Old Town Alexandria recommendations
 

Husband and I are headed to VA for a weekend in April. Would like hotel or B&B near King St. metro so if anyone has any recommendations....I will also look at Trip Advisor. Will probably visit friends in DC/Silver Spring one night but looking for restaurant recommendations for the other. No chains please and would like to be walkable area in Old Town.

This is a well-trod topic. Put Alexandria in the search and you will get loads of information.

Just a quick list: Embassy Suites, Hilton, Hampton Inn, Residence Inn. All of these are basically right at the King Street metro. Residence Inn would be the farthest away at about 3 blocks. The nicest hotel in OT is the Morrison, which is about a 10 minute walk from the metro.

Restaurant reccommendations: Cafe Marianna (you'll need a cab, but worth it); Santa Fe East (straight down King Street, but on a side street. You'll see it from the main road); The Warehouse (seafood); The Majestic (only problem with this place is that the tables are practically on top of each other and the staff hovers constantly. Great food, though). The Warehouse and Majestic are both on King Street.

Santa Fe East is closed. The space is now a highly recommended restaurant called Restaurant Eve (110 S. Pitt St). Vermillion, on King St. is also good.

I can't believe Santa Fe East is closed. One of the better restaurants in OT, which is awash in mediocre places. Ah well.

I strongly recommend the Morrison House which is about 1 block off King Street. It's the best in OT as Ann41 mentions.

Le Refuge is my favorite little French restaurant on Washington St, a block off King. You'll need to make a reservation. Great food, but not pricy.

If you like brew pubs, there's one on King Street that has great beer. Can't recall the name, but just follow the yeast smells. ((b))

just know that if you have a hotel near the metro, you are about 14 blocks to the interesting part of Alexandria - I didn't know that and boy was it a walk!

Isn't there a shuttle from the King Street Metro to Old Town? ((b))

Budman - the brew pub is called Founders.

If you like tapas, there's a good place on King St called Las Tapas. There's also a good Italian place called Geranio's.

Karen

there's not a shuttle that I know of - you can take a taxi but it's about $10 each way.

I thought I remembered some sort of transportation from the King Street Metro to Old Town:

http://www.dashbus.com/

kaudrey, yes, that's the place. Although you can order dinners there, I remember it as a place for burgers/apps/finger foods.

Las Tapas is also great for dinner. ((b))

The OP did say "no chains, please"...

Thanks for these suggestions...keep 'em coming! We are staying at Residence Inn. I like the idea of the Tapas place and Le Refuge as we were in Paris in FEb so it would be nice to have some good French food...

Le Refuge is great- small but bustling and intimate at the same time. We go there every year for our anniversary which falls around Halloween and the waiters dress up in costume. Food is very good, wine list is good.
We love Stardust, but it is not exactly in Old Town proper; it is a few blocks away. Great innovative food and fun colorful atmosphere, great service too. They have a website.

On weekends -- Friday 7 pm - midnight; Sat. 10 am - midnight; Sun. 11 am - 10 pm there is a free bus from the King St. metro to Market Square in Old Town. It is the Dash About bus and they are all painted making them easier to spot.

Unless you have mobility problems, walking from the metro all of the way to the river (which means you will have traveled all of the way through OT) will only take you 20 minutes at the most. And it's a lovely, interesting walk unless it's raining.

How about 'Union Street Public House'on Union Street?
We are staying at the Embassy Suites in mid May and planned to go there for dinner. Gift Certificate from our daughter.

I haven't been to the USPH, but I think I'll try it the next time I'm in town. ((b))

I'd also recommend Union St Public House, as well as the Austin Grill on King St. It is a local chain (about 7 locations) but has such a fun atmosphere and the swirl margaritas are great!

Another fun place is the Fish Market on King St. Go on a Fri night (if in town) to listen to the piano player. I can't remember if this type of entertainment is called anything - it's not dueling pianos because there's only one guy playing/singing but he takes requests and engages the audience.

The Union St Pub House is quite good. Very crowded and noisy on the weekends as they have a big bar. Try to sit upstairs if you are eating a meal.

Karen

My recommendation would be Morrison House for both accommodation & dining - if your budget allows. The Elysium Restaurant is a fixed price menu, however. It's awesome - to say the least - but the Grille Room is less formal and the food is just as good. This is where many famous people stay when in D.C. A family member was a chef there and did Newt Gingrich's wedding a few years back! Beautiful place.
We have also stayed at the Holiday Inn and it was pretty OK - less expensive and close to everything. There are many good places to eat and countless good "watering holes". The Warehouse is great. Austin Grille is good.

I really like Union Street, but usually eat in the bar area. The bowtie pasta salad is to die for.

I live near Old Town, and the French restaurants I frequent are Le Gaulois, Bistrot Lafayette, and Le Refuge. There are some others, but these are my favorites.

Of the above 3, I would say that Bistrot Lafayette has the best food, Le Refuge has the most Parisian-like setting, and Le Gaulois has a lovely patio/garden for al fresco dining (weather permitting).

Other suggestions for Old Town are:

- Restaurant Eve (hottest restaurant in OT offering modern American food, with a tasting room that is gaining critical raves)

- Geranio (Nice, rather upscale Italian)

- Landini Brothers (more homey and moderately-priced Italian)

- Blue Point Grill (great for seafood and Sunday brunch)

- Mischa's (great little coffee house with some very strong brews -- rte 66 is my fav -- and good pastries)

- Farmers Market at Market Square (outdoor market with baked goods, crafts, produce, flowers and some times live music; open early Sat morning until around 10:30 am)

It looks like we may be having dinner Fri & Sat nite w/ friends in MD - probably Bethesda or maybe even down in DC. So that leaves us lunches only - which of these places does lunch? Le Refuge? Stardust? Tapas? Bistro Lafayette?
Bluefish Grill sounds like it might work for Sunday brunch unless someone else has another suggestion

Most places in Old Town are open for lunch on Sat -- Bistrot Lafayette and Le Refuge definitely are. Some restaurants are closed on Sun, but there are a few places open for brunch. Another option for brunch if you don't want to go to Blue Point Grill (more on the expensive side) is Southside 815. They serve a southern style brunch with items like eggs benedict made with tasso ham and corn bread, pecan pancakes and sweet potato biscuits. But I prefer Blue Point with its bellinis, lobster BLTs and chocolate molten cake (yummy).