First Look: Sidebar
Restaurateur Jackie Greenbaum's pedigree is classic D.C. punk with a hint of girly girl. Born, raised, and educated in the D.C. area, she is known by many for her unique style. She's not hard to spot in a crowd with her spiky platinum blond hair and bright personality. It's her local roots, personal flair, and background that make Jackie's and the Quarry House Tavern beloved standards. With Greenbaum's new speakeasy, Sidebar, she fills the gap between the grittiness of Quarry House and the quirky fun of Jackie's.
Located on the side of Jackie's, Sidebar kicked off with a soft opening on Wednesday evening. The interior design by CORE mixes dive bar feel with a touch of class. The back-lit bar puts the liquor on display. The walls are painted black, while mirrors adorn the walls and a random mix of chandeliers keep the place dimly lit. As Greenbaum explains, "I want this place as dark as possible," joking that she would like to ask the Silver Spring government to dim the streetlights. Decorative iron grates on the interior of the windows bring to mind the underground Quarry House. Lounge-y couches allow folks to sit back and enjoy their drinks, while a pool table takes center stage.
The cocktail list contains a number of old standards, including the Aviation, French 75, and Sazerac, as well as some modifications on old classics. Much like the Quarry House, the American-focused beer list has some unique choices, including Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout ($25), microbrews from Oskar Blues ($5), Flying Dog, Dogfish Head and other. For those who prefer the champagne of beers, Miller High Life is available for $3.50. There are some European treasures to be found as well, such as J.W. Lee's Harvest Ale Matured in Lagavulin Casks ($14), and Birrificio Montegioco Demon Hunter ($25). Plans are in the works for two taps, one of which will be dedicated to cider.
Sidebar will also have a large number of options for wine lovers, starting off with three whites and three reds available by the glass, and a bottle list is in the works with some "unusual" bottles from $25–200. Greenbaum adds that if there they can fit in a wine preserving system such as an Enomatic, they would like to offer a deeper wine by the glass list, as well as carafes and tasting portions.
During the first few weeks, those who are looking for some food to go along with their booze will need to make do with the wonderfully aromatic truffled popcorn or housemade potato chips coated with your choice of nori, smoked paprika, or curry. But in the coming months the food options will expand with the addition of Chicagoan Diana Davila, the executive chef of Jackie's.
At the soft opening Davila served up Chicago dogs with classic jade green relish imported from Chicago, sport peppers, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and mustard that I would love to scarf after a night of drinking. Also on hand were chicken tamales with an Oaxacan chocolate mole filled with some of the smoothest and most flavorful masa I've ever had. The menu is still being designed to optimize a fairly limited prep space, but it seemed obvious that Davila could thrive in the environment.
Fitting with Greenbaum's love of music, the bar has DJ and band PA systems. So be sure to look out for DJ and live music nights. On off nights they'll be playing from stacks of vinyl stored in the bar; you can also look forward to playing DJ with bring-your-own-vinyl events.
Sidebar might be one of the more accessible speakeasies in the area with a little something for everyone. With a solid beer list, good choices for wine and cocktail lovers, tasty bar snacks, amazing music, and a chill atmosphere, it's another reason to make the trip to Silver Spring.
Sidebar
8081 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD
301-565-9700
Metro: Silver Spring
Limited Opening Hours:
Wednesday and Thursday: 6p.m. - midnight
Friday and Saturday: 6p.m. - 2a.m.