In a surprising development, the latest edition of the uber-popular Dacha Beer Garden across the street from Nationals Park has quickly received approval from the local ANC, and a result, from ABRA.

Dacha, which hopes to open in spring 2018 in the Dock79 building (already home to The Salt Line) at 79 Potomac Ave. SE (basically 1st and P SE), will be about 250 feet southeast from the 1st base gate from Nationals Park and less than a half mile from the Navy Yard Metro stop. The space will be massive, with a capacity of 350 people inside and 800(!) people outside. The hours will be generous-patrons will be able to drink outside until midnight on weekdays (an hour later than Dacha even requested for Sun-Tues) and 2a on Friday and Saturday nights (as well as after Sunday night Nats games), with maximum hours for the interior (2a/3a).

In a small concession, no entertainment endorsements were included with the approval-so no live music or DJs will be allowed, and recorded music will only be allowed outside until 10:30p on weekdays and midnight on weekends. The ANC did add a cautionary note to its approval (with one dissent):

“Because of previous ABRA investigative history [Ed note: one of largest fines in DC liquor license history] for this applicant at another location in DC, the ANC6D is requesting that the applicant develop and file a comprehensive security plan with the ABC Board prior to the Board’s authorization to issue the license. We hope that this provision will provide confidence that this applicant will become an appropriate addition to the SE waterfront/Anacostia River area. “

This quick approval Barred in DC because Bardo (as well as a previous would-be-operator), which is only a few hundred feet down Potomac Avenue from the Dacha location, was never able to reach an agreement with the ANC and had its bid for a liquor license rejected before switching gears and obtaining a manufacturing license. Approvals for Dacha at 14th and S NW will surely be a bit less smooth.