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Showing results for tags 'Live Music'.
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I'm trying Appioo for dinner tonight and was surprised to find no discussion on here. Anyone been? Recommendations? It's billed as African but seems to be Ghanaian - a cuisine I'm not familiar with. I will report back on this thread later this evening or tomorrow. Appioo on Facebook "A Taste of Ghana in DC: Appioo African Bar and Grill" by Jaimee Swift on blackfoodie.co -
Opened July 30th, Acre 121 has been very well received by its neighbors and the news of this low country, BBQ has been spreading. The space is the old Commonwealth but it has been transformed. The wood floors and high ceilings open floor plan make this a very popular spot for dinner and a great spot to watch some local performers in an intimate setting. Join us at 1400 Irving Street, Washington, DC 20010. Reservations Suggested 202 328-0121. www.acre121.com -
Down an out of the way road in Jessup, a group of friends and I had a fun evening at Blob's Park Bavarian Beer Garden last night. I had heard stories of this place for some time. A few of my childhood friends' parents used to got here for literal buckets of beer and dancing when I was growing up in the area. The space is huge, designed to seat 800 people. We were lucky to have the evening's band be Steve Meisner and his polka band from Madison, WI. There are regulars to this place, their tables marked with wood plaques engraved with their names. There were a lot of families with children running around. We ordered pitchers of Spaten pils and octoberfest to start- no more buckets. Too bad. We then got several appetizers including their pork wings, sausage plates, and very salty Bavarian radishes. I had a weisswurst plate, and then a taste of their German chocolate cake. While the cuisine was not stellar, the atmosphere was the real draw. The polka band started up at 8, and was greeted by a line of regulars who stood in front playing instruments like tambourine and washboards to the first song. Then everyone danced polka or western swing or whatever to the night's sets of music. It felt like night in the Midwest again. -
Website here:http://www.ramsheadonstage.com/ I didn't see a topic for Rams Head. They have multiple locations. The Annapolis location is pretty close to my Mom's house. We always find it to be pretty general purpose. The food isn't bad, although not necessarily remarkable, but it is a good place to go with pickier eaters because everyone can find something they will like, and it is pretty reasonable in terms of price. We went for brunch the other day as we just wanted some eggs and Miss Shirley's is crazy busy and kind of expensive, and Lucky Rooster and Chick and Ruths were a longer walk in the cold. We had a completely clueless server, who was very nice, but nevertheless clueless. I asked if they had any non-dairy creamers and he didn't think so; I had tea. It was brought in a mug that clearly needed descaled of coffee junk build-up, to the point, I was a bit surprised he brought it out like that. He took our order without writing anything down, I think that was a mistake for him. Mom wanted a water that never came (although we saw a water that was full on the empty table behind us, so maybe he sat it there and forgot?). She ordered poached eggs and they brought fried, they took it back, but by the time it came out, her english muffin was cold, although to me it didn't appear toasted in the first place. We had other servers that seemed to fill in and help and then he would come and be surprised someone helped us. It was a little odd, but normally service here is pretty adequate. They also have some good live music acts from time to time. They had jazz playing in the back which was nice, and had I been inclined, the $10 bloody mary bar seemed like quite a good deal. I had eggs benedict with a country style ham that was really good, the eggs were nice and runny and their breakfast potatoes have a nice crisp to them. When Mom's food came out, despite the cold bread, the rest was good.
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Magnolia's on King - We went just after they started taking reservations. The bar upstairs is WONDERFUL - unique cocktails (range $12-16) I had not tried before with a range that everyone enjoyed something. We though of trying the appetizers upstairs but figured (wrongly) that we could get them downstairs. Know that they do not server the drink or bar menu down in the restaurant (To risky to carry down the stairs was reason given). Bar is well lit, easy seating that can adjust to different party sizes but I can see it getting to full fairly quickly. I highly recommend 'The Cure' black bottle scotch, ardbeg 10 year, domaine de canton, lemon juice, honey. Generous sized drinks and worth the higher pricing. The restaurant has some serving issues but those were all due to being just opened (wait staff not able to answer questions and having to go check), they seemed pretty inexperienced. Wine list is good, cocktails downstairs are pretty simple, but the southerner in our group was pleased to see the multiple Fanta options. Dinner was good but not great, my options were limited because of spice levels (many options are heavy on the hot side). I had the Bison Meatloaf which was good but not great. Others had Catfish (Very happy), Fried Chicken (good but not great (If you want great see my review of Tupelo's )) and Denver Steak. (Range $18-35) portion size was good. Dessert Cobbler was good as was the Smore's bread pudding but neither worth a special trip The Southerner with us said the corn bread was to sweet but the greens were wonderful, though the cobbler should have been double crusted. The chef came out and talked to us for feedback (though later on our Southerner wanted to add some more but there is no email address on the web page) he seemed sincere but also talked down other restaurants when we gave comparisons. Overall I'll be back for the bar and might give the restaurant another try in a few months once they settle in but not sure since so many better options in that area. Well lit and Grandma friendly but not sure will make the list to take her to.- 7 replies
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I'm going to the Bombay Club for the first time tonight for dinner and I want to know what dishes I should make sure not to miss. I'm surprised that there is not already a thread for this restaurant. Does that mean that it is not worth my time? It seems to get good, solid reviews, but there is an absence of fervor about it. Any idea why? I really, really want to like it. -
Sadly, The Corkscrew closed on Jun 28, 2016 as a result of being unable to renew their lease. -
"German Restaurant Takes Signed Trump Photo Down after Barrage of Yelp Complaints" by Ken Meyer on mediaite.com -
I remember when Takoma Station was serious about food – pub grub but good pub grub. I remember when they had a rightful place in the conversation about this areas best fries and wings. I remember when Takoma Station was serious about Jazz. When Wynton Marsalis would stop by every time he was in town and more often than not sit in with the band for the last set. I remember when Chuck Brown’s first jazz album (the Godfather of Go-Go actually started as a jazz musician) debuted more than 10 years ago the impromptu premier party was at Takoma Station. I remember when this areas young jazz lions wanted a gig at Takoma Station almost as badly as they wanted one at Blues Alley. I remember when the spoken word community and those young jazz lions started to collaborate that Takoma Station was the epicenter of the movement. I knew that they had abandoned that legacy long ago. What I did not know until last night was that after leaving that legacy in the rat infested alley behind them to suffer for a decade they decided to pour liquid ventworm nut on it and set it ablaze. The food, which was from opening day “all fried, all the time”, lacked even the salty satisfaction that can come from that type of menu. Wings had visible hairs and feathers still attached. The fries tasted like they were frozen…last millennia, and of all of the other things I saw, nothing looked even remotely edible. And the music…played at ear blistering volumes was low hanging fruit wrapped in a cliché. It combined the worst elements of “Smooth Jazz” with the subtle as a sledgehammer rhythm of contemporary R&B. Just painful. At least the Stella was cold. -
Funk Parade Anyone planning on going ? If you're on the fence, I highly recommend it. Last year was one of the most fun days I had all year! As long as the weather holds, it's a great excuse to spend a few hours wandering around U Street, checking out the parade and free day shows and then popping into a venue/bar for more music later. My big question is, what's the optimal food strategy on/near U Street when things will be so crazy? If anyone ends up dropping by, come say hi! I'll playing at it for the 3rd year in a row as part of the evening showcases (7-10pm) @ Archipelago (1201 U St).-
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Maybe they will be better at coffee than pizza. I have a lot of respect for Nora and St. Elmo's as an institution, but the coffee leaves a lot to be desired, so they will benefit from a low bar. -
After an absence of a few years, my wife and I found ourselves in our old Adams Morgan haunt on Saturday night. A few times around the block looking for parking, a conversation about whether this or that was gone or new, and a stop at Fleet Feet for running shoes, and we were ready for dinner. Between the snow and Valentine's Day, I suspect the opening of Roofers Union had escaped many peoples' attention, so we were able to get a last minute reservation despite it being Saturday night in Adams Morgan. First, a word on the space. It's beautiful. The second floor facade of floor-to-ceiling arched windows provides the best possible view of the bustle below on 18th Street. The room is wide open with a rustic chic feel nodding to the blue collar namesake of the restaurant. My wife thought that the roofers' jumpsuits hanging on one wall was a bit too literal a nod, but that's a minor complaint. The ceilings are high and the surfaces hard, so this is not a quiet room but that's excusable given the bar vibe of the restaurant. (One oddity: the two-top tables are too long, making conversation a bit difficult. As a consequence, the couple next to us were sitting at a right angle to each other rather than face-to-face. Again, not a major complaint, but these are not cozy, romantic tables.) As for the food, we enjoyed everything we tried (I'm going off of the menu that I found online, so some elements we actually had may have been different). This is not life-changing, transcendental food, but it is well-executed upscale comfort/bar food. We started with two "Snacks." First, deep-fried brussel sprout leaves with lemon and honey. These were very tasty, though primarily because anything deep fried is good. I didn't taste much lemon or honey, but I did taste lots of good oil. I thought they were a bit over-fried, but I could have eaten a lot of these. Then, we got the roasted cauliflower with mint and pine nuts. There was also a crumbled cheese in the mix--perhaps ricotta--that was not on the menu. Again, I'd say I mostly tasted the very good roasted cauliflower as opposed to the other elements of the dish, but that wasn't a bad thing. Roasted cauliflower is a great thing, and this is a fine rendition. We skipped over the "Stuffed" (i.e., house-made sausages) and "Stacked" (i.e., sandwiches) parts of the menu to get to the "Simple." Here, we opted for the beer-steamed mussels with andouille and chili served with a pretzel roll on the side. The mussels were fine, but I thought the broth was had a bit of a one-note chili character I like spicy food, and the level of spice was moderate but I didn't detect much andouille. Again, I was happy eating this, but it could be even better with a bit of tweaking. (The pretzel roll, on the other hand, should not be tweaked at all. It was great.) Finally, we tried the 1/2 brick chicken with smashed fingerling potatoes and arugula (there were also some roasted tomatoes on the plate, though I don't think they were listed on the menu). This was a very satisfying plate of food. The chicken was perfectly done with the nicely charred skin that one expects of chicken under a brick, and the potatoes were a terrific side. The greens were a bit over-wilted from sitting directly under the chicken, but again, I think that's something easily rectified. We closed the evening by splitting a sundae of vanilla ice cream with fudge and pretzel praline. What can I say? It was a good sundae, but I don't encounter t many sundaes I don't like. Unfortunately, their coffee/espresso machine is not yet installed because I sure would have loved a double espresso with that sundae. For drinks, we both had cocktails to start. I don't recall their names, but I had a rye based cocktail (loosely resembling a Manhattan) while my wife had a bourbon/fruit/soda concoction. Both were the creative, delicious concoctions that we've come to expect from the Ripple team. I also had a glass of sauvignon blanc with my dinner that was perfectly fine, if not perfectly memorable. Finally, service: the service was terrific, and it was clear a lot of effort went into training up the staff before the opening. If anything, the service was too good. Food arrived very quickly, more quickly than we frankly would have preferred. I suspect that service will reach an excellent equilibrium once everybody settles in a bit and exhales from the initial rush of opening. All in all, we concluded that this is a place we would definitely visit again, even if we won't necessarily go out of our way to deal with parking in Adams Morgan to eat here. If we still lived in Adams Morgan, I have no doubt that we would visit Roofers Union frequently. And perhaps that's what Roofers Union ultimately is: a very good neighborhood joint (one of the best in this particular neighborhood) that doesn't need to be anything more than that to be an excellent addition to the dining scene. -
I hadn't heard of this place until friends invited me to join them this evening for dinner and a Grateful Dead cover band show. Not sure I'm going yet, but I don't recall seeing anything about this joint on DR.com. Anyone been? The menu looks enticing with items for meat eaters (Villains) and vegetarians (Saints). http://villainandsaint.com/ -
Does the Zoo Bar in Woodley Park count as a dive bar? If so, its got my vote as best. (insert appropriate emoticon) -
Has anyone been to the Baltimore location? This was a staple when I was a Student at Syracuse University in the late 90's. I loved that their menu listed occasions they cater for: weddings, divorces, etc. -
A hearty congratulations to the newest record holder for worst meal in DC. I didn't think anyone could top the level of awful I had previously found in the area, but huzzah to you guys - you did it! Arriving late morning to see some friends performing in their celtic band, I discovered the full menu was not available. A brunch buffet, you say? Well....all right, but my level of skepticism was high. Justifiably, it turns out. Potatoes half cooked and beyond greasy full on into oily. Bacon about the same level of doneness and viscosity. And the eggs - green. Not a fun Irish St. Patick's Day green but an "Oh dear heaven above what did you do to those eggs" green. And tough. Green and tough. Several of us wisely (we thought) eschewed the buffet and chose to wait for the full "Irish Pub" menu to open up at noon. While it may not actually have anything as pedantic as Corned Beef and Cabbage, it does feature such charming fare as "Banger Rolls" and "Boxty Rueben Bites." One member of our party ordered some sort of chicken dish that was served raw in the middle. Yes, that's right. The chicken was medium rare. Make my pain work for you. Avoid like the plague.- 2 replies
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There was a review of Sax in the free Express today, complete with a photo of the interior and...it looks seedy as all hell. Basically like a Baroque Hooters, or perhaps a Crazy Horse-like entertainment dinner theatre. But the review of the food wasn't that bad. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised if it thrives. DC is very much the type of town that would go for this type of thing. Old Boys' Club, bachelor parties, and all that... -
I remember so well when LeftBank opened - it was actually a nice little spot, something like Leopold Kafe & Konditorei in Georgetown. Then, it closed - out popped Slaviya (here's a DCDining review of Slaviya), and even though I enjoyed my visit there, I pretty much knew that if LeftBank wasn't going to make it there, neither would Slaviya, "bar"ring some sort of late-night coup de hookah. Don't forget, this space started out as the very good Cities, so we've seen a steady decline with each new opening. So, now Slaviya's gone, and we had Taste of New Orleans ... for about a week ... then Slaviya again. (PoPVille is awesome when it comes to methodically reporting openings and closings). This time, it managed to stay open until early this year, but finally, the ax fell. (Thanks, SF) And now? The single largest venue in Adams Morgan has become The Bicycle Space, and my initial impression is that this 180-degree change is a really good call. I hope you guys keep rolling for years to come - if for no other reason than it will make the hellish job of keeping up with the goings-on at 2424 18th St. NW a bit easier.
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Ventured out to Frederick yesterday for brunch at Firestone's, located on the main drag of Market Street. It's gotten a couple quick mentions in the Dining in Frederick thread, but figured I'd expand on it a bit. I was being a temporary teetotaler yesterday so I didn't bother opening the drink menu, but it appears that it has a reputation of being a good bar. The lounge area was quite nice and there was a decent jazz band playing throughout our meal, which was a nice touch. We started off with crab dip, which was served with two small loaves of bread and some carrots and cucumbers. Despite the sherry, the crab dip wasn't too rich and the large amount of cheese made dipping a bit difficult, but it was good. The eggs benedict was a hit and my grandmother, born and raised in New York City on delis, was quite happy with her hot pastrami sandwich. The meat was quite red and lean and she was pleased with it. I decided to spoil myself and get my once-a-year order of biscuits and gravy, which weighed me down (duh! it's biscuits and gravy!) but hit the spot. It probably wasn't the best item to order on the menu, but it caught my eye while I was in the mood. The burgers looked delicious and our waitress also recommended the Frittata, but nobody in our party went with either option. Their website lists a bunch of awards from OpenTable, Frederick Magazine and Wine Spectator. The bottom line is that it's not going to blow you away like Volt, but if you're in downtown Frederick on a whim and wanted a classier meal it wouldn't be a bad choice at all. I'd be interested in going back for an upscale dinner and a night out if I was in the area and the occasion called for it. ------ http://firestonesrestaurant.com/ Firestone's Culinary Tavern 105 North Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 Hours: tues.- sat. 11am-1:30am sun - 10am-1am closed mondays -
Was at Rockfish Saturday night with some girlfriends after a day at the salon. We normally go to Rockfish when we miss the deadline for brunch at Carrol's Creek and Chart House. But we had a really nice dinner. The wine selection is not huge, but we managed to find a good wine that was very reasonable. I started with a cup of MD crab soup, it was very good, had all the requisite flavors and the vegetables were not mushy. I really enjoyed it, it would have been even better last week in all the rain. I am really a big fan of MD crab soup when done right. It is one of my favorite soups. I then had the fish tacos- an app as an entree. There were three tacos with two very generous pieces of battered cod in each tortilla. On the bottom was a really good slaw with a little avocado puree. I thought they were good, although as I got full I ate the stuffing and left the tortilla. It had good flavor as was a little different from the normal entrees on a lot of Annapolis menus. My dinner mates had the crab and lobster pastas. The crab one looked incredible. The lobster smelled phenomenal, but you had to take the meat out of the shell and cut it and that made it really messy and difficult to eat politely, they should go ahead and take the meat out of the shell before serving the dish. Anyway this place is normally very solid, a little dark inside, but nice and a little more casual than O'Leary's or etc. -
Somebody brought this place up when we were discussing bluegrass music last night. Looks like they do open mike Monday-Thursday starting at 8:30pm, and have actual bands on the weekends. Is it worth the trip from DC? How's the grub? Website 1116 King Street, Alexandria (703) 836-8844 -
Does Sotto not have its own thread on DR? I can't seem to find one. -
Francoluigi's High Note Cafe, on Tasker St. just a block south of Victor's, has a more relaxed, less tourist-driven atmosphere with live music and opera-singing waiters as well. The food is better with bigger portions and you can eat without pressure from the staff to turn the tables over. The singing is accompanied by live musicians at the High Note, unlike Victor's where the waiters sing to piped in music through the speaker system. There's a pizzeria counter when you first walk in the door. Make sure to head into the separate back dining room if you want the music and dining. -
Anyone try this place out in what could be becoming a dining mecca? For anyone with an inkling of historical knowledge, this pairing of cuisines should be very interesting. There used to be a branch of Zed's out in Gainesville, we went a few times with the kids, and the food was good, but the location was abysmal and they were probably a couple years too early. Maaza 29 website -
(That would be either Tutto Bene or Pike Grill.) Tutto Bene. Thanks! It was the place that made me say "hey, I want to try more of these..." I've seen the sign for Pike Grill but never made it there. I will soon, though.
