Dupont Public House is reportedly opening its doors Tuesday in the long-vacant Sign of the Whale space on M Street. The word comes from Mary, who is affiliated with the dctoffees Everton supporters club, which is already planning to host its first official watch party in the new space this Friday.
Mary's account, relayed by PoPville, is the clearest signal yet that the project is finally nearing the finish line. She said the new bar “is opening Tuesday” so the club can hold its first official watch party there Friday, and added that she had already been inside and found it “pretty well done.” According to the same report, Mary said the bar would definitely be ready in time for Friday's match.
For dctoffees members planning the trip, Mary laid out the transit options herself: the bar is accessible by either the Red Line, getting off at Dupont South, or the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, getting off at Farragut. Those are the transit options for members planning the trip.
A Menu Already Posted, Even as the Website Lags
Oddly, even with the bar reportedly set to open Tuesday, November 3—the same day this article was written—the bar's own website still says “coming soon.” PoPville noted the disconnect, pointing out that the site hadn't been updated even though the business had already posted a full menu.
That menu leans into classic American pub fare, organized into shareables, sandwiches, platters, soups, salads, and sweets. Among the shareables are full press nachos piled with shaved steak and beer cheddar sauce, along with cheddar bacon chips, loaded chips, a quesadilla, a dip flight, tuna tostada, and wings. The sandwich section includes a house bison burger with a veggie option, plus blackened salmon, crab cake, crispy chicken, beer-battered cod, shaved New York strip, and grilled cheese options.
Platter offerings include fish n' chips, fried chicken n' chips, crab cakes, and steak n' chips, while soups run to traditional clam chowder and French onion. Salads on the menu include the chopped pub house, a classic Caesar, a bacon bleu wedge, and buffalo chicken. For dessert, the menu lists real key lime pie, bourbon bread pudding, vanilla bean cheesecake, banana pudding, and spotted dick.
A Deal Nearly a Year in the Making
The Dupont Public House concept has been in the works since at least January, when a broker told PoPville in an earlier report that “the pond has landed at the Whale” and declared the deal done. That report described plans for safety, kitchen, and entertainment upgrades to the building while preserving its classic architecture, and said the project would be led by Rex, the general manager from Across the Pond, rather than the space's previous ownership.
At the time, the broker said the bar would be open “this spring in time for everyone to enjoy the World Cup.” Eater DC's sports bar guide, published in March, echoed that timeline, describing a manager from the now-closed Across the Pond taking over the old Sign of the Whale space “this spring” ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup in June. That projected spring opening did not come to pass, and the reported Tuesday opening represents a considerably later timeline than what was originally floated.
The Sign of the Whale space itself carries a long and bumpy history. According to The GW Hatchet, the bar underwent at least eight closures since it first opened in 1981, citing reporting from Barred in D.C. A fire in March 2022 forced a seven-month shutdown, and in December 2024 the space was hit with a temporary closure notice tied to D.C. Department of Buildings safety violations, including citations for sagging floors and ceiling beams. The Hatchet also reported that Across the Pond, which closed its Connecticut Avenue location in late 2025, was the operation moving into the M Street building under the Dupont Public House name.
What Comes Next
Whether Tuesday's opening happens exactly as described remains to be seen, and nothing beyond Mary's account confirms the bar has actually opened its doors. For now, the dctoffees are proceeding as if it will, with their first official watch party at the new space scheduled for Friday, November 6.
