Why you need to visit these speakeasies in Washington DC
21.07.2023 - 08:12
/ roughguides.com
2020 will mark 100 years since the start of the prohibition era in the United States. With thousands of hard-drinking government workers, Washington DC had more illegal drinking dens during prohibition than there were legal bars beforehand! Today, DC has dozens of speakeasy-style bars that give a nod to this era, serving up beautifully crafted cocktails. Here's our pick of the best cocktail bars in Washington DC. Here, you can raise a (legal) toast to one of America's most defining moments. If you're planning to visit Washington, get in touch – we can connect you with a local expert to organise a fully personalised trip.
One of DC's original speakeasies (in post-prohibition terms), the Gibson is known for its moody decor, beautiful cocktails and penchant for unusual ingredients, such as the cucumber bitters used in the sparkling-wine-based Salon Dorado cocktail. The bar hosts regular mixology masterclasses, too. This is one of the city's largest speakeasies, and also one of the most popular. We recommend reserving a table in advance. Luckily, it's refreshingly easy to find – just look for the black, unmarked door at 2009 14th Street NW.
Head to The Gibson for classic Prohibition-style cocktails © The Gibson
You'll find Left Door in a mainly residential area, next to a launderette. Don't be put off – push open the tired-looking door, and you'll be in one of the coolest speakeasies in DC. Unlike its rivals, there's plenty of light in this knick knack-filled first-floor bar. It feels like the cosy living room of a much-loved grandma, complete with flowery teacups hanging from the wall. What's more, there's an emphasis on fresh, simple ingredients, as seen in drinks such as the Bend and Snap, made with snap-pea-infused vodka.
With its cost interior, Left Door feels like drinking at your grandma's house © Left Door
Head to this beautiful bar for spectacular cocktails served with a side order of social conscience. Self-described as the first activist hotel, the Eaton's USP's include an in-house radio station which supports grassroots activism, copies of the UN Declaration of Human Rights (instead of bibles) in the bedrooms, and complimentary mood-boosting crystals for guests. The Allegory, accessed via a door hidden among the books in the hotel's library, is the most spectacular spot – a beautiful bar dominated by an enormous wraparound mural. At first glance, it appears to feature Alice in Wonderland, but the girl in the painting is actually civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, who famously became the first African-American student to attend Louisiana's all-white William Frantz Elementary School in 1960.
The Eaton Hotel combines chic interiors with a socially progressive mission © The Allegory
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