The Salt Line - Ballston

4.7

814 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 32 times today

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Good for business meals

The Salt Line, the popular DC homage to New England’s iconic fish and oyster houses, brings a second location to Arlington’s burgeoning Ballston neighborhood. Just one year in, The Salt Line has already established itself as one of the top dining spots in Northern Virginia. Executive Chef Matt Singer is leading the kitchen team in partnership with award winning Long Shot Hospitality Chef/Partner Kyle Bailey. The Salt Line is where "New England meets the Chesapeake" so guests can expect the same New England classics and renowned raw bar found at the original location, along with lots of new chef driven fish and seafood entrees, house-made pastas, exciting selections of crudos, and of course the best lobster rolls around.

In addition to dining, the welcoming year round outdoor bar (tented in the winter) has also become a favorite neighborhood gathering spot and is the perfect place to enjoy The Salt Line's signature beverage program and grab what many say is the best burger in town.

Dining areas

Additional information

Location
4040 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203-4434
Phone number
(703) 566-2075
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Kyle Bailey
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

What 814 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Virginia - DC Suburbs
Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Salt Line - Ballston offers a vibrant dining experience with standout seafood dishes, including "delicious oysters" and a "creative menu featuring seafood." The atmosphere is lively, and the service is "friendly and attentive." While some find it pricey, the quality of food consistently earns praise.

814 Reviews

R
Ron VIP
Richmond42 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Our waiter was very knowledgeable regarding the menu and made some excellent suggestions, particularly regarding their raw bar. Service was attentive and professional. We both had a cup of clam chowder, which was not the thick chowder many restaurants serve, which was very flavorful. For the main dishes, we had the Portuguese stew and the scallops. Both were well prepared and very tasty. Overall, a very enjoyable experience.
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E
Erica
Washington DC18 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I would recommend going to Salt Line - Ballston. I went on a Sunday for brunch and was impressed. It wasn’t too busy, the server was attentive and everything we had to eat was great. We had the brussel sprouts and crispy potatoes for an appetizer and then I had the French Toast and bacon for my meal. I want to back to try some oysters and the dinner. The only issue was parking can be a bit tricky so allow time to look for parking.
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SA
StephanieA VIP
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Apps are amazing but the prices for entires are high for what you get
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N
Natalie
Dallas3 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
12 out of 10!!!! Service was attentive without being obtrusive, incredible food and drinks, and a great lively ambiance. We will be back!!!!
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M
Margot
Washington DC3 reviews
4.0
Dined on February 27, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beware of happy hour oyster pricing. Ordered 2 dozen during happy hour and they were not 1/2 price. Apparently only some oysters are 1/2 price, a fact that’s not mentioned on the happy hour menu or by the server.
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J
Janice VIP
Washington DC240 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great place for fish & seafood. Especially liked the clam chowder. There were 6 of us. Other good dishes were the cod, the house salad and the stew. I ordered the Boston cream tiramisu dessert. That was only OK. Sour server was very good.
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D
Debbie
Raleigh8 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our waiter was superb. Very attentive even though he was busy. Highly recommend the raw oysters and shrimp cocktail. The best I’ve ever had.
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S
STEPHANIE VIP
Washington DC34 reviews
4.0
Dined on February 17, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food was good, nothing special. we had a few issues with the food but chose to forgo sending it back. Our server for other tables around us was amazing, however to us he became very snippy. William is hard of hearing and not the best whisperer. We could hear when he made comments about us to the kitchen! not cool.
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R
Ryan
Washington DC1 review
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My girlfriend and I went for Valentine’s day and had an awesome experience. Billy was an amazing and helpful server. He made the experience super fun for us!
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E
Erica
Palm Springs10 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Host was great as soon as we walked in, our waitress was on top of things even though it was busy! Their oysters were great and their crab dip has got to be one of the best things on the menu! Their clam chowder & entrees were great as well & love their spritz’s!
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FAQs

The Salt Line - Ballston offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (703) 566-2075.

The Salt Line - Ballston is rated 4.7 stars by 814 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 32 times today

4040 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203-4434

Dining areas

Additional information

Phone number
(703) 566-2075
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Kyle Bailey
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

The Salt Line - Ballston

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 814 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Salt Line - Ballston offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Salt Line - Ballston restaurant rated?

Is The Salt Line - Ballston currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information