A very colonial experience, in decor, food and of course the man dressed in period clothing coming around each table for entertainment. Food was very good, I had the roast chicken and my husband the duck, both with roasted potatoes and veggies. My martini was on point too. Only complaint is the noise level in the dining room we were in was way too loud at times. Noise on those plaster walls bounces...if you are noise sensitive, bring ear buds.
Louis17em
Gadsby's is quickly becoming our favorite restaurant, a place we go out of our way to visit...literally, as we live in California! Thank you, Sorin and Mr. John Douglass Hall for welcoming us back. See you again soon.
Eric B.
The food was slightly above average but not really the main draw. The historic atmosphere, staff, and especially the Ben Franklin reenactor were definitely worth the visit!
Patrick S.
It's not often that you have a chance to eat at the same place that George Washington ate. This place is charming and surprisingly laid back. I came for the ghost hunting but stayed for the food and drink. Recommended.
JamesTan
Food was not great. Duck was quite rubbery. Service was quick and impersonal. We were in and out in 80 min. This was a recommended restaurant on lonely planet DC guide. Will not trust the guide anymore.
John Wong
I ate the herb-crusted grilled salmon, and it's the best salmon dish I've ever had, and I don't say this lightly. The buttered rice was delightful. The spinach is perfectly cooked. The salmon tasty and not dry or overcooked. I can't give this dish any more superlatives. The ambiance and service were great. The historical relevance of the restaurant is just icing on the cake. Definitely consider this restaurant for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gary K.
Great history and good food. I ordered the codfish with cream sauce and it was outstanding with the potatoes and green beans. We were here with a large group (~50 people) and we had a room all to ourselves with a tailored menu to help expedite our orders; I'd absolutely use this venue again for large groups!
Coby H.
I wanted to book a reservation for my 50th birthday here but I was never able to get anyone to respond to my request. Since this was a large party you couldn't book online so I kept calling and calling, I left multiple messages to speak with a manager. I even walked in one night to speak with a manager about it and they just took my name and number and nobody ever called me back or followed up. I was very disappointed needless to say. I ended up booking my lovely party at another restaurant on King St.
Jess Berndt
Very disappointed, the pace of operations was slow, the food was cold. The waitress on the other hand was excellent even having 10 tables, great sense of humor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
David de Hosson
Truly delicious food and very attentive service. Lots of history to the place, too. We even had a re-enactor engage with our group, which added to the fun. A wonderful dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: George Washington's Favorite, Corn Pudding, Rum-Laced Banana Bread Pudding, Surrey Co Peanut Soop
Usually have very good service and food at Gadsby's. Went yesterday for my birthday. My husband's hamburger was flavorless and he could barely choke it down. I ordered poached eggs Chesapeake but all I could taste was the overwhelming amount of bell peppers. My child couldn't use the restroom because the only bathroom's toilet was clogged. The icing on the cake was our waiter. I don't remember his name but he was incredibly rude and inattentive. It took 15 minutes to get our check after we asked for it. Don't know if I'll be going back again.
RoadTripFoodie
All around a special experience in an incredibly historic place. Service was excellent and food was a lot better than we expected. A must experience for both Alexandria residents, like us, and for visitors:)
Paul DiMarco
A Nightmarish Culinary Encounter: I was served an Insect!I recently dined at Gatsby’s Tavern and unfortunately, my experience was nothing short of horrifying. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance seemed promising, with dim lighting and colonial décor to set the mood for what I hoped would be a delightful dining experience. However, what unfolded during my meal was far from delightful.Upon perusing the menu, I settled on the mashed potatoes as a side to accompany my grilled filet mignon. When my order arrived, I eagerly dug in, only to discover, to my utter dismay, an enormous insect wing nestled amongst the creamy texture of the mashed potatoes. What could it be, I thought, a dragon fly? A cicada? A praying mantis? Well, none of the above - shock and revulsion coursed through me, as I realized I had just encountered a cockroach. It was a moment of sheer disgust that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. (Pictures attached let me know your thoughts – is this really a roach? Please say it isn’t so!!) As a side note - I only found one wing and part of the body, what happened to the rest? Did I already eat it? Was it nestled in in someone else’s mashed potatoes ready to be consumed? Who knows?Naturally, I asked for the manager to address the issue. Chris came over to speak with us, after what felt like an eternity, while i had to stare at the animal which rested on my plate, snuggled in the potatoes. The response was of confusion, with Chris trying to figure out where the insect came from, rather than apologetic! Who cares where it came from Chris, it ended up on my plate. What buddy, do you think I smuggled in a dead insect and buried in my potatoes for a free meal?The damage had been done. The mere thought of ingesting a cockroach-infested meal had completely ruined my appetite. Despite their attempts to rectify the situation by offering to comp the meal and a replacement dish and dessert, the trust had been shattered, and I couldn't bring myself to eat another morsel from that kitchen.Beyond the appalling incident with the cockroach (or whatever it was…), the overall dining experience was lackluster. The cleanliness of the establishment left much to be desired, evident not only from the unwelcome visitor in my meal, but also from the general state of disarray in the restaurant. There is only one bathroom, which is absolutely disgusting, dirty, dusty, no toilet paper, and just broken! On the way to the bathroom my feet were sticking to the carpet and there is a huge hole in the wall, like big, like the size of large head. Chris, where did this hole come from? I’m sure George Washington would have fixed this hole – you should too!In conclusion, my visit to Gatsby’s Tavern was nothing short of a nightmare. The presence of a cockroach in my mashed potatoes not only tainted the food but also revealed concerning lapses in hygiene and food safety practices. I would strongly advise against dining at this establishment, as the risk of encountering such unappetizing surprises is not worth the potential culinary experience.Overall, my rating for Gatsby’s Tavern is a dismal 1 out of 5 stars. If there was a way to give less than one star, I would! The hope is that they take immediate and significant steps to address their hygiene and cleanliness standards before another diner faces a similar ordeal.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Stephen Roberts
Excellent food and ambiance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LauraF
My son and I both ordered George Washington's favorite, and it was quite good. We were fortunate to be dining when an actor portraying a character from the Colonial period was there and talking to the guests.
A very colonial experience, in decor, food and of course the man dressed in period clothing coming around each table for entertainment. Food was very good, I had the roast chicken and my husband the duck, both with roasted potatoes and veggies. My martini was on point too. Only complaint is the noise level in the dining room we were in was way too loud at times. Noise on those plaster walls bounces...if you are noise sensitive, bring ear buds.
Gadsby's is quickly becoming our favorite restaurant, a place we go out of our way to visit...literally, as we live in California! Thank you, Sorin and Mr. John Douglass Hall for welcoming us back. See you again soon.
The food was slightly above average but not really the main draw. The historic atmosphere, staff, and especially the Ben Franklin reenactor were definitely worth the visit!
It's not often that you have a chance to eat at the same place that George Washington ate. This place is charming and surprisingly laid back. I came for the ghost hunting but stayed for the food and drink. Recommended.
Food was not great. Duck was quite rubbery. Service was quick and impersonal. We were in and out in 80 min. This was a recommended restaurant on lonely planet DC guide. Will not trust the guide anymore.
I ate the herb-crusted grilled salmon, and it's the best salmon dish I've ever had, and I don't say this lightly. The buttered rice was delightful. The spinach is perfectly cooked. The salmon tasty and not dry or overcooked. I can't give this dish any more superlatives. The ambiance and service were great. The historical relevance of the restaurant is just icing on the cake. Definitely consider this restaurant for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great history and good food. I ordered the codfish with cream sauce and it was outstanding with the potatoes and green beans. We were here with a large group (~50 people) and we had a room all to ourselves with a tailored menu to help expedite our orders; I'd absolutely use this venue again for large groups!
I wanted to book a reservation for my 50th birthday here but I was never able to get anyone to respond to my request. Since this was a large party you couldn't book online so I kept calling and calling, I left multiple messages to speak with a manager. I even walked in one night to speak with a manager about it and they just took my name and number and nobody ever called me back or followed up. I was very disappointed needless to say. I ended up booking my lovely party at another restaurant on King St.
Very disappointed, the pace of operations was slow, the food was cold. The waitress on the other hand was excellent even having 10 tables, great sense of humor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Truly delicious food and very attentive service. Lots of history to the place, too. We even had a re-enactor engage with our group, which added to the fun. A wonderful dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: George Washington's Favorite, Corn Pudding, Rum-Laced Banana Bread Pudding, Surrey Co Peanut Soop
Restaurantji Recommends
Usually have very good service and food at Gadsby's. Went yesterday for my birthday. My husband's hamburger was flavorless and he could barely choke it down. I ordered poached eggs Chesapeake but all I could taste was the overwhelming amount of bell peppers. My child couldn't use the restroom because the only bathroom's toilet was clogged. The icing on the cake was our waiter. I don't remember his name but he was incredibly rude and inattentive. It took 15 minutes to get our check after we asked for it. Don't know if I'll be going back again.
All around a special experience in an incredibly historic place. Service was excellent and food was a lot better than we expected. A must experience for both Alexandria residents, like us, and for visitors:)
A Nightmarish Culinary Encounter: I was served an Insect!I recently dined at Gatsby’s Tavern and unfortunately, my experience was nothing short of horrifying. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance seemed promising, with dim lighting and colonial décor to set the mood for what I hoped would be a delightful dining experience. However, what unfolded during my meal was far from delightful.Upon perusing the menu, I settled on the mashed potatoes as a side to accompany my grilled filet mignon. When my order arrived, I eagerly dug in, only to discover, to my utter dismay, an enormous insect wing nestled amongst the creamy texture of the mashed potatoes. What could it be, I thought, a dragon fly? A cicada? A praying mantis? Well, none of the above - shock and revulsion coursed through me, as I realized I had just encountered a cockroach. It was a moment of sheer disgust that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. (Pictures attached let me know your thoughts – is this really a roach? Please say it isn’t so!!) As a side note - I only found one wing and part of the body, what happened to the rest? Did I already eat it? Was it nestled in in someone else’s mashed potatoes ready to be consumed? Who knows?Naturally, I asked for the manager to address the issue. Chris came over to speak with us, after what felt like an eternity, while i had to stare at the animal which rested on my plate, snuggled in the potatoes. The response was of confusion, with Chris trying to figure out where the insect came from, rather than apologetic! Who cares where it came from Chris, it ended up on my plate. What buddy, do you think I smuggled in a dead insect and buried in my potatoes for a free meal?The damage had been done. The mere thought of ingesting a cockroach-infested meal had completely ruined my appetite. Despite their attempts to rectify the situation by offering to comp the meal and a replacement dish and dessert, the trust had been shattered, and I couldn't bring myself to eat another morsel from that kitchen.Beyond the appalling incident with the cockroach (or whatever it was…), the overall dining experience was lackluster. The cleanliness of the establishment left much to be desired, evident not only from the unwelcome visitor in my meal, but also from the general state of disarray in the restaurant. There is only one bathroom, which is absolutely disgusting, dirty, dusty, no toilet paper, and just broken! On the way to the bathroom my feet were sticking to the carpet and there is a huge hole in the wall, like big, like the size of large head. Chris, where did this hole come from? I’m sure George Washington would have fixed this hole – you should too!In conclusion, my visit to Gatsby’s Tavern was nothing short of a nightmare. The presence of a cockroach in my mashed potatoes not only tainted the food but also revealed concerning lapses in hygiene and food safety practices. I would strongly advise against dining at this establishment, as the risk of encountering such unappetizing surprises is not worth the potential culinary experience.Overall, my rating for Gatsby’s Tavern is a dismal 1 out of 5 stars. If there was a way to give less than one star, I would! The hope is that they take immediate and significant steps to address their hygiene and cleanliness standards before another diner faces a similar ordeal.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Excellent food and ambiance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My son and I both ordered George Washington's favorite, and it was quite good. We were fortunate to be dining when an actor portraying a character from the Colonial period was there and talking to the guests.