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Iron Horse Opens in Penn Quarter Thursday Night

13 January 2010 11:52 PM | By Prince Of Petworth in Bars, Neighborhoods - Chinatown/Penn Quarter

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It was back in April 2009 that we first learned about Iron Horse Tavern coming to Penn Quarter. I’m happy to report that they’ll be opening up at 507 7th Street, NW Thursday evening. There was still some construction going on when I stopped by but when they finish up on Thurs. they’ll be open. After Thursday regular hours will start at 4pm. There will be 20 beers on draft and no bottles or cans. This is strictly a tavern and no food will be served though they do have an agreement where food can be brought in by customers or ordered from nearby Austin Grill or DC Chophouse.

It is a two level bar with the upstairs being more like an “upscale neighborhood hangout” according to GM Daniel Williams. The downstairs, with a capacity of 177, is filled with games and two connected bars. One will be open right away and will feature skeeball, shuffleboard, jukebox, and big buck hunter. The adjoining smaller bar is tentatively titled the “Story Bar” which will not open for another week or so and will feature photographs from a bicycle trip taken by City Bikes owner, Charlie McCormick. Owner Geoff Dawson envisions that the space will include photographs and postcards from others who take trips around the world. Mr. Dawson is also the president of Bedrock Companies which includes Aroma, Atomic Billiards, Bedrock Billiards, Buffalo Billiards, CarPool, Continental, and Mackey’s.

You can call 202-347-7665 to confirm what time they open tomorrow.

While it wasn’t completely finished when I stopped by, this certainly looks like it will be a nice addition to the Chinatown/Penn Quarter neighborhood. Photos after the jump.

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Upstairs Bar

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Upstairs mural (not yet completed) by Tim Conlon (in photo)

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skeeball downstairs

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downstairs bar featuring motorcycles

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Story Bar space to be open in a week or so.


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22 Responses to “Iron Horse Opens in Penn Quarter Thursday Night”

  1. 14 January 2010 9:05 AM | Mal Said:

    mv

    Seems like a pretty neat idea… I didn’t realize there were places that only served drinks. I will definitely be checking this out soon. What’s with the carpet downstairs? Seems odd for a bar.

     

    • 14 January 2010 10:02 AM | blip Said:

      blip

      a bunch of music venues are alcohol only. no food.

       

      • 14 January 2010 10:48 AM | Mal Said:

        mv

        Well yeah, but usually those are advertised as more of a music venue… This seems to be solely a tavern. Still awesome! I live pretty close and hopefully they’ll have hockey on :)

         

    • 14 January 2010 8:42 PM | saf Said:

      saf

      To that list you can add Bedrock, Aroma, Atomic, and Rocket.

       

  2. 14 January 2010 9:49 AM | vonstallin Said:

    vonstallin

    Everytime I see “Tap Room” I keep thinking it’s a tap dancing place….

    I use to want to learn how to tap dance.
    But I was like 5 years old.

     

    • 14 January 2010 9:54 AM | vonstallin Said:

      vonstallin

      Holy smokes….I didn’t see the pictures above… As some know I live eat and breath motorcycles (10 years riding and racing) and have a bagillion friends who ride. That being said I will let them know about this place. We hit Asylum Bar and other MD/VA biker bar spots, often and im sure they wouldn’t mind adding this place to the list.

      I wish they had motorcycle parking like Asylum do…

       

  3. 14 January 2010 9:53 AM | Patrick Said:

    Patrick

    I’ve always heard that tavern licenses are incredibly hard to come by. I wonder how they pulled that off.

     

  4. 14 January 2010 10:01 AM | blip Said:

    blip

    patrick,
    depends on the anc. thats why its hard. churchgroups and teetotaler pack the room when alcohol comes up.

    i’d bet the anc in penn quarter isnt too concerned about noise and all that…. as long as it isn’t a youth club.

    probably more concerned by how long that place has been empty.

     

  5. 14 January 2010 10:28 AM | Goot Lemmon Said:

    Goot Lemmon

    This space looks really cool, but I guess that hoping it won’t be overrun by the douchey types who frequent other area bars like Rocket Bar is probably too much to ask.

     

  6. 14 January 2010 10:40 AM | LJ Said:

    LJ

    If they continue to show this much hockey… maybe.

     

  7. 14 January 2010 12:29 PM | vonstallin Said:

    vonstallin

    Hey I just posted this info on my motorcycle BBS and they are excited to support it…

    One of the editors for IRONHORSE magazine ask me to give the guys his email and he will do a story in there mag.

    His name is ED
    Email: ed@ironhorsemagazine.com
    Website: http://www.ironhorsemagazine.com/

    The common issue they have on my bike BBS is the no food part. Alot of bikers dont mix drinking and riding, but will have dinner and say a beer or at least someone like me who drinks like 5 times a year will go to eat and relax with other who drink. For me at best id order a Diet Coke :)

    We all just hope at some point they do in fact serve food.
    Damn near everyone who wants to make it as a bar/tavern/etc.. serves at least some type of munch food. Plus i think food keeps people in the place and spending more.

     

    • 14 January 2010 8:44 PM | saf Said:

      saf

      They let you bring in outside food – I’ve done that at plenty of their other places.

       

  8. 14 January 2010 12:47 PM | ontarioroader Said:

    ontarioroader

    If they haven’t already, they should talk to DDOT about getting some dedicated motorcycle parking in that area. There is currently NONE and with the large number of tourons and valet parking goons jamming cars wherever they can I don’t think I’d even park my beater motorcycle down there.

     

    • 14 January 2010 1:52 PM | Anonymous Said:

      No thanks! All you’ll get are kids on crotch rockets rev limiting their bikes and hanging out in the spaces all night long a la too fast too furious.

      Even in Adams Morgan, they’ve reduced the number of motorcycle spaces.

       

      • 14 January 2010 2:27 PM | vonstallin Said:

        vonstallin

        You are right… I ride sport bikes and its only the new riders that do that dumb shit. Im like the motorcycle police in adams morgan and go up to all the assmunchs and tell them to stop that and only bamas and newbies do that. We use to be able to park across from asylum next to the police sub station, but the noise made stores angry and we had to move. Now they get $200 tickets.

        I try to tell all the idiots not to rev…and i will try again this spring, but If this is a biker bar themed place it only make sense to try and get some kind of motorcycle parking.

         

  9. 14 January 2010 1:18 PM | Sully Said:

    Sully

    Wow, very cool indeed, I can smell the testosterone from here. I will have to take my husband here for date to make up for all the packed pretentious wine bars I dragged him to last year. I wonder if this place will be a go-to place during World Cup?

     

  10. 14 January 2010 3:27 PM | pqresident Said:

    pqresident

    the phone number provided is stuck in an infinite loop of ringing. will have to try it later.

     

  11. 14 January 2010 3:59 PM | Gigs Said:

    Gigs

    FYI – Bedrock also owns Aroma which does not have food, but they have a whole bunch of menus behind the bar. It’s kind of nice to be able to bring in your own food or even have it delivered. Not bad!

     

  12. 14 January 2010 6:18 PM | the poo Said:

    the poo

    i ride. i have since i was twelve. as of my 40 years of age, i’m basically a commuter, but i live work and ride in dc on a “crotch rocket”. i don’t rev, i don’t “pop wheelies”, i just ride a bike that will get me from A to B. don’t judge us bikeriders by neolithic standards. please.

    thanks.

    you’ll be seeing A LOT more bikes, thanks to the economy. i work at the state department, and three folks in my office (all over the age of 50) have purchased ‘crotch rockets’, or “rice rockets” for the redneck transplants. they ride responsibly and love their new lease on life.

    AND they frequent local bars, inclusive of, but not limited to, “biker bars”.

    i have no doubt that some folks would rather a cheesecake factory, but those are the same folks that don’t understand demographics.

    it’s cool. just chill.

    and buy a bike or a scooter. you’ll “unclench” a bit more, trust me. and you might actually be able to pretend you’re an urbanite living in the city! unless of course you’re from the burbs. in that case… stick to your stipmalls.

    thanks in advance!

     

  13. 14 January 2010 7:24 PM | m.e. Said:

    m.e.

    wow…i walked by there earlier today (like just after noon) and it looked like they had a LOT of work to do before opening. tonight, you say?? amazing. good luck to ‘em. wonder if they’ll cut into the chop house’s bar bidness. that’s one of my favorite watering holes in penn quarter. good drinks, friendly barkeeps

     

  14. 15 January 2010 10:09 AM | Si Kailian Said:

    Si Kailian

    cant wait to go here. moto gets 50mpg y’all..just sayin :)

     

  15. 15 January 2010 1:22 PM | vonstallin Said:

    vonstallin

    Well, They pulled off the opening…
    guys from my local motorcycle BBS (dcsportbikes.net) went last night, and few talk to the owner and he said he will host our Two Wheel Tuesday (TV show about motorcycles)…

    pics

    http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/8797/photo2gc.jpg

    http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/4363/photopbe.jpg

     


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