City Tap House of DC - Penn Quarter

Reviews 7

CA

Carol Chan

Having lived 2 blocks from City Tap House for almost a year, my husband and I found every excuse to save it to check it out "some other time". "Long weekend? Lets go somewhere FARRR. They have gazillion beers on tap? Lets wait to take friends who would appreciate the selection!" Not until we finally did have friends in town and I was held back by hospital calls (boo to not going anywhere far), we stopped by to check out their brunch menu. There were a handful of items I wanted to try! Their famous Blue crab mac and cheese wasnt offered on brunch menu but the waitress graciously offered to ask the kitchen to make it for us. Ultimately however the four of us opted for individual entrees - ricotta pancakes, blue crab craftwich with sweet potato fries, chicken and waffles, and salmon hash. After reviewing yelp pictures, I was surprised by the size of the entrees - they were at least twice the size I expected them to be. Perhaps the huge plate/bowl just made the portion appeared much smaller? Ricotta pancakes - fluffy and perfectly sweetened. Still doesnt beat NYCs Almonds lemon ricotta pancakes but these were pretty good. Bluecrab openface craftwich - juicy lumps of crab meat+ melted Havarti cheese + handful of flavorful sun dried tomato + fresh avocado slices on toasty sourdough = the perfect bite. I especially loved the honey mustard aioli pairing. Gotta pat myself on the back for the swap of their perfectly crisped and non-greasy sweet potato fries! Chicken and waffles - beautiful presentation! Savory bacon bits and sweet pepper jam to go along with crispy yet juicy fried chicken = so yummy! However, I was underwhelmed by the soggy, tasteless waffles. Thank goodness for maple syrup to save the day! Salmon hash - generous serving of grilled, flaky salmon + two beautifully poached eggs over almost what appeared to be "bottomless" potato hash. This dish was much heavier than expected. They were a bit heavy handed in the amount of oil used in making the hash. And the amount of potato... would def recommend it as a "hangover" cure - nevertheless, a good but not memorable dish. Overall - I was impressed by the quality and the quantity of the food offered here in City Tap! Definitely exceeded my expectation of a gastropub! Service was attentive, price was fair. With just walking distance away, my husband and I look forward to returning to check out their dinner/happy hours/late night grub menu!

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SC

Scotty ST

Wonderful place for some beers and good food. The beer selection is wonderful and well priced. Beer ranges from $5-9 which is excellent considering the location. Happy hour is from 5-7pm with select beers for $5. There is a cocktail and wine special during happy hou,r but didnt order those specials. Service was very friendly from the host to server and to the bartenders. The wait for the table was a bit long due to the private party taking up half the restaurant. It was worth the wait. I ordered a few dog fish head ipas for $6 and a burger. The burger was marvelous and the fries were nicely fried. The burger is a good portion and isnt too greasy. This is a great place for any occasion. I came here on a date and had a great time. The menu is what I liked the most. It has a variety of different prices of food. You have reasonably priced food to expensive. If you come here you will find something good in your price range.

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teachU rite

Found this place on Google because I wanted a spirited beverage. We arrived at 3:30 in the afternoon. Once inside, the bartender informed me that because their transitional period between brunch and dinner was from three to five, their menu items were limited ... Indeed. Only fourteen things to choose from ranging from appetizers to various sandwiches. I pondered leaving because I was hungry but decided to stick around and try it out. Boy, was that a great decision. I had my cider, of course, but the food items I ordered were amazing! The wings, well seasoned and just delicious. The ham and cheese was not traditional, But it was super! And my friend comments that the Caesar salad he ordered was plentiful, flavorful and the portion sizes were pleasing. Overall, I felt the place was above and beyond what I expected. The atmosphere was "energized melodrama" ... playful yet calming.

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Jesse Flores

City Tap was phenomenal! I dont normally leave reviews for restaurants, but a combination of the food, service, and atmosphere left me feeling like it was a must. My girlfriend and I have had mussels from many restaurants including some in Paris, but the Pancho and Abigail were a cut above them all. The chorizo and tomatoes gave the Pancho a terrific red clay color, and offered a great contrast with their salty sweetness. The poblano peppers gave the Pancho just enough spice to remind you the dish has Hispanic inspiration without overpowering the dish. The Abigail was rich with garlic butter and may have been too rich if it werent for the acid of the Belgian ale. Did I mention the pimento cheese spread? Sweet and salty with just enough bacon. Crackers that meet the flavor of the cheese instead of challenging it. A delicious way to begin our meal.

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BR

Brian Merrell

I really wanted to like this place. I met a close friend of one of the owners in Philly about a year ago. We chatted about up and coming cities, and he mentioned that his friends were starting a beer bar in DC: City Tap House. He told me to stop by, and finally, during Savor, I did. It took a very long time from our seating to when we got our drinks. The drink list, which they neglected to give us at first, was not the clearest, and styles were sometimes confused with one another. Our server was very polite and eager to help, but the other staff seemed indifferent. My food was overcooked and arrived a bit late -- we were on a schedule that evening. The decor was interesting but ultimately didnt make up for mediocre food, and the tap list needs a bit more thought put into it.

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AU

Austin Graff

Id give this place 5 stars if I had ordered food, but I only went here for drinks with a buddy. We tried to go Friday night, but someone rented out the entire restaurant and bar for a private event. We would have been mad, but the hostess gave us wooden chips for free drinks to be used at a later date (good move!). Last night we redeemed those wooden chips and enjoyed our experience. The bar was full so we sat in an overflow bar area. The atmosphere is very down to earth but trendy. It was not too quiet and not too loud. We could enjoy a conversation over a great beer. Their beer list was excellent (and long) and they even had Jacks Cider on tap. I dont think any other restaurant has Jacks Cider on tap and only for $6. Ill be back!

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DA

Daniel Levy

So I came here for dinner with a friend and her dad. The service was pretty great and the appetizers were good as well as the beer list, so I was excited for my main meal. But man, was I disappointed. I ordered the Rib Eye Steak. Now I know that compared to other cuts, Rib Eyes have the most fat, but this was just ridiculous. Over half of the steak on the plate was just straight fat. If I wasnt being treated for dinner, I definitely wouldve said something. Considering its the most expensive entree on the menu at over $30 bucks, what came out on the plate was pretty unacceptable. I hate writing bad reviews but I just cant let this one slide. Ill doubt Ill be back, which sucks because everything else was pretty on point. :(

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