After decades in Arlington, Whitlow’s crossed the Potomac a couple years ago to open in DC. Now, though, it’s going to be literally on the Potomac. The owners have teamed up with party boat company Sea Suite Cruises to launch Whitlow’s on Water, a floating bar where you can catching a game and a sunset. It’s slated to set sail from Georgetown Harbour to Navy Yard on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Sea Suites Cruises co-founders Jack Walten and Jack Maher—both Arlington natives—befriended Whitlow’s owner Jon Williams as regulars at the Wilson Boulevard location. They first launched a BYOB paddle boat pub in 2018 and have since expanded to 13 boats across DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, and Richmond, including floating tiki bars. When they learned Whitlow’s would be closing after a 26-year-run in Clarendon in 2021, they reached out to Williams. “Thinking about the Whitlow’s rooftop, which is obviously tiki-themed, we were looking to do something a bit bigger,” Maher says. “Taking a bar concept and putting it on water was something that hadn’t been done and that we were excited to try and pioneer.” Williams, who loves to kayak on the Potomac, was immediately on board (no pun intended).
The 48-passenger boat with an 18-stool U-shaped bar is decorated with artifacts, like an old surfboard, left over from the tiki rooftop of Whitlow’s on Wilson. It’s also got a restroom and two TVs, which will screen sports games. The team envisions watch parties during March Madness and Nats seasons, plus themed cruises around Oktoberfest, Halloween, and other holidays. “Anytime we’re out there and there’s an event you’d celebrate at a restaurant or bar, it’s going to be the same thing,” Williams says. They’re also partnering with a tour guide company called Capital City Guides to create guided hour-long tours during weekday afternoons. Plus, Maher adds, the boat provides the perfect vantage to see the cherry blossoms.
The menu will be a condensed version of what you’d find at Whitlow’s, now on U Street. There’ll be a signature drink similar to a Rum Runner, High Noon hard seltzers, a couple beers and wines, plus a full bar. There will be some very basic snacks, like chips, but they hope to later add some sandwiches and more substantial options. Catering options are available for private events.
Groups can rent the boat—the largest in the company’s fleet—for birthdays, bachelorettes, and corporate team outings. Individual tickets will also be available for $40 to $55, depending on the day. (Online bookings will open up later this week.) The boat will run seven days a week, and a straw hatch roof and retractable windows provides cover no matter the weather.
“We really wanted to capture the essence of what it was like to be on that original rooftop, but then furthering that,” Maher says. “Not only are you at a tiki bar, you’re cruising down the Potomac River, you’ve got a breeze, you’ve got beautiful sunsets, the monuments, golden hour out there. It’s pretty unrivaled.”
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
