Friday Night Dining

[Waitman]

Easy part: superior beer, decent food, modest price.

The hard part: not a mob scene at 7:30 on a Friday night

The logistical part: near a metro, preferably blue/orange.

Any place worth going to where you you can actually get a seat without a rez on Friday night without an endless wait? I'm thinking something that hasn't quite caught on or something whose star has (undeservedly) dimmed as fachions have changed.

[goodeats]

How far out? Blue/orange into Virginia or stay in DC?

Ba bay comes to mind after the accolades here, but don't know about their beer list.

Belga comes to mind for beer, but can't remember how their food is.

Brasserie Beck comes to mind for both, but you'd have to walk 3 blocks up from metro center.

tough puzzle.

[Waitman]

How far out? Blue/orange into Virginia or stay in DC?

Ba bay comes to mind after the accolades here, but don't know about their beer list.

Belga comes to mind for beer, but can't remember how their food is.

Brasserie Beck comes to mind for both, but you'd have to walk 3 blocks up from metro center.

tough puzzle.

Beck and Belga are both fine -- and a 3-block walk is well within the definition of "metro accessible" -- except that I expect both will be complete zoos at prime time on a Friday and thus less convivial for catching up with an old friend. Ba Bay, maybe.

[Waitman]

Againn? Anyone been there lately? And, I really dislike the pizza there, but does the Dupont Paradiso have the strong beer selection I seen to recall being touted? And is the new Ardeo/Bardeo anything more than a warmed over version of the reasonably pleasant corporate-ish joint than the old places were?

[thetrain]

Easy part: superior beer, decent food, modest price.

The hard part: not a mob scene at 7:30 on a Friday night

The logistical part: near a metro, preferably blue/orange.

Any place worth going to where you you can actually get a seat without a rez on Friday night without an endless wait? I'm thinking something that hasn't quite caught on or something whose star has (undeservedly) dimmed as fachions have changed.

If you are willing to cross the river, 80% chance you could get seats walk-in at Eventide. Faccia Luna also has a surprisingly decent beer list and should have seats.

Paradiso does have a great beer list, but it gets mobbed pretty easily.

[cjsadler]

Againn? Anyone been there lately? And, I really dislike the pizza there, but does the Dupont Paradiso have the strong beer selection I seen to recall being touted? And is the new Ardeo/Bardeo anything more than a warmed over version of the reasonably pleasant corporate-ish joint than the old places were?

I'm guessing Againn is still a total mob scene on a Friday night.

As thetrain mentioned, you'll likely be waiting a very long time for a table at Paradiso on a Friday.

I thought some of the dishes at the revamped Ardeo/Bardeo were quite good (I'd never been to the "old" Ardeo/Bardeo). It's worth checking out, you can probably get a rez, and the tables towards the back would likely give you enough quiet to catch up with your friend (was there on a weekday, though, so it was not very crowded/noisy).

[Waitman]

If you are willing to cross the river, 80% chance you could get seats walk-in at Eventide. Faccia Luna also has a surprisingly decent beer list and should have seats.

Paradiso does have a great beer list, but it gets mobbed pretty easily.

How's the beer at Eventide?

Also, am I recalling correctly that the wine room at Ray's opened? A field trip to Clarendon might be a pleasant change of pace.

[thetrain]

How's the beer at Eventide?

I wouldn't say superior, but definitely better than average. 8ish bottles, usually an eclectic mix of types (pils, pale, IPA, trippel, etc.) and somewhat different brands. Occasionally they have a cask. Just remembered Restaurant 3 may also do the trick - more beer offerings and wasn't too crowded around 8 on a Friday recently, but I've never had their food. Warning - don't order the Port City IPA and expect hops.

[Rovers2000]

I think the idea of "3" might be the way to go. I've always found it to be laid back and the food offerings to be solid with an excellent selection of suds.

[weezy]

Brabo in Old Town Alexandria is just a few blocks from the King Street Metro. Don't know how crowded it is on a Friday night.

[goodeats]

Againn? Anyone been there lately?

I went yesterday for a lunch carryout, and their country ham and cheese sandwich was very comforting. With a side of chips, it was $10, excluding tax. However, while I can't recall their beers on tap, they did have an Irish cider that (Magnum's?) that I kept in mind to try next time. I think their wine list might be more extensive.

It is very worthwhile sitting at the bar there vs. a table.

Mind you, I don't know what the crowd is like on Fri. night, though.

Also, the beer list is good at Lyon Hall, but it gets crowded there too.

[liz2041]

Restaurant 3. Or whatever they call it now.

[leleboo]

Also, the beer list is good at Lyon Hall, but it gets crowded there too.

Saying Lyon Hall gets crowded is like saying the escalators at Metro don't work: hyperbolic understatement.

Ditto the notes on Belga, Beck, and Againn -- I think "meat market" or "cattle car" would describe them.

Ba Bay would suit, for sure, but the beer list is rather minimal, if well-tuned to the food. I think they just changed their two taps, but the cans/bottles are:

Porkslap Pale Ale

21st Amendment Back in Black

Dale’s Pale Ale

Konig Pilsner

Brooklyn Lager Tall Boy

Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale

I've been at 3 when it's crowded but it does have more space than some of the others. It gets loud, though.

[dcs]

Restaurant 3. Or whatever they call it now.

They had a tasty soft shell crab sandwich on the specials board for lunch today. $10 with fries. Don't know if it will still be available tonight.

[lion]

Beck and Belga are both fine -- and a 3-block walk is well within the definition of "metro accessible" -- except that I expect both will be complete zoos at prime time on a Friday and thus less convivial for catching up with an old friend. Ba Bay, maybe.

Last time we went to Belga, ordered two Trappist Rochefort 10s that came with the glass, if I recall correctly.

Very nice.

[lizzie]

Beck and Belga are both fine -- and a 3-block walk is well within the definition of "metro accessible" -- except that I expect both will be complete zoos at prime time on a Friday and thus less convivial for catching up with an old friend. Ba Bay, maybe.

We had lunch at Ba Bay recently and were not impressed. It was just ok. I had the spring roll which included sausage, egg and jicama and was lightly fried, and the noodle dish with rock shrimp, lemongrass and coconut among the ingredients; very few shrimp. Nothing was bad, just not special for the prices (the noodle dish was $12 or $13 at lunch and the autumn roll $9). We also had a few people who do not eat pork or shellfish, and I think there was only one entree (wings) and the pho that did not include these. Almost everything on the starter and entree menus, and the specials, had pork.

[SeanMike]

I went yesterday for a lunch carryout, and their country ham and cheese sandwich was very comforting. With a side of chips, it was $10, excluding tax. However, while I can't recall their beers on tap, they did have an Irish cider that (Magnum's?) that I kept in mind to try next time. I think their wine list might be more extensive.

Probably Magner's, the same cider most places have on tap 'round these parts. Meh.

[Seanchai]

Easy part: superior beer, decent food, modest price.

The hard part: not a mob scene at 7:30 on a Friday night

The logistical part: near a metro, preferably blue/orange.

Any place worth going to where you you can actually get a seat without a rez on Friday night without an endless wait? I'm thinking something that hasn't quite caught on or something whose star has (undeservedly) dimmed as fachions have changed.

Fireworks Pizza near the Courthouse metro?