The bartender wouldn't allow my non drinking over- age friend to sit in the bar because she didn't have a physical ID. We were all over 35. He was incredibly rude and told us she had to leave immediately. There are plenty of ways to handle the situation and this was not one of them- not even going to try coming back.
Service: 1
Levan Taktakishvili
Best Rum bar in DC!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Norman Charette
Great place, very friendly, and the bartenders are wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kel McKnight
The staff and vibes here are amazing. They do allow outside food as they do not have a kitchen. I would recommend the rum tasting, Russell was a great host and full of conversation. Im glad we made this a stop on our trip.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
giants2686
Cannot recommend this place enough. Wonderful drinks, kind staff and they really make you feel at home. Will absolutely be back the next time I’m in the district!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Gabbi Sheitelman
Rude bartenders
Service: 1
Ian Campbell
Great variety of drinks, reasonable prices, and plenty of space to hang out! They already had a great sound setup & disco ball so I was wishing there was a DJ & dance floor, but I also appreciated that it wasnt overly crowded.
I got the Jungle bird which I would've liked to have been a bit more bitter and with more molasses flavor but it was still enjoyable. Still, the prices and variety of options were greatly appreciated—I willl be sure to come back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Travis Moore
We hosted a private party here in March for the ten-year anniversary of my nonprofit and were initially excited to support a local business- especially since it’s the first rum distillery in the District (and I love rum).
Unfortunately, the experience fell short, and I would not recommend hosting a gathering here under the current management.
The main issue was the service. From the start, staff interactions were unusually curt and, at times, hostile. Within the first ten minutes of set-up, we were yelled at about decorations that did not meet the venue’s specifications. Makes sense, our bad, not a problem at all, but the delivery was belittling and this set a really negative tone for our team and the event. The pattern then continued throughout the evening, where service felt dismissive and at moments mean-spirited.
Moreover, the event was a big moment for our newly hired team member, who handled the planning with great care, and it was discouraging to see her spoken to in a manner that left her feeling demeaned rather than supported.
We invested close to $5,000 for the three-hour gathering and expected at least professional courtesy in return. Instead, our group and team members left feeling unwelcome.
I had to on several occasions reassure the team that, not to worry, they’d done a great job (they had), and that whatever negativity was reverberating from the staff at the distillery wasn’t under their control or their fault.
I would have considered a lower rating if not for the fact that this is a small business. That said, I cannot recommend it for events unless management takes significant steps to improve customer service.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Dan Barker
Unfortunately the great drinks can’t make up for an incredibly rude bartender and bad service. Used to love this place. I hope they can find someone to match the former quality of this place.
A
One of my favorite places in DC and a fantastic rum distillery. If you read the negative reviews, and the responses, looks like some rude customers are just disguising their bad behavior. Amazing place and definitely worth a visit. Really wish they would bring back the bottling nights!
The best place for drinks in Union Market! Beth and Mel are the best bartenders in the city. Come in for a Riot Swirl, you won't be disappointed!
Matthew Cullen
I love Rum and I had a great time here. The slushy drinks went down easy but I could sip the rum straight all day. The spot seemed like a great place to meet up after work and even has a shaded back area. Vibes were chill and I even made friends with the locals. Shout out to Alvin and Mel for the great Rum drinks and experience. I will be back soon!
R
Nice little bar in Union Market. Specialize in rum.
Janise Wilkerson
Very disappointed. It was my first time there and the door man and bartender was rude at 5pm on a Friday afternoon. Hospitality was non existent from my experience. I didn’t feel welcomed to stay and have a drink. I expected more because I heard good things in the past but I’ll never be back. 0/ 5. I would NOT recommend.
Olivia West
My partner and I recently had our engagement party here, and it went great! It was pretty seamless booking/confirming everything, and we had full flexibility with decorating the space and such. Our bartender we had, I don’t know his name, but he was amazing! Just as a note for others booking: The set up time is only 30 minutes, which is kind of hard to work with, and the only “grievance.” Additionally, there is a bar tab minimum, and if not reached, there is still automatic gratuity of 20% on the minimum itself- so budget the amount with the added tip. Overall, I had a good experience and recommend!
The bartender wouldn't allow my non drinking over- age friend to sit in the bar because she didn't have a physical ID. We were all over 35. He was incredibly rude and told us she had to leave immediately. There are plenty of ways to handle the situation and this was not one of them- not even going to try coming back.
Service: 1
Best Rum bar in DC!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place, very friendly, and the bartenders are wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The staff and vibes here are amazing. They do allow outside food as they do not have a kitchen. I would recommend the rum tasting, Russell was a great host and full of conversation. Im glad we made this a stop on our trip.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Cannot recommend this place enough. Wonderful drinks, kind staff and they really make you feel at home. Will absolutely be back the next time I’m in the district!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Rude bartenders
Service: 1
Great variety of drinks, reasonable prices, and plenty of space to hang out! They already had a great sound setup & disco ball so I was wishing there was a DJ & dance floor, but I also appreciated that it wasnt overly crowded.
I got the Jungle bird which I would've liked to have been a bit more bitter and with more molasses flavor but it was still enjoyable. Still, the prices and variety of options were greatly appreciated—I willl be sure to come back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
We hosted a private party here in March for the ten-year anniversary of my nonprofit and were initially excited to support a local business- especially since it’s the first rum distillery in the District (and I love rum).
Unfortunately, the experience fell short, and I would not recommend hosting a gathering here under the current management.
The main issue was the service. From the start, staff interactions were unusually curt and, at times, hostile. Within the first ten minutes of set-up, we were yelled at about decorations that did not meet the venue’s specifications. Makes sense, our bad, not a problem at all, but the delivery was belittling and this set a really negative tone for our team and the event. The pattern then continued throughout the evening, where service felt dismissive and at moments mean-spirited.
Moreover, the event was a big moment for our newly hired team member, who handled the planning with great care, and it was discouraging to see her spoken to in a manner that left her feeling demeaned rather than supported.
We invested close to $5,000 for the three-hour gathering and expected at least professional courtesy in return. Instead, our group and team members left feeling unwelcome.
I had to on several occasions reassure the team that, not to worry, they’d done a great job (they had), and that whatever negativity was reverberating from the staff at the distillery wasn’t under their control or their fault.
I would have considered a lower rating if not for the fact that this is a small business. That said, I cannot recommend it for events unless management takes significant steps to improve customer service.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Unfortunately the great drinks can’t make up for an incredibly rude bartender and bad service. Used to love this place. I hope they can find someone to match the former quality of this place.
One of my favorite places in DC and a fantastic rum distillery. If you read the negative reviews, and the responses, looks like some rude customers are just disguising their bad behavior. Amazing place and definitely worth a visit. Really wish they would bring back the bottling nights!
Restaurantji Recommends
The best place for drinks in Union Market! Beth and Mel are the best bartenders in the city. Come in for a Riot Swirl, you won't be disappointed!
I love Rum and I had a great time here. The slushy drinks went down easy but I could sip the rum straight all day. The spot seemed like a great place to meet up after work and even has a shaded back area. Vibes were chill and I even made friends with the locals. Shout out to Alvin and Mel for the great Rum drinks and experience. I will be back soon!
Nice little bar in Union Market. Specialize in rum.
Very disappointed. It was my first time there and the door man and bartender was rude at 5pm on a Friday afternoon. Hospitality was non existent from my experience. I didn’t feel welcomed to stay and have a drink. I expected more because I heard good things in the past but I’ll never be back. 0/ 5. I would NOT recommend.
My partner and I recently had our engagement party here, and it went great! It was pretty seamless booking/confirming everything, and we had full flexibility with decorating the space and such. Our bartender we had, I don’t know his name, but he was amazing! Just as a note for others booking: The set up time is only 30 minutes, which is kind of hard to work with, and the only “grievance.” Additionally, there is a bar tab minimum, and if not reached, there is still automatic gratuity of 20% on the minimum itself- so budget the amount with the added tip. Overall, I had a good experience and recommend!
Loading...