How does your bar program accommodate adventurous drinkers who don’t want alcohol?
Jensen: We are diving deep into the world of mocktails of late. We try hard not to mark them up. If they weren’t drinking a mocktail then it would be water, so we don’t want to charge exorbitant prices for a non-alcoholic drink. People are increasingly interested in zero-proof cocktails; it makes their experience richer [than just drinking water]. There are so many more options now, and the options are more interesting. I don’t really like most non-alcoholic liquors, but use other alternatives to make ‘sans spirit’ cocktails.
For instance, there’s the ‘secret snack’ on our drinks menu right now, which has celery soda and olive brine, and a spritz made with Chinotto, which is Italy’s ‘national’ soda, made from bitter orange. Just like all our food menus, we try to keep things fresh, and we change up the mocktail menu often.
Reveler’s is well known for its innovative wine program, too. Any intel you can give us on that?
Jensen: Our wine program continues to change seasonally. We’re very conscientious about changing the by-the-glass list at least every equinox and solstice, so in a way we mark the change of the season by the wine glass. The focus shifts from season to season, too: for example, we have had themes like wines from native Italian grapes, wines that are only imported into the D.M.V., natural wines, and wines from a particular wine maker we love. We recently featured South African wines from the first post-apartheid Black-owned winery.
Our wines are selected with our food in mind overall, but we don’t think about pre-determined pairings for specific dishes. We also try and focus on wines that come from sustainable practices. And we are doing new wine events, which are great. We want to give our customers access to people who are making the wine, and hear from them directly and also give wine makers the chance to tell their stories.
You also have a wine club that began during the pandemic. How is that going now?
Jensen: Our monthly wine club is going great. We offer packages that include three or six bottles, and there’s a different theme every month. There is also an option for members to do virtual meet-ups to discuss the wines. And we offer pick-up and shipping to any state that allows wine shipments.
What has the guests’ reaction to the revamp been like?
Jensen: Our regulars have been reporting that everything has been amazing; some of our regulars could tell that we had a new voice in the kitchen and some didn’t, but it’s been positive either way. We’re lucky because it’s a great dining community with lots of regulars who continue to support us, and we in turn try and create an atmosphere that is welcoming and community-oriented; where people who have been coming in for a long time know we show up every day trying to create the best version of Reveler’s Hour every day.
We do get newcomers as well — people visiting Adams Morgan because we have so many good restaurants in the area, and visitors staying at the Line Hotel. The menu is more dynamic than it ever has been, and we have gotten good feedback from people who had never been to the restaurant previously, too.
Finally, how is the team keeping up with all of these changes?
Jensen: As a restaurant that opened in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, we are used to scrambling. We have essentially been in survival mode since then! But that has allowed us to become really adept at change, and to really embrace the idea of continually evolving. We want to build on what we do well, and we want to just always be open to the idea of learning and always trying to grow and doing our best.
Dining and Cooking