José Andrés’ America Eats Tavern Finds New Home at Georgetown’s Old Glory

James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef turned humanitarian of the year José Andrés, who’s been looking around Georgetown for a place to put his on-again, off-again America Eats Tavern for over a year now, found a pretty perfect one in the just-shuttered Old Glory space.

Thinkfoodgroup’s historically themed restaurant is set to return in early summer 2018 at 3139 M Street NW with a lineup of barbecue, local meats, seafood, wines, cheeses, beers, and other products sourced from the mid-Atlantic region. The tribute to the evolution of American cooking will be the chef’s 28th restaurant — and his first on that Western edge of the city.

Old Glory’s ownership group Capitol Restaurant Concepts (J. Paul’s, Paolo’s Ristorante) will stay on board, with Georgetown restaurateur Bechara Nammour named a partner in the forthcoming venture. It’s unclear how, and if, the design of the existing space will change; Old Glory’s rooftop bar — a rare perk for Georgetown — has drawn droves of drinkers over its 26-year history.

This will be the third home for America Eats Tavern, which originated as a pop-up in conjunction with the National Archives, inside the former Cafe Atlantico space in Penn Quarter back in 2011. It later migrated to the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner.

In its former lives, America Eats Tavern has served Andrés’ take on dishes such as Virginia ham, and New England clam chowder. It has also featured historic recipes like an early 19th century mac and cheese, and a 1950s-era steak tartare.