1409 Playbill Café

As said below, the Playbill has closed.

Went for a Cap Fringe show… I hadn’t read the prior reviews of the limited AC and it was definitely stuffy in the theater. It’s nice that you can take a drink inside (also helps for staying cool) but I wasn’t thrilled with paying $ 7 for a pint of Shock Top. So… probably won’t be going back, plenty of other good options for food, drink, and shows in the neighborhood.

It’s a decent place to get a drink, but forget about the food. And I have experienced appallingly bad service there.
After the Gay Pride parade, my friends and I went in there to grab a bite to eat. We sat down at 8:00 and by 9:30 all we had been given was water. The waiter swore to us several times that our food and drinks were «coming.» Meanwhile, people who came in after us were being served, finishing up their meals, and getting ready to leave.
One member of our group got up to complain to the waiter; he came back to inform us that our orders had been cancelled and basically told us to leave! I have NEVER experienced service as rude and dismissive as that; I would have been satisfied with bringing the food quickly and comping our drinks… but telling us to leave!!!
The only reason I’m not giving this one star is that they do provide a performance space and it IS a decent place to grab a drink. I’ve eaten there before and the food is nothing special (as I said once after eating there, «Well, that was food.»), and sometimes a bit subpar. But the abominable service we experienced there means that we will NEVER go there to eat again, and may think twice about getting a drink there.

Good bar. So-​so meal. Stick with the bar food (like hamburgers)
So-​so service. The server was slow to get the drinks to the table and the food took longer than expected.
The locals/​regulars probably get better service than than the out-​of-​town straight crowd that showed up and took over the bar (there were 7 of us downing some PBRs and other concoctions) so if the local crowd loves this place, I get it.
The awning looked inviting to hungry and thirsty travelers at 8pm, but to see the joint in the daylight was a little eye-​opening. It looked a little like our experience felt.

I will go back for the bar atmosphere, maybe appetizers… but not for dinner.
I like the idea of this place quite a bit. A good location, basically a gay restaurant, connected to a theatre in back, and the drinks are decently priced.
The wait staff was great and friendly, which made the experience fun, which is always nice.
Now that I got the good parts out, I guess I need to mention the bad.
The food. Ok, I should have known better than to order a seafood pasta from a place like this, but I went with it. I don’t think I have ever experienced worse calamari in my life. It was completely rubbery, and inedible. The sauce it was in was pretty blan as well, making the whole dish a waste of money and food itself.
I kept telling myself that I should have just ordered a grilled cheese, as that is something that undoubtedly wouldn’t be messed up.
Others at the table had pretty bad experiences too. The pizza was rock hard and the pork chop bland. I really tried hard to like this place, really. but it just wasn’t happening.
The place was generally a bit dirty too. the bathrooms were rather disgusting, and for a place that tries to market itself as a pre-​threatre dinner spot, you would think they’d take a bit better care of the details.
After dinner, we stopped at the bar in front for a drink, and those really rocked. Just as our waiter, the bartender was great, friendly, and made some great shots to finish off dinner!
As I said, I may be back, but if so it will be for drinks, appetizers, or maybe a grilled cheese. Just please don’t let me down from there Playbill, I’m rooting for you.

The dessert is good and they have a decent wine list. My friends also liked their eggplant fries. The rest of the stuff we ordered was kinda meh. (God, that’s the most over-​used Unilocal term. Kinda like how «being up for everything» the most over-​used description in online dating profiles.)
Service was spotty. The bathrooms were sketchy.
And the waiter did not think it was funny when I referred to their «white pizza» as «honky pie.» But, then again, not everyone appreciates my off-​color charm.

After being promptly seated, we were then ignored for 30 minutes while the server helped the other three tables. When we finally got service, they were out of a variety of menu options and we were served barely-​edible «food» which led to a night of vomiting and stomach pains. Not only will I never eat here again, but I also intend to call the board of health.

Great bar, particularly for Karaōke. Monday and Thursday nights the KJ here is great. I’ve been here some 5 times and need to get back out. The beer selection is pretty decent too and the bar tenders are great.

I hate to be negative, especially of a place I like. But it does have its flaws.
Some days the service is slow or just a smidge inattentive. they have brought me the wrong food before (although the wrong food was good too). They don’t really have much in the way of AC, so if you are going during the heat of the day, be prepared to sweat it out a bit. On the whole, they are ok service wise.
The food I am a big fan of. I enjoy everything I have had there and never heard anyone complain about it. The prices are pretty much just where they should be for their location.
Where they really shine is personality. The waiters are great people and fun conversation and anything but shy. They are more than happy to talk and joke with you at your table and if they have the time they will even socialize. But they know how to take the hint if you don’t want to be bothered.
Monday night Karaōke is phenomenal. The people singing know what they are doing and are often actually singers. Not just people who want to belt out atonal sounds to music, but people who have trained and know what they are doing. The selection of songs is also very good, a huge book of good music as opposed to just lots of boring songs no one knows.
There is not exactly a queue for singing, the woman who runs the Karaōke just picks who goes next. So its not as though you will know ‘Oh I’m Next’ until she actually calls you. Another delight is that she actually plays piano and has a keyboard with her. So if you want to perform with live music, depending on the song it might just happen. Similarly the night I was there a random gentleman equipped with a saxophone played a song as his go.
Another amazing thing about this bar is that there is a theater in the back. If you go to your left when you come in and go past the little electronic bar games there is a small theater hiding in the back there. Molotov Theater typically does shows there during their season. Its not your usual fare of theater, so check into it before you go but its an experience well worth having.
In short, not perfect, but how often do you get a bar with this much personality, friendly people, amazing singing, and a theater troupe all in one?

I’ve eaten here three times, all during Fringe ’10. There was no live music but I’m over it.
Yeah, it’s full of gay people. So? The service was prompt and friendly, and ²⁄₃ of the time my food was delicious. (Outlier: pizza. Unexceptional.) Admittedly, those may seem like lenient, or even quaint, standards, but is there more that should be asked of a restaurant/​bar? It does the basics well and at a reasonable price. Maybe some other time I’ll try and catch the floor show.

i am going to start this review with a disclaimer! I work there on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
I started going to the Playbill long before I started working there… i went with some friends and loved it. The Naomi’s Fries, The BBQ Brisket Sandwich and the Xangos where just some of my favorite things. Now I work there and it is still a great place. The décor sometimes looks a little dated (80s Mauve and Green anyone?) but the food is always excellent (say the customers) and at a good price. There is a show in our little black box theater alot of times and we get a great crowd for Karaōke on Thursdays. Come join us! Any night of the week is fine!

Is this a place where old drag queens go to retire and sing Karaōke cause boy, these divas could sing! They bartend/​take orders/​sweep and when it’s their turn, they’ll blow your socks off… then carry on with their cooking and what not, jus like a musical!
Didn’t really appreciate the U shape of the bar. It doesn’t really give you a concert venue feel. Not that it should but when there’s any kind of live music, all participants should be able to see the singer, you know? Anyway, nothing they can really do about that.
Play on Playbill!

As Bette Davis would say «What a dump».
Friendly neighborhood place. Great wait staff. Reasonably priced food and drinks. Consistent quality and good specials.

I’m not one to write terrible reviews so I’ll stick to the facts and let you decide.
Restaurant: When I first sat down, I thought there was bird poo on my table but I looked up and low and behold the drywall on the ceiling was peeling and dust was dropping onto the table.
Service: Nice waiters very attentive and friendly.
Food: Ordered the burger w/​onion rings. The first 2 bites were fine until the cook came and took our plates away. Okay, I’ll start from the beginning… I ordered a burger w/​onion rings and it was accidently served to the table accross from me. It was on the wrong table for a couple of minutes until the waiter came out of the kitchen and told the customer that it was a mistake and it wasn’t his burger. The waiter then took the burger into the kitchen and less than a minute later came out of the kitchen with my burger. The onion rings were cold. My partner then asked if it was the same burger that was served to the gentleman at the next table. He said «no» and took the plate into the kitchen. A minute later he brought it out with hot onion rings. After taking a couple of bites, I noticed a new slice of cheese was melted on top the burger because when I lifted it, the grilled onions and the original cheese were under it. Upon confronting the cook/​owner Elsayed Mansour, he asked if he could make me a new burger. Of course, I said no (I’ve watched those TV shows about what goes on in the kitchen when you send your food back).He got upset and took not only my food away, but my partner’s as well. Then he came out of the kitchen to try and make amends, but got into an arguement with my partner and started to tell us that we had a bad attitude. Now, how would you feel if you were served food from another table and was told that that wasn’t so?
So you decide…

I was visiting a friend who took me there for karaōke.
So much fun!!!
A good mix of people, friendly bartenders, and cheap drinks! Next time I am in DC, I will go back!

Got a babysitter and had our first date nite out in this New Year. Took a drive down 14^th Street looking for a dive joint and saw the Playbill. From the outside it looked old school and inviting. On the inside it was comfortable — we had a few drinks in the bar area lounging on a comfy couch. Drinks were stiff and never empty. Staff was very warm, laid back and accomodating. Other customers in the joint were friendly and having a fun time. We had apetizers on the couch before taking a table for dinner. I tried the build your own buger which was outstanding — served up on pita bread! The experience was great and I’d definately visit again!

I hate musicals. I really do.
I love the theater, but I cannot stand musicals. There’s just something inherently wrong about bursting into song to express emotion (ie, while watching the movie «Rent,» I actually yelled, «Oh my God, do you have to sing EVERYTHING??? You could just as well speak the same words!!!») That said, I avoid doing anything that will make my life seem remotely like a musical, meaning, even when my neighbor asked if I wanted to go to karaōke at Playbill, I turned him down.
But the intrigue about Playbill stuck with me. I finally hit it up for happy hour yesterday. Shame that I waited so long to go, since it’s right around the corner from my work, and I had a fantastic time.
They had dinner specials galore, but my recessionista was more attracted to the drink specials and couldn’t resist $ 3 rail drinks. My coworker and I split the quesadillas and a plate of fries. The quesadillas themselves weren’t bad, but the salsa was kinda bland. In addition to being of dire need of a flavor kick, it was pretty heavily construed of tomatoes (which is no good for the heartburn). But I didn’t complain. The fries were faaaaaantastic. So unassuming, looking like ordinary french fries from a fast food joint, but they were crisp and hot. The cook wasn’t very heavy-​handed with the salt, but that’s easily cured, obviously.
What completes a combination of cheese, fries, booze, and griping about the economy?
Cake! Chocolate cake, to be specific.
We wanted to try the Gourmet Chocolate Cake, but our bartender insisted that they were out, so we got the Mississippi Mud instead.
Rocked my socks clear off.
Fudgy goodness with a couple dollops of whipped cream on top, and strawberry sauce drizzled on the plate. It almost made me sing… HA!
The service was lovely and oh so friendly (and I loved our bartender’s haircut, btdub). The ambiance is warm, dark, and inviting, kinda taverny. The patronage is, well, mostly gay. Which was fine by me. First time I can say I’ve been in a bar full of men and not been hit on.
Basically, it was good food, strong drinks, good service. The only reason it doesn’t get five stars is because of the mysterious state of the bathrooms. And because I was forced to watch American Idol in a bar.

Playbill is 14^th Street’s best bet for great happy hour drinks, satisfying bar food, and amazing dinner and brunch (Commissary has NOTHING on Playbill as far as I’m concerned). I can’t believe I went so long without going here. One of DC’s best kept secrets (until now, I suppose…)

Pretty much the only bar I frequent in DC. The friends I’ve made in this town, I’ve made at the ‘bill. Many of them are like family to me.
Great bartenders.
Excellent (and veg friendly) food, including specials. Definitely not your typical bar fare.
Fun crowd.

I found them. The best, best onion rings in the city. Beer battered, of course.
Playbill is right across the street from Studio Theatre. This is a great place to go before or after your show. If you go here before hitting Studio, just tell your server and they will get you in and out no worries!
You can find karaōke here on Thursday nights (always fun with a mostly gay crowd), as well as a small «private» room if you have a group of 20.
I recommend the cilantro shrimp cocktail. almost as good as the rings.