The tradition, the history, the vibe, the look, the atmosphere...it's all positive. This is a place where deals are made, and you can run into the who's who of D.C., and the who's that and more. You may make a new friend or meet someone from the other side of the world. If you want a drink in the city this is the place to visit rather you are a local or on holiday. The drinks are top notch, and there is a small food menu as well. The service is great as well. There was one thing that bothered me, there was one bartender who insisted on using her bare hands opposed to the tools when adding coffee beans to drinks, the illusion of perfection and sophistication was lost with her. I strategically did not order drinks from her. And she is why what would've been a five star review is a 4. Besides that is was a great time, and if you can't get a table at the historic bar there are tables which are all first come first serve. Would I boat again, I did and I have. Yes. Enjoy! read more

Round Robin Bar - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love coming here! The bar tenders have been here for many years and they do a phenomenal job! Usually come for the cocktails but their food is delicious as well! Highly recommend!! read more

Round Robin Bar - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was in DC for a conference and stopped in the Williard Round Bar for a cocktail. Even on a Sunday night it was still very busy. Bartenders were absolutely amazing. I had a rum drink and an expresso martini. Both drinks were fantastic. I would highly recommend. Yes, each cocktail was $22.00 each but it was well worth it! There is a lot of history here and I would highly recommend visiting. This is DC history at its finest. read more

Round Robin Bar - Expresso Martini - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The bar is a beautiful fixture inside the Willard Hotel. It is worth seeing when the place isn't busy. We decided to grab drinks during the holidays, when everyone else had the same idea. The place was packed with guests enjoying holiday parties and stopping by because The Willard is so beautiful. Luckily, we were able to find a table down the hall, with more room. We could also hear ourselves. It is the "bar overflow" area. The menu has so many options that it looks like a photo album. Our group enjoyed drinks and conversation. Service was understandably slow and we didn't mind. If you are in a hurry, you might want to visit another restaurant inside the hotel or walk around the corner. Old Ebbitt Grille has three bars. Hotel Washington has plenty of room, even with holiday parties. The mint julips cost more than parking. The yummy Willard hot chocolate was only $5. We didn't feel rushed. Our bartender did a decent job of keeping up with a party of eight. The Willard is plush, upscale and expensive. For planning purposes, make sure you have a parking/uber plan when events change traffic patterns. The White House is across the street. Any security measures can affect your trip. read more

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The Round Robin Bar is an amazing bar with a fantastic history as it was the setting of the introduction of the mint julep to DC by Henry Clay. It's a gorgeous, yet small bar located in the Washington Intercontinental and they still serve mint juleps to this day. We came here back in May and we loved it so much that we actually came back a second time, which is something we rarely do when traveling. The mint juleps are fantastic and I would highly recommend getting them (just know that they are expensive). Their other cocktails are very good as well and we enjoyed an excellent manhattan and old fashioned. We also had several good bites of food here, particularly the braised short rib sandwich, peach tart, and strawberry macaron. Service was excellent as well and we loved visiting this historic bar. read more

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This is a historic bar located in the beautiful Willard hotel and I wish I enjoyed it more than I did. The bar experience was nothing too special, the service both times were especially slow and when it gets crowded, it can feel so compact. The drinks were okay, my friend got a martini that was pretty standard and I got a mocktail that didn't blow me away. In terms of food, my best recommendation would be to get the mussels. They are abundant for what you're getting and the presentation is great. We got the garlic butter version which were soaked in butter. I also tried the lobster roll which was a little fishy and was carried by the avocado in it. read more

Round Robin Bar - Mussels - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Always busy. Never enough bartenders to handle the crowd. Just takes forever to get a drink from a very serious, few words, bartender. Every time!! Ambiance is what you expect. Great and the whole historic part of what we love bringing out of town friends here. read more

It was still snowing pretty heavily after our tea at the Willard so my bestie and I decided to saddle up for a proper meal and find her a new, rich husband at this schmancy, historic hotel bar. Sadly we did not find rich husband (I was instructed that they are at Joe's Prime) but we did get a really nice, comforting meal! The actual bar is round as it's name suggests and is really lively around happy hour time. We sadly could not get a seat but were able to snag a back room table. It took a very long time before we were able to get a server but this only allowed us to whet our appetite. The cold weather had us craving a bowl of classic French onion soup and they delivered with all of the cheese pulls. So flavorful and perfect. We also got a steak frites to share, and while we were not expecting much for a bar bite ... were really impressed with the perfectly cooked tender steak, yummy crunchy fries, and all that pan sauce to sop everything up. I didn't grab a cocktail because I needed my senses to navigate home, but was really impressed with their very long cocktail and wine list. read more

Great service but the prices are a bit crazy. $36.45 for one drink and tip. The location was beautiful and very well decorated. read more

Round Robin Bar - I loved the mint julep! Especially being a family from Kentucky and found the Kentucky Derby - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I wish I could say I had a better time the other night at this beautiful, historic bar. Unfortunately, the service was pretty bad. We sat at a table off the main bar, and we somehow had five different servers who all had no idea what the others were doing. We were repeatedly asked if we had ordered, if we were waiting on anything, or if we needed help. For such a nice bar, it was strange that they had such inconsistent and inefficient service. Luckily the food was delicious. The coconut curry mussels were innovative and delicious, and the chicken dish was cooked beautifully. It's also impossible to write about anything in the Willard without mentioning the expansive history of the hotel and its bar. I would try the Round Robin Bar another time, but probably just for drinks and I would keep my expectations low. read more

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This was my second visit. What a wonderful environment. What a great place for a cocktail. It is also one of the most DC things you can do. You MUST ask for Thatcher. He made the entire experience so memorable. read more

Round Robin Bar - Barrel aged Old Fashioned. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Expensive drinks. Delicious craft cocktails. Attentive service. No matter though, this historic place is a fun location to gather at the end of a work day and take in the bustle of the work crowd getting their libations on after a day at the office. I savored a few drinks, had great conversation with people and even some non local elected public servants at the bar. All in all, a must do while in DC. read more

We went for the ambiance and mint juleps.... What a cool Bar! To think all the people they credit have done things here is amazing!! Songs, stories, speeches... Henry Clay introduced the mint julep so of course that was what we ordered... 26/drink kept us in check LOL...but they were tasty! Crushed ice, smooth bourbon and mint - yum! Service was meh, but I can overlook for everything else! Highly recommend this as a quick stop on the DC mall tour!! read more

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First time at the Round Robin Bar and it did not disappoint. After starting with the cheese board, we had a crab roll, French Onion Soup and a crab cake. The crab roll was excellent and overloaded with crab meat. The bottom of the roll was lined with slices of avocado. Was truly fantastic. My wife really enjoyed the French onion soup and the crab cake. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. Can't wait to return. Great spot to hit if pre show if your heading to the National Theatre. read more

Round Robin Bar - Crab Cake Appetizer - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Cool bar in DC. Cocktails a bit pricey but expected since it was at the Willard hotel next to White House. BF enjoyed the Martini read more

Round Robin Bar - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stopped by the Round Robin Bar after having afternoon tea at Peacock Alley. The bar was crowded around 5:30pm. Seating is extremely limited. The space is small but cozy. My friends and I waited around 15 minutes for a table to clear. The drinks tasted good. The food was not so tasty. I ordered the crab cake roll with fries. They didn't have sweet potato fries, but offered to make me truffled fries using truffle oil. I was hoping the crab cake roll would be made like a lobster roll, but it wasn't. The crab meat was not seasoned and it was a cold roll. I didn't like it. I took half of the roll home to remix it. When we getting ready to leave, a lady asked if she could sit at our table to hold space for her friends. We didn't mind. The waitress came over and asked if she was with our group because someone else was waiting on the table. I felt bad for the lady because no one greeted us or assisted us with finding seats. It was odd that a group of guys were already promised the table. read more

Round Robin Bar - Crab cake roll with fries - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Cute venue and bar, great service, but the drinks were very okay... nothing special and certainly not worth the price! Prob wouldn't come back - unless I want to take photos in the beautiful hotel lobby. read more

This place is great when it's not packed. It can be a very loud bar. Drinks are great when it's not slammed. Otherwise it's average when it's super busy and I would not order a craft cocktail since it's so rushed. They have a great bourbon and wine list. read more

A fun bar I've been to several times and the same waiters are there making really great drinks (panty droppers!) so tasty you can't stop! Ha! A great place to people watch and mingle. Dress up! You never know who you'll meet! read more

Round Robin Bar - Inside detail - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I paid $58 for two old fashioned (with Woodford Reserve) that were gross and watery. Not to mention that it was 7 pm on a Friday, and patrons were loud and hammered. Not the classy experience we wanted. read more

Round Robin Bar - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Bucket list visit to the Round Robin on a visit Washington DC- COMPLETE. Located in the historic Willard hotel, every president since 1850 has been there. The hotel is gorgeous, the bar is exactly like I imagined it but a bit smaller. When you go in, there's really only room for a maybe 12 people around the bar. And they've got a few tables tightly squeezed in around and then there are more tables leading out into the lobby. We got lucky and scored two seats at the bar. Now the next part of that bucket list to check off - the Mint Julep was actually invented in this bar so obviously that's what I got. The drink was expertly made and even served over crushed ice, just like I was hoping it would be. My fiancé got a really tasty Mezcal cocktail. We were peckish but had dinner plans after so I placed an order for French Fries that took a really long time to come and we're on the cold side when they arrived. No way was I asking for a fresh order as long as the first ones took! The aïoli sauce that came with it was obviously housemaid and really good. All in all, we enjoyed our visit and it was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. It is on the pricey side, but hey, you're literally a block from the White House so that's just kind of the way it is there. The two drinks and the order of french fries ended up being $67 when it was all said and done. When we left the bar, we took a walk through the hotel lobby and got to read a little of the history- fascinating and beautiful place! I mean, how cool is it to know that I just had drinks where Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass used to meet??? They did a really good job of restoring the hotel after it got run down in the late 1960s. read more

Round Robin Bar - Gotta get the Mint Julep at the Round Robin in the Willard Hotel - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Round bar and Ebbitts are the two must visits in DC. Packed bar. We waited a bit for seats to open at the bar and enjoyed their barrel Negronis and old fashioned. Drinks are about $35. Expensive but a cool stop for a lot of DC history. read more

Atmosphere is beautiful and unique. And the history here is the reason I wanted to come here. Bar staff was super friendly and drinks were delicious. I got the mint julep and really liked the sugared mint garnish. The person I went with had some coffee drink, and the bartender hadn't made that drink for a while. Well he did a great job and my mother in law was empressed. read more

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Espresso Martini - 4.5/5 Really lovely presentation in a wide-brimmed martini glass. Nicely chilled, love the little ice chips so you know it was shaken thoroughly. Great espresso flavor that is not too acidic. Just the right amount of sweetness. Nice foam and, of course, 3 beans. read more

Beautiful setting of burgundy leather within a historic hotel. Cocktails were tasty, correctly prepared and cold. Enjoyed French Onion Soup to erase the winter cold. Service was efficient but slow. Expect to linger here. read more

Stunning atmosphere and nice menu options. I stuck with the classics crab roll and Manhattan and was not disappointed. If they can create a combination cheese and charcuterie board that would be amazing. read more

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Great old cozy bar with good drinks and excellent bar tenders. It has the old time DC vibe and the setting is superb.

This is a small bar but when we went one evening we found a table with two chairs available even though it was busy. We ordered the famous mint julep which was pretty strong but at $22 it should be. The bartenders are very attentive and won't let you sit there waiting around to be served. read more

Round Robin Bar - Mint julep 2023 - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

To give this any less than 5 Stars is unamerican. To sit in this room means sipping an extremely high quality cocktail where the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Ulysses S Grant, and Nathaniel Hawthorne shared a toast on a semi regular occasion. Whether you care to admit it or not, if you're reading this, your life was shaped by decisions made in that very room. I had an in-house aged old fashioned and it was exquisite. They are known for their mint julips and my colleague order some he liked very much. Great staff. Excellent service. Prices are outrageous for the quality but expect to pay $25+. Will be back. To enter, pass through the main lobby. Literally the place the term "lobbying" was invented. It's open to the public. Best to wear a collared shirt/business casual but not required.. you'll just feel out of place. read more

Round Robin Bar - Damn fine in-house aged old fashioned. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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It is a rather small establishment inside hotel. 1. Drinks - they do look cool on the outside starting with naming. They have cocktails named after presidents. However, they All taste horrible. I cannot recommend any of their drinks. Lemon in everything and does not even go well with the ingredients! Not for me at least. 2. Food - well we didn't eat full meal, but snacks and charcuterie board, which were amazingly good. They have hot and fresh walnut-raisin-bread, which is out of this world good! Highly recommend this. 3. Bathroom - is sooo far! Many of us got lost trying to find it and it is actually inside the cafe in the building, but not for this bar. There are better bars. Maybe get a beer or wine as their mixed drinks are bad and but get their amazing cheese board. read more

Round Robin Bar - Round robin bar: amazing bread and charcuterie board - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This old historical circa 1816 Willard hotel is some thing definitely worth checking out and experiencing. The Kentucky statesman Henry Clay invented the mint julep here at the round robin bar. There's a ton of history in this old hotel. The service was great in the Round Robin bar, and they make really good old fashions read more

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If you want a drink and your choices are licking the sweat off a drunk passed out on Pennsylvania Avenue or coming here...look for the drunk. For being so small, the service is remarkably non-existent. Prices are not insane so there's that but why bother when there are so many better and friendlier places nearby. Stuffy. Unfriendly and unwelcoming. Hard pass. The St. Regis Bar and Off The Record are minutes away. read more

Lobbying was invented here, how could you NOT stop in for a craft cocktail??!! Swanky hotel that oozes history and fancy expensive drinks..... yes please! Usually quite busy, we found ourselves chatting with the bartender on an unassuming night, election night. A great time was had by all. read more

Overcharged and staff could not understand English It has lost its Old Time charm, the bartenders ignore you and it is very sad to see the change from the "Go To" bar - It appears to be full due to its History not its staff read more

Such fun going to the Round Robin bar, a historic bar in The Willard hotel in DC. There was a lively crowd yet we found a table by the window that perfect. It's a small round shaped bar. We ordered cocktails but not their signature drink the Mint Julep. We also ordered dinner off the limited bar menu. I had the Jumbo Lump Crab Roll withMaryland Crab Meat, Avocado Puree, Tarragon, Aurora Sauce and my husband ordered a hamburger that was a little rare for him (he ordered medium well). My sandwich was good but not a lot of favor. The fun was just being in the bar watching all the action! read more

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Went to Round Robin Bar last night and was very disappointed. Really only went there for a cocktail but unfortunately we were never served. I would say the service was below average. It seemed as though they didn't want our business. We had to go to the bar to have someone take our order and even then that was a difficult task for them. We finally had the opportunity to order and we waited about 25 min to receive our drinks before we decided to leave the establishment. Besides, not being served the ambiance was very nice. Aesthetically pleasing for sure. It gave a 1960's old saloon vibes which I loved. I wish I could've tried their drinks. read more

I came to have a drink just before dinner and I asked for a dirty martini with three olives. They served me a dirty martini in a cocktail glass with two olives. Unacceptable for a hotel of this stature and historical significance. read more

Round Robin Bar - Dirty Martini in a cocktail glass. Unreal - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best Bartender Raydel. Best old fashion. Unbelievable bar experience. If you are looking for the best drinking experience, this is it.

July 4th. Hot after watching July 4th parade. This is located a couple of blocks from the White House and being in a large hotel is a little forbidding. Into the lobby ( where the term lobbying came from apparently?) and hard right into a pocky round bar dripping with history. As instructed ordered mint Julio. First class with sugar on the big mint leaf. Gin and tonic to follow. Supposedly one of the oldest bars in DC. And on our visit not over crowded and a great place to cool and relax. I was told afterwards by a local they have a roof bar. Maybe next time? read more

Beautiful bar, music was perfect level. Hubby ordered the mint julep which they're known for and I had a mocktail, Spicy Panoma. It was bit spicier than I anticipated but manageable. A bit small, but luckily we were able to find a table in the corner booth under their portraits section. Nice atmosphere, bartenders were quick to take order as well. read more

Round Robin Bar - Mint julep - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia