Hush Harbor
Bar · Near Northeast ·
Phone-free Southern-inspired bar with craft cocktails & bites
Phone-free Southern-inspired bar with craft cocktails & bites
"A month-old, phone-free bar in H Street’s former Hill Prince space, this cozy watering hole channels the spirit of its namesake hush harbors to foster connection through an intentionally unplugged atmosphere: every guest and staffer tucks their device into a Yondr pouch that unlocks only at the entrance. Owner-chef Rock Harper has redesigned the warm, low-lit room to feel “reminiscent of grandma’s house,” with vintage rugs, green plants, pastoral paintings, an oyster shell–covered mantelpiece, dark wood bookcases, antique silver, velvet couches and sink-in chairs, plus books, playing cards, and board games to spark conversation. The affordable, Southern-leaning menu draws on Harper’s roots, with popular braised kale in pot likker ($6) and Cajun red beans and rice with smoked turkey and cornbread ($9); Mother Carole’s “angel eggs” ($10, rebranded from deviled eggs) can be topped with lump crab, and shrimp remoulade comes with poached Gulf shrimp and crispy garlic. Drinks stay classic with clever spins—like a mezcal margarita with peach bitters or a mole-flavored Old Fashioned (both $15)—alongside local beers including a black lager from Soul Mega, and a daily 5–7 p.m. happy hour (weekends, too) featuring $5 beer and wine and $10 cocktails. With intentionally approachable pricing and more meat-free options on the way, the bar is building a true community hub that’s drawing regulars and visitors from Baltimore and Richmond, with book clubs, singles nights, game nights, live music, trivia, and events for the nearby deaf community in the works." - Emily Venezky
"A self-styled “no-phones bar” from Rock Harper nods to the clandestine forest gatherings of enslaved Africans and serves Southern-leaning plates like shrimp in a Creole remoulade, Cajun red beans and rice with smoked turkey, and buttermilk biscuits layered with prosciutto, green tomato jam, and candied pecans. Classic cocktails get playful tweaks, as seen in an Old Fashioned made with mole bitters and a mezcal margarita featuring Italian Cappelletti aperitivo." - Tierney Plumb
"No phones are allowed at Hush Harbor DC, the city’s first bar with a strict unplugged policy. Instead, you’ll find Polaroid film, shrimp remoulade, Cajun red beans and rice, a lending library, and trivia nights. It's like a subtle intervention for the friend glued to Slack." - Omnia Saed
"Dubbed D.C.’s first “no-phones bar,” this Southern spot from longtime restaurateur Rock Harper (Queen Mother) replaces H Street’s Hill Prince and pays homage to the clandestine “hush harbor” gatherings of enslaved Africans. The menu leans soulful with shrimp in a Creole remoulade, Cajun red beans and rice with smoked turkey, and buttermilk biscuits layered with prosciutto, green tomato jam, and candied pecans, while classic cocktails get playful twists like an Old Fashioned with mole bitters and a mezcal margarita built with Italian Cappelletti." - Tierney Plumb
"As an H Street bar operated by chef Rock Harper, this place is part of the small-business reality he describes: Initiative 82 is “hurting us and not working the way it was intended,” and he recounts losing $40,000 in December with the policy a major factor." - Tierney Plumb
