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Hours
Sun
9:00 am - 2:00 am
Mon
8:00 am - 2:00 am
Tue
8:00 am - 2:00 am
Wed
8:00 am - 2:00 am
Thu
8:00 am - 2:00 am
Fri
8:00 am - 2:00 am
Sat
9:00 am - 2:00 am
Reserve a table
What is Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travellers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
₹840.00 – ₹3,360.00
CUISINES
American, Bar
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Menu
STARTERS
Stracciatella
peach mostarda, roasted Brussels sprouts, Asian pears, pistachios, chervil
$17.99
Roasted Beets and Honeycrisp Apples
arugula pistou, candied walnuts, herb goat cheese, baby greens
$16.99
Fried Oyster Deviled Eggs
bread & butter pickle relish, celery hearts, lots of herbs, smoked paprika
$12.99
Point Judith Rhode Island Calamari
zucchini, pickled cherry peppers, watercress, remoulade
$16.99
American Farmhouse Cheese Sampler*
membrillo, pickled red onions, honey walnuts, walnut-raisin bread
$22.99
Meatballs
creamy polenta. marinara, pecorino romano, crostini
$16.99
Is this a Norwegian restaurant?
Details
PRICE RANGE
₹840.00 – ₹3,360.00
CUISINES
American, Bar
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
13,353 reviews
Excellent
7,815
Very good
3,977
Average
1,111
Poor
314
Terrible
136
JCL78
Washington DC56 contributions
Jan 2020 • family
Our family group went to Old Ebbitt Grill for the first time during restaurant week. The set price menu choice was good (although arancini had disappointingly sold out) and everyone enjoyed their meals. The food was not outstanding but it was good. Traditional ambiance of restaurant slightly spoiled by very loud rock music.
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan M
Griffin63 contributions
Dec 2019 • none
This place is amazing! From the reservation follow-up to the hostess to the server to the food, everything they did was excellent and completely focused on customer satisfaction. I started off with a hot whiskey drink called “Hot and Bothered” which was just the thing for a cold day and then had the best crab cakes I had ever put in my mouth. I won’t go on and on about the historical decor except to say,”Pat attention and don’t miss seeing it.” I only wish Old Ebbitt Grill was located in Atlanta so I could enjoy it more often. Do not miss going there on your trip to D.C.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jpete02
Lansing931 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
Ate here for dinner on a Friday night and even for a half empty DC because of coronavirus, this place was packed. Had reservations, though, and got right in.
Restaurant is famous and historic and the decor reflects that. Or maybe a less nice word is “dated.”
Menu has a lot of entrees to choose from but also cheaper sandwiches, such as burgers. Restaurant’s most famous dishes are its oysters and the crab cakes.
Unfortunately, got the crab cakes and found them over done and a little dry. Even worse, the double crab cake was priced at $36, which made it even more disappointing.
Much better was my wife’s chicken with a mushroom glaze, our arancini appetizer, and our desserts.
Dress in this restaurant was all over the place. Sone people were really dressed up and there were some people in t shirts. Seems to attract a lot of tourists like ourselves, who are looking for a unique experience, and the location right by the White House can’t be beat.
Overall, glad I tried it but not sure I’d go again
Written 13 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MistyIndiana
Indiana77 contributions
Jan 2020 • friends
I visited old Ebbitt Grill twice the week I was there. Both times we had a reservation, 6 pm and 7:30 it was super busy. The first visit I ordered the half chicken and it was overcooked and nothing I would recommend; the service was slow both times and the wait staff was not knowledgable about the menu at either visit. The second time we tried a variety of oysters on the half shell which were good but we weren’t sure which ones to recommend and the waiter had no clue; the shrimp pasta was very good. Panhandlers outside the restaurant were annoying both nights. The restroom is downstairs and not sure if handicap accessible. All three bar areas in the restaurant were full and quite loud everywhere. It was OK but not as exceptional as expected.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Albert P
Jersey City475 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
Heard all kinds of great things about the place, so took a party of five for lunch there on Sunday and it was packed. So much so with Covid, they sat us in an outdoor vestibule of an adjoining hotel. So everything is expensive and besides sitting in a lobby, the server does not even bring bread and butter to a $200 lunch bill. Food was average at best and the ambiance sucked so to me it is not recognized as 5 Star. Be a tourist and maybe try it once but I can not even say I was there, because I wasn't-I was at a over priced and poorly served college cafeteria, at best. Not worth it for me.
Written 23 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChgoJohn
Chicago211 contributions
Jan 2020 • solo
Sat at the bar as I was dining alone. Oysters were half price until 6pm so I had a dozen and they were fresh and fantastic. Nice selection of beer and wine. I had the crab cake entree and it was excellent. Fresh hot fries and two decent sized cakes. I’ll be back as I enjoyed the atmosphere, the friendly staff and the food was top notch.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen D
Salem6 contributions
Jul 2019 • none
I came here for breakfast and was surprised because it seemed like more of a dinner spot. The place has a nice bar and overall great atmosphere.
The food was great, I just got eggs and toast with a bowl of fruit, which was freshly cut, The service was top notch too. The thing I liked most was the location, right across the street from the White House and not too far from everything you'd wanna see in D.C.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lfbmonkey
793 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
A restaurant with a history of serving notables such as Ulyssees S. Grant, the place dates back to the 1800's. Moved several times, it has multiple differently decorated rooms. Huge bar. The food is very good. Vegans will like the choices so they will enjoy dining here. Crabcake sandwich was hearty, but the stand out was the paper thin roast beef sandwich served with a dipping jus. Oysters are a big thing here, but pricey, so come during happy hour for 1/2 off.
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erich Reimer
Washington DC91 contributions
Nov 2019 • family
It’s a DC classic and located right next to the White House area/complex. The seating is beautiful and the food tasty. However during busy times there often is a huge, even absurd wait - an hour or two or more. Also I’ve felt the food has gone down in distinctiveness just ever so slight in recent years. Overall it’s still a great place and a historic restaurant. Best when it’s not crowded if you can find a time for that.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristin M
Fairfax County32 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
My friend and I made the mistake of not making a reservation for lunch on January 2nd, when there were many people still enjoying their holidays. We had to wait about 30 minutes for our table for two. The wait staff though extremely busy were pleasant and welcoming, moving fast but very professional. We both ordered the trout parmesan, and the trout and the accompanying potatoes and green beans were perfect. Our waiter surprised us with a complimentary slice of key lime pie to share for dessert--he heard me say we were celebrating our birthdays. There was a pleasant buzz in the air but not overloud, and we enjoyed our conversation. I was impressed by how well this restaurant did under full steam. My first visit to the Old Ebbitt Grill but not my last!
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elw966
Bronx34 contributions
Jan 2020 • family
The restaurant was nice however the server wasn’t pleasant at all. She appeared to be annoyed that she had to work on a Sunday. I ordered eggs made to order and they came out incorrect and that seem to annoy the staff. It took a long time for my food to come that my sisters food got cold. For the price of the meal and the service didn’t match or warrant me to return.
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jbliv
Chicago260 contributions
Jun 2021 • couples
I’ll start by saying I’m a huge fan of Old Ebbitt Grill. We came to DC for my 50th birthday. We made reservations a month in advance. The hostesses were very nice and friendly, however when they seated us we started walking to the back to an area that never existed before. They’ve annexed the atrium lobby of an adjacent office building and added seating that is not even close to the ambiance of Old Ebbitt. To say I was turned off is an understatement. Why does one want to dine at Old Ebbitt to be seated in an area that felt like a modern Danish setting. I could have gone to IKEA for that ambiance.
Our server was underwhelming and seemed as though he’d rather not be there. Other servers seemed upbeat and engaged.
The food was as good as I remembered but I would have absolutely chosen another restaurant to celebrate this milestone birthday if I’d known that they actually subject guests to this sterile annexed seating area.
Written 19 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allen B
Spotsylvania20 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
Atmosphere was that of a classic restaurant. Service was less than great. Food did come out on time how ever if our server had been more prompt the bill and tip would have been higher. Reservations are a must as there is a long wait at dinner time.
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chneff
Winchester322 contributions
Dec 2019 • couples
Great lunch and friendly staff, but good Lord is it ever crowded!!! The wait for a table was 30-45 minutes or take a seat at the bar. Since we were there for lunch, the bar was fine. The “Walter’s Favorite” is an awesome sandwich piled high with their in-house smoked pastrami - excellent!
Strongly recommend making a reservation
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sea2dcpete
30 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Like OEG needs another 5-star review... I wanted to give a specific shoutout to our server/bar tender, Tal. He was great, again. Honestly, though, OEG is full of pro's. We are locals and go there often. Walk the Mall and go to Old Ebbitt. Quintessential Washington DC experience.
We had a seafood feast that included oysters, giant shrimp, crab cakes and two cocktails and a beer for $117. We were stuffed. Pretty good deal in our book. Thanks OEG for another great time!
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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