Not to be confused with Free State Distillery in Upper Marlboro (though many also call it Arthur…read moreWheeler Spirits haha), this place is located just off of the main street in chinatown, and it's surprisingly lowkey. It's a basement bar with a bit of a dive vibe, but it's hard to ignore the nautical, blue crab theme throughout. Turns out that one of the owners is a Marylander, which is cool to see reflected in the decor in a place in dc, even though it is next door. They have a happy hour and they have a great variety of drinks in general. It's bring-your-own-food (BYOF) and there are a bunch of delicious looking Asian spots nearby, including upstairs. It didn't start getting crowded until closer to 10, which, as I said, is surprising for this part of town to me. Everywhere in Chinatown is not going to be packed and busy, and this place is here to remind you of that. Stop by if you're looking for a more chill vibe. Staff are pretty cool.

Free State is perfect for a chill bar in the Downtown area. It's exactly the kind of place you want…read moreto share a few drinks and be able to hear the person in front of you. I had a delicious orange crush drink and my friend had a sangria. The bartenders are extremely chill and nice; they only come up when you need it which is nice for good conversation. I'll easily be back when I want to catch up with friends without a speaker blaring in our ears. Great place to introduce to more people!

Cucina Morini is a delightful dining experience that truly lives up to its reputation, especially…read moreduring martini hour. With $7 martinis available from Monday to Sunday in their cozy lounge, it's an ideal spot to unwind with friends. I sampled several cocktails and found each one to be exceptional, but the standout for me was the Cala Rossa a sweet yet refreshing delight. After enjoying our share of martinis, our appetites kicked in, prompting us to check for a table. The staff was incredibly accommodating, allowing us to sit at the bar. We indulged in their pasta offerings, opting for the Capelletti and Rigatoni, both of which were delicious and perfectly cooked. Cucina Morini combines great service, delicious food, and a vibrant atmosphere, making it a fun visit for anyone looking to enjoy a fantastic night out.

Cucina Morini is an excellent place for solo dining. I secured a last minute reservation for a…read morespecial Memorial Day Morini Monday for myself. Not saying that dining companions are distracting, but I felt like I could fully experience the flavor of both the Taglioni Neri and Gnocchi, both half portions at $10 each, better on my own. When the dishes came, I saw that the sauces were both red and feared they would taste too similar. After one fork full of each, they are quite clearly distinct. The standout in the Neri were the shellfish for me. Even though they were small bits, the pieces tasted fresh. In the Gnocchi, the saltiness of the prosciutto, though not overwhelming, paired well with the basil sauce. I finished a little more than half of each plate before boxing it up for a small lunch the next day. The service was great and the tall ceiling and windowed dining room provided a nice atmosphere. It was a cloudy and rainy Memorial Day, but I wondered what the sunlight looked like shining through those high windows. How lovely a space they have created to enjoy fine Italian dining in.

Stopped by this wine bar for dinner on a weekday and was able to walk in. I'd heard good things…read moreabout the drinks here but wasn't sure if there would be good dinner food.. and I was pleasantly surprised! Loved the moody vibe of the wine bar, it felt very cool, cozy and sophisticated. We sat in a booth under a red light so unfortunately my food picture turned out super red. Friends loved the selection of orange wine, and we ordered mcbetty truffle fries, shrimp scampi, honey whipped goat cheese, shishito peppers, and caesar salad for 4 people. Highlights were definitely the shrimp scampi with focaccia and fries, with the goat cheese on bread as a close third. A little pricy for the portions but honestly impressed with the variety of flavors and quality of the food. Service was ok, food came out a little slower than expected. I had really hoped to pick up some pastries (miss those baked joint cupcakes!) but seems like they don't sell them in evening. I'll have to come back for brunch/lunch to get some!

Great vibe inside, but not super impressed with the experience at la Betty. The interior space is…read morecozy and cool, but it lacks a lot of the warmth of what I love about a restaurant. You seat yourself and order at the bar, servers will bring you your food as it's ready. The food was good, but portions were tiny. The whole menu is labeled as shareable, but the butter beans literally had maybe 15 beans with toothpicks to share... the fries were pretty good, but for $12 for just a bowl of fries, I would expect exceptional. I liked the chili crisp salmon, but it didn't blow me away, and the portion size for $18 was so small. I did think the Parker house rolls were fantastic, and they came out piping hot, which was delightful. The mocktail option was also excellent! I really wish they would reconsider only having Baked and Wired pastries available in the morning- you only have one rotating cake option available for dessert, and it would've been nice to be able to enjoy more. I did not think the service experience here merited an automatic, unchangeable 20% gratuity. There's very minimal service- you are just brought your food and a water carafe. And while everything on the menu looked and tasted good, the tiny portions for items labeled as shareable didn't feel quite right. A fun place to stop in for a glass of wine, but I didn't love the experience enough to be eager to return.

This place has been here forever, and I have walked by it so many times. A friend finally invited…read moreme out and it was such a blast! Every wine I tried was something totally new. They were on the tail end of their winter menu, and the sparkling wine that my friend was super excited about was phased out. But I just told the staff what kind of wine I was in the mood for and they chose something wonderful for me. I took pictures of the bottles, I'll track those down and post them later. I'm glad I managed to find red and white wines that I enjoyed. I also noticed that they had a crunchwrap on their menu and I had to try it. It was smaller than I thought, but the flavors going on?? Spectacular. There will also these dumplings... SWEET POTATO DUMPLINGS! And they had sage and candied walnuts. Ultimately they tasted more like a dessert, but I was obsessed with those and loved how unique they were. I'd return here, there's just too much good stuff to try! Can get pricey if you want to try a lot of wines, though.

Lovely place for a drink! I decided to get an old fashioned which was quite good! Also ordered the…read moreburrata which was delicious! Service was very friendly and quick!

This Thai restaurant is the best in the city. Their food is consistently flavorful, fresh, and…read moredelicious. The service is timely and effective. Plus, the ambience is a mix of relaxation and class. I ordered the Lychee Martini to start, followed by the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp. It was cold, fresh, and so flavorful. Plus, it packed a punch. Although I normally eat the pork belly with fried rice, I decided to go with the Tom Yum Fried Rice with Shrimp, which did not disappoint. The freshness and spicy/sour flavors really delight the pallet. Plus, the pepper tray provides vinegar and hot sauces to supplement, if needed. The owner not only cares about the quality of the food in this restaurant, but about his customers and the community. I haven't visited for a while, and the staff still remembered my standard order. That attention to detail is something that makes people feel appreciated and want to come back again and again. Kudos to Baan Siam for their success year over year!

Amazing Thai food at this restaurant. Got the green mango Salad, chicken wings, khao soi, and beef…read morecurry. The mango salad was delicious, I could eat that all day. The khao soi had good flavor, and it came with rice. The chicken wings were for my son, he said they were the best wings he's ever had. The beef curry had good flavor, but the beef was a bit overcooked. Service was a little bit of a miss. When the waiter first came, he asked us for our food order. However, we wanted to order drinks first. I was able to order my cocktail, however, the waiter left before anyone else at my table could speak to order a beverage. Food came out very quickly. This is not the type of place where you would want to enjoy drinks and food over a period of time. However, if you are super hungry, your food will definitely get to you quickly. Restaurant was crowded, but not super loud. Overall, I would come back for the food, I just wish that I could have more time to enjoy my restaurant experience.

What a delightful brunch! I met coworkers here and was able to share some appetizers and more. We…read moreagreed to share escargot and this goat cheese ball. We received two lovely bags of bread... I will say, I thought there was more in the bags than there actually was, but I loved that presentation haha. I decided to branch out from brunch norms and get this Manhattan ... The Ba'Nanhattan. The notes were very nutty and it had dried bananas in it, I loved it! I tried my coworker's cucumber drink, and as someone who does not like cucumbers, I couldn't deny how refreshing and summery that was. I was on the fence about a couple of entrees, but I decide to get the BECC... Bacon egg & cheese croissant. WHEW! That thing was so flaky and every ingredient was simply delicious. I was the only one at the table that didn't get potatoes with my entree... I went for the fruit instead. Little did I know that it was going to be all melons. I only started liking watermelon last year, and that was fine, but the cantaloupe?? I still don't like it. I could have asked to swap out but I didn't want to be difficult. And I didn't ask what kind of fruit it was, so that is on me. After this brunch experience, I'll be curious to come on other occasions. Happy hour, dinner.... I usually don't go for French food, but I liked what I had and I would definitely return.

Came here to meet some former work buddies I hadn't seen in at least a year. The setting is nice…read morewith some varied seating. The service was great and attentive. The food came out pretty quickly; I just wasn't impressed with it. I ordered a happy hour cocktail - the tequila honeysuckle. I was told it is tequila with ginger, honey and a touch of lime juice - it tasted really watered down. no bite from ginger or tart from lime at all. I should've went with the wine which my companions had and enjoyed, after all it is a wine bar. They offered a DC restaurant week menu even though restaurant week hasn't officially started so that was a nice surprise. For my three courses. I had the tomato and peach salad, the steak frites and the Peach Melba. The fruit seemed to be under ripe, so the tomatoes and peaches in both dishes were very firm and not sweet. In fact, I could barely cut the peach in the Peach Melba with a spoon and so I took two bites of it before I called it quits. The frites were very good. I ordered the steak medium but it was a little overdone, not juicy and underwhelming in flavor. Overall, I enjoyed the visit because it was a great opportunity to catch up with my companions, but if I come again, I think I'll just stick to wine.

The restaurant was very busy when we arrived, but service was still smooth and swift. I wouldn't…read moresay the Korean food is particularly authentic, but it was a decent American twist on Korean cuisine and still tasty. The tteokbokki came with additional vegetables and mushrooms, and their banchan were quite good. The mandu was meaty which I appreciated too. I wouldn't come back because I didn't feel the value was quite there (very pricey) but it was still an enjoyable meal overall. The ambiance was nothing special, and I do wish the bathroom had been cleaner.

This is our first time visiting Washington DC, and we haven't found many great dining options near…read moreour hotel. We discovered this spot on Yelp. The moment the banchan (Korean side dishes) arrived and we took our first bites, we knew we'd stumbled upon an outstanding Korean restaurant. Every side dish is prepared authentically and tastes fantastic. Our first main dish to come out was kimchi fried rice with beef. While it isn't made using a fully traditional Korean method, it was absolutely delicious -- easily the best kimchi fried rice I've had in the past few years. We also ordered their signature pork and potato stew. It was excellent; the chili flavour was smooth, and every ingredient was wonderfully seasoned. Our server was incredibly polite and friendly, and we were happy to leave a tip for them. We plan to come back tomorrow evening, but unfortunately, our server told us they might not be working then. This Korean restaurant is highly recommended. If you're staying nearby or travelling in Washington DC, I'd strongly suggest stopping by to enjoy their wonderful Korean food.

Amazing service and incredible drinks! Graham is the best bartender in the city…read more Also the creativity is unmatched! Order what you want from the menu but they are also willing to make you specialized drinks to your liking.

Love this place because it's such a casual spot to drink after dinner or if you're in the area. I…read morehad never been before to a place that allowed outside food and now I think more should!

Alem is an excellent server. Very professional and engaging. When I come back to this restaurant, I…read morewill definitely ask for her.

Arrived late this evening dropped bages and hustled down for supper before close…read more Nice folks, nice location in main lobby of the Westin... Now the review.. where on God's green earth in this day and age does an establishment that sells a hamburger NOT have an extra patty option??? The server was a good dude but told me each patty was an uncharted for an entire burger meal... my order is no bun, no fries, no salad and no fruit.... why the heck would I agree to 25 bucks for a patty as an add on... Ill pay the first hit as a matter of menu price but... not the same for just another patty.. I don't know what sort of vodoo happened here but the good staff figured it out and I got a couple of patties extra without the terrible fee... I did pay extra and thats great. Cant say ill come here again because without a standard approach, I cant say ill get the same price... standards matter. I get it Get on board please... this is not the stone age and we have technology... its also a very very common thing for extra protein.. This is not typical and id guess that less than 2% of the placedls I eat cant figure this out... DC was not a place I'd think would be stuck. Won't be eating here again for this week's stay simply because I dont want to have to wrangle the meal each time ... I just would like to eat and go.. Thank you for figuring it out late at night This is more for management... you got good food and good folks.. fix your POS please.

What a nice divey spot! I met up with some friends for a birthday and this was one of our stops…read more There was a live band wrapping up, and I appreciate it that it wasn't too loud even though it was a smaller space. The staff were nice and they had quite a selection of beers. When I went to the bathroom, I noticed a beer pong towards the back, how cool is that??? If you're looking for divey vibes, there aren't many places where you can top this honestly. It's a good spot!

Nice & Easy is a fun dive bar with americana decor and good music. The pool table was also really…read morecool, and it made the night feel more like a hangout than just a bar stop. I got the Long Thailand Iced Tea and wow... it tasted like boba tea with that strong black tea flavor. Definitely recommend trying it. Drinks are solid and affordable. Bathrooms aren't great. But honestly, it to be expected for a place like this, it's still a good spot for a casual night out.