In Shaw’s new TallBoy, cheap beer and late-night eats replace high-end deli and celeb chef-helmed Smoked & Stacked. The laid-back bar opened on Thursday.
In a neighborhood peppered with conceptual, chef-driven, sit-down restaurants, the casual TallBoy represents a refreshing brew-infused breath of air. TallBoy is a re-concept of the former space from the Tin Shop restaurant development group, which also operates the popular, sticky-floored hangouts Penn Social, Franklin Hall, and Highline RxR. Tin Shop amicably parted ways with chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, who decamped to dedicate more time to the Union Market steakhouse St. Anselm, where she is the executive chef.
Among these high-end surroundings of Shaw, “there was not a place where you could casually grab a beer and good food for affordable prices,” says Sam Perkins, head of strategy and development at Tin Shop. “The kitchen will also stay open late, something we feel is really needed for the area.”
True to its name, TallBoy’s top draw will be its big (16-oz) cans of beer, as well as its hours: It’s open until 2 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m. on weekends. Perkins hopes that crowds will be able to unwind, hang out at the bar, and soak up the no-frills atmosphere.
Perkins says he and Tin Shop owners Peter Bayne and Geoff Dawson, “feel this is a different, but welcome, addition for Blagden Alley and the Convention Center. In TallBoy, we tried to balance it out by ensuring there are some affordable options for everyone. We have a menu that someone looking for a nice Manhattan or a $5 PBR tall boy can choose from.”
Schlitz and Narragansett tall boys also ring in at $5. Rounding out the beverages are a slew of 12-ouncers, including a nod to the increasing cadre of low-cal hard seltzer fans with White Claw cans. A full bar includes beers on tap and more than a dozen whiskeys for that nice Manhattan.
Cured meat enthusiasts who flocked to Smoked & Stacked, meanwhile should dry those tears: Though the space has been modified to cater to late-night patrons, TallBoy kept the kitchen, which serves up grilled cheeses and wings.
Among those sandwiches is the Smoked & Stacked, a Reuben-esque celebration of Meek-Bradley’s pastrami with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. In a move RuPaul’s Drag Race fans would appreciate, another option is the Kim Cheese with pepper jack, bacon, and kimchi. Crunchy can meet creamy, with smoked tomato soup for dipping on the menu. For dairy-averse, plates of wings are also available; classic Buffalo meets other nontraditional options like a General Tso flavor.
One menu item, the Tom & Cheese grilled cheese, honors Tom Marmet, a close friend of Dawson’s who was victim of a stray bullet. A portion of the proceeds from this sandwich will be donated to So Others Might Eat, where Marmet volunteered.
The pint-sized bar has 30 seats, as well as a few bar stools. The layout also features two murals: one that offers an etymology lesson on the bar’s namesake should tipplers want some education with their $5 beers, as well as one by Kelly Towles, a local artist seen across D.C. and recognized for his colorful, pop-art style.
TallBoy is located at 1239 9th St. NW. Hours are Monday-Thursday 3 p.m.-2 a.m., Friday 3 p.m.-3 a.m., Saturday 12 p.m.-3 a.m., and Sunday 12 p.m.-2 a.m.
Tall Boy Menu (1) by Lori McCue on Scribd
