Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae994b54ef062d4461bc2a54018d3062" );document.getElementById("gab125c3ec").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the early fall of 1983, J. Pauls opened to much fanfare, a two-level bar uniquely built for preppies. For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly. Meanwhile, the bars upstairs, outdoor patio was a tiki bar complete with kitschy totems. For the record: Dinos Paramont Steakhouse, with a parking lot to the left, and Mr. Henrys to the right, and American Cafe to the right of that. Mr. Henrys Georgetown was owned by Avery Morrison and Larry Samuel. THE BEST Georgetown Bars & Clubs (with Photos) - Tripadvisor It would become gridlocked with cars as far as the eye can see, according to the New York Times, each and every Saturday night. Georgetown Piano Bar View Map Address 3287 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA Phone +1 202-827-3236 Web Visit website Gather around the cherry red piano and sing along at Georgetown Piano Bar on M Street, which offers music and live entertainment every night of the week. At one point, every place on M Street had a manager or chef who was someone from my class, Mike Soper says as I tuck into my oyster poboy at Bobby Vans downtown. History | Clyde's American Bar & Restaurant By 1968 she was drawing such a crowd to the club that Yaffe opened a special room at his other location near Capitol Hill to showcase her talent. Chidi had been opened as this youthful preppy scene was just beginning to emerge, in 1976. There was high crime, a lot of drugs, prostitution Georgetown was where the going-out scene ended up being simply because the rest of the city wasnt as nice.. Mr. Smiths: This piano bar abruptly closed last year, it immediately reopened in the space that Chadwicks occupied. And yes, it was Dinos Paramount Steak House and yes it was very straight, not gay. The Bayou was a music venue and nightclub located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.[1][2] The club occupied an old building at 3135 K Street, NW, in Georgetown, under the Whitehurst Freeway for forty-six years. News, advice and insights for the most interesting man in the room. Night falls on Georgetown like a sable cape, lights begin to flicker and suddenly people are everywhere. Yep, My one year in DC, 1983-84, Mr. Henrys in Georgetown was a favorite gay hangout. "Every time you come here you see someone you haven't seen in a long time, someone you grew up with. But Mike always had a soft spot for the bar both sides of it. 2. If the Ivy League look had been around since the early 20th century, with a true scene emerging by mid-century, it would be mainstreamed into preppy culture by the start of the 1980s. This article was featured in the InsideHook DC newsletter. Revisiting the 1980s Heyday of Georgetown's Fabled Preppy Bars [My friends] and I were pretty upset about it closing, noted one Georgetown junior in reference to Chadwicks, which shuttered before the new school year of 2014, by now famous for its cheap and unlimited champagne brunches, a preppy mecca until its final days. 4 out of 5. She noted that by now the 100-plus bars in the neighborhood were starting to rankle the older, upper-crust residents with to their boisterous partying. "My dog's better'n that," replied Costner. By the aughts, now known simply as Richard H. Houghton III, he was serving as Acting Country Director of the International Republican Institute in Baghdad. Modeled after turn-of-the-century Chicago taverns, it offered a 50-foot-long bar, gold-painted ceiling, solid oak floor and elevator doors repurposed from Manhattans Waldorf-Astoria. Where: Find: Home / Spain / Montserrat, Valencian Community / Bar Poliesportiu De Monserrat / Bar Poliesportiu De Monserrat menu; 'The Bayou' Documents Legendary Georgetown Nightclub F- Scotts just a few of the places I went to as a GU student. A rich tan (and were not talking about the Q.T. From May 1- May 3, a series of large scale demonstrations were held in DC protesting the war. Just ten years ago, such an outcome would seem impossible, but after a few years of relentless closures, the inevitable has come about. I also thought it was called Annies Paramount Steak House. While in a restaurant the bar is a small part of the overall seating, in a saloon the bar might represent a third to a half of the total seats. Nowhere was that more evident than in our nations capital, which was uniquely positioned to become Americas preppiest party city of the era. Georgetown Most things at The Tombs aren't older than a college senior today. It stayed open until a few years ago when Vinyard Vines opened up. And remember when there was Boogeys or Boogies, where now we have the Apple Store? Panelists include: Mike Tramonte: The Bayou Bill Scanlan: MTITV, filmmaker of "The Bayou: DC's Killer Joint" I wonder if Rocky Horror Picture Show is still playing at that little theater across from Henrys? I once met John Waters and Divine there. Nightlife. 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Thats because theyll often leave some behind, and since the club is cut into separate quarters, its almost sanitary to snatch a bit off the plate. At others, I shock people. This became the preppy list-restricted George-more popular with a slightly older 20-something crowd of transplant Southerners-which itself recently became Chinese Disco. In 2014 it was forced to move from its M Street location to K Street, where it replaced longstanding bar Chadwicks due to rising rents. The current location, near the White House, has been its home since 1983. Reserve now, pay when you stay. Champions: This sports bar at the end of the alley next to Benetton entertained drunk college kids for years before it briefly became the upscale Blue Gin. Death Of a Disco - The Washington Post The action stops only after 2 a.m., when serving liquor is forbidden, and the streets slowly empty as people try to remember where they parked. Go down the hill on Wisconsin, pass the Church, turn left and there it was. I was a waiter at tended bar at Winstons in 78-80 glory days. I went to all of those a lot when I was at GW from 98-02. Log In. A rich tan (and were not talking about the Q.T. There were lines of boat shoes out the door every Friday night. 15.2 mi from city center. "This is like being at home almost, like your own neighborhood," said Gary Smithwick, a 25-year-old resident of Southeast Washington who said he comes to Georgetown almost every Saturday night. The scene was burning so bright, however, that it couldnt possibly last forever. ORileys Pub, opened in the late-1970s by two Georgetown alums one who owned an old warehouse, the other who simply had a catchy Irish name. Lets not forget Scandals which was definitely a college bar and the famous Tramps Discotheque both in the same building at corner of Wisconsin and Prospect! (202) 338-4833, Georgetown Media Group. It closed two years ago and became El Centro. 17 Photographs from Kentucky in the 1960s - OnlyInYourState I personally took comedians Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor to Brits. It was the spot to be on Sunday nights. Required fields are marked *. But 1225 Wisconsin definitely housed the American Cafe during the 1970s and early 1980s. Georgetown Today, July 1970 The overwhelming majority of the faculty believed that we, right on the doorstep of the national government, just could not conduct business as usual. By the 1990s, Georgetown had, like most of America, entered into a grunge period, with alternative music blasting out of the doors at rock clubs like Poseurs. While Maryland raised its drinking age to 21 in 1982 and Virginia did the same in 1985, the District of Columbia held out, wrote Hunter Main for The Hoya Georgetown Universitys student newspaper in trying to explain the era. Born in Washington, John started at The Post in 1989 as deputy editor in the Weekend section. Or order the book at meetmeatthebarimhungry.com. The club, which was a regular stop on East Coast tours by UK bands from the late 1970s on, featured artists including U2 (their second show in the United States), Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers (performing twice in 1988 which would be their final DC shows with founding members Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons ), The Only Ones, Squeeze, However, Poseurs loyal followers hosted a 30-year reunion, so check out their event on Facebook Event. Nowhere was that more evident than in our nations capital, which was uniquely positioned to become Americas preppiest party city of the era. Much like today, there was some turmoil, some celebrations and some change. In its script, St. Elmos is described as a P.J. A good percentage of the people you see here never even went to prep school.. The 1980s were the prime years for Georgetown basketball. The gay on was the hole in the wall on 17th street. It was the spot to be on Sunday nights. $66. John Kelly writes John Kelly's Washington, a daily look at Washington's less-famous side. I was a bouncer at Crazy Horse. Likewise, if in the 1970s, Georgetown was mostly known for its thrift stores (such as Commander Salamander), record shops and even a disco bar called Tramps, that too was in flux. Its free. Pool. Storz, in Kelly green bermuda shorts, planted a noisy smooch on Smith's lips. We started DCs Fastest Bartender, and Monday night Mike Nardello spinning tunes during No Skin No Win naked dance contest Buddy Jenkins was Mgr. And then Bistro Francais on M, where everyone would show up at 3am and stay till dawn. Luciano was quite a character, but he didnt seem to have the business sense to make it there long-term, especially with the added challenge of not being on the street. Had no regard for my coworkers. "Sometimes we take our pants off and it really bums people out," Smith said, with Storz at his side, doing exactly that. In my day. Copyright 2023 InsideHook. Blues Alley. Co-proprietor Hugh Kelly was relaxing after the kitchen had closed for the night only to be asked if he could cook up a pair of steaks for some late travelers. Here at 4E we asked these questions and did the research into Georgetowns bar history, and no this is not a shameless plug for my final research project. Best chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately, in 1982 it stopped Staying Alive and closed its doors. Spent a lot of time at the tiki bar at Third Edition. It then became a French bistro and then Five Guys and now &Pizza. Its impossible to discuss 1225 Wisconsin without mentioning that it was the location of Mr. Henrys from 1967 to 1986. Sometimes we take our pants off and it really bums people out, claimed James Muggy (Mike) Smith, a self-proclaimed filthy rich kid who was wearing a pink-and-green plaid bow tie and pink sweater when he was interviewed in yet another 1982 WaPo article on the scene. In 1993, the Vinyard Vines store housed Britches Great Outdoors, a branch of the Georgetown-based Britches chain. My friends Craig and Ardith and I would go there several times a week for happy hour, for years approx 1974 to 1977-ish. Changed to the Bayou in 1953 with Owners Mike Munley, Vince and Tony Tramonte, The Tramontes sell the Bayou to Cellar Door Productions in 1980, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 07:05. The Washington, DC of the 1980s and '90s was a dramatically different place than the Washington, DC of 2017. To me, a saloon is where the dining room seating is right there with the bar, Mike says. October 7, 1980. Mr. Henrys was absolutely 1225 Wisc. Opened 1939 as Don Dickerman's Pirate's Den. It closed in 1989 and is now the Running Company. But when he asked how they liked the meal, the customers told him that the steaks seemed a little tough. Use to work for Britches Great Outdoors. The Boy-Whore World - The Washington Post Our room was spacious, clean and quiet. 10 Best Vintage Photos From Washington DC In The 1970s - OnlyInYourState The Georgetown bar culture was filled with much more than loafers, gingham, pleats and shoulder pads, wrote McGovern. 1) Washington DC in the 1970s was a riveting time. When he wasnt pounding keg beer on the Maryland shore, the future Supreme Court Justice could be found pounding [brew]skis at underage bars and house parties, according to his handwritten notations. However, if it was dead all week, on the weekends it would become The Chinese Disco, or Chidi, a packed spot where he would dance the shag to beach music and flirt with local coeds it was then the epicenter of Washington DCs preppy playground. (John Kelly/The Washington Post). Its still a lot like a frat party, except now, because of the recent prep craze, you might see a Marine or someone from [the bar] across the street just because its cool to be prep, explained another suffixed partier, Jean-Charles Dibbs III, then a barely-legal Republican political aide. By Joann Stevens. Free WiFi. Two recent college grads, Nicky Williams and Buff McDonald, asked The Day Lilys aging owner, Jim Chin, if they could start renting his restaurant for Friday night parties. Former Music Venues of Washington: d.c. space | DCist One amorous pair -- a man and woman -- eating dinner and oblivious to their surroundings, was asked, "Did you know this is considered a gay bar?". There were family restaurants, jazz clubs, punk bars and average joe-type dives, many frequented by Marines from the nearby barracks. However, if it was dead all week, on the weekends it would become The Chinese Disco, or Chidi, a packed spot where he would dance the shag to beach music and flirt with local coeds it was then the epicenter of Washington DCs preppy playground. Revisiting the 1980s Heyday of Georgteown's Fabled Preppy Bars In the Washington Post, January 7, 1982, there is an account of the unfathomably named Richard Hamilton Herrud Houghton III.. Next door in 1993 there was a branch of Roberto Donnas Il Radiccho brand restaurant. In 1970, the Homophile Social League met here as well as the Community Church organized by Rev. So if finals haveyou feeling down, take a walk with 4E down memory lane and peer into the past with our Georgetown Bars Now and Then.
