The Legend Behind 14th and U Street's Marvin Restaurant

Brunch scene at Marvin, 2007 14th St. NW

Motown legend Marvin Gaye is best known for his songs like How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved By You), I Heard It Through The Grapevine, What's Going On, Let's Get It On, and dozens of others that catapulted him to international superstardom, Grammy awards, and an estate that still earns about $3 to 3.5 million per year.
"Not to insult anyone's intelligence in case you didn't already know, but Marvin is named after Marvin Gaye," said Sheldon Scott, Marvin's general manager and marketing coordinator, with a sly smile. He explained to a few of us over a media brunch that the musician is a D.C. native, and even attended Cardozo High School in Columbia Heights. Gaye got his start singing for his church's gospel choir and joined a few Doo-Wop groups. After a decade of hits on the Billboard charts and millions of sold albums, Gaye started having problems with the IRS and drugs, so he exiled himself to a small town in Belgium for a few years of church, exercise, and a more holistic way of life. 
"Marvin's menu has strong Belgian influences as an homage to his time there," Scott said. Indeed, the brunch entrees are European-portioned and the menu is punctuated with Belgian waffles, with mussels served later in the day. Manning the kitchen is Executive Chef Angel Franco, who has experience as a sous chef at José Andrés' Minibar, Toki Underground, and Marketto.
Though the upstairs level of Marvin is almost always a lively party in the evening, the downstairs will turn into a late-night café with coffee and hot beignets at 10 p.m., beginning on January 31.

Sheldon Scott speaks as BrandLink DC's Ashley Mason-Greene takes notes

Every April, on Gaye's birthday, Marvin hosts a "Marvin Day." This year would be the late singer's 75th birthday, so Marvin is really kicking things up a notch with documentaries, music, and members of his family for an all-day party. The restaurant is already decorated with gigantic pop art imagery of Gaye, so add the extra flair of the party will make this a must-hit event for fans of Gaye and Motown alike. This year, the event will be held on Wednesday, April 2.
http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2014/01/19/the-legend-behind-14th-street-and-u-streets-marvin-restaurant/#s_marvin-at-brunch_s