Spotlight on Eebee’s Corner Bar

To view the article by Andrew Lightman click HERE.

What is the je ne sais quoi of a classic neighborhood joint? Fascinating décor? Succulent cuisine? Liberating libations? All are important.

However, what makes an establishment “classic” is an ambiance that wraps a patron up like a well-used blanket on a bitterly cold evening.

At Mr. Henry’s, on Capitol Hill, it oozes out of the ancient wooden booths supervised by the photos of the famous. At Shaw’s Maxwell Park, it is the attentive sommeliers holding court behind the bar. Now, a new contemporary has joined their storied ranks. Eebee’s Corner Bar, located at 1840 Sixth St. NW, provides a sanctuary for Shaw neighbors to escape the winter blues.

An expansive, wooden bar sits at the establishment’s heart, spanning two dining rooms and wrapping around its kitchen. The décor is all warm dark wood wainscoting, leather and Escher-inspired wallpaper and exposed brick.

Festive holiday lights hang from decorated ceilings, all punctuated by photographs and antiques. Old school soul plays in the background. Wooden chairs and marble topped tables complete the vibe.

All In The Family

Proprietor Emily Larkin Brown designed Eebee’s Corner Bar with the aid of Barbara Dolan Brown, her mother. It is a family affair. One bathroom is a shrine to baseball. Brown is a diehard Orioles fan who fell in love with the team at her father’s knee. One of Brown’s relatives shot the buck whose head graces the wall of the front room. She gathered the other antique advertisements and photographs in consignment shops all over the area.

“I love vintage antiques,” said Brown.

Brown spotted the vintage lighted Marlboro sign which graces the front bar while foraging for dining room furniture. She asked whether it was for sale. “If we get it down for you, you are buying it whether or not it works,” she recalled the proprietor replying.

Brown and her mother placed many historical shots of her grandparents and uncles on the bar’s walls. Older relatives donated many of the antiques. “Every item has a story,” explained Brown.

Bartending is a family tradition. Brown’s father mixed drinks at the Bottom Line. As a kid, she insisted on tipping the waitstaff. “The way that you treat a person in service is a mark of true character,” declared Brown.

After graduating from Auburn University, Brown moved to New York City. There, she spent years working in the city’s hospitality industry. Starting as waitstaff, Brown worked her way up to bartending. She fell in love with McSorley’s, the city’s oldest Irish bar.

Along the way, Brown earned a sommelier’s certification and became a beer nerd. “The stories and communities that make beer fascinate me,” Brown stated. She dreamt of owning her own place.

A gig assisting in the opening of the first Andy’s Pizza brought Brown back to the District. She remained determined to strike out on her own. After a three-year struggle to put the financing together, wrangle permits and bootstrap construction, she opened Eebee’s Corner Bar on Nov. 1, 2025, to the warm embrace of the Shaw community. The bar has been warmly reviewed by both Eater DC and the Washingtonian.

The Libations

Eebee’s serves two eponymous brews straight from imported Czech taps. These give each 10 ounce pour a cappuccino-like foam, much like that found at her beloved McSorley’s.

Brown designed her cocktail menu around the classics enjoyed by her older relatives. Expect to find artfully mixed Martinis, Rusty Nails, Manhattans, Dirty Shirleys, Old Fashioneds and even Daiquiris. All run no more than $15.

“I want my cocktails to be really good values,” Brown said.

Make sure to sit at the bar. As the establishment starts to hum, the bartenders gracefully pirouette and prance, pouring libations without missing a drop. It is quite a show.

The Noshes

“I love burgers,” Brown asserted.

While living in New York City, she passionately searched for the perfect patty and best bun. The five best she sampled inspired the Eebee’s burger. She sources her ground beef blend from a Brooklyn butcher, serving it on buns freshly baked daily onsite to her exacting specifications. The resulting cheeseburger, as I can attest, is simply delicious.

Brown’s attention to detail is endless. While in New York City, she sampled some cottage fries at an Upper East Side restaurant. The owners would not tell her their origin. So, for three months, she called suppliers pretending to be their accountant until she tracked down the source. Perfectly cooked in beef tallow, they arrive with light, fluffy centers complemented by crispy patterned rims.

Other stars of the menu include the shrimp cocktail and turkey club. More importantly, fried saltines accompany the crustaceans, an invention from Brown’s own kitchen. “I like my Saltines fried,” she emphasized.

Reasonably priced between $18 and $25, most of the mains are shareable, particularly the club sandwich.

“Everything on the menu is something I really like,” Brown said.

In these dark times, Eebee’s Corner Bar is a warm oasis to gather, drink and dine. Don’t forget to ask Brown about the stories on her wall.

Eebee’s Corner Bar is located at 1840 Sixth St. NW. Visit www.eebeesbar.com for more information.