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Cotton & Reed

4.3 (245 reviews)
Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

Cotton & Reed Photos

COTTON & REED ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Trendy
Classy

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Recommended Reviews - Cotton & Reed

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Reviews With Photos

Jungle bird
Ian C.

Great variety of drinks, reasonable prices, and plenty of space to hang out! They already had a great sound setup & disco ball so I was wishing there was a DJ & dance floor, but I also appreciated that it wasnt overly crowded. I got the Jungle bird which I would've liked to have been a bit more bitter and with more molasses flavor but it was still enjoyable. Still, the prices and variety of options were greatly appreciated--I willl be sure to come back soon!

Cocomotion slushy
David H.

Love this small little place. Motto seems to be "No beer, no wine, just rum" and they stick to it unless you're drinking one of their non alcoholic drinks. They usually have two types of slushy drinks, when I was there they had Cocomotion (white rum, coconut, pineapple, and pandan), and Punk Panther (white rum, strawberry all ways, rhubarb, and lime). You could also get swirl mix of the two. Cocomotion was great on a hot night. They have the usual rum drinks, Dark & Stormy, Daiquiri, etc plus some unique drinks like a Coconut Rickey and Cuba Liberace. They also sell bottles of their different rums to take home. As mentioned, it's small. They have maybe 20 seats in here, more room for standing, and some outside seating. Their rum is distilled on premesis, you can take a tour of the distillery part of the establishment on Saturdays. Best to reserve ahead for this. Staff is always helpful every time I've been here. It can get packed and they do keep up. The owners worked for NASA once upon a time and decided to partner up and open a distillery. DC trivia point! It's just up the street from the main Union Market building so you can grab some food (they don't serve any food). Cards and cash accepted, not sure about Apple pay etc. Support a local business and check it out!

Two of their many tasty drinks
Kenny D.

I passed this place on the way to Union Market and the Jollof Festival. I was curious about it but thought it looked a tad sketchy. On my way back to the car I decided to stop in. I'm so glad I did! Don't let the outside deter you as it is quite nicely decorated on this inside of this small refurbished warehouse space. They also have a larger open air area that would be great for events. I tried the knock knee'd (rum and gin) and the frozen pink panther rum drink with rhubarb. They were both excellent. So good in fact that I grabbed a bottle of their very own white rum for my home collection. The staff were friendly too. This is a must visit spot that I'll certainly visit again.

Kaya E.

Love coming to Cotton & Reed on a weekday for a drink and good vibes. I will specifically note that I think coming to this bar in the Union Market area is better on a Tuesday/Wednesday then a Saturday. As you can imagine with how busy it gets in Union Market on the weekends the same reflects for Cotton & Reed and there's typically not many seated options and the bar can get very packed. I do love that there's plenty of space and during the warmer months they open the back door so that there's fresh air circulating air. I see a lot of people tend to rent the space for private events which is cool. Each time I come there's always a friend group celebrating a birthday with pies of pizza and a birthday cake. It's very cute. Now for the drinks, I think they're decent. Nothing that blows me out of the water and that I'm going out of my way for. I do like the blue slushie drink--it's perfect for the warmer days. Check it out!

Locomotion slushee and rum flight
Angie N.

Absolutely love this place! My friends and I stumbled across here by chance after having dinner at Union Market. This slushy is probably the best alcoholic slushy I've had in my life. It's creamy instead of icy which I personally love. I got the swirled flavor and it worked so well. Hoping to love to NoMa area and I'd be lying if I said this place wasn't a factor of wanting to move to the neighborhood

Rum flight from the tour
James Q.

We've come here probably 10 times since moving to Noma, and every time has been a great experience. The service is always so fast, even when it is busy. It is a great environment to sip some cocktails and hang with your friends. We finally did the tour, which adds another level to the Cotton & Reed experience.

Daiquiri
Mya C.

Cotton & Reed is a hidden gem worth traveling to NoMa for. I particularly loved the inside/outside feel, it's the perfect place for a summer drink. I tried the pandan and strawberry daiquiri. It was fruity and refreshing. I saw on the menu that there is a pandan rum I definitely will be back to try. Bartenders were also great.

cocomotion
Hanay W.

A cute rum centered cocktail bar in union market. I love the indoor/outdoor covered patio vibes. Very chill with great service and drinks. I wish they did have snacks on the menu, to compliment the drinks but overall I had a great time and would come back

Lia M.

Cotton & Reed is one of my favorite places to visit in DC. It's got a chill vibe, good music, and friendly staff. It's roomy, so you can spread out or visit with a group. They only have rum-based drinks, which is fine with me, because I love rum. I really enjoyed the drinks I've had, especially the rum old-fashioned. We had some really excellent cocktails recently, but I forgot to write down the names. The slushies are perfect in the summer. I appreciate that the drink menu changes. I'm always down to return to Cotton & Reed.

Suzie Z.

Second time back here - first time here was for a friend's birthday. We walked in on a Friday evening to meetup with 2 friends and grabbed a table at the back. I appreciate the huge space there and ample seating. Cocomotion was delicious (and dangerous). The strong rum was almost covered by the pandan flavor and it tastes really good.

Pandan slushie
Ayana P.

This is a go to for me whenever I'm in Union Market. Their rum offerings are unique and their cocktails are solid. The bartenders know what they're doing! I love the space with the natural light coming in. Definitely the spot to go if you're looking for a chill vibe and a quality cocktail.

Left: coconut rickey, top: Queen of the dunderworld, bottom: 3s a company
Audrey R.

never been a rum girl but I am a cotton & reed girl - there is an epidemic of bars loving the idea of cosplaying NYC bars with long lines...but I don't want to risk a ruined evening trying to get into one of those. this spot constantly has seating with that huge cool stone room on the side - I think the drinks are so creative and thank god somehow still maxing at 16 bucks. I love the prevalence of rum and coconut drinks (coconut rickey especially) while still being summery and light! sometimes rum can be very heavy - obviously their frozen drinks are famous for a reason. the cocomotion is delicious without tasting like a machine made frostee. it's a sophisticated frostee without the grainy texture - the "boozy" Negroni called "3s a company" packed a punch. any Negroni drinker would love this one. I was buzzing already - Queen of the dunderworld barely tasted like rum from the fruity pomegranate flavors so those who don't love rum can find options here, they mix several drinks with mezcal, tequila, or gin so everyone can find a drink! - the workers are so kind and chatted with me about various drinks and their favorites. you order at the bar then go find seating. it's very warm and happy with fun pop music playing. plenty of fans to regulate hot days too

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Drinks were good but the rude staff ruined the experience especially the weird creepy bouncer, kept making my lady friends uncomfortable.

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Free State - Hazy IPA

Free State

4.3(150 reviews)
1.4 mi
$$

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!

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Free State - Spiked chocolate

Spiked chocolate

Free State - Bar

Bar

Free State

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Chadol Korean BBQ

Chadol Korean BBQ

4.5(135 reviews)
0.9 mi
$$$
All you can eat
Full bar

Chadol Korean BBQ was such a fun pick for our monthly dinner series! My friends and I had a great…read moretime and honestly left fullllll. For $45 per person, the all-you-can-eat experience feels like a really solid deal considering how many protein options and side dishes you get. They start you off with a variety of banchan (side dishes), including a salad with this super tasty dressing that had the perfect little spicy kick. For the BBQ, we kicked things off with the spicy bulgogi and butter garlic shrimp, while the others tried the pork belly (I don't eat pork). Later we ordered the steak, spicy brisket, and grilled squid, which were all delicious. The spicy brisket especially was a standout for me. The guys also ordered two rounds of fried dumplings that looked amazing, but since they contain pork, I had to sit those out. I'd love to see Chadol add a veggie dumpling option to the menu! As for the sides, the kimchi and cold glass noodles were both hits at our table, and of course we all added white rice. The "mashed potatoes" though? Definitely more like potato salad and unfortunately very bland. On the other hand, the cheese corn costs extra but is 1000% worth adding. For drinks, the guys enjoyed the Woody Old Fashioned while I had a mezcal margarita-style cocktail that was smoky and refreshing. We also ordered one of the chicken options but never received it and eventually just gave up on it. One of the coolest parts of the experience is the ordering system. Most meats are ordered directly from a machine at your table, and the food comes out quickly on this conveyor belt-style setup which was honestly so fun. Drinks and side dishes are ordered through the servers. The atmosphere was lively and energetic without feeling overwhelming. The restaurant is actually much larger inside than I expected, with a modern setup that works well for smaller groups. That said, I didn't really notice tables for larger parties, so I'm not sure how they accommodate groups bigger than 6 people. Service started off a little rough because our server wasn't very attentive, but after I called it out, he definitely stepped it up and things improved. Overall, Chadol was a really good experience and absolutely worth the price. The 1.5-hour seating limit makes sense too, both to keep things moving and give others a chance to enjoy the experience. I'd definitely go back!

I ate here around a year ago and reviewed them on google. The food is not good, service is slow,…read morefor some reason you can't order certain things with the tablet, and it's really easy to miss the little automated train thing that brings out your food. This place has negative reviews deleted on Google. Spend your money elsewhere, there's better Korean food in DC.

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Chadol Korean BBQ
Chadol Korean BBQ
Chadol Korean BBQ

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Bar Betsie - Back area

Bar Betsie

4.3(70 reviews)
0.1 mi

A trendy, NYC like vibe this spot was a lot smaller than I expected so I see why they often have a…read morewait. On a nice day, they do have a small outdoor patio as well. I think they take reservations but we were able to grab a bar spot. Are drinks pricey? What do you think? It's a cocktail bar in DC. The drinks we tried were pretty tasty, even the mezcal one which I thought was a refreshing take. The wall shows some of the drinks on the menu and the ingredients/glass it comes in which I thought was a nice touch. Bartenders were friendly but not too chatty as they were super busy but you never waited long for a drink. The bourbon drink with the whipped honey was our favorite but the gin drink that was pink was also fantastic. For food I did try the buffalo chicken dip, pretty large and tasty (not too spicy) and loved the super crisp celery and the fritos. Clean, trendy bathrooms, nice vibes throughout the whole spot for pictures, great for a night cap or pre-dinner drink.

What a fun cocktail bar. My friend and I popped in for happy hour and it was a cool vibe from the…read morestart. I encourage you to get there early if you plan to go after work. They don't take revelations and the place fills up fast. It's a very cute spot and feels so comfortable and fun. Our bartender was Gaylan and he was great--had great reccs, laughed with us a bit, all around great guy. The 'let me just say this' was so soo good! It tasted like a rainbow--just bright and with a really delicious after taste. I should have stopped at the rose but after my trying my friend's, i had to have one! We initially came for happy hour, but moved to the cocktail menu. The hh was a bit limited, but the drinks were priced overall pretty reasonably for the area. My one complaint is the wine glasses were so teeny. Overall though, I would recommend this bar. Bonus: cheese balls when you sit down! I believe there is also a limited food menu (think nachos) for the after work or late night crowd.

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Bar Betsie - Quick view of options

Quick view of options

Bar Betsie - Frozen hibiscus pina colada

Frozen hibiscus pina colada

Bar Betsie - A well balanced Old Fashioned

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A well balanced Old Fashioned

Death & Co DC - Fool's Gold

Death & Co DC

4.2(115 reviews)
1.5 miShaw, Downtown
$$$

I've been eyeing this bar for several weeks now, and the other day, I finally decided it was time…read moreto give them a try. I know reservations are probably highly recommended, but we were fortunate to walk in at just the right moment and snag a seat. The seating is cozy and inviting, perfect for a relaxed evening. The atmosphere is just my style, an elegant, dark, grown and sexy vibe that really sets the mood. The decor is striking, with thoughtful touches that create an inviting space to unwind. While it leans a bit on the pricier side, the exceptional service more than justifies the cost. Jordan and the team were incredibly knowledgeable about both the drinks and food menu, offering suggestions that perfectly matched our tastes. We tried two standout drinks that I can't recommend enough: the Attractive Nuisance and El Tiburon, (which is an Old Fashioned made with gin). The bartenders here clearly know what they're doing, each drink was crafted with care and precision. The good music in the background added to the overall ambiance, making it a delightful spot to spend an evening.

We were here to get drinks and apps to kickstart our friend's birthday celebration. Unfortunately,…read morewe didn't have a reservation for that evening. Because the last time we were here, we could find a seat easily. So never thought about making a reservation. As we walked in, the place was packed. Lucky we got a table in the corner for an hour. One of us had to stand unfortunately. Drinks were great but felt overpriced. Food was delicious too. Fried potatoes and tartar is a must have. The service was great. Ambiance is amazing as well. Slightly on the darker side in the inside. They also have outdoor seating.

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Death & Co DC - Please and Thank You

Please and Thank You

Death & Co DC - Mutineer

Mutineer

Death & Co DC

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Cotton & Reed - distilleries - Updated July 2026

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