Clyde's of Gallery Place — Restaurant in Washington

Inside the Capital One Arena's shadow, a two-story Grand Victorian saloon serves half-price oysters with a side of Washington history. Clyde's of Gallery Place isn't just riding the coattails of its famous Georgetown sibling — it's carving out its own legacy in the heart of Penn Quarter, one shucked bivalve at a time.

The math is simple: Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., all raw bar items are half price. For oyster enthusiasts, that translates to $2.33 per oyster (dozen for $27.99) or $2.67 (half dozen for $15.99) — pricing that makes this sports bar happy hour a legitimate shellfish destination.

But the real story begins in 1963, when investment banker Stuart Davidson opened the original Clyde's in Georgetown because, as he said, Washington "lacked a good saloon." The timing was prescient: President John F. Kennedy had signed legislation in May 1962 allowing liquor to be sold to patrons standing up, ending decades of table-service-only restrictions.

That original Georgetown location would achieve unlikely pop culture immortality when songwriter Bill Danoff spotted "afternoon delights" on their happy hour menu in 1974. The phrase inspired the Starland Vocal Band's 1976 hit song "Afternoon Delight," which reached #1 during America's bicentennial summer — perhaps the only time a restaurant menu item has topped the Billboard Hot 100.

The Gallery Place outpost, established in 2006, operates as both homage and evolution. This two-story Grand Victorian saloon greets you with a breath-taking staircase and a palatial, museum-like experience complete with sporting sculpture, collectible prints and original works of art featuring sports legends and Washington's own storied history.

With four bars, five dining rooms, a raw bar and a private dining room, the space accommodates pre-game crowds from the adjacent arena while maintaining the saloon atmosphere that built the Clyde's reputation. The dynamic blend of sports bar energy and classic elegance, featuring rich wood paneling and sports memorabilia, creates an environment where construction workers and senators could theoretically share oysters — though in this neighborhood, it's more likely lobbyists and tourists.

The oyster selection leans heavily toward New England varieties, following the Clyde's tradition established at their sister restaurant Old Ebbitt Grill. Maine oysters, big and briny, anchor the raw bar, though the specific daily offerings depend on seasonal availability and the whims of supply chains.

What sets this happy hour apart isn't innovation — it's institutional knowledge. The Old Ebbitt and sister restaurant Clyde's have the most storied oyster happy hours in town: Many locals' first experience with discounted oysters came through the late-night happy hours, creating a multi-generational customer base that treats these deals as birthright rather than bargain.

The service reflects this legacy. Servers navigate the pre-event crush with practiced efficiency, understanding that many patrons are operating on arena schedules. The raw bar team works with quiet competence, though they lack the theatrical flair of more specialized oyster houses.

In 2019, Clyde's Restaurant Group was acquired by Graham Holdings Company (the former Washington Post Company), adding corporate stability to what began as a maverick saloon concept. The acquisition hasn't dulled the democratic edge — this remains a place where sports enthusiasts and concert-goers, visiting tourists, theater-goers and the neighborhood's residents mingle over shared plates and shared prices.

The location amplifies everything: across the street from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, steps from the Metro, and literally next door to major sporting events. It's tourism-adjacent without being tourist-dependent, serving locals who know the rhythms and visitors...

We recently moved to within a few blocks of Clyde's and were excited to visit as part of restaurant week. I was thinking, Clyde's would be one of our "Go To" spots.

Clyde's has so many great ratings for service and being a service oriented professional I couldn't wait to get inside. My overall rating of 3 stars is 2 stars for service and 5 stars for food.

After being greeted (8/13/18) at the front door by one of the brightest and most cheerful smiles ever, every one else who made contact seemed to be tired and lathargic. Just going through the motions.

The first hostess greeted us and found our lunch reservation. She directed us up the stairs saying, "I'll let them know you are coming". Once we reached the top of the stairs, we took a few steps to the hostess stand and the two ladies looked at my wife and I as if we surprised them. After a few seconds one of them said, "May I help you?". I thought to myself, I guess we walked up the stairs too fast for the message from downstairs to reach her. LOL After repeating who we were, we were guided to a very large booth around the corner.

After a few minutes, the gentleman who we found out later was our server, brought water........ This review could go forever so let me be brief. My problem with the service is that we had to ask for water refills after being empty for 5 to 10 minutes; this happenned even after our server came to the table twice. He asked me if I enjoyed my drink (Bermuda Breeze). I said it was great, but he didn't ask or offer another. Because of this, I didn't purchase another. How strange I thought. He and the other staff were very professional but lacking in personality.

Though the overall service was slow and falling way short of a "Wow", I must say the food was out of this world good. We had Fried Green Tomatoes, Crab Soup, Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Lemon-Ricotta Ravioli and blueberry cheescake. My wife didn't order a desert becasue it was not offered. My restaurant week meal included a desert. When the time came, our server asked if I was ready for my cheescake. I responded, "yes." Five or so minutes later, it arrived. Go figure.

All the food was first class and would be worth the regular price once restaurant week is over. I, however, know first hand that there is equal or better food choices with much better service all over and around Washington DC. Some may cost a little more but many will cost less.

I do not recommend Clyde's of...

For our son’s 21st birthday, my husband and I are taking him to Santorini. We live in AA County, but our flight is leaving from Reagan International. We decided to stay overnight in DC. We chose Clyde’s because we would frequent the Columbia, MD and Virginia location often years ago. It was familiar, or so we thought. I wanted to try the oyster Rockefeller w/o bacon. Our server (very sweet) said she didn’t think they could omit bacon. Turn off my husband and son ordered, I opted to wait to see if could some variation of the oysters without pork. There was one manager in our dining area Seriously, who must’ve spent 10-15 minutes talking with a young couple (very accommodating). I went to the ladies room and on my way back I asked Answer my question(another manager) who had been standing at the podium chatting it up when we arrived, was still standing in this same spot over 30 minutes later, chatting and laughing. I asked if there was anyway I could get oysters without the bacon, he said no, that’s not the recipe. Now, me being told no, is not the issue. The issue is, when we walked in, this manager, Eric, did not even bother to give us a proper greeting. Not even a glance. When I walked up to inquire about the meal, it was the same until he felt the need to interject with the “no.” There were three gentlemen in suits in that area, and not one stopped by our table to say “hello” or to see how we were coming along. But I observed them greeting other guests. Eric went to a table and cleared plates. Normally I wouldn’t let this type of behavior bother me, because my feelings are relative. However, Clyde’s is NOT a high end restaurant by any standards. It has been over a decade since we visited one. It’s insulting to be snubbed by anyone but someone working at a place equivalent to Red Lobster is asinine. Do better Clyde’s (Eric). Not for me because I won’t be back but for the next person who might be excited about eating at your...