Benihana, Georgetown, New Year's Eve

Happy New Year Everyone! Last night we took the boys (ages 2 and 6) to Benihana in Georgetown for New Year's Eve dinner. We don't keep them up until midnight for obvious reasons. At any rate we thought they were old enough to enjoy the spectacle that is Benihana. Overall Benihana was just fun as it was back when I was a kid. My 6 year declared it was better than Disney World. We'll see what he has to say when we make it the next family vacation destination. HA! My little guy was mesmerized and enjoyed it as well. Overall the food was OK. Our steak was overdone and the shrimp were not fully deveined, but the chicken, salad and soup were all good. Their special drink for the evening was a Cranberry Mojito. It was very nice, but that second one did sneak up on me. Of course, a trip to the restroom was necessary as is the case whenever we have the kids with us. I'll just say this; they keep those grills amazingly clean and I guess that's why they completely ignore their bathrooms!! Paper was everywhere because the waste basket had not been emptied. The soap dispenser was leaking and it had been for some time the soap had damaged the wood between the sink and the wall, causing it to separate. The sink also had not been cleaned in awhile nor had the toilets. It wasn't the worst bathroom I've been in, but I was very disappointed. Overall a fun place, but avoid the restroom if you can.

Uno's, Baltimore Harbour

OK, Ok, I know it's Uno's and I shouldn't expect fine dining, but our experience was worse than I'd expect at the worst McDonalds! We were seated immediately; I guess that's one positive thing. The view of the Harbor was cool and we were close to the Aquarium (our final destination). Where do I begin? We only received 1 children's menu and 1 set of crayons and we clearly have two children. The waitress was gracious enough to bring us a 2nd set before WW III erupted. Afterwards, as she did throughout our service, she inexplicably disappeared for an inordinate amount of time. She returned a bit later; perhaps after a shower and a cigarette, to take our order. The kids had the usual and I got the veggie burger with steamed veggies and my husband got some kind of pasta with red sauce. Just as we were about to send a search party for our disappearing waitress, she returned with our food. Really, she could have just stayed away! It was horrid. My husband's pasta had no taste what so ever. It was like someone cooked pasta and threw some cheap, tastless sauce on it and put it in a bowl. My side dish was inedible, but I did manage to eat the burger portion of the burger. The kids' chicken and fries was the best thing on our table. Our on again off again waitress returned and offered the kids ice cream; the absolute last thing they needed after that extremely unhealthy dinner, but hey it was the weekend and it's not an everyday occurrence.

I figured that just maybe a little wine might quell my annoyance with the place; so I ordered the Chateau St. Michelle Riesling as my "dessert". I mean, that's safe right? How can you screw up wine?? Well, I've had this particular Riesling before and enjoyed it, but it was always served CHILLED. The wine I was served was slightly below room temperature and to me it was undrinkable. Great, they managed to ruin my entire lunch! After the search and rescue team returned with our waitress we paid for our "meal" and took a potty break. Lord have mercy...the bathroom was atrocious. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I thought maybe our waitress was busy tidying up the restrooms during all the time she was missing in action. No so! There were three stalls and one was missing a door; the kiss of death in my ratings process. There was paper strewn about, hair in the sink and a general bad odor indicative of improper cleaning. I will never EVER go back there again!

One more thing: The music in the place is beyond loud! Be sure to turn down the volume on your hearing aids and bring some ear plugs if you decide not the heed my warnings about this place.

Chinatown Express, H Street, Washington, DC

This restaurant was submitted for one of the dirtiest in DC. Let me tell you something; I feel like I need to bathe after this experience. Chinatown Express is a tiny little place on 6th and H in Chinatown. The restaurant walls boast of its mention in The Washingtonian as one of the best cheap eats circa 2004. Fortunately for the them, the criteria had nothing to do with the cleanliness of its bathroom. Although, I'm not sure how the person who chose it got past the the dirty fish tank with grime floating on top of the bubbles and clinging to the sides of the tank! The fish looked like Potomac/Anacostia river fish. Now that I think about it, my husband mentioned he saw a man fishing at Haines Point and it appeared he was taking his catch to a restaurant. I think I know which one. I ordered a vegetable eggroll which I had no intention of eating, but I had to get something in order to gain access to restroom. It was in the back and up a couple of filthy looking stairs. I opened the door and oh horror of horrors!! How do people eat at this place? There was a dirty, and I mean BLACK dirty, mop in a dirty blue bucket, the walls were bulging as if something was trying to come out but had been taped over with duct tape and then plastered. There was an exhaust fan that allows one too see outside into an alley. What do you want to bet someone can't look in and see you there on the toilet? I, my dear readers, will NEVER know because you couldn't pay me enough to go into that alley! The door to exit the bathroom was positively filthy. Look people, if you're going to keep your bathrooms dirty, don't use white paint. It shows everything...then again maybe that's the point. Maybe they think their food is so darn good, that you will still eat there in spite of the grime that makes no attempt to hide itself. Ack!! As I was waiting for my egg roll, which I had no intention of eating, I caught a glimpse of the kitchen as the door swung open. There was crap all over the floor and that was it. I was just about to leave without the darn egg roll, when it was handed to me in a nice clean brown paper bag. I'm assuming it was brown...maybe it was just dirty.

I'm going to have to go back, oy, and get more photos. These came out green...I

think my camera got sick.

6/14/2007 - I went back for video. Check it out!

Tune Inn, Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Washington, DC

This was an entry for dirtiest bathroom in DC and I can't argue with it. I'll post a full write up later, but the video pretty much tells the story. I understand that if your primary business is "watering-hole" you're not going to have bathroom a la Beverly Wilshire, but this place serves food! We were there during the lunch crowd, so this is inexcusable in my opinion.



Would you eat here?

Firehook Bakery, Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC

I spent the afternoon on Capitol Hill seeking out the bathrooms from the contest entries, most of the submissions in this area are for worst bathroom in DC. We needed to eat first and since we would not eat in any of the places submitted, for obvious reasons, we chose Firehook Bakery. I'd read a couple of weeks ago that this is one of the best bakeries in DC and was eager to try it out. The first thing I had was a brownie sample at the register. Ahhh..simply divine. It was moist, chocolaty, buttery and tasted like it was made by somebody's mother. Not mine, because she doesn't bake, but SOMEBODY's. I picked up a Firehook salad and a cup of garden vegetable soup while my husband got a chicken Panini. The salad was delish!! Mesclun greens, gorgonzola cheese, raisins, red grapes and cracker thingies. It came with the house dressing which seemed to be a honey mustard, citrus, poppy seed concoction. It was very good as was the soup. It was full of vegetables in a tomato broth, that wasn't too heavy but did not come off like tomato water. My husband’s chicken Panini was also very good, full of chicken, cheese and vegetables. We intended to take some of the specialty breads home with us, but we were too late. Now for the bathrooms. They were a rousing disappointment. The one good thing is that they had a changing table and an automatic towel dispenser. Everything else was bad. There was a ceiling tile moved of place, which always creeps me out. The place had an odor to it that does not belong anywhere around food and the commode was filthy! Firehook, you cannot produce such wonderful treats and completely ignore your bathroom. Clean up your act please.

Shoppers Food Warehouse, Duke Street, Alexandria

The saga of the dirty grocery store bathroom continues with my brief review of the Shoppers on Duke Street. I VERY rarely go into this store because I can't stand this shopping center. The parking lot is a haven for people who either can't drive, don't know how to cross the street or both. The only reason I come in is for the Jamaican Beef patties that Mr. Lavatory Man likes so much. If anyone knows where I can buy Cocoa bread please let me know.

Anyway, back to the nasty little bathroom. There were two stalls and each had pieces of the lock missing so people can see right into the stall. NICE! There was the standard yucky soap and both soap dispensers were broken. The water only had one knob and it never got warm. I guess since it's a discount place hot water is too expensive. There was paper on the floor, the mirror was dirty as was the trashcan. There was also a changing table, but I wouldn't have used it even if it meant having a funky minivan for a couple of days (yes, I drive a minivan, SHUT UP!) The most interesting thing was the paper stuffed into the wall behind one of the toilets. It appears to be a peep hole leading to the men's room. I was not about to remove the paper and have God knows what flying out of the hole. Bad, very bad. Yet another reason for me to avoid this shopping center.

OK wait, they do have a Total Wine there and they are the only ones who carry my Lillet. So I'll go for that, but NO FOOD!!

Macy's, Landmark Mall, Alexandria, VA

Oh Macy's, Macy's, Macy's. I received an e-mail from Sara telling me to check out Macy's because the condition of the bathrooms always leaves a lot to be desired. So far she is right on the money. The Macy's at Landmark was the 2nd this week and it was awful! Again, several of the sinks were inoperable, some soap dispensers were either broken or empty and there was a handwritten sign on one door stating the stall was out of order. The disabled stall I spent the most time in had a lock with missing pieces and you could see straight into the stall (exposure issue). The corners and floors were very dirty as was the toilet. They also made a half hearted attempt at a lounge area and while it looked a heck of a lot better than Pentagon City's, it still fell flat. Macy's get it together!

This picture was snapped in the "men's" section of Macy's. I'm not sure what C.K. was thinking, but those are PANTIES!! Not underwear, but panties. Those can't even qualify as briefs!

American Cafe, Landmark Mall, Alexandria, VA

I stopped eating at the American Cafe some years ago, but I figured since I was at Landmark Mall, I would go and check out the bathroom. Surprise, surprise. "sigh" It was not good. The first thing I noticed when I walked in the door was the roll of toilet paper rolled across the floor. The room had 2 stalls and neither had a roll of toilet in the dispenser. The toilets needed cleaning as did the sinks and one stall had a leak with wet toilet paper on the floor. One soap dispenser was leaking and the mirrors were dirty. There was a changing table in the room, but it was in an awkward place right in front of the stalls. I didn't expect much from this place so I wasn't disappointed. I must say the bartender was very nice. I have video, but I am having editing issues thanks to Vista! I really need to do a rant about it!

Ruby Tuesday, 7th Street, Washington, DC

Before I even made it to the bathroom, there was a slight odor. It didn’t knock me out, but it was there...mocking me. The bathroom was on the small side and there was a wooden chair sitting in the middle of the sink area (not sure what the point was). The floor area inside the stalls was clean until you looked on the side and behind the toilet. Someone needs to get on their hands and knees and scrub that thing. Perhaps they could use the dirty bucket underneath the filthy sink. The hand towels could be used as a cleaning tool; oh wait, there weren’t any. There were 3 hand towel dispensers and every single one was empty. The sink was in need of a good cleansing as were the mirrors. I wasn’t expecting it to look like Indebleu, but it could have at least been well stocked and clean. The other thing I found surprising was the lack of a changing station. Ruby Tuesday is considered family friendly place and even has the standard chicken fingers and grilled cheese available for kids; I would have expected a changing table to boot. Oh well, another place to mark off the list.

McDonald's, Verizon Center, Washington, DC

OH boy...this was a completely horrid experience! Just getting into the bathroom was an ordeal. The sign on the door directed me to a manager for the key. The manager said it should be open; it was not. I asked another worker, who directed me to the security guard who finally (after knocking) opened the door. My goodness, I almost wish he hadn't opened it. Dirty, dirty, dirty!! Graffiti everywhere, no soap, no hand towels, dirty commode and here's the kicker; as I'm checking out the place I hear a knock at the door. I yell, "Just a minute". More knocking, I yelled louder. Do you know what happened next? The security guard starts opening the friggin door (the additional lock was inoperable)! My lord, had I actually been going, I would have been completely exposed! It was like one of those recurring nightmares come to life. I don't think any further detail is required. Don't go here and if you do make sure you have someone watch the door for you. You won't see me here. Oh yes, least I forgot even the diet coke was disgusting.

Penang, 19th Street, Washington, DC - CLOSED

I have been interested in going to Penang for quite some time and I finally made it today!! Unfortunately, I will never go back. The bathroom was atrocious. I was off to a good start when I saw it was unisex. This is good because if a bathroom is open, you're in luck regardless of your gender. The good feelings ended the moment the smell of urine hit me in the face. No excuse, that's just a bathroom that has not been cleaned. The paper all over the floor was yet another indication and if that was enough there was some kind of black crude between the sink and the wall. The soap dispenser was leaking, there was no toilet paper and the trashcan was horribly filthy. Just bad, bad, bad. To add insult to injury, at least in my opinion, there were hardly any customers. The two people I encountered were watching a basketball game, so the condition of the bathroom just simply is not a priority. Shame on you Penang.

Rumors, 19th Street, Washington, DC

Rotting Wood Moldy Caulk

Jeez, where do I begin? A lot of people I used to work with love this place. I've been in once or twice because it's close to my hair dresser (shocker), but I had never been in the restroom prior to this visit. Let me tell you this, I will not be back. It was a sad little bathroom. There was an odor the moment I opened the door and my eyes immediately focused on the rotting wood underneath the dripping soap dispenser. There was moldy caulk all around the sink and it was peeling away from the bowl. I gingerly entered into the stalls to find something growing behind the toilet. OK, growing is not the right word, but something that should not have been there was quite comfortable. The stalls were in need of a serious paint job as it was very apparent things had been ripped off and replaced and in some cases just ripped off. I suppose an establishment that is primarily a place to get plastered and then leave your stomach contents on the sidewalk does not need a nice bathroom. What's that? How do I know? Well, my hairdresser is next door and I have had the pleasure of seeing the sidewalk the day after a Friday night at Rumors. This is definitely not my kind of place. I'm going to attempt to post some pics of the place now.

McDonalds, Duke St and Lincolnia, Alexandria, VA

A couple of weeks ago, I was coming down with the flu, my husband had a meeting and my childreen needed dinner. I let them choose where we would have dinner that evening (they're 2 and 5) and of course we ended up at Mickey D's. I've never been inside this particular one (I'd done drive-thru). It's not fine dining by any stretch and I wasn't expecting a lot but what I got was an eye opener. ACK!!! is the only way to describe the entire facility! The walk from the door to the counter was the only clean area. The drink area was a mess..napkins everywhere, spilled drinks and ice all over the place. Yes, I should have left, but the flu made me search for a clean table instead. Believe me, it was a challenge. Then of course the 5 year old says the dreaded words "I need to go potty". We already had our food, which I was not ABOUT to take into the restroom and I couldn't leave it outside all by itself. I dragged the highchair to the door, kept the food in sight and stood by the ladies room door while my 5 year old went inside. I didn't get a chance to go inside and do a "formal rating" and there was no need. The odor that hit me while I propped the door open was not created by a person; it was a combination of lack of cleaning and possibly a sewage problem. This was inexcusable under any circumstance, but they were not even busy! Aside from us, there were only 2 other patrons and tons of staff behind the counter yakking to one another. I will NEVER go here again...they should be ashamed of themselves.

Au Bon Pain, 19th & M, Washington, DC

Oh man, does it pain me to write this one. I really love Au Bon Pain especially now that they have such a wonderful variety of soups. The one I reviewed is across the street from my hair salon, and I often run in there after an appointment to grab some soup before I head home. I have never entered the restroom facilities and now that I have, my afternoon soup runs (at least to this location) may be a thing of the past. I don't know where to begin, because honestly there was not one redeeming quality. OK maybe one; there weren't any living organisms visible to the naked eye. EVERYTHING was dirty!! The walls were dirty and appeared to never have had a wipe down, the caulk around the commode was dirty as was the commode itself. Additionally, the tank cover was missing pieces. The floor was wet and there was paper strewn about the room. There was unidentifiable black gunk on the walls by the auto paper towel dispenser. They almost got a point for having the automated towel dispenser, but it was NOT working! The blue soap dispenser was dripping and would not dispense additional soap. The lighting was very dim, which is probably a good thing because additional light would only show more grime . The trashcan by the door was also dirty and needs to be replaced. It did appear someone tried to wipe down the mirror, but I'm certain they used a filthy rag to do it. This was a huge disappointment and I expected much better from one of favorite places. Get it together people!!

Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar, Penn Ave., (Washington, DC)

I have nice girl syndrome in that I hate to post bad reviews, but Sonoma Restaurant left me no choice. This is by far the worst restaurant bathroom of this caliber I've ever been in. In early January, I was there for a girlfriend's birthday party and there is no good place to start so let's get to it. There was paper and debris everywhere and I can't even name all the fluids that covered the toilet seat. The sink was disgusting and I don't even recall what the soap situation was about..why, you ask? Well, I was too busy trying to high-tail it out of there since my friend was guarding the door because the lock was completely inoperable. If you have read any of my posts you know I have a serious fear of exposure in public restrooms. I wouldn't have used it all, but after a martini, wine (which was very good by the way) and Prosecco I really did not have a choice. I have not been back to this restaurant since and I have not suggested it to anyone. I intend to pay them a visit again at some point to see if they've gotten it together. Until then, they have earned the worst restaurant bathroom award. Tsk, tsk.

Giant, Backlick Road, Annandale, VA

I always rave about the Harris Teeter in my neighborhood, but there are times when I must venture to other stores. The Giant near my sons' school is one I frequent often and until yesterday, I have amazingly never entered the restroom. Well, I did and I was sorry. There was paper all over the floor, hair on the sink and toilet seats. The toilets needed cleaning, but were not the worst I've seen. Unfortunately, I didn't have a pen and paper with me so I could take notes, but let's just say I would try to hold it before I used their bathroom and any other food I get from there will have to be pre-packaged. This store needs to do better.