Love me some Hometown Grill and Bar!! Although not located right in the heart of Washington, DC or nearby Arlington or Alexandria, Hometown Grill and Bar is definitely worth checking out as it is a Lorton, Virginia favorite. As a Washington, DC area native who lives right by Lorton, I have seen the community and those surrounding the Lorton area fall in LOVE with Hometown Grill and Bar. The staff here provide a fine dining experience that is fair trade with everything made fresh and from locally sourced vendors. While a bit of a hike from Washington, DC and a bit further away from public transportation, Hometown Grill and Bar is definitely worth a visit for any!
Getting There: Hometown Grill and Bar is located in Lorton Station Town Center, right off of I-95’s Lorton exit for only about a 5 minute drive. It is best to reach by car, unless you want to take the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) from Washington, DC’s Union Station (it is an express direct route), which only runs mainly during rush hour times. The Lorton VRE Station is just a 5 minute walk (if that!) from Hometown Grill and Bar, as it is right by the Lorton Station Town Center. On the same token, the nearest Metro station is Franconia-Springfield on the Blue Line which is about a 10-15 minute drive and an easy Uber ride if you do not have a car.
About Lorton: While it isn’t on the map and as well-known as its fellow Virginia suburbs of Alexandria or Arlington or Reston or Merrifield, Lorton is definitely up-and-coming. Lorton is the located, as previously mentioned off of I-95 and is easy to reach best by car. It also as mentioned before reachable via the VRE and is home to its own Amtrak Auto Train Station that goes down to Sanford, Florida. Decades ago, Lorton was home to one of the Washington, DC area’s prison that has since moved to West Virginia. The prison has now turned into the Workhouse Arts Center – something that is GREAT to visit while in Lorton and checking out Hometown Grill and Bar – which is an arts center for talented artists to display and sell their work. The Workhouse Arts Center also offers classes, has a theatre, and is home to the Lucy Burns Museum (which plays homage to the center’s history). Another exciting update about the Workhouse Arts Center is that they are going to construct a brewery in the near-term future! Lorton is also home to the gorgeous Occoquan Regional Park and is nearby to the gorgeously quaint and historic town of Occoquan, Virginia (ALL worth taking a day trip to see with a stop at Hometown Grill and Bar!!). I definitely suggest taking a car if you choose to come to Lorton for the day.
Hometown Grill and Bar is locally-owned by a Lorton area-based family. It opened in Fall 2021 and has become a HIT with the community since. A fun fact about the restaurant owners is that they are one of the Biology teachers at South County High School (my alma mater located in *none other than Lorton!!*) and her husband! Everything is made after ordering, which allows for substitutions and customizations to be easily made when ordering. At the same time, as I mentioned before, Hometown Grill and Bar 1000% uses vendors that are local to the Northern Virginia community, so everything is made fresh and menu items evolve with the seasons and current times. Their newsletter and social media and website give updates ALL THE TIME, including their occasional tasting menus, specials (including Happy Hours!!), and more! Check it out here: https://www.hometowngrillandbar.com/
***Pictured right above is the three course meal I enjoyed as apart of Alexandria Restaurant Week 2023 for $35. Starter was coconut shrimp with a mango remoulade, entree was Kung Pao salmon rice bowl, and dessert was chocolate chip cookie skillet with hot fudge and Vanilla Bean ice cream.
The atmosphere feels like a city-like cosmopolitan, sports bar (they have a GORGEOUS BAR!!) feel with the most friendly staff. You definitely feel as if you’re in the city even though you’re not, which is so nice. The food is 1000% fine dining, with all kinds of dishes to try with varying dishes throughout the year to reflect the seasons. My go-to dish of theirs is their Kung Pao Salmon Rice Bowl that they’ve kept year-round since many others love it too. I also LOVE their cookie skillet topped with hot fudge and Vanilla Bean ice cream. As it is a Lorton, Virginia area community favorite, many folks who are regulars or semi-regulars (like myself!) are local to the community, making it a popular place that I think all will enjoy.
Hometown Grill and Bar is for sure worth a visit. If you are ever in Lorton, definitely give it a try!
XOXO – Katie <3