Solace Outpost — Restaurant in Washington

Look, I'm a huge sports fan. I like American football as much as the next red-blooded person to my left. But when my favorite sport Zorbing is on, I NEED the bar to show it. To heck with the fact that its a Sunday afternoon and I'm in a jam packed bar with a bunch of dudes in jerseys, just change the channel away from the Dallas Commander Giants or whatever team is on -- I need that screen to be filled with the beautiful sight of people in giant inflatable plastic bubbles gleefully bouncing down a hillside. But when I politely fought my way to the front of the crowd and finally got the attention of the bartender taking drink orders of the people around me, he REFUSED to change the big screen so I could watch my Zorbs. I tried explaining to him that James Duggan of Cork, the fastest Zorber currently zorbing, was going to make an appearance, but that too was not enough to sway him. Then I noticed there were a measly 5 minutes left in the football game, barely any time at all! The bartender at this place could've easily changed the channel for me and missed five stupid minutes of football so I could watch MY sport, but noooo, apparently it would've "upset the people around me" because "they were watching the football game that was on" and if I was "patient" then he'd "turn on my show after the football game was over." That sated me a bit and told him he'd have to purchase a New Zealand based Zorbing channel to play my sport on the tv which would be simple to install and only cost $89/week plus an initial $199 for setup (a steal if you ask me considering the exchange rate). At this point the GM came over to speak to me since I was leaning across the bar attempting to speak more clearly with the bartender and was having to grip his shirt for balance as I was nearly falling into the well. The GM politely removed my clenched hands from the bartenders shirt and led me by the hand to a quieter corner of their lovely establishment. He then pulled up the Zorbing championship on his phone (hes a fan too!) and let me watch with him; he even brought me some complimentary fried oreos and tater tots (their orbiest shaped foods) and they were delicious. Their GM confided in me that they have to show football and even have a strict viewing schedule down to which tvs at what times etc. because "that's what the people want to see," but deep down he knows Zorbing is where it's really at. The talent of people like Steve Camp and Keith Kolver could never be matched by people like Tom Brady or Saquon Barkley (who apparently just went to a better team? idk, I don't follow closely enough). All I know is that when I walked into Solace Outpost, I was in the mood for some Zorbing and, while I didn't see it on the big screen, that small act of kindness and solidarity shown to me by the GM meant more to me than all the giant inflatable bouncing balls in New Zealand. I truly did...

This is THE SPOT to go before a Nationals ballgame, hands-down. Surprisingly it was only half-full on a Friday evening and had a few hightop tables left when we arrived 2 hours before opening pitch. I went with a group of 6 people, but 4 different households buying. The app made it super-simple to order and pay immediately for our orders. On that note, our drink orders came within 2 minutes of ordering, and the food within 10! Crazy-fast service. We left an extra tip because of this.

LET ME TALK ABOUT THE HAPPY HOUR PRICES!! Any of their pints before 6pm were only $5. Yes, that is not a typo. I am talking fresh DIPA's like Lucy Juicy for $5. The solid Partly Cloudy for $5. Most other places are serving half-pints for that price. And this is fresh Solace...

Also, the food was a great compliment to their awesome beer. They aren't trying to be fancy and serve odd food that doesn't go with beer. We had a few brats, burgers, chicken strips, and apps like onion rings or curly fries, and were continuously pleased with everything we got. To be honest, we were looking for bar food / comfort food anyways, and we got it for a good price and even better taste.

Quick-tip, if parking or traveling via Metro at Navy Yard, get to this Solace Outpost by walking along the water - it is a nice walk and the wind off the water keeps you cool as you go across the new walking bridge. It helped us avoid most intersections and traffic.

In summary, this will be THE SPOT to go to before each game from now on. I hope it becomes...

Extremely Disappointed – Poor Service and Subpar Food

I don’t usually leave reviews, but I felt it was important to share my experience. I recently ordered a burger to go and specifically requested no tomato — yet it came with tomatoes anyway. I also ordered a grilled Caesar salad, but what I received was soggy, limp lettuce that seemed old and poorly prepared. When I mentioned it, I was told it looked that way because of the dressing, which was clearly not the case.

To make matters worse, the chicken served with the salad was dry and tasted as though it had been sitting out. I tried to voice my concerns calmly and respectfully, but the general manager’s attitude was shockingly rude and dismissive. Instead of taking accountability, he questioned everything I said and even implied that I should have mentioned an allergy — completely missing the point that the issue was the lack of care and quality, not an allergy.

From the moment I arrived, the energy was unwelcoming. The staff seemed indifferent, and unfortunately, I couldn't help but notice the tension and lack of inclusivity. It's hard to ignore how I was treated compared to others — I left feeling disrespected and completely unheard.

I would not recommend this establishment. The food quality was poor, the service was worse, and the overall experience left me with serious concerns about how they treat guests, especially those who don't “fit” their...