50 Best Cocktail Bars near Potomac

“I absolutely love visiting Colada at Cabin John Village—it’s truly one of my favorite spots! The service is consistently amazing every single time I go. The team is always friendly and welcoming, and you can feel the positive energy as soon as you walk in.

I have to give a special shout-out to Enya and Melissa—they go above and beyond to make every experience exceptional. Whether it’s remembering your order, offering the perfect recommendation, or simply greeting you with a smile, they make you feel genuinely valued as a customer.

If you’re looking for great coffee, delicious bites, and the kind of service that brightens your day, Colada is the place to be. Thank you, Enya and Melissa, for always making my visits so special!“

“Went and tried the Italian sub and the meatball today.Absolutely delicious and fresh!“

“Amazing atmosphere and some of the best cocktails in the area!!!“

“Fantastic group meal at Beth’s tonight! Staff was very welcoming and greeted our group promptly. As a larger group we wanted to try a variety of delicious items and shared them together. We ordered one of each of the Bites menu items. My favorite was the Old Bay Shrimp! 😍🍤 - dessert was delicious and cocktails well crafted. Approachable menu and eclectic environment .“

“Really love it. Excellent venue. Intimate. Not a bad seat from balcony to the front rows. Go see a musician there. Any musician. If you enjoy the arts you will not be disappointed. Fun drinks. Good food too. Plenty of time to eat ahead with doors open early. Hard to get a table but make friends or stand or wait and eventually room opens up before the show. Food comes out very fast to support getting to your seats. Small venues like this the artists also come out to shake hands and say hi to everyone. It's a special place and the performance shows and guests know it too. Enjoy.“

“Just an incredible restaurant - amazing food out of this world our server was simply impressive with one month on the job - I can't say enough good things about him. I will always be back !!!“

“I cannot recommend this place enough! The atmosphere is fantastic, the food is delicious and the staff is superb. Our entire experience was something special. My father had the table side carbonara, my husband had the braised short rib lasagna and I had the famous chicken parmigiana ala vodka. The staff paid attention to our every need and made this dining experience so enjoyable. Next time we are in the area we will be sure to come back.“

“The best chaat Place in my eatery list. Must try their "ROYAL CHAAT". One of the best place to have Indian food.“

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

“Authentic Indian cuisine served with care—RASA never misses. A flavorful escape right in the neighborhood.“

“Very nice outdoor seating and great atmosphere. I really like retractable doors and how it opens up the restraunt. Tacos were wonderful and they have well flavored chips. Also totally worth going on Tuesday for their buy one, get one tacos for taco tuesday.“

“Absolute 5 star experience with a special shoutout to our server, Chaewon, who made it feel like a Michelin dining experience. I made a reservation for two on a Saturday night to celebrate a birthday. Booking a week in advance, the prime time dinner hours between 6pm and 9pm were already limited. So I highly recommend booking in advance. Upon arriving 15 minutes early, we were greeted by the hostess and seated with little to no wait (~2 minutes). Upon being seated, our table was already set for two and we were quickly greeted by our server, Chaewon. After she explained the menu and the dining experience, we elected to go with the Dinner Prix Fixe option, which was $80 per person, and included multiple cuts of meat, a welcome dish (currently a Pumpkin Porridge), a side, an appetizer, a savory dish per person, and a dessert per person. The Dinner Prix Fixe is absolutely the way to go when dining here and we were more than stuffed. We typically do the all you can eat type of restaurant for Korean BBQ, but this place easily topped those in taste and experience. Every single meat was tender and literally melts in your mouth. I also want to just reemphasize the point about the Michelin star-like service. There wasn't a single second where we felt like we were waiting for anything or questioning anything we ate. Food came out super quickly with perfect spacing between dishes. Every aspect of the meal was described in detail as it was cooked and served. Water was constantly refilled. The table was cleaned thoroughly after the main meal and before serving dessert with fresh new utensils. To top it off, as we left the restaurant, our server personally took the time and effort to open the door for us as we exited. So if you're looking for Korean BBQ or just a fantastic dining experience in general, I HIGHLY recommend dining at Ingle and asking for Chaewon to be your server.“

“had my daughter’s baby shower there today from 1-4. Ali was superb… “on it” re: everything! Food was great & abundant… juice/champagne bar fabulous & just the perfect size & setup for 30 women. i highly recommend ms. peacock’s! and once again, “Ali” was the best.“

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

“Very satisfied on my first visit to Ellie Bird. We came for Brunch for my wife’s birthday. The staff were all very attentive and many wished her a happy birthday as they welcomed us in, which often gets overlooked at other restaurants, but it made her morning feel so much more special. It may seem like a small notion, but it was a touching detail to our initial visit. The brunch menu is small but packed with flavors and meaningful dishes. We love this and wish we could try it all. We decided to start with the PB&J French toast as a shared app. It’s an entree item, but upon hearing how much the owner loves this item we had to try it out. We also ordered the Pineapple Bun sliders and Tornado omelette. For us the trio of entrees was the perfect blend of savory, sweet, and salty, hitting all the right notes. Also highly recommend the Ellie Bird Latte. Glad we came, we will be back for more!“

“absolutely delicious and would recommend to anyone!“

“The food appears... lesser quantity than in DC. The biscuits were smaller, and harder. I saw no bacon. The sausage (pork or chicken) was not "week done" as with the DC restaurant. Also there wasn't any shrimp. I got there at 9:am, and was told reservations were needed. So I Sat at the bar. Def a 3.5 rating on food here“

“Really creative and delicious food!! The people are so welcoming and attentive. We are definitely foodies and highly recommend NUE. It is one of our favorite restaurants!!!“

“We've dined at Patsy's American on several occasions and consistently appreciate the quality, service and atmosphere.“

“The food was fresh and delicious! The service was excellent and the owner came around to talk to us! He was so sweet!! He made us feel like family! I will definitely recommend this lovely establishment to my family and friends! I should have taken more photos, but I forgot- it was as sooo goo!!“

“One of our favorite neighborhood spots. Even if we didn’t live in the neighborhood, we would make our way over here.“

“Celebrated my birthday at Empress Coffee & Cocktails with my girls, and it was everything! The food and drinks were incredible -- we tried so many dishes and loved every bite. The Persian pizza (a house favorite) was full of flavor, the soup and grilled cheese combo was pure comfort, and the turkey + havarti sandwich, bacon egg croissant, and margarita pizza were all delicious and perfectly done. The drinks? Just wow. The espresso martini is an absolute yes! We also loved the butterfly margarita, lava-shak martini, and Malibu sunset -- all beautifully crafted and fun to sip. Plus, they offer a nice selection of wines and juices to purchase. Shots were order as well. Had too much fun didn't take pictures of all the food and drinks. The space itself is perfect for a girls' day or night out -- stylish and cozy with beautiful lighting and thoughtful décor. We especially loved the artwork of the girl with the pearl earrings -- such a fun and elegant touch! We were lucky enough to have the place to ourselves, which made the whole evening feel extra special. Huge shoutout to Sam, the owner, who was such a warm and welcoming host. Highly recommend this gem for a celebration or a chill hangout. Can't wait to go back!“

“Wonderful food and service. We all had different dinners off the menu. The French onion soup was some of the best I had. We walked in and were met with smiles and seated fast with no reservations.“

“The entire experience was awesome! We didn’t have reservations, as we just came from a show. They worked us in and the tapas style dining was just what we needed for an upscale, late-night meal. Flavor was out of this world and presentation was art! I’ll definitely be back & highly recommend the ninniku noodles with duck confit. 🤤“

“Great food Butter chicken was particularly good“

“Amazing experience, food was perfecto and nice experience. 100 % Recommended!“

“The food and seasoning is first rate. The crab cakes are perfection; almost no filler and scrumptious. French fries and roasted potatoes couldn't be better. Fried chicken eggs Benedict is great. Eggs were cooked perfectly but wished for a little more gravy so the next time we ordered it, we asked for extra gravy. The wait staff brought out extra gravy in a small ketchup container and without forewarning we were charged $3.00 for that little bit of extra gravy. Left a bad taste in our mouth.“

“We’ve been going to SER for several years now especially for family celebrations. The food and service is always excellent. I highly recommended SER for any occasion!“

“Had a fabulous birthday dinner with family last night. Oysters were delicious with a great hot sauce provided from the Bronx. Skate and Monkfish specials of the day were excellent. Monday night and there was not an empty table. Testament to the great food and wonderful servers.“

“I finally had the chance to experience Sushiko's omakase, and I only wish I had gone sooner because it was absolutely incredible. Our sushi chef was wonderful and incredibly accommodating; it was clear he genuinely wanted our food to be perfect and our experience to be positive. Although the omakase is priced at $140 per person and was supposed to be a fourteen-course meal, we received more than fourteen courses. That extra surprise made the price feel easy to justify.

A tip for those planning on coming for the omakase who want to save a little on drinks is to arrive slightly early and grab beverages in the bar area, as the omakase tasting takes place during their happy hour (which runs from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM). You do have to close your tab at the bar and move to the sushi counter, but we were able to bring our drinks over without any problem.“

“Great seafood and great service provided by Josh Z!“

“My favorites are the crabcakes, bbq ribs and the coleslaw! Beautiful,welcoming atmosphere always.“

“Westover Taco is a cozy, local favorite with a laid-back vibe. The tacos are fresh, flavorful, and nicely portioned — simple but made with care. The ingredients taste clean, and the tortillas have that perfect texture. Friendly service, chill atmosphere, and food that feels honest and satisfying. A great neighborhood spot for easy, tasty bites.“

“Reliable! Always delicious!“

“First time here & very much enjoyed w/ my girlfriends. Exceptional fabulous service w/ our server, Miguel. All staff wonderful & friendly! This South American cuisine is delicious, the atmosphere & decor beautiful ?? I highly recommend this place , looking forward in going back to experience the night life w/ music & dancing:)“

“Had a great evening catching up at this amazing Italian spot. Reservations are recommended, but we sat at the bar and had a fantastic time. Will definitely be back to try more of the delicious food. Amazing staff, always smiles, never made us feel rushed and gave us lots of laughs.“

“A friend and I just had the best breakfast in recent memory. As two former bartenders and servers who have worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade +, Jeannie is easily one of the best servers we have come across. If you’re in the area, treat yourself to fantastic experience. All starts.“

“Drinks are not overly sweet and are a proper craft cocktail experience.

Food is all too notch.

Has offerings that aren’t on every basic Thai restaurant.

Why is it so good!!!!!! Gotta come back 6 more times to have all the things I wanna try“

“Service was fantastic. Food was wonderful and atmosphere perfect.“

“I recently dined at this establishment, having a late lunch. I was very impressed by the attentiveness/politeness of the staff. I ordered goat curry with garlic naan, and the meal did not disappoint. My server, Danish, was an excellent host and made the experience very warm and welcoming. I will dine here again.“

“Great food. Great people fun place to have great good with fun people“

“First but not last experience at Westville! We live nearby and have been meaning to check it out, and we decided to try out their lunch. We shared a bowl of butternut squash soup which was so flavorful! My fiance got the miso chicken bowl and I got the chicken plate with beets and cauliflower - we both left stuffed and with to-go boxes. Everything was seasoned so well, the chicken was moist, and the veggies were fresh!

We'll definitely be back, excited to try the rest of the menu :)“

“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.“

“This is a good-bar that's reasonably priced. Food and service are great. Real people go here

Vegetarian options: You can leave meat off some items. The Westover Melt is veggie and delish.

Wheelchair accessibility: Roll right in“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I have always had great experiences at Bear Branch Tavern, but today I had Ash and Maria as my server and bartender. They were fantastic. I could not recommend them enough. Every time I go back I am going to try and get Ash as my server. 10/10 experience, 10/10 food. Will definitely be back.“

“Good food. Decent service and clean, colorful surroundings. I will go back. For sure.“

“I stopped in for a quick drink and ended up staying longer than planned, much thanks to the incredible service from the bartender, Adrienne. From the moment I sat down, she made me feel welcome with a genuine smile and easygoing conversation.

What stood out most was her pleasant demeanor—friendly without being overbearing, and always approachable. It’s clear she enjoys what she does, and that energy adds so much to the atmosphere. I was unsure of what to order and asked her to surprise me with a drink made with rum and she did not disappoint. Adrienne handled the bar effortlessly and I will be back!“

“I’ve eaten here 3 times - everything I’ve had is delicious! I love the rotating menu. Octopus, croquettes, salads, pastas, pizzas - all amazing! Best pork chop I’ve ever eaten. Burger was 10/10. Staff is excellent and attentive. Food comes out timely, but I’ve never felt rushed. The restaurant is also a beautiful environment. I think it is the best restaurant in Van Ness/Forest Hills and certainly one of my favorites in the city.“

“This is my 1st Valentine’s dinner date. We had a pawsome 🐾 time here. It’s the best dog-friendly restaurant in the DMV area. This place is so welcoming paw 🐾 fur babies like me, people are very friendly, the atmosphere and the vibes is so uplifting, food is delicious, and their signature coffee is the best! IG: Akira_thePomapoo Tiktok: Akira the Pomapoo“