A Cocktail Lover’s Guide to D.C.

While this list only begins to scratch the surface of all the great cocktail spots in D.C., it definitely touches on the essentials. I’ve broken it down into three main neighborhoods, including the closest hotel(s) I would recommend staying in nearby. Many of the hotels offer top-tier bar programs themselves. Some I have especially highlighted for their queer staff or ownership, but you will find every single one a safe and welcoming space for everyone—queer travelers included!

• Downtown/Shaw/U Street/Central D.C.

Staying in central D.C. would likely give you the best access to cocktails all over the city. If you like walking, you can get around this area with 10- to 20-minute walks at most between locations. There are also always scooters and bikes around, and D.C. in general is a small town that is very easy to get around. And if you prefer not to walk or ride public transit, it is fairly affordable to get around via rideshare apps, too.

Historically, Shaw is also the queer capital of D.C., and is the main area that hosts the annual Pride Parade. Some of the old-school gay bars can also be found around here—perhaps most notably Trade, Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse, and Nellie’s Sports Bar.

My recommended stays for this part of the city would either be Eaton DC or Riggs Washington DC. Eaton DC will feel a bit younger, and feature more artist spaces and community events, while the Riggs offers a modern but more traditional, upscale hotel stay. And even better—both feature highly celebrated and essential stops on your cocktail tour of the city!

Eaton DC, Downtown

Allegory (Eaton DC)

Hidden behind the library in Eaton DC’s lobby, Allegory is a must for any cocktail-lover visiting D.C. They are listed among the best bars in the world, have won Best Bar Team and Best Hotel Bar, and still have one of the US Best Bartenders of the Year working on their team. With a highly imaginative and intentional bar program, they take their inspiration from all over the world, as well as from the reimagined Alice in Wonderland murals with Ruby Bridges as Alice and from DC and its recent political history. Despite the seriousness of the awards they’ve won, the team is very playful, and they are always excited to be your guide to what else you should explore in D.C. right now!

✔Food (snacks/apps)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (ground-floor bar with lots of tables at a good height. The whole property is ADA compliant)

Pro tip: Look out for special classes and guest appearances. This bar brings some of the biggest names in bartending from all over the world! And don’t forget to check out the upstairs bar, Wild Days, better known for the views and guest DJs, but never a bad stop for a drink at the end of your night. Wild Days is also wheelchair accessible.

Silver Lyan (Riggs Washington DC)

Found in the basement of Riggs Washington DC, Silver Lyan is the brainchild of the world-famous Mr Lyan. With a unique and modern approach to cocktails, this bar is famous for its playful and lighthearted attitude, while still maintaining a top-shelf quality.

✔Food (snacks/apps)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✖Gender-neutral bathrooms
✔Accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (as a basement space typically accessed via staircase, I recommend contacting the hotel or bar directly to assist in your access)

Pro tip: Part of a world-famous bar group, Silver Lyan continues in the legacy of Ryan Chetiyawardana, or Mr. Lyan himself, first known for White Lyan in London. This storytelling and experimental cocktail program attracts some of the most educated and enthusiastic bartenders in the city—ask them all the questions you like! And Cafe Riggs is also not to be overlooked, maintaining the same quality in their drinks and service. If you need a place to wait to get in, this will be worth your while.

Silver Lyan, Downtown

Your Only Friend

This playful, nostalgic sandwich spot and cocktail bar is the beautiful outcome of a pandemic pivot. When there wasn’t an end in sight to the pandemic crisis of 2020, the award-winning duo behind the Columbia Room looked instead to something that would both comfort them and support their community—what better than a solid sando? As of January 2024, they are a proper brick-and-mortar location. Your Only Friend has become an instant staple in the city. And definitely come hungry—they are the worthy winners of a Bib Gourmand! For the purpose of cocktails (and some of the most creative and delicious zero-proof drinks), relax into the comfort of high-brow, low-brow, with innovations like the Carb’d Marg (featuring Smirnoff Ice, Mountain Dew, and mezcal), clarified rum and cola (nonalcoholic option too), a sherry appletini, or a clarified Orange Julius.

✔Food (full meal)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (you will have to sit at a table, and the space is more limited. On a busy night or weekend, I might recommend calling in advance to inquire about space. This team is very considerate and may make an exception and make a reservation for you.

Pro tip: The kitchen and bar both open at 11 a.m., and this is one of the few properties in D.C. that does not close the kitchen between lunch and dinner, making this a great late-afternoon or early-evening hit on your D.C. cocktail tour! And if you can’t make it before the kitchen closes, order online in advance and pick up when you arrive. They also have a legendary Instagram account, which announces daily specials and monthly themes to look out for!

Your Only Friend

Morris American Bar

This beautifully designed space feels almost like walking into a Wes Anderson movie. A solid place for classics and always offering their own twists, Morris American Bar is a lovely stop on your cocktail tour. Keep an eye out for special pop-ups and local DJ sets—this place becomes a party late at night! And if the weather is nice, you can always ask for a seat on their patio instead.

✔Food (snacks/apps)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (most of the space is on the ground floor and accessible, though there is an upstairs seating area)

Pro tip: Look out especially for themed Sundays—they're not every week, but there are often special music/cocktail/food specials.

Bar Amazonia (Causa)

This icon of the cocktail world, Bar Amazonia, opened up in Blagden Alley in the summer of 2022 as an indoor/outdoor rooftop paradise, right above one of the hottest new award-winning restaurants from the same owner/operators, Causa (also Michelin award-winning). Featuring rare Peruvian (and particularly Amazonian) ingredients alongside the largest collection of pisco in North America, this bar is a must for any cocktail enthusiast coming through D.C. Of the features on this list, Bar Amazonia is another ideal spot to come hungry to!

✔Food (full meal)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (there is an elevator to the second floor, but the host may need to escort you through the restaurant on the main level to get to it; could be a fun sneak peak!)

Pro tip: For a light bite, ask about their anticuchos and starters. If you need a digestive to follow the meal you are sure to have here, ask your bartender or server what unique option they might recommend. And Causa on the main floor is also a truly world-class restaurant by Chef Carlos Delgado. If you want to have a tasting menu experience, as well as cocktails embracing more of the coastal region of Peru, add a reservation here to your trip, too!

Eaton DC, Downtown

Jane Jane

Another picturesque space, Jane Jane, named after one of the owner’s mothers, is a classic cocktail bar influenced by tastes of the American South. For a bar located on 14th St NW, in one of the busier shopping, bar, and restaurant districts, they maintain a more boutique vibe and a true reprieve from the more commercial surroundings. They have a sister bar in the Union Market area as of 2025, too—more details below.

✔Food (snacks/apps)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (part of the space is walk-in only, and would likely feel uncomfortable in a wheelchair. I recommend reserving a table in advance)

Pro tip: While D.C. is in general one of the most queer-friendly cities in the world, of those listed so far, this bar is especially known as a queer safe space—it is also queer-owned. D.C. is an incredible town for queer community, and if that is something you want to pursue more while you are visiting, these folks would be great resources!

Service Bar

A staple in D.C. since 2016, nominated for countless awards—as well as remaining a constant on North America’s 50 Best Bar list—Service Bar is an absolute must for any cocktail lover visiting D.C. Named for the love of the industry and the work, the atmosphere celebrates embracing the party. And for a bar that has been so consistent over the years, it has also never stopped innovating with its cocktails. Service Bar also hosts bars and bartenders from all over the world, and you will find at least one of the team is typically traveling to share their specialties all over the world, too! For those who have been to D.C. before, and perhaps even visited this bar, you know that it always has something new and exciting to offer.

✔Food (full menu; check kitchen hours online)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral bathrooms
✖Wheelchair accessible (technically, this bar is on the ground floor and can be accessed, but at peak hours this bar is very crowded and becomes standing room only; it also mainly has high-top tables with a few exceptions in their streetery space. Restrooms are not ADA compliant, but have been navigated with more compact chairs. This team is very considerate, and will do everything they can to make it work—advance notice is always appreciated.

Pro tip: Always ask what the staff’s favorite cocktail, shooter, or shot is that day. If you are up for it, they usually have something fun to offer! And if you are a hospitality worker, or just up for late Sunday nights, the Family Meal is always a great time—typically sponsored by a specific brand, offering a special drinks menu and a late-night family meal of sorts.

Silver Lyan, Downtown

The Royal

Perhaps the most under-the-radar excellent cocktail program in the city, the Royal has been a constant in D.C. since 2015! It offers one of the best happy hours in the city (starting early, too), including a handful of classic cocktails. With some Columbian influence from its ownership, alongside the genius of the bar manager and team, it’s also got an incredible signature menu, sometimes offering a "pick-your-own spirit" option. Don’t hesitate to ask if they’ve got anything new that they’re experimenting with these days.

✔Food (full, all-day kitchen)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral bathrooms
✖Wheelchair accessible (the main space is on the ground floor and accessible, but the restrooms are upstairs)

Pro tip: This is a great stop any time of day or night—perhaps excluding late night—as it serves all through the day. I highly recommend adding this stop when you could also use a coffee, as they have one of my favorite coffee programs in the city. The food is great, too!

• Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant

If you want to be deeper into a D.C. neighborhood, but still walkable to a lot, this area could be ideal for you. Especially once you get into Mount Pleasant, you can really feel like more of a local and less of a tourist. While this neighborhood has had many iterations, it has also hosted some legendary queer spaces over the years. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Drag Brunch at Perry's—one of the first in the city—and the longstanding Pitchers. My recommended stay for this part of the city would be the LINE Hotel. Once a larger church, it has been converted into a bespoke, modern, and clean high-end stay. Its main floor also features an all-day café/bar space called No Goodbyes with a solid cocktail program of its own.

Bar Betsie, Union Market

No Goodbyes (The LINE Hotel)

This might be one of the sneakiest, most incredible cocktail bars I have ever experienced in a hotel setting. They execute the classics beautifully, but you have to try their originals—No Goodbyes hosts some of the best, most unique “housemade” amari and liqueurs of all time. I am not exaggerating. Somewhere in the depths of this property is a hidden laboratory in an endless experimental state. You can’t miss this incredible bar or this incredible team. Finally getting their due in 2026, Tales of the Cocktail has listed them as one of the East Coasts best hotel bars.

✔Food (full meal)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible

Pro Tip: You may have to earn it by being a stellar guest, but be sure to ask your bartenders if they have any housemade products to share—whether it's a neat pour or used in a cocktail, if they offer you something special, say YES!

The Green Zone

Truly one of the most unique bars in the world, the Green Zone was a pop-up bar for about four years before settling in its current location in 2018. They have also been nominated for many awards, been featured as a Best in DC multiple times, and traveled as a pop-up to multiple bars all over the world to share their special program. The Green Zone celebrates the Middle East in food, flavors, and specialty products, and with Middle Eastern influences on all the old-school classics. Finding a lot of crossover with tropical drinks, you will also find a unique rum collection and a lot of tiki cocktail influences on its cocktail menu. This is another great option to come hungry to!

✔Food (full meal)
✔Low & zero-proof
✔Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (there is a second bar upstairs that cannot be easily accessed, but the main bar is on the ground level. Note: the entrance doorway is not super wide, but should fit a standard wheelchair.)

Pro tip: Ask if there are any special events upstairs—sometimes pop-ups, DJs, etc.—and come check them out for brunch Saturdays and Sundays.

Green Zone, Adams Morgan

Suns Cinema

A bit of an odd choice for this particular guide, but I couldn’t resist Suns Cinema’s bar program as a personal favorite in the area. They are another partly queer-owned and operated bar, with a less mainstream crowd. While they mainly focus on prebatched drinks—a fair choice for the rush around movie showings—they are some of the best I have tried in this category, and the identity is clear: film influences and lots of amari. The space is small, but has a fun and playful aesthetic. In good weather, their outdoor patio is also really special.

✖Food (except popcorn)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations (except advance movie ticket sales)
✔Gender-neutral bathrooms
✖Wheelchair accessible—requires stairs

Pro tip: Include seeing a film as part of your night! Pre-purchase tickets, or hang out before a film you are interested in is due to start—sometimes they have no-shows and offer the seats to whomever is there and interested; ask at the bar.

OKPB

If you were to ask any cocktail bartender or aficionado in the city, OKPB would make the list of best cocktail bars every time. Owned and operated by a small team of hospitality veterans, and carrying on the legacy of cocktail legend Sasha Petraske, this is simply the ideal spot for your favorite classic cocktails. And while you might wait to get in, you will never be rushed out.

✖Food (except quality bar nuts)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral bathrooms
✖Wheelchair accessible (requires stairs)

Pro tip: The bar is seated only and has only 25 seats total, so the room fills up fast. This is a great spot to either anticipate a wait—put your name on the list and plan to hang out in the neighborhood until you get the text offering you seats—or to plan to visit on a quieter night. The happy hour from Monday through Friday is also one of the best deals in the city, so starting here any given night is always a great choice, too. And ask about stickers and matchbooks if that is your thing!

• Union Market/H Street

For a totally different feel of the city, I recommend staying out nearer Union Market. It is a little more industrial (though it has been growing and renewing), and a bit removed from the center of the city, but it definitely has its own identity and special elements to offer. It’s not any less queer-friendly than the other two highlighted parts of the city, but as a slightly more touristy and newer development, it shares less of the city’s queer history. My hotel recommendation for this area is The Morrow Washington DC. While it is a bit more high-end and traditional, it has an incredible rooftop with views of the city that can’t be missed!

Cotton & Reed

While most of DC’s distilleries feature cocktail programs, there has just always been something special about Cotton & Reed’s. One of the most awarded young rum distilleries in the U.S., this is a great example of incorporating locally made products in your cocktail repertoire. With great tropical vibes in the summer—including some famous frozen drinks (thank you, AOC!)—they also have some of the best draft cocktails in the city, hot toddies in cold weather, and still shake a good daiquiri! They have a standard menu but also offer special menus often, whether around a special event or just because their bar manager wants to. With a large indoor/outdoor space, it’s also ideal for larger groups (including kids, except for after 7 p.m. on weekend nights), bringing your dogs, or hosting a party.

✖Food (outside food allowed!)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (this is a ground-level only bar, including the tasting/distilling room)

Pro tip: To make the most of your visit, sign up for a distillery tour—check their website for updated availability. The price includes the tour, a rum flight, and a draft cocktail. The vibe here is also dramatically different depending on the time of day and day of the week. If you want to avoid the party, come for a quieter visit in their earlier hours or on a weeknight.

Bar Betsie

One of the youngest bars on this list, Bar Betsie became an instant favorite. Similar to its sister bar, Jane Jane, there is no doubt that this is a queer-owned, particularly queer-friendly space. This space pretty much always brings the party, and is definitely a favorite for later-night snack options. If you’re in the neighborhood, you better make it to Bar Betsie!

✔Food (snacks that you could almost make a meal out of…)
✔Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral & accessible bathrooms
✔Wheelchair accessible (this is a ground-level-only bar)

Pro tip: Make sure to open up the bathroom mirrors for a sneak peak of a drag queen at work. And if you hang out long enough, odds are a special shot will come your way…

Bar Betsie, Union Market

Copycat Co.

Another staple bar in D.C., and one that truly embraces the speakeasy style, you will find Copycat Co. above a potsticker spot. It used to be that that was the only food you could get, too, but after opening a second location and working through the shutdowns of the pandemic, they now offer a full Northern Chinese-influenced dinner menu. Still, they are the most intentional cocktail program on H Street, and have brought great cocktails to the masses there since 2014.

✔Food (full dinner)
✖Low & zero-proof
✖Reservations
✔Gender-neutral bathrooms
✖Wheelchair accessible (requires stairs)

Pro tip: They opened a second location that feels more restaurant-focused, so if you like the food, check out Astoria! The menus—food and cocktails—are similar. I chose this place of the two as it is more bar-focused—Astoria does not have bar seating—and it has more history in the city. Astoria is a ground-floor space that should be wheelchair accessible, though it is a tight space and might be a bit awkward getting around.

Final note from the curator

This guide was originally published in 2023, and updated in 2026. While I have done my best to include only current information, the bar and restaurant scene is an ever-changing beast, and I am sure things will continue to grow and change in this incredible city. Be sure to check each location’s website (and/or Instagram) to confirm the current hours and accessibility of each property in real time. But you can always use resources like Google Maps or Eater to see what’s highlighted and/or open today.

As previously mentioned, D.C. is one of the most queer-friendly cities in the world, which also has some of the best legislation around trans rights. You should feel it through most of the city, particularly in the neighborhoods I noted above. And while that has been true for decades now, I have to leave room for change there, too. For the best information on current trans rights in D.C., I recommend confirming through resources like the Lawyers for Good Government.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Washington DC page.