So Long "Comet Ping Pong"

C Says...

The first thing I noticed about Comet Ping Pong upon walking in was that this restaurant was clearly different from all the rest we've "reviewed;" and I loved it. Not only does Comet not fit into our recent "sustainable" kick, we were joined by two friends for our dining experience. This pizza joint in upper NW obviously caters to a younger clientele and families -- or those who are young at heart.

Inside are tables painted to resemble ping pong tables, and actual ping pong tables in back you can play in between bites of pizza or swigs of beer. Service was pretty good, but not great -- I blame the fact that there were kids running around with their "thermal detonators" (or ping pong paddles), so some corralling by the waiters was necessary.

The menu at Comet is pretty short, but there were enough choices to peak my interest. You can of course build your own, or go for one of their signature pies. I chose "The Jimmy:" meatballs, parmesan, fresh mozzarella and a tomato sauce. It was a nice, light pizza with good flavor. All the pizzas are designed to be eaten by one, but you could certainly share.

While I like Comet for it's atmosphere and reasonably priced menu, I think I'll opt for Pizza Paradiso or Two Amy's before heading back. Unless of course I'm in the mood to play some ping pong.
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J Says...

When you first arrive to Comet Ping Pong, you get the feeling you are at a fraternity house rather than a restaurant. The outdoor seating and weathered ping-pong table immediately made me think we would be eating off of paper plates and drinking out of red cups. My fears weren't far from the truth.

We sat on benches. We dined on converted ping-pong tables. We had watered-down cocktails. It was Sigma Omega Eww though, I will say, while limited in selection the food was actually pretty decent and priced accordingly. I chose The Smokey - smoky mushrooms, smoky gouda, smoky bacon, melted onions & garlic (hence the name) - and I consumed it all.

To be fair, as C said, the throngs of kids running around and sports videos projected on the walls make this out-of-the-standard monthly choice quite entertaining. However, if it weren't for the full bar (that C and I, along with the guys from The Bitten Word, enjoyed immensely), I'm not sure I would have restrained myself from tripping one of the running children. I even commented to the host on the way out that I appreciate the living reminder to always wear a condom.

In the end, it was an unexpected experience for DC and our standard monthly dinner choice - and now that I know what to expect, I'll be choosing elsewhere to dine.


Comet Ping Pong - 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.364.0404, www.cometpingpong.com