Inauguration day crowds at Outdated Ebbitt Grill. {Photograph} be Jessica Sidman.
In 2017, crowds crammed into Outdated Ebbitt Grill for Trump’s inauguration, ordering pictures of Fireball and commenting to nobody specifically, “it feels good to be a Republican once more.” Eight years later, MAGA die-hards have been again on the storied White Home-adjacent restaurant for Trump’s second inauguration—this time, louder and extra boisterous as they jeered, cheered, and broke into tune. It’s laborious to not see the intensified vibe as a mirrored image of what the second Trump administration may appear to be in DC.
Few eating places really feel adjustments in administrations as acutely as Outdated Ebbitt Grill, Washington’s oldest saloon. Whereas the establishment attracts loads of locals and vacationers, it’s additionally a preferred watering gap for politicos. “A variety of instances folks assume it’s some type of a gradual shift,” David Moran, Space Director of Operations for Clyde’s Restaurant Group, which operates Outdated Ebbitt, instructed me again in 2017. “But it surely’s actually not. It’s actually that day, our buyer base adjustments.”
Outdated Ebbitt has additionally lengthy been a main spot for inauguration watchers, because of direct views of the parade route. For many years, the restaurant was booked up for personal events by both the Republican or Democratic Nationwide Committees on inauguration day. That streak broke for the primary time in 9 inaugurations after Trump’s first win.
This time round, there was no parade, however the venue was open to the general public once more. Simply as many individuals waded by means of a safety checkpoint to look at Trump’s swearing-in from TVs above Outdated Ebbitt’s bars. (The restaurant didn’t activate the sound, so many resorted to listening to livestreams on their cellphone.) The shift from 2017 was visually instant: as an alternative of a smattering of pink caps, everybody was decked out in MAGA gear—from customized sequined jackets or a yellow security vest with a hand-written tag studying “Trump’s limo driver.” “Make America Nice Once more” hats have been all over the place, in fact, but in addition hats studying “American is Nice Once more” and “Trump Was Proper About All the things.”
As quickly as Joe Biden entered the Capitol Rotunda, the group booed. As Trump arrived moments later, cheers erupted. It wasn’t fairly midday but, however a bunch of New York Metropolis firefighters was already on their second spherical of drinks. Everybody needed to take a selfie with them.
After JD Vance was sworn in, they chanted: “JD 48! JD 48! JD 48!”
After Trump was sworn in, they chanted: “USA! USA! USA!”
“Get all of the tampons out of the boys’s room proper now!,” one man yelled.
And when Biden lastly departed for good, they sang: “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.”
“Get the f— out,” somebody shouted.
At one level, a bunch huddled in the midst of an aisle between eating cubicles to hope, adopted by a rowdy rendition of “God Bless the USA.” The revelers didn’t discover they have been blocking a server making an attempt to ship a bottle of ketchup. Ultimately, she gave up and walked away.
Meals Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the folks and tendencies behind D.C.’s foods and drinks scene. Earlier than becoming a member of Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Meals Editor and Younger & Hungry columnist at Washington Metropolis Paper. She is a Colorado native and College of Pennsylvania grad.
