The only time that I went to Polly's, the smoke gave me a splitting headache. My vegetarian something was unremarkable. The high point was that they were giving out pamphlets for the birth control patch in the toilets. I will never go there again, due to the smoke, though I do appreciate their support of prudent family planning.

That's cool. Polly's patrons enjoy its wonderful fireplace during DC's dreary gray days, and, I suppose by extension its smoke--tho I've never noticed it...and have frequented Polly's since 1993. In the spring/summer the fireplace smells just about as much as any other unused fireplace. Guess my nosebuds aren't quite as delicate as some. On reflection, most of us in DC who like Polly's either smoke or don't mind that, well, a pub sometimes smells like smoke...and, frankly, the clientele probably tends not to take much of a shine to folks who fuss about clothes smelling from a bit of smoke after a night in a pub. We're not talking about smoke hanging in the air--there's even a giant fan on at all time. Anyway, that should help people self-select whether Polly's is a nay or a yea for them. It's for you if you'd like a low-key, unpretentious, dark-ish, comfortable place, with one of the best juke boxes in DC, awesome juicy burgers with tasty fixins (my fave is avocado and brie), the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city, an array of delectably cooked veggies that change according to season and possibly chef's whim, which can be ordered as sides or a meal. Yumbolicious salads. A sizzling steak or two with mashed potatoes on the side. Nice beer selection. I don't get the comment about the bacon being cooked in crack...perhaps some kind of classist/racist comment from someone who really needs not to return to Polly's, and would be happier at a sterile, smoke-free chain that they understand better. An added bonus: you'll not be annoyed by people squawking into their cell phones at Polly's--the reception sucks--probably much to the chagrin of the folks who were feeling out of place there to begin with.