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Georgia Ave Petworth Station (Green, Yellow)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 1:30 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 2:30 am
Sun 5 pm - 2 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- DJ, Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Jennie L. said: "- EXCELLENT happy hour specials. But stay away so it's not too crowded for me! =) - Tried the braised lamb shank last night.. YUM! They've added a few items to their menu." read more »
100 reviews for Looking Glass Lounge
Review Highlights
"Temperance Hall was, by far, the best bar in the city."
(in 14 reviews)
"My favorite part might be the outdoor beer garden."
(in 6 reviews)
"Tuesday nights also hosts trivia which is always fun."
(in 13 reviews)
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100 reviews in English
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Review from Les D.
1/16/2012
I always wander here each time everything else in the neighborhood is closed. Need to start showing LGL a little more love. Each experience here has been rewarding. Primarily it's the food. LGL just serves really good food. Haven't had one bad item from the menu. Caesar salad is a big, fresh salad with peppers and even a few anchovies tossed on top. I'm not into anchovies, but thanks for classing up the dish. I'll just set those to the side. I had a first rate meal (salad, wings, beer) for around $15. That's a great deal.
Always an interesting assortment of beers on tap. I think Sunday evening at LGL is one of Georgia Ave's best perks. That they serve terrific food (salads, chicken sandwich, fries, etc) better than most full service restaurants in the neighborhood is worth noting. That they exhibit that quality on a cold, dark Sunday night in January is 5 star worthy. -
Review from Caleb W.
Park View, Washington, DC
1/3/2012
The LGL is the perfect neighborhood bar. Every time I walk in, I know I will find a mix of interesting people at the bar and really great folks behind it. Between the upstairs and downstairs, they have a good, somewhat rotating selection of beers. The atmosphere is always alive and friendly, with neighborhood folks around even on the weekends. It's never too packed (except upstairs on trivia night), and there's no telling when an impromptu dance party will ignite.
The atmosphere isn't really divey...more just a relaxed hang-out vibe, with just one bar TV and lots of seating. For food, I usually go for the chili cheese fries or wings, which get the job done. Overall, this is my spot because the people who work here make it the perfect atmosphere for all kinds of people to hang out and have fun. Stay awesome, 'Glass! -
Review from JoJo W.
Montgomery, MD
12/2/2011
I wouldn't call this place a dive bar. It's too colorful and cozy and thoughtfully designed. And the food is too good. It's more of a neighborhood pub.
Love the vibe, the beers on tap, the wines, the fries, the crowd, the music, the patio, the split level action. It's just what Petworth needs. And it's a great gathering place -- so awesome to see folks from different crowds, different races, different ages mingling and laughing together.
I don't go to the Looking Glass often enough, but when I do, I'm happy. -
Review from Rose K.
Washington, DC
1/11/2012
Oh dear, this place was odd. It was a Friday night, and my friends who live in Petworth had talked up this place as being a great neighborhood hangout. But even they were disturbed/amused by what unfolded that night.
They'd started to clear away tables to make way for the DJ and dancing. I normally love dancing. But the dance party was a rave, and electronic music is not my favorite. The DJ was even sporting a glow-in-the-dark mask/helmet, which admittedly was cool, and made it feel more like a rave. The crowd that came was interesting (one person seriously changed into a white tiger costume - I cannot make this stuff up!), and definitely were not folks from the neighborhood. Some of the dancers kept offering us some homemade cookies, which was very nice of them, though we weren't sure if they had been laced with any illicit substances.
Aside from the rave dance parties, I'm sure this place is really a great neighborhood bar. That night was just not my cup of tea, and since I don't live in Petworth, I'm not sure if I'll get to experience it again anytime soon. -
Review from D D.
Park View, Washington, DC
1/16/2012
This is really the best neighborhood bar one might ask for, as it's just across the street from my house. The food is always delicious, the bartenders are really fun to talk to, there's always an interesting bunch of people sitting at the bar, and the prices are just fine ($5 combo of Yuengling and Jack Daniel's - pretty awesome). The patio is awesome, and the music is always great. My only request would be to have more of a turnover in the beer varieties they have, but otherwise it's just great.
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Review from Colby P.
Washington, DC
1/30/2012
As far as neighborhood bars go, this is my favorite spot in DC. Yes I like the Derby, which is closer to me, but all in all Looking Glass has it beat. Pub grub is the nice bonus here, with very good selections across the board of better than you'd expect sandwiches, burgers, and apps. My personal favorite is the chicken fingers. Yes, sounds boring, but its perfectly cooked; moist inside with just the right amount of crunch on the buttermilk battered outside. Out of the bag and into the fryer cutlets, these are not. It also comes over fries (shoe-string, good) or over salad (legit, comes with spring greens, tomatoes, kalamata olives). Now do you see what I mean by better than expected? No? Well, this place is great not only for happy hour munchies but for late night festivities as well. The vibe is great, towing the line between dive and modern, the beer selection is great, Bo-Beam combos are in high demand, the bartenders are so nice, and the crowd is anything but pretentious. What more could you ask of your local watering hole?
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Review from Tony F.
Brooklyn, NY
11/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is a hot spot now in the ever changing petworth community! A great dive bar, divey music and decent food to munch on! diverse crowd!
A new divey looking bar at theGeorgia ave metro stop serving food and with back terrace! 6 taps and a Hipster and local mix! -
Review from Spot S.
Silver Spring, MD
1/26/2012
I like it here a lot. The trivia is fantastic! I've been to a few bars to test out the trivia and nothing holds a candle to this one! The food it somewhat overpriced--it's good, but not great. The wait staff is cool.
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Review from Jaymi F.
Washington, DC
10/27/2011
Let's start by saying we live less than a block away, and any bar in Petworth that is a safe, comfortable atmosphere gets 5 stars in our book.
However, we left abruptly tonight after a short, blonde bearded bar tender with a Napolean complex refused to let our friends stand inside with us as we finished our Thursday night drinks. His excuse: it's dangerous on this street at night. My thought: then why do you make our friends walk home without their group at 1:30 (with a closing time of 2:00 posted on the door). Now, we didn't ask this power-crazed man to serve our friends or to accommodate them with their own table in the near-empty bar, only to let them stand next to us as we finish our beer so that we can walk home together in this less-than-stable neighborhood.
We love the ladies, however! Hence, the three stars that they more than earned. My advice, if an overcompensating, blonde male is behind the bar, head over to the Blue Banana, where the drink specials are better and the bar tenders actually care to earn your tips. -
Review from Andrea W.
Washington, DC
1/10/2012
this is my go 2 divey-pubby-barplace... Sunday night wing night is awesome... and its a great neighborhood bar! the food is great... but who cares, you just go to a dive to get wasted... for cheap!! love it there no complaints
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Review from Morgan T.
Washington, DC
9/6/2011
Casual bar that has a pub like feel with all the dark wood in this place. The staff is always friendly and they have good drinks and yummy food. The chili cheese burger is good and I always like that they have Wild Blue, a strong blueberry beer.
The best part about this place is the downstairs where they have an outdoor beer garden. This place isn't cheap, it is reasonable priced. -
Review from Melissa J.
Washington, DC
12/29/2011
Very low key. Came in for a fabulous turkey reuben after having a hankering and googling an unknown number of local restaurant menus. They did not disappoint. Sat at the bar and waited for my food. The bartender was friendly as were the patrons. Music was good and I will certainly come back in the future.
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Review from Stephanie S.
Silver Spring, MD
8/1/2011
I secreting got excited thinking I was going to the underwater DHARMA Initiative station used as a beacon to help guide in submarines approaching the Island. Not the case, but still a good place.
The company was good, the drinks were cold, and as soon as there's money in my wallet, I'll be back for me. -
Review from Jimmy V.
Washington, DC
12/30/2011
An excellent neighborhood bar. NIce beer selection, great bartenders, good tunes, cool bar atmosphere and crowd. I usually go during happy hour, so I can't comment on what is like later at night. Never tried the food. The only downside I've seen so far is that the wine selection is very limited and not very good.
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Review from Derick K.
Richmond, VA
5/8/2011
I've never been here on a trivia night and on those Tuesday evenings this place is PACKED. I haven't a clue how to describe the crowd in the room, because it's various younger professionalish types who live and work in the city. Not pretentious at all, but certainly, if you're coming on trivia night, you better bring your "A" brain because it's pretty intense. Winner gets discounted food for the night, so if you have a secret weapon, I'd advise you bring him/her.
Don't come hungry either. I mean, don't come completely sated, the food is tasty, but it might take you 7 years and 4 months to receive anything that you ordered. I've learned that it's probably best to order (minimum) 2 drinks upon flagging down the wait staff and then (attempting) to order a replacement after the first one disappears. It's not really the wait staff's fault that they are slow (although it is their fault that they sometimes just completely forget about your existence and order), this place is ridonkulous to navigate during those high intensity trivia matches.
The bathrooms, however, are usually available.. I guess there's something to be said for not getting your refill very fast.
This was a weekly dive when I lived off of New Hampshire. It's not my favorite dive bar, but I'm not very divey. I would definitely recommend you gathering a few friends after work on Tuesday and get here around 6 to claim your table and just stay through the night. Georgia Avenue-Petworth metro station is up and running right across the street. -
Review from Aliya M.
Washington, DC
7/16/2011
Sweet little neighborhood bar right near Petworth metro. Affordable drinks, music that is not completely overbearing, a good sized crowd (always somewhere to sit on weekend nights), and a nice bar staff. I haven't had any food there because they don't have any vegan food that I know of other than french fries, but I would give it a 5 star rating otherwise. Ambience is relaxed and hip but not hipster.
Oh, and people are a little ahead of themselves about the location being sketchy- it is like a 2 minute walk from Petworth metro and not that sketchy of an area, unless you have a long walk down Georgia Avenue. -
Review from Tara S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/18/2011
I met the bf here, and we had our "moving out west together" goodbye party here, which probably makes me predisposed to think the Looking Glass is a wonderful magical perfect place. BUT I STILL think it deserves 4 stars. When it comes down to it I think the real root of its charm lies in its flexibility.
On saturday night you have the option of a pretty chill upstairs bar, a funky little dance floor, or downstairs, which is kind of like a good house party fused with a beer garden. How many good nights have been ruined because one person thinks the music is too loud, or it's too cold on the patio, or they really don't want to dance, etc? Lots of options in one place makes this a perfect fit for any group. You can hang out or party hard, or any combination thereof, pretty much.
The beer and wine are very affordable. I'm a wino, and they don't have many wine options, but as long as a bottle of some kind of white can be found I'm good.
Who cares whether it qualifies as an official Dive Bar or not? If you like drinking and casual hanging out you should have a good time.
Also, ditto the earlier reviewer who noted that there's really nothing sketchy about the location. Yeah, Georgia ave isn't Georgetown, but you're two blocks from a metro station, you should be able to catch a cab easily, and you shouldn't hesitate to go because you're worried about safety. Really. I'm a 4'11' girl and I feel totally fine. -
Review from Jae S.
Potomac, MD
4/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is legit. It might be located in the ghetto but the atmosphere and people there are AWESOME!! Cheap beers, good people and rear patio for smokers, this is what the bar suppose to be like.
Learn from this bar Bethesda bars!!! -
Review from Chrystina Z.
Washington, DC
2/10/2011
No idea Petworth actually had a good hangout :P I'd call it upscale divey... it wants to be under the radar, but you can tell someone cares too much. I walked into this unpretentious space and what do I hear? The National. Ah, already loving the space. The upstairs has a bar right near the entrance, and towards the back are more tables. There's some dark velvet Damask wallpaper and eclectic artwork about (see, little upscale to be called a proper dive).
We played Scrabble downstairs (yes, you read that correctly). A few beers, the official Scrabble dictionary, and some boards later, we are buzzed while having our vocabulary expanded. Suddenly those orange enrichment vocab books from grades 6-12 would come in handy (do you know what I'm talking about? 20 synonyms, 20 antonyms, use it in a sentence, every week 20 new words).
Ordered the veggie meatloaf sandwich (awesome if you love marinara sauce) with Old Bay fries (greasy and skinny, like Mickey D's, so love). Also tried the quesadilla (horrible, skip this). They have 1 cider, it's organic, and is easily 2 drinks worth.
I'll be back in the spring to check out their patio... and drink more cider. -
Review from Sophia R.
Washington, DC
2/15/2011
My favorite spot in the neighborhood. I agree that you could call it "upscale divey." I find myself here for dinner quite often on Sundays with other local friends.
The food is way better than you would expect for bar food, beats other similar offerings in the neighborhood hands down. My boyfriend loves the burger, its big and they offer a good selection of cheeses for it. I love the chicken strips, which are surprisingly juicy with a delicious batter and paired perfectly with honey mustard sauce. Also, $4 wings on Sun and Mon are great. Good selection of alcohol. I know many fans of the combo, a shot of beam and a natty boh for $5.
It doesn't get that crowded here, maybe on a lively Fri/Sat night a dance party may start. But unfortunately a friend and I walked in late on a Fri night and sat at the bar for more than 5 minutes without the bar tender looking our way. Like I said, the bar was full, but not crazy busy, and he seemed to be chatting. Sadly, though I felt like a traitor, I got tired of waiting and went next door to the Blue Banana, where I had my drink within a minute... -
Review from Jenna W.
Washington D.C., DC
5/19/2011
Any time I want a relaxing, no-hassle hang-out, I come to Looking Glass. The atmosphere is totally laid back, and everyone - bartenders, servers, and patrons - are enjoyable to be around.
The drinks are reasonably priced, and there's a good beer selection. But what shocks me every time is how delicious the food is. The half-smoke + fries combo might be my favorite meal in DC.
I definitely recommend Looking Glass for drinks and dinner - but avoid Tuesdays (trivia). -
Review from Sara A.
Detroit, MI
10/27/2010
What a lucky lady I was to experience this joint while in DC. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better Friday night on the town then my night at the Looking Glass.
Not too big too be overwhelming and not too small to be pretentious, the Looking Glass made me feel like I was hanging out in a neighborhood bar in Detroit.
Old wooden floors and a pretty large bar to drink a great variety of beers and cocktails. I had the blueberry pancake beer-in which, when asked, my adorable server gave me an honest opinion on the libation. Love going to places where the staff knows there stuff. Throughout the night she was attentive and helpful without being snotty or overbearing. Score
In addition, to having a wonderful selection of locally, microbrewed beers and liquor, this gem offers up some tasty eats as well. I had the veggie burger with the curly fries. Honestly, I thought WWIII was going to start over those fries. Crisp with a bit of spice, utter perfection! The burger was pretty f'in amazing too. Clearly made from scratch from fresh ingredients.
Not sure what the weekly schedule of entertainment is here, but there was a DJ on Friday night spinning a great mix of tunes from current hip-hop to classic rock, Blondie, and more!
I want to pick this place up and bring it to Detroit or go back to DC asap! -
Review from Ben B.
3/21/2011
This is an excellent bar. Honestly, it's hard to do better than this. The atmosphere is great, the beer selection is pretty surprising (considering it's a small divey place) and the food is exactly what you'd expect from the place: Greasy and delicious.
The service is also really nice. I've really never gone here and NOT enjoyed my time. -
Review from Parker W.
District Heights, MD
9/5/2011
This place was alright for what it's worth. It was really tiny and the downstairs area was really sketchy. For a Saturday there weren't a lot of people in there and the area wasn't all that inviting either. Not to mention the bar didn't really seem like a bar since the bartender didn't know half of the liquors we named. NOR did they even have a lot of common liquors! Shameful. I had an ok time but I probably wouldn't go back.
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Review from O H.
Washington, DC
9/6/2011
If you want low key, good drinks, and decent food, this place is as good as it gets.
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Review from James L.
8/2/2010 2 photos
***3.5 stars****
The Looking Glass Lounge is one of the last TRUE dive bars located in the rapidly transforming neighborhood of Petworth. Five years ago I would've felt very uneasy venturing along Georgia Ave after dark, but with the new condos, CVS, and shops/restaurants sprouting up, I don't mind the short walk from the Ga Ave - Petworth Metro to the Looking Glass.
The interior of the Looking Glass reminds me a lot of the Wonderland Ballroom, which makes sense since it used to be owned by the same folks (but I understand ownership recently changed hands). The interior is dark with low lighting, the bar and table top surfaces are bit grimy/sticky, and the design choices run from cheesy to full on kitsch. The food menu much like The Wonderland has lots of veggie options such as an excellent veggie meatloaf sandwich and an equally good mushroom burger. Beer choices and prices are listed on a chalkboard so give it a read before asking the bartender "Hey, whatcha got on draft?" The Natty BOH (can) and shot of Jim Bean for $5 is one of the better deals in town, and you won't feel too low rent for consuming this combination at The Looking Glass.
The jukebox has a good selection of 70's R&B and classic rock, and if you want to just sit at the bar and drink without being bothered, this is a good place to do it. I don't see myself as a regular here, but I'd be interested to come back in another six to nine months to see how many hipsters have discovered the "Georgia Ave corridor" after The Washington Post or DC City Paper anoint it as the newest hotspot. -
Review from Misha T.
11/9/2010
This is the bar we go to after our DC Bocce League games (go lucca bocce!!!!) and they treat us well. We get drink specials and a couple freebies every now and then too!
get the fried pickles, they're awesome! -
Review from Shireen M.
Washington, DC
8/2/2010 5 Check-ins Here
I've tried to wait and feel out the new owners (owner #3) and I have to say I'm not impressed. This is a bar near where I live and for those that just moved here we didn't have bars in this area. Things are changing (for better or worse) however the new Looking Glass is not on my "please drop by you have to visit here" spots.
My first bad experience involved my brother who I told to meet me there as he was visiting from NY. He desperately tried to not to tell me what happened before I showed up. He was a bartender so he knows when people screw up at bars and he was afraid that I would be disappointed with my neighborhood hangout spot. I won't go into the details but let's just say his experience was NOT GOOD but it didn't stop there, when I showed up with a guest the weird behavior continued. It ended with the waitress telling us to go to the bar to get our service because she was getting ready for some event. She never returned.
Last night once again it seems the new owners threw customer service out the door when they bought the place, I guess they paid too much up front. We had to continuously go to the bar to get service and the bartender had to call out our order because he forgot who ordered the food. He also gave our drinks to someone else. WTH!!!! He had no problem coming from behind the bar to serve some people but we didn't get service until we were ready to leave and not from him.
All this to say if you go, sit at the bar do not go any where else unless you expect to serve yourself. If I go back it will be a drink at the bar and I still won't expect great service. I will consider it a stop on the wild side on my way to home to normalcy. Temperance Hall your legacy will not be remembered well by those that once knew you if they stop here today.
P.S. I'm duchess when I write this, I probably won't be for long. -
Review from Cesar P.
Germantown, MD
8/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I used to go here when it was known as Temperance Hall and it was one of the better bars in D.C. Had a good neighborhood bar vibe, decent food, good prices, and one of the best martinis in town. Easily a 4-5 star experience.
Looking Glass Lounge on the other hand... Has the same decor for the most part, but definitely not the same vibe. The place prides itself as being a "dive bar" (you can see that in the reviews and even the bartender announced it was one) but it definitely doesn't feel like one (it's more of a hipster bar, dive bars to me have a more neighborhood feel, a rougher feel). It seems to want to be a dive bar, but if you really want a dive bar, go to The Raven Grill in Mount Pleasant. At least there they won't scoff at you when you ask for a martini. Apparently that type of a drink is too uppity for this "dive bar."
To say the least, I was vastly disappointed with my experience. The bartender was rude, the gin and tonic i had to settle for was a little weak, and the outdoor bar was really crowded and messy (and not without its roaches, maybe that's what makes the place a dive bar). I do admit a lot of my disappointment stems from my memories of Temperance (where I first met my wife) but still, you shouldn't be treated like a snob just because you ordered a martini. -
Review from Kiersta B.
Washington D.C., DC
1/27/2011
Despite living in Petworth for almost 3 years I'd never spent much time exploring my neighborhood. One of my roommates convinced us to have dinner and drinks down the road at the Looking Glass and I was willing to give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did! We went in on a Sunday and there were many people around the bar watching television and eating. The bartender apologized because the fryer wasn't working, but pointed out what was available on the menu.
I had a club sandwich and salad and it was great. So good in fact my roommate decided to order one as well. We had planned on grabbing a quick bite and drink, but the clientele drew us in. I've never had such a "Cheers" like moment in any bar in DC as I did on this day. Many of the patrons had come alone, but they quickly struck up conversations with each other and us on a range of topics (from childhood television shows to the merits of getting friends to approve your texts when you are drinking). It quickly became like a night out with close friends and people started to buy drinks for one another!
When we ended up leaving the other customers said goodbye, told us they would see us again, and we weren't even changed for our food because the bartender felt bad that the fryer wasn't working.
I have come back here many times since and have convinced my friends it is well worth the trek up the Green and Yellow line to visit this amazing bar! -
Review from Kyle M.
Washington, DC
1/10/2011
Great bar. One of my faves in DC for a great beer and a chat. Relatively undiscovered in contrast to its sister The Wonderland.
Strong tap list, wonderful atmosphere...great outdoor patio.
Fried pickles are a must. -
Review from Bridget C.
Washington, DC
3/23/2011
I don't have a lot of words for this place. It's dive-ish, yet clean. Staff and customers are laidback, not at all the pretentious and/or "too cool for school" types. Good live entertainment when they have it. No complaints on the food. Decent tap line. It may not be all that great by some standards, but it's a perfectly balanced neighborhood bar in my book, and I love it.
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Review from This Mac Kills Fascists A.
Washington, DC
11/25/2009
You're better off sitting at home with a bottle of Old Grandad watching Brazilian fart porn.
The bar was empty at 10:30 PM. I can recall sitting next to a 54 yr old frenzied wino slobbering on my shoulder about how she was rediscovering her inner child through divorce.
I woke up the next day alone in my own bed. I got standards. -
Review from Craig R.
Saint Louis, MO
4/17/2008
I really wanted to give this place five stars. I may still do by the end of this review, but we'll see. I love this bar. I want to come back here after work and just sit and drink a few PBR bottles. Yes, bottles. They don't serve the cans here. Sigh.
Atmosphere: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Drinks: 5 stars
Food: 4.5 stars
Trivia: 3 stars
Well, trivia brought the rating down a half star. Four and a half is definitely not bad and it's location is great for me as it's a short distance from my work. Ryan and I got there early and they hadn't open the downstairs area for trivia so we grabbed a table and ordered some beers. Our waitress was really friendly and got us everything we needed right away. We decided to get the beef nacho appetizer and I can't say I've had better nachos. The reason they were the best was because they packed those chips with all the beef you can eat. I was definitely down with that.
As the downstairs bar opened up, we all made our way to get situated for a night of trivia. If you want to be comfortable when you're playing, make sure you get there early. The downstairs bar is really small. However, it does have a back patio area with seats, but it was closed due to rain. Trivia is like the Wonderland Ballroom. The trivia hostesses were new and it was their first time hosting it. It got rather loud and we had a hard time hearing the hostesses, but other than that the game was pretty standard and was a good time. The only problem, the Georgia Avenue round. I mean, seriously. Worst - round - ever.
Overall, I'm definitely coming back here. This place is awesome.Listed in: Pubs with Trivia
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Review from Johnny C.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2008
I live by some simple rules, three of which I'll apply here:
1. Don't dwell in the past, it leaves room for revisionist history.
2. Avoid comparisons, they tend to preempt original experience.
3. No whiners! They're a pain-in-the-ass!!
Looking Glass is everything someone could want in a good neighborhood bar: friendly bartenders who foster neighborly respect and attitude, great service, a fully stocked bar to allow customers who aren't Rye freaks to get their drink on, ample booth seating, and FANTASTIC FOOD!!
I've been in a couple of times and each time has been a damn good time. They've got both Chimay and Hoegaarten in addition to a FULLY stocked Rye collection. Music playing is usually the bartenders ipod loaded with "ol' skool" soul and R&B, otherwise the juke box takes care of the tunes. The menu is great, complete with the BEST burger in the country bar non!! Went in New Years Eve and they were serving greens & ham with black eyed peas...if I remember correctly.. and dolling out Rye shots. Best New Years ever. Bartenders, staff and customers occasionally evoke their euphoria by exhibiting collective dance moves on the bar Coyote Ugly style. As long as they're not stomping on my drinks das otay by me.
The only other rule that might apply to Looking Glass for me is the ol' "Too much of a good thing..." , but in this case I want the "good thing" to last as long as possible, certainly before the college crowd get hip to it!! -
Review from Libby F.
4/5/2008
Looking Glass Lounge is not a place I would come to if not for a justifiable purpose.
I actually took the 70 Metro Bus all the way from the Silver Spring Metro. It was a rainy night, and not knowing the neighborhood, I did not want to risk driving. It gets a bonus point for being a block or so from the Petworth metro stop and near a bus stop too.
The exterior does not give any clue as to how cool it is inside. It appears to be a great place to hook up with friends.
My motive was Yelp Trivia, of course! It happened to be relegated to the basement bar, which was way too small for all the folks who showed up to partake on this Thursday night (I guess Lost was a rerun.)
Service was hard to get once the crowds rolled in. Several people in my group ate upstairs before staking a claim to a table in the dungeon. The menu, which was quite pricey did not impress me. Someone at the next table had something very garlicky-- maybe the mussels for $13. I'll wait and sample them at Bistrot Du Coin, thank you very much.
The beer selections are impressive; some only offered upstairs, drat! I stuck with the not-on-special $5 Staropramens from Prague, ah Prague...I wish I were there right now!
As for trivia here... it was fun and entirely too easy, but did we conquer? No!! We would have/should have had it not been for that ridiculous "Georgia Ave. of Petworth" round. Come on! It would have been nice to get $75 (not a typo) off our tab! We did however win favorite team name (as judged by the bartender who's bootie we kissed up to). We earned $15 off our bar tab, plus a few extra "adjustments". The trivia hosts should of used a microphone. It was hard to hear over the music and talking. But, I forgive them because they passed around some pretty tasty homemade cookies with candy coated pieces. Brain fuel!
I'm not sure if I'd return. As Randy Jackson always says on American Idol, "It was just okay to me". -
Review from Danielle K.
Washington, DC
7/22/2010
I have lived on 11th street for a couple years now and had been a frequenter of wonderland for a very long time which was really fun most of the time. Friends starting migrating to petworth, i found myself in good relationship situation and discovered that Looking Glass is much more my style these days. They are owned by the same people, but nobody tries to grind on my boyfriend here, the clientele allows the bartenders to be a bit more laid back and really helpful, and the beers are just as tasty and cold.
I had been here probably 3 times before I discovered there was a bar and an outdoor seating area downstairs. Fantastic. It can be a little bit loud at times, but always a good time to be had. Tuesday nights also hosts trivia which is always fun.
Standard bar food, I mostly come for the beers, or the natty boh/jim beam combo if its been a bad day, and the good company. -
Review from Meghan G.
Washington, DC
2/5/2008
Came here with friends after they bought a house nearby and was jealous that this was their local bar. Really amazing space with vintage ceiling tiles, soaring ceilings, cool old decor.. pair that with solid bar food and a bar selection that would keep me coming back for more....and more....and more. I know there were alot of skeptics because switched ownership and a new name, but the Looking Glass Lounge is definitely a keeper, in a city full of forgettable bars.
Update: After a few months of coming here all I have to say is that I really sad that I had to demote them a few stars. I really wanted this place to do well, but they just can't seem to hit an even stride. The service is spotty at best, with a few members of the staff being down right suck. The food can come out really well, or luke warm and dried out like it's been sitting out for 15 minutes... it's a total crap shoot. IMHO, if you can't get fries and nachos right, slow your epicurean roll and take things like duck confit enchiladas and seared foie grais off the menu until you get a handle on your quality control. The manager is always super apologetic and always goes way out of his way to make things right, which is great and all... but maybe cracking the whip with the staff might be a better use of managerial energy.Listed in: Domestic Bliss
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Review from kym l.
Washington, DC
1/4/2010
Look, I thought I was going to die crossing the street cause the neighborhood was so sketch, but, all was well upon entering.
I was there on a Tuesday and we could barely find a seat. I think it was because of the trivia that was happening - a good mix of geography/science/pop culture. (I only knew one.. about a jingle... the answer was "Donovan"... kill me.)
My friend and I both got giant Ciders, which I thought were going to be ridiculously expensive, but were only $5! I am not a beer drinker, but was intrigued by the 'blueberry pancake' beer and may go back for that.
The downfalls of this place would be 1) Some TRULY obnoxious (and sad) people who were waaaaaaaaay too into the trivia - but, that's not the bar's fault... 2) SLOWEST. SERVICE. EVER. We had to stand up, stand in the aisle and wave at the guy for him to come back. Which, I hate, having worked in the service industry... but we were waiting for over 30min... not cool.
Overall, though... relaxed atmosphere, decent prices. Good stuff. -
Review from Christopher R.
Washington, DC
6/18/2011
Great place (minus the location and hella sketchy walk from the metro). Came here on a friday night to meet up with some friends. They got a few good local and foribeers on tap and 2 full bars. Dancing is hit or miss depending on the DJ, but there is usually a variety of people there. I love all the decorations here. I like how there are 4 completely different areas and feels in a compact place with a loop to patrol through them: the classy basement, typical divey bar front area, a typical dance-bar area with DJ, and the air outdoor patio with nice staircase. It might be worth the metro for a good time, and it's bannana neighbor, but careful not to walk the wrong way out the metro!
