The Exchange Saloon — Restaurant in Washington

We flew to DC from Texas and just happened on this neighborhood pub a block from the White House. BEST find ever!!! Turns out it’s the oldest sports bar in DC in a great location! From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with a friendly welcome, the bar/restaurant is clean with great lighting! I’m all about the lighting.. some places are too bright where you feel like you’re sitting in a diner, others too dark where you can’t even see the menu. It takes the perfect location for natural light through windows along with the right lights above the bar and through the restaurant. The Exchange Saloon got it perfectly right! We found a couple seats at the bar and immediately got served, never having to wait, although they had a lunch crowd in there. I have no idea what the few people who gave the low ratings were talking about!! Had a couple beers to start from the extensive list of beers on tap and bottles. We were impressed with the clean, ice cold glasses they poured the beers in! And got a new glass EVERY time we ordered another drink.(unlike some places that just pour into the glass you were using). We enjoyed the upbeat, fun personalities of the bartenders, Phil, Rob, and D! The owners also introduced themselves, George and Mary, and joined in the conversations. They interacted with everyone at the bar, joking, asking questions, involving anyone and everyone. Always checking on you to see if you need anything and if everything is ok. Just had a great vibe and reminded us of a hometown neighborhood pub like “Cheers”. The menu was FANTASTIC!! Not only all the comfort/bar food, but also crabcakes, soups, and salads, steaks… A great selection! The homemade beef chili was to die for!! And my husband got the corned beef reuben sandwich, which was amazing! Others around us were eating French onion soup that looked like it came from a commercial, it was so mouthwatering. We had no intentions of making an afternoon of it lol but we ended up staying there for about six hours just enjoying the atmosphere and the positive vibes along with the delicious drinks and food!! We were meeting a couple of friends from Texas that were flying in the next day, and we actually went back the next day with our friends who totally agreed with everything we told them about the pub!! They loved it as much as we did! Phil, the bartender and part owner, offered to bring us up to their rooftop seating area and show us the view. INCREDIBLE views of the Washington Monument and the Mall. (See pics) The Exchange Saloon is so much more than just a sports bar! Excellent environment, friendly service, clean bar, restaurant, and even restrooms were nice and clean, delicious food, wide variety of cocktails, and beers at affordable prices!! And to top it off the owners and staff..George, Mary, Phil, Rob, and D are all exceptional! The next time we are in Washington DC, we will definitely be...

The worest place to eat. The server name 98/Erich H looks upset and unfreindly, they brought my son ice tea that was brown water .I felt unwelcome and they seem very upset that we were there. I live in canada and l never seen it before.this was the first time that i could not leave tip. I cant justify for the shitty expereance. I could not wait to leave the place, i took the bill to the bartender to pay because i did not want to see this server, he has his sunglasses on too as well. And for the other guy who told me we could not set on the shed out side you are also a liar, i saw you setup table for other people. I hope you guys get enough training oh how to be nice or get a job somewhere because you cost the restaurent future bussiness, i know i will never come there and i will tell everyone my experiance, he dont have to be mad, customer is a king, he should appriciate the job and do it in a good manner, almost five of my parent disapointed, he helping other guest and check but he never have a chance to even stope, why, i feel like discreminating while we spending our time and he renew our vaction. Very disapointed i dont recomonde anyone, i try to contact through the phone but noboday has a chance to respond it. I wish i had a chance to speak with the owner or mamger. Plase if he dont want welcome the people in a good manner then he shouldnt be in your job customer come first and its a kind specially the spot is almost around white house and you treat people in a bad maner. VERY...

Awful. I don't normally write reviews but we were just harassed by staff here. 6pm on a Saturday we walk in, through the open door with a "please wait to be seated sign," only for a group of drunk individuals at the the bar to start yelling at us that they're closed. They then say they work there, although we had no way of knowing this as no one was in uniform or behind the bar. Someone started saying that there is anthrax at the bar and that is why they were closed. We pause somewhat confused only for a blonde “server/bartender” to start yelling louder at us. (I will also add that one member of our party is hard of hearing and literally could not tell what was going on or why we were being yelled at.)

We leave and as we are standing outside trying to understand what just happened and figuring out where to go next, the blonde storms outside to continue yelling "WE'RE CLOSED, you can leave now." Next, she decides to start insulting us and for some reason our rain jackets in particular offended her. One of the guys literally had to drag her back inside. I have never been literally chased out of an establishment while being verbally attacked by a drunk employee for daring to walk inside the open door during normal...