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McFadden's - New York Fight Club at 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in West End - Closed


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I'm not so sure McFadden's qualifies as a dive bar, but since I only go there when I'm dressed in a softball uniform after playing on the Mall it seems to fit. At least once a week during softball season I find myself at McFadden's with the team for a post game pitcher and some grub. McFadden's actually surprised me at the beginning of the season. They have a mighty tasty grilled chicken sandwich that they'll happily sub out the melted cheese for fresh sliced avocado...throw on a couple pieces of bacon and some mayo and I'm one happy catcher! Last night was a big juicy 10 oz burger with mustard & mayo, lettuce & ripe tomatoes, decent pickle slice and a huge mound of tater tots. I paired this heart attack with a 2007 Bud Light in plastic solo cup and happily spent the remainder of the evening watching the Yankees-Red Sox game on the big screen. Nothing sophisticated, but a satisfying way to spend a Monday night with friends!

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The $.10 ($.15?) wings that McFadden's serves during some sporting events are awful. So, so awful. Remember that Simpson's episode, where Homer buys the Plankton at the 33 Cents Store? I think that's where they source them.

But hey, they're cheap.

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I'm obsessed with their Mozzerella Stix - yes, they're the frozen kind that splurts hot grease at you when you take a bite, but man do they taste good after a few beers on the softball diamond. I always get the Titanic ( huge platter of boneless wings/mozz stix/onion rings) - those boneless buffalo wings are pretty tasty.

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I'm not so sure McFadden's qualifies as a dive bar, but since I only go there when I'm dressed in a softball uniform after playing on the Mall it seems to fit. At least once a week during softball season I find myself at McFadden's with the team for a post game pitcher and some grub. McFadden's actually surprised me at the beginning of the season. They have a mighty tasty grilled chicken sandwich that they'll happily sub out the melted cheese for fresh sliced avocado...throw on a couple pieces of bacon and some mayo and I'm one happy catcher! Last night was a big juicy 10 oz burger with mustard & mayo, lettuce & ripe tomatoes, decent pickle slice and a huge mound of tater tots. I paired this heart attack with a 2007 Bud Light in plastic solo cup and happily spent the remainder of the evening watching the Yankees-Red Sox game on the big screen. Nothing sophisticated, but a satisfying way to spend a Monday night with friends!

Living a block away from this bar, I always thought it should be called The Fight Club.

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Yeah, I ate there once, figuring the burger is always the safe choice at a sportsbar. Unfortunately the first bite of my burger resulted in an explosion and eruption of burning hot grease, the likes of which I hadn't felt since I was in Alexander's army laying seige to the Persians and had boiling oil rained down upon me. (great falafel, though!). I ran as a madman through the endless sea of spiky hair and untucked pastel button-down shirts to the bathroom to run cold water on my hands and arms. Anyway, food does not seem to be McFadden's main attraction, but maybe others have had better luck.

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Interesting.  From the perspective of the bartending school, we were long familiar w/ local mcfadden's as a hiring source.  Its been a rowdy college bar for a very long time.  I was unaware of past problematic events, but I never searched for that.  But in that its always been a rowdy youth oriented bar its not surprising.

McFaddens parent group out of NYC are tremendous marketers of their various restaurants bars.  Unrelenting, unstoppable.  I suspect it has worked for the business...regardless if the food was good, bad, or indifferent.

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In addition to being appalled at the racist commentary appended to that article, I'm surprised by it. It seems to imply that much of the clientele at McFadden's was African-American, which I wouldn't have expected at a sports bar in the West End. The West End could probably benefit from an infusion of African-Americans, but was McFadden's really largely patronised by non-white, non-yuppies? (I never set foot in the place, which is probably just as well.)

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In addition to being appalled at the racist commentary appended to that article, I'm surprised by it. It seems to imply that much of the clientele at McFadden's was African-American, which I wouldn't have expected at a sports bar in the West End. The West End could probably benefit from an infusion of African-Americans, but was McFadden's really largely patronised by non-white, non-yuppies? (I never set foot in the place, which is probably just as well.)

Where are these racist comments? I took a cursory look at the article, and saw no mention of race.

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Where are these racist comments? I took a cursory look at the article, and saw no mention of race.

Not in the article, in the comments after it. See this:

I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to pause for a moment and give thanks for the great contributions of the black community to our society. Their peaceful and generous nature make them ideal neighbors, lending testimony to their exceptional family values and parenting skills unrivaled by any other culture. Their commitment to academic excellence enriches our schools and serves as an example to all who hope to achieve prominence as a people. Real estate values are fueled by the mix of African Americans into an area due to their caring and respectful nature of these communities, an example of all they have achieved through their enthusiasm for self-improvement by hard work and a self-reliant can-do nature. Without their industrious and creative drive, we would be poorer as a nation.

And this:

Ghetto trash. They ruin everything they touch. They caused the stabbing and ruined this business but I guess you are to stupid to understand this?

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Not in the article, in the comments after it. 

Oh, I see, public comments. Well, that's very close to being universal. I don't see how so many "reputable" publications allow unmoderated public comments to continue - these ignorant, vile comments are certainly a huge slap against these publications, IMO.

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Oh, I see, public comments. Well, that's very close to being universal. I don't see how so many "reputable" publications allow unmoderated public comments to continue - these ignorant, vile comments are certainly a huge slap against these publications, IMO.

Don, the best part of reading the Post is the online reader comments. Read the comments following Jennifer Rubin 'columns.

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In addition to being appalled at the racist commentary appended to that article, I'm surprised by it. It seems to imply that much of the clientele at McFadden's was African-American, which I wouldn't have expected at a sports bar in the West End. The West End could probably benefit from an infusion of African-Americans, but was McFadden's really largely patronised by non-white, non-yuppies? (I never set foot in the place, which is probably just as well.)

I haven't set foot in the place in close to a decade, but from my recollection they didn't really seem to cater to any particular group outside of GWU students when school was in session.  The place was a real drink factory; if you told them you had a large group for a private event or happy hour they were very accommodating.  Hence all of the happy hours that you could "win" and bring 20 or 30 friends for cheap drink specials pretty much any day of the week.  They were counting on you staying a few more hours after the specials ended (prices that were rock bottom by DC standards, but still enough for them to make a nice margin).  I also remember witnessing a few fights that happened WAY too early in the evening.

Wasn't the ownership here also involved with the Uptown Tap Room which is also closing it's doors?  Maybe there is something else going on behind the scenes.

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Wasn't the ownership here also involved with the Uptown Tap Room which is also closing it's doors?  Maybe there is something else going on behind the scenes.

i) Yep, same ownership group from the NY McFadden's. They own Sign of the Whale too.

ii) Of course:

Uptown Tap House Closes

Jan 5 2015, 10:00a

Groupon.jpg

It looks like you can still purchase this deal on Groupon's site.

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