We went to Bobby Van's Saturday night for my son's birthday (his choice) since he wanted their famous porterhouse.

The decor is nice, very steakhousy with blond wood, and lots of large format bottles of wine around. They have a nice wine enclosed wine cellar that you can see from most of the tables.

Service was very good, with one small exception described below. The breads were very good and they kept the basket full. There were three different breads (french, olive and raisin) and some flat crackers with seeds that were quite good.

For appetizers my son had the blue point oysters on the half shell, excellent but expensive at $13.50 for a half dozen. I had the soft shell crab, also $13.50 (you can get one as an appetizer and two as a main course) It was prepared perfectly, just a touch of spice and not at all over-cooked and served over a light fresh tomato sauce with a piece of cornbread. My wife had the crab cake. The first one was cold in the middle and she sent it back, the second one was very good with no filler at all and nicely spiced, though she would have preferred it broiled to fried, but she didn't ask so I don't know if that is an option. We had been tempted to order the seafood sampler appetizer, and watched several go by, they were huge, with shrimp, crabmeat and a lobster tail. I am afraid to think what they charged for those.

They are famous for their dry aged steaks, and the steak was cooked just like we wanted it, very rare. If you order the porter house for 2-4, everyone must have it cooked the same way (obviously) and it came as ordered. The steak was chared on the outside and blood red in the middle. It was already cut for us and served up nicely. However, it was not as tender as I expected, not tough at all, but no better than some other steaks I've had at other restaurants that do not specialize in steaks. At $34.50 a person, it was not the best deal either. My wife had the broiled scallops with lemon butter which were quite good, and a large serving.

Sides are ordered separately and except for the baked potato, are for two. The mashed potatos were good, but not exceptional, though they were very hot. The creamed spinich is very creamy, too much so. The baked potato on the other hand, was huge, cooked perfectly, and served with sour cream, chedder cheese, and applewood smoked bacon as toppings (served on the side)

Desserts were good, though the bread pudding a little dry, but the apple crumble was excellent. The cream broule was wonderful. Coffee ended the meal and was very good.

The wine list is extensive, and for what is there not as over-priced as some places in this city (not nearly as bad as Galileo though I couldn't find any red for less than $40) but when I ordered a 1999 Franciscan Oakville, they brought a 2000. I sent it back and ordered a different wine. This came as advertised. (a 1999 St. Frances Cab for $60) I would have liked it if they had said the 99 was no longer available and asked if I wanted the 2000 (I didn't) before bringing it. But it was the waiter, not a sommelier so I guess I am being picky. He had no problem taking it back and getting something else.

They sang happy birthday to my son, embarrasing him mightly, and everyone made a point of wishing him a happy birthday. They comped his dessert too.

All in all, not a bad experience, but expensive and the steaks, while good, are not exactly to die for. As a steak house, it isn't bad, but for fine dining, I will go elsewhere. Maybe next time I want steaks, I'll try the Palm since I don't like Morton's or Nick and Stef's, and haven't tried the Ruths Chris here in DC.

Bottom line, there are too many other places to go in town where I can blow $100 per person and get a more enjoyable dining experience overall. I didn't dislike the evening, I just thought others have been better.

Thanks for the notes, dw. I'd hoped you would have had a better experience. At least I can benefit from your experience and steer myself towards other beefy destinations (I agree with your comment about Nick & Stef's too).

TJ,

I can't say it was bad, just not as good as I thought it should be. When I go out and expect to spend that much money, I'll go to Tosca, or Equinox, or Kinkead's, or a dozen others first. But ain't this a great town for dining out?

That's what I took your comments for. I'll do the same if I plan on spending those kind of bucks. And heck yes, this is a great town for dining out.

BTW, s days til VC Rocks at Equinox. Woohoo!

DW:

Curious on your take on Sam & Harry's and the Caucus Room. I love the steak at these places; never been to Bobby Vvan's and probaly won't bother now.

I have heard good things about the Caucus Room, but have never been. Perhaps the site for another DC Offline?

Corkage,

To be honest, I haven't been to either, so I didn't include them in my list. I am not really a steak house kind of guy. My son (it was his 15th birthday) loves a good steak as do I, but when we go out for a fine meal, steakhouses are not usually our choice. Actually, we tend to look for good ethnic restaurants as a first choice for eating out, and for a great "continental or European" restaurant when looking for a "fine dining" experience.

The wife is not a steak fanatic, prefers seafood, so we normally look for somewhere that the food is the main attraction. Truth is, I can get a good steak at a lot of places, and I am not enough of a fanatic to pay the increased prices to get the "steakhouse" experience. The steak at Bobby Van's was good, don't get me wrong, just not exceptional. For what it cost me to take the three of us to dinner, I can get a much more memorable meal at many other places in town.

Current favorites are Tosca, Kinkeads (one of my wife's favorites), DC Coast, Galileo Da Roberto Donna (though I find the wine prices there to be way out of line, in spite of it being a great list), Meskerem (great Ethiopian food), La Colline (though it has been a while) Taberna Del Alabardero (tapas!) and a place in Olney Maryland -Le Mannequin Pis (great mussels)

I haven't tried 1789, Citronelle, 701, or Maestro but plan to when I can.

The truth is, we eat out a lot, what with us being a two professional family and running the kid to hither and you all the time. However, we normally eat at local restaurants here in MD (which means no BYOB allowed)and have favorites among those. If you happen to be in the Aspen Hill/Olney/Rockville area, I can recommend some neighborhood places that are good but not the places to go for wine. (Curses to Maryland and it's stupid wine laws)

I would add Palena to the list of great DC restaurants.
Their wine list was surprisingly short, however - all the more reason to BYO!

FYI...
WIll, the God behind the beef at Bobby Van's left last year to work in FLorida. It just isn't the same...