Joe Theismann’s Renovated Sports Bar Scores a New Menu With Reuben Fries

Joe Theismann’s Restaurant, the reliable Old Town sports bar that the former Redskins quarterback founded in 1975, reopened this week after major renovations and introduced a new menu.

New items like pan-seared salmon, beef short ribs, poke bowls, and Southern fried chicken salad join mainstays like steaks and burgers. To keep football fans interested on weekends, the first Bloody Mary costs $9, and additional orders are $5 each.

Appetizers include “Reuben” fries and a Philly flatbread, and there’s a new 26-ounce ribeye for two ($69). Hearty brunch dishes include a “Quarterback Scramble” that piles eggs, bacon, Italian sausage, and home fries onto one plate.

Theismann’s stayed open during its months-long overhaul, operating as a pop-up bar called JT.

Joe Theismann’s [official]

Joe Theismann’s Restaurant/official photo

Alexandria Restaurant Partners (ARP) bought an equity stake in the 7,800-square-foot steakhouse (1800 Diagonal Road) last year. The restaurant group also operates Vola’s Dockside Grill, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, and months-old Riverside Taco Company in the neighborhood.

Theismann’s conveniently reopened around the same time the King Street Metro stop restarted service. This month also marks Theismann’s 70th birthday.

The interior got a football-themed refresh with soft brown leather banquettes, turf green walls, and a collection of autographed jerseys and footballs. There’s also a new island bar with 20 draft lines.

Over the summer, Old Town’s steakhouse scene got a boost with the arrival of glitzy Oak Steakhouse from the Charleston, South Carolina-based restaurant group that owns O-Ku near Union Market.

• The Best Sports Bars in D.C. to Watch NFL and College Football [EDC]
• Oak Gives Old Town a Fresh Take on the High-End Steakhouse [EDC]