I was invited to Marvin's to celebrate a friends birthday. We had a section of the rooftop reserved for the function and being the first day of July.... it was hot! The fans and small air conditioners they have randomly scattered will do nothing to change that fact.
The happy hour specials are limited but the food is really good. I tried the Marvin burger with french fries and they were both really good and reasonably priced. The entrees were quick to arrive and the bartenders were super attentive and very friendly.
While the place was extremely crowded for a Monday night, I'd definitely try Marvin's again.
Ever since I moved to the DC area ... this has been one of my favorite places. Â It's a place I bring my out of town guests and also enjoy with local friends.
I always enjoy the food here. Â It is delicious. Â One of the best burgers I have tasted. Â I love their croquettes - the old and new version. Â The chicken fried oysters are good. Â All versions of their mussels are delicious and always fresh. Â Everyone raves about their chicken and waffles - but I have not tasted them yet. Â And their warm toffee cake with salted caramel ice cream is toooo DIE for. Â Def in my top 5 favorite desserts (and I really like sweets ... and savory ;)
I also like Marvin for the nightlife and happy hour scene. Â Mondays are great there. Â The upstairs is the perfect size and outdoor space is always a nice touch. Â
Check it out - you won't be disappointed. Â
Koral
honest Review:
So i went last Friday to Marvin's expecting 50-80's music. Â I only wanted this type of music because my friend who was out of town (young guy) but loves that type of Marvin gay motown music. Well, let me tell you guys, they did not play that type of music at all. Â The music was very modern music with some 80's music. Â It wasnt bad but it wasnt what I was expecting.
I attended this place about 3-4 years ago and they did play "old" music, not anymore, so do be prepared NOT to hear it.
On up notes.  For my gay friendly friends, it is a gay friendly bar.  The people are super nice but do not openly talk to you which is typical.  I did have a guy hit on me but  he didnt follow up but oh well.
Drinks are about $9 average and they put loads of ice in mixed drinks so ask for no ice and you'll get a bit more.
overall hmm i give it a 3.5. Â Not bad, but not great either.
Ps. Best time to come is 10pm not a minute after because if you do, there will be a long line outside of the club.
Food: Â We had the fried oysters and chicken and waffle. Â Both were 4 star for quality, quantity, and price.
Service: Â Our server was slow, inattentive, and had BO.
Wait time: Â we wanted to be on the rooftop but it was crowded. Â I will be back to try to hit up the roof. Â lol. Â
Recommand if you like chicken and waffles or just want some good ol' fried oysters.
Monday Night @ Marvin's:
So disappointed in the level of service last night. Security needs further training in how to respectfully deal with customers one and one. Flashlight in eyes, yelling, and trying to be intimidating is NEVER the answer. Approaching someone directly and using words is always acceptable minus the attitude of course. WTF?
Props to Victor for diffusing the situation that "a certain" door guy on the 2nd floor caused. Hopefully the security team will pull together to provide a memorable experience to future guests. After all, said security HAS a job because of patrons like me that spend money in this establishment. SMH. Is it too much to want to be able to go out and have a decent time? Did not have a single issue with anyone else but this ONE person. Someone clearly was not in the mental state to be at work and deal with people like a well mannered adult.
I hope this was an isolated incident rather than a reoccurring one bc from a business perspective i wouldn't want someone like this representing my establishment. I really hope the General Manager looks into this review and addresses the problem right away rather than sweeping it under the rug.
I used to go to Marvin all the time. Â It has been about a year since I'd been in, so we thought we'd check it out. Â We went early evening on Pride Saturday. Â Initially we didn't think we'd get a table, but then the charming host changed things up and we were seated quickly, less than ten minutes after arriving.
Ordered beverages were for me a Hendricks cocktail with cucumber etc. My cocktail was delicious and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day. Â My dining partner ordered the Charles and Charles rose, but alas, they were out. Â Our server Johannes said they've been out, as it's very popular. Â You would think their wine program would get with the program (ie keep in stock, sell more rose). Â He got some white French thing instead, after Johannes made a recommendation and offered a taste. Â (Of note, Johannes has been my server before. Â He's great at his job and a cool cat to boot.)
We decided to do just heavy appetizers as we were going to check out some other joints after. Â The arugula salad was not particularly special. Â Pork ribs were tender with little flavor. Â The frites were as always good and the ketchup/mayonaise assortment tasty, but the dips had seen better days. Â They looked as if they had been prepped earlier in the day and had been sitting out for some time, as both mayos had developed a dry skin. Â Didn't affect the taste per se but didn't make for a great presentation. Â The star of the night were the chicken fried oysters. There are maybe five to seven to an order, and they are delicious. Â Let me be clear: THE CHICKEN FRIED OYSTERS ARE DELICIOUS. Â
Why only three stars. Â As always, Marvin is LOUD. Â If you have important things to discuss/gossip about, go somewhere else. Â Puddin' skin developments on the frites' mayo dips are not a good thing. Â Also, prices at Marvin are high for what you get. Except for the chicken fried oysters. Â For less than ten bucks, they represent a good value. Â We'll be back for those. Â For sure.
My Marvin Rooftop experience was the bombdotcom. Â I was by myself because this recommendation came off of an Army guy from Philly that I met standing outside on the stairs at the reservation. Â Anyway before I invite folks to anything I want to check it out for myself. Â It was all that and a bag of chips.(might be aging myself). Â The DJ.I think Slugs was his name, made me feel right at home, he had that Cali swag music going with a mix of Ol School, I was grooving the entire time I was there. Â I sat at the bar and the environment was friendly and so chill. Â I think the weather (was so nice, felt like Cali) made all the difference. Â I didn't really care for the smokers, but they quickly left the deck. Â The fellas were nice eye candy and the ladies were attractive as well. Â I really felt like this was a little bit of Cali in DC. Â I have mixed feelings about my drinks. Â I know I can drink anything, but I think my bartender had an off day. Â There were a few personnel things going on, so I'll give some slack, but I hope next time will be the charm. Â When issues such as this arise, I just went with the straight up option, never a disappointment. Â I had the pleasure of meeting some gentlemen from New York to Montana and they were all amazing. Â I even met my name twin, go figure. Â To make a long entry short...I believe this will be my go-to-joint! Â Oh, I did ordered the Chicken and Waffles , it was seasoned well , but still no comparison to Roscoe's Chicken n Waffles in Cali...Sorry I can be a bit bias.
Review Source:My first trip to DC also included a maiden voyage on the Marvin train. Â I was by myself, in town for a conference, and a friend recommended this place... it didn't disappoint! Â I started off with a Belgian Tripel that got me nice and liquored up while I waited for my fried oysters to arrive - delicious! Â And it was the beginning of a very unhealthy (but amazing!) meal. Â After scarfing down the oysters, what followed were Marvin's fried chicken and waffles, another choice that my tastebuds loved and my heart probably cried about. Â A couple more beers and a dessert and I was stuffed, and luckily for me I made friends with the group next to me. Â Since it was a Friday night we decided to go upstairs to the bar on the rooftop and have a couple more drinks. Â The scene was lively, with lots of people around. Â I'd definitely go back if I were a DC regular, but at this point I don't know when I'll be back - would love to go back for some more delicious food though!
Review Source:Service was just pretty good, but the food was great and the dessert excellent. The wine list was also great, especially the selection of wines by the glass.
The only complaint was about an aspect of the lobster cobb salad. Instead of distributing crunchy wholesome lardons throughout the salad, the chef opted to place a large slab of cooked fat on top of it. This didn't work. At all.
The only reason I docked it a star is that, for this price (entrees more than $20) I expect really great service. But I'm in NYC, not DC, so perhaps our restaurant scene is somehow less overpriced in general, pace the tourist traps in Manhattan.
This place is great! We met friends on the rooftop on a Friday around 9pm and it was a perfect evening, until it started to rain. The outdoor area is spacious and partially covered. The indoor area is large as well, so we were able to find a couch to sit on; I absolutely love the decor and I can' wait to visit again!
Review Source:One of the coolest, smoothest establishments ever. Marvin reminds me of that tall, dark, mysterious man in the corner who catches your eye from across the room, rocks a tilted fedora, wears a vest over his button up, and is dripping with swagggg. All the girls want him...but, he only wants you. Dope storyline huh?
Well...let me tell you how dope my Marvin experience was this time around. In the past, I've stopped by for just drinks and the music upstairs but, this time around I met up with my homie, Toya J, for dinner and cocktails. We ordered some cocktails from the bartender who was very kind and took extra care when making our drinks....I like that. I really do. Nothing like a bartender who isnt rushing around...is organized....and takes his time. Reminds me of that mysterious man I was talking about earlier....hmmm.. We also ordered some food (Shrimp and Grits, Grilled Octopus and Toya ordered the Chicken and Waffles and the Chicken Fried Oysters). My shrimp and grits was everything it should be....shrimp was flavorful, juicy and well seasoned and the grits were creamy. The Grilled Octopus was....well....it looked like it came straight out of the ocean but it tasted pretty damn good too. Around 9pm...the place started getting a little crowded and we ordered another round of cocktails. The crowd was chill, conversations were easy and the staff was pretty amazing. After we finished dinner, we headed upstairs to check out the Rooftop. Even for a rainy and dreary day, it was pretty crowded on the rooftop....the music was oh so smooth...and I said farewell to the tall, dark, mysterious man in the corner...Mr. Marvin. Oooooo Mercy mercy meeeeeeeee
I have only been here for the bar scene, and it's one of my go to places on U Street. I like the rooftop bar, though it tends to get overcrowded. The drink prices are decent and they have a good selection of craft beers. I like that Marvin has a small but cool dance floor & DJ and there are multiple rooms and bars. The crowd tends to be a good mix of people. Overall, I definitely recommend as a place to start or end your night.
Review Source:We arrived at 7:45 for our 8:00 reservation and was seated around 8:40. Â Every time we inquired about ho much longer it was going to be, the hostess would tell us "15 more minutes"
This place is too small and they pack you in on top of people. Â Great food and atmosphere but uncomfortable to eat and have conversation with people all up on you. Â Won't be going back any time soon.
Came here for a birthday dinner on a Saturday night. Â The food was delicious but it took at least 40 minutes to arrive. We were seated on the 2nd floor and served by a waitress who served as bartender. I don't know what it was, maybe she was overwhelmed as she had to serve 2 other tables all by herself plus our group (13 of us), but she was very rude.
She'd pretend like she didn't hear us ask for drinks. And made us wait to order our food.
One of my favorite brunch spots. I usually go late, around 1:30 and haven't ever had to wait to be seated, though I think if you go earlier, there may be a wait. I've showed up as brunch is ending, and the hostess seemed really annoyed, but our server was polite and friendly.
They have pretty good coffee, I'm not sure what type of beans they use but it's always good. I've had the Croque Monsieur (or Madame? Don't remember, & I dont think they have it anymore,) Chicken & Waffles, Shrimp & Grits, Nutella Waffle... Everything I've tried has been great. Their choices are relatively simple, but all really delicious. I recommend this place to a lot of people looking for a good brunch spot at the last minute.
This review is solely premised on my experience going here for drinks with friends on a Saturday night in mid-January. Â I can't attest to the quality of the food, as all I got here were drinks. Â I really enjoyed Marvin because the rooftop is more airy and spacious than other rooftop bars I've been to in DC. Â There was actually some room to breathe, which I appreciated. Â It was a fun bar to visit on a Saturday night - good music, good drinks. Â Just your typical, standard U Street bar.
Review Source:I have been to Marvin several times over the years and keep hoping it's going to be as good as everyone else says it is. Â It has yet to live up to my expectations, but I'll probably keep coming back. Â (Feel free to chime in with the definition of insanity here.) Â The food is better than most bar/lounges, but I haven't tried more of the menu in the restaurant downstairs. Â The grits are good, the "shrimp" are prawns with heads on. Â The scallops are great but there's only two in the app, and the sauce has wayyyy too many leeks.
It's ALWAYS crowded. Â I was there the other night when it was about 40 degrees and it was crowded. Â The DJ's are pretty good in their selections (heed the old school warning), but some are terrible mixers. Â Like awkward and choppy to the point that it throws everyone off the groove (that happened but it was a couple years ago so it's conceivable that the DJ in question is no longer employed by this establishment). Â I'm not a big fan of the crowd here either. Â People here seem to almost always be too drunk to be mindful of personal space. Â Like if it's already crowded, why are you flinging your arms around and making a scene in the middle of the bar floor? Â Or why are you spread across the bar just talking, not drinking, taking up enough room for two additional people?
Pluses: there are purse hooks at the bar, numerous bathrooms, there's nice ambiance (gentle lighting, not too loud), and our bartender was great. Â I was havinga champagne night and I let her have free reign, I was very pleased with whatever it was she came up with.
It's U St. so it's always hard to park. Â Do yourself a favor and take Metro.
I've never had a meal here, but I've had several drinks and they've been decent. I always find myself at Marvin when I am in the U Street area with another person and have no real plans. It's perfect for that.
There isn't a cover charge (or at least there's never been one when I've gone there), and the music is so good. They actually play different music on different floors. (There are two floors when the restaurant is closed). I've never gotten to Marvin before midnight, so I can't comment on what it's like before night hours, but I can say that when I'm there I always have a ball.
The heated rooftop deck is a really good look. There are two bars, and ample seating. Smoking is allowed on the deck, but thankfully people don't overdo it, so it's not like a smoke filled area or anything.
Great place to go dance! Lots of floor space and a good crowd.
This review is only for the night portion I didn't come during restaurant hours!!
Came here on a Saturday night with a bunch of friends, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I left a little early to attend another party but while I was there I really enjoyed the music and drink. They also have a nice view from the rooftop so if you have the chance to swing by here make sure you check out the rooftop!
Looking forward to coming here for brunch the pics and reviews sound promising
I came here for the first time last Friday, after my boyfriend kept raving about chicken and waffles. Â We ordered C&W along with Belgium chowder mussels for myself, and split the cheese croquettes to start. Â It was all completely delicious, but the cheese croquettes were kind of a rip off despite the excellent blend and the spicy slaw it comes with. Â Three miniature pieces of fried cheese and maybe eight little straws of slaw for nine dollars = lame. Â Personally I am of the opinion that appetizers should come in even numbers and be enough for more than one person, but maybe that is my Maryland showing. Â Remember that Boondocks episode where Granddad Freeman says "White people love cheese?" Â IT IS ALL TRUE. Â
I can't recommend the Belgium Chowder mussels enough. Â It was as thick, rich and flavorful as what my family makes, and it warmed me from the inside out. Â It was chock full of mussels and clams with potato and bacon. Â I usually dismiss french fries as a lazy filler food, but Marvin's taste homemade and are complemented nicely with their remoulade. Â My boyfriend made me try chicken and waffles, and although I usually hate collard greens I now understand what all of the fuss is about. Â
Oh Marvin, despite your lameness on the cheese croquette front, I will be back!
I've always wanted to swing by Marvin's to check it out. I went with friends on a Sunday at 12:30 and one of my friends informed me that we had actually already been to Marvin's once, two years ago, for drinks on the roof. Is this what it's come to, DC? Not even vaguely remembering where I've been to eat and celebrate?
I digress. This review is for brunch. Marvin's was near empty when we got there which was great because we got seated immediately. Service was pretty good. I got the crab cake benedict because, hey, I'm a human woman, right? No seriously, if anyone ever discovers that poached eggs cause brain damage I'm totally screwed. They were really perfect, and the salad on the side made me feel less bad about myself. By the end of our breakfast there were a lot of more hip looking people filtering in.
The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous and they pipe Marvin Gaye through the speakers (duh!) which is totally groovy. Highly recommended.
It's official, U St. is Hipster-land. Â
As if bike lanes, farmers markets, and clothing boutiques weren't enough to entice the cool kids, U St. pulled the coup de grace out with bars aptly named after DC music legends.  Though I've been at Marv's for a while now, I recently went after the renovation and I'm digging the scene. A soulful place where unheard jams are spinning as you get down on dark oak floors and holler at women leaning on brick exposed walls while nag champa runs through your nose (for you non smokers: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2F25.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_krubv8seN71qz8vmxo1_400.jpg&s=d710651442f7d6f294c0098a11aa8c17fcdaeecb7675f5e8e76806928dae85b9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://25.media.tumblr.c…</a>)
I've been boycotting Marvin's for over a year, not particularly because of anything about their service, but because my first visit there was so wack. Â Yes, I said wack. Â I went with some chatty friends, and it was all but impossible to chit chat with folks there. Â I started wondering if we had something stuck in our teeth. Â Marvin's earned the top of my list for cliquish places in DC to avoid. Â And it was a shame, because it had a decent rooftop.
Fast forward to a recent fall Monday night. Â Scene: Â cool weather, strong drinks coming fast and furious, extra-FUNKY DJ is spinning conscious, underground, and alternative hip hop....crowd is attractive and sociable. Â Turns out they've done a remodel, there is now a whole new room with a DJ booth and space to dance. Â
Welcome back to the family Marvin's.
This is definitely a place I would love to transport back to Michigan! Â As a huge Marvin Gaye fan, the place takes a page from his time in Belgium - there for complex reasons ranging from tax issues with the IRS, failed marriages with Anna Gordy and Janis Hunter and an addiction to drugs. The vibe is very low key and dark - capturing what one would think his emotions as.
Sadly enough, I cannot speak to the food; but I likes to party! I went to DC sometime ago (Jan of this year)...while MI was trudging through a snowstorm and freezing temps, this was certainly not the case for DC. It was a moderately chilly night; however, I'm used to far worse so I headed up to the rooftop for some fun. Heaters kept the rooftop toasty so I warmed up even more with a wonderful Cab and let my hair down (literally and figuratively!)...Hehe. (Insert creepy laugh and sinister smile).
Great place, sexy ambiance, low key crowd...I definitely plan to go back when I visit DC again! Cheers!
I cannot speak for the food at this venue but I can speak for the nightlife. I came here on a Thursday night as well as a Saturday and goodness was it ever fun! The DJ is great and the rooftop bar has great views along with an eclectic mix of people.
I came in sober, ended the night dancing with a random group of new friends...who I never talked to again :)
Generally, I think bars that don't offer happy hour are pretentious and blasphemy in DC. Marvin (and its sister bar the Gibson) may be an exception to this rule.
Marvin's main problem (besides being pricey) is that it's always crowded and/or half of the place is rented out for a private party. I'm not saying a side room, I mean the entire downstairs and the indoor upstairs area when it was in the 90s with 80% humidity in July. That's just a tad annoying. Yeah, the patio was great, but I definitely needed more water than alcohol in order to survive that heat!
Amazing Belgian beer selection, well mixed drinks, and good food. The mussels are tasty and the fries are definitely worth it. Also, the shrimp and grits are definitely worth a try. Â Fancy bistro food in a a hip, father's officey kind of setting, if only you can find a night where it isn't overrun.
OMG! They have Crispin! This pretty much seals the deal for me because I was under the impression Crispin was only available in St. Paul, MN. What a find!
Marvin's is the place to be in the summer because of its outdoor patio (though, beware of smokers). Wednesday nights are pretty slow, but that means more space at the bar. Though, one of the bar tenders got a little snarky with one of my girlfriends during a very slow Wednesday night. Thursdays are slightly busier. Saturday nights are the busiest...you can barely fit in at the bar to order. But it's still fun nonetheless!
I was invited to Marvin this past Monday (10/01/12) and I am so in love with this place!! I read Ruth C's. review and was super crunk when I got asked on a "date" here. In typical Lo' fashion I was late by an hour, so I ended up arriving around 10:30PM.  I honestly haven't had a Monday night that great since the Elite party at DFG (Lovin' this DC Intern life!)!! Marvin is tucked neatly on 14th St. in the U Street corridor; so much so that I almost walked right past the door!  I made my way in and walked up the dimly-lit staircase. The outdoor rooftop and heated bar area was very nice, not much of a view, but cool atmosphere nonetheless.  Watch out for the step near the back of patio, I saw a dude nearly wipe out because there was no indicator on the step. Ladies! The rooftop flooring is constructed  of wooden slats, so if you decide to wear heels (like me), you should use caution! Â
Anywho...It's something about first dates/outings because the guy puts forth a lot of effort to ensure the lady enjoys herself, but Marvin made it so easy. KUDOS to the damn DJ, smooth cocktails, and attractive crowd! Mr. DJ was really in his zone! I honestly didn't know many of the songs being played because it was like OLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLDDDD school hip hop, but I danced my ass off like I knew every lyric!
The price of cocktails and were pretty steep in my opinion, a double and shot of Ciroc ran about $33 (not including tip). I believe beers ranged from $6-9. Â The price was totally justified though since I had such a kick ass time. In the spirit of Nigerian Independence Day, Mr. DJ had a tribal sesh and I channeled my inner dancer and busted some moves on the dance floor. After throwing a couple drinks back of course I had to use the restroom, and this might be the only bad thing I have to say about my time here. There are individual shared restrooms and they got really messy as the night progressed. They have to know that with increased alcohol consumption one's ability to aim diminishes almost instantly! Can a sista' get some bathroom attendants? Â Other than that, I had an amazing time and danced like a crazy person until 2AM! I hope my dance moves scored me another date! Â
Word on the street is this place pops on Monday nights! The streets don't lie baby!
Disclaimer: This review is for the rooftop area and lounge only. I hope to explore the menu soon.
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