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    Wet Dog Tavern

    3.2 (93 reviews)
    Open 2:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Wet Dog Tavern Sports Bars Photos

    Business Info

    WET DOG TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Wet Dog Tavern

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    a large banner with dogs on it
    Amanda T.

    I passed Wet Dog Tavern on the way to dinner the other night and told my husband we should stop by after for a drink and see what the vibe was like. It is a small tavern, but definitely has a cool converted industrial building atmosphere. The outdoor patio provides for additional space to hang out and play corn hole or watch sports on there large wall projection. It was chilly that night and they did have several gas heat lamps going, which you could see groups of folks huddled around. I like the wrap around bar setup, as it allows the bartenders to serve both inside and outside guests simultaneously. The beer selection was pretty good. If you like IPAs, then you will like their beer selection more than I did, but I did try a cider and my husband ordered a stout...both were in cans. We generally prefer darker beer, such as ambers, porters and stouts; though I do also dabble in ciders and sours. The large canvas outside was the highlight for me. I loved the ode to Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam," from a canine perspective. Just awesome. All in all, we had fun; so if you are looking for a nice little meet up spot for friends with or without dogs, this is a great option. Thanks for a good experience!

    Vanessa D.

    Came here for an event my new apartment building was having and absolutely loved it. The event was a get together with a few drinks, so nothing special in terms of set up, but it was most definitely a great location to have it at. The weather was warm-ish so we could easily mingle inside and outside. To drink, I HAD to go with one of their beers, so many lit options. First, I had the "3 stars never say never lager" which was ABSOLUTELY tasty. For my second drink I had the "troegs troegenator double bock" - darker, AWESOME as well! I always go for the highest alcohol content in beers and rarely ever disappointed. These two are definitely going on my go-to list. The bar wasn't very crowded so great atmosphere for a weekday. I was feeling some FOMO when people mentioned they'd been here multiple times before. Guess I've been missing out. But I'll be back for sure!! Can't wait

    Some street art I saw near the Dog !
    David S.

    I parked my Harley in a private lot and on the way back to my destination it was hot so I decided this would be a great spot to grab a drink and figure out the next move . The staff was great and the outside patio area was perfect. They have a good selection for most anybody's taste and I bet if this was not Rona season this place would normally be packed. Stop in and grab a drink or a burger you'll be happy .

    Burger
    Hannah B.

    This space has really nice outdoor seating, a pretty good draft list and delicious burgers. Although I don't have a dog, I love that it's dog friendly and seeing all the dogs. I came here while waiting to go to a show at the 9:30 Club While the burgers are good (it's actually a separate business inside Wet Dog) it's definitely a bit limited. They have pretzels you can snack on in the mean time. Service isn't unfriendly, but they did seem somewhat preoccupied with each other while I was waiting for a drink. They are super attentive to the dogs though. Overall a good place for a few drinks if you want to sit outside.

    Taps n stuff
    Kenneth D.

    Yay! a local, neighborhood bar that has a non-pretentious (no way!) bar-feel in D.C (and I can say that b/c I was born in D.C.) I am not saying that this is the ONLY 1980s show "Cheers: hey, come in my friend" attitude, but I will say that they are dwarfed by ones that lack that almost southern- hospitality and lack of "sheen" Not only is this place dog-friendly in the garden area and has a great story behind the pup who inspired the name, but the place has a chill, "hey let's hang out" style that is refreshing away from the movers n' shakers, power-mad city , transient customer, political vibe that over the last 20 years, has detracted from the D.C. pride that once stood. If you don't believe me, watch a Pro Washington Football game and you will see as many "away" fans as the home team fans. So- this bar shakes that pretext and delivers a limited food menu: burgers! That's all but there are 3 choices and 2 have meat (psssst, one is a shroom...) A modest beer list is offered (tap and bottle) but it's the dark amber liquor that has the mightiest share of the menu: bourbon, scotch, whiskey... followed by a close 2nd of vodka, rum, tequila and mezcale. Marry all that with the holiday lighting exterior, coupled with a cool inside/outside design and friendly bar staff and you have the spices to make you want to come back for more and become a regular. I came and met some friends in the bar area located just as you enter, then moved out to the patio to enjoy the breeze (and a classic burger) and then ended back inside. They have comfortable seating and heaters so you can enjoy the outdoors all year long ;) It can get raucous as the night progresses so unless you came in when it was early and quiet and then slowly became part of that group that says "my voice will now compete with the growing sound around me" then you may find the bar about noisy if your aim was to chat at a normal speaking volume. It IS a bar with ONE food choice offered so be forewarned, most folks there are there to drink and let the chips fall where they may... If all that sounds like you'd warm to that environment, then what are you waiting for-- GO!

    The Italian burger
    Sharon R.

    Really cute "drinks & drinks" bar in the Shaw district that sort of welcomes dogs. Here's the dirty: Good: * cute front patio, with benches, tables and a huge connect four board. dogs are welcome in the front patio. * back patio has other games like cornhole. * they have a burger guy show up at 3 p.m. This may be a weekend-only occurrence (we had it on Sunday). he has veggie mushroom to substitute for the meat. they were v. good. * everyone (bartenders, burger guy) was very friendly with the exception of the bouncer. * very relaxed vibe, I was expecting it to be a little more bro-ish. Bad: * bouncer had a bad 'tude. in the 2 hours or so that we were there, it did not disappear. * use plastic cups =/ I'm going to guess they are not being recycled. we tried to take our plastic cups home to recycle and the bouncer chimed in that we can't take empty plastic cups with us. Please consider recycling bins. * no food availability, with the exception of those little hard pretzels, until the burger guy shows up around 3 p.m. and it took him about 40 minutes to set up. if you show up super hungry, you'll have to wait. * dogs are not welcome in the back patio (even though it would be possible to access it without going through the tavern if the gates were open).

    Betty H.

    Came in around 7pm on a Tuesday and it was empty, which was awesome. The back patio decor is on point! Super cozy with nice and comfy pillows while the heat lamp is turned all the way up. I saw blankets everywhere for people to use and they seemed super fluffy and clean (not that you would even need it since it's so nicely heated). I really do love this place and would recommend if you want a quieter bar to catch up! When we were leaving, I did see the bar filling up so it's definitely a lively place yet but not crazily busy and loud! Can't wait to come back in the summer to see the different decor!

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    7 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Extremely rude service, especially from the manager. A real shame because I wanted to like this place. Won't go here again.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Great drinks, lots of outdoor space, a set of cornhole boards. Not bad for a group of friends grabbing drinks!

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    9 years ago

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    5 years ago

    The guy at the front was an absolute jerk! Terrible hospitality... I will NEVER return to this establishment.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Wet Dog Tavern

    Can you bring outside food? I was here once when they allowed it but am curious if this is always true.

    Yes

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    Review Highlights - Wet Dog Tavern

    The pub has a massive regular crowd that is open and inviting.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Sports & Social DC

    4.1(101 reviews)
    0.3 miU Street Corridor
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    Sports and Social is such a Sunday Funday attraction! Our server Zoey was attentive, and engaged…read morewith our table! She gave her recommendations of what she likes. This location is in the heart of the city so even if you care to walk around the city at the end of beginning of your trip to S&S, you're in a good mobile area! Other eatery and entertaining spots are all within walking disance. Parking to address, was bad. There are SOME parking lots in the surrounding areas but verrrry minimal, so I would advise Uber'ing in or carpooling with friends. My party of 3 were lucky to have gotten a spot right outside of the entrance. Sidebar, because the Super Bowl and other sports are in rotation now, I would 100000% advise parties over 2 to make a reservation, as its the most helpful to guarantee a spot. See Open Table for reservations - that was where our plans were arranged. See attached pictures for the food we ate and enjoyed - the wings (mine were mumbo and buffalo), fries, and crab dip.

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    Great local bar with large rotating craft beer selection. Highly recommend for any beer…read moreenthusiast. They have wine and cocktails as well. They are happy to recommend beer for your taste, and let you sample. It can be very busy and difficult to get a seat at the bar or get a table on a Friday or Saturday evening. We ordered food, and were expecting elevated bar food. The tater tots were a huge disappointment- they were very large squares , bland, and not crispy. The wings were okay. The cheeseburgers were the best- from the restaurant downstairs- mallard. Huge burger, done perfectly medium.

    Here's a review written as part of a visit to both Churchkey and Birch & Barley (the downstairs…read morerestaurant -- together they form the "2 Enjoy Everything" concept by Neighborhood Restaurant Group): A DC Gem That Delivers on Every Level If you haven't made it to Churchkey on 14th Street yet, move it to the top of your list. I visited as part of the full experience -- dinner downstairs at Birch & Barley, then up to Churchkey for drinks -- and honestly, it's one of the best evenings I've had in DC. Churchkey itself is everything a great bar should be. The beer selection is absolutely unreal -- hundreds of carefully curated labels spanning every style, region, and flavor profile you can imagine. What sets it apart is that the staff actually knows the menu. Our server walked us through a few options based on what we liked and landed us on perfect picks both times. That kind of genuine expertise is rare. The tavern pizzas from the wood-fired oven were a wonderful surprise -- thin, crispy, and the perfect companion to a cold draft. The smash burger also deserves a mention: simple, well-executed, and hits the spot. The vibe is warm and lively without being overwhelming. Great for a date, a group, or even just sitting at the bar solo with a good beer and good conversation with the bartender. This place has earned its reputation as one of the best beer bars on the East Coast -- and then some. Highly recommend making a full night of it with both floors. You won't regret it. Feel free to adjust the tone or add any personal details from your actual visit!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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    Wet Dog Tavern - sportsbars - Updated May 2026

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