The Commentary Social House opens today in Ballston with a diner-length menu and plenty of healthy takes on comfort food. The all-day eatery inside the Westin hotel is inspired by West Coast cafes in Silverlake and East Hollywood. Chef Bobbie Miller says she wants to build a restaurant where guests with dietary needs and restrictions feel comfortable.
The vast menus run the gamut from artichoke-and-crab dip and short rib flatbreads to vegan and gluten-free entrees like quinoa “meatballs” and zucchini noodles with Daiya mozzarella. Meanwhile the steak and potatoes crowd can still get a New York strip topped with green bean chimichurri or a burger. Soups, sandwiches, and salads round out the cafe offerings.
![IMG_5015 - Washingtonian The steak is topped with fried shallots. Photo courtesy of the Commentary Social House.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_5015.jpg)
While the food looks westward, the drink menu sticks closer to home. Sipping spirits pull from nearby distilleries like Catoctin Creek rye and Bowman Brothers whiskey while there’s a whole menu devoted to local beers. Shareable cocktails include a massive pineapple drink with sweet vermouth and rye from Kevin Plank‘s Sagamore Spirit distillery. Similar to the kitchen’s focus on inclusivity, drinks that would typically use egg whites like a grapefruit pisco sour swap in aquafaba (chickpea water) for a vegan cocktail.
![IMG_4958 - Washingtonian Shareable options like massive cocktails and flatbreads play into the spirit of a social house. Photo courtesy of the Commentary Social House.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_4958.jpg)
There should be plenty of room to sip a cocktail or split a charcuterie board—the massive space boasts 235 seats between the dining room, lounge, bar, private dining, and patio. The restaurant’s decor is made for Instagram with neon signage and a giant thought bubble crawling from wall to ceiling—after all, a 21st century social house needs a dash of social media.
The Commentary Social House. 801 North Glebe Rd., Arlington. Breakfast served Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 11 AM; Saturday through Sunday, 7 AM to 11:30 AM. All Day Menu served Monday through Friday, 11:30 AM to 10 PM; Saturday through Sunday, 12 PM to 10 PM. Happy Hour served Monday through Friday, 5 PM to 7 PM.