A Whole New Man Cave

Meat is on the menu as a K Street chef opens a sports bar in the 'burbs

Thirsty Bernie Sports Bar and Grill
2163 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington
703-248-9300

**
Sound Check: 84 decibels (Extremely Loud)

Going to a sports bar on a Redskins game night and asking for one of the flat-screens to be switched to a tennis match: Am I completely nuts? Or is this just a smart test of a restaurant's goodwill and hospitality?

Well, yes, to both questions.

The bar was Thirsty Bernie Sports Bar and Grill, the Arlington place opened in June by former K Street chef Jamie Stachowski. Our first visit was the night of the Redskins-Giants season opener. We arrived during the first quarter, when hopes were still high on both sides and the noise level was deafening. The hostess told us that there were three parties waiting for a table ahead of us but that we could hang out at the big communal table near the bar. We settled in next to a large group of burgundy jerseys.

When the waitress brought us our drinks, we asked if one of the 15 screens could be switched to the men's quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. She said she'd check. I texted my son that we had just asked to watch tennis during a Redskins game in a sports bar. He texted back, "R U still alive?"

But Bernie's staff promptly made the switch, no one complained, and we ended up not only watching a good tennis match but also enjoying an even better meal.

Stachowski previously owned the downtown Restaurant Kolumbia, a meaty haven for carnivores who prefer their protein smoked, cured or stuffed into casings. He even dubbed the room where he cured the meats "the man cave," a description some might think applies to a sports bar.

But not in this case. Bernie, in a strip mall at Glebe Road and Lee Highway, is noisy but neighborly. It pulls in a mix of families, couples and beer-drinking buddies. The dark polished wood, slate floor and copper-topped tables seem to thrum with conversation and game spirit even when no major game is being broadcast. The noise level by 8:30 most weeknights is that of a happy, well-lubricated party.

In his new digs, Stachowski presents an edited version of his downtown menu, showcasing his house-made charcuterie, smoked meats and sausage and adding those eternal bar favorites, wings and burgers. He admits he's still trying to get everything running smoothly, which might explain why the kitchen can be inconsistent: A sandwich is great on one visit, a little dry and underwhelming on another.

My recommendation: Order from the front of the menu card. The sandwiches, burgers andappetizers are generally excellent, but many of the pricier entrees on the back need more fine-tuning to be real winners. And besides, this is a sports bar, people. Time to man up and eat meat. Leave that prissy grilled chicken Caesar for another day.

What makes Thirsty Bernie different from most sports bars (other than its compact 84-seat size) is that Stachowski makes nearly everything himself. He buys his chuck whole (instead of in pieces or pre-ground) and grinds it twice to get the soft texture he likes for the burgers and meatballs. He makes his own pumpernickel bread for the pastrami sandwich and the crusty kaiserlike rolls for the beef on weck. The pickles, the mayo, even the blue cheese sauce for the wings, are made in-house.