Time To Judge The Hamilton, No Longer Staying Open 24 Hours

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by Prince Of Petworth April 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm 24 Comments

The Hamilton just before opening in Dec. 2011

Another thing I missed yesterday afternoon was the scoop from Guest of Guest about The Hamilton no longer staying open 24 hours:

“The Hamilton’s new hours:

Monday – Thursday 7:30am until 1am
Friday 7:30am until 2am
Saturday 8:30am until 2am

The bar section will remain open until 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends.”

The Hamilton is located in the old Borders bookstore at 14th and F St, NW.

Seems like a good time for a proper judging – has anyone checked them out yet? If so how’s the restaurant? How’s the music space?

dittle

Just went there for the first time last week for dinner and show. It was really good. The show was great (Van Hunt preceded by Vintage Trouble). We had seats right in front of the stage. I love the fact that you do not have to print out tickets. I think their menu is good and the food was more than decent. Service was good until after the show was over, we had to wait awhile to get our check. I did not get the 24 hour concept (maybe that would have been good just on Friday and Saturday?). But for a restaurant, performance space to be open 24 hours all week seemed a little odd. I definitely want to go back, and they think they attract some really good acts.
IrvingStreete

Had brunch there after touring the cherry blossoms and found it eminently forgettable. Food one step above a good Holiday Inn and decor reminiscent of a menswear store trying to look like a country club (or trying, but failing, to capture the strange charm of the Old Ebbit).
Anonymous

i was super disappointed with the hamilton, after the big build up… aside from a fancy music venue downstairs, it’s a lame bar, where you would go with your work to a lame happy hour… it’s for boring old office people… and that’s who you will see there, and that’s who they cater to..
- Denizen of Tenallytown
  
  This made laugh. Thanks.
- Jay
  
  “super” disappointed? “Boring old people.” What are you some, hipster 20-something?
  - AK
    
    Didn’t you know? Having a job is for squares.
    - please
      
      can you spare a square?
ET

Funny. I hadn’t heard/remembered about this but there was a WaPo article today about Black and Orange that mentioned it.
Anonymous

Meh. Typical Clyde’s–okay food, lots of wood decor, forgettable service.
- chrisb
  
  Forgettable service would be an improvement over the typical Clyde’s…
mark

corporate goo
J

I liked this place, but not because it had especially good food or was especially.. well, special in any way. That is, except for the hours. The only reason for me to come here was things like the bacon chocolate chip pancakes on the late night menu or the fact that it was one of the few places open at 4-5am (not to say I resented it was one of the few places.. I had a good time whenever I was here in the wee hours).

Basically: it’s nice, but unless it’s 24 hours, what’s the point?
AK

Hmmm. It seems like being open 24 hours was their big selling point, so I’m disappointed to hear they’re scaling back, especially because they weren’t hurting for late-night customers–they just couldn’t keep up with the work. It’s clear there’s a demand for something like this, so hopefully other places step up, even if they only stay open through Friday and Saturday nights.
DcRat

I’ll stand up for the place. I’ve only been there once and since it is a Clyde’s you get what you expect. It’s not a great place but perfect for a family or group b/c you know you will get something everyone will like (not love but like). Should have had an over/under pool on the 24 hour thing.
- Anonymous
  
  +1
dreamworks

I like this place and I liked that it was 24 hours. But this is DC, so how long could that last? I am surprised that they’re cutting their hours to 1AM or 2AM. I would think that people would be hungry until 3AM at least.

I haven’t had terrible service. I actually like their bar. Considering where it is, it’s the only decent place in the area. There are hotel bars and nice restaurants, but no regular bars, asides from Ebbitt’s a block away.

I’ve been 3 times. I don’t work down there, and I’ll be back.
- Identified
  
  “But this is DC”…
  
  And what do you mean by that?
17th St

Well I guess this starts to answer the questions raised in today’s Post story about the hamburger place Black and Orange stying open unti 5AM nightly:

Late-night dining might be the District’s new frontier…Black and Orange is testing a question that demographers and late-night revelers have long debated: Is the District slowly evolving into a 24-hour city?

If we are evolving into a 24-hour city, it’s going to be a slowly process.
Oh well, 7-11 is open all night. Enjoy.
shaw_guy

I loved the bacon chocolate chip pancakes, but got pissed off that late night seating automatically produced a mandatory 20% gratuity. I guess this was to be sure that waiters got a tip at all from people to drunk to remember to leave one, and I usually tip 20% anyway, but the last time I went I just didn’t think the service warranted a tip that big – everything was *very* slow, the server never refilled our drinks (even after being asked to), and overall I just wasn’t pleased. When I asked the manager to reduce the tip, I was told that it was “policy” and that they couldn’t change it. I doubt I’ll be back.
bfinpetworth

I’m a fan. It’s not earth shatteringly great food, but I’ve had lunch there twice and left feeling VERY happy that there is a new good lunch alternative near my office (yes, I’m a boring old office person….). Basically everything I’ve had there and everything the folks I’ve been with have had has been very good. The ramen noodle dish was really outstanding. And I am really happy to have a new place to go after work for drinks that has space and isn’t either too dumpy (Harry’s) or too small and crowded and expensive (Central) or too overrun with tourists (Old Ebbit). Seriously, if you work in this general area, this is a very good addition to the scene there.
Sully

I really want to like this place. Went in December and food was way too salty and hostess was scatterbrained and rude. For being a place that seats 300 they won’t let you reserve a a table for over 10 people. I am going back this weekend for Easter brunch for another try. Love the decor. Birds for the win!
wdc

The lobster bisque was excellent. Smoked trout salad was ok, but not as good as it could have been.
aj

The food is solid. A little pricey but not outrageous. Feels like any old downtown dc hangout though. A mishmash of mccormick and Schmidt and clyde’s. Lots of mahogany and greenery. Suits and martinis. Great place to take a date. It felt like a casino though. Lots of corridors and long hallways. It almost felt like i couldn’t leave. Music space was closed when i was there but im sure its awesome. All in all It was a good time. But i heard you have to pay double or something like that after 2am. Is that true?
Anonymous

I had a great, great (and cheap) brunch there. I like the food. The service for dinner and the wait time for food at dinner weren’t great. But as long as they keep putting out good food (that is far more inventive than Clyde’s and OEG), I’ll keep coming back.

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