Black Rooster Pub, Downtown - Owner Jody Taylor's Pub With Darts at 19th and L Street - Closed

[squidsdc]

Black Rooster Pub To Close

[RJ Cooper]

we will organize a sit in with past and present cooks, managers, servers, bussers from vidalia..... this is a place that intertwines the incestuous nature of the restaurant business. vidalia employees have been running there after work to find tranquility in the dark bar since vidalia opened its doors. we will play jam band music and beat drums like the a hole labor people did outside vidalia all day today!!!

(not endorsed by vidalia owners, managers, chef)

[Rovers2000]

This is sad. When I used to work on K Street, I always liked heading over to the Rooster for a Reuben and a few pints. The service was always friendly and I liked the very much low key vibe the place had.

[Scott Johnston]

I agree, they made a mean hamburger when I used to work downtown and it was a great place to meet up. Always a free table or bar seat.

This is sad. When I used to work on K Street, I always liked heading over to the Rooster for a Reuben and a few pints. The service was always friendly and I liked the very much low key vibe the place had.

[mtwright72]

If you have ever been or ever want to, please lend a hand in saving this bar. It is one of the best in DC, and a dying breed.

Sign the petition to save the Black Rooster Pub here

[squidsdc]

If you have ever been or ever want to, please lend a hand in saving this bar. It is one of the best in DC, and a dying breed.

Sign the petition to save the Black Rooster Pub here

Even better, go there and sign the petition at the Pub--just ask for it at the bar. And the burgers are still good, as are the chicken tenders and ribs. Nothing fancy, just good grub.

[Rovers2000]

DCist seems to have confirmed that the Black Rooster is going to remain open.

I will have to swing by for a pint in a few weeks...nice to see a place like this stick around.

[squidsdc]

DCist seems to have confirmed that the Black Rooster is going to remain open.

I will have to swing by for a pint in a few weeks...nice to see a place like this stick around.

My boss spoke with Toby yesterday and he told her he was trying to work it out...that's good news, but I'm not celebrating until it's finalized!

[DameEdna]

Need more rumors about Black Rooster?

Check out auctioneer site:

click

(auction of goods and chattel postponed)

[wolverine]

Need more rumors about Black Rooster?

Check out auctioneer site:

click

(auction of goods and chattel postponed)

Looks like the auction is postponed.

http://rasmus.com/auction_detail.php?ID=401910

"****** This event postponed as of Wednesday October 28th due to Landlord renegotiating lease. ****** "

[squidsdc]

From an email today,

First off, I would personally like to thank all of you who signed the petitions to keep the Black Rooster Pub open. If you have not heard, "calmer minds" have prevailed. The Black Rooster Pub will be reopening to the public on Monday, November 16 and also have a "grand re-opening party" Friday, November 20 @ 6:30 pm complete with ribbon cutting. Once again, thank you for all your support and we hope to see you there again soon! Regards, Jody Taylor owner - Black Rooster Pub

[DaveO]

I stopped in at the Black Rooster last night following a nearby Meet UP in the evening. Oooooooh nostalgia hit me over the head like a hammer. I was grateful to learn that Jody Taylor was the owner. I recall Jody from the 80's/90's when he was Blackie Auger's GM on that bar and a number of others around DC. I had lost contact with all that, and it was nice to see that the Auger's sold him the place for $1 and that a real community effort including a lot of F & B people worked to keep it in his hands as of late 2009.

So all I had was a single beer while around me folks had various burgers, and the comments seemed to reflect a lot of satisfaction.

The Black Rooster, a remnant from some decades ago, operated by a very experienced person. The reviews seem acceptable. Probably a great place to stop by for a beer and some burgers.

A real DC pub. I'll be back.

[Escoffier]

This is the Black Rooster I know.

[DonRocks]

I spent many nights at the Rooster, back in the 1980s, shooting darts and drinking beer. Man, there were some good dart players that showed up there.

Wow, I didn't realize how much I missed those times until just now.

Come back to DC, Curtis.

[saf]

I spent many nights at the Rooster, back in the 1980s,

Wow. I was a GW undergrad in the early 80s, and would periodically find myself there, as friends from campus wanted to go (one of them was dating the DJ).

[DaveO]

Having visited this place two months ago, and having been overwhelmed by nostalgia in that visit, I was looking forward to returning, which I did last night.

It is afterall a pub. Not fine dining, and possibly known for any special meals. But it was excellent. I came in with a group of 6, late after a meeting. They have a Tuesday night burger special. The waitress came by and immediately informed us we were running out of time as it was about 9:15, 15 minutes before the special ends. Good service on her part to both inform us of the special and that time was limited.

Hey, excellent burgers and great value for the Tuesday night special. Large, juicy, tasty, nice extras and frankly thoughtful service on behalf of the waitress. I think she got the orders mixed up...but the diners didn't really care and everything worked out and everyone was pleased with the visit.

Makes me pleased to see, what I consider a blast from the past, still operating in DC and doing at least a decent job. Kudo's to the Black Rooster. Probably an excellent happy hour option and a solid choice for pub type environments...and yes, excellent hamburgers even without the price special.

[DonRocks]

Having visited this place two months ago, and having been overwhelmed by nostalgia in that visit, I was looking forward to returning, which I did last night.

It is afterall a pub. Not fine dining, and possibly known for any special meals. But it was excellent. I came in with a group of 6, late after a meeting. They have a Tuesday night burger special. The waitress came by and immediately informed us we were running out of time as it was about 9:15, 15 minutes before the special ends. Good service on her part to both inform us of the special and that time was limited.

Hey, excellent burgers and great value for the Tuesday night special. Large, juicy, tasty, nice extras and frankly thoughtful service on behalf of the waitress. I think she got the orders mixed up...but the diners didn't really care and everything worked out and everyone was pleased with the visit.

Makes me pleased to see, what I consider a blast from the past, still operating in DC and doing at least a decent job. Kudo's to the Black Rooster. Probably an excellent happy hour option and a solid choice for pub type environments...and yes, excellent hamburgers even without the price special.

Back in the mid 1980s, I'd meet here with my rocker (yes, really) friends for pints and darts, including Gary, a Londoner who was in a metal band called "Tank," who claimed it was the only place in DC that made him feel like he was at home.

[dcs]

On 10/28/2009 at 5:31 PM, wolverine said:

Looks like the auction is postponed.

http://rasmus.com/auction_detail.php?ID=401910

"****** This event postponed as of Wednesday October 28th due to Landlord renegotiating lease. ****** "

History repeats itself.  After 48 years, Black Rooster Pub in DC to close its doors, by Jennifer Ortiz, February 19, 2018, on wtop.com.

[jondagle]

Hey, @DonRocks, I see that Black Rooster is still listed on the dining guide (un-closed, that is). 

[DonRocks]

9 hours ago, jondagle said:

Hey, @DonRocks, I see that Black Rooster is still listed on the dining guide (un-closed, that is). 

I couldn't bear to mark my old hangout closed.

Gary Taylor

[jondagle]

Well done. As traumatic as that was, at least subsequent viewers won’t be teased by the possibility of still going! 

[squidsdc]

They gutted the office building next door and construction has (almost) everything closed there. Sweetgreen looks to be hanging on, though. Lots of changes going on in that area.

[DonRocks]

2 hours ago, squidsdc said:

They gutted the office building next door and construction has (almost) everything closed there. Sweetgreen looks to be hanging on, though. Lots of changes going on in that area.

Don't forget, Restaurant Kolumbia was just one block south and east of the Rooster - that building was demolished.

At the point opposite the hypotenuse was Teatro Goldoni (aka Look)

It's not obvious these three formed a right triangle, but they did.

[DaveO]

Jody Taylor’s Facebook post from 2018 announcing the closing.

It was terrific that the Auger family sold him the Rooster for $1.00.   Jody was it’s guy.  He holds the longest memories.

Evidently starting in the 1970’s Blacky Auger opened a slew of bar/pubs, predominantly along L Strreet, each one with a part of their name being Black.  In the 80’s I vividly recall Jody even as I didn’t know him.  His handlebar mustache was prominent and frankly after work I too often was at one or another bar.  Jody at some point was the he GM for all of them. So great he inherited the last remaining one and carried it through to the end of the lease.   Jody’s post above has sweet memories 

[squidsdc]

On 3/24/2019 at 10:19 AM, DaveO said:

Jody Taylor’s Facebook post from 2018 announcing the closing.

It was terrific that the Auger family sold him the Rooster for $1.00.   Jody was it’s guy.  He holds the longest memories.

Evidently starting in the 1970’s Blacky Auger opened a slew of bar/pubs, predominantly along L Strreet, each one with a part of their name being Black.  In the 80’s I vividly recall Jody even as I didn’t know him.  His handlebar mustache was prominent and frankly after work I too often was at one or another bar.  Jody at some point was the he GM for all of them. So great he inherited the last remaining one and carried it through to the end of the lease.   Jody’s post above has sweet memories 

I can't recall all the places- help me out? Of course I remember Blackie's on 22nd, and Lulu's (fun times!) on M, but I'm blanking out on the other places! I worked next store to Black Rooster (in that building under construction) for 15 yrs. Rooster was definitely our after-work happy hour place and made for some nice lunches as well. 

[DaveO]

9 hours ago, squidsdc said:

I can't recall all the places- help me out? Of course I remember Blackie's on 22nd, and Lulu's (fun times!) on M, but I'm blanking out on the other places! I worked next store to Black Rooster (in that building under construction) for 15 yrs. Rooster was definitely our after-work happy hour place and made for some nice lunches as well. 

Ooh ooh. That is one for a DC restaurant/bar historian that dates back to the 70’s.  That predates me.  That person would probably have drunk a lot which would cloud his/her memory.  I’m sure the web and the google time machine would pull up good history—-or just get Jody Taylor to jump in.   

At one point in the mid 80’s I worked around the corner from a Blackie restaurant/ bar at 17th and L.  I can’t remember that name but I ate a lot of taco’s there

He also must have been the mid Atlantic   Franchisee for one of the National mid range steak house chains.  Not a ton in these suburbs but a lot on the DelMarVa peninsula 

[dcs]

11 hours ago, squidsdc said:

I can't recall all the places- help me out? Of course I remember Blackie's on 22nd, and Lulu's (fun times!) on M, but I'm blanking out on the other places! I worked next store to Black Rooster (in that building under construction) for 15 yrs. Rooster was definitely our after-work happy hour place and made for some nice lunches as well. 

Lulu H. Auger, Blackie’s House of Beef founder, dies at 87, January 10, 2012, on washingtonpost.com.

Quote

They owned dozens of coffee shops and affiliated restaurants, including the Black Rose, the Black Saddle, the Black Bird, the Black Gun, the Black Russian and the Black Frisco.

 

[MODWOP]

3 hours ago, DaveO said:

Ooh ooh. That is one for a DC restaurant/bar historian that dates back to the 70’s.  That predates me.  That person would probably have drunk a lot which would cloud his/her memory.  I’m sure the web and the google time machine would pull up good history—-or just get Jody Taylor to jump in.   

At one point in the mid 80’s I worked around the corner from a Blackie restaurant/ bar at 17th and L.  I can’t remember that name but I ate a lot of taco’s there

He also must have been the mid Atlantic   Franchisee for one of the National mid range steak house chains.  Not a ton in these suburbs but a lot on the DelMarVa peninsula 

That would have been the Ha'Penny Lion I think...just next door to Benjamin Franklin University "back in the day".  The Ha'Penny had a gratis taco bar during happy hour and fed a lot of broke nerdy accounting students, myself included.

[DaveO]

23 minutes ago, MODWOP said:

That would have been the Ha'Penny Lion I think...just next door to Benjamin Franklin University "back in the day".  The Ha'Penny had a gratis taco bar during happy hour and fed a lot of broke nerdy accounting students, myself included.

Yes.  Thank you.  The Ha'Penny Lion.   That was it.  "Working" people (if you called what I did --work) also took advantage of the taco bar.   Jody Taylor, very identifiable with his black handlebar mustache, would be there from time to time as it was one of the Blackie Auger bars that he oversaw.