Order the collards!!! They taste like they are made with brown sugar, bourbon, and unicorn horn! The wings are super meaty and taste great with the mumbo sauce. The shrimp basket is delicious and, again, the shrimp tasted delicious with mumbo sauce. The burger was juicy with a hint of spice.Seriously though, order a bowl of the collards with anything else. Cuz the greens are the star of this show.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
Melissa Holland
Attended an event here. The staff wasn't sure of the name of the event upon arrival. Then I ordered 2 doubles. 75$ the bar could've bought more than 2 full bottles of vodka for this price and they automatically charged me 23% gratuity. So I paid a bartender 7$ per drink to pour me vodka sodas. Seems pretty excessive to me.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Grace R-L
Super hip fun place. A reception was hosted here. They have great drinks (including juice box cocktails) and a fun vibe. I'd return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Petrik
I came here after attending an industry Expo & symposium at the convention center located across the street. The bar was very crowded & appeared to be extremely understaffed. They were out of a lot of the normal alcohol they usually have behind the bar, but I am amenable to trying new things. The staff that were there happened to be very kind & apologetic for not having everything available. I tried a few of the appetizers & they were good. Hopefully, this was just a one-off experience & I am just giving them the benefit of the doubt! I will be back once I go to the the convention center again.
Jennifer Anderson
We had an early dinner on Saturday night (6pm) and it was fairly empty, but the food was great! The meatballs were tasty, the tonkatsu was tender and the ribs were fall off the bone good.Dine in: Yes
Philip C.
Really interesting, fun space. Friendly service. Food was very good. Lots of drink options, all well done.
romanw871
I went for a dinner as this place had good reviews and was close to my hotel. I came shortly after opening at 5 pm and was the only guest for the first 30-45 min. I enjoyed Happy hour offering - Filipino style spring rolls and discounted drinks ( namely beer - both Pils they had available- I just wish they would have some on tap, not only bottles - well both were good. I fecifed to stay for a dinner too - got salad, flatiron steak, fries. Food was very good - well fries were a bit salty for my taste, but I admit I am a “low salt” person. Got bread pudding for a dessert and enjoyed it. I would recommend this place.
Erin Weber
My partner and I walked by this place loads before they opened, so we were happy to finally see the space. We were there during a slow time (7 on a Wednesday) but still had a great time. Collin took great care of us and made one of the best old fashioneds I've ever had. Excited to visit again soon!
Andrei Dikran Vasilescu
Agree with other posts that the atmosphere is great, and the service is warm and inviting. Recommend the happy hour (old fashioneds are bomb).
D.L. Chandler (D.L.)
I visited the space over the weekend and while I generally enjoyed the environment and such, the food and service were lacking. I should preface this comment that the restaurant was understaffed (but that wasn't communicated to us until way into our long-delayed meal).Beyond the slowness of the kitchen, which was again explained after the server neglected to get my order on the ticket, the quality of dishes were equally lacking. The drinks too were also underwhelming, and the salmon was a fatty piece of gristle that looked the part but certainly didn't eat like it.After a more than 20 minute delay between two entrees, we were not offered a comped meal or discount, gestures that would've signaled that they realized their gaffe. Instead, we were hit with a full billI want to like Baby Wale. I truly do. It's beautiful inside but my experience soured me greatly and on top of it all, I'm suffering from food poisoning.I do hope they work out the kitchen flow. It was probably just a bad night. Too bad I had to pay full price for it.
We had an early dinner on Saturday night (6pm) and it was fairly empty, but the food was great! The meatballs were tasty, the tonkatsu was tender and the ribs were fall off the bone good.
Rachel Bennett
Warm and inviting bar with excellent food.
A. Albert
Went on Tuesday night. Ribs were very good. Menu is unique - which is a good thing. Service friendly and professional(Pinky) but no host(ess) at front to seat you?? Had to go to bar. Would come back again if in area. GoGo music theme is great especially for visitor here on biz.
Steph C.
Exactly three weeks ago, I was in DC, hanging out with friends at Baby Wale, a busy bar and restaurant across the street from the convention center. It was the last busy bar I visited before the coronavirus lockdown, and it's wild to think about now--four of us exchanging hugs and eating dinner, two of us in from out of town, all of us having been on public transportation in the last several hours. One of my friends was there for a conference, so we picked Baby Wale out of convenience. It was full of people from the same conference. I'm guessing that was one of the last days before the place emptied out. The space was great, attractive and comfortable, with high ceilings and lots of hanging lights. The atmosphere was about right for a spot right by a convention center--not especially hip, but casual and nice. We met up early, at 5:00 on a Wednesday, and the place was quiet when we arrived and filled up while we were there. Service was polite and efficient. I had the Nagoya-style ramen for dinner and this was okay, a bowl of ramen with a chicken, pork, and bonito broth, topped with egg and green onion. The noodles were on the soft side and the broth was bland, but I guess it was fine for a restaurant that clearly doesn't specialize in ramen or even Japanese food. Anyway, I'd be thrilled to be back at Baby Wale, eating and drinking whatever, if it meant I could hang out with friends again. I don't live in DC, but I hope this place pulls through this difficult time, and that one day soon (just not too soon) it feeds hordes of conference attendees once again.
James Lytle
Had good fish and chips, and discovered a columbard wine, Mont Gravet, which I will be drinking again. I liked it as much as I like well made sancerre wines. If I lived in the neighborhood, I would eat at Baby Wale often.
Order the collards!!! They taste like they are made with brown sugar, bourbon, and unicorn horn! The wings are super meaty and taste great with the mumbo sauce. The shrimp basket is delicious and, again, the shrimp tasted delicious with mumbo sauce. The burger was juicy with a hint of spice.Seriously though, order a bowl of the collards with anything else. Cuz the greens are the star of this show.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken
Attended an event here. The staff wasn't sure of the name of the event upon arrival. Then I ordered 2 doubles. 75$ the bar could've bought more than 2 full bottles of vodka for this price and they automatically charged me 23% gratuity. So I paid a bartender 7$ per drink to pour me vodka sodas. Seems pretty excessive to me.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Super hip fun place. A reception was hosted here. They have great drinks (including juice box cocktails) and a fun vibe. I'd return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came here after attending an industry Expo & symposium at the convention center located across the street. The bar was very crowded & appeared to be extremely understaffed. They were out of a lot of the normal alcohol they usually have behind the bar, but I am amenable to trying new things. The staff that were there happened to be very kind & apologetic for not having everything available. I tried a few of the appetizers & they were good. Hopefully, this was just a one-off experience & I am just giving them the benefit of the doubt! I will be back once I go to the the convention center again.
We had an early dinner on Saturday night (6pm) and it was fairly empty, but the food was great! The meatballs were tasty, the tonkatsu was tender and the ribs were fall off the bone good.Dine in: Yes
Really interesting, fun space. Friendly service. Food was very good. Lots of drink options, all well done.
I went for a dinner as this place had good reviews and was close to my hotel. I came shortly after opening at 5 pm and was the only guest for the first 30-45 min. I enjoyed Happy hour offering - Filipino style spring rolls and discounted drinks ( namely beer - both Pils they had available- I just wish they would have some on tap, not only bottles - well both were good. I fecifed to stay for a dinner too - got salad, flatiron steak, fries. Food was very good - well fries were a bit salty for my taste, but I admit I am a “low salt” person. Got bread pudding for a dessert and enjoyed it. I would recommend this place.
My partner and I walked by this place loads before they opened, so we were happy to finally see the space. We were there during a slow time (7 on a Wednesday) but still had a great time. Collin took great care of us and made one of the best old fashioneds I've ever had. Excited to visit again soon!
Agree with other posts that the atmosphere is great, and the service is warm and inviting. Recommend the happy hour (old fashioneds are bomb).
I visited the space over the weekend and while I generally enjoyed the environment and such, the food and service were lacking. I should preface this comment that the restaurant was understaffed (but that wasn't communicated to us until way into our long-delayed meal).Beyond the slowness of the kitchen, which was again explained after the server neglected to get my order on the ticket, the quality of dishes were equally lacking. The drinks too were also underwhelming, and the salmon was a fatty piece of gristle that looked the part but certainly didn't eat like it.After a more than 20 minute delay between two entrees, we were not offered a comped meal or discount, gestures that would've signaled that they realized their gaffe. Instead, we were hit with a full billI want to like Baby Wale. I truly do. It's beautiful inside but my experience soured me greatly and on top of it all, I'm suffering from food poisoning.I do hope they work out the kitchen flow. It was probably just a bad night. Too bad I had to pay full price for it.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had an early dinner on Saturday night (6pm) and it was fairly empty, but the food was great! The meatballs were tasty, the tonkatsu was tender and the ribs were fall off the bone good.
Warm and inviting bar with excellent food.
Went on Tuesday night. Ribs were very good. Menu is unique - which is a good thing. Service friendly and professional(Pinky) but no host(ess) at front to seat you?? Had to go to bar. Would come back again if in area. GoGo music theme is great especially for visitor here on biz.
Exactly three weeks ago, I was in DC, hanging out with friends at Baby Wale, a busy bar and restaurant across the street from the convention center. It was the last busy bar I visited before the coronavirus lockdown, and it's wild to think about now--four of us exchanging hugs and eating dinner, two of us in from out of town, all of us having been on public transportation in the last several hours. One of my friends was there for a conference, so we picked Baby Wale out of convenience. It was full of people from the same conference. I'm guessing that was one of the last days before the place emptied out. The space was great, attractive and comfortable, with high ceilings and lots of hanging lights. The atmosphere was about right for a spot right by a convention center--not especially hip, but casual and nice. We met up early, at 5:00 on a Wednesday, and the place was quiet when we arrived and filled up while we were there. Service was polite and efficient. I had the Nagoya-style ramen for dinner and this was okay, a bowl of ramen with a chicken, pork, and bonito broth, topped with egg and green onion. The noodles were on the soft side and the broth was bland, but I guess it was fine for a restaurant that clearly doesn't specialize in ramen or even Japanese food. Anyway, I'd be thrilled to be back at Baby Wale, eating and drinking whatever, if it meant I could hang out with friends again. I don't live in DC, but I hope this place pulls through this difficult time, and that one day soon (just not too soon) it feeds hordes of conference attendees once again.
Had good fish and chips, and discovered a columbard wine, Mont Gravet, which I will be drinking again. I liked it as much as I like well made sancerre wines. If I lived in the neighborhood, I would eat at Baby Wale often.