Inside El Rey, Navy Yard’s Hottest New Waterfront Oasis

D.C.’s decade-old vacation spot for dependable tacos and tequila cocktails simply unveiled the placement of its goals. Sprawled on the banks of the Anacostia River, Navy Yard’s 300-seat El Rey marks the showiest venture but for D.C. hospitality brothers Ian and Eric (of Thievery Company fame) Hilton. The economic-styled indoor portion debuted earlier this month, and at this time — a Taco Tuesday with excellent 70-degree climate — felt like the fitting time to activate its out of doors patio bar for the primary time (79 Potomac Avenue SE).

Not like the opposite two landlocked places, El Rey 3.0 embraces a “coastal taqueria” vibe with a dominant out of doors eating state of affairs that’s even larger than the inside (166 vs. 134 seats). Completely satisfied hour additionally goes stay at this time (weekdays 3 p.m. to six p.m.), with $7 margs and frozen cocktails in rotating flavors; $4 Estrella beers; two tacos for $10 all day on Tuesday; and (joyful hour-only) loaded nachos for $10. A late-night deal runs Thursday and Sunday (10 p.m. to midnight).

The colour-soaked Mexican avenue meals spot comes from H2 Collective, the Hilton duo’s prolific D.C. group behind locations like Cafe Colline, Chez Billy Sud, Crimson, American Ice Firm, Gamers Membership, and the newly opened Muni. El Rey has come a good distance since its begin in Shaw, Ian Hilton tells Eater, lovingly referring to the unique as a “ramshackle spot” customary out of transport containers. El Rey later expanded to Virginia in 2021 with a graffiti-splashed location in Ballston.

The second D.C. location took time. The Navy Yard building course of lasted 18 months, which was longer than hoped, however the opening comes simply in time for baseball season at close by Nationals Park. “Everytime you’re in a brand new constructing, it’s going to be completely different. We wished to lean extra into the waterfront cantina really feel and I believe we achieved it,” he says.

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Navy Yard’s El Rey additionally will get a menu improve. Elote is neither served by the cup or cob; as an alternative, candy corn reveals up inside tacky fritters alongside a chipotle mayo dipper. The “salt and pepper” calamari starter additionally hits in another way right here with assist from ancho chile crisp and jalapeños. El Rey chef Oscar Ordonez collaborated with fellow H2 chef Brendan L’Etoile, who runs the kitchen at sibling spots Cafe Colline and Chez Billy Sud.

“He’s operating round cooking French meals on a regular basis and beloved the concept of having the ability to do issues that weren’t discovered on a whole lot of taqueria menus,” says Hilton.

The enjoyable “Hamburguesa” taco riffs on Cafe Colline’s standard membership burger with American cheese and pickles. Navy Yard will double as a take a look at kitchen of types for different El Reys. “If we find yourself nailing the meals and cocktails, there’s no motive why they’ll’t be transported elsewhere,” says Hilton.

El Rey GM DJ Suan strikes over from next-door faucet room Solace, the place H2 is a accomplice, to flex his vet mixology abilities in drinks just like the “Bonita en Rosa” — an up to date paloma made with do-it-yourself grapefruit syrup and prosecco. A tequila-and-mezcal Carajillo solutions the decision to an on a regular basis espresso martini; “Neither Bare Nor Well-known” options strawberry-infused Aperol; and a summer-ready “Parasol” combines sotol from Northern Mexico with banana, pineapple, and lime. Suan additionally contributes on the meals entrance. As a substitute of going with a “cruise ship” form of shrimp cocktail, says Hilton, El Rey remixes the app with diced shrimp, spicy tomato liquor, and diced greens.

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Simply as Navy Yard nets one enormous waterfront oasis, it’s additionally dropping one other. The Cove, a giant seashore bar located alongside El Rey’s identical scenic stretch, seems to be calling it quits. The 40,000-square-foot, cabana-covered hangout, tricked out with yard video games, bucket swings, a DJ pavilion, and a number of bars, opened to a lot acclaim in summer season 2023. “Because of unexpected circumstances, The Cove’s short-term lease could come to an early shut,” per a press release from B Social Hospitality, including an actual date has not been introduced. The closure seems to be partially induced by a fast-moving residential takeover of its prime actual property that previously housed Bardo Brewing. B Social, the nightlife group behind Logan Circle’s new Jefe lounge and Arlington’s upcoming bar Boe, hopes to “reimagine and reintroduce The Cove in a brand new area sooner or later” and can “share extra particulars as plans develop.”

There’s no scarcity of all-outdoor consuming choices proper close to the Cove, nonetheless; final summer season, Solace added a large satellite tv for pc bar referred to as Crush that plans to reopen for the season quickly. The MLB Washington Nationals’ Opening Day is Thursday, March 27.

Mykl Wu/H2

El Rey creates immediate competitors for Mission, the taco-and-tequila standby throughout from Nationals Park. There’s undoubtedly room for extra Mexican meals in Navy Yard, nonetheless (nationwide chain Pink Taco did simply shut).

In the meantime, H2 is not transferring ahead with a beforehand introduced venture in close by Buzzard Level. The TBA bar was tagged for the foot of the Verge flats, however a lately launched streetscape plan would delay the opening by a number of years. “We gave up — it was extra of a timing factor that acquired actually screwed up,” says Hilton. H2 lately parted with its longstanding ties to the Wharf, passing off the Southwest Waterfront area that housed Brighton to the crew behind Whitlow’s.

H2’s future initiatives on the books sit exterior of the District. One other Bar Colline will quickly open throughout the Potomac in Nationwide Touchdown. And plans to redevelop Potomac, Maryland’s Normandie Farm, the almost century-old landmark leased by H2 in 2022, are within the works.

The opposite half of H2 Collective is Ian’s well-known DJ brother Eric Hilton, a founding member of 30-year-old digital duo Thievery Company. He’s not touring (as a lot) nowadays, studies Ian, and as an alternative engaged on extra solo studio initiatives and collaborations as of late.

“He at all times needed to be splitting his time between the street and the restaurant enterprise,” says Ian. “For him, he’s not enormous on touring.”