This Washington DC Pop-Up Bar Celebrates Japanese Culture

Washington DC seems to be getting all the good pop-up bars lately. The newest on the scene is Cherry Blossom PUB (Pop-Up Bar) from Drink Company, the team behind some of DC’s best cocktail bars as well as the popular Miracle on 7th Street Christmas-themed holidaytime pop-up.
Launching March 1, the Cherry Blossom PUB is taking over Mockingbird Hill and Southern Efficiency, adjacent bars both owned by Drink Company, adding Japanese decor flourishes and offering Japan-inspired cocktails and bar bites.
Southern Efficiency’s space will sport paper blossoms, origami cranes, and Japanese waving cats, while Mockingbird Hill will be made over with a Super Mario Bros motif. Bar manager Paul Taylor has created a dozen whimsical cocktails to suit both themes. Choices include the “Eat, Drink, and Be Cherry” (Japanese whiskey, Luxardo Sangue Morlacco, almond liqueur, lemon, sparkling water) and the “Princess Is In Another Castle” (Cognac, Jamaican rum, momo tea, sparkling wine). The full cocktail list will be available in both bar locations.

“As a native Washingtonian, cherry blossom season is something we look forward to every year,” said Drink Company partner Derek Brown in an announcement for the Cherry Blossom PUB. “This pop-up brings together some of my favorite things under one roof, including both classic cocktails and Mario nostalgia. Just imagine our Miracle on 7th Street pop-up with a mustache and hordes of hand-waving, lucky cats.”
Cherry Blossom PUB is expected to run through April 15, but Brown didn’t rule out potentially extending it if popularity demands.
Cherry Blossom PUB, 1841-1843 7th St., Washington DC

About the author

Kathryn Maier

NYC Food & Drink Editor

Kathryn has eaten her way around the globe, seeking out local delicacies in more than 40 countries and counting. After receiving a Master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she began writing about travel, food, and drink, and has held editorial roles at luxury publications including Conde Nast Traveler and the Robb Report. When she's in NYC, she can generally be found on a barstool at one of the city's best cocktail bars or at home sipping fine wine with her cat on her lap.