Arts & Entertainment
Presidential sweet
Teddy a tasty follow-up to Lincoln
Teddy and the Bully Bar (1200 19th Street, N.W.). (Photo courtesy Teddy and the Bully Bar)
The same visionary who brought us Lincoln Restaurant (1110 Vermont Ave., N.W.) is back with another. Teddy and the Bully Bar (1200 19th Street, N.W.) doesn’t quite scream Roosevelt to the degree that its predecessor conjures Honest Abe, but it’s still a fun concept with rich offerings served in the oh-so-D.C.-style of small — and I do mean small — plates.
Owner Alan Popovsky, a political science major in college, unveiled Teddy last month in the former site of Sam and Harry’s Steakhouse, which boasts 230 seats, an in-house bakery and quirky contributions from about 50 local artists. Designer Maggie O’Neill makes clever use of the theme with the “rock wall,” created from small Mount Rushmore replicas.
Roosevelt was an avid hunter and outdoorsman, so it’s no surprise that Executive Chef Michael Hartzer has incorporated wild game into the menu. Mixologist John Hogan has developed a distinctive cocktail program to complement the cuisine through the use of homemade tonics, syrups and bitters. And there’s even a gay member of the management staff, Justin Gulledge, assistant general manager.
His favorite thing about his new position is making sure every guest is content, as well as seeing his regulars who come in multiple times per week and enjoy a great meal. Gulledge was a server at Lincoln before taking this promotion. He says his experience on the floor helped prepare him for management, but the need to multitask and help out all his servers at the same time is his biggest challenge.
He adjusted with help from General Manager Romeo Santos III. Gulledge is a huge fan of the rich food served at Teddy and the Bully Bar; his favorites include the fried fish sandwich with spicy mayo and peppers on the lunch menu and the mac and cheese with three cheeses. He says everyone needs to try the peaches-and-goat cheese salad. With this in mind, I gathered a group to give it a try.
Safari Sangria. (Photo courtesy Teddy and the Bully Bar)
It turned out to be my usual dining gaggle plus one of my groomsman who happened to be visiting. We entered Teddy and the Bully Bar after a long day in the sun. We needed something to cool us down and the waiter recommended The Safari Sangria with Veev Acai (a spirit), Vinho Verde (a Portuguese wine), sage, apple, grapefruit and sweet lime foam. From the moment we took a sip of this glorious concoction we trusted our waiter wholeheartedly and not once did he steer us wrong.
Oyster Bay Fritters. (Photo courtesy Teddy and the Bully Bar)
We enjoyed the spectacular basket of fresh made breads accompanied by butters and jams, the delectable Havana croquettes with a green pepper sauce that I was tempted to lick off the plate, and the wonderful oyster bay fritters that were beer battered and had the perfect amount of heat from the chili peppers. The grilled romaine salad and the peaches and goat cheese were also favorites at the table; Gulledge was definitely correct with his recommendation of this dish.
The golden potato puree and the Teddy Macaroni and Cheese were also enjoyable, although the portion was so small we needed to order seconds so the entire table could have a spoonful of each. The small plates here — as with Lincoln — are quite small, so plan accordingly. Even if your waiter tells you they’re suitable to share, you may want to order a couple extras to satiate your hunger. Nothing spoils a tasty meal like the urge to order a pizza when you get home.
The fried chicken, which Chef Hartzer says was Roosevelt’s favorite dish, had a crispy coating and the chicken was tender and juicy.
One standout dish rose above the rest — the crab and avocado with charred corn. The layered dish with fresh cool avocado and rich sweet crab was perfectly balanced, flavorful and refreshing, an excellent summer dish. Be sure to try it if you go.
Popovsky has brought another great concept restaurant to the District and with the help of Hartzer and Hogan, there’s a food and beverage menu full of tantalizing treats. The waitstaff, led by Santos and Gulledge, is customer focused and doesn’t disappoint.
History
Julius’ Bar ‘sip-in’ laid groundwork for Stonewall
Tuesday marked 60 years since four gay activists held protest
While Stonewall is widely considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S., a lesser-known protest inside a Greenwich Village bar three years earlier helped lay critical groundwork for what would follow.
Tuesday marked 60 years since the Julius’ Bar “sip in.”
On April 21, 1966, four gay rights activists — Dick Leitsch, Craig Rodwell, John Timmons, and later Randy Wicker — walked into Julius’ Bar and staged what would become known as a “sip-in” to challenge state liquor regulations on serving alcoholic beverages to gay men — with a drink.
Modeled after the sit-ins that challenged racial segregation across the American South, the protest was designed to confront discriminatory practices targeting LGBTQ patrons in public spaces.
At the time, the Mattachine Society — one of the country’s earliest gay rights groups — was actively pushing back against policies enforced by the New York State Liquor Authority. One of those policies could have resulted in the loss of liquor licenses for serving known or suspected gay men and lesbians. The participants had visited multiple establishments, openly identified themselves as homosexual, and requested a drink — with the anticipation of being denied.
Their final stop was Julius’, where reporters and a photographer had gathered to document the moment. When Leitsch declared their identity, the bartender covered their glasses and refused service, reportedly saying, “I think it’s against the law.” The next day, the New York Times ran a story with the headline, “3 Deviates Invite Exclusion by Bars,” cementing the moment in the public record.
Though initially framed with disrespect — the term “sip-in” itself was coined as a play on civil rights protests — the action marked a turning point. It brought national attention to the systemic discrimination LGBTQ people faced and helped catalyze changes in how liquor laws were enforced. In the years that followed, the protest contributed to the emergence of licensed, more openly gay-friendly bars, which became central social and organizing spaces for LGBTQ communities.
The Washington Blade originally covered when the bar was officially added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Today, historians and advocates increasingly recognize the “sip-in” as a key pre-Stonewall milestone. According to the New York City LGBTQ Historic Sites Project, the protest not only increased visibility of the early LGBTQ rights movement but also exposed widespread surveillance and entrapment tactics used against the community.
Marking the 60th anniversary of the event, commemorations have taken place in New York and across the country. Reflecting on its enduring legacy, Amanda Davis, executive director of the NYC LGBTQ Historic Sites Project, spoke about the event.
“Julius’ Bar is a place you can visit and viscerally connect with history,” said Davis. “We’re thrilled to have solidarity locations across the country join us in commemorating the ‘sip-in’’s 60th anniversary and the queer community’s First Amendment right to peaceably assemble.”
For current stewards of the historic bar, the responsibility of preserving that legacy remains front of mind.
“It’s a privilege and a responsibility to be the steward of a place so important to American and LGBTQ history,” said current owner of Julius’ Bar, Helen Buford. “The events of the 1966 Sip-In here at Julius’ resonated across the country and inspired countless others to stand proud for their rights.”
The timing couldn’t have come at a more important moment, Kymn Goldstein, executive director of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives, explained.
“At a time when our community faces renewed challenges, coming together in resilience and solidarity reminds us of the power in our collective resistance,” Goldstein said.
The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization dedicated to defending rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, is currently tracking 519 anti-LGBTQ bills across the U.S. The majority are targeted at restricting transgender rights — particularly related to gender-affirming care, sports participation, and the use of public bathrooms.
Some additional groups and bars that held their own “sip-in” as solidarity events to uplift this historic milestone are from across the country include:
Alice Austen House at Steiny’s Pub, Staten Island, N.Y.
Bellows Falls Pride Committee at PK’s Irish Pub, Bellows Falls, Vt.
Brick Road Coffee, Mesa, Ariz.
Brick Road Coffee, Tempe, Ariz.
Dick Leitsch’s Family at Old Louisville Brewery, Louisville, Ky.
The Faerie Playhouse & LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana at Le Cabaret, New Orleans
Harlem Pride & John Reddick at L’Artista Italian Kitchen & Bar, New York
JOYR!DE KiKi at Loafers Cocktail Bar, New York
Matthew Lawrence & Jason Tranchida / Headmaster at Deadbeats Bar, Providence, R.I.
Mazer Lesbian Archives at Alana’s Coffee, Los Angeles
New Hope Celebrates at The Club Room, New Hope, Pa.
Queer Memory Project at the University of Evansville Multicultural Student Commons / Ridgway University Center, Evansville, Ind.
Sandy Jack’s Bar, Brooklyn, N.Y.
St. Louis LGBT History Project at Just John Club, St. Louis
The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch was held at Salamander Washington DC on Sunday, April 19. Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) was presented with the Allyship Award.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The umbrella LGBTQ sports organization Team D.C. held its annual Night of Champions Gala at the Georgetown Marriott on Saturday, April 18. Team D.C. presented scholarships to local student athletes and presented awards to Adam Peck, Manuel Montelongo (a.k.a. Mari Con Carne), Dr. Sara Varghai, Dan Martin and the Centaur Motorcycle Club. Sean Bartel was posthumously honored with the Most Valuable Person Award.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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