Oldest Restaurants in Town

[ledervin]

Ate at Old Europe last night. No citronelle, but a fun different ambience with decent German food (kind of a contradiction). Had thier Wiener Schnitzel special surprise, which was tasty. Usual Wiener Schnitzel with a creamy topping, tomatoes and scrambled eggs on top. It was a fun dinner and I was shocked to hear the place had been there for over 25 years; granted two seperate owners, but both maintaining the same theme.

There are always discussions of the newest and fanciest restaurants in town;

So my question to all you egulleters out there:

Which restaurants have been in DC & Surrounding areas for the longest time, and who has been here more than 25 years?

Edited August 20, 2004 by ledervin (log)

[mnebergall]

I think L'Auberge Chez Francois has been around for more than 25 years, not at the same location though. How long has the Tune Inn been around?

edited to add:

Tune Inn opened in 1955.

Edited August 20, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

Some real oldies:

Billy Martin's Tavern

The Guards

Mrs. K's Toll House

Crisfield's

Reese's

Luigi's Famous

....to name a few

[hannnah]

According to the email I got yesterday, this year is L'Auberge Chez Francois' 50th anniversary. Some of that's got to include the time they were open downtown.

[DCMark]

Perhaps Le gaulouis although it has changed locations and (sadly) ownership.

[Mark Sommelier]

According to the email I got yesterday, this year is L'Auberge Chez Francois' 50th anniversary. Some of that's got to include the time they were open downtown.

Chez François was originally in a building at the space now occupied by the Oval Room.

[DonRocks]

(this is a work-in-progress and very incomplete; dates not guaranteed accurate; restaurants with more than one location will have only the oldest location listed; present-day names are used (i.e., I doubt Luigi's was "Famous" back in 1943!))

1856 - Old Ebbitt Grill (present location since 1983)

1860 - Old Angler's Inn

1904 - Royal Restaurant (present location since 1964)

1906 - Occidental Grill (closed 1972-1986)

1930 - Mrs. K's Toll House (Mrs. K is Mrs. Kreuzburg)

1933 - Billy Martin's Tavern (Opened the day after prohibition was repealed)

1937 - Red Fox Inn

1941 - O'Donnell's Seafood (present location since 2001)

1943 - Famous Luigi's

1945 - Crisfield Seafood

1946 - Tastee Diner (Silver Spring)

1947 - 29 Diner

1947 - Woodside Deli

1948 - Old Europe

1949 - AV Ristorante Italiano (AV is Augusto Vasaio)

1949 - Blackie's

1954 - L'Auberge Chez Francois (present location since 1976)

1954 - Jerry's Subs and Pizza (Wheaton)

1955 - Ledo Pizza (Adelphi)

1955 - Tune Inn

1955 - Yenching Palace

1957 - The Brickskeller

1958 - Ben's Chili Bowl

1959 - Market Inn

1961 - Loeb's Perfect New York Deli (present location since 1979)

1962 - 1789

1963 - Clyde's (Georgetown)

1965 - Bay 'n Surf

1966 - The Guards

1966 - Japan Inn (present location since 1971)

1967 - Childe Harold

1969 - Bob & Edith's Diner

1970 - Roy's Place

1973 - Anita's (Vienna)

1973 - Stained Glass Pub

1973 - Vietnam Georgetown

1974 - Cafe La Ruche

1975 - Armand's Chicago Pizzeria (Tenley Circle)

1975 - Bistro Francais

1975 - Celebrity Delly (Falls Church(?))

1975 - The Cracked Claw at Peter Pan (present location since 1989)

1976 - La Chaumiere

1976 - Gadsby's Tavern

1976 - The Prime Rib

1976 - Sushi-Ko

1977 - Geranio

1978 - Peking Gourmet Inn

1978 - Pistone's Italian Inn

1979 - 219

1979 - Nora

I know of a bunch of others, but don't have specific dates.

P.S. Surely this compendium has been done before, no?

P.P.S. Mr. K's was 1983 - related to Mrs. K? Hmm...

[morela]

According to the email I got yesterday, this year is L'Auberge Chez Francois' 50th anniversary.  Some of that's got to include the time they were open downtown.

Chez François was originally in a building at the space now occupied by the Oval Room.

Actually, it was where Equinox is...

Same difference, tho.

[Suzanne F]

Nora might about 25; it opened when we lived in DC in the late 1970s.

Others that I remember -- mostly inexpensive, since we were young then:

Childe Harold

Mr. Henry's

Trio (near Dupont Circle, on 17th Street. Not a great place; actually a diner + pizza place + bar [Fox & Hounds], but we loved it. Last time we stopped in a year and a half or so, Margo the waitress was still there )

Annie's Paramount (inexpensive steak place on 17th NW; in our day, a bastion of the gay community)

I'd be curious to know if they're still open.

[FunJohnny]

Nora might about 25; it opened when we lived in DC in the late 1970s.

Others that I remember -- mostly inexpensive, since we were young then:

Childe Harold

Mr. Henry's

Trio (near Dupont Circle, on 17th Street. Not a great place; actually a diner + pizza place + bar [Fox & Hounds], but we loved it. Last time we stopped in a year and a half or so, Margo the waitress was still there  )

Annie's Paramount (inexpensive steak place on 17th NW; in our day, a bastion of the gay community)

I'd be curious to know if they're still open.

Well, since I just ate lunch there, I can tell you that the Childe Harold (1967) is still alive and ticking.

Edited August 20, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

Nora might about 25; it opened when we lived in DC in the late 1970s.

Others that I remember -- mostly inexpensive, since we were young then:

Childe Harold

Mr. Henry's

Trio (near Dupont Circle, on 17th Street. Not a great place; actually a diner + pizza place + bar [Fox & Hounds], but we loved it. Last time we stopped in a year and a half or so, Margo the waitress was still there  )

Annie's Paramount (inexpensive steak place on 17th NW; in our day, a bastion of the gay community)

I'd be curious to know if they're still open.

Well, since I just ate lunch there, I can tell you that the Childe Harold (1967) is still alive and ticking.

How could I forget Trio??? Also add AV Ristorante.

[JPW]

Although it has been moved and added onto, the original part of the Tastee Diner in SS first started up in 1946.

Edit to add that Woodside Deli on Georgia has been open since 1947.

Edited August 20, 2004 by JPW (log)

[Chef Shogun]

Lindy's

-- C.S.

"Number 3, large fries"

[DonRocks]

[Editor's note: if people post or PM about specific dates, I'll be happy to update this list as time permits (but I won't continue to issue new postings; I'll simply edit the existing one.)]

[wilewil]

Royal Street in Alexandria. Fish Market, Wharf too

[mnebergall]

How about 219 on King Street in Old Town. Opened in 1979.

Edited August 20, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[razzar]

If we can also list bar/restaurants --

Murphy's in Alexandria (either '78 or '79)

Scotland Yard ('79(?))

The Dubliner

Tastee 29 Diner in Fairfax

Edited August 20, 2004 by razzar (log)

[mnebergall]

According to the Washington Post, Royal Restaurant in Alexandria is celebrating its 100th anniversery this year.

[txaggie]

O'Donnell's Seafood Restaurant - now located in the Kentlands in Gaithersburg.

[Malawry]

Gadsby's Tavern, which I have never visited, seems to be a real oldy-moldy kinda place.

[mnebergall]

How is "oldest restaurant in town" defined. The Occidental opened in 1906 but closed in 1972. It reopened in 1986 after the Willard Hotel was rennovated. I doubt that the current Occidental is the same "business" as the one opened in 1906.

Does the term mean "oldest continually operated restaurant business" or simply name used the longest? Gadbsy's Tavern was operated by John Gadsby from 1796 to 1808.

See what happens when you involve the lawyers.

[mnebergall]

Loeb's Perfect New York Deli is 45 years old. In fact, it used to be in the location now occupied by the Old Ebbitt Grill. Which raises a question, was the Old Ebbitt Grill always "old." I seem to recall that it was around the corner from where it is now.

spelling edit

Edited August 20, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[morela]

See what happens when you involve the lawyers.

Yep.

Lawyers know it all.

[Mark Sommelier]

Loeb's Perfect New York Deli is 45 years old. In fact, it used to be in the location now occupied by the Old Ebbitt Grill. Which raises a question, was the Old Ebbitt Grill always "old." I seem to recall that it was around the corner from where it is now.

spelling edit

The original Old Ebbitt Grill was indeed around the corner in a creaky (literally) Revolutionary era building. In the early 80's there was a fierce battle between the real estate developers and the historic preservation folks. It is obvious who won. The new Old Ebbitt is in the site once occupied by Keith's theatre, a vaudeville house turned movie theatre from the 20's.

[Joe H]

There is going to be a devastating announcement in the Post on Saturday that will make this topic strangely opportunistic.