Monday, June 13, 2011

Coming Soon: The Big Board

Here's a little info on the Big Board, which replaces Toyland at 421 H Street. It's a gourmet burger and salad spot. Initially they will open with the Toyland hours (so, evenings only), but expect lunch in early fall. The dinner opening is planned for early August. The will retain the full license, so they will continue to serve cocktails. Also expect four beers on tap, and a decent bottled beer selection. Brunch in the future, but only after they have the other stuff down pat. Four partners, two live right off H Street. The partners are three brothers, and one childhood friend. Three are current or former military, and one is a high school teacher.

++++++++++++++++
UPDATE
++++++++++++++++


A little clarification from the owner of the pricing plan (which came up in the comments):
The Big Board is slangy way to refer to the stock market and we are going try something a little different as it relates to beer prices. The difference is that the prices will only go down from their set menu price and will be based on what people are ordering. We have never planned on that extending to the kitchen. We see it as fun way to get customers involved and have them decided what our specials are based on what they are ordering. As with Wall Street, there is always the risk of a "market crash" where the original prices will reset. ;)

We don't have much additional information beyond what you've read here and elsewhere. We are 100% committed to making sure that we become a successful restaurant that supports the community.

As some of you may have noticed, we are also working through some technical issues (including learning how to spell / use spellcheck) but hope to have our Website and Facebook page up soon. Although, this might take a little longer than expected since after reading a few of the posts here, we are no longer sure whether or not we are qualified to write our own copy.

Hope to see you out on H Street and that you'll give us a chance to earn your business when we do open our doors!


79 comments:

ro said...

What makes the burgers ``gourmet?'' do the cows go to finishing school?

Anonymous said...

How do they feel about DADT and will they be as "gay friendly" as Toyland?

Anonymous said...

Believe me, nothing could have been more unfriendly than the couple of bitter queens that worked there before.

Campy said...

I wish them luck. Starting a new business anywhere is a risky endeavor and this plan (based on rumors) seems to be a daring leap.

My advice: keep it chill, offer some great beer, and keep the communication lines open with blogs such as this as the locals are going to float you till this end of H hits the tipping point.

Anonymous said...

Another tip: Don't call the Atlas District a dive. You will win enemies faster than you can spell gourmet.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to burgers and salad on the West side of H. But their variable pricing model is one of the strangest/dumbest business ideas I've ever heard, especially for a neighborhood bar.

Anonymous said...

I think we are all in this for another change of hands in the near future.

Anonymous said...

anon 3:14,
this isn't in the atlas district.

Anonymous said...

What keeps this place from being considered a fast food establishment?

Anonymous said...

This place does not exist:
http://www.atlasdistrict.com/bars-pubs.html

Anonymous said...

This is a figment of your imagination: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_District

Anonymous said...

Hi Inked,

There are so many new resturant opening. can you give us a list and when they are supose to open? Please!

JJ said...

I wish them luck, but I expect this "new" place will probably fail as well.

I have a half-dozen other places to go and get a gourmet burger, why should I go there?

FYI to the new proprietors -- the bigger/four beers on tap market is saturated. Your gourmet burgers better be superior to Argonaut, Shake Shack, Good Stuff, Crown Vic, etc., etc., otherwise you will not survive long.

You would be better served trying something different.

Anonymous said...

New condos at 300 L.

http://hstreetgreatstreet.blogspot.com/2011/06/300-l-st-ne-valor-ellisdale-developing.html

Anonymous said...

As a resident at 6th and K I am pumped about this and ready to try them out. With all the new developement going in on this side of the road, I think they will do ok. Especially if they can lure some of the SEC folks over for lunch.

Chevis Ryder said...

Oops - double post. Obviously tech difficulties not limited to website. ;)

Anonymous said...

Mark, welcome and good luck with the biz. Ignore 90% of what you read here. the comments has been largely hyjacked by mean-spirited know-it-alls.

H Street Landlord said...

Welcome! Good explanation.

9th & H said...

Welcome Big Board! Ignore the creeps on this blog. Looking forward to a cold one and a burger.

Anonymous said...

good luck. welcome to our little slice of heaven. whenever the district pisses you off, come down. i'll buy you a shot.
tonyt
the pug
ps it's kind of funny to me for an anonymous to be about dadt. "gay friendly"? as long as they restrict the irish.

Anonymous said...

Good luck, The Big Board!! I like the concept. And thanks for welcoming us ALL. See ya at your opening.

Anonymous said...

Sounds a LOT better after the explanation. I'm looking forward to checking it out.

inked said...

Oops, I accidentally deleted this comment while trying to remove the double post:

The Big Board has left a new comment on your post "Coming Soon: The Big Board":

1. Anonymous 1:24 ALL will be welcome at The Big Board.

2. Anonymous 3:14 - wasn't the smartest way of describing it in retrospect. Two of us live and own in the neighborhood and love H St - there was no malice or intent to offend anyone - we're sorry. All of us spend a lot of time in and around the neighborhood with friends frequenting the restaurants and bars.

3. The Big Board is slangy way to refer to the stock market and we are going try something a little different as it relates to beer prices. The difference is that the prices will only go down from their set menu price and will be based on what people are ordering. We have never planned on that extending to the kitchen. We see it as fun way to get customers involved and have them decided what our specials are based on what they are ordering. As with Wall Street, there is always the risk of a "market crash" where the original prices will reset. ;)

We don't have much additional information beyond what you've read here and elsewhere. We are 100% committed to making sure that we become a successful restaurant that supports the community.

As some of you may have noticed, we are also working through some technical issues (including learning how to spell / use spellcheck) but hope to have our Website and Facebook page up soon. Although, this might take a little longer than expected since after reading a few of the posts here, we are no longer sure whether or not we are qualified to write our own copy.

Hope to see you out on H Street and that you'll give us a chance to earn your business when we do open our doors!



Posted by The Big Board to Frozen Tropics at Jun 13, 2011 6:27:00 PM

tubbs said...

what the hell is a pysdonym? I guess it's a safe bet that we won't see these guys' kids on C-SPAN and say to ourselves "aw, what a cute little Indian kid!"

tubbs said...

I guess we already could gather that from the whole serving burgers thing. My bad. In any event, LEARN HOW TO USE BIG WORDS PROPERLY. Either that, or spell check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Campy said...

Excellent update, thank you!

Kenny G said...

Best of luck to you, Big Board. Glad to see you have a sense of humor-- you'll need it with all of the armchair entrepreneurs in these parts.

As I'm sure you are aware, the location you are about to inhabit has had its share of failures. The bookstore, P & P's and the various iterations of Toyland (which has become a meme for trolls on this blog).

I think the West end of the corridor is finally ready to support a thriving establishment in this very exposed space.

Bring it.

Anonymous said...

I'm so excited about this place! Just tell me your not bringing back "the help" from the last place. Awful service....

(I'm not too worried about them seeing this either as I doubt most of them are able to read.)

Anonymous said...

Can't wait for this to fail and then we can get what the west end needs. A ROCK-N-ROLL FAG BAR!

Tom A. said...

All the best of luck to you!

For some reason "The Big Board" reminds me of a telethon, or a Price is Right game.

You should get a Plinko game in there. People could play for a free beer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afNC52H238Y

Anonymous said...

waiting to fail guy: why not raise the hundred's of 1000s of dollars needed and put in the 100s of hours required to plan for it all and open one yourself?

Anonymous said...

@Jun 14, 2011 9:53:00 AM

does the hundreds of thousands include the building or am I just overpaying for already built out space?

Let's see...partner with 3 other people and we all take our 2 week vacation together...4X80=320. How many hundreds of hours did you say?

Since my building on H is commercial, maybe I will. Probably follow in someone else's footsteps and use Amigos and save $.

Anonymous said...

This actually a similar concept to a cool (and popular) bar in Paris called "Footsie" (a play on the london stock exchange). Though I guess, over there, they don't have to factor in hipster-urban-American cynicism into their business model....but still.

-J

Alex said...

A stock Market themed bar? Maybe you are looking in the wrong neighborhood. Georgetown, Clarendon... Get the drift?

Anonymous said...

Joe Englert said:

Good Luck, Big Board.

We need some help on our Western Flank.

Good to know you will be holding down the fort.

Anonymous said...

Props to the Big Board for responding with an honest, friendly and professional message. I'm glad they explained the concept more. I think as long as prices go down and not up, it might work, though servers will have to remember to ring in drinks at the right time/price or there could be some drunken confusion. I'm looking forward to the burger. The best burger I have EVER had is in Baltimore at the Alewife. That's one worth duplicating and yes, it is worth all $15 and it is the only one I think I would ever call gourmet.

Anonymous said...

David B. my only wish is for you to have a long term tenant for the space like all the rest. Good luck Big Board and make sure your not the next Big Fail.

Rod

IMGoph said...

curious to know if they'd like to respond to this.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what that link has to do with Big Board?

Best of luck guys. Glad to have you in the neighborhood.

IMGoph said...

Anonymous person: It refers to their calling the neighborhood a "dive."

Anonymous said...

Good luck Big Board! You will do very well with good food and a casual, all are welcome atmosphere. I live at 3rd and H and I know many, many people who will indeed love to sit down to a great burger and beer on the West End. If it's a family friendly atmosphere--even more enjoyable. Please keep your hours consistent (whatever they are)...and offer take-out.

Anonymous said...

I live nearby on 6th and G. I'd love to love this new joint, and I wish them all the luck in the world. That said, what will they do to separate themselves from every other pub/restaurant that serves burgers? Why choose The Big Board over Shake Shack, BGR, Good Stuff, Rays, Five Guys, or any of the other places on H to get a burger?

Will the beef be freshly ground in house? Or locally sourced? Or mix in some dry-aged with the regular? (Because any or all of these would definitely lead me there.)

Anonymous said...

Also, please...for the love of all that is holy, consider ditching that logo.

Anonymous said...

Burgers burgers burgers!

Meanwhile, where around here can you get an inexpensive bowl of tender goat stew, curried spinach over rice, and a side of garlic beets?

Or a plate of steaming African pounded yam and fish stew with a side of coleslaw?

Or a pie-tin of paella with a side of garlic beets and flan afterwards?

dave said...

A couple months ago, I heard the liquor license application for Boundary Road restaurant, which will be directly across the street from Sidamo. That place will definitely be awesome and "gourmet". Big Board will probably do well enough to at least capture the spillover business from them and Ethiopic.

Anonymous said...

More like anon 8:37, less like Fuddruckers! There is no need to dumb down H St. to Adams Morgan style levels. Local business, yay! Crappy formulaic business, nay!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I've never started a busines, have no capital to do so, but I've lived in the neighborhood for 6 months and watched shark tank once . . . So I think I know what I'm talking about. More PBR and plaid otherwise you will fail.
Ignore the skinny jean mafia at your own cost.

Anonymous said...

@anonymous 8:37:00 PM

Here, here! Though I've never had goat stew. We could use a good paella joint. I've also not had much good Mexican (maybe because I refuse to go to H St. CC). Evidently a good falafel joint is coming. If Souk got its but in gear and improved the decor and menu, it might survive, but it's looking like a downed horse.

Anonymous said...

"Since my building on H is commercial, maybe I will."

What's the address? From the sounds of it, you should be open in no time at all. Would love to keep an eye on the space.

Anonymous said...

Why do you think Souk is a downed horse. Driss and co. are doing well and are planning to expand to the upstairs.

As for the menu, it's pretty reflective you would find on a menu in a Morroccan restaurant in France. They serve a VERY tasty merguez and have TAGINE!

Everyone there is super friendly and Moroccan themselves. Highly recommend!

Anonymous said...

"As for the menu, it's pretty reflective you would find on a menu in a Morroccan restaurant in France."

is that good or bad? what a strange thing to say.

Chris said...

Anon 5:42pm -- actually, it's not that strange a thing to say. After Morocco itself, France is probably the easiest place to find Moroccan cuisine; in terms of prevalence, Moroccan food in France is like Mexican food in the U.S. And that's probably where most Americans encounter Moroccan cuisine, since many more Americans go to France than to Morocco.

Does the "Mexican food" analogy also apply as far as quality -- that is, is Moroccan food in France a pale shadow of Moroccan food in Morocco? Dunno, since I've never been to Morocco. But I have liked the Moroccan food I've eaten in France.

inked said...

5:42,
I have to agree with Chris. Lot's of great Moroccan food in certain areas of France. Souk has been inconsistent at times, but they recently changed ownership. I hope people will give them another try because when they are good, they are REALLY good.

inked said...

I will also say that I am generally not a fan of people judging a business too much before they open. It's one thing to ask at meetings whether a CR license is appropriate, but to totally pre-judge an unopened place seems harsh and maybe a little mean spirited. It takes a lot of work to navigate DCRA and other agencies. ANYONE who jumps through the hoops and genuinely tries to open up a decent business around here has my support and patronage. I hope others will give them the same chance. I urge people to refrain from getting too offended about small missteps, or invoking any so called curses on buildings. Do those things, and you're only feeding into the one remaining drunken Toyland troll. I've spoken to one of the new owners (Eric), and he seems like a cool dude. He's lived on 11th Street for a couple of years with his brother. He likes the neighborhood, so much that he lives here. So why are people being so harsh on a neighbor? Because he had a live website that wasn't meant to be live? Because he had some typos on that site? Aren't we all better people than that?

Derek said...

Inked, you right.

Anonymous said...

inked, chris,

well i still find it strange to judge moroccan food and souk buy it's comparison to french restaurants. i've been to Morocco, and i've traveled through the middle east. i havent been to Moroccan places in France, maybe it's spot on, but it still seems bizarre to me., do you judge chinese by american standards or indian by british standards? i don't. either you like it or not. personally,i like souk. is it as good as moroccan or middle eastern? of course not. but it doesn't need to be.

Anonymous said...

@Jun 15, 2011 4:17:00 PM

Thanks for the offer. I already pay people to do that, since it is occupied. If you have the verifiable assets, post your contact info and maybe you can have the opportunity to live out your wet dream.

Anonymous said...

Oh please, you live for for these types of mean spirited comments. Its what draws readers/hits for you! I can't wait to see what the next racism-baiting post you put up. You are the person who tells the person in the crowded movie theatre to yell "FIRE".

Churn-on gossip mill!

Anonymous said...

I think it's perfectly reasonable to form some judgements about the place. The info we have is that it is to be a "gourmet burger" restaurant. They have posted a sign with their logo on the building. People are reacting to the totally generic and chain-y look of the logo combined with the concept of a burger restaurant based on a "theme" native to Manhattan, not DC.

Annoyingmous said...

Actually, inked, no, people here aren't better than that. And what's the common factor in all the posters that assume the worst about upcoming businesses, or make mean comments towards you when all you're doing is writing a fscking personal weblog, or make all kinds of bigoted/racebaiting posts? They post anonymously.

Anonymous said...

I'd love for Souk to do well. It has great potential. A change of ownership could bring needed change to:

The lack of fresh/quality ingredients
The limitted and uncreative beer/wine list
The outdated decor
The ramshackle bathrooms/storage room

Assuming it gets over those humps, I might go back.

Chris said...

I've enjoyed the food at Souk, both before and after the ownership change; I was happy with the wines there. Improvement's always a good thing; but I'll be happy if stay as good as they were, because I've liked them.

Kathryn said...

Oooh, the nerve of those guys, coming up with a theme based on something not from DC. And TruOrleans? I just don't understand people sometimes.

Don't even get me started on Souk! That "theme" isn't even from this country! Could you imagine if somebody based a restaurant on something like Italy of all places???

Anonymous said...

Don't be fatuous, Kathryn. Cajun, Morrocan and Italian aren't "themes," they're cuisines. Gourmet burgers aren't "New York cuisine."

Now a decent New York slice place...that would be a godsend.

Anonymous said...

LOL at people getting all defensive about the "H Street is a dive" comment. Grow some thicker skin, people. Methinks thou dost protest too much.

Anonymous said...

ano 2:00,
yes. yes they are.
hahaha.

Anonymous said...

The label haters sound bougie.

Anonymous said...

The label haters sound bougie.
--------
can someone translate this?

IMGoph said...

Anon responding to anon responding to anon responding to anon: (Try a pseudonym, people. It's not hard. It might even make you look computer literate!)

Translation: We're cool because we have no problem with the neighborhood being denigrated. Those who care are nerds. You don't want to look like a nerd, do you?

Anonymous said...

@Jun 18, 2011 7:27:00 AM
Not quite

From Wikipedia.org:

In the United States, which lacks strict social classes, Bourgeoisie is sometimes used to refer to those seen as being upper class.

You can sit there and drink your bougie-ass microbrewed beer, but I still prefer my ice cold Coors original.

Did ya see Luthur just roll up in his bougie new BMW?

Adjective meaning extravagent, often to the point of snobbery. Usually used in relation to the conspicuous consumption of the urban upper-middle class. Dervived from "bourgeoisie"

"What kind of chips are those?"

"Organic Parmesan Oregeno with Olive Oil, they're 4 dollars a bag"

"Man those are bougie chips"



Aspiring to be a higher class than one is. Derived from bourgeois - meaning middle/upper class, traditionally despised by communists.

When my friend Miya wears a blazer or Lucy gets a massage I call them bougie cause we're unemployed college students.

Anonymous said...

Love the suburban whiteys that got their cross-culture before arriving on H street by watching reruns of "Good Times"

Anonymous said...

die no might!

Salamander Jones said...

I relish the flamethrowing going on in this thread. Is that so wrong? Inked, I enjoy your blog and I appreciate teh work you put in, but I think your constant need to umpire the comments sections is a bit heavy-handed. We're all (not) adults here, and we should just let each individual have their say. One should be free to offer observations or (in this case, reasoned) pre-rollout judgements about a new business without being asked to file for a biz loan for opening their own concept. Seems juvenile to insist that only someone willing to open a business themselves can legitimately critique a startup in their own 'hood. In short, less oversight, more freedom, and let the chips fall where they may. Also, lasers.

Anonymous said...

@Salamander Jones said...

your hitting the target...just the wrong target. I would say more but it would be deleted.

inked said...

Salamander,
critique is a good thing. I never said otherwise. It's just my personal opinion that it's best not to completely pre-judge. I think there's a difference between the times when I police the comments (which I really only do when there's some sort of slur used, the conversation gets too mean, or someone inches too close to defamation), and the times I participate in the conversation by offering my own opinion. I'm allowed to do that just like you are, right?

inked said...

Salamander,
I also never suggested that people had to be business owners to criticize, or offer advice. I just pointed out that it's hard to open a business in DC and I'm personally willing to give people a chance if they put in the hours and effort. I hope others would do the same, but I never said it was required. So you seem to be arguing against rules
that I never made.

Anonymous said...

Sharks with lasers!

Anonymous said...

sorry, that should have read "sharks with laser beams attached to their heads"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw

Richard said...

This is the equivalent of reality TV. People are moving to and investing in the Atlas district, etc. for the right reasons and the wrong reasons. People are making smart decisions and making dumb ones. Businesses are succeeding or failing because of any combination of acumen and good/bad luck. Frozen Tropics is attracting readers because it's reporting it all.

Might I suggest the following--http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-sofia/the-7-deadly-startup-sins_b_882196.html