Cardboard cutouts of each president will be present for Barrel’s latest political pop-up. Photograph courtesy Saltbridge Strategies.
Barrel. 613 Pennsylvania Ave., SE.
Leading up to the 2016 election, Capitol Hill bar Barrel transformed its basement into a Donald Trump-themed pop-up with tweet-inspired cocktails printed on huge menus (to make your hands look small). For Trump’s inauguration, the theme was revived—this time with a Russian bent, including cardboard cutouts of the new president and Putin, drinks all made with Russian Standard Vodka, and artwork with Steve Bannon licking Mike Pence’s face.
This election, the Barrel team asked themselves: How can we do another Trump bar…without it being a Trump bar? The answer is “All the Presidents’ Bars”—a series of political pop-ups focused on the last five presidents, from Bill Clinton through Joe Biden (including, of course, Trump).
The series kicked off last night with Clinton-themed Slick Willy’s Jazz Lounge (Oct. 3-5). Live jazz was offered on opening night, but you can also find inflatable saxophones and candy cigarettes. One cocktail called “Sax in All the Right Places” is made with a whiskey from Arkansas, while a “Hillary-tini” is a dirty martini with pimento-stuffed olives drawing inspiration from HRC’s favorite “olive burger” at the former Pickwick in Illinois. And, yes, they went there: One of the cocktails is dubbed “the Blue Dress” with rum, blue curacao, and…coconut cream. A Monica Lewinsky-inspired blue dress also hangs on the wall.
Next up is the Dubya Saloon (Oct. 10-12), channeling George W. Bush and the wild west with Texas flags, cowboy hats, and bales of hay. Of course one cocktail is called the “Hanging Chad,” and there’s a classic ranch water, too.
That will be followed by Barry’s Aloha Bar (Oct. 17-19), paying homage to Barack Obama’s Hawaiian roots and “sunnier, hopeful days.” Staff will be wearing Hawaiian shirts, and cocktails will include Michelle’s Margarita and an aviation called “I Got the Sucker.” In 2018, Barrel revived Capitol Hill bar PoliTiki for a limited time with custom made tiki glasses shaped like political figures, from Trump to Bannon. Owner Matt Weiss still has a stash of Obama tiki mugs that he plans to put back to use.
And then there’s the Barr-e-Lago Club (Oct. 24-26), a reimagined Mar-a-Lago in a small basement bar. Imagine opulent country club energy, gold-dusted drinks in golden chalices, and even a putting green. (Free idea: stacks and stacks of documents in the corner.) There will also be one extremely expensive cocktail, probably in the $100 range, “just because we can,” says Barrel manager Matt Sternberg. They haven’t come up with the specifics of what’s in it yet, but the bar does have a sizable collection of high-end whiskey. “Think everything fancier,” Sternberg adds. But also: Cheetos.
Lastly, look out for Joe Cool’s Cocktail Parlor (Oct. 31-Nov.2), centered around Joe Biden’s favorite treat: ice cream. Old-timey tunes will play in the background, and staff will wear paper diner hats and big smock aprons that you might find in a classic ice cream parlor. No freezer in the basement means they can’t actually serve ice cream, but cocktails will draw from ice cream flavors like mint chocolate chip and rocky road. The team is also working on a Neapolitan-style Jell-O shot flight. Because the pop-up kicks off on Halloween, there will be an “I Scream” costume party.
“We’re not trying to necessarily be political. We’re not trying to take any stances,” Weiss says. “We’re just trying to have satirical kind of fun with politics, because we’re on Capitol Hill and that’s the name of the game there.”
Food Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
