(December 2007)

By Warren Rojas

Food: 8.1 Ambiance: 7.6 Service: 7.7

The crown jewel of the locally owned Great American Restaurants empire, Carlyle continues to cement its reputation as an all-occasion destination by plying patrons with edible Americana, unflagging service and just a hint of well-earned bravado.

A long-time anchor of the now-booming Shirlington promenade, Carlyle appears perennially packed by legions of baby-toting couples (typically parked along the outdoor patio), extended families (sprinkled throughout the two-level dining room) and random groups of fun-loving friends (fixtures at the standing-room-only bar).

A team-oriented service strategy means help is never more than a flick of the wrist away, though most servers proactively quash potential problems—drinks are refreshed like clockwork, addictive rolls from the neighboring Best Buns Bread Company arrive toasty warm—to avoid unpleasantness later.

But man cannot live by bread alone.

Alien-looking crab fritters (crispy tendrils convey an “it came from the sea” feel) deliver blue crab bobbing in a grilled corn and peppers cream. Beef back ribs are swabbed with a mustard-molasses glaze well worth getting your hands dirty for. Brown butter-kissed chicken can be spit-roasted for on-the-bone enthusiasts (good) or sauteed with arugula, peppers, capers and mushrooms over angel hair pasta (better).

Beer and wine prices veer from respectable (by-the-glass pours are all less than $10) to ridiculous ($5.25 for a bottled Corona?). Instead, let loose with a signature cocktail or specialty martini.