Sweetwater Tavern

Reviews

• KL

  Ke Li

  1 day ago
  2.0
  Don't go here if you have more than 6 people. They split groups when there are tables open. The food portions are small for the price. The appetizers have about half the quantity of comparable restaurants. The bread is good and maybe the best thing they serve. It would be good if you only wanted bread and beer. The way they serve tables leaves a lot to be desired. Bread was ordered twice before it showed up. Multiple people trying to handle the service seems to get things lost in the process. The place has gotten worse over the last 20 years. The menu is limited without a good variety. The Open Road restaurant just up the road in Merrifield might be a better choice with a much better selection on the menu. Even the silver diner nearby would be a better choice. It is a crap shoot at restaurants these days as to whether it'll be good or not. Places like this are why people eat out less and less. Mediocre service and food, and not very accommodating to large groups make this place a bad choice. They also use a reservation service that charges 5 dollars per person if you cancel the reservation. Be aware of this scam.
• CM

  Carolina Martinez

  1 day ago
  4.0
  Really enjoyed our dinner at Sweetwater Tavern! The salmon was beautifully prepared seared perfectly with a great crust, served over creamy mashed potatoes with roasted broccoli and what looked like scallops on the side. And the chocolate cheesecake for dessert was the perfect ending rich, creamy, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Definitely worth saving room for!
• KC

  Kate C

  May 11, 2026
  1.0
  We made a reservation for 6:00 PM for Mother’s Day, a special occasion we trusted Sweetwater to help us celebrate. We weren’t seated until 7:30 PM, a full 90 minutes of standing around with no apology. This is a restaurant we have loved and recommended to friends and family. That loyalty made the experience even more disappointing. A reservation is a commitment and Sweetwater failed to honor it on one of the most important days of the year. After years of being regulars, we won’t be returning. If you’re considering a reservation for a special occasion, think carefully, apparently a booking means very little here.
• AP

  Annette Pitt

  May 3, 2026
  5.0
  My family has been going here for years. Merrifield is the location that we frequent the most and never disappoints. The drunken ribeye is my go to meal. Calamari and the crab and shrimp fritters are good appetizers. You have to get the Ozzie rolls. My husband and kids sprinkle a little sugar on top and they say it tastes like donuts! The crab cakes are okay. I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for lump crab meat. Portions are good and the quality is great. Don't get discouraged by the prices, you will get your money's worth. The chocolate lava cake can be shared with 3 people. Below is a picture of their Short smoked salmon filet. Great food, excellent service and clean environment!
• DW

  D Wayne

  Apr 29, 2026
  2.0
  Passing through town and decided to stop here for a late lunch. First time here and unfortunately Not a good experience. Looking at the menu, I had my heart set on the pulled pork, but they were sold out. You would think they would stock that more if it’s that popular to sell out so early in the afternoon. Anyway, settled on the chicken strips and fries. The chicken strips were absolutely horrible, skin was so soggy and whatever seasoning they use was not good at all. I will say their fries are amazing, good crispy, shoestring type fries, my favorite. The waiter was nice, but when I told him the chicken strips were horrible he just smiled, laughed and said OK. I just let it go, they were only $14 so I wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. Next time I’m going through town and if I decide to stop, maybe I’ll try something different. But I will never do their chicken again. This is also the first place I have ever been to that charge for their bread as an appetizer. It’s only a dollar for a basket of 4 rolls, so not a big deal just thought it was odd. Happy Trails!

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