MAP IT
Swank and style: Everyone’s talking about the 14th Street scene's restaurants, bars and shops.
The Scene: The restaurant’s namesake is Catalan for honeycomb, which also served as the inspiration for the brightly colored and earthy decor. Have a glance (and a feel) of the moss-covered wall and order Bresca’s signature drink, the Bee’s Knees, which is served in a bee-shaped glass. There are also comfy window seats adorned with plush pillows – just note that these are in high demand.
Insider Info: Ratino is a Michelin-starred chef who also happens to have a green thumb. Many of the herbs and floral garnishes found on Bresca’s ornate dishes are grown in the restaurant’s rooftop garden.
The Scene: In 2012, local food writer and entrepreneur Amanda McClements opened Salt & Sundry, a stylishly curated kitchen, home and gift store with locations in Union Market and on 14th Street. “We’re taking the intimidation factor out of decor by showing a laid-back, casual way to pull your space together,” says McClements. “I love highlighting the work of talented small makers from DC and beyond.”
Insider Info: There’s no need to leave Fido outside while you’re perusing Salt & Sunday’s offerings, as dogs are welcome inside. Craft cocktail enthusiasts will dig the unique barware and small-batch, locally made ingredients for sale.
The Scene: Pearl Dive is a palace indeed, boasting a Gulf-style bar and a dedicated fishmonger. This high-value restaurant from Chef Jeff Black devotedly serves up sustainable American seafood. Start with oysters, of course, and try the gumbos, po’ boys, grilled fish or duck confit (still waterborne, fewer gills). For all the new upscale restaurants nearby, Pearl Dive has been a popular mainstay, mixing jorts and Chanel jackets. Festivities at the bar overflow onto the sidewalk patio, where the raw bar has a second window.
Insider Info: Happy hour means oyster mania, a must-do for half-priced local oysters on the half shell.
The Scene: A chic indoor-outdoor set-up, stylish decor and primo location make this restaurant and wine bar a hot spot. If you have to wait for a table, saddle up to the bar to peruse the list of Spanish and South American tempranillo, garnacha and malbec varietals. Young professionals, late-night adventurers and date-night seekers all converge at Barcelona for brunch and after-dinner drinks.
Insider Info: Cozy up at Barcelona, where you can enjoy blankets, heat lamps and a fireplace on its patio. Go light with cava and Spanish cheeses or heavy with a Rioja and paella – either way, you’re in for the royal heat treatment.
The Scene: Sharing a laugh with Washington Improv Theater has been a ritual for DC residents enjoying a night out on 14th Street for nearly two decades. Now in residency at Studio Theatre, shows feature DC's top improv comedians with company ensembles ranging from the long-running musical improv group iMusical, the all-Black ensemble Lena Dunham, the scientifically minded Hypothesis and the all-woman ensemble Hellcat.
Inside Info: At $20 a ticket, you can't beat the price for a night of live entertainment. Dive in head first with a class.
Bar Japonais © Nina Palazzolo
The Scene: Bar Japonais blends Japanese cuisine with French influences, most notably evident in the beverage menu, which features a diverse selection of wine, sake, and cocktails. The signature Omakase experience features a meticulously crafted, 9-course rotating array of seasonal ingredients. The chic, industrial-style interior allows the colorful plates and cocktails to take center stage (as they should).
Insider Info: This is a can't-miss happy hour – available even on weekends. Keep an eye on the events calendar for indulgent drag brunch. Don’t forget to bring cash for tipping entertainers.
The Scene: The brightly colored Colada Shop is a photographer’s dream. This Cuban cafe-bar combo is packed with pastel hues and good vibes, which extend to the dog-friendly patio. Reasonably priced empanadas and sandwiches bring to life diverse flavors, and depending on the time of day, you might find friends grabbing a post-Soul Cycle cafe con leche and avocado tostada or an after-work mojito.
Insider Info: Colada Shop’s rooftop garden is the place to be. Guests will enjoy Caribbean-themed happy hour specials complete with cocktails and empanadas.
The Scene: A perfect case study in Logan Circle's day-to-night locales is Barrel House, where you can start your morning with artisanal pastries and end the evening with craft cocktails. No matter when or why you visit, this gathering spot from the team behind Wunder Garten will welcome you with open arms.
Inside Info: The giant, barrel-shaped entrance has been a staple on 14th Street since the 1940s, when the property was a liquor store called Sammy's Barrel House. Beyond the eye-catching entrance, venture to the charming outdoor cocktail garden, especially if it's Trivia Tuesday or Mixology Wednesday.
The Scene: The classic and cozy 14th Street establishment spreads over two floors of a former rowhouse on the corner of 14th and T streets. A meal under the Edison bulbs on the outdoor patio (a tough seat to come by in the District) makes for the perfect people-watching/dining activity.
Insider Info: An extensive wine list features 100 selections available by the bottle – many of which are made from Italian grapes – and select cheeses and cured meats are prepared in-house. Talk about classy: the 15-seat bar on the main floor is crafted from Carrara marble and features hand-painted Italian tile.
The Scene: Affordable, succulent South American chicken in the front and 60-plus whiskeys in the back. That’s the name of the game at Chicken + Whiskey, a fast-casual hybrid. An array of savory sides like fried plantains and chunky guasacaca (a Venezuelan, guacamole-like sauce) are waiting to be paired with rotisserie chicken, slow-roasted to perfection over wood charcoal for 12 hours.
Insider Info: Après-dinner, cross through the rear refrigerator door (seriously!) to find the not-so-secret spot that completes Chicken + Whiskey's namesake combo. The wood-paneled bar touts two-ounce pours and reasonably priced cocktails. There’s also an impressive vinyl collection that DJs spin from on select nights.
The Scene: We’ll have a heavy pour of Hemingway-esque 1920s Paris, please. A veteran spot in the scene, Pilar is a wonderland of shimmering chandeliers, gilded decor and exposed brick that transports patrons to an earlier time. Cocktails are strong and meticulously poured. Few would bat an eye at impeccably dressed patrons going to, or coming from, a night out or date at the wooden bar.
Inside Info: Attempt to snag one of the few outdoor tables and pair good drinks with a way to take in the entire scene. The downstairs can get crowded, but the smaller upstairs is a bit more intimate.
The Scene: "Good vibes meet great swings" is the motto at the Muni, a 21+ game bar that gives laid-back golf vibes "without the country club rules." Between high-tech golf simulators, mini-golf challenges, skeeball, lounge spaces for game-watching, craft cocktails and pizzas, everyone is welcome. No experience (or reservations) required.
Insider Info: Don’t miss the "closest-to-the-pin" contest, held weekly on Wednesdays, where players compete to land the tee shot with the most accuracy.
The Scene: Perfect post-game to follow up your fill of bivalves and po' boys at Pearl Dive. Upstairs, Black Jack touts lounge-style seating, and in the back, TILT Side Bar serves a separate cocktail menu that will make you feel like you've stepped into an '80s-themed pinball machine. With happy hour available Wednesday through Sunday, you can find Washingtonians of all ages enjoying craft cocktails. For the cinephile in your life, movies are often projected onto the exposed brick walls behind the bar.
Insider Info: The shareable cocktails at TILT – multi-person drinks served in ‘80s-themed vessels – are a must-try for larger groups.
The Scene: While there are plenty of options along 14th Street, the Black Cat (with its pinball, two stages, cheap beer and fantastic crowd) is more than enough to warrant making a night of it here. This vintage venue, best known for landing up-and-coming alternative artists, hasn't missed a beat in all its years on this storied street. What’s more, there’s room enough for two simultaneous concerts, one at the intimate ground-level Backstage (where there’s often no cover) and a headliner at the upstairs Mainstage. In between, visit the Red Room Bar for its hipster vibe, game machines and never-crowded atmosphere.
Insider Info: The venue also hosts events like monthly DJ-led dance parties and sci-fi happy hours. Check out all the shows on its calendar.
The Scene: These two bars, located around the corner from each other at P and 14th, come to the area courtesy of co-founder and former-DJ Ed Bailey, who helped make DC’s gay nightlife scene what it is today. Number 9 is decked out in mirrors and leather banquettes downstairs, has a tiny, great-for-people-watching patio, and music-video-playing TVs upstairs. Trade is highly popular as well, with its dim lighting, tall wood-backed booths, offbeat paintings and rooster-print wallpaper.
Inside Info: 9’s happy hour is two-for-one from open until 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Trade offers something called Huge Happy Hours, in which cocktails are served in generous pours into tall pint glasses from opening until 8 p.m. daily. All beer and wine is just $5 during the same time frame.
No single adjective can describe DC’s 14th Street scene. For more adventures, check out things to do in Logan Circle and nearby U Street.
