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 176 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.