Arts & Entertainment
Hanks opens on the Hill
New oyster bistro slightly different from its sister locations
Gina Chersevani, left, and Jamie Leeds. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
Jamie Leeds is doing something right — Hank’s Oyster Bar is a Dupont Circle mainstay that came to fruition in the spring of 2005. In 2007, she opened a second Hank’s in Old Town Alexandria.
Now she’s expanding the Alexandria location and she opened a third Hank’s Oyster Bar on Capitol Hill (633 Pennsylvania Ave S.E.) this week. Leeds says opening Hank’s on the Hill while expanding the Alexandria location is her “most exciting accomplishment.”
Leeds has partnered up with “mixtress” Gina Chersevani for this new venue. This 40-seat location features Leeds classics such as the lobster roll and her famous “Meat and Two” option, where patrons receive protein and two sides. This location also includes a 20-seat bar named The Eddy, where patrons can belly and enjoy a handcrafted cocktail.
Hank’s on the Hill feels like a New England cottage with white trim, light grey walls and whitewashed slats hanging from the ceiling. The white marble bar has a block of ice sitting front and center so Chersevani, who’s straight, and staff can carve ice for drinks. The raised oyster station at the back of the restaurant is purposefully the center of attention. Eventually, the Capitol Hill location will also have outdoor seating. Leeds is not anticipating the same trouble obtaining permits as in Dupont where half the outdoor seating area remains closed due to opposition from residents.
Leeds is excited to “deliver excellent seafood and become part of the neighborhood.” Her favorite items on the menu are the fried oysters and the molasses-braised short ribs. At the Capitol Hill location Leeds applies what she has learned from her other restaurants; one important lesson is surrounding herself with the right people. She looks for people who are dedicated, committed to teaching and service oriented. This is how she runs a successful business and balances her family life with partner Leslie Detenber and their son Hayden.
Leeds first hired Chersevani 10 years ago when working at 15ria. Thy have talked about working together and both were excited when the opportunity arose. Chersevani happily tells a story of an early experience with Leeds at 15ria when she had to make a Blueberry Smash — she simply threw the ingredients together, including frozen blueberries. Leeds was not impressed. Chersevani realized this was an opportunity to grow, and take her cocktails to the next level. Chersevani says that “training with chefs like Leeds has allowed her to become a better mixologist.” Cocktails should “tell a story,” and many of the stories she tells on the current Hank’s list are political.
The new mantra for Hank’s Capitol Hill is “swirling liquors and turbulent mixers” and Chersevani is excited to bring “better” cocktails to the neighborhood. Her beverage program consists of 20 intricate cocktails like her personal favorite, The Georgia Mafia, which contains peanut washed Michter’s Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and marshmallow bitters. Chersevani dubbed this cocktail the “X-rated Fluffer Nutter.” She says that while it may be a small list at Hank’s on the Hill it’s a “small list with impact.”
On Tuesday night, I dined at Hank’s on the Hill and ordered grilled pork chop. I chose the heirloom tomatoes and the buttermilk onion rings as my sides. Both sides were palatable, but the pork chop was cooked unevenly and some morsels were juiceless. The short ribs were not available on the night I dined, but the fried oysters were and I agree with Leeds. The oysters were delicious fried bites that perfectly combined the crispy breading and delicate flavor of the oysters. I chose the Gnome Water Rebellion as my drink for the night and I was blown away by the freshness brought to the drink by the cucumber water and the overall balance of flavors.
Hank’s Capitol Hill “is not like anything else,” says Chersevani. “It will feel like home, with laughter and good times.” On the night I was at Hank’s the bar was bustling and Chersevani was chatting with patrons and handing out shots. Everyone was listening to her stories and enjoying the night. Hank’s on the Hill is open Sunday thru Wednesday from 5-10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5-11 p.m. The Eddy is open daily from 5 to midnight.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
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