"A recently opened H Street NE brewpub aims to upend the usual craft-beer warehouse model by offering a warm, midcentury-modern space with low music, no TVs, and comfortable couch nooks and dining tables instead of picnic benches and metal stools. The on-site brewery, run by an award-winning head brewer, balances classic and hard-to-find styles—an English pale ale (ESB) is a noted standout—and launched with a nine-beer lineup (pints $9, halves $5) from a flexible 1,000-barrel production facility that plans to add a pilsner and a gose. Food comes from a real kitchen led by Walfer Hernandez (formerly of Barrel), with elevated pub fare highlights including Old Bay–dusty honey-glazed fried wings and a tender braised beef cheek sandwich with lemon aioli and pickled red onion. A curated wine program is overseen by veteran bartender Monica Lee, and the founders emphasize both brewing quality and a desire to help rejuvenate the surrounding community. The brewpub opened in May at 1335 H Street NE and operates with staggered first- and second-floor hours throughout the week; no reservations are taken." - Travis Mitchell