A bar for talking on a Saturday night?

December 1, 2011 8:25 PM

Last minute plans! Tell me the perfect bar in DC for drinking *and talking* this Saturday night.

I'm taking a last minute trip to DC this weekend (tomorrow!) I have a number of friends in the area and limited time, so I'm trying to arrange for an 'open house' in a bar downtown so people can drop by. Looking for something centrally located/convenient to the red & orange lines, and someplace that won't be an absolute mob scene on a Saturday night. Maybe someplace without loud music, as that's less appealing for the partiers. What bars are like this?

posted by heyforfour to food & drink (9 answers total)

Red AND Orange line? Huh. Those only intersect at utter downtown, which isn't exactly bar central. By loud music you mean like club music and dancing right? Near Dupont Circle is a decent sized dive bar called Big Hunt which is slightly cooler than other stuff around there.

Or you go to Capitol Hill where the dives are always empty and booths are always warm! Ah the Tune Inn, how I miss thee.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:36 PM on December 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

In the area you're talking about, there's Elephant and Castle at 19th and I, and Mackey's, Recessions, and the Black Rooster on L between 18th and 20th. None are particularly loud or crowded (but Recessions is a little divey).

All four are two-three blocks from Farragut North (red) / Farragut West (Orange/Blue).
posted by downing street memo at 8:47 PM on December 1, 2011

Recessions would be my pick of those too. (Divey = good right?)
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:57 AM on December 2, 2011

The bar at the Mayflower is like this. It shares a block with a Farragut North Red Line exit and is a block from Farragut West on the Orange Line.

Similar would be the Hay-Adams bar (not far from the Mayflower and on Lafayette Square, or the Willard, which is at Metro Center.
posted by jgirl at 6:03 AM on December 2, 2011

I believe the bar at the Mayflower is closed for renovations. However, about a block away is a good place for drinks and chit chat: the Dirty Martini.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:11 AM on December 2, 2011

Recessions hosts Spellbound on Saturday. The crowd is pretty awesome, and won't bother you if you don't want them to. They have these booth alcoves that relatively quiet. The drink specials are awesome, too.
posted by frecklefaerie at 8:55 AM on December 2, 2011

You may want to try Buffalo Billiards in Dupont Circle. It's huge with several small rooms and plenty of places to hang out and chat. Plus there's pool, darts, shuffleboard, etc. if your friends want an activity.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 9:21 AM on December 2, 2011

What about Science Club? I think they get a DJ but there are at least two floors so maybe one will be quieter than the other. Convenient to red and orange lines also suggests Metro Center which is pretty dead on the weekends. There's another location of Elephant and Castle if that sounds appealing. Alternately, if you went to Laughing Man, it would probably be pretty quiet. I'm also a little partial to Chef Geoff's in Metro Center though I'm not sure if they have the special on super mugs on the weekend.
posted by kat518 at 12:47 PM on December 2, 2011

I'll throw in a recommendation for the Billy Goat on New Jersey Ave. It's redline accessible and not crowded on Saturday nights. It won't seem like the most charming place immediately, but the staff and manager (Fletch) are eager to accommodate, and you can bring a crowd.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:46 PM on December 2, 2011