Such a fun time! Came here on a Saturday night for karaoke with friends. They offer a decent selection of fried apps and drink specials (hello lemon drop!). Karaoke was fun--there were several regulars, and a couple other groups there on a chilly night. The DJ does a good job of mixing up the songs and it was definitely fun. Also billiards tables to mix it up. Great place for a group activity! read more

Recessions - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is wild. Very weird location in the basement of an office building (or maybe hotel?). You actually have to walk past what looks like the building's gym to get to the bar. I chose to check this place out for happy hour because their deals listed on their website seemed great. Unfortunately, none of these prices were accurate and everything was substantially more expensive. There was also a minimum ($10 or $20 I think?) for credit cards, which was inconvenient. The service was ok--there was only one bartender and we were 2 out of a total of 4 people in the place, so it would have been insane if our service was slow. Unfortunately, the glassware I got seemed to still have soap residue, which I could both see with my naked eye and clearly taste in the beer. Lastly, the decor just makes no sense. It's a mix between frat basement and mafia grotto. We went near the holiday season and someone had just taped colored plastic wrap to the wall haphazardly. Overall, I may have gone back even in spite of all of this if the deals listed online were genuine. However, at this point I will not be going back to Recessions anytime soon. read more

We randomly stopped in here, after searching for "Darts" at the Farragut North metro station - which was less than a 5 minute walk Karaoke night on a Friday. LGBTQ friendly. We didn't eat or drink at the bar, just ended up staying for a few karaoke songs. 2 pool tables Show your license to get in read more

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I give them two stars just because they actually completed the order. We ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and had special instructions to add lettuce, onion, and tomatoes, and got a dry chicken breast sandwich with nothing. Not even their side of pickles that they claim is included. The food was mediocre at best. The quesadillas were greasy, and the onion rings could have been from any frozen package not special at all. read more

Recessions - Grilled chicken sandwhich and fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is rad! No negative energy like mad chatters. This is by far the best bar we've hit. Thanks for being friendly and awesome

Loud karaoke, pool tables, perfect millennial crowd. Could not be a better place to end the night. My roommate and I love it here:)

Came for a bar hop. I don't know if I normally would wander into an underground bar behind stairs and winding hallways. Very divey vibes. I was surprised they had a food menu and actual sit down tables. The bar is large and they seemed understaffed, or at least overwhelmed, by the number of people trying to order. It definitely took a while to get any drinks at all. Didn't notice any bar stools, either. There are screens for sports and a decent-looking karaoke setup. The drinks were good-sized and decent tasting. Not the worst dive bar on this pub crawl. read more

Seriously disappointing Karaoke experience. Unlike 99% of karaoke places in the world, there is no book of songs and no website with a list of karaoke songs. The DJ is too cheap to subscribe to a service, so they instead use a YouTube software package to scrape songs, the night I was there, that package was down so the only songs available were a bunch of songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Ugh! The DJ also isn't too communicative on advising people on how to hold microphone as half the singers couldn't be well heard. On the other hand, the crowd was nice. There is a pool table. And it is easy to get to as it is right next to DuPont Circle. read more

Do not drink the water!! The water jugs kept out for guests are moldy. When I informed the bartender and asked for a cup of water (and showed her a photo of the mold) she was unbelievably rude and mocked me after I apologized for the inconvenience. She flat out refused to serve my friends cups of water even though the bar was completely empty. I understand that it's an inconvenience, but this is a hazard. I had informed this same bartender about the mold in the jugs on a prior visit a few months ago and wasn't taken seriously. I came back because this is a convenient location with lots of karaoke options, but after this encounter with the bartender I never want to come back. read more

Recessions - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Have never really heard of this place until my friend took me before going downtown in DC. It's definitely a hole in the wall spot that has its charm. The interior reminded me of an underground dive bar. There was lots to do while drinking including karaoke, pool, watch tv, etc. The service was pretty good, as I was able to meet the owner, and he treated us very well. In terms of food, I had the Lamb Chops and fries. The meat was cooked perfect and was juicy and tender. Additionally, the fries were seasoned and crispy. Overall, a fun bar with great food and great ownership/service. Highly recommend to anyone in DC. read more

Recessions - Lamb Chops and Fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Not too much stools at the bar. The bar tender was really nice. You also can get a Goose Island, so for a guy who used to live in Chicago, it's a big deal. I don't think I want to get back there, honestly. Not my type of place. read more

Recessions - Goose Island IPA - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

In this classic DC establishment-- that's lasted longer than John McCain in the senate-- has incredible service. Karaoke every night, play some pool, and get your drinks served with love from Amilye. read more

Recessions - a shot of alcohol with a red heart on it - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thought karaoke would be fun but they cut my friend off halfway through her song and were super rude about it, do not recommend

We want to give a shout out to other old geezers looking to have a hoot of a time at Recessions. Our group of 60-ish 'mature adults' went to the bar on a Saturday night to enjoy the karaoke. We were definitely double the age of the rest of the crowd, but we had a blast. I was surprised, given the age difference, that I recognized any of the songs the young crowd selected but apparently even young people today have some 'oldie' favorites. Even those songs that I didn't recognize were fun to listen to because the rest of the crowd knew the songs and danced and sang along. The vibe in the bar was excellent. The bar tenders did a great job keeping up with the steady flow of customers at the bar. I heard from one of the bar tenders that on other nights they get an older crowd for the karaoke, so we will probably return on a non-weekend evening to mingle with people our own age. read more

The bartenders went above and beyond to celebrate our mother's surprise birthday. 100% recommend

My friends and I tried to visit this place so we could do some karaoke this weekend. We were met by the bouncer being incredibly incredibly rude which is crazy because the place was practically deserted but to each their own, I guess. They could definitely improve on having nicer staff, especially at the door, if you guys want more people to come in, maybe be kind. read more

Simply just ordered takeout. Bought a burger and onion rings for like $18. The doorman was nice. The lady waitress behind the bar was nice onion rings crisp. Not much else to say. I was in DC for just a weekend. read more

A very random bar! Go down a set of carpeted stairs through an apartment building basement to get here! Just follow the way and you make it to a grotto like bar. Draft beer has two sizes - small or large! Solid deal for happy hour off draft beers $1 off small and $2 off large. $5 shots. People come here for the karaoke so get here early to get your cards in and grab a spot especially if you have a group! I'd recommend 7:30 at the latest. Karaoke starts promptly at 8 and the Wednesday host - Paula - is great and keeps it moving. Don't forget to tip her. Crowd cheers on everyone and the night picks up around 9:30/10 for a lot of fun. Bar closes at 12. Bathrooms are clean. Didn't try and food but looked average. Overall 10/10 spot for karaoke instead of paying! If you can't use the stairs I'm not sure how else you would l get to the bar. LGBTQ friendly. read more

I love this little basement bar! Easy to find and close to the metro, with karaoke basically every day? Nice. It's surprisingly spacious and the acoustics for karaoke aren't bad. They have a huge selection of songs and a great set-up. The mic on a stand gives you a wide range of performance options if you're a ham, and if not, is great to hide behind or hold if you don't know what to do with your hands. I appreciate the volume they keep everything at, so you can have a conversation not just between songs. On slow days or with small crowds, the DJ might come in for a song, to keep things interesting. In addition to karaoke, I had a fabulous time chatting with the bartender about old travel stories and playing pool with a cool employee. The bar will break a dollar into quarters if you need them for a pool table, so don't be afraid to ask. In my limited experience, everyone who works here is chill. If I lived around here, I'd probably be a regular. I can't speak to the menu at all, but I love the vibe. read more

Recessions - Karaoke night - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great place for karaoke and cheap drinks! There was a horrible sewage smell that they should probably check on, but once the drinks and singing is flowing, you kind of forget about it. The service was a little ride at first, but over time it got better. They were understaffed for a Thursday night, so I had more patience. The chicken tenders were ok, but the food is nothing to rave about, just regular bar food. The DJ has any song you can think of, so sing out your hearts desire and befriend some strangers! read more

Overall this place is a vibe. Intimate atmosphere and whatnot. The restrooms could use a bit more attention but on the plus side the drink prices aren't bad. It felt to me like the DJ was a bit biased and that regulars definitely benefit from the privilege of being known. My group and I enjoyed ourselves nevertheless. A more eclectic music selection is recommended as well. I appreciated the lesson in rock but would have loved to share a bit more R&B culture with the fellow patrons. read more

Food and drink is ordered at the bar. Typical bar food. No disappointment Very good service. Ambiance is nice; feels like you are in a cave. Really nice crowd and place to hang out. A good amount of young people, possibly college students. My only disappointment was the karaoke. It was not clear how the DJ selected who would sing or if he really had the songs requested. He also spent a lot of time playing his music taking a long time to call up singers. Eventually he ended up rushing to call singers up to sing but some had already left. He also seemed to favor regulars. Other than that I will definitely visit this hangout again when in DC. read more

Dropped by at 5:30 pm on a Saturday since their webpage says they open at 5:00pm. The doors were locked. After a few minutes a few employees came out in order to move a truck that was parked in the bike lane. I asked if they were open, and they said that they opened at 7:00pm on Saturdays. I told them that they should update their webpage. They just walked away like they did not give a sh*t. read more

Terrible spot. Alcohol literally tasted like soap. Sent it back. Second glass also tasted like soap. Turns out that bottle was spoiled. Other drinks tasted fine. Karaoke. What a horrible experience. Put two songs in and waited to sing for two and a half hours without ever singing. The karaoke DJ doesn't post a list of singers to let you know where you are in the queue and then takes money from individuals for them to be able to sing regardless of when they put in their song request. If this was paid karaoke it would make sense, but it's not paid karaoke. The DJ expects to be bribed for you to sing. Would never spend money here again. read more

Most unsuspecting karaoke spot!!! Go for happy hour!! Great prices, decent bar food, the DJ is spectacular! I wanted to kick my heels off and dance. Pool tables, great bar service. Ask for EMILY!!! Friday night happy hour DJ Face the Music brings some of my favorite hits!!!! read more

You go to a dive like Recessions, you have to know what you're going for. For me, it's the happy hour with cheap beers, bigger beers, and apps that make it worth it. You don't come here for curated taps of beer, you go because the pints are $4/5/6 or you're crazy enough to get the Kong size. The apps are pretty hit or miss and are likely frozen fair, but for $5 you can't really expect more than that. And honestly the staff and DJs have been pretty chill the nights I'm there, so I usually look forward to their Tue-Sat karaoke nights as soon as happy hour ends. Earlier in the week it's pretty hit or miss if it's gonna take off, so if you want that I'd say Thursday Friday Saturday are your best bets. It does tend to be predominated by whatever group dynamics are there - one night was filled with car guilty pleasure throwbacks, while another Saturday midnight had a crew spittin' rhymes while somehow nailing every Prince hit on Earth. But consistently between the regulars and whoever's popping in, I've only had pretty good vibes here. Kinda feels like the communal joint you'd find in Cheers. At least for me, since Circ stops just a light away, Recessions is my go-to spot in the city whenever I'm feeling the microphone mood. read more

So as it turns out, that S.O.B. karaoke host on Fridays and Saturdays who everyone on Yelp (including myself!) seems to have nothing nice to say about (and rightfully so!) spells his name DeVon. Whatever you do, avoid him at all costs. Instead, go to karaoke on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Paula. She's the best! After coming back about a month after I first came, I noticed two more things: 1) The meat they use for some food could be of better quality. Similarly, their nachos are a bunch of broken chips with not enough cheese. 2) I encountered a bartender named Emily. When I first met her, I thought she was just in a bad mood, which is human because everyone has those days. But when I came back a week later, she was still very rude and abrasive. She gave me dirty looks and an attitude when she served me. She also seemed to be drunk and/or high, and that she'd much rather spend her days getting jacked up on that funny stuff than working as a bartender. I can't help but think whenever someone takes one look at someone else and judges them without getting to know them: "What do they think they're going to gain from that?" On the plus side, the following staff are super friendly, approachable, and integrating: Paula, Peter, and the owner (whose name I think is Hasid). Also, people are super duper supportive of each other whenever they cheer others on during karaoke. They're all just there for a good old-fashioned night of fun in a non-judgmental setting -- singing for the heck of it without a care in the world. I hands down recommend Recessions for a badass night of karaoke on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. read more

Great wings!! Get the party platter it's sooo good, we ordered a burger too and it was delicious!! The drinks are great too! Karaoke every night. Great service and location. read more

I moved to the area last year and Recessions has become my favorite karaoke spot. The staff are really nice (they are all great but especially Emily, she is awesome and makes great cocktails!) It gets pretty crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so naturally you'll have to wait a long time to sing when there's a long list, but that's the same as any popular karaoke place. Both the KJs do a good job of managing the crowds as best as they can. read more

Bar tender attempted to strong-arm me into a maximum, 30% tip for subpar service. When I refused a maximum 30% tip, the bartender loudly yelled horrible, explicit swear words at me. Paula is a very nasty woman! read more

Only know you've high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you're missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go.... Ha, stupid song keeps playing over and over in my head! Anyways, I was feeling low and hella hungry on a Thursday night... so decided to check out cheap entertainment near the hotel. Karaoke it is. $10 for a large sized gyro (comes with steak fries) - surprisingly good. Karaoke started promptly at 8:30pm and was able to get in at least half a dozen songs before heading out at 10:30pm. Recessions fit the bill and I wouldn't hesitate to return here again. read more

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My Yelper philosophy is to try to tell people when they would want to go to a business and to rate with that in mind. Recessions is super divey. The aesthetic is fake-plant diner meets dubious party the mischievous church kids are throwing in the church basement bingo hall (complete with low lighting that's still somehow awkward). And most nights it's filled with regular people singing karaoke badly. When you're looking for something classier than that, this isn't your spot. But, when you need to decompress with affordable XL beer mugs, normal human bartenders, and song and dance, and you want to have a lively but low key good time with a group of amicable strangers (and maybe some friends), Recessions delivers. If you want to flex your foodie muscle, get the best cocktail, or soak in the most beautiful environment, DC offers much better. But, when you want to just relax and dance badly while singing familiar songs, it's totally your spot. read more

Worst Karaoke experience ever. What a terrible night. I honestly don't understand it. We're "karaoke people" and have seen a lot of spots in different parts of the country, and I can say this was the worst - no contest. The guy who was the "DJ" actually ruins it. He seems to not like... people. We never got to sing - anything - after waiting for hours, buying lots of drinks, and watching as other folks went up to sing multiple times. Just bizarre. There's no list, no rhyme or reason, and this guy definitely seems to have some personal issues. We finally gave up and left - super disappointed. If we were just looking for a spot to have drinks, we would never have chosen this place. It's literally in a basement. If you're looking for a karaoke spot and actually want to... sing karaoke.... Do not go here. read more

Awesome bar, best karaoke spot in DC. Just some crazy good singers out there. Loved it read more

This place feels and looks like it's part of a church gathering hall that mated with a taqueria. The KJ is cold as ice and gives no response to any inquiry. I'm not from DC but I assure you there is better karaoke out there. Save your time, money and sanity. read more

My friends and I have been coming here for a while but we came here for a bar crawl and we had the best bartender literally ever!! Blonde pretty girl named Hannah I think? She was AMAZING! We will be back. read more

The bartender and manager on Tuesday night was nice, however, the karaoke kj was showing favoritism and slight discrimination. I waited 4 hours to sing and never got a chance after being lied to about my place in "line" when other patrons sing multiple times. I thought in times like this we are past a time of discrimination but I certainly felt discriminated against, maybe I'll try another night but this experience definitely tainted my excitement for trying a place that has karaoke. read more

This was my very first happy hour after I started working in DC, so I have definitely been here a couple of times. It's one of my local favorites for two reasons: 1) They have karaoke almost every evening 2) Their happy hour lasts until 8:00. It's in a basement past a strangely lengthy corridor, so it may be a turn off for some. Once you're inside, it's surprisingly spacious. There's a very large bar and plenty of tables to sit at. They have nice strong mixed drinks and hefty mugs of beer for their happy hour. When karaoke is active, it is a big deal. Lots of people sign up, so be prepared to wait a long time. If you're in a hurry to just grab a drink and then head elsewhere, don't expect to be able to sing anything. Just to highlight a few random occasions, I once went in the winter and it was quite cold down there. There was a space heater and my group and I had to migrate to it to be comfortable. I am not 100% sure if they still have it, but they had a lunch buffet of Indian food. It was VERY affordable, but I don't think the food was anything spectacular. My most recent time, an employee invited my group in as we were walking by and offered to extend the happy hour specials just for us since it was past 8:00. Give the place a shot! read more

I came into town for a conference, staying in the hotel right upstairs from Recessions. On my second day in the area when they were open, I went down for wings and a beer and was met with phenomenal hospitality by the owner. Super friendly environment with pool tables, karaoke, and good eats. Excellent happy hour prices with a great local beer selection. I really loved the atmosphere, as its below ground level on L Street, offering a slight speakeasy vibe away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets above. I spent two long evenings here, one getting to know the owner and the second playing a small but super fun pool tournament. I highly recommend popping in, and I will absolutely be back to see the staff and community here at Recesssions! read more

Very Friendly Staff and reasonable prices. Great dive bar. The place should have later hours for karaoke. 12-midnight can be too early from time to time. read more