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Where to soak up the sun while sipping a few cocktails
Spring is in full swing, which means it's time to kick back on one of D.C.'s many rooftops and enjoy views of the Potomac, the Washington Monument, and the White House. This list largely focuses high-up places, but a recent guide to patios offers more outdoor options.
Read MoreThe terrace at Adams Morgan’s longstanding whiskey bar is the place to be at sunset, when bar bites are $2 off select beers start at $6 and pinot noir wine $22. A few doors down, sister spot Imperial slings gin and tonic goblets and lobster risotto across a leafy rooftop.
Head to the top of this towering Shaw staple to encounter a breezy, 360-degree bar overlooking the nightlife neighborhood below. Executive chef Julio Estrada sends out top-selling tots, bottomless brunch, burgers, chicken wings, and sliders to go along with draft cocktails, mules, and domestic whiskey pours. Better Hospitality Group (BHG) recently opened a second Takoda in Navy Yard that’s nearly twice as large as the original.
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The cute Cuban cafe off 14th Street NW is known for its blue-toned rooftop, where rum cocktails, cafe con leche, and croquetas are set to a beautiful mural backdrop. Reserve a table here.
Packed with dangling flowers, neon-lit palm trees, and a tequila bottle-lined DJ booth, this (retractable) rooftop hangout in Shaw feels like a mini vacation. Friendly bartenders efficiently send out spicy mezcal margaritas, Tecate cans, and shots, with Mexican fare from its Rito Loco kitchen downstairs. Taco Tuesday calls for a trifecta of tacos and margarita or beer for $22. Reserve via Resy.
What once was El Centro D.F. on 14th Street is now Mission Group’s multi-level Salazar, serving up quesadillas, bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dogs, and 50 types of tequila. The expansive rooftop is made for all-weather conditions, with a lengthy bar and a retractible roof.
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The roof of Union Market sets the stage for this artificial turf-lined bar serving pouched pina coladas, draft cocktails, and all kinds of hot dogs. Hi-Lawn comes from restaurateurs Greg Algie and Nathan Beauchamp (Tiger Fork, Calico, Fainting Goat, Hei Hei Tiger) and Paul Carlson (The Royal, Lulu’s Winegarden). Book a reservation online.
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Take in the a stellar view of the area around Union Market from the roof of this sushi spot and Japanese grill. The upper deck is one of many seating areas in the multi-level restaurant, and it fills up fast during happy hour. Book a spot online.
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Lined with communal tables, Dupont’s Bavarian beer hall is known for its solid selection of German brews (16 on tap at all times), two-pound pretzels, and people watching.
Georgetown’s adults-only lounge, open daily starting at 4 p.m., continues to be a hip hangout for espresso martinis, Hermann Moser Gruner Veltliner by the glass and bottle, flatbreads, and arancini. Certain seats on the wraparound rooftop sport monument views.
D.C. hospitality group Versus (HEIST, Casta’s Rum Bar, and Morris American Bar) brought a polished, penthouse-style hotspot to the top of AC Hotel Washington DC Convention Center. The scene-y, indoor-outdoor setup with stunning city vistas stirs intricate cocktails behind a marble bar to go along with a list of small plates. Meanwhile, AC’s newest D.C. hotel in Navy Yard is home to another top rooftop contender (Smoke & Mirrors) with a direct view of the U.S. Capitol.
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The ritzy hotel in City Center reopens its epic rooftop for spring and summer on Thursday, May 4. Anticipate frosé on tap, mocktails, and to eat, smoked pork belly buns, hummus, and burrata.
The pinnacle of this industrial-styled hangout is a prime pregame spot for a Capital One Arena show across the street. Known for its voluptuous burgers and nachos, Bar Deco’s weekly specials include $8 margaritas on Tuesdays, $9 martinis, Manhattans, Negronis, snd French 75 on Thursdays, and $15 wings by the pound and $5 Labatt Blue cans on Fridays. The roof is first come, first served.
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Hotel Washington recently reclaimed the name that graced the property when it first opened its storied doors in 1917 as part of a property-wide rebrand. An updated menu followed suit, but the Instagram-worthy views of D.C.’s finest buildings are still guaranteed in this all weather favorite.
An impressive selection of gin and tonics steal the spotlight at chef Bart Vandaele’s open-air rooftop, tucked behind sibling Belga Cafe on Capitol Hill. The garden-style setup serving sharable American bites is also a popular meetup spot for weekday happy hour and brunch.
Todd Thrasher, the bar owner who helped pioneer the speakeasy trend at now-closed PX in Alexandria, owns and operates this massive tiki bar at the Wharf with a rooftop deck overlooking the Potomac. Tropical cocktails integrate Thrasher’s Rum, made in a distillery underneath the bar. They come in classic, “not-so-classic,” and frozen flavors, all for $15. Weekday happy hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays) includes rum drinks with a mixer of choice, spring rolls, and shrimp dumplings ($6 each) and $5 bottles of Pacifico. Reserve indoors or outdoor seats here.
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Didn’t attend the Nationals game but still want to root for the 2019 World Series champs from a close distance? Thompson Hotel’s rooftop can solve that. The 6,000-square-foot space has indoor and outdoor seating, including uninterrupted sights of the flashy baseball stadium
The terrace at Adams Morgan’s longstanding whiskey bar is the place to be at sunset, when bar bites are $2 off select beers start at $6 and pinot noir wine $22. A few doors down, sister spot Imperial slings gin and tonic goblets and lobster risotto across a leafy rooftop.
Head to the top of this towering Shaw staple to encounter a breezy, 360-degree bar overlooking the nightlife neighborhood below. Executive chef Julio Estrada sends out top-selling tots, bottomless brunch, burgers, chicken wings, and sliders to go along with draft cocktails, mules, and domestic whiskey pours. Better Hospitality Group (BHG) recently opened a second Takoda in Navy Yard that’s nearly twice as large as the original.
The cute Cuban cafe off 14th Street NW is known for its blue-toned rooftop, where rum cocktails, cafe con leche, and croquetas are set to a beautiful mural backdrop. Reserve a table here.
Packed with dangling flowers, neon-lit palm trees, and a tequila bottle-lined DJ booth, this (retractable) rooftop hangout in Shaw feels like a mini vacation. Friendly bartenders efficiently send out spicy mezcal margaritas, Tecate cans, and shots, with Mexican fare from its Rito Loco kitchen downstairs. Taco Tuesday calls for a trifecta of tacos and margarita or beer for $22. Reserve via Resy.
What once was El Centro D.F. on 14th Street is now Mission Group’s multi-level Salazar, serving up quesadillas, bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dogs, and 50 types of tequila. The expansive rooftop is made for all-weather conditions, with a lengthy bar and a retractible roof.
The roof of Union Market sets the stage for this artificial turf-lined bar serving pouched pina coladas, draft cocktails, and all kinds of hot dogs. Hi-Lawn comes from restaurateurs Greg Algie and Nathan Beauchamp (Tiger Fork, Calico, Fainting Goat, Hei Hei Tiger) and Paul Carlson (The Royal, Lulu’s Winegarden). Book a reservation online.
Take in the a stellar view of the area around Union Market from the roof of this sushi spot and Japanese grill. The upper deck is one of many seating areas in the multi-level restaurant, and it fills up fast during happy hour. Book a spot online.
Lined with communal tables, Dupont’s Bavarian beer hall is known for its solid selection of German brews (16 on tap at all times), two-pound pretzels, and people watching.
Georgetown’s adults-only lounge, open daily starting at 4 p.m., continues to be a hip hangout for espresso martinis, Hermann Moser Gruner Veltliner by the glass and bottle, flatbreads, and arancini. Certain seats on the wraparound rooftop sport monument views.
D.C. hospitality group Versus (HEIST, Casta’s Rum Bar, and Morris American Bar) brought a polished, penthouse-style hotspot to the top of AC Hotel Washington DC Convention Center. The scene-y, indoor-outdoor setup with stunning city vistas stirs intricate cocktails behind a marble bar to go along with a list of small plates. Meanwhile, AC’s newest D.C. hotel in Navy Yard is home to another top rooftop contender (Smoke & Mirrors) with a direct view of the U.S. Capitol.
The ritzy hotel in City Center reopens its epic rooftop for spring and summer on Thursday, May 4. Anticipate frosé on tap, mocktails, and to eat, smoked pork belly buns, hummus, and burrata.
The pinnacle of this industrial-styled hangout is a prime pregame spot for a Capital One Arena show across the street. Known for its voluptuous burgers and nachos, Bar Deco’s weekly specials include $8 margaritas on Tuesdays, $9 martinis, Manhattans, Negronis, snd French 75 on Thursdays, and $15 wings by the pound and $5 Labatt Blue cans on Fridays. The roof is first come, first served.
Hotel Washington recently reclaimed the name that graced the property when it first opened its storied doors in 1917 as part of a property-wide rebrand. An updated menu followed suit, but the Instagram-worthy views of D.C.’s finest buildings are still guaranteed in this all weather favorite.
An impressive selection of gin and tonics steal the spotlight at chef Bart Vandaele’s open-air rooftop, tucked behind sibling Belga Cafe on Capitol Hill. The garden-style setup serving sharable American bites is also a popular meetup spot for weekday happy hour and brunch.
Todd Thrasher, the bar owner who helped pioneer the speakeasy trend at now-closed PX in Alexandria, owns and operates this massive tiki bar at the Wharf with a rooftop deck overlooking the Potomac. Tropical cocktails integrate Thrasher’s Rum, made in a distillery underneath the bar. They come in classic, “not-so-classic,” and frozen flavors, all for $15. Weekday happy hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays) includes rum drinks with a mixer of choice, spring rolls, and shrimp dumplings ($6 each) and $5 bottles of Pacifico. Reserve indoors or outdoor seats here.
Didn’t attend the Nationals game but still want to root for the 2019 World Series champs from a close distance? Thompson Hotel’s rooftop can solve that. The 6,000-square-foot space has indoor and outdoor seating, including uninterrupted sights of the flashy baseball stadium
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