BYOB. For some, it means bring your own baby. For the rest of us, it means bring your own bottle, baby. A corkage fee is what a restaurant charges for opening and serving a bottle of wine that you bring yourself. They’ll even provide the crystal. It’s a great way to complement your dinner with a favorite wine, and some restaurants will allow you to bring beer (but I don’t think they mean a case of Natty Ice.) Most DC restaurants charge $20-$25 to cork your favorite vino, but some restaurants will do it for nothing. Nada. Zilch.
- Certain restaurants have free corkage only on certain nights.
- Call to confirm corkage fees and bottle limits.
- Confirm that the bottle you’re bringing isn’t already the on restaurant’s wine list.
- Always remember to take care of your server!
$25 Fees
| Acadiana | Central Michel Richard | Westend Bistro |
| Ardeo | Corduroy | Napolean Bistro |
| Art and Soul | Equinox | Obelisk |
| Black Salt | The Source | Proof |
| BLT Steak | Komi | Rasika |
| Blue Duck Tavern | La Chaumiere | Siroc |
| Bourbon Steak | Minibar | Taberna del Alabardero |
| Brasserie Beck | Montmartre | The Oval Room |
| Café Bonaparte | ||
| Cedar (Mondays free) | ||
$15-$20 Fees
| 1789 | Hank’s Oyster Bar | Medium Rare |
| 2 Amys | Indique | Old Ebbitt Grill |
| Buck’s Fishing and Camping | Jaleo | Ris |
| Commissary | Johnny’s Half Shell | Sorriso |
| Cork | Kaz Sushi Bistro | Sushi-Ko |
| Tabard Inn |
Free Corkage
| Asia Nine | DC Coast | Kellari Taverna |
| Belga Café | Dino | Mandu |
| Bobby Van’s Steakhouse | Firefly | Morrison-Clark Restaurant |
| Café du Parc | Founding Farmers | Thai X-ing |
| Charlie Palmer Steak | Ici Urban Bistro | Urbana |
| Le Grenier (Sundays) | Il Canale | |
Mary was born and raised in New York City where her family owned restaurants. Instead of eating dirt on the playground, she ate duck blood, beef tripe and pork belly. She cut her teeth at The Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton hotels, working with Barbra Streisand, Vanessa Williams, Michael Stipe, LeVar Burton, Jane Krakowski and others. Mary founded Girl Meets Food in 2009 as a cover for her debilitating addiction to fried chicken and was named Washington Post’s “Favorite Local Foodie.” After 13 years in hospitality, she started freelance writing for USA Today, The Washington Post, Eater, Washington City Paper, and more. Today, she provides digital marketing for hospitality clients as a content creator who’s contently creating content.