Absolutely nothing beats this restaurant anywhere in this area. The best food. The best service. The best wine pairing. Absolutely to die for.
julie spencer
The experience was exceptional. Thank you for a wonderful evening of food and wine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ndnd N.
Was not very good food for the price the atmosphere was very lacking and the service was ok
Bert Armijo
My wife and I enjoyed dining at Alias for our anniversary recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. The food is approaching Michelin star level. The dishes are wonderful and creative. My fav was the sun choke panecotta with black truffle ice cream. Their service is wonderful and attentive, but not the pretentious overdone dance you may experience at other high end establishments. The restaurant is small and understated. Personally, I’d prefer a little more room between table and a touch more ambiance, but don’t let that stop you. Alias is top notch and and must for area foodies!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Waverly Hills L.
Perfect from start to finish. The food was amazing and the wine pairings were flawless. Kudos to the team!
Luke Tolbert
Fantastic dinner, experience, and service. The owners were involved in every aspect. Def will go again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacob C.
My wife and I decided to try Alias today to celebrate her birthday. We sat at the Chef's Counter where they welcomed us with celebratory champagne, and we could watch all the preparations and get info about the dishes from the chef and other staff. It was definitely one of the best meals we've had in years. My wife and I split one of the regular tasting menus and one of the vegetarian tasting menus, and everything was delicious. Started off with orange, hamachi, and caviar appetizer and a chickpea bite (kind of like their take on falafel), followed by halibut/beets, sunchoke tortellini, squab/roasted carrots, lamb/roasted lion mushroom, a strawberry and chocolate dessert/ cheese course, in each case, with amazing sauces and accoutrements. Additional bites not on the menu (such as a surprising and phenomenal sunchoke panna cotta with black truffle ice cream and cookie crumbs) also came with the meal. We really enjoyed everything (except maybe with the exception of the chick pea bite - falafel is good as it is). We'll definitely go back next time we have another special occasion to celebrate.
Ryan S.
My wife and I were incredibly excited to eat at Alias this past Sunday. Unfortunately, what we thought was going to be an incredibly delicious meal was, instead, a dichotomy of incredible highs and lows – and the lows seemed to truly outnumber the highs.The chef’s table at Alias is a very picturesque space, but there’s a reason why it's in every picture that the restaurant uses in its marketing. The rest of the restaurant isn’t much to write home about. The walls are painted gray and adorned with some black and white photos. Open electrical junction boxes left uncovered make it feel unfinished. A few plants have been placed around for a pop of color, but it’s not exactly a luxurious or beautiful space.The incredibly narrow tables lining the walls are practically stacked on top of each other. Don’t expect to have any semblance of a deep, meaningful, or private conversation with your date – the other parties on your left and right will effectively be at the table with you. If you're broad-shouldered, also expect to be VERY uncomfortable all night.The servers were knowledgeable and attentive, however, they made numerous mistakes. Diners were served the wrong dishes and beverages were brought to the wrong tables. Beverage service was relatively slow, and it seemed like they were short one or two people.Then there was the food.The amuse-bouche started the evening on a negative note. It featured a greasy and under-seasoned chickpea cake topped with celery - all of which was lost to an overpowering slice of black truffle.Next was the appetizer. My wife loved the cold smoked tuna. However, I was served a tower of sweet potato, carrot, and greens (I believe chard) perched atop a thyme cookie that was a massive miss. The dish was served cold, which was rather off-putting when combined with the baby-food consistency of the mushy sweet potato and the cooked, stringy greens.Next up was a wild mushroom cavatelli that was supposedly served in a mushroom cream. Overall, the flavors of this dish were excellent, but the pasta was somewhat dry. That pasta course was followed by what was quite possibly one of our least favorite courses – a roasted squab served with a fig mole. The two tiny strips of squab on the plate were rubbery, and the mole was incredibly bitter and gritty.The next course was lamb two ways – one of which was excellent. A hockey-puck-sized piece of what I believe was lamb loin was incredibly well-seasoned, moist, tender, and delicious. This was quite possibly one of the best bites of lamb I’ve ever had, but it was joined by a quenelle of herb chimichurri that detracted from the flavor. It was also joined on the plate by quite possibly the worst bite we had all night – a small round ball of house-made merguez sausage. The consistency of the sausage felt off, and it was incredibly bland.The final dish to hit the table was a small dessert plate with what were supposed to be macarons. The macarons should never have left the kitchen. They were chewy, tough, and difficult to bite into - a far cry from the soft, delicate macarons you can get in most bakeries.Overall, I left Alias shocked by the number of dishes I sampled and recoiled from immediately because of their consistency, flavor, or both. Combined, I believe I ate about five or six total bites of food the entire night and subsequently left hungry and feeling a bit cheated.The dichotomy of Alias – something exquisite accompanied or immediately followed by something bad – makes it incredibly difficult to recommend the restaurant. There was nothing that I experienced or ate that felt worth what they were charging. The location isn’t special or beautiful. The ambiance and décor – aside from the chef’s table – seemed like an afterthought. I was uncomfortable and crowded the entire time I was there. And the food was both lacking in quantity and flavor.Adding the 20 percent service fee and a beverage each to the tasting menu brought our bill to just above $400. Was Alias worth that? In my opinion, not at all.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Briana
What an absolute gem in this area! My husband and I headed here for Valentine’s week and everything was perfect. From the service, atmosphere, and food, we enjoyed every minute of the experience. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jason L.
Really a Axing although really pricey. The food was ridiculously good over 5 courses and several aparatifs in between. We sat at the counter and got to watch prep and this place totally has their act together. My only hesitation is the price point. This place is not much cheaper than Mini Bar in DC, but there you get 24 courses and drink pairings for each. I loved each of the 5 courses here but kept going back in my head to the price. I would go back but the price would make me limit my visits to special occasions only.
A fantastic night out that you won't soon forget! Highly recommend letting this young chef & his tight-knit team treat you to a wonderful meal with beautiful wines, all in an intimate setting. The focus on local farmers & foragers is a definite plus.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Morgan Cloud
Top-notch flavours and creativity at Alias, with a young dynamic team and small surprises throughout the meal. The tuna and the lamb chop were out of this world and so tender, and the little amuse bouche at the beginning of the meal was a lovely welcome.Thoughtful, perfectly timed service with a great team made it a very memorable evening!Dietary restrictions: They were super accommodating with my celiac disease, offering an excellent replacement for the pasta course and delicious buttery Gluten free focaccia. Felt very clean and safe re:cross contamination
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matthew C.
So with recent glowing reviews from Washington Post and Northern Virginia Magazine, it's going to be tough to snag a reservation but overall they have a good thing going here. It could be great, but it's not there yet. It's an awkward restaurant. Nearly half the seats place the restaurant at the diner's back when today's savvy diners are looking for an experience and not just a meal. They would be wise to add mirrors along the wall so the tables provide a view of the restaurant to all. Then there is the noise. We found ourselves at times nearly shouting to hear one another over the disjointed play list blasting 70's and 80's rock, country and pop. It's too much and distracts from the creativity of the dishes and concept. Staff are decidedly in two groups. Those who know what they are serving and those who beg to not make eye contact, less you ask them a question they don't know the answer too. Like, "do you have sparkling water like San Pelegrino?" They didn't know the answer. The same with drinks, they have very limited choices of liquors to choose from for cocktails and they flat out will tell you if they are about to serve a course of food, your drink request will have to wait. The wine list is decent but the wine was too warm and the glasses mismatched. In all fairness the owner caught it and offered to bring the proper glass but who wants to be pouring wine from glass to glass at the table. Then there is the food. The Washington Post (you know who) apparently came on an a la carte night and not a tasting menu night. With everything prepared for just one table I can see where the promise lies, but the execution on the night we dined was adrift. Overall flavors are very appealing with the exception of a "palate cleanser" that had crispy fried winter truffles sprinkled on a frozen sunchoke concoction. Apparently whoever thought that up must have missed culinary class on palate cleanser day. Nothing crashes a palate faster than truffle and this was no exception. Cold smoked toro was delicious. Truffled pasta wasn't the best choice of type of pasta but the flavor was excellent. Squab was very nice but no longer warm and most disappointing was the final protein course with Colorado lamb two ways. Both were unfortunately cold. Not cool. Cold. Dessert was ok except the cheese plate came with nothing to put the cheeses on in order to eat. We did receive some pita chips when we asked but they were already seasoned and didn't really go with any of the cheeses. All in all I think they have something here if they can make adjustments on timing and the experience. We will give them a few more months and try it again. Frankly it will probably take that long to get another reservation. Hopefully they continue to grow and find their rhythm and don't settle back on two good reviews.
Steven Ellis
What an experience. The food, service, atmosphere. Highly recommend for a date night, special occasion or you just want an amazing meal. Chef Stephen is a talent in the kitchen! We’ll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tina Z.
Lovely dinner! Nice quiet pace. Food was interesting and imaginative, looking forward to going back.
Absolutely nothing beats this restaurant anywhere in this area. The best food. The best service. The best wine pairing. Absolutely to die for.
The experience was exceptional. Thank you for a wonderful evening of food and wine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was not very good food for the price the atmosphere was very lacking and the service was ok
My wife and I enjoyed dining at Alias for our anniversary recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. The food is approaching Michelin star level. The dishes are wonderful and creative. My fav was the sun choke panecotta with black truffle ice cream. Their service is wonderful and attentive, but not the pretentious overdone dance you may experience at other high end establishments. The restaurant is small and understated. Personally, I’d prefer a little more room between table and a touch more ambiance, but don’t let that stop you. Alias is top notch and and must for area foodies!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Perfect from start to finish. The food was amazing and the wine pairings were flawless. Kudos to the team!
Fantastic dinner, experience, and service. The owners were involved in every aspect. Def will go again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I decided to try Alias today to celebrate her birthday. We sat at the Chef's Counter where they welcomed us with celebratory champagne, and we could watch all the preparations and get info about the dishes from the chef and other staff. It was definitely one of the best meals we've had in years. My wife and I split one of the regular tasting menus and one of the vegetarian tasting menus, and everything was delicious. Started off with orange, hamachi, and caviar appetizer and a chickpea bite (kind of like their take on falafel), followed by halibut/beets, sunchoke tortellini, squab/roasted carrots, lamb/roasted lion mushroom, a strawberry and chocolate dessert/ cheese course, in each case, with amazing sauces and accoutrements. Additional bites not on the menu (such as a surprising and phenomenal sunchoke panna cotta with black truffle ice cream and cookie crumbs) also came with the meal. We really enjoyed everything (except maybe with the exception of the chick pea bite - falafel is good as it is). We'll definitely go back next time we have another special occasion to celebrate.
My wife and I were incredibly excited to eat at Alias this past Sunday. Unfortunately, what we thought was going to be an incredibly delicious meal was, instead, a dichotomy of incredible highs and lows – and the lows seemed to truly outnumber the highs.The chef’s table at Alias is a very picturesque space, but there’s a reason why it's in every picture that the restaurant uses in its marketing. The rest of the restaurant isn’t much to write home about. The walls are painted gray and adorned with some black and white photos. Open electrical junction boxes left uncovered make it feel unfinished. A few plants have been placed around for a pop of color, but it’s not exactly a luxurious or beautiful space.The incredibly narrow tables lining the walls are practically stacked on top of each other. Don’t expect to have any semblance of a deep, meaningful, or private conversation with your date – the other parties on your left and right will effectively be at the table with you. If you're broad-shouldered, also expect to be VERY uncomfortable all night.The servers were knowledgeable and attentive, however, they made numerous mistakes. Diners were served the wrong dishes and beverages were brought to the wrong tables. Beverage service was relatively slow, and it seemed like they were short one or two people.Then there was the food.The amuse-bouche started the evening on a negative note. It featured a greasy and under-seasoned chickpea cake topped with celery - all of which was lost to an overpowering slice of black truffle.Next was the appetizer. My wife loved the cold smoked tuna. However, I was served a tower of sweet potato, carrot, and greens (I believe chard) perched atop a thyme cookie that was a massive miss. The dish was served cold, which was rather off-putting when combined with the baby-food consistency of the mushy sweet potato and the cooked, stringy greens.Next up was a wild mushroom cavatelli that was supposedly served in a mushroom cream. Overall, the flavors of this dish were excellent, but the pasta was somewhat dry. That pasta course was followed by what was quite possibly one of our least favorite courses – a roasted squab served with a fig mole. The two tiny strips of squab on the plate were rubbery, and the mole was incredibly bitter and gritty.The next course was lamb two ways – one of which was excellent. A hockey-puck-sized piece of what I believe was lamb loin was incredibly well-seasoned, moist, tender, and delicious. This was quite possibly one of the best bites of lamb I’ve ever had, but it was joined by a quenelle of herb chimichurri that detracted from the flavor. It was also joined on the plate by quite possibly the worst bite we had all night – a small round ball of house-made merguez sausage. The consistency of the sausage felt off, and it was incredibly bland.The final dish to hit the table was a small dessert plate with what were supposed to be macarons. The macarons should never have left the kitchen. They were chewy, tough, and difficult to bite into - a far cry from the soft, delicate macarons you can get in most bakeries.Overall, I left Alias shocked by the number of dishes I sampled and recoiled from immediately because of their consistency, flavor, or both. Combined, I believe I ate about five or six total bites of food the entire night and subsequently left hungry and feeling a bit cheated.The dichotomy of Alias – something exquisite accompanied or immediately followed by something bad – makes it incredibly difficult to recommend the restaurant. There was nothing that I experienced or ate that felt worth what they were charging. The location isn’t special or beautiful. The ambiance and décor – aside from the chef’s table – seemed like an afterthought. I was uncomfortable and crowded the entire time I was there. And the food was both lacking in quantity and flavor.Adding the 20 percent service fee and a beverage each to the tasting menu brought our bill to just above $400. Was Alias worth that? In my opinion, not at all.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
What an absolute gem in this area! My husband and I headed here for Valentine’s week and everything was perfect. From the service, atmosphere, and food, we enjoyed every minute of the experience. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really a Axing although really pricey. The food was ridiculously good over 5 courses and several aparatifs in between. We sat at the counter and got to watch prep and this place totally has their act together. My only hesitation is the price point. This place is not much cheaper than Mini Bar in DC, but there you get 24 courses and drink pairings for each. I loved each of the 5 courses here but kept going back in my head to the price. I would go back but the price would make me limit my visits to special occasions only.
Restaurantji Recommends
A fantastic night out that you won't soon forget! Highly recommend letting this young chef & his tight-knit team treat you to a wonderful meal with beautiful wines, all in an intimate setting. The focus on local farmers & foragers is a definite plus.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Top-notch flavours and creativity at Alias, with a young dynamic team and small surprises throughout the meal. The tuna and the lamb chop were out of this world and so tender, and the little amuse bouche at the beginning of the meal was a lovely welcome.Thoughtful, perfectly timed service with a great team made it a very memorable evening!Dietary restrictions: They were super accommodating with my celiac disease, offering an excellent replacement for the pasta course and delicious buttery Gluten free focaccia. Felt very clean and safe re:cross contamination
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So with recent glowing reviews from Washington Post and Northern Virginia Magazine, it's going to be tough to snag a reservation but overall they have a good thing going here. It could be great, but it's not there yet. It's an awkward restaurant. Nearly half the seats place the restaurant at the diner's back when today's savvy diners are looking for an experience and not just a meal. They would be wise to add mirrors along the wall so the tables provide a view of the restaurant to all. Then there is the noise. We found ourselves at times nearly shouting to hear one another over the disjointed play list blasting 70's and 80's rock, country and pop. It's too much and distracts from the creativity of the dishes and concept. Staff are decidedly in two groups. Those who know what they are serving and those who beg to not make eye contact, less you ask them a question they don't know the answer too. Like, "do you have sparkling water like San Pelegrino?" They didn't know the answer. The same with drinks, they have very limited choices of liquors to choose from for cocktails and they flat out will tell you if they are about to serve a course of food, your drink request will have to wait. The wine list is decent but the wine was too warm and the glasses mismatched. In all fairness the owner caught it and offered to bring the proper glass but who wants to be pouring wine from glass to glass at the table. Then there is the food. The Washington Post (you know who) apparently came on an a la carte night and not a tasting menu night. With everything prepared for just one table I can see where the promise lies, but the execution on the night we dined was adrift. Overall flavors are very appealing with the exception of a "palate cleanser" that had crispy fried winter truffles sprinkled on a frozen sunchoke concoction. Apparently whoever thought that up must have missed culinary class on palate cleanser day. Nothing crashes a palate faster than truffle and this was no exception. Cold smoked toro was delicious. Truffled pasta wasn't the best choice of type of pasta but the flavor was excellent. Squab was very nice but no longer warm and most disappointing was the final protein course with Colorado lamb two ways. Both were unfortunately cold. Not cool. Cold. Dessert was ok except the cheese plate came with nothing to put the cheeses on in order to eat. We did receive some pita chips when we asked but they were already seasoned and didn't really go with any of the cheeses. All in all I think they have something here if they can make adjustments on timing and the experience. We will give them a few more months and try it again. Frankly it will probably take that long to get another reservation. Hopefully they continue to grow and find their rhythm and don't settle back on two good reviews.
What an experience. The food, service, atmosphere. Highly recommend for a date night, special occasion or you just want an amazing meal. Chef Stephen is a talent in the kitchen! We’ll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely dinner! Nice quiet pace. Food was interesting and imaginative, looking forward to going back.