Wait, What? IChing Restaurant is Now “new Gay Bear Bar” Uproar Lounge

by Prince Of Petworth February 2, 2016 at 10:22 pm 59 Comments

639 Florida Ave, NW

Thanks to a reader for sending word. IChing (cuisine is Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Japanese) opened up back in Sept. 2014. From their Facebook it looks like they opened around late December/early January:

“DC’s new Gay Bear Bar, Lounge & Restaurant”

Boomer

See also Woof Den at 1723 Connecticut Ave. Two new bear bars open within days of each other.
- Anon
  
  so this is The Plan that everybody fears?
  - wpk_dc
    
    +1000
Petworth Diva

Bear bar? We’re supposed to know what this means?
- mcd
  
  I think it appeals to a gay crowd into larger men- but I’m sure someone w better knowledge will correct me. A few years ago I think there used to be a bear bar on NY Ave prior to all the construction pushing out some of the old businesses. Tonight walking near this location I noticed the flags and was a little confused thinking there were no gay bars nearby, but glad popville cleared it up!
  - Josh
    
    The Eagle moved to 3701 Benning Road NE.
  - IDontGetIt
    
    That was the DC EAGLE on NY Avenue which was a leather bar although it would have Bear nights. I’m sorry if this is hard to follow but I don’t make the rules.
    - justinbc
      
      Is a leather bar just a place where everyone wears all leather, or is there some other meaning?
      - Anon Spock
        
        Basically yea. Not limited to gay folks, but the Eagle was a gay leather bar.
      - I Dont Get It
        
        Many wear leather but unless it is a special event most are in jeans and t shirts. Having said that this is based upon my experience ten years or more ago. I haven’t been to the new Eagle since I have no idea where/what this “Benning Road” thing is.
- Anon Spock
  
  Bear= hairy gays guys generally larger, less fit
  - Duponter
    
    Except of course for the “muscle bear” subcategory of bears, which are often very fit, just hairy. There are also otters, which are skinny and hairy. Otters are not a subcategory, but their own related species. We really should write a book to help others keep track.
    - INDC
      
      An animal kingdom map would be very helpful. Also, where do the furries fit into this whole kingdom?
      - I Dont Get It
        
        Maybe baseball type cards with an example picture of THE GAY ™ and the associated species?
      - Anon
        
        You’re onto something IDGI, though I think “sexy” playing cards would have more of an appeal these days. I’m thinking 3-5 different decks, to give folks incentive to collect them all. Maybe throw in a “full boner” card in every 100th deck as a bonus?
    - Juantana
      
      don’t forget cubs, otters and polar bears!
      - Josh
        
        Oh my!
- Otter Crossing
  
  Per Wikipedia: “In male gay culture, a bear is often a larger, hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity.”
  
  Think Tom Selleck or Sean Connery although the reality is more often Jason Alexander or Kevin Smith unless you are at a Musclebear event..
  
  There are also subcategories such as Cubs, Daddies, Pocket Bears, Otters, Polar, Chasers, Teddys, Musclebears, Black Bears, Pandas, Silver Bears, Grizzlies and Wolfs. Whew!
Drew

I only came for their Hiphop events on Friday. The 1920DC folks were using it as a pop-up for a few months. That was a lot of fun. This, I won’t go to.
Otter Crossing

Bears are so 2012. Otters are the new thing.
- Smooth
  
  Otters are things
- I Dont Get It
  
  Actually Pocket Bears are the latest thing. Please keep up.
  - wdc
    
    Shoot, I used to be really hip to the lingo, but after I got straight-married I somehow fell behind. How is a pocket bear different from an otter? Chubbier? Also, what’s the difference between a polar bear and a silver bear?
    - Grrrrr
      
      Otters are thin hairy guys. They are definitely not a new thing though … very 2013.
      
      Pocket Bears are like regular bears (stocky, hairy) but short … like they fit in your pocket like a pocket gay.
      
      Silver bears and polar bears … I don’t think they are different. I think it’s silver fox … like Anderson Cooper.
Whoknew

Funny enough, Bears are one of the snooty-ish, clique-ish gay sub cultures. They rival gay twinks with their attitude so it makes sense they need two bars just for themselves and their followers.
- DCStomperChomper
  
  Funny how the bears became a gay subculture because the twinks completely ignored them.
dc_mike

I think it speaks to my need for more caffeine that I came here, upset that there would be an uproar about a bear bar opening in DC. Clicking on the link I though, “really, in progressive Washington, people are upset about a bear bar?”

DOH!
- Cakes
  
  Lol. I thought that too.
justinbc

The Republicans were right, gay is spreading to the bears now!
- spookiness
  
  +1 good one.
John

Really funny reading all the comments from straight people who have no idea what a gay bear bar is (which is understandable). I’ve been to a handful of leather/bear bars in my tenure as a gay man I have to say I was pretty unimpressed with this place when I visited over the weekend. If I had walked in without knowing it was supposed to be a bear bar I would have just guessed it was an Asian restaurant. None of the decor inside suggests that it is a gay bar at all, let alone a bear bar. Looking at the menu it appears they still serve the exact same food as when they were IChing. My guess is that the restaurant was not doing that well and decided to pivot and feed off of the popularity of the nearby gay bars ( mainly Town Danceboutique 1 block away). I’m actually rather offended that the owners think they can just change sign on the outside of their restaurant and make money off of me because they think I’ll just show up to a new “gay bar”. Maybe they will make additional changes to the decor and vibe to make it a more legit bear bar, but for now.. no thanks.
- the Q on LGBTQ
  
  I hope it happens before your tenure expires
- say what
  
  Im a straight woman so I am not even gonna front like I know all about gay subsubculture. But are bears really that unwelcome at a typical gay bar? If a bar opened up that was geared towards straight heavier folks I would find that concerning that there is a need to create separate spaces like that. Is separating out various gay subcultures based on appearances necessary? Not judging but honestly curious.
  - Anon Spock
    
    Not sure if it’s unwelcome or more them wanting their own space; as mentioned above bears can be clique-y.
    Appearance and age are the 2 biggest dividers I’ve noticed. There was an article recently covering just this topic & a documentary coming out called no fats no femms.
    No a gay man, but I have many gay make friends and have spent plenty of time in gay spaces including the Eagle a time or 2.
  - Juantana
    
    They create their spaces, but yeah, in 2016 everyone should be welcome everywhere.
- Duponter
  
  Yeah I’m wondering if because Bear Happy Hour at Town on Friday is so popular if this is not just a ploy to tap into that market and make it more than just a one night thing. I’m certainly not opposed to that. I’m not a bear, but Bear Happy Hour is fun. About the only gay event you go to where they’d ever feed you pizza.
  - Juantana
    
    I know, right? $7 pitchers of beer (which the bears drink str8 out of the pitcher), and free Duccinis, whats not to love (but get there early!) cheapest night out in DC.
  - Right
    
    Right, that’s the point. Bear happy hour became popular, with everyone. Girls, straights, non-bear types. So this is tapping into that clique-y bear need for their own space. Though it sounds like this isn’t much of a space.
- dunning-kruger
  
  I guess is the glass is half empty they “change(d) the sign on the outside of their restaurant to make money off” you; if the glass is half full they created an environment for you.
  .
  Devil’s advocacy aside, your assessment may be spot on, I haven’t been to either venue and doubt I ever will. I do have kids so I can relate to being a specific demographic that is viewed by some businesses as a cash machine so I do understand your skepticism.
- PetworthAdam
  
  Curious. What decor makes “a more legit bear bar?”
  - John
    
    I am not going to even pretend to be expert on the interior design of a bear bar, but this place literally put in no effort to change anything. Maybe a portrait of a bear on the wall? I don’t know.. lol
- kittycatbob
  
  No offense intended by this question, but what does gay or bear decor look like? As a straight person, if I were to walk into a gay-decorated bar would I recognize it as such? Would it look like “Birdcage” with Robin Williams? I think that would be a movie cliche, right?
vannessie

http://www.theonion.com/article/report-65-of-all-wildlife-now-used-as-homosexual-s-6939
- Philippe Lecheval
  
  Okay, that’s hilarious!
- I Dont Get It
  
  Funny because it’s so true!
  - Anonamom
    
    When I was coming up “chicken” was also used to describe women in the same, um, status? Yay for equality!
SG

I went here over MAL weekend. It was a nice, no-frills, unpretentious gay bar with strong drinks and a great rooftop (that was not open at the time). I saw no indication on the ground floor that it had any affiliation with iChing. They served american-style chicken wings (damn good) and I met who I presumed to be the owner or managing partner and it seemed like a new start-up venture. I think they need to get some PR working, as few people even know it opened.

The more the merrier!
CW

NO PR needed (Uproar). They seem to be developing a great identity without the need to advertise and bring in a mainstream crowd. I’ve gone twice now and loved it. Great food. Great music. Great vibe. Great drinks. No attitude. I’ll go back and I’m hardly a bear (barely an otter).
Anon

It’s a bear bar cuz bears like to eat (and some work out) – other pretentious skinny gays like to starve for that special weekend (which is basically every weekend)
- Anonymous
  
  SHADE.
- John
  
  So basically any decent restaurant could easily become a bear bar if they change their sign out front and advertise as such. No need to change anything else, the bears are just happy to be fed!
  - Anon
    
    YASSSSSSSSSSS
    FEED ME SEYMOUR
- justinbc
  
  7/10 troll
7thStTechGuy

Well that explains all the bearded big dudes rolling around lately.
Non-Bear

I live in the hood and was a bit disappointed when IChing opened and it was a mix of various different styles (Hot Pot, sushi, thai, etc), and was really hoping they would eventually hone in and focus on one direction. Guess I should have been more specific in that wish…
Anon

It be cool if they can import bear meat and sell bear dogs … now thats a weird mix of animal kingdom
Rich

It just reflects gay culture where we whine about “wanting to be included in the mainstream” but then fracture into all these idiotic sub-cultures.

I’m old enough to remember when it was just G and L — gays and lesbians. Then the Bis wanted in (which is moronic … Show me one example where anyone was ever bi-bashed). Then the Trannies (even though that’s not a sexual orientation). GLBT.

Then the lesbians complained because the men were hogging the first letter and so we had to change to LGBT so their panties didn’t get in a wad.

Now we have to add a Q for “queer” for whatever the fuck that is, and a plus sign and whatever other hyper politically correct crap comes along.

Pretty soon there will be a bar just for Inuit Lesbian Albino hermafroditic Quakers.

I’m done with it.
- Anon
  
  seems like you need a hug…. or you need to get laid pronto
- jdc
  
  I’m not gay, but, bravo, sir. This made my day.

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