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Madam's Organ
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Jazz & Blues Nightlife Jazz & Blues Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Jazz & Blues, Music Venues [Edit]
2461 18th St NW(between N Belmont Rd & N Columbia Rd)
Washington, DC 20009
Neighborhood: Adams Morgan
(202) 667-5370
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 2 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 3 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
200 reviews for Madam's Organ
200 reviews in English
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Review from Shawn R.
1/30/2012
Like remembering fondly of that time you lost your virginity, Madams Organ is the place where I officially kicked off being 21. My love of drinking began here. I can even remember the time when I caught on to the fact that the restaurant's name is a play on Adams Morgan, the town it is located.
The food is good and the atmosphere is fun. It is a pretty cool blues bar that is in an awesome area. The place is huge as evidenced by the fact that I got lost. Of course, I was drunk. This place will always hold a special place in my heart. -
Review from Simret Z.
Washington, DC
12/21/2011
Madam's Organ. Perhaps not the cleverest pun, but don't hold that against it. One of the cooler spots in Adams Morgan, but I guess that's not hard to be.
This is the mother of all dive bars and she revels in her own kitch shabbiness (think along the lines of an adult Pee-Wee's playhouse). Narrow stairways and corridors leading to a variety of activities - pool, very gay karaoke, live music, open mic, etc.
Madams Organ is the girl with the green hair that you make out with drunk at 3 AM, but are ashamed to tell you friends about. It can be great fun when you're in the mood for it- three floors chocked full of Drafts, Dames and Debauchery in a space that is dastardly dark and disorienting. Does occasionally get too crowded for comfort.
If you order the poor-but-ok-for-the-price pub grub, make sure you do so when not in a hurry. Service is notoriously slow.
A bit awkward to navigate for newcomers, but the view from the rooftop bar, though partially obscured by neighboring buildings, is still worth the convoluted trip up the stairs and very refreshing in Fall/Spring. Friendly bartenders, live eclectic blues bands, and ample space to dance like an idiot.
Oh, and if you happen to a Redhead, Rolling Rock is half price all night in decidedly cute disregard to the United States Constitution.Listed in: Adams Morgan Legends
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Review from Samantha B.
Annandale, VA
12/11/2011
Super cool place. This is one place that I have not gone to in Adams Morgan until recently. I love the location, decor, food, and drinks. The location is right in the heart of adam's morgan and honestly it is not that far away from the metro like walking 10 minutes. However, when it is cold, feels like a 20 minute walk.
The decor is eclectic and a hodge podge of animals parts: part of a bear skin rug, birds, deer heads, raccoons, longhorns, etc. It is all mixed in with contemporary iconic art and unique lighting fixtures ranging from chandeliers to candles to Christmas lights. Very low key place but it can be kinda loud. There was a good mix of music and a live band plays 7 days a week, but on Saturdays the live band does not start til 10.
The menu has a good variety and it is reasonably cheap for DC and Adams Morgan. I felt like it was a little expensive for some bar food but the portions are quite large and you definitely get your monies worth. The drinks were the usual DC prices, with some being more than others. I feel like the drinks are a little weak on the alcohol side, but they were still good. The staff was great and our drinks and food arrived soon after ordering. The check was difficult to figure out and they include gratuity in the check for larger parties. Ample seating and multiple floors.
Will definitely come here again! -
Review from Phil R.
Washington, DC
2/9/2012
There is a NO HAT rule...at a bar...reminiscent of high school. I'm not sure if they also require bathroom passes.
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Review from Jess D.
Washington, DC
2/3/2012
I personally think it's the best bar in Adam's Morgan. Not the best bar I've been to in my life, but certainly top notch in the area.
The bands are always great and the scene is crowded, but fun. Drinks aren't "cheap" , but they're made a lot better than in the ultra dive bars that surround this place.
Yes there is a cover, and everyone always complains about it. But it honestly is worth the five or ten bucks to get in. I mean really...weren't you going to waste that money on something else stupid anyway? -
Review from Salvador M.
Washington, DC
2/3/2012
when I 1st started going out ... This is where it happened ... My fav Bar ... Or you can call it my #1 go to Bar
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Review from Rhea K.
Washington, DC
1/18/2012
I used to frequent MO's Bluegrass night, and recently returned for a happy hour fundraiser. As a 20-something, I appreciated the music, atmosphere, and solid drink service. Returning now, in my 30s, and ordering food, I was pretty disappointed. If you like a boisterous scene and don't mind cheese sauce on your nachos, this is the place for you. Older audiences might want to consider other 18th Street establishments like Bossa or L'Enfant Cafe.
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Review from Darren G.
Reston, VA
1/8/2012
Came here for New Year's Eve with a whole horde of friends and had one hell of an awesome night! The drinks were generous, the live music (blues, jazz, and soul) was phenomenal, the staff was friendly, and the whole atmosphere was great! There are multiple levels with something for everyone: live music and bar/restaurant on the first floor, rowdy dance party and billiards on the second floor, chill lounge and good liquor on the third floor, and open air smoker's lounge with yet another bar on the rooftop. This was a wonderful place to spend a rowdy evening :)
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Review from Scott T.
Washington, DC
1/29/2012
Good music, good atmosphere, to long islands rock
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Review from CHRISTOPHER F.
Arlington, VA
1/4/2012
Good place
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Review from Allison K.
Arlington, VA
10/20/2011
When I was in college I had a bar. It was the Rock It in Alexandria, and it sufficed. It was dark, and smokey, and full of karaoke. Now that I'm in grad school, I needed a new bar. Somewhere dark, and not smokey, and full of live music. I found it.
This bar is 4 fold- live music downstairs, karaoke floor with pool table in the middle, and smoking lounge with pop and rap on the rooftop deck. And then there is the front porch, which is the best place to people watch in Adam's Morgan, and a great place to start a conversation.
The bartenders are fabulous, the house band (One Night Stand) excellent, and the door men hilarious. I believe I've found a home. -
Review from Ally P.
Washington, DC
12/5/2011
Great live music, and 4 floors of different music to boot. $5 cover is a little crappy, but you kind of get 4 different bars for it. I really enjoy the vibe here and I think it's a lot of fun, but I'm kind of annoyed with the lack of beer choices and the fact that the $7 beers come in tiny mason jars. Get some pint glasses.
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Review from Laura W.
Lexington Park, MD
1/6/2012
I went here for my friend's birthday on December 30th after a terrible visit to the District just a few doors down from Madam's Organ. I had been here for lunch once with an ex boyfriend and really enjoyed the food. The door man was very pleasant when we arrived there at around 1am on the 31st- we told him it was my friend's birthday and she got in free. When you walk into the building you are met directly with stairs and the choice to either go to the lower crowded level or go upstairs to the dance party. We choose to follow the narrow stairs up to the dance party. When you go upstairs it is packed, and the floor is shacking but don't be alarmed- it just part of the charm of Madam's Organ. The bartenders are good, and the bouncers are actually nice. I ended up jumping around to SHOUT with one of them by the bar. The crowd is fun, and the drink prices aren't too bad. Not a bad place to visit at all- I am looking forward to my next visit.
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Review from Kat M.
Norwalk, CA
10/13/2011
What I would do to have a bar in LA. with the live blues, diversity, laid back environment and character of Madam's Organ! It was great to be in a bar without pretentious people. I guess I'd have to leave L.A. to find any place remotely similar.
Madam's Organ was one of the best stops I made during my first trip to D.C. Some people tried to warn me about the area, but it is laid back. There is nothing shady about the venue or the surrounding area.
Great decor, vibe, drinks, music, and service. -
Review from Jessica K.
Arlington, VA
1/20/2012
Fun place to listen to live music, enjoy some good drinks, and strike up random conversations with bartenders and strangers at the bar. Always a good time. Cheese fries are good. Good place to kill some time if youre in the neighborhood early on a weekend afternoon, before the nighttime crowds come in.
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Review from Terinee B.
Washington, DC
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cool Spot! I had seen this place a gazillion times hanging out in other nearby spots that surround this place, yet had never stopped here. Even though LIVE MUSIC is something that I absolutely love, for some reason, I had never made that stop, until this evening. I had a GREAT time!!! My husband and I went and ordered a couple of appetizers and a meal. The appetizers were DaBoMb. com!!! However, the meal itself really sucked. In the future, I'll probably just stick with the apps and not order any meals. I really liked how the 2nd floor looked over the 1st floor which provided with an unobstructed view of the entire 1st floor and band which was great. The band was pretty good. They played quite a few of my Ol' Skool JAMZ, so I was happy. We hit the dance floor, and other than the fact that it was a little cramped, we had a blast dancing.
We also hit up the 3rd floor which has a bar, dancefloor, and pool table, then the 4th floor which didn't have too much going on at the time (and is pretty small). Then we went to check out the rooftop tiki bar which was pretty cool.
Overall, it was a cool spot. We'll definitely be back again! -
Review from Sky K.
Washington, DC
6/24/2011
Adams Morgan blues bar institution with live music 6 or 7 nights a week.
Playboy apparently gave this bar the rating of "Extra Rad" back in the early 80s when everyone was too coked out to care about anything.
i'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to trust a magazine during at time that it thought it was a good idea to publish hella lots of hairy beev pics for 20 plus years.
Rad:
The funky-party blues bands this place books are usually sick. Live blues is rad.
Escape from castle wolfenstien layout allows for partying on multiple floors that feature different music scenes and a variety of dark sketchy areas for you to get grimy in.
Very cool but always crowded hastily built robinson Crusoe roof-deck for you to get your inner Disney movie shipwreck victim on.
Bad:
Last stand at the Alamo store front may be confusing to hot girls which as a result I don't usually see here. Plenty of bros for the ladies tho if creepy 35 year old ratty-pony-tail-hippies is your thing. It's okay girl I aint judgin ya!
$5-10 cover kinda weak if you trying to just get silly drunk on one of the other levels and not watch the band.
Place needs some real drink specials.
Stop by for the music screw the food, and get drunk somewhere else beforehand. -
Review from Eric N.
Washington, DC
9/18/2011
This is a bar with a lot of character. One of the better bars around; I'm talking in the country. Multiple levels with live music and dancing on the bottom. There's an absurdely crowded club type level, a lounge level, and an open air bar that is still pretty hot because walls block the wind.
If you've got a group that will more comfortable at a divey bar but may want to start dancing depending on how the mood is, this is a great place. Bring your red-headed friend...nothing can beat the half price rolling rocks they can buy you all day any day ($2.25). -
Review from Cemil A.
Chevy Chase, MD
1/8/2012
A good old' bar the way they used to be, music, drinks, friendly staff. We'll go again.
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Review from Bill B.
Washington, DC
7/21/2011
I go here often (live in the neighborhood) and have since early '90's. LOVE the music; love the ambiance; Good food ('ol fashioned truck-stop stick-to-your-ribs dinners - only smaller portions).
However - be warned if you eat up in the mezzanine dining room!! The tricky (albeit hot) Chinese waitress with the new fake boob job will sneak in an "automatic" 20% tip on your tab; and then expect you (in the dark light of dim candles and loud foot-stoppin' music) fill-in another 15-20% in the blank "TIP LINE" on your credit card receipt. And this ON TOP OF the one she's already snuck in!! Beware and don't get distracted by those boobs that get pushed in your face like you're at some cheap Hooters in Iowa!
40% tips!!?? Maybe that's how she paid for the boob job?? -
Review from Ryan F.
Arlington, VA
4/16/2011
Madams Organ what a wonderful establishment.
What you need to know is there is live music, i believe daily
Yes, there sometimes is a $5 cover, and it blows
It has been described by friends as a dirty labyrinth of rape dungeons
The drinks are strong, the people are mostly drunk and surly
The rooftop bar is bangin' and extremely dark (see below)
The rooftop bar is occupied generally by the ugliest people in town
Top Tip: Get your Jumbo Slice on afterward for the true Experience -
Review from LaToya P.
6/17/2011 2 photos
At first glance, you can't see more than the posterboard boobs plastered atop of the building. Once you get past that and the pierced/tattooed friendly guy at the door, its all downhill (read: upstairs) from there.
The food wasn't at all what I expected. In fact, it was MUCH better.
Went on a Tuesday, which -- lucky for ME -- was "1/2 Price Adam's Meatloaf" night. This made my meal a whooping $5 (not including my beverage)
Score!
I had collard greens and mac&cheese for sides, along with a slab of cornbread. I'm usually not a fan of cornbread, but I ate it. Its rare I'm able to find GOOD meatloaf made with ketchup. I was so happy to find that this was available. God, it was good.
The portions are crazy HUGE, so I hope you make room in your fridge for leftovers.
There was a cool Blue's band playing during dinner. My foot was just'a'tappin. I had such a good time.
Can't wait for Drunkeoke Night! (Thursdays, Sundays) I'll be an innocent bystander/designated driver, of course. *xing fingers* -
Review from Tatsu O.
Washington, DC
6/23/2011
I go here to drink beer and listen to some live blues. That is all. And it is awesome for that.
Love the decor, the live band is almost always very good, bartenders are are nice and attentive (at least on the 1st floor). 1st floor usually gets pretty crowded, and usually some people are dancing to the music if that is what you like to do.
2nd floor has a pool table and a dj, 3rd floor is a rooftop tiki bar type thing. Don't really venture upstairs much so I can't really give a review for those two floors. -
Review from Christina P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/9/2011
This place in awesome! First time going out in Adams Morgan, and this seemed to be the best place on the strip, so we tried it out. After paying $5 cover (boo, but there was a live band) we were informed that there were 5 bars on 3 or 4 floors. We checked out the second floor which had a dj spinning clubby top 40 hits, so we decided to stay on the first floor with the band who was amazing! The drinks were reasonable - $5.50 for well liquor, and they were pretty strong. The atmosphere is...different. It's almost like a Bennigan's but without everything that makes Bennigan's uncool. There are bikes and even animals hanging from the walls & ceiling. Sure, why not.
Drawbacks - lots of creepers, and the set up is terrible. The band is literally playing in the front window, and the crowd is in front of the band, so everyone entering/exiting has to push through the crowd. I almost got knocked over several times, my drink even more so.
I will definitely be back the next time i'm in DC! -
Review from Helen W.
Manhattan, NY
10/17/2011
This bar had open mic night. There were a few good singers. The food was great in the bar. Usually bar food isn't that good. The mixed drinks were interesting also. They were creative and didn't have your typical drinks.
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Review from Bridget C.
Washington, DC
3/19/2011
Ohhh 18th Street... you dirty pretty thing. Our relationship is complicated. Gum stains on the sidewalk represent those who've stumbled down the strip in the passing nights. Girls run (or swerve) barefoot down the strip after attempting to brave the night in three-inch stilettos. Groups of barely legal hipsters in the street and on every corner pile Jumbo Slice into their intoxicated faces (I won't deny my firsthand encounter with this ritual). Your urbanicity saddens, yet, amuses me without fail, time after time. I make my way through the savage swarm of wild things, eagerly force my $5 into the Madam's Organ doorman's mighty hands, and release a sigh of relief as I take my first step into the ill-lit, sultry bar room. Come-hither blues pours into my ears. I am no longer burdened by urbanity. I have trekked through the urban jungle, and arrived at a Louisiana bayou. Awesome.
Ok...so I'm in love with Madam's Organ. Though the inside is often as packed as the 18th Street strip, it's a whole different atmosphere. It's not for everyone. If you don't have a heart for live blues or funky jazz music, this may not be the place for you, though they do have different bands playing 7 nights a week.
Not a big fan of some of the bartenders. During my last visit, I was sitting at one of the bars, with cash out, for close to 10 minutes (I'm a patient person), watching the bartender goof off with his friends. But that's okay, I just got up and went to one of the other 5+ bars. My favorite bartender is Adam, but you never know which bar (or floor...there are basically three floors of bars) a bartender will be stationed at. Adam gets it done fast, with a smile, and he could probably get a lot of votes in a DC Hottest Bartender competition...
Anyway, though it can be packed to nearly every nook and cranny, the seating area usually used for dining (I've yet to visit during dining hours) is often nearly vacant. When you don't feel like being suffocated at a bar seat, or you need a break from the dance floor, it's a good place to get some space. The area is elevated, so you can still watch the band while you're there.
Visit the website for menu and band information, etc. "One Nite Stand" plays every Monday... definitely something worth checking out.
Oh, and they have Sierra Nevada, which I love (I love whenever a bar has something besides "the lights" and Anheuser-Busch products). And, the beer usually comes in mini mason jars. So cool. -
Review from DubR R.
Los Angeles, CA
5/10/2011
this is a little outdated since i lived in DC about 2 years ago, and am just now on a Yelping spree.
I liked going to this place, primarily because i took my NYC/Jersey friends here as our first stop in Adams Morgan. It is dark enough that not a lot of alcohol is needed in order to find people attractive (if still needed, see: Dan's Cafe). Also they give free tattoos that are badass. I remember they served beer in little cookie jars which was awkward around the mouth. Live band also which is helpful if you wanna yell into someone's earholes.
MUST HAVE: Free Tattoos if they still give them away. I might have their whole inventory from 2009. -
Review from Kaella C.
Milton, MA
6/11/2011
My friends and I had planned to go to Madam's Organ for a supposed Jazz Festival that one of them had heard about. To our surprise, there was no jazz festival whatsoever when we arrived. There was a live cover band on the first floor, so we ventured up to the other floors to see if we could find what we were looking for.
Second floor was your basic pool table, bar, techno music scene. It was pretty dead and we didn't want to dance anyway so we headed up one more flight to the rooftop bar. This was actually pretty neat, but it was so crowded and it felt like we could crash through the floor at any time. We made our way back down to the first floor and watched the band for a bit but it was so crowded and hot that we left.
After a major flop at Grand Central, we headed back to Madam's Organ to see that it had cleared out a bit, so we got a few tables and drinks and listened to the band. The band was REALLY good and played some great covers that we sang along to. It was nice to just chill and talk and not go crazy. I hope to go back to Madam's Organ on another visit to DC. The only gripe I have was that our waitress was extremely rude to us for no reason. -
Review from B B.
Atlanta, GA
3/21/2011
Three floors with different atmospheres of drunk. Loved it. I ordered a gin and coke and got a cup of gin with some ice and a zest of cola.
recap -
$10 dollars cover charge
lots of press on tattoos to play with
cool door man
strong drinks
fun vibes
love the witty name
parking is a bitch on Saturday Night, better off on Friday.
great part of town to get sloppy -
Review from Randi R.
Kapolei, HI
9/9/2011
Believe it or not the Nachos and Guacamole rocked! Bartender was hilarious and fun. Incredible Entertainment with unique patrons.
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Review from Christine A.
Philadelphia, PA
2/16/2011
You haven't been to Adams Morgan until you've been to Madam's Organ.
Food: 4.5 stars.
I'd get cravings for Mike's Chili Mac.
If you have time to wait, I highly recommend Carlos' Fried Chicken. It's worth the wait.
Adam's Meatloaf has made my Tuesdays (1/2 price on Tuesday). Speaking of which, the daily specials always make my stomach AND my wallet happy.
Lastly... those hot chocolate cakes are truly orgasmic!
Entertainment: 5 stars
Even with the good food, you don't go to Madam's Organ for food. You go there for the music. Never a bad band plays at this AM institution. Top it off with great decor! I can spend a good amount of time just looking at all the unique and cool stuff on the walls. Then there's people watching - and I love to people watch!
Service: 3 stars
On busy nights, the service can be choppy. Otherwise, not bad, but not exceptional.Listed in: My DC/MD Favorites
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Review from Kris O.
3/30/2011
Wow, I used to come here ten years ago and its still the same. Random bicycles, cars, and animals hanging from the ceiling, a cover to get in, and drunk people. Still the same.
But I really enjoyed Thursday (lady's night). They had samba playing and this awesome woman (probably in her 50s) dancing free spiritedly the entire night. She took over the dance floor! Amazing. -
Review from N B.
Washington, DC
9/25/2011
The decor is awesome, and this place is great for going out, but beware if you go for dinner like I did.
(1) The lighting is absurdly dim. We literally had to use candles to read the menu.
(2) The Asian waitress is terrible. We sat at our table for 10 minutes while she took tape off a poster 10 yards away before she bothered to stop by and see if we wanted anything to drink. As others have noted, she also added an "automatic" 20% tip onto the bill for a party of 5 (not the policy at any restaurant I've ever been to) without mentioning it. On the other hand, she only charged us for 1/3 of the beers we had, so I'm guessing she's just screwing over Madam's Organ itself by basically turning those beer sales into tips for her own pocket.
(3) The food was mediocre. Mac'n'cheese was delicious, but came out luke warm. Chicken-fried steaks were small. Ribs are not a "slab" by any stretch of the imagination. I only got 4 ribs. -
Review from Alex M.
11/8/2010
Live Jazz, a deck that lets you spit on drunk college kids, and decor that continuiously reminds me of the Runaway Mine train ride at Disney World puts Madams Organ at the top of my list in Adam's Morgan.
Although it's true that kitch plays an important role in the decorating here, you'd be foolish to let that diswade you from venturing inside to enjoy some goold-ol jazz music and a delicious half-priced Bill Clinton burger on a Thursday night.
GOOD: 1/2 priced burger and a deck to sit on and enjoy it.
BAD: Cover charges that your friends have to pay if they come late.
UGLY: The western themed barrels outside this place.Listed in: Half-Price Burgers... 5 nights…
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Review from Sebastian P.
Yonkers, NY
2/20/2011
Haven't tried the food, but I was visiting DC and there was an even here and I ended up being a fan. I really dig the place, the whole vibe is great and the name just wins me over on its own.
I was very tempted to try the food there, but we were there to see an event.
The bar has some pretty great signature drinks and the prices aren't bad. Next time I'm in DC, I'll be sure to stop by here. -
Review from Erika V.
12/29/2010
This place is seriously cool. I love the layout. Live band when you walk in, people dancing all over the place, tables and bar downstairs, table and bar upstairs. This is where the jazz lovers go to get drunk and not be heard because it's too damn loud in there to be heard. This is a good thing. Who really likes litening to drunk people anyway?
Gotta say I love the decor. It feels very backwoods southern bar with hunting pictures, animal heads on plaques, old metal tools, dark, a little damp and old wood lining this place.
This place is very reasonably priced considering the portions. My friend and I went there on my last visit to DC and we had a good time. I think for two gigantic plates of food + drinks, the totaly was somewhere around the $35.00 mark. That's cheap, really cheap.
I didn't have anything off of her plate but it looked good. I had the spare ribs, corn bread and collard greens. All of it was good but nothing to write home about. Considering the gigantic portion for $12, not bad, not bad at all.
Next time I'm in DC and if I have lots of time, I'll come back here again to have a cocktail or two and listen to the music. -
Review from Juha U.
Brooklyn, NY
6/26/2011
I hadn't been back at Madam's Organ for a long time, but it used to be a favorite of mine when I lived in DC (1999-2002), so it was great to see that nothing had changed. Friday night was hopping and people were crowding into the shabby bar. The band was excellent, with two very good blues guitarists in the frontline. With a $5 entrance fee and reasonable bar prices it is definitely a bargain. It's also nice that the joint continues to attract a wide variety of people of different ages and types. I was very glad to be back and immerse myself in blues and beer.
Listed in: Music
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Review from Nikki F.
Washington, DC
10/15/2010
Screw you, Madam's Organ.
My girlfriends and I got kicked out by some guy claiming to be the manager. Let me provide some details:
1. Bachelorette party.
2. Only the bride had consumed more than two drinks, and she was chatty, but tame. I was stone cold sober.
3. We're not exactly party girls.
So you can imagine our surpise when some dicksnot came up to us and told us to leave. No explanation. And all along I though that the reason I haven't been to this dump in years is because the music was ass. -
Review from Daniel A.
11/15/2011
I had to go here a few times before writing a review. That is probably because with Madam's Organ, you have several bars in one. On the top floor deck, you have a gritty rooftop with some pretty respectable views. There tends to be more space for people to hang out than the other levels. The second floor is more of the dance floor. Usually blasting music and packed in shoulder to shoulder. There is a little balcony, but it is often pretty crowded with smokers. There is also a pool table, but good luck trying to get a cue length away from anyone at any angle. Down stairs of the Jazz aspect of the bar. It usually has a band playing and people really trying to enjoy the music. I guess the variety allows it to appeal to all kinds of crowds, the primary word is crowds. Not the best place for a calm night, but I should guess if you in AdMo on the weekends, you've basically decided a quiet night wasn't going to happen anyway.
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Review from Allyson P.
Washington, DC
7/21/2010
This review is for dinner only, since it's been years since I've been here just to drink, and due to extensive amounts of drinking, don't really remember those trips.
If way back in my intern days someone had told me that in a few years I'd be married, and going to a popular Adams Morgan watering hole reasonably close to sober to get dinner with my husband, I wouldn't have believed them, but that's exactly what happened this past weekend. After shooting some pool and enjoying a couple of 50 cent crappy beers next door at Asylum, my husband I decided to check out Madam's Organ for dinner.
It felt weird walking in there sober and before midnight, but I got over that when I saw they were doing half-price beers for happy hour. $2.50 for a pint of Guinness-yes please! After getting our drinks, we decided to split an order of fried chicken and the barbecue platter, which came with chicken and ribs. Each came with two sides so we got green beans, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, and corn.
I've got to say, the food was overall surprisingly good. My husband LOVED the fried chicken; I also thought it was really good, though not the best I've had in DC. The barbecue was also quite good. The meat was tender and perfectly cooked. My only complaint was that I thought there was waaay too much sauce, but I think that's a matter of personal preference, so I'm not really going to hold that against them. Of the sides, the mac n cheese and the green beans were the best. The mac n cheese was possibly the best I've had-perfectly gooey and cheesy and amazing. The green beans were somewhat spicy, which I really liked, since I usually find green beans to be really bland. Mashed potatoes and corn were fine, nothing special though.
Overall, a really good meal, and I'll definitely be back, even if I feel a bit too old to appreciate their late-night scene.Listed in: Best Happy Hour
