D.C. Dive Dan’s Cafe Was the Unlikely Site of a Marriage Proposal Last Weekend

Dan’s Cafe, the cash-only fixture in Adams Morgan that lets customers mix their own drinks, hasn’t messed with much since opening in 1965. Shots famously come in squeeze bottles and floors are frequently sticky.

A gloriously dingy dive it is, but a likely spot to pop the big question it is not. That’s why those well-acquainted with the depths of its dive bar status went nuts on Twitter today, Valentine’s Day, when news broke that a proposal actually took place there over the weekend. Among the comments:

• “Talk about finding love in a hopeless place.”
• “I spent a lot of nights at Dan’s and I’m here to tell you, you don’t want to put your knee on the ground in that place for any reason.”
• “It was between this and Italy.”
• “Honestly this makes me want to be friends with these people.”

Per Politico, the newly engaged couple is Jaqlyn Alderete, legislative assistant for Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) and Cyrus Huncharek, director of policy and advocacy at the National Down Syndrome Congress. Huncharek stands by his proposal venue of choice, noting his now-fiancé was there celebrating her birthday with friends.

Twitter user @DansCafeDC responded with a hilarious Valentine’s Day statement on Twitter regarding “an alleged recent incident involving an engagement at our establishment” and vows to make sure it never happens again, as “we are a safe haven for singles, bad decisions, one-night stands” and the like. The fact the proposal occurred around Valentine’s Day “is all the more sickening,” adds the Notepad-typed message. It’s unclear whether the Dan’s Cafe Twitter handle with over 8,000 followers is directly affiliated with the bar, however.

The newly engaged couple met in a college fellowship program in 2016, notes Politico, so there could also be a nostalgic tie to the Northwest nightlife spot. Eater reached out to Alderete to hear her side of the story.