198 replies to this topic

[joethefoodie]

Bourbon: good liquors and whiskeys behind the bar, jiggers and so forth. Both my Manhattan and my Sazerac were free-poured and shaken. What???? (Meanwhile other people ordered drinks that were carefully stirred and measured...I don't get this.) It's comfortable downstairs, a shit-show upstairs.

Thought Bourbon was so weird. Like why are they a pain about serving the whole bourbon list upstairs? It's the kind of place where you have to sacrifice atmosphere for the drinks. I'll do that for food occasionally, not booze.

Are you talking about Bourbon on 18th St.? Or the Jack Rose on 18th St.? Or Bourbon in Glover Park?

Basically, I've only had 1 guy make my drinks at Bourbon, and he's rarely behind the stick these days, as he's now managing...but I agree with you both about the weirdness of those places and policies. If it wasn't for their amazing booze selections...who the fuck shakes a Saz?

Glad you liked Ace; I even get my Maraschino cherries there!

[Adrian]

Bourbon: good liquors and whiskeys behind the bar, jiggers and so forth. Both my Manhattan and my Sazerac were free-poured and shaken. What???? (Meanwhile other people ordered drinks that were carefully stirred and measured...I don't get this.) It's comfortable downstairs, a shit-show upstairs.

Thought Bourbon was so weird. Like why are they a pain about serving the whole bourbon list upstairs? It's the kind of place where you have to sacrifice atmosphere for the drinks. I'll do that for food occasionally, not booze.

Are you talking about Bourbon on 18th St.? Or the Jack Rose on 18th St.? Or Bourbon in Glover Park?

Basically, I've only had 1 guy make my drinks at Bourbon, and he's rarely behind the stick these days, as he's now managing...but I agree with you both about the weirdness of those places and policies. If it wasn't for their amazing booze selections...who the fuck shakes a Saz?

Glad you liked Ace; I even get my Maraschino cherries there!

Oops. Got Bourbon and Jack Rose flipped.

[joethefoodie]

Bourbon: good liquors and whiskeys behind the bar, jiggers and so forth. Both my Manhattan and my Sazerac were free-poured and shaken. What???? (Meanwhile other people ordered drinks that were carefully stirred and measured...I don't get this.) It's comfortable downstairs, a shit-show upstairs.

Thought Bourbon was so weird. Like why are they a pain about serving the whole bourbon list upstairs? It's the kind of place where you have to sacrifice atmosphere for the drinks. I'll do that for food occasionally, not booze.

Are you talking about Bourbon on 18th St.? Or the Jack Rose on 18th St.? Or Bourbon in Glover Park?

Basically, I've only had 1 guy make my drinks at Bourbon, and he's rarely behind the stick these days, as he's now managing...but I agree with you both about the weirdness of those places and policies. If it wasn't for their amazing booze selections...who the fuck shakes a Saz?

Glad you liked Ace; I even get my Maraschino cherries there!

Oops. Got Bourbon and Jack Rose flipped.

yeah, Jack Rose is whack...

[Sneakeater]

I don't even know how you WOULD shake a Saz.

[Nathan]

ok, Ren's is pretty good...I'm not as much a fan of Sapporo-style/shio ramen...but they do a nice broth...and the noodles are good.

8407 Kitchen Bar in Silver Spring appears to be the best restaurant in the area (potentially outside of some ethnic places)...they have a pretty good cocktail program too...and just a couple blocks from my apt.
http://8407kb.com/

Jackie's Sidebar in Silver Spring has a mixture of quality drinks and restauranty bullshit...but I'm still thrilled to have both it and 8407 in walking distance....didn't expect that at all.
http://www.washingto...tic-review.html

more exploration in the District this weekend...then back to NY next weekend

[AaronS]

8407 is my dad's favorite place in silver spring.

the quarry house tavern, at georgia and bonifant, made draft magazine's list of 100 best beer bars in the US last year. I haven't been in years but it had a decent burger in 2006.

should be able to try little serow next week.

[Lauren]

Ah, I will totally check out Ren's!

observations:

Ace Beverage -- just awesome! 2nd best liquor store I've been to anywhere (for the cocktail geek)...and a very knowledgeable staff. Bottles just everywhere. Me: "Where's the Luxardo"..; Her: "Right here, but have you had the Leopold? It's better." She was right.

...

What is the 1st best liquor store?

I'm headed to DC in September so I'm happy to see this thread so active.

[joethefoodie]

What is the 1st best liquor store?

I'm headed to DC in September so I'm happy to see this thread so active.

Probably a liquor store that's not in DC, since Ace is easily the best one down there.

[Nathan]

Ah, I will totally check out Ren's!

observations:

Ace Beverage -- just awesome! 2nd best liquor store I've been to anywhere (for the cocktail geek)...and a very knowledgeable staff. Bottles just everywhere. Me: "Where's the Luxardo"..; Her: "Right here, but have you had the Leopold? It's better." She was right.

...

What is the 1st best liquor store?

I'm headed to DC in September so I'm happy to see this thread so active.

Astor

[Nathan]

ok, Jacky's Sidebar is terrific...quite a bit better than the cocktails anywhere else here (with the proviso that I haven't been to Columbia Room)...for one thing, they have good ice -- they make their own block ice and chip it.

also, forget what I said about having restauranty crap on the menu...that stuff is gone. and the pricing is very good. $6 for happy hour, $10 at all other times...for all drinks.

the only negative is that it's a small bar and they don't have a lot of stuff...but what they make is really good...

[joethefoodie]

ok, Jacky's Sidebar is terrific...quite a bit better than the cocktails anywhere else here (with the proviso that I haven't been to Columbia Room)...for one thing, they have good ice -- they make their own block ice and chip it.

also, forget what I said about having restauranty crap on the menu...that stuff is gone. and the pricing is very good. $6 for happy hour, $10 at all other times...for all drinks.

the only negative is that it's a small bar and they don't have a lot of stuff...but what they make is really good...

You mean I have to schlep to Silver Spring for a cocktail?

Astor was my guess.

It's Rickey month, too.

[Lauren]

Ah, I will totally check out Ren's!

observations:

Ace Beverage -- just awesome! 2nd best liquor store I've been to anywhere (for the cocktail geek)...and a very knowledgeable staff. Bottles just everywhere. Me: "Where's the Luxardo"..; Her: "Right here, but have you had the Leopold? It's better." She was right.

...

What is the 1st best liquor store?

I'm headed to DC in September so I'm happy to see this thread so active.

Astor

Thanks. I'll check them out. We're having an "issue" in Washington that is causing us to purchase from out of state for a bit.

[AaronS]

apparently little serow is closed Sundays and Mondays and I didn't get to it last night so it will have to wait until next time.

2amys was as good this afternoon, as it always is. good b-united italian beer on tap, great calzone with meat, great ice-cream. the special meatballs were fine.

the people who work at the pizzaria paradisio in georgetown suck. the beer list wasn't as good as I remembered.

[Nathan]

The Gibson was pretty good. no complaints really. not great but pretty good. Sidebar is better...but with the proviso that the selection behind the bar is much smaller so that limits which directions you can go off-menu...but the menu drinks are a cut above at Sidebar.

also, the food at 8407 isn't bad at all...it's contemporary restaurant food but nothing wrong with the execution. drinks aren't so good...despite using decent liquors and house-made bitters etc.

[AaronS]

I had a nice lunch at 8407. simple food made well.