Happy hour at Barrel got everything right. The rye Old Fashioned was smooth and warmly spiced, a lovely match for the food. The chicken mini sandwiches were juicy and satisfying, while the fish sandwiches were crisp, fresh, and the added cucumbers gave a special taste--easily worth ordering again. Great flavors, easygoing energy, and the kind of spread that makes "just one quick stop" turn into a whole evening and date night special. read more

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Popped in for happy hour on a Friday around 5pm. Arrived when it was still pretty slow and was able to take my pick for seating at the bar. The bartender was friendly and helpful, I'm not a whisky girl so I went with wine. My partner tried a whiskey that was recommended and then a whiskey based cocktail that were both really good. For food we tried the fat fries they were delicious, hot fresh and plentiful! My partner also ordered the chicken sliders, 3 fried chicken (thighs I believe) on biscuits with a drizzle of honey. The sliders were a bit dry for my liking and lacked any flavor/seasoning. Chill vibes and good service I would definitely return! read more

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A great place to grab drinks/bites on the hill! I love seeing a small business do things well, especially when Pennsylvania Ave attracts big box restaurants. Service is always friendly, the vibe is dark and relaxing, and the cocktails are great (even if you aren't a whisky person, give their drinks a try!) read more

Brunchy fried rice was good. It was well seasoned but a bit spicy per some chopped chilies. I would say it's an overall medium spice level. They have varied menu options for all appetites. Service is great. Employees friendly. Great ambiance inside with their seating, bar, and decor. read more

Barrel - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have been going to Barrel since they opened in the mid 2010s. As someone who loves whiskey this is the place to go for a range of offerings. The bar staff has always been knowledgeable on providing recommendations. For instance, they were the first place I tried the Old Forrester Birthday Bourbon. While it's not something I get frequently, since then I treat myself to it every full moon. They have selections from around the world and I have sent many friends here and they have been impressed. Also while their menu seems small-please know everything they offer that they do very well. The burger is delicious, the fries, the mac and cheese and wings are some of my favorite items. Go and enjoy! read more

Barrel - House bourbon and ginger ale - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My burger was great! The fries were great! As a mocktail connoisseur, I've never had the pleasure of trying whiskey. I was happy to be able to have this Virgin experience. So a big kudos to barrel and the staff for making this happen. I love the vibes here, it's like a little community that knows where to come for a good time. This is my second time there. The first time we were in a large party in the lower level. That felt like more of an exclusive private event space which was also nice. read more

Barrel - Menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I want to start off with saying the service was great and overall it was a solid brunch experience. However, my poached egg for my Benny came out hard and whilst they were kind enough to make me a new poached egg, nothing else was enough for me to give it 5 stars. I think it just lacked character or something about the ambiance and food that just didn't hit the spot for me. Overall, good, just not great. Would be down to try maybe their dinner and see if it's different. read more

Barrel - Crab cake benny - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The hamburger was incredibly juicy and packed with flavor, and the sauce really tied everything together easily the highlight of the meal. The French fries were perfectly crispy, and the cocktail drinks were solid and well-made. The croquettes weren't my favorite, but everything else more than made up for it. Service was quick, and our server was attentive, friendly, and on top of everything, which made the experience even better. Great food, great drinks, and great service. Would definitely come back! read more

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Barrel has a relaxed, neighborhood feel that makes you want to settle in and stay awhile. The vibe is great, the whiskey selection is impressive, and the service is always friendly and welcoming. My personal favorites are the nachos and the Brussels sprouts, both super flavorful and perfect for sharing. Whether you're stopping in for a drink, a bite, or a relaxed night out, Barrel is a solid choice. read more

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The vibe is a local bar with excellent music-the Beastie Boys was playing when we walked in. Clearly, at first glance this is a locals spot. It is a short 5 blocks from the Captiol building in the area called East Market. It looks small from the outside but it is long in length when you walk in. The atmosphere was fun and festive when we arrived in Dec 20th. We got there about 830 pm for dinner. Hubby reserved a table online and it was the only table open when we arrived. The tables are really close together like any urban pub. If you want something far away then request the 4 top that sits in the store front window. There are coat trees everywhere for your coat. The bread pudding is the signature dessert for good reason. It was to e best bread pudding we have ever eaten. The top of the pudding had a sugared crust that was divine. The ice cream was super yummy and the chocolate on top really made the dish have a few notes. It was plenty for two to share. It is pricey but well worth it. I ordered the nachos with smoked pulled pork. It was not that exiting. Standard queso on top and average chips. The pork was super chewy like it had been warmed up too much. The dish was no cohesive. It was cheap tasting nacho plate with smoked pork on top. The smoke was very intense in the meat. There needed to be more added to marry the pork to the cheese. Maybe a drizzle of BBQ sauce on top of the pork? I would have kept the pork in broth to keep it moist. As a result you had to hold the meat on the chip with your finger to get it to stay on the chip to get a complete bite. The crab Rangoon was tasty. My hubby had the chicken sliders were delicious. It was like the small chicken biscuits at chick fi la but clearly homemade instead. The biscuits were tender and more roll like than biscuit which was perfect. The added honey was really great as well. The sliders were small and you get 3. My hubby ordered it as an entree. I got the lavender mocktail which was tasty. Hubby had an old fashioned with their house choice since it is was a whiskey bar. It was cool to see bottles of bourbon above us on a shelf worth thousands of dollars. A lot of people around us ordered old fashioned. The service was great from our waitress. read more

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Nice place to go for a quick bite, or to hang out. It has a very relaxed atmosphere. The service was prompt and friendly, making good recommendations on the menu. The food was good and the drinks were good too, made with the same consistency. read more

Decided to try this after a work dinner. The bar has a great atmosphere for the bourbon scene. Quite a selection with a menu almost too big to review it all. The bartender was very knowledgeable and explained our options well. We asked for suggestions and he didn't lead us astray. Seemed reasonably priced for the market and based on bottle prices. Worth a stop for sure!!! read more

My friend and I decided to catch up over a meal and Barrel was our choice. My friend actually made reservations for the wrong day, but they weren't busy and seated us immediately. The menu was interesting. I ordered a beer, I can't remember the name but it was a light lager and it was good. I ordered the honey biscuit sandwich and the hash! The hash was delicious and very well seasoned! That took me by surprise! The biscuit was delicious and we both thoroughly enjoyed it! The ambiance is surlier chill. No need to be dressed but and it's tells casual. The waiter was cool and also very chill vibes. I think this is a great low key spot to grab good food with great company! Overall, I enjoyed my meal and I would absolutely recommend! read more

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A must stop if you are into whiskey. They have an impressive list of options and a really nice scotch flight. Happy hour drinks very reasonable at about $9. Just had cocktails since we were headed to dinner but the food that came out looked tasty. read more

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We stopped in just for drinks, as we were on our way to dinner, but the food we saw looked pretty tasty! Grabbed two spots at the bar and had Max take care of us. He was great! Super friendly; offered some great recommendations and was there when we needed him, while allowing us time and space when we needed it. Happily enjoyed some Happy Hour drinks, including the HH Punch (a rum punch that was like an adult kool-aid the day we were there) and a Bourbon Old Fashioned for Jim G., both at $9. Jim also had to have one of the Scotch Flights at $35 and I tried an Espress Yourself, which was a barrel-aged espresso martini--very rich and tasty. We also had a Happy Meal, which was a Jameson shot, a Peach High Noon, and a little toy in the way of a cute spinner! Great playlist, good people watching, warm and cozy environment. If I lived here, this would be a regular spot! read more

a great spot with an amazing service and menu. i've been coming here for years, and they're pretty consistent.

We visited because we were looking for a good spot to get cocktails and whiskey. They did not disappoint. I don't know how many whiskeys they have officially, but they have enough of them that they had to list them in their "Bourbon Bible." We tried the Nachos, crab Rangoon, and the Barrell Burger and enjoyed all of them. The nachos were delicious with shredded pork on top. The cocktails were a highlight. I found several great whiskey pours at reasonable prices (understand it's never cheap to drink bourbon out), and my wife and daughter loved their cocktails they ordered. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is cool and rustic, and the whole vibe makes it a place worth trying. I hope to come back before our trip is over. read more

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I don't know how to accurately rate this place as the food was above the bar, but the service I received was a definite miss for the day I was here. So maybe we go with a 3.5 type of situation here. After a long day of work, appointments, and walks, I wanted a bite to eat before heading home. Sitting at my appointment nearby I started to search what was close and ended up here. I liked what a saw from their website and the food pictures looked amazing. Honestly, they had me sold with the name of their one item, Fat Fries. I moseyed over here and walked in to try and get a seat for a quick bite. When I got here the bar area was pretty packed so bar seating was a no. Not knowing what to do, a flabbergasted server (host?) finally saw me. They just kind of stared at me and I had to say that I wanted a menu. With that it was like the snapped back to reality. Looking around, and without asking me, I was ushered outdoors to their sidewalk seating. I wasn't opposed to that, but I really didn't want to be seated outside, on one side of the sidewalk seating by myself. See, when this happens, you tend to get ignored. A lot. After being seated, the server/host disappeared back inside. Luckily I had a menu to keep me busy. He came back outside to give me some water and take my order. I'm so glad I didn't guzzle that glass of water because that was the only drink I got the whole time here. After placing my order he disappeared again. Not seeing him again until my food was brought out to me. And I wouldn't see him again until my check was brought to me and for him to run my card. Honestly have no idea what his name was as he never introduced himself and never stuck around. It was almost like I annoyed him by being there and wanting to dine. I'm sure this could have been an off night for him, and I will be back to dine again, but hopefully with a different server/host. As for the food, this could easily be a five star review if I was basing it off the food alone. I went with the aforementioned Fat Fries and decided to get me some Mac N' Cheese. Only negative I could say about the food is the pricing. For the portion you get, the price feels a bit hefty. But not as hefty as those Fat Fries. When they describe them as thick cut, they mean THICK cut. Swear you could use them as stacking blocks and make yourself a potato cabin out of them. Definitely the biggest fry I have ever had. When you look at them you think that there is no way that they can be cooked the whole way. But that they are, cooked to perfection in fact. With the Parmesan cheese on them and a dip in that chipotle mayo...*chef's kiss* The Mac N' Cheese, my god, I could swim in it. Amazingly crusted so you get that texture you need with the gooey cheese. I might have looked ravenous while eating it as I was nearly carnal and wanted to lick the bottom of the bowl. I can't wait for my next visit to the area as I will definitely be making sure to take some of this home with me. Hard to believe that this is review number 3,700! But there it is. read more

Shrimp and grits: 10/10 Bottomless bubbles: 8/10 Side of eggs: 10/10 with hot sauce Service: 10/10 Ambiance: Bar scene read more

Barrel - Bottomless bubbles - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wandered in and so glad we did! After reservations elsewhere fell through (long story) we found Barrel and popped in for lunch. The staff was lovely, and the burgers are worth a revisit (or five). Highly recommend for a filling meal of comfort food! read more

There's a fantastic whiskey bar in Washington, DC that has walls of brown water upstairs as well as a basement bar. No, I'm not talking about that place in Adams Morgan. I'm talking about Barrel on Capitol Hill. You know you are at a quality whiskey bar when there's a book or binder with available bottles. At Barrel it's called the Whiskey Bible and it comes in a leather-bound book. Not only did I enjoy some quality bourbon, but I had some great conversations with the folks behind the bar who enjoyed bourbon as well. A great option for a dram or two when you are South of The Mall. read more

Barrel - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place could be good. The fried chicken sandwich was very tasty, if a bit fatty owing to the use of chicken thighs. However: 1. Potato chips with an $18 sandwich is pretty cheap. How about fries? 2. The bar is odd. We ate there and ordered beers from the bartender but every time we did she ran off way past the taps that were right next to us to pour our beers. It took 5 min per order. Odd. 3. The reason I won't go back: they charge a 3.5 percent fee if you want to use a credit card. As far as I'm concerned, this makes the prices on their menu a lie. No one pays cash at a restaurant. You want to offer a discount from the menu for cash? Go ahead. But don't tell me what the price is and then add extra if I want to use the form of payment that 99.5 percent of people use. And the notice is posted in 12 point font at the bottom of their front window where you will never look. Do better. read more

Had brunch here with some friends. The service was pretty slow. It took us almost an hour and a half to be served our food. The food itself was ok. I ordered the chicken and waffles. The chicken had thick skin and was pretty fatty. Not the best chicken and waffles I've had where I wouldn't order them again. read more

Barrel - Chicken and waffles - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing customer service, cool ambiance, and great eats. Brussels sprouts and mac n cheese were delicious and beef tenderloin was "banging".

Good service and good food. Is it the most amazing ever? No, but great for lunch and they make good cocktails! We sat outside which was nice besides the sometimes iffy people that walk by. Other than that, would suggest! read more

A great vibe, an amazing whiskey selection, friendly service, and a comfortable atmosphere to unwind in. I ordered a few different types of wings, and honestly, the mild wings were the clear winner -- juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right. The others came out a bit dry, but to be fair, my waiter gave me a heads-up about that ahead of time, which I appreciated. Overall, a good experience and I'd definitely come back for the Milk Punch and insane selection of Whiskey. read more

Barrel - Cocktail Menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is the kind of restaurant/bar that's right up my alley. It's not a huge restaurant, but has plenty of seating, and that specializes in southern inspired food, and has an excellent, but not huge selection of whiskey. The service is friendly and hospitable, and I would say the vibe here is jovial. I came here with my cousin based on his recommendation, because we were looking for a place to drink. We sat at the bar and I wasn't super hungry, but I really wanted to try some thing here. I think I ordered a pecan/banana pudding pie here or something like that. The food itself looked amazing when I saw people ordering it but I think we had already eaten dinner by that time. So dessert would have to do. The main reason we wanted to go there, though was for the whiskey. Now, there isn't a huge selection, but there is a very sizable one and it is also really good. What I love about this place though is that this is one of those places where you will find it hard to get bottle that's not too expensive. Sure , there may be a slight up charge, but nothing ridiculous. If you like creative or just quality southern food, and really good whiskey at reasonable prices, this is a must visit. read more

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Visited for the first time, thanks to the Guide to Imbibe. i tried their original milk punch. It was an amazing, clarified cocktail. I also tried the coffee version, but I like the original a lot better. The bartenders were nice and provided great conversation as I was visiting solo. read more

Barrel - Milk punch - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here for dessert after the ice cream place down the street was closed for a health code violation Vibe: 6 - smelt quite like smoke Service: 8/10 Value: 7.5/10 Brownie with ice cream: 7.5/10 Bread pudding with ice cream: 7.5/10 - it was a little hard/weird texture but the flavors were great! Overall: 7.3/10 (3.65/5) read more

Barrel - Bread pudding - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Took along time for a server to come take our drink order once we were seated. $9 old fashioned was a really good happy hour deal for dc. Fat fries were better than expected. Came out piping hot and had the right amount of crisp. Fried chicken was juicy and hearty. Bacon went really well the gnocchi. read more

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My friends and I came here for some drinks and a few bites. I saw on social media that they were celebrating their 10th anniversary and had food/drink specials so I wanted to check them out. I also don't go out a ton to Capitol Hill, so I thought it'd be a nice change of pace. We shared the nachos, the corn dogs, and the fries. They were alright - very typical bar fare. The specialty here is whiskey, and all our drinks hit the spot. It's a very casual elevated dive bar vibe, which is perfect for after work drinks or a little meetup with friends. My favorite part was actually the service. They were attentive but never hovered or badgered us about leaving or anything. I'm sure they'd be more strict if they were busier, but we were able to stay at our table for a little over 2 hours without feeling pressured to leave. It wasn't too loud either, so I thought it was perfect for conversation. I would definitely come back! read more

My first time here. It's been a while since I had been out so for water me and my friends came here. The ambiance is cute. Very barrel like place. Especially if you are a whiskey drinker. The bottomless mimosas were a hit. Our waiter Mason was awesome. He assisted us with our many dietary restrictions lol. The manager even came over and chatted with us. I would definitely come back. Oh and we finished brunch off with a whiskey flight!!!! Yes a good time was had by ALL...... read more

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Such great service, because it was really empty. Fun chatting with the bartender, Max, about bourbons. But really, a place that closes early because it's dead, and can't keep a phone system running, please. .. read more

I've been to Barrel twice for brunch and once for happy hour. Each time enjoyed myself. For brunch, I've gotten the waffle with a side of eggs and the honey chicken biscuit. Both were good. The chicken biscuit comes with potato chips but the only con is you can't really substitute the chips for anything like the home fries. But let's get to the best part of brunch, the unlimited mimosas! The unlimited option comes with a decanter of orange juice and cranberry juice, as well as a peach syrup. They bring a bottle of champagne on ice and you can make your mimosas how you like, which is my favorite part. They also have an awesome bourbon and whiskey selection. I've been for happy hour too and had a nice time. I love bourbon so it's nice to go somewhere with so many options. The service this past weekend was great and we had a good time. Overall, barrel is a solid choice for brunch and for drinks. read more

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I placed two orders for mac and cheese for $30.00 It was delicious but way overpriced. I felt robbed. Won't be going back. read more

Yummy!! If you're looking for a place serving comfort food with delicious fried chicken, biscuits with jam (served all day), $7 small bites for happy hour and strong drinks Barrel is your place. Small and quint! Great place for an intimate dinner or to mingle at the bar. The bartenders are always playing music. Just a chill vibe and relaxing setting. Pros - Happy Hour, $7 bites and drinks - Food: Chicken, BBQ and Biscuits - Large selection of whiskey - Strong drinks - Nice bartenders read more

Barrel - Happy Hour with small BBQ slides for $7. 4pm-7pm M-Friday - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Sunday brunch at Barrel was pretty good. My friend made a reservation for us to try it out, and we're glad that we did! We ordered the bottomless mimosa that came with a bottle of champagne, and you could flavor your bubbly with orange juice, cranberry juice, and, I believe, raspberry juice. The staff kept bringing us bottles of champagne once we were done and did not waste time. Worth the coins! I ordered a biscuit that was small and good. I also had their flavorful and tasty shrimp and grits. Yummy! I would definitely come back! Great Sunday brunch! read more

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So let's jump into a few things concerning this place: ambiance, service, food, and drinks. Ambiance: It's a dimly lit restaurant which offered that down home feeling that you get when your travel to the good ol south. I can dig it! Service: Eh! Ugh! My waiter was terrible. Very impatient of a man and he did everything he could to ignore our ask and rudely repeated any questions we had as a way of implying "hurry up" Honestly, he could have stayed home with that attitude. My friend asked me not to say anything and I am not including his name here but I'm honestly tired of good businesses hiring people with bad attitudes. Like, we're all going through something and those of us who try to be kind to others get annoyed when folks are just straight up rude! He was rude! But moving along Food: Now, here is where things get tricky. I actually did not enjoy the shrimp and grits. Mainly the grits. They were prepared in a patty shape and were solid. Being a lady who lovessss shrimp and grits, I felt betrayed to have to cut my grits to enjoy it. The shrimp however, packed flavor, the grits...meh! My friend ordered a veggie omelette which she said was tasty and we shared the homefries because I was disappointed with my grits and still hungry. The homefries were fried reallllllllly crispy but it was tasty! I enjoyed. Drinks: Oooooolala! This is mimosas land! GET here for the best mimosas to date! That's all for this section. I said best and mimosas in the same sentence so that's your sign to book your reservations Overall, I would say that this place passed on the ambiance, some good eats, and amazing mimosas! Would I visit again? YES! But I won't sit back on another rude waiter! Nor would I order the shrimp and grits. The chicken looks good so I'd probably explore that. Oh, btw, the menu is limited on selections so don't expect toooooo much. read more

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I went to Barrel DC for a Whiskey Tasting and 5 Course Dinner. It's honestly something I never thought I'd do but I really enjoyed the entire experience. We had the pleasure of trying a few Scotch whiskeys from the Bruichladdich Distillery and The West Land Distillery along side delicious food pairings prepared by Chef Walfer Hernandez. The food was flavorful and well balanced, the portion sizes weren't too big but perfect. Course 1: Duck ravioli - fennel, citrus butter, herbs, parm * Westland american single malt whiskey Course 2: crab linguini - compound butter, pecorino * Bruichladdich classic laddie Course 3: arugula salad - sweet potato, charred radicchio, balsamic glaze * Westland solum 1st edition Course 4: Bison bolognese carrots, onion, garlic cream, tagliatelle, gremolata * Port charlotte heavily peated 10 year Course 5: Crème brûlée - orange marmalade * Bruichladdich Octomore 14.2 The restaurant has two floors but the whiskey tasting was held downstairs. The upstairs of the restaurant is a modern yet casual bar and the lower level is more intimate, the staff was pretty friendly and efficient, they promptly cleaned up after each course and were happy to give us new silverware after each plate. They have two gender neutral restrooms on site and they have limited street parking available. Im not a big straight whiskey girl but this was a really fun experience and would 10/10 recommend it for Whiskey lovers. I believe they have one whiskey dinner every month. read more

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I went here a lot when I was living in the neighborhood and it was always great for happy hour or a nightcap. I decided to checkout their brunch after hearing really good reviews. Their system for making a reservation was pretty easy and they gave our large party a great table. Our server was great and really attentive. We had one kid in our party and he made sure she had crayons. They kept the bottles of champagne flowing too, which was lots of fun. Everyone ordered different things and enjoyed them. I got a pretty standard breakfast with eggs, potatoes and a meat. Nothing that stood out, but I liked it. Overall, it was a nice, chill brunch with great service and good food. read more

Barrel - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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