Photo by Alan Zilberman.
By DCist Contributor Alan Zilberman
Located near the Washington Convention Center—or (generously) an unhip part of Shaw—Baby Wale has a lot going for it. The beer list is well-curated, the cocktail list is thoughtful, and it’s fucking HUGE. I’m not kidding. The bar is so goddamn long that it’s super easy to find a spot for a private conversation. The proliferation of bars in Shaw is astonishing, and Baby Wale distinguishes itself by being a mildly pretentious, shamelessly swagger-jacking neighborhood spot as well as a go-to destination. The bathroom is similarly thoughtful, with a solid attention to detail and helpful signage.
+6 for non-gendered bathrooms: There are four single-occupancy toilets at Baby Wale, and they’re not separated by gender. This is terrific because the facilities are in allocation with city-wide bathroom legislation. This means that men and women must suffer through the same annoying line, which will now move more quickly. As an aside, whenever I’m in a bathroom line I tell the person behind me that I’ll be in and out of there fast. It creates a sense of relief (pun intended) when I make due on my promise.
-2 for meager toilet paper options: At the particular bathroom I visited there was maybe half a roll, and the roll was hanging off a pipe in a way that did not exactly inspire confidence. Look, I want my toilet paper to be ample and LOCKED IN, as if the roll’s chief purpose is to inspire confidence, not panic when the situation is, uh, messy. Baby Wale is utilitarian—there is more than enough to handle the most ungodly of poop-related nastiness—but mentally it just isn’t enough. I want assurances!
+3 for a friendly hand-washing reminder: The motto over at Baby Wale is, “Everybody do your thing.” It’s on the restroom signs, and it’s on the “all employees must was their hands” sign. Their signage is not exactly aggressive—if I had my way, every bathroom would say “DON’T BE FUCKING GROSS. WASH YOUR HANDS FOR SERIOUS”—but the punchy sign is probably more helpful than that. Everyone should do their thing, obviously, unless it involves not washing their hands. Ew.
-4 for proximity to the kitchen: As D.C.’s intrepid bathroom correspondent—the Tom Sietsema of places where we poop, if you will—I experience an occasional moment of danger. No one likes getting their photo taken, especially in a bathroom, so I sometimes have to take photos of them like I’m a ninja or something. The bathroom door signs at Baby Wale are exceptional—I’m genuinely impressed how they distinguish which ones are baby friendly—which is part of why I felt a little ashamed when I took a photo of them. The chef at Baby Wale saw me taking photographs, and gave me the stink eye for it. Come on, dude! If your restaurant defines itself by poppy signs, then don’t get upset when it gets photographed. It’s not like I was going to steal the fucking thing.
+4 for overall cleanliness: Bathrooms should be exactly as clean as the restaurant’s reputation. A dive bar bathroom will look kinda gross, while a chic restaurant will put an extra emphasis on austere cleanliness. Baby Wale falls into the latter group. The bathrooms are so clean that I’d feel comfortable having my meal inside them, and that’s saying something. Even though it’s often necessary, anyone who brings their drink into the bathroom is gross.
Overall score: +7. A solid effort from a solid establishment. Shaw is overrun with nice bars, and the trend will not stop anytime soon. Still, Baby Wale is different because it’s just far enough away from the main drag so it’ll never be too crowded. Just don’t linger near the bathroom, lest you catch the ire of the kitchen staff.
