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Is train travel finally about to become glamorous again? Maybe just in and out of Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.
A luxurious new five-room cocktail lounge has officially opened in Union Station's top mezzanine, giving travelers a new place to sip a Manhattan, snack on truffle popcorn and listen to live music before catching a train. Or, in many likely cases, instead of catching one.
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Continental Club is a pop-up American cocktail parlor inside the historic station, bringing a little golden-age-of-rail-travel glamour to one of the capital's busiest transit hubs. The concept comes from SHKR Hospitality in celebration of America's 250th birthday, with a menu built around USA-made spirits, nostalgic station food and cocktails inspired by the people and places of American rail history.
The drinks are the main event, as befits any mid-century commuter. The Manhattan Limited combines American rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters in a nod to the legendary New York rail route, while the Pullman Old Fashioned uses Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey, Demerara syrup, bitters and orange peel. There’s also the Capitol Gimlet, a lighter, tarter concoction involving American gin, cucumber, lime, basil syrup and St-Germain elderflower liqueur.
In other words, this is not the sad airport bar where you pay $20 for a screw-top bottle of sauvignon blanc or the pizza-scented prison halls of Manhattan's Penn Station.
The food follows the same old-school American-meets-upscale approach. There's complimentary truffle and herb popcorn for every table, as well as a menu that includes lobster rolls, fried chicken biscuit bites and even a Railway Style hot dog that comes on a brioche bun with mustard, relish and onions.
Continental Club is planning weekly live music from local artists, along with rotating programming and special events to be announced. So while Union Station remains, at heart, a stop on the way to somewhere else, this new lounge aims to offer a compelling reason to linger a while before departing. The pop-up is scheduled to remain open through the year, with the possibility of extending into 2027.
The bar’s hours and programming may change throughout the pop-up season, so check the website before heading over. As of press time, the place is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 3pm to 9pm; Thursdays and Fridays from 3pm to 10pm; Saturday from 4pm to 9pm; and Sundays from 4pm to 8pm.