The Owners

Brookland’s Finest Bar & Kitchen: The joint is run by a couple of anti-bros: John Solomon of Solly’s U Street Tavern and Tony Tomelden of The Pug, whose website declares, “No idiots. No shooters. No politics. Be cool. Behave.”

Lyman’s Tavern: Owners Merid Admassu, Jessica Kleinmann and Kevin Perone hail from the holy trinity of laid-back D.C. bars: The Raven Grill, Cafe Saint-Ex and Dodge City.

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The Drinks

BFB&K: Local brews from DC Brau, Atlas Brew Works and Port City make up most of the draft list ($7). Cocktails are classic ($12), wines are basic ($7-$11) and beers in bottles and cans are also available ($4-$6).

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LT: The no-frills drink menu includes six draft beers ($3-$7), four canned beers ($3-$8) and six beers in bottles ($4-$7). Hard liquor is available, though there’s no cocktail menu.

The Food

BFB&K: Chef Shannon Troncoso, formerly of Matchbox, whips up not-your-average bar snacks, like a locally sourced charcuterie board ($15) and a porcini-rubbed rib-eye steak ($27).

LT: Lyman’s doesn’t have a set menu at the moment. Options are relayed verbally and may include mac and cheese cooked on the griddle, sliders and/or pupusas. Free popcorn flows like water.

The Walls

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BFB&K: Were it not for the four big-screen TVs, there wouldn’t be much to look at. A few pieces of local art and a large D.C. flag made from corrugated steel add some life to the place.

LT: Old cameras, framed pictures of unicorns, vintage bar equipment and other bric-a-brac abounds. A stuffed jackalope presides over the bar and pinball machines line the opposite wall.

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The Bartender

BFB&K: Within five minutes of sitting down, the chummy bartender regaled me with a story about an awkward encounter he had at a party recently. His food recommendations were spot-on.

LT: Hands-off but knowledgeable, the bartender convinced me to try a grapefruit-flavored beer. Then he convinced me to have another. And another. The man knew what he was doing.

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The Clientele

BFB&K: Kids. Lots of kids. But the family-friendly joint also seems to draw industry folk: I happened to be sitting in between the owner of All Souls Bar in Shaw and the head brewer at Atlas Brew Works.

LT: The crowd was mixed. A man wearing an American flag bandana over his long hair played pinball while I discussed existentialism in Russian films with the hipster sitting next to me at the bar.

The Bathrooms

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BFB&K: There are a few toilets, dark walls and a snarky sign reminding employees to wash their hands. Otherwise, it’s just your basic WC. Extra points for cleanliness.

LT: The walls are lined with the building’s blueprints, and a cross-stitched sign with hearts and flowers reads, “Please don’t do coke in the bathroom.”

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The Music

BFB&K: With the World Cup in full swing, TVs were blaring sports mumbo jumbo.

LT: Blondie’s “Eat to the Beat” was playing at a soothing volume level. There’s also a jukebox loaded with country, metal, doo wop and ’60s garage music. A piano is available for spontaneous sing-a-longs.

Brookland’s Finest Bar & Kitchen, 3126 12th St. NE; 202-636-0050. (Brookland)