Just the vibe we were looking for! I'm an advocate of black owned especially in DC and I love when you know but can't tell because of the diverse audience. We wanted a local happy hour and this was the perfect spot. We opted to sit outside - inside is pretty small yet cozy but it was a nice day. The music was on point and the menu options had some fun names that tie into the community (I.e., Rare Essence, the godfather of GoGo) Service was great, our server Laila was very attentive and pleasant. We chose a few items - the candied bacon deviled eggs, mambo wings & salmon po boy with braised kale. Sooo flavorful & just enough to get full but not stuffed. The kale was sweeter than I like but hot sauce fixed that This is a neighborhood gem for anyone that wants nice conversation and good food. I'll be back to try their brunch/dinner menu but for now this is a HH go to read more

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Found this place, obviously on Yelp ‍. Friendly staff, Tenille, was a lot of fun and attentive. I got the Rasta Pasta (pic included). It was a very tasty, no super spicy, creole chicken and pasta dish. Lots of space, good A/C (this summer is hot ). Good food and good atmosphere. Will be back read more

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The Awakening is a cozy restaurant in the Barracks Row/Eastern Market neighborhood. We arrived with a reservation, as part of a group that ended up being a little smaller than originally planned. The customer service, the entire time (waiting, ordering, eating, etc.), was EXCELLENT!! The master mixologist introduced himself to us, gave some recommendations, and then mixed amazing drinks!!!!! The steaks here are prepared very well!! I was not expecting them to taste as good as they did. Definitely better than many local steakhouses. I also had salmon, which was good, but the steak was 10/10!! On the night we arrived, there was live music which was an excellent addition to dinner! read more

I had a good experience with the food at Awakening Bar and Grill in Washington, DC. The food was tasty and enjoyable, but unfortunately, the service was not up to the same standard. The service could definitely use some improvement, as it took away from what could have been a really great dining experience. Overall, I enjoyed the food but hope. read more

We ran into Aaron, the owner, while we were out searching for food after our flight got in late. He told us about their Saturday brunch with live jazz, and we were immediately sold. Unfortunately, a water main break forced them to close that day, so we never got the chance to check it out. Fast forward to our last night in DC and we decided we couldn't leave without giving the place a try, so we stopped in for dinner. So glad we did! The staff was friendly, the music was great, and the food did not disappoint. If we ever find ourselves back in DC, we're definitely coming back. Hopefully next time we'll finally get that brunch and jazz! read more

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Today was Sunday funday and I started with brunch here! The food was flavorful, and the absolute highlight for me was the chimichurri sauce. On top of that, the brunch menu is very fairly priced for the excellent quality and portions you receive. What truly made my experience memorable was the service. The server Taylor went above and beyond to ensure my entire group was satisfied. She was attentive, welcoming, and kept the drinks flowing smoothly despite the busy brunch rush. read more

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I returned for happy hour on a Wednesday a little after 5. They have specials on wings, fries cocktails, and wine. We went with a full order of wings and a glass of wine and a cocktail! The wings were fresh (but needed some seasoning), they call them limbo wings but you only get two small containers of sauce on the side. The fires we great and I my wine ... well it was just wine. They play great music (it's a little loud). I would return again for happy hour in the early end. read more

Awakening - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food is amazing and its the perfect local spot to watch games and meet other people in the city. It one of my go-tos on the weekend. The Steak and Blue sliders, soup, wings, whatever you order- you will like it. The chefs are definitely throwing down in there. The bartenders are so nice and friendly. Its always a good time with good people. read more

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I was skeptical when we walked in as it very much feels like a locals bar and not necessarily somewhere with a serious kitchen but I was wrong !! Taylor at the bar made us feel like a regular and welcome right off the bat- their Bloody Mary mix that's premade is surprisingly good and she kept us supplied with olives. The ribeye steak and eggs was Excellent and cooked perfectly!! I hope they do well- give them a shot Capitol Hill. read more

Awakening - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a really comfortable and entertaining establishment. The food and presentation is very nice, while keeping a relaxed and casual vibe. Sitting at the bar, the staff is engaging without being intrusive. The food is fancy comfort food, southern classics dressed up with some creative experimentation. I had the fried green tomatoes and wings off the small bites menu. Both were crispy, fried without residual grease, and complimented well with pickled vegetables for a tart offset. Nice place for a quick stop or a longer stay, this is a fitting addition to the neighborhood. read more

Awakening - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Service was good. The BLT was the most loaded I've ever seen but the bread wasn't as listed on the menu so I was annoyed by that. A sloppy plain burger bun for a BLT is not a win. The use of candied bacon is what caught my attention as I love sweet & savory. Smart idea! I think my meal was too pricey though. And I would've preferred a substitute instead of potatoes as a side. They were out of the dessert I came excited to try as well. Such a bummer on 2 accounts. Go, but they've got work to do. read more

Awakening - Loaded BLT wow - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Pretty solid! It was *hot* inside, but that's pretty par for the course in these restaurants in Capitol Hill/Eastern Market area. They had some fans running, but I was sweating a bit by the end of dinner. It's an ambitious menu both for cocktails and food. The peach Bellini slush was tasty, bourbon smash was just okay, the cognac old fashioned was very enjoyable. The HH is great. We did some deviled eggs, the wings, fries, and a half smoke. Man the half smoke here is killer! Wings were super crispy, juicy, and the mumbo sauce was decent. Did a zoodle pasta primavera, basically a big plate full of sauteed veggies. Seemed fairly good for ya, and was tasty. Braised kale felt pretty school cafeteria so we wouldn't do that again. Surprised collards weren't on the menu as a side! Service was a bit hit or miss, but very friendly. They were pretty busy for 5 pm. We'd definitely visit again, it's very conveniently located near the EM Metro. I'm still thinking about that half smoke! read more

The Awakening needed to "wake up." First and foremost, the food here is really good. The crab cake sandwich, the crab egg rolls, and the shrimp linguine was really well executed. Also, the drinks were excellent and love the nod to DC culture with the drink names. Unfortunately, that is where my praise ends :( The service was really slow and bad. Now this was the day before Valentine's Day, so I'll give them a slight past, but the restaurant was ill-prepared for the volume of people. There was no host, and not enough servers working. I'm not going to kill this place, but I want to come back on a regular day and see if they improved on the basics. read more

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I had the opportunity to check out this new black owned spot twice this week in Barracks Row. The first time was Tuesday after the storm and it was slow as expected. I ordered off their restaurant week menu and everything was fresh and amazing! I got the spicy shrimp dip, strawberry field salad and a seafood dish and some drinks. They have happy hour with food and bar bites from 3-7. Last night I ordered food and drink from their regular menu. I opted for the crab soup and beef sliders. The place was packed so I'm glad I had reserved a table in advance. Due to the volume of customers, the food and drinks were delayed quite a while but the staff and customer service is amazing! They greet everyone at the door and the staff and owner made up for the delayed service. The music selection is on point and the sound system in the bathroom feels like a club lol! I have to come back for brunch and to hear the live saxophonist. This is a promising new black owned businesses that I'm excited about. So be patient as they work through the kinks. read more

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I have to give this place 5 stars! & top it off this place is black owned so that makes it even better for me in my opinion. My family and I went here for brunch and it was Amazing! The prices were great as well in my opinion, the highlight of our Sunday was the bottomless mimosas! It wasn't refilling a pitcher, we had champagne bottles and I haven't seen that in a while. The staff was Amazing and it was only 2 people working the floor but they worked together very well. The kitchen did great too and everything was simply tasty, my favorite dish was the crab egg rolls and also the chicken was extra crispy without even asking! I will be back as soon as I can for brunch again and we conveniently found parking so it was meant to be. I like the open ceiling as well, it gave a nice touch to the place. 10/10 would recommend. I also had the shrimp and grits and I do not like grits but that was the best shrimp and grits I've had! read more

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Stopped in for industry night on Monday and ljterally stayed until they closed! Tge locatjon is perfect and the decor is super cute! The DJ was fantastic (Yo Will Official) and the staff was great! Very welcoming team! Will stop back in to try more of the menu. read more

This spot is a vibe. Like a neighborhood bar where they recognize you and treat everyone like family vibe. Have I been here 3 times in the past week? Possibly. But it's so worth it. The food is good and the service is friendly. I first came here on a Saturday. They were packed. There was a saxophone player and everyone was chill. I had a reservation but it took a minute to get a table. While they were busy, we still received very personable service. Sean provides great service and is hilarious. The food is amazing here. I haven't had a bad dish. And the driiiinks. OMG! Herb is an amazing bartender. I'm addicted to the Botanical Garden drink. He mixes his own syrups and this drink is amazing. On my last visit I got to meet Chef P. She's a beast in the kitchen. I tried a cream of celery buffalo chicken soup that was amazing. I don't know how she thought to put all that together but it works. And I love that everything is made from scratch. read more

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LOVE. The vibes. The food. The service. All top tier, almost don't want to post to leave it all for me! The food is great. Atmosphere is nice and it's always busy but worth it! Be nice to the servers/barstaff!!!! read more

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Loving this place! Great vibes & friendly service. The crowd was great and made a stranger in town feel welcome. Guinness on draft, the best lemon drop shot I ever had, and wings to die for. I'll definitely be back in for dinner next time. New owners really cleaned up the old oyster house and turned it into a gem. ---UPDATE--- I came back for dinner to watch the game. Playoffs tonight! I was starving when I got here and man this place delivered. The burger was great & the evening crowd was just as cool as the happy hour crowd. This is my new spot now when I'm in town. read more

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It's a YES! The Awakening provided the chill atmosphere needed to converse, enjoy good food and nice cocktails; and watch March Madness ( three TVs three different games). Bonus: the bartenders have personality and make great drinks (ask Taylor for a Side Car). The owner was accommodating and super nice to me and my sister/friends during our recent visit. It was a busy Sunday and we had no reservation but space was made so that we could be seated. Great customer service goes a long way and I will definitely be returning. read more

The vibe, the vibe, the vibe! It was awesome and the service was exceptional. My drink was delicious and the music was jamming the entire time, from the live music to recorded hits. This place is definitely a gem. read more

The location is good and if you know the area the parking is not the greatest. The ambiance is good but one of the odd things for me was he disco ball and lights in the bathroom and the loud disco music. I only had an appetizers, the candied deviled eggs. They were really good but the portion size is something to be desired, just 3. The black and blue sandwich was really good and the wings were also excellent. My issue here was the service, not going to lie we came with a party of 6 and honestly he looked overwhelmed. Slow to get the water, slow to take the orders. Just not looking like he wanted to be there. Again the food was good. read more

First time at this spot and I love it! They have an all day happy hour on Sunday which me and my friend really enjoyed. We ordered the candied devil eggs and green beans off the happy hour menu. 5/5! For brunch we did the speciality bottomless mimosas. The ribeye hash and shrimp and grits were so delicious. The grits were so creamy and out this world. The ribeye was cooked perfectly. The service was awesome. The bartender and the manager were super attentive and kept checking on us. Love the casual vibes definitely seems like your local, fun neighborhood bar. Such a vibe! read more

I dined here for a good friend of mine's birthday celebration earlier in the week. To say I had a great time is a major understatement. First off, the food was torch! We decided to order main dishes and split them. Best decision ever. Everything was so good, I honestly don't know which dish was my favorite. For drinks, we ordered mojitos (I can't recall the name of it and I can't find it on their drink menu) No complaints, though. I ordered two LOL. They also organized bringing out a brownie with torched marshmallow fluff out for my friend, which I'm sure she thoroughly enjoyed. It added a nice touch to the evening. I also can't leave a review without mentioning the bartender. I wish I would've gotten his name but he was such as a breath of fresh air. Super sweet and even threw in a round of shots for the bar and called them "Dèsha shots" for a my friend. Great way to end the night off. Long story short: GO! I don't think you'll be disappointed. read more

Awakening - Chicken and waffles, blackened salmon, rasta pasta, and lamb chops. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing food, good service with a quaint neighborhood bar feel...happy hour all day Sunday is clutch too read more

Awakening - Ribeye and Eggs! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had a wonderful experience at Awakening! The food and the service were both amazing! Our drinks took a little extra time to come to us, but our server was very communicative and checked in. It was a warm evening, and we sat on the sidewalk patio, which was very comfortable. Inside felt lively and fun! We felt very well taken care of and I highly recommend this fabulous eatery! read more

Had the chili on my lunch break to watch a little World Cup. They have 4TVs and it wasn't busy on a Tuesday. Excellent service, love the menu, and the restaurant was cool despite the heat. The chili was great (didn't get a pic before I ate it all). Can't wait to try more. read more

Awakening - Chili - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was legit! As appetizers we had the Wings, Avocado Bruschetta and Fried Green Beans, all delicious. For entree's Rasta Pasta (some heat but very good), Pasta Primavera (a yummy vegan option) and Shrimp Linguine which we all loved. The drinks were on point. They surprised us with the wings and they were delicious!!! Go check them out!!! The atmosphere was very chill and the service very personable. Just visiting the city but would definitely hit this place up again if we lived close. read more

Omg the food was amazing! I loved the vibe! First time coming we will definitely be back Arthur and Ireca Brunson. read more

Awakening - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ladies and Gentlemen join me in welcoming The Awakening Bar & Grill to DC. Well seasoned curated meals, great vibes and libations, multiples TVs, friendly staff ...it's what Barracks Row has been missing. I had the pleasure of ordering the Rasta Pasta and Ceasar salad and they didn't miss. Do yourself and check it out. read more

This is the spot! If you want good seasoned food come here! The drinks are on point! We will definitely return! You're missing out if you don't come here to support. The food is made to order! None of that pre-prepared stuff! Your taste buds will sing and thank you for bringing them here! The Ancestors blessed this place! It's a whole vibe! read more

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Tried this place out a couple nights ago. The vibe was very chill, the service from the staff and owner was amazing, and the food was even better! One person in my party was vegan, so they ordered the impossible burger. The sauce that comes with the burger wasn't vegan, so the head chef offered to make a special sauce for her (pictured). The sauce was so good we ended up putting it on everything we ordered. I will definitely be back! read more

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This is a no. We went on Sunday around 1 pm and could only order from the Brunch menu. Wine arrived late - after being told they had "run out" of cabernet. Then they found some. It was served in a plastic glass. Service was slow. We never got refills on water. We ordered the mambo sauce wings and a half smoke. We asked if the wings were sauced. The waitress said yes. Then came back to tell us the chef would not sauce the wings, sauce only came on the side. The menu listed the wings as $22 for 12 - which is expensive. On the bill they charged us $23.99. We did get hot sauce when requested - but the serving sizes were not worth the prices and the slow service. At one point the assistant in the kitchen clanged the bell several times to summon the waitress as food was sitting getting cold. read more

My four friends and I had an amazing experience at Awakening! The food was fresh and flavorful, the service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was welcoming. We all left happy and will definitely be back! read more

Awakening Bar & Grill is officially my new neighborhood spot. I stopped in recently and had the crab cake sandwich with fries and an Old Fashioned, and everything hit the mark. The crab cake was seasoned just right with that perfect sear on the outside, the fries were fresh and crispy, and the Old Fashioned was balanced and smooth. The vibe here is warm, welcoming, and consistent every time I come in. The staff treats you like they actually want you there, and Herb behind the bar is always on point -- great energy, great service, and great drinks. Whether I'm grabbing a quick bite or settling in for a drink, Awakening is the kind of place that feels like home. Highly recommend stopping by. read more

Awakening - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great all day Sunday Happy Hour,. Good bites and drinks. Live sax player ambiance- but they're usually there just Sat. & Tues. Shrimp and grits was solid. Happy hour wings and 1/2 smoke better than usual. Nice vibe with decent offerings. Accepting inkind $ now. read more

Awakening - The seasonal drinks were great , not too sweet . - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The hospitality was unmatched here! Right when you enter, you're made to feel like family-not too many restaurants give off that vibe. Lots of options to choose from on their drink and food menus. We both ended up going with their main awakening burger and one of their mules. For the burger: wow for the price you get a LOT of burger. Patties were huge and seasoned perfectly, definitely a lot of food to take home for leftovers. This place opened recently is my understanding, hope they do well! I'd come back. read more

This isn't your typical bar and grill-- the moment we walked in we got greeted by the owner and the you immediately feel like family. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were so friendly, fun and know how to make an amazing drink! Also this place doesn't make the typical so so fries and burgers bar food. It's elevated, five-star-level delicious. Everything we ate and drank was outstanding. The bartender Herb makes incredible signature cocktails (he even has 2 featured on the drink menu) and the chef clearly knows fine dining--every dish hit, from the deviled eggs and Rasta pasta to the vegetable noodles with lamb chops (which you can add to any entree as a protein side--never heard of this option before but loved it) and we finished the meal off with their marshmallow-topped brownie dessert. Everything was absolutely outstanding! I can't recommend this place enough and will definitely be back again and again! The owners are so chill and have done an incredible job --the energy, music, food and vibe makes you feel like you're at a local DC neighborhood dive "like Cheers" (the tv show) "where everybody knows your name" so you feel like hanging out with family and friends all evening. Oh and the Karaoke bar a few doors down was a super fun activity to do after we left Awakening! It was a perfect evening out! read more

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love love this place. This is my 2nd visit and I will definitely be back again! During my first visit I ordered pretty much 8 items on the menu just to try it out!!! I enjoy this place and love the hospitality/service from the owners. read more

This place is horrible. I was here for a birthday get together and I asked the female bartender if she would take my drink order. She said she has 2 drinks ahead of me. I'm like ok cool, I'll wait. 30 minutes later and STILL no drink in my hand. Several other complained about the very slow service. I left and took my money elsewhere. Not good. I won't be coming back to this place, and will definitely encourage others not to as well. read more