63 Best Bars in Washington, D.C., USA

Beer and mussels: the appeal is that simple, and they're that satisfying. But the narrow, rustic bars on two floors are as popular with drinkers as diners. The Belgian-themed gastropub has one of the largest selections of beer, from pilsners to Flemish reds, in D.C. If you are hungry, offerings in this cozy spot go beyond mussels, and include steak frites and Flemish dip. Happy hour takes place daily between 5 pm and 7 pm.

Named after Baghdad's Green Zone, the theme of the bar is bringing people together, and Middle Eastern and other international DJs often perform there on weekends. Popular ever since it opened, it's now a fixture on the "best cocktails" lists compiled by D.C. publications and blogs. The creative drinks combine Middle Eastern spices such as saffron and za'atar with Western spirits like rum and whiskey. Pair your beverage with Lebanese olives, creamy hummus, and savory falafel.

The only D.C. bar to offer indoor miniature golf, Skee-Ball, and giant Jenga has a friendly, laid-back vibe. Fish tacos and an impressive margarita list round out the fun mix at this popular nightspot. Big-screen sports line the walls downstairs, but you can usually catch a breath of fresh air on the roof deck.

A small, sleek, and unpretentious nautical-themed bar offers a half-price raw bar after 10 pm every night of the week, here and at its locations on the Wharf and Old Town Alexandria. The bartenders are friendly, giving you tastes of different wines or drinks to try, along with recommendations on the daily catch and other food options, including one of the best lobster rolls around.

Located in a historic building that's more than 100 years old, this neighborhood saloon is a festive place to go for a beer and a game. The menu is extensive, but stick to the great hamburgers and seafood dishes. J Paul's attracts a diverse crowd, from students to lobbyists to politicians.

A popular institution on the 17th Street strip, this narrow, window-lined space packs in a mostly male, mostly professional, gay crowd. Various nights offer show-tune sing-alongs, trivia contests, and a "Sunday Funday" daylong happy hour.

Named both for the legs of a wine and a leg of ham, this is the place to fill your metaphorical hollow leg with wine, cheese, and charcuterie. Choose from a variety of reds, whites, and everything in between (even a few French cider styles), or go for a flight of brandy and whisky. All of the cocktails and spirits here are either from France or the District. Happy hour runs from 5 to 7, Tuesday through Friday, and brunch is served from 11 to 3 on weekends.

A purple light at the door marks the spot of this eclectic, New Orleans–influenced watering hole–dance club at the center of H Street. The dark interior features old concert posters from cult favorites like Pantera and Iggy Pop. The bar downstairs offers an enormous list of bottled beers and a signature adult slushy—the "Awesomeness”—that packs a real punch. The upstairs bar hosts DJs every Friday and Saturday night, when the space heaves with dancers packed wall-to-wall. The bar’s cheeky slogan—“a lousy bar for rotten people”—isn’t quite right. The service here is great.

When they have to remove all the chairs in the joint to make more room for dancing, you know you've picked a good spot. Locals and out-of-towners alike pack in on weekends to enjoy the joyful pop music, multiple dance rooms, and the outdoor-deck bar perched one story above 16th Street. Luxe couches, chandeliers, vintage pieces, and winding staircases enhance the atmosphere of a Victorian house party with a modern twist. Outstanding $5 happy hour.

The owner of The Royal and his wife transformed the former Vinoteca into Lulu's Winegarden. The drink menu focuses on wine, offering rare finds and keeping them at under $50 a bottle. Named after the owner's daughter, the bar–restaurant has three lush outdoor dining spaces: the 24-seat, ivy-lined front patio; the charming, plant-filled, 40-seat back courtyard; and the 16-seat, terra-cotta-hued "streatery" outfitted with tropical fauna and lounge seating. The menu offers savory dips like whipped feta and smoked whitefish paired with a bottle of wine from the long list.

Neon lights behind the bar and walls covered in kitsch and works by local artists add to the gritty feel of this legendary trilevel place that's hard to miss and hard not to like. An eclectic clientele listens to the live music that's performed every night and soaks up rays on the roof deck by day.

At Maxwell Park, dinner and dessert are both a glass of wine. The themed menu, which changes monthly, offers more than 50 wines by the glass. Try a sweet wine or aperitif for dessert, or mix things up with a cocktail, perhaps a seasonal gin and homemade tonic. If you don’t know what you want, ask one of the trained sommeliers about the 500 labels on the bottle list, or have a 2.5-ounce tasting glass (just watch the prices because there are some rare wines here). Enjoy the outdoor patio, which is heated in winter, or cozy into the bar, open nightly at 5.

Capitol Hillers love this laid-back pub/restaurant, notably for its list of nightly specials including half-priced burgers on Mondays. But there’s more than meets the eye at this eclectic indoor-outdoor dinner space; Mr. Henry’s is also the last holdout of a once-thriving live-music scene on Capitol Hill. Probably the best known, local native Roberta Flack got her start in the upstairs performance space, where a dozen or so tables are scattered around the wood-paneled room.  Live music is offered at least four nights a week; tickets can be purchased on the website.

This popular sports bar with a gay following makes everyone feel welcome. Catch the games on multiple screens, or try your luck with "drag bingo" or trivia games. Spaces in this eclectic two-story venue range from roof deck to cozy pub room to a dining area serving all-American pub grub–meets–Venezuelan specialties, from empanadas to arepas. Every weekend brings a reservations-required brunch buffet with drag queens as servers.

The New Vegas Lounge may be a vestige from a grittier, less affluent era, but the Logan Circle club is in its nearly fifth decade of offering live blues every weekend. Vegas Lounge is run by the wife and sons of its late founder, known as Dr. Blues. Friday- and Saturday-night performances by the house ensemble, the Out of Town Blues Band, attract an eclectic crowd, from veteran blues fans to newer residents who don't know from Muddy Waters—drawn to the club out of sheer curiosity, or because it's a refreshing cultural and historical diversion in the neighborhood.

This perch on the Georgetown waterfront offers fantastic views of the Potomac and a wintertime ice-skating rink. When the weather's nice, crowds of college students flock to the outdoor tables. The food is standard bar fare—the real draw is location, location, location.

The heart of Logan Circle nightlife is this predominantly male gay bar attracting guests of all ages. The downstairs lounge offers plush banquettes and street views, while big-screen viewing is offered upstairs at the 9½ video bar. The daily happy hour (5–9 pm) offers two-for-one drinks. At any time this is a great place for a cocktail and some good conversation in a bustling neighborhood that includes, a block away on 14th Street, Trade, which is another popular, no-frills gay bar from the same owners as Number Nine.

The drinks are stiff and complex at this sophisticated bar tucked inside the Jefferson Hotel, and the mood is a quiet celebration of all things civilized. The dimly lit, two-room, wood-paneled art deco space provides an intimate atmosphere made even more welcoming by the friendly and expert service of the bartenders. The drinks come with a price tag, but it's worth it, given the attention to detail and service.

This unassuming space in the basement of a Dupont town house is named after the patron saint of brewing, and it's certainly blessed with its choice of hard-to-find Belgian beers. The Belgian theme continues on the menu, and mussels are prepared in numerous ways, including with blue cheese and bacon, a Thai curry sauce, or with white wine and crushed chili.

With stunning 180-views of Washington, D.C., Summit Bar at the Conrad Hotel is the ideal place for a drink. On a warm summer night, have a frozé at the bar and chat with the lovely staff. If you're craving a snack, you can order bites from Estuary, the hotel's restaurant.

The Admiral, which is just steps from Dupont Circle, has one of the largest outdoor spaces in D.C., namely a 2,000-plus-square-foot patio. Although it serves pub food such as burgers, chicken wings, and quesadillas, it's an upgrade from the typical sports bar thanks to rich wood paneling and hip, Navy-themed, neon art. On the weekends, it serves as a late-night hangout with drinks and food served until last call.

If day drinking is more of your thing, The Berliner is the place for you. With a unique beer garden set in a loft, the bar offers a lengthy beer menu of German beers. Additionally, it features locally made brews from D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. With communal seating, you may be able to make a new friend while indulging in German pretzels and wurst. Most guests will probably take a selfie with the popular mural of JFK alongside the building stating "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a Berliner"), an ode to his 1963 speech in Berlin.

A separate concept from The Dabney restaurant, the Cellar is hidden down a set of stone steps in the restaurant's basement. The dim lighting and small size make you feel as if you stumbled on a D.C. speakeasy, but the bar itself shares a lot of the same open, earthy tones of the larger restaurant. The Cellar riffs off classic cocktails for its specialty list and has a large selection of wines, cider, and beer. If you feel peckish, try some of the specialty bar snacks, written on the blackboard nightly. You can't go wrong with the raw bar or the carefully selected cheeses and charcuterie.

Inside the shell of an art deco--inspired edifice that once housed a labor union is one of the newest and most comfortably elegant bars in D.C., the corner spot of the Marriott Marquis. Deeper inside the hotel, you’ll find a bustling lobby bar and a large, noisy sports bar with 48 beers on tap. But The Dignitary attracts a more refined crowd with its focus on more than 50 types of bourbons and ryes poured by a crew of bartenders as experienced as they are friendly. This Dignitary also features an outdoor patio in the warmer months.

From the street, it looks like a swanky Downtown D.C. restaurant with a high-ceilinged power bar to match. The magic happens, however, with live shows in The Hamilton's cavernous basement space. Care in equal parts has focused on acoustics, comfort, and tiered seating, which makes it hard to find a bad seat. There is secondary space above the bar–restaurant where the venue regularly hosts more intimate acts and "Free Late Night Music in the Loft." Check their website for the concert schedule.

A high-end crowd includes visiting basketball players and R&B stars, who dance on four levels. The bouncers strictly enforce the fancy dress code. Splurge with VIP bottle service. You can arrange in advance to get a table or brave the long lines that develop later in the night. This is definitely a place to see and be seen. If you're not a night owl, check out their brunch service—it's just as festive.

This classic watering hole has no TVs, no light beer, and no martinis. What it does have are locals engaged in conversation—a stated goal of the owner—and some of the world's best beers, including the rare Urbock 23, an Austrian brew that is rated one of the tastiest and strongest in the world, with 9.6% alcohol content (limit one per customer). The Saloon also offers a broader bar menu, too.

With two bars serving 50 beers on tap and another 350 in bottles, The Sovereign's devotion is not in doubt. The staff knows the menu inside and out, so they can recommend the ideal beer for your taste. If you're hungry, too, the menu focuses on tasty Belgian fare like mussels with herbed mayonnaise.