The sounds of bartenders shaking cocktails will once again fill the rooms of one of D.C.’s most notable cocktail bars as New York-based Death & Co opens the doors to their fourth location this weekend.
The D.C. Death & Co opens Friday in Blagden Alley and plans to pay homage to the legacy of Columbia Room, its space’s former inhabitant. The shuttered bar from longtime local barman Derek Brown was a place owners David Kaplan, Alex Day, and Devon Tarby felt a personal connection to, and a big reason for planting their roots in Washington, Kaplan says.
“In taking over Columbia Room and bringing Death & Co to life within its four walls, we are committed to not just offering an exceptional guest experience, but to preserving the spirit of one of the country’s greatest bars,” Kaplan adds.
Limited reservations will be available via Tock, but walk-ins are encouraged. All bar seats will be first come, first served.
The D.C. location marks the fourth opening for Death & Co, and the first with outdoor and indoor experiences serving the same menu. Guests enter the bar through a plant-lined patio to find a redesigned indoor space anchored by a pearlescent white marble bar sunken in the center of the room. Columbia Room regulars will recognize the former bar’s signature mural on one wall, one of the many ways that the team is keeping Brown’s legacy alive.
Since Death & Co’s New York opening in 2006, the bar has emerged as one of the leaders of the modern cocktail movement. Its bartenders in New York, LA, and Denver are the mixologists behind many of the cocktails that have become today’s modern classics, including the Naked and Famous (an equal parts sour with mezcal, lime, Aperol, and yellow Chartreuse) and the Oaxacan Old Fashioned, featuring mezcal instead of bourbon. For cocktail nerds, bartenders, and those interested in exceptional hospitality, the bar is a must-visit destination with countless awards and accolades.
The D.C. bar is opening with a menu of 28 cocktails, ranging from rich and boozy to zero proof sips, that is unique to the D.C. location and will change seasonally. Expect riffs on classics with a uniquely Death & Co. twist on the list developed by Director of Food and Beverage Tyson Buhler. In the “Elegant and Timeless” section of the menu, for example, martini enthusiasts can try the Damia, a gin martini with heirloom tomato, creme de fraise, and absinthe. Old Fashioned drinkers might enjoy the Monument Valley, with bourbon, smoked apple, amaretto, amaro, and bitters.
And while the menu aims to have a drink for everyone, the bar team is armed with a compendium of Death & Co cocktails from all locations they can tap into to make the perfect drink for any guest. There is also a selection of bottled and canned beers and ciders, as well as a short wine list of mostly Old World wines with a couple of California vintages.
Bar Manager Joshua White and General Manager Meghan Olesen are opening the bar with an impressive team hailing from many of the region’s top cocktail spots , including Jack Rose, O.K.P.B., Astoria, Imperfecto, King’s Ransom, and The Setting. With such an array of local talent, White is excited to work collaboratively on the next menu. He wants to tell the story of his life through flavors and invoke a sense of nostalgia, and encourages his team to do the same.
“I try to tap into my childhood and things that mean something to me,” said White. One of his favorite creations throughout his career was a Scotch Bonnet Daiquiri, the pepper flavor taking him back to his adolescence eating food with his cousins.
And what’s a cocktail bar without bar snacks? A small food menu will be available alongside the drinks, featuring bites such as marinated olives, crudité, and tinned fish. A Death & Co guest favorite, Uncle Wes’ Drunken Cookies, are also making their way on the D.C. menu: freshly baked chocolate chip cookies made with banana liqueur and served beside a dunkable glass of cold milk.
Washington hosts a vibrant cocktail community, ranging from talented bartenders with years of experience, to amateur at-home bartenders taking on increasingly complicated drinks, to guests that simply enjoy a great beverage. White hopes to foster this community at Death & Co by inviting everyone to learn, have a drink, and enjoy their stay in the dimly lit bar with high vibes and great music.
While nothing is set in stone, White hopes he can one day teach master classes at Death & Co DC. In the meantime, he encourages guests to dive into the minds of the bartenders and ask questions about the process. They might be surprised to learn about just how much chemistry and creativity go into mixing the drinks.
“There is such community here, and the thing we want to do is educate each other,” White said.
Death & Co. is located at 124 Blagden Alley NW. It’s open Sunday-Wednesday from 5pm-12am and Thursday-Saturday from 5pm-1am. Limited reservations are available via Tock.
