Sad to report L’Ardente has increased corkage to $45. Went today for restaurant week but the high corkage and 3x retail mark-up make it less tempting than it would otherwise be.
Just adding a data point: the reopened Moon Rabbit (now in Gallery Place) has a corkage fee of $35/bottle, up to 2 bottles.
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FYI.
Primrose is still $25/btl
Zeppelin is $25btl
Does anyone have a recommendation for the best steakhouses in the area for corkage? I went to Ocean prime with a 1983 D’yquem and 1996 Haut Brion and the service was just very lackluster and I don’t think their staff really knew what they were doing.
Most servers in the US are clueless about wine service. Let your server know that you will gladly pay corkage and open and pour your wine.
Maybe so for most servers & establishments, but surely there are places in DC that provide halfway decent service, no?
Nope.
Bourbon Steak had solid service. I’ve also found a couple other random places with good service, but they tend to be places with 1 star or so. I generally prefer to open and keep the wine myself, however ask specifically for the Sommelier. If they have one, then ask them to prep and serve the wine.
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2nded for Bourbon Steak
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Do you mind sharing what some of those other places are? Thanks for the tip re Bourbon Steak. I found their food prices a little high compared to other steakhouses, but I may stomach it to ensure good wine service.
To add more to the thread, Hell’s Kitchen apparently offers it at $75/bottle. Probably won’t be using them fwiw.
Has anyone tried Del Frisco’s Double Eagle? I’m a fan of their food but have yet to bring a bottle, I usually just purchase there.
not sure exactly what you mean by “good service”. Do you mean the traditional wine service of showing the wine, opening the bottle correctly, showing the cork, quick taste for the “designated taster”, the clockwise pour while showing the label and ending back at the taster? Then whisking the wine away? If so… I hate that.
However, Fiola does that (but no corkage). For less formal places that are solid service wise, Moon Rabbits’ Somm is great, Primrose is great, Caruso’s grocery is solid, Officina’s Somm is good, RPM’s has good service. I’m sure some of the new Michelin starred places have great service, but I dont know if they have corkage. Generally, I feel if they are higher end and don’t allow corkage, they’ll do the more traditional service. but YMMV.
By “good service” in relation to corkage, I mostly mean proper care when opening older bottles and good quality stemware (also ability to decant ahead if time would be nice). For non-corkage service, I personally enjoy that traditional service though that wasn’t really what I was inquiring about.
I’ll be visiting and meeting up a college buddy, who’s also visiting from afar, and I want to byo a few bottles.
How are the stems at these restaurants?
Primrose has good glasses. In fact I’m heading there tonight. Zepplelin doesnt have great ones. I might recommend bringing red wine glasses to Zeppelin if thats what you open. They were fine for whites, orange, and sparklers.
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Which would be the best restaurant for fish of the above mentioned places? Not far from the Grand Hyatt would be a plus.
Reikina (Capitol Hill) doesn’t offer drinks at all but it is totally self service with no corkage fee/limit. Their glasses are not the best; you may bring your own. You share a big table with other guests, and you can exchange some wines with them if you like.
Arrels (spanish restaurant) in the Arlo hotel https://www.arrels-dc.com/ - $35/btl