Great service goes a long way with me and Calico really has it. Yesterday I stopped by for a friend's going away gathering. I asked one bartender about drinks he liked. His top recommendation was for the Milk Bone Party and so I got it. It was more sour than I liked. The bartender asked me how I liked it and I responded that I could get through it. He asked me to give it back because he wouldn't be doing his job if I was just "getting through it." He let me sample another drink (That Thing You Said) which was good and I was able to easily switch. Later, I got one one of the juicebox (What's In The Baayg?) because another friend recommended it. It was too sweet though and I shared it with others (who appreciated the sweet drinks). I couldn't finish it though and returned it. Another bartender asked how I liked it and I causally mentioned that it was sweeter (I didn't expect him to do anything about it; I thought the other situation was a fluke). He offered me a free drink for my inconvenience. I told him not to worry about it and yet he insisted. It's clear that their staff is determined to create a positive experience for their guests. And it was refreshing because such service isn't as common in the DMV. I'm looking forward to returning and experiencing the rest of their drink offerings as well as trying out their food. read more

Incredible service from our bartender Sean! The man is a role model to others in the field. He did such a great job of managing the crowd with composure and telling others where they were in the queue. We ordered the cocktail juice boxes and he wanted to make sure that we didn't have walnut allergies. Very considerate. I'm so glad that this location was recommended to us and I hope others in the industry come to this bar to see how to manage a bar with confidence without being subservient or solicitous. read more

Calico - Cocktail juice box. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A local handout Calico is in an alleyway with other business and a great fellowship. Love the food but the drinks are always the best. Would recommend the tomato pie and cheese steak. They offer DoorDash and pick. Plus you can get mixed drinks to go. read more

Calico - Premium mixed drinks to go! The best on a hot day or a cool one - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was really excited to come here for happy hour, but overall the experience left a sour taste in my mouth. We reserved two tables since we were coming for a last happy hour before our coworker left, and were told it wouldn't be an issue and that our tables could be close together. However, when we arrived we were told our tables were on opposite sides of the patio and they couldn't do anything about it because of their covid restrictions. If it had been a weekend, or if they had been busy, I would have understood. However, it was 4pm on a Tuesday and we were the only people there for almost the entirety of our reservation. Once we were seated in our separate groups we were quickly helped by a server who gave us the run down of how to order, and reminded us again of their covid restrictions. Drinks came out quickly, but they were only ok for the cost. They were fine, but small. We also ordered some tots, which came out quickly as well. They were pretty good. When we arrived we were told we could be there for an hour and a half, which we all understood. However, starting a little before the hour mark someone came over to remind us that we only had an hour and a half about every 10 minutes. At an hour twenty we were packing up (and had all already paid our tabs) and they again came over and told us we would have to leave at an hour and a half. I completely understand that they're taking covid seriously and I appreciate that, but the constant reminders made us feel like we weren't welcome at the restaurant. From start to finish I felt like a burden to this establishment. While the patio space is lovely, I won't be back. TLDR: service was ok, drinks are fine but overpriced, a little extreme on their covid restrictions and will make you feel like you're bothering them by even being there read more

Love this place and fun Fridays are the best. Very attentive service and awesome vibes. 10/10

*** 3 1/2 Stars*** I've stopped in Calico a couple of times for drinks. It's located in Blagend Alley which is the area that is constantly growing. It's got a backyard theme which comes across in their decor and vibe. There is seating inside and outside- outside can get crowded quickly, especially on a nice day. I've tried the adult juice boxes which do come in a juice box, and a happy hour cocktail as well. The drinks aren't bad, the juice box was a bit sweeter than I had anticipated. They also have food but I have yet to eat here. Service was decent- but be prepared to wait when they are busy. Overall not a bad spot. read more

The food here was fairly good, but the staff was cold, unfriendly, and uninviting. They were constantly telling us what we were doing wrong and giving us bad news. Our group will definitely not return. read more

Cute patio area, Pear Pressure was really good, spinach dip a bit too salty but it balanced out with the chips + they gave us extra chips for free read more

Cute bar tucked in Blagden Alley with great ambiance, outdoor space, and a solid drink selection (including specialty cocktails). The walls of the indoor space are covered in eclectic art and sketches, and the benches and tables are spacious - so great for big groups or an after-work happy hour with coworkers. Even at night, the lighting was great - not too dim, but not so bright that it burns your eyes out. It started pouring while I was there, and there was still enough space indoors for the people sitting outside to retreat inside to the big tables and bar. My only gripe about the cocktails was that most of the options were more on the sweeter end. I tried their Blagden Rose adult juice box, the Lavender Lemonade, and the Charleston Jazz Cabbage. The Charleston was the least sweet of these three and my personal favorite (I'd get it again). I honestly couldn't taste the alcohol in the juice box, and the Lavender Lemonade was overwhelmingly sweet - definitely something you need to sip on. While I never ate their food, their kitchen was open until 10 pm on a weeknight, which is great to know for the future. Their happy hour deal isn't half bad either: $2 off draft Coney Island Pils & Goose Island Wheat, $2 off Pinot Noir & Chenin Blanc, and $3 slices of tomato pie (I've never had tomato pie, but I'm a sucker for any place that includes food deals on their happy hour menu). Another thing I love about this place - their weekly events! On Tuesdays they have bingo and tacos. Definitely plan on coming back. read more

I would suggest coming here well fed, the drinks are good but the food is a no no. The veggie burger was not good at all, if I'm being honest. Lobster Mac & Cheese would probably be the best bet on the menu. Enjoy! read more

Calico - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cutest place in DC. Came across this place after walking around the DC Alley Museum. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. The crab tots are delicious, must try! If you like sour beers, try trouble in paradise. read more

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Perfect place to spend a weekend brunch! During covid they were especially careful, collecting each person's info for contact tracing. They also only have an online menu and payment option, so be sure to charge your phone ahead of time! The adult juice boxes are also so fun and perfect for those warm summer days. read more

Came here with a group of friends from work. Overall the space is nice but I don't think I'd order food from here again, just drinks. The food was lackluster and very overpriced. The shrimp sandwich is about the size of a palm despite being like $16 and they give you chips as a side instead of fries. read more

I kept hearing about this place, so of course, we had to stop by for drinks before a nice dinner at the Dabney. We had a great time! It's comfortable and spacious, the drinks are tasty (personally, skip the hype with the adult juice boxes, their other cocktails are better), and their prices were pretty reasonable (given the area). The only downside was we happened to stop by on a night when they had bingo (oops). It was definitely noisy and a bummer for folks who weren't there to play, but the folks who were in on the game action seemed to be having a great time! Our server also failed to ring us in correctly, so I ended up being double billed -- not the end of the world, but sort of a nuisance. I'm excited to head back here to try the food and try a non-game night! read more

Went to this bar with friends last night (group of four females) and the bearded, red-headed doorman really needs to check his bias. My friends showed their IDs ahead of me and one by one the bouncer greeted them with a huge smile and asked "how are you?". Unfortunately, it's relevant for me to mention that I was the only black woman in the group. When it was time for him to check my ID, the smile disappeared and he skipped the greeting. So, I smiled and asked the question instead, "How are you?" He answered with "Try to stay cool." suggesting that the black woman in the group would be the one to act out and needed a reminder not to cause trouble. This is RIDICULOUS. No, I don't need to be told to "stay cool" because I'm a person of color. I need you to check my ID, check YOUR racism, act like a decent human and not ruin my night (and willingness to give you my money) before I even enter your establishment. Why are you in hospitality? I made a point not to spend a dollar and we left shortly to spend at another bar. read more

A little piece of heaven tucked away in a DC alley. Love love love this spot! The vibe is very romantic and secret garden-Ish. Perfect for date night. Even though the place is outdoors, they have heaters around the perimeter. It was 50 degrees the night we went but we were still warm. The place is clean and safe, they have wonderful contactless practices that help to ensure our safety. I will be back! read more

I stumbled upon this place after getting coffee. I went to see the murals around and saw this cute little open restaurant. It's beautifully decorated and the bar is half inside and half outside. Love how you can see the restaurant from the inside while sitting outside. They have a great selection of beers, beverages, and food items. We ordered the tomato pie and it was great for 2 people, we were hungry though. Delicious and slightly spicy, but flavorful. Love the sketches and art pieces installed inside the restaurant. I would definitely come back again! read more

Calico is a fun and instagramable outdoor bar. One of their well know drinks are essentially adult juice boxes. All of them are delicious! But if you don't handle your alcohol well, they are very strong. To add to your drinks, I definitely recommend the loaded tater tots. I could've had three orders in a single sitting and was seriously considering a second one when I was there. read more

Love the ambiance of this bar!! I really appreciate their COVID set up and safety requirements. I've been nervous about going anywhere, but their precautions made me feel extremely comfortable. We got the frozen strawberry margarita, Queen bae cocktail, and the a new beginning juice box. We especially loved the last 2 drinks and appreciated that the strawberry idea wasn't too sweet. We also shared the Mac n' cheese which tasted like our childhoods with a twist! Great experience and it was so great to be outside while remaining safe. read more

Great atmosphere and the drinks and food are also delicious. Definitely try one of the drink pouches! The Lavender Lemonade is quite nice.

This spot is a great place to pregame on the weekend, plan a cute catch up date with friends and chill with co-workers or friends for happy hour after work. The entrance to enter is in an artsy alley which I found very cool. The ambiance was warming and inviting with Park slope/ Williamsburg vibes to it's decor and seating arrangements. The crowd was perfect with enough space to be comfortable along with a reasonable volume for everyone to enjoy, but we were told it getting really crowded. The food is tapas/ small meal menu. I ordered a frozen cocktail but I saw they have custom juice boxes you could order, which the seemed like a hit and I found it very cute. read more

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I found the restaurant COVID rules way more than needed and extensive use of internet including using the restroom ridiculous. Food is meant for lunch not dinner and is way overpriced. The kicker was when they asked us to leave after 1.5 hours as they needed the table for another seating at 10 pm. read more

This place is super cute! Loved the adult juice box cocktails and the boozy lavender lemonade was delightful! We had some delicious barbecue as it was Memorial Day and they had a special menu. The patio is really cute! Perfect place to grab a drink and chill out in the sun. read more

Calico - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here on Thursday (10/26/17) night and a way too comfortable employee, Antonio, pulled my hair and slapped my friend's ass. After cussing the young man out I called the restaurant to let them know what had happened. The first manager I spoke to was very understanding and said the situation would be handled appropriately. Naturally, I wanted the inappropriate employee to be fired. I called back the next day to see what action had been taken. I spoke with the co-owner, and he had no idea the incident had occurred. While I was explaining the situation the co-owner proceeded to ask me what me and my friend did to prompt this employees' behavior, and he also asked if the employee was on the clock (how am I supposed to know that? Why should I know the schedules of YOUR employees?). Overall, he was dismissive and invalidating. It does not matter how friendly my friend and I were - that does not warrant your employees touching us. PERIOD. POINT. BLANK. I should not have to explain that to hospitality folks who own several bars in the city. The veggie burger was decent though and it's a cute space. Cheers! read more

Great food and decor. Loved the outdoor patio. As someone who has anxiety about COVID despite being fully vaccinated, I appreciated their COVID protocols. They follow them to the tee. I appreciate this fully and encourage other businesses to follow suit. I will only do outdoor dining especially in the midst of this pandemic. Calico is a great spot if you are looking for good food, artisan drinks, and a good atmosphere. Menu is small, but what they have they can perfect! Excellent experience will come back again. read more

I would have enjoyed this place were I still ten years younger. A fair variety across the half dozen or so brews on tap, pretty limited HH deals. Imagine a pretty and hipster dive bar: the interior is charming with art and rustic home decor, plus lots of communal mixed seating at the bar or picnic tables. Patio space fills up quick during happy hour, and the more-than-two-ingredient cocktails are prepackaged for efficient service. The juice boxes are cute Capri Sun bags; Sassy Kitty had a sweet lingering finish and was dominated by the green tea. The Fight Club cocktail on draft was potent on the ginger. read more

Just went to Calico for the first time and really enjoyed it. Great draft cocktails. Tater tots were crisp and best I've had. The adult juice boxes were too sweet, so I wouldn't get that again. read more

Calico - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Calico is an absolute treat in the spring and summer afternoons! It does get crowded, but we were lucky enough to snag a bar top spot around 7pm on a Thursday. The food came out very quickly and the drinks are so fun! Love their "juice boxes" which are adult Capri-suns, and their Piña Coladas. Highly recommend if you're looking for an outdoor option. read more

Calico - Frozen Piña Colada - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately the social media game at Calico is greater than the actual experience. My take is that this restaurant/bar has a lot of growing up to do. Decor is great, with large bar inside and cozy outdoor patio. Definitely a millennial haven but I can overlook that. The cocktails are annoyingly unbalanced. Ordered the Fight Club draft cocktail and the Sassy Kitty "juice box". Fight Club was overwhelmingly heavy on the ginger to where you couldn't taste anything but spicy ginger. Sassy Kitty was so heavy on the bitter green tea that it was almost undrinkable. I'm also confused as to why they call their signature drinks juice boxes when they are simply adult Capri Suns, but whatever. Food presentation gets an F. Veggie burger was so mushy that it fell apart immediately after the first bite. I was scooping up slops of brown mush with my fingers. The cheese was oddly gelatin-like and tasted like it belonged in leftover Mac-n-cheese, not a sandwich. The potato roll looked like it was pulled directly out of a plastic bag bought from the grocery store bread aisle. But the biggest rub of all, the small paper plate, plastic cutlery, and bag of Utz potato chips. Felt more like a picnic than a restaurant. Let me be clear, if you are going to charge as much as you do for your food, give me a damn metal fork and real plate. The computers were down for about 25 minutes which was unfortunate, and the bartenders just looked sleepy. This place has potential but currently has to grow up. read more

A cozy bar in an ally with many options around. I actually went there after a dinner nearby. Drinks are not overly priced but some of them might contain less alcohol than you might expect (especially juice boxes). Calico also has a nice patio which in Summer (when I visited this place for the first time) was overcrowded, while inside sitting area too loud. But today it was quite the opposite with few people and we were able to enjoy our drinks while having conversations. They have few tables inside the bar, which are meant for larger crowds (group of 8-10 people most probably), but bar is quite long so it can accommodate many people. Bartender was very nice and service was pretty fast. I think overall it's a nice place for a casual meeting with friends for drinks. read more

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Super cute chill place to bring your friends to day drink and chat. There is an indoor and heated outdoor area so it's good for any weather. Plus they have really good pizza and lobster mac'n cheese. read more

Calico - Blagden Rose - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Stopped by on a Friday night with a small group and we sat outside- we absolutely loved the vibe here. It's a great place to hang with friends under all the lights. The drinks were really good- I tried the fight club cocktail and it was delicious! They close down the outside patio around 11 or midnight, but you can still hang out inside. I'll definitely be back for to try some of the tasty bites on the menu. read more

This place is like an Adult Cafeteria! Simple food, fun drinks are chill atmosphere. They have caprisun like juices pouches with alcohol. Food is served like at a summer camp wrapped in paper and served with a bag of chips. If you're looking to hangout, relax and eat comfort food this is the place for you. The bartender Jordyn is awesome!!!! read more

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There is a fairly non-transparent 20% service charge added to all tabs. It's at the bottom of the menu but if you have a tab open you don't see it really until you've paid. The food is pretty good, if limited, as are the drinks but I can't give more than two stars to any place that sneaks in service charges. There really is no reason for service charges anyway, they are already limiting the times on reservations so they can turn the tables over and the app where you pay makes it quite clear how you can leave a tip. It's just a bad business practice. read more

Trendy bar? Yup. Really cool area? Yup. Decent happy hour? Yes. Look, adult juice boxes sound cool until you see the price tag. I wasn't motivated for that as much as I was the beer and wine happy hour deals. Full disclosure, I came here for happy hour and enjoyed $4 DC Brau and their signature tomato pie. I had a great time and the atmosphere is really cool. The drink menu could be *slightly* more affordable, but it's not going to deter me from coming back. My friend tried their butternut squash dish. It might be seasonal but definitely worth a try if you're around. read more

I can't believe it took me this long to discover calico! What an adorable spot - indoor and outdoor cat themed bar with adult juice boxes. Since most of the seating is outdoors, they provide blankets and heat lamps around the tables for when it's cold. It's super casual and the bartenders are helpful! He even printed my friend an I labels for the juice boxes when they weren't ready, so we could shamelessly post pictures on our Instagram stories I had one juice box and a draft cocktail - the juice box is a fun concept but it was too sweet for me to drink more than one. The draft cocktail was delicious! I am blanking on the name but it was the first one listed. I live across the street and will definitely be coming back once it gets nice out!! read more

I wish I could rate my experience less than one star. I came here last night with my friend for the first time. I was excited because she had mentioned what a nice place it was. I walked to the backyard and really loved the set up and ambiance, but my experience quickly changed once we took a seat at the bar. The bartender saw us sit down and didn't acknowledge us. We waited 20 minutes while she took orders from new customers that came up to the bar. We made eye contact several times, and still nothing. There were also a lot of empty drinks left at the bar area in front of us that she failed to clean up - almost as if to avoid having to speak to us. It was so bad that another bartender came out to clean up the mess and asked if we had been helped yet. Once he left she then FINALLY came to take our order. We ordered the drinks which were both $10, but realize now she up-charged us to $11 since she knew she wasn't going to get a tip. If I would of noticed then, I would have asked to speak to the manager to report our awful customer service experience. This bartender perhaps needs more training. Yikes! read more

You should come to Calico if you want a cute place with good food and nice cocktails, and you can't be surprised that you're paying a premium for it. The happy hour specials were alright, with a few bucks off of cocktails and $5 glasses of certain wines, plus $3 slices of jersey tomato pie. Normally the pies are $16, but you get more of the pie, so I'm not sure it's much of a bargain. It was very crowded and they had a private party on the patio (PS would be so fun to book for an event) so get there early! read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon. The back area is very nice and they had the heaters on which made it super comfortable to relax and enjoy the environment. Had the loaded tater TOTS sooo good! Service was on point and great people to be around. Def coming back in the summer time read more

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Overwhelmingly just okay. The space is cool, and Blagden Alley has a hip, urban vibe, but the cocktails were not very good. I got the Sassy Kitty, which is cutely served in a juice box, and it was unequivocally disgusting. Like DISGUSTING. It was a horrid mix of honey, green tea, vanilla, and either gin or vodka. The problem was the green tea. It was way over-steeped and/or cheap, making the entire drink extremely bitter. $10 down the drain. I gave it another go, and ordered the Magic Carpet Ride and it was weak, artificial tasting, and way way too heavy on the pomegranate. The drinks just aren't mixed well or like... good. At all. I didn't order food, but the prices seemed high for the options and sizes. Even if the drinks were good, there is very little about the Calico that separates it from the many, MANY excellent cocktail bars in DC. The Calico presented us with no reason to return. read more