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The Next Whisky Bar

3.4 (111 reviews)
PriceyWhiskey Bars
Closed 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM
Updated 3 months ago

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THE NEXT WHISKY BAR ATMOSPHERE

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Moderate noise
Trendy
Classy
Upscale

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Recommended Reviews - The Next Whisky Bar

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Appetizers: PB&J, oysters, shrimp cocktail
Barbie J.

Fun and cozy bar with an amber lighting glow! The food was very good. Especially the PB&J appetizer. Chicken liver mousse with crunchy pralines and sweet Concord grape syrup. So unique and tasty. Also loved my cocktail, The Sunset Clause: tequila, lime, green apple, salt. My husband loved his whiskey. We will be back!

Inside
Amanda T.

Stopped by The Next Whiskey Bar for a cocktail before dinner at Kingbird. The lounge area has a fun vibe that goes well with the Watergate decor. It is modern, yet still tipping its hat at retro. I love the comfy chairs and the walls built with bottles are pretty cool. The space is large enough for small groups with more seating at the bar. It looks like they have a nice outdoor seating area as well, for when the weather is pleasant. Our server was friendly and attentive. The cocktail menu is fairly diverse and the drinks we tried were delicious. I would definitely come back the next time we are in the area. Thanks!

Old fashioned
Tim S.

what a great bar that seems like it doesn't get talked about in town. My gal surprised me with a trip to DC last weekend. On top of that, was the surprise we would be staying at the WaterGate Hotel. We noted the lobby lounge when we were checking in, and made note to stop in later in the evening And that we did, around 6pm ,to start our night. It's a hotel bar so didn't expect much, but maybe those low expectations helped magnify how nice s to-in it was. the wall/entrance is build out of clear whisky bottles. It created a cool ambiance to start things off. The base of the bar was similarly adorned with rows of bottles. The 2 bar keeps were quick to say hello and offer up a drink. I noted that they really were a whisky bar with a few good options, so I got a nice 12 year scotch. I asked for it neat, with a water on the side. The bartender without me having to ask, set a water dropper next to the drink. I hadn't seen that nice touch in a while. Impressive. We were on our way quick, but did stop in the next night. I had a Old Fashioned that was on point that time. Some good old rock, was playing and the crowd was in a good mood too. Hopefully we are back soon, as this is my whisky bar in DC.

Crab dip.
Emma G.

This is as close to the dictionary definition of style over substance as you can get. You can tell why more people probably eye this place up than its bar/restaurant counterpart 100 feet away in the Watergate lobby area - it has a very social media friendly wall/entrance area composed of glass bottles that manages to look bougie instead of tacky because it IS in a five-star hotel after all - and just has more of a unique vibe than the Kingbird, which for all of its positives DOES just look like a generic high-end establishment. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I actually tried to go in here immediately when we got to the Watergate earlier in the afternoon but we were told that it wasn't open until later (so it also has the exclusivity edge). Since it took us forever to walk to the Lincoln Memorial, we actually ended up returning here later than anticipated after it had finally opened so we decided to sample more of the Watergate wares before heading off on more adventures. Eh. Given that this place very obviously touts itself as a whiskey bar, I was disappointed that they didn't have more mainstream bourbon options. They DO have a barrel-aged cocktail section, but it was a little TOO high-end for my taste this early on - everything in that section was $35. Mileage may definitely vary there. It's a nice hotel so I think there's an expectation that you're going to be paying a pretty penny for almost anything, but I think $35 for most of the bourbon offerings is egregious. I went with the Virginia Ave from the $25 section of the menu, and was not a fan (so I may have dodged an additional $10 bullet). It was insanely sweet with no kick whatsoever, and the most egregious part of it for me was the inclusion (see attached picture) of a large cucumber peel that took up a decent chunk of the glass. Cucumber is actually one of my least favorite foods/tastes and there's no mention of it in the drink description. Huge miss for me. The one highlight for me was the Maryland Crab Dip. We ended up splitting that as an app even though it was listed in the entree section, and both of us really enjoyed it. The crab dip gold standard for me is still at the Cloverleaf in Caldwell, NJ, but this was probably in the tier right below that. Very cheesy (maybe a little too much because it slightly drowned out the crab), but really good, and the toasted bread was on point. Would get it again in a heartbeat, and arguably the best bang for the buck we encountered in the Watergate. The service was very good as well; from the minute we walked into this hotel, every single staffer was on their game, and it effortlessly translated from the initial doorman to random employees we happened to walk past by the restrooms, to the bartenders. A huge tribute to the Watergate, as they've clearly trained these people well (in hindsight, I was probably completely and utterly surrounded with school of hospitality graduates beyond simply my chum). It didn't completely cancel out a substandard element of the experience but it definitely smoothed it out a bit. Neither of the bar/restaurants we tested out here blew me away and honestly I'd choose the Kingbird over this just based on the quality of their drink. But if I DID come back to this one? I might have to hold my nose and hang out in the $35 section of the cocktail menu.

Whisky Burger Truffle Fries
Kimber V.

I was stopped by to grab a drink and something to eat before my showtime at the Kennedy Center. Underground parking was easy and convenient. The bar is on the ground level of the Watergate hotel. The servers are attentive and friendly. I enjoyed everything we ordered. My drink was a perfect blend of flavors. This is definitely a good restaurant option before a Kennedy Center performance.

Scotch & Chai
Ifeoma I.

This is a cute whisky bar located on the first floor of the watergate hotel in DC. It is also a few minutes away from the Kennedy Center, so makes for a nice pre-drink and snacks location before a show. It is also quite intimate and romantic, so you can also stop by for a date, or an intimate gathering with friends to celebrate an occasion. Note that the menu options are on the pricy side! Be prepared to spend a little, as the cheapest cocktail was ~$25. The menu is also not super extensive, but there are a few wine options too along with some food items like a charcuterie board, a few sliders, and dips. The staff was very nice and respectful, and the bathroom was very clean and spacious. We stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and there was a lot of seating space. Would recommend if you're in the area and willing to spent a bit.

Menu
Nikita D.

Located on the first floor of the watergate hotel, next is beautiful bar. Our reservation was for the winter igloos which were decorated well and definitely a worthwhile experience. The igloos had a heater inside that got quite warm so we never felt cold as well as a Bluetooth speaker to play your own music. Our waiter was attentive and always walking around so we could flag them if we needed anything. The food was decent but the portions are definitely bite sized. If you want a full entree meal this is not the place.

The Next Whiskey bar.
Theresa P.

Excellent Whistler Old Fashion! The Bone Marrow was delicious! Cool vibe with the wall of bottles.

The Next Whisky Bar not just for tourists!
Daniel M.

The Next Whisky Bar is located on the first floor of the Watergate Hotel 2650 Virginia Avenue in D.C. Next door at 2600 Virginia Avenue is the Watergate Office Building where on the 6th Floor in the office of the Democratic National Committee on June 17, 1972, five burglers were arrested at 2:30 in the morning. The burglary and the coverup ultimately led to the resignation of President R.M. Nixon in August of 1974. The bar is a swanky, intimate and serene cocktail lounge. E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, the architects of the break-in and originally key functionaries in The White House Special Investigations Unit (aka The Plumbers, known as this since their job was to stop leaks) were staying in room 214 of the Hotel during the burglary. The bar entrance is quite spectacular, aglow with 2,500 illuminated whiskey bottles. The red velvet chairs are an inviting offering to sip a few and are more comfy than they appear. The Charcuterie Board was okay for noshing but nothing spectacular. While The Watergate Complex is a part of history, the Next Whiskey Bar was not frequented by Nixon's Attorney General & Campaign Manager John Mitchell and his wife Martha (aka The Mouth of the South) as it was not created until a total hotel renovation completed in 2016. In addition to the Mitchell's the Watergate has been the home of many D.C. luminaries. Enjoy The Next Whiskey Bar at the Watergate!

Bathroom so clean!!! The automatic water faucets were hard to activate tho
Nisha B.

Came to have dinner with a friend on a Thursday evening. The restaurant can be found by going up what looks like a Garage next to the front of the hotel. I opted for valet, which was $20. The guy literally parked my car 20 feet away. I could have done that myself. When I called the front desk to ask about parking, I was told $12 for 3 hour restaurant parking. Not sure what the change in price was, or I got over worked. I was running slightly late so I paid the money. The restaurant is clean and beautiful! The restrooms are downstairs and are soooo clean. The only pipe was that the sink water was automatic and I had to try several sinks until I found one where the water was pouring out. We reserved an igloo for the outside dining experience. These are not on a rooftop but directly on the ground, next to the main restaurant. There were 2 heaters inside, so the temp was perfect on a December evening. The igloos are designed like the "Nixon" era - theme of the hotel. There is a fake record player that is actually a Bluetooth speaker - of which we were able to play our music! Great taste! The couch was comfy but sat low to the ground, so made it a little weird to sit upright and eat. * Truffle Fries - DELISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would come back Just for these fries * Salmon entree - the Salmon was good. I wasn't a fan of the avocado / onion spread * Shrimp cocktail - Huge pieces of shrimp with chorizo on the ends. Good Our cocktails were quite tasty. Our waiter was very nice!!! Towards the end of our dining experience however, he kept walking out and not zipping the igloo back up. And he seemed to kind of rush us out after a little bit over an hour. Nice experience, altho would I like to try another restaurant / igloo during these covid winter months

Igloo Food Menu
Vy H.

IGLOO REVIEW ONLY. My girlfriends and I came here this past Sunday afternoon to celebrate my birthday in their winter igloo. We reserved an igloo during a day/time that had a pricing of $150 rental fee and a $50 food/beverage minimum per person. The menu looked limited--there was a small selection of tapas and shared plates, and not many cocktail options, but you were able to order basic cocktails (vodka soda, etc.) that weren't listed on the menu. Everything just looked extremely overpriced--a cocktail or champagne/wine started off at $25 per glass. The tapas, which are relatively small since they are considered to be "shareable" started off at $27 a dish. Although it was cold outside, the igloos were well heated inside--I noticed there were two portable heaters in ours! The igloos are located on the patio next to the Whiskey Bar and right next to the hotel valet entrance--which was a bit disappointing given there was no great view except a wall of green bush behind us. I came here two years ago for their igloo experience and it was located downstairs with a view of the Potomac River. The decor inside the igloo this time was also quite mediocre. However, as the sun sets, you could get some beautiful pictures inside the igloo. Overall, we had a great time together as we usually do regardless where we are. The service was great--our server was attentive and very friendly.

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3 months ago

So I stayed at the wattergate hotel so I had this place two times during my stay. The food was average definitely wasn't worth the price.

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Review Highlights - The Next Whisky Bar

The Next Whisky Bar is located on the first floor of the Watergate Hotel 2650 Virginia Avenue in D.

Mentioned in 26 reviews

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The Next Whisky Bar - whiskeybars - Updated May 2026

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