Modern French Brasserie Coming To Georgetown's West End: Report

GEORGETOWN, DC — Georgetown will soon get a new French brasserie.

Eater DC reports that Hakan Ilhan — the prolific D.C. restauranteur who brought us favorites like Ottoman Taverna and Mirabelle — will be opening Liberté in the West End come mid-September.

Located at 3251 Prospect St. NW, the 6,000-square-foot restaurant will occupy what once was a dimly lit Morton's Steakhouse. The aging space, according to Eater, has been completely gutted, making way for a multi-million dollar modern renovation.

The goal: make Liberté a young and hip dining destination in historic Georgetown.

Renovations include raising the seven-foot ceilings to more than 10 feet and a high-tech dimming system, the outlet reports. The restaurant will accommodate 250 people, depending on the time of day. There will also be two patio areas and space for 70 additional al fresco seats.

"We want this to be lighter and fun to be in. Georgetown is on a comeback," Ilhan told Eater. "We feel like it's going to be a very cozy and unique place."

Liberté won't be like many traditional brasseries. It will be more modern, lively, and more Millennial-minded.

Eater reports that Liberté's look is inspired by modern brasseries Ilhan visited in London's trendy Soho neighborhood.

"We didn't want to look like any brasserie or bistro — we wanted to do something totally different but still be French," Ilhan said.