Bossa Bistro & Lounge
Bossa is a lounge / restaurant located at 2463 18th Street in the heart of Adams Morgan. As you can guess from the name, they are Brazilian influenced although between you, me and the World Wide Web I can’t really figure out why they are Brazilian influenced because they don’t seem to serve Brazilian food from what I can tell and I don’t think they have a lot of Bossa Nova nor Samba musicians play.
Cost – $$
Service – B+
The service is pretty good. I like the bartenders there and the servers are pretty friendly as well. Actually they are as good as it gets in Adams Morgan. That being said, the door men I have dealt with at Bossa are just as prickish as anywhere else in the area (except for Tryst where the doormen are true gentlemen).
Food – B+
Although I can’t figure out why the food here is Brazilian, it is pretty damn good. They are known to have a pretty good menu for people who dig organic so that is something to keep in mind.
Decor – B+
Pretty chill little bar / lounge downstairs. It has a nice, comfortable feel. Upstairs sort of feels dirty to me but I’m anal retentive.
Feel – B
Honestly, I would have given this place a B+ because it is actually a really chill location. If you ever find yourself disgusted or overwhelmed in Adams Morgan you can often come here and decompress for a bit, downstairs. The only reason I had to drop it is because the last time I went there with a buddy of mine it was a sausage bonanza and his girl got hit on every time we turned away, so that left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth.
What’s the Buzz:
January 11, 2008 – Cold, Wet DC Winter: BOSSA Project (Juxtaexposed.com) – BOSSA Project on 18th St in Adams Morgan was a good cure for the seasonal depression that could have occured on a cold, wet, foggy night in January. If you can figure out how to get through the heavy tangle of curtains on the way in, you’ll find a cozy sofa area with lots of pillows to relax upon. Full Article…
January 16, 2003 – The Imperfect Beauty of Bossa (Cultureflux.com) – Organic is not vegetarian, and it’s not vegan. Bossa, a new restaurant and lounge on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, is organic. To owner Rachid Abdallah, that means everything from rack of lamb, to roasted halibut, to fennel-crusted tofu. Full article…
Bossa is a curious spot, but I kinda like it.
It’s definitely a place where you can be comfortable bringing a larger group of friends. That’s what I like about the upstairs area. On a Friday or Saturday night, you can depend on plenty of room and some seats if you get there as late as 11 pm. The prime location is near the large window overlooking the action on the street. (I’m sure the type of window has some sort of proper name that I don’t know)
The back upstairs dance room has a raw feel to it, but it’s spacious with high ceilings. For some reason, there’s always a single random church dining room chair against the wall. Unfortunately, the musical selection of the DJ can be hit or miss.
The 1st floor live band choices are often both relaxing and invigorating, if dancing to Latin beats is your thing. Be sure to check out the large candles and the outside deck for smokers that gives you a closer peep of the street scene.