Originally Published 11/16/00
Bar: Mackey’sWhere: L St. between 20th and 21stCrowd: A bit olderGetting In: ID at the doorPrices: HighDancing: You could call it that.Pick-ups: Oh yeahPluses: Good beers on tap, friendly peopleMinuses: Older crowd, expensive
With the stress of midterms behind them, the Three Wise Men needed a relaxing night out at one of the neighborhood’s local watering holes. Jack was out of town, so Johnny and Jos? headed to Mackey’s on L Street to throw back a few beers.
The place is pretty big – booths line the walls and a large bar fills the center of the room. Johnny and Jos? found two stools near one end of the bar, and the bartender quickly greeted them with a Guinness and a Sam Adams. The prices are a bit high, the round costing $10 with tip, but the Wise Men overlooked this since they were only planning on having a couple drinks.
Hovering around the bar was a sparse crowd of 20-somethings engaged in conversation. College students like the Wise Men were not in attendance. As they neared the bottoms of our drinks, one of the female patrons approached, and offered to get them a round of drinks. Johnny and Jos? were thrilled until they discovered it was a round of water, and they politely declined.
Despite the disappointment, the Wise Men chatted with their newly found friend, Laura, for a while longer. Things were going well until Jose made the mistake of admitting that he had been a Boy Scout, but never an Eagle Scout. Johnny was quick to reprimand him later: If a woman asks if you’re an Eagle Scout you say ‘Yes!’ Laura left with her friend shortly thereafter, but the Wise Men ran into some old friends, so they weren’t too disappointed.
With the arrival of new faces, the conversation moved to a more comfortable seating area with a nice leather couch and some cushioned chairs. Jos? challenged the floor to a game of cricket on the bar’s lone dartboard, and he was soon engaged in a tight battle. Johnny remained to enjoy some stimulating conversation and another round of brew.
It wasn’t long before last call ended the evening at Mackey’s, but the Wise Men and their friends left refreshed. It was nice to spend a night out at a place where everyone doesn’t know your name.
