The Hamilton, Clyde's Restaurant Group’s ambitious new 37,000-square-foot venue, celebrated its grand opening Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included remarks from Mayor Vincent Gray. Located in Penn Quarter in the former home of Garfinkel’s flagship department store, the massive complex includes both a 400-seat restaurant and a 400-seat performance space with an advanced sound system.
Dark wood and leather-upholstered booths lend a clubby atmosphere to the Hamilton’s ground-floor dining and bar spaces, where an eclectic mix of American favorites, sushi, cocktails, brunch, and late-night eats is served. The ground floor includes the main dining room and bar, as well as the Oak Bar, sushi bar area and 190-seat Arboretum room. For private parties, a maximum of 80 seated guests or 100 standing can be accommodated in the Loft, the restaurant’s private room on the third floor that includes a large piano bar area.
Downstairs in the basement is the Hamilton Live, a concert venue complete with its own kitchen. Two elevated bars and tiers of tables and seats surround the stage, which will host both local and nationally recognized performers and musicians.
The Hamilton will close only one day a year—Christmas Day—and diners can indulge in late-night options like ramen, roasted marrow with caviar, chicken with biscuits, and bacon-chocolate pancakes. The drink menu includes craft beers, regional spirits, and small production artisanal wines, as well as sake to complement the offerings at the sushi bar, open 11 a.m. to midnight.
