My family and I loved this spot. I recently attended a special daytime event where they had a free painting session called "Love Letters to DC" where you could participate in a painting session. Totally free, just show up and they provided the brushes, paint and the poster boards. I had no idea this spot existed or where it was exactly. I've been to Metro Bar, Alamo Drafthouse and the nearby food hall multiple times. But this spot is just minutes away north of those spots. The brewery offers a wide range of drinks including beers, some wines and draft cocktails. My partner had the sauvignon blanc and enjoyed it. I went with a classic west coast IPA. It was really tasty. This is a kid-friendly spot. They offer arcade games, pinball machines, claw machines with stuffed animals, skee-ball, and plenty of board games. We had such a great time here. And while there is no food menu, they have a rotating food truck that comes on the weekend. And they allow you to bring in food from the nearby food hall, which is about a 3 minute walk away. The setting is great and wide open with plenty of seating options. And the service was really friendly. It didn't feel like we were in DC! read more

See all

City-State Brewing is a brewery where I kind of dug out of the archives as the brewery wasn't on my "to try" list and it kind of got swept up with all the other numerous brewery experiences that were going on at the time. But it was nice coming across it again. Steve and I had their beer that was called Equal Marriage Blonde Wheat Ale which is a Hefeweizen. As the name of the beer indicates the folks behind the beer are behind marriage equality so we were more than happy to try a beer of theirs! Flavor highlights in this beer are breadiness, clove, banana and wheat. The beer is very crushable which sort of indicates it's easy to have more than one. Some Hefeweizen's are too heavy handed in the banana or clove but this one was fairly well balanced. read more

City-State Brewing - Picture is a bit blurry, apologies. The Equal Marriage Blonde Wheat Ale from City-State Brewing! - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I always feel like I'm in college when I'm here and that is a good thing. I liked college and I like hanging out in low-key places drinking beer like this, as I did in college. They have a great array of beers. They're very tasty. The vibe is chill. It's a large spot and has a back room with a stage. It's part of a lot of fun events like the Dig Dug Dig Fest. It's in a really convenient and cool spot near the Rhode Island Ave Metro stop along the Metropolitan Beer Trail. Stop in for a beer and some fun! read more

City-State Brewing - Outside patio in front with a view - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Do you ever walk into a location and you can just instantly tell that it's a pillar in its local community? That's how I fell coming into City-State. It was jumping, as it should be on a Sunday after noon! It was full of young families, big groups, and couples young and old alike. The fact this brewery welcomed this array of people with open arms really shows that it's a place for all. The beers were great! And the food truck was slinging delicious pizza too. But what I was really blown away by was the atmosphere here. Being able to play a board game, and enjoy being around people being people. People playing arcade games, board games, toddlers meeting each other, and enjoying being around people human. I think that was the best part about city state. read more

See all

Had a great time here celebrating a friend's kid birthday. Very welcoming! Surprisingly almost all of the benches were booked for an event. They prob had at least 3-4 separate parties going all at once. The videos games were nostalgic and a nice touch to bring young and old together. We enjoyed it very much! Easily accessible from the Rhode Island metro station. When you come out you make a right onto the ramp that connects to a hiking trail. The stairs to city state brewery is not far from there. Maybe a 5mins walk. Plenty of people on the trail, felt very safe during the daytime. There is a graffiti wall coming down the ramp. read more

City-State Brewing - Brewery is right up these stairs - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Really like their beer but this was the first time trying the brewery after seeing it from the metro for quite a while. It's an easy reach from the MBT, but is a little more creative approach coming from the street. Overall the environment is really lively and inviting with an assortment of arcade games and bench seating. There's a variety of things for kids, and I can see why it's a popular parent destination. The staff is very friendly and helpful in navigating the beer list, which isn't overwhelmingly long but does have a good spectrum of different styles. I'm partial to IPAs so sampled some of their stronger options, but enjoyed a dunkelweisen which is a style I'd never had before. Like a couple other breweries they don't have a kitchen but have a regular rotation of food trucks, which is a better option in my opinion. Overall a great business that I'm looking forward to visiting again. read more

We only stopped in for a small beer before they closed as we were doing the Metro Beer trail and this was one of the last stops for us for the day. It seemed to be quite kid friendly and had tons of gaming items and machines (ski ball, basketball, etc). It was nice that people left cards with some money still on them for us to play a game or two without having to get our own cards. The beers we tried were good and they had light snacks it seemed and clean bathrooms. They had indoor and outdoor seating and its right on the trail and next to the metro. read more

Great space to grab a beer (or several non-alcoholic beverages) with friends. There is plenty of seating inside to spread out and be with a large group! There was a pet adoption event on Sunday, so I imagine it's pet friendly typically! read more

This is a nice stop on a Metropolitan Branch Trail bar hop. Their beer is great, and the space is huge and welcoming, though it was a bit of a strange vibe when we visited. Despite being a pleasant Sunday afternoon for a good stroll or bike ride, there were only two other people in the whole place, and it was dead quiet. Other notes: + The Kingman Extra stout is terrific, so I highly recommend it. + This would be a great space with a group or family. + No food during our visit, but it looks like they have food trucks occasionally. + They are only about a 5 minute walk on the trail from either Metrobar or Dew Drop Inn. Hit all three in one day and have a real adventure, I say. read more

This is a great brewery right on the MBT. It's also easily accessible from the Rhode Island Ave Metro stop on the red line. They have both indoor and outdoor space. Inside, they have some arcade games. Outside, they have picnic tables and a view of the trail. There is usually a food stand where you can buy a meal. I tried the Orange Cat Energy saison and the Spring Spice Belgian ale. They were both delicious. The brewery is very family-friendly. There were a lot of toddlers and babies. Dogs are also welcome outside. read more

Cool new to me brewery right off the bike path at the Rhode Island Red line metro stop. The staff are friendly and helpful. The open space is bright and lots of seating. They have a lot of video games to entertain kids or the kid in you. Most nights there is a food truck - check their website. The beer is fairly average for this craft beer snob but not bad. We came on a comedy night which was kind of cool for a small venue watching some up and comers try out their new material. read more

See all

Stopped by here on the Bike Trail. I like the other bike trail locations this one didn't have a discount, but that was okay. We wanted to change it up and get cocktails on draft and both of ours- the Brat Summer and Very Demure ones were delicious. We could sit and chat and play some of the board games there. They had some BBQ pop up in the corner which looked delicious. Board games provided and toms of visiting doggies! read more

City-State Brewing - Board game featured:) - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here on 12/31/21 around 11pm via Lyft. I was visiting DC on vacation. I saw on a website that this was a family friendly place to bring in the new year. Upon arrival, it's like a dead end. I saw a sign on the closet door that said to go to main entrance. I told the driver, who was unsure. We went around but it was to the wrong place. We ultimately ended back at same spot. When I got out, I noticed a sign pointing left. When I looked, I saw another sign in the distance that said go up the stairs and to the right, which is what I did to find the place. When walking it, it was DEAD! There was a small group people but that was it. They did have 3-4 game machine too. Honestly, I was really disappointed. I was hoping to see a decent sized crowd and to have a good time for an hour. Since I had already gotten a Lyft here, I just decided to stay. They had free goldfish for kids, which was nice. They had juice boxes for $1. They had regular potato chips for $0.50. I'm not a beer drinker. One of the staff recommended Blossom, Redbud, and a 3rd that I do not remember. Blossom was the best of the 3. I decided to get a glass and a bag of chips. My kid got a bag of chips too. They did have a water dispenser and cups that appeared to be free. They didn't have BBQ like I thought. The ad was somewhat misleading. It make it seem like the food and would be there all night. Staff told me the BBQ was earlier and that they just had sandwiches now. While drinking my beer, I noticed that they had the countdown playing but was playing other music. This was also a disappointment because I wanted to hear the songs that artist were singing. My beer came up to about $7. I asked a staff person if she was here last year and she told me that they just opened in June of this year. I guess this partially explains why no one was here for New Years. Around 11:40pm, I decided to call a Lyft and head back to the hotel. My kid was sleepy and frankly, I was bored. My Lyft got there pretty quickly too.. it was about a minute after I ordered. My kid actually fell asleep there and on the fairly short (about 8 minutes) car ride back to the hotel. For the reason that I came here, it was a complete waste of time, unfortunately. Maybe I had too high expectations. It looked a little cluttered outside of the main areas. The menu seemed limited as well. Would I return? Probably not unfortunately. I will say that staff was friendly and definitely had a lot of potential. read more

See all

Nice stop on the MBT. Good beer and fun food choices that change daily. Very cool that there is a bike ramp. Nice places to sit inside and outside lots of room! Definitely would recommend! read more

City-State Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Thought I'd try it again - better vibe than the last time, but it's essentially a Chuck-E-Cheese. So many kids birthday parties, screaming toddlers and dogs running wild lol. Apparently they no longer brew beer, they should change the name to reflect what it really is - a community center with games, that is for parents with kids & dogs. There is also a not-so-great smell in the air of dirty diapers and dog doody. read more

A full brewery on a random Wednesday is proof that City State Brewery is where it's at! The city is hungry for breweries and this one is a welcome addition. Here's why you should go: 1) Beer: They have six on tap and adding more after they brew. Each is brewed on location. From IPAs to darker beer, they have a pretty diverse selection. Being a sour ale, I ordered the Redbud, a hibiscus beer. It wasn't close to a sour, but it was good! They have cold brew, club soda and tea on the menu for the non-beer drinkers. 2) Food: Their loading dock holds two food trucks. Most days they have local food trucks selling food. And these aren't just any food trucks. They attract some of the city's best. 3) Price: You can order a 7 ounce or 16 ounce plastic glass of beer. Each was under $10 and reasonable for D.C. 4) Space: It's beautiful and spacious! It's a little tricky to find while construction happens nearby, but when it's done, you can access the brewery from the Metropolitan Branch Trail. There's a large, long outdoor space with views of the city and kegs as tables. Inside, there are plenty of tables with views of where they make the beer. Murals by a local artist brighten the walls as well as 50 fosters representing D.C. neighbors (though only two represent East of the River). If you love beer, go to City State! It's the place to be! read more

See all

We were greeted and served quickly at the entrance. My favorite beer tonight was the Perfect Date dunkelweizen. I had trouble differentiating between the Sound Czech bohemian pilsner and the Kraken - Kveik ale. The Swirled Pastry Stout was too sweet for me, unbalanced. Always excited to try something new and I appreciate the indoor and outdoor space as well as the special events and rotating food trucks. read more

City-State Brewing - A perfect date - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

It's nice enough. I don't like the neighborhood. The pedestrian bridge from the metro is a mess. It looked like a bunch of kids had a field day defacing public property like it was their personal bedroom. I mainly visited for the pinball as I don't drink. Someone had posted a photo of the South Park machine and I thought it would be there. Guess I should have checked the Pinball Map app instead because it isn't there anymore. The machines they had were alright. I liked that they had an arcade card machine so you don't need to worry about cash or quarters. read more

Attending a show nearby, we figured why not stay in the city after and grab a beer. After some yelp scouting for local DC breweries, I was dismayed to discover most breweries were over-priced ($9-10 a beer) with plain tap lists- so City State was a solid choice; offering 6 diverse beers, at an average $7 a beer. Locating the space was a bit confusing, the mural, painted by a local artist brightens their main side building wall, but understanding where to park and how to get into the building took a U-turn or two. The inside space is super casual, with video games, table games, large tvs with local sports, and on this particular night there was a free stand up comedy show. (Though we opted to skip the show and sit outside on one of their barrel and bench table combos to enjoy the nice weather). BYOF establishment, but I saw posters for food truck schedules The beer was average. I opted for the Dark Wheat Beer-it had a really smooth quality-reminiscent of a Guinness-and my husband picked one of the juicy hazy IPAS- solid haze, no amazing pow flavor, but easy drinking. I also tried the Nitro Coffee blend on tap, again easy, smooth drinking, with a subtle flavor. I think their beer is great for being average, enjoyable by the masses, easy for any pallet beer- but nothing super special flavor-wise to make me crave this particular brewery. For being in the area it was a solid pick, glad we got to try them out, but I wouldn't specifically road trip to DC to try them again. Though if I were more local, with their great atmosphere I'd see myself catching a show or two. read more

Great addition to the neighborhood! This newly opened brewery has spacious seating inside, partnerships with food trucks, arcade games, and is very family-friendly. The beer is tasty and their service was on point as you could order from the register or order directly from your table by scanning the menu with your phone. Great hangout spot! read more

City-State Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Still love city-state. Slim options but everything is good. The staff is always so cool and friendly. I learned that they bring in a keg of rotating beer on Friday's so that's cool. They've also updated the games in there and you can use a card to pay so that makes things a lot simpler. This is a staple spot for me, I'll always be here lol. read more

City-State Brewing - Inside - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 stars. Great beer, weird vibes. I'm not sure exactly what atmosphere City State is going for, it's not bad but it is confusing trying to figure out the overall vibe. There's a large TV for sports, board games, video games, free snacks for kids, and a fun salsa music playlist. There's something for everyone. Super casual, local, no frills, nice staff, and good beer. There's also a food truck. If you're there when the FOE truck is there you're in luck! The jerk chicken egg rolls were AMAZING. Overall, this place is definitely geared more towards families and has a very welcoming atmosphere. Definitely stop in for a beer. read more

City-State Brewing - Hibiscus kolsch - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good neighborhood brewery. Pros: Just steps off the MBT and a great place for a refreshing drink post or mid bike ride. The Redbud hibiscus Kolsch was quite good. Love that they have lots of board games, TV, arcade games, and food trucks. Cons: Gets extremely loud when crowded (there's lots of tables, but it's a warehouse type space with nothing to absorb the sound). There are a few picnic tables outside, but I feel like they could do more with the outside space. Many of the beers weren't super exciting, and wish they had more options on tap! read more

City-State Brewing - Redbud - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here with some friends to try trivia night! I was able to try a couple of beers. I ended up settling on the pilsner because I didn't really like any of them but the pilsner was the most tolerable. This is a fun place to come and hang out with some friends. I like that they have regular activities and I'll be coming to a comedy show. They also have cool arcade games including ski ball and basketball which reminds me of my youth when I went to Chuck e cheese and an arcade. They are not free and you do have to pay for them which is kind of a bummer but it is what it is. The parking here is pretty easy and it is for the most part on the street and free. Service is good I do wish that they would close the garage doors that they have for air because it did get a little bit cold. It is also next to a rail line and it does run pretty frequently so that can be some noise in the background which is another reason I'd recommend closing the door. If you're in the area I definitely would check it out. read more

The space is loud but fun, kid and dog friendly, plus old school video games and local band play from time to time. They often have food vendors and snacks for kids at the bar. Staff are quirky and friendly. They also have non beer options including cocktails! I feel bad saying this, but their beer is not good. I am a huge supporter of local everything especially beer but I have tried many times throughout the years and seasons to give City State anymore chance and I am never impressed. It's either watery, or just not remarkable. Nothing is a drain pour, but I'm not coming here for beer or buying cans for home. I'll come back to meet up with pals (because they chose the place) or support a local musician. read more

Friendly staff, pretty good beer, lots of games but extremely loud inside. It sounded like a stadium or something. Lots of outdoor tables. I liked the hazy IPA and the fest bier. read more

Went on a weekend and couldn't believe how loud it was. I was with a group and could only hear the person sitting right next to me. Drinks were fine, lots of seating inside and out. They could have used more people at the counter as the line was consistently 15+ people long. For a beer hall, it's fine but can't imagine I'd come back on a weekend to sit inside. read more

This is a great beer spot with great local beers (since this is a local brewpub after all), although I do find it a bit too pricey at 4 dollars for a 7 ounce pour. Nice and creative place overall, in a former industrial space (which makes it even cooler). There are some board games and a few arcade games for people who like them. read more

See all

Congratulations! Welcome to the Neighborhood. This place is a little hard to find but with word of mouth you will find it in no time. The brewery sits in the backside which would make me a little nervous coming when it's really dark. The atmosphere and music are a cute vibe. There is a large menu as well as QR code's which make ordering drinks easy The menu offers a variety of beers on tap that can be pours in a small or large pour. The small is 7oz. They are currently not offering taste test, but honestly the small is a taste (look at the pics). Along with near, they also offer tea. I had the iced menu tea which was refreshing. I didn't know what yo expect but definitely would try again. They also have different good trucks post up on their loading dock. I love the option of having food available. I am here on opening day and already enjoy the place. read more

See all

Been twice since they opened a month ago. Live a bit too far away to be a true regular, but I'll work this into my brewery-hopping rotation, for sure. While I'm an IPA guy, I found it refreshing that City-State has a lot of other styles on their taplist. The "Equal Marriage" dark wheat beer was packed with great flavors. And several of the beers on the menu were under 5% ABV. Not ideal if you're looking to get hammered, but very refreshing on a summer day when I really don't need a 9.5% juice bomb. Looking forward to returning as the beer menu expands in the months ahead. Hoping they collaborate with some other DC-area breweries on some beers as well! read more

Good spot. Located in an old school, it's an easy walk 5 minute from the RI Ave metro stop. New hazy IPA tastes great! read more

City-State Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Meh. Plastic cups (why? Why!?), cramped seating space and a mandatory service fee. WTF is that? Just be honest and add it to the price. Not worth the trip. read more

Cool spot for a tasty beer or 2 with friends, this place is huge and has tons of seating room available. The beer was fantastic! I really enjoyed the hazy IPA! I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town. read more

First time just had the beer - my sister enjoyed her experience and brought me a couple six packs. They were great. My in person experience was equally as good. Highly recommend! read more

Great hangout spot, fun view of the bike lane and train tracks outside, really friendly staff. Overall though, really good beer that keeps me coming back. read more

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the beers are good too. The area has big open windows, so no air conditioning. Great place for kids. It's also next to a walking trail that connects to the metro. read more

I went there mid-day on a Saturday with my grown-up children, and we had a very nice time. The beer is good. The open-air seating section looks out over the train tracks and the metropolitan bike trail. It was a cool day, so I can't vouch for comfort when it is steamy hot. For food, our only option was the food truck adjacent, which had excellent breakfast/southern -- shrimp and grits especially, also chicken and waffles, and you can get bacon and eggs (and grits). If this place gets popular I really like the idea of cooperation with food trucks, and would hope for more food trucks. What made our visit especially charming was the density of families with young children. It was a joy to me to see happy parents with happy children, and moms (especially -- though you know how dads are) sharing their experiences and their pride. If you are riding the metropolitan bike trail, take a couple block detour and have beer. I wish they would put tables outside so that we could bring dogs. read more

Very good beer. Good vibe. Excellent service (other than food, we'll get to that later). Video game tourney was going on while we were there. Eclectic and kind crowd. Met the owner, good guy who clearly cares about the customer. Food was good (ordered a cheeseburger, but it took forever!). If they get the food service right, 5 star for sure! Will come back!!! read more

Beer was good but be careful of whoever is serving food. We came here because we also wanted food. Naked Plate had equipment they pulled from their home kitchen like a crock pot and home fryer that is definitely not certified for food service and didn't look sanitary at all. Waiting an hour for twelve wings, then had to cancel our order because we had to leave. Parking very difficult. I know the shtick is that you bike but that's not an option for everyone. read more

Went here on Labor Day with some friends. The bartenders were super friendly and create a fun and welcoming atmosphere with some solid tunes! The arcade games are a great touch and the beer was legit great (the one with ginger beer, the Redbud Hibiscus I think, might be my new favorite local beer). The prices were also AWESOME. Can't wait to be back. read more