The Most Scrumptious Lounges in Washington

Wok and Roll

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (876) • $$

"Solid late night delivery Chinese, with the cheesy restaurant name.I come to DC for business a few times a year, and I've been staying in the Chinatown area since it's so close to where we work. I've ordered from this spot 3 times now, and each time it's been hot, fresh, neatly packed and large quantities. Now if we're talking about comparing this place to the best Chinese restaurants out there during the day, this is more like 3.5 stars. But for a late night delivery option, I'm more than satisfied.I really like how the wings are packed in this foil lined bag, which keeps them hot and crispy. Plus it's strong enough for you to pour the sweet and sour sauce and shake it up, without the bag breaking. If you find yourself craving late night Chinese and in the area... don't be scared away by their name. Give em a shot."

Busboys and Poets - Anacostia

★★★★☆ 4 (296) • $$

"It's been a dreary sleepy week. I even missed a mental day of observation. So, after wk me and shared car pooler stopped by Busboys and Poets. Our server Ms. Sequoia was such a humbled, pleasant soft spoken young lady. Ms.Sequoia helped with suggestions of the happy hour menu that we didn't know existed. We eat there all the time ordering the same favorite.... Catfish, greens and what are now mashed potatoes potato that used to be grits. The experience was pleasant to have someone take their time, listen and deliver with grace. Thank you Ms. Sequoia for a wonderful evening. Also, does anyone know how often the art is changed on the wall? I would love to see a menu of ART presented to guests as we sit and wait. No one can see it all. Just a thought."

Fox & Hounds Neighborhood Sports Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (350) • $

"I came here with my coworkers for hangout, and it did not disappoint. Great vibes, love the patio, and the service was great. The happy hour specials were phenomenal, and you can get quite a bit of food + drinks for a very reasonable price (considering the location). Lastly, the bathroom was very clean (always a plus!) I wouldn't hesitate to come here again for happy hour!"

Gazuza Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (457) • $$

"Sushi, sexy vibe, and hookah is a great concept if done well. Came here on a Monday night to celebrate a friend's birthday . We advised the waitress there will be many of us and we will need separate checks. She said she could accommodate our request but, we would need to put up 1 card for the entire table. The 4 of us that were there at the time offered to put up our own cards to cover our own tabs but, she couldn't grasp the concept of what we were saying. After 10 minutes of back & forth she understood and took our drink and food orders along with our cards.FOOD:The sushi here is good. They have very limited selections on sashimi and sushi but, if you like creative rolls with interesting twist this is great and fresh. I had the Tiger roll, Lasagna roll (very tasty), and the Gazuza roll (it was warm so it wasn't my favorite but, good). DRINKS:I ordered a Lychee martini, which is one of my favorite flavored martini's, and it was just ok. I'm still trying to figure out why it was hot pink. Traditionally a Lychee martini is pear color looking and taste very much like the Lychee fruit and vodka. This one was very sweet and left me desiring more vodka. My suggestion use real lychee juice and and the fruit if you can to the cocktail... less hot pink please. My friend had the mojito and said it was good. HOOKAH:We were a group of 15+ and had several hookahs at our table. One of the ones at my end of the table wasn't functioning properly and instead of changing it out the wait staff kept loosening and tightening but, it did not work. I finally tooled around with it and we got it to do something but, we were over it at that point and just utilized th eff others. The hookah was good.I want to give this place another try because it's cute, sexy, in a great location, good music, and great vibes. Please work on your service! As a patron spending money at a table, I should not have to get up and go to the bar to close out my tab. This will ruin an experience. I recommend this place but be warned the service needs improvement."

Nero

★★★★☆ 4.2 (192) • $$

"Here's a clearer and more sincere rewrite emphasizing the need for management to address the bartenders' actions:This review is specifically for Sabina, the speakeasy downstairs.We were seated at the bar while waiting for a table upstairs at Nero, so we decided to grab a few drinks and enjoy the ambiance. The best part of the experience was the intimate, low-lit atmosphere, and I had a cocktail that was genuinely delicious. The fire show was also a cool concept Unfortunately, the service was disappointing, which is why I'm giving this spot a 2-star rating. The bartender seemed disinterested in serving guests-she was short in her responses and lacked warmth. As the bar got busier, she became even more distracted and inconsistent. I ordered the same drink twice, yet the second one was noticeably different from the first. The most concerning part of the experience was when we ordered truffle fries that never arrived. I actually saw the fries sitting on the back bar, but instead of serving them, the bartenders began eating from the order. When it was time to pay, the fries were still on our bill. When I pointed this out, the bartender turned to her colleague and said, "WTF," but never apologized or acknowledged the issue. It became clear that they had likely been eating our food the entire time.This is unacceptable, and I hope management takes action to address it. A great atmosphere and good drinks don't make up for poor service and unprofessional behavior from staff."

The Board Room

★★★★☆ 3.7 (219) • $$

"Great gaming bar/restaurant, lots of space and surprisingly good food and drinks! The chairs and sofas are quite comfy. We came here with a couple of families and brought our little tots, they enjoyed life-size Jinga and some of the other games. Some of the pieces are missing from the games and glad we brought some of our own games. The kids enjoyed the French Toast and the Watermelon Spritzer Cocktail was refreshing and not too sweet. The bartender was nice and let me sample the slushies. I was eyeing my friend's monstrous breakfast burrito!Good spot for groups and will come back to play more games and try some more food!"

Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (138) • $$

"I am new to the DC area and was looking for an Ethiopian spot. I tried this place and I'm absolutely in love with the food. Upon entering the place, I could tell it was a family owned business and the head cook was the wife/mom which made me more eager to try the food! The food did take a while to come out (around 40 min) but that didn't bother me since the food and service was worth it.I ordered the combo veggie platter and the Kitfo (center of plate). The veggie platter was amazing, I particularly loved the collard greens and the lentils. It came with a side of injera, which is a pancake like bread, that you eat the dish with.It was my first time trying kitfo, I'm not accustomed to eating raw meat and just don't like the texture of it but this was so well made and flavorful I forgot it was raw! I'm definitely coming back here and would love to try more things off the menu :)"

VUE Rooftop

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (230)

"Great view of Washington monument and the White House! I'd recommend making a reservation, we went on a Monday and made one day of, but can imagine it's busier on weekends and in spring/summer.We got mixed drinks and the ceviche. The ceviche was incredible, would definitely order again!"

Bossa

★★★★☆ 3.6 (139) • $$

"I'll start with a positive. The seafood moqueca is AMAZING and the cocktails are great! And the artist we went to see (Michaela) was absolutely FABULOUS! If she's ever there again, you MUST catch her show!! But there are some issues with the restaurant. We went with a large group (10) and the restaurant made us put down a credit card before we received anything. Of course, that made paying the bill the end of the night a confusing mess that could have easily been avoided. Also, for whatever reason, the kitchen ran out of one of the most amazing dishes on the menu (the seafood moqueca), so half of the people who wanted to order it had to settle for something else. Lastly, one of us ordered the moqueca along with the black bean soup. The soup literally arrived 40 minutes after we'd finished the main courses. WTF? The eggplant dish was far too salty and cheesy. So there are some high points, but overall, Bossa needs some work."

Lydia On H

★★★★☆ 3.7 (116) • $$

"Vibe was great. Small area for intimate conversation. Loved the music and the food! The beef patties were our favorite!"

Harlot DC

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (216) • $$

"Me and my friend came here for a drag buffet brunch for her birthday. We loved it the food was delicious and drag Queens were beautiful and funny very entertained the whole time! We had free shots because the event was sponsored by Tito's and also had breast cancer awareness it was a great experience. The waitress constantly checked in with us making sure we had everything we wanted very attentive. Also the place is very ascetically pleasing perfect Background for pictures."

Top of the Gate

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (194) • $$$

"Top of the Gate is in the iconic Watergate Hotel. The views are amazing of the river and Georgetown. A lovely place to watch the sunset. I did not try any food. The drinks a bit pricey but you are paying for the location. They do have reservations for certain tables. Plus they have bottle service. I would love to be there when someone orders the $60,000 bottle of scotch."

Sports & Social - Bethesda

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (134) • $$

"Ambiance- I been to this location over 10x. Every time the clientele seems very unfriendly, unhappy, and stressed out. Possibly due to the gambling? The fries and chicken bites are good. Milkshake fantastic! Wings, burger, and nachos- so so. Could have better drink glasses. They seemed to have cheap'ed out a lot of the little things."

Lima Twist

★★★★☆ 3.6 (75)

"Lima Twist on a Saturday Afternoon for a Drag Brunch (for a bridal shower). I honestly did not know what to expect and was somewhat dreading it because why are we going to a brunch for 3-hours? The entertainment was for sure off the chain and well, entertaining.Our party of 9 ordered just about everything on the brunch menu (i.e. empanadas, ceviche, salmon caesar salad, chicken caesar salad, french toast, Lima waffles, and lomo saltado) l, including the bottomless mimosas. The wait staff do say that food just comes out as soon as it's made and in no particular order. Our (appetizer) ceviche came out almost 2 hours after we ordered it. The food overall was ok, nothing special/memorable, with the only highlights being the ceviche and french toast.Depending on where they seat you, some spots, you really can't see much, so that's disappointing.Also- the men's bathroom lock broke (so the line to the bathroom was always long) and the women's bathroom was already dirty when they just opened, so, yea.Overall, if you've never been to a Drag Brunch, this one was not bad at all."

Degrees Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.5 (66) • $$$

"4 stars for a surprisingly good hotel bar/restaurant.My wife and I stopped by Degrees Bistro, located in the Ritz Carlton Georgetown on 31st Street, to grab a bite while waiting on our Christmas tree to be wrapped up from the hotel's speciality market. We took a seat at the bar and found a very nice bar with several TVs to watch the various college football games. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday or Sunday during the fall.After grabbing one of the venue's specialty holiday drinks (spiked cocoa), we put in an order for some food. We got the tuna poke (solid), artichoke flat bread (solid), and burger (good, but not a good one to reheat). While the prices were high as expected for a Ritz Carlton, nothing was too crazy and the food was generally pretty good.Overall, Degrees Bistro was a good hotel restaurant. While it doesn't quite stack up to other full-fledged restaurants in the Georgetown area, it is definitely a great place to check out if you are looking for a snack or drink, and it is definitely an acceptable option if you are staying at the Ritz"

Aroma Ultra Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (105)

"Food: 9/10Service: 8/10Ambiance: 10/10My sister and I were looking for a relaxing night where we could catch up over good food. Aroma was that spot. We sat outside on a nice fall evening enjoying our hookah. I've been here once before and enjoyed myself both times. I will definitely go back!"

The Elroy

★★★★☆ 3.8 (42) • $$

"The Elroy just opened up on May 25th, and still smelled new when we went for drinks for a friend's birthday on the 28th. Yes, a bar smelled NEW. Crazy huh? Anyway, they still had some kinks to iron out such as stocking the bar upstairs and taking the price tag off the grill they bought at Home Depot. The Elroy definitely shows promise. Similar to other places on H, there are two levels and a back deck that is fenced in. There is a bar on both floors, but the first floor one is more substantial. Drinks were average priced, but came in those slanty glasses, so be forewarned that if you're not used to them, you will spill. (You'll see what I mean). Upstairs there are a few padded benches along the wall and drink tables and chairs to accomodate groups. Hopefully they've put up a curtain or something to block the direct in-your-face beams from the street light outside. The coolest thing though? When you're in the bathroom on the second floor, it's one way glass, so you can see out, but people can't see in with normal lighting conditions."

Fitzgerald's

★★★★★ 4.5 (28)

"The service here was absolutely fantastic. Our food and drinks were also delicious. Every course from the wagyu tartare to the key lime cremeux was beautifully presented and perfectly prepared. Portions are fair as well, great all around food experience, but the staff here really make Fitzgerald's stand out. This space has great, intimate ambiance and would be perfect for a date night. The bar by the entrance is gorgeous and the drinks are well-made, not too sweet and well-crafted."

Figleaf Bar & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (34)

"After FutureCon DC, some of the attendees headed over to Figleaf Bar & Lounge, a Meditteranesn restaurant with Latin influence located in the lobby of Hotel Zena. I'd say it's a great casual gathering spot with family or family. I enjoyed sipping on Whiskey Sours, snacking on Mezze Plate (especially the grape leaves and marinated mushrooms) and roasted veggies (including carrots, cauliflower, and zucchini), and playing pool."

Golf Ultra Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (45) • $$

"To begin, I heard many good things about this place as a lounge and decided to stop in for dinner (we are a family with young children). We went to Golf Ultra Lounge for dinner prior to COVID, so this review is for dine-in service before lounge hours. The only place to sit and eat besides the bar are the booths. We needed to wipe the area prior to settling in. The tables are on the smaller side, so it made eating a little difficult because of how far you needed to reach for your meal and the limited space to spread the dishes (Full disclosure, a child was present). The food was good. We ordered the double portion of Beef Suya, Egusi soup w/ fufu, and Jollof. I usually ask how the dishes are prepared because of the different styles. The waitress had to check in with the chef because apparently the preparation differs depending on who is cooking that day. She also spent most of the time at the bar with the two other customers, so our service wasn't as fast (considering the lounge was near empty). The portions were large and filling. The drinks were canned sodas, rather than drinks on tap. Lowered 2 stars because of cleanliness and customer service."

Famous Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3 (56)

"I recently came here on a Monday for Happy Hour and had a great time. The happy hour menu has both food and drink specials. The drinks are well priced and strong! There are only 5 food items on the happy hour menu. The only thing I had a taste for was the suya but it was a little tough and chewy. I think I'll try the wings next time. It was also karaoke night so that was entertaining to watch. I definitely will be back for Happy Hour soon."

Spectrum Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (31)

"The best suya, the best hookah and the best bottle girls! Like seriously I use to come here as a customer now I work here and I love it. The owners Nj and Val are great and their main goal is to make sure everyone gets the best experience of the nightlife in the DMV. Everything is newly renovated so it gives off luxurious with Afro beats playing all night it's giving nollywood. Definitely come and visit us we gets lit for sure!"

Skyvibe Restaurant and Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (26)

"Ambiance: Very nice. The restaurant was beautiful. We arrived at 8PM. Around 9 the restaurant went pitch black and the only lighting came from a strobe lights. We could barely see our food. Rating: Service: Ehhh ok. We arrived on time for a reservation and was asked to wait. The restaurant was maybe 15% full. It was like they were not expecting us. They eventually sat us in the bar area. Our waitress was also the bartender. We had to ask for things twice. Rating: Price: Astronomical. See screenshot. Too many fees involved. The service fee was apart of the cart. Then gratuity added after the subtotal. Because the service fee was added to the cart it made the gratuity more. The service was below average for all those fees. Rating: Drinks: We all the love potion. Not nasty but not good. Waaaaaaay too sweet. We were asking for ice to water it down. Rating: 1/2Food: The lamb chops were cooked perfectly. The veggies were blanched. I would've preferred them steamed. They still had a crunch to it. But good flavoring Rice wasn't too bad but I've def had better. This was spice and smoke. No real flavor. Lamb chops: Veggie: Rice: 1/2Parking: Street parking. Got to area around 6 so it was fairly easy. Later I could see parking being hard and needing to Uber.Would I visit again..... HELL NO!!!"

The Jerk Pit

★★★★☆ 3.6 (23)

"Yes yes yes. It has been a few years since I have had good Jerk. The Jerk pit hit the nail on the head. Great flavor, tender and the peas and rice were spot on."

Black Diamond Restaurant and Lounge

★★☆☆☆ 2.4 (47)

"Black Diamond....First let me start with....Stop, I repeat STOP requesting $20 deposits....immediately! For what!? Because we paid the $20 deposit last Sunday 7/14 and arrived on time for our 12:00PM reservation just to be seated in silence while waiting 15 minutes just for drink order and did not receive our food until 1:05PM. Sooo y'all pressing for $20 just to have your customers wait a hour for service not making sense to me. This establishment needs a bit of work because holding customers accountable to show up for their reservation when your staff need to be held accountable to make it to work on time to prepare the food for your paying customers. Their chef did not walk in UNTIL 12:45PM. Secondly, it's literally a shame this establishment is ran so poorly because food is, BOMB....minus them waffles. We did not walk out because we were personally aiming to ONLY support small Black Businesses that weekend but how can people support if you lacking on staff, service and manager even being present to run spot....But shout out to Renee for having to serve the only three tables of people solo, and shout out to the people at those other two tables also for having to sit around even longer than our hour wait for their food. Sooo, it's a pass for me right now for visiting again....that $55 Diamond Platter does not out weight the lack of customer service for me."

Palisades Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (41) • $$

"Outside is open!! I'm slowly getting out and about more and recently, met up with a group here for happy hour. We sat on the roof. I believe our server's name was Noelle - she was very attentive and super sweet!I had a few margaritas and old bay wings with fries. I don't believe the food was on happy hour but the drinks definitely were. Like most places these days, gratuity is automatic and that is fine. The service was great! Street parking can be tough! I didn't even bother circling around. I went to the garage around the corner and after 7 p.m. it's free. I'm sure on weekends its free! Ladies, do not wear spikey heels up here! That is all..."

Safari DC

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (25) • $$

"Five stars for food, minus one star for service/ambiance/etc. = a solid four star experience!Honestly? If you're looking for the best Ethiopian food in the DMV, look no further than Safari DC!!!I recently went with my family to eat lunch at this establishment. We got there around 2 pm on a Sunday. What was weird was the door was locked when we tried to enter. The waitress indoors saw us and quickly opened the door for us to enter.The restaurant occupies a beautiful space with a great patio. I loved it! When we were there though, there were no other patrons, which I thought was odd for a Sunday afternoon. We decided to still stay, though, and ordered the veggie plate and two different kind of tibs (beef and lamb). When the food came out, it was DELICIOUS! I'd had Safari's food before because I went to an event where they had catered, but this time the food was better (if that's even possible). Dare I say it?!?! Safari DC has the best Ethiopian food in the DMV area! (YES I HAD TO SAY IT AGAIN! IT'S THAT GOOD!) Seriously.If you can deal with the touch and go service and a bit of a wait time, the FOOD is definitely something worth experiencing. I would recommend it to anyone."

Islands Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.1 (14)

"Honestly, I eat here like once a week and have yet to have a meal I didn't like. I highly recommend the jerk chicken, the jerk chicken sandwich, and the oxtails. Everything is so delicious and the staff there are friendly and accommodating!"

Prime Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (26)

"Great size fish, beautifully grilled and packed with flavor. That fish was worth the money.I had to start off with that because man, that fish was delicious.Now let's start the review:There is no street parking for this restaurant so I had to park a block away and then walk(bummer). Thats the only bad thing I can say about this restaurant though. Upon entry, I was soaked in a vibrant ambience. I looked around amazed at the decor like a kid in a toy store.I finally got to counter and ordered "Grilled Tilapia(No Plantains), & Cassava Leaf w/Goat Meat". I received my order within 10mins. That is quick food service if you ask me. I took it home and then got down to business. Once again, I ate that fish and wish it was never ending. I never had cassava leaf before so it was an exciting new experience. It was very oily but that was expected from me doing prior research. Once I drained a lot of the oil out, the flavors I tasted were undeniably good. That is something worth trying again if it wasn't for the oil.All in all 10/10 , would recommend !Follow my IG @Blackdollar007"

V14 Street Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 (15)

"As a place that is working towards a reputation of good food and drinks, it has some work to do - but I'm hopeful. I met a friend at 7:30p. The restaurant was very slow but the music was very loud! I felt like I was yelling the entire time. I'm sure the volume was to attract people as they strolled past on 14th but my goodness! I ordered the crab mac and cheese. I couldn't see the crab but I could taste it. Not bad...Friend ordered a quinoa salad. He ate it all so presuming it was good. I also ordered an espresso martini - it was realllly strong. Overall, I hope it stays around. I'll try again in a few weeks, once they've settled in a bit more."

The Republic Garden

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (18)

"3 stars for the DJ fyah Oats. Minus 2 stars for the bartenders that thought I was dumb enough to not look at the menu before I ordered and charged me an extra $5 for fries and shrimp tempura. When I called her out on it she said "oh sorry". It's always your own ppl doing you nasty but I still tipped because you have to understand that once you know better, you do better. ONE LOVE"

Base lounge

★★★★☆ 4.1 (9)

"The DJ's are awesome, two music areas reggae and African music. The kitchen food is subpar at best but whatever you get on the grill will be superb & those drinks are definitely on point! Not the cleanest of places but still a good time in the hood"

Martini Bar Restaurant and Hookah Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (5)

"I have gone to Eden Center dozens of times over many years and I never knew that this place existed! It's a BIG underground restaurant & lounge with food, alcohol, hookah, and casino slots (real machines like you see in MGM!). The staff are super friendly - even to us as a random group of non-Middle Eastern folks - and provided very attentive service. The hookah was good and the drinks were solid. There's a big fountain, private areas, and large screens showing music videos. You could imagine throwing a family reunion with a catered dinner buffet or the most legit and wild party. There are disco lights and strong fans for good air circulation - so it doesn't feel suffocating in this subterranean space. It's a hidden little gem. Who would have known that this place existed under Eden Center's giant Asian grocery store and Vietnamese, boba tea, hot pot, Korean BBQ, and bakery spots. I love Eden Center so much. It never ceases to amaze me."

GQ Palace

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (10)

"The food was great and tasty, I loved their pounded yam with okra stew/ assorted meat. My meal was packed with flavor, made with love and left me wanting more. My friend enjoyed his Egusi , he stated they made it well. The suya was just okay as I've had better. Their before night service needs some work as there was only one worker present on the floor when I arrived. The service picked up at around 9PM. The restaurant was not packed with patrons but more staff arrived to work. I could tell this place is more for those who like the night night night life and I prefer to be in bed at 11.Again the food hit the spot and I will be back to try more options on the menu however I will order my food to go and do carryout."

Quilox Restaurant & Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (7)

"They appear to have renovated and upgraded this place, because the interior doesn't look like what shown on here. The food was really good and large portion, it was pretty spicy but well seasoned. Service was quick. The seats are really comfortable and they give living room vibes. Parking wasn't bad and I was able to get a spot pretty close by on the street."