Beacon Bar and Grill

Washington, DC, United States

3.4

20 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 202-872-1126
Website:
www.bbgwdc.com
Address:
1615 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC, DC, 20036
b/t N 17th St & N Bataan St
Dupont Circle
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.3 miFarragut North
0.4 miFarragut West
0.4 miDupont Circle
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Today

Today –
Local time (Washington, DC) 21:35 Wednesday, 16 July 2025

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Description

Specialties

The slightly retro-​modern restaurant successfully combines a festive, high energy two story high lounge, an open air patio, as well as an elegant dining room reminiscent of a 1930’s ocean liner providing a sense of upscale casual dining with private rooms for up to 60 people are also part of the offering.

A fusion of separate and distinctive ambient experiences compliment the hotel guest experience and serve their various dining and entertainment needs.

The lounge features creative and unique martinis and cocktails with innovative light fare. Open Wednesdays to Saturdays, this rooftop haven is a neighborhood favorite, adding local flavor to our guest experience.

History

Established in 1999.

Restaurant was completely redesigned by Walter Gagliano in 2012, and features a casual high energy lounge, dining room, patio, and rooftop Sky-​Bar open seasonally from May to October

Meet the Manager

Chef Stephen H.

Manager

With over two decades of experience in the kitchen, Chef Stephen Hunter came to BBG in 2007, after cooking in many well known restaurants around the country.

A graduate of University of Toledo, L’Academie De Cuisine, and School for American Chefs at Beringer Winery, Chef Hunter’s expertise reflects in his food at BBG. The chef is committed to buying from local producers, who meet his high quality standards and are dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture. Just this year, he has introduced a new menu that readily complements the new dining atmosphere with his own vision and re-​interpretation of American classic comfort foods that are visually stimulating and a treat to the palate.

Nearby

Near this location:
1
ft
Beacon Rooftop Sky Bar
1615 Rhode Island Ave NW
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The Beacon Hotel
1615 Rhode Island Ave NW
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Annual Best Martini in DC Contest
Beacon Bar & Grill 1615 Rhode Island Ave NW
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ft
Planet Washington
The Beacon Hotel 1615 Rhode Island Ave NW
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ft
Midas Auto Service Experts
1620 Rhode Island Ave NW
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ft
Embassy of the Philippines
1600 Massachusetts Ave NW

20 reviews of Beacon Bar and Grill

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Beacon Bar and Grill is one of the more interesting brunches I’ve had in DC.
I believe they are known for their brunch buffet.
When my friends and I (Party of 12ish) went to brunch on a Saturday we did not get the buffet. First, we were walked down some stairs and taken to a room full of mirrors sort of separated from what seemed to be everyone else dining there. I’m cool with separating a bunch of noise 20 somethings who are looking to do a bottomless brunch.
Our server, whose name I forget, was fantastic. She was constantly going down the table filling up mimosas and water. She killed it.
The food was pretty decent. The deal we had was an appetizer, and entrée, and a dessert. So it was 3 courses + bottomless for $ 29.95 which is a helllll of a deal. I got the caesar as the appetizer and was pleased. I also tried some of the Basket of Breakfast Breads and they were good as well.
I got the steak and eggs for my entrée that came with home fries. Unfortunately, I had to add a ton of salt and pepper to all of it to get any flavor. It’s such a bummer too because the steak was cooked perfect medium rare but just tasted like nothing. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their entrees though!
I’d definitely recommend this place to any fellow brunch-​goers and if/​when I come back, I’ll probably steer away from the steak. Everything else was good!
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
I arrived at the Beacon Bar and Grill with my Tinder date, who was very attractive btw. The rooftop bar had a lot of potential, but was ultimately fraught with disaster. It is unclear if the wait staff was incompetent, the rooftop bar layout inefficient, or the management absent. We were not served for over an hour. I was forced to venture into awkward conversation topics no date should ever venture towards. My God. At one point my date was even talking about her mom’s cousin’s wedding. Had it not been for her captivating eyes and a deep-​seeded desire to get laid, I would have thrown myself from fountain-​tonkling, wicker furniture-​laded roof long before we finally got served — to finally rid myself of this horrible rooftop experience. The worst part is I don’t think any of the Beacon staff would have been present to talk me down from the ledge.
Place rating: 4
Clinton, MD
My family and I went to Beacon Bar and Grill for brunch Mother’s Day Sunday. The place was packed! We had reservations at 2:30 which is the last reservation time, but we not seated until around three. That is quite a wait however, we were ensured that they were doing there best to seat us somewhere that was handicap accessible, for the older people in our party, as soon as possible. As soon as we were seated our waitress, Desi, immediately asked for identification so she could get the unlimited mimosas flowing. FYI, if you would like Bloody Mary’s they must be requested because they are made to order. The food was some of they best I have had buffet style. The stars of the buffet were the waffles, shrimp and grits and roast beef. My family enjoyed themselves and around the table the only complaint was that the salmon was a bit over cooked. Other than the salmon we loved Desi and had an amazing experience at Beacon Bar and Grill.
Thanks for reading.
«Master Mack»
Place rating: 3
Middlebury, VT
Music is not too loud… but bad sports channel choices. Probably an OK place to come with your buds after work for a drink or two. But as a solo traveller I was hoping to catch a ball game… no such luck. Food was good, beer is cold!
Place rating: 3
Boston, MA
I was really excited to try this place for Saturday brunch when I saw that open table had listed it as the best place for brunch in Washington DC. While I was definitely happy with my meal it just wasn’t a 5-​star experience in my book. The food was very good but not great. If you’re going to list a restaurant as the best for brunch in all of DC, it better equate to 5 stars.
I opted for the 3-​course meal which comes with bottomless mimosas (by far my favorite part). My glass was never empty. If the waiter saw I was halfway finished, my glass was immediately filled back up. In fact, the service in general was really good so I wanted to make sure I mentioned that. I started with the yogurt and fruit for my appetizer. It was a bit bland, to be honest. Next, I had the Mexican omelette. It had cheese, guacamole and beans and it came with potatoes. It was good but I was hoping for more and the potatoes were also a bit bland. To finish the meal I had the cheesecake which to be honest was great and, along with the endless mimosas, was my favorite part of meal. The portion is quite small however. I would have liked it to be a bit bigger.
Place rating: 2
Arlington, VA
The food is okay here, but the service is horrid. I was sitting at the bar, with only three other people and the bartender took 10 minutes to ask me what I wanted to drink. The restaurant want busy either, he just sucked at his job. When he finally delivered my drink I asked for a glass of water (shouldn’t have to ask) and then he turned his back on me when I tried to order food. I wasn’t expecting stellar service but I was hoping for decent. Definitely skip this place.
Place rating: 2
New York, NY
Friendly service, beautiful space, loved the piano player, but not very good food. Crabcakes were late and soggy, seafood enchiladas were dry and boring, salmon salad with rocket was ok. Salmon grilled just right, but the dressing was too sweet given the salad had strawberries, blueberries, and mandarin oranges. Cheesecake was below average and the apple strudel should be taken of the menu immediately, rubbery, filled with raisins. Just not edible.
Place rating: 3
Bethesda, MD
The staff is pretty friendly. We took our mother there today to celebrate her b-​day. I liked my food. My only problem is, the shrimp in the Shrimp and Grits was not done. The person cooking it must have thrown the shrimp in with the grits, thinking the grits would cook them. Well, it didn’t. They brought out another batch & I went back hoping it would be better the 2nd time, but no, plus it was cold. Eating raw shrimp can lead to illness. If I get sick, I will be contacting the manager with my attorney.
P. S. The hotel staff was very nice too!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
This brunch review has been a long time coming as I have been to Beacon Brunch multiple times. The best thing about this place is their availability, large seating areas, oh and the PRICE. I have never been to the buffet on Sunday’s as I am not convinced this is actually worth it, but the Saturday prefix is worth the money and is more than enough food!
Reservations are a good idea, but this bar has more room than you would think. Everyone has to participate and they can be slow on service, but drink fast and flag your waiter because once everyone pays you are cut off!
The three course meal is great. Starts with a soup or salad, then brunch main, and to top it off is a piece of cheese cake or chocolate cake. I always opt for the salad, it’s actually pretty good. I’ve tried the breakfast burger, Huevos, salmon eggs benny, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits (what am I missing). Tbh eggs Benny for the win — always.
Setting is in a hotel basement, unless your lucky enough to get the window tables. Great for big groups and reasonably priced! I’m not into bottomless food so this is a great alternative!
Place rating: 1
Rockville, MD
Visited today for Easter Brunch, but will not be coming back.
First off, the restaurant has an unpublished policy that if even one member of your party is late, they will not seat you. And such was the case with us. We stood in the lobby for 25 minutes when one of our number got stuck at church. This despite the fact that they had any number of open tables and sat any number of walk-​ins. All while we stood there. Without any sort of apology.
Then the service. Our waiter worked his ass off, but there were maybe 3 waiters for the entire floor. I know it’s a buffet, but still. Took us 20 minutes to get our check because our waiter was so backed up. He was breathing hard when he brought it because he was running so much.
The food itself was mediocre. Bland, uninspired and often room temperature, the buffet was just boring and nondescript. Serviceable. That’s it.
Combined with the card on our table which specifically limits the amount of time which you’re allowed to stay there (seriously), you might have the feeling that you’re dining out at iHop or Red Lobster… except that either of those has better service and hot food and is cheaper than Beacon’s $ 43/​person prices.
Clearly management here is looking to squeeze every dollar out of their patrons, rather than provide any sort of decent dining experience.
As I said, I will not return. And highly recommend that anyone reading this skip the place entirely.
Place rating: 3
Glen Allen, VA
Honestly, I was not impressed with this restaurant. I brunched here on a Sunday and was unaware that there were no a la cart items or options on the weekend. Major disappointment for someone who is eating clean but will have to pay $ 40 to eat a small plate from the buffet. I brunch often but I think this place was overrated and overpriced. Farmers, Fishers, Bakers blows them out of the water (personal opinion)!
Things I liked: Mini Belgian waffles. Mac –n– cheese. Champagne… wish there was something else for my $ 50 brunch –_​_​_​–
Yep… that about sums up my experience! They are super crowded on the weekends so unless you have a reservation, I wouldn’t even try it…
Place rating: 5
Dobbs Ferry, NY
AMAZING BRUNCH. Valentine’s brunch with my family this included children.
We made a reservation since we were visiting from out of town– We were promptly seated.
Katie, our server, kept our glasses full. I’ve had «bottomless brunch» before but at the Beacon. it was truly bottomless. KATIE YOU ROCK !!!
The food was exceptional. from the waffles and pancakes to the tenderloin and fried chicken.
The seafood paella was so so yummy. We were truly pleased with everything.
We ended the celebration with desserts. Amazing chocolate covered strawberries, tiramisu. all very tasty. The plates were always cleared away — and you never felt rushed to leave.
This is def. a must try when in DC.
We will return :)
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Two words: Sunday brunch. I’m seriously not a buffet person but this is not your normal buffet. The food is phenomenal and if you don’t leave in a food coma you did something wrong.
I went for a birthday celebration, the group was put in the small ballroom which was kind of interesting. The service was nothing fantastic and they have a really weird way of splitting checks. Make sure you have a reservation otherwise there’s little to no chance you’ll be able to enjoy!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Great brunch buffet! !! Much better than my last time, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, etc
We come to celebrate with friend’s birthday and they accommodate us right away!!!
Mimosas are good as well,
DAVID AND DESI are the greatest, best service!!!
Recommend 100%
Place rating: 4
District Heights, MD
Since the first time I have been here I have always loved this place. I’ve been here for the Sunday brunch and Saturday brunch. The Saturday brunch is pay as you go but there’s unlimited mimosas, bloody Mary’s, coffee, sodas and water of course. Both days are the same with the exception of Sunday’s have the buffet as far as food. The buffet is exceptional but they do not have a very big seafood selection. I suggest you make reservations the day prior because it does become packed. We lucked up today and got a seat at the bar. They have Tv, s near the bar and no where else. Oh and the food is great! Every thing is perfect here but I still only will give it 4 stars simply because sequoia in g-​town has a better selection including seafood. This place is still a great choice! Cheers!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
This is STRICTLY, listen, STRIIIICCCCTLLY a review for brunch at Beacon Bar & Grill. I absolutely love having brunch at Beacon. What a selection! They have brunch on Saturday and Sunday but I always prefer to go on Sunday to take part in the all you can eat selection they have for their Sunday brunch buffet. Saturday they have select menu items you can choose from that are good as well, but I want it ALL!!! The Sunday brunch is around $ 35 which includes the brunch buffet and unlimited mimosas, OH MY! :D They always have a wonderful selection, from waffles, sausage, breakfast potatoes, fried chicken, mac n cheese, salmon, and much much more. On top of that, they have a made to order omelet bar that is delicious. Those guys do a great job so please be sure to tip them if you have a few extra bucks on you. They also have yummy desserts, if you have room for it. I always have a great time when I come to Beacon for brunch and the food is always outstanding! The only thing is if you plan to take a visit to Beacon, be sure to make a reservation if you can. You may show up and have to wait almost an hour just to sit down and indulge. It is always packed! They have sitting at the bar area as well for first come first serve too, but it is a little cramped. Also, parking is a nightmare so be ready to spend almost 20 – 30 minutes just looking for parking. If you can metro, I would highly recommend it. Overall, this is my favorite brunch spot in DC. Love me some Beacon!
Favs: The Sunday brunch buffet with unlimited mimosas: D
Would Change: The wait time can be pretty extreme without reservations and the parking is nonexistent. :-/
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
I’ve gone before for the Sunday brunch and had a nice time with the unlimited mimosas.
However, last night during a friend’s birthday party, I got a different perspective of BBG. I loved the décor and how nice the secluded room we were in. They were having Salsa Dance lessons out in the common area which was really interesting to watch.
Myself and the birthday girl, ordered the Peruvian chicken but when it came, though the presentation was perfect, we cut into it and it was undercooked. The birthday girl’s chicken was so undercooked, it literally was bleeding. Mine and the young lady that sat next to me wasn’t bleeding but it was still red. Our waiter, John was really nice about it but tried to tel us, the closer it gets to being done, it gets a little red in the middle, which didn’t make much sense to any of us, but he took our plates away and allowed us to order something else.
My second plate came and this time I ordered the Braised Short Ribs with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The meal was delicious, a little under seasoned but nothing a little salt and pepper didn’t cure.
Overall, I hope to go back to the Beacon Bar and Grill and will not take this occasion as a solid impression of their food.
Place rating: 5
Aiea, HI
Love this place for brunch. It was easy to make a reservation and me and my girlfriends had an amazing Sunday brunch with unlimited mimosas for about $ 30 each. Service was excellent and the food was great. They had ALL kinds of stuff set up for the buffet, including non-​breakfast items and dessert. The waffles and omelette station were my favorite part. Absolutely loved it, except the parking. Took forever to valet and was lucky to even get in since they were near full.
There is VERY little street parking so just a head’s up.
Place rating: 4
Del Rio, TX
I had a lovely American Breakfast with my own carafe for coffee– this made me happy because I hate waiting for someone to bring me my precious nectar! My server was very pleasant. I wasn’t able to get his name but he was very humble and quiet.
The atmosphere was posh. I felt like I should have dressed for breakfast but then I saw some other people that looked more thrown together than myself!
I also had lunch there, a black bean soup. Kept me full until the evening. I look forward to seeing what happens my next visit!
Place rating: 4
Fairfax, VA
I came here with the BF for a Sunday (Labor Day weekend) boozy brunch. If it ain’t boozy, I ain’t wit the shits, to be honest. I made reservations on OpenTable for 1pm, we arrived at about 12:30 and weren’t seated until he parked the car (everyone in the party had to be there in order to be seated). I noticed it was a lot of Black gay men, then peeped the awards the restaurant won in 2007 & 2009 for «Best Gay DC,» that explains why he was whistled at when walking in. LMAO! Luckily, he’s not homophobic. Moving forward, we were seated, carded, and the mimosas were immediately poured. The only downer to this brunch was the fact that they didn’t have different flavors of mimosas, only your standard OJ. They did however have Blood Mary’s & since I’ve never had 1 before I decided to give it a whirl. Meh! Not my cup of tea. On the buffet they had…
Meats– fried chicken (crispy and flavorful), turkey sausage patties, pork sausage, bacon (perfectly cooked), roast beef (dry, but I’m not a big mad cow eater either), salmon, chipotle baked chicken…
Sides– French toast, mini waffles w/​strawberry topping & whipped cream available (tasted like a funnel cake, yum) cheesy grits (OMG! So good!), rosemary potatoes (my keen palate picked up on the rosemary, it wasn’t labeled ;)), veggie stir fry, Spanish rice, biscuits and ham gravy, made to order omelettes, diff salads, fruits, and full baked goods dessert table.
Service: Our waitress made sure our glasses were full. I don’t believe I ever saw the bottom of my glass, really. They have 3 bathrooms, so if u see a line for 1 move on to the next, it was pretty clean as well.