RIP Polly’s Cafe U Street

U Street in D.C has done a lot of transmogrifying in recent years–some of it for the better, some of it  . . .well, the latest casualty is Polly’s, which had been around for donkey’s years, and was one of the diviest dive bars you were likely to come across.  I rode my bike over there last night for a burger and a beer only to find a handwritten note on the door saying that place had seen its last day.

Nor was its passing mourned in all quarters.  Local blogger  Prince of Petworth gives it a justified shout-out, but many of the commenters seem to have been put off by alleged olfactory issues across its final phase.  In the spirit of full disclosure, my sense of smell sucks, and I always sat near the window anyway, where I didn’t have to listen to gentrified fuckwits complain about how they didn’t have their favorite designer ale on tap.  I can forgive a lot if a bar has welded metal sculpture, a wood fire and more than its share of my favorite drinking memories from the last decade and a half.

(Though I got my burger and beer at Saint Ex, which rocked as always.)

Tags: , ,

3 Responses to “RIP Polly’s Cafe U Street”

  1. Eric Garland Says:

    I miss The Raven in Mt Pleasant – horrible, uncomfortable seats, unclean atmosphere, absurdly cheap beers, and absolutely no pretentiousness. That is what mankind requires to be happy in society, not more $13 cocktail bars.

  2. David Williams Says:

    shit, when did the Raven close???

    So what Great Dive Bars are left to us?

  3. Jen Hitt Says:

    huh, I almost ended up there for dinner last night too. I’ll miss that place.