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!

Get the focaccia! It was amazing. The inside was light, airy, and soft which contrasts perfectly…read morewith the crispy exterior. The outside was also moderately charred which carried a nice smoky flavor. There is an upcharge for adding burrata, which was also very delicious. The taglioni neri was also good, but the sauce was very tomato forward and the tomato's sweetness cut through the seafood flavors. I would have preferred the sauce to be much more seafood forward instead.

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.

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!

Great vibe inside, but not super impressed with the experience at la Betty. The interior space is…read morecozy and cool, but it lacks a lot of the warmth of what I love about a restaurant. You seat yourself and order at the bar, servers will bring you your food as it's ready. The food was good, but portions were tiny. The whole menu is labeled as shareable, but the butter beans literally had maybe 15 beans with toothpicks to share... the fries were pretty good, but for $12 for just a bowl of fries, I would expect exceptional. I liked the chili crisp salmon, but it didn't blow me away, and the portion size for $18 was so small. I did think the Parker house rolls were fantastic, and they came out piping hot, which was delightful. The mocktail option was also excellent! I really wish they would reconsider only having Baked and Wired pastries available in the morning- you only have one rotating cake option available for dessert, and it would've been nice to be able to enjoy more. I did not think the service experience here merited an automatic, unchangeable 20% gratuity. There's very minimal service- you are just brought your food and a water carafe. And while everything on the menu looked and tasted good, the tiny portions for items labeled as shareable didn't feel quite right. A fun place to stop in for a glass of wine, but I didn't love the experience enough to be eager to return.

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.

I only give one stars to places I won't return to. Someone said a year ago the portion sizes were…read morelaughable and I found out last night nothing changed. One meat and one cheese is $7 each. I don't eat much and felt like a snack. When I got my cheeseboard, I got 1 slice of cheese and 3 thin slices of meat. Not even full slices, they were shaved and tapered off at the end. They charged me $18. I guarantee the entire block of cheese was probably $7-9. I eat a lot of charcuterie and that was by far the smallest portion I've ever received. I didn't feel for wine after that. They have a very small cozy place that's probably more enjoyable buzzed off wine. Maybe the review would've been outstanding if I came for wine. But if the quality and service doesn't match on the other items on the menu ... just remove them

This meal was absolutely delicious! While in DC for a nearby convention, my friends and I were…read morecraving Thai food and came across this restaurant, and I'm so glad we did! The service was great, and the restaurant itself was really pretty and had such a nice atmosphere. We all got the mango frozen cocktails, and they were AMAZING; so refreshing, and honestly the perfect pairing with the food. Everyone in our group ordered something different, and everything we tried was so good. I got the Thai vermicelli, and it was absolutely delicious! I also got to try some of my friends' dishes, and everything was flavorful and really well done. I'm usually pretty nitpicky when it comes to coconut curry sauces, but it was so perfectly balanced and flavorful. It was easily some of the best Thai food I've had in the DMV (honestly!). No complaints whatsoever. I'll definitely be returning next time I'm in the area! :)

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.

What a delightful brunch! I met coworkers here and was able to share some appetizers and more. We…read moreagreed to share escargot and this goat cheese ball. We received two lovely bags of bread... I will say, I thought there was more in the bags than there actually was, but I loved that presentation haha. I decided to branch out from brunch norms and get this Manhattan ... The Ba'Nanhattan. The notes were very nutty and it had dried bananas in it, I loved it! I tried my coworker's cucumber drink, and as someone who does not like cucumbers, I couldn't deny how refreshing and summery that was. I was on the fence about a couple of entrees, but I decide to get the BECC... Bacon egg & cheese croissant. WHEW! That thing was so flaky and every ingredient was simply delicious. I was the only one at the table that didn't get potatoes with my entree... I went for the fruit instead. Little did I know that it was going to be all melons. I only started liking watermelon last year, and that was fine, but the cantaloupe?? I still don't like it. I could have asked to swap out but I didn't want to be difficult. And I didn't ask what kind of fruit it was, so that is on me. After this brunch experience, I'll be curious to come on other occasions. Happy hour, dinner.... I usually don't go for French food, but I liked what I had and I would definitely return.

It's an ambiance kind of place. Oddly, I ended up here with a bunch of vegetarians (besides…read moremyself). The menu had a couple of things, but clearly wasn't meant for us. I ended up taking the strategy of ordering a salad and getting dessert, figuring that would be the best part at a French restaurant. The salad delivered on crispness, but the dressing was ultra-salty in away that was hard not to notice. I ended up overordering on dessert and getting this ludicrous hazelnut ice cream sandwich, which was good but would have been better off split. It isn't quite my kind of place, but also as a meeting spot was on the louder side, and the quality wasn't quite what I'd hoped.

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.

The restaurant was very busy when we arrived, but service was still smooth and swift. I wouldn't…read moresay the Korean food is particularly authentic, but it was a decent American twist on Korean cuisine and still tasty. The tteokbokki came with additional vegetables and mushrooms, and their banchan were quite good. The mandu was meaty which I appreciated too. I wouldn't come back because I didn't feel the value was quite there (very pricey) but it was still an enjoyable meal overall. The ambiance was nothing special, and I do wish the bathroom had been cleaner.

This is our first time visiting Washington DC, and we haven't found many great dining options near…read moreour hotel. We discovered this spot on Yelp. The moment the banchan (Korean side dishes) arrived and we took our first bites, we knew we'd stumbled upon an outstanding Korean restaurant. Every side dish is prepared authentically and tastes fantastic. Our first main dish to come out was kimchi fried rice with beef. While it isn't made using a fully traditional Korean method, it was absolutely delicious -- easily the best kimchi fried rice I've had in the past few years. We also ordered their signature pork and potato stew. It was excellent; the chili flavour was smooth, and every ingredient was wonderfully seasoned. Our server was incredibly polite and friendly, and we were happy to leave a tip for them. We plan to come back tomorrow evening, but unfortunately, our server told us they might not be working then. This Korean restaurant is highly recommended. If you're staying nearby or travelling in Washington DC, I'd strongly suggest stopping by to enjoy their wonderful Korean food.

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.

studying art history, took a trip to d.c. to go sight seeing of some of my studies. decided that we…read morewanted to go out one of our nights here, this is where we landed. cider on tap, means we're going to have a good night. walked past a group of (maybe) 26 year olds, they took one look at my friend group (realistically we are more alternative looking for what district of columbia is used to, anywhere else in the midwest we're average), guy looks over, "whispers" to the rest of his group, "DO YOU THINK THESE GIRLS GO TO ART SCHOOL?". he was absolutely right. we do go to art school.