Goodbye Bracket Room (not really)

Update:
Not an April Fools joke, but Bracket Room announced on Instagram Monday March 30  that it is re-opening for carryout only. These are confusing times. Glad to have this Clarendon venue back though and hope all the other restaurants can eventually re-open too after the pandemic.

Original post:
The COVID-19 coronavirus appears to have permanently closed Bracket Room today, March 24. The sports venue on Garfield Street had previously reduced service for take out and delivery to help limit the spread of the virus. It is the first in what could be a series of permanent closures that will completely change the Clarendon nightlife and business scene in these dangerous times.

Bracket Room will be missed as it has been servicing drinks and throwing sports events for more than six years. I particularly remember an incredibly fun night in 2013 that turned into my favorite NYE in Clarendon ever. While relatively small and tucked behind Circa, it had a multitude of TV screens and often threw charitable events for suicide prevention and cancer fundraisers.

Thank you for Chris Bukowski and the other owners for the past six years! Sad to see Bracket Room shut down.

Super Bowl XLIX in Clarendon

Almost all the local bars are having specials for the upcoming Super Bowl this Sunday, February 1. Here are a few of those:

Guarapo has an extended happy hour and $1 wings.

Bracket Room should be popular and has prizes and giveaways during the game.

Mexicali Blues has beer specials with $2 12oz cans, $3 16oz cans and $10 48oz pitchers.

First Down is taking pre-orders for carryout of their famous wings.

Grateful Red is offering a free wine and Super Bowl snacks pairing party on Saturday from 1-4pm

Mister Days is selling tickets for $25 for their party that includes an All You Can Eat Tailgate menu 3-6pm and prizes.

Hunan Number One offers $5 all you can eat buffet along with their usual awesome huge mug happy hour special.

Bracket Room Veterans Day benefit

In honor of  Veterans Day this Tuesday November 11, Bracket Room is hosting a fundraiser to help out veterans and military families. This entire week $1 of every Coors Light draft sold will be donated to the Fisher House, the charity that gives military families places to stay when family members are hospitalized, and the Green Beret Foundation which provides immediate financial assistance to Green Berets who are injured in the line of duty. Also, if you show your military ID CAC card at the bar you receive 50% your drink on Veterans Day.

Bracket Room 1 Year Anniversary

When Bracket Room was first launched in 2013 by Chris Bukowski of Bachelorette fame and two other owners, there was much criticism over the so called "female friendly sports bar" theme and doubts that it would be successful in the highly competitive bar scene in Clarendon. So far Bracket Room as exceeded my expectations and I'm looking forward to celebrating both the bar's one year anniversary and Chris Bukowski's birthday on Saturday September 6.

Starting at 8pm on Saturday, the ladies of Social DC Public Relations are throwing a party with food and drink specials including 312 beers on tap, Gia shooters and Fireball shots. They will also be collecting donations in memory of ABC's The Bachelor contestant, Gia Allemand, who was also one of Chris Bukowski's very close friends. The proceeds will go directly to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention charity that has just been started in her honor.

Jimmy Fund cancer benefit at Bracket Room

Bracket Room is hosting a fundraiser to benefit cancer research this Wednesday August 27. From 4-9pm, 100% of all donations and 10% of sales will go to the The Jimmy Fund, which solely supports Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute raising funds for adult and pediatric cancer research. This night is a memorial fundraiser for Robyn Else Abrams, who passed at the age of 9. More info on the Facebook event page, and you can donate directly here.

Bar Crawl for LLS Saturday

This Saturday, August 16 a fun bar crawl for a good cause is hitting Clarendon called Light The Bar Crawl. This super hero themed event is raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help fight blood cancers. From 1-5pm four local bars will participate with drink and food specials. Volunteers will be selling apparel and pint glasses with proceeds going to LLS. Whitlows has also stepped forward to pledge 15% of group sales will be donated back to LLS. Last year they raised $8,000 and plan to double that goal this weekend.

For a $20 ticket that helps fund LLS you get drink specials for one hour at each of these four locations:

1 - 2pm Sobe
2 - 3pm American Tap Room
3 - 4pm Bracket Room $3 cans, $5 tater tots
4 - 5pm Whitlows $3 rails, $2 Miller Lite bottles

 

Bracket Room Redskins draft party

Bracket Room is hosting a Redskins Draft Watch Party this Thursday, May 8 from 7 to 11pm. Washington Redskins own DeSean Jackson (#11 wide receiver) and DeAngelo Hall (#23 cornerback) will be present to talk with fans as they welcome in celebration the 2014 draft picks. Held at Radio City Music Hall in NYC and shown on ESPN, which I am expecting to be shown on almost all of Bracket Room's 35 big screens. It's a shame the Redskins gave up their first round draft pick this year (traded to the Rams in 2012), because we desperately need new hope after last year's 3-13 season. 

NYE without cover in Clarendon

Don't feel like paying a cover charge or buying a ticket in advance to celebrate New Year's Eve tonight in Clarendon? Here is my short list of some of the local venues open for business and free to get into:

Bakeshop - For the anti-NYE crowd, this local cupcakery will have its doors open until midnight to server your final 2013 sugar cravings.

Bracket Room - Open at noon with no cover all night. My pick for one of the best free spots to go to, and probably will be crowded early.

Eat Bar - Complimentary toast at midnight

Fireworks - Good if you want Neapolitan pizza and beer one last time in 2013.

Fuego -  $5 Carlos Slim margarita all day, happy hour at 4pm

Hunan Number One - Giant beers!

Mexicali Blues -  Half price burritos all day and night; mini-champagne or Corona toast at midnight.

O'Sullivans - An early NYE celebration with an Irish Guinness toast at 7pm. After that live music by William Dickey at 9:30pm

Spider Kelly's - Bound to be packed tonight, with no cover or dress codes.

If I've missed any please tweet me the info.

Christmas Bar Crawl for Cystic Fibrosis Dec 14

Yes, it may be a little early to get into the Christmas spirit, but it's important to keep your December 14th weekend open for OnTap's Holiday Crawl for Charity. This holiday themed bar crawl hits eight great Clarendon bars and raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tickets are only $10 and gives you access on Saturday Dec 14 from 3-9pm to specials and prizes at Clarendon Grill, Mad Rose, Mister Days, Mexicali Blues, Hunan Number One, Bracket Room and Sobe. Dress up in your finest holiday costumes and prizes will be awarded for the most creative costume, dynamic duo, and best dressed group.

Bracket Room benefit for Suicide Prevention

Clarendon's brand new bar Bracket Room just opened to the public tonight and its already planning another big bash. Next Tuesday, September 10 is owner Chris Bukowski's birthday and Social DC PR is organizing a charity fundraiser party that night. The proceeds will go directly to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention in memory of Chris' good friend, Gia Allemand who passed away early this month.

From 8pm to midnight, music will be provided by DJ Mario, birthday pie from Pie Sisters, and photography by John Robinson. Chris' favorite drinks will be the specials, including:
$3 Zywiec Bottles
$4 Goose Island 312 Drafts
$5 Annalisa Pinot Grigio

Bracket Room on DC101

Listen to the Youtube clip above to hear Chris Bukowski on DC101's Elliot In The Morning radio show talk about his new bar Bracket Room.

Bracket Room opening Sept 5

Bracket Room, a new bar taking over Burapi Thai's old spot on Garfield and Clarendon Blvd, is set to open on Thursday September 5. The sports bar promises to be more "female friendly" than other similar venues, while offering 15 beers on tap and more shooters than I can count.

One of the three owners is Clarendon resident Chris Bukowski, who is easily recognized from his appearances on The Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad TV shows. Less than one week after his new bar's grand opening, the venue will host another large party celebrating Chris's birthday on Tuesday, September 10. His b-day bash will be thrown by Social DC PR, a public relations company comprised of Arlington locals that recently raised almost $5,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation at their A-Town anniversary party.

Margot MacDonald and Fuego make NoVA magazine cover

Cover via NorthernVirginia's Facebook

Congrats to local musician Margot MacDonald for appearing on the cover of the most recent edition of NorthernVirginia magazine. I've seen her perform live at Iota many times and am always find her singing and keyboarding mesmerizing. She is show seated at Clarendon's newest nightlife hit Fuego Cocina.

Sitting across from Margot is Chris Bukowski from the tv show "Bachelor Pad". He is planning on opening an new "female-friendly" sports bar called Bracket Room in Clarendon where Burapa Thai used to be.