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Eleventh Street Lounge
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Lounges, American (New), Wine Bars [Edit]
1041 N Highland StArlington, VA 22201
(703) 351-1311
- Nearest Transit:
-
Clarendon Metrorail Station (Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5 pm - 10 pm
Thu 5 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 11 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Lucy's is a unique venue offering the best of a pool hall, sports bar and darts. We offer better than your average bar food, have tunes playing all… read more »
109 reviews for Eleventh Street Lounge
Review Highlights
"Also, the sweet potato fries are delish."
(in 11 reviews)
"The food is mostly small plates for sharing, with a few..."
(in 7 reviews)
"The lounge offers great food and beer selection."
(in 6 reviews)
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108 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle N.
Fairfax, VA
1/11/2012
Of the many, many, many, many, many, many times I've been out in Clarendon, I've never been to Eleventh Street Lounge. My friends and I found ourselves here recently after pregaming at Hunan 1 and in need of some dancing. Our usual haunts all had lines and it was a cold night, and Eleventh Street Lounge had no one outside (bad idea?). Bonus - there was no cover charge either! Unless there's a band playing, I hate that some Clarendon bars try and charge cover for a DJ. It's not a club!
Once inside, the bar is pretty narrow but we walked right through and headed downstairs to the action. The DJ was spinning great tunes - all songs that we loved - the MC was honoring all of our silly shout out requests, and it wasn't too hard to get a drink (and they were reasonably priced). They also had lounge seats around the perimeter of the room which I'm not sure are "VIP" but we were able to hang out and dump our stuff there without anyone yelling at us. It was crowded but not so obnoxiously crowded that I wanted to punch people for pushing me around.
My only issue with this place is the bathroom only has one stall for each sex (but two sinks in a bathroom for one???) so the line to get into the ladies' restaurant was quite long and took forever. -
Review from Jocelyn R.
Charlotte, NC
1/2/2012
LOVED this place!!! We went pretty early (9ish) and it was fairly packed, but we were still able to get a seat at the lounge upstairs. The atmoshphere was great, not too loud but not dead either. They have a pretty extensive cocktail menu, but I didnt try anything special, and just ordered a gin and tonic, which was defintely good. The bartenders were very friendly.
Around 10 or so, we ventured downstairs to the dancefloor, which was AWESOME. since we got there early, we got a table downstairs which was nice, but not necessary. Its a big dancefloor and theres plenty of room. The DJ was great, and played all of the songs we requested (LOVE DJs like that), but we were also the only ones dancing for awhile so that might have been why. It filled up around 11 or so, and the music was still good, but my only complaint was that the music wasnt near loud enough. We asked the bartenders what the deal was and I think one of the speakers was broken, so hopefully they fix that. Other than that, it was perfect. I will absolutely be back!!! -
Review from Emily L.
Arlington, VA
12/8/2011
I like this place, never eat there as of yet but it's a fun place to go out for a drink or two and it's usually not too crowded in there unless there's an event going on. No cover, nice furniture upstairs and random DJ and drunken dancing downstairs is always fun.
The downstairs bathrooms nasty and doesn't lock, so be prepared to get walked in on once or twice while your taking a pee lol.
Otherwise I like this place all around, careful not to run up a $100 tab with your boo, drinks are pricey. -
Review from Nina M.
Alexandria, VA
2/2/2012
My friend suggested this place for brunch once. The decor reminded me of a cheaply decorated studio apartment in a basement. Everything is grim and gray with run down couches and ikea chairs that seem more tasteless than "cool and worn in." I found the food to be overwhelming adequate.
Regretfully, I went here again this past weekend for brunch. For some reason only three tables in the entire "restaurant" were full, but we stood awkwardly at the front door for about ten minutes waiting to be seated. A waiter made eye contact with us twice and didn't bother acknowledging us or saying that we would be helped soon. We eventually left and I will not be back. -
Review from John M.
Arlington, VA
1/22/2012
On the last day of their Groupon, I visited the restaurant with a buddy. There was no maitre'd, only a harried waitress who directed us to two lounge club chairs. We switched to the bar and were tended to by a competent bartender.
The duck spring rolls were very tasty, the two mini-burgers (sliders) were like sirloin tips inside a tiny toasted bun (yummy), the sweet-potato fries were incredible, the peppered duna steak was amazing, and although the kitchen had run out of ribeye, they substituted filet mignon in its place, on the steak frites menu item.
The only downside was the wait. The ktichen was backed up for about an hour, so it was a good long wait. If they had comped us one of the apetizers, I would have given it 5 stars, but no luck. -
Review from Lea C.
11/9/2011
Apparently, there's some sort of cosmic bullshit happening this week that is making everyone have a chronically bad day. I am hoping that this is the cherry on the end of it and we can finally commence with the numerologic party that is supposed to come with 11/11/11.
We bought a Groupon for this place ages ago. Today, the bf started a new job in Clarendon and my friend was in town, so we wanted to go out for drinks and dinner in Clarendon after work. Just so happened that this Groupon was about to expire, so double yea.
The place is small and was easy to miss. Inside the seating was kind of sparse and filled with the $20 Ikea chairs I bought in college. The Groupon had weird restrictions, so we perused the menu to see what fit the parameters and ordered some drinks and our food. We were basically the only people there when it was early.
The three of us have different schedules and the cell service sucks in the DMV, so my friend let us know she was on her way a bit late--after we ordered. Despite fucking up our drink order, the waitress was generally attentive and nice about our request to have the kitchen fire our entrees late since we were waiting for our friend.
45 mins later our friend shows up, our meal is served, our friend orders a drink, and the waitress disappears. She forgets to bring silverware, etc. This is the point at which the night takes a turn for the ridiculous.
It has gotten pretty busy, so the waitress takes forever to do everything at this point. This is mildly annoying, but totally understandable when a place is busy, as it looks like she's the only one working tables. But it got progressively worse, until we have to start trying to find a way to flag her down that's not completely douchey -- go-go-Gadget Searing Eye Contact! This is the point at which she starts to get more obviously shitty. Whatever.
After waiting for like 20 mins for the opportunity to ask for a check, my friend mouths to her as she swoops by and I'm telling a story. She brings the check, I whip out the Groupon on my iPhone, and split the check as I have done countless times in my adult life: 1) circle and name separate totals for easy splitting (there are only 2 checks); 2) write Groupon number on check; 3) return to waitress. This is the point at which the waitress is supposed to say "oh you have a Groupon and you want to split the check! Okay, I'll go do that and be right back!" and then you say "thanks!" and now you know your actual total so you can tip on the whole check.
That is not what happened. What happened is that the waitress got shitty with me about not mentioning the Groupon when asking for the check (which I didn't do), then took my phone instead of the number and walked away for a super long time--long enough that I started to freak out about what she had done with my fucking phone--and came back without even having marked the Groupon as used. When she came back, she still hadn't split the check, so I did it again; she argued that she was incapable of doing math--I should add up the separate totals and walked away... Everyone at the table was fuming, but I obliged, thinking that the third time she would actually just go back to the computer and split the damned check. Nope. Brought it back a 3rd time complaining that my math wasn't right since I hadn't ADDED IN THE TAX and so she put the entire tax bill on one check. Gurrrrrl, NUH UH!
Things that are part of your job as a waitress: 1) taking my order; 2) checking on the order; 3) bringing the check; 4) dealing with the check. This whole scenario would have only been annoying had she not been shitty, but she was heinous, and that's what made us all livid.
She got no tip. Zero. I can name on 1 hand how many times in my life the service has been so bad that I didn't leave a tip. All of those times involved rude servers. I will put up with the food being bad, the wait being long, and my order being fucked up repeatedly, and still give you a decent tip. I will NOT pay you to be a bitch to me.
The 2 stars are for the food, which was okay. The plates were too small for the food such that it had to be stacked in a not-for-presentation manner, condiments came in take-out cups, and the fries came out of a bag, but the flavor was decent. The crabcake sliders were my fav of the night--the sauce served with them was great. My steak (which, as you know, I almost never order, but that Groupon had weird parameters and the selection was limited) was 2 oz smaller than stated on the menu and overcooked, but had a nice salad alongside it.
Needless to say, we won't be back. -
Review from Lou G.
Arlington, VA
1/30/2012
The Lounge is closed.
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Review from Clara L.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had brunch here a few sundays ago and it was amazing. It was crowded and with a party of 10 (and no reservations), it took a very long time to even get a table, let alone order anything. However when we finally got seated and food and beverages put in front of us, we were all very happy. I got the steak (ribeye) and eggs. Delish!
It appeared there was only a bartender and one waitress taking care of all the tables/customers. We made sure to leave a good tip for them, as the food was delicious and we understood why service was slower than we would have wanted. Despite the service, I would love to come back for brunch, esp since rumor has it that 11th is going to be closed and make way for condos in the future. sigh.... -
Review from Beth L.
Washington, DC
9/22/2011
On Wednesday nights, they have half-priced burgers.
On Tuesday nights, they have $1.50 tacos, and 2 glasses of wine for $3.00. I like Tuesday's better because it tends to not be crowded and is pretty quiet inside. It has a lounge atmosphere to it, and is a nice place to go to talk.
It has outdoor seating in front. It also has a private room downstairs with its own bar for private functions. -
Review from Uyen N.
Brooklyn, NY
10/13/2011
Disclaimer: this review is only for brunch.
Went there this past weekend. We ordered the steak and eggs benedict and the fruit salad.
Steak & eggs benedict: steak wasn't bad. BUT, the hollandaise sauce was congealed and refused to emerge from the plastic cup in which it was served. The egg yolk was cooked all the way through. So, my eggs benedict looked like hard boiled eggs with a side of mutant yellow cottage cheese.
Fruit salad: About half the melons were ice cold and the strawberries were about one day away from decomposition. Yummmm
Really disappointing considering how great the place is at night. -
Review from Lara R.
Arlington, VA
9/8/2011
4+
Went for a Wednesday evening early dinner and enjoyed half-off draft beers. They had an interesting selection beyond the usuals- delerium, flying dog, palm, chinay (unfortunately full price) and others.
It was half-off burger night, but we opted for three small plates: the tuna, the steak, and the crab sliders. All were great! Tuna was paired with a nice apple and champagne vinegrette salad and cooked perfectly. Steak came with some Delicious rice and grilled veggies. Nothing special to the crab sliders but they hit the spot.
This place exceeded my expectations. As others mention, the atmosphere does not prepare you for the delicious food - but it's always nice to be pleasantly surprised.
I'll be back again soon - with another http://restaurant.com deal - for sure! -
Review from Collin W.
8/14/2011
Four stars with respect to their Wednesday happy hours, which is the only context in which I ever have visited Eleventh, and which will likely be the only situation to consistently make me head back in the future. The place is, as others pointed out, a bit odd and seems kind of confused as to what it is trying to be. It's got the look of a place where they should be slinging PBR and hosing down vomit, but the prices and menu construction of a place that should have valet parking and velvet ropes.
Anyhow, Wednesday happy hour is a great deal and a great time. Half off all their burgers and almost all of their drafts, with both the burger menu and the draft list offering some interesting options. I had the chance to try the stuffed burger (filled with cheese, avocado, sauteed peppers and onions, and bacon bits, I believe) as well as the bratwurst burger (a burger with sliced brats, sauerkraut, mustard, and muenster cheese), and both were absolutely delicious. And with the beers deals, I'd be inclined to try enough pints to make up in sheer volume for the loss of margin they're getting on a per-glass basis.
That said, not sure I'd go in other contexts. If I want a ton of eclectic beers to chose from, there are better places. If I want high-end gastropub fare with matching prices, same deal. If I want a packed, loud place to go with friends late on a weekend night, there are other choices which are more attractive, But burger night at Eleventh will definitely be marked on my calendar once in a while. And, to be fair, I'd like to give the rest of their menu a try as well. If there's good value in it, it could become a regular destination. -
Review from Mattie C.
7/1/2011
This is an interesting place. We came here with a http://restaurant.com coupon, and at first thought the place seemed pretty shabby. It was dark and kind of hot inside the restaurant and not very attractive decor. We sat outside on the patio. We were also initially disappointed by the menu, which was small and didn't seem to have many choices.
However, once we picked our food all was well. I had two of their "small plates" which actually weren't small at all! Cobb salad was good but I think it had a little too much cheese on it, and the crab cakes were delicious. I was completely satisfied with just those two plates. Boyfriend got a really delicious-sounding burger with two pattys in it and piled with bacon, mushrooms and onions, and he also got one of the small plates, some kind of steak thing with a skewer. He LOVED the steak thing and thought the burger was pretty good though hard to eat. We were actually really pleasantly surprised and pleased with the food.
Our waitress was very nice, the patio was pleasant for people-watching and their beer list wasn't bad. I wouldn't have even heard of this place had we not had a coupon, but I am glad we went. -
Review from Crystal B.
Washington, DC
6/5/2011
All you need on a weekend morning is the mushroom waffle and $1 mimosas. Great brunch; can't comment on how this place is any other time of day.
For reference on what the crowd is like, watch the Arlington rap video on YouTube. Bro-tastic. -
Review from Edward D.
Arlington, VA
10/17/2011
I've seen better bars on windows. Nope. Nunca. Nyet.
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Review from Rosa V.
Arlington, VA
3/2/2011
This place sucked. Never going back. My friends and I waltz right in, the first floor looked boring, walked downstairs into the dungeon-looking level which was all dark and dim and people were just standing around to loud music. No dancing. They all looked bored as sh*t! No gracias! Again: Never going back!
The only entertainment was the drunk Asian woman with a pretty thick accent who was talking to my friend and I about some dude who almost entered the womens' restroom and headed to the mens' right after realizing what he almost did. Lol...
We headed straight to Clarendon Ballroom after that.Comment from Richard R. of Eleventh Street Lounge 3/31/2011
We are sorry to hear that your experience here was less than… More » -
Review from Jaye V.
1/22/2011
3.75 stars. I was never much for Clarendon at night, except for Iota when there was a travelin' singer/songwriter in town that I liked. Galaxy Hut and even Jay's Saloon is too crowded these days. It's unrecognizable if you compare it to the Clarendon I first met almost 11 years ago.
But I had a lot of fun in the basement of ESL last night, and solely for this I give it 4 stars. Everything's relative. True, the DJ played a lot of songs that are pretty much only played at gay dance clubs, but people were dancing super silly and not giving a s***. We saw handstands and weird strength/balance poses and Karate Kid moves and stripper girl dances. We had no choice other than to join in with the Kid 'n Play and the Hammer.
Nice environs too, considering that the downstairs is in a basement - and considering how low in pretentiousness ESL is. The downstairs bartender was also a lot better than the clueless girl upstairs -- good/quick service, and funny & cute to boot. If you ask for something that's girlie, he'll give you a shooter made of Three Olives Cherry vodka, amaretto, peach schnapps, a little pineapple juice, and a little soda. Delicious and potent, similar to a Red Snapper or an Alabama Slammer.
Kudos to the several girls who shook off the boat shoe wearing d-bags who walked in and immediately tried their Clarendon meat-market tactics on them. First girls they saw, they pounced. When that failed, they turned around and pounced on the first girls there. Thankfully they gave up and left soon after. ESL's one of the few non meat-market places in an otherwise meat-market area. It's probably the most fun I've had in Clarendon without a live (non-cover) band. Even on a Friday night, it wasn't crowded. -
Review from Kevin G.
Arlington, VA
3/3/2011
I've only ever been for Saturday/Sunday brunch.
Note - they stop serving brunch at 2:00p.
Street parking only, so I recommend Sundays to avoid the meters. Street parking is always hard to find though.
The mushroom waffle is to die for. The sausage waffle is to die for. If somehow you and a friend were to order one of each and then cut them in half and you each get half sausage and half mushroom... well, I really think that a portal to another dimension might open in your mouth. Maybe like Stargate, and it's a dimension filled with mystical wonders and pyramids and badass looking dog people and an androgenous alien and/or god and Kurt Russell and waffles from PLACES LIKE BELGIUM!!!
Ugh, why can't it be Sunday morning NOWWWWWWWWUH........
Anyway, it's usually pretty dead which is not an indication as to how awesome their brunch is. Because it's awesome, that's how! And can you beat $1 mimosas and bloody mary's? No, no you can't. The gods have spoken. Sure the bloodies taste like they're just made with regular tomato juice. Who cares! What do you expect for a buck, the produce aisle in a blender? If we have multiple bloodies and/or mimosas per person, they sometimes don't even charge us for all of them anyway.
There are also other items on the menu which I'm sure are delicious but I wouldn't fucking know because those waffles have me by the balls, I'M TELLING YOU.
EDIT/UPDATE:
Brunch is super crowded all the time. Now that it's springtime, all the fair-weather fans (you see what I did there) come out in droves and yuck it up on the couches for like 3 hours while you're standing there waiting, thinking to yourself, "You were f***ing done an hour ago. Quit nursing your lukewarm coffee and you and your friends skedaddle so I can get my Hollandaise fix." -
Review from Jess T.
4/6/2011
I had wanted to check this place out for a while, having driven past the polka-dotted exterior so many times that I had become curious. When I read on ArlNow that they were going to be closing soon, I decided to stop by. Apparently the whole block of businesses is being torn down soon so a high rise can be built in its place.
What an unusual place. Another Yelper described the decor as looking like "a craigslist furniture section threw up" in it and that describes it perfectly. Red walls, chandeliers, red velvet lounge sofas, mismatched furniture... but it has a garish, dive-y charm that I actually appreciate. Sometimes you just want to relax and not have to care about being in a fancy place. Sometimes you want to be surrounded by cheesy over the top stuff.
This place draws an odd crowd... people in their late 30s coming in for dinner and drinks. I went on Wednesday for the half priced burgers. They're HUGE and delicious, and the service was great. The long list of cocktails is impressive, but they're overpriced (they run from about $8-$13). Still, they're very well made.
If I had a lot of money and lived walking distance, I'd be here all the time. The parking situation sucks and the food is surprisingly expensive for the decor, but all in all I enjoyed myself and the food. -
Review from Dan B.
Arlington, VA
2/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was invited to an after-movie happy hour on a Saturday night through a professional organization. We were directed to the basement, which was a nice space for around 50 people. However, there was a DJ who didn't understand our collective tastes or an appropriate volume level. We were mostly there to talk shop instead of cutting loose on a Friday night. Not sure if it was the group or bar's choice to have him but be cautious if you're planning something where people actually need to talk.
The basement bar was full but without alternatives. They had maybe 3 kinds of whiskey and they tasted a bit watered-down. The gin supply was good with maybe 4 types of varying tastes. The prices did not match the mixing skill or plastic cups- not in a good way. If I'm drinking liquor, I want a real glass.
I'm betting the main level would fix all these problems but we weren't really welcomed there unless we were passing through to smoke or leave.
Overall, the location's too good to not try again. -
Review from Eric N.
3/21/2011
This is a review for this past friday night.
I came here to support my friend who is a resident DJ here (as well as Eden and Current). Upon coming, this place is TINY. The first floor was just a bar, nothing going on. The basement level is where my friend was DJ'ing at. Still pretty small. There was the usual Clarendon crowd there, all seemed pretty drunk and what not since I got there a bit late around midnight.
As far as the establishment itself, the basement definitely needs a change in decor and lighting. It feels like a dungeon. The bartender there clearly was a bit overwhelmed working by herself. Luckily I didn't have to pay for drinks but I tipped her well, so I can't speak on pricing.
If you like EDM, wait for DJ Mosel to come through. -
Review from Minhong Y.
Arlington, VA
9/11/2011
Food is good. Expensive though. The waitress is slow in service.
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Review from Jeein B.
Arlington, VA
8/3/2011
There is no way this place can go wrong. I live a block ( if it is one full block) away from this place and I was so sick of typical Clarendon Douchebaggish atmosphere and overcrowded bars on weekend nights.
One night, I started by waiting in line at the Clarendon Ballroom, some Ahole had a wedding on saturday night there so only the rooftop was open and line was SOOO long. I was annoyed so we proceeded to walk to Gurapos by the CourtHouse. At the Guarapos, I saw a middle aged gentleman wearing an undershirt with farm boy sneakers and I witnessed only two people that were in mid 20s. I walk out and walk all the way back to 11th st Lounge, thinking if this place sucks, I am going back home. Ive been to 11th st lounge several times just for some cocktails and small dishes, which I enjoyed very much. 11th st lounge not only has the best bartenders in Clarendon area who are funny and generous ;) and this is the place where girls can just dance our as*es off and have a great girls night out (while making fun of bad dancers of course)
After a long night of taking red headed sluts and jagger bombs there, we headed back to 11th street lounge for some brunch. We walked out satisfied, happy and almost drunk again from the $1 mimosas, all under $20 for two gals. -
Review from Cameron B.
Arlington, VA
11/24/2011
I have been here several times. Brunch was inexpensive with $1 mimosa's. I had the Steak and eggs. Loved it. I have been here at night. never had a hard time getting in, even when packed. Dancing was great downstairs. Great sitting in the patio at night. So, if you want to spend your night waiting in line, go next door. If you want to get in and have fun, this is the place for you. Tip the bartenders, and they will take care of you. This is my favorite neighborhood bar. Greg as the Bartender for Brunch, and Connor at night. Awesome.
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Review from Tyler G.
Washington, DC
3/17/2011
Most of the reviews here are on point, chill spot, good food and cocktails but I had a similar experience to another reviewer with getting double charged.
Came in with a $50 off coupon via http://restaurants.com which worked, except they added $50 to my check and then rang me up again for the orginal amount minus the $50 bucks.
So I have had a pending charge of $180 going on 2 weeks now. It is impossible to get anyone on the phone there and they don't return calls. Make sure to use a credit instead of a debit card and contact your bank ASAP to get the charge voided if this happens!
Good food and service are the only things that keep this from getting a 2 -
Review from Allison K.
Alexandria, VA
11/23/2011
We had a terrible experience here this week. Our server was very nice, but the management had very bad customer service. They were out of two of the three entrees on the menu and refused to substitute so that we could use our Groupon. We had traveled more than a half hour to get there, and so their offer to just come back another night didn't impress. I don't recommend going.
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Review from Joshua K.
Arlington, VA
3/3/2011
This is a pretty chill place... I've only been here twice though, once for drinks and once for a friends birthday party.
There are some appetizers you can get on the menu along with beer, wine, and cocktails. I'm not sure how crowded this place gets since the one time I went there for drinks, it was for Happy Hour. Maybe it gets more crowded in the evening.
This is the type of place you go to, have a few drinks, and decide what you're gonna do for the rest of the evening. -
Review from Whitney R.
Arlington, VA
7/12/2011
I went here for a friend's birthday; the event itself was fun with decent music and good drinks.
However, a few days later an unauthorized charge showed up on my debit card. I called repeatedly and left a voicemail; no one answered the phone or returned my message. I stopped by in person to ask for a copy of the receipt and spoke with someone I assume was a manager; he told me it would take awhile to track down but that they would follow up with me. I didn't hear anything from them, so I called and left another message a week later, which also went ignored. At this point (two weeks after I personally met with them) I've had to contact my bank to go after them.
I can see from other reviews that a lack of communication and unauthorized charges are par for the course here, so beware. They may have good food and drinks, but I went out of my way to be polite and cooperative in resolving this. Their complete disinterest in following up on a legitimate complaint--and their apparent disregard for honesty in handling their customers' money--is a major red flag.
I won't be returning, but I would advise that you use a credit card if you go as it is easier to dispute erroneous charges. -
Review from Angelika L.
Arlington, VA
6/22/2010
Cozy, yet romantic lounge in Arlington. Perfect for a first date!
The drinks here are pretty good and while the menu isn't that big, what they do offer is quite tasty. Good happy hours, too.Listed in: Great nightlife spots!
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Review from Maria S.
Washington, DC
9/20/2010
You probably wouldn't make a night out of coming here, but 11th Street Lounge is the kind of spot where you meet the friends for some drinks and maybe some sweet potato fries or sliders after work on a weeknight. It's also a spot you might drop into if you happen to be in the Clarendon area, and want to have some post-dinner drinks. Or perhaps you just need a drink to recover from the Orange Line into Clarendon at rush hour on a weekday, or the parking lot at Whole Foods?
Indeed, this one of those bars that seem to exist in all relatively young, pedestrian-heavy areas. The walls are painted dark red (why are the walls always red or purple in places like this?), the space is very narrow, it's lit with candles, and there is a set of somewhat tricky stairs (be careful, ladies in heels!) leading to the basement and top floor. On some evenings, they have free comedy shows downstairs with local acts or a DJ, and these acts are of varying quality. Service in the main area tends to be pretty attentive and drinks and eats are okay with a decent beer selection, but nothing that stands out. Prices are more or less in line with this young-professional neighborhood. As yelp says, 11th Street Lounge is not a stunner or a superstar, but it is A-Ok. -
Review from Jessalyn M.
Arlington, VA
11/14/2011
So, we had a groupon for this place and it was about to expire. It was 11/11/11 so we decided to keep with the theme and walk down here.
We only had to wait less than ten minutes to grab a table, but the place was crowded and noisy. It's a lounge atmosphere so there were tables and couches and no real order.
Our groupon was for one small plate and two entrees. The small plate we had was crab cake sliders. They were good but nothing spectacular. The problem with our groupon was that there are only 3 entrees to choose from. I even asked if I could order a sandwich instead since they were cheaper (meaning it would be better for the restuarant if they allowed us to buy a burger) but they insisted it had to be an entree. I had the medallions. The meat was cooked well and tender, but had WAY too much pepper on it. My boyfriend had tuna and felt the same way.
His beer was just as expensive as my wine. Maybe the specials were over?
Finally we got the check and my boyfriend showed the waitress the coupon on his phone. Instead of writing down the confirmation number, she insisted she had to take his phone. When she returned, without his phone twice, we asked for it and she seemed extremely nonchalant and unapologetic. It was crowded and a Friday night, so maybe the service is better.
On the receipt, there is a discount for brunch, maybe I will try it then to see if it's better then. -
Review from Julie M.
Ashburn, VA
5/17/2010
Eleventh Street Lounge ... you and me could write bad romance. Yes, I was only with you for a short time but I enjoyed every minute of it. Could it have been the strong cocktail? Yes. Could it have been the company I was with? Yes. Either way, I love you and I will return one day.
I was in Arlington on a typical Thursday night with a friend. Next door was crowded and loud, so we decided to ditch it and go some place a little quieter and mellow. Enter ... ESL. We sat in the front on the sofa-things. A nice waitress with the cutest pixie haircut came right over and helped us. What a change from the place next door where it was hard to get a beer at the bar even though I was wearing a rather low-cut top and the bartender was male (WTF?!). The drinks came very quickly at ESL and were delicious.
The place is lit by candles ... which is nice and sets the mood for whatever it is you want to do (flirt, bitch, break-up, etc.). I'm told there is a downstairs, but I didn't leave the cozy sofa-like-thing at the front.
Bottom Line ... Go. And, PS, by bad romance ... I meant BAD (as in MJ's Bad) romance ;) -
Review from Natalie H.
Arlington, VA
1/8/2011
I have only been here for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays-- my boyfriend loves the $1 bloody marys (ask for them extra spicy). They also have $1 mimosas available. The menu isn't huge but we have been there with many different people and all have found something appealing. I usually get pancakes or a waffle... The polenta is great as well. The mushroom waffle is a must-try.
The employees are all very nice although service can be very slow. But then again, who is trying to rush through brunch? -
Review from Vonetta Y.
Washington, DC
3/19/2010
This place is a godsend compared to the rest of Clarendon.
However, I am a bit of a District Snob, so I suppose that means I'm not always as fair and balanced as Fox News as a yelper should be.
Anyways, I met up with some of my old coworkers at Eleventh last night, and compared to some of the other spots we've hit up, I liked this one the best. For starters (and finishers, for that matter), they have EXCELLENT happy hour specials, and I do not mean $2 pisswater. Half price the house red and white, mojitos, cosmos, another cocktail I can't remember, and a couple solid draft imports, in addition to $6 sliders and a couple of other obscure foods one wouldn't normally have at happy hour. Then since it was Thursday, it was half-off nearly all speciality cocktails, too.
The sliders were tastylicious bits of sirloin on tiny sesame seed buns, and the cocktails were quite good. I was mostly impressed with the innovative combinations: I had a root beer float martini that was strong as all get out, probably 'cause the root beer gives it a little kick. I followed up with a mojito that was a bit too sweet for my taste, but was pretty potent.
There's certainly nice atmosphere. It's clean and dark, but they had the curtains pulled back from the huge windows, letting in ample sunshine. R&B hummed in the background and since the bar wasn't crowded, it was sooo nice to be able to talk without straining my lungs. Our server was rather perky, only she kept coming to check on us right when we were in the middle of an awkward story; one of those stories you only want your friends to hear, so that's why you've lowered your voice, but up she'd pop to see if we needed anything else, and we'd say, No, we're good thanks, and go back to telling our awkward story, now made more awkward by the fact that it was interrupted.
Point is, I quite liked Eleventh and I hope we can get back again soon. -
Review from Miriam W.
1/18/2008
When it comes to planning events, you might say I'm obsessed with the details. I want to know exactly where the food will be set up. I want to know which drinks will be in the hands of my guests long before they ever walk in the door. I want to know with certainty that the DJ will be on the decks, spinning before the first person gets crossed off the guest list. My head and moleskin notebook is always filled with endless lists that pertain to the details.
But because I don't mix the drinks, or spin the tunes, or cook the food myself, I have to put a lot of trust into others. And whether I'm expecting 50 guests or 250 guests, that's never easy to do. Thankfully, when I planned my latest event (which also happened to be my biggest to date) I was working with the consummate professionals at Eleventh Street Lounge.
Every single person I encountered at Eleventh, from the owner to the managers to the bartender to the guy checking IDs at the door, was hard-working, focused and friendly. They made sure the drinks were flowing, that the food was always replenished, that I always had everything I needed to make sure my guests were having a great time.
Thanks in large part to their dedication I was able to throw an awesome party.
But you don't have to take my word for it! Here are some comments from my guests: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
If you're looking for a unique space to throw an event, or just a Metro-accessible spot to grab drinks with friends after work, I highly recommend Eleventh Street Lounge. -
Review from IH K.
Portland, OR
4/2/2009
I came here slightly toward the end of dinner hours when the after hours crowd began to roll in. Personally, I thought this place is SO cuuuuuuute! I mean, they have a finding nemo themed martini made with hypnotiq. Disney + blue booze all wrapped into one dainty cocktail, need I say more?
The downside is that it's tiny and overpriced for the quality of anything you get. I happen to think it's a really intimate space that is great for snacks/drinks and conversation with a S.O. or a girlfriend - At least before the obnoxious music and crowd get thrown in.
-1 star for the arlington crowd. -
Review from Courtney R.
Arlington, VA
4/13/2009
A once-in-a-lifetime occurrence happened to me here Friday: I was housed by 8 p.m., complete with the spins.
Two of my coworkers suggested a last-minute happy hour, and since the weather was nice and we're sick of Old Town, we trekked to Arlington around 4:30 p.m. looking for a place that had an outdoor area (to both enjoy the weather and allow me to smoke it up).
One coworker's standby, the Ballroom, told us its deck wasn't open until next month. So we bailed and headed toward the Grill, his number two go-to, when I spotted ESL jr. and mentioned that I heard good music coming from there once when I was going out, for some ungodly reason, to the Grill. While we were trapped in a line with frat/sorors scrambling to get inside to relive their glory days of yesteryear rocking out to "Livin' on a Prayer," I urged my friend to try out ESL because the music was sounding right. Instead, however, we hopped in a cab and went to D.C.--even better.
Back to Friday. The three of us sat down to enjoy what was one of the happiest happy hours I've ever met--four hours long (well for booze, the food specials run for three hours, which is totally LOGICAL)! I tried the roasted olives and almonds--magically delicious. Tragically salty, but warm olives and hot almonds are among the tastiest morsels on earth, and since I didn't have the nut-allergic Welshie with me, I went to town. A companion tried the baby burgers and sweet potato fries--a mere $6--where the burgers were adorable and the fries were delicious (tried a few).
The kicker was they had half-price Delirium Tremens. ON DRAFT. Oh yes. Yes!! Wait, no... no!! It's 8:30, and I'm bent over a pubic toilet praying for a purge. We must have had about 30 of those, four of which we left on the table in fear and disgust. I demanded to be taken home, and was in bed by 9. Yikes/yay.
My new job is in Arlington, so ESL jr. will be one of my spots. As Oprah would say, that's one thing I know for sure. -
Review from Anna P.
Denver, CO
6/17/2011
$1 mimosas and bloody marys for brunch! The outside patio is great on sunny days, the inside is, well, loungey, and has plush couch seats. Most people don't know there's a basement, they used to have stand up comedy (for free) on Mondays, not sure if that's still going on.
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Review from Vishal S.
7/27/2010
This review is only for Happy Hour and comedy performance only - never had food here.
A-Okay place for happy hour and local comedy!
Beer selection is decent and service is much improved recently.
Will probably upgrade review soon if the service stays consistently better :) -
Review from Angel W.
Updated - 2/7/2011
Eleventh Street has so much potential but the blase' management and staff are running it into the ground! The restaurant does not open until 4 or 5 pm each day. They take reservations, but half of the time the answering machine does not work and they do not return phone calls. My girlfriends and I were trying to make ressies and there were two of us who called non-stop for a week. No returned calls. Finally someone picked up and said they were just about to call me (sure). We even double booked the reservation by accident and they still didn't have our name on file when we arrived. How incompetant! Service is super slow. Wine is on the more expensive side. It was still $8 a glass even during happy hour.
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8/13/2010
Eleventh is one of the better places to grab dinner in Arlington. It has its downsides too. A… Read more »
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