Mockingbird Hill

Is everyone so gullible with these new «hip» bars? Nothing special, expensive small drinks, basic food, bad service, etc. We need to expect and demand more!

Yes, yes, and yes! I make people come to this spot every time I am in DC. I knew nothing about sherry before this place opened and have enjoyed sampling my way through the menu. The Suryano is to die for! The atmosphere isn’t pretentious at all and makes a fun learning (and drinking) environment.

Nice decorations but ok service. The bartender forgot my order and I had to remind her. The drinks are over prices.

This is a review for Mockingbird Hill’s Christmas pop-​up, Miracle on 7^th Street.
For the month of December, this sherry and ham bar was transformed into a Christmas wonderland. Decked to the nines with ornate white and gold tissue paper pom poms, gold tinsel, twinkly lights, and gold stars, this pop-​up featured Christmas-​themed drinks. Drinks are served in mugs, glasses, and shot glasses adorned with Santa’s face. Miracle on 7^th Street also promotes daily holiday festivities like DIY Christmas crafts, holiday movie night, or even the traditional ugly sweater night. I came on a Friday night, which was free cookie night!
The pop-​up had ten cocktails and one egg not shot ($ 4). Cocktails are $ 12 except the Mele Kalikimaka (tiki bowl for 2 people) for $ 27. I had the You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!, which consists of blended scotch, pisco, drambuie, lemon curd, pistachio «orgeat», and gingerbread cream. It’s a frothy drink, and you need to make sure to mix the gingerbread cream in with the liquid so that the taste is more balanced. My boyfriend got the Gretchen, Stop Trying to Make Fetch Happen (moscatel sherry, dry curaçao, spiced cranberry syrup, and sparkling wine). It was too sweet for his taste but otherwise pretty good.
Is it worth the (at least) one hour wait? Eh, I’ve definitely had better cocktails for less wait time. It’s honestly the holiday ambiance. I haven’t encountered a more kitschy Christmas bar anywhere else yet. Luckily, this 70 degree weather made waiting outside ten times more bearable than it otherwise might have been. If you don’t mind the wait and want the festivities, step in line. Recommend getting to Mockingbird Hill before 5 when they open.

Wow… where to start? My sister and I were so excited about this place based on what we had read in the Post and the Express and are both ardent lovers of all things Christmas but this place? In a word: sucked. We waited an hour to get in, which, ok — it’s the holidays and a themed bar is a big deal so we were ok with it. But then the service was atrocious. Our bartender had to check back in with us three times to get our order straight and then still tried to hand us a beverage we hadn’t ordered. And then she looked for my card for a good 15 minutes before we gave up and asked another bartender to close out my tab. The worst part was the taste of the cocktails. My sister ordered «Francisco, that’s fun to say» which was a spiked hot chocolate with a toasted marshmallow. It was lukewarm and tasted like the instant cocoa packets with all the things a teenager could get their hands on when Mom and Dad go out of town. I got the «You’ll Shoot a your Eye Out» which was a gingerbread inspired cocktail with Pisco and Sherry. I’ve never, EVER left a drink untouched after one sip but this one was so bad I just had to. Pisco, lime and egg white are magic together but Pisco with gingerbread cream was a combo that never should have been tried. Both of us are so bummed that we wasted an evening on this and felt sorry for everyone still in line when we left.

Plenty of restaurants will throw together a few decorations this time of year — a wreath on the door, Christmas tree and few draping garlands. But a few spots really get into the spirit, with truly impressive (some might say crazy) décor and holiday cheer. But Mockingbird Hill, a sherry and ham bar, wholeheartedly embrace the holidays with decorations that range from ambitious to ridiculous (Dino nativity scene).
If you don’t mind waiting in line for 2 hours, please come visit this pop-​up Holiday bar renamed, «Miracle on 7^th Street.» The highlight of my night was a $ 27 drink for two, Mele Kalikimaka. Oh so good and strong. We also, tried the ham sandwich with cranberry BBQ sauce, beet salad and meatballs.
I subtracted 1 star for food/​drink price and long lines. I wish they handed out complimentary snacks during the 2 hour wait.

Mockingbird Hill as Miracle on Seventh Street
Come for the Christmas cheer and cocktails! Try the food another time.
Pros: Delicious drinks, Christmas cheer!
Cons: The wait!
I decided to kick off December in style at the opening night of Miracle on Seventh Street aka Mockingbird Hill. As expected, it was packed to the brim after publicity in the WP, Washingtonian and a smattering of DC blogs. Derek Brown was slinging drinks and pouring egg nog shots for patient customers awaiting their holiday-​themed libations. (I had to roll my eyes when the guy next to me ordered a vodka and soda. I’m not sure why you’d come to Christmas bar on opening night and order something you can get at any bar. Seems a little Scrooge-​like to me!)
I arrived at 7:30pm to a bustling scene. At about 7:45pm, I was able to order a «I Don’t Mind You Shooting Me, Frank, But Take It Easy on the Rum». These four ingredients, one of which is a candy cane, took 15 minutes and required me to check in with the staff 3 times. I was told twice by the guy I ordered it from that «she» was still making it. In the meantime, the guy next to me, who was from the industry and recognized by the staff, received his first and second drinks. I was grateful to receive an egg nog shot on the house. My drink was delightful when it arrived however given the wait time, I expected it to be far more elaborate. The girls sitting at the bar said their favorite was the Hanukkah drink which reminded them of a boozy root beer float. Wassail (hot mulled cider) is a treat very much enjoyed on cold days in Minnesota. Had I been more strategic in my ordering, I would have opted to try this one but I ordered what I did with the knowledge that it could take longer given that it wasn’t pre-​made. My companion liked the Yippie Ki Yay (Trinidad Rum, Cachaça, Dry Curaçao, Roasted Chestnut Orgeat, Lime), with the star flavor being the roasted chestnut. We found seats in the Hannukah Room next to the TV showing «It’s a Wonderful Life». All food needed to be ordered at the bar, so, at that point, we decided to go Drink’s sister-​bar next door Southern Efficiency to escape the crowd and enjoy equally-​festive cocktails in a more intimate setting.
This creative Christmassy pop-​up is a must-​do for any Washingtonian looking to maximize all the joy that December has to offer. If crowds make you a Grinch, maybe try to go on off hours, or, better yet, have a shot of the glorious Baltimore Egg Nog and perhaps everything will look merry and bright. Kudos to Derek Brown and his team on a grand execution of a jolly good time.

I really enjoyed my visit here. It’s a sherry bar, so if you come for something else, you’ll likely be disappointed. They also have a revolving gin and tonic recipe on tap, which was fun to try!
The bartenders were great; Friendly, knowledgeable and quick service. I also enjoyed that it’s not loud in there, easy to sit down and have a conversation. I’ll definitely return and give their sherry a try!

We came for sherry flights and learned a lot about this beverage. The drinks were pared with some snacks and it was interesting to try something new.

Friendly bartenders who helpfully offered two pairs of eyes and a flashlight when I dropped a small item. Derek Brown has broadened my horizons again: Mockingbird Hill opened my eyes to drinking sherry instead of just cooking with it, but they also carry alternatives for livers reluctant to break away from their usual vices. Green Hat gin & tonic was refreshingly tasty on draft. They started out with delicious small plates, but have more recently simplified down to charcuterie; I would’ve happily ordered the baby octopus again, but I was pleased by our cheese plates and I dig their ham selection. I’m looking forward to trying the deviled eggs and spinach quiche with the High Kirk, Doctor’s Orders, or Chimney Sour.

This place is amazing. Knowledgable, enthusiastic, and super-​friendly bartenders here make the experience great. The place is small but intimate with an ambiance reflecting its Spanish point of view.
First and foremost, Mockingbird Hill highlights the magic of sherry. There is an extensive selection of sherries by the glass, bottle, sherry cocktails, and more. (Don’t miss the cocktails). The best thing is the gents behind the bar are happy to help you navigate whether you’re a novice drinker or a sommelier.
There are small plates available to pair with your sherry, with ham being the highlight. The only fault I found is with their disappointing bread. This is not a quality pan de cristal…
Mockingbird Hill is worth a special trip. It’s fantastic and a unique experience.

Finally checked out this place! I had been wanting to go since my bartender at the (late) Columbia Room told me about it.
Cocktails/​sherry: very cool, broad selection of both sherry-​based cocktails and sherry tastings. Wish I’d done a tasting — next time.
Snacks: nice selection of hams, I especially loved the lomo and the serrano. We also got tomato bread with boquerones (white anchovies)! Delicious. My only criticism was I wish the bread for the ham had been sliced a little thinner and/​or grilled/​toasted instead of just hunks of bread in a basket.
Service: nice bar service, friendly people.
Will definitely return for that sherry tasting!

This was a stop on CMYE! Unilocal tastes the District W/​Carpe Diem. I enjoyed the aged cheese and honey. If you have a passion for sherrys or ham, this is the perfect place to explore flavors. The bar area looks fun.

It is tricky to rate this place, because as a sherry bar — they do a terrific job. The staff is knowledgeable, passionate, and helpful, and the service is high touch. During our visit, I watched both bartenders discuss the sherry menu at length with patrons. They were patient and friendly with everyone. The variety of sherry is terrific and the flights are reasonably priced, offering a very accessible means of learning more about this lesser seen spirit.
They also provide little tastes of food that pair with the sherries you order (both by the glass and by the flight.) These tastes serve to highlight the food-​friendly quality of the drinks and help to draw out the different qualities of each sherry. Also — the cocktails are exceedingly tasty. The hot buttered rum here is incredible, with a quarter inch of melted butter floating on the surface of the warm orange and winter spice scented concoction.
What isn’t as well-​conceived is the food menu — and the fact that when you have two bartenders offering this level of personal attention and service to a packed bar, things get really slow… and forgotten… and messed up. And it is a shame, because the effort is there; the staff is just over extended.
Onto the food — pretty much everything tasted great, but the prices are all over the place. For example, the $ 6 order of olives from the ‘Snacks’ section of the menu consisted of about 6 olives. Along those same lines, the $ 8 quiche is the size of a single half-​filled muffin tin. And yet, the toasted bread with toppings (which was the same price as the quiche) consisted of 3 substantial slices of crusty bread, which could serve as a small meal.
To be fair, Mockingbird Hill doesn’t bill itself as a restaurant. But, between the weird service issues and the steep tab for a sparse meal and drinks, I’m not sure I’d return. If you’re a sherry newbie (like myself,) it is worth a visit just to try a flight and learn a bit about the spirit.

My friend and I decided to check this place before heading to Howard Theatre for a concert that night. We walked right in on a Friday night around 7:30 and, to our luck, grabbed two seats at the bar instantly. The music wasn’t too loud and the lighting was dim but not too dark; both perfect for catching up with a friend at the bar. «This is going to be great» we thought. Wrong.
Our bartender was incredibly flaky and aloof. When our presence was finally acknowledged and we ordered our drinks, getting the actual drink in hand took way longer than it should. Same thing happened when we ordered a second round. I thought like another reviewer that maybe she was just an immature server, but she interacted fine with other patrons at the opposite end of the bar. Very pompous. My friend and I aren’t people who are well versed in sherry at all so offering to guide us to selecting something we’d like would have been appreciated. When we did place orders, she looked at us like we had five heads I had to trust that she knew what were asking for. There were two guys behind us standing waiting for their drink orders to be taken and they too, once they ordered, waited a while. And it wasn’t over the top busy at all. I understand that bar service is different from table service but it was bad.
Onto the drinks and food themselves. My friend and I both ordered a glass of the El Maestro Sierra. It was really distinctive and somewhat nutty but both of us did not care for it. Again with a little direction maybe we would have made a better choice but we were both so close to sending it back (something I have only ever done once). But considering how long it took to get recognized and even get a drink, we opted to just deal with it.
We decided on two small plates to share. When I said «May be order food here? We’d like to order something» to our bartender/​server we got a good dose of sass along with «Sure, I’ll be with you shortly.» Finally we ordered something to nosh on to get over the sherry. The tomato & garlic bread was simultaneously sweet and tangy from the tomatoes and garlic. The Spanish quiche with ham was crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. While the quality and taste were good, the portion was super-​small especially for the price. So taking everything into account (quality, taste, and price), I’ve had better.
Overall I was disappointed and really underwhelmed by everything. I expected better considering all the hype surrounding it but left feeling annoyed.

You there… who me? Yeah you… prosciutto … Mr. Spanish Serrano hiding in the corner… what you think I didn’t notice you? you think I am just going to let you slide without at least taking a bite out of you??? huh? oh hell no…
Mockinbird Hill is the place for simple flavorful prosciutto and tasty cold tapas. Awesome olives, get some of that excellent manchego, and pile on that ham!!! Then of course you can’t leave without having some sherry.
As evidenced by the menu, the bar is very big on sherry and this is a wonderful place to partake in this drink, and the pairings that come. Even simple bar snacks are excellent, such as the Virginia peanuts, and the house made walnut brittle is a lot of fun too. There are also nicely well crafted cocktails made here with care.
If you love good prosciutto this is the place to be. I am easily a sucker for Serrano, I have had Iberico ham which they do serve here but it is as expected very expensive. Personally I can pass on it, so I suggest you stick with captain S there which you will be more than happy with I promise.
Sherry flights are also a good way to dive in to taste many a different kind and find your angle. However, the place is a bit expensive and can quickly add up for a nice small plated lunch and drink.
I’d go for just a single glass serving, but to some degree that involves a bit of homework. Still, the bartenders are knowledgeable on it and can answer any questions.
Hand over the Serrano and nobody gets hurt… I ain’t folling around!
Great little place for that sort of thing, a real unique spot.

I strolled into Mockingbird Hill for lunch one afternoon. I sat at the bar where coffee expert Cory was brewing coffee using a machine that involved a pour-​over style of brewing. He gave me an overview of the twenty different coffees on the menu which were sourced from countries in Africa, North and South America. The coffees were all reasonably priced with a special coffee of the day priced at just $ 3 dollars.
I ordered the El Amate, a Guatemalan coffee with flavors of toffee cream and mandarin orange. The coffee was served in a glass tumbler with the remaining portion in a carafe. This coffee presentation allowed me to examine the color and enjoy the rich aroma and flavor of the coffee in a sophisticated fashion. No sugar or milk needed!
Since I struck gold with my cup of coffee, I decided to dive in and explore the sandwich menu. The tuna sandwich was calling my name and it did not disappoint! The combination of tuna, green peppers, cucumbers, egg, capers, and onion was a delicious party on a baguette and quite possibly one of the most delicious tuna sandwiches I’ve ever tasted.
I was curious about the sherry classes that are offered at the restaurant so I asked Cory. He in turn posed the question to sherry expert, Chantal, who was also behind the bar. I figured she’d give me a rundown of the classes or maybe suggest I come back to try a particular type of sherry, but instead she directed Cory to tell me to check out their Facebook page. Talk about a missed opportunity to welcome a new customer to your business!
I’ll definitely stop by again to try another coffee or sandwich on the menu.
I’ve yet to check out the Facebook page to find out more about the sherry program.

I love the concept and the setting is cozy. I tried a sherry flight served with complimenting ‘sides’ like olives, nuts and homemade walnut bread (which was amazing) which was interesting and I was able to sample to hand carved ham which was everything you’d expect from a hand carved cured ham.
So why 3 stars? The service, when we got it, was good, but despite the establishment not being full, the service was far, far too slow. Also the amount of meat you get for $ 10 on that amazing ham, vs, ham at other DC establishments with similar quality was uninspiring.

Cyndy’s Bottom Line: If you want an education on sherry and love ham then this is the place for you!
This is what we drank:
*Enjoyed a glass of cava.
**The flights of different sherries are a great way to become acquainted.
~The OCEAN flight —
This flight is composed of Sherries that are inspired by the ocean, which has largely led to the development of Sherry as we know it.
1 * ALEXANDER JULES «17÷71» MANZANILLA
2 * HIDALGO «NAPOLEON» AMONTILLADO
3 * CESAR FLORIDO «CRUZ DEL MAR» OLOROSO
— The selection of hams are delicious
— Yummy corn nuts
— Marinated olives
— Marcona almonds

Sophisticated dive bar was used when we walked in but after a sampling of their unique drinks and old world ham… I don’t want to label this completely one of A kind coffee bar/​sherry bar/​wine bar/​ham bar. Hahahaha! There is so much going on in this tiny shop that I’m In sensory overload in the most pleasant of ways.
They have gin and tonic on tap (got a taste and it’s light and refreshing juniper with a lasting hint of sweet bitters… They make it in house) right beside cold coffee on tap. On tap! I don’t even know what to think about that but it’s good! The have mixed coffee drinks too! So fricken awesome, just try them! I had the white Colombian which had just enough sweet to make me happy and then the Kenya cola had the perfect amount of bubbly to lightly tickle your tastebuds.
Then! THEN they have ham hanging in the back being hand carved for direct insertion to your mouth! It’s old worldy hams that you’d think you could only find at a butcher shop!
90 different types of sherry line the wall behind the bar and if you ask for a flight expect to be floored with an abundance of information that you are actually excited to learn! Wow! Thank you Tim, you were a wealth of knowledge and you’ve made me a fan girl, fo’ real!!!