The Tombs
Restaurant information
EstablishedJuly 23, 1962 (1962-07-23)
Owner(s)Clyde's Restaurant Group
Previous owner(s)Richard McCooey
Street address1226 36th Street NW
CityWashington, D.C.
Postal/ZIP Code20007
CountryUnited States
Websitewww.tombs.com

The Tombs is a restaurant and bar located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was opened on July 23, 1962,[1] by restaurateur and Georgetown University graduate Richard McCooey as the below ground bar or rathskeller for his restaurant 1789.[2] The Tombs is a popular destination for Georgetown University students and alumni, and has been ranked as one of the best college bars in America.[3][4] It is well known for its collegiate rowing-themed interior design, as well as the 99 days club, a competition in which Georgetown seniors aim to eat or drink at the club for all of the final three and a half months of the school year.[5] In 1962, McCooey established the tradition of regular "Chimes Nights" where Georgetown's all-male a capella group, the Georgetown Chimes, would perform in the pub, inspired by the Whiffenpoofs' weekly performances at Yale's local establishment Mory's. The Chimes Night tradition continues.[6][7] The restaurant was named after a fictional establishment mentioned in the poem "Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town" by T. S. Eliot.

The Tombs was purchased by Clyde's Restaurant Group in 1985.[8]

The Tombs has been used as a location in two movies set at Georgetown. One scene in The Exorcist, where Father Karras tells a fellow priest over dinner that he may be losing his faith, was filmed there.[9] In 1985's St. Elmo's Fire, The Tombs serves as the movie's titular bar.[10]

References

  1. Mahoney, Kevin G.; Corallo, Mark C. (1990). "The Social Traditions and Institutions at Georgetown University in the Twentieth Century". In Durkin, Joseph (ed.). Swift Potomac's Lovely Daughter: Two Centuries at Georgetown through Students' Eyes (PDF). Washington, D.C., U.S.: Georgetown University Press. p. 231. ISBN 0878405011.
  2. "Our History". The Tombs. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  3. Hunt, Kristin. "The 32 Best College Bars in America". Thrillist. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  4. Stanger, Melissa; Robinson, Melia; Browning, Lauren (April 6, 2015). "The 40 best college bars in America". Business Insider. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  5. Sietsema, Tom (September 9, 2022). "The Tombs in Georgetown is a classic college tavern with elevated pub grub". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  6. Del Sesto, Cristina (October 18, 1992). "CHIME TIME". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  7. O'Neill, Paul R.; Smith, Bennie L. (2020). Georgetown University. Arcadia Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 1467104663.
  8. Sun, Lena H. (August 1, 1988). "Clyde's a Recipe for Success". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  9. Paschall, Valerie (October 31, 2013). "Mapping the Filming Locations of The Exorcist". Curbed. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  10. Baker, Kathryn (September 15, 2017). "Beneath The Tombs: A Rich Art History". The Hoya. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University. Retrieved July 20, 2023.


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