Birchmere

One of the best places — if not THE best place — in the entire Washington, DC area to see great music «up close and personal». The food is decent, but it’s not why you go there. You go there to see amazing artists in a very personal way. You will get to know the musicians better in this venue and the sound is always top notch. If you see anyone that you think you might like performing here… please don’t hesitate. You will be glad you made the trip!

I came here for the HOLY HOLY Bowie tribute show last night and had a great time. This is a very low key classy small venue. Didn’t know what to expect by the ticketing website; didn’t know if there was food for a 7:30 concert. Tickets included table seating and food and beverage service; the venue was very intimate and was like an «dinner theatre» environment… possibly the squarest prim and proper concert venue I’ve ever been to since the other shows I’ve been to always involved a mosh pit. If they had done more in advance promo for the show beforehand I believe it would have sold out. Hubs had heard about the show in a random aside blurb in the baltimore sun. The venue became more and more filled as the night went along but was still intimate which made it great and people did rock out. We were feet away from the band which included Bowie’s longsuffering producer Tony Visconti and the original drummer from the Spider from Mars. The music was magnificent. The menu was vast and there were a variety of bar options. Service was good. Parking was close and ample. RIP David Bowie = — –(

I’d give it one star but for the fact that the sound was good and I love the band we went to see. And despite my crabby sounding comments I did have a good time (I love the band). However, my husband and I both said, multiple times afterwards, that we would have to really, really want to see a band to ever consider going back. And I don’t think I’d even see the band we just saw if they were at the Birchmere again.
I guess it is an intimate performance compared to the Verizon Center (I notice a number of reviewers used that adjective) or maybe if you get one of the front seats. But really, to me it felt more like my elementary school gym with as many table and chairs crammed in as possible and poor sight lines (as also mentioned by others).
I’ll list my cons. Maybe these would bother you, maybe not:
1. The food. I didn’t eat any, but the smell of my neighbors’ food was a definite part of the experience. The smell of pickles, deep fried food and cheap hamburgers was as much a presence as the music.
2. The waitstaff. We were to the back so a constant procession of waitstaff moving in front of us. Or taking orders and taking care of the bills of our neighbors during quiet parts of the concert.
3. Not being able to stand up or move (see previous comment about crammed in tables and chairs). Going to see a funk band and being trapped in your seats isn’t the best. It affects the energy of the show as well. Maybe for a show where you would be more inclined to sit would be better.
4. Cleanliness. The bathroom was again like something from a public school, but with dirtier walls and a uniformly sticky floor.
5. The tight seating. This part is definitely intimate – more so than the venue! Our neighbors were great and considerate. But it is kind of like being on the Metro, you are on top of each other. And without a pitch to the floor they are at the same level, so you might see more of them than the band. About 85% neighbors and 15% band in our seating.

The seating is tight, so come prepared to get cozy with people you don’t know. It is an intimate setting and the sound is terrific anywhere you sit. The menu far exceeds bar food. The servers are cheery and keep orders straight. What more can you ask for?

It’s a venue that’s not for everybody. The good thing about it is that it’s small enough that no matter where you’re sitting, you’ve got a great view of the performers. It’s a dinner theater-​type of venue — meaning that you can order food and drinks delivered to your table. Of course, this also means that the wait staff continues delivering food and drinks throughout the performance. God help you if the people sitting at the table in front of you keep ordering drinks throughout the entire performance. That can be very annoying if what you came to see was the performers and not the Birchmere wait staff. Also, some of the staff can be very rude. I had a troubling experience recently at a Hiroshima concert there. A Birchmere staffer — a gray-​haired old bitty who could have played the evil witch in The Wizard of Oz – walked around during the performance telling patrons that the management would «confiscate» their smartphones if they caught anyone using them to take pictures of the band. When she finally came around to me, I told her that if she or anyone else tried to take my iPhone from me I’d have the police make an arrest for felony theft. Furthermore, as a member of the working press, I don’t tolerate anyone trying to interfere with my lawful right to photograph live performances at venues that provide general admission to the public; and anyone trying to stop me from exercising my First Amendment rights would find themselves the subject of a civil rights lawsuit. That pretty much put an end to the witch’s nonsense.

This place is no fun at all. Being seated while listening to live music is the worst. The pizza I think was the best choice for taste and flavor on the menu. The waitresses are pretty overworked so can’t get to you really quickly. This business model seems outmoded.

Worst experience in my life. Rude management who calls the police with no your fault. Please read!
My wife and me 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 kitchen. They even called the police who asked me if I’m paying my dinner or not. I told him the same story that staff needs to find my card. Police guy kept asking if I’m 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 was very rude all the time and refused to even say sorry for their fault. He apologized in the end but it didn’t look like he sorry at all.

I like that the venue is on the small side and you have the option of ordering food at the table.
The real attraction to this place is the size and the acoustics. It’s an intimate venue where you can almost have a conversation with the performers.
This evening Kate and I saw Hiroshma and saw an exceptional show.
The food is not the main attraction here. It’s adequate and you have many choices.
Get there by 6p to get your number if you want to have a decent seat for the show.

What a hidden gem in Alexandria! I don’t know how many times I have driven so close to this venue. The Birchmere is a former store that has been converted into an intimate «dinner theater» setting with performances and food. The seating is «first come first served.» Regulars bring camp chairs and wait outside until the box office opens at 5pm & shows start at 7:30pm. As you enter the lobby, you are given a ticket with a number (just like the meat counter at a grocery store). Attendees can wait at tables in the main hall. There is a bar/​food counter in the waiting area. When the theater opens, you enter by the numbers you are given upon entering. You can order food and drinks while watching a show or performance. The snack items are somewhat overpriced, but good. I did not notice any minimum ordering requirement. I admired the servers being able to keep all of the payments/​receipts organized.
FYI: The seats are close together and you will be come good friends with everyone you are sitting near. I would suggest arriving an hour early and being near the front of the line. It is more comfortable sitting at the end of the tables than being smushed in the middle. There really wasn’t a bad seat in the house.
Fun facts: There is a life sized paper mache likeness of a beloved employee on the wall. His widow donated his clothes and harmonica after he passed away. There is also a life sized bear in one of the holding areas, but I don’t have those details. I think «FYI — look for the bear» is enough.
We’ll be back!

i will preface this review by saying i am a bit of a music snob. this attitude translates into, really, every aspect of music. which is why i’m giving this venue such a low rating. because in truth, it’s not a music venue as it advertises. it is a restaurant.
i cannot tell you how vastly disappointed i was when i walked into the performance space last week to see one of my favorite bands, king’s x, perform at birchmere. disappointed because they leave no space for people truly appreciate the performance before them to stand, move around, etc. you walk in, and all you see are rows and rows of tables and chairs. with a stage on the other side of the room that seems to me more utilitarian than an expression place for the music about to be expressed.
thanks to this arrangement, you are forced to sit. as if you’re in the dining hall at a nursing home, and just watch the performance. i don’t think i’ll ever go back to this place. despite the pics in the hall of all the legendary musicians who have performed there, it lacks the integrity those names normally bring.
i wish i could say i like this venue. the acoustics in the performance space are fantastic. which is the reason for the 1 star. but i hate that it’s set up as a restaurant. oh, and the menus tell you to «be quiet» during the performance. the whole set up is about as anti-​rock and roll as you can get.

Great venus– fantastic wait staff. Food, as always, is meh. They should get a real chef and they would make bank!!!

We went to see Emmy Lou Harris here. The food is overpriced but better than I expected. If I went back I would get a flat bread again. Surprising the flat bread was a large size and had a lot of flavor.
When driving to the Birchmere look for the yellow sign and not a venue because the venue can not be seen from the street.
Lastly, I would order food well before the show starts so you are not eating in the dark. Also, be prepared to pay for bottled water, no tap water available! Overall a good venue and experience.

We don’t come here very often, but they have some great acts that come through from a wide variety of genres. The seating format is a little odd though in that it’s like dinner theater almost with tables running mostly perpendicular to the stage. Because there is no assigned seating, it’s first come, first served and you better get there early if you want a decent seat. Last show we attended, we arrived 15 minutes after the doors opened and 90% of the seats were already taken. Their food is «okay» but way overpriced…$ 17 for a quesadilla? At least the parking is free, which is good since it’s not Metro accessible, making driving nearly mandatory. The drink prices are also reasonable, especially for pitchers. All in all, a good venue but I’m not crazy about the seating and the menu prices need adjustment.

I think you really have to want to see someone to go here as it’s a bit goofy. You pay a good price to see someone and you don’t get an assigned seat, you just have to show up and get in line, in fact two lines and then if you go there earlier than others, you get a choice of table. Fortunately, most of the tables have a pretty good close view of the stage or you’d find this seating process annoying (which it is). The food was fairly good and the service pretty quick and the ambiance is interesting but not fancy or elegant. Despite the strange shaped parking lot (wraps around the building) it didn’t take long to drive out.

I had read through the reviews and had mixed expectations when valentine’s day arrived and my wife and I went to see the burlesque show. I would say that the experience was what I expected. We arrived early and there was only a short line at that time, as we waited the line continued to creep further back. We were able to get great seats. The food was better than I expected having read reviews. I genuinely got what I expected. 3 star food, at a nice music venue. I feel the prices are about where I would expect them to be. I usually attend shows at places like Jiffy Lube and Fillmore. The food was portioned fairly, I had the seafood platter, which was fair. The sixe was adequate enough that I did not eat all my fries. The seafood just mediocre. My wife had Beans and Rice, and that was very good.
The show was a blast, and we had great fun, and decent food. I wasn’t asking for more than that.

This is, hands down, my favorite live music venue on the planet. The main concert room is incredibly intimate, and is well-​designed to allow people to sit and eat at their table while having a great view of the performer.
I’ve also seen a show at the Flex Stage, which is also extremely cool. The Birchmere really covers all the bases by including that. I saw the Psychedelic Furs, and they are really not a band that you can casually sit and listen to. You have to dance. Having the two stage options makes the venue totally accommodating to any artist or genre of music.
The food is average, but honestly, if you’re going there for the food you are doing something wrong.

The Birchmere made a very disappointing decision to refuse to provide refunds for the Don McLean concert on February 21 when there was a snowstorm going on (8+ inches) and the authorities were advising people to stay off the roads. Pretty much every other concert or event in the area was canceled or offered refunds to those who couldn’t attend.
I lost over $ 200 on a concert that would have been seriously dangerous to get to. Going on with the concert is great, but not providing refunds was extremely irresponsible.

Not feeling the love for the Birchmere right now. Tonight they went on with the Don McLean concert. Good for the folks that could get there. Must be a lovely, intimate concert.
Unfortunately, our $ 110+ is wasted because in Reston we probably have 8 inches of snow, still snowing and, about an hour ago, started. But for customers that can’t reach the Birchmere tonight, the theater isn’t even offering exchanges for future performances.
Below is how other theaters in our area are handling today’s weather, as well as the National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning for today.
«DC News, Theatre:
Snow cancellations Update: 9 shows so far. Check before heading out
February 21^st 2015 by Lorraine Treanor 1»
«Kennedy Center: [for all shows on 2/​21]
Patrons who cannot attend today’s performances of Outside the Bachx may exchange into any other Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences show in the 2014 – 2015 season. Affected ticket holders may visit the Kennedy Center Box Office or call 202−467−4600.»
«From the National Weather Service, 3 hours ago. Winter Storm Warning is in effect until February 22, 06:00 AM EST Hazardous Weather Outlook is in effect
Accumulations: 6 to 10 inches of snow. Ice accumulations of a trace to a few hundredths of an inch.
Timing: snow will continue into the early evening hours. Changing to a mix of sleet and freezing rain late this evening into tonight. Precipitation will change to rain with areas of freezing rain late tonight into early Sunday morning.
Impacts: snow and ice will cause hazardous traveling conditions Saturday through early Sunday morning.»

I attended a show here that was being held in the Flex Stage area. This was my second time attending a show here, but it was my first time seeing one in the Flex Stage area. The show I saw was Scott Bradlee and the Postmodern Jukebox in January 2015. It was held during the weekday, but luckily for me, it was on a holiday. It was not hard to find the venue from the street as they have a big sign so that you know it is there. I arrived at the show about 45 minutes before the show started and so parking within the Birchmere Parking lot was full — there were cops on the main road directing folks to parking and so I was directed to the lot across from the Birchmere, which did not have a lot of spaces available, but I found one, luckily. It is about a 5 minute walk from this lot to the venue.
As I entered the venue, they had a few employees at the main entrance. They were checking your ticket and if you wanted to drink, you had to show your ID as well. Once you entered the second set of doors, the Flex Stage was to your right in the open area. It is General Admission, so Standing Room only. There might have been 1 or 2 spots for folks to sit, but that would have been it. In the middle of the Flex Stage Area, I noticed there was a pole (if anyone were behind it, it could obstruct their view just a little).
At this show, we could take as many pictures as we would like, but with a Scott Bradlee performance, I spent more time enjoying the show than taking pictures and so did most folks. I was closer to the front of the stage and so you get an up close and personal view of the show itself — much better than a seated show as I could dance if I wanted to. Well worth attending.

The Birchmere is considered one of America’s legendary music halls. This venue has hosted some of the biggest acts in the business and has a lot of personality. I recently visited to support singer/​songwriter and Howard University alumnus Eric Roberson. Despite arriving early, early birds arrived even earlier to obtain line numbers and grab the best general admission seats. Unfortunately, we landed near the back of the music hall.
To pass the time, we ordered food and drinks. It took a while to receive them and even longer to get the server’s attention to bring a few items that she forgot. Don’t waste your time with the big plate of bread pudding. It’s just not worth the calories. The food and wine were average at best, but the mood changed when Erro started to perform. He started off with one of my favorites Picture Perfect. His acoustic sounds were lovely and got everyone engaged. I was having a good time until a tall man changed places with his date and I could no longer see the stage.
No Surprise: The room layout and seating arrangement are my biggest problems with this facility. The open dinner style seating closes the audience in and makes it difficult to enter and exit without impacting others. The aisles basically disappeared when people started shifting their chairs. I pondered what would happen if we had to quickly evacuate.
+Tips: Arrive really early, use restrooms before the show begins to avoid the hassle, and pray the people sitting right next to you showered.