Not to be confused with Free State Distillery in Upper Marlboro (though many also call it Arthur…read moreWheeler Spirits haha), this place is located just off of the main street in chinatown, and it's surprisingly lowkey. It's a basement bar with a bit of a dive vibe, but it's hard to ignore the nautical, blue crab theme throughout. Turns out that one of the owners is a Marylander, which is cool to see reflected in the decor in a place in dc, even though it is next door. They have a happy hour and they have a great variety of drinks in general. It's bring-your-own-food (BYOF) and there are a bunch of delicious looking Asian spots nearby, including upstairs. It didn't start getting crowded until closer to 10, which, as I said, is surprising for this part of town to me. Everywhere in Chinatown is not going to be packed and busy, and this place is here to remind you of that. Stop by if you're looking for a more chill vibe. Staff are pretty cool.

Free State is perfect for a chill bar in the Downtown area. It's exactly the kind of place you want…read moreto share a few drinks and be able to hear the person in front of you. I had a delicious orange crush drink and my friend had a sangria. The bartenders are extremely chill and nice; they only come up when you need it which is nice for good conversation. I'll easily be back when I want to catch up with friends without a speaker blaring in our ears. Great place to introduce to more people!

Love this place. Great atmosphere, and superb service. Bonus: best Guinness I've had in the US…read more Ryan is awesome btw.

Deliciousness - 3/5 Happiness -5/5…read more This place is for drinkers as it has no food, so if you want to lift an ale (and go out for dinner before or after, or bring food in with you), this is the place to be. They have a large beer, wine, and liquor list (although not nearly as many English beers as I expected from a place called Crown & Crow). I won't deny that I wasn't a fan of either of the mixed cocktails I had, with both (including strangely a smoky drink) being too sweet. But the beer was expertly poured and the wine was a very generous serving. The prices are also more than reasonable, which is great for a DC bar. But what really elevates this place is the service. By late night, the place was jam packed. But each and every bartender was extremely friendly and they expertly worked the crowd, getting drinks served quickly (which too few places manage to do) and swiftly clearing off tables of dirty glasses. I also greatly appreciated the free goldfish that they happily dole out to the patrons. The staff made this a really good time.

Great local bar with large rotating craft beer selection. Highly recommend for any beer…read moreenthusiast. They have wine and cocktails as well. They are happy to recommend beer for your taste, and let you sample. It can be very busy and difficult to get a seat at the bar or get a table on a Friday or Saturday evening. We ordered food, and were expecting elevated bar food. The tater tots were a huge disappointment- they were very large squares , bland, and not crispy. The wings were okay. The cheeseburgers were the best- from the restaurant downstairs- mallard. Huge burger, done perfectly medium.

Here's a review written as part of a visit to both Churchkey and Birch & Barley (the downstairs…read morerestaurant -- together they form the "2 Enjoy Everything" concept by Neighborhood Restaurant Group): A DC Gem That Delivers on Every Level If you haven't made it to Churchkey on 14th Street yet, move it to the top of your list. I visited as part of the full experience -- dinner downstairs at Birch & Barley, then up to Churchkey for drinks -- and honestly, it's one of the best evenings I've had in DC. Churchkey itself is everything a great bar should be. The beer selection is absolutely unreal -- hundreds of carefully curated labels spanning every style, region, and flavor profile you can imagine. What sets it apart is that the staff actually knows the menu. Our server walked us through a few options based on what we liked and landed us on perfect picks both times. That kind of genuine expertise is rare. The tavern pizzas from the wood-fired oven were a wonderful surprise -- thin, crispy, and the perfect companion to a cold draft. The smash burger also deserves a mention: simple, well-executed, and hits the spot. The vibe is warm and lively without being overwhelming. Great for a date, a group, or even just sitting at the bar solo with a good beer and good conversation with the bartender. This place has earned its reputation as one of the best beer bars on the East Coast -- and then some. Highly recommend making a full night of it with both floors. You won't regret it. Feel free to adjust the tone or add any personal details from your actual visit!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Great beer selection and a nice environment. Our servers were very friendly and I like when there…read moreis a QR code AND you can place orders as you go. Pretzel: These were amazing! The pimento cheese dip was great. Pulled pork nachos: Huge portion! These were also exceptional. BLT w/ tomato soup: "This hit the spot". Nashville Fried chicken sandwhich: I was quite disappointed in this, considering how good everything else was. The chicken was very dry and overly salty IMO. Not at all spicy either. Thyme fries: Loved these! Really cool flavor profile. I would happily come back and try a different entree.

Very nice place for a drink and good eats! Wide selection of food with self serve service by…read moreordering on a QR code. The ambiance was very peaceful and enjoyable ! I really loved the flavor within the poke bowl and ahi tuna tacos.

We walked to this brewery, but could easily make it on the streetcar as it stops right across the…read morestreet. This former mini golf country club space has transformed into such a cute and classy neighborhood watering hole, while maintaining some of the golf decor. With a large and varied draft beer menu (our group had IPAs, stouts, seasonal ales, and even a cider), plenty of wines (including NA!) and an expert sommelier, and bar snacks for all tastes, I can see myself ducking into Henceforth for any sort of drinking. Their upstairs area had more tables and intimate spaces, but our group took up the comfy couches downstairs. Their staff is incredibly friendly, and just generally seem happy to be there. They also host monthly activities on their calendar, which sounds like a great way to gather!

A fun business for a quick dinner. The restaurant clearly has an identity crisis, with food quite a…read morebit nicer and more put together than you'd expect from a brewery/pub (especially at the price point, I was monumentally impressed by basically nice sit-down restaurant level of dishes), but the beer was very standard and crowdplraser-y and didn't quite match. For a "hole in the wall gem" vibe they seem to be going for, I wished they had more creative, experimental beers.

This place has a wide selection of beer on tap! Great outdoor open air seating. If the weather is…read moreright, this is the place! Highly recommend to relax with a cold one!

I always enjoy a visit to Aslin. The beer is tasty and this spot has a nice outdoor space, perfect…read morefor the spring or fall. When I had a remote job, this was a great place to work. Where I could sit outside and enjoy a coffee during the day and a nice happy hour special as the day stretched on. The atmosphere is nice and it has a nice energy with the many others who join at the communal tables and TV sets that line the walls. It's a nice neighborhood spot. Not exactly kid friendly but a fun spot for adults and friends.

This place is fantastic! We sat at the bar on a Sunday afternoon. Great atmosphere, beautiful bar…read more I appreciate the hooks under the bar to hang your purse or bags. Thank you for having that. It's a detail that many bars forget but I can relax and enjoy my stay more when I know my belongings are safely tucked away. We got the Smorgesboard and Saffron Mussels. Both were EXCELLENT. The Mister got a few beers. The Smorgesboard had every charcuterie option and it was really fun building the perfect bite. I thought it was absolutely worth the price. I've paid more for less. Let me take a moment and collect myself before I talk about the Saffron Mussels. They were freaking amazing. The broth was mildly spicy, a powerful punch of salty herby flavor that paired wonderfully with the mussels. They were perfectly cooked with a tender chew. Served with fries and chunks of bread to sop up all that glorious broth. If you're thinking about getting the mussels, just do it. Truly, one of the best pot of mussels I've had. We are just visiting the area, but I'd definitely come back the next time I'm in town. What a delightful surprise to find this place.

Came to the Sovereign on a Friday night for happy hour -- a great deal, cocktails for $6 and some…read morebites. Walked to the upstairs bar and was able to find a seat no problem around 6:30pm. There were still seats at the downstairs bar too. I went for a cocktail off their full menu not featured on happy hour - the tricky tripel, and it was delicious! The bartender did a great job explaining the tasting notes of all the drinks and helped me choose a good one. I also sipped the Belgian sour many of my friends opted for and that's a great cocktail for just $6 during happy hour. Happy hour is tricky -- it's really a great deal making it difficult to justify paying full price for anything but the crowd here is two folds. You have a lot of young college kids mixed with an older crowd so one comes for the deals while the other comes for amazing food and cocktails -- something for everyone! Overall I would definitely come back for dinner. This place has a very lowkey casual vibe but upscale food and drinks. The atmosphere/ambiance leaves a little to be desired with not so great lighting and no background music that I can recall but still a nice spot to pop in.

My boyfriend and I went to Dacha Beer Garden (Shaw) for an afternoon date and it was such a vibe…read more The patio was full but still felt cozy and fun lots of energy without feeling chaotic. The sunlight coming through the big windows and umbrellas made everything feel warm and relaxed. It's definitely one of those spots that feels very DC weekend.We ordered the giant pretzel with cheese and mustard and it was SO good soft, warm, perfectly salted, and ideal for sharing. The fries were crispy and seasoned just right. We also tried a couple of beers (the grapefruit one was especially good and refreshing), and everything paired perfectly with the food. It's casual but still cute enough to make it a real date. You can sit, talk, enjoy your drinks, and not feel rushed. I'd absolutely come back, especially on a sunny day. Perfect for daytime dates, meeting friends, or just enjoying good vibes in Shaw.

It has been nearly 11 years (!) since my initial review, so an update is sorely in order. This…read moreplace is still going strong, stronger than ever in my view. They have slowly made changes over the years that make this an absolute must visit. What hasn't changed: the outdoor vibes and string lights are as pleasant as ever, and without the crushing crowds and lines that typified this location in their early years, it is a much nicer vibe most days. In my first review, I complained that the menu was very light on German beer options. They offer far more now, including a beer that I do not believe you can regularly find at any other bar in the city: the Weihenstephaner Korbinian, the world's finest doppelbock. It is one of the most delicious beers I have ever had, and they have it here on tap for a very reasonable price. Another positive change: they have a kitchen now with a full menu of food options. Their giant pretzel is a classic, of course. If you're a weekend happy hour chaser, they sell $5 High Noons all day Sunday. One final note: the location is absolutely perfect. Baan Mae has opened next door to the north (a 5/5 dining experience, amazing Thai food), Ugly Duckling is across the street to the south (a 5/5 happy hour and cocktail experience), and Ivy & Coney is right across the street to the east (a DC icon and 5/5 dive bar and football spot), so Dacha is essentially the centerpiece of the perfect night (or whole day) out.

I recently visited Jackpot Bar and really enjoyed the overall vibe. The ambiance is super chill…read morewith a speakeasy feel--dim lighting, cozy atmosphere, and the kind of place you can actually relax and have a conversation without shouting. It feels tucked away in the best way, like a hidden gem. The service was solid--friendly, attentive without being overbearing. What stood out most was their beer selection. There's a great variety, so whether you're into something light or want to try something more unique, you've got options. Overall, it's a great spot if you're looking for a laid-back night with good drinks and a cool, low-key atmosphere. Definitely a place I'd come back to.

Friends and I were looking for a bar for a drink before an event at Capital One Arena. We found…read morethis Jackpot (pun intended). If you're not paying attention, you'll miss the door for this downstairs bar. With happy hour every day from 4-8pm, you can't really go wrong. There isn't food for purchase but you get a free basket of popcorn to munch on. The location is small, so it did get pretty packed / busy when we were there. Patience with the bartenders as they try to get everyone's drink orders. Super easy spot for a quick drink in general or before a show at CapOne.

I've been hearing about this place for years but never actually stopped by. They're currently on my…read morelist of weekend happy hour spots, having it all day on Sundays. I made a last minute change to meet a friend here, but much to my surprise... they had a PS5 and Tekken booted up at the bar. I am by zero means a Tekken player. Yes, I'm a huge gamer, but I'm terrible at Tekken. But the mere concept of being able to watch and play it at a bar is incredible. That aside, they got a bunch of board games like Trouble, Uno, Trivial Pursuit... the classics man! Oh right, the bar part. Their drinks are great. The staff are great. The specials are great. And they give you popcorn! And they have a whole little table with all the popcorn fixings if you don't want to eat it plain. You can literally bring in food from anywhere on top of that. I'm not sure if it's a Sunday thing, but the place really doesn't get too busy. It's quite a vibe. If you've never been and you're in the Logan Circle area, go.

My go to spot once or twice a month. Straight to the point with great aesthetics. Love the wood…read morelook and clean dive bar vibes.. they have a huge variety of beers and kozys to put them in since they don't have draft beer. The bartenders no matter what day it is always execute with divine hospitality!! Oh yeah forgot to mention the popcorn machine free popcorn is a plus, it also has a huge selection of seasoning to get that popcorn right. See you soon!! Say what's sup if you see me there!!