Updated June 23, 2021

The Barred in DC 51 is here. Fifty-one of Barred in DC’s Twitter followers’ favorite DC bars are listed below and at the linked map created by follower and GIS analyst Chelsea Richardson (@ccmakesmaps). Derived through Twitter poll results, including 39 bars from the Barred in DC Bar Madness that took place in March 2020 and more polling in May 2021, this list should be a solid starting place for popular places to check out if you’re new to DC (including those who moved here during the pandemic, several of which inspired me to create this list), particularly if you’re a yuppie/hipster (or both, a “yupster”). I’ve had a drink at all 51 and I agree all of these are worth visiting (though some I definitely wouldn’t count in my favorites). If you find this post worthwhile, feel free to contribute to the Patreon. Not all DC dive bars are listed-you can find the Barred in DC Definitive List here.

Note: This list is not exhaustive or even representative of the DC’s bars and restaurants. Significantly, this list (because the bars were based on popularity from those who follow me on Twitter-undoubtedly mostly White and straight) lacks LGBTQ bars (e.g., Pitchers/ALOHO, TRADE, The Dirty Goose, Uproar), bars that predominately cater to Black patrons (e.g., Stan’s, Georgena’s Player’s Lounge, Park at 14th, Mr. Braxton’s), as well as clubby/loungey spots, and meat markety bars full of people right out of college. There are a ton of great bars in DC so not being included on this list doesn’t mean that a particular bar is not amazing.

The Barred in DC 51

Those spots in bold are particular favorites of Barred in DC and/or top 16 favorite spots of readers. Spots in italics are currently temporarily closed.

Adams Morgan
The Blaguard	Divey	#BlagFam neigborhood spot
Jack Rose	Classy and/or Trendy	Massive whiskey collection with massive terrace
Dan’s Cafe	Divey	Squirt bottles/mix your own drinks.
The Green Zone	Classy and/or Trendy	Middle East meets cocktails
Shaw
Ivy and Coney	Divey	Chicago, Detroit, Malort
All Souls	Casual	A corner bar. BiDC’s Favorite
Lost and Found	Casual	lower Shaw neighborhood spot
Columbia Room	Classy and/or Trendy	THE cocktail bar
Dacha Beer Garden Shaw	Casual	German beer garden
The Passenger	Divey	unpretentious cocktails
Right Proper Shaw	Casual	Great located brewery
Calico	Classy and/or Trendy	“Urban backyard” and adult juice boxes
14th//U St/Logan Circle
Churchkey	Classy and/or Trendy	Best beer bar in DC
Solly’s	Divey	Mr. Solomon’s place
American Ice Co.	Casual	swachos and picklebacks
Service Bar	Classy and/or Trendy	cocktails and chill
Franklin Hall	Casual	beer hall/sports bar
Garden District	Casual	cozy beer garden
Kingfisher	Divey	basement, popcorn, and canned beer
H Street
The Pug	Divey	Tony’s joint-Dad/craft beer + whiskey
The Queen Vic	Casual	British gastropub
Little Miss Whiskey’s	Divey	New Orleans on H with dance parties
H St Country Club	Divey	mini-golf, games, tequila
Copycat	Classy and/or Trendy	Cocktails and skewers
Duffy’s Irish Pub	Divey	cozy Irish pub and sports bar
Hill Prince	Classy and/or Trendy	cocktails and good vibes
Columbia Heights
Red Derby	Divey	DC’s original hipster dive
Wonderland Ballroom	Divey	11th Street mainstay w/ dancing
Lyman’s Tavern	Divey	Friendly pinball
Navy Yard
Bluejacket	Casual	Bright & airy brewery
Walters Sports Bar	Casual	sports bar and pour your own beer
Atlas Half Street	Casual	brewery and streetside beer garden
Bloomingdale
Boundary Stone	Casual	Bloomingdale’s neighborhood pub
Showtime Lounge	Divey	Cash only, great jukebox, low ceilings
The Pub and the People	Casual	Neighborhood bar for Bloomingdale/Eckington
Penn Quarter/Downtown
Old Ebbitt Grill	Classy and/or Trendy	Tourists and industry collide
Jackpot	Divey	Basement, popcorn, and draft beer
Capitol Hill (including Barracks Row & Eastern Market)
Tune Inn	Divey	Capitol Hill classic since 1947. open early
Trusty’s	Divey	Hill East neighborhood spot w/ a schoolbus
The Brig	Casual	DC’s Hidden Beer Garden/Sports Bar
Tunnicliff’s Tavern	Divey	Eastern Market’s neighborhood bar
Beuchert’s Saloon	Classy and/or Trendy	Currently Fight Club, Buffalo heads watch
The Dubliner	Casual	DC’s best Irish pub w/ live music
Park View/Petworth
The Midlands Beer Garden	Casual	Park View Beer Garden
Looking Glass Lounge	Divey	neighorhoody, vintagey spot
Dupont Circle
McClellan’s Retreat	Classy and/or Trendy	northern Dupont cocktail bar
Bar Charley	Classy and/or Trendy	classic cocktails and tiki
Duke’s Grocery Dupont	Casual	lowkey spot with a highkey burger
NoMa/Union Market
Last Call	Divey	lower priced Union Market drinks.
Edgewood /Brookland
Dew Drop Inn	Divey	Throwback spot on the side of the tracks
Cleveland Park
Nanny O’Brien’s	Divey	Cleveland Park neighborhood Irish pub

Other Spots Mentioned by Followers Multiple Times or of Note : The Big Stick, Georgena’s Players Lounge, The Berliner, Brookland Pint, Jimmy Valentine’s, Pitchers/A League of Her Own, The Sovereign, Brookland’s Finest, TikiTNT, Jackie Lee’s, Breadsoda, Duke’s Grocery Foggy Bottom, The Raven Grill, Reliable Tavern, Free State, Union Trust, Le Bar a Vin, Slash Run, Morris, The Big Board, Across the Pond, Biergarten Haus, Red Bear Brewery, DC9, Pop’s Sea Bar, Fox and Hounds, Cleveland Park Bar & Grill, Madam’s Organ, Bar Pilar, The Roost, Archipelago, Stan’s, The Eastern, Cantina Bambina, Granville Moore’s