Classic ambience with one of the best barrel aged old fashioneds we have tried. At $32 it's on the pricier side - but the bartenders usually give a generous pour. We are big fans of Ray and try to visit when he is working. read more

This is a must go to place while in DC! Great service. Great drinks, food and desserts. For 2 we rang up a $200 tab for a memorable experience! read more

It was a busy night after the women's march- great service and food Great for out of town guests

While waiting for some friends who were staying at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, I decided to check out the bar on the premises. An absolutely stunning and ancient watering hole. There was nothing remarkable about the drink. I drank my drink as quickly as possible and ran, because the bartender didn't seem particularly delighted to be working :( read more

Historic bar with dreadful service. Sat unacknowledged for 10-15 minutes, then borrowed a menu from a neighboring table, then stood at bar unacknowledged for another 10 minutes, then a disinterested bartender indicated he would make our two drinks, then we waited another 10 minutes, then walked out. No sign of drinks. And no, it wasn't particularly busy. read more

Just off the lobby of the Willard Hotel is the Round Bar. My wife and I grabbed a stool at the namesake round bar for a little bite to eat and a drink. There were perhaps a dozen folks like us in here in a Saturday afternoon. Service was spot on and we were quickly given glasses of water while making our selections. I ordered a Flying Dog IPA from their short list of half a dozen beers and my wife selected a glass of champagne from among three choices. To tide us over until dinner, we ordered the beef sliders (two per order). The sliders ended up hitting the spot. The warm bun complemented the chilled beef and blue cheese. Depending upon how hungry you are you might need two of these. The bar room was pleasant with a quiet atmosphere. We enjoyed checking out the drawings of famous hotel guests on the walls. All in all a nice respite. read more

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

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Two words: Jim Hewes. The iconic bartender who has worked at the Round Robin for over 30 years is a legend of Washington and cocktail culture. He's a great bartender, cool guy, extremely smart, and worth the visit when you're day drinking in DC. Make your first drink ever a mint julep and then let him craft you his creations on a whim. He also teaches a cool monthly class about cocktails and history. I wish I lived in DC still so I could attend. read more

Unfortunately this establishment was disappointing on so many levels. The hostess wasn't welcoming. Then it took our waiter 10 minutes to take our order (just for drinks!) He came back 10 minutes later with the wrong drink and then spilled it all over us, including broken glass. There was no effort on the part of the staff to make up for this... no one came over to check on us or apologize. We eventually just left without getting anything else. We will not be trying this "dc establishment" again. read more

A little crowded, but we were able to find a table fairly quickly with no reservation. The drinks were good and it was quiet enough to hold a conversation read more

(Always grade against type) Small. But...I don't care when you go in, if you don't want to talk to everyone I'm there, just go home and watch Greys Anatomy. Filled with great people all the time and the staff? Forget about it. Top top notch. They know and have seen some stuff. Drinks are great, foods amazing, and the history? Well...let me tell you...I'm 1923... read more

The ambiance is really 10/10, we definitely enjoyed ourselves in a shmancy, historic hotel setting. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the drinks or the bar service. The bartender who helped us seemed irritated and palpably unfriendly. Just trying to order drinks bruh! Some of the drinks themselves were underwhelming given the price. I had a Manhattan with Four Roses bourbon and the Four Roses did most of the leg work, and the mixture was over-watery. We also had a Moscow mule, a lemon drop martini and a mint julep in the group. Most people enjoyed their drinks, but, personally, I've had better. Overall, would recommend as a cool place for cocktails near the national mall, but nothing to write home about. read more

Located on the ground floor of the Willard Intercontinental hotel, I expected more. Just one block from the white house, lots of politicians came here since 1850 is what I was told. Bar is so small, it was packed with so many people on Saturday night. Bartender wasn't as friendly as what I hoped. Was it because I wasn't dressed properly? I came in with leggings, running shoes, and casual cashmere sweater. Most others were in suits and dress. I tried their signature drink, the henry clay mint julep. The drink was strong, mean really strong but lacked in wow factor. As I walked out of the bar, they were hosting some parties and women were in formal dress. Perhaps I came in at the busiest time at night. read more

Round Robin Bar - The Henry Clay mint Julep, signature drink - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I stopped by this bar for the first time on Valentine's Day with one of my girlfriends. It was our second or third stop of the evening and we were in the midst of painting the town red. It was pretty packed for a Thursday night and barely any room to sit at the bar. My friend preferred to sit at a table instead of the bar and the staff were very accommodating in helping us relocate from the bar to a table. It's a cute little bar. Some people were dressed in cocktail dresses, others were dressed in their work clothes (HH remnants, I suppose). The crowd was mostly middle-aged folks with a few millennials sprinkled in. I think this ended up not being the move so we got a drink and left, but it was very cute. I do remember getting ceviche and loving the edible spoons. That was definitely a nice touch. The ceviche itself was okay but I prefer my ceviche to be less saucy and more tangy. All in all, I may waltz back in here one day. We'll see! read more

The quintessential DC cocktail bar experience. Mint juleps on Derby Day were perfection. Bourbon sour was top notch, as well. read more

Round Robin Bar - Signature drink: the mint julep and a bourbon sour - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I am such a sucker for historical bars and Round Robin Bar is no exception! The bar is stunning! This masculine lounge is decorated with a large, round-shaped bar in the center of the room, dark leather seating, and dark wood trimmings. The walls are painted green and decorated with framed pictures of the bar's famous patrons. Round Robin Bar is located in the Willard InterContinental hotel in Washington DC, just two blocks east of the White House. Known for their signature Southern-style mint julips made with bourbon, Round Robin Bar pairs cocktails with history. Dating back to 1850, almost every president since Zachary Taylor (12th president of the U.S.) has visited the Round Robin Bar. Mark Twain and Walt Whitman were also regulars of this legendary bar. My husband, mother-in-law, and I visited on a Friday afternoon so we had the bar mostly to ourselves. (It's 5 o'clock somewhere!) My husband ordered the classic mint julep, my MIL ordered the Pink Lemonade cocktail recommended by our bartender, and I ordered a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. We tried each other's cocktails and agreed that all of the drinks were terrific! The bar serves a selection of appetizers so we split the angus burger sliders, chicken quesadilla, and the skewered reuben panini. The sliders were dry and the quesadilla was bland, but the reuben panini was amazing! I'm not docking the bar any stars for the food because we were here for the cocktails and the amazing atmosphere, not the food. Our bartender was very friendly and agreed to take pictures of us at the bar when she wasn't busy mixing cocktails. Next time I visit DC I am 100% stopping by Round Robin Bar for cocktails and a reuben panini! read more

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I don't know what the hell happened to this place!! It used to be my favorite bar in DC. It has gone very downhill since the last visit, which was only over the summer. The mint Julip is their signature drink ... one or two of these and you'd be flying high. (At $18 each ... they better pack a punch!) However, after drinking these for almost 10 years here, I noticed they were being made different now. Instead of a pint glass with muddled mint and sugar and Makers Mark bourbon, and some soda water, they are now placed into a glass goblet and made with bourbon, mint and sugar ... no soda water. So each drink has 2 ounces of bourbon ... measured with a silver jigger. (They never used to measure with an instrument which was great for those of us with a good tolerance ... now you need 2 of them to feel anything.) Without the splash of soda they take about 4 minutes to drink because it's basically like drinking 2 shots of bourbon with sugar through a straw. They taste good, but it's not something you can sip on which is the idea of a julep. Beyond that, the bar is a LOT more crowded, especially during the weekends. As a round room with very little space, it gets hot in there and you'll find yourself removing layers and feeling a bit like a sauna. The customers here are weird. It's for the most part rich people ... but many of them are coming from weddings in the hotel. One girl had her shoes off and her bare feet stretched across her friend's legs on the stool. A bevy of 20 year olds ordered shots at the end of the bar. What the whaaaaaat? Is this the Jersey Shore or an Intercontinental Bar? Maybe the weekdays would be the day to come to avoid the ratchet wedding crowds. (One girl was dancing and grinding on two guys on the side of the bar ... the odd thing is there is no music playing here.) I will say this ... the menu kind of sucks if you want their little bar snack style foods ... mini-lamb chops and sliders. However, they make one of THE BEST cheeseburgers you'll have. Seriously, it looked terrible but it was so good! It's not on the menu but if you ask, they'll make you one with shoestring fries. (for $22 ... but still.) Overall, this bar is quite an experience ... I ran into George Clooney here once or twice. Lots of congressmen and senators and oily lobbyists. However, lately it seems to attract more desperate housewife types than it does powerbrokers. Intercontinental is owned by the same company who owns Holiday Inn ... perhaps the crowd follows the brand? Give it a try if you want a nice drink and a classy atmosphere but it has changed quite a bit since I started coming here. read more

Went there for a drink at the beginning of the evening and then the end. It is Abrams old place with a good selection of drinks and some not so typical bar food items. We had some oysters and prosciutto wrapped figs. Both were good although the pork was a little intense. All god though. I also paid and forgot my credit card. The security manager was super nice and called me back when he found it. Hence going back end of day. read more

I adore this place and always stop in for an afternoon buzz when I'm in D.C. The round bar, dark woods, green accents, low lighting and narrow glimpses of streetside Washington through the windows are very appealing. This is the quintessential historic hotel bar. When I was there recently, the President was at the Willard for something, so there were lots of very fit people in dark suits wandering around talking into their sleeves. It seems like you're always right in the middle of it at the Round Robin, even though the place itself still manages to be relaxing. This time, I had the Willard Cocktail, which was gin, apricot liqueur and lemon. Despite the generous amount of gin, the overall taste was apricot, which turned out to be quite dangerous since it encouraged me to have a second. read more

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

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There are so many reviews about this Historic bar that are all spot on. Not much more to add, except to say that anytime I visit DC, I always make it a point to stop in. There is just something about stepping into this bar...the ambiance, the service and iconic history, love it. read more

Round Robin Bar - Perfect place to sit and relax - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very cool traditional bar. It's rather small with perhaps eight tables and the circular bar that seats about thirty. A favorite haunt of government leaders for decades, the Round Robin Bar is a great place for a drink. Terrific service and reat cocktails. One of the iconic places you owe yourself to stop in. read more

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

What a bar. You can just sense the history that these walls have probably witnessed. Upscale, but not pompous. Great cocktails and an excellent place to sit down and enjoy your surroundings. This is a place for a calm drink. If you're looking for a exuberant atmosphere this is not the place. read more

This is the big wig political bar where people come to spends tons on money on misally unimpressive drinks. It's cute. As the name insinuates, it is a round bar. If you're into people watching then this is a prime time site to see. I really loved people watching here. We came here for a drink on a whim last Saturday evening, and the crowd consisted of a Nigerian themed wedding party, and seeing everyone dressed in traditional Nigerian wedding attire was really cool. Then, you had a guy who had just finished giving a DC ghost tour dressed in colonial era attire drunk out of his mind and everyone knew he was intoxicated too. Now, for why this place isn't hitting a high star rating with me - - you're paying $15 for a watered down basic cocktail. Not even traditional, but basics. I wasn't impressed. I can go to POV for the same price for a mediocre drink and can at least have a view landscape of DC on a rooftop. No matter what though, Round Bar will have clientele that will pay the price and will keep coming here for their watered down basic cocktails. That's fine. If that's their standard, then just know what to expect when you come in here that you're not paying for the drinks... you're paying for the show, and what a show it is! I doubt that I will be running back anytime soon to have a beverage here, but the Willard is one of my favorite hotels in the district and that is not going to restrict me from wanting to come back time and again to enjoy it. The bar for certain doesn't define the hotel and vice versa. read more

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

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It's an awesome place, good food and drinks, and really nice atmosphere. Highly recommend.

If you're a fan of great cocktails and classy ambiance I highly recommend stopping by here for a drink. I've been here on a few occasions with the most recent being yesterday. I love the Mint Julep here but the Manhattan is also worth a try if you like Bourbon that is aged in a Rum cask. Overall, the service and drinks here are great. read more

The hotel is an amazing looking hotel, however, the Round Robin Bar does not live up to it's reputation. The barrel aged house made drinks fell flat and for drinks that cost $22-$24, all three front liners were disappointing. The food felt like it wasn't made in-house but rather frozen items that were just reheated before it was served. The service was so slow that other customers left because they were not being served. read more

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As others have said, the Round Robin bar is overpriced, and the service is the same as you'd get at a Holiday Inn. That said, you come here for the gorgeous surroundings. As long as you know what your getting yourself into, you won't be disappointed. The spiced cider was actually pretty good as well. read more

They are CLEARLY riding too high off of a name. Took forever to get service and the service was horrible at that. The drinks were even worse. The only reason I give it 2 stars instead of 1 is because of the beautiful setting. The drink reminded me of a bad college bar with how much ice they put in it. I don't need the drink to be anywhere near the top, so don't over fill the glass with ice. It looks cheap and stupid for probably anyone coming in to a place like this. In terms of the drink, I can't leave this review without making one thing really clear--if I order a manhattan, dont put a chemically composed cherry in it. I can, and have made a better maraschino cherry. Come on, your drinks are bad to start with, at least try to acquire some kind of dignity with a small addition like this. I will never be coming back here and I regret the time I wasted at a place like this. read more

Round Robin Bar in the Willard simply oozes elegance and sophistication. We liked it here a lot mostly because of the atmosphere. The clientele both times we were there were not tourists as expected, but upper crust regulars who treat this place as their neighborhood bar. The drinks were phenomenal, but you get what you pay for. That is, $16 if I recall correctly, for my seasonal Pumpkin Alexander (delicious!); hence, I don't think it will be our local watering hole. Still, for a special night out, I fully expect we will go back again and again. The bartenders were the most professional I think I've ever encountered, but no nonsense. Not very chatty--don't expect to cry in your beer to them about anything. They are there to do a job--make you a suburb cocktail--not be your therapist. The room is rather small, with a round bar (makes sense, right?) that takes up most of the space. There are a few tables surrounding the bar and tables lining the hallway leading to it. It is dark and cozy and always bustling it seems. Seats fill up quickly so it's a hit or miss whether you will actually be able to sit down anywhere. Consequently, I was a little perturbed that patrons at the bar were allowed to save seats for guests--especially when those guests showed up 30/40 minutes later. I think the bartenders or the manager should have allowed people waiting for a seat to sit! As an aside, I hear the Willard is decorated beautifully for the holidays, so certain stopping in for a Christmas cocktail would be worth the trip. read more

Round Robin Bar - Seasonal Pumpkin Alexander. sigh - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A small, very nice, upscale bar with a large selection of Scotch whisky and other high-end liquors. It's quaint and cozy but can get quite busy during peak hours. It's also located within the Willard hotel which is nicely decorated for the holidays. The service is friendly and attentive but can be slower when the bar is full. I'd highly recommend a stop here if you're dressed nicely and have some "walking around"money that needs spending. read more

The round robin bar is a D.C staple. Come here for the famous mint julep or just a really good glass of scotch. The bartender has worked there for 30 years so you're going to have a good experience. Don't come here looking for happy hour specials--the prices are relative to the quality. read more

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

Order a mint julep. That's their signature drink. Be aware of the peanuts. They have a kick to them. Great place to unwind. Mostly small tables for two to sit or lean around the bar. read more

Lovely bar with creative cocktails. Maisha was great and was very attentive! I loved my Walt Whitman cocktail. Maisha provided great recommendations. The bar is small, intimate and has good seating. I highly recommend this Bar to anyone who is looking for a mature crowd. read more

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

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Great drinks, made my great bartender. Always something interesting going on here from weddings to conferences to one time we watched a horse race. Drinks are expensive like $17 each but makes since when you consider the location. read more

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

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A Washington Classic! Simply wonderful place for drinks after a day in DC! Great spot!

This bar is in serious need of a revival. Round Robin is most certainly known as one of DC's most historic drinking establishments, due in part to its location inside a rather famous hotel whose proximity to the nation's institutions of power ensures that it will be continually well stocked with important people (or those who think they are, at least). The problem I have is that so much of this lore is more steeped into the minds of the bar, rather than conveyed in any sort of meaningful way. They bank (oh man do they bank) on patrons being content with simply drinking in a place where someone whose portrait is on the wall also drank, at some point. The price you pay, for having the pleasure of simply being in this place, is about a 50% increase in cocktail costs, based on what they should be considering the quality of the preparation, presentation, and ingredients. Having been here somewhere around half a dozen times now, usually as just a convenient place to meet people before going elsewhere, I've generally found most of their drinks to be between $12-15 each (so close to $18 per drink after tax and tip), none of which have come close to impressing me to that level. I have no qualms paying top dollar for a cocktail, but I expect it to not be made with generic shelf liquor, and certainly not sipped out of a straw like a Coke. The glassware is all wrong, the service is typical hotel bar service (there is certainly no sense of elegance or refinement in the dismissive approach to customers), and for some inexplicable reason it's always crowded (and accordingly takes quite a while to get a drink). Being busy is no fault of the bar, I'm sure lots of people want to come see where the Mint Julep became famous, or visit a spot where Mark Twain once drank (although knowing his love for drinking I doubt he actually recalls being here). However, a bar should recognize when it's got such a regular rotation of customers and staff accordingly, rather than having a single bartender behind the bar at all times (I've never seen more than one, at various hours of the day). If you really want some of the history on this place just read Christopher C.'s review and save yourself the unfulfilling experience of egregiously overpriced booze. I would rather go sober than drink a Budweiser, and even that runs you $7 per bottle here. Again, if the ambiance was really as much as they would like you think it is, then it -might- be worth it, but there's little here worth seeing or remembering. read more

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Hard to get seats during holiday season but was worth the wait. High class, quiet place for some good drinks. Great foods as well. The view of outside from the seats by the window was exceptionally enjoyable. Got lucky and saw photo shooting of bride and groom holding ceremony at the hotel right in front of me thru the window glass. read more

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Enjoyed a glass of wine and a hummus platter with a friend enjoyed our time service was attentive love the history of the place.

This place is amazing and filled with historic events and people that have eaten and drank in the bar!! Dress up and be around political figures all the time- great drinks and good vibes read more

This sophisticated landmark bar does not offer cheap drinks and nosh for the work-worn, traffic beleaguered of the Beltway. Rather it is a gathering spot for Washington's political and business elite, the local see and be seen crowd, and those like me who just want to know what it's like to drink like a president. (It's worth mentioning that every single president has a glass of something named after them at The Round Robin with a couple signature elements that reflect them personally or the spirit of the time during their tenure.) Bring your credit card, come for the history, and stay for the cocktails, the people watching, and ambience. A monument which has witnessed parts of three centuries, the Willard hotel has been operating on site since 1847. With a bit of imagination, I could easily envision legends like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. (who were actual guests at the hotel) seated in an old school leather chair around the namesake circular marble bar in the dark wood and leather adorned lounge raising a cocktail while looking out over Pennsylvania Avenue. Classics from days past like Mint Juleps and Lime Rickeys are shaken under portraits of the hotel's famous patrons-- including politicians like Eleanor Roosevelt and Southern literary luminary Samuel L Clemons, aka Mark Twain. It is said that Henry Clay, the US Senator from Kentucky, introduced the Mint Julep to Washington, D.C. in 1850 at this very Bar whilst a guest in the Willard Hotel after he famously shipped in a barrel of Kentucky bourbon. Some even say the Round Robin still uses his recipe to this day-- they only use Kentucky Colonel mint if that's any indication. A great place to people watch and to attend History Happy Hour (if you're lucky enough to get in!) once a month from 6 - 8 pm, where "every drink tells a story". Bartender Legend Jim Hewes, a 30 year Round Robin veteran who has been through six administrations-- and claims to own the actual Julep recipe written in lawmaker Henry Clay's own hand, is joined by distinguished speakers from a pool of political experts, journalists, authors and historians to share cocktail recipes paired with relevant interesting stories from the last almost 200 years of patronage. My advice is to skip the beer, Monumental Mojito, and the Granny Smith Appletini and go for a classic like the Julep; you'll have a little taste of America's vibrant political legacy in every sip. read more

It makes me sad to only give the Round Robin 3 stars, but yesterday was just a really disappointing day: I have just landed in DC and wanted to get something to eat, relax and just people watch for a while before heading to two appointments. I love the Willard and everything about it, and would come here often with my boyfriend when I lived in DC from 2010 - 2011 (his expense account, not mine!). Yesterday's bartender (James, maybe?) seemed to have a "I could care less" attitude and while the food was great, he was just "eh". And it isn't as if there were a lot of other people to care for at 2PM either: there were three obnoxiously loud guys sitting at the bar, then two DC powerhouse type guys at another table. And me. Will this prevent me from returning again? No, just not when he is there, or maybe I will sit elsewhere. read more