Inauguration day crowds at Old Ebbitt Grill. Photograph be Jessica Sidman. In 2017, crowds crammed into Old Ebbitt Grill for Trump’s inauguration, ordering shots of Fireball and commenting to no one in particular, “it feels good to be a Republican again.” Eight years later, MAGA die-hards were back at the storied White House-adjacent restaurant for Trump’s second inauguration—this time, louder and more boisterous as they jeered, cheered, and broke into song. It’s hard not to see the intensified vibe as a reflection of what the second Trump administration could look like in DC. Few restaurants feel changes in administrations as acutely as Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington’s oldest saloon. While the institution attracts plenty of locals and tourists, it’s also a popular watering hole for politicos.  “A lot of times people think it’s some kind of a gradual shift,” David Moran, Area Director of Operations for Clyde’s Restaurant Group, which operates Old Ebbitt, told me back in 2017. “But it’s really not. It’s literally that day, our customer base changes.” Old Ebbitt has also long been a prime spot for inauguration watchers, thanks to direct views of the parade route. For decades, the restaurant was booked up for private parties by either the Republican or Democratic National Committees on inauguration day. That streak broke for the first time in nine inaugurations after Trump’s first win. This time around, there was no parade, but the venue was open to the public again. Just as many people waded through a security checkpoint to watch Trump’s swearing-in from TVs above Old Ebbitt’s bars. (The restaurant didn’t turn on the sound, so many resorted to listening to livestreams on their phone.) The shift from 2017 was visually immediate: instead of a smattering of red caps, everyone was decked out in MAGA gear—from custom sequined jackets or a yellow safety vest with a hand-written tag reading “Trump’s limo driver.” “Make America Great Again” hats were everywhere, of course, but also hats reading “American is Great Again” and “Trump Was Right About Everything.” As soon as Joe Biden entered the Capitol Rotunda, the crowd booed. As Trump arrived moments later, cheers erupted. It wasn’t quite noon yet, but a group of New York City firefighters was already on their second round of drinks. Everyone wanted to take a selfie with them. After JD Vance was sworn in, they chanted: “JD 48! JD 48! JD 48!” After Trump was sworn in, they chanted: “USA! USA! USA!” “Get all the tampons out of the men’s room right now!,” one guy yelled. And when Biden finally departed for good, they sang: “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.” “Get the f— out,” someone shouted. At one point, a group huddled in the middle of an aisle between dining booths to pray, followed by a rowdy rendition of “God Bless the USA.” The revelers didn’t notice they were blocking a server trying to deliver a bottle of ketchup. Eventually, she gave up and walked away.The post Inside DC’s Most Storied Restaurant on Inauguration Day first appeared on Washingtonian.