District ChopHouse & Brewery

District ChopHouse & BreweryDistrict ChopHouse & Brewery
District ChopHouse & BreweryDistrict ChopHouse & Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

509 7th St NW
Washington, District of Columbia, 20004-1600
United States

(202) 347-3434 | map
districtchophouse.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.63
Beers:
25
Ratings:
287
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.87
Reviews:
69
Ratings:
89
pDev:
11.11%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
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Photo of cjgiant
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia

3.59/5  rDev -7.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.25
This place is more a place to go for ambiance and good food than for great beer. They do brew their own, beer and have nine beers on tap covering a half a dozen styles when we visited - but only two of the beers were somewhat noteworthy IMO, with a couple lacking and the rest ok but forgettable. Service at a bar top was a little slow but quite friendly, and the food was very tasty.
Jan 07, 2018
Photo of AtrumAnimus
Reviewed by AtrumAnimus from Texas

5/5  rDev +29.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Found this pone walking around D.C. and stopped for lunch. I tried the DunkelWeizen and the Velvet(nitro) Pale Ale. HTe place was so good ew ate there two days in a row and plan to go back again before we leave our vacation here in D.C.

I found the beers to be exceptional and some of the best I have ever tried. Having traveled throughout Europe like Belgium, Netherlands, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Switzerland and across the United states as well. I have had ample opportunity to sample many beers from around the world.

That said this place has some of the best beers I have ever tasted. Their DumkelWiezzen Rivals and even surpasses Schneider Aventinus.

The food is exceptional and wonderful. Our waiter (both days) was Jose and he was exceptional as well. Very cordial, Conversational and well informed on beers and beer styles.

My second trip I had to drink the Dunkel again but I also tried the 9 beer taster flight. all 9 beers were above average to exceptional.

The food Seafood Cobb salad and the shaved prime rib sandwich are great lunch choices. Lots of great other choices as well.

I highly recommend trying it as it is one of the best and most reasonable priced places in the heart of D.C. to eat at. It is also conveniently located near many attractions and about a 2 minute walk for the International Spy Museum.
Dec 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.1 by JeffSK from Wisconsin

Aug 02, 2016
Photo of Guppy314
Reviewed by Guppy314 from District of Columbia

4.48/5  rDev +15.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.5
This place was a really great find. The two-story space (with old-school columns) gives a view of the brewing vats upstairs. I'd asked about their Imperial Stout; was told it was being finished-up; and, the waiter gave me a complementary sample as we were later paying our bill. It was warm but excellent; definitely on my list for next time. food was super fresh and solid (sorry, I mostly drank my calories). The wait service was very informative and helpful. I started with a 9-beer flight/sampler which was awesome (beers rated separately). All beers are house-brews -- some were really good and none were poor.
May 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.59 by Cpmitchno1 from Virginia

Mar 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.78 by Iamjeff6 from Virginia

Dec 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.54 by Lucular from Maryland

Nov 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.21 by atrocity from Virginia

Sep 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.74 by italianstallion from Wisconsin

Aug 31, 2015
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
The beer is good to great....I thought the ambers and nut browns were very good....but the stouts were lacking....the pale and IPA were decent. The food is very expensive...more upscale.....wait staff is definitely there to push the $40 prime rib....if you didn't order it...it was like you were letting them down. Nevertheless the food is outstanding...but you'll pay for it. In a neat area of DC and in an old bank looking building.
Apr 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.99 by MattXT from Virginia

Apr 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.44 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Jan 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by CB2maltygoodness from District of Columbia

Nov 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by spycow from Illinois

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Sludgeman from District of Columbia

Aug 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gotti311 from Wisconsin

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by alejandro from Maryland

Jun 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

May 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by DavidHume from Virginia

May 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by metter98 from New York

May 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by coombski from Maine

Mar 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Diana_Fang from District of Columbia

Feb 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Boone757 from Virginia

Feb 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by nickfl from Florida

Oct 17, 2013
Photo of mendvicdog
Reviewed by mendvicdog from Maryland

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75 | food: 4
This is a decent place to go to if you are going to the Verizon Center for something and don't want to walk to one of the better bars further away. This is what I did recently since I was with my parents for a concert.

Food: I got the burger, which was large and pretty good. Parents got steaks which were OK as well. Nothing spectacular foodwise but still very good. The cornbread is definitely the best part. Price is reasonable for area.

Beer: I got the 9 beer sampler. 4oz of each for around $8.50 is a good deal for a ticker like me. None of their beers are amazing, but most are decent. The bourbon was just awful, and I usually like bourbon beers.

We were seated at a table and had excellent service. Atmosphere a little uppity and a little too loud for a fancy steak place.

My dumbass father told the waiter I was a beer snob. Two minutes later the head brewer was over talking to us, which was a nice touch. He seems like a good guy and knows that he is making beers more for the masses (he used to brew at Pratt Street Ale house) than the hardcore beer fans.

Probably wouldn't go back, but it was nice to try.
Apr 11, 2013
Photo of sustyhops
Reviewed by sustyhops from Pennsylvania

2.48/5  rDev -35.9%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 2.25 | service: 3 | selection: 2 | food: 3
I am not a fan of this place, the beer is your "i want to be a brewery, so I will had one of each each style to the menu" and the food was very average. Atmosphere is very "i want to look like an old style steakhouse." Skip it if you like good beer and food.
Apr 11, 2013
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Tucked away in Penn Quarter District Chophouse sort of gets stuck in a cookie cutter mold of chain looking restaurants, or a sense of a simple DC steakhouse that requires jacket and tie.

However, inside is a simple family atmosphere with a standard menu. Food is perhaps a step above TGIF but just a little. Some nice touches are the crab bisque, and the skillet of cornbread which is a nice touch, it never goes cold.

However the main thing I was here for was to try out the brews. In short they are a step up above pedestrian and enjoyable. This would be a good place to take someone who wants to stop drinking regular ordinary beer. The offerings are good but not over the top, they appeal to a broader crowd, and the beers are kind of "safe" but enjoyable.

Service here is also quite good at the bar. There aren't any attitudes and the staff also don't seem like they are mailing it in. Also for the area it's pretty reasonable price wise.
Jun 30, 2011
Photo of Jimmys
Reviewed by Jimmys from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
went this past weekend for some food and beers before the rangers/caps game. atmosphere is definitely that of your typical steakhouse. lots of wood furniture, paper covering the table clothes, well dressed staff. beer selection was pretty good. when i was there they had at least 6 or 7 options, a beer engine, and also a nitro pour. i had 3 different brews, 1 being good and 2 were great. overall some consistent, tasty brews. service was pretty much standard. i had a drink in front of me at all times and the food kept on coming. food was also pretty good. at the table we had onion rings, some different cuts of steak, and a side order of broccoli. cornbread also comes standard for each table, which was awesome. everything was a tad pricey, but it's a steakhouse in DC so that was kind of expected. definitely worth checking out, but go hungry and ready to spend some money.
Feb 28, 2011
Photo of CuriousMonk
Reviewed by CuriousMonk from District of Columbia

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
This is a high-end steakhouse tucked away in one of the office buildings downtown DC. For some reason, I am getting a pretenious vibe here. Beer selections are part of the usual suspects lineup with lager, stout, ipa, amber, light. Everytime they have a special and/or cask, they always seem out of it whenever I visit, so I am forced to select an offering from their usual suspects line up. This place is dim, white table cloths cover dining tables, with polished silverware on top - just like you see in any high end steakhouse. Mahogney wood throughout. Food is mediocore at best. I've had their steaks many times and they seem to disappoint every time. I've also had thier burger, salad, pizza, wings. Just average at best. Wait staff is a bit standoffish. Overall good quality other than that average. Try their Oatmeal Stout whenever possible!
Feb 24, 2011
Photo of mdunman
Reviewed by mdunman from Texas

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I was a big fan of the District ChopHouse.

The biggest issue with this place is by far the price, some of the meals were a bit too much. But what counted is the fact that the offerings matched the prices. The lobster bisque and anything involving beef was an excellent choice. The atmosphere was classy and provided a high quality evening worth savoring. The brews that they made were very good, with a broad selection of tastes to suit anyone and a good sampler to help pick your favorite. I would go back the next time I'm in DC.
Jan 05, 2011
Photo of jgasparine
Reviewed by jgasparine from Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Atmosphere- This place is a bit unique. While it is a brewpub, they clearly but equal (if not more) emphasis on their food and wine. Picture a high-end steakhouse that brews their own beer on premises. If you're in the mood to have beers over dinner, the atmosphere is fantastic... if you just want beers at a bar, it's an average experience.

Quality- Quality is superb with their food, and good with their beer. I suppose I'm here for the beer, so I must grade their quality accordingly. Some of their beers like the Hefe and Amber were fantastic, but others were lacking... Generally, the place was clean and delivered an overall impression of high-quality.

Service- Our waitress was very good. Friendly and engaging, never smothering... she knew a little about beer... and her service was overall prompt.

Selection- This is a tough category. This Brewpub serves their own products... and their lineup, while limited in numbers, is diverse in styles. I was quite pleased with the range of styles during our visit: Light Lager, Alt, Amber, Nut Brown, Hefe, Oatmeal Stout, and Bourbon Stout. While it's a limited offering, I think they addressed a range of preferences for their patrons.

Food- I splurged and got the surf & turf. Damn expensive at $65... but the meal was worth the money. Absolutely delicious.

Note: While the meal was super-expensive, their personal pizzas were more down-to-earth in price... and their beer sampler was very reasonable at $6 for seven 3oz. pours.
Aug 26, 2010
Photo of brewman63
Reviewed by brewman63 from Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I wasn't sure what to expect from this place, being part of the Rock Bottom chain. I like the Rock Bottoms but hoped this would be a little different. It sure was. The beer selection resembles the typical offerings available from Rock Bottom - light through stoudt. While the ones we tried where very good there wasn't anything that was drop-dead terrific.

What really separated it from Rock Bottom was the food. Four of us ordered dinners and no one was disappointed. ChopHouse distinguishes itself from Rock Bottom by being more upscale while still maintaining that typical brewpub atmosphere.

Definately stop in if you're in the area.
Jun 09, 2010
Photo of beer2day
Reviewed by beer2day from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Very short walk from the Verizon center and just up the street from the National Archives.

Dark wood dominates the inside. Lighting is a bit on the red side, further enhancing the formality of the place. Definitely on the upscale side, but I didn't feel out of place in jeans.

7 beers on tap. All very nice, with a decent coverage of styles. Nothing terribly hoppy though. Bourbon stout was crazy on this visit. Extremely strong aroma and hit. Must have been one well aged cask. Watch for the Velvet, one of their beers served on nitro. Be sure to ask which beer it is before ordering. They rotate their beers through on the nitro tap. My night saw the amber served this way. Very good presentation and one of the best ambers I've ever had. Amber on CO2 was only so-so.

Service on a crowded Friday night with a Wizards game an hour away was actually pretty good. Our waitperson made appropriate stops back by the table and, while making one mistake on beer ordering, comped that with a free beer. I can live with that.

I don't give out 5's very often, but I love the food here. Yet to have a meal that was not fantastic. Took several newbies in this visit and they also raved about the food. Steak obviously dominates, but chicken, pork, and seafood are also available and well prepared and presented.

Pricey for brewpubs, but not for what you actually get here.
Jan 16, 2010
Photo of RoySaves
Reviewed by RoySaves from Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 4
So my wife took me here before heading to the Caps game for my birthday...I was so excited! We had reservations, although it wasn't crowded when we arrived. After we were seated what turned out to be our first waiter passed by us about five or six times before saying hi, what can I get you? No introduction, no welcome...just hurried? We ordered the beer sampler and off he went. He briskly walked by and almost threw the sampler at us and then stormed off again. Um...alright. I can read and all but I've never gotten a sampler, especially with seasonal selections, where the server didn't at least attempt to tell us what was on it.

Next came Gary. We loved Gary. Gary stopped by and explained that the last guy was in a hurry to leave (obvious) and that he would be taking care of us. He asked us about the sampler and kindly backed up and explained what was on it. He also caught that it was one short and quickly rectified that. When Gary came back we asked about the specials and we were closing in on finally ordering some food. When he came back again he carefully explained that we were actually sitting in someone else's section, that he arrived late, and would now be taking care of us.

Right. I even tapped this new gentleman on the shoulder to order our food and he held up a finger and walked away from us. I tracked Gary back down and asked for the check. On the way out I was stopped by a manager...possibly Alyssa? and I told her the short story and she sincerely apologized, gave me her card (which I have since misplaced) and begged that I contact her immediately if and when we return to the Chophouse.

Considering proximity and my out-of-this-planet experiences with the staff @ RFD, I doubt I will ever set foot in the Chophouse again.

P.S. Gary recommends the crab cakes. Please ask for him if you happen to stop by.
Jan 08, 2010
Photo of blackie
Reviewed by blackie from Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
situated in Chinatown just down the street from the Verizon Center, the Chophouse makes and easy prelude or follow-up to the nearby RFD

the grand row building in which the brewpub is located allows for a spacious interior, tons of wood with metal accents and high ceilings give the place a 1920's-era feel, pretty classy environment - breaking out some sort of collar seems to be the norm, the main dining room and bar are downstairs, upstairs has more of a pub/lounge feel with a small bar, a couple pool tables, and couches with a few screens playing whatever match is on

there will typically be 7 taps on at any given time, mostly standards with a couple rotating selections, the bourbon stout is usually present and seems to be pretty popular, all beer served in standard pints, most run about $5

service has always been pleasant if nothing outside of what's expected, friendly people and generally timely refills

haven't tried the food but the steakhouse-style menu is enticing and may warrant a stop at some point
Nov 26, 2009
Photo of pinotboy007
Reviewed by pinotboy007 from Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
A - Super vibrant steak house about a block from Verizon Center. Went on 7 Nov 09 about 90-minutes before a Caps - Panthers (NHL) game. The downstairs/street level is where patrons dine, and the upstairs is very pub-like.

Q - Overall, very nice. The furniture, white table clothes, wine glasses, etc., all looked to be excellent. It strikes one as slightly upscale, despite the decibles.

S - Greeted warmly within seconds of arrival and informed it would be a 45-minute wait for a table. We were handed a pager and we went upstairs and the place was jammed with hockey fans, but the bar tenders spotted us in an instant and we had our two IPAs in less than a minute. The service during dinner was fine -- a tad slow -- but that's understandable.

Selection - Nice brews done in-house and also a more than decent wine list. I'm still amazed byt he fact these bew houses don't use their own unique glasses for their products.

Food - Steaks prepared exactly as ordered; delicious salads, too. Bravo.

Value - Considering its location, it was decent pricing and the service made it all the more worthwhile.
Nov 10, 2009
Photo of glid02
Reviewed by glid02 from Georgia

4.34/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Stopped in during a recent trip after stopping by Capitol City.

Atmosphere is very nice. Dark wood and comfortable booths everywhere upon walking in with a bar on the left and another upstairs along with pool tables and brewing equipment.

Quality is good. All beer is served in unmarked glasses at the proper temparature with good amounts of head.

Service is great. I first ordered a beer at the downstairs bar and was also handed a sample and explanation of the bourbon stout upon inquiring about it. Upstairs the head brewer was more than happy to give me a tour and the upstairs bartender was more than generous with a beer and the pool table.

Selection is good. The bourbon stout on cask is always on (I'm jealous) and there seemed to be a few other stapes including Velvet (nitro amber) and a light beer, along with some nice seasonals including a weizenbock. Also upstairs is a cool chalkboard indicating what patrons can expect from each beer (body, bitterness, and one other I can't recall).

Value was good. I didn't have any food but the drinks were very reasonable.

Overall I was impressed with this place and hope I can stop by next time I'm in town, preferably before and after a Wizards game.
Nov 08, 2009
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Popped into this place one night when I was downtown with my wife. It is a nice, upscale, yuppy steak house. We sat at the bar and ordered an appetizer, chicken, which came out quickly and was good. They have about 8 beers on tap that "they make" - although technically they contract with GB to make their beers. I had the pale ale, the weizenbock, my wife had the bourbon porter, all the beers were good. The weizenbock was great, i relly loved it, had several. They do flights of their beers, not sure what the rules are, I'll review the beers later.

The place is just a standard looking steakhouse. We sat at the bar so I figured we would get good service but the bartender was distracted by a guy that was sitting next to me and laying down his best wrap. Even though she was several feet away and looking in my general direction, I had to interrupt the mating dance at least twice to get served. Annoying and unnecessary. The food is generally rather expensive and the drafts run about 5$ a pull. Fortunately, she was so distracted and the drunk guy was trying to make a good impression, he wanted to apologize to us for distracting her so he bought us a round, then she didn't charge us for a round, so teh beers ended up being 2$ a pint instead.

I like this place overall, its clean, the beer is good and the food is good.
Oct 08, 2009
Photo of Daniellobo
Reviewed by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
An instant classic since it opened in the Gallery Place-Chinatown area, when it was being redeveloped, it has a nice and reliable selection of house brews with rotating seasonal selections.

The current brewmaster, Barrett Lauer I believe, has been on the establishment for about 3 years, and while he has maintained nicely previous year-round standards his hand shows in the great improvement of the seasonal brews alongside generally an enhanced sense in the beers.

Light larger, amber ale, nut brown, velvet ale (nitro), oatmeal stout, and a bourbon stout typically comprise the standard offering. On this visit a Pale Ale was offered as a brewer´s marker, alongside a WeizenBock as a seasonal. Both were surprisingly good brews, the PA made with 100% Chinook hops leaned heavily on the IPA side and was a very nice offering, the WeizenBock was very taste, full bodied and delightful. Beer has been taken a notch higher over here.

Staff is friendly. Food is good, with some reliable standards, rather large portions, and average prize for the area. The place is reliably child friendly and for large groups (8-10) they have a nice dining area, and for larger parties a space in the basement does the trick. Atmosphere is rather nice in the renovation of an old bank, with the brewing tanks in full view.

Probably this is one of the best resolved and welcomed interventions of controversial real state figure Douglas Jemal in the city. Other aspects of his actions maybe not so much... But that is another story.
Sep 07, 2009
Photo of soupyman10
Reviewed by soupyman10 from District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Stopped in after a show from the Shakespeare Theatre Company around the corner with a few friends. Nice feel to the place, fairly quiet (11:00 on a Saturday night), nice wooden beams in view, chalk boards with the brews. All around solid. Obviously a fairly upper class place - dress code on the door, although they didn't object to my sandals and shorts. Beer was all around solid and tasty - not a bad one in the bunch. Service was a touch spotty, although I'll attribute that to our waitress's shift ending more than any real issues on their part. Eight beers available, we got a hefeweisen, bourbon stout, nut brown and whatever was on cask (Maker's something?). As I said, all were solid, with the cask appropriately carbonated and the other beers being right as they should have been. Beers ranged from $4.75-5.75, so on the cheaper side of most DC beer places. Didn't try the food. Overall, a great impression - I'll head out again.
Aug 31, 2009
District ChopHouse & Brewery in Washington, DC
Brewery rating: 3.63 out of 5 with 287 ratings