We’re headed into prime outdoor drinking season, and now there’s a new place to do it: Dupont Circle’s latest bar, Rebellion DC. The American watering hole takes over the former Mum Mum space, revamping it for a tavern feel with reclaimed bourbon barrel accents and custom wood tables. Outdoors you’ll find two places to perch: a front patio and a rooftop bar.
Though it’s named for the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791, co-owners Brian Westiye and Lenny Codispot say they aren’t wholly focused on brown liquor. There’s an impressive collection of 100-plus whiskeys, along with other drinking options such as 60-odd American brews by the bottle and can, local drafts, and moderately priced cocktails in the $10-to-$12 range. Drinkers can pad the stomach with a no-frills menu of Southern-style bar food, including smoked wings, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp and grits.
A draw for the happy hour crowd: extended hours with specials like $3 beers, $5 rail drinks (the house whiskey is Jim Beam Black), and $6 wine from 3:30 to 8 Monday through Friday. The first day of the week also caters to locals in the 20009 Zip code, who’ll receive 10 percent off their entire check. Cigar fans can also find stogies on the wood-paneled roof deck; the front patio remains non-smoking.
The spot is currently only open in the evenings, but look for weekend brunch soon with more Southern eats and a Bloody Mary bar.
Rebellion DC. Open Monday through Thursday 3:30 to 2, Friday 3:30 to 3, Saturday 10 to 3, and Sunday 10 to 2.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
