What a nice divey spot! I met up with some friends for a birthday and this was one of our stops…read more There was a live band wrapping up, and I appreciate it that it wasn't too loud even though it was a smaller space. The staff were nice and they had quite a selection of beers. When I went to the bathroom, I noticed a beer pong towards the back, how cool is that??? If you're looking for divey vibes, there aren't many places where you can top this honestly. It's a good spot!

Nice & Easy is a fun dive bar with americana decor and good music. The pool table was also really…read morecool, and it made the night feel more like a hangout than just a bar stop. I got the Long Thailand Iced Tea and wow... it tasted like boba tea with that strong black tea flavor. Definitely recommend trying it. Drinks are solid and affordable. Bathrooms aren't great. But honestly, it to be expected for a place like this, it's still a good spot for a casual night out.

A Wonderful Sunday Brunch at CR NoMa!…read more I visited CR NoMa for Sunday brunch and really enjoyed my experience! CR NoMa is a Moroccan-Israeli scratch kitchen featuring Middle Eastern and North African flavors. I love that it feels like a relaxed neighborhood spot while still being stylish and sophisticated. FOOD: I ordered the Traffic Jam Breakfast, which comes with scrambled cheesy eggs, a hash brown, and cornmeal-crusted French toast with maple syrup and raspberry glaze. Since I don't eat pork, I swapped the bacon for crispy lamb, and everything was delicious! The French toast was definitely a highlight, especially with that raspberry glaze. I do wish they offered another traditional breakfast meat that isn't pork, like chicken or turkey sausage. The crispy lamb was a great substitute, but having another non-pork breakfast option would be nice. DRINKS: I did the $24 Bottomless "Make Your Own Mimosas," which I thought was a great deal! Instead of constantly waiting for someone to refill your mimosa, they bring bottomless bottles of sparkling wine with a selection of juices, so you can make your mimosa exactly how you like it. They also offer a $45 Deluxe Bottomless option that includes the make-your-own mimosas plus CR Bloody Marys, Micheladas, draft cocktails, and Old Time Lager. An entrée is required for either bottomless option, and food is purchased separately. SERVICE: Our server was wonderful! She was attentive, kind, and accommodating. I explained my dietary needs, and she had no problem allowing me to substitute the bacon for crispy lamb. I really appreciated how easy she made it. ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant is surprisingly spacious! You really can't tell how big it is from the outside. I loved the modern rustic décor, beautiful natural lighting, and relaxed but sophisticated feel. It works perfectly as a casual neighborhood brunch spot but also feels like somewhere that could easily transition into a lively dinner and drinks destination. The broader menu features Middle Eastern and North African flavors, including fresh brick-oven pita and house-made hummus, plus craft cocktails. They also offer happy hour and weekend brunch, so there's plenty for me to come back and try! PRICE: The prices are very reasonable, especially for the portion sizes. You get a good amount of food without brunch feeling unnecessarily expensive. And $24 for bottomless sparkling wine and juices in DC? I'll take it! Overall, CR NoMa delivered a wonderful Sunday brunch experience. Delicious food, attentive service, a beautiful space, good portions, and reasonable prices. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu!

Let me preface this by saying that we're from NYC, so we're used to amazing food spots…read more CR NoMa is a nice hidden gem. We tried the pastrami & poblano sandwich--very tasty. Unfortunately, given the price, we expected it to be packed with meat, but that wasn't the case. Would recommend and would go back to try their other items.

We only popped in for a quick drink. I had the snapdragon and it was very good, a little on the…read moresweet side (I think due to the lychee) if you prefer sweeter tasting drinks. Really cute ambiance as well. Everyone was so nice and accommodating whilst in the middle of prepping for a private event.

Hosted my husband's surprise birthday party here and it was amazing! Everyone had a great time,…read morefood was on point and there was plenty of space to celebrate. I definitely recommend getting two oches for 15+ people. Most of all Jessica was amazing and a great host for us. We look forward to coming back!

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!

Stopped by to grab a drink with a friend on a Tuesday evening after work and had a great time!…read moreTalked to the bartender about their happy hour specials and she led the way to a hibiscus margarita. So refreshing and so good! The ambiance was relaxed and fun on a week night. I would definitely come back again for a chill catch up chat.

This bar has been such a standout ever since it opened! I still remember their ginormous cocktail…read moremenu, but am still very happy with their offerings now. My go-to has been the Venezolana, which has a base of a dark rum and a combination of tropical fruit. Don't be fooled, however, this is not a fruity drink! I love the balance and it's always fun to see the fancy ice with the bar's name in the middle. Don't sleep on their snacks! My fav have been their chorizo empanadas. The black bean dip is also tasty. Aside from what I consume, I ALWAYS leave feeling good about the service. Their bartenders are skilled and aren't overbearing. They always answer any questions I have or provide recommendations to friends. A really great team over there and I'm glad it's close enough to grab a random drink here and there!

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.

It was cute with a lot of florals and ambient lighting. We went on a jazz night when they had a…read morelive band. We got free wine with our tickets and sat on the patio for a while. I ordered the chicken tacos which is an app and my boyfriend for a seared tuna salad. I liked my tacos but he didn't love is salad. The dessert was soooo good. I could eat three of those. Our server was nice and checked on us. Gave recommendations when we asked.

My first visit to Ciel Social Club was such a good experience! I went during happy hour with…read morefriends and the entire vibe of the rooftop was amazing from start to finish. The views alone make you want to stay all night, especially as the sun starts to set over the city. We also got to enjoy live music from the band, which made the atmosphere feel even more fun and elevated. It was the perfect mix of great energy, good music, and a beautiful rooftop setting. For drinks, we tried the Blushing Orchard Martini, Capitol Blossom Fizz, and the Lavender Ginger Bloom -- all refreshing and well-crafted. For food, we ordered the East Coast Oysters on the Half Shell, Beef Sliders, and Mediterranean Tacos. Everything came out fresh and flavorful.

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.

Our server was incredible here! Great spot for a night cap. Drinks are good and most come with a…read morefun presentation!

We visited The Alchemist in DC and ordered the Banana Bread Rum Old Fashioned and a Fireplace…read morethemed cocktail with chocolate and cherry notes. Both were disappointing. The drinks tasted watered down and unbalanced. The banana flavor in mine was dull and overripe rather than fresh and vibrant. The smoke and fire presentation was nice, but the actual cocktails did not justify the $25 price point. The restroom was unacceptable. There was urine on the floor, a strong foul odor, and the surface was slippery. For a speakeasy positioning itself as upscale, this was a major miss. The space is very small and service was just okay. Overall, the concept has potential, but the execution did not meet expectations. I will not be returning.

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.