The Birchmere

3701 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, USA

Address:	3701 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, USA
Phone:	+1 703-549-7500
Site:	birchmere.com
Rating:	4.4

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

Beth T

Just left a show (Andy Grammer) early and felt compelled to write this review!! Let me give you a little background. I live in the Arlandria neighborhood, and really like to support local business and have been to The Birchmere 3 times, but this past time will be my last!!!! Originally this show was supposed to be a standing room only show, but it was moved to a larger hall that is seated. Staff was by at the stage and didnt seem to care that about a 1/4 of the attendees decided to move on up in front of the stage and block the other 75% of the the patrons. Since I couldnt see the show decided I might as well head home and if i wanted an Andy Grammer song, I could pay the $1.29 to download it from iTunes. On may way out I talked to several employees of The Birchmere a security/staff guy that his answer was for me to tell the twenty some people in front of me to sit down, even though there were several staff people that didnt really seem to be doing anything. As well as about 6 other employees in the gift shop, that one I believe was the Sound Guy had a very smug/snarky response to me asking why they would move a show that was supposed to be standing to a seated venue and then allow so many people to rush the stage and block the view of the other attendees. His response was they are kids and repeatedly asked me if the band asked them to do that.... No apology or anything. Just a little customer service advice to The Birchmere, if you are that rude to your patrons they will not be back! And I will not be!!

Eugene Krivsun

Worst experience in my life. Please read! My wife and I went on a Melody Gardot concert and she was actually awesome. The story is about The Birchmere personal and management. We ordered a dinner during the concert. Waitress brought us a check and I gave it back to one of the waitresses with my credit card. What happened next is a nightmare. Another waitresses came to me and asked to pay. I told that I gave my check and credit card back to another waitress. She left but came back with security guy and general manager. They asked me to come with them. I told again that I paid and they need to find my card. Concert was not over but they asked me to come to a kitchen. They even called the police who asked me if Im paying my dinner or not. I told him the same story that staff need to find my card. Police guy kept asking if Im going to pay or not. I had to pay with another credit card. Next, lady who seat right next to us during dinner fortunately came and told that she saw me giving check and credit card to a waitress. Only after that all the waitresses came to kitchen and one of them found my check and card in her pocket or wallet. Manager even refused to say sorry for their fault and only apologized after I asked him to do so several times. I will stay away from this place. Hope to hear back from the birchmere representative here.

Bonnie Lemenager

The last time I was at The Birchmere, it was a very humid evening at the end of May 2016. Since I knew from previous experiences to arrive very early before the 7:30 PM concert time, I arrived at 3:45 PM and joined a long line of other patrons who were waiting for the doors to open at 5:00 PM. The seating is "General Admission", and patrons are given a lottery ticket with a number on it. Then everyone stands around or goes into the gift shop to pass the time. I was meeting two friends there, and one is legally blind and has trouble walking. She had called the manager weeks before to let him know her problem, and she was assured everything was in place. We were told to "sit anywhere", but after my handicapped friend was seated, a very rude man came by to say the seats we were in were reserved. We were forced to move twice until the man was finally satisfied. This ruined the experience for all three of us, and though we enjoyed the performance, nothing seemed to go right otherwise. The food was cold, the servers were overwhelmed and the restrooms were disgusting. I am going back by myself the second week of February; I have a fractured neck and cannot turn my head for long periods of time to look at the performer. The management of this venue have to step up their game or they will continue to lose more patrons. Including me.

Belphanior Z

Ive come here a few times to catch live music. They offer only general admission so you should arrive NLT 5 PM to get line numbers for seating. The bar opens at that time too. Its a full bar with typical NoVA prices. I dont recall ever seeing happy hour prices. Seating begins at 6 PM, same time as the restaurant opens. Honestly, you dont come here for the food. Id recommend eating an early dinner in nearby Crystal City or Pentagon City. Now having written that I have had a couple of items from the menu. Nothing great in terms of taste, but the service was adequate. Never had a problem with the wait staff. Some seats are better than others because you are sitting at tables with chairs not facing the stage. Thats why you ought to arrive early to get the better facing seats. Couples probably dont want to sit across from each other but rather next to each other. Groups get no special treatment so if you are managing one you will really have to work seating aggressively. The shows Ive attended didnt offer a dance floor, but I know the venue will put out a dance floor for some shows. Obviously this is at the cost of seats. Parking is free and plentiful if you arrive early enough. I would imagine the lot gets full for sold out events. Definitely recommend.

Jay Burgundy

This place is awful. Lets start from the waiting in line experience. I waited in line for 3.5 hours outside in 25 degree weather for them to open the doors, to get a good seat to see Carbon Leaf, which they opened late.(There is so much space they could have let us in 15 minutes early.) After doing all that they give you a number like in a deli line to get in. What they dont tell you is that one person can wait in line for a table of 8! So we got screwed out of good seats. Next is the food: lets be real, anyone who says the food is good here is being payed to write the review. Everything is either out of the can, or frozen. Im not a foodie but I could get better food from 7-11. This place is stuck in the late 70s. The food, all the decor, the wrapped silverware in plastic serving cups, I even saw the owner in the back room smoking. Its 2016, stop polluting my air. This place isnt charming. Its overpriced and undelivers. They have no idea what it is to create an experience for someone. If Carbon Leaf comes back in 17 I wont be.

Mark Shank

Just saw the Mary Bridget Davies show on Saturday night She is a phenomenal Artist loved every minute of the show. The Food not bad if you like bar food and the Beer was cold although both were quite pricey 6 to 8 wings (just wings) was I think $20. Show ended just a few minutes before 10:00pm. The problem arises at the bar in the lobby area There were 30 or 40 people waiting to speak to Ms. Davies after the show. We tried to get a drink and were told "The Bar is Closed" I tried again to get a drink for Ms. Davies and was again told "The Bar is Closed"! I am not sure how many people went to the bar before I started counting but there were at least 22 people after me that were told the "The Bar is Closed". It was my First time and I did enjoy the show. Just seems to me that in a going concern that needs Bar sales to make it, the Birchmere would at least try to accommodate the guests.. I might add that the gift shop also locked the doors at 10:00 sharp.