All Visitor Reviews for JR's Bar & Grill (22 reviews)

Great Sunday happy hour!Submitted via GayCities iPhone application

I'm not sure if JR's is officially a chain, but DC's JR's is similar in feel to those I've seen in Houston and Denver--a sort of gay "Cheers." Wood panelling, stained glass, and cute boys are common at JR's, and DC's is no exception. Monday Showtune night started off slow but ended up completely packed, and the VJ kept a steady stream of musical numbers going on the screens, ranging from TV clips to a rare Broadway bootleg. The staff was all cute, but a little rude--after waiting in line to close out the tab, we were told to go see another bartender who'd already left for the night and then ignored.

The title above says it all. Thanks.

It can be a very good time. When it is very crowded some people tend to get somewhat edgy, but Why do you go to a crowded bar? They do have some knock out drink specials for the boys on a budget.

JR's is THE Washington, DC bar. It's old and unassuming and I like it that way. A great neighborhood bar to meet your friends and enjoy great happy hour specials. Thursdays from 4-8pm are especially popular: $11 all you can drink, and we certainly take advantage of that. Can get very crowded later in the evening. Perhaps not the best pick-up joint, as many of the regulars tend to gather with their friends. But generally, the regulars are very friendly. Ages range from 21-65 and everyone is welcome and made to feel at home. Super staff remembers your drink and always greets everyone with a smile. They're cute, too.

One of my favorite gay staples in D.C. This is where many start their nights out. Excellent Thursday all you can drink for $11 happy hour and also popular on Sunday afternoon/evenings (affectionately called "going to church" here in D.C.)

Went on a Wednesday night, and the bar was rather full. Drinks were very pricey and the televisions were mostly old tube TVs (not very good for videos these days). Definitely a stand-around and talk bar, nothing too exciting. In a nice area though, if you're looking for a place to eat.

Everyone in the country has at least HEARD of the DC JR's. When you go in there, it's like entering the hot zone of airborne Gay Attitude Virus. Better wear a mask and gloves. Also, if you're going to pay premium prices for drinks, at least make them properly. The whole bar is 3-4 guys standing in circles texting each other with a sad, outdated video and dance music collection, and outfits from the mall. Avoid.

Always something interesting, upbeat on the video. I have found the bartenders to be, without exception, friendly and attentive.

Fun Place, Cute Men, Nice bartenders. Great place to meet your friends before heading out to clubs.

Consistently popular, especially on Sunday afternoons and Monday nights.

Went here after dinner on a Saturday night, it was very crowded. The place was horrible, the service was horrible. You would think they could expand a bit. I've been to three other JR's in the country, this one was by far the worst one.

THIS PLACE LOOKS LIKE A GAY RUBY TUESDAYS, BUT NO SALAD BAR.

I try to avoid this place, but sometimes it’s a convenient place to stop in for a quick drink. The building is long and narrow, which means as soon as it gets busy, you can’t move. Somehow, even though I am a local, JR’s has always made me feel like I don’t belong. Too many of the guys seem to think the rest of us are there to admire them.

Been a staple for decades on 17th St!

JR’s is a true neighborhood bar. Crowd and staff are consistently friendly. You can count on a crowd just about every night of the week. Diverse in age and style. A good cross section of the DC gay community. It’s a DC staple and very worth a visit.

JR's is a Washington staple. On the main gay drag, it has a diverse crowd of both the young and old. Many theme nights with various music videos. No dancing. A singular pool table. A great place to start your evening. No attitiude staff and patrons, it's busy Thursday thru Sunday. A fine first choice.

So I wouldn't call this a stand & model bar, although a few people seem to act like it is. I went there on a night where they were playing rock videos from the 80s - fun! It was easy to strike up conversation here and I enjoyed having a drink in this crowd. The upstairs area is odd, only room enough for a pool table. Seems like many people stop here for happy hour, or before heading to Cobalt down the street.

I have lived in DC for 11 years and avoid this place. It is the best place in town if you like tired old "boies" who flit about admiring themselves in the mirror. It is loud and poorly laid out, so you have to run the gauntlet to get to the bathroom. Go to JRs if you never have been there and/or are visiting. But once will be enough.

JR's is a DC Institution and deservedly so. All types hang out there. As someone said, it DOES have a lot of "post-twinks" and trust-fund babies (or those who pretend to be one), but all in all a thoroughly nice place. Four other Gay bars within 1.5 blocks and MANY restaurants, all gay friendly. Gotta go to Annie's if you plan to eat before after or before going out. Annie's is a well-beloved gay restaurant in DC, and has been for decades. THE place to see and be seen in the Dupont area.

OKay, everyone says JR's is an "S&M" (Stand and Model) bar - as though the guys are devistatingly handsome. Trust me, I've lived here for 9 years and JR's is where the guys who are too old for Nation and too boring for Cobalt hang out. JR's is open all afternoon and in to the evening, so if you are looking for a place to pick up an alcoholic, this is the place to go. It gets WAY crowded by 11 - GOd forbid thereis ever a fire. The patron's hair spray alone would set the place ablaze in seconds. The videos are good and the crowd is friendly enough, but JR should only be one stop on the 17th street bar crawl. Be sure to hit Cobalt and Chaos just a couple blocks up.

The first thing you need to know about JR's is that it's tiny and crowded, and this can be a bit intimidating at first. JR's also has a reputation for preppy snobbishness, but I don't think this is fair at all; almost anyone can find some friends at JR's if they give it half a chance. Yes, there's a large contingent of beautiful post-twinks, but in reality, you will find guys of all shapes and sizes (and ages, up to about 45 anyhow) at JR's on any given night. One warning: if you take great offense at guys "accidentally" touching your butt as you push your way through the crowd, JR's may not be for you. On weekends, start out at JR's and then follow the crowd to Cobalt or Apex... and don't miss the showtunes singalong on Monday nights!