TikiTNT Roof Deck on The Wharf (photo: Barred in DC)Updated – May 2022
[This post is just about rooftops, roof decks, and elevated bars; for other outside patios and beer gardens in DC, see (not yet updated) here). Like this content-become a Patreon member to support this free site.
Folks in DC love drinking outside. Throughout March-October (and beyond), sidewalk patios and other “summer gardens” (DC’s legal term for outdoor drinking not on public space)) are always packed for happy hour and on weekends ( smoking is legally allowed, though many spots prohibit it). But sometimes patrons rather drink away from the cars, scooters, and pedestrians down below; instead they make their way to higher up towards the sky, to the rooftop bars and roof decks across the city. The Washingtonian‘s Jessica Sidman has maintained for a couple years now that DC has more rooftop bars than any U.S. city. Barred in DC’s cursory research reveals that on a per capita basis, this may be true (at least for big cities): for example, New York had over 100 in 2016, while Chicago had 65 in 2017. Barred in DC’s accounting shows around 95 rooftop/roof deck bars in DC in the city proper as of June 2019 so that means (assuming 10% increase a year) NYC has 1 rooftop bar for every 65,000 people, Chicago with 1 in every 33,000, and DC with 1 for every 7400 people!
To aid y’all in your elevated outdoor drinking quest, Barred in DC has attempted to compile a comprehensive list of every rooftop, roof deck, and other prominent elevated drinking destinations in the District of Columbia (sorry Arlington and Bethesda), including many restaurants. Thanks to journalist writer Chelsea Cirruzzo, I’ve also embedded a map. Have any corrections or additions? Email barredindc@gmail.com or @barredindc on Twitter (DM’s open).
First, some definitions (there is very good chance you will disagree with the categorizations) to get you some flavor of what the bar is like and a potential view:
- Rooftop: A bar that is essentially on the roof of the building. If you look at the building from across the street or from afar, you’ll think “oh yeah, they put a bar on the roof.” If “bar” is added, this means that there is an outdoor bar (or basically outdoor) to serve drinks from. Many of these are seasonal.
- Roof deck: A drinking area that isn’t really on the roof of the building per se but instead it’s essentially a deck on the top floor of the building. Many of these may feel like more rooftops (most of the top floor might be outdoors) while others may just feel like a back balcony (though this list does not include small balconies). Basically, if you looked at the building, the outdoor space does not look like it’s on the roof. If “w/ bar” is added, this means that there is an outdoor bar (or basically outdoor) to serve drinks from.
- Open air-terrace: Close to a roof deck w/ bar, but these are places that the roof and some walls of an existing interior space seemingly (or actually were removed) and usually added retractable roof and/or windows. Always year-round spots.
- Elevated bar: These feel like roof decks but aren’t actually on the top floor of the building. Only including significant spots here.
- 2nd floor: The outdoor drinking space is on the 2nd floor (top) of the building
- Low-rise: The outdoor drinking space is on the 3rd-4th floors of the building
- Mid-rise: The outdoor drinking space is on the 5th-8th floors of the building
- High-rise: The outdoor drinking space is on the 9th or higher floor of the building
- *: Asterisk means the outdoor space is geared more for eating/sitting
THE MAP
THE LIST
Divey roof tops/decks: Madams Organ, Red Derby, Dew Drop Inn, Dirty Water, Little Miss Whiskey’s, DC9
Allow Smoking (confirmed*): Madam’s Organ*, Red Derby*, Dew Drop Inn*, Little Miss Whiskey’s*, DC9* (special area year round, in rest of space when not enclosed otherwise), Ivy City Smokehouse
Hotels with Roof tops/decks: Courtyard/Residence Inn Convention Center, Cambria Hotel Convention Center, Courtyard/Residence Inn Convention Center, Viceroy Hotel (Hush Rooftop Bar, formerly Kimpton Mason & Rook), Hotel Zena (Hedy’s Rooftop, formerly DNV Rooftop at Kimpton Donovan hotel), Kimpton Banneker Hotel (Lady Bird, formerly Hotel Rouge, rooftop previously not open), Beacon Hotel (Sky Bar, currently closed), Intercontinental – The Wharf (12 Stories), Canopy by Hilton – The Wharf (Whiskey Charlie), Hyatt Place National Mall (CityBar), citizenM Capitol (cloudM Capitol), Hampton Inn Navy Yard (Top of the Yard), Thompson Hotel (Anchovy Social), AC Hotel Capitol Hill/Navy Yard (Smoke and Mirrors), Homewood Suites Navy Yard, Eaton Hotel (Wild Days), Hyatt Place White House (The Ellipse Rooftop Bar), Hotel Washington (VUE, previously POV at W Washington), The Graham Georgetown Hotel, Rosewood Hotel (CUT Above Rooftop Bar & Lounge), Hotel Hive (Hive Rooftop), The Watergate Hotel (Top of the Gate), Motto Hotel (Crimson View, formerly the Pod Hotel), Conrad Hotel DC (Summitt the Rooftop), AC Hotel – Convention Center (Ciel Social Club), Cambria Capitol Riverfront (Perch SW Waterfront)
Shaw
| DC9 | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Ivy & Coney | 2nd floor | open-air terrace |
| Takoda | low-rise | roof deck |
| Courtyard/Residence Inn Conv. Ctr Rooftop Bar | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Cortez | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| El Techo | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| 801 | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Flash | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Uproar | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Cambria Hotel Convention Center | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
U Street / Logan Circle
| Nellie’s | 2nd floor | open-air terrace |
| Salazar | 2nd floor | open-air terrace |
| Colada Shop | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Gypsy Kitchen | 2nd floor | rooftop |
| Kiki | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Elements | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| The Brixton | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Lost Society | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Hawthorne | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Dirty Goose | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Skybox at Player’s Club | mid-rise | rooftop |
| Hush Rooftop Bar (Viceroy Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Hedy’s Rooftop (Hotel Zena) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
Dupont Circle
| Lauriol Plaza | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Twelve After Twelve | 2nd floor | elevated bar |
| Sauf Haus | low-rise | open-air terrace |
| Lady Bird (Kimpton Banneker Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Beacon Sky Bar (Hotel) (temp closed) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Ozio | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Decades | mid-rise | rooftop bar |
| Rosebar | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Public Bar Live | low-rise | rooftop bar |
H Street
| Crab Boss | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Pie Shop | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Biergarten Haus | 2nd floor | roof deck w/ bar |
| Focus | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Dirty Water | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Little Miss Whiskey’s | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| H Street Country Club | low-rise | rooftop bar |
The Wharf / SW
| The Anthem Marquee Bar | 2nd floor | elevated bar |
| Cantina Bambina | 2nd floor | roof deck w/ bar |
| 12 Stories (Intercontinental – The Wharf) | hi-rise | rooftop |
| Officina | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Tiki TNT | 2nd floor | roof deck w/ bar |
| Whiskey Charlie (Canopy By Hilton – The Wharf) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| La Vie | mid-rise | elevated bar |
| Perch SW Rooftop Lounge (Cambria Capitol Riverfront) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| CityBar (Hyatt Place National Mall) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| cloudM Washington DC Capitol (citzenM Washington DC Capitol Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop |
Capitol Hill / Navy Yard
| Tortuga Caribbean Bar & Grill | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Trusty’s | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Betsy | 2nd floor | roof deck w/ bar |
| The Ugly Mug | 2nd floor | open-air terrace |
| Top of the Yard (Hampton Inn NY) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Anchovy Social (Thompson Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop |
| Smoke and Mirrors (AC Hotel Capitol Hill/Navy Yard) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| All Purpose Navy Yard | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Homewood Suites Navy Yard | hi-rise | rooftop |
Adams Morgan / Cleveland Park
| Jack Rose | 2nd floor | open-air terraceroof deck w/ bar |
| Big Sky | low-rise | roof deck |
| Pitchers | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Roofer’s Union | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Perry’s | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Madams Organ | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| The Imperial | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Cleveland Park Bar & Grill | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
Columbia Heights / Petworth
| El Chucho | 2nd floor | rooftop |
| The Artemis | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| Little Coco’s | 2nd floor | roof deck w/ bar |
| Red Derby | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Commonwealth Cantina | low-rise | roof deck w/ bar |
Downtown
| Wild Days (Eaton Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop |
| The Ellipse Rooftop Bar (Hyatt Place White House) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| VUE (Hotel Washington) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Eden | mid-rise | rooftop bar |
Georgetown / Foggy Bottom / Glover Park
| Mario’s Trattoria | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| The Graham Georgetown Rooftop (Hotel) | mid-rise | rooftop bar |
| CUT Above Rooftop Bar & Lounge (Rosewood Hotel) | mid-rise | rooftop bar |
| Hive Rooftop (Hotel Hive) | mid-rise | rooftop bar |
| Top of the Gate (The Watergate Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
Penn Quarter / Chinatown / Mt. Vernon Triangle
| Crimson View (Motto Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop |
| Bar Deco | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Summit the Rooftop at Conrad (Hotel) | hi-rise | rooftop bar |
| Cloak Room (adult entertainment) | low-rise | rooftop bar |
| Ciel Social Club (AC Hotel – Convention Center) | hi-rise | rooftop |
Ivy City / Union Market / NoMa / Brookland
| Ivy City Smokehouse | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| City Winery | low-rise | rooftop |
| The Conservatory at Gravitas | 2nd floor | rooftop |
| Other Half Brewing | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Hi-Lawn (on top of Union Market) | 2nd floor | rooftop bar |
| Dew Drop Inn | 2nd floor | roof deck |
| The Runaway | 2nd floor | roof deck |
Restaurants with Rooftop/Roof Decks But Mostly For Diners, Not Drinkers: Jinya (14th), Nooshi (Capitol Hill), il Canale (Georgetown), Del Mar (The Wharf), O-Ku (Union Market), Union Oyster Bar and Lounge (Union Market), Provost (Woodridge), Maketto (H Street)
Roof Decks with Pool Open to Public with Purchase of Day Pass/Private Event Rental: Yotel Washington DC (Deck 11-$50 day pass starting at 8a M-W, $100 Th-Sun); The Ven Embassy Row (The Rooftop-$99 day pass M-Th; $700/month for weekly access, $500/month for Mon-Th)
Barred in DC 