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The Commentary, Arlington, VA

The Commentary

3.7
3.7
85 Reviews
$30 and under
American
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for happy hour
  • Lively
Located in the bustling neighborhood of Ballston, The Commentary sets the tone to come together and connect over shared experiences and conversation. A new All American Eatery and Social House, The Commentary infuses East Coast ingredients with a West Coast flair. From business breakfasts to power lunches and happy hours, the dynamic space accommodates groups large and small for a variety of purposes. In our bar and lounge, enjoy shareable appetizers, shareable cocktails, local draft beers and a well rounded wine selection sure to please all palates.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 3 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–11:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–1:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (571) 505-5957
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Francecil Ponte
  • Private party facilities
    Whether you are looking for a private room for a business meeting, company or family celebration, The Commentary offers a refreshing ambiance for every occasion.
  • Private party contact
    TJ Daniels: (703) 473-3390
  • Neighborhood
    Arlington
  • Parking details
    Complimentary Valet Parking (ask your server for validation)
  • Public transit
    Two Blocks from the Ballston/MU metro stop.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 85 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.7
3.7 based on recent ratings
  • 3.9Food
  • 3.3Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 3.6Value

NoiseModerate

85 Reviews
  1. enjoygoodfood

    Washington DC

    28 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on June 9, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Horrible experience. They didn’t have enough staff so they refused to seat us outside even though we had patio seating. And then it took them 17 mins to come get our orders and then another 15 to just bring a cup of cappuccino. And the napkin was dirty.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    New York City

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 24, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Online menu was totally different from the onsite menu(s). There were 2 different onsite menus. Staff gave out wrong information about the menus, which led to a delay in ordering

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  3. TimL

    Greensboro

    23 reviews

    3.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on May 21, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    My wife and another couple visited on a Tuesday evening, expecting a very nice dining experience. When we arrived, no one greeted us. We stood by the door for several minutes until someone showed us to a booth. There were not a lot of people in the restaurant. We ordered drinks which eventually arrived, then we ordered our food. It seemed to take quite a long time for the food to arrive, although we were not in a rush. I ordered a side salad, but my pork entree arrived without it. I told the server at that point I did not want it. Our friends ordered burgers, which were large and quite good. My wife thought her spaghetti squash entree was nothing special. I enjoyed the pork loin entree, but the pork seemed a bit dry. When the check arrived, I was charged for the salad that was not delivered, and a drink one of our friends had was on our check. When we pointed this out, the server corrected the bills. Overall, the restaurant was satisfactory, but certainly nothing special, especially with the bare-minimum level of service.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place is consistently excellent! Great food, drinks and service!

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  5. HeatherG

    Philadelphia

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service had wings, dip sandwiches and burger

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  6. DAVIDW

    New Orleans

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on April 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    What a surprise treat-- it could not have been a better overall experience. The only problem was that our departure time the next day was too early to have dinner there again. Thank you!

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  7. KailinM

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Ben was an excellent server, we will definitely be back

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Coastal Georgia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was unique and delicious! The service was prompt and friendly. I would call this an adult venue. Not really appropriate for young children or babies. Great date night location.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 3, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was good, however, note that the healthier options or vegetarian options are smaller meals overall in comparison to the plated burger and fries options.

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  10. LocalYokel

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Fun spot in Ballston that was surprisingly only moderately busy on a Thursday night. The spot itself is at the bottom floor of the Westin so there's a mix of traffic from locals to convention/traveling office workers. It's fairly large so you can pick what you'd like: long tables with views of the TV or fairly private tables away from the bar area. Food was good and we particularly enjoyed the Deviled Eggs. Most exceptional was the service -- they were busy at times but remained lightening fast responding to our table for water, new drinks, etc.

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FAQs

The Commentary offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (571) 505-5957.

The Commentary is rated 3.7 stars by 85 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 3 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Commentary

801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Arlington
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Mon–Fri 6:30 am–11:00 am Sat, Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–1:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Complimentary Valet Parking (ask your server for validation)
  • Public transit
    Two Blocks from the Ballston/MU metro stop.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Francecil Ponte
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (571) 505-5957
  • Private party facilities
    Whether you are looking for a private room for a business meeting, company or family celebration, The Commentary offers a refreshing ambiance for every occasion.
  • Private party contact
    TJ Daniels: (703) 473-3390
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