Somehow, in all our postings, DCFUD has neglected the best place drinking in DC: The Brickskeller. I’d say I’m unsure how we missed posting about The Brickskeller, but I’m fairly certain I know why. Everyone reading DCFUD knows about Brickskeller. In fact, everyone who has ever lived in NW DC knows about Brickskeller. It’s the pub/restaurant (whith a heavy emphasis on pub) up on 22nd that holds the Guinness world record for most beers. And it’s a great place to go when you want to have several very good and very large beers.
Brickskeller is an institution, but it’s not quite like the normal drinking places in D.C. You don’t generally go to Brickskeller for a drink. It’s not akin to Mackey’s or Sign of the Whale. In general, when you go to the Brickskeller, you’re going for a night of drinking. You may say you’re going for just one drink, but in four years of going, I’ve never succeed in ordering just one beer. Once you end up at the Brickskeller, you’re not leaving until a) you’ve tried at least two beers you’ve never had before, b) you’re worried about missing the last metro out, or c) they’re closing the bar and threatening to chuck you next door into the Fireplace unless you pay your very large bar bill. In fact, my three largest bar bills (one of which topped $600, although it was on a company cc and involved 14 of us) have occured at Brickskeller.
So why do you go to Brickskeller? Two reasons:
1) The Beer. They really do have some of the best beer in the city. Check out zaf’s favorite, the Dogfish Head Rasion D’etre, my new favorite, Schneider & Sohn Aventinus, or one of the hundreds of Mexican, Belgian, Chinese, Italian, Russian, or about eighteen other country’s beers. Drink and be merry.
2) The Waitresses. I’m not sure how they do it, and it really can’t be legal, but the Brickskeller has the most attractive waitresses in town. They are all very cute and they all know it, which makes spending $75 for beers for three people siginificantly less painful. Order a Dunkelweiss and you’ll understand why.
So, next time you’re looking for a real night of drinking — no happy hours here — head to the Brickskeller. It’s a place to catch up with friends, have a couple of beers, and wander out at 3 a.m. wondering what the heck the Scandinavians put in their beer to make them worth $8.50 a bottle…and you’ll always go back.
The Brickskeller Dining House and Down Home Saloon
1523 22nd St, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Image blatently borrowed from beerblog.motime.com.