Lunch Near I-495 and Route 50 in Falls Church

[DanielK]

Company HQ just moved to Fairview Park (just east of 495, right next to Rte. 50) - technically Falls Church. Of course, I don't work out of company HQ, so I don't know the area yet. What I know is that I have a meeting TOMORROW from 11-12 there, and meeting at 2:00 in Tyson's (Towers Crescent office park, technically Vienna).

So where can I take my boss and a couple of colleagues for lunch - all unadventurous eaters, and all wearing suits? One guy suggested Vienna Inn, which lets you know what kind of eaters they are...

[The Hersch]

Company HQ just moved to Fairview Park (just east of 495, right next to Rte. 50) - technically Falls Church.

Well, technically that's in Fairfax County, and really rather distant from the actual City of Falls Church, although I suppose it has a "Falls Church" mailing address. Anyway, 2941 is right there, and they serve lunch. Wearing suits should be fine. (I've never had lunch there, and have not eaten there since the change of chefs, but I bet it's pretty good.)

[Joshua Grinnell]

Isn't Pistone's Italian Inn right there on the corner? Never been in, but the exterior hints that men in suits (track, business, etc.) would not be out of place. "Take the cannoli."

In more seriousness, you could hop over to 29 and go to Argia's for lunch. More adventurous would be Lebanese Butcher. Uber adventurous but really, really good would be Myanmar on 29, which is rather close to where you would be.

[bioesq]

You won't create any controversy by taking them to Clyde's or Da Domenico.

[DanielK]

Lebanese Butcher and Myanmar are way out of bounds for these guys. 2941 is pretty far out of budget for just a weekday lunch.

Argia's looks good, but it's really a couple of miles in the wrong direction.

Their current suggestion is Five Guys on Gallows, so please help!

ETA: Clyde's and Da Domenico are excellent suggestions. Thanks!

[DonRocks]

Lebanese Butcher and Myanmar are way out of bounds for these guys. 2941 is pretty far out of budget for just a weekday lunch.

Argia's looks good, but it's really a couple of miles in the wrong direction.

Their current suggestion is Five Guys on Gallows, so please help!

ETA: Clyde's and Da Domenico are excellent suggestions. Thanks!

Since you're desperate ...

There's nothing right on Fairview Park and 50 other than 2941, so you're going to be driving ...

West on 50: Grevey's on Gallows Road (same shopping center as Pho Cyclo; consider also Yorktown Deli in the same shopping center). That would be former Kentucky All-American (and Washington Bullet) Kevin Grevey btw, although I haven't been in ages, and don't remember it as being anything other than a 6'5" left-handed jump shot careening off the rim. Also, Sweetwater Tavern, across Gallows Road.

East on 50, there's semi-interesting ethnic (Pho 50, Pho 75, Secret Garden, Punjab Dhaba, Llajtaymanta (which would be my choice)), but precious little that fits the bill until Seven Corners, where you might consider Fortune, or possibly Dogfish Head (or maybe Sunflower?) if you exit East onto Route 7. One possible exception is Old Hickory Grille in Loehmann's Plaza (or even Sign of the Whale?)

South one exit on I-495 to Gallows Road ... there's nothing. Go two exits to Little River Turnpike and you have Yechon.

North one exit on I-495 to I-66, you can either go towards Washington, exiting on Route 7, and hit Idylwood Grill (near Whole Foods), or go towards Front Royal, exiting on Nutley, and ... finding nothing.

Unless I'm not thinking of something, this exhausts the EZ-drive options in the vicinity - I recommend Sweetwater Tavern based on your (laconic) description. There's harder-to-find places like Victor's Churrascaria, but now you're getting dicey.

[squidsdc]

Lebanese Butcher and Myanmar are way out of bounds for these guys. 2941 is pretty far out of budget for just a weekday lunch.

Argia's looks good, but it's really a couple of miles in the wrong direction.

Their current suggestion is Five Guys on Gallows, so please help!

ETA: Clyde's and Da Domenico are excellent suggestions. Thanks!

I'm not sure if Clyde's has renovated that location yet, and the last time we were there it was pretty awful. The dining room was so dark and 70's, and it smelled stale. The food was not on par with any of the Clyde's locations we've eaten in the past few years: Old Ebbitt, Tower Oaks, Clyde's in Chevy Chase, Clyde's in Reston...just a cautionary note to check first...isn't Maggiano's in Tysons 2? The food is servicable and may be just their speed.

[pizza man]

If you can't do 2941, the options are pretty grim. Pho 75 is probably too messy?

[Sthitch]

There is a Tippy's Taco House out that way, otherwise you might want to take Rock's suggestions.

[DanielK]

If you can't do 2941, the options are pretty grim. Pho 75 is probably too messy?

Pho? You are way overstating the dining capabilities of my colleague. If it isn't chopped cow on a bun with a side of potatos that have somehow touched a fryer, it has to be explained to him.

Grevey's or Sweetwater Tavern will work well.

[DonRocks]

Grevey's or Sweetwater Tavern will work well.

Let me put in a personal plug for Kevin Grevey. I used to be on the Board of Directors (yeah, yeah, laugh if you will) of a charitable foundation that worked with families living in government-provided housing downtown. We had a fundraising basketball game with all the fixins - advertised and emceed by Johnny Holliday (a super, super-good guy, btw) - and Kevin Grevey (along with Phil Chenier and several others) showed up and played for absolutely nothing in return, other than to lend everyone a hand up. I still recommend Sweetwater Tavern for your lunch, but I've not forgotten the charitable work of Kevin Grevey.

[Sthitch]

Let me put in a personal plug for Kevin Grevey.

I have always been happy with the sandwiches at Grevey's, but it has been a number of years since I have been there, but I used to really enjoy the beef on weck.

[ol_ironstomach]

My office was in that neighborhood for years. Concur with Sweetwater as your best bet for the described group: the food's decent enough (i.e. I'd rather eat at Artie's out by Fairfax Circle) but it draws that well-dressed corporate crowd. Go early, as it can get crowded.

Would suggest Sign of the Whale as alternate (v. good burger), but IMHO it slipped a couple notches when Bruce Sandground left. I permanently associate Grevey's with happy hour, and you can't be serious about Pistone's...unless your crew is really fascinated by salad bars.

[Scott Johnston]

Silver Dinner is another suggestion (on Gallows, near 29). If they insist on 5 Guys, go over to Great Wall and bring back some treats. You then will be know as "bizarre food guy"! There is a BBQ place a little ways down 29. I think it is call Bubba's BBQ. Aim for spots on the white shirts.

[Sthitch]

I think it is call Bubba's BBQ. Aim for spots on the white shirts.

Unless things have drastically changed the only thing that you will find at Bubba's is rather flavorless BBQ with the added benefit of meat that is painfully dry.

[Bob Wells]

Unless things have drastically changed the only thing that you will find at Bubba's is rather flavorless BBQ with the added benefit of meat that is painfully dry.

Here are some brief comments on many of the restaurants mentioned in this thread. I've worked in FC for nearly 16 years:

Bubba's BBQ: Meh at best.

Silver Diner: Pretty dependable. Good milkshakes.

Sweetwater: Good safe choice. I'm generally a GAR fan.

Grevey's: Not bad, but I'd pick Sweetwater of the two.

SOTW: Decent for burgers.

Pistone's: I find it rather gross.

Pho 75: The Mother Church of DC pho. Still among the better purveyors.

Leb Butcher: Good, interesting food, but SLOW!

Myanmar: Again, good food (salads especially), but SLOW!

Clyde's in Tysons: The worst Clyde's.

Punjab Dhaba: Good bare-bones joint, try the goat.

Argia's: Very dependable. Sandwiches are good and filling. They make a great Arnold Palmer.

Old Hickory Grille: Good food, but it's heavy. You'll need a nap.

Victor's: A carnivore's delight. Meat and more meat.

Llajtaymanta: Interesting food, but it's pretty challenging. For more accessible Bolivian, try Luzmila's on West Broad St. in FC.

[Scott Johnston]

I guess by now the deed is done....

[MsDiPesto]

Hope they did not go to Pistone's! Although they could have experienced the "Pistone's Caviar" (chopped up black olives) with the bread. Good times...good times.

Silver Diner would have been safe too, and Old Hickory Grille.

[DanielK]

Grevey's was the winner. It was very convenient, since it's just off the 50/495 off ramp, so it was easy to get from the office there, and easy to get back on 495 to head to the meeting.

I thought it was perfectly ordinary, and that was all that was needed. Beef on Weck was really just a "French Dip" on a kaiser roll with a side of horseradish. But my meat-and-potatoes colleague pronounced his well-done burger excellent, so all is good.

Thankfully, I don't have to work out of those offices very often - I'm in Ballston, where Pupatella cart is all you need!

[cheezepowder]

I noticed no one mentioned Celebrity Delly in Loehmann's Plaza...(dr thread here)

[Sthitch]

I thought it was perfectly ordinary, and that was all that was needed. Beef on Weck was really just a "French Dip" on a kaiser roll with a side of horseradish.

I did write that it has been sometime since I have been there, because it used to come on a salted roll, but you are right that otherwise it was a french dip with horseradish, but I really like a decent French dip, and I love horseradish.

[DonRocks]

Grevey's was the winner... Beef on Weck was really just a "French Dip" on a kaiser roll with a side of horseradish.

If this was [Game] Bird's instead of Gravey's (i.e. Indian[a] S[t]ate instead of Kentucky [Fried Chicken]), the Beef on Weck (contracted as "Beck") would be a "French Lick" on a fingertip roll with a side of H-O-R-S-E radish. Then again, Kevin might be able to put up a fight in a three-point competition - I'd love to hear what foul things he has to say about this "pressing" issue.

Glad it went well, Daniel.

Rocks.

[DanielK]

I did write that it has been sometime since I have been there, because it used to come on a salted roll, but you are right that otherwise it was a french dip with horseradish, but I really like a decent French dip, and I love horseradish.

It was a salted roll, but the salt (and another spice?) wasn't baked into the roll, just sprinkled on top of a regular kaiser roll. I brushed it off, and put it inside the roll.

I'm fine with a French Dip too, but since they didn't halve the sandwich, it was nearly impossible to dip into the sauce without making a large mess.

Again, it was fine, if I needed something similar again in that neighborhood I'd certainly go back.

FYI - flat screen TVs at EVERY TABLE.

[Pete]

FYI - flat screen TVs at EVERY TABLE.

Which makes it a great place to watch the NCAA tourney.

[The Hersch]

Thankfully, I don't have to work out of those offices very often

Actually, it's a wonderful area for lunching, with a huge variety of excellent places to eat--just not so much with your colleagues of limited tastes. Most of the best places are back towards Washington from the Beltway. I have to say Celebrity Delly would not be on my list of best places. They were pretty good some years ago, but I had lunch there about a year ago and it was quite dreary. The bowl of nice pickles had been replaced with a dish of Heinz dill spears or some such. Maybe a temporary aberration, but the sandwich I had wasn't much better.

But within a short drive you've got Miu Kee, Punjab Dhaba, Pho 75, that Vietnamese/Chinese seafood place near Pho 75 whose name I can't think of and that I've never eaten at but is supposed to be really good, Granja de Oro, Mark's Duck House, Peruvian Chicken and Steak (not a great name, but they have good food), El Pike, all of Eden Center, Fortune, Lucky Three, Full Kee, Blanca's, the German Gourmet Deli, and Popeye's!

[DonRocks]

that Vietnamese/Chinese seafood place near Pho 75 whose name I can't think of and that I've never eaten at but is supposed to be really good

Vinh Kee