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With so many great restaurants in Washington, DC it’s easy to forget all the wonderful experiences we’ve had in our own backyard of Alexandria.

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When Mason Social opened earlier this year we wasted no time before stopping in. Initial reviews from different writers highlighted both their favorite dishes and the impact of the restaurant on the Parker-Grey neighborhood. After hearing the buzz, we entered Mason Social with unreal expectations. It was like going to a movie that all of your friends claimed to be “The BEST MOVIE EVER!”, and leaving realizing that it could never live up to the reviews. Our opinion of Mason Social was that we liked it. In the end, we left thinking it was a great place to call a neighborhood hangout, but couldn’t think of the dish we’d call a can’t miss. Well – things have changed…

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A couple weeks ago, we headed back to Mason Social to try their updated fall menu. This time we went in having no clue what to expect and left incredibly impressed. Rather than going through every item, here are the 4 reasons we think you need to visit Mason Social in Alexandria:

  • The Louisiana BBQ Sliders are the best starter on the menu. This trio of sliders is so good, you’re going to be nervous nothing else on the menu can live up to them. Fortunately, the flavor repeats in their entree section with the Louisiana BBQ Chicken dish.  We are told the BBQ sauce recipe comes from an old family friend who used it in Louisiana. Sold.

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                            Other notable apps? Try the Chili Fire Shrimp and the Tuna Nachos!

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  • The new line of cocktails includes several favorites for the fall and beyond. For me, autumn cocktails thrive with the inclusion of apple, apple brandy, or better ye t- cider. The First Offer (bourbon, ginger shurb, and apple cider served in a mason jar) was easily my drink of choice, while Alix found the Primrose Path (scotch, dry vermouth, cranberry juice, orange bitters) to be her favorite of the night. The menu still includes some previous favorites, but the newcomers are worth straying from the familiars.

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  • When it comes to entrees we always share between us, but the Sausage Bolognese made it a difficult trend to continue. Replacing ordinary sausage is house-made chorizo which accompanies the tomato, rigatoni, oregano, parmesan, which collectively could be one of my favorite dishes this fall.

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  • If you ask me what Alexandria is missing I’m going to say a rooftop 9 out of 10 times. A Syracuse Orange bar would be right up there too, but for about 8-9 months of the year I would love to have a neighborhood hangout with a rooftop. After our recent visit, we’ve learned one may soon be coming to Mason Social. Any review process can be long and difficult, so we’re hopeful that the community and everyone else jumps behind supporting this request.

During our visit we learned several other changes could be in the works, all of which giving us even more reasons to stop back in soon.

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If you had some hesitation about Mason Social before, it’s time to take another visit. If you loved Mason Social from the first day they opened, you’re in luck, because they’re just getting started.

Cheers!