A while ago we heard that a new bar, Reliable Tavern, was coming to the old hardware store at 3655 Georgia Avenue NW, just south of the Metro.
It’s run by Joe Englert, a prolific bar and restaurant owner — he opened Temperance Hall (which became the Looking Glass Lounge) in 2006, as well as many other places around town, and was one of the main people responsible for the emergence of H Street as a nightlife destination.
Anyway, a few weeks ago the Reliable Tavern folks posted on their Facebook page that they received their construction permits, so work is underway. It also looks like there’s a new awning and some other exterior construction. Good to hear, though that means and opening is still some ways away.
Englert opened the Rock and Roll Hotel, the Pug, Granville Moore’s, Sticky Rice, the H Street Country Club and more on that street, as well as DC9, Trusty’s, the Big Hunt, Capitol Lounge, Pour House and others around town.
He has his own Wikipedia page, and here’s another profile about him from a few years ago.
I wonder if this means that he has his sights on Georgia Avenue? There’s certainly a lot of properties that are vacant.
