photo by flipsh0t
All the info on the Catahoula action in Navy Yard:
“Catahoula: Cajun, Creole, & Cocktails will officially celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, May 14, bringing the spirit, flavor, and energy of Louisiana to DC’s Navy Yard neighborhood. Located at 79 Potomac Ave SE, Catahoula offers guests three distinct ways to experience the concept through its main dining room French Brasserie, Wine Terrace, and Boil Garden.
79 Potomac Ave, SE
Executive Chef and Partner Thomas Malz’s love letter to Louisiana, Catahoula’s menu explores the intersection of Cajun, Creole, and Gulf Coast influences with dishes including Chicken and Sausage Gumbo with dark roux and andouille, Petite Prime Rib à la Prudhomme, boudin, and a lineup of traditional poor boys including fried shrimp, debris, blackened catfish, fried oyster, and hot Creole sausage. Guests can also expect raw and broiled oysters, Crab and Cucumber Remoulade, Corn and Crab Bisque, Crispy Okra, and Heritage Corn Guppies with whipped sugarcane butter.
The restaurant takes its name from the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, a working breed that reflects the grit, resilience, and cultural convergence at the heart of Louisiana itself; the same spirit that defines the restaurant and its approach to food and hospitality.
The beverage program, led by DC hospitality veteran Rachel Sergi, features New Orleans cocktails alongside frozen cocktails designed for warm-weather drinking and late nights.
“Catahoula is about bringing together the flavors, hospitality, and culture that make Louisiana so special, but the expression of Louisiana as it exists today, in real life,” said Malz. “As a Quebecois and Acadian American, I’ve always connected deeply with the way Louisiana’s food culture as an extension of my own heritage, and how it’s been shaped by different communities, histories, and traditions coming together to create something entirely its own. The time I spent there over my life with family in Slidell from a young age, and working in restaurants in the city was and is deeply influential to my work as a chef.”
79 Potomac Ave, SE
The space, designed in collaboration with David Anthony Chenault and Topher Nate Contracting, blends aged textures, antiqued woodwork, copper accents, and Art Deco-inspired elements across the restaurant. The layered design draws inspiration from the architecture and atmosphere found throughout New Orleans and the Gulf South.
The 79-seat French Brasserie serves as the restaurant’s main dining room, featuring an elevated Cajun and Creole menu alongside New Orleans cocktails, French and domestic wines, seven draft beers, and six draft cocktails, in addition to nearly 100 outdoor seats on the front patio. Along the side of the restaurant, the 89-seat Boil Garden focuses on Louisiana-style seafood boils, frozen cocktails, and a lively open-air atmosphere. The 34-seat Wine Terrace, inspired by Bacchanal in New Orleans, features an international wine selection, charcuterie, rotating frozen cocktails, and one of the best views of the Frederick Douglass Bridge.
“Louisiana hospitality is about making people feel comfortable the moment they walk in,” said Sergi. “Whether someone orders a classic Hurricane, a frozen cocktail, or sits down for dinner and wine, we want Catahoula to feel energetic, welcoming, and just a lot of fun.”
Catahoula opens to the public on Thursday, May 14.
Hours:
Daily: 11AM-3PM and 5-11PM
Kitchen closes at 10PM
Hours may vary during events at Nationals Park and Audi Field”
The menus:
