Barley Mac

Helina was the best server I’ve had in a long time. Warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly. She made the experience feel personal and welcoming. The food was outstanding, and the ambiance was equally impressive. I’ll definitely be returning!

First time being here and instantly enjoyed the environment, the prices here are very affordable for the quantity you receive, the atmosphere is very chill perfect place to have a celebration for brunch or dinner, very spacious and friendly while also having parking very close will be returning 10/10

I had the steak and fries and lobster Mac and cheese. The steak was delicious and perfectly cooked. Marcellus went above and beyond assisting me. Very satisfied!

We came to Barley Mac during the clearly advertised happy hour on Mother’s Day, ordered specifically from the happy hour menu, and were shocked to find none of the discounts applied to our bill. When we asked, the manager claimed happy hour “doesn’t apply to outdoor seating”—a restriction mentioned nowhere on the signage or by the servers. Despite our clear communication and even pointing to the posted signs, the manager was initially rude and dismissive. After some back-and-forth, he reluctantly applied some of the discounts, but not all. It felt like an attempt to cheat us through false advertising, and the entire experience left a bad taste. On top of that, the food was merely mediocre, especially for the high price point. The server staff seemed unaware of the policy, so this blame falls mostly on poor management. That said, the service was terrible as no plates were brought with our appetizers, we had to ask for silverware, and a few of the drinks didn’t arrive until near the end of the meal. The servers seemed to be trying but were obviously understaffed. We won’t be back.

Wily was phenomenal! Very attentive! We came to celebrate our anniversary (for the 2nd time). The goat cheese bruschetta was delicious, as was the rest of our food. Definitely will come back!

Stopped by with a couple of friends for a casual late lunch couple of days ago and the food was amazing. Our server was very good and recommended drinks and appetizers that came out quickly. The mains came along quickly as well and were very good, burgers and sandwich were nice and juicy and the fries are just perfect! Overall great experience with a swanky ambience that you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for! Will be back very soon! Highly recommended.

I had a really nice experience at this restaurant. The food was fresh, well-prepared, and came out pretty quickly. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable—perfect for a casual dinner or a low-key night out. What really stood out, though, was the service. Our server, Helena, was great—super friendly, helpful with the menu, and just genuinely easy to talk to. She checked in at the right times and made sure everything was going smoothly without hovering. It felt like she actually cared that we were having a good time, which made a big difference. Overall, I’d definitely come back. Good food, fair prices, and awesome service—especially thanks to Helena.

Had a great time at Barley Mac this evening! Came for a grad school alumni happy hour and had a blast. From the good vibes to the tasty apps and drinks, you won't go wrong. Shout out to Wily and Emilio for their amazing service, they made me feel right at home and had great energy the whole evening! This is the spot!

Came here for a network event got dinner after on a rainy friday. Seats are pretty limited. One side is a bar and one side for the restaurant. The lobster mac was delicious. It could be a app to share or a full meal. Calamari was tasty. The wings were tender and flavorful as well. Price was high but taste was there so I cant complain. Parking all around the neighborhood.

Stopped by on a Saturday and it wasn't busy. We requested to be seated outside in the shade. Our waitress eventually came over few minutes and we placed our orders. We ordered the following: Barley Mac Tacos (Salmon). The salmon was good but overshadowed by the tomatoes. The fries were DELICOUS. Italian Meats Pizza. I am not sure what type of ground beef they are using but it tastes like dog food. The Pepperoni's were good but could be better placed throughout the pizza vs the dead center. The bacon is practically unnoticeable. The Buffalo Mac & Cheese was different. You can definitely taste the Buffalo flavor. I enjoyed the chicken with it as well. The crab Mac and Cheese was good as well. Nice portion of crab meat. The Margherta pizza was nothing special. We. Could do without. Overall the service was nice and the location is cool. The food however, needs some work. I don't think I'd order anything again except for the fries. Thanks for the time. I hope the food gets better.

NEW YEAR = NEW FOOD + NEW BOOZE Met up with one of my best friends for a New Year's Week happy hour and chit-chat session. We enjoyed several drinks and shared a few appetizers. What we had: STRAWBERRY MARGARITA JALAPEÑO DEVILED EGGS MEATBALLS CLASSICO PEPPERONI PIZZA CRÈME BRÛLÉE CHEESECAKE Everything was delish. I'll definitely be back for more of the same and possibly a few other items I eyed on the menu. We were there on a Wednesday around 4pm and it wasn't very busy (at least in the section where we were sitting). Once we left, I noticed more of a crowd throughout the restaurant. The service was good and we were checked on often enough where we didn't feel badgered or ignored. __ I eat. @f.hux I thrift. @DCthriftish

Came here with high hopes for the breakfast gnocchi. I love gnocchi, pesto and eggs. I was sadly disappointed. The gnocchi had the consistency of fried mashed potatoes bites with an after taste of hash browns. I asked for eggs over easy. They came out over medium. The egg white omelet was cooked well. It was very pepper forward, just be aware. The Bloody Mary was spicy but lacked flavor. Would not order again. The coffee was good. Service was good. Location is on point. Lots of street parking. They have a brunch menu with many options.

We went here in the summer on a weekend at around 4pm. It was not busy at all - the waiters were very nice, providing some recommendations and answering our questions. We sat outside and they were dog friendly, providing a bowl of water. The QR code scanned menu was a bit confusing - a few times, the beers listed on the QR code said it was on tap but the waiter said it was bottled. Some of the drinks also didn't have prices listed (but some did). Overall, their QR menu needs some work - I would recommend people ask the waiters just be to sure that a drink is on tap versus bottled/canned. I ordered a lobster bisque and we got a shared order of potato wedges. The lobster bisque was good - but the serving size was pretty small. I'd recommend it for someone who wasn't that hungry; it's definitely not a substitute for a meal. The bisque is very rich and flavorful - though a bit salty. The potato wedges were good. Overall, solid food - but nothing super memorable. The prices are a bit on the higher side and I don't think it's super worth it. If you are in the area, I would have no problem recommending this place - but I wouldn't go out of the way to come here.

Had a great experience with a large group brunch here. The service was great despite the large party size of 12. They even gave us separate checks by person/couple. Mimosas are only $3! I really liked my lobster Benedict, my husband loved his burger and everyone seemed content with the meal. Looking forward to going back to try HH and Mac and cheese.

Lily is awesome! Great place to chill on a Saturday afternoon! Great staff! Sam was so welcoming. They must have in management as it was not like this in the past.

The hostess was very friendly. The waitress was very friendly. The food was fast and delicious and the restaurant had a nice vibe to it. I will definitely try this place again.

I decided to try out the brunch again at Barley Mac for Easter Brunch. I did get the Lobster Benedict, and it was good (still issues with the lack of Hollandaise, but the Lobster was yummy). They probably give you too many potatoes, and the potatoes are pretty bland, so I only ate about half of those. The larger issue was everything else. I got to Barley Mac at 11:30, and they had apparently run out of tomato juice (so no Bloodys), coffee, and grapefruit juice, and had done so in what was probably a pretty light brunch environment (there was one large party and a few smaller parties as well). I eventually ordered a Shandy, but from what I could tell they just gave me orange juice (they did charge me for a Shandy, but I didn't feel like fighting it considering the service issues). The service was pretty meager overall. It's not the fault of the bar per se, but it feels like this place is understaffed. From getting my food until I was finally checked on was a good 25 minutes, at which point I just closed out. I'll go to 2 stars because the lobster was good and they were nice enough to change the TVs over to Manchester City / Arsenal, though one set of their TVs couldn't pick up NBC or Telemundo, so I had to move to the other side of the bar when they were able to get it on a different TV. Overall though I'm unlikely to come back.

My husband and I tried Barley Mac about because we heard they had a really good Mac & Cheese, and I can say it was pretty good! We ordered the Crab Mac & Cheese and added truffle oil. It was good! I will say for a Friday night at 730PM, it was very quiet and calm in the restaurant. Our server was not extremely attentive, we had to ask him to take our menus from the table (while we were eating our appetizers) and when we were eating dinner we had to ask for him to take our empty appetizers plates. Other than the service, my husband enjoyed the steak & salad while I devoured the crab mac with a side of broccolini.

Tried the mac and cheese, the jalapeño bacon deviled eggs, a smash burger, and the pasta bolognese. To be honest, I am not sure I have ever had a meal that bland. There is no salt and pepper on the tables and likely none in the kitchen either. The experience made me wonder if I had COVID. Most of the prices on our bill failed to match the prices in the menu. The cocktails were plain vanilla. The seats in the booth were worn and cracked and the concrete floor is stained. About the only positive was that the service was quick.

Food was great and the service was excellent! Pizza was amazing. We also had tacos, Cajun pasta, chicken parm, and a chicken sandwich (don't remember names on menu) and they all were very very good. Hats off to the chef! (And the entire staff) def coming back!

Great food and service for happy hour! The margaritas were $7 and we got some small bites for $6. The goat cheese bruschetta and strawberry margarita were my favorites. The ambience was great, very spacious seating and definitely go with a bigger group of friends. Would recommend!

Food is pretty decent, service has been atrocious the three times we've eaten here. Each time it has taken at least 15 mins to get any drink order taken. After you get your food, delivered by the kitchen staff, you won't see anyone else during your stay. We had to get up and ask another waitress on their phone at the host stand if we could have them retrieve our person since it had been 25 mins since we last saw them-- prior to the food being dropped off. When we finally got her, she claimed we had multiple wait staff floating... there were literally 3-5 tables filled at that point in the evening. We won't be back because of service alone.

Stopped in here for a late lunch and very disappointed in the service and food. The place wasn't busy, maybe four other tables top! The service was horrible, took 10 minutes to get two drinks. Then the food came out again very disappointed. The two sandwiches were barely warm. With so many options in the DC area save yourself and find another down the street to try. I know we won't be coming back and we live here!!

Food was excellent. Service was great as well. Our server, Sharron, suggested the Cajun pasta, chipotle salmon and chocolate cake. ALL items were delicious. The general manager also stopped by our table to ensure we were having a great time. We enjoyed our visit to Barley Mac.

Glad I got to try this place finally! Pretty solid food but everything was missing a little bit oomph. Like some spices or something. The Mac and cheese was really good and big serving size for the app size. Just needed some salt. Also tried the chicken parm and the sauce was flavorful and different. I like that the chicken was thin and crispy. I also tried the Brussels sprouts which were sweet and really good for fall flavors. Finally I tried the southwest egg rolls which were maybe my favorite! Packed with flavors and served with a good sauce.

Great space with a large outdoor patio, plenty of bar space, and tables inside. They have your standard American food and really good happy hour specials from 4pm-7pm. They also had several outdoor TVs playing sports games. Service was not great. I called to reserve space several days in advance at this location and was told that it would not be a problem. When my group arrived, they did not have any record of our reservation. Fortunately, there was plenty of space. When we seated ourselves, we had to wait until I found a waiter and asked if we could order. I needed to track down a waiter twice throughout the two hours that we were there. Good spot for a happy hour, service could be better.

Good service, terrible food. Tried for happy hour. Will not return So disappointed.

Delicious spot with a great patio area! This is the perfect spot if the weather outside is nice. They have a happy hr from 4-7 with $2 off apps and $5 drink specials. You can make reservations, but it didn't seem like you needed one. There's plenty of seating inside and outside. ROASTED CHICKEN EGGROLLS ($11) I love this egg roll trend that's going on an this is no exception. The filling was loaded, cheesy and delicious. The avocado dipping sauce went perfectly with it too. BUFFALO MAC ($12) This spot is known for Barley Whirksy and Mac and Cheese so I definitely needed to try the mac and cheese. THe buffalo mac was a winner! It was perfectly cheesy and saucy. My only complain is that it's a pretty small portion size.

I would like to preface this review by stating that I've only been here for happy hour. I've been here for happy hour three times. Two times it was great, one time the service was an issue. The best things on the happy hour menu are the pepperoni pizza, $10, and a hamburger (though it seems they removed this offering!). The most recent time I went, which was last week, they had gotten rid of the hamburger option, so we just got two pizzas. For $10, the pizza easily feeds two people, so this was a great deal. The pizza is excellent and the cheese taste great. There is a good distribution of pepperonis as well. The most recent time, the service was attentive and the restaurant was pretty much empty at the time that we went, which was around 5 p.m. on a weekday. The second time we dined here, there was an issue because they did not allow us to box our remaining pizza, though we were paying for it. They said that happy hour food could not be boxed?? So I guess they just wanted us to throw it away? There was a lot of back and forth between the different waiters and management, and ultimately we were allowed to get boxes. It was just an annoying interaction. Overall, I would still come here again, especially for happy hour. I've never been here for their main courses, but I'm open to trying them. The actual restaurant is a very nice ambiance, spacious and clean. I've never been here during the peak hours, so I don't know about the noise level. There is street parking available. It seems like a good place for groups.

I went for happy hour and paid in cash. Initially the server did not bring me change, then asked if I wanted it. I said yes, then still did not receive all of my change. Less than a dollar isn't going to break me, but it was my money and it rubs me the wrong way that it wasn't given to me.

We came here for happy hour on a Thursday and it was not busy at all. We were able to get seated at the table outside immediately. It is funny how their margarita specials are more expensive than two other places in walking distance but the strawberry margarita was still good. The goat cheese bruschetta was great. I also love how you pay with the server and they do not take your card away. Not a bad place just there are better ones you can go to in the area.

They have a good ambience and the service is fast. So fast that they get their appetizers and main course together! Food is so-so. The margherita pizza is good. But the Mac n cheese was a disaster..not sure what was missing from it. Kraft ready to eat Mac n cheese is better than what they serve here.

Tried Barley Mac for brunch today. We had the lobster Mac and cheese, banana foster french toast, Nutella Johnny cakes, and the southern chicken sausage gravy. I liked the lobster Mac the best. Tried it with some old bay hot sauce, which gave it a little kick. The banana foster French toast was tasty but looked like something I attempted at home. The bananas foster was a little mushy, so the presentation didn't make me want to dive right in, and the only reason the bread was hot was because of the bananas foster. I would have preferred a thicker brioche or the banana foster on the side to avoid soggy bread. The chicken sausage gravy was good, as were the Nutella johnny cakes. We also had the brunch mule and orange juice. Both were underwhelming. The mule gave me a headache. Atmosphere was cool with good music playing and the service was great. It was pretty empty when we arrived at 11:20, so that seems to be a good time to go. It started to pick up when we left but it still wasn't crowded. There are a few other items I'd like to try on the menu but I will probably try them again for lunch or dinner.

Stopped by on a Saturday evening after shopping and stumbled upon this nice restaurant. Me and my children were seated immediately and the server was there with water ready to take drink orders. The manager provided my daughter with a coloring sheet and crayons while we waited on our food. The lobster mac and cheese was delicious. My server and the manger were great. I will be returning!

Celebration dinner for my son. Attentive server. Really good slow cooked beef. Deep bar menu. Dessert and pasta was ok.

I came here for brunch on a Sunday with a medium sized group. The service was good, we didn't have any issues. The food was okay, typical brunch food.

Gotta name this place Barely Mac because the Mac and cheese barely tasted like Mac and cheese. It had no flavour. The service was good tho so I'll give this 2 stars

This place was okay. The pizza was just like any pizza. The Airline Chicken Parmigiana was a little dry on the chicken. The Seafood Linguine with Lobster sauce was really good. It had a lot of seafood and the flavoring was great. It also had the right amount of Linguine. The jumbo lump crab cake is also one my top picks.

Sat at the bar after discovering this place that was on my list to try was just around the corner from my chiropractor. Stopped in to start my day off with a drink and some food. Waited for the bartender to come for 10+ minutes. When she did come, she was preoccupied with the other guest (which she clearly knew). I finally ordered the Season of the Witch, which is a seasonal drink with tequila, matcha, pineapple and honey. I didn't know that that was the combination that I needed in my life. It was go good. I also ordered the roasted chicken eggrolls, which were good but also cold in the middle. Service and food temp were one star. Food taste and the drink brought my rating up to two.

- Got the brussel sprouts (unevenly sour) + grilled octopus (meh) + truffle fries (loved them) - They have happy hour and a nice seating area outside - Very friendly staff

When I first heard of Barley Mac, I was told that it was one of the better bunch places. After trying it, I can definitely say that the food is quite tasty. I had the Lobster Benedict and it was outstanding along with the potatoes. They had a wide array of flavorful brunch options and everything on the menu looked good. They even serve breakfast pizza and pasta, which I don't see often. The food was bangin, but the service was ok. Overall, a must try place for an outrageous brunch.

The food was good. We were a large group but the service was so slow. If you come with a small group you should get better service.

Came here for lunch with friends and got the garden salad with grilled chicken. The chicken was dry and the salad was average, although the balsamic vinagrette dressing was good, not worth the price. My friends all ordered the mac and cheese and I tried my partner's and we both though that it was too bland. The serving size is also rather small. Also when we went at 11:30AM, the server gave us both the brunch and lunch menu but said that we may not be able to order items off the lunch menu because she's had the chef refuse to make them (and the manager was on vacation). The server was really accomodating and this was no fault of hers, but to the chef: if you are only making brunch items, then you should only hand out the brunch menu...

The food is great but F*** do they have the worst bar section I have ever been to. I've come 5 times and not once have I ever been able to get service within 10 minutes of arriving. After my beer is gone it's a hassle trying to even find the bartender because they are understaffed and the dude is also a server. He can only take one order at a time. So if your with a group you are screwed. There was one week they had a dedicated bartender. But he was so oblivious to customers needs, literally just stared off into space and took a good two minutes of waving to get his attention. They would be such a great bar if they only had some decent F'ing service. If I could give them a zero I would.

Service was good but horribly under staffed. Food was meh-- basic grease spoon fare. The table was dirty and wobbly. In general, this place has gone massively downhill.

Waited 30 minutes for our table despite having a reservation and then were told it would be 30 minutes for our food to come out. An hour later they said there are 3 tables in front of us and then they would start our food. We left

Let's talk happy hour! It's my favorite time of the day. Over at Barley Mac, 4-7 Mon-Sat, is when they're serving it and it's where you wanna be. I brought my son and we had a nice mix of food while I have some adult beverages. You have to sit at the bar area to enjoy this menu, but there's ample seating with friendly and prompt service. Here's a quick breakdown of what we tried. We started with the Deviled eggs with pepper and bacon. This was a big winner for me and I would order it again. We also tried a cheese pizza and at $9, it is a great deal, with a decent taste and it went well with my whiskey sour. We added a side of pork shoulder tacos with a nice creme sauce. I would recommend you try those if you stop by. Overall, the food and the atmosphere was great and I'll probably be back for more soon!

This was the first restaurant I ate at in DC (new to the area), and I just was not impressed with the quality of the food or the service. I tried several dishes off the appetizer menu because they all sounded so good, I couldn't settle on just one. The mushroom and spinach empanadas were flavorless, the entire empanada (the inner part and the hard shell) just tasted bland. The meatballs were not seasoned and were cold, I didn't enjoy those either. The coccoli were the best thing I ordered on the menu- they are donuts drizzled with truffle honey, with straccino cheese and prosciutto on the side (meant to be eaten in one big bite). Service was BEYOND slow, had to ask multiple times for water, as well as my check. I would not return here or recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Came here for brunch - we ordered the Mac 'n Cheese, OF COURSE. I ordered the traditional benedict, which was quite good (not the best I've had, but still good and filling!) Great, attentive staff throughout our stay. Overall, a very good meal and the mac 'n cheese was as good as we read about.

Nice ambiance but less than stellar service and over priced food that was just okay at best. Waiter didn't greet us or know what beers were on tap, no kids menus available but we could search online to find one (not included on the qr code or available in person), and the food wasn't served hot. To top it off they added gratuity for a family of 5.

This is a Rosslyn go-to. I've been here twice in person and once via a food delivery service. The mac and cheese is the best one I've found in the area by a mile. I've tried the burger, one of the pizzas, and then the caesar salad. If you get fries, don't be shy and order the truffle fries, they're the one. Overall, great spot. They have brunch too and, based on peeping other tables, they give you the champagne bottle which is always fun. It's a short-ish (albeit up) walk from the metro station. Make the trek, get some food, would recommend.

A few weeks ago I was overcharged and realized it after we left. Called to let them know and the person answering the phone became very rude and accusatory when I said the numbers didn't add up. I insisted they didn't and when he actually did the math I was right. I asked for a call from management that never came. Clearly not a customer anymore. When I worked in service if we messed up we would try to make it nice and apologize in some way usually a comp, drink or something but we were never rude. Sad, disappointing level of customer care.

Recently moved to the Rosslyn area and went here with mom for brunch. Service was fast and the staff was very friendly. Definitely will go again

Came here with some girlfriends for brunch after running the cherry blossom ten miler. Our server was very helpful and answered all of our questions. Food came out quickly and drinks were good. We got the champagne bottle with different flavor juices (raspberry & mango) which were great. We had a nice time and were able to hang out without being rushed out. I've also been here for dinner which a group of friends and that was awesome as well. The service is really good and staff are very nice.

We were surprised to walk in at 6pm to find literally one other party there and then just a couple people at the bar. We should have just left. I remember when this place opened and it probably was great before Covid. The booth seats are uncomfortable. They're narrow, they're also ripping everywhere.. it looks terrible. Imagine how The Continental was before they closed. That was how bad the seats were. We got soups to start. French onion and lobster bisque. Lobster bisque had such a canned seafood taste. Like canned tuna and canned shrimp have, if you've ever been so lucky to have canned shrimp. My French onion was just so full of undercooked onions... onions that were just sautéed for about 5 mins and then put at the bottom of a soup crock, covered with beef broth, a huge soggy piece of bread, and two THICK a pieces of Swiss. That cheese was so hard to get through.. and so much of it was over cooked that even when mixed into the broth it stayed together and didn't melt. The price of bread was fine, but the edges were so tough. The broth was the star of the show especially when I got to the undercooked onions at the bottom. What a disservice to French onion soup! Our entrees arrived and.. I wanted to like it. Cajun pasta should be FULL OF FLAVOR! It wasn't. And the server even came by to ask, while I was eating, if I wanted hot sauce because they always needed hot sauce. It was welcome.. it needed hot sauce and more flavor. Imagine my disappointment when I got a bottle of fuckin Texas Pete lmao My fiancé got a buffalo chicken flatbread and it was a whole ass pizza. It was a 10 inch round pizza, enough for two people, definitely not a flatbread. Granted, it was good, but we were both surprised when it showed up.

Waiting 45 mins for a beer only to be told that their bartender was fired. lol. This place is ridiculous. STAY AWAY!!

5/10 for food . Ordered the lobster mac & cheese, lobster came out way over cooked to the point where you could smell the lobster in a non pleasant way & extremely dry. However pizza was really good and the wings were pleasing. Service 0/10. Waited 15mins to order drinks (water comes standard). Had to constantly have someone grab our server. Orders came out wrong but she wasnt the one to bring them out - so again we had to wait & flag her down & then she was not very willing to rectify the mistakes. Ambiance 7/10. Good music . dimly lit. very good cocktails.