Question for DC area Michigan fans
I know this kind of question has a history on this site so apologize in advance, but my wife and I will be in DC this evening.
Any thoughts on the relative atmospheres/merits of the 3 alumni watch spots (Pistolas, Midlands and Ivy and Coney) for tonight’s game would be appreciated. Thanks and Go Blue.
Are those new? I don't recognize any of those from my time living in DC in the mid 2010s...
Yes, ish. Ivy and Coney is relatively new. The owners are the same guys who opened Kangaroo Boxing Club, which may be more familiar to you as it was the popular M bar for the Trey Burke team in the mid 2010s.
KBC was great (I also lived literally right around the corner and watched the 2013 championship game there) but a tight space. And Ivy & Coney seemed...even tighter. Damn, I loved DC. I miss it!
KBC was amazing. I feel like they could have easily remained a neighborhood mainstay and figured out a way to expand if the owners hadn't wanted to try other things.
That's funny, because Ivy and Coney was the only one of those that I had heard of (it's great) and I live just up the road in Maryland. Then again, I have two kids, haven't lived in DC in years and am not a source for anything resembling cool.
Was buffalo billiards for my time in DC
Same, that's almost always where I went, with occasional stops at the Pour House near the Capitol. Moved to California in 2013 so I don't recognize the names in the thread.
Buffalo Billiards is now closed. Used to be a fantastic spot to watch a UM game.
March 26th, 2022 at 10:36 PM ^
Buffalo Billiards was one of the best sports bars that I've ever been to. I tried to make it to as many opening Fridays of the NCAA tournament as I could, at BB. Unfortunately, they seemed to start a closing trend for good sports bars in DC. Between high rent (BB) and the pandemic, it was hard to find a place to watch the tournament last year (2021). I didn't even try this year. Hopefully, that will rebound by next tourney.
The advantage of Midlands is that it has a good outdoor space. So if the weather is nice it's a good place. Decent change it rains though.
Ivy and Coney is a little cramped. I'd say the vibe is a little more on the younger side, for that reason. You might be standing. Food is basically just hot dogs, chicago and detroit style.
I've been to Ivy and Coney (Shaw area) and The Midlands just north of Howard U. Ivy and Coney is smaller in a more populous neighborhood. Midlands is indoors and outdoors with more room. Both will be packed. Beer list is great at Midlands. If you will be driving parking will be better at midlands.
suggest getting there early at either place.
Oh, great to know! My daughter is about to start college at a tiny women's u called Trinity Washington that's just down the street from Howard. I just retired, and my wife and I plan to be there a lot for her soccer games, and to take advantage of her presence there in D.C. Will be neat to have a Michigan alumni place to go nearby.
Midlands is like a mile from Trinity and the best spot easily overall. As another poster mentioned its a great outdoor space so when raining it loses some of its appeal. Indoor is still good though and less crowded than ivy and coney
My teenage son and I watched the UM-Penn State football game from The Midlands in November and really enjoyed it. Very good beer list, decent food menu (if I recall, you order food at the bar and then pick it up from a window - there isn't any table service). It is spacious but it was packed for the football game and have to believe it'll be extremely busy tonight as well.
Jesse Minter
Yeah I tried to go to I&C on Saturday for the game and got there an hour early and couldn’t get in so I ended up going to Shaw’s Tavern to watch. If you want to go to I&C I suggest getting there early. But it’s not a weekend or that nice a day so I can’t say how early.
. Wrong thread, sorry.
There's another spot in Falls church, just in case youre in the V part of the DMV. We have kids, so we rarely go to the meet up spots, but hope you go and have a great time
I always say Ivy and Coney because they have the best Pizza of the three and have Two Hearted on Tap.
Plus Toby frequents there.
For my money, it's Midlands.
I live down the road from Pistolas and have been to Ivy and Coney countless times.
Midlands has more space (especially if the rain holds, which looks likely), good beer list and you can bring in outside food. The atmosphere saturday was electric.
Today is hard to predict when to get there so I'll be getting in around 6pm. If you end up at Midlands, send me a message, would be nice to say hi.