Not to be confused with Free State Distillery in Upper Marlboro (though many also call it Arthur Wheeler Spirits haha), this place is located just off of the main street in chinatown, and it's surprisingly lowkey. It's a basement bar with a bit of a dive vibe, but it's hard to ignore the nautical, blue crab theme throughout. Turns out that one of the owners is a Marylander, which is cool to see reflected in the decor in a place in dc, even though it is next door. They have a happy hour and they have a great variety of drinks in general. It's bring-your-own-food (BYOF) and there are a bunch of delicious looking Asian spots nearby, including upstairs. It didn't start getting crowded until closer to 10, which, as I said, is surprising for this part of town to me. Everywhere in Chinatown is not going to be packed and busy, and this place is here to remind you of that. Stop by if you're looking for a more chill vibe. Staff are pretty cool. read more

Free State is perfect for a chill bar in the Downtown area. It's exactly the kind of place you want to share a few drinks and be able to hear the person in front of you. I had a delicious orange crush drink and my friend had a sangria. The bartenders are extremely chill and nice; they only come up when you need it which is nice for good conversation. I'll easily be back when I want to catch up with friends without a speaker blaring in our ears. Great place to introduce to more people! read more

Came here on a Friday night, very calming and moody when it's not busy. Bartender was very nice and checked in often. read more

Free State - The veil - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stopped by this bar for a quick drink after attending dinner. It's a low-key spot located in the Chinatown area and kind of gives a speakeasy vibe given the downstairs walk to get into the bar underneath another establishment. The environment was fun and lively there's a large bar when you walk in with a few TV's and plenty of wooden tables and stool type seating throughout the venue. The service was solid and even though the bar was packed it never took too long to get the bartender's attention or for them to come over on their on volition. They have a wide variety of beverages with reasonable pricing between $8-$16 (and the pours are fairly heavy as a heads up). All in all a cool spot to check out if you're looking for a change of pace from the stuffy and overpriced cocktail bars for something that gives a more divey, relaxed, neighborhood bar experience. read more

I don't think of this as a speakeasy but more like a bar And although we were all fashionably late, we still had a good time. They have the advantage of serving hot drinks. So the two that I picked were the hot apple cider which was absolutely Divine and the spiked chocolate which was also pretty good but had a little bit more of a coffee flavor which I didn't care for. It's the one in the picture with the marshmallow. I like that they have big fat stools but I really wish the seating was lower and a bit more comfortable. Basically I prefer a lounge but this is a bar. Oh well. I have some cool decor. I really like the funky light bulbs. Bathroom is clean, surface was pretty much on point and I like the staircase where you have to go underneath. Anyway, I think I'll try trivia on a different day and hopefully we can get our act together and show up on time. read more

Free State - Spiked chocolate - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What a cozy and neat bar! It is obviously well-loved, it was packed when we went on a Saturday around dinner time. It is located in the basement and it was great to escape the freezing temperatures. While we stopped in for a quick beer before a Caps game, the menu seemed huge. The beers were good and well-priced and the service was fast and friendly. read more

Cozy atmosphere. It's in a base and have a nice nautical theme. Service was great and the cocktails were tasty. They have various local beers on draft as well. read more

Free State - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Not actually open until three, they lied, but that's OK because I still had a pretty good time! read more

Free State - This is my chicken that I made the other night bc I had to upload a photo. - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Not the best deal in town, but the atmosphere is good, as are the drinks. I got the happy hour beer, which was nothing special. I moved on the the mezcal frozen cocktail which was killer. Ended up having 2 of those and would have loved to have more if I didn't need to drive later. Will 100% be back. Only complaint was that the prices were a bit steep, especially given the size of the drinks. Service was also solid. read more

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Came for a drink and the bar is pretty cool. I came by myself and the service was fast and friendly. They have beers on tap, all kinds of alcohol and snacks - make sure you are not hungry when you come in. The setting is great, downstairs, large bar, lots of seating. Definitely a fun place to get a drink even on a Sunday night. read more

Very chill, not pretentious, good bartenders, plenty of seating, music is good, overall just a good spot to land

When you arrive at the location, go down the stairs to get to the bar. They have trivia every Sunday at 7pm which we thought would be fun to participate in even though we're both bad at it. If you're either first or second place you get a discount on your bar tab, but it seemed like there were a lot of regulars in large teams so you'll have to bring your A game to beat them. If you don't want to play trivia, there are some bar seats and TVs for entertainment. My first drink was the home stretch ($14) which was a spirit forward drink that was slightly dry from the dry vermouth. My second drink was the all you need is love ($10) which was floral from the butterfly pea and fizzy from the club soda. My third drink was the good doc ($10) which was a refreshing drink, basically a whiskey sour plus ginger beer. The drinks were pretty good and the prices were well-priced too ranging from mostly $10-12. Even during trivia the bar was not super loud, probably because it was a Sunday. The tables were also pretty well spread out so there was enough space to get around. read more

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Came on a Monday night and had a nice time! The bar was totally empty except a couple people which is a shame because they have a great beer selection and great cocktail list. It's also in a great location close to the metro and nearby other restaurants and the arena so I was really surprised it was empty. That being said it a fabulous little place to chill with a drink. I had the tea beer which was great and we started with green tea shots which were delicious. It's missing a little atmosphere but I enjoyed the music they had (think Franz Ferdinand pop/punk at least when I was there). Service was good and attentive! You can also bring outside food in since they don't sell food here. Missed happy hour this time around but definitely will come back! read more

Fantastic bar. Cool, chill vibes and eclectic decor. Reminded me of an elevated, nautical Logan's Roadhouse (if anyone remembers that midwestern chain). They feature local brews. Just moved here from Vermont and I know I'll be a regular; the grungy energy is the perfect escape from DC's uppity sterility. read more

A nice casual bar located within walking distance of the capital one arena which is perfect for getting a quick drink after the game. They do have a happy hour and I recommend getting there on the earlier side as they did get busy (especially before a hockey game at the arena) I didn't see a food menu but I did see a couple of people bring in pizza slices so I think outside food is permitted. I only had one drink-grapefruit crush and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys grapefruit! The bar is located underground and I did notice a musty smell when I first walked in. read more

Free State - Inside bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Met a friend there for happy hour. The drinks were good. I did, however have a problem with my payment. I used my bank card to pay for my bar check. There were two (2) transactions made for the same bill (hold and purchase). Because of this, before I realized, my bank charged "insufficient funds" overdraft fees for subsequent purchases. I called to remedy. No help or solution provided. I may call my bank to see what can be done. My lesson: If you go, use a credit card or immediately check your bank statement in case to see how they have processed transactions. I will not patronize them again. read more

very cute good vibes. went on a sunday night. decent amount of people. great for chatting. chill spot

Bad attitude service. Doorman ID checker didn't want to be there. Bartender would not carry a conversation or seem to care when asking questions. Just seemed irritated when asked anything. It's BYOF(food), which we don't know until arriving. So asked the bartender for nearby good eating options and he offered zero help. He said just go walk around. When6 we said we were from out of town and unfamiliar with the area and if he had any suggestions or guidance and he just said no. Did enjoy the local Stout they had on tap. Hard handmade hot cider was a nice option. Too bad they seem like hey hate their jobs. read more

Stopped in here on a weeknight and loved the vibe! They have a range of drinks to choose from and our experience was definitely a reason to come back. read more

Free State - Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fun place to get drinks. We visited Free State early on a Saturday night and managed to get a table but it filled up quickly. Free State has a nautical theme with rope knotted below the ceiling and pictures of lighthouses around some of the tables. There are two TVs placed behind the bar as well. I tried the Cuffing Season and Three-Piece Suit. Both drinks were tasty, and the Three-piece Suit had a stronger chocolate flavor than I expected. Overall, I would recommend visiting Free State for drinks if you are in the area. read more

We met up here on a Monday night in celebration of a colleague. Upon entering, most of us were carded. There didn't seem to be much rhyme or reason as to who was carded and who wasn't, and the staff member who was checking IDs was seated--for at least part of the time--in an alcove eating and playing on his phone. Despite being a basement space, I found Free State to be decently lit. The crowd wasn't too large, and, thankfully, we didn't feel the need to yell at one another across the table. The bartender was very attentive, and we were able to grab rounds of drinks on different tabs without difficulty or error, and the drinks came out quickly. The Grapefruit Crush was a personal favorite as it was light and refreshing. The space is located a couple of blocks from the Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro (Red and Yellow/Green lines) stop, and AmEx is accepted here. read more

Stopped here with a friend while visiting DC because we wanted some specialty cocktails. The entrance is street level but you have to go down stairs to actually enter the bar. The interior decor was awesome, very swanky and inviting. We both ordered the butterfly tea cocktail and headed outside to the patio. It wasn't bad for $10, but both of us agreed it was very heavy on the lemon. The atmosphere was nice and I'm sure I could've enjoyed some of the other drinks on the menu. It wasn't very crowded on a Tuesday night, so perfect if you're looking for somewhere with no wait. read more

Good spot for cocktails in DC that's open relatively late. Love the interior and the vibe/ambiance. There is a trivia quiz going on every Sunday. There's two tv screens but plenty of space to hang out and chat with friends. Got the we go high which was light and refreshing. Overall good experience. read more

Free State - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had this place bookmarked for a while so I'm glad I got to check it out. Met up with a friend for happy recently and neither of us had been here before. It's fairly convenient to get to via Chinatown or Judiciary square. As most DC spots parking around here is scarce but you might be lucky to find a metered spot. Just so you know, this place does not offer real food options...just snacks, but I did see some food being delivered - I'm assuming from the restaurant right upstairs, which is cool. So basically don't come here really hungry or eat before or after. I like that the drinks list consist of some local distilleries and spirits such as Cotton and Reed, Republic Restoratives Civic vodka, and District Distilling (just to name a few). The space isn't huge but it's very cozy and intimate. So maybe coming here with a large group might not be ideal. Service was good overall - the bartenders were great, but the guy at the door didn't seem very happy to be working here! read more

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Free State has a fantastic vibe; I checked it out with a friend around 8:30pm on a Saturday night. There were only a few folks in the bar so we found ourselves a seat at the long bar. The bar is great for evening cocktails - it's dimly lit and has a nice cozy (but not claustrophobic feel). Much of the furnishings and decor has a rustic feel - items are made of wood, bronze, and irons which makes the place feel comfortable. This is a good spot for date night or a small group setting to grab a drink. We ordered two rounds of the 'Good Doc' from their specialty drink menu; this was a good quality $10 cocktail made with locally sourced whiskey from Frederick, MD. The bartender was able to speak to where the whiskey was from and how it was made which was a nice touch. This would be a potential 5 star spot if they had food offerings. The offer some snacks in the form of bags of chips - so if you plan to visit, eat beforehand or have plans to eat afterwards. We stayed for two rounds of drinks and decided to go to a new spot to grab a bite - likely would have stayed longer if we could have ordered food. Note: They do have outdoor seating available in the front of their bar. There seemed to be a waiter or bartender staff who checked on folks who were sitting outside fairly regularly. read more

Cozy basement bar tucked under Bantam King with happy hour - $2 off beer, wine, and cocktails. The only downside is that there's no traditional bar food served besides some lights snacks. The "Spicy Brown Derby" cocktail is refreshing with a hint of sweetness from the grapefruit, honey, and ginger beer that complement the bourbon. It hit the spot and got another round! I preferred the "Spicy Brown Derby" over the "Cherry Sparkle" cocktail. The bubbly "Cherry Sparkle" was a bit dry and tart. The ingredients didn't quite blend together - gin, cherry syrup, lemon, and cremant (drier than champagne). Nice neighborhood watering hole and oasis to escape the tourists and bustling crowds of Chinatown. read more

Free State - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Nice bar with relaxing vibe, we went on Sunday evening and they have a trivia going every Sunday. Had a great time. Nice selection of cocktails. read more

Free State - Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place is great! The ambiance is nice and intimate, with room to move around. On top of that, the cocktails are excellent and affordable (for Washington, DC), and the service is excellent as well. In general, it's a pretty nice place to grab a cocktail at the end of a day or week (especially considering they have Happy Hour! read more

A friend was visiting in town and was I. The area so I stumbled across this bar I've never been too. It's super cool cocktail bar speak easy vibes down some stairs. I loved the ambiance and it was dark to where it's good with a few friends or on a date. Not really any food just light snacks so it's good for drinks before or after dinner. The frozen crush was so good. I'm shocked at how cheap it was for drinks too. 11 bucks for a cocktail is pretty cheap in this area compared to most. Deff want to come back to try more. Service wasn't anything special. Have to go to the bar for a drink not really a waiter or anything. Love finding new bars in the area! read more

Free State - Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Such a cute little hidden gem in DC. They staff is super nice and friendly! The place is little dark inside but fits the ambiance perfectly read more

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One of our favorite cocktail bars in DC. Reasonable prices and lots of indoor seating.

Swanky cool downstairs bar next to Capital One Arena. Bartender was superbly attentative. They carry a lot of locally distilled alcohols and a variety of local beers. Definitely enjoyed the vibe of Free State. Check it out! read more

Ducked in here during a downpour and boy was it a good choice! Tons of local spirits to choose from, cocktails, wine and beer too. If you're vaccinated, masks are optional. Great music and vibe here! Snacks only, so make a plan for some food before or after this spot. read more

Free State - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cool ambiance! Drinks were good after have to ask for a lil tweak in it. Bartender was a bit overwhelmed since it was just him handling everything without a busboy.. I'll give it another shot on a better night!! You know my motto " ya never know until you try again"!!! read more

Easily my favorite little bar so far in DC. Wish I lived closer. Very cool vibe, awesome bartenders, ambiance is fantastic. Great local whiskey selection and the tap menu is awesome as well. I will definitely be bringing people who visit from out of town here for drinks. read more

Very nice bartender. The drinks are amazing. I recommend the old fashioned. They have ESPN on the TV which I appreciated. read more

Free State - Old Fashioned - Wine Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Free State is a cocktail bar in the basement of a Chinatown building right behind the Capital One Arena. You walk down steep stairs, show the bouncer your I.D., and you're in. The space itself is pretty big for a city like Washington, D.C. There are tables and plenty of bar seating. The menu is large with wine, beer, and unique cocktails. I also appreciated they have a sour ale on tap! read more

Cozy little bar with a surprisingly large amount of seating aside from the bar. The bartenders are always great and friendly. Clean restrooms. Classic drinks and light snacks. One of our go to bars read more

Food, drinks, and atmosphere are always consistent. One of the best places to go in town for food, drinks, and a good time.

Perfectly uncrowded in Chinatown! This bar is located underground on G street below Bantam King. Take the stairs at the street corner to access the bar area below. It has a romantic, woodsy/industrial setting with Maryland nautical themes and an entertwined lighting installation made with real ropes. I love the black iron interior furnishings throughout the bar. On my first visit, my friends and I gathered in the secluded booth on the right side (facing the bar). It has just the right amount of privacy that would be great for a date or group party wanting their own space. Free State has an extensive local beer menu and serves cocktails made with local spirits. The list rotates frequently. On my second visit, I received a free (!!) bag of gourmet Baltimore Otterbein chocolate chip cookies with my Flying Dog beer. It was a Valentine's day special. So many brownie points!! I also tried the limoncello -- it was tart, bright, tiny but strong! and served in this delightfully etched glass. My friend got the munchies and was pleased to find that they serve snacks at this bar. We ordered two bags of locally-cured beef jerky by DC's Jerkface Jerky. It had a nice spicy kick! Appreciate that they have Dc/MD/Va sourced drinks and bites. Will return! read more

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