has not changed
I haven't been for quite a while and the place hasn't changed very much the prices are not bad the staff was very friendly as usual and it was the same Drunks walking around
Classic gay Washington
I stopped in to the Fireplace for the NFL playoffs on a Sunday afternoon; it's a good sports bar with plenty of TVs and a football-loving crowd. Mostly older but a diverse group of Washington's men. Many regulars! The bartender is great, drink prices are reasonable, and I didn't feel as isolated as I do going to some other bars.
The iceplace
EN: Very few people a saturday evening, mostly black some of them drunk and screeming at second floor with a rude bar tender and a butterfly fluttering as a ass-hole, at 1st floor more relaxed atmophere. Average prices. But nothing to do if you are looking for action (no backroom). PT/GZ: Um sabado pela noite havia muito pouco pessoal, a maioria negros alguns bebados gritando no 2do andar, o taverneiro foi rude e arredor dele tinha um borboleta esvoacando. No 1o andar o ambiente e mais relaxado, embora aqui perdes o tempo se andas a procurar acao (nao tem darkroom).
A place for the brothas!!
I will say as a gay black male visiting D.C it was hard finding a place where I can find other brothas and mingle, Then there was Fireplace. Now this place is a great place if you want to go to club and be around black men and listen and vibe to some hip hop music. The men there were of all breed. I can't say it was a particular type. This was NOT the best club I been to but since I really couldn't find much gay clubs catering to black men in D.C I have to show it some love. The guys when I was there was a little hood but like i said it was all type of men. The club is seperated in two parts being the first level is for older men and upstairs being mostly younger men. Overall I would go back to this place and think anybody traveling looking for a club that is catering to black men, this would be a place to go.
Not Like The Old Days But Always A Fun Time!
Been coming here for over 15 yrs. and always have a fun time; great drinks for the price, friendly bartenders, and wide assortment of patrons. Have always gone there as I love ethnic men, but felt a bit of attitude last week for the first time last week. Maybe because I'm not as HOT! looking as I was 20 yrs. ago. But seemed the younger crowd upstairs mostly black were only into black guys. Crowd was more mixed in age and ethnic bacgrounds downstairs; a few nice friendly latinos, but they didn't speak much english. Bartenders are always friendly and try to make you feel welcome when they get any time to talk. Will still be back when in DC. next month.
Mixed Bag
Strange...why does the clientel segregate it self ?
I've never been a wall flower and refuse to segregate myself. I enjoyed both bars. Decide to have a good time and you will. Ignore any attitudes and proceed. Music on both floors differs.
Bartenders should be better. Drinks..ok. Crowd is what you see is what you get.
Fun & Friendly
I love this bar. Upstairs and downstairs are as different as east and west cost. Mostly black upstairs, but if you are intimidated by color you will have more fun up than down stairs. Warning upstairs can get very crowded. If you are not being social then you need to check yourself.
This is the reason why you can't believe everything you hear or see. The bar is mostly black...yes. The 1st and 2nd floors are totally different....yes. but, the people are street people. I've met everything from teachers to doctors there. It's not your place to go if you prefer to dance. but, it's a pretty chill place to go to sit and have a drink and maybe meet someone new.
They Just Care
I am in D.C. for four weeks and thought I'd check out a local neighboor bar. The Fireplace bar, in my opion, is one place not to go. Both times I went, the bartenders barely looked up, and seemed to not care if they had business or not. The last time I went, I asked for a tall Bloody Mary, so the "bartender" poured a small can of tomatoe glass into a small glass of ice, splashed it with vodka, and that was it--nothing tall about it; in fact, not a Bloody Mary at all. AND, if you need to use the ATM it will only give you $50.00, which the machine doesn't even dispense--you have to take a slip up to the "bartender" where they take their cut for the drinks and give you the change from the $50.00. Also, a loud, obnoxious guy was sitting at the bar creaming his face quite heavily with white goop that turned out to be sunblock. It took him at least half an hour to rub it all in. I love weirdness and dive bars, but this isn't just a cool dive kinda place. It reeks of bad bar service and Welfare types who probably start their days there at 1 PM when it opens. Put your money somewhere else, honestly.