Need restaurant suggestions for Fairfax/Vienna/DC area

[Empty V]

So I've got an office/showroom out here in Tyson's Corner which is between Dulles Airport and Downtown DC. I've been out here probably 20 times in the last 3 years and every time I've had horrible luck with food. Even the Ruth Chris' down the street from my office sucked the last time I was there. I'm staying in Fairfax, VA which is about 8 miles from Tyson's. I don't know if I'm going to make it into DC but if something is outstanding, I'll drive. Also I'm solo so sitting down for a nice dinner is somewhat awkward. I need good food, please help!

[flohtingPoint]

Go to Glory Days and have a sausage and peppers sandwich, they're awesome and also a good place to watch a game. BTW, dont berate people with your silly Apple propaganda there, nobody will care.

[Dattebayo]

Even the Ruth Chris' down the street from my office sucked the last time I was there.

Lies. You clearly have faulty taste buds and/or expect 5-star service everywhere you go.

[Bmore-coupe]

http://www.fogodechao.com/index.php?id=132

There is one in Baltimore as well. It's amazing. Go hungry.

[alms24sebring]

Sorry can't help you. I'm on the other side of FFX. There are great places all around though. Ray's Hell Burger is on Wilson Blvd between that stupid bar tending school but before Whitlow's (if you know the area). It is a small place but is seriously one of the best burgers evar! If you are reasonably close I highly suggest checking it out. It's a steak burger that is the size of pancakes and are an inch thick. You have choice of ~7 seasonings, 20 cheeses, and even more topping choices, all for like 7 bucks!!

I guess you just have to go places. It is Fairfax, I am sure there are good holes in the walls everywhere.

[Empty V]

I just got to Ray's Hell Burger and will report back with my findings. I dig the hole in the wall joints and my expectations are high.





Well I gotta say this is a damn good burger. Pepperjack cheese, grilled onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes was the deal the cashier recommended. I don't know if I'd drive 20min for it again but it's my last night in town so what the hell. Thanks for the tip! I'll be back in a few months so keep em comin.

[alms24sebring]

cool. Compared to the ones we had that looks half the size. Owell, glad you enjoyed

[Empty V]

Lies. You clearly have faulty taste buds and/or expect 5-star service everywhere you go.

No I don't expect 5 star service everywhere I go, but I do expect it at Ruth's Chris. Thanks for contributing as usual. I would think that since you're local you would jump at the chance to flex your knowledge but as usual you fail and disappoint greatly. I guess if you've got an opportunity to say something negative you jump at that. Are you and uranus charleo twins?

[Empty V]

cool. Compared to the ones we had that looks half the size. Owell, glad you enjoyed

I think if I had anything bigger I would have left feeling s*** and overstuffed. I've cut back to smaller more frequent meals and have "tried" to ween myself off the habit of just going nuts with the food in front of me. Thanks again for the referral!

[HashiriyaS14]

DC is easy, I could make two dozen suggestions. PM me if you're serious about going into the city, because that would change everything I'm about to say.

Recession has hit NoVA restaurant scene hard, lots of good stuff closed (i.e. Colvin Run, Maestro, etc).


If you want a SERIOUS tasting-menu restaurant with wine pairings in NoVA, go to 2941. It competes with the best in DC. Expect to spend a couple hundred bucks feeding just yourself though, less if you don't get the wine pairing. It's INCREDIBLE, however.

Other NoVA suggestions (Google, you'll find in a hurry):

-L'Auberge chez Francois (traditional Alsatian/French. Kitschy, looks like a postcard, but very very good cooking)
-Dante (Italian, also kitschy, not modern at all, but solid food)
-Four Sisters (Vietnamese in Falls Church. Inexpensive but staggeringly good. I've been to Vietnam twice, this is seriously like being there. AMAZING.)
-Passionfish (in Reston). Good, not super expensive. It'll be loud and crowded, but it's great food. Eat at the bar, meet some people. Fun if you're alone, probably.



EDIT: Ruth's Chris is good, but if you want a steak, go to Capital Grille in Tysons (or Smith & Wollensky, BLTSteak, or Charlie Palmer in DC).

[krash]

Lies. You clearly have faulty taste buds and/or expect 5-star service everywhere you go.

No I don't expect 5 star service everywhere I go, but I do expect it at Ruth's Chris. Thanks for contributing as usual. I would think that since you're local you would jump at the chance to flex your knowledge but as usual you fail and disappoint greatly. I guess if you've got an opportunity to say something negative you jump at that. Are you and uranus charleo twins?

He did flex his knowledge, passive-aggressively. The Ruth's Chris in DC is great. By far the best steak I've ever had. Not saying you are snooty, but you come off as snooty if you're nonchalantly saying such a high profile restaurant wasn't to your liking.

If you get back, try jumbo slice pizza in DC. Its not the best pizza ever, its more for the novelty, but it does taste damn good. Theres a bunch of imitators, so make sure you go to the original one, I believe its in Adams Morgan.

Also check out the original Ledo's restaurant. Theres only one, and its on the University of Maryland campus (they moved it there recently). The pizza there is great, haven't tried the other courses, but they don't look subpar. If you want more info just PM me or something.

[Bubba1]

Many years ago, my boss took me to his favorite Arlington area dining establishment. It was called the Crystal City Restaurant. YEah, it was a strip joint, but the food was actually very good. I vividly remember one of the featured performers, while we ate dinner "Alyssa Alps".
She was aptly named due to her surgically enhanced "twin peaks". A memorable dining experience for sure. I wonder if the place is still there..

[Dattebayo]

If you get back, try jumbo slice pizza in DC. Its not the best pizza ever, its more for the novelty, but it does taste damn good. Theres a bunch of imitators, so make sure you go to the original one, I believe its in Adams Morgan.

18th and California St, sort of halfway between Adams Morgan and Dupont circle.

Also check out the original Ledo's restaurant. Theres only one, and its on the University of Maryland campus (they moved it there recently). The pizza there is great, haven't tried the other courses, but they don't look subpar. If you want more info just PM me or something.

Ledo's is a chain, and has several locations that are just as good as the "original". It's not even the original anymore over in Hyattsville, because it has changed locations three or four times since then.

[krash]

Well the "original" restaurant was the one on University, they had chains and then pulled back from them, but let the other open "Ledo's" keep the name. So all the "Ledo's Pizza" restaurants have their own recipe, not the actual one that the Ledo Restaurant has. And thats some darn good pizza.

Not saying that the ledo's pizza chain is bad pizza, just not as awesome.

[Dattebayo]

Well the "original" restaurant was the one on University

Yes. In Hyattsville. I don't know about all that other stuff tho. I can't tell the difference.

[krash]

Sauce, crust, cheese.

[alms24sebring]

Many years ago, my boss took me to his favorite Arlington area dining establishment. It was called the Crystal City Restaurant. YEah, it was a strip joint, but the food was actually very good. I vividly remember one of the featured performers, while we ate dinner "Alyssa Alps".
She was aptly named due to her surgically enhanced "twin peaks". A memorable dining experience for sure. I wonder if the place is still there..

Yes in fact it is still there. I celebrated my 21st bday there. Although it was 2 years ago, I'm pretty sure it is still there. I was on a liquid diet that night so i cannot input on the food. For any homosexuals, lesbians, or dragqueens in the area (seriously), go to Freddy's right across the street from there.

[Dattebayo]

Sauce, crust, cheese.

Tastes. The. Same.

[Dattebayo]

Many years ago, my boss took me to his favorite Arlington area dining establishment. It was called the Crystal City Restaurant. YEah, it was a strip joint, but the food was actually very good. I vividly remember one of the featured performers, while we ate dinner "Alyssa Alps".
She was aptly named due to her surgically enhanced "twin peaks". A memorable dining experience for sure. I wonder if the place is still there..

haha

I just did a job over there about 6 months ago and found out about that place by accident. Good all-around American food, great legs, good booty.

[Jesda]

I used to dig the fine dining thing. Now I only do it when my parents pay. The most enjoyable thing to do in a foreign city is get a taste of the town -- something locally known regardless of the class level.

Best out-of-town dining experience I ever had was at Fat Matt's in Atlanta GA.
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/ ... 0_7442.jpg
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/ ... 0_7441.jpg
You go into the place with loud music playing, yell your order to the big lady at the counter, and get a HUGE RACK OF DELICIOUS RIBS. The place is flanked by strip clubs on each side.

Second-best might be Berns in Tampa, simply because of the incredible service. I also had a chicken fried steak served on a metal plate in a barn in South Dakota that blew my mind, and ate bull testicles at another barn-like place in Idaho.

When I was in Detroit my friend wanted to go to Ruth's Chris, but I didn't understand the purpose of going to a far away city just to eat something you can get locally. Its a waste of a trip.

[Empty V]

Just to clarify I went to the Ruth's Chris in Vienna, VA not DC and I've made 100x better ribeye's then the one I had there. Maybe it was an off night, maybe that location just sucks. Insulting me because I had a s*** steak at a restaurant you fap over says volumes about your character. We've got lots of high-end boutique/a la cart steak houses in LA and IMO Mastro's, Roy's, and Flemming's all blow Ruth's Chris out of the water. Mastro's is my #1 choice by far.

Thanks again for the tips guys. I'm really into hole-in-the-wall joints. Dining solo in a high end steakhouse is a little weird. When I'm out there I stay in the Vienna/Fairfax area but have the ability to travel wherever I want. I'll be heading back out in January working at Fort Belvoir Army Base in VA and will spend some extra time at my office in Vienna. All of this will come in handy and maybe this next trip I'll head into DC. I almost got tickets to the Improv to see Comedian Bob Marley but had to be up at 5 the next morning to catch a flight so I passed. Does anyone want to hit up a comedy show in January? It's usually on the company expense too

[Jesda]

I had a good experience at Fleming's in Frontenac MO, but I stopped going after my mom told me she had a bug crawling on her plate.

[alms24sebring]

I'll be heading back out in January working at Fort Belvoir Army Base in VA and will spend some extra time at my office in Vienna.

Dude, go north on rt 1 a mile or 2 until you see a McDonalds on the right, across from sacramento. Go behind Mcd's on Cooper and look for the El Paso. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Maybe you can scoop me up in Sac and we can have a candle lite dinner there and head back to your place after
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... that was a joke..

[hbpignosePA]

hehe im always looking for dives to go to when i travel... maybe we should make a sticky of great places across the country?