When Cucina Morini opened just over a year ago, it made headlines for its $7 martinis offered all night, every night in the lounge. At a time when cocktail prices are creeping closer to $20 or more, the deal was practically unheard of. Since then, the southern Italian destination in Mount Vernon Triangle has sold around 50,000 of the $7 martinis—which come in dirty, Sicilian mandarin, and other variations. It’s also kicked off a dirt-cheap martini arms race among other bars and restaurants eager to boost their happy hour crowds.
Cucina Morini chef-partner Matt Adler says the restaurant’s management was initially nervous about offering such a cheap deal for such extended hours. But it turned out to be a huge draw: “People were lining up for it when we opened,” Adler says. “Wednesday, it really starts ramping up… Fridays, oh my God. Packed to the gills all night long.”
Martinis—which have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years—at rock bottom prices have since shown up all around town, from upscale Queen’s English in Columbia Heights to All-Purpose pizzeria in Shaw.
At Shilling Canning Company in Navy Yard, $5 gin or vodka martinis and $7 dirty martinis are available all night, every night at the bar. After beginning the deal at the end of January, chef-owner Reid Shilling says bar sales for February were double what they were over the same period the year before. “The guests’ focus right now is on value. It’s all uncertain. And so people are just being a little bit more careful about how they spend their money,” he says.
Both Cucina Morini and Shilling Canning Company still make a profit on their cheap martinis. “In fact, the profit margin on the $5 martini is probably still better than your profit margin on your food,” Shilling says of his 4-ounce pours.
Restaurants can often get deals on liquor by predominantly highlighting one brand on their menu. (Shilling uses Sazerac Company brands Platinum 7X Vodka and Miles London Dry Gin, while Cucina Morini mixes Skyy Vodka and Bombay dry gin.) It helps that martinis can be easily batched and aren’t too labor intensive. By contrast, many craft cocktails can require hours of prep work, from housemade syrups and infusions to dehydrated garnishes. The right glassware also matters: “It’s perceived value when you’re looking at it,” says Adler of Cucina Morini’s 3.5-ounce pours.
Still, the crown for very cheapest martini in DC goes to Last Call in Union Market, which serves $3 martinis (dirty or with a twist) from 5 to 6 PM on weekdays and 1 to 2 PM on weekends. Owner Gina Chersevani started the “teeny tiny ‘tini hour” in the fall of 2020 to get people back in the bar after Covid shutdowns, but it’s stuck around. She uses a rotating selection of nice quality spirits, whether Ford’s Gin or Tito’s vodka, for the 3-ounce pours. For her, it’s a loss leader, but it does attract the crowds, who ultimately spend more on other things.
“It’s not a money thing. For me, it has always been a guest thing,” she says. As for the competition? She welcomes it: “I think all of us should do it. Bring it back.”
Where to find martini deals around DC:
All-Purpose (Shaw location)
1250 9th St., NW
$6 martinis from 5 to 7 PM, Monday through Friday at the bar
Ama
885 New Jersey Ave., SE
$6 martinis from 3 to 6 PM daily at the bar
Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse
1609 17th St., NW
$7.25 martinis from 4 to 7 PM, Thursday through Saturday upstairs
Cucina Morini
901 4th St., NW
$7 martinis all night, every night in the lounge
Last Call
1301 4th St., NE
$3 martinis from 5 to 6 PM on weekdays and 1 to 2 PM on weekends
Madhatter
1319 Connecticut Ave., NW
$5 martinis from 4 to 8 PM on Fridays
Osteria Morini
301 Water St., SE
$7 martinis from 4 to 7 PM, Monday through Friday at the bar
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th St., NW
$8 martinis from 4 to 7 PM Monday through Thursday and 3 to 7 PM Friday at the bar
Queen’s English
3410 11th St., NW
$8 martinis all night Tuesday through Thursday on the patio
Shilling Canning Company
360 Water St., SE
$5 regular martinis and $7 dirty martinis all night, every night at the bar and from 5 to 7 PM on the patio.
Scarlet Oak
909 New Jersey Ave., SE
$7 martinis from 4 to 6 PM, Monday through Friday
Correction: Reid Shilling misspoke about the size of martinis at Shilling Canning Company. They are 4 ounces, not 2 ounces.
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.
