The Cocktail Spots Across D.C. You Won’t Want to Miss

This rooftop bar is home to one of the largest pisco collections in the United States, with a menu referred to as the “pisco library.” A great entry point into this Peruvian and Chilean spirit: sample the pisco sour de la Amazonia, a blend of Causa acholado #2 (Causa is the ground floor restaurant; this is one of their bespoke small-batch pisco blends) with grilled watermelon, key lime, and egg white.

Residents was inspired by its owners, all immigrants who came to settle in Washington, D.C. You’ll find yourself at home here with a vibey garden bar and show-stopping drinks, including the uber-popular espresso martini. This version is thick, milky, and luxurious, made with ghee, vanilla, chocolate, and a mix of spirits including Galliano Espresso Liqueur.

Editor’s note: As of Jan. 24, 2024, Mercy Me has changed owners and rebranded into a new concept.

Mercy Me is a hotel bar with a laid-back patio best known for serving tropical-style drinks inspired by South America. Try a riff on D.C.’s signature rickey cocktail, typically made with gin, lime, and club soda. The version here, called the Gold Rush Rickey, has a more citrusy caramel kick with bubbly zing thanks to three primary ingredients: Bardstown Bourbon, Champagne, and grapefruit-ginger soda.

Jack Rose is a true D.C. institution, helmed by D.C. natives Bill Thomas and Stephen King. Here you’ll find one of the largest whiskey collections in the United States, including over 2,700 bottles of hand-selected Scotches. The saloon carries an incomparable selection of bourbons too. Cocktails are meant to showcase whiskey, of course, such as the Trailblazer, with Baltimore’s Sagamore rye, plus yuzu, lime, and ginger.

A special date night pairs perfectly with the cocktails at The Gibson. From the candlelit ambiance to elaborately garnished cocktails, it will easily win over hearts and minds. Bartender Chantal Tseng has several recurring mixology events, including absinthe nights whenever there is a fifth Thursday in a month.

This Middle Eastern cocktail bar is a popular place to drink in Adams Morgan, whether you’re enjoying a Lebanese Fig & Wine Cobbler, or the Rohan Smash, a riff on a gin basil smash, at the bar. You’ll find a wide range of classic cocktails and traditional Arabic street food and meze, plus Latin and reggae music.

Service Bar was recently listed as one of North America’s 50 top bars, and for good reason — this come-as-you-are establishment combines party vibes with perfectly paired cocktails and zero-proof drinks. Try the rhubarb vodka soda, for an offbeat drink that also has clarified citrus, salt, and rose liqueur.

This is not just another gin joint. The Wells oozes class and sophistication, with a menu that’s almost completely gin-based. Martini lovers will also want to settle in here for a straight-up version enhanced by orange, vermouth, and olive oil-soaked gin.

Cotton & Reed is part rum distillery, part dance party, thanks to cranking beats and a disco ball hovering above the main bar. This entire drink menu also revolves around rum, including a Dark ‘n’ Stormy with C&R’s PX dark rum and molasses ginger beer. It’s described on the menu as “fancy rum, plus fancy ginger beer,” and it equals a really good time.

Walk-ins welcome.

Happy hour at this downtown cocktail lounge revolves around whiskey, whether it’s Japanese, rye, Scotch, Irish, or American styles. The subterranean bar is also where you can try Serenity’s Rye, with rye whiskey, lavender, and lemon bitters.

From journalists to lobbyists and politicians, this basement bar in The Hay-Adams Hotel is where secrets are traded over old fashioneds. The bar has colorful artwork and caricatures of the city’s political elite, both past and present. The red velvet-themed bar also offers a superb wine selection and bar bites to help keep the drinks flowing.

Walk-ins welcome.

Head to the second floor of this dark and moody cocktail bar with Chinese American food on H Street to sample a classic daiquiri made with Bacardi Carta Blanca. This cocktail has been on the menu since day one and is the perfect balance of cold, tart, and citrusy, sending your taste buds to somewhere tropical.

Walk-ins welcome.