The Sovereign

Reviews

• Chenée T.

  star star star star star 29 May 2026

  One of my favorite beer places in Georgetown by far, especially for a happy hour! They have a great selection of beer, wine, and cocktails so it's great for everyone! I'm a beer snob, so I don't generally get anything on the happy hour menu because I want to try all the yummy pricier beer that they have on the menu. My go to are stouts on the fruity and darker beers. There's a Belgian cru on there that I absolutely love and can literally drink ALL THE TIME.
  
  The happy hour food is also amazing with treats for $4. You can choose from a flatbread, yummy poutine fries or even meatballs. Such a great HH food deal, so you don't end up drunk on your ass at the end of the night. Definitely check this out if you are looking for a group happy hour in the Georgetown area. It has something for everyone!

• Marlon T.

  star star star star star_border 27 May 2026

  I am amazed. One simple reason--they serve bottles of Westvleteren! They sell bottles for $25 a pop and limit 1 per table apparently. I, as a beer-dude, understand this because of the rarity. Despite the high price nothing was going to stop me from ordering me one. If you don't know, Westvleteren ranks among the best beers on the planet. Produced from a monastery in Vleteren, Belgium, this liquid is real special.
  
  Clearly, this is a real deal Belgian food joint. They have so many beers it's ridiculous. The atmosphere is very dimly lit--perfect for senators meeting their mistresses. It's so dim in fact that it seems like everyone (even the servers) need to pull out a flashlight or something just to see the menu. No one has time for their rods in their eyes to adjust to the dark lighting.
  
  The whole menu is enticing. I wanted to try everything, but only got a taste of these bad boys:
  1) Bitterballen - crispy fried bruin, beer-braised beef, mustard
  2) Steak Tartare - hand cut sirloin, fried capers, duck fat, cracker, worcestershire emulsion
  3) The Sovereign Burger - allen brothers ground beef, brown beer onion jam, gruyere mustard fondue, toasted english muffin, frites
  4) Carbonnade Flamande - bruin beer-braised beef short rib, pomme mousseline, wild mushrooms, turnips, braising jus
  
  The bitterballen is not really my style, but interesting to try. Everything else was on point delicious. This is truly an alleyway gem in Georgetown, Washington D.C., and I am definitely coming back for more Westy!

• Brent B.

  star star star star star_border 20 May 2026

  4 stars for a fun and tasty Georgetown beer spot.
  
  My wife and I have been to The Sovereign several times. Located on Wisconsin Ave down a little alley that is lit with romantic lanterns (at night), The Sovereign is one of those Georgetown gems that we take our friends to when they visit.
  
  On our most recent trip, we showed up around 1pm for some lunch on a Saturday. This two level venue can get packed, so it often makes sense to go upstairs and grab a high top. We took our seat and the waitress brought us the gigantic draft beer menu (there is also a large book with specialty beers that can get rather pricey if you like). We decided to get a beer flight and try a few different new brews (the cherry pie draft was a hit!).
  
  We then put in our order for food. This venue's food can range from good to amazing, which means something that was amazing the time before might just be ok next time. That happened with us here. We ordered the skate wing and the liege waffle. Both were stupendous last time while the rabbit and burger were just good. The waffle was again fantastic, while the skate was just ok.
  
  Overall, The Sovereign is a great Georgetown spot worth checking out. The venue is cool, drink list massive, and food is always at least good. Definitely consider giving this place a try when u are in the area.

• Gabriella S.

  star star star star star 6 May 2026

  This place is awesome!! If you are a fan of international & belgian style beers, look no further! Their beer menu is so extensive it could be considered overwhelming. My pro tip is to go to the upstairs because there's more light and it's more of a chill pub style vibe.
  
  We had the loaded fries and they were unbelievable. The gravy was so good! We also had the pickle plate for some acid to cut through all the carbs. Would come back just for the fries! It's also an adorable location tucked away in an alley.

• Kathleen D.

  star star star star star_border 5 May 2026

  So thrilled to have finally made it to The Sovereign! I've heard such good things about the restaurant over the years, including its prized beer stock.
  
  The interior is dark and sophisticated -- making it the perfect spot for a fancy date or special gathering. I visited with a fairly large group and sat in the bar area for brunch. I was the last to arrive (thank you, I-95 traffic, for that) and ordered directly from the bartender at the bar.
  
  I selected the croque madam (because, obviously) and small pours of the Tired Hands saison and the Bluejacket lager. The brunch plate and both beers were great, and I appreciated that my food arrived right around the same time as the rest of the party despite my delayed arrival. That was so nice of the restaurant.
  
  The location in Georgetown makes it a tad tough, as street parking is fairly impossible and parking garages aren't exactly cheap. But the Prospect Street self-park garage is probably the best bet for a deal in close proximity.
  
  I'd visit again, ideally when I'm not driving so I could take full advantage of their amazing beer offerings (those bottles!).