A-Town Bar & Grill

Big ups to A-​town for always doing it right! I’ve been here many times (too many to count) and I’ve always had a great time. The staff is always friendly, the music on Sunday’s is always on point and the food is delicious. Definitely try the Sunday brunch at least once. It has a great variety and is delicious!

Pros: The Sunday brunch is kinda cool. They actually turn up for brunch and there is a bloody mary bar where you can add your own spices.
Cons: Most of the bouncers are total assholes. I stepped over some stacked up chairs on the patio, and a bouncer physically grabbed me and told me «you can’t walk over that. walk back the way you came.» I was like, what you mean over the stuff you said I can’t walk over? I was now on the public side walk so I told him «I’ll just take the sidewalk back to the front door.» He snatched the water cup from my hand and told me if I didn’t do what he said, I couldn’t go back in. Worst of all, another bouncer took what he said as gospel.
Overall, it might be worth checking out once to be «in-​the-​know», but I can’t see any real draw, or why people come here. Their staff are assholes, they have a strict dress code given the area, and think they’re far cooler than they actually are. There are sometimes hot girls there, but you can go to any Clarendon bar and find girls that are just as hot, but with better personality.

This review is for the A-​Town Sunday All-​U-​Can-​Eat Brunch! I love it. The food is great, and they change a lot of the dishes it seems every 3 – 4 months to keep it fresh. There are a lot of amazing breakfast foods like an omelet bar, waffles, french toast, bacon, and sausage. then you have other tasty foods like fried chicken, flatbreads, roast beef, peel n eat shrimp, fried mac n cheese balls, a taco bar and also mini chili cheese hot dogs. (That’s only half the items I mentioned too). I wish they would bring back the crab legs. but I can deal. You honestly can’t beat the price either, $ 20 and you can sit there and crush food from 1030am-​3pm. It’s great if you have a hangover from Saturday Night. Definitely make a reservation if you plan on going.

I had written a review with two stars because my first time here wasn’t as (I won’t say pleasant since the first time wasn’t unpleasant anyways) but as fun as the second time. Since Scott replied to my review I thought I’d give it a second shot (since they seem to care, which I find really nice). The service was pretty great, I liked the hookah, their food is a lot better than I expected, and I had a pretty good time and also enjoyed their mimosas. I’d definitely go back! :)

Love the brunch here. Unfortunately, my experience on Friday night changed my mind.
Went here for a friend’s birthday and had an overall good time. Service was great and everyone was up and dancing/​socializing. Everyone started closing out individually as we filtered in and out of places throughout the night. I checked out and my bill was about $ 120 — understandable because I bought a round of shots for everyone as well as drinks for the birthday girl and food for myself. What was not understandable was the auto gratuity of about $ 26 (leaving my bill at $ 146).
I opened and closed my tab as one person. I came in way after the festivities had already started so it’s not like anyone thought it was a group tab. So, what’s the deal? Has nobody spent more than $ 50 at this place that you’re afraid I wouldn’t tip accordingly? I checked with everyone else in the group and no one had an auto gratuity on their bill.
As someone who works in the same building and has spent time there for lunch, brunch, and happy hour, this is tempting me to steer away for awhile.

This review is based on management responsiveness to a credit card charge dispute. I visited this establishment to watch football and celebrate my birthday on ¹⁄₃. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the brunch was good considering the cost. The problem arose when I realized my credit card was overcharged. I have attempted to resolve the issue by contacting management via phone and have even stopped by and spoke with the manager Kevin, who I was told handles these issues, on ¹⁄₇. He pulled up the receipt and said he would look into the issue further and contact me within 24 hours. It is now ¹⁄₁₃ and I haven’t heard from him nor can anyone else seem to assist or address my issue when I call. I’m beginning to feel as if I’m getting the run around and instead of resolving the issue directly with the restaurant, I will be forced to report the discrepancy as fraud to my bank.
My advice to those considering patronizing this establishment would be to choose another sports bar, but if you must be sure to pay with cash or require your server give you a receipt to sign and hold on to your copy until the transaction clears with your bank/​credit card company.

The best Sunday funday around! $ 25 bottles of champagne & hookahs outside on the patio. Football games are great to watch here as well. Always packed. Haven’t tried the brunch yet but I’ve been looking forward to it!

I am extremely disappointed in the treatment we just received at this poor excuse for an establishment! We drove over an hour to celebrate our friend’s birthday and my husband was turned away from this racist establishment for wearing timberlands to a sports bar?! How ludicrous is this?! I am disgusted! You lost over $ 100 because you failed to advertise a dress code on your website! Poor customer service! Will never forget this and treatment we received. New year, same shit!

The new menu that Atown came out with it amazing. Ate there with a few friends tonight & the food was awesome. Super excited to try more things on the menu! Totally almost got more food to go even though I just stuffed my face.

So I’ve visited about 5 times; once for brunch, once for Saturday night dancing and a couple times for happy hour. I’ve had diff experiences each time but def love the staff and the food! My boyfriend and I live in DC proper but always want a little more than the regular «Happy Hour food fare» so A-​Town has become our go to. (They serve real food HERE, NOT JUST TAPAS) lol.
A-​town is an experience especially on Sundays. This is a boozy brunch on steroids. Do opt to purchase the Large bottle of champagne, its only like $ 25 and they put a sparkler on it and everything; makes you feel special. :-) This place gets crowded VERY quickly but after awhile even the crowds dont bother you because hey, your too busy getting boozy.
The Happy hour food menu is awesome sauce. MAC AND CHEESE BALLS. Just do it, you wont regret it. The bar staff is pretty cool and very helpful. I visited on Christmas Eve and even though they were slated to close at 8pm, they did not turn a sole away. (loved that) Other great food options: The chicken fajitas, CRAB LEGS on HH and Crab Cake Sliders (I’m from MD so anything w/​crab in it basically)
I would give them a 5 but you have to prepare yourself for A-​town as the crowds can be a bit on the young-​college age side, not a problem, just come mentally prepared to maybe have your foot stepped on or see break dancing in the middle of the room. Its not stopping me from patronizing though. Go A-​TOWN

Okay so first off let me apologize for the late review. I came here last month and I love this place. I came on a Friday for happy hour it was DA BOMB !!!
The atmosphere and floor plan is very welcoming. Its plenty of seating from the bar to couches to tables and also booth like tables. The bar in placed nicely in the center so if you don’t come for dinks per say you still can get a restaurant like feel in the dining area. The windows are not covered so we sat by one and were able to look out side during our time at A-​Town. They have plenty of tvs, lounge couches, a bar, sushi bar, and also hookah. After a while music kicked in and it was still a nice vibe to where you didn’t feel the need to leave or get too wasted. Everyone seemed to be mature and just enjoying the moment .
Our waitress Cierra was a pleasure to have. She out did her self rarely do I find good service in a lounge type setting but she did her job extremely well. I could tell she was a peoples person she was very engaging, gave great menu suggestions and kept a good eye on us through out the night. She really deserves recognition !!
The food was great we had a couple rounds of wings (Apple Habanero are a must try !), steak and cheese egg rolls, and the crab and spinach dip. Everything came out hot, in a timely manner, and cooked to our liking .
The drinks were strong as well, we did not feel skimped just because it was Happy Hour. We had a few shots and some of the specialty drinks offered.
Cierra informed us that the outside was open if we wanted to get some air and come back in which was a nice gesture as you could take your drink out while you get air or smoke. I was surprised when we got out it was just as accommodating as being inside there were tables, tvs, hookah and heaters!. The heater made you feel comfortable and not so rushed to get back inside to get heated .
I will be visiting again soon ! Maybe NYE ! I have been telling all my friend about this spot as I was highly impressed.

Here’s a review coming from someone who used to work there. Atown has that right mix for everyone. It really does. If you’ve heard about its Sunday funday, it’s all true. A good time if that’s what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for less crowded, calm setting definitely check them out during the week. They have great weekday happy hours. You wouldn’t think this a place like this would be known for having great sushi, but it really does. The owners, one of whom is a long time chef, takes great pride in everything he puts on the menu. With that said, sushi lovers should check it out Monday for HH as its half off. The place has a sleek modern décor so although one might think it’s a sports bar at first glance it has a nice formal but casual low lit dining area.
Bottom line, if you live in Ballston, it’s the best all around place to go to whether you’re looking to dine, drink, or party. All the cooks are very experienced and take pride in the food preparation all the way to the food presentation. If something is wrong, just let them know and they’ll find a way to make it right. Unless you’re a jackass, they want you to walk away having had a good meal, drink, and time and come back to do it again. The owners are constantly putting money back in the place making the place better and better.

A-​OK
Intro: 3.5 I came here for a friend’s b-​day brunch. I love that it’s metro accessible. The place had a reasonable crowd for a brunch, so I could tell that it’s a nice spot.
Atmosphere: The place is trendy and well decorated. The men’s bathroom had some struggle action going on. One of the urinals was broken, the toilet paper holder was a little wobbly, and the hand soap was broken. Those are minor things because men don’t care. I’d just hope that they keep the women’s bathroom in order. Also, I’m not a fan of the chairs were we were seated. They were stools with no backs to them, so we had no place to really put our coats. Essentially, we put the coats on vacant chairs, but if the place had been crowded, it would have been very challenging. My friend’s mother said her back was hurting from the chairs and that she had almost fell out one time. If you have the option, request the sofa, booth, or table.
Food: I got the brunch special and the food was excellent! The brunch menu was broad and everything was cooked properly. They had everything form sushi, salad, empanadas, jumbalya, fried chicken, bacon, sausage, eggs, waffles, hot dogs, you name it. The only reason I didn’t give this place 4 stars is because the deserts are not up to par. I didn’t find any of the desert options to be noteworthy.
Customer Service: Our waitress was friendly. She had a large party to manage that did not all arrive at the same time, so she did about as best she could. Nice young lady.
In Closing: The brunch menu is definitely worth checking out. If it were not for the tables, the sloppy bathrooms, and the weak dessert, I would have been thinking 4 or 5. Definitely check out the brunch!

I love the food, drinks, and good vibes this place gives. We don’t wander here often (they tend to be packed) but when we do it’s always a good time! :)

Great service and decent food. Only $ 7 for any food during happy hour (until 8pm). Ordered the mahi-​mahi tacos which came in three. I personally prefer hard-​shell tacos over soft-​shells but the fish tacos work well for a happy-​hour menu item. The fish is clearly pre-​heated then grilled, but overall the food is filling enough. Also great prices for drinks — $ 5 for red/​white wine. $ 4 for rails and $ 2.50 for drafts. Service is quick — they seat you as soon as you walk in, there is not much of a wait. The waiters try their best to offer menu items to accommodate your diet restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, GF, etc). Oddly enough, the place is not as crowded as one would imagine on a Friday evening but definitely a good place to go out for a chill large/​small group HH event.

Great happy hour spot; if you’ve been here, you know what’s up. Their HH starts at 3, and doesn’t end till 8pm, which is PHENOMENAL-​they clearly want us to stay, haha.
HH menu is quite absurd; a lot of good items on there, and VERY inexpensive, which a clear indication that they want EVERYONE to be at their spot, and to be there for a reason, unlike other spots that have one of those BOGUS HH, like «$ 2 off an appetizer, or a $ 1 off a beer». What kind of shitty ass HH have those deals ?! Certainly NOT any good ones, Lol.
I don’t have to affirm nor assert that this is THE spot to be during HH, but I imagine everyone already knows this by being to other locations, and not doing a compare and contrast of any other establishments, but everything surely speaks for itself.
Most bartender staff at any other location are quite dull, not friendly, and expecting not to go through a big check (more money for them), but this spot is catered to service REGARDLESS. Money team!

Brunch goes hard! Period.
I was there today from about 2:30−4pm and it was LIVE. I say LIVE in the sense that it was packed with people, loud but good music, a lot of day drinking (bottle service and such) and very high energetic.
The food was great! I ordered the unlimited buffet at $ 23, and the options were endless. The buffet included sushi, pizza, bacon, sauce, eggs, omelet bar, fried wings, ceviche, smoked salmon, fried salmon, Cajun shrimp and the list goes on.
I thought it was the perfect place for a crazy, day-​party like Sunday Funday to watch the NFL games.
Staff was courteous and helpful.

I went to party brunch today for a friend’s birthday and my god it was insanity. It was a club at 1 o’clock in the afternoon except with tons of food and drunk people.
First and foremost the brunch is $ 25. It does not include alcohol, but you’re getting the entire A-​Town menu in that price. You get sushi, fresh cut roast beef, eggs, waffles, ceviche, salmon lox, empanadas, fried chicken, salad, and mini desserts. The list is endless and when you put that altogether — that could be a food baby waiting to happen. I certainly helped myself to a little bit of everything and noticed I looked about 16 months pregnant when I vacated the joint.
They do offer a ‘make your own Bloody Mary’ station, but notice that you must purchase alcohol separately.
The music was hoppin’ and the big screens had all the afternoon football games on. The unfortunate downside is I sat in front of the screen showing the Titans versus Saints game… Titans hail from my home state and it is never fun to watch them since they always suck. I still don’t know why they have an NFL team in ther first place…
I’d recommend the brunch for sure for anyone looking to get a little crazy and crunk with your single buddies. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who is claustrophobic or who doesn’t like crowds where you’re packed in. It really does get packed in.

I have spent many nights getting into various staged of alcohol induced happiness at A-​Town. Right from tipsy to LetMeGiveYouAHugRightNow to WhereIsTheBathroom. this place has seen every side to me, haha!
Now to be honest, based on just the drinking and the dancing, this place was a solid 3 stars — typical mix of average drinks, good music and some good looking people :) But what tipped it to the 4 was my recent discovery of their food — yeah, I had never eaten here before in the 6 years that I have known this place!
At 7 in the evening the place was kind of empty and service was awesome! My Caeser salad was SOOO tasty — i finished every bit of it. Surprisingly, they had sushi on their menu and even more surprisingly, I ordered it — ordering sushi off a sports bar menu is pure blasphemy in my snobby mind, but then I blame that delish Lime-​A-​Rita at my elbow. The funniest part though — their rolls were actually super yum! Don’t expect traditional sushi, but the bastardized american version of their cooked rolled. We had the rainbow roll (or a loose interpretation of it) and it was awesomely tasty! The Mini Lobster & Crab Cakes were also very tasty — these flew pretty quickly off our table.
Drinks were great while we at the table, actually — more than just diluted alcohol haha!
All in all, I think A-​Town is now a solid 4 in my eyes — given that they can deliver on food as well!

Following my last review, Scott, the owner, reached out to me to try and make things right and invited us to A-Town’s Sunday Brunch. I have a lot of respect for a business owner that takes a serious personal interest in feedback so I decided to give A-​Town a second chance.
The brunch food was very good. They had a «make your own bloody mary» bar that, although I didn’t try it, looked to be stocked with a lot of options. Instead, I opted for what I found to be a very good deal — $ 13 for enough champagne and OJ to make our own mimosas. We were quoted that it would make «between 2 and 4 glasses» — we easily got 8 glasses out of it, so there’s a lot of mileage there.
The fried chicken, roast beef on the carving station and the eggs and bacon were all my faves from the buffet bar.
The service was much better than the last time, and our server was very excited to be working on a Sunday morning (that requires effort, in my book) and gave us the grand tour of how brunch worked at A-​Town.
Much better experience this time around, thanks to Scott for encouraging us to give A-​Town a second chance.