The food was very good, but the service was very bad, so 3 stars it is.
I walked in and was promptly ignored by just about everyone in the place. Servers walked by, kitchen staff, etc. I was waiting for about 5 minutes before someone came out and asked me if I wanted to be seated -- because people that don't want to be seated normally hang around the hostess stand.
I had the steak salad, it was very good -- well cooked hangar steak atop fresh greens. I also had the apple beignet for dessert -- that was AWESOME. Â Perfectly fried with whole apples rings in the dough and a great vanilla dipping sauce.
My water was empty most of the time, and the server seemed immensely unconcerned even though there was only a couple of other tables. The rest of the menu looked great, and what I did have was delicious, I think they just need a better front of the house.
My teenage daughter and I checked out Walker's Grille last Friday night. Â It was "restaurant week" so they had a special three course menu in addition to the regular one. Â The ambiance was what I expected from the web site (check that out.) Â Too cold for the outside dining area, but the outside space looks promising when warmer weather arrives.
The hostess was charming and we were seated quickly although we didn't have reservations and it was pretty crowded. Â The wait staff was attentive and professional, but not very warm. Â As a small business trying to establish rapport with the local community, I'd advise training them to be a little more friendly and engaging.
We shared a hummus appetizer which was nicely presented and tasty. Â We both had beef main courses and enjoyed them. We had an ice cream dessert that was very nice. Â Good wine list. Â Friends of ours who had been here described the food as too salty. Â In general, we didn't find that, but I'm passing this tidbit on for readers (and for the chef!) Â My daughter thought the frites were over-spiced, but I liked them. Â Nice presentation throughout. Â
After the meal we met Jason the manager, a super nice guy, and talked to him about plans for the future. Â Wine pairings? Â Entertainment? Â They are doing some of both and seem to be working hard to make this a great place to dine. Â If you live in the area, I'd definitely try this place, and keep an eye on it as it matures. Â Lots of potential.
Service was slow, considering the place wasn't very busy. I got a chicken sandwich, which was OK; the entrees were pretty pricey, so I avoided them. The steak on the salad one of my friends ordered wasn't cooked correctly, and she sent it back to be re-cooked. A bottle of wine my friends wanted was locked up (?) and they had to wait a while for it. The location of the restaurant is a little weird, too. I suspect Gordon Ramsay would have a thing or two to say about this place.
On the plus side, the desserts were really good.
Was invited to this restaurant for New Years dinner with my daughter and son-in-law, so this was my first time here and only second time hearing of this place. The server needs to return to server school and should not be allowed to deal with customers. She did not listen to our orders or was unable to understand that starters should come out before the meal and not in the middle of it. I would suggest that who is in charge of training the wait staff please try again. Customer service is your first goal and this individual (Elizabeth) was not up for the job. I would also suggest if you get this server that you speak very slowly and explain to her what you want on in what order. I do understand that it was a big night and that people tend to be demanding on holidays but this was very early in the night around 8 pm god help the folks who got there later.
The manager on duty was wonderful and she understood that this was not the way to keep new customers. She went out of her way to help us out she could have given us the starters at no cost but did not do that or the offer was not communicated very well as we turned them down. The funny thing was the server was upset with us for refusing the starters. Â
Enough about the service on to the food I would have to say the cook staff is one of the best I had the Classic Steak Frites* and really enjoyed it the meat was completed and tasted great the fries were seasoned perfectly. I also tasted the pork chop and it was very good. Over all the food was worth a second try at this place just hope the the wait staff gets more training.
Had my friends not suggested Walker's Grille for their birthday dinner last night, I would have never known it existed. Considering we had a party of 14, I was pretty impressed with our overall experience. Â The food was terrific! Â I had the sea scallops over butternut squash and pea risotto and creme brule.....PERFECTION! Â I will be back again for more scallops :)
My only complaint: Â After our dinner, our waitress gave us a comment card to complete based on our dining experience. Â We completed the card and handed it to the manager at the reception desk on our way out of the restaurant. Â As soon as we handed the manager the card, she immediately stopped us and asked us why we gave the ratings we did (we did not give poor ratings). Â I found this to be very unprofessional and felt as though she put us on the spot. Â Isn't that the reason for having a comment card? Â If you are going to ask customers point blank about their experiences, why have the cards.......Akward!
I love this place. We have been maybe 10 times and the food is always delicious and beautifully presented. The prices are very reasonable. Â Try the Texas Grilled Steak Salad or the fish special. Â They have a good selection of beers and also, make sure to complain that they no longer have the carrot cake!! It was the best dessert i have ever had.
Give it a shot for Brunch too. Â The Chicken and Waffles are my favorite. They also have Eggs Neptune which is eggs benedict with crab meat. Brunch is awesome. Especially if its a beautiful morning. you can sit out front on the patio. Hope to see you there :)
I'm used to Fast Gourmet's, located in DC's U Street Corridor, excellent version of The Cuban. Walker's Grille's Cuban was alright but was lacking. It's was overly bready and the bread was toasted too hard, which made chewing/enjoying the sandwich more labor intensive than I would have preferred. I like the softer panini style more. Also they used regular yellow mustard.
Review Source:Awesome!!
We reserved Walker's Grille last Friday night for a wedding rehearsal dinner for around 100 people. Â The environment, ambience, and work staff of the restaurant was exceptional. The quality of the food was outstanding. We had hors d'oeuvres of Asian beef and grilled chicken skewers along with fried prisciutto wrapped mozzarella caprese; they were plentiful and delicious. Â In addition to a chicken and risotto main course, we asked the owners if we could have a special dish prepared - -Alaskan King crab legs; they were able to accomodate our request and it was incredible! 75% of the guests selected the crab legs and loved them. Â All the dishes were amazing. Virtually all of our guests continually complimented me, as the host of the event, as to what an amazing and wonderful dinner we had, but in reality, I owe it all to the owners of Walker Grill - - they did a marvelous job.
Went for lunch and it was packed (good sign). Nice little bar restaurant with a modern feel. I ordered a salad with salmon and the salmon was cooked perfectly. We also ordered cheese burger sliders, but those were less impressive (actually mediocre). Their frittes (fires) were excellent. Previous reviews complained about the service but ours was very good. Worth trying if you live/work in the area
Review Source:Came here with my family and we ordered the fish and chips, salmon with couscous (I can't remember the side dish exactly), and the crab cakes with sweet potato fries and corn cole slaw.
I think our first red flag was when the waitress informed us that 3 or so dishes had already been sold out for the day (it was 7pm, and the restaurant itself didn't close until 11pm), and one dish was just no longer on the menu at all, even though the menu itself did not reflect such changes. The wait-staff itself was a bit awkward and poor. I don't know why they kept asking us if we wanted our water refilled, and then not coming back to refill our water for long periods of time. On the upside, our waitress was nice and the outdoor seating was fun.
The fish and chips were a hit-and-miss. One order was enjoyed by a family member, while the other's breading was soggy! Both agreed that the cod/whatever cut of fish they used was of mediocre quality.
The crab cakes were a great disappointment. The reviews tout a large portion, but the crab cakes themselves were actually quite small, especially considering the price. There was a large portion of sweet potato fries, but we found them soggy and hard to eat. The crab cakes also have tabasco sauce in them. I thought it might be an interesting mix, but it ended up just making the dish far too vinegary. The crab cakes were also a bit burnt on the outside and tasted very chewy, almost like artificial crab meat.
The corn cole slaw was not good. If you can, substitute out the sweet potato fries out with regular fries and the corn cole slaw with...anything else.
The salmon was alright, but the couscous was gummy, acidic and left you with a horrible aftertaste.
Quick summary: mediocre to poor food, mediocre wait staff, and nice environment.
I've been here several times and I really like it. Â I've hosted a happy hour for a co-worker and done lunches and every time has been really pleasant. Â The location is a little awkward to find. Â And I think their menu is kind of ugly.
Recently, I purchased a Groupon so I could bring the hubby (he doesn't like paying a lot for food). Â He ordered the fish and chips and I had the shrimp and grits. Â The fish and chips are really good; nice and flaky fish and not too oily. Â My shrimp and grits were really good too, but I did think it could have had more shrimp and maybe less sausage (only 3 shrimps?). Â The rosemary fries are yummy! Â Previously, I've had their scallops appetizer too...the dish itself is very good, but $12 for 3 scallops?? Â The prosciutto wrapped mozzarella is super good! Â Service is decent, nothing fabulous.
This place is in a really odd location and as such I was very suspicious that this would be some curdy hotel restaurant. I was proven so wrong. One of the best meals in a very peaceful location with a very cool and friendly staff. I wish I could get a groupon for this place every month. I will be back, it's worth every penny.
Review Source:Walker's Grille has a strange location. Â It appears to be in an office building near a medical complex. Â It also happens to be down the street from my house. Â So that's a bonus. Â
Let me just get this out front. Â Terrible waitstaff, or understaffed. Â I can't figure it out. Â Been here twice, once busy once not busy, and I couldn't get my water refilled for ten minutes. Â It's amazing, sometimes what a little common sense can get you.
Anyway, now that my only negative of this place is out, I'll start on the food. Â I've had some soup and chili there, both top notch, and two different entrees cooked perfectly. Â I can't believe how amazing the food is, coupled with the slow unprepared service. Â
If the time I went it was busy and the service was slow I would understand but, that's not the case. Â I hope to god the owner fixes these problems, because the food is amazing here. Â
Ok, sorry another rant, i just hate slow service! Â
The atmosphere is soothing, and very modern. Â It almost feels like the place can turn into a trendy nightclub, after 10 pm. Â They have a pretty long bar on one side, of the restaurant, which adds a cool feel to the place. Â The outdoor patio looks amazing during the warmer spring days. Â
The clientele, seems to be rich white older people, so if you're not prepared, beware. Â Food prices are in line with Luckys, and Macaroni grill which are down the street on Manchester. Â Although I'll say Lucky's is amazing as well, Macaroni grill is pretty good too.
The menu is American fare, with burgers, sandwiches and some fried treats, all done up into a nice little plate of art. Â They aren't stingy on sides, but their soup and chili bowls could be larger for the price. Â
Overall I cringe when i think of how poorly the servers are handling such wonderful food. Â I watched a family of 4 with two kids sit for 7 minutes before anyone approached them with water... Â
Priceless art being put into someones attic is the best way i can describe this place.
Walker's Grille best feature is its outdoor dining. Â They have a large place right out front to dine under the stars. Â And don't worry if there is a little nip in the air after the sun goes down. Â They have several professionally installed heaters above you (vs. the big gas heaters that other places wheel out on cold nights) Â
The menu has a lot of choices but my favorite thing to get at Walker's is the hummus appetizer. Â Weird I know. Â The hummus trio comes with roasted red pepper hummus (pretty darn good), a cilantro lime hummus (not good...) and a beet hummus (the best thing ever). Â I do not eat beats...and it is a stretch for me to eat hummus, so I knew I would not like the beet hummus. Â But I was feeling a bit adventurous so I decided to dip a piece of my pita bread into the bright purple hummus. Â IT WAS DELICOUS! Â It's the best hummus I have ever had. Â Do yourself a favor when ordering this...ask for extra beet hummus instead of the lime cilantro hummus which quite frankly is awful.
I have had the sliders here which are great. Â I wish they would offer a slider combo so you can try all three of their selections. Â But unfortunately they do not. Â I got the fried chicken dinner and it was so much, I had to take half of it home. Â I have also gotten the grilled chicken dish with vegetables where the whole dish was swimming in butter (which sometimes can be a good thing, but this time it was a bit much). Â Pass on the fish and chips. Â
The atmosphere inside is neat (the bathrooms are super cool) but they haven't really mastered the "mood" at Walker's. Â We had to ask for them to dim the lights over dinner because it was like we were sitting under spotlights while we dined. Â
Bottom Line: Go to Walkers to eat outside. Â Inside will leave you kind of blah. Â Enjoying a few appetizers and drinks outside is what makes Walker's a return place to dine and hang out. Â I would love to see them add fire pits around some of their outdoor sofas. Â Try the hummus. Â Plenty of parking.
I was very impressed by this restaurant. Â I purchased the Groupon for it a while back and we finally used it last weekend. The decor was nice- it felt like a mix of an African Safari and a lounge. Â We were sat at a table for two which I'm not usually a fan of, but there was at least a 1.5 foot gap between us and the tables on either side of us so I didn't feel like my neighbor was sitting on my lap or listening in on our conversation.
I agree, the menus DO need to be updated. Â The place has a classy feel but the menus make it feel like a Red Robin. Â We started with the frites for an appetizer. Â These were AMAZING, and the dipping sauces were great. Â I got the Chicken Francaise for dinner and my boyfriend got their chicken special with a couscous salad. Both meals were excellent. Â The portions were large, as well.
Our waiter was very attentive, but not to the point of being overly attentive. Â I will definitely be back!
A while back, I nabbed a Living Social deal for Walker's Grille. Unlike most of the deals I purchase, I was not about to let this one expire! I wasn't sure how packed it was going to be on a Sat night, so I decided to make last minute reservations on Open Table. We ended up getting there 15 min early since WG is right around the corner from our house. I was hoping they would be able to seat us early, however, when we got there, the dining area and bar area were packed. We ended up sitting down about 5 minutes after our reservation. They were also very apologetic about the wait. No big deal. My husband got drinks from the bar to enjoy while we waited. They ended up seating us at a two-top in the bar area. Since this was a casual dinner for us, I didn't mind it. The bartender, Jarod, ended up being our server. He was fabulous the entire evening!
To start off our locally grown, all natural, sustainable meal, we decided to order the calamari. When it first came out, the portion size looked very large. But in reality, it just had extra fried cornmeal batter. I wouldn't care if it was just a few pieces, but they were all over the plate. I'm not sure why they think I would want to eat this. The calamari came with two dipping sauces, sweet chili and a Tabasco tartar sauce. The dish was okay, but I don't think I would get it again.
For our entrees, I decided to go big and order the Porterhouse steak special. Right before ordering, my husband and I got into a debate about the t-bone and porterhouse. He said the t-bone also had a piece of tenderloin. I was for sure he was wrong, that I made a bet with him. Sadly, I lost =( I did learn that the difference between them is that the t-bone contains a wee bit of tenderloin. Thankfully we had this discussion prior to our meals, because when I got my steak, I definitely questioned whether or not it truly was a Porterhouse. As you can see from the picture I took, there was not much tenderloin. The other issue I had with it, was that the steak was cut pretty thin. The porterhouse steaks I've gotten in the past were at least an inch thick. This steak was more like 1/2 in. to 3/4? Also, I requested the steak to be cooked medium rare, but a majority of it was medium. Overall, I was disappointed with the dish.
As for my husband, he decided to get the bison burger, which was one of the specials. It comes with regular fries, but my husband decided to sub for sweet potato fries. When the food came out, his plate had regular french fries. We notified our server, and he immediately put the rush order in. The sweet potato fries were horrible. They were shriveled up and chewy. My guess is they overcooked it. Thankfully, our server did not charge us for them. We ended up just eating the regular fries, and they were actually pretty good. The burger itself was cooked and seasoned well. It says it comes on a brioche bun, but the bun my husband looked and felt more like a potato roll. It wasn't thick and sturdy like a brioche bun. Maybe they ran out of brioche buns? Their regular burgers are served on a potato kaiser roll hmm....But in any case, at least the burger was tasty.
So a little more misses than hits our first time, but I like their concept and the staff was friendly. Hopefully they'll make some tweaks and the next time I come here (thinking of trying the brunch), my experience will be much better.
I purchased a Groupon for Walker's Grille and we finally got to use it last night. Â My husband order the crab cake and I had the duck. Â Both dishes were excellent and other dishes on the menu looked very tasty too.
I've read a lot of negatives about the wait staff in the other reviews. Â We didn't really experience that...maybe they've figured that out by now. Â We did, however, go at 5 p.m. on a President's day and there were only 2 other tables filled at that time. Â Our meals came out hot and pretty quickly.
The restaurant is close to us with not a lot of other options besides chain restaurants, so I think we will definitely go back.
We live very close to Walkers Grille - and it's encouraging to see a new restaurant make a solid effort in this area.
I think this place has a lot of potential - the food is pretty good, the ambience is good, and they are in a location that is starved for good food (sorry for the bad pun). Â
My biggest critique with Walkers Grille is the wait staff. Â Another reviewer described it well in saying "it was clunky" - and yes, it seems like they haven't quite figured out how to do that side of things well yet. Â
I'm not sure if the management is listening, but here are some suggestions:
- Your menu is butt-ugly. Â You have a lot of great things to show off, and a good story to tell. Â The menu and the way that it is visually presented feels more diner-esque. Â The decor is seemingly more hip and upper-mid scale, but the menu gives you this "what?" reaction where you then need to work hard to believe that there's good stuff to be found. Â
- The wait staff kept interrupting and asking "can I fill this water for you?". Â Just fill the water - there's no need to interrupt customer conversations. Â
- My waitress didn't really know what was on the menu, and showed no enthusiasm for the dining experience. Â I asked her recommendations, and she looked at me weird (like "why are you asking me.... it's all there"), and mumbled something like "um, yeah, most everything is pretty good. Â what did you have in mind?" Â
- When we got there, you were out of kids' menus. Â The person who seated us said that our waiter would help us know what was on the kids' menu. Â It took us about 4 tries and several odd looks from our waitress to help her understand that we didn't need the kids menu (though the coloring stuff would have been nice) - we just wanted to know what was on it so we could order something
- Service was very slow. Food came out slow, and not altogether warm. Â It seemed like the kitchen logistics weren't fully worked out, and that our food was not timed to come out at about the same time. Â
... and I could go on more. Â Basically, the food is pretty good, and I appreciate that it's locally sourced. Â Walkers's Grille, you can do way better. Â I'm rooting for you!
After reading some of the other reviews, I notice that folks are really rooting for this place and I can't blame them. It's a noble cause -- locally sourced, fresh food that's accessible with some creative twists -- and it's certainly why I went with 2 wee ones, my wife and father-in-law.
The Pros:
Nice space. The place is about half bar area and half dining area with tables and booths. They are separated by the bar, so each side becomes a bit more intimate and the sound is sequestered. There's outside seating that would be better for cocktails or dinner with friends than a romantic date (the restaurant sits just off Beulah St, which can be busy). Nice atmosphere.
A promising menu. There are standards (fried chicken, fish and chips, burgers, buttered homemade noodles for kids) and then there are classics (trout en papillote, steak and frites) and then there are originals (apple beet soup, Ritz cracker stuffed rockfish). All meat/sefood is locally sourced. Great fries.
A decent wine list -- a bit pricey, $30 and up, for unpretentious fare but a good size list. Decent beer selection. All menus are online.
Friendly staff. Waitress was helpful and patient.
The Cons:
Service. Something was going on that baffles me. It wasn't that busy yet everything that came out was slightly warm, nothing came out hot. Even my espresso was almost room temp. Could be just the wait staff and the kitchen staff getting in the groove but it seems like it's a pattern that needs to be resolved quickly.
Execution. While nothing was a major negative it was a bunch of small things, details that take you from good to great., a one-time visit to a regular customer. Steak and frites was excellent but my daughter asked for medium and got medium rare. It was better med rare and my daughter didn't care but some people do. My fish in the fish and chips were cooked too long -- batter was just this side of burnt and since everything was tepid, it would have been easy to throw another piece in the fryer and get it right. Apple beet soup was interesting and the flavor profile worked but it looked like chunky raspberry sherbet and the mouth feel was uncomfortable at best, especially lukewarm.
Takeaway:
I'll go back to see if they iron out some of these things. I mean the place isn't cheap, so my feeling is, if you're going to charge above average prices, customers should expect above average service, atmosphere and execution.
And the bar is an oasis in strip mall heaven.
Really liked this place. Â Went for a late lunch with the fam so it was slow which meant service was great! Â Food was really good too, some original twists on standards like the fried cheese with "proscuitto" (aka Virginia Ham). Â Yummy. Â
Loved all the food we ordered and we will definitely be back. Â Hopefully this will give Bonefish and Mike's American a run for the money in the area. Â There isn't much around here and it's refreshing to see a new place that's worth it. Â
Decor is AWESOME. Â Love the lighting, wood and bathrooms! Â LOL Â Would bring my kids here in nice weather to sit outside, but probably not inside, unless it was off hours. Â
Dessert menu was only okay, not too enticing but will probably try at some point.
I've been to Walker's Grille, maybe four times and I'll be back.
The Service: Â Sometimes the intention and personality of the wait staff is better than the execution. Â The wait staff has always been wonderful in the personality department. Â The first few times, I have no complaints. This last time, while our waiter was congenial, he was not attentive and we had to have someone get him for us a few times. Â I actually think he was also serving as bartender! Â There were five of us, so we needed a full-time waiter to assist us.
Happy Hour ends at 7pm, which gave us plenty of time to take advantage of the $4 well drinks, $4 beer on tap (only two) and $2 off the appetizers. Â Speaking of appetizers - I absolutely LOVE the scallops. Â The first time they were served the beet puree and this last time with rutabaga puree. Â Listen, for years I've said I didn't like beets, but I realized I was basing that on pickled beets and I've never tasted rutabaga before. Â They were fantastic! I took the chance on the rutabaga puree, based on the success with the beet puree. Â The leeks and citrus beurre blanc were a perfect accompaniment and I don't usually order scallops because I'm usually disappointed.
Which is worse, to order a steak and find out that the restaurant doesn't have steak sauce or to be charged $3 for steak sauce? I'm still trying to decide because I've experienced both. Â Walker's Grille hit me with the, "We don't carry steak sauce, but the chef can whip something up for you..." Â A restaurant that serves at least three cuts of steak and doesn't serve steak sauce? Â I find that to be totally arrogant. While the rib-eye steak was good, it would have been to my preference to have it accompanied with steak sauce. Â The sauce created by the chef had the chipotle barbeque sauce in it - I don't like chipotle, so..... Â I have had steaks that did not need, nor did I want steak sauce - Walker's Grille is not on that list for me. Â But, I will say, that I would order the steak again (with my steak sauce in a flask) and I won't order the steak at Mike's again.
I've also had the Clear Springs Trout en Papillote. Â The bag was cut open at the table and I expected an assault of flavorful aroma to waft up... nothing. Â It was ok, on the bland side.
The Desserts: Â I have not had great luck with desserts here. Â I've gotten a berry concoction that was horrible - no longer on menu, but might be gone due to the season. Beware, if it makes another appearance. Â
The pineapple upside-down cake was soulless. Â Absolutely, soulless. I should have known, not to bother when it came with caramel topping and Chantilly cream. Â But, no, I went for it when I found out that I could get it sans caramel and the cream came on the side. Â It was so sad to see, I didn't want to harm it any further by tasting it, but I was encouraged to give it a go. Â It didn't have any of that old time magic - nothing moist about it, the pineapple was thin and dry - the cake looked to be spice cake. Â Don't try to improve on a classic, if you've never had it made properly! The chef should just claim, that they've never had it before, whether it's true or not. So sad. Â
Stay away from the carrot cake. Â
I didn't try the apple beignets, but they were so drowned with sugar, that there was no way I could try them. Â I'm told they were good, but too much sugar. Â It seems there were slices of apple, surrounded by batter and deep fried to order. If that's so, order them with less sugar. The sauce was very good, I'm told. Â Enough to share - they were huge and you get four.
Chocolate mousse - very good, very rich, can be shared.
Walker's Brownie Sundae - thoroughly enjoyed by those who had it. Â Unless I get suckered into trying something else, this is my go to (but, only to share).
Walker's Grille is a great addition to the Kingstowne area. Â We will go back for sure!
I want to like Walker's Grille because the food is pretty good and the environment is cool compared to the homey feeling of all the places in the shopping center across the street. My only problem with it is, it's a newer restaurant and each time I went the service seemed clunky like they haven't worked out service yet.
For brunch there was no host so my wife and I stood around. There were no waitstaff on the floor at the time either. Someone came out of the back I assume was the manager and sat us. He then rotated as a waiter, host, cook (he kept dipping back into the kitchen) and manager. The service wasn't bad, but it wasn't the usual restaurant experience. It was my 3rd time there and each time the feel was kind of the same.
I do recommend this place to anybody in the area though. The food and menu for dinner or brunch is amazing and the atmosphere makes for a good time
First time here, and I left with a very favorable impression. Don't let the exterior, which is located on the first floor of an office building, fool you. Quality of service and food were excellent. Order the light, crispy fried calamari appetizer (can be shared by 2-3)served with a sweet thai chili sauce and a tabasco tartar sauce. For dessert, try the warm, gooey brownie topped with a tahitian vanilla ice cream. The Angus burger was cooked to perfection; crusty on the outside and juicy on the inside, and served with a plentiful amount of well-seasoned fresh cut fries with the skin . Â Everything I ordered was fresh, top quality, well-prepared, and made in-house. And there's plenty of items that are gluten-free. What a gem!
Review Source:Was so hopeful that an upper scale restaurant was in the area. Looking so forward to a family get together with great food, service and conversation. All I can say was the conversation was good. Food was decent but the service was horrible and borderline rude. Took forever to get drinks, only took half the tables order and the real topper....one dinner was not brought out until the entire table finished. Inexcusable!
Review Source:My coworkers and i have been frequenting this establishment for lunch about once a week for the past month and a half. Â I have to say that the food and service is superior to the other establishments in the area. Â Their daily lunch specials, especially 7 dollar burger weds is an amazing bargain as well.
I've had their L'oeuf, Baja and Montblanc burgers and I have to say that these are some of the best burgers around. Â Better than BGR, Ray's, Lucky's etc. Â I'm a stickler about buns on a burger and let me just say that the onion brioche bun provides the perfect accent of flavor and holds up well to the juicy patty unlike a lot of other places where the bun just crumbles apart. Â The Bell & Evans fried chicken sandwich buffalo style is very delicious. Â The meat is never dry and if you like a nice sharp cheese the Amablu they use is delicious. Â I feel like this place is fresh of breath air in the dining scene for the area. Â Let's face it, with Springfield mall close by, flanked by Bungalow's, Chili and other typical restaurants this place is a clear outlier. Â The overall service, food preparations etc has improved since our first visit and I hope it continues the upswing. Â Always look forward to my lunches here. Â Till next time...
I want to like this place, I really do. Â That said, this was our 2nd trip (an maybe last). Â The service is just a bit off (waitress not very informed or informative, main course arrived mid appetizer.) Â That all was excusable except for the fact that the food tasted like someone just opened up the salt and pepper shaker and dumped it on the plate. Â When I mentioned it to the waitress, she didn't really acknowledge it. Â On the way out as second server asked how things were and I mentioned the seasoning issue and he made it sound like he wasn't too surprised to hear that.
It's a bit of a shame. Â I really like the fact that they use local produce and meats (this is why I really want to like the place). Â Maybe it will get better with time.
We live right down the street and pass this unassuming little gem everyday. At first glance, I thought it'd be a souless corporate cafe (the boring little place in every first floor of every big corporate park building). Then one Friday, driving home after work, I noticed that the outdoor seating area was FULL of happy people, and became curious enough to bring my wife there that Sunday for brunch.
A bit pricy, but  absolutely wonderful on the whole. The recommendations by our server were fantastic, the service was excellent (though it was dead while we ate on Sunday at 11AM, meaning we could get all the attention), and two separate managers came to ask how our experience was.
We started with Apple Beignets (the little french doughnuts), which were gently deepfried globs of apple dough, dusted with powdered sugar and sitting in caramel sauce. Guilt-ridden (and DELICIOUS) appetizer, check!
For the main course, my wife had Eggs Neptune (Eggs benedict with seasoned lump crab meat underneath), and was blown away by the quality and huge flavor. I ordered the aptly-named "Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich". Triple-decker french-toast sandwich with eggs, lettuce, tomato, applewood-smoked bacon and sweet maple aioli to dip it all in. Both dishes had a big, fresh delightful fruit skewer on the side.
Care was put into the meal and experience. They tried to impress us, and succeeded. After their genuine enthusiasm for being a new, fledgling restaurant, I promised them a personal recommendation to my friends, and on the way home decided to MAKE a Yelp account to spread the word.
TLDR: Walker's Grille at first glance seems like a boring corporate cafe, but is a most delightful neighborhood restaurant you probably didn't look twice at while driving by.
Another review said "odd atmosphere", which is an apt description. It feels sort of over-designed, and as if they thought the place was larger when they drew up the plans and then had to fit the design in to a smaller space. The tables are cramped; the kitchen doors open in to the center of the dining room so there's a constant flow of food down the middle of the place; the hostess stand takes up most of the entry area and cuts off the flow from one side to the other.
But all that said, the decor is interesting if a bit cold.
More importantly, the food was universally excellent - caveat being we had some teens with us and so ordered a bunch of bar food style appetizers. But they were elevated versions. We had all the slider variations and they were absolutely wonderful, the calamari was perfectly cooked, non-greasy, and had nice dipping sauces, and the chicken tenders were wonderful and a clear step above the typical. The fries were magnificent, greaseless, perfectly crisp, and wonderfully seasoned.
I'll look forward to going back to try the real menu which has alot of interesting choices.
Not my neighborhood, but if it was I'd be very happy that they decided to open this odd bird of a space in this odd bird of a location.
Decent food, but odd atmosphere. Tables are a bit crammed, and the restaurant staff is still figuring out the biz. We were the only table for a while with no bread. The hangar steak salad with goat cheese was delish -- props on the light vinegarette. Personal preference: skip the beets. Seemed maybe a little too pricey for the fare: $40+ for two beers and two salads, so we probably won't be back. All in all, not a bad meal.
One question, though: Am I crazy, or is the men's room visible from the women's room? It appeared like the vanity area in the restrooms is visible through two horizontal windows in the separating wall.
After eating in the bar last week I sat down in the main area and was amazed by the service!
Food was again great. The fish and chips had flakey flavorful fried fish and the Grille's fries made another appearance. Both my wife and I love these fries but I wish that chips were served with fish and chips. The fries are well seasoned and fried very well but can be very dense.
We were in a rush and didn't order dessert but the quote from the dinner was "I could order everyone of these desserts!"
Service was the biggest problem I had the last time I was here and it appears to have improved.
If the owners read this I hope that they can improve their presence on Beulah because it is a very hard restaurant to see off of the street espicially at night.
The yelp deal was also fixed so I was able to use the 10% which was nice.
Directing people here was fun. You know a brunch meetup is in trouble when I'm the first one to arrive by an hour. Charles Arrington Drive changes its name as it crosses Beulah Street, and the first building complex entrance on the right when you turn off Beulah is where this restaurant is housed.
Three and a half stars. Clean, bright interior has a welcoming feel. Service was accommodating of my desire to tan my pasty legs outside while I waited, then of my companions' distaste for the cool breeze. Attitude was a little lacking, but I'm no saint before sundown so I can forgive a dour face. No bellinis, so I rocked a forgettable mimosa before later switching to a Bloody Mary. We asked for spicy and indeed, the dregs felt like we were chugging Tabasco.
Four of us split an order of the warm apple beignets to kill time; I don't think any of us would have gone back for seconds had there been more pieces. Any hints of fruit were overwhelmed by the heavy drenching of chocolate sauce and powdered sugar. Wouldn't recommend these, unimpressive fried dough make for a sad snorlax.
Once our organizer arrived, we got to ordering grub. They were fine with adjusting the entrees for dietary restrictions. I chose the "green, eggs and ham" because I'm a Dr. Seuss geek, and Chinky beat me to claiming the l'oeuf burger. I was originally intrigued by the "shrimp and 'grits'", but the air-quotes around grits scares a Texan off easily.
Food arrived one plate at a time as the kitchen completed each order, which raised a few eyebrows but whatever. This just meant we all stole fries off Chinky's plate... and ended up ordering an extra side of them, they were that good. Just enough crisp, drained completely of grease, potato skin still on, seasoned beautifully with a touch of rosemary. As a side order, there was plenty to share amongst five. Scattering them wide across the plate was a good quality control move.
Backpedaling to the salad: nice and filling. Yeah, I'm bringing out the n-word. Even split of spinach and arugula for the greens. The "Surryano" Virginia ham, a.k.a. Yankee prosciutto, played nice with the other flavors. The North Country applewood bacon, potatoes, roasted garlic, caramelized shallots, and roasted red peppers were all diced to the same proportion-- almost awkward for the fork size, but manageable with persistence. The honey balsamic dressing was drizzled lightly, allowing me to enjoy the freshness of the ingredients. My main complaint is the fried egg on top; I like my eggs crisped and runny, and this was neither. Gimme my golden brown crackled edges!
I'd give them another shot. Sucks that they're in such a random location, but if you work/live nearby, why not?
TLDR: get the fries, skip the booze and beignets.
Holy sh*t, my GPS absolutely did not know where the hell this place was. If you rely on your GPS as much as I (apparently) do, you'll most likely get lost. The map on the yelp iPhone app was no help either. As such, you can't check in. Boo.
Tip: If you're using GPS/google directions, input "the intersection of Beulah St & Charles Arrington Dr" into your computer. As you drive toward Charles Arrington Dr, you'll see Walker's Grille on the 1st floor of the industrial park building across the street. Trust me, it'll make sense once you arrive!
I came here for brunch last weekend and had a decent experience. The food, while good, isn't astounding. The eggs florentine (see pic) were ok, but the eggs just looked too perfect. I know it sounds crazy to complain about perfect looking eggs, but I think they were poached in one of those egg cups that you place in a hot water bath. They tasted just fine, but I kind of missed the ever so slight vinegary tang that freshly poached eggs in boiling water have. Still, it was a really nice dish.
The home fries weren't great though, they were basically cut up french fries, which for me, sucked. I prefer either hash browns (grated potatoes that are crispy on top and mashed potato-y in the middle) or home fries (larger chunks of roasted potatoes). Sadly, these were neither.
The rest of my table seemed to enjoy their green eggs & ham, cheeseburger, bacon and eggs and mimosas respectively. The spicy bloody marys should be skipped though - everyone complained of the taste being WAY too overbearing and not well-balanced at all.
The service was great, the restaurant was sparkling clean and the noise levels were pretty manageable. I'll definitely be back!
For the most part I was pleasantly surprised when I had lunch here last week. Â I was dining with my father who works in the building next to Walker's Grill - for a restaurant in an office building they did it right. Â However, they have some room to improve with regard to service. Â
We decided to sit at the bar because the dining room was very open and was not catered to individual conversations - sound definitely carried. Â The bar was great - 3 wide screen TVs and comfortable seats. Â
We ordered the chicken tenders for an appetizer and then I had the blackened salmon nicoise and my father had the chopped salad. Â My only complaint is that the appetizer came out at the same time as the salads - so much for appetizer. Â I ordered my salmon cooked medium because I really dislike an over cooked salmon - I was given a weird look from the bar tender but the fish came out perfectly cooked! Â All in all the salads were flavorful. Â The bar had a nice selection - I settled on Magic Hat on tap and a water.
I would definitely go back.
I have a very mixed review of Walker's Grille. Â Nice looking place and the prices would have been reasonable had we been eating dinner and not lunch. Â Some of my issues I can partly understand since they have just opened. Â Issues like inconsistent pricing on the menu (cheese for a burger is $1.50 but $2.00 for a chicken sandwich...), overstaffing to the point where we felt like we were being stared at, etc. Â I ordered the Texas Fajita salad but ended up getting the Crispy Chicken salad which wasn't a huge deal being that it would have been my second choice and I didn't have the time to waste sending it back. Â My co-worker ordered a chicken sandwich and her fries were beyond overcooked.
So I guess the summary of this place is inconsistent food, a bit pricy for lunch, not quick (over 1hr), trendy looking and attentive service.