I was in Foggy Bottom meeting some friends to tour a museum. Looking for a place to eat afterwords, we found a a restaurant nearby that I had long wanted to try, a local pub called Tonic At Quigley’s. The pub, it turns out, not only has great food but also a storied history going back over 100 years.

Quigley’s Pharmacy opened way back in 1891. It was operated by the founder, Richard Lucien Quigley, until 1938. In those days pharmacies were also soda fountains and lunch counters. The George Washington University is on the same street as this establishment. The pharmacy has been a popular hangout for GWU students for generations.

In the 1950s, Al Kohrn took over as manager. Quigley’s was open until 1974, when the University bought the building and dedicated it to academic uses. Jeremy Pollok reopened the classic restaurant in 2007 and once again it became a mainstay of GWU life. Quigley’s has renown far beyond university students. In 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron went there for a meal.

Appetizers

The appetizers menu has a variety of items including wings, nachos, chili, and mac n’ cheese. But Quigley’s most famous appetizer is their Tater Tots. They come in three ways : Tater Tots (with dipping sauce), Bison Tots (Buffalo Wing style), and Totchos. We went with the Totchos.

Tachos are a nachos inspired dish made with tots instead of chips. It tastes exactly they way you would expect a Tater Tot taco would. The tots are well prepared: crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They are topped with plenty of fresh ingredients: ground beef, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and sour cream. The beef harmonizes the flavors well. It is a twist on a classic that is executed to perfection.

Entrees

For Entrees, Quigley’s has four kinds: Salads, Pizza, Burgers & Sandwiches, and Main Course. The Main Course section has items such as G Street Fish Tacos, Foghorn Roasted Chicken, Quinoa Dig It (a quinoa vegetable salad), and several entree sized Mac N’ Cheeses.

I had one of the Mac N’ Cheeses, The Pork Belly Mac. This is a Mac N Cheese with cubes of fried pork belly served on top. The pork belly is well seasoned, tender and delicious. The cheese sauce was thinner than I am used to, but it covers the macaroni and is full of cheese flavor. I liked the dish, but after the heavy appetizer I had I wish I ordered something lighter. I took most of it home, and enjoyed it for several days after.

My companions had the All American Burger and the Blackened Salmon Caesar. The burger was reviewed as was very good, but the salad had a mixed review. My friend like the salmon itself. The salad was crisp and well dressed though the dressing had an unfortunate tang.

Atmosphere

We were there during the early evening and Quigley’s was not crowded. It gets very crowded later at night, when it is filled with college students. There is both inside and outside seating. As it was a mild fall day, we sat on the outside patio. It is a pleasant and relaxing environment to have a meal. Our waiter was prompt, but we recieved a bit less attention because we were seating outside. Food service was decent: our appetizer came out in a little over 10 minutes, our drinks a few minutes after that, and the entrees not long after. Overall, it was an enjoyable dining experience. Tonic at Quigley’s is a bar as benefits a college town.