P.J. Clarke’s DC

Mildly upscale with a great location, food, and service. Contemporary style inside with a great patio too. Food was freshly prepared and delicious with portions that can please even the biggest appetites. Drinks were good. Service was knowledgeable and fast. The location on the porch had a view of the national Mall. Prices are mildly upscale and downtown parking. Family friendly.

Had a great lunch with a mentor from a conference held nearby the venue. The location was great and convenient for us. We liked the fact that most servers were older and easy to talk to. Outdoor seating was perfect for a nice sunny day in DC. Food was good - I had Faroe Island Salmon salad. The place was also accessible. I would recommend this place for a casual professional lunch.

Wow the food is bad especially the seafood. I don't understand how someone can mess up lobster roll and fish & chips but obviously you can. I think the biggest problem is that neither the fish used in fish and chips and the lobster in lobster roll are fresh. Also there is definitely a problem with selection of ingredients. In the whole lobster roll I didn't get any of the body of the lobster just the claws. Because the lobster claws were not fresh it tastes rubbery which is not something you should feel in a fresh lobster. The fish in the fish and chips is also too flaky to be fresh. I really don't know how long they keep the fish and the lobster. The shrimp gumbo has literally one shrimp (I counted). The place is like a sports bar so can be loud but it's not bad decoration. Feels almost like a pizza joint that doesn't serve pizza. There is an outdoor area too. Service is typical of restaurants in this price range and honest the place is too expensive for the quality of food. Almost feels like a tourist trap. I came here after 5 hours of flight so I'm super hungry and even in the state I could barely finish the food so I DO NOT recommend this place at all.

The location of P.J.Clarke's in washington DC is perfect. It is very close to the White House. The service was top-notch. The decor was adequate. However, the food was just ok.

Slow service, waitress was not the best. Food was 0k but French Fries not the best. Great Cherry 🍒 cheesecake. New York City locations are much better.

I would like to start this off by saying that I got into the whole reviewing hobby to check out new places and to help promote great locations when they deserve it. I hardly ever like to come on here with negative reviews unless something bad happens that I feel as though needs to be addressed on public forum. I came to D.C for a football game and to see the White House. I threw a dart on the maps and P.J Clarke’s looked to be a great place to go. I had no idea it would more on the pricey side but I really didn’t mind as well as everything reflected appropriately. We got a table pretty quickly so off to a good start. Our waitress then takes about 5-10 minutes to get our drinks which then prompts another waitress to get our drink order. The original waitress comes back and attempts to get our drink order we just placed, so clearly some miscommunication which also resulted in my burger coming out at my partner’s temperature and vice versa. The food was good but nothing too special and I was a fan of their drinks and what was on tap. I will say I loved the pumpkin pie but not the 16 dollar price tag on the dessert. This will ultimately be the only positive thing I take away from this experience and I will gladly explain why. There was a table of about ten people in front of us and one couple in particularly were being distributive and borderline unruly. They were being loud but again it’s a restaurant and everyone seems to be having a good time. UNTIL! We go to leave and a guest from their party thought it was appropriate to chase my partner to the exit of the restaurant as we were leaving. He was accusing her of videoing them when in fact she wasn’t. She was actually getting a good picture of the decor for this review. This decor was behind them and my partners back was to them as she took the photo. They were no where near any camera frame. This whole time this has happened, not one employee came to intervene or even ask the guests to calm down the first time they got loud in the dinning area. The accuser was clearly over intoxicated and if there wasn’t a train for me to catch, I would’ve called the cops. A grown man chasing after a 20 year old woman to harass her isn’t just wrong but it’s also a traumatic experience to have to endure. Especially being a veteran, married and most likely having kids you should be ashamed of yourself!! So I go home and decide to call the manager the following day. Mind you the incident happened on March 30th. Gigi was very empathetic to what happened to us and was determined to make it right. She even informed me the guests were veterans and this wasn’t their first time causing trouble. I have theories that they are either over served or know an owner personally to be able to get away with their behavior. They offered me a gift card to try at a different location and I thought it would be a great redo idea for my partner, who was ultimately the victim in all of this. I was checking the mail all week and nothing came but got an email from Gigi a week later saying she got behind. I’m sorry but at that point I’ve just had enough with the whole ordeal and dragging it out with my partner, so at that point I requested a total refund. That request had to be pushed to corporate where Bill reached out to me on April 26th. I missed his call but returned it a few days later. I was able to get my refund but it took almost an entire month to resolve this issue. I feel like for the money I spent that all of this was completely unacceptable. Please consider dining elsewhere, but if you come here and see a table of older people on a Sunday please get away from them or they might try to harass you as well. This is not a personal attack on Gigi or Bill. Thank you for resolving this issue but It should’ve been resolved a lot sooner.

We needed a place for a large group of 14 to eat. We were walking by and popped in and we are glad we did. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the staff were friendly and the service was great. I got the lobster roll and it was delicious!

PJ Clarke’s in DC is a fantastic dining experience! The ambiance is vibrant and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for casual gatherings or special occasions. Their menu boasts a wide variety of delicious options, from mouthwatering burgers to fresh seafood. The portions are generous, and everything is beautifully presented. The staff is attentive and friendly, ensuring a great dining experience. Don’t miss their signature cocktails! A must-visit for food lovers!

Found this place while I was lost looking for another place. Liked it so much that I came back again. Nice ambience. Lunch time at the bar. I highly recommend you try the Maine oysters. Briney and cold. They get fresh oysters from various areas and shuck them right at the bar. Cocktails are delicious, but the love to do craft cocktails too. I settled for a dry martini was my choice. Barkeeps are attentive and don't mind a convo.

9/8/24 2:45pm Party of 2 Birthday lunch My fiancé and I had lunch here for his birthday. Sat outside since it was about 70° and sunny. The restaurant was pretty empty but perfect for us. Our server Kevin took our order and shortly after brought us our drinks. Ordered: Whiskey sour 10/10: perfect amount of alcohol. Classic Mojito 10/10: can't mess up a classic. Maryland crab frittata 8/10: the frittata was good, the potatoes weren't. They tasted old. Shrimp & grits 100/10: The shrimps were big, the sausage was good and the grits were buttery. Overall, it was a relaxing lunch. Would definitely go again.

Invited a guest here to dine with my family, and was extremely disappointed by the service and food quality (especially as I've enjoyed the NYC location). While the decor inside is nice, the food lacked flavor and the service lacked attention to detail. It pains me to provide such a low rating, but unfortunately I would not recommend anyone visiting this location. SERVICE Our waitress failed to ask us if we wanted any drinks, then proceed to mess up one of our orders. Additionally, one of our guests is vegetarian and the eggs Benedict came out with ham. She did not quickly amend either of these mistakes. FOOD I was further disappointed by the food. I ordered the grab sandwich, and was expecting a nicely mixed crab meat, but instead was presented with a whole fried crab. I've had soft shell crab before, but this was not that. The legs were not edible at all, and the sandwich was frankly disgusting. Also, the gaufette fries that came with the sandwiches were cold, over fried, thin chips that were not good at all. Definitely replace them with the classic sea salt fries. I did like the French dip sandwich, and that was probably it. Unless management makes a big change, please don't visit this location and save your money for somewhere else :)

Stopped by while visiting DC. Best oyster deal for happy hour! Got both the baked and fresh half dozen and they were delicious. Drinks were amazing and the bartender was fantastic. He chatted with us several times and topped us off with some delicious cocktails :)

Came for happy hour, left happy. The plus here is we walked in on a weekday in DC and didn't have to fight for a seat! Service was also quick and polite. Oysters were great and maybe they could do with a little revamp, the ambiance is a little dated but it adds character.

I thought this looked like a super cute southern comfort food place, with a nice extensive menu, old portraits and memorabilia on the walls, red checkered tablecloths and lots of charm so I really really really wanted to like it.... Service was super fast. We ordered quickly and got served our food quickly, but without the sweetness and charm that I was hoping for. I felt like our waiter just didn't like us. The person who delivered our food had extra charm, so at least he was great. The food was just ok. My chicken was dry so I had to dip it into the green chili (Peruvian style) sauce that came with it. Brussels spouts were not roasted long enough so considerably under done. Fried calamari was very chewy and spicy,

The staff is just amazing! They really make you feel at home. The service was great! I really enjoy the St. Germaine Fizz and it is my new go to drink. Thanks for introducing me:)

I just stopped by with my coworkers for a quick happy hour. Our bar tender "James" I think that was his name. Well, his service was great. I just had a drink called "Handsome" and ate a half dozen oysters. I was a little tipsy from that one little drink because I am a super lightweight.

Food was amazing and the customer service was outstanding. The atmosphere was nice and kid friendly.

Back in DC. Walked into a mostly empty restaurant around 5 pm. All good for me. I ordered their standard Clarke burger with tomato, lettuce and onion and a side order of bearnaise. It came with sea salt shoestring fries. The burger came perfectly medium rare. It was quite good, but the fries were a bit unremarkable. I enjoyed the whiskey bread pudding - or half of it anyway - for dessert. The sauce was quite yummy and seemed as if the whiskey was present! Took the other half back to the hotel and had the rest for breakfast. Service was fine, though the waitress pressed a bit hard on the drinks, which I chose to skip. 3.6 rolls up to a 4. I'd like to try their lobster roll, but $35 seems high for something that alone would likely not satisfy. Maybe I'll go back.

We came here when my friends and their kids came to visit. The location is great for those who are visiting the mall and other tourist spots. The kids loved their food and we loved our drinks. I do think it's a bit over priced, but would definitely come back or tell others to visit while in the area.

So what redeemed this place was the bar tender. Great service and really friendly helpful guy. Food was good. Lobster roll was nice. Cheeseburger was tasty and not greasy. He put up with our questions about a drink that looked interesting and totally described it perfectly for us and it hit the spot when he made it for us. The annoying part for me...we did NOT have a reservation being a visitor from out of town. The hostess said it would be a 45 minute wait for a table. Which I think means we weren't welcome. I'd like to say it was my casual dress...but the party ahead was also wearing tshirts. We ended up at the bar...but we noticed that several tables stood EMPTY the entire time we were at the bar.

Came here on a Friday night for dinner. Nice vibes and nice staff; they took our coats too which I was not aware of. I mostly came for their cherry blossoms themed items for the cherry blossom season and their food was pretty decent! Nothing spectacular, but still tasty and filling food. The sandwiches came with fries, which added a nice crunch to them. The French Dip sandwich was pretty good with the aus jus. The filet mignon sandwich was okay - it got the medium rare stuff down but nothing blew me away with the meat and sandwich. I got the cherry cobbler for the cherry blossom special - it was definitely bigger and more filling than I expected. They don't skimp on the cherry at all; it was a LOT of cherry which I appreciated. The ice cream definitely helps balance out the syrupy cherry flavour with the sweet vanilla. Although, the cherries stained my lips and teeth which wasn't really wanted but the cobbler was good regardless. Overall, it's a decent place for food and nice vibes in DC. I probably wouldn't come here again though; I'd try to find somewhere else to eat.

Stopped in today for a light lunch - sat at the bar. John, the bartender, was excellent. Very professional, efficient and a great sense of humor. If you like talking horse racing - he's your man. . Wife had baby kale salad with vinaigrette dressing and I had the chili - both excellent. Highly recommended.

2nd time this week. Really good service. Delicious food. Fabulous specials. The place is perfect for a business dinner or just alone having a burger and glass of wine.

Service was great, manager and staff friendly and courteous. Food however, nothing to brag about. Fish and fries (chips) - fries were fine, fish very greasy. Warm bread and butter, be forewarned bread is ordinary Hawaiian Rolls Lobster Roll - bread hard and lobster tasteless Short Rib beef stew - the best we've had! Cheesecake - delicious! Hibiscus Mocktail - uugh! Lemonade - sugarless Not a welcoming feel but ambiance okay. Will not eat here again.

Service was fantastic here and it has a great old ambiance to the place. However, I ordered the Clark burger and asked it to be medium, medium rare with some pink and it came out cooked all the way through, and on top of that it wasn't that good.

Wide open empty patio. Won't seat us for lunch. Maybe don't put up a sign saying "see the host for seating inside or out." No way you're filling 20 open tables with reservations right now. Annoying. Responding to Mgr reply: there were people eating out there already and we ate outside around the corner with no problem.

Food was amazing, had the cheesesteak egg rolls and the calamari for our appetizers and their juicy burgers for entrees. The server, Irina, was one of the most attentive, kind, personable servers I have ever had. Everything was amazing. Drinks were great.

Don't eat here. Over the last 3 years, the quality of food and service has degenerated into a neck-and-neck competitor with Denny's. Applebee's is superior in food and service. I arrived before the crowds and waited 45 minutes before my appetizer was served cold and tasteless. I asked it for it to be reheated. 20 minutes later, still no appetizer. The waiter was engaged in in long conversation with another diner. I finally left after paying for my wine. The manager was clueless. I am not a fussy customer. This is my first Yelp review. Do not eat here.

We made reservations for a birthday dinner and noted this on the reservation. Arrived right on time and elected to sit inside the restaurant as outside was pretty full. Our waiter was working outside and inside with us being his only inside table. No worries there but he came to our table as if it were a chore. It took some flagging down to get service. When we asked for a taste of the wine before we ordered he seemed pretty put out. Food was very good with the exception of way too much dressing on the cobb salad which made the lettuce wilt a bit. The entire experience left us with a bad taste in our mouth (so to speak). At the end of the meal, my partner who made the original reservation was not very happy that they never acknowleded the birthday. He felt that they did not even look at the reservation notes nor really care. All in all, while the food was good, we will probably not be back as there are other great restaurants nearby.

We stopped here during lunch time, there was very little amount of people at this location, which I thought was odd for the area. The reviews on here are different than what show's on google, so be aware. Their burgers are ok, they are nothing to write home about, the waiter was attentive, although the person who provided us the ketchup gave us 1 ketchup, and 1 shrimp sauce, thankfully we don't use that much, and it wasn't an overall issue. The one comment I do have is the way the waitress treated me compared to the other tables. As for I was not wearing business attire, I felt I was treated differently comparatively, as I was just wearing street clothes (t-shirt and jeans). Now this was my perception, so I could be mistaken, but that is how I took it. The food is not worth the price, there are better places around, that I know others would enjoy more.

Randomly walked by this restaurant and was pleasantly surprised with how good the food was. My daughter and I both got burgers with fries. She ordered the Parmesan Truffle fries (which weren't brought out originally, but once the server realized it, he brought them out immediately) the only downside was the coke - I think it was $4 and it was one of those tiny glass bottles. So no refills and very little soda.

In town and PJ was just at the corner and open. I'm glad I stumbled in here. I was looking out for my nutrition so I ordered the salmon instead of a burger (I maybe back to get a burger before my trip is over). The salmon was outstanding and skin was crispy- all soaked in this slightly sweet glaze. There was spinach that slurped up because THE GLAZE. As far as cocktails they make a classic old fashioned the way they were intended. BUT don't miss their other craft cocktails especially the Queen's Gambit. It was more delightful than I could have ever imagine. PJ Clarke's started my trip to the nation's capitol in a most flavorful way.

The hostess was not nice and set rules. Not really encouraging a second visit because of her. We arrived during happy hour. However, you only get happy hour at the bar. The bar is small and was full. We were given a "courtesy" by the hostess to order from the bar while seated at the table near the bar. Note: we were the only guest in the restaurant seating at this time. We said we only want drinks but were given menus. We had two children with us. The hostess that sat us, just appeared to give us rules while at the establishment. She got crayons and then scolded one of the kids by saying, "are you gonna say thank you or just take it out of my hand?" Ummm no, you don't do that. The bar had happy hour rates and we got another round of French 75. That same hostess came over and scolded five adults and say "I gave you a courtesy of one drink from the bar. You can't dip out and go to the bar." Strike 3 in my books. She ruined the experience as a first time customer. There is a better way to handle this. Expand your bar area. Way too small with only two high tops. Happy hour prices at the table would also solve this. Likely will not be coming back.

We walked in around 6:30pm on Saturday just for drinks with our friends. The host seemed insulted that we didn't have reservations, so that was an odd reaction. HOWEVER, Allen our bartender was just amazing. He made each martini with care and was such a friendly person. He made our experience amazing.

Good service and a decent meal. I ordered the pear and arugula salad because they did not have a small side salad of any kind. The salad had about 4-5 slivers of pear a light dressing and pecans and cheese. It could easily have been a better salad with some apples if they couldn't find pears. Why serve a pear salad with pears not being in great shape or abundant? I ordered rolls and 3 came in a order warm with butter. I boxed up the other half of my salad because it was quite large. For my entree, I ordered the chicken pot pie despite other reviews. I found it wanting salt but definitely filled with delicious chicken and a few peas, carrots and potatoes. I was a warm and comforting dish. However, the best part of a pot pie is the crust and this one has a weird dome of tough golden dough. Maybe the same dough as the rolls? They definitely need to work on getting a flaky phyllo type crust because I peeled the crust off and didn't eat it and I'm a bread person! Restaurant was mostly empty because I popped in on a cold afternoon just after they opened around 4:15 pm. Wait staff were all friendly and accommodating. I opted out of dessert because the pot pie was so filling.

My dad, brother and I went to PJ Clarks for a late lunch. Our waiter was nice and served as well. Aside from a mishap that happened with my brothers order. My brother deliberately said he did not wants a runny egg in his burger and unfortunately received a runny egg in his burger. The food was delicious but it also took them 30 minutes to get us our meal (including appetizers). The Chicken Sandwich was dark meat only. I was not the biggest fan of the chicken sandwich.

Our dinner was great, but the service by Saleem was EXTRORDINARY! Efficiency with a flair and lovely interactions!!

We loved PJ Clarke's on K St NW. They made a great Bloody Mary and I was able to get a Hellbender Beer which I liked. The food was superb. As visitors in DC we also enjoyed the decor and photographs all around. (I know -very touristy, but that part was great, too)

Terrible! Ordered clams casino and a cheeseburger. Clams were fishy and like rubber. Burger was so small it was more the size of a slider and was more bun than burger. They got 2 stars because only thing that was good were the fries. And so expensive. Do not recommend!

Food was phenomenal & service was great! In walking distance of The Mayflower. We will be back!

Had Dinner at PJ's this past Wednesday night... Not a good experience however it was expensive. Ordered oysters, however the shucker needs to go back to school as each oyster was still attached to the shell. Waited 15 minutes for a second beer and on final inspection of the 'paid' bill, discovered I was paying for drinks for the table next to us. Dinner was NOT good. Wife had the beef rib stew which equated to a piece of fat on a bone and I ordered the chicken pot pie which was the worse I've ever had. Too many good restaurants in the neighborhood to put up with this poor quality.

In short, the food was disappointing, especially for the price. The quality and presentation left a lot to be desired for an expensive meal. The only bright spot was good service.

Terrific food, service and atmosphere that was walking distance from our hotel (The Hay).

We stopped by this famed eatery for a late lunch on our last day visiting DC. The warm sun, the crisp Autumn air, and the fall color all made a patio table outdoor desirable, especially with St. John Church, the White House, and the Washington Monument serving as backdrop. The Fish & Chips with fries was tasty. The Chicken Caesar salad was quite disappointing. The protein was dry and there was way too much dressing drenching the little gem lettuce. Service was lackluster.

The food was great we had the Oysters Rockefeller, the Clam Chowder, the Connecticut Lobster Roll and Scallops... everything was delicious!

Surprised that this location doesn't have overall rating over 4.5 stars. Came here for a quick lunch. Ordered their cadillac burgers. So yummy. Seasoned really well. Drinks were good. Sat outside and the view was nice. Service was great and prompt. Must visit!

Good spot. Cheesesteak eggrolls are a must. And they serve coke products the classic way, from a classic bottle with a lime/lemon wedge. Marcus, Carlos, and Saleem are excellent servers!

Not sure why so many bad reviews? It was close by to my hotel and wanted to give it a try. Not many people dined in but there was plenty of staff! All super friendly. I ordered an old fashion and it was amazing! The bartender came over after I complimented him and gave me a whole history! I had the fish and chips and it was great! Crispy and delicious, came with some tartar sauce and malt vinegar on the side! Had an enjoyable meal!

The place was perfect for business lunch, cool atmosphere. Presentation of the food was amazing! The lobster roll was totally divine & the truffle fries was to die for.

I'll be honest off the top. The 3 stars are for service and atmosphere. I really like the look and feel of this place, even though some of the people on the wall are questionable. But that's part of its old skool...heritage (if that's the right word). The bathroom is really odd I have to say. The men's say men, but the women's says WC for water closet (that's really old skool). It's also really dark in there and the faucet is crazy short. I could barely get my hands under it to rinse. Like I said...odd. On to the food. It was really just subpar. While I liked the Peach Bellini I got, for $15 I think I would've liked a small pitcher instead of a single champagne glass. The steak and cheese egg rolls were very pretty, but the filling to wrapper ratio was way off. I ended up peeling away the interior of the uncooked eggroll wrapper in order to eat the crispy outer layer. I'd rather get a small eggroll same amount of filling than have raw dough throughout. The filling, however, was actually quite good so it made it even more disappointing. My entree was fish and chips. the codfish was cut and fried into strips which made for easy eating. The problem is, it tasted really weird. It also had a sliminess to it that I just couldn't get past. I want to say it was undercooked but honestly, I'm not even sure. Others at our table didn't mind there's, although one said it did taste a little funny. I didn't complain or finish it so I just enjoyed the fries which were good. The parm fries are better.

To walk in and not need a reservation to get a table was a relief. There were a couple large birthday parties but they managed to push a couple tables together for our small group of four. It was warm inside and coats hung on the coat rack. There were many familiar faces adorning the walls as we We looked over the menu and took our time to consider the many options. My order was creamy tomato soup with crunchy brussel sprouts and a New York cheesecake for dessert. The tomato soup has a great taste and the cheesy breadstick that comes with it was perfect. There was a citrus seasoning to the crunchy brussels that took this dish to the next level for me. Back at home, I enjoyed the New York Cheesecake with whip cream and blueberry compote toppings that weren't too sweet. My family ordered Proper Fish and Chips that looked completely delicious. They have a unique brand of ketchup here that was good with the fry's. Of course I had to try a bite of each! Needless to say we didn't take any leftovers home except for the dessert.

Came to get my favorite thing from here.... the yummy-to-my-yummy lobster roll! I have been craving a lobster roll for some time and was determined I was going to get one TUH-day!

Quick trip to DC for a conference. Found this little sweet place and fell in love. The Zucchini Chips are a must try. But the star of the show, the Queen's Gambit with house infused gin!! Delish! If you are in the area go by and see the bartenders Jen and Eric and the manager Stefan. Thank you for a great evening!!

Hey Buddy - this place used to be the epitome of mediocrity but lately it's jumped to the next level. Come for the burger. Stay to be seen.

I've stopped by here 2 years in a row during a conference. I have enjoyed the bar staff & they're very friendly.

Great place for a burger and a beer . Gets busy but when I can find a seat at the bar I will stay there and order a cheeseburger. It's a basic but very good burger but consistently good .

Over priced burger and bad cooks. Ordered their signature burger medium well. What I received was a center raw burger that was at best $2 burger. Their bun was just a store bought Wonder burger bun, one butter lettuce leaf, a slice of tomato and a large slice of onion. I ended up sending it back because it was raw in the center. They did fix it but came over cooked. Oh well, just at part of it and paid my ridiculous bill of $80 for a burger, lasagna and salad. I do not recommend this place. It they can't get their signature dish then what else is there. I gave it two since they did try to fix the undercooked meat.