The Mirror

When you think of a hidden speakeasy where you wouldn't know it was there unless you did your research or heard from others, The Mirror is it. From the inconspicuous location on K Street to the cool way to enter the bar, the Mirror offers excellent cocktails with more than a couple NOLA-originated as there seems to be an emphasis on that area for inspiration. From the Westin in City Center where I was staying, The Mirror is about a 10-minute walk, going down Vermont Avenue a couple of blocks before turning onto K Street where you will notice a green canopy that reads, "Vieux Carre." Upon going down the flight of stairs to the basement level you will find a fairly rough exterior with a "for rent" sign hung next to... you guessed it... A wall-sized mirror that stretchers from near ceiling to near floor. This mirror serves as a door.Hence the name of the bar.Upon pulling the door open from the right-side frame, you enter a dark world with the bar wall providing the main light source. Yes, you have other subtle dimly lit ambient lighting whether from a chandelier in the lounge area or from the candles on the bar or the track lighting on the ceiling. However, the bar area is mostly dark as your eyes adjust and take in the hidden mystique.Grabbing a stool at the bar, I glanced at the cocktail menu sign and the laminated menu on the bar. Between the two, the Mirror offers a variety of different cocktails from classics such as Aviation, Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule, Paloma, and Tom Collins to Prohibition-era specialties like the Lion's Tail, Fitzgerald's Neighbor, and Sunflower to NOLA-originated treasured recipes such as the Sazerac, Vieux Carre, and the Corpse Reviver #2, I opted for the latter. I enjoyed the Vieux Carre and Corpse Reviver at the bar, my buzz ever increasing from my previous bar I had attended around the corner. I couldn't tell you what music was playing but "Twenty Four Hours" by Joy Division kept playing on repeat in my head as I stared into oblivion sipping away on the couple of cocktails throughout my evening. The bartenders were great with the one who served me made sure I had water (I certainly needed it as the drinks were strong -- if you know the ingredients or at least read what is offered on the laminated menu). The service was expedient as the bartenders were constantly slinging cocktails in the tins. They run a great operation behind the bar and the drinks came out in good succession. I would return in a heartbeat when I am in DC again so I can enjoy some other cocktails under the dark ambiance of this splendid speakeasy behind a mirror.

The mirror. I love a speakeasy but this wasn't that. It was hidden and I loved the hunt for it but that's where it ends. Inside is way too loud. Where's the intimate experience where the atmosphere speaks for itself. The drinks weren't anything special. A step above rail drinks where is this plus this, they have the classics which I can make easily at home. I'm talking a margarita, Moscow mule, martini, etc at an upscale price. When we visited, there was room at the bar but after perusing the menu, I got 1 drink to try it out and dipped.The mirror could be better and has potential but I see it as just another "spot" .Finding it is the best part of the mirror.

Billed as a speakeasy because it isn't intuitive to find, when you walk inside instead of sexy the vibe is a little bit more like well-worn.That being said, there is a solid happy hour special, quick service, well-made drinks, and it's a good choice when you want to chat with friends over drinks without being in an overcrowded and loud room.

This was a super fun-to-find hidden bar (near I say "speakeasy", even though such needs don't exist anymore). True to its name, find the mirror, and, as the saying goes, "The Mirror Provides". This is not the type of secretive, romantic lounge for a first date or a "get-to-know-me-better" type of establishment, unless the idea of getting to know someone is via a whole lot of drinks. The music is blasting, the place is packed, bar is full. But if you're looking for a fun and hyped atmosphere, look no further. Definitely worth a night out at least once.

Stopped in here for a drink after dinner, and absolutely loved it!It's under-assuming and likely underrated. I thought the drinks were delicious (slightly pricy but you're in the heart of DC), the bartender was friendly and had good service, and the ambiance is cute.I will say it was very dark and many people had to use the flashlight feature on their phone to use the menu, but I didn't have a problem with this at all! I put the light on, got my drink, and then enjoyed my night in the dim light.

So we added The Mirror to my husband's birthday weekend itinerary in hopes that the night cap would be a unique experience following the F1 Arcade. It was pretty cool to find it and make it inside. The vibe was giving secret basement turned bar. I thought the decor would have been a bit more dramatic with the theme they had going on, but it was a little anticlimactic. Aside from the bar, they had two sets of couches in the back. It would have been nice to have more for. The bartenders were quick and the service was cool. I had a Tom Collin's as a drink -- it was okay.

It was really interesting to walk into the bar through the mirror, but it wasn't anything special. It's hard to see anything, the drinks are over priced, and not much to the bar itself. Service was fine but I wouldn't go back.

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. (He ain't gon' do it for ya!)" Hearing that song go viral recently reminded that I need to write a review for this place. Chile ayways, my friend and I were STUCK looking for this place at 1am. The GPS bought us to a random set of stairs with an alley with nothing but a mirror hanging up. We were perplexed, but as soon as we were ready to just find another place to go, another patron showed us that the door to this place was the mirror! "OHHHH, that makes so much sense!"On a Saturday night, they provide great cocktails with low lighting and plenty of places to sit. It was nice to wind down with a couple of drinks with my friend on one of their couches. I'm really glad I got to experience this place with my friend.

The Mirror was not awesome. I love a speakeasy and have frequented many. This place is just a basic loud bar with a cool entry. The drinks were nothing special, and the ambiance was awful. It was way too loud and way too dark. There was nothing charming about it. My advice? Take your pic by the mirror and move on to a different place.

The set up to this bar is excellent. You have to go down two flights of nondescript stairs, into a foyer that looks like a boarded up entrance to an old store of some sort. It's a dirty white wall with only a "for rent" sign and a giant mirror. The mirror is the door to a small, very dark speakeasy. The bouncer admonishes you at the door to not use your phone too much and to definitely not use your flashlight or the flash. The bar is just as dark as you'd expect from a speakeasy or a dive bar - and this place is kind of both. It has the secretive underground feel of a speakeasy, with very fancy cocktails, but it's also decorated a lot like a dive bar - black walls, a fraternity couch, and a wall full of mini Lays chips behind the bar. The cocktail I tried involved mezcal, tequila, lemon, and almond syrup in a champagne cup and it was delicious. The also had a very good raspberry sour beer. All in all, a fun place to pop in for a pre dinner drink.