December 11, 2007
Temperance Hall Out; Looking Glass Lounge In
Following a tip from Prince of Petworth, we caught the Wonderland owners, Matthew McGovern and Rose Donna, at Temperance Hall trying their best to be coy about the coming plans.
"What I can tell you is that the Looking Glass Lounge will be coming around New Years," Matt teased.
They confirmed that the place will be changing names and that it will have "a little different feel," but wouldn't confirm much more than that: "call in a week and we'll have a better idea."
T-Hall is one of the local businesses that's been helping along the transition of the Petworth neighborhood, and it looks like it will be undergoing its own transition very quickly. It ranks on my personal list of top bars in the city, and other DCist staff have a strong affinity for the place as well. It's worth a short trip up the Green line for a rye on the rocks before it makes its change. Happy hour, anybody?
Photo of chandelier at Temperance Hall from IntangibleArts
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So does Joe Englert still own half of Temperence hall, or is he selling his share as well?
So does Joe Englert still own half of Temperence hall, or is he selling his share as well?
So does Joe Englert still own half of Temperence hall, or is he selling his share as well?
this is great. matthew and rose are awesome. im interested to see what they do with it. hopefully, the orange liners that pack wonderland on weekends won't follow.
happy hour indeed!
and if the rye is good, you don't need no stinking "rocks"
Speaking as one who resides within an easy walk to Temperance, I weep. But the buyer could've been much worse.
Intangible Wife informs me that she isn't able to post a comment, and so this is from her:
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GARLIC FRIES??????????
...to which I can only add, "yeh. seriously. Those garlic fries are like the flesh of GOD."
I'll agree with that. The garlic fries are teh hotness, especially washed down with some Old Potrero.
yes, matt and rose are good folk. but why change the decor of t-hall, its the reason to go. i hope they let dan stay, cos if they don't he'll likely take the best juke left in the city (downstairs) with him.
and god, dont change the name from temperance hall which is great to Looking Glass Lounge, which is most certainly not.
actually, i wonder if this means joe englehart is not doing as well as he thought he might with the H Street NE businesses, and needed to sell Temperance to hold those businesses up?
"Looking Glass Lounge" is right up there with "The Reichstag" as a place that's just asking to be burned down.
new owners = cool.
new name = lame.
are they changing the staff, too?
most importantly, will there be 1/2 price 4 meat chili on wednesdays?
This is the suck. Seriously. Wonderland has gone way downhill since it became the chique place for people who live on the red line to go "slumming" on weekend nights.
You could argue that a similar change of clientele would take place for Temp Hall eventually, but the sale and the asinine decision to re-brand the bar (I'm sure the Wonderland owners are all about branding) is only going to accelerate things.
Here's to praying that Dan leaves and starts his own place that will beat the pants off of whatever the gay new name for Temp Hall is.
One more thing, if the garlic fries go, there will be a riot.
they got rid of the chili anyway. now its half priced chicken quesadillas on wednesdays.
@Sveiks: So does that mean you only go to Wonderland on weekend nights? You wouldn't happen to live on the... never mind.
I don't see that W'land has changed a lot in the mere 3 years it's been open. And nobody can argue that it's been anything but great for CH. Except maybe their next-door neighbors. Even if you aren't a fan of the weekend crowds, the other five nights are still clearly a majority neighborhood crowd.
So what's the problem, exactly? You want a private neighborhood bar, or you want a bar that makes enough money to stay open? Why does success have to equal "not cool"? I'm damn glad Wonderland is there -- exactly as it is -- and I look forward to Matt's magic helping out Georgia Avenue too.
@Sveiks: So does that mean you only go to Wonderland on weekend nights? You wouldn't happen to live on the... never mind.
I don't see that W'land has changed a lot in the mere 3 years it's been open. And nobody can argue that it's been anything but great for CH. Except maybe their next-door neighbors. Even if you aren't a fan of the weekend crowds, the other five nights are still clearly a majority neighborhood crowd.
So what's the problem, exactly? You want a private neighborhood bar, or you want a bar that makes enough money to stay open? Why does success have to equal "not cool"? I'm damn glad Wonderland is there -- exactly as it is -- and I look forward to Matt's magic helping out Georgia Avenue too.
i think it's hilarious that one of you (skinjob) is pissed at 'orange liners' at the wonderland, and another (sveiks) is pissed at the 'red liners' at the wonderland.
anyone out there pissed off at blue liners at the wonderland? can i call dibs on hating 'purple liners' ahead of time, in all instances, in all places?
I love the place but I never got good [table] service, despite my repeated efforts. If the worst thing Matt does is change the name while bringing Wonderland level of service [!]- it's all good.
@ dcobserver
I agree with you on both points. I don't know why they would change the decor. It's perfect as it is. And it's current name is great. "Looking Glass Lounge," though? Seriously fucking lame. I hope it doesn't have some retarded Alice in Wonderland theme, which I suspect will be the case.
of course it's an alice in wonderland theme....you did notice the name of the bar that's doing the purchasing here, didn't you?
My biggest problem with these changes is that they are unnecessary. It sucks that Temp Hall ownership felt they had to sell. So be it. But the fact that the new ownership sees the need to put their stamp on the place by changing the name (and potentially the decor and menu) just makes no sense. If there were issues with Temp Hall not attracting enough people to make $, that's more on Georgia Ave and poor signage than anything the bar itself has done. It is a really genuine bar, the kind any neighborhood would be luck to have, and it will be sad to see changes.
@IMgoph
I should have clarified that I hope it doesn't have an overbearing Alice in Wonderland land theme that replaces current decor.
But thanks for being an asshole about it.
Apparently the changes are needed to attract more Red and Orange Liners...I guess they bring in the money.
hey fanciepants,
i wasn't being an asshole about it. but subtlety is lost in the internet.
snark, not so much.
i'm not here to hate you. but you can think what you want.
if you want me to be an asshole, how's this: change your avatar from the default panda, lazy.
Jamie -
Right on. Classic cycle: New different kind of place opens. Early adopters find it and proclaim it cool. Owners' much-deserved sucess builds and laeds to 'others' discovering place. Early adopters dont feel so exclusive or cool when they have to share their toys. Lament ensues, "I wish it was like when you didnt know about it. I was here first." Being really hip requires effort, so keep looking for the next big thing, everybody. You can say you were there!
Shit. While I like Wonderland just fine, Temperance Hall is simply a much cooler space. Hopefully they don't fuck it up too much and start having bullshit 80's dance night there.
I tried my best to like Temperance Hall. I went there so many times, even suggesting it as a happy hour location and a brunch meeting place for several other folks. I put money in the jukebox; I made small talk with the bartender/manager. Hands down, the only good things about that place are the jukebox and the decor. The wait staff is awful (and the bartender/manager always had an excuse... "whoo, she's slammed today," the food is mediocre (while better than Wonderland, whose prime offerings include a ketchup variety even more disgusting than Hunts and inedible, chewy wings) and there is zero appreciation for good business. I don't like to see failure, but that place really had to only try at a very basic level to do well. Look where it is. All they had to do was be nice and try.
"Here's to praying that Dan leaves and starts his own place that will beat the pants off of whatever the gay new name for Temp Hall is."
Are you 12?
I sortof hate to be 'that guy' and be overly sensitive, but is that sort of crap really necessary? Gay is not a catch-all word to describe things you don't like.
First, use of the term 'gay' to describe things you don't like actually does demean gay people.
And, second, it's just stupidly juvenile.
So stop it already.
Don't know too many gays who'd want go to a place called Looking Glass Lounge anyway. Sounds like a place to meet aging cougar nymphomaniacs swilling Cosmopolitans and trying to dress and act like their teenage daughters.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Oh Jesus, here come the PC police.
Whatever, they fired Scott! So.... they suck! Like I suck my boyfriend's cock!
Whatever, they fired Scott! So.... they suck! Like I suck my boyfriend's cock!
hopefully the new ownership will bring in a cheap beer option.. 4 bucks for a pbr? funk dat.
hopefully the new ownership will bring in a cheap beer option.. 4 bucks for a pbr? funk dat.
whine, whine, whine.
Wow, I feel like a moron for not putting 2 & 2 together with the Alice in Wonderland thing... Such is life.
Anyway, people from red orange yellow green and blue have been going to Wonderland about since it opened, because there are actually some people living in Columbia Heights who are not total d-bags and have friends who live elsewhere than the green line.
I still don't understand how anyone can expect a beer in one of DC's 'hyped' neighborhoods to cost under four bucks. Where are people finding these magical 2 and 3 dollar beers, other than happy hour or other specials?
Let me be the first to say that I think the new name is great. Not that there's anything wrong with the old one, but hey, any and all Lewis Carroll references are good by me.
Let me be the first to say that I think the new name is great. Not that there's anything wrong with the old one, but hey, any and all Lewis Carroll references are good by me.
any and all Lewis Carroll references are good by me.
Agreed. But I can't imagine the ABC Board approving a place named "The Shroomin Pedophile." But hey, stranger things happen in DC, where some people willingly pay $5 to drink Yeungling(?!). I'd rather stick my penis in a jar full of snakes.
Just as I was about to add my two cents, I see these conversation is so far off base, I don't remember what we were talking about in the first place...oh yeah, we were talking about an enterprising and creative--not to mention fiscally bold--local couple opening a new bar in an area where there aren't a lot of great bars. They have a good record of success. And the fact that so many people are attracted to their establishment can't be a knock against them...this is capitalism, after all. That's kind of the point. Or would you rather they be deprived the fruits of their labor so that no one steps on your new white chuck taylor's, and its easy to order one of the many delicious beers they have on tap?...
You have me on the capitalism part, but they aren't opening a new bar. They're changing an obviously beloved bar, which is the reason for the uproar.
Still, it is capitalism. You know what I'm upset about? The fact that I am not one of the current owners now selling for an assumed decent dollar. Lucky bastards are probably going to have a great christmas.
Well, since others have called dibs on hating Orange, Red, and Blue line passengers, someone will have to settle for hating Yellow line passengers (but only during non-peak hours of service). Yeah! Take that!
You forgot about the Green Line. What a bunch of fucking douchebags.
Wake me up when we start hating particular bus lines.
Not to hate on a particular bus line, but some folks on the X2 and H1 line need to wash their butts.
Oh, come on, Monkey, those X2 and H1 passengers are "keeping it real" for the rest of us.
Seems like we have a few armchair Trumps passing judgements on business dealings. It's entertaining as all hell! Just a little suprised to see so many people talking crap about people (or businesses) that are willing to operate in areas where we live or where one is needed. Give it a chance as you all appear to be somewhat open-minded (except for the gay guy that likes to call things gay :)
Been to Temperance a few times & it was consistently mediocre. If anything, once the changes are made, I will give it another try.
Wonderland is a bit of a mess on the weekends, but is still pretty laid back during the week, especially with a kick-ass hh that includes $2 chili-cheese dogs! Early on the weekends is also pretty relaxed.
And back to the hatin'...don't forget the bike riders who also need to wash their butts :)
oh, dang... I'm completely late on this one, but the bus line in question of course has to be the H8.