Minimum Age: 21+.
Cost: $5
Crowd: Mixed, 20's.
Dress Code: None, but don't wear a chain wallet or hats.
Music: Top 40
Date Attended: 01/09/10, Saturday
They attempt to be a trendy local VA spot, but fail miserably with high drink prices and a mediocre dj. Â If I want to pay a cover charge, get harassed, and pay high drink prices, I'll go to DC thank you very much.
The night started out by getting harassed at the door.
Incident 1:
Bouncer: Can I see your ID?
Me: Sure, here you go.
Bouncer: Is that a chain on your wallet? You can't bring that in here.
Me: Huh? Â Are you serious? Â It's a wallet.
Bouncer: It can be used as a weapon and it's metal.
Me: Well, what about beer bottles?
Bouncer: You can't bring that in here.
I dunno about you, but I'd rather grab a beer bottle than a chain wallet in a fight. Â I'd also bet you that at least one person was carrying a knife in there. Â They don't pat you down so if you wanted to bring a weapon, I don't think you would bring a chain wallet. Â Makes no sense to me.
A little bit later I was hanging out with some friends.
Incident 2:
Me: What do you think about this place?
Friend: Drink prices are kinda high.
Me: Yea I know, especially for a VA bar.
Bouncer: You can't wear a hat in here. Â You have to take it off.
Us: Looking around at 5 other people wearing hats.
Pros: Local VA sports bar with music at night, nice interior, flat screens, pool table.
Cons: Stupid rules, high drink prices, not the best dj, bad mixing, mostly empty on this night.
So I rated this place one star but I've only been there once so I may have to change it if I go back again. I thought that this place would be semi-upscale just because of the name (go figure).
As soon as I walked in I knew that wasn't the place for me. The smoke hit us right at the front of the door. This place was extra ghetto or maybe it was just that night. Now I like to party at all different type of places but I think I just expected this place on that night, to be a little bit more upscale.
I may try the place again because living in the boonies you are really limited unless you want to drive out to DC.
This place isn't bad for Happy Hour during the week. Â They have specials on domestic drafts and appetizers. Â I believe beers are $2 and select appetizers are $4. Â Make sure and order their wings with the oriental sauce! Â They are delish~ Â I usually order the sauce on the side for dipping because the ones that come out in the sauce are usually too drenched for me. The best part is the free pool!!! Â They have 1 pool table available. Â During football season, they were offering free pool every Sunday and Monday. Â I was there almost every week for this~ Â Tuesday nights, they would have bands take up a corner of the place that usually brought in a good number. Â Only, it would get too loud for me~ Â
I never venture in on the weekends, because the crowd is just not my crowd. Â They have a dress code, apparently with only one rule: "No plain white t-shirts". Â Which boggles my mind? Â What about the individuals coming in tattered t-shirts and sweats?? Overall, it's not a bad place... just wish the dresscode and entrance into the establishment was more restricted.
My idea of the place: Â Niceley decorated sports bar on the weekdays and a Ghettofied Club in the 'Burbs over the weekend.
Not a bad place for going out in Centreville, but it's not one of my favorite places. Â Martinis can be crowded and sketchy on the weekends, and none of the servers or bartenders have ever stood out for me. Â The drinks are really good, a little pricey, and the bar did introduce me to one of my now favorite shooters 'strawberry lollipops'.
Review Source:The overhaul gave this bar a cleaner, more organised appearance. Unfortunately on weekends it draws a sketchy crowd. I don't see the appeal of the place for the amount of people that go there on weekends. Drinks are a tad over priced; I'd recommend the Blue U martini, though... it's one of their specialty drinks and almost every bartender makes it well.
Review Source:A year ago I would have given Martini 5+ stars but as it stands today I just can't bring myself to go back there. Â I have been going to Martini's for a while and gotten to know the people that work there pretty well and found it to be a great place to hang out at after work or pregaming before hitting the city. Â Now as it is, (please make note that I haven't been there in MONTHS or since the last or second to last Speaks show) Â I really dislike the whole environment and the crowd it draws. Â Forget about going there on Thursday-Saturday nights. It's a mixture of the worst of the worst. Â Sororiety girls and WAY thugged out guys from Manassas? Â Now I have nothing against sororiety chicks but when they act like idiots and can't handle their liquor which in turn has them in the bathroom puking and throwing their GLASS drinkware into the toilets... it makes me question if you were raised in a barn or an outhouse. Â Completely unnecessary and disrespectful.
So we have the crowd and atmosphere covered lets move on to the food. Â Martini has the best selection of bar food in the area. Â Prices are reasonable and everything is super fresh and made to order. Â I highly recommend the app sampler (roast beef rolls are to kill for), or their bulgogi dish... they don't have it on the menu but you can get a side of kimchi to go with it (yum!). Â So if the above is your type of crowd aka Fast Eddie's typical crowd, go for it. Â If not I do recommend getting there early for a bite to eat or even to meet up for a drink before heading into the city.
I really wish the old Martini crowd and staff attitude were alive and kicking but gotta keep the good times where they happened - and only in memory. *sigh*
I went recently...it's a fun bar, the wait staff, the bartenders are all super friendly, and warm and make the trip worthwhile....it's a fun place, for sure, made special by the help who clearly love what they are doing. Yes, it's a bar, a night club with a "culture" that is maybe good, maybe bad..but I would go back just because the employees make it nice.
Review Source:I don't think it's fair to compare this place to Ruth's as Tara mentioned. Â I think it was meant to compete with the likes of Rain(Fairfax) and appeal to college/young professional aged people. Â I don't love it but it's another option to going downtown. Â There are two pool tables but they charge hourly for it. Â It seemed like a good mix of people here.
I hear the sushi is pretty decent, but I don't think I'll be ordering it from there. Â I didn't eat the one time I was here and it's not on my to do list. Â Don't think this is a fancy place and you won't be disappointed. Â Just think Rain or Bridges.