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
