100 Best Restaurants 2009: Liberty Tavern

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Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Ann Limpert , Cynthia Hacinli , Rina Rapuano , Eve Zibart

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No. 58: Liberty Tavern

Liberty Tavern

3195 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-465-9360

Cuisines:
Pizza, American, Modern

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Clarendon

Price Range:
Moderate

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
Chatty

Reservations:
Recommended

Special Features:
Late Night, Party Space, Weekend Brunch, Kid Friendly

Website:
Click here to open in new window.

Best Dishes
Arctic char, smoked in-house and folded over johnnycakes; apple-and-endive salad; fiery fra diavolo macaroni with fresh lobster; autumnal gnocchi with celery root and blue cheese; Vermont pizza with white cheddar and apples; skirt steak; schnitzel-style skate; homey roasted half chicken with lemon marmalade; Black Forest cake; s’mores pot de crème; Masonic cocktail.

Reader's Rating:

3.3 out of 5

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Cuisine: Chef Liam LaCivita’s never-straining sensibility, informed by his Italian heritage and stints in kitchens in New England, drives this likable gastrotavern.

Mood: The downstairs bar is a nightly party. Upstairs, the atmosphere does a 180—the mood in the handsome dining room is low-key and sophisticated, geared to couples and families and right for conversation.

Best for: A rollicking night out; a laid-back dinner with a pal; a family confab.

Best dishes: House-smoked trout with johnnycakes; crisped pork belly au poivre with LaCivita’s offbeat take on “split pea” soup; succulent Amish half-chicken with caramelized-onion gravy; fried smelts with escarole; house-made maccheroni with short-rib gravy; wood-fired pizzas, particularly the Vermont and a version with smoked linguiça; modern-retro beef stroganoff at lunch; meatball sliders on the bar menu.

Insider tips: You can order pizzas, meatball sliders, and other plates to take home from Liberty to Go, a separate operation in the back of the restaurant.

Service: ••

Open Monday for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for brunch and dinner; bar menu available daily. Moderate.

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Reader ReviewsWrite your own review

Excellent venue for large parties

cdaugh — April 19, 2010 12:30 PM

I contacted Liberty Tavern kind of last minute for a large party (25) to celebrate a surprise birthday. From the first contact to the last morsel / drop consumed, the experience was perfect. Jen told me it was "no problem" for my large party. I More ...

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Baileysmama

baileysmama — July 4, 2009 7:40 PM

My food (chicken) was cold and not cooked enough because it was pink inside. I asked my waiter to please return my dish to the kitchen to cook it more. The cook must have put it in the microwave to cook it more because it tasted rubbery. For the More ...

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Brunch at Liberty Tavern

max_schwartz — March 24, 2009 9:56 AM

Went to Liberty Tavern for their brunch buffet, and was pleasantly surprised. Buffets can be a mess, but this was fresh, really good, and huge. And you can't beat $17 price point.

A little annoying to get a table, but luckily my group managed to More ...

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