This was our second dinnertime visit, we were keen to return and try some new beers. At our table we ordered the Belgian meatballs and the Brussels Sprouts from the appetisers to share (all delicious) and then for Entrees had the Port Cheeks, the Rabbit, the Pork Schnitzel, and I had the Steak Frites. Everyone else raved about their meals. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was definitely just rare, and also very tough. My steak knife struggled to cut through it, and it was extremely chewy. I kept cutting off pieces from different parts of the steak, looking for the med-rare, tender parts, but gave up eventually. Our server had checked on us a minute or two after delivering the plates, but didn't come back again until we had finished so I didn't get an opportunity to let her know, but what can you do about a tough steak? It wasn't that it was rare, it was just a bad cut of meat. It tasted good, but it was inedible. When my plate was cleared, I let her know that I was disappointed. She said she was sorry and that she'd tell the chef, and then a few minutes later she brought me a glass of one of their beers 'on the house' as compensation. We will go back because we like the restaurant, the other meals were good and the beers are EXCELLENT, but I'll order a burger. I have never in my life sent a meal back, and I hate complaining (I worked as a waitress all through college, I don't want to be That Customer) but I wonder if this situation might have called for such a request, or if the restaurant should have taken it off the bill? An inedible steak for $36... ? What's the protocol here? Anyway, it hasn't put us off going back, but that's strike one.
Sara Mahmoud-Davis
Amazing dinner with my family and a friend. The service was top-notch! My husband raved about his duck confit, and I loved the braised short ribs. Not many options for the kids entree, but they were happy when the Belgian waffles came for dessert.Kid-friendliness: Very accommodating for kids.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Salad, Belgian Beer, The Sovereign Burger
9allages
Super fun night. Food and beverages really good, especially the cheese board appetizer and the moule frites. Docked a star bc a couple times we had to look for our server, however he was running at top speed. Maybe they just need more help. Great night out.
Arun Vishwanathan
My buddy and I visited this place a few nights ago and first visited the bar at the bottom. The bartender, GABY, was busy talking to a patron. At first, we thought GABY would politely end the conversation with said patron, and take our orders. As such, we did not have much time and had a lot of catching up to do, plus it was almost closing time. But GABY decided it was more important to talk to said patron than to take our orders. And it's not that they were discussing matters pertaining to national security!While it was cute to watch initially, it wasn't fun after a whopping ten minutes. In order to not disturb GABY in her search for eternal truth, we decided to go to the bar upstairs, where we got a reception that I would describe as somewhere between cold and lukewarm. We managed to get one round of drinks and left to go elsewhere.There are far better bars in the Georgetown area; please don't waste your money here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jody Kline
Fantastic beer selection and very good food. Friendly and attentive but not intrusive service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rabbit in Kriek, Mussels Mariniere, Steak Tartare, Belgian Beer, Charcuterie Board, Brussels Sprouts
Jared W.
Amazing beer selection. Hard to find this kind of Belgium pub. Didn't try the food but will be back to at some point. Bartenders knowledgeable and nice. Have a cozy seating area downstairs. They also have cocktails and wine for those that tag along with the beer aficionado. No TVs downstairs. Two TVs upstairs.
John B.
Sovereign is a nice Belgian tavern. It's down the end of an alley so keep an eye out for the sign or you might walk past it! Think high-end pub offerings with a Belgian theme. We had the Infinite Darkness Imperial stout and Brugs Quadrupel (Straffe Hendrik), a fruity, dark-roasted lambic. For food, we started with Bitterballen, a Dutch meat stew formed into a crispy ball with a rich mustard with plenty of horseradish. Rabbit in Kriek is a Belgian classic featuring rabbit roasted in beer with farro, bacon, carrots, and sour cherries. The Sovereign Burger is a pub grub classic with onion jam and gruyere sauce and frites.
SarahM
The ambience was great. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. The downside to our experience was that our steak AND chicken were severely undercooked and the salad wasn't dressed. The French fries and the sauce on the chicken were amazing! It may be a one off so I'd give it another shot if we lived nearby.
Magdalena S.
Late review but came here for New Year's with my husband and it was EXACTLY what we were looking for. We're in our 30s so we still love to party but weren't looking for a packed club of kids much younger than us and this place was perfect. Downstairs they served excellent drinks and unlimited food (definitely want to go back for a normal lunch or dinner) and upstairs there was a dance floor with music geared towards millennials.
Our waiter was so friendly and knowledgeable! We were there primarily for the great beer list, and he was so helpful with suggestions and interesting facts about the selection. The food was also phenomenal- we particularly enjoyed the saffron mussels and the brioche French toast
Really feels warm, rich, and comfortable here. The place is massive and they produce some solid food and beverage choices. It's not the easiest to find off of Wisconsin Ave, but it's essentially at the corner of M St and Wisconsin.Always feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @joerazz
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Our waiter, Dave, was ‘top notch,' the beer selection is outstanding, and the food was tasty. We had saffron mussels, the rabbit, braised beef, and desert. The ambience is just how we like it; subdued lighting and we could easily have a conversation at our table and hear each other clearly. Highly recommended.
Aubrey W.
I recently visited the Sovereign in Georgetown for some snacks and drinks, and the ambiance did not disappoint. Tucked away in a candlelit alley (look for the sign on the street), this two story Belgian restaurant has one of the longest draft beer lists I have ever seen. Our waiter was very helpful in helping us with our selection. I started with the Field of Raspberries sour. Fair warning: you have to be a sour lover to enjoy this beer. Luckily I am, and I loved the mouth-puckering tartness! I also tried the Perennial Saison De Lis, which was delicious and light (much more approachable for those who like lagers and other lighter beers). They have a huge variety of styles but specialize in Belgian beer, so expect to see a lot of Saisons and higher percentage ABV offerings. We also got the cheese and meat platter, which came with the chefs selection of two meats and two cheeses. Frankly I was a bit underwhelmed by this, especially for $22. One of our meats was a pate which I did not enjoy, I wish they had given us a more traditional charcuterie meat. The cheese portions were incredibly small as well. However, we did enjoy the wide range of accompaniments, the highlight for me being the pickled onions and mushrooms. Overall, I would highly recommend the Sovereign for drinks, but will have to return to try more of their food offerings.
Mehmet Esen
Great European pub atmosphere! The two story place is hidden at the end of an alley. The food is quite good, the Belgium beer selection is quite outstanding, service is friendly, and the warm atmosphere is perfect for a late bite (it is open until 2pm).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mussels Mariniere, Belgian Beer
Heidi Portacio
Amazing hide place to drink, been here twice and will be always coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Belgian Beer, Steak Frites, The Sovereign, Charcuterie Board
This was our second dinnertime visit, we were keen to return and try some new beers. At our table we ordered the Belgian meatballs and the Brussels Sprouts from the appetisers to share (all delicious) and then for Entrees had the Port Cheeks, the Rabbit, the Pork Schnitzel, and I had the Steak Frites. Everyone else raved about their meals. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was definitely just rare, and also very tough. My steak knife struggled to cut through it, and it was extremely chewy. I kept cutting off pieces from different parts of the steak, looking for the med-rare, tender parts, but gave up eventually. Our server had checked on us a minute or two after delivering the plates, but didn't come back again until we had finished so I didn't get an opportunity to let her know, but what can you do about a tough steak? It wasn't that it was rare, it was just a bad cut of meat. It tasted good, but it was inedible. When my plate was cleared, I let her know that I was disappointed. She said she was sorry and that she'd tell the chef, and then a few minutes later she brought me a glass of one of their beers 'on the house' as compensation. We will go back because we like the restaurant, the other meals were good and the beers are EXCELLENT, but I'll order a burger. I have never in my life sent a meal back, and I hate complaining (I worked as a waitress all through college, I don't want to be That Customer) but I wonder if this situation might have called for such a request, or if the restaurant should have taken it off the bill? An inedible steak for $36... ? What's the protocol here? Anyway, it hasn't put us off going back, but that's strike one.
Amazing dinner with my family and a friend. The service was top-notch! My husband raved about his duck confit, and I loved the braised short ribs. Not many options for the kids entree, but they were happy when the Belgian waffles came for dessert.Kid-friendliness: Very accommodating for kids.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Salad, Belgian Beer, The Sovereign Burger
Super fun night. Food and beverages really good, especially the cheese board appetizer and the moule frites. Docked a star bc a couple times we had to look for our server, however he was running at top speed. Maybe they just need more help. Great night out.
My buddy and I visited this place a few nights ago and first visited the bar at the bottom. The bartender, GABY, was busy talking to a patron. At first, we thought GABY would politely end the conversation with said patron, and take our orders. As such, we did not have much time and had a lot of catching up to do, plus it was almost closing time. But GABY decided it was more important to talk to said patron than to take our orders. And it's not that they were discussing matters pertaining to national security!While it was cute to watch initially, it wasn't fun after a whopping ten minutes. In order to not disturb GABY in her search for eternal truth, we decided to go to the bar upstairs, where we got a reception that I would describe as somewhere between cold and lukewarm. We managed to get one round of drinks and left to go elsewhere.There are far better bars in the Georgetown area; please don't waste your money here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Fantastic beer selection and very good food. Friendly and attentive but not intrusive service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rabbit in Kriek, Mussels Mariniere, Steak Tartare, Belgian Beer, Charcuterie Board, Brussels Sprouts
Amazing beer selection. Hard to find this kind of Belgium pub. Didn't try the food but will be back to at some point. Bartenders knowledgeable and nice. Have a cozy seating area downstairs. They also have cocktails and wine for those that tag along with the beer aficionado. No TVs downstairs. Two TVs upstairs.
Sovereign is a nice Belgian tavern. It's down the end of an alley so keep an eye out for the sign or you might walk past it! Think high-end pub offerings with a Belgian theme. We had the Infinite Darkness Imperial stout and Brugs Quadrupel (Straffe Hendrik), a fruity, dark-roasted lambic. For food, we started with Bitterballen, a Dutch meat stew formed into a crispy ball with a rich mustard with plenty of horseradish. Rabbit in Kriek is a Belgian classic featuring rabbit roasted in beer with farro, bacon, carrots, and sour cherries. The Sovereign Burger is a pub grub classic with onion jam and gruyere sauce and frites.
The ambience was great. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. The downside to our experience was that our steak AND chicken were severely undercooked and the salad wasn't dressed. The French fries and the sauce on the chicken were amazing! It may be a one off so I'd give it another shot if we lived nearby.
Late review but came here for New Year's with my husband and it was EXACTLY what we were looking for. We're in our 30s so we still love to party but weren't looking for a packed club of kids much younger than us and this place was perfect. Downstairs they served excellent drinks and unlimited food (definitely want to go back for a normal lunch or dinner) and upstairs there was a dance floor with music geared towards millennials.
Our waiter was so friendly and knowledgeable! We were there primarily for the great beer list, and he was so helpful with suggestions and interesting facts about the selection. The food was also phenomenal- we particularly enjoyed the saffron mussels and the brioche French toast
Restaurantji Recommends
Really feels warm, rich, and comfortable here. The place is massive and they produce some solid food and beverage choices. It's not the easiest to find off of Wisconsin Ave, but it's essentially at the corner of M St and Wisconsin.Always feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @joerazz
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Our waiter, Dave, was ‘top notch,' the beer selection is outstanding, and the food was tasty. We had saffron mussels, the rabbit, braised beef, and desert. The ambience is just how we like it; subdued lighting and we could easily have a conversation at our table and hear each other clearly. Highly recommended.
I recently visited the Sovereign in Georgetown for some snacks and drinks, and the ambiance did not disappoint. Tucked away in a candlelit alley (look for the sign on the street), this two story Belgian restaurant has one of the longest draft beer lists I have ever seen. Our waiter was very helpful in helping us with our selection. I started with the Field of Raspberries sour. Fair warning: you have to be a sour lover to enjoy this beer. Luckily I am, and I loved the mouth-puckering tartness! I also tried the Perennial Saison De Lis, which was delicious and light (much more approachable for those who like lagers and other lighter beers). They have a huge variety of styles but specialize in Belgian beer, so expect to see a lot of Saisons and higher percentage ABV offerings. We also got the cheese and meat platter, which came with the chefs selection of two meats and two cheeses. Frankly I was a bit underwhelmed by this, especially for $22. One of our meats was a pate which I did not enjoy, I wish they had given us a more traditional charcuterie meat. The cheese portions were incredibly small as well. However, we did enjoy the wide range of accompaniments, the highlight for me being the pickled onions and mushrooms. Overall, I would highly recommend the Sovereign for drinks, but will have to return to try more of their food offerings.
Great European pub atmosphere! The two story place is hidden at the end of an alley. The food is quite good, the Belgium beer selection is quite outstanding, service is friendly, and the warm atmosphere is perfect for a late bite (it is open until 2pm).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mussels Mariniere, Belgian Beer
Amazing hide place to drink, been here twice and will be always coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Belgian Beer, Steak Frites, The Sovereign, Charcuterie Board