The speakeasy place was so beautifully decorated. The band was good although the singer repeated too many times to consider tipping The lamp chop was very scrumptious. The other food we ordered was decent. I wish they have gluten free options in the menu. Service was excellent. We will go back. read more

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You want a perfect date night? This place is the absolute vibe. Great music, great food, great drinks, great time. The service is elite they were very informative and friendly. Very limited menu, but I'm sure whatever you pick is going to taste amazing down to the mini cheesecake for dessert. My wife and I will definitely be back. read more

The Alex - Lamb chops and beef tenderloin also bruschetta in the middle. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The speakeasy is located in the basement of The Graham Hotel, and you can ask the front desk for the access code. I visited for a post-work social on a Tuesday evening, and they were accommodating for a party of six where it usually can be more difficult to manage during weekends or busy periods. My drink was the Champs-Élysées, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The balance between the rye with the chartreuse hints and cognac paired well for a refreshing, but bold flavor. I also thought the fries were very light, which was a pleasant surprise to standard ones with a more crunch. Their signature spicy mayo was also a great dip. Service was superb--we were attended to often, and our server gave excellent recommendations for our drinks when choosing between which would be best depending on flavor preferences. Given the bar is in Georgetown, I'd come with the expectation that drinks will be on the pricier end (i.e., $20-25). I didn't try any entrees, but the atmosphere is excellent and come prepared to spend a bit when dining and drinking. read more

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Since we had a dinner reservation a little later than we'd planned to go out for the evening, we stopped by the Alex for pre-dinner drinks. They have a good cocktail menu for a speakeasy. It's big enough that there's more than one option to suit any taste, and it has a nice mix of classic standards, twists on standards, and more adventurous mixology. I usually go for the most creative options, and I was very happy with both drinks I had in that department, but my wife wanted something simpler where she'd know what she was getting and they had that on the menu and executed simplicity well. The service we got was also great. One often goes to these sorts of places for some intimacy in conversation, and so it was great that I never noticed our waitress when I didn't need her and couldn't even find her when I looked, but within thirty seconds of my first glance around for her, or my glass running empty, etc., she would appear smiling as if my thought that I'd like her assistance instantly summoned her there out of the mist. It turned out that we were there on one of the many nights when they have a live jazz performance. I can't say for sure whether every jazz performance there is like this, but the jazz duo performing got the style and, importantly, the volume exactly right for the setting. It was good enough, interesting enough, and loud enough to pull you in and make you want to let your heart and mind vibe and float along with the music, hearing it very clearly, but also not so loud or funky as to infringe in the least on your ability to easily converse at your table. My wife and I were able to effortlessly drift between breaking our conversation to savor the music and then drift back to conversation when we wanted. They sell the speakeasy concept fairly well. To enter, you need the secret code for the keypad on an unmarked door in the lobby of the Graham. The front desk attendant will give it to you if you ask. You then go downstairs to a basement space that feels, as it is, literally underground, where they've used decor and lighting that say *hush hush* and luxury, but that are made more real by the fact that it really is a small basement room where they've used decor can't hide certain pipe joints entering the space. It's not super high concept beyond that (there's definitely not anything like an Allegory-style Rosa Bridges meets Alice in Wonderland theme), but it sells that it could have been a hidden prohibition-era joint. Every part of our experience was good and I won't hesitate to return whenever it next makes sense to do so. read more

We happened to make reservations on a night they were closed for a few hours due to multiple private parties. Big mistake. Place was empty, which would've been ok except for the staff cleaning and closing up around us. Two drinks meant for larger ice cubes were served with crushed ice. The old fashioned I made at home pre dinner was better, and I certainly didn't have a $60 bar tab. This place is mismanaged. Save yourself the trouble and go elsewhere. If you know you can't offer your normal experience and ambiance, have the decency not to accept reservations. read more

Went there before dinner and it had great ambiance. There was a band playing and quite a number of people since I showed up around 7. I didn't have any food, but the service was decent. The drinks were inconsistent, the first one was good and the second one not so much. Will be back for sure, just want there to be consistency. read more

We went to the Alex Speakeasy and it was cool. The receptionist at the hotel gave us a code to get into the speakeasy. The vibe was older, semi formal, and Gatsby-esque. We ordered the Violette Times and it was delicious. The egg white foam on top was creamy and the flavor was sweet but not overpowering. We saw other people get their gin and tonics in a little bathtub and thought that presentation was very neat. Taking off a star because the drinks are very expensive. Like $30-$40 per drink. read more

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Small and delightful speakeasy under the Graham hotel. Would recommend a reservation to ensure a table, as the seats were highly coveted on a Saturday night! A great atmosphere to listen to some jazz and enjoy a nice drink! read more

Better atmosphere then most other speakeasies in DC. Drinks were excellent. Food was good and a nice variety of real meals on the menu.

I went here for drinks with friends after dinner in Georgetown and had a great time. The atmosphere was very mellow. The drinks were good and the service was great. I definitely recommend going here if you're looking for a place to grab drinks. read more

The Alex - Bath Tub Gin & Tonic - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Let me start with the ugly and the bad, then finish with the good! The ugly was is was 90 degrees outside and Air Conditioning was busted and they had the two back doors in the basement opened. The bad was the food which was only French Fries, but some unmelted cheese sprinked on it. The good was that the Elotes which were served on a corn husk was pretty tasty, but lacking something that I cannot put my hand on. Other than that, the drinks were hitting! read more

The Alex - The Daisy - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Exclusive drinks review: Courtesy of Storm Sister Shirley: 10/10 (twist on Shirley temple - no liquor) Kiwi Tequila Sour: 10/10 (sweet drink) Espresso Martini: 9.5/10 (made with chocolate rum) Passion fruit tequila mule: 9/10 Long story short: storm was storming!!!! Ambiance: Speak easy all day vibes so small and intimate. read more

Located in the basement of The Graham, three of us went here on a Friday night. We were early for our 9 PM reservation and were told to come back at 9 as they were packed. We returned at 9 and were seated right next to the live jazz band, which deserves a separate 5 star review, if only bands could be rated. Our server was very friendly, but she was up front about the real possibility of having to kick us out at some point. It turns out that never happened as the crowd started to empty out after the band finished at 10. The drinks were expensive (~$20), but good. The Gin in the Bath stands out, and not in a good way. It's a gin cocktail in a little ceramic bathtub. They may as well have served it to me in a toilet. read more

Located in the basement and has jazz on Thursdays. We're only here for Storm. He's very talented, full of charisma and very fun to hang out with!! Drinks never disappoint, and you can tell Storm what you like and he'll make something for you... to be honest I'm not quite sure what's on the drink menu here since I always let him decide for me. We've tried some food, they're okay but we prefer the drinks. After all, it's a speakeasy/cocktail bar. read more

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I found this place due to my fellow Yelpers. I was looking for bars that were unique and had four plus star reviews. We already ate dinner so we were looking just to enjoy some libations. I briefly checked out the pictures on Yelp but did not read the reviews so I was unaware of the process. We arrive via walking outside and do not see an entrance separate for the Alex so we tried entering through the hotel entrance of The Graham. The guy at the desk observed our confusion and offered assistance. He informed us of a code we needed to punch in to gain access through the door to the bar. He was very friendly and helpful. We punched the code in and the door unlocked. We walked down the stairs, to which the bar was at the bottom and behind was the seating area. It took a moment to take everything in before we were guided to sit wherever we wanted. We were provided menus and looked through the many options of libations. I believe the bartender was also serving the tables and took our order in a timely manner. I started with the bathtub gin & tonic. It was good but it was more about the presentation. We ordered another round but changed our drinks. All the drinks were decent and a lot of work was put into making them. Since we arrived late, we only had 2 drinks each. Our tab was over $60, which I thought was too much. I would visit again when I have more cash to spend or just for one drink to appreciate the ambiance. read more

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Great spot. Drinks were excellent. Food was good. Table was a little small. Service a bit slow for how few people were there during our early dinner. read more

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One of my favorite speakeasies in DC so far. The vibe of this place is just what I look for in a speakeasy--dark, moody, a sophisticated atmosphere and of course, delicious and unique cocktails! They have a bathtub gin and tonic which is to DIE for! But last time I went I ended up getting a few other cocktails that I loved as well. If you need to get in and don't have the door code, just ask the front desk. read more

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Underwhelming speakeasy. Ambiance was good but service was slow and food was average. My wife and I have been to several speakeasies in the City and this one definitely did not top the list. read more

This place is a gem. Located downstairs at the Graham Georgetown hotel it has both the look and feel of a speakeasy. We went on Thursday and the place really didn't get full until around 7pm. They had some live jazz playing so it was a great day of the week to be there. Cocktails were really good although the pigs&peat can use more smoky flavoring, presentation is superb though. Food is good but I honestly didn't expect it to be super good because you go here for drinks. read more

The Alex - Roosevelt Island - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We came here after a quiet but interesting night at Georgetown. The Alex is located at the downstairs of The Graham hotel. Let the hotel receptionist know that you'd like to visit the Alex, and a code will be given to you that opens the door to the stairs in which you can get to the bar. The feel is very 20s speakeasy, with a cute newspaper menu, bar seating, and more intimate seating also located. There are many drink options, done house creations, classics, and start up variety of liquors that you can order. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. The bar especially stood out to me for its relaxing and welcoming ambience, it was like I was transported back in time and having a relaxing drink. I will certainly stop by again to try a few more creations. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a speakeasy in Georgetown. read more

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Great time here with friends. We had a bit of a wait to get a table but it was a Friday night and there are limited spots. Worth the wait. The staff was wonderful the entire night. Both the drinks and food were amazing. Can't wait to go again! read more

The Alex - Daisy cocktail - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Made a reservation for 4 on OpenTable a week in advance and got a late night reservation for a Friday night. The speakeasy was much smaller than I expected, bartenders weren't very friendly and no one greeted us when we arrived inside. I got sucked into the aesthetics of the bathtub drink and OMG I absolutely hated it. I didn't even finish it, I just let the ice melt and sadly stared at it. My friend ordered a Manhattan and he said it was just strong but not very good. We both ended up getting a second drink, an Old-Fashioned, we both agreed it was better than the first drink but only marginally so. Bathroom is not in the speakeasy, it's on the floor that you enter the Graham Hotel so that is super inconvenient. Had higher expectations on this place and was disappointed I let my friends down since I'm typically the planner of all things to eat and drink in DC. read more

The Alex - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great location and ambiance. The rest is terrible. Service was slow (there were maybe 10 tables and it took 20 minutes to even put our drink order in). Food was poor quality and clearly just re-heated frozen meals. In fact, the beef we got was still cold. Drinks were weak and had a poor taste. Horrifically over-priced for what you're getting. 2 drinks, 1 flat bread, fries, and a some beef tenderloin tips came out to $110 (with auto included 20% service charge). Frankly, you can get better food at McDonald's and make your own G&T for a fraction of that price. The telltale sign that even the servers know it's not great is they don't ask "how did you like your meal?" they just quietly give you your check and move you along. They know it's garbage too. I remember this place being great years ago, so maybe we hit it on an off night but it was terribly disappointing this go around. read more

Does not close at 1am like advertised. Was told last call was at 11:30pm on a Friday, by Jennifer who is a tart. She totally ruined our anniversary. I asked other patron's about her and they had stronger word choice than tart... We don't like Jennifer. read more

The Alex at the Graham is a great place to have a drink if you like that speakeasy vibe. My husband and I started going when we found out they do live jazz on Saturdays (note: it's now Sundays). We've been two times and enjoyed ourselves each time. They have a great selection of cocktails (I loved the one with the turmeric, my husband loved the Applewood smoked one) and wines by the glass. The menu is really cute - designed to look like a newspaper. Food is...fine. I mean, it's a hotel restaurant. Not going to be fabulous, but certainly edible. The last time we went there we didn't have dinner so we had the deviled eggs, tuna tartare, and fig and goat cheese flatbread. All fine. The jazz is great, and the atmosphere is really cool. Service is good, but often slow - both times we've been there, there's been one woman working the floor (with some food runner help) and a bartender or two. She works hard. Seems that another waiter would help a lot. Bottom line: if you like speakeasies, you'll probably like the Alex. read more

The Alex - Super cute menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Cool newspaper menu with subpar drinks and poor service. I was pleasantly surprised that the friendly bouncers in the lobby typed in a code and let my husband and I in without a reservation. I had high hopes for this speakeasy with its prohibition cheek vibe and intriguing black and white newspaper menu. The service is really disappointing as the waitress refused to seat us and pointed to the bar even though there were open tables. A few small tables had Reserve signs, but no one sat there from the time I came to when I left. When I saw a small open table that didn't have a Reserve sign, I asked the waitress if my husband and I could grab it, and she grudgingly shrugged, so we took it. After waiting for another 20 minutes, we finally got our drinks. My husband got the iconic bathtub gin & tonic while I got the One Man Band pisco passion fruit cocktail and Brown Derby. While I enjoyed the creative presentation of the bathtub cocktail, I wasn't impressed with the overly sweet taste. The Brown Derby was hands down my favorite cocktail with Bourbon, grapefruit and honey. Great complementary flavors that blend well together. I would get it again! The craft cocktail cellar is pretty cozy with seating for under 30 people. It gets pretty cramped and some light background music would help. As it's tucked inside The Graham and hasn't gotten too popular yet, you might be able to drop in without a reservation. Not sure if I would stop by again just for drinks. I would be interested in making a reservation and coming back for live jazz on Sat nights. Stay tuned! I kept the newspaper as a fun memorabilia of the night. read more

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The Alex is a restaurant/speakeasy in the basement of the boutique hotel, The Graham, in Georgetown. If you take the stairs down, you'll see the walls decorated in chalk art. Once down, you'll be seated at one of the 20+ tables where you can order a decent cocktail. If you're a guest at the hotel, you can enjoy breakfast at The Alex early in the morning. My wife and I are Hilton Honor members and were given tickets to redeem free breakfast here. They serve a decent breakfast from a European continental breakfast to waffles to an omelette. My waffle was basic, but I did enjoy my avocado toast with a poached egg on top. The coffee is Illy and it's nothing to write home about. read more

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I was charged twice by this establishment and have left 3 voicemails that have gone unanswered by management to rectify the situation. Update, I have left many more messages and emails and have not heard back once. The drinks are average at best and not worth your money. Certainly not worth it when you get charged twice. read more

The Alex is a cool Jazz club speakeasy. We booked on Resy however they said they are only using open table which was confusing however we were still able to be seated. The band was great and played a mix of classic jazz and some other modern songs in a different way! The ambiance was cool including the lighting. Service was a little slow but they were friendly. The drinks were great but cocktails were expensive around $17-20. I didn't try any of the food but it looked good at the tables nearby. It wasn't too loud, we were still able to hold conversation which made the experience perfect for us! We had a lot of fun here and would go back. read more

The Alex - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The atmosphere was awesome! The cocktails were great! ... Why did I give it 3 stars? The server on the floor, I believe her name was Jennifer (or something like that - shorter lady with dark hair), her attitude was absolutely atrocious. Her attitude went completely against the vibe of this bar. You walk in, expecting to have a good time, and then you interact with her and you immediately want to leave. I would recommend for her to get a swift attitude adjustment, or find someone else who fits the bar's vibe more appropriately. The unfortunate thing is that all of the tables around us had the same experience. That cannot be good for the bar. Maybe she was having a bad day, but she needs to learn to compartmentalize, and be a proper ambassador of the establishment. Overall, impressed with the bar, not impressed with her. If she's working the floor, I recommend you sit at the bar, or prepare to be served by someone with a terrible attitude, likely to disrupt your experience. read more

When a friend of mine first suggested The Graham on a Thursday night I was reluctant. At the time, we were in a neighborhood far, far away and it just seemed like an aggressive social move. Little (Havana) did I know, this wasn't just a typical night at The Graham. We walked into the Graham's lobby and immediately turned to go downstairs. Although I knew the speakeasy was there, I didn't expect the intimate space to be filled with people dancing to a live, Cuban band. The energy was in the room was awesome, with the space full but not overly crowded. The drinks were delicious and although I didn't try the food, it looked pretty good! When I went to the bathroom upstairs, my friend handed me a little, gold piece of paper with the code to the door for re-entry, and while I'm sure that wasn't necessary, it was a nice fun touch. Definitely a fun move should you plan on stepping out on a Thursday night! read more

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I love a good speakeasy especially one with live jazz music (on Thursdays!). Reservations are recommended to be guaranteed a spot, however the particular Thursday that I visited, it was pretty empty. Drinks are good, food is okay but overpriced for what you get. I love the vibe and came for the jazz music and experience. read more

The Alex - Cocktail with Crème de violet I believe. - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I suppose it might be fair to say that I should have been prepared for the breathtaking prices. This is after all Georgetown and we're currently in a time of over inflated prices. The Alex Speakeasy, like many places, requires that you QR scan to get their menu. This was our first opportunity to see prices. Lowest option I saw was $17, with most drinks at $20. I understand the concept of hand crafted cocktails, some with unique ingredients, but it might be nice to have some less pricey options on the menu (other than beer). And maybe throw an amuse bouche or other small bar snack our way, since we're dropping $20 on just one small cocktail. Also of note is the automatic 20% service charge applied to every bill; this is posted on a sign behind the bar. To us "service charge" = "gratuity" so I hope the (very friendly) bartender and hostess got a share. The lounge is a very tiny, very dark space that gives the impression the hotel had an unused room in the basement they wanted to capitalize on. I can't even imagine what it must be like in that confined space when there's live music but based on older reviews that seems to be the primary reason people go. As a side note, it's a little inconvenient to have to traverse the stairs back up to the hotel lobby every time you need the restroom - also not much fun if you've had a few and you're wearing heels, I'd imagine. All in all there just wasn't enough of an experience here to justify the prices. read more

This place was so much fun. It speaks true to its speakeasy reputation. I got this amazing drink--and it was made in a mini bathtub! On Thursdays they have jazz which is so relaxing. Just make sure to contact them ahead of time if you want a table because it fills up quickly! Luckily their is open seating at the bar top. read more

The Alex - I got to drink out of a tub! - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Quiet Wednesday evening and we had the bar to ourselves, which allowed us you ave a great view of the mixologists working their magic! The bar tender was really skilled and seemed to have a good rapport with the waitstaff, which led to some fun conversation and smiles! All of the hand crafted drinks took a minute to come out AND they should have! These were basically worksnof art, people! While this is considered a "speak easy" it's not traditional in the sense of being secretive or giving your number to a weird guy and waiting for a call. They did have a pretty awesome "newspaper" where they had articles about prohibition and the drink list. The ambiance was low lit, which paralleled the "speakeasy" vibe they were striving for. I enjoyed it, recommend it, and will be back again! read more

The Alex - BCC: love letter - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We booked the Alex for our anniversary dinner. It was in no way romantic so don't expect to enjoy a quiet dinner and drinks. We did wander up to the rooftop bar when it opened at 8:00pm and the scenery is fantastic. But again the bar played really loud music and it was quite a pickup place. And beware of the valet parking cost - exorbitant. All in all a disappointing place to go for an anniversary celebration. read more

This little speakeasy in the basement of the graham hotel is such a cool find in DC. If you are a fan of really unique cocktails and a chill, upscale vibe, this is it. I enjoyed a drink called "the most" which was tequila based and delicious. My husband had the "I think I'll have a drink" which I believe was whiskey based. Also, very delicious and different. We tried the "bathtub gin" which is fun and original. Don't get sucked into ordering it just for the novelty of it though unless you like gin (which we do). We did not try food here as we had already eaten earlier in the evening but many food menu items sounded good. Our server was excellent and the whole staff was friendly and smiling. A huge plus. read more

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Ambiance and staff were sweet and kind. Great drinks, our flatbread was fantastic. Just the right blend. Great vibe, will be back.

We went here for brunch last week. Really cute charming speakeasy. We asked for their cocktail menu but they told us there was no cocktail menu during brunch. They do however have $1 mimosas! We both had the avocado toast with poached eggs on top. Overall good food and atmosphere but nothing to write home about. read more

The Alex - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I must say, this is one of my new favorite hidden gyms! This cozy Alexander Graham Bell themed restaurant and bar has so many delicious treats and drinks on their menu. Their specialty bathtub gin is a must when you visit! Both the gin and tonic are made in-house at the Alex! There is also a beautiful rooftop with a view of Rosslyn, Georgetown, and the monuments! I can't wait to return! read more

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