DC is re-opening. Vaccinated people are ready for a hot and heavy summer. Fun times are ahead, and for DC, that includes bottomless brunch. This guide will hopefully help people understand what type of brunch they are getting themselves into by just glancing at the menu. It will focus on bottomless brunch, not a-la-carte, and break it down from there based on prices. I am taking my experience as a frequent brunch enjoyer, but also from the perspective of a brunch bartender who worked a few years in the industry before COVID hit.
Less than $25:
This is the basic brunch. Not many places will have a bottomless option this cheap, and you get what you pay for. Expect to only have the option of OJ with champagne, the basic mimosa. Some restaurants may offer a different mix, but cheap champagne is usually the only alcohol included in the bottomless bar. The crowd will often reflect this price as well. Rowdy college kids and interns trying to stretch a dollar and willing to black out on whatever is handed to them is a common sight. If you are interested in partying and are willing to brave the inevitable hangover OJ concentrate and bubbles produces, places in this price range are for you. Shaw’s Tavern, Madhatter, and Red Rocks are all examples of brunch in this range.
$25-$35
This menu price is the normal for most bottomless options in DC. This will have the widest variety of options by far. Besides the normal OJ and champagne, other mixers will almost 100% be included. This price range is also where you start to find other options included with brunch. Bloody Mary’s, Beer, Screwdrivers, margaritas are all common items to be included at brunch in this price range. While not high-end liquor being used, the mixes are often a higher quality. Better juices, actual garnishes with cocktails, and other amenities will be found in this range. Crowds will vary, as many restaurants in this range will make any customer happy. Prost, DC Harvest, and Dukes Grocery are examples of brunches in this category.
$35 or more
We have reached the top. Anything above this price range is going to either be genuinely nice ingredients or offer a ton of options. Often, this range will include liquor or other drinks in the bottomless bar. Or the brunch bubblies being supplied are of less hangover inducing quality, and expect fresh juices and fruit included with the drinks. This price range is also where you find the bottomless food + drink brunches. Agora and Ambar are two good examples of places that restrict bottomless options unless the entire table does it, and then food and drink are included. As brunches at this option run on the higher end, expect less of the college and intern crowd. That does not mean debauchery will be absent. Some of the best DC brunches are in this category and finding a birthday or other celebration going hard is not out of the ordinary.
The main goal of this quick guide is to give people an understanding of the brunch they are going to by just glancing at the menu. It can sometimes be overwhelming with all the brunch options available in DC, but price is a good indicator of the service, quality of ingredients, and clientele that you will be dealing with when boozing at brunch. Every place will be different, and you can only find your favorite by going out and enjoying multiple types of brunch. And, by trying out different places, you will discover the:
X Factor
This is the final ingredient needed when understanding what type of brunch experience, you are getting yourself into. The X Factor is a little harder to determine, and most menus will not reveal it. This information can be found out by experiencing the locations brunch, calling ahead, or scouting the location for clues. The X factor is if the restaurant drops off bulk quantities of the mimosas, or if it must be served individually. This makes a HUGE difference in service quality. A busy brunch that forces servers to refill each glass individually will get swamped. It is difficult to manage food, drinks, and other responsibilities normally, but having to refill an 8 top every 10 minutes will send a server over the edge. On the other hand, going to a place that drops off crafts, bottles, or in Union Pubs case, is self-served, will allow for a much more relaxed and enjoyable brunch. When people pay for bottomless, they want bottomless. And while some places pull off the refills better than others, it is usually nice to have control of the pours yourself.