As you will notice, Steve Winterling is not writing this months restaurant review. He and his fiancée, Ingrid McVearry, were married in November. We congratulate them both, and look forward to the return of Steve’s pen next month. In the meantime, we will fill in for Steve and revisit one of our favorite restaurants, Joe Theismann’s.
As most of you know, Joe Theismann was a former quarterback for the Washington Redskins. These were the glory years when the “Skins” went to and won a few Super Bowl games. It was also about the time that Joe teamed with Vernon Grandgeorge and opened their restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria. Located across from the King Street Metro, Theismann’s quickly became a popular watering hole for commuters to Washington, D.C. With numerous high definition TV’s, Theismann’s also became one of the most popular places to watch sporting events, especially NFL games on Sunday. With cold beer, good friends and a winning team, what more could you ask? Good food… and they had that too!
Typically, a sports bar and quality dining don’t go hand in hand. At Joe Theismann’s restaurant the reverse is true… this great restaurant is also a sports bar. Going back to Theismann’s is like walking into “Cheers”. Usually there is someone you know.
On the night we stopped by for dinner our good friend Mark Millsaps was behind the bar serving his crowd of regulars. Mark, as well as most of the employees, have worked at the restaurant for many years, which is a good testament to the ownership and management of the establishment.
After enjoying a cold beer and catching up on the local news with Mark, we were soon shown to our table. Even though it was a weeknight, the restaurant was extremely busy. The reason for this is probably that the food is not only good, but reasonably priced as well… and you get a lot of it!
The entrees for lunch and dinner are pretty much the same except that at night the portions are bigger and the price a bit higher. Choices include North Atlantic Roasted Salmon and Twin Maryland Crab cakes to Blackened Seafood Platter and Filet Mignon.
On this particular evening my dining companion ordered Chicago Style Pork Chops and I had the New York Strip Steak. But, first we ordered appetizers. The seared Ahi Tuna at $9.50 was tender and thick cut. Displayed on a bed of lettuce with wontons on top, the order was almost too pretty to eat. “Melting in your mouth” may be an overused phrase, but in the case of the Ahi, it fit. We also ordered the barbeque shrimp at $10.00. Four large shrimp wrapped in bacon, grilled to perfection and drizzled with a tangy barbecue sauce.
My companions grilled pork chops have been a favorite of hers for over 15 years and she remarked about how consistent the dish has been over that time. The two dry BBQ rubbed chops were grilled perfectly with just enough browned meat to sink your teeth into, but yet tender and tasty. The pork chops were served with sautéed apples and mashed potatoes and came in at $19.50. The apples add a nice counter point to the pork chops. To continue this meat and potatoes sort of evening, I had the 14-ounce New York Strip priced at $29.00. Once again grilled perfectly with a slight burn for that crispy taste and to lock in the juices, my medium rare steak was tender and cooked as ordered. This serving also came with mashed potatoes with brown gravy and fresh vegetables. The meals are accompanied by house salad with your choice of dressing and some of the best tasting warm rolls you will ever have – these have been consistent for at lease the last 15 years as well. Both portions were considerable and left no room for dessert.
At lunch, Theismann’s offers an array of sandwiches including classic Ruben, steak and cheese, veggie panini and chicken wraps as well as the a-fore mentioned entrees.
If you want a great seat for a sporting event in high definition then Joe Theismann’s restaurant is the place for you. If you are looking for a great meal at a reasonable price, then Theismann’s is for you as well. And if Sunday Brunch is what you had in mind then come on down for one of Alexandria’s top rated brunches.
For address and contact information, see the Joe Theismann’s listing in the Restaurant Guide in this publication.

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