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!

Cucina Morini is a delightful dining experience that truly lives up to its reputation, especially…read moreduring martini hour. With $7 martinis available from Monday to Sunday in their cozy lounge, it's an ideal spot to unwind with friends. I sampled several cocktails and found each one to be exceptional, but the standout for me was the Cala Rossa a sweet yet refreshing delight. After enjoying our share of martinis, our appetites kicked in, prompting us to check for a table. The staff was incredibly accommodating, allowing us to sit at the bar. We indulged in their pasta offerings, opting for the Capelletti and Rigatoni, both of which were delicious and perfectly cooked. Cucina Morini combines great service, delicious food, and a vibrant atmosphere, making it a fun visit for anyone looking to enjoy a fantastic night out.

Cucina Morini is an excellent place for solo dining. I secured a last minute reservation for a…read morespecial Memorial Day Morini Monday for myself. Not saying that dining companions are distracting, but I felt like I could fully experience the flavor of both the Taglioni Neri and Gnocchi, both half portions at $10 each, better on my own. When the dishes came, I saw that the sauces were both red and feared they would taste too similar. After one fork full of each, they are quite clearly distinct. The standout in the Neri were the shellfish for me. Even though they were small bits, the pieces tasted fresh. In the Gnocchi, the saltiness of the prosciutto, though not overwhelming, paired well with the basil sauce. I finished a little more than half of each plate before boxing it up for a small lunch the next day. The service was great and the tall ceiling and windowed dining room provided a nice atmosphere. It was a cloudy and rainy Memorial Day, but I wondered what the sunlight looked like shining through those high windows. How lovely a space they have created to enjoy fine Italian dining in.

Stopped by this wine bar for dinner on a weekday and was able to walk in. I'd heard good things…read moreabout the drinks here but wasn't sure if there would be good dinner food.. and I was pleasantly surprised! Loved the moody vibe of the wine bar, it felt very cool, cozy and sophisticated. We sat in a booth under a red light so unfortunately my food picture turned out super red. Friends loved the selection of orange wine, and we ordered mcbetty truffle fries, shrimp scampi, honey whipped goat cheese, shishito peppers, and caesar salad for 4 people. Highlights were definitely the shrimp scampi with focaccia and fries, with the goat cheese on bread as a close third. A little pricy for the portions but honestly impressed with the variety of flavors and quality of the food. Service was ok, food came out a little slower than expected. I had really hoped to pick up some pastries (miss those baked joint cupcakes!) but seems like they don't sell them in evening. I'll have to come back for brunch/lunch to get some!

La Betty is a really cool vinyl wine bar that has all the vibes. Wine isn't usually my go to, but I…read morereally loved the space and the overall ambiance. It's got plenty of character and feels like a great spot to hang out with friends or for a nightcap. When you walk in someone will help you find a seat and once you you're ready to order, you go up to the bar to order drinks or food. Although wine isn't my main thing, they do offer a small and limited selection of alcoholic options just no cocktails. Enough to do the job. I loved the music and the dim, chill, laid back decor really complimented the overall feel. It's definitely a spot I'd come back to especially to try out some of the food. Really dope spot.

This place has been here forever, and I have walked by it so many times. A friend finally invited…read moreme out and it was such a blast! Every wine I tried was something totally new. They were on the tail end of their winter menu, and the sparkling wine that my friend was super excited about was phased out. But I just told the staff what kind of wine I was in the mood for and they chose something wonderful for me. I took pictures of the bottles, I'll track those down and post them later. I'm glad I managed to find red and white wines that I enjoyed. I also noticed that they had a crunchwrap on their menu and I had to try it. It was smaller than I thought, but the flavors going on?? Spectacular. There will also these dumplings... SWEET POTATO DUMPLINGS! And they had sage and candied walnuts. Ultimately they tasted more like a dessert, but I was obsessed with those and loved how unique they were. I'd return here, there's just too much good stuff to try! Can get pricey if you want to try a lot of wines, though.

Lovely place for a drink! I decided to get an old fashioned which was quite good! Also ordered the…read moreburrata which was delicious! Service was very friendly and quick!

This Thai restaurant is the best in the city. Their food is consistently flavorful, fresh, and…read moredelicious. The service is timely and effective. Plus, the ambience is a mix of relaxation and class. I ordered the Lychee Martini to start, followed by the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp. It was cold, fresh, and so flavorful. Plus, it packed a punch. Although I normally eat the pork belly with fried rice, I decided to go with the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp, which did not disappoint. The freshness and spicy/sour flavors really delight the pallet. Plus, the pepper tray provides vinegar and hot sauces to supplement, if needed. The owner not only cares about the quality of the food in this restaurant, but about his customers and the community. I haven't visited for a while, and the staff still remembered my standard order. That attention to detail is something that makes people feel appreciated and want to come back again and again. Kudos to Baan Siam for their success year over year!

Amazing Thai food at this restaurant. Got the green mango Salad, chicken wings, khao soi, and beef…read morecurry. The mango salad was delicious, I could eat that all day. The khao soi had good flavor, and it came with rice. The chicken wings were for my son, he said they were the best wings he's ever had. The beef curry had good flavor, but the beef was a bit overcooked. Service was a little bit of a miss. When the waiter first came, he asked us for our food order. However, we wanted to order drinks first. I was able to order my cocktail, however, the waiter left before anyone else at my table could speak to order a beverage. Food came out very quickly. This is not the type of place where you would want to enjoy drinks and food over a period of time. However, if you are super hungry, your food will definitely get to you quickly. Restaurant was crowded, but not super loud. Overall, I would come back for the food, I just wish that I could have more time to enjoy my restaurant experience.

Came here last night for a last minute solo dinner and it was the best decision. I love the look of…read morethe restaurant. Lights are somewhat dimmed with red accents everywhere. I was already impressed by the weekend happy hour deals. I started with the Aromatic whites wine flight (great pours for $12!!). All 3 wines were delicious and the bartender, Fabio was the best and very engaging throughout my time at the bar. I had the beef tartare and it was the best I've ever had! I then ordered a glass of the Domain du Somail Red Blend paired with the steak frites, which was the best pairing. I was stuffed but decided to get the crème brulee, which you could never go wrong with. It was the best CB I've had in a while. I will definitely be back for restaurant week or just an impromptu happy hour.

Amelie is a French bistro, near the Logan Circle 'hood…read more They offer brunch, lunch, dinner, HH, and even large group prix-fixe menus, which I thought was pretty convenient! We came here with a few friends for an early dinner, making reservations in advance. Once seated, we decided to order some starters to share: +the Warm Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese Ball - with honey and red wine caramelized onions +Chicken Liver Mousse - with white wine gelee, apricot, pickled veggies, and an onion marmalade +Baked Camembert de Normandie - with confit garlic, thyme, and honey +and, an Onion Soup for the hubs - prepared with beef broth, croutons, and Gruyere For our entrees, I went for the Steak-Frites, which came with a hanger steak and shallot sauce; you can sub the usual fries with truffle fries, which I recommend! My counterparts enjoyed their Long Island Duck Breakfast (with seared asparagus, cumin carrot puree, cippolini onions, and port sauce), the Maryland Rockfish (with artichoke barigoule, carrots, brasied fennel, and noilly prat sauce), and the Local Roasted Chicken (with English peas, carrots, baby potatoes, and truffle jus). If you want to sop up your sauce with bread, don't forget to order the breadbasket! Staff were friendly and checked-in on our party throughout our dining experience; the place is cozy and vibrant, and seems to be pretty popular. I'd be curious to try their HH on the next visit! +French bistro eats +shareables +friendly staff & service

A new fave! This place is located in the perfect location, right across from Ivy and Coney and…read moreDacha, in a nice newer building. The whole vibe is immaculate, with dark walls, dim lighting, and a great playlist, which all sets a very welcoming atmosphere. They have one of the best happy hours in town. M-F until 7, you can get incredible deals. You can get chicken or BLT sliders for $3.50 apiece, and reduced priced stuffed mushrooms, too. The $5 whipped feta comes with a big side of potato chips. These are small bites, but for very small prices. Food specials on a happy hour menu always get me excited. The chicken sliders were the consensus fave and will definitely be our go to. The drink deals are even better, though. I had a delicious old fashioned for just $7, and for round 2, the preparadas up is amazing. It is a bright red draft milk punch that is a little sweet, a little tart, with gin, lime, a touch of spice, and a sour candy garnish. Very fun, but very delicious, too. And it packs a punch. Plenty of other options are discounted, too. If you are reading this during the government shutdown, they have additional shutdown deals (available for everyone, all day), so it's almost like all day happy hour. Don't miss it!

Ugly Duckling is a lovely little wine bar with plenty of window seats. I visited for a short 30…read moreminutes during Happy Hour but during my visit I had a great experience. I enjoyed their happy hour rosé and how spacious it was inside. Beyond that I also loved how kind the bartender was. Because I was staying in a hotel nearby, he gave me helpful and thorough recommendations on his favorite local places to eat. If ever I'm staying in this area again, I'd be sure to pop in here for a drink or two. Would definitely recommend it to others.

My girlfriend and I were visiting Washington, DC and decided to give Mandu a try. The restaurant…read moreitself is modern, clean, and nicely decorated, making a great first impression. However, when we walked in and saw only a couple of tables occupied, I had a feeling it might not live up to its appearance. Unfortunately, that feeling turned out to be justified once we looked at the menu and tasted the food. Overall Ratings Atmosphere - 4/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 1/5 Parking - Street Parking Atmosphere - The restaurant is modern, clean, and well maintained. The dining room is attractive and comfortable, and it feels much more upscale than your average Korean restaurant. Service - Service was adequate. Nothing stood out as particularly good or bad. The staff took our order, brought out the food, and checked on us occasionally. What We Ordered - -Galbi - At over $40, this was by far the most disappointing dish of the meal. I've had galbi at countless Korean restaurants, many of which charge under $30 while delivering significantly better flavor and quality. The seasoning was noticeably different from what I'm accustomed to, and not in a good way. For the price, it felt extremely underwhelming. -Pa Jeon - Just okay. It was a standard Korean pancake that didn't stand out in any particular way. -Tofu Stew - We ordered it mild, but it was surprisingly spicy and excessively salty. The saltiness overwhelmed most of the other flavors in the dish. -Korean Fried Chicken - Unfortunately, this suffered from the same issue. The chicken itself was decent, but it was far too salty, making it difficult to enjoy. Final Thoughts - The biggest issue for me was the value. Nearly every dish felt overpriced for the quality being served, and the excessive saltiness across multiple items made the meal even more disappointing. While the restaurant looks great and has a modern atmosphere, the food simply did not justify the prices. Considering how many excellent Korean restaurants I've been to over the years, this was one of the more disappointing experiences. Unfortunately, I wouldn't return.

I've been to Mandu a few times over the years and I'm sorry to say my most recent visit didn't hit…read morethe mark. I visited on a Friday around 6:30 PM and sat at the bar to catch the end of happy hour (Mon-Sun 5-7 PM). The bar was empty at the time, but a few other people showed up later. The dining room had a handful of tables occupied. In short, easy to get a seat. Drinks were good. I like the Somaek ($6) which is a small beer and a shot of soju. Beer ($7) was beer. We got some beef and pork mandu (dumplings) that were pretty good. 6 pieces for $10 on HH. We got two entrees, the Ddukbokgi ($28) and Yukgaejang ($29), which came with four banchan. Ddukbokgi is chewy rice cakes, gochujang, onion, and bulgogi. We thought it was only ok -- we've had better, including at Mandu in the past. Yukgaejang was a new dish for me. The menu described it as a "spicy beef stew, brisket, noodles, shiitake, bean sprouts, and egg." I expected the brisket to be sliced and recognizably brisket, but it was pulled -- it looked and tasted more like pulled pork. The dish also didn't have any noodles in it. I didn't like it. The banchan was seaweed, bean sprouts, kimchi, and cucumbers. It was okay. Service at the bar was fine.

Amazing service and incredible drinks! Graham is the best bartender in the city…read more Also the creativity is unmatched! Order what you want from the menu but they are also willing to make you specialized drinks to your liking.

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.

Arrived late this evening dropped bages and hustled down for supper before close…read more Nice folks, nice location in main lobby of the Westin... Now the review.. where on God's green earth in this day and age does an establishment that sells a hamburger NOT have an extra patty option??? The server was a good dude but told me each patty was an uncharted for an entire burger meal... my order is no bun, no fries, no salad and no fruit.... why the heck would I agree to 25 bucks for a patty as an add on... Ill pay the first hit as a matter of menu price but... not the same for just another patty.. I don't know what sort of vodoo happened here but the good staff figured it out and I got a couple of patties extra without the terrible fee... I did pay extra and thats great. Cant say ill come here again because without a standard approach, I cant say ill get the same price... standards matter. I get it Get on board please... this is not the stone age and we have technology... its also a very very common thing for extra protein.. This is not typical and id guess that less than 2% of the placedls I eat cant figure this out... DC was not a place I'd think would be stuck. Won't be eating here again for this week's stay simply because I dont want to have to wrangle the meal each time ... I just would like to eat and go.. Thank you for figuring it out late at night This is more for management... you got good food and good folks.. fix your POS please.

Ate for breakfast. Horribly inefficient seating process, takes 10 minutes of waiting in line for…read morethe hostess to get to me. She's working hard, just having to do everything herself. I'm told the buffet is the fastest, I look down at the menu. No buffet even listed, I guess I'll never know what's included or the price. Server very kind, coffee very mediocre. Breakfast is the same.