This New Bar Is BYOB — But At Least It’s On the Water

D.C. is about to get a very special new bar — well, kind of a bar — reports Washingtonian. Potomac Paddle Pub, slated to open Monday, September 24, requires that patrons to its “bar” bring both pedal power and their own alcohol (just beer and wine, though, no liquor). And, you have to buy a ticket.

The premise behind Potomac Paddle Pub is that it’s a bike-powered paddle boat with a mahogany bar for resting booze and snacks. It’s the brainchild of 24-year-old besties Jack Maher and Jack Walten, who met in preschool and bonded over their identical given names.

The boat trip starts at the Georgetown waterfront and will coast along the Potomac River to Columbia Island Marina, all lasting about an hour and a half. The experience costs guests $45 for a single ticket — available only on weekdays — to $625 for a full boat rent-out for 15 people on a weekend. The ticket, again, does not include alcohol or snacks. Potomac Paddle Pub’s first season is expected to last until about Halloween, picking back up in the spring. The founders also ensure that while it’s booze-focused, it’s also family-friendly.

The duo have caught the attention of venture capital — they say they have a deal to extend the BYO-everything brand to other markets, though they aren’t sure which that might be just yet.

“We’re definitely trying to go big with it,” Maher told Washingtonian.