Cardinal Lounge

Crab cakes are out this world! traveling from Florida and they have us beat! Great ambiance drinks are wonderful. Relaxed at the lounge area.

The cardinal lounge is located inside of the Hilton airport hotel. When you travel and stay in as many hotels as I do food always seems to be hitt or miss. The cardinal lounge was pretty solid I don’t have any complaints. During breakfast hours this same location is called something totally different it’s called oak breakfast.
There was always a manager available to Seat us and one night I brought a party of eight people in and they may be accommodation to give us our own private area.
When you first walk in to the left-​hand side there will be a full bar. The cardinal has a very broad drink selection. Scotch vodka and rum. On the right-​hand side there are couches and tables where you can sit and socialize. In the back of the cardinal lounge there are all tables with candles lit on each table.
I believe I can here total of five times. The breakfast was pretty good I don’t have any complaints. One morning I had eggs Benedict and it was OK the next morning I had the breakfast buffet and it was pretty good I wish the bacon was more crispy though. The dinners were good also but I would recommend sticking to the appetizers or the small bites. The tomato and basil soup was very good here. The calamari was also. One night I did have the fish tacos and they were pretty good. I would not order the fish tacos again though. The mini cheeseburgers were on point and it seemed that a lot of people were getting them as their meal. One of the individuals that I was with got the salmon three nights in a row.
Overall the cardinal lounge is a good solid place especially for in a hotel but just like every other hotel that I go to if you spend a week eating here you know everything on the menu and you get tired of the food. I do recommend sticking with the appetizers or the small bites if you eat here.
PROS:
— good bar area

We stayed at the Hilton that houses this lounge /​restaurant for just over two weeks and visited it almost 50% of the stay to visit either the bar or the dining room. Service is very friendly and top notch. They never let your glasses go empty and there’s never a wait for a table. Cardinal occupies the evening hours while the Old Ox Grille (separate review — their buffet is best avoided) is open for the breakfast /​lunch slot. The dark paneled walls and low lighting provide an intimate atmosphere for you to enjoy your meal, snack and /​or drink. Although you can hide a lot in such lighting, everything appears clean to the standard you’d expect from a Hilton hotel.
Prices are on the high side but not steakhouse high. I love their housemade chips! Beware that they have a $ 9 appetizer with a great garlic sauce and a $ 4 side of chips. I ordered the appetizer twice in an evening for an $ 18 snack total when I meant to order the side. Drinks are restaurant pricey, around $ 7 for a non-​call drinks, $ 9 for a glass of red wine and probably a lot more for a call drink. If you have access to the executive lounge on the top floor, you’re better off getting your refreshment there. One of my co-​workers claimed the fish tacos are great. I really liked the Portobello Mushroom sandwich served open faced on flatbread with fresh slices of avocado! It was a treat to stay at a hotel where eating on site wasn’t considered a sacrifice of price and quality.

This hotel bar is located at the Hilton Dulles. We stopped in just prior to attending a fundraising event. The bartender was great, he provided us with menus and drink specials. We had a few drinks and a couple of snacks. All the food was freshly made. There was a full menu available. This lounge reminded me of a place where everyone knows your name.

Had the molasses glazed salmon with cheddar smashed potatoes and asparagus, and it really was delicious. The service is excellent; my waitress Aliya, from Indonesia, is really a sweetheart, and so was the bartender from Jamaica. I was there only for my flight layover, so I am glad the experience of just staying in for dinner was so good.

Sometimes you just don’t feel like going out after you get to the hotel. Since it was raining/​sleeting and I failed to park in the garage; this was one of those nights. And so it was that found myself at the mercy of the hotel bar; the Cardinal Lounge. First thing you notice when you walk in is that this is a dual purpose space: bar and lounge up front and restaurant style seating and service towards the back. Menu wasn’t expansive but offered good variety at ‘reasonable’ prices (this is a hotel restaurant after all). Staff was welcoming and engaging, in a very real way, not forced at all despite being somewhat overextended between tables. They have a good selection of appetizers and small plates in addition to entrees. Meal started with two fresh warm rolls I ordered the chicken salad lettuce wraps to start and was very impressed by both the quality and quantity. Chilled chicken breast in a lightly spiced and thin (but clingy) dressing with Butter Lettuce leaves, almonds and cranberries. Had a known how much food this was, I probably would have just ordered it for my meal. But I didn’t. so I had to eat my Chopped Salad too. Not that that was a chore. The chopped salad here is unique: Pasta, Romaine, Bacon, Chicken Breast, Blue Cheese, & Cabbage with their House Dressing. A nice change of pace from the ordinary.

Prime rib was great. Rolls were hot and the service on top. Couldn’t ask for anything more.