Bars

Dear PoP – What is Number 9 Coming to 1435 P St NW?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Last week while shopping at Whole Foods on P street, I noticed a new place called “Number 9” was unveiled. It’s in the old Halo spot between Stoney’s and Commissary. Do you know anything about it?”

Their Web site says:

Number Nine is the ninth (and newest) offering from the partnership that has given Washington, D.C.’s gay community a history of substantial nightlife options for over two decades.

Number Nine is located in the middle of everything in the heart of Logan Circle right across from Whole Foods. Though it was formerly a bar, it has been totally stripped, renovated, and recreated as a completely new and classic space. The venue has two floors, tremendously plush, comfortable, and inviting appointments including extensive seating, sumptuous marble bars, hardwood floors, a fireplace, and state of the art sound and lighting.

We have proudly assembled a fun and friendly group of skilled, mature, and professional people who will make every experience at Number Nine pleasant, attitude free, and memorable for all the right reasons. While we offer an extensive menu of classic cocktails, we also provide an appetizing array of flavoring ingredients, syrups, and fresh fruit that will allow you to create your own drink to your own taste (or allow us to do it for you.)

We have planned and organized Number Nine for your convenience:

* We open every day at 5pm.
* Happy Hour is from 5-9pm every day.
* All drinks are 2 for 1 during Happy Hour.
* We do not charge admission.
* We do not have a dress code.
* We do not have different “theme nights” or rotating drink specials that you need to keep track of.

New Restaurant Coming to 913 U St, NW, Next Door Velvet Lounge Applies for Summer Garden

By Prince Of Petworth

More excitement for the 900 block of U St, NW. Thanks to an eagle eyed reader for noticing the permit that had recently gone up at 913 U St, NW in the old Metro Lab building next to Velvet Lounge. The magic words on the permit: proposed use – Restaurant

More info on the new restaurant when details emerge.

And next door Velvet Lounge has applied for a summer garden permit:

“Request a new Summer Garden seating capacity of 25 seats and a total occupancy load of 134.”

There’s gonna be some good outdoor seating options on this block when Dodge City and Dickson Wine Bar get their outdoor seating as well.

History Made – DC Now Has Its Own Beer – DC Brau Successfully Launched Fri. Night

By Prince Of Petworth

DC Brau successfully launched at Meridian Pint in Columbia Heights on Friday night. The lines started building around 4pm and by 5pm they were down the block. The folks from DC Brau write:

We would like to give a warm thanks to everyone who has supported us thus far. We could not have had such a successful launch of a product made in DC, for DC, by residents of DC, if it wasn’t for the fine people OF the Washington DC area that came out to show their support.

Starting the week of April 18th, our products will be available all over the Washington DC area!

In the next few weeks, we will be releasing a DC Brau Finder, which should help you find our craft-brewed beverages, both in cans, kegs, and on-tap, in and around the Washington DC area. This will include both Maryland and Virginia. We also have plans to allow for searching from GPS-enabled mobile devices.

Nice. Did anyone have a chance to get a taste? If so – what’d you think?

I’m told we’ll start seeing cans around the first week of May.


DC Brau President and Head Brewer Jeff Hancock left and DC Brau CEO Brandon Skall right

Tons of pictures after the jump. (more…)

Maddy’s Tap Room Coming to 1100 13th St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

According to a recent liquor license application Maddy’s Tap Room will be a:

“New Restaurant, offering American fare. Background music provided and television monitors. No Entertainment .Sidewalk Café seats #50, Total Occupancy Load #150.”

It looks like there is still a significant amount of build out that needs to occur in this new space at the corner of 13th and L St, NW.

Should make the students at the future NYU school located next door pretty happy.

Sweet Scuttlebutt: Building behind 9:30 Club to Become a Pizza Pub?

By Prince Of Petworth

I heard some very interesting scuttlebutt about the small building behind the 9:30 club at 9th and V St, NW.

You may have noticed that there is a building permit posted by the door:

I’m hearing that the 9:30 club has leased the space out to – the Hilton brothers! You know, the folks behind Marvin, Gibson, American Ice Company and many more in the works including Blackbyrd (14th and U), Brixton (9th and U), Independent (8th and Florida Ave), and Billy Simpsons (Quincy and Georgia Ave). If true, the Hilton brothers have begun to challenge, Joe Englert for the title of king(s) of DC nightlife.

So I haven’t heard too many details but what I did hear sounded pretty sweet – a pizza pub. I’m imagining a Red Rocks type place but I’ll be sure to update when more info becomes available. One thing is for sure, if not from the Hilton brothers nor a pizza pub, well, something is def. coming to this space. Stay tuned.

H St. NE Scuttlebutt: Owners of Fly Lounge Purchase Property on the 1300 Block?

By Prince Of Petworth

On my walkabout last weekend I heard some very interesting scuttlebutt about the property currently covered by netting above that will sit next to the future Evolve headquarters. I heard that the property was bought/leased by the owners of Fly Lounge. Fly Lounge is the Dupont club located at 1802 Jefferson Place NW just off Connecticut Ave, NW. Their Web site says:

Cruising at 30,000 feet can be a rush.

Such is the rush that will be felt by passengers at Fly Lounge a streamlined, destination lounge for the ever-mobile elite.

Transporting guests to new realms with non-stop service nightly, Fly Lounge embodies all the elements of the proverbial private escape.

As a late night connection, Fly Lounge will offer a 5 day a week flight plan to accommodate the most discretionary of tastes. From the early night rendezvous to the Red Eye shuttle, Fly Lounge will offer a roundtrip ticket to paradise.

I have also heard from other folks that there will be some sort of dance/dj component to this space. Anyone else hearing these rumors?

Well at the very least it looks like the building will make for an interesting ‘judging buildings’ discussion soon:

The Guitar Bar Coming to 1216 18th St, NW. Will it Replace The Guitar Shop on the 2nd Floor or Supplement it on the Third Floor?

By Prince Of Petworth

Now this is one of the more confusing situations I’ve ever posted about. A recent liquor license application has been filed for a new bar to be called The Guitar Bar. It lists the address as 1216 18th St, NW and says:

Upscale tavern serving European sausages, hotdogs, pretzels and popcorns featuring DJ and background music. No designated dance floor – no dancing. Summer Garden with 210 seats. Seating capacity is 60. Total occupancy load is 330.

Sounds awesome right? However, 1216 18th St, NW is the address listed for the soon to be opening Shack Shake to be located in the former Fudrucker’s space at the corner of 18th and Jefferson Pl, NW (just off Connecticut Ave). So naturally, given the name, I assumed the bar would be moving into the space above currently (and for almost a century) home to The Guitar Shop:

Founded in 1922 by Sophocles Papas, The Guitar Shop has become a treasured Washington landmark. Renown for serving the needs of professional and amateur guitarists alike with everything from music, strings and accessories, through advanced private instruction. For those seeking a fine instrument, The Guitar Shop offers an unrivaled selection of hundreds of guitars, ranging from modest student instruments costing less than two hundred dollars to one of a kind virtuoso guitars valued at five thousand dollars and more.

The Guitar Shop has an international reputation, having over the years served patrons in more than one hundred countries. Here in America the shop has served everyone from the President of the United States to elementary school students. Numbered among its clientele are many professional folk, jazz, country, rock and classical musicians.

The shop represents many of the finest luthiers from the United States and around the world both as their artist representative to the professionals and as their sales distributor to the public. It has also been an integral part of the arts and academic community, working with most of the area colleges and universities as well as such respected organizations as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Society, the Kennedy Center, Folger Shakespeare Theater, Arena Stage, the Washington Performing Arts Society, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Stephen and Lynda Spellman purchased the shop in 1968 from its founder who was also Steve’s instructor and mentor. Married since 1969, Steve and Lynda have worked side by side successfully managing the business as they raised their two children, Reed and Heather.

I spoke to Mr. Spellman at the Guitar Shop and he said he knew of no plans of a Guitar Bar for this space. The Guitar Shop is obviously a legendary space in DC. But as I’m now looking at the building clearly there are 3 floors. So perhaps the bar will be coming to the third floor and will also occupy a roof deck? I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on this corner to see if/where The Guitar Bar will call home. The liquor license application makes it sound like a roof deck/summer garden will be a large component so I wouldn’t totally rule out the location on the third floor of this building. More updates as they become available.

And on a side note, If you’ve never visited the Guitar Shop it is truly a wild store jam packed with guitars corner nearly every single square foot of the cramped space. Guitar and history buffs will enjoy a conversation with Mr. Spellman.

Dear PoP – Please Help Me Find My Mary Poppins umbrella

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I have lost one of my most prized possessions and I fear that it was picked up by someone (obviously with great taste) last night. It is my Mary Poppins umbrella. Yes, you read that correctly. I was at the Raven on Friday night and left my umbrella by the bar, which may or may not have been the direct result of too many beers. I went back today to see if they still had it and sadly they do not! I would hope that whoever did take it from the Raven is just keeping it safe and warm while they look for its owner. I’ve attached pics of me and my umbrella – dressed of course as Mary Poppins at Halloween. Can you help find my umbrella and get its “borrower” in touch with me?”

Well this is def. one of the more unusual lost and found requests I’ve ever received and I can’t always get to these types of posts but it looks like rain… So if anyone happened to accidentally take this umbrella from the Raven in Mt. Pleasant on Friday night please send me an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail and I’ll get you in touch with the owner.

Zeba Bar and Grill Opening Soon at 3423 14th Street, NW in Columbia Heights

By Prince Of Petworth

Almost a year ago we learned that Zeba Bar and Grill would be coming to 3423 14th St, NW in the lower level beneath Quiet Mind Yoga and It’s Vintage Darling. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of emails inquiring what was happening with the space. I’m happy to say I was able to chat with the owner briefly on Sun. afternoon and he believes the restaurant/bar should be open in about a month.

Final permits and inspections have been scheduled. The space was described to me as a bar with really good food rather than a restaurant that serves drinks. They will serve pizza, burgers, shish kabobs and other bar fare. I peeked my head inside and it looks 99.9% completed. I’ll be updating with more photos and info when the bar is closer to opening.

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