Bar Review: Marvin on U Street
By
Catherine Andrews
The rooftop bar at Marvin.
Marvin doesn’t exactly stick out. Situated on the corner of 14th and U streets, Northwest, the dark, glass-paneled front—sandwiched between construction and deteriorating storefronts—is marked only by a small enamel plaque. But inside this new bistro and lounge you’ll find good Belgian beers, solid bistro food, and an upscale yet laid-back atmosphere.
Marvin is dimly lit and charming. The restaurant is on the first floor, with a small bar toward the front. Dark wood tables line the narrow space; chalkboards stating the wine specials hang from the walls, and an enormous, colorful painting of singer Marvin Gaye (for whom the place is named) overlooks the room.
Want to see more photos from Washington events and parties? Click here for Washingtonian.com's photo slideshow page. Looking for Belgian beers and more of a nightlife scene? Head upstairs to the bar. (The bouncer will greet and ID you at the top of the stairs.) There’s a very small lounge area, and on a weeknight it’s cozy and low-key—you can grab a seat at one of the small tables with high-backed banquettes and sip your drink. A DJ booth dominates one side, and a short bar sits at the front. On weekends, when the space gets too packed for comfort, make your way to the roof deck in the back. The expansive deck is impressive—the covered bar is long and stretches the length of the space, and a row of stools line the opposite side. Given the mild fall we’ve been having, it’s an enjoyable spot to sit out with a light jacket and a Belgian beer to warm you up. The deck is lined with heat lamps, and the owners have talked about tenting it during the colder months.
What’s to drink? Marvin serves a few beers on tap (Abita Turbodog, Stella Artois, and Hoegaarden among them) and around 30 bottled Belgian beers. There are the standard glasses of wine and mixed drinks as well. The bar food is solid, if pricey—but the baby back ribs I nibbled on were worth the $11. Marvin does not offer any happy hour specials.
The only problem? Marvin isn’t yet as huge a destination as Eighteenth Street Lounge or Local 16 (operated by the same folks who own Marvin)—but it clearly soon will be. Those two bars are atmospheric spots with great, loungey vibes, much like Marvin—and they’re both nearly unbearable on weekends: Lines stretch out the door, it takes you 20 minutes to grab a drink, and their rooftops get crowded to the point of insanity.
Marvin, for the moment, is less crowded and more laid-back, but it’s already showing signs of succumbing to the masses—the upstairs lounge was packed at 8 on a Wednesday night. And as word gets out about the newest addition to the U Street nightlife, I fear that the buzz could overtake its genuine charm. But for now, get there as soon as possible and enjoy it for what it is—an appealing neighborhood bistro and lounge that’s about to hit the big time.
Marvin, 2007 14th St., NW; 202-797-7171; marvindc.com.
|
Comments
Just moved here and got mixed reviews on this place. Some people told me to give it a try and others advised otherwise saying it was passe and over run with less desirables. I tried it for myself & the latter turned out true. Don’t recommend upstairs. Maybe for dinner, but that’s it.
Posted by: DC Newbie, Oct 16, 2011 08:10:32 PM
I’ve been to several bars in Beijing, Song Zhuang, it was awesome, you guys ever been to Nashville bar? It’s really a good place to enjoy music and drinks but if you want good art, good music and good food try the Rebueno Gallery. I’ve done several <a href="http://megdev.com">Bar reviews</a> in the Philippines, you should definitely come round here.
Posted by: bobby, Mar 31, 2010 12:24:03 PM
Discount Beijing hotels in China-Book star hotels in Beijing. Book now for great savings up to 80% only from BookChinaOnline.
http://www.bookchinaonline.com/au/beijing-hotels beijing hotels
Posted by: lining, Sep 18, 2009 12:10:44 AM
I’ve been to Marvin 3 times. It’s a cool place. I like the food but what’s with a restaurant honoring Marvin Gaye where you can hear anybody’s music but his? As for wait staff, some have been terrific; some have been idiots. It’s the curse of the "cool" place. Some of the employees mistakenly belief THEY are "cool". Managers take note!!!
Posted by: Brenda, Nov 26, 2008 07:50:12 AM
I’ve lived in DC for 4 years and am always looking for a very cool place to go hang out. I’ve heard a lot about Marvin and everytime I go by I see a long line out front.
I was very excited to go try out Marvin. Upon entering the small front bar area, my friend and I looked behind the bar to see what kind of beer and liquor they served. It took a while for the bartender to stop CHIT-CHATTING (with two girls who were apparently his friends) to come over and ask me what I would like. I simply asked him if they served Bud Light, and he responded in the most arrogant tone, ’WE’RE NOT THAT KIND OF BAR..." I then ordered something else that they offered. But the story gets better...I’m standing there waiting for the two drinks I ordered, and at least 5 or 10 minutes later, I had to interrupt him from what he was doing and ask him if he could get me my two drinks. He looked at me, rolled his eyes and said, "Oh yeah, you’re the girl that wanted two Bud Lights..., yeah, what did you want again?"
Bottom line, the bartender was a TOTAL jerk, had absolutely no concept for good customer service, and should NOT be working behind a bar if he’s not going to be good to everyone that walks through the door. I was really turned off by the way that we were treated, so much so that I did not give the bartender a tip, which is very unlike me, but I did offer him a piece of my mind.
Yeah, the outside bar area was quaint, the inside bar/dance area was small, the house music was mediocre.
I will not be back, there are way cooler places in DC in terms of service, atmopshere etc. I would consider going to other places before Marvin, it’s REALLY nothing special.
Posted by: Columbia Heights Resident, May 04, 2008 06:29:34 AM
This is a great spot - very good service, food and atmosphere.
Posted by: MP, Jan 16, 2008 08:37:11 PM
Thanks for telling everyone about our favorite spot! We can plan on no room on the roof top this Saturday. Boo!
Posted by: val, Nov 29, 2007 01:14:58 PM
Marvin’s concept, decor and menu drew our attention when it opened. We moved to U Street some time ago and have enjoyed the low key nature of many of the places around this area, particularly during the weeknights - Marvin has been one of these places. We’ve spent a number of evenings on Marvin’s deck, as well as in the upstairs lounge, always with friends and always having a good time. Our dining experience was a bit hectic, but our waiter took great care in explaining the menu and checking up on us periodically. The bouncer upstairs was also very kind,
The last time we went, however, the the manager was extremely rude to my husband as well as to others around us. I think it’s clear that the quaint neighborhood feel that Marvin began with is fading as the crowds filter in and the manager becomes more aggressive with the crowd. Most likely we won’t be returning for some time. Too bad, too - we really enjoyed bringing new our friends into our neighborhood. We were so proud of our neighborhood hotspot.
Posted by: U Street resident, Nov 29, 2007 10:00:29 AM
|
Post a comment
Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. Because of the prevalence of spam, we ask that you fill out the code in the image below to help us eliminate spam comments. By posting here, you affirm that you are 13 years of age or older. Washingtonian.com reserves the right to remove or edit content once posted.
|
|
|
