Bars

Songbyrd Record Cafe now hiring in Adams Morgan

By Prince Of Petworth

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2477 18th Street, NW

First heard about Songbyrd’s plans back in September. For those not familiar:

“This has been a long journey, but we’ve lived in this neighborhood for a long time and are truly excited to create a space that will add to the character and draw of Adams Morgan. There are a few things that we are supper excited to share with everyone once the record café is open; Matthew Richardson’s amazing food, great coffee, our Voice-O-Graph for people to record directly onto a vinyl record and a really chill space to enjoy. As for what we are calling our Music House where food, music and libations come together, that will be opening in the near future as well!!!”

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Glad to see things are moving forward. This is high up on my list of most anticipated openings for 2015. Stay tuned.

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New Restaurant from owners of City Tap House coming to former Tuscana West space Downtown

By Prince Of Petworth

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1350 I Street, NW

Whoa. More big news from the Washington Business Journal:

“A new upscale restaurant and raw bar from the team behind City Tap House will open in the former Tuscana West space in downtown D.C.”

WBJ says the new spot, Pennsylvania 6, hopes to open this summer. City Tap House is located at 901 9th Street, NW.

Tuscana West closed in Feb. 2014 after 20 years at that location.

Basque Bar coming to former Horse’s Ass Award Nominee on Florida Ave

By Prince Of Petworth

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300 Florida Ave, NW

Big news from the Bloomingdale Blog spotted in the Bates Area Civic Association Meeting Agenda for April 6, 2015 7:00pm

“Sam and Rachel Fitz, Basque Bar LLC – Restaurant at 300 Florida Ave NW”

CityPaper previously reported:

“Beer aficionado Sam Fitz is leaving his position as bar manager of Pizzeria Paradiso over the next month to open his own place with his sister Rachel Fitz. He’s not revealing a lot of the details at this time, but the business will be in D.C. and take inspiration from a cider-focused trip he took to the French and Spanish Basque country last February. He’s registered an LLC for “Basque Bar.”

Columbia Heights/Adams Morgan folks may recognize Sam from his time as Beer Director and Cicerone at Meridian Pint and Smoke and Barrel. He also judged 14 beers for us.

Updates when more is known.

McFadden’s on Seventh “Comming Soon” or an Early April Fools?

By Prince Of Petworth

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1537 7th Street, NW

Thanks to all who emailed and tweeted us:

“Terrible news for Shaw. Note that they spelled “coming” wrong.”

“Hey @PoPville any scuttlebutt on this? “Comming soon” to the space below coney & ivy. #shaw”

Now, I have to admit that I’m friendly with the owners of Ivy & Coney and while they’ve told me nothing I do know that they are fond of the occasional practical joke. Now I could be completely wrong on this – but I’m guessing this is an early April Fools joke. Especially given the typo and all.

On the other hand it’s quite possible I’ve just become paranoid. That would be quite the juxtaposition – Ivy & Coney and McFadden’s in the same building… Stay tuned.

XO Restaurant and Lounge coming next door to Post Pub on L Street

By Prince Of Petworth

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1426 L Street, NW

1426 L Street, NW was previously home to the short lived Roc Bar which closed back in June 2013 and The Reserve before that who was evicted from the building in June 2011.

The liquor license placard for XO Restaurant and Lounge says:

“New tavern specializing in intercontinental small-plate food with occasional live entertainment to include a Jazz Band, Karaoke and Dee Jay, along with dancing. Sidewalk Café with seating for 15. Seating inside premises is 75. Total capacity inside premises is 295.”

Updates when they get closer to opening.

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Holy Smokes! Bardo Brewpub “plans to open a two acre, multi use, riverfront location with an on site brewery, next to Nationals stadium”

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

“Just one year after Bardo Brewpub resumed brewing operations following a fifteen year hiatus, the NE DC brewery announced plans to open a two acre, multi use, riverfront location with an on site brewery, next to Nationals stadium.

Bardo is seeking to raise some of the funds needed thru an indiegogo campaign. With a twist. The brewery is offering groupon-style discounts on beer at the new location. “Our Living Social and Groupon promotions have been huge successes,” stated Bardo Brewpub’s Andrew Stewart, “we thought we would try it on our own via this fundraising platform”. “We have enough cash to do a bare bones build out”, added Bardo head man, Bill Stewart, “but the last time we opened before the permanent bathrooms were built and it was not well received.”
The indiegogo campaign can be viewed here. [Ed. Note: The goal is an ambitious $200k]

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…)

Drink City: “a series of snapshots of people in the DC area who are invested in DC’s drinking culture” Vol. 1 – Dani Paulson from Copycat Co.

By Prince Of Petworth

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Drink City is written by Beau Finley.

Dani Paulson is currently at Copycat Co. on H Street NE.  Drink City is a series of snapshots of people in the DC area who are invested in DC’s drinking culture. This post originally appeared on DC Focused.

What brought you to DC?

I moved back to the DMV area after college. My stepdad had just been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and my mom needed help with my younger brother and sisters while he was away. I worked in retail for a few years and I was miserable, so I went back to school after my stepdad got home and started waiting tables to pay my tuition. I fell in love with the restaurant industry and moved to DC from the ‘burbs almost 5 years ago.

How long have you been bartending in the city?

I had two bosses at two consecutive restaurant jobs in Virginia tell me that I “didn’t have what it takes” to be a bartender, so naturally I took this as a challenge. My first bar job in DC was opening Black Jack [in 2011]. While I was transitioning to DC I had a lot of free time so I spent all of it at Black Jack doing everything that goes along with opening a new spot. On the third night of our soft opening, one of the bartenders was a no-call, no-show. One of the beverage directors came up to me and said, “Get behind the bar. You know where everything is.” At the end of the night, he asked me how I felt about bartending. I told him I felt great and he said, “Awesome. You’re a bartender now.”

Since then, I’ve been very lucky to meet and work alongside some of the most talented and respected bartenders in DC – people like Jo-Jo Valenzuela, Jamie MacBain, Micah and Ari Wilder, and Tom and Derek Brown. I’ve recently made my way over to Copycat Co. on H Street NE. Devin Gong has an incredibly high standard for his cocktails and I am thrilled to work with and be trained by one of the best bartenders in DC. (more…)

Piratz Tavern closing Sunday after 8 years in Silver Spring – Strong Allegations Against Reality TV Show

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo via Piratz Tavern facebook

Tough times continue for Silver Spring. From Piratz Tavern facebook:

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Piratz Tavern will open it’s doors for the last time on Saturday April 4th. Unfortunately the negative publicity, constant prank calls, vandalism and bogus reviews generated by our unfortunate participation on Bar Rescue have taken their toll. To add insult to injury, late last year Taffer’s crew reached out to me again asking that we participate in a back to the bar episode. They promised that it would be followed by a re-rescue and that they would right all the wrong’s committed during the first episode. Obviously I don’t learn. I believed them. On December 1st we went to the effort to open on a Monday, the one day a week we have been closed for 8 years, with a skeleton staff of former employees who agreed to play the parts. It was basically coerced and staged to be an opening act for a re-rescue. I was told to bring in several changes of clothes to make it appear that filming covered several days. As usual they brought in a bunch of extras to fill the house and we were told what to say and with whom to speak. Throughout the entire shoot the director coached Juciano to curse and say negative things about John Taffer. He referred to me as the “hero”, my daughter as the “victim” and Juciano as the “villan”. Total bullshit frown emoticon Basically we have been fucked by reality TV again and with know one to blame but ourselves, we have decided not to renew our lease. Just can’t take anymore. Director James Agiesta sweet talked me into the deal and then left us behind like carnage, just like the first time. A HUGE thanks to all of you who worked and played so hard to make Piratz Tavern the awesome place it has been for the last 8 years.

-Piratz Tavern

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