Hill Prince officially opens tonight at 1337 H St. NE, and right out of the gate there are cocktails for $10 and under.
The new neighborhood bar, nestled in a restored 100-year-old carriage house, comes from the team behind DGS Delicatessen, Whaley’s, and Little Sesame.
The space, designed internally, is going for a classy equestrian vibe: Think brown leather sofas, a hunter green paint job, mantels picked up from antique stores in Virginia, ornate framed mirrors, and horse decor. The wood flooring, brick walls, and ceiling beams are all original materials.
“We respected the bones of the building and stripped away everything. It was more about taking away than it was adding to the space,” said co-owner Nick Wiseman.
The straightforward cocktails integrate house-made juices, syrups and shrubs. The lineup includes Sazerac, French 75, and Brown Derby (Old Forester bourbon, grapefruit, lavender honey syrup). A simple snack list ($3-$9) includes pickled okra, olives, and Red Apron grass-fed beef jerky.
While classic cocktails are the focus up front, it’ll be a party in the back come June when the outdoor courtyard opens up with music and a 30-seat bar. (Just like the team’s newly-announced rosé garden coming to the waterfront patio at Whaley’s, the back outdoor bar could be another brand-in-brand idea.)
If the restored row house, courtyard, and carriage house layout looks familiar, it should. Maketto, a few doors down, sits in a building from the same era with a similar setup.
“It’s a vibrant block and neighborhood and that is why we are here. We are excited to be a part of it,” said Wiseman.
Look out for a happy hour down the road, and naturally, a big Preakness party to celebrate the mane behind its name (Hill Prince won the race in 1950).
Status: Certified open; 1337 H St. NE.
