The Pursuit Wine Bar

I came to The Pursuit for a friend’s birthday brunch, and the first thing to note was that they quickly accommodated our large party of ~15 without complaint, even though the birthdayer (because that’s a word now) had not made a reservation. This was already giving The Pursuit good marks.
I have to echo others’ sentiments that the décor is a bit unusual. It is not unusual for its own sake, but rather because this place brands itself as a wine bar but definitely doesn’t feel like one. It does, however, give off a brunchy feel, especially in the upstairs area with large windows.
As with all brunches in D.C., one wonders about the drink setup. You can choose one of two main options: Bottomless mimosas for $ 10 or a pitcher (that serves 4 – 5 people) for $ 12. Several of us shared a pitcher of Blushing Mimosas (OK, Maschio Prosecco, pineapple juice and grenadine), which was not only delicious, but also super affordable. Their brunch menu includes such items as omelettes, loaded French toast, and a variety of bagels and croissants.
I had a bagel with egg and cheddar cheese, which came with a nicely presented side of home fries and a mini-​parfait with fresh blueberries. The bagel was pretty standard, although I have to give them points for toasting it just right and adding a slight-​but-​totally-​just-​enough layer of butter that softened the inside. The egg was sort of like an egg patty and a tad bit reminiscent (in appearance, not taste, fortunately) of Mickey D’s. The home fries were seasoned well, and the parfait was a nice little topper to the meal.
The mimosas were great, and they have several different flavors, which is a nice departure from your typical brunch restaurant. Our server was kind and attentive, despite the fact that we know our party’s size (we occupied almost the entire upstairs area) was keeping her busy. A random side note: They had great old (think 80s & 90s) music playing in the background.
I’m sure I’ll be back here at some point, and when I do return, I’ll be sure to experience the wine bar side of the restaurant (and update this review)!

4.25 Stars
So in the midst of some of the expected adversity you might encounter on the tail end of H Street NE, The Pursuit Wine Bar is definitely a cozy, comfortable, and unique outpost of normalcy and decency with a fine wine selection, a palatable bear selection with more-​than-​decent prices, and some yummy grilled cheese sandwiches. Just watch, in a few years when more of the ambitious plans to develop the historically seedy and appalling end of this corridor are realized, this place will be big.
So just as a tip — try to stay away from the olives, nuts, and all those other little table appetizers as they are nothing spectacular and only add nonsense to your bill. If you can’t decide on a particular wine, there are also beer selections — some of which can be anywhere between $ 5-​$ 7. Not bad. There are more than enough wines for just about any palette — so be patient and you will find it.
Now I will say that I am not much of a grilled cheese kind of person (super boring) but Pursuit has a very unique menu of Grilled cheese options which is kind of this place’s forte (besides for the wine namesake). Think of how you compile a chipotle burrito — that is the way you do things with grilled cheese sandwiches here. I can’t say good enough things about the staff — super helpful and very knowledgeable about pairings.
This is also a good casual date spot as well — whether its a first time date or any other date. Will hang out here again.

Pretty good selection of wines. It was my 1^st time here and the staff were very welcoming and nice. The hummus and naan bread was pretty good along with our wine. The place is a great place to go if your taking the metro (which is diagonal from the wine bar).

We had a Groupon for two wine flights + $ 20 worth of food. We decided to go with the weekly wine flight they had and each one had a grilled cheese. The 5 wines were OK, however, they seem to have a great list of wines which we want to come back to try. The grilled cheese was pretty delicious and nicely compliment the wine. It was a calm Saturday night — post-​thanksgiving, so no waits or such. The décor is nice and the exposed brick gives a nice touch. The bartenders were efficient and answered any questions. However, they must have forgotten how to smile. One of the bartenders spent more time talking with a friend of hers that was sitting at the bar than looking out for customers.

Cool place in concept, but wait staff apathetic — particularly upstairs with only two tables to serve.

Went to this place for the second time last night. It’s located at the end of the bustling H Street corridor. We arrived on a rainy night (thanks Hurricane Joaquin) and found two seats at the middle of the bar. I’d purchased a Gilt City deal for a wine flight that included 5 tastings, 2 bites, and a charcuterie board.
Our bartender was a nice older woman, I think she may have been new. There was also a younger one who served us that last time we visited. There were only maybe 6 or 7 other people there were we arrived.
We ordered our flights and they came back fairly soon as did our two bites, we had the pita bread and hummus and cornichons. Both were tasty and a large portion. Soon after, the charcuterie board arrived but sat there for nearly 20 minutes because we didn’t have room for it. Wish they hadn’t rushed it out.
The crowd was pretty lively and I soon noticed everyone around us was there to use their deals too, whether Gilt or Groupon. When our bartender left for a while possibly to assist customers upstairs the other one didn’t say a word to us. We were deep in conversation so we didn’t notice at first.
Since it was slow my friend tried to engage the bartender in a friendly conversation by asking her if she’d heard of a movie. Her response was «Umm no» and she made a face like why are you asking me that. The people next to us even noticed this and said they’d heard of it. I know everyone’s personality is different but most bartenders are friendly and engaging, she clearly was not.
Overall, it’s a cute place with a nice selection of wine. Also the charcuterie board is A+ and they provide a hefty portion. We even ordered more wine and sat there for a while but still couldn’t finish it. I’m sure I’ll be back because another friend purchased the deal too.

Had an amazing experience last night! I purchased a groupon for two wine flights and $ 20 towards food. The place was PACKED and I felt so bad for the wait/​bar staff. There was only 2 of them and the chef. They did an amazing job, I wasn’t waiting for anything once I asked (I almost didn’t want to ask because I felt so bad for them, my mom said she wanted to ask them what she could do to help). Every wine in our flight we loved! The woman that set up our flight was very knowledgable and gave great recommendations. The food was also fab! We got the Joint Platter (meat and cheese) sounds boring but you must try! I also got a grilled cheese which also sounds boring but the chef is great. I even had to ask him about the dressing on my side salad… it was that good. Will definitely be back!

Wine flights and grilled cheese. Do you need anything else in life? I think not. Super cute place. We loved it!
Pros: grilled cheese bar aka build your own, wine flights, lots of choices for booze, delicious food. Absolutely delicious!
Cons:
–less than enthused bartender. Literally didn’t see her smile once. She acted like us being there was an inconvenience. Someone else mentioned they were short staffed so I bet she was just overwhelmed but you gotta give a smile or something. Fake it till you make it.
–Gazpacho was weird and chunky. It literally was like salsa out of a jar. Bizarre.
–they offer wine flights for $ 15 which would be awesome but you select from a list and by the time we got there at 10:00 they were out of a lot of the wines. He did say they opened a bunch of new ones but didn’t update the board. It happens!
All in all, this place is right by my friend’s house and we will be back!

The bottomless mimosas never seem to stop. They also only add a dab of OJ. The food takes a bit longer, but the kitchen is open and you can tell they take their time making sure each dish is constructed perfectly. Fresh ingredients!

With the loss of Sova, it’s good to have another wine-​centric establishment on H Street, especially one with a ground-​floor presence. With 50 wines by the glass, four of them drafts, they hit all the major wine growing regions: North and South America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia/​New Zealand. They also add in a little local flavor with a couple of selections from Virginia, including the draft Emancipation Merlot from Democracy Vineyards. Being in a summery mood I had a glass of Austrian Grüner Veltliner and it did not disappoint. The pours are very generous and $ 2 off during happy hour.
In addition to wine, their schtick is the «build-​your-​own grilled cheese». If you’re not the creative type, they have «curated grilled cheese» too, although I find this a little precious. If grilled cheese is not your thing, they also have charcuterie and cheese boards as well as soups and salads.
All in all, a win for H Street!

If you’re in hot pursuit of a mid-​morning weekend brunch, but without the hassle of an overly crowded stand-here-and-wait-in-line-for-45-more-minutes-while-you-drain-the-battery-on-your-cell-scrolling-through-old-texts-and-photos-’cause-that’s-far-better-than-trying-to-make-small-talk-over-the-loud-hum-of-everyone-and-their-mama-in-the-tiny-waiting-area of any other popular joint serving bottomless anything nowadays, then this bar is definitely for you.
You know shrimp & grits is so simple, but so misunderstood, at times. I kind of knew not to order it, but my friend took a chance. I don’t think either of us gave it the southern stamp of approval. The frittatas were nice, though. I tried all three & found the one with sausage to be my favorite. If you’ve decided to make a lifestyle change and eat portion-​controlled meals, then you’ll love The Pursuit! I think the side of greek yogurt was but a smear… ha, ha, cute… but, catch me on a hungry day, and I might not be amused.
Bottomless pomosas… what’s a pomosa? What first comes to mind? Yep, then, that’s exactly what it is!
Great location, spacious seating upstairs with a nice view, modern minimalist décor, and excellent customer service… so refreshing! I’ll be back again…

There is little I hate more than walking into place that has a four-​star average, then walking out with a wtf expression on my face. «What happened?» I wonder. Why have my fellow Unilocalers steered me wrong? Is it me? Hmmmm…
If you scroll through the reviews, you’ll find they’re all either really good or really bad; no middle-​of-​the road ratings. And in the bad reviews, the issues are almost always service-​related. That’s generally indicative of bad training, a management issue. This place is quite possibly a gem, but a few poor performing servers are sending customers away with a bad taste in their mouths. That’s exactly what happened to my group on my recent visit.
I, along with a group of six, made the trip here from the Atlas Performing Arts Center after having enjoyed a Friday night show. We arrived right before 10 and the place was packed. Downstairs seating, full; upstairs seating, full; bar area, full. But wait, there was a light at the end of the tunnel…
No, literally, there was bright light beckoning at the back of the restaurant. We walked pass the bar, pass the kitchen area, and toward the light to find a mostly empty patio area. There was one other large group, but they were more than happy to share the area. This find would be the highlight of the evening.
10:05– seated and ready
10:15– server comes and passes out menus, checks on other table, runs off
10:22– server returns with 6 glasses of water (I guess a couple of us were to share), drops them and runs off. Btw it’s been nearly 20 minutes and this is a wine bar, are we gonna get around to taking a drink order anytime soon.
10:24– server is ready to take our drink orders, but since we’d been waiting forever, we had long decided what we wanted to eat, and simply ordered everything.
10:26– A new acquaintance to my right calls a friend who lives nearby to join us.
10:37– The friend shows up, having walked three blocks to get there, beer in hand (Apparently he had been here before, and knew to order from the bar).
10:38– Frustrated, two of the people at our table finally get up to grab a couple of bottles of wine from the bar.
10:39– Drinks arrive. Food comes out in spurts and starts shortly thereafter.
Thirty-​five minutes from the time we sat down ’til the time we first got drinks…’nuff said.
I really, really wanted to give this place one-​star. But the caprese salad was tasty and the old-​fashioneds were damn good. Plus, from the patio, we could hear the music from the club next door (if you’re not into hip-​hop, avoid the patio at night), so it wasn’t all bad. A few people whose opinions I respect really enjoy this place. Still, I don’t see myself making a return trip.

WORST SERVICE EVER. Obviously regular customers are not part of Pursuit’s business plan, as they treat people like crap. There were two bartenders working the night my friends and I went, and both of them seemed very bothered by our presence from the jump. I guess they weren’t happy that our patronage interrupted their idle standing around behind the bar. Despite our attempts to be sweet and friendly, neither bartender cracked a smile the entire time and made us feel like we were imposing on them when we ordered anything or asked for water refills. There was also a fair amount of eye rolling, nastily grabbing of menus/​checks/​plates, and curt replies to our requests. They were EXTREMELY RUDE, and we were very uncomfortable.
In addition, the food was mediocre and not worth the cost. We had the turkey cheese sandwich, and it looked and tasted like cheap lunch meat turkey. The kale caesar salad was mostly hard stems and drenched in sub-​par dressing. The hummus was bland and tasted like cardboard.
In short, this place has no redeeming qualities and is just terrible all around.

I am so thrilled that I took a chance on this (for our purposes) out-​of-​the-​way little wine bar; everything about it was absolutely perfect and enjoyable in every way. We came at prime time on a Friday night and, while they were certainly busy, we were easily able to find a spot at the bar. Our bartender introduced us to the menu and how things worked. She was relaxed and very pleasant throughout our time there. Their prices are extremely reasonable for what you get, and everything we tried was absolutely wonderful.
My fiancé and I both went in with the intent of trying a flight of wines, which is particularly fun here because you’re able to pick your own wines out of a rather extensive list of options. They also have wines by the glass, cocktails, and a few beers and wines on tap. The wines we tried were very diverse and well-​selected. We later also ordered a glass each of dessert wine, of which they had a nice assortment. He had a lovely glass of Port and I had an old favorite, Sauternes.
We also got to try some of their food, which is so incredibly delicious and fun. We both ordered the hummus, which turned out to be quite a sizable serving for what they call a bite. The hummus was unusual and delectable, the pita was warm and soft. We also shared a cheese board and it, too, was nomalicious. The assortment of cheeses paired perfectly with our wine, and the chutney enhanced the cheeses perfectly.
Overall, we had a fantastic night at The Pursuit and wouldn’t even have to think twice about whether we would go again. Well worth the trip for something this reasonable and wonderful. We very much look forward to coming back soon!

So… I hosted my girlfriends birthday party here… literally the worst customer service I’d ever had during brunch…
I walk in about 30 minutes early because I wanted to place a few flowers on the table… which I called ahead of time to ask if it was ok to do so… I was told yes… when I walk in… I was greeted by a man named Thomas… who was very rude the entire time… he simply point me to go upstairs…
I figured that the the few tables that were pushed together were ours… and began to set up…
I went to use the restroom and noticed that it wasn’t cleaned up… not really dirty just paper towels on the floor… and there wasn’t a lot of toilet paper… so I walked down to let Thomas know… he rudely told me he’d «get to it when he got a chance» I just went back upstairs…
We got the bottomless mimosa (about 10 of us) and food… the food was decent… not the best or worst… but during our brunch… I just asked Thomas was he ok… because he literally had the worst attitude… his exact response was «I hate serving brunch…» well sir… if that’s the case you shouldn’t work brunch… or work in the service industry at all… I really wanted to like this place based on the reiviews… but from making the reservation to the entire expierience I’ll never give this place a second chance… or my money ever again…

Pursuit is a bit out of the way as most don’t go all the way to the end of H street to go there. That’s fine, as I’m glad those that didn’t left me a spot to try this bar. There are two levels; bottom for drinks only and top for food. The wine selection was nice and the servers were all knowledgeable about what they are offering.
Great vibe overall and I always make room for a great wine bars.

Went to The Pursuit Wine Bar for dinner one night with a Gilt City, and overall, this is a nice addition to the H Street scene. (To be fair, this is at the very far end of H Street. There’s a bike rack at 13^th and H., so that’s always an option.)
We arrived around 730 without a reservation and were greeted warmly and sat down at the bar. Including the upstairs — which is more intimate than the bustling downstairs — there’s a lot of seating here.
They had a good number of variety of wines available, and since this is a wine bar, many people were getting flights of wine. Our voucher entitled us to a free bottle of wine, so we opted for the grenache, which came recommended. It was pretty good. The food menu here is not very expensive. Through our voucher, we were able to try almost everything they have an offer here. There were hits and misses.
The olive snack bites and the mixed nuts snack bites were basically from a can. No extra roasting or seasoning added, so they’re a bit pointless. Not really sure mixed nuts from a bag is worth $ 5. However, the burrata salad was very nice. Took a while for it to come out, but the cheese was very good and the raspberry vinaigrette went well.
The main «entrées» here are grilled cheeses. In theory this could be a good concept, but there’s a little bit of an execution problem here. Basically, it’s just like Chipotle where you just pick a bread, cheese, spread and whatever add-​ons you want. But looking at how many options they have, there’s a lot of opportunity to just order something that you think sounds good but actually doesn’t taste good. A better option would have the menu like how a pizza place would have a menu where you make your own pizzas, but then also have five or six really good creations so that it’s easier to make a choice. For people who have trouble choosing your food and making decisions, there are too many options to make a grilled cheese.
Overall, the service he was very nice and I had a good, filling meal at The Pursuit Wine Bar. I would recommend it!

I’ve not been impressed with many of the grilled cheese offerings in DC until I went to The Pursuit. It’s what they focus on (besides wine), so it makes sense that their grilled cheese is great. And so is the wine. Two of my favorite items, paired together.
The Pursuit is small, but a lounge-​y upstairs and a back patio offer space in addition to the compact bar. The exposed brick, duct work, and metal accents could give it an industrial feel, but modern, dim lighting, mirrors, and additional wood accents counteract that, making it an inviting, intimate restaurant – definitely great for date night (though perhaps more soundproofing is needed). Service was outstanding – extremely friendly and knowledgeable, plus quite attentive.
I went with the rosé flight, and was not disappointed. A sparkling version was included and that was my favorite. Beer and cocktails are also offered. My sandwich was French white bread with tomato, mozzarella, cheddar, and pesto. It was exactly what I wanted, and I appreciated the fully melted cheese and griddle marks, along with the pretty presentation. Next time though, I’ll add bacon. And there will be a next time.

How can you not love a wine bar that makes custom grilled cheese sandwiches?
So here’s how it works:
The staff offers you a slip of paper with their drinks menu that’s like a sushi ordering menu and you order one from each category: bread, cheese, spread, and add-​ons (
).
You’re not restricted to just one in each category, but there is an additional charge for add-​ons. Basically there are seven different breads and cheese, and you can order bacon, tomato, argula, pesto, hummus, sun-​dried tomatoes, etc, etc, on your sandwich. One review mentioned that the grilled cheese at Cheesetique is better, I’m actually thinking the ones here a infinitely better. I guess it was something about the having a choice of filling and these grilled cheeses are way less greasier.
About the wine and drinks. Well you’re not be hurting for options here. The beverage menu has about 40+ wines (all reasonably priced), several cocktails and a handful of beers on tap. I went with a white wine flight ($ 10) and was surprised by the Orvieto offered. Never tried it before but loved it.
They also offer Anjou Mules in copper mugs. The same copper mugs that people like to klepto in bars across America, so I suggest you enjoy your moscow mule now before the mugs are all gone.
As for the service, we were well attended to, and the food arrived quickly. It made for a great relaxing evening. I wish we could have checked out the bar upstairs, which is more loungey but they were closed for a private event.
Sadly I realized after I left they offered my favorite cocktail of all time here, the Aviation (Gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette), this just gives me all the more reason to return. I just have a feeling this place will probably become the date spot to be at on H Street!

Pursuit is a great new addition to the neighborhood. There are certain things that H St is missing but a wine bar is now scratched off that list (we still really need Thai food though, hint hint to all restauranteurs).
Tonight was opening night and it seems that word has already gotten out about this hot new wine bar. With a long bar downstairs and a few tables and couches/​plush chairs upstairs, the place was full despite the major competing demand of the evening — the World Cup on TV. We got to meet the owner, Kathleen, who was genuine and enthusiastic.
There are nearly 50 wines on the menu and all of them are available by the glass and the bottle. They even have four wines that are on tap. Prices range from $ 6−14/glass and three times the glass price for a bottle. Happy hour takes $ 2 off all glasses as well as the cocktails. The Klinker Brick (California) Old Vine Zinfandel was $ 13 and the La Vieille Ferme (France) Rhone Rose was $ 7. Offering happy hour pricing all night for the grand opening was a nice touch. There are 10 cocktails on the menu ($ 9 – 10) and all of the house-​created cocktails have infused spirits. We tried the Life (lavender-​infused Bombay gin, Lillet Blanc, prosecco, lemon twist) and it was perfect for summer — light and effervescent. There are also a handful of bottled beers available ($ 5 – 9).
Pursuit doesn’t have a full kitchen but does a great job of making do with several panini presses and offering other snacks like charcuterie, cheese boards and olives/​nuts. The make your own sandwiches are fun — you get to pick your own bread, cheese, spread and topping for $ 9 with extra items at $ 1 each. My bacon and Gruyère with pesto on sourdough was a nice light supper and the presentation was darling — special plates with divots on the side to show the three items in your grilled cheese. I think this place will do really well in the neighborhood.