A new cocktail lounge called Continental Club has opened inside Washington Union Station, tucked above the Main Hall behind a ticket counter that doubles as the entrance, bringing a golden age of rail theme to one of the city’s busiest transit hubs.
Find It Behind An Old Fashioned Ticket Counter
Continental Club opened August 21, 2026, from SHKR Hospitality, with a design meant to evoke a vintage train parlor car, built out in mahogany, brass, and blue velvet against the Beaux-Arts backdrop of Union Station’s gilded Main Hall. According to Axios, guests check in at an All Aboard stand in the Main Hall, print a ticket with directions, and ride an elevator up to the lounge, a bit of theater that gives the space its speakeasy feel even though it sits above one of the busiest stations on the East Coast.
Pre Prohibition Cocktails Meet Railway Style Bites
The drink menu draws on pre-Prohibition classics alongside original creations, including the Manhattan Limited made with rye and sweet vermouth, a Pullman Old Fashioned built on Uncle Nearest whiskey and demerara syrup, and the Capitol Gimlet, a cucumber and basil riff with elderflower liqueur. Food leans toward snackable comfort, with truffle and herb popcorn, fried chicken biscuit bites finished in hot honey, and railway style hot dogs dressed with mustard, relish, and onions. The combination of Capitol views, vintage cocktails, and easy bites makes it a natural stop before a train, a Capitol Hill dinner, or a low key date night away from downtown crowds.
A Pop Up With Staying Power Through The Holidays
Continental Club is currently running as a pop up through the end of the year, operating walk in only while reservations are expected to open soon, per Axios. SHKR Hospitality has plans for weekly live music, private events, and a martini happy hour as the lounge settles in, which makes an early visit worthwhile before the format changes. Its location inside Union Station also makes it a convenient stop for commuters and Amtrak travelers looking to turn a layover into an occasion.
Continental Club is located inside Washington Union Station’s Main Hall at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002, reached by elevator from the All Aboard check in stand. The lounge is currently walk in only, and pricing for cocktails and bites was not publicly listed at the time of writing. Guests should plan for evening visits, since the pop up is expected to run through the end of 2026.
Follow The Washington Lobbyist for more informed coverage of Washington DC travel, hotels, restaurants, and events.
