Looking Glass Lounge
3634 Georgia Ave NW
(between N Otis Pl & N Princeton Pl)
Washington, DC 20010 (202) 722-7669
- Nearest Transit:
Georgia Ave|Petworth (Green, Yellow)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-2:30 a.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-1:30 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
17 Reviews for Looking Glass Lounge
Hip, trendy bar in Petworth, by the metro stop. The food was good enough and I thought the menu was pretty decent for a bar. I had had cast iron seared tuna and nachos. The tuna was not bad but I didn't care much for the nachos. Other people got sandwiches and they looked tasty. There was a nice selection of beer, including Delerium Tremons and Dogfish Head!
There is a bar on the ground level and a patio area downstairs. It was a beautiful night and being outside was definitely nice. The waitress was ok but she did mess up our check and stopped us at the door to let us know that we underpaid because she had put a few food/drink items on someone else's tab. Other than that, I do like the place and would come back again.
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I want so badly to like this place as it is a block and a half from my house. But it is so-so and downright mediocre compared to Temperance Hall.
I've eaten there several times since they made the switch, and the best meal was an average cheeseburger. The menu selection has changed a couple of times since it opened, but there are too few choices over a wide range of prices and categories. I think they would be better off to establish a specific type of offering and try to do well with it. They have a decent selection of liquor and beer, wine is an afterthought.
The staff has pretty much the same attitude as at The Wonderland Ballroom which makes sense as they are owned by the same people. But what works for Wonderland, doesn't work so much for Looking Glass, given the smaller venue and vibe, as well as the previous TH bartenders. The new bartenders have the "I am doing you a favor" attitude that does nothing for the atmosphere. The table service is excruciatingly slow and perfunctory at best.
In short, I only go here when I am absolutely to lazy to venture farther than a block and a half.
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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.
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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".
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wonderland east... I'll stick with the Derby!
This is a "dwell on what once was" review. Deal with it.
I waited for a few months to come back to Looking Glass nee Temperance Hall. The best two things about Temperance were gone: no tater tots and no sloppy joes. So back to ordinary bar food.
I came with a vegetarian (I know...what was I thinking?) and they had very few veggie options. Literally a grilled cheese sandwich. But the fries are still good and they still use that really yummy bread for their sandwiches. I asked to look at the brunch menu (despite it being 10pm on Saturday) and was disappointed to find it kind of boring looking.
The beer selection is good and runs from $6-$8 per pint. They have about 6 taps and several more bottles. They continue to have a large selection of whiskey. I continue to be too little of a man to consume it.
Good: kitchen stay open to midnight on the weekend and the beers are yum. Bad: It's now too ho-hum to justify the long hike up the green line unless I'm going to follow it up by a night out at Red Derby or some such.
Full disclosure: I went to college with one of the bartenders and had a pretty big crush on her then. I came when she was working and as such was half distracted. My apologies if my review sucks (or if I gave them an additional star) because of her.
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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!!
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I left this place really tempted to give 5 stars, but upon further reflection, I'm thinking 4 is more suitable.
I ventured to this part of the city on a disgusting rainy day with one thing in mind: trivia. Oh, and my last hurrah with non-light beer before my new trainer kicks my ass. Looking Glass Lounge delivered on both.
At around 6:00 this place was pretty empty and I easily found the guys on the main floor. They were all drinking PBR's and touting that they were only $3. Yes, that's great and wonderful, but when I can get Hoegaarden or Spaten Maibock for $4, PBR is the last thing on my mind. Silly boys. I perused the food menu and got a grilled cheese and tomato with fries. This was a "grown-up" grilled cheese with brie and fontina and was mighty tasty. Fries were solid but nothing spectacular. The decor upstairs was very cool: neat chandeliers, tin roof, dark wood bar. I loved the vibe.
At about 7:00 we went downstairs to the trivia lair. It was a super small space that seemed like the holding room to head to the patio. Unfortunately the weather was far too icky to use the patio, but I can imagine it would be fantastic when the sun is out. They didn't have quite the beer selection downstairs but while it was empty the bartender happily ran upstairs to get my Spaten, which I appreciated!
Service was on a whole fantastic, even when the place got crowded. We never had empty bottles on the table and everyone was really friendly, even to us outsiders. These were the kind of bartenders and waitstaff that know their regulars inside and out and you'd feel totally comfortable sitting down to a beer with them. In my mind they made the place.
Trivia itself was a bit disorganized as 2 girls were running it for their first time. They really could have used a microphone. Still, it was a fun game and I wouldn't mind returning, as long as they get rid of the Georgia Ave. round. The girls told us they were unhappy with the new ownership of LGL but I saw no real problems with the place. As a non-Petworthian I would definitely return... but perhaps that's what they see as the problem?
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Temperance Hall was, by far, the best bar in the city. For a few weeks after the new owners changed it to the Looking Glass it seemed like things were going to be fine... I am sorry to report that this bar is a real disappointment!
Even without comparing it to TH Looking Glass is a let down. The food isn't too good, I had a BLT and when it came out, no bacon. None. I sent it back. It came out again, no mayo. My friend's burger was undercooked (like pink and a little cool inside) even though he'd ordered medium. Also, veggie options really are limited.
The beer, wine, and liquor selection is still top notch and I like that they have the Dogfish IPA but, if I'm going to pay $6/pint and not get any good food I'll drink at home.
Finally, the customer service is mediocre. Although a few of the servers are pleasant the bartenders can be a little cold (to put it mildly).
I used to demand that my friends drive up to Petworth for this bar, we still go because we live nearby, but it is no longer on my "must visit" list. I hope the new management fixes some of these problems soon.
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Looking Glass has a great setting. Fun that you can descend to another bar and then spend some quality time out on a patio - the layout was definitely unique.
It was a little empty, though. We had met some fellow drinkers out on the patio, and in discussing this fact, we inadvertently said - "Maybe if you come back on..." ... Whoops... it was a Saturday, not some random Tuesday. Why so empty? I sense some discontent over the name/ownership change, but the space itself is really great. Let's get over it together?
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.
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Cool place, good vibes. The beer garden downstairs is cool. And now bocce on wednesdays!
I never had a chance to go to Temperance Hall, so I have no Temperance-vs-Looking-Glass comparison. But having moved here from Rockville where local flavor is sorely lacking, I eagerly welcome Looking Glass as my new watering hole.
It has everything I could ever want in a local pub:
1. A bartender who knows me when I walk in
2. Tasty menu (with a kick-ass burger to boot)
3. Weekly trivia night
4. Comfortable, non-pretentious (yet strangely elegant) atmosphere
I'm sold! Looking Glass, I am on bended knee. Will you please be my new local bar?
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The Bar Formally Known As Temperance Hall (TBFKATH) switched over to Looking Glass Lounge, January 1, 2008. While I almost could hear the collective moan of contempt when the news was announced, not much has changed since the last time I went (when it was still TH)...they still had the great internet jukebox, two kinds of Chimay, several varities of Whiskeys (lots of rye as well), and a cool bartender. I haven't had the food since the switch, but I'm sure it's still good. I know a lot of folks are mad about the change in ownership, but whatever, it's still the only bar in Petworth and a great place for me to grab a drink after getting off the Metro. I'll go back a few times and let you know if I still feel the same way.
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I never made it here while it was Temperance Hall, so I can really only speak on what I saw. I liked it a lot. The burger and fries I got were good, if a bit on the expensive side. The beer specials were good: $2 off drafts, putting everything they had in the $3-4 range. Their selection was almost entirely foreign beers, which was nice, and well-priced. They had a large number of bottles, including PBR, which honestly had no idea even came in bottles. Anyway, I was there for trivia, which was in the downstairs bar area (the upstairs being more restaurant, but they'd bring food to you regardless). It was a pretty small area, and they packed it in for trivia. The first prize was good enough ($60 off the bar tab), and they had one for bartender's favorite name. We won that one. The trivia itself was a bit on the easy side except for a horrible, horrible round about that specific neighborhood. There was only a handful of people in the entire place that knew anything about it, and they weren't us. The downstairs bartender was pretty well on top of things despite the crowd, and played some good music from her computer. Cool place to hang out and drink.
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if i could give it a half, i would or none at all. this place was the jam prior to its change of ownership. now the food isn't nearly as good (i guess the chef left as well) and the new bartenders have no clue how to make a drink. there was a sweet little drink menu that has been taken away. no more side cars, they no longer have simple syrup. the girls working the bar had such crappy customer service. i used to go out of my way for this place. now i don't know if i'll ever go back.
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While I will agree that at first it looks as if nothing has changed in the switch from Temperance Hall to Looking Glass, some really bothersome things struck me.
First, we tried going to the downstairs bar and found it looking like someone's garage. It is now being used, apparently, as storage and bicycle parking. I'm hoping this is temporary and will be resolved by the spring, when people may want to go out on the patio.
My real gripe is that they were out of sloppy joe's when I ordered. Ground beef must be hard to keep on hand. Then it got better: My friend, who also had ordered a sloppy joe, went with his second choice, the tuna melt. Guess what? No tuna.
Really? You ran out of tuna?!? Now I'm assuming they use canned and not fresh tuna for this, so how in the hell do you run out of tuna?
I wanted to just say, "Okay, point to something on the menu that you DO have and I'll take that."
Hopefully it's just growing pains of the new ownership, but in my opinion there's still a lot of work left to do to make it what it used to be.
Good luck.
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