"This place really helped me adjust. I later learned that people gravitate towards certain bars, and I found my favorites, especially those with live music like Birchmere, Black Cat, 9:30 Club, Lincoln, Capital One Arena, and even the now-closed O'Shaughnessy's and Rock & Roll Hotel.
One of my most memorable experiences was running into Rory Sheridan on one of my first visits. He was launching his DC music campaign back then and was part of Loud Boyz. We chatted a few times, and I even caught up with some old classmates. Another highlight was when I heard about a “reunion” night before Thanksgiving, and I decided to crash it.
There were moments where people could be unkind or I felt out of place, but I was given some guidance on where I would fit in better, without the unnecessary drama. Being in Old Town, I was familiar with nearby schools like West Potomac, Mount Vernon, and Bishop Ireton.
During my visits, I would often take an Alexandria cab or use Metro Access, being discreet about my disability since I felt embarrassed at times. Being a regular meant navigating the tourist scene, and there were people who seemed territorial about the place, but I ended up doing quite well when I sold my house.
Good times continued with events like watching RG3 play for the Redskins or meetups organized by JT. I enjoyed New Year’s celebrations and weekend outings. I also frequented other establishments like Flying Fish before it closed, and O'Shaughnessy's before I decided to stop drinking.
This is a sports bar located near a bicycle shop, close to the Ben & Jerry's I used to work at, along with many other walkable bars for bar hopping, like Union Street Pub and Fish Market. It can be a great place to have fun, but with the good comes some downsides. Overall, I felt well-hosted and respected here, despite some things I was not initially aware of or didn’t want to uncover."
