Boundary Stone - New Pub D.C.

The Irish are masters of the local watering hole.

So when Irish-raised Bloomingdale resident Gareth Croke didn't have a pub in his own neighborhood, he teamed with his brother, Matt, and friend Colin McDonough to fill the void with the new Boundary Stone.

The tiny pub was built using reclaimed materials in the old Sylvan Theater space and strives to be a comfortable neighborhood spot. The beer list includes local brews on tap, and booths to enable easy conversation. The group even leveled and covered the adjacent abandoned alley to create a tiny, semi-open annex.

The menu is short, but each dish goes well with a pint. Thick, juicy burgers are a natural pairing for beer. The bacon version ($10) tops the beef with aged cheddar and smoky jam made from ground bacon, bourbon, coffee and brown sugar. The Bleu ($10) tempers pungent blue cheese with balsamic-caramelized onions and slices of pickled beets.

Spicy, dry-rubbed chicken roasts on a can of DC Brau's Public Ale, slowly absorbing the mild citrus and hops of the local beverage. The chicken is pulled and piled into a sandwich ($9) with a pickled green tomato and bourbon-based barbecue sauce.

This Irish venture has become our good luck.

Boundary Stone, 116 Rhode Island Ave. NW (at 1st St.); boundarystonedc.com