Stumbled upon this cute winery right at navy yard and had to check it out. We showed up without a…read morereservation and was able to get a few seats at the bar. The place was very busy! There was a wedding AND a bridal shower occuring at the same time. There is upstairs to the restaurant and the wedding was happening up there. There is also an outdoor porch area where the bridal shower was occuring. Most of the seating inside was high top seating. All the wines are made in house and there was a large selection! Our server (who may also be the manager/owner?) was very kind and explained some of the wines for us. We got 2 of their flights and they were all excellent. The Library Collection has some unique drinks. They do sell most of their bottles to go (pic of pricing in this review!). They also make food and they all smelled great. I would love to go back and try more wines and some of their food!

I'd rate this a 3.5 if I could. It was definitely better than a 3 but not quite a 4…read more Great vibe. The staff were all great. The views were lovely. We got a Chef's Whim board which was fun and filling. We also got the Winemakers and Library flights. Our server was very knowledgeable about the wines. I'm not giving them 4 stars for a few reasons. I wish I could build my own flight because each flight choice had wines I didn't like. I also wish there were more menu items. And, the bench seating cushions were worn through almost to the stuffing which was really surprising that they would let them get that bad at a restaurant like this. That said, we had a great meal with a great server. I don't think we'll be back though.

Look, they're fine if you don't get the sangria. The sangria is an abomination. ABOMINATION.read more

Amazing experience we stopped by for somw wine and lunch. The wine and service were great. We…read moreordered the empanadas and they were light and delicious. The employees made us feel welcome and did not rush us. Its a very location in the market. We will definitely be back.

The wines were excellent. The charcuterie board was delicious. We each had a flight of their local…read morewines. The service was interesting. I think the young lady we had on Valentine's Day was not a normal server. She was not knowledgeable about the products and she seemed a little perturbed that we had never been there and needed information. The interior layout was comfortable and the seating was nice.

This is a charming little space with potential but certainly not the smoothest experience…read more Negus Winery was our second wine tasting stop of the day, and we were looking forward to it. We hadn't heard of it before, but thanks to the magic of social media, we discovered it and decided to check it out. The space itself is charming and cozy, with neat art on the walls and a great vibe overall. We were greeted by a friendly staff member, but unfortunately, she didn't explain how things worked which led to some confusion. Ordering happens at the counter, then you seat yourself, and later return to the counter to pay. We figured this out ourselves, but a quick orientation would've helped. There were no explanations of the wines, no mention of available food, and we only discovered the charcuterie and samosas by walking around. Even then, the signage was unclear, and the staff didn't offer guidance. Things went further downhill when a large Meetup group (20+ people) arrived shortly after us. The staff was clearly was unprepared. Service slowed to a crawl, and while they did call in backup, it felt like chaos behind the counter. Flights were delivered piecemeal and with some confusion, and at one point, a staff member accidentally knocked over a tray of wine being carried by another. That said, the wines ranged from good to very good and the pours are far more generous than we expected. I had asked about the samosas, and after a vague back-and-forth, was told they'd bring it over. They didn't. Every time someone made eye contact with me, they'd vaguely say "the samosa" without confirming what I ordered (they never asked how many, and only my wife wanted one). By the time we were ready to leave, the place had become far too loud and chaotic, and I didn't even finish my flight. We bought a bottle to go, and again, they mentioned the samosa; at which point I just told them to skip it. This place has potential; it's a cute spot and could be great with better organization and communication. Maybe it runs smoother when there's a smaller crowd. But based on this visit, I'm not likely to return.

My family was in town and always wanted to go into the Virginia wine country, hence how we found…read moreVino Virginia. The company promised us a very interesting journey and I can tell you they 100% delivered! Our guide, Paul, was not only an extremely knowledgeable about Virginia history, but he's also a sommelier and thus was very well-versed in the wines. Paul showed up with a brand new, very comfortable sprinter van, and offered cold beverages for our trip to and from Middleburg. The tour stopped at two beautiful, well run, wineries for tastings and a third tasting stop which I will not reveal, but it was very fun! I can't recommend this tour enough, as it's truly a first class experience. I would (and very likely will) go again soon. Thanks for making this experience an awesome one for my family and I, Paul!

I highly recommend Vino Virginia. I had relatives from London and Boston visiting me and decided to…read moreshow them some Virginia wineries. Vino Virginia was the perfect way to do this! We had a blast! Paul took us to two wineries and one meadery. Based on a request I made prior to the day trip, Paul talked about the towns we were driving through and gave us interesting background on each winery prior to our arrival. The wine and food was delicious and the scenery was beautiful. The hosts/staff at each site were terrific. Without exaggeration, we laughed throughout the day, had so much fun, and felt thoroughly at ease because we didn't need to worry about driving. We could just sit back and enjoy the day, and we did just that. My book club is going to spend a day with Vino Virginia and I can't wait. Whether you go with your spouse, significant other, friends and/or family, you'll enjoy the experience, and the price is very reasonable. If you have specific requests, let Paul know in advance of your trip. Don't hesitate to see Virginia wineries with Vino Virginia.

So much history here - so be sure to embrace that part of the mansion!…read more Otherwise, I've always just approached the mansion as a cool, quirky, fun house of stimulation. Every inch and every corner is pretty much covered with something interesting to look at. In terms of a fun house vibe, you can definitely get lost and explore the mansion for hours. But at some point, I usually adjust my lens a bit a realize that it's just a really extension collection of flea market and estate sale items that have been arranged in an way to make it interesting (it even smells like it, in a moth ball-like way!) Either way, I would recommend everyone to experience it at least once if you have a free afternoon and time to kill. It's definitely a one of a kind experience!

O Museum - O Street, Washington DC…read more I was a judicial fellow at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and arrived at the DOT office complex in L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C., for my first day of orientation. It was early on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, and while I had been in Washington many times in my work as an administrative law judge, this was my first time meeting my contacts at NHTSA. The world now recognizes the losses sustained on that day, in New York and at the Pentagon (and on United Airlines Flight 93), but at 8:30 in the morning at NHTSA's headquarters in D.C. our world was rapidly aging amidst the tragedy. My contact at NHTSA had family members he needed to get to, and he left me to my own devices. As transport systems turned into gridlock, I left the building intending to walk to my hotel in Georgetown. I had the day to explore. All the Smithsonian museums were locked down, as were most businesses. I had no agenda other than experiencing what D.C. was like during the turmoil of 9/11. I walked from L'Enfant Plaza to Dupont Circle, hoping to have lunch at my favorite restaurant, Johnny's Half Shell. In the process, in a long wandering exploration of the District, I happened upon O Street, not far from the Dupont Circle Metro station. During the walk I passed a string of brownstone residences on O Street between 20th and 21st Streets. While my memory has faded over time, I recall walking past curious bronze sculptures of the White Rabbit, Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat, ensconced in abundant greenery that seemed to fill the streetside frontages of four or five of the brownstones. Last week I found out that what I walked past that day 25 years ago was the O Museum in the Mansion, named after the mansion's street location. It's a venue that evokes a rich historical heritage that runs the spectrum from the lives of the rich and famous to the lives of courageous civil rights activists who created cultural change in our nation's capital. I learned the museum was opened in 1980 by its founder, H.H. Leonards Spero, and is housed in a mansion that now includes a boutique hotel with themed rooms. Their "Night at the Museum" tour offers an immersive overnight experience with extended access to the museum and its collection. Also known as The Secret Door Museum, there are over one hundred themed rooms, over eighty secret doors, and thousands of artifacts spanning art, music, sports, history, and American pop culture. I stopped by the display case that housed signed guitars from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and saw museum rooms packed with memorabilia from folk and jazz eras, and the early days of the Beatles. Nostalgia and history reign and the displays include important artifacts relating to the civil rights era in the United States, with prominent attention given to the inspired work of Rosa Parks and other civil rights mentors. The Museum features a bar, modern restrooms, an elevator, and secret doors throughout. Reservations are recommended, but I walked in without any wait (on a weekday in February 2026). Remarkably, most of the contents - probably counting in the thousands - are for sale. (So, we're on notice by the Museum's docents: if you break it, you buy it.) I found the Museum's staff to be friendly, well-informed, and exceptionally enthusiastic about their work. I learned there are limited-time themed events, such as the Secret Door Experience ($33), a Champagne Tour ($62.50), a Secret Portal Hunt & Tour ($45.95), a Secret Gardens of Asia celebrating cherry blossoms ($50), a Mother's Day Secret Door & Champagne Tour ($54.50), a Night at the Museum overnight package ($550.77) and a host of events celebrating the life and work of Rosa Parks and other civil rights leaders. This may well be one of the most curiosity-inspiring venues anywhere in the world. And good luck finding the secret doors!

I love this place. I really enjoy seating at the bar for a glass of wine and a snack. They also…read morehave a full dining room upstairs. I recently had their burger and added fries. They are some of the best fries in the city. They burger was also delicious. They have a great happy hour menu and their wine by the glass list is awesome. They have so many wines you can't usually find by the glass. The staff is super lovely and make you feel welcome. They also have a full bottle shop.

3.5/5 stars. Stumbled upon this wine bar with a quaint patio during an outing in DC. The server was…read morevery friendly and the food tasted good but was overpriced for the portion size. The shakshouka was $20 and came in a tiny cast iron with only one egg. The beet salad was good but also a pretty small portion for how much they charged. Note that they also charge a 5% service charge to all guest checks (separate from the tip).

As a working parent of a toddler, I really wish more places like this existed! I was able to bring…read moremy daughter here to play, with supervision, while I got some work done and had a coffee on a day my nanny was not available. My daughter had so much fun with the employees and other kiddos! I opted to sit downstairs which is louder, but there is a quiet work/study space upstairs for additional cost. Before we left I also ordered food to go from Shorty's Deluxe. Childcare and food all in one Highly recommend Mulberry Lane for all the parents!

My fam travels a lot and we noticed play cafes in many other areas but not the DMV. It's clearly…read moremuch needed but we get why they aren't really here. But Mulberry Lane is a notch above bc not only is it a play cafe but there is staff there to watch your lils while you get to go elsewhere within the building whether that's in the lil tables visibly nearby or in one of their neighboring and partnering restaurants. I'd toootally get my kids memberships if we lived nearby. Since we probably would only go weekends for an hour or two, I'm glad there are the options for one time pay or multi hour passes for future use. Since we weren't sure if we'd be back, we gave it a try for one hour. Prices may change but our first time was $18 per child per hour. This may seem high for only one hour, but my kids had fun and my hour without worrying about them or being interrupted was very productive so it was worth it. Staff are friendly. I only wished they had gluten free options for the kiddos to enjoy after their play. Guess we can bring our own next time! :)

I recently took a virtual wine class led by Ashwin and organized by my apartment's management…read morecompany. He emailed everyone with photos and a description of the two bottles of wine that we should buy for class, with alternatives suggested. Was very impressed with Ashwin's ability to engage us over Zoom, educate us in an approachable and warm way, and answer our questions without pretentiousness (what's the best glass for this type of wine?). What distinguishes Ashwin from, say, just Googling a question about wine is that Ashwin actually has a point of view that he isn't shy about sharing (like his opinions about the homogenization of the big champagne brands vs. grower-made champagnes). Especially during the time of COVID, his Zoom classes are a welcome distraction--and an excuse to drink more wine. Totally recommend his classes as a fun group event.

Ashwin did a virtual wine class through my apartment building - what a fun time! In times of COVID,…read moreit is hard to see what virtual events are worth it - Ashwin's definitely was! He did an excellent job of managing the technology, creating smaller groups to reflect in, and leading a large class! I learned so much and had such a great time drinking wine and learning about the knowledge and history. The impression I got was of a sommelier who wants to not only teach people about wine, but help us reflect on our own culture, our experiences, and how we view the world (and therefore wine!). I went into this class with a fair level of background knowledge, but I still felt like I learned something and I found several good bottles of wine! I would love to take another class with Ashwin!

This place was brightly lit up, welcoming and colorful as soon as you walked in!! I stumbled upon…read morehere wanting to see what was across the way! & it's a Wine place!!! . They had every wine you could choose from. The lady was so nice! She greeted me immediately asked if I needed help I was just in amazement! but I told her I'm just looking around, she said well if you need any help at all please let her know. It was reds, whites rosès etc . There were several rooms in the back and a spin around it was colorful and wine in every section. Beautiful art works which I believe she said it's an art gallery upstairs sometimes I'll have to recheck that. everything was neatly placed, they have Wine tastings, it's pretty cool and a chill vibe here. I'd surely recommend this place especially if you're a wine person.

Always a wonderful experience. Great wine and fabulous customer service. The Saturday sparkling…read morewine tastings are always fun. Lisa is well versed in wine and great to deal with.

We finally made it to the Urban Winery of Silver Spring for easy Saturday wine excursion. Overall,…read morewe had a very nice experience with the wine, food and outdoor ambiance. Although we sat outside, we never had to wait too long for someone from the service team to take our orders and check-in with us. Both the wine and food menu offer nice varieties of items to drink and drink. Also, I thought the prices were well in line with what I was expecting from the area. I'll say that I thought the charcuterie board provided generous portions for the price. The winery is very dog-friendly, which might be a pro or con depending on who you are. We even learned that the winery hosts a weekly Yappy Hour. I think the waitress said this dog-friendly event happens every Tuesday starting at five. Perhaps, we'll give it a try once our pup becomes a bit older because he is still in the 'I have to play with and bark at every single dog I see' stage. The only (very minor) complaint that I have. One section of the outdoor seating feels like you are sitting in the parking lot. However, the winery have set up some potted plants as a bit of a barrier between the parking lot and the dining/drinking area. Minor complaint aside, I don't think this is situation is serious enough to prevent me from returning in the future. ;) Looking forward to visiting again to try a few more wines and food items.

What an oasis hidden in Lyttonsville. Tucked away in an industrial part of town is a winery that…read moresells local and global wines by the glass, bottle, or flight. For $15, I ordered a flight of three local wines and enjoyed each one. They also sell Greek food and have happy hour prices. There's plenty of space inside and there's even a growing outdoor patio perfect for weekends. There's ample parking as well in front and at a nearby lot.