Duke’s Grocery, whose Proper Burger is consistently ranked as one of the best burgers in D.C., is opening a restaurant near Nationals Park in D.C.’s Navy Yard.
The Navy Yard location, at 1201 Half St. SE, on the street level of JBG Smith’s Half West residential building, will have a huge garage door that connects the inside with outside patio seating along Half Street. It will have what it says will be by far the biggest bar and the most video screens of any Duke’s location.
It will open sometime this fall.
”This is going to be a drinks-heavy operation, and the Duke’s staples we are known for,” said Daniel Kramer, managing partner of Dukes’s owner Duo Group.
Kramer said there will be a dozen draft beers, “stiff” specialty cocktails and a robust wine list.
The Navy Yard location will have what might be the longest happy hours in town — from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. — and bottomless brunch.
Duke’s calls its menu, some of which changes daily, East London pub-inspired food.
“Our goal everywhere we operate is to be your ‘local’ type of place where you come for late night drinks, weekday lunch, birthday parties and everything in between, “Kramer said.
The original Duke’s Grocery opened Dupont Circle on 17th Street NW in 2013. It opened an outpost called Duke’s Counter in Woodley Park in 2016, and a Duke’s Grocery location in Foggy Bottom in 2019.
In addition to Duke’s, Duo Group’s other restaurants include Gogi Yogi Korean BBQ in Shaw and the soon-to-open year-round outdoor Chesapeake Crab Shack and Bar on U Street NW.
