Washington DC

[Greg_K]

Reverie in georgetown allows corkage and is very wine friendly. I can’t remember if they charged me, but it was nothing outrageous. Excellent food, and a geeky-cool wine list.

That duck is phenomenal. I believe their policy is that the first bottle is free and after that it’s maybe $40?

[NoahR]

Just FYI, there was another thread on whether you can double decant and bring a previously opened bottle into a DC restaurant. This is the official guidance from ABRA!

Dear Noah,

Nothing prohibits you, as a customer, from pre-decanting a beverage at home, returning it to the bottle, and resealing it for use at a licensed establishment that allows corkage or BYOB.

Please note that the bottle should be resealed before you go out because having an open container in a vehicle or in public may violate the District’s prohibition on open containers. Moreover, please be aware that an establishment cannot return a bottle to the customer once the establishment opens it.

The official corkage regulation is below for your reference:

717. CORKING FEE
     717.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license may permit a patron to bring to and consume on the licensed premises an alcoholic beverage that the licensee is permitted to sell or serve under its on-premises retailer’s license; provided that the alcoholic beverage is opened by an employee of the establishment, However, the holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall not permit any alcoholic beverage opened on the licensed premises to be removed from the licensed premises.
     717.2 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall be permitted to charge a corking fee provided that the corking fee is disclosed to the patron prior to the opening of the alcoholic beverage.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Berman
Assistant General Counsel
Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration

*For additional assistance, questions, comments, or concerns, please call ABRA at 202-442-4423 or reply to this email.

[etomasi]

The Dabney. $30/bottle. Max 2 bottles per party. Not good for large groups, but really great food.

[scott_c]

Just FYI, there was another thread on whether you can double decant and bring a previously opened bottle into a DC restaurant. This is the official guidance from ABRA!

Dear Noah,

Nothing prohibits you, as a customer, from pre-decanting a beverage at home, returning it to the bottle, and resealing it for use at a licensed establishment that allows corkage or BYOB.

Please note that the bottle should be resealed before you go out because having an open container in a vehicle or in public may violate the District’s prohibition on open containers. Moreover, please be aware that an establishment cannot return a bottle to the customer once the establishment opens it.

The official corkage regulation is below for your reference:

717. CORKING FEE
     717.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license may permit a patron to bring to and consume on the licensed premises an alcoholic beverage that the licensee is permitted to sell or serve under its on-premises retailer’s license; provided that the alcoholic beverage is opened by an employee of the establishment, However, the holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall not permit any alcoholic beverage opened on the licensed premises to be removed from the licensed premises.
     717.2 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall be permitted to charge a corking fee provided that the corking fee is disclosed to the patron prior to the opening of the alcoholic beverage.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Berman
Assistant General Counsel
Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration

*For additional assistance, questions, comments, or concerns, please call ABRA at 202-442-4423 or reply to this email.

So…every time I’ve asked for a wine that I’ve purchased off the list and not finished to be corked up and placed in a bag for me to take home, the restaurant has been breaking the law? Or does that only apply to BYO’d bottles?

[NoahR]

Just FYI, there was another thread on whether you can double decant and bring a previously opened bottle into a DC restaurant. This is the official guidance from ABRA!

Dear Noah,

Nothing prohibits you, as a customer, from pre-decanting a beverage at home, returning it to the bottle, and resealing it for use at a licensed establishment that allows corkage or BYOB.

Please note that the bottle should be resealed before you go out because having an open container in a vehicle or in public may violate the District’s prohibition on open containers. Moreover, please be aware that an establishment cannot return a bottle to the customer once the establishment opens it.

The official corkage regulation is below for your reference:

717. CORKING FEE
     717.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license may permit a patron to bring to and consume on the licensed premises an alcoholic beverage that the licensee is permitted to sell or serve under its on-premises retailer’s license; provided that the alcoholic beverage is opened by an employee of the establishment, However, the holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall not permit any alcoholic beverage opened on the licensed premises to be removed from the licensed premises.
     717.2 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license shall be permitted to charge a corking fee provided that the corking fee is disclosed to the patron prior to the opening of the alcoholic beverage.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Berman
Assistant General Counsel
Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration

*For additional assistance, questions, comments, or concerns, please call ABRA at 202-442-4423 or reply to this email.

So…every time I’ve asked for a wine that I’ve purchased off the list and not finished to be corked up and placed in a bag for me to take home, the restaurant has been breaking the law? Or does that only apply to BYO’d bottles?

(A) Good question! No Clue! Ask ABRA - they responded to me within a day

(B) Shame on you and Lily for not finishing the bottle!

[Jay_Winton]

I’m pretty sure in DC if you bring a bottle in, you have to finish it as taking it out of the restaurant partially consumed breaks the law.

[scott_c]

So…every time I’ve asked for a wine that I’ve purchased off the list and not finished to be corked up and placed in a bag for me to take home, the restaurant has been breaking the law? Or does that only apply to BYO’d bottles?

(A) Good question! No Clue! Ask ABRA - they responded to me within a day

(B) Shame on you and Lily for not finishing the bottle!

(A) Nah. Never ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to!
(B) Fair point!

[Jeff_Bloom]

Doesn’t appear anyone has posted on Centrolina yet. $25 a bottle. Very good food in an upscale casual setting.

[etomasi]

Mari Vanna in DC. $40/btl

[etomasi]

Pappe Indian Restaurant on 14th. $25/btl. Not sure of maximum.

[etomasi]

Cafe Berlin on Capitol Hill $15/bottle
Primrose on 12th st NE in Brookland $25/bottle.

[Scot_H]

Reverie in georgetown allows corkage and is very wine friendly. I can’t remember if they charged me, but it was nothing outrageous. Excellent food, and a geeky-cool wine list.

I believe the first bottle is free.

[etomasi]

China Chilcano $25

[etomasi]

Hopscotch in Bloomingdale. $10/bottle. Not really a destination restaurant, but really good for a neighborhood place. Their Sicilian pizza is the bomb.

[Dan_Sch]

Himitsu in Petworth: $35 – really good food, fun and creative

Bresca near 14th+T: went twice in the last month, was not charged either time (once for one bottle, once for two bottles). Food is great; almost every dish was very exciting. And for whatever reason, you can actually get a table and the prices are quite reasonable – we ate a LOT and had bills of $160 and $180 (+tip). Cool vibes too.

[Cole_Kendall]

Himitsu in Petworth: $35 – really good food, fun and creative

Bresca near 14th+T: went twice in the last month, was not charged either time (once for one bottle, once for two bottles). Food is great; almost every dish was very exciting. And for whatever reason, you can actually get a table and the prices are quite reasonable – we ate a LOT and had bills of $160 and $180 (+tip). Cool vibes too.

Maybe I have to try again; my one visit (admittedly on a Saturday) involved standing around for over a half hour before they gave us a table. Once seated it was great.

[Dan_Sch]

Himitsu in Petworth: $35 – really good food, fun and creative

Bresca near 14th+T: went twice in the last month, was not charged either time (once for one bottle, once for two bottles). Food is great; almost every dish was very exciting. And for whatever reason, you can actually get a table and the prices are quite reasonable – we ate a LOT and had bills of $160 and $180 (+tip). Cool vibes too.

Maybe I have to try again; my one visit (admittedly on a Saturday) involved standing around for over a half hour before they gave us a table. Once seated it was great.

What I meant by you can get a table is that you can reserve a table for Saturday a week in advance at a great time slot…tail up goat or Dabney? No chance in hell of getting a reservation — though it can work just fine if you don’t mind eating at the bar and are willing to go early (7 or so?)

[etomasi]

Whelp, if it hasnt been noted previously, Fiola in Penn Quarter stopped allowing corkage. Fiola Mare and Officina (same company) still allow it tho.

[etomasi]

Ambar (Balkan cuisine): $25

Also, Bresca was $25/bottle

[Jay_Winton]

We were in Dino’s Grotto last night enjoying a few bottles on their corkage free night. Very sorry that it’s closing as I have enjoyed many offlines there. Getting a good meal at reasonable prices continues to be difficult in Washington.