The Wonderland Ballroom

Friendly and efficient waiters. Nice place to have a drink and to hangout with friends. I'm so bummed about the food... They used to have tasty food. Even for brunch, they used to be one of my favorite place in DC! I loved their amazing skillet (mainly the Hobo). But now their food is average and greasy.

Had the breakfast burrito here and it was really good. The tater tots were very crunchy just the way I like it. The waitress had cool glasses.

I went there in May 2023. The waitress made me pay my bill upfront when I placed my order but she didn’t make the other customers do that. The food was delicious and the plainclothes security with the sniffing dog were not as aggressive as in other parts of the city.

Was one of the original dive bars, which converts to a club upstairs on weekends, in the area about 20 years ago. They cleaned up a little, but the food is much better now. They also have a large outdoor section.

Vegan friendly food options, bean burger is my favorite with sweet potato fries! Been a favorite spot since 2016 but recently went back for music… great venue for meeting with friends during the week or hitting brunch on the weekend.

Come to DEW DROP INN. Ladies, please listen no. No Fratboys or weird perverts. My guarantee try these new two bars. SULLLY'S on U Street? They have no restrictions on smoking outside or convo outside past 12. :00 a.m.. wonderland is a joke. All hype and just has a history of being a cool bar for many years. That's it

Nice spot for drinks on the patio during a warm summer day. They have some good tree cover so you aren't too hot. The breakfast burrito is great too!

Great place with great service! The manager Nick is awesome as well as the entire staff! If you want reasonably priced drinks and cool atmosphere, this is the place!

Really good food, I was impressed. Vegetarian options were ample so no problem if there's a vegetarian in your party. Got a little confused by the qr code menu but you do not order at the bar, it is full service. Really enjoyed the music and atmosphere and the delirium was an other reviews say, a very good beer. I will back in the future for when the dance floor is open bc as a self-proclaimed hipster I totally could have danced to what they were playing.

Met a friend here, Wednesday evening. Street/neighborhood parking. I ended up getting a $30 ticket. I knew it was for permits only but i'm a rebel lol Plenty of outdoor seating, bar seating inside with some tables. Chill little dive bar, that played good chill music. Bathrooms are very divey lol with handwritten notes by patrons markered on the walls. no thrills, get in and get out so the next person can pee lol Beer was tasty. I had the loaded tator tots with chili on the side. I'd give it a 2/5 overall. Probably would have been better as regular tots I'd come back!

Burger was cooked well and the pretzel bun was tasty. Tater tots were not as crispy as the fries. Margaritas are a bit small and melt quickly.

We were beyond disappointed with our first Wonderland Ballroom experience. Our server took our order, disappeared, and left the heavy lifting to us (we refilled our own drinks), the expo, and even other servers. When the (clearly overworked) cook brought the below mediocre food (see raw onions in pic) out, he shot our server (ignoring us behind the bar) a look, yet she continued ignoring us. At this point, you're assuming that Wonderland was busy. Quite the opposite in fact. There were only two tables and zero outside customers. To make matters worse, a complete stranger (to us) checked us out and even tried to make small talk. Zero apologies, excuses, or explanations. In disbelief, we quickly paid and left. We'll chalk up Wonderland's mistakes to current staff shortages. However, it'll be a LONG time before we're willing to give Wonderland another try. We can only hope that the GM reads our review and retrains (from scratch) his/her team.

Many people know The Wonderland Ballroom as a great bar with a very cool vibe. But do you also know that they have a DELICIOUS brunch? I occasionally like a fancy artisanal brunch, but sometimes I just want a hearty and delicious meal to start a lazy weekend right. This brunch was exactly what I needed and more. Their skillets are loaded with perfectly crispy potatoes, delicious vegetables, eggs, and something special too. I got mine with sausage gravy, and it hit the spot. I also eagerly gave their mac n cheese pancakes a try. The edges tasted like regular pancakes, warm and delicious. But as you work your way into the interior, you're hit with a surprise cheesy taste! With a little maple syrup and butter on top, it's an absolute delight. This restaurant does not take reservations, and indoor seating is relatively limited, but we had no problem finding a table. Our waitress was very nice as well!

I came back for dinner and had a great time. I got the of course you're going to order this burrito which was superb. It's like the perfect handover cure. The chicken inside was really well seasoned. The fries on the side were a bit cold but the burrito carried. The service was also excellent. Attentive and friendly servers, and Sophie is such a gem. Definitely will come back

Everything here is everything you could ever want in a dive bar. Staff are incredible & the vibes are amazing. I would happily spend every night here.

Forgot to get pictures of the space, but when for their happy hour and half priced burger Tuesdays deal and LOVED it! Met up with an old friend who lives near by and I was excited when she suggested this place because several friends have recommended it to me, so I was happy to finally visit. I imagine the vibe is very different in the evenings, but for dinner it was perfect. When I arrived at 5 it was very quiet with a couple people in there but by 6/6:30 other was quite busy with lots of dinner diners! The staff was so kind and helpful and recommended my cider which was perfect. I got their classic burger with tots and it was AMAZING!!! I highly recommend! Their bun was great! For the HH drink + half off burger, it was about $16! 20% tip is included, as well as a card charge which is a bit ridiculous.

My friend who lives nearby took me here for what we hoped would be a quick dinner. We sat outside in their curbside patio area, it was moderately busy but not packed. The service was friendly and our drinks came out fast, but the food took forever! When we did get our food it was tasty. I had the blazing chicken quesadilla and it was cheesy, spicy, and delicious. My friend had a veggie burger that she thought was good too. Overall, a solid place I just wish our food would have come out faster or we could have had a heads up about how long we would have to wait.

Came here for drinks in the night and the service was... interesting? I'm pretty sure one of the bartenders was sent home for having a few too many shifties. They took song requests on the first floor which was nice, and the environment was cozy and cute -- the lighting made the place.

Unfriendly and unwelcoming. Possibly racist. Was never acknowledged or greeted. Sat for a long time being ignored. Ended up leaving without ever being spoken to. Here's the clincher: the bar was very quiet. Bartenders too busy doing shots with "favored" guests. Won't return.

Wonderland, wow .... So many things to say , this location ( in fact , this bar ) is ONE , of many RARE , places that makes my life feel well fulfilled . I want to take this time to give a special thanks to Elena ,David , Dario , Rico ( security) , Matt , Rose , Nick , Liz ... so many more , to mention ... sorry if I missed your name . Additionally , I highly recommend "Wonderland BALLROOM , to anyone who enters the city of Washington DC , definitely a excellent place for fun and love . Thank you Wonderland for all the "magical " moments and nights . Sincerely , A "regular " Fame Amos #BikeManInk

Used to go here for late nights but now we stop by on occasion when we are looking for some dive bar food and drinks. Still great service and a nice neighborhood place

Most of my time at Wonderland has been at night for drinks with friends, but last Saturday I popped in for brunch and was pleasantly surprised. We were able to sit on the patio because it was just gorgeous outside, and the vibes were immaculate. If you love people watching and dogs, the patio is the place for you! As far as food, we ordered the brunch burger, breakfast burrito, and a couple bottles of mimosas and everything was so delicious! The staff is super attentive and the wait time for food and drinks was super short, the servers are great! Will definitely be coming back for brunch more often!

So many fees. And the fees on top of fees. Then a request for tips. Then taxes (normal) but then taxes on top of the fees. And no disclaimers ahead of time about the fees. Where does the 20% fee go? Charge for using a credit card, but no advanced notice. The server made a point to call it a dive bar when several things broke down leading to unavailable items (that's cool things happen) but the prices are not dive bar prices.

This is your typical neighborhood dive bar! I like it! Great deco! Drinks could be stronger!!

I come here for Opera On Tap and always have a good experience. The bartenders are friendly, though I was confused as to why they couldn't make a certain cocktail upstairs but could make it downstairs. The food is delicious, though I wish they still had eggplant fries, as that was one more thing that sets them apart. Still, the intimate ambiance of the interior makes it a great place to do Opera on Tap and relax. I look forward to coming back here.

Wonderland is a trashcan, but it's *my* trashcan. I've never eaten, but i've been here for drinks and dancing on more occasions than I can count. It's always a good time, although it can get uncomfortably crowded upstairs. They've often got fun events going on and stuff to do, and the drinks are heavy handed and decently cheap. The bathrooms are tiny but generally pretty clean.

It's a dive bar so... definitely expect that. Staff is friendly, drinks are cheap and the music is good.

The bartenders are always friendly and the daily deals are great. The of course burrito is a great choice for food too (with the tots).

I've heard wonderland is super lit on weekend nights but nobody told me how lit it is for brunch! A spot that really does both!! We came in for brunch around 1 on a Sunday so it wasn't too busy and we were able to find a spot pretty quickly. I ordered the gypsy skillet and really enjoyed it! I loved the mix of bacon, mushrooms, and spinach - felt like I was getting my veggies but still getting my bacon fix! It was also the perfect meal to soak up a night of drinking! The outdoor patio area is really cute and has some long communal tables - would be perfect for big groups! Atmosphere is cute and actually really solid for brunch. They have lots of options including several different skillets, more traditional brunch foods, and non-traditional brunch stuff (burgers, wraps, etc). Great spot for quick brunch!

Love wonderland for it's night scene. They always play great music and their drink prices are great. The crowd there is always fun, dancing, and having a great time. This is a great spot to break from the beaten path and have a fun and less crowded night out.

When I suggested eating at Wonderland for a work brunch a few months ago, the person closest in age to me hesitantly said, "Um, Wonderland...?" She lived a stone's throw away from Wonderland and had witnessed the weekend night debauchery firsthand more times than she would've liked to admit. The brunch at Wonderland Ballroom is one of the most underrated, down-to-earth, and unpretentious brunches you could possibly find in D.C. Because we were a fairly large group, we sat down at one of the long communal tables on the outdoor patio. A few of us ordered coffee, which was served in mismatched mugs, setting the stage for the low-key hipster brunch that awaited us. Three words, before I even get to the food: mimosa bottle service. Why drop $15 on bottomless mimosas somewhere else in D.C. when you could order a bottle of champagne with a generous splash or two of OJ in it for $12? The best part about the mimosa bottle service was when my boss's French roommate showed up, fashionably late, and picked up the champagne bottle to read the label. She scowled at how it had the audacity to call itself "California champagne" -- I guess feeling like a Georgetown undergrad on homecoming with a mimosa bottle made with $5 champagne (ahh, college) isn't exactly the textbook example of French elegance. The menu doesn't scream divey greasy spoon, but rather something more along the lines of a hip 20-something chef with a few guilty pleasures. Case in point: the mac and cheese pancakes, which someone ordered and absolutely loved. I went with the Veganator skillet but opted to make it non-vegan because I love cheese. With veggie sausage, avocado, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, grilled peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded jack and cheddar cheese, home fries, AND two pieces of toast, it successfully fooled me into thinking that I was being healthy. I'd consume my daily recommended vegetable intake with an order of the Veganator if I could -- at about $13, it was pretty standard for a D.C. brunch dish.

My friends and I came into the bar to have a good time for 4th of July weekend. I asked for an Amaretto Sour and the waitress gave me a beer, which is definitely not what the drink is. I was having a great time before that and I ignored the mistake, even giving them a 25% tip. My friends and I went to the upstairs area that was not blocked off/had no indication it was closed prior to entering. An employee entered and asked us to leave, which was fine. However, as we were leaving, the employee hisses "are you fucking kidding me?" An unnecessary comment and quite rude to customers. It's unfortunate that the overall general great ambiance and vibe of the bar was ruined by a single employee who was unable be courteous to customers. Unfortunately will not be returning to this establishment.

A classic neighborhood dive. Enjoyable outdoor space, creepy fun and dark inside. A good list of beers and snack, friendly staff.

Went with friends and asked what they could make without dairy as I have an allergy. They said they cook everything in butter, so nothing can be made dairy free. I asked about the vegan option on the menu, but they said that's cooked in butter, too... We left to go somewhere else as I couldn't eat anything, and they still charged us $5 each for our coffees we'd ordered. All in a bad experience and *super* cautionary tale for those with allergies and/or vegans!

Came here with some friends yesterday because Bad Saint was unavailable but that's neither here nor there. I wasn't expecting anything that I got from this establishment and I don't mean that in a good way. The bouncer told us we could sit outside, OK cool! We sat ourselves and it went downhill from there. The waitress was trying to be on her best behavior for that tip but it just didn't pan out like that...she would go missing for more than 15 min after you requested something whether it was food, condiments, napkins, etc. I ordered the chicken quesadillas and got the kid mac n cheese which came with a side of cornbread. My friend ordered the veggie nachos and her hubby ordered a burger...standard bar food. The food was subpar at best because there is no way that our food should have come out room temperature to cold! I need my food to be hot (can I get my food hot) *insert eye roll* If they only have one waitress then they need to hire more staff because they getting kickbacks by overcharging people. We got a bill for $64, when the waitress brought back the receipts my friend and I were charged almost $8 more than the original bill...how sway. The waitress just kept saying it's our system and then told us now the bill was $74. How does a bill go up by $10 within a 10 min period....ummm ma'am I want to see the manager. The manager is at the bar hearing the issue and have the same BS answer as his staff...nah sway, I eat in DC all the time you can't tell me that you are charging me an extra tax after the fact and blaming it on DC by saying taxation without representation, NO! Let's see what Mayor Bowser thinks about this charade ya'll pulling because I am calling her office tomorrow morning! In the end the manager just charged us $64 after I told them that I was calling in the Mayor on Monday morning (how convenient) and offering us a shot or something to drink on the house... On the way home I started thinking that this place probably charges a service fee for using a credit card (not posted anywhere in the bar) NICE, that's ILLEGAL! You can get over on your drunk customers but those of us that are sober and care where our money is going, you will not get over on us! Don't worry wonderland Ballroom...ya'll will probably be getting a visit from someone in DC government REAL SOON!

This place is amazing! A group of my friends & I traveled to DC for Broccoli Fest 2019and the morning of, we were trying to find something to eat. We were going to walk to a further place we found on Yelp when we noticed this place was right across the street from our Airbnb and they were open for brunch at 11am. Food and service was amazing. The staff are nice, quick and attentive. We noticed that the place gets pretty packed at night too. We were very happy we'd stop to check out the menu.

This is your average neighborhood dive bar. Before 11 PM you can enjoy a beer at a table downstairs and it's not too busy. After 11 people start coming in to dance upstairs. The upstairs is hot & crowded but if dancing is your thing this is your place to be on a Friday/Saturday night. On the weekends they also have a nice brunch. Service can be spotty but the patio is nice to sit out on during the spring. You can also bring your dog. Overall fun place to grab a beer & dance! Not a very accessible place for those with mobility issues. There is some parking but most of it's zoned.

We came here with a friend to sit on their patio and enjoy some beers. The food was surprisingly decent for a dive bar, with the chili nachos being great and the footling hot dogs were good. Service was decent, sometimes quick and other times taking an hour to get a water but it was busy so what do you expect. The waiter was kinda snarky when asking between the cheese options for the hot dog but very dive bar vibes. I'd definitely come back soon!

Wonderlands my all around go to! They have the best dive bar food I've found in DC, the servers are always nice and attentive and I've never waited more than a couple minutes for a table. The outdoor seatings been great during COVID and it's in such a nice neighborhood. The inside is standard cool dive bar dingy but I've been on the 2nd floor for great dancing and cool shows. And a great place to bring dogs plus it's only a block away from a dog park!

Monday night trivia upstairs is a hidden highlight in DC, where the top score earns you $100 towards your bar tab. The drinks here are solid, although order the same cocktail twice and you'll see that they not only look and taste different, but the sizes vary as well. We ordered orange crushes and once received them in tall pint glasses and another in smaller drink glasses. Perhaps a difference between upstairs and downstairs bars. Nachos are solid bar food here, with your choice of shredded or nacho cheese.

We waited and waited on a Thursday evening to be seated but were pointedly ignored as staff cheerfully passed back and forth in front of us (several times) and chatted with each other. Rude stares from the people seated outside. Not sorry to have never checked out their food or events.

I can only speak for the nightlife - not the food, which I'm 100% sure I would not want to try anyway. This place is a total dive and I recall the bathroom looking like a crime scene. That said, they have some good craft beers on draft and the music was pretty solid. Two floors and a long wait at the door, but the young crowd doesn't seem to mind. No cover.

This place a is a great dive bar. It has a good selection of beers. It has always been my go to. Their eggplant fries are also amazing. As far as food though, outside of eggplant fries, it's only okay. I tried their burger and my friends tried a lentil burrito and a cant chicken sandwich. Nothing special. They will still Hold a close place in my heart for beer and dive bar atmosphere. Great dance floor on weekends on second floor!

It's a typical dive bar, but it's frequently packed with the under 30 crowd. Which is fine, but that means there's no seats, and well, the food is terrible. Even going in with low expectations, it's still bad for bar food. Anything Blackened is absolutely disgusting, and super salty. The wings are fine.

Hard to top the dancing or the crowd. The people came out en masse bright and early (well, around 10.30 pm when the stairs were opened up) on the Saturday night we stopped in, and they brought the energy. The upstairs dancing really is top notch. Very chill but energetic crowd. The rest of the space, including a small bar area upstairs, a small bar area downstairs, and a large-ish patio out front, offers a hipster dive atmosphere if you're looking for a more low-key hang. It's the gem of the neighborhood for sure.

This place is honestly one of my favorite places on earth. Genuinely good brunch!!! Friendly staff!!! The best dancing in the city at night!! Cheap beer!! I love wonderland with all my heart!

If you're choosing to come here based on the name alone, you have been misled. Definitely not a Ballroom, but a Wonderland ... questionable. Love: + Dance floor + Music selection, from Christina Aguilera to Big Sean to Third Eye Blind (I love the variety, but you may or may not) + Blueberry Pancake beer (what an odd treat) + Convenience for all those in Columbia Heights Not So Love: + Crowded dance floor = $weaty $aturday + Mystery shot... I took it once and doubt I'd do it again + The bar loss my friend's credit card here :( Overall, it reminded me of the Brass Monkey but less college feel and more grunge. Rest assured, you can dance the night away here!

If you're in the mood for an unpretentious, down-to-earth, get-down-with-the-get-down type of vibe and crowd, come on over to Wondy. When I'm in the mood to hide out in the corner, listen to some fun, upbeat hip-hop, have lil' beer spilled on me with a smile and then chased with a shot of Jameson - this is where I'll come. Low-key, the music is so good! It's hard for me to find places these days that have a straight up dance party vibe and remain totally chill and diverse. If you come on the weekends, be ready for crowd. It will remind you of a college house party, so if that is no longer your thing, then it might not be a fit for you. But if you miss that kind of thing, with slightly older crowds, then you'll dig it. There has never been a cover in all my adventures and typically the staff is chill and just there to do their jobs. If you've never given Wonderland a shot, then order shot and give it a shot.

Decent place to grab a beer with friends! I met some friends here on a nice day so we sat outside on the patio which was nice. The service was pretty slow outside though and we missed happy hour because the server didn't come to us until 20 minutes after we got there (to be fair I probably should've just gone inside and ordered at the bar since we were cutting it close). Anyway I ended up getting a grapefruit shandy which came in a really cool tall stein and was really good! I also got a basket of french fries to share which were good but were basically like McDonald's french fries lol. Their soft pretzels were good too! I also came here on another occasion late on a Friday night when it's basically an extremely crowded dance club. If you enjoy being in a tightly packed room where you have no personal space then you'll enjoy this place but otherwise I'd steer clear haha

Okay, seriously: what's with all the Asian cred in the decor? Dive-but-hipster, no cover. You gotta be skinny-jeans slender to contemplate two-way traffic on the narrow staircase. Some decent brews on tap, though service was shite. Great jukebox downstairs, I could see myself chilling there to enjoy a pint and some background tunes. Nice tree-shaded patio with a decent split of sitting and standing room-- this area is the prime real estate until the friendly bouncers shut it down. That's when the dancing up top really picked up. DJ Obeyah was spinning upstairs. Before the patio closure pushed all the patrons inside, his playlist was all over the damn place. Tune transitions could've been better overall, but props for taking so many requests. Gotta love a very accessible DJ. Dancing towards the front of the platform was fun with the fan right there to give me a breather from the growing sardine can. Bench by the bar in the back, coat/purse hooks at shoulder height near the front. Three and a half stars based on an exclusively nightlife experience. I get why Joe likes this place. I wouldn't mind coming back sometime to hang out on ground level or check out a different DJ (not sure how well live band Harikaraoke meshes with the crowd every other Monday), but I just wasn't feeling the dancing crowd. I had about as much fun here as I've had on an off-night at LMW's.

No eggplant fries? I used to come to Wonderland regularly then moved away. I would make a point of having eggplant fries every time. The best. Just the right amount of crunch. The bar is still a place to go, but the eggplant fries brought me back.

Walking in, I was immediately transported to the basic neighborhood bar that you'd find on any corner in Wisconsin. That's a good thing. You'll find little pretense but plenty of kitch here in this hipster dive bar. Prepare for the uncomplicated - we were informed that we couldn't have a Manhattan as they do not stock bitters. A nice beer collection on tap sufficed.

This bar has one of the best varieties of atmosphere available in the area. A Columbia Heights staple, they offer everything from brunch, happy hour, dinner, standup, and late night dancing. The food is pretty good, I've had the burgers and their outrageous taco Tuesday special ($3 for 3 tacos I think? Don't quote me there, but it was definitely cheap.) Took my friends there for dinner and drinks after they helped me move and they accommodated us upstairs even though they were getting ready for a comedy show. They then offered to let us stay for the show without paying an additional cover (it was only $3 so some of us passed them some cash before we left anyway). If you're headed there on a Saturday night be prepared for a very diverse crowd. Everything from clean cut frat guys to counter culture kids with side shave haircuts. In my experience the weekend late night crowd is a little on the younger side. The upstairs gets pretty toasty and the coat hooks along the wall are a free-for-all, so as with all DC bars, bring a jacket you aren't worried about losing.

The worst customer service I ever have experienced. Walked up at 11:15 and was advised they were not seating and taking anymore guest! Another group walked in after us and was seated and served! I would recommend this place to anyone! Poor service! Worse customer service ever!

The Wonderland Ballroom has been a constant throughout my time in D.C. Looking for a dive bar where you can take a mystery shot for $5 before heading upstairs to dance to early 2000s top 40 and 90's hip hop? Done. Looking for a nice patio to enjoy a summer afternoon on? Done. Looking for a brunch menu for more than one vegan or vegetarian option? Done. Wonderland won't deliver anything fancy. It's a dive bar after all. But if you're looking for a place to grab a cheap drink or bite to eat in Columbia Heights, it's perfect.

After going to their sister bar The Looking Glass. I decided to check out this spot of the humble! When I walked up the door man was very friendly,& inviting. The outside park was buzzing with folks eating tacos,& having drinks. I saw the TACO Tuesday sign, that explained the mass amount of tacos! Once inside it looked like the typical dive bar low lights, random yet cool things on the wall Upstairs was nice and cool which in DC weather is a huge plus! Not only was it Taco Tuesday, but it was Karaoke night! The Drinks: The drinks were great, perfect ratio of liquor to mixers i.e. Juice, soda, or both! They had a selection of beer,& a wine list. The FOOD: Taco Tuesday: 1.00 tacos ( min order 3) in a corn shell! Simply put they were delicious! Basic, yummy meat, cheese, lettuce,& pico! The ground beef was not a crappy 60/40... It was a good grade of ground beef,& they didn't skimp on the portion! The pico gave it a boost of flavor! Pulled Pork Sandwich: It's a big portion of messy goodness, plus shoestring fries! I was a lil skeptical when ordering it, but I took a chance an I'm glad I did! The pic doesn't do it justice! The portion was big enough to share, in fact I did! The fries were cooked to perfection crisp, just the right amount of salt! The Taco Tuesday special alone is worth the stop! They have other nightly events as well as a yummy selection on decent priced food drinks! All in all if you have not been to Wonderland your missing out on food,& an experience! S/O to Remy the bartender!

The ambiance of this place is great. It's not too bright or dark, it feels like the perfect place to frequent with your best friends and have drinks and laugh. The staff is amazing, very personable and whatever they suggest is definitely a great choice. Karaoke is a must, the list is awesome and the DJ in between time plays an array of old and new which will appease all of of your musical soul. The food came out in a timely fashion. I personally suggest the Carolina Pulled Pork, it's super filling and taste absolutely amazing. Oh, Taco Tuesday is everything! The tacos are stuffed with awesomeness and are only $1 but you gotta get 3 at least, it's ok though, you will devour them. This place closes late everyday so....there is no excuse to not check it out