A Secret Garden Bar Rises in the Back of Hank’s Dupont

Hank’s Oyster Bar just unveiled a hidden drinking oasis behind its original Dupont Circle location. To access the cute new alleyway addition called Q Street, head down 17th Street NW and turn between Fox and Hound and Agora. The summery, flamingo-filled getaway with room for 30 is open Thursday to Sunday nights (and for special events) now through October.

Q Street

The outdoor bar’s name pays homage to both its lineup of Q mixers and proximity to Q Street NW. Opening cocktails ($14-$15) include a (gin or vodka) dirty martini with blue cheese-stuffed olives, a berry negroni, rotating margaritas with Casa Del Sol tequila, and punch spiked with Don Q rum, plus a “pack of mules” for four to six ($95). Canned wines also make their debut out back. Happy hour (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) includes discounts on Hank’s bites like $2 oysters and $8 fried shrimp or short rib sliders.

Q Street’s quick food menu also plucks coastal hits from its parent like oysters on the half shell (including its proprietary Salty Wolfe bivalves from Virginia), middleneck clams, Old Bay peel-and-eat shrimp, seafood ceviche, lobster deviled eggs, and Eastern Shore crab dip.

The redesigned space was previously used for patio seating, but this is the first time Hank’s gives the outdoor real estate its own look and identity since opening in 2005 (1624 Q Street NW). On Wednesday, June 14, a special Pride Month happy hour (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) to benefit PFLAG features food and drink deals and raffles to win Brandi Carlile tickets, Hank’s gift cards, and T-shirts.

Q Street hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Q Street

Q Street

Hank’s chef-owner Jamie Leeds maintains two other area locations at the Wharf and Old Town. Her essential seafood standby just unleashed a stream of Hank’s-wide summer cocktails and brought back its popular lobster roll-making kits for two to four.

Q Street