Navy Yard Gets a New Location of a Familiar Bistro

Circa opens its Navy Yard location in time for happy hour tonight, adding a safe bet for burgers, seasonal cocktails, and bulgogi lettuce wraps to the neighborhood surrounding Nationals Park.

Locally owned Metropolitan Hospitality Group is ringing in the occasion with the addition of an exclusive Tropic Thunder IPA from Atlas Brew Works that will also be available Circa’s other locations (Chinatown, Clarendon, Foggy Bottom). The casual bistro closed the original Circa in Dupont in late 2017 to focus on opening a two-story location in Chinatown, which has become part Circa and part Dragon Bar.

The new Circa won’t veer off script from what MHG culinary director Mike Huff has done at the other bistros. The menu pulls from trends familiar to a broad base of diners: A plate of Brussels sprouts has bacon and blue cheese. A Caesar salad comes with “everything” seasoning. A plate of tuna poke nachos is built on a foundation of wonton chips.

Courtesy of Circa

Seasonal specials for the winter include roasted cauliflower with, among other things, a pumpkin seed romesco and charred lemon emulsion; pumpkin ravioli; and a warm apple dumpling with creme anglaise, butterscotch sauce, and cinnamon ice cream.

Metropolitan Hospitality also runs Open Road and Trio Grill in Falls Church. The restaurant group has plans to open El Bebe, a spot for tequila and tacos, in an adjoining space to the Navy Yard Circa at 99 M Street SE in the coming weeks.

The new Circa opens at 4 p.m. tonight and will soon extend service to lunch and brunch. Regular hours will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday.