Crystal City Restaurant has gone downhill...

Crystal City Restaurant has gone downhill since my last visit a few years ago. Visited on a Friday around 7pm. Was staying across the street at the Hyatt Regency, so this seemed like a safe bet, though I since found out that the Sports Bar (pub?) across the street would have been a better spot for dinner. Pretty crowded, but was still able to grab a table for two right away. If you're looking for somewhere to watch a game with some entertainment on the side, this should do the job nicely. Was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. Ordered a filet rare, actually got it pretty quick and close to rare. I think it was billed as 8-ounce and was probably closer to 12. Big word of warning: people can and do smoke here, so don't go if that's something you'd rather avoid.

Oh right, the girls. I suppose they were there too, and that certainly pushed us to give it a shot. Pasties/bikinis because you're pretty much in DC. They dance on one (or both) of the two stages, then they walk around to each table and solicit tips. Some are pushier than others when it comes to tips. If you're part of a man-woman couple, it looks like they won't be quite as pushy with you (I wasn't; the table next door was). As for looks... don't expect much. There were maybe 7 or 8 on shift at the time, and about 1.5 of them were decent... split across four different women. I think the word that best describes the place now is "tacky," a far cry from the almost-classy this place was just a few years ago. I doubt I'll be back unless I'm at the same hotel and don't want to walk more than a block.