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Asylum
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 5 pm - 2 am
Thu-Sun 5 pm - 3 am
Sat 10 am - 5 pm
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
169 reviews for Asylum
Review Highlights
"I had a great vegan brunch in a biker bar."
(in 27 reviews)
"The waffle fries are awesome as well."
(in 19 reviews)
"The tofu scramble was very good, as were the pancakes."
(in 17 reviews)
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169 reviews in English
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Review from Chuckie T.
Boston, MA
2/9/2012
Used to hang around here all the time back in '99 (basement) Loved it. Went back for the first time since 2003 recently and nothing had really changed. Favorite bar in DC. Wish Boston had a few places like this.
Heard rumors that this place may be closed or remodeled. For the love of God, no. This place is perfect as is and an AdMo institution. -
Review from Xavier A.
Washington, DC
11/21/2011
I make no secret of the fact that I'm not much of an AdMo fan. If you ask me, most of the bars lack personality and if I were to be blindfolded and led into one without seeing the sign I'd be hard pressed to tell you where I am.
Asylum could be an exception, based on two factors. One is the decor; it's decorated to look like a dungeon...or something. I can appreciate the effort put forth to fit a theme but really the place just looks like the kind of haunted house you take your kids to at a young age around Halloween. Everything looks plastic and half-assed and the license plates surrounding the bar were sort of out of place. They give off an Applebee's or TGIFriday's vibe.
The second distinguishing factor was the overwhelming pork stench. Apparently this smell was seeping in from a restaurant next door. Now, I am a man that loves his barbecue; I'll take a good pulled pork sandwich over almost anything any day of the week. The smell wafting in though was not one of good barbecue. It was stale and incredibly distracting.
Right off the bat Asylum was losing points based on ambiance. The service didn't redeem it. It was a Saturday night but the bar wasn't particularly packed so my friends and I lined up to order a round of shots and waited in seats at the bar for about 10 minutes before getting any sort of attention. I recall the music being kind of heavy, which is fine for the feel they seem to be trying to establish, but it's not my scene.
I'd love to give a recommendation for another bar on 18th Street to visit in lieu of Asylum, but I'm falling flat. Just hit up Amsterdam Falafel and then get a cab to another part of town to enjoy your evening. -
Review from Mat T.
Washington, DC
Updated - 9/11/2011
RIP Asylum
the saturday drink deal is no more. this was the only reason to go to adams morgan anymore. whatever they are doing to the upstairs is a travesty, but don't mess with the basement. enjoy you're tapas and over priced beer. good riddance.Listed in: Watering Holes
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/30/2007
I prefer the basement over the upstairs but with the saturday happy hour, who can complain? The… Read more »
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Review from sam w.
Haymarket, VA
9/29/2011
My friend and I wanted brunch on a late Sunday morning so we ventured into this place and was totally thrown off. Gothic, sexy, dark vampirish and thought that maybe we shouldve visited the night before; nonetheless, the food was great, the service was attentive and were entertained by the decoratives.
There might be a wait to get seated, but its worth it. -
Review from Sweet B.
Washington, DC
11/21/2011
I can't rate the food because I prefer dead animal products and, frankly, the atmosphere is not one that lends me to believe it is wise to eat there. Having said that, this is one of a handful of places that sells cheap beer for cheap. It is also the kind of place one can walk into and listen to ZZ Top uninterruptedly for an hour. What can I say, one man's hell is another man's paradise.
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Review from Chris S.
5/19/2011
My worlds have collided, and I think I like it.
Dive bar meets rock n roll meets vegan cuisine. Whaaat?
Really, this place is awesome. They have a pretty decent beer selection, and of course all of your favorite hipster numbers like pbr and natty bo.
They mark 'em down nice and good for happy hour, but are fairly cheap normally.
The atmosphere is special. It's nice and grundgy, yet not gross, in the spirit of a good dive bar. The staff is all fun, and are fun to talk to while you are swigging back your favorite brew.
Good rock n roll is usually piping out of the speakers, either from a DJ or from the juke box.
But food is really what draws me to Asylum.
I tend to start my dinner off with their vegan bbq wings. These are great! They are a little pricey comparatively, but its worth it for the flavor and texture. Great consistency, great sauce. Amazing!
It is rare to find such a fun place to go to, that has a good selection of vegetarian/vegan/ meat food, especially at a grundgy bar.
I've had a lot of it but let's see, their vegan philly steak sandwich is great, as is their grilled tofu wrap, asylum veggie burger with veggie chili, just to name a few.
The waffle fries they serve are always a must too, so be sure to order some up.
You can veganize almost anything on the menu for an additional fee, which is always a fun option.
Brunch is also great, as they have two menus: a vegan one and a regular one. If you go, get the vegan breakfast bowl, it is killer. Vegan tofu scramble, with vegan biscuits, cheese and veggies gets me through almost any hangover!
If after reading this you are not convinced to go to Asylum, an actual asylum is where you belong!Listed in: A Whole-lotta-meat(-less)…
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Review from Susan H.
Austin, TX
11/16/2011
This place (the downstairs) was a favorite of mine when I lived in DC. Shiner on draft, cheap wing specials, awesome bar tenders. What more could you want? They will also make the wings super spicy if you ask nicely.
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Review from Stephanie S.
Silver Spring, MD
7/28/2011 1 photo
[UPDATE: Closing soon for renovations]
Dimly lit and skulls decorating the walls... have I entered some dark lord's lair? No, just Asylum. I've been there several times, mostly to see friends' bands play. I've ordered food, and it's bar food, what do you expect? I was surprised they even have a kitchen. Full bar which is A-OK in my books and there is a good happy hour with discounted prices for domestic beers and wells. It's a pretty intimate spot and good for drinks and listening to music. Although, I would have to suggest investigating who you're going to listen to before hand because I've had my share of "no thank you" moments where I had to get up and leave. -
Review from Torey B.
Pittsburgh, PA
12/26/2011
I used to love the old Asylum, but they went and ruined everything with these renovations. It's totally different, no more music, and it has a different menu which no longer includes their wonderful vegan chili cheese fries. Very disappointing.
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Review from Jaclyn C.
New York, NY
7/18/2011
I've come here twice, and will likely come back based on the beer selection, till 8pm happy hour, and because it claims to be a "Rock and Roll Bar" on its sign.
I've also eaten here twice. The first time I had the chicken wings happy hour special. The meat was dry, but the spicy sauce was incredible. The second time my friend and I both ordered mac & cheese, and it was horrific. A globule mess that needed a half bottle of hot sauce to make it edible. My other friend had a chicken wrap that was dry and without flavor. Friends and stomach made fun of me all evening for bringing me there, but I'll go back to check out the music. -
Review from Colleen C.
Washington, DC
7/15/2011
The decor doesn't make you think "yay, happy" but the quality of the food and beer selection will. It's been described as a vegan biker bar, but it also offers food of the meat variety. And it's ok if you don't roll up on your motorcycle. It's for all types, really. Think of it this way, you can wear leather, vegan leather, or neither and rock a little sundress. Asylum accepts all types. Back to the food though. I ordered the vegan chili cheese fries with a meat-eating friend, and we loved that basket equally. It's the best bar food I've found so far. Great tacos during happy hour too.
If you're on a serious budget and don't mind cheap, low-grade beer, go on Saturday afternoon. Depending on when you get there, the beer could be as cheap as $.50. Granted, it will be Miller High Life or Natty Lite, but considering that you could find the money on your way to the bar, there really isn't anything to complain about. The price goes up each hour, but is still only about $1.50 by 8pm. Factor in that their brunch goes until 4pm and it's a great place to waste away a Saturday. -
Review from Tom D.
Washington D.C., DC
3/1/2011
I'm writing you to inform you about an incident my fiance and I experienced at Asylum. I want to start out, however, by saying that we've been going to Asylum for about 6 years, mainly for brunch and always with friends. We've enjoyed the vegan offerings and have often spread the word, on the day of the unfortunate incident we even brought two friends who'd never been there before.
There were four of us at brunch that morning at around noon, we all ordered vegan entrees and had gotten about half way through with our meal when my fiance felt something unusual in her mouth. What she pulled out was an inch long, old, rusty, flat head screw. Not only was this disgusting but it was also dangerous and very serious. We immediately tried to think of reasonable explanations of how a screw could end up in her meal and only became more and more appalled.
I took her plate to the back of the bar where the wait staff was hanging around and our server saw me coming. She approached me knowing something must be wrong. Without saying a word, I pulled the screw from the food and showed her why I was there. Through nervous laughter she quickly said sorry and brought the plate to the bartender who said "well... we'll obviously comp this..." Our server came back and said, "do you want something else?" But at this point we were too disgusted.
Finding a screw was appalling but, the staff's nonchalance compounded our frustration with the situation. While we appreciate that our meals were comped, we don't think that the this was handled appropriately. Overall we feel like it was dismissed as just an accident and not a more serious matter to investigate. This was a VERY dangerous situation. That screw could have been swallowed or caused other harm!
We'll probably never go back to Asylum, that's a given, but we thought it was important that you know about this too. -
Review from Lauren B.
Updated - 1/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I made it back for brunch! I agree with a previous review that the crowd here can be a little intimidating...my tramp stamp and loc'd hair did not make me hip enough, not even close
The waitress kinda acted like she was only here because she just couldn't stand to go to one more totally awesome party with her friends as she strutted her mean Naomi Campbell strut. Oh trust, I am not hating, it was all entertainment.
I dove in to the Breakfast Biscuit Bowl and all else faded away. Me an my brunch (mimosas x 2) were one. Everything was so yummy!
I will be back!Listed in: DC is for Brunchers
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2010
You know, when I decided to move to DC as a single girl I always dreamed of the nights I would be… Read more »
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Review from Katie Y.
9/15/2010
Absolutely horrible experience with trying to use a restaurant-dot-com coupon here, which is funny to me because now the business is advertising on Asylum's Yelp page. While the certificate said nothing about using the coupon for "food only", Asylum denied us from using the coupon for drinks. Mind you, the certificate was for $100 off when you spend $200... To reach $200 for food items only, you would have to basically buy food for everyone in the bar and some passers-by as well.
The coupon had all kinds of limitations on it, but specifying it was for "Food only" was definitely not one of them. When we pointed this out to our server (and we were a group of five), he wanted nothing to do with it, nor would the manager. Completely bogus, and what a waste of money the restaurant-com coupon was! Don't bother. -
Review from Irena C.
New York, NY
3/28/2011
Ok, this place is a bar first and foremost. Unfortunately, we decided to have brunch here to appease a vegan friend (it did smell like previous night's beer outing while we ate). Do NOT come here for food if your goal is to have a good meal. This place basically serves food as a way to make money off the space during the day before people come to drink at night and spend money on alcohol.
You can judge this by the simple fact that they only have one kind of bread - the thick tasteless white kind. They use it as toast, for sandwiches, for French Toast etc...They would probably use it as fries too if it could pass. And any place that serves both nachos (slice of cheese melted on top, probably in the microwave) and pita and hummus on the same list of appetizers is probably not concerned with quality.
"Home fries" are frozen waffle fries. Don't expect actual home fries. Eggs (over easy) were cold and tasted like the oil they were cooked in.
They were also out of the Breakfast Burrito menu item when we got there at 2pm. How can you be out of that unless it's pre-made? They obviously had the ingredients since they came in the other items we ordered.
Service was good though.
Go here for the alcohol, don't come for the food. -
Review from Lexie D.
12/31/2010
My two p.m. brunch experience at Asylum was completely underwhelming. Food was slow and bland, and the drink specials were non-existent. I found the place dirty and sketchy. That's all fine and good if I'm in the mood for a biker bar, but said biker bar should not ALSO serve vegan brunch.
An odd place, and not in a great way. -
Review from Sarah C.
Washington, DC
Updated - 9/15/2010
I am reposting this review because I see that Asylum has decided to advertise it's RESTAURANT DOT COM deals on this page! And somehow--inexplicably-- my previous review no longer shows up on the Yelp reviews for this restaurant.
This place refused to honor a gift certificate I bought from restaurant dot com. The certificate was $100 off if you spend $200. I would not have bought this certificate if it did not apply to both drinks AND food (the menu prices are only about $8 on average-- seriously, you'd need a huge party to make it to $200 on food alone). http://Restaurant.com does a great job of spelling out all the restrictions, and this particular coupon was silent about how much of the $200 had to be on food. Many other certificates state "FOOD ONLY." In fact, cheaper certificates for Asylum DID state that it was valid for food only, but this one did not. (*Note, I bought and was able to use the same certificate down the street at Town Tavern on both food AND drinks).
Bottom line, Asylum: don't sign up for restaurant dot com and then add your own terms to make the certificates nearly impossible to use. I'm pretty sure that's not even legal.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2010
This place refused to honor a gift certificate I bought from http://restaurant.com. The certificate… Read more »
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Review from David B.
McLean, VA
11/13/2010
One of the best vegetarian / vegan brunches around besides Soul Veg. I've been going here for many years. Sure, sometimes the tofu scramble can be a little runny, and the service lackadaisical, but the food tastes good and it's reasonably priced. Do you think Ben's chili cheese fries are good? Asylum's chili-cheese waffle fries blow them out of the water. They have different vegan pancakes every weekend, the chili-cheese tofu scramble is always a hit with me.
So for those complaining about the decor or the tattooed attitude (hey, it's a biker bar), have fun waiting in line at the Diner and paying $8 for a grilled cheese.
I actually want to rate this place lower so people will stay away and I won't have to wait for a seat.Listed in: Vegetarian Eats
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Review from Ali A.
Arlington, VA
4/13/2011
Come on people. This place is exactly what it looks like from outside. The drinks are cheap and the staff is covered in tats. The food is better than expected and the waffle fries are awesome. The Saturday beer countdown is legendary and everything is for the most part cheap. You will find a random mix of people here on the weekend and they offer Vegan brunch...
If you haven't been here before, you need to stop in and have a beer. -
Review from Ali R.
Annville, PA
8/22/2011
This place is prettttty great. Went here for a late brunch with a friend on a Saturday-- the bartender was SUPER welcoming & friendly as soon as we stepped in the door. Descending the basement steps and entering this little cave of wonder can seem a little intimidating at first but once you're in, you feel right at home. My friend ordered brunch from the vegan menu and I ordered from the non-vegan stuff. My huevos rancheros were really delicious and everything was on point. My friend got a mountain of waffle fries with a ton of daiya cheese on top as a side to his french toast. Well stocked bar with neat options like vegan white russians. Great staff, perfect atmosphere. I'd find myself losing a lot of hours on a barstool here if I still lived in DC. Definitely would return!
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Review from Andre F.
Washington, DC
1/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whoever said that Asylum was a dive bar, probably considers the Ritz Carlton a budget motel. Pretty clean, nice staff and soft crowd hardly suggests that this place is "divey".
This review is for brunch.
Walked in to a warm greeting from the bartender Dedric. Due to the many vegan options, I was completely dumbfounded on what to order. Dedric gave me a few great suggestions and I promptly ordered.
My food arrived 5-6 minutes later and I practically inhaled the breakfast burrito. After the burrito, i ordered the strawberry pancakes to complete my meal.
By no means are these the best pancakes I've ever tasted. I've made and had better, but that did not change my experience.
With the chili cheese fries and the $2 vegan tacos, ill more than likely be back more often as h street is becoming a bore. -
Review from Lemon C.
Washington, DC
8/21/2010 1 photo
I wanted to love this place because they have a vegan lunch menu. I'm a vegetarian and was excited to try the tofu there. Well I ordered the tofu rancheros and it wasn't that great. It needed a ton of salt and to be mixed in with all the other things on my plate. It just didn't have any flavor.
I make scrambled tofu for breakfast everyday so I feel I'm a bit of an expert on preparing tofu. Theirs honestly seemed like the only spice they added was tumeric which is more of a food coloring than a flavor. The soy cheese was quite good and the beans were pretty spicy.
They gave us separate checks which was nice. It's a small place so by noon it was packed. Most people were in their 20s/30s and lots of tattoos. The jukebox played punk music.
The tiny bathroom has graffiti on the walls and the outside of the door is so dirty, it's no longer white, but sandy brown, it needs a fresh coat of paint pronto.
The food portions are large. The service was fine, I was asked on 3 separate occassions if I wanted to order a drink - "still no". -
Review from Andrew H.
Washington, DC
7/30/2010
This place looks like Anton LaVey's mom's basement.
I would say that I could easily imagine him and his mid 30s friends rolling a D20 at one of the tables, but that would be an uncalled for insult to D&D players everywhere.
If you like getting drunk in a Twilight fan's wet dream, this is your kind of place. For the rest of us, a meager beer selection and average prices make it a place to steer well clear of.
On the plus side, if you know any obese, black lipsticked, suburban wiccan girls, you're probably pretty much guaranteed to get in their pants if you bring them to Asylum. -
Review from Jenn H.
Washington, DC
7/9/2010
On occasion, I go to Asylum's happy hour for cheap tacos and wings. My boyfriend and I typically split an order of six tacos and six wings. Throw in a beer each, and we're satisfied.
As for the food itself -- I've had better wings and tacos, but Asylum's versions are not bad. The wings seem to have become smaller since I first started going, but the spiciness factor is great. I love spicy food and the medium hot is about all I can handle. Tacos are available in beef, bean or vegan styles, with hard or soft shells. I always go for the beef soft shell tacos and they're always tasty and warm. For the price, you can get a decent meal out of the specials.
The only turn-off is, sometimes, the service is really slow. Some nights they have table service and others you need to order at the bar, but it's never really clear since no one goes out of their way to tell you to order at the bar even though you've been sitting in plain view at one of the tables for 10 minutes. -
Review from Nick K.
Washington, DC
Updated - 11/17/2011
RIP Asylum.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/6/2009
Great vegan and vegetarian food. Really cheap drinks for happy hour. Beer starting at 50 cents!… Read more »
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Review from Tiffany H.
Washington, DC
3/28/2011
Asylum's a lot like the unfortunate ex you can't seem to help gravitating toward because, brooding and inconsistent though he may be, he's a cheap date, is pretty much up for anything, and what you see is entirely what you get. Still, you wouldn't take this greasy, antisocial ne'er-do-well home to mama, and if your mama happens to be in town, I would not recommend you take her here. Seriously. The vegan brunch is just okay in my opinion, but I've introduced card-carrying carnivore friends who couldn't stop raving about it - probably just because their expectations of anything vegan are extremely low; I think they're expecting to be served, like, steamed Styrofoam or something. So yeah, by those standards, it's phenomenal! To someone who's actual experienced otherworldly vegan deliciousness (see Great Sage, Elizabeth's Gone Raw, my very own kitchen...), they've got light years to go. Actually, Asylum, you'd make great strides just serving the food HOT. Mine always seems to arrive lukewarm. Blegghh.
So, why even three stars? Simple: happy hours, and free movie nights. I had one of the absolute best times in recent years just hanging out with a bud on a weeknight eating $1.50 tacos by the truckload and watching Russ Meyer films. I gotta tell you, it was a pretty special evening, and I had it at Asylum, so I'm always gonna have a soft spot for the joint, just like that loser ex. -
Review from Vegan Blogger r.
Los Angeles, CA
7/4/2010
I ate brunch here nearly every weekend when I lived in DC. I love that their brunch menu is double-sided: one side catering to vegans and the other, to satisfy our omnivore friends (i.e., our friends who haven't yet realized that vegan is clearly the way to go, just sayin').
The vegan breakfast sandwich with tofu scramble, "cheese," and soysauge or fake bacon was my favorite. The bread is so thick and comes toasted, and the sandwich overall is very filling and accommodating of a hangover. Also - and listen to me very carefully - Asylum has AMAZING WAFFLE FRIES.
The coffee is decent. So are the drinks. How often do you find a place that serves ALL of the following: vegan brunch, omni brunch, coffee, mimosas, and bloody marys? Asylum would be its own little utopian, punk-rock society if the service weren't so goddamn effing slow. But, I will say, most of the servers are hella cool and with-it. -
Review from Anne L.
Washington, DC
Asylum: Biker Haven or Vegan Delight?
In this Adams Morgan classic, Dungeon chic rules and secures the line against tacky theme restaurants. The upstairs is cozy with draped velvet, chandeliers, live music, and black dragon adorned bar and DJ booth. Downstairs features a pool table and the dark seedy feel one yearns for in their favorite dive bar. Hipster, metal, punk, rock, goth, glam, surf, reggae, dub, soul, name your poison; you can find it here.
The staff and clientele may seem rough around the edges to those unaccustomed to the scene, but everyone here is as nice as pie- the bikes rumble GRRR but the staff counters with a resounding Mew! All you gotta do is scratch the surface and this gem is sure to become a favorite.
Like many other bars, Asylum offers a variety of happy hour specials M-F 5-8 p.m. If you're an herbivore, try happy hour on Tuesday - buy any vegan item and get the second half price. Say What? Why yes, what sets Asylum apart is a commitment to serving a variety of quality vegetarian and vegan foods at reasonable prices every day of the week.
To be honest, I'm a regular at Asylum. It's my dive bar of choice and the delicious veggie treats are often the highlight of my work week. No matter how broke or tired I am, I know that some veggie tacos and a Pabst at Asylum will get me going again. It's that kind of a place. Don't get me wrong, Asylum has a full bar and a great selection of beers on tap that are all worth trying- I just happen to be a creature of habit.
If you're prone to hangovers, you've got to check out the most inexpensive brunch in Adams Morgan- weekends from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Even the late risers can make it in time for a delicious omelet or pancake special. Hair of the dog anyone? A mimosa or Bloody Mary couldn't possibly hurt!
I'm not gonna lie, this isn't high class food: it's bar food. But it's consistently good, reasonably priced, and the scene is refreshing. It's the most unpretentious scenester bar around and it's right in the heart of Adams Morgan.
That said, here are some Veggie Highlights:
*Top Secret-Not on the Menu* Vegan Wings $6.75
These TVP nuggets are skewered and fried extra crispy while remaining absolutely juicy and slightly sweet on the inside. Served with celery, carrots, wing sauce, and vegan sour cream.
Chili Cheese Fries $5.75
Veganize add $1*
This is a mega deal! A raft of crispy seasoned waffle fries is more than you can handle even with a couple of people. Did I mention that the homemade veggie chili is killer?
Grilled Vegan Wrap $7.75
If you're hungry, this generous wrap will hit the spot. Your choice of grilled tofu or portabella, sauted peppers & onions, lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese and a side of vegan sour cream and salsa round out a perfect package.
Hard Shell Tacos $4.75
Three hard shell tacos filled with tasty veggie chili or beef, shredded romaine, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. $2 extra for grilled chicken. Veganize add $1*
The real deal with these tacos is that they're a happy hour special M-F. There's a 3 taco minimum, but you can order as many as you like for just $1 each between 5-8 p.m.! That's a lot of tacos!
*Just what does Veganize mean? Tofu scramble, vegan bacon, sausage, sour cream and/or cheese turn your meal into a vegan delight!
Brunch:
Vegan Huevos Rancheros $8.75
Delicious tofu scramble adorns a crispy corn tostada topped with salsa and cheese, with a side of home fries and black beans. This dish is worth dragging yourself off the couch for, and since it's Asylum, you won't be waiting long for brunch!
Vegan Pancakes $5.75
There's a different flavor every week, so get your fill of this classic comfort food.
Side of Tempeh Bacon or Soysage $2
Finally, vegans have a place to go for food with some real bite to it!
For Omnivores:
Chicken Club $7.75
A classic grilled chicken breast served with some of the best turkey bacon you'll ever have, melted pepper jack & honey mustard on Texas Toast. This sandwich is sure to please, order it with waffle fries for an extra $1.50.
Fajita Wrap $7.75
The meaty cousin of the Vegan Wrap, you won't get over how much tender grilled chicken or steak they pack into it.
Brunch:
Chili Cheese Omelet $7.75
I'm a sucker for this huge omelet overflowing with cheddar cheese and delicious chili, served with home fries and Texas Toast. Order a side of Turkey Bacon or Chicken Sausage for just $2.
French Toast $5.75
Try this delicious treat made with Texas Toast. Or take a walk on the wild side and sample the vegan version for the same price! -
Review from Melody S.
Pasadena, CA
5/30/2007
I had a great vegan brunch in a biker bar.
Need I say more?
Probably not, but I will anyway. As you know, bikers and veganism go together like...
um...
well, like bikers and veganism, I guess.
But this is a good thing.
If I can recall, I had a plate of really good vegan French Toast with a side of soysage, and my dining companions, who weren't veg, decided to order veg, too, because mine looked so good.
Oh, and it was cheap. Cheap, I tell you! I dig it. This is now officially my brunch place when I'm in the DC area. Maybe I'll wear my Harley shirt.Listed in: My Four-Star List, Have veg, will travel
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Review from olivia d.
3/16/2009
Nothing says brunch quite like portraits of nude suicide girls, red velvet draperies, black walls and antique chandeliers.
Nothing says vegan brunch quite like flavorless liquidy tofu "eggs" with too much turmeric and bland buckwheat strawberry and banana pancakes that even a heavy drenching of syrup can't help. If this is what vegans consider a delicious brunch spot, I never want to be vegan. Nice try, but it's not working.
And it's not just that I'm a biased meat eater. I've had excellent scrambled tofu "eggs," flavorful vegan meals and delicious mock meats. Just not here.
Service can also be slow, but it's no wonder when there are only two people working all of the packed tables.Listed in: Tales of a Temporary…
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Review from Kammy G.
Arlington, VA
10/8/2006 ROTD 10/18/2006
Achtung - Bikers, Vegetarians, Gothlings, Metalheads, Rivetheads, and Wild Spirits: a perfect fusion for all to seek asylum in...yes, Asylum in Adams Morgan, aka Kamelia's favorite bar!
Let me start by saying, I have obviously been to Asylum many times and have never had a bad experience there. Yes, there was a drunk harassing my friends and me, but even in a situation like that (which every bar has seen), the bartender quicly took notice and signaled to the security guard to take care of the situation, and he did so immediately with minimal scene-causing. It made me feel that it is a safe place to be, with staff members who communicate well, regardless of their different roles at the bar, and who are keeping an eye out for their patrons.
Just want to relax with a drink and shoot some pool? They've got you covered. Down for some pinball? They've got you covered. Officially considered a "biker bar" (there are plenty of motorcycle parking spots right in front of the bar), Asylum attracts people of all walks of life. If you are not interested in showing off your yuppy status or meeting other pretentious yuppies, this is the place for you. Of course, yuppies flock here too, but it has a completely different vibe to it - one of friendly and laid-back people. Metal, goth, industrial, even rap music serenade patrons not too loudly and not too quietly. Bands and musicians play live music here regularly and odd events are a normal sight here.
As for their food, I cannot personally speak for, since I have never gone during happy hour, but only on weekend nights. I have heard great things about the food offered here, however. While their Valentine's Jello Wrestling wasn't vegan, they do always have vegan offerings, like vegan tacos during happy hour for under a buck, or a vegan Mexican cheese pizza or vegan B.L.T. Food derived from various mammals is also offered, for everyone else.
The bartenders are friendly and quick to serve. The service from the bartenders is truly outstanding, I must say. Whether you order your drinks from their upper level bar, where they have a jukebox, or the lower level bar, where they have a billiards table and pinball, you will be served quickly and with attention to detail. Even when there is just one bartender serving at a given specific bar, and there are many people waiting for drinks, you will not be kept waiting for more than a minute or two, most of the time.
To stay up to date on their events, add them onto your MySpace or bookmark their profile at http://profile.myspace...
Come and check out this unusual and great find in the heart of Adams Morgan. And order a mojito for the girl in my member picture (aka...moi!) :) -
Review from Chloe F.
4/27/2008
I really love Asylum's brunch. The option for veg-heads and meat-lovers is superb. I've been going here for a while now and have really never been disappointed. They've got a great selection of beers on tap and if you want your bloody mary spicy, they can usually accommodate (sometimes, it may lack the kick you are really looking for).
Today I was meeting up with a friend and we were both in the mood for some good egg dishes. After thinking about the options... I suggested Asylum. I am so glad I did! It had been a few months since I had been here, after going almost weekly for a while. We arrived at 11 and were the first to sit at the bar. Coffee? Yes. Please! Our bartender promptly delivered coffee and menus, and as I started explaining which dishes were my faves, on both the vegan and non-vegan sides of the menu, the bartender handed up the specials menu. Specials? At Asylum? What's going on here? How new, how exciting, how amazing!
We each ordered a special item. My friend got the baja omelet with goat cheese, shrimp, some veggies and black beans. I had a bite of hers and it was scrumptious. I ordered the veggie benny...no poached eggs here, but the english muffin, spinach, portabello, scrambled eggs and lemon hollandaise were awesome. Both dishes came with a side of Asylum's potatoes, which I particularly love. My dish was fantastic and we both cleaned our plates.
So what gives? Over the past two years I have never seen a special on their menu. It turns out they got a new chef a couple of months ago. Suposedly he's a good guy, if a little crazy. In my book, crazy usually equals great...and it comes out in the food. They may put a few of the special dishes permanently on the menu, depending on how the customers react. If either of out dishes end up there, I'll be happy. I also recommend the breakfast wraps, both vegan and non, and the huevos rancheros, both vegan and non. The waffle fries are awesome as well. Today I saw the people next to us order chili cheese waffle fries...they looked delish.
All in all, I love the chillness of this place. It's dark, not a lot of sun when the weather is beautiful, but it gives you a chance to enjoy your company. This place can get pretty busy on the weekends, too. -
Review from Becky T.
4/3/2009
I need meat at every meal or else I feel weak (I know it's all in my head). My visiting college roommate though is vegan, so picking a place for brunch wasn't easy, until I found that this place had both vegan and "regular brunch". We were all really excited to try it, especially since it was voted by some local publications as the best brunch in the area.
Needless to say we were disappointed. I was unimpressed with the regular brunch menu (maybe going to Tabard Inn for brunch the week prior set the bar a little high) and she was unimpressed with the vegan stuff. My turkey bacon BLT and order of buffalo wings were good but not spectacular and she had tofu and beans, which she described as being the same.
The place had a dirty bar feel to it, because that was what it basically was. And it was too cold. However, the third star because it's nice to have a place with such a large vegan selection in addition to those menu items that are definitely not so vegan. Another star worthy point for their huge glasses of mimosa or bloody mary for only $5. -
Review from Sophie U.
9/12/2009
After Mourayo, my friends and I headed to Asylum; it was the night of their 18th anniversary. With $0.18 beers from 8 to 10pm and supposedly $1.80 beers from 10pm onward (I was actually charged $2), it was bound to be a shitshow.
And it was! The wait to get a beer was absurd and it was unbelievably loud. It was hot, crowded, and I didn't enjoy myself. That particular night, Asylum was exactly what I hate about Adams Morgan. Which is a shame, because I hear really good things from people I trust. Perhaps another time. -
Review from Gayle G.
Woodbridge, VA
11/25/2006
I've passed this place by for a while due to my peeps telling me the crowd was "scary." I checked it out (after growing a spine) and honestly- the crowd wasn't that much scarier than say at Hell a few doors down.
Just because it is run by bikers does not mean if you go there you'll be forced to wear black leather and drink bourbon. The staff is really friendly and won't hastle you.
I went with a veggie friend of mine and she was impressed with the great selection of vegan food items. I was impressed with their happy hours (Mondays - Fridays 5-9pm with different specials, the night I was there was 1/2 price veggie burgers). -
Review from Mariam M.
San Francisco Bay Area
7/18/2010
This is really more of a dive bar--at least it seemed so last night when me and a few friends stopped in around 10. The Yelp photos must be older or something?
Dark, a little grimy, bartender who was more interested in talking to her friend than actually standing behind the bar and doing her job...on the plus side, they had a clean bathroom?
Maybe I should have come for happy hour or brunch. -
Review from IH K.
Portland, OR
3/15/2009
I think it's best to give you multiple perspectives on this place.
From the vegan standpoint, I'm assuming this place is quite tasty - especially if it's been a number of years since one has tasted a real egg or consumed actual cheese. The selection was wide and offered most everything you'd typically find on a carnivorous menu, just with all vegan ingredients. I'd say that deserves a pat on the back!
From my point of view, a non-red meat-eating-almost-pescetarian who gave up dairy for lent - I was pleased that I could finally go eat somewhere (that's 1. not a seafood restaurant and 2. for breakfast) and have more than two options. My tofu scramble (after a liberal addition of salt) wasn't half bad. Personally, I think it was over scrambled and didn't mimic the larger chunks of eggs very well. But the slight curry flavor was nice. I ordered a side of chicken sausage, which I'm sure confused the waitress a great deal. The fact that they have turkey bacon and chicken sausage more than made up for any shortcomings of the vegan menu. I wouldn't be opposed to coming back here, just for my poultry sides (which rarely show themselves on restaurant breakfast menus) and one of their delicious bloody mary's.
The partner, a carnivore through and through wasn't impressed with his omelette. He assumed their lack of ability to cook real eggs was a result of putting their efforts into creative vegan entrees. Though I have to say, as much as I'm craving eggs right now, his dish didn't exactly make my mouth water.
So overall, 2 stars for food - but an additional star for making a peace offering to the dietarily restricted. -
Review from This Mac Kills Fascists A.
Washington, DC
4/1/2011
A drug den. There's malnourished characters lurking about with glassy eyes and snot oozing from their nostrils who frequent the restrooms for a bump.
-
Review from julie p.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2007
This used to be a basement-only smokey biker bar. Now, it's neither of those things. After Asylum took over the first floor and expanded its menu, it lost its biker bar panache and became just a bar that people for some reason feel "edgy" going to. Meh, whatever. Here's what I do know:
The high life count down- saturdays starting at 5pm, with $.25 pints of high life for the first hour and the price going up $.50 cents each hour- is the best reason ever to get drunk by 7pm, take a three hour nap, and then go out again. Hells yeah.
The chili cheese tofu scramble is the best breakfast/hangover cure ever. The vegan grilled cheese is better than the "real" one. The chili tacos kick ass. And the waffle fries (though not verifyably veg) are amazing.
Oh, Asylum. You take care of all my needs. -
Review from Em C.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2007
How can you possibly NOT love a place that plays music you never listen to (death metal), has a giant Brak-looking scorpion head sculpture (nay, frieze) installed in its bar, and sells beer that costs 50 CENTS??
I mean, I'm just a semi-preppy, well-groomed, recently-showered twentysomething, but I can have a good time at the Asylum. Let's all admit that we kind of wish WE could be bike messengers every once in a while.
PROS:
-um, 50 CENT BEER starting at 5pm on Saturdays
-4 people, 7 beers each, 2 orders of wings, 2 orders of other various fried appetizers. Total bill: $27
CONS:
-yes, some people there may or may not have previously been incarcerated. Who cares! They sell 50 CENT BEER for crying out loud
