The Liberty Tavern, Chef Miljohn Dimaano in the Masonic Lodge Building on Wilson Blvd in Clarendon

[Walrus]

We were fortunate enough to have friends volunteer to pick up an order at Liberty To Go last night. Delicious! I had the lobster pie for the first -- but emphatically not the last -- time. Creamy, buttery, slightly spicy. It was total comfort food.

[JLK]

After a few heavy-on-the-drinking-light-on-the-eating-happy-hours here with coworkers, I finally got around to having a sitdown meal in the upstairs dining room last night. I was impressed at how well Liberty Tavern managed to balance the two. Downstairs is a loud bar room and lounge with a pretty heavy pickup scene; upstairs, while not sedate, was calmer and more grown up.

In short, we had a great, enjoyable meal. I was the only member of our party of four who had sampled anything from the menu so when no one ordered an appetizer, I suggested a pizza Classico. Very successful. For my entree, I enjoyed the hangar steak (ordered medium rare, received a bit closer to medium, like Don's) with a gratin of white beans and guanciale and a large portion of the daily green (escarole? I'm blanking.). My friends had the sea bream, vegetable pot pie and chicken and around the table, everyone was very happy with their choices.

I can rarely say no to dessert, particularly when so many choices appealed. The group shared the crullers and the red velvet/devils food cake. The crullers were slightly dry, but when eaten with a spoonful of amaretto brown butter ice cream (which one friend pronounced "weird"), they were great. I enjoy rich foods, but just a bite or two of the cake with its cream cheese frosting was enough for me. Tasty, but RICH.

The tab for the four of us (with four glasses of wine, one cocktail and everything described above) was just under $50 per person.

[cheezepowder]

For lunch last week, I had the "Primanti Brothers" style sandwich - swiss cheese, purple coleslaw, housemade sausage, and french fries between two buttered and toasted slices of housemade Italian bread. You can add a fried egg, which I didn't add. I also had more french fries on the side (a choice of side is included). This isn't something I would eat often because the sandwich was high on the grease factor (how can it not be with those components), but it was fun to eat and tasted good.

[Walrus]

We ate here Thursday night. My guest said the linguica pizza was possibly the best he'd ever had. We also shared the Vermont pizza to start, and it too was delicious. Tripewriter declared the spaghetti excellent, and my lobster pie was once again perfect. I also had the duo of creme brulee again, and I just have to say that it is just a perfect dish. We had a lovely meal all around, and it was a great way to start our week of fabulous dining.

[danfishe]

Had an excellent Mothers Day brunch here this morning. This is the second time we have been for Sunday brunch and they do an excellent job. They offer a wide variety of items at a buffet, including smoked salmon, fresh sliced ham and lamb, mussels, pizza and traditional breakfast food. There is also a small ala carte menu. It is not the most creative or exciting brunch in the world but at $17, $7 for children, it is a lovely meal with great waiters and a very nice space. Frankly, I was surprised it was not more full this morning.

[beachgirl54]

I ate dinner there last week for the first time - my friend had the sea breem, which was excellent. My choice, the orechiette with crab . . . needed something. More flavor, more oomph. I doctored up the leftovers (garlic, some pepper and olive oil)) and they were better but I was still disappointed after all the raves. Next time, I'm getting a pizza.

[cjsadler]

Some friends who live in Arlington have been raving about Liberty Tavern and I finally went for dinner with them last week. The broth from the Skillet roasted P.E.I. Mussels, smoked tomato broth, fennel pollen ($8) overwhelmed the mussels a bit, but was delicious-- the broth on its own would make a great soup. And the Duroc Pork chop, goat cheese-potato soufflé, pea shoot salad, smoked ham hock, honey and milk jus, trumpet royale mushrooms ($22) was one of the most satisfying entrees I've had in awhile. The souffle was a bit overcooked, but the high-quality pork with the milk and honey sauce was excellent (and those mushrooms were damn good too). At least from my one visit, the prices seem very reasonable for what you're getting here.

[u-bet!]

You can add a fried egg, which I didn't add. I also had more french fries on the side (a choice of side is included).

I recently had the Primanti Bros.-style sandwich with the fried egg on it and potato salad on the side. After 4 visits trying different things, this is my favorite menu item so far.

[jiveturk21]

I ate there in a drunken stupor last night, so I can't say that my palate was on by any means, but the spring pizza and the skate were both fantastic dishes. We also split a gold ribbon slice of cake for dessert and that was great as well.

Anyway, I have never hid my affection for this place and I won't do it now, it is just simply a great restaurant with a wonderful vibe (in other words, good looking chicks) and consistently solid service.

The only issue that I have ever had is that the menu seems to be "heavy" for this time of year. You can stay light if you try, but I remember seeing short ribs and a seafood pot pie and pork belly and a good number of other "stick to your ribs" type of items on the menu last night. A smattering of them is fine at any time of year, but there seemed to just be a bit too many. For me, who goes there a few times a year, that is fine, but for regulars who are eating in the 90 degree heat all summer, I could see it becoming a bit difficult to mix it up a bunch.

[Walrus]

We ate here again tonight -- such a nice experience! We started with the Vermont pizza and with the crab; both were good, only one had any leftovers for lunch tomorrow Tripewriter had the pasta dish, which he enjoyed, and I had the trout. The flavors were excellent. I think my dish needed more sauce -- I am pretty sensitive to dry food, and I need to drink a fair amount of water with dinner no matter how succulent the meal -- and some of my bites of fish and of hush puppy had me reaching for my glass, but the ones that were in the sauce were just lovely. I had a perfect bite of each part of the dish, which is a lot to ask of a jammed neighborhood restaurant! The breads were as fab as always, and the peas on the fish were superb. We chose to split the creme brulee duo for dessert -- such a simple dish, but when executed well, so perfect. It was small but rich, beautifully flavored, and just right to satisfy our needs The wine selection seemed to my uneducated eye quite respectable, and I find few things better many evenings than a nice glass of Oberon to quaff. We walked up and then back home, which made this night out just perfect.

PS: They have their "summer" menu on, which still includes such delights as the chicken (my eternal favorite -- that onion gravy!) but also has pastas and seafood that are designed to be happier in hotter weather.

[BookGuy]

I finally made it to the Tavern last night and was not disappointed. I should note that I am way above the age of the people who crowd around the bar on the main floor. We were led upstairs where the older people generally sit although we saw a four generation familiy and assorted boomers come to eat. I had a half order of gnocchi and the sausage pizza and found them both worth eating. My companion was very impressed with whatever covering was on the tables and the service was impeccable. I can see why the place is a success.

[Roo]

The smoked bluefish hash is currently my favorite thing on the menu here. Actually, it is likely my currently favorite thing on any menu anywhere. Available lunch or dinner!

The bluefish is good as well.

But that hash!

[goodeats]

I agree that this place is definitely not the place to catch up with girlfriends you haven't seen in 2 months. On a Wednesday night at 7:30pm with the place just a little more than half full, I found myself shouting way more than my "normal" voice (and that's shouting for me already for those who know me!). At least the acoustics were working if anyone ever wanted to play a full set here...

However, having said that, bypass the onion gravy to pair with the mashed potatoes that accompanies the fabulously moist Amish Chicken and pair it instead with the tart, but smooth lemon marmalade. Your mouth and your stomach will thank you.

[New Foodie]

Despite a loud and crowded bar area during HH on Friday (and quite possibly some of the worst service I have ever had in a dining establishment, even if it was in the bar/lounge area), I had an exceptional pizza experience. Summer pizza (which I assume won't be on the menu much longer) included country ham, figs, arugula and I believe fontina and sage. I wasn't sure if I was even a fig fan, and I'm still not sure I like them on their own, but the sweetness paired with the salty ham was amazing. I'm normally a person to eat all of a slice of pizza (including the crust), but for this one I passed on most of the crust so that I could make sure to fit every last bite of the toppings into my ever expanding stomach. Yum.

[stickmoon]

I have eaten here a handful of times since moving to Clarendon in June. The food has always been terrific. But yes, it's noisy.

Save room for dessert and order the duet of creme brulee...two perfect little pots of custard, one a rich, dark chocolate, the other vanilla bean with fennel pollen. They are delicious.

[Walrus]

Save room for dessert and order the duet of creme brulee...two perfect little pots of custard, one a rich, dark chocolate, the other vanilla bean with fennel pollen. They are delicious.

This advice gets a strong "ditto" from me -- one of my favorite desserts at the moment...

[SeanMike]

I actually had food there for the first time last night.

It actually wasn't that loud - at first - when I sat down at the social bar. Then a huge group of people celebrating a 30th birthday sat down next to me. Oh well.

I had the "pugliese" pizza - homemade pork sausage, provolone and mozzerala, majorjam, and probably something else, to which I added sweet peppers and caramelized onions. Delicious.

There was a lot I wanted to try on the menu so I'll definitely have to go back!

[John Wabeck]

The LT is the Virginia Office.

BdC is the DC Office.

Do the math. The lads and ladies do a great job.

And for those who think I can't criticize...no more High Life on tap. I am critical of that decision.

[John Wabeck]

You know, sometimes, you're walking down the street and you want some braised lamb necks.

Hope it's in front of the LT.

[Walrus]

Check out the Events thread for the DR.com dinner at The Liberty Tavern!

[RWBooneJr]

I went to the Liberty Tavern last night not expecting much, and was pleasently surprised. The appetizer of mussels came with a "smoked tomato broth, fennel pollen, and basil" sauce that was, in realty, a delicious bacony, ruddy, tomatoey sludge covering the mussels. Overall, it created a dish that was good, though many of the mussels themselves were mealy. My entree was the bluefish, which was a steak with a smoked bluefish and roasted squash hash, and was served with a black radish, scallion, and watercress salad, and a maple-grain mustard sauce. The bluefish was surprisingly mild, and the accompaniments were spot on. Though I actually like a bluefish that tastes like a bluefish, I was surprised by how well everything worked together. Overall, it was not a bad place if you are looking for a good dinner in Clarendon.

[beachgirl54]

They also have a great brunch - had a large group there this past Sunday and the selection was good (for my 3 veggie friends) and the quality quite good (Polyface pork loin - I didn't have any but it looked good). All for $17 plus beverages. Reservations essential - it's quite popular.

[theakston]

The Winter Menu has some great new dishes - part of which is the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is what we had and at $75 per couple it is also excellent value. The first up were the Frito Misto and Octopus which have been favourite choices for us on previous visits. There were also some delicious smelts, an excellent pasta / clam dish, a mussel pizza (most of which we took home), a Haddock and a Branzino dish.

Service was excellent as always. I'm so happy to have this place in our neighbourhood. Next time we will try the skate, the Pork Shank or the “Bollito Misto”.

[V.H.]

The Winter Menu has some great new dishes - part of which is the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is what we had and at $75 per couple it is also excellent value. The first up were the Frito Misto and Octopus which have been favourite choices for us on previous visits. There were also some delicious smelts, an excellent pasta / clam dish, a mussel pizza (most of which we took home), a Haddock and a Branzino dish.

Service was excellent as always. I'm so happy to have this place in our neighbourhood. Next time we will try the skate, the Pork Shank or the “Bollito Misto”.

The one time I've had the Frito Misto is was highly disappointing. While everything was perfectly fried, the seafood had little flavor and the breading did not lend any either. I never salt my food but I did in that case to try to bring a little life to the dish. Since it sounds like you've had it at least a few more times than I have, could you describe your experiences with the dish?

[stickmoon]

We were so disappointed! We love this restaurant, and I'm sure we'll be back often, but last night's NYE dinner was not good. And the service made it worse.

They served a four course menu ($50) and we ordered the wine pairings (+$25). Four times, our food was served before the wine, and we had to sit about 5 minutes at the start of each course for our wine to be poured as the food sat on the table in front of us. Then, as they cleared the dishes, they immediately served the next course and we had to rush through the end of our previous glass of wine as our new dish sat on the table. Twice, as our food sat on the table and we waited for our wine, our server said the wine director would be over to help us, but he never actually came over and the waiter had to come back a few minutes later to pour. For the first three courses, there was a runner holding our next plate of food as another runner cleared our plates, leaving us no time to simply relax and enjoy the experience. The restaurant was not full, yet the runners were...well, running around as if they'd never seen a rush like this. I don't know if these problems were caused by the kitchen or our server, but it was such a bummer because we really enjoy eating here, and the service, up until last night, has always been really good. This was a mixed of being rushed to eat the food, yet waiting for the wine.

And the food? Well the standout highlights were the butter poached lobster, served with brussel sprouts and celery root puree with a champagne beurre blanc over the top. It was delicious - succulent and buttery - but then again, we're talking about lobster cooked in butter...the kitchen would have to really mess up for it not to taste good! The chardonnay (forget the name) paired beautifully with the dish. The other highlight was the frangelico creme brulee, served with a piece of biscotti and a citrusy whipped cream. They make a great creme brulee.

But there were some big disappointments. It started with the amuse bouche, which was a smoked salmon schmear on a piece of homemade pumpernickel bread. It was reminiscent of smoked salmon cream cheese on a bagel; plus, my date Evilkim is a vegetarian...so, needless to say, we were not amused by the amuse. The three oysters served with a champagne mignonette were very small and practically tasteless. The mignonette was good...but I was confused because there was no little spoon to pour the mignonette over the oysters, so i had to clumsily use my fork to try and flavor the oyster. I don't eat oysters very often so maybe I was missing something about how to actually eat those little buggers. The biggest disappointment was the handmade tortelloni witth smoked mushrooms and grayson cheese inside, covered with a sage brown butter sauce. The pasta itself was...hard. Like, it was al dente if al dente was on crack. How does handmade pasta get hard and almost crunchy? It did not taste good. They were also obviously sitting under a heat lamp while we finished our first course and gulped down our wine. Then the pasta dishes sat on the table as we waited for our wine. Again. Evilkim's main course was a wild mushroom canneloni with a goat cheese fonduta and fried capers. Flavors very similar to the pasta dish in the previous course. Evilkim described it as "fine and totally forgettable."

I'm not sure what went wrong here...Like I said, we live in Clarendon and we really enjoy going to the Liberty Tavern. We'll probably go back soon for a few glasses of wine and a pizza, just to shake the bad memory of our NYE dinner experience.

[u-bet!]

But there were some big disappointments. It started with the amuse bouche, which was a smoked salmon schmear on a piece of homemade pumpernickel bread. It was reminiscent of smoked salmon cream cheese on a bagel

The way you describe this dish, it's difficult to imagine how one could expect it not to be reminiscent of smoked salmon cream cheese on a bagel; so, what's the criticism here?

plus, my date Evilkim is a vegetarian...so, needless to say, we were not amused by the amuse.

Were you somehow led to expect that everything you were served would be palatable to a vegetarian? If not, then I don't think this is a very fair criticism.

[stickmoon]

Well...let me say it another way. I did not like it. Neither did she. If I had wanted a bagel with cream cheese to start my dinner, I would have walked down the road to Brooklyn Bagel Co.

[Josh Radigan]

you actually do dip the oysters, using an oyster fork of course, into the mignonette. Honest mistake as I have never in the 20 plus years in this business seen an oyster fork and oyster spoon.

[DannyNoonan]

Another thoroughly enjoyable visit to Liberty Tavern last night. We went with our 2yr old for my wife's birthday and found the whole experience as solid as ever. Nice crowd for a Monday night at 6:30 - bar was pretty packed and dining room pretty much full. I have always been impressed with their cocktails, especially The Masonic, and expected to order one before dinner last night but was pleasantly surprised to see a gin & tonic cocktail special featuring Hendricks gin and Fever Tree tonic water. Nice to see Fever Tree becoming more mainstream because it is far & away superior to any of the usual tonics out there. I dont usually favor Hendricks for use with tonic but found the drink overall quite refreshing (on a sidenote, I was at Restaurant Eve on Sat night and tried one of their signature G&Ts with Mr. Thrasher's housemade tonic water and actually enjoyed the Liberty version more. The Eve drink was exceptionally smooth and refined but it lacked the bite I look for in a more traditional gin & tonic). On to appetizers, my wife ordered the Tavern salad, which was as good as expected, and I tried the housesmoked char. I wasnt sure what to expect with the char but found it overall quite satisfying. The blini maintained a bit of crunch, offset by the sour cream and not overpowering smoked fish. A nice effort overall. My wife ordered the Amish chicken entree, as usual, and found it as exceptional as ever. Perfectly cooked chicken, homey mashed potatoes, and broccolini on the side. I had the John Dory special, which was quite good as well. Maybe the fish was cooked a tad longer than ideal but overall a nice dish, with the brown butter sauce and capers mixing nicely with the wilted greens and fingerling potatoes. The verdejo offered by the glass was a nice complement for the dish as well. Even my daughter's pizza was more sophisticated than usual kid's menu fare. We found the service to be top notch too. I had arranged to have a piece of chocolate cake brought out with a candle after dinner for my wife's birthday but given the proximity to our little girl's bedtime we ended up short on time. Both our waiter and the floor manager went out of their way to make sure we got our cake to go, including candle, and our check processed in short order. Overall, a very positive experience reinforcing our belief that Liberty is a top notch, locally owned neighborhood destination that deserves our patronage. We'll no doubt be back.

[Walrus]

We had a very nice dinner at LT tonight. We started with the always delicious Vermont pizza -- this dish has been good every time I've tried it. I love the ham and the apples together, and the crust is pretty darn good. Next I had the lobster pot pie, which I've had before. This was a new iteration of the dish, and I really liked it. In fact, I was thinking about saving half of it for lunch next week, as I had filled up on delicious pizza, but I ended up finishing the whole dish. We gave in to temptation and had the chocolate cake for dessert, with mint chocolate chunk ice cream. They have a completely new dessert menu here -- new dessert chef? -- and we liked this cake quite a bit. I miss the duo of creme brulee -- they were such a perfect size for such a rich dish! -- but the ice cream was easily as good. Others at the table had the Tavern Salad and the gnocchi, and we had a side of fries for the table. All the food was good, we could hear our conversation, and the service came with a smile. A very nice way to end a long day and a long week.

[DonRocks]

I stopped into Liberty To Go this evening (their limited side-door carryout operation), and ordered an Italian Fennel Sausage Pizza ($13) with crushed tomato, mozzarella and fontina.

"It'll be ready in six minutes," the gentleman told me, and when it was, they finished the pie with basil leaves and house-cured lardo before cutting and boxing it.

The crust itself is respectable (pre-flattened when they begin to make the pizza, although I did see some un-stretched rounds of dough in the refrigerator case). Regardless, I don't remember the original oven getting this hot (730 degrees), and the bottom obtains a good level of char. It's a good - no, make that very good - rendition of carryout pizza-for-one that I've ordered before, and that I'll order again.

I see Liberty Tavern and Eventide going at it like Federer and Nadal, and that's a good thing for Clarendon residents.

Enjoy!

Rocks

[stickmoon]

We had a lovely dinner at Liberty Tavern last night. EvilKim wanted to try the new "Early Spring" menu, which features two vegetarian entrees: a gnocchi dish and a shepherds pie. It's a rare treat for her to have a choice among entrees.

The gnocchi with a fava bean succotash, trumpet mushrooms and a nice little mound of fresh chevre on top ($17) was really good. The chef likes his gnocchi small, which is not my preference, but the dish tasted great and had some lightness to it that the winter iteration lacked (I believe it included smoked cheddar and root veggies).

I had the Branzino ($22), which was served filleted open, nicely charred from the wood-burning oven, and on top of a mound of yummy spaetzle. On top of everything sat two pieces of maple-juniper bacon, which were great, and around the plate was a smoked pepper sauce. It was probably my favorite fish dish I've had at Liberty...better than the skate wing, which tasted very good, though I couldn't help but feel bribed with butter whenever I had it. In this dish, the branzino shines and everything else on the plate accentuated the fish.

The only disappointment was the dessert. An unfortunately tough streusel marred the rest of our Caramelized Apple "Vol Au Vent" with vanilla ice cream ($7). This is an entirely different dessert menu from even a few weeks ago, so maybe they are still working out the kinks. The ice cream was fine, and so were the apples, but the streusel was so tough we could barely cut through it with our forks. EvilKim even asked for a knife.

Overall a very nice meal at one of our favorite restaurants in the neighborhood.

[Treva]

I had the Branzino ($22), which was served filleted open, nicely charred from the wood-burning oven, and on top of a mound of yummy spaetzle. On top of everything sat two pieces of maple-juniper bacon, which were great, and around the plate was a smoked pepper sauce. It was probably my favorite fish dish I've had at Liberty...better than the skate wing, which tasted very good, though I couldn't help but feel bribed with butter whenever I had it. In this dish, the branzino shines and everything else on the plate accentuated the fish.

I had the Branzino on Wednesday! The house made Maple-juniper bacon is unforgettably good. The cocktail menu was underwhelming. I ordered the refreshing Grapefruit Buck (Absolut Ruby Red Vodka, Elderflower Cordial, Fresh Grapefruit Juice, Barrett's Ginger Beer and Ice) and The Industrial - a margarita. Service and vibe were very good. Hoped for bigger better cocktail menu. Going for the gnocchi next time - or maybe the Branzino again.

[kneelconqueso]

since no one here has written about it yet, i would like to chime in and recommend going to lunch at liberty tavern. the 10 dollar burger and a pint special is a great deal, and one of the very best burgers around.

the meat was very flavorful, surely fresh and hand-pattied, covered in white cheddar cheese and topped with iceberg, tomato, onion, and two slices of bacon - which i am told is house-made, and probably the best bacon i've ever had in my entire life. very smoky, not too salty, just the right amount of meat-fat ratio, and properly cooked (tender-crispy). all of it sits on a house-made bun unlike any other i've ever eaten. the fries are great as well. all of it goes down very smoothly with a pbr (personal choice, i always loved the stuff) or one of their other beers. great value at 10 bucks.

i wish these guys would give more insight into what they are going to do with the murky space.

[dcs]

I had the Branzino ($22)

If you can swing by for lunch, the same dish is a remarkably reasonable $12. Probably a smaller portion, but more than ample for lunch. Oh, yes, don't forget Dale's Pale Ale on tap.

[New Foodie]

Just went to Liberty for dinner Friday night and came away very impressed. Our server (wish I could remember his name) was friendly, but not overly intrusive, and he was extremely helpful with the menu, describing things in a lot more detail than as listed on the menu. The bread basket is one of the best I've had recently (honestly, soft butter makes a huge difference, but the bread itself was very good too).

The 3 apps at the table were all devoured, and I particularly loved my half order of Handcrafted Gnocchi, fava bean succotash, trumpet mushrooms, sage butter, chevre. The gnocchi are a lot smaller than what I'm used to, but they were a great consistency and the fava beans were delicious. I love when they're in season. The combination of the sage and chevre really brought it all together well. It was fairly light, but I think a half portion was plenty...I would've been overwhelmed by a full version.

Two people at the table got the skirt steak for dinner (highly recommended by the waiter) and both really liked it. The potato champ served alongside especially got raves and were all but licked clean. This is a pretty large serving of beef, chard and potatoes. The linguine with clams and shrimp got raves as well. I had the branzino mentioned a few times (Branzino, spinach spaetzle, smoked pepper sauce, housemade maple-juniper bacon) and this was a truly great dish. The fish had lots of flavor from the lemon and herbs and the pepper sauce on the plate underneath complimented it nicely. The thing that really sent it over the top though is that housemade bacon. Oh. My. God. If I could eat that every day for breakfast (every meal really) I would live a very fulfilled and happy life.

[FunnyJohn]

I've had two stand-out dinners at Liberty within the last week. Last Thursday I was kicking off the holiday weekend and decided to give the wine I had consumed some company. Ricky, the floor manager, told me to go with the Lamb & Goat and that is what I did. Man, oh man was this a good tip -- the goat is oven roasted, succulent little morsels accompanied by two equally succulent lamb rib chops. Served on a bed of fava beans and spinach this is a perfect late spring repast.

Dinner #2 was on Saturday, after unsuccessfully trying to secure a table on the 2nd floor at Eventide (still haven't had a full-blown dinner there yet), I went down the street to see if Liberty had any outside tables available. They had one left which Ricky was kind enough to hold until my companions and I had finished our beverages at Eventide. Our waiter informed us that they were debuting a cured meat special, so all three of us opted for this -- another instance of being guided by the wisdom of Liberty's excellent staff. The special consists of a house made frankfurter (all beef), a house-made brat, and a chunk of smoked bacon. Served with spinach spaetzel and house-made sauerkraut. I highly recommend this one and you should, if not drinking beer, wash it down with the by-the-glass riesling they are serving and you will be a contented diner. The frankfurter will be available at the new establishment the owners of Liberty will open down Washington Blvd. at some point (not Bayou -- another place). Not sure when this establishment is scheduled to open, but it will probably be another destination point in the area.

[DannyNoonan]

Dined at Liberty Saturday evening with my wife and daughter. Once again, a pleasurable experience end-to-end. Good service, drinks, food, and atmosphere.

We were in the neighborhood and stopped in to see if they had a table for a walk-in, expecting to be denied, but were surprised when shown immediately to a nice table outside. Beautiful night to be outside so we were happy.

I started with a LT G&T, Hendricks gin with Fever Tree tonic. I'm a big fan of Fever Tree products so I am just happy to see this product featured here. The drink was fantastic, as expected. The snifter that it was served in was a bit unwieldy, i find them hard to drink out of especially when the drink is on ice but I suppose the snifter was necessitated by the large slices of cucumber in the drink. Not exactly traditional but they worked well with the cucumber notes in the Hendricks.

I had the goat cheese & chevre tomato salad and my wife had the tavern salad for appetizers. Not sure exactly what I was thinking ordering tomato salad in July after a cool spring, I think I really just wanted the cheese. The salad featured cherry tomatoes with a smear of goat cheese and big tomato slices with chevre. Both cheeses were great, esp the chevre, and the basil/salt/olive oil combination went a long way toward helping the rather bland tomatoes but again, that's what you get ordering tomatoes before their time. The tavern salad is always good and was that night as well. Nice light vinaigrette and fresh greens.

For entrees, my wife got the Amish chicken as she has virtually every time we have eaten here. She was again rewarded by her consistency. The chicken is perfectly cooked, tender and full of flavor. Mashed potatoes were as good as ever, though we again questioned topping the potatoes with some sort of lemon curd type concoction. It looks kinda like gravy so when you taste lemon, it's kinda off-putting. A minor quibble though as it is easily scraped off. Nicely cooked asparagus rounded out the dish. I debated between the Classico pizza and the gnocchi, eventually deciding the latter and being happy I did. The gnocchi was served with a sweet corn & fava bean succotash, trumpet mushrooms, and brown butter sauce. The gnocchi were very nice, not overly gummy, and were a great backdrop that allowed the outstanding other ingredients to shine. A fantastic dish overall.

Service was friendly and even-handed, even with us being outside. They are always very accomodating when we bring our 2yr old and were just as gracious this evening. This place is a real gem. It takes neighborhood dining to a new level and sets the bar for the competition. Thoughtful cocktail menu, good wine list, well executed, uncomplicated dishes in a friendly atmosphere...hard to beat.

[ktmoomau]

Speaking of potatoes- Liberty Tavern used to serve the pork chop with kraut, mashed potatoes and I want to say creme fraiche on the mashed potatoes? Is this correct? I remembering those being some of the best mashed potatoes ever and I don't see them on the menu so I wanted to have a go of it at home. Anyone remember exactly what it was? I hope they bring that back in the fall/winter. I really was addicted to those.

[FunnyJohn]

Speaking of potatoes- Liberty Tavern used to serve the pork chop with kraut, mashed potatoes and I want to say creme fraiche on the mashed potatoes? Is this correct? I remembering those being some of the best mashed potatoes ever and I don't see them on the menu so I wanted to have a go of it at home. Anyone remember exactly what it was? I hope they bring that back in the fall/winter. I really was addicted to those.

Try the creamed corn

[ktmoomau]

Try the creamed corn

Thanks planning on going for my birthday next week so will do.

[FunnyJohn]

Thanks planning on going for my birthday next week so will do.

Well then don't be shy about expressing your admiration for the smashed potatoes to one of the managers, or to Liam. One of the great things about Liberty is that they value their customers' opinions and I'll bet you're not the only one who feels that way about the mashed potatoes. And have a very Happy Birthday!

[ktmoomau]

Well then don't be shy about expressing your admiration for the smashed potatoes to one of the managers, or to Liam. One of the great things about Liberty is that they value their customers' opinions and I'll bet you're not the only one who feels that way about the mashed potatoes. And have a very Happy Birthday!

Thanks, I feel like it will be a particularly good one this year. Some years just turn out better than others.

[GWilly]

It's not a bad place to grab a drink later in the night as long as it's not a Friday or Saturday when it gets mobbed. Sometimes Thursdays are crowded too but the bartenders and nice and drinks, although expensive, are pretty good.

[ktmoomau]

Try the creamed corn

Definitely right on with the creamed corn, it was delicious. Not what I was expecting when it came out and then I tasted it and it was much better than my expectations.

The birthday dinner was so absolutely wonderful, I gave them a shout out on the WaPo food chat. That pork chop... it is juicy, not overcooked (a rarity really) the sides pair so well with it. Everyone was really happy with their dinner. And the LT gin and tonic with the cucumbers is so refreshing.

Even more impressive, I accidentally left one of my birthday presents there a bottle of wine from a friend at the restaurant and it is in the office waiting for me to pick it up tonight. (ok so maybe I had a couple too many gin and tonics, you only live once, and they were so good) I am so happy to have this place nearby. Their food never disappoints and it has really great value.

Let alone our server who was really great. I can't give enough praise for how impressed I continue to be every time I eat there. It isn't fancy, but it is a perfect neighborhood spot.

[jfw]

Pretty mixed experience yesterday evening at Liberty Tavern.

Service was pretty lacking. Sat at a four top upstairs for about fifteen minutes before anyone acknowledged us. Waiter reported one special for the night and couldn't spit it out without looking at his cheat sheet after mentioning each component. We requested a dessert menu so one person at the table could decide if she wanted to save her appetite for a starter or dessert. Getting that menu took about five minutes. These little things added up to a less than stellar service experience.

My wife's rum drink did not taste good. Very, very sweet. Tasted a bit like chlorine and bottled Margarita mix. Never mind that the $9 drink came to the table in a glass only about 2/3 of the way full. Seemed an awful value (decided before tasting how unpleasant it was) and I mentioned the paltry pour to the waiter. He assured me it wouldn't taste good if there was more in the glass. What?! Does the greater liquid surface area interact with the air to make the already bad drink taste worse? Very odd.

Bread basket was really solid. The meal's highlight??

I had some shortribs to start. The meat was very pleasant. The savory sauce and bread made for a nice, gooey, sloppy, rich bite. The heavy meat was paired with some fruit and sauce I imagine was meant to cut the meat's richness. The accompaniment was melon and a melon sauce. It tasted of simple syrup or Karo syrup. Painful in the mouth kinda sweet. Too bad, as the meat was very good.

I had skate for a main. Pan fried nicely. Tender fish. Sides (though Spaetzle and potato seemed a little heavy for a summer evening) worked well. Again, though, the sauce (raspberry this time?) tasted like candy. It was sweeter than I tend to prefer dessert. Very odd.

Sooooo...I really wanted to like Liberty Tavern. I thought the menu looked thoughtfully composed and smartly balanced. Service and a really heavy hand with, of all things, sugar left me feeling disappointed. For what we paid (about $60/person), I wanted something a bit better.

[FunnyJohn]

Willow's sommelier, Alison Crist will join the staff at Liberty. Her knowledge of wine and diligent service at Willow will be a great addition to Liberty. Kudos for the catch. More about her specific role later.

[DannyNoonan]

Dinner at Liberty this weekend, another positive experience. The place was packed to the gills so clearly the word is out about how good this place is.

Started with a nice rendition of a sidecar from the bar. Maybe a tad heavier on the lemon than I would have made myself but still nicely made.

Rock shrimp appetizer was a bit of a dud, though. Shrimp were bland and lifeless and the sauce didn't add much. A rare miss for this place.

Entrees were a hit though. I ordered gnocchi for the 2nd visit in a row and was not disappointed. Brown butter sauce with sage, mushrooms, and butternut squash complimented the not-gummy gnocchi well in this very filling dish that is perfect for fall. My wife, unsurprisingly, ordered the Amish chicken and was again fully satisfied.

Another in a long line of pleasant experiences at Liberty.

[bmcdonal6674]

Dinner at Liberty on Saturday night.

Duck Confit and Egg Noodles with Rabbit Confit to start. The rabbit was tender and the sauce was very earthy and rich.

Entrees were the skirt steak and duroc pork chop. Both were great but the winner was the bone-in pork chop.

Everything was spot on with no disappointments.

[ktmoomau]

I don't know for how long after Thanksgiving they will have the pumpkin cheesecake with maple whip cream and pralines, but it is worth a try. Really light and airy cheesecake, not a dense NY style or anything, but the lightness is really nice with the rich flavors and the sweet crunch of the pralines. We went for lunch the other week before our play and it was wonderful. The fennel and apple salad their is so fresh tasting it is addictive. Between that and the Vermont pizza and the pork chop they make it really difficult for me to try new things.