31-03-2025
Singing farewell to Penn Quarter's Hill Country karaoke
Hill Country Barbecue Market hosted its final karaoke night ever on Wednesday, closing out 14 epic years for the Penn Quarter staple.
Why it matters: The restaurant-bar-music venue had a little something for everyone — tasty Texas barbecue, a dance floor for two-stepping and the live Harikaraoke band backing you up as you belt out karaoke classics.
The vibe: Friends would all squish together on stage to share mics and read lyrics from an iPad screen for songs ranging from Dolly Parton's "Jolene" to Enrique Iglesias' "Hero."
My friend Emily and I's favorite was Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats," which the crowd would always eagerly scream-sing along with us.
Hill Country was the beloved go-to spot of Hill staffers and journalists, White House folks, George Washington University students and lawmakers (though that was mostly for fundraisers).
And don't forget the infamous former Rep. George Santos ' (R-NY) one-time spotting there.
On Wednesday night, many of those grateful patrons, including your author, crammed into the basement to witness the last performances on the Hill Country stage.
The final honor went to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," where everyone in the crowd threw their arms around each other, and sang one last ode to the place that brought everyone together in song.
