It’s almost last call for Quarry House—at least for a few months. The beloved Silver Spring dive bar has been operating in a temporary location just across the street from the original, after a fire at Bombay Gaylord restaurant damaged the decade-old watering hole. “Quarry House Temporary,” as it’s been called, will close after Feb 26 as it prepares to move home, hopefully by May.
Co-owner Jackie Greenbaum says the bar’s exile has lasted longer than expected due to water damage and permitting delays. Good news for its many loyal fans: she and business partner Gordon Banks plan to recreate the space down to the number of beer taps, old posters, and the original jukebox.
“We joked that we’re going to put Sharpies on every table and let people draw on the bathroom walls,” says Greenbaum.
While their other businesses (Little Coco’s, Bar Charley) have extensive cocktail programs, the new-old Quarry House at 8401 Georgia Avenue will retain its no-frills focus on brown liquor, beer, and burgers. The only impact on the menu will be the addition of two burners in the refurbished kitchen, so you may find the famous skillet-fried chicken from shuttered sister restaurant, Jackie’s. Other than that, the plan is to clone the original for a spring debut.
“We can crap stuff up in five minutes,” says Greenbaum. “We have an uncanny knack for it.”
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
