R.I.P.  Tom Johnson of Hill Restaurant Group

R.I.P.  Tom Johnson of Hill Restaurant Group

by Larry Janezich

Posted March 18, 2024

Tom Johnson, Managing Partner of the Hill Restaurant Group – a Washington DC based hospitality firm that currently operates six restaurants in Capitol Hill neighborhoods died last Sunday, March 10.  He was in his mid-fifties.  He was found in the driveway of his home in Hillcrest with an injury consistent with a fall, though no cause of death has been announced.  The Hill Restaurant Group is owned by William Sport, President at Pinnacle Investment Properties Inc., of Miami, Florida. 

His death came as the Hill Restaurant Group was considering closing some of its Barracks Row venues in the wake of shrinking revenues and lack of foot traffic.  Stadium Sports Bar and Smokehouse, the group’s sports bar in Navy Yard, closed last month.  WBJ reports that other outlets could follow as their leases expire.  Those currently open include those on Barracks Row – Lola’s, Playa Ocho, and Opheila’s Fish House; The Hawk and Dove on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; and Boxcar across from Eastern Market. 

From the HRG website:  “With over 30 years of experience as a successful restaurant operator, Tom joined his friend and investor William Sport in 2018 to breathe new life into some of the Hill’s most historic and beloved establishments, including Hawk ‘n’ Dove, Lola’s, Boxcar Tavern, Ophelia’s Fish House, Tortuga, and Stadium Sports by Nationals Park.”

He was remembered by Barracks Row neighbors and benefactors https://bit.ly/49VeZDi Karl and Carrol Kindle.

“Tom Johnson was a good friend.  We met him almost literally the day he arrived in DC to take over general management of the (then failing) Hill Restaurant Group.

Tom was a knowledgeable, honest, straightforward, fun, interesting, generous, entertaining, opinionated individualist, a very good friend, raconteur, hard-working person, who had high expectations of those around him as well as for himself.

From nearly day one in DC, he professed to “hate” DC, but if the maxim, “Actions speak louder than words” is true, he was a true supporter of DC:  He always lived in DC proper, finally buying a house for himself in Hillcrest, becoming Commander of a local Anacostia Boating Club and saving it from disappearing, strongly and vocally supporting local businesses in DC, always finding ways to improve the Barracks Row neighborhood and always the first to volunteer his support and help in any endeavor for neighborhood improvement.  He participated actively in the actions of the ANCs and the City Council and City government, making them all better and more effective.

Tom could be a tough negotiator and taskmaster, but he always recognized hard work and the success of others.  He was kind to a fault.  He was always the first to welcome new businesses and business people to Barrack’s Row, even those in direct competition with his businesses.   He was free with his ideas and suggestions for improving a given business or the community, and followed through with actions where it was appropriate.

He made great efforts to know the neighbors, the business owners, the police, the politicians, his customers and activists in order to further their possibilities for success.

He may have said that he “hated” DC, but his actions showed that he did everything he could to make the city and the neighborhood more successful, and he walked the walk, by living in and supporting DC.

Tom will be sorely missed by the community and all who knew him.”