Lost Dog Cafe

This menu is overwhelming. I don’t want that to be taken as a strict critique though. I always end up ordering the same couple sandwiches because they’re so good. The beer selection is always good, not even including the retail area. Love it.

Been back a dozen times and this place deserves a solid 5 stars. Great people working there and I’ve never had a bad experience.
The food is really good all across the board, but the sandwiches are out of this world. Try the Sammy’s Club, or The President.

A friend suggested we hit up this newer location of the Lost Dog Café off N. Henry outside of Old Town, Alexandria. For a random Tuesday night around 8pm, the place was buzzing with locals looking for a good sandwich.
Everyone’s sandwich was really good (I had the El Bandito) and the Italian Fries were super tasty although not worth the $ 2.95 upcharge. The menu, however, is a mess. It’s a huge mish-​mash of foods including pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. It really needs to be pared down.
Despite the stellar quality of the food, the beer selection, which they are known for, was disappointing. I ordered two beers, both of which were no longer available. I was really surprised to see them pushing Schlafly beers on tap as their «featured» brew. I’m from Kansas City — Schlafly is just a stone’s throw down I-​70 for me. Show me Port City or Old Ox as your featured draft, not somewhere 1000 miles away, and most definitely not for $ 7 bucks.
This location is situated in a really posh complex adjacent from some swanky condos. Across the street, however, is a pretty rough neighborhood. Alexandria PD was out in force when I visited. Not sure if this is a constant presence or not, but you are definitely better off parking as close as you can to avoid the walk up N. Henry.
I’ll definitely go again when I’m back in town. LDC has tremendous upside with great food. Still a couple things to work out before going «all-​in» for four or five stars.

One of my favorite stops when in the DC/​Alexandria area. Wide selection of sandwiches and pizza, as well as a 30 or so beers on tap. Great service, family-​friendly, and an awesome story behind the «why.» Takes all cards and have cold beer/​wine to go.

Love this place. Have been several times to pick up dinner to go. This was our first time dinning in. Beer selection is solid, sandwiches are all great and tonight I tried a pizza which did not disappoint. Kids menu is ok but do not come with any sides so that was annoying. Drought root beer is really good.
I had the Pit Bull Pizza tonight but have had The Cowboy sandwich in the past and a few others. Wife had the Bow Wow and has been here for

I got the the veggie pizza. I totally recommend u getting it, the cheese is melted to perfection. The crust has a nice crunch to it also. If u are into something meaty, u can also add chicken if u wish.

Not going to be a great review, but it wasn’t awful. This seems to be the kind of place where, depending on someones mood can be rated high or low. To start, the service is slow. Not bad, but one of those situations where you can tell that they probably don’t have enough staff for volume, and it’s not that the waiters aren’t doing a great job, but that they’re just pushed to the max.
The menu has a ton of variety. Over 50 sandwiches, 20 different types of pizza, salads, soups, and of course, the ability to build your own pizza. Sometimes variety is good, but if I’ve learned anything from chef Gordon Ramsey, it’s that in the resturant business, more isn’t always better.
My wife went with a soup and salad, I was torn between the buffalo chicken sandwich and trying one of the pizza. Menu says that they were made famous for their pizza, so I went with an indiviual pizza. I will say that it is nice to be able to order an invidual sized pizza rather than trying to negotiate with other people for pizza flavors.
I got the Pit Bull Pizza. spicy marinara, jalapeño peppers, pepperoni, salami, and ham. It comes with red onions and I decied to hold off on those. The pizza itself wasn’t bad. It came very hot, the spicyness cut through dough, which I thought was pretty bland. It ran around 11 $ for it. The personal size came with 4 slices which were a little smaller than an average plate. If there is a next time, I’ll be trying the buffalo chicken sandwich and fries.

I want to like this place. Still do. Food is pretty good. I like being able to design my own pizza or sandwich. I like having a lot of options (though I wish the menu was more organized).
But I have found myself disliking the service, in one way or another, every time I go. One time it was painfully slow, one time we were ignored for extended periods and they overcharged the tip (which we went back and they corrected), and most recently, our waiter was exceptionally rude.
I will grant that we arrived at 10:20 on 11/​12, Lost Dog closes at 11, so cutting it a *little* close. Sandwiches don’t take that long to order, make, and eat, just saying. We got out of there by 11:04, but upon being seated the waiter made a point to say, «It’s really too bad we aren’t open past 11…» Ok. The guy is a comedian. Rude, but we overlooked it. Strike one.
He had to return twice to get our order, which was a meatball sub and a turkey and cheese sub with fries, but hey, the menu is huge. He was frustrated with us and made it even more clear by pushing drinks on us not once, but multiple times in a, «you know we have sodas too, right?» kind of fashion when we asked for water. We get it. You want a bigger tip. Strike two.
Final straw of the night came when, as I was about to take the last three bites of my sub he walks up and asks if the food is good. Yes, I say. He looks right at me goes, «I love the meatball sub, but it’s so big… I can’t ever finish it… I have to waddle out…» and proceeds to mimic waddling as he walks away. I’m taking my last bite. It tastes bitter. Strike three.
I really don’t need this kind of sass when I’m paying top dollar for a meatball sub. The place ain’t cheap.
But, seriously, if you want a tip to make it worth your while to work until 11, be nice to the patrons. If you want us to hurry, offer to help us navigate the menu, or advise us kindly that the kitchen closes at a certain time (if that is the case). Be helpful, not rude. Otherwise, we might be sure to skip the tip or not come back at all.

This establishment closed early and the employees have no problem using their middle finger. I found this it after 30 minutes of wait time. Even as I write this post they should be open according to the front door signage.

I wanted to like this place more as there aren’t a ton of options in the area. The French place is way overpriced for bar snacking and drinks, Mason is decent but not a daily thing, and the menu here is huge, offering a ton of selections.
I like the staff behind the bar as they’re attentive (as long as the servers aren’t talking to them about whatever video they pulled up on their phone) but that may be a captive audience thing. Service that I observed going to tables seemed apathetic at worst, cursory at best.
They’ve got a great thing going with the sole exception of pricing. Way too much for not enough on my plate. It’s somehow a better value to get a sandwich at Starbuck’s, and that scares me. I know that I’ve recently moved here from the beer center of the country. And I understand that this is an up-​and-​coming neighborhood, but police activity in the area tells me that paying $ 20 for a sandwich (no side?), fries (was charged a la carte) and a beer (starting at $ 6.50) is something that I’d expect in either downtown DC or the overpriced tourist roshambo that is King St in Old Town. Hell, I can get a drink, burger, fries and a shake at the Four Seasons restaurant in Georgetown for $ 21 at lunch.
Given that less-​than-​stellar service quality, I suppose you could save the tip by ordering your food to go, but you shouldn’t have to. I can’t find an inherent value to what is evidently a chain masquerading as a neighborhood spot. +1 star for donating some of your proceeds to animals.

Terrible frozen food! Totally don’t mind being clawed a food snob on this one.
Nothing «IItalian» about those fries (I know because I was in Italy 2 weeks ago). They were undercooked, soggy and clearly from your grocers freezer (not even Costco). I wouldn’t recommend the nachos either. My sandwich didn’t have the mushrooms that I requested but I was expecting that disappointment. I saw another patron’s pizza and that looked bad also.

Local establishment with a cause. If you’re into that, check this place out. I’ve been twice now and both times, I thought the sandwiches were decent. My first time I got a chicken salad sandwich (the San diego) and it was really just ok. Avocado, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, on wheat berry bread.
For me, the sandwich menu is so overwhelming that this place can’t be a regular standby. Let me tell you a quick story to demonstrate how extensive their menu is.
One afternoon, I decided to walk the 15 minutes to this location. Side note: I was trying to win a fitbit challenge. That didn’t happen, but I was pretty darn close. Back to the point. Before I left the office, I settled on a sandwich my Co worker raved about: the coyote. Lean roast beef, LTO, hot peppers, zesty horseradiah, melted cheese on toasted sub.
While walking, I decided to call ahead for pick up. But I couldn’t access the menu on my phone to remember the name. When the employee answered, I tell him my problem and he graciously agrees to help. I tell him what’s on the sandwich, and he doesn’t know it. He puts me on hold, comes back with a name and description that is not correct. I tell him, it’s hot, has roast beef, zesty horseradish, etc. Puts me on hold again. Finally comes back with the right answer!
But that begs the question. When is a menu too long? When some guests get overwhelmed by the number of items? When your employees can’t easily memorize the options? Or when there are so many sandwiches with zesty horseradish sauce that they can get confused with something else?
The sandwich was tasty but it didn’t blow my mind. The sauce wasn’t too overwhelming for someone who doesn’t usually pick that type. It may be months before I go back, but I’d probably get something else.
It would be great if the menu was categorized by sandwich type, hot or cold, vegetarian, etc. That would get rid of the need to read each description on the menu when you’re inside the restaurant. The online menu has pictures. Sandwiches are served a la carte so be prepared to shell out extra money if you want a side. Apparently, there is difference in cost between chips and a pickle versus just chips. Keep your pickle, Lost Dog. I don’t need it.

My sister and I only ate here because it was right by her place and we were starving. The food was bland and it had no flavor. I got a spinach pita sandwich. It had olives, cheese, and tomatoes in it. It listed all my favorite things, but it tasted mehhh… The more I ate it and the fuller I got, the more I realized that the food got more and more tasteless.
I also ordered a side of fries… Which I thought was the best part of the meal.
My sister and I were freezing, so we ordered a tomato bisque to share and we regretted it.
I would describe everything on their menu ad bland.

This place is right across my apartment. I literally take 10 steps and I’m in the restaurant. Thus, I foresee myself eating here often. However, I do want to say that I will probably be eating here more due to the sort walking convince rather than their food.
I started my meal off with a bowl of the tomato bisque. I don’t recommend this soup.
I then ordered the turkey Ruben. when I think of a Ruben sandwich I think of a soft rye bread crisped to perfection. I picture some cabbage wilted to sweet and buttery sauerkraut. I also picture warm crisp meat.
The turkey Ruben is more of a turkey sandwich than a Ruben sandwich. I was kind of disappointed.
I also ordered a side of fries. They were the best part of my meal.

Overall, very average. I was running around Old Town Alexandria with my boyfriend, and we decided to head to Lost Dog for a quick bite. I’ve heard Lost Dog before from friends and strangers who frequented the Arlington and Dunn Loring locations, but this was the first time I ever stepped foot in a Lost Dog Café.
Their menu is overwhelming. Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, soups, it goes on and on. And the beer list is even more extensive. I opted for the Avo-​Dogo salad, which consisted of their homemade chicken or tuna salad (I chose chicken), mixed with your usual salad greens, tomatoes, onions, and sliced avocado. The salad comes with balsamic vinaigrette.
For $ 10.95, this is a very average salad. Salads at restaurants are typically overpriced, but I felt like I was eating a salad I could whip up myself. The lettuce looked like it came straight out of a bag from a typical supermarket, the onions weren’t even completed sliced for me (looked like a banana, all the onion slices were connected at the top), and even the chicken salad was just alright. It was a fine salad but it’s nothing to write home about. My boyfriend thought his pizza was average too.
Our server was very nice though. Accommodated our requests politely and was a sweetheart about everything. I wouldn’t mind coming back for a quick bite, but I wouldn’t go out of my way. I do respect that they donate some of their profits to rescue animals.

I meh about says it all with this place. I must say up front that my experience was ruined by one of the worst servers I’ve had in years. She was absolutely clueless. My girlfriend asked her about vegetarian options and she made suggestion that as it turns out prominently features meat. That kind of set the tone for our whole experience.
First I really don’t think this place knows what it wants to be. Is it a take out place? Is it a delivery place? Is it a dine in place? Who knows, certainly not the staff. They’ve crammed too many tables in for it to be comfortable. Combined with the slow and error plagued service it’s not a place worth returning to. Sometimes in these situations the payoff is a good product. Why else would they be busy? Sadly no. The pizza wasn’t good. It was OK, certainly not awful but a damn sight short of acceptable. Adding in the price point only makes the situation more depressing. Maybe they’ll be better in a while but I probably won’t be back to see. ²⁄₅.

I must admit, I am slowly getting addicted to Lost Dog Café. I mean, what’s not to like? At least a dozen craft beers on tap, a plethora of delicious sandwiches of countless varieties, good pizza on whole wheat crust, and affordable prices darn it! Lost Dog you are quickly becoming one of my weekly destinations.
On our most recent visit we tried the Apollo salad, which was great. The salad was huge, which you would expect for $ 12.95. It’s a greek based salad, but comes loaded with chicken that had been cut into strips, blackened, and grilled. I must say it was a good salad, not an over-​the-​top delicious salad, but it hit the spot.
As far as sandwiches go. I do love me a good Italian sandwich, salami, prosciutto, soppressata, you name it, and indeed they have it here, but I oped for the «Grown Up Grilled Cheese.» It was right up my alley. Thick, but not too think whole grain bread, nice a toasty, melted cheddar cheese, slices of tomato, and to top it all off they tossed in a few slices of avocado. Now, that’s what I’m talking about. This paired perfectly with my Three Stars Ghost IPA!
As you can imagine, I’m a fan of Lost Dog Café. We’ve been to the Alexandria location three times now after they opened and have enjoyed every visit. Now the question is, do I start a Unilocal challenge to try every sandwich on their menu? Tempting!

After hearing that a Lost Dog Café location was opening up in Old Town, I was excited to give it a try. I phoned in my order for takeout late on a Saturday afternoon. It was ready for me when I arrived about 15 minutes later and I was able to pick it up with no problems.
I ordered the Shelter Dog Pie. The vegetables were nice and fresh and the cheese was chewy. I wasn’t too impressed by the crust though — it was slightly soggy and was falling apart as I ate it.
Pizza was pretty good. Not entirely sure if it was worth the price though — at Lost Dog you’re paying a bit more than other places in the area. I wasn’t terribly impressed by the pizza, but given that they just opened recently, it was decent enough that I’d be willing to give it (or one of their sandwiches) another try.

Pizza and a Restaurant that donates part of its profits to rescue dogs and cats: It doesn’t get much better than that in my book. I have wanted to try this place out for some time now, and I was pleased to discover that I had beat the Friday Happy Hour crowd to the punch by 45 minutes; in other words, open seats at the bar, score! The owner/​manager was very helpful, directing me to a crisp Mama’s Little Yella Pils beer which was a great way to kick off the weekend. He also pointed out some of their more popular gourmet pizzas, but I loved the fact that I could create my own delicious pie.
So a gourmet pizza with extra cheese and mushrooms soon graced my plate, and I was rocking a big pizza smile. The manager informed me that I really needed to let my pizza cool for a few moments or its warm blanket of cheese would slide off the crust. I told him not to worry; after all, this wasn’t my first pizza rodeo. A few minutes later, my pizza – combination of tangy cheese and sweet crust – was a slice of perfection, Yum!
My experience with the service was also quite good. My bartender JC was friendly, and several of the servers helped me select the perfect T-​shirt. Everything was so cool at the Lost Dog Café that I know I will return to this one; however, I will make sure that I get here before the crowds roll in on the weekend. All I can say is that this is one pizza puppy that is ready to howl for the Lost Dog’s gourmet pies.

We’ve been to the original Falls Church/​Arlington location several times and were THRILLED when we heard it was coming here. We walk by here everyday going to work — danger!
They have a pretty good beer list — not as good as the other location but very decent the menu is Huge! You have to be very attentive to read through all the different options. Our first pizza was the «catachurro?» — chicken, garlic, and some other things. Tasty! The pizza we had tonight though was fantastic — build-​your-​own bacon sausage and mushrooms. The bacon was the best either of us have had on a pizza — actually delicious thickish juicy bacon, none of that crumbly crap you see at many places. Excellent! I will be getting bacon on my pizzas here from now on.
There is a large selection of sandwiches as well (is this a combo of lost dog and stray cat?) salads and pastas, and OH! Onion rings aka «dog collars» — they are crispy and scrumptious, my second favorite in Alexandria next to Bugsy’s.
It is opening week and there were some kinks — some confused orders, out of some beers. No happy hour discounts yet. But these will be worked out as they establish themselves.
Overall, I am excited for this addition to Old Town. The area around here was dead before, I hope this helps liven everything up!
If you love bacon, get it on your pizza here!