Toledo Lounge is Off-Beat Fun in Adams Morgan
Written by Josh Pastor for Greenlight Washington Blitz!
TOLEDO LOUNGE
2435 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.986.5416
Sitting at the bar of the Toledo Lounge, I am nearly fooled into believing that a mating pair from the great American counter-culture somehow survived the past two and a half decades of Yuppiedom to create a small, but thriving off-beat population.
I am surrounded by remnants of a once-thriving Americana: Mobil's iconic red Pegasus hangs on the wall behind me; a cutout of a gunslinger brandishes a heroic smile and a six-piece; a pie-tin mobile droops from the ceiling above. There is even a jackalope or two.
But a closer look reveals that Toledo Lounge is not some cutesy throwback to American innocence. Lewd napkin art checkers the bar mirror, detailing the anatomy of excited lunatics; a tip bucket sits below the napkin collage with a sticker that warns me to "Tip, you bastard."
The patrons are friendly and like to talk. I soon discover that everyone is in love with the bartender, Nelinda. Her default expression carries a certain zeal, as though she's always on the verge of saying something brilliant. An enthusiastic theater actor, Nelinda jokes about using the Stanislavsky method to shoo drunks out the door after last call. "I emit from my diaphragm," she tells me.
Someone at the bar asks Nelinda about her ideal acting role. "I think a transgendered Richard III would be an interesting twist," she says with a laugh.
Toledo Lounge offers many opportunities to enjoy the savory banter of young professionals who come to escape the endemic Eighteenth Street smarm. And although no one will say they come just for the food, I will openly admit my persistent cravings for Toledo's $6.95 bacon chedder melt with a side of spicy fries.
"This place is honest, unpretentious and doesn't attempt to promise more than it delivers," says Alex, a Scottish journalist. "I think the other bars attract far less interesting people and are full of pretension and twaddle."
Be advised: customers should plan their visits carefully. On weekends, students from Virginia and Maryland swarm this watering hole, turning the bar into a standing-room-only venue.
"That's why I come on Mondays," says Elisha, a local theater actor. "It's a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy the $2.00 happy hour."
For Randy, a local engineer, it's the attractive wait staff that keeps him coming back. "The music's great," he says, bobbing his head to Hendrix's Voodoo Chile. "But the waitress is hot! I'm going to give her this tonight." He slides a book of matches my way with a note written under the flap in blue print: I WANT TO KISS YOU AND BUY YOU THINGS, it says.
If you're in the mood for some fun in Adams Morgan, but you don't feel like dressing to the nines and posing as a veteran Washington socialite, let the staff and regulars at Toledo Lounge show you a good time. And if your visit conjures a streak of creativity, try contributing to the salacious napkin art while you're there.
The Hours:
Friday - Saturday || 6:00 p.m - 3:00 a.m.
Sunday - Thursday || 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
The Specials:
Mon, Tues & Wed: $2.00 Draughts from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sun: 1/2 Price Burgers
Mon: 1/2 Price Appetizers
Tue: 1/2 Price Chicken Sandwiches
Wed: 1/2 Price Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and "Lounge Dogs"
TOLEDO LOUNGE
2435 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.986.5416
Sitting at the bar of the Toledo Lounge, I am nearly fooled into believing that a mating pair from the great American counter-culture somehow survived the past two and a half decades of Yuppiedom to create a small, but thriving off-beat population.
I am surrounded by remnants of a once-thriving Americana: Mobil's iconic red Pegasus hangs on the wall behind me; a cutout of a gunslinger brandishes a heroic smile and a six-piece; a pie-tin mobile droops from the ceiling above. There is even a jackalope or two.
But a closer look reveals that Toledo Lounge is not some cutesy throwback to American innocence. Lewd napkin art checkers the bar mirror, detailing the anatomy of excited lunatics; a tip bucket sits below the napkin collage with a sticker that warns me to "Tip, you bastard."
The patrons are friendly and like to talk. I soon discover that everyone is in love with the bartender, Nelinda. Her default expression carries a certain zeal, as though she's always on the verge of saying something brilliant. An enthusiastic theater actor, Nelinda jokes about using the Stanislavsky method to shoo drunks out the door after last call. "I emit from my diaphragm," she tells me.
Someone at the bar asks Nelinda about her ideal acting role. "I think a transgendered Richard III would be an interesting twist," she says with a laugh.
Toledo Lounge offers many opportunities to enjoy the savory banter of young professionals who come to escape the endemic Eighteenth Street smarm. And although no one will say they come just for the food, I will openly admit my persistent cravings for Toledo's $6.95 bacon chedder melt with a side of spicy fries.
"This place is honest, unpretentious and doesn't attempt to promise more than it delivers," says Alex, a Scottish journalist. "I think the other bars attract far less interesting people and are full of pretension and twaddle."
Be advised: customers should plan their visits carefully. On weekends, students from Virginia and Maryland swarm this watering hole, turning the bar into a standing-room-only venue.
"That's why I come on Mondays," says Elisha, a local theater actor. "It's a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy the $2.00 happy hour."
For Randy, a local engineer, it's the attractive wait staff that keeps him coming back. "The music's great," he says, bobbing his head to Hendrix's Voodoo Chile. "But the waitress is hot! I'm going to give her this tonight." He slides a book of matches my way with a note written under the flap in blue print: I WANT TO KISS YOU AND BUY YOU THINGS, it says.
If you're in the mood for some fun in Adams Morgan, but you don't feel like dressing to the nines and posing as a veteran Washington socialite, let the staff and regulars at Toledo Lounge show you a good time. And if your visit conjures a streak of creativity, try contributing to the salacious napkin art while you're there.
The Hours:
Friday - Saturday || 6:00 p.m - 3:00 a.m.
Sunday - Thursday || 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
The Specials:
Mon, Tues & Wed: $2.00 Draughts from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sun: 1/2 Price Burgers
Mon: 1/2 Price Appetizers
Tue: 1/2 Price Chicken Sandwiches
Wed: 1/2 Price Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and "Lounge Dogs"
