Lobster roll lovers, don’t despair yet. NBC4 reported early this morning that the Capitol Hill location of Hank’s Oyster Bar suffered a fire of indeterminate strength, and that one person suffered minor injuries.
A spokesperson for the restaurant shared the good news with us that no one was, in fact, hurt. According to the latest information, the flames were contained to a blaze on the roof and didn’t harm the kitchen.
Still, a fire is no small thing for a restaurant. While there’s hope that service could resume within a few days, the team will have to deal with insurance and contractors before reopening. This after chef and owner Jamie Leeds spent her summer dealing with neighbors trying to shut down the patio at her Dupont location. There’s a chance you could still celebrate Inauguration Monday with Hank’s on the Hill specials like brunch and all-day service, but it’s best to check with them before heading over. In the meantime, you can hit up the branches in Dupont and Alexandria for all your fried oyster needs.
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.
