Washington DC / Maryland / Virginia Region Nightlife

Dirty Habit DC

Penn Quarter

Dirty Habit is Washington DC's most sophisticated rooftop bar and nightlife destination — a Penn Quarter establishment on top of the Hotel Monaco offering extraordinary cocktails and city views steps from the DC Courts and the National Portrait Gallery. DC's extraordinary concentration of power and influence creates a cocktail lounge clientele of unusual diversity (senators, lobbyists, foreign diplomats, and Supreme Court clerks may all share the same rooftop).

Takoda DC

Navy Yard / Capitol Riverfront

The Navy Yard/Capitol Riverfront entertainment district is Washington DC's most exciting emerging nightlife neighborhood — a former naval shipyard transformed into a vibrant waterfront community surrounding Nationals Park with outstanding bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The neighborhood's extraordinary transformation (from industrial wasteland to DC's most active new entertainment destination) and its proximity to Congressional offices create one of DC's most politically active and socially diverse entertainment environments.

Allegro Café DC

Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill's cocktail lounge scene serves the most politically powerful neighborhood on Earth — a residential community adjacent to the US Capitol where members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and senior government officials live and socialize in establishments that must serve both the casual neighborhood bar needs and the sophisticated entertainment expectations of Washington's governing class. The extraordinary political power concentrated in Capitol Hill's Victorian row houses creates a bar culture of unusual intellectual and historical significance.

Columbia Room

Blagden Alley

Columbia Room is Washington DC's most celebrated cocktail lounge — a dual-space bar offering a casual Punch Room and a ticketed Tasting Room with a fixed-price cocktail tasting menu that has earned James Beard Award nominations. Hidden down Blagden Alley in the Shaw neighborhood, Columbia Room represents the pinnacle of DC's outstanding cocktail culture and has been recognized as one of the best bars in the United States.

Right Proper Brewing DC

Shaw

Right Proper Brewing is Washington DC's most acclaimed craft brewery — a Shaw brewpub producing outstanding modern ales alongside exceptional food in a beautifully designed Shaw row house. DC's growing craft beer scene and Right Proper's commitment to quality and community have made it the flagship of the Washington DC craft brewing movement, presenting the city's most sophisticated approach to locally crafted beer.

Songbyrd Record Cafe DC

Adams Morgan

Songbyrd Music House and Record Cafe is Washington DC's most charming music venue — an Adams Morgan venue combining a vinyl record store, craft cocktail bar, and intimate 250-capacity performance space in the most creatively integrated music experience in the capital. Adams Morgan's extraordinary cultural diversity (one of DC's most internationally multicultural neighborhoods) and its dense concentration of bars and restaurants create an entertainment environment that Songbyrd serves with distinctive musical intelligence.

Churchkey DC

Logan Circle

ChurchKey is Washington DC's most acclaimed craft beer destination — a Logan Circle bar with 555 craft beers (50 on draft, 500+ bottles) that has been one of America's finest beer bars since opening in 2009. Its extraordinary beer selection, knowledgeable staff, and beautiful design have made it the gold standard for craft beer bars in the mid-Atlantic and a consistent top-10 finisher in national best-beer-bar rankings.

Flash DC

Logan Circle

Flash is Washington DC's most respected underground electronic music venue — a Logan Circle club presenting cutting-edge house, techno, and experimental music for DC's most devoted dance music community. DC's extraordinary musical heritage of underground music (from go-go to punk to hardcore) creates a dance music community that values authenticity, quality, and cultural depth in its nightlife choices.

Blagden Alley Craft District DC

Shaw / NoMa

Blagden Alley is Washington DC's most creative cocktail destination — a Shaw alley where three of DC's finest craft bars (Columbia Room, Espita Mezcaleria, and others) create the most concentrated cocktail excellence in the nation's capital. The alley's intimate atmosphere (pedestrian-only cobblestone alley), the quality of its establishments, and its role at the heart of DC's craft cocktail revolution make it one of the most important bar destinations in the United States.

Adams Morgan Nightclub DC

Adams Morgan DC

Adams Morgan is Washington DC's most internationally diverse entertainment neighborhood — a Latino-anchored community with the highest concentration of international restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in the nation's capital. Its extraordinary cultural diversity (representing over 50 countries in a few blocks), its vibrant Saturday night scene, and its role as DC's most internationally flavored entertainment district create a nightlife experience uniquely shaped by Washington's status as a global capital city.

Service Bar DC

U Street / Shaw

Service Bar is one of Washington DC's most beloved cocktail institutions — a U Street neighborhood bar producing extraordinary Slurpee-inspired cocktails and genuinely innovative drinks that reflect the creativity of the DC cocktail community. Its role in the U Street cocktail corridor and its genuine neighborhood bar character create one of DC's most beloved gathering places for the creative community that has made U Street one of America's most culturally significant entertainment districts.

The Passenger DC

Logan Circle / 14th Street

The Passenger is one of Washington DC's most beloved neighborhood bars — a 7th Street bar that has been central to DC's craft cocktail revolution since its 2010 opening, serving the Shaw community with extraordinary drinks and genuine hospitality. Its extraordinary influence on DC bar culture (the owners' alumni program has created dozens of outstanding DC bars) and its consistent quality make it one of the most important bar institutions in the nation's capital.