King Street Blues
1684 Crystal Square Arcade, Arlington, VA, 22202
King Street Blues Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1684 Crystal Square Arcade
Arlington, VA, 22202 - Phone (703) 415-2583
- Website https://www.kingstreetblues.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage, Street, Validated
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Tammy H.
The service wAs great. The staff nice. Ordered the BBQ Fried Chicken. The BBQ sauce was sweet with a little kick. Not too much to want me to drain my water but just a notch to kick it. However the chicken was a little dry perhaps because it was late at night. The coleslaw was average. It's not a bad go to place. The prices was decent for all the food you get.
(3)Curtis H.
Being from St. Louis it's pretty hard to impress me when it comes to BBQ. However, this establishment makes a conscious effort to serve good BBQ. I usually get the brisket and sausage platter with cornbread and beans. I will say, the cornbread really makes the meal achieve the 4 star rating. Lunch can get a little hectic in this place so don't waste time placing your orders M-F. The service and waitresses are very polite, helpful and work hard to keep the customer happy. Oh...their tea is horrible.
(4)Drew T.
I had the pulled chicken sandwich with fries. It was just average. I'm not complaining, but nothing here impressed me.
(3)Eileen R.
Very nice fare. My colleague and I were looking for a quick bite after a very long day and stopped here. I was very impressed with the friendly server who was also very efficient. We both ordered the grilled salmon, I had fries and veggies with mine, he had red rice and veggies. The salmon was well seasoned and tasty, although mine was a tad underdone in the middle. My fries were home-made, which is always a favorite. The veggies were broccoli and carrots; the broc was crispy, not overdone and mushy. Same with the carrots. Everything was very tasty and I would recommend this spot.
(4)Dani P.
I was really disappointed with my visit here. We'd walked by the Old Town restaurant several times, and had been curious thanks to the outside decor of the building. We decided to give it a try since we were planning to go to a movie at Potomac Yards, and were excited to find out there was a Crystal City restaurant that would help us avoid driving into Old Town before the movie. We arrived around 8pm since our movie was at 9:30. We started with an order of hush puppies, probably the only good part of the meal. Our service took notably long for our food to arrive. When mine arrived, they had fries on top when I'd asked for rice. No big deal, they apologized and quickly brought me a separate dish with the rice. However, my husband had asked to substitute his fries with onion rings, and they were cold and mushy. My meal was the Southern option: pick an entree and three sides. My sides were all just okay, and for 16.99, I was hoping for more than that. We'd finished our meal and were waiting a very long time for our check. We kept glancing at our watches nervously because we'd already bought our tickets for the 9:30 movie. Eventually, I had to flag down a random employee to get our server. I was going to ask for the rest of my food to go, but with the wait being so long, I just wrapped the cornbread in a bunch of napkins and bolted once we'd paid. It wasn't worth the $35+ we'd paid, and although I'm sure the service here may not necessarily represent the service at the other locations, I can't imagine their food quality is much different.
(2)John K.
We came here and got 2 kids meals and 1 nacho platter. The food arrived pretty fast, and the pulled pork was amazing, their wasn't enough chip and we had to eat with a fork half the time. Other than that the hostess was very sweet and the food was reasonably priced.
(4)Geno M.
Went here with 75 students and adults for dinner on a Sunday night! The ribs were good and so was the service! Great for BBQ and fun!!!
(4)Natosha B.
I have to do this, only because..well...this place could have better food and actual blues playing! I had one beer and this awful fries and cheese appetizer...wasn't worth the money I paid!
(2)Darryl S.
One of our favorite places in Crystal City. We work here and the staff is always super friendly and laid back. Food is great. Order the brisket or Jambalaya pasta in my opinion. Don't order a salad:) Definitely recommended!
(4)Steven H.
KSB is buried within Crystal City and as such is a quick, reasonable option to grab a drink and affordable meal if you're staying at any of the area hotels. I can't imagine this would be a draw for locals save for the afternoon lunch and happy hour crowds. The beer and bourbon selections are disappointingly limited but there's a nice selection of inexpensive and surprisingly good happy hour food specials - the wings and quesadillas were more than I can eat and together clocked in just south of $10. For dinner in DC! Not too shabby.
(3)Juan M.
Amazing food. Ellen at the bar gave me great service and was always helpful I went on the day of the marathon so I had all the attention in the world I will come back every time I'm here
(5)Kresenda K.
My best friend and I have a tradition. Ever since she moved away, whenever she's up for a visit, we go to Kings. No conversation about it, we just know the other one needs Kings. Their burgers are delish. Seriously. The Blues burger (I always get it rare) melts in your mouth. The customer service is amazing. One time we did have a really poor server--rude and inattentive. We complained to the manager and she had the audacity to actually confront us. The manager was appalled and comped our meal and apologized. She later apologized as well. Even then the food was top and the experience, overall, was still positive. We knew that it must've been a bad day and just a rare outburst. We've been back dozens of times and we were right. I finally tried their ribs. Where have they been all my life? They were AMAZING. Seriously. Wow. Try it. You won't be disappointed. Tip: Avoid it a bit in tourist season. It's a popular destination for tour buses and can make things noisy and very slow!
(5)Mark T.
Wonderful bar staff. A bit busy, as the bar is not quite big enough to support two bartenders, yet always full. So patience in placing your order is sometimes required. They have only a few draughts, but they are carefully selected. The dinner is a welcome relief from the bland "this came off the Sysco truck" fare of most places, and has seasoning that is bold but not over the top. My fave is the jambalaya pasta.
(4)Robert S.
If you're looking for some good Southern cooking and a relaxed atmosphere, KSB is your huckleberry. I ate here a couple of times while staying at one of the nearby hotels in Crystal City. The chili is tasty and has a good balance between the beans, meat and sauce. The beef version has more flavor, though the turkey version has corn, if that's your sort of thing. The pulled pork sandwich was excellent as well. This place is a good option if you're dining alone as there is plenty of bar space to eat while watching some sports/news. Beer selection is not huge but the draft selection included a range of American ales and they all tasted fresh. Staff is friendly and meals are served quickly. Overall a good atmosphere and good food.
(4)Thomas C.
This is a fun and friendly place. Good food, good prices, and good staff. They also seem to have a very low turnover of people (a good sign). Whenever I show up, its the same people on the shift. And they almost always remember my face. All good traits in a quality establishment. My favorite is their recent brunch menu for weekends. Great food and drink at a good price on a lazy Saturday or Sunday. Fun and casual. Can't recommend them enough.
(5)Nohely R.
Nice little restaurant. Not exactly what I expected good wise but it was ok. Service was great. But it's super chilly inside.
(3)Hillary S.
The food was so so good here! I'm giving 3 stars because the bar tender needs to work on people skills, he was good about getting our food and drinks and keeping our drinks full. But the way he spoke to the table was rude. He asked if we wanted to order while we were waiting on someone 3 times and someone at our table was like I'm not sure what I want yet and I saw him roll his eyes. He kept saying what do you guys want "talk to me" I saw him roll his eyes at another table as well. And when I asked for our check he looked right at me and was like "what's your check? Talk to me." I will come back, maybe to the king street one though.
(3)Steven L.
Had the voodoo chicken salad. It's very good. I also estimate it's about 1000 calories. If you're trying to eat healthy, this isn't the place. Having said that the service is good, and the prices relatively cheap.
(3)Shellie D.
King Street Blues is the restaurant you go to for convenience. Like 'let's just go to KSB because it's nearby'. The food is okay, not great. I would not drive to Crystal City just to eat there. Last time I was there, I had the chili and cornbread. It was okay, the chili was acidic. However, I enjoyed it and asked for some sour cream to help mellow it out. The prices are reasonable. I would eat here if I were in the area and craving some BBQ. But it wouldn't necessarily be my first choice.
(2)Katie G.
Pretty good! My boyfriend and I decided to try king street Blues out tonight. We got the hush puppies as an appetizer and they were awesome! I got the Caesar salad with shrimp. It was okay--a lot of shrimp, but dressing/lettuce was nothing special. I did like the cornbread it comes with. My boyfriend got the 6 layer BBQ noodles and said they were pretty good. Service was very good. Overall good experience--no problems but food was pretty average!
(3)Billy L.
I'm glad we stumbled across this place while looking for a place to eat in the Crystal City area... The food here is southern/comfort/BBQ, and although I'm sure there's a few healthier options on the menu, that's probably not why you're coming here. I had the Sister Mary which is a shredded BBQ chicken sandwich. It was really good.. the sauce was sweet with just a tiny little bit of kick. The chips were of the chewier variety which aren't my thing, but I supplemented my sandwich with some really good hushpuppies. If you put hushpuppies on the menu, I'll eat them good or bad, but these were really good.
(4)Kelley C.
We went on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Staff was polite but not friendly. I ordered a soda and it tasted very weird. I asked the waiter for a water instead because the soda tasted off and he brought me a water without asking what was wrong with the soda or apologizing. We ordered the onion tangle as an appetizer and it was very good. We ordered the Wimpy King burger and the BBQ burger. The Wimpy King burger was awful. The burger was topped with tasteless pulled pork and a really thick floury tasting cheese sauce. The BBQ burger was very good. The restaurant could definitely use an update. The statue hanging on the wall near our table had multiple spit balls on it. Would not go to this restaurant again even though it is very convenient near the metro.
(3)Suzann C.
Let's be clear, If you come here, you are coming for the delicious BBQ, not the atmosphere. The place could be described as the usual tired decor of yesteryear. Very Meh. The food, that is another story. I had the All- American, which had a quarter rack of ribs and pulled BBQ, with a choice of two sides. I had beans and fries. The beans come in the standard little black cup. This pulled pork BBQ was fantastic. Perfect amount of seasoning and the heat was just right. Not a sloppy mess. You can taste the flavor of the meat, and the flavor of the BBQ. REALLY good! Lots of meat on the ribs. Didn't have to search for it, and the meat fell off the bones. Delish!! And I enjoyed a really nice glass of Pinot... I didn't like the plastic plates and super cheap flatware. But hey, it's not a five-star kinda place. It's basically a bar that sells incredible BBQ. Now here is the warning. This location hosts BIG GROUPS OF TOURISTS...in the form of CHILDREN. Be prepared for very exuberant little people to pounce on the place while you are enjoying your mouth-watering BBQ. Frankly, l didn't really care. There was a baseball game on TV in the bar and I ordered another Pinot while watching the game, and thanking my stars that I wasn't one of the chaperones!
(4)Teresa B.
King Street Blues wasn't our original destination when we left our hotel, on a Sunday night, looking for some Mexican food and football playoffs on a big screen. Apparently, much of the Crystal City Shops and restaurants close early on this day. Thankfully, after disappointment, we heard a rowdy crowd cheering from this location, and ventured over. Described as "Comfort Food with a Southern Accent", I can't agree more. They have excellent happy hour deals that prompted me to order 1/2 priced Smoked Chipotle Wings for $4.99. There is something about smoking plump wings that keeps them so juicy. Honestly, this is my latest food addiction, and their version rates in my Top 3.
(4)Janet A.
Our party of 10 had great service & great food. We ordered quesadillas, salads, chili & chicken fried steak & everyone loved their food. So glad we went here!
(4)Kimberly T.
Food was AMAZING!!!! Found this place out of pure luck and so glad we did. Ordered Jambalaya Pasta and full slab of ribs. Both were to die for. Will definitely come back when we are in town next time.
(5)Greg M.
One word. Horrible. Service poor and mom existent. Wait staff rude and non existent. food awful. I had the French quarter po boy. My kids had Mac and cheese. Mine was processed chicken with frozen shrimp and Cajun seasoning that was sprinkles on. Fries were wet, pickle tasted of garden hose. Kid Mac. Barilla pasta with butter milk and powdered cheese. Unless your starving Do Not Eat Here.
(1)Robbie L.
Let me start off by saying that I am somewhat of a bbq foodie that enjoys a good cajun meal as well. I went into this place after being advised by someone in my hotel to come try. I left un-impressed... Food: Had the omelet off of the brunch menu filled with cheese, frozen shrimp, andouille Sausage and chicken chunks. That wasn't bad, the breakfast potatoes were the best part of the meal. I also tried the wings which were pretty good. Overall the food wasn't bad but also didn't leave me with any real reaction other than the sentiment that I wished that I had tried a local joint instead. Service: I went on Saturday morning and there was some kind of meeting going on in the back. We sat in the bar area and got service as expected. Again... Not bad but nothing spectacular. Drinks: N/A as we only drank water Environment: You will see that its a little dark but this is probably done intentionally to go with the Louisiana/ Mardi Gras theme. Overall: I would pass if back in Crystal City again, I definitely didn't send a postcard home from the place.
(2)Kelly K.
As far as restaurants in Crystal City with good food there are slim pickings. This restaurant located in the Crystal City Shops underground offers speedy service at the bar at lunch time and food was better than other restaurants in this area though it was expensive. I tried the boneless fried chicken with beans and rice and collard greens (you choose your sides). Everything was fine except for the instant rice which I despise. The bartender provided good and friendly service. Soda and ice tea are pricey at 2.99 a glass.
(3)Dan H.
Considering there's not a whole lot of good BBQ around here, King Street Blues isn't too shabby. I've been there several times but I usually only order the brisket or pulled pork sandwich. Or as they call them Jake's or the Elwood. The service is always good. Sandwiches come with chips and a small thing of coleslaw which is heavy on the mayo. Or for $1 extra (what's up with that??) you can get fries or a side salad (which actually looks above average). I'd steer clear of the pulled pork; I've had it twice and it's unremarkable flavor-wise and a little mushy. Brisket is definitely the way to go...pretty flavorful, firm but not tough and they serve it with some shoestring fried onions on top which is delicious.
(3)Brett V.
We eat here every time we come to DC. I have never had a bad meal in the this restaurant. We found it quite by accident a few years ago when we got off the metro at Crystal City and it was pouring rain. We come to DC for a little family long weekend yearly. We eat here pretty much every chance we get to if we aren't doing something else. First the food is fantastic. I haven't tried every meal on the menu of course, but I have tried the ribs, briscuit, catfish, talapia, and the shrimp. All of it is incredibly good. I don't know if they slow cook the ribs all day or what, but the meat just falls off the bones. The catfish is lightly breaded(which I enjoy) so you really get a taste of the fish. The crystal fire shrimp is a shrimp with what I am guessing is a type of cajun seasoning on it. It also is delicious. My daughter had the talapia and I tasted that. It too was excellent. It was litely grilled and had a nice smokey taste to it. The portions are also enormous. Most of the meals come with Carters cool beans, which are baked beans with some sort of "kick" to them,(they are excellent), coleslaw if you like that(I usually get two carters beans), fries and cornbread. The kids meals are also excellent. They don't skimp on the portions for the kids and the meals include the drink. A lot of places are going away from that. The prices are very fair for what you get. When I get the ribs, the full rack is easily a foot long, if not slightley more and probably 6 or 7 inches wide. And it costs just $20. All the prices are very fair. I don't get beer or mixed drinks there, so I can't comment on the alcohol prices. The service would be my one complaint, but enough to change my star rating. This is because the servers are hit or miss. Depending on the night your there, you can get a very attentive one, or one that you can't find. For the most part, we've been on the good end of things, but I think we have eaten there like 6 or 7 times and had maybe two bad servers. And by bad I don't mean they don't bring you your food, just hunting them down for a refill or the check can be a task. The food comes very quickly. I don't think I've waited longer than like 10 or 15 minutes for my food to come. Overall, I have never had a bad experience here, but I may eat here a couple times year, so maybe I've been lucky. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the Arlington, VA area. It's a quick drive on route 1 to 15th street exit and into the parking the garage which is free after 6p and on weekends.
(5)Joni F.
Ordered the Sister Mary....barbecued chicken sandwich.....delish! LOVE the music decor....and the extra cold beer!
(4)Dale H.
We were probably the only group that has. One here and not one person ordered some kind of BBQ...So this review doesn't reflect their signature dishes. We got a salad, a po boy, and the catfish. Again the others seemed to like theirs. My catfish was pretty good for fried catfish, light breading and not too greasy. The hush puppies tasted very processed, but the beans and rice were very good. I can only compare this with Popeye's catfish, which isn't saying much. Though this is a decent option I plan on sticking with what they are supposed to be good at next time. The restaurant is pretty dark and it felt like walking directly from night to day when leaving. Not a great feeling.
(3)Jen M.
Stopped here after a work conference with a big group of people one weeknight. They handled the group pretty well, and were nice about doing separate checks (though we did have to get them fixed more than once). The food was decent - I had a chicken sandwich which was good, and others seemed ok with their bbq. We had several problems with getting the wrong beers (it was a big group and they would switch them out, but it did happen repeatedly), and one of the lines seemed to need a cleaning. It seemed to be one of the better spots in the Crystal City mall, and was very convenient to the Metro. If you're in the area trying to find food it's worth checking out but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. If I were in the area again I wouldn't avoid it, but I'd be just as likely to stop at one of the other places in the mall.
(2)Mike B.
We were staying in the Marriott and wanted a carryout instead of room service, so we ordered the full slab of ribs, along with beans, cole slaw, key lime pie, salad, side of vegetables and onion straws. Well, it's not often that we won't finish a slab of barbecue ribs. They were dry, really overcooked, and the sauce was scant. The KSB Onion Tangle appetizer was exceptionally greasy. The side of vegetables was awful - the broccoli seemed like it had been cut for an appetizer tray and then hastily steamed - it was brown and mushy in parts and totally unappetizing. The carrots were - carrots. The cornbread was dry and not tasty. The key lime pie was good. I wouldn't go back. I know that food served fresh to your table (as opposed to a carry-out) will always be preferable, but there was no reason why the ribs, which were billed as "Winner of Virginia's People's Choice Award," were so awful. The "Best House Salad in Town" was nothing but iceberg lettuce and a couple of half cherry tomatoes - with a few cubed peppers and corn on the bottom. The dressing was good, but it didn't make up for the disappointing salad. To make matters worse, there was a long wait for the carryout once I got there to pick it up. The prospect of taking it back was out, but if we ate in the restaurant, I'm sure we would have sent it back, and we're really not that fussy. Either they had a pretty off night, or they need to work on their kitchen. Unfortunately I did not check Yelp reviews first - I see that most of them were so-so.
(1)Tom I.
BBQ ribs definite choice, sides and seafood were disappointing. Conveniently located inside the mall connected to Marriott. Avoid lunch hour as this entire mall is a zoo with military and contractors alike.
(4)George P.
Wow, wow, wow! What a great time! The barbeque here is amazing! If you are in the area don't let this slip by. The service was great and the food served nice and hot. My only regret is that I do not have more time to kick back and enjoy a few more beers! I love the décor! This place is great for the whole family.
(5)Rita V.
Not impressed. Shoddy prepared/preprepared food. Average burger and chips. Chicken breast juicy, but the frozen over cooked over buttered veggies and the sloppy side salad were nasty. Not worth it. With SO MANY options, we for some unexplained reason (we were in a hurry and it was empty... now I know for a reason) why one would eat here... Not a place I am coming back to. Mediocre service, mediocre food.
(2)Chris C.
So my girlfriend and I just moved here recently and are exploring the bars and restaurants in the area and we stumbled upon the King Street Blues website. The food sounded good and I was up for a bluesy atmosphere and a good drink so we walked over. First off, it is in a very dated kind of shopping area with stores that I have never heard of like "Puppet Factory" and "Possessions" but it was right across from Morton's so I thought how bad can it be. We sat in the bar area and ordered their wings and a pulled chicken quesadilla. The appetizers were half off so we thought how bad can it be?!?! I asked for my wings "as hot as you can make them" to which the server replied "Oh we can't actually make them hotter. They only come in one heat but I can bring you some hot sauce!". Bad sign. Why can't you make them hotter? I found out why 4 minutes later. NOTHING tasted fresh. I think everything was pulled out of a can or unwrapped then reheated. Blech. The food sucks. Half off or not it wasn't worth it. The one star is for the service. Our server was prompt. Seeing that they can't get two appetizers to taste good, I will not be giving an entrée a shot. Oh, and no blues.
(1)Susan J.
i know never go eat at a restaurant that it's an underground mall, but i still did. the wimpy burger was bleh. super greasy burger sandwiched between two pieces of texas toast and stuffed with onion straws bbq sauce pepper jack cheese lettuce and tomato. it was just a mess. salty, greasy, and too much stuff mess. service, pretty horrible since their focus was more on parties of 6 or more. water didn't get refilled and no "hi, how's the food?" remarks. if you want greasy food, come here for a good time!
(1)Megan K.
Solid BBQ meal. Fast lunch service during the week when it is packed. It is also one of the only restaurants open in the Crystal City Underground on the weekends. Sweet Tea passes my husband's inspection (he's from Kentucky) -- and the food is consistently good. My favorites are the spinach salad, pig salad (pulled chicken or pulled pork over greens and veggies), and the Proud Mary (pulled chicken with coleslaw sandwich).
(3)Tricia B.
We had spent all day in DC, we were tired, and hungry. King street blues was near our hotel so we thought of getting a bite there. The service was incredibly slow, it took our server 10 minutes before greeting us and getting a drink order. I decided to get a bowl of chili and a side of their red rice with gravy. The hubs got pasta done 6 ways with pulled pork. My chili was so bland, I took three bites then called it quits. His pasta wasn't any better, the only thing good of that meal was the corn bread. Our waiter never came back to check on us, it was an awful experience. Don't eat here unless you want to have bad service and bland food.
(2)Amanda A.
The BBQ ribs here are really great! Go on Wednesday for a special deal on them. The nachos were some of the best ones I've ever had. I prefer EZ cheese to shredded cheese though, so that might be why. They use regular chips (not tortilla) for the nachos, and it tastes amazing! Service was great too...we were in and pretty quickly. The atmosphere is kind of strange though, dusty-looking in a strange shopping center. The food made up for that though.
(4)Clara L.
Great service! Mediocre food. My friends ate here last night and we had a group of 12. We got seated fairly quickly which we were all very excited about, since we were tired and starving. The waiters pushed two round tables together so we could all sit together. And they both took care of our group. Great service, very attentive and quick with refills of drinks. When I saw the menu, all the southern food looked and sounded delicious. I wanted to order everything. (I was also pretty hungry at this point). I decided to order the fried shrimp po'boy sandwich with the fries "upgrade" rather than the standard potato chips. It was ok at best. The shrimp tasted like it was just out of a box from the freezer aisle at the grocery store. Lacking flavor and much texture. The fries were a little soggy and salty. The remoulade was good though. Probably won't be a place that I'd go out of my way for, but it was convenient for our large group last night.
(3)Teampcbeach ..
Was looking for a place to eat in the underground and came across King Street Blues. Based on reviews, had the ribs. Flavor was good, but they were a little tough for Baby Backs. The beans and slaw were OK, but nothing special. I would eat hear again if I happened to be at the underground again, but wouldn't travel to the underground just to eat here.
(3)Tierra H.
I wanna forget this place, really. Which works out well, because the food was utterly forgettable. I got something with BBQ sauce on it. The BBQ sauce here tastes like Pine Sol. I have no desire to ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever have Pine Sol on my damn food. BBQ should never make me think of clean floors. The service was ok. We were seated in the back and a manager was going in and out of the backdoor for his smoke break several times. We smelled the smoke and felt the gusts of wind. Annoying. I never want to see this place again. Ever. Just don't eat here.
(2)NIK W.
Pulled pork sandwich was juicy and tasty.
(3)Kami F.
The food was good, but these were my issues: - all of the art was extremely dusty (makes you think what the kitchen looks like in the back) - I had to pay an additional $1.50 for a side salad in lieu of fries. Since this was a basic garden salad, the additional cost does not make sense - The bill showed that I received chips with the order (which I did not receive), hence the up charge for the garden side salad
(2)L. D.
Visited 1/18/13. Flat iron steak, mash and Salad. Flat iron was ok but I wouldn't go back here.
(2)David H.
Originally sent the wrong review since I'm catching up on "check ins". 24 of us staying at the Embassy Suites in for Rolling Thunder made reservations for 7:30. Walked over and had to wait until 8:15 because a church group was having a social discussion. We talked to the hostess and asked that they buy their group a drink at the bar so we can be seated. 24 hungry bikers waiting almost an hour to be seated can make for an interesting situation. My wife and I asked the head of the church group if we can join them which prompted them to leave. They did an OK job with 24 of us, but could have used more help. It's probably best to visit here with a smaller group.
(3)April K.
Visited 3/31/12 My husband and I stayed in the Marriott Crystal Gateway hotel, and after getting settled into our room decided to explore the underground shopping area. We had lunch here. We were seated pretty quickly, a quick glance around showed a few people at the bar area but no one else at a table. I ordered a cup of the soup of the day, which I cant remember what it was. I ate it all though, so it musta been tasty! Hubby ordered a cup of the turkey chili and a side of hush puppies. He liked the chili, but loved the hush puppies. They were served piping hot with a side of remoulade sauce that had a nice flavor. The hush puppies were very flavorful and probably the best things we ate here. For our main courses, hubby ordered the steak dinner with mashed potatoes and veggies. He ate it all, no complaints. I ordered the nachos off the appetizer section, and opted for BBQ pork on top. When they arrived I was pretty surprised and a little weirded out, because the nacho chips were actually potato chips(!) with all the traditional nacho fixin's on top, plus the pulled pork BBQ. Turns out they were pretty damn good! I'm not sure if the chips were homemade or store bought, but they held up fairly well under all the toppings and I ate the whole plate. Overall, it was an okay experience. We hadnt eaten anything since traveling and were starving, but I would go again and order the hush puppies again for sure, and likely the nachos.
(3)A A.
I used to come once or twice a week for the happy hour specials, but only because I lived nearby. The food is all in all pretty gross, but half-off appetizers were a pretty decent deal. However, they canceled their happy hours, so I am probably not ever coming back. I can honestly say that nothing at this restaurant is worth more than $5. Their bbq is KFC quality, their burgers are okay but really overpriced, especially since Good Stuff is soooo much better and right next door. Their chili is pretty disgusting. Their po'boys are mostly flavorless fried breading. Their appetizers, as I said, are decent when priced half-off, but 6 merely decent chicken wings for $9+ is pretty stupid.
(2)David P.
After having a few trips to Memphis, King Street Blues should be the Phesant Street Blues. The bbq, if you want to call it that was so-so. Played top 100 music not blues. Pricy food for average food.
(2)Rebecca S.
Meh is about right. The food isnt terrible, but of the 3 KSB locations I've been to, this one ranks 3rd. We were part of a conference being held in the Mariott Crystal Gateway, so when it came time for dinner after a long day, we headed over. We ended up being a group of 9, which wasn't a problem for them - they had us seated fairly quickly. But service was slow - we were ready to order dinner by the time the server came to take drink orders, my dad never got the beer he ordered, and the server seemed generally overwhelmed with his section. Which wasn't very big. I had chili and a salad. The chili tasted fine, but wasn't hot. It wasn't cold, but the cheese that came on top of the chili never melted all the way. No reason for that. The salad was good, though, and the cornbread was fantastic. Everyone in the group seemed to enjoy their food just fine, but nobody was ranting and raving about it. There are other options in the Crystal City underground; next time, I think I'll recommend one.
(2)D B.
One of my most favorite Crystal City lunchtime spots! I usually order the "Cats & Dogs" ~ 2 nice size pieces of corn meal breaded fried catfish, red beans and rice, w. coleslaw. The service has always been pleasant, quick, and very attentive yet never bothersome. During previous occassion I've ordered the Road House Nachos ~ I'm not a big fan of the loaded home-made potatoe chips. I love the Low Country Salad w. crystal fire shrimp.
(4)Michael F.
I sat at the bar to have a bite to eat and a few beers. Service was fast and friendly. It has a very local bar vibe. You all know the Cheers theme song, "where everybody knows your name..." I had a good time chatting with other customers and the bartender. I will definitely go back.
(4)Morgan C.
Food was great, and importantly cheap! Service was wonderful and staff was very friendly. Upon entering I was immediately approached by a manager who later personally delivered our food and asked if we needed anything else. It was very empty for a Friday night but that was ok with us! Ill definitely be going back.
(5)Chef e.
You guys are great because; it was raining outside and nothing else in Crystal City was open before 4 pm, that sold food of your caliber. We walked in the rain for a good 20 minutes and the aromas was heavenly-the door was wide open- the welcome wagon was at King Street Blues. An insatiable curiosity is what drove me- the creative Chef to start by scanning the menu; immediate salivation jumped on my palate! Not only the best happy hour prices $3.49 and drinks! Happy Hour on Sundays is what was amazing. Our bartender/server Matt ; people, food and well rounded person started us with our drink selections, from the nicely stocked bar selections. Long Island for Lloyd and Lemon Drop Martini for me. We sat around the bar to immerse ourselves in the robust atmosphere. Matt should be pretty near the top. I don't know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. Matt was awesome; knowing the selections and thanks for suggesting them Succulent & Juicy firecracker shrimp , slow cooked kale with tasso ham; just enough smoke flavor to make you close your eyes while they melted in your mouth like cotton candy, Creamy coleslaw was very refreshing ; just enough dressing to coat the slaw..Yum, the 6 piece sliders two meatball with an amazing marinara, pull chicken and pork bar-b- que; what a pick me up. Matt seemed to know what we was looking for! It seemed King Street Blues was aimed to please by making our luncheon mesmerizing. The dishes with little fuss,slow cooked , the flavors blended beautifully. Imagine this is the day the first of a lifetime filled with food that tasted so great. These are now going to be my favorite snacks. This was our first date and when Lloyd comes back to town; he already said ...." This is our spot to drop through, not only laid back, good company, great atmosphere and the amount of tasty food for the price! "King Street Blues; you aim to please!"Consider your aim on target!
(5)Cristin H.
Awesome service (sat in bar), great food and reasonable prices!
(4)Rob B.
We were in Washington DC area and part of our group was staying at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. After a long day of sightseeing we made the terrible decision to have dinner at King Street Blues at the Crystal City location because it was on the way back from the Metro. We should have known better.... The food was terrible. And I mean almost un-eatable. And that was the opinion on an entire group of very hungry people. The ribs were obviously cooked hours (maybe days) before we arrived and were dry, cold, bland - just terrible. My wife had the brisket - very fatty piece of meat. They could not ever make decent french fries - again they were cold, soggy flavorless. The waiter was nice but not at all attentive. We ran out of soda and water and the bill took forever. If you are in Crystal City area, you would be better off eating just about anywhere else. It can't really get much worse than this in my opinion.
(1)M G.
We went to King Street Blues in Crystal City tonight for a quick dinner. We had tried the Clarendon location some time ago and were very disappointed. This time it was a much different story. It was a bit hard to find (underground in Crystal City) but, once we got there, we were very happy. Actually we were happy before we got there because the underground parking is free on weekends and during weekday evenings. I had the French Quarter PoBoy which was very good. The roll was fresh and tasty and was filled to overflowing with shrimp, sausage and chicken. The sauce on the side was also very good. My wife ordered the Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken. When the order arrived, it had fried chicken which we pointed out to the server. She immediately apologized and took it back to the kitchen. We were very impressed by the short time that it took for the correct dish to be returned. The salad was delicious and was a fine mix of ingredients that was large enough that my wife barely finished it. The quick correction of the ordering error, the overall ambiance of the place (it is a bit garish -- it is supposed to resemble a New Orleans bar), and the quality of the food earn them 4 stars. We will be back.
(4)Bro H.
I've been to this place using half price coupons and for half price, I'd give it three stars. For full price, I'd never be back, but it's not exactly what I'd call awful. The first time I went I had a burger that I thought would have pork barbeque on it. In fact, it had pork barbeque in it, and ended up just incredibly salty. I suppose in some world I'm supposed to know what "beer cheese" is, but I didn't, and ended up with really thick cheez whiz on my burger when I expected, I don't know, cheese. The second time I got the cowboy reuben, which was mediocre barbeque and some other stuff. My girlfriend got a forgettable po-boy both times. It was also too salty, and a lot more greasy than it had any right to be. There's no reason to come here.
(2)Jack D.
Great service and happy hour prices. Good place to wait for the commuter train. Have not tried the food yet.
(3)Hugh R.
My first (and later second) dining experience on my recent trip to D.C. and northern Virginia. This incarnation of King Street Blues is in a sad little mall known as "The Shops at 1750" in Crystal City. My first visit came while waiting for some family to arrive and involved a tasty blackened chicken and chili quesadilla appetizer and 2 pints of Yuengling, which, according to friends in both Michigan and Massachusetts, you rarely find outside of Pennsylvania (or at least not in MI or MA). Personally, I don't understand their disappointment, but whatever. I made my second visit the following night for dinner with family. I can say only that my red beans and rice "entree" - overpriced and oversized - really needed larger chunks of andouille sausage if ever to appear as anything more than an unnecessarily large helping of a dish otherwise relegated to the role of "side." The cornbread felt dry and uninspired, although I would have appreciated it if our server had brought me another piece after knocking the drink and desert "sign" in the middle of the table over on top of my plate and bread while barely mumbling an apology. Not awful, but not amazing, either.
(2)jeffrey w.
One of my favorite places to eat lunch at, or dinner. They have a great southern style menu, and they have sweet tea (not easy to find in DC). The Crystal City location is easy to get to by metro. There are plenty of free parking spaces and such on the evenings and weekends. I've never had a bad experience with the food here. They have delicious ribs, great pulled pork sandwiches, etc. Hard to go wrong here.
(4)Adam T.
The restaurant was in the shopping center/mall which usually I try to avoid, but I was looking for something convenient and ended up there. I was actually looking forward to some southern cooking. I talked my dad into getting the French Quarter Po' Boy and my mom got the ribs which apparently they are known for. I decided to share their meals. The po' boy was lousy, but maybe I have high standards after visiting New Orleans. The corn bread was dry and bland. The coleslaw was soupy and lacked flavor. The ribs were the only redeeming plate.
(2)A G.
This place is great for a Crystal City underground shop. Hop right off the elevator and your there. Interior is nice, not too loud and the service is quick and the food is great. I had a Cajun Fried Chicken Salad with Corn Bread and it was fantastic, just what I needed to breakup my long work day. The chicken was flavored and cooked to give you a little "pep" when you eat it. The service got a group of four of us in and out at around a half hour which is good considering the crowds.
(4)Roy H.
Had the sandwch and salad combo and found to be very good. My sandwich was grilled tilapia which was great. Friendly folks. Easy to get to from Metro.
(4)Damian K.
Bar food only! We had an assortment of appetizers - Hush Puppies, Double Dipt Cajun Chicken Strips, Crystal Fire Shrimp and Chicken Wings. All were bland, only the Hush Puppies had crunch (but were the blandest of the lot). Very disappointing. Happy Hour drink specials were good, but I don't feel the need to go back. I used to eat at the Old Town location about ten years ago. It was much better.
(1)Kyle N.
I really didn't know what kind of restaurant this was. I couldn't tell if it was cajun, southern, or a bbq place. With that said I thought it was ok. They advertised that they had the best ribs in VA I think it was. I didn't see/taste anything special. Good place to eat if you're trying to avoid the 100+ degree weather during the summer though :)
(3)Jay R.
To give you an idea of how forgettable the food was, I had to look back at the receipt to remember the name of the place, so I could write this review! We picked this place because it was near our destination for the evening. The food was just 'o.k.'. There's nothing to make you want to go back and try other things on the menu. We started with a half order of 'onion tangle'. It was very greasy and not very tasty. My wife had the Elwood, which is their pulled pork sandwich, which came with cole slaw and home made potato chips. I tried the chips, which were just 'o.k.', and her reply about the pulled pork was the same (just o.k.). I had one of their "Southern Suppers"; the BBQ brisket and sausage, which comes with three sides. I chose cole slaw, cucumber & onion salad, and red rice with Dixie Cream gravy. Not to sound like a broken record, but all of it was 'just o.k.'. When the plate was placed in front of me, for a minute I had my meats mixed up. The sausage was cut in lengthwise slices, so I thought it was the brisket...why they didn't leave it whole, I don't know. Well, I *do* know; because then they would've had to use the whole thing. By slicing it, they could probably stretch one sausage among four customers. The server was prompt and polite, but other than that, it was a pretty forgettable meal. What was the name of the place again?!
(2)Kristin K.
Came here for a fairly late dinner, place was almost empty on a Friday night. We should have taken the hint, but we didnt. We ordered some fruity drinks, mine tasted like rum with a slight fruit flavor. Normally I'd complain but it had been a long day and a strong drink kind of hit the spot. I ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich, which was okay. The BBQ sauce wasnt anything special, but the beef was tender and juicy. The fries were a little too salty and not very hot. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich, and her chicken breast was large but kind of dry. The server brought our food and never came back. Someone else delivered the check, and then she went MIA too. We ended up having to take our bill to the bar to pay. Prices werent too bad, $35 for 2 meals and 2 drinks. Would I come back? Probably not...
(2)Susan R.
Burger was good and homestyle chips surprisingly crispy. It sure beat the neighboring hotel bar food, which I had a brief food poisoning experience with the evening previous. Super nice bartender Matt was friendly and had a great attitude. Would go back when/ if staying at same hotel.
(3)Edward Tj G.
The food is not bad and service (only if you sit in the bar area) is good. They are not experts at pouring a Guinness and I usually have to ask if they are flirting with me because they keep giving me so much head. The bartenders are attentive and do get what you want on time. Now none of this applies outside the bar area. Where the wait staff does not like to deal with people.
(3)K S.
The ONLY reason this place gets a second star is because I like their sweet tea (and free refils of it). The barbeque is horrible - sickeningly sweet, with no smoke or flavor at all - and all of the food is overpriced. Service is abysmally slow and inept (couldn't figure out how to split a check three ways once, overcharged us another time). Avoid at all costs, unless you need a sweet tea fix.
(2)Jamie M.
Another one of the restaurants in the Crystal City underground that connects directly to the metro so you don't have to go outside. My boyfriend refused to ever come back because he said the smoke was so bad (not sure how he could suffer through the smoke at the Mexican place a few doors down, I think that's much worse, but whatever). Although I was sick when we came here, so maybe that influenced me to like it more than him (Nyquil makes me a rather happy person). But I thought I had a pretty tasty chicken caesar salad here and our server was very friendly and quick. The place is always overflowing with happy hour patrons at the bar but we had no trouble finding a table in the back. Not my first choice for dining in Crystal City but I'd be willing to go back again and try it in an unaltered Nyquil free state.
(3)D D.
Never had a chance to try the food since we were never waited on after 20 minutes. Pretty much says it all, especially when you look at the overall ratings of this place. To many other great places to eat at near by. Definitely pass on this one
(1)Rac Leng S.
I really like the BBQ ribs here. Service is good too. I can't wait to visit it again.
(4)Tony C.
This place serves some of the worst BBQ ever. They have a banner up proclaiming they serve the "best ribs around." In our office the running joke is that "around" is limited to about 15 feet from the door. No serious BBQ fan will even slow down when walking by. Avoid at all costs, and warn your friends to do the same.
(1)Leila W.
Such good food, but the very best service!! Ta-Tanisha helped our big party who came in unexpectedly. Our orders were perfect and everything was amazingly good! Burgers were ridiculously good and mine was cooked perfectly. I'd definitely come back the next time I'm in town.
(5)Kyle H.
I stopped in for half priced happy hour appetizers and a beer during the week. Overall the service was mediocre but polite. The food wasn't anything spectacular except for their wings, which stood out to me. Their beer selection was also rather limited, but they had one or two unique choices when I was there. I'm not sure I would stop in again unless it was out of necessity.
(2)ocmacman ..
Off the subway and into the shops we ran across this place. We started with the smoked chipotle chicken wings, they were great! My son ordered a roadhouse burger and I had the jambalaya pasta. He said it was good but after tasting my pasta he kept sayin "I should have gotten that" The cream sauce was very nice with a great seafood taste not fishy, smooth and rich. At a distance the ribs looked very good and sparked my interest but we didn't try them. I would recommend this place!
(4)David H.
King Street Blues is buried within the labyrinth of the Crystal City Underground but isn't a bad place once you finally manage to find it. The menu is a mix of BBQ, Cajun, and burgers/sandwiches. The service is very friendly and they even gave us a free slice of Key Lime Pie (I'm picky and from FL but this was good stuff). The beef chili is worth a try and comes with excellent corn bread and is worth a try. The gumbo has lots of vegetables and shrimp but is a little bland tasting so be sure and add some of their hot sauce if you like it with a little kick, otherwise if you prefer mild it's okay as is. This isn't a must try item but is a solid meal. This isn't someplace that's a must try but it's a solid option for a drink at the bar or a meal if you're in the area.
(3)Sarah B.
Went here in between a conference at the Marriott. Wasn't terrible, will fill you up and they didn't seem too crowded. I had the chili with onion strings. Chili had a good flavor, onion strings were pretty greasy. Overall wouldn't be my first bet to go back.
(3)Curtis H.
I try to hit this place once each time I am in DC but it has really just gone downhill. Maybe I am just used to the menu by now but the food does not seem to have the same quality that is used to. Ordered a half rack of ribs with fries and the ribs were good for the most part but the last two on the rack were burned to a crisp. Fries were pretty good but lukewarm. Which brings me to the service. I sat for 10 mintues before being acknowledged. It took another ten minutes to get my beer and a glass of water. The restaurant was quiet with only a few other patrns at the time so really no excuse. There are a lot of good BBQ places in and around DC these days so I think it is time for me to move on. So long King Street Blues.
(2)Jeanette A.
This restaurant is located underground in Crystal City, which makes it's extremely accessible from the Metro. We got there around 9pm and thankfully it wasn't too crowded. We ordered the half rack of ribs dish and the brisket and sausage combo dish. Both were good but nothing amazing, we've had better ribs and brisket elsewhere. Another negative was the service, despite the place not being full we waited a while to get seated and then once seated it took the waitress a while to take our order and not once during our meal did she come to ask us if we needed anything. For the price, average $15.00 per dish, the overall meal was good but not great and the service can definitely use improvement.
(3)Mimi C.
my complex hosted them for residents appreciation week bbq and i was utterly impressed!! their pork and chicken bbq was so tender and flavorful, especially when combined with the crunchy and creamy cold slaw. loved the pasta but the real winners are definitiely their bbq!
(4)Mike R.
The quality of the food really seems to have slipped since I last visited (granted that was several years ago. I would not recommend it, nor do I plan on returning anytime soon....which is all very disappointing because this use to be a favorite restraunt of mine.
(1)Colleen M.
I dig this place for sure. I live close by and this is a staple for those nights when you've had a long day and are in need of a happy hour cocktail and someone else cooking for you. The service is pretty good. Last visit I ordered hush puppies and the pork "nachos" (made with fresh potato chips) and both were ready in moments. They arrived as quickly as my beer. This isn't some snooty hipster hangout. It's solid food and good service.
(4)Greg E.
Went with a large group. The food came out fast. I had the BBQ Pork sandwhich. It was really good. Just a little spice. The chips were good as well. Fast friendly service.
(4)