Great place for Oysters! Good menu! Great service the raw oysters are off the hook! So I only wish they were open on Sunday 's I would highly recommend a vis We stopped by for lunch - Spinach Seafood Salad was good! The raw oysters were outstanding! Great service! This is one of our go-to restaurants!!
Jennifer Glynn
One of our favorite spots. Delicious French inspired cuisine Great place to get a steak, inventive salads, and oysters. The wait staff are always courteous and kind. A quiet place for lunch, fantastic dinner spot. Live music on the weekends.
Wilsons-2
Always go with the “specials†- a thought that now needs rethinking. Our party of four split two with the fish dishes (one a special) and two with the steak special. Inedible is too harsh because some bites were taken (and downed with a gulp) but disappointing is surely too little description for this dining experience. The steaks both came way-undercooked, (medium-rare ordered, near raw served!) which could have been fixed with a few more minutes of heat had we asked - but the result would still have been a shoe-leather steak slathered in a taste smothering mushroom and red-wine sauce. And why would the kitchen think mashed potatoes would want a fried oyster on top of them? The fish dishes were said to be much better - one getting mild praise. The Ice House has been around a long time and hasn't, till now, disappointed so three stars for institutional longevity... and fish entrees.
Henry N.
I went to the Ice House cafe last night to see my dad play piano with a singer (it has live jazz every Friday and Saturday nights). The restaurant is very loud (maybe different on a week night). There are only 3 tables that you can hear and see the live music from and they are all right in front of the stage. They have a bar where you can watch it from. The waiters were always running around from table to table or table to the kitchen. Online, on their menu, it said it had beef stroganoff. That wasn't the case, so I was bummed about that. I ordered the jambalaya (cost $25). It wasn't worth $25. The rice was under cooked. They didn't mix up the spices evenly, so you sometimes would get a bite that was super bland and other times you would get a bite that was super spiced up. Note: don't go here if you're a vegetarian because they don't have any vegetarian options.
Mike B.
Finally got to Ice House! Visited on a quiet weekday in April '18. Surroundings make you realize they've got staying power. A suburban man's Old Ebbitt and reminiscent of The Brass Rail, a Stamford, CT institution... Good effort on all parts: service and menu. Would like to go back when it is bustling with locals.
Vessela Garvey
Delicious food and great atmosphere, quaint and cozy. Friendly service. The duck was excellent. Best tiramisu I've ever had!
Paul Grant
Amazing place to grab a drink after work! Dan at the bar knows what he's doing and treats the customers likes kings and queens. Hats off to you Dan!
Rhythm S.
Saturday night, date night with the girls (& husband!) LIVE BAND, BAD INFLUENCE, playing to a full house! Good wine, Great friends, and FANTASTIC FOOD! Come check it out!
Chris F.
The ice house is a nice spot for a date in the Herndon/Reston area...and a bonus, they usually have a Groupon. The vibe is romantic with an upscale menu and is kind of pricey. The decor and setting is a bit old feeling. I've gotten the oysters and the ahi tuna, my friend ordered a few different things. Oysters are better other places for some reason. The other food is pretty good. It is A-Ok as the rating suggests.
Crystopher H
This place is truly a staple of the town of Herndon. I've taken my girlfriend on multiple dinner dates here. The food is superb, the service really is top notch and the best part is that in the evenings (maybe weekends only?) They have complimentary live jazz which really sets the mood and separates this place from other places. You really need to give this place a try, you won't regret it.
Chef Thomas Keller says "great cooking produces lasting memories," and Ice House Cafe both brought back, to me, forgotten memories of a closed restuartant a country away, and a lifetime ago... The french onion was just such a dish, recapturing aromas and tastes from "The Old San Francisco Express" restaurant in California, which was housed in decommissioned railcars. And it was delightful. And while the Ice House Cafe's only connection to that is a nearby depot, the soup was amazing. The steak was beautifully prepared, the service friendly and mindful, and the atomsphere quiant. Give it a visit if you have a chance!
Walter M.
Service was good. Food presentation was excellent but the taste was average. Very salty and fish was lukewarm when it was served. I'll try it again next time in town as maybe chef had an off day.
Harry L.
I had the Bourbon Shrimp and Grits that was wonderful. They had impeccable service. It was a slow night but all food served piping hot. Nice break from so many mediocre local places
Yanek K.
I came here once in 2001 for a work holiday party and remember it to this day as one of the most fun parties we've attended. And I'm comparing it to holiday parties at the Udvar-Hazy center with a purple-lit SR-71 blackbird, bands in every corner, and chocolate fountains for your fruit dipping pleasure. There's something just warm and inviting about this place when you cozy up to the bar in the back room with some friends and colleagues and Dan starts making you cocktails you didn't know how to ask for. Meanwhile there's excellent food wandering the floor and in the more restaurantey area in the back. So, no surprise that as soon as I had an opportunity to suggest a location for our holiday party this year, this is the place we picked. For a company of about 40, the size was perfect. We had room for a door prize table, room to sit and eat, and wander around and socialize too. Frankly, there was probably plenty of room to spare, yet because of the layout it didn't feel empty. Can't recommend the spot more highly. Not doing a holiday party? Go anyway, everything else holds.
Catherine G.
It's been quite a few years since I wrote an update and I figure that one is actually due. We left the area for a couple of years and just came back this past February. Since we now live in the area, we figured try out the Ice House Cafe & Oyster Bar. While the look was the same, there was a different vibe about the place. We went straight to the bar and luckily got some seats. The happy hour menu was different than we remembered and when we asked about the oysters they were in stock. We had been there in the past when oysters hadn't come in, or there were other issues. This time no problem. We had a dozen oysters, quite a few of the appetizers like the calarmari and chicken wings - all at happy hour prices. I love the fact that the oysters are $6.50 for a half dozen. Where else can you get a dozen oysters for $13?!? This establishment has definitely grown on me and outside of the summer when it slows down, the place is usually packed at both areas of the bars. Ambiance is good and Dan the bartender is really personable and great to converse with. They also have live music on the weekends if you want a change of pace. Come for the oysters, stay for the music and conversation! It's definitely worth it.
Great place for Oysters! Good menu! Great service the raw oysters are off the hook! So I only wish they were open on Sunday 's I would highly recommend a vis We stopped by for lunch - Spinach Seafood Salad was good! The raw oysters were outstanding! Great service! This is one of our go-to restaurants!!
One of our favorite spots. Delicious French inspired cuisine Great place to get a steak, inventive salads, and oysters. The wait staff are always courteous and kind. A quiet place for lunch, fantastic dinner spot. Live music on the weekends.
Always go with the “specials†- a thought that now needs rethinking. Our party of four split two with the fish dishes (one a special) and two with the steak special. Inedible is too harsh because some bites were taken (and downed with a gulp) but disappointing is surely too little description for this dining experience. The steaks both came way-undercooked, (medium-rare ordered, near raw served!) which could have been fixed with a few more minutes of heat had we asked - but the result would still have been a shoe-leather steak slathered in a taste smothering mushroom and red-wine sauce. And why would the kitchen think mashed potatoes would want a fried oyster on top of them? The fish dishes were said to be much better - one getting mild praise. The Ice House has been around a long time and hasn't, till now, disappointed so three stars for institutional longevity... and fish entrees.
I went to the Ice House cafe last night to see my dad play piano with a singer (it has live jazz every Friday and Saturday nights). The restaurant is very loud (maybe different on a week night). There are only 3 tables that you can hear and see the live music from and they are all right in front of the stage. They have a bar where you can watch it from. The waiters were always running around from table to table or table to the kitchen. Online, on their menu, it said it had beef stroganoff. That wasn't the case, so I was bummed about that. I ordered the jambalaya (cost $25). It wasn't worth $25. The rice was under cooked. They didn't mix up the spices evenly, so you sometimes would get a bite that was super bland and other times you would get a bite that was super spiced up. Note: don't go here if you're a vegetarian because they don't have any vegetarian options.
Finally got to Ice House! Visited on a quiet weekday in April '18. Surroundings make you realize they've got staying power. A suburban man's Old Ebbitt and reminiscent of The Brass Rail, a Stamford, CT institution... Good effort on all parts: service and menu. Would like to go back when it is bustling with locals.
Delicious food and great atmosphere, quaint and cozy. Friendly service. The duck was excellent. Best tiramisu I've ever had!
Amazing place to grab a drink after work! Dan at the bar knows what he's doing and treats the customers likes kings and queens. Hats off to you Dan!
Saturday night, date night with the girls (& husband!) LIVE BAND, BAD INFLUENCE, playing to a full house! Good wine, Great friends, and FANTASTIC FOOD! Come check it out!
The ice house is a nice spot for a date in the Herndon/Reston area...and a bonus, they usually have a Groupon. The vibe is romantic with an upscale menu and is kind of pricey. The decor and setting is a bit old feeling. I've gotten the oysters and the ahi tuna, my friend ordered a few different things. Oysters are better other places for some reason. The other food is pretty good. It is A-Ok as the rating suggests.
This place is truly a staple of the town of Herndon. I've taken my girlfriend on multiple dinner dates here. The food is superb, the service really is top notch and the best part is that in the evenings (maybe weekends only?) They have complimentary live jazz which really sets the mood and separates this place from other places. You really need to give this place a try, you won't regret it.
Restaurantji Recommends
Chef Thomas Keller says "great cooking produces lasting memories," and Ice House Cafe both brought back, to me, forgotten memories of a closed restuartant a country away, and a lifetime ago... The french onion was just such a dish, recapturing aromas and tastes from "The Old San Francisco Express" restaurant in California, which was housed in decommissioned railcars. And it was delightful. And while the Ice House Cafe's only connection to that is a nearby depot, the soup was amazing. The steak was beautifully prepared, the service friendly and mindful, and the atomsphere quiant. Give it a visit if you have a chance!
Service was good. Food presentation was excellent but the taste was average. Very salty and fish was lukewarm when it was served. I'll try it again next time in town as maybe chef had an off day.
I had the Bourbon Shrimp and Grits that was wonderful. They had impeccable service. It was a slow night but all food served piping hot. Nice break from so many mediocre local places
I came here once in 2001 for a work holiday party and remember it to this day as one of the most fun parties we've attended. And I'm comparing it to holiday parties at the Udvar-Hazy center with a purple-lit SR-71 blackbird, bands in every corner, and chocolate fountains for your fruit dipping pleasure. There's something just warm and inviting about this place when you cozy up to the bar in the back room with some friends and colleagues and Dan starts making you cocktails you didn't know how to ask for. Meanwhile there's excellent food wandering the floor and in the more restaurantey area in the back. So, no surprise that as soon as I had an opportunity to suggest a location for our holiday party this year, this is the place we picked. For a company of about 40, the size was perfect. We had room for a door prize table, room to sit and eat, and wander around and socialize too. Frankly, there was probably plenty of room to spare, yet because of the layout it didn't feel empty. Can't recommend the spot more highly. Not doing a holiday party? Go anyway, everything else holds.
It's been quite a few years since I wrote an update and I figure that one is actually due. We left the area for a couple of years and just came back this past February. Since we now live in the area, we figured try out the Ice House Cafe & Oyster Bar. While the look was the same, there was a different vibe about the place. We went straight to the bar and luckily got some seats. The happy hour menu was different than we remembered and when we asked about the oysters they were in stock. We had been there in the past when oysters hadn't come in, or there were other issues. This time no problem. We had a dozen oysters, quite a few of the appetizers like the calarmari and chicken wings - all at happy hour prices. I love the fact that the oysters are $6.50 for a half dozen. Where else can you get a dozen oysters for $13?!? This establishment has definitely grown on me and outside of the summer when it slows down, the place is usually packed at both areas of the bars. Ambiance is good and Dan the bartender is really personable and great to converse with. They also have live music on the weekends if you want a change of pace. Come for the oysters, stay for the music and conversation! It's definitely worth it.