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    Vortex

    3.9 (63 reviews)
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    VORTEX ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    DJ
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Vortex

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    Dr F.

    Too many steps and the service was very slow. The owner offered free tequila shots for those who wanted it and our food was prepared to go for the inconveniences. Vortex Restaurant & Lounge, a Black women-owned, three-story venue in Washington, D.C. that combines modern American dining, Afro-Caribbean-inspired cuisine, craft cocktails, and nightlife. The first thing that stood out was the unique décor and design. The restaurant featured a sky-blue vortex design flowing down the walls and windows, along with a dramatic black accent wall decorated with black sunburst circles. The atmosphere was creative, bold, and definitely made a statement. The venue is designed with different experiences on each floor--dining, cocktails, and a more energetic lounge atmosphere with DJs and nightlife events. Experience: One major drawback for me was the location of our dining area. We had to climb approximately 35 steps to reach the third floor, and that was a major turnoff. After making that climb, I decided I was done and ready to leave, and my food was packaged to go. While I appreciate the vision behind the space and the effort to create a full entertainment experience, the number of stairs made the experience less enjoyable for me. Final Take: Ownership: Black women-owned Design: Unique, bold, and artistic with the blue vortex theme and black sunburst wall Atmosphere: Creative, energetic, nightlife-inspired Accessibility: 35 steps to the third floor was a major downside Food Experience: Took my food to go Overall: Vortex has a lot of personality and a beautiful concept, but the stairs and third-floor setup impacted my experience. I appreciated supporting a Black women-owned business, but the climb was enough for me to say I was ready to go.

    Chicken Fried Rice
    Shakiera P.

    I have to say the chicken, and crab flat bread was my favorite! The service was excellent! She gave suggestions, and even shared photos of her favorite entrees. The ambiance was amazing I sent a photo of my sister to there email, and the posted it on the big screen. We were seated on the 2nd floor.

    Spicy Mango Limeade
    Dominique F.

    Birthday Brunch It was a big group but we were able to sit quickly. Parking - there is street parking but it also parking garages Service - It was about 16 of us and the waitress di a great job! The manager came over to check if everything was ok. Food - I ordered the Oxtail Ragú Dinner - the oxtail was good but the noodles weren't so good. My friend have the chicken fried rice , the chicken was good but the rice was semi cold. Overall the place is cool I would definitely come back to try it out again.

    French 75, spicy marg, and strawberry mocktail
    Sabrina G.

    Let me start by saying I definitely need to go back for a redo. First, my sister and I were standing outside looking confused trying to figure out which door to enter until someone finally came to let us know they opened at 5:00. Once we were seated, we didn't receive waters for a few minutes, and our server came to the table a little later than expected -- especially since we were the only ones on the first floor and among the first guests there at opening. It appeared that the owner (or maybe a manager) was standing at the bar speaking with the bartenders, and although we were seated right nearby, no one acknowledged us initially. I did ask to speak with a manager, but just as the woman in the green blazer said "one moment," our server walked up -- so there was no longer a need. Now, I will say this: our server was extremely nice and polite. She did a great job once she came over. The HH menu just didn't have many food options for me personally, so I opted for a mocktail, and we decided to grab food elsewhere. The drinks? A solid 5/5. No complaints there. The overall service at the start felt a bit unprepared, like they were still getting settled. That said, it might have been because we arrived right at opening on a Friday . The space itself is really cute inside, and I'd still love to come back to try brunch or dinner. I'm definitely open to giving it another shot!

    Keisha H.

    I came here for brunch with friends on a Sunday. It surprisingly wasn't crowded, maybe because temperatures have begun to drop. A DJ set up during our time there and the DJ was pretty good. They have bottomless of course, which I think is $40. I got the vortex chicken sandwich and OH MY! That sandwich had to be amongst one of the best chicken sandwiches I ever had! This was no ordinary bland chicken sandwich. It was very moist and full of flavor. Trust me, you will not regret getting it. The least popular meal was probably the French toast. Besides that, everyone raved about their food. I would definitely go back to vortex. They have the good food, good vibes and actual good service. Cheers!

    Elaine F.

    Okay Vortex !!!!!!! I came to Vortex to celebrate my friend birthday and It did NOT miss. The venue is pretty and the vibes were giving.. where is the dance floor Shout outs to the DJ for playing all of the tunes. We came for dinner and honestly, a lot of the items sounded pretty good. I got the 7 spice chicken (jerk chicken & jollof) and it was good. I forgot the drink I ordered but it was good too (could've been a little stronger though). The service was great our server was kind and friendly. I would definitely come back to try the Mac & cheese and wings, i heard great things about them.

    V!
    Maria L.

    This place stood out to me as we were driving by to go to our show at the Sage Theater.. I was like we gotta come back! Just mysteriously inviting! We went up the stairs-- tables, hookahs and a bar! I must admit we didn't have anything to eat except fries-- but I did have their amazing espresso martini. That was delicious!! I'm not a big coffee drinker but I like coffee icecream. It was so tasty. I will definitely be back for another one! Our bartender was super nice I also had a spicy passiontini which was also yummy! My friend had an old fashion. We enjoyed the music and the vibes! Will have to come back and try out the food.

    Rum cake
    Kanisha L.

    Food: fusion for sure. Not sure what kind of party was going on in my mouth, but I liked it. We had the chicken, branzino, and rum cake. I'm used to branzino being made simply so be prepared for lots of flavor. Rum cakeeeee... there's a reason there's only 1 dessert in the menu lol DeLISH. Service: okay at best, was a turn off that the bartender was smoking hookah. Ambience: suuuuuuuupee cute. Though moreso for adults. Loud music, censored but adult content. All in all, I'd be back.

    Lamb shank
    Chell H.

    We had the oxtail ragu, lamb shank, and jerk branzino. *chefs kiss* Our waitress was really nice & knowledgeable as well as the owner. They also have a pretty good happy hour.

    Dania J.

    Vortex is such a vibe. Black and female owned, and you can feel the love and intention behind every part of your experience here. The space is chic and stylish... Perfect for date night or a fun night with friends. Our server Awani was amazing! She was super sweet, really attentive, and made sure we were good the whole time. For my cocktail, I had the spicy strawberry margarita which was so good. Strong, flavorful, and just the right amount of kick. Next for my main, I had he Berbere crab cakes--so well seasoned and cooked perfectly. The brussels sprouts and corn salsa on the side paired so well with the crab cakes. I also ordered a side of Mac and cheese which was baked exactly the way I like it. For dessert, I had both the bread pudding and the rum cake for dessert (don't judge me lol) and they were both absolutely delicious. Honestly, I'd come back just for those!!! I all around a great experience at Vortex! I look forward to coming back.

    Ashley O.

    The is the best happy hour experience that I've ever had. They had an extended happy hour, which worked out for us because we got there pretty late and we ordered at the bar and then moved to a table. The music was really good. The ambience was exactly how I wanted it..relaxed but classy and the food was really good. I ordered the bacon burger and the mac & cheese balls off of the happy hour menu and I very much enjoyed both of them. I will say that our waitress was a little bit inattentive. Maybe she got backed up with other things, but I did feel like I had to ask for the same thing a few times before I got it, but it overall didn't really impact my experience because I really loved this place and definitely would love to come back.

    Pineapple crush
    Terrell R.

    This is a newer location in DC, I popped into to check out after leaving dinner from a different location. The venue is clean cut and elegant, the windows are tinted out which makes it hard to tell if they're open or not but adds to the ambiance, black furniture and tables located throughout the first floor (it has multiple but that was the only floor open at the time). There's a decent sized bar with a couple tv's above. They were just opening at 6pm so their happy hour menu was available (runs from 6pm-9pm). It was a decent sized crowd but I was able to get a seat at the bar. The service was excellent overall and the bartender provided some good recommendations and crafted some high quality cocktails. The happy hour menu features about 6 different cocktail options ($9) and a few different small bites like cheese fries, shrimp basket, and crab spinach dip (prices ranging from $15-$21). I attempted to test out one of the desserts the brown butter rum cake and several of the cocktails: the blueberry lavender french 75, strawberry margarita, brown sugar espresso martini, and the pineapple crush. The rum cake was delicious, moist and the salted caramel ice cream was the perfect compliment. Out of all the beverages the martini was probably my favorite the brown sugar gave it a bit more sweetness than you'd find in a standard espresso martini but didn't make it overly potent. The French 75 was refreshing, the blueberry lavender seemed to pair well with the gin and champagne. The strawberry margarita was solid, well made and not as sweet as I had anticipated it might be from the ingredients. The pineapple crush was my least favorite but if you're into something super sweet that would be the go to. Overall cool experience I'll definitely have to return to try out the food menu.

    Happy hour burger
    Kent D.

    Nice multi level space. Great for groups and after hours fun. The service was excellent. Our bartender was nice and attentive. The food was good and the happy hour menu was plentiful. But it's important to note that the portion size is smaller.

    Sweet Potato Cornbread with Honey

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    8 months ago

    Was there for dinner. Had great, unique drinks and my food (ribeye) was delicious! Would come back again for a happy hour

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    1 year ago

    Food was amazing! Drinks were perfect! Great vibe overall! The lounge upstairs was lit!!

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    1 year ago

    A little loud in here - as the times. The food was outstanding. Gnocchi and Brussels. How can that be outstanding? It was

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    1 year ago

    The best ever unique tas experience I had at Vortex. Everything taste great, food/drink/desert. Try and witness!!!

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Vortex

    Is it possible that I can get y'all to put ....Dimple I love u and want to spend my life wit u ..but for now would u do the honor of being my girlfriend.....but we can shorten the words up just a idea is that possible and how much would that cost?

    Take a picture of it and you can forward it to them

    What's the address for vortex?

    1426 L St NW, Washington, DC 20005

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    Flight Club D.C - At Flight Club Social Darts, cutting-edge tech meets an elevated menu of shareable snacks, cocktails, and curated beers.

    Flight Club D.C

    4.5(60 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Free WiFi
    Vegetarian friendly

    I booked reservations on line for two people Saturday 1:30 which was $15pp. the time slots after…read morethat were $17pp. We took a little longer then expected to find a parking spot so we arrived 10 mins late to our booking time. The staff was so nice they slid our time slot by 15 mins so we could keep to the 90min total duration. We were quickly taken to our bay and was provided instructions on logging in to the system and selecting the games etc. the games were sooo fun! It really showed our competitive spirit! There were lines on the ground denoting your level of expertise so it's customizable to your skill level. We order a few drinks which were delivered quickly and tasted fantastic! The decor and vibe was so awesome!! There was so much to see and surprises at every turn. No spoilers but check it out! Of course we will be back!!

    We only popped in for a quick drink. I had the snapdragon and it was very good, a little on the…read moresweet side (I think due to the lychee) if you prefer sweeter tasting drinks. Really cute ambiance as well. Everyone was so nice and accommodating whilst in the middle of prepping for a private event.

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    Flight Club D.C - Flight Club is a high-energy, upscale spot where tech-powered, fast-paced darts meet elevated small plates, craft beer, and a...

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    Flight Club D.C - Flight Club Social Darts is a chic hangout offering immersive, technology-driven dart games alongside upgraded pub bites and ...

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    Flight Club D.C - Flight Club Social Darts is a nightlife destination.

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    Flight Club Social Darts is a nightlife destination.

    Free State - Hazy IPA

    Free State

    4.3(149 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    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!

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    Free State - Spiked chocolate

    Spiked chocolate

    Free State - Bar

    Bar

    Free State - Small glasses

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    Small glasses

    Chadol Korean BBQ

    Chadol Korean BBQ

    4.5(137 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$
    All you can eat
    Full bar

    Chadol Korean BBQ was such a fun pick for our monthly dinner series! My friends and I had a great…read moretime and honestly left fullllll. For $45 per person, the all-you-can-eat experience feels like a really solid deal considering how many protein options and side dishes you get. They start you off with a variety of banchan (side dishes), including a salad with this super tasty dressing that had the perfect little spicy kick. For the BBQ, we kicked things off with the spicy bulgogi and butter garlic shrimp, while the others tried the pork belly (I don't eat pork). Later we ordered the steak, spicy brisket, and grilled squid, which were all delicious. The spicy brisket especially was a standout for me. The guys also ordered two rounds of fried dumplings that looked amazing, but since they contain pork, I had to sit those out. I'd love to see Chadol add a veggie dumpling option to the menu! As for the sides, the kimchi and cold glass noodles were both hits at our table, and of course we all added white rice. The "mashed potatoes" though? Definitely more like potato salad and unfortunately very bland. On the other hand, the cheese corn costs extra but is 1000% worth adding. For drinks, the guys enjoyed the Woody Old Fashioned while I had a mezcal margarita-style cocktail that was smoky and refreshing. We also ordered one of the chicken options but never received it and eventually just gave up on it. One of the coolest parts of the experience is the ordering system. Most meats are ordered directly from a machine at your table, and the food comes out quickly on this conveyor belt-style setup which was honestly so fun. Drinks and side dishes are ordered through the servers. The atmosphere was lively and energetic without feeling overwhelming. The restaurant is actually much larger inside than I expected, with a modern setup that works well for smaller groups. That said, I didn't really notice tables for larger parties, so I'm not sure how they accommodate groups bigger than 6 people. Service started off a little rough because our server wasn't very attentive, but after I called it out, he definitely stepped it up and things improved. Overall, Chadol was a really good experience and absolutely worth the price. The 1.5-hour seating limit makes sense too, both to keep things moving and give others a chance to enjoy the experience. I'd definitely go back!

    I ate here around a year ago and reviewed them on google. The food is not good, service is slow,…read morefor some reason you can't order certain things with the tablet, and it's really easy to miss the little automated train thing that brings out your food. This place has negative reviews deleted on Google. Spend your money elsewhere, there's better Korean food in DC.

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    Chadol Korean BBQ
    Chadol Korean BBQ
    Chadol Korean BBQ

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    Bar Betsie - Back area

    Bar Betsie

    4.3(73 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    I love the ambiance and service here. I've been a couple times and it's been very consistent. The…read moreinside is dark and moody with a fantastic playlist. I always leave with new songs on my playlist. It is on the smaller side so I wouldn't suggest for a huge group. But if you're looking to grab a cocktail with a few friends or by yourself I definitely recommend. I ordered the Gold Rush! The drink was perfectly sweet and a good intro to bourbon, which I typically don't drink. I can't remember the second drink I got but it was equally delicious. I will note my friend was not a fan of her dirty martini. Overall great experiences.

    What a fun cocktail bar. My friend and I popped in for happy hour and it was a cool vibe from the…read morestart. I encourage you to get there early if you plan to go after work. They don't take revelations and the place fills up fast. It's a very cute spot and feels so comfortable and fun. Our bartender was Gaylan and he was great--had great reccs, laughed with us a bit, all around great guy. The 'let me just say this' was so soo good! It tasted like a rainbow--just bright and with a really delicious after taste. I should have stopped at the rose but after my trying my friend's, i had to have one! We initially came for happy hour, but moved to the cocktail menu. The hh was a bit limited, but the drinks were priced overall pretty reasonably for the area. My one complaint is the wine glasses were so teeny. Overall though, I would recommend this bar. Bonus: cheese balls when you sit down! I believe there is also a limited food menu (think nachos) for the after work or late night crowd.

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    Bar Betsie - Quick view of options

    Quick view of options

    Bar Betsie - Frozen hibiscus pina colada

    Frozen hibiscus pina colada

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    Death & Co DC - Fool's Gold

    Death & Co DC

    4.1(117 reviews)
    0.6 miShaw, Downtown
    $$$

    Came in for my birthday and had an amazing time. Quality drinks made with precision and delicacy…read morethat packed both flavor and wow factor. Chef James personally brought out so many amazing things for me and my best friend to try out. Definitely a memorable experience we will be back. Those chicken wings were phenomenal. Keep doing all the amazing things you have been.

    I've been eyeing this bar for several weeks now, and the other day, I finally decided it was time…read moreto give them a try. I know reservations are probably highly recommended, but we were fortunate to walk in at just the right moment and snag a seat. The seating is cozy and inviting, perfect for a relaxed evening. The atmosphere is just my style, an elegant, dark, grown and sexy vibe that really sets the mood. The decor is striking, with thoughtful touches that create an inviting space to unwind. While it leans a bit on the pricier side, the exceptional service more than justifies the cost. Jordan and the team were incredibly knowledgeable about both the drinks and food menu, offering suggestions that perfectly matched our tastes. We tried two standout drinks that I can't recommend enough: the Attractive Nuisance and El Tiburon, (which is an Old Fashioned made with gin). The bartenders here clearly know what they're doing, each drink was crafted with care and precision. The good music in the background added to the overall ambiance, making it a delightful spot to spend an evening.

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    Death & Co DC - Please and Thank You

    Please and Thank You

    Death & Co DC - Mutineer

    Mutineer

    Death & Co DC - Beautiful mosaic from when it was Columbia Room before

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    Beautiful mosaic from when it was Columbia Room before

    Vortex - seafood - Updated September 2026

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