Station 4, Chef Orlando Amaro's Modern American Fusion at Waterfront Metro

[Pat]

This much needed sit-down restaurant officially opened tonight across from the Waterfront metro station. I arrived within an hour of opening and it was packed.

My squeezed in seat at a corner of the bar made me not very visible to the bartenders, so it was a bit challenging to get service. The service I got was very good. After some chitchat with local residents (who seemed to make up a large percentage of the customers) and a couple of beers, I ordered the Iceberg and bleu salad and a burger with fontina. The delivery time for food seemed to be a bit uneven. Someone next to me waited a very long time to get his food. Comments from those who had gotten their food were so-so. It seemed that most people got something that was good and something that didn't quite make it. Not terribly surprising on a restaurant's opening night. All of the customers I talked to were so thrilled to have the restaurant nearby that they weren't complaining.

My salad seemed to need a little more dressing or a wetter dressing. I liked the burger but didn't eat a whole lot because I started with the salad and fries and filled up. Liked the fries but they were nothing exceptional. I like fries, and these met at least my minimum standard.

The interior of the place is gorgeous. The lounge next to the bar is pretty cool looking and was full. They have something promising here. I'm not that thrilled with the lips part of the logo, but otherwise the look is nice.

[Disclaimer: I know both of the partners in this place, but that didn't get me any preferential anything. That phrasing doesn't sound quite right, but, I mean that, while I talked to them, they didn't comp me stuff.]

ETA: Their website.

[dcandohio]

As a part time SW resident I am thrilled to have this restaurant in the neighborhood. Dropped in Thursday for a drink and last night for dinner. The space, as noted above, IS beautiful. It has a swanky, lounge vibe that is inviting. Our service at 9:00 last night, after watching some of the Kastles matches, was smooth. The place was about half full and there seemed to be plenty of staff.

I think that ultimately there will be some tweaking of the menu. For example, +1 ordered the watermelon salad. This was an impossibly precious serving of four small watermelon chunks. I can't remember the price...$8, maybe? Pretty, but a very poor value. By contrast, my goat cheese stuffed zucchini, served on slices of toasted baguette, was tasty and filling for about the same price. We split the burger, which was really good. It had a good brioche bun, bacon, cheese and some grilled and raw onions. I wouldn't compare it with Hell Burger, but as $12 burgers go, I would definitelely order this again. It was served with nicely crisp fries (frozen, probably). I think the staff will monitor what sells and what doesn't and will adjust. Also, Station 4 should implement a happy hour. People expect it, and with so many workers in that area, and residents coming off the metro after work, a happy hour seems like a no brainer.

When we bought our place here we never would have envisioned walking to Kastles matches, past the incomparably impressive Arena Stage, and returning to a nice meal with wine in a lovely space. Thanks to the businesses who are recognizing the potential value of the Southwest waterfront!

[mbalaver]

I had lunch here yesterday. I had the crab cake sandwich hold the sandwich, and my friend had a salad with greens, quince vinaigrette, and "ham chips" or something like that (which appeared to be a thin piece of bacon, though I didn't taste it so don't know if it was something different). I enjoyed the crab cake well enough, though the portion was very small. (To be fair, if I hadn't skipped the roll on the crab cake sandwich it would have been more filling -- and it mightn't have been as obvious how small it was.) I liked the fries that came with it -- they were thin and slightly crispy and nicely seasoned. The salad looked more like a side than a main course, which was surprising because as far as I remember the price was in the $11 to $12 range, like the sandwiches. Given the common ownership with Tunnicliff's and Stoney's, I was surprised to read comments on yelp about how attractive and romantic the space is, but they did not exaggerate. It seems surprisingly swanky for the neighborhood. There's also a nice patio. The service was friendly and efficient despite being open such a short time. I work less than a mile away, in a restaurant dead zone, and was able to park easily on the street, so am glad this place is here. And I assume it will become the go-to place for pre-Arena Stage shows. At least at lunch, though, it will pay to ask the server questions about portion sizes to order well.

[Pat]

Given the common ownership with Tunnicliff's and Stoney's, I was surprised to read comments on yelp about how attractive and romantic the space is, but they did not exaggerate.

It really has more in common with Ulah than with any of the others. I'm not sure why they're promoting the common management.

[Pat]

About the only thing food-wise that Sietsema liked at this place was the charred octopus, and I can add a "Yes, this is very good." Blew us away.

I enjoyed the duck confit spring rolls with condiments, but it was about the equivalent of one spring roll cut into 5 pieces. i had a flashback to Graffiato's small small plates, but this just may be the way things are done now. Loved it but wouldn't call it spring "rolls."

I had a bit of the cheese plate, which the bartender explained in detail, knowledgeably, to the person who ordered it. Also had a bit of the crab salad, which was good except for the tuille (or frico), which was stale.

Got the burger (Die Hard) again because I liked it so much the first time. Equally good, but the fries did not seem up to par. I had some of the brussels sprouts side dish and loved them. The person who got the pepperoni pizza thought it was good.

The restaurant is improving and I don't think it needed the Sietsema smackdown, but I'm probably not the most impartial observer.

[vsky]

It doesn't look like anyone has been here in a while. Made it there for my bday Sat and found some good things, and some things to avoid. The caesar salad was a highlight, due largely to the dressing. The prosciutto was a nice touch but so mild in comparison that was a little lost. Fantastically rich duck/grand mariner manicotti was the better entree.

Not so good: getting entrees presented to us twice before we were halfway through a 'second' course. Out of the dessert wine list, having none of the white dessert wines, I think only 1 port out of 7-8 options. The brie and black truffle: where the caesar was big, the brie was tiny. I'm not sure it was even 1 oz of cheese on three crostinis, it looked so odd being so tiny. Also, with the black truffle and brie it needed something to brighten/sweeten it, perhaps, but disappointing because it read so well on the menu.

Generally okay: Drinks, wine list (what was available), crab cakes (underseasoned, so meh flavor wise, tasted fresh though). Crab gazpacho, I liked the flavor, although crab not needed at all - husband though it was mediocre.

I'm going to give another try for Brunch as it's a good location, can use the savored discount, and I think there is some potential. I wish they could execute better on what appears at first glance an exciting menu.

[dcandohio]

We've been in Station 4 occasionally for a drink on the way to or from something, and have always found the experience to be pleasant, especially because we are still enjoying the novelty of having a really "nice" place in our immediate neighborhood. So, after enjoying Kathleen Turner in "Red Hot Patriot" at Arena Stage (if you are even moderately conservative you will probably want to avoid this show!!!!!) we went to Station 4 for food. I still love the space, the fact that the bar is comfortable, the staff tries really hard, the vibe is chill...but the pizza...well, let's just say, don't bother. The duck fat fries were fine (yeah, we were not exactly eating healthy), but that pizza was just plain awful. I want so badly for this place to hit its stride, and to become a reallly solid place for both neighbors and the Arena Stage crowd. I think it succeeds because it's there, while not much of anything else is (Z Burger next door isn't in the same category, and Sou'wester is just far enough away to be out of contention when we're on foot.

However, it was crowded, so I guess enough people think they are doing some things right.

[LauraB]

Went to Station 4 for the first time last night prior to seeing 'Good People' at Arena Stage. We had reservations for 6:00 pm and we were out of there by 7:00, so we could have easily booked for later. When we arrived, the bar area was completely packed while the restaurant proper was almost empty. It quickly filled after we were seated, presumably with other Arena Stage patrons: I overheard a staff person telling another diner that the entire place clears out at 7:30.

I had read through this thread prior to going here and was fully expecting to order the burger which seems to be the one thing that has gotten consistently good reviews. Unfortunately, didn't realize that the burger is only on the bar menu. We were not in the bar, so we opted for the 3-course pre-theater menu -- I believe it was $35/pp. For starters on the p-t menu there were options of soup of the day (creamy mushroom), spinach and apple salad, lamb kabobs, and perhaps something else. I was tempted by the lamb kabobs but since I knew I was going to order the short ribs for an entree, I felt the need of something green. I was not tempted by the 'cream of mushroom soup' because experience has taught me only to order such a dish at top-flight restaurants (e.g., CityZen, Palena, Corduroy). With a shudder I ordered the spinach and apple salad and it turned out as expected -- very poor -- it was a pile of baby spinach leaves with exactly 2 very thin apple slices and some barely 'toasted' sliced almonds with a very tart dressing that was unevenly distributed. I could have created something ten times better in my own kitchen. Husband ordered the mushroom soup and found it equally unsatisfying. We both ordered the short rib entree with roasted tomato polenta and pecorino cheese and it was not bad -- the meat was well cooked. Yes, I've cooked far better short rib and polenta dishes in my own kitchen, but this was ok. For dessert we both had the ginger cheesecake which was not awful but not worth the calories. The restaurant was quite attractive but became extremely loud as the crowd increased and conversation was difficult.

We'll be going to Arena Stage twice more this spring and we'll be having our pre-theater meals at the bar at CityZen. At $50/pp it's a bargain and the food and experience is so much nicer.

[lhlofton]

I live in SW and as much as I appreciate having an actual decent, sit-down restaurant in the neighborhood (Masala Art is opening this summer, so hoping it's as good as the one in Tenleytown), this place consistently disappoints.  It strikes me that the bar is constantly packed and the dining room usually empty.  I wish they would embrace the fact that they could do better as a less formal bar/bar food type of place than a pre-theater restaurant.  Often times I stop by for a meal after work, with the bar menu in mind, and find no seating at the bar because of the traffic and small area.  It would be nice to have more seating in the bar area while retaining a (smaller) dining room as an option.

[Pat]

After another painful trip to DCRA, I had lunch across the street at Station 4 today.  I opted for the Cuban Sandwich, which is not quite authentic (has the pork roast and ham but the pickles are pickled jalapeños and the cheese is Swiss, with Dijon, and it's all served on a baguette).  As a sandwich, it was decent and the duck fat fries were better than I recall. Plentiful and crispy and good.  My luncheon choice was between this and Gordon Biersch, and the food is definitely better here.  

It's hard to believe this opened more than five years ago. Things are starting to look a little worn, especially in the bathrooms.  They were doing a fair lunch business even though there is more competition than there was before, so they must be doing enough things right.  I saw several people getting carryout while I was there.

My first inclination had been to order the lunch special, which is $10 for a house side salad, half sandwich, and soup of the day. The soup du jour was cream of potato with bacon, which did not appeal to me. Otherwise, I would have gone that route. (My Cubano was $12.)

[Pat]

Well, this time it was the tax office, but my lunch at Station 4 was pleasant. I got a turkey club, despite seeing from someone else's order how huge it was.  Lots of turkey. Good sandwich. I think it was $13. I ran into people I knew, so I spent a while there. Service was great. The bar (whatever material it is) is flaking off badly, and they need to fix that and be upgrading some things. There were more people coming in for lunch in the dining room than I remember, which is odd, given how many more places have opened. They seem to have a core of regulars.