Ada's on the River

I have wanting to go here for some time but was never able to get here. I am finally glad I made it here! The service started out a little slow but once we ordered everything improved. The food came out perfect and was timed well. No rush atmosphere and the portions and food were excellent. The Oysters and prawns were perfect. The salad was excellent! The mussels were abundant and a great value. The side sweet potato reminded me of how my mom used to prepare them. We didn’t have room for dessert but I am sure it’s great also. I highly recommend this place. The coal and wood fired grills make it worth the extra effort to visit. Parking can be a little tough and adds to the cost. But it’s Old Town! Park there at your own risk! I will say that this place is my new favorite in Alexandria. Especially if you like a nice view.

I have wanting to go here for some time but was never able to get here. I am finally glad I made it here! The service started out a little slow but once we ordered everything improved. The food came out perfect and was timed well. No rush atmosphere and the portions and food were excellent. The Oysters and prawns were perfect. The salad was excellent! The mussels were abundant and a great value. The side sweet potato reminded me of how my mom used to prepare them. We didn’t have room for dessert but I am sure it’s great also. I highly recommend this place. The coal and wood fired grills make it worth the extra effort to visit. Parking can be a little tough and adds to the cost. But it’s Old Town! Park there at your own risk! I will say that this place is my new favorite in Alexandria. Especially if you like a nice view.

I've had Ada's On The River on my must-visit list for the past four years, and I finally made it happen on my birthday! Even without a reservation, I was able to dine in at either the bar or the counter. Since we were a party of three and there weren't three seats together at the bar, we opted for the counter. To start, I sipped on The Star of Brunch, a delightful mix of New Amsterdam vodka, vanilla, passion fruit, mango, and sparkling wine--bright, fruity, and refreshing. We also shared the Brunch Bread Basket, a beautifully curated selection of an orange pecan sticky bun, Nutella baba, raspberry scone, espresso coffee cake, and a lemon poppy seed muffin--perfect for those who love a little bit of everything. For entrées, Iris enjoyed the Pork Schnitzel, my husband went for the Crab and Avocado Toast, and I indulged in the Maine Lobster Omelette, which was rich, flavorful, and a true treat for a special occasion. Overall, Ada's lived up to my long-standing anticipation with a great atmosphere, delicious food, and a memorable birthday brunch!

I've had Ada's On The River on my must-visit list for the past four years, and I finally made it happen on my birthday! Even without a reservation, I was able to dine in at either the bar or the counter. Since we were a party of three and there weren't three seats together at the bar, we opted for the counter. To start, I sipped on The Star of Brunch, a delightful mix of New Amsterdam vodka, vanilla, passion fruit, mango, and sparkling wine--bright, fruity, and refreshing. We also shared the Brunch Bread Basket, a beautifully curated selection of an orange pecan sticky bun, Nutella baba, raspberry scone, espresso coffee cake, and a lemon poppy seed muffin--perfect for those who love a little bit of everything. For entrées, Iris enjoyed the Pork Schnitzel, my husband went for the Crab and Avocado Toast, and I indulged in the Maine Lobster Omelette, which was rich, flavorful, and a true treat for a special occasion. Overall, Ada's lived up to my long-standing anticipation with a great atmosphere, delicious food, and a memorable birthday brunch!

All of the food looked nice. The charred gem salad was their version of a Caesar’s salad which was good. The steak, however, was not prime and I doubt it was aged. I buy aged prime steak at home for $38/lb. so I know better. This was on the chewy side and didn’t have any marbling to speak of. Great service and great atmosphere but the food is why I wouldn’t recommend this place.

All of the food looked nice. The charred gem salad was their version of a Caesar’s salad which was good. The steak, however, was not prime and I doubt it was aged. I buy aged prime steak at home for $38/lb. so I know better. This was on the chewy side and didn’t have any marbling to speak of. Great service and great atmosphere but the food is why I wouldn’t recommend this place.

The Italian food was absolutely amazing! The pasta was perfectly al dente with a rich, flavorful sauce, and the Salmonmy husband had the ideal. The lemon cake was light, creamy, and delicious. Every dish was made with love and tradition. Highly recommend for an authentic Italian experience!

The Italian food was absolutely amazing! The pasta was perfectly al dente with a rich, flavorful sauce, and the Salmonmy husband had the ideal. The lemon cake was light, creamy, and delicious. Every dish was made with love and tradition. Highly recommend for an authentic Italian experience!

10/10 Amazing! My husband and I had a reservation here for Valentine's Day, and despite being busy, the service was fantastic. I highly recommend their brussel sprouts and their vegetarian dishes. My husband said the filet may have been the best he's had so far! Their cocktails are wonderful, especially the Lavender one. They are known for their Chocolate Soufflé for good reason - it's a must have!!!

10/10 Amazing! My husband and I had a reservation here for Valentine's Day, and despite being busy, the service was fantastic. I highly recommend their brussel sprouts and their vegetarian dishes. My husband said the filet may have been the best he's had so far! Their cocktails are wonderful, especially the Lavender one. They are known for their Chocolate Soufflé for good reason - it's a must have!!!

Love the location and table with a view. Nicole was very attentive, professional and an amazing ‘suggestive sales person.’ Appetizer selection is impressive, entrees very hearty, with portions enough for two. Always save room for dessert 😉. Next visit will be for happy hour. Wonderful addition to our neighborhood. Thank you for a memorable dining experience.

Love the location and table with a view. Nicole was very attentive, professional and an amazing ‘suggestive sales person.’ Appetizer selection is impressive, entrees very hearty, with portions enough for two. Always save room for dessert 😉. Next visit will be for happy hour. Wonderful addition to our neighborhood. Thank you for a memorable dining experience.

I had some concerns with my meal here. I ordered the crab stuffed trout. The flavor was delicious but I got fish bones in every single bite. I really should’ve just sent it back but I was with a group of people and didn’t want to cause a problem. I was concerned at the amount of fish bones as I didn’t want them stuck in my throat. Additionally, the plate was $38 for simply the fish, no side or anything. The portion sizes were also different. My friend ordered the same as me but the fish was substantially larger. Overall, for the price I just felt like it didn’t hit the mark. With seafood being a main seller at this restaurant they need to be more precise with cleaning their fish for safety reasons. There seems to be a quality control issue. For that reason I would not come back.

I had some concerns with my meal here. I ordered the crab stuffed trout. The flavor was delicious but I got fish bones in every single bite. I really should’ve just sent it back but I was with a group of people and didn’t want to cause a problem. I was concerned at the amount of fish bones as I didn’t want them stuck in my throat. Additionally, the plate was $38 for simply the fish, no side or anything. The portion sizes were also different. My friend ordered the same as me but the fish was substantially larger. Overall, for the price I just felt like it didn’t hit the mark. With seafood being a main seller at this restaurant they need to be more precise with cleaning their fish for safety reasons. There seems to be a quality control issue. For that reason I would not come back.

We had an end of the year get together for our office here. I arrived about 6 min early- they said "You are the first one to arrive" but nothing else and wouldn't seat me...then a couple more people came trickling in- and then they say "give us a few minutes"; although, it was 6 min past our reservation time. It seemed like the front staff was just chatting- and having laughs. First things first- everything was just slow. Ordering, getting our food, all of it! Server was nice but we had some hiccups in delivering food to the right person (granted it was a big party). I think the service is the most important- and I think this was a let down from start to finish. Especially for the price range- I expected better service. The vibe is nice- pretty views, elegant interior, beautiful plateware. The food was either delicious or "just ok". The brioche bun with the charred orange butter was a hit- so tasty, perfect harmony of salty and sweet! The house side salad was also very good- the charred lettuce brought another dimension to the food. However, my steak was dry and not very tender- I left over half of it. Lemon tart was...tart- but that's what it's supposed to be! Parking is either paid street/lot parking nearby. They do not validate. Maybe give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes to park and walk over. TLDR: Food was good for the most part, views and vibes spectacular; however, not very impressed with service.

We had an end of the year get together for our office here. I arrived about 6 min early- they said "You are the first one to arrive" but nothing else and wouldn't seat me...then a couple more people came trickling in- and then they say "give us a few minutes"; although, it was 6 min past our reservation time. It seemed like the front staff was just chatting- and having laughs. First things first- everything was just slow. Ordering, getting our food, all of it! Server was nice but we had some hiccups in delivering food to the right person (granted it was a big party). I think the service is the most important- and I think this was a let down from start to finish. Especially for the price range- I expected better service. The vibe is nice- pretty views, elegant interior, beautiful plateware. The food was either delicious or "just ok". The brioche bun with the charred orange butter was a hit- so tasty, perfect harmony of salty and sweet! The house side salad was also very good- the charred lettuce brought another dimension to the food. However, my steak was dry and not very tender- I left over half of it. Lemon tart was...tart- but that's what it's supposed to be! Parking is either paid street/lot parking nearby. They do not validate. Maybe give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes to park and walk over. TLDR: Food was good for the most part, views and vibes spectacular; however, not very impressed with service.