Old Ebbitt Grill
Encyclopedia
Old Ebbitt Grill is a historic bar
and restaurant
located at 675 15th Street NW in Washington, D.C.
, in the United States. It is Washington's oldest bar
and restaurant
, and as of 2011 was owned by Clyde's Restaurant Group
.
near the present-day Verizon Center
in Chinatown
, and it became Washington's first known bar.
For a brief period, President William McKinley
lived at the boarding house during his tenure in the United States House of Representatives
. The facility also became notorious for frequently hosting U.S. presidents. Presidents Andrew Johnson
, Ulysses S. Grant
, Grover Cleveland
, Theodore Roosevelt
, and Warren G. Harding
all refreshed themselves at the bar.
By the early 20th century, the Ebbitt moved to what is now the National Press Building at 14th and F Streets. Two saloons co-existed in the Press Building at the time, a Dutch room and an Old English room. During the 1920s, when the Ebbitt moved to a converted haberdasher
y at 1427 F Street, the legacies of these Dutch and English bars were combined into a single Old Ebbitt Grill.
The F Street location was just two doors away from the Rhodes Tavern, which occupied the northeast corner of F and 15th Streets. Having a considerable history of its own, its bar was reportedly the site where British generals toasted one another as they watched the White House
burn during the War of 1812
.
By 1970, the Old Ebbitt Grill had fallen on hard times and an auction was held to satisfy a federal tax claim. When the auction was announced, Stuart Davidson and John Laytham, owners of a newer Washington institution, Clyde's
of Georgetown, expressed an interest in buying the Ebbitt’s collection of antique beer steins to display at Clyde's. When auction proceeds fell short of the lien on the property, bidding began again, but this time on the entire contents. And suddenly, for $11,200, the two partners unexpectedly found themselves owners of a second saloon, the Old Ebbitt Grill.
In 1983, the Old Ebbitt Grill was uprooted one last time. The building was razed, and Old Ebbitt moved around the corner to its current location at 675 15th Street(the former home of Loeb's NY Deli
), to the Beaux-Arts building that was once the old B. F. Keith
's Theater.
. An exterior scene was shown and then Clint Eastwood
and John Mahoney
were shown sitting at Grant's Bar inside. A plaque referencing this movie is on the wall in Grant's Bar.
Old Ebbitt Grill is mentioned in the Brad Thor
novel, Path of the Assassin. Other novels mentioning the restaurant include The Outlaws by W.E.B. Griffin, The Pravda Messenger by Robert Cornuke, The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear
, House Justice by Joe DeMarco, and The Green Trap by Ben Bova
.
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
located at 675 15th Street NW in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in the United States. It is Washington's oldest bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, and as of 2011 was owned by Clyde's Restaurant Group
Clyde's Restaurant Group
Clyde's Restaurant Group is a private company that owns and operates 13 restaurants in the Washington Metropolitan Area .-List of restaurants:*Clyde's of Georgetown*Clyde's of Reston*Clyde's of Chevy Chase*Clyde's of Mark Center*Clyde's of Columbia...
.
History
Old Ebbitt Grill was founded in 1856 by William E. Ebbitt. Ebbitt purchased a boarding houseBoarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
near the present-day Verizon Center
Verizon Center
Verizon Center is a sports and entertainment arena in Washington, D.C., USA, named after telecommunications sponsor Verizon Communications, and has been nicknamed the "Phone Booth" because of its association with telecommunications companies...
in Chinatown
Chinatown, Washington, D.C.
Chinatown in Washington, D.C., is a small, historic neighborhood east of downtown consisting of about 20 ethnic Chinese and other Asian restaurants and small businesses along H and I Streets between 5th and 8th Streets, Northwest. It is known for its annual Chinese New Year festival and parade and...
, and it became Washington's first known bar.
For a brief period, President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
lived at the boarding house during his tenure in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. The facility also became notorious for frequently hosting U.S. presidents. Presidents Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, and Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
all refreshed themselves at the bar.
By the early 20th century, the Ebbitt moved to what is now the National Press Building at 14th and F Streets. Two saloons co-existed in the Press Building at the time, a Dutch room and an Old English room. During the 1920s, when the Ebbitt moved to a converted haberdasher
Haberdasher
A haberdasher is a person who sells small articles for sewing, such as buttons, ribbons, zips, and other notions. In American English, haberdasher is another term for a men's outfitter. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.-Origin and use:The word appears in...
y at 1427 F Street, the legacies of these Dutch and English bars were combined into a single Old Ebbitt Grill.
The F Street location was just two doors away from the Rhodes Tavern, which occupied the northeast corner of F and 15th Streets. Having a considerable history of its own, its bar was reportedly the site where British generals toasted one another as they watched the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
burn during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
By 1970, the Old Ebbitt Grill had fallen on hard times and an auction was held to satisfy a federal tax claim. When the auction was announced, Stuart Davidson and John Laytham, owners of a newer Washington institution, Clyde's
Clyde's Restaurant Group
Clyde's Restaurant Group is a private company that owns and operates 13 restaurants in the Washington Metropolitan Area .-List of restaurants:*Clyde's of Georgetown*Clyde's of Reston*Clyde's of Chevy Chase*Clyde's of Mark Center*Clyde's of Columbia...
of Georgetown, expressed an interest in buying the Ebbitt’s collection of antique beer steins to display at Clyde's. When auction proceeds fell short of the lien on the property, bidding began again, but this time on the entire contents. And suddenly, for $11,200, the two partners unexpectedly found themselves owners of a second saloon, the Old Ebbitt Grill.
In 1983, the Old Ebbitt Grill was uprooted one last time. The building was razed, and Old Ebbitt moved around the corner to its current location at 675 15th Street(the former home of Loeb's NY Deli
Loeb's NY Deli
Loeb's NY Deli is a historic kosher-style deli in downtown Washington, D.C., USA. Opened in 1959 by Walter Loeb, the deli was originally located at the corner of 15th and G Streets, NW, in a space currently occupied by the Old Ebbitt Grill. In the 1970s the deli moved to the U.S...
), to the Beaux-Arts building that was once the old B. F. Keith
Benjamin Franklin Keith
Benjamin Franklin Keith was an American vaudeville theatre owner, highly influential in the evolution of variety theater into vaudeville.-Early years:...
's Theater.
Popular culture
Old Ebbitt Grill was featured in the movie In the Line of FireIn the Line of Fire
In the Line of Fire is a 1993 American thriller film about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him...
. An exterior scene was shown and then Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
and John Mahoney
John Mahoney
John Mahoney is a British born American actor, known for playing Martin "Marty" Crane, the retired police officer, father of Kelsey Grammer's Dr...
were shown sitting at Grant's Bar inside. A plaque referencing this movie is on the wall in Grant's Bar.
Old Ebbitt Grill is mentioned in the Brad Thor
Brad Thor
Brad Thor is a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist and author of The Lions of Lucerne, Path of the Assassin, State of the Union, Blowback, Takedown, The First Commandment, The Last Patriot, The Apostle, Foreign Influence, The Athena Project and Full Black. His novels have been...
novel, Path of the Assassin. Other novels mentioning the restaurant include The Outlaws by W.E.B. Griffin, The Pravda Messenger by Robert Cornuke, The Athena Factor by W. Michael Gear
W. Michael Gear
W. Michael Gear is an American writer, and archaeologist born in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 20, 1955. He is perhaps best known for his First North Americans series, co-authored with wife Kathleen O'Neal Gear.-Biography:...
, House Justice by Joe DeMarco, and The Green Trap by Ben Bova
Ben Bova
Benjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
.