Dining with Fido

[Mrs. P]

With the sun out for extra hours, my little pug has let me know that he expects to accompany me more frequently. I'd like to know about people's experiences with taking their four-legged friends with them to eat/drink in the DC area. I don't just mean places that have outdoor seating. I'm talking about places that I would want to go to anyway for good food & drinks AND that accomodate pooches in a nice way - a water bowl, no mean looks, maybe even treats.

Has anybody had luck with this?

[Joe H]

I suspect that Europeans are much more tolerant of having your dog join you than are Americans. I've eaten in Michelin two stars with an extremely well dressed couple and their equally well behaved and jewel collared poodle sharing some of their meal. We enjoyed it and thought it wonderful that Violon d'Ingris in Paris, the restaurant, counted them as regular customers. Having four cats I'd actually be tempted to bring one of them with me one time. He thinks of himself as something of a gourmet and it would be an event!

But having said this I'm guessing that there is a different attitude here than in Europe. I would call a particular restaurant and ask them for their policy and thoughts on this.

[CarrotStick]

There is a doggie happy hour at the Holiday Inn Old Town Alexandria. They have a website at Doggie Happy Hour

I have not yet taken my dog, but hope to soon!

[Free Wilma]

Actually, the doggie dining in Alexandria has gone to the cats......or more specifically, the health dept. types are trying to put a stop to pets in restaurants. Here's a recent article on this specific situation from the Post.

Post article on Doggie Dining in Alexandria

[evilcartman]

There is a doggie happy hour at the Holiday Inn Old Town Alexandria. They have a website at Doggie Happy Hour

I have not yet taken my dog, but hope to soon!

Wow! I can not wait to take Chester (my two year old honey brindle boxer slobberpuss) to doggie happy hour!!! I find that the waterfront places in Georgetown (DC) are pretty accomodating and have nice views, but it's outside for the pooch and us. Metropets.com has listings of dog friendly places in lots of cities. I've heard that Atlanta is the most dog friendly city in the US.

[CarrotStick]

I wonder how doggie happy hour and cicadas will mix ?

[Mabelline]

We are way behind in this.

[Minister of Drink]

It's a shame that, overall, we Americans are so narrow-minded, conservative, hysterical & stuck up over things like wanting to bring a pooch to a restaurant & other stupid stuff like Janet Jackson's boob!

-------

Minister: Sorry! I accidentally clicked "Edit" instead of "Reply," and ended up typing over your posting instead of writing my own (I lost a couple sentences of your posting). I need to be more careful. Don

[marlena spieler]

The Ritz Carlton in NYC has special "doggie and me" weekend packages, but you'd have to have a rich little doggie to go on one!

i'd stay in a hotel that had dogs or cats just sort of stay with you in your room, you know what i mean.......

i love it in france when there are doggies dining alongside me. a well placed poodle, or a little hound nibbling at my toes and trawling for leftovers, man, the best appetite enhancers i can think of (though i think in north america its considered the opposite). to me, everything tastes better with a nearby pooch!

wish my cat liked to travel. but she really hates it and that is no pleasure. for either of us.

x marlena

[DonRocks]

  It's a shame that, overall, we Americans are so narrow-minded, conservative, hysterical & stuck up over things like wanting to bring a pooch to a restaurant & other stupid stuff like Janet Jackson's boob!

Color me narrow-minded and hysterical, but I for one get tired of needing a pogo stick to avoid all the crottes everytime I walk down the sidewalk in France. Yeah, okay, those turds may have three Michelin stars, but they're still turds.

(That previous paragraph refers to the excrement on the sidewalk, not to the chefs themselves).

Has anyone noticed that the usage of the word glitch has taken a turn for the mundane? It now means a problem, e.g. a computer glitch, but it used to be the standard onomatopoeia in Mad Magazine for whenever a guy stepped in dog doo. I miss that.

With tenderness,

Rocks.

[HOOLIGAN]

Grab a window table at BDC when the doors are open. Michel has a little puppy drinking station just out front. I may have to start taking Willie to the office as my seeing drunk dog.

[morela]

If I'm overlapping so be it...

http://www.ontaponline.com/articles/index.php?id=267

[Bond Girl]

In New York, we used to have a coffee shop called Irving 51 that allows dogs inside, now they are Irving 71, and dogs have to hang out on the sidewalks. It's unfortunate we don't have more pooch friendly places. My corgi is busily kissing up to all the cafe owners and chefs in the neighborhood in hope of changing their minds.

[Mrs. P]

Grab a window table at BDC when the doors are open. Michel has a little puppy drinking station just out front. I may have to start taking Willie to the office as my seeing drunk dog.

That's what I'm talkin' about! BDC is a great idea!

BTW - just received Mother's Day roses at my office, from my dog. For real! I wonder if he's also looking for brunch reservations on Sunday? I'll let ya know where we go...probably the Red Dog Cafe since it is near my house.

Re: the gifties in the street, I hear ya DonRocks. What is funny in France is that while dogs are ubiquitous, pooper scoopers are not. In fact, I found it difficult to find any dog novelty items --Good business idea?

[Mabelline]

Yeah, if you are going to take advantage of the joys of your pet, it ain't fair to leave the miseries to strangers.

[hillvalley]

It's a shame that, overall, we Americans are so narrow-minded, conservative, hysterical & stuck up over things like wanting to bring a pooch to a restaurant

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches

[CarrotStick]

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches

Even in an outdoor setting? I can understand people not wanting dogs inside a restaurant, but what about out on a patio or sidewalk? Obviously, I'm a dog lover, but I don't see the harm in that. Think about all the hygeine issues with outdoor dining anyway- pigeons, leaves, cicadas....

[JennyUptown]

It's a shame that, overall, we Americans are so narrow-minded, conservative, hysterical & stuck up over things like wanting to bring a pooch to a restaurant

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches

Ditto.

[hillvalley]

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches

Even in an outdoor setting? I can understand people not wanting dogs inside a restaurant, but what about out on a patio or sidewalk? Obviously, I'm a dog lover, but I don't see the harm in that. Think about all the hygeine issues with outdoor dining anyway- pigeons, leaves, cicadas....

Depending on the dog and how close the quarters are, yes, even outside.

But for me, that is besides the point. Why does fiddo belong where I am eating?

Edited May 10, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[dscott]

But for me, that is besides the point.  Why does fiddo belong where I am eating?

Need I mention the question that this begs?

[redfox]

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches

Even in an outdoor setting? I can understand people not wanting dogs inside a restaurant, but what about out on a patio or sidewalk? Obviously, I'm a dog lover, but I don't see the harm in that. Think about all the hygeine issues with outdoor dining anyway- pigeons, leaves, cicadas....

Of course, inside the restaurant is just what the original poster was asking about.

Another issue that occurs to me is what happens when you get multiple dogs inside the same restaurant. Recipe for disaster (or just major pain in the ass)? Also: shedding.

[morela]

God, if someone named me 'Fido' or 'Fiddo' I'd crap all over the place.

Isn't 'fido' a doo coin?

[Mrs. P]

Of course, inside the restaurant is just what the original poster was asking about.

Just to clarify, the original post requests places that would be amenable to having your pet with you. I specified that I didn't want a list of places with outdoor seating because that would be another topic. Outdoor seating PLUS nice to pets is cool and there have been several good suggestions.

One I ran across: Savoy bakery and cafe in Takoma Park. Food was just OK, though the croissant was excellent, and the coffee was nothing to write home about. But the atmosphere was nice and the people were welcoming. Several dogs were there at once (I didn't have mine with me) and it seemed that the owners kept them in check, at least while I was there.

[Minister of Drink]

All this fuss about dogs eating where people eat. I mean c'mon folks!!! I see more filthy-looking, unkempt, bacteria carrying, disgusting lard-ass people (not dogs) all the time, including while I'm out having a meal. To think that I could have the misfortune of having to share a restaurant dining room with one of these odd-toed ungulates while my dog has to stay home makes me sick! Practically all of Europe allows dogs in restaurants, fine hotels, and other public places -- no one gets sick! NO ONE!!

[hjshorter]

All this fuss about dogs eating where people eat. I mean c'mon folks!!! I see more filthy-looking, unkempt, bacteria carrying, disgusting lard-ass people (not dogs) all the time, including while I'm out having a meal.

Yes, but unkempt people don't give me hives, or an asthma attack. Dogs and cats do.