Courtesy of Author
By Mike Goodman
PAC-MAN is coming to The Wharf, and he will be joined by Golden Tee, shuffleboard, and a slew of other arcade and bar games. The new Boardwalk Bar & Arcade is expected to open by the end of the year at 715 Wharf St. SW in the spot previously occupied by Anchor and Yoga Factory.
This new boardwalk-themed bar is owned by Better Hospitality Group (BHG), which currently runs two other bars in DC, including The Boardwalk in Penn Quarter which has a similar arcade and game section. Ryan Seelbach, Founder and CEO of BHG, has emphasized that he views the new bar as a place that will be inclusive to all patrons. “We really wanted to have a neighborhood gathering place at a reasonable price point for young people, families, and the community,” says Seelbach. “The idea of inclusion is paramount for our company, and I’m excited about having a place for the community.”
In addition to the mix of new and nostalgic arcade and bar games, the bar will feature a varying food menu, and a cocktail menu on tap. Examples of food options will include sandwiches, pizza, salads, fish tacos, and corn dogs. The menu will change regularly.
Boardwalk prides itself on its on-tap cocktail and beer menu. They will start with roughly 10 cocktails on tap, including a Sidewalk Sangria, Cotton Candy Collins, and Takoda Mule, and a large selection of draft beers.
Seelbach is following the latest COVID-19 developments very closely, and is designing the new space to be able to accommodate the ever-changing rules around social distancing and indoor restrictions. “I’ve seen the benefits of having an outdoor space in two of my three venues now during COVID, which allows us to operate as circumstances change. Coming out of COVID I was really only interested in outdoor. We’ll very much have that at the new location–one of the largest outdoor patios at the Wharf, and covered with a retractable canopy that can accommodate all seasons,” says Seelbach. “The end product will feel very open air.”