Eating Around: An Irish Surprise in Dupont

Map It:  Dupont Circle 

THE LOCATION IS CURSED. The Irish theme is overplayed. But the recently opened James Hoban's Irish Restaurant and Bar could overcome both of those obstacles to become a welcome addition to Dupont Circle.

It hasn't quite taken the neighborhood by storm, but Hoban's is already proving that it's not your typical Hibernian tavern, although it does trade in the usual staples of warm hospitality, Guinness and fish 'n' chips — although Hoban's beer-battered fish comes with mushy peas, a bonus in our eyes.

This weekend, we were pleasantly surprised by the lamb burger, which comes with Irish bacon, tomato and fries. While there are plenty of Irish places around town offering burgers, lamb burgers are a bit unusual — and Hoban's are so flavorful they don't require condiments.

We must also applaud the proprietors for honoring James Hoban, the largely unsung Irish-born architect of the White House.

And just as its food eschews the local Irish bar stereotype — it's, you know, good — Hoban's decor puts the likes of the Dubliner, the Four Courts or Ri Ra to shame: it airy and light, appointed with a nice collection of magazine covers and other Irish art.

The pub's awkward location, however, will take a little getting used to. While Dupont Circle seems like a prime location for any business, the southwest edge of the circle hasn't exactly been business-friendly.

For example, before Hoban's opened, the spot was home to the ill-fated Cloud lounge, which never took off amid countless attempts to make itself cool — including odd lighting schemes and a ridiculously promoted pajama brunch in bed-like dens. Even though the concept of Cloud — which was closed by the District government following a stabbing earlier in the year — was doomed from the start, Hoban's will likely face the same sidewalk issues Cloud did. For starters, it's located in one of the most architecturally unremarkable buildings in the city, 1 Dupont Circle. While having outdoor dining is nice, the restaurant has way too much real estate frontage on New Hampshire Avenue for its own good. It will take a huge amount of traffic to fill not only the inside on a regular basis but also the New Hampshire Avenue sidewalk, which isn't as heavily trafficked as, let's say, Connecticut Avenue.

Nevertheless, if the place becomes known for good food, next spring could Hoban's packing its sidewalk seating during Sunday brunch. In the meantime, it's a place to consider for something new to try in Dupont Circle.

» James Hoban's, 1 Dupont Circle, 202-223-8440 (Dupont Circle)