Odeon Cafe, North Dupont Circle - Closed

[Al Dente]

I was walking by this joint last night and checked out the menu. It looked decent enough if a bit predictable.

Has anyone been?

[Waitman]

Also known as the "Odious Cafe," it is in fact directly below the office in which I am typing. It is inoffensive, but of no particular note.

[bookluvingbabe]

I haven't been in years--when we lived in the neighborhood we catagorized it with Othello and Anna Marie's, passable Italian but nothing special.

[giant shrimp]

about ten thousand years ago, when this place first opened, and there was still a lunch counter at the corner of connecticut and r, it wasn't half bad and i believe led to the opening of paper moon in georgetown, which also wasn't half bad. (my memory is a bit dim on all of this.) the last time we ate here was maybe three years ago, probably because we couldn't get into bistrot du coin, and what i most remember about the meal was that the weather was nice and we were sitting by the open window. time has passed this big-bowl pasta place by. that was its original draw, and you can do better yourself at home. i did it last night. in fact, time has marched ahead of quite a few of the restaurants on this stretch of connecticut avenue, as well as the block south of the circle, and i sometimes wonder why some of them are still open.

[Al Dente]

I was in the mood for some pasta, but I couldn't recall hearing about Odeon on dr.com, so of course I dismissed it for not having the seal of approval.

[The Hersch]

about ten thousand years ago, when this place first opened, and there was still a lunch counter at the corner of connecticut and r

Are you saying that Odeon has been there not just since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed, but since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed its lunch counter, which happened earlier? Gosh I wish one could easily look such things up. In my vague recollection, Schwartz's lunch counter was gone by 1980 at the latest. Is Odeon really that old? I last ate there about ten years ago, and it was pretty tired, by the way.

[pidgey]

Haven't been here in a while, but its not bad. My husband really liked their lasagne, but he's a lasagne fiend. Its been about a year since the last time we went, and I've enjoyed sitting by the open window on a nice day. I'd much rather go to Bistrot du Coin over this, but would choose Odeon over, say, Bucco di Beppo.

[Waitman]

Are you saying that Odeon has been there not just since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed, but since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed its lunch counter, which happened earlier? Gosh I wish one could easily look such things up. In my vague recollection, Schwartz's lunch counter was gone by 1980 at the latest. Is Odeon really that old? I last ate there about ten years ago, and it was pretty tired, by the way.

Odeon came in after 1984, because it was after Mrs. B and I had moved from Logan to Dupont. It was preceded by a little French Bistro which was clearly before its time.

[The Hersch]

Odeon came in after 1984, because it was after Mrs. B and I had moved from Logan to Dupont. It was preceded by a little French Bistro which was clearly before its time.

Do you remember the name? I remember a pretty good little French place along there, but it wasn't in that space, it was in the space later occupied by whatever the name of the Petitto place was, and later by Alero, which I guess is still there (?). I can't remember the name of the French place, but I think it was where I first had cold calf brains with sauce ravigote.

[Waitman]

I don't recall the name. This place was in at the same time Petitto was still offering the briefly legendary antepasto bar, so it was apparantly not your calf's brain spot. I had only just stumbled across it when it closed down for the transition. When Odeon opened, I recall being a little bummed that it had tarted up what I had thought to be a lovely space. And by the food, as well.

[giant shrimp]

Are you saying that Odeon has been there not just since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed, but since before Schwartz's Drugstore closed its lunch counter, which happened earlier? Gosh I wish one could easily look such things up. In my vague recollection, Schwartz's lunch counter was gone by 1980 at the latest. Is Odeon really that old? I last ate there about ten years ago, and it was pretty tired, by the way.

i guess i shouldn't have used the drugstore as a reference point. it seems like only yesterday when the area functioned more like a small village. for a while i ran the two-headed movie theater and would spend half the day chatting with the locals, a wild assortment, many of whom lived above the store or above the irish pub or at the chateau thierry. there was a lot of takeout from the greek village and at some point, i guess a bit later, one of the best restaurants in the neighborhood was across the street and upstairs (suzanne's?).

anyway, odeon's web site says they have been in business 15 years. it seems considerably longer to me.

[Mrs. B]

I think Odeon does a fine job serving mediocre food to people staying at the Hilton, Courtyard and Churchill Hotels. I actually used to like the garlic bread with gorganzola app.

[DonRocks]

A large sign was hanging down from Odeon Cafe's awning this evening. With big, bold, uppercase black letters on a white background, making it stand out from every other restaurant on the strip. Here's what it said:

VOTED THE BEST BRUNCH

Which begs the questions:

WHEN, WHERE, AND BY WHOM?!

I went to their website to see if there was any sort of explication or attribution, but saw nothing.

One must wonder if Monsieur Odeon conducted the poll amongst his waitstaff at gunpoint.

That is some seriously skanky marketing considering hapless tourists are roaming Dupont Circle this weekend, not that I blame them.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Mark Slater]

i guess i shouldn't have used the drugstore as a reference point. it seems like only yesterday when the area functioned more like a small village. for a while i ran the two-headed movie theater and would spend half the day chatting with the locals, a wild assortment, many of whom lived above the store or above the irish pub or at the chateau thierry. there was a lot of takeout from the greek village and at some point, i guess a bit later, one of the best restaurants in the neighborhood was across the street and upstairs (suzanne's?).

anyway, odeon's web site says they have been in business 15 years. it seems considerably longer to me.

At the risk of dating myself, I will confess to having been a habitué of Schwartz's lunch (and breakfast) counter. I'll never, ever forget Margaret, the waitress. Her wig was always slightly askew. The place was Monty Pythonesque. We would give Margaret our orders which she would immediately turn around and shout at the cook lady 10 feet away. Old formica dining room tables ran down the middle of the drugstore. It was classic.

I ate often at Greek Village. My waitress was named Fern. When I walked in, my drink would be on the table in 10 seconds and she would order my food without me opening the menu. Maybe others will also remember that all the waitresses had the exact same shade of platinum colored hair.

Odeon opened in the 80's and I tried it a few times with friends. It was never anything special, just comfortable and predictable. Suzanne's was one of the first wine bars in

Washington that actually succeeded for a time.

The dining choices in the Circle have changed considerably since then.