Bar Review – The Lighthorse

Look, I love living in Old Town Alexandria.  BUT, being under the age of 35, I don’t really belong here, especially when it comes to the bar scene.  Going out here on a Saturday night, you are 100x more likely to run into a single 55-year old woman than a 25-year old woman.  It also makes finding a good local watering hole tough, though the introduction of Pizza Paradiso and Red Rocks adds some good options.

After 3 years here, I think I’m convinced the Lighthorse is one of, if not the, best bar in town.  Located on the 700 block of King Street, the bar is pretty accessible from anywhere in Old Town, and a relatively easy walk from the metro.  The bar is pretty spacious with about 12 seats at the bar, about the same number of tables, and a few couches/chairs.  There’s also enough space for a pool table and two shuffleboard tables.

The draft list is reasonable.  It’s not spectacular, but solid.  Bell’s Two Hearted,  Brooklyn Brown, Lefthand Sawtooth, and Abita Purple Haze are all staples of the draft list.  Plus there are always a number of mid-level drafts (e.g., Sierra Nevada PA, Harpoon IPA), and always one rotating micro draft.  The bottle list is reasonably long at ~30 with a mix of awful choices (e.g., Stella), and great choices (e.g., Flying Dog).  RFD it is not, but everyone can find something to drink here.

I can only do a partial review of the food.  The smoked wings (choice of naked, buffalo, bbq) are absolutely to die for.  I don’t think I’ve ever had better wings anywhere.  Thus, every time I go and I’m hungry, I get the wings.  I can only imagine the rest of the food is just as good.

The bar has a reasonable vibe.  It’s a quiet, depressed place through 5 on the weekdays and 7 on weekends.  It can quickly turn into a happening and vibrant place at night, especially on weekends when there’s a band in.

Next time you’re in Old Town, check it out

-X