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From buttoned-down political appointees who've just arrived to laid-back folks who've lived here their whole lives, Washingtonians are always looking for a place to relax. And they have plenty of options when they head out for a night on the town. Most places are clustered in several key neighborhoods, making a night of barhopping relatively easy.
Georgetown's bars, nightclubs, and restaurants radiate from the intersection of Wisconsin and M Streets, attracting crowds that include older adults and college students. Many restaurants here turn into bars after the dinner crowd leaves. Georgetown is one of the safest neighborhoods in D.C., with a large police presence on weekends.
Those seeking a younger and less inhibited nightlife may prefer the 18th Street strip in Adams Morgan, between Columbia Road and Florida Avenue, which offers a wide variety of places for dancing, drinking, and eating. The best part of Adams Morgan is that there are so many bars and clubs around 18th Street that if you don't like one, there's another next door. AdMo, as it’s affectionately called, is best known for its bars, but there are some restaurants that make the strip worth the trip for those in search of a good meal.
The U Street Corridor (U Street NW between 9th and 17th Streets NW), historically D.C.'s hippest neighborhood and a regular stop for jazz greats, has undergone a revival and is now the hottest spot in town, with bars that appeal to all types. Down 14th Street NW you will also find new bars and restaurants spilling revelers out on the street on weekends. Wine bars, dive bars, hipster bars, gastropubs, and dance clubs make for a full night out. Other hot spots include Capitol Hill, Downtown, and the city's most-up-and-coming area, Shaw. The stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue SE between 2nd and 4th Streets has a half-dozen bars. Thanks to massive redevelopment, Penn Quarter/Chinatown is burgeoning with new bars and music venues orbiting the Verizon Center and Gallery Place. The newest center of gravity for D.C. nightlife is the H Street Corridor, still tricky to get to, but home to some of the city’s most dynamic venues.
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.
"Put down your smart phone and interact!" is the motto at this pub, with 20-plus beers on tap, a full bar, and many board games to rent—from tried-and-true classics to vintage oddities. To enhance the fun, you can bring in your own food or have it delivered. Just don't bring in booze or other beverages; you are expected to buy them on the premises. Check before bringing a party of 10 or more; another thing worth checking is whether you can bring under 21s, who tend to be welcome at weekend lunchtimes. Reservations are accepted.
A short walk from Union Station and Capitol Hill, this Washington institution in the Phoenix Park Hotel offers cozy paneled rooms, rich pints of Guinness, and other authentic fare. It's especially popular with locals and Hill staffers alike. While offering live Irish music seven nights a week, this charming spot never charges a cover, save for St. Patrick's Day.
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.
Visitors to Georgetown University looking for a pint or some pub grub head down the stairs below 1789 restaurant to this traditional, half-century-old, collegiate watering hole adorned with rowing paraphernalia and steeped in charming Georgetown boosterism. One block from the main gate, it's the closest bar to campus, so it gets crowded with students at night.
