11 Best Cocktail Bars in Bethesda

“This is a great cocktail bar that also happens to have pretty good food! The only thing holding this review from being 5 stars is that the owner needs to assign more staff to the Saturday evening shift. There was 25-30 customers between 6:30 and 8pm on a Saturday, but only TWO employees working outside the kitchen. No host, no busser, no server. Just ONE waiter and ONE bartender during prime time dinner hours. The bartender was serving food instead of bartending and the waiter was frantically trying to take orders from 10+ tables. No one was bussing (dirty tables were left unattended until new customers arrived) and you had to find the waiter or bartender in order to get a seat. I hope the owner or manager sees this because I felt so bad for the two staff trying to run the front house of this restaurant on a Saturday night. They were doing their best and deserve more help so they can provide better service to customers.“

“I came to Tacombi for the first time for a work happy hour and we had a great time! Very happy with the food (delicious, fresh tacos), drinks (spicy margarita and watermelon tequila drink were a hit!), and the service was friendly and prompt. The open patio atmosphere added to to a lovely evening. Highly recommend!“

“Best rooftop in Bethesda. Beautiful sunsets and fabulous cocktails! 🍸“

“Mother’s Day celebration with family was especially great because of the amazing atmosphere and awesome service at Barrel and Crow. It was our first time visiting this establishment and certainly will not be our last. Shout out to the owner and her staff.“

“southern and northern Italian specialty foods. Chef Ettore the best!“

“Great dogs and beer selection. Cheese fries were also delicious. Would recommend to try this spot if in Bethesda, MD.“

“The friendly staff and bartenders... shout out to Duffy and Juan!!“

“Rakugaki has been our go-to sushi spot! The food is consistently delicious, and even the presentation of the takeout is beautiful and thoughtful. What truly sets it apart, though, is the staff. Denise and Bibi are particularly wonderful members of the team who have made our family’s experiences memorable. They, along with every other team member, have always been kind and friendly.“

“Stayed just one night but what a comfortable night it was. The staff was very friendly and the room was spacious and clean. I can't wait to return!“

“Service and ambiance were excellent, food was generally good overall.
Bartender was friendly, helpful, and attentive. Food was good, but some of the dishes didn't hit the mark.
The Parker House rolls were very good, warm, fluffy, and perfectly yeasty. The clam chowder was on point and very tasty. The spicy fried shrimp roll was excellent and easily split in two to share. Pimento crab dip was an unctuous blend of wonderful flavors and definitely worth the calories. Deviled eggs were heavy on the mustard, but still good.
The local MD raw oysters were not at the level I expected, they were blander and the liquor was waterier than I wanted. The stuffies were quite salty and the smoked flavor from the linguica overpowered the rest of the filling.
Overall, comfortable, nicely appointed place with great service, but the food was somewhat inconsistent.“

“I've anticipated the opening of the restaurant. It's authentic mexican ambiance. Friendly staff. Delicious food, best Mexican food I've had since I moved to the DMV. I'll be back. It's Cinco de Mayo and it's my first time here. Catherine was my waitress and she was amazing.“