Old Ebbitt Grill

Old Ebbitt Grill is a massive restaurant located in downtown DC.  According to their website, Old Ebbitt is the nation's fifth largest restaurant, based on annual gross revenue.  Additionally, it gets a lot of hype, so much so that I've been wanting to check it out.  

Being based in downtown DC, parking options consist of limited street parking and garages.  

The decor of the restaurant is a cross between upscale and casual.  It kind of reminded me of a high end pub.  The place was ridiculously packed with folks scattered all over the lobby area waiting to be seated.  Fortunately, <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a> to the rescue!

The service was good as our server was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.  

I ordered the Buffalo wings appetizer, Potato Truffle Ravioli and the Butterscotch Blondie Sundae.

The wings were decent.  While I've found the wings in the DC to generally be skinny, these wings were plump and juicy.  That being said, the Buffalo sauce definitely had a kick but it was a little one note.  

The Potato Truffle Ravioli consisted of potato stuffed ravioli that was served with
portabella mushrooms, arugula, roasted red peppers, parmesan cheese, crispy truffle potato sticks and champagne cream sauce.  

While the raviloi came in nice sized pieces, there was no flavor punch.  Much of the issue seemed to be that the potato filling was a bad match due to the texture and lack of seasoning.  Having a protein of some sort in the ravioli would have been ideal or at least pairing the potato filling with a stronger cheese or another veggie to add texture.  On the bright side, the crispy truffle potato sticks were the star of the dish.  The texture of the potato sticks was a nice contrast to the rest of the dish and also added a salty element.

The Butterscoth Brownie Sundae is served warm with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate sauce.  I had high hopes for this dessert but it was just ok.  The butterscoth brownie was moist and came in a generous portion size but that's where the positives end.  The butterscotch flavor was overwhelming and the had a strong aftertaste that wasn't the most pleasant.  I barely ate a quarter of the dessert.....SO UNLIKE ME!

The prices at the restaurant are pretty decent for the area as an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert cost around $60.

In general, Old Ebbitt Grill is certainly worth a try.  It is overrated however, so expectations should be reasonable.  The food isn't earth shattering but it's acceptable, especially for the prices.  With the number of patrons that come here regularly, just make sure you have reservations!

Pretty disappointed. Went for a work dinner. Pizza appetizer was worst than frozen pizza. The artichoke crab dip was really good though. Service was fine. We were in the basement and it was cold and kind of unappealing. Not the Old Ebbitt institution I was hoping for.

My coworkers portions were small and disappointing. They got the ravioli. The crabcakes were large and very tasty.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend but I know the restaurant isn't going anywhere any time soon.

I've been in DC since 1999 and for all the times I've been to Old Ebbitt Grill I've never had a bad meal or service experience.