Whitlow’s at the Wharf

Visiting DC for the week, ate here twice. Everything was GREAT! Ken is an amazing GM and hospitality is his speciality! Roxy was our waitress both times. She not only remembered us she remembered our order. Will definitely come here any time I'm in the area! Loved It.

This waterfront bar perfectly located right next to the concert hall, making it the ultimate destination for an incredible night out. Whether you’re stopping by for a pre-show drink or just soaking in the stunning views, this place delivers an unforgettable experience. This is the third Whitlow’s I’ve been to, and they never miss. The owners know how to create a space that’s both laid-back and effortlessly cool. My cocktail even comes with a tiny floating duck—a fun little touch that makes me impossible not to smile. The upstairs has an old-school New York elegance vibe. If you’re looking for a chill waterfront hangout, this is the place to go.

Absolutely love this place! The vibe is on point clean, welcoming, and full of good energy. But what really sets it apart is the service. Kent, the manager, is truly top tier! He goes above and beyond to make sure every guest feels taken care of. You can tell he takes pride in what he does and runs a tight, professional ship. From the moment you walk in, you feel the difference. 10/10 recommend whether you’re just grabbing a quick bite or settling in for a full meal, you’re in great hands here! Josue was a great waiter as well !

This place has cold drinks and all the cozy, fun vibes you could want. But more importantly, the staff and manager, Kent, are TOP NOTCH!!! On our worst day, they took in our little group of RIF'd federal employees, despite their own kitchen issues, and made us feel like family. We were able to share good beer, good food, and good company at Whitlow's. This will always be a go-to when I'm in DC.

I had such an amazing time at Whitlow's with my friend! We went to try their brunch, and although the menu was a little limited, we made it work. The staff were incredibly friendly and very accommodating, which made the experience even better. We sat at the bar with Hanna (or Hannah? I apologize for not getting the correct spelling), and she was so much fun! It was just the three of us for the most part, but it felt like a party. We will definitely be back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great brunch spot!

Last night while out to dinner my girlfriend and I were served a great reminder that mistakes in business do not define you, but how you respond to them do. We ordered dinner on the patio where some of the best people watching in DC can be found and about an hour after ordering had yet to receive our food. We checked with the staff and they immediately owned their mistake. What happened next was a masterclass in hospitality and how to turn a simple mistake into an A+ experience for customers. Ten minutes later our food arrived along with a genuinely concerned GM. We could tell he was upset and embarrassed by what happened so we assured him that we weren’t upset at all and let him know that we’re fairly regular guests and would be back 100% judgement free. He immediately took ownership and said the food would be on the house. We told him we appreciate the kindness but let him know that wasn’t necessary. They were packed serving guests for a sold out concert next door after all. “No excuses, we’re comping your meal” he insisted. As we were getting up to leave he came back over to chat and thank us for coming in. We could tell he was still bothered by what happened and assured him that it really wasn’t a big deal and reminded him that we weren’t upset at all and would be back soon. As we were thanking him and saying goodbye he asked, “Are you going to the show next door tonight?” We told him no we just came to have dinner by the water and enjoy the free band outside. “Well now you are” he said as he handed us two tickets. Neither of us were familiar with the artist, but had a great time and got to experience a venue we’d been meaning to check out since we moved here in December. Not only do we look forward to our next meal at Whitlow’s, but to sharing the story and advocating for this local business. We didn’t get the GM’s name, but wish we had and want to thank him again for turning a normal Wednesday out into an unforgettable night. Hats off to the team at Whitlow’s from the incredibly friendly bouncer that’s always there, the hostess, servers, cooks, and rockstar GM!

I wish I could give this place more stars! The staff was incredible and the food was *chefs kiss*. My friend and I came here after a less than thrilling experience at a neighboring restaurant and we were greeted by some of the kindest staff. Our server, Maddie, was attentive and so so sweet, and the GM even came by a few times - great service! I’ll definitely be back!

We recently held a baby shower here and the experience was truly amazing. Kent and staff went above and beyond to make the day everything we wanted it to be. The food is awesome, highly recommend the club sandwiches. The venue itself is situated perfectly and you can sit out on the balcony and look out over the water. For anyone looking to host an event or just having a casual day out, Whitlow's at the Wharf should be on your list.

The staff were helpful and patient. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. The ambience is a good for a night out or hanging out with friends. It is a sports bar. Beer and alcohol selection was very good. I will come back again when I'm in town.

What started out as a 4 star review continued to go downhill. I want to like this place, and as a resident on the waterfront who loves supporting the restaurants here, I will come back to give it another chance. Seating was prompt and the guy at the door is an ambassador for the place. Friendly, ready to answer questions, and a spare menu in hand to let folks peruse. I like the look of the place. They've added more social seating on the balcony from the previous establishment. Definitely dog friendly with lots of water bowls at the ready. The menu is better than average bar fare and I was happy to see that they offer gyros, which I think is unique at the Wharf. I also upgraded from the fries to the onion rings. This is where things started to go downhill. The food came out promptly, and the Gyro *looked great. Tasty meat, fresh veggies, and tzatziki. But when I took a bite something was off and I picked it out immediately. They'd used blue cheese instead of feta cheese, and wow that made an overpowering impression. Also, the onion rings were overdone (which I can forgive). Probably what bugged me the most is that my server disappeared for long periods. Perhaps she had a lot of tables (the place was busy) so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. But when the check finally came (which I waited 30 minutes for) I noticed that the bill comes with 20% gratuity added. It feels a little sneaky because the tip line doesn't say, "Additional tip." And I get it... tipping culture in the city can be spotty. But I'd feel better with the establishment paying a living wage, saying that, then leaving an option for additional tip. The current way of doing it seems shady. This first experience was rough. Like I said, I'll give it another shot and either update or confirm.

I can't really give a review of all the menu items, but I can tell you that this addition to the Wharf is truly a warm, welcoming neighborhood joint. Great outdoor and indoor seating, and the staff is in it to win it--great service and attitude. Enjoyed the appetizers--Cheese fries, chicken tenders and shishito peppers. Can't wait to try everything on their menu.

We came to Whitlow's looking for a more casual vibe for dinner. We were able to get outside seating, which is covered and there are fans so you can enjoy even on a very hot day. We are seated quickly and given waters, and our server took our order rather quickly. The mozzarella sticks were huge! But also very cheesy which is a huge plus. We opted to get the burger which had a lot of great flavor. The only downside is that after our food came service slowed down so we were unable to ask for additional drinks and napkins, which napkins are crucial when eating a burger. Overall, if you're looking for a casual summer vibe definitely recommend.

Solids bar food, good service and location, lots of TV's to watch the game and the orange crush is really good!

The starter's wings, 'Dry' as in dried out. The nachos were ordered with chicken and the best part of it were the actual nacho chips I'm not exaggerating. The Coca-Cola product was flat. The raspberry tea was impersonating as raspberry tea! I opted for the Gyro over the burger based on how everything was not sure that would've been a winner either.

I think it was a solid spot and glad it took over from the previous tenant. Large screens for sports and quick service- we sat at the bar and ordered cocktails and food. I really liked the quesadilla as it had great flavor, and the bbq sandwich with the onion rings was huge and super flavorful. For "bar food" the food was large and quite tasty, nothing basic in terms of flavor. Their espresso martinis were great and we loved the cosmos with the little rubber duckies. The only con of this spot was the bathroom lines- there needs to be more stalls or something for such a large place.

I loved this place! Great ambiance, great vibes, and good beer. Me and my friend went on a Saturday night and they had live music. Great spot on the Wharf.

We stopped here on a Saturday as we were out on the boat and wanted to grab a bite in an air conditioned place. Many places were full but we got a table here. I will say I was expecting mediocre bar food, but we were pleasantly surprised. The cob salad had dark greens, large chunks of bacon and was very fresh. The Rachel sandwich had a real chunk of turkey on it versus turkey deli lunch meat. Granted, it was very loud as it was more of a bar, and it was busy, but as for the food, it was better than expected. Oh, and the front door guy who was carding people was a fun and lovely (can I say a guy is lovely?) dude.

We had a pretty negative experience here. It was extremely busy but we were willing to wait for a table after waiting for about 45, we learned that some tables were 1st come 1st serve. We were told to order at the bar, but the bartender is told to get menus at the hostess stand. We finally got all settled and my husband went to the bar to order, only to be told the whole restaurant was on a limited menu. That wasn't explained to us when we were sat. We remained cool and re-thought our order- my husband placed the order with the bar tender but he never gave us a number to take back to the table or the soda I ordered... we waited for another 20 minutes and it was clear that the bar trended forgot about us and never put in our order. We decided to just leave.

Our large group (25+) showed up here unplanned after a terrible morning. The Whitlows staff found out our situation and invited us in, even though they were supposed to be closed. They gave us a free round of drinks and some food, on the house. It was a bright spot of shared humanity /community support in a time when that is lacking, and helped turn around our terrible day. Kent, you have earned a new loyal Whitlows following - thank you. The food, drinks, ambiance, location, and most of all, service are 100%. I will be back!

Ask them to change a Tv from a base ball game that's 5-0 and they would not. Food is terrible!! Bartenders can't handle more the. Four people! Manger told me the bartender is busy for what? But ok. This place will be another place soon!!!

Service was a bit slow. Food quality okay. However, I didn't appreciate their adding an automatic gratuity for someone dining alone. Beware!

Great evening at Whitlow's at the Wharf! I went in on Saturday night with a few friends and I'm glad we did! What a great vibe this place has, very upbeat and welcoming (the DJ was great)! We opted to sit at the bar, where the friendly bartenders were quick to greet us, offer drink recommendations, and serve some delicious cocktails! I will definitely be back!

Best place to watch a game and get drinks. Love the staff here as they are very respectful and accommodating. The owner is absolutely amazing and so is the security. Come for the drinks, but stay for the vibe and the game.

Super interesting experience at this sh*tty DC bar. The general manager was extremely rude and unprofessional when I asked him for assisting me in my missing phone situation. Would absolutely recommend going to a different bar. Kirwins or the Shaw Whitlows perhaps.

The staff were incredible. A group of us went there after a terrible morning. We were waiting for them to open to commiserate together about the fact that our federal agency placed all staff on leave. The Whitlows staff found out, invited us in even though they were supposed to be closed, and gave us a round of drinks and some food. It was a bright spot after a terrible day. Such humane and kind staff. We will all forever love Whitlows and encourage anyone to support them. And it's a great atmosphere!