DC’s Best Underrated Bars

If you're over waiting in line for a drink but don’t want to sacrifice on quality, we’ve got you covered. Raman Santra, creator of the popular account @BarredinDC, helped us identify D.C.’s most underrated bars.

Le Bar à Vin (Georgetown):

This wine bar is part of the French bistro Chez Billy Sud. It has every kind of wine you can imagine, as well as the full restaurant menu. “It feels like you're in an old part of France,” Santra told us, “I definitely think it's the best bar in Georgetown.”

Suns Cinema (Mt. Pleasant):

You don’t need a movie ticket to go to this hip, cozy bar on the ground floor of Suns Cinema. They have great original cocktails (try the root beer old-fashioned!) and an old movie playing in the background. Wear your Carhartt and tiny beanie to fit in.

Tunnicliff's Tavern (Capitol Hill):

This bar across from Eastern Market – known fondly by locals at “Tunny’s” – has great comfort food and over 12 beers on tap at all times. During the day, you'll get tourists and other folks, but at night, it's just filled with townies.

Trusty’s (Potomac Ave.):

This dive is the definition of a neighborhood bar. They’ve got cheesesteaks, local live music, and an entire side of a school bus parked upstairs. “It’s the kind of spot where everybody looks at you when you walk in to see if you're a regular,” says Santra.

Grand Duchess (Adams Morgan):

I would call this an upscale dive. The drink list is limited but the bartenders here know what they’re doing, so feel free to order off the menu. The red lights and incense make it easy to spend all evening hanging out here. If you ever see me here on a date, no you didn’t.

Raven Grill (Mt. Pleasant):

The Raven is one of D.C.’s oldest drinking establishments, opening in 1935. Despite the name they don’t serve food (except Utz potato chips), but the cozy two-person booths and warm lighting make up for it.

Hill Prince (H Street):

An equestrian-themed bar in an old row home with a refurbished carriage house and courtyard that opens during the warmer months. Their happy hour has $10 cocktails and $5 rails.

P.S. If bars aren’t your thing, we chatted with Washingtonian’s food critic Ann Limpert about D.C.’s most underrated restaurants 😋