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Laughing Man Tavern's logo, seen in reverse, and a glimpse inside. (Photo by Samer Farha.)
Laughing Man, a new bar from the ubiquitous Bedrock Management group (see also Rocket Bar, Carpool, Buffalo Billiards, Mackey's, etc.), is first and foremost a bar. The owners were trying to capitalize on the lack of plain old bars in the neighborhood, according to bar manager Manny DeAlmeida, and it's a plan that's so simple, it just might work. Sure, the burgers at Chef Geoff's are delicious, but getting your hands on one almost always involves uncertain hovering and at least one awkward conversation with a stranger---two things I think we can all agree are better left at work. Ditto goes for the happy hour crowds at many of the other joints in the area, which are primarily restaurants that cater to the neighborhood's buttoned-up lunch patrons, and not their bar clientele.
Named for an owner's affinity for the J.D. Salinger short story, Laughing Man Tavern opened just after the inauguration, and business has been growing, Almeida said. Weekends are still a bit slow, if a recent visit on a Saturday is any indication. Upstairs, patrons can sit at the smaller and more intimate bar or push a bunch of tables together in the back for a bigger group. Downstairs, the spacious area with its three-sided bar offers plenty of bar stools and room to mingle, as well as dozens of booths and tables with service. A jukebox with mostly Top 40 hits provides the soundtrack. (One down side: don't expect any cell phone service downstairs. You'll have to head top side to check your messages, email your boss, or update your Facebook status. On second thought, maybe we should call that an upside.)
Another upside is that Laughing Man Tavern, perhaps because it's the new kid on the block, has some pretty astounding happy hour specials. Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. select domestic drafts are $3.25, with premium drafts (which last week included two varieties of Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada and the bar's own G Street Brew from Fordham Brewery, among others) for $4 apiece. Rail drinks and house wines also both ring in at just $4. Food specials run until closing, meaning wings, calamari, steamed Sambuca mussels, crab and roasted red pepper dip, and a number of other choices are just $4 from 3 p.m. to closing. A recent visit included crispy, melt in your mouth calamari, and two dips---the crab, which was solid and well balanced between the pepper and melted cheese on top, and the spinach, which would benefit from a lighter hand with the salt---accompanied by piles of crunchy toasted slices of baguette. Laughing Man also sweetens the deal with a few other perks: Mondays burgers are half price all day, Tuesdays are lawyer appreciation day where lawyers get 20 percent off their check and Wednesdays the bar does the same for members of the service industry.
Bartenders are friendly, attentive, and fast, even with patrons pulling them in three directions. Despite the actual laughing man's slightly crazed look in the restaurant's logo (he's still haunting my dreams in a scary clown kind of way), it's an easygoing, relaxing happy hour spot. The crowd is largely unpretentious: 20- and 30-somethings who aren't looking to sip a seven-ingredient sake-tini while they decompress from a day's labor. Frou-frou Laughing Man Tavern is not. But maybe in today's D.C., which seems to have an ever-expanding number of high-maintenance door policies, snooty bar rules and exclusive speakeasies, that's why it'll have the last laugh.
Laughing Man Tavern
1306 G Street NW
(202) 737-1797
Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sat.: 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Sun: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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With Eraserhead as their mascot, I'd have trouble sleeping at night too
thanks, rebecca. will have to check this out. less pretension here in DC is a good thing.
Man, I miss Reeves Bakery almost as much as I miss being 9 years old. But I guess I can drown my sorrow in $3 beers.
Maybe the Laughing Man can be talked into serving strawberry shortcake, in a salute to Reeves? That would go with a beer, right?
Man I miss Reeves' cakes, but I'll check them out.
I can't believe you wrote something about a "lawyer appreciation day" and didn't make a joke. I applaud your restraint!
Seriously. Now we know which day not to go there if we want to avoid the place when it's overrun by douchebags!
Seriously. Now we know which day not to go there if we want to avoid the place when it's overrun by douchebags!
Huzzah for a good bar in metro center! I miss being so close to Mackey's. I'll have to check this out.
sounds like a good alternative, next time I'm scratching my head for where to go, I'll check it out.
and hey! I had to read the story now, thanks literacy!
Bahah, love the reference to the Chef Geoff's hover..."Excuse me, are you leaving soon? Mind if I just put my purse on your chair as you get the check..."
Gone are: The Old Whitlow's
The Blue Mirror
The Harrington Hotel Cafeteria
Reeves
Tasty Diner
White Castle
and my old favorite: The Kung-fu Club
Nude women would dance on the bar top while you ate exotic fried rice dishes.
Nice layout, friendly bartenders, solid prices and a kick ass quesadilla. Haven't been to Chef Geoff's or M&S Grill for happy hour since this place opened. Now if they could only procure comically oversized beer mugs...
I tried The Laughing Man after reading this review and I have to say I was not impressed. The service was rude and awful, they brought me the wrong drink, kept trying to take away our food and drinks before being finished, and charged our credit cards incorrectly. The food was decent and I liked the amount of seating, but I don't plan on going back anytime soon.