- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Dogfish Head Alehouse
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (New) Bars, American (New) [Edit]
800 W Diamond AveGaithersburg, MD 20878
(301) 963-4847
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Want to sing to your heart's content and can't find a spot? Come on down to the newly renovated iRock Karaoke . iRock KTV is located off Shady Grove RD… read more »
159 reviews for Dogfish Head Alehouse
Review Highlights
"60 minutes and Raison D'etre are always solid choices too."
(in 14 reviews)
"Cajun egg rolls - yum."
(in 4 reviews)
"What you must try first is the Chesapeake Pizza."
(in 8 reviews)
Loading...
159 reviews in English
-
Review from Zack H.
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
I would start off by saying that if you have more than one beer here and you drive back, you are foolish. These beers are not for the weak!
I live about 1.5 miles away from this place, so I didn't have to do much driving to find it (it's right off of 270, duh). Dogfish Head is a major microbrewery in Delaware. Why they have brewpubs in the DC area is beyond me, but I'm not complaining.
This place can get packed, especially if there's a game on. There are very, very few bars in Montgomery County outside of the Beltway, and so there's really no other choice for people to go to enjoy a drink or two. There's often live music here, which is a plus.
What shocked me is how their food was almost as good as their beer. I had a Ham & Egger -- hey, it was a special they were running -- and the sandwich and fries were a step above your typical bar food. The sandwich, other than having a ham steak and two eggs of your choice, came on ciabatta bread and came with gouda cheese and spinach. So much classier than most bar food. Funny thing is when you actually put some effort into your food, it normally tastes good. This was easily the best bar food I've ever had. The fries were above average, but they did not taste like, or feel like, they were doused in grease.
They have a list of beers and their respective ABVs. The average was probably 9% or 10%, meaning two beers can make you do funny things in the bar and embarrassing things in front of a Maryland State Trooper. I opted for the Raison D'Etre, an 8% ABV Belgian-style beer that apparently won some award. It was smooth and had a hint of vanilla, making it easy on the taste buds. You basically can't go wrong with any beer on that list.
This place can get very crowded, so service is what it is. I felt like it was understaffed, considering that Tim Tebow was playing a football game at that time. However, I got service in a reasonable amount of time, given the understaffing. The servers seemed like they were in their late 20s to around 40, so they were experienced enough to give the place a classier feel to it.
Even if you don't live in the area, you need to try this place out. You cannot go wrong. -
Review from Jeff K.
Gaithersburg, MD
1/16/2012
DFH is the best place in Gaithersburg for quality beer and good food. Happy hours will pack the bar nightly and weekend nights are going to result in a wait for a table. It is worth it. The food is much better than you would expect from typical bar fare. I'm a big fan of their sandwiches (Ahi tuna and Steak Bomb in particular!) If you're not a beer snob yet be careful... this place can turn you into one.
1 star removal for the price of their specialty beers. I don't care how good it is, I shouldn't be paying $9.50 for a snifter. -
Review from Ntochi K.
Germantown, MD
1/12/2012
This is where you go when you want plain old good tasty food, good beer, and consistent comfort.
My husband loves Dogfish Head (their beers and burgers in particular) and we've always had good services. I never leave without having their Calamari and have even grown to like a few of their beers. If you are not a typical beer drinker, I suggest you try the Lawnmower (light and lemony) and Midas Touch (sweet but not light on the alcohol)--they are good with a meal.
The bar area gets pretty busy during happy hours and early evening so be prepared! -
Review from Nick S.
I love Dogfish Head! Damn fine grub and tasty ales on tap. The IPA Grouper Sandwich is a flavor wonderland, and the beer sampler is a perfect compliment because there's just too many beers to choose from.
I've tried the 60 and 90 min IPAs, Midas Touch, Raison D'etre, and at least one brew served in a brandy snifter and they're all amazing.
Just make sure you go hungry! -
Review from Brendan D.
Kensington, MD
12/23/2011
Man this place gets packed. I have been to the Rehoboth, DE outpost many times, but this was my first time in the Gaithersburg location. Same as other Dogfish locations, great, great DFH beers, and above average food.
I won't belabor anyone with the details about DFH beers, simply they are great. The food here is also abover average bar fare, with the salmon sandwich (with blue cheese and carmelized onions), a highlight.
Parking is tough here, but worth the hassle. -
Review from David B.
Germantown, MD
2/5/2012
Dogfish absolutely ROCKS! Great food, incredible beer and a fantastic atmosphere for a weekend spot or a weekday happy hour!
-
Review from SAM d.
Washington, DC
2/2/2012
The food was great! The beer awesome. Except the seasonal beer. Ewwww. Taste like licorice.
-
Review from Carrie Y.
Baltimore, MD
1/16/2012
Great service, awesome food... Don't go if you are looking for a quiet meal!
-
Review from Meira V.
Philadelphia, PA
11/10/2011
I don't drink, so I can't review the beer -- but my beer snob friends were very happy with the Raison D'etre and the Chateau Jaihu.
The food was good -- I like to say it has "integrity": fresh, made with quality ingredients, well prepared. The roast beef sandwich (essentially a French Dip) was the only thing we ordered that went against this integrity -- the meat was plastic-y and I sent it back, opting for the Chicago Steak Salad (blackened steak was AMAZING!).
The service was impeccable, the manager came over and apologized for the sandwich and offered me a free appetizer to tide me over until my meal arrived. The waitress was very attentive but not intrusive at all -- just perfect.
It was just a solid good time.
The only disappointment was the lack of Dogfish Head root beer -- I know there are micro-brewed root beers out there, I'm shocked that they haven't come up with a little something to cater to the designated driver . . . -
Review from Matthew M.
Norwood, PA
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite brew pubs out there. Burger was delicious and juicy, topped with crisp bacon. Fish and chips aren't the traditional filets but small tender pieces with amazing fries.
Also Dogfish Head beers have amazing variety in style and flavor. Truly a beer for everyone. You could spend weeks drinking and never pick a favorite. -
Review from Tricia B.
Bethesda, MD
12/20/2011
I am an avid fan of Dogfish Head. I frequent this place, going at least once a week. Everything I've ever eaten here has been exceptional--especially the hummus and the Alehouse Fried Chicken Salad (with ranch, please!). The service is always outstanding! Kisses to all my bartenders. The beers are . . . fabulous . . . and I'm not a huge beer drinker. Pangaea? Yes. Pumpkin Ale? Yes. Midas? ABSOLUTELY. If you like a casual and fun atmosphere, this is also the place to be. They usually have lice music on Saturday nights as well. I started going here a little over a year ago regularly and in that year they have definitely grown in size of patrons because the place is almost always busy. Great happy hours, great food, great atmosphere, great service. What more could you want from a bar/restaurant?
-
Review from Angela G.
Gaithersburg, MD
9/27/2011
Me and the Hubby LOVE this place. We only live about 3 miles away so that's a HUGE plus. So here it goes...
Food- YUM YUM YUM! Now i must warn you that the salads aren't the greatest but how good can a salad really get. My faves are the mac and cheese (with steak for me) and the steak bomb sandwich which is... well... BOMB! We always get the avocado dip with chips to start which tastes very fresh!
Service- We have only had one "bad" server who looked like a teen and he insisted talking to a table of girls the entire time. But the other servers we have had are a joy! There is one who i assume has been there a long time and she is AWESOME (maybe Jennifer but not too sure on the name).
Decor- I don't really care for it, but the food is GREAT so I could care less what it looks like.
I'm not a beer lover so I cant comment on that! But if your looking for a chill, casual spot with good eats- Look no further.
Keep up the tastiness Dogfish :-) -
Review from Anna D.
Austin, TX
9/17/2011
Dogfish head beer is AMAZING! I love Burton Baton and if it's not on tap, then the 90-minute IPA. Of course, I like hoppy beers, so keep that in mind when you are reading this. They have a great beer for every type though and the staff are very helpful in finding what you like. If you are a microbrewery fan, you will not be disappointed.
The restaurant is clean and the service very friendly. The food is pretty good but also relatively expensive. I think the best thing I've had here is the pizza. -
Review from Avery W.
Rockville, MD
9/4/2011
My family of four went to Dogfish in Gaithersburg last night. It was our first time and like other reviews here, we couldn't believe that we'd never been. We've driven past and never paid much attention but I was on yelp looking for somewhere different to eat and we decided to give it a try. We are very happy we did.
First of all, the service was fantastic and of everything that is what stands out the most. Our waiter was Alex and he was very knowledgeable and very nice. He answered every question we had thoroughly and we appreciated him very much. It's a huge beer menu and for people who pretty much just grab a corona like my wife and I, it was intimidating. But Alex helped us pick some great beers and we loved them.
Although the food wasn't the best food I've ever had, it went so perfectly with the atmosphere and the beer that I am willing to give DFH 5 stars. The food IS very good, and very reasonably priced.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone, especially a beer drinker or anyone who wants to get wasted. My goodness, they have a beer with 18% alcohol! If you have one of those, just pass you keys to someone else and enjoy! -
Review from Johnny M.
7/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Stopped here TWICE on my way to and from Gettysburg this past week. EXTREMELY luckily, my first stop came just as 120 had arrived!!!! Obviously, I had a couple.
Anyway, the bartender was a pretty cool guy. He seemed knowledgeable about the brews and knew the job. The place got busy, but he stayed right on it.
I had a salad with Ahi Tuna, cooked medium rare. OUTSTANDING! Really great selection of food, making the decision a tough one.
The second visit, I had more 120, 'cause you can't always get it. Actually, hardly ever. Sipped on those a while, had the Alehouse Chili, (which was awesome), and just enjoyed myself. Same bartender + one that looked like Jason Bateman. He was cool too. Great experience again.
The atmosphere here is cool, the place is super easy to find (even for an out-of-towner), and my GOD... THE BEER! Bless the day that my favorite brewery opened this establishment!!
Love it!!!Listed in: Watering Holes
-
Review from NOM NOM Boris S.
Silver Spring, MD
8/31/2011 2 photos
MUST ORDER: Chesapeake Pizza or Alehouse BBQ Burger
TIP: Try seasonal beers if available
Welcome to the world of beer. Great place to kick back and enjoy with friends. They have a very large beer and large selection with some of the best burgers in the area. What you must try first is the Chesapeake Pizza. Its one of the most amazing things to share or eat all by yourself. trust me though, some of your friends wills teak a few slices. its hard to resist this amazing super nomnom pizza. -
Review from Brandi K.
Frederick, MD
Updated - 6/27/2011
My dad liked Dogfish Head enough that he wanted to go back for his birthday lunch. He also couldn't pass up the fish and chips for a second time, so I guess he is a huge fan. He and my sister split calamari and both said it was better than average. I ordered a veggie medley pasta that was somewhat bland, but had lots of veggies. I had to add salt for a little flavor--I think it could have used some garlic or something. I ordered the 90-minute ale and that was amazing...I highly recommend that.
Service was decent, though the waiter seemed confused at times and when my brother-in-law asked whether the Discovery Channel show about Dogfish Head was still running, the waiter's face went blank and he said he had no idea...1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/31/2011
I was glad to find a restaurant like this in Gaithersburg. I ordered a wood-fired veggie sandwich,… Read more »
-
-
Review from Eric G.
8/21/2011
This place is great.
I was in town visiting an old friend and she mentioned going to Dogfish Head. I had no clue that it was so close to where I was.
I tried several amazing brews, including a mix of the 90 minute and 60 minute IPA which was awesome as well as the stout and several others.
We got a ruben, a burger and an appetizer to share and they were all very good.
I was however, not happy to find out that because of a stupid Maryland law they were unable to sell a growler of beer for my collection because they do not brew on site here at the alehouse.
Do yourself a favor and if you are in a 100 mile radius, make it a point to stop through here! -
Review from Sina E.
7/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I'm almost inclined to give this place 5 stars, but it'll have to settle for 4.5 stars overall. Dogfish Head restaurant is spacious with two floors. We got seated upstairs, and when we got there, it was pretty packed, definitely a beehive of activity in this place.
I was really coming here for the beers, because I'm a fan of dogfish head beers, but I'll touch up on the food first. There is decent selection of choices.
For appetizers, we started with the Warm three cheese crab dip which was outrageously good. The mix of crab meat, roasted garlic, cheddar, marscapone, and herbed cream cheese was really on point.
I also got the blackened chicken sandwich which was really filling. Two chicken breasts with thin slices of bacon was good. Fries were also surprisingly good, crispy, and just the way I like it.
Now to the beers. Festina Peche is their summer seasonal, and it was a really good unique beer. It's sour at first, and then you get the peachy flavor. I really enjoyed it. Lawnmower is a light beer, and it's decent for starters. 60 minutes and Raison D'etre are always solid choices too.
Our waitress was friendly and attentive, so definitely five stars for the service. Overall, it was a good experience, and will be back here. -
Review from Mahesh S.
5/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best mac&Cheese I have tried ever. I dont know how they managed to cook up a pretty awesome mac&cheese, that is light still tasty, and not too runny still cheesy. You can add steak or chicken to it. Sounds weird, having steak with mac&cheese, but it works! i am not complaining. 90/60minute IPAs were awesome. the tasting menu which was like 7 or 8 dollar, had some beers i wouldnt care for, but that is how they let you try many beer for cheaper. and the bread pudding that came with icecream was sooo good. I am shy of eating of carbs, not by choice,but now that i have to , but still I allowed myself the entire 3 course dinner here. - the beer/mac&cheese and bread pudding!! I also got to taste the jambalaya which was out of the world!
If i ever visit this part of the town ever again, which I think will happen often soon, i sure will check them out!!!! Gosh,thinking about their food and beer makes me hungry and thirsty not in the same order.
Wait staff is kind of slow, but nothing bad - they are just slow.
yeah, so try the mac&cheese, jamablaya and anything on their beer! -
Review from Jorge N.
Germantown, MD
5/9/2011
This review is only for the bar (which I frequent quite often):
I love this place! The best microbrewery in the area, period. Not only the beer is good, but the bartenders are awesome. They know their beer very well and they'll let you taste any beer you want before you pick the one that you'll fall in love with. The atmosphere is very casual and friendly, but it can get quite busy during happy hour. -
Review from Elizabeth W.
Gaithersburg, MD
7/1/2011
Dogfish is a great place to go for beer and happy hour. If you want a seat though, get there early because you won't get a seat otherwise.
Foodwise, They're alright. Most everyone I go with always gets the Mac and cheese. Yeah, I know, Why go out for Mac and Cheese? But this stuff is pretty dang good!
3 stars because the service isn't always the greatest, the food is not the best but it's a great place to hang around. -
Review from Lauren V.
Saint Louis, MO
8/16/2011
This was the second trip to Dogfish Head (first time was at a different location) and as always, they didn't disappoint. I had the Mac and Cheese (awesome) and the Pale Ale (which was amazing!).
Perfect for the beer lover in all of us! -
Review from William S.
Gaithersburg, MD
Updated - 11/11/2011
One of our favorite places for food.
-
Review from Maria S.
5/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I thought the food was subpar....but I guess you don't go to an Alehouse to eat now do you?! Food is about Applebee's quality.
Lots of good beer selections and they have a bar, in case beer gives you gas or just isn't your thing.
The service has always been hit or miss for me here.
They show all the big sporting matches and they have karaoke one night too.
It's not bad, it's just not great. -
Review from Allison L.
Potomac, MD
5/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great service at the bar. Monday nights burgers are $2 off during happy hour and your first beer is happy hour prices. If you like something light try their lawnmower light beer. My friend like fruity beers and got black and blue.
Alehouse BBQ Burger was delicious! We went during the Celtics vs. Heats Game 4, found a seat fairly easy and had great service at the bar. The beer selection was comparable to GB. The crowd is mainly young professionals to older people from the area.. food is great though. -
Review from Mark B.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/1/2011
Arrived for dinner and bar was pretty full but second floor was pretty empty, just one couple seated at one of the tables. Somehow, they still decided to sit me right next to the door to the kitchen. Obnoxious.
No servers showed up for about 15 minutes. Then, surprise, the "couple" turned out to be the servers who finally managed to find the time to come by and get my order. Kind of a bad start; however, after that service was pretty good.
I ordered the beer sampler since I hadn't been here before. Pretty good!
The calamari appetizer was tasty but more banana peppers would have given a better balance of tastes. The Chesapeake pizza (crab) was a pretty unique treat. The apple crisp was just ok.
All-in-all, a pretty decent place. -
Review from Corry O.
Gaithersburg, MD
7/22/2011
Food is good. Micro-brewed beer is great. Atmosphere is casual. Place smells smoky (in a good way). Some seating is a bit cramped or in a lane of server-traffic, but not chronically. Staff is friendly and helpful. Recommended.
Even if you don't like beer, you'll probably find it acceptable (though probably also forgettable).
Vegetarians can get through a meal here (but pay exorbitantly for it). Probably not vegans. -
Review from Micah P.
2/28/2011
Although I am not so big on beer, this place looks amazing! Beers galore! They have a great selection of just about any type of beer. Also, although I didn't go here for the night life, I'd definitely want to come back again just to try the beers.
I went here during my lunch break and I had some food. I had the Memphis Grilled Chicken and it was delicious! It came with 2 onion rings to dress it up, side of fries, and a side of coleslaw. I was about to substitute my sides for something a little bit more healthy, but the fries were amazing! They kind of reminded me of "Boardwalk" fries (anyone know if they still have Boardwalk fries around?) cause the fries were made with fresh cut potatoes and looked homemade.
The grilled chicken was amazing! The barbecue flavor was very apparent and the grilled taste was there! You could definitely tell it was cooked on top of a grill. I do admit that the coleslaw was just coleslaw, but then again, I'm not a fan of cabbage.
All in all, come to Dogfish Head if you're a beer fan or are curious to try different beers. Also if you just want some good food in the American (New) category, it's a good place to stop by. -
Review from Kelly J.
Montgomery Village, MD
4/7/2011
Love Dogfish! I go to this place pretty frequently since it's so close to home and has fantastic beers...and I love beer.
SERVICE:
Their bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable about the brews. But the bar is usually packed in the evenings.
I can't say the same for the servers. I get hit or miss service when I chose to sit in the dining area. I've gotten "creepy smile waitress" who just makes me uneasy when she constantly interrupts with her grinning face. Then there is the neglectful waiter who never comes back. Oh and the underage server who can't really tell you anything about a new beer that you're interested in. But then there are always the ones who are perfect ... I should probably pay more attention to their names so I can request them.
FOOD:
The food here is usually very good. Solid American fare with that Delaware/Maryland flare to it. I've been disappointed by their salads, but their burgers are always great and I love the fresh cut french fries. Two of my favorite dishes are the Chesapeake pizza and the Ahi Tuna Entrée. Yum
I only have one super bad thing to say about the food.... Be careful when ordering anything with shrimp. Every time I have ordered anything with shrimp it has had an off taste to it - like ammonia. This means the shrimp is bad (and bad constantly apparently). Leaves an awful taste in your mouth even if you only have a tiny bite.
BEER:
I'm a 60 minute girl. But I switch over to the seasonal during the fall since the Punkin Ale tastes amazingly LIKE PUMPKIN. When I'm feeling adventurous I try other beers and I've never been disappointed (although the Festina Peche is a little... odd tasting to me. but i love the Midas Touch when I want something sweeter).
In summary: Go to Dogfish Head Alehouse, get there early for bar seating or take your chance on the servers, don't order the shrimp, and enjoy the awesome beer! -
Review from Corwin P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beer Heaven...seriously.
The food was good, but why are you going to dogfish head to eat. To me they are one of my two favorite breweries in the country and to drink their beer is to experience true joy.
Gimme a dogfishead or a rogue and I will be supremely satisfied with just about anything put in front of me.
I had what was actually a pretty good Macaroni and cheese and a Hellhound on my Ale beer, which was freaking fantastic. -
Review from Megan S.
Gaithersburg, MD
6/20/2011
I don't know how, but I managed to live in Gaithersburg for years before actually going here. I'm pretty sure it had some manner of invisibility cloak, because for the life of me I can't figure out why I didn't go here sooner.
We went on a friday night with a party of six (we're crazy like that.) and were told the wait was over an hour. Ugh. So we go outside and wait for the rest of our party to show up to see where else we should go. Twenty minutes later most everyone had shown up. We'd seen a few people leave, so we decided to check again to see what the wait was. None -
they could seat us right away. Strange, but hey, good deal.
The menu is good - diverse and something more typical of places in Southern Maryland than Gaithersburg. It's a good mix of seafood, wood fired pizzas, and a few steak and rib dishes and a selection of sandwiches.
I'm constantly on the hunt for excellent cream of crab soup and crab dip outside of Southern Maryland, so I ordered both of those, along with the crabcake. The cream of crab is flavored with sherry, which usually means it'll be good, but this stuff was really good. I would easily say this is the Third Best Cream of Crab Soup in Maryland. The crab dip also didn't disappoint - it came with pita bread and potato chips for dipping which were very good. I agree with a previous review that it could do with more crab and less cheese, but it's still excellent. It's definitely the best I've had in Montgomery county so far. The crabcake was standard fare, as was dessert.
Service was great considering how freaky crowded they were. The place is REALLY loud - uncomfortably so. Not the place to go if you want to have an intimate conversation with friends. Great place to go if you want to just have a good beer and eat your weight in crab dip. I'll definitely come here again. :) -
Review from Dave H.
Germantown, MD
6/18/2011 6 Check-ins Here
I give Dogfish Head Alehouse 5 stars because its what they deserve all around, if you know what to expect. My family visits Dogfish Head on a regular basis, at times calling it our home away from home. It's easily one of my favorite, if not my number one, place. I cannot say this is a 5 star restaurant for a nice steak entree or anything like that, but this is fantastic "bar food" on the high end.
I had been a fan of Dogfish Head beer long before this restuarant opened, and had been to the original location in Deleware. When they opened here, down the street from my house, I was in Heaven (beer Heaven, as another Yelper described). I have been to the brewery in DE more than once over the years, so you can say I'm a fan of the beer.
When I go here, I tend to stick with the sandwiches, burgers, pizzza, and appetizers. This is where I can feel comfortable that I will get what I'm expecting for a reasonable price, and be happy. The burgers are often excellent, with a nice outter char from the wood grill and almost always cooked just as I have asked. The pizzas are tasty with quality ingredients. When it comes to the entrees, I tend to steer clear, as my experience with them has been underwhelming in the past, but the price is on the high end for what I want in a place where the beer is my favorite part.
The service is almost always very friendly and reliable. I've been many times with my family (including a toddler who loves it) and other times with coworkers for happy hour. The service is conistant as is the quality of the food.
If you are a fan of craft beer, chances are you've already been here, and you can agreee, it's the ultimate restaurant for that purpose, with some great extras in the food you have with it. -
Review from D C.
Gaithersburg, MD
12/5/2011
Maybe my expectations are too high but this place is just okay. The beer choices are awesome but overpriced. For their rare beers they charge around $10-15 for a conservatively sized glass. I suppose if you are really into beers then it is worth it but I am not huge on beers.
If you are looking for good bar food: pizza, hamburgers, fries, wings then this place is exactly that... bar food. I think the issue I have is that when I read the menu a lot jumps out at me as sounding really good and my expectations go up. Then when I actually get the food (spinach artichoke dip) I am so underwhelmed. I think Houston's in Rockville set the bar on spinach dip. The Dogfish dip is gross. It's so thick and hard that it's tough to even get a chip into it without cracking it into a bunch of pieces. The place is like Rex Grossman... you never know what will be good or bad. Spinach dip was a joke but the 50 cents worth of salsa that came with it was awesome. The tuna... not so good but the fish/chips... a plate of fried awesomeness. Cream of crab soup wasn't bad but about on par with a Campbell's can. The hummus is good but its about 25 cents of hummus for about 10 bucks. IMHO they charge too much for what they serve.
I've enjoyed the burgers, calamari and pizzas there the most but have given up on their more healthy fare. Since I am watching my girlish figure that means that unless I feel like greasy bar food then I don't go.
The help there is personable and especially helpful to a beer noob like me. Does anyone remember the old Pat and Mike's Restaurant that was here years ago? That place was better. If you are happy with Rex Grossman as a QB then you will love this place. If you are more of an Aaron Rodgers type person then you will think this place is on par with Glory Days. -
Review from Jason C.
2/20/2011
It hurts me to give this place a 4* review considering the fact that I feel the beer gets a 5* rating in my books. Of the limited experiences that I have had with microbreweries, Dogfish and Troeig beer top my list of the best microbreweries that I have tried in my life.
We are all quite familiar now with Dogfish, especially after it was featured on Brewmasters on the Discovery Channel. To be in the national spotlight was a monumental achievement and I commend the owner of this establishment for taking his business this far. So..we all know the beer is good, so how is the alehouse?
The decor reminds you of a cabin...something similar to Clyde's but slightly more down to earth. The crowd here is definitely more laid back and you find the occasional CRAZY drunk people that you run into places like the Russia House in Dupont (no surprise here considering that a few 18% beers can KO the toughest and meanest drinkers out there).
The food here is fairly decent and the quality of the pub grub is on par with what you would get at Clyde's, although some items can be a bit expensive.
As for the beer, and this is what my biggest problem with coming here (surprisingly) is that almost everything at the alehouse can be found in liquor stores at less than a fraction of the cost that you what you order. Normally, beer from the tap tastes MUCH better than what you get out of the bottle, but in my opinion, dogfish makes the bottled beer so well that I have hard time distinguishing any differences in quality between the same items being sold on tap vs. the ones in the bottle. Can I justify a price of $12-$14/glass of some of these tap beers then? I just can't when I can get a bottle for $2.5. The price discrepancy is WAY too high to a point where I think that this is place where you just go for the sake of going to the "dogfish head alehouse".
However, there are coupons to drop the price down a notch. I checked my local coupon packet that gets delivered weekly and found dogfish's 10$ off 30$ coupon. This does make the place much more affordable.
To end this review, I advise those who have not yet been here to ALWAYS bring a designated driver. Remember that ONE of these beers is enough to get you over the limit...so drive responsibly :)
Overall: 4.15 stars. -
Review from Preeti B.
Brooklyn, NY
10/20/2010
It's my own fault for coming on a bloody Sunday -- to my dismay, they were out of most of their drafts from a football-filled weekend. Bummer -maybe not? I ended up trying the pumpkin, which was pretty tasty. The wood-grilled chicken quesadilla is the perfect accompaniment to the fresh brew mastery. The crowd was pretty lively and the folks behind the bar was super friendly, attentive and gave tastes and good recommendations - just my kind of service!
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a great place to watch the game, grub and hang out with your pals. I'd definitely like to come back again and dive into those brews I missed last time... -
Review from Esther O.
1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dogfish is always great. I love that it's so nearby, and a great chill place with good food, good beer, and a nice atmosphere. Of course that atmosphere part might be helped by the fact that I seem to always end up there when it's snowing and I get to watch the pretty snow falling outside the windows... anyways.... :-)
I have never had a bad experience here. The service is always friendly and fast enough (I'm never in a rush here, so it seems at a nice chill good pace). The food is always fresh and tasty. And the beer is of course delicious. : ) Highly recommend going with a designated driver - some of the best beers are quite strong! For the vegans in the crowd, it's easy enough to eat here as they have a great selection of pizzas including a select-your-own-toppings option, so you can pick what you want and leave off the cheese.
Yum. Man. It's 9 AM and now I want Dogfish.... :-) -
Review from Colin D.
2/13/2011
This place is amazing. I pretty much get dinner here every time I'm in DC even if it's only for 48-hours. The atmosphere is nice: casual, busy and friendly but not overly noisy or annoying. The waitstaff is always well-informed and friendly.
The really stand-out thing though is that this place could stand only on its beer, but instead has fantastic food to complement their beers which are--in my opinion--the best on the east coast. I'm a huge beer connoisseur (read: snob) and since I live in Seattle, I get huge amounts of fantastic beer from the pacific northwest, but I still think Dogfish Head is my second favorite brewery. The World Wide Stout is amazing, the Bitches Brew is one of my top 3 beers I've ever had and the rest of their beers are always good or interesting and most of the time both.
But, that's not all they do. They could just serve a decent burger, maybe some fish and chips and call it a day. They'd probably still do great business. Instead, they have fantastic food. The bruschetta special we had the last time we were there was one of the best I've ever had. The Chesapeake pizza has actual lumps of crab meat on it combined with a delicious pesto, fresh tomato and asparagus. The chicken pesto pizza is maybe even better with caramelized onions onions and deliciously seasoned chicken.
The even better part is that it's not ridiculously priced. The normal beers are about $5-6 like you'd expect, the pizzas are $12 or so and can feed two with an appetizer. The rare and super strong beers are more expensive, but totally worth it and priced well in line with what you'd pay for a bottle of them in the store. The World Wide Stout is $14 for 12 oz, but it's 18% alcohol by volume and really should be drunk like an excellent bourbon.
Come here any chance you can. The beer is the best on the east cost. The food is fantastic even if it wasn't attached to the beer. -
Review from Cameron B.
Washington, DC
1/30/2011
Pouring bold hoppy beers with ingredients ranging from a product from every continent (Pangea) to the best darn pumpkin ale being brewed in the US, DHA does beer and American pub fare perfectly. I'm a huge beer fan, I like them straight forward and as complex as you can make them, so having a pub that sells one of my favorite American beers....on tap....is a blessing and a curse. After two of these beers you might have some trouble driving home. You are lucky because they also sell food. Brick oven pizzas, nachos, burgers and much more, the portions are huge to help you soak up the beer. There are three locations around D.C. but the Gaithersburg location is the closest to my work, tends to have a lot of locals and government workers from NIST during lunch, and can get pretty crowded for dinner with families coming to enjoy the food and friendly service, while mom and dad put one back!
I wish they would build these alehouses closer to metro stops, but maybe they are trying to discourage people from over indulging in these great beers! Enjoy in moderation but enjoy them often! Oh, and I didn't put America enough in these review...so...AMERICA! -
Review from Mark E.
Frederick, MD
3/9/2011
Great Beer!
Great Food!
Great Everything!
How can you not love this place?
