Washington DC
Washington DC operates two airports — Reagan National (DCA), inside the city, and Dulles (IAD), 25 miles away. DCA is the better-designed terminal; the National Hall, with its 750-foot vaulted ceiling designed by Cesar Pelli, is the most architecturally ambitious airport space in the United States. The drinking is concentrated at Reyes & Mariposa, an actual cocktail bar in the new Terminal C with a respectable Mid-Atlantic wine programme. Centurion Lounge IAD is the polished play for Amex Platinum holders, located in IAD's main terminal.
U Street · $$
9:30 Club Bar draws a steady local crowd in U Street. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Downtown · $$$$
Allegory at Eaton Hotel draws a steady local crowd in Downtown. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City centre · $$$$
Allegory is the Shaw speakeasy hidden inside the Eaton Hotel — push past the unmarked door, into a candle-lit Alice-in-Wonderland-themed room with painted-mural
Georgetown · $$$
Bandolero draws a steady local crowd in Georgetown. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Plays for Washington Dc Airport: post-security, pre-security, lounges, and the airport-hotel cheat code.
Pre-flight drinks, hotel-bar reviews, and the openings we're watching across 200+ cities. Friday mornings, no filler.
Looking beyond Washington Dc? See our guide to the best airport bars worldwide, or compare airport bars city by city.