garden district — Restaurant in Washington

Garden District always delivers: consistently excellent food, beer, wine, service, and atmosphere. Also very dog-friendly.

They serve up some of the best BBQ around. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but their fried chicken sandwich is phenomenal (a constant craving). They have a thoughtful, intriguing, well-balanced offering of beer, and perhaps unexpectedly, a delightful and unique selection of wine, and they make an effort to secure some limited releases and other special, novel, or somewhat rare items. You can also find cider, liquor (including some approachable, good bourbon), hard seltzer, and non-alcoholic beverages on the menu.

GD are good people: the staff are welcoming, knowledgeable, and on top of it, and provide excellent, no-frills service that keeps the food and drink moving and the vibe laid back. They give a damn about their business and about you. Also, even at their busiest, the bathrooms are clean and stocked, which is a testament to their diligence and care.

With the prime location, ample outdoor space, and wide appeal of beer garden fare, GD doesn’t have to go as hard as it does. Garden District would be my go-to spot just from the dependably excellent food, drink, and convenience alone, but above all, it is their diligent and friendly staff and the easy, convivial environment they work so hard to provide that keeps me (and basically everyone I know) coming back. That, and my apparent addiction to their...

We dined at the Garden District and liked the atmosphere. The tables are outdoor, but they also have heaters for the cooler weather.

The brisket is very good and their fries are great.

They serve “Coke” in glass bottles :).

My husband said the Bratwurst wasn’t that great, that you could get better Brats at the grocery store.

The fried pickles were very, very hot. Almost burn your mouth hot, but the Server warned us that they were hot. The breading doesn’t really stay on the pickle it kind of slides off. I wouldn’t recommend them.

It’s a great place to go with a group of people. There was a large group outside of the fence. There were several tables outside of the fence on the right side of the restaurant.

They do have a bathroom inside, which is nice to have, see photos. It’s small but serves its purpose.

The photo of the inside with barstools shown on google maps isn’t how it looks now, see my photo. The inside doesn’t seem to be utilized for patrons. It seems to be used as a kitchen space to prepare food or drinks.

I added photos to show wheel chair access with the ramps from the street up the curb, so it is accessible.

All in all, we would go back there, if we were in the area. The staff was friendly.

There’s a bike rack on the right side of...

When I visited this establishment on Pride Saturday, I experienced blatant racial discrimination. Despite being nearly sober and having only had two drinks over several hours, I was rudely told by a bartender named Ben that I was “cut off” after simply asking for a menu. Moments later, I was told I couldn’t even finish the beer I had already paid for.

I was the only Black patron there—and it was painfully clear I was being singled out. A staff member even admitted I didn’t appear intoxicated, but said they couldn’t override Ben’s decision. On a day meant to celebrate inclusivity, this behavior was especially disappointing.

After sharing my experience with friends, several of them revealed they’d had similarly unfair and uncomfortable encounters at this same establishment in the past. That only confirms this isn’t an isolated incident.

Because of Ben’s actions, and the broader pattern of behavior this reflects, I will not be returning—and I urge others to think twice before supporting a place that treats...