Eggs. Benedict. Burger.
Loved this so much I went 2 days in a row on a weekend trip to DC. I love brunch and I especially love eggs benedict and cheeseburgers. The ability to eat both made me love this place. Also, very glad I live a 4 hour drive away so I can't eat it every single weekend. It was pleasantly full both for dinner and brunch, not so crowded that we had to wait but not so empty to feel awkward.
Never been for drinks/happy hour. The review is based on my amazing burger.
Great environment, but too expensive for the quality of the food. We went to go to the Monday night trivia as it has one of the best reviews for trivia in town, but the venue was too packed to participate when we arrived about 45 minutes early. The vegetarian options were lacking, but I was excited to try the maple seared tofu. The tofu tasted a little bit like lighter fluid (probably seared using a gas burner or something), and the seasonal vegetables were floppy and dripping with butter. I liked the food and I would have been happy with it anywhere else, but it was not worth the $30 price tag for a vegetarian plate and a beer.
Review Source:Tonic is always bumping! This place is never empty. They always have a party or event on the third floor, folks enjoying happy hour or some tots in the bar and some lunch and dinner diners on the second floor. Staff will be seen walking around with some witty shirts, my favorite being "Got Tots?" As you can infer, tater tots are their thing. Not to mention their four different kinds of Mac and Cheese are AWESOME. And worth buying at restaurant - it's a true departure from your standard, make it at home Kraft Mac and Cheese. I also have had their salmon entree which is very good however be sure to double check its fully cooked! I've had it come out more rare than necessary once before. Their brunch is wonderful wit a bottomless mimosa option and a quality breakfast burrito. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I have nothing but good things to say about this place!
Review Source:Best part of this place is that a lot of people walk past it not realizing it's a bar. Kind of silly, but I love the atmosphere here. Great big open bar area with really friendly bartenders.
Also a great happy hour. I recommend the nachos but the totchos looked pretty great too (nachos with tater tots... brilliant? I think so).
In my book, you can't beat a good happy hour. That being said, $4 draft beers (with a wide selection of craft brews!) and $6 for a generous plate of nachos make me a very happy person :)
I'll be a grad student at GW soon and definitely plan on frequenting this place!
I've been here a bunch of times and this review isn't for the food. Actually I never had an issue until yesterday - I wanted to get a table for 3 - their policy is that the whole party has to be there. I get it, fine, you don't want me to eat or drink until everyone is there. So I waited, and waited - and I asked if I could sit just for one, because its a restaurant, I have the right to eat/drink in theory. They said there was now a wait. Fine. Had there been bar space, I would have waited patiently, but there was no where to go,except outside...
But then the hostess proceeds to give the other hostess a teaching moment in ear shot "well she would probably sit down and then try to squeeze her other friends in and we don't want her just holding the table" Really, you had to do this with me standing there?
What I wanted to do was eat after a long day of work. Sigh. I get it - you don't want me there. No prob - won't come back.
Walked in and they were blasting house music at 6pm, not sure what that is about.
Had the mac and cheese, it came out of the kitchen kind of cold although it made good left overs the next day.
Service isn't that attentive.
It's fine if you're in Foggy Bottom, because there's really nowhere to eat around here.
Three stars for the food here. Not going to lie, the tots and a few of the pizzas and salads are decent. The service is insanely bad. Every. Single. Time. And the specials are always unavailable due to them running out of whatever ingredients are in the specials..But the worst part is definitely the strange, incompetent waiters. Bartenders are good though!
Review Source:Busy, busy. But we had a reservation. The wait was over an hour for walk-ins. Tatter Tots are the big thing here. I liked coloring with crayons on the table top (they put paper down). Large selection of cocktails, not so large selection of local craft brews. Used to be an old pharmacy. Didn't try the wings, even though recommended. Pedestrian fare otherwise.
Review Source:A good friend and I met up for Saturday brunch here recently... on a graduation day, no less. Though it was overcast and a little cool out, we opted to dine al fresco... capitalizing on the sudden emergence of spring, perhaps? (Before humid summer reared it's ugly head...!) So despite the lack of sunshine gracing our brunch, the restaurant was at least bustling, and the activity around the Marvin Center proved to make for great people watching. That alone should've warranted 4-stars.
But I've giving Tonic 3 stars for being an ok spot... and I think it was good enough for me to make another visit in the future. The tater tots alone would bring me back, but even the great service and attention given to us by the staff made for a totally nice experience.
I was in need of a bloody, and there was no other choice than the "muy caliente bloody," which had enough "caliente" to last me the whole day. (I hit the gym afterward and had the best arm workout ever--ha! No doubt - an effect of Tonic's muy caliente...!) My friend had the bacon bloody, and she loved every bit of it -- down the olives at the bottom. (Which, when she finally got to them, made it seem like Christmas morning for her. Seriously. *raise-eyebrow*)
The food was great. As per usual, we wanted pan cakes for brunch, but with all the other great stuff on the menu we couldn't waste the experience on pancakes alone. Thankfully - Tonic offers pancakes as a side, which was the perfect solution. I ended up with eggs benedict; my "go to" brunch dish. Happy to say it did not disappoint. The eggs were poached nicely, hollandaise didn't overpower, and who doesn't love a nice slab of Canadian bacon?! Throw-in a side of tots, and I was set until dinner. (No seriously, I was.) Friend's face lit up when she saw "chorizo" on the menu, so she went for the Rio Grande scramble --which I'm assuming she enjoyed a lot.
Would definitely consider going back to try dinner. The menu seems pretty diverse enough that there would surely be something for everyone. And the restaurant itself is pretty huge. Growing up in the area, and before Quigley's Pharmacy turned in to Tonic, I always had an idea that the space inside would be tiny. Not the case. The dining area inside is decent, with a nice-looking bar. And it continues upstairs (which you have to go through for the restrooms). Upstairs seems more appropriate for a more subdued dining experience, while downstairs would be perfect to watch games on the TVs. Again, something for everyone.
Overall, happy with the experience. Hope to go back to check out what the place has to offer for dinner and/or happy hour, too.
$4 beers and wines during happy hour. $6 totchos and nachos. $4 tots. AND MY FAVORITE: 75 cent wings (6 minimum) in BBQ, spicy, or Old Bay (dry). This place is a great BANG for your buck.
Lemme tell ya, 75 cent is not a GREAT deal, but they give great wing. I stick to the BBQ and spicy (they're not too spicy). I don't like the Old Bay. I used to order in from Wings over Washington (WOW) all the time, but then I got sick of their crappy customer service and sub par people skills (in phone, and in person). So, Tonic it is.
For everything else, it's not too unfairly priced--about what you'd expect in DC area. You see a lot of GW students here, and you also see a lot of yuppies. But you can sit outside and people watch your little heart out.
I gave it 3 stars because i couldn't give it 2.5 Â I should probably return and try it again sometime, but my first experience wasn't enough to make me want to return regularly.
We went yesterday, friday night before a show at the kennedy center. Â It was a much more affordable option than half of the other things closer to the kennedy center and as we took the metro we were excited to be able to have some drinks.
It was busy but not offensively so. Â We sat downstairs at the bar. Â It's a really comfortable environment, it's fun without being cluttered and has a classic feel feel. Â When i came in i was really excited it seemed like a perfect place to chill.
Although the other patrons were pleasant. Â The bartender seemed to make a judgement about me as soon as i sat down with my friend. Â I was able to get a drink from her but after that It became a game between us to get her to come over and take our food order. It's a good thing we came to the bar as early as we did or we would never had made the show. Â She seemed to stop at everyone multiple times but we were the only ones who had to flag her down. Â Lucky for her the drinks were awesome and she was really good at making them. Delicious, they have a specialty cocktail made with Dickel's that was off the chain. Â They have another drink that was made with muddled basil that was also delicious. Â I wish i had time to have more drinks, but like i said, it took waaaay too long for me to run up my tab.
The food, on the other hand, was meh, i got the lamb burger, and everything about it screamed frozen to me. Â I was really disappointed as i was in that bizarre state of hungriness that normally makes even the most mediocre of food seem palatable. Â the burger was not worth the cost, i would have been more fulfilled eating one of the tater tot appetizers. Â
oh well, maybe next time i make it out to the theater i'll stop by again and see if anythings improved. Â Also they get a thumbs up for having their live music be upstairs and optional.
Pretty good first experience. Went on a recommendation from an old coworker. They've got a good selection of beers on draft and in the bottle. Very nice atmosphere, and the staff was friendly. My lambuger was very good (perhaps a bit too heavy on the raw red onions), and we enjoyed the patio seating in a pretty neighborhood. Will return.
Review Source:This is a warning to women who go to this bar - there is a creepy 30-40 year old man (hispanic I believe?) who fondles asses. I'm kicking myself for not punching him out/calling the cops on him after he fondled my ass a couple of times. The first time, I thought, it's just his knee, i guess??? the bar was crowded. I, being the acculturated person that I am, assumed that it was incidental. Then it felt like it wasn't, so I looked sideways at him. and he stopped. then it happened again. and I looked at him - I should have said something, but I didn't because I didn't really believe it was happening - that some strange man was fondling my ass in public! Then I kept my eye on him and when I saw his arm reach out a 3rd time, i finally got it in my head that he was a creep, and asked my friend to switch spots. At which point, the creep bolted and the bar tender came up and told me that guy is a known creep in the bar. WHAT?? and you just let him come in without saying anything??!!
Anyway, if something feels not right, say something, ladies. Loudly. Don't let the creep get away with this anymore.
Besides the creepy man, the bar is great. I just wanted to get your attention with the low ratings so someone else will be bold enough to call this guy out when I did not.
I would've given 3 stars, but I have to go with 1.
I was in the area for training, and decided to meet a friend for lunch. Â I went to Tonic once, for lunch a few years ago, and I remembered it being decent, so we decided to go there. Â I ordered the Pittsburgh Corned Beef sandwich, and she had a salad with crabcake. Â She loved her salad and crabcake. Â My sandwich was really good, and the fries were good too. Â Service was a little slow, and I had to be back to my training within 45 min, so by the time we ordered and got our food, I had about 20 min left to eat and walk back. Â I cut about 1/3 of the sandwich to eat, and was going to save the rest for later. Â
As I was prepping my sandwich to go, and closing the container, I noticed a dime-sized spot of mold on my bread! Â I am always ready to snap a picture, but was so distraught I didn't even get one. Â First, I asked my friend if what I saw was mold. Â Her eyes opened so wide, I didn't even need a response. Â So as the waiter was charging our card, I calmly walked over to show him my sandwich and asked him if it was mold. Â He immediately took the sandwich and apologized and called his manager. Â The manager came over and apologized again and offered to get me something else to take home. Â Disgusted and in a rush, I declined. Â Of course they didn't charge us for that. Â They seemed genuinely apologetic about the whole thing, so I wasn't upset about it at all. Â But I really wanted that sandwich!
Watching Michigan beat Syracuse in the NCAA tournament here. Â Service was fantastic, and the food was decent.
If you haven't heard already, try their tator tots. Â It's essentially like a nacho dish, but with tator tots substituted for chips. Â Pretty decent and unique. Â Seating is fairly limited though, but a solid bar atmosphere. Â Lots of GW students as well. Â Good place!
We were starving and Tonic was the closest restaurant from our hotel. The decoration and the vibe were great. Â Our bartender was very friendly and helpful. Â We ordered a Totchos (crispy tots with your typical nachos toppings: beef, chicken, guac, salsa and sourcream) and a meat loaf meal. Totchos: yum yum yum! the tots were super crispy, the chicken was so tender, everything just goes well together for such an odd combination. 5 stars for that. The meat loaf and potatoes were some of the best I've had.
A little pricey however hence the 4 star rating. I would go during happy hour or lunch for sure next time.
I like that they have a good beer selection, and their brunch is top notch. On the other hand, their happy hour and dinner food is mediocre, and their prices are a bit too high for what you are getting. The only other bar within a couple blocks though is a TGIFriday, so I usually go here when I don't feel like venturing very far.
Review Source:I've been here for lunch and drinks (both separately and simultaneously).
It is central to GW's campus, but not entirely GW students. Â It's okay to be a grown up and eat there!
Bar food is better than healthy-ish salads (duh).
Also went there with a large group of co-workers for a going away party and they were very accommodating and let us take over the 3rd floor. Â Event coordinator was very good to work with.
I'd heard mixed things about the Happy Hour at Tonic, but it turns out the negatives were pretty unfounded. Happy-hour Totchos are winners! The plate of food that you get is enormous, and it is LOADED with goodies. This isn't just a plate of tater tots (good tots by the way) with some dipping sauces, no-no-no.
Huge plate of tots, with a large scoop of guac, salsa, sour cream, beef, and chicken. It would be a great deal/meal with just the guac/salsa/sour cream, but they throw in two heaping scoops of meat too!?
The totchos impressed me a lot. I also enjoyed their Old Bay wings, they were crispy the way they should be. The beer situation was good, but a little irritating. The third floor is the place to be if you have any people with you, as there's plenty of seating space. However, all the draft beers are down on the first floor, so you have to go down and order and bring back up. You also need to have separate tabs running on the 1st and 3rd floor for your beers/foods, which can be annoying.
Overall still a very positive experience. I find it very likely that I'll be back.
Meh, I've experienced better.
Located smack dab in the middle of GW campus, it's not a typical undergrad bar - it's a bit more trendy. In a tall, skinny, brink building, Tonic has a tiny outdoor space as well as 2 indoor levels. My boyfriend and I went there for happy hour/dinner one night. The space in the bar was very tight. Once we did find a spot however, we ordered some drinks. The drinks during happy hour are ok: $4 beers and wines.
The food, however, leaves something to be desired. The tots are on the spendy side for just tots. Not to mention the rest of the dinner menu is on the spendy side too. $15 for a burger or salad? Not terribly worth it in my opinion. I'd say stick to the happy hour.
The waitstaff I am indifferent about. We were served promptly but sort of emotionless. There was no chit-chat or smiles - just business.
Overall, great location and happy hour, but slightly overpriced and apathetic waiters.
Meh.
The tots are great and it's pretty much your run of the mill pub aside from that. Service is up in the air. One time I had a waiter who was so impatient he literally huffed and threw the ketchup at me when I asked for it for my fries. Another time I had a waiter named Casey (?) who was so pleasant.
Usually a hangout for GWU students so I try to avoid it but it is conveniently located near Foggy Bottom.
Happy Hour: Tuesday @ 7PM - FAILED! Bar area was all booked with quite little space.
WHO in their right mind would pay $8 for a small bowl of tater tots? Well, i guess my boss but she was more hungry than sane I believe. Yes, they're crispy. No difference than Burger King's tater tots. I think the bulk of the price is really paying for the three sauces provided which are chipotle-honey mustard, cajun remoulade & 3 pepper aioli.
Service: Friendly, management caters well to customer's complaint
Price: Overpriced for portion
Ordered: Bang Bang Salad - sub with Ahi Tuna (the plate was huge but the food was
half that size with five tiny pieces of Ahi Tuna). What in the world?
Ambiance: Brick walls, urban theme
I kind of don't even want to write this review. I really hate writing bad reviews, I'd much rather celebrate my favorite meals. But this was just so unbelievably bad I feel like I should warn any other vegetarians off of coming here for the food.
Just switched jobs and was hoping I could make this place my new HH place because I had heard that the Mt. Pleasant location had a fantastic vegan menu.
Sadly the vegan menu is no longer at either location. And I wouldn't shed any tears about it except that they have a BEAUTIFULLY curated beer list. Obviously whoever runs the bar really knows what they're doing. I wish I could say the same about the kitchen.
I wasn't excited about a portobello burger to begin with (seriously, who still thinks that a mushroom on bun is a legit vegetarian option???). But when it arrived to the table I thought maybe I had somehow gotten off the metro at a TGI Friday's in Kansas where they think this kind of thing is acceptable to deliver to any table just because someone orders the "vegetarian option": what arrived was the most pathetic, anemic little mushroom I've ever seen, stuffed into a pita with a red pepper, and served with NOTHING on the side.
Even worse, it was $13.
Grab a beer and some tots, but definitely don't come here expecting real food.
I came here for one drink during a pub crawl so this review is limited in scope but can provide some insight as to the decor and clientele.
The bar was very nice with beautiful brick wall behind it and there seemed to be a rustic theme. Â The crowd on a late Saturday night was more upscale than many of the other bars in the area and it did not look like it catered to the younger crowd as drinks were fairly expensive. Â
The drink list is expansive and the bartender was generally friendly. Â The food looked good but also very mainstream. Â I have no reason to really go back but I would if I were in the area.
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