Weekend in Washington, DC

DC is so close to home for us that we often overlook the magic of DC. Home away from home. We finally decided to spend a much needed weekend to fully explore the restaurants and nightlife. Let me tell you, it was definitely worth it! With wedding season and spring break approaching quickly, DC is a perfect place for all vibes - laid back, classy, fun, loud or quiet!

Where to stay:
We knew which restaurants and bars we wanted to visit, for the most part, and wanted to stay somewhere central to them. After reading many reviews, we booked at The Hamilton.

Pros:
Walking distance to many restaurants and bars
Easy to grab public transportation - metro is a block away
Restaurant on site
Easy check-in/check-out
Comfortable rooms

Cons:
Garage parking is not connected to the hotel. They do offer valet, however.
On-site restaurant closes early so if you have the munchies at night, there’s no vending machine for snacks or water
Walls are thin! We could hear everything from the hallway.

Other hotel to consider is Eaton, DC which is about three blocks from The Hamilton. You can’t go wrong with either options!

Lunch:
Our first option for lunch was the restaurant connected to the Hotel, Via Sophia. Note - they are not in any way related, just share an entrance. Via Sophia’s menu was very limited Italian food. Although I LOVE Italian cuisine, I needed more than 4 options. We instead went over to The Hamilton (restaurant) a few blocks down from The Hamilton Hotel. Confusing, yes!

If you have never been to The Hamilton, be prepared to be amazed by the size of the venue! The restaurant is split into three different sections, almost as if it’s three different venues connected into one. With two bars on the main level, a hidden bar upstairs (The Loft), and a concert venue downstairs, one can easily get lost. The first bar is more business-like, perhaps where business deals are made. The second bar in the middle section is more laid back, perhaps where you go to celebrate the business deal. The Loft upstairs is more of a speakeasy with live bands at night. Go see Wade at the Loft for amazing service and cocktails!

Food was just ok at The Hamilton. My burger was flavorless and overcooked. Our food took over an hour to arrive so one would think it tasted amazing. We did, however, get 50% off the check because of the wait. Much appreciated. For cocktails, Espresso Martini and Old Fashioned is highly recommended.

Dinner:

Some restaurants to consider for dinner are Agora and Astoria, both a quick Uber ride from The Hamilton hotel.

Agora: Mediterranean cuisine. Wait times can be up to 45 minutes on a weekend. Our favorites were:
Octopus
Bronzino
Lentil Soup
Cocktails were just ok

Astoria: shaped like a cabin car of a train!
We ordered the Ma Po Tofu which had way too much black pepper. Better for drinks. Wait times on a weekend can be up to 45 minutes.

Bars: The fun part, right?

The Mirror - hidden speakeasy down the steps of an office building. The door is literally a giant mirror! Bar does not serve any food so eat before you go. No flash allowed as the bar is meant to be very lightly lit. Mostly standing room unless you arrive early. Seems like a fun place but very dive bar-ish.

Donahue - Very classy lounge with minimal wait times. Kitchen closes at 10:30pm so arrive early if you want to dine. Otherwise, make yourself comfortable at the bar with Marco or in the lounge. You’ll receive nothing but spectacular service. We always sit at the bar so we can watch the amazing mixologists in action and get personalized cocktails. Oh, try their champagne shot. Just the glass itself is cute! One of my favorite drinks there is, you guessed it - Espresso Martini! Let the mixologists know what you’re craving and they will create a cocktail to suit that craving.

Allegory - Hidden in the back of the main level of the Eaton, DC Hotel, Allegory is a speakeasy bar without windows. You’ll be amazed by the decor and the vibe. I won’t give it away! You need to go see it for yourself. Best thing to do is either arrive early or go add your name to the waitlist, and hop on over to Michele’s. Wait times can be up to one hour, with no ability to make reservations ahead of time. Food wise - it’s all bar food but the kitchen closes by 10pm. Their chicken and egg sandwich was delicious! For drinks, go with personalized cocktails and let the bartenders know what you prefer to drink and they will work their magic.

Michele - Located in the lobby of Eaton DC Hotel. We grabbed a drink at Michele’s while waiting for bar seating at Allegory. It’s a cute chic restaurant but I was not blown away by their drinks. They do make their espresso martini with spiced rum, which is actually quite interesting and different.

Gibson - Speakeasy bar with old fashioned bulky bar. A bit of a dive bar feel. It’s also very hidden without a name on the door so use your map app to locate the venue. I was not wow’ed by the drinks or the vibe so most likely will not return. After visiting Donahue and Allegory, I was spoiled by amazing drinks and expected the same at Gibson. But, they failed to deliver.

The Loft - Located at The Hamilton restaurant, The Loft is hidden and not well advertised. You have to go towards the restrooms, past the kitchen, and up the steps on the right (you’ll see a small sign with the name). We went Saturday night and they happened to have live music. Seating is limited but you can grab a table or wait at the bar - it’s all open seating. A perfect way to end the night. Kitchen is open late for late night munchies and the cocktails made by Wade kept the energy going. My favorite here was a spinoff of Tim Collins with vodka.

What to wear
That really depends on which month you’re visiting. We were there in February which was still chilly. DC nightlife is to dress up - Men, wear nice slacks and dress shirts, no sneakers. Ladies, you can’t go wrong with pants and a nice top, or a cute skirt/dress with heels. Leave the jeans for the daytime.

Come back to this post soon! I’ll add more fun places to visit as we uncover them. Comment on the post if you have recommendations for bars/restaurants we should visit in DC!