Of all the new and increasingly popular spots along U Street, one seems to epitomize every new trend and meet every need. The Gibson at 2009 14th Street, two doors north of U Street, opened last year and instantly became the bar that took the last few year's developments to their logical extreme.

• Sleekly and subtlely creating a speakeasy atmosphere to make you feel you've discovered a hidden gem?  Definately.  The Gibson has no sign, no name over the door, just a small and quiet door next to Marvin on 14th Street NW. You'll see a discreet buzzer with the name on the inside of the door to summon the host.  Nobody's coming in here who doesn't know about it first.

• Going to extremes to create a refined atmosphere?  Of course.  First and most importantly, there is no standing around a crowded bar at The Gibson.  If there isnt a table or seat at the bar for you, you're not getting in.  With just 40 seats, it creates a pretty exclusive atmosphere on a crowded Saturday night, more like a club than a bar.  And yes, reservations are encouraged.  If you don't get one, just give your name and cell phone number to the host and they will put you on the call back list.  You get 15 minutes to make it back to The Gibson if they call you.  It seems like a pretentious and ridiculous idea for a bar, except that it works for the pleasure and enjoyment of those actually in the bar, and that's the point isn't it?

• Taking every gourmet cocktail idea to a delicious high point?  From the ice to the mixers to the liquor, yes.  You can't make this stuff up, the actually serve speciailty ice, the "slowest melting in the world", hard like the stuff from the ice man in the 1800's, and free of impurities of course..  As far as liquor, celery-infused machu pisco and Walnut Liquor are not served at every corner pub. 
• The perfect 1950's lounge meets 21st Century Thievery Corporation Dj'd setting.  The muic shouldn't be a surprise since Thievery's Eric Hilton owns The Gibson, along with 16th Street Lounge, Marvin, Eighteenth Street Lounge, and others.  He actually has an international branch as well, I had a great time at his excellent place in Playa Del Carmen Mexico too

      

Saturday night on U Street.  When I moved to DC 19 years ago there were huge wooden boards covering the Metro construction, making driving nearly impossible.   Empty storefronts dominated the street and the only place to get something to eat or drink was Ben's Chili Bowl, which had survived following its special status as an agreed upon peaceful space where rioters and police could both eat during the 1968 riots.   When the long forgotten Zig Zag coffee shop opened in 1992, years before Starbucks emerged in DC, it was the first new place in a long path towards today's unbelievable revival.

Saturday night on U Street during the Obama Administration is becoming something truly wild.  Perhaps it started when our new President decided to make his first "Real DC" stop at Ben's, sparking a weird rumor that he had declared U Street "the place to be".   And while that seems a little over the top, the street has repeatedly been mentioned in national press as the home for "Team Obama".  It all seemed strangely reminiscent of when young Clinton types invaded Adams Morgan in a similar way 16 years ago.

This last Saturday night I was shocked to see huge lines pouring out of U Street bars like Local 16, Station 9, Marvin and others.  These weren't typical DC sized lines, these were New York style block long lines of 70 or 80 people.  It reminded me of the crazy scenes you see on South Beach, the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and other well known hotspots.  But here?

But where do you go to get away from the lines and crowds of this new social center of the Universe?  Where will you be able to be treated with the fine service you deserve? What's going to go in the new spaces getting ready to open? Where will be the next great places for reggae and ska, wine, jazz and the new liquors of the moment, gin and bourbon?  I'll let you know over the next few weeks as we get ready for another Nats season.  And face it, if you're a Nats fan you're going to need as much gin and bourbon as you can get...