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Daniella Senior, the restaurateur behind the Colada Shop chain, launches a new Latin-leaning seafood and martini bar in Navy Yard this month. Bar Nuestro — opening Oct. 28 — brings a menu that blends European bistro technique with Caribbean and Latin American flavors, and promises a lively dining room and inventive cocktails just yards from the riverfront.
What Bar Nuestro is offering
The spot sits at the base of the Urby apartment complex (1345 Yards Place SE) and is operated by Senior’s new hospitality arm, 5C Hospitality. The culinary vision fuses two kitchens: Colombian-born Claudio Foschi, known for his work with the José Andrés group and at Oyamel, shapes the menu’s Latin identity, while executive chef Harper McClure — a veteran of Le Diplomate — brings brasserie polish to the European side.
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That pairing shows up across the menu: small plates that nod to family recipes, coastal crudos and prawns, and larger mains where traditional preparations meet tropical ingredients. The kitchen is also set up for dietary needs: the restaurant avoids nuts and seed oils and keeps a separate fryer for gluten-free frying.
| Opening | Oct. 28, 2026 |
| Address | 1345 Yards Place SE, Navy Yard (Urby) |
| Lead chefs | Claudio Foschi (culinary director) and Harper McClure (executive chef) |
| Price range | Main plates roughly $26–$54 |
| Dietary notes | No nuts or seed oils; dedicated gluten-free fryer |
| Design | Midcentury Latin American references by Shawn Hausman |
Menu highlights
Expect playful combinations rather than strict fusion. Starters mix textures and regions — crudo, yuca-based beignets and shareable prawns. Larger plates lean on rich, familiar formulas remixed with tropical notes.
- Starters and small plates: yuca beignets with truffle and huitlacoche; head-on Gulf prawns with beurre monté and cilantro; lump crab pillows with ají dulce tartar.
- Crudos and bites: hiramasa and yellowtail-style preparations with soursop leche de tigre and mango; a Merolin churro finished with imperial osetra caviar and shallot jam.
- Mains: oxtail mafalde with ragu and Parmesan; Milanesa pork chop with avocado mousse; charred picanha topped with leek chimichurri; the house burger topped with banana ketchup and pommes frites.
- Desserts: sweet plantain sundae with rum caramel; mango frio frio — a Dominican shaved-ice dessert with passionfruit ganache and pitahaya.
Prices are positioned for neighborhood dining rather than fine-dining escalation, with many plates priced in the mid-range. That combination — accessible pricing and theatrical touches like a caviar-topped churro — aims to draw both residents and visitors to Navy Yard’s evolving dining scene.
The bar and beverage program
Beverage director Josh Murski built a menu centered on a consumer-facing martini concept: diners can choose their spirit, vermouth, style and garnish, then add whimsical options such as a caviar “bump” or an oyster. Signature cocktails range from a caviar-accented martini to an upside-down “Dirty Dancing” martini served with onion brine.
Other drinks include a brown-butter–washed Negroni, a mango-forward pisco sour, a Fluffy Mango Margarita and a low-ABV selection that plays with ginger and kiwi. The wine list reaches across Spain, France, Argentina and Virginia, while the beer selection highlights regional breweries, including Richmond’s Väsen Brewing.
Design and neighborhood fit
Interior designer Shawn Hausman took inspiration from midcentury Latin American interiors, layering geometric patterns, red lacquer accents and streamlined stone floors. Early reactions have noted a retro, cinematic quality to the dining room — a mood that matches the menu’s blend of nostalgia and invention.
Bar Nuestro arrives at a moment of change in the area around Nationals Park, where national chains and new concepts are rapidly reshaping the restaurant mix. Its arrival adds an independent, chef-driven option amid a wave of openings and conversions that have drawn resident attention — and occasional criticism from patrons seeking more original, locally rooted restaurants.
For diners, the key takeaways are straightforward: a neighborhood destination with bold drinks, a menu that highlights seafood and Latin flavors, and an interior designed to encourage lingering evenings. Reservations and walk-in seating policies were not announced publicly at the time of this report; expect more operational details to appear as the opening date approaches.
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