Our group of 6 had a wonderful birthday experience in the igloos which are on the patio outside the whisky bar (you must enter through the whisky bar). Igloos: We were greeted by name and shown to our igloo, which was set up with 2 heaters, a variety of comfortable seating and plenty of pillows and blankets. They also provide a Bluetooth speaker so you can play your own music. Once zipped up the igloo was warm and cozy. The igloos can accommodate a maximum of 6 people. Food and Drink: We received a celebratory complimentary champagne toast which was a nice touch. We chose seasonal cocktails which were delicious. The igloos have their own special menu, from which we chose raclette, sliders and hummus platter. The regular bar menu is also available. Everything was delicious and our server was so pleasant and full of information about the Watergate and its history. We finished with a selection of desserts. Parking is valet. Just let them know you're going to the bar. read more

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Gerber and the bartender (maybe Sean) were lovely! The rose in the ice cube made the whiskey on the rocks and my chamomile martini was unexpectedly delicious! read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Whiskey with a rose ice cube - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Washington, DC - I always find myself here post-show at Kennedy Center, as this is the closest place for drinks & nibbles (5-10 min walking distance without having to venture into Georgetown. Located in the lobby of the Watergate Hotel, Next Whiskey Bar is open late and serves fine cocktails and food; pricey but commensurate with lobby bars at comparably high-end hotels in major cities. The restaurant downstairs, Kingbird, closes by 9-10pm, but Next has usually been able to accommodate groups, which on this occasion was our party of 12 that staggered in at various times. They were very helpful in sorting us out and taking our orders at different times. Service, food, and drinks were all excellent. We were allowed to leisurely linger until closing time as people gradually ambled back to their rooms sleepily and tipsily. read more

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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! read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Appetizers: PB&J, oysters, shrimp cocktail - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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! read more

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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. read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Old fashioned - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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. read more

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What a beautiful, sparkly whiskey bar! The vibes are there. Located on the 1st floor of the Watergate Hotel, this gem has a nice selection of whisky options. The staff were helpful and friendly too. We came here on a Friday evening and started with bourbons, delicious! It was nice to end the evening going to the rooftop to see DC light up. read more

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. read more

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Not impressed with the igloo experience. We went for an impromptu date night because my boyfriend had never dined in an "igloo" before. The waitress was nice, but I didn't appreciate being reminded twice (once by the manager and then again by the waitress) about the $350 minimum and $50 reservation cost after we had already paid to make the reservation and all information was laid out during that process. Also, it doesn't make sense to have late reservations only to rush guests through the ordering process because the kitchen closes within an hour of YOUR advertised times. We were told the kitchen would close an hour after our reservation (9:30/10:30) only to then be told we had to order all of our food immediately upon sitting, dessert included, because the chefs wanted to "go home early"... this was extra annoying because the manager made us wait until 9:30 on the dot to go into the igloo although it was clean by around 9:20ish... seemed a bit unneccesary considering we were then rushed to order our full meal within the first 10 minutes of seating. The food was average at best. We ordered the caviar experience, truffle fries (which arrived cold...), hummus, stuffed shrimp (literally shrimp in thick coating... it's not "stuffed" with anything lol), creme brulee and multiple drinks (the drinks were good). You're really paying more for the experience but ours was marred by feeling rushed, a limited menu and cold fries. If we're spending $400+ on an evening (which is not unusual for us, we are huge foodies) I'm expecting a little more. There are other igloo experiences in the DC area with better menus at a lower price point that I would try before coming here. read more

For our last night in DC we decided to stop at the iconic Watergate Hotel. The rooftop bar was closed for the season but we were lucky to find The Next Whisky Bar was open again for business. We loved the atmosphere and ambience. The bartender, Gerber, was so friendly and attentive. He provided us top notch service. This is a must see location to enjoy a few cocktails and conversation. read more

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. read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Scotch & Chai - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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. read more

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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.

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

The Next Whisky Bar - The Next Whiskey bar. - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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! read more

The Next Whisky Bar - The Next Whisky Bar not just for tourists! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been coming to this whiskey bar for over 14 years, and it never fails to deliver. From quiet nights to birthday bashes, anniversaries, and even Mother's Day celebrations, this place has been part of some of my most cherished memories. What truly sets it apart--beyond the curated whiskey list and spot-on cocktails--is the phenomenal service. Bartenders Yaya & Kal absolute standouts. Their knowledge, warmth, and attention to detail take the entire experience to another level. Every drink is crafted with care, and they always remember your favorites--or surprise you with something even better. If you're looking for a place where every pour is precise, the vibe is relaxed yet refined, and the team feels like family, look no further. This bar isn't just a spot--it's a tradition. read more

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 read more

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What could be a very cool, swanky bar is instead underwhelming seemingly because of being understaffed. This is the hotel bar for the Watergate Hotel. When my wife and I spent the night there for our anniversary, we decided we'd check it out when we checked in. We've walked by before and it has a very cool vibe with curving (in the style of the Watergate building) "walls" made out of fake whisky bottles. It would be even cooler if they were real whisky bottles, but hey. It's also got very nice red, mid-century modern style chairs and swanky tables giving the place a fantastically on-point vibe--especially at night. That said, we showed up at 3:30 and found out they didn't open until 4:30p, which seems really odd--especially on a Friday. We instead got food at Tazza Cafe and came back after seeing a show at the Kennedy Center. We should have moved a tiny bit faster. While we (luckily) beat the rush to the seats and got two seats and a table before the whole post-show rush showed up, we didn't beat the rush to the line at the bar and I wound up waiting 20 minutes in line to get our drinks. On the one hand, rushes happen. On the other hand it just seemed like they were disorganized and only one of the three bartenders really knew what they were doing. My wife got a glass of champagne and I got Octomore scotch. Both in terms of champagne and scotch, the selection didn't disappoint. They only had three champagnes on the menu, but they were all respectable and my wife really enjoyed hers. Unsurprisingly given the name of the bar, they have an impressive whisky and scotch collection. As a big fan of peaty, Islay scotch, I've always wanted to try Octomore, which are the peatiest scotches in the world, but I've never had a chance. They had four on the menu, but only two actually available. Still, impressive selection and they were delicious. Even after the rush right after the show died down, it took us another ~10 minutes in line to order another set of drinks to take up to our room. I got the second Octomore and my wife got an old fashioned. The old fashioned was only OK and they ran out of big ice cubes, so instead served it with normal, partially crushed ice, which resulted in it rapidly being watered down and too cold. That's a lot of service misses, even more so when you realize the cocktails are $25 and the champagne and rarer whiskies ranged from $40 to $80. It's not that price point is necessarily too high, but it's too high to then not get the service right. read more

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. read more

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As a Bourbon enthusiast, I can appreciate the wide selection of brown water behind the bar at The Next Whisky Bar, however all of them come at a pretty penny. The prices here are downright scandalous. A pour of Old Grand Dad? $25. While the bar has great ambiance and is a nice place for an imitate drink or two, it's not a place to spend a long time at unless you are prepared to drop some major bucks. read more

It's a good concept but over all a no lol. I love the winter igloos which allow up to six people. Yay for social distance. The igloos have heaters inside as well as your own personal Bluetooth speaker. Igloo rentals start at $150 and there's a limit of $50 food/beverage order per person. Now let's talk about this limited expensive menu. Definitely don't come here if you're hungry or on a budget. You won't be happy. My friends and I got the meatballs, chicken, risotto and cheese board, all of which were $25+. You would think these would be great sizes but they aren't. Not a good value at all. The food was also lukewarm. Idk if it's because it's crazy cold outside or what. All cocktails start at $25 each too. While tasty, not worth it. The service was great. It's a nice experience but more than likely would not return. read more

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The Watergate is a hotel whose cheapest rooms still cost a fortune. Its place in history and its semblance of luxury should ensure high-quality training and info-sharing to make sure that employees at least treat both guests and short-term customers with some decency. This appears not to be the case. We tried to go to the hotel's "Top of the Gate" rooftop bar for an evening drink and were informed that it had closed early due to rainy weather. No problems there. The concierge who spoke to us suggested we go to the ground-floor bar, "The Next Whiskey Bar." It too was closed. Neither of these incidents would have been a problem, but the guys working at the latter bar actively laughed at my wife and myself, who simply told them we were told by one of their colleagues to in fact come there. It wasn't a snicker. It was a straight up laugh, like they pulled a fast one on us. Congratulations fellas, you won. Have you seen the menu here? Have you seen the prices of the hotel rooms here? Unless you love throwing away money, being actively laughed at by hotel staff, or have a Richard Nixon fetish, I'd advise you avoid this place like the plague. I'll never come here again. A saving grace is the front desk. They're excellent. But skip the bar(s) and go to the dozens of more creative, cheaper, and more deserving hangout spots within a 5-10 minute walk. read more

Do NOT visit this location if you are A) a true whiskey connoisseur, or B) looking to have a meal worth your time. Where do I begin? First, I reserved an iglooo online for the required $50 dollars. At no time do they tell you that your bill will be an additional $200 at closing. It' just pops up on your bill. Had to argue to get it removed. The manager and waitress apologized once I showed them the site and it's lack of mention... but it isn't a good feeling to be swindled in any fashion, or feel like a complainer. W/ that said... Pros: it's pretty inside. The bathrooms are nice Ya-Ya the bartender/waitress was pleasant. Cons: It's JUST a hotel bar masquerading as upscale. The quality of liquor is there, but the bartender didn't have large slow melting cubes... and when your drink is $35, you want more than basic ice cubes ... you want presentation and presence. I WOULD ONLY revisit for the photo opportunities but never for the bar read more

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Very mediocre. Came here after seeing a show at the Kennedy center and wanted to get some late night bites and drinks. My partner got a dessert which apparently they forgot about and I had to nudge several times to get the order. Then they said they couldn't get it and offered to get me another drink. I just asked for them to refund me and they were completely unable to process it and then we're amazingly able to turn up with the dessert. Thankfully I didn't miss getting out of the parking lot at the Kennedy center because I would have been stuck had they not got their act together at this place. I'm the big fan of the spa at the Watergate but not this place so I would not come back. read more

So this is a review of the igloo at the Watergate hotel. Yes the infamous igloos where reservation is always full! So, my friend booked an igloo for her bday and there were 6 of us. There was a minimum of $50 per person but since it's the Watergate, you know we spent more than $50 lol. So we pretty much got all the items on the food menu. Charcuterie, cheese board, meatballs, grilled cheese, calamari (it was ok and just tentacles which is cool I guess?), crab fritter in some kind of salsa verde, hummus, and I think 2 other things lol. As for drinks, they are $14 and above obviously $14 being the cheapest. I tried a few drinks which were very good and we had a shot of Jamison which went down smoothly. The igloo came with a space heater and a speaker where you can hook up your phone to ply music which is cool. It's got a couch and seats that are pretty comfy. Our waiter was very attentive which we enjoyed. We overall racked up a $664 tab lol plus tip so expect to pay a lot. I recommend to eat somewhere before going here because the food items are tiny like super tiny. Book in advance like way in advance. I'm talking like 3-4 weeks in advance. We enjoyed our experience here and would come back again with other friends or a romantic date! read more

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This was my first time staying at the Watergate Hotel. The drinks at the bar are a tad pricey, but definitely worth every Penny. The bartenders and servers are extremely attentive and the drinks are very delicious. I had an Old Fashion which was crafted to perfection. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end a workday. read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Drinks - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I absolutely love this lounge. It's super sexy and talk about a whiskey daydream! I'm getting moist just thinking about my experience here! Fill me up bartender! Lol The bartenders were very helpful at picking out a specialty cocktail for my palate to start my whiskey adventure! Thank you Yousef for being the man with the mixology plan! He is one of the best mixologists in DC for sure. That 1967 was just delicious! You can have just 1 but why would you neglect you liver like that! Go big or go home! Lol. Saruj was also nice, accommodating and did I mention handsome. He is married ladies soooo hands off! Haha. Anywho, I requested fireplace seating although they were not at the time lit. He quickly made sure my request was fulfilled, cut my cigar and made sure the dranks kept pouring! So now I'm sipping RedBreast 21yr while having a stick by a sexy fire. Mmmmm that's life. Thank you guys for a phenomenal experience read more

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It was a party of 6 for a friends birthday. We were outside within the igloos. It's super cute and warm inside the igloo and you are able to play music for your phone with their speakers. We ordered the whiskey flights, cocktails and a couple of appetizers. The waiter was attentive as well. It's quite pricey, but a nice experience. read more

The Next Whisky Bar - The igloo and cocktail - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ended my Valentine's evening here for after-dinner drinks with my boyfriend. A very sweet gentleman walking around the entire hotel dropped off single roses to everyone sitting in the bar, which was a very cute touch. I sipped on the Liz Taylor while he enjoyed the Warhol, which was on the sweeter side while my drink was on the tart end of things. Both drinks were beautifully made and presented by our bartender. I definitely underestimated the strength of Liz Taylor, but what's not to love about an unsuspecting strong woman?! A trio of mixed nuts is also presented to accompany whatever bev you decide to drink--the whisky list was also astounding (I mean duh)--Pappy Van Winkles and whiskys from all over the world. Only qualm, perhaps it's all of Watergate including the upstairs bar but we had to wait about 10 minutes for our bartender to stop chatting in order to get her attention. Quality made up for the wait. read more

Capped off a birthday weekend here and it did not disappoint. We visited the Next Whiskey Bar for the igloo experience, and I must say it was quite the experience. Nice, private, intimate, cozy, and warm. Upon arrival we were escorted to our private igloo, and we were welcomed with the nice feeling of warmth (which was needed on this cold winter day). The drinks were tasty as well as the food. Food is tapas style and limited selections so dont come with a large appetite. Only downfalls are the time limitation (1.5 hours) and the prices, but obviously they cant let people chill in here all day or they wouldnt make money and its D.C at the watergate so ‍. This is a nice intimate space, great for a date night or a gathering with a small group of friends. For a special occasion I would do it again! Ps. Shout out to Frances our individual hostess for our igloo. read more

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As a place to pop in for a drink and snack, after a show at the Kennedy Center, the Next Whisky Bar is practically guaranteed a bonanza. Great business model, right? Not a lot of options close to KC, so this place has a huge advantage. Imagine, well-heeled customers walk in on a Friday night after the show for a drink and a snack. What could go wrong? We found out! Arriving at 10:30 (on a Friday in one of America's biggest cities), we ordered the charcuterie and truffle fries, only to be told that the kitchen is closed. Wait, what? On a Friday night? And, how hard it is to prep some fries and a charcuterie board? So, no food other than the fruits and veggies in our drinks. The drinks were good, not going to lie. Enjoy the drinks, then? Better hurry! Waiter came around at 11 announcing last call. Again, on a Friday night at an establishment adjacent to the Kennedy Center from which patrons were steaming out after a show. We are all familiar with the labor shortage. It seems hard to believe this establishment cannot pay what it takes to keep staff at this "late" hour. No joke, some of the cocktails are $50 each. Each. As it costs just pennies to make these drinks, there's enough margin in there to pay staff well. We ended up going to the suburbs for a late night snack. You read that right. We did not eat in town after the show. We went to Alexandria for a bite. Bottom line: food and and drinks are very good. But get there early and be prepared to pony up for them. And somewhere in the bar's management chain there must surely be someone with enough business acumen to leverage its local, near monopoly. read more

For igloo experience: Reserving through open table was misleading. Paid $50 to reserve it but there was no mention on the ridiculous rental fee until you get the bill. Decor was mediocre, the chairs were worn out, views to nothing, was given bottles of deer park water, not even glasses to pour them in, expected a maybe Voss or Fiji water for the amount just to reserve and to top it off the plates were overpriced. $14 for a very small dish of warm olives and $25 for shrimp cocktail. I didn't expect to have a full meal here but c'mon. Star given because the overpriced drinks were good, server was nice and restrooms were neat and luckily I had good company. read more

What an embarrassing bar and restaurant to be associated with such a historic institution. We rented an igloo on a Friday night and made a reservation and deposit on Tock. We were unfortunately a bit late to our reservation and though we called ahead to ask if it was ok to arrive late and were told it was no problem, we arrived to an incredibly rude and unprofessional hostess named Dasha. She patronized us and dismissed our questions surrounding rental fees and food and beverage minimums and told us that we would be responsible for minimum charges either way and sat us in the igloo for a short amount of time (less than 30 minutes). After 30 minutes, our waitress moved us to a table in door and gave us a bill with a $300 rental fee plus a $75 food and beverage minimum charge for each person in our party. When we inquired about this $300 rental fee for the igloo that was no where mentioned on the reservation or before we were seated, the hostess Dasha became incredibly aggressive and combative and called over a security guard to mediate a conversation for her. I am completely appalled that the Watergate hotel would allow itself to be represented by such unprofessional and classless staff. I would absolutely avoid giving this institution your business for any reason. I am honestly embarrassed that I even was deceived by their marketing. The entirety of their food and beverage service needs to be redone. read more

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I have been pending this review for far too long, but it definitely deserves one. The Igloos at the Whiskey Bar was truly a beautiful experience, something I highly recommend everyone to do. We were greeted by the host at the door who set us up with our igloo and the menus, our waiter was very nice and accommodating, answered all of our questions, even offered to make nonalcoholic cocktails off the menu. There were 8-10 igloos in the back of the whiskey bar and we did reserve them in advance for a 2 hour spot. It was pretty cold outside so did not think we would be able to stay outside for too long but there were a bunch of things inside that made our stay comfortable. (Bluetooth speaker to connect music, personal heater, cozy blankets, lots of pillows, chairs (6-8), Lanterns for decor.) I did go in there very hungry expecting a large food menu but it was a small bar menu which we selected half of the things from. The best thing I cannot recommend enough is the lamb chops. We ordered 2 of those because it was just phenomenal, the meat fell right off the bone. Along with that we ordered chicken satay, and the cheese board which was also very good, because of our waiter I ended up going to Dean and DeLuca's later to buy a block of Os-sou irate cheese. The only thing we weren't big fans of were the Korean wings, calamari and the grilled cheese sandwich -they tasted like they were sitting out for a while and we did not finish. Overall, for the 2 of us we spend a little over $200 under 2 hours but it was expected and worth it. It's a good place to celebrate and occasion so do it for the experience and the atmosphere. Their service is excellent and it's a gorgeous hotel. I will be back. read more

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A high-end selection compromised by low-grade service. The good stuff: This place is pure coolness. The ambiance (very retro inside, and, during the winter, sexy igloos outside) is remarkably cool. The overall atmosphere is a great blending of luxury and the vintage fame of the Watergate, which I particularly liked. The drinks and food were pretty darn great across the board. The Watergate's always had a mixed reputation in D.C., and for more reasons than just the political scandal, and this place does a lot to make the Watergate cool again. The bad: the service here is awful, and it compromises the entire experience. I dropped a pretty significant sum here to reserve three outdoor luxury igloos in the bar, and my group (~20 thirsty adults ready to spend, no less!) was pretty much abandoned by the servers. We'd likely have ordered three times as much as we actually did if it weren't for the nonexistent service. At one point, I had to wait well over thirty minutes to get my check, forcing me to awkwardly sit around and stare at my phone while they fixed a "technical issue." Given how much we spent (and how much we were willing to spend!), the service issues were simply inexcusable. read more

This place should be a bucket list for everyone visiting DC, or locals who love to check out all the cool places. First off, it's in the Watergate Hotel, which just screams DC! Second the ambiance is killer - red velvet, old school music, 100s of scotch and whiskey choices, and the coolest Instagram worthy wall! The Next is located right on the ground level just last registration, although you can't miss it. The Watergate entrance for vehicles is a little congested and tight so I would recommend an Lyft. The staff was helpful and courteous, brining our drinks out to wherever we were able to find a seat. They carry my favorite scotch, which is a bit pricey, but they give you a good serving size. {Glenmorangie Nectar de Or}. While you are here, check out the cool inside of the hotel and some of the decor downstairs. It's a very DC place to visit. read more

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Worst Valentine's day experience. My boyfriend and I rented an igloo for V-day and I never write reviews but I definitely felt like I needed to write about this experience. We paid $250 to reserve the igloo, which is definitely overpriced but I have always wanted to experience the igloo so we decided to go for it. When we first got to the igloos, it was a little disappointing because there is no view and they're all alongside a cement wall, but the inside of the igloos were decorated very cute. There were lots of V-day decorations, roses, fuzzy blankets, a heater and a bluetooth speaker which was nice. We decided to order some appetizers to start, and went with a charcuterie board ($32) and bruschetta ($37). When the food came out, it was the most underwhelming thing you could've imagined. How can someone charge so much nothing but a few pieces of dry bread and four slices of salami & prosciutto. The bruschetta were dime-sized and just sad. I just want to say, we don't mind splurging every now and then on expensive food, and we don't expect to have gigantic food portions at all. But for the prices of what we ordered, the food was just awful. At this point, I felt like we were getting scammed big time. We didn't want to risk ordering an overpriced entree, so we just ended up ordering truffle fries which were decent. On top of the underwhelming overpriced food, the staff were so unfriendly and rude. We booked the igloo for 90 minutes, and after less than an hour, our server tried to tell us that they were going to re-seat us inside because the igloo was booked for another reservation. I insisted that we had booked the igloo for 90 minutes but the server rudely told us we were wrong, and then went inside to check, and never came back or apologized. Then at the end of this super awesome experience, they handed us the bill with having already charged us with a 20% tip. Nice...So for a total of three small appetizers and five drinks, our bill came out to $270. Imagine paying $510 for a Valentine's day dinner and not even eating dinner. We should've eaten at a michelin star restaurant or stayed at a five star hotel for that price. read more

My co-worker and I grabbed a quick drink before heading to dinner and the waitress recommended the Concorde which is Bourbon with aperol, amaro and lemon. This was my first time having a cocktail that contained bourbon and it was a refreshing drink! Light and subtle, but quenched my thirst after a long day. Along with the drinks, the waitress brought out an assortment of snacks which consisted of roasted salted almonds, spicy peanuts, wasabi peas and tobacco wasabi peas. The snacks paired well with the drink and the spiciness packed a punch with the light drink. I would definitely recommend this place for drinks and would come back again! read more

The Next Whisky Bar - Concorde w/snacks - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As guests of The Watergate Hotel, we expected much better. We returned from dinner at 11:30 and went to the bar. We were told that last call had been called. We were denied service!!! The posted hours were until 12:00. Spoke to the front desk, and a lovely woman went to the bar and tried to help. We were served AT the front desk, but we were told we could not sit in "The Next Whiskey Bar," where ample seating was available. Chris, who identified himself as the manager, was dismissive and rude. He directed us to enjoy our whiskey in the lobby or the library, which had no seating available. We took our drinks to our suite. He was a total see you next Tuesday. Without a doubt, this interaction casts an unfavorable view of our experience at this historic hotel. read more