50 Best Bars near Mclean

“I hosted a friend’s birthday party at ShipGarten and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From start to finish, the staff was absolutely amazing. They made the entire planning process easy and stress-free, with clear, quick, and efficient communication every step of the way. They were incredibly accommodating. The food was great, my favorites were the funnel cake fries and the guacamole. The Cider was delicious!!! The venue itself is fantastic for hosting events, and I highly recommend ShipGarten for birthdays, gatherings, or any special occasion. One of the things I love most is that they also host dog-friendly events, which makes the place even more special! I had an amazing time and will absolutely be using ShipGarten for future events!!!“

“Food was awesome! Atmosphere was warm! Wait staff extremely attentive. We LOVE that it is farm to table, they have their own bee hives and grow their own herbs! Menu was unique and the octopus appetizer was SO crazy good!“

“Had lunch here for the first time. The chopped salad with chicken was so good! Thanks to all the diligent service personnel. Planning on coming back for dinner sometime by the looks of the menu. They have an outside dining area which I’d like to try.“

“I’ve been to yard house so many times and each time I like it more. Last time I went they were playing Argentina vs Cabo verde in the World Cup so the place was a bit Busy as everyone wanted to watch the game. I normally get dragonfruit lemonade which is really good. The service was a fine since the place was really busy and there was a 45 minute wait for a table so I just waited at the bar. The atmosphere is really loud and hard to talk over it but it was understandable. The one thing js that it’s kind of pricey for some slightly upscale bar food. The steak was good though.“

“Great service, good food and a great greeting. Me and my wife had an exceptional experience. We definitely will be going back.“

“I think Old Ebbitt Grill are one of the best grill joints around Washington and they got the most warmed atmosphere and I also enjoyed their service a lot. Their waitress and waiters are well trained with great sense of humor and they always smile to their customers/buyers.. You all can give it a try and thank me later hehe 😜“

“Thank you, Texas Jack's for accommodating me on Thanksgiving when my Metroaccess ride dropped me off before my reservation. Food and service (by Calvin) was excellent!“

“Great vibes and music here!!!😎“

“excellent service, good food, worth every penny“

“I seldom have an experience worth posting about, but this was one of them. I was in the area for a work conference and decided to grab lunch at Surreal. I wasn’t expecting much and wasn’t sure about the all you can eat menu, but it was incredible. I had three rounds of orders with server recommendations. Shout out to Marcus for the phenomenal service and recommendations. Everything was delicious. Every. Single. Thing. The outdoor seating was great too and let me enjoy the nice day. In short, I came in just looking for a quick lunch, and left feeling like I just had a Michelin-star dining experience. It was, you could say, Surreal. I highly recommend this place.“

“Absolutely a must in DuPont. Creative and unique menu. The Roses drink was fantastic- staff and servers were so incredible and the music was perfect. Loved it! The sweet server/host even ran after us to give me a sweater I left behind. 10/10 recommend.“

“Everything was perfect, the service, food and cocktails! Look forward to returning.“

“good food“

“Nice atmosphere . Troy was a great host/server.“

“Great place for mussels!“

“Pulled pork Mac and cheese and Brussel sprouts is what I had. It was seasoned just right!!! We had a sweet waitress as well. Highly recommend this gem!“

“Superlative tasting menu, top notch wine parings, outstanding service, from a staff that outnumbers the clientele, what’s not to like? Yes it’s small, so leave the soccer team meetup for the pizza place. For Lutece, bring your favorite couple or 1 or 2 very special friends“

“Service is amazing. Friendly and efficient staff. Hotel is charming .“

“A gem in Dupont for large groups! Stellar service, incredible food and innovative/delicious drinks, and beautiful space! Our group of 12 was graciously and quickly accommodated for birthday dinner that was scheduled on the day of. Shoutout to Carson for the super attentive and helpful service!! Thank you!!“

“This is a Friendly establishment..the owners are welcoming“

“It was pretty pleasant had a good time“

“A friend recommended this restaurant and the waiter was very helpful in choosing our appetizers and meals, and also provided excellent wine pairings. We even had a little chat with the other guests“

“Good people, great b music.“

“Excellent beer selection and to-die-for totchos and grilled cheese sandwiches, with whatever interesting “toppings” you could imagine!“

“Incredible food and atmosphere and service 5 stars all the way“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Hidden Gem in Old Town Alexandria!

Alice Cocktail Bar exceeded every expectation and delivered an absolutely phenomenal dining and cocktail experience from start to finish.

The cocktails were outstanding. I started with the Alice, a beautifully crafted blend of Roku Gin, Elderflower Liqueur, Lychee Liqueur, Butterfly Pea, Yuzu, and Egg White. It was light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced. I also enjoyed the Gold Rush, made with Four Roses Bourbon, Cointreau, Honey, Yuzu, and Egg White—a smooth, flavorful cocktail that quickly became a favorite.

My partner ordered the Beach House and the Flamingo, both of which were exceptional. The Beach House combined Espolon Blanco, Banhez Mezcal, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Aperol, and Lime for a tropical burst of flavor. The Flamingo was equally delicious and was served in an adorable tiki glass that added a fun touch to the experience.

For appetizers, we ordered the Crab Rangoon and the Grilled Pork Sticky Rice. Let me just say—both were A1 delicious. The pork was perfectly marinated and grilled, and paired wonderfully with the sticky rice and chili garlic lime sauce.

For our entrées, we had the Crab Fried Rice and the Phuket Seafood. Both dishes were absolutely incredible. The Phuket Seafood, loaded with mixed seafood, onions, scallions, bell peppers, young peppercorns, sweet basil, carrots, and roasted chili sauce, was bursting with flavor. Chef’s kiss! The Crab Fried Rice was equally impressive. In my book, both dishes are award-winning.

What truly elevated the experience was the service. Our waitresses were attentive, knowledgeable, and spot-on with their recommendations throughout the evening. Their hospitality made an already fantastic experience even better.

Overall, Alice Cocktail Bar earns an easy A++. Amazing drinks, outstanding food, exceptional service, and a great atmosphere. I cannot wait to return.

I’ll definitely be back SOON!“

“One of the best places in Dc and right on the water!“

“Was looking for a place to eat that granted a good selection of beers and some vegetarian options, while I spent a couple of days staying in Arlington.
Galaxy Hut has crushed my expectations.
Buffalo things were very good, beer selection is massive, but the highlight was the burger.
By far the best vegetarian burger I have ever had, and also the eggplant fries, just wow!
Do yourself a favor and give this place a try, you won't regret it one bit.“

“Food was really good and the staff were very friendly. Curries were very good! My dad went three times last year and then returned twice this summer as he loved it so much.
Curry spice is done as as you like it.
Meals are very filling and worth the money.
Convenient as it is right beside the metro station and open 11am to 10pm.“

“Old Hat Bar recently, and without any notice, hosted an impromptu group of about 20 friends celebrating the life of our dear friend laid to rest at Arlington that day. Not only did you welcome us in but you asked about our friend in the most genuine way. One waitress asked us to tell her a story about our friend, the owner took our picture then asked some of us how we met our friend. We all talked about how awesome the experience was the next day. Thank you all so very much for the space, the conversation & the drinks!“

“I consider Jackie and the crew at Hook & Reel Wheaton to be friends of mine. I work close by and pop in at the bar often. The Happy Hour, which starts at 1PM (yes, you read that correctly) has insanely low prices, and the "pour" on both glasses of wine and cocktails are unmatched. Great ambience, clean as a whistle, a ton of regulars at the bar and a Touchtunes jukebox on the wall to bring your own soundtrack with you. What's not to LOVE about this place? 🍷🍹🥂🍻🦀“

“We had our wedding at the Commentary on 5/31/25 and we could not be more thrilled with our experience. Olivia Martel and Chef Fran were PHENOMENAL to work with. Anything we wanted, we got. We wanted a low key, chill wedding, and decided on stations and the pasta bar with a plethora of appetizers and the execution was a 10/10. We loved having the whole bar and restaurant to ourselves in Ballston and welcoming guests from across the country and being in the Commentary’s/Westin’s care. They took really great care of us and we couldn’t be more grateful for the most beautiful day of our lives.“

“We had the portobello bao bun, pork dumpling, bbq duck, and little pot. Everything was delicious!“

“Great place and great staff!“

“On vacation from RI, my husband and I and very good friends had lunch at Lily’s just this past week and we fully enjoyed experience! It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were greeted with sunny faces and a friendly, highly professional staff. We sat in the outdoor area and everything from being there to fill our water glasses and explaining the menu was covered. I highly recommend Lily’s if not just for the fact that we felt like we were at home but to top it off, the food was delicious. Try the Tropical salad and the meatball appetizer!!“

“Hope you guys open soon indoors“

“Bottom line: If you get invited, accept.

I'm not a member, I'm far too dumb, but I had breakfast there with a friend who is a member. First, the breakfast was delicious. Buffet style, with good coffee and a waffle and omelette bar.

The company was good, too. Everyone is a genius, all pretty interesting, nobody looked down on a dum-dum like me (to my face, at least). Before I came I practiced memorizing some equations and facts and stuff before going so I'd have something to talk about with the geniuses, but I didn't end up needing them, they were polite enough to talk about dumb guy topics with me (e.g. sports, reality TV, beefs between streamers).

The rooms are also cool. Really nice library. Couldn't find any Archie comics or DVDs, but other than that it was pretty solid.

tl;dr make friends with a smart person and go; you might get smarter yourself“

“Amazing atmosphere and some of the best cocktails in the area!!!“

“Great food & service. Chill atmosphere that’s great for date night or night with kids. We go to Harveys almost every week!“

“We had such an amazing experience at Casa Luna! Brian and Sammie were absolutely incredible and truly made our night. Brian took care of us for most of the evening, and he is seriously SO cool, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable.

What really stood out was the time they took to walk us through their top-shelf tequila collection and this wasn’t just pointing out expensive bottles. They actually taught us how to properly taste and appreciate the tequila, what flavors and notes to look for, and what made each one unique. They gave us the same experience with bourbon, and you can tell they genuinely know and love what they do. Their collection is INSANE, and getting to learn about it from people who are so passionate and knowledgeable made the experience that much better.

Brian especially made us feel so welcomed and never rushed the experience. He took his time explaining everything, answering our questions, and just hanging out with us. It felt less like sitting at a bar and more like getting a private tasting experience with someone who really knows his craft. Sammie was amazing as well, and together they created such a fun, intimate, memorable experience.

We will absolutely be back. If you go to Casa Luna, do yourself a favor and sit at the bar and if Brian and Sammie are working, you are in VERY good hands. 10/10 experience! 🥃🍸✨“

“The best place to eat at Eden“

“I walked in not knowing if they'd accept my foreign ID, but the bartender immediately said it was no problem. He was warm and welcoming, and made me feel comfortable from the start. He checked in regularly, and offered great drink recommendations. When I wanted another round, he was right there without me having to flag him down. Friendly, polite, and genuinely attentive throughout!! 10/10 customer service, definitely coming back next time I’m in DC“

“This was some of the best food I’ve ever had. I would never normally choose Italian as a n “”out to eat” option but I’m so glad I did! I would eat here night after night if I could.“

“Amazing spot in DC for Friday Happy Hour“

“Kufta Kabab is tender with buttery rice and veggies; Chicken Shawarma Sandwich has great pita and goes great with the spicy sauce. I like healthy portions and nutritional variety for good value, and Astor hits the spot. The owners and staff are extremely gracious to create a welcoming atmosphere. They have a lovely patio to hangout. If you live in the neighborhood, it's a no brainier to make this your hangout spot.“

“Always a great place to stop for food and drink.“

“We had a great time at this speakeasy! We made a reservation far in advance. The travel theme carried through into the interior decorations and summer South America themed drink menu. Our waiter Walter was especially great! We would return to try a different menu.“

“The very best bar and restaurant.“

“Combination of great food, ambience and hospitality. This is the place if you are looking for authentic Nepali food and fine dining experience. They have always amaze us with their menu selection options and the way menus are platted and garnished. I will highly recommend this place for dining with your friends and family.“

“Some of the best Ethiopian food that I have had, and I am a Chef and have frequented many Ethiopian restaurants in DC as well.
I ordered the veggie combo and each dish was layered with the perfect amount of spice, heat and salt. The injera was light and fluffy with the familiar tang of a good fermentation. I also ordered a glass of Tej (honey wine) expecting a store bought bottle but was pleasantly surprised with a house made 6 month old wine that was slightly effervescent with a balanced sweetness that went perfectly with the food.
I told the server how great the food was and the Chef personally came out to thank me and talk to me about how she prepares the food and even answered questions I had about how to prepare there Shiro wot(which was excellent) and where to buy the spices for it. Both the Chef and the server were kind and treated me so warmly I felt like family.
If you are in the mood for authentic Ethiopian food, please give this place a try, I promise that you will be pleasantly surprised!“