Regional Food & Drink (R.F.D.)

BeerSox

Virginia

3.86/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Located in the heart of D.C. with plenty of metro stops near by (Metro Center and Chinatown being two of them). Not sure about parking, there is some in the area but I never attempt to use it.

The inside was like any other restaurant, but with more beer signs. The bar has plenty of HDTVs with HDTV service, and there are some other HDTVs around where the tables are. It seems like there is plenty of space.

The beer selection for draft is okay, nothing spectacular, but it does give you a wide choice of beers. Even though the place seems more craft-beer-centric, they do have Miller Lite on tap and Bud Light in the bottle. Just about everyone was getting Bud Light in bottles, but I was there with a lot of college age folks watching college football games, some of them getting pretty trashed. $6 for just about every pint, $3 for a sampler glass. They did have some good beers on the list, including Sierra Nevada's Chico Estate Harvest Ale, and some other seasonals. I did see a sign for cask ale, but it didn't have anything written on it at the time.

Didn't bother to try their food.

The service is good, nothing spectacular. You mostly pick your beer and they get it, and ask if you want to start a tab. Beer knowledge among the staff probably varies, knowing at least just enough to hear what you want then get it right away.

Overall it's a good destination for beer and watching some sports. I think the place also varies by the crowd you get. When I was there it was a lot of college age people, so it was more like being in any other beer bar, especially since everyone was getting Bud Light. It may be a little more suited toward enjoying some craft beers when the place is a little less crowded.

10-19-2008 20:55:46 | More by BeerSox

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.06/5  rDev +9.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4 | $$

I think lots of peeps underestimate this joint on here. The previous reviews on here are, to my mind, totally irrelevant.

Atmosphere: Located in prime real estate right outside the Verizon Center, the place where I took my wife (of 5 years) on our very first date. I really dig the glass wall they have in the back, and it just screams, "Come drink great beer!"

Quality and selection: They have great beer here. Lots of great brews + cask entries. Additionally, I've been to a few really cool craft beer events here.

Food: Fine, serviceable. I had a really great sandwich here... enough said.

Value: This is DC and everything is more expensive. I think this place stacks up fine in the whole scheme of things.

04-11-2013 03:49:04 | More by Chaney

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +25.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$$

I visited this restaurant while visiting the Smithsonian museum of American Art about a week ago. My review is taken from notes. I never planned on visiting, but I saw this restaurant on the way from the parking garage to the museum.

The front door hostesses were really fast. I get the impression that they are busier during the week, and they can easily take in patrons on the weekend. I requested the back patio... but then I found out they had smoking. [reviewers note: I don't really care about the heath effects. That is up to the smoker. I care more about how it affects the tasting experience.]

The service was excellent. My server was very attentive... even though I was a pain in the tuckus. She really knew her beer. And, she recommended visiting a place called The Churchkey on a return visit in addition to RFD.

I started with the pretzels and mustard, which was really tasty. It will pair with anything.

The selection was impressive. They had a great assortment. There was a mix of good standbys and some very hard to get beers. On the high-end bomber list they had New Glarus and Vertical Epic 2003. Unfortunately I couldn't get any "to-go" for another time because of local laws.

The meal was decent. I had the steak sandwich with mushrooms and carmelized onions. It was a little dry, but it did come out hot.

The next time I visit the Washington Mall or the Smithsonian, I will definitely come back here. This is a great experience.

08-05-2012 18:26:28 | More by ummswimmin

BattleRoadBrewer

Massachusetts

3.13/5  rDev -15.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3 | $$$

Sad draft list. Imagine the typical craft beers you can get in bottles at the supermarket. Bingo, that's what they've got on tap. Lots of taps, yea! Everybody's version of an American wheat ale, yawn! A couple interesting choices only. Huge, huge selection if looking for can/bottle beer.

Service was excellent, attentive and [beer-] knowledgeable servers. Beer prices reasonable anywhere, quite reasonable for downtown Washington DC.

Menu limited. Food tasted good, steak was overcooked but at least not too dry. It was overpriced, but I didn't have to choose a steak so my bad.

Atmosphere nice, plenty of room, a little loud, typical after work crowd.

Recommended for regulars who want what they got, lunch etc. Not beervarna.

05-30-2012 23:35:05 | More by BattleRoadBrewer

PhillyStyle

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$$

Visited March 2012:

I visited the place at off-hours, as I showed up on a Tuesday afternoon, mainly to watch an EPL match, which the bartenders gladly put on for me. Again, the place was kind of dead, except the bar, which probably seated 20 or so, which was full.

The place was pretty big and started to fill up as I was leaving around 6pm. I sat at the bar, overall the bartenders were fairly inattentive, except when my glass was empty and then all of them were asking if I needed another. Behind the bar was a nice display of all of the bottled beer, of which they had a fairly large number. They also had a nice selection from the tap, which I believe also had a rotating selection. They had a number of beers that cannot be found in Georgia, which was certainly appealing. I had the DC Brau Burial at Sea, the Starr Hill Dark Star Stout and the Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA. All were very nice and fresh and served in proper glasses. I also had some food, which was slightly kicked up pub grub, loaded tater tots (which are a must try) and fish and chips. The food was perhaps slightly above average. Overall, not a bad place, but given a choice, I would hang at either Pizzeria Paradiso before here, but the next time that I return to DC, I will probably check out what they have on tap before I make my final decisions. The place is worth checking out.

04-27-2012 19:23:03 | More by PhillyStyle

hdf561

Virginia

2.6/5  rDev -29.7%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3 | $$$

This place is conviently located just past the Verizon center and very close to several Metro Stops and the National Mall.

I have been several times at different times of day, and have never been all that impressed.

For the most part the staff is pretty uninspired an borderline rude.

The atmosphere is kinda weak as well, one time in particular we went after the Nationals had just upset the Phillies and the place was dead, like they didnt even know it happened yet the post game show was on so I know they had the game on. Yet an hour later hitting up the Green Turtle the place was still rocking!

The only thing that keeps me going back is that it has the best beer selection in the District PERIOD! The burger sliders are slo very good but other than that the food is just average.

If you want to drink some different beers then this is the place when your in DC other than that do not go for atmosphere, service or food.

01-08-2012 00:55:48 | More by hdf561

SurlyDuff

Oregon

3.14/5  rDev -15.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

Made a visit to RFD on my last DC trip. For a beer bar/gastropub sort of place, they offered a rather good selection. Prices were fairly steep though, especially for the higher ABV stuff, and the staff was inattentive. Food menu didn't impress me either.

Putting a rare beer in a tiny snifter makes up for the cost difference of something less expensive. Despite this, I paid something like $8 for the piddly pour. I noticed that even a regular pint of SN or Weinhestiphaner Hefe was 6.50. Really? Where am I, the airport?

The atmosphere was generic, the staff was underwhelming. My friend ordered an old reserve beer (forget what it was). It was straight soy sauce, bleh.

A place like this couldn't survive in Denver, Portland, San Fran, etc...but I guess in DC it's the bees knees. Oh well, good for them for bringing good beer into the area.

09-01-2011 14:39:32 | More by SurlyDuff

bpfishback

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

RFD is nicely located about eight blocks north of the mall. It has a spacious but somewhat odd layout. The bar seats about twenty to thirty but is cut in the middle by a server station which makes the bar feel a bit odd and messes with the atmosphere. The bar area does smell a bit like puke and old beer.

Draft selection is good, with about forty beers on tap. Bottle selection is ok with most of it being pretty standard stuff. They did have an updated monthly bottle selection on the back of the draft list which had some more interesting bottles. Not many rarities to be found when I was there, other then firestone walker parabola.

The bartender was very nice and gave great service. She seemed really patient when answering customers questions and was pretty good at describing beers and making recommendations.

08-10-2011 14:28:30 | More by bpfishback

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +13.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

Stopped by the Saturday after savor on a recommendation from a friend. The place was not overly busy and started at the bar, was impressed at the start by the amount of beer on tap as well as the amount of bottle beers. The prices for 12 oz bottles and drafts seemed more than reasonable with the 750 ml bottles seeming a little high for some beers. The atomsphere was nice it was very laid back and everyone at the bar was very social and nice. The star of the trip was our bartender who was outstanding she new exactly what she was talking about and was able to make great recommendations that went beyond the normal beers you would expect. She was also very willing to engage you about beer. After a couple hours we sat down and ate, the food was slightly above average and reasonable with the table getting buffalo chicken sliders other appetizers and cheesecake. The waiter wasn't as good, so I would recommend going to the bar. Overall it would be a must stop again when travelling back to dc.

06-06-2011 21:28:55 | More by goblue3509

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +11.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Edit: Dinner during a follow-up visit. Hamburgers are a specialty. I had the breakfast burger (fried egg and bacon) and enjoyed it. Food goes to a 4.0.

***

A block and a half away from my hotel? Done and done! A late afternoon visit.

Atmosphere: RFD is spacious, huge with seating immediately on entrance, through the bar area, and all the way into a patio out back. The bar is wooden and large, the bar seating area decorated with Belgian-style beer flags (Ommegang, Tremens, Unibroue). I grabbed a seat at the bar.

Quality: Greeted immediately, I was handed a beer list. The restroom was clean and the entire restaurant quite impressive.

Service: The bartender was chatty and friendly, visiting often (note the bar was empty save for one person). She pointed out the Hoppy Hour listing that I ended up ordering off of.

Selection: 30 or so beers on tap, more than three times that in bottles, and a few casks to boot. The Firestone Walker Abacus was gone when I arrived, so I settled in with a Dubbel Cannon from Heavy Seas - a good pint. A 6 page, stapled beer list was also sitting in front of me.

Food: N/A.

Hoppy Hour specials were $4 a pint.

05-09-2011 22:09:24 | More by akorsak