Columbia is lacking non-chain restaurants. This is the main reason they get a 4, in addition to the beer selection. The food is good but I think it's overpriced. The lobster grilled cheese does have a decent bit of lobster in it and is good but for $16, I think it's too much for what it is...
Review Source:Poutine with Crab Cake Sandwich....Way too much for one person for lunch, but read so much about the poutine that I had to have it. Â And it was all it was cracked up to be. Â The fries were crispy, the cheese was creamy, the gravy was full of flavor bur not piled on so much that it made the fries a mess, and the duck meat was delicious. Â And at $9.00 I thought it was a very reasonable price.
The crab cake sammy was light and tasty, I got it with a side of jalapeno chips because I had to try them. Â The chips tasted like they came out of a bag. Â They were good, and if they were homemade they were too uniform.
Great atmosphere, wish I had one closer to home.
Bring your appetite!
Let me start off by saying I love food, I love burgers, pasta and all that good stuff. However, when my boyfriend and I came here I really wanted a salad (totally not my normal craving). So I ordered the Warm Frisee and Baby Spinach Salad, my boyfriend ordered a burger, and we both got a beer and the chicken pick up sticks to start.
So the beers came out and the chicken sticks, which was HUGE! I meal within themselves! We had a couple, they were delicious and moist, however they were extremely filling! I had to stop eating them because I was getting full (again not normal).
Then our meals came out and let me tell you, this was the BEST SALAD I HAVE EVER HAD.... no joke, I was in salad heaven! The egg on top was poached beautifully and oozed all over and the bacon with the dijon dressing and the spinach... OMG it was so good... only problem, I was full! I couldn't even put a dent in it and this NEVER happens to me, especially with a salad! I wanted to devour it so badly, but I saved it for lunch the next day.
I have been craving this salad ever since we went there! I need to go get it again with no apps to ruin my appetite!
The lobster grilled cheese is phenomenal. Â Great beer selection, speedy attentive service, lively atmosphere. Â Only complaint is that you can't call ahead to pick up food - they make you order at the bar and wait. Â I get it - they want you to buy a few beers. Â It's a pub, after all. Â Despite the sometimes space-cadet-ish hostesses, I find the interactions still pleasant enough.
Review Source:I love this place! Especially for brunch! The banana French toast is amazing and the lobster grilled cheese is TO DIE FOR! They serve one of the biggest mimosas I've have ever had at a restaurant. Not to sound like a bit of an alcoholic but, they serve it in a white wine glass instead of a champagne glass! XD
Review Source:Came here last night to entertain some clients after having come in a previous time. The restaurant was very busy, but our waitress Kelly was on top of everything. We ordered a few appetizers and a few entrees, and plenty of beer to keep everyone happy. Kelly was never more than a few seconds behind my empty water glass and was bang-on with all of her recommendations.
The buttermilk fried chicken app was good, but what this place is known for (and our best app for sure) is the Duck Fat Fries. Fresh potatoes deep fried in rendered duck fat... does life get any better? Your doctor will hate you, your taste buds will love you.
All in all, a complete turn around in service from the first time I went. I'd wholly recommend Victoria to anyone entertaining clients (or anyone hungry), so long as Kelly's at the helm!
I was very excited to come here and eat because i've heard great things from this place. I came around 8:30PM and the place was pretty empty only a couple people there. Our waiters name was Jena and let me tell you i only saw her like three times throughout my whole visit. I shared a meal with my boyfriend and its was eh okay. We ordered the Lobster Grilled Cheese and i think i didnt enjoy it because of the HORRIBLE service we recieved. Then i told her i wanted desert and she took like 20 minutes to come back and take my order. By the time she came i was just so upset i didnt want desert anymore. I mean she didnt even refill our waters ONCE since we got there! Maybe the place itself is great but the service you will recieve is the worst! i doubt i will ever be going back there, like that's how bad my experience was.
Review Source:Great food and service. Duck fat fries are a must try! They taste like regular fries but with a twist (in a good way), you can't taste duck flavor too much. Prince Edward mussels in white wine sauce is really good! The seafood and appetizers are a must. They also have a big wine menu that have some interesting blends...highly recommend!
Service was really adequate too. Waiters and nice, fast and observant. I would definitely go back again if I were nearby, it's just a bit out of the way. Wish this place was in the city! womp.
Average food, very crowded and long wait times. I know people in Columbia rave about this place, but I've tried it twice and the food is mediocre. Maybe the appeal is the drink selections and beer. I'm not sure, but I think if this restaurant was located in a different city that has less chain restaurants, it wouldn't be considered such a gem.
Review Source:I have eaten here three times on business, and just made a reservation to eat here for a business dinner in a couple of weeks. This place is consistently good. Great beer selection and good food/service. It's true that the location is inconsistent with such a fine restaurant, I can tell you however that there are a lot of companies located within a 15 minute drive and I manage to select this restaurant over others in the area because it's so good.
I am a non-meat eater and always find good choices.
This was an amazing dining experience. Great and varied beer choices with a good sampler option (which will get you quite buzzed). Small but outstanding menu. Poutine to die for (perfectly cooked fries with duck comfit and a yummy gravy) coupled with the most amazing wagyu burger (cooked just the way I wanted it too) I've ever had put this place over the top for me. Great chocolaty dessert. Good ambiance too, we asked for the section where they don't t seat families, which is a cozy little section. The place is pricy but so worth it.
Review Source:Fish & chips were not impressive. Too much breading. Cider type beer was good.
Lobster grilled cheese was really good.
Mary's gone bananas was ok, biscuit was dry.
Creamsicle was good-can't go wrong there.
Pretty pricy lunch for 2 people. Probably would not go back. Was not impressed for the price.
Paprika fries are delicious! Just an all-around good experience--good food, friendly servers, nice ambiance. Moroccan soup to start followed by two burgers. Perfectly cooked meat and perfect buns-so good! Â The chocolate praline cake will not satisfy a true chocoholic though it was interesting, next time I want to try the black and white bread pudding w/Kahlua.
Review Source:The location is bizarre for a restaurant like this because it is in a strip mall location but the facility is quite large which enables them to accommodate many people. We visited the restaurant on Mother's Day which made it quite difficult as it was just so busy - even though we had reservations it took us literally 15 minutes to be greeted at our table.
Once we were finally acknowledged, the meal was delicious and the drinks were delectable so it all worked out but the service could use some improvement and having a server with long hair it would be nice to have their hair in a bun and not a ponytail because it just doesn't look tidy.
Duck confit poutine! The cheese curds may not as close to authentic as the Canadian ingredient, but there's still cheese and the dish as a whole is fatty, fried, decadent goodness to sop up the alcohol for the beers you can sample. We were there for a Dogfish Head special night so most o hat we had was from that brewery. Â That aside, they do have a decent taps and bottles selection on any given night. Â
Great place for food and drink, neighborhood haunt or a destination to check out of you're I. This neck of the woods.
This restaurant is the quintessential definition of a gastro-pub. Â
If you break it down, this place is essentially a bar with a vast array of beer selection, wine and cocktails. Â However, they put a huge emphasis on quality dishes and I think they do an amazing job at it. Â The burgers are really good and make sure you get the duck-fat fries. Â Don't let the word "Duck-Fat" scare you. Â It doesn't taste gamey at all. Â
The vibe is good, very dark and from what I've noticed, it starts really getting crowded in the bar area after 9PM. Â A very mixed crowd, older clientele mixed with young
professionals and people on dates. Â I think it's a good mixture.
The only reason I would not give this place 5 stars is because of the prices. Â Not the price of the food or beer because that is in line with other restaurants but the cocktails are so astronomically expensive. Â Seriously, 15 dollar cocktails? Â This is not New York City, its COLUMBIA. Â One way to get around this is to go on Tuesdays when all the signature cocktails are half-off the entire day. Â They also have other specials depending on the day you go, I think one day is half-price bottle of wine.
So don't pay full price if you don't have to!
Loved it here! My cousin and his wife who are big foodies held their rehearsal dinner at Victoria Gastro Pub and I am soooo glad they did. Everything we had was delicious
First the beer menu is extensive and the wines weren't bad too. Â We started with the duck fat fries and I think I must have eaten an entire bucket myself.
For mains, my husband and I shared the crabcake and the short rib.  The crab cake  was perfectly moist and meaty.  HUGE amount of crab with the tastiest lemon aioli sauce.  The short rib was also extremely tasty.
For dessert we shared the Traditional English Trifle which was sooooo good. I am drooling as I am writing this.
I may have to drive down from NYC just to eat here and visit my cousins of course ;)
I have no idea what people see in this place. Sure it's a pretty bar with about a thousand different beers from all over the world. But besides that, I just don't s
Get the hype. I've been here twice and both times the food was just ok. First time I got the burger.. Second time I got the chicken Madeira. Both meals were heavy, overpriced and just not worthy of such a high rated establishment. Maybe it's because I'm not a rabid fan of beers. The menu is too small and boring. Plus the duck fat fries are entirely overhyped. But hey, this place does a hell of a business so there must be something special I'm not seeing or tasting.
Been here several times to eat and have never been disappointed so far.
Had the poutine fries, and they are awesome!  The lobster grilled cheese was everything I wanted and was very delicious.  Just the right amount of creaminess, lobster meat and crunch to the bread.  I also had the duck fat fries, which for me was the perfect compliment my dinner.  Beth had the mustard  crusted pork loin.  It was cooked just right, at medium rare, and the sauce was very good. Â
The only critique might be that they used a flatter plate, so that the potatoes didn't end up sitting in the sauce which made it a little to many flavors going on when you ate them. Â Overall, the foods presentation was excellent, the tastes were just as good and the service, for sitting at a bar table was everything you could want in a dinning experience. Â
A definite must for a repeat visit!
This place was pretty good, and the best thing we got was their poutine- duck fat fries loaded with gravy and confit, and cheese!!!
Their lobster grilled cheese was just OK, although it was better than I expected- lobster meat melted with a creamy cheese between two thick Texas toast style bread. Â My friend got their fish and chips which was just OK too.
We waited about 40 minutes to get seated, and after the wait, they sat us out in the tent outside but cold air was blowing underneath out table. Â We went back to the hostess, and she said we would have to wait another hour to get a table inside (no logic) but we talked to the manager and got reseated inside, thanks!
I came for the duck fat fries. They were fine, but the ones at 8407 Kitchen Bar are definitely better! I got a mushroom and swiss burger, which was appropriately cooked (I asked for medium rare and got it), but the toppings were a bit much-- piled super high. The bottom bun was super soggy and it was hard to take bites of the whole thing. Also, the pickles included were sweet, which I thought was kind of weird.
My friends enjoyed their different rostis and stuffed french toast (we were there for brunch). It was all decent, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back.
I've been here twice now and loved it both times. The half price martini happy hour night is definitely a deal worth looking into if you're a fan of cocktails and prefer to have more than one with dinner, though I caution you to bring a DD if that's the plan- they do not mix weak drinks here.
The food is delicious, I've had both breakfasty things and sampled a vast array of dinner options [it was a much larger group and we're in the habit of passing plates around the table]. The duck fat fries poutine is dreadful for you, and I love it for that. We ordered a second for the table after the first one got pretty much inhaled and the only reason we didn't just go for more of those and another two rounds of cocktails is the rest of the dinner menu is also brilliant. My own quail was delectable, though frankly the vegetables that come with the little bird are, if possible, better than the dish itself and clearly ought to be available a la carte as a side. The burger my brother ordered was a bit messy, but well worth the need for a napkin.
I'm actually just going to pause there. I realized that I was basically going to just go on a raving review of every freaking thing on the menu and that's silly. So go, I tell you! Eat cheese and gravy covered fries, swill beer and cocktails... and make sure someone responsible dries you home to food-coma afterwards.
I'm not sure if it was my expectations or that this place is just mediocre.
The duck fat fries were definitely a highlight. The burger I ordered lacked flavor and though presented beautifully, became unappealing quickly. I had a some sort of sorbet for dessert, it was refreshingly sweet.
Ambiance was nice. Very busy but cozy. Service was great.
I would go a second time to give some other menu options a try. In an effort to have this place reach my expectations.
I've probably been here about a dozen times by now. As my neighborhood hangout spot, I've been her for lunch, brunch, dinners, and countless happy hours and late night nightcaps.
Staff+Service: Always attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. It's a real treat when Victoria herself comes by during the magic hour to hand out free samples to thankful patrons. Aside from the poutine, probably the best thing about this place.
Beer & Wine: a couple dozen good brews on tap at all times, even more available in bottle form. If you love a good beer, VGP's selection will not disappoint. Blame the beer and martinis but I've never really ordered wine here. By the looks of it in their drink bible though, much like the beer, they're not hurting on selection.
Martinis: Very creative, well-composed, and 8 times out of 10, delicious. I've been to enough bars to experience (99% of the time through taking a sip of the girlfriend's) how spectacularly a martini can fail despite looking great on paper. VGP is one of the best at making a good martini both on paper and in real life execution.
Food: Poutine, poutine, POUTINE. Forget plain duck fat fries and get the poutine. This is the best thing they make overall and probably one of the best things you'll eat anywhere. Duck fat fries, duck confit, melty gruyere, duck gravy, green onions. Magical combination. I'd love to see them try this with cheese curds though. Other than that, the lobster grilled cheese and angus burgers are consistently good mainstays on the oft-changing menu.
Knocks: a bit on the pricey side, and the food can be a bit hit-or-miss at times. VGP can be very experimental, creative, and adventurous with their cuisine. If you're unsure about something, don't be afraid to ask the honest and knowledgeable staff for their opinion.
Pro-tip: Ladies (and unashamed Martini-loving-Men), go on Tuesdays for half-priced Martinis. Also, POUTINE!
Stop me if you've heard this one: a foodie from Jersey and a hippie from California walk into a bar...
We've been eating our way around DC while working on a book project. Our needs: really good food + a reasonably quiet place to talk through drafts. This was the last stop before I headed back west.
Drinks: I got a strawberry lemonade, he got peach. Peach was much better. Hopefully the refills were free, but this eventually became our downfall as...
Appetizer: ...we got those chicken sticks everyone (including the server) raves about. We couldn't figure out the fuss. They looked like lumps of chicken breast coated in something I'd make (and that's not a good thing): breadcrumbs, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute, and parmesan. No flavor stood out. Portions were too generous; between the sugary drinks and this, we were already full. This was quite the mistake, since...
Main Courses: I got the crab cake sandwich sans bun and he got a burger, (theoretically cooked medium) with truffle cheese and poutine duck fat fries.
I loved the crab cake, as it essentially crumbled into large chunks of crab with little filler. Friend pointed out that you actually want enough filler to make it a cake ;) Loved the citrus/basil overtones in the cake (not too overpowering) and in the aioli.
The poutine? Gag. Too salty ("yo, it's duck fat!") and after all those lemonades, felt too heavy.
The burger? WOW. Except for the bleeding (medium? more like rare), that was amazing quality beef. The mushrooms and onions were sauteed with wine; the flavor combo was fab. I'm not a fan of pickles, but these went quite well with the burger.
Ambience was mellow; server was enthusiastic without being annoyingly perky; appetizer was quickly served, but main courses were not (thus, not returning the burger -- it seriously needed to be cooked).
If we ever wound up here again: skip the drinks and appetizer, order the burger medium-well, and get dessert :)
I've truly never had a bad experience at Victoria's and I have been there more times than I can remember.
I like that on any given day, the crowd ranges from cute old folks who look like they just got dropped off by the assisted living bus to the barely legal couple who has never ordered alcohol legally in public. Â
I'm not sure if it is just our luck or if Victoria is very often on site. Â It seems that at least 80% of the time we are at Victoria's, she is strolling around making sure everyone is doing well. Â I like to see passion behind a business and it seems to me that she really cares about what is going on here.
Their cocktail list truly rivals any in the Columbia area. Â They have it all covered from craft beer to wine to unique cocktails. Â My only complaint is that once I begin to get attached to a favorite cocktail, they change the menu and the alternatives aren't always comparable. But, since I'm pretty adventurous in terms of alcohol, I usually find something that suits my taste. Â
I grew up on a beef cattle ranch so I'm about as picky as it gets with beef dishes. Â I must give it to Victoria's in terms of their burgers. Â Both the Wagu and the Angus burger rank pretty high amongst all the burgers I've had in my lifetime. Â A word of caution when ordering burgers...they cook them on the rare side. Â I don't mind but, my husband ordered a burger medium the other day and it was definitely medium RARE.
The lobster grilled cheese and the duck fat fries are a definite must as well.
All in all, Victoria's is a sure bet for someone looking to have a above average cocktail/drink experience coupled with great "gastro pub" type food. I would also say that their prices are right on target for an establishment of this sort.
3.5 stars for the food
4 for the drinks!
I have been waiting to come here for a long time, and finally the bf decided to take me. We sat at the bar.
The ambiance was really nice. I like the atmosphere.
We got the chicken pick up sticks and these were REALLY good. Crunchy corn meal/flour batter and the chicken was moist, which is hard to do with chicken breast. The aoli that is served with it is nothing special, but I'd order these again.
He ordered the NY strip at 28$, he likes it well done (doesn't know how to eat a real steak), it came out medium well. Whatevs. It was actually really good. I'd pay 28$ for it again. It came on a bed of beets, potatoes and some unknown sauces i could have done without. More for presentation and not the taste.
I got the chorizo blue cheese mushrooms and these were meh. Couldn't taste the chorizo or blue cheese. Just like a stuffed mushroom. But they were only 5$ and I'd probably order them again. I wasn't very hungry and got a plain Cesar salad. Nothing exciting. Nothing to even write about. The dressing didn't tickle my fancy.
Next time i will try some actual food and the duck fat fries. Someone next to me got to poutine and i was jealous! I have a feeling their actual food is prob really good.
Highlight was the drinks. They have a HUGE selection of beer. Their bartenders were knowledgeable. I started with a chipotle mango martini and this sounded better than it was. I didn't finish it. I ended up getting the Victoria which was vodka, gin, cucumber. REALLY good. I don't like sweet drinks so this was perfect. Actually not a fan of gin either but this was perfect.
He had 2 Jack and gingers and our bill was only 68 for ever thing.
I'll def come back.
Couldn't come here and not try the poutine duck fat fries that everyone talks about! Got the kobe beef burger as my entree. Both were soooo good! Top 3 burgers I've had (hard to tell which is my absolute favorite w/o a taste test). The fries were so flavorful and delicious too. For dessert, my friend ordered chocolate praline cake. I'm glad she ordered it; what an excellent choice!
Server was quick, and made good beer recommendations. Wish it wasn't so far from my house so that I could get wasted here, lol. But I do have a lifetime membership now... maybe I'll just take a cab there and sleep on the couches when I'm drunk, hahah
Warning: do not go here if you are in any way health-conscious or on a diet. Unless you want to pay like $15 for a salad.
Don't get me wrong, the food was great. I had a pumpkin soup which was delicious, and I felt like I had to try the lobster grilled cheese. I know I know, what did I expect? The name of the sandwich itself should have told me what kind of greasy mess I was getting myself into. I just wish there had been something to cut the richness of lobster and cheese.
And I agree with Lina, I would have liked to see a better restaurant week menu and more variety in general. I wouldn't mind coming back here for brunch or a second stab at dinner. Next time I'll have to try one of their many beers, too.
When I told my bf I wanted to go to Columbia for dinner, he was confused. "Columbia?
Later he told me, "I think this would be a great place to go."
And then to my cousins who met us out, "This is probably the best place in Columbia."
Fortunately, they are patient people. lol. And they agreed that it's a great option between Baltimore and DC. It was kind of hard to find because it looks like a chain, building wise, and we drove past it a few times and ended up in a fast food parking lot before actually getting to the right parking lot. The earliest reservations when my cousin called was at 9PM, and this was a Sunday.
My cousins were happily imbibing in cocktails and barely noticed we were late. Â We chatted for a bit and then got down to business ordering. Unfortunately, they were out of about 4 things that we wanted- oysters, quail, escargot, and the special, which was fish of some sort (didn't pay attention since it was gone). Our server was also pissed that we were late getting there (sorry!) but I could tell she was also really upset that they were out of so many things. The apps were great that we did get-- the cheese platter, meat platter, mushrooms, duck fat fries. I thought the fries were soggy and really greasy-- it seems that duck fat fries are kind of obligatory these days. I also had several Bloody Mary's which my cousin promised were great there, and they were pretty legit.
I actually remember bf's meal better than my own. He had this pork that came sliced thin with an apple glaze. It was really delicious. Both my male cousin and bf are particular in that they would rather have one really well made drink with good liquor, than several cheap but poorly made drinks. However, Victoria is known for their well made drinks, so the night sort of lasted a little longer than my youngest cousin (6 yrs) could take, and he fell asleep easily in the cozy booth. So also note-- the dim lighting, far spaced booths, and overall extremely quiet environment lend to an easy nap for youngsters.
This is truly a "Meh, I've experienced better" review.
I don't get the hype. Â Poutine? Cheddar or Whiz with bacon on fries works for me. Â My salad was ok. Â My oysters were great...as oysters should be. Â But I just don't get the hype.
We waited well over an hour for a table too, which probably affects my perception. Â I waited for this...with a 3 year old...really? Â I'd eat here again as nothing at all was bad, but I won't expect to be wowed.
And I ordered the Volstead Act and was hungover until 7PM the next day. Â That wouldn't have been so bad, but this was a Monday night...and my child's teachers thought I had the flu and needed to go to the doctors. Â And to top it off, I only finished it because I paid $12? $14? for it and it tastes like rubbing alcohol meets shoe polish...otherwise a good "you're only drinking this to get hammered" drink. Â Didn't realize that before I ordered.
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