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Matt Crofcheck says there was a brief discussion on whether the Commodore could serve the best-selling Shlogan burger in its new Dupont Circle location, which celebrates its grand opening Wednesday, May 5.
When it closed at the corner of 11th and P Streets NW, in November 2019, the neighborhood bar with a strong local following said goodbye to its position in between Logan Circle and Shaw. Crofcheck partnered with Proof Hospitality group to revive it inside the Brick Lane bistro space he’d acquired, and the group agreed that the Shlogan had to stay, even if it no longer make geographic sense. When regulars trek over to 1636 17th Street NW, they can reacquaint themselves with the Shlogan: two patties, white American cheese, bacon bits, honey mustard, bread and butter pickles).
“I don’t want to call it fan service, but that’s what people know,” Crofcheck says.
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Other popular orders making a comeback include barbecue platters, totchos with the customers’ pick of smoked meat, the Squirrel Kicker burger (gouda, onion jam, bourbon mayo), and the Kenny Powers fried chicken sandwich. Smoked-then-fried wings are back, and there’s a new Island Time (jerk) flavor. A menu section of planks — the chef “hates flatbreads,” the menu says — includes another Eastbound & Down reference; the Ashley Schaeffer has pimento cheese, roasted garlic, and tomatoes. A new bowl of diablo boracho, or “drunken devil,” mussels comes with chorizo, tequila broth, and grilled bread.
To celebrate its reopening, the Commodore will run drink specials through the weekend. An all-day happy hour with options for $5 drafts, $5 rails, and $5 glasses of house wine will run “for the foreseeable future.” There’s a 7-foot diving suit and a new walnut bar inside, and a few blocks of patio space on the sidewalk outside.
