Beetle House

Bar Owner Clueless About D.C. Nightlife Opens Beetle House on H Street | Eater DC

"I visited the new Halloween-themed restaurant on H Street NE and found it drenched in Tim Burton references — stuffed bats, spooky pumpkins, and lamps supposedly made out of real human bones — with a theatrical, costume-friendly crowd similar to the crowds the Beetle House bars draw in L.A. The prix-fixe three-course dinner is $50 (drinks not included) and features punny, movie-themed dishes like Edward Burger Hands and the “Corprese Bride” salad (with a joking aside about a Batman falafel), plus cocktails priced $10–$15 including a red punch served in a blood bag. The ticket also includes access to an upstairs club where DCist reported fire dancers, sword eaters, and contortionists. Owner Zach Neil told DCist he was aiming at tourists and framed his comments as the perspective of someone focused on the National Mall, but I found that characterization of D.C. nightlife as shutting down at 7 misleading; Neil later defended his commitment to the city, saying he’s paid higher rent here than in New York, has long ties to D.C.’s hardcore punk scene, and plans to grow Beetle House into a chain of about 10 bars with potential expansions into Las Vegas, Chicago, and Austin." - Gabe Hiatt