Tony and Joe’s to Reopen in May

Last April, the Washington Harbour Complex at the Georgetown waterfront was flooded, causing severe damage to Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place among other local establishments. The outside bar and patio have since been open with a limited menu from an outdoor kitchen, while the inside dining room and bar have been closed for renovation. But there is good news on the horizon. ”The inside restaurant will reopen for the public in early May 2012,” owner Greg Casten said.

However, there is still some work to be done with the storefront windows. ”Everything will hopefully be completed in mid-June or early July. So, any grand opening celebrations will probably be in July,” Casten said. When the restaurant reopens, there will also be a new chef on board: David Stein. ”He’s the perfect fit for us, as he really knows seafood and the Chesapeake Bay area,” Casten said. Stein has worked as a chef in many other places, most recently at Bistro St. Michael in Maryland. ”We’re working on some menu changes for the opening. I have some great ideas for that,” Stein said. He’s currently happy cooking from the outdoor kitchen, but he also looks forward to getting started in the new kitchen. ”I’ve been here for two and a half months now, and it’s great out here. The staff here is great, they have a rare loyalty to the place that I haven’t seen in any other restaurant,” Stein said. Mark Ramirez, who’s working alongside Stein in the outdoor kitchen, has worked at Tony and Joe’s for 20 years.

The lower fountain area by the waterfront is also under renovation. The new fountain will create a water show that changes from day to night during the warmer months. In the winter the fountain will be replaced by an ice skating rink. ”The new fountain will probably be completed by the end of the summer,” said Jennifer DeMeo from MRP Realtors.