Mitchell Sent on 04/01/2024

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Wonderful Spot for Our Rehearsal Dinner

My wife and I had our rehearsal dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill on July 29, 2023. We booked their Lounge + Atrium Semi-Private space for 3 hours for our rehearsal dinner for 68 guests. The event staff at the restaurant were very responsive and thorough during the planning process and answered all our questions. Our only issue with the communication was that the restaurant seemed to use a shared email address for different people within the event staff so it was not always clear who from the restaurant we were communicating with. This led to a mistake made by the restaurant when we arrived for the rehearsal dinner. They did not follow the instructions in the email for how to properly set up the guest place cards with their names and table #s. It seemed only one of the event staff saw the clear instructions in the email but the staff member managing the event the day of did not see it. This led to confusion for guests trying to find their table. Everything worked out and was resolved so it was only a minor issue but just some feedback for how the restaurant could perhaps have better communication with the client and ensure things get communicated amongst all event staff.
Besides the above issue, we had an amazing experience at our rehearsal dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill. The area we rented was very spacious for the number of guests we had. It was very open and set up well for our guests to move around to chat with different people and the tables were set up in a nice manner. The space that we rented is only semi-private and therefore there was some noise from those dining at the restaurant but they did a nice job sectioning off our space. The restaurant would not allow us to use microphones within the space we rented so it was a little difficult at times to hear speeches. We had the restaurant put the tables close together so we were able to make it work but just something to be aware of.
The restaurant did a wonderful job bringing out the courses in a timely manner and were very organized and made sure everybody got what they ordered. All the food was delicious and a lot of our guests made sure to tell us how great the food was! We felt that we got great value for the price we paid for the food and beverage, service, and space . We would highly recommend booking Old Ebbitt Grill for your rehearsal dinner.

Laura Sent on 06/05/2023

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Varied menu Delicious food

Varied menu fits everyone's dietary needs. Semi-private space with beautifully decorated tables. Service was professional and accommodating. Food was expertly prepared and oh so delicious.

Jessica Sent on 01/03/2022

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Great for our rehearsal dinner!

We had our rehearsal dinner at Old Ebbitt and it was a wonderful experience! Working with them during the planning process was great-- they were always so quick to respond, and so flexible and helpful. The food was great! And the staff was very kind and attentive. Highly recommend!

Liz G. Sent on 10/23/2018

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Great Rehearsal Dinner at Old Ebbitt's

We recently utilized the Cabinet Room at Old Ebbitt for our rehearsal dinner and it was great. The venue was easy to work with from start to finish and we found that it was a great value/price for a private room that would hold up to 50. We loved so much being able to share this DC establishment with our family and friends, and the experience was great as ever! Our wedding party and family members loved the food and the Cabinet Room was perfect for our party size. They helped us also bring in some florals, set up name cards and a few other little touches that made the evening so nice. We are so appreciative of the wonderful experience we had at Old Ebbitt for our Rehearsal Dinner!

Elizabeth Sent on 11/06/2017

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I absolutely loved working with Megan and Lucy for my wedding in the Old Ebbitt Grill Atrium! They were an absolute delight to work with from start to finish. They also were so attentive to guests the night of; they paid special attention to a guest who was taking cancer medication and might need extra assistance with not falling without being overbearing.

Although the roof wasn't open to guests, they allowed us to take bride and groom pics at sunset and again at night to take advantage of the Washington skyline, as we barely missed the deadline for when they closed the roof for the season.

It goes without saying that of course the food was amazing. We had several guests comment on how it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. Out of towners loved getting to be in a historic DC venue and try the famous crab cakes.

I knew when I was getting married in DC that I only wanted my reception to be at Old Ebbitt as it has a special place in my family's heart. I am thrilled I got to have the DC wedding of my dreams, and they worked with me to carry out our vision. I was blown away when I first peeked into the room during the cocktail hour. We also had a farewell brunch at the Hamilton, and they brought the flowers over from the reception so we could use them at the brunch. What a great team! Thanks again to Old Ebbitt for such a beautiful, awesome, magical wedding reception!
photos courtesy of Sandi Foraci Photography

+6 photos

Lauren Sent on 09/26/2016

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Highly recommend for a rehearsal dinner. Service was amazing. Fast and friendly responses from the event team. Beautiful rooftop views. The food was delicious and the portions were huge. It was the perfect, intimate event with our wedding party. And then we had all of our close friends and out of town guests meet at the bar upstairs afterward.

User2479335 Sent on 09/20/2016

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We hosted our wedding Rehearsal dinner here in the Cabinet Room. It was lovely! The food was great (as it always is) and the bartenders and servers were superb! The cabinet room fit all 40 of us in the room comfortably. It was definitely a great place to host a dinner event!

User2736815 Sent on 08/03/2016

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Perfect venue for our rehearsal dinner. Intimate space for ~25 people. Food was delicious - my vegetarian bridesmaid said it was the best vegetarian meal she had EVER had! Everything you would expect from a DC institution.

Abby Sent on 06/03/2016

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Lucy and Megan on the special events team are incredible to work with. We initially booked the Cabinet Room at Old Ebbitt for a seated rehearsal dinner for 30 people. That process was easy and straightforward. No issues either when I had to make food accommodations for guests and changes to the bar. Ultimately, our wedding plan was cancelled due to Snowzilla. We moved our ceremony up a day and ended up having 25 guests celebrate at a dinner at Old Ebbitt. Lucy and Megan worked with us to flip our rehearsal dinner to our wedding reception. They worked quickly and couldn't have been more professional or accommodating. When I called last minute after realizing we didn't have a wedding cake, they provided one for us and a number of other details we had forgotten. We ate and drank to our hearts content the night of our wedding and our friends and parents had a truly amazing time at Old Ebbitt. The servers and bartenders were also top notch. It was a wonderful experience!

User2352548 Sent on 10/06/2015

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I cannot recommend Old Ebbitt Grill highly enough. Lucy and Megan were so easy to work with and made sure everything went perfectly! The space is absolutely gorgeous and unique. The views from the rooftop for cocktails cannot be beat. And even though our cocktail hour got rained out, everything was adjusted and you'd never know anything else was planned. Our ceremony in front of the fountain was perfect, and our guests are still raving about how much they loved the food during the cocktail hour and for dinner. For the size of the space and the amount of service, you can't find a better deal in DC. Extremely reasonably priced.

Bridget Sent on 09/21/2015

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We had the rehearsal dinner in the Cabinet room. It was a great location for our guest to see some of DC and the staff was phenomenal with recommendations and accommodations. They have a large screen for video show, a private bar and made sure everything was taken care of. Thank you!

Megan Sent on 12/06/2014

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Our first dinner date was at Old Ebbitt, so it was a special place for us to begin with, but they consistently impressed us when we were comparing venues and did not disappoint on wedding day! Lucy toured us around the atrium and rooftop when we first visited, then most of our planning was with Jaki. The entire team was so professional and friendly and we had no doubt throughout planning that they had things locked up and in order.

Some Ebbitt-specific highlights:
- The rooftop space is out of this world. Best cocktail hour ever on the rooftop in beautiful weather with incredible views (who needs an indoor photo booth when the Washington monument is your backdrop??) and live music.
- Food.... we've never had a bad meal there. In fact, it was hard to narrow down from all the great choices at the tasting.
- The atrium is a pretty unique space - there is a LOT you can do with lighting since it's a very classic white marble backdrop and live music sounded fantastic in the space. The table layout worked out very well so that I didn't think anyone had a "bad" table stuck in a corner or far away from the action.

The team had the two spaces set up well in advance of our arrival for cocktail hr and they looked fantastic. The attention to detail made my inner-OCD self so happy. Everything ran so smoothly. I'm sure they were ironing out a lot of hiccups during the night, but we were never aware of any. The table service was great, and I don't think there was a line at the bar all night.

We can't say enough about how wonderful the OEG staff and venue were for our wedding. We would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good value, great food, impeccable planning staff and a unique space in DC.

User1753248 Sent on 08/07/2014

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We couldn't have picked a better venue for our special day!!!! Amazing!!!

User1671618 Sent on 06/19/2014

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I went to a wedding at Old Ebbitt's many years ago, and thought, "I would love to get married here!" And years later, here we were!!! The atrium at Old Ebbitt's is GORGEOUS!!! The marble, the high ceilings, the fountain, the millions of tea light candles everywhere made for a beautiful venue! The private events group was amazing. We worked with all of them which was nice because there was always someone to respond to one of my many emails. We were planning this wedding from Philadelphia, which was hard so it was nice to be able to keep close contact with our venue. It never took them more than a day to get back to me! We worked closely with Jaki and Lucy who were incredible. They made everything so easy and were so accommodating! The deposit we had to put down was very reasonable and given the location and how beautiful the venue was, I think the cost was more than reasonable! Can't get a better venue for your Washington DC wedding for a better price! We unfortunately had to postpone our wedding due to a family emergency but Old Ebbitt allowed us to move our deposit to a new date even though it took us 8 months to come up with a new date. No other business would have done that! Lucy met us at the car to help bring everything in the day before and she was there the whole night running the show making sure everything went smooth and everyone was happy. I didn't technically have a wedding planner, but I didn't need one because we had Lucy! My parents also loved her and were so happy she was there. She helped clean everything up at the end of the night and make sure everything got in my Aunt's car. From start to finish, this team is the BEST!!

User1480910 Sent on 12/23/2013

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Jacki and the staff at Old Ebbitt truly were amazing. We had our wedding reception at Old Ebbitt in the full atrium. We had about 160 guests at our reception. They were wonderful to work with and made us feel that everything was taken care of for our reception. The rooftop cocktail hour was truly spectacular and allowed our guests to truly enjoy the unbelievable view of the district. The food was delicious-so many of our out of town guests raved about the filet! After our reception ended, our families and friends headed into the back bar at the restaurant and Jacki made sure that we were all well-taken care of by the staff. We are extremely happy we chose Old Ebbitt for our reception.

Veronique Sent on 08/15/2013

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What can't I say about Old Ebbitt Grill?? This is our favorite restaurant! We are there at least 5 times a month, but what they did for my WEDDING RECEPTION was above and beyond my expectations! Jackie, Tyler and the events team were the best! They were always available to talk to me even when I would be at the restaurant and ask for them! My reception was beautiful and the food was OUTSTANDING! My guest are still raving about the food and some have made old ebbitt their go to eating spot!!! I highly recommend them if you want great service and food!!!

Anne Sent on 12/12/2010

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The management and staff of Old Ebbitt provided phenomenal service at our wedding. The venue was absolutely gorgeous and they even took care of putting together my centerpieces for me! The food was absolutley delicious and the management worked with me to make sure I was getting the most food/drink for my money.

Tim Sent on 08/20/2007

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Great food, great place, great service. Just go there and eat once and you'll love it. Good price per plate, too. We had the dinner in the atrium of the restaurant, a great setting, just somewhat hard to hear anyone making a speach because there are other parties and/or diners in there with you.

Blair Sent on 02/20/2007

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Old Ebbitt Grill is one of our favorite restaurants in the DC area. The staff there are very helpful and attentive. The food is amazing and the service for our event was great. The private room at Old Ebbitt is a great place to have a close get together with family and friends before the big day.

Jennifer Sent on 11/20/2006

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I would recommend Old Ebbitt to anyone! It exceeded my expectations in every way. The rooftop cocktail hour overlooking the sites of DC was something that I will remember forever!

Natalie Sent on 11/06/2015

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Our wedding reception at Old Ebbitt Grill was, in a word, AMAZING. When we started the planning process, my fiance's one request was a venue with a "DC view." I laughed him off because I knew we couldn't afford a venue like that with our budget. Come to find out, OEG has the most spectacular rooftop overlooking the White House and National Mall... and much to my surprise, it ended up being the cheapest venue on our short list. You will not find a better value for a "DC" venue in the area.

Lucy, our event coordinator at OEG, was fantastic - she took care of all the details, was happy to make all sorts of accommodations for us, and was very attentive to us and our parents throughout the entire evening. It was hard communicating via email in the beginning, but once the date got closer, I felt completely at ease that she and the staff had everything under control! As to be expected, the food was absolutely delicious and we received so many compliments from our guests. We are so glad we chose OEG and can't wait to celebrate anniversaries there for years to come!

Kristin Sent on 07/09/2014

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Old Ebbitt Grill is the most beautiful venue I've ever been to for a wedding (granted, I'm a little biased since it was my wedding!). Our wedding was on July 5, 2014 (there is a flaw in the reviewing here and it won't let me choose the correct date!) The atrium is so classic, with the beautiful fountain, marble floors and super high ceiling. The rooftop provides one of the coolest views in the entire city, and hardly anyone gets to see it! The food was obviously delicious, and our guests raved about the crab cakes, all the appetizers at cocktail our, and the late night sliders and mac n' cheese balls were a hit! But most of all, the staff at Old Ebbitt takes the cake. Lucy and Jaki were unbelievable coordinators. Leading up to the event they did research, acted as sounding boards, and did everything to make the process as smooth as possible for us. But it was their attentiveness on the day before/day of that really stood out. This dynamic duo ran our rehearsal so smoothly that there were no questions the next day. And on our wedding day, they stopped at nothing to make sure that everything was perfect. Lucy checked in on me and my husband all night. We were never without a drink, some food or a smile. The execution of this massive celebration was flawless. And when we didn't want to stop the party, they made sure we could keep it going a little bit longer. Not one of our guests wanted to leave, and we had a packed house past 1am. We heard from many of our guests that it was the best wedding they've ever been to, and I'm convinced most of that had to do with how wonderful everything/everyone was at Old Ebbitt Grill. We can't wait to go back for anniversary dinners! Thank you for everything!

User2433958 Sent on 10/27/2015

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We picked this venue because of the rooftop view and we're so glad we did! We loved working with Megan and Lucy. They worked really well with our day-of coordinator and the day went perfectly. Our guests commented to us afterward that the food and rooftop cocktail hour were amazing. I would definitely recommend this venue-- it was one of the least expensive places we looked at, but we didn't feel like the service or quality were compromised at all.

Michal Sent on 11/11/2014

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I cant say enough good things about this venue. Since we were having a DC wedding, I thought it was only appropriate to host our rehearsal dinner in an iconic, historic DC landmark. Not only was the food absolutely delicious, the reserved room was spectacular and the staff gracious and helpful. It was just a magical evening for us. The ONLY negative is that its obviously an older building not equipped with elevators and has quite a few stairs. This was not a problem for 99% of our guests....but it WAS a bit of a challenge for my husbands elderly grandmother. Just something to consider! Other than that small hiccup, the evening was flawless!

Stephanie Sent on 08/23/2014

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The team at Old Ebbitt Grill were fantastic on the day, they are highly experienced and the day was flawless! The best part of the day was the cocktail hour on the roof, so many of our guests raved about it! The OEG is a great venue for anyone wanting a true DC experience- our guests from Australia, Ireland and the rest of the US loved being central to downtown DC, loved the food and raved about the view!

Alice Sent on 06/25/2007

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We held our rehearsal luncheon at the Old Ebbitt Grill immediately following our rehearsal at the Willard. Old Ebbitt is within walking distance from the Willard, so it worked out perfectly. The weather was nice so it was pleasant to walk down and have lunch at Old Ebbitt. The service and the food was outstanding. I had requested a screen so that we could play some slideshow photos during the lunch - they were very accomodating. They also were fine with us coming early to set up the tables with our own centerpieces, placecards and favors. You can see our rehearsal menu at my wedding website at www.weddingwire.com/wong. We paid about $1,500 for a luncheon for 30 people. The only drawback is that the parking was not covered since it was a Sunday luncheon, so we had everyone park at the Willard.

Jessica Sent on 07/31/2013

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Where we had gone the night my husband and I got engaged, Old Ebbit Grill was a great choice for our dinner venue. Willing to work with us to stay in budget, they provided a delicious dinner with great servers at a price that was quite reasonable compared to many DC venues (we rented out a smaller room rather than using one of their wedding packages which worked very well for us). While we originally chose them for the sentimental value, we are very glad we ended up there.

D Sent on 07/22/2010

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The Old Ebbitt Grill was a longtime favorite restaurant of ours, so it was a great idea when recommended by a friend who attended a wedding there. We knew the food would be great and that was important to us, so we checked it out.

The atrium space in the back is a great unique choice for a wedding. We wanted something with a "DC" feel and you can't beat Old Ebbitt for that.

We didn't really encounter any problems during the planning process - there were a few change-ups in the role of the events coordinator (not Bobbilyn, she is the manager) but it didn't seem to really impact our event at all. There were some minor lapses in communication via email, but again, nothing that impacted the event in the end.

We had our entire event at Old Ebbit - ceremony, cocktails and reception. Bobbilyn indicated that they did not frequently do ceremonies on site, but she worked with us to make it all happen and it was great. We used the roof terrace (not open to the public generally) for the cocktail reception and it was an absolute hit with the guests - even DC folks were amazed by the view up there.

On the day, everything flowed perfectly - and I was EXTREMELY impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the food was perfect. They easily accommdodated all of our strange allergies and food requests. As someone who has done event planning as a career, I was very pleased with how everything turned out in the end.

Even when one of my guests had a bit of an issue at the end of the night (guest's fault), Bobbilyn handled the situation was grace and professionalism!

The Old Ebbitt Grill isn't what I would call a "cheap" wedding location, however, considering the cost of hosting a wedding in DC, comparing that to other venues and what you gain by having it at the Old Ebbitt - I am very happy to have had my wedding there.

Kristi Sent on 04/29/2008

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Great food, great service

User2059083 Sent on 09/29/2015

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Let me start with the two things that blew everyone’s mind: the rooftop cocktail reception and the food!! Lucy does a great job walking you through the options and how the menu can be modified to fit your style, budget, and/or any dietary restrictions (my husband does not eat anything with diary). I will say that we had a pre-defined budget but did bust the bank some given that this is not an inexpensive venue (hard to find one in DC that isn’t!), but in the end it was worth it. We started with a rooftop reception cocktail hour - views were amazing. I feel like this is the best kept secret in DC! We went with a buffet/food station option + raw bar which was awesome. Note that if you want to have music during your reception, you will have to reserve the whole atrium. Also, hire a DJ that can work with the unique acoustics in the atrium. A couple of things that could be improved: my husband and I had a separate sweetheart table with just the two of us. Since we didn’t have a seated dinner, I wish someone would have come to our table to ask us what we would like to eat and/or drink. Instead, my husband had to make a couple runs up to the food stations to grab some bites for us to eat. We didn’t get to eat much because of this too. Also, we were billed for vendor meals even though it wasn’t discussed beforehand and the vendor contract did not include meals. In addition, we had 2 people that could not come last minute but we still paid for their head count (which is fine because this is written into the contract for cancellations w/in 48hr). Given that we paid for these two people who could not be there, it would have been nice (and appropriate in my mind) to not be charged additional for the vendor meal. This last point left us with a little bit of a sour note on what was otherwise a wonderful event. Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend the OEG!

Nadia Sent on 12/01/2013

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My guests are still talking about how amazing the view from the Old Ebbitt's rooftop terrace is. I'm not just talking about our out-of-town guests who'd never been to Washington; I'm also talking about native Washingtonians and those who lived much of their lives in the city. As I native Washingtonian myself, this is the perfect venue for a Washington event. Instead of a stodgy, sit down dinner, my husband and I opted for a classy and uber Washington, DC rooftop cocktail party after the wedding rehearsal. It was the perfect setting. Intimate, yet spacious and with the best view of the monuments, The White House and the DC architecture. We served passed, heavy hors d'oeuvres that you can tailor depending on your budget. We went with a 2-hour, premium open bar. Our event was only 2 hours so that kept the price down a little. Although the rooftop is a considerably more pricey option, it truly made for the ultimate wow factor. The Old Ebbitt Special Events team will work with your budget and are super easy to work with.

Jessica Sent on 10/23/2011

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We wanted to simplify as much as possible with our wedding ceremony and reception so we could just focus on enjoying the time with our friends and family, without sacrificing ambiance and character. Old Ebbitt was the perfect spot for us - we had both our ceremony and reception there and since the restaurant is on site - they handled all the food/beverage, tables/chairs, linens, dishes and wait staff, etc greatly reducing the number of decisions and vendors we had to deal with. Although that does mean you may not have as much flexibility with menu (and not too much flexibility with costs) it worked well for us. Our guests raved about the Old Ebbitt - especially the rooftop view (even native Washingtonians were impressed), the raw bar, the food and the overall organization and flow of events. Taylor and Emily were great to work with - very professional, responsive, organized and handled all "day-of" tasks just like a day-of coordinator would, setting up our photo displays, place cards, helping our band and processional musician figure out where to set up, arranging our dessert table (we had assorted desserts instead of a wedding cake) - they even put together our chuppah for us! We were able to drop off all supplies - the programs, photo exhibits, place cards, etc, a few days before the wedding, which was super helpful in getting them off my plate and knowing Taylor and Emily would set it all up. One recommendation..for budgeting purposes, make sure you get the complete estimate - including security charges, services charges, and taxes - all of these add quite a chunk to your bill.

Jonathan Sent on 08/03/2010

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3.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

Overall, we were very pleased with our wedding at Old Ebbitt! It is a unique venue if you are looking for something different than the usual hotel or country club. It is fabulous in that it is a great and interesting space in the atrium, but part of the restaurant, so unlike other unique spots in DC where you have to coordinate with a caterer, it is all there for you! Guests absolutely raved about the grandeur of the marble floors and high ceilings in the atrium, as well as the view from the rooftop cocktail hour (both DC people and our many out-of-towners)!
The quality of the food was great- during the cocktail hour we had 2 of the platter options, 5 passed apps, and the raw bar option (to meet the Saturday night minimum). There was so much food some people were surprised to find that there was more food to come downstairs (haha, maybe some of our older guests who aren't frequent wedding guests these days)! Anyhow, the filet/crabcake duo was delicious as well. I was a bit nervous about the fact of 120 steaks coming out at the same time and cooked appropriately- but it was all good! And the mango/raspberry sorbet option---- we swore it was Haagen Dazs! All of this (plus a salad), as well as open bar with passed wine at dinner. A really reasonable price for what the average DC venue offers! The service personnel were fabulous, and really tuned into what the guests needed--- instead of just a standard waitstaff I felt they were taking care of our guests.
With all of those positives, we did find some difficulty in communicating with the wedding coordinator the WEEK of the wedding. We were in the process of finalizing, and I really had to track her down to figure it all out. Also, I was really disappointed that when our guests arrived, signs were not yet up, directing them where to go. I had read this with a previous reviewer and made an extra effort to emphasize that I had many out-of-town guests, and wanted clear signs up early. Supposedly they did not go up until 5:30pm, and many of our guests were already there at 5...With all that said, when I did speak with her she was very flexible and helpful, and had some great ideas for us. It was just the issue of making contact (and when your wedding is 4 days away, you wonder why you are the one making the contact and not the other way around?). So to me, the overall experience was worth the bit of stress of coordinating.

Colleen Sent on 07/27/2009

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

They were not the easiest people in the world to deal with, and things DID go wrong (their fault) on our wedding day, but if I had to do it over again I would still choose to have my reception at Old Ebbitt. First and foremost, you absolutely cannot beat the price. I searched far and wide for a better deal and there just isn't one. Not only are you getting a fantastic deal price wise, but the quality is great. This is the only place I know of in the DC metro area where you can have a phenomenal wedding that looks very expensive for $110/pp for plated filet with a 5 hr open bar. My guests raved about the food and the oyster bar (side note: I only did the oyster bar because I didn't meet my minimum, but if I had to do it over again I would have paid extra for one. I don't even like oysters, but apparently all my guests do because everyone went on and on and on and on about how much they loved the oyster bar. Definitely worth doing). So, I really do think the end result was well worth putting up with any of the negatives that we experienced. By having an inexpensive reception, I was able to spend more money in other places (a very expensive dress, an incredible band, etc). Speaking of the extras, something I would absolutely recommend to all brides out there is to go with uplighting by John Farr. It COMPLETELY transformed the room. I mean, COMPLETELY. It was not cheap and I felt so guilty after booking him, but it was honestly worth every penny. There are many places where you do not need uplighting, but at Old Ebbitt it makes the room look exponentially better. I figured that we spent so little on the food and beverage that it was worth it.

I will also say that Old Ebbitt took full responsibility for the areas in which they made mistakes and went out of their way to correct them as best they could. Some of the mistakes they made were not fixable, which kind of sucked, but they really did go above and beyond to try to make it better. I think no matter where you have your reception, it's very possible that someone will screw something up (honestly this is true of all vendors, not just the reception place) but it's how the company responds to the screwups that really defines their professionalism. At work, I know I try to do my best too but sometimes I certainly make mistakes and I try to rectify them as best as possible, and I think Old Ebbitt was the same way. Bobbilyn (the woman in charge) has some learning to do, but she's only been there for a year and was actually a very nice girl. She is not perfect (who is), but she was very helpful on many occasions, had some great ideas, and I know that with time she will become more seasoned.

So, all in all, I highly recommend using them. If I have any advice for future brides, it would be to stay on top of things as much as possible to minimize anything going wrong on your day. Hiring a competent wedding planner would also be a big help.

Tanya Sent on 01/25/2011

4.4 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Overall, I thought the Old Ebbitt Grill was an excellent venue for our wedding reception. I chose this venue because of the unique style of the Atrium and I like their food. The food served the day of the reception was slightly different than what we had tasted but, it was still very good.

The staff and planning team were very helpful and professional. The only disappointing aspect to the venue is that they charge an additonal rental and food and beverage fee to use the rooftop for cocktails. This area cannot be rented separately if the entire Atrium is rented; therefore, I thought that it should be included as part of the Atrium rental as opposed to an additional fee.

Other than that, I was very pleased with the venue and it was a beautiful place for the reception.

User2245816 Sent on 07/28/2015

4.2 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

The food here is amazing! We picked the crab cake and filet mignon duet. You could literally cut the steak with a butter knife. Everyone was blown away with the food (I hate to admit it but it was even better than our actual reception site). The service staff was very nice, accommodating, and efficient. Make sure in your emails with the event coordination that you are very forthright and ask lots of questions. Its actually probably best to touch base with them via phone too.

Jennifer Sent on 03/15/2009

4 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
3 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
3 out of 5 rating
Value
5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

We hosted a wedding reception for approximately 150 guests in the Old Ebbitt's Atrium. The space is a great alternative if you're looking for something a bit different from the standard hotel ballroom and the location really can't be beat. I was blown away by how beautiful the space looked when we walked in for the reception. We used one of the Ebbitt's reception menu packages and I have to admit, the price per guest for what you receive is outstanding. I felt we received great value for our money. Our guests raved about the food and the service from the waitstaff and bartenders. The team at the Ebbitt was also very accommodating of some of my special reception requests and met with me on several occassions to finalize these details, which I appreciated.

That said, I think there are a few things to keep in mind before signing on the dotted line. The restaurant underwent a change in their senior event coordinator last summer and there still seem to be some growing pains and a lack of communication between the Ebbitt's event team. While both of the restaurant's event coordinators went out of their way to work with me, I found myself having to do more follow up than I had anticipated because they just didn't seem to be talking to each other. We had paid to use the Ebbitt's private entrance to the Atrium and I was surprised to learn that when a bus of my guests arrived at the restaurant about 10 minutes before our reception was scheduled to begin, they found the private doors locked and a member of the waitstaff just beginning to post signage for the reception outside. I realize we were a bit early, but I had communicated to the Ebbitt's event manager that I expected to have these details ready in advance. I also learned that the event staff began removing the tables and chairs from the Atrium within minutes after our 11 pm end time. Several guests returned to what was left of their tables (including the mother of the bride) only to find that their personal belongings had been removed as well. This was definitely not the impression I wanted my guests ending their evening with! We also learned that sound can be a major issue in the Atrium space. This is not something that the Ebbitt can control or change, but you will want to make sure your DJ or band brings enough speakers to fully cover your event area.

Despite these drawbacks, our overall experience at the Ebbitt was great and I have so many happy memories from our evening. I would just advise that you be ready to really stay on top things (or be ready to hire someone to stay on top of things for you) so that you and your guests can have as enjoyable an evening as possible. And don't forget to order the fried oysters!

Abigail Sent on 11/07/2008

3.4 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
3 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
3 out of 5 rating
Value
4 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
3 out of 5 rating

We used the Old Ebbitt Grill as our reception venue and it was a mixed bag. The wedding coordinator for the restaurant had just changed, and I think the new woman (Bobbilyn) still has some learning to do.

First off, the food and service of the actual waitstaff was excellent. We had the steak and salmon and it was great.

However, there were kinks in the overall organization and carryout of the event. The atrium (where most of wedding receptions are held) has a separate entrance than the regular restaurant entrance and there is supposed to be a sign there for guests so that they know where to go. There was no sign and no one was directing the guests. Therefore, many were milling around outdoors or trying to go into the main entrance for the restaurant (which if you ever go to Old Ebbitt, you know is a zoo). This was very poor management on Old Ebbitt's part since I had repeatedly confirmed with them that there would be a sign for guests and it is something they automatically are supposed to do. It was a very bad way to start the event because guests were confused and it was disorganized.

Also a problem were the bartenders. Because of supposed strict ABC laws, they were ID-ing guests (some of who were groomsmen that had forgotten their IDs). Also, they wouldn't let guests order drinks for others. One of these guests was my 50 year old Uncle that was trying to order an extra drink for my 85 yr old Grandmother. It was embarassing to say the least that the bartender would not let him do so. Foremost on my mind was the enjoyment of our guests, and this caused problems for them.

I also specifically put in my contract with Old Ebbitt that I needed to use their clake plate, and it was not provided. The cake was on the original foil-lined cardboard it came on. Really, I am not quite sure what Bobbilyn actually did that night, because it certainly was not managing my reception. If you want to book at Old Ebbitt, you should really try to pin her down before the event and pound into her head what you need. There does not seem to be good communication between her and Gena (the contact at Old Ebbitt that I dealt with primarily leading up to the wedding).

Also a consideration - the bathrooms. The atrium does not have their own set of bathrooms and guest either have to go through the bar to use the single or walk through the entire restaurant and down the stairs to the main bathrooms. I knew this beforehand, but liked everything else about Old Ebbitt and booked anyway. Knowing how much that would effect guests as I do know, I should have given it more thought. There was a drunk guest in the bathroom that yelled at my 8 yr old nephew at one point. Also, it was just a pain for all of my guests and took forever.

As I said earlier, the food was great and the people that served the food did a great job. Also, the restaurant was courteous enough to package leftover cake for guests, which was thoughtful.

Based on my experience, I cannot whole-heartedly recommend Old Ebbitt. However, if Bobbilyn gets replaced by a better coordinator (or if she gets better at her job), I would recommend it (if you really think long and hard about the bathroom issue). If you book it, STAY ON TOP OF BOBBILYN. I have relayed all of my concerns to her supervisor. I cannot guarantee that this will have any sort of effect, but hopefully any future weddings there will not have the same problems as mine.

User2556629 Sent on 02/15/2016

2.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
3 out of 5 rating
Average response time
2 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
2 out of 5 rating
Value
3 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
3 out of 5 rating

My husband and I are big fans of Old Ebbit Grill so we hosted our rehearsal dinner there. Just FYI: the Old Ebbit Grill is managed by the same group that owns/manages The Hamilton and Clyde's. We had requested availability for The Hamilton as a backup option.

The communication over email when we first contacted OEG Events was disorganized. It seemed like every time we sent an email and a reply, someone different responded, so there was no continuity.

At the dinner, they didn't give us a kids' menu as we had requested in advance. Although my husband, the kids' parents, and I all had asked the servers for kids' menus at the table, our requests were ignored. Our friends finally ordered from the regular menu for their kids. Ultimately, that meant more money that we didn't want to have to spend.

We continue to patronize the Old Ebbitt Grill as regulars, but we do not recommend hosting special events there.

Old Ebbitt Grill Reviews

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Old Ebbitt Grill