In mid-September, a reader wrote in to PoPville after walking their dog past 3226 11th Street NW. Their news was simple: "A new coat of paint!" The notice on the storefront read "Coming Fall 2026 to Columbia Heights. Chinese/Korean fast casual for all."
That paint is one of two signs that 11th Street's longest-running vacancies are ending. Three weeks later, a new tenant was announced for the other big empty space on the strip, the corner at 11th and Park Road. The two concepts share something that sets them apart from the tenants they replace. Both are pitched as everyday places, somewhere to eat on a Tuesday, bring the kids, or play a game of pool, rather than as rooms people cross the city to get into.
Most residents know these two spaces by whatever they were last. Their full histories explain why each new announcement got so much attention.
| Address | Past tenants | What's coming | Status as of October 12, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3400 11th St NW, at Park Road | Meridian Pint, closed 2019; Makan and Thirsty Crow, closed February 2025 | The Porch & Pebbles | Announced October 5; no opening date |
| 3226 11th St NW | Jeans N Things; Bad Saint; Johnny's All American, closed January 2026 | Major Yum | Build-out underway; signage says fall 2026 |
The corner at 11th and Park has been dark since Makan and its downstairs bar, Thirsty Crow, served their last night on February 9, 2025, as Eater DC reported. That works out to about twenty months without a tenant by the time this posts. Johnny's All American at 3226 shut "effective immediately" in late January 2026, according to PoPville, after its owner said a lease deal with the landlord couldn't be reached.
The rest of the block stayed open through both gaps. Buddy's operates at 3234 11th Street, just a few doors from 3226. Queen's English is at 3410, a few doors up from the Park Road corner. Hoodline called it a neighborhood fixture this month. In early January, El Jardin opened next to it at 3416–3418 11th Street, in the former Cinco Soles space, per Eater DC. Once The Porch & Pebbles opens, the 3400 block will have three operating restaurants and bars clustered at one end.
The Porch & Pebbles plan reads like a direct answer to what people have wanted on that corner since 2019. In PoPville's October 5 announcement, the site's editor wrote that people kept telling him they wished something like Meridian Pint would return to the space. He described the new concept as "basically what's gonna happen."
The team is Geoff Dawson's group, which runs Nanny O'Briens, Atomic Billiards, and Franklin Hall. Rob Hess, Amy David, and Arturo Magana round out the opening crew. Dawson told PoPville the new spot is meant to complement what's already on 11th, naming The Coupe, Wonderland, and Buddy's. He described the feel as a mix of the old Mackey's on L Street and "a more 'robust Nanny O'Briens.'" The plan includes board games and trivia. Dawson's stated aim is "creating reasons for the neighborhood to hang out."
The space is split across two floors, and the owners describe each one this way:
The Porch, upstairs: "Good food and drinks at comfortable prices, a large patio, trivia and family meals."
Pebbles, downstairs: "Pool and games give friends another reason to meet at the same address. Food comes from the upstairs kitchen, supporting both venues with one menu and one culinary team."
Downstairs, plans call for four to five pool tables plus dart boards. The building already has a large kitchen, so both floors will get a full menu, a full bar with beer and cocktails, and carryout. On timing, PoPville reported the space could open "as early as three months" from the announcement if everything goes well, and "certainly by the end of winter." Counting from October 5, three months lands in early January 2027 at the earliest. No license milestone or firm opening date had been reported as of this writing.
3226 11th Street is best remembered for Bad Saint, which PoPville calls "legendary" whenever it writes about the space. Its next tenant is designed for the opposite use: a fast-casual counter where every dish is made to order.
Major Yum comes from chef Scott Chung, whose earlier projects include Bun'd Up, Sparrow Room, and Rice Crook. PoPville reported in July that he has stepped away from those projects to work on Major Yum full time. The signature dish is "Chung's Chicken," a cross between General Tso's and Korean fried chicken. Every plate comes with pickled vegetables, a nod to the banchan spreads at Korean restaurants. The drink list includes specialty Asian drinks, beer, and wine. For non-meat eaters, PoPville was told to expect "a nice crispy tofu."
The July announcement targeted a late-fall opening. Eater DC's fall openings preview also lists Major Yum for fall without a specific date. As of mid-October, the fresh paint and the "Coming Fall 2026" sign are the most recent public signs of progress.
Both announcements head the same way. One corner is getting family meals, trivia, and pool. The other is getting quick, made-to-order chicken "for all." Both are built for people who will come back often.
Inside, both build-outs are moving. Anything that spills onto the sidewalk is on a separate, slower track. That's because DC has ended its pandemic-era outdoor dining program, and Wonderland Ballroom at 11th and Kenyon spent this summer showing how the new process works.
On July 15, Wonderland's temporary streatery came down. A reader who wrote in to PoPville assumed the permitting office had stalled. In the article's comments, ANC 1A06 Commissioner Anthony Thomas-Davis laid out what actually happened. The temporary COVID-era program expired November 30, 2025. Businesses that applied for a permanent permit by December 31 could keep their temporary setups only until March 31, 2026. DDOT had only recently begun enforcing that deadline. He wrote that Wonderland's design had been approved by DDOT's Public Space Committee on February 12, 2026, with two conditions, and that final review was still in progress.
He also explained why review takes so long at that particular spot. The streatery sits between an alley and a crosswalk, so DDOT has to confirm exact buffers from both and clear sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. The Department of Buildings reviews the design as well. He mentioned that another business on 11th Street had already finished building its permanent streatery. The rules are posted on DDOT's streateries page.
The bar itself stayed open. Wonderland celebrated its 22nd anniversary on Sunday, August 2, with all-day happy hour, live music from Capitol Chill, and birthday cake. For The Porch, which promises "a large patio," this means any seating that extends into public space would go through the same permanent program. That process runs on its own timeline, separate from opening the doors.
Two blocks west on 14th Street, the newest projects are also aimed at people who will visit every week.
A climbing gym with co-working tables and a restaurant built around eating after midnight join a fast-casual counter and a neighborhood pool hall. All four are built around repeat visits from people who live nearby.
In the meantime, the FRESHFARM Columbia Heights market runs year-round on Saturdays at Civic Plaza, at 14th Street and Park Road. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through December, then 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. from January through March 2027.
At Conway Group, we track these storefront changes block by block across Columbia Heights and Petworth. If you're wondering what the 3400 block's comeback means for a home a few streets away, schedule your neighborhood consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
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