Peachy's Picks Washington, D.C.: Martin's Tavern of Georgetown Est. 1933 Encore Review Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
New England Clam Chowder accentuated with Applewood Smoked Bacon
Welsh Rarebit!
If you want to have what he's having, and he's Harry Truman...meet the Prime Rib:
Certainly the Patriots of AMC's Turn had visions of Martin's Tavern emerging generations later!
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Hold onto your hats: the next hit parade from Martin's Tavern is about to begin.
We LOVE Martin's Tavern.
This is our 4th trip there, and just like the 3rd trip, we did not go just once.
Martin's Tavern has been featured more than any other restaurant outside Manhattan, and has earned multiple encore reviews.
It was first featured in Peachy's Picks Washington, D.C. in April of 2014:
When we returned to Washington in the summer of 2014, it was the first feature in our Washington Al Fresco column:
It's been featured in our Breakfast Away column:
This was its last encore:
After we drop off our luggage at a hotel, the first thing we want to do in Washington is go to 1264 Wisconsin Avenue! If you have never been and are not in Washington but maybe live here in Manhattan, it is worth your while especially in this good weather to put the top down on your convertible, take a drive down to Georgetown and go there for dinner.
We've tried many items on their menu (get excited for an item we will preview soon in another post created by Billy!) and this is what we picked for this summer!
Before we start eating we want to draw your attention to the fantastic patriotic decor (Peachy thinks every day is the 4th of July):
We worked with Nasirul Islam, head waiter.
He's been there 31 years.
The rolls are fresh and the butter spreads on them just right.
Did you know that Peachy Deegan is not a New Yorker?
She's from New England. New England Clam Chowder is not easy to find outside of the six states, and it's not often done well in Manhattan.
We are always DYING to try it at Martin's Tavern even in the heat. The succulent chunky clams swim around gracefully with potatoes and carrots and absolutely divine applewood smoked bacon. Even though Billy's not from New England he does this very well. The fresh ground black pepper is a nice touch and both the flavor and the consistency are amazing. This is not the first time we've had this at Martin's Tavern and it certainly won't be the last! If we keep ordering something, that is further evidence of its excellence.
This went well with this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from New Harbor Vineyards which was light and refreshing: perfect for seafood.
The Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken is sublime and just perfect for a hot summer day! Hearts of Romaine are tossed in the Chef's own Caesar dressing which is not too heavy. Lesser restaurants try to hide the flavor of ingredients that might not be as fresh as they should be with a lot of salad dressing. This will never happen at Martin's Tavern. Your lettuce has a crunch. Your chicken is perfectly grilled and tender. And, we trust them with salad dressing. They lightly toss it, as they would never want to mask the superb underlying ingredients!
Also the chicken was perfectly warm off the grill which we loved.
Meet Billy Martin's Welsh Rarebit! Toast points with classic sauce of cheddar cheese, heavy cream, a special blend of spices and Yuengling Lager team up for a rich, creamy consistency that you will crave from miles away. The toast is perfectly lightly toasted and it sits on the side ready to dive in! The presentation can't be beat and we love the cast iron pot.
We have not been to Wales, but we almost feel like we have since we've been to Ireland, England and Scotland. It is most satisfying to spread this celestial sauce and even better ultimately to crunch into it! We love this flavor. We lament its passing in Peachy's stomach. It is pure torture to write about it and not have it in front of you!
We always want to sit in a great spot, but at Martin's Tavern you should know there really isn't a bad spot. We didn't want to be difficult the first time we went but of course we wanted to sit in the booth where Jackie and Jack Kennedy got engaged. Billy had already planned to sit us there! We've gotten along ever since. There are always great vantage points all over Martin's Tavern and once you go there often it starts to feel like a home to you. That's how every American President from Truman to George W. Bush felt, and we've decided we want to try to eat like a President. We begin at the beginning with Harry Truman!
Who knows, maybe Harry Truman will even talk to you.
Officially this is called Booth Six. Harry Truman, then a Senator from Missouri, his wife Bess and his daughter Margaret often dined at Martin's while Margaret attended George Washington University. Margaret Truman wrote 14 mystery novels set in Washington, many of which mention Martin's Tavern.
We sipped a robust selection from Hawk Crest, which is a division of Stag's Leap.
Peachy always loves a rich red, and it is perfect for Harry's favorite dish: Prime Rib!
The Slow Roasted Prime Rib with Au Jus is seasoned and roasted for hours, and has limited availability from Thursday to Sunday. Served with broccolini and a baked potato, the Prime Rib when ordered by Truman was always Medium Rare. We chose medium and the cut we chose was the Regular Cut which is 14 oz. Other cuts available include the End Cut for those that prefer a more well done steak and if you are really hungry the King Cut weighs in at 18oz! The Prime Rib is sourced from Creekstone Farms in Kansas and supplied by Fells Point. Read the whole Creekstone Story here.
Every bite is truly a carnivore's dream! The juicy tenderness of this superb steak is worth every mile you'll drive from New York to get there. And if you live in Georgetown, you are just a lucky duck. Behind it are its backup singers of Beef Au Jus, Horseradish Cream Sauce (Horseradish, Mayo, Black Pepper) and Sour Cream for the Potato. Of everything we eat, Peachy is personally a meat and potatoes person. No one heard a peep out of her once this winner was sitting pretty at the Truman table.
We recommend you save room for dessert, which we have eaten every other time! We could not eat another bite this time however. And also: not only does your stomach win, but also the USA Women's Soccer team wins too!
Martin's Tavern is also a superb venue to watch a game.
Martin's Tavern continues to earn our Highest Recommendation!
Established in 1933, Martin's Tavern is one of Washington DC’s most historic family-owned enterprises. For 80 years, Martin’s Tavern has been a renowned fixture in the mid-Atlantic and a must-visit establishment in historic Georgetown. In the late 1890's, William S. Martin traveled from Galway, Ireland to America. Forty years later, he and his son, William G. Martin, the current Billy's grandfather, opened Martin’s Tavern on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and N Street NW which is run today by our friend, William A. Martin Jr. You can call him Billy! From sitting Presidents and media icons, to city residents and worldly travelers, Martin’s Tavern is a welcoming home to the many who have long embraced its warm atmosphere. Its quintessentially classic American fare has delighted discriminating palates for decades from the Oakwood Atlantic Smoked Salmon to the Filet Mignon to whatever your little heart desires from the convincing menu. Every President from Truman to George W. Bush has happily dined at Martin's Tavern, and you can see the delicious culinary choices preferred by each in our review: Martin's Tavern is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know:
The President’s favorite booths, The Proposal Booth of Jack and Jackie Kennedy, Mickey Mantle in The Dugout Room, George W. Bush and family at Table 12 are just a few of the iconic stories. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin, Jr. continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest family owned restaurant and Georgetown landmark.
