Tony Cibel – Celebrating 30 Years – Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place

Our Town with host Andy Ockershausen - Homegrown History

Tony Cibel on Phyllis Richmond's review of Tony & Joe's ~ "Phyllis Richmond said, 'Tony & Joe's, a contender on the waterfront.' And ever since that, boom we took off like crazy and 30 years later we're still going." Tony Cibel - Tony & Joe's Seafood Place 30th Year Celebration A Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen and this is a special edition of Our Town. And I have a wonderful, wonderful friend and acquaintance by the name of Tony Cibel, who is the man who started some of the most successful restaurants in Our Town. And Tony, I can't believe it's 30 years sinceyou opened Tony & Joe’s in October of 1987. Tony Cibel: That's absolutely true and I can't believe it either, 30 years has flown by. But of course we have the best seafood restaurant in town, Tony & Joe’s, with a magnificent view of the Kennedy Center. A Ockershausen: Well I'll never forget, after the restaurant had been open like two months you had a review in the Washington Post that was a knockout. Tony Cibel: Spectacular. A Ockershausen: It really put you on the map. Tony Cibel: Phyllis Richmond said, "Tony & Joe’s, a contender on the waterfront." And ever since that, boom we took off like crazy and 30 years later we're still going. A Ockershausen: Well Tony, obviously once people sampled it they came back. And they came back and back and back. And now the world has changed as we both know in 30 years. There's a whole new world out there that are finding out about your restaurant. Tony Cibel: That's true, that's very true. We're going to run some specials for our anniversary month in October. A Ockershausen: The whole month of October? Tony Cibel: The whole month of October you can go online to tonyandjoes.com and read about the specials. A lot of them will be priced from 1987. A Ockershausen: Wow! Tony Cibel: Correct. A Ockershausen: Maybe we ought to sample those before you do it. Tony Cibel: Oh no, I sample them daily. A Ockershausen: Well Tony, the things that I know about the restaurant, let's say it started with your interest in the restaurant business with the Dancing Crab. I don't think a lot of people know that there was a Tony Cibel before there was a restaurant. You had a liquor store and very successful liquor store. Tony Cibel: And I also had a carryout over in Northeast called Soul Palace. That was my first restaurant. A Ockershausen: And it was successful. Tony Cibel: Very successful. A Ockershausen: And now you're back in Northeast in Ivy City. Tony Cibel: Ivy City Smokehouse, which has just been open for a year and it is taking off. The Tavern upstairs and then downstairs our smoker. We're going to go national with our smoking products, Ivy City Smoke products. A Ockershausen: Food products, huh? Tony Cibel: That's correct, Ivy City Smokehouse fish. And it's taking off. It's a wonderful product. We're in country clubs around here. We're in delicatessens. A Ockershausen: Do you offer an Ivy City menu at Tony & Joe’s? Tony Cibel: We have a lot of the product - A Ockershausen: - a lot of the product here. Tony Cibel: - at Tony & Joe’s. And it will say right on the menu, Ivy City Smoke House - A Ockershausen: - Right I have noticed that. Tony Cibel: - Smoked Salmon and so forth. Yeah. A Ockershausen: You've gotten to be a conglomerate now with Nick's Riverside Grill and you're still in to that as I recall. Tony Cibel: Yes. A Ockershausen: Nobody could operate that but you. Tony Cibel: Well, my son Nick, who's a wonderful boy . . . I went to Florida one weekend, for the weekend, and it was Riverside Grill when I left. When I came back it said, Nick's Riverside Grill. I said, "Nick, I didn't get the check." What's the story here, you know? But he's been running it for 25 years. A Ockershausen: No way. Tony Cibel: 25 years. A Ockershausen: 25 years! Come on, Tony. Tony Cibel: And Tony & Joe’s is the only original restaurant at Washington Harbour. A Ockershausen: I understand, you survived.