Dining at Bilbo's place

Anarrima

Anarrima

The Shire
A couple of weeks ago I was walking through the Old Town area of Alexandria, Virginia with my boyfriend when he turned to me and said "Hey look, it's Bilbo Baggins." I thought he was just being silly, until I looked up and saw this sign:

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I thought to myself "holy smokes, it is Bilbo Baggins!" We were standing right in front of the Bilbo Baggins Global Restaurant--a place I never realized existed until that moment. Knowing my love of all things Tolkien, my guy made reservations for us that night and we dined at Bilbo's place. I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of LoTR-related decor, but that said, it had the perfect feel -- cozy, warm, inviting -- just like I would imagine Bilbo's hobbit hole to be. There was even a fireplace. The food was all very tasty, particularly the aptly named "Lord of the Rings" desert.

I tried to take a couple more pictures with my camera phone of the outside of the restaurant (forgot to bring the big camera or phone when we came back for dinner -- darn!). I know the quality isn't great, but here they are.

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Yes, that is a TV you can see through the door of the bottom picture. But that was only in the (separate) bar area -- the rest of the place was much more hobbity.

Has anyone else been here? It's definitely worth a try if you're ever in the area! [:)]
 
The restaurant has been written up in several restaurant guides and has been around for years (or so I read after discovering it), so I would guess the Tolkien estate is aware of its existence. Very nice folks working there -- I definitely wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble!
 
that also recently hit the news regarding the name?
I think Lobelia from Sackville-Baggins Law Firm has already taken her umbrella to them [shocked] [pirate] [;)]
 
2 of them, actually. The decor was very Middle Earth with lots of murals on the walls, and the sandwichs were named after characters and places from The Hobbit and LotR. They even had Hobbit sticks instead of breadsticks! Sadly the place in East Lansing got shut down in 2001( i'm betting it was copyright issues) - not sure if the other location is still around. Too bad - they had great food.
 
Celandine Brandybuck, Modtheow, and I ate there in May 2005. Since then they've moved down the street, and Modtheow and I ate there again this past May.
 
I was in Arlington for a convention several years ago and joined my family at the Bilbo Baggins in Alexandria. I can't remember now how I heard of the place to begin with, but I'm betting it was here on TORn. At the time, there was a mural painting of the characters from the Rankin Bass Hobbit on the wall upstairs.

We enjoyed ourselves immensely there -- I remember the food as being quite good. I still have a match book I picked up as a souvenir.
 
My brother used to live near Alexandria, and we walked through Olde Town a number of times over the years. I've always wanted to go there, but haven't had the opportunity. Maybe I'll just take Jeff and Rachel there the next time I'm visiting them.
 
A Lord of the Rings dessert? Does it contain chocolate? Describe it, please.

What street is it on? I've been in Alexandria a few times because my sister lives nearby. I love the Christmas store. Especially in August. Such fun to walk in off the sweltering street and experience the relative dark and cool of the place: tinkling music, twinkling lights, and lots of ornaments.

P.S. I love your avatar. Is that your kitty?
 
I grew up in northern VA and had my first legal drink in Olde Town. (It was at an Irish bar, and all the patrons found out I'd just turned twenty-one. The guitarist sang bawdy ballads about my "big b**bs". The Irish and their imaginations! ;o) ) I don't remember seeing Bilbo Baggins; but if, as someone else mentioned, they've only been in business ten years they opened long after I moved away from the area. I still go back to the D.C. area to visit my mom and friends. I hope I can find an opportunity to dine there some time.
 
...always [;)] The Lord of the Rings desert was a multi-layered chocolate cake. Mmmmmm....... The restaurant is located on Queen Street, a few blocks up from the water. I'm a big fan of the area too. I always thought it would be neat to live in one of the townhouses there, but I'm sure they're very costly.

Sadly, the kitty pictured in my avatar isn't mine. It's just a picture I found on the internet that makes me smile [:)]
 
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I can't vouch for the veracity, but I did hear from acquantainces (who went here) that Balrog Wing's was on the menu. But. when ordered, it turned out that the description was metaphorical and they ended up with big chicken wings.
 
My three LotR fans and I ate there last month. I am afraid we were quite disappointed. The waittress and the people there that night obviously knew nothing nor cared about LotR, Hobbit or Tolkien.

I thought the food was less that okay and the price was too high.

I would never go back there to eat again. Sorry to put a damper on this restaurant. We went because of the name, really, and were sadly disappointed.

I LOVE your kitten avatar! So CUTE! Is s/he yours?
 
Well, Lily, Lara and I, and a couple of my Scottish Dance class went there last month. They had been there before and had liked it. But that night must have been the restaurant's OFF night, and I was sooooo disappointed.

May be someone else should try it again and report how it is on a different night. I think our waittress got up on the wrong side of the bed. Also, the food that I had was not good.
 
They even have Thai Salad on the menu. Do not order that. It was not good nor was it authentic, that night that I ate there. I should know. I am originally from Thailand. [mad]
 
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