Everyone wishes they could resurrect their favorite neighborhood pub after it closes, but chef Sanjay Mandhaiy (Pappe, Karravaan) is actually attempting to bring back his favorite industry bar, the Passenger, as a new modern gastropub called the Grace.
There’s a lot going on in this intimate swanky bar, outfitted with Americana details like fake wooden mounted fish and Western-style landscape paintings, but for the most part the dressed-up takes on staple dishes from across the country are pretty tasty. It feels like executive chef Courtney Evans, featured in Netflix’s Next Gen Chef, wanted to make any D.C. transplant find a new version of a dish they love, whether they’re from the New York area (think French bistros and Jewish delis), the suburbs (hello, egg-topped club sandwich), the Midwest (butter-basted steak and extra crispy Parmesan steak fries), or even Miami (of course there’s a Cuban sandwich).
What to order
- I loved the seafood starters. You can really taste the collard green-infused butter in the grilled oysters, alongside suya spice that packs a punch, and the mango-coconut shrimp are butterflied and fried to plump perfection with a sweet and spicy mango and Thai chile chow.
- Like every good pub, they serve killer chicken wings. The half-dozen wings are lightly sauced but carry lots of hot sauce flavor. Bleu cheese lovers beware: You can’t really taste the stinky cheese in the green goddess bleu cheese sauce, but I found the fresh herb-packed sauce to be a good counter to all the spice.
- You’re spoiled with choices for mains, but I say go for one of the sandwiches over the seafood, rib-eye, or slow-roasted half-chicken options.
- These are some of the best ultra-browned and crispy, fluffy-on-the-inside Parmesan fries I’ve had in D.C., and they come with every sandwich order or as an under-$8 side.
- I followed my heart to the chicken club, which is upgraded with two fried eggs and a tangy tarragon mayo. I loved how smoky the bacon and grilled chicken were, but the vegetables got a little lost with all that protein.
What to drink
It’s an interesting choice to build a pub or saloon menu around daiquiris (it might be a homage to Passenger’s tiki pop-up Hogo and its on-draft rum drinks), but I loved how balanced these New Orleans-esque cocktails were (starting under $15 and up). The tamarind-banana daiquiri option was sour and tangy, while the Ranch Coconut Water, with tequila and manzanilla, and The Peach Pie, made with moonshine, anise, and peaches, were super refreshing.
The service
The highlight of my entire experience was the service. Servers, bartenders, and hosts were happy to share their favorite cocktails with you and chat about which dishes they’ve tried recently.
Insider tip
While the new digs feel a little upscale, there are plenty of nods to the industry-favorite Passenger in the space, including a mounted, stuffed antelope head to honor “Gary” (the antelope that once graced these walls) and a great late-night menu. The bar stays open till 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and you can order crab cream sauce-loaded fries with pickled Fresno chiles; tuna tartare on buttered brioche; and fried chicken sliders ($14 to $17) from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on weekends.
