C.
JUST OKAY . . . And that's exactly how it seemed that the waitress felt about waiting on us. Every time she came to the table, she was cracking her knuckles . . . And once she wiped her nose with her hand a la a 2nd grader over the carafe of water on our table. Eating the greens was like biting into food that had been dropped in the sand. The manager made up to the sandy greens with a discount. Unfortunately, there are far too many options to stick to this one. Go somewhere else.
(2)
Megan C.
PSA to all servers, especially those working in a non-upscale dining establishment: you are impressing NO ONE when you attempt to take an order for a party of 10 without writing any of it down, especially when you have to return to our table at least twice to confirm who wanted their dressing on the side and who wanted their steak cooked medium-well as opposed to medium-rare. I should add that if you're "training" someone, this example is not the best one to set to a waiter-in-training. The announcement above should give you a pretty good idea of what we were working with during an outing to Public House for a pre-show dinner. While it was nice that they were able to take a reservation for a party of 10, it was kind of odd that we were shuttled away to a corner in a "private-ish room" away from the restaurant's seemingly fun atmosphere, only to be joined by a gaggle of girls also in the room hosting a bachelorette party. The fare is typical of what you'd expect to find at a chain such as Friday's, Chili's, or Outback, though somewhat pulled off without that stigma, since they have a fairly convincing beer list, but don't expect your server to know the difference between Malbec and Merlot when inquiring about their wines by the glass. As someone who appreciates fresh food that's neither fried nor coated in sauce/dressing/cream/coating, I did have a harder time finding something truly appealing to me on their menu, but settled on a southwestern-style salad, heavily-modified (see note above about why NOT to skip writing down orders). If you're easily pleased by a burger-and-fry plate or a pasta plate, there are probably better options for you at Public House. I don't see myself returning to this restaurant next time I'm in National Harbor for dinner, but I am glad to have tried Public House since I had grown weary of the other chain joints, such as Chevy's, in the area. It's worth a shot, but do manage your expectations.
(2)
C B.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the day was sunny, yet chilly. The husband and I wanted to enjoy the National Habor, we walked and walked and decided to try a new spot. This restaurant looked nice, little did we know we would spend a pretty penny. The waitress was nice, but the water was room temperature with no ice. We ordered mimosas, they tasted bland. We let that go, and thought maybe the day is just slow. Finally the husband ordered the steak and cheese towers, they were cold and we've had better at local Chinese restaurants. He Asked me, "what else do you want?" So I chose the crab cakes and he had a burger. Both dishes were bland, and tasted a day old. A waste of money I'll definitely say. Do yourself a favor and stay far away. ---not worth the price..skip it----
(2)
Lauren E.
Food was amazing. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with a basket of fries. Staff was great. You can tell this place has a real chef because our desserts were fresh and right out of the oven. Would recommend and would eat here again
(5)
Jon Z.
If you are stuck in the area for a conference or something, you unfortunately have very limited food options. All the food in the area are both crappy, expensive and huge tourist traps. The service was decent for this place, our waitress was friendly. However, the food took about 30 minutes to come out when there were about 10 diners in the entire restaurant. I ordered an order of wings and a pulled pork sandwich. Come on, it shouldn't take that long to deep fry some wings and put some pork on a bun! The wings were small, but nicely fried. 3/5 for the wings. The pulled pork sandwich was 4/5, good size but it had a very smokey smell, a little over the top with the vinegar. The drinks: We didn't order any because why would you pay $6 bucks for a Coors light?? The entire drink menu is a huge rip off. Public House is not a gourmet bar, so stop charging over the top prices for crappy beer! Unfortunately, every dining option in the area sucks and you have to pick one of the crappy places to eat. I haven't been to the other restaurants in the area because believe it or not they got even worse reviews. My advice, pack your own lunch or just drive far away from this area to eat some real food!
(2)
Ren N.
Food quality: good tasting wings. I had the sweet and hot. Waitress said wings come in 10s, when I got my order it was only 8. (Not to be a stickler for counting) Service: extremely slow. I waited 20-30 mins just for the wings. Took them 10 min to realize we were ready to order. I guess the staring technique didn't work quite well in this place. I don't know what the waitress/waiters are doing in the back, probably partying or something.... Atmosphere: smaller than the public house I have been to in the past. Still cozy, enjoyed the booth areas very much. I will not come back again to this particular public house.
(3)
Oscar A.
Had lunch here. Ordered the chicken club. It was most excellent. It had a good sauce, not sure what it was bur it was good. It wasn't crowded and the waitress was great.
(4)
B. M.
Went in for late lunch. No music at the time. Sat in booth. Crab corn fritters were good app. However the dipping sauce should have been just mayo, horrible. Sandwiches, roast beef sandwich was cold served on cold bread, no flavor or effort. Bread was frozen quality while the Sandwich would have been better if placed under salamander for 2 minutes to crisp the bread, melt the cheese a and warm the fridge meat. Suggest you stay away from that one. Crab cake. OK the bun SUCKED. The crab cake was also two times smaller then the bun, no crisp to it. Like it was lightl u cooked, very mushy. Flavor was off. Had with the chips served in a basket that still had the price tag and made I. China tag on ut. Attention y I details, not! Chips were ok, dipping sauce was average at best. Service was blaaah. Who trained these people. Oh wait the managers who never smiled who were walking around. One looked like he belonged working in a mortgage house. Suit and tie in a pub? No good bye on way out. Food sucked and service was blaa it's a no brained that we won't be back.
(1)
Jimmie C.
Service is good but the food was dry. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, no Bruno, very dry, dry. For a resturant down town I expected more quality especially for the price.
(1)
Nicole C.
Went yesterday for lunch and had the steak cobb salad. Salad was great and steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Went today and sat at bar. It took 30 minutes just to get an order of hush puppies and the place was way less crowded than yesterday. Lame plus, the crab and corn hush puppies had barely any crab and cost $14. Lunch yesterday saved this from being 2 stars.
(3)
Lautice M.
Hubby and I decided at the very late, last minute to go out so we headed to Public House to meet friends for late dinner and drinks. I have nothing to complain about. It was loud but it was 10:30 on a Saturday night and the DJ was jammin so ... Our waiter was great, very professional and you could tell was seasoned. Drinks, appetizers and dinner came out in great time and HOOTTT! So that was a plus. I stuck to wine but hubby had their pineapple infused martini and whoa! It was good and strong. Apparently they soak pineapple slices in vodka for days and wallah! All in all we had a great time - we ended up on the outside patio until closing time. Definitely would go again; prices was as expected.
(4)
Amanda B.
Food was alright but the service was certainly lacking. Not sure I would go back.....
(2)
Brian H.
Hello Yelp!, it's been awhile. Anywho, our party of four had dinner here last night. Thank goodness we had a reservation, because it was a mob scene. We started with two beers, a bottle of wine, and the queso fundido. The drinks came promptly, followed by the appetizer. The quest is a generous portion, but it came with way too few chips. The waitress offered to bring more, but we had to remind her to bring them. What we were not aware of is that the extra chips coat an additional $5! What a rip. On to the main course. I had the crab cakes, two others had burgers, and our fourth had the pulled pork sandwich (though it was served on a pita?). We had no complaints about a those dishes, but none was amazing. This is a noisy establishment, so we were constantly having to raise our voices to be heard. All in all we had a decent time, but aren't in a hurry to go back.
(3)
Roxy J.
Service was decent, which is why I gave two stars. We were seated immediately, our waitress came by quickly to take our order and deliver our drinks. Food took a bit long to be brought out (30+ minutes), and once the table next to us was seated, our waitress focused solely on them. The food was not good. We had crab cake sandwiches and a chicken sandwich. The crab tasted frozen, and I would be shocked if it was fresh. The only decent part of the meal was the french fries.
(2)
Jennifer K.
Believe the rating...hostess acted like she was completely inconvenienced by our asking for a table for 6. Server was very nice but food took over a half hours drinks were empty, people who came in behind us were served before us. Blamed it on a backed up kitchen but there were plenty of open tables.
(1)
Hannah P.
I called to order food to pick up and was not pleased with my experience. The young lady who answered the phone did not have very good manners. She asked for my name and phone number and told me she placed my order (2 salads). I waited for 45 minutes and never received a call saying my food was ready. So I walked over to find out and sure enough it was sitting in a bag on the bar. It wasn't busy so I really don't understand why no one could have called. Also, they only had one salad in the bag and I had to wait another 10 minutes for them to fix my order. I don't see why it is that hard to complete a phone order for two salads but I'm really disappointed. Especially when I finally got my food and it was pitiful. I have been to PH many times and the experience was okay but never again.
(1)
Andra N.
Came here for a quick couple of drinks on a Saturday night. Sat at the bar, not too buy and easily got an open seat. Quick attentive service from the bartender which was really nice, because I hate having to flag them down. Drinks were solid and strong. Just want I like. I would definitely suggest this place if your just looking for a quick drink before your next stop for the night. They do play their music loud, but it's a bar... so my grandma-self will let it slide. It actually wasn't as noisy as I thought it would be and they did have a variety in their playlist that diverted from top 40 which was nice. Must come back to try their food.
(3)
Billy T E.
This should be a negative star. Had the maryland crab cake sandwich. But there was a small piece of crab meat in there. The service wasn't even so so. I will never go again.
(1)
Dan D.
4-7p happy hr half priced signature drinks. Two of the matador with no food and you are good.
(3)
Laura G.
This place is a joke. My husband and I were meeting someone for lunch who was running late, so we decided to have an app and drink at the bar while we waited. While watching a bartender make a mixed drink from a bottle of coke, I quickly made a note to self to not order any form of soda. Five minutes after placing our order, we were told they were out of the crab hush puppy app we ordered. We cancelled the order. Fast forward to our friend arriving. We were seated outside. The nice spring day saved this review from being one star. Good work, weather. My friend asked for a moscato, but the waitress wasn't sure if they had that, so as a back up she selected a cocktail from their bar menu. The waitress returned with white zin, reporting no moscato and no cocktail available. If we managed to order three different things they didn't have that day, imagine how many other things could have possible been a no-go on the menu? One of our dishes got sent back for not having dressing on the side, as requested. My husband's fries, while cutely presented in a basket, were pretty darn awful, and I am never quick to criticize a french fry. My husband did enjoy his burger and my friend her crab cake, although she is from North Carolina and surely can't have our MD crabcake standards.
(2)
Quince B.
I had no drinks or food. Very crowded on a Saturday night, if you manage to get a seat at or around the bar, NEVER Get up. Music was way too load to here the person next to you. Just go to Cadillac Ranch across the street and hit the upstairs bar.
(2)
Peaches P.
I like Public House....I really do....but I do have an issue with their limited, deficient menu. Their drinks, albeit expensive, have always been good IMO but their food leaves much to the imagination. I strongly believe that if a restaurant has a limited menu then certainly everything should come out of the kitchen absolutely delicious! What's the issue with perfecting fixed menu items???....sheesh...shouldn't be that hard. The spot also turns into a lounge of sorts, with music at night and seems to never have any problems with the masses. Anyway, the Harbor area is really nice, with plentiful shops, restaurants and scenery. I do enjoy when I go to that area for those reasons alone.
(3)
Allison B.
We went on a Saturday afternoon. It was rather warm inside for how hot it was outside. It took a while before I was some what comfortable inside, the somewhat ice water helped. What didn't help was the long hair rolled into the napkin. Ew. Should have left after those two problems. Our server was polite but MIA a good bit. The wait for the food seemed forever long for we ordered and how busy it was. Husband waited and asked a busser to find our server for another beer. She wandered off and when she found him he couldn't understand what we needed. His beer then sat at the bar for nearly 5 minutes. Our food was mediocre. The burger was overcooked to be ordered at Medium. My pulled pork pita had more lettuce and guacamole than pork. My daughter and I went to the restroom after we had been done eating for a while and husband waited for the check, when we came back he was still waiting to settle the bill. It took over an hour and a half for what we thought was a quick lunch. We left wishing we just went to potbelly. We would have saved our money and time.
(1)
Lucia J.
Brunch here was great. The chicken and waffles to the sausage gravy and biscuits! Casual atmosphere and pleasant staff.
(4)
Ilona s.
Went for drinks and appetizers. Fairly disappointed. Was recommended by Gaylord hotel so was thinking it would be a good choice. Crowd was young and loud. Lots of drinking and dancing - which I usually enjoy. However waiter was not around much, and appetizer (queso and spring rolls) were bland. Actually worst than bland. Might have been the worst queso that I've ever had. (Geez who acres up queso?!) Pretty gross. Definitely would only go back to this place for cocktails.
(1)
Matt R.
This place was terrible for food and service. Mainly, the very disrespectful and unprofessional bartenders/waiters. Judging from other reviews, I have a similar story. Around 130pm last Saturday, I sat at the bar with my girlfriend to get a quick bite and a beer while catching the soccer game. After sitting down for 10 minutes and not being looked at, the two bar tenders rushed to try and get our order. After looking over the limited menu we ordered--a salad and a chicken club. Super easy. 45 minutes later. The food took forever, people that sat after us got their food and finished before we received ours and the bartenders avoided us and made excuses (the kitchen is busy)--it was a relatively normal Saturday for a restaurant in that area. Regardless, if your kitchen can't put out a salad and a sandwich fairly quickly you should fire everyone involved. When the food came out and both bar tenders could tell we were annoyed a male bar tender put two shots of a clear liquid in front of us. When I asked what it was, he simply said "you'll like it." Think it was a vodka shot, which was wildly inappropriate--namely that it was 2pm on a Saturday and we had drive back to DC. Not to mention again--it was 2pm on a Saturday. I've never felt so disrespected at a restaurant before. If a bartender is going to give someone a free drink to make up for their inefficiencies, they should at least stick to what that guest is drinking. The food was poor quality, chicken was overcooked but cold and the bread was soggy. Both my side salad and my girlfriend's full salad was bland. We left hungry, after 2 hours. And pretty angry. Wish I had taken my girlfriend's advice to just pay for the beer and leave after waiting for 30 minutes.
(1)
Arlene G.
The brunch includes bottomless mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Our server Karlyn was attentive and kept my mimosas coming. We have a 6 year old who enjoyed their varied kids menu. We listened to her menu recommendations and are sure glad we did! Everything was delicious. Do yourself a favor and start with the crab corn hush puppies. We will be back to check out their karaoke night and dinner.
(4)
Adrian R.
Soooo I'm in here on a Thursday....two bartenders are skkkiiimmmmpppppp on drinks...smh...wish kitchen was open later food is good here.
(1)
Laurie W.
Stopped in here on a whim to watch the 2nd half of the 1pm Sunday games when the bar at the Gaylord was ridiculously crowded. The good - great selection of martinis and cocktails. Plenty of large TVs, too, showing all the games. The bad - only one seasonal beer on tap? The on-tap selection was definitely limited. I wouldn't make a special trip, but was fine for what I needed that day.
(3)
Kate N.
We thought the food looked great so we stopped in for brunch on Sunday morning. It was not crowded, but service was absurdly slow and the wrong food was brought to us after 45 minutes of sitting at the table. They were clueless about a gluten allergy one person in the party had, further delaying the meal. This was a terrible experience unfortunately and we were extremely disappointed after a great weekend at a conference at the convention center across the street. **when the food came out properly, it was tasty and hot. The server comped the meal and we left happier than initially anticipated.
(3)
Kristy W.
I've been twice, and each time was during a conference at the Gaylord National across the street. Two different conferences, and two different days of the week. The first was a Friday. This place was a mad house. In fact, were it not for the reasonable happy hour prices, I wouldn't have even considered for a mere second, going back a second time. Friday night at Public House, or at least this Friday night, was to put it politely, a cluster. Granted, the place was overrun with conference attendees, but there were at least as many locals (disclosure, I am from DC, so am known for being tourist-judgy) being judgy about the conference attendees. But that gave it a distinctly antagonistic feel. Add that to the fact that the music was loud enough that even outside in the drizzle, we had to nearly yell to hear ourselves. The second time, however, was a Monday, and I needed to kill some time before a party (rough life, I know), so stopped in for their very reasonable happy hour. Now, being that I love fried cheese and am never one to turn down things that are also smoked, I tried their smoked fried ("crispy") mozzarella. In theory, it would have been quite delicious. But even I, who will come back from a camping trip and revel in the smoky smell that lingers for days, thought the smoke on this cheese was a little much. I couldn't finish the plate (and that is sad). I also tried their spiked hot cider. It seemed appropriate for the weather, since it was dreary and cold and a little snow lingered on the streets. But it was spiked with Fireball whisky, which I haven't had since college and now remember why, and was also lukewarm. But hey, the beer is cheap. At least during happy hour, and hey, good news, it's only a block from the hotel!
(2)
Tempress M.
Well first of all, I love the Harbor, a very nice place to come and hangout with friends--and even for out of town guest. Ok, now to the real issue at hand...Public House. The service sucks!!! The bartenders are R.U.D.E, no personality whatsoever. They ignore you when you try and ask for service (which they are supposed to provide), and it's not just one bartender, it's all of them!!! If I leave work after a looooong day and I'm looking for a drink, I expect superior service, especially if I'm paying. Last time I checked, food and drinks aren't free! The food and drinks are subpar but other than that they get 2 stars from me. So if and when you decide to come, expect the rudeness!!
(2)
Luis T.
Went here for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast hollandaise eggs with crab tasted well. Dinner was good too. As the others have posted, the prices are higher then one would expect given that its on national harbor.
(3)
Kimberly P.
Service was very slow and food was hit or miss. The Korean short rib buns were delicious and the portabella sandwich (minus the roll) was yummy. But the kids burger was burnt and gross. The southwest Cobb is served with cold chicken (no warning that the chicken wasn't cooked fresh). Overall I'd maybe try an appetizer again but the entrees left much to be desired.
(3)
Ellen L.
Last minute birthday plan? Want to enjoy good music? open late? this place is a good choice for that. However be prepared for mediocre food and slow service. I would go back just for a spur of the moment or its because its a place I already tried but it wouldn't be a first choice.
(3)
Shenica S.
I'm always going to be a huge fan of the Public House... when working for the County and stationed at the National Harbor I already know what's for dinner... I love the staff, Alexis, Jay, and Nicki are my favorites for my lunch and dinner meals... and Michelle is my all time fave for breakfast.... these following ppl compliment the amazing meals I constantly get served. I recommend the old bay wings and tacos for an appetizer, crab cake sandwich or southwest salad as an entree and DEFINITELY the apple turnover for dessert! The managers including my favorite Brian are very attentive and cater to your needs and are very approachable. THERE IS NEVER A DOUBT THAT I WILL ALWAYS GET GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOOD WHEN I VISIT!!!
(5)
Jeana C.
I am giving them 5 stars because of their manager. I assume he was the manager. My girls and I came here last night for our girls' night out. Ordered 2 appetizers and a salad, and my girls had drinks. Music was awesome, DJ was on point! But the guests next to us were a little wild...then more ladies joined them. The issue was, they were dancing right next to our table, w their big booties about to touch our table. We just LOL, and continued to have a good time. Apparently, the manager saw this and came over to them and said something to them, twice. At the end we received our bill and baam. 1/2 off our bill, just because of all the wildness to the table next to us. We thought that was an excellent svc. Needless to say, we tipped the waiter very well. So good job, manager for the night! We will be back!
(5)
Dawn B.
Loved Happy Hour...Drinks were only $6.00 which is fantatstic in EXPENSIVE DC!!! We had 4 drinks and a salad for 33.00. Im comparing that price to the following night at another venue in downtown DC (Spent $35 for a Ceasar salad and 1 cocktail....OMG, could have hit the floor).
(3)
BC E.
We came here before reading the reviews. Mistake. Simple crab cake and chicken sandwiches with a bottle of half price wine came to $70 with tip. Not bad, but the food was only okay. The wine was good, though, and a deal at half price (Sunday's). However, the list we picked it from said it was from Germany, but the label clearly said Washington state. Say whaaat?!? Service was prompt, but my friend said the crab didn't seem fresh. It smelled fishy even across the table. Chicken sandwich, which was supposed to be a club, was just a breast on toast. I expected fresh sliced chicken in the more traditional club set-up. They have a captive audience here, though, but if you can get into DC or Alexandria, do it.
(2)
Kristin F.
I went here one Saturday around 11am after running a race at the National Harbor. My friend and I looked at their brunch menu online and were excited to try this place out, but we failed to see that on Saturdays breakfast is only served until 11am so unfortunately we were stuck with the lunch menu which seemed very limited to me. I ordered the Public House burger which was Angus and came with the standard toppings. I found it okay but nothing great about it. My friend ordered the Maryland Crabcake sandwich which she said was good. Overall I just wasn't impressed by the menu options for lunch, maybe they have more for dinner but I don't think I would go here again.
(2)
David B.
Been here several times and like hanging at the bar. The bar staff are also very attentive and friendly. I had the charted chicken wings and they were really good. Very different crusty and yummy.. I also had the Korean BBQ shorten buns yummy as well..
(4)
Jason K.
My buddy and I were here for a conference at The Gaylord and the Public House is right across the street. They have a great happy hour for $3 Yeunling's or Coor's Light and a bunch of different appetizers. I got the Southwest Salad. Our waitress/bartender was super cool and was quick to refill my Youngling. The food came out after about 10 minutes and it was a really large salad with an awesome tasting grilled chicken with what seemed like a spicy rub. Perfect coloring. Some tortilla strips and avocado with the balsamic type dressing made for a filling salad. There were also a ton of TV screens here with which games were on beneath them during football season. A huge plus! Before happy hour ended I ordered the hummus plate. I knew I would want the leftovers for breakfast. Superb! A huge scoop of hummus with some olives and tomatoes go with the hot pita bread perfectly. Just yummy! Great food for a usual touristy type place and a fun atmosphere! The happy hour was the best that I saw at National Harbor.
(4)
Jeff W.
Stopped for dinner after the football game. The food was delicious. I had the Jambalaya that was a perfect mixture of heat and spicy. My wife had short ribs that was cooked to falling off the bone. The corn and crab hush puppies was an fabulous starter. The sauce that came with it was incredible. The staff was attentive and good. Overall a great visit.
(4)
Ujji B.
Note: review is only for bar/drinks not food or wait service I went late night for a drink, the bartender was friendly and inquired about my day. After getting my drink, my guest and I went outside to the patio seating which was a great addition to the semi warm weather. We sat in front of the fire pit and enjoyed conversation with off the clock staff. They stay open pretty late compared to the rest of the Harbor which tends to shut down after 11pm.
(4)
Ken C.
I went there before dinner time. It was OK, but nothing special. The service was not that great. If you don't care about the service, then just go with beers.
(2)
Ariana G.
In the food desert of National Harbor where it is next to impossible to find anything approaching edible, this place is an oasis. I am not going to say it's great because it's not. It is a place to get something to eat, that you will want to eat and not send back to the kitchen. Best the area has to offer.
(3)
Tarik B.
I went on a Friday night it was super crowded the wait for tables 45 minutes. The crowd is nice, guys must wear collared shirt, music is mostly urban and hip hop but great clean music and a little dance floor. I order the salmon platter a little disappointed at the size of the salmon was at 22 on a plate a can with some cus cus and vegetables but the salmon was small. A little smaller than a your palm. Luckily I ordered chicken and french fries at the bar which was delicious the salmon was delicious also. Plenty of women.
(4)
Connie M.
Deja vu...I was staying at the Gaylord; attending the same workshop; came in with a huge lunch crowd with the same friends; sat at the bar again; had mediocre service again; both times left hungry and disappointed. Major Fail. :( So, why come back? Well, I believe in 2nd chances, my friend is a vegetarian, it is one block from the Gaylord and there is only so many times you can pay $20 for hotel salad bar. As a former server, I feel for them as the convention lunch crowd stampedes in all at once...so the long wait does not bother me. What irked me is the number of times the male bartender walked past my empty ice tea glass and refused to make eye contact with me. See, the problem is that the ice tea is in the back and any good bartender would make sure to have at least ONE pitcher of tea stashed at the bar as the lunch crowd comes in. FAIL #1 Yes, he was annoyed because many of the bar patrons were in a hurry to get back to their workshops/meetings but if he had taken 30 seconds to explain that a huge lunch crowd walked in AT THE SAME TIME and the kitchen was backed up but could he refill their drinks with a giant (even fake) smile. Instead, he gave attitude which only made the people sitting next to me even more upset and impatient. FAIL #2 I ordered from the Sunday Brunch menu...Crab Benedict. I asked for the eggs to be extra runny and they were perfect! However, the Hollandaise sauce was also watered down (was there misunderstanding when I ordered??) The "fingerling" potatoes came out cubed like for a hash...except they were not brown or crispy. FAIL #3 I have to give a shout out for their sausage patties...they came with my vegetarian friend's french toast (see, there are perks to being friends with her!!) and I was happy to trade my bland potatoes for them. They were tiny but they look and tasted like they were homemade...SCORE!! At 1pm there was a football game and they have a special...$20 for unlimited Coors Light and 1/2 price apps WITH the beer special. I tried to order some wings but couldn't get any which made me really tempted to stay for Coors light. ps. My friend liked her french toast but it wasn't anything special for $12 pps. If everyone had gotten the bottomless Bloody Mary(s) EVERYONE would have had a better time!! :)
(2)
Todd P.
We were a party of 14 and to my surprise, we were seated immediately without a reservation. There was a room set aside for a large group. For me, it went downhill from there. We were there on Sunday early enough for breakfast. We all received menus and only half of them had the breakfast menu. Water was served with no lemon and a few glasses without ice and it was high chlorine tap water. The highlight of my experience was having my order taken last and not receiving it. When I informed the order taker (not server - there is a big difference) her standard answer was "it'll be coming up." In reality, the kitchen goofed and didn't prepare it at all. It was finally delivered when everyone else in my party was finishing up. Fortunately, the manager comped my meal. I still don't think I'll return.
(2)
D G.
Decent appetizers and drinks.; the chicken spring rolls were tasty. Nothing overly superb but a great bar if you want to catch a football game outside of the house. Food is kinda pricey for what you get, but it is to be expected in that location. Overall, I will return... Just not rushing to do so.
(3)
Miranda H.
We went here because they had a good looking menu for brunch, much better than other restaurants nearby. I'm glad we made a reservation because apparently they had a 25 minute wait. Service was okay - our server didn't check in very often which kept us waiting, and the food was just okay as well - the aioli that they put on the sandwich was gross - lacked flavor and wasn't anything special - would have preferred just mayo, and the fries were lukewarm. After ordering, meal came out in about 5 min. I was annoyed that when I ordered decaf coffee it was a big deal that took about 10 minutes to be delivered, and then when she refilled it she put in regular. The place was okay - nothing special and really not worth the price. Probably won't be returning anytime, nor would I recommend it.
(2)
Taylor C.
Sat at the bar for dinner while I was here for a tradeshow. DJ was good, drinks were well poured. As I always do I got the Mac and cheese. There was a lot of crab in it which would be good but everything else about it missed. For dinner I had the southwest salad as a wrap and it was good. I'm guessing this is slightly better than most bar food. Someone next to me got the crab cakes and said they were good and all crabmeat. Service was good but not great.
(3)
Lisa H.
Ho-hum. We went around 11:30 am before Cirque. The positive: Service was good throughout. I had the chicken sandwich. Bland. Average. Nothing to write home about. Served on wheat toast that got soggy on one side by the time I got to the second half. My friend got huevos rancheros and it looked a bit weird. He said it tasted fair. They serve it on a flat tostado or something like that. Skimpy sausage portion. I won't be back. There are lots of other places to try.
(2)
S G W.
Food is very good. Portions are generous. They have very nice entree salads and great burgers. The menu has plenty of other choices too, but we went with our favorites. We also noticed the bar is very well stocked. Some of the regular convention goers said it's one of the best bars there. Service was good. The waiter was big help with beer recommendations. The restaurant is a short distance from the hotel area so if you are there for a convention and only have a short time for lunch, it works well. And perfect for happy hour too.
(4)
Local B.
The best time to go is on a weekday or a Sunday evening during a game. Friday & Saturday nights suck because for it to be a bar they have too many damn rules for your casual spot for drinks, music & food. I dont need to be told to take my hat off as if my hat is going to hurt anybody in the damn establishment. My friend who is not from this area does not need to be told he needs a collar shirt in order to get a F-ing beer. If you want to be a fake upscale nightclub you might want to promote yourselves as such. Corny ass rules towards two working guys who will go in spend their money & spread the word of a great time is a bad look. Fix that shtt because its lame & turns off many people from being regulars.
(3)
Sarah W.
Just got back from a conference at the Gaylord in National Harbor. Over the three days I was there, I ate at Public House three times. (Drinks & Dessert, Lunch, and Dinner). The food here is delicious, however, the service is what is really holding this place back. The wait time even for just dessert was at least 30 minutes, our lunch came out quickly, however, the waitress was barely around. Dinner took forever as well, though the place was slammed. This place is full of out of towners who are trapped without cars to leave the Harbor, which means the prices are higher than you would find else where. Can't imagine going back on my next trip to the DC area, but it served its purpose considering the situation I was in.
(3)
dana m.
I've eaten here at the Philly location, I had high expectations for this place. Unfortunately it wasn't the best. The smell of old beer coming from the bar as we walked past it to our table for lunch was overwhelming. I almost walked out because if they're not cleaning the bare minimum (mopping after a busy night) who knows what else they're not cleaning!! I got over it and sat down in a booth. The food was decent but the waitress stood there, bent over the beverage station right in front of us. It was awkward...
(2)
Emily G.
I came here with my parents and it is so gross I decided to review it now. I gave it 1 star for presentation, but otherwise my chop salad was soaked in lime juice and disgusting and the garlic spinach I ordered on the side was too strong. I can make spinach better than that. my dad got the burger and said it was too sweet, and my mom got a crab cake and said it was about what she could expect from a 2 star restaurant. none of us finished our meals and I am highly disappointed. do not get trapped in this tourist restaurant or because it is convenient as it was for us.
(1)
Jaymee M.
Sat down at the bar at 6:52 pm (no intentions of ordering happy hour items) bartender walked by us multiple times and finally talked to us at 7:03 pm after happy hour ended at 7:00 pm. Over 10 minutes to be said hello to and take a drink order?? At a bar!? Ridiculous. She was rude. Short. And wasn't interested in anything but hanging out with the other bartenders. We witnessed her take shots twice with them while we were waiting for our second round and then waiting for our check. Finally another bartender brought us our check. I will never return because of the lack of service.
(1)
Freddy V.
The karaoke is so nice but there is one Asian girl at bar that is so rude all time and gave a bad service to us also the manager Mike don't care about anything we told them about the problem that girl and he was so disrespectful too. Bad time - Bad service.
(1)
Laura V.
Arrived as a party of three just after noon. Placed lunch order at 12:05 p. Tepid coffee arrives and has to be sent back. At 12:30 p. we asked how things were coming with our lunch (3 burgers). We were told that it was "up next". At 12:45 p. we asked for our check for the coffee and tea and said we were leaving. The server said, there was a party of 15 in front of us...really? The restaurant was NOT full and patrons who arrived after us had SOME food on their table when we walked out. Choose another choice!
(1)
Gloria Y.
Worst place EVER!! Customer service....severely lacking!!! They pour costumers drinks out before it's done & then make you buy another!!! Crazy!!!
(1)
Krystal P.
The good is good but there is a limited selection and it is a bit pricey for what's offered. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was delicious. We ordered seven daughters moscato. It was pretty good, light and sweet. I also got the honey orange Manhattan. It was pretty strong but still ok. Just wish they had more of a selection.
(3)
Sumi H.
Thank you Public House for being so awesome during my stay at the harbor. I've been remodeling my house without anywhere to stay that night, or kitchen to cook in. I was horribly stressed and honestly needed a break from it all. My mother and I came to this restaurant and we were greeted promptly by Andrew. He gave great food and drink suggestions, and he was very kind and patient with our indecisiveness. Overall great experience, and the artichoke and crab dip is something only true Marylanders and crab lovers can enjoy. It's full of lump crab meat! With all of the fuss about my house and the stress that comes along with it, I guess my sleep deprivation got the best of me. As I was packing up to go, I left my car keys!! I woke up the next morning in a rush to meet my contractors and I was totally stranded. But thanks to Andrew, his kindness, and honesty, he found them and stashed them for me to pick up the night before. All of this to say the staff here is wonderful and the food matches their caliber! I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Torie G.
Appetizers were good, but they ran out of French Fries! Really? How do you run out of French Fries? There was an hour wait for the crab Mac & Cheese at 11am! Service was subpar and mgr on duty was awful. Probably would never go back.
(2)
Samayah A.
What saddens me about this place was not so much the food was bad but our server being such an ass. He had such a terrible attitude and seemed irritated when I requested my salad a certain way. I just didn't get it. Beyond that my son has a gluten allergy and I requested his burger not come with the bun. Of course it did and the items were left off a simple Cobb salad I ordered. Just unfortunate I have to give this place a bad review over someone with an unfavorable attitude. The wait was kind of long too. I will NOT give them my business again.
(1)
Amanda K.
Been here twice. The first time I was among a group of 6 girls and we just went for drinks. The place gets packed and gets pretty live. We had so much fun and the music was great. The second time I went with one friend for dinner and drinks. We ordered the cheesesteak wraps which were amazing and the nachos which were good UNTIL I SAW A BABY ROACH CRAWLING OUT OF THE NACHOS!!! I was horrified and disgusted since I had been eating them. The bartender took all the food off our bill but charged us for the drinks. No one really apologize, guess they're used to roaches in their food. DISGUSTING. Do not eat here.
(1)
Mohammed J.
Don't miss the chicken spring rolls!!! They are ridiculously delicious! A bit spicy tho
(4)
Jim D.
Server was Annie she was very nice and attentive. Asked her what she would recommend and decided to try the jambalaya. Good choice, great taste and good portion. Would recommend this place to friends and work partners.
(5)
LaShanta H.
Stay far away from the smokehouse bacon flatbread. Just too fancy. But not good quality. Too much going on. Burger was great and the topping options were really good but the bun was WAY too small for a half pound burger. Greek salad was great and big and fresh. The pita bread was nice and soft too.
(3)
Neal E.
Had a late dinner here one evening. Sat at the Bar. Ordered the fried oysters for an appetizer - and a burger with fries. Plus a Pint of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. Oysters came out first. They were very heavy on the breading, and the breading was falling off the oysters - and very little in the way of flavor. Burger was tasty - fries were hot and crisp. 90 Minute IPA was cold and delicious. In the bar area - they have this large glass storage container - packed full of Pineapple Vodka. They let the Pineapple marinate and flavor the Vodka for about a week. The bartender gave me a complimentary shot. It was delicious! Did not even taste like Vodka! Service was good. I'd come back here for drinks and maybe something to eat - but I would not order the oysters again.
(3)
Xerxes N.
Great spot that is walking distance from the Gaylord National Convention Center in MD. I had the opportunity to hang out at this place two nights in a row. The first night was just sitting outside on the patio. We sipped on some beers as we people watched throughout the evening. The next night though...karaoke!!! The set up for karaoke was rather odd. All the words were blasted on a big screen that you can see throughout the bar but you had to stand so close to the wall (because of the mic cord) and look straight up. (Thank God I've sang Baby Got Back so many times that I didn't really need to look at the screen.) It's a great set up for everyone else to sing along but hard for the singer since they're so close to the screen. Also, where we stood to sing was in a walkway so people were easily walking around you as oppose to being on a stage. The bar was a huge wraparound and the service overall was solid (with some good eye candy by the way). Since I already had dinner I didn't eat but I did see a few meals come out and they looked pretty good. It's one of those spots that I wish we had here in Hampton Roads I'd be a regular. Just an overall good vibe with a mixed crowed. Everyone in my group had a good time as we sang the night away.
(4)
Justin K.
Not overwhelming. Greeter wasn't very friendly. Service was OK, I'd have expected better at 7pm on a Sunday night. Food was relatively bland. Not interested in returning.
(2)
Crissy C.
I recently had a dinner party at Public House for my birthday. There were about 20 of us so they sat us in the private area toward the back of the restaurant. We could still here the music, which was great but the atomosphere was much calmer and the decor was fitting. There were two other parties (one with about 10 people and the other had about 20 people) in the area as well but the space was large enough for all parties to enjoy themselves without feeling like someone was stealing their night. The food and drinks were amazing. We all ordered appetizers to share including the cheesesteak spring rolls (my favorite), wings, nachos, and crab and artichoke dip. Some ordered salads and a couple had crab cakes. No complaints at all. Throughout dinner I had an unknown amount of drinks and even the server bought me a shot for my birthday. I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday there and would definitely return.
(4)
Mary Jo Lisa C.
Was seated outside fairly quickly on a very busy Saturday afternoon. Service was quick and prompt and our server checked on us fairly regularly. The NY strip was cooked perfectly and the B sprouts and frites (which was like a nest of fried potato strings) was the excellent compliment to the steak. My friend had a cheeseburger with fries which she seemed to enjoy. Great spot and fun for people watching.
(4)
Toya J.
Public House is a hands down good a$$ time! Friday night this is the perfect place to be out and about with friends. I was shocked at how far the National Harbor had come on the Liveliness Scale. For dinner, I ordered the buffalo shrimp appetizer and it was really good. The shrimp were big, and the seasoning was very tasty. Everyone else's appetizers looked good too. They serve bistro quality dishes. Although, this is a casual spot, it's not your typical burgers, buffalo wings, and fries type of place. They have flat breads, hummus, and mussels; there are a host of unrelated items to choose from. You may want to let your server know if you're a lightweight, because folks were getting LIT UP!!! I'm sure what I would presume to be grown responsible ladies, somehow had reverted back to their college days, drinking, staggering, and stumbling around holding on to counters to get from one end of the bar to the next, and it wasn't even midnight . YIKES! At one point they had to turn the house lights up, because someone had puked all through the women's bathroom, so they closed it down to do a thorough cleaning. Girls Girls Girls, that drink may be fun, fruity, and flirtatious, but that don't mean it's a tease. HA HA! The DJ here on Friday night was spinning top 40 and some Hip Hop, customers have somehow created their own dance floor in the front and rear of this restaurant and people was just partyin'. There's indoor/ outdoor seating as well. I liked the fact that we sat outside and ate, and then our group came in and had a few more drinks kinda two steppin, mingling at the bar. I'm coming back... and as a matter of fact we are adding this place into my girlfriend's Bachelorette Bar Hop in August. Every man and woman needs a good waterin' hole to lay their burdens down and in my book Public House just got official.
(4)
Leang E.
We came in and were seated right away, and was able to get a table outside. It was a gorgeous day to be out and sitting. The food was good, but like what others have stated the service was lacking. The refills were a bit slow, and we went up to the hostesses to see about getting our bill paid. Luckily, we were able to do that so that we could head out and enjoy the rest of our night. I don't get why there was a need for 4 hostesses when it seemed that they really need more waitstaff. The prices were average for the area.
(3)
Gerna P.
They brought me NOT what I have ordered. There was a hair in my food. They compensated with a VERY small amount. Will not go back.
(1)
Jasmin H.
So we ended up here after the original reason we were staying at National Harbor fell thru (Pose was closed, but that is another rant for another post) as a quick fix. Since we were staying at the Gaylord, Public House was conveniently located across from there. When we walked in I noticed how random the crowd was. Saw some mid 30s and mid 20s crowded in the restaurant and bar sides equally. Personally I thought the place would be bigger on the inside considering how it looked from the outside. The DJ was ON POINT! Like I was shocked at how he played most songs all the way thru and had a random, but good variety/collection. Didn't even need to be drunk to enjoy myself lol. Too bad the space to dance is kind of tight (I know it's not meant to be a dance club or anything but with jams that good it's hard not to want to move around!) but my girls and I made the best out of the space. I ordered a Lemon Drop shot that was freakin expensive! Lke I just shivered again fro the memory of that price, not to mention when I ordered a Mai Tai the bartender said he would make me a Rum Punch instead....um I guess? Lucky for him it was delish. Overall it was an enjoyable alternative to my original plans. The overall atmosphere was cool. If I were stayin at National Harbor again I would totally return.
(3)
Joy L.
I guess if your in your twenties and like loud (really loud) rap music this is the place for you. It gave me a headache!! Our waiter was slow and barely made eye contact with us. He had to lean over the table to hear us because the music was so loud. On a positive note, the burger was good as was the claim chowder thus the two star rating.
(2)
A N.
Wish I had looked at the menu before entering this place! Two apps - nachos and fried Mac & cheese, plus a kids grilled cheese cost nearly $50. That's insane. Food quality was ok but for the money was a let down. Would have left if I hadn't already sat down with a hungry child present. Place was dark in the restaurant area at five o'clock. Maybe this place is only there to cater to the high rollers staying at the Gaylord and that's fine. Just don't have signs on the outside saying its a casual food restaurant.
(1)
Scott D.
Let me be clear. This is five stars because of our waiter Andrew and how accommodating he was. On top of everything being perfect. Andrew was absolutely excellent. If someone goes to national harbor come here for the great service and food.
(5)
Laura R.
Bad service and mediocre (at best) service. Stopped in here after a Christmas event in the area. Service was S.L.O.W. and no one ever checked on us after our food arrived. Beer was waaay overpriced (seriously $6 for a Coors Light bottle?!?! ) but I really wanted one after dealing woth dC traffic, alas, no one asked. Food. Well my medium rare buger was on the verge of well done and the "cheddar" was more similar to a slice of prewrapped processed cheese. Dont get me started on the fast-food-esqe bacon. My husband's turkey on the turkey and brie was also processed lunchmeat. Sister-in-law got the pulled pork and her hands were more greasy than my 3 year old (who had chicken tenders). Good luck!
(1)
Jeremy Y.
Seated for breakfast on a Saturday morning. 10 minutes before the server acknowledged us (no water/drinks) and only a couple of minutes after asking if a server was assigned to our table. 2 of 4 water glasses have lipstick on them. Restaurant not busy, lots of staff standing around. Poor service negates food quality.
(2)
Pete C.
Tough to rate this place. The whole National Harbor area feels a bit like a tourist trap that trying too hard to be cool. We were staying at the Gaylord Resort for a big conference and because there was not a lot of convenient transportation to and from the hotel we found ourselves walking around this cluster of retail and restaurants that were within walking distance. The Public House was one of the closet locations to the hotel and so we hit it our first night in town. Hint to self if the entire police force of the National Harbor area is parked outside of an establishment maybe you should pick someplace else for a late night snack. We walked in and it was LOUD. Not lots of talking and plates clinking loud but heavy duty pounding hip hop dj pounding bass so you can't hear yourself shouting LOUD. We sat at the furthest table from the DJ and ordered our food. Stay away from the flat bread! The wings were good and my friends salad was ok but the highlight was the cold beer served fast and by a friendly waiter. After a couple of beers I thought we'll hell the music is here let's see where the dance floor is....you guessed it no dance floor just a bunch of folk moving where they stood. Mostly around the bar. What the hell East Coast? If you can't dance and can't hold a conversation and the food is gone it might be time to go elsewhere. Food was OK, Service was good, atmosphere was meh. 2 1/2 stars pumped up because they did play a couple of cool songs.
(3)
Josh P.
Came in around 11 on a Monday night after getting off a late bus tour of the city, so we were really just trying to find a restaurant that was still open for dinner. Walked in a the music was at club levels. There was some kind of drama happening outside so we opted to eat inside, which ended up being a mistake. I thought the music was loud when we walked in, but it just got louder and not only that, it was the most offensive playlist I'd heard in a restaurant setting. If there was a club setup in the back I could MAYBE give it a pass, but it's just a bar with an "upscale" restaurant front. Sorry if I don't enjoy "f*** you b****" and "I don't give a f*** about you" while I'm trying to eat my dinner (I think "f*** you b*****" actually played twice until someone who I assumed was the manager changed it to an almost equally vulgar song) The food was mediocre at best, not good enough to offset the awful atmosphere.
(1)
Wes E.
Terrible service and mediocre food. Ordered apps took 35 mins to get a bowl of soup and hot wings .. Overpriced!
(1)
Judi R.
My husband and I went to happy hour for the half priced apps & drinks. I Googled the website and it showed happy hour was 3 til 7 pm & we arrived before 4. We sat @ the bar & ordered the hummus plate, some wings & fries along with a couple of drinks. The food arrived pretty quick, drinks were good & we enjoyed everything. When the bill came, our bartender/waiter had charged us full price! I asked why the bill was full priced & he said we ordered BEFORE 4....thats when happy hour starts. I showed him the website on my phone AND the receipt also said 3 til 7!! He rather reluctantly re-did our bill. We were fine until that bill came. Come on Public House!!!! Get on the same page!!! SOOO....does happy hour start @ 3 OR 4pm??? Will we be going back?...No time soon.
(3)
Angela T.
This was very good food, and unlike some of the other reviewers, we had no issues with waiting a long time. But the place was also only to half capacity the night we went. I would like to point out that because the hotel all these restaurants in National Harbor are built around is a pricey Gaylord Hotel, ALL the restaurants price gauge in the village. They know it would be too expensive to cab elsewhere. So bottom line, it is NOT worth driving out of your way to get here for the price. But if you are visiting the Gaylord as we were for the week, this restaurant is a great choice.
(4)
Anthony D.
Just had a reunion party of some co-workers there on a busy Saturday night. Server Nathaniel was uber attentive to all 15 of us. Had table side visits from Chef Ron, manager Brian and Lisa from Marketing. Drinks were drinks. Can't mess with bourbon and rocks. Buffalo shrimp appetizer was very tasty. I skip the blue cheese though. Need to try more of menu next time. As Arnold would say, "I'll be back."
(5)
Dana W.
A large group of my friends went to the public house for breakfast and I would not recommend! Even though the crab and corn hush puppies were pretty good, I can't say the same for our breakfasts. I had an omelette which was made incorrectly, then brought back out still not made correctly. One of us had the heuvos rancheros which was just bad. Another one of us had steak and eggs which were not cooked as requested and the steak was burnt and chewy. Another friend had the Chesapeake Benedict which was bland. The eggs were essentially hard boiled on top instead of poached. Overall the food was sub par and over priced. We won't be going back here.
(2)
Bobby S.
Public house is my favorite restaurant bar. You can come in and enjoy an amazing dinner with your girl and party it up at night with your boys. The bartenders are quick to assist you and make sure you are enjoying yourself, especially Mike Terry. I would recommend anybody to come here and enjoy this place. It is the staple of the National Harbor. Bobby S.
(5)
Autumn W.
Came in for breakfast during our vacation. The service was awful and it took almost 45 minutes for our order to arrive. When it did finally come it was hot, however my husband discovered mold on his last bite of fruit. We also asked for a refill on coffee that we never received. Will not eat here again. The manager however did comp my husbands breakfast.
(1)
Tisha S.
This place is cool, food it good and large portions. When it turns into a club it gets real tight and hot. Its better when its warmer and folks can be outside as well. otherwise is a small few dancing and others just watching. There is always a mix of folks from upper crust, to gays and lesbians to the hip white person..
(4)
Kenneth A.
We went there for Sunday morning breakfast. It was one of the very few restaurants that was open. We enjoyed the food and service. I had the crabs benedict and my wife had the burrito. Both were prepared well. Our server was attentive and friendly. I would certainly recommend the place.
(4)
Jack H.
We were supposed meet our friends for Saturday brunch at this restaurant, but they failed to show for personal reasons. It was my recommendation to go to this restaurant and maybe in retrospect it's a good thing they didn't show up. I've had worse meals than this one, but this meal rated pretty low on a scale of 1-10. I had the Harbor Breakfast and it was pretty bad. The eggs were cooked just fine, but that is the only thing that was cooked right on the platter. The bacon, sausage and home fries were over cooked. The bacon was so overcooked that it crumbled in my hand. My wife ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich, which in no way resembled a Maryland crab cake. She took two bites and promptly made her way to the ladies room where she upchucked what little she ate. Yes, it was that bad. No excuse for any restaurant in Maryland that serves crab cakes to make something like this. For my beverage I just had water, but my wife wanted a latte or something of that nature. Most restaurants nowadays can make lattes, cappuccino's and things such as that. Not this restaurant . . . it's just plain coffee or nothing. I will have to give credit to the wait staff, our waitress was very good, except for her support of the crab cake. We had a terrible time keeping the flies off of our food. Maybe we should have let them have it, if it was that edible to them. The prices are way above average for this place as well. it sure wasn't for us. It was our first time here, but it will definitely be our last.
(2)
Meghan S.
Went here for Mother's Day with the family. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. Got the brunch and blue crab and artichoke dip. The dip is delicious and I highly recommend it. Orange juice is fresh! Was very disappointed that my eggs benedict didn't come with the yolks runny...which is traditional for eggs benedict. Kinda ruined the rest of it for me. The other thing is that our glasses at the table were not polished at all...and when we tried to polish them, the water stains did NOT come out. Was quite disturbing. There were also stains on the carpet and left over...not sure what...from when the restaurant turns into a club. I know neither myself nor my family will be going back here.
(3)
Rich F.
Food was pretty good. Great presentation. I liked the short menu. Flat iron was a little tough for medium rare. Crab cakes were good and the sides were as well. Wife complained that the bathroom was filthy!
(3)
Yvonne S.
Love Public House at National Harbour! We had lunch there the waitress Carlyn B was awesome and went to a show. After the show we went back to Public House for drinks and appetizers. Well what a great experience Ron the manager was so hospitable and the waiter Jared was so great. Definitely will go back to public House.
(5)
Lauren S.
I didn't eat here. I walked out the door when the hostess said I could get a table for six in 15 minutes, and then gave my table away to another party. If that's how you roll, that's fine, but you'll never get a dime of my money.
Give it a 3. Closest place from the Gaylord, so we went there out of convenience during a winter weather event. Server was friendly, but not particularly bright. TV volume was turned up uncomfortably high. Like everything else in the contrived National Harbor, the food/drinks are overpriced. The overall quality was okay, hence a satisfactory rating despite everything considered...
(3)
Mo A.
Let's start with the positives: Service was good, waiter was fairly knowledgeable about the menu and attentive for the most part. The music was actually pretty good as the bar section of the restaurant was trying to simulate a club like vibe. On to the negatives: Prices are high everywhere at the harbor since you're paying for "location". I wish location could make up for bad food but alas it does not so you're left with a high bill, ridiculous parking costs and overpriced stores that close early as heck. Food...food....food. It was not good.....at all. In fact, it doesn't deserve the "d" in food because it was lacking something. Very unappetizing and hard to continue eating. Bad Bad.....:"foo.......d". The hummus was so dry. It reminded me of old black bean dip. It was also too dense. Very bland as well. Had to ask for olive oil to improve the dish. The fish had that strong seafood smell and taste that the chef was either unwilling or unable to mask or change. So overwhelming that it was very hard to eat. The vegetable sides were decent but unfortunately everything tasted like fish.
(2)
John H.
Actually this was our second time at Public House and I enjoyed the food. The atmosphere is nice. It started to get a little crowed around 8pm but it wasn't too bad. The salmon dinner is ggod and they make a cookie and ice cream dessert that is out of this world. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Karlos M.
Good food. Good location as it is the closest restaurant to the Gaylord Hotel. I had the crab dip appetizer which was excellent and the Salmon was very well prepared. My wife is a crab cake aficionado and she was presently surprised with the taste (not Baltimore-but not disappointing). The staff was attentive and the atmosphere was pretty good with flat screens everywhere.
(4)
Dee G.
Very SLOW service! The whole time we were there for lunch, the waitress checked on us once, at the end of our meal! We couldn't even get our drinks refilled. The food was mediocre. It's as though no one wanted to be working there that day.
(2)
Kevin H.
Went there today for lunch and actually never even got food because it took too long. We sat down at 12:30p and by 1:20p still didn't have our food. We were told that the kitchen was backed up. It even took about 15 minutes to get drinks from the bar. We ended up walking out as we didn't have time to wait for our food. Therefore can't comment on the food itself but definitely won't be going there for lunch again any time soon.
(2)
MoevsMakenzie T.
Went here on 2/14/13 with hubby for Vday. The food was delish, waitress was friendly & very attentive" they played good music. We sat in the back area away from bar folks, which was cool. The decor was nice. Prices ok. My only problem was that the table was so small, plus the couple next to us was so close that i felt like we was double dating, which i felt was uncomfortable!
(4)
Nikki C.
service was good, food was eh, got a salad and chicken salad sandwich and bf got the crab cake sandwich, the salad I don't recommend, came out warm and ranch didn't really taste like ranch( bland) and the chicken salad sandwich wasn't really anything special, lacked flavor, as for my boyfriends dish, I think he liked it( after a couple long islands) anything will do. overall, good service but a bit pricey for so so food. go some where else! nice ambience as well.
(3)
Bob S.
Went in for some wings after a day at a confeerence across the street at the Gaylord. While they had a few choices ranging from sweet and hot to buffalo to back bay, I decided on the buffalo as I was looking for a little heat. Unfortunately, that is what I got, just a little heat. The wings themselves were generic, not bad, not great, as was the sauce, but not what I was looking for. As an accompaniment, I ordered the Cheesesteak Spring Roll. Essentially, if you look at my past reviews, if you put ANYTHING into a spring roll, I will order it, at least once. Here, this will be a one time thing as well. Bland, lacking a definitive texture or flavor and served with a 'spicy;' ketchup that rivaled the buffalo sauce, it was not something I would order again. The service was good, folks were friendly, most folks seemed to be hanging at the bar. However, the food was served alarmingly quickly, which was a tip off to the quality, or lack thereof. I'll try somehting new the next night!
(2)
Cordell E.
Service was slooooow. Food was dry (had sandwich and friends had burgers). Overall average. Again, service was slooooooow.
(2)
Anh H.
When I originally reviewed this establishment some 3 years ago, it was removed because it contained personal attacks of a racist bouncer, and even a picture of him. It's recently come to my attention that Yelp Elite members can't have have their reviews removed. So In honor the Constitution of the United States of America, I have found my original review and removed the personal attacks. Also, I'm Elite now: do something about it. Original, Improved, and more descriptive review minus personal attacks... In June of 2011, a good friend of mine just got married and we had the reception over at Sunset Room. After all the parents went home, some of us decided to go to a bar for some drinks to continue the party, with the hopes of it leading to an After-After-After Party. So we we were all in our groomsmen clothes with matching orange ties. My friend is an honorable, upstanding, Sik Indian, and he was rocking the matching orange Turban and wouldn't let him in because of it. We obviously starting raising H*** about it, and the manager came out tried to calm things with a round of crappy domestic beer, I believe they were serving something similar to WWII military surplus N*z* swill. Some afterwards my buddy who's a Lebanese American, who was rocking a clean beard came in, and the SAME bouncer asked if he was with "Taliban". Seriously? I straight up work at an in low income inner city hospital, and I never in my life experienced racism so wrong. Dude looked like a *edited* Vin *edited* with a small *edited* *edited* who needed to exert his *edited* supremacy over another's culture. Mind you, I am not speaking about the establishment nor the persons involved. I speak only of the treatment and interaction that was exchanged that night. No one should ever in this country or any country in this day in age ever have to go through such vile, filthy, unprofessional, and shameful experience. Now, I'm not saying that Public House is a bad place, it's what inside that counts. It's the people who can make or break an establishment. I did receive a letter from the manager, who went out of his way to apologize to us. But this is how the situation plays out... Employee does something bad. Manager apologies, maybe talks to the employee. Yeah. That's it. I don't ever think anyone ever gets fired over stuff like this, because there is a propensity in modern culture to forgive and learn, which I do believe in. However, for someone to be so outlandish repeatedly in the same night to the same group of people, my friends, there is something that is fundamentally wrong with this person's core that would allow him/her to not see the problem. It's been three years since this happened, and to this day I have never set foot into an establishment that contains the words Public" or "Public House".... I have set foot in establishments that continue the word "House", because I do enjoy meals at IHOP. I ask anyone who reads this review to vote it to the top, Reddit style, because while this will never again happen to me at Public House (as I have stated, I literally don't go to these places), it may happen to you or your friends. Treat everyone equally. Don't hate on anyone because they're a foreigner, because unless you're a Native American, you're a foreigner in the United States of America.
(1)
Mobola O.
This review is solely on customer service, which this place sucks at!!!! After a concert Friday night me and the beau stopped by to attempt to grab a quick bite before we checked into the Westin around the corner. We were both casually dressed and the "security" at the entrance of Public House rudely told my bf he couldn't come in without a collared shirt...wtf...it's a fckn bar?!??? So I calmly asked if we could just go to the bar and order our food to go because we were honestly just hungry...top flight security rudely tells me that I can go in and order but my bf has to stay outside...umm F no, it's not that serious! We ended up going to Cadillac Ranch instead and received a friendlier welcome! Will never patronize Public House or recommend it to anyone simply because their "security" doesn't know how to act...it was like 100am and they were concerned about two people not wearing collared shirts wanting to grab a quick bite?!?? Screw them!
(1)
Meloni B.
Really surprised by all the poor ratings on here, maybe I just got lucky! I went on a Saturday evening the day after the 4th of July after watching the Marine Corp Band play. Everyone's drinks were really good, I had the best bloody mary I found while visiting DC. The food is what you expect from "upscale" pub food, maybe the prices are a little higher than necessary but that seemed to be normal for the area. My chicken club was good and the grits were on point.
(4)
Victoria R.
This is a review on the night life part of this establishment. You should pre game at home or at a place where it does not take you 20 minuted just to get the bartenders' attention. Not only did it take forever to get a drink, but the arrogant people with no consideration would not even budge so i could squeeze in to get a drink. So when I finally did nuzzle into a spot I ordered 4 drinks so i wouldn't have to come back. I do have to say they made a great Blue Motorcycle. We had to sit outside to enjoy our drinks in fear that the rowdy crowd would spill ours. The dancing in the tiny walking space was more than atrocious, middle aged women and men grinding on one another against the window and low and behold it happened to be happening at eye level through the window where we were seated. We also chose not to be in the bar itself because it was humid because of all the sweaty drunks. Needless to say, I will NOT be coming back here anytime soon if I have anything to say.
(2)
Michelle S.
Okay, I live close by, so I do frequent this place. It's a great atmosphere for catching a game at the bar or for a conversation and nice glass of wine. Now the noise level can be a bit much sometimes with the music, however I can still hear my company. The burger is my fav, great market salad and a lovely crab dip.
(4)
Donna G.
Don't order the rib eye steak. My four year old could have done a better job. The steak was tough (requested medium well done) and my entire plate was BLAND. I asked my waitress for steak sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper, after adding all of these items it was much better, but the sides (mashed potatoes and asparagus), were mediocre as well. I told her to let the chef know. My niece sent back her shrimp and grits dish and opted for the crab cake sandwich. I tasted a bit and it was surprisingly good. The steak roll appetizer is also pretty good (my 16 year old daughter and 23 year old niece LOVES them). Also the warm cookie dough dessert was good. I'm not sure why it's called cookie dough, when it's cookie served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Of course my niece and daughter didn't know why I didn't follow the naming logic. All in all it was very niece to sit outside and watch the crowds on a Friday night. I'm usually not a gawker, but I shamefully admit I found it interesting to watch the countless people that arrived after us around 10 pm who got rejected by the late night dress code (no sneakers, etc., etc.). They also asked for ID after 10 pm, so I was happy we arrived early so that there was no problem with my daughter dining outside with us (we would have simply gone elsewhere of course). I'd go again for the ambience of being outside and skip the steak. We didn't have any wait at all for a table, but it might have been timing.
(3)
Brian K.
Overpriced food and drink but standard in the area. I had a couple Dogfish 60-Minute IPAs. Not willing to try the food. $20 for mediocre pasta? No thanks. Atmosphere is lively and very loud.
(3)
vanessa g.
3.5 stars bumped up This is a Happy hour review: So I decided to try this place for happy hour (4-7 pm) this week and I was impressed by their variety on the happy hour menu. I ordered the cheese steak spring roll which was slightly greasy but tasted just like a cheeseburger, I truly enjoyed it. I also tried the south beach mojito (the specialty cocktails were 1/2 off), it was kind of bitter and i'm not sure I would order it again but maybe if it was slightly sweeter I would have enjoyed it more. The appetizer & drink took a bit to come out and the bartender wasn't as attentive as I hoped for but he was friendly. My Yuengling came out very fast. I also liked how the bar stools were a good size & cushioned, because when you sit on a wooden stool for a while your butt starts to go numb. The bar itself was wide and the counter space deep so you didn't feel cluttered. For the price and the food/drinks I would do happy hour here again.
(4)
Ray M.
If you're looking for a cool bar in the national harbor. This is the best place you will find, IN THE HARBOR. The food is underwelming, so I would eat somewhere else ahead of time, but if you're just looking for a good time with some strong ass drinks, then look no further! The waiters and bartenders are a little slow, but in their defense it gets extra packed on fridays and saturdays. They also have a live dj and room for dancing. Drinks are a little pricey, but you definitely get your money's worth. No cover charge. 21+ t enter after 9pm.
(3)
Jeff L.
Good food, great service. JD provided awesome friendly and attentive service and the food was really good. I would definitely return...
(5)
Marivic L.
This is the second time I've gone to a place, even though you other Yelpers were not fans. For the second time, I have been ridiculously disappointed. First off, the hostess looked and acted as if she just got out of bed. We arrived before noon, so there is NO WAY she was already tired from working. Unenthusiastically, she got our menus and gave them to our server. Our server must have been hanging out with the hostess, because she also seemed tired/unenthusiastic. Methinks a new job is needed for both. My lunch companion was undecided between two sandwiches, so he asked the server for her recommendation between the two. Thankfully, she was helpful and he enjoyed his BBQ sandwich. Great. I ordered the Steak salad. The only good things about this salad were the greens. Yes, the greens, which you just place on the plate. The dressing was not particularly flavorful and the steak - OMG, I don't know if it was old or what, but it was tough. It looked to be medium rare as I requested, but it had an odd/awful flavor to it. Needless to say, after giving it a few chances, I had to stop eating it. So, I ate my relatively flavorless lettuce and went back to work. I guess that's what I get for ordering a salad?! I will not be going back to Public House. This place has an awning outside that says Comfortable Food on it. Well, if that's comfortable food, please give me the most painful, uneasy, unpleasant food instead.
(1)
Amelia O.
We happened to be in the neighborhood on a gorgeous Saturday and decided to try this restaurant. What a huge disappointment! First of all, the waiter was meh. He was nice, but didn't offer to refill drinks. We had to ask him. After we had finished eating, he doesn't ask if we need anything else like dessert of coffee, he says "do you want your check?". Umm...OK. The food?? BLECK!!! The hummus plate appetizer was the only thing we thought was half decent. The crab cake dinner was horrendous, For $29, you get two crab cakes with a boatload of tarragon. When my mom mentions she doesn't like tarragon, the waiter says that the guy prepping "tends to go overboard sometimes" on the tarragon. Two of us ordered the grilled steak salad. I mean seriously, how hard is it to ruin a steak salad? Apparently it's easy for this place. They say the salad comes with grilled onions. I'm not a huge onion fan but like them grilled so I didn't ask for any changes. They are practically raw and only slightly grilled so I had to pick out a thousand onion slices. There are no tomatoes. Only lettuce, maybe 3 slices of steak and this NASTY mustard dijon dressing. It had a spicy taste to it which the two of us hated. There are so many great places on the harbor, please overlook this one. What a pure waste of money.
(1)
Christopher G.
In Philly, we spent a lot of happy hours at Public House off of Arch Street. I'm guessing they are the same. This was my first time at the National Harbor a month back. We had a pretty cool, cute and down to earth server. She knew that place and made some really good recommendations. Unfortunately, the food was not memorable even now but I'd go back for drinks and to watch sports. Oh yeah, I forgot you have to pay for parking there and the cops were out ticketing......Argh, reminds me of Philly (Parking Wars). I better rethink that visit.
(3)
Antoine W.
Location In the National Harbor at the corner of Fleet Street and Mariner Passage. It almost directly faces the Gaylord, so if you're walking down Fleet, you'll pass it. Across the street from Bobby McKey's and Cadillac Ranch, so it has some competition, but makes it easier to go to all three to see who has the shortest wait time and the best menu! Atmosphere Your standard bar/restaurant: formal restaurant seating is to the left of the entrance and a very large bar is to the right. They also have outdoor seating, too, accessible by walking a short way through the bar. It was a Friday night and there was a DJ in the bar. Although at times my friends and I questioned his music selection, overall we had a good time. Service For a Friday night, it was packed! But, the bartenders were able to handle the crowds with ease. Food/Drink When asking the bartender if I should order the Nachos w/Grilled Chicken or the Wings, she suggested the nachos. First, the plate was HUGE! I'm a self-proclaimed nacho fanatic and could eat them all day every day if I could, so when the plate arrived, I saw it as a personal challenge! I lost. Now, they weren't the best nachos I've ever had (I make some very good homemade ones), but they were a decent alternative. I wanted a drink and didn't know what I want. I've already had two margaritas and a Long Island Iced Tea before arriving to Public House. So, the bartender made me a Ciroc Obama. Never heard of it? Neither had I...but this might become one of my new favorites: Ciroc vodka, Cambord (raspberry liqueur), and lemonade. It's served in a highball glass with a sugar rim. A great, somewhat sweet summer evening cocktail! I would definitely return here for more nachos and Obamas!
(4)
Monica W.
I ate here this past Saturday with family. We had about 30 minute wait which I expected since it was primetime to eat dinner. Three of us ordered the Bronze Rubbed Atlantic Salmon. It was described as being served with mixed vegetables but their mixed vegetables consisted of red & green peppers and onions. The portion size was ridiculously small for the price we paid. Another person ordered the Jambalaya and said it was ok. She normally doesn't finish her food and has to take the rest of her food home, but as I stated, small portion size. I have no complaints of the service - our server was very attentive. Bottom line, the food is overpriced for the portions that the serve.
(1)
Steven W.
I guess my wife and I got lucky, because we had a pretty good experience at Public House compared to the majority of these reviews. After spending the evening across the street at Bobby McKey's for a friends birthday party (where the food wasn't very good), we stopped in Public House on the way out of the area to grab a bite to eat. We only had two appetizers and a couple of drinks, but they were both pretty good (a hummus platter and Philly cheese-steak egg rolls). The place was half empty, but the music was pretty rockin and it had a fun vibe going on (maybe due to the drinks from across the street). Either way it was A-OK. It was after midnight and the other places we checked out first, in the Gaylord, all weren't serving food anymore, so I'd actually give them another 1/2 a star for just serving food that late! I wouldn't seek Public House out, but it served it's purpose that evening well.
(3)
Allison L.
Dinner and cupcakes from CakeLove apparently weren't enough so this was the third stop of the night. We mostly wanted to drink but didn't feel like sitting at the bar so we got a table and ordered desserts so we didn't feel like total douchebags (which probably didn't really matter since this place was like half full). We got the cookie dough smash and the peanut butter tart, and they were both meh. As someone who enjoys undercooked baked goods, I expected the "cookie dough" smash to be pretty close to cookie dough and not just an overcooked chocolate chip cookie in a skillet. The tart was fine but super tiny. The drinks kinda sucked... I got the mango limeade which was like 1% mango and 99% super sour limeade. My completely ridiculous idea was to ask for some grenadine to try and sweeten it up which only partially worked. But I appreciated the waitress who had no issue with that request. It was $45 (w/ tip) for 2 drinks and 2 desserts which seemed exceptionally high. Our waitress was good and the atmosphere was fine but, yeah, this place is nothing special.
(2)
Motown G.
Only had Bloody Mary's at the bar on a Sunday, so this review has nothing to do with food. They were $12 per drink, and I couldn't sense a bit of alcohol. Decided to cash out after looking at the menu, and it took at least 15 minutes to get the attention of the bartenders. Afterwards, I read reviews here on Yelp that mentioned "bottomless" Bloody's! I was never told about this, and it makes me dislike the place even more. In summary, BAD BAD service, and WEAK WEAK cocktails = never going back!
(2)
Lawrence C.
Really overpriced and average food. I have to say, Washington DC has amazing food. It has a wide range of ethnicities and so, DC has a very eclectic mix of restaurants to choose from. And yet here is Public House. Fortunately for it, it's right next to the Gaylord National Harbor, because I think if it was located anywhere else, for example, Georgetown, it would not survive the competition from the many good restaurants there. I had the crab cakes, which were really bland and dry. I guess if you're stuck in the National Harbor area, and you're not willing to get mugged in Oxon Hill for a chance to get some really great BBQ, then this might be a last ditch option for you. Because really, there is a dearth of good food in National Harbor. It's like they took people off the street and said, "Hey guys! You're cooks now. These people are trapped here. They'll pay anything to get something remotely edible."
(2)
Don S.
Terrible place.Check this out. Stopped in for a beer on 5/4. Not cheap. $7.63 for a Dogfish Head. I got back $2.00. When I asked where the rest of my money was, the waitress said "...we don't give change. We round up." I never heard of such a ripoff. She said she would give me the change out of her wallet if I wanted. In all my years, I have never heard of such a thing. That should be illegal. That's my money and my change should be returned to me. I feel guilty giving this place one star. Trust me, there are many good places in the Nat'l Harbor. Avoid this lousy unethical one.
(1)
Phillip S.
Seems under rated. Not the biggest seating area in the harbor but a public house is suppose to be a bar and it is. I love the food and the bar staff. Yes we were staring but you knew that.
(4)
R C.
This is my neighborhood restaraunt so I want to give it rave reviews. I want to tell everyone that this is a great place and a must visit but for the sake of not ruining my reputation, I will say go at your own risk. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad. I have went there a few times and the food is descent but descent is also the best word that I can use for their policies and customer service. I get the sense that this place wants to be exclusive but don't know how to get there. I have never been greated with a smile and while the waiters are attentive, I wouldn't say they are warm. I would suggest anyone to call there before going on a Saturday night. I went there on a cold night and was told that I couldn't get in because I had a hat on. The bouncer told me that if I wanted to get in, I would have to bring my hat to the car and come back. Another person got turned away because he wore a sweater and according to todays policy, you have to wear a collared shirt. Group after group got turned away for one reason or another, young, old, white and black... My suggestion is if you choose to try this place out, call first. You have to pay for parking and the last thing you want to hear after you paid $11 for parking is, you can't get in because todays shirt color is red and you clearly have on orange. Also, go to restaurants.com and get you a discount for this place.
(3)
Elley B.
Everyone said how great this place was so I was disappinted the food was ok maybe I excepeted to much I love national harbor and well I will probably try it again but I don't know.
(3)
T. B.
This is just an average plave. The menu is limited. Since this is not a seafood place would not order the crab cakes. A friend of mine did, awful. Had the Southwest salad. Chicken was so dry couldn't eat. If you have a choice go someplace else.
(2)
Amy R.
Despite it being an absolute picturesque fall day (blue sky, sun shining, leaves in full color), we were told that we could not sit outside...even though there were patrons having brunch on the patio. Instead, we were seated at the bar and had a lovely view...of the cash register. We ordered the Crab Benedict with Old Bay Hollandaise, which sounded wonderful, but quite frankly, was simply terrible. Hmmn, where to start... --The poached eggs were overcooked -- a cardinal sin in terms of eggs benedict! --The smidge of crab (less than a tablespoon) was hardly distinguishable against the pale, undercooked (and tasteless) english muffin. --The hollandaise was negligible, both in flavor and in quantity, and again, barely stood out against paleness of the english muffin. -- The accompanying side (roasted fingerling potatoes) were not adequately cooked, and the larger slices (they were slices of a baking potato rather than baby potatoes as fingerlings typically are) were not completely cooked, leaving them crunchy and, well, raw in the center. I will say that the ones that were cooked through were quite good -- well seasoned with sea salt and fresh rosemary. In any event, perhaps they have other dishes that are better, but we'll not be giving the Public House a second chance!
(1)
Meaghan H.
The food was good but they messed up our order and then brought us a cup of coffee with lipstick on it. And they didn't really seem to care much about either. This is a tourist spot with so much turnover they don't seem to care.
(3)
Diana K.
Ate there for the first time on April 14, with my kids. Great service, yummy food, attentive staff, good prices. That was the first time I had chicken wings with Old Bay Seasoning, and they were delish. I love the atmosphere. I definately will go again!
(4)
Keisha B.
This will be rather short and based on the bar experience. I have no clue about the customer service or the food because we didn't come here for that but I can only speak on my brief moment of the drink experience. The only reason I up the notched for the 3rd star was the comfortable atmosphere but that was because there wasn't much of a crowd while I was there. Everyone drinks were watered down after 5 minutes and considering the price I would expect more. We were able to sit outside and people watch with good conversation so that was a plus. Experiences are all what you make of it so I just try to enjoy each place and moment I have ; /
(3)
Natasha S.
I tried this place once, only because it is literally around the corner from my place. Other than that, I wouldn't have thought of trying this place. The waiter was nice, but a little unenthusiastic about the food and menu. We ordered the Crab Cigars as an appetizer, which I thought was DELICIOUS. However, you can't really go wrong with crab and fried goodness! It came with a yummy Chesapeake Aioli and Smoked Tomato Remoulade. YUM! My girlfriend ordered the Jumbo Shrimp Carbonara which was delicious however, WAY on the creamy side. Expect a severe stomachache after eating this little baby. Additionally, the portion was extremely generous! I got a regular house salad topped with a crab cake. I was disappointed. My crab cake was all breading mix and extremely soggy and salty. NEVER order this! If we were to return, I'd probably only order the appetizers from this place.
(3)
Marcus M.
My rating is actually a 3.5. The food is always good, and the service is better than most of the Harbor. Very professional restaurant and bar. The food like most of the Harbor is a bit pricey for what you get. I like the variety of the menu. The place really is well appointed without being gaudy.
(4)
Oscar-Mayra R.
I will not stop at this location to try their food unless I am invited by the "Chef" to prove my review wrong... LOW QUALITYFOOD SUPER OVER PRICED and POOR EXECUTION IN THE KITCHEN. Great Location, I will say that this place is surviving thanks to the Bar and the UNFURTUNATE travelers that find them appealed by how close this Bar/Restaurant is to the Gaylord hotel and just want to give it a try. I noticed a lot of people at the bar during lunch time on a GLORIUOS, PICTURE PERFECT, and CRISPY FALL SATURDAY afternoon. The restaurant had three tables outside with patrons at the time we entered, 1:30 PM, no customers sitting on any tables inside. One party left the table suddenly, they said "Good Luck" to us on their way out. I must say I should have taken that as an advice... I asked for some appetizers that are staples of the area; Crab dip and Mussels... I will just say both were disgusting, I returned the Crab Dip and ended eating the mussels. Hey, mussels are mussels after all, right?? Not a bit of flavor there other than the mussel flavored water...
(1)
LeNette L.
Last weekend, 11/2-11/3, myself and a few girlfriends decided to take a trip to the DC/ Maryland area. We had a fantastic time and I decided to end the trip with breakfast at National Harbor. We stumbled across Public House because everything else was pretty much closed but we are so glsd it happened that way. There were six of us but we didn't wait five minutes to be seated. They placed us in a private dining area in the back and as soon as we sat our waiter J.D. arrived at our table. J.D. was very pleasant, patient and he didn't mind telling us about the menu. He made sure we were satisfied and he was very professional. J.D. gave me such a pleasurable experience that Public House will be my only stop for food during my visits to National Harbor. The service was exceptional and so was the food! I had the french toast with fresh berries and oj, I remember someone having the flap jacks and loving it, also one of the ladies ordered the breakfast burger and I believe one ordered the steak and eggs. Either way, we were talking the 12 minutes we waited for our food to come out and once it hit the table we were all silent. Our breakfast together was special because we shared it at such a wonderful place, Public House, but most of because of an awesome waiter J.D. Thank you!
(5)
Kyle M.
Happy Hour $10 beer and burger. Not a bad deal for the National Harbor area. Overall they had decent beer selection on tap and had screens to watch sports. That alone is pretty good for me. The burger was nice and juicy, but I thought putting it on a english muffin is just a waste and I really prefer a nice bun. The muffin just falls apart too easily. I didn't have anything else and I sat at the bar when it wasn't too busy so I didn't have any problems with service. If you are in the national harbor area it's not a bad option, not great, and the regular prices seemed to be pretty high, so I'd look around at other places as well unless you hit happy hour.
(3)
Kyla C.
Nothing special here, just a run-of-the-mill TGI-Mcfunsters type place. My sandwich was good and most of the apps were good too but just nothing outrageously great. It is what it is I guess. Wish they had karaoke on more than just one night. Would have been better entertainment than the bull across the street probably.
(3)
Karen K.
First, we called twice for reservations yet they still lost them..... Second, the best part of our meal out of the group were the nachos. All of our meals were a 2 out of 5 with me being generous. Meatloaf.... no taste; Salad... dressing horrible and missing parts; burger.. missing toppings and frozen bag fries; Steak... bad cooking job and lacked taste; Crab Cakes.. decent but still not recommended. Overall a the services was OK but he forgot extra sauce we asked for and did not refill our waters during our meal. Never asked us about desert or another glass of wine.
(1)
Donna F.
The food was great once we got it but the service was atrocious. Sunday morning breakfast ... We were seated and then waited 20 minutes. Nothing. A bunch of hostesses and waiters were busy chatting....and that was it. We finally had to go to the hostess and asked for someone to wait on us. And we waited some more. We were just about to walk out and our waiter finally showed up. Breakfast was very good ....but they need an adult there to make sure the work is done. If you are counting on those kids to represent you and leave your establishment with a good reputation.....you are in big trouble.
(2)
M J.
Every time I got to the Public House I really enjoy myself. I just started going recently in the summer of 2011. I live very close to the area but always went to DC to do majority of my dining. A fried of mine was telling me about it so I decided to try it out. Lets say it's one of the first places I go now. I can dine there with anyone wither it is my son, my mom, or friends. The food is really good the crab dip is absolutely amazing, so is the steak. The cocktails are really good as well not to week you can actually taste the alcohol (big ups to the bartender) They don't stalk your table like most places but are still very attentive. They waiter I had I believe his name is Andrew I could be wrong was excellent and gave great service and I got him two days in row. Thursday-Saturday they usually have a DJ at night and Tuesday's the karaoke which is pretty fun. I can honestly say I have a good time every time I go to this restaurant wither its day or night.
(5)
Phil E.
2 Words: Worth It! I had a chance to eat last weekend and loved it. I didn't want to leave Maryland without having some crab cakes so I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I added the photo. The sandwich was great! They also had sweet potato chips (chips made of sweet potatoes). How awesome is that? That was a first for me. I'm a lover of Bloody Marys and they had a station where you could make your own. They had several different Bloody Mary mixers to choose from. They also has Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, olives, and celery sticks. If you ask for lime and lemon, they'll provide it for you. I added a picture of that as well. Yet, another first for me. I love new things and this restaurant was a great Sunday experience for me and my friends. The prices were also pretty reasonable. If you're at the National Harbor, you should check them out.
(4)
Jocelyn H.
I like this place...one of the downsides is its close to alot of things but the parking garage is $11 which sucks because if not you have to fight for street parking which u can only do for 2hrs & the meter people are ON IT & u will get a ticket if your even 2mins past..(speaking from experience) CONS- the bar gets packed on the weekends & its hard to get someones attentions (you better make nice with the bartenders ) It would be great if there was someway they could expand their floor space if they are gonna place music on the weekends...its super hard to dance without bumping into somone PROS- when you do get there attention most of them are quick & efficient BTW the Pineapple Infusion Vodka is the bestest...you have to try it as just a shot i promise you its super smooth & a creeper & not strong at all. The wings are good too :)
(3)
Alaysia P.
The hottest place to be....well the only place to be on a Friday and Saturday night at National Harbor. Good music and nice staff. Beware the shirt collar nazi doorman. He takes his job way too seriously.
(3)
Anu E.
Ughhh what a horrible experience. I have never had this bad service before, I mean "ever." So, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot since our plan to have the special burger at National Past Time at Gaylord hotel fell through due to "temporary shortage of its draft beer selections," BIG MISTAKE. The service at Public House is a joke. What the fuck is your problem is the question I wanted to ask from our waiter and the food runner guy. Too much attitude for people who work in the service industry. TRAGIC!!! Do not go there! There are plenty of decent places in National Harbor area but this one, people!
(1)
Leroy H.
This was our first time at the Public House. We booked the reservation based upon feedback we saw on Yelp. We booked a reservation via the Yelp app for 7pm and their credit, our table was ready for us the minute we walked through the door. Definitely get the brie, bacon appetizer. Would go again!!
(4)
Douglas L.
This place is probably the worst establishment I've been to in the entire DMV area, and I've been living in this area since I was two. After attending a wedding and looking for a place to continue our establishment, the two door people had the audacity to refuse to let my friend in due to the turban he was wearing for religious reasons. When asked to speak to the manager, the doorman said he was it and told him that he could not come in anyway. We were mad as hell about this and to think that in the ten years after 9/11, this type of ignorance still exists. I wish I would say this was the end, but when another friend who happened to have the same outfit (as a groomsmen, you wear the same outfit), the SAME doorman asked if he was part of the taliban along with the other guy. I'm mad that we stayed in as long as we did. The group of about 25 people were about to spend some of our hard earned money at this establishment but we were pissed as hell and just stood in the front lobby of the restaurant. After speaking to the real manager, they gave us all free Miller Lites as a peace offering. Great peace offering. We decided to leave right afterwards and went across the street where there was a mechanical bull. imagine that place was classier than this Public House dump. I hope that anyone goes to this establishment will refuse to go to this if bald doorman is still there. Please take a look at the photos and ask the management about this. I will never go to this establishment.
(1)
Cat C.
Went for breakfast. Scrambled eggs were instant, not fresh. Maple syrup was not pure as advertised. Omelette and French toast were very good, however service was horrible. We saw our waitress twice-once when she took our order, after waiting almost 15 minutes with no coffee, and again when she delivered the check. Never got a coffee refill, when the instant scrambled eggs were served, I had to carry the plate to the kitchen and order my replacement omelette. Water was undrinkable due to chemical treatment, yet they were out of bottled water. We ran across the street to CVS and bought water there.
(1)
Carol K.
Thanks, Public House for being there when the girls and I needed a lunch break and Cadillac Ranch across the street was closed. It was a beautiful Fall day so we were quickly seated on the patio in the sun. Our server was in training (shout out to Lenny as he did a great job!) but no problem, as the service was spot on through the entire experience and he even figured out a way to get a pesky bee that wanted to join us for lunch over to a vacant table. The menu has several tasty sounding things that I wished I had tried- from the Blue Crab bisque to the blue crab and artichoke dip. But since we only had an hour- we went right to the entrees. So many things to chose from- from salads to burgers to entrees like salmon and crabcakes. I had to laugh as 3 of us got burgers and one a chopped salad. Not too adventurous, I guess. All were perfectly prepared and delicious. And that salad? Let's just say that it could have been two meals it was so huge! The interior looks like a sports bar with it's slate floors and TV's mounted around with the bar playing a front and center role. The manager and hostess were very friendly in inviting us back another time- and as I said- our service was top notch. Looks like Public House is a default for Cadillac Ranch as they are not open for lunch and at least 6 groups came across the street to eat. But if given the choice again- given the experience we had at the Public House- it would be a first choice in the future.
(4)
Carlos R.
Terrible place. Worst bar/restaurant in the National Harbor area? Most likely. What's bad about? What ISN'T bad about it?!? Terrible service, disgusting food, crappy & overpriced drinks, annoying atmosphere, the whole place smells like a toilet, rude bouncers... The only good thing to come of my experience here? Because of my suffering, I am writing this review, and hopefully after you, the reader, have read this, and you will never waste your time in this pit. That would make it all worth it!
(1)
Kent J.
They f'd up my diet! I couldn't control myself from eating the shrimp pasta dish....3 out of 4 days. The ahi was outstanding on my OFF day. Probably the most popular evening hangout in the area. Nice joint for hip-hop. Good looking crowd. Very attentive staff. Great customer service.
(4)
J. V.
Great food poor service.
(3)
Ryan L.
Came here while CPAC was going on across the way in the Gaylord. One person was bartending and she was working hard but things weren't getting done right. Glasses were dirty, food took way too long to come. Bill wasn't properly divided at the end. Food came out cold when it did come. Don't come here...just skip it over
(1)
Jake A.
Absolutely horrible service, just OK food, management doesn't care. Most of the restaurants int he National Habor have a captured audience. If you're staying or attending a conference at the Gaylord and you don't have transportation, you'll be eating the harbor. It's also obvious that the restaurants don't care as none of them have decent reviews. We were staying at the Gaylord, which left us with limited options. We choose here as it looked the most promising (not that promising) of the bunch. We had an hour to eat before catching an evening tour, figured it was enough time. We were quickly seated, ordered and the waiting game began. I ordered an appetizer that didn't show up until my meal showed up (after a 45 minute wait). Drinks weren't refilled. The waitress even made mention of our long wait for food but it didn't speed things up. One person in our party's food didn't show up for another 10 minutes after everyone elses showed up. We had to ask for our check as soon as the food arrived and had to inhale it. I guess it tasted OK, couldn't really tell you as we had to eat and run. Drinks were still empty, no apologies from the waitress. The place wasn't even crowded. I did take a moment to fill out the comment card they left with the bill...never did hear back from management on that one.
(1)
Stephen B.
So I choose this restaurant because there is a decent number ) brought it-placed it and quickly left-there were fries not chips and the berger was over cooked. There was not an offer for anything like mayo or ketchup for the berger. I never saw the server again until I want my check. This place needs a major overhall of service concepts and good food.
(1)
Dean W.
The service provided by JD was awesome. He was very attentive and gave great food suggestions. The food was also excellent. Definitely will return the next time I'm at National Harbor. It was SO much better than the Gaylord!
(5)
Passion R.
This review is not for the restaurant. I'm pretty sure I wrote another not so great review for that. This is for the club/lounge thing they do on Saturday nights. It was a good time, good crowd with lots of cute men, and a good DJ. Everyone was beautifully dressed and ready to party and mingle. But there didn't seem to be a dress code or a cover charge (which is a plus, especially for large groups or for when friends from out of town come to visit). But it is 21+. I won't give them 5 stars because even though the bartenders are pretty skilled, the drinks here are expensive as fuck. I'll definitely be coming back though.
(4)
Vee N.
Returned 2x's after my initial 2010 visit. I love this place!! It's down in National Harbor; I don't go often because this is far from me. I live in Wheaton, near close to downtown Silver Spring.
(4)
Gwen L.
Atmosphere was nice. Music was a bit loud. Wait staff friendly but smells like old grease which was disappointing. Burger was good. Crab cakes.....not so much. We say go across the street to Cadillac Ranch for the flat bread pizza. Yummy.
(3)
Jon K.
Went here the other night with my wife who is the Marketing Manager at a nearby resort. I can tell you for sure that their will be no "party weekends" planned at this establishment. Their decor is modern and the place was nice from what I saw inside but we decided to sit outside as they have a nice outside area. First of all, it's ridiculously overpriced and I can see that others feel the same way. Our waitress was helpful and nice so that earns them an extra star. We had the Philadelphia cream roll appetizer and while it was good, it was overpriced and tiny. My wife had the salmon and absolutely hated it, said it tasted fishy as well. I had the crab cakes and I can tell you that I have had MUCH better crabcakes. Shame on you Public House for calling these Maryland crabcakes. Did I mention that these 2 dishes were overpriced. We ordered a bottle of wine as well, and that was good. My wife says they have a good happy hour here and she may or may not be back for that. Next time if I want to spend this kind of money I'll go to chart house where it's just all around better food and atmosphere.
(2)
Zelly W.
I like this place because It's quaint and the staff is friendly. I've only been here once and it was for the Superbowl I believe and I got a seat at the bar with 2 friends and we had a couple bartenders serve us who were pretty nice, informative, and made sure we were good throughout. It's a nice little hangout spot. Food was as good as bar food can be (I didn't order anything fancy so I don't know what their other menu options are nor do I know what they taste like) but I'd def come back here again.
(4)
Michelle S.
Meh. Crab cakes with dill? Fried everything and poor wine list by the glass.
(2)
C M.
Service was okay. Food was okay. This place isn't anything too special. We ordered a few appetizers-crab dip, flatbread, and hummus-the flatbread was really great! Good beer selection.
(3)
Janey B.
I can't wait to write a better review. I went here to watch the game. The drinks were good after finally getting the bartender's attention. Oh and he was a jerk and so inattentive. Ordered the wings; buffalo and Old Bay. They were good and came out pretty quick. The place was live as always. Great loud scene, if that's what you're looking for. Will provide another review when I go again.
(3)
Mimi W.
The menu has changed and they have a lot more options. I've tried the jambalaya, the wings, and the tilapia. The wings were pretty good, and the jambalya and tilapia were just okay. One piece of my tilapia was half done, which made me think it was frozen fish, so I was not happy about that. I also had the french toast pound cake. Not a good look. The service is always good there, and the drinks are decent, so that's a plus. The DJ has changed, and now plays top 40...from the 80s. Even the waitress was confused. Still underwhelming and still a little too pricey for what you do get, so I won't be running back.
(3)
Watrbb W.
Went today for the first time after passing many times and seeing the plates of yum looking food the diners outside had. WHAT A LET DOWN! I sat outside and the waiter came pretty quickly carrying a glass of water with lemon which I always ask for (how did he know?). Told him needed a few minutes to scope the menu.....waited.....waited for his return. Ordered the pan seared talapia and a house salad. Thank goodness I asked for the salad first because I waited.....and waited.....and waited for my main course. Come on, that is ridiculous as the place was not nearly full. Guess they ran down to the Potomac and caught it :) The talapia was a good portion and was cooked very well. But the ragu (or was it ragout) of veggies/spinach/tomato underneath was bland. I kept trying to find some flavor in the entire dish and had to keep adding salt to finally get some. The tomatoes in it tasted like (and looked like) canned. Not really what I would have expected. Waiter never came ONE TIME, to ask how everything was, and to see if I needed anything - like the glass of water I was dying for. After he took my plates and brought the bill - yep, you got it - I waited.....and waited.....and waited for him to take my money. I was truly tempted to just walk out (being I was outside), but I was raised better than that. The icing on the cake came when I paid with a $100 bill and they did not have the change, at least not in the cash register. Barmaid finally did count it out, I got many $1.00 bills and then I counted it which is something I never do. I discovered it was short $.50 - not a huge deal but thought it strange. I told the waiter he owed me $.50 and his reply was they did not have the change - any change - but I could have my $1.00 back if I wanted. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! If I had not counted the money, I never would have known. He did not even bother to say I'm sorry but.....and give me the chance to say what I wanted. UGH I told him to keep it towards his tip which was now down to $4.50 (I always leave more). Truly, I should have given him $2.00. I also asked for a cup of water to go...........got it but they did not have lids. COME ON! All of that aside, I MAY go again, just to see if it was an off-day. Or, I'll sit across the street at Cadillac Ranch and try to enjoy something else. This is the third place I have dined at while at National Harbor and only one was worth it (McCormick & Schmicks). So far, their places are over priced, terrible service, and sub-par food!
(1)
Catherine S.
I've only been to national harbor once and when I went I checked out Public House. For the area, it's a pretty good spot to go for drinks and dancing. I went on a Saturday. The DJ started off slow but picked up after 11 and so did the crowd which was very diverse in race and age. There's an eating area (I didn't eat but the wings looked quite yummy) and a huge bar area. During the time I was there, I didn't see much space for a dance floor but that didn't stop people from doing a two step. I would have to say, if you have a DJ, having a dance space is a must. Maybe I missed it, I did stay in one area because we had a table. In the end, I would go back, especially as an alternative to heading all the way into DC.
(3)
Chris C.
Bad service! Over priced! Not worth your time! Waiter took forever to seat us and was rude to my friend while hitting on her. Also didn't get utensils until we had to ask and that was even after they served the first course. Food was also under cooked.
(1)
Michelle N.
My friends and I ended up here when Cadillac Ranch gave us some bogus response that they could not seat parties over 5 and we had 6. I could rant more about them but will do a separate yelp review for them. So since we didn't know the area too well, we headed across the street to Public House. Had I known we would end up here, I would ahve made reservations but alas no. Since they did seat parties over 5, we put our name on the list and the hostess told us we would have an hour wait. Remember this. We decided to hang out at the bar in the meantime. Service was pretty great here and we managed to get a good spot at the bar and a nearby hightop to hang out and drink. We shared the loaded fries app and it was pretty good. I ate around the bacon and chorizo, so I can't really comment on that part. About an hour in, one of our friends checked in with the hostess and she said we'd be seated "any minute now." An hour and 10 minutes pass, someone else checks and the hostess said that a party of 7 are ahead of us. An hour and a half pass by, someone else checks and we got a lame answer. By an hour and 45 minutes we decide to move from the bar to directly in front of the hostess stand and she gives my friend some schpeel about how people with reservations are put ahead of people who don't have any. There's another party of 7 who made reservations that they need to seat first. Well, you're supposed to set aside certain tables for those who reserve and then some extras for those who put their name on the list. At this point, we're pissed and talk to the manager. He tells us that they're actually putting our table right then. So the freaking hostess lied! Or she doesn't know what she's talking about. I thought it was great the manager personally put the table together for us. Once we were finally seated, our server was actually pretty great, and service was fine the rest of our time there. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, however, if I knew I'd be getting 3 huge ones, I would not have ordered a side of fries! Those were mediocre. I was hoping for the waffle fries we got at the bar. Later on, we came back here to drink when we found that Bobby McKey's was mediocre. Had a good time back at the bar. Overall, I'd probably just stick with hanging out at the bar and ordering my food there if you have a spot to eat. I'd skip actually coming here for dinner unless you make reservations. The food is pretty good but nothing spectacular.
(3)
Roman B.
Having some time to kill before I could check into the hotel I was staying in, my stomach was grumbling "FEED ME". Taking a stroll in National Harbor, MD and seeing what my options were, I stumbled upon Public House. Since it was nearly noon, it was time for a good burger. Wrong!! I sat at the bar and ordered a beer not realizing they were still serving brunch. My bad I guess. Viewing the limited brunch menu, I went ahead and ordered the egg stuffed french toast with a side of apple wood smoked bacon. DELISH!! The french toast is cut out in the middle and an egg is dropped in and fried just enough so that when you cut into with a fork, the yolk just ooooooozes out and you have to soak it up with the toast. It came with some spicy home fries and maple syrup. As a side, I added the bacon but honestly, for $3, I expected some thicker pieces than 2 small ones. Disappointed at the point but what can you do? Should have done my reseach prior to arriving at National Harbor and comparing restaurants in the area. Oh well, it was a decent place. Not too many patrons seeing it was Sunday brunch, but lots of tables and room to sit. Plenty of big screen tv's around the bar area and you didn't feel rushed at all. Actually, had to ask for the check!!
(3)
K T.
Came here for New Years Eve and was pretty impressed. We did the $40 open bar and it was definitely worth the money. However, the bartenders did not all seem to be on the same page as to what drinks were with the OB or not. I ordered the same drink all night and a friend of mine tried it, loved it, and went to go get her own, and they told her she couldn't get it with OB, I went up right after and got it, from the same bartender who told her no, my bf had no problems getting the drink either. But other than that it was fantastic, they didn't skimp on the alcohol and despite the fact that the house was jam packed, they moved quickly and efficiently. Music was pretty good and we had a blast dancing and watching the ball drop on the giant projection screen. Props to the security guys for keeping their cool and handling vomit patrol like champs. The reason it's getting 4 stars and not 5 is due to the floor plan which is a little lousy and nonsensical. Navigating around the bar is tricky, especially when it's crowded. And then there is apparently no direct route from the kitchen to the separated restaurant portion so the whole night waiters were forced to cut through the dance floor with plates of food and drink to get to the entrance of the dining room. Overall, glad we made the trip from SoMD to National Harbor for New Years, definitely a night we won't forget.
(4)
Alphonso D.
Went here during an off time so that may affect my judgement. The wait staff was good, food came out hot and fresh and drinks were timely. The food we prepared as order and tasted very good. It was off hours so it was pretty quiet but I'd expect the usual bar/restaurant on any other occasion. Overall I had a good experience.
(4)
David B.
Food was good but expensive. Service good can be noisy so maybe sit outside weather permitting. Service was good and if your staying at one of the National Harbor locations they give you a 15% discount so check that out. Only gave it three stars because of the noise and our waiter seemed pre occupied. The crab cheese dip, pulled pork, great club sandwich, drinks, crab cakes, clams were all good.
(3)
Brent A.
Applebee's doesn't have bouncers, does this place need it? Not a good environment, go to harringtons next door
(2)
Juliet K.
3.5 stars... we went here after cirque du soleil. every restaurant had a ridiculous wait so we used the opentable phone app and made a reservation for the next available restaurant, which happened to be public house. the service was great. the waiter didnt come over too much but just enough to make sure we were ok. food: - filet something or other appetizer. pretty good. we requested med rare, but was a bit over cooked. - french dip - the flavor was good, and the fries were tasty. - some fish dish with bok choy and rice - wasnt a huge fan of how the rice was cooked but bok choy and fish were great. the food was decent. but definitely not something that i would really come back to. its worth trying once. maybe you will like the food better. but i wouldnt go back. i'd probably try something new.
(3)
Sarah P.
The service here was PHENOMENAL! We had lunch here and I was a little nervous about taking my three year old in, but I saw other people with their kids and thought we would try it out. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, making sure our drinks were filled. My husband ordered the Pastrami on Rye and said he liked it a lot! I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich and was pretty disturbed by it. I assumed I would get lumps of crab and it would be luscious, but they served it with a 'Cajun Mayo' that tasted like it had cardamom or something in it. I really couldn't place the spice, but it totally overpowered the crab cake. It was served on a brioche bun that was too big for the actual crab cake. The dressing they served with the salad was AWESOME! While this meal wasn't AWESOME, I would definitely consider going there again to try something else.
(3)
Wei C.
Food was OK, but it was a nice place. Very comfortable interior design. Especially, the light control was great. We sat by a small round table with a semicircle chair, so we could be closer to each other to enjoy the meal. But, really, the food was ok, so as the cocktail. I ordered Asian Salad and Pineapple Martini - too sweat for me, both of them...
(3)
Lakisia H.
Went for a Sunday Brunch which really was not the case. Their Sunday Brunch is nothing more than a breakfast menu, which didn't have much to choose from. They had a Bloody Mary bar which wasn't bad. It was a bit messy but ok. I am a big buff on custome service and the hostess needed to go back to the drawing board to find out what that means. We arrived and asked about sitting outside, she indicated that it would be about a 20 minute wait, so ok no problem we will wait. There was a table available outside that needed to be cleaned off. I asked about that table and she never responded just walked off while she popped her gum rudely. It was actually pretty bad. On top of that the food was so so. I would not go back for a Sunday Brunch nor do I recommend that you go either.
(2)
Thereasa A.
My husband and I spent Christmas at National Harbor. On Christmas Day, this was the only restaurant open. It was moderately busy, but still had an almost empty bar and a few empty tables. The food was average with limited options (possibly because of the holiday). Pricing was moderate. Our order was a pulled pork sandwich with a salad and a pastrami sandwich. The food was very average. The best thing was the bread on the pulled pork sandwich, the pork was dry. The wait for sandwiches was too long. But my complaint would be with the staffing. Particularly, the hostess. She was rude to many guests as we watched them come in and was overly involved and affection with her boyfriend while she was working. At one point a gentleman walked in and asked a question, began waiting for people. She turned her back to him and rolled her eyes. While he could not see her, the hostess station is surrounded by tables. The waitresses were nice but seemed to spend a lot of time busing tables and taking care of the drink station. I would think with a restaurant at this level there would have been a bus boy so the waitresses could be more attentive to their tables. . It is just average. Nothing to remember. We have more trips planned back to the National Harbor, and this will be one place we will not return.
(2)
Davis M.
I went into dinner at the Public House with the lowest of expectations. They were not met. I was in town on business and decided to stay at the Westin instead of driving home. My wife and I walked around the block for a good place to eat, but they ALL appeared to be overpriced and underwhelming tourist traps. We went to this place because it was the cheapest. Big mistake. In short: 1) Waiter was stoned, was acting like characters from Dazed and Confused, or both. 2) Waited 10 minutes for waiter to bring a steak knife, after which my wife went into the kitchen to get one for herself. 3) Food was cold and lettuce was rotten. 4) $6 for a draft beer that was skunked. Total bill was $41 for two people. We left a $4 tip and I think it was too kind. Don't eat here. For that matter, avoid the National Harbor completely. No class and a waste of money.
(1)
Nikki I.
VERY SLOW SERVICE...our waitress Keisha only came to our table 3 times in a 2 hour span...1st time: right after the food came out, the 2nd time: only because we called her over and 3rd time: to collect our plates (with our check already in hand) and didn't even offer us the dessert menu! and here's the kicker, gratuity was already included for a party of only 3...no wonder she lacked in the customer service dept, she was getting a tip REGARDLESS!! (she didn't even deserve a 5% tip!!) oh and same goes for the short blonde "bartender" who also lacked in the customer service department, she saw us standing there and continued to just stand near the register. they (mostly the servers) all socialized with one another around the hostess station when they should've been attending to their customers!! this place will not be getting my hard earned money ever again, that's for damn sure!!
(1)
Laura W.
National Harbor has a limited number of restaurants for lunch and dinner. I came here with a coworker for lunch on one of our days at a conference at the Gaylord. I was a bit disappointed to see they didn't have a separate lunch menu. I was hoping there would be a few lighter options to choose from. I ended up having the the crab cake sandwich and kettle chips. The sandwich was really good, it was nice and fresh and so was the bun it was served on. The remoulade sauce was also very tasty and I was dipping the chips into it. I do wish there was a different side served with the sandwich. The kettle chips weren't as crunch as I would have hoped and they were a bit sweet. The crab cake was also a bit sweet so it was a little too much for me. My coworker had the burger, it is served on an english muffin but she requested it be served on a regular bun like my sandwich was. There was a mixup and it was served with the muffin and she sent it back. They corrected it and she ate her burger. The crab cake sandwich was my favorite dish I had to eat while there and I would recommend it but the overall experience was underwhelming.
(2)
Jason A.
Looking for a place to eat and drink before a Cirque du Soleil show, so we stopped in and sat at the bar. Took about 5 mins for the bartender to take a drink order. We ordered food, which was decent, but took over 45 mins to get it and we were Starving!!! The bartender apologized profusely and was very empathetic, but the kitchen staff obviously was pretty cut rate. He comped us most of the bill, which was nice and his service was good, but overall the place was pretty average with a poor kitchen service. We'll definitely go somewhere else next time we are in the area.
(2)
Kirsten D.
We went for a fun day with the kids to see Ice at the Gaylord, and boy did these guys ruin part of it. After waiting over 1/2 an hour, we finally have a server bring one kids meal (there were 11 people in our party). Well, strange but the other food should be following in a second right.... nope. 15 minutes later no waitor and no food so we go out to see what the problem is. After being ignored by the hostess, I finally see our waiter and ask him about the food and all I get is "it will be out shortly".... I tell him that they brought out one kids meal 15 minutes ago, and given that there are 5 kids in the party that's a pretty big problem. No apology, just another "it will be out shortly" and goes back to doing something at the bar. He makes no attempt to actually resolve the issue at all. Another 5 minutes and 5 more of us get food but not all of us. Then it is another 15 minutes, a fair amount of complaining by my sister in law and finally the other items arrive. The "manager" comes by and apologizes, of course agrees with us blah blah (you could tell she really couldn't care less). Then she says she'll make it right and take care of the check. Well, taking care of the check is an eleven dollar discount for 11 people. This is another case of the "I shoulda looked at Yelp first" blues.... Never again with this place.
(1)
Brianne C.
3.35 stars. In contrast with most Yelpers, I found the Public House's crab artichoke dip and braised beef sandwich with onions and jack cheese to be craveable. The dip was loaded with hunks of lump crab, and the kitchen eschewed a cream cheese base for a lighter cream sauce that complemented the tender seafood and briny artichokes. Further, the sandwich was stacked with tender, luscious braised short ribs, sweet sauteed onions, and a light layer of cheese, and was layered on country bread with chewy edges that nicely absorbed the rich juices. It was substantial and heavenly. But, there were several factors that kept Public House from being a worthy destination itself. As others have noted, the restaurant setting was painfully generic, the drinks were sloppily mixed, and the bartenders were clearly having issues with their duties. However, they were especially attractive (men and women), and gradually opened up to conversation as the evening unwound. And, as one of my companions remarked, the food was delicious while we were sitting at the bar, but may not have seemed worth the one hour wait we were quoted for a table. Regardless, I will certainly take a ferry ride to the National Harbor when a craving for a braised beef sandwich surfaces. Mmmm.....
(3)
Roseline H.
Great location, good food, awesome service. We were given first-class service by our server which is why I gave this place 4 stars. It was a bit pricey for the food we ordered but other than that, I can def see myself going here again to watch a game.
(4)
Michelle E.
Noon on a Thursday, next to nobody in the place. Two people waiting to be seated (separately) but the hostess is on the phone. No problem, sounds like maybe she's taking a reservation. So we stand there giving her the benefit of the doubt. She gets off the phone and doesn't even glance at us. She just walks away, still without looking at us, and vanishes into the back without so much as a "Be right with you." After waiting and waiting I just walked out. Didn't even get to sit down and try their food. After reading some of the other reviews, I'm glad.
(1)
Monique R.
I work at the National Harbor and stop in here when I get off on occasion because it is one of the few places that stays open late.The food is pretty overpriced and the only thing that stands out to me is the Philadelphia spring roll appetizer. It's a unique idea and pretty tasty. I have tried the french dip sandwich, the Public House burger, and the steak salad (I turn mine into a Pittsburgh steak salad)- they're all very average. More often than not the service does suck. I was in here a few weeks ago on a slow night and the bartender looked more like she belonged in a strip club than behind the bar (but I'm sure this is why she got the job). I don't like to judge people but she also lived up to every dumb bimbo stereotype out there. After I finished my first drink, that took me ten minutes to order in the first place, she never asked me if I wanted another cocktail and pretty much ignored me and my group of friends. Usually, we stay longer but we cut our visit very short that night. One good thing I can say about this place is that they play decent music on the weekend and there is a diverse young crowd. I wonder why the NYC and Philly locations look way bigger and nicer on their website?!
(2)
Kimberly B.
Okay as Julie Andrews would say, "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start..." I don't care for the doorman, or the guy who checks id's. He's an uptight arrogant butthole who clearly seems to take his job entirely to seriously. I've been several times but if I don't go back, nothing will be missed. The food is good and so are the drinks however the drinks are pricey. I'm a music lover, and the dj is always on point whenever I go however since the dance floor is the size of a sliver of space probably comparable to you trying to walk through a crowded platform during rush hour at Gallery Place Station after someone has gotten sick on one of the trains, you get my point. So I went on Friday and it was packed as usual, I guess I'm just not a fan of going places where people are stacked up against each other and I literally have to pry them apart and then say excuse you in order to get by even though they were in the way. It's a pretty diverse crowd as far as race is concerned but its also a young one, which I could do without. Generally when I go several fights break out and they throw them out quick fast and in a hurry, I was there one night and a chick and a guy were fighting, once they threw them out, they basically started brawling in the street. I'm sorry I don't want to go somewhere and get dressed, pay $11 to park and then deal with riff raff. I coulda went to Giant and got a red box and ordered a pizza and been better off, lol. Overall its cool, but clearly better left for a better time for the youngins.
(2)
Kristen D.
Meh - food was decent but the service lacked anything special. The first night I felt crammed in a back corner when there was plenty of space available. The second night we ate there, we received our appetizer after our dinner (with no concern shown by the staff), had to ask for condiments and refills and just an overall lackluster experience. I understand that it's a touristy area and that the majority of visitors are one time but definitely not the experience you want to give your guests.
(2)
Thomas S.
Truly one of the worst lunches I've experienced in years. So many things are wrong here: 1) The near lifeless hostess decided to seat us next to the only people at the restaurant, a noisy group. Visibly annoyed when we asked for an alternative location. 2) Ordered a simple chicken sandwich. Came back tasting like fake smoked something that resembled meat. 3) The waiter did exchange it for a salad. The salad was absolutely drenched in dressing. I mean puddles of the goopy, obviously out of jar stuff. Inedible. 4) Smile, you're on candid camera. There are cameras everywhere in the place. When asked, the waiter said it's because so many people are falling down a step, and they want to stop frivolous lawsuits. Nice. Turns out that the step is a huge hazard, marked by a sign that would easily get looked past. Our waiter explained "people trip and fall down the step all the time" 5) The restaurant is located in National Harbor. A cultural wasteland. Go to Pot Belly for lunch. Boring, but in predictable good way.
(1)
Dan R.
I'm not normally one to complain about restaurants because usually if I don't like it, I just don't go back. In this particular case I feel annoyed enough to leave a review. Service was poor. Had to ask for things multiple times. Orders were missing items. The $9 sweet potato fries appetizer portion was TINY. Our party of four had mixed reviews on the food. I ordered a Cobb salad which lacked most the ingredients one would normally expect in a Cobb salad. Management refused to accept our $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate because we did not order four entrees. It's not clear to me what constitutes an entree seeing as how four adults all ate full meals. We ordered drinks, an appetizer, the aforementioned meal-sized salad, two sandwiches and the french toast off the brunch menu and a desert and spent over $100.
(2)
Lam N.
Do yourself a huge favor: Do not go here. We went here for a group lunch and the waitress was very nice and accommodating. However, that does not make up all the bad things this restaurant has to offer. First off, they brought out the bread, which is cold and dry even though we were there just when they're open for lunch. It's as if they used the bread from yesterday. Oh, and if you want for bread for the table, you have to pay an extra $2. It's the not the cost that's the problem, it's the principle! One glance at the menu and you can see mediocre dishes all around, with a few exceptions of unique dishes and ingredients. We got our food and I got to try my co-workers food also. The final verdict across the board of some 18 people was that the food was mediocre. The hummus was dry and tasteless. The burger was overcooked and uninteresting. The pulled pork was just OK. For the price that you're paying for the food, you expect better. If you think that you're paying for the location and/or ritz, there isn't any besides the contemporary decor. It is situated 2-3 blocks away from the water so you are basically having a great view of the street. I would highly recommend anyone to SKIP this place and move on.
(1)
Brian S.
Public House turned out much better than I expected. We were there with a group during the Steelers/Ravens playoff game, and I was surprised how many people were there to watch the game. It definitely gave the place a lively atmosphere. We started with the cheesesteak spring rolls and the crab dip, and they were both very good. My burger was cooked correctly, but they didn't get the toppings correct. My wife's french dip was very good, but the slices of ciabatta were way too thick. Not only did they detract from the taste of the meat, but they made the sandwich difficult to eat, especially with work colleagues. The beer list was good, but not great. A three star meal was made better by a great atmosphere and competent service. I would go back if and when I'm in National Harbor again.
(4)
Lori Taylor R.
Quite possibly the worst experience ever! We should have taken our cue from the service we were given at the bar while waiting on our table, but unfortunately, we did not. We were seated after about a 30 minute wait at a large round table near the window. We had a party of 8, so we could understand needing to wait. Our server was friendly, but seemed slightly out of it. The appetizers were blah and the dinners should have never left the kitchen. They were absolutely terrible! The chicken sandwich, which several people in our group ordered was cold, tough, and rubbery. No joke, you could have bent the chicken in half, slammed it in a door numerous times and it wouldn't have been effected at all. (I wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't the plastic food they use in the display cases at Asian restaurants.) The fries served with every meal were cold and soggy. We notified our waiter and he seemed a bit overwhelmed with the news ... so, manager to the rescue? Yeah, not so much. She says, "Well, since we aren't so slammed now we can make you new chicken sandwiches." What? Who says that? No apology! And, because you are busy, you can't serve edible food? None of this is making any sense and it's completely rubbing me the wrong way. Let us out of this disastrous meal. One place I never need to visit again!
(1)
Fran T.
Sorry, but the truth has to be told...I'd do no star if I could...this place should stick to being a bar and not try to make money on the so-called Sunday Brunch. Service was BAD and the breakfast food was nothing to talk about. I asked for salt and pepper for my eggs, and our waitress proceeded to take another table's order. By the time she remembered to bring the salt/pepper, my eggs were stone cold. I asked for new eggs and they still had not come out after about 7 minutes. Of course by now, the rest of my meal was cold. Also, I asked for a fresh cup of coffee while I waited for the new eggs. The waitress took my cup inside (again, why was no one walking around with a pot of coffee for refills...lesson 101 in any restaurant!) She did NOT dump the 1/3 cup of COLD coffee, but added coffee to it! What part of FRESH CUP was not understood?! I did speak to the manager and requested my meal be removed from the bill and she obliged, and although she listened to me and assured me this was not the 'norm' for them, neither she nor the waitress ever apologized for my very unhappy experience. On a side note, a couple came in and was seated next to us...they never received acknowledgement of their presence by any waitstaff and after about 10 minutes they left. No, it was not busy.
(1)
Veronica W.
Ok I guess. I went there on a Friday night....around 10/11. The music was good, there was still food available. It's a standard bar...I'm not sure if anything in particular stood out.
(3)
Leigh P.
it was located across the street from the hotel I was staying at (Gaylord Resort). I stopped by here for a beer and dessert and was satisfied. I enjoyed their cookie-pizza-with-ice cream. It was decent sized --- filling and not too sweet. I ate at the bar. The server was attentive without being over-the-top. PLENTY OF TVs for watching sports. It does get loud. It's an ok option for the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to get here - but if you're in town for a conference & want a break from the hotel restaurant scene, it's a decent choice.
(3)
Anirban C.
Not great. OK food, slow service. I went in at 5pm for a (very) late lunch. I sat at the bar for several minutes before anyone wandered over to see what I needed. I ordered the crab soup because I wanted something fast and hot. After 20 minutes or so I started wondering where my soup was. It finally arrived and was not at all hot, but I dug into it because I was starving at this point. They brought another bowl that they probably just stuck in the microwave, with more liquid and less crab than the first. The soup itself was underwhelming ... the crabmeat was good and it had some nice spicy heat to it, but the vegetables and flavor reminded me too much of Campbell's. At least the place has free WiFi, which came in handy while I was waiting for my soup ...
(2)
Tina M.
I sat at the bar and had a great time. The bartenders were very attentive (on a Friday night) and ended up doing some shots with me! The food was a bit disappointing and overpriced but the atmosphere was great and exactly what I needed at the end of a long week. The wine menu was a bit disappointing as well but the bartenders were happy to offer free samples until I found one I liked.
(4)
Mark G.
Great selection of beer, good selection of food - I'm a fan. I got the Maryland Crab cakes, and I'm pretty picky when it comes to Crab Cakes, and this place won me over. Strongly recommend it!
(4)
Jeff R.
I think 3 stars is about good for this place. A little out of the way down in National Harbor, but I suppose if you happen to be staying in a hotel down there or at a conference, this would be a good option to offer your patronage. I was there for an event recently, and Public House served as very accommodating hosts. They were super on top of things at the bar, and everyone in our group of about 50 people seemed to be having a good time. Also, they were playing the Barca game on one of their many tvs so bonus points for that. I didn't actually try any of the food...so I think I'm just going to leave my review at that. Great service/hosting for our event. Was it enough to convince me to drive all the way back down to National Harbor just to eat there? Perhaps not, but if I'm in the area, I suppose I would stop in for a second visit.
(3)
Kim J.
Decent (not great) wine/beer list, good crab dip appetizer, decent but pricey entrees, but service was spotty. However, management was quick to make things right for a late dessert delivery. Overall vibe of National Harbor is touristy without much substance.
(3)
Simpson Y.
The burger there was just ok. Bread was rather small in diameter but the meat was pretty thick. I also had a crab cake sandwich which was basically the same thing as a burger but with a crab cake. That was a little better but it was served with some really soggy kettle chips with I did not like at all.
(2)
Edet N.
After the Marine Corps birthday celebration at the Gaylord we decided to get out of uniform and take the party to the streets. Public House was the first place we saw so thought nothing of stopping in for a few drinks. Standing in line waiting to get in I was behind a Wounded Warrior. A Marine who had was shot in the head, and blown up was making his first trip out of the Naval hospital to go to the birthday celebration and out on the town afterward. This young Marine was wearing a helmet, specially made for him to prevent any accidental brain injury. This Marine was a shell of his former self, his speech slurred, his rehabilitated motor-skills enabled him to function but there was much work to be done. Upon getting to the doorman this Marine was told that the "no hat" policy would not allow him to come in and enjoy his night. It took everything in me to restrain myself as I see a Veteran who has had his life drastically altered so that the rest of us can go out and enjoy a drink be told he is not welcome. I respect the policies of any given establishment; but there comes a time where commonsense must prevail. After some careful word play the management relented and let this Devil Dog enjoy the night, but it shouldn't have gotten to that point. This was a clear case of ignorance and intolerance and for that I will not enjoy my overpriced beverages at Public House.
(1)
Tom W.
Went in and sat down at the bar. There were about 10 people who were seated around the bar. Everybody else had their drinks. They had 2 batenders who were busy doing everything but getting my drink order. Not sure if they expected me to beg for a drink, but that's not my style. After 10 minutes I got up and walked out. I don't need a drink that bad.
(1)
Rachel M.
Public is more of a "hey let's grab a drink" kind of place then to eat...but do not go, i say again DO NOT GO THERE FOR BRUNCH. ok...considering they've only started serving brunch 2 weeks ago, but cmon now how hard is it to make a poached egg???? or any kind of egg dish??? My friend had the Crab Benedict and well needless to say the egg looked disgusting! So she ordered another poached egg and well it came back the same way. She complained to the waitress which in turn had the Manager come by to apologize and it wasnt quite an apology. She said that they've only started brunch couple of weeks ago and it should get better cuz its NEW! and that she will deduct half of her meal because she ate half...OMG!!! Well that didnt sit well with her so my friend asked the whole meal removed. So all in all...grab a drink at the bar and maybe...an app but dont expect anything more from your food.
(2)
Chrisa S.
Great place for people with completely average gastronomic expectations and interests.
(2)
Mike O.
Awesome bar with a fun staff, cool crowd and good, reasonable drinks. Have fun hanging out there when you're in town for a conference.
(5)
Davonnediashay C.
Terrible staff, over priced everything, mediocre food. After my last experience Ive vowed to never go back. It was my friends birthday & i spent over $400 on food & drinks (although we hardly ate the food). When the nite was coming to a close i got up to use the bathroom. when i can back eveything was cleared off the table. Food & drinks tht were harldy touched got thrown away. I told the manager & he immediately jumped to the defense. I like "dude, the place is closed, no one else will be sitting here... our jackets are still here, that was at least $70 worth of food tht was boxed up & ready to go, the waiter shoulld hv made sure no one was coming back before he cleared the table." He said will it was only wings and crab drip thts nothing. I was like since its so simple then replace it. He said kitchen was closed and for me to give him my name & number & he would call me back atfter 5pm the next day & i could come in and hv dinner on him... I knew at tht point he was just saying tht so i would leave the whole situation alone. Needless to say I never heard from him. Ive had numerus bad expericences at this place, this is just the most recent... I shulda been done with place long before this issue but it was my friends bday so i made a expection. The only reason Im giving this place 2 stars is because of the people that go there... They normally have a good crowd... & if u hv the right ppl any dump can be made enjoyable... Oh, and they hv a ok dj on Fri. & Sat.
(2)
Erin O.
This was my first dining experience at Public House. The restaurant, and National Harbor in general, wasn't overly busy on this Sunday, which was also Father's Day. After we were greeted by our server, we learned that they didn't have two of the appetizers and one of the sandwiches. Perhaps they had a big lunch rush, but from what we saw, the whole area wasn't that busy... We enjoyed dinner; the food was good/okay, but slightly overpriced. Our server was friendly and accommodating. Would like to see a larger selection of entrees on the menu. If I go back to National Harbor (iffy because there isn't much to do), I would try some of the other restaurants before making a second visit to Public House.
(2)
Tattoo S.
Good food, good drinks, good beer, good late hours, good times!
(4)
Maggie M.
This place is pretty cool. The bartenders are great here. They make a killer pineapple martini. Its infused pineapples with vodka. Very tastey! There hot wings are SUPER hot and firey. But still good. We also enjoyed the crabcake sandwich which the MR loved and I wasnt to big of a fan of it. (not a big crab cake person though). They have good fries too. I would def go back here for a drink or a light dinner. One of the better choices at the National Harbour.
(4)
K C.
Good service. The waitress went out of her way to try to find the quietest place in the place. Warning, the background music is a little loud. Crabcakes and Caesar were tasty. The fish tacos were a bit bland and came fried to my surprise. I thought the cookie dough smash was divine.
(3)
Cornelie H.
Came here for a going away for a coworker. We had a lil private party in a reserved room. We were dressy. The food was not bad. The shrimp was awesome but the rosotto was not... at all! The cash bar had everything, which was definitely a plus. Music was decent. I would only come here when I am no where near broke and with a group of people... probably for drinks. I can skip the meal.
(3)
Linda P.
we've been there twice in the past month and both times it was hot as heck in there--- how does the place stay open with little or no air cond.( manager ?? told us it's getting fixed but when????)...Food is good --service was very good --but after we lelt -- felt bad for our waitress cause all we did was complain about the heat- so if you want to melt during dinner at least be seated with the cute college kid ( i think her name was mariska/mirissa something like that .I would not have wanted to wait on us....... Public House let me know when the ac is working and we'll be back!!!
(2)
Mike S.
Though I am not a big fan of bar centered restaurants, Public House has a pleasant atmosphere that is good for the yuppie happy hour/game night crowd. The appetizers were decent and the food par for the course. Like some of the other destination spots throughout the area be prepare to pay more than what you would pay for than if you were going to a quik-serv establishment. All in all I would rate the food about a 6 and the atmosphere about an 8.
(3)
Laura F.
We were trying to find a weekend breakfast place outside of the Gaylord and decided to try here. It was 95 degrees out t 11:15am and it was quite warm inside also. Even the hostess staff was fanning themselves with menus. Thre was only 1 other party there when we arrived, so we were seated quickly. There is a small but decent breakfast menu anda a lunch menu. We ordered normal breakfast food ( pancakes, French toast and the country breakfast). Overall the food wad pretty good, waitress was ok. We didn't have to hunt her down for drinks or anything but they aren't exactly busy either. When we left there was all of 4 tables seated in either while place, but it seved it's purpose. Only complaint was the temperature but with plenty of ice water, it was not miserable.
(3)
Jim B.
Had lunch and dinner here and I am a fan of the crab cakes! I had good service and found the prices to be reasonable. The restaurant was crowded for dinner, so a reservation helped!
(4)
panida r.
I enjoyed an evening of appetizers and drinks at public house. I thought the beer selection was nice. Nice to see craft beer stocked. Finally tried a Dogfish Head beer. The place is really low key. Appetizers try to be fancy but don't achieve a gourmet taste. One that I remember is filet mignon on flatbread topped with some fried something(i thought they were fries so thin they were just crispy). Interesting but not much flavor. There was also a crab dip that was pretty good. Service is polite. Not terribly attentive.
(3)
Sam M.
WORST FOOD EVER. This is the biggest waste of money in National Harbor. The service is very sub par, and the food was horrible. Crab cakes tasted like and smelled like sewage water.
(1)
Chryssa R.
I had the Maryland crab cake sandwich and it was a bit too crabby tasting, but decent otherwise. The bun was so huge I took the top half off. The green salad was a nice mix of lettuces with a nice balsamic dressing. Not unlike hundreds of salads I've eaten before. I didn't have a bad experience, but this place isn't on my short list of places to eat again.
(3)
Ryann G.
Waitstaff was very inattentive, even thought we sat right by their wait station. Our Cobb salads with chicken were very good. There aren't a ton of options, but the ones they have sounded delicious. The wine list is very nice.
(3)
AnnaMarie V.
Good but not great. Happy Hour deals are good though
(3)
Elaine K.
Food was ok, but overpriced. I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Sections of the bun and parts of the pork were burnt. My coleslaw was brownish. My diet coke tasted off, like the syrup to seltzer ratio was off. The service was almost ok. The waitress was attentive enough, but instead of refilling empty glasses, she asked if we wanted refills, and she took a plate I was still eating off of. They had a decent beer selection, but not an impressive one. Meh.
(2)
K M.
I wouldn't go to eat here with so many other options at the Harbor but for a loud, bar hopping good time on a Saturday night in the Harbor this place is it! It's a good mix of people, those in their 20s and 30s from all different backgrounds. Wall to wall people, dj, good music, drinks flowing...what more can you ask for?
(4)
Amber E.
I was in town for a convention at the Gaylord and decided to venture out a little bit. I sat at the bar and decided to grab a quick drink and something to eat. I was surprised at how friendly the staff was. I had some food allergies and I am a bit of picky eater, but the bartender helped me go over menu to find something to eat. Even though I ended up with a Greek Salad, it is always extremely helpful when the staff is knowledgable on the menu. The atmosphere in the bar was extremely pleasant. It was during early happy hour but wasn't too crazy or loud that I couldn't have a conversation. The bartender was attentive to refill my water and always noticed when my wine glass was almost empty. I find it extremely annoying when I have to flag down a bartender to get another drink, I didn't have to do that once. I would definately go back again.
(4)
Kelly G.
Had a late late dinner there last night. Butternut squash soup with roasted apples and creme fraiche was so delicious. I thought it would be one of those sweet concoctions. But noooo, it was nice and savory. Smooth, velvety, savory goodness. The short ribs were falling off the bone. Yummy yum yum yum. Served over a bed of risotto, there is no other dish for me. I was in total hog heaven. Tack on the glass of cabernet and I'm a huge fan. Huge fan.
(4)
Henry T.
Didn't have any of the food. Came by on a Saturday night. Bouncers would not let my friend in, who wore a turban for religious reasons. After causing a stir, threatening a formal complaint, we spoke with the manager, and he let us in and got a round of drinks. 10 minutes later, my other group of friends, and the same bouncer asked if one "was part of the Taliban" (referring to my first friend wearing the turban). After hearing that, we left. We would not support any racist organization (odd considering that most of the clientele [sp?] was African American)
(1)
John F.
How do you rate a Restaurant/Bar?? This place is a little of everything. As a bar, it's a sports bar primarily with some other nights thrown in like Karaoke, game night, etc. The bar is HUGE! They have infused, vodka, a good beer selection, and a ton of TV's. As a restaurant, it's almost takes a 2nd to the massive bar. The food is good, haven't found anything bad either. I love the Chicken BLT.. MMM The philly cheese steak rolls are really good, but Im sure I have a clogged artery from them LOL. Again, as a bar they do really, really, well. Probably the best or close the best place in all of National Harbour. As a restaurant there are some other places if you are looking for really good food that are better. But really, one of the better places for food I've been to that is primarily a bar. So, if your looking for a place for a bunch of friends to hang out with. A friendly bar crew. As good of food you will get at any bar, this is your place. Say hi to Kristen and Company for me.
(4)
S R.
We thought that since we found parking on the street (Yaay!) that we were in for a good night. Parking is limited to 2 hours which we thought was enough time for dinner at a casual restaurant. My small party of three was immediately seated. Water was brought to the table and drinks were ordered. Really, it was only a child's soda because the dessert menu was starting to call our names so the adults stayed with water. But that is where the goodness ends. The food is WAY overpriced. You would think that for a small menu the dishes would be exceptional but it is, in fact, the opposite. Additionally, some restaurants make up for their lack of sophistication with large servings. Not here. The little one ordered a cheeseburger with fries from the kids menu. The adults ordered the pork chop and chicken. My family doesn't usually order chicken at restaurants but I am a sucker for risotto. The pork chop was so charred and then doused in sauce that made the entire dish unappetizing. The cornbread stuffing and sauteed spinach were both mushy and slimy. There was absolutely no texture contrast in this dish. The first bite into the chicken was dry with hints of caper and lemon not indicated on the menu. After lifting the chicken from the bed of risotto, a pool of butter/oil was revealed. The risotto had a healthy serving of peas but not the butternut squash described on the menu. The risotto was unevenly cooked. Some bites were crunchy. If this is how they do pork chops and chicken, I'm glad we didn't order the pricier crabcakes and steak like we really wanted. The kid did great work on his cheeseburger. The burger was juicy and well proportioned to the large, slightly toasted brioche bun. After an unimpressive meal, we decided to play it safe and share the peanut butter tart. Again, the size of the dessert was not worth the $8 price tag. I would not describe this as a tart. It was more of a mousse. The crust that would have justified the tart title was merely a thin soft layer of crushed oreo cookies. Again, there was no texture contrast on such a rich (albeit, one note) dessert. The seasonal fruit was not on the plate and was brought to the table in a disposable cup. BTW, blueberries do not taste good with chocolate and PB. Crumbled banana chips and a banana puree would have improved this dessert immensely instead of the chocolate sauce and peanut butter-chocolate chips that it was served with. The one star is for our excellent waitress. She was very attentive. But like other reviewers have said, we had to wait a while to get our food. Needless to say, we used an hour and 55 minutes of our 2 hour parking limit. Overall, not a good first impression and we will not be returning.
(1)
Tamika J.
I went to Public House for date night with my husband during the past restaurant week. The atmosphere at PH was fine, fun and relaxing. The food was just okay. Butternut Squash soup was GREAT. The salmon was good and the oven roasted chicken was dry at best. We had a reservation, so getting seated wasn't an issue. The waitress was a bit slow but not unbearably so since we were not in any hurry. Overall the experience was just okay. I don't have to go back.
(3)
Justin S.
I swung by Public House on my 1st trip to National Harbor. I tried the $12 fish tacos, and combined with a soda and tip, spent about $17.50. I can't say I'll ever be back. The tacos themselves weren't bad. They were about on par with what I've found elsewhere in the city... for about $5-$7. The fish was average, the salsa was mediocre, and the tortillas tasted like regular Safeway brand tortillas. The bread was thick enough to entirely drown out the flavor of the fish and toppings combined. The cole slaw that came with the tacos was limp and boring, again something you'd get at an inexpensive low end restaurant. There's a lot of really great restaurants in nearby Old Town where expensive american food is drastically superior to its less-expensive counterparts. Those places put care into their menus and fetch fine ingredients. The guys at Public house could learn a few things about quality from them. Maybe they should send the chef on a little road trip. I expected to go back to National Harbor a lot this summer but if the food's going to be like this, I might give up on the whole place. Based on the fish tacos, I'd put Chili's ahead of Public House. If the other restaurants are like this, National Harbor won't ever be more than a wasteful tourist trap. They're so far below the local par that their food can't even compete with other local options.
(2)
Brittany C.
Arrived in National Harbor Sunday morning for a convention. We went looking for a place that served breakfast (there aren't many). First place we came across was Public House. First impression was not good. The hostess was dressed so unprofessionally and inappropriately it made both me and my husband uncomfortable. She was wearing a skin tight spaghetti strap shirt with half her chest, and a gigantic tattoo across her back exposed. They had very few offerings. And what they did offer was a little strange. We ordered the most normal sounding thing on the menu. Eggs, bacon, toast, and fingerling potatoes. Waited at least half an hour for our food. It was just ok at best. Very greasy. The very same thing you could get at a diner for $5. We paid $14. Our waitress was very friendly and nice.
(2)
Theo P.
Blah..No free parking (11.00$) No dancefloor although they pretend to be a club. Snobs from maryland meet the wannabe gangsters. Its a bloody mess. Crowded on the weekends. I will give it one star for the excellent bar staff-very friendly. I did not try the food, but I am sure that is overpriced as well. Not going again.
(1)
Shandalyn H.
Where to start? Had a blast! Came her cause 3 guys wanted to buy, me & my lady friends( best friends) some drink. Hey! Who is going to turn down free drinks & food! Do not remember what I had! But it was good, because I ate it all. Yummy & my bff's ate all their food also. Like the big girl's they are. lol. Don't know the prices, because I didn't pay. Sorry can't help you with that. & the music was great, because after the late snack we dance until the place closed. So please stop in & get an bite to eat. & if you drink get one of those to. So 2 thumbs up for Public House! =) I will be returning!
(4)
John B.
Wow. Public House caused my wife to question where my temper ever was. After knowing her for three years, my wife experienced the first time I have ever asked to speak to a manager at a restaurant. Two different servers took our drink orders, each saying that this was their table. I didn't know servers were so territorial. Guess what...all four of us....got two drinks. To add insult to injury, my wife's drink, a cosmo, had zero alcohol in it. My one beer (of the two) had a fly in it. We asked for a new drink for my wife. Guess what. They said that's just how they're made. The food. Meh, it was ok. When the bill came, I was informed that on top of having to pay for both drinks that I would be paying a required 18% tip. HA. I explained I would do no such thing. The waitress (one of the two) went back to the manager and brought back with a 15% tip required. I said NO, let me actually speak to the manager. Finally, the manager came out, rude as ever, showed me the required tip in 3-point font on the menu. I explained I would not pay the 15% tip. Eventually, six hours later, I received my bill with all drinks removed and was allowed to tip as I pleased. Unfortunately for the two other checks at my table, they had to pay for everything because they didn't speak up in time. In short, it may be good someday, but they need a lot of service issues fixed, ASAP.
(1)
James C.
Best part of dinner was cookie dough skillet desert. Entrees reminded me of frozen TV dinners but fresh. The sauces were too high in sodium for the flank steak and meatloaf (like TV dinners). They served me a manhattan straight up in a large shot glass and not shaken or stirred - Luke warm. Only redeeming factor was the friendly waiter and desert.
(2)
Olivia R.
Having to attend a conference across the street that unfortunately didn't serve food, a few attendees and I went to Public House for a weekday lunch. As a group of 4, we were sat at a booth right away. We didn't think the restaurant was very busy because our orders were taken in a fair amount of time and we received our drink orders promptly, but the kitchen must have been slammed all at once. It wasn't until 45 minutes after we ordered that our server came by to tell us that the kitchen was busy, offering a [much too late] apology for the wait. Because our group had to leave for the afternoon session of the conference at that point, we asked that our orders just be packaged to go. Our waiter apologetically complied, but then also realized that our salads were lacking dressing after being brought out. We then received the wrong dressings for the salads (southwestern dressing when it should have been asian), so our experience was severely lacking for a restaurant that should be able to anticipate steady revenue streams with some coordination from the conference center across the street. Of course our meals were pricey because of the location of the restaurant. That was expected, but it was totally overpriced for the quality that we received. Our meals tasted like leftovers! The salad greens were wilted, and the turkey and brie sandwich was soggy. Bleck!
(1)
David B.
Drinks and food are both way overrated. The wait staff was terrible and appeared to have an attitude. Then came the music. I went to have dinner, not live the nightclub experience. I will never, ever, under any circumstances, go back to this place....
(1)
David F.
Genuinely one of the most disastrous meal experiences I've ever had. We took my mother-in-law here for her birthday this past Sunday- necessity not design. We sat down and ordered several $14 burgers medium, and after a good 45 minutes, two of them came out, super well done. The problem is that my mother-in-law's meal did not come out. The waitress assured us it was en route. 15 minutes later we asked again, and she looked irritated and told us yes yes it's coming. 30 minutes on top of that, and the whole rest of the family has finished it's truly vile food and we are still waiting for my mother-in-law's birthday burger to come out. At this point of course the birthday meal has been thoroughly ruined. The waitress is also still dodging about and not even looking us in the eye or explaining what has happened. Finally the manager comes out with the (also preposterously well-done) birthday burger and explains it's on the house, and asks us if he can get us anything else. Naturally we assumed that he was offering to comp us anything else, so my wife ordered a beer, which we were charged for. All in all: about 2 hours for food that was clearly cooked by disaffected teenagers. I'm sure it's a good place to watch a football game but do yourself a favor and steer very clear of this restaurant if you actually want to eat food.
(1)
Mary M.
$29 crab cakes were almost all filling sides were horrible! This place would be ok at half the price of everything but it's like they are trying to be a high end restaurant when nothing they have to offer measures up. The highlight of my evening was when I asked for a to go box and the waitress brought me back a CVS bag!!! What place can charge those prices and give you a CVS bag for your food!? I wish you could post a picture because i took one. Public House sucks!
(1)
Clarence J.
The food is good [maybe pushing that rating to a 2.5] but the atmosphere/decor could use some work. There's no 'feeling' to the place. I expected a pub-like feel (whatever that may be) but it just seems bland and somewhat modern to me, not warm or welcoming. (And if you've read anything else I've written, atmosphere matters to me.) That big complaint said, the food is enjoyable -- not spectacular, but good -- and the staff is friendly and efficient. And as with most places around National Harbor right now, be prepared for high prices...(which is pretty much the reason why I rounded my 2.5 down rather than up).
(2)
CJ S.
Went there yesterday for lunch with some friends. Lunch menu was lacking. All of us ordered wings. Chesapeake wings, crab dip and fries. The wings came out fried hard and super crispy... Yuck. I have never seen "watery" crab dip before. Super YUCK. Fries were good. Service was "meh".. We had to ask for plates... yes.. plates.$14 KetelOne Martini.. really? for another $14 you could've had the whole bottle. With all of the other choices at the harbor.. This one is not it! Not worth the over $100 that was spent.
(1)
Ann B.
2.5 stars I've been to Public House twice. Both times I really wanted to like this place, but the food seems to fall short on flavor...except for two things, which I'll get to. This past Saturday we made a reservation for dinner knowing that it was going to be packed. We arrived 5 minutes early, were given a beeper and told it would be 5 minutes until our table was ready. Cool. Well 5 minutes turned into 25 minutes. I went back to check in and a different host said that he didn't know that we were waiting. We were seated immediately after that and given a round of drinks on the house to compensate for the wait. Nice gesture, but I was still a little disappointed about being forgotten. Onto the food. The menu seems a bit limited to me with only 5-6 entree selections. We had the crab and artichoke dip for an appetizer, which was good, and I had the crab cake entree. For the price of the crab cakes ($29) they were good with lots of crab meat, but I've had better and more flavorful before. My favorite parts of the meal were the corn side that came with my entree and the chocolate chip cookie dough desert. The flavoring on the corn was a nice surprise and the warm cookie dough desert in a skillet with ice cream was outstanding, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Overall, it's still an average place to chow down in my opinion.
(3)
Roy K.
Good menu and I suggest the Lump Crab open faced sandwich. Great beer menu. Free wifi. Lots of TVs so good for game time. They have all you can eat wings + all you can drink Coors Light for $25...I didnt take them up on the offer but def an interesting promotion.
(4)
David H.
Had a Groupon coupon. Gave it a try. Pros: Easy to find, easy parking, short walk, friendly courteous server. Appetizer (mac and cheese bites) good. Cons: Entrees not hot. Crab cakes okay - no tartar sauce in the whole restaurant. Green beans barely cooked, and overloaded with garlic. Tuscan chicken (substituted for shrimp at wife's request) was not impressive. Will give it one more chance but order from the sandwich menu.
(2)
Dan W.
Why is there nowhere good to eat in National Harbor? This place was HORRIBLE. The only good thing was the server, but when the kind, patient and understanding server is serving you dog food, it really doesn't matter. Crab dip - horrible. Fishy. I called it Carp Dip. Burger - served on an uncooked English muffin, with undercooked bacon. It just made me sad. Salads - two people at our table got salads. They both sent them back. All of this fun, and it was ridiculously overpriced. Avoid at all costs. Sucked balls.
(1)
Chris C.
I only came here for drinks and appetizers for Sunday night football and I thought this place was alright. The bar scene was similar to a nicer version of a Green Turtle.
(3)
Sharie B.
One Sunday afternoon after visiting the recently moved "Awaking" sculpture at the National Harbor (which worked better at Haines Point if you ask me) we decided to pick a place to eat. Given the multitude of choices at the Harbor I can now say that we probably should have gone with the Chinese place around the corner. While the service was friendly, the waitress took the liberty to up my crab cake sandwich order to a crab cake dinner order after I mentioned to my friend that I would really only like the cake and not the bread. Obviously I can read and read the crab cake dinner was $32 and based on that, being a free-gan/recessionista in training and all, went for the sandwich. Not knowing the difference when the plate arrived I was happy to see 2 crab cakes and no bread. Sweet. Then the bill comes. You guessed it, $32 for the frickin crab cakes! When I called her on it she said since I mentioned to my friend that I really did not want the bread she decided to change my order. Kids these days I tell you...does she know how hard I work to bring home the bacon?
(2)
Lyney A.
I've been there twice in the summer and each time always had a great time. The staff is polite, just tip the bartender well so you don't have to worry about getting drinks. The atmosphere is cool as well. The only downside is the food wasn't so great I order a simple burger and it came out on a egg mcmuffin bun? But the night life for the National Harbor I give it two thumbs up!
(4)
Tony G.
Greasy, fatty foods and substandard drinks unless you like basic rail stuff. Not worth the price. Dark and depressing decor. No views of the harbor. This place is just a pitstop location on the way to a better night somewhere else.
(1)
Dale P.
Average venue, not much to write home about when it comes to the atmosphere. Decent menu, food was fair. Decent beer selection. Better than most places in this "fake town" built along the Potomac that has more parking spaces than anything else and is the antithesis of smart growth!
(3)
Abe S.
Good spot for bar food and drinks. I have never actually sat down for dinner, but i am sure its good. The cheese steak egg roll is GOOD with spicy ketchup! Huge bar fun atmosphere.
(4)
Karen M.
Had the crabcake sandwich with overcooked kettle chips while my companion had jumbo shrimp pasta. Quality not good enough to justify price. A disappointment.
(2)
claire o.
I am not generally dissatisfied when eating out, but this was a disappointment. Went for brunch on a Sunday. The brunch menu was limited and had only 2 vegetarian options neither of which sounded good. They let me order from the regular menu but only when I said there was nothing on the brunch menu I wanted to eat. My two dinner companions ordered the egg dish from the brunch menu. My salad was fine. They were disappointed with theirs. We ordered cocktails which were ok, not bad not good. I wouldn't go again.
(2)
D D.
My husband and I grabbed a sandwich from the (highly superior) Potbelly Sandwich Works, but wanted a couple of beers in the sunshine. We walked to the Public House and asked if we could bring our food to the patio and have drinks; we were told it wasn't a problem by the hostess. Ooooh, so wrong! My husband went in to order our drinks at the bar and was treated like a pariah by the staff and management for having the temerity to bring outside food... Even though we were drinking their 7.00 draft! They don't need to worry about it happening again... I'll never go back, and I wouldn't recommend you go either.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : DJ Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
sharmin a.
Ate brunch here and it was delicious. I had the crab benedict, and as a newbie to Maryland crabs (I'm from Florida) I was impressed. Great, tasty and crispy crab on top of the english muffin. The poached egg was amazing as well. The plate came with a side of home fries which were also good. My boyfriend had a burger which was also great --which came with fries and OOOOOF. Those were perfect. Crispy and not over oily as I often have enountered. The only downside was the AC. It seemed like it wasn't working. It was almost as hot inside as it was outside. But I'm not an asshole and I know it likely had nothing to do with them so we didn't complain. Clean bathroom and we had a good bottle of white wine too, which was half off -- William Hill Chardonnay.
(4)Rachel H.
WTH! Collared shirts after 9:00p? Whyyyyyy? I dont get it. Comfortable Grown folks walking along the harbor all day. Now we can't eat here? But 100 Dudes who arrived in T-shirts before 8:55p are sitting in there chilling. Dumb rule... going elsewhere ... Collared shirt at a sports bar????
(1)Jasmine N.
Came here to wait out the storm and watch the World cup on the 4th. I had been here before, although it had been a couple of years, so I was the one who recommended the place. I had egg on my face at the end of our visit, which we unanimously decided to cut short and brave the monsoon just to get out of there. Reasons why we left: -first bartender (her shift ended right after we arrived) used the glass served to my friend to scoop her ice. Major no-no! I wonder how many glasses she's chipped and how many people have gotten glass in their drinks unknowingly. -The 2 bartenders who replaced her stood in the corner loudly gossiping as soon as they got there (before acknowledging any patrons). We could hear everything they were saying very clearly. It was uncomfortable. -ordered a specialty drink. Said made with fresh pineapple. Something was rotten. Took 2 sips and pushed it away and ordered a beer. That beer cost me $20 because I still had to pay for the cocktail. -4 girls were working the hostess table. Every single one was leaning over texting and giggling the entire time -Our bartender spent over half the time we were there texting in front of us. 2 stars because I liked the place last time and when the satellite went out they turned on the regular tv so we could still watch the game.
(2)Chris S.
I have no idea why this place is so packed. Is it the DJ? Hip hop music. Very loud. Not only did I have to show ID, I had to get a wand check. (Since I had a military ID, it was perfunctory. The security guard said nothing about my cell phone in my back pocket.) When you finally get a bartender's attention (although it's packed, not many people seem to be ordering drinks) you have to yell to give an order. Cocktails were okay. A small selection of beer on tap. But I ordered a second Hendricks and tonic. I watched the bartender pour a Bombay Sapphire. I told her I wanted Hendricks and, after I watched her pour Bombay, she nonetheless said it was Hendricks. Apparently a lot of other people like it, but I cannot recommend it.
(1)Wilma D.
The reviews are sad, but took the chance and it was so good! We were seated promptly and Josh took drink orders. He was awesome. Excellent service. Friendly and attentive. The Sweet Corn and crab hush puppies were delicious. The sauce that came it with the appetizer was a great compliment. We highly recommend. I ordered the Pork Carnitas sandwich and it was tasty, really good. The fries were light and crispy. My husband orders the PH burger and he loved it. It was cool perfect to his liking and he was happy. Food was good and fresh and served quick. We are happy and we will be back. Thank you, Josh!!
(5)Eric W.
Ate breakfast at Public House again while attending Katsucon at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as it's one of few restaurants open in the morning. First issue I faced was Google had the wrong hours as Public House does NOT open at 8AM. Staff was polite and helpful during the visit and that was not a problem. The server brought a full carafe of water to the table and that was convenient. The food has changed significantly compared to last year. Ordered the harbor breakfast, Eggs and Bacon were ok. The home fries were overdone and even ketchup could not improve them. They only offered wheat toast that was hard, cold, and the butter couldn't even melt on it. While I was filled up, for what I paid the breakfast was not great and lacked flavor. Not sure I'll be returning to eat here again.
(2)Kimberly C.
Today I hosted a company event here and I'm pretty satisfied overall. Coordinating with Cherish was very easy and she offered a lot of good suggestions about food choice and made the planning very accessible. The room was much smaller than the pictures made it seem which concerned me but luckily our group was smaller than planned, though if it hadn't been I'd have been concerned. Jason took care of us and was attentive and on point. The crudités, fruit, chicken, salad, pierogi, spring rolls crab cakes, etc were all really great and we took the leftovers. Food was great, atmosphere was great, and I'm very satisfied. I'd definitely come back to sit down for a meal.
(4)Nicole T.
We choose this place from open table cause they were able to get us an immediate reservation. We walked in 30 mins prior to our reservation and was able to be seated. The menu on open table was not the menu we saw when we were seated. Most of the entrees were $25+ and we had two kids with us. We ended up ordering 2 burgers with bacon for $18 a piece , a steak salad $16 and a chicken tenders kids meal $8. We wanted to order drinks but their beers were $6 and it wasn't tap it was a bottle . Finally food arrived. Why my salad which was described as a tri tip steak salad was actually shaved lunch meat and it was maybe 2 pieces that was sliced into thirds. Very disappointed. I told my server and requested another entree which was the burger and fries for the same price . Oh well you live and you learn next time we will drive out of this area and get something worth my money.
(2)Steve H.
4PM/weekday Dinner for two. Hostess/service was fantastic! Clean. Not crowded at all. In/out less than 1 hour. ODD: There seemed to be a lot of movement & coordination for evening reservations going on between nervous looking men in sport coats with other men wearing flat-billed ball caps (?). Several TV's covering basketball news and soccer. Menu selection BEFORE 5pm (when the comfort food starts) is lacking and overpriced - even for DC. However, the plain burger was DELICIOUS! (Sweet onions = "pizzaz!"). Spinach and grits are winners... $5/each (WHAT!). I guess this place is designed for certain clientele. If you consider yourself a "regular guy," then you are not it. Kinda Ironic with a name like "Public House." Maybe "Per Diem House" (?).
(2)Fred B.
Visiting National Harbor was on my list of stuff to do, and thanks to a work trip, I had the luxury of a nice trip with a side of good food! Public house is a nice large pub style eatery. Well appointed, and comfortable furniture, room enough between tables so you don't feel like your on top of one another, and super friendly staff! I ordered the burger and I love it when they know how to cook a burger to medium!! Great meat mix, and easy seasonings makes for a really standout burger to start. No joking around with the bacon either. Nice thick slices, done just under crispy so they were full of flavor and still adding to the texture. All the veggies were fresh, and with a choice of a nice spicy Pepper jack as my cheese choice, I was all set. I will be vacationing here with the wife at the end of the month, so I am sure I will wander my way back into the Public house!!
(4)Mike T.
Had dinner in this restaurant tonight, food not bad, not good but not bad. Service was awful... Little blonde girl server with long stringy hair that could have given 2 shits I was there. Hardly said anything, didn't offer dessert or another drink past my second. She made it obvious all she wanted was for me to pay my bill and get out of her hair. Restaurant owners in National Harbor, almost every review of every restaurant in this area complains about the service.... This could be a world class destination area but the sloppy, marginal dining service ruins it! Hire good people, train them, pay them well and hold them accountable!!! I will probably not come back here again because of this rude little snot server.
(2)Shelby B.
Pretty average place, nothing really stood out as good or bad, which is in itself not a great attribute. The atmosphere was bland, the noise level pretty loud, and the food was overpriced for what it was. I got the grilled chicken club and was surprised at how plain it was. While the fries were good, the chicken tastes like they barely put any spices on it. Although my waiter was nice, the service was very slow. I would not recommend this restaurant, but if you had to go here then it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.
(2)Kita B.
I had brunch, lunch & dinner here. The brunch is by far the most memorable! The Crab Benedict is to die for! The southwest salad is amazing & the outside seating area is amazing!
(5)Chris S.
Late night review only There are pros and cons to spending a night at Public House Pros: No coverage charge, always a plus. Friendly staff, from the bouncers to the bartenders, everyone was friendly and helpful, another plus. Strong drinks, the bartenders aren't stingy with the alcohol and more importantly they have Titos Vodka, trust me it is awesome. DJ is good, nice mix of old school hip hop to go along with all the modern staples of ratchet music we all love to shake our asses to. Cons: They are anal about certain parts of the dress code, sneakers no problem, hats cool too, just be a gentleman and take it off but this weird obsession with collard shirts is crazy. I was with a group of close to 20 people and they wouldn't let one guy in because of his shirt, he had a jacket on that he could have zipped up but they just wouldn't let the shirt thing go. Prices, I normally don't complain about prices because if you can't afford something don't go but the prices are a tad much for the experience. Crowd, overly anal about collard shirts and yet you let in all the riff raff you can handle, I just don't get it. End of the day, the pros outweigh the cons and Public House is a decent space to spend a night out on the town, especially if you live in area, or are staying at one of the many hotels and don't want to trek into the city.
(3)Tyesha W.
My friend and I went to the Public House this past Saturday night, 15 August 2015 at around 11pm and were refused entry because we were wearing fashion statement shirts that had pictures & words on them, "graphic tees" neither of them had offensive words or derogatory words on them. For example: my shirt stated "Bad to The Bone" and my friends shirt had a face pic of Marilyn Monroe on it. The man at the door informed us this was their new policy. Public House is a restaurant & bar. I have never been to a bar that refused entry to women wearing fashion t-shirt. Public House is usually a fav spot for us but after this I won't be back. If this were a lounge or club I understand the right to have so many rules but this is a local bar & restaurant. We were appalled & completely disappointed & will definitely spread the word.
(1)Warfare J.
Fabulous food...unbelievable service . The public burger was just melting and full of taste .
(5)Jessie J.
Went here tonight with 5 friends. Host had a horrible attitude when we asked to get seated outside. No room outside, cool. We got seated inside and waited at our table for about 15 minutes. No one came to our table, no water, nothing. One of my friends is pregnant and was extremely angry at the fact that no one came to our table to at least give us water. It was pretty annoying to see the host just socialize with her buddy waitress and not be attentive at all. We ended up getting up and leaving and just as we got to the front doors she asked us what happened and I told her exactly what it was. No sorry or anything. Disappointed.
(1)Tom G.
It was just OK. A number of good beers on tap, but I actually expected more choices for a large "Public House." I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. THey had a number of TVs with baseball showing which was nice. Service was just OK and it was very crowded. I ordered the $16 burger which while good, was the size of a slider. Fries were nicely done and tasty. So, a bit pricey, small portions and so-so service. I wouldn't seek this place out again.
(3)Emily L.
We arrived unexpectedly early for our conference at the Gaylord, so I went off in search of coffee, and then breakfast sounded too good to skip. Unfortunately, Public House was a bad choice. I should have known when I entered that it was clearly a sports bar that also served generic breakfast food in order to capitalize on the tourist crowd. Wait, I did know that, but I was also really hungry. What I wasn't prepared for were the prices. Entrees averaged $15, so I opted to cobble together breakfast from the sides list: two eggs over easy, bacon and toast ran me nearly $9, and they were pretty measly (toast, $2, was one piece of bread sliced in half.) Coffee was watery but bitter, which I know because I had to take a few gulps plain in order to make room for cream. The interior had a grimy feel to it, and several of my dishes were chipped -- clearly not a classy dining experience. Again, I'm not picky, but if I'm going to pay $15 for an omelet I expect more! It was really a terrible experience, but the bacon was crispy and my server (poor guy) was very attentive, so they get an extra star for that. I won't be back, however.
(2)Laurie K.
Good quality ingredients; preparation not so much. We ordered the $52 meal for two. The house salad was pre made with dressing, so the greens were soggy. Enjoyed the taste of the steak although rare instead of medium rare, good chicken and shrimp. BBQ sauce was good, but salty. The corn was way over-cooked. Server and manager, long story, tried multiple times for gratitude on accepting Restaurant.com certificate with no expiration. Won't be back.
(2)J P.
Upon the opening of public house it was a very great location to visit. Now after time the service is horrible. It took 30 minutes to receive a mimosa on a slow morning, and the serving staff were un- phased as this was acceptable. The food at best is average
(2)Ataya P.
I like it! I only came here for drinks, but I had a good time. We sat at the bar and had great service. It didn't have that nasty bar feel. The music selection was on point too! I definitely plan on returning to try the food!
(4)LaToya E.
I have to agree with many other yelpers on the prices in this place! It is not worth the $$$! I went in one night for dinner and drinks and everyone's food was just kinda meh.. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again. For the prices on their menu I expect the food to be something to remember! As far as the drinks I can comment much since I only had wine and shots lol! It's hard to be bad at that!
(3)Rae M.
Why is this place so freakin' expensive?!?! Oh, that's right, it's located at the National Harbor and mostly all of the restaurants there are over priced. I understand it's the National Harbor and all, but dag...is it that serious? Public House is a bar/restaurant that on Friday nights turns into a part lounge part club. It had a DJ spinning the one's and two's and a dance floor the size of my powder room at my house. After a certain time you have to be 21 to enter. If you're a guy, don't attempt to come here without wearing a collared shirt or you will be turned away. Really? It's a restaurant/bar....again, is it that serious? Don't get me wrong, I get tired of seeing men wear t's to every event, but is it really necessary to wear a collared shirt to a bar/restaurant to enter? Apparently it is. The homies and I came in and found a few seats around the enormous bar and ordered a few drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere seemed really chill and the décor was rather nice. It actually looked like a good place to have fun, especially on game days because they have a few TV's around the bar. The drinks were about $12 and up a pop and the appetizers were equally expensive. I had the cheesesteak spring rolls, which were really good and my friends ordered the wings. The wings were horrible! They were extremely salty and lacked flavor. My friends couldn't even finish them. The crowd seemed to be rather lively, but I just can't with this place. I really think it's overrated. I have no problem spending my money at a place with good drinks and food, but PH just doesn't fit the bill for me. Between paying to park and paying an arm and leg for drinks and apps, it's not worth the haul all the way to the National Harbor for me. BLAH!
(2)Roy M.
If you are looking for a nice place to eat, this is the place for you. It is just amazing. The food, drinks, and atmosphere is great. I went on a very busy weekend and my food still came out in a timely manner. If you do go you must try the berry sangria. You will not go wrong here!
(4)Mel A.
If you're going to be in National Harbor at prime supper time on a Friday evening plan ahead. The wait for many of the restaurants was 45 minutes to an hour without a reservation. We came to Public House, asked if there was a wait and they seated us in no time. The décor is pretty trendy - a bar dominates the center of the restaurant and there are several tvs to keep you updated on the games and scores. Service was okay; I couldn't hear him because the music was loud. We ordered drinks and apps - the cheesesteak spring roll and blue crab mac n' cheese were both good and hot. For dinner, I ordered the "Pulled Pork Sandwich." In my mind, I was thinking of a traditional pork sandwich, you know, like barbecued pulled pork in a roll. Unfortunately that didn't come out. What came out was shredded pork wrapped in a flatbread with lettuce, onions and radishes. I asked them to hold the guac because some things just don't go together. And the pork lacked flavor. Maybe they need to change the name to something like Carnitas in a wrap. The fries were good and came in their own little frying basket. PH says their menu offers All-American food items with a Maryland twist. Food items? Yeah, that sounds about right. I'd come back for drinks with friends at the bar, but probably not for a meal.
(2)Kimberly T.
Enjoyed a lunch and dinner lunch the public house Excellent Cob salad and very good pale ale Good burger and crab are salad was tasty. Not crowded early evening on weekend. Our waiter and Service was very good. Convenient location. Central to most hotels in area. Reasonable prices.
(3)Marisa B.
Made 6:30 reservations and arrived at 6:10. We were pleased to be seated immediately despite being early and the restaurant being packed (before a Cirque du Soleil show on the harbor). We split the hush puppies and blue crab mac and cheese between our party of four, and both appetizers were excellent. For my entree, I ordered the shrimp and grits. The dish was disappointing at best. Overpriced for the portion which wouldn't have bothered me ordinarily; however, the four shrimp on the plate were terribly overcooked. The cheddar grits were cooked well but under-seasoned. Our waitress confessed to being new, and she was friendly so I hesitate to mention it, but the service was subpar. She knew very few answers to our questions regarding the menu and left the table several times to ask a coworker. Three of the table's four entrees came out at once, but we had to ask where our fourth was after ten minutes. Maybe it was an off night for Public House, but I'd probably try another spot at the harbor next time.
(2)Theo J.
I went for happy hour and it was OK. The food was ok when they finally got my order correct. The bartenders didn't seem to know the drinks. He asked what I didn't like and I feel like the drink he made me tasted like everything I said I didn't want. The Atmosphere was good and I assume it it better during the warmer months. I will give it a try when I'm back in the area.
(3)Terrell L.
Summary: I like this place, it's casual, friendly, the food is great and the drinks are pretty good. This is a great place for brunch, or happy hour. WARNING: if you're coming here or anywhere at the National Harbor in the summer be prepared to park in the parking garage. This area is PACKED when it's warm outside Now back to our review: Service: the staff if friendly, depending on your server they're pretty knowledgable about the menu and restaurant as a whole (I did have a waitress that didn't know when the bar opened). They do aim to please here so I have to give them credit for that. Food: the menu has a pretty good assortment and I'm sure anyone can find something to fit their taste. My personal favorite is the buffalo shrimp, yum yum Drinks: I give this place kudos on their drinks, it's not watered down like so many other places. The bar tending staff is knowledgable about different cocktails oh and did I mention their secret weapon? They have this made in house pineapple vodka that is seriously the smoothest thing I've tasted. Definitely ask for it!
(4)Curtis H.
Unlike others I have been pretty happy with the service and food I have had at the Public House. The Portobello on the ciabatta bread was great, the tomato tapenade and roasted garlic aioli fusion was unique. I was equally happy with the shrimp and grits, but the prices at the National Harbor are always exurbanite and the parking is a B%$#@!!! However, the friends and peers that accompanied me here were not happy with their meal...so roll the dice if you are stuck here for a conference. (Feb 2015)
(3)Octavia Y.
$18 bottomless mimosa and bloody Mary's was steep but they didn't kick us out! Haaaaa. The customer service here was AMAZING! Our waiter, Josh, was amazing!!! The old bay wings weren't on the menu but when I told him my friends talked it up and I was visiting.... He actually brought them out toward the end of our meal! It made me feel VERYYYY special, even though I didn't have any space, lol. I had the crab Benedict and the plate was basically cleaned! Lol, it was great. The steak and cheese spring rolls were pretty good as well. S/o to Public House !!!
(4)Austin G.
Wow. This place was so bad. We went here because it was the closest to our conference location. You'd think this place would be used to large crowds with all of the conferences at The Gaylord National Harbor, but wow. We literally had to stare at our server as he just stood around not helping any of his tables. Our food took 45 minutes to come to us...wow. The food was not good at all (avoid getting the pulled pork sandwich. It was the worst I've ever had). To be fair, the manager did give us a free drink for our troubles, but we will never go back nonetheless.
(1)MsAllyce B.
Although the waitress Rachel was very attentive to our large party, this place is not worth the wait OR the price for dinner. I should've stuck to the appetizers, the crab hush puppies and Old Bay wings were AMAZING! But the steak salad I ordered and the pork chop my sister ordered, not worth the 50 bucks...no way Jose! Save your money, go to Texas Roadhouse!!
(2)Victoria L.
After a fun day at Harbor Festival at the Gaylord Hotel (12/7/13), we were starving. We came here because Cadillac Ranch had a ridiculous hour and 45 minute wait and we were hungry so we decided on Public House. I've never had it so I was hoping it was going to be good. Boy, was I wrong. Okay so let me get this straight...there's 6 tables open and you make us wait 30 minutes AND then you sit us at a table that was open the whole time?? My friend told the hostess we need a table where we can put a highchair for her baby and she said fine. 20 minutes later, she sits us at a booth and my friend asks the hostess if the highchair can go at the end of the table. She goes no you can't put a highchair here if you want a table you need to wait. Okay wait how long? About 10 minutes, the hostess told us. WTF?? Are you kidding me...we told the hostess specifically we need a table because we need a highchair. So annoyed! Well they literally sit us 10 minutes later at a table that was opened since we arrived. By now, I'm annoyed and pissed. She sits us down without utensils, plates and napkin. Um, isn't that the one job you have besides sitting people and you can't even do it right. Our server Steven was meh, he never came to our table unless we waved him down. We had to ask for water even though he passed by and saw we had none. He didn't really do much for me, nothing special in service here. As for the food, we decided to get the nachos, which comes with cheese, melted queso and sour cream. The skimpest shit I've ever seen. What a waste of $12. Do not get it!!!! My friend and I both got a burger with onions strings and bacon. I asked for a medium burger and got a well-done burger. I admit the bacon was good but what bacon isn't? The onion strings were actually decent too. The burger was medicore, nothing special especially for $14 bucks. Get out of here with that crap. Overall, I'm so disappointed at this place. I was expecting some good food at least after having crappy service but nope, same stinky sh*t! I would have starved myself for almost 2 hours waiting at Cadillac Ranch, if I knew I was gonna spend less than what I spent here with better food and service. I guess you gotta try to really know and I know I won't come back here.
(1)Samantha S.
Great bar service for a Monday evening! Bartender Alyssia really knows her way around a bar and does a great job making some bomb drinks! Haven't had the food here yet but plan to come back and try it out one day.
(4)Cristine C.
I've been here for brunch a few times (small parties) and a birthday brunch (larger party) and the food and service was great! The steak and cheese eggrolls w/ spicy ketchup are SO GOOD! Whenever I am here or pass by, the restaurant is busy but I don't usually see a long wait. I've always had a reservation and we've been seated promptly. The service was great and while the portions could (always) be bigger for the price you pay, I think PH is a good deal for the NH area.
(4)Alan T.
I have to take one star away for the portion size. I sat at the bar as it was only me tonight. Ambiance was good, sports bar-ish. I went at about 9pmish so it was dark...I sat at the bar so I can't really comment on the patio seating although I suppose one might be able to watch people walk by, it's hot tonight! They have a few TVs, the Bengals v. Cardinals were on, boring! I had a couple of IPAs, service was good on maintaining my beer levels. When the food came out it was HOT. Ref a couple of the reviews I read about food being cold and/or a hair or something in their food, I didn't have any issues. Food was good, however, the rice and beans was probably Uncle Bens, and I like Uncle Bens, just saying that I could have made that in my room. Chicken was good and hot. Had some cold IPAs, they were cold and served up good. Wait, I already told you that. The Public House is right next to the Residence Inn which assisted me in making my choice for the evening. With some other choices in the neighborhood, I won't have to go back to the Public House tomorrow. Anyway, it's not a place you travel out of your way several miles to visit, it's a place you eat at because you're at National Harbor. Period. If they threw a little more rice and beans on the plate with some real salad and put a real 1/2 chicken on there, I may give them 5 stars.....
(4)Mike S.
Went twice in three days. Good food, and very friendly waitresses!
(5)Mariano T.
A fifth star would constitute better seating and less waiting, however, at four stars I recommend this restaurant because it exceeded my expectations in terms of food taste, quality, and presentation. I would go into further details, but it's Father's day and I have to be somewhere. In short, I had a chicken club with fries and it was delicious. The sandwich was not huge, but neither unsatisfying in size. The fries were very good and not thin or hard. The seating was comfortable although our table was slightly crooked. Being seated outdoors the ambience was cool and comfortable. The waiter was phenomenal and on point. The bathroom was clean and comfortable where no worries about standing or sitting on urine would be an issue. I commend this place for that. Overall, I would eat here again as our tab came out to $65 for four adults. In fact, now that I think about it, I'll be changing the rating to five stars.
(5)Sierra S.
The menu has changed and the new one is unremarkable. While the old menu never boasted a great selection or particularly good food, it was certainly better than the current offering.
(2)Lori H.
We got seated immediately and our waiter was super helpful with telling us the best items on the menu of which we enjoyed the the waffles and chicken were excellent and Dyshun our server was very helpful in assisting us with our travel plans. I had the crab Benedict that was the best I've ever had. It has a great family atmosphere and windows surrounding the entire restaurant so it's a beautiful view and every direction that you look. It started to snow while we were here and is the prettiest place to go for brunch you'll enjoy it!
(5)Scott P.
Ok food, slow service, packed with tourist. Likely not to return.
(3)Tiffany C.
JUST OKAY . . . And that's exactly how it seemed that the waitress felt about waiting on us. Every time she came to the table, she was cracking her knuckles . . . And once she wiped her nose with her hand a la a 2nd grader over the carafe of water on our table. Eating the greens was like biting into food that had been dropped in the sand. The manager made up to the sandy greens with a discount. Unfortunately, there are far too many options to stick to this one. Go somewhere else.
(2)Megan C.
PSA to all servers, especially those working in a non-upscale dining establishment: you are impressing NO ONE when you attempt to take an order for a party of 10 without writing any of it down, especially when you have to return to our table at least twice to confirm who wanted their dressing on the side and who wanted their steak cooked medium-well as opposed to medium-rare. I should add that if you're "training" someone, this example is not the best one to set to a waiter-in-training. The announcement above should give you a pretty good idea of what we were working with during an outing to Public House for a pre-show dinner. While it was nice that they were able to take a reservation for a party of 10, it was kind of odd that we were shuttled away to a corner in a "private-ish room" away from the restaurant's seemingly fun atmosphere, only to be joined by a gaggle of girls also in the room hosting a bachelorette party. The fare is typical of what you'd expect to find at a chain such as Friday's, Chili's, or Outback, though somewhat pulled off without that stigma, since they have a fairly convincing beer list, but don't expect your server to know the difference between Malbec and Merlot when inquiring about their wines by the glass. As someone who appreciates fresh food that's neither fried nor coated in sauce/dressing/cream/coating, I did have a harder time finding something truly appealing to me on their menu, but settled on a southwestern-style salad, heavily-modified (see note above about why NOT to skip writing down orders). If you're easily pleased by a burger-and-fry plate or a pasta plate, there are probably better options for you at Public House. I don't see myself returning to this restaurant next time I'm in National Harbor for dinner, but I am glad to have tried Public House since I had grown weary of the other chain joints, such as Chevy's, in the area. It's worth a shot, but do manage your expectations.
(2)C B.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the day was sunny, yet chilly. The husband and I wanted to enjoy the National Habor, we walked and walked and decided to try a new spot. This restaurant looked nice, little did we know we would spend a pretty penny. The waitress was nice, but the water was room temperature with no ice. We ordered mimosas, they tasted bland. We let that go, and thought maybe the day is just slow. Finally the husband ordered the steak and cheese towers, they were cold and we've had better at local Chinese restaurants. He Asked me, "what else do you want?" So I chose the crab cakes and he had a burger. Both dishes were bland, and tasted a day old. A waste of money I'll definitely say. Do yourself a favor and stay far away. ---not worth the price..skip it----
(2)Lauren E.
Food was amazing. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with a basket of fries. Staff was great. You can tell this place has a real chef because our desserts were fresh and right out of the oven. Would recommend and would eat here again
(5)Jon Z.
If you are stuck in the area for a conference or something, you unfortunately have very limited food options. All the food in the area are both crappy, expensive and huge tourist traps. The service was decent for this place, our waitress was friendly. However, the food took about 30 minutes to come out when there were about 10 diners in the entire restaurant. I ordered an order of wings and a pulled pork sandwich. Come on, it shouldn't take that long to deep fry some wings and put some pork on a bun! The wings were small, but nicely fried. 3/5 for the wings. The pulled pork sandwich was 4/5, good size but it had a very smokey smell, a little over the top with the vinegar. The drinks: We didn't order any because why would you pay $6 bucks for a Coors light?? The entire drink menu is a huge rip off. Public House is not a gourmet bar, so stop charging over the top prices for crappy beer! Unfortunately, every dining option in the area sucks and you have to pick one of the crappy places to eat. I haven't been to the other restaurants in the area because believe it or not they got even worse reviews. My advice, pack your own lunch or just drive far away from this area to eat some real food!
(2)Ren N.
Food quality: good tasting wings. I had the sweet and hot. Waitress said wings come in 10s, when I got my order it was only 8. (Not to be a stickler for counting) Service: extremely slow. I waited 20-30 mins just for the wings. Took them 10 min to realize we were ready to order. I guess the staring technique didn't work quite well in this place. I don't know what the waitress/waiters are doing in the back, probably partying or something.... Atmosphere: smaller than the public house I have been to in the past. Still cozy, enjoyed the booth areas very much. I will not come back again to this particular public house.
(3)Oscar A.
Had lunch here. Ordered the chicken club. It was most excellent. It had a good sauce, not sure what it was bur it was good. It wasn't crowded and the waitress was great.
(4)B. M.
Went in for late lunch. No music at the time. Sat in booth. Crab corn fritters were good app. However the dipping sauce should have been just mayo, horrible. Sandwiches, roast beef sandwich was cold served on cold bread, no flavor or effort. Bread was frozen quality while the Sandwich would have been better if placed under salamander for 2 minutes to crisp the bread, melt the cheese a and warm the fridge meat. Suggest you stay away from that one. Crab cake. OK the bun SUCKED. The crab cake was also two times smaller then the bun, no crisp to it. Like it was lightl u cooked, very mushy. Flavor was off. Had with the chips served in a basket that still had the price tag and made I. China tag on ut. Attention y I details, not! Chips were ok, dipping sauce was average at best. Service was blaaah. Who trained these people. Oh wait the managers who never smiled who were walking around. One looked like he belonged working in a mortgage house. Suit and tie in a pub? No good bye on way out. Food sucked and service was blaa it's a no brained that we won't be back.
(1)Jimmie C.
Service is good but the food was dry. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, no Bruno, very dry, dry. For a resturant down town I expected more quality especially for the price.
(1)Nicole C.
Went yesterday for lunch and had the steak cobb salad. Salad was great and steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Went today and sat at bar. It took 30 minutes just to get an order of hush puppies and the place was way less crowded than yesterday. Lame plus, the crab and corn hush puppies had barely any crab and cost $14. Lunch yesterday saved this from being 2 stars.
(3)Lautice M.
Hubby and I decided at the very late, last minute to go out so we headed to Public House to meet friends for late dinner and drinks. I have nothing to complain about. It was loud but it was 10:30 on a Saturday night and the DJ was jammin so ... Our waiter was great, very professional and you could tell was seasoned. Drinks, appetizers and dinner came out in great time and HOOTTT! So that was a plus. I stuck to wine but hubby had their pineapple infused martini and whoa! It was good and strong. Apparently they soak pineapple slices in vodka for days and wallah! All in all we had a great time - we ended up on the outside patio until closing time. Definitely would go again; prices was as expected.
(4)Amanda B.
Food was alright but the service was certainly lacking. Not sure I would go back.....
(2)Brian H.
Hello Yelp!, it's been awhile. Anywho, our party of four had dinner here last night. Thank goodness we had a reservation, because it was a mob scene. We started with two beers, a bottle of wine, and the queso fundido. The drinks came promptly, followed by the appetizer. The quest is a generous portion, but it came with way too few chips. The waitress offered to bring more, but we had to remind her to bring them. What we were not aware of is that the extra chips coat an additional $5! What a rip. On to the main course. I had the crab cakes, two others had burgers, and our fourth had the pulled pork sandwich (though it was served on a pita?). We had no complaints about a those dishes, but none was amazing. This is a noisy establishment, so we were constantly having to raise our voices to be heard. All in all we had a decent time, but aren't in a hurry to go back.
(3)Roxy J.
Service was decent, which is why I gave two stars. We were seated immediately, our waitress came by quickly to take our order and deliver our drinks. Food took a bit long to be brought out (30+ minutes), and once the table next to us was seated, our waitress focused solely on them. The food was not good. We had crab cake sandwiches and a chicken sandwich. The crab tasted frozen, and I would be shocked if it was fresh. The only decent part of the meal was the french fries.
(2)Jennifer K.
Believe the rating...hostess acted like she was completely inconvenienced by our asking for a table for 6. Server was very nice but food took over a half hours drinks were empty, people who came in behind us were served before us. Blamed it on a backed up kitchen but there were plenty of open tables.
(1)Hannah P.
I called to order food to pick up and was not pleased with my experience. The young lady who answered the phone did not have very good manners. She asked for my name and phone number and told me she placed my order (2 salads). I waited for 45 minutes and never received a call saying my food was ready. So I walked over to find out and sure enough it was sitting in a bag on the bar. It wasn't busy so I really don't understand why no one could have called. Also, they only had one salad in the bag and I had to wait another 10 minutes for them to fix my order. I don't see why it is that hard to complete a phone order for two salads but I'm really disappointed. Especially when I finally got my food and it was pitiful. I have been to PH many times and the experience was okay but never again.
(1)Andra N.
Came here for a quick couple of drinks on a Saturday night. Sat at the bar, not too buy and easily got an open seat. Quick attentive service from the bartender which was really nice, because I hate having to flag them down. Drinks were solid and strong. Just want I like. I would definitely suggest this place if your just looking for a quick drink before your next stop for the night. They do play their music loud, but it's a bar... so my grandma-self will let it slide. It actually wasn't as noisy as I thought it would be and they did have a variety in their playlist that diverted from top 40 which was nice. Must come back to try their food.
(3)Billy T E.
This should be a negative star. Had the maryland crab cake sandwich. But there was a small piece of crab meat in there. The service wasn't even so so. I will never go again.
(1)Dan D.
4-7p happy hr half priced signature drinks. Two of the matador with no food and you are good.
(3)Laura G.
This place is a joke. My husband and I were meeting someone for lunch who was running late, so we decided to have an app and drink at the bar while we waited. While watching a bartender make a mixed drink from a bottle of coke, I quickly made a note to self to not order any form of soda. Five minutes after placing our order, we were told they were out of the crab hush puppy app we ordered. We cancelled the order. Fast forward to our friend arriving. We were seated outside. The nice spring day saved this review from being one star. Good work, weather. My friend asked for a moscato, but the waitress wasn't sure if they had that, so as a back up she selected a cocktail from their bar menu. The waitress returned with white zin, reporting no moscato and no cocktail available. If we managed to order three different things they didn't have that day, imagine how many other things could have possible been a no-go on the menu? One of our dishes got sent back for not having dressing on the side, as requested. My husband's fries, while cutely presented in a basket, were pretty darn awful, and I am never quick to criticize a french fry. My husband did enjoy his burger and my friend her crab cake, although she is from North Carolina and surely can't have our MD crabcake standards.
(2)Quince B.
I had no drinks or food. Very crowded on a Saturday night, if you manage to get a seat at or around the bar, NEVER Get up. Music was way too load to here the person next to you. Just go to Cadillac Ranch across the street and hit the upstairs bar.
(2)Peaches P.
I like Public House....I really do....but I do have an issue with their limited, deficient menu. Their drinks, albeit expensive, have always been good IMO but their food leaves much to the imagination. I strongly believe that if a restaurant has a limited menu then certainly everything should come out of the kitchen absolutely delicious! What's the issue with perfecting fixed menu items???....sheesh...shouldn't be that hard. The spot also turns into a lounge of sorts, with music at night and seems to never have any problems with the masses. Anyway, the Harbor area is really nice, with plentiful shops, restaurants and scenery. I do enjoy when I go to that area for those reasons alone.
(3)Allison B.
We went on a Saturday afternoon. It was rather warm inside for how hot it was outside. It took a while before I was some what comfortable inside, the somewhat ice water helped. What didn't help was the long hair rolled into the napkin. Ew. Should have left after those two problems. Our server was polite but MIA a good bit. The wait for the food seemed forever long for we ordered and how busy it was. Husband waited and asked a busser to find our server for another beer. She wandered off and when she found him he couldn't understand what we needed. His beer then sat at the bar for nearly 5 minutes. Our food was mediocre. The burger was overcooked to be ordered at Medium. My pulled pork pita had more lettuce and guacamole than pork. My daughter and I went to the restroom after we had been done eating for a while and husband waited for the check, when we came back he was still waiting to settle the bill. It took over an hour and a half for what we thought was a quick lunch. We left wishing we just went to potbelly. We would have saved our money and time.
(1)Lucia J.
Brunch here was great. The chicken and waffles to the sausage gravy and biscuits! Casual atmosphere and pleasant staff.
(4)Ilona s.
Went for drinks and appetizers. Fairly disappointed. Was recommended by Gaylord hotel so was thinking it would be a good choice. Crowd was young and loud. Lots of drinking and dancing - which I usually enjoy. However waiter was not around much, and appetizer (queso and spring rolls) were bland. Actually worst than bland. Might have been the worst queso that I've ever had. (Geez who acres up queso?!) Pretty gross. Definitely would only go back to this place for cocktails.
(1)Matt R.
This place was terrible for food and service. Mainly, the very disrespectful and unprofessional bartenders/waiters. Judging from other reviews, I have a similar story. Around 130pm last Saturday, I sat at the bar with my girlfriend to get a quick bite and a beer while catching the soccer game. After sitting down for 10 minutes and not being looked at, the two bar tenders rushed to try and get our order. After looking over the limited menu we ordered--a salad and a chicken club. Super easy. 45 minutes later. The food took forever, people that sat after us got their food and finished before we received ours and the bartenders avoided us and made excuses (the kitchen is busy)--it was a relatively normal Saturday for a restaurant in that area. Regardless, if your kitchen can't put out a salad and a sandwich fairly quickly you should fire everyone involved. When the food came out and both bar tenders could tell we were annoyed a male bar tender put two shots of a clear liquid in front of us. When I asked what it was, he simply said "you'll like it." Think it was a vodka shot, which was wildly inappropriate--namely that it was 2pm on a Saturday and we had drive back to DC. Not to mention again--it was 2pm on a Saturday. I've never felt so disrespected at a restaurant before. If a bartender is going to give someone a free drink to make up for their inefficiencies, they should at least stick to what that guest is drinking. The food was poor quality, chicken was overcooked but cold and the bread was soggy. Both my side salad and my girlfriend's full salad was bland. We left hungry, after 2 hours. And pretty angry. Wish I had taken my girlfriend's advice to just pay for the beer and leave after waiting for 30 minutes.
(1)Arlene G.
The brunch includes bottomless mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Our server Karlyn was attentive and kept my mimosas coming. We have a 6 year old who enjoyed their varied kids menu. We listened to her menu recommendations and are sure glad we did! Everything was delicious. Do yourself a favor and start with the crab corn hush puppies. We will be back to check out their karaoke night and dinner.
(4)Adrian R.
Soooo I'm in here on a Thursday....two bartenders are skkkiiimmmmpppppp on drinks...smh...wish kitchen was open later food is good here.
(1)Laurie W.
Stopped in here on a whim to watch the 2nd half of the 1pm Sunday games when the bar at the Gaylord was ridiculously crowded. The good - great selection of martinis and cocktails. Plenty of large TVs, too, showing all the games. The bad - only one seasonal beer on tap? The on-tap selection was definitely limited. I wouldn't make a special trip, but was fine for what I needed that day.
(3)Kate N.
We thought the food looked great so we stopped in for brunch on Sunday morning. It was not crowded, but service was absurdly slow and the wrong food was brought to us after 45 minutes of sitting at the table. They were clueless about a gluten allergy one person in the party had, further delaying the meal. This was a terrible experience unfortunately and we were extremely disappointed after a great weekend at a conference at the convention center across the street. **when the food came out properly, it was tasty and hot. The server comped the meal and we left happier than initially anticipated.
(3)Kristy W.
I've been twice, and each time was during a conference at the Gaylord National across the street. Two different conferences, and two different days of the week. The first was a Friday. This place was a mad house. In fact, were it not for the reasonable happy hour prices, I wouldn't have even considered for a mere second, going back a second time. Friday night at Public House, or at least this Friday night, was to put it politely, a cluster. Granted, the place was overrun with conference attendees, but there were at least as many locals (disclosure, I am from DC, so am known for being tourist-judgy) being judgy about the conference attendees. But that gave it a distinctly antagonistic feel. Add that to the fact that the music was loud enough that even outside in the drizzle, we had to nearly yell to hear ourselves. The second time, however, was a Monday, and I needed to kill some time before a party (rough life, I know), so stopped in for their very reasonable happy hour. Now, being that I love fried cheese and am never one to turn down things that are also smoked, I tried their smoked fried ("crispy") mozzarella. In theory, it would have been quite delicious. But even I, who will come back from a camping trip and revel in the smoky smell that lingers for days, thought the smoke on this cheese was a little much. I couldn't finish the plate (and that is sad). I also tried their spiked hot cider. It seemed appropriate for the weather, since it was dreary and cold and a little snow lingered on the streets. But it was spiked with Fireball whisky, which I haven't had since college and now remember why, and was also lukewarm. But hey, the beer is cheap. At least during happy hour, and hey, good news, it's only a block from the hotel!
(2)Tempress M.
Well first of all, I love the Harbor, a very nice place to come and hangout with friends--and even for out of town guest. Ok, now to the real issue at hand...Public House. The service sucks!!! The bartenders are R.U.D.E, no personality whatsoever. They ignore you when you try and ask for service (which they are supposed to provide), and it's not just one bartender, it's all of them!!! If I leave work after a looooong day and I'm looking for a drink, I expect superior service, especially if I'm paying. Last time I checked, food and drinks aren't free! The food and drinks are subpar but other than that they get 2 stars from me. So if and when you decide to come, expect the rudeness!!
(2)Luis T.
Went here for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast hollandaise eggs with crab tasted well. Dinner was good too. As the others have posted, the prices are higher then one would expect given that its on national harbor.
(3)Kimberly P.
Service was very slow and food was hit or miss. The Korean short rib buns were delicious and the portabella sandwich (minus the roll) was yummy. But the kids burger was burnt and gross. The southwest Cobb is served with cold chicken (no warning that the chicken wasn't cooked fresh). Overall I'd maybe try an appetizer again but the entrees left much to be desired.
(3)Ellen L.
Last minute birthday plan? Want to enjoy good music? open late? this place is a good choice for that. However be prepared for mediocre food and slow service. I would go back just for a spur of the moment or its because its a place I already tried but it wouldn't be a first choice.
(3)Shenica S.
I'm always going to be a huge fan of the Public House... when working for the County and stationed at the National Harbor I already know what's for dinner... I love the staff, Alexis, Jay, and Nicki are my favorites for my lunch and dinner meals... and Michelle is my all time fave for breakfast.... these following ppl compliment the amazing meals I constantly get served. I recommend the old bay wings and tacos for an appetizer, crab cake sandwich or southwest salad as an entree and DEFINITELY the apple turnover for dessert! The managers including my favorite Brian are very attentive and cater to your needs and are very approachable. THERE IS NEVER A DOUBT THAT I WILL ALWAYS GET GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOOD WHEN I VISIT!!!
(5)Jeana C.
I am giving them 5 stars because of their manager. I assume he was the manager. My girls and I came here last night for our girls' night out. Ordered 2 appetizers and a salad, and my girls had drinks. Music was awesome, DJ was on point! But the guests next to us were a little wild...then more ladies joined them. The issue was, they were dancing right next to our table, w their big booties about to touch our table. We just LOL, and continued to have a good time. Apparently, the manager saw this and came over to them and said something to them, twice. At the end we received our bill and baam. 1/2 off our bill, just because of all the wildness to the table next to us. We thought that was an excellent svc. Needless to say, we tipped the waiter very well. So good job, manager for the night! We will be back!
(5)Dawn B.
Loved Happy Hour...Drinks were only $6.00 which is fantatstic in EXPENSIVE DC!!! We had 4 drinks and a salad for 33.00. Im comparing that price to the following night at another venue in downtown DC (Spent $35 for a Ceasar salad and 1 cocktail....OMG, could have hit the floor).
(3)BC E.
We came here before reading the reviews. Mistake. Simple crab cake and chicken sandwiches with a bottle of half price wine came to $70 with tip. Not bad, but the food was only okay. The wine was good, though, and a deal at half price (Sunday's). However, the list we picked it from said it was from Germany, but the label clearly said Washington state. Say whaaat?!? Service was prompt, but my friend said the crab didn't seem fresh. It smelled fishy even across the table. Chicken sandwich, which was supposed to be a club, was just a breast on toast. I expected fresh sliced chicken in the more traditional club set-up. They have a captive audience here, though, but if you can get into DC or Alexandria, do it.
(2)Kristin F.
I went here one Saturday around 11am after running a race at the National Harbor. My friend and I looked at their brunch menu online and were excited to try this place out, but we failed to see that on Saturdays breakfast is only served until 11am so unfortunately we were stuck with the lunch menu which seemed very limited to me. I ordered the Public House burger which was Angus and came with the standard toppings. I found it okay but nothing great about it. My friend ordered the Maryland Crabcake sandwich which she said was good. Overall I just wasn't impressed by the menu options for lunch, maybe they have more for dinner but I don't think I would go here again.
(2)David B.
Been here several times and like hanging at the bar. The bar staff are also very attentive and friendly. I had the charted chicken wings and they were really good. Very different crusty and yummy.. I also had the Korean BBQ shorten buns yummy as well..
(4)Jason K.
My buddy and I were here for a conference at The Gaylord and the Public House is right across the street. They have a great happy hour for $3 Yeunling's or Coor's Light and a bunch of different appetizers. I got the Southwest Salad. Our waitress/bartender was super cool and was quick to refill my Youngling. The food came out after about 10 minutes and it was a really large salad with an awesome tasting grilled chicken with what seemed like a spicy rub. Perfect coloring. Some tortilla strips and avocado with the balsamic type dressing made for a filling salad. There were also a ton of TV screens here with which games were on beneath them during football season. A huge plus! Before happy hour ended I ordered the hummus plate. I knew I would want the leftovers for breakfast. Superb! A huge scoop of hummus with some olives and tomatoes go with the hot pita bread perfectly. Just yummy! Great food for a usual touristy type place and a fun atmosphere! The happy hour was the best that I saw at National Harbor.
(4)Jeff W.
Stopped for dinner after the football game. The food was delicious. I had the Jambalaya that was a perfect mixture of heat and spicy. My wife had short ribs that was cooked to falling off the bone. The corn and crab hush puppies was an fabulous starter. The sauce that came with it was incredible. The staff was attentive and good. Overall a great visit.
(4)Cornelie H.
Came here for a going away for a coworker. We had a lil private party in a reserved room. We were dressy. The food was not bad. The shrimp was awesome but the rosotto was not... at all! The cash bar had everything, which was definitely a plus. Music was decent. I would only come here when I am no where near broke and with a group of people... probably for drinks. I can skip the meal.
(3)Linda P.
we've been there twice in the past month and both times it was hot as heck in there--- how does the place stay open with little or no air cond.( manager ?? told us it's getting fixed but when????)...Food is good --service was very good --but after we lelt -- felt bad for our waitress cause all we did was complain about the heat- so if you want to melt during dinner at least be seated with the cute college kid ( i think her name was mariska/mirissa something like that .I would not have wanted to wait on us....... Public House let me know when the ac is working and we'll be back!!!
(2)Mike S.
Though I am not a big fan of bar centered restaurants, Public House has a pleasant atmosphere that is good for the yuppie happy hour/game night crowd. The appetizers were decent and the food par for the course. Like some of the other destination spots throughout the area be prepare to pay more than what you would pay for than if you were going to a quik-serv establishment. All in all I would rate the food about a 6 and the atmosphere about an 8.
(3)Connie M.
Deja vu...I was staying at the Gaylord; attending the same workshop; came in with a huge lunch crowd with the same friends; sat at the bar again; had mediocre service again; both times left hungry and disappointed. Major Fail. :( So, why come back? Well, I believe in 2nd chances, my friend is a vegetarian, it is one block from the Gaylord and there is only so many times you can pay $20 for hotel salad bar. As a former server, I feel for them as the convention lunch crowd stampedes in all at once...so the long wait does not bother me. What irked me is the number of times the male bartender walked past my empty ice tea glass and refused to make eye contact with me. See, the problem is that the ice tea is in the back and any good bartender would make sure to have at least ONE pitcher of tea stashed at the bar as the lunch crowd comes in. FAIL #1 Yes, he was annoyed because many of the bar patrons were in a hurry to get back to their workshops/meetings but if he had taken 30 seconds to explain that a huge lunch crowd walked in AT THE SAME TIME and the kitchen was backed up but could he refill their drinks with a giant (even fake) smile. Instead, he gave attitude which only made the people sitting next to me even more upset and impatient. FAIL #2 I ordered from the Sunday Brunch menu...Crab Benedict. I asked for the eggs to be extra runny and they were perfect! However, the Hollandaise sauce was also watered down (was there misunderstanding when I ordered??) The "fingerling" potatoes came out cubed like for a hash...except they were not brown or crispy. FAIL #3 I have to give a shout out for their sausage patties...they came with my vegetarian friend's french toast (see, there are perks to being friends with her!!) and I was happy to trade my bland potatoes for them. They were tiny but they look and tasted like they were homemade...SCORE!! At 1pm there was a football game and they have a special...$20 for unlimited Coors Light and 1/2 price apps WITH the beer special. I tried to order some wings but couldn't get any which made me really tempted to stay for Coors light. ps. My friend liked her french toast but it wasn't anything special for $12 pps. If everyone had gotten the bottomless Bloody Mary(s) EVERYONE would have had a better time!! :)
(2)Todd P.
We were a party of 14 and to my surprise, we were seated immediately without a reservation. There was a room set aside for a large group. For me, it went downhill from there. We were there on Sunday early enough for breakfast. We all received menus and only half of them had the breakfast menu. Water was served with no lemon and a few glasses without ice and it was high chlorine tap water. The highlight of my experience was having my order taken last and not receiving it. When I informed the order taker (not server - there is a big difference) her standard answer was "it'll be coming up." In reality, the kitchen goofed and didn't prepare it at all. It was finally delivered when everyone else in my party was finishing up. Fortunately, the manager comped my meal. I still don't think I'll return.
(2)D G.
Decent appetizers and drinks.; the chicken spring rolls were tasty. Nothing overly superb but a great bar if you want to catch a football game outside of the house. Food is kinda pricey for what you get, but it is to be expected in that location. Overall, I will return... Just not rushing to do so.
(3)Dan R.
I'm not normally one to complain about restaurants because usually if I don't like it, I just don't go back. In this particular case I feel annoyed enough to leave a review. Service was poor. Had to ask for things multiple times. Orders were missing items. The $9 sweet potato fries appetizer portion was TINY. Our party of four had mixed reviews on the food. I ordered a Cobb salad which lacked most the ingredients one would normally expect in a Cobb salad. Management refused to accept our $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate because we did not order four entrees. It's not clear to me what constitutes an entree seeing as how four adults all ate full meals. We ordered drinks, an appetizer, the aforementioned meal-sized salad, two sandwiches and the french toast off the brunch menu and a desert and spent over $100.
(2)Lam N.
Do yourself a huge favor: Do not go here. We went here for a group lunch and the waitress was very nice and accommodating. However, that does not make up all the bad things this restaurant has to offer. First off, they brought out the bread, which is cold and dry even though we were there just when they're open for lunch. It's as if they used the bread from yesterday. Oh, and if you want for bread for the table, you have to pay an extra $2. It's the not the cost that's the problem, it's the principle! One glance at the menu and you can see mediocre dishes all around, with a few exceptions of unique dishes and ingredients. We got our food and I got to try my co-workers food also. The final verdict across the board of some 18 people was that the food was mediocre. The hummus was dry and tasteless. The burger was overcooked and uninteresting. The pulled pork was just OK. For the price that you're paying for the food, you expect better. If you think that you're paying for the location and/or ritz, there isn't any besides the contemporary decor. It is situated 2-3 blocks away from the water so you are basically having a great view of the street. I would highly recommend anyone to SKIP this place and move on.
(1)Brian S.
Public House turned out much better than I expected. We were there with a group during the Steelers/Ravens playoff game, and I was surprised how many people were there to watch the game. It definitely gave the place a lively atmosphere. We started with the cheesesteak spring rolls and the crab dip, and they were both very good. My burger was cooked correctly, but they didn't get the toppings correct. My wife's french dip was very good, but the slices of ciabatta were way too thick. Not only did they detract from the taste of the meat, but they made the sandwich difficult to eat, especially with work colleagues. The beer list was good, but not great. A three star meal was made better by a great atmosphere and competent service. I would go back if and when I'm in National Harbor again.
(4)Lori Taylor R.
Quite possibly the worst experience ever! We should have taken our cue from the service we were given at the bar while waiting on our table, but unfortunately, we did not. We were seated after about a 30 minute wait at a large round table near the window. We had a party of 8, so we could understand needing to wait. Our server was friendly, but seemed slightly out of it. The appetizers were blah and the dinners should have never left the kitchen. They were absolutely terrible! The chicken sandwich, which several people in our group ordered was cold, tough, and rubbery. No joke, you could have bent the chicken in half, slammed it in a door numerous times and it wouldn't have been effected at all. (I wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't the plastic food they use in the display cases at Asian restaurants.) The fries served with every meal were cold and soggy. We notified our waiter and he seemed a bit overwhelmed with the news ... so, manager to the rescue? Yeah, not so much. She says, "Well, since we aren't so slammed now we can make you new chicken sandwiches." What? Who says that? No apology! And, because you are busy, you can't serve edible food? None of this is making any sense and it's completely rubbing me the wrong way. Let us out of this disastrous meal. One place I never need to visit again!
(1)Fran T.
Sorry, but the truth has to be told...I'd do no star if I could...this place should stick to being a bar and not try to make money on the so-called Sunday Brunch. Service was BAD and the breakfast food was nothing to talk about. I asked for salt and pepper for my eggs, and our waitress proceeded to take another table's order. By the time she remembered to bring the salt/pepper, my eggs were stone cold. I asked for new eggs and they still had not come out after about 7 minutes. Of course by now, the rest of my meal was cold. Also, I asked for a fresh cup of coffee while I waited for the new eggs. The waitress took my cup inside (again, why was no one walking around with a pot of coffee for refills...lesson 101 in any restaurant!) She did NOT dump the 1/3 cup of COLD coffee, but added coffee to it! What part of FRESH CUP was not understood?! I did speak to the manager and requested my meal be removed from the bill and she obliged, and although she listened to me and assured me this was not the 'norm' for them, neither she nor the waitress ever apologized for my very unhappy experience. On a side note, a couple came in and was seated next to us...they never received acknowledgement of their presence by any waitstaff and after about 10 minutes they left. No, it was not busy.
(1)Veronica W.
Ok I guess. I went there on a Friday night....around 10/11. The music was good, there was still food available. It's a standard bar...I'm not sure if anything in particular stood out.
(3)Leigh P.
it was located across the street from the hotel I was staying at (Gaylord Resort). I stopped by here for a beer and dessert and was satisfied. I enjoyed their cookie-pizza-with-ice cream. It was decent sized --- filling and not too sweet. I ate at the bar. The server was attentive without being over-the-top. PLENTY OF TVs for watching sports. It does get loud. It's an ok option for the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to get here - but if you're in town for a conference & want a break from the hotel restaurant scene, it's a decent choice.
(3)Anirban C.
Not great. OK food, slow service. I went in at 5pm for a (very) late lunch. I sat at the bar for several minutes before anyone wandered over to see what I needed. I ordered the crab soup because I wanted something fast and hot. After 20 minutes or so I started wondering where my soup was. It finally arrived and was not at all hot, but I dug into it because I was starving at this point. They brought another bowl that they probably just stuck in the microwave, with more liquid and less crab than the first. The soup itself was underwhelming ... the crabmeat was good and it had some nice spicy heat to it, but the vegetables and flavor reminded me too much of Campbell's. At least the place has free WiFi, which came in handy while I was waiting for my soup ...
(2)Tina M.
I sat at the bar and had a great time. The bartenders were very attentive (on a Friday night) and ended up doing some shots with me! The food was a bit disappointing and overpriced but the atmosphere was great and exactly what I needed at the end of a long week. The wine menu was a bit disappointing as well but the bartenders were happy to offer free samples until I found one I liked.
(4)Mark G.
Great selection of beer, good selection of food - I'm a fan. I got the Maryland Crab cakes, and I'm pretty picky when it comes to Crab Cakes, and this place won me over. Strongly recommend it!
(4)Jeff R.
I think 3 stars is about good for this place. A little out of the way down in National Harbor, but I suppose if you happen to be staying in a hotel down there or at a conference, this would be a good option to offer your patronage. I was there for an event recently, and Public House served as very accommodating hosts. They were super on top of things at the bar, and everyone in our group of about 50 people seemed to be having a good time. Also, they were playing the Barca game on one of their many tvs so bonus points for that. I didn't actually try any of the food...so I think I'm just going to leave my review at that. Great service/hosting for our event. Was it enough to convince me to drive all the way back down to National Harbor just to eat there? Perhaps not, but if I'm in the area, I suppose I would stop in for a second visit.
(3)Kim J.
Decent (not great) wine/beer list, good crab dip appetizer, decent but pricey entrees, but service was spotty. However, management was quick to make things right for a late dessert delivery. Overall vibe of National Harbor is touristy without much substance.
(3)Simpson Y.
The burger there was just ok. Bread was rather small in diameter but the meat was pretty thick. I also had a crab cake sandwich which was basically the same thing as a burger but with a crab cake. That was a little better but it was served with some really soggy kettle chips with I did not like at all.
(2)Edet N.
After the Marine Corps birthday celebration at the Gaylord we decided to get out of uniform and take the party to the streets. Public House was the first place we saw so thought nothing of stopping in for a few drinks. Standing in line waiting to get in I was behind a Wounded Warrior. A Marine who had was shot in the head, and blown up was making his first trip out of the Naval hospital to go to the birthday celebration and out on the town afterward. This young Marine was wearing a helmet, specially made for him to prevent any accidental brain injury. This Marine was a shell of his former self, his speech slurred, his rehabilitated motor-skills enabled him to function but there was much work to be done. Upon getting to the doorman this Marine was told that the "no hat" policy would not allow him to come in and enjoy his night. It took everything in me to restrain myself as I see a Veteran who has had his life drastically altered so that the rest of us can go out and enjoy a drink be told he is not welcome. I respect the policies of any given establishment; but there comes a time where commonsense must prevail. After some careful word play the management relented and let this Devil Dog enjoy the night, but it shouldn't have gotten to that point. This was a clear case of ignorance and intolerance and for that I will not enjoy my overpriced beverages at Public House.
(1)Tom W.
Went in and sat down at the bar. There were about 10 people who were seated around the bar. Everybody else had their drinks. They had 2 batenders who were busy doing everything but getting my drink order. Not sure if they expected me to beg for a drink, but that's not my style. After 10 minutes I got up and walked out. I don't need a drink that bad.
(1)Rachel M.
Public is more of a "hey let's grab a drink" kind of place then to eat...but do not go, i say again DO NOT GO THERE FOR BRUNCH. ok...considering they've only started serving brunch 2 weeks ago, but cmon now how hard is it to make a poached egg???? or any kind of egg dish??? My friend had the Crab Benedict and well needless to say the egg looked disgusting! So she ordered another poached egg and well it came back the same way. She complained to the waitress which in turn had the Manager come by to apologize and it wasnt quite an apology. She said that they've only started brunch couple of weeks ago and it should get better cuz its NEW! and that she will deduct half of her meal because she ate half...OMG!!! Well that didnt sit well with her so my friend asked the whole meal removed. So all in all...grab a drink at the bar and maybe...an app but dont expect anything more from your food.
(2)Chrisa S.
Great place for people with completely average gastronomic expectations and interests.
(2)Mike O.
Awesome bar with a fun staff, cool crowd and good, reasonable drinks. Have fun hanging out there when you're in town for a conference.
(5)Davonnediashay C.
Terrible staff, over priced everything, mediocre food. After my last experience Ive vowed to never go back. It was my friends birthday & i spent over $400 on food & drinks (although we hardly ate the food). When the nite was coming to a close i got up to use the bathroom. when i can back eveything was cleared off the table. Food & drinks tht were harldy touched got thrown away. I told the manager & he immediately jumped to the defense. I like "dude, the place is closed, no one else will be sitting here... our jackets are still here, that was at least $70 worth of food tht was boxed up & ready to go, the waiter shoulld hv made sure no one was coming back before he cleared the table." He said will it was only wings and crab drip thts nothing. I was like since its so simple then replace it. He said kitchen was closed and for me to give him my name & number & he would call me back atfter 5pm the next day & i could come in and hv dinner on him... I knew at tht point he was just saying tht so i would leave the whole situation alone. Needless to say I never heard from him. Ive had numerus bad expericences at this place, this is just the most recent... I shulda been done with place long before this issue but it was my friends bday so i made a expection. The only reason Im giving this place 2 stars is because of the people that go there... They normally have a good crowd... & if u hv the right ppl any dump can be made enjoyable... Oh, and they hv a ok dj on Fri. & Sat.
(2)Erin O.
This was my first dining experience at Public House. The restaurant, and National Harbor in general, wasn't overly busy on this Sunday, which was also Father's Day. After we were greeted by our server, we learned that they didn't have two of the appetizers and one of the sandwiches. Perhaps they had a big lunch rush, but from what we saw, the whole area wasn't that busy... We enjoyed dinner; the food was good/okay, but slightly overpriced. Our server was friendly and accommodating. Would like to see a larger selection of entrees on the menu. If I go back to National Harbor (iffy because there isn't much to do), I would try some of the other restaurants before making a second visit to Public House.
(2)Tattoo S.
Good food, good drinks, good beer, good late hours, good times!
(4)Maggie M.
This place is pretty cool. The bartenders are great here. They make a killer pineapple martini. Its infused pineapples with vodka. Very tastey! There hot wings are SUPER hot and firey. But still good. We also enjoyed the crabcake sandwich which the MR loved and I wasnt to big of a fan of it. (not a big crab cake person though). They have good fries too. I would def go back here for a drink or a light dinner. One of the better choices at the National Harbour.
(4)K C.
Good service. The waitress went out of her way to try to find the quietest place in the place. Warning, the background music is a little loud. Crabcakes and Caesar were tasty. The fish tacos were a bit bland and came fried to my surprise. I thought the cookie dough smash was divine.
(3)Ariana G.
In the food desert of National Harbor where it is next to impossible to find anything approaching edible, this place is an oasis. I am not going to say it's great because it's not. It is a place to get something to eat, that you will want to eat and not send back to the kitchen. Best the area has to offer.
(3)Tarik B.
I went on a Friday night it was super crowded the wait for tables 45 minutes. The crowd is nice, guys must wear collared shirt, music is mostly urban and hip hop but great clean music and a little dance floor. I order the salmon platter a little disappointed at the size of the salmon was at 22 on a plate a can with some cus cus and vegetables but the salmon was small. A little smaller than a your palm. Luckily I ordered chicken and french fries at the bar which was delicious the salmon was delicious also. Plenty of women.
(4)Miranda H.
We went here because they had a good looking menu for brunch, much better than other restaurants nearby. I'm glad we made a reservation because apparently they had a 25 minute wait. Service was okay - our server didn't check in very often which kept us waiting, and the food was just okay as well - the aioli that they put on the sandwich was gross - lacked flavor and wasn't anything special - would have preferred just mayo, and the fries were lukewarm. After ordering, meal came out in about 5 min. I was annoyed that when I ordered decaf coffee it was a big deal that took about 10 minutes to be delivered, and then when she refilled it she put in regular. The place was okay - nothing special and really not worth the price. Probably won't be returning anytime, nor would I recommend it.
(2)Taylor C.
Sat at the bar for dinner while I was here for a tradeshow. DJ was good, drinks were well poured. As I always do I got the Mac and cheese. There was a lot of crab in it which would be good but everything else about it missed. For dinner I had the southwest salad as a wrap and it was good. I'm guessing this is slightly better than most bar food. Someone next to me got the crab cakes and said they were good and all crabmeat. Service was good but not great.
(3)Lisa H.
Ho-hum. We went around 11:30 am before Cirque. The positive: Service was good throughout. I had the chicken sandwich. Bland. Average. Nothing to write home about. Served on wheat toast that got soggy on one side by the time I got to the second half. My friend got huevos rancheros and it looked a bit weird. He said it tasted fair. They serve it on a flat tostado or something like that. Skimpy sausage portion. I won't be back. There are lots of other places to try.
(2)S G W.
Food is very good. Portions are generous. They have very nice entree salads and great burgers. The menu has plenty of other choices too, but we went with our favorites. We also noticed the bar is very well stocked. Some of the regular convention goers said it's one of the best bars there. Service was good. The waiter was big help with beer recommendations. The restaurant is a short distance from the hotel area so if you are there for a convention and only have a short time for lunch, it works well. And perfect for happy hour too.
(4)Local B.
The best time to go is on a weekday or a Sunday evening during a game. Friday & Saturday nights suck because for it to be a bar they have too many damn rules for your casual spot for drinks, music & food. I dont need to be told to take my hat off as if my hat is going to hurt anybody in the damn establishment. My friend who is not from this area does not need to be told he needs a collar shirt in order to get a F-ing beer. If you want to be a fake upscale nightclub you might want to promote yourselves as such. Corny ass rules towards two working guys who will go in spend their money & spread the word of a great time is a bad look. Fix that shtt because its lame & turns off many people from being regulars.
(3)Sarah W.
Just got back from a conference at the Gaylord in National Harbor. Over the three days I was there, I ate at Public House three times. (Drinks & Dessert, Lunch, and Dinner). The food here is delicious, however, the service is what is really holding this place back. The wait time even for just dessert was at least 30 minutes, our lunch came out quickly, however, the waitress was barely around. Dinner took forever as well, though the place was slammed. This place is full of out of towners who are trapped without cars to leave the Harbor, which means the prices are higher than you would find else where. Can't imagine going back on my next trip to the DC area, but it served its purpose considering the situation I was in.
(3)dana m.
I've eaten here at the Philly location, I had high expectations for this place. Unfortunately it wasn't the best. The smell of old beer coming from the bar as we walked past it to our table for lunch was overwhelming. I almost walked out because if they're not cleaning the bare minimum (mopping after a busy night) who knows what else they're not cleaning!! I got over it and sat down in a booth. The food was decent but the waitress stood there, bent over the beverage station right in front of us. It was awkward...
(2)Emily G.
I came here with my parents and it is so gross I decided to review it now. I gave it 1 star for presentation, but otherwise my chop salad was soaked in lime juice and disgusting and the garlic spinach I ordered on the side was too strong. I can make spinach better than that. my dad got the burger and said it was too sweet, and my mom got a crab cake and said it was about what she could expect from a 2 star restaurant. none of us finished our meals and I am highly disappointed. do not get trapped in this tourist restaurant or because it is convenient as it was for us.
(1)Jaymee M.
Sat down at the bar at 6:52 pm (no intentions of ordering happy hour items) bartender walked by us multiple times and finally talked to us at 7:03 pm after happy hour ended at 7:00 pm. Over 10 minutes to be said hello to and take a drink order?? At a bar!? Ridiculous. She was rude. Short. And wasn't interested in anything but hanging out with the other bartenders. We witnessed her take shots twice with them while we were waiting for our second round and then waiting for our check. Finally another bartender brought us our check. I will never return because of the lack of service.
(1)Freddy V.
The karaoke is so nice but there is one Asian girl at bar that is so rude all time and gave a bad service to us also the manager Mike don't care about anything we told them about the problem that girl and he was so disrespectful too. Bad time - Bad service.
(1)Laura V.
Arrived as a party of three just after noon. Placed lunch order at 12:05 p. Tepid coffee arrives and has to be sent back. At 12:30 p. we asked how things were coming with our lunch (3 burgers). We were told that it was "up next". At 12:45 p. we asked for our check for the coffee and tea and said we were leaving. The server said, there was a party of 15 in front of us...really? The restaurant was NOT full and patrons who arrived after us had SOME food on their table when we walked out. Choose another choice!
(1)Gloria Y.
Worst place EVER!! Customer service....severely lacking!!! They pour costumers drinks out before it's done & then make you buy another!!! Crazy!!!
(1)Krystal P.
The good is good but there is a limited selection and it is a bit pricey for what's offered. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was delicious. We ordered seven daughters moscato. It was pretty good, light and sweet. I also got the honey orange Manhattan. It was pretty strong but still ok. Just wish they had more of a selection.
(3)Sumi H.
Thank you Public House for being so awesome during my stay at the harbor. I've been remodeling my house without anywhere to stay that night, or kitchen to cook in. I was horribly stressed and honestly needed a break from it all. My mother and I came to this restaurant and we were greeted promptly by Andrew. He gave great food and drink suggestions, and he was very kind and patient with our indecisiveness. Overall great experience, and the artichoke and crab dip is something only true Marylanders and crab lovers can enjoy. It's full of lump crab meat! With all of the fuss about my house and the stress that comes along with it, I guess my sleep deprivation got the best of me. As I was packing up to go, I left my car keys!! I woke up the next morning in a rush to meet my contractors and I was totally stranded. But thanks to Andrew, his kindness, and honesty, he found them and stashed them for me to pick up the night before. All of this to say the staff here is wonderful and the food matches their caliber! I'll definitely be back!
(4)Torie G.
Appetizers were good, but they ran out of French Fries! Really? How do you run out of French Fries? There was an hour wait for the crab Mac & Cheese at 11am! Service was subpar and mgr on duty was awful. Probably would never go back.
(2)Samayah A.
What saddens me about this place was not so much the food was bad but our server being such an ass. He had such a terrible attitude and seemed irritated when I requested my salad a certain way. I just didn't get it. Beyond that my son has a gluten allergy and I requested his burger not come with the bun. Of course it did and the items were left off a simple Cobb salad I ordered. Just unfortunate I have to give this place a bad review over someone with an unfavorable attitude. The wait was kind of long too. I will NOT give them my business again.
(1)Amanda K.
Been here twice. The first time I was among a group of 6 girls and we just went for drinks. The place gets packed and gets pretty live. We had so much fun and the music was great. The second time I went with one friend for dinner and drinks. We ordered the cheesesteak wraps which were amazing and the nachos which were good UNTIL I SAW A BABY ROACH CRAWLING OUT OF THE NACHOS!!! I was horrified and disgusted since I had been eating them. The bartender took all the food off our bill but charged us for the drinks. No one really apologize, guess they're used to roaches in their food. DISGUSTING. Do not eat here.
(1)Mohammed J.
Don't miss the chicken spring rolls!!! They are ridiculously delicious! A bit spicy tho
(4)Jim D.
Server was Annie she was very nice and attentive. Asked her what she would recommend and decided to try the jambalaya. Good choice, great taste and good portion. Would recommend this place to friends and work partners.
(5)LaShanta H.
Stay far away from the smokehouse bacon flatbread. Just too fancy. But not good quality. Too much going on. Burger was great and the topping options were really good but the bun was WAY too small for a half pound burger. Greek salad was great and big and fresh. The pita bread was nice and soft too.
(3)Neal E.
Had a late dinner here one evening. Sat at the Bar. Ordered the fried oysters for an appetizer - and a burger with fries. Plus a Pint of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. Oysters came out first. They were very heavy on the breading, and the breading was falling off the oysters - and very little in the way of flavor. Burger was tasty - fries were hot and crisp. 90 Minute IPA was cold and delicious. In the bar area - they have this large glass storage container - packed full of Pineapple Vodka. They let the Pineapple marinate and flavor the Vodka for about a week. The bartender gave me a complimentary shot. It was delicious! Did not even taste like Vodka! Service was good. I'd come back here for drinks and maybe something to eat - but I would not order the oysters again.
(3)Xerxes N.
Great spot that is walking distance from the Gaylord National Convention Center in MD. I had the opportunity to hang out at this place two nights in a row. The first night was just sitting outside on the patio. We sipped on some beers as we people watched throughout the evening. The next night though...karaoke!!! The set up for karaoke was rather odd. All the words were blasted on a big screen that you can see throughout the bar but you had to stand so close to the wall (because of the mic cord) and look straight up. (Thank God I've sang Baby Got Back so many times that I didn't really need to look at the screen.) It's a great set up for everyone else to sing along but hard for the singer since they're so close to the screen. Also, where we stood to sing was in a walkway so people were easily walking around you as oppose to being on a stage. The bar was a huge wraparound and the service overall was solid (with some good eye candy by the way). Since I already had dinner I didn't eat but I did see a few meals come out and they looked pretty good. It's one of those spots that I wish we had here in Hampton Roads I'd be a regular. Just an overall good vibe with a mixed crowed. Everyone in my group had a good time as we sang the night away.
(4)Justin K.
Not overwhelming. Greeter wasn't very friendly. Service was OK, I'd have expected better at 7pm on a Sunday night. Food was relatively bland. Not interested in returning.
(2)Crissy C.
I recently had a dinner party at Public House for my birthday. There were about 20 of us so they sat us in the private area toward the back of the restaurant. We could still here the music, which was great but the atomosphere was much calmer and the decor was fitting. There were two other parties (one with about 10 people and the other had about 20 people) in the area as well but the space was large enough for all parties to enjoy themselves without feeling like someone was stealing their night. The food and drinks were amazing. We all ordered appetizers to share including the cheesesteak spring rolls (my favorite), wings, nachos, and crab and artichoke dip. Some ordered salads and a couple had crab cakes. No complaints at all. Throughout dinner I had an unknown amount of drinks and even the server bought me a shot for my birthday. I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday there and would definitely return.
(4)Mary Jo Lisa C.
Was seated outside fairly quickly on a very busy Saturday afternoon. Service was quick and prompt and our server checked on us fairly regularly. The NY strip was cooked perfectly and the B sprouts and frites (which was like a nest of fried potato strings) was the excellent compliment to the steak. My friend had a cheeseburger with fries which she seemed to enjoy. Great spot and fun for people watching.
(4)Toya J.
Public House is a hands down good a$$ time! Friday night this is the perfect place to be out and about with friends. I was shocked at how far the National Harbor had come on the Liveliness Scale. For dinner, I ordered the buffalo shrimp appetizer and it was really good. The shrimp were big, and the seasoning was very tasty. Everyone else's appetizers looked good too. They serve bistro quality dishes. Although, this is a casual spot, it's not your typical burgers, buffalo wings, and fries type of place. They have flat breads, hummus, and mussels; there are a host of unrelated items to choose from. You may want to let your server know if you're a lightweight, because folks were getting LIT UP!!! I'm sure what I would presume to be grown responsible ladies, somehow had reverted back to their college days, drinking, staggering, and stumbling around holding on to counters to get from one end of the bar to the next, and it wasn't even midnight . YIKES! At one point they had to turn the house lights up, because someone had puked all through the women's bathroom, so they closed it down to do a thorough cleaning. Girls Girls Girls, that drink may be fun, fruity, and flirtatious, but that don't mean it's a tease. HA HA! The DJ here on Friday night was spinning top 40 and some Hip Hop, customers have somehow created their own dance floor in the front and rear of this restaurant and people was just partyin'. There's indoor/ outdoor seating as well. I liked the fact that we sat outside and ate, and then our group came in and had a few more drinks kinda two steppin, mingling at the bar. I'm coming back... and as a matter of fact we are adding this place into my girlfriend's Bachelorette Bar Hop in August. Every man and woman needs a good waterin' hole to lay their burdens down and in my book Public House just got official.
(4)Leang E.
We came in and were seated right away, and was able to get a table outside. It was a gorgeous day to be out and sitting. The food was good, but like what others have stated the service was lacking. The refills were a bit slow, and we went up to the hostesses to see about getting our bill paid. Luckily, we were able to do that so that we could head out and enjoy the rest of our night. I don't get why there was a need for 4 hostesses when it seemed that they really need more waitstaff. The prices were average for the area.
(3)Gerna P.
They brought me NOT what I have ordered. There was a hair in my food. They compensated with a VERY small amount. Will not go back.
(1)Jeremy Y.
Seated for breakfast on a Saturday morning. 10 minutes before the server acknowledged us (no water/drinks) and only a couple of minutes after asking if a server was assigned to our table. 2 of 4 water glasses have lipstick on them. Restaurant not busy, lots of staff standing around. Poor service negates food quality.
(2)Jasmin H.
So we ended up here after the original reason we were staying at National Harbor fell thru (Pose was closed, but that is another rant for another post) as a quick fix. Since we were staying at the Gaylord, Public House was conveniently located across from there. When we walked in I noticed how random the crowd was. Saw some mid 30s and mid 20s crowded in the restaurant and bar sides equally. Personally I thought the place would be bigger on the inside considering how it looked from the outside. The DJ was ON POINT! Like I was shocked at how he played most songs all the way thru and had a random, but good variety/collection. Didn't even need to be drunk to enjoy myself lol. Too bad the space to dance is kind of tight (I know it's not meant to be a dance club or anything but with jams that good it's hard not to want to move around!) but my girls and I made the best out of the space. I ordered a Lemon Drop shot that was freakin expensive! Lke I just shivered again fro the memory of that price, not to mention when I ordered a Mai Tai the bartender said he would make me a Rum Punch instead....um I guess? Lucky for him it was delish. Overall it was an enjoyable alternative to my original plans. The overall atmosphere was cool. If I were stayin at National Harbor again I would totally return.
(3)Joy L.
I guess if your in your twenties and like loud (really loud) rap music this is the place for you. It gave me a headache!! Our waiter was slow and barely made eye contact with us. He had to lean over the table to hear us because the music was so loud. On a positive note, the burger was good as was the claim chowder thus the two star rating.
(2)A N.
Wish I had looked at the menu before entering this place! Two apps - nachos and fried Mac & cheese, plus a kids grilled cheese cost nearly $50. That's insane. Food quality was ok but for the money was a let down. Would have left if I hadn't already sat down with a hungry child present. Place was dark in the restaurant area at five o'clock. Maybe this place is only there to cater to the high rollers staying at the Gaylord and that's fine. Just don't have signs on the outside saying its a casual food restaurant.
(1)Scott D.
Let me be clear. This is five stars because of our waiter Andrew and how accommodating he was. On top of everything being perfect. Andrew was absolutely excellent. If someone goes to national harbor come here for the great service and food.
(5)Laura R.
Bad service and mediocre (at best) service. Stopped in here after a Christmas event in the area. Service was S.L.O.W. and no one ever checked on us after our food arrived. Beer was waaay overpriced (seriously $6 for a Coors Light bottle?!?! ) but I really wanted one after dealing woth dC traffic, alas, no one asked. Food. Well my medium rare buger was on the verge of well done and the "cheddar" was more similar to a slice of prewrapped processed cheese. Dont get me started on the fast-food-esqe bacon. My husband's turkey on the turkey and brie was also processed lunchmeat. Sister-in-law got the pulled pork and her hands were more greasy than my 3 year old (who had chicken tenders). Good luck!
(1)Pete C.
Tough to rate this place. The whole National Harbor area feels a bit like a tourist trap that trying too hard to be cool. We were staying at the Gaylord Resort for a big conference and because there was not a lot of convenient transportation to and from the hotel we found ourselves walking around this cluster of retail and restaurants that were within walking distance. The Public House was one of the closet locations to the hotel and so we hit it our first night in town. Hint to self if the entire police force of the National Harbor area is parked outside of an establishment maybe you should pick someplace else for a late night snack. We walked in and it was LOUD. Not lots of talking and plates clinking loud but heavy duty pounding hip hop dj pounding bass so you can't hear yourself shouting LOUD. We sat at the furthest table from the DJ and ordered our food. Stay away from the flat bread! The wings were good and my friends salad was ok but the highlight was the cold beer served fast and by a friendly waiter. After a couple of beers I thought we'll hell the music is here let's see where the dance floor is....you guessed it no dance floor just a bunch of folk moving where they stood. Mostly around the bar. What the hell East Coast? If you can't dance and can't hold a conversation and the food is gone it might be time to go elsewhere. Food was OK, Service was good, atmosphere was meh. 2 1/2 stars pumped up because they did play a couple of cool songs.
(3)Josh P.
Came in around 11 on a Monday night after getting off a late bus tour of the city, so we were really just trying to find a restaurant that was still open for dinner. Walked in a the music was at club levels. There was some kind of drama happening outside so we opted to eat inside, which ended up being a mistake. I thought the music was loud when we walked in, but it just got louder and not only that, it was the most offensive playlist I'd heard in a restaurant setting. If there was a club setup in the back I could MAYBE give it a pass, but it's just a bar with an "upscale" restaurant front. Sorry if I don't enjoy "f*** you b****" and "I don't give a f*** about you" while I'm trying to eat my dinner (I think "f*** you b*****" actually played twice until someone who I assumed was the manager changed it to an almost equally vulgar song) The food was mediocre at best, not good enough to offset the awful atmosphere.
(1)Wes E.
Terrible service and mediocre food. Ordered apps took 35 mins to get a bowl of soup and hot wings .. Overpriced!
(1)Judi R.
My husband and I went to happy hour for the half priced apps & drinks. I Googled the website and it showed happy hour was 3 til 7 pm & we arrived before 4. We sat @ the bar & ordered the hummus plate, some wings & fries along with a couple of drinks. The food arrived pretty quick, drinks were good & we enjoyed everything. When the bill came, our bartender/waiter had charged us full price! I asked why the bill was full priced & he said we ordered BEFORE 4....thats when happy hour starts. I showed him the website on my phone AND the receipt also said 3 til 7!! He rather reluctantly re-did our bill. We were fine until that bill came. Come on Public House!!!! Get on the same page!!! SOOO....does happy hour start @ 3 OR 4pm??? Will we be going back?...No time soon.
(3)Angela T.
This was very good food, and unlike some of the other reviewers, we had no issues with waiting a long time. But the place was also only to half capacity the night we went. I would like to point out that because the hotel all these restaurants in National Harbor are built around is a pricey Gaylord Hotel, ALL the restaurants price gauge in the village. They know it would be too expensive to cab elsewhere. So bottom line, it is NOT worth driving out of your way to get here for the price. But if you are visiting the Gaylord as we were for the week, this restaurant is a great choice.
(4)Anthony D.
Just had a reunion party of some co-workers there on a busy Saturday night. Server Nathaniel was uber attentive to all 15 of us. Had table side visits from Chef Ron, manager Brian and Lisa from Marketing. Drinks were drinks. Can't mess with bourbon and rocks. Buffalo shrimp appetizer was very tasty. I skip the blue cheese though. Need to try more of menu next time. As Arnold would say, "I'll be back."
(5)Dana W.
A large group of my friends went to the public house for breakfast and I would not recommend! Even though the crab and corn hush puppies were pretty good, I can't say the same for our breakfasts. I had an omelette which was made incorrectly, then brought back out still not made correctly. One of us had the heuvos rancheros which was just bad. Another one of us had steak and eggs which were not cooked as requested and the steak was burnt and chewy. Another friend had the Chesapeake Benedict which was bland. The eggs were essentially hard boiled on top instead of poached. Overall the food was sub par and over priced. We won't be going back here.
(2)Bobby S.
Public house is my favorite restaurant bar. You can come in and enjoy an amazing dinner with your girl and party it up at night with your boys. The bartenders are quick to assist you and make sure you are enjoying yourself, especially Mike Terry. I would recommend anybody to come here and enjoy this place. It is the staple of the National Harbor. Bobby S.
(5)Autumn W.
Came in for breakfast during our vacation. The service was awful and it took almost 45 minutes for our order to arrive. When it did finally come it was hot, however my husband discovered mold on his last bite of fruit. We also asked for a refill on coffee that we never received. Will not eat here again. The manager however did comp my husbands breakfast.
(1)Tisha S.
This place is cool, food it good and large portions. When it turns into a club it gets real tight and hot. Its better when its warmer and folks can be outside as well. otherwise is a small few dancing and others just watching. There is always a mix of folks from upper crust, to gays and lesbians to the hip white person..
(4)Kenneth A.
We went there for Sunday morning breakfast. It was one of the very few restaurants that was open. We enjoyed the food and service. I had the crabs benedict and my wife had the burrito. Both were prepared well. Our server was attentive and friendly. I would certainly recommend the place.
(4)Jack H.
We were supposed meet our friends for Saturday brunch at this restaurant, but they failed to show for personal reasons. It was my recommendation to go to this restaurant and maybe in retrospect it's a good thing they didn't show up. I've had worse meals than this one, but this meal rated pretty low on a scale of 1-10. I had the Harbor Breakfast and it was pretty bad. The eggs were cooked just fine, but that is the only thing that was cooked right on the platter. The bacon, sausage and home fries were over cooked. The bacon was so overcooked that it crumbled in my hand. My wife ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich, which in no way resembled a Maryland crab cake. She took two bites and promptly made her way to the ladies room where she upchucked what little she ate. Yes, it was that bad. No excuse for any restaurant in Maryland that serves crab cakes to make something like this. For my beverage I just had water, but my wife wanted a latte or something of that nature. Most restaurants nowadays can make lattes, cappuccino's and things such as that. Not this restaurant . . . it's just plain coffee or nothing. I will have to give credit to the wait staff, our waitress was very good, except for her support of the crab cake. We had a terrible time keeping the flies off of our food. Maybe we should have let them have it, if it was that edible to them. The prices are way above average for this place as well. it sure wasn't for us. It was our first time here, but it will definitely be our last.
(2)Meghan S.
Went here for Mother's Day with the family. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. Got the brunch and blue crab and artichoke dip. The dip is delicious and I highly recommend it. Orange juice is fresh! Was very disappointed that my eggs benedict didn't come with the yolks runny...which is traditional for eggs benedict. Kinda ruined the rest of it for me. The other thing is that our glasses at the table were not polished at all...and when we tried to polish them, the water stains did NOT come out. Was quite disturbing. There were also stains on the carpet and left over...not sure what...from when the restaurant turns into a club. I know neither myself nor my family will be going back here.
(3)Rich F.
Food was pretty good. Great presentation. I liked the short menu. Flat iron was a little tough for medium rare. Crab cakes were good and the sides were as well. Wife complained that the bathroom was filthy!
(3)Yvonne S.
Love Public House at National Harbour! We had lunch there the waitress Carlyn B was awesome and went to a show. After the show we went back to Public House for drinks and appetizers. Well what a great experience Ron the manager was so hospitable and the waiter Jared was so great. Definitely will go back to public House.
(5)Lauren S.
I didn't eat here. I walked out the door when the hostess said I could get a table for six in 15 minutes, and then gave my table away to another party. If that's how you roll, that's fine, but you'll never get a dime of my money.
(1)Séamus C.
Give it a 3. Closest place from the Gaylord, so we went there out of convenience during a winter weather event. Server was friendly, but not particularly bright. TV volume was turned up uncomfortably high. Like everything else in the contrived National Harbor, the food/drinks are overpriced. The overall quality was okay, hence a satisfactory rating despite everything considered...
(3)Mo A.
Let's start with the positives: Service was good, waiter was fairly knowledgeable about the menu and attentive for the most part. The music was actually pretty good as the bar section of the restaurant was trying to simulate a club like vibe. On to the negatives: Prices are high everywhere at the harbor since you're paying for "location". I wish location could make up for bad food but alas it does not so you're left with a high bill, ridiculous parking costs and overpriced stores that close early as heck. Food...food....food. It was not good.....at all. In fact, it doesn't deserve the "d" in food because it was lacking something. Very unappetizing and hard to continue eating. Bad Bad.....:"foo.......d". The hummus was so dry. It reminded me of old black bean dip. It was also too dense. Very bland as well. Had to ask for olive oil to improve the dish. The fish had that strong seafood smell and taste that the chef was either unwilling or unable to mask or change. So overwhelming that it was very hard to eat. The vegetable sides were decent but unfortunately everything tasted like fish.
(2)John H.
Actually this was our second time at Public House and I enjoyed the food. The atmosphere is nice. It started to get a little crowed around 8pm but it wasn't too bad. The salmon dinner is ggod and they make a cookie and ice cream dessert that is out of this world. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Karlos M.
Good food. Good location as it is the closest restaurant to the Gaylord Hotel. I had the crab dip appetizer which was excellent and the Salmon was very well prepared. My wife is a crab cake aficionado and she was presently surprised with the taste (not Baltimore-but not disappointing). The staff was attentive and the atmosphere was pretty good with flat screens everywhere.
(4)Dee G.
Very SLOW service! The whole time we were there for lunch, the waitress checked on us once, at the end of our meal! We couldn't even get our drinks refilled. The food was mediocre. It's as though no one wanted to be working there that day.
(2)Kevin H.
Went there today for lunch and actually never even got food because it took too long. We sat down at 12:30p and by 1:20p still didn't have our food. We were told that the kitchen was backed up. It even took about 15 minutes to get drinks from the bar. We ended up walking out as we didn't have time to wait for our food. Therefore can't comment on the food itself but definitely won't be going there for lunch again any time soon.
(2)MoevsMakenzie T.
Went here on 2/14/13 with hubby for Vday. The food was delish, waitress was friendly & very attentive" they played good music. We sat in the back area away from bar folks, which was cool. The decor was nice. Prices ok. My only problem was that the table was so small, plus the couple next to us was so close that i felt like we was double dating, which i felt was uncomfortable!
(4)Anh H.
When I originally reviewed this establishment some 3 years ago, it was removed because it contained personal attacks of a racist bouncer, and even a picture of him. It's recently come to my attention that Yelp Elite members can't have have their reviews removed. So In honor the Constitution of the United States of America, I have found my original review and removed the personal attacks. Also, I'm Elite now: do something about it. Original, Improved, and more descriptive review minus personal attacks... In June of 2011, a good friend of mine just got married and we had the reception over at Sunset Room. After all the parents went home, some of us decided to go to a bar for some drinks to continue the party, with the hopes of it leading to an After-After-After Party. So we we were all in our groomsmen clothes with matching orange ties. My friend is an honorable, upstanding, Sik Indian, and he was rocking the matching orange Turban and wouldn't let him in because of it. We obviously starting raising H*** about it, and the manager came out tried to calm things with a round of crappy domestic beer, I believe they were serving something similar to WWII military surplus N*z* swill. Some afterwards my buddy who's a Lebanese American, who was rocking a clean beard came in, and the SAME bouncer asked if he was with "Taliban". Seriously? I straight up work at an in low income inner city hospital, and I never in my life experienced racism so wrong. Dude looked like a *edited* Vin *edited* with a small *edited* *edited* who needed to exert his *edited* supremacy over another's culture. Mind you, I am not speaking about the establishment nor the persons involved. I speak only of the treatment and interaction that was exchanged that night. No one should ever in this country or any country in this day in age ever have to go through such vile, filthy, unprofessional, and shameful experience. Now, I'm not saying that Public House is a bad place, it's what inside that counts. It's the people who can make or break an establishment. I did receive a letter from the manager, who went out of his way to apologize to us. But this is how the situation plays out... Employee does something bad. Manager apologies, maybe talks to the employee. Yeah. That's it. I don't ever think anyone ever gets fired over stuff like this, because there is a propensity in modern culture to forgive and learn, which I do believe in. However, for someone to be so outlandish repeatedly in the same night to the same group of people, my friends, there is something that is fundamentally wrong with this person's core that would allow him/her to not see the problem. It's been three years since this happened, and to this day I have never set foot into an establishment that contains the words Public" or "Public House".... I have set foot in establishments that continue the word "House", because I do enjoy meals at IHOP. I ask anyone who reads this review to vote it to the top, Reddit style, because while this will never again happen to me at Public House (as I have stated, I literally don't go to these places), it may happen to you or your friends. Treat everyone equally. Don't hate on anyone because they're a foreigner, because unless you're a Native American, you're a foreigner in the United States of America.
(1)Nikki C.
service was good, food was eh, got a salad and chicken salad sandwich and bf got the crab cake sandwich, the salad I don't recommend, came out warm and ranch didn't really taste like ranch( bland) and the chicken salad sandwich wasn't really anything special, lacked flavor, as for my boyfriends dish, I think he liked it( after a couple long islands) anything will do. overall, good service but a bit pricey for so so food. go some where else! nice ambience as well.
(3)Bob S.
Went in for some wings after a day at a confeerence across the street at the Gaylord. While they had a few choices ranging from sweet and hot to buffalo to back bay, I decided on the buffalo as I was looking for a little heat. Unfortunately, that is what I got, just a little heat. The wings themselves were generic, not bad, not great, as was the sauce, but not what I was looking for. As an accompaniment, I ordered the Cheesesteak Spring Roll. Essentially, if you look at my past reviews, if you put ANYTHING into a spring roll, I will order it, at least once. Here, this will be a one time thing as well. Bland, lacking a definitive texture or flavor and served with a 'spicy;' ketchup that rivaled the buffalo sauce, it was not something I would order again. The service was good, folks were friendly, most folks seemed to be hanging at the bar. However, the food was served alarmingly quickly, which was a tip off to the quality, or lack thereof. I'll try somehting new the next night!
(2)Mobola O.
This review is solely on customer service, which this place sucks at!!!! After a concert Friday night me and the beau stopped by to attempt to grab a quick bite before we checked into the Westin around the corner. We were both casually dressed and the "security" at the entrance of Public House rudely told my bf he couldn't come in without a collared shirt...wtf...it's a fckn bar?!??? So I calmly asked if we could just go to the bar and order our food to go because we were honestly just hungry...top flight security rudely tells me that I can go in and order but my bf has to stay outside...umm F no, it's not that serious! We ended up going to Cadillac Ranch instead and received a friendlier welcome! Will never patronize Public House or recommend it to anyone simply because their "security" doesn't know how to act...it was like 100am and they were concerned about two people not wearing collared shirts wanting to grab a quick bite?!?? Screw them!
(1)Meloni B.
Really surprised by all the poor ratings on here, maybe I just got lucky! I went on a Saturday evening the day after the 4th of July after watching the Marine Corp Band play. Everyone's drinks were really good, I had the best bloody mary I found while visiting DC. The food is what you expect from "upscale" pub food, maybe the prices are a little higher than necessary but that seemed to be normal for the area. My chicken club was good and the grits were on point.
(4)Victoria R.
This is a review on the night life part of this establishment. You should pre game at home or at a place where it does not take you 20 minuted just to get the bartenders' attention. Not only did it take forever to get a drink, but the arrogant people with no consideration would not even budge so i could squeeze in to get a drink. So when I finally did nuzzle into a spot I ordered 4 drinks so i wouldn't have to come back. I do have to say they made a great Blue Motorcycle. We had to sit outside to enjoy our drinks in fear that the rowdy crowd would spill ours. The dancing in the tiny walking space was more than atrocious, middle aged women and men grinding on one another against the window and low and behold it happened to be happening at eye level through the window where we were seated. We also chose not to be in the bar itself because it was humid because of all the sweaty drunks. Needless to say, I will NOT be coming back here anytime soon if I have anything to say.
(2)Michelle S.
Okay, I live close by, so I do frequent this place. It's a great atmosphere for catching a game at the bar or for a conversation and nice glass of wine. Now the noise level can be a bit much sometimes with the music, however I can still hear my company. The burger is my fav, great market salad and a lovely crab dip.
(4)Donna G.
Don't order the rib eye steak. My four year old could have done a better job. The steak was tough (requested medium well done) and my entire plate was BLAND. I asked my waitress for steak sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper, after adding all of these items it was much better, but the sides (mashed potatoes and asparagus), were mediocre as well. I told her to let the chef know. My niece sent back her shrimp and grits dish and opted for the crab cake sandwich. I tasted a bit and it was surprisingly good. The steak roll appetizer is also pretty good (my 16 year old daughter and 23 year old niece LOVES them). Also the warm cookie dough dessert was good. I'm not sure why it's called cookie dough, when it's cookie served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Of course my niece and daughter didn't know why I didn't follow the naming logic. All in all it was very niece to sit outside and watch the crowds on a Friday night. I'm usually not a gawker, but I shamefully admit I found it interesting to watch the countless people that arrived after us around 10 pm who got rejected by the late night dress code (no sneakers, etc., etc.). They also asked for ID after 10 pm, so I was happy we arrived early so that there was no problem with my daughter dining outside with us (we would have simply gone elsewhere of course). I'd go again for the ambience of being outside and skip the steak. We didn't have any wait at all for a table, but it might have been timing.
(3)Brian K.
Overpriced food and drink but standard in the area. I had a couple Dogfish 60-Minute IPAs. Not willing to try the food. $20 for mediocre pasta? No thanks. Atmosphere is lively and very loud.
(3)vanessa g.
3.5 stars bumped up This is a Happy hour review: So I decided to try this place for happy hour (4-7 pm) this week and I was impressed by their variety on the happy hour menu. I ordered the cheese steak spring roll which was slightly greasy but tasted just like a cheeseburger, I truly enjoyed it. I also tried the south beach mojito (the specialty cocktails were 1/2 off), it was kind of bitter and i'm not sure I would order it again but maybe if it was slightly sweeter I would have enjoyed it more. The appetizer & drink took a bit to come out and the bartender wasn't as attentive as I hoped for but he was friendly. My Yuengling came out very fast. I also liked how the bar stools were a good size & cushioned, because when you sit on a wooden stool for a while your butt starts to go numb. The bar itself was wide and the counter space deep so you didn't feel cluttered. For the price and the food/drinks I would do happy hour here again.
(4)Ray M.
If you're looking for a cool bar in the national harbor. This is the best place you will find, IN THE HARBOR. The food is underwelming, so I would eat somewhere else ahead of time, but if you're just looking for a good time with some strong ass drinks, then look no further! The waiters and bartenders are a little slow, but in their defense it gets extra packed on fridays and saturdays. They also have a live dj and room for dancing. Drinks are a little pricey, but you definitely get your money's worth. No cover charge. 21+ t enter after 9pm.
(3)Jeff L.
Good food, great service. JD provided awesome friendly and attentive service and the food was really good. I would definitely return...
(5)Cordell E.
Service was slooooow. Food was dry (had sandwich and friends had burgers). Overall average. Again, service was slooooooow.
(2)Marivic L.
This is the second time I've gone to a place, even though you other Yelpers were not fans. For the second time, I have been ridiculously disappointed. First off, the hostess looked and acted as if she just got out of bed. We arrived before noon, so there is NO WAY she was already tired from working. Unenthusiastically, she got our menus and gave them to our server. Our server must have been hanging out with the hostess, because she also seemed tired/unenthusiastic. Methinks a new job is needed for both. My lunch companion was undecided between two sandwiches, so he asked the server for her recommendation between the two. Thankfully, she was helpful and he enjoyed his BBQ sandwich. Great. I ordered the Steak salad. The only good things about this salad were the greens. Yes, the greens, which you just place on the plate. The dressing was not particularly flavorful and the steak - OMG, I don't know if it was old or what, but it was tough. It looked to be medium rare as I requested, but it had an odd/awful flavor to it. Needless to say, after giving it a few chances, I had to stop eating it. So, I ate my relatively flavorless lettuce and went back to work. I guess that's what I get for ordering a salad?! I will not be going back to Public House. This place has an awning outside that says Comfortable Food on it. Well, if that's comfortable food, please give me the most painful, uneasy, unpleasant food instead.
(1)Amelia O.
We happened to be in the neighborhood on a gorgeous Saturday and decided to try this restaurant. What a huge disappointment! First of all, the waiter was meh. He was nice, but didn't offer to refill drinks. We had to ask him. After we had finished eating, he doesn't ask if we need anything else like dessert of coffee, he says "do you want your check?". Umm...OK. The food?? BLECK!!! The hummus plate appetizer was the only thing we thought was half decent. The crab cake dinner was horrendous, For $29, you get two crab cakes with a boatload of tarragon. When my mom mentions she doesn't like tarragon, the waiter says that the guy prepping "tends to go overboard sometimes" on the tarragon. Two of us ordered the grilled steak salad. I mean seriously, how hard is it to ruin a steak salad? Apparently it's easy for this place. They say the salad comes with grilled onions. I'm not a huge onion fan but like them grilled so I didn't ask for any changes. They are practically raw and only slightly grilled so I had to pick out a thousand onion slices. There are no tomatoes. Only lettuce, maybe 3 slices of steak and this NASTY mustard dijon dressing. It had a spicy taste to it which the two of us hated. There are so many great places on the harbor, please overlook this one. What a pure waste of money.
(1)Christopher G.
In Philly, we spent a lot of happy hours at Public House off of Arch Street. I'm guessing they are the same. This was my first time at the National Harbor a month back. We had a pretty cool, cute and down to earth server. She knew that place and made some really good recommendations. Unfortunately, the food was not memorable even now but I'd go back for drinks and to watch sports. Oh yeah, I forgot you have to pay for parking there and the cops were out ticketing......Argh, reminds me of Philly (Parking Wars). I better rethink that visit.
(3)Antoine W.
Location In the National Harbor at the corner of Fleet Street and Mariner Passage. It almost directly faces the Gaylord, so if you're walking down Fleet, you'll pass it. Across the street from Bobby McKey's and Cadillac Ranch, so it has some competition, but makes it easier to go to all three to see who has the shortest wait time and the best menu! Atmosphere Your standard bar/restaurant: formal restaurant seating is to the left of the entrance and a very large bar is to the right. They also have outdoor seating, too, accessible by walking a short way through the bar. It was a Friday night and there was a DJ in the bar. Although at times my friends and I questioned his music selection, overall we had a good time. Service For a Friday night, it was packed! But, the bartenders were able to handle the crowds with ease. Food/Drink When asking the bartender if I should order the Nachos w/Grilled Chicken or the Wings, she suggested the nachos. First, the plate was HUGE! I'm a self-proclaimed nacho fanatic and could eat them all day every day if I could, so when the plate arrived, I saw it as a personal challenge! I lost. Now, they weren't the best nachos I've ever had (I make some very good homemade ones), but they were a decent alternative. I wanted a drink and didn't know what I want. I've already had two margaritas and a Long Island Iced Tea before arriving to Public House. So, the bartender made me a Ciroc Obama. Never heard of it? Neither had I...but this might become one of my new favorites: Ciroc vodka, Cambord (raspberry liqueur), and lemonade. It's served in a highball glass with a sugar rim. A great, somewhat sweet summer evening cocktail! I would definitely return here for more nachos and Obamas!
(4)Monica W.
I ate here this past Saturday with family. We had about 30 minute wait which I expected since it was primetime to eat dinner. Three of us ordered the Bronze Rubbed Atlantic Salmon. It was described as being served with mixed vegetables but their mixed vegetables consisted of red & green peppers and onions. The portion size was ridiculously small for the price we paid. Another person ordered the Jambalaya and said it was ok. She normally doesn't finish her food and has to take the rest of her food home, but as I stated, small portion size. I have no complaints of the service - our server was very attentive. Bottom line, the food is overpriced for the portions that the serve.
(1)Steven W.
I guess my wife and I got lucky, because we had a pretty good experience at Public House compared to the majority of these reviews. After spending the evening across the street at Bobby McKey's for a friends birthday party (where the food wasn't very good), we stopped in Public House on the way out of the area to grab a bite to eat. We only had two appetizers and a couple of drinks, but they were both pretty good (a hummus platter and Philly cheese-steak egg rolls). The place was half empty, but the music was pretty rockin and it had a fun vibe going on (maybe due to the drinks from across the street). Either way it was A-OK. It was after midnight and the other places we checked out first, in the Gaylord, all weren't serving food anymore, so I'd actually give them another 1/2 a star for just serving food that late! I wouldn't seek Public House out, but it served it's purpose that evening well.
(3)Allison L.
Dinner and cupcakes from CakeLove apparently weren't enough so this was the third stop of the night. We mostly wanted to drink but didn't feel like sitting at the bar so we got a table and ordered desserts so we didn't feel like total douchebags (which probably didn't really matter since this place was like half full). We got the cookie dough smash and the peanut butter tart, and they were both meh. As someone who enjoys undercooked baked goods, I expected the "cookie dough" smash to be pretty close to cookie dough and not just an overcooked chocolate chip cookie in a skillet. The tart was fine but super tiny. The drinks kinda sucked... I got the mango limeade which was like 1% mango and 99% super sour limeade. My completely ridiculous idea was to ask for some grenadine to try and sweeten it up which only partially worked. But I appreciated the waitress who had no issue with that request. It was $45 (w/ tip) for 2 drinks and 2 desserts which seemed exceptionally high. Our waitress was good and the atmosphere was fine but, yeah, this place is nothing special.
(2)Motown G.
Only had Bloody Mary's at the bar on a Sunday, so this review has nothing to do with food. They were $12 per drink, and I couldn't sense a bit of alcohol. Decided to cash out after looking at the menu, and it took at least 15 minutes to get the attention of the bartenders. Afterwards, I read reviews here on Yelp that mentioned "bottomless" Bloody's! I was never told about this, and it makes me dislike the place even more. In summary, BAD BAD service, and WEAK WEAK cocktails = never going back!
(2)Lawrence C.
Really overpriced and average food. I have to say, Washington DC has amazing food. It has a wide range of ethnicities and so, DC has a very eclectic mix of restaurants to choose from. And yet here is Public House. Fortunately for it, it's right next to the Gaylord National Harbor, because I think if it was located anywhere else, for example, Georgetown, it would not survive the competition from the many good restaurants there. I had the crab cakes, which were really bland and dry. I guess if you're stuck in the National Harbor area, and you're not willing to get mugged in Oxon Hill for a chance to get some really great BBQ, then this might be a last ditch option for you. Because really, there is a dearth of good food in National Harbor. It's like they took people off the street and said, "Hey guys! You're cooks now. These people are trapped here. They'll pay anything to get something remotely edible."
(2)R C.
This is my neighborhood restaraunt so I want to give it rave reviews. I want to tell everyone that this is a great place and a must visit but for the sake of not ruining my reputation, I will say go at your own risk. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad. I have went there a few times and the food is descent but descent is also the best word that I can use for their policies and customer service. I get the sense that this place wants to be exclusive but don't know how to get there. I have never been greated with a smile and while the waiters are attentive, I wouldn't say they are warm. I would suggest anyone to call there before going on a Saturday night. I went there on a cold night and was told that I couldn't get in because I had a hat on. The bouncer told me that if I wanted to get in, I would have to bring my hat to the car and come back. Another person got turned away because he wore a sweater and according to todays policy, you have to wear a collared shirt. Group after group got turned away for one reason or another, young, old, white and black... My suggestion is if you choose to try this place out, call first. You have to pay for parking and the last thing you want to hear after you paid $11 for parking is, you can't get in because todays shirt color is red and you clearly have on orange. Also, go to restaurants.com and get you a discount for this place.
(3)Elley B.
Everyone said how great this place was so I was disappinted the food was ok maybe I excepeted to much I love national harbor and well I will probably try it again but I don't know.
(3)T. B.
This is just an average plave. The menu is limited. Since this is not a seafood place would not order the crab cakes. A friend of mine did, awful. Had the Southwest salad. Chicken was so dry couldn't eat. If you have a choice go someplace else.
(2)Amy R.
Despite it being an absolute picturesque fall day (blue sky, sun shining, leaves in full color), we were told that we could not sit outside...even though there were patrons having brunch on the patio. Instead, we were seated at the bar and had a lovely view...of the cash register. We ordered the Crab Benedict with Old Bay Hollandaise, which sounded wonderful, but quite frankly, was simply terrible. Hmmn, where to start... --The poached eggs were overcooked -- a cardinal sin in terms of eggs benedict! --The smidge of crab (less than a tablespoon) was hardly distinguishable against the pale, undercooked (and tasteless) english muffin. --The hollandaise was negligible, both in flavor and in quantity, and again, barely stood out against paleness of the english muffin. -- The accompanying side (roasted fingerling potatoes) were not adequately cooked, and the larger slices (they were slices of a baking potato rather than baby potatoes as fingerlings typically are) were not completely cooked, leaving them crunchy and, well, raw in the center. I will say that the ones that were cooked through were quite good -- well seasoned with sea salt and fresh rosemary. In any event, perhaps they have other dishes that are better, but we'll not be giving the Public House a second chance!
(1)Ujji B.
Note: review is only for bar/drinks not food or wait service I went late night for a drink, the bartender was friendly and inquired about my day. After getting my drink, my guest and I went outside to the patio seating which was a great addition to the semi warm weather. We sat in front of the fire pit and enjoyed conversation with off the clock staff. They stay open pretty late compared to the rest of the Harbor which tends to shut down after 11pm.
(4)Ken C.
I went there before dinner time. It was OK, but nothing special. The service was not that great. If you don't care about the service, then just go with beers.
(2)Meaghan H.
The food was good but they messed up our order and then brought us a cup of coffee with lipstick on it. And they didn't really seem to care much about either. This is a tourist spot with so much turnover they don't seem to care.
(3)Don S.
Terrible place.Check this out. Stopped in for a beer on 5/4. Not cheap. $7.63 for a Dogfish Head. I got back $2.00. When I asked where the rest of my money was, the waitress said "...we don't give change. We round up." I never heard of such a ripoff. She said she would give me the change out of her wallet if I wanted. In all my years, I have never heard of such a thing. That should be illegal. That's my money and my change should be returned to me. I feel guilty giving this place one star. Trust me, there are many good places in the Nat'l Harbor. Avoid this lousy unethical one.
(1)Phillip S.
Seems under rated. Not the biggest seating area in the harbor but a public house is suppose to be a bar and it is. I love the food and the bar staff. Yes we were staring but you knew that.
(4)Diana K.
Ate there for the first time on April 14, with my kids. Great service, yummy food, attentive staff, good prices. That was the first time I had chicken wings with Old Bay Seasoning, and they were delish. I love the atmosphere. I definately will go again!
(4)Keisha B.
This will be rather short and based on the bar experience. I have no clue about the customer service or the food because we didn't come here for that but I can only speak on my brief moment of the drink experience. The only reason I up the notched for the 3rd star was the comfortable atmosphere but that was because there wasn't much of a crowd while I was there. Everyone drinks were watered down after 5 minutes and considering the price I would expect more. We were able to sit outside and people watch with good conversation so that was a plus. Experiences are all what you make of it so I just try to enjoy each place and moment I have ; /
(3)Natasha S.
I tried this place once, only because it is literally around the corner from my place. Other than that, I wouldn't have thought of trying this place. The waiter was nice, but a little unenthusiastic about the food and menu. We ordered the Crab Cigars as an appetizer, which I thought was DELICIOUS. However, you can't really go wrong with crab and fried goodness! It came with a yummy Chesapeake Aioli and Smoked Tomato Remoulade. YUM! My girlfriend ordered the Jumbo Shrimp Carbonara which was delicious however, WAY on the creamy side. Expect a severe stomachache after eating this little baby. Additionally, the portion was extremely generous! I got a regular house salad topped with a crab cake. I was disappointed. My crab cake was all breading mix and extremely soggy and salty. NEVER order this! If we were to return, I'd probably only order the appetizers from this place.
(3)Marcus M.
My rating is actually a 3.5. The food is always good, and the service is better than most of the Harbor. Very professional restaurant and bar. The food like most of the Harbor is a bit pricey for what you get. I like the variety of the menu. The place really is well appointed without being gaudy.
(4)Oscar-Mayra R.
I will not stop at this location to try their food unless I am invited by the "Chef" to prove my review wrong... LOW QUALITYFOOD SUPER OVER PRICED and POOR EXECUTION IN THE KITCHEN. Great Location, I will say that this place is surviving thanks to the Bar and the UNFURTUNATE travelers that find them appealed by how close this Bar/Restaurant is to the Gaylord hotel and just want to give it a try. I noticed a lot of people at the bar during lunch time on a GLORIUOS, PICTURE PERFECT, and CRISPY FALL SATURDAY afternoon. The restaurant had three tables outside with patrons at the time we entered, 1:30 PM, no customers sitting on any tables inside. One party left the table suddenly, they said "Good Luck" to us on their way out. I must say I should have taken that as an advice... I asked for some appetizers that are staples of the area; Crab dip and Mussels... I will just say both were disgusting, I returned the Crab Dip and ended eating the mussels. Hey, mussels are mussels after all, right?? Not a bit of flavor there other than the mussel flavored water...
(1)Donna F.
The food was great once we got it but the service was atrocious. Sunday morning breakfast ... We were seated and then waited 20 minutes. Nothing. A bunch of hostesses and waiters were busy chatting....and that was it. We finally had to go to the hostess and asked for someone to wait on us. And we waited some more. We were just about to walk out and our waiter finally showed up. Breakfast was very good ....but they need an adult there to make sure the work is done. If you are counting on those kids to represent you and leave your establishment with a good reputation.....you are in big trouble.
(2)LeNette L.
Last weekend, 11/2-11/3, myself and a few girlfriends decided to take a trip to the DC/ Maryland area. We had a fantastic time and I decided to end the trip with breakfast at National Harbor. We stumbled across Public House because everything else was pretty much closed but we are so glsd it happened that way. There were six of us but we didn't wait five minutes to be seated. They placed us in a private dining area in the back and as soon as we sat our waiter J.D. arrived at our table. J.D. was very pleasant, patient and he didn't mind telling us about the menu. He made sure we were satisfied and he was very professional. J.D. gave me such a pleasurable experience that Public House will be my only stop for food during my visits to National Harbor. The service was exceptional and so was the food! I had the french toast with fresh berries and oj, I remember someone having the flap jacks and loving it, also one of the ladies ordered the breakfast burger and I believe one ordered the steak and eggs. Either way, we were talking the 12 minutes we waited for our food to come out and once it hit the table we were all silent. Our breakfast together was special because we shared it at such a wonderful place, Public House, but most of because of an awesome waiter J.D. Thank you!
(5)Kyle M.
Happy Hour $10 beer and burger. Not a bad deal for the National Harbor area. Overall they had decent beer selection on tap and had screens to watch sports. That alone is pretty good for me. The burger was nice and juicy, but I thought putting it on a english muffin is just a waste and I really prefer a nice bun. The muffin just falls apart too easily. I didn't have anything else and I sat at the bar when it wasn't too busy so I didn't have any problems with service. If you are in the national harbor area it's not a bad option, not great, and the regular prices seemed to be pretty high, so I'd look around at other places as well unless you hit happy hour.
(3)Kyla C.
Nothing special here, just a run-of-the-mill TGI-Mcfunsters type place. My sandwich was good and most of the apps were good too but just nothing outrageously great. It is what it is I guess. Wish they had karaoke on more than just one night. Would have been better entertainment than the bull across the street probably.
(3)Karen K.
First, we called twice for reservations yet they still lost them..... Second, the best part of our meal out of the group were the nachos. All of our meals were a 2 out of 5 with me being generous. Meatloaf.... no taste; Salad... dressing horrible and missing parts; burger.. missing toppings and frozen bag fries; Steak... bad cooking job and lacked taste; Crab Cakes.. decent but still not recommended. Overall a the services was OK but he forgot extra sauce we asked for and did not refill our waters during our meal. Never asked us about desert or another glass of wine.
(1)M J.
Every time I got to the Public House I really enjoy myself. I just started going recently in the summer of 2011. I live very close to the area but always went to DC to do majority of my dining. A fried of mine was telling me about it so I decided to try it out. Lets say it's one of the first places I go now. I can dine there with anyone wither it is my son, my mom, or friends. The food is really good the crab dip is absolutely amazing, so is the steak. The cocktails are really good as well not to week you can actually taste the alcohol (big ups to the bartender) They don't stalk your table like most places but are still very attentive. They waiter I had I believe his name is Andrew I could be wrong was excellent and gave great service and I got him two days in row. Thursday-Saturday they usually have a DJ at night and Tuesday's the karaoke which is pretty fun. I can honestly say I have a good time every time I go to this restaurant wither its day or night.
(5)Phil E.
2 Words: Worth It! I had a chance to eat last weekend and loved it. I didn't want to leave Maryland without having some crab cakes so I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I added the photo. The sandwich was great! They also had sweet potato chips (chips made of sweet potatoes). How awesome is that? That was a first for me. I'm a lover of Bloody Marys and they had a station where you could make your own. They had several different Bloody Mary mixers to choose from. They also has Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, olives, and celery sticks. If you ask for lime and lemon, they'll provide it for you. I added a picture of that as well. Yet, another first for me. I love new things and this restaurant was a great Sunday experience for me and my friends. The prices were also pretty reasonable. If you're at the National Harbor, you should check them out.
(4)Jocelyn H.
I like this place...one of the downsides is its close to alot of things but the parking garage is $11 which sucks because if not you have to fight for street parking which u can only do for 2hrs & the meter people are ON IT & u will get a ticket if your even 2mins past..(speaking from experience) CONS- the bar gets packed on the weekends & its hard to get someones attentions (you better make nice with the bartenders ) It would be great if there was someway they could expand their floor space if they are gonna place music on the weekends...its super hard to dance without bumping into somone PROS- when you do get there attention most of them are quick & efficient BTW the Pineapple Infusion Vodka is the bestest...you have to try it as just a shot i promise you its super smooth & a creeper & not strong at all. The wings are good too :)
(3)Alaysia P.
The hottest place to be....well the only place to be on a Friday and Saturday night at National Harbor. Good music and nice staff. Beware the shirt collar nazi doorman. He takes his job way too seriously.
(3)Anu E.
Ughhh what a horrible experience. I have never had this bad service before, I mean "ever." So, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot since our plan to have the special burger at National Past Time at Gaylord hotel fell through due to "temporary shortage of its draft beer selections," BIG MISTAKE. The service at Public House is a joke. What the fuck is your problem is the question I wanted to ask from our waiter and the food runner guy. Too much attitude for people who work in the service industry. TRAGIC!!! Do not go there! There are plenty of decent places in National Harbor area but this one, people!
(1)Leroy H.
This was our first time at the Public House. We booked the reservation based upon feedback we saw on Yelp. We booked a reservation via the Yelp app for 7pm and their credit, our table was ready for us the minute we walked through the door. Definitely get the brie, bacon appetizer. Would go again!!
(4)Douglas L.
This place is probably the worst establishment I've been to in the entire DMV area, and I've been living in this area since I was two. After attending a wedding and looking for a place to continue our establishment, the two door people had the audacity to refuse to let my friend in due to the turban he was wearing for religious reasons. When asked to speak to the manager, the doorman said he was it and told him that he could not come in anyway. We were mad as hell about this and to think that in the ten years after 9/11, this type of ignorance still exists. I wish I would say this was the end, but when another friend who happened to have the same outfit (as a groomsmen, you wear the same outfit), the SAME doorman asked if he was part of the taliban along with the other guy. I'm mad that we stayed in as long as we did. The group of about 25 people were about to spend some of our hard earned money at this establishment but we were pissed as hell and just stood in the front lobby of the restaurant. After speaking to the real manager, they gave us all free Miller Lites as a peace offering. Great peace offering. We decided to leave right afterwards and went across the street where there was a mechanical bull. imagine that place was classier than this Public House dump. I hope that anyone goes to this establishment will refuse to go to this if bald doorman is still there. Please take a look at the photos and ask the management about this. I will never go to this establishment.
(1)Cat C.
Went for breakfast. Scrambled eggs were instant, not fresh. Maple syrup was not pure as advertised. Omelette and French toast were very good, however service was horrible. We saw our waitress twice-once when she took our order, after waiting almost 15 minutes with no coffee, and again when she delivered the check. Never got a coffee refill, when the instant scrambled eggs were served, I had to carry the plate to the kitchen and order my replacement omelette. Water was undrinkable due to chemical treatment, yet they were out of bottled water. We ran across the street to CVS and bought water there.
(1)Carol K.
Thanks, Public House for being there when the girls and I needed a lunch break and Cadillac Ranch across the street was closed. It was a beautiful Fall day so we were quickly seated on the patio in the sun. Our server was in training (shout out to Lenny as he did a great job!) but no problem, as the service was spot on through the entire experience and he even figured out a way to get a pesky bee that wanted to join us for lunch over to a vacant table. The menu has several tasty sounding things that I wished I had tried- from the Blue Crab bisque to the blue crab and artichoke dip. But since we only had an hour- we went right to the entrees. So many things to chose from- from salads to burgers to entrees like salmon and crabcakes. I had to laugh as 3 of us got burgers and one a chopped salad. Not too adventurous, I guess. All were perfectly prepared and delicious. And that salad? Let's just say that it could have been two meals it was so huge! The interior looks like a sports bar with it's slate floors and TV's mounted around with the bar playing a front and center role. The manager and hostess were very friendly in inviting us back another time- and as I said- our service was top notch. Looks like Public House is a default for Cadillac Ranch as they are not open for lunch and at least 6 groups came across the street to eat. But if given the choice again- given the experience we had at the Public House- it would be a first choice in the future.
(4)Carlos R.
Terrible place. Worst bar/restaurant in the National Harbor area? Most likely. What's bad about? What ISN'T bad about it?!? Terrible service, disgusting food, crappy & overpriced drinks, annoying atmosphere, the whole place smells like a toilet, rude bouncers... The only good thing to come of my experience here? Because of my suffering, I am writing this review, and hopefully after you, the reader, have read this, and you will never waste your time in this pit. That would make it all worth it!
(1)Kent J.
They f'd up my diet! I couldn't control myself from eating the shrimp pasta dish....3 out of 4 days. The ahi was outstanding on my OFF day. Probably the most popular evening hangout in the area. Nice joint for hip-hop. Good looking crowd. Very attentive staff. Great customer service.
(4)J. V.
Great food poor service.
(3)Ryan L.
Came here while CPAC was going on across the way in the Gaylord. One person was bartending and she was working hard but things weren't getting done right. Glasses were dirty, food took way too long to come. Bill wasn't properly divided at the end. Food came out cold when it did come. Don't come here...just skip it over
(1)Jake A.
Absolutely horrible service, just OK food, management doesn't care. Most of the restaurants int he National Habor have a captured audience. If you're staying or attending a conference at the Gaylord and you don't have transportation, you'll be eating the harbor. It's also obvious that the restaurants don't care as none of them have decent reviews. We were staying at the Gaylord, which left us with limited options. We choose here as it looked the most promising (not that promising) of the bunch. We had an hour to eat before catching an evening tour, figured it was enough time. We were quickly seated, ordered and the waiting game began. I ordered an appetizer that didn't show up until my meal showed up (after a 45 minute wait). Drinks weren't refilled. The waitress even made mention of our long wait for food but it didn't speed things up. One person in our party's food didn't show up for another 10 minutes after everyone elses showed up. We had to ask for our check as soon as the food arrived and had to inhale it. I guess it tasted OK, couldn't really tell you as we had to eat and run. Drinks were still empty, no apologies from the waitress. The place wasn't even crowded. I did take a moment to fill out the comment card they left with the bill...never did hear back from management on that one.
(1)Stephen B.
So I choose this restaurant because there is a decent number ) brought it-placed it and quickly left-there were fries not chips and the berger was over cooked. There was not an offer for anything like mayo or ketchup for the berger. I never saw the server again until I want my check. This place needs a major overhall of service concepts and good food.
(1)Dean W.
The service provided by JD was awesome. He was very attentive and gave great food suggestions. The food was also excellent. Definitely will return the next time I'm at National Harbor. It was SO much better than the Gaylord!
(5)Passion R.
This review is not for the restaurant. I'm pretty sure I wrote another not so great review for that. This is for the club/lounge thing they do on Saturday nights. It was a good time, good crowd with lots of cute men, and a good DJ. Everyone was beautifully dressed and ready to party and mingle. But there didn't seem to be a dress code or a cover charge (which is a plus, especially for large groups or for when friends from out of town come to visit). But it is 21+. I won't give them 5 stars because even though the bartenders are pretty skilled, the drinks here are expensive as fuck. I'll definitely be coming back though.
(4)Vee N.
Returned 2x's after my initial 2010 visit. I love this place!! It's down in National Harbor; I don't go often because this is far from me. I live in Wheaton, near close to downtown Silver Spring.
(4)Gwen L.
Atmosphere was nice. Music was a bit loud. Wait staff friendly but smells like old grease which was disappointing. Burger was good. Crab cakes.....not so much. We say go across the street to Cadillac Ranch for the flat bread pizza. Yummy.
(3)Jon K.
Went here the other night with my wife who is the Marketing Manager at a nearby resort. I can tell you for sure that their will be no "party weekends" planned at this establishment. Their decor is modern and the place was nice from what I saw inside but we decided to sit outside as they have a nice outside area. First of all, it's ridiculously overpriced and I can see that others feel the same way. Our waitress was helpful and nice so that earns them an extra star. We had the Philadelphia cream roll appetizer and while it was good, it was overpriced and tiny. My wife had the salmon and absolutely hated it, said it tasted fishy as well. I had the crab cakes and I can tell you that I have had MUCH better crabcakes. Shame on you Public House for calling these Maryland crabcakes. Did I mention that these 2 dishes were overpriced. We ordered a bottle of wine as well, and that was good. My wife says they have a good happy hour here and she may or may not be back for that. Next time if I want to spend this kind of money I'll go to chart house where it's just all around better food and atmosphere.
(2)Zelly W.
I like this place because It's quaint and the staff is friendly. I've only been here once and it was for the Superbowl I believe and I got a seat at the bar with 2 friends and we had a couple bartenders serve us who were pretty nice, informative, and made sure we were good throughout. It's a nice little hangout spot. Food was as good as bar food can be (I didn't order anything fancy so I don't know what their other menu options are nor do I know what they taste like) but I'd def come back here again.
(4)Michelle S.
Meh. Crab cakes with dill? Fried everything and poor wine list by the glass.
(2)C M.
Service was okay. Food was okay. This place isn't anything too special. We ordered a few appetizers-crab dip, flatbread, and hummus-the flatbread was really great! Good beer selection.
(3)Janey B.
I can't wait to write a better review. I went here to watch the game. The drinks were good after finally getting the bartender's attention. Oh and he was a jerk and so inattentive. Ordered the wings; buffalo and Old Bay. They were good and came out pretty quick. The place was live as always. Great loud scene, if that's what you're looking for. Will provide another review when I go again.
(3)Mimi W.
The menu has changed and they have a lot more options. I've tried the jambalaya, the wings, and the tilapia. The wings were pretty good, and the jambalya and tilapia were just okay. One piece of my tilapia was half done, which made me think it was frozen fish, so I was not happy about that. I also had the french toast pound cake. Not a good look. The service is always good there, and the drinks are decent, so that's a plus. The DJ has changed, and now plays top 40...from the 80s. Even the waitress was confused. Still underwhelming and still a little too pricey for what you do get, so I won't be running back.
(3)Watrbb W.
Went today for the first time after passing many times and seeing the plates of yum looking food the diners outside had. WHAT A LET DOWN! I sat outside and the waiter came pretty quickly carrying a glass of water with lemon which I always ask for (how did he know?). Told him needed a few minutes to scope the menu.....waited.....waited for his return. Ordered the pan seared talapia and a house salad. Thank goodness I asked for the salad first because I waited.....and waited.....and waited for my main course. Come on, that is ridiculous as the place was not nearly full. Guess they ran down to the Potomac and caught it :) The talapia was a good portion and was cooked very well. But the ragu (or was it ragout) of veggies/spinach/tomato underneath was bland. I kept trying to find some flavor in the entire dish and had to keep adding salt to finally get some. The tomatoes in it tasted like (and looked like) canned. Not really what I would have expected. Waiter never came ONE TIME, to ask how everything was, and to see if I needed anything - like the glass of water I was dying for. After he took my plates and brought the bill - yep, you got it - I waited.....and waited.....and waited for him to take my money. I was truly tempted to just walk out (being I was outside), but I was raised better than that. The icing on the cake came when I paid with a $100 bill and they did not have the change, at least not in the cash register. Barmaid finally did count it out, I got many $1.00 bills and then I counted it which is something I never do. I discovered it was short $.50 - not a huge deal but thought it strange. I told the waiter he owed me $.50 and his reply was they did not have the change - any change - but I could have my $1.00 back if I wanted. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! If I had not counted the money, I never would have known. He did not even bother to say I'm sorry but.....and give me the chance to say what I wanted. UGH I told him to keep it towards his tip which was now down to $4.50 (I always leave more). Truly, I should have given him $2.00. I also asked for a cup of water to go...........got it but they did not have lids. COME ON! All of that aside, I MAY go again, just to see if it was an off-day. Or, I'll sit across the street at Cadillac Ranch and try to enjoy something else. This is the third place I have dined at while at National Harbor and only one was worth it (McCormick & Schmicks). So far, their places are over priced, terrible service, and sub-par food!
(1)Catherine S.
I've only been to national harbor once and when I went I checked out Public House. For the area, it's a pretty good spot to go for drinks and dancing. I went on a Saturday. The DJ started off slow but picked up after 11 and so did the crowd which was very diverse in race and age. There's an eating area (I didn't eat but the wings looked quite yummy) and a huge bar area. During the time I was there, I didn't see much space for a dance floor but that didn't stop people from doing a two step. I would have to say, if you have a DJ, having a dance space is a must. Maybe I missed it, I did stay in one area because we had a table. In the end, I would go back, especially as an alternative to heading all the way into DC.
(3)Chris C.
Bad service! Over priced! Not worth your time! Waiter took forever to seat us and was rude to my friend while hitting on her. Also didn't get utensils until we had to ask and that was even after they served the first course. Food was also under cooked.
(1)Michelle N.
My friends and I ended up here when Cadillac Ranch gave us some bogus response that they could not seat parties over 5 and we had 6. I could rant more about them but will do a separate yelp review for them. So since we didn't know the area too well, we headed across the street to Public House. Had I known we would end up here, I would ahve made reservations but alas no. Since they did seat parties over 5, we put our name on the list and the hostess told us we would have an hour wait. Remember this. We decided to hang out at the bar in the meantime. Service was pretty great here and we managed to get a good spot at the bar and a nearby hightop to hang out and drink. We shared the loaded fries app and it was pretty good. I ate around the bacon and chorizo, so I can't really comment on that part. About an hour in, one of our friends checked in with the hostess and she said we'd be seated "any minute now." An hour and 10 minutes pass, someone else checks and the hostess said that a party of 7 are ahead of us. An hour and a half pass by, someone else checks and we got a lame answer. By an hour and 45 minutes we decide to move from the bar to directly in front of the hostess stand and she gives my friend some schpeel about how people with reservations are put ahead of people who don't have any. There's another party of 7 who made reservations that they need to seat first. Well, you're supposed to set aside certain tables for those who reserve and then some extras for those who put their name on the list. At this point, we're pissed and talk to the manager. He tells us that they're actually putting our table right then. So the freaking hostess lied! Or she doesn't know what she's talking about. I thought it was great the manager personally put the table together for us. Once we were finally seated, our server was actually pretty great, and service was fine the rest of our time there. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, however, if I knew I'd be getting 3 huge ones, I would not have ordered a side of fries! Those were mediocre. I was hoping for the waffle fries we got at the bar. Later on, we came back here to drink when we found that Bobby McKey's was mediocre. Had a good time back at the bar. Overall, I'd probably just stick with hanging out at the bar and ordering my food there if you have a spot to eat. I'd skip actually coming here for dinner unless you make reservations. The food is pretty good but nothing spectacular.
(3)Roman B.
Having some time to kill before I could check into the hotel I was staying in, my stomach was grumbling "FEED ME". Taking a stroll in National Harbor, MD and seeing what my options were, I stumbled upon Public House. Since it was nearly noon, it was time for a good burger. Wrong!! I sat at the bar and ordered a beer not realizing they were still serving brunch. My bad I guess. Viewing the limited brunch menu, I went ahead and ordered the egg stuffed french toast with a side of apple wood smoked bacon. DELISH!! The french toast is cut out in the middle and an egg is dropped in and fried just enough so that when you cut into with a fork, the yolk just ooooooozes out and you have to soak it up with the toast. It came with some spicy home fries and maple syrup. As a side, I added the bacon but honestly, for $3, I expected some thicker pieces than 2 small ones. Disappointed at the point but what can you do? Should have done my reseach prior to arriving at National Harbor and comparing restaurants in the area. Oh well, it was a decent place. Not too many patrons seeing it was Sunday brunch, but lots of tables and room to sit. Plenty of big screen tv's around the bar area and you didn't feel rushed at all. Actually, had to ask for the check!!
(3)K T.
Came here for New Years Eve and was pretty impressed. We did the $40 open bar and it was definitely worth the money. However, the bartenders did not all seem to be on the same page as to what drinks were with the OB or not. I ordered the same drink all night and a friend of mine tried it, loved it, and went to go get her own, and they told her she couldn't get it with OB, I went up right after and got it, from the same bartender who told her no, my bf had no problems getting the drink either. But other than that it was fantastic, they didn't skimp on the alcohol and despite the fact that the house was jam packed, they moved quickly and efficiently. Music was pretty good and we had a blast dancing and watching the ball drop on the giant projection screen. Props to the security guys for keeping their cool and handling vomit patrol like champs. The reason it's getting 4 stars and not 5 is due to the floor plan which is a little lousy and nonsensical. Navigating around the bar is tricky, especially when it's crowded. And then there is apparently no direct route from the kitchen to the separated restaurant portion so the whole night waiters were forced to cut through the dance floor with plates of food and drink to get to the entrance of the dining room. Overall, glad we made the trip from SoMD to National Harbor for New Years, definitely a night we won't forget.
(4)Alphonso D.
Went here during an off time so that may affect my judgement. The wait staff was good, food came out hot and fresh and drinks were timely. The food we prepared as order and tasted very good. It was off hours so it was pretty quiet but I'd expect the usual bar/restaurant on any other occasion. Overall I had a good experience.
(4)David B.
Food was good but expensive. Service good can be noisy so maybe sit outside weather permitting. Service was good and if your staying at one of the National Harbor locations they give you a 15% discount so check that out. Only gave it three stars because of the noise and our waiter seemed pre occupied. The crab cheese dip, pulled pork, great club sandwich, drinks, crab cakes, clams were all good.
(3)Brent A.
Applebee's doesn't have bouncers, does this place need it? Not a good environment, go to harringtons next door
(2)Juliet K.
3.5 stars... we went here after cirque du soleil. every restaurant had a ridiculous wait so we used the opentable phone app and made a reservation for the next available restaurant, which happened to be public house. the service was great. the waiter didnt come over too much but just enough to make sure we were ok. food: - filet something or other appetizer. pretty good. we requested med rare, but was a bit over cooked. - french dip - the flavor was good, and the fries were tasty. - some fish dish with bok choy and rice - wasnt a huge fan of how the rice was cooked but bok choy and fish were great. the food was decent. but definitely not something that i would really come back to. its worth trying once. maybe you will like the food better. but i wouldnt go back. i'd probably try something new.
(3)Sarah P.
The service here was PHENOMENAL! We had lunch here and I was a little nervous about taking my three year old in, but I saw other people with their kids and thought we would try it out. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, making sure our drinks were filled. My husband ordered the Pastrami on Rye and said he liked it a lot! I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich and was pretty disturbed by it. I assumed I would get lumps of crab and it would be luscious, but they served it with a 'Cajun Mayo' that tasted like it had cardamom or something in it. I really couldn't place the spice, but it totally overpowered the crab cake. It was served on a brioche bun that was too big for the actual crab cake. The dressing they served with the salad was AWESOME! While this meal wasn't AWESOME, I would definitely consider going there again to try something else.
(3)Wei C.
Food was OK, but it was a nice place. Very comfortable interior design. Especially, the light control was great. We sat by a small round table with a semicircle chair, so we could be closer to each other to enjoy the meal. But, really, the food was ok, so as the cocktail. I ordered Asian Salad and Pineapple Martini - too sweat for me, both of them...
(3)Lakisia H.
Went for a Sunday Brunch which really was not the case. Their Sunday Brunch is nothing more than a breakfast menu, which didn't have much to choose from. They had a Bloody Mary bar which wasn't bad. It was a bit messy but ok. I am a big buff on custome service and the hostess needed to go back to the drawing board to find out what that means. We arrived and asked about sitting outside, she indicated that it would be about a 20 minute wait, so ok no problem we will wait. There was a table available outside that needed to be cleaned off. I asked about that table and she never responded just walked off while she popped her gum rudely. It was actually pretty bad. On top of that the food was so so. I would not go back for a Sunday Brunch nor do I recommend that you go either.
(2)Thereasa A.
My husband and I spent Christmas at National Harbor. On Christmas Day, this was the only restaurant open. It was moderately busy, but still had an almost empty bar and a few empty tables. The food was average with limited options (possibly because of the holiday). Pricing was moderate. Our order was a pulled pork sandwich with a salad and a pastrami sandwich. The food was very average. The best thing was the bread on the pulled pork sandwich, the pork was dry. The wait for sandwiches was too long. But my complaint would be with the staffing. Particularly, the hostess. She was rude to many guests as we watched them come in and was overly involved and affection with her boyfriend while she was working. At one point a gentleman walked in and asked a question, began waiting for people. She turned her back to him and rolled her eyes. While he could not see her, the hostess station is surrounded by tables. The waitresses were nice but seemed to spend a lot of time busing tables and taking care of the drink station. I would think with a restaurant at this level there would have been a bus boy so the waitresses could be more attentive to their tables. . It is just average. Nothing to remember. We have more trips planned back to the National Harbor, and this will be one place we will not return.
(2)Davis M.
I went into dinner at the Public House with the lowest of expectations. They were not met. I was in town on business and decided to stay at the Westin instead of driving home. My wife and I walked around the block for a good place to eat, but they ALL appeared to be overpriced and underwhelming tourist traps. We went to this place because it was the cheapest. Big mistake. In short: 1) Waiter was stoned, was acting like characters from Dazed and Confused, or both. 2) Waited 10 minutes for waiter to bring a steak knife, after which my wife went into the kitchen to get one for herself. 3) Food was cold and lettuce was rotten. 4) $6 for a draft beer that was skunked. Total bill was $41 for two people. We left a $4 tip and I think it was too kind. Don't eat here. For that matter, avoid the National Harbor completely. No class and a waste of money.
(1)Nikki I.
VERY SLOW SERVICE...our waitress Keisha only came to our table 3 times in a 2 hour span...1st time: right after the food came out, the 2nd time: only because we called her over and 3rd time: to collect our plates (with our check already in hand) and didn't even offer us the dessert menu! and here's the kicker, gratuity was already included for a party of only 3...no wonder she lacked in the customer service dept, she was getting a tip REGARDLESS!! (she didn't even deserve a 5% tip!!) oh and same goes for the short blonde "bartender" who also lacked in the customer service department, she saw us standing there and continued to just stand near the register. they (mostly the servers) all socialized with one another around the hostess station when they should've been attending to their customers!! this place will not be getting my hard earned money ever again, that's for damn sure!!
(1)Laura W.
National Harbor has a limited number of restaurants for lunch and dinner. I came here with a coworker for lunch on one of our days at a conference at the Gaylord. I was a bit disappointed to see they didn't have a separate lunch menu. I was hoping there would be a few lighter options to choose from. I ended up having the the crab cake sandwich and kettle chips. The sandwich was really good, it was nice and fresh and so was the bun it was served on. The remoulade sauce was also very tasty and I was dipping the chips into it. I do wish there was a different side served with the sandwich. The kettle chips weren't as crunch as I would have hoped and they were a bit sweet. The crab cake was also a bit sweet so it was a little too much for me. My coworker had the burger, it is served on an english muffin but she requested it be served on a regular bun like my sandwich was. There was a mixup and it was served with the muffin and she sent it back. They corrected it and she ate her burger. The crab cake sandwich was my favorite dish I had to eat while there and I would recommend it but the overall experience was underwhelming.
(2)Jason A.
Looking for a place to eat and drink before a Cirque du Soleil show, so we stopped in and sat at the bar. Took about 5 mins for the bartender to take a drink order. We ordered food, which was decent, but took over 45 mins to get it and we were Starving!!! The bartender apologized profusely and was very empathetic, but the kitchen staff obviously was pretty cut rate. He comped us most of the bill, which was nice and his service was good, but overall the place was pretty average with a poor kitchen service. We'll definitely go somewhere else next time we are in the area.
(2)Kirsten D.
We went for a fun day with the kids to see Ice at the Gaylord, and boy did these guys ruin part of it. After waiting over 1/2 an hour, we finally have a server bring one kids meal (there were 11 people in our party). Well, strange but the other food should be following in a second right.... nope. 15 minutes later no waitor and no food so we go out to see what the problem is. After being ignored by the hostess, I finally see our waiter and ask him about the food and all I get is "it will be out shortly".... I tell him that they brought out one kids meal 15 minutes ago, and given that there are 5 kids in the party that's a pretty big problem. No apology, just another "it will be out shortly" and goes back to doing something at the bar. He makes no attempt to actually resolve the issue at all. Another 5 minutes and 5 more of us get food but not all of us. Then it is another 15 minutes, a fair amount of complaining by my sister in law and finally the other items arrive. The "manager" comes by and apologizes, of course agrees with us blah blah (you could tell she really couldn't care less). Then she says she'll make it right and take care of the check. Well, taking care of the check is an eleven dollar discount for 11 people. This is another case of the "I shoulda looked at Yelp first" blues.... Never again with this place.
(1)Brianne C.
3.35 stars. In contrast with most Yelpers, I found the Public House's crab artichoke dip and braised beef sandwich with onions and jack cheese to be craveable. The dip was loaded with hunks of lump crab, and the kitchen eschewed a cream cheese base for a lighter cream sauce that complemented the tender seafood and briny artichokes. Further, the sandwich was stacked with tender, luscious braised short ribs, sweet sauteed onions, and a light layer of cheese, and was layered on country bread with chewy edges that nicely absorbed the rich juices. It was substantial and heavenly. But, there were several factors that kept Public House from being a worthy destination itself. As others have noted, the restaurant setting was painfully generic, the drinks were sloppily mixed, and the bartenders were clearly having issues with their duties. However, they were especially attractive (men and women), and gradually opened up to conversation as the evening unwound. And, as one of my companions remarked, the food was delicious while we were sitting at the bar, but may not have seemed worth the one hour wait we were quoted for a table. Regardless, I will certainly take a ferry ride to the National Harbor when a craving for a braised beef sandwich surfaces. Mmmm.....
(3)Roseline H.
Great location, good food, awesome service. We were given first-class service by our server which is why I gave this place 4 stars. It was a bit pricey for the food we ordered but other than that, I can def see myself going here again to watch a game.
(4)Michelle E.
Noon on a Thursday, next to nobody in the place. Two people waiting to be seated (separately) but the hostess is on the phone. No problem, sounds like maybe she's taking a reservation. So we stand there giving her the benefit of the doubt. She gets off the phone and doesn't even glance at us. She just walks away, still without looking at us, and vanishes into the back without so much as a "Be right with you." After waiting and waiting I just walked out. Didn't even get to sit down and try their food. After reading some of the other reviews, I'm glad.
(1)Monique R.
I work at the National Harbor and stop in here when I get off on occasion because it is one of the few places that stays open late.The food is pretty overpriced and the only thing that stands out to me is the Philadelphia spring roll appetizer. It's a unique idea and pretty tasty. I have tried the french dip sandwich, the Public House burger, and the steak salad (I turn mine into a Pittsburgh steak salad)- they're all very average. More often than not the service does suck. I was in here a few weeks ago on a slow night and the bartender looked more like she belonged in a strip club than behind the bar (but I'm sure this is why she got the job). I don't like to judge people but she also lived up to every dumb bimbo stereotype out there. After I finished my first drink, that took me ten minutes to order in the first place, she never asked me if I wanted another cocktail and pretty much ignored me and my group of friends. Usually, we stay longer but we cut our visit very short that night. One good thing I can say about this place is that they play decent music on the weekend and there is a diverse young crowd. I wonder why the NYC and Philly locations look way bigger and nicer on their website?!
(2)Kimberly B.
Okay as Julie Andrews would say, "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start..." I don't care for the doorman, or the guy who checks id's. He's an uptight arrogant butthole who clearly seems to take his job entirely to seriously. I've been several times but if I don't go back, nothing will be missed. The food is good and so are the drinks however the drinks are pricey. I'm a music lover, and the dj is always on point whenever I go however since the dance floor is the size of a sliver of space probably comparable to you trying to walk through a crowded platform during rush hour at Gallery Place Station after someone has gotten sick on one of the trains, you get my point. So I went on Friday and it was packed as usual, I guess I'm just not a fan of going places where people are stacked up against each other and I literally have to pry them apart and then say excuse you in order to get by even though they were in the way. It's a pretty diverse crowd as far as race is concerned but its also a young one, which I could do without. Generally when I go several fights break out and they throw them out quick fast and in a hurry, I was there one night and a chick and a guy were fighting, once they threw them out, they basically started brawling in the street. I'm sorry I don't want to go somewhere and get dressed, pay $11 to park and then deal with riff raff. I coulda went to Giant and got a red box and ordered a pizza and been better off, lol. Overall its cool, but clearly better left for a better time for the youngins.
(2)Kristen D.
Meh - food was decent but the service lacked anything special. The first night I felt crammed in a back corner when there was plenty of space available. The second night we ate there, we received our appetizer after our dinner (with no concern shown by the staff), had to ask for condiments and refills and just an overall lackluster experience. I understand that it's a touristy area and that the majority of visitors are one time but definitely not the experience you want to give your guests.
(2)Thomas S.
Truly one of the worst lunches I've experienced in years. So many things are wrong here: 1) The near lifeless hostess decided to seat us next to the only people at the restaurant, a noisy group. Visibly annoyed when we asked for an alternative location. 2) Ordered a simple chicken sandwich. Came back tasting like fake smoked something that resembled meat. 3) The waiter did exchange it for a salad. The salad was absolutely drenched in dressing. I mean puddles of the goopy, obviously out of jar stuff. Inedible. 4) Smile, you're on candid camera. There are cameras everywhere in the place. When asked, the waiter said it's because so many people are falling down a step, and they want to stop frivolous lawsuits. Nice. Turns out that the step is a huge hazard, marked by a sign that would easily get looked past. Our waiter explained "people trip and fall down the step all the time" 5) The restaurant is located in National Harbor. A cultural wasteland. Go to Pot Belly for lunch. Boring, but in predictable good way.
(1)Laura F.
We were trying to find a weekend breakfast place outside of the Gaylord and decided to try here. It was 95 degrees out t 11:15am and it was quite warm inside also. Even the hostess staff was fanning themselves with menus. Thre was only 1 other party there when we arrived, so we were seated quickly. There is a small but decent breakfast menu anda a lunch menu. We ordered normal breakfast food ( pancakes, French toast and the country breakfast). Overall the food wad pretty good, waitress was ok. We didn't have to hunt her down for drinks or anything but they aren't exactly busy either. When we left there was all of 4 tables seated in either while place, but it seved it's purpose. Only complaint was the temperature but with plenty of ice water, it was not miserable.
(3)Jim B.
Had lunch and dinner here and I am a fan of the crab cakes! I had good service and found the prices to be reasonable. The restaurant was crowded for dinner, so a reservation helped!
(4)panida r.
I enjoyed an evening of appetizers and drinks at public house. I thought the beer selection was nice. Nice to see craft beer stocked. Finally tried a Dogfish Head beer. The place is really low key. Appetizers try to be fancy but don't achieve a gourmet taste. One that I remember is filet mignon on flatbread topped with some fried something(i thought they were fries so thin they were just crispy). Interesting but not much flavor. There was also a crab dip that was pretty good. Service is polite. Not terribly attentive.
(3)Sam M.
WORST FOOD EVER. This is the biggest waste of money in National Harbor. The service is very sub par, and the food was horrible. Crab cakes tasted like and smelled like sewage water.
(1)Chryssa R.
I had the Maryland crab cake sandwich and it was a bit too crabby tasting, but decent otherwise. The bun was so huge I took the top half off. The green salad was a nice mix of lettuces with a nice balsamic dressing. Not unlike hundreds of salads I've eaten before. I didn't have a bad experience, but this place isn't on my short list of places to eat again.
(3)Ryann G.
Waitstaff was very inattentive, even thought we sat right by their wait station. Our Cobb salads with chicken were very good. There aren't a ton of options, but the ones they have sounded delicious. The wine list is very nice.
(3)AnnaMarie V.
Good but not great. Happy Hour deals are good though
(3)Elaine K.
Food was ok, but overpriced. I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Sections of the bun and parts of the pork were burnt. My coleslaw was brownish. My diet coke tasted off, like the syrup to seltzer ratio was off. The service was almost ok. The waitress was attentive enough, but instead of refilling empty glasses, she asked if we wanted refills, and she took a plate I was still eating off of. They had a decent beer selection, but not an impressive one. Meh.
(2)K M.
I wouldn't go to eat here with so many other options at the Harbor but for a loud, bar hopping good time on a Saturday night in the Harbor this place is it! It's a good mix of people, those in their 20s and 30s from all different backgrounds. Wall to wall people, dj, good music, drinks flowing...what more can you ask for?
(4)Amber E.
I was in town for a convention at the Gaylord and decided to venture out a little bit. I sat at the bar and decided to grab a quick drink and something to eat. I was surprised at how friendly the staff was. I had some food allergies and I am a bit of picky eater, but the bartender helped me go over menu to find something to eat. Even though I ended up with a Greek Salad, it is always extremely helpful when the staff is knowledgable on the menu. The atmosphere in the bar was extremely pleasant. It was during early happy hour but wasn't too crazy or loud that I couldn't have a conversation. The bartender was attentive to refill my water and always noticed when my wine glass was almost empty. I find it extremely annoying when I have to flag down a bartender to get another drink, I didn't have to do that once. I would definately go back again.
(4)Kelly G.
Had a late late dinner there last night. Butternut squash soup with roasted apples and creme fraiche was so delicious. I thought it would be one of those sweet concoctions. But noooo, it was nice and savory. Smooth, velvety, savory goodness. The short ribs were falling off the bone. Yummy yum yum yum. Served over a bed of risotto, there is no other dish for me. I was in total hog heaven. Tack on the glass of cabernet and I'm a huge fan. Huge fan.
(4)Henry T.
Didn't have any of the food. Came by on a Saturday night. Bouncers would not let my friend in, who wore a turban for religious reasons. After causing a stir, threatening a formal complaint, we spoke with the manager, and he let us in and got a round of drinks. 10 minutes later, my other group of friends, and the same bouncer asked if one "was part of the Taliban" (referring to my first friend wearing the turban). After hearing that, we left. We would not support any racist organization (odd considering that most of the clientele [sp?] was African American)
(1)John F.
How do you rate a Restaurant/Bar?? This place is a little of everything. As a bar, it's a sports bar primarily with some other nights thrown in like Karaoke, game night, etc. The bar is HUGE! They have infused, vodka, a good beer selection, and a ton of TV's. As a restaurant, it's almost takes a 2nd to the massive bar. The food is good, haven't found anything bad either. I love the Chicken BLT.. MMM The philly cheese steak rolls are really good, but Im sure I have a clogged artery from them LOL. Again, as a bar they do really, really, well. Probably the best or close the best place in all of National Harbour. As a restaurant there are some other places if you are looking for really good food that are better. But really, one of the better places for food I've been to that is primarily a bar. So, if your looking for a place for a bunch of friends to hang out with. A friendly bar crew. As good of food you will get at any bar, this is your place. Say hi to Kristen and Company for me.
(4)S R.
We thought that since we found parking on the street (Yaay!) that we were in for a good night. Parking is limited to 2 hours which we thought was enough time for dinner at a casual restaurant. My small party of three was immediately seated. Water was brought to the table and drinks were ordered. Really, it was only a child's soda because the dessert menu was starting to call our names so the adults stayed with water. But that is where the goodness ends. The food is WAY overpriced. You would think that for a small menu the dishes would be exceptional but it is, in fact, the opposite. Additionally, some restaurants make up for their lack of sophistication with large servings. Not here. The little one ordered a cheeseburger with fries from the kids menu. The adults ordered the pork chop and chicken. My family doesn't usually order chicken at restaurants but I am a sucker for risotto. The pork chop was so charred and then doused in sauce that made the entire dish unappetizing. The cornbread stuffing and sauteed spinach were both mushy and slimy. There was absolutely no texture contrast in this dish. The first bite into the chicken was dry with hints of caper and lemon not indicated on the menu. After lifting the chicken from the bed of risotto, a pool of butter/oil was revealed. The risotto had a healthy serving of peas but not the butternut squash described on the menu. The risotto was unevenly cooked. Some bites were crunchy. If this is how they do pork chops and chicken, I'm glad we didn't order the pricier crabcakes and steak like we really wanted. The kid did great work on his cheeseburger. The burger was juicy and well proportioned to the large, slightly toasted brioche bun. After an unimpressive meal, we decided to play it safe and share the peanut butter tart. Again, the size of the dessert was not worth the $8 price tag. I would not describe this as a tart. It was more of a mousse. The crust that would have justified the tart title was merely a thin soft layer of crushed oreo cookies. Again, there was no texture contrast on such a rich (albeit, one note) dessert. The seasonal fruit was not on the plate and was brought to the table in a disposable cup. BTW, blueberries do not taste good with chocolate and PB. Crumbled banana chips and a banana puree would have improved this dessert immensely instead of the chocolate sauce and peanut butter-chocolate chips that it was served with. The one star is for our excellent waitress. She was very attentive. But like other reviewers have said, we had to wait a while to get our food. Needless to say, we used an hour and 55 minutes of our 2 hour parking limit. Overall, not a good first impression and we will not be returning.
(1)Justin S.
I swung by Public House on my 1st trip to National Harbor. I tried the $12 fish tacos, and combined with a soda and tip, spent about $17.50. I can't say I'll ever be back. The tacos themselves weren't bad. They were about on par with what I've found elsewhere in the city... for about $5-$7. The fish was average, the salsa was mediocre, and the tortillas tasted like regular Safeway brand tortillas. The bread was thick enough to entirely drown out the flavor of the fish and toppings combined. The cole slaw that came with the tacos was limp and boring, again something you'd get at an inexpensive low end restaurant. There's a lot of really great restaurants in nearby Old Town where expensive american food is drastically superior to its less-expensive counterparts. Those places put care into their menus and fetch fine ingredients. The guys at Public house could learn a few things about quality from them. Maybe they should send the chef on a little road trip. I expected to go back to National Harbor a lot this summer but if the food's going to be like this, I might give up on the whole place. Based on the fish tacos, I'd put Chili's ahead of Public House. If the other restaurants are like this, National Harbor won't ever be more than a wasteful tourist trap. They're so far below the local par that their food can't even compete with other local options.
(2)Brittany C.
Arrived in National Harbor Sunday morning for a convention. We went looking for a place that served breakfast (there aren't many). First place we came across was Public House. First impression was not good. The hostess was dressed so unprofessionally and inappropriately it made both me and my husband uncomfortable. She was wearing a skin tight spaghetti strap shirt with half her chest, and a gigantic tattoo across her back exposed. They had very few offerings. And what they did offer was a little strange. We ordered the most normal sounding thing on the menu. Eggs, bacon, toast, and fingerling potatoes. Waited at least half an hour for our food. It was just ok at best. Very greasy. The very same thing you could get at a diner for $5. We paid $14. Our waitress was very friendly and nice.
(2)Theo P.
Blah..No free parking (11.00$) No dancefloor although they pretend to be a club. Snobs from maryland meet the wannabe gangsters. Its a bloody mess. Crowded on the weekends. I will give it one star for the excellent bar staff-very friendly. I did not try the food, but I am sure that is overpriced as well. Not going again.
(1)Tamika J.
I went to Public House for date night with my husband during the past restaurant week. The atmosphere at PH was fine, fun and relaxing. The food was just okay. Butternut Squash soup was GREAT. The salmon was good and the oven roasted chicken was dry at best. We had a reservation, so getting seated wasn't an issue. The waitress was a bit slow but not unbearably so since we were not in any hurry. Overall the experience was just okay. I don't have to go back.
(3)John B.
Wow. Public House caused my wife to question where my temper ever was. After knowing her for three years, my wife experienced the first time I have ever asked to speak to a manager at a restaurant. Two different servers took our drink orders, each saying that this was their table. I didn't know servers were so territorial. Guess what...all four of us....got two drinks. To add insult to injury, my wife's drink, a cosmo, had zero alcohol in it. My one beer (of the two) had a fly in it. We asked for a new drink for my wife. Guess what. They said that's just how they're made. The food. Meh, it was ok. When the bill came, I was informed that on top of having to pay for both drinks that I would be paying a required 18% tip. HA. I explained I would do no such thing. The waitress (one of the two) went back to the manager and brought back with a 15% tip required. I said NO, let me actually speak to the manager. Finally, the manager came out, rude as ever, showed me the required tip in 3-point font on the menu. I explained I would not pay the 15% tip. Eventually, six hours later, I received my bill with all drinks removed and was allowed to tip as I pleased. Unfortunately for the two other checks at my table, they had to pay for everything because they didn't speak up in time. In short, it may be good someday, but they need a lot of service issues fixed, ASAP.
(1)James C.
Best part of dinner was cookie dough skillet desert. Entrees reminded me of frozen TV dinners but fresh. The sauces were too high in sodium for the flank steak and meatloaf (like TV dinners). They served me a manhattan straight up in a large shot glass and not shaken or stirred - Luke warm. Only redeeming factor was the friendly waiter and desert.
(2)Olivia R.
Having to attend a conference across the street that unfortunately didn't serve food, a few attendees and I went to Public House for a weekday lunch. As a group of 4, we were sat at a booth right away. We didn't think the restaurant was very busy because our orders were taken in a fair amount of time and we received our drink orders promptly, but the kitchen must have been slammed all at once. It wasn't until 45 minutes after we ordered that our server came by to tell us that the kitchen was busy, offering a [much too late] apology for the wait. Because our group had to leave for the afternoon session of the conference at that point, we asked that our orders just be packaged to go. Our waiter apologetically complied, but then also realized that our salads were lacking dressing after being brought out. We then received the wrong dressings for the salads (southwestern dressing when it should have been asian), so our experience was severely lacking for a restaurant that should be able to anticipate steady revenue streams with some coordination from the conference center across the street. Of course our meals were pricey because of the location of the restaurant. That was expected, but it was totally overpriced for the quality that we received. Our meals tasted like leftovers! The salad greens were wilted, and the turkey and brie sandwich was soggy. Bleck!
(1)David B.
Drinks and food are both way overrated. The wait staff was terrible and appeared to have an attitude. Then came the music. I went to have dinner, not live the nightclub experience. I will never, ever, under any circumstances, go back to this place....
(1)Shandalyn H.
Where to start? Had a blast! Came her cause 3 guys wanted to buy, me & my lady friends( best friends) some drink. Hey! Who is going to turn down free drinks & food! Do not remember what I had! But it was good, because I ate it all. Yummy & my bff's ate all their food also. Like the big girl's they are. lol. Don't know the prices, because I didn't pay. Sorry can't help you with that. & the music was great, because after the late snack we dance until the place closed. So please stop in & get an bite to eat. & if you drink get one of those to. So 2 thumbs up for Public House! =) I will be returning!
(4)David F.
Genuinely one of the most disastrous meal experiences I've ever had. We took my mother-in-law here for her birthday this past Sunday- necessity not design. We sat down and ordered several $14 burgers medium, and after a good 45 minutes, two of them came out, super well done. The problem is that my mother-in-law's meal did not come out. The waitress assured us it was en route. 15 minutes later we asked again, and she looked irritated and told us yes yes it's coming. 30 minutes on top of that, and the whole rest of the family has finished it's truly vile food and we are still waiting for my mother-in-law's birthday burger to come out. At this point of course the birthday meal has been thoroughly ruined. The waitress is also still dodging about and not even looking us in the eye or explaining what has happened. Finally the manager comes out with the (also preposterously well-done) birthday burger and explains it's on the house, and asks us if he can get us anything else. Naturally we assumed that he was offering to comp us anything else, so my wife ordered a beer, which we were charged for. All in all: about 2 hours for food that was clearly cooked by disaffected teenagers. I'm sure it's a good place to watch a football game but do yourself a favor and steer very clear of this restaurant if you actually want to eat food.
(1)Mary M.
$29 crab cakes were almost all filling sides were horrible! This place would be ok at half the price of everything but it's like they are trying to be a high end restaurant when nothing they have to offer measures up. The highlight of my evening was when I asked for a to go box and the waitress brought me back a CVS bag!!! What place can charge those prices and give you a CVS bag for your food!? I wish you could post a picture because i took one. Public House sucks!
(1)Clarence J.
The food is good [maybe pushing that rating to a 2.5] but the atmosphere/decor could use some work. There's no 'feeling' to the place. I expected a pub-like feel (whatever that may be) but it just seems bland and somewhat modern to me, not warm or welcoming. (And if you've read anything else I've written, atmosphere matters to me.) That big complaint said, the food is enjoyable -- not spectacular, but good -- and the staff is friendly and efficient. And as with most places around National Harbor right now, be prepared for high prices...(which is pretty much the reason why I rounded my 2.5 down rather than up).
(2)Ann B.
2.5 stars I've been to Public House twice. Both times I really wanted to like this place, but the food seems to fall short on flavor...except for two things, which I'll get to. This past Saturday we made a reservation for dinner knowing that it was going to be packed. We arrived 5 minutes early, were given a beeper and told it would be 5 minutes until our table was ready. Cool. Well 5 minutes turned into 25 minutes. I went back to check in and a different host said that he didn't know that we were waiting. We were seated immediately after that and given a round of drinks on the house to compensate for the wait. Nice gesture, but I was still a little disappointed about being forgotten. Onto the food. The menu seems a bit limited to me with only 5-6 entree selections. We had the crab and artichoke dip for an appetizer, which was good, and I had the crab cake entree. For the price of the crab cakes ($29) they were good with lots of crab meat, but I've had better and more flavorful before. My favorite parts of the meal were the corn side that came with my entree and the chocolate chip cookie dough desert. The flavoring on the corn was a nice surprise and the warm cookie dough desert in a skillet with ice cream was outstanding, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Overall, it's still an average place to chow down in my opinion.
(3)Roy K.
Good menu and I suggest the Lump Crab open faced sandwich. Great beer menu. Free wifi. Lots of TVs so good for game time. They have all you can eat wings + all you can drink Coors Light for $25...I didnt take them up on the offer but def an interesting promotion.
(4)David H.
Had a Groupon coupon. Gave it a try. Pros: Easy to find, easy parking, short walk, friendly courteous server. Appetizer (mac and cheese bites) good. Cons: Entrees not hot. Crab cakes okay - no tartar sauce in the whole restaurant. Green beans barely cooked, and overloaded with garlic. Tuscan chicken (substituted for shrimp at wife's request) was not impressive. Will give it one more chance but order from the sandwich menu.
(2)Dan W.
Why is there nowhere good to eat in National Harbor? This place was HORRIBLE. The only good thing was the server, but when the kind, patient and understanding server is serving you dog food, it really doesn't matter. Crab dip - horrible. Fishy. I called it Carp Dip. Burger - served on an uncooked English muffin, with undercooked bacon. It just made me sad. Salads - two people at our table got salads. They both sent them back. All of this fun, and it was ridiculously overpriced. Avoid at all costs. Sucked balls.
(1)Chris C.
I only came here for drinks and appetizers for Sunday night football and I thought this place was alright. The bar scene was similar to a nicer version of a Green Turtle.
(3)Sharie B.
One Sunday afternoon after visiting the recently moved "Awaking" sculpture at the National Harbor (which worked better at Haines Point if you ask me) we decided to pick a place to eat. Given the multitude of choices at the Harbor I can now say that we probably should have gone with the Chinese place around the corner. While the service was friendly, the waitress took the liberty to up my crab cake sandwich order to a crab cake dinner order after I mentioned to my friend that I would really only like the cake and not the bread. Obviously I can read and read the crab cake dinner was $32 and based on that, being a free-gan/recessionista in training and all, went for the sandwich. Not knowing the difference when the plate arrived I was happy to see 2 crab cakes and no bread. Sweet. Then the bill comes. You guessed it, $32 for the frickin crab cakes! When I called her on it she said since I mentioned to my friend that I really did not want the bread she decided to change my order. Kids these days I tell you...does she know how hard I work to bring home the bacon?
(2)Lyney A.
I've been there twice in the summer and each time always had a great time. The staff is polite, just tip the bartender well so you don't have to worry about getting drinks. The atmosphere is cool as well. The only downside is the food wasn't so great I order a simple burger and it came out on a egg mcmuffin bun? But the night life for the National Harbor I give it two thumbs up!
(4)Tony G.
Greasy, fatty foods and substandard drinks unless you like basic rail stuff. Not worth the price. Dark and depressing decor. No views of the harbor. This place is just a pitstop location on the way to a better night somewhere else.
(1)Dale P.
Average venue, not much to write home about when it comes to the atmosphere. Decent menu, food was fair. Decent beer selection. Better than most places in this "fake town" built along the Potomac that has more parking spaces than anything else and is the antithesis of smart growth!
(3)Abe S.
Good spot for bar food and drinks. I have never actually sat down for dinner, but i am sure its good. The cheese steak egg roll is GOOD with spicy ketchup! Huge bar fun atmosphere.
(4)Karen M.
Had the crabcake sandwich with overcooked kettle chips while my companion had jumbo shrimp pasta. Quality not good enough to justify price. A disappointment.
(2)claire o.
I am not generally dissatisfied when eating out, but this was a disappointment. Went for brunch on a Sunday. The brunch menu was limited and had only 2 vegetarian options neither of which sounded good. They let me order from the regular menu but only when I said there was nothing on the brunch menu I wanted to eat. My two dinner companions ordered the egg dish from the brunch menu. My salad was fine. They were disappointed with theirs. We ordered cocktails which were ok, not bad not good. I wouldn't go again.
(2)CJ S.
Went there yesterday for lunch with some friends. Lunch menu was lacking. All of us ordered wings. Chesapeake wings, crab dip and fries. The wings came out fried hard and super crispy... Yuck. I have never seen "watery" crab dip before. Super YUCK. Fries were good. Service was "meh".. We had to ask for plates... yes.. plates.$14 KetelOne Martini.. really? for another $14 you could've had the whole bottle. With all of the other choices at the harbor.. This one is not it! Not worth the over $100 that was spent.
(1)D D.
My husband and I grabbed a sandwich from the (highly superior) Potbelly Sandwich Works, but wanted a couple of beers in the sunshine. We walked to the Public House and asked if we could bring our food to the patio and have drinks; we were told it wasn't a problem by the hostess. Ooooh, so wrong! My husband went in to order our drinks at the bar and was treated like a pariah by the staff and management for having the temerity to bring outside food... Even though we were drinking their 7.00 draft! They don't need to worry about it happening again... I'll never go back, and I wouldn't recommend you go either.
(1)sharmin a.
Ate brunch here and it was delicious. I had the crab benedict, and as a newbie to Maryland crabs (I'm from Florida) I was impressed. Great, tasty and crispy crab on top of the english muffin. The poached egg was amazing as well. The plate came with a side of home fries which were also good. My boyfriend had a burger which was also great --which came with fries and OOOOOF. Those were perfect. Crispy and not over oily as I often have enountered. The only downside was the AC. It seemed like it wasn't working. It was almost as hot inside as it was outside. But I'm not an asshole and I know it likely had nothing to do with them so we didn't complain. Clean bathroom and we had a good bottle of white wine too, which was half off -- William Hill Chardonnay.
(4)Rachel H.
WTH! Collared shirts after 9:00p? Whyyyyyy? I dont get it. Comfortable Grown folks walking along the harbor all day. Now we can't eat here? But 100 Dudes who arrived in T-shirts before 8:55p are sitting in there chilling. Dumb rule... going elsewhere ... Collared shirt at a sports bar????
(1)Jasmine N.
Came here to wait out the storm and watch the World cup on the 4th. I had been here before, although it had been a couple of years, so I was the one who recommended the place. I had egg on my face at the end of our visit, which we unanimously decided to cut short and brave the monsoon just to get out of there. Reasons why we left: -first bartender (her shift ended right after we arrived) used the glass served to my friend to scoop her ice. Major no-no! I wonder how many glasses she's chipped and how many people have gotten glass in their drinks unknowingly. -The 2 bartenders who replaced her stood in the corner loudly gossiping as soon as they got there (before acknowledging any patrons). We could hear everything they were saying very clearly. It was uncomfortable. -ordered a specialty drink. Said made with fresh pineapple. Something was rotten. Took 2 sips and pushed it away and ordered a beer. That beer cost me $20 because I still had to pay for the cocktail. -4 girls were working the hostess table. Every single one was leaning over texting and giggling the entire time -Our bartender spent over half the time we were there texting in front of us. 2 stars because I liked the place last time and when the satellite went out they turned on the regular tv so we could still watch the game.
(2)Chris S.
I have no idea why this place is so packed. Is it the DJ? Hip hop music. Very loud. Not only did I have to show ID, I had to get a wand check. (Since I had a military ID, it was perfunctory. The security guard said nothing about my cell phone in my back pocket.) When you finally get a bartender's attention (although it's packed, not many people seem to be ordering drinks) you have to yell to give an order. Cocktails were okay. A small selection of beer on tap. But I ordered a second Hendricks and tonic. I watched the bartender pour a Bombay Sapphire. I told her I wanted Hendricks and, after I watched her pour Bombay, she nonetheless said it was Hendricks. Apparently a lot of other people like it, but I cannot recommend it.
(1)Wilma D.
The reviews are sad, but took the chance and it was so good! We were seated promptly and Josh took drink orders. He was awesome. Excellent service. Friendly and attentive. The Sweet Corn and crab hush puppies were delicious. The sauce that came it with the appetizer was a great compliment. We highly recommend. I ordered the Pork Carnitas sandwich and it was tasty, really good. The fries were light and crispy. My husband orders the PH burger and he loved it. It was cool perfect to his liking and he was happy. Food was good and fresh and served quick. We are happy and we will be back. Thank you, Josh!!
(5)Eric W.
Ate breakfast at Public House again while attending Katsucon at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as it's one of few restaurants open in the morning. First issue I faced was Google had the wrong hours as Public House does NOT open at 8AM. Staff was polite and helpful during the visit and that was not a problem. The server brought a full carafe of water to the table and that was convenient. The food has changed significantly compared to last year. Ordered the harbor breakfast, Eggs and Bacon were ok. The home fries were overdone and even ketchup could not improve them. They only offered wheat toast that was hard, cold, and the butter couldn't even melt on it. While I was filled up, for what I paid the breakfast was not great and lacked flavor. Not sure I'll be returning to eat here again.
(2)Kimberly C.
Today I hosted a company event here and I'm pretty satisfied overall. Coordinating with Cherish was very easy and she offered a lot of good suggestions about food choice and made the planning very accessible. The room was much smaller than the pictures made it seem which concerned me but luckily our group was smaller than planned, though if it hadn't been I'd have been concerned. Jason took care of us and was attentive and on point. The crudités, fruit, chicken, salad, pierogi, spring rolls crab cakes, etc were all really great and we took the leftovers. Food was great, atmosphere was great, and I'm very satisfied. I'd definitely come back to sit down for a meal.
(4)Nicole T.
We choose this place from open table cause they were able to get us an immediate reservation. We walked in 30 mins prior to our reservation and was able to be seated. The menu on open table was not the menu we saw when we were seated. Most of the entrees were $25+ and we had two kids with us. We ended up ordering 2 burgers with bacon for $18 a piece , a steak salad $16 and a chicken tenders kids meal $8. We wanted to order drinks but their beers were $6 and it wasn't tap it was a bottle . Finally food arrived. Why my salad which was described as a tri tip steak salad was actually shaved lunch meat and it was maybe 2 pieces that was sliced into thirds. Very disappointed. I told my server and requested another entree which was the burger and fries for the same price . Oh well you live and you learn next time we will drive out of this area and get something worth my money.
(2)Steve H.
4PM/weekday Dinner for two. Hostess/service was fantastic! Clean. Not crowded at all. In/out less than 1 hour. ODD: There seemed to be a lot of movement & coordination for evening reservations going on between nervous looking men in sport coats with other men wearing flat-billed ball caps (?). Several TV's covering basketball news and soccer. Menu selection BEFORE 5pm (when the comfort food starts) is lacking and overpriced - even for DC. However, the plain burger was DELICIOUS! (Sweet onions = "pizzaz!"). Spinach and grits are winners... $5/each (WHAT!). I guess this place is designed for certain clientele. If you consider yourself a "regular guy," then you are not it. Kinda Ironic with a name like "Public House." Maybe "Per Diem House" (?).
(2)Fred B.
Visiting National Harbor was on my list of stuff to do, and thanks to a work trip, I had the luxury of a nice trip with a side of good food! Public house is a nice large pub style eatery. Well appointed, and comfortable furniture, room enough between tables so you don't feel like your on top of one another, and super friendly staff! I ordered the burger and I love it when they know how to cook a burger to medium!! Great meat mix, and easy seasonings makes for a really standout burger to start. No joking around with the bacon either. Nice thick slices, done just under crispy so they were full of flavor and still adding to the texture. All the veggies were fresh, and with a choice of a nice spicy Pepper jack as my cheese choice, I was all set. I will be vacationing here with the wife at the end of the month, so I am sure I will wander my way back into the Public house!!
(4)Mike T.
Had dinner in this restaurant tonight, food not bad, not good but not bad. Service was awful... Little blonde girl server with long stringy hair that could have given 2 shits I was there. Hardly said anything, didn't offer dessert or another drink past my second. She made it obvious all she wanted was for me to pay my bill and get out of her hair. Restaurant owners in National Harbor, almost every review of every restaurant in this area complains about the service.... This could be a world class destination area but the sloppy, marginal dining service ruins it! Hire good people, train them, pay them well and hold them accountable!!! I will probably not come back here again because of this rude little snot server.
(2)Shelby B.
Pretty average place, nothing really stood out as good or bad, which is in itself not a great attribute. The atmosphere was bland, the noise level pretty loud, and the food was overpriced for what it was. I got the grilled chicken club and was surprised at how plain it was. While the fries were good, the chicken tastes like they barely put any spices on it. Although my waiter was nice, the service was very slow. I would not recommend this restaurant, but if you had to go here then it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.
(2)Kita B.
I had brunch, lunch & dinner here. The brunch is by far the most memorable! The Crab Benedict is to die for! The southwest salad is amazing & the outside seating area is amazing!
(5)Chris S.
Late night review only There are pros and cons to spending a night at Public House Pros: No coverage charge, always a plus. Friendly staff, from the bouncers to the bartenders, everyone was friendly and helpful, another plus. Strong drinks, the bartenders aren't stingy with the alcohol and more importantly they have Titos Vodka, trust me it is awesome. DJ is good, nice mix of old school hip hop to go along with all the modern staples of ratchet music we all love to shake our asses to. Cons: They are anal about certain parts of the dress code, sneakers no problem, hats cool too, just be a gentleman and take it off but this weird obsession with collard shirts is crazy. I was with a group of close to 20 people and they wouldn't let one guy in because of his shirt, he had a jacket on that he could have zipped up but they just wouldn't let the shirt thing go. Prices, I normally don't complain about prices because if you can't afford something don't go but the prices are a tad much for the experience. Crowd, overly anal about collard shirts and yet you let in all the riff raff you can handle, I just don't get it. End of the day, the pros outweigh the cons and Public House is a decent space to spend a night out on the town, especially if you live in area, or are staying at one of the many hotels and don't want to trek into the city.
(3)Tyesha W.
My friend and I went to the Public House this past Saturday night, 15 August 2015 at around 11pm and were refused entry because we were wearing fashion statement shirts that had pictures & words on them, "graphic tees" neither of them had offensive words or derogatory words on them. For example: my shirt stated "Bad to The Bone" and my friends shirt had a face pic of Marilyn Monroe on it. The man at the door informed us this was their new policy. Public House is a restaurant & bar. I have never been to a bar that refused entry to women wearing fashion t-shirt. Public House is usually a fav spot for us but after this I won't be back. If this were a lounge or club I understand the right to have so many rules but this is a local bar & restaurant. We were appalled & completely disappointed & will definitely spread the word.
(1)Warfare J.
Fabulous food...unbelievable service . The public burger was just melting and full of taste .
(5)Jessie J.
Went here tonight with 5 friends. Host had a horrible attitude when we asked to get seated outside. No room outside, cool. We got seated inside and waited at our table for about 15 minutes. No one came to our table, no water, nothing. One of my friends is pregnant and was extremely angry at the fact that no one came to our table to at least give us water. It was pretty annoying to see the host just socialize with her buddy waitress and not be attentive at all. We ended up getting up and leaving and just as we got to the front doors she asked us what happened and I told her exactly what it was. No sorry or anything. Disappointed.
(1)Tom G.
It was just OK. A number of good beers on tap, but I actually expected more choices for a large "Public House." I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. THey had a number of TVs with baseball showing which was nice. Service was just OK and it was very crowded. I ordered the $16 burger which while good, was the size of a slider. Fries were nicely done and tasty. So, a bit pricey, small portions and so-so service. I wouldn't seek this place out again.
(3)Emily L.
We arrived unexpectedly early for our conference at the Gaylord, so I went off in search of coffee, and then breakfast sounded too good to skip. Unfortunately, Public House was a bad choice. I should have known when I entered that it was clearly a sports bar that also served generic breakfast food in order to capitalize on the tourist crowd. Wait, I did know that, but I was also really hungry. What I wasn't prepared for were the prices. Entrees averaged $15, so I opted to cobble together breakfast from the sides list: two eggs over easy, bacon and toast ran me nearly $9, and they were pretty measly (toast, $2, was one piece of bread sliced in half.) Coffee was watery but bitter, which I know because I had to take a few gulps plain in order to make room for cream. The interior had a grimy feel to it, and several of my dishes were chipped -- clearly not a classy dining experience. Again, I'm not picky, but if I'm going to pay $15 for an omelet I expect more! It was really a terrible experience, but the bacon was crispy and my server (poor guy) was very attentive, so they get an extra star for that. I won't be back, however.
(2)Laurie K.
Good quality ingredients; preparation not so much. We ordered the $52 meal for two. The house salad was pre made with dressing, so the greens were soggy. Enjoyed the taste of the steak although rare instead of medium rare, good chicken and shrimp. BBQ sauce was good, but salty. The corn was way over-cooked. Server and manager, long story, tried multiple times for gratitude on accepting Restaurant.com certificate with no expiration. Won't be back.
(2)J P.
Upon the opening of public house it was a very great location to visit. Now after time the service is horrible. It took 30 minutes to receive a mimosa on a slow morning, and the serving staff were un- phased as this was acceptable. The food at best is average
(2)Ataya P.
I like it! I only came here for drinks, but I had a good time. We sat at the bar and had great service. It didn't have that nasty bar feel. The music selection was on point too! I definitely plan on returning to try the food!
(4)LaToya E.
I have to agree with many other yelpers on the prices in this place! It is not worth the $$$! I went in one night for dinner and drinks and everyone's food was just kinda meh.. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again. For the prices on their menu I expect the food to be something to remember! As far as the drinks I can comment much since I only had wine and shots lol! It's hard to be bad at that!
(3)Rae M.
Why is this place so freakin' expensive?!?! Oh, that's right, it's located at the National Harbor and mostly all of the restaurants there are over priced. I understand it's the National Harbor and all, but dag...is it that serious? Public House is a bar/restaurant that on Friday nights turns into a part lounge part club. It had a DJ spinning the one's and two's and a dance floor the size of my powder room at my house. After a certain time you have to be 21 to enter. If you're a guy, don't attempt to come here without wearing a collared shirt or you will be turned away. Really? It's a restaurant/bar....again, is it that serious? Don't get me wrong, I get tired of seeing men wear t's to every event, but is it really necessary to wear a collared shirt to a bar/restaurant to enter? Apparently it is. The homies and I came in and found a few seats around the enormous bar and ordered a few drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere seemed really chill and the décor was rather nice. It actually looked like a good place to have fun, especially on game days because they have a few TV's around the bar. The drinks were about $12 and up a pop and the appetizers were equally expensive. I had the cheesesteak spring rolls, which were really good and my friends ordered the wings. The wings were horrible! They were extremely salty and lacked flavor. My friends couldn't even finish them. The crowd seemed to be rather lively, but I just can't with this place. I really think it's overrated. I have no problem spending my money at a place with good drinks and food, but PH just doesn't fit the bill for me. Between paying to park and paying an arm and leg for drinks and apps, it's not worth the haul all the way to the National Harbor for me. BLAH!
(2)Roy M.
If you are looking for a nice place to eat, this is the place for you. It is just amazing. The food, drinks, and atmosphere is great. I went on a very busy weekend and my food still came out in a timely manner. If you do go you must try the berry sangria. You will not go wrong here!
(4)Mel A.
If you're going to be in National Harbor at prime supper time on a Friday evening plan ahead. The wait for many of the restaurants was 45 minutes to an hour without a reservation. We came to Public House, asked if there was a wait and they seated us in no time. The décor is pretty trendy - a bar dominates the center of the restaurant and there are several tvs to keep you updated on the games and scores. Service was okay; I couldn't hear him because the music was loud. We ordered drinks and apps - the cheesesteak spring roll and blue crab mac n' cheese were both good and hot. For dinner, I ordered the "Pulled Pork Sandwich." In my mind, I was thinking of a traditional pork sandwich, you know, like barbecued pulled pork in a roll. Unfortunately that didn't come out. What came out was shredded pork wrapped in a flatbread with lettuce, onions and radishes. I asked them to hold the guac because some things just don't go together. And the pork lacked flavor. Maybe they need to change the name to something like Carnitas in a wrap. The fries were good and came in their own little frying basket. PH says their menu offers All-American food items with a Maryland twist. Food items? Yeah, that sounds about right. I'd come back for drinks with friends at the bar, but probably not for a meal.
(2)Kimberly T.
Enjoyed a lunch and dinner lunch the public house Excellent Cob salad and very good pale ale Good burger and crab are salad was tasty. Not crowded early evening on weekend. Our waiter and Service was very good. Convenient location. Central to most hotels in area. Reasonable prices.
(3)Marisa B.
Made 6:30 reservations and arrived at 6:10. We were pleased to be seated immediately despite being early and the restaurant being packed (before a Cirque du Soleil show on the harbor). We split the hush puppies and blue crab mac and cheese between our party of four, and both appetizers were excellent. For my entree, I ordered the shrimp and grits. The dish was disappointing at best. Overpriced for the portion which wouldn't have bothered me ordinarily; however, the four shrimp on the plate were terribly overcooked. The cheddar grits were cooked well but under-seasoned. Our waitress confessed to being new, and she was friendly so I hesitate to mention it, but the service was subpar. She knew very few answers to our questions regarding the menu and left the table several times to ask a coworker. Three of the table's four entrees came out at once, but we had to ask where our fourth was after ten minutes. Maybe it was an off night for Public House, but I'd probably try another spot at the harbor next time.
(2)Theo J.
I went for happy hour and it was OK. The food was ok when they finally got my order correct. The bartenders didn't seem to know the drinks. He asked what I didn't like and I feel like the drink he made me tasted like everything I said I didn't want. The Atmosphere was good and I assume it it better during the warmer months. I will give it a try when I'm back in the area.
(3)Terrell L.
Summary: I like this place, it's casual, friendly, the food is great and the drinks are pretty good. This is a great place for brunch, or happy hour. WARNING: if you're coming here or anywhere at the National Harbor in the summer be prepared to park in the parking garage. This area is PACKED when it's warm outside Now back to our review: Service: the staff if friendly, depending on your server they're pretty knowledgable about the menu and restaurant as a whole (I did have a waitress that didn't know when the bar opened). They do aim to please here so I have to give them credit for that. Food: the menu has a pretty good assortment and I'm sure anyone can find something to fit their taste. My personal favorite is the buffalo shrimp, yum yum Drinks: I give this place kudos on their drinks, it's not watered down like so many other places. The bar tending staff is knowledgable about different cocktails oh and did I mention their secret weapon? They have this made in house pineapple vodka that is seriously the smoothest thing I've tasted. Definitely ask for it!
(4)Curtis H.
Unlike others I have been pretty happy with the service and food I have had at the Public House. The Portobello on the ciabatta bread was great, the tomato tapenade and roasted garlic aioli fusion was unique. I was equally happy with the shrimp and grits, but the prices at the National Harbor are always exurbanite and the parking is a B%$#@!!! However, the friends and peers that accompanied me here were not happy with their meal...so roll the dice if you are stuck here for a conference. (Feb 2015)
(3)Octavia Y.
$18 bottomless mimosa and bloody Mary's was steep but they didn't kick us out! Haaaaa. The customer service here was AMAZING! Our waiter, Josh, was amazing!!! The old bay wings weren't on the menu but when I told him my friends talked it up and I was visiting.... He actually brought them out toward the end of our meal! It made me feel VERYYYY special, even though I didn't have any space, lol. I had the crab Benedict and the plate was basically cleaned! Lol, it was great. The steak and cheese spring rolls were pretty good as well. S/o to Public House !!!
(4)Austin G.
Wow. This place was so bad. We went here because it was the closest to our conference location. You'd think this place would be used to large crowds with all of the conferences at The Gaylord National Harbor, but wow. We literally had to stare at our server as he just stood around not helping any of his tables. Our food took 45 minutes to come to us...wow. The food was not good at all (avoid getting the pulled pork sandwich. It was the worst I've ever had). To be fair, the manager did give us a free drink for our troubles, but we will never go back nonetheless.
(1)MsAllyce B.
Although the waitress Rachel was very attentive to our large party, this place is not worth the wait OR the price for dinner. I should've stuck to the appetizers, the crab hush puppies and Old Bay wings were AMAZING! But the steak salad I ordered and the pork chop my sister ordered, not worth the 50 bucks...no way Jose! Save your money, go to Texas Roadhouse!!
(2)Victoria L.
After a fun day at Harbor Festival at the Gaylord Hotel (12/7/13), we were starving. We came here because Cadillac Ranch had a ridiculous hour and 45 minute wait and we were hungry so we decided on Public House. I've never had it so I was hoping it was going to be good. Boy, was I wrong. Okay so let me get this straight...there's 6 tables open and you make us wait 30 minutes AND then you sit us at a table that was open the whole time?? My friend told the hostess we need a table where we can put a highchair for her baby and she said fine. 20 minutes later, she sits us at a booth and my friend asks the hostess if the highchair can go at the end of the table. She goes no you can't put a highchair here if you want a table you need to wait. Okay wait how long? About 10 minutes, the hostess told us. WTF?? Are you kidding me...we told the hostess specifically we need a table because we need a highchair. So annoyed! Well they literally sit us 10 minutes later at a table that was opened since we arrived. By now, I'm annoyed and pissed. She sits us down without utensils, plates and napkin. Um, isn't that the one job you have besides sitting people and you can't even do it right. Our server Steven was meh, he never came to our table unless we waved him down. We had to ask for water even though he passed by and saw we had none. He didn't really do much for me, nothing special in service here. As for the food, we decided to get the nachos, which comes with cheese, melted queso and sour cream. The skimpest shit I've ever seen. What a waste of $12. Do not get it!!!! My friend and I both got a burger with onions strings and bacon. I asked for a medium burger and got a well-done burger. I admit the bacon was good but what bacon isn't? The onion strings were actually decent too. The burger was medicore, nothing special especially for $14 bucks. Get out of here with that crap. Overall, I'm so disappointed at this place. I was expecting some good food at least after having crappy service but nope, same stinky sh*t! I would have starved myself for almost 2 hours waiting at Cadillac Ranch, if I knew I was gonna spend less than what I spent here with better food and service. I guess you gotta try to really know and I know I won't come back here.
(1)Samantha S.
Great bar service for a Monday evening! Bartender Alyssia really knows her way around a bar and does a great job making some bomb drinks! Haven't had the food here yet but plan to come back and try it out one day.
(4)Cristine C.
I've been here for brunch a few times (small parties) and a birthday brunch (larger party) and the food and service was great! The steak and cheese eggrolls w/ spicy ketchup are SO GOOD! Whenever I am here or pass by, the restaurant is busy but I don't usually see a long wait. I've always had a reservation and we've been seated promptly. The service was great and while the portions could (always) be bigger for the price you pay, I think PH is a good deal for the NH area.
(4)Alan T.
I have to take one star away for the portion size. I sat at the bar as it was only me tonight. Ambiance was good, sports bar-ish. I went at about 9pmish so it was dark...I sat at the bar so I can't really comment on the patio seating although I suppose one might be able to watch people walk by, it's hot tonight! They have a few TVs, the Bengals v. Cardinals were on, boring! I had a couple of IPAs, service was good on maintaining my beer levels. When the food came out it was HOT. Ref a couple of the reviews I read about food being cold and/or a hair or something in their food, I didn't have any issues. Food was good, however, the rice and beans was probably Uncle Bens, and I like Uncle Bens, just saying that I could have made that in my room. Chicken was good and hot. Had some cold IPAs, they were cold and served up good. Wait, I already told you that. The Public House is right next to the Residence Inn which assisted me in making my choice for the evening. With some other choices in the neighborhood, I won't have to go back to the Public House tomorrow. Anyway, it's not a place you travel out of your way several miles to visit, it's a place you eat at because you're at National Harbor. Period. If they threw a little more rice and beans on the plate with some real salad and put a real 1/2 chicken on there, I may give them 5 stars.....
(4)Mike S.
Went twice in three days. Good food, and very friendly waitresses!
(5)Mariano T.
A fifth star would constitute better seating and less waiting, however, at four stars I recommend this restaurant because it exceeded my expectations in terms of food taste, quality, and presentation. I would go into further details, but it's Father's day and I have to be somewhere. In short, I had a chicken club with fries and it was delicious. The sandwich was not huge, but neither unsatisfying in size. The fries were very good and not thin or hard. The seating was comfortable although our table was slightly crooked. Being seated outdoors the ambience was cool and comfortable. The waiter was phenomenal and on point. The bathroom was clean and comfortable where no worries about standing or sitting on urine would be an issue. I commend this place for that. Overall, I would eat here again as our tab came out to $65 for four adults. In fact, now that I think about it, I'll be changing the rating to five stars.
(5)Sierra S.
The menu has changed and the new one is unremarkable. While the old menu never boasted a great selection or particularly good food, it was certainly better than the current offering.
(2)Lori H.
We got seated immediately and our waiter was super helpful with telling us the best items on the menu of which we enjoyed the the waffles and chicken were excellent and Dyshun our server was very helpful in assisting us with our travel plans. I had the crab Benedict that was the best I've ever had. It has a great family atmosphere and windows surrounding the entire restaurant so it's a beautiful view and every direction that you look. It started to snow while we were here and is the prettiest place to go for brunch you'll enjoy it!
(5)Scott P.
Ok food, slow service, packed with tourist. Likely not to return.
(3)Tiffany C.
JUST OKAY . . . And that's exactly how it seemed that the waitress felt about waiting on us. Every time she came to the table, she was cracking her knuckles . . . And once she wiped her nose with her hand a la a 2nd grader over the carafe of water on our table. Eating the greens was like biting into food that had been dropped in the sand. The manager made up to the sandy greens with a discount. Unfortunately, there are far too many options to stick to this one. Go somewhere else.
(2)Megan C.
PSA to all servers, especially those working in a non-upscale dining establishment: you are impressing NO ONE when you attempt to take an order for a party of 10 without writing any of it down, especially when you have to return to our table at least twice to confirm who wanted their dressing on the side and who wanted their steak cooked medium-well as opposed to medium-rare. I should add that if you're "training" someone, this example is not the best one to set to a waiter-in-training. The announcement above should give you a pretty good idea of what we were working with during an outing to Public House for a pre-show dinner. While it was nice that they were able to take a reservation for a party of 10, it was kind of odd that we were shuttled away to a corner in a "private-ish room" away from the restaurant's seemingly fun atmosphere, only to be joined by a gaggle of girls also in the room hosting a bachelorette party. The fare is typical of what you'd expect to find at a chain such as Friday's, Chili's, or Outback, though somewhat pulled off without that stigma, since they have a fairly convincing beer list, but don't expect your server to know the difference between Malbec and Merlot when inquiring about their wines by the glass. As someone who appreciates fresh food that's neither fried nor coated in sauce/dressing/cream/coating, I did have a harder time finding something truly appealing to me on their menu, but settled on a southwestern-style salad, heavily-modified (see note above about why NOT to skip writing down orders). If you're easily pleased by a burger-and-fry plate or a pasta plate, there are probably better options for you at Public House. I don't see myself returning to this restaurant next time I'm in National Harbor for dinner, but I am glad to have tried Public House since I had grown weary of the other chain joints, such as Chevy's, in the area. It's worth a shot, but do manage your expectations.
(2)C B.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the day was sunny, yet chilly. The husband and I wanted to enjoy the National Habor, we walked and walked and decided to try a new spot. This restaurant looked nice, little did we know we would spend a pretty penny. The waitress was nice, but the water was room temperature with no ice. We ordered mimosas, they tasted bland. We let that go, and thought maybe the day is just slow. Finally the husband ordered the steak and cheese towers, they were cold and we've had better at local Chinese restaurants. He Asked me, "what else do you want?" So I chose the crab cakes and he had a burger. Both dishes were bland, and tasted a day old. A waste of money I'll definitely say. Do yourself a favor and stay far away. ---not worth the price..skip it----
(2)Lauren E.
Food was amazing. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with a basket of fries. Staff was great. You can tell this place has a real chef because our desserts were fresh and right out of the oven. Would recommend and would eat here again
(5)Jon Z.
If you are stuck in the area for a conference or something, you unfortunately have very limited food options. All the food in the area are both crappy, expensive and huge tourist traps. The service was decent for this place, our waitress was friendly. However, the food took about 30 minutes to come out when there were about 10 diners in the entire restaurant. I ordered an order of wings and a pulled pork sandwich. Come on, it shouldn't take that long to deep fry some wings and put some pork on a bun! The wings were small, but nicely fried. 3/5 for the wings. The pulled pork sandwich was 4/5, good size but it had a very smokey smell, a little over the top with the vinegar. The drinks: We didn't order any because why would you pay $6 bucks for a Coors light?? The entire drink menu is a huge rip off. Public House is not a gourmet bar, so stop charging over the top prices for crappy beer! Unfortunately, every dining option in the area sucks and you have to pick one of the crappy places to eat. I haven't been to the other restaurants in the area because believe it or not they got even worse reviews. My advice, pack your own lunch or just drive far away from this area to eat some real food!
(2)Ren N.
Food quality: good tasting wings. I had the sweet and hot. Waitress said wings come in 10s, when I got my order it was only 8. (Not to be a stickler for counting) Service: extremely slow. I waited 20-30 mins just for the wings. Took them 10 min to realize we were ready to order. I guess the staring technique didn't work quite well in this place. I don't know what the waitress/waiters are doing in the back, probably partying or something.... Atmosphere: smaller than the public house I have been to in the past. Still cozy, enjoyed the booth areas very much. I will not come back again to this particular public house.
(3)Oscar A.
Had lunch here. Ordered the chicken club. It was most excellent. It had a good sauce, not sure what it was bur it was good. It wasn't crowded and the waitress was great.
(4)B. M.
Went in for late lunch. No music at the time. Sat in booth. Crab corn fritters were good app. However the dipping sauce should have been just mayo, horrible. Sandwiches, roast beef sandwich was cold served on cold bread, no flavor or effort. Bread was frozen quality while the Sandwich would have been better if placed under salamander for 2 minutes to crisp the bread, melt the cheese a and warm the fridge meat. Suggest you stay away from that one. Crab cake. OK the bun SUCKED. The crab cake was also two times smaller then the bun, no crisp to it. Like it was lightl u cooked, very mushy. Flavor was off. Had with the chips served in a basket that still had the price tag and made I. China tag on ut. Attention y I details, not! Chips were ok, dipping sauce was average at best. Service was blaaah. Who trained these people. Oh wait the managers who never smiled who were walking around. One looked like he belonged working in a mortgage house. Suit and tie in a pub? No good bye on way out. Food sucked and service was blaa it's a no brained that we won't be back.
(1)Jimmie C.
Service is good but the food was dry. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, no Bruno, very dry, dry. For a resturant down town I expected more quality especially for the price.
(1)Nicole C.
Went yesterday for lunch and had the steak cobb salad. Salad was great and steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Went today and sat at bar. It took 30 minutes just to get an order of hush puppies and the place was way less crowded than yesterday. Lame plus, the crab and corn hush puppies had barely any crab and cost $14. Lunch yesterday saved this from being 2 stars.
(3)Lautice M.
Hubby and I decided at the very late, last minute to go out so we headed to Public House to meet friends for late dinner and drinks. I have nothing to complain about. It was loud but it was 10:30 on a Saturday night and the DJ was jammin so ... Our waiter was great, very professional and you could tell was seasoned. Drinks, appetizers and dinner came out in great time and HOOTTT! So that was a plus. I stuck to wine but hubby had their pineapple infused martini and whoa! It was good and strong. Apparently they soak pineapple slices in vodka for days and wallah! All in all we had a great time - we ended up on the outside patio until closing time. Definitely would go again; prices was as expected.
(4)Amanda B.
Food was alright but the service was certainly lacking. Not sure I would go back.....
(2)Brian H.
Hello Yelp!, it's been awhile. Anywho, our party of four had dinner here last night. Thank goodness we had a reservation, because it was a mob scene. We started with two beers, a bottle of wine, and the queso fundido. The drinks came promptly, followed by the appetizer. The quest is a generous portion, but it came with way too few chips. The waitress offered to bring more, but we had to remind her to bring them. What we were not aware of is that the extra chips coat an additional $5! What a rip. On to the main course. I had the crab cakes, two others had burgers, and our fourth had the pulled pork sandwich (though it was served on a pita?). We had no complaints about a those dishes, but none was amazing. This is a noisy establishment, so we were constantly having to raise our voices to be heard. All in all we had a decent time, but aren't in a hurry to go back.
(3)Roxy J.
Service was decent, which is why I gave two stars. We were seated immediately, our waitress came by quickly to take our order and deliver our drinks. Food took a bit long to be brought out (30+ minutes), and once the table next to us was seated, our waitress focused solely on them. The food was not good. We had crab cake sandwiches and a chicken sandwich. The crab tasted frozen, and I would be shocked if it was fresh. The only decent part of the meal was the french fries.
(2)Jennifer K.
Believe the rating...hostess acted like she was completely inconvenienced by our asking for a table for 6. Server was very nice but food took over a half hours drinks were empty, people who came in behind us were served before us. Blamed it on a backed up kitchen but there were plenty of open tables.
(1)Hannah P.
I called to order food to pick up and was not pleased with my experience. The young lady who answered the phone did not have very good manners. She asked for my name and phone number and told me she placed my order (2 salads). I waited for 45 minutes and never received a call saying my food was ready. So I walked over to find out and sure enough it was sitting in a bag on the bar. It wasn't busy so I really don't understand why no one could have called. Also, they only had one salad in the bag and I had to wait another 10 minutes for them to fix my order. I don't see why it is that hard to complete a phone order for two salads but I'm really disappointed. Especially when I finally got my food and it was pitiful. I have been to PH many times and the experience was okay but never again.
(1)Andra N.
Came here for a quick couple of drinks on a Saturday night. Sat at the bar, not too buy and easily got an open seat. Quick attentive service from the bartender which was really nice, because I hate having to flag them down. Drinks were solid and strong. Just want I like. I would definitely suggest this place if your just looking for a quick drink before your next stop for the night. They do play their music loud, but it's a bar... so my grandma-self will let it slide. It actually wasn't as noisy as I thought it would be and they did have a variety in their playlist that diverted from top 40 which was nice. Must come back to try their food.
(3)Billy T E.
This should be a negative star. Had the maryland crab cake sandwich. But there was a small piece of crab meat in there. The service wasn't even so so. I will never go again.
(1)Dan D.
4-7p happy hr half priced signature drinks. Two of the matador with no food and you are good.
(3)Laura G.
This place is a joke. My husband and I were meeting someone for lunch who was running late, so we decided to have an app and drink at the bar while we waited. While watching a bartender make a mixed drink from a bottle of coke, I quickly made a note to self to not order any form of soda. Five minutes after placing our order, we were told they were out of the crab hush puppy app we ordered. We cancelled the order. Fast forward to our friend arriving. We were seated outside. The nice spring day saved this review from being one star. Good work, weather. My friend asked for a moscato, but the waitress wasn't sure if they had that, so as a back up she selected a cocktail from their bar menu. The waitress returned with white zin, reporting no moscato and no cocktail available. If we managed to order three different things they didn't have that day, imagine how many other things could have possible been a no-go on the menu? One of our dishes got sent back for not having dressing on the side, as requested. My husband's fries, while cutely presented in a basket, were pretty darn awful, and I am never quick to criticize a french fry. My husband did enjoy his burger and my friend her crab cake, although she is from North Carolina and surely can't have our MD crabcake standards.
(2)Quince B.
I had no drinks or food. Very crowded on a Saturday night, if you manage to get a seat at or around the bar, NEVER Get up. Music was way too load to here the person next to you. Just go to Cadillac Ranch across the street and hit the upstairs bar.
(2)Peaches P.
I like Public House....I really do....but I do have an issue with their limited, deficient menu. Their drinks, albeit expensive, have always been good IMO but their food leaves much to the imagination. I strongly believe that if a restaurant has a limited menu then certainly everything should come out of the kitchen absolutely delicious! What's the issue with perfecting fixed menu items???....sheesh...shouldn't be that hard. The spot also turns into a lounge of sorts, with music at night and seems to never have any problems with the masses. Anyway, the Harbor area is really nice, with plentiful shops, restaurants and scenery. I do enjoy when I go to that area for those reasons alone.
(3)Allison B.
We went on a Saturday afternoon. It was rather warm inside for how hot it was outside. It took a while before I was some what comfortable inside, the somewhat ice water helped. What didn't help was the long hair rolled into the napkin. Ew. Should have left after those two problems. Our server was polite but MIA a good bit. The wait for the food seemed forever long for we ordered and how busy it was. Husband waited and asked a busser to find our server for another beer. She wandered off and when she found him he couldn't understand what we needed. His beer then sat at the bar for nearly 5 minutes. Our food was mediocre. The burger was overcooked to be ordered at Medium. My pulled pork pita had more lettuce and guacamole than pork. My daughter and I went to the restroom after we had been done eating for a while and husband waited for the check, when we came back he was still waiting to settle the bill. It took over an hour and a half for what we thought was a quick lunch. We left wishing we just went to potbelly. We would have saved our money and time.
(1)Lucia J.
Brunch here was great. The chicken and waffles to the sausage gravy and biscuits! Casual atmosphere and pleasant staff.
(4)Ilona s.
Went for drinks and appetizers. Fairly disappointed. Was recommended by Gaylord hotel so was thinking it would be a good choice. Crowd was young and loud. Lots of drinking and dancing - which I usually enjoy. However waiter was not around much, and appetizer (queso and spring rolls) were bland. Actually worst than bland. Might have been the worst queso that I've ever had. (Geez who acres up queso?!) Pretty gross. Definitely would only go back to this place for cocktails.
(1)Matt R.
This place was terrible for food and service. Mainly, the very disrespectful and unprofessional bartenders/waiters. Judging from other reviews, I have a similar story. Around 130pm last Saturday, I sat at the bar with my girlfriend to get a quick bite and a beer while catching the soccer game. After sitting down for 10 minutes and not being looked at, the two bar tenders rushed to try and get our order. After looking over the limited menu we ordered--a salad and a chicken club. Super easy. 45 minutes later. The food took forever, people that sat after us got their food and finished before we received ours and the bartenders avoided us and made excuses (the kitchen is busy)--it was a relatively normal Saturday for a restaurant in that area. Regardless, if your kitchen can't put out a salad and a sandwich fairly quickly you should fire everyone involved. When the food came out and both bar tenders could tell we were annoyed a male bar tender put two shots of a clear liquid in front of us. When I asked what it was, he simply said "you'll like it." Think it was a vodka shot, which was wildly inappropriate--namely that it was 2pm on a Saturday and we had drive back to DC. Not to mention again--it was 2pm on a Saturday. I've never felt so disrespected at a restaurant before. If a bartender is going to give someone a free drink to make up for their inefficiencies, they should at least stick to what that guest is drinking. The food was poor quality, chicken was overcooked but cold and the bread was soggy. Both my side salad and my girlfriend's full salad was bland. We left hungry, after 2 hours. And pretty angry. Wish I had taken my girlfriend's advice to just pay for the beer and leave after waiting for 30 minutes.
(1)Arlene G.
The brunch includes bottomless mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Our server Karlyn was attentive and kept my mimosas coming. We have a 6 year old who enjoyed their varied kids menu. We listened to her menu recommendations and are sure glad we did! Everything was delicious. Do yourself a favor and start with the crab corn hush puppies. We will be back to check out their karaoke night and dinner.
(4)Adrian R.
Soooo I'm in here on a Thursday....two bartenders are skkkiiimmmmpppppp on drinks...smh...wish kitchen was open later food is good here.
(1)Laurie W.
Stopped in here on a whim to watch the 2nd half of the 1pm Sunday games when the bar at the Gaylord was ridiculously crowded. The good - great selection of martinis and cocktails. Plenty of large TVs, too, showing all the games. The bad - only one seasonal beer on tap? The on-tap selection was definitely limited. I wouldn't make a special trip, but was fine for what I needed that day.
(3)Kate N.
We thought the food looked great so we stopped in for brunch on Sunday morning. It was not crowded, but service was absurdly slow and the wrong food was brought to us after 45 minutes of sitting at the table. They were clueless about a gluten allergy one person in the party had, further delaying the meal. This was a terrible experience unfortunately and we were extremely disappointed after a great weekend at a conference at the convention center across the street. **when the food came out properly, it was tasty and hot. The server comped the meal and we left happier than initially anticipated.
(3)Kristy W.
I've been twice, and each time was during a conference at the Gaylord National across the street. Two different conferences, and two different days of the week. The first was a Friday. This place was a mad house. In fact, were it not for the reasonable happy hour prices, I wouldn't have even considered for a mere second, going back a second time. Friday night at Public House, or at least this Friday night, was to put it politely, a cluster. Granted, the place was overrun with conference attendees, but there were at least as many locals (disclosure, I am from DC, so am known for being tourist-judgy) being judgy about the conference attendees. But that gave it a distinctly antagonistic feel. Add that to the fact that the music was loud enough that even outside in the drizzle, we had to nearly yell to hear ourselves. The second time, however, was a Monday, and I needed to kill some time before a party (rough life, I know), so stopped in for their very reasonable happy hour. Now, being that I love fried cheese and am never one to turn down things that are also smoked, I tried their smoked fried ("crispy") mozzarella. In theory, it would have been quite delicious. But even I, who will come back from a camping trip and revel in the smoky smell that lingers for days, thought the smoke on this cheese was a little much. I couldn't finish the plate (and that is sad). I also tried their spiked hot cider. It seemed appropriate for the weather, since it was dreary and cold and a little snow lingered on the streets. But it was spiked with Fireball whisky, which I haven't had since college and now remember why, and was also lukewarm. But hey, the beer is cheap. At least during happy hour, and hey, good news, it's only a block from the hotel!
(2)Tempress M.
Well first of all, I love the Harbor, a very nice place to come and hangout with friends--and even for out of town guest. Ok, now to the real issue at hand...Public House. The service sucks!!! The bartenders are R.U.D.E, no personality whatsoever. They ignore you when you try and ask for service (which they are supposed to provide), and it's not just one bartender, it's all of them!!! If I leave work after a looooong day and I'm looking for a drink, I expect superior service, especially if I'm paying. Last time I checked, food and drinks aren't free! The food and drinks are subpar but other than that they get 2 stars from me. So if and when you decide to come, expect the rudeness!!
(2)Luis T.
Went here for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast hollandaise eggs with crab tasted well. Dinner was good too. As the others have posted, the prices are higher then one would expect given that its on national harbor.
(3)Kimberly P.
Service was very slow and food was hit or miss. The Korean short rib buns were delicious and the portabella sandwich (minus the roll) was yummy. But the kids burger was burnt and gross. The southwest Cobb is served with cold chicken (no warning that the chicken wasn't cooked fresh). Overall I'd maybe try an appetizer again but the entrees left much to be desired.
(3)Ellen L.
Last minute birthday plan? Want to enjoy good music? open late? this place is a good choice for that. However be prepared for mediocre food and slow service. I would go back just for a spur of the moment or its because its a place I already tried but it wouldn't be a first choice.
(3)Shenica S.
I'm always going to be a huge fan of the Public House... when working for the County and stationed at the National Harbor I already know what's for dinner... I love the staff, Alexis, Jay, and Nicki are my favorites for my lunch and dinner meals... and Michelle is my all time fave for breakfast.... these following ppl compliment the amazing meals I constantly get served. I recommend the old bay wings and tacos for an appetizer, crab cake sandwich or southwest salad as an entree and DEFINITELY the apple turnover for dessert! The managers including my favorite Brian are very attentive and cater to your needs and are very approachable. THERE IS NEVER A DOUBT THAT I WILL ALWAYS GET GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOOD WHEN I VISIT!!!
(5)Jeana C.
I am giving them 5 stars because of their manager. I assume he was the manager. My girls and I came here last night for our girls' night out. Ordered 2 appetizers and a salad, and my girls had drinks. Music was awesome, DJ was on point! But the guests next to us were a little wild...then more ladies joined them. The issue was, they were dancing right next to our table, w their big booties about to touch our table. We just LOL, and continued to have a good time. Apparently, the manager saw this and came over to them and said something to them, twice. At the end we received our bill and baam. 1/2 off our bill, just because of all the wildness to the table next to us. We thought that was an excellent svc. Needless to say, we tipped the waiter very well. So good job, manager for the night! We will be back!
(5)Dawn B.
Loved Happy Hour...Drinks were only $6.00 which is fantatstic in EXPENSIVE DC!!! We had 4 drinks and a salad for 33.00. Im comparing that price to the following night at another venue in downtown DC (Spent $35 for a Ceasar salad and 1 cocktail....OMG, could have hit the floor).
(3)BC E.
We came here before reading the reviews. Mistake. Simple crab cake and chicken sandwiches with a bottle of half price wine came to $70 with tip. Not bad, but the food was only okay. The wine was good, though, and a deal at half price (Sunday's). However, the list we picked it from said it was from Germany, but the label clearly said Washington state. Say whaaat?!? Service was prompt, but my friend said the crab didn't seem fresh. It smelled fishy even across the table. Chicken sandwich, which was supposed to be a club, was just a breast on toast. I expected fresh sliced chicken in the more traditional club set-up. They have a captive audience here, though, but if you can get into DC or Alexandria, do it.
(2)Kristin F.
I went here one Saturday around 11am after running a race at the National Harbor. My friend and I looked at their brunch menu online and were excited to try this place out, but we failed to see that on Saturdays breakfast is only served until 11am so unfortunately we were stuck with the lunch menu which seemed very limited to me. I ordered the Public House burger which was Angus and came with the standard toppings. I found it okay but nothing great about it. My friend ordered the Maryland Crabcake sandwich which she said was good. Overall I just wasn't impressed by the menu options for lunch, maybe they have more for dinner but I don't think I would go here again.
(2)David B.
Been here several times and like hanging at the bar. The bar staff are also very attentive and friendly. I had the charted chicken wings and they were really good. Very different crusty and yummy.. I also had the Korean BBQ shorten buns yummy as well..
(4)Jason K.
My buddy and I were here for a conference at The Gaylord and the Public House is right across the street. They have a great happy hour for $3 Yeunling's or Coor's Light and a bunch of different appetizers. I got the Southwest Salad. Our waitress/bartender was super cool and was quick to refill my Youngling. The food came out after about 10 minutes and it was a really large salad with an awesome tasting grilled chicken with what seemed like a spicy rub. Perfect coloring. Some tortilla strips and avocado with the balsamic type dressing made for a filling salad. There were also a ton of TV screens here with which games were on beneath them during football season. A huge plus! Before happy hour ended I ordered the hummus plate. I knew I would want the leftovers for breakfast. Superb! A huge scoop of hummus with some olives and tomatoes go with the hot pita bread perfectly. Just yummy! Great food for a usual touristy type place and a fun atmosphere! The happy hour was the best that I saw at National Harbor.
(4)Jeff W.
Stopped for dinner after the football game. The food was delicious. I had the Jambalaya that was a perfect mixture of heat and spicy. My wife had short ribs that was cooked to falling off the bone. The corn and crab hush puppies was an fabulous starter. The sauce that came with it was incredible. The staff was attentive and good. Overall a great visit.
(4)Ujji B.
Note: review is only for bar/drinks not food or wait service I went late night for a drink, the bartender was friendly and inquired about my day. After getting my drink, my guest and I went outside to the patio seating which was a great addition to the semi warm weather. We sat in front of the fire pit and enjoyed conversation with off the clock staff. They stay open pretty late compared to the rest of the Harbor which tends to shut down after 11pm.
(4)Ken C.
I went there before dinner time. It was OK, but nothing special. The service was not that great. If you don't care about the service, then just go with beers.
(2)Ariana G.
In the food desert of National Harbor where it is next to impossible to find anything approaching edible, this place is an oasis. I am not going to say it's great because it's not. It is a place to get something to eat, that you will want to eat and not send back to the kitchen. Best the area has to offer.
(3)Tarik B.
I went on a Friday night it was super crowded the wait for tables 45 minutes. The crowd is nice, guys must wear collared shirt, music is mostly urban and hip hop but great clean music and a little dance floor. I order the salmon platter a little disappointed at the size of the salmon was at 22 on a plate a can with some cus cus and vegetables but the salmon was small. A little smaller than a your palm. Luckily I ordered chicken and french fries at the bar which was delicious the salmon was delicious also. Plenty of women.
(4)Connie M.
Deja vu...I was staying at the Gaylord; attending the same workshop; came in with a huge lunch crowd with the same friends; sat at the bar again; had mediocre service again; both times left hungry and disappointed. Major Fail. :( So, why come back? Well, I believe in 2nd chances, my friend is a vegetarian, it is one block from the Gaylord and there is only so many times you can pay $20 for hotel salad bar. As a former server, I feel for them as the convention lunch crowd stampedes in all at once...so the long wait does not bother me. What irked me is the number of times the male bartender walked past my empty ice tea glass and refused to make eye contact with me. See, the problem is that the ice tea is in the back and any good bartender would make sure to have at least ONE pitcher of tea stashed at the bar as the lunch crowd comes in. FAIL #1 Yes, he was annoyed because many of the bar patrons were in a hurry to get back to their workshops/meetings but if he had taken 30 seconds to explain that a huge lunch crowd walked in AT THE SAME TIME and the kitchen was backed up but could he refill their drinks with a giant (even fake) smile. Instead, he gave attitude which only made the people sitting next to me even more upset and impatient. FAIL #2 I ordered from the Sunday Brunch menu...Crab Benedict. I asked for the eggs to be extra runny and they were perfect! However, the Hollandaise sauce was also watered down (was there misunderstanding when I ordered??) The "fingerling" potatoes came out cubed like for a hash...except they were not brown or crispy. FAIL #3 I have to give a shout out for their sausage patties...they came with my vegetarian friend's french toast (see, there are perks to being friends with her!!) and I was happy to trade my bland potatoes for them. They were tiny but they look and tasted like they were homemade...SCORE!! At 1pm there was a football game and they have a special...$20 for unlimited Coors Light and 1/2 price apps WITH the beer special. I tried to order some wings but couldn't get any which made me really tempted to stay for Coors light. ps. My friend liked her french toast but it wasn't anything special for $12 pps. If everyone had gotten the bottomless Bloody Mary(s) EVERYONE would have had a better time!! :)
(2)Todd P.
We were a party of 14 and to my surprise, we were seated immediately without a reservation. There was a room set aside for a large group. For me, it went downhill from there. We were there on Sunday early enough for breakfast. We all received menus and only half of them had the breakfast menu. Water was served with no lemon and a few glasses without ice and it was high chlorine tap water. The highlight of my experience was having my order taken last and not receiving it. When I informed the order taker (not server - there is a big difference) her standard answer was "it'll be coming up." In reality, the kitchen goofed and didn't prepare it at all. It was finally delivered when everyone else in my party was finishing up. Fortunately, the manager comped my meal. I still don't think I'll return.
(2)D G.
Decent appetizers and drinks.; the chicken spring rolls were tasty. Nothing overly superb but a great bar if you want to catch a football game outside of the house. Food is kinda pricey for what you get, but it is to be expected in that location. Overall, I will return... Just not rushing to do so.
(3)Miranda H.
We went here because they had a good looking menu for brunch, much better than other restaurants nearby. I'm glad we made a reservation because apparently they had a 25 minute wait. Service was okay - our server didn't check in very often which kept us waiting, and the food was just okay as well - the aioli that they put on the sandwich was gross - lacked flavor and wasn't anything special - would have preferred just mayo, and the fries were lukewarm. After ordering, meal came out in about 5 min. I was annoyed that when I ordered decaf coffee it was a big deal that took about 10 minutes to be delivered, and then when she refilled it she put in regular. The place was okay - nothing special and really not worth the price. Probably won't be returning anytime, nor would I recommend it.
(2)Taylor C.
Sat at the bar for dinner while I was here for a tradeshow. DJ was good, drinks were well poured. As I always do I got the Mac and cheese. There was a lot of crab in it which would be good but everything else about it missed. For dinner I had the southwest salad as a wrap and it was good. I'm guessing this is slightly better than most bar food. Someone next to me got the crab cakes and said they were good and all crabmeat. Service was good but not great.
(3)Lisa H.
Ho-hum. We went around 11:30 am before Cirque. The positive: Service was good throughout. I had the chicken sandwich. Bland. Average. Nothing to write home about. Served on wheat toast that got soggy on one side by the time I got to the second half. My friend got huevos rancheros and it looked a bit weird. He said it tasted fair. They serve it on a flat tostado or something like that. Skimpy sausage portion. I won't be back. There are lots of other places to try.
(2)S G W.
Food is very good. Portions are generous. They have very nice entree salads and great burgers. The menu has plenty of other choices too, but we went with our favorites. We also noticed the bar is very well stocked. Some of the regular convention goers said it's one of the best bars there. Service was good. The waiter was big help with beer recommendations. The restaurant is a short distance from the hotel area so if you are there for a convention and only have a short time for lunch, it works well. And perfect for happy hour too.
(4)Local B.
The best time to go is on a weekday or a Sunday evening during a game. Friday & Saturday nights suck because for it to be a bar they have too many damn rules for your casual spot for drinks, music & food. I dont need to be told to take my hat off as if my hat is going to hurt anybody in the damn establishment. My friend who is not from this area does not need to be told he needs a collar shirt in order to get a F-ing beer. If you want to be a fake upscale nightclub you might want to promote yourselves as such. Corny ass rules towards two working guys who will go in spend their money & spread the word of a great time is a bad look. Fix that shtt because its lame & turns off many people from being regulars.
(3)Sarah W.
Just got back from a conference at the Gaylord in National Harbor. Over the three days I was there, I ate at Public House three times. (Drinks & Dessert, Lunch, and Dinner). The food here is delicious, however, the service is what is really holding this place back. The wait time even for just dessert was at least 30 minutes, our lunch came out quickly, however, the waitress was barely around. Dinner took forever as well, though the place was slammed. This place is full of out of towners who are trapped without cars to leave the Harbor, which means the prices are higher than you would find else where. Can't imagine going back on my next trip to the DC area, but it served its purpose considering the situation I was in.
(3)dana m.
I've eaten here at the Philly location, I had high expectations for this place. Unfortunately it wasn't the best. The smell of old beer coming from the bar as we walked past it to our table for lunch was overwhelming. I almost walked out because if they're not cleaning the bare minimum (mopping after a busy night) who knows what else they're not cleaning!! I got over it and sat down in a booth. The food was decent but the waitress stood there, bent over the beverage station right in front of us. It was awkward...
(2)Emily G.
I came here with my parents and it is so gross I decided to review it now. I gave it 1 star for presentation, but otherwise my chop salad was soaked in lime juice and disgusting and the garlic spinach I ordered on the side was too strong. I can make spinach better than that. my dad got the burger and said it was too sweet, and my mom got a crab cake and said it was about what she could expect from a 2 star restaurant. none of us finished our meals and I am highly disappointed. do not get trapped in this tourist restaurant or because it is convenient as it was for us.
(1)Jaymee M.
Sat down at the bar at 6:52 pm (no intentions of ordering happy hour items) bartender walked by us multiple times and finally talked to us at 7:03 pm after happy hour ended at 7:00 pm. Over 10 minutes to be said hello to and take a drink order?? At a bar!? Ridiculous. She was rude. Short. And wasn't interested in anything but hanging out with the other bartenders. We witnessed her take shots twice with them while we were waiting for our second round and then waiting for our check. Finally another bartender brought us our check. I will never return because of the lack of service.
(1)Freddy V.
The karaoke is so nice but there is one Asian girl at bar that is so rude all time and gave a bad service to us also the manager Mike don't care about anything we told them about the problem that girl and he was so disrespectful too. Bad time - Bad service.
(1)Laura V.
Arrived as a party of three just after noon. Placed lunch order at 12:05 p. Tepid coffee arrives and has to be sent back. At 12:30 p. we asked how things were coming with our lunch (3 burgers). We were told that it was "up next". At 12:45 p. we asked for our check for the coffee and tea and said we were leaving. The server said, there was a party of 15 in front of us...really? The restaurant was NOT full and patrons who arrived after us had SOME food on their table when we walked out. Choose another choice!
(1)Gloria Y.
Worst place EVER!! Customer service....severely lacking!!! They pour costumers drinks out before it's done & then make you buy another!!! Crazy!!!
(1)Krystal P.
The good is good but there is a limited selection and it is a bit pricey for what's offered. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was delicious. We ordered seven daughters moscato. It was pretty good, light and sweet. I also got the honey orange Manhattan. It was pretty strong but still ok. Just wish they had more of a selection.
(3)Sumi H.
Thank you Public House for being so awesome during my stay at the harbor. I've been remodeling my house without anywhere to stay that night, or kitchen to cook in. I was horribly stressed and honestly needed a break from it all. My mother and I came to this restaurant and we were greeted promptly by Andrew. He gave great food and drink suggestions, and he was very kind and patient with our indecisiveness. Overall great experience, and the artichoke and crab dip is something only true Marylanders and crab lovers can enjoy. It's full of lump crab meat! With all of the fuss about my house and the stress that comes along with it, I guess my sleep deprivation got the best of me. As I was packing up to go, I left my car keys!! I woke up the next morning in a rush to meet my contractors and I was totally stranded. But thanks to Andrew, his kindness, and honesty, he found them and stashed them for me to pick up the night before. All of this to say the staff here is wonderful and the food matches their caliber! I'll definitely be back!
(4)Torie G.
Appetizers were good, but they ran out of French Fries! Really? How do you run out of French Fries? There was an hour wait for the crab Mac & Cheese at 11am! Service was subpar and mgr on duty was awful. Probably would never go back.
(2)Samayah A.
What saddens me about this place was not so much the food was bad but our server being such an ass. He had such a terrible attitude and seemed irritated when I requested my salad a certain way. I just didn't get it. Beyond that my son has a gluten allergy and I requested his burger not come with the bun. Of course it did and the items were left off a simple Cobb salad I ordered. Just unfortunate I have to give this place a bad review over someone with an unfavorable attitude. The wait was kind of long too. I will NOT give them my business again.
(1)Amanda K.
Been here twice. The first time I was among a group of 6 girls and we just went for drinks. The place gets packed and gets pretty live. We had so much fun and the music was great. The second time I went with one friend for dinner and drinks. We ordered the cheesesteak wraps which were amazing and the nachos which were good UNTIL I SAW A BABY ROACH CRAWLING OUT OF THE NACHOS!!! I was horrified and disgusted since I had been eating them. The bartender took all the food off our bill but charged us for the drinks. No one really apologize, guess they're used to roaches in their food. DISGUSTING. Do not eat here.
(1)Mohammed J.
Don't miss the chicken spring rolls!!! They are ridiculously delicious! A bit spicy tho
(4)Jim D.
Server was Annie she was very nice and attentive. Asked her what she would recommend and decided to try the jambalaya. Good choice, great taste and good portion. Would recommend this place to friends and work partners.
(5)LaShanta H.
Stay far away from the smokehouse bacon flatbread. Just too fancy. But not good quality. Too much going on. Burger was great and the topping options were really good but the bun was WAY too small for a half pound burger. Greek salad was great and big and fresh. The pita bread was nice and soft too.
(3)Neal E.
Had a late dinner here one evening. Sat at the Bar. Ordered the fried oysters for an appetizer - and a burger with fries. Plus a Pint of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. Oysters came out first. They were very heavy on the breading, and the breading was falling off the oysters - and very little in the way of flavor. Burger was tasty - fries were hot and crisp. 90 Minute IPA was cold and delicious. In the bar area - they have this large glass storage container - packed full of Pineapple Vodka. They let the Pineapple marinate and flavor the Vodka for about a week. The bartender gave me a complimentary shot. It was delicious! Did not even taste like Vodka! Service was good. I'd come back here for drinks and maybe something to eat - but I would not order the oysters again.
(3)Xerxes N.
Great spot that is walking distance from the Gaylord National Convention Center in MD. I had the opportunity to hang out at this place two nights in a row. The first night was just sitting outside on the patio. We sipped on some beers as we people watched throughout the evening. The next night though...karaoke!!! The set up for karaoke was rather odd. All the words were blasted on a big screen that you can see throughout the bar but you had to stand so close to the wall (because of the mic cord) and look straight up. (Thank God I've sang Baby Got Back so many times that I didn't really need to look at the screen.) It's a great set up for everyone else to sing along but hard for the singer since they're so close to the screen. Also, where we stood to sing was in a walkway so people were easily walking around you as oppose to being on a stage. The bar was a huge wraparound and the service overall was solid (with some good eye candy by the way). Since I already had dinner I didn't eat but I did see a few meals come out and they looked pretty good. It's one of those spots that I wish we had here in Hampton Roads I'd be a regular. Just an overall good vibe with a mixed crowed. Everyone in my group had a good time as we sang the night away.
(4)Justin K.
Not overwhelming. Greeter wasn't very friendly. Service was OK, I'd have expected better at 7pm on a Sunday night. Food was relatively bland. Not interested in returning.
(2)Crissy C.
I recently had a dinner party at Public House for my birthday. There were about 20 of us so they sat us in the private area toward the back of the restaurant. We could still here the music, which was great but the atomosphere was much calmer and the decor was fitting. There were two other parties (one with about 10 people and the other had about 20 people) in the area as well but the space was large enough for all parties to enjoy themselves without feeling like someone was stealing their night. The food and drinks were amazing. We all ordered appetizers to share including the cheesesteak spring rolls (my favorite), wings, nachos, and crab and artichoke dip. Some ordered salads and a couple had crab cakes. No complaints at all. Throughout dinner I had an unknown amount of drinks and even the server bought me a shot for my birthday. I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday there and would definitely return.
(4)Mary Jo Lisa C.
Was seated outside fairly quickly on a very busy Saturday afternoon. Service was quick and prompt and our server checked on us fairly regularly. The NY strip was cooked perfectly and the B sprouts and frites (which was like a nest of fried potato strings) was the excellent compliment to the steak. My friend had a cheeseburger with fries which she seemed to enjoy. Great spot and fun for people watching.
(4)Toya J.
Public House is a hands down good a$$ time! Friday night this is the perfect place to be out and about with friends. I was shocked at how far the National Harbor had come on the Liveliness Scale. For dinner, I ordered the buffalo shrimp appetizer and it was really good. The shrimp were big, and the seasoning was very tasty. Everyone else's appetizers looked good too. They serve bistro quality dishes. Although, this is a casual spot, it's not your typical burgers, buffalo wings, and fries type of place. They have flat breads, hummus, and mussels; there are a host of unrelated items to choose from. You may want to let your server know if you're a lightweight, because folks were getting LIT UP!!! I'm sure what I would presume to be grown responsible ladies, somehow had reverted back to their college days, drinking, staggering, and stumbling around holding on to counters to get from one end of the bar to the next, and it wasn't even midnight . YIKES! At one point they had to turn the house lights up, because someone had puked all through the women's bathroom, so they closed it down to do a thorough cleaning. Girls Girls Girls, that drink may be fun, fruity, and flirtatious, but that don't mean it's a tease. HA HA! The DJ here on Friday night was spinning top 40 and some Hip Hop, customers have somehow created their own dance floor in the front and rear of this restaurant and people was just partyin'. There's indoor/ outdoor seating as well. I liked the fact that we sat outside and ate, and then our group came in and had a few more drinks kinda two steppin, mingling at the bar. I'm coming back... and as a matter of fact we are adding this place into my girlfriend's Bachelorette Bar Hop in August. Every man and woman needs a good waterin' hole to lay their burdens down and in my book Public House just got official.
(4)Leang E.
We came in and were seated right away, and was able to get a table outside. It was a gorgeous day to be out and sitting. The food was good, but like what others have stated the service was lacking. The refills were a bit slow, and we went up to the hostesses to see about getting our bill paid. Luckily, we were able to do that so that we could head out and enjoy the rest of our night. I don't get why there was a need for 4 hostesses when it seemed that they really need more waitstaff. The prices were average for the area.
(3)Gerna P.
They brought me NOT what I have ordered. There was a hair in my food. They compensated with a VERY small amount. Will not go back.
(1)Jasmin H.
So we ended up here after the original reason we were staying at National Harbor fell thru (Pose was closed, but that is another rant for another post) as a quick fix. Since we were staying at the Gaylord, Public House was conveniently located across from there. When we walked in I noticed how random the crowd was. Saw some mid 30s and mid 20s crowded in the restaurant and bar sides equally. Personally I thought the place would be bigger on the inside considering how it looked from the outside. The DJ was ON POINT! Like I was shocked at how he played most songs all the way thru and had a random, but good variety/collection. Didn't even need to be drunk to enjoy myself lol. Too bad the space to dance is kind of tight (I know it's not meant to be a dance club or anything but with jams that good it's hard not to want to move around!) but my girls and I made the best out of the space. I ordered a Lemon Drop shot that was freakin expensive! Lke I just shivered again fro the memory of that price, not to mention when I ordered a Mai Tai the bartender said he would make me a Rum Punch instead....um I guess? Lucky for him it was delish. Overall it was an enjoyable alternative to my original plans. The overall atmosphere was cool. If I were stayin at National Harbor again I would totally return.
(3)Joy L.
I guess if your in your twenties and like loud (really loud) rap music this is the place for you. It gave me a headache!! Our waiter was slow and barely made eye contact with us. He had to lean over the table to hear us because the music was so loud. On a positive note, the burger was good as was the claim chowder thus the two star rating.
(2)A N.
Wish I had looked at the menu before entering this place! Two apps - nachos and fried Mac & cheese, plus a kids grilled cheese cost nearly $50. That's insane. Food quality was ok but for the money was a let down. Would have left if I hadn't already sat down with a hungry child present. Place was dark in the restaurant area at five o'clock. Maybe this place is only there to cater to the high rollers staying at the Gaylord and that's fine. Just don't have signs on the outside saying its a casual food restaurant.
(1)Scott D.
Let me be clear. This is five stars because of our waiter Andrew and how accommodating he was. On top of everything being perfect. Andrew was absolutely excellent. If someone goes to national harbor come here for the great service and food.
(5)Laura R.
Bad service and mediocre (at best) service. Stopped in here after a Christmas event in the area. Service was S.L.O.W. and no one ever checked on us after our food arrived. Beer was waaay overpriced (seriously $6 for a Coors Light bottle?!?! ) but I really wanted one after dealing woth dC traffic, alas, no one asked. Food. Well my medium rare buger was on the verge of well done and the "cheddar" was more similar to a slice of prewrapped processed cheese. Dont get me started on the fast-food-esqe bacon. My husband's turkey on the turkey and brie was also processed lunchmeat. Sister-in-law got the pulled pork and her hands were more greasy than my 3 year old (who had chicken tenders). Good luck!
(1)Jeremy Y.
Seated for breakfast on a Saturday morning. 10 minutes before the server acknowledged us (no water/drinks) and only a couple of minutes after asking if a server was assigned to our table. 2 of 4 water glasses have lipstick on them. Restaurant not busy, lots of staff standing around. Poor service negates food quality.
(2)Pete C.
Tough to rate this place. The whole National Harbor area feels a bit like a tourist trap that trying too hard to be cool. We were staying at the Gaylord Resort for a big conference and because there was not a lot of convenient transportation to and from the hotel we found ourselves walking around this cluster of retail and restaurants that were within walking distance. The Public House was one of the closet locations to the hotel and so we hit it our first night in town. Hint to self if the entire police force of the National Harbor area is parked outside of an establishment maybe you should pick someplace else for a late night snack. We walked in and it was LOUD. Not lots of talking and plates clinking loud but heavy duty pounding hip hop dj pounding bass so you can't hear yourself shouting LOUD. We sat at the furthest table from the DJ and ordered our food. Stay away from the flat bread! The wings were good and my friends salad was ok but the highlight was the cold beer served fast and by a friendly waiter. After a couple of beers I thought we'll hell the music is here let's see where the dance floor is....you guessed it no dance floor just a bunch of folk moving where they stood. Mostly around the bar. What the hell East Coast? If you can't dance and can't hold a conversation and the food is gone it might be time to go elsewhere. Food was OK, Service was good, atmosphere was meh. 2 1/2 stars pumped up because they did play a couple of cool songs.
(3)Josh P.
Came in around 11 on a Monday night after getting off a late bus tour of the city, so we were really just trying to find a restaurant that was still open for dinner. Walked in a the music was at club levels. There was some kind of drama happening outside so we opted to eat inside, which ended up being a mistake. I thought the music was loud when we walked in, but it just got louder and not only that, it was the most offensive playlist I'd heard in a restaurant setting. If there was a club setup in the back I could MAYBE give it a pass, but it's just a bar with an "upscale" restaurant front. Sorry if I don't enjoy "f*** you b****" and "I don't give a f*** about you" while I'm trying to eat my dinner (I think "f*** you b*****" actually played twice until someone who I assumed was the manager changed it to an almost equally vulgar song) The food was mediocre at best, not good enough to offset the awful atmosphere.
(1)Wes E.
Terrible service and mediocre food. Ordered apps took 35 mins to get a bowl of soup and hot wings .. Overpriced!
(1)Judi R.
My husband and I went to happy hour for the half priced apps & drinks. I Googled the website and it showed happy hour was 3 til 7 pm & we arrived before 4. We sat @ the bar & ordered the hummus plate, some wings & fries along with a couple of drinks. The food arrived pretty quick, drinks were good & we enjoyed everything. When the bill came, our bartender/waiter had charged us full price! I asked why the bill was full priced & he said we ordered BEFORE 4....thats when happy hour starts. I showed him the website on my phone AND the receipt also said 3 til 7!! He rather reluctantly re-did our bill. We were fine until that bill came. Come on Public House!!!! Get on the same page!!! SOOO....does happy hour start @ 3 OR 4pm??? Will we be going back?...No time soon.
(3)Angela T.
This was very good food, and unlike some of the other reviewers, we had no issues with waiting a long time. But the place was also only to half capacity the night we went. I would like to point out that because the hotel all these restaurants in National Harbor are built around is a pricey Gaylord Hotel, ALL the restaurants price gauge in the village. They know it would be too expensive to cab elsewhere. So bottom line, it is NOT worth driving out of your way to get here for the price. But if you are visiting the Gaylord as we were for the week, this restaurant is a great choice.
(4)Anthony D.
Just had a reunion party of some co-workers there on a busy Saturday night. Server Nathaniel was uber attentive to all 15 of us. Had table side visits from Chef Ron, manager Brian and Lisa from Marketing. Drinks were drinks. Can't mess with bourbon and rocks. Buffalo shrimp appetizer was very tasty. I skip the blue cheese though. Need to try more of menu next time. As Arnold would say, "I'll be back."
(5)Dana W.
A large group of my friends went to the public house for breakfast and I would not recommend! Even though the crab and corn hush puppies were pretty good, I can't say the same for our breakfasts. I had an omelette which was made incorrectly, then brought back out still not made correctly. One of us had the heuvos rancheros which was just bad. Another one of us had steak and eggs which were not cooked as requested and the steak was burnt and chewy. Another friend had the Chesapeake Benedict which was bland. The eggs were essentially hard boiled on top instead of poached. Overall the food was sub par and over priced. We won't be going back here.
(2)Bobby S.
Public house is my favorite restaurant bar. You can come in and enjoy an amazing dinner with your girl and party it up at night with your boys. The bartenders are quick to assist you and make sure you are enjoying yourself, especially Mike Terry. I would recommend anybody to come here and enjoy this place. It is the staple of the National Harbor. Bobby S.
(5)Autumn W.
Came in for breakfast during our vacation. The service was awful and it took almost 45 minutes for our order to arrive. When it did finally come it was hot, however my husband discovered mold on his last bite of fruit. We also asked for a refill on coffee that we never received. Will not eat here again. The manager however did comp my husbands breakfast.
(1)Tisha S.
This place is cool, food it good and large portions. When it turns into a club it gets real tight and hot. Its better when its warmer and folks can be outside as well. otherwise is a small few dancing and others just watching. There is always a mix of folks from upper crust, to gays and lesbians to the hip white person..
(4)Kenneth A.
We went there for Sunday morning breakfast. It was one of the very few restaurants that was open. We enjoyed the food and service. I had the crabs benedict and my wife had the burrito. Both were prepared well. Our server was attentive and friendly. I would certainly recommend the place.
(4)Jack H.
We were supposed meet our friends for Saturday brunch at this restaurant, but they failed to show for personal reasons. It was my recommendation to go to this restaurant and maybe in retrospect it's a good thing they didn't show up. I've had worse meals than this one, but this meal rated pretty low on a scale of 1-10. I had the Harbor Breakfast and it was pretty bad. The eggs were cooked just fine, but that is the only thing that was cooked right on the platter. The bacon, sausage and home fries were over cooked. The bacon was so overcooked that it crumbled in my hand. My wife ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich, which in no way resembled a Maryland crab cake. She took two bites and promptly made her way to the ladies room where she upchucked what little she ate. Yes, it was that bad. No excuse for any restaurant in Maryland that serves crab cakes to make something like this. For my beverage I just had water, but my wife wanted a latte or something of that nature. Most restaurants nowadays can make lattes, cappuccino's and things such as that. Not this restaurant . . . it's just plain coffee or nothing. I will have to give credit to the wait staff, our waitress was very good, except for her support of the crab cake. We had a terrible time keeping the flies off of our food. Maybe we should have let them have it, if it was that edible to them. The prices are way above average for this place as well. it sure wasn't for us. It was our first time here, but it will definitely be our last.
(2)Meghan S.
Went here for Mother's Day with the family. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. Got the brunch and blue crab and artichoke dip. The dip is delicious and I highly recommend it. Orange juice is fresh! Was very disappointed that my eggs benedict didn't come with the yolks runny...which is traditional for eggs benedict. Kinda ruined the rest of it for me. The other thing is that our glasses at the table were not polished at all...and when we tried to polish them, the water stains did NOT come out. Was quite disturbing. There were also stains on the carpet and left over...not sure what...from when the restaurant turns into a club. I know neither myself nor my family will be going back here.
(3)Rich F.
Food was pretty good. Great presentation. I liked the short menu. Flat iron was a little tough for medium rare. Crab cakes were good and the sides were as well. Wife complained that the bathroom was filthy!
(3)Yvonne S.
Love Public House at National Harbour! We had lunch there the waitress Carlyn B was awesome and went to a show. After the show we went back to Public House for drinks and appetizers. Well what a great experience Ron the manager was so hospitable and the waiter Jared was so great. Definitely will go back to public House.
(5)Lauren S.
I didn't eat here. I walked out the door when the hostess said I could get a table for six in 15 minutes, and then gave my table away to another party. If that's how you roll, that's fine, but you'll never get a dime of my money.
(1)Séamus C.
Give it a 3. Closest place from the Gaylord, so we went there out of convenience during a winter weather event. Server was friendly, but not particularly bright. TV volume was turned up uncomfortably high. Like everything else in the contrived National Harbor, the food/drinks are overpriced. The overall quality was okay, hence a satisfactory rating despite everything considered...
(3)Mo A.
Let's start with the positives: Service was good, waiter was fairly knowledgeable about the menu and attentive for the most part. The music was actually pretty good as the bar section of the restaurant was trying to simulate a club like vibe. On to the negatives: Prices are high everywhere at the harbor since you're paying for "location". I wish location could make up for bad food but alas it does not so you're left with a high bill, ridiculous parking costs and overpriced stores that close early as heck. Food...food....food. It was not good.....at all. In fact, it doesn't deserve the "d" in food because it was lacking something. Very unappetizing and hard to continue eating. Bad Bad.....:"foo.......d". The hummus was so dry. It reminded me of old black bean dip. It was also too dense. Very bland as well. Had to ask for olive oil to improve the dish. The fish had that strong seafood smell and taste that the chef was either unwilling or unable to mask or change. So overwhelming that it was very hard to eat. The vegetable sides were decent but unfortunately everything tasted like fish.
(2)John H.
Actually this was our second time at Public House and I enjoyed the food. The atmosphere is nice. It started to get a little crowed around 8pm but it wasn't too bad. The salmon dinner is ggod and they make a cookie and ice cream dessert that is out of this world. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Karlos M.
Good food. Good location as it is the closest restaurant to the Gaylord Hotel. I had the crab dip appetizer which was excellent and the Salmon was very well prepared. My wife is a crab cake aficionado and she was presently surprised with the taste (not Baltimore-but not disappointing). The staff was attentive and the atmosphere was pretty good with flat screens everywhere.
(4)Dee G.
Very SLOW service! The whole time we were there for lunch, the waitress checked on us once, at the end of our meal! We couldn't even get our drinks refilled. The food was mediocre. It's as though no one wanted to be working there that day.
(2)Kevin H.
Went there today for lunch and actually never even got food because it took too long. We sat down at 12:30p and by 1:20p still didn't have our food. We were told that the kitchen was backed up. It even took about 15 minutes to get drinks from the bar. We ended up walking out as we didn't have time to wait for our food. Therefore can't comment on the food itself but definitely won't be going there for lunch again any time soon.
(2)MoevsMakenzie T.
Went here on 2/14/13 with hubby for Vday. The food was delish, waitress was friendly & very attentive" they played good music. We sat in the back area away from bar folks, which was cool. The decor was nice. Prices ok. My only problem was that the table was so small, plus the couple next to us was so close that i felt like we was double dating, which i felt was uncomfortable!
(4)Nikki C.
service was good, food was eh, got a salad and chicken salad sandwich and bf got the crab cake sandwich, the salad I don't recommend, came out warm and ranch didn't really taste like ranch( bland) and the chicken salad sandwich wasn't really anything special, lacked flavor, as for my boyfriends dish, I think he liked it( after a couple long islands) anything will do. overall, good service but a bit pricey for so so food. go some where else! nice ambience as well.
(3)Bob S.
Went in for some wings after a day at a confeerence across the street at the Gaylord. While they had a few choices ranging from sweet and hot to buffalo to back bay, I decided on the buffalo as I was looking for a little heat. Unfortunately, that is what I got, just a little heat. The wings themselves were generic, not bad, not great, as was the sauce, but not what I was looking for. As an accompaniment, I ordered the Cheesesteak Spring Roll. Essentially, if you look at my past reviews, if you put ANYTHING into a spring roll, I will order it, at least once. Here, this will be a one time thing as well. Bland, lacking a definitive texture or flavor and served with a 'spicy;' ketchup that rivaled the buffalo sauce, it was not something I would order again. The service was good, folks were friendly, most folks seemed to be hanging at the bar. However, the food was served alarmingly quickly, which was a tip off to the quality, or lack thereof. I'll try somehting new the next night!
(2)Cordell E.
Service was slooooow. Food was dry (had sandwich and friends had burgers). Overall average. Again, service was slooooooow.
(2)Anh H.
When I originally reviewed this establishment some 3 years ago, it was removed because it contained personal attacks of a racist bouncer, and even a picture of him. It's recently come to my attention that Yelp Elite members can't have have their reviews removed. So In honor the Constitution of the United States of America, I have found my original review and removed the personal attacks. Also, I'm Elite now: do something about it. Original, Improved, and more descriptive review minus personal attacks... In June of 2011, a good friend of mine just got married and we had the reception over at Sunset Room. After all the parents went home, some of us decided to go to a bar for some drinks to continue the party, with the hopes of it leading to an After-After-After Party. So we we were all in our groomsmen clothes with matching orange ties. My friend is an honorable, upstanding, Sik Indian, and he was rocking the matching orange Turban and wouldn't let him in because of it. We obviously starting raising H*** about it, and the manager came out tried to calm things with a round of crappy domestic beer, I believe they were serving something similar to WWII military surplus N*z* swill. Some afterwards my buddy who's a Lebanese American, who was rocking a clean beard came in, and the SAME bouncer asked if he was with "Taliban". Seriously? I straight up work at an in low income inner city hospital, and I never in my life experienced racism so wrong. Dude looked like a *edited* Vin *edited* with a small *edited* *edited* who needed to exert his *edited* supremacy over another's culture. Mind you, I am not speaking about the establishment nor the persons involved. I speak only of the treatment and interaction that was exchanged that night. No one should ever in this country or any country in this day in age ever have to go through such vile, filthy, unprofessional, and shameful experience. Now, I'm not saying that Public House is a bad place, it's what inside that counts. It's the people who can make or break an establishment. I did receive a letter from the manager, who went out of his way to apologize to us. But this is how the situation plays out... Employee does something bad. Manager apologies, maybe talks to the employee. Yeah. That's it. I don't ever think anyone ever gets fired over stuff like this, because there is a propensity in modern culture to forgive and learn, which I do believe in. However, for someone to be so outlandish repeatedly in the same night to the same group of people, my friends, there is something that is fundamentally wrong with this person's core that would allow him/her to not see the problem. It's been three years since this happened, and to this day I have never set foot into an establishment that contains the words Public" or "Public House".... I have set foot in establishments that continue the word "House", because I do enjoy meals at IHOP. I ask anyone who reads this review to vote it to the top, Reddit style, because while this will never again happen to me at Public House (as I have stated, I literally don't go to these places), it may happen to you or your friends. Treat everyone equally. Don't hate on anyone because they're a foreigner, because unless you're a Native American, you're a foreigner in the United States of America.
(1)Mobola O.
This review is solely on customer service, which this place sucks at!!!! After a concert Friday night me and the beau stopped by to attempt to grab a quick bite before we checked into the Westin around the corner. We were both casually dressed and the "security" at the entrance of Public House rudely told my bf he couldn't come in without a collared shirt...wtf...it's a fckn bar?!??? So I calmly asked if we could just go to the bar and order our food to go because we were honestly just hungry...top flight security rudely tells me that I can go in and order but my bf has to stay outside...umm F no, it's not that serious! We ended up going to Cadillac Ranch instead and received a friendlier welcome! Will never patronize Public House or recommend it to anyone simply because their "security" doesn't know how to act...it was like 100am and they were concerned about two people not wearing collared shirts wanting to grab a quick bite?!?? Screw them!
(1)Meloni B.
Really surprised by all the poor ratings on here, maybe I just got lucky! I went on a Saturday evening the day after the 4th of July after watching the Marine Corp Band play. Everyone's drinks were really good, I had the best bloody mary I found while visiting DC. The food is what you expect from "upscale" pub food, maybe the prices are a little higher than necessary but that seemed to be normal for the area. My chicken club was good and the grits were on point.
(4)Victoria R.
This is a review on the night life part of this establishment. You should pre game at home or at a place where it does not take you 20 minuted just to get the bartenders' attention. Not only did it take forever to get a drink, but the arrogant people with no consideration would not even budge so i could squeeze in to get a drink. So when I finally did nuzzle into a spot I ordered 4 drinks so i wouldn't have to come back. I do have to say they made a great Blue Motorcycle. We had to sit outside to enjoy our drinks in fear that the rowdy crowd would spill ours. The dancing in the tiny walking space was more than atrocious, middle aged women and men grinding on one another against the window and low and behold it happened to be happening at eye level through the window where we were seated. We also chose not to be in the bar itself because it was humid because of all the sweaty drunks. Needless to say, I will NOT be coming back here anytime soon if I have anything to say.
(2)Michelle S.
Okay, I live close by, so I do frequent this place. It's a great atmosphere for catching a game at the bar or for a conversation and nice glass of wine. Now the noise level can be a bit much sometimes with the music, however I can still hear my company. The burger is my fav, great market salad and a lovely crab dip.
(4)Donna G.
Don't order the rib eye steak. My four year old could have done a better job. The steak was tough (requested medium well done) and my entire plate was BLAND. I asked my waitress for steak sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper, after adding all of these items it was much better, but the sides (mashed potatoes and asparagus), were mediocre as well. I told her to let the chef know. My niece sent back her shrimp and grits dish and opted for the crab cake sandwich. I tasted a bit and it was surprisingly good. The steak roll appetizer is also pretty good (my 16 year old daughter and 23 year old niece LOVES them). Also the warm cookie dough dessert was good. I'm not sure why it's called cookie dough, when it's cookie served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Of course my niece and daughter didn't know why I didn't follow the naming logic. All in all it was very niece to sit outside and watch the crowds on a Friday night. I'm usually not a gawker, but I shamefully admit I found it interesting to watch the countless people that arrived after us around 10 pm who got rejected by the late night dress code (no sneakers, etc., etc.). They also asked for ID after 10 pm, so I was happy we arrived early so that there was no problem with my daughter dining outside with us (we would have simply gone elsewhere of course). I'd go again for the ambience of being outside and skip the steak. We didn't have any wait at all for a table, but it might have been timing.
(3)Brian K.
Overpriced food and drink but standard in the area. I had a couple Dogfish 60-Minute IPAs. Not willing to try the food. $20 for mediocre pasta? No thanks. Atmosphere is lively and very loud.
(3)vanessa g.
3.5 stars bumped up This is a Happy hour review: So I decided to try this place for happy hour (4-7 pm) this week and I was impressed by their variety on the happy hour menu. I ordered the cheese steak spring roll which was slightly greasy but tasted just like a cheeseburger, I truly enjoyed it. I also tried the south beach mojito (the specialty cocktails were 1/2 off), it was kind of bitter and i'm not sure I would order it again but maybe if it was slightly sweeter I would have enjoyed it more. The appetizer & drink took a bit to come out and the bartender wasn't as attentive as I hoped for but he was friendly. My Yuengling came out very fast. I also liked how the bar stools were a good size & cushioned, because when you sit on a wooden stool for a while your butt starts to go numb. The bar itself was wide and the counter space deep so you didn't feel cluttered. For the price and the food/drinks I would do happy hour here again.
(4)Ray M.
If you're looking for a cool bar in the national harbor. This is the best place you will find, IN THE HARBOR. The food is underwelming, so I would eat somewhere else ahead of time, but if you're just looking for a good time with some strong ass drinks, then look no further! The waiters and bartenders are a little slow, but in their defense it gets extra packed on fridays and saturdays. They also have a live dj and room for dancing. Drinks are a little pricey, but you definitely get your money's worth. No cover charge. 21+ t enter after 9pm.
(3)Jeff L.
Good food, great service. JD provided awesome friendly and attentive service and the food was really good. I would definitely return...
(5)Marivic L.
This is the second time I've gone to a place, even though you other Yelpers were not fans. For the second time, I have been ridiculously disappointed. First off, the hostess looked and acted as if she just got out of bed. We arrived before noon, so there is NO WAY she was already tired from working. Unenthusiastically, she got our menus and gave them to our server. Our server must have been hanging out with the hostess, because she also seemed tired/unenthusiastic. Methinks a new job is needed for both. My lunch companion was undecided between two sandwiches, so he asked the server for her recommendation between the two. Thankfully, she was helpful and he enjoyed his BBQ sandwich. Great. I ordered the Steak salad. The only good things about this salad were the greens. Yes, the greens, which you just place on the plate. The dressing was not particularly flavorful and the steak - OMG, I don't know if it was old or what, but it was tough. It looked to be medium rare as I requested, but it had an odd/awful flavor to it. Needless to say, after giving it a few chances, I had to stop eating it. So, I ate my relatively flavorless lettuce and went back to work. I guess that's what I get for ordering a salad?! I will not be going back to Public House. This place has an awning outside that says Comfortable Food on it. Well, if that's comfortable food, please give me the most painful, uneasy, unpleasant food instead.
(1)Amelia O.
We happened to be in the neighborhood on a gorgeous Saturday and decided to try this restaurant. What a huge disappointment! First of all, the waiter was meh. He was nice, but didn't offer to refill drinks. We had to ask him. After we had finished eating, he doesn't ask if we need anything else like dessert of coffee, he says "do you want your check?". Umm...OK. The food?? BLECK!!! The hummus plate appetizer was the only thing we thought was half decent. The crab cake dinner was horrendous, For $29, you get two crab cakes with a boatload of tarragon. When my mom mentions she doesn't like tarragon, the waiter says that the guy prepping "tends to go overboard sometimes" on the tarragon. Two of us ordered the grilled steak salad. I mean seriously, how hard is it to ruin a steak salad? Apparently it's easy for this place. They say the salad comes with grilled onions. I'm not a huge onion fan but like them grilled so I didn't ask for any changes. They are practically raw and only slightly grilled so I had to pick out a thousand onion slices. There are no tomatoes. Only lettuce, maybe 3 slices of steak and this NASTY mustard dijon dressing. It had a spicy taste to it which the two of us hated. There are so many great places on the harbor, please overlook this one. What a pure waste of money.
(1)Christopher G.
In Philly, we spent a lot of happy hours at Public House off of Arch Street. I'm guessing they are the same. This was my first time at the National Harbor a month back. We had a pretty cool, cute and down to earth server. She knew that place and made some really good recommendations. Unfortunately, the food was not memorable even now but I'd go back for drinks and to watch sports. Oh yeah, I forgot you have to pay for parking there and the cops were out ticketing......Argh, reminds me of Philly (Parking Wars). I better rethink that visit.
(3)Antoine W.
Location In the National Harbor at the corner of Fleet Street and Mariner Passage. It almost directly faces the Gaylord, so if you're walking down Fleet, you'll pass it. Across the street from Bobby McKey's and Cadillac Ranch, so it has some competition, but makes it easier to go to all three to see who has the shortest wait time and the best menu! Atmosphere Your standard bar/restaurant: formal restaurant seating is to the left of the entrance and a very large bar is to the right. They also have outdoor seating, too, accessible by walking a short way through the bar. It was a Friday night and there was a DJ in the bar. Although at times my friends and I questioned his music selection, overall we had a good time. Service For a Friday night, it was packed! But, the bartenders were able to handle the crowds with ease. Food/Drink When asking the bartender if I should order the Nachos w/Grilled Chicken or the Wings, she suggested the nachos. First, the plate was HUGE! I'm a self-proclaimed nacho fanatic and could eat them all day every day if I could, so when the plate arrived, I saw it as a personal challenge! I lost. Now, they weren't the best nachos I've ever had (I make some very good homemade ones), but they were a decent alternative. I wanted a drink and didn't know what I want. I've already had two margaritas and a Long Island Iced Tea before arriving to Public House. So, the bartender made me a Ciroc Obama. Never heard of it? Neither had I...but this might become one of my new favorites: Ciroc vodka, Cambord (raspberry liqueur), and lemonade. It's served in a highball glass with a sugar rim. A great, somewhat sweet summer evening cocktail! I would definitely return here for more nachos and Obamas!
(4)Monica W.
I ate here this past Saturday with family. We had about 30 minute wait which I expected since it was primetime to eat dinner. Three of us ordered the Bronze Rubbed Atlantic Salmon. It was described as being served with mixed vegetables but their mixed vegetables consisted of red & green peppers and onions. The portion size was ridiculously small for the price we paid. Another person ordered the Jambalaya and said it was ok. She normally doesn't finish her food and has to take the rest of her food home, but as I stated, small portion size. I have no complaints of the service - our server was very attentive. Bottom line, the food is overpriced for the portions that the serve.
(1)Steven W.
I guess my wife and I got lucky, because we had a pretty good experience at Public House compared to the majority of these reviews. After spending the evening across the street at Bobby McKey's for a friends birthday party (where the food wasn't very good), we stopped in Public House on the way out of the area to grab a bite to eat. We only had two appetizers and a couple of drinks, but they were both pretty good (a hummus platter and Philly cheese-steak egg rolls). The place was half empty, but the music was pretty rockin and it had a fun vibe going on (maybe due to the drinks from across the street). Either way it was A-OK. It was after midnight and the other places we checked out first, in the Gaylord, all weren't serving food anymore, so I'd actually give them another 1/2 a star for just serving food that late! I wouldn't seek Public House out, but it served it's purpose that evening well.
(3)Allison L.
Dinner and cupcakes from CakeLove apparently weren't enough so this was the third stop of the night. We mostly wanted to drink but didn't feel like sitting at the bar so we got a table and ordered desserts so we didn't feel like total douchebags (which probably didn't really matter since this place was like half full). We got the cookie dough smash and the peanut butter tart, and they were both meh. As someone who enjoys undercooked baked goods, I expected the "cookie dough" smash to be pretty close to cookie dough and not just an overcooked chocolate chip cookie in a skillet. The tart was fine but super tiny. The drinks kinda sucked... I got the mango limeade which was like 1% mango and 99% super sour limeade. My completely ridiculous idea was to ask for some grenadine to try and sweeten it up which only partially worked. But I appreciated the waitress who had no issue with that request. It was $45 (w/ tip) for 2 drinks and 2 desserts which seemed exceptionally high. Our waitress was good and the atmosphere was fine but, yeah, this place is nothing special.
(2)Motown G.
Only had Bloody Mary's at the bar on a Sunday, so this review has nothing to do with food. They were $12 per drink, and I couldn't sense a bit of alcohol. Decided to cash out after looking at the menu, and it took at least 15 minutes to get the attention of the bartenders. Afterwards, I read reviews here on Yelp that mentioned "bottomless" Bloody's! I was never told about this, and it makes me dislike the place even more. In summary, BAD BAD service, and WEAK WEAK cocktails = never going back!
(2)Lawrence C.
Really overpriced and average food. I have to say, Washington DC has amazing food. It has a wide range of ethnicities and so, DC has a very eclectic mix of restaurants to choose from. And yet here is Public House. Fortunately for it, it's right next to the Gaylord National Harbor, because I think if it was located anywhere else, for example, Georgetown, it would not survive the competition from the many good restaurants there. I had the crab cakes, which were really bland and dry. I guess if you're stuck in the National Harbor area, and you're not willing to get mugged in Oxon Hill for a chance to get some really great BBQ, then this might be a last ditch option for you. Because really, there is a dearth of good food in National Harbor. It's like they took people off the street and said, "Hey guys! You're cooks now. These people are trapped here. They'll pay anything to get something remotely edible."
(2)Don S.
Terrible place.Check this out. Stopped in for a beer on 5/4. Not cheap. $7.63 for a Dogfish Head. I got back $2.00. When I asked where the rest of my money was, the waitress said "...we don't give change. We round up." I never heard of such a ripoff. She said she would give me the change out of her wallet if I wanted. In all my years, I have never heard of such a thing. That should be illegal. That's my money and my change should be returned to me. I feel guilty giving this place one star. Trust me, there are many good places in the Nat'l Harbor. Avoid this lousy unethical one.
(1)Phillip S.
Seems under rated. Not the biggest seating area in the harbor but a public house is suppose to be a bar and it is. I love the food and the bar staff. Yes we were staring but you knew that.
(4)R C.
This is my neighborhood restaraunt so I want to give it rave reviews. I want to tell everyone that this is a great place and a must visit but for the sake of not ruining my reputation, I will say go at your own risk. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad. I have went there a few times and the food is descent but descent is also the best word that I can use for their policies and customer service. I get the sense that this place wants to be exclusive but don't know how to get there. I have never been greated with a smile and while the waiters are attentive, I wouldn't say they are warm. I would suggest anyone to call there before going on a Saturday night. I went there on a cold night and was told that I couldn't get in because I had a hat on. The bouncer told me that if I wanted to get in, I would have to bring my hat to the car and come back. Another person got turned away because he wore a sweater and according to todays policy, you have to wear a collared shirt. Group after group got turned away for one reason or another, young, old, white and black... My suggestion is if you choose to try this place out, call first. You have to pay for parking and the last thing you want to hear after you paid $11 for parking is, you can't get in because todays shirt color is red and you clearly have on orange. Also, go to restaurants.com and get you a discount for this place.
(3)Elley B.
Everyone said how great this place was so I was disappinted the food was ok maybe I excepeted to much I love national harbor and well I will probably try it again but I don't know.
(3)T. B.
This is just an average plave. The menu is limited. Since this is not a seafood place would not order the crab cakes. A friend of mine did, awful. Had the Southwest salad. Chicken was so dry couldn't eat. If you have a choice go someplace else.
(2)Amy R.
Despite it being an absolute picturesque fall day (blue sky, sun shining, leaves in full color), we were told that we could not sit outside...even though there were patrons having brunch on the patio. Instead, we were seated at the bar and had a lovely view...of the cash register. We ordered the Crab Benedict with Old Bay Hollandaise, which sounded wonderful, but quite frankly, was simply terrible. Hmmn, where to start... --The poached eggs were overcooked -- a cardinal sin in terms of eggs benedict! --The smidge of crab (less than a tablespoon) was hardly distinguishable against the pale, undercooked (and tasteless) english muffin. --The hollandaise was negligible, both in flavor and in quantity, and again, barely stood out against paleness of the english muffin. -- The accompanying side (roasted fingerling potatoes) were not adequately cooked, and the larger slices (they were slices of a baking potato rather than baby potatoes as fingerlings typically are) were not completely cooked, leaving them crunchy and, well, raw in the center. I will say that the ones that were cooked through were quite good -- well seasoned with sea salt and fresh rosemary. In any event, perhaps they have other dishes that are better, but we'll not be giving the Public House a second chance!
(1)Meaghan H.
The food was good but they messed up our order and then brought us a cup of coffee with lipstick on it. And they didn't really seem to care much about either. This is a tourist spot with so much turnover they don't seem to care.
(3)Diana K.
Ate there for the first time on April 14, with my kids. Great service, yummy food, attentive staff, good prices. That was the first time I had chicken wings with Old Bay Seasoning, and they were delish. I love the atmosphere. I definately will go again!
(4)Keisha B.
This will be rather short and based on the bar experience. I have no clue about the customer service or the food because we didn't come here for that but I can only speak on my brief moment of the drink experience. The only reason I up the notched for the 3rd star was the comfortable atmosphere but that was because there wasn't much of a crowd while I was there. Everyone drinks were watered down after 5 minutes and considering the price I would expect more. We were able to sit outside and people watch with good conversation so that was a plus. Experiences are all what you make of it so I just try to enjoy each place and moment I have ; /
(3)Natasha S.
I tried this place once, only because it is literally around the corner from my place. Other than that, I wouldn't have thought of trying this place. The waiter was nice, but a little unenthusiastic about the food and menu. We ordered the Crab Cigars as an appetizer, which I thought was DELICIOUS. However, you can't really go wrong with crab and fried goodness! It came with a yummy Chesapeake Aioli and Smoked Tomato Remoulade. YUM! My girlfriend ordered the Jumbo Shrimp Carbonara which was delicious however, WAY on the creamy side. Expect a severe stomachache after eating this little baby. Additionally, the portion was extremely generous! I got a regular house salad topped with a crab cake. I was disappointed. My crab cake was all breading mix and extremely soggy and salty. NEVER order this! If we were to return, I'd probably only order the appetizers from this place.
(3)Marcus M.
My rating is actually a 3.5. The food is always good, and the service is better than most of the Harbor. Very professional restaurant and bar. The food like most of the Harbor is a bit pricey for what you get. I like the variety of the menu. The place really is well appointed without being gaudy.
(4)Oscar-Mayra R.
I will not stop at this location to try their food unless I am invited by the "Chef" to prove my review wrong... LOW QUALITYFOOD SUPER OVER PRICED and POOR EXECUTION IN THE KITCHEN. Great Location, I will say that this place is surviving thanks to the Bar and the UNFURTUNATE travelers that find them appealed by how close this Bar/Restaurant is to the Gaylord hotel and just want to give it a try. I noticed a lot of people at the bar during lunch time on a GLORIUOS, PICTURE PERFECT, and CRISPY FALL SATURDAY afternoon. The restaurant had three tables outside with patrons at the time we entered, 1:30 PM, no customers sitting on any tables inside. One party left the table suddenly, they said "Good Luck" to us on their way out. I must say I should have taken that as an advice... I asked for some appetizers that are staples of the area; Crab dip and Mussels... I will just say both were disgusting, I returned the Crab Dip and ended eating the mussels. Hey, mussels are mussels after all, right?? Not a bit of flavor there other than the mussel flavored water...
(1)LeNette L.
Last weekend, 11/2-11/3, myself and a few girlfriends decided to take a trip to the DC/ Maryland area. We had a fantastic time and I decided to end the trip with breakfast at National Harbor. We stumbled across Public House because everything else was pretty much closed but we are so glsd it happened that way. There were six of us but we didn't wait five minutes to be seated. They placed us in a private dining area in the back and as soon as we sat our waiter J.D. arrived at our table. J.D. was very pleasant, patient and he didn't mind telling us about the menu. He made sure we were satisfied and he was very professional. J.D. gave me such a pleasurable experience that Public House will be my only stop for food during my visits to National Harbor. The service was exceptional and so was the food! I had the french toast with fresh berries and oj, I remember someone having the flap jacks and loving it, also one of the ladies ordered the breakfast burger and I believe one ordered the steak and eggs. Either way, we were talking the 12 minutes we waited for our food to come out and once it hit the table we were all silent. Our breakfast together was special because we shared it at such a wonderful place, Public House, but most of because of an awesome waiter J.D. Thank you!
(5)Kyle M.
Happy Hour $10 beer and burger. Not a bad deal for the National Harbor area. Overall they had decent beer selection on tap and had screens to watch sports. That alone is pretty good for me. The burger was nice and juicy, but I thought putting it on a english muffin is just a waste and I really prefer a nice bun. The muffin just falls apart too easily. I didn't have anything else and I sat at the bar when it wasn't too busy so I didn't have any problems with service. If you are in the national harbor area it's not a bad option, not great, and the regular prices seemed to be pretty high, so I'd look around at other places as well unless you hit happy hour.
(3)Kyla C.
Nothing special here, just a run-of-the-mill TGI-Mcfunsters type place. My sandwich was good and most of the apps were good too but just nothing outrageously great. It is what it is I guess. Wish they had karaoke on more than just one night. Would have been better entertainment than the bull across the street probably.
(3)Karen K.
First, we called twice for reservations yet they still lost them..... Second, the best part of our meal out of the group were the nachos. All of our meals were a 2 out of 5 with me being generous. Meatloaf.... no taste; Salad... dressing horrible and missing parts; burger.. missing toppings and frozen bag fries; Steak... bad cooking job and lacked taste; Crab Cakes.. decent but still not recommended. Overall a the services was OK but he forgot extra sauce we asked for and did not refill our waters during our meal. Never asked us about desert or another glass of wine.
(1)Donna F.
The food was great once we got it but the service was atrocious. Sunday morning breakfast ... We were seated and then waited 20 minutes. Nothing. A bunch of hostesses and waiters were busy chatting....and that was it. We finally had to go to the hostess and asked for someone to wait on us. And we waited some more. We were just about to walk out and our waiter finally showed up. Breakfast was very good ....but they need an adult there to make sure the work is done. If you are counting on those kids to represent you and leave your establishment with a good reputation.....you are in big trouble.
(2)M J.
Every time I got to the Public House I really enjoy myself. I just started going recently in the summer of 2011. I live very close to the area but always went to DC to do majority of my dining. A fried of mine was telling me about it so I decided to try it out. Lets say it's one of the first places I go now. I can dine there with anyone wither it is my son, my mom, or friends. The food is really good the crab dip is absolutely amazing, so is the steak. The cocktails are really good as well not to week you can actually taste the alcohol (big ups to the bartender) They don't stalk your table like most places but are still very attentive. They waiter I had I believe his name is Andrew I could be wrong was excellent and gave great service and I got him two days in row. Thursday-Saturday they usually have a DJ at night and Tuesday's the karaoke which is pretty fun. I can honestly say I have a good time every time I go to this restaurant wither its day or night.
(5)Phil E.
2 Words: Worth It! I had a chance to eat last weekend and loved it. I didn't want to leave Maryland without having some crab cakes so I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I added the photo. The sandwich was great! They also had sweet potato chips (chips made of sweet potatoes). How awesome is that? That was a first for me. I'm a lover of Bloody Marys and they had a station where you could make your own. They had several different Bloody Mary mixers to choose from. They also has Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, olives, and celery sticks. If you ask for lime and lemon, they'll provide it for you. I added a picture of that as well. Yet, another first for me. I love new things and this restaurant was a great Sunday experience for me and my friends. The prices were also pretty reasonable. If you're at the National Harbor, you should check them out.
(4)Jocelyn H.
I like this place...one of the downsides is its close to alot of things but the parking garage is $11 which sucks because if not you have to fight for street parking which u can only do for 2hrs & the meter people are ON IT & u will get a ticket if your even 2mins past..(speaking from experience) CONS- the bar gets packed on the weekends & its hard to get someones attentions (you better make nice with the bartenders ) It would be great if there was someway they could expand their floor space if they are gonna place music on the weekends...its super hard to dance without bumping into somone PROS- when you do get there attention most of them are quick & efficient BTW the Pineapple Infusion Vodka is the bestest...you have to try it as just a shot i promise you its super smooth & a creeper & not strong at all. The wings are good too :)
(3)Alaysia P.
The hottest place to be....well the only place to be on a Friday and Saturday night at National Harbor. Good music and nice staff. Beware the shirt collar nazi doorman. He takes his job way too seriously.
(3)Anu E.
Ughhh what a horrible experience. I have never had this bad service before, I mean "ever." So, my boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot since our plan to have the special burger at National Past Time at Gaylord hotel fell through due to "temporary shortage of its draft beer selections," BIG MISTAKE. The service at Public House is a joke. What the fuck is your problem is the question I wanted to ask from our waiter and the food runner guy. Too much attitude for people who work in the service industry. TRAGIC!!! Do not go there! There are plenty of decent places in National Harbor area but this one, people!
(1)Leroy H.
This was our first time at the Public House. We booked the reservation based upon feedback we saw on Yelp. We booked a reservation via the Yelp app for 7pm and their credit, our table was ready for us the minute we walked through the door. Definitely get the brie, bacon appetizer. Would go again!!
(4)Douglas L.
This place is probably the worst establishment I've been to in the entire DMV area, and I've been living in this area since I was two. After attending a wedding and looking for a place to continue our establishment, the two door people had the audacity to refuse to let my friend in due to the turban he was wearing for religious reasons. When asked to speak to the manager, the doorman said he was it and told him that he could not come in anyway. We were mad as hell about this and to think that in the ten years after 9/11, this type of ignorance still exists. I wish I would say this was the end, but when another friend who happened to have the same outfit (as a groomsmen, you wear the same outfit), the SAME doorman asked if he was part of the taliban along with the other guy. I'm mad that we stayed in as long as we did. The group of about 25 people were about to spend some of our hard earned money at this establishment but we were pissed as hell and just stood in the front lobby of the restaurant. After speaking to the real manager, they gave us all free Miller Lites as a peace offering. Great peace offering. We decided to leave right afterwards and went across the street where there was a mechanical bull. imagine that place was classier than this Public House dump. I hope that anyone goes to this establishment will refuse to go to this if bald doorman is still there. Please take a look at the photos and ask the management about this. I will never go to this establishment.
(1)Cat C.
Went for breakfast. Scrambled eggs were instant, not fresh. Maple syrup was not pure as advertised. Omelette and French toast were very good, however service was horrible. We saw our waitress twice-once when she took our order, after waiting almost 15 minutes with no coffee, and again when she delivered the check. Never got a coffee refill, when the instant scrambled eggs were served, I had to carry the plate to the kitchen and order my replacement omelette. Water was undrinkable due to chemical treatment, yet they were out of bottled water. We ran across the street to CVS and bought water there.
(1)Carol K.
Thanks, Public House for being there when the girls and I needed a lunch break and Cadillac Ranch across the street was closed. It was a beautiful Fall day so we were quickly seated on the patio in the sun. Our server was in training (shout out to Lenny as he did a great job!) but no problem, as the service was spot on through the entire experience and he even figured out a way to get a pesky bee that wanted to join us for lunch over to a vacant table. The menu has several tasty sounding things that I wished I had tried- from the Blue Crab bisque to the blue crab and artichoke dip. But since we only had an hour- we went right to the entrees. So many things to chose from- from salads to burgers to entrees like salmon and crabcakes. I had to laugh as 3 of us got burgers and one a chopped salad. Not too adventurous, I guess. All were perfectly prepared and delicious. And that salad? Let's just say that it could have been two meals it was so huge! The interior looks like a sports bar with it's slate floors and TV's mounted around with the bar playing a front and center role. The manager and hostess were very friendly in inviting us back another time- and as I said- our service was top notch. Looks like Public House is a default for Cadillac Ranch as they are not open for lunch and at least 6 groups came across the street to eat. But if given the choice again- given the experience we had at the Public House- it would be a first choice in the future.
(4)Carlos R.
Terrible place. Worst bar/restaurant in the National Harbor area? Most likely. What's bad about? What ISN'T bad about it?!? Terrible service, disgusting food, crappy & overpriced drinks, annoying atmosphere, the whole place smells like a toilet, rude bouncers... The only good thing to come of my experience here? Because of my suffering, I am writing this review, and hopefully after you, the reader, have read this, and you will never waste your time in this pit. That would make it all worth it!
(1)Kent J.
They f'd up my diet! I couldn't control myself from eating the shrimp pasta dish....3 out of 4 days. The ahi was outstanding on my OFF day. Probably the most popular evening hangout in the area. Nice joint for hip-hop. Good looking crowd. Very attentive staff. Great customer service.
(4)J. V.
Great food poor service.
(3)Ryan L.
Came here while CPAC was going on across the way in the Gaylord. One person was bartending and she was working hard but things weren't getting done right. Glasses were dirty, food took way too long to come. Bill wasn't properly divided at the end. Food came out cold when it did come. Don't come here...just skip it over
(1)Jake A.
Absolutely horrible service, just OK food, management doesn't care. Most of the restaurants int he National Habor have a captured audience. If you're staying or attending a conference at the Gaylord and you don't have transportation, you'll be eating the harbor. It's also obvious that the restaurants don't care as none of them have decent reviews. We were staying at the Gaylord, which left us with limited options. We choose here as it looked the most promising (not that promising) of the bunch. We had an hour to eat before catching an evening tour, figured it was enough time. We were quickly seated, ordered and the waiting game began. I ordered an appetizer that didn't show up until my meal showed up (after a 45 minute wait). Drinks weren't refilled. The waitress even made mention of our long wait for food but it didn't speed things up. One person in our party's food didn't show up for another 10 minutes after everyone elses showed up. We had to ask for our check as soon as the food arrived and had to inhale it. I guess it tasted OK, couldn't really tell you as we had to eat and run. Drinks were still empty, no apologies from the waitress. The place wasn't even crowded. I did take a moment to fill out the comment card they left with the bill...never did hear back from management on that one.
(1)Stephen B.
So I choose this restaurant because there is a decent number ) brought it-placed it and quickly left-there were fries not chips and the berger was over cooked. There was not an offer for anything like mayo or ketchup for the berger. I never saw the server again until I want my check. This place needs a major overhall of service concepts and good food.
(1)Dean W.
The service provided by JD was awesome. He was very attentive and gave great food suggestions. The food was also excellent. Definitely will return the next time I'm at National Harbor. It was SO much better than the Gaylord!
(5)Passion R.
This review is not for the restaurant. I'm pretty sure I wrote another not so great review for that. This is for the club/lounge thing they do on Saturday nights. It was a good time, good crowd with lots of cute men, and a good DJ. Everyone was beautifully dressed and ready to party and mingle. But there didn't seem to be a dress code or a cover charge (which is a plus, especially for large groups or for when friends from out of town come to visit). But it is 21+. I won't give them 5 stars because even though the bartenders are pretty skilled, the drinks here are expensive as fuck. I'll definitely be coming back though.
(4)Vee N.
Returned 2x's after my initial 2010 visit. I love this place!! It's down in National Harbor; I don't go often because this is far from me. I live in Wheaton, near close to downtown Silver Spring.
(4)Gwen L.
Atmosphere was nice. Music was a bit loud. Wait staff friendly but smells like old grease which was disappointing. Burger was good. Crab cakes.....not so much. We say go across the street to Cadillac Ranch for the flat bread pizza. Yummy.
(3)Jon K.
Went here the other night with my wife who is the Marketing Manager at a nearby resort. I can tell you for sure that their will be no "party weekends" planned at this establishment. Their decor is modern and the place was nice from what I saw inside but we decided to sit outside as they have a nice outside area. First of all, it's ridiculously overpriced and I can see that others feel the same way. Our waitress was helpful and nice so that earns them an extra star. We had the Philadelphia cream roll appetizer and while it was good, it was overpriced and tiny. My wife had the salmon and absolutely hated it, said it tasted fishy as well. I had the crab cakes and I can tell you that I have had MUCH better crabcakes. Shame on you Public House for calling these Maryland crabcakes. Did I mention that these 2 dishes were overpriced. We ordered a bottle of wine as well, and that was good. My wife says they have a good happy hour here and she may or may not be back for that. Next time if I want to spend this kind of money I'll go to chart house where it's just all around better food and atmosphere.
(2)Zelly W.
I like this place because It's quaint and the staff is friendly. I've only been here once and it was for the Superbowl I believe and I got a seat at the bar with 2 friends and we had a couple bartenders serve us who were pretty nice, informative, and made sure we were good throughout. It's a nice little hangout spot. Food was as good as bar food can be (I didn't order anything fancy so I don't know what their other menu options are nor do I know what they taste like) but I'd def come back here again.
(4)Michelle S.
Meh. Crab cakes with dill? Fried everything and poor wine list by the glass.
(2)C M.
Service was okay. Food was okay. This place isn't anything too special. We ordered a few appetizers-crab dip, flatbread, and hummus-the flatbread was really great! Good beer selection.
(3)Janey B.
I can't wait to write a better review. I went here to watch the game. The drinks were good after finally getting the bartender's attention. Oh and he was a jerk and so inattentive. Ordered the wings; buffalo and Old Bay. They were good and came out pretty quick. The place was live as always. Great loud scene, if that's what you're looking for. Will provide another review when I go again.
(3)Mimi W.
The menu has changed and they have a lot more options. I've tried the jambalaya, the wings, and the tilapia. The wings were pretty good, and the jambalya and tilapia were just okay. One piece of my tilapia was half done, which made me think it was frozen fish, so I was not happy about that. I also had the french toast pound cake. Not a good look. The service is always good there, and the drinks are decent, so that's a plus. The DJ has changed, and now plays top 40...from the 80s. Even the waitress was confused. Still underwhelming and still a little too pricey for what you do get, so I won't be running back.
(3)Watrbb W.
Went today for the first time after passing many times and seeing the plates of yum looking food the diners outside had. WHAT A LET DOWN! I sat outside and the waiter came pretty quickly carrying a glass of water with lemon which I always ask for (how did he know?). Told him needed a few minutes to scope the menu.....waited.....waited for his return. Ordered the pan seared talapia and a house salad. Thank goodness I asked for the salad first because I waited.....and waited.....and waited for my main course. Come on, that is ridiculous as the place was not nearly full. Guess they ran down to the Potomac and caught it :) The talapia was a good portion and was cooked very well. But the ragu (or was it ragout) of veggies/spinach/tomato underneath was bland. I kept trying to find some flavor in the entire dish and had to keep adding salt to finally get some. The tomatoes in it tasted like (and looked like) canned. Not really what I would have expected. Waiter never came ONE TIME, to ask how everything was, and to see if I needed anything - like the glass of water I was dying for. After he took my plates and brought the bill - yep, you got it - I waited.....and waited.....and waited for him to take my money. I was truly tempted to just walk out (being I was outside), but I was raised better than that. The icing on the cake came when I paid with a $100 bill and they did not have the change, at least not in the cash register. Barmaid finally did count it out, I got many $1.00 bills and then I counted it which is something I never do. I discovered it was short $.50 - not a huge deal but thought it strange. I told the waiter he owed me $.50 and his reply was they did not have the change - any change - but I could have my $1.00 back if I wanted. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! If I had not counted the money, I never would have known. He did not even bother to say I'm sorry but.....and give me the chance to say what I wanted. UGH I told him to keep it towards his tip which was now down to $4.50 (I always leave more). Truly, I should have given him $2.00. I also asked for a cup of water to go...........got it but they did not have lids. COME ON! All of that aside, I MAY go again, just to see if it was an off-day. Or, I'll sit across the street at Cadillac Ranch and try to enjoy something else. This is the third place I have dined at while at National Harbor and only one was worth it (McCormick & Schmicks). So far, their places are over priced, terrible service, and sub-par food!
(1)Catherine S.
I've only been to national harbor once and when I went I checked out Public House. For the area, it's a pretty good spot to go for drinks and dancing. I went on a Saturday. The DJ started off slow but picked up after 11 and so did the crowd which was very diverse in race and age. There's an eating area (I didn't eat but the wings looked quite yummy) and a huge bar area. During the time I was there, I didn't see much space for a dance floor but that didn't stop people from doing a two step. I would have to say, if you have a DJ, having a dance space is a must. Maybe I missed it, I did stay in one area because we had a table. In the end, I would go back, especially as an alternative to heading all the way into DC.
(3)Chris C.
Bad service! Over priced! Not worth your time! Waiter took forever to seat us and was rude to my friend while hitting on her. Also didn't get utensils until we had to ask and that was even after they served the first course. Food was also under cooked.
(1)Michelle N.
My friends and I ended up here when Cadillac Ranch gave us some bogus response that they could not seat parties over 5 and we had 6. I could rant more about them but will do a separate yelp review for them. So since we didn't know the area too well, we headed across the street to Public House. Had I known we would end up here, I would ahve made reservations but alas no. Since they did seat parties over 5, we put our name on the list and the hostess told us we would have an hour wait. Remember this. We decided to hang out at the bar in the meantime. Service was pretty great here and we managed to get a good spot at the bar and a nearby hightop to hang out and drink. We shared the loaded fries app and it was pretty good. I ate around the bacon and chorizo, so I can't really comment on that part. About an hour in, one of our friends checked in with the hostess and she said we'd be seated "any minute now." An hour and 10 minutes pass, someone else checks and the hostess said that a party of 7 are ahead of us. An hour and a half pass by, someone else checks and we got a lame answer. By an hour and 45 minutes we decide to move from the bar to directly in front of the hostess stand and she gives my friend some schpeel about how people with reservations are put ahead of people who don't have any. There's another party of 7 who made reservations that they need to seat first. Well, you're supposed to set aside certain tables for those who reserve and then some extras for those who put their name on the list. At this point, we're pissed and talk to the manager. He tells us that they're actually putting our table right then. So the freaking hostess lied! Or she doesn't know what she's talking about. I thought it was great the manager personally put the table together for us. Once we were finally seated, our server was actually pretty great, and service was fine the rest of our time there. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, however, if I knew I'd be getting 3 huge ones, I would not have ordered a side of fries! Those were mediocre. I was hoping for the waffle fries we got at the bar. Later on, we came back here to drink when we found that Bobby McKey's was mediocre. Had a good time back at the bar. Overall, I'd probably just stick with hanging out at the bar and ordering my food there if you have a spot to eat. I'd skip actually coming here for dinner unless you make reservations. The food is pretty good but nothing spectacular.
(3)Roman B.
Having some time to kill before I could check into the hotel I was staying in, my stomach was grumbling "FEED ME". Taking a stroll in National Harbor, MD and seeing what my options were, I stumbled upon Public House. Since it was nearly noon, it was time for a good burger. Wrong!! I sat at the bar and ordered a beer not realizing they were still serving brunch. My bad I guess. Viewing the limited brunch menu, I went ahead and ordered the egg stuffed french toast with a side of apple wood smoked bacon. DELISH!! The french toast is cut out in the middle and an egg is dropped in and fried just enough so that when you cut into with a fork, the yolk just ooooooozes out and you have to soak it up with the toast. It came with some spicy home fries and maple syrup. As a side, I added the bacon but honestly, for $3, I expected some thicker pieces than 2 small ones. Disappointed at the point but what can you do? Should have done my reseach prior to arriving at National Harbor and comparing restaurants in the area. Oh well, it was a decent place. Not too many patrons seeing it was Sunday brunch, but lots of tables and room to sit. Plenty of big screen tv's around the bar area and you didn't feel rushed at all. Actually, had to ask for the check!!
(3)K T.
Came here for New Years Eve and was pretty impressed. We did the $40 open bar and it was definitely worth the money. However, the bartenders did not all seem to be on the same page as to what drinks were with the OB or not. I ordered the same drink all night and a friend of mine tried it, loved it, and went to go get her own, and they told her she couldn't get it with OB, I went up right after and got it, from the same bartender who told her no, my bf had no problems getting the drink either. But other than that it was fantastic, they didn't skimp on the alcohol and despite the fact that the house was jam packed, they moved quickly and efficiently. Music was pretty good and we had a blast dancing and watching the ball drop on the giant projection screen. Props to the security guys for keeping their cool and handling vomit patrol like champs. The reason it's getting 4 stars and not 5 is due to the floor plan which is a little lousy and nonsensical. Navigating around the bar is tricky, especially when it's crowded. And then there is apparently no direct route from the kitchen to the separated restaurant portion so the whole night waiters were forced to cut through the dance floor with plates of food and drink to get to the entrance of the dining room. Overall, glad we made the trip from SoMD to National Harbor for New Years, definitely a night we won't forget.
(4)Alphonso D.
Went here during an off time so that may affect my judgement. The wait staff was good, food came out hot and fresh and drinks were timely. The food we prepared as order and tasted very good. It was off hours so it was pretty quiet but I'd expect the usual bar/restaurant on any other occasion. Overall I had a good experience.
(4)David B.
Food was good but expensive. Service good can be noisy so maybe sit outside weather permitting. Service was good and if your staying at one of the National Harbor locations they give you a 15% discount so check that out. Only gave it three stars because of the noise and our waiter seemed pre occupied. The crab cheese dip, pulled pork, great club sandwich, drinks, crab cakes, clams were all good.
(3)Brent A.
Applebee's doesn't have bouncers, does this place need it? Not a good environment, go to harringtons next door
(2)Juliet K.
3.5 stars... we went here after cirque du soleil. every restaurant had a ridiculous wait so we used the opentable phone app and made a reservation for the next available restaurant, which happened to be public house. the service was great. the waiter didnt come over too much but just enough to make sure we were ok. food: - filet something or other appetizer. pretty good. we requested med rare, but was a bit over cooked. - french dip - the flavor was good, and the fries were tasty. - some fish dish with bok choy and rice - wasnt a huge fan of how the rice was cooked but bok choy and fish were great. the food was decent. but definitely not something that i would really come back to. its worth trying once. maybe you will like the food better. but i wouldnt go back. i'd probably try something new.
(3)Sarah P.
The service here was PHENOMENAL! We had lunch here and I was a little nervous about taking my three year old in, but I saw other people with their kids and thought we would try it out. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, making sure our drinks were filled. My husband ordered the Pastrami on Rye and said he liked it a lot! I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Sandwich and was pretty disturbed by it. I assumed I would get lumps of crab and it would be luscious, but they served it with a 'Cajun Mayo' that tasted like it had cardamom or something in it. I really couldn't place the spice, but it totally overpowered the crab cake. It was served on a brioche bun that was too big for the actual crab cake. The dressing they served with the salad was AWESOME! While this meal wasn't AWESOME, I would definitely consider going there again to try something else.
(3)Wei C.
Food was OK, but it was a nice place. Very comfortable interior design. Especially, the light control was great. We sat by a small round table with a semicircle chair, so we could be closer to each other to enjoy the meal. But, really, the food was ok, so as the cocktail. I ordered Asian Salad and Pineapple Martini - too sweat for me, both of them...
(3)Lakisia H.
Went for a Sunday Brunch which really was not the case. Their Sunday Brunch is nothing more than a breakfast menu, which didn't have much to choose from. They had a Bloody Mary bar which wasn't bad. It was a bit messy but ok. I am a big buff on custome service and the hostess needed to go back to the drawing board to find out what that means. We arrived and asked about sitting outside, she indicated that it would be about a 20 minute wait, so ok no problem we will wait. There was a table available outside that needed to be cleaned off. I asked about that table and she never responded just walked off while she popped her gum rudely. It was actually pretty bad. On top of that the food was so so. I would not go back for a Sunday Brunch nor do I recommend that you go either.
(2)Thereasa A.
My husband and I spent Christmas at National Harbor. On Christmas Day, this was the only restaurant open. It was moderately busy, but still had an almost empty bar and a few empty tables. The food was average with limited options (possibly because of the holiday). Pricing was moderate. Our order was a pulled pork sandwich with a salad and a pastrami sandwich. The food was very average. The best thing was the bread on the pulled pork sandwich, the pork was dry. The wait for sandwiches was too long. But my complaint would be with the staffing. Particularly, the hostess. She was rude to many guests as we watched them come in and was overly involved and affection with her boyfriend while she was working. At one point a gentleman walked in and asked a question, began waiting for people. She turned her back to him and rolled her eyes. While he could not see her, the hostess station is surrounded by tables. The waitresses were nice but seemed to spend a lot of time busing tables and taking care of the drink station. I would think with a restaurant at this level there would have been a bus boy so the waitresses could be more attentive to their tables. . It is just average. Nothing to remember. We have more trips planned back to the National Harbor, and this will be one place we will not return.
(2)Davis M.
I went into dinner at the Public House with the lowest of expectations. They were not met. I was in town on business and decided to stay at the Westin instead of driving home. My wife and I walked around the block for a good place to eat, but they ALL appeared to be overpriced and underwhelming tourist traps. We went to this place because it was the cheapest. Big mistake. In short: 1) Waiter was stoned, was acting like characters from Dazed and Confused, or both. 2) Waited 10 minutes for waiter to bring a steak knife, after which my wife went into the kitchen to get one for herself. 3) Food was cold and lettuce was rotten. 4) $6 for a draft beer that was skunked. Total bill was $41 for two people. We left a $4 tip and I think it was too kind. Don't eat here. For that matter, avoid the National Harbor completely. No class and a waste of money.
(1)Nikki I.
VERY SLOW SERVICE...our waitress Keisha only came to our table 3 times in a 2 hour span...1st time: right after the food came out, the 2nd time: only because we called her over and 3rd time: to collect our plates (with our check already in hand) and didn't even offer us the dessert menu! and here's the kicker, gratuity was already included for a party of only 3...no wonder she lacked in the customer service dept, she was getting a tip REGARDLESS!! (she didn't even deserve a 5% tip!!) oh and same goes for the short blonde "bartender" who also lacked in the customer service department, she saw us standing there and continued to just stand near the register. they (mostly the servers) all socialized with one another around the hostess station when they should've been attending to their customers!! this place will not be getting my hard earned money ever again, that's for damn sure!!
(1)Laura W.
National Harbor has a limited number of restaurants for lunch and dinner. I came here with a coworker for lunch on one of our days at a conference at the Gaylord. I was a bit disappointed to see they didn't have a separate lunch menu. I was hoping there would be a few lighter options to choose from. I ended up having the the crab cake sandwich and kettle chips. The sandwich was really good, it was nice and fresh and so was the bun it was served on. The remoulade sauce was also very tasty and I was dipping the chips into it. I do wish there was a different side served with the sandwich. The kettle chips weren't as crunch as I would have hoped and they were a bit sweet. The crab cake was also a bit sweet so it was a little too much for me. My coworker had the burger, it is served on an english muffin but she requested it be served on a regular bun like my sandwich was. There was a mixup and it was served with the muffin and she sent it back. They corrected it and she ate her burger. The crab cake sandwich was my favorite dish I had to eat while there and I would recommend it but the overall experience was underwhelming.
(2)Jason A.
Looking for a place to eat and drink before a Cirque du Soleil show, so we stopped in and sat at the bar. Took about 5 mins for the bartender to take a drink order. We ordered food, which was decent, but took over 45 mins to get it and we were Starving!!! The bartender apologized profusely and was very empathetic, but the kitchen staff obviously was pretty cut rate. He comped us most of the bill, which was nice and his service was good, but overall the place was pretty average with a poor kitchen service. We'll definitely go somewhere else next time we are in the area.
(2)Kirsten D.
We went for a fun day with the kids to see Ice at the Gaylord, and boy did these guys ruin part of it. After waiting over 1/2 an hour, we finally have a server bring one kids meal (there were 11 people in our party). Well, strange but the other food should be following in a second right.... nope. 15 minutes later no waitor and no food so we go out to see what the problem is. After being ignored by the hostess, I finally see our waiter and ask him about the food and all I get is "it will be out shortly".... I tell him that they brought out one kids meal 15 minutes ago, and given that there are 5 kids in the party that's a pretty big problem. No apology, just another "it will be out shortly" and goes back to doing something at the bar. He makes no attempt to actually resolve the issue at all. Another 5 minutes and 5 more of us get food but not all of us. Then it is another 15 minutes, a fair amount of complaining by my sister in law and finally the other items arrive. The "manager" comes by and apologizes, of course agrees with us blah blah (you could tell she really couldn't care less). Then she says she'll make it right and take care of the check. Well, taking care of the check is an eleven dollar discount for 11 people. This is another case of the "I shoulda looked at Yelp first" blues.... Never again with this place.
(1)Brianne C.
3.35 stars. In contrast with most Yelpers, I found the Public House's crab artichoke dip and braised beef sandwich with onions and jack cheese to be craveable. The dip was loaded with hunks of lump crab, and the kitchen eschewed a cream cheese base for a lighter cream sauce that complemented the tender seafood and briny artichokes. Further, the sandwich was stacked with tender, luscious braised short ribs, sweet sauteed onions, and a light layer of cheese, and was layered on country bread with chewy edges that nicely absorbed the rich juices. It was substantial and heavenly. But, there were several factors that kept Public House from being a worthy destination itself. As others have noted, the restaurant setting was painfully generic, the drinks were sloppily mixed, and the bartenders were clearly having issues with their duties. However, they were especially attractive (men and women), and gradually opened up to conversation as the evening unwound. And, as one of my companions remarked, the food was delicious while we were sitting at the bar, but may not have seemed worth the one hour wait we were quoted for a table. Regardless, I will certainly take a ferry ride to the National Harbor when a craving for a braised beef sandwich surfaces. Mmmm.....
(3)Roseline H.
Great location, good food, awesome service. We were given first-class service by our server which is why I gave this place 4 stars. It was a bit pricey for the food we ordered but other than that, I can def see myself going here again to watch a game.
(4)Michelle E.
Noon on a Thursday, next to nobody in the place. Two people waiting to be seated (separately) but the hostess is on the phone. No problem, sounds like maybe she's taking a reservation. So we stand there giving her the benefit of the doubt. She gets off the phone and doesn't even glance at us. She just walks away, still without looking at us, and vanishes into the back without so much as a "Be right with you." After waiting and waiting I just walked out. Didn't even get to sit down and try their food. After reading some of the other reviews, I'm glad.
(1)Monique R.
I work at the National Harbor and stop in here when I get off on occasion because it is one of the few places that stays open late.The food is pretty overpriced and the only thing that stands out to me is the Philadelphia spring roll appetizer. It's a unique idea and pretty tasty. I have tried the french dip sandwich, the Public House burger, and the steak salad (I turn mine into a Pittsburgh steak salad)- they're all very average. More often than not the service does suck. I was in here a few weeks ago on a slow night and the bartender looked more like she belonged in a strip club than behind the bar (but I'm sure this is why she got the job). I don't like to judge people but she also lived up to every dumb bimbo stereotype out there. After I finished my first drink, that took me ten minutes to order in the first place, she never asked me if I wanted another cocktail and pretty much ignored me and my group of friends. Usually, we stay longer but we cut our visit very short that night. One good thing I can say about this place is that they play decent music on the weekend and there is a diverse young crowd. I wonder why the NYC and Philly locations look way bigger and nicer on their website?!
(2)Kimberly B.
Okay as Julie Andrews would say, "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start..." I don't care for the doorman, or the guy who checks id's. He's an uptight arrogant butthole who clearly seems to take his job entirely to seriously. I've been several times but if I don't go back, nothing will be missed. The food is good and so are the drinks however the drinks are pricey. I'm a music lover, and the dj is always on point whenever I go however since the dance floor is the size of a sliver of space probably comparable to you trying to walk through a crowded platform during rush hour at Gallery Place Station after someone has gotten sick on one of the trains, you get my point. So I went on Friday and it was packed as usual, I guess I'm just not a fan of going places where people are stacked up against each other and I literally have to pry them apart and then say excuse you in order to get by even though they were in the way. It's a pretty diverse crowd as far as race is concerned but its also a young one, which I could do without. Generally when I go several fights break out and they throw them out quick fast and in a hurry, I was there one night and a chick and a guy were fighting, once they threw them out, they basically started brawling in the street. I'm sorry I don't want to go somewhere and get dressed, pay $11 to park and then deal with riff raff. I coulda went to Giant and got a red box and ordered a pizza and been better off, lol. Overall its cool, but clearly better left for a better time for the youngins.
(2)Kristen D.
Meh - food was decent but the service lacked anything special. The first night I felt crammed in a back corner when there was plenty of space available. The second night we ate there, we received our appetizer after our dinner (with no concern shown by the staff), had to ask for condiments and refills and just an overall lackluster experience. I understand that it's a touristy area and that the majority of visitors are one time but definitely not the experience you want to give your guests.
(2)Thomas S.
Truly one of the worst lunches I've experienced in years. So many things are wrong here: 1) The near lifeless hostess decided to seat us next to the only people at the restaurant, a noisy group. Visibly annoyed when we asked for an alternative location. 2) Ordered a simple chicken sandwich. Came back tasting like fake smoked something that resembled meat. 3) The waiter did exchange it for a salad. The salad was absolutely drenched in dressing. I mean puddles of the goopy, obviously out of jar stuff. Inedible. 4) Smile, you're on candid camera. There are cameras everywhere in the place. When asked, the waiter said it's because so many people are falling down a step, and they want to stop frivolous lawsuits. Nice. Turns out that the step is a huge hazard, marked by a sign that would easily get looked past. Our waiter explained "people trip and fall down the step all the time" 5) The restaurant is located in National Harbor. A cultural wasteland. Go to Pot Belly for lunch. Boring, but in predictable good way.
(1)Dan R.
I'm not normally one to complain about restaurants because usually if I don't like it, I just don't go back. In this particular case I feel annoyed enough to leave a review. Service was poor. Had to ask for things multiple times. Orders were missing items. The $9 sweet potato fries appetizer portion was TINY. Our party of four had mixed reviews on the food. I ordered a Cobb salad which lacked most the ingredients one would normally expect in a Cobb salad. Management refused to accept our $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate because we did not order four entrees. It's not clear to me what constitutes an entree seeing as how four adults all ate full meals. We ordered drinks, an appetizer, the aforementioned meal-sized salad, two sandwiches and the french toast off the brunch menu and a desert and spent over $100.
(2)Lam N.
Do yourself a huge favor: Do not go here. We went here for a group lunch and the waitress was very nice and accommodating. However, that does not make up all the bad things this restaurant has to offer. First off, they brought out the bread, which is cold and dry even though we were there just when they're open for lunch. It's as if they used the bread from yesterday. Oh, and if you want for bread for the table, you have to pay an extra $2. It's the not the cost that's the problem, it's the principle! One glance at the menu and you can see mediocre dishes all around, with a few exceptions of unique dishes and ingredients. We got our food and I got to try my co-workers food also. The final verdict across the board of some 18 people was that the food was mediocre. The hummus was dry and tasteless. The burger was overcooked and uninteresting. The pulled pork was just OK. For the price that you're paying for the food, you expect better. If you think that you're paying for the location and/or ritz, there isn't any besides the contemporary decor. It is situated 2-3 blocks away from the water so you are basically having a great view of the street. I would highly recommend anyone to SKIP this place and move on.
(1)Brian S.
Public House turned out much better than I expected. We were there with a group during the Steelers/Ravens playoff game, and I was surprised how many people were there to watch the game. It definitely gave the place a lively atmosphere. We started with the cheesesteak spring rolls and the crab dip, and they were both very good. My burger was cooked correctly, but they didn't get the toppings correct. My wife's french dip was very good, but the slices of ciabatta were way too thick. Not only did they detract from the taste of the meat, but they made the sandwich difficult to eat, especially with work colleagues. The beer list was good, but not great. A three star meal was made better by a great atmosphere and competent service. I would go back if and when I'm in National Harbor again.
(4)Lori Taylor R.
Quite possibly the worst experience ever! We should have taken our cue from the service we were given at the bar while waiting on our table, but unfortunately, we did not. We were seated after about a 30 minute wait at a large round table near the window. We had a party of 8, so we could understand needing to wait. Our server was friendly, but seemed slightly out of it. The appetizers were blah and the dinners should have never left the kitchen. They were absolutely terrible! The chicken sandwich, which several people in our group ordered was cold, tough, and rubbery. No joke, you could have bent the chicken in half, slammed it in a door numerous times and it wouldn't have been effected at all. (I wasn't 100% sure that it wasn't the plastic food they use in the display cases at Asian restaurants.) The fries served with every meal were cold and soggy. We notified our waiter and he seemed a bit overwhelmed with the news ... so, manager to the rescue? Yeah, not so much. She says, "Well, since we aren't so slammed now we can make you new chicken sandwiches." What? Who says that? No apology! And, because you are busy, you can't serve edible food? None of this is making any sense and it's completely rubbing me the wrong way. Let us out of this disastrous meal. One place I never need to visit again!
(1)Fran T.
Sorry, but the truth has to be told...I'd do no star if I could...this place should stick to being a bar and not try to make money on the so-called Sunday Brunch. Service was BAD and the breakfast food was nothing to talk about. I asked for salt and pepper for my eggs, and our waitress proceeded to take another table's order. By the time she remembered to bring the salt/pepper, my eggs were stone cold. I asked for new eggs and they still had not come out after about 7 minutes. Of course by now, the rest of my meal was cold. Also, I asked for a fresh cup of coffee while I waited for the new eggs. The waitress took my cup inside (again, why was no one walking around with a pot of coffee for refills...lesson 101 in any restaurant!) She did NOT dump the 1/3 cup of COLD coffee, but added coffee to it! What part of FRESH CUP was not understood?! I did speak to the manager and requested my meal be removed from the bill and she obliged, and although she listened to me and assured me this was not the 'norm' for them, neither she nor the waitress ever apologized for my very unhappy experience. On a side note, a couple came in and was seated next to us...they never received acknowledgement of their presence by any waitstaff and after about 10 minutes they left. No, it was not busy.
(1)Veronica W.
Ok I guess. I went there on a Friday night....around 10/11. The music was good, there was still food available. It's a standard bar...I'm not sure if anything in particular stood out.
(3)Leigh P.
it was located across the street from the hotel I was staying at (Gaylord Resort). I stopped by here for a beer and dessert and was satisfied. I enjoyed their cookie-pizza-with-ice cream. It was decent sized --- filling and not too sweet. I ate at the bar. The server was attentive without being over-the-top. PLENTY OF TVs for watching sports. It does get loud. It's an ok option for the area. I wouldn't go out of my way to get here - but if you're in town for a conference & want a break from the hotel restaurant scene, it's a decent choice.
(3)Anirban C.
Not great. OK food, slow service. I went in at 5pm for a (very) late lunch. I sat at the bar for several minutes before anyone wandered over to see what I needed. I ordered the crab soup because I wanted something fast and hot. After 20 minutes or so I started wondering where my soup was. It finally arrived and was not at all hot, but I dug into it because I was starving at this point. They brought another bowl that they probably just stuck in the microwave, with more liquid and less crab than the first. The soup itself was underwhelming ... the crabmeat was good and it had some nice spicy heat to it, but the vegetables and flavor reminded me too much of Campbell's. At least the place has free WiFi, which came in handy while I was waiting for my soup ...
(2)Tina M.
I sat at the bar and had a great time. The bartenders were very attentive (on a Friday night) and ended up doing some shots with me! The food was a bit disappointing and overpriced but the atmosphere was great and exactly what I needed at the end of a long week. The wine menu was a bit disappointing as well but the bartenders were happy to offer free samples until I found one I liked.
(4)Mark G.
Great selection of beer, good selection of food - I'm a fan. I got the Maryland Crab cakes, and I'm pretty picky when it comes to Crab Cakes, and this place won me over. Strongly recommend it!
(4)Jeff R.
I think 3 stars is about good for this place. A little out of the way down in National Harbor, but I suppose if you happen to be staying in a hotel down there or at a conference, this would be a good option to offer your patronage. I was there for an event recently, and Public House served as very accommodating hosts. They were super on top of things at the bar, and everyone in our group of about 50 people seemed to be having a good time. Also, they were playing the Barca game on one of their many tvs so bonus points for that. I didn't actually try any of the food...so I think I'm just going to leave my review at that. Great service/hosting for our event. Was it enough to convince me to drive all the way back down to National Harbor just to eat there? Perhaps not, but if I'm in the area, I suppose I would stop in for a second visit.
(3)Kim J.
Decent (not great) wine/beer list, good crab dip appetizer, decent but pricey entrees, but service was spotty. However, management was quick to make things right for a late dessert delivery. Overall vibe of National Harbor is touristy without much substance.
(3)Simpson Y.
The burger there was just ok. Bread was rather small in diameter but the meat was pretty thick. I also had a crab cake sandwich which was basically the same thing as a burger but with a crab cake. That was a little better but it was served with some really soggy kettle chips with I did not like at all.
(2)Edet N.
After the Marine Corps birthday celebration at the Gaylord we decided to get out of uniform and take the party to the streets. Public House was the first place we saw so thought nothing of stopping in for a few drinks. Standing in line waiting to get in I was behind a Wounded Warrior. A Marine who had was shot in the head, and blown up was making his first trip out of the Naval hospital to go to the birthday celebration and out on the town afterward. This young Marine was wearing a helmet, specially made for him to prevent any accidental brain injury. This Marine was a shell of his former self, his speech slurred, his rehabilitated motor-skills enabled him to function but there was much work to be done. Upon getting to the doorman this Marine was told that the "no hat" policy would not allow him to come in and enjoy his night. It took everything in me to restrain myself as I see a Veteran who has had his life drastically altered so that the rest of us can go out and enjoy a drink be told he is not welcome. I respect the policies of any given establishment; but there comes a time where commonsense must prevail. After some careful word play the management relented and let this Devil Dog enjoy the night, but it shouldn't have gotten to that point. This was a clear case of ignorance and intolerance and for that I will not enjoy my overpriced beverages at Public House.
(1)Tom W.
Went in and sat down at the bar. There were about 10 people who were seated around the bar. Everybody else had their drinks. They had 2 batenders who were busy doing everything but getting my drink order. Not sure if they expected me to beg for a drink, but that's not my style. After 10 minutes I got up and walked out. I don't need a drink that bad.
(1)Rachel M.
Public is more of a "hey let's grab a drink" kind of place then to eat...but do not go, i say again DO NOT GO THERE FOR BRUNCH. ok...considering they've only started serving brunch 2 weeks ago, but cmon now how hard is it to make a poached egg???? or any kind of egg dish??? My friend had the Crab Benedict and well needless to say the egg looked disgusting! So she ordered another poached egg and well it came back the same way. She complained to the waitress which in turn had the Manager come by to apologize and it wasnt quite an apology. She said that they've only started brunch couple of weeks ago and it should get better cuz its NEW! and that she will deduct half of her meal because she ate half...OMG!!! Well that didnt sit well with her so my friend asked the whole meal removed. So all in all...grab a drink at the bar and maybe...an app but dont expect anything more from your food.
(2)Chrisa S.
Great place for people with completely average gastronomic expectations and interests.
(2)Mike O.
Awesome bar with a fun staff, cool crowd and good, reasonable drinks. Have fun hanging out there when you're in town for a conference.
(5)Davonnediashay C.
Terrible staff, over priced everything, mediocre food. After my last experience Ive vowed to never go back. It was my friends birthday & i spent over $400 on food & drinks (although we hardly ate the food). When the nite was coming to a close i got up to use the bathroom. when i can back eveything was cleared off the table. Food & drinks tht were harldy touched got thrown away. I told the manager & he immediately jumped to the defense. I like "dude, the place is closed, no one else will be sitting here... our jackets are still here, that was at least $70 worth of food tht was boxed up & ready to go, the waiter shoulld hv made sure no one was coming back before he cleared the table." He said will it was only wings and crab drip thts nothing. I was like since its so simple then replace it. He said kitchen was closed and for me to give him my name & number & he would call me back atfter 5pm the next day & i could come in and hv dinner on him... I knew at tht point he was just saying tht so i would leave the whole situation alone. Needless to say I never heard from him. Ive had numerus bad expericences at this place, this is just the most recent... I shulda been done with place long before this issue but it was my friends bday so i made a expection. The only reason Im giving this place 2 stars is because of the people that go there... They normally have a good crowd... & if u hv the right ppl any dump can be made enjoyable... Oh, and they hv a ok dj on Fri. & Sat.
(2)Erin O.
This was my first dining experience at Public House. The restaurant, and National Harbor in general, wasn't overly busy on this Sunday, which was also Father's Day. After we were greeted by our server, we learned that they didn't have two of the appetizers and one of the sandwiches. Perhaps they had a big lunch rush, but from what we saw, the whole area wasn't that busy... We enjoyed dinner; the food was good/okay, but slightly overpriced. Our server was friendly and accommodating. Would like to see a larger selection of entrees on the menu. If I go back to National Harbor (iffy because there isn't much to do), I would try some of the other restaurants before making a second visit to Public House.
(2)Tattoo S.
Good food, good drinks, good beer, good late hours, good times!
(4)Maggie M.
This place is pretty cool. The bartenders are great here. They make a killer pineapple martini. Its infused pineapples with vodka. Very tastey! There hot wings are SUPER hot and firey. But still good. We also enjoyed the crabcake sandwich which the MR loved and I wasnt to big of a fan of it. (not a big crab cake person though). They have good fries too. I would def go back here for a drink or a light dinner. One of the better choices at the National Harbour.
(4)K C.
Good service. The waitress went out of her way to try to find the quietest place in the place. Warning, the background music is a little loud. Crabcakes and Caesar were tasty. The fish tacos were a bit bland and came fried to my surprise. I thought the cookie dough smash was divine.
(3)Cornelie H.
Came here for a going away for a coworker. We had a lil private party in a reserved room. We were dressy. The food was not bad. The shrimp was awesome but the rosotto was not... at all! The cash bar had everything, which was definitely a plus. Music was decent. I would only come here when I am no where near broke and with a group of people... probably for drinks. I can skip the meal.
(3)Linda P.
we've been there twice in the past month and both times it was hot as heck in there--- how does the place stay open with little or no air cond.( manager ?? told us it's getting fixed but when????)...Food is good --service was very good --but after we lelt -- felt bad for our waitress cause all we did was complain about the heat- so if you want to melt during dinner at least be seated with the cute college kid ( i think her name was mariska/mirissa something like that .I would not have wanted to wait on us....... Public House let me know when the ac is working and we'll be back!!!
(2)Mike S.
Though I am not a big fan of bar centered restaurants, Public House has a pleasant atmosphere that is good for the yuppie happy hour/game night crowd. The appetizers were decent and the food par for the course. Like some of the other destination spots throughout the area be prepare to pay more than what you would pay for than if you were going to a quik-serv establishment. All in all I would rate the food about a 6 and the atmosphere about an 8.
(3)Laura F.
We were trying to find a weekend breakfast place outside of the Gaylord and decided to try here. It was 95 degrees out t 11:15am and it was quite warm inside also. Even the hostess staff was fanning themselves with menus. Thre was only 1 other party there when we arrived, so we were seated quickly. There is a small but decent breakfast menu anda a lunch menu. We ordered normal breakfast food ( pancakes, French toast and the country breakfast). Overall the food wad pretty good, waitress was ok. We didn't have to hunt her down for drinks or anything but they aren't exactly busy either. When we left there was all of 4 tables seated in either while place, but it seved it's purpose. Only complaint was the temperature but with plenty of ice water, it was not miserable.
(3)Jim B.
Had lunch and dinner here and I am a fan of the crab cakes! I had good service and found the prices to be reasonable. The restaurant was crowded for dinner, so a reservation helped!
(4)panida r.
I enjoyed an evening of appetizers and drinks at public house. I thought the beer selection was nice. Nice to see craft beer stocked. Finally tried a Dogfish Head beer. The place is really low key. Appetizers try to be fancy but don't achieve a gourmet taste. One that I remember is filet mignon on flatbread topped with some fried something(i thought they were fries so thin they were just crispy). Interesting but not much flavor. There was also a crab dip that was pretty good. Service is polite. Not terribly attentive.
(3)Sam M.
WORST FOOD EVER. This is the biggest waste of money in National Harbor. The service is very sub par, and the food was horrible. Crab cakes tasted like and smelled like sewage water.
(1)Chryssa R.
I had the Maryland crab cake sandwich and it was a bit too crabby tasting, but decent otherwise. The bun was so huge I took the top half off. The green salad was a nice mix of lettuces with a nice balsamic dressing. Not unlike hundreds of salads I've eaten before. I didn't have a bad experience, but this place isn't on my short list of places to eat again.
(3)Ryann G.
Waitstaff was very inattentive, even thought we sat right by their wait station. Our Cobb salads with chicken were very good. There aren't a ton of options, but the ones they have sounded delicious. The wine list is very nice.
(3)AnnaMarie V.
Good but not great. Happy Hour deals are good though
(3)Elaine K.
Food was ok, but overpriced. I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Sections of the bun and parts of the pork were burnt. My coleslaw was brownish. My diet coke tasted off, like the syrup to seltzer ratio was off. The service was almost ok. The waitress was attentive enough, but instead of refilling empty glasses, she asked if we wanted refills, and she took a plate I was still eating off of. They had a decent beer selection, but not an impressive one. Meh.
(2)K M.
I wouldn't go to eat here with so many other options at the Harbor but for a loud, bar hopping good time on a Saturday night in the Harbor this place is it! It's a good mix of people, those in their 20s and 30s from all different backgrounds. Wall to wall people, dj, good music, drinks flowing...what more can you ask for?
(4)Amber E.
I was in town for a convention at the Gaylord and decided to venture out a little bit. I sat at the bar and decided to grab a quick drink and something to eat. I was surprised at how friendly the staff was. I had some food allergies and I am a bit of picky eater, but the bartender helped me go over menu to find something to eat. Even though I ended up with a Greek Salad, it is always extremely helpful when the staff is knowledgable on the menu. The atmosphere in the bar was extremely pleasant. It was during early happy hour but wasn't too crazy or loud that I couldn't have a conversation. The bartender was attentive to refill my water and always noticed when my wine glass was almost empty. I find it extremely annoying when I have to flag down a bartender to get another drink, I didn't have to do that once. I would definately go back again.
(4)Kelly G.
Had a late late dinner there last night. Butternut squash soup with roasted apples and creme fraiche was so delicious. I thought it would be one of those sweet concoctions. But noooo, it was nice and savory. Smooth, velvety, savory goodness. The short ribs were falling off the bone. Yummy yum yum yum. Served over a bed of risotto, there is no other dish for me. I was in total hog heaven. Tack on the glass of cabernet and I'm a huge fan. Huge fan.
(4)Henry T.
Didn't have any of the food. Came by on a Saturday night. Bouncers would not let my friend in, who wore a turban for religious reasons. After causing a stir, threatening a formal complaint, we spoke with the manager, and he let us in and got a round of drinks. 10 minutes later, my other group of friends, and the same bouncer asked if one "was part of the Taliban" (referring to my first friend wearing the turban). After hearing that, we left. We would not support any racist organization (odd considering that most of the clientele [sp?] was African American)
(1)John F.
How do you rate a Restaurant/Bar?? This place is a little of everything. As a bar, it's a sports bar primarily with some other nights thrown in like Karaoke, game night, etc. The bar is HUGE! They have infused, vodka, a good beer selection, and a ton of TV's. As a restaurant, it's almost takes a 2nd to the massive bar. The food is good, haven't found anything bad either. I love the Chicken BLT.. MMM The philly cheese steak rolls are really good, but Im sure I have a clogged artery from them LOL. Again, as a bar they do really, really, well. Probably the best or close the best place in all of National Harbour. As a restaurant there are some other places if you are looking for really good food that are better. But really, one of the better places for food I've been to that is primarily a bar. So, if your looking for a place for a bunch of friends to hang out with. A friendly bar crew. As good of food you will get at any bar, this is your place. Say hi to Kristen and Company for me.
(4)S R.
We thought that since we found parking on the street (Yaay!) that we were in for a good night. Parking is limited to 2 hours which we thought was enough time for dinner at a casual restaurant. My small party of three was immediately seated. Water was brought to the table and drinks were ordered. Really, it was only a child's soda because the dessert menu was starting to call our names so the adults stayed with water. But that is where the goodness ends. The food is WAY overpriced. You would think that for a small menu the dishes would be exceptional but it is, in fact, the opposite. Additionally, some restaurants make up for their lack of sophistication with large servings. Not here. The little one ordered a cheeseburger with fries from the kids menu. The adults ordered the pork chop and chicken. My family doesn't usually order chicken at restaurants but I am a sucker for risotto. The pork chop was so charred and then doused in sauce that made the entire dish unappetizing. The cornbread stuffing and sauteed spinach were both mushy and slimy. There was absolutely no texture contrast in this dish. The first bite into the chicken was dry with hints of caper and lemon not indicated on the menu. After lifting the chicken from the bed of risotto, a pool of butter/oil was revealed. The risotto had a healthy serving of peas but not the butternut squash described on the menu. The risotto was unevenly cooked. Some bites were crunchy. If this is how they do pork chops and chicken, I'm glad we didn't order the pricier crabcakes and steak like we really wanted. The kid did great work on his cheeseburger. The burger was juicy and well proportioned to the large, slightly toasted brioche bun. After an unimpressive meal, we decided to play it safe and share the peanut butter tart. Again, the size of the dessert was not worth the $8 price tag. I would not describe this as a tart. It was more of a mousse. The crust that would have justified the tart title was merely a thin soft layer of crushed oreo cookies. Again, there was no texture contrast on such a rich (albeit, one note) dessert. The seasonal fruit was not on the plate and was brought to the table in a disposable cup. BTW, blueberries do not taste good with chocolate and PB. Crumbled banana chips and a banana puree would have improved this dessert immensely instead of the chocolate sauce and peanut butter-chocolate chips that it was served with. The one star is for our excellent waitress. She was very attentive. But like other reviewers have said, we had to wait a while to get our food. Needless to say, we used an hour and 55 minutes of our 2 hour parking limit. Overall, not a good first impression and we will not be returning.
(1)Tamika J.
I went to Public House for date night with my husband during the past restaurant week. The atmosphere at PH was fine, fun and relaxing. The food was just okay. Butternut Squash soup was GREAT. The salmon was good and the oven roasted chicken was dry at best. We had a reservation, so getting seated wasn't an issue. The waitress was a bit slow but not unbearably so since we were not in any hurry. Overall the experience was just okay. I don't have to go back.
(3)Justin S.
I swung by Public House on my 1st trip to National Harbor. I tried the $12 fish tacos, and combined with a soda and tip, spent about $17.50. I can't say I'll ever be back. The tacos themselves weren't bad. They were about on par with what I've found elsewhere in the city... for about $5-$7. The fish was average, the salsa was mediocre, and the tortillas tasted like regular Safeway brand tortillas. The bread was thick enough to entirely drown out the flavor of the fish and toppings combined. The cole slaw that came with the tacos was limp and boring, again something you'd get at an inexpensive low end restaurant. There's a lot of really great restaurants in nearby Old Town where expensive american food is drastically superior to its less-expensive counterparts. Those places put care into their menus and fetch fine ingredients. The guys at Public house could learn a few things about quality from them. Maybe they should send the chef on a little road trip. I expected to go back to National Harbor a lot this summer but if the food's going to be like this, I might give up on the whole place. Based on the fish tacos, I'd put Chili's ahead of Public House. If the other restaurants are like this, National Harbor won't ever be more than a wasteful tourist trap. They're so far below the local par that their food can't even compete with other local options.
(2)Brittany C.
Arrived in National Harbor Sunday morning for a convention. We went looking for a place that served breakfast (there aren't many). First place we came across was Public House. First impression was not good. The hostess was dressed so unprofessionally and inappropriately it made both me and my husband uncomfortable. She was wearing a skin tight spaghetti strap shirt with half her chest, and a gigantic tattoo across her back exposed. They had very few offerings. And what they did offer was a little strange. We ordered the most normal sounding thing on the menu. Eggs, bacon, toast, and fingerling potatoes. Waited at least half an hour for our food. It was just ok at best. Very greasy. The very same thing you could get at a diner for $5. We paid $14. Our waitress was very friendly and nice.
(2)Theo P.
Blah..No free parking (11.00$) No dancefloor although they pretend to be a club. Snobs from maryland meet the wannabe gangsters. Its a bloody mess. Crowded on the weekends. I will give it one star for the excellent bar staff-very friendly. I did not try the food, but I am sure that is overpriced as well. Not going again.
(1)Shandalyn H.
Where to start? Had a blast! Came her cause 3 guys wanted to buy, me & my lady friends( best friends) some drink. Hey! Who is going to turn down free drinks & food! Do not remember what I had! But it was good, because I ate it all. Yummy & my bff's ate all their food also. Like the big girl's they are. lol. Don't know the prices, because I didn't pay. Sorry can't help you with that. & the music was great, because after the late snack we dance until the place closed. So please stop in & get an bite to eat. & if you drink get one of those to. So 2 thumbs up for Public House! =) I will be returning!
(4)John B.
Wow. Public House caused my wife to question where my temper ever was. After knowing her for three years, my wife experienced the first time I have ever asked to speak to a manager at a restaurant. Two different servers took our drink orders, each saying that this was their table. I didn't know servers were so territorial. Guess what...all four of us....got two drinks. To add insult to injury, my wife's drink, a cosmo, had zero alcohol in it. My one beer (of the two) had a fly in it. We asked for a new drink for my wife. Guess what. They said that's just how they're made. The food. Meh, it was ok. When the bill came, I was informed that on top of having to pay for both drinks that I would be paying a required 18% tip. HA. I explained I would do no such thing. The waitress (one of the two) went back to the manager and brought back with a 15% tip required. I said NO, let me actually speak to the manager. Finally, the manager came out, rude as ever, showed me the required tip in 3-point font on the menu. I explained I would not pay the 15% tip. Eventually, six hours later, I received my bill with all drinks removed and was allowed to tip as I pleased. Unfortunately for the two other checks at my table, they had to pay for everything because they didn't speak up in time. In short, it may be good someday, but they need a lot of service issues fixed, ASAP.
(1)James C.
Best part of dinner was cookie dough skillet desert. Entrees reminded me of frozen TV dinners but fresh. The sauces were too high in sodium for the flank steak and meatloaf (like TV dinners). They served me a manhattan straight up in a large shot glass and not shaken or stirred - Luke warm. Only redeeming factor was the friendly waiter and desert.
(2)Olivia R.
Having to attend a conference across the street that unfortunately didn't serve food, a few attendees and I went to Public House for a weekday lunch. As a group of 4, we were sat at a booth right away. We didn't think the restaurant was very busy because our orders were taken in a fair amount of time and we received our drink orders promptly, but the kitchen must have been slammed all at once. It wasn't until 45 minutes after we ordered that our server came by to tell us that the kitchen was busy, offering a [much too late] apology for the wait. Because our group had to leave for the afternoon session of the conference at that point, we asked that our orders just be packaged to go. Our waiter apologetically complied, but then also realized that our salads were lacking dressing after being brought out. We then received the wrong dressings for the salads (southwestern dressing when it should have been asian), so our experience was severely lacking for a restaurant that should be able to anticipate steady revenue streams with some coordination from the conference center across the street. Of course our meals were pricey because of the location of the restaurant. That was expected, but it was totally overpriced for the quality that we received. Our meals tasted like leftovers! The salad greens were wilted, and the turkey and brie sandwich was soggy. Bleck!
(1)David B.
Drinks and food are both way overrated. The wait staff was terrible and appeared to have an attitude. Then came the music. I went to have dinner, not live the nightclub experience. I will never, ever, under any circumstances, go back to this place....
(1)David F.
Genuinely one of the most disastrous meal experiences I've ever had. We took my mother-in-law here for her birthday this past Sunday- necessity not design. We sat down and ordered several $14 burgers medium, and after a good 45 minutes, two of them came out, super well done. The problem is that my mother-in-law's meal did not come out. The waitress assured us it was en route. 15 minutes later we asked again, and she looked irritated and told us yes yes it's coming. 30 minutes on top of that, and the whole rest of the family has finished it's truly vile food and we are still waiting for my mother-in-law's birthday burger to come out. At this point of course the birthday meal has been thoroughly ruined. The waitress is also still dodging about and not even looking us in the eye or explaining what has happened. Finally the manager comes out with the (also preposterously well-done) birthday burger and explains it's on the house, and asks us if he can get us anything else. Naturally we assumed that he was offering to comp us anything else, so my wife ordered a beer, which we were charged for. All in all: about 2 hours for food that was clearly cooked by disaffected teenagers. I'm sure it's a good place to watch a football game but do yourself a favor and steer very clear of this restaurant if you actually want to eat food.
(1)Mary M.
$29 crab cakes were almost all filling sides were horrible! This place would be ok at half the price of everything but it's like they are trying to be a high end restaurant when nothing they have to offer measures up. The highlight of my evening was when I asked for a to go box and the waitress brought me back a CVS bag!!! What place can charge those prices and give you a CVS bag for your food!? I wish you could post a picture because i took one. Public House sucks!
(1)Clarence J.
The food is good [maybe pushing that rating to a 2.5] but the atmosphere/decor could use some work. There's no 'feeling' to the place. I expected a pub-like feel (whatever that may be) but it just seems bland and somewhat modern to me, not warm or welcoming. (And if you've read anything else I've written, atmosphere matters to me.) That big complaint said, the food is enjoyable -- not spectacular, but good -- and the staff is friendly and efficient. And as with most places around National Harbor right now, be prepared for high prices...(which is pretty much the reason why I rounded my 2.5 down rather than up).
(2)CJ S.
Went there yesterday for lunch with some friends. Lunch menu was lacking. All of us ordered wings. Chesapeake wings, crab dip and fries. The wings came out fried hard and super crispy... Yuck. I have never seen "watery" crab dip before. Super YUCK. Fries were good. Service was "meh".. We had to ask for plates... yes.. plates.$14 KetelOne Martini.. really? for another $14 you could've had the whole bottle. With all of the other choices at the harbor.. This one is not it! Not worth the over $100 that was spent.
(1)Ann B.
2.5 stars I've been to Public House twice. Both times I really wanted to like this place, but the food seems to fall short on flavor...except for two things, which I'll get to. This past Saturday we made a reservation for dinner knowing that it was going to be packed. We arrived 5 minutes early, were given a beeper and told it would be 5 minutes until our table was ready. Cool. Well 5 minutes turned into 25 minutes. I went back to check in and a different host said that he didn't know that we were waiting. We were seated immediately after that and given a round of drinks on the house to compensate for the wait. Nice gesture, but I was still a little disappointed about being forgotten. Onto the food. The menu seems a bit limited to me with only 5-6 entree selections. We had the crab and artichoke dip for an appetizer, which was good, and I had the crab cake entree. For the price of the crab cakes ($29) they were good with lots of crab meat, but I've had better and more flavorful before. My favorite parts of the meal were the corn side that came with my entree and the chocolate chip cookie dough desert. The flavoring on the corn was a nice surprise and the warm cookie dough desert in a skillet with ice cream was outstanding, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Overall, it's still an average place to chow down in my opinion.
(3)Roy K.
Good menu and I suggest the Lump Crab open faced sandwich. Great beer menu. Free wifi. Lots of TVs so good for game time. They have all you can eat wings + all you can drink Coors Light for $25...I didnt take them up on the offer but def an interesting promotion.
(4)David H.
Had a Groupon coupon. Gave it a try. Pros: Easy to find, easy parking, short walk, friendly courteous server. Appetizer (mac and cheese bites) good. Cons: Entrees not hot. Crab cakes okay - no tartar sauce in the whole restaurant. Green beans barely cooked, and overloaded with garlic. Tuscan chicken (substituted for shrimp at wife's request) was not impressive. Will give it one more chance but order from the sandwich menu.
(2)Dan W.
Why is there nowhere good to eat in National Harbor? This place was HORRIBLE. The only good thing was the server, but when the kind, patient and understanding server is serving you dog food, it really doesn't matter. Crab dip - horrible. Fishy. I called it Carp Dip. Burger - served on an uncooked English muffin, with undercooked bacon. It just made me sad. Salads - two people at our table got salads. They both sent them back. All of this fun, and it was ridiculously overpriced. Avoid at all costs. Sucked balls.
(1)Chris C.
I only came here for drinks and appetizers for Sunday night football and I thought this place was alright. The bar scene was similar to a nicer version of a Green Turtle.
(3)Sharie B.
One Sunday afternoon after visiting the recently moved "Awaking" sculpture at the National Harbor (which worked better at Haines Point if you ask me) we decided to pick a place to eat. Given the multitude of choices at the Harbor I can now say that we probably should have gone with the Chinese place around the corner. While the service was friendly, the waitress took the liberty to up my crab cake sandwich order to a crab cake dinner order after I mentioned to my friend that I would really only like the cake and not the bread. Obviously I can read and read the crab cake dinner was $32 and based on that, being a free-gan/recessionista in training and all, went for the sandwich. Not knowing the difference when the plate arrived I was happy to see 2 crab cakes and no bread. Sweet. Then the bill comes. You guessed it, $32 for the frickin crab cakes! When I called her on it she said since I mentioned to my friend that I really did not want the bread she decided to change my order. Kids these days I tell you...does she know how hard I work to bring home the bacon?
(2)Lyney A.
I've been there twice in the summer and each time always had a great time. The staff is polite, just tip the bartender well so you don't have to worry about getting drinks. The atmosphere is cool as well. The only downside is the food wasn't so great I order a simple burger and it came out on a egg mcmuffin bun? But the night life for the National Harbor I give it two thumbs up!
(4)Tony G.
Greasy, fatty foods and substandard drinks unless you like basic rail stuff. Not worth the price. Dark and depressing decor. No views of the harbor. This place is just a pitstop location on the way to a better night somewhere else.
(1)Dale P.
Average venue, not much to write home about when it comes to the atmosphere. Decent menu, food was fair. Decent beer selection. Better than most places in this "fake town" built along the Potomac that has more parking spaces than anything else and is the antithesis of smart growth!
(3)Abe S.
Good spot for bar food and drinks. I have never actually sat down for dinner, but i am sure its good. The cheese steak egg roll is GOOD with spicy ketchup! Huge bar fun atmosphere.
(4)Karen M.
Had the crabcake sandwich with overcooked kettle chips while my companion had jumbo shrimp pasta. Quality not good enough to justify price. A disappointment.
(2)claire o.
I am not generally dissatisfied when eating out, but this was a disappointment. Went for brunch on a Sunday. The brunch menu was limited and had only 2 vegetarian options neither of which sounded good. They let me order from the regular menu but only when I said there was nothing on the brunch menu I wanted to eat. My two dinner companions ordered the egg dish from the brunch menu. My salad was fine. They were disappointed with theirs. We ordered cocktails which were ok, not bad not good. I wouldn't go again.
(2)D D.
My husband and I grabbed a sandwich from the (highly superior) Potbelly Sandwich Works, but wanted a couple of beers in the sunshine. We walked to the Public House and asked if we could bring our food to the patio and have drinks; we were told it wasn't a problem by the hostess. Ooooh, so wrong! My husband went in to order our drinks at the bar and was treated like a pariah by the staff and management for having the temerity to bring outside food... Even though we were drinking their 7.00 draft! They don't need to worry about it happening again... I'll never go back, and I wouldn't recommend you go either.
(1)