Never Looked Better Bar Opens in Blagden Alley

Never Looked Better, a sister bar to The Mirror, is the newest addition to D.C.’s thriving drink scene. Nestled in Blagden Alley, the new bar is a callback to traditional 1920s speakeasies, with a ’90s twist. Descending down the stairs into the space, red neon lights appropriately read “You’ve Never Looked Better” to set the scene.

During our conversation, co-founder W. Seth McClelland recalls his own memories of speakeasies and the nostalgia he and business partner Jeff Cole, who helms the drink program, are hoping to recreate. 

“I grew up in the ’90s, and [a speakeasy] was always that door in the alley with the weird glow coming from underneath it,” McClelland says. “So, that was sort of the inspiration: to look at a different era of secret bars in America.”

D.C. is no stranger to dark bars with moody corners, but Never Looked Better brings a different energy, seamlessly blending the old (and odd) with the new to create a unique experience. 

The cocktail program is the manifestation of McClelland and Cole’s shared desire to explore the “dark ages of cocktails,” when cosmopolitans, appletinis and Long Island iced teas were most fashionable. The idea was first dreamt up during their days bartending in college.

“We always joke that back in the day, if you didn’t know how to make a drink, you just asked [patrons], ‘What color is it?’” 

The cosmopolitan description on their menu is appropriately named It’s Pink.

And while diving into the dark age of mixology is the driving force behind their concept, Never Looked Better also offers classic options to appeal to cocktail enthusiasts, including a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Espresso Martini and Penicillin (an option for serious drinkers and one of McClelland’s favorites).  

There’s also crowd favorites like Tequila, sodas, shooters and wine. 

“We said, ‘Let’s take the technique, the precision and the fresh ingredients from classic preparation, and apply it to these trashy, ’90s cocktails. So that’s kind of how it started.” 

In that vein, the “It’s Pink” incorporates premium ingredients: Old Tom Gin, homemade grenadine, fresh lemon juice and a high-end French orange liqueur. The recipe dates back to 1935 and is a far cry from the bastardized cranberry and vodka Cosmo riffs prevalent in ’90s bars. 

Beyond the focus on reinventing trashy drinks, the bar features geometric shapes, like squares and zigzags, repetitive patterns and circular bar stools — all reminiscent of the ’20s bar scene, with a Miami Vice-esque atmosphere. 

And, seeing their business as more than a bar, Never Looked Better is marketed as a living, breathing and evolving artistic space. The jungle-themed room featuring pink walls, draped white flowers, reflective glass table trays and gorgeous purple and blue lighting, sets the perfect environment for capturing your bar experience on social media.

There’s something for everyone, with an equal focus on balancing the energetic vibe with a comfortable experience, given the lingering constraints of the pandemic. That means making it easy to grab a drink, explore the space or lean against one of their colorful walls. 

The bar fills a unique void in the Blagden Alley corridor, which is known for its award-winning dining scene but offers limited options for post-dining socializing. 

“The reason we decided this brand, for this location, is that you [have] a lot of upscale dining options, but you didn’t have a lot of options of things to do after you finished eating dinner.”

Focusing on establishing themselves as the newcomers to the District’s flourishing cocktail culture, they’re eager to not cross into the nightclub genre and have plans to eventually introduce food items as a more featured element of the menu.

In the meantime, they are showcasing a rotating list of food options from friends in the culinary space who stepped up to support their new venture, including the Indian cocktail bar Daru, the breakfast burrito pop-up Le Tejana, and Della Barbara Pizza. 

“There was this outpouring of love from our friends saying, ‘hey, we’d love to help and we’d love to be a part of [your opening].’”

It’s clear that fostering strong bonds within the community is as important to McClelland as the design, vibe and drink selection.

“Being able to enjoy a drink again with people is the most important thing in the world. When you go to the same bar as someone and you sit down next to them, there is a good chance you have a lot in common. I have a great group of friends and met them all in bars. Bars are important to me. But I also think [they’re] important to America and important to getting back to normal.” 

Never Looked Better: 130 Blagden Alley NW, DC; neverlookedbetterdc.com // @neverlookedbetterdc

Enjoy this piece? Consider becoming a member for access to our premium digital content. Support local journalism and start your membership today.