It’s 3 a.m. on a Monday morning, and you’ve got a perfectly understandable craving for sushi, a burger, and some chocolate chip pancakes. While this hankering may have seemed unattainable in the past, it can now be easily fulfilled at any time of day, any day of the year, and all thanks to the man on the ten-dollar bill.
The Hamilton, the latest establishment from Clyde’s Restaurant Group, is looking to make huge waves in the D.C. community. And when I say huge, I’m speaking literally—extending across a whopping 37,000 feet and spread out onto three levels, the Penn Quarter restaurant has a seating capacity of over 850. Its features include a main dining room and bar, a 190-seat arboretum room, a sushi bar, an oak bar, a performance and music venue, and an upstairs loft for private parties.
In addition to its massive size, the Hamilton distinguishes itself with its hours of operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The restaurant even offers a special “After Midnight” menu specially designed for every breed of late-night/early-morning eater, be it the night owl in search of a hearty meal before bed or the early riser looking for a satisfying pre-work breakfast.
Naturally, I wanted to take advantage of The Hamilton’s unique hours, so I convinced some friends to head downtown with me at 2 a.m. for a late night feast. Stepping into a high-ceilinged, lobby-like entrance area, we were convinced that we had mistakenly entered a nearby hotel. But plush leather booths, massive windows, dark wood paneled walls, and floor-to-ceiling pieces of art are all part of the Hamilton’s grandiose atmosphere.
But although the restaurant certainly looked the part, its food sadly could not quite live up to the grandeur of the décor. The service, especially at such an hour, was superb, but too many of the menu’s choices proved unsatisfying. The contents of the fish tacos were bland, and the overpowering and overabundant sauce did little to make up for its flavor’s shortcomings. Although somewhat enjoyable, the egg and prosciutto sandwich was far too salty, and became unpleasant after a few bites.
A few of the Hamilton’s dishes, however, really hit the mark. The sweet potato fries, slightly crispy and full of flavor, proved the perfect combination of sweet and salty and wonderfully complemented the sliders, which came stacked on top of one another on a giant skewer. Though topped with classic condiments like grilled pickles, grilled onions, lettuce, and American cheese, these petite burgers well exceeded the typical restaurant burger.
Dessert topped off the bizarre dead-of-night dining experience. The apple crumb pie’s warm, gooey insides were contained on all sides by a buttery, flaky crust and complimented by a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hints of cinnamon and caramel mellowed out the apples’ tartness rather than smothering them with sweetness, and the dessert, though small, proved filling.
Priced comparably two the Tombs but at a significantly less convenient location, the Hamilton probably won’t become a frequent dining stop for Georgetown students. But with a menu offering delicious burgers and decadent desserts, D.C. diners should flock to The Hamilton at all hours—not just 3 a.m.
