Washington, meet Westeros. The highly-anticipated Game of Thrones pop-up bar opens this evening, and the drinks and decor are enough to satiate even the most diehard fan of the power-hungry HBO drama. It’s everything you’d expect and more from Drink Company, which fashioned the popular Miracle on 7th Street Christmas bar and this spring’s Cherry Blossom PUB.
DCist got an early peek at the space, which sprawls across three Shaw storefronts (Mockingbird Hill, Southern Efficiency, and Eat The Rich) to recreate some of the shows most iconic settings. There’s a lot to take in—here are the top five things to get most excited about when waiting in what are sure to be epic lines.
1. A bad-ass breathing dragon: Mother of Dragons herself Daenerys Targaryen would be proud of the imposing dragon that watches over the back bar, behind a giant Weirwood tree. The custom-made prop feels like it could be straight out of a theme-park ride. There’s no fire, but it comes alive roughly ever 20 to 25 minutes with a captivating show of light and steam. Luckily, there’s a bar within sight to hang at while you wait and marvel.
2. The Iron Throne: The infamous Iron Throne makes an appearance, naturally, and it’s up for grabs. But access to what’s sure to become the bar’s power Instagram shot will likely requiring queuing again once inside. So be prepared with a pose and a drink and savor those moments as the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.
3. Drinks that are better than they have to be: Let’s face it. Most people would wait an hour or more in line to drink at this bar even if they had to drink light beer or rail drinks out of plastic cups. But that’s not the way Drink Company rolls (its upscale cocktail bar Columbia Room did, after all, nab a 2017 James Beard nomination for outstanding bar program). President Derek Brown says the bar is meant to be “a fantasy environment where you still have good cocktails.” One standout is the Dothraquiri, with Cotton & Reed white rum, Jamaican rum, and Banane du Bresil. The menu still pokes plenty of fun, though. Take for example the Shame—a guilty blend of tequila and grapefruit tonic, served up with a ringing of a bell and a hearty taunt from the bar.
4. Busts of Drink Company staff: Step into the hall of faces (formerly Southern Efficiency) and marvel in a wall of plaster busts. Each is modeled off a real face of the bar staff and their friends and family. While they look like the work of a seasoned professional, it’s actually the work of a bar family member, who studied hours of videos on YouTube to learn the process. So don’t be spooked if you spot any likenesses in the staff working behind the stick.
5. Westeros-inspired costumes are encouraged: The Game of Thrones PUB is the ideal spot to break out that leather armor or fur coat, summer heat and humidity be damned. Bartenders here are decked out in throne room-appropriate gear, and guests are welcome to partake in their best wares. It’s an ideal opportunity to break out those Renaissance festival costumes and belly up to the bar with like-minded fans. The only rule? No weapons will be allowed in the bar, no matter the material. Please, leave those battle axes at home.
Game of Thrones Pop-Up Bar is located at 1843 7th St. NW. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Friday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Open through August 27.
