photo by Deb Lindsey
From an email:
“Opening Date: 9/13/25
Hours: Open Wednesday – Sunday. Wed, Thurs, Sunday: 5pm-10pm full menu, 10-11 late night menu.
Friday, Saturday: 5-11 full menu, 11-12 late night menu. Bar stays open 1 hr after late night menu
About Maison Bar à Vins:
Nestled in a nineteenth century, four-story brownstone in Washington D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood is Maison Bar à Vins, a French-inspired wine and cocktail bar and full restaurant. “Maison” is the latest venture of The Popal Group (TPG), D.C.’s Afghan family-run, boutique hospitality group behind award-winning restaurant concepts Lapis, Lutèce, Pascual, and LaPop. Maison will combine the classic elements of a traditional European bar à vins with an extensive natural wine list, exceptional dishes and cocktails, and a vibrant atmosphere that allows guests to get a casual bite and drink or linger into the evening with a full meal or drinks.
The Popals, Executive Chef/Partner Matt Conroy (a ‘25 James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic semifinalist), Chef de Cuisine Jason Chavenson, Advanced Sommelier Chris Ray, and Beverage Director Suzy Critchlow are excited to open a bustling wine and cocktail bar that also offers an impressive culinary program beyond standard snacks at American wine bars. On the heels of opening Pascual last year, which landed in Best New Restaurant lists in The New York Times, Robb Report, Eater National, and The Washington Post, Maison is now one the most anticipated openings of the year.
photo by Deb Lindsey
The Space:
The neighborhood go-to will feature the signature TPG design aesthetic of casual elegance with a twist. The multi-level, modernized space features leopard carpeting, ornate wall treatments, and custom furniture, while keeping the unique charm and integrity of the interior with original architecture, original Victorian fireplaces, and antique chandeliers imported from France and Italy. Each of Maison’s three dining floors are designed to evoke a different ambience, and will open in phases with the first floor opening on 9/13. Maison’s initial concept filled a need for guests that wanted to, but couldn’t, linger at Lutèce’s small six-seat bar. As such, the first floor, designated for a focus on walk-ins, features a 12-seat bar with high-top tables by one of three fireplaces, as well as a lounge space characterized by a custom carpet, velvet curtains, moody wallpaper, and leather chairs. The second floor, designed for guests who want a more extensive meal, will have tables available by reservation. The third floor is reserved for private chef dinners, as well as event space for special wine dinners, guest chef collaborations, and private events. Maison will also offer music and entertainment after 9pm for guests to enjoy while sipping on drinks throughout the night.
The Beverage Program:
The focal point of Maison’s offering is one of the city’s most extensive and eclectic wine programs. Designed and curated by Lutèce’s Chris Ray, one of the only Advanced Sommeliers in D.C., the restaurant features a full cellar of wines from France, as well as a surprising selection of wines featuring less common grapes from other regions of the world. The wine program will focus on organic, biodynamic wines and on smaller, sustainable producers. Ray designed a wine program that highlights a quality selection of glasses in the $15-20 range, with some specialty pours like Cecile Tremblay in Burgundy and Richard Leroy in Anjou. Although wine is a shining star of the restaurant, Maison also features an impressive cocktail menu from TPG Beverage Director, Suzy Critchlow. Critchlow most recently designed the beverage program at award-winning Pascual, and managed D.C.’s former Columbia Room which was known for having one of the most ambitious cocktail programs of its time. Their impressive cocktails will all feature a wine based ingredient or ingredient made by a winemaker, plus curated picks of cognacs, armagnacs, & calvados alongside French single malts and gins. Examples include the Poire et Poivre (Rye, cognac, poire, sauternes, black pepper, angostura) and the Rivesaltes Ramos on the dessert menu (Vin rancio, crème épaisse, citrus, soda, orange blossom).
The Culinary Program:
Conroy, who led Pascual to its recognition as an Eater “Best New Restaurant in America” 2024 and both Pascual and Lutèce to their recognition on The New York Times “America’s Best Restaurants” list, co-created Maison’s menu alongside Chavenson. Maison will feature French-inspired dishes that highlight simple, high-quality ingredients made with the thoughtful and creative approach that the team is known for at Lutèce. The menu, designed specifically to highlight the beverage program, includes highlights like in-house made pastas, Eel Croquettes, Brioche Stuffed Chicken, oysters, seasonally rotating terrines, and an emphasis on fresh, seasonal products. The group found inspiration for Maison in wine bars popping up across Europe that offer flexibility in their experience, whether that’s just a glass of wine and a thoughtful bite or a full meal.”
1834 Columbia Road, NW previously home to Habana Village