Best places to watch a Michigan Game in Washington, D.C.

Submitted by los on

Hey Guys,

I guess I'm THAT guy this week. I'm heading to D.C. from Belgium tomorrow to meet up with my folks (who are traveling from Puerto Rico... needless to say I haven't seen them in a while) and was wondering if any of you could recommend a place to watch the game.

Hopefully you know of a spot where we could eat, have a few drinks/beers and most importantly watch the game in a quality screen (other M fans would be a plus). I'd like them to enjoy the experience. I have a feeling its going to be a joy to watch. Thanks for any help.

As always, Go Blue...

mgokev

November 18th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^

He's not asking questions about random things.  He's asking a question on where to watch the Michigan game, at preferably a Michigan bar, in an unfamiliar location.  Your post about finding a doctor in Grand Rapids would probably be accepted at a blog about, you know, doctors in Grand Rapids.

M2NASA

November 18th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the bar choices here suck.  Bailey's is in the commonwealth, and nobody likes the commonwealth.  Pour House is now overrun with Florida fans.  And Buffalo Billiards just sucks something fierce.

m1jjb00

November 18th, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^

We were at the WMU game last year and when some friendlies heard we were from Virginia and said, "Oh southerners" both my kids replied, "No, NORTHERN Virginia."  Personally, my favorite place to watch a game is on my sofa but go to Greevys when the Big 10 network has Michigan on a secondary channel.  Present company excluded, but I don't find watching games with Michigan fans all that enjoyable.

DMIKEGOBLUE

November 18th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^

Tonic in Mt. Plesant has a great little Michigan bar.  It isn't a Wolverine bar, its a State of Michigan bar.   We got there for most of the games.  It isn't too crowded and they have great food.  Only bad part is a buckeye flag that is hanging in the bar...they lost a bet and it will hang until we beat them next weekend.

 

His Dudeness

November 18th, 2010 at 11:10 AM ^

I do mean to be a dick with this post and I'm not sorry. How the fuck hard is it to find a fucking bar in a major metro area? There are so many posts like this!! You're in fucking D.C. for fucks sake! Go out on Friday night find a strip club and walk due any fucking direction for less than 5 minutes and I guaran-fucking-tee you find a sports bar to "watch the Michigan game" at. Again, not sorry. At all.

mgokev

November 18th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^

I would also like to add that you can't just walk in a direction and find a bar.  You could end up doing that for hours.  Also, since he would prefer a Michigan bar, that really limits the choices.  To the OP: I live in DC and recommend Buffalo Billiards in Dupont Circle.  It's where the alumni association holds watch parties and you will find more Michigan people there than anywhere else.  It's always a fun time.

mgokev

November 18th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^

Look man, take a breather.  I googled Michigan bars in DC once and one popped up that had since been changed to an Iowa bar.  I'm not saying the OP shouldn't have used these resources, but why not ask the people that have direct experience at these places?  That seems reasonable to me.  Yes, I would ask Michigan fans that are in the DC area where the best place to take my parents for a game would be.  Shocking.

The title was informative enough for you to realize not to click on it.  If you don't live in DC, then why even bother reading it? But clearly you just wanted to be an asshole to the OP who is trying to get some information that is more reliable than 3 reviews on yelp.

EDIT: It's also my understanding that the OP isn't familiar with the DC area as he is travelling from Belgium.

His Dudeness

November 18th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

I was mostly just fuckign around. I'm not pissed at all. This board is a bunch of grandmas sometimes. Ever seen a comedy show? Do people ask Daniel Tosh to calm down?

Anyway yea I don't give a shit if the OP has a real hard time finding a place that serves food and shows games and needs to ask  the message board, like every coupld weeks like all year round. I know how hard it can be sometimes to find a place that not only serves food but also has cable television. If he needs our help then seriously we should help him out.

It was mostly a joke, but it is really annoying to me. Obviously it isn't very annoying to the masses on this board which has a terrible self policing problem and some members who take things way too seriously.

mgokev

November 18th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^

I understand that, and can relate to the annoying nature of it especially if it's random places like Traverse City.  In larger cities with large alumni netowrks, however, I feel that we should help fellow wolverines be able to find "the better place" to watch a game with more M fans.  If it was a joke, then fine, I definitely missed it, but just so you know, all the f-bombs and such made it sound like you were legitimately freaking out on the OP.

ahw1982

November 18th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^

LoL.  Wow.  Of all the quality comedy routines you could have come up with to justify your angry shenanigans, you went with Daniel Tosh.

I was going to ask how on earth your ornery tirade could be interpreted as a "joke" or as "funny," but if Daniel Tosh is your idea of the model comedian, I don't think I would understand.

hahahahahahaha.

mbrummer

November 18th, 2010 at 11:49 AM ^

So give him slack.  Someone gave him the link to the bar sheet so there.

I think dudeness is getting frustrated with the noise ratio here.  Look at the currerent board on the front page.  There's 3 meaningful topcs out of 15, 3.5 if you grade the Wrigley photos as a maybe.

3.5 / 15 is not good 23%.  For those people who think it doesnt matter, it's just more page clicks so therefore mgoblog makes more money are thinking incredibly short term.  Because as more noise creeps in, people start visiting less often and will find something that talks about Michigan Football, not is a Q&A for fantasy lineups, would you rather hypotheticals, or trying to do lazy research.

I least I am.  I mean the season is still going right?

His Dudeness

November 18th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^

The noise thing i agree with.

Maybe this guy since he is from Belgium and with his parents shouldn't have taken it from me because I suppose that is more valid reason, but what about a week from now when some idiot who can't find the search button on his fucking computer asks where he can watch the game in Miami?

A) You are in a major city, find a bar?

B) My phone can literally draw me a fucking line on the screen showing the street I am on and will take me step by step from where I am now to anywhere I want to be. It isn't that hard.

C) Has it really come to this? Asking a message board how you can find a place with food and a TV?

willywill9

November 18th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^

I'm going to Puerto Rico for new year's.  Apparently M's swim team will also be there around the same time, so I plan on showing up if possible. 

I'll flip the question back at you: We're spending a few days in San Juan, but then going over to Agudilla to visit family.  Any "Must go" places?  I only frequented PR up until I turned 16, so no "social" knowledge



DC Advice:

Whatever you do, don't go to the Rhino (last I checked it was an OSU bar...)  Fool me once...

Buffalo Billiards was decent... lots of projectors and TVs, but get there early enough (like anywhere.)  I've been to the Pour House too, but I like Dupont Circle area better... plus Cafe Citron is right nearby and is a pretty cool place to go out at night...they play latin music!

los

November 18th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^

Thanks to all who posted legit answers. The dicks, well... are dicks (no suprises there). Compared to some of the posts being put up lately didn't see anything wrong with mine. I appreciate fellow M alumni and fans help out, I always try to do the same.

As for the PR-Belgium, my family and I are actually from PR (San Juan) and I'm currently doing my Master's in Belgium. Puerto Rico is fun during New Years. Depending on your taste, usually the biggest/nicest parties are in Beach Hotels (Caribe Hilton, La Concha, Normandie, Hotel San Juan, Conrad Condado Plaza). La Concha is pretty in right now (warning: South Beach Vibe, so if you're not into that, don't bother... pretty girls frequent the lobby bar every friday and saturday usually, though). You want to get tickets early for the Hotels.

Old San Juan (old spanish city) is always fun... lot's of cool lounge/restaurants in South Fortaleza Street. If you head up from there there's a ton of low-key fun bars.

The Condado area is also host to lots of bars and restaurants (La Concha and the Conrad are there whereas Hotel San Juan is in Isla Verde Area). Hotel San Juan has a popular club inside called BRAVA that's big on both locals and turists. 

If you want to just walk around and not commit to one thing, I would tour Condado or Old San Juan and hop around. Most popular bars and hotels are in these areas and they're 5 minutes from each other by cab.

Hope this helps. Thanks for the DC info...

Btw. If you want to watch the Bowl Games there's a popular bar (the one all the M alumni in PR go to to watch the games) called Shannan's Irish Pub (in Guaynabo City). Nothing about it is Irish but lot's of PR Alum from most Big Ten Schools frequent the place to watch the games.

EDIT: whoever gave me a -1 for helping a guy out with his vaca plans is one bitter sob...

WolvinLA2

November 18th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^

I'm not in DC, but I'm having DISH network installed today because the only cable company that services my area (Burbank) doesn't carry the BTN. 

Anyone in the Valley that wants a place to catch the games, check out my pad!  My wife will make guacamole!

dosleches

November 18th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^

You can go to Baileys in VA off the orange line if you want a chill experience.  Place is usually dead at 12 and the only people there are Michigan fans.

Todd Plate's n…

November 18th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^

I would submit Ventnor on 18th to consider as well.  Buffalo Billiards is a Michigan watching bar and is very big, so if you want to be around a lot of fellow M fans, then that's your place (it's owned by a Pioneer grad).  As for Ventnor:

Ventnor is small and for the noon games will have a small crowd (go downstairs, Brian will be bartending and he is great), and it will be mixed with Michigan fans, a few Wisky and peeps watching other games on the other tvs.  But the size (probably be 20 people in there for the start of the noon games) and TV set-up is ideal to enjoy the game.  Also, the food is pretty good.  For the noon games this year, there have always been other M fans waiting out front for them to open their doors (open at noon, but will open up a few minutes early to ensure you see kick-off)...so the M game is always on the main TV with sound. 

EDIT: sidenote, there was a Wisky fan there last year who I struck up a conversation with during a few games.  Turns out he was a receiver for the badgers in the early 90's.  He said in his 4 years of big ten play, nobody hit him as hard as Ty Law did.   Guy's name was Brian something, never got his last name.

 

 

ChalmersE

November 18th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^

In some locations, you might well be served by taking the Red Line to Bethesda.  If you take the elevator out of the station, rather than the long escalator, you will wind up across the street from Tommy Joe's, which has decent food, and a nice crowd of Michigan fans.  Or, at least they did last year, which was the last time I went to a bar for a Michigan game.

frank

November 18th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^

what if you walk in one direction and end up at a poopy bar? or worse, there is a big hole in the direction you choose, and then you fall in it?! i think in that situation alone i may drop as many f's as your post his dudeness, but it'd be because i was in a really sucky spot being stuck in that hole. on the plus side, what if that hole had a tv!? omg what a story then! 

on a more serious note, are you ok? you seem tense.

Webber's Pimp

November 18th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^

I live in DC. There are two places where the DC UM alumni association meets on a regular basis. One of them is Buffallo Billiards (Dupont Circle). The second is Bailey's (located in Ballston Commons Mall- Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor in Arlington - about a12 minute metro ride on the Orange line from Federal Triangle - i.e. White House area). 

ShelleyH

November 18th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^

Buffalo Billards is nice, but you have to order your drinks from the bar...the waitstaff has never served me since they made it an official Michigan bar.   A lot of people, and a lot of fun but the lack of service made me stop going for football, though I still go for basketball games after work.  If it were me, I would take my parents to a place like Baileys, especially if you get there early, you may be able to snag a couch spot.  The service isn't great, but at least they bring you food and drinks.