Again, I want to preface this blog by letting you know that I grew up in the DC area and spent several years of my adult life there. I tell you this because I can always remember brewpubs and trendy bars in the DC area. However, as the suburbs have grown it seems that many of these brewpubs, many of which are chains, are found throughout the areas strip malls. This doesn’t mean they are bad, but they lack the atmosphere and ambiance of a true locally owned brewpub.
Let’s start with Gordon Biersch. I can’t remember a time when there was not a Gordon Biersch at Tyson’s Corner Mall. I believe that the restaurant/brewpub was there from the day the mall opened. I am now in Florida and Gordon Biersch is relatively new here. However, I feel it is a bit old hat and nothing really special. There beers are generally not bad but not stand out. The garlic fries are, however, something to rave about!
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a relative newcomer to the DC area. I visited the Falls Church, VA location which is right in Seven Corners. The concept is good and the food is decent. However, when it comes to Dogfish Head, the beer reigns supreme. I would highly recommend a stop at on of the Dogfish Head Alehouses if you want a good brew. I have never really had a bad Dogfish Head brew. There 60, 90 and 120 Minute IPAs are superb. I am glad to see that their brews are getting to be more readily available throughout the country. You always know you’re getting a good beer when you go with Dogfish Head. I actually have some seasonal gluten free strawberry “beer” in my fridge right now. I was glad to see that they had a gluten free variety available at least seasonally. Dogfish Head is also well known for trying new things like making beer from ancient Egyptian recipes.
Capitol City Brewing Company has a couple of area locations. I like the Shirlington location best– not for the brewpub but the atmosphere. Shirlington is a trendy Northern Virginia neighborhood known for their Friday and Saturday evenings during Spring and Summer, where young professionals dine at outside patios (almost every restaurant has one) and bring their dogs. Shirlington is one of the most dog friendly areas around and almost every restaurant allows pets in their patio areas. The movie theater in Shirlington is also a great place to catch a foreign or limited release film. However, Capitol City Brewing Company is mediocre to say the least. The beer is adequate and nothing to write home about. But, the atmosphere in Shirlington makes it worth while to go and have a cold one on a hot summer evening.
I also want to mention one of my favorite Northern Virginia haunts, Murphy’s in Alexandria, VA. Murphy’s has a great atmosphere where bands play on many nights and you get a feeling of what it might have been like in an Irish pub a couple of hundred years ago. Murphy’s is located on King Street in Old Town Alexandria. Alexandria has been around as long as colonists have been in the New World. The building where Murphy’s is located in one of the oldest areas of town. Over the years, I had so much fun there that I couldn’t resist a shout out to them.
Finally, I want to add a little tribute to a long standing Washington DC tradition that was sold about a year ago to make another trendy “fern” bar. The Hawk n Dove on Capitol Hill in the District had been around for eons. Who knows how many politicians, staffers, and regular folk had a cold one there over the years. The place had an ambiance that is hard to describe– it was a dive, yet trendy at the same time. I have found memories of the place and am so very sad to see it go. DC will not be the same without it.
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