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Capitol City Brewing Company - CLOSED
Categories: Food Breweries Restaurants American (Traditional) Breweries, American (Traditional) [Edit]
2 Massachusetts Ave NE(at N Capitol St)
Washington, DC 20002
Neighborhood: NoMa
(202) 842-2337
- Nearest Transit:
-
Union Station Metro Station (Red)
Judiciary Square Metro Station (Red)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Kathryn P. said: "Blue cheese bacon mussels. OMG! Not good for you at all but sooooo tasty! The bar staff is amazing as well!" read more »
149 reviews for Capitol City Brewing Company
Review Highlights
"This place is great for happy hour."
(in 29 reviews)
"Great location right next to Union Station."
(in 4 reviews)
"Their Prohibition Porter was seriously amazing."
(in 10 reviews)
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149 reviews in English
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Review from Jay D.
Fairfax, VA
12/13/2011
I recall a visit to this place and truly enjoying it, was planning a return visit with some friends, but to my understanding....the union station location is done.
Ill just stay in VA....for my next visit! -
Review from Sonny K.
Burtonsville, MD
11/7/2011
An elegy for Cap City: Closed circa 10-2011.
While Cap City wasn't what I would call 'good', it was convenient. I work in the building, but still I very rarely (maybe once per year for the last 9 years) visited. The food was mediocre, always and even more damningly, the beer was just as mediocre. The latter was what killed Cap City for me: the beer wasn't that good. If you were going to call yourself a Brewery, the beer MUST be good. Really good. And it never was really good. Only pretty good at its best.
So RIP Cap City, 2 Mass Ave. location. I knew thee well, but was never impressed. -
Review from Nandanie R.
Braintree, MA
10/31/2011
Get their jalapeno cheese dip. Your taste buds will thank you as soon as you dip a soft pretzel into this cheesy delight.
They have awesome beers and great entrees too. -
Review from Jen S.
1/30/2012
came here for lunch because a couple of my friends worked in this area. its busy and crowded. as much as i wanted to, i didn't have a glass of beer, esp since its a brewing house. the service was ok.. and the food was mediocre.. i ordered the crab dip and jambalaya. it is conveniently located next to the tube station so its a good meeting spot.
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Review from Martha G.
4/25/2011
The food is mediocre at best. If that is not enough to dissaude you from coming here, read on.
I planned a law school function and decided on Capitol City as the venue, as that's where we held the event the previous year. We had a budget within which we had to work, and although a large one, Capitol City was unwilling to work with us at all on price. When I first inquired and let the events person know our budget, he said he would be able to accommodate us for the size of our group. But every time I proposed a way to reduce the costs that they advertise for group events, I was rejected. E.g. "No, we cannot reduce the cost of a beer from $6 to $5, because $6 is what is costs us" (REALLY! You sell your beers at COST?? FALSE).
After three weeks of emailing back and forth with the contact person, yes, three weeks, of negotiating to nowhere, I was stuck with Cap City as our venue as it was too late in the game to find somewhere else. I agreed to their advertised prices for group events.
The event went well; I cannot complain about that. There was plenty of food and beers were served quickly and staff was helpful.
Then it came time to pay the bill. The events person brought me the bill. I should have looked more carefully. It was slightly over our budget but I expected that might happen. He had a credit card on file for us, and he ran that card, but it was declined. He says he'll go plug in what we ACTUALLY ate and drank. So what was the amount you previously presented to me?? What we hypothetically ate and drank?? In any event, he came back with a bill that was close to $900 less than the original bill. We were supposed to be charged for what we actually drank, not what I anticipated we'd drink. So that is shady right there.
A couple days after the event, I noticed that he charged us 23% gratuity. However our contract called for 20% gratuity. Another shady practice.
In sum: if you are planning a large party/event, do not come here. These people cannot be trusted to charge you what they say they will. They are not flexible at all on price. And they are also non-responsive to emails and phone calls. When I tried to confirm our event three days before, I had to email twice and call twice to actually talk to someone. Where is the customer service!
Bad news all around. -
Review from Michael M.
Washington, DC
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hey, until recently these were some of the only local brews in town... so they get credit for that.
All I can attest to are the brews, and I'll tell you, if you like local micro-brews and $6 a pint doesn't scare you away, these are totally worth it if you have time to kill at Union Station.... especially if there is a game on... this place is loaded with TV's and one giant projection screen... all easily visible.
Atmosphere is great... contained within an historic bank building, the fermentation tanks set the stage for a great bar experience...
only downside is that despite your proximity to the bar-tenders while at the bar... it's sheer size prevents them from really giving you prompt attention... -
Review from Jeff G.
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just across from Union Station...Why did we go here? It was pouring out and I didn't want to get drenched or struck by lightning while walking on the street to find a 4 star Yelped locale.
This restaurant is everything you'd expect it to be. A cookie cutter brewery with decent beer, ok food, and sports on TV. What it was lacking though was the service. Service was poor to fair at best. We waited almost 20 minutes after sitting down just to get asked for our drinks. Then we waited another 20 minutes to order. On the plus side, their free pretzels were great. But not enough for me to want to go back. And it was extremely loud too. There are many other places to eat in DC that are much better. -
Review from Jeremy O.
Manhattan, NY
11/8/2011
Worst Service Ever! I have never seen my cousin so mad before, until we came here.
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Review from Lexie D.
3/21/2011
You know what I love? Microbrews. American pub fare. Historic architecture.
This place should have been a home run.
I love this building, I love the renovation - it's a spectacular setting for a restaurant, especially the second level overlooking the bar and Mass Ave. But that is where my satisfaction ends.
I've been here a few times since bopping into the District two years ago, and I have yet to be wowed. Service is eh, food is bland and unspecial. Prices leave little to rave about.
But what's really the kicker is the beer. I can't drink their home-brewed beers. I feel like the brewmaster tasted each draft, decided it Needed Something, and threw in a few handfuls extra of hops in each. I can't really tell the difference between their house brews - except each is too hoppy without any other great flavor profiles.
So sad.Listed in: Nope!
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Review from Brian B.
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
CCBC is a great idea that's become a victim of its own success. When the original location (downtown) opened in the early nineties, locals were probably pretty stoked to have their very own microbrewery in town. 20 years and two additional locations later, CCBC has become commercialized and its limited number of signature microbrews doesn't compete with the numerous offerings of obscure beers found at places like ChurchKey and Biergarten Haus. Anyway, here are some observations:
1. Great location and beautiful interior. CCBC is in the idyllic Postal Square Building (100 years old and counting), and it's only a few short, convenient steps away from Union Station. Much like me, this place is big, dim and full of beer. The rectangular bar is immense, and the beautiful ceilings have to be at least 30 feet high in order to accommodate the awe-inspiring copper microwbrew cisterns. It's worth stopping by just to enjoy the decor.
2. Due to its proximity to Union Station, CCBC tends to be patronized by travelers and tourists. In fact, I'm sure it's how the place stays in business. Nothing against travelers and tourists, but I can't imagine that there are many DC/ VA/ MD residents who go out of their way just to come here; they know about the infinite amount of better options.
3. The food here is unvarnished "it is what it is" pub fare. You're going to get average burgers, fries, wings, nachos, chicken fingers and salads. They also offer your typical array of entrées: steak, a chicken fillet, fish and chips, etc. Think Olive Garden but with higher prices and a wait-staff with more teeth.
4. And then there's the beer. CCBC rotates its brews seasonally, but there are a few that are always there. One such omnipresent beer also happens to be their best: the Oatmilk Stout. It's a dark colored yet light ale brewed from oats with hops added in after the fact. I'd actually buy this in stores if it were available- an excellent beer. The hefeweizen and IPA are also serviceable, but in my opinion they don't compare to their competitors such as Schneider Weisse and Harpoon, respectively. The Pale Rider sounds cool, but it's nothing but a more expensive, hoppy, and bitter Rolling Rock. Avoid!
Overall, if you had to come to one of the three CCBCs, I'd say come to this one. The beer and the food will be the same, but the interior design at this location takes the cake. And now I'm in the mood for cake, so this review ends here.Listed in: Union Station Urban and…
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Review from Jonette G.
Washington, DC
5/8/2011
This is the type of restaurant that I always go into with very low expectations and they did not disappoint. Tasteless, bland food, and bad service.
We ordered the flat iron steak and fish and chips because I figured they can't mess that up but I was wrong. The steak was over cooked and the fish bland and watery.
If I had to add something nice I would have to say that in spite of the lackluster service the staff were quite friendly and nice. -
Review from Ashleigh H.
Taylors, SC
5/3/2011 1 photo
In summary - Good food, good beer, nice bartender.
We had the grilled chicken wrap - I liked the veggies included, not just the standard LTO, and the tuna burger - beautiful
The bartender was quick to let us sample their draft selection to be sure we liked what we got. -
Review from Kat S.
5/13/2011
Housed within the stone behemoth that is the old Postal Museum, Capital City Brewery boasts great architecture inside and out. It's a beaut with classical, stately columns on the exterior and a large interior with fantastically high ceilings above and nice hardwood floors below. I can't imagine there's ever a shortage of seating between the massive rectangular bar, wooden booths and high seated tables throughout. The gleaming copper sky high cisterns are gorgeous.
When it's warm there is also outdoor seating on the large stone patio out front where you can look out over Columbus Circle.
Besides being literally right next to Union, I can see why this place is other teeming with tourists and people en route to elsewhere. The food, your standard pub fare - burgers, sandwiches, rings, fries, etc - is of touristy quality and probably comparable to a Friday's though a bit more expensive.
Beer is something Capital City prides itself on. They make their beer in-house. The standard four they always keep on tap are Capital Kolsch, Pale Rider Ale, Amber Waves Ale and Prohibition Porter with a Seasonal Ale changing out. The beer is solid, but by no means microbrew-fantastic. The Kolsch is probably the best, the Pale Ale definitely the worst.
Capital City does, however, have one of the best happy hours in the neighborhood (this isn't really saying much at all). It's from 4-7 with pint of their microbrews costing $3.50. I wouldn't pay full price ($6) for their beers and I wouldn't go out of my way to get here, but it's a good happy hour deal if you find yourself in the neighborhood. -
Review from Toni L.
2/13/2011 4 photos
I'm not much of an alcoholic, so read on if you want to hear a riveting tale about root beer.
Food: I went the social welfare route and pretty much just pigged on out their soft complimentary pretzels (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) while everyone else downed beer after beer. So I wouldn't look like a total loser, I got a drink, a root beer float (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The ice cream was the right consistency. They even had the foresight to give me an extra glass full of the bubbly if case I ran out.
Atmosphere: Hopefully they get a lot of customers on a regular basis because this place is huge and right next to Union Station. I'm sure the rent is astronomical. A giant safe door sits by the entrance (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Not sure if this place used to be a bank or if it's just for decoration. There are a bunch of stills in the middle of the bar with cleverly named brews (i.e. Prohibition Porter, http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
Service: Pretty good. When the bar was closing, we asked the bartender for recommendations on where to go next. She gave us several suggestions with a smile.
Synopsis: Not big on bars in general, but this one is ok.Listed in: Bars N Clubs
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Review from Colleen M.
Philadelphia, PA
4/10/2011
I can't speak to anything other than Happy Hour since I've only been here once but I can tell you, it was uber cheap for DC.
The service at the bar was great. The beers were pretty good, not great, nothing I would buy if it were in a store or crave after work, but okay for what they were. I agree with other reviewers though, the Amber was a bit hoppy but I don't mind a hoppy beer so we were good there.
The happy hour appetizers are pretty good and very reasonably priced. $5 for pretty decent, yet standard, fare. We did the nachos, hummus platter and some southwest egg roll-type dealie. I enjoyed my food a lot. The only thing that wasn't finished was the last of the 3 mentioned above. It just wasn't worth the calories.
This place was hella busy when we got there, around 5:30p on a Friday which is to be expected. The crowd overall was significantly older than my 30 years but since we were there to catch up with each other, and not meet people, we were set.
I probably won't come back because there are so many other places to check out in DC. -
Review from Jim U.
In my hundreds of trips to Union Station, I have been getting it all wrong. Instead of making do with lackluster options in the basement cafeteria, I should have headed outside and crossed the street to the Capitol City Brewing Company. The improvement in quality and ambiance is amazing.
It's located in a federal building which also houses the National Postal museum. I know that doesn't sound cool, but the airy space and the old feel to the place actually makes it kind of nice -- an excellent place to grab a pint or two.
Before dinner even began, I was brought out a complimentary hot pretzel with, oh my god, was that a little bit of beer at the bottom of the basket? This was delicious, and a great way to begin. I ordered the Brewmaster burger which weighed in at a whopping half pound. This was served open faced with red onions, lettuce, tomato, and pickle served on the top bun and a bounty of fries on the side. I additionally opted for blue cheese. I was pleased that they prepared it medium rare at my request and found it to be juicy and delicious. The bun was substantial enough to hold up to the massive burger and the fatty cheese. Even the fries had nice texture and proved to be tasty. In short: solid bar fare which paired with the craft beers readily.
For the beer, I tried my hand at the Capital Kolsch and the Amber Waves Ale. The Kolsch was a German style ale that has previously won both silver and gold at the American beer festival. This was pretty decent. The Amber Waves was even more decorated, but less interesting in taste by comparison. Nothing standout here, but I was happy to try a couple of new beers at affordable prices in a relaxed environment. Recommend. -
Review from Lesley G.
Winston-Salem, NC
5/22/2011
This place has a great environment and great food! I had a club sandwich and homemade chips, which was fantastic! Its a great size and environment to visit with coworkers and the service is above average. The brewery style decorations are pretty neat as well.
The best part is certainly the fresh pretzels that they bring for the table in lieu of bread. They are some of the best pretzels I have ever had and a very nice touch.Listed in: DC Visits
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Review from Xiomara R.
College Park, MD
3/2/2011
Finally went to their location at Union Station after missing out the first few times.
Atmosphere is good. It's a huge place with high ceilings and a giant bar with seating available on all sides after walking in the door. A good amount of TV's are scattered about. It looked like extra seating was available upstairs and there's a raised floor near the back.
Quality is good. Everything was in unmarked pint glasses at a good temperature with good amounts of head.
Service is good. I didn't wait long after sitting at the bar to place my order and everything came out promptly. The waitress was very friendly.
Selection is good. I believe there were 4-5 that were staples and 3-4 seasonals, from a pale to a stout to a pumpkin.
Food is good. I had a bowl of potato soup and was pleasantly surprised.
Value is good. Drinks were fairly cheap and the food was similarly priced.
Overall the beers were nothing special but they were solid and the food was not bad either. I would recommend the District Chophouse first if you're looking for a brewpub but this isn't a bad second option. -
Review from Yaniv K.
Miami, FL
4/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was disappointed by Capitol City Brewery after returning in more than 3 years. Last time I came with a friend while we were both visiting DC for the first time. We had a blast drinking and savoring their eclectic collection of beers.
This time around it bombed. Badly. When I came in on a Sunday afternoon, the place reeked of what seemed like soap or detergent-smelling scent. The bartender gave me the wrong beer I ordered. And the burger I ordered was tasteless, cooked with the mediocrity of a frozen and microwave boca burger but only 2 minutes faster.
Walked off with a serious regret coming here. -
Review from john g.
Austin, TX
5/6/2011
2.5 stars
Pretty good beer at reasonable prices. Food is so-so
Had the Irish ale and some 8% Russian beer and both were very good.
Had queso with semi stale chips and ok queso. Sliders were decent....
Cool atmosphere
I give beer 4 stars and food 2 stars -
Review from Angie M.
3/2/2011
I'm not a big drinker but you have to try a signature beer when you go to a brewery. I must say, out off all of their beers, stick with the kolsch. I decided to be adventurous with one of their Ales and not even my husband could finish it. Though maybe we were just being moody or it didn't sit with out food well, no worries.
The food is pretty standard nothing special but I do like that they give soft pretzels with this horseradish dip instead of the typical chips or bread.
The staff has always been friendly here and pretty efficient. Our server was chatty and efficient. Happy hour is only at the bar (half price appetizers which is actually a pretty good deal) Pricing is reasonable, especially for a restaurant next to Union Station.
I prefer The Dubliner from across the street but I would never object to coming here. -
Review from Jake K.
9/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a drink and some chow after my Chinese class that I started taking. Bottom line is that the bar is wide open and you don't feel crowded at 10:00pm on a weekday. Not sure how it is on the weekend but I can imagine that the Capitol crowd will fill this place on the off hours.
Get the wings and the pale ale. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Jason F.
1/18/2011
On a trip to DC, my friend and I ate here once and liked it enough to return for more, which doesn't happen often on my vacations: I generally prefer variety, but the value brought me back.
That said, I don't drink beer. So, look elsewhere for thoughts on their fermented grains.
I ordered the bratwurst two ways, jalapeño cheese dip, and tuna steak sandwich. The toppings on the bratwurst impressed me as much as the sausage itself: the peppers had a great earthy spicy flavor and the red cabbage was uniquely mild and sweet. The cheese dip could have been thicker, but was well spiced. The tuna sandwich was juicy, covered in tasty greens and a yummy mayo.
My only issue is the "famous" pretzels, which don't taste like anything but salt. They should splurge on a more expensive flour and/or barley malt syrup, or maybe make them with a preferment. As they are, it's a lost opportunity to impress customers. -
Review from david c.
Washington, DC
11/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here with my uncle when he was in DC on business.
1. His pizza looked and tasted like something from the frozen section of Harris Teeter's.
2. My beer was flat. I will not come here again nor recommend it. -
Review from Andy B.
Washington, DC
8/6/2010
"Hello, Terrible Restaurant Consulting. How can I help you?"
-- "Hi, I'm calling from Capitol City Brewing Company."
"Oh, wow, we had our company dinner there this year!"
-- "Yeah. Listen, I need some advice on how to make my restaurant as bad as it can be."
"That's what we're here for."
-- "Okay, first. What would be the best way to ensure that the many people who come here because they need to eat lunch quickly during the workday have a miserable experience?"
"Well, I would start by making your restaurant a giant industrial warehouse with enough tables that each server is way overburdened -- but make sure there's always inexplicably a long line to get one of those tables."
-- "Oh, good idea. Should we then have it take a long time for the server to actually show up?"
"Well, yeah. But the real trick is to make it take at least 40 minutes for a chicken salad and a pizza to arrive."
-- "Right! Then people will have lots of time to come up with excuses for why they're late for their meetings."
"Now you're on the trolley. So let's talk about food."
-- "Yes. Well, that chicken salad is pretty good. It's got pears and this blueberry-pomegranate --"
"Wait. Pears? Are they canned?"
-- "Well...yeah."
"Okay, good."
-- "So, it's got this nice dressing, and, well, it runs the risk of being delicious."
"Hmm...try undercooking the chicken."
-- "You guys are brilliant! But how can we screw up pizza?"
"Well, canned vegetables, obviously. And undercook it."
-- "Oh, man, that's great. Our customers will have to cover it with red pepper to make it taste like anything."
"Why are you providing red pepper?"
-- "You're a genius."
"So, let's see. We're gonna make it take forever to get terrible food in an industrial warehouse environment. Excellent. That sounds really awful."
-- "I can't thank you enough. Now our customers will lurch out, feeling vaguely dazed and thoroughly disgusted, late for their after-lunch meetings, with nothing to cling to but the mints they grabbed on their way through the hordes of interns on their way out. Thanks!"
"Oh, one more thing -- make those mints cinnamon so that no one will enjoy them." -
Review from Jessica I.
San Francisco, CA
10/6/2010
Pretty decent beers and pretzels to start off a meal, makes it all good. Gotta love a place that move beyond bread or chips and goes for the perfect beer food - pretzels and mustard.
Good beers that I would have again: kolsch, pale ale, pumpkin ale. I would recommend passing on the hefe, the rest were decent but not memorable. But don't take my word for it, get a sampler.
Food was good. But the beer and pretzels is what will bring me back. -
Review from Steve R.
Washington, DC
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Consistently average food. Nothing here is really something to get super-excited about. The burger is consistently decent. The chicken sandwich is decent. The salads are pretty filling. The pear chicken salad was pretty tasty.
Beer, again.. nothing that special.
I love the space however... though I think they could fit more TVs in there :-)
I also like that they bring out fresh hot pretzels for an appetizer. -
Review from Sam D.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2010
I recently came back to DC after a few months away, and either my tastes have changed or the food has gotten much, much worse. When the high point is the complementary bread (in this case, the pretzel) you're not in for a fantastic meal.
None of the ingredients in the food tasted good, and the beer (which you could justifiably have high expectations for), was pretty marginal as well.
Ah well. No need to return. -
Review from Adam T.
Oakland, CA
9/6/2010
For convenience when going on one of the tour buses with my dad and his wife, this place can't be beat. We headed over, got a full meal in forty-five minutes.
Ordered the Amber Ale, which was fine, plenty of body, but not too heavy. They serve soft pretzels with every order, so they were yummy and I love the horse radish mustard sauce.
I got a plain chicken sandwich. Nothing to write home about, but it was good. My dad ordered the chicken fingers which seemed fine.
Our waiter was friendly and efficient. I wouldn't take people to this place unless they can't really leave the Union Station area, but if that's a constraint, it's a good place to be. -
Review from Chito P.
Washington, DC
4/29/2011
Today was a great day to sit outdoors and just chill. I truly enjoyed the weather and watching the people and the cars along Mass Ave. It was cozy and relaxing and I appreciated the free WiFi. The waitress was friendly and I was impressed by the pretzel with the beer. But it went downhill from there. The beer was mediocre. The burger not tasty and undercooked. The service was good and the staff accommodating, but I wouldn't come back for the food.
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Review from Jim H.
Philadelphia, PA
4/24/2011
Capitol City Brewery really hit the spot, and I'm glad I finally had a chance to get there. Here's why.
So I find myself in DC on a random, kinda-dreary Tuesday in the middle of a very rainy April. So what the heck are all these people doing here? Yeah, I know it's DC, but I've never seen it THIS packed with tourist before. Lines were forming outside of almost every Smithsonian building I saw. The Lincoln Memorial??? You'd think Old Abe himself was there handing out free $5 dollar bills. The White House had it's usual loud, angry hordes protesting about anything stupid they could think of. And even the Cemetery was being overrun. A Tomb Guard actually had to yell at people twice for not being quiet...TWICE!!! I honestly thought I was going to witness a killing, as these men are 100% dead-serious about their business. Really...they're downright terrifying when forced to act.
Well, there it is....a pretty aggravating day to have to be in DC. After walking a whole bunch of miles & being fueled by overpriced sidewalk concessions (really, $6 bucks for a soft pretzel & bottle of water??), I was in need of a decent meal, and probably a beer or two before the long drive home. (Yes, I know how bad that sounds). Anyway, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, so off to Union Station I went. Parked (for free!) at a broken meter right out front of the brewery, and found a seat at the crowded bar. It's a pretty cool place, as you'd expect in a town like this; the atmosphere is very interesting and brewery-ish. Started with an Irish Red, which went down like a tsunami washing over a Japanese nuke plant. God that beer tasted great...one of best ever. Ordered one of the chicken sandwiches off the winningly-sized menu, and accompanied it with an "Amber Waves Ale". Another great beer, and I would've gone for more if I didn't have the 3 hour drive home ahead of me. I guess being responsible has its drawbacks, right? Maybe not, but I'll definitely be back in DC during the lesser-crowded season (which is...when???), and at least now I know of a good place to eat. I'll probably try the downtown location to see what that's like, as I hear the President drinks there too. Just sayin'. -
Review from Soumendra B.
Boston, MA
7/2/2011
Pretty awesome! Decent, cheap brews and free soft pretzels!
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Review from Pitbull D.
Hedgesville, WV
6/23/2010
One of my favorite places for happy hour drinks and many off price ($5) appetizers. BUT, you have to sit at the bar for the off price appetizers.
Been here for lunch and ate off the menu.
Exceeded expectations, so it earns 4* overall. -
Review from Shenoah C.
Washington, DC
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was ok, not very memorable or exciting. Standard fare. Way too loud and overly warm. Does have high chairs and kids menu, will check your stroller for you. Have to carry the stroller up quite a few steps and then down some more to enter. No baby changing station in women's room but reportedly there is one in the men's?
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Review from Cheryl B.
Round Hill, VA
3/4/2009
Good Morning Yelpers.....
Went into the City to meet with a business partner last night...and they chose Union Station Capital City Brewery. It had been a while since I'd been to this bar/restaurant and truthfully it didn't hold that "gotta go back soon" memory for me.
We ordered the Fuel, Belgian Triple, ESB and an Unfiltered Pale Ale. All arrived warm, was this by design, I think not. I'll speak to the one I had - Fuel - nice enough porter, no head, huge coffee flavor, and did I mention it was warm? Sorry, I like my beer cold, but I managed to drink it all.
Food:
Appetizers: Soft pretzels with ale cheese dipping sauce...basically a bowl of cheese soup with 3 pretzels that had certainly been frozen. Considering how cheap frozen pretzels are, you think they could have put several on the plate especially since we only used about 1/4 cup of the 2 cups worth of cheese sauce! Hummus...nice flavor, large slices of cucumbers and what appeared to be a beet/onion slaw type topping. The wedges of pita were nicely grilled and warm. I liked this dish, tasted fresh and we gobbled it up.
Entrees: Pork Chops with smashed potatoes and a sauteed mushroom/onion side. Chops were thin, somewhat tasteless and the sides didn't help make them any better. Entree Pear Salad was lots of greens with some chopped canned pears, julienned chicken slices were stone cold (unthawed perhaps) and the dressing was hardly memorable - the seedless red grapes were good though. Someone ordered the chicken tenders off the starters menu and they actually looked nicely battered with a tempura type coating. Lightly golden brown, he ate every one accompanied by a honey mustard sauce (in a ramekin, not a soup bowl :)
Didn't order dessert. Here is the good part - the waitress was good, got our beers and order in quick time. She overheard me ask if there was a Caps game to my table and quickly said "I'll ask the bartender"...never got back to me on that, even though I had not asked her directly. The funny thing was the game was on the flat screen in the bar area LOL
I love this location, convenient, lovely and the tall copper tanks are a cool thing to have in the bar area because the height of the room can handle it. Would I go back, for drinks maybe, but not a destination for food for me. -
Review from Ryan H.
Los Angeles, CA
10/20/2010
The pretzel was the best part of the meal.
Food was average, but I didn't go in expecting much. It is a step above average "bar food" perhaps, but hardly particularly extraordinary.
The porter was somewhere between pathetic and awful. Watery and flavorless, a true disappointment. I have zero desire to come back and try any of the others. -
Review from Joye P.
1/22/2009
The large, copper bar has chairs with backs. There are booths, too, for comfortable seating. The place is a bit loud.
The beer is just okay. They do have a nice variety of cleverly-named beers, but nothing stands out to me the way Dogfish Head (Delaware) beers do. Food is mediocre at best.
The winning point is the location. It's one block west of Union Station. -
Review from Amanda C.
3/27/2009
I ate here a couple of months ago, so please forgive the lack of specific information. I'd been meaning to review it for a long time, but couldn't recall the name until a friend recently reminded me.
I came here with my boyfriend and his parents since it's near the Georgetown Law School campus. We were told it's where students come to eat. The wait was about 10-15 minutes and the place was packed... it seemed like a good sign... alas, it was not indicative of quality.
Our orders came out so quickly it was worrisome, kind of like in certain Chinese restaurants when your food reaches the table and you're still ordering drinks. I don't think that means it's fresh... I think it means almost everything is ready and waiting to be reheated.
We got sandwiches and salads. If I recall correctly, fries were okay. Salads were atrocious. This is not a restaurant I'd come back to unless I needed to pop in for a drink and escape the weather (be it rain or stifling humidity). There aren't a ton of options in this area, but I'd check out the offerings at Union Station instead. Definitely DON'T go to the Irish pub down a block and across the street... Capital G Gross and insufferably slow.
************************* Update 3/28/09
I received a really nice message from Jeff Beaudoin, the Senior VP of Operations for Capitol City Brewing Company. He apologized for my experience and offered a significant discount if I wanted to come back and try it again. It's by far the most courteous message I've ever received from a business owner/representative after I wrote a less than stellar review, which gives me a lot of faith in the professionalism and integrity of Capitol City Brewing Company. For that alone, I'd come back and try it to see if my experience was a fluke.
I've never changed my rating because of a business owner's influence... I certainly don't write bad reviews to get free food (I will not be accepting the generous discount) and I like to think I can't be intimidated or bribed away. Nevertheless, since I did eat here a few months ago AND since the message was so polite, I'm going to change my review from two to three stars. If I come back and feel like it's a 2 star meal however, the review will be 2 stars.Listed in: Dining for a Distinguished…
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Review from Jessie P.
Washington, DC
12/3/2010
I've been struggling with whether to give it 3 stars or 4. In order to ease my dilemma, please review the pros and cons list to arrive at your own conclusion as accurately as possible.
Pros:
Their Prohibition Porter is among my favorite beers of all time - yummy roasted chocolate undertones. The IPA is good too if you're looking for a lighter option. As for the restaurant itself, I'm a big fan of the location (right by Union Station), and the large lay-out means never having to wait for a table. Plus the service was impeccable. I don't think I've ever had a more attentive server and he was so pleasant. He kept giving us Belgian pretzels on the house and happily complied with my dinner-mate's repeated requests for lemons. Their lemons are so fresh and juicy!!
Cons:
The Happy Hour prices look good, but alas you have to be sitting at the crowded bar to enjoy them. While the drinks were great, unfortunately the food was very disappointing. Their portions are generous though and I guess if you're too drunk to be picky then it's okay. -
Review from Tiffany W.
Tuckerton, NJ
7/25/2011
Went here our first night in DC expecting a line (7pm on a Friday ) but we were seated almost immediately. The food was average and their beers were good. Very good waitress service even when it was obvious she was in the weeds. Overall a pleasant experience.
