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Wed / Jun 19
Party Earth Review Situated in a neighborhood known for its rowdy nightlife, Tryst invites Adams Morgan rabble-rousers to step back, have a latte served with animal crackers, and chill out. A wall of windows offers both mellow daytime views and safety from the nighttime chaos of 18th Street, while mismatched couches and simple wooden tables ... more
2459 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Bar / Club / Live Music Venue / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Restaurant by day, loud Latin club by night, and a sure spot to grab sugary-sweet cocktails any time, Café Citron is a popular hangout for everyone from salsa lovers to savvy tourists. Young professionals looking to cap their day with plates of plantains or pitchers of minty mojitos stop in for Happy Hour to plop into the ... more
1343 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Bar / Pizza Place
Party Earth Review Pizza connoisseurs know that a good pie is nearly equivalent to paradise, and if the line running out the door at Georgetown’s Pizzeria Paradiso is any indication of quality, then people should be prepared for cheesy nirvana. Located a few blocks past the typical M Street strip, Pizzeria Paradiso is an open ... more
3282 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
Spanish Restaurant / Tapas Bar
Party Earth Review Once patrons step into La Tasca, the hustle and bustle of Chinatown is completely abolished, seamlessly replaced with the hustle and bustle of festive guests devouring tapas and slinging back pitchers of fruity booze. Decorated like an elegant old Spanish estate, the vibrant yellow main room is decked out in spear-studded ... more
722 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Party Earth Review With a shadowy art deco theme reminiscent of the 1920s on one floor and a sparser speakeasy bar in the basement below, 18th Amendment – named for the law that made the country dry – entices a variety of after-work professionals and mellow groups of friends with its rotating theme nights, lengthy Happy Hour specials, rare ... more
613 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20003
Party Earth Review A cavernous upscale temple to its namesake drink, Dirty Martini is popular for everything from a midweek working lunch – liquid or otherwise – to a post-work pre-party, to a classy after-hours soiree. Exposed white brick, sleek hardwood, and modern Italian furniture provide a classy backdrop for the foreign policy bigwigs ... more
1223 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, DC 20036
Cigar Bar / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Situated just two blocks from the White House and guarded by a saluting five-foot Native American statue, Shelly’s Back Room is one of only a handful of DC establishments where folks can still get together for an indoor smoke without suffering the evil eye from suburban yoga moms and soy milk-drinking herbivores. In fact ... more
1331 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
Historic Bar / Hotel Bar / Lounge
Party Earth Review It’s a never-ending battle of donkeys vs. elephants in the District of Columbia, but Off the Record, a chic lounge in the basement of the historic Hay-Adams hotel, brings both parties together for a cordial cocktail after an exhausting day of work. Located a block from the White House, this venue’s name is no accident ... more
Hay-Adams Hotel
800 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Party Earth Review A delectable menu of seasonal bites and a giant assortment of handcrafted ales lie behind the tall wood doors of Birch & Barley, a haven for sophisticated patrons on the hunt for good food and a lot of brew. With more than five hundred bottled beers, fifty drafts, and five casks at the ready, the venue is a veritable Shangri ... more
1337 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
Cocktail Bar / Lounge / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Policy is a bi-level venue that might also be called bipolar: offering patrons a laid-back restaurant and mixology spot downstairs and a loud, graffiti-laden lounge above. The Love Dining Room is an intimate take on the American diner, with red vinyl booths and Formica tabletops where young professionals and couples cozy ... more
1904 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Bar / Beer Garden / Lounge / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Built as an homage to singer Marvin Gaye, who grew up nearby and took soul-searching trips to Belgium in the 1980s, Marvin combines the soulful elements of its namesake with some unique Belgian overtones. A wall-sized mural of the singer casts a watchful eye over the local bohemian types chowing down on fried chicken with ... more
2007 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Party Earth Review Just north of the main party hub of U Street, progressive-minded locals can be found at Busboys and Poets, a celebrated restaurant, bar, bookstore, and art gallery where creative thought flows as freely as the house sangria. Midweek finds mellow regulars congregating in the lounge, where they while away the afternoon on ... more
2021 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
True barebones budget eaters know the best place to get cheap grub isn’t at the restaurants in Washington, DC at all, but at the myriad bars that dole out tons of free appetizers during Happy Hour.
Those with a little more self-respect – and a taste for something beyond sliders and fries – will still fare well, as the restaurant scene in DC is as diverse as the international city itself. Political bigwigs munch cigars and talk policy at gourmet French joints in Penn Quarter, while cheap ethnic cuisine flourishes in Adams Morgan, and stellar gastropubs continue to pop up all over town.
Chinatown makes it easy to get a bucket of something that resembles food for a few dollars, and though the authenticity of this Chinese fare is questionable, the starving students and unaware tourists don’t seem to mind.
Meanwhile, sushi restaurants are all the rage for folks looking to turn a little Japanese, and neighborhoods like U Street, Columbia Heights, and H Street continue to bring in new funky fun neighborhood diners that offer trendy and cool takes on New American fusion.
Of course, no culinary visit to DC would be complete without a piping hot bowl of chili and a dog from Ben’s Chili Bowl, which has been serving up buckets of both since long before you were born.
Sports? Pub crawls? Rowdy bars? Good beer? Then check out these suggestions from Lucas:
Exclusive hotspots? Chic crowds? Bottle service? Posh shopping? Then check out these suggestions from Adriana:
Eclectic crowds? Authentic bars? Live music? Nothing mainstream? Then check out these suggestions from Jonah:
Amazing drink deals? Unpretentious crowds? Karaoke with friends? Dancing all night? Then check out these suggestions from Emma:
Bar / Restaurant
Restaurant / Sports Bar
Piano Bar / Restaurant