Yes, The Guards Has Officially Closed in Georgetown

Though last week's shutter of The Guards seemed like it might just be temporary while the landlord and owner battled over the lease, the nearly 50-year-old restaurant is now officially closed. The Washington Post reports that The Guards owner Hossein Shirvani decided not to renew the lease, in part due to burnout from the business and also plans to move out of DC. While The Guards had turned into more of a frat-tastic bar over the years, the Post notes that it has plenty of history:

One of Shirvani's best memories is the night that Elton John came to the downstairs Griffin Room and caught a glimpse of the massive fireplace mantel hard-carved to look like a griffin. "He fell in love with that piece," Shirvani remembers. "He said, 'I'll give you $100,000 for that piece.'" The owner declined the offer.

So maybe now's the time for Elton John to get on that? Also, there's now another prime M Street restaurant space on the market.

· It’s Official. The Guards is Closed [WaPo]
· All Previous Coverage of The Guards [-EDC-]

The Guards [Photo: Kevin L./Yelp]