219 Restaurant
Old Town, Alexandria
Restaurant in Alexandria, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
219 Restaurant is an easy King Street option for casual celebrations, dates, flexible Alexandria plans, especially when schedule and location matter more than a documented chef, cuisine, or awards profile. For a more clearly defined special-occasion meal, compare it with Landini Brothers or Il Porto before committing.
About 219 Restaurant
219 Restaurant is in Alexandria, observes a smart casual dress code, has hours that include evening service during the week plus daytime service on Saturday and Sunday. That makes it a practical choice when schedule and dress code matter more than extra details about the room, kitchen, or occasion style. It is a sensible Alexandria option when you want to plan around what is known rather than make assumptions about the dining experience.
For planning, the choice is mainly about timing. The restaurant is open 3–10 PM Monday through Thursday, 3–11 PM Friday, 11:30 AM–11 PM Saturday, 11 AM–3 PM plus 4–10 PM Sunday. The upside is that those hours provide multiple windows across the week, including Saturday daytime service and a split Sunday schedule. The limitation is that the available information does not point to a specific cuisine, chef-led format, awards profile, price range, seating setup, or service style, so the safest approach is to keep expectations practical and confirm any details that matter before you go.
Use it for flexible Alexandria plans, not a research-heavy splurge
The strongest reason to consider 219 Restaurant is practical scheduling. Hours are listed from 3–10 PM Monday through Thursday, 3–11 PM Friday, 11:30 AM–11 PM Saturday, 11 AM–3 PM plus 4–10 PM Sunday. That spread gives you several usable windows for coordinating people who are arriving at different times, meeting after work, or trying to anchor a weekend plan in Alexandria. If you need an Alexandria meeting point and do not require a fully documented menu, format, or price range before choosing, it can be a practical option. If the meal itself needs more clearly defined detail, compare it against Landini Brothers or Il Porto before deciding.
Seasonally, the decision is more about timing than specific dishes. Weekend daytime service and Sunday's split schedule make it useful when daytime or early-evening timing is important. Those windows can be helpful when the restaurant is one part of a broader Alexandria day rather than the single focus of the outing. Without a confirmed menu style, do not build the booking around seasonal specialties, signature courses, or a particular kind of tasting experience. Build it around schedule, group needs, the smart casual dress code, where the rest of the day is happening in Alexandria.
Know Before You Go
- Location: Alexandria.
- Hours: Monday–Thursday 3–10 PM; Friday 3–11 PM; Saturday 11:30 AM–11 PM; Sunday 11 AM–3 PM and 4–10 PM.
- Dress code: Smart casual.
- Best fit: Plans where Alexandria location, posted hours, smart casual dress are enough to make a decision.
- Skip if: You need a confirmed cuisine, chef-led format, published price range, or awards-backed destination meal before booking.
Planning details
- Location
- 219 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- 219restaurant.com
- Phone
- +17035491141
The take
The Take
The Vibe
219 Restaurant lives quietly within Old Town Alexandria's Federal-era streets, presenting French Creole cookery with a measured, sophisticated touch. The room reads as intimate and cozy, leaning into an elegant, classical register that suits both neighbourhood regulars and out-of-town visitors. The writing on the menu reflects technical restraint — roux-based sauces, drawn shellfish stocks and a careful balance of spice and richness — and the overall effect is one of considered comfort. It feels like a place that prizes culinary craft and tradition over flash, making each dinner feel deliberate and well composed.
Best For
219 is best for evenings when the meal itself is the focus: date nights, anniversaries and other special-occasion dinners fit naturally here, as do slightly larger celebratory tables that want a refined yet warm setting. The restaurant's French Creole foundation rewards lingering courses and conversation, so guests who appreciate technique and layered flavors get the most out of a visit. It also suits visitors exploring King Street’s dining scene, offering a more structured Creole alternative to the area's more casual options.
Ordering Tips
Lean into the restaurant's Creole strengths: the signature Jambalaya, Shrimp & Grits and Gumbo Ya-Ya are emblematic of the kitchen’s approach to roux-driven sauces and shellfish-forward stocks. Expect dishes that balance spice and richness rather than simply turning up heat; look for preparations that highlight depth built over time. If you want a representative sampling, choose a mix of those classics alongside starters that showcase shellfish or slow-simmered sauces so you can taste the technical foundation the kitchen emphasizes.
Venue details
Ambiance
Elegant Victorian setting with twin marble fireplaces, Hungarian crystal chandeliers, and mahogany bar, featuring live jazz and blues in the Basin Street Lounge.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
- Jambalaya
- Shrimp & Grits
- Gumbo Ya-Ya
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Where to go if you cannot book
If the goal is a more traditional special-occasion dinner, try Landini Brothers first. If the group wants a casual Alexandria meal with a clearer seafood angle, cross-shop Fish Market.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
219 Restaurant is the easier, lower-friction choice when the priority is a central King Street plan and a booking that should not require much lead time. Landini Brothers and Il Porto are stronger cross-shops for diners who want a more defined sit-down Italian occasion, especially for birthdays, anniversaries, or hosted family meals where the restaurant choice needs to feel more deliberate.
For a casual Alexandria outing, Fish Market is the better comparison if the group wants a livelier, seafood-leaning meal, while Gadsby's Tavern makes more sense when the historic setting is part of the point. Pop's Old Fashion Ice Cream Co is not a dinner substitute; use it as an easy add-on after a King Street meal rather than a direct alternative.
Explore Alexandria
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full 219 Restaurant guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare 219 Restaurant
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 219 Restaurant | Alexandria | No published awards |
| Il Porto | Alexandria | No published awards |
| Landini Brothers | Alexandria | No published awards |
| Pop's Old Fashion Ice Cream Co | Alexandria | No published awards |
| Fish Market | Alexandria | No published awards |
| Gadsby's Tavern | Alexandria | No published awards |
How 219 Restaurant Alexandria compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at 219 Restaurant?
Bar seating or a bar dining setup is not specified. If that matters to your plan, confirm directly with 219 Restaurant before going.
Is 219 Restaurant good for a special occasion?
It may work if your decision is based on Alexandria location, smart casual dress, workable timing rather than a documented tasting-menu format, price range, or awards profile. If you want to compare other nearby options, Gadsby's Tavern is one natural point of comparison.
What should a first-timer know about 219 Restaurant?
Start with the practical basics: 219 Restaurant is in Alexandria, the dress code is smart casual, the hours are 3–10 PM Monday through Thursday, 3–11 PM Friday, 11:30 AM–11 PM Saturday, 11 AM–3 PM plus 4–10 PM Sunday. Cuisine, chef, menu format, price range, seating setup are not specified.
Is 219 Restaurant good for solo dining?
If you are choosing mainly by schedule, the hours include weekday evenings and daytime service on Saturday and Sunday, which gives several timing options.
Is lunch or dinner better at 219 Restaurant?
Evening hours are available throughout the week, while daytime service is available on Saturday and Sunday. Choose based on the schedule that fits your plan: Saturday daytime service runs from 11:30 AM, Sunday has an 11 AM–3 PM daytime window before reopening from 4–10 PM.
What are alternatives to 219 Restaurant in Alexandria?
Landini Brothers, Il Porto, Fish Market, Gadsby's Tavern, Pop's Old Fashion Ice Cream Co. are other Alexandria names to consider, depending on the kind of outing you want. Use them as comparison points if you need a different setting or a more clearly defined plan.
How far ahead should I book 219 Restaurant?
For a weekend, larger group, or special occasion, it is safest to plan ahead or confirm availability directly; the listed hours give you several possible windows from Monday through Sunday.
