I’m still not entirely convinced that Jimmy Valentine’s is actually a bar and not just the living room of someone named Jimmy Valentine, who lives on Bladensburg Road in Northeast and has a phone booth in their house. As a matter of fact, I have been to house parties that are better publicized and more inviting than Jimmy Valentine’s. The fact that it has a loyal and consistent clientele however seems to indicate that it is worthwhile to some people.

Cost - $$

Service - B
If you can figure out how to get into the bar, the service is actually pretty good. The bar staff is friendly and will definitely engage with you if it is a slow night.

Food - ?
I am not entirely sure if they serve food at Jimmy Valentine’s but the place smelled like fried chicken so I sort of feel like they must have been cooking something there. That being said, I don’t know what it was or if it was any good.

Decor - A-
I think someone has done a pretty decent job of decorating the place because as far as dive bars go it certainly has a cool feel to it, and I think that is largely due to the general decor of the place.

Feel - B-
I have to admit I’m not much of a dive bar guy. The night we headed out to check the place out, it may have been too early (around about 10PM) and from what I have heard, things don’t get really started until midnight. That being said, it was sort of sparse while we were there - and it isn’t really the type of place you drop in for a few drinks (unless your wanderings take you to the Bladensburg Road area) but it is worth a visit if you want something new and interesting.

Jimmy Valentine’s is located at 1103 Bladensburg Rd. NE.

What’s the Buzz:

November 14, 2007 - D.C. Dive Bar Doesn’t Want Much Attention (Express) - JIMMY VALENTINE’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB, the city’s newest dive bar, is a place that’s trying to tap into all of the interest in the redeveloping H Street NE corridor. Almost. Full Article…

The Rock and Roll Hotel is a concert venue / club located in the allegedly up-and-coming H Street corridor in Northeast. It includes the name ‘Hotel’ in its moniker because it allows for the renting out of private rooms in the upstairs bar/lounge area.

Cost - $$

Service - B
I guess the plus-side to going out in the H Street area is that there are no pretensions whatsoever at the door nor do they play favorites at the bar (unless they actually know you).

Food - ?
I don’t even know if they serve food at the Rock and Roll Hotel although I’m not entirely sure if the ambiance is entirely conducive to building an appetite.

Decor - A-
There are mannequins affixed with bovine skulls hanging from the ceiling in the main bar, and a red haze that pervades the entire club. I know that sounds really odd and borderline disturbing but I really like the decor in the Rock and Roll Hotel. Also, because of the segmentation of the upstairs space, there is kind of a cool feeling that you could walk 10 feet and be in an entirely different world.

Feel - C+
Hanging out at the Rock and Roll Hotel is the closest thing in real life to being in a David Lynch film. The place definitely has character (and characters) - I’ll give it that. Rock and Roll Hotel isn’t really my cup of tea personally but I would recommend it to anyone who wants a different type of DC experience than what you would get in Dupont or Adams Morgan.

What’s the Buzz:

March 29, 2007 - DC’s Rock & Roll Hotel Competely Haunted by Dead People (Wonkette) - The horrible noises heard after hours at the newish Rock and Roll Hotel — which is a bar with live music, not a hotel — are not just rats or people having sex or other people being mugged outside. Full Article…