More than two years after mixologist David Strauss closed the Sheppard, a Dupont Circle speakeasy known for its handwritten cocktail menus and no-reservations policy, the bartender resurfaced in Mount Pleasant with another second-story bar built inside a century-old space above a dentist’s office. Along with five nightly cocktails and a “bartender’s choice” ($14), martinis, Manhattans, and Moscow mules are just $7 during weekday happy hour (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

A 5,000-square-foot bar and lounge is the centerpiece of a new, 11th-story park at Capital One Center, the huge complex that houses the credit card company’s global headquarters in Tysons, Virginia. Starr Hill’s beer garden pours popular hazy and West Coast IPAs made at the brewery’s facility outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. An opening list of bar bites includes fried cauliflower, salads, burgers, and pulled chicken sandwiches. The all-outdoor venue is outfitted with 24 draft lines, an adjacent amphitheater, and lawn seating.

Ambitious beer startup City-State unveiled its much-anticipated Edgewood facility right off the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail in June. The 13,000-square-foot microbrewery and taproom, almost six years in the making, comes from neighborhood resident and former congressional aide James Warner. D.C.-themed beers on tap include 8 Wards Independent (pale ale); Equal Marriage (dark wheat); and Trainspotter Green Bullet (pub ale). New custom collaborations for fellow Mothersauce Partners venues include a cold brew beer at the Freshman and a cream ale with ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and orange peel for the Eleanor.

A sprawling outdoor drinking attraction lined with picnic tables, murals, and a retrofitted subway car arrived near the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood station this summer, marking the first big bar project for the up-and-coming development there. Local spirts and beers naturally fill out Metrobar’s drink menu, with coy cocktail names like “Red Line Rickey” and “Green Line Gimlet.” The partners, whose backgrounds are in construction and organizing groups for karaoke and bocce, plan to host art installations and other events to make it a hub for D.C. culture.

College pals-turned-seasoned restaurateurs Kathleen Davis and Thomas Boisvert converted the former Tyber Creek and Rustik Tavern space in Bloomingdale into a new restaurant and wine club, bringing the neighborhood a strong wine list, classic Negronis and daiquiris, and sourdough pizza that make good use of its wood-fired oven. Wine flights are themed around varietals and regions, with options like “Pinot Noir, You’re A Star,” “It’s All Greek to Me” and “Mélange à Trois.”

This Logan Circle cocktail bar with a retro dinner party vibe comes across as a refreshing rebuke to precious speakeasies — without sacrificing in quality. Pretty much any of the drinks that are organized by spirit and mixed by co-owner Jean Paul Sabatier are a safe bet. But start with one of the rotating house features, particularly a tart and smoky Mezcal 75 or a rich, smooth añejo tequila Manhattan made with Punt e Mes vermouth and chocolate bitters. Finger foods include warmed-up olives, mixed nuts with an undercurrent of rosemary, and a gouda and sharp cheddar pimento cheese with enough Club crackers to (almost) justify the $14 price tag. Indoor customers are required to show proof of vaccination.

Seasoned sommelier Elli Benchimol turned a historic Georgetown row home into her dream Champagne-and-caviar bar in May. Apéro serves stylish pastries and espresso drinks by day and bubbles with more French-leaning fare by night. A glass of champagne with full caviar service can cost as little as $50. The classy setup, lined with shimmering gold accents and blue-toned walls, seats 45 inside and another 16 across a leafy patio out back.

The team behind K Street NW speakeasy the Mirror veers away from tradition with this wild new basement bar hidden under Blagden Alley. Never Looked Better is filled edge to edge with fluorescent lights, jungle vibes, pink neon, dangling silk flowers, geometric shapes, and subway tiles tagged with random stickers and scribbled messages. Go for high-brow takes on bright drinks like cosmos and appletinis, all set to an early aughts soundtrack that bounces from Lil’ Kim to Sublime.

The hospitality group behind this highly anticipated, homage to New Orleans went to great lengths to avoid any semblance of hokeyness, including bringing in a partner to lend the bar a stiff shot of credibility. Neal Bodenheimer, a founder of nationally recognized Cure, led the development of a drink menu that offers an absinthe rickey, a historical reproduction of a classic hurricane, a similarly studious sazerac, and — for special occasions — a two-person French 75 ($150) made with Martell Cordon Bleu cognac and a half bottle of Champagne. There’s Abita amber on draft, along with more local craft brewers, and wines from across Europe and California. A covered outdoor bar opened in mid-August with a new happy hour featuring $6 snacks, $5 beers, and a few cocktails for $10.

In late May, the former Greene Turtle space attached to Capital One Arena welcomed the first sports betting venue in the country to open inside a pro sports arena. Sportsbook giant William Hill installed 1,500-square-foot LED screen that displays odds, with more than 100 TVs broadcasting the action. The draft beer list features local picks like DC Brau’s Joint Resolution Hazy IPA and Redbear’s DC Dirt Porter, and there are about a dozen wines by the glass ($12 prosecco to $25 Moet). Michelin star chef Nicholas Stefanelli (Masseria, Officina) put together a restaurant menu that includes Mid-Atlantic reference points like rockfish imperial and half-smokes with chili, mustard, and onions.

A New York-based bar brand equipped with indoor golf simulators opened its first D.C. location in July, bringing Penn Quarter a subterranean spot to tweak swings and sip spiked Arnold Palmers, Old Fashioneds, and fruity margaritas at one of two color-soaked bars. Chef Bedros Alboyadjian sends out creative starters like mac and “cheesesteak” eggrolls, fritto misto, chicken lemongrass potstickers, and “Miami Beach” arepas that speak to his South Florida upbringing.

This new, reservations-only gin bar hidden between two sister restaurants near Eastern Market celebrates the spirit in many shades, from juniper-forward, London dry styles to Japanese labels bright with citrus and American distillers that lean into floral notes. Bar managers and Rose’s Luxury alums Philip Keath and Ashley Havens offer guests a wealth of information about the starring spirit, which makes its way into seasonal cocktails ($14 to $18) that range from light refreshers to booze-forward sippers. Owner and former ThinkFoodGroup exec Hollis Silverman, who opened adjoining family-friendly restaurants the Duck and the Peach (New American) and La Collina (Italian) at the same complex, looked to her favorite European gin bars for inspiration. The gorgeous setup tucked behind drawn blinds features plush forest green sofas, brown banquettes, and designer scarves behind frames.

Ballston Quarter’s hybrid art gallery-restaurant debuted in June with three drinking areas: a 51-foot craft cocktail bar, a 25-seat open kitchen bar, and an intimate tasting area that plans to host visiting wineries, breweries, and distillers. The 6,200-square-foot project from gallery owner Shane Pomajambo has the vibe of an edgy New York loft, incorporating black steel ceilings, plush seating, wraparound murals, and art exhibits that’ll rotate in and out. Global plates from executive chef Eleftherios (Terry) Natas are designed for sharing.