TheoryTheoryTheoryTheory

• Queen's Pawn

  $17

  The most common opening. Simple. Patient.

  Junmai Daiginjo sake, dry vermouth, cucumber, shiso oil, lime

• The Italian Game

  $16

  Classical. Centuries old. Still works.

  Cocchi Americano, Salers, white peach, prosecco, lemon zest

• English Opening

  $17

  Flank attack. Refined. Underestimated.

  Roku gin, elderflower tonic, white grapefruit, rosemary smoke

• Réti

  $18

  Hypermodern. Controls without occupying.

  Junmai sake, yuzu sherbet, shiso, soda, gold leaf

• London System

  $17

  Solid. Repeatable. Quietly devastating.

  Tanqueray No. Ten, Lillet Blanc, lemon oil, Tellicherry pepper tincture

• Catalan

  $16

  Long-game positional. Bishop on the long diagonal.

  Manzanilla sherry, Cocchi di Torino, olive brine, Marcona dust

• King's Gambit

  $19

  Risk the kingside. Win or lose in twelve moves.

  High-proof bourbon, absinthe rinse, demerara, lemon oil, Angostura mist

• Evans Gambit

  $19

  Aggressive. 19th century. Still feared.

  Rittenhouse rye, Cynar 70, Punt e Mes, burnt orange oil

• Smith-Morra

  $20

  Pawn down. Tempo up. Worth it.

  Del Maguey Vida, Ancho Reyes, smoked agave, lime, hibiscus salt

• Latvian

  $20

  Wild. Unsound. Beautiful when it works.

  Riga Black Balsam, navy gin, honey, cardamom, sparkling sake

• The Marshall Attack

  $26

  An exchange becomes a storm.

  Cognac VSOP, Chambord, lemon, Krug champagne float, raspberry dust

• Wing Gambit

  $18

  Flank, fast. Theory hates it. It still works.

  Old Tom gin, Aperol, fresh ginger, serrano, lime, basil

• Sicilian Defense

  $17

  The most popular response to e4. Built to win.

  Amaro Averna, Carpano Antica, Sicilian blood orange, smoked olive oil

• Caro-Kann

  $20

  Solid. Difficult to break. Aging slowly.

  Pierre Ferrand 1840, Cocchi di Torino, walnut bitters, oloroso mist

• French Defense

  $18

  Cramped but resilient. The long game pays.

  Pernod, Lillet Rosé, blanc vermouth, lemon oil, mint, absinthe spray

• Pirc

  $18

  Cede the center. Counter-attack the wings.

  Bols genever, Suze, ruby grapefruit, smoked rosemary syrup

• Nimzo-Indian

  $18

  Pin the knight. Control through restraint.

  Hayman's Old Tom, manzanilla en rama, dry curaçao, lime, sea salt

• Berlin Wall

  $17

  Trade the queens. Survive. Win the endgame.

  Linie aquavit, dry vermouth, Riesling reduction, fresh dill, white pepper

• Zugzwang

  $22

  Forced to move. Every option loses.

  Diplomático Reserva, Pedro Ximénez, mole bitters, charred orange, tobacco

• Lucena Position

  $26

  Theoretically winning. Practically merciless.

  Macallan 12, Drambuie, smoked honey, lemon oil, applewood smoke

• Philidor

  $24

  The pawn is the soul of the game.

  Hibiki Harmony, umeshu, white peach, soda, salted plum

• Opposition

  $23

  Two kings. One mistake. End of game.

  Del Maguey Tobalá, Amaro Nonino, ancho chile, charred lime, sal de gusano

• The Long Diagonal

  $28

  Bishop to h1. The room sees it. Nobody moves.

  Don Julio 1942, Cointreau, lime, Lapsang Souchong syrup, smoked salt

• Fortress

  $23

  Material down. Position impregnable.

  Calvados Pays d'Auge, fino sherry, brown butter, baked apple, vanilla

• The Pawn

  $18

  I · The Foundation

  Eight on the board. The promise of becoming something else.

  Plymouth Navy Strength, white tea, acacia honey, lemon, Krug brut

• The Knight

  $22

  II · The Outsider

  Moves where no one else can. Two squares forward, one square sideways.

  Del Maguey Vida, Yellow Chartreuse, lime, candied ginger, Sichuan pepper

• The Bishop

  $24

  III · The Diagonal

  Never leaves its color. Cuts across the board in a single line.

  Pierre Ferrand cognac, Bénédictine, lemon, brown butter sage, absinthe rinse

• The Rook

  $23

  IV · The Tower

  Slow to develop. Devastating when paired.

  Whistlepig 10 rye, Punt e Mes, Cynar 70, blood orange oil, Maldon

• The Queen

  $42

  V · The Strength

  Every direction. Every distance. Always the price of admission.

  Dom Pérignon, Monkey 47, St-Germain, white peach, 24k gold leaf

• The King

  $32

  VI · The Whole Game

  Slow. Limited. Without it, nothing else matters.

  Pappy 12, Pedro Ximénez, black walnut, Madagascar vanilla, smoked bitters

Sacrifices · $25 · No substitutions. No returns.

• Perpetual Check

  $12

  Yuzu, white tea, fresh ginger, soda, Sichuan pepper

• Threefold Repetition

  $12

  Bitter orange, jasmine, tonic, Aperol-spec

• Insufficient Material

  $12

  Verjus, cucumber, mint, lime, sea salt

• The Adjournment

  $13

  Cold brew, vanilla, cardamom, oat milk, demerara

1. 01Order by name. Not by ingredient.
2. 02If you do not see your drink, ask. Off-menu is on-menu.
3. 03Boards stay where they are placed. So do phones.
4. 04Tip your bartender. They are also your second.
5. 05If the King falls, the round is on you.
6. 06No photographs. No exceptions.
7. 07All members are equal. Even ones.