Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen

Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen is an absolute standout! Celebrity Chef David Guas has spent over 25 years staying true to his New Orleans roots, and it shows in every bite. Numerous awards and recognitions mark his culinary career—including hosting Travel Channel’s American Grilled—and the food here reflects that excellence. The interior, designed by Simone Rathlé Guas, is stunning. From the natural wood door with a custom palm leaf handle to the bright, airy dining room, the space feels like an urban oasis inspired by both the Gulf Coast and Palm Springs. It’s modern, stylish, and incredibly welcoming. The Sunday Jazz Brunch is a highlight—I loved the lively atmosphere, delicious food, and fantastic music. This place is very popular, so I highly recommend making a reservation, even on weekdays, as it fills up quickly. Overall, Neutral Ground is more than just a restaurant—it’s an authentic dining experience: fantastic food, thoughtful design, and a vibrant vibe. I highly recommend it!

The ambiance is perfect for a couple or group setting. The Chef truly knows his craft when it comes to cooking authentic New Orleans tasty dishes. Nolan, our server was a wonderful complement to a wonderful meal. What made our brunch special was the live jazz music they play on Sundays!!! Superb!!!

Wow…just…WOW!!! A++ Service = Excellent, friendly, professional teamwork among the staff, to include serving/pre-bussing each other’s tables. All the waiters were helping each others tables…which enhances the entire dining experience. A+ Food = Exciting flavors with sharing size portions A+ Drinks = Adventurous drink menu A+ Atmosphere = Fun, full of nice personal details and design features A- Price = While on the higher side, it’s well worth it due to the food, service, and entire experience. *We will absolutely return. Looking forward to the Sunday jazz brunch.

Had an amazing meal here on a Friday night. Katie is the absolute best! The trio with Omar behind the bar and M made the night great. I wish I took better pictures of the food and drink but I started with two specials - shrimp and tostones had a really nice balanced flavor with great texture. The shrimp, tostones and pickled veg were to die for. At the same time I had the charred pineapple burrata. A little on the sweet side but delicious nonetheless, highly recommend. Finished with The Bird and this was right up my alley - nicely battered chicken with a Parmesan garlic sauce, arugula and watercress. They managed to make a fried chicken dish taste really fresh and crisp. I would definitely order this again. The bees tea and a sneak peak of the pine & swine were immensely satisfying cocktails. Katie is a masterful mixologist who can steer you in the right direction.

Very nice spot for brunch. Food is tasty but the price for potions isn’t great. Would recommend: frozen peach cocktail and french toast.

Went here during Sunday brunch hour with a live jazzy band in tow. We had the brunch burger, shrimp and grits, steak and eggs, and country fried steak. All tasted fine, but I do have an issue with less than 4 oz of steak for portion control. Perhaps the brunch portion was intended to be that small. The fancy frappe was delicious. Good mix of sweet and salty. Will certainly return for that.

I had an absolutely wonderful experience at this restaurant! From the moment I walked in, the service was warm and welcoming. The atmosphere was inviting, with just the right balance of cozy and elegant.. Each dish was beutifully present and full of flavor . The jazz band was amazing as well

Our server was super friendly and very hospitable. The decor is beautiful and brunch vibes are amazing with a live Jazz band. From the coffee to our entrees everything was superb! Highlight of the meal were the banana foster pancakes!!!

We were generally pleased by our first visit to Neutral Ground, but this isn't a place I'd expect anybody to want to eat at regularly. The menu is too limited and the food too heavy (and the dining room too loud -- we kept asking our poor waiter to speak more loudly so we could hear her). If you read these Yelp reviews looking for what to order, know that the menu changes seasonally. i.e., today's THE FISH might not be the same dish as last month's THE FISH. Same with THE PASTA, etc. Our table had fish (rockfish), bird (chicken), pasta (rigatoni), and several types of salad. The salads were big and shareable, and not as exciting as the lists of ingredients would suggest. The bread basket was lame. The main courses were all interesting, rich with butter, and fairly mildly flavored. Well come back. Neutral Ground fills a niche in McLean, but it's definitely not a destination restaurant.

Disappointing. Food was unremarkable and service was amateurish. They were out of rockfish for The Fish dish and substituted flat fish option was a poor decision. The Bird (chicken milanese) was a schnitzel buried under a salad. Other dishes we tried have already been forgotten. Service was a shocking combination of unapologetic superiority and confusion. I entered as my party was being seated passing by two servers who were making negative comments about members of my party. Food and drink delivery always began with the question "who has the such and such?" As more tables were seated the service level declined. Really, truly, hoped for better.

Family-style worked out well with my three friends. Two dishes from Seconds, two from Thirds, and one from Don't Think Twice were enough to make us satisfied. Our favorite was the Fish, aka a branzino. The potato puree underneath it was amazing. You just got to watch out for the small bones in the fish. We finished off with the Sea Salt Pavlova for dessert, which was fun to chisel at and was a great combination of flavors. The restaurant was busy around Saturday dinner time. I'm not sure if that slowed down some of our service or the speed of our food coming out. Reservations are recommended! Lovely and bright decor as well.

This restaurant has been only open since June and the food and service is on point like an established place. Great, friendly service from beginning to end. We started with the bread service and pimento cheese. The pimento cheese reminded me of being down south in Savannah, truly delicious. The pork chop was perfect. May have been the best pork chop I have had in many years. My wife enjoyed the crispy chicken and was impressed with the entree and would order it again. The restaurant was packed; however, the server made us feel right at home. If you are looking for great food in a casual atmosphere in McLean this is your place!

I just had an amazing dinner at Neutral Ground. Definitely try the pimento cheese for a starter! I was with a large group and we shared dishes. Everything that I tried was delicious to include: the pork chop, the crispy chicken, the prawns, shoestring onions, crème caramel and chocolate candy bar. I'm definitely going back soon!!

We were eager to try this place since we're fans of Bayou Bakery, David's other restaurant, but unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark. Like others reviewed, it looks like an Anthropologie store inside. Cute decor and ambiance. A bit too bright IMO. I'd say darken the resto a bit. Tuna Croquetas: The batter was nice, but the filling was too mushy--tuna and potatoes just turned into a bland, unappealing mix. It could use more substance inside and a side dipping sauce to enhance the flavor. Crawfish Pasta: The celery in the sauce was overwhelming and masked the overall flavor. The crawfish chunks were good, but the dish needed more seasoning. I asked for red pepper flakes, but they didn't have any, which was disappointing. Wood Oven Roasted Oysters: Quite enjoyable. The Parmesan butter was a nice touch, and the bread for dipping was delicious. Lemon Icebox Dessert: The flavors complemented each other nicely.

The food was excellent. The service was good and the proprietor and chef were very friendly. I will be back - alot.

I overall enjoyed this place. But the service is terrible. I would definitely come back because I liked the vibe and I liked the food, but they really have a few serious areas of improvement. I started with the Dogwood cocktail, which was fine but a little more lemony that I would have preferred. The cauliflower appetizer was also fine--the sauce was good but it overall just tasted like eating plain cauliflower. The Bird, on the other hand--Oh. My. God. it was good. That sauce, WOW. I was licking my plate. And the panna cotta dessert with figs was really solidly yummy. Our waiter was pretty present and perfectly fine at the beginning of the meal. But a food runner brought us our dinners, and we never saw him again. I wanted to order a glass of wine but he wasn't there. He didn't ask if our meals were ok or if we needed anything else. So we finished our meals, and flagged down another employee to try to order wine and dessert. He returned to take our order, but couldn't give us any recommendations on the dessert. Then 5 minutes later came back again and said he had forgotten which dessert we wanted. Just not a great ending to what could have been a pretty good experience.

Really enjoyed a night out at this relatively new spot in McLean Rate the apps really highly and the portions large enough that you could get three or four plus one entree and be quite full. We enjoyed the cauliflower and the burrata special. The burger was fantastic as well. A bit like Le Diplomates.

Had a very good experience at this McLean eatery. The town is in need of more upper scale eateries like NG, and the food, service, and ambiance didn't disappoint. We sat outside on a lovely evening so perhaps avoided the din that many speak of here. Our server, Alicia, was terrific and the bussers were attentive and friendly. The menu isn't too extensive but has something for everyone. We ordered a mix of things and split amongst us -- the fries (very good), a spinach and mushroom salad (excellent mix of shrooms), the pasta (interesting flavors) and bone-in pork chop (delicious). A nice mix of cocktails and ample selection of wines, too, which we enjoyed. A little on the pricey side of the spectrum but for this type of quality experience I'll gladly support this newcomer to a McLean restaurant scene in need of some class!

Pricey inexperienced staff kitchen at recent brunch chef refused to serve my eggs over medium "it comes sunny side and that's the way it is".

I miss McGeever's, this is NOT a hometown hangout. Overpriced, lame atmosphere, miserable staff.

Our family loves this new spot in McLean -- Excellent food, service and ambience. Highly recommend the wood oven roasted oysters, bayou pimento cheese, radish plate, cauliflower steak, and the branzino!!

Wonderful much needed new restaurant addition to the McLean area! Refreshing atmosphere and very caring staff. From the moment I walked in I was greeted with a smile. Food was excellent. Don't leave out the bread with a squash butter wow yum! Beet salad dish was excellent. Drinks were creative and delicious! Had the hands down best server ever! Thank you Alicia you made our night. Never had someone so caring and with such a desire to please. Your positive energy was contagious! Thank you for making our evening so fun (it was a late Christmas gift exchange with a friend). We will be back and very much looking forward to trying more delicious things on your menu! Thank you!

Four adults went for dinner and it was not exactly pleasant. It's impossibly loud. Like yelling across the table at one another loud, and it was only half full. Not a good place to enjoy dinner with someone. The service is extremely weird. I'm not lying when I say the server insisted on reading the whole menu to us. Literally we went through the cocktail list, firsts, seconds, and thirds with the server effectively reading at least every other dish to the whole table. We can read. It took forever and was quite annoying. She did it again after we said we didn't want dessert, rattled off a paragraph for every dish. Please don't. Just bring the check. It's pretty inside. Looks like a Anthropologie a Vera Bradley designed a restaurant. Lots of florals, brass, bright oranges and greens. Not New Orleans-y at all. Food: the food was all fine but nothing was fantastic. Cocktail: it was good. But I'm 90% they brought us the wrong thing. It tasted like a Vieux Carre the (shade on their menu) but we ordered the neutral ground. The neutral ground we were served tasted like Benedictine and banana... ingredients listed in the Shade. I acknowledge that Maybe I'm just totally wrong here. That said it did taste good. Burger: it's a $20 griddle burger. It's a smashed patty so you can't get it cooked to order. American cheese. No veggies, just mustard, ketchup and a tiny pickle slice. Very greasy. Comes with fries pitched as "inspired by McDonald's" which I have to say is a weird sales technique. Also no ketchup for the fries, but it's on the burger... 2.5/5 Caesar salad: it's reconstructed for lack of a better word. Romaine heart split down the center with dressing over it. Parmesan croutons. Three anchovy filets on top. 4/5 White fish spread: it's fine but nothing to get fired up about. Same as any spread from a jar at any grocery store. 4/5 Mushroom and greens: exactly that. Mix of reconstituted Shrooms on greens. 3/5 Tuna croquettes: these were pretty good. Nicely fried but rather dry. Didn't come with any dipping sauce and one incredibly small lime slice. 4/5 Pork chop: this was good. The person who ordered it was very happy. So 5/5 on that one. Steamed spinach: exactly as described. Not sure why it's on the menu. 2.5/5 Cauliflower almandine: this was surprisingly the best reviewed dish of the night. 5/5 Dinner was underwhelming and took forever so we were ready to go well before dessert was offered. The exec-chef is a pastry guy, so I'm sure those are good and probably better than the mains. The black pepper pavlova sounded fun. The desserts seemed significantly more thoughtful and creative than the mains which were just mediocre versions of upscaled standards. All things considered it's pretty inline with my experience and expectations from their other place, Bayou Bakery. If I was in that part of town and wanted a cocktail I'd give their bar another shot. I might split a dessert at the bar with a date. But I won't be returning for dinner.

First visit service started very good then they forgot us. Two entrees -- steak and quail overcooked. Steak was ordered medium came out very well done. Appetizers were good but not special. One appetizer-bread- arrived 5 minutes after rest of the appetizers were served. Very nosy. Second visit service was terrible-- 20 minutes to get a bottle of wine. Entrees were good, especially the pork chop,but appetizer served after entrees were put on the table. Noise level even louder than first visit. Not sure how long soft opening is supposed to last but lots of training needed for service. Timing of food delivery may be a service or a kitchen problem. Space is very attractive but noise level needs to be addressed if one wants to have a conversation while dining.

The ambience is nice but the restaurant is very loud. The food was a mixed bag - the oysters are a hit and so were the Brussel Sprouts but the entrees were so so. Given the prices charged, there is scope to improve and enhance the selections. The service was great - very friendly and helpful staff.

This food was delicious. We had the steak, the mushroom salad, two burgers, the cauliflower steak, and the bread service. Not sure what some of the reviewers experienced, but every dish we had was mucho flavorful and thoughtfully composed. The service was friendly and attentive. We're already planning to come back!

To say this restaurant was a great disappointment is an understatement. It was painfully loud--to the point we skipped dessert even though we love sweets--and served tasteless food. It was shocking considering the great reviews and neighborhood buzz. Add to that, the seating in which either the chairs were too low or the table was too high---or both. There were some good dishes: the oysters in particular. But the cauliflower appetizer was undercooked and needed salt. Similarly, the charred cabbage was tasteless. It desperately needed salt or more. But there are no salt or pepper mills/ shaker on the table and the wait staff just disappeared after serving our food so we couldn't easily ask for one. The crawfish pasta was ok, not as stellar as reviews had suggested.

Fresh, creative offerings. Started w/pimento cheese & elevated crackers-wow. Moist, Wood-grilled pork chop, wood grilled octopus, fab spinach salad w/sautéd shiitake mushrooms. Creative mixed drinks& great wines by the glass. We will return as often as possible. Bright cheerful room & comfortable chairs.

What a fantastic addition to the benign McLean restaurant scene! This place has it all, ambience, service and exceptional food and beverages. We chose to eat at the bar, although the restaurant and patio looked inviting. Our bartenders, M and Nick, were super friendly and attentive. The food was excellent. We tried the fried onions (delish), the Caesar salad (cold and crisp) and the Branzino (so light and flavorful). We skipped dessert but I kind of wish we hadn't! ( lemon icebox cake). This is by far the best restaurant to ever occupy that famous McL space! Please lets keep them.

The food was great, service was far from. A few things about good service, 1. Empty coffee cup ask if the customer wants more, or if the customer says it's a little cold too it off with fresh coffee, 2. Don't remove last course plates until the customer has left the table. 3. Act like you care about the customer experience. We had the broccolini and eggs sardou. Both were good dishes, flavorful and well plates. It's disappointing that the service is not as good.

Took my wife to Neutral Ground last night for Date Night. Great choice! Tastefully decorated (she called it "super cute") and cheerfully staffed, it was pleasant start to finish. The food and drinks were excellent as well. I especially enjoyed the wood roasted oysters and the octopus over heirloom tomatoes that was the special. The icebox dessert was also superb. We will definitely be back.

So unbearable was the noise level, the waitress yelled to be understood and our party yelled back so she could hear our orders. A November 8th anticipated evening of conversation with friends and a birthday celebration ended up a total a disaster, staring at one another until we left. Our party opted out of dessert and after-dinner coffee and decided to go elsewhere for these items. No one in our group ordered wine and the wine glasses remained on the table throughout the whole meal. The remainder of the service was adequate, without refills on water and iced/hot tea. Our bread service and oysters were excellent, however the vegetables (whipped potatoes, carrots and spinach) failed to impress. The crawfish with pasta was mediocre with the pasta undercooked and a lack of adequate sauce. These dishes were devoid of herbs or spices and do not compare to those enjoyed a several well know New Orleans eateries. For all the hype this restaurant has received, it fell short of our expectations. Thankfully, we have many other options in the Mclean/Tysons area for future outings.

No complaints about food. Excellent. Cant say the same about service. They called us before the reservation to ask if it was a special occasion. It was a birthday celebration as noted in my reservation. not sure why they needed to know because there was no mention of the birthday occasion by the staff etc when we dined there. Service was at times slow and uneven. Al in all a good experience. Glad Mclean has a new restaurant worth a good review. -Adarsh

We had a great meal, went with our two kids during soft opening. Steak and chimichurri sauce was excellent. Great service. Very good addition to the McLean dining scene.

Easily McLean's best restaurant now, every course and drink was so beautifully and thoughtfully crafted, both in taste and presentation. The vibe was so welcoming and fresh, definitely feel the warmth of southern hospitality. Server was super personable and attentive. Overall an amazing, delicious dining and drinking experience. Such a breath of fresh air for McLean and can't wait to go back

Had a great experience here on 11/8/24. Got there a bit early for our reservation, so my wife and I had drinks and snacks at the bar. The bar manager, Em, was delightful, sharing the stories of the drinks she was making and a lot of fun to chat with. Our dinner was great - my wife loved the salmon special! Farm fresh veggies and everything was expertly seasoned and sauced. The owner, Chef David, stopped by our table and nearly all the others to check in and answer questions. I don't knock points off for a restaurant being loud - what do you expect on a Friday night? People having a good time and talking!

From the moment we (party of 4) walked in the door on a Saturday evening, we were leery. It was like walking into an office reception area - a VERY brightly lit, large, empty space that off-putting. One of the drinks that we ordered was a Negroni. It was tiny and so sweet as to be undrinkable - even though it was ordered dry. (We sent it back). The food was flavorless and totally uninspired. The tuna appetizer had zero tuna taste (or any taste) - it seemed like it was just friend breadcrumbs. Rockfish with a rice cake underneath had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. The rice cake was like cardboard. A shrimp dish was just some large shrimp and a hunk of bread (!) on a platter. No garlic, no butter, no spices, nothing on the shrimp. The chicken was a huge, dry, fried chicken cutlet with a pile of unseasoned greens on top. The dessert: we ordered the meringue, which is supposed to be crispy on the outside and spongy or marshmallow-y on the inside. It was hard and bone-dry throughout. I am shocked at Tom Siestsma's rave review and the praise this restaurant has received. McLean is in such desperate need of decent places to eat - this is not one. We will not be returning

My goodness, the din! While noise isn't unique to this dining establishment, it made an unpleasant atmosphere, coloring the experience. Service was fine: good, not exceptional, with some lags in attention. Food ranged from excellent (fish) to meh (a salad absent any flavor).

Food and service were top notch. We sat in the bar so we could talk, the restaurant is a bit loud. The general ambiance was good and fun if a bit loud.

The food was good, although nothing special. The pork chop was delicious, though overpriced. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. First off, we ordered the bread service which didn't arrive until we were almost done with dinner, after having to ask for it again. We ordered coffee with dessert, but again, the coffee came when we were almost done with dessert. They couldn't keep our water glasses full, and to top it all off, they overcharged us by over $100. There were cards on the table asking for "support and patience" being a newer establishment, so our expectations already started low, but being overcharged for a substandard experience required a little too much patience. Having family in the hospitality business has definitely spoiled us, but front of house at Neutral Ground needs plenty of work. We won't be returning.

We loved our dinner at Neutral Ground. Our server was prompt and offered lots of suggestions. The food was amazing. We had pimento cheese, radishes with whipped feta and oysters. All of which were delicious and we would order again. We shared the pasta and pork chop which were both wonderful! Next time we will have to save room for dessert. Looking forward to coming back here again soon!

Everything about Neutral Ground is wonderful! I met friends here and we had the best time enjoying our delicious meals and the beautiful ambiance together. Our friendly server was well informed on the menu selections and was very helpful recommending some choices. Chef Guas stopped by our table to ensure we were all having a memorable evening. I highly recommend Neutral Ground.

Great idea, but it is spoiled because you can't hear yourself or anyone else across the table. The accoustics are terrible. I loved the menu and the idea of the restaurant, but it is extremely loud.....do something

Came here when my mom and brother were in town and I was deeply impressed. Our server, Alicia was kind, the service was quick, and most importantly, the food was incredible! I highly recommend getting The Pasta or The Chop alongside the warm mushroom and spinach salad. We ended the meal with the icebox lemon and the chocolate candy bar.

Great experience with Brandon! Great burrata salad, drinks, pasta and dessert! We have been many times now and always so happy with food and service!

Last night my wife and I and two business associates ate at Neutral Ground Bar and Kitchen. It was a real disappointment! My wife ordered the Moon Over Mexico drink and it was in a small glass with a large ice cube with only two SIPS of the drink!!!! I can't even explain it. We all looked at the drink with astonishment and we actually thought it was a joke or they were going to bring another glass and she would mix the drink at the tale. But the waitress didn't, that was the drink! My wife inquired about the size and the waitress said, that is the drink. In fact, she told us that other customers have complained about the size of the drink, and they are purchasing even smaller glasses so the drink doesn't look as small. You would think, they would have taken it back or tried to make it right - but they didn't. It is just like, you purchased it - it is on you - deal with the SIP. It wasn't the glass, there was no drink in the glass. It literally could have fit in a shot glass! The drink was $16 and of course you have to add tax and tip. I thought, OK, maybe the tequila in the drink was very expensive. Well, you can buy an entire bottle (25 ounce/750 ml) of that tequila (Olmeca Altos Reposado) for $19.99!!!! We thought, OK maybe the food is good. They said the Branzino was large, but it wasn't all of our entrees were mediocre at best. I will make sure to tell all of my coworkers and friends to STAY AWAY FROM NEUTRAL GROUND! They should be embarrassed. We eat out every weekend and there so many good restaurants in the area. I will never be going back. It is going to make great watercooler talk tomorrow. I don't recommend you go, but if you do, don't order the drink and prepare to be disappointed. Also, go now - because if they continue on this track - it will be closed in a year! What a disappointment. Owner David Gaus - you need to do better! BTW, I wish I had a photo, but we didn't want to make a scene in front of our co-workers. Signed Dr. Frank