Before I recap the week that was in bars in DC (while I also recover from a great 3 day wedding celebration in the hills of my home state of WV), welcome to all of you who have stumbled your way on this site from Reddit (thanks BG). Hope you stay-in the next couple weeks I’ll get the site better organized and add more content. Onto the DC bar news:

• Bar News
  • Oyamel, Jose Andres’s great Mexican restaurant in Penn Quarter, opened a significant expansion to its bar on Monday. An additional 18 seats can be found, with possible changes to its hora feliz on its way (Young & Hungry, Twitter)
  • Like me, do you know next-to-nothing about sherry? Good news for you unemployed/stay-at-home parents/government employees, Mockingbird Hill, the new sherry-and-ham bar in Shaw, is hosting free sherry classes & tastings on Tuesdays from 5p-6p. Get there right at 5p if you want to make it in. Also, read this Young & Hungry story about this new bar and the supremely quotably (hoping that this is a made-up word) hilarious Derek Brown (Twitter).
  • Also in Shaw, Right Proper Brew Pub, applied for its liquor license and hopes for an October opening (my guess-opens in January). This brewpub, located at 6th and T next to Howard Theater, sounds pretty sweet-focus “in Belgian-inspired farmhouse ales and aged sour beers” and will fit 155 people (PoPville, Fritz Hahn/GoG)
  • Eater DC comes up with a list of 30 places with “summer hours” to go drink, meaning early-starting happy hours and/or open all afternoon. Some highlights: Graffiato’s new Friday happy hour starts at 2p (more on this below), Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue  (opens at noon on Fridays), Agora (on my block in Dupont) has a happy hour that begins at 3p, Quill’s (the classy-ass bar in the Jefferson hotel) $2 fries ($8 regularly) special begins at 1p, Ceiba ($5 cocktails & half off great bar food-I can vouch for this-from 3-6p), Laughing Man (HH after 3).
  • Mike Isabella’s not-Italian spot Graffiato (the best brussels sprouts in town) started its terrific-sounding early Friday summer happy hour. Until the end of August, from 2p-6p,, the bar only will have a host of $5 drinks including market punch, house wines, draft Prosecco and a few draft beers (BYT)
  • Izakaya Seki, the “low-key Japanese joint” off U street launched a new limited $5 happy hour 5-7p Monday, Wednesday & Thursday. $5 gets you a small bite + a Japanese draft beer or glass of shochu. (Young & Hungry).
  • Teddy and the Bully Bar, the Dupont (19th & M) follow-up to the downtown restaurant Lincoln, announces that it will finally be opening (originally was slated to open before inauguration, shocking) Monday, June 24th. Definitely tons of cool Teddy Roosevelt themed-decor. Due to this location, definitely see this being more of a late night scene that Lincoln. (Fritz Hahn/GoG, Young & Hungry)
  • Maddy’s Tap Room, the no-man’s land bar at 13th and L, opens a 50 seat outdoor dining + drinking area on L Street.  Happy hour will be in effect outside as well-good development, the bar area is fairly cramped and the whole place is kind of small. (Borderstan)
  • The newly opened Dupont “sports bar” The Gryphon, announces it will be closing for a couple weeks to build a new patio/entrance and a Nano/Nana wall (whatever the hell that is-I assume they mean a folding glass wall). Hopefully they start turning on the sound for games. (Facebook, Eater DC)
  • Interesting Borderstan review of the new 14th street diveish bar, Black Whiskey, where the reviewer notes several of her assumptions were proven wrong. I stopped in for a few minutes on a Friday awhile back, but the lack of operating A/C caused us to leave soon thereafter. I have also heard complaints about the lack of whiskey list (and importantly the prices), but will need to check it out very soon.
  • A few blocks up the street, Borderstan explains that Policy has filed an application to terminate its voluntary/settlement agreement. Apparently it’s overly restrictive compared to other local places; the local ANC voted unanimously to protest the termination of the settlement agreement. I’ve seen some folks complain about this action, but it makes sense, so long as the ANC is serious about negotiating a more equitable agreement.
  • National Martini Day is Wednesday and Best Bites Blog comes up with a list of 5 spots (3 in DC) to get a great martini. DC Coast will celebrate with “the cocktail from which our modern-day martini evolved: the Martinez.” I do disagree that Washington is a martini town (I don’t think any cocktail defines DC, though the simple refreshing Rickey was invented here), and it was interesting to read a somewhat negative comment about one of DC iconic bars, Off The Record, but I recommend reading the post if you’re one of the dwindling number of folks who still like to drink martinis.