By Philip Conklin

Located at the convergence of Washington Blvd, N. Tenth Street, and N. Garfield Streets, the Board Room offers Lyon Park residents a walkable destination for relaxation and fun. 

Per the restaurant’s website, “The Board Room Game Bar & Brewery is at the top of its game. Our brews, food, wines and spirits play to win.”

On a lovely fall evening our party of 9 neighbors (ranging in ages from 13 to 70 years) gathered at the Boardroom for supper. We took a table on their large outdoor patio that is actually decently insulated from the street traffic and offered an enjoyable atmosphere for dining and conversation. In cooler seasons, there are gas fire pits for warmth and atmosphere. Inside, the game room/bar/dining room is vast with a variety of seating options including banquets, high top tables, and small living room set ups with comfy seating and low tables to facilitate comfortable game play, dining, and conversation. 

Service is “fast casual” where you pick your table, then place your order with the bartender. The food menu is upscale-ish pub food (appetizers run a wide range from Homemade Corndogs to Whitestone Oysters). Our party order included the Toasted Kale Salad w/ Salmon, the Black Bean Burger, Crab Cake Sandwich, Grilled Salmon, Fish and Chips and Oysters, and there was a generally positive (almost surprised) reception to the food taste and quality (each plate was picked clean). 

The extensive bar options include 15 in-house brewed beers, a broad wine menu including organic options, and house special cocktails and mocktails in addition to standard bar offerings.

You are welcome to bring your own games or choose from a wide range of choices (on weekends, game rental is $2). There are over 15 versions of Monopoly alone (including versions in Arabic, Spanish, German, and Russian) amidst over 150+ total games. 

Other game highlights:

Le Corps Humain (French language quiz cards about the human body)	Cards Against Humanity
Giant-sized Connect 4	11 versions of Trivial Pursuit
Booby Trap	3 Dart Boards
and much more!

Tuesday night is Trivia Night, offering a vibrant and popular evening of competitive fun featuring prizes for the top three teams.

In two outings to the Board Room, I was struck by the easy comfort of the atmosphere, and the wide range of ages and configurations of groups enjoying themselves. It was an overall very pleasurable place to hang out, grab a drink and nosh (whether you play a game or not). Prior to writing this article, I had never been to the Board Room, but plan to return to enjoy its welcoming, easy going vibe.

Board Room Game Bar & Brewery (925 B Garfield Street): Hours of operation are 4 p.m.–12 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m.– 2 a.m. Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m.–2 a.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m.–12 a.m. on Sunday. Phone number is 703–248–9439. To assure the most up-to-date information, go to their website: http://www.theboardroomva.com. Find them on Facebook and Instagram. Note: *Those under 21 years old are welcomed weekend days only..