I loved the atmosphere here, which had an upscale feel yet still remained casual enough for kids. Think lots of dark woods, tablecloths, and booth seating. Paintings on the walls show scenes like the nearby White House.

We were quickly seated and started looking at our menu.

Since I'm from Georgia, I had to order the Georgia Spinach Salad: a delicious concoction topped with mango and pecans. However, I could have gotten anything from pasta to trout. The offerings are typical American fare, which means there were also a lot of sandwiches to choose for a light meal as well as more expensive entrees like crabcakes. I noticed a "veggie sandwich" offering for those among us who don't like meat. Kids have options such as chicken fingers or PB&Js served with applesauce.

Overall Impression: My friend knew what she was talking about. This is a great place to eat. The oyster bar is famous. You might spot a well-known politician, though he or she may opt to dine in a private room. While more expensive at night, the prices are really very reasonable. Brunch is served on the weekends.

The Old Ebbitt bills itself as the oldest saloon in Washington, but this is somewhat disingenuous as its location has changed several times. A boarding house in Chinatown originally housed the Old Ebbitt, which was where Presidents Grant, Andrew Johnson, Cleveland, and Roosevelt came to refresh themselves at the stand-around bar. When the boarding house was demolished, the establishment moved to the National Press Building on F Street, then moved again when that building was razed. However, the contents of the saloon were put up for auction and the owners of Clyde’s of Georgetown snapped them up, happy to get "a lot of history and myth" for their money. The new proprietors have played that historical legacy to the hilt, and the heady Gilded Age atmosphere of the new restaurant is so thick you can practically chew it. The place is "deservedly mobbed" at lunchtime, while reservations are essential for dinner.

The grill is divided into several sections. The crowd in the opulent, paneled Main Dining Room is a virtual who’s who of White House staffers, lobbyists, journalists, and Capitol Hill types intermixed with goggle-eyed tourists. The decoration is Edwardian men’s sporting club, with museum-quality paintings and antiques. Downstairs is a handsome private dining room, while to the side are separate areas for an Oyster Bar, Corner Bar, and Grants Bar, which features a large painting of a reclining nude. Elaborate murals of Washington sights are painted on various ceilings and walls.

While the main dining room is where the action’s at, the Atrium offers a less frenetic, garden-like atmosphere under tall palm trees in an almost hushed marble foyer. This is where a friend and I had lunch after a free noontime concert at the nearby Church of the Epiphany. I splurged and had the Maryland crab cakes, while she opted for a salad with gorgonzola cheese. Neither item was particular expensive by Washington standards, though frankly the food didn’t match the setting. (I confess, though, that being a Marylander makes me finicky in the matter of crab cakes.) The menu changes daily but generally offers upscale pub fare as well as "oysters of the day" from the raw bar.

Don’t leave without looking at the Old Bar, where those famous Roosevelt game trophies are mounted. The maitre ‘d informed me that the two wooden bears placed along the bar once belonged to Alexander Hamilton. One of the bears was hollowed out and used to hide bottles of liquor during the Prohibition.

The power lunch crowd, a heady atmosphere, and hearty food – that’s the Old Ebbitt Grill.

The bar is very crowded as is the restaurant. It is in the shadow of the White House and is often a pre-theater dining stop. Old Ebbitt is really is a proverbial DC-establishment place to dine. The dinner menu has moderately priced sandwiches like a buffalo chicken or hamburger both served with fries for $7.95. They also have more traditional entrées like steaks, rack of pork and are known for their oysters served on the 1/2 shell on ice.

The restaurant is large and cavernous. There is a back bar area for smokers and cigar tokers. It is in an office building, but from the wood paneled walls and heavy wooden booths, you would never know it.