Evening Star Cafe

Located in quaint Del Rey, Evening Star reflects the locality — it is both low-​key and comfortable yet trendy and modern.
The boyfriend celebrated his birthday dinner here, and Natalie, our waitress, took such good care of our group! She double-​checked who the birthday was for when she introduced herself to our table, and seamlessly prepared and brought out the dessert that I ordered with my reservation, topped with a candle for a nice touch!
As for the beers, the list is sure to please anyone in your group — you can opt for tasters or full-​sizes. I ordered the Pepper Crusted Tuna — the steak was meaty and perfectly cooked with an assertive pepper crust that contrasted very well with a bed of cool snap pea and mint purée and quinoa. I had a lovely time, and will definitely be back!

I’ve lived behind the evening star for about 3 months. My apartment was in the house on the 3^rd floor. It recently caught fire. Accidents happen. I went to evening star today for brunch my girlfriend and I went their to meet with my parents. We were signing the new lease together and enjoying the company of one another. I got the country fried steak and eggs combo. Delicious is what it was. I’ve never eaten at the evening star before today. I’ve been missing out on a great thing for so long. When it came time to foot the bill we were told please don’t worry about it. I’m super appreciative of their gesture and they have a customer for life. The evening star will forever be in my thoughts. Thank you so much!

We stopped in for brunch here because another place we wanted to try was so packed. The service was great. We were seated very quickly and sat inside.
I got the chorizo hash and my boyfriend got the duck hash. The duck was definitely better. My chorizo and potatoes were kinda dry, even for a hash. I ordered a side of the red pepper aioli (already comes on the duck hash) for my chorizo hash and it was better.
The orange juice was super fresh and so was the orange jam that they served us with our toast. Both delicious.

I have been in here a few times and the food at brunch is always good. Tonight I was left with a really bad impression. My friends and I wanted to go to front porch (in the same building and owned by the same people) but they were completely full. The host recommend we go to evening star instead. Our group was 5 adults and a child. At evening star they refused to push together 2 tables and also refused to bring us a bourbon slushie from the bar in the same building. We left, without ordering. If you don’t want our business my money works elsewhere.

Went here for dinner with friends and meal was very good. Arugula and apple salad to start was fantastic — most of the produce came from the rooftop garden. Entrée of seared tuna with mint sauce was also delicious — tuna was well-​cooked and mint was an unusual pairing but very good. We loved the huge range of craft beers. Service was also very good. Only downside was that we went right when they opened at 5:30 and they weren’t ready to seat us. Otherwise, I probably would have given this five stars. Would definitely recommend this place and go there again myself.

I can’t believe Evening Star has such wishy-​washy reviews! I go there regularly with friends and enjoy it ⁹⁄₁₀ times! The coffee is great and the service is almost always spot on. Sometimes it can take a while to get the check but it’s usually not that bad.
What does kinda stink is the noise level. It can get more than a little noisy and can sometimes get in the way of conversation. So maybe deduct half a star for that.
If you do go here get the duck hash. It’s absolutely incredible. And the newer sausage biscuits aren’t too shabby either!

This past weekend I went for brunch at Evening Star Café. It was packed and we got the last table they had left inside. My friend and I both ordered the blood orange mimosas. They took a little while to come out, but our waitress apologized for the delay and said the bartender was still working on making them (which I was utterly perplexed as to where the bartender was because the bartender was not visible in the area we were seated in!). However, it was worth the short wait because they were quite tasty.
We placed our order, my friend ordered the pimento cheese benedict, while I ordered the blueberry pancakes. We also added on a glazed doughnut to share. The doughnut was a great addition as it was warm and so delicious! Our food came out pretty quickly and I really enjoyed my blueberry pancakes, which had whipped brown sugar cream and toasted pecans, although I did have to wait for our waitress to come back to ask for some syrup because that wasn’t originally brought out with the pancakes. My friend said that she liked the pimento cheese benedict, although it was a little too runny and the english muffins needed to be a little thicker to be able to soak up everything because it made it a bit hard to eat. She also commented that the lightly dressed side salad was a nice accompaniment.
I also liked that they gave us a carafe of water, more restaurants need to take a page from Evening Star Café and put extra water on the table.
Our waitress was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. The one downside I would note is because it is an open floor plan with the entire café just being one open space, it was a bit noisy. However, the food was very reasonably priced for the entrees we ordered and tasty. I would go back to Evening Star Café again for brunch in the future. Overall, I would rate it at 3.5 stars.

Just an update. I had the brunch there on Sunday. I’ve been coming to Evening Star for about 8 or so years and though it’s been hit or miss with its seasonal menu, the brunch was on par with the best food I’ve had in there.
Definitely worth giving brunch a try if brunch is your bag.

I’ve had dinner and breakfast at Evening Star Café. This review is for breakfast because I can’t remember what I ate when I went there for dinner. That’s not a comment about the drinks, just showing my age.
Two of our three orders were made incorrectly but the staff was very quick and gracious to bring out the correct orders. I had the breakfast burrito. It was flavorful and perfectly portioned. It came with some greens which made me feel better about myself for devouring the entire burrito. My friends had egg dishes that came with toast. The toast was the star of the table for me. I don’t know where that bread came from but I’m sure glad that it did. The jam that came with it was outstanding. We also shared an order of pancakes and they were exactly what you want from pancakes. Filling but not heavy. I also had one of the blood orange mimosas which was good.
Overall, a satisfactory experience. It’s a great spot in a lovely neighborhood so I do encourage everyone to try it out at least once.

Tried Evening Star for brunch, which is admittedly, my least favorite meal, but is a darn social institution so I do it.
Happily, they serve the full menu at the attached bar, the Majestic, so my friend and I didn’t have to wait. The full menu though, is overly egg focused and is small, so if you’re like me, and want the lunch half of brunch, I wouldn’t recommend coming here.
I ordered the prosciutto and goat cheese salad. It was good, but small for the price. I was still hungry after finishing. My friend ordered the burger, which came with some nice crispy fries — she said it was a pretty standard burger, nothing to write home about.
Our bartender was super nice and had to double as the waiter for the whole area so I was impressed with his service but I’m food focused and so will be skipping this for future forced brunches.

Evening Star is hands down, one of my favorite local restaurants. It offers a unique experience with the wine/​beer shop next door, equipped with a very knowledgeable gentlemen who will help you pick a delicious bottle of wine that can be brought right to your table.
The menu changes daily based on what’s available seasonally and they also offer a family style option which is really fun when enjoying a girls night out or a double date with friends.
Evening Star is the perfect date spot. Pick a bottle of wine, enjoy a cozy home cooked style meal and bring your date to the Majestic Lounge for a night-​cap. Winning!

Man, I used to love the Evening Star.
It used to have great fried chicken and other Southernish entrees that made gave me fits when I was trying to decide which great entrée to order. But — with the new menu — the last few visits have given me fits trying to find something edible to order.
The «smalls» are the worst combination of weird but bland. Fava been hummus? Broccoli Salad? Curried Cauliflower Soup? These words don’t exactly send my heart racing. I have tried most of them during my last 3 visits, and they might be prepared perfectly. They just don’t … taste like much. Sure, the pork belly and gnocchi are fine — but they are nothing to write home about at these prices and in this market.
And, while I used to make meals of the «smalls,» my dissatisfaction with them has forced me more and more to the «plates.» Again, they leave me — and I assume their preparer — uninspired. Grilled Salmon? Grilled Steak? Fettucine Alfredo? What is this? Denny’s?
Again, they all were fine. But, at these prices, Applebees is pretty competitive — and with just as much (or as little — or sadly maybe even more) soul.
The Majestic Lounge still is amazing, and its bar menu hearkens back to the good ol’ days at ES. If you’re looking for good food and even better beer, I suggest you go to the bar in the back — somehow, they still serve the fried chicken back there.

Like some of the other posters, Evening Star was the site of previous pleasurable dining experiences for me. I was greatly looking forward to a visit last Thursday, and I was sorely disappointed.
I set dinner reservations for a party of three at 7pm on a Thursday on just the day prior. I was surprised that the time slot was available. Upon getting to the restaurant, it was nearly empty, with just two other parties in the dining room.
We started with the pork belly with brussel sprouts and the polenta. The pork belly and brussel sprouts was the best dish of the night, truthfully. The pork belly pieces were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with a flavorful spice blend. The sprouts were crisp and toasted and delicious. Everything was great on that dish. The polenta was flavorless, unfortunately. It came with several toppings: radishes, shallots, broccoli. We ate the toppings, but there was plenty of polenta left. It was enough for our server to notice. She asked if we liked it, and we had to tell her the truth… No. Our server did not seem surprised. The polenta was taken off of our tab, which was much appreciated.
The entrees came up next: a pork loin for me, and the strip steak for the other two members of my party. My pork loin was fine. It was cooked nicely, and I enjoyed the side of spaetzle and cabbage. Both steaks were ordered medium well. Now for me personally, I’ll never order a steak cooked more than medium. I don’t see the point of steak cooked past that point. But, I tried it, and it looked and tasted well done. Additionally, the side of potatoes with a fennel sauce was very underwhelming. The potatoes were on the underdone side, and the fennel sauce wasn’t very flavorful.
It was a little bit of an occasion, so desserts were in order. Our server recommended the root vegetable cake, which did not disappoint at all. We also ordered two scoops of ice cream for the table.
The two things that carried over from my previous trips to Evening Star were the service and the beer selection. Both have remained at the very high level set from earlier visits. The back bar (and upstairs bar) remain a go-​to meeting place for me and my friends. Unfortunately, the quality of the menu (and the execution) has taken a hit.
I really enjoyed the niche that Evening Star used to fill… a high-​end Southern comfort cooking type menu. I know that there’s been some turnover, and I hope they land on their feet soon. It’s a good restaurant, in a good location, in a good neighborhood.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend dining here at this time… but, still stop in for a drink!

I will start by saying this used to be one of my favorite brunch places, but after the dinner experience we had on Friday evening, I’m not sure we’ll be back.
My parents were visiting from out of town and we were excited to share this local gem with them. My mom and I ordered beers, my fiancé ordered a cocktail. We had a hummus to start since we were really hungry. My dad ordered the chicken roulade and his was by far the best dish that anyone ordered. Even though the portion size was small, he was happy with it.
My mom had the seared Atlantic Salmon and I knew from the look on her face she didn’t like it — but nice, midwestern people are polite so she waited until we were alone later to say it was terrible. It didn’t even look appetizing — and the beet/​lentil stew was strange and unappealing.
My fettuccine alfredo was HUGELY underwhelming and teeny tiny. I was still hungry after the meal — thankfully there were many Christmas cookies at home.
My fiancé ordered the duck cassoulet, a small portion that he said «came with beans and sadness.»
Our bill was large, our stomachs were empty and we left Evening Star a little dead on the inside.

The brunch food here was solid for the price, and didn’t have a long wait for a table. I can’t actually remember what it is that I ordered (hence the four stars instead of five). The options on the menu all looked good and moderately inventive. Overall, a pleasant brunch.

I ordered the poached eggs with hash browns and mixed greens and then got a side of bacon. I was very happy with all of them.
This place can poach an egg. They have bacon that is so thick that even when it is crispy you still have to chew it. Their iced tea is also good, and their brunch prices are just right.
I came for a nice slow brunch of eggs and reading, they made my morning much more pleasant and personable.
I’ll remember this place the next time my girlfriend gets her nails done.

I think that «A-​Ok» is a perfect way to describe Evening Star Café. I’d actually heard about them before I ever dined there and I’ll admit, while the food wasn’t bad, I was a little disappointed based on what I’d read.
Full disclosure — I’ve only dined at the bar and at the bar area upstairs — I’ve been there twice because a friend’s band was playing.
They have a great beer selection. Tons of options on draft and they offer $ 2 off certain drafts during happy hour. I forget what I ordered the time before, but this past visit I ordered the Schafly Pumpkin (yes, I ordered pumpkin beer in August. I became «that girl»).
I’ve had a variety of items from their menu. My personal favorite is the fried brie — nice, crispy brie (not greasy) accompanied by toasted bread and pepper jelly. A great appetizer. This past time I had the pulled pork sliders. Not bad, not wonderful. I’d order them again. The time before that, I had a burger. Again, nothing sticks out as being fabulous but nothing bad. Hence, the «A-​OK» rating. I will return and keep eating there as long as my friend’s band plays there… not sure I’d make a special trip there for any other reason, though.

So so. The catfish was alright, ditto for the pork loin. Fired chicken looked juicy but I didn’t try it. Then again, if you mess up fried chicken you shouldn’t be in the food business.
Service was attentive.

This is my go to spot for a casual brunch in Alexandria. I always get the Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwich, and even though it’s simple, it’s quite possibly the best I’ve ever had! The French toasts are delicious too. I’m a huge fan of bloody marys and they never fail at Evening Star Café. I love how it comes garnished with bacon and a mini grilled cheese.
Although the place is pretty small, I’ve never waited more than 30 mins for seating. The servers are really friendly and accommodating. I recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy a quality brunch outside of DC.

Evening Star is a place that I really want to like, but I left feeling there was something to be desired.
Food — I had the Carolina Gold Rice Risotto and it was nice but not what I quite expected… a lil more on the mushy side ($ 9 half /​$ 17 full size).
Also, they give you complimentary bread & pretzel balls. It didn’t come out until about 15 minutes after we sat down.
Drinks — I really enjoyed my Blushed Monk beer: light with raspberry. But for $ 12 and a smaller glass I wasn’t fond of that.
It’s a nice spot to try if you’re in the area, but I would look at restaurants in Old Town Alexandria too.