The closing of The Den last year meant the loss of a much-loved sports bar, excellent happy hour option, superb people-watching spot and late-night pub grub go to, and many have asked what happened to Lisa Zhuang, the well-known staff member who worked at that place for 16 years and was able to remember a customer’s name even if he or she walked in after a decade-long absence. It turns out Zhuang is helping to open a new and unrelated sports bar called D One just a short walk away near the west gate of Workers Stadium.
I stopped by yesterday to see D One and it is massive. The main area measures 450 square meters with an additional 350 square meters for private rooms, the kitchen, storage and toilets. It will include a long bar at one end and a large open space at the other, with table and booth seating between them. Owner Joe Hou says he aims to have D One, which was formerly a nightclub, open by mid-April. There will be eleven screens, including a huge one front and center, as well as a stage. The food menu will lean toward Western options like steaks and burgers.
Hou was no stranger to The Den as he played for the Beijing Vikings football team long sponsored by that place. Hopefully he will create a fun atmosphere for both sports fans and the late-night crowd. I’ll have more details on D One ahead of its slated opening next month.
I’m also curious to see what happens to this ‘Romanee-Conti room‘. Looks perfect for a pool table, no? Or maybe a private space where a group can watch hockey or curling or, if those are not available, some inferior sport.
* * *
Get regular Beijing updates via my Instagram and Twitter feeds. Also see my sibling sites Grape Wall of China, World Baijiu Day and World Marselan Day. Help cover the hosting and other costs of these sites with a WeChat, AliPay or PayPal donation.
* * *
Leave a Reply