Old Town Food Tour Reviews - continued

The food was excellant, the history was fun and very interesting. Our guide was very knowledgable about what is currently being done in the town as well as the history, including what damage happened from hurricaine Irene and the earthquake and what happened to the buildings. He even went into who previously owned the places we went to. Most of all, we had fun.

The tour was very interesting. Dena, our guide, was outstanding. The actual food tasting was not what i expected. i thought it was going to be a tasting of numerous dishes at different restaurants. I didnt' realize we would be having one dish at four locations. I didn't imagine a half a chicken salad sandwich would be part of a food tour. That was a little disappointing. And 2 of the dishes were seafood. While I'm not allergic to seafood, I do not like it. So my optons were limited. I may recommend the tour as something different to do in DC, and old town is beautiful. But it wouldn't be due to the food.

My sister travels to D.C. on a regular basis. I wanted to surprise her with something different. Caught the Metro to the free town trolly - couldn't be easier!! Great and I mean Great food. We had a very guide that kept us interested and in the shade!!.

I took my husband and his twin brother for the Old Town Alexandria food tour and we had a great time! The guide was personable and informative and the food was delicious. We would definitely recommend this tour!

This was such a great outing that I would take visitors on as well as recommend for locals. It was a history tour and had great samples from local restaurants. Its better than just a tour or dinner at a new place because you get both. Perfect for groups or couples.

Ted was a great guide. He held our interest throughout, including that of our 11 year old. Beyond the strong prepared material, we enjoyed swapping stories with him that went well beyond the standard tour. Our daughter enjoyed the conversation as much as the adults. She seemed blissfully unaware that she was learning history -- ordinarily an objectionable activity during the summer months!

We genuinely liked Old Town Alexandria. Although I've been to the DC area many times, this was a first visit to Old Town. We'll be back.

The "progressive dinner" concept worked extremely well. The multiple food stops gave the tour a user friendly pace. Just when we were ready for a break from walking, it was time for another treat.

Quick Takes on the Food: The Portabello Appetizer was excellent and the Scallops were awesome. Our family would have substituted something else for the Oysters, but that probably has more to do with the fact that oysters aren't a favorite in our household -- regardless of source. I will say that the Jelly Roll fell a little short of the expectations that had been built up. The jelly layers were rather responsible. I was hoping for something a bit more decadent. Nevertheless, we were certainly well fed.

Overall, the tour struck me as an ideal introduction to Alexandria. If you're already thoroughly familiar with Old Town, it might be best to try one of the other neighborhoods offered. But as newcomers, we were very pleased with the outing.

THis was a pretty cool tour. Ted was gerat and had a lot of history about old town. Worth the time to go.

Our tour guide, Mallory, was great. She did a wonderful job taking care of us and giving us a great tour of the city.

We enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to others.

We use this tour as a wonderful introduction to the history of the area for guests. Enough history to intrigue newcomers without overwhelming them with details and the food is always excellent. There is a fair amount of walking involved but the food stops allow for rest, refreshment and a break from the weather.

Excellent food! A good lesson in history too!

our tour guide really made experience nice. information provided about old town was the best. food was delicious but I was a little disappointed because I had been to the restaurants prior to. overall I had a great time in would do it again with friends and out of town relatives.

Overall experience was a positive one. We had a total group of 7 which made it more personable. Our guide was friendly and informative. We discussed the historic relevance of the buildings and the city founders. The food was tasty and we liked all of the meals with exception to one, but that is personal preference. My only critique would be that we had a vegetarian with us but for some reason the restaurants were not informed and our guide was not aware of this either. We had the meal at one restaurant changed but I felt eyes on us as though we were just informing out guide we had a vegetarian out of no where, when in fact we had tediously typed the special diet in the dietary needs before purchasing tickets....please ensure the agency confirms your special dietary needs. Another critique was that our pretty small group only had a table for all of us at one restaurant. All of the rest of the restaurants had us at separate tables.....this hindered any group conversation. This came across as unprepared. Final critique; our guide had their family members on our tour. I am sure they were visiting and were enjoying a tour by our guide (their family member). Our guide was great, but regardless I feel this is inappropriate and unprofessional. Our guide sat with her family on their own table and they conversated with each other. Our guide did check on us, but I felt that we could of had more of a group discussion if they were not there...it is a distraction for anyone. With my critiques aside, I enjoyed this experience! And Yes, I would try it again with visitors. I am also booking tickets for the Georgetown food tour. I just ask that these critiques are taken into consideration by DC Tours.

I decided to sign up for this tour after reading a few of the reviews on Zerve. I knew it would be a good time, but everything surpassed my expectations. I have been on many food tours around the country, but I can honestly say this was the best. The food was excellent, but what really sold me was the tour guide. She was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.

A great way to learn some interesting facts and tidbits about an area to gain a better appreciation for it. Also, a good way to sample new foods you might not try a restaurant. It was a chance to also learn about two new restaurants I will have to go back to in the future.

The length of the tour, the history lessons shared and the food were all great. And our guide Mallory was wonderful!

We loved the tour - other than the chicken salad sandwich! The tour guide was terrific, providing us with just enough interesting tidbits, showing us some of the lovely historical homes, and the food was very good.

I took my 13-year-old niece on this tour and we had an amazing time. The food was great and our tour guide really knew her history of Alexandria as she had been working as a guide on that tour for several years. We stopped at four different local restaurants: one for appetizer, two for entrees, and one for dessert with a walking tour between each stop. The food was delicious--we were stuffed when we finished the tour--and although it was hot, we kept hydrated with plenty of ice water at the stops.

Alexandria is a gorgeous, historic site for a walking tour, and the 4 restaurants were wonderful. We had great food and generous portions. I was alone after attending a conference, and this was a perfect way to eat dinner with others in a small group, while viewing gorgeous architecture and scenery.

One comment: In your directions from the metro, I would stress that you have to allow 1/2 hour to walk from the metro station to the meeting point, in large print if possible.

We visited DC in June. We did the Alexandria Dine Around Tour. We really enjoyed the evening and the food, for the most part, was delicious. We learned so much more about the area than we would have ever learned without doing the tour. I would highly recommend this tour to others.

Three very old and dear friends were visiting from upstate NY. We had done a similar food tour

in NYC a few years ago. We all agreed this tour not only met but exceeded our expectations

since we were provided with interesting and historical facts about Old Town AND were able to be

seated at each restaurant on our tour. We were not rushed and we were well hydrated at every

stop. Food was quite good and there was plenty of it for the cost of the tour. It was tons of fun!

Thank you.

This is a great idea and 3 of the 5 stops were really good. Alexandria is so charming and I enjoyed the walking and seeing part of this excursion. Unfortunately, there were 2 food stops that were not even mediocre. The Turkish place was small, hot, dirty, and the food barely palatable. The last stop was the desert stop. This could have been the highlight of the trip given the myriad of eating establishments we saw walking around. Instead, it was a dirty, dingy tea/coffee/gift store and the desert was jelly role cake served on paper plates. Really? That's the big finish to this tour? If the tour organizers will fix these two stops then they have a great and fun product.

We've recommended this tour to our family and friends! Our tour guide, Dena, was very personal, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The restaurants that we visited we're great and made us feel welcomed. The town is beautiful! We had a wonderful experience.

We went with our adult son who lives in Alexandria. He learned things about the area that he wasn't even aware of! It was very interesting, as well as yummy. Our guide was very enthusiastic with all kinds of interesting tidbits of information about the architecture and way of life. I am 53 years old, and I didn't feel overwhelmed by the amount of walking. I was even inspired to return to some of the sights after the tour with other family memebers later in the day. The food was very good. In fact, we did not have dinner that night. We will definately consider the other tours offered at Capitol Hill and Georgetown next time we visit.

Tour guide (Ted) was great - knowledgeable, easy-going, friendly.

4 of 5 restaurants had great food and good to great service.

Lebanese restaurant was a real disappointment. Food was on tables before we arrived; restaurant door was open. So food was cold, meats were dried out. We had two tables and the foods served were different at the two tables. There was NO service - we couldn't even ask for more water.

My group thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Dena, our guide, was great! The food was delicious and we were definitely stuffed by the end. The next time I find myself in the D.C. area, I will absolutely sign up for another food tour.

I doubt we would have discovered Old Town Alexandria without this tour. Completely different in style and substance to our New York Greenwich Village tour. Dena was knowledgeable and enthusiastic and we went back ourselves another night to trace our footsteps and eat in one of the restaurants again,

Very nice tour, lots of good information.

Dena was an excellent guide

I recently moved to the area. This tour was a perfect way to get to know the history of the primary and 'hidden' streets of Old Alexandria. I very much enjoyed being introduced to these local and 'gem' establishments that most tourists would never find on their own. This was a great up front and personal sojourn through old Alexandria, glad I did it!

this was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon, all of the food was great and the walking tour was very interesting. you will not need dinner after a day on this tour. The guide was excellent and took her time to give us all of the history and made it an enjoyable day. The arrangements at the restaurants were well planned and each of the restaurants had tables ready for us and food was served quickly. The dishes were varied and represented the restaurants well, from this you can determine if you want to return and have a complete meal at one of the restaurants.

My mother & I would easy go again.

What a wonderful way to spend my day!! After living in the Northern VA area for a couple years I decided to actually get out there are see what the city has to offer. I had a fantastic time. Seeing Old Town Alexandria by foot is the only way to go. Ted, our "guide" was wonderful. Very knowledgable, personable, witty, and great sense of humor. The restaurants that we toured were not your typical run-of-the-mill joints. I found the atmosphere of all the restaurants great and the food even better! I will be coming back with friends to enjoy a great meal at some of the places we visited.

I cannot wait to go on my next tour.

It was a great way to spend an afternoon. Enjoyed learning about the history of Old Town and visiting restaurants off the main street. Food was excellent!

Our tour guide was very friendly, upbeat, and prompt, but the tour itself was mediocre in quality from both a historical and dining/eating standpoint. It was hard to hear our guide at points during the walking tour, he spoke quickly and sometimes without much context for the site/building being visited, and by the end of the tour we felt the overall delivery of historical content lacked cohesiveness. Also, the food overall was not particularly outstanding. Two of the four main-course restaurants visited were average to slightly above average in quality and the other two were below average. The fifth and final destination was a teashop where a dessert of jelly cake & hot tea was served. This last establishment seated eleven tour guests facing each other across a narrow hallway with only two tiny tables set at one end -- how is one to eat a plate of cake with a fork while holding a cup of hot tea without tables? The Historic Old Town Alexandria Food Tour is our first food tour and has been on our to-do list for several months, but we wonÕt go on another food tour anytime soon. Best regards, Family With Adult Children

THIS WAS A VERY RELAXED,WONDERFUL HISTORIC /EATING TOUR. OUR GUIDE WAS VERY PLEASANT AND FILLED OUR HEADS WITH INTERESTING TIDBITS OF HISTORY AND THEN HAD PREPLANNED STOPS AT SOME VERY UNIQUE AND TASTEFUL RESTAURANTS OFF THE MAIN STREET OF ALEXANDRIA. THE FOOD WAS EXCELLENT (WE HAD ONE RESTAURANT WHOSE SERVICE WAS SOMEWHAT DELAYED IN TIMING,BUT OUR TOUR GUIDE PICKED UP THE PACE AND PHONED AHEAD TO THE OTHER RESTAURANTS TO LET THEM KNOW WE WOULD BE A LITTLE DELAYED.) MY HUSBAND AND I WILL DEFINITLY BE TOURING IN OTHERE CITIES WITH THEM-GEORGETOWN OR BALTIMORE AND I WAS TOLD BY OUR GUIDE THEY ARE EXPANDING TO POSSIBLE CHICAGO. GREAT TIME- DELICIOUS FOOD AND FILLING.

Can't say enough good about this tour. My husband and I found the tour to be informational, fun, food wonderful and our tour guide (Mallory) educated and entertaining. If you get the chance to enjoy this tour a couple of words of advice: Don't eat prior to going. You will find there is more than enough food, and being hungry before you go is a plus. Alexandria is a historical melting pot and very interesting to explore.

Lisa and Charles

I picked this out for because we both like food, and we like the idea of eating good food and learning a little about old town. As it turns out, the food was AMAZING! The Tour went to all these little mom and pop places that had good food and great service. The tour itself went though history of old town from its beginning to how it got to be the way it is today. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes to eat and have a good time.

We had a great time. It was a stressful trip to start out we had a hotel mix-up the night before the food tour. So Saturday when we went on the food tour, it was just complete relaxation and swept all of the stress away. Our tour guide Mallory was so sweet and very knowledgeable about the area she was showing us. All of the restaurants were kind and courteous. The only one that I was not too thrilled with was the Coffee and Tea shop at the end of the tour. I was going to purchase some items from them, but the cashier was rude and not attentive, so I decided to take my business elsewhere. I have food allergies and Mallory made sure each restaurant knew in advance what I could and could not eat, and she went out her way to double check once we were there. Thank you for a wonderful time.

Loved the tour, tour guide, town, food and people!

My husband and I really enjoyed the food tour! Not only was our guide extremely knowledgeable and very friendly, but the entire experience was wonderful. We went in January, which was a bit cold and windy, but our guide made sure to adapt our walking tour so that we spent about 10-15 minutes walking and exploring the town between sights, and then stopping in to eat at the various restaurants for at least 15 minutes each. This is definitely the way to see and learn about historic Alexandria! My husband and I even returned later the next week to dine at one of the restuarants for a full meal, because we loved the food and atmosphere at the restuarant. We hope to return to Washington D.C. and also take part in the other food tours there. We highly recommend the food tour!

I met a lot of nice people in the group. I live locally and i love trying different foods. The food was so delicious and the tour guide was very knowledgeable. Every restaurant was nice, clean, warm and comfortable. I plan on going on the Capitol Hill or Georgetown Food Tour next.

The tour totally exceeded my expectations. The food at each stop was phenomenal. Our tour guide was delightful - very friendly and knowledgeable. We can't wait to try another tour (we are thinking about Georgetown or Capitol Hill).

The walk through the city with the history and historic sites was pretty neat. I also liked the stop at the torpedo factory. I only wish that there had been more of a tie in from the food to the tour... was the food we ate historical at all? Why did we go to this restaurant instead of another? Why are we served this food instead of another?

We would definitely go on a tour like this as a tour or go to the restaurants to eat, but they didn't seem to flow together very well.

Mallory was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable for her short time in the city.

Our guide Ted gave us a great overview of the history and architecture of Old Town Alexandria, pointing out many things that we would have missed on our own, and that the city's own published walking tour did not fully explain. The selection of restaurants and menu choices were wonderful, with enough food to satisfy us for both lunch and dinner. Overall, it was a very pleasant and informative afternoon.

I'm local to the DC area but decided to take my wife on this food tour as a unique birthday gift. Got to try out some great restaurants and cuisine that we may not have otherwise experienced on our own, including a general historical overview of the city of Alexandria. The guide warned us we'd be "stuffed" after everything was said and done, however my wife and I were merely satiated (we are not pigs, and are physically fit and skipped lunch for this event).

There's some changes I'd like to see in the itinerary. One "snack" stop at a souvenir shop included a few salted peanuts, a portion of a single cheese straw, and a thimbleful of wine -- very, very lame. Another stop involved a Lebanese restaurant which was one step above a dive, with the 10 of us crammed into a space that was appropriate for eight. Maybe Lebanese food is rare in some parts of the country, but in the DC area it's available almost everywhere. The food was just ordinary and average, and there wasn't enough of each mezza dish to fully share with the entire group.

I may have rated this four stars if I didn't have another experience to compare it to, but we were underwhelmed when thinking back to the Seattle gourmet food tour we participated in last month. The Seattle guide was easily identifiable with company jacket and ball cap, whereas the Alexandria guide looked like a run-of-the-mill pedestrian waiting for a city bus and without any kind of signage. The Seattle tour provided a printed itinerary with restaurant contact information and food descriptions, whereas Alexandria gave nothing. The Seattle tour lent radio transmitters so that the walking tour could be easily heard, and covered more efficiently while on the move. The Alexandria tour had us speed walking to each point of interest, straining to hear the guide over the sounds of the city. The Seattle tour had appetizer-sized portions while Alexandria had more of a tasting sample. At the tour's conclusion, Seattle gave a coupon that was good for 10-20% discounts at all of the restaurants we had visited, in addition to other interesting restaurants/foodie shops worth checking out, but Alexandria just thanked everyone for coming. One good thing the Alexandria tour had going for it was that the guide didn't ask for tips (which we gave anyway) as most tourist events tend to do. If the Alexandria tour company were smart, they'd steal most, if not all, of these ideas to use for their business.

I'm hesitant to try out the Georgetown food tour based on this experience. For the price that was paid, it just doesn't seem that great of a value for the money.

My fiancee and I recently went on the Old Town Alexandria food tour and had an great time. We lucked out as it was a perfect fall day with great weather. Our guide Ted did a fantastic job. He was cool and extremely knowledgeable. We basically walked through town stopping at various points of interest and he would fill us in on the history of the buildings and people of the time. It was really cool just from that stand point but it was great to be able to stop and eat along the way. All the food we had was really good but I have to say by the end of it I was getting so full. So make sure you bring a big appetite if you go.

The other thing that made the day for me was that I am not a seafood\shellfish eater. I bought my tickets on Zerve and they had a comment field asking for any special accommodations. I thought it would be nice if there was another option when seafood was being served however I figured my request would probably be ignored. I put it on there just for the heck of it. Sure enough Ted had arranged everything and the two places we went that were serving seafood, I got an alternate and equally delicious dish. It was extremely appreciated and made it clear the company paid attention to detail.

If you're in the area or live close like we do, I highly recommend giving the tour a try.

I went on the tour with my wife and two of our friends who were in from out of town. We live in DC and don't spend much time in Alexandria.

Overall, we had fun and found the tour interesting. The food was quite good.

The tour was much more about the history of colonial Alexandria, than it was about the local food. We did a Food Tour in Italy a few months ago and learned much more about the food and got a much greater sense of the food culture. In part this may have to do with the difference between Italy and Virginia culinary uniqueness and specialties.

I would have preferred more focus on the food, but it was still a good time. Certainly recommended for out of towners.

I suspect the walking history tour is similar to others offered in Old Town. The stops for food were a nice way to break up the walking. Our tour guide, Ted, was friendly and knowledgeable.

We took this tour because my 2 friends recently moved to the area. Instead of taking them out to dinner for being my hosts, I brought them on this tour. It was a beautiful fall day, the guides on the walking tour gave us the right amount of historical detail. We enjoyed the stops to try local restaurants. The menu was well thought out, the restaurants ready for us with prompt informed service (we had 2 food allergies in our tour group). My friends will return to some of the places we tried, and plan on doing more food tours in the DC area. A very enjoyable afternoon was had by all.

Enjoyed our food tour very much!

Our tour guides Ada and Mallory were wonderful. They spent time vividly explaining the history of the area and hosting our meals. We had issues traveling to the tour due to train delays, and Ada went out of her way to make sure we had phone numbers for local cabs and kept us informed of their location.

My wife and I would not only recommend this tour, but look forward to booking another one!

Thanks

Steve and Linda

The food was amazing! Unfortunately, my daughter detests crab and lobster, but fortunately, for me and our friend, we shared the crab/lobster cake on one of our tastings. Mmmmm. Everything was great...could have done without the miniscule nut/fruit/wine tasting at one of the wine stores. But still was nice. Liked the idea of decent-sized tastings, spread out a bit by a good amount of walking and history. My only criticism (and this applies to all the East Coast foodie tours): would be nice to offer each customer a printout of the places we visited (and map), along with 5-10% discount coupons. This has worked out great in Chicago as we were locals and could return to our favorite places from the tour another time. The jelly-roll and iced tea was a wonderful ending to a great tour! Keep the tradition going!

Outstanding food, enthusiastic guide. A pleasurable experience

This tour was a perfect balance between history and food and the size of the group was just right. It was a really great local activity that introduced us to some new restaurants and menu items. I recommend it to anyone looking for something new to do this weekend.

The Alexandria food tour was amazing, thanks to our excellent guide, Dena. She was very knowledgeable and upbeat and answered all questions with ease. She seemed to genuinely enjoy her job and like the group, which gave the tour a really positive energy. Although my friend and I are pretty young, our tour also included people of retirement age, and I noticed that Dena did a great job of keeping the group at a reasonable walking pace for all members without drawing attention to it or embarrassing anyone.

The food was delicious, although I had specified when ordering the tickets that one member of my party is vegetarian, and that was not accommodated. It wasn't a big deal because my friend does eat fish, but not all vegetarians do, and that's something you should be aware of in the future.

Additionally, I read about the tour in the weekend section of the Post, and I was under the impression the tour would be mostly about food, as opposed to about 50/50 food and history. It was a pleasant surprise that the historical component was there, and you might want to make sure future advertising reflects that.

All in all, we would do a food tour again, and hope to luck out with a guide as good as Dena.

AMAZING and VERY highly recommended

Ted was a wonderful guide=informative, fun and charming. He was attentive to everyone, kept a good walking pace,and was very considerate.

The restaurant stops were EXCELLENT.

We wasted time with the thimble of wine and peanuts at the store and I felt the Jelly Cake was not the best last impression for the tour.As it is no longer available we were told ( the reason may be that people do not like it) this store made it only for the tour. Forget it and choose something else.

The historical information Ted gave us was GREAT.

My husband and I had a great time. Its was an outstanding way for us to learn more about Old Town Alexandria and find out all there is to see and do while there.

This tour is a great way to learn about Alexandria, its history, its architecture, and its food. Our guide was very informtive and funny. If I return to the area, I will definitely take a food tour again.

Most of the foods are good except for dessert.

Our guide, Kelly, was knowledgable and enthusiastic! The food in every location was outstanding and the group size was just right. My sister enjoyed the tour so much that she immediately booked another tour in New York City. I would highly recommend this particular tour!

Wow! I purchased the tickets for the Old Town food tour as a birthday gift for my mother in law, and she loved it. The food was delicious, and the tour took you all around to places I had no idea were such a chunk of history. Our tour guide (TED) was hilarious, I could book him for a party.

You can't beat Entertainment, Excercise, and Entrees- for the price!

I will be returning in the near future!

Maribeth

Really informative, relaxed pace, great food! Highly recommend!

My husband and I did the Alexandria Old Town tour. First, our tour guide from Boston, whose name now escapes me, was wonderful. Her knowledge and great personality made the tour truly enjoyable. It was a wonderful experience walking the neighborhood and hearing fun facts and history. The restaurants we encountered were all very good except for The Pita. The idea of family style doesn't bother me but the restaurant served very very small plates with no serving utilities so other people in the group were using the forks they had already eaten from to scoop up more food. Obviously, this wouldn't be an issue if it was just my husband and I but it is an issue with people whom I don't know. It seemed like the restaurant was skimping on quantites and it was an uncomfortable situation. I refrained from eating much at this location due to this situation. The other restaurants were quite welcoming and the portions were appropriate and good.

The tour was really fun. There was a lot more historical information about Old Town then I thought there would be, which was a pleasant surprise. And all the walking really helped me be prepared to eat all that food! The food was delicious and the tour guide, Ted, was really knowledgeable and personable.

Learned many interesting facts about Alexandria's history and saw some less-commonly visited places that bear some good information content.

I bought ticket to this for my husband for his birthday. My husband was a history major in college and is now a chef. We just moved to Alexandria and wanted to learn more about the history of Old Town as well as the different type of resturants it has to offer. It was a GREAT way to spend the afternoon. I enjoyed the dishes that were choosen and it was just the right amount of history in between each resturant stop.

Our tour guide Dena was very great - she was very knowledgeable about the area, the restaurants, and the dishes we were served. This was a very leisurely way to spend an afternoon touring Old Town Alexandria - the food was delicious, too!

I am telling everyone I know about this tour! We had a great time learning so much about the area from our guide, Ted. We loved that he had such a wealth of knowledge of American history. This tour was exactly what we were looking for, and there was something for everyone....shops, different foods, wine, beer, tea, dessert, art, architecture, natural beauty, and many great stories attached to each place. I will come back to DC again and try another food tour!

Thank you for the wonderful experience!!

I'm staying in the area on business and have limited time to take in the sites and history so I purchased my tour online at the beginning of the week not knowing how hot it was going to be this past weekend (7/24/10). There was a heat advisor as the tempature rose into the triple digits. I met Ted at the Market Plaza, across the street from the Visitor's Center. As luck would have it, I was his one and only guest. Not sure if it was the weather as he said the Sunday tour was booked with 12 people. Anyway, a new tour guide joined us (Jessica) which made it seem less like a date. Ted is a history teacher during the school year and was an excellent source of historical and antidotal information about the area. The selection of restaurants and menu items was superb. When we stopped at the Firehouse for diver scallops with an Isreali couscous and sundried tomatoe risotto, I thought I was in heaven! However, I was so full I could only eat one of the scallops which was cooked to perfection! I could have kicked myself for not asking for a go-box to feast on at midnight! There is a lot of food so pace yourself and don't be afraid to take food home. I highly recommend this tour and Ted in particular, he is gracious, articulate and informed. My only complaint is that they do not provide a map of the area with notation of the restaurants and foods we are tasting. After all, DC Metro Tours is promoting local businesses and I would like to go back to the Firehouse and order those scallops with risotto! I made that recommendation to Ted and hope to see it on future tours. Actually, I will try to find my way back to the Firehouse this weekend, the forecast is for cooler weather!

This is a pleasant activity if you are not too time restricted.

Very tasty food. Great guide - he was very good for his first tour.

Enjoyed the history along with the food. Did like the guide lived in or around the city they "guided" you in.

My son (who lives in Washington, D.C.) and I recently took the Old Town Alexandria Food Tour when I visited him. He was a bit reluctant since he had already been to several of the bars and restaurants in Old Town during the last few years, but I talked him into it. We both thoroughly enjoyed the food served at the restaurants and the historical information given to us by our excellent guide, Ted. It was an excellent value and we plan to do another food tour the next time I visit!

The tour was fabulous and the tour guide conveyed grate information about the site. Having small meals and short walks worked very well. Perfect balance of both.

I'm not accustom to the USA tipping system, so I felt a little embarrassed when other people tipped the tour guide at the end of the tour. Unfortunately, I did not have much change to tip her. I hope she did not take offence. Other international tourist may need to keep this in mind.

We had a wonderful time, learned a lot about Old Town and had some delicious, local food. I will recommend this to many and will likely try the other food tours in the DC area. At first, i was worried that the group would be geared towards an older crowd, but as a 24 year old i had fun and had a wonderful experience.

This tour was a good combination of history and food - a nice walking tour of Old Town with frequent pleasant breaks and good food. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable. My wife and I were from out of town and had been in Old Town only once before, so the walking tour was great. Some in our party had been there many times, but appreciated the introduction to restaurants off the beaten path, and also learned some of the history of the place. A good introduction to an interesting area.

This was an interesting tour, with a nice overview of the history of Alexandria, but there was not enough info on the food. Not to mention that the portions of food were very small. If it had been $30, I would not have objected, but it was $52, plus a $2 handling fee and was overpriced, in my opinion.

I would not recommend it at this price.

Food was great, guide was down to earth and friendly, Old Town was picturesque around every corner. It was a nice breather from our hectic sightseeing in DC.

My mom was visiting for MotherÕs Day and I decided to take her on the Alexandria Food Tour. It was such a great tour with a variety of delicious foods and an interesting local history lesson. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to try new and classic foods while learning about Old Town.

We have been to Old Town a number of times, but enjoyed the tour and learned lots of new things. It was a nice blend of walking, learning about the history of the area and sampling delicious food. Our group of six blended well with the other tour members and the tour guide did a great job of making everyone feel involved. We'll definitely be going back to the restaurants we learned about, all the food was yummy.

I thought this food tour was delightfully delicious! There was a great balance between historical information provided in a conversational, easy-to-understand way, and great, great food! The walking was enjoyable, the company was enjoyable, the whole day was enjoyable! I would completely recommend this tour to others.

The food was great! Every stop was wonderful (especially enjoyed the scallops).

The stops were spread out perfectly, it never felt like we were walking too far, or walking and talking just to kill time.

The guide (Molly) was wonderful! Very friendly and knew exactly what she was doing around every corner. Seemed to know the details about the food, history, and restaurants like the back of her hand.

I would highly recommend this tour to any local or tourist.

Dena was very nice and knowledgable.

Deana, our tour guide, was very fun and we enjoyed the walking tour and the 5 venues that she took us to for local tastes on an -off the beaten path- approach. The people were friendly and the information well worth the 3 hour time. The only negative was the airplane noise every 5 minues. We would recommend the tour to anyone interested in local color. We , also, enjoyed the water taxi back to DC and would recommend that clients be told that the local tram at the Metro station from DC is free to King Street. It cost us $8.00 for a taxi that was unnecessary as an expense.

Cloudy and rain threatened but it all turned out great!

Our lovely tour guide Elsie was enthusiastic and very well informed. Elsie provided a lot of local history and information. The food from the restaurants are locally supplied and prepared with passion. A tour that is clearly made to make anyoneÕs Saturday a fun day.

The day was very good. We had two guides; both knowledgable. Their dialog was interesting and appropriate for the group. (wide variety of ages) The establishment staff were friendly, curtious and caring. We enjoyed the experience and will recommend it to anyone in the DC area. Old Town itself is very special.

Thank you for your attention as well as the special staff we met.

I had tried other food tours before in other cities, and the Old Town Food Tour was one of my favorites. This makes for a really fun day and you get to try a lot of different types of food. I especially loved the little Lebanese spot on the tour and the oysters at another spot on the tour. Can't wait to try more tours with these folks when I come back to DC! You really learn a lot of interesting historical facts too!

I am a local to the area and could not believe how much I did not know about Alexandria! There were restaurants I had never tried before. The food was outstanding, and my group was a really fun mix of people. Our guide was very friendly and seemed really love what she was doing. Even locals should try this tour! Great tour for all!

The first stop (Union St Public House) had the best food, soup was great. Bilbo Baggins didn't work for us, Tai Mex fusion, not so much. The last stop with the bison stroganov was OK and the jelly cake was over hyped. The history tour was the best part of the tour, seeing the significant spots where Washington frequented made the event memorable. More stops and more restaurants, maybe with smaller portions at each stop would line up more with the title of the event. Overall we wouldnÕt recommend the tour because it was overpriced for the number of restaurants visited.

It was a 3 1/2 hour tour that included a diverse group on a pleasant day. The restaurants were all interesting and the tour guide was knowledgeable.

I am generally more of an explore-on-my-own type of traveler, but, upon the recommendation of one of my good friends, I was enticed to try my first food tour. I have absolutely no regrets. The tour guide was knowledgeable. The tour itself was quite interesting. And the food was wonderful. The portions were generous enough that I was able to feel full, while still being able to enjoy several different types of local cuisine. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Even those who normally avoid organized tours.

We went on the Alexandria Tour on a very cold Friday afternoon. Almost instantly we were greeted by our very warm and knowledgeable guide. My husband and I are from out of town and thought there was a good chance we would be complete fish out of water in this tour but our guide made sure everyone was included and welcomed. We made instant Tour friends and enjoyed the food immensely. We did not have any special requests but I know they cater to special needs because one of our group members was vegetarian and there where accommodations pre made so she would have a delightful vegetarian dish waiting for her at every stop. As far as I know I will recommend this tour to everyone I know and If I am ever in DC I will make sure to join in on another one of their tours.

The day was really cold and several folks seemed chilled. We were served iced water at every stop,

And iced tea at our final stop. A warm drink on any stop would really have hit the spot.There was

A lot of build up for the final desert stop and the cake served on a paper plate on a folding chair was

Somewhat of a let down. Overall, my family really enjoyed the tour.

It was great! The tour guide was very pleasant and informative. The food was very good, the best we had in DC all week! We will do it again.

Really enjoyed it, the guide was great, and it was a beautiful day.

We enjoyed this tour to the max. The timing was perfect...great blend of history and the food was wonderful. Definitely full by the time the tour was over. I would recommend this tour to locals and tourists alike! Will take visitors on this in the future. And our tour guide was great fun and very informative!!

Great tour for good weather days. Even my 11 year old was into it.

The overall tour was great. I felt it was a great combination of history and food. The best restaurant by far was Bilbo Baggins Restaurant. The Duck spring roll was great. The tour guide was knowledgable but seemed a little bit unsure of himself. I think with a little more practice he will find his style. He seem to be trying to do what someone taught him to say or do not what came natural to him. Still my date and I had a wonderful time and would definitely recommend.

The tour was interesting but a little too long. A 21/2 hr. tour would have been better. The second food stop for seafood was just okay. The first stop (Bilbo Baggins) was great. The Lebanese food was yummy.

The tour was very enjoyable- almost a private tour as other guests did not show up.

the only thing that I would recommend is more info on how to get to market square from the metro-- like the king street trolley- runs after 1130 and is free.. would have made my decision so much easier.. to know that it was easy to get into town- and not have to work over a mile from the metro.. this would turn some folks off.

Wish the DC tour was not booked when we were in -

Also could get the site to give any info re Georgetown.. would have like that also.

The tour guide was perky and great!

Thanks

robin

The good:

Great food!! Good historic tour, and interesting facts about Old Town that I didn't know--and don't think are included on regular tours.

The OK:

It was an OK amount of food. My boyfriend wasn't full and we ended up snacking afterwards.

The bad:

The corny jokes from the guide! Too many. Also, he tended to contradict himself in quite a few things that he said. Maybe a bit more review of the script before giving the tour?

We loved our tour guide who made everything so interesting and we learned so many

things we never knew about our own area!

This was my first food tour, and it certainly left a pleasant impression. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Alexandria and was very enthusiastic. He called ahead to any of the restaurants to ensure that our food would be ready within moments of sitting down.

No ordering, no waiting! We sat down, chatted briefly and had our (delicious) sampling served right away.

Now, this being my first food tour may cloud my judgment. There is some naivete in this review; however, I can say that everyone in the group that we traveled with were suitably impressed!

We went on January 2 and although it was very very cold, the delicious food and the interesting tour still made the experience extremely enjoyable. A great alternative to a simple dinner out.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour - our guide was knowledgeable and fun. The food was very good. Our only disappointment was the quantity of food. We are not huge eaters and all had a hearty breakfast. However, we were still hungry at the end of the tour. There were six of us in our party and four of us felt that way. We believe what happened was that the last place was "family style" and most of the plates didn't get down to us or if they did, there was very little food left on them . Our two adult children who were at the other end of the table said that there were "big eaters" at their end of the table. Anyway, we had not anticipated going home hungry! Other than that, it was fun.

Fun way to learn about the history of Alexandria Old Town whilst enjoying good quality food. Had an interesting mix of food at 4 different locations. For example, seafood, lebanese and jelly cake which was similar to an English Victoria sponge cake.

The Tour guide was knowledgeable and made sure the walking pace was at the speed the group wanted. She went out of her way to make sure that any dietary requirements or other needs were catered for.

Would highly recommend this tour.

But unless Robert E. Lee had 2 boyhood homes in Alexandria, inaccurate.

While we enjoyed the tour we were expecting more information on the foods of the area combined with the history, We didn't think there was any relationship between the food chosen and the community. The food tasted very good although the servings were almost too much. We would have preferred smaller servings with more stops. We also would like the tour to relate the foods. While the history of the town was interesting to hear, it wasn't always accurate and it wasn't about the food. Our guide was very concerned about comparing our tour with previous food tours we took and seemed to be on a sales pitch for some of the local stores rather than helping us learn about the food. He also didn't deviate from what seemed to be a practiced speech to a personalized tour for our individual group.

I thought the tour was wonderful but I was expecting to stop at 5 restaurants. One of our stops was at the Alexandria Lyceum for a small glass of cider. While the building was full of interesting displays I hardly consider that worth $10, or 1/5 of the $50. Aside from that it was a great and I liked one of the stops so much I went there for dinner following the tour.

Our guide was very friendly and knew his history about Alexandria. I highly recommend this tour for those who want to learn about the history of Alexandria and for those who like to eat. We walked a lot and stopped at 4 places, 3 restaurants and then the last stop was a local Cafe. The last stop was not a sit down like the restaurant tours were. Although the coffee was good and the cake was delicious my group would have enjoyed it more with a sit down rather than sitting in the hallway.e. The first 2 restaurant stops were great! The last one was a Lebanese restaurant, food was ver good but we felt rushed at this stop.

There is plenty of food to eat on this tour and overall was a great experience. We left feeling full. Another thing you only get water with your food so bring extra money if you want to have a drink.

Both the history and the food were excellent. Our guide was wonderful. She was very engaging and knowledgeable. I live in the area and have recommended the tour to several friends. It is wonderful for both locals and visitors. I plan on trying your other tours soon.

Inspired by a great idea of not just sightseeing, but also tasting some food, we were full of enthusiastic expectations. I should say that they were fulfilled about 80%. The food was good (though not excellent, and it was not always clear why this particular restaurant /cuisine was chosen). Maybe it would have been better if we had one full-size dish at each place, rather than sampling this and that.

the guide was very nice, cheerful and knowledgeable. the big surprise was that sightseeing was no less enjoyable than the food :)))))

If I had to do this again, I would probably consider pure sightseeing.

I read the description and was sold on this tour- I had to do it.

It was OK except....

We expected at least some food that might have a historical relevance, but instead there was none, and even Meditation food thrown in the mix. The food was more of a tour of the current restaurants in the town and what they had to offer.

There seemed to be a lot of fried foods.

The facts were questionable- especially when the guide said that no one knew who was depicted on a statue and the sign called them out!

We did not get to go in any historical restaurantsÉ.and there wasnÕt even a blurb on the type of food they ate back thenÉ

Good parts- I learned a bit....I was not hungry at the end, and I saw a town I would not have visited if it had not been for this tour.

But, if you are only in DC for a short time, I would not recommend this day trip out of the city- we regretted it. I wished I had left early as my boyfriend wantedÉ.but we spent a lot on the tour and I kept hoping it would get betterÉ..

I decided to buy tickets for the tour as part of a day-out with my girlfriend. I didn't quite know what to expect before the tour started, but by the end, had had a really good afternoon. The guided tour of Alexandria was not the typical historical drawl - instead it was a combination of quirky facts, tidbits about the modern/historical neighbourhoods and some good (and varied) food.

I would highly recommend the tour - especially as part of a fuller day-out in the area.

There were five of us, some seniors, who took this tour on November 7th and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The choice of restaurants and the food selected at each one was excellent. We especially liked the choice of small, owner operated places.

The commentary on the history and highlights of Old Town was informative and interesting. And it certainly helped that the day was warm and sunny!

We toured with Robert, who was an excellent guide. He really had an in depth knowledge of the town and its history. We also enjoyed all of the food that we had. The restaurants were really interesting, as was their food. We weren't as full afterward as I had expected, so we returned for a casual dinner to Bilbo Baggins.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable afternoon. I would definitely try one of the other tours when I am in the area again.

By walking to eating destinations in Old Town you learn about the history of the town along the way while simultaneously building up an appetite and suspense regarding your next destination. Food was tasty and, contrary to expectations, portions were not small.

Fantastic tour of Alexandria. I live locally, and it introduced me to several places (food and non-food) that I had never been to. If you want a creative way to see historic old town Alexandria, I highly recommend this tour.

I was however looking to be exposed to more food places.

Everything we ate was delicious and the historical tour was interesting. Definitely time well-spent.

My girlfriends and I have a monthly get-together (there are 14 of us). Each girl has a month assigned to them. October was my month and I searched long and hard to find a cool activity for us to do and stumbled upon the Historical Food and Walking Tour in Old Town Alexandria. The day ended up being a rainy one, but the good times were still on! We had such a blast!! Our tour guide was very informitive (even if you are very familiar with the area) and the food stops were simply devine! I highly recommend to anyone (singles, families, etc.) to consider taking this tour. The price can not be beat and the history you learn and the food you taste is a memory that won't be forgotten!

Everyone seemed to enjoy the tour, in spite of the cold and dreary, rainy day. Yes, we were shivering, but as a group, we found the information interesting, the tour guide in good spirits, and the food, also, very good. Nice to see Alexandria up close and personal.

The weather was miserable but the food was great, the guide was fun, pleasant and informative. The tour was well balanced, just the right amount of walking between stops and lots of interesting history. Highly recommend it to others.

I highly recommend this tour. The Old Towne Alexandria (VA) tour was wonderful. Our guide, Dena, was very good and fit right in w/our group (of 9 friends). The restaurants we ate at provided great 'samplings' which was the right amount of food. The history I learned was quite enlightening. Definitely worth the fee and time involved.

Despite the rain, our group had a wonderful time on the Historic Alexandria food/walking tour. Our guide was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and personable. She told us interesting stories about the houses, restaurants, and museums - history came alive! The food was delicious, and it was ready to be served to us as soon as we were seated in the restaurant - I think the other patrons of the restaurant wondered who we were that we received service so fast! Some of the dishes were not ones that I would ordinarily order, but I am glad that I tried them all. I would definitely go back to all the places for a complete meal on my own. I think this tour is a fantastic idea, and now I want to take the Capitol Hill food/walking tour.

This was a great tour of Old Town & of the restaurants there. The timing between walking and eating was well thought out as well as the food portions. Just when you wanted to sit down, you were at the next restaurant to enjoy a sample of food that was delicious. As a local, I was amazed at the amount of information I learned about the founding of the city and architectual details of Old Town. I highly recommend this tour.

Our group loved Dena, our guide. Even though it was raining and cold we had the most marvelous time. The amount of food we were served at the establishments was unbelievable! As many times as I have been to Alexandria I never knew all of the information Dena discussed with us. I highly recommend this tour to all interested people. Our group now wants to do the Capital Hill tour.

This was a great event. It rained all day but it was still worth every minute we spent.

Hope to go on the DC tour sometime in the future.

Molly, our tour guide was funny and entertaining. Her knowledge about the architecture and history of Old Town was great. Being from the area, I assumed that we would know most of the tour info; boy was I surprised. The food was yummy and just enough to tie us over until a small late night dinner.

What a way to spend the afternoon! Touring Old Town Alexandria and learning so much of the history and trivia was amazing. Then add to that stopping at delicious restaurants to have an eclectic variety of food, definitely has something for everyone. Our tour guide, Molly, was very informative as well as entertaining. (Thanks, Molly!) Make sure you come hungry or you won't have room to taste all the "mini-meals" which aren't so mini.

This is a great activity for locals, or people visiting the DC area who want to do something out of the ordinary, not your basic tourist sites. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes as there is quite a bit of walking. We can't wait to try the Capitol Hill and Eastern Market tours next time we're in DC. Definitely recommend this...