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2106 Vermont Ave, NW

From an email:

Duffy’s Irish Pub, DC’s favorite wing spot and neighborhood pub, is reopening!

“Andy Duffy returns as general manager, promising the same tasty wings doused in his secret recipe, the same award-winning Fish and Chips, the coldest beer in town and, of course, the Nats on TV.

New owner Casey Callister has signed a lease for the old Vermont Street location, but he will entrust all operations to Duffy. Callister owns DC-based Garden Thieves Pictures, which has produced several successful independent documentaries including Ballou and Fagbug Nation. ”

I type this right now from the Dart Room in Duffy’s. We are almost ready to open the doors, but we need your help! ~ andy

Be a big part of the Duffy’s reopening, please view our campaign:

OK, I screwed up. I gave away too much free beer, put my customers first and paid my landlord every month, well almost every month. However, the Pub was just not making enough to cover all the debt that remained from the early years of Duffy’s. Eventually I had to close it down. It was the worst day of my life.

Broke as can be, I went to Florida , where the living is cheap and got a job waiting tables. But now I’ve had enough sun and sand. I have a great opportunity to reopen Duffy’s this fall. This campaign is just about asking for a little help to get one of DC’s best neighborhood bars back open again. I am not asking for donations, I am just asking for your advance patronage. Be a part of the rebirth of Duffy’s!

They are trying to raise and ambitious $150,000. Duffy’s closed after 8 years back in Nov. 2014.


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Jos. A. Magnus & Co. is located at 2052 West Virginia Ave NE #202, Washington DC 20002, above Atlas Brew Works.

From a press release:

“Joseph Magnus was a famous pre-prohibition bourbon and gin distiller, blender and rectifier who founded his company in 1892, and his great grandson, Jimmy Turner, is reopening the distillery in Washington DC. Magnus’ great-grandson assembled a whiskey and gin “dream team” to help bring this pre-prohibition heritage to DC, including Dave Scheurich, former Woodford Reserve Distiller and Whiskey Advocate Life Time Achievement Award Winner, Nancy “The Nose” Fraley, Director of Research for American Distilling Institute and the nation’s top whiskey blender, Richard Wolf, former Chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and VP General Manager at Buffalo Trace, DC’s own Brett Thompson, former Shark Tank contestant and CEO of Pork Barrel BBQ, and Nicole Hassoun, 2014 Washington Post Bartender of the Year, owner of custom tonic company Chronic Tonic and former head of the DC’s Gin Joint.

The Jos. A. Magnus & Co. cocktail lounge, is named for one of Joseph Magnus’ most famous bourbons, Murray Hill Club, and will be run by DC’s bartender of the year in 2014, Nicole Hassoun. Nicole is known for her experimental flare in crafting cocktails.

“The Murray Hill Club is for people who want to experience a cocktail journey and I’m looking forward to bringing that experimental approach to cocktails here to DC,” said Hassoun. “I’m so excited to be part of such an impressive group of experts who’ve come together to honor Magnus’ legacy and create a space for Washingtonians to relax and enjoy delicious pre-prohibition heritage cocktails.”

The cocktail lounge will be featuring gin cocktails until the grand opening September 12th and then will offer both bourbon and gin cocktails to guests. Doors to the Magnus tasting room and cocktail lounge open on Saturday, August 22nd at 1 pm.”


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3615 14th Street, NW

A couple weeks ago we learned some more about The Airedale opening in the former Mad Momos space this Thursday! I stopped in for a peek and while finishing touches were on going I think folks will be very happy. They added some real German beer garden tables on the roof deck and got lots of cool art and photos for the space. And one of the owners is a serious Chelsea fan so expect the downstairs part to show English Premier League matches as well as German Bundesliga matches. In addition to showing some Formula One too. DCRA has given them approval to serve beer, wine and liquor starting at 10am for those who like to watch with a bit of an edge.

Upstairs will be traditional seating for dining without TVs. I should get their menus soon so stay tuned for that – or just stop by on Thursday. And I got to taste the Old Overholt Ice Cream and it is amazing. It also has a kick. I guarantee you it will be on every single “best frozen drinks/treats list” we are bound to be bombarded with next summer. Oh man it is so freaking good…

Stay tuned for the beer list to drink here too – with a new shaded roof deck so you won’t boil:

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A few more shots after the jump. (more…)


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25 Potomac Ave, SE plans from Bardo

A brief update on Bardo Riverfront – they’ve applied for a liquor license:

“New outdoor tavern with Summer Garden seating 750 patrons and brewpub. Total occupancy load of 750.”

For those not familiar with the plans:

“Initial plans call for riverfront seating, a sculpture garden, outdoor films over the water, DC’s largest dog park, an on site bicycle shop designed to interface with the location on the metropolitan branch trail, and a large outdoor space designated for activation by the local community in the form of farmers markets, swap meets and assorted community events.”

More info here.

Updates as milestones are reached.


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From PBR:

“August 17, 2015 at 7:00PM
The Pinch (3548 14th Street NW)
FREE to 21+

Wesley Wolfe will be cutting 7″ vinyl live, on site. The first 50 people through the door will receive a FREE extremely limited edition 7” vinyl record featuring 2 Shark Week tracks. Legendary DC surf rockers, Shark Week, headline the evening, backed by Baltimore’s hip, indie rockers, Monster Museum, as well as Raccoon Fighter from NYC, and Grand Total from the district. Loads of PBR swag and koozies will be given away as well.”


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3000 Connecticut Ave, NW right across the street from the Zoo

In late June we posted about a fundraiser to keep the Zoo Bar while owner Steve McKinney was undergoing cancer treatments. His life was celebrated at the bar on Saturday:

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I put a call into the Zoo Bar who confirmed that Steve had passed but also shared the the good news that his daughter planned on keeping the bar open. Fans of the bar and music venue should stop by soon and show your support.

RIP Steve McKinney:

zoo bar owner


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501 Florida Avenue, NW

From a press release:

“The Royal in LeDroit Park has announced it will launch a seven-day-a-week happy hour and weekday late-night happy hour starting on Monday, August 10. Running from 3-6 p.m. daily and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays, The Royal will offer specials on classic cocktails, housemade vermouth on draft, wine by the glass and tallboy cans.

The Royal will invite people to come by every day from 3 to 6 p.m. to enjoy the following specials:

$5 house vermouth
Beverage Director Horus Alvarez makes his own vermouth for the bar from start to finish, aging the 20+ ingredient aperitif in 53-gallon barrels for months at a time. The vermouth is served on draft from a vintage copper fire extinguisher.
$5 Narragansett tallboys
$7 classic cocktails
Guests can enjoy a selection of eight classics ranging from a Daiquiri with El Dorado White Rum, lime juice and sugar, a Paloma with Cimarron tequila, lime, grapefruit and soda, a Caipirinha with cachaca, fresh limes and sugar, and a Rye Old Fashioned with Pikesville Rye, bitters, sugar and water.
$7 wine by the glass
one red, one white (daily rotating selection)

And for night owls, the same specials will be offered Sundays through Thursdays from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for their new late-night happy hour.

The Royal’s new happy hours launch on Monday, 8/10.”


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From an email:

Sauf Haus is currently working on adding a retractable roof to the biergarten. Best part is that it’s on track to be completed by the first day of Oktoberfest!

We’re looking forward to being able to provide some comfortable, toasty, rooftop bier drinking throughout the fall/winter season.

It’s also great news for residents in DuPont as noise levels have been a concern, particularly with bars in the Golden Triangle area. The covered roof will contain much of the noise that may overflow–this was a big motivating factor in the owners’ decision as they’re working hard to become part of the neighborhood and not just another bar on the strip.

Designer Adam Ford (@glassdesigns) of Rollacover created the design, he’s also designed retractable roofs for the Argonaut, Jack Rose, Ivy & Coney and Red Rocks on H Street.

Also worth noting–we recently added wall to wall air ducts the blow some serious cool air on the roof so guests can enjoy the outdoor weather comfortably.”

sauf haus
1216 18th Street, NW at the corner of Jefferson just off Connecticut Ave


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