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Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
3200 Mt Vernon Memorial HwyAlexandria, VA 22309
(703) 780-0011
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 3:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 8:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I also had to try the bread pudding."
(in 5 reviews)
"And the fried green tomatoes appetizer - just like mama..."
(in 2 reviews)
"...nerd was excited by the colonial interior and the waitstaff..."
(in 6 reviews)
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Alejandra A.
Miami, FL
10/14/2011
Too bad the service was a little on the slow side...otherwise this place would have taken all 5 stars.
I had the ham and cheese sandwich, simple but very flavorful. That ham was killer! I also had to try the bread pudding...of heavenly piece of yummy goodness.
Love that the place mats show different things related to GW and love that the staff is in full plantation gear.
Not bad for what usual museum food places offer. -
Review from Mark M.
Arlington, VA
12/20/2011
After a day of touring the estate, we really needed some refreshments. Food court wouldnt do it for us. Came into the Inn and sat at the bar.
The bartender, Tina was awesome. She was great to talk to and super friendly. We had a couple glasses of wine along with the pot pie and turkey club sammie. Great food served up crazy fast. And the tavern chips...you gotta go just for those. Tina said they are made in house everyday. We took an order home with us.
The atmosphere is pretty neat. It does have that old time colonial feel to it, neat old creaky wood floors and all the staff wears period clothing.
A very nice experience with simple yummy food. -
Review from Megan M.
6/6/2011
Hunger is the best spice.
Even so, I think the food at Mount Vernon Inn would be pretty darn tasty without the nine mile bike ride up from Alexandria.
As it was, we were ravenous, and just weren't feeling "food court food".
So in we walked for lunch one particularly beautiful Saturday. Though MV proper was a mob scene of field trips, the restaurant was pleasantly busy without being packed.
The Hubs started off with a few beers, Mount Vernon Harvest Ale's to be exact, which were smooth and had a nice roasted flavor. I sized up the Mint Julep's; but ultimately decided on seltzer. Heat + Exercise+ Libations + National Monument = I shudder to think.
We started with friend green tomato's, which were served with (I'm told) homemade tomato sauce and herbs from the garden. Charming, whether or not its true. (I like to think it is, and I did visit lettuce and basil growing right outside later that day. ) They were awesome, and came with house made rye bread crackers that I've been dreaming about. I may have to write in, old school Gourmet Reader's Request style, to see if they'll share. (Ruth, I miss you!)
I had a Tavern salad which was a crispy and filling version of a chef's salad; supposedly with more garden greens. Came with amazing corn muffins. DH had a turkey club and the house made chips. They went dangerously well with his ale, and I may have snagged a few for myself.
I'll second the reviewer that said it felt a lot like the William Penn Inn. Sure, there were kids drinking Coke, and the menu isn't exactly authentic, but I wasn't complaining about that or the anachronistic air conditioning. The view of the property was fantastic, the food was tasty; and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Refreshed and renewed for the rest of our visit at Mount Vernon.Listed in: On the Road Again...
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Review from Damon B.
Washington, DC
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've eaten at the restaurant once. It was okay, not great. I was especially unhappy with the peanut soup which tasted like watery peanut butter. While I'm concerned that my expectations were out of line with the soup, the other food we had was actually pretty good. I also thought the service was excellent. If you are in the area, it's a fine place to grab a bit to eat.
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Review from Trishia P.
Long Beach, CA
7/8/2011
Out of all the choices on the property (the food court), I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat at the Mt. Vernon Inn.
The food here is the typical American comfort food. I had the Root Beer, it was a little flat. But for lunch I had the grilled salmon, veggies, mashed potatos and crabcakes. The crabcakes were really good. Lightly fried with a nice crunch exterior.
The wait was a little long that day since there was a wedding party in the other dining room but the staff was really courteous.
The inn itself is modelled after an old inn, with china pattern print wall paper and George Washington era furniture. Its nice and has that American charm.
If I ever get a chance to visit again, I hear breakfast is nice. -
Review from Marina V.
Los Angeles, CA
8/1/2011
I've been to Mt Vernon twice within last 2 years, and have eaten at their
restaurant twice as well. Their bread pudding is fabulous. Had a bourbon/fresh mint/sweet water drink (Mint Julip I think it was called) - it
was yummy.
And the fried green tomatoes appetizer - just like mama used to make (if I had a mama who cooked southern food, that is). :)
Really great place!! Love it!! Hope to be back for the 3rd time! -
Review from Dana Z.
I grew up very near a place called William Penn Inn. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Always went there for very special occasions. Pricey menu. So when I first found out about Mt. Vernon Inn, I think I subconsciously figured it was an expensive restaurant. It wasn't until I saw a Living Social deal for the restaurant and checked out the menu that I realized it's a totally affordable, every day kind of restaurant. And what's special is that the rooms are decorated as if you are sitting in a room from the 1800's. The rooms really are lovely. And they all have fireplaces, which is especially nice in the winter months.
I came here for lunch, which doesn't take reservations. We got there around noon, and it wasn't crowded. However when it was time to leave, around 1 or 1:30, there was a line at the hostess stand.
I love the drink menu here. I had the hot cider with brandy. They also had coffee with hazelnut liqour and other fun things like sparkling cider.
I do have to mention that two people at my table had gotten the brunch special which was banana nut french toast with eggs and sausage. SOOOOO GOOOOOD! If you are here and see this special on the menu, it's very good and you should get it!!
The menu is great and there is a lot to choose from. Many tables brought their children here and they have a special kids menu to choose from.
Now that I know this isn't the kind of restaurant that you have to get all dressy and save your pennies for, I will probably be back very soon.
Funny enough, my friend and I both tried to "check-in" here and it wouldn't let us. It said we were too far to check in. But as soon as we walked out of the restaurant and tried again in the gift shop, it worked.Listed in: Don't Stalk Me
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Review from April J.
Lorton, VA
10/26/2011
i went for lunch not knowing what to expect since it is an Inn attached to the gift shop. Service was prompt and the turkey sandwich was great. A generous portion of fresh hot sliced turkey with bacon, swiss, lettuce and tomato on a toasted ciabatta roll with secret sauce (russian dressing) served with homemade chips for about $10. Definitely better than the last turkey sandwich i had at another restaurant. Will check this place out for dinner and hope it's as good as lunch. And since it will be after 5pm, I will try the pumpkin martini too.
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Review from Victoria N.
Frederick, MD
2/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pros:
-Nice ambiance with the historical building, historical clothes and big fireplaces.
-Great menu, it was hard to decide what to eat.
-Amazing food, I wish I did not fill up so fast so I could try what everyone else ordered!
-Good prices for the quality and quantity of food
Con:
-Your boyfriend playing with all the noisy kids' toys at the gift shop. -
Review from Jessenia G.
Alexandria, VA
10/8/2011
I had my wedding here almost two years ago and I was extremely pleased with the service, the food, the price, and how wonderful they were to me. I had met with Matthew Heis and also with Lene Stauffer and both were able to answer my questions and help me throughout the wedding preparation (deciding on the best sauce for the food, the right vegetable to go with the course, ways to save on the alcohol, food for my vegetarian friends, etc). Matt was also there on the day of the wedding and was attentive and helpful. He introduced himself to my parents, godparents, and let me know it was time for the pictures.
As far as the food, I couldn't be more pleased with the food I ordered. I had my hubby pick the Grilled Salmon with a sauce recommended by Matt (can not remember what it was but it was sort of a tangy taste), and I chose the Petite Filet Mignon with Crab Cake so we could both share the two different plates we ordered (yes, I couldn't decide which one to go to, so we shared!). They were both delicious!
I hardly ever post on yelp but I am planning a trip to Mount Vernon and remembered how wonderful they were to me. I give them five stars because they, along with all the waiters and staff made my wedding be so memorable. So if you are looking for a place to get married, I definitely recommend this place! The food, the service, and the ambiance made it so memorable. I still have friends coming to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the wedding and how much they loved the waiters in their colonial uniform. :-) -
Review from Kathleen M.
Frankfort, IL
1/14/2011
Historical Costumes?
Great food near a wonderful Historical Site?
Yes please!
I had visited Mount Vernon as a child and loved it so I brought my own children there. This visit was just for adults and it was the best one yet. The new Visitors' Center and this restaurant made for a magnificent day.
Plus, in full disclosure mode, I do like to pretend I actually lived in colonial times, it's my Williamsburg fantasy, and this restaurant satisfied this illusion perfectly.
I wouldn't have even cared about the food, they had me at historical costumes. All of us tried different entrees, all delicious, the service was superb and the fantasy? Priceless.
If you go to visit Mt. Vernon this completes a perfect day. (Well this and the cute Cherry themed tea set but that's a different review.)
I cannot tell a lie, you will love it.Listed in: Vacation in DC area
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Review from Laura D.
Gaithersburg, MD
3/27/2011
The food is reasonably priced but not great. Our potatoes and vegetables came out cold, so we returned them. In return, we got some luke-warm potatoes and vegetables. Yum?
For a family of 5, our bill was less than $60, before tip. I thought that was good for the atmosphere and great server. Don't go for the food, unless bland and under seasoned is your preference. But, do go if you're already visiting Mount Vernon. -
Review from Casey K.
12/21/2010
My boyfriend surprised me one night and took me here during Christmas. We were both pleasantly surprised with how good our meal was, how WONDERFUL our service was, and how relatively inexpensive it all was. We started off with the fried brie (how could you not?) and the hoe cakes with cornmeal, crabmeat, and ham - both were fantastic. Our waitress recommended a good bottle of wine (only $38) and I had the turkey dinner - which was just average, but the peanut stuffing was very tastey and the bf got the steak, which he said was fantastic! For dessert we split the peppermint ice cream/ chocolate cake roll up which was also delicious!
Great date spot! -
Review from Caitlin C.
Reston, VA
3/28/2011
Like many reviewers recently, I bought a deal off of Living Social and redeemed it the other day ($20 for $40 to spend on food).
When we walked in for lunch, my boyfriend and I were delighted to see the historic restaurant theme the waiters wearing colonial outfits. I felt like I was at the American Adventure in Epcot again...until we were sat right next to the kitchen entrance where we could hear the staff bicker about random crap. And unfortunately right across from us they had this tacky room separator (think 1970's elementary school gym partition) that kept us from looking outside at the beautiful spring view. Sigh.
The drinks were overpriced...$2.75 for a tiny champagne glass full of sparkling cider (not anything made special, just the grocery store kind), $3.00 for hot tea (it says they have "Specialty Teas" to choose from but I just got some off-brand crappy tea), etc. The pecan pie dessert looked and tasted like it was off the grocery store shelf. It's really strange because they sell so many specialty food and drink items in their gift shop, so why not offer them in the restaurant? I think the only things on the menu that were made at Mt Vernon were root beer and regular beer.
The meal itself was pretty good -- they offer huge portions for a decent price. I got the salmon cakes, which were packed full of real salmon. It came with huge helpings of veggies and sweet potatoes, and cornbread. The veggies were a bit mushy and flavorless but the sweet potatoes rocked. My boyfriend got the shrimp and scallops which he said were good as well. I saw some other tables get the ham sandwich and dang did it look good (and I don't even like ham!).
So overall, I think it would be a neat place to eat lunch if you're visiting the estate to get the whole experience -- but I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to eat here normally. -
Review from David O.
Walnut Creek, CA
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Prices are pretty cheap, at least as compared to food prices in San Francisco. That said, the lunch I ate here was pretty bland and won't leave any long-lasting joyful memories. The Fried Green Tomatoes were everything but fried and sliced way too thick. As far as the sausage cassoulet, I didn't find it all that good either. The only thing I can really compliment these guys on is the very reasonable prices.
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Review from DM J.
Alexandria, VA
10/13/2009
I should have written this review ages ago. We had our wedding reception at the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant way back in July 05. I wasn't a bridezilla and let my mom do all the planning. When she told me this was the best deal in the Northern Virginia area, I believed her. My only issue, when I met with the catering manager, was the colonial garb. I grew up in the Alexandria area and am not unfamiliar with the colonial fascination, but I wanted no part of it. I asked if the servers could wear alternate attire but was told we'd have to pay for it. I decided to suck it up, provided that the host on duty that day, were he to be a server at my wedding reception, remove his eyepatch. The whole colonial pirate thing really didn't work well.
The catering manager promised me I wouldn't even notice it on my wedding day. Well, I noticed the garb, but what I didn't even take into consideration was how friendly the staff is. They did an amazing job. The restaurant is a unique space for weddings because it has multiple rooms, not one big place. But that made it feel homey and fun and my friends all said the food was the best wedding food they'd ever had. The pictures turned out especially well because of all the beautiful colors and paintings on the wall--no need for special lighting. And of course it was the best wedding I've ever been to.
Bottom line: this place has really good food, and if you're thinking about having a wedding reception in Northern Virginia, you really should consider it. The drive down the GW Parkway is an added bonus. And the staff/manager really know what they're doing. If I could give it 4.5 stars I would. The .5 star deduction is only because of the colonial garb and of course I realize it's a theme. Thanks, Mt Vernon Inn, four years later! -
Review from Jessica P.
La Mesa, CA
8/20/2010 3 photos
The good: The service is extremely attentive and friendly. Food comes out piping hot. The restaurant itself is delightfully built and decorated. We wanted just one meal to share and our server made sure we had big portions (which I didn't actually want, but assume most people would).
The bad: The food is just not THAT good, for a fancy restaurant. We had the fried chicken which wasn't that moist, the corn biscuit was also fairly dry, the beans looked like they came from the freezer and weren't seasoned much (squash was okay). The highly recommended bread pudding was boring, not tasty, and most of it stayed on our plate.
Compared to the food court, I would still eat here...but don't let your expectations get ahead of you :) -
Review from Go K.
Fairfax, VA
12/10/2009
Date Attended: Wednesday, 12/09/09
Came here for a company holiday party. Started off having some muchroom, crabmeat, and cracker hors d'oeuvres. Not bad.
For lunch I had a biscuit, salad, petite filet mignon, and bread pudding. Everything tasted good, although I wasn't a big fan of the bread pudding. Didn't taste bad, just not my cup of tea.
All in all, what wins it for me was the service. The servers were really attentive and nice. Presentation and decor were good too. -
Review from Will C.
Alexandria, VA
3/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Nice ambiance with very friendly and efficient service. Good for a romantic quiet dinner. For the price the food is just okay. The steaks are cooked to order perfect but the sauces they use are not that good. I would recommend getting the steak without the sauce (which is how you should eat a steak anyway). I would also recommend calling for a reservation, most of the time they are not that busy but if they had a lot of people visiting the estate that day it could get crowded. If you factor everything in, overall it's a good place to eat if you are looking for a little nicer restaurant with a great atmosphere.
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Review from Andrew L.
Emerald Isle, NC
3/7/2011
Not that it was bad, but it definitely wasn't good/great. What it has going for it are affordable prices (most entrees ~$15-20), and.... that might be it. Service is okay (kept forgetting to bring hot water), ambiance is nice (candlelit).
BLUF: Hearty and generous portions but not the best. -
Review from Chris D.
Centreville, VA
10/2/2010 2 Check-ins Here
The service here is top notch. The food can be hit or miss. I went here for lunch, I got a chicken salad sandwich and was not disappointed. My coworker got a ham sandwich and was not impressed. The atmosphere here truly makes the meal worth it. I have been told the turkey pye is worth a few trips.
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Review from Jessica L.
Wauseon, OH
7/19/2010
The wait staff was outrageously friendly. We were there just after the lunch rush, and our waitress was still in a delightful mood. The food was good too. I had the "Colonial Turkey Pye" which was good, but not out of the ordinary. The bread pudding was delicious however. Very tasty.
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Review from Joseph S.
Burlingame, CA
6/9/2010
Good place to go after spending the afternoon at Mount Vernon. It is located right at the entrance to Mount Vernon. Waiters dress in period clothes and the restaurant has an old musty smell and decor to it to put you back in time. Food was okay. Nothing spectacular but nothing disappointing. Prices were a little expensive, like what you would pay at a big hotel restaurant. Good idea to make reservations in advance. Mount Vernon closes at 5:00, so a 5:30 or 6 PM reservation would be just perfect.
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Review from RD P.
Springfield, MO
6/5/2010
Food was great! Atmosphere was just what you would expect being at George Washington's home. We ate there for lunch and it was really good. Our entire family loved it. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could on yelp. Dessert was also very good.
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Review from Jason B.
Washington D.C., DC
2/28/2011
visited for lunch on a sunday. perhaps expectations should have been lower but 4* on yelp had me thinking the food would be good, not just passable and bland. costumes were cute, service was good, and prices were reasonable . but the food? meh
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Review from Theresa C.
Naperville, IL
8/5/2009
Back in the day, I had a thing for George Washington. No, it wasn't like that. He has always been one of my favorite US Presidents. So what better way to celebrate the man than a trip to Mount Vernon. After touring the grounds, my tummy was ready for dinner. Instead of grabbing the regular cafeteria style garbage, I decided to try something a little more authentic (or as "authentic" as it can be because we know 18th century America did not accept American Express). And thus, I entered the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant. My inner history nerd was excited by the colonial interior and the waitstaff in period clothing. I ordered the Chicken with Dumplings, along with the peanut soup. I must say, it was delicious! And I'm coming out and saying it: It ranks up there as one of the best meals I have ever had. Every now and then, I still dream of that soup. So good, so creamy and so tempting to take a plane from Chicago to DC just to eat some more.
