We had a TERRIBLE experience at Local VA. We waited an HOUR for our food when only 2 other tables existed. We never got our appetizer, yet after 45 minutes my daughter got her food with nothing for my husband and I. No one asked to refill our drinks. They walked by us ignoring us only a few times in an hour. SERVERS AND BARTENDERS WERE TAKING SHOTS WITH THE BAR CUSTOMERS. A manager NEVER came out to remedy the issue. In fact when my husband went in to pay BEFORE GETTING FOOD bc after an hour it was still not ready and we needed to leave, the server snatched the card from him and was rude and never offered any resolution to our problem. Their food is basic and small portions. They market it as something special but the service was awful, the staff were unprofessional and the food was average. NEVER will we go back again. NEVER.
Angela M.
Love this place! The food is great and the service is even better. I am originally from NC and it is hard to find good southern food and they have it among other great dishes. They have incredible cocktails and beers from many of your favorite breweries. You should give them a try ! You will not be disappointed.
Mindy Bowen
Half of the service is great, half of it is terrible. When the owners & core staff that's been there a long time is around, it's wonderful but if they're not around the service has been slow & inattentive --and at the worst when I got food in these less popular hours, there little gravy one time & almost no meat the other time. I asked for more & as far as I could tell nothing changed. I left without eating it because I really needed protein & they just argued with me about it being the normal amount and I didn't come back for a year after this happened a few times in a row. Other guests also have been really snide. It's not a place to relax unless it's in their peak hours & then there's too many people to be able to relax. Truly unfortunate since it's the cutest spot on the water & the only coffee shop in a 20 minute radius that isn't a massive chain with enough seats for everyone. Giving 2 stars since there are occasional times where service & food is good plus the location is great, but the lack of consistency is rough.
Bobbie Kucinski
I have been to this place many times, across several seasons. The cozy inside seating gives you a friend at every turn. The outside patio, waterside, is dog friendly and the perfect place for brunch. The staff is friendly, the food is even better. I haven’t had a meal I didn’t love. I dream about the duck fat fries but the ever changing and delicious options keep things interesting. Best bartender in the area, hands down. This place is like sitting down to have dinner with your family. If you are looking to rush out the door I would suggest picking up Chick-fil-A instead. Today I had gumbo with andouille sausage, okra, green peppers, and jalapeños over coconut rice. This savory and filling, delicious dish can not be rushed. I washed it down with one of the six beers on tap but had a sour for dessert. Best small business in this area.
Christopher Poole
I do not typically write reviews as I understand there are bad nights in the service business, however, I feel this is warranted. My wife and I were excited to try this establishment as we live local and heard good things. Unfortunately, this was a very poor dining experience. One bartender/waiter for the whole place that only took orders and was absolutely not personable or warm at all. There was one entree on the menu (not sure how that is justifiable on a weekend). We ordered the entree and a few appetizers. The food took forever to come out and was mediocre at best. The drink menu only caters to beer drinkers. There were a few wines by the glass with one red option at $15. Charged for a bun for my toddler which I understand somewhat but come on really? To that point not family friendly. Overall, there is pretty much nothing to like about this place.
Erin Borkowski
Waited nearly an hour and food never came, when we checked in found out our order hadn’t even been started. Bartender/ waiter was nice but clearly overworked and never tried to get us another round of drinks either. We had to get to an event so ultimately had to leave unfed.
Heather Flynn
Classic cocktails and delicious specials. The small and friendly staff do amazing things
George Beerhalter
Best in Reston. Thank you for your continued hard work. The best brunch / food in noVA!
Dave Nemetz
I feel ashamed that I live so close to this place, but didn’t get here until today. The food is fantastic, the joint is quaint (tavern-like), and the service is friendly and fast.my wife had a hard time deciding on the corned beef, so our server (an owner, I think) brought her a sample, and it sold her. They even modified her order to meet what she wanted.First time here, but won’t be the last. Looking forward to warmer weather, so we can eat & drink outside on the plaza. Support locally-owned businesses!
John Livatino
Excellent service, excellent drinks, excellent food. Can’t believe I had not been here before today and it’s gonna be one of my main spots now. Had a great time. Highly recommended.
Have always enjoyed getting a coffee and a blueberry muffin from this awesome place. The awesome management and staff are very informative, friendly and helpful as they do their assigned tasks. The dining rooms and outside patio have always been well maintained organized and taken care of by the super friendly and awesome management and crew By The Way indeed.
Cristian Jara-Figueroa
Service was bad, coffee was only okay. I came here on New Year’s Eve a bit before lunch time. The guy who took my order was not wearing a mask, seemed pretty upset at the world, and when I asked if he could wave at me once my order was ready (I wanted to fair outside due to covid) he ignored me and I had to ask twice. Then, of course, he failed to do it. I like this coffee shop because of the experience of getting good service and drinking a cup of coffee by the lake. The service was definitely lacking that day. Hope you guys do better next time.
Andrew Cartwright
My favorite place in Reston...and pretty much anywhere else. The service is great and the food is always a home run. I started out as a regular customer, but these folks have welcomed me warmly as a friend
L S
Awesome service, drinks and smoked corned beef that will melt in your mouth.
Carlos Robles
Thanks for hosting the Oyster Recovery event. It was fantastic!
We had a TERRIBLE experience at Local VA. We waited an HOUR for our food when only 2 other tables existed. We never got our appetizer, yet after 45 minutes my daughter got her food with nothing for my husband and I. No one asked to refill our drinks. They walked by us ignoring us only a few times in an hour. SERVERS AND BARTENDERS WERE TAKING SHOTS WITH THE BAR CUSTOMERS. A manager NEVER came out to remedy the issue. In fact when my husband went in to pay BEFORE GETTING FOOD bc after an hour it was still not ready and we needed to leave, the server snatched the card from him and was rude and never offered any resolution to our problem. Their food is basic and small portions. They market it as something special but the service was awful, the staff were unprofessional and the food was average. NEVER will we go back again. NEVER.
Love this place! The food is great and the service is even better. I am originally from NC and it is hard to find good southern food and they have it among other great dishes. They have incredible cocktails and beers from many of your favorite breweries. You should give them a try ! You will not be disappointed.
Half of the service is great, half of it is terrible. When the owners & core staff that's been there a long time is around, it's wonderful but if they're not around the service has been slow & inattentive --and at the worst when I got food in these less popular hours, there little gravy one time & almost no meat the other time. I asked for more & as far as I could tell nothing changed. I left without eating it because I really needed protein & they just argued with me about it being the normal amount and I didn't come back for a year after this happened a few times in a row. Other guests also have been really snide. It's not a place to relax unless it's in their peak hours & then there's too many people to be able to relax. Truly unfortunate since it's the cutest spot on the water & the only coffee shop in a 20 minute radius that isn't a massive chain with enough seats for everyone. Giving 2 stars since there are occasional times where service & food is good plus the location is great, but the lack of consistency is rough.
I have been to this place many times, across several seasons. The cozy inside seating gives you a friend at every turn. The outside patio, waterside, is dog friendly and the perfect place for brunch. The staff is friendly, the food is even better. I haven’t had a meal I didn’t love. I dream about the duck fat fries but the ever changing and delicious options keep things interesting. Best bartender in the area, hands down. This place is like sitting down to have dinner with your family. If you are looking to rush out the door I would suggest picking up Chick-fil-A instead. Today I had gumbo with andouille sausage, okra, green peppers, and jalapeños over coconut rice. This savory and filling, delicious dish can not be rushed. I washed it down with one of the six beers on tap but had a sour for dessert. Best small business in this area.
I do not typically write reviews as I understand there are bad nights in the service business, however, I feel this is warranted. My wife and I were excited to try this establishment as we live local and heard good things. Unfortunately, this was a very poor dining experience. One bartender/waiter for the whole place that only took orders and was absolutely not personable or warm at all. There was one entree on the menu (not sure how that is justifiable on a weekend). We ordered the entree and a few appetizers. The food took forever to come out and was mediocre at best. The drink menu only caters to beer drinkers. There were a few wines by the glass with one red option at $15. Charged for a bun for my toddler which I understand somewhat but come on really? To that point not family friendly. Overall, there is pretty much nothing to like about this place.
Waited nearly an hour and food never came, when we checked in found out our order hadn’t even been started. Bartender/ waiter was nice but clearly overworked and never tried to get us another round of drinks either. We had to get to an event so ultimately had to leave unfed.
Classic cocktails and delicious specials. The small and friendly staff do amazing things
Best in Reston. Thank you for your continued hard work. The best brunch / food in noVA!
I feel ashamed that I live so close to this place, but didn’t get here until today. The food is fantastic, the joint is quaint (tavern-like), and the service is friendly and fast.my wife had a hard time deciding on the corned beef, so our server (an owner, I think) brought her a sample, and it sold her. They even modified her order to meet what she wanted.First time here, but won’t be the last. Looking forward to warmer weather, so we can eat & drink outside on the plaza. Support locally-owned businesses!
Excellent service, excellent drinks, excellent food. Can’t believe I had not been here before today and it’s gonna be one of my main spots now. Had a great time. Highly recommended.
Restaurantji Recommends
Have always enjoyed getting a coffee and a blueberry muffin from this awesome place. The awesome management and staff are very informative, friendly and helpful as they do their assigned tasks. The dining rooms and outside patio have always been well maintained organized and taken care of by the super friendly and awesome management and crew By The Way indeed.
Service was bad, coffee was only okay. I came here on New Year’s Eve a bit before lunch time. The guy who took my order was not wearing a mask, seemed pretty upset at the world, and when I asked if he could wave at me once my order was ready (I wanted to fair outside due to covid) he ignored me and I had to ask twice. Then, of course, he failed to do it. I like this coffee shop because of the experience of getting good service and drinking a cup of coffee by the lake. The service was definitely lacking that day. Hope you guys do better next time.
My favorite place in Reston...and pretty much anywhere else. The service is great and the food is always a home run. I started out as a regular customer, but these folks have welcomed me warmly as a friend
Awesome service, drinks and smoked corned beef that will melt in your mouth.
Thanks for hosting the Oyster Recovery event. It was fantastic!