A PoPville report describes a liquor-license application for Bar Harbin, a contemporary Chinese restaurant planned for the former Meskerem space in Adams Morgan. The application identifies the proposed business as a Class C restaurant with 133 seats and a total occupancy load of 250 people.
What the Application Requests
The PoPville report says the filing also requests an entertainment endorsement and an alcohol carry-out and delivery endorsement. Neither is confirmed as approved based on the available filing information.
The entertainment endorsement category covers a range of activities. According to the DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, restaurants looking to provide entertainment, offer dancing, or charge a cover can apply for one, two, or all three endorsement types — though the agency's general guidance does not speak to which activities, if any, Bar Harbin intends to offer or whether its specific application will be approved.
What Carry-Out Rights Would Mean
The second request, for a carry-out and delivery endorsement, would relate to how the restaurant could sell alcohol beyond its dining room. The DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration describes the endorsement as allowing on-premises alcohol establishments to sell alcohol for carry-out and delivery when it's paired with one or more prepared food items, available to District consumers between 6 a.m. and 1 a.m. daily. That description outlines the endorsement in general terms and does not establish that Bar Harbin has received, or will receive, one.
Another Active Restaurant Licensee
For a point of comparison, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration’s March 2026 Alcohol License Roster lists Jack Rose, at 2007 18TH STREET NW, as an active restaurant licensee with a total capacity of 299.
For now, the filing marks an early step in what would be a notable addition to Adams Morgan's restaurant scene, taking over a space with deep roots in the neighborhood's dining history. No opening date, construction timeline, or further operational details have been verified.
