Old Angler's Inn

Sat outside on the patio. Started with a glass of Pinot noir...one of the best I've had in ages. Was like velvet. Ordered the duck with sweet potatoes and green beans. Took a while for it to come out. All very tasty. Finished with tiramisu. Bill came to $175 for two. Great atmosphere. Plenty of parking on a Thursday evening. Short drive over to Great Falls afterwards to walk it off.

Truly, this is one of my favorite spots in the world (without exaggeration). I have been here 5 times, always after a hike at the nearby Billy Goat trail. This was my first time in about 6 years, since having moved away from the DC area. This was also my first time coming with children (ages 9 and 2.5). Note for parents with young children: while there is no children’s menu per se, they do offer off-menu chicken tenders and french fries. However, I felt like the regular menu offered enough items for children to enjoy. I ordered the meat charcuterie plate, which both boys loved, the many different small pieces of cheese, meet and pesto toast being gobbled up happily. Lemonades hit the spot on a hot summer afternoon. The french fries, which came as a side wjth my order, were Deliciously seasoned, fried to crispy perfection and also happily devoured by my hungry sons. There is a lovely outdoor patio space, which has place for kids to run around and to be distracted by the large fountain And birdbath in the middle. It might not be an ideal space for entertainment when crowded, but we’re not crowded, the kids will really enjoy the outdoor decor. There is also a “secret“ Iron spiral staircase adjacent to the bathrooms, which the little ones will thoroughly enjoy going up and down, if the upstairs dining space is not occupied. For adults, in the past, I have been very impressed with the oyster starters, as well as the traditional hamburger and the salmon main entrée. This time around, I ordered the lentil burger. It was huge, And I was impressed at how the otherwise super soft texture of the lentils were perfectly balanced by the Crispness of a large red onion slab, which surprisingly did not overwhelm. Whether showing up sweaty/muddy, or dressed for fine dining on an anniversary dinner, you won’t be disappointed by the decor, service and food quality of Old Anglers Inn. I make it a point to visit here every time I am in the DC-area. I cannot recommend highly enough!

Such an iconic restaurant that has kept her charm and delicious food. We went after a long and beautiful hike and had grilled cheese and tomato soup… mmm perfect for the cold weather. The créame brûlée was exceptional. The cocktail’s list is impressive.

Thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor seating next to the fountain, with a couple of auxiliary fans on a warm summer day. Food (gazpacho and French onion soups, grilled branzino and beef short ribs entrees) and service were stellar! Wonderful location hillside next to the C&O Canal.

Always impressed with service, food and presentation. Ambience is good, this time we sat inside by the bar. A lady brought her service animal a large German sheapeard that was in the middle of the busy pathway and a poor waiter tripped over the poor dog. Wasn’t his fault but people shouldn’t park their service animals in the middle of a busy restaurant. Had salmon appetizer , braised short rib, and soft shell crabs. All were sensational!

The back open bar is what I am reviewing. Such a wonderful atmosphere with the firepit, live music, and lights. The food was excellent, even just pizza was done to perfection and the holiday drinks, I had hot buttered rum, was so delicious. The dining area in the front table is a bit expensive for me. The back bar area is what I love.

Found this gem on my search for a first date location and Old Anglers Inn knocked it wayy out of the park. From the moment we pulled into the parking space it was apparent this was going to be a magical evening. The lights, the building and large firepit center piece made me think I was in a story book. Service - outstanding, highly professional and attentive. Food - lobster bisque, crab cake and salmon all top tier. Drinks - my date loved her side car, my old fashioned was good, could have been a bit stronger but that's personal preference. We met the owner Mark who directed us to explore the inside, cute spiral staircase to an upstairs dinning area (we picked our table by the window for our next visit). Outside, are additional event spaces (probably perfect for engagement parties) and a beer garden with live music for the more casual date nights. We will definitely return for the live music next month and get to experience our first time at this amazing venue.

The Old Anglers Inn is an absolute Gem. Their food is delicious and the atmosphere is lovely, historic and romantic. Mark, the owner decorated for the holidays and the lights look gorgeous. They also have a outdoor Biergarden behind the main building that is perfect for a beer and a bite after a hike on the Billy Goat Trail across the street. There are no other restaurants nearby and they stand alone as a great place to meet in that area for a quick beer or an upscale dinner.

Outstanding food and service. Had a wonderful time for Valentine’s Day brunch. Perfect place to celebrate any occasion.

Old Angler's Inn never fails to impress! Every dish is prepared with incredible refinement. The short ribs are fork soft and the flavor!

OAI has to be my favorite restaurant in all of the DMV. They have a great selection of food and drinks that are consistently excellent. I think we’ve ordered almost everything on the menu by now so choosing the best is impossible. The soups are always delicious. We love French onion or lobster bisque. The wedge salad is perfection ( with a little citrus flare). Family favorites are the mushroom tart, airline chicken, oysters, or the fish and chips on the weekend lunch menu. The drinks are wonderfully curated- my favorite being Sara’s recommendation, which is a vodka, grapefruit specialty. The staff and service are wonderful and the restaurant has the most romantic atmosphere. You can cozy up at lovely tables inside the restaurant, or sit at the bar and chat. Or relax on the expansive patio surrounded by trees and sparkling lights, with a roaring firepit and patio heaters in the winter or the splash of a fountain and beautiful flowers in the summer. The outdoor side bar is a great place to bring the kids and dog, and relax with a more casual menu and atmosphere.

Yes, it's a tiny bit overpriced for a family-friendly new American kind of restaurant, but the food is VERY good and the portions are HUGE. Staff are wonderful and the ambiance is magical. Easily worth the extra few (literally few) dollars you'll spend on a few things. There's nothing like sitting outside on a sunny day. It's a lovely, lovely scene. I go a few times a year and the staff all seems to remember me. Cheeseburger is huge and delicious, as is the gyro. Haven't really had the knife-and-fork stuff but the sandwiches/burgers are top notch, and was very impressed with the salmon hash breakfast dish today (my first brunch item, I think). Music is tasteful/safe, and not too loud. There's just something about this place. You can tell the staff is really close, and they take pride in doing a good job. Don't change, OAI!!

On the map, it seems so very far away. But it really is an easy trek up MacArthur Blvd, almost gives a feeling you're heading out to the country. Very rustic atmosphere, which is a big attraction. Great food, fun outdoor seating.

Stopped in after a tow path hike on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. You have to have reservations or there is a long wait. Parking is very tight. The outdoor seating is great. Food is okay, you kinda go for the atmosphere. I will be going back because the hike is nice and this is the closest restaurant to the tow path.

My friends and I enjoyed lovely dinner here. Although it was a very warm evening, we were seated under umbrellas that provided good shade and cool air. The seating on the patio allowed us to enjoy the outdoors and added for a beautiful atmosphere for dinner. The food was delicious. I particularly loved the steak they offered. My friends enjoyed the beverages as well. Parking was not an issue. And the servers were fantastic.

I rarely give 5 stars but almost gave them here!Nice venue, very “Spring-like”, ate outside. I had steak frites and wife had a beef sandwich. Both delicious—we’d get them again. The least expensive wine was nasty, so that’s why only 4 stars. Totally recommend.

We didn’t get to try the restaurant but will come back for the Lamb racks for sure. We got there early so we went to the Beer Garden and get some finger food and beers. Their draft beer were SO good and local craft! And they have different bands played live music every weekend. And they have plenty of outdoor sittings! Absolutely beautiful.

The musician who performed Sat (03/22/25) was perfect for the venue. We enjoyed him a lot. The patio space was also gorgeous, with TVs, and various seating options. The ambiance, in general, was spectacular. Unfortunately, the food was overpriced and mediocre. Service was also weird, felt like the staff were beefing about something. Would go back for a beer to enjoy the amazing space, especially if there was relaxing music, but probably not for a meal.

Okay, this place is charming. It has the feeling of being in a menagerie with grape vines in the garden area and the food is delicious (surprisingly delicious) the only reason they are getting 4 stars as opposed to 5 is due to the young lady at the host stand who seemed uninterested in seating us or answering a simple and direct question. That question being: “is it self seating or do we wait to be seated?” Her answer: “it depends on the menu you want; formal dinning or informal like if you want to eat steak and seafood or burgers and fries.” WRONG ANSWER. There are two parts one is a proper restaurant and then there’s a bar and they both appear to be self seating. To her defense, we were dressed ‘informally’ but not inappropriate for the restaurant being next to a national park. If there wasn’t an 11 year old in our party we might go sit at the bar however it did not seem appropriate. Hate to assume why she was REALLY asking that question, but I digress. Next time she might just answer the question and/or offer the menu so people can see for themselves and make a decision on their own volition. To her “answer” I responded: “can we take a look at the menu?” We quickly discovered that it’s a full menu that also includes burgers (for the kid) and everything else. Once we picked a seat by the fountain the service was great, water cups filled before we could blink and great conversation but not too much! We thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Empty plates were cleared before we could get anxious about a crowded table. Great service once you get past the host stand!

We went there after a hike to the Great Falls. Really nice vibes in the beer garden. They did bring the wrong food and then the brat looked like this. Pretty disappointing. Burger wasn't much better. Beer selection was alright and the live music was very good.

The ambiance here is the big winner. The service was great and the food was pretty good. The endive salad was delicious. I really enjoyed it. Both the presentation and flavor were top notch. For my entree I had the smoked trout. It was ok. The trout had a very strong flavor and the accompanying cucumber salad and quinoa had almost no flavor. That may have been to balance each other out. I asked for a club soda which ended up costing $4. That seemed a little steep. For dessert I had the crème brûlée which was good. Overall I enjoyed the meal and will likely return.

The food and the service were exceptional. The outdoor ambiance tonight on a beautiful August evening was well worth the visit.

The chefs change with some frequency. It waffles between good and really good. During cold weather the roaring fireplace is appealing. Eating outside on the large patio area is the place to be.

The atmosphere almost makes up for the slow service and OK food. My wife and I arrived for her birthday at our reservation. Thankfully ours was earlier. Later in the evening there was a 30min back up. Our waiter informed us that they overbooked with reservations, had a private event happening, and were understaffed. The caprese and the French onion soup were on par with others in the area. The beef bourguignon fell off the bone and was tender. The scallops in a lemon beurre Blanc had forgotten the lemon and ended up as just a butter cream sauce. At least the cocktail had a lemon slice, so my wife used it to add the missing lemon from the dish. All in all we enjoyed our table and the ambiance/music but it shouldn't have taken over two hours for the food. The restaurant should either staff accordingly or not allow themselves to overbook. If service had been quicker we would have ordered dessert and additional drinks. Normally we wouldn't make this claim as it could be the desired vibe, but a number of tables around us were complaining so we weren't alone.

Great place for a date with such a nice environment at the patio! Really love it! The beer garden is really cool and the customer service is great! The drinks are good! But I got to take off 2 stars because the food. The food is garbage, expensive garbage! I ordered the crab cake, which was recommended by the server, and what I got was a lonely untasted crab cake with non flavor over a canned corn bed mixed with some unflavored sauce like colored mayo and some onions. A crab cake with no sides! Terrible... I would come back only for drinks.

Updated review. I would give them 2 stars. The service was super slow. Our server was very nice and this was entirely not his problem. All the food is over price based on the servings, proportions, and quality. I don’t care about paying a couple extra dollars for Bread. However, this is basically a baguette from a grocery store with tasteless butter. The truffle pasta is only decent but not that tasty. The scallop dish was cooked well but the couscous tasted very bland. The steak was cooked fine but not anything special or with a vegetable. The Caesar salad was probably the best thing that we had ordered. The oysters being 28 for 6 oysters is more than LA prices for the same oysters from the same place. Being that the bar clearly does not use fresh lemon juice or fresh product... I would have ordered something super basic or stuck to strictly just wine. This place would be better if they would put in a little bit more effort, I feel like it could be number 1 place in town. I’m keeping my old positive thing in there to hopefully see some improvement next time. This post was dated from 2020 below I love this place. I’ve gone for over 10 years now. It’s probably the cutest restaurant in the town. A little pricey but worth it. Close to the canal if you go for a walk before or after. I love the oysters here super meaty and big. Caesar salad is really tasty. Also the French onion soup is great too.

I think the value in this place is definitely the location and not the food. The best part of the “ceviche” was the onions, avocado, and cilantro, and that is not ideal. The ceviche was just a bunch of mini shrimps. It was the most horrible ceviche I ever had in my life. If I managed or owned a restaurant, I would be embarrassed to serve this. We had a good laugh about it though. The oysters were average. Only one type of oyster selection and it’s not one of the good ones. The short rib was very dry and tough. We had to send it back. Their crab cake was below average but a very good size. It didn’t taste fresh or quality. Their calamari was their best dish we ordered. I havnt tried anything else on their menu but my review is based on these limited items. This place should really put more effort into the execution of their food. Cause this place has the potential to be great.

The food was not that good, but the most disappointing part was that it took the server forever to bring our drinks or even refill our water. Then when we ordered dessert, they never brought it to the table.

Criminally overpriced. Average food. Subpar service. We got seated in a very sunny corner of this mostly outdoor establishment and the umbrella barely covered our table. It wasn't busy at all yet they chose this table for us and didn't help us move the umbrella lol. They asked how I wanted my burger and I said rare. It came out looking completely well. A lot of the other dishes were hit and miss where some are enjoyable and others are disappointing and questionably made. Service was abysmal and it's like amateur hour over here. I've gotten better service from fast food restaurants. Food: 4/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Service: 4/10 Value: 3/10

TLDR: Beautiful location, but a criminally overpriced menu and disappointing service make Old Anglers a hard pass. Vibe: 4/5. Located in the scenic backwoods of Potomac Maryland, Old Anglers is a predominantly outdoor dining restaurant. The dining area is situated over several patios surrounding the historic Old Anglers Inn building which has a small bar and inside dining room. The outdoor space is well decorated, complete with a cascading waterfall, water fountain and mood lighting which makes for a lovely ambiance while having dinner. The outdoor tables are your standard metal patio tables, which can hold 4 people comfortably. Each table also has an umbrella for shade, a must for early afternoon summer dinners. Parking is also convenient, as they have a private parking lot directly in front of the dining area, with some additional auxiliary parking across the street. Service: 1/5. Unfortunately, the service we experienced during our dinner at Old Anglers left a lot to be desired. My party of 4 had a reservation at 6pm on Father's Day. We anticipated that the service would be a bit chaotic, however we didn't expect it to be downright disappointing. After we were seated, it took approximately 15-20 minutes for our waiter to stop by the table to introduce himself and take drink orders. We opted to order a bottle of wine, however they were out of our original choice. Instead of asking us what we wanted as an alternative, the waiter brought another random bottle to the table and said this is what we should order. We agreed, thinking it was a comparable bottle as that's what restaurants usually do, however we would later realize that it was a significantly more expensive bottle than the original we wanted ($50 more). We were able to order our appetizers at the same time as the wine, which was a wise idea, as it would take another 30 minutes to flag our waiter down to place our main entrees. When ordering our mains, our server didn't seem well versed on the menu. One of the entrees, the beet power bowl, had an option on the menu for a hanger steak add-on for $18. When this was ordered, the waiter said that they could only do it if they charged us for the entire steak frites meal ($38). We had to physically show him the menu to get the $18 add on price! At this point, we were hoping the worst was over, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Two of our diners asked for cups of hot water with a lemon wedge to drink with dinner. When the bill came, our waiter tried to charge us $5 EACH for said cups of hot water. Our bill was $400+ and we had to fight tooth and nail for him to remove the charges. This is totally unacceptable. Overall, the entire service felt super rushed, impersonal and a constant nickel and dime shakedown for an already overpriced menu. Food: 3/5. Old Anglers attempts to execute a modern American style menu with hints of Mediterranean flare. For our dinner service, we ordered the grilled octopus, fried calamari and wedge salad for the table. All the apps came out quickly and well prepared. The calamari was a clear winner, with perfectly crispy breading, pairing well with the Thai chili sauce. The octopus was also very tasty, but was skimpy on the octopus portion (less than 1 tentacle) for $35+. For mains, we ordered the seafood pasta, the filet mignon special and the beet power bowl with hanger steak. All mains came out together and hot. The seafood pasta had good taste, but seemed clumsily thrown together with the noodles and seafood appearing to be tossed around by another diner (sauce all over the top of the plate). The filet was passable, but could have been seasoned better. Finally, the power bowl had good flavor from the tahini and sweet beets. The hanger steak was perfectly cooked medium rare, so nothing to complain about here. We also opted for bread service, but with the additional $2 charge for a 1/4 of a baguette, I cannot recommend it. Overall, the food was passable with some hits and some misses, but from a value perspective, Old Anglers is a bonafide rip off.

Disappointing Experience After a Long Wait. After eagerly anticipating our visit to Old Anglers Inn for three months, our experience fell far short of expectations, leaving us deeply disappointed. **Service:** From the moment we arrived, it was evident that the service at Old Anglers Inn was lacking. Despite a mishap with a broken bowl during our meal, neither our server nor the manager made any effort to address the issue or offer an apology. Their lack of attentiveness was particularly frustrating, especially considering the special occasion we had been eagerly awaiting. **Food Quality:** Although I was unable to fully enjoy my French onion soup due to the unfortunate incident with the broken bowl, I can attest to the fact that the food quality was satisfactory and enjoyed my Chicken Piccata. However, the overall dining experience was marred by the poor service we received. **Atmosphere:** The ambiance of Old Anglers Inn was pleasant enough, but unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the disappointment of the subpar service we encountered. **Value for Money:** Given the lackluster service and the abbreviated nature of our meal, it's difficult to justify the cost of dining at Old Angeles Inn While the food may be of decent quality, the overall experience did not live up to the price tag. **Suggestions for Improvement:** I would strongly urge Old Anglers Inn to prioritize training their staff in customer service and attentiveness and not to judge customers by apperance since I had $10k in cash on me at the moment. Additionally, addressing mishaps such as broken dishes promptly and offering sincere apologies can go a long way in mitigating the impact of such incidents on the overall dining experience. In conclusion, our long-awaited visit to Old Anglers Inn was a disappointment. I sincerely hope that they take steps to improve their service standards so that future guests do not have to endure a similarly unsatisfactory experience.

Meh...The food was so-so for their price. The service was terrible! First of all, after dropping the menu off for about a minute, the waiter didn’t even ask if we were ready to order. He just came up and asked “what can I get you guys?” We were surprised by that and we quickly scrambled and ordered a few things. Would’ve ordered more, if we didn’t feel rushed. But glad we didn’t in the end. Second, I’m assuming the soft drinks are à la carte, because we did not get a refill and our waiter just came and took the glass after more than 10 minutes of it being empty. He did not ask if we wanted a refill or maybe another one if it’s indeed à la carte. Guess we will never know. Third, we were basically ignored after we finished our main course, sat there and waited and waited. No one came by and asked if we wanted desserts or the check. I finally got up and went inside and ask the receptionist for the check. Now for the food, the Crab Balls appetizer were lukewarm on the inside and crispy on the outside, felt like it’s been sitting on the counter somewhere for a bit before served. I got the rack of lamb as my entrée. I asked for medium and got medium well on the inside and well done on the outside. And yes, there’s a difference between medium and medium well. For the price I pay, I expect them to cook to my liking. Also, if you can’t cook it to the way I like it, why bother asking?!? Also, they are currently charging $10 COVID fee per table due to additional cleaning etc.. Ten dollars!!! Not to mention, I saw the waiters cleaned the tables with a wet rag and blue Windex...FYI blue Windex is not a disinfectant, unlike the yellow Windex. Also, the candle lamp they leave on the table do not look like they’ve been cleaned for a while. Overall, I would not go back again. The two stars I gave are purely for the ambience, they have a nice outside patio with a fire pit.

When the weather is nice, go for burgers on the terrace. Do not go expecting quality, well-served food or cocktails in the dining rooms-you’ll be disappointed. Food and service need an expert reset, unless the owner intends to just coast on the attractiveness of the terrace.

We ate at Old Anglers Inn tonight with 4 adults and 2 children. The room we were sat in was freezing. Frigid. We asked multiple times for them to turn down the AC or whether they could seat us somewhere warmer. Our reservation was for 6:00 and we arrived at 5:45, ready to order pretty much immediately (with two small kids, they are starving). We didn't get our food until 6:50. We were told by our host/manager that the menu was "all day", but the waiter would not allow us to order fish and chips. We asked to speak to the manager (didn't come). There is no kid menu, so our kids got a $30 wagyu burger that they didn't eat (and they added aioli to after requested to hold) and we're not allowed to order the fish and chips despite being told by the hostess who seated us that we could. Our other kid got locked in the bathroom, banging on the door and crying. We poured our own wine. Our waiter ignored us. We had to call on our phone to the restaurant to speak to the manager who turned out to be the host who sat us. They comped our kids sodas and 1 glass of wine. They offered dessert but by the time we were very, very ready to get out of there. The food is good, the restaurant is charming, but don't bring kids and do expect an hour wait for your food. Also they by default added 20% tip... Would have left much less. We came away feeling really unhappy.

It's a shame what has happened to this place! Used to be a great upscale dining experience with wonderful local food. Last time we went (2 weeks ago), the food was comically bad and the service wasn't much better. So sad to see the downfall of a local gem.

Not our first time there by any means. We have gone there intermittently since the 1990s, but this week we decided this was the last time, as the food quality deteriorated (it is now "acceptable" at best) and the prices have been raised so much that eating there no longer provides any value, even when taking into account the nice setting. Unless they do something drastic about the food quality and prices, I predict this place will go down soon.

The food here is absolute trash. I just paid $15 for the nastiest tray of nachos and cheese I’ve ever had in my life. All the drinks are served in plastic cups. So terrible!!!!

DISSAPOINTING. We drove 1 hour to eat at this well rated restaurant. We were so excited. The pictures tell the story. The waiter took them off the check, and we went somewhere else to eat.

A year back we chose Old Anglers for our wedding vow renewal celebration in a private room and it was fantastic. My wife and kids enjoyed every minute. This year we went back but this time our experience was very disappointing to say the least. It is so sad that a place with such a cozy atmosphere and great food with reasonable prices can ruin the whole experience with extremely rude service. Our waiter Arian seemed to be unhappy having my family as customers from the very beginning. He was rude to my wife, to me and even to my kids when they asked questions on the menu. He would not make any recommendations on the food or drinks and his patient was very short towards my kids. Curiously enough, my wife and I noticed that every time he attended the table next to us, his smile returned to his face and so did his patience. Our family decided that we would ignore this situation that lasted the whole two hours we were sitting there and just try to enjoy the moment, however we are not planning on going back to Old Anglers. What a sad way to say goodbye to a place that otherwise would have become our favorite for family gatherings.

We visited Old Angler’s Inn on Saturday and ordered the Buffalo Chicken pizza at the beer garden. The pizza was terrible, completely drenched in buffalo sauce, with almost no real chicken flavor. It was overly messy and just unpleasant to eat. For $25 each, it was very disappointing. The atmosphere was nice, but unfortunately, both my wife and I felt sick afterward. Definitely not a good experience.