Washington Bar Charges For Ice Cubes

Washington, D.C., has a fancy new restaurant with a fancy new cocktail menu, but its biggest claim to fame is almost certainly going to be the fact that it's actually charging extra for "artisanal" ice cubes.

According to the Washington City Paper, a new restaurant called Second State opens for lunch this afternoon in Washington, D.C.. It has a Pennsylvania-themed menu and an extensive list of cocktails, which range in price from $11 to $17, but those prices are going to be a little bit higher if you want ice, though. If you want a Manhattan, for example, one is $14 at Second State. A Manhattan on ice is $15, and the menu specifies that it is "served on a rock" instead of "on the rocks."

Second State bar manager Phil Clark insists the upsell is worth it because the ice is handcrafted and artisanal.

"It's worth it," Clark said. "When it goes into a cocktail, it's crystal clear. It's purified water, so there's no minerally taste."