50 Best Cocktail Bars in Washington

“Incredible Tour of the World menu!“

“Amazing cocktails and wonderful cuisine! Cool atmosphere and timely reservations!“

“I love this place! The food is phenomenal! I can’t get over the tempeh burger!!!“

“If you find yourself in DC, I highly recommend giving this place a shot if you wanna splurge on food. The dining experience and service was top notch and the food was splendid.

Side note: I also heard that they were going to close up shop later this year so try it while you have the chance!“

“Restaurant Week lunch menu was excellent. Good variety and enough choices for the 3 course menu. Can’t go wrong with any options. Excellent service. Bar area is nice-wish the dining room decor was as interesting as the food. (Maybe that’s the point—the foods the thing!)“

“Elegant setting. Beautiful decor. Stellar service. Innovative and delectable cuisine. Bonus points for mocktail options.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best in town for food and drinks.“

“5 stars isn't enough!! From the moment we walked in until the end of our night we were satisfied. The decorations, food, and service was amazing! They even offered me a quiet place to pray :). Give this place a try-trust me (portions may seem small, but it was very filling- we ordered the bowl of fries, which came with a delicious sauce, CROQUETTES, fish burger, beef burger, and gnocchi pomodoro. It felt like we were in nyc enjoy :)“

“Finding a Filipino restaurant isn’t easy. So learning about Purple Patch thru Jo Koy—has ended this search! Literally, Filipino cuisine heaven! The restaurant is uniquely decorated, the staff were friendly, & the food hit that major comfort button for us! Thank you Zahara for being so sweet & a wonderful waitress. We can’t wait to come back for more!“

“Great food great service!“

“It was fabulous! I loved how much thought went into the meal and the whole place showed the care and love behind the creations. The food and service were spectacular!“

“Genuinely blown away. Don't get me wrong I love all food, but I wouldn't say I'm easily impressed since most restaurants are just decent but this was truly great food and the service was phenomenal. You can really tell a lot of time and thought is put into each dish. We will be back!!!“

“Can't recommend this place enough!! The entrance is actually very hidden which adds to the speakeasy element. The bartenders are excellent, especially Jake who was controlling the music and making our fab Tom Collins. Highly recommend!!!“

“on point!! don't shy away from the menu, everything we had was delicious.“

“It’s an outstanding establishment to eat & drink!!“

“Pub like atmosphere with an eclectic menu. Service was pretty good, and certainly helpful and friendly. The menu is somewhat like a tapas place in that the portions are fairly small and if you go hungry, you may need to order more than one. Has an outside area, heated, where you enjoy the official bird song of Washington DC - the police siren.“

“This restaurant was outstanding, starting with the very charismatic, highly entertaining waiter who was always there when we needed him to the food which was delicious and authentically delicious to the ambiance which was good energy without being loud and a cool environment. The branzino, hamachi crudite, pork chop and bread were especially delicious. Highly recommended.“

“Amazing dinner!! Every course was delicious!“

“The Tacos and clam chowder was really good. The frozen Rose’ was good as well. Great service“

“One of the best dining experiences in DC. Chef Jeremiah is outstanding; the meal is creative but accessible, and each course is better than the previous. We are so grateful to have Dabney in DC!“

“Tastes just like my mom’s cooking, should try to know it.“

“Had a great experience. I would definitely come back next time we are in DC.“

“Unreal 5 star arrive and food . I agree Michelin for sure“

“Dining in DC, is paying for ambiance. Pascual was a wonderful ambiance in learning the finer elements of Mexican cuisine.

NO SALSA IN CHIPS

Guacamole was tasty but it wasn't until I built the perfect bite with the braised lamb neck did I appreciate the understatement of its balance. My friend very much enjoyed her Octopus, she got crispy she'll to accompany her dish.

The bunuelo was a nice finish, but there was the option of flan w/chocolate. The flan was good but had bitters from dark chocolate that gave the taste of espresso.

I would not dine here again personally, but it makes for a really nice backdrop of a lovely dinner.

Vegetarian options: Seafood allergy, a lot of possible cross contamination, limits your choices. However the choices are still very delicious.“

“From the cocktails to the service…our experience was top notch all around! Highly recommend!“

“This place is intoxicating!! The decor is very Gatsbyesque! Totally cool private gin club speakeasy vibe. Went here for after dinner drinks with my girlfriends and it really hit the mark! The cocktails were gorgeous and delicious! I recommend the Gimlet. Staff was attentive and knowledgeable. It was a perfect ending to our girls trip and I can't wait to bring my husband for date night!!! Highly recommend!“

“Great place!! The atmosphere was charming and the food was great! The staff was very knowledgeable about the wine and provided great customer service.“

“fantastic food and service. Will definitely be back“

“The cocktails are on point. I had a Mezcal JungleBird and a Firing Squad. Both were delicious. My friends also liked their drinks. The bartenders were fun and entertaining. The one guy has a propeller on his vat - he is hilarious.

We had lamb kebabs, hummus, and charcuterie. The lamb was so tender and tasty - a little bit spicy with a hint of mint. I think that the hummus had beets in the recipe - delicious. They gave us so much hummus that we could have used more pita but we didn’t ask. The bresaola on the charcuterie plate was out of this world. I heard that they make a pretty solid burger but we already had dinner and we were just snacking with late night drinks.

Classy place. Framed prints of Alphonse Mucha’s work behind the bar - there is an Art Nouveau feel. Nice looking room.

Pretty great place - one of the best places in DC IMO. I really hope that it doesn’t get ruined by stupid drunks roaming around Dupont Circle.

Parking: Not easy to park on the weekends.“

“Omg best place in dc will come again“

“I enjoyed the green zone, it had me flying high. Flying high when I tried their coffee drink. There was so much in it I don’t even know what to call it, but look at the picture, it looks delicious. I payed a pretty penny for it too, but pennies I got. This place cost a lot of green so bring your wallet, credit card too. Have fun, it’s good (at least their coffee drink is).“

“Great ambiance and great drinks 🍹 totally recommend for a fun night out 🥂“

“Love the atmosphere and drinks are great“

“love D&A. The service is great. The bartenders are very attentive. Abbie, the top shelf cocktail waitress is the nicest most thoughtful person we have.ever met! She is AMAZING!!“

“wonderful gem of a spot! delicious cocktails and food. extremely knowledgeable staff“

“I will say that this place is a MUST visit! I was thoroughly impressed by the ambiance, the service and most importantly the food! Every bite was delicious and left me wanting more. We had the four course menu and it was enough food that everyone in our party felt satisfied and even a bit full. The service was great too! They brought out each course promptly and we enjoyed the attentiveness and attention to detail. Indian food has never tasted so delicious! I hope to return again soon!“

“What a lovely bar! Delicious and unique drinks!“

“Great vibes and music here!!!😎“

“Our son lives in the area and we have been here 4-5 since January ( every time we visit) The owners are wonderful and the staff very attentive The fish taco appetizer is wonderful ( can be enough for an entree if not wanted a big meal) I’ve had many of the entrees and never a bad meal . The chocolate dessert is my go to“

“You know you’re going to have good food when the servers get excited about your menu decisions. Everything was absolutely wonderful. We got to sit at the bar with a direct view of the kitchen. I don’t know if the octopus or the truffle dumpling was my favorite, but I know I’m getting both when I go back. The whole fried snapper had a delicious light breading. The duck noodles were tasty too; I will probably try to get it spicier next time. I’ll likely be back in a couple of weeks. I’m still thinking about the food. Also, this husband-wife team perfected my experience by ensuring such excellent service. They need to teach a workshop to other restauranteurs.“

“Mariscos 1133 is hands down one of the best brunch spots I’ve ever been to! The food selection is incredible — from savory dishes to the amazing drinks, everything was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. You can tell the kitchen puts care into every plate.

The drink menu is just as impressive. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic mimosa or something more creative, their cocktails are delicious and well-balanced. The vibe is vibrant yet laid-back, making it perfect for a relaxing weekend brunch with friends or a casual date.

The service was also top-notch — friendly, attentive, and quick without feeling rushed. I’ll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend Marisco 1133 if you’re looking for an unforgettable brunch experience!“

“Loved eating here. The restaurant smelled faintly of incense, which was a welcome ambiance. Tables are layed out well so it doesn't feel cramped. The space is nice and bright with beautiful decor. The staff were friendly and very attentive. Service was fast and the food was absolutely delicious! Loved every single thing I ordered:

Sheer chai — this tea had a nice balance of milk and sugar

Mantoo classic — these beef dumplings were full of flavor and served at the right temperature, hot but not too much to burn your mouth

Lamb shank — the sauce was packed with flavor and the meat fell off the bones. It came with rice that was a lovely buttery complement to the lamb

Sheer berenj — had this for dessert and it was very refreshing. It's not milky and the pistachios on top added a nice nutty flavor to the rice pudding

Green tea with cardamom — nice way to end dinner“

“What a great place ! I’m Swiss and very critical when it comes to “ Swiss restaurants “ in other countries. The best Kalbs Bratwurst und Rösti. The Vermicelli tasted just like at home. Great hospitality. And fair prices. THANK YOU FOR A HOME EXPERIENCE AWAY FROM HOME“

“OUT OF THIS WORLD! I am Mexican and this food is just as great as it is in my own country, adding a touch of sophistication, fun and spark! Highly recommend it.“

“Bistro Cacao was an outstanding choice to cater lunch for a very important business meeting. The food was AMAZING, from appetizers, salad, main course and dessert! Highly recommend them for your next event, meeting or just a fine place to dine!! Great Service, Great Food, Great Presentation!“

“There’s very few times when you walk into somewhere and can tell immediately that the owner loves what they’re doing, Cynthia is most definitely one. Cocktails were unique and delicious and the food was exactly what I hoped it would be.“

“This my first time here and it was probably one of the best experience I’ve ever had at a bar in DC . I’ll definitely be back for my birthday next week. Love the atmosphere“

“Excellent food with attentive servers. Sia made recommendations, matching us to dishes we loved. Bustling place but still feels like a personalized experience.“

“This spot was incredible. Great artisan pizzas with creative pairings & cooked to perfection. The Harambe loved Big Macs and Macha Roni were both SO good. My favorite between the two was the Harambe- which had an fantastic dressing. It truly was a star.

We'll be back!“