Let's face it, you can count the gay bars/clubs that cater to black folk in this town on one hand--and if that hand has at any time been exposed to The Fireplace, you may wanna dip it in bleach for a minute or two. Now don't go sayin' I said I've never had a good time here...I didn't say that. There's always a need for a place you can just pick-up and go to without having to worry about all the hassles of preening or shaving or brushing your teeth. Just your average dive-bar from which you expect nothing but a strong drink, a good laugh (usually, unfortunately, at someone's expense) and maybe a tiny bout with dysentery--but, hey, what better way to drop those last few pounds before heading out to the real club, eh? TO BE FAIR, the guys I've met here have been much nicer than those at many other bars in this city--very down to Earth...which may explain some of the dirt stains I've noticed on many of the patrons knees. Ok, enough of that...let me get serious now *clearing throat*. The Fireplace, a split-level entertainment facility (Blacks upstairs, whites/snow-queens downstairs *sigh*...although, if I'm being totally honest, the upstairs portion can be quite intimidating for the uninitiated; even I've clutched my pearls a few times when venturing up there, and I've been black for most of my life!) is THE spot for the strongest drinks in Northwest DC--real talk. Combine that with some of the Districts most eligible bachelors (I didn't say WHY they were eligible--just that they ARE eligible) who stop here to meet up with friends before going to larger, more swanky destinations; some of the latest, hottest music around (when the deejay is upstairs--otherwise, they're just playin' someone's outdated iPod over the speakers and showing public access on the tellie; downstairs they play Cher and those of her ilk); and you have the recipe for one of D.C.'s oldest and most consistently reliable pubs for gay men. Sure, at times this place can feel like you're in the waiting room at any urban ICU U.S.A. (complete with trannies with crooked wigs wearing hospital tags around their wrists...again, real talk); but there is NO better bar to dash in and out of on those nights when your self-esteem needs a little jolt. Believe me, if you come here and DON'T feel better about your life or current situation, then go ahead and shoot yourself, chile, cuz it ain't gonna get much better. Cheers! read more

The Fireplace is epic! I've been loving this place in its various iterations for more years than I care to admit. When I first started spending time and money at The Fireplace I lived only four blocks away, so it was a no-brainer as my favorite neighborhood bar. But even when I moved from the neighborhood the Fireplace remained a favorite. Over the years I've kept coming back for dependably good food, and the consistently great waiters, great bartenders and great patrons. Wherever you live, The Fireplace can be your "neighborhood" bar. read more

1) i'm straight.. ok lets get to the review. The place as an awesome architecture from the outside. it looks bright and rustic... but the moment you go through the door.. i'd def call it a dive. They had happy hour on Sunday so this is why we stopped here after our museum walk. $3 rails and $3 domestic beers (1pm till close) and I saw a sign for $3 sminoffs from 8-11... what else could a girl ask for?? The crowd was nice and the bartender was nice.. there were no "eyes" or "whispers".. I also saw another guy order jack on the rocks and a glass of wine (both served in plastic pint glasses...) and he was charged $9 bucks!!!! crazy! All in all.. def a good spot to stop by for an afternoon booze for cheap. read more

Hell's waiting room, complete with a constantly blazing.....fireplace. Bring your own hand sanitizer. Don't wear loafers or flip-flops in here; the floors are so sticky you may have to surrender them to the decades-old layers of bar ooze. There's a narrow, twisting staircase to get upstairs; drunken patrons coming down frequently tumble dangerously into those trying to ascend, resulting in hilarious hoots, catcalls, and diva spats. I've got several good friends who love this place, but I just don't get it. Terrific location and they've been in business forever, so something must go right here. The pours are simply vast and there's always some kind of "special" so that could be the draw, but even the cheapest drinks can't chase away the smell of urinal cakes that desperately need to be changed. read more

The drinks are strong, Judy is the best bartender shes the old white lady on the 1st floor. The guys there are trolls. Only go there to pregame never dedicate your whole night there unless youre pathetic and a troll. read more

You'll get buzzed really quick!! Friendly staff and heavy handed is an understatement lol

Staff here are rude. Plus I waited about 20 minutes for a drink, then got tired of waiting and left. No bartender downstairs despite a mob of people. I guess he was talking to the police or something. read more

More like firehazard. This place is quite the dive bar, along with the sticky floors and tables. But lord that little old lady bartender was heavy with the liquor!! I swear that drinks made by that woman (and other bartenders) were 87% alcohol. I loved watching the people freely hanging outside the bar, a vibe you would not get in NYC. You get a nice variety of black men coming in which you don't get other places. Worth a visit for sure. read more

Another DIVE BAR in the city with a putrid smell but it's free entry, the drinks are strong and cheap! Great place to start a night of partying. Bartenders are all pretty cool, they have upstairs and downstairs. Upstairs host more blacks and young-ins with Jango playing in the background, downstairs more whites and mature folks with tv's showing videos. But always a very diverse crowd of gays. I like the place because after a few drinks, everybody becomes your friends. It's sorta like Cheers. read more

I come here with one of my friends, who is a regular. All of the staff are very friendly. The customers are all friendly too so it's a great environment. The drinks are strong and priced well. This place is honestly one of my favorite places to chill, listen to music, and relax. read more

This place was strange. Really, really, really strange. I tried asking one of the patrons where a good spot to head for a drink might be, and got ranted at in what seemed to be Swahili. There were several tragic gheys around, and I think the bathrooms are used to sniff cocaine. The patrons are creepy and though the drinks are strong, the whole place just sort of gives you the heebie jeebies! read more

This place is funny. So that's a weird way to describe a bar, but it's really all I can come up with. We came here because our friends didn't want too walk far and we had dinner just down the street. Generally, I'd say I like dive bars just fine- they can be a fun, low-key place to go and have a drink, so we decided to check this place out. We tried to find a seat upstairs, but it was packed and definitely a lot more lively, we settled in downstairs, near the fireplace. I ordered a vodka soda, which was good- can one mess up a vodka soda? The bartender was nice enough, I wouldn't say she was full of personality, but that's fine and she's definitely heavy handed because when I stood up I really felt just that one drink. This isn't a place I see myself returning to, ever, but it was an interesting experience. read more

I was here on Memorial Sunday 5/25/13 with four friends who where visiting from NY and this was an awful experience. For the pro's , cheap cover and cheep drinks and for the cons... here u have it 1. Parking - this was a MAJOR problem and hassle, looking for parking spot was hectic. I'd recommend should you decide to go here, PLEASE use the metro system, and walk to the bar. Next proceed to the Bouncers upon entry 2. The bouncer was actually RUDE, though I understand their job entails safety and security, but don't overdo it. Like I previously stated, we were five of us in a group, and though the bar was to its max capacity, four of us was allowed and the last person wasn't. However, the way he rudely intercepted my friend and asked him to stop and actually moved to close the door on him. I thought that was VERY PETTY. Furthermore 3. Environment - if I were to rate this place on sanitary levels, this is a -5. I'm so certain that there were SEVERAL health code violations at this club. - The bathroom was just NASTY... eww - The floor was STICKY, yes you heard me, the floor was very sticky. It was like each time I raised my foot, there was a little resistance. This was how BAD it was. - The upper floor stunk with bad awful ooze that really upset us, we had to leave the upper floor for the lower one. A nice air freshener will suffice for the upper floor. - The floors had loose napkins/paper towel littered right from the entry of the stairs, on the stairs and past it. There's no telling how and where this papers could have come from, It was an awful experience. - Seeing cups on the floors, YES I was skeptical about ordering anything. A Corona beer worked just fine for the evening. 4. Social activities - the music was again off note. There was nothing really entertaining. The videos featured on the screens where unknown and DRY. The humor was very unpleasant. Lot's of divas, and uncontrolled drunks everywhere. To sum it all up, it was awry, and I just did not get it. I'd recommend that anyone looking for good class to avoid this place like a plague. The sanitation down right to customer service SUCKED. read more

I went there looking for sex, being a out of towner I guess I don't know how to go about it. I go back to DC a few times a year, see that they are around my age older I wanted to play. I tried show my rear hoping for a few takers but no luck. So how does one go about picking up the men? read more

I'm only such a fan because I have so many memories of leaving the office of my Dupont internship and coming here for happy hour. It was ALWAYS a great time. The music nor the decor are nothing special and they seem to play the same DVD each week. But the crowd is diverse which I like. You see mostly middle aged to older people there but even a buppie, such as myself, and my "fruitfly" have a good time. Happy hour specials are awesome and I've even received a free grey goose martini from the bartender because, "you're feeling really good right now and I want to take the credit for that." woohoo now that's my kinda place. I can't comment on what it's like on the weekend as I tried to come here one Saturday and they had a cover and I just can't fathom paying a cover to get into the place. Meet the craziest characters outside this place including a straight man who indulged me on his abilities to eat a woman out (betty crocker has nothing on him!) But for a jovial crowd, cheap and knock your ass on the floor drinks, fun poppy music, and attentive bartenders after work it doesn't get much better!! read more

A few other reviews have noted this, but what is that smell! It's like walking into a porta potty. They have to fix this.

Yes I spent my money here. Who wouldn't want to be around real life gay men, alcohol, hip hop, & bathroom privileges that require a bathroom key (attached to a clothes hanger) request at the bar? And of course the ladies bathroom is decent no one uses it. Like Chief Ike's there's a cover charge, two bars, crazy" you might not want to drink too much" steps, & a lot of alcohol. Unlike Chief Ike's most of the men were very polished in a casual down to earth way. You could touch their muscles and they smelled good. So pleasant and not typical on a Sunday night. Now there were a few ladies there. One of them decided to tell me she was the greatest and that I should invest in some of that greatness. This is why it's important not to disclose my occupation at a bar again. Well, I kept my Investor skills in the direction of the bar and the drinks were good. The prices seemed unusually reasonable. Hmmm...I didn't drink that much. Go to this place if you like crowds of pretty men who only want to go home with each other while flirting with you. Such attention is bountiful. read more

Awful place. Bartender is rude. Customers are unfriendly and suspicious. Offerings at the bar are limited and disappointing. With so many bars in DuPont there's no excuse for wasting your time here. read more

laugh'n at some of the review about this place.... WOW.. what can i say about the fireplace... ok.. da drinks are the biggest reason i cannot shy away from the fireplace. the drinks are always strong, always cheap, and always pretty damn good... yeah, it's not the prettiest bar around dc.. and definitely not the most clean of places... it is, however a very chill, low key, laid back type joint where everybody can be his or her self... Of course during all the "gay" festivities.. the fireplace is a pretty chill hook-up joint for out-of-towners and those who don't frequent dc too much.. but for the locals... we can definitely find another place which may be a lil more classy... read more

The bar stinks, upstairs smells like a toilet, I was there one Saturday Night at the downstairs bar and water was running from the ceiling. The so called security guards are more like cheap rent a cops, they treat you badly, instead of approaching you and asking you too sit down, they yell and ask you to get out without any explanation. I will not be going back have been going there for 20 years and never had any problems or caused any problems, They could careless. There is one security guard in particular, I always treated him nicely and respectfully and he approached me rudely, i did not give him any reason to treat me badly, all he had to say was to sit down, i did not mouth off or curse at him. I'm sure they will not miss my business, I'm still the customer and was treated badly and disrespectfully. I will be taking my business and friends to other places. read more

I was horny, and wanted to find another gay man to have sex with. So I went to the Fireplace. Sat at the downstairs bar, and in 5 minutes was talking to an out-of-town businessman. 30 minutes later we were naked in his hotel room, going at it. What more could you ask for? LOVE this place. read more

We ducked into this dive to wait for another place around the corner to open up and it didn't strike me as much different from a cheap bar one would have gone to in college. Initial entry can be disorienting because the most notable outside features of this place were a glass-enclosed fireplace with live fire burning merrily in the corner of the building and a large gold and black sign hanging overhead with the name of this establishment. I think I was expecting a generic, vaguely British or Irish pub-type place, but it very much felt like a dive, albeit pretty clean, with no discernible taps at the bar, but plenty of domestic bottles and two-three ingredient well drinks. I would like to think the bartender was faintly amused by the random yuppies at his station and he rattled off their lengthy list of bottles with aplomb. $4 for a Sam Adams in/near Dupont Circle and gregarious drinking companions? The Fireplace is a friendly surprise! read more

I've been visiting the Fireplace with friends of mine for years and have always left with a good buzz and in good spirits, up until last night. The young, Caucasian bartender on the first floor whom I was told is the owners son is THE WORST bartender I've ever experienced. When I say the worst I'm not even speaking in terms of his pouring, it's his ATTITUDE! He had to be the most arrogant, sarcastic, clearly racist, jackass I've ever encountered. A friend of mine and her brother sat at the bar for about 30 minutes before my friends brother finally had to walk to the other end of the bar and say something to the bartender to get him to come take our order. His reasoning was, "he hadn't gotten to that side of the bar yet." However, we watched him serve customers on every other end of the bar that got there after us. There was a white guy and girl who's order he IMMEDIATELY took care of who were sitting right across from us. He finally comes to take the order and has an attitude the entire time. I complained to the security guard about him and he informed me that people had been complaining about him all night! I spoke to the upstairs bartender about him and that bartender also informed me several regulars complained about the 1st floor bartender also. He's clearly new and doesn't realize we're patrons that frequent the bar often and help to keep the lights on, as the upstairs bartender said. We literally watched him get into several altercations throughout the night for the same nasty and rude behavior! And then watched as he laughed and talked to his white customers about the situations, demeaning and belittling the people whom he got in the altercations with, including ours. He used his power to have security and the police remove one dude from the bar, simply for pointing out the fact that he had a bad attitude. If Fireplace wants to keep it's business it's best they keep that spoiled jerk from behind the bar and out of the place! read more