Stay Classy Pop-Up @ Mythology

Stay Classy is a pop-up bar dedicated to Will Ferrell's oeuvre, located in the Mythology restaurant on H Street NE.  The DCist's First Look commented: "Signature cocktails ($10-$16) reference Farrell's character, Ron Burgundy's Smelly Pirate Hooker insult from Anchorman. The margarita is as fun to drink as it is to order, with a sweet and spicy citrus taste that sneaks up on you with a latent jalapeno heat. For those seeking a bit of whiskey to pair with their collection of leather bound books, there’s the Shake and Bake, a super-charged whiskey sour that sparkles with ginger beer and muddled cherry.

Proper 21

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Proper 21 brought to DC from the New York City restaurateurs Rob Zahn and Will Strozier that own Manhattan Proper and Proper West, opened in early October 2016 and is a high end sports bar that offers "a proper twist on American classics".  Closest Metro is Metro Center.

The Manor DC

The Manor DC, located in the heart of Dupont Circle brings glitz, glamour and the most talented DJ's to cozy up with in your very own loft hideaway. This restaurant/lounge by day transforms to a modern, sleek nightclub by night. The Manor offers happy-hour specials of both drinks and dinner fare.  Bottle service is available throughout the week while you catch special performances from DJs and other acts.  Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.

Bar Louie

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Bar Louie is an eclectic urban bar with warm surroundings, filled with nightlife photography, hand-laid tile artwork and other local architectural touches. Made famous for its handcrafted signature martinis, they also feature an exceptional selection of uniquely presented American food traditionally and regionally inspired, including small plates, burgers and sandwiches. While beer and wine connoisseurs will be impressed with the extensive selection of imports, microbrews and over 20 wines by the glass, cocktail drinkers will revel in signature martinis, mojitos and margaritas made from the highest quality ingredients, fresh fruit and hand squeezed juices.

Treehouse at Oyster Club

Tucked away in the trees with a view of the Mystic River, the Treehouse at Oyster Club is an outdoor bar and deck "where smoke and fire meets the ocean." In the tradition of classic Southern coastal cuisine, the menu features smoked fish, raw and grilled oysters, smoky pork burgers, local produce and tasty sweets just to name a few. The bar offers craft cocktails like a moonshine lemonade, great wines and frosty beers. Don't miss the ice cold oysters, harvested from local waters and shucked specifically for you.

Sandbar Restaurant

The Sandbar, located on the north end of Anna Maria Island, has for decades been a favorite for locals and a great place for out of town guests. With an inside dining room or outside front deck, relax on the Gulf and enjoy your meal before watching a beautiful sunset.  Serving some of the freshest seafood on the Island, the Sandbar is also popular for beach weddings and receptions.

Hogo

Hogo (a new rum-focused bar from the Passenger's Tom and Derek Brown) is part of a project called Temporary Works that hopes to bring new late-night dining options to DC by giving talented chefs a platform to cook bar food with their own twists.  Hogo is an abbreviated form of the French term haut goût that describes the "high taste" or funk that comes from rotting meat, but is also used for the untamed funk of rums with lower distillation proofs.  Closest Metro is Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street/Convention Center.

Hank's Oyster Bar

At Hank’s Oyster Bar patrons enjoy coastal favorites and New England beach fare classics like lobster rolls, daily fish specials and meat ‘n’ two. Lightly fried items such as the popcorn shrimp and calamari and Ipswich clams balance Hank’s ice bar options which consist of a selection of raw oysters, tartar and ceviche. The newest location in Capitol Hill joins the previous two in Dupont Circle and Old Town Alexandria. Closest Metro is Eastern Market/Capitol South.

Red Rocks Grille

Located in the Sheraton Denver West hotel, the Red Rocks Grille is a convenient place to relax and enjoy a beverage, snack, or gourmet meal. Large screen TVs are also available in the lounge part next door.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly is Old San Juan's most hip, ground-breaking, and talked about restaurant.  Featuring cutting edge Latin-Asian Fusion cuisine and sushi, Chef Severo Duran mingles exotic spices and ingredients with creative twists.  Designed to resemble an old opium den in tropical Asia, Dragonfly's sexy gold and red interior is the perfect place to go for parties and special occasions.

The Big Board

The Big Board in the H St NE area has only been open just under two months, but is already quite popular and making a name for itself with its unique idea to "stock market" for beer  - but don't be fooled by this pricey gimmick.  Instead, head over for their impressive burgers featuring a secret marinade.   Other specialty burgers are available as well as salads and indulgent sides such as garlic, parmesan-crusted sweet potato fries and crispy "tobacco" onions.  Closest Metro is Union Station.

ChurchKey

Last date I was here: 11/20/2010

Restaurant: ChurchKey (http://www.churchkeydc.com/)

Location: Logan Circle

Total Rating: 3.95
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Located upstairs from sister restaurant Birch and Bailey, ChurchKey is a beer bar that offers 50 drafts -- D.C.'s largest selection -- plus 500 bottles and five cask ales. A draft menu is broken into such categories as "Malt," "Tart and Funky" and "Hops" to help you browse the many beers on the list. It also includes details about serving size, the point of origin and even the appropriate glassware and temperature. Three-ring binders describe the bottles. Every beer on the list is available in a four-ounce glass for half to a third of the price you'd pay for a full 10-to-16-ounce serving. Closest Metro is Dupont Circle or McPherson Square.

No wonder every one of the 150 seats in the high-ceilinged upstairs bar and lounge gets quickly taken, and there are deep crowds fighting for the attention of the five bartenders behind the 60-foot-plus bar. ChurchKey manages to blend the feel of a European beer hall with that of a comfortable lounge with the softly padded stools that line the bar, the love-seat-style booths and the enormous banquettes with sparkling chandeliers above. ChurchKey has a relatively small selection of appetizers, charcuterie, sandwiches, flatbreads and salads, and there's a deli service area at the far end of the bar with sliced meats and cheeses. A few large screen televisions situated above the bar allow for a view of the game while chatting with your friends over beer. We went around 2:30pm on a lazy, beautiful fall day and were able to grab a booth table. We ordered 6 of the tasting sizes first to be able to try out some of the different beers. Once we decided on a favorite, we each ordered a full glass with some bar bites to share. Our server was very friendly and had no problem with us taking our time and chilling out. The bar started to get more and more crowded with groups filling in every seating area possible. About 3 hours later, we were ready to leave and noticed the dreaded line had started to form with doormen checking IDs. Seems like we came at the perfect time. ChurchKey was a nice new spot and great for groups - we would most likely come back again.

What I ate:

Mac & Cheese Sticks

served with tomato relish

Chicken MikeNuggets

confit chicken thigh served with honey mustard and barbeque sauce

Spinach and Artichoke Flatbread

with fried shallots and garlic breadcrumbs

Lola's

Last date I was here: 6/8/2010

Restaurant: Lola’s (http://lolasbarracksbarandgrill.com/)

Location: Barracks Row

Total Rating: 3.65
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Lola's takes over the spot where boozy Tapatini's once stood. It's only fair to call the new bar a serious upgrade over its predecessor. Diminutive lamps cast an attractive glow over the bar. Chest-high tables can accommodate groups of six at leather-backed stools – but keep in mind that seating is “family style” so you will share the table with other patrons. Flat-screen televisions ringed with copper frames line the wall behind the liquor bottles. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

Boasting appetizers like sloppy joe sliders, a pate and brie platter or quesadillas made from shrimp, chicken, prosciutto, spinach, sun-dried tomato and two kinds of cheese, Lola’s provides another option to the typical bar fare along Barracks Row. Hearty sandwiches make up the majority of the menu. A steak sandwich comes cooked to order and dripping with cheese and sweet caramelized onions. Other options include a half-pound burger, a turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo and some big "badass" fish tacos. Although it was not crowded yet when we went for dinner, the service was a little odd. We were unsure of where to sit, since all the tables had “reserved” on them. But the food made up for the service and ambience. My mahi mahi was cooked well and the sandwich was a nice big portion, however it was a little dry – missing the promised tartar sauce. Lola’s was nothing special so I am not sure if I would come back again.

UPDATE: We tried Lola's again before going to a Nats game and sat in the outside back patio area - mainly for smokers, but we were early enough that no one else was there yet. Service was decent and food a little better than the last time, yet still a little overpriced compared to Molly's and others next door.

What I ate:

Billy’s Key Largo Favorite

Fresh grilled Mahi Mahi is topped with melted cheddar & lemon caper tartar sauce.

Served with a side salad with vinaigrette dressing

Grilled Quesadilla

shrimp, roasted chicken, fresh spinach, tomato, cheddar, fontina cheese

served with sour cream and salsa

Plus Keith ate:

Badass Baja Fish Tacos

Two homemade & grilled tortillas wrapped around fried Mahi Mahi & cilantro slaw.
Served with pommes frites

Steak Sandwich

served with au jus and a house salad

Colonel Brooks' Tavern

Last date I was here: 11/11/2009

Restaurant: Colonel Brooks' Tavern

Location: Brookland

Total Rating: 3.3
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 3

Summary: Colonel Brooks' is a relaxing place to grab traditional pub fare and a calmer place for the Catholic University students to grab a beer. Apparently, the place hardly rests from 8 to 11 on Tuesdays when it serves up some of the best Dixieland jazz in the District. Since the tavern charges no cover, you can spend your savings sampling the slightly Southern dishes on the menu. These include burgers, a few steak and chicken dishes and hot sandwiches. Closest Metro is Brookland-CUA.

Keith and I ventured to the area of his alma mater one rainy Veteran's Day to tour the nearby monastary. Craving some warm food afterwards, we stopped into Colonel Brooks' and were seated right away upstairs. Our server was very friendly and could tell we were first timers. After Keith asked for a refill on his soda, she kindly brought over a second drink with an explanation that refills are only on coffee but she would offer this to us on the house since we did not know. I thought that was a nice gesture. The food came out fairly quick and typical quality for the average bar/tavern. My fish was cooked well, but I was not to crazy about the fries. I tried some of Keith's coleslaw and it was very tasty - with extra dill. All in all, a decent casual place to grab some food when in the Brookland area.

What I ate:

Fish and Chips

Two pieces of haddock breaded and fried.

Served with tartar sauce and french fries

Plus Keith ate:

Reuben Sandwich

Sliced corned beef, with saurkraut and Russian Dressing

Served with coleslaw

French Fries

with smoked bacon aioli

Cheers

Last date I was here: 09/16/2009

Restaurant: Cheers a.k.a. Bull and Finch Pub (http://www.cheersboston.com/pub/main_locations_beaconhill.html/)

Location: Beacon Hill, Boston, MA

Total Rating: 3.35
Food: 3, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 4

Summary: The “original” location for the inspiration of the hit television show Cheers, the Bull and Finch Pub is a popular tourist attraction and must see for visitors to Boston. Closest Metro is Park Street or Arlington Street.

Serving typical bar fare, the restaurant is split on two levels with the smaller bar on the bottom and the larger “replica” bar upstairs. Two gift shops separate the areas and are strategically placed to trap tourists. Two large moose heads adorn the walls upstairs but where’s Norm? My coworker, Jason, ordered the beer special in order to get the souvenir glass mugs and enjoyed his clam chowder. A large group came in as we were finishing up, so we were asked to move to the bar – which was ok but knocks points off their score. This bar would be a alright spot for tourists to take a break from their Freedom Trail walk and stop for lunch, but otherwise I would not come back.

What I ate:

Mac & Cheese

Elbow pasta with plenty of cheese, topped with bread crumbs.
Served with a side salad

The Argonaut Tavern

Last date I was here: 09/04/2009

Restaurant: The Argonaut Tavern (http://www.argonautdc.com/)

Location: H Street

Total Rating: 3.9
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Voted one of the best DC bars by Washingtonian Magazine and known as the grandfather among the hip eateries of the up-and-coming Atlas District, The Argonaut is a true old English-style tavern with an extensive list of handcrafted microbrews and a wine list that belies its salty décor. Home to an eclectic mix of neighborhood folk, the Argo has created an atmosphere that is the Hill Rag magazine calls an “easy fit for…friends, families, and foodies alike.” Serving a mix of coastal cuisine and typical bar fare, the food was better than average. Closest Metro is union Station.


Even though street cars are being built along the H Street corridor and there are shuttles and taxis that can take you from Union Station, spots like the Argonaut are still not totally easy to access as others in DC. The bar atmosphere is quite dark and small with the dining area that opens up on the left. Old wooden chairs and nautical decorations adorn the room and there is a patio out back with outdoor seating. Our server was very friendly and attentive however we were kind of surprised by how many families came in with their young toddlers. Not sure if it was because we were there so early (it was about 5:30pm), but tables started to fill up and I counted 6 toddlers before we decided to head out. Kind of odd for the bar scene. With the location being kind of far out, we most likely would not come back regularly. But if I was needing some better-than-bar-fare-food, I might stop in if I was in the neighborhood.
What I ate:

Grilled Mushroom Muffaleta

grilled portobello with provolone and smoked mozzarella, olives,

grainy mustard sauce on a rosemary and garlic focaccia bread. Served with French fries.

Plus Keith ate:

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Carolina-style shredded pulled pork; on a potato Kaiser roll.

Served with cole slaw and French Fries