Call it the Derek Brown bar crawl: Oysters and bubbly at Eat The Rich, ham and sherry at Mockingbird Hill, and fried catfish and whiskey at Southern Efficiency. The bar impresario, of The Passenger fame, and his partner Angie Salame have now completed their trifecta of bars on 7th Street NW in Shaw—all within a little more than six months. Consult our guide for optimal bar-hopping.

Mockingbird Hill

1843 7th St. NW 

Eat this: Ham should be your first choice. Try a sampling of five American meats, including Red Apron’s lomo and CuredDC’s duck prosciutto, for $14.

Drink this: The daily sherry flight scrawled on the blackboard is a good place to start. The three wines come with a little snack—like walnuts or olives—that complement the flavors. Not feeling sherry? Don’t miss the Green Hat Gin and apple-sage tonic on tap.

Design detail: A carving station at the end of bar provides a full view of the meat slicing.

Eat The Rich

1839 7th St. NW 

Eat this: A dozen Rappahannock River oysters, of course. For something more adventurous, try the rapa whelks (sea snails from the Chesapeake). Also surprisingly tasty: potatoes baked in cream, salted anchovies, and caramelized onion.

Drink this: If you’re with a group, a pitcher is in order. Try the beer and clamato juice or the mezcal concoction with apple shrub, lime, and spicy bitters. Slurping solo? Throw back an oyster shooter or a glass of sparkling wine.

Design detail: The light fixtures are refurbished oyster cages.

Southern Efficiency

1841 7th St. NW

Eat this: For snacks, try the peanut soup or deviled eggs with smoked trout trimmings. If you’re craving something more substantial, opt for a pulled pork sandwich, fried catfish, or a Southern curried chicken dish called Country Captain.

Drink this: The bar’s got more than 40 bottles of mostly Southern bourbon and rye whiskies. Not a neat freak? Ask the bartender for the white rye whiskey and hickory-smoked cola on tap or a bottled cider and rye cocktail served in a mason jar.

Design detail: Stools are made out of metal tractor seats.

Sherry photo by Darrow Montgomery. Other photos by Jessica Sidman.