The Dirty Goose, a new bar and restaurant, aims to fill a gap still missing from U Street and D.C.’s gay bar scene, which has seen the openings of four new establishments in the past year. Just a block away, you can catch a game at Nellies or let loose on the dance floor at Town. But The Dirty Goose aims to be a place where you can grab a nice cocktail after work or enjoy brunch on the weekend. Upscale can be a dirty word, especially for a gay bar, but co-owner Justin Parker said that is just what D.C. needed.
“The theme really came to us as we went to LGBT bars in D.C.,” Parker told DCist. “We enjoy all of them, but thought there was an opening for an approachable, upscale LGBT bar; somewhere where you could go on a date or leave straight from work and go to a happy hour still in your suit, or show up on a Saturday with a T-shirt and jeans on.”
The décor is modern with bow-tie accents throughout two distinct sections: the second floor bar/dining area and the roof, which is a real standout. While not quite the size of surrounding establishments, it does have some great unobstructed views of the city, and has thus far been the bar’s most popular feature. (It can also be rented out for private events.)
Plenty of martinis are on offer, including the bar’s namesake The Dirty Goose—a very dirty martini. Another popular one, so far, is the strawberry mimosa martini made with Grey Goose and finished off with champagne. The bar also has a selection of other cocktail standbys, like an old fashioned with a sweet tea twist and a beer menu that includes brews from Silver Spring’s Denizens Brewing Company.
The menu is Southern-inspired and heavy on shareables, like sliders, crisps and dips featuring pimento cheese and fried pickles. They offer more substantial fare like a fried chicken sandwich and a burger with bacon jam and Sriracha aioli. If you want something lighter, there are entree salads like a signature chopped salad.
Bottomless brunch is offered for $38 on Saturday and Sunday from 11-2, with a two-hour time limit. The menu includes typical Southern-style brunch staples (eggs, sausage, chicken and waffles and biscuits and gravy) and booze in the form of mimosas, rose(!) mimosas, and cucumber Bloody Mary cups. There are also some new twists on brunch, like buttermilk pancake tacos and pancake-fried sausage bites. Reservations for brunch are strongly encouraged.
The Dirty Goose is located at 913 U Street NW. Hours are 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. from Monday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays.
