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"I've had people look at me funny when I say that Houston's is one of my favorite restaurants (the same look people gave me when I said I…" read more »
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Yummy brunch, cozy clean interior.
I came here for a sunday brunch outing with fellow yelpers and I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was inside and the nice selection of tasty brunch items.
When I heard the words tavern I expected some place with dark wood and dirty floors sticky with beer. I was pleasantly surprised to walk in and find a modern looking place that was quite spacious.
The buffet was great. I was impressed by the wide selection although I was saddened that some of the things ran out like french toast (I was a bit late though). Things that stood out were the apple pancakes, the pasta carbonara, and the glazed sausage.
All in all a good place, I look forward to trying their other selections!
:::Happy Hour Review:::
Get there early. Good selection of wine that is half off from 4-7
Had one of the pizza's which was excellent. Staff was friendly but very busy. I would definitely go back for happy hour, but will bring ear plugs next time.
Two things happened after I left a kick ass brunch UYE at Liberty Tavern on Sunday.
1. I unbuttoned my pants (b/c I was full...not in the sexy way. geez, ya'll) and
2. I put Liberty Tavern into my GPS as a "favorite"
My inner demons don't regularly allow me to graze buffets. The thought of little fingers touching all the pancakes and cookies prior to my arrival makes me nervous and nauseous. However, I made the exception as The Tav (it's so good it gets a nickname) had minimal rugrats and constantly refreshed food.
The best items I scarfed were the tart apple pancakes, the cheesy potato gratin, the vinegary pasta primavera, and the just plain old scrambled eggs. I would probably pass on the frittata and the french toast in the future. Both were dry and flavorless.
Service here was freakin amazing. Our waitress was sweet and split all our checks out individually. The host (manager?) was so friendly and accommodating of our roller coaster attendee counts.
I'll be back. Hopefully with more of the fantastic Yelp crew!
Yummers!
I joined the gang for a brunch UYE yesterday and was rewarded with a great meal. Liberty Tavern has a tasty brunch featuring everything from breakfast foods to pizza with lots of things in between.
I started with a round of savory food, and grabbed some of their pizza to go along with some sliced meat, eggs and cheesy penne pasta. The pizza here was quite good; definitely worth coming back to get for dinner. The first pizza I tried was their "Vermont," featuring cheddar cheese, prosciutto, onions, and Granny Smith apples. Then they rolled out a "Classico," which had tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella and basil. Both were really tasty and a treat to have for brunch.
I then attempted to get some sweet breakfast foods, but the only thing left was the very thin apple pancakes. They were good enough, but I was really hoping to try the French Toast. Why would they run out of something like this before brunch was over?
The theme of not replenishing things that ran out carried over to the dessert table. I would have liked to try a piece of the chocolate cake, but had to settle for a brownie and a couple of M&M cookies. The only other thing on the dessert table was candy, which was a fun idea, but hardly a practical dessert.
But I will surely try this place again, because it was definitely a cut above the usual brunch buffet and was a decent price to boot!
I came here for a work happy hour and didn't think it was too bad. Granted, it was quite a packed night (Thursday) but since the food and booze were free, I figured what the hell.
The servers were great - I can't remember the one who actually hugged me in apology when she got my beer wrong but I'll take it (now if I could just remember her name, I'd mess with her mind and make her think she got other things wrong on subsequent orders). The food wasn't bad either - but nothing to sing about. We had a lot of the margherita pizza with basil. Always a good choice but hard to screw up.
I'm not in the Clarendon area much since I'm no longer in my 20s but hey - if I had to come back, I guess this place wouldn't be bad to visit again.
Liberty Tavern is my go-to place in Arlington
Everytime I have dinner at Liberty, I am impressed on a number of levels.
1. The depth of menu. If you're not looking for the whole nine yards, there's flatbread pizzas and a couple of good sandwich choices.
If you are having the works, the choices for first courses and entrees is consistently strong. Don't get me wrong, it isn't Cheesecake Factory...with pages and pages of mediocrity. But the choices Liberty seem to all sound good. And the ones I've had were very good.
2. The setting. If I were younger, downstairs would be very appealing. Always full. Always buzzing. Lots of energy. Upstairs is just so simple and well-done. The interior design compliments the architecture. The seating is intimate without being crowded (for the most part, thought the end overlooking the stairs can get a bit tight).
3. The wait-staff. Always top-notch.
Bottom line: I think the combination of a strong menu that is extremely reasonable along with a sophisticated atmosphere make Liberty one of my favorite Arlington haunts.
Went here for the first time in early November with some friends. Liberty had a great Happy Hour and the draft beers on the hh list were very good. Had a small pizza and was surprised that it was actually very tasty. I think this was some of the best service I have gotten in a crowded bar during happy hour in a long time. Will definitely go there again next time I'm in Arlington, Va,
okay... been negative enough on my reviews today. time to bust out the happy happy joy joy side.
perhaps i shouldn't have puffed prior to heading here this past Saturday... but after this past experience, Liberty deserves to be bumped up to five stars.
the mate and i came here w/ our neighbors for brunch. well, that's what we thought. brunch is only for Sunday. and after hyping it up as much as one could to our friends, we were all pretty disappointed. however, since we were already there, decided to have lunch anyway since it would be a new experience for all of us (i've only ever had brunch there).
ordered an extra spicy bloody mary right off the bat. one of the better ones i've had in awhile, too. sucked down that bloody mary within two mins so ordered this cocktail named 'the pursuit of happiness'. it worked. i was a happy mofo after one sip. so i ordered another one. vodka, strawberry, pineapple, and basil equals freaking yummy.
ordered the creamy parsnip soup as my app and scallops w/ lentils for lunch. it was all perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious. did not want to be done. but was so full, couldn't even fathom dessert... and i almost always get dessert.
not only is their food very good, their service is top notch. every single person working there was on top of their game and super friendly.
did i mention they even played a Tribe Called Quest song while we were there? way to capture a sista's heart.
this joint has prob become my fave go to spot in Arlington that is semi-affordable.
if you're white, go here. because this here be some white people food.
met up w/ awesome NY yelper,…
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"Where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came."
Seriously, the bartenders here are the best. They always remember you and know how to treat a customer.
Bar review: Can be very crowded Thurs-Sat, but that is what happens when you're at an awesome bar. The Industrials are amazing! Just be careful, they are deceivingly strong.
Restaurant review: Fried squid is delicious.
Though I no longer live in the DC area, I thought I'd review this place because I'm feeling saucy. Someone below wrote that there should be two reviews for Liberty Tavern - one for the restaurant and one for the bar. Totes agree, so here it goes.
The restaurant is actually very nice and very anti-Arlington: mature, sophisticated, but still relaxed and a bit playful. Love the lobster mac as well as the seasonal cheese plate and wine selection.
The bar is Arlington at its worst: over-grown frat boys. You might think that the regular frat boy scene is the worst, but ohhh no, when they're in their late 20s, 30s and are still stuck there? Eek. And it's packed full of them quite tightly.
The last time I went there, the bartender gave my credit card to someone else. I was sort of pissed, obviously, but let it slide because everyone is allowed a mistake here and there. I just put my card on hold and hoped the person with the similar last name as mine would return it to the bar. Luckily Clancy did, and the next morning I went over to retrieve it. I talked to the bartender and he called over the manager, telling him that "this girl left her card behind last night". I corrected him saying, "actually, I didn't forget it, the bartender gave it to the wrong person", because I am responsible, dammit!
His response? Not "I'm sorry about that" not "I'm so glad it was returned" but . . .
"(snort) semantics".
SEMANTICS! I won't be going there again. Not semantics. I can get good food elsewhere.
On a good day, there will be a few people at the bar, attentive, friendly bar tenders (who may even comp a beer or two), and terrific comfort food. On a bad day, there will be an overflow of oversexed alpha males who feel the need to scream at the tops of their lungs in order to be heard (something like "HEY BARTENDER! I GOT A BIG ORDER FOR YA!" True story). And then continue to scream even though they're two feet away from their buds. In other words, the place turns into a sausage convention. Not as obnoxious as Mister Days or Whitlow's, but close enough.
There is an outdoor seating area, but it's so close to Wilson Boulevard that you may be risking life and limb sitting out there (especially after a certain hour on Friday or Saturday nights).
In a nutshell, Liberty Tavern is hit or miss. Get there early enough, and you'll do fine. Once the sharks are out, watch out.
Spent last St. Patty's at this pub/tavern. The bartender was legit with what seemed to be an Irish accent. Great selection of beers, and a cougar aged crowd make this the spot to finish off your bar hopping night. Haven't really tried the food. My cousin gave me a bite of his pizza topped with arugula and it was delicious. Either that or I was super hungry? Worth a try!
One of my favorite bars in Arlington. LT has a bit of an older crowd which is good if you want to get away from the frat boy scene that spews next door at the Ballroom. On a busy weekend, LT is usually packed to capacity making it hard to get a drink. There is one long communal table in the middle of the bar which makes for fun random conversation with strangers. On the 1s and 2s you will hear everything from Biggie to Billy Joel. They have outdoor seating, so in the Summer, it's fun to sit outside and watch the crazy Clarendon scene unfold. Good times.
So I think there should be 2 different listings for Liberty:
Liberty Tavern: The Restaurant (4 stars); and
Liberty Tavern: The Scene (3 stars).*
*Trademarked by moi.
Liberty Tavern: The Restaurant - The food is really damn good. Creative, fresh, Italian-inspired entrees, apps, and brunch. The mussels are delicioso, the classico and sausage pizzas are the bomb, and their wine selection is great. For dinner, go early and sit upstairs or outside or come on a Monday and sit in the lounge-y area. The brunch was really good but there is never enough seating and always a long wait on the times I have been.
Liberty Tavern: The Scene - The first floor is my go to place if I want to have drinks in Arlington and be somewhat low-key (definitely attracts an older crowd from the mid-20s up). The place starts to get packed around 10pm and it does get unbearable crowded and with the island in the center, getting to the bar can be hard. The drinks are overpriced in my opinion ($16 for a glass of mediocre wine???) but I keep coming back. If I had to choose a neighborhood bar it would be Liberty Tavern: The Scene.
Visiting Arlington for the first time, I had no idea rolling into this joint would lead me to interact with a clamoring cast of characters.
Allow me to introduce...a few of the characters:
*a group of wasted young married swingers who were groping each others spouses inappropriately all night
*two meatheads who looked like they bench pressed each other at the gym
*a napolean complexed italian-stallion-wannabe who hit on everything with a rack with the same creative line, "You look like someone I know.."
Characters aside, the major misstep of this place is the jerk-bartender (one w/ a goatee) charged the DD (me) $2.50 for a coke... as if it wasn't punishment enough to be sober in this joint...
I'd actually give it 3.5 stars but I'm low-balling it.
Pros: Interesting selection of food. From Fries and Quasi-gourmet pizza to Scallops with Squash wrapped around it. Beer is on tap and servers and waitstaff are prompt and polite. Upstairs atmosphere is classy and kinda like a colonial bar.
Cons: I thought it was a little on the high side for appetizer, salads, and entrees. Not too pricey, just a couple of bucks more than you'd want to pay (maybe $3-5 more).
What my group had,
Fries: Standard, sprinkled with either chives or parsley, it was your standard basket of fries. It was good.
Scallops with Squash: Presentation was good, my buddy said it was alright.
Pork chops: they recommended medium rare but they cooked it medium. The sauce was good, the pork chops were good but the waitress touted that they were the best ever. I thought they were good not great. The side was corn and potatoes in cream. They were good a little on the heavy side but no surprise there.
Pizza with Sausage Topping: I didn't taste it but my friend didn't really state it was good or bad. Hence I put it at average.
Overall it was a good experience and I would probably go back here if I didn't have an idea of where else to go. It's a safe bet for food and atmosphere but it wasn't definitely a 4 or 5 star rating.
OK, this review is only for lunch. Just based on the neighborhood, I can only imagine what this place is like after 10 PM on a weekend. *shudders*
But the food is quite good. A co-worker and I have made our way up the hill for lunch a couple of times, and we were both impressed with the food and the service. And they can easily get you in and out in an hour if you're on a tight schedule.
On my first visit, I had the pizza with blue cheese, apples and bacon. The crust could have been crispier, but the flavor was there. My friend got the lunch special, which is a burger, fries and a pint (I think there are about 5 beers you can choose from for this special) and was really pleased. A good deal for $10.
On visit 2, I had the Maine lobster roll. A little heavy-handed on the mayo, but the lobster was fresh and sweet, and the fries were nice and crisp. My friend had the scallops, which were served over a summer succotash, and she raved about it.
I'd like to try it out for dinner soon, but I'll be sure to do so on a weeknight.
Came here for brunch with the roommate, and for $18, the buffet is a good deal, offering the typical brunch stuff like eggs, carved meats (leg of lamb and some sort of pork this time), salmon, French toast, pancakes, and pizza (well, that's a bit atypical, but it's off their regular menu). Most everything I had was really tasty, but not everything. The French toast barely seemed like French toast, and the pork roast was overly dry.
Coffee was served in French presses (as others have stated), and the large size was just about right for two people, although they had run out of timers - we got 5 total cups out of it. And being a fan of French presses (or, more accurately, the coffee that comes out it), this made me happy. The dessert table was interesting, as well, offering "American vintage candies" such as M&Ms, Mike & Ikes, Necco Wafers, and so on, plus some fruit, delicious blondies, and some sort of cake thing with a sign that lied stating it was red velvet (it was not).
The service was really friendly, clearing plates as needed and regularly checking to see if we needed anything or had any questions, as well as keeping the water full. We made a reservation with OpenTable, which they accepted no problem.
I'll definitely be back.
Great for brunch or dinner. They have really good pizza and great brunch. The brunch menu is very limited however. If you don't get the buffet then your only option is an omelet and a few sides. But the omelet was great and the home fries were awesome! I also really liked that we got a large french press for our coffee. It was good coffee and we could refill it ourselves. Happy hour is good here too, but it gets a little crowded. No smoking in the bar, you have to go outside.
As much as I love liberty tav, there a couple things that stick in my craw.
1) the horrible monsterfest dance party that goes on downstairs. It's such a weird contrast with the lovely dining room upstairs and the thoughtful, tasty menu. I'm talking about meat from Polyface Farms people, not Girls Just Wanna Have Fun wafting up the stairs. Just making your way to the bathroom is like crossing through a herd of Wildbeest on safari. Terrifying.
2) My experience last night, which was pretty strange. I was going with a group of five people + one tiny adorable puppy dog with resos for 9 pm. We requested patio with our reservations so puppyface could hang out in her little bag, but when we got to the restaurant, the sky opened up and everyone was scrambling to stay dry. No big deal, we were told the dog couldn't eat inside (duh) so we put her in the car and I told them we'd eat inside instead. Hostess guy said sure, not a table available now but they'd let us know. We were cool with that so we got a drink at the bar and stood around, within CLEAR SIGHT of the hostess stand. It'd been a few minutes and we were hungry so I went to check and he was like "OH I called you like four times!!!". This kiiinda pissed me off since we were STANDING RIGHT THERE and no one ever mentioned they were going to *call* me...I guess he had my number from my opentable res. Anyway, he did call me, but only twice and only 10 minutes ago. and almost 40 minutes past our reservation time.
AAAAAnyway, we are finally led upstairs and sat. There are several tables up there but not a whole lot going on (read: not too busy to seat us). A frenetic looking man accosts us immediately and says something along the lines of "you're the people with the dog right?" uhhh...yeah? it's not here? "you're gonna need to order immediately or the kitchen is going to close"
EXCUSE ME WHAT?! I can't really see how any of this is our fault at this point! We immediately took doggie out the equation and stood around waiting. WHAT MORE CAN WE DO HERE!?! Anyway this made me black out with indignation. When our nice waiter came by, I inquired who that man in the white shirt was...he's the MANAGER!!! Are you kidding me?!?! The waiter apologized knowingly, as if this probably happened a lot and assured us that they do usually serve way past 10 pm, and proceeded to feed us a delicious meal.
So basically I'm updating this review because I go there a lot and I don't want to be harassed about it!
O.M.G. So, see the part of my review above where I say that Liberty Tavern gets better every time?… Read more »
The unfortunate thing about eating at liberty tavern is that you have to encounter the breeders in the bar level down below before you make it upstairs to your meal, or again if you have to go downstairs for the restroom. However, when you do make it upstairs you find yourself in a nice dining room, with good service and good food.
I had the lamb chop/confit shoulder dish. The confit shoulder was amazing, I have never had lamb quite like it. Some others at their table were not equally impressed with their meals, and there was a slight foul when one member of our party didn't get the dish she ordered.
However, overall a nice dinner option in Clarendon--
I can't believe it, but I think Arlington has better restaurants than DC.
Exhibit 1: Liberty Tavern
I started with a Masonic, which is basically a mojito with bourbon. Great drink for summer. The pours on the wine were generous, and they even had a non-alcoholic beer for my dad.
We shared a bunch of dishes, all of which were good: Branzini fish with this tremendous spinach spaetzle, a half portion of gnochi which was very different from others I've had, a half portion of an ear-shaped pasta with peperoni, the pork belly, and a pizza with prosciutto and apple. Closed it all out with a dessert of profiteroles.
It was all very nice.
I like the farm fresh concept, including the Polyface products. The food was, in a word, decadent. Seriously, my artic char was melting in my mouth. The three types of fresh baked breads, house whipped butter, and lemon tea cookies (at the end of the night) were small but effective touches that didn't go unnoticed. The wine list is eclectic without trying too hard. The wait staff was exceptional, knowledgeable, and passionate about the food they were serving. We went with another couple, but I could see larger and smaller parties having a great time here as well. I went the last day of their "late-summer" menu, so I'll be headed back later this fall for another round.
Attentive bartenders, comfortable bar/drinking venue, limited draft beer selection.
Excellent food and beverage selection! Everything had a great flavor and portion size.
Service was excellent as well. The only problem is that the place is extremly noisy!
Make sure you leave room for dessert! Get some of their homemade ice cream selections. Try the "Pineapple basil" ice cream!
Well, dear reader, if you've read my "in search of" then you know that I will travel far for a good piece of meat. I will even climb out of my pajamas for a burger described, by a man who has had most of the animal kingdom, as "the best burger in DC -- it was more like chopped steak." Dear friend! I was already climbing into socks at "best burger" for who can not take up arms at a rally such as that?
********** An aside: Until the Industrial Age and the switch from kitchen navvy elbow grease to widgets and cogs, chopped meat, or, if you had a really good arm, GROUND meat, was a LUXURY, because it took so long to make and required more of the household resources. Hence I prefer to call certain small ovoid balls of meat -- rissoles! Voila indeed!
**********
So, reader dear, imagine my joy when, upon query about the "best burger" at Liberty Tavern, Jason C. came forth with the knowledge of $10 pint and burger. We set a plan. I rallied my tastebuds and prepared my arms for a phalanx attack. To the mound of meat! To victory!
SPLAT! Despite the name, this place reminds me of Cheesecake Factory (without the namesake and without the encyclopedia sized menu). Sure, the staff are friendly. Randy did know the menu. The cheeses she recommended were nice (but for that, I'd go to EatBar where the rest of the experience has flavor to match my $3.50 inch of brie). My duck was not crisp. And the prices were normal ($21 for steak dinner although the serving is not large) for Nouveau Clarendon.
It is so "dark and atmospheric" in the upstairs that you can't see your food but you can feel the next tables whispers in your lungs. Also, it's almost impossible to navigate between the tables if your "carriage" is wider than a sixth grader. Feeling fat (even if one is) is not the best feeling for a customer to have as they leave your establishment. But Liberty Tavern clearly isn't going for heavy-eating-good-deal-seeking folks. Clearly this is where the pert joggers of Arlington water when they hydrate.
Alas, there was no burger on the dinner menu. Now I'll have to go back for lunch just to test out this meat. Oh, fey, loyal reader, to imagine returning to this site of mediocrity. Where have all the flavors gone?
It's classy. And in keeping with the yuppie-ization of Clarendon. Very grown up (sounds awful, egh).… Read more »
4.25 stars - Dinner menu
I've been to Liberty Tavern a few times for drinks, and it's pretty decent. The only things that stood out were that a) it's nonsmoking, and b) the bar food is much better than the average bar, with mostly wood oven fired pizzas on the menu. The one I really want to try someday is the "Vermont": Cabot white cheddar, proscuitto, caramelized onions, granny smith apples, and sage. Without having tried that yet, I would have probably given it 3.25 stars.
Well, last night added another star because I tried their dinner menu. The upstairs dining room was empty that early on a Tuesday evening, so we chose to sit downstairs at one of the bar tables by the windows. We ordered a couple of delicious cocktails - he had a Manhattan with Sazerac rye and gourmet Luxardo cherries, and I had a classic sidecar. As a former bartender, I was impressed with everything except that they should have used a sugar rim with bigger crystals instead of the fine Domino variety. Oops.
The main dishes are big enough to split, and the pasta dishes are offered in main dish or pasta course sized portions. For the seasonal menus (they change at least twice per season - ramps, morels, and trumpet mushrooms, anyone?) and local/regional farm ingredients used here, the prices are very reasonable. First courses are all under $10, and main dishes are $20-22 max. The ingredient combinations are thoughtful, while the protein offerings are varied and follow the latest food 'trends' (e.g., skate, baby goat, skirt steak, arctic char, pork belly). There's both familiar and "something different" always incorporated into the current menu. Plus, the bread, bacon, pepperoni, smoked fish, and pastas are all handcrafted and/or made in-house.
We split a first course of "Grilled Octopus and roasted Clams, fennel, red onion, blood orange, pea shoot/mint salad". It was a small octopus, marinated/grilled/cut into about 8 pieces. And like I expected, tender beyond belief. Nice charred parts from the grill, with the blood orange wedges taking the place of the usual lemon to help with the usual octopus fishiness. The three clams were sweet and plump and briny, their juices herb-tinged and great drizzled on the greens and fennel. For some reason, though, the octopus was a little gritty in certain bites, which is something I'm more used to with clams, not octopus. A misstep, but I enjoyed it anyway.
For our main course, we split the "Branzino, spinach spaetzle, smoked pepper sauce, housemade maple-juniper bacon". The fish was light, flaky, fresh, and cooked perfectly. I loved the combination of the green spaetzle with the smoked red bell pepper sauce, finished with a parmesan flavor. It reminded me of the flavors of a grilled cheese sandwich with creamy tomato soup, but more in a macaroni & cheese form. Although not in the dish description, the fish was elevated by a mound of swiss chard, but that also had the flavor of sweet English peas. I'm assuming pea tendrils may have been in it as well. And the slices of housemade thick-cut bacon on top was slightly sweet, rustic, and a little charred. A really great fish course with really tasty components.
Although we could have probably done without it, we couldn't help but order the NY style lemon cheesecake. It came out the size of a creme brulee, with homemade whipped cream on top that was flecked with vanilla bean (I've never seen that before). Lemon curd danced around the plate, with small powdered sugar coated shortbread cookie coins that were remarkably tart and lemony. Combined with the soft, almost pudding-like texture of the cheesecake, it was also delicious.
The food came out quickly, and the guy who delivered our food to us was great. Our waitress was more of a bar waitress, which made her really good with the drinks, but not as prompt otherwise - especially with the bill (even when we told her we had a show to catch). We still (barely) made it, though. And the busboy there is like a hawk; if your glass or plate is within one biteful or sipful, he swoops down to take it off the table.
All in all, this is really a gastropub with casual prices and service. Upstairs is more formal and intimate, but downstairs is more lively. Wherever you choose to sit, however, the food will be the same - surprisingly pretty high end. We were stuffed after spending less than $40 on food for two people; it was the pricy cocktails that got us. Definitely a place to take visiting relatives. I've marked it down as a place to check out the brunch buffet offerings too - both the table and a la carte menus are online and are impressive.
I can definitely agree that this place highlights how popular Alrington restaurants are found by style over substance. I took my roommate here as a treat before he left for Afghanistan. The food was so terrible (and I felt so bad for taking him to such an icky place!) that I offered to take him elsewhere before he left. The menu is very exotic and the meal did not deliver the flavors or quality execution that it implied.
I can't remember what I got, but I didn't eat much of it (which is crazy for the animal eater that I am). My roommate had to ask me if I was feeling alright. He ordered a fish of sorts and didn't think it was cooked very good - and he'll pretty much eat anything.
The bar scene is pretty popular here but nothing spectacular. It also gets very crowded. It's not to bad if this is your jumping off point for the rest of the night but I would most certainly not make it a final destination nor can I say it will be the highlight of your evening. Clarendon is pretty big and has lots of places and flavors. I can think of at least 3 others I'd recommend over this and can't really understand how anyone stumbles into this place anyway outside of curiosity.
I've eaten at Liberty Tavern once, and that single experience left me with absolutely no desire to return. It was so bad (food - oversalted to the point of being inedible, service - totally absent, cleanliness - non-existant, etc.) that I actually wrote to the manager, who responded with an apology and a gift certificate for dinner for two on the house, and now almost eighteen months later I have yet to take him up on the offer because my first experience was just. that. bad.
That being said, I will admit to having been to a few happy hours at the bar. Nothing special there...the place is loud and crowded with your standard insufferable Arlington yuppies. The specialty drinks...well, I am a lightweight (or just out of practice, depending on how you look at it), and even I didn't think the "blair drink project" packed much of a punch.
I've occasionally revisted the menu online, and while sometimes there are some interesting additions, I guess I just don't trust the kitchen to execute. I hate to admit it, but this is the type of place that gives substance to the arguement that popular restaurants in Arlington are all about style over quality.
OK, I hate to be the umpteenth person to write a review for a restaurant but I gotta give props to Liberty Tavern. They seduced me with their simple yet delicious happy hour burgers and classico pizza, but it was the handcrafted gnocchi that produced at least three OMG's during the course of one dinner. Holy crap! It was so good I almost considered ordering one to go. As much as I hate the idea that this is one of Arlington's "it" places, they really do everything first class. The fact that I live about 300 feet from their door doesn't hurt either. Maybe I'll build a tunnel directly from my apartment into their kitchen but until then I will continue to go back for more. Yelpers, do yourselves a favor and sell out to the Liberty Tavern.
Very close to a 5. I love the menu. Interesting and diverse selection of pasta, pizza, fish, and meat. My grilled octopus was worth the trip right there. The other 3 diners had house salad. My entree was braised breast of veal medallions surrounding a potato souffle with baby artichokes. A superb dish that will keep me coming back. Only complaint was 2 companions got the lobster fisherman's pie and found the lobster rather tough.
Good wine and beer selection.
This was a Saturday night and the noise volume was high upstairs. Downstairs it was rather deafening.
I've been to Liberty Tavern a few times now and I've got some mixed feelings. The bar has a good selection of beers, makes a mean mojito and the food is always pleasing.
Though in 2 recent visits with a mid-sized party (8), LT has missed our reservation by about an hour. Though management is always on top of the situation offering apologies and even a pizza pie on the house. Still I'm hesitant to make plans at LT given their track record.
The bar area is cool and features some interesting micro brews and the more common stuff like Stella. Though by 10pm the bar area is so packed you'll have a hard time moving let alone getting a drink. Definitely recommend that you get to LT early and leave early.
Also LT is right next door to the Clarendon Ballroom so expect to run into the shiny-shirt, belt-buckle shoes, fake tan crowd outside... just sayin'.
Fantastic Sunday Brunch Buffet here. For $17-18, they offer a selection of at least two different types of eggs (i.e. scrambled with cheese and frittata), brioche french toast, smoked salmon, creamy grits, freshly cut meat, pizza, salad, sausage, bacon, et al. The interior upstairs is classy and modern and the brunch has a relaxed pace. You may find some families here, but they are pretty well behaved.
Officially my favorite brunch-buffet-under-$20 place in the area!
Note: I believe the brunch buffet is only served on Sundays.
Went for brunch. It's better than Whitlow's, but 18 bucks?! Not quite. I'm assuming "Dave's Fluffy Biscuits" are some kind of joke, as the biscuits look like sugar cookies and taste like dry sugar cookies without the sugar. Some things were damn good (shepherd's pie) and some things were bad (I couldn't cut into my French toast with a fork because it was so damn dry), as with most buffets, but this wasn't most buffets. This was the price of two brunches. The food's not good enough to make you want to eat your money's worth. Doubt I'll be back to Liberty Tavern in any capacity.
Nice enough experience dining here - I'd never had Dale's Pale Ale on tap before, and despite the… Read more »
Okay, so just an update to one of the two places I have been to in VA for drinks. The smell is gone, all is well within the Tavern, YAY! So many reviews have noted it, I've been back twice since my last and it's no more. Second, the home made macchieroni is AWESOME. I've had the Pennsylvania Dutch Style Egg Noodles and the Fettuccine Alla Carbonara with Lobster and Sweet Corn. I love both. This is probably some of the best pasta I've had in my life, and the good Lord above knows I've probably eaten my body weight in pasta....at least thrice...thist year....and its only mid Septmber. that's more than a hundred pounds each season. We won't go into how much more than 100, but see my review of Vida Fitness in Chinatown- they're awesome! I can't press enter without complimenting the drinks here, they are excellent as well. These folks know what they are doing, definitely stop in and check them out. So what it's in Clarendon, get your rear there at happy and you'll be done by the time the last train leaves, 2 of 3 puns intended; I cannot guarantee your skills, you're on your own with the last.
I had one of the best meals ever at The Liberty Tavern last night! To begin with, I had "The Blair… Read more »
Food-wise, it may be a 4.
Bar-wise, perhaps a 2 (they've been demoted).
Everything else confuses the hell out of me. I have a love-hate relationship with Liberty Tavern. I go when I don't have anything better planned for the night. . .which can be once every other week (sometimes once a week).
It appears to be a somewhat nice place. . .until you're there a night when guys are dancing around on spilled beer twirling their shirt in the air like they're stripping, friends giving high-fives, and yelling "woohoooo". Then you realize you're still in Clarendon, and things aren't always what it seems.
When it opened up, it was great. . . seemed like Clarendon was growing up a bit. A wine-bar. . . how nice. . . upstairs in the restaurant it ISstill nice. But in the bar area. . . I don't know why it draws the crowd it does some days. But it's sometimes painful for me to be in there for more than 10 minutes. If it weren't for the nonsmoking policy, I might give it up for good. Seriously, chewing gum, and drinking wine don't go together. You're killing me. :-(. . .
The bar area is trying to be a bar. . . understandable, but trying to crank up the elevator quality speakers for music that nobody can hear. . . pointless. The acoustics suck in the place. Get different speakers, or just forget about trying to turn the music up over the people.
I give the bartenders credit. . . they remember me, and remember my drink.
Looks like they now have some a/c units in the bar area. . . in the summer it can totally suck at how hot/humid it gets in there. This may help with the fruit-fly infestation the comes late summer. I refuse to have any drinks that come with fruit because of it. . .
I'd say it was a 4 star place, but it's heading down the 3 star route as of late. It can be entertaining sometimes with cougars trying to pick me up, or whatever other random crap that goes on. . . But, I may be moving down to Eventide as a backup "adult" bar for now.
(My update is to demote the bar. . . just not as great as it used to be. . .. maybe it was never great. The food, that's still a 4, but the bar is now a 2 . . . more annoying than "fun")
Stop the madness! A dessert bar full of Whoppers, Jujube's, M&M's, Maryjanes, Tootsie Rolls are more? Sign me up! Met a friend for Sunday brunch and not being a big buffet fan, I checked out the menu first. I then decided to take a walk around the buffet table and realized I'd be a moron to pass on this delicious goodness. Made the wise choice and enjoyed everything from scrambled eggs with bacon/onions/cream, mini pizzas, quiche, awesome hash browns, fruit salad, etc. It was terrific. Now I'm just looking for an excuse to head back for Sunday brunch with someone, anyone!
Absolutely fabulous! Usually when I think of bar or tavern food, I think of fried wings, burgers, and some nasty fattening fries. This place offers a surprisingly healthified menu with traditional sandwiches and burgers as well as pasta. However, the ingredients here are mostly local sourced and fresh. We ordered 3 sandwiches and tasted everyone's dish and we were all happy with the portion as well as the flavor. The price was good for its quality too.
I am happy to say i finally found a decent restaurant in D.C. area!
I've been here for happy hour, dinner, brunch, and late-night, and am really a fan of this place.
They have good happy hour drink specials - lots of different wine to try if that is your thing.
Dinner was great - they are a locally owned restaurant and they try to buy fresh and seasonal ingredients and that is reflected in their food. I've been here several times for dinner, and their Amish chicken is always a classic. Service has also always been tremendous. Wait staff is on top of things without being too obtrusive.
The piece de resistance (god I hope that's how you're supposed to say it) is the brunch. I believe it's 19 dollars, and what a spread! The scrambled eggs are my favorite, they do something to the eggs that make them absolutely divine. Plus there's just about 30 different types of foods, ranging from homemade breads and muffins, all the breakfast foods like bacon, sausage, gravy, smoked salmon, and lunch items like roasted lamb, pork, fish, and I particularly enjoy their fritatta. There's also a dessert table as well with great pastries and candies that you can take home. My friends who are coffee lovers also enjoy the French pressed coffee that you press at your table.
Late-night is very crowded - a yuppie type place, but then again, that's pretty much what Clarendon is these days. But, good atmosphere and lots of fun.
My update is for brunch only---I'm still not a fan of dinner. Brunch, however, might as well be considered a whole other restaurant---a golden one at that--in my eyes.
Brunch was gooooood. The breakfast table doesn't seem very big, but my eyes are always bigger than my stomach. i set out to taste a small spoonful of everything and barely made to to dessert. The smoked salmon with creme fraiche, egg, capers, and onion was good, the leg of lamb was nice as well. I was thrilled to get french toast with a nice strawberry compote and be able to eat other things as well. I missed out on the pancakes cuz everyone else beat me to them. We LOVED the shortrib shepherd's pie and with a small scoop of cheese grits, I was in heaven. The pasta salad was also very tasty. The only sad part was dessert. I thought the assortment of American candies was interesting, but there were only two real desserts--brownies and a black forest cake. On the sample menu there was a much larger selection of pastries/cookies/cakes, so I'm sad there were only two this past Sunday. Maybe next time they'll at least have some cookies or even better---more cake.
I'm almost sad that the menu changes every week because I'd certainly love to have more lamb and french toast. But unlike my dinner experience, everything was pretty good, so I'm willing to take the risk. At 18/pp it's a pretty good deal--it would be even better if coffee or tea were included--but for leg of lamb's sake, I'm not complaining. I'll be back--maybe even next week :)
I think things are hit or miss here. I met up with my bf and another friend and we weren't terribly… Read more »
Arlington, VA
Category: Bars
Arlington, VA
Category: Restaurants
Arlington, VA
Category: Bars
Arlington, VA
Category: Restaurants
Arlington, VA
Category: Bars
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