Dining Guide

ADA'S ON THE RIVER 3 Pioneer Mill Way 703-638-1400 AUGIE’S MUSSEL HOUSE 1106 King Street 703.721.3970

BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 703-739-6090

CAFE 44 44 Canal Center 571-800-6644

CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080

CITY KITCHEN 330 South Pickett St. 703-685-9172 fatcitykitchen.com EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051

EXECUTIVE DINER & CAFE 1400 Duke Street 703-299-0894

FIVE GUYS 725 King St. 703-549-7991

FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342

GADSBYS TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288

GRATEFUL KITCHEN 727 N. Henry Street HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050

HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-684-6969

HOPS 'N SHINE 3410 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-566-1509

HUMMINGBIRD 220 South Union Street 703-566-1355 JACKS PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372 JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777

JUNCTION BAKERY & BISTRO 1508 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria 703-436-0025

LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313

THE LIGHT HORSE 715 King Street 703-549-0533

LORI'S TABLE 1028 King Street 703-549-5545 LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511

MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street 703-548-8800 mason-social.com

NORTHSIDE 1O 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-888-0032 OAK STEAKHOUSE 901 N. St. Asaph St. 703-840-3395 OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699 THE PEOPLES DRUG 103 N. Alfred Street 571-257-8851 RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com

ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274

SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266 SLATERS MARKET 1552 Potomac Greens Dr. 703-548-3807 SMOKING KOW BBQ 3250 Duke Sttreet 703-888-2649 SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550 SOUTH BLOCK 106 N. Lee Street 703-465-8423 SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222 SWEETGREEN 823 King St. 571-319-0192 SWEET FIRE DONNA'S BBQ & HOPS 510 John Carlyle Street 571-312-7960 THE STUDY 116 South Alfred Street 703-838-8000 T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com TOASTIQUE GOURMET TOAST & JUICE BAR 1605 King Street 571-312-1909

VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669 VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890

ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515

KINGS RANSOM 728 King Street 571-319-0794 KISSO ASIAN BISTRO 300 King Street 703-888-1513 MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710

MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600 NASIME 1209 King St. 703-548-1848 SIGNATURE THAI 722 King Street 707-888-2458 THAILAND ROYAL 801 N. Fairfax St. 703 535-6622

TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878 CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800 KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212 SISTERS THAI 503 Montgomery St. 571-777-8154

CEDAR KNOLL GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-780-3665

OLD HOUSE COSMOPOLITAN 1024 Cameron Street 703-717-9361

BISTRO SANCERRE FRENCH 1755 Duke Street

BRABO 1600 King St. 703-894-3440 LE REFUGE 127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661 FONTAINES CAFFE & CREPERIE 119 S. Royal St. 703-535-8151 LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854 TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT 219 King St. 703-549-1141

ALDO'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 2850 Eisenhower Avenue (behind the building) 703-888-2243 BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998 IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833

LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086 MIA'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 100 King Street 703-997-5300 MICHAEL’S LITTLE ITALY 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 PIECE OUT 2419 Mount Vernon Avenue 703-398-1287 RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873

BARCA PIER & WINE BAR 2 Pioneer Mill Way 703-638-1100 TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194 DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. 703-329-0006 VASO'S MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO 1118 King Street 703-566-2720 VASO'S KITCHEN 1225 Powhatan Street 703-548-2747

HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK

THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 WHISKEY & OYSTER 301 John Carlyle 703-567-1533

DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd. 703-660-6085 DIYA 218 North Lee, 2nd Floor 703-706-5338 KISMET MODERN INDIAN 111 North Pitt Street 703-567-4507 NAMASTE 1504 King St. 703-970-0615

CASA TEQUILA (next to Crate & Barrel) 1701 Duke 703-518-5312 CHOP SHOP TACO 1008 Madison Street 571-970-6438 DON TACO TEQUILA BAR 808 King St. 703-988-3144 LOS CUATES RESTAURANT 1116 King Street 703-548-2918 LOS TIOS GRILL 2615 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-299-9290 LOS TOLTECOS 4111 Duke St. 703-823-1167 TAQUERIA POBLANO 2400-B Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-TACO (8226) TEQUILA & TACO 540 John Carlyle Street 703-721-3203 URBANO 116 116 King Street 571-970-5148

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of daily specials they offer. There are over 20 appetizers ranging from Chicken Tenders and Wings, Fried Pickles and Loaded Tater Tots to Crab Balls, Fried Oysters, Coconut Shrimp, Catfish Bites, Stuffed Mushroom Caps and Steamed Shrimp. Buffalo Cauliflower Bites were among the specials when we were there. They offer 16 options of seafood either steamed, baked, broiled or fried. From the land they offer steaks, pork chops and various chicken dishes. There is so much here that making a decision is difficult.

I started out with the Coconut Shrimp appetizer. We had just been to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware a few months ago and I had Coconut Shrimp for the first time in many years so I wanted to try it at Gateway. It was great. Lightly fried with the right amount of coconut and nice plump shrimp. The Thai Chili dipping sauce added a nice flavor. I also ordered their version of Chesapeake Chicken. I remembered eating Chesapeake Chicken, a combination of chicken breast and crabmeat, at the Summer House restaurant in Rehoboth back in the 70’s. When done right this is delicious and this was done right. At the Gateway, the grilled chicken is topped with their signature crab dip and it was definitely a treat. I opted for the sandwich size order since the shrimp had pretty much filled me up but I will get the full order when I go back so I can enjoy it longer.

My partner had her eye on the fried chicken which is a ½ chicken served with two sides, however, they were out of it so….she opted for a much healthier choice of the grilled salmon that was on the specials menu. It was served on a pewter platter coated with an Asian inspired reduction and a lemon wedge. The portion was generous and cooked just right. All entrees come with a choice of two sides – this is where the “home cooking” element shines. In addition to the standard garden salad, broccoli, baked potato or fries options there is macaroni & cheese, scalloped potatoes, stewed tomatoes, coleslaw, green beans, pickled beets, lima beans and sweet potato casserole. My pal opted for pickled beets and the ever so healthy scalloped potatoes. These are sides like your grandma used to make.

Since we were just having a light dinner we dined at the bar - which is something we like to do. The back bar is extensive and the beer choices many but I am guessing if you are a wine snob, this isn’t your place to be. Cindy, our bartender/server and former school teacher, was delightful as she never stopped moving between us, serving tables, making the house drinks and waiting on folks picking up dinner to go at the Drive-up Window. When things got hectic during the dinner rush, her “off-duty” co-worker Kim left her after work beverage on the bar and jumped in to help out. That’s just how the people that work here are.

The food, the beverage and the people are the main reasons why you should take the drive down there but the price points on everything on the menu - including the adult beverages - more than make up for the extra cash you have to spend on gas!

GETTING THERE: Take the Beltway and exit on Route 4 South and follow it through Prince Frederick to the Broomes Island Road light. Turn right and drive until you see it on your right!!