Mission DuPont: Bienvenidos

Washington, D.C. is a thriving market for new restaurants, bars and nightlife venues. 

Unlike a lot of other cities, D.C. is home to a younger crowd who start their weekends on Thursdays and finish with bottomless Sunday brunches.

These attributes make the District the perfect place to open a new eatery or local hangout. 

Two of my favorite places to be on the weekends are Glover Park's Mason Inn and Georgetown's, George. If you frequent either of these places often, odds are you've met their owners Fritz Brogan and Reed Landry. With both of these bars bringing in many accolades, it's no surprise they decided to venture to another area of the city.

Mission, DuPont's newest restaurant and bar, is set to open later this week (in the same location that used to be One Lounge) and is co-owned by these two young entrepreneurs. 

Fritz Brogan, Executive Chef Rodrigo Albarran and Reed Landry

My friend Alyssa and I with Fritz Brogan

Walking into Mission, you immediately forget about the trials of the day and are transported to an environment that mirrors a cool summer night down in Mexico. The decor offers a Spanish flair, with mini tea lights and colorful wall tiles. 

The lights are slightly dimmed, drawing your eyes to the sky, where a glass ceiling hovers over the bar space. You get the feeling that your outdoors, even though you're inside.

Throughout the two story row home, there are five separate dining and event areas. Grab a table downstairs or head up the brick lined staircase for a more open environment upstairs.

If you wish to cool things down a bit, step outside to DuPont's largest outdoor patio. 

This space will be perfect for those warm summer afternoons enjoying a margarita or two.

Speaking of margaritas, Mission offers more than 50 types of tequila (some bottles costing north of $600). Too early to start sipping on some margs? Then try a nice cold glass of Corona Light. Mission is the FIRST bar in Washington, D.C. to offer this beer on draft.

If the atmosphere and alcohol selection of Mission aren't enough, how about adding an award winning chef to the mix? Executive Chef Rodrigo Albarran, has been featured on hit shows like Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, and his R&R Taqueria was recently awarded the #1 Mexican restaurant in the Baltimore metro area by Zagat. Chef Rodrigo has put together a menu for Mission that will be sure to please any taste buds. (**The guacamole and rice are amazing… seriously, amazing)

Guacamole and Chips, Spanish rice and Chicken tacos.

Between the welcoming atmosphere, extensive tequila selection and award winning food, Mission should be at the TOP of your list to visit. Whether you stop in for their opening weekend, a warm afternoon on the patio, for a late night dance party or for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday, there is something for everyone at Mission. Come early or stay late!   If Mission is anything like Mason Inn and George, it will surely be just as big of a success.   Mission is set to open later this week for full dinner service, bar service and open till 3 a.m. on the weekends.