The Light Horse Restaurant and Bar

Hands down one of the best hot chicken sandwiches I have had! We just walked into this place and we're pleased right from the beginning. Service was great from beginning to end. I definitely will be coming back for the Hot Chicken Sandwich and the truffle fries and just to continue the banter with the employees. Definitely a must stop if your in the mood for good drinks and even better food. Enjoy!

I must say this was an excellent experience! The service was fast and fantastic! The flavor was on point, and the presentation was fabulous! We had the broiled seafood platter, haddock bites, crab tower and everything was tasty

We passed by and decided to pop in on prime rib night - it was DELICIOUS! Perfectly cooked and seasoned, the mashed potatos and veggies as well! Its reasonably priced too which is so important these days.. by far one of the best meals we've had in the DMV... the atmosphere and music was great and the waitress/service was too! The general manager was attentive by checking in on the customer experience- we will definitely be coming back

Located near the intersection of King Street and North Washington Street in Old Town Alexandria, a 20-minute walk from the King Street Metro station (or you can catch one of the two free local eastbound DASH buses or the free Old Town Trolley), you’ll find the Light Horse Restaurant and Bar. This has been a local favorite for at least the fifteen years that I’ve lived in Old Town. Staff members are consistently upbeat and attentive. The bar is well-stocked and reasonably priced for the area, and the menu is eclectic and a lot of fun to work through. During the pandemic a street-side patio became a welcome refuge for us social distancers, and it remains a sunny destination year-round.

Always have a great time at The Light Horse in Old Town Alexandria thanks to their amazing bartenders and staff, big shoutout to Justin and Duncan! They are friendly, attentive and attractive!! Justin always gives great menu recommendations—the hot chicken sandwich and cocktails were spot on. The vibe is fun and laid-back, with great food, drinks, and live music upstairs. Highly recommend stopping by.

Great bar that has sports on TV, karaoke on Sun/Mon and trivia on Wed. Great food and not outrageous prices. The staff is very friendly and I would recommend everyone to come here. I feel like a regular here and that's the best thing I could say about it.

Cassie was a fantastic! Very sweet and patient with our walk-in party of twelve. Great recommendations during our meal. We had her again as our bartender tonight and she was just as nice, and she can make a great espresso martini :)

Excellent dinner spot in Old Town. Our group enjoyed the burgers, chicken sandwich, and the bacon wrapped dates. The espresso martininwas probably the best I've ever had!

Get the truffle fries!! Stumbled upon Light Horse looking for beer and a patio in old town, and have already been back within a week because of the food and the vibes! Food: TRUFFLE FRIES ! Will not disappoint! I ordered both times. Also the smoked wings are great, but the ranch and blue cheese steal the show! Homemade in house!! I could drink it! Enjoyed the chicken sandwich and surf and turf kabobs as well! Vibe: Outdoor patio is perfect for the summer weather! Second time I went it was raining so I sat at the bar and still enjoyed the atmosphere. Not too loud, laid back! Service: shoutout to Sean and Kirk! Great service both at the bar and outside! See you guys soon!

Cool spot to grab some tasty food or even just a snack! Pretty cool military aesthetic inside, and very fast service. Definitely more of a sports bar vibe. There are many TVs inside to watch games and two floors. I've ordered just about everything on this menu and it's all tasted good!

Came here yesterday around six p m. I was quickly seated, as it wasn't very full. The place has a rustic minimalist vibe to it, like you're attending a shabby-chic barn wedding. Aye Papi cocktail - If you're a fan of heat, this does not disappoint. Taste like a pineapple or jalapeno margarita. I wanted to try their old-fashioned, but upon learning that they then there's is pre-made, I passed. Crab Deviled eggs - hard pass. Couldn't taste any crab, but that wasn't the worst part: the egg itself was rubbery. It didn't have the consistency you'd expect in a hard-boiled egg white. It was weird and unappealing to me. Elite hushpuppies - not bad. The accompanying cheese and sauce, that was drizzled on top, really wasn't enough to add any value to it. It would have been nice if they had added more. Overall, it was a nice quick bite, and I may return in the future to try another dish

I came around 3pm Thursday afternoon and was pleasant to see their fair prices for happy hour for the food and drinks. The employees that greeted me were happy and approached me appropriately for the time of day and the level of "busy-ness". I didn't feel awkward or pressured. There was no banging over my head when deciding what to order and no "are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready?". The decoration inside the place was actually quite nice for a building that is oh so old! I really enjoy the presentation and it makes me feel like this is a nicer "American" bar to drink at. ALSO! as a green card holder, I really appreciate that they support the George Washington parade and I hope and believe they support America! Como un Latino puedo decir "I love America!". More pros: KAROKE on Sundays and Mondays; LIVE MUSIC on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; TRIVIA on Wednesday!

Well this was another joint that we did nearly no review prior to visiting but we clearly found a great spot. We had a larger group with us. I think 10 of us. Let's start with service. They did great, even with the larger group. Drinks stayed full and staff was very attentive. Now food. We all enjoyed our meals. But as for the wifey and I. I had the Grilled Cheese Cheeseburger - yum. Perfect as ordered. The wifey had the Brisket Grilled Cheese and tells me it was outstanding. Also perfectly cooked. I should mention the group also had appetizers but sorry folks can't remember all we had - but they were good. We absolutely recommend this place. Go and give it a try. I'm sure you will be happy.

Located in Old Town Alexandria and it was pretty amazing however parking is VERY hard to find and if you're there past 9am some parking garages charge up to 75.00. Not the restaurants fault though! The food was amazing and the service was even better. They did trivia night upstairs while we were there. I recommend the fish and chips with the sweet potato fries and their crème brûlée!

Came intending to take advantage of restaurant week deals, but got there during HH. I had the elote hushpuppies and boyyyy; bomb. I also had the Crab dip, which i'd 100% order again. Beer selection was great; plenty of local and craft options. I need to go back to try more of the menu.

This place is great for a drink or a burger but man, don't go there if you want a nice meal. I got the ribeye and it was the worst goddamn steak I ever had. Literally zero seasoning. They just there a piece of meat on the grill and that was it. All I could do was shake a bunch if salt and pepper on it and choke most of it down. The garlic mashed potatoes had zero flavor as well and I doused it with salt. Really shitty food but a fun spot to see a band and chill with friends.

We were debating---should we give them 3 or 4 stars. The more I thought about, I think they are a 4 star place. The day we ate here, we had gone to Old Town Alexandria. Before going, I came up with a list of restaurants that were either on King Street or a block or less off King. Since my husband has knee issues, it's easier for him to walk short distances. He picked The Light Horse in part due to its location. Also, he saw that they had fish and chips on the menu. We were here at 5 p.m. on a Wednesday. At that time of day, the place only had a few customers plus we figured out that if you arrive for an early meal, you don't get seated upstairs. The second floor serves as a sports bar and music and karaoke venue. The Light Horse is also an "Official Bills backer bar". So, if you are a Bills fan, this is a spot to see the games. We were greeted by the bartender who came out from behind the bar and told us to pick any spot to sit. We chose a high top table in a corner. He gave us menus. For drinks, we both got the same mocktail "The Rockin Chair". It consists of: "Ritual non-alcoholic whiskey, iced mango tea, lemon and orange infused honey". (They do offer up an alcoholic version of this drink. It's called "The Front Porch.") We both thought it was okay---not very sweet but refreshing. We then decided on an appetizer and chose "Crab deviled eggs" which consist of: "Our take on a classic served with crab and bacon dust". Our server, who was friendly and efficient, asked if we wanted the "happy hour" portion or the regular one. I asked what was the difference. She said the "happy hour" one was cheaper (by $3). So, that's what we chose. It is a small portion, only consisting of 3 medium-sized egg halves. A tiny piece of crab meat was put in the egg, as well as a miniscule piece of bacon. The "bacon dust" was bacon that was ground into a powder. They were okay but if you've had the deviled eggs at Jackson's in RTC, Light Horse's can't hold a candle to Jackson's. For my entree, I chose "Caprese Salad" which consists of: "With mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, grilled Allen Brothers chicken (which is a boneless chicken breast) , mozzarella, sliced avocados, balsamic vinaigrette". This was a good dish. The chicken was freshly grilled. Some of it was properly cooked while some was a bit overdone. I did like the flavor that grilling it brings. The balsamic vinaigrette brought a bit of sweetness to this dish, which I liked. My husband liked his fish and chips which consists of: "Traditional Atlantic cod and hand cut French fries". It comes with some ketchup and malt vinegar. He said the fish was good but the fries weren't as hot as they should have been. The cook was the one who brought the food to our table. He was polite and friendly. One reason I gave 4 stars was that we liked the ambiance and feel of the place. At that hour of the day, it had a laid back and welcoming feel to it. No one ever made us feel rushed. Dinner was $78 + change before the tip. We both say we would definitely return at some point.

My girlfriends and I really love to come here for a cocktail. We each get something different and taste each others, and usually, each one is so good. This is a great date spot as well.

Enjoyed a visit here on a Saturday night to hear a local band. Great live music offered upstairs, small area to dance as the floor gets packed. Reasonable draft beer prices with good selection.

My experience started out a little rocky due to the rude hostess but after a quick conversation with the manager, Kenny, the rude hostess was easily forgotten. The restaurant was nice and the crowd wasn't too loud. It was a diverse group of patrons and everyone appeared to be having a good time. The food didn't disappoint at all. I had the crab dip (the bread was ah-mazing!) and the pan seared salmon and enjoyed every bite. I ordered two drinks; the watermelon thing (good but wasn't my speed) and the other I forgot the name of but have a photo of. I wasn't fond of the dessert at all. It was supposed to be peach cobbler-ish... I honestly forget which fruit it was but there was no pie crust thickness so it was more like fruit soup with ice cream. I will be going back and I think you should definitely stop in.

Great brunch food and drinks I saw the burgers and they are enormous They need sign of their name thou unless you know this place It's a great hang out spot.

Known as the party live music joint but their food and service is really good! I had their shrimp tacos , they were amazing. The tortillas were legit! Kirk (I think) was an amazing server , he was the only one in when we went for lunch but you couldn't tell cause he was on it! This will be one of my go to spots for tacos! The rest of my party food was pretty good, no complaints here !

My friends and I came here for restaurant week and had a great experience! The restaurant week menu was shot! I started with the margarita bruschetta. Definitely well flavored and crushed it. Next I got the grilled flank steak and it was made to order. Brussel sprouts were also a hit! Last I had the brownie sundae! It was good but I wish it was warmed up. I didn't ask though so can't hold that against them. The service was great! We sat at the bar and got great service. I love the placements you get when you order food from the bar. I forget what drink I got but I was satisfied with that as well. I would definitely visit here again. Parking is like street parking. There was a steady flow of people so we were happy to grab seats at the bar. I think seating here is first done first serve so it can work in your favor or against you.

The tacos were awesome! Great beer selection as well. Loved the vibe of the whole place. Will definitely be back!

Great place to eat don't get me wrong.... But if your teary to parTAY they will get mad at you for stomping... just saying ... the Irish guy is amazing btw

Wicked tasty / high end bar food. We wanted to revisit some old stomping grounds, and the updates on the ground floor have a great vibe. Fun music - real candle light, and fresh food !!! The fries are hand cut, the beet salad is a MUST & the chicken wings .... Wait for it... are SMOKED!!!! Hence gluten free !!!! Being able to eat chicken wings again is SUCH an exciting endeavor for a gluten intolerant person ! Had missed it so we'll be back !

Great Place, centrally located halfway down King St. Food was very good, fresh and affordable. Service was excellent, with a friendly and warm vibe. I make it a point to visit Light Horse whenever in Old Town. Super bar with unique mixes or old favs. Go to relax, go to hang, go to eat... Wonderful place!

What a place! Came for the sports, stayed for the food. That Magnolia Lane Grilled Cheese was everything. The wings, tops in the area. And what genius came up with elote hush puppies. And to top it off, the bartender and staff were super helpful with a food allergy. Light horse is a new go to for all the time.

This is a good option for drinks. I have eaten the food here once and did enjoy it but I remember thinking what would I try next time? The service can be hit or miss - most of the time they are attentive and other times the staff is just talking to each other and not seeing you have finished your drink and want another. The inside is a cool design. I've never been upstairs but they do have that as an option. It's also a great location on King street so I'll be back for sure.

Loved going here a fun welcoming environment great staff great service and just a good atmosphere

Pleasantly surprised with the food for the value. We stopped in for a quick bite, and we saw it was happy hour! Whoo my favorite time- so many great deals! I love trying different items when I dine out, and we only wanted apps anyways. Everything was prepared well, but we didn't care for the Elote Hushpuppies. The food was above average bar food, and good enough I'd come back to try other main menu items. Got a cheap meal and two Tito drinks for the price of one!

We first arrived and sat downstairs. We ordered some drinks and I asked the bartender what are the whiskeys they have and he was clueless!! Kinda scared me cuz he was bartender and his response was like I asked for the circumference of the earth. They have 4 different menus which was confusing. Later we found out from someone knowledgeable that upstairs was open due to the Bills game on a Monday. So we paid downstairs and went ultra where the next episode begins. We waited 23 minutes for someone to ask us what we wanted to drink. This was after someone that came in 15 minutes after us order first. So we finally got our drinks which were good. The fish and chips were delicious except my fries were ok. Everyone else's meals of my crew were pretty good.

We had the PERFECT event experience here. Finding an affordable place to host a 70-person event in Old Town is tough but the Light Horse staff pulled it off perfectly. Mr. Duncan Cameron is their event coordinator. He was easily accessible and extremely responsive in the weeks leading up to the event. The food was perfectly cooked (chicken strips, Brussels sprouts, Mac & cheese, Caesar salad and sliders). Kenny was the Manager on duty and tied everything together. The bartenders and wait staff were on top of it all. They even set up a little kids corner and put Bluey on the TV to keep about 10 kids entertained. I can't say enough about this place and we will be back!

It wasn't a great experience at The Light Horse. The music was so loud we couldn't have much conversation and couldn't hear the waitress. Which might have been part of the problem. She wrote down one of our meals completely wrong. Probably a good idea to have anyone here repeat back what you order. Then when a different person came out with our food he had to other orders wrong. I'm allergic to onions and he gave me the cubano with onions, my cubano went to someone else who doesn't like mustard or pickles. Apparently the staff doesn't pay attention to what they're carrying out to the tables. The meat in my sandwich was so dry I had to drink water after every bite. It was awful. I will never be back, and neither will anyone in my party.

Good food, super friendly, prices are in line with the area. I had a hamburger which was good and fried green tomatoes and hush puppies were also good.

Ambience was great! Food was great! Our waitress Jennifer and the entire server team was phenomenal.

Really great experience! Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. The steak sandwich was great!! It was super flavorful alone but also included au jus. The environment is fun and lovely. Friday night and it was busy but that did not slow down service. There is also an upstairs bar but we did not check it out. Bathrooms were clean and well maintenance and the music was loud enough to enjoy but not over the top to disrupt a conversation. Over all, a good experience.

Try the double grilled cheese cheeseburger! It won't disappoint. Sat outside on a spring evening. Service was great.

Visited the Light Horse two nights in a row. Both experiences were great. Mario hosted karaoke, and even joined in to support folks singing their songs. Everyone was very friendly and there was a lot of positive energy for folks to soak up. Sunday was less crowded, but allowed for my intimate conversation. Monday left the lower floor of The Light Horse pretty full. Pros: Great host , social opportunities, positive energy, drinks and bartending service Cons: karaoke stops about any hour before closing

We went for happy hour and sat at the downstairs bar. Great ambiance and decor. Our server was engaging and friendly and added to our time there. We enjoyed house cab and some of the happy hour snacks. The hushpuppies were moist and sweet with butter, the dates (3) were good, the crabby deviled eggs (3) were amazing and the nachos were plentiful. They have music upstairs several nights that starts at 9pm. If you are in the area, especially during happy hour you must go! Enjoy

I visited The Light Horse on a Friday evening just to grab drinks with a friend. We had already eaten dinner at another location. The establishment was pretty cool. We could hear there was a club-like party upstairs. They did have a security at the entrance to the stairs that went up to the party. We sat at the bar and ordered an old-fashioned. Overall it was a great vibe. We were there maybe an hour before we headed home to wrap up the evening.

We came out to experience the King street vibe and have some fun on a Friday night. The crab cake sandwich and cheesecake was a delight. The server was amazing, prompt, attentive, and served our table well. If you are looking for a live music scene, this was great and reminiscent of a college town. In old town. Very loud and lively!

First time here during restaurant week. I love Alexandria- it's beautiful and there's so much do and see and try, the owner is very nice and the food is amaze balls! Everything is made to order including the homemade pasta . Yum! Come try them out- super clean and super deli

One of my favorite go-to spots in Alexandria!! Wonderful to go out late night and grab a drink upstairs, also for happy hour, dinner, etc. Great any time. Excellent beer selection. Favorite apps are the sweet potato fries and bacon wrapped dates. Service has always been excellent!

Good atmosphere, nice staff and yummy burgers! I loved it! Highly recommend. Also they had TVs with spots on

Staff are rude and confrontation. Asked a clarifying question about my tab and the bartender threw a tantrum

Was doing karaoke and had the calamari appetizer for a snack. Was good for a late night snack. Tasty and crispy! Recommend a try when you come by. Don't forget to tip the KJ Shell Rae or the man handling the spirits behind the bar, Duncan. Come by and crow a couple of tunes with plenty of support.

Liked it. Long line to get to the band upstairs, but the DJ downstairs was nice too. When I was there (11-12) it was a bit less crowded than the bar next door, which is a plus for me.

Came here last night for the Trivia. What a time it was! Trivia was challenging and great! The beer was cold and the food was outstanding! Trivia started promptly at 7pm but if you get there before it's happy hour, which I recommend! The atmosphere was fantastic and the crowd of patrons was also fun to be around! 10/10 would recommend whether you live in Alexandria or are visiting do yourself a favor and come play trivia on Wednesday at 7pm.

Good live music, chill vibe, great service. There was an awesome live performance and an awesome crowd

This was a second choice restaurant but it will be a repeater for me. Wound up here during their happy hour and had a nice glass of chardonnay and some eats off the happy hour menu (nice selection of choices, plentiful servings). R&B music selection was good background sound and it was comfortably full and busy but the waitstaff was pleasant and attentive. If you are looking for a nice spot for some good food, this is the place.

Brunched with 4 friends. Everyone enjoyed all of the food and drinks. It's as good as it was the other times visited

Came here during Restaurant week as their Menu looked very appealing. What a gem! Everything was absolutely delicious, the crab dip was excellent and the pork chop was outstanding!! So flavorful and tender and the brussel sprouts were amazing! Staff was super friendly, they told us about the upstairs area with dart boards, shuffle boards, live music etc., and we can't wait to come back!!

This was my last meal for Restaurant Week in Alexandria, VA. I can't wait for the next time they have Restaurant Week. This venue was excellent though very quiet due to the pandemic and definitely different which I thoroughly appreciated. The nachos were excellent!! What was so nice was that the housemade tortilla chips were strong enough to support the toppings yet crisp enough so that you didn't chip your teeth eating them. The braised pulled pork was seasoned to perfection and had the perfect accompaniments. The pork loin was equally delicious. This entree came with one cheddar risotto cake but it was enough. The greens seemed more like spinach which was clearly not a problem and the poblano cream provided the moisture it needed. I loved everything I had. Those nachos were exceptionally well done and filling. I would definitely come back here and try their other entrees.

Went here after work to try with a coupon I got from Salsa studio. It feels kinda sparse on furnishings when I stepped in ground level. They have an upstairs but I didn't go up to see what that was like. I ordered 3 things and enjoyed the wings and burger the most. The beef on the skewer was a little chewy. The wings were Spicey and hot (for me) maybe not others that love hot. The burger was probably best I've had out in DC area. The prices are spectacular for this area and that's one reason I'd recommend this place if heading out.

We stopped by for brunch and the atmosphere was pretty mellow for noon. We got seated immediately and browsed through their three menus which was a bit overwhelming. Our brunch meal was pretty good and I appreciated the background music. The southwestern omelette was well cooked but the side order of potatoes was bland. I would come back to check out the dinner scene.

Irish pub with good food, atmosphere and beer. We go there for the shuffleboard. They run a good business and have survived and in Old Town that's saying something.