Nero

This review is for the speakeasy alone. Nero definitely closed some time during the pandemic, but some time last year, they reopened... and they added a new speakeasy called Sabina. There's a story behind the name, but I will let you go and experience all of that for yourself. I was solo, and I was lucky enough to grab the last seat at the bar. I was given the menu, and enjoyed reading the story.... each cocktail was an entertaining read, and even though the kitchen had just closed when I got there, they had a fair variety of small plates too. A speakeasy with food is always a bonus for me. They had an apricot gin & tonic, which was an easy pick for multiple reasons. I feel like apricot is such an underutilized fruit, and i get so excited whenever I see it somewhere. It was delicious. And I forget the name of the other one, but there was fire. Fire is cool when it's used in an artistic way. That's all I'll say. Nero was already an awesome place, and I'm glad they're back. But to have a new speakeasy in the fold too? What a winner. If my list is up-to-date, DC officially has 30 speakeasies -- or places that identify as speakeasies. Gotta try em all!

Popped into Nero on a late night after a show at the Kennedy Center. I have a list of places I want to try and this was one. Had some pizza and truffle fries with my partner. Pretty good, would like to try other things on the menu as these two things were good but pretty standard however their kitchen was closing soon and we needed to rush our order so not sure if that had anything to do with it. The drinks were great, again, another thing I would love to come back and try. When we walked in, my partner and I loved the ambiance. It's dark and has a very lowkey date night feel. The place is a lot smaller than I imagined but has a cozy vibe. Im inclined to give this place 3 stars as the food we had was average and our 1 evening out as parents was disturbed by some girls sitting at the bar talking about their love lives at full volume. At some points my partner and I could not hear one another and we were sitting so close to each other at the bar that our knees were touching (they were LOUD). Which turned the nice lowkey date night spot into more of a college bar (y'all know what I'm talking about). I realllllyyy wanted to love this place and wanted to have more drinks here before heading out but I think I'm gonna have to be back to give it another try because our first experience was more annoying than enjoyable due to the other guests and we ended up rushing out of there.Side-note: I feel there should be a rule at certain bars like these that if guests 3 seats down from you can hear your conversation, the staff needs to tell you to please keep it down. Idk, is it just me?Anyway, we'll give it another try.

happy valentines from me and Nero- and from the EDM playlist they oddly blasted throughout the romantic dimly lit townhouse ....- besides that odd choice, I was pleasantly surprised. the ambiance was very cool, multiple stories within a townhouse (and a dark spooky speakeasy in the basement) with pretty bars and an entire wall with electronic wine pourers. a tv playing black and white skits, super cool tbh - the menu is on the smaller side, the fried artichokes were light, crispy on the outside while maintaining a delicate warm artichoke heart filling- I didn't love the meatballs, nothing special and tasted rubbery like fake meat to me. but my dining companion was a fan! - the pizzas were personal size on the thin crispy crusts. the truffle pizza had the perfect amount of truffle flavor balanced with the salty cheese and savory refreshing mushrooms- we got dessert pizza?!? when is the last time you've seen that?!? same light flakey crispy crust (I think they should make the crust more sugary and different from the normal pizza crust) with warm strawberries, mascarpone, Nutella. so fun. a better quality spin on a fast casual dessert idea. - good espresso martini ($15) and smokey old fashion. service was attentive but each person who came to the table told us about the 2 hour limit.. we heard you the first time and there are empty tables...waitress could have introduced herself/given suggestions/anything more involved

It's a true to heart speakeasy. The drinks are amazing, and lots of options for all types of fancy drink lovers!! The bites we had are all incredible, and the atmosphere is comfy, dark and sultry. Would be great for a first date. The service was amazing and very helpful.

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.

This review is only for the drinks, as we arrived after the kitchen closed. We were looking for a cocktail bar with speakeasy vibes and this definitely fit the bill, but not quite an actual speakeasy. We learned from the bartender that they do have a speakeasy in the basement - we were on the first floor where there is a large bar and high-top tables on the other side. Dim lighting and candles add to the ambiance. Service was a bit slow because it was just the bartender, but then again, it was also a Monday night there was only one other group there, but they were seated at the bar. The menu seems South Asian-inspired with chai, assam, and cardamom. I ended up getting the smoked old-fashioned and was very pleased with it - if you like smokey drinks, this one hits all the right notes. My two friends who joined me also enjoyed their drinks. Overall, this was a great experience! We

This review is for Sabina - the speakeasy located on the lower level of Nero and it gets 5 stars from me mostly because I LOVED the ambiance - the drinks were good too!!When you step inside, you're greeted to a very dimly lit space with low lights and candles all around, creating a warm glow that adds to the cozy atmosphere. I loved the reddish hue from the candles that added to the intimate and welcoming vibe. The space feels exclusive and personal with very limited seating so make sure to book your reservations in advance! I loved the whole vibe - it's perfect for date nights or a small intimate birthday celebration or get together with friends. The drinks were creative and delicious. I had a few of one particularly cocktail called the Ignis which had a mix of bourbon, black cardamom, demerara, peat, sandalwood, smoke and gold - yes gold. It was really good. While it's on the pricier side, I think it's worth it especially for a special night out. Just be mindful if you're watching your budget. I wasn't the biggest fan of the truffle fries but my friends devoured them. haha. Overall, I loved Sabina. It's ambiance and unique atmosphere made it stand out to me. I'll definitely be returning - add it to the top of my list!

A few friends and I went to Nero around happy hour and were seated upstairs in the wine bar area (Sabina wasn't yet open, and the bar area by the entrance was full). Our server, John, was amazing -- incredibly warm, friendly, and patient. He made the experience a really positive one overall. We ordered some chai espresso martinis and were unfortunately pretty disappointed with those; the "chai" element seemed to be missing entirely and even if we weren't counting on that, we've definitely had much better espresso martinis elsewhere. It made us wish we'd tried other drinks off the happy hour menu instead (alas). The truffle mushroom pizza, however, was fantastic. It was fairly small, more like a personal pizza really, but super tasty. A bit on the greasy side but flavorful enough that we didn't mind. I'd totally get that again.I loved the dark, cavernous, moody vibes of the place. Definitely a nice setting, would probably be perfect for a date night. The noise levels were also great; the music was decently loud, but not so loud that we had to work hard to hear each other speak. This is a huge priority for me these days and I really appreciated the balance that they struck. Wouldn't be rushing to return per se, but would certainly not mind going back again! I'd probably try to hit up Sabina next time.

Ok. Important to preface this, I went here for a happy hour and had NO idea about the multiple other floors. So we missed out on a lot of the establishment. We had a table on the upper floor and ordered a number of items off the happy hour menu. I think happy hour is worthwhile, but otherwise the food is far too expensive (pizzas are essentially personal sized). We had a good time, and it sounds like I need to come back and check out the other floors as that may be the whole appeal!

Only commenting on the speakeasy but the ambiance is perfect for a date night. There are a few aromatic drinks which definitely improve upon the sensory experience. The staff seemed to be relatively new so drinks were moving a bit slow, but they were good so no complaints.I ordered the Neros Revenge and the Ignis, both of which were strong, interesting, and well balanced.