Yahoo! - washingtonian

Best Bargain Restaurants: Music City Roadhouse

Best Bargain Listing | Best Bargain by Cuisine | Best Bargain by Location

Music City Roadhouse
Washington

Drop by on an evening when two state societies have booked the entire lower floor of Music City Roadhouse, whose bare brick walls amplify the raucous babble, and you might almost believe you are in a real roadhouse--if the scene weren't that of a crowd of affable yuppies partying in a warehouse. On such a night, you'll be able to admire a vast collection of photographs of recording stars ranging from Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley to Randy Travis and Travis Tritt, but even in the second-floor dining room, the sound from the party below drowns out their voices on the sound system.

Strangely enough, on a night like this, the roar of the crowd makes the Roadhouse's good old southern food taste even better. You won't mistake the fare here for the corporate cooking served at Po' Folks and the Black-Eyed Pea: The Brunswick stew--like smoked chicken chowder, the long-cooked greens, the gravy on the mashed potatoes, and the platters piled to teetering with fried chicken and pit-cooked ribs all suggest the cooks know how to put their hearts into soul food.

The menu formula is simple: For $10.95, $12.95, or $13.95, depending on the number of courses, a person gets enough food to satisfy at least three people. Even if you finish only half the portion set before you, chances are you'll be too sated to join the revelers at the downstairs bars.

If you suffer guilt from engaging in gluttony, you might feel less troubled coming here for the Gospel Brunch on Sundays, when Brother Luke Sanders and the Sensational Stars make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Music City Roadhouse , 1050 30th Street NW, Washington; 202/337-4444. Open Tuesday through Thursday 4:30 to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 4:30 to 11 pm, Sunday 11 am to 2 pm (brunch) and 5 to 9 pm. AE, DC, MC, V. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

Return to Restaurant & Entertaining Directory