On August 31, your intrepid Scofflaws were able to have a few drinks at DC’s latest speakeasy, Hummingbird to Mars. The premise to Hummingbird really invokes the Prohibition-era drinking establishments. A candle-lit room, jazz playing softly in the background, bartenders and floor staff dressed to the nines, all provide Hummingbird’s ambiance the feel as if you’ve stepped into another era. The mystic is heightened by the secrecy of their location, limited operating hours and reservations-only, small occupancy seating. As such, we will honor our hosts wishes and not divulge the location of this establishment. It should also be noted that the location of Hummingbird is not fixed and will quite possibly not be located in the same location as a previous visit.

The cocktails at Hummingbird are top notch. As reported elsewhere, Owen Thomson, Derek Brown and Justin Guthrie are the brains behind Hummingbird and the drink selection and execution shows their passion. The drinks are a mix of classic cocktails, new creations and cocktails created by friends and other cocktailians from around the US. Each cocktail is meticulously created using the freshest ingredients. The menu will also change with the seasons, enabling the barkeeps to keep the freshest and most seasonal ingredients possible. They are also adept at recreating a favorite or trying out cocktails not on their menu if asked politely. But don’t go thinking you’re going to get Jaeger Bombs and Grey Goose and Soda.

Much like PX in Alexandria, Hummingbird to Mars has a few rules in place to make the experience enjoyable for everyone – no photography or cell phone usage for example. There is no dress code per se, but this isn’t a place where you want to show up wearing your painters-bib and ball cap if you catch my drift.

We worked our way through a good portion of the menu and, in all honestly, every drink we had was spot on. I even requested a cocktail not on the menu, the Louisiane Cocktail, which is probably one of my top three tipples and it was served perfectly. I can’t stress enough that these guys know their craft.

We had a great time and can’t wait to try any new cocktails on their fall menu. This kind of establishment is very welcome to the burgeoning DC cocktail landscape. DC is becoming a cocktail lovers city, hopefully to be mentioned within the same breath as New York, San Francisco and Portland. With great guys like Owen, Justin and Derek helping to lead the way, we’ll get there much faster and in great style!

If you’re interested in going, send an email to reservations AT gmail dot com.

Cheers!