Bobby Van’s Steakhouse

Just went with my friend to have a little birthday dinner with her. She found this great deal on Groupon. To tell you the truth I’m was a little skeptical about using groupons. I’ve never used them because I think discounts usually means discount on services and food to. They’ve gotta cut back somewhere right?!! Wrong! In this case at least. We’ve made reservations and when we got there we got seated right away and was greeted by this really nice waiter (I didn’t get his name) but they were all very friendly. Place was somewhat busy but ok. We ordered fried calamari which was ok and fresh oysters which were good. Then my friend had the surf and turf (filet mignon and 1lb lobster) and I had the sea scallops which both were very delish! For dessert she had the chocolate lava with ice cream which was ok but I had the crème brûlée and it was very good. All in all the restaurant and staff were friendly, food was good only thing is it’s in DC so traffic and finding a place to park but we did the valet parking so it was ok.

I went here for the 1^st time with my brother for his birthday and the Food was amazing. We ordered the shrimp and grits along with the Fried Calamari for our appetizers. For my entrée I had the Catfish which was cooked to perfection and for dessert the New York Cheesecake which ended the meal properly. This is now one of my new favorite restaurants. My hat goes off to you Bobby Vans

Been here twice and both times the staff are pretty stiff and seem stressed. Just a weird vibe. The food was mediocre the first time and the second time my burger was so raw it was barely warm and the iceberg wedge salad was the antithesis of that. It was a pile of iceberg shavings like you’d see in a chipotle toppings tub, with some bacon and blue cheese on top.
I returned it, not making a fuss. Later I was very relieved not to have food poisoning. The burger was, no exaggeration, raw ground beef that had been quickly burned on the outside.
I’m sure the DC board of health would want this restaurant to find another cook.
The prices here are high probably just because you’re paying their downtown rent.

Ok so the 80’s are calling and they need to give them their food back! A gristle ridden, greasy flavorless ribeye; and mercilessly chopped and drenched Caesar salad ruined my birthday. Unless you are looking for angioplasty leave this off your list.

3.5 stars. Stopped by here for dinner. Service was prompt and staff were welcoming. Food was good but not great, considering the price. The fried calamari could have been crispier. The surf and turf was a good sized portion that left me satisfied, but wasn’t anything amazing. I recommend the crème brûlée for desert, it was quite delicious. I had a decent experience overall.

Not into this place. Had food poisoning from a steak here some time ago and haven’t been back since.

Was here for a private event and I had an awesome time! I highly recommend it. We were well attended to and the food was great. Will be back again!

I think this place is not worth my time or money. The food is mediocre at best. My $ 49 filet mignon and asparagus side was underwhelming. The steak was unevenly cooked and completely rare in places. (I ordered medium). I really should have sent it back but given that we had limited time for dinner on that day, it was not practical to wait for another meal.
My husband’s scallops were good, but honestly, I have had better scallops at other D.C. restaurants (viz edgar).
The wine list is underwhelming as well. When I see $ 40 for a bottle that is normally available in Giant for $ 10, I call B.S.
I think DC has better restaurant choices to offer now and frankly places like Bobby Van’s have not kept up.

Classic done very well. Beautiful décor, Great ribeye steak on the bone, delicious seared scallops, and quite honestly the highlight. the decadent macaroni and cheese. kicked up smooth creamy and delightful. The service is impeccable, the dessert mediocre but the classic cocktails and wine list predictable but good.

Seriously can’t understand why this place has such great reviews. The only reason I’m giving 2 stars is because of the porterhouse steak, which was pretty good (after sending it back to be cooked more… It definitely came out more medium rare than medium well). The rest of the food, environment, and service really just had me laughing. Let me explain, and hopefully you’ll have a good laugh like I did…
FIRST IMPRESSION: As with a typical restaurant, you walk in by the bar to see all the fun people at happy hour (or just being super social), which is normal. What wasn’t normal, was being smacked in the face with the smell of alcohol. As one who has been to many restaurants, I can say I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that before. As one who doesn’t drink, I can say it wasn’t inviting.
Next, you get to the host/​hostess stand, but have to keep side-​stepping, because the restaurant seems to be laid out in a way that all the waiters bring their drinks by the front to get to their tables, so you’re constantly moving around each other like you’re dancing.
PRESENTATION: The place looked nice, and you could tell they tried to have it be a really upscale restaurant by the attire of the staff… It’s all about appearances, right? Clearly that’s what they think, because the staff clearly wasn’t trained in how to act upscale. The host didn’t walk us all the way to our table (more like pointed from across the room), we had to wait for a while for our server to bring us menus (which were sticky sealed shut), no one really seated us or pulled our napkins for us… Which has traditionally been my experience at a place that dresses the servers in uniform jackets.
When we got our bread and butter (from a lady who couldn’t smile, and seemed really uncomfortable/​unsure bringing something to our table… I promise, we don’t look threatening), the bread was not presented nicely (flipped upside down in a basket lined with parchment paper– totally clashing with the rest of the room’s presentation) and if anything, felt more like a giant cruton than bread.
FOOD: We ordered the porterhouse, which they claim was rated best in DC by the Washingtonian magazine, with sides of asparagus and prosciutto Mac n cheese. Their menu says the porterhouse is for 2 or more people, when really they should tell you it’s for 3 – 4 hungry adults… That sucker was huge. For having the best porterhouse, you’d think they’d know when they present it to you whether or not it was cooked to your order… Ours was rare in the middle… Not even medium (we ordered medium well). So, they took it back, and eventually got it right, and it was so worth it. Very delicious and perfect tenderness. Asparagus and Mac n cheese though… No flavor. In fact, my mouth knew it was chewing, but my tastebuds were confused. Had to douse those suckers with salt (usually not my experience).
SERVICE: As I already mentioned the failed host and bread lady… Our waiter. Dressed the part, but seriously seemed like he belonged in a family restaurant. He was super chatty with some tables, laughing and slapping some guests on the shoulder, holding hands and praying with another table, and yet barely gave us information or could look us in the eye (seriously, my friend and I are two young ladies… Not scary at all). Nice guy, just out of place.
SUMMARY: In short, not the best restaurant set up, décor doesn’t match the service, and the food was definitely lacking. Good thing we went on a Groupon… I wouldn’t pay full price, and I won’t be back again. I normally wouldn’t write such a long review, but this place just left me laughing and baffled…

3.5−4 star food, but terrible atmosphere. There was a large group of extremely loud, belligerent drunk people who were yelling at and threatening people at other tables. NOTHING was said to the rude party, in fact the waiters seemed to egg them on and join in at times. I even overheard our waiter tell them they would kick out the poor lady that was being threatened if another ‘outbreak’ occurred. I will never be back and will make sure the same goes for everyone I know. I left my first ‘bad’, yet deserving tip ever.
I would also go as far as to say I feared for my safety, and since this was clearly a group of locals known to the restaurant staff it is quite possible anyone visiting this restaurant in the future could run into the same issues, I doubt this was an isolated incident.

I’ve been here a couple of times, and because I’m a coward I get the same things and sit at the same table.
It’s a classic Washington power lunch place, so forget wandering in with a stroller and kids in tow wearing shorts and flip flops on a hot summer day. They’re too cool to say they won’t seat you or give you down-​the-​nose glare. It’s more likely a «two hour wait». Honestly, I’d wait.
First, this is one of the few restaurants that still has New York City quality service. You won’t get a nonstop litany of daily specials from gum popping kids wearing improbable piercings and cosmetics. It’s discrete, quiet and surprisingly intimate — even at a regular table.
Second, unique diet issues don’t present issues. Identify them to your server and they’ll handle them gracefully. I have never had a gluten reaction here. They are exceptional.
Whether I order a specialty salad or a steak (without sauce), it’s guaranteed to be:
— beautifully presented
— presented without dramatic flair
— somewhat oversized in the portion
When we suggest meeting our clients here, it’s always an immediate «yes». Each experience consistently demonstrates excellent service and quality of cuisine.

I think Bobby Van’s is experiencing an identity crisis. The outside seating is full of tourists in t-​shirts, while the inside attempts a more upscale vibe.
We used the groupon (so naturally, the server was rude almost immediately… I still tipped 25%)
Appetizers: The escargot… pretty good, and the leftover olive oil juice made a good dipping sauce for the bread. The french onion soup looked much better than it tasted — it was far too sweet.
Main course: The ribeye was enormous, but that was essentially its only «wow factor». I suppose I was expecting to be blown away because Bobby Van’s is, in fact, a steakhouse. The scallops were the real treat — sizable and cooked to perfection.
Dessert: The crème brûlée was pretty good, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad crème brûlée.
Overall, I probably won’t return. It’s a pricey establishment for a so-​so meal.

I’ve been to Bobby Van’s Steakhouse and Bobby Van’s Grill a few times over the years in both DC and NYC. I’ve always really enjoyed my experiences and meals, but the magic has worn off after this visit.
I had an early dinner a couple of Saturdays ago and ordered the bone-​in ribeye (my go-​to cut of steak) cooked medium-​rare with Bearnaise sauce, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. The steak was just OK — definitely not memorable, and I’ve had memorable steaks here before. Even with the Bearnaise, it lacked flavor, and the meat was uncomfortably chewy. I ate a few bites, then put it aside. The creamed spinach, also a steakhouse favorite of mine and enthusiastically recommended by the server, was watery and bland. I shouldn’t have to pull out the salt and pepper shakers at a restaurant of this quality. The mashed potatoes were fine — no complaints there.
The service wasn’t great either. Although there was no shortage of different servers coming by the table refresh water glasses, our main server pulled a couple of extended disappearances. We ordered a lemonade to start and when it arrived, my dining companion took one look at it (it was barely yellow at all) and commented to our waiter that it didn’t look right. He took a sip, confirming that something was off, and then I also tried it. It was terrible… not just too weak or not sweet enough or just not to our preference, but legitimately undrinkable. Whatever mix they used was really bitter and didn’t resemble lemonade at all. So we sent it back with the waiter, and his comment was back was that he’d been serving it all day and no one had any issues with it. Wow — just wow.
I might try the Grill again since they have a different menu, but I won’t be rushing back to eat here any time soon.

Took my mom for dinner using a Groupon. Was our first time. The food was good. Our waiter, Daniel recommended the chili calamari to start, which was quite good. Neither of us is big on red meat so moms had the chicken marsala minus the prosciutto and I enjoyed the jumbo shrimp and a side of asparagus. We were both very satisfied and the servings were quite decent. Both of us actually had leftovers which is rare at some of these ‘upscale’ steak houses. I will note that I like my food HOT and the food was more warm than hot, unfortunately.
Our waiter, Daniel was pretty good. At first, I wasn’t sure how I was feeling about him. He didn’t seem very personable, but he grew on me. The service was good, although at one point we had to ask for refills multiple times before receiving them. Minor matter in the scheme of things.
To finish, we both took dessert ‘to go’ because we were too full and because the only thing better than dessert is dessert in your sweatpants. Mom had the cheesecake. Didn’t hear any complaints. Unfortunately, and I never thought I’d say this but I didn’t enjoy dessert. I had the brownie sundae and my brownie was as hard as a rock. Dessert fail!
May try Bobby Van’s again with the beau. I’ll remember to try the apple tart for dessert next time, and perhaps the petite filet to give the arteries a run for their money.
I’d like to give them 3.75 stars. Since that’s not an option, I’m rounding up.

Went because of a groupon for dinner. Went here for a business lunch as well.
Nothing was bad here. Good salad. Decent steak. Its just for what you pay it doesn’t compare to cap grille, ruth Chris, smith and wollensky. Etc. Those places are a cut above and the service is excellent.
If I’m spending 50 on a steak, its not my first pick.

Late review but loved this place! My baby picked this new place for us as a surprise, kudos to him ;-)
Y the 4 stars then, right???
Our server, kid u not, was high as a freaking kite! I hope not a drug but it def didn’t come off as alcohol.
I honestly thought her «accent» was funny at first until I realized it was a slur of some sort.
When she spilled our bottle of wine out the glass my radar went up and she dropped our skillet hot sides on the table!
Honesty aside from her highness, the food, wine and venue was really perfect

What a disappointing meal. It really is overpriced for the service and the food. I used a Groupon and only needed to pay half the bill, but I’m shocked that people would pay full price for the food here.
The staff was nice enough, but our server either didn’t speak very good English or he wasn’t with it that night, because we could barely understand him and had to ask him to repeat things. And when the food came out, it was only so-​so. I’m just not sure where they are finding a reason to charge so much — it’s not the food and it’s not the service. Maybe it’s sweeping up the crumbs off the white tablecloths after each course?
The calamari was super chewy and very greasy (see photo).
The steak was tough.
The mac and cheese was my favorite item, but that is my favorite side anywhere I go, and I’ve had better.
The salads were good, but again you could get the same Caesar salad cheaper elsewhere.
The lava cake was yummy, but who can complain about chocolate?
That’s the quick rundown. For the prices, I was expecting it to be more like a Morton’s rather than like an Outback. I won’t be going back here again. If I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars on a meal with friends, I’d rather know we got a better meal than we would have had from a large national chain restaurant.

Great steak! Obviously. My friend and I came with a groupon, which was a great deal — we paid $ 50 for $ 100 worth of food.
I had the NY strip and side of the asian pear salad, my friend had the filet mignon and prosciutto macaroni and cheese. We both only finished half our portions, so there were plenty for leftovers the next day.
Great on the groupon deal, but it’s way too expensive for me to come back on a normal basis.

I have a friend who has a budding side hobby as a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) correspondent. It’s funny, really, because she is absolutely NOT the type of person you’d expect to be into that sport… or sports in general for that matter. The perk is being exposed to the world of cage fighting and meeting the fighters, which I have to admit, is pretty cool. So, being told that we were going to UFC 172, which was held in Baltimore in April, was a welcome surprise.
Here’s the thing– I didn’t want to just go to the event. I wanted prime, front or near front row seats. How do I get it? Well, she or I could purchase tickets. Hmmm… nah. Seems to me that she should get them for free since she does podcast guest appearances. How can one fulfill a role without being in a position to adequately do so? Ok, so, she’s resistant to asking her MMA contacts. I could get her drunk… right? Nah, that comes with consequences that require way too much energy. Steak meal? Groupon Deal? Done!
Bobby Van’s is an established brand of steakhouses that originated from the New York City area. Coming inside, you definitely feel like this place has seen better days. The décor is ok, just outdated. The menu is surprisingly limited.
The service was just ok. The waiter fancied himself a «meatologist» but I think he was a minor leaguer who couldn’t get that all important call up to Capitol Grille, Ruth’s Chris, Charlie Palmers, etc. Just had a blasé attitude that was off-​putting.
I tried the Fried Calamari, Filet Mignon, Sesame Tuna, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans.
The Fried Calamari was pretty good. Nice amount of batter and fried just enough, it was worth the $ 10 cost. Also, the shredded cheese sprinkled on top added another flavor dimension.
The Filet Mignon is basically a thick chunk of meat. That’s normally a great thing in my world, but this was just ok. It was a little low on seasoning and not cooked to the specified temperature. Also, no wow factor.
The Sesame Tuna was also a nice sized portion. Again, the same problems arouse. Seasoning was lacking. It was also a bit dry, likely from being a tad overdone. Also, the presentation was not particularly appealing and again, outdated. Nothing memorable.
The Mashed Potatoes and Green Bean side dishes were served family style. Unfortunately, I think most family members would consider them afterthoughts. The potatoes were decent, but in general the sides weren’t really worth ordering.
I’m kinda stuck between a 2.5 and a 3 but the service definitely knocks it down. I will say that the Groupon deal makes coming here a little more appealing although the savings isn’t huge — maybe $ 30-​$ 40 dollars. Overall, you can absolutely do better unless you’d like to experience the 1980’s.