After walking around Navy Yard and Eastern Market this afternoon, my brother and I were a bit peckish. At the odd hour of 3pm on a Tuesday, it can sometimes be challenging to find a place open in that area. To our delight, Lobby Bar was open AND it was happy hour (3-6pm, Tues-Fri).
We were both intrigued by the spicy suave b. If you're a wine drinker that leans towards suav blanc as your warm weather fav like we do, it might be somewhat jarring at first- white wine in a bowl glass, plus ice and a straw. Yikes! BUT, if you like a lil spice, this is the refreshing drink you've been waiting for! I'm unsure of the suave blanc used, but this happy hour delight literally tasted like a jalapeño fell into my glass of wine- it was just a hint of spice, without overwhelming the notes of the wine. The influencers told us this is the "drink of the summer", so it's at least worth the taste. I'd bet you won't be disappointed!
Food wise, we ordered from the main menu. I will say, the HH has very limited items to consume- oysters & wings. That's it! Don't come hungry if you only plan to order from the HH menu- you will be disappointed! I ordered the nuggs, which seems like it could be a fan fav! Think adult version of Mcd's. The quantity was solid (about 8-10 nuggs), possibly all white meat, with a great meat:breading ratio (comes with honey mustard- yum!). I would've liked a sprinkle of salt or additional seasoning, but I think most would probably be satisfied.
There are two burgers on the menu, both come with fries- my bro had the smash burger (no onions). Upon first bite, he said, "It's messy, but delish." I tasted the fries, and can easily say they could be some of the best in the city. Very well seasoned, not overly or undercooked- the perfect amount of crispness, but maintaining a pillowy center. No additional salt needed here.
We lingered for a bit and ordered a half dozen oysters- HH $1 each. I appreciate their pricing here- I've been to many places in the District that you have to order a minimum. At Lobby Bar, if you want 1 solo for dolo oyster for 100 pennies, you can get it during happy hour. We ordered half a dozen. They were great- tasted fresh, not overly briny or sweet, and a decent size (but don't ask me where they're from). The order came with (2) lemon wedges, mignonette, and house cocktail sauce.
All of that aside, the service was great which is enough for me to recommend! As mentioned, we sat at the bar and arrived around 3pm, but the crowd started to trickle in around 4:30/5pm. The bar tenders were attentive and engaging- standard [enjoyable] banter, but also making sure we were satisfied with drinks and food.
Everything considered, I will definitely return and recommend this restaurant to friends and additional family. I am eager to try other food and cocktail items on the menu, as well.
*this is not the place to go if you want a beautiful outdoor experience. There are a couple tables outside, but no awning/umbrella covering. read more