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!!!“

“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 !!!“

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

“Our son recently moved to Arlington and he said this was the best Italian food that he ever had! Last night we went there for dinner and couldn't agree with him more. We had some initial issues with our service and seating , but the General Manager, Stefano and our waitress Shandra took care of us and the service that they gave us was outstanding; probably the best that I ever had at a restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious! We will be back every time that we visit our son. There are so many dishes that I cannot wait to try and the pasta is all homemade. Thanks for making our dinner so special. We love it here!“

“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.“

“We were in town from Columbus for a wedding and stopped in here for some drinks and had a wonderful time!! The bartender made awesome recommendations and made our evening fun!! Will definitely be back next time we are in DC!!!“

“This restaurant was so great that it deserve an official recognition. I highly highly suggest this restaurant. Service, food quality and everything you expect from a restaurant was amazing. Special thanks to our servers who made our night special.“

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

“absolutely delicious and would recommend to anyone!“

“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!“

“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!!“

“We came here on a Friday, and it wasn’t that busy yet our server cash was the most valuable part of our time here, she was so kind and helped us with all the questions we had. She made this one of my favorite dmv experiences and I will definitely be coming back and telling EVERYONE about this place“

“Everything about the dining experience was outstanding. The hostess was extremely accommodating with securing a quiet table for our long awaited family dinner. The service was excellent and the food was outstanding! It was a memorable evening!“

“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.“

“Great food Butter chicken was particularly good“

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

“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!“

“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.“

“The atmosphere and the people who work there were wonderful! The food was amazing as well! I would thoroughly recommend for anyone to try it out you won't be disappointed“

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

“Reliable! Always delicious!“

“My neighborhood spot. So much culture and delicious mediterranean food. Incredible service and atmosphere I absolutely love everything on the menu. The cocktails are delicious every time - the pistachio martini is an absolute must. Always a vibe with the playlist and service is top notch. Rohat is so kind and hospitable! Can't wait to see what's in store for this spot! I'll be back over and over!“

“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. 🤤“

“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.“

“I had the pleasure of trying Westover Taco for brunch today. OMG the chicken and waffles were so good. I got the spicy version. Everything we had was delicious, but I can’t stop thinking about the spicy chicken and Belgian waffle. Their brunch menu has a lot of options. My husband enjoyed the Chilaquiles (I think I spelled that right.) Their house margaritas were on point. The service was excellent! Nick helped me find the perfect foods.

If we lived closer, we would certainly be regulars. I can’t wait to visit again.“

“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:)“

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

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

“Glad Westville decided to open up a location in Virginia, and what better than Clarendon! Similar to the New York locations, everything tastes healthy-ish and homemade, but maybe better than most city dwellers could do at home. Also an easy venue if you’re dining in a big group with pick eaters - lots of protein and veggie options, and super friendly to allergies and dietary restrictions.

Personal favorite was the fish sandwich. Veggie sides are all good and taste healthy (no heavy feeling that I get sometimes from veggie sides at restaurants - maybe they use a healthier oil or fewer additives). Carrot cake was flavorful and had a great texture, and love that it looked homemade as well.

Interior feels like an old school diner, and is super clean. Outdoor patio looks like a great place to enjoy an aperol spritz during the summer.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 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.“

“We spent our anniversary at the bar with Peter and Kerry; they made fantastic cocktails and even better banter. It's great to see Chef Ruta back in his element (do not miss the chicken liver focaccia!). As many have said, the bar is convivial -- we met truly wonderful neighborhood folk whom we look forward to seeing again on a Friday night.“

“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“

“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.“

“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!“

“Visiting from Birmingham, this was some of the BEST Mexican food I have ever had. It was very affordable and delicious.“

“Delicious food, fast and friendly service. I really liked the Tokyo mule. Recommend!“

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

“Lebanese Taverna saved the day! They created a wonderful menu for my event of 250 people with only a week’s notice after the original caterer canceled. On the day of the event, they were on time and provided delicious food. Amanda, the catering representative I worked with, even took my call after the food had been delivered and offered to be available to answer any questions about allergens or ingredients. LT also provided placards for each dish that included ingredients so folks with dietary restrictions or allergies were able to enjoy the meal without worry. Would highly recommend LT to cater your event - even if you’re not sure what you’d want from their great menu!“

“Great Thai Food in NOVA. I really enjoyed Burapa Thai. The food was great .“

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

“This is my favorite Mexican food in the DC area. There are better tacos to be had elsewhere, but the enchiladas are great. I especially like the mole poblano.

Parking: The parking lot is always pretty full, but you can usually find paid street parking nearby.“