EatwellDC, a group that owns four restaurants in DC including Logan Tavern and the Heights (DCBC reviewed the Heights in February of 08 and I did a mini-review for Logan Tavern during Tropical Storm Gustav a few months ago), shut down Merkado their Latin-Asian restaurant on P St and reopened it this summer rebadged as "Commissary".  Merkado's food had become pretty gross and a lot of the faves had disappeared from the menu (cornbread), so I wasn't overly depressed by Merkados departure. 

From the website, Commissary is suppopsed to be a "neighborhood place" with "honest prices."  Um, hmmm...isn't Logan Tavern which is 4 doors down on P Street also a neighborhood place?  Oh wait, that's right, Logan Tavern is the more focused sibling when it comes to their menu and atmosphere, while Commissary is the "Super Green" and super spastic one that can't decide what it wants to be when it grows up - bar? coffeeshop? smoothie hut? a soldier? gay? straight?   Here's a tip....DON'T VISIT THE WEBSITE! It's just weird and causes confusion and frustration in its overt attempt to your best  friend who is really cheap and patriotic.  The one reason you may want to go to their site is to start going through the menu - in my bberry notes I wrote "spastic" menu because it is ALL OVER the map.  I was in decision overload and luckily I was cravin Nachos or I may have been perusing the menu for hours before deciding.

Now, you might be thinking...hmmm...Sietsma....wasn't there another Sietsma who wrote a review about this restaurant on October 29th that was retracted from the Post becuase the reviewer had a personal relationship with one of the owners of the restaurant?  No.  That was a Sietsema...notice the awkward extra e between the s and m.   No relation...I don't think.   But the story is quite hysterical...when we arrived at Commissary posted on the front door on bright yellow paper was Tom Sietsema's retraction statement about his review in the Post.  Classic.  

Alright enough background on Commissary....let's get down to the brunch!

Environment: Commissary does have outdoor seating, but due to our group size and the fact that you can't make reservations and can only call ahead we sat inside.  The interior was cozy eclectic.  The walls are blue and I could swear the seating is the same as Merkado, but my Merkado memory is hazy.  Major difference is the Busboys and Poets-like center area with armchairs and cozy two-tops for those wanting to just have coffee and maybe get out their Mac and look busy while scoping the crowd.   Since we had 7, we were relegated to the center communal table.  Of course with our raucous retelling of our drunken Halloween stories, this was probably not the best location as it quickly became apparent the diners around us were not enjoying our stories quite as much as we were.

The long bar was filled with brunchers who didn't want to wait for a table, which made it a little hard to get in and order my drink while I waited.  They have a separate "to-go" area which I think is for the coffees and smoothies and since I was ordering a coffee (with baileys and jamisons in it), I found this a good alternative to having to reach over people eating food.   It's at the end of the bar away from the front door.

Service: I knew they didn't take reservations, but that they did take call ahead, so when I called ahead 3 hours, the very nice hostess said she would take my information, but that I should call back 20 minutes before the actual time we were arriving.   They won't seat until your entire party has arrived, which is understandable since they have a 30-45 minute wait if you don't call ahead.  The place is popular right now.

Booze: What's up pitchers and bottles? Love it.  While I was overwhelmed by the food menu, I was totally down with the booze menu.  You can get your own bottle of chapagne and any flavor juice to mix with for $24 do-it-yourself mimosas.  Now, while this isn't necessarily "discount" drinks because it evens out to $6/mimosa, it's cool because I can mix 'em just how  I like 'em.  You can pick from pear, mango, cranberry, and orange and they bring the juice out in little baby carafes and open the bottle at your table!  Too fun.

For bloody  marys, they have pitchers for the same price ($28) which I thought our table had ordered, but then the two getting bloodies got their drinks in pint glasses so I guess the waitress didn't hear us go for the pitcher.  A single bloody mary is $7.50.  The bloody marys weren't spicy, but they will bring out tabasco.

My earlier Irish Coffee was bland.  The bartender seemed to be working solo and a little inundated, so he was a little slow to get the drink made and definitely didn't take the extra moment to add the whip cream I had requested.

Food: As I mentioned before, the options are endless and seem to touch every genre of food. I had been up since 6, so had already eaten breakfast, therefore I went with a lunchy item - chicken nachos. Ok, that's more like an appetizer but I was craving nachos.   They were very good and HUGE to boot, but they could have been warmer. In certain areas the cheese wasn't melted.  Don't worry - this did not stop me from devouring them.  Clean plate club.

Sarah had the huevos rancheros and it was also a little on the not warm enough side.

Dana liked her spinach omelet and home fries that had lots of onions, while Allison found the Home Fries too soggy for her tastes - she likes them crisp.  

Eggs Benedict = Good

Overall/Repeat: For what we had, nothing was "bad".  Sure, could have been warmer, but the brunch was good.  I'm not going to lie, while it may have sounded like I was complaining about their menu it makes me curious.  I would definitely go back to try different items because a lot of them did sound good.  Plus, I am obsessed with the do it yourself Mimosas.

This is a great place to come when you are hungover and live in the 'hood though don't come starving because you will probably have to wait unless you can snag a place at the bar. 

I don't think I would try this place as a coffee shop/work space because a) it's noisy and b) you are right in the front and middle of the restaurant...it's just a weird use of the space.

I will head back to Commissary and maybe sooner rather than later...partly because I need some pics to spice up this review! Sorry!  Those mimosas got to me I guess!